ScienceDaily: Top News

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• Largest known prime number discovered; has 17,425,170 digits
• Drug shown to reverse radioiodine resistance in some advanced thyroid cancers
• Clues to childhood respiratory virus: Human metapneumovirus
• Cracking the semantic code: Half a word's meaning is 3-D summary of associated rewards
• Red brain, blue brain: Republicans and Democrats process risk differently, research finds
• New owl species discovered in Indonesia is unique to one island
• Long, low intensity exercise may have more health benefits relative to short, intense workouts
• GPA may be contagious in high-school social networks
• Accelerated biological aging, seen in women with Alzheimer's risk factor, blocked by hormone therapy
• Team creates MRI for the nanoscale: Level comparable to an atomic force microscope
• Light-emitting bioprobe fits in a single cell
• Rewiring the serotonin system
• Threat bias interacts with combat, gene to boost PTSD risk
• Blood may hold clues to risk of memory problems after menopause
• Cellular renewal process may underlie benefits of omega fatty acids
• Marsh plants actively engineer their landscape
• Clues to chromosome crossovers in meiosis
• Robots with lift: Researchers use combustible gases to power leaping machines
• Genetic study pursues elusive goal: How many humpbacks existed before whaling?
• Happily married couples consider themselves healthier, expert says
• Probiotic-derived treatment offers new hope for premature babies
• Scientific misconduct is real, but rare
• Geologists quantify, characterize sediment carried by Mississippi flood to Louisiana's wetlands
• Engineers show feasibility of superfast materials: 'Organic topological insulators' for quantum computing
• By guessing, clinicians may miss 3/4 of alcohol problems
• A cooler way to protect silicon surfaces
• 'Masked' mold toxins in food should be included in safety regulations
• Busy beavers give Canada geese a lift, study shows
• A war without end, with Earth's carbon cycle held in the balance
• Gene that suppresses herpesviruses discovered
• Amphibian study shows how biodiversity can protect against disease
• Sustainable new catalysts fueled by a single proton
• Simulation helps scientists better understand the origin of our solar system
• Protein central to cancer stem cell formation provides new potential target
• Long noncoding RNAs control development of fat cells
• Self-assembling, origami-inspired particles
• Epigenetics shapes fate of brain vs. brawn castes in carpenter ants
• Scientists discover how animals taste, and avoid, high salt concentrations
• Flood research shows human habits die hard: Few make plans to cut vulnerability
• Deep space missions? Magnetic shielding of ion beam thruster walls may provide power
• Vortex pinning could lead to superconducting breakthroughs
• Advance promises to expand biological control of crop pests
• Blackbirds in the spotlight: City birds that experience light at night are ready to breed earlier than their rural cousins
• Rare explosion created our galaxy's youngest black hole, study suggests
• Food and beverages not likely to make breast-fed babies fussy
• Finding 'Mr. Right,' how insects sniff out the perfect mate
• Ice age extinction shaped Australian plant diversity
• Flu outbreaks modeled by new study of classroom schedules
• Pathway that stimulates bone growth uncovered
• We're emotionally distant and that's just fine by me: Closer relationships aren't necessarily better relationships
• Arctic Ocean is on thin ice: European satellite confirms numbers
• Cocaine addiction study reveals targets for treatment
• Wetland trees a significant overlooked source of methane
• Christianity influences meat taboos in Amazon
• Lovers' hearts beat in sync
• Neural basis for benefits of meditation
• Study in mice yields Angelman advance
• How unconscious processing improves decision-making
• Emerging cancer drugs may drive bone tumors
• Novel test streamlines testing for Huntington Disease

Largest known prime number discovered; has 17,425,170 digits Posted: 13 Feb 2013 07:54 PM PST On Jan. 25, the largest known prime number, 257,885,161-1, was discovered on Great Internet Mersenne Prime Search (GIMPS) volunteer Curtis Cooper's computer. The new prime number, 2 multiplied by itself 57,885,161 times, less one, has 17,425,170 digits. With 360,000 CPUs peaking at 150 trillion calculations per second, 17th-year GIMPS is the longest continuously-running global "grassroots supercomputing" project in Internet history.

Drug shown to reverse radioiodine resistance in some advanced thyroid cancers Posted: 13 Feb 2013 02:31 PM PST Researchers have found that the investigational drug selumetinib shuts down the signaling of genetic mutations that prevent some patients' thyroid cancer tumors from absorbing radioiodine, the most effective treatment for the disease.

Clues to childhood respiratory virus: Human metapneumovirus Posted: 13 Feb 2013 02:31 PM PST New research has identified the relatively unknown human metapneumovirus (MPV) as the second most common cause of severe bronchiolitis in young children.

Cracking the semantic code: Half a word's meaning is 3-D summary of associated rewards Posted: 13 Feb 2013 02:31 PM PST Half of a word's meaning is simply a three dimensional summary of the rewards associated with it, according to an analysis of millions of blog entries undertaken by researchers.

Red brain, blue brain: Republicans and Democrats process risk differently, research finds Posted: 13 Feb 2013 02:31 PM PST A team of political scientists and neuroscientists has shown that liberals and conservatives use different parts of the brain when they make risky decisions, and these regions can be used to predict which political party a person prefers. The new study suggests that while genetics or parental influence may play a significant role, being a Republican or Democrat changes how the brain functions.

New owl species discovered in Indonesia is unique to one island Posted: 13 Feb 2013 02:31 PM PST A new owl is the first endemic bird species discovered on the island of Lombok, Indonesia, according to new research.

Long, low intensity exercise may have more health benefits relative to short, intense workouts Posted: 13 Feb 2013 02:31 PM PST Standing and walking for longer stretches improves insulin sensitivity and blood lipid levels more than an hour of intense exercise each day does, but only if the calories spent in both forms of exercise are similar, according to a new study from the Netherlands.

GPA may be contagious in high-school social networks Posted: 13 Feb 2013 02:31 PM PST High school students whose friends' average grade point average (GPA) is greater than their own have a tendency to increase their own GPA over the course of a year, according to new research.

Accelerated biological aging, seen in women with Alzheimer's risk factor, blocked by hormone therapy Posted: 13 Feb 2013 02:31 PM PST Healthy menopausal women carrying a well-known genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's disease showed measurable signs of accelerated biological aging, a new study has found.

Team creates MRI for the nanoscale: Level comparable to an atomic force microscope Posted: 13 Feb 2013 01:57 PM PST An international team of researchers has opened the door for MRI technology at the nanoscale. Using tiny defects in diamonds they sensed the magnetic resonance of molecules to peer down to the level of atoms.

Light-emitting bioprobe fits in a single cell Posted: 13 Feb 2013 01:57 PM PST A new study is the first to demonstrate that sophisticated, engineered light resonators can be inserted inside cells without damaging the host. The researchers say it marks a new age in which tiny lasers and light-emitting diodes yield new avenues in the study and influence of living cells.

Rewiring the serotonin system Posted: 13 Feb 2013 01:57 PM PST An interdisciplinary team of researchers has found a new way to influence the vital serotonin signaling system -- possibly leading to more effective medications with fewer side effects.

Threat bias interacts with combat, gene to boost PTSD risk Posted: 13 Feb 2013 01:57 PM PST Soldiers preoccupied with threat at the time of enlistment or with avoiding it just before deployment were more likely to develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), in a study of Israeli infantrymen. Such pre-deployment threat vigilance and avoidance, interacting with combat experience and an emotion-related gene, accounted for more than a third of PTSD symptoms that emerged later. Computerized training that helps modify such attention biases might help protect soldiers from the disorder.

Blood may hold clues to risk of memory problems after menopause Posted: 13 Feb 2013 01:56 PM PST New research suggests that blood may hold clues to whether post-menopausal women may be at an increased risk for areas of brain damage that can lead to memory problems and possibly increased risk of stroke. The study shows that blood's tendency to clot may contribute to areas of brain damage called white matter hyperintensities.

Cellular renewal process may underlie benefits of omega fatty acids Posted: 13 Feb 2013 12:25 PM PST A search for genes that change their levels of expression in response to nutrient deprivation has uncovered potential clues to the mechanism underlying the health benefits of omega fatty acids. Researchers report finding that feeding omega-6 fatty acids to C. elegans roundworms or adding them to cultured human cells activates a cellular renewal process called autophagy, which may be deficient in several important diseases of aging.

Marsh plants actively engineer their landscape Posted: 13 Feb 2013 12:25 PM PST Marsh plants, far from being passive wallflowers, are "secret gardeners" that actively engineer their landscape to increase their species' odds of survival, say scientists.

Clues to chromosome crossovers in meiosis Posted: 13 Feb 2013 12:24 PM PST Scientists have placed another piece in the puzzle of how sexual reproduction shuffles genes while making sure sperm and eggs get the right number of chromosomes.

Robots with lift: Researchers use combustible gases to power leaping machines Posted: 13 Feb 2013 12:24 PM PST Using small explosions produced by a mix of methane and oxygen, researchers have designed a soft robot that can leap as much as a foot in the air. That ability to jump could one day prove critical in allowing the robots to avoid obstacles during search and rescue operations following a disaster.

Genetic study pursues elusive goal: How many humpbacks existed before whaling? Posted: 13 Feb 2013 12:24 PM PST Scientists are closing in on the answer to an important conservation question: how many humpback whales once existed in the North Atlantic?

Happily married couples consider themselves healthier, expert says Posted: 13 Feb 2013 12:24 PM PST An expert says that people who have happy marriages are more likely to rate their health as better as they age; aging adults whose physical health is declining could especially benefit from improving their marriages.

Probiotic-derived treatment offers new hope for premature babies Posted: 13 Feb 2013 12:21 PM PST "Good" bacteria that live in our intestines have been linked with a variety of health benefits, from fighting disease to preventing obesity. In a new study medical researchers have discovered another advantage to these friendly microscopic tenants: Chemicals secreted by good bacteria that typically live in the intestines of babies could reduce the frequency and severity of a common and often-lethal disease of premature infants.

Scientific misconduct is real, but rare Posted: 13 Feb 2013 12:21 PM PST While instances of scientific misconduct in the publication of research findings is a matter of serious concern, such occurrences are extremely rare, according to new research.

Geologists quantify, characterize sediment carried by Mississippi flood to Louisiana's wetlands Posted: 13 Feb 2013 10:25 AM PST The spring 2011 flood on the Mississippi was among the largest floods ever, the river swelling over its banks and wreaking destruction in the surrounding areas. But a new study also shows that the floods reaped environmental benefits -- transporting and laying down new sediment in portions of the Delta -- that may help maintain the area's wetlands.

Engineers show feasibility of superfast materials: 'Organic topological insulators' for quantum computing Posted: 13 Feb 2013 10:24 AM PST Engineers demonstrated it is feasible to build the first organic materials that conduct electricity on their edges, but act as an insulator inside. These materials, called organic topological insulators, could shuttle information at the speed of light in quantum computers and other high-speed electronic devices.

By guessing, clinicians may miss 3/4 of alcohol problems Posted: 13 Feb 2013 10:24 AM PST Brief alcohol screening questions far outperform clinician intuition in identifying people with alcohol problems, a new study shows.

A cooler way to protect silicon surfaces Posted: 13 Feb 2013 10:24 AM PST Researchers have found a way to passivate silicon at room temperature, which could be a significant boon to solar-cell production and other silicon-based technologies.

'Masked' mold toxins in food should be included in safety regulations Posted: 13 Feb 2013 10:23 AM PST Government limits on mold toxins present naturally in grain crops should be expanded to include so-called "masked mycotoxins" that change from harmless to potentially harmful forms in the body, a new study concludes.

Busy beavers give Canada geese a lift, study shows Posted: 13 Feb 2013 10:23 AM PST A new study shows that busy beavers are helping Canada geese get an earlier start when the birds fly home and begin spring nesting.

A war without end, with Earth's carbon cycle held in the balance Posted: 13 Feb 2013 10:23 AM PST The greatest battle in Earth's history has been going on for hundreds of millions of years, isn't over yet, and until now no one knew it existed, scientists say. It's between a bacterium that's the most abundant organism in the oceans and a previously unknown virus that infects it. The contest has significant implications for Earth's carbon balance.

Gene that suppresses herpesviruses discovered Posted: 13 Feb 2013 10:23 AM PST Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus and Epstein-Barr virus hide within the worldwide human population. While dormant in the vast majority of those infected, these active herpesviruses can develop into several forms of cancer. In an effort to understand and eventually develop treatments for these viruses, researchers at the University of North Carolina have identified a family of human genes known as Tousled-like kinases that play a key role in the suppression and activation of these viruses.

Amphibian study shows how biodiversity can protect against disease Posted: 13 Feb 2013 10:23 AM PST The richer the assortment of amphibian species living in a pond, the more protection that community of frogs, toads and salamanders has against a parasitic infection that can cause severe deformities, including the growth of extra legs, according to a new study.

Sustainable new catalysts fueled by a single proton Posted: 13 Feb 2013 10:23 AM PST Researchers have conceived an exceptionally efficient class of catalysts powered by a single proton embedded within their structures. The catalysts generate desirable organic molecules, are prepared easily and inexpensively, deliver exceptional selectivity and offer numerous applications to medical and life science research.

Simulation helps scientists better understand the origin of our solar system Posted: 13 Feb 2013 10:20 AM PST Simulations boost the significance of image and measurement data from space missions: based on the example of an asteroid. Astrophysicists show collisions with other celestial bodies can be reconstructed and that even the internal structure of so-called protoplanets can be described. These models help to understand the development of our solar system.

Protein central to cancer stem cell formation provides new potential target Posted: 13 Feb 2013 10:19 AM PST Researchers have identified a pivotal protein in a cellular transformation that makes a cancer cell more resistant to treatment and more capable of growing and spreading, making it an inviting new target for drug development.

Long noncoding RNAs control development of fat cells Posted: 13 Feb 2013 10:18 AM PST Researchers report that 10 long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) play a vital role in the regulation of white fat cells. When each of these lncRNAs is individually knocked down, fat precursor cells fail to mature into white fat cells and have significantly reduced lipid droplets compared with white fat cells with unmodified lncRNA function.

Self-assembling, origami-inspired particles Posted: 13 Feb 2013 10:18 AM PST The nanotechnology research space is rapidly growing, with vast implications for the healthcare, consumer electronics, surveillance, and defense industries. However, a major limitation to this research is the ability to create particles that vary in shape and function on a micrometer or nanometer scale. To overcome these limitations, chemical engineers have developed self-assembling particles that are inspired by origami, the traditional Japanese art of folding paper into complex three-dimensional shapes. A new article demonstrates the fabrication and folding of these particles.

Epigenetics shapes fate of brain vs. brawn castes in carpenter ants Posted: 13 Feb 2013 10:18 AM PST Researchers found that epigenetic regulation is key to distinguishing one caste of carpenter ants, the "majors", as brawny Amazons of the colony, compared to the "minors", their smaller, brainier sisters. The two castes have the same genes, but strikingly distinct behaviors and shape.

Scientists discover how animals taste, and avoid, high salt concentrations Posted: 13 Feb 2013 10:18 AM PST Researchers have discovered how the tongue detects high concentrations of salt, the first step in a salt-avoiding behavior common to most mammals. The findings could serve as a springboard for the development of taste modulators to help control the appetite for a high-salt diet and reduce the ill effects of too much sodium.

Flood research shows human habits die hard: Few make plans to cut vulnerability Posted: 13 Feb 2013 08:47 AM PST New research has come up with ways to quickly assess flood damage to houses while also showing most people didn't intend to make changes to reduce their vulnerability after the devastating 2010-11 floods in Australia.

Deep space missions? Magnetic shielding of ion beam thruster walls may provide power Posted: 13 Feb 2013 08:47 AM PST Electric rocket engines known as Hall thrusters, which use a super high-velocity stream of ions to propel a spacecraft in space, have been used successfully onboard many missions for half a century. Erosion of the discharge channels walls, however, has limited their application to the inner solar system. A research team has found a way to effectively control this erosion by shaping the engine's magnetic field in a way that shields the walls from ion bombardment.

Vortex pinning could lead to superconducting breakthroughs Posted: 13 Feb 2013 08:47 AM PST New findings may represent a breakthrough in applications of superconductivity. Scientists discovered a way to efficiently stabilize tiny magnetic vortices that interfere with superconductivity -- a problem that has plagued scientists trying to engineer real-world applications for decades.

Advance promises to expand biological control of crop pests Posted: 13 Feb 2013 08:47 AM PST A new discovery promises to allow expanded use of a mainstay biological pest control method, which avoids the health, environmental and pest-resistance concerns of traditional insecticides, scientists are reporting. This is an advance toward broadening applicability of the so-called sterile insect technique.

Blackbirds in the spotlight: City birds that experience light at night are ready to breed earlier than their rural cousins Posted: 13 Feb 2013 08:47 AM PST City birds that experience light at night are ready to breed earlier than their rural cousins.

Rare explosion created our galaxy's youngest black hole, study suggests Posted: 13 Feb 2013 08:45 AM PST New data suggest a highly distorted supernova remnant may contain the most recent black hole formed in the Milky Way galaxy. The remnant appears to be the product of a rare explosion in which matter is ejected at high speeds along the poles of a rotating star.

Food and beverages not likely to make breast-fed babies fussy Posted: 13 Feb 2013 08:45 AM PST Many new moms fear that eating the wrong foods while breast-feeding will make their baby fussy. However, no sound scientific evidence exists to support claims that certain foods or beverages lead to fussiness in infants, according to a registered dietitian.

Finding 'Mr. Right,' how insects sniff out the perfect mate Posted: 13 Feb 2013 08:45 AM PST You may want to ramp up your romance this year by sharing a candlelight dinner, a walk on the beach, or even the scent of a perfume, but will that help you find your perfect mate? For one wasp species, it only takes a whiff of his special love potion to know whether he's "Mr. Right."

Ice age extinction shaped Australian plant diversity Posted: 13 Feb 2013 07:50 AM PST Researchers have shown that part of Australia's rich plant diversity was wiped out by the ice ages, demonstrating that extinction, probably more than evolution, influences biodiversity.

Flu outbreaks modeled by new study of classroom schedules Posted: 13 Feb 2013 07:50 AM PST Classroom rosters combined with human-networking theory may give a clearer picture of just how infectious diseases such as influenza can spread through a closed group of people, and even through populations at large. Using high-school schedule data for a community of students, teachers, and staff, scientists have developed a low-cost but effective method to determine how to focus disease-control strategies based on which individuals are most likely to spread the infection.

Pathway that stimulates bone growth uncovered Posted: 13 Feb 2013 07:50 AM PST Researchers have discovered that a protein called Jagged-1 stimulates human stem cells to differentiate into bone-producing cells. This protein could help both human and animal patients heal from bone fractures faster and may form the basis of treatments for a rare metabolic condition called Alagille syndrome.

We're emotionally distant and that's just fine by me: Closer relationships aren't necessarily better relationships Posted: 13 Feb 2013 07:50 AM PST When it comes to having a lasting and fulfilling relationship, common wisdom says that feeling close to your romantic partner is paramount. But a new study finds that it's not how close you feel that matters most, it's whether you are as close as you want to be, even if that's really not close at all.

Arctic Ocean is on thin ice: European satellite confirms numbers Posted: 13 Feb 2013 07:50 AM PST The September 2012 record low in Arctic sea-ice extent was big news, but a missing piece of the puzzle was lurking below the ocean's surface. What volume of ice floats on Arctic waters? And how does that compare to previous summers? These are difficult but important questions, because how much ice actually remains suggests how vulnerable the ice pack will be to more warming. New satellite observations confirm an analysis that for the past three years has produced widely quoted estimates of Arctic sea-ice volume. Findings based on observations from a European Space Agency satellite show that the Arctic has lost more than a third of summer sea-ice volume since a decade ago, when a U.S. satellite collected similar data.

Cocaine addiction study reveals targets for treatment Posted: 13 Feb 2013 07:07 AM PST Scientists are researching cocaine addiction, part of a widespread problem, which, along with other addictions, costs billions of dollars in damage to individuals, families, and society. Laboratory studies have revealed that the diminished brain function and learning impairment that result from cocaine addiction can be treated –– and that learning can be restored.

Wetland trees a significant overlooked source of methane Posted: 13 Feb 2013 07:07 AM PST Wetland trees are a significant overlooked source of the potent greenhouse gas methane, according to a new study. The study may help to resolve an ongoing controversy about the origins of methane in the tropics.

Christianity influences meat taboos in Amazon Posted: 13 Feb 2013 06:41 AM PST The introduction of Christianity has changed the hunting habits of indigenous people in the Amazon. While some new practices could benefit animals, others could put populations at risk.

Lovers' hearts beat in sync Posted: 13 Feb 2013 06:32 AM PST When modern-day crooner Trey Songz sings, "Cause girl, my heart beats for you," in his romantic ballad, "Flatline," his lyrics could be telling a tale that's as much physiological as it is emotional, according to a new study that found lovers' hearts indeed beat for each other, or at least at the same rate.

Neural basis for benefits of meditation Posted: 13 Feb 2013 06:23 AM PST Mindfulness meditation training in awareness of present moment experience, such as body and breath sensations, prevents depression and reduces distress in chronic pain. Scientists have now proposed a neurophysiological framework to explain these clinical benefits.

Study in mice yields Angelman advance Posted: 13 Feb 2013 06:23 AM PST Scientists reports experiments showing how the gene defect of Angelman syndrome disrupts neurological processes that may be needed for memory and learning. In tests in mice, the team showed that a novel compound could restore the healthy processes.

How unconscious processing improves decision-making Posted: 13 Feb 2013 06:23 AM PST When faced with a difficult decision, it is often suggested to "sleep on it" or take a break from thinking about the decision to gain clarity. But new brain imaging research finds that the brain regions responsible for making decisions continue to be active even when the conscious brain is distracted with a different task. The research shows the brain unconsciously processes decision information in ways that lead to improved decision-making.

Emerging cancer drugs may drive bone tumors Posted: 13 Feb 2013 06:22 AM PST Cancer drugs should kill tumors, not encourage their spread. But new evidence suggests that an otherwise promising class of drugs may actually increase the risk of tumors spreading to bone, according to researchers.

Novel test streamlines testing for Huntington Disease Posted: 13 Feb 2013 05:24 AM PST A new test may help to streamline genetic testing for Huntington Disease (HD) by generating accurate results, avoiding unnecessary additional testing, and improving turnaround time. The test, which uses chimeric or triplet repeat primed PCR (TP PCR) methodology, yielded results that were 100% concordant with standard genotyping methods in an analysis of 246 samples. The high sensitivity and specificity of the test could reduce the number of false negative results and facilitate both diagnosis and prognosis by correctly sizing the genetic abnormality characteristic of HD.

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