Researchers found that serving larger portions led to preschoolers eating 16% more food and consuming an extra 18% of calories. The study suggests that caregivers should pay attention to portion sizes and variety of food, with fruits and vegetables filling up half the plate.
A study by Penn State researchers estimates that the US government lost up to $37.8 billion in tax revenue between 2000 and 2016 due to opioid-related employment loss. The state of Pennsylvania was among the hardest hit, with approximately $638.2 million lost in income and sales tax.
Researchers develop new microscope, SCATTIRSTORM, to study cellulase and plant cell wall dynamics for more efficient biofuel production. The microscope enables high temporal resolution and spatial resolution, allowing for detailed understanding of enzyme activity.
Researchers at the Center for Self-Assembled Organic Electronics will integrate chemical synthesis, theory, and simulations to develop next-generation materials capable of converting sunlight into electricity. The goal is to create lightweight and flexible solar cells that can be deployed in various environments and scenarios.
A new research project aims to investigate how opioid use is treated in adolescence, a significant public health problem. The study will analyze insurance claims data to identify patterns of opioid use leading up to addiction and long-term treatment outcomes.
A study by Penn State researchers found that employees who regularly fake or suppress emotions to provide good customer service are at risk of heavier drinking after work. The results suggest that employers may need to rethink their policies on employee happiness and job autonomy.
Researchers found that spotted lanternflies create level or gradually descending straight-line flight paths, averaging 75 feet in length. The insects tend to orient strongly to nearby visual landmarks and begin feeding immediately after landing.
A protein complex, Ccr4-Not, has been shown to recruit factors that mark RNAPII with ubiquitin, triggering its degradation and clearing the jam. This process is essential for normal cell function and preventing diseases associated with DNA damage.
Researchers found that spillover-aggression from parents towards each other can cause children to exhibit greater fear during future incidents of interparental aggression. Spillover-exposed children are more likely to engage in their parents' conflicts by attempting to solve the problem or making peace.
Penn State researchers develop a novel zinc germanosilicate glass with high transparency, UV shielding, and favorable forming properties, making it an ideal material for lens applications. The new glass composition overcomes roadblocks associated with achieving high refractive index, such as crystallization and toxicity.
Researchers found that flavonoids, produced by sorghum plants to defend against insect feeding, are effective in repelling corn leaf aphids. The compounds are not present in the phloem but in epidermal cells, where they can be taken up by insects and lead to their demise.
Researchers found that injecting manure into the soil versus broadcasting it on the surface can conserve nitrogen, while planting rye as a winter cover crop or double-cropping rye and corn can increase forage production. By incorporating these strategies, dairy farmers can reduce nitrogen loss and improve water quality.
Researchers have found that invasive round gobies in French Creek are consuming native freshwater mussels, posing a significant threat to their survival. The study's findings highlight the potential ecological disaster if gobies continue to spread in the watershed.
Researchers have uncovered ancient ritual offerings near Lake Titicaca that pre-date the arrival of the Incas by several centuries. The findings suggest a more complex and ambitious spiritual system among the Tiwanaku people, who developed in the area between 500-1,100 AD.
A team of researchers developed an interactive program using trade-off diagrams to support decision-making in complex scenarios. The tool allows for compromises and balancing of competing interests, increasing decision quality with contextual information. However, interactivity also improves decision-making, but to a lesser extent.
Researchers at Penn State are developing a system using unmanned aerial vehicles and ground-based robots to monitor air temperatures and provide targeted heating to protect crops from frost damage. The project aims to minimize energy use while maximizing precision in frost protection, with the goal of reducing economic losses for growers.
Researchers at Penn State and the University of Alabama developed a technique to spin starch fibers using Lego pieces, creating potential scaffolds for lab-grown 'clean' meat. The starch fiber mats have been optimized for better alignment and strength, making them suitable for biomedical applications.
Researchers at Penn State have developed a new method for measuring the quantum states of atomic qubits with unprecedented accuracy, achieving a fidelity of 0.9994. This breakthrough enables the development of more reliable and efficient quantum computers.
Lian's team developed a new method to differentiate stem cells into pancreatic beta cells, using small molecules that stimulate cell signaling pathways. The approach aims to create functional beta cells from stem cells for Type 1 diabetes treatment and has the potential for broad commercial impact.
Researchers found that male serial killers tend to 'hunt' strangers, while female serial killers target people they already know for financial gain. This study, published in Evolutionary Behavioral Sciences, may inform murder investigations and prevention programs.
Researchers at Penn State and Argonne National Laboratory created a stable supercrystal using a burst of blue laser light. The supercrystal has a unit cell one million times larger than ordinary crystals, with properties that don't exist in equilibrium nature.
Research found that adolescents who witness parental conflict experience lower self-efficacy, but success in school and peer support can compensate. Schools may be an untapped resource for helping teens develop self-efficacy, suggesting a broader developmental context beyond academics.
Researchers have discovered an anti-inflammatory compound in avocado seeds, which could help treat conditions like arthritis and cardiovascular diseases. The study provides evidence of bioactive compounds in avocado seeds that inhibit pro-inflammatory mediators.
Researchers at Penn State have developed a novel solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) to improve the stability of lithium metal batteries, allowing for increased energy density and safety. The SEI is made from a reactive polymer composite that creates a stable bond between the lithium electrode and electrolyte.
Researchers found that non-expert consumers in Pennsylvania were more tolerant of methyl anthranilate, a compound causing the 'grapey' odor, due to frequent exposure to grape flavors. In contrast, wine experts in California rejected wines with high levels of methyl anthranilate. The study supports the idea that liking native grapes may...
Recent widespread fires in California suggest a shift in climate-fire relationships, where increased temperatures and drier summers will override the dynamical influence of the North Pacific Jet. The researchers reconstructed over 400 years of North Pacific Jet variability, finding that fire suppression may be responsible for this change.
Researchers designed and created proteins that mimicked different surface features of HIV, inducing rabbits to develop antibodies that could bind with the virus. The study provides a novel way to design proteins for vaccines, potentially paving the way for developing a vaccine for HIV.
Researchers at Penn State and MIT discovered that uniform-sized clear water droplets on a surface can produce bright iridescent colors. The color is due to total internal reflection and light interference, creating an optical effect not possible in perfect spheres.
A new study found that giraffes living near human settlements have larger home ranges than those living far from towns, while areas with more rain have smaller home ranges. This suggests that humans are impacting giraffe habitat and forcing them to travel longer distances to access critical resources.
Scientists have discovered a new way to monitor carbon dioxide storage plumes underground using coda waves, which reveal the location of gases in the ground. This method could enable more frequent and cost-effective tracking of these plumes, allowing for better estimation of total gas reserves.
Researchers at Penn State have identified a unique elastomeric protein called resilin in the pygidial glands of carabid beetles that protects them from their own toxic chemicals. This discovery has significant implications for the development of new barrier materials and tissue engineering applications.
Researchers found a link between genetic similarity and parenting in shaping virtuous character traits, including responsibility and conscientiousness. The study used data from 720 pairs of siblings to analyze the relationship between genetics and environment.
A study analyzing over 50,000 living rooms across six continents found that people tend to follow cultural trends when decorating their interiors. Americans, regardless of income level, also showed similar efforts in interior decoration.
The Habitable Zone Planet Finder enables precise measurement of a star's radial velocity, allowing detection of planets capable of having liquid water on their surfaces. The instrument uses near-infrared light to observe low-mass planets around cool nearby M dwarf stars in Habitable Zones.
Researchers at Penn State developed firefly-mimicking structures to improve light extraction efficiency in LEDs, achieving up to 90 percent. Asymmetric microstructures increase surface area for interaction with light and promote randomization of reflections, allowing more light to escape.
Research suggests that indigenous hunters play a crucial role in maintaining food webs in the Australian desert. The absence of human activity allowed invasive species to flourish, leading to extinctions of native animals. Traditional landscape burning practices also had a significant impact on the ecosystem.
Researchers can create synthetic networks that satisfy differential privacy requirements, enabling broader sharing of confidential data for scientific discovery. These altered datasets capture most statistical features from the original network, making them suitable for various researchers.
Synthetic fibers from polyester and nylon release microplastics into the environment, contaminating plants and animals in oceans. Biosynthetic fibers, derived from natural proteins, can replace synthetic fibers and provide recyclable and biodegradable alternatives.
Researchers used whole-genome sequencing to investigate a Bacillus cereus outbreak in upstate New York, revealing the causal agent produced an emetic toxin. The study highlights the potential of real-time data sharing to prevent and detect outbreaks more effectively.
Researchers developed a method using fluorescent compound AggTag to identify intermediate forms of proteins that misfold and aggregate in live cells, which are believed to contribute to neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. The method allows for simultaneous detection of multiple proteins with distinct colors.
Dr. Michael Mann received the 2019 Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement for reconstructing the Earth's past climate and communicating modern climate change to the public and policymakers. He was honored alongside fellow climate scientist Warren Washington, with whom he shares a personal connection.
A new method uses machine learning to automate the process of preparing digital photos for analysis, allowing researchers to identify individual animals by their unique markings more efficiently. The system will accelerate studies on giraffe populations and can be applied to other species with similar identifying patterns.
Research suggests that bees' dispersal ability influences their population genetic structure, which can impact their response to environmental changes. Larger-bodied bees with social behaviors exhibit lower genetic diversity than smaller-bodied solitary species.
Researchers at Penn State discovered a simple drug cocktail that converts glial cells into functional new neurons, which can survive for over seven months in a lab culture. The approach has promising implications for treating neurological disorders such as stroke and Alzheimer's disease, with the potential to be used in a pill form.
Researchers at Penn State have released open-access satellite data to track seasonal population movements in Niger and Nigeria. This data can be used to address research questions in fields ranging from agriculture to epidemiology, particularly for infectious diseases and public health interventions.
Researchers predict a significant increase in opioid overdose deaths from 33,100 in 2015 to 81,700 in 2025, with illicit opioids accounting for 80% of these deaths. Interventions targeting prescription opioid misuse are expected to decrease overdose deaths by only 3-5%.
Researchers found that interactive features on websites can discourage some users from adopting healthy behaviors, particularly among smokers with limited tech familiarity. In contrast, engaging features helped power users (nonsmokers) absorb and believe anti-smoking messages more accurately.
A four-year study found that manure injection decreases overall phosphorus losses and promotes dilution of dissolved phosphorus, compared to broadcast manure applications. However, convincing dairy farmers to switch may be difficult due to concerns about sedimentation and site variability.
Researchers at Penn State College of Medicine identified 10 synthetic cannabinoid compounds that effectively inhibited the growth of seven types of human colon cancer cells. These compounds work through alternative mechanisms, not relying on traditional marijuana receptors, and hold promise for developing drugs to treat cancer.
Researchers found that the Greenland ice sheet was more sensitive to warming in the past million years, and that geothermal heat beneath the ice sheet played a crucial role in its formation and melting. The team's hypothesis suggests that past geological changes can help predict future ice sheet behavior.