Researchers found that an ancient marine invasion led to a significant increase in regional diversity, with gamma diversity rising by 26% due to changes in beta diversity. The study suggests that habitat distribution or increased habitat diversity may have contributed to this increase.
A diet high in walnuts decreases C-reactive protein, a marker of inflammation associated with heart disease. The study found that walnut consumption lowered total cholesterol, LDLs, and triglycerides, while also reducing inflammatory markers.
Researchers suggest oxygen may have appeared 100 million years before its previously believed debut, based on improved dating and proxy measures. The shift from a reducing to an oxidizing atmosphere is linked to volcanic activity and the production of water vapor and carbon dioxide.
Researchers create miniature drills and end mills using microelectro discharge machining to produce smooth, curly chips of glass or ceramic. The process can take as long as an hour to produce one dimple a half millimeter in diameter, but is faster than photolithography.
African-Americans report lower annual quit rates compared to Whites, with cultural norms and parental prohibitions playing a significant role in curbing smoking tendencies. Community-based initiatives can be more effective than cessation programs in reducing smoking rates among African-Americans.
A new study by Penn State professor Stephan Goetz suggests that the presence of a Wal-Mart store in a county can lead to higher poverty rates, as the chain pays its workers relatively low wages. This can have long-term effects on the local community, including reduced civic capacity and philanthropic efforts.
Researchers found that negative economic news can significantly boost a president's approval ratings, even if their foreign policy is stellar. The power of negative reporting about the economy was demonstrated during President George H.W. Bush's administration.
Researchers develop a new method that embeds data in ultra-short pulses of laser light, shaped via fractal modulation as wavelets, to improve communication reliability. The system achieves higher average bit rates than conventional optical wireless links and ensures on-the-fly operation without significant electronic processing.
A new study reveals that iron deficiency in the brain's substantia nigra region may contribute to restless legs syndrome. Elevated levels of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) were found in individuals with RLS, suggesting a link between cellular iron deficiency and dopamine regulation.
The grant will fund new research in high-risk areas, improve infrastructure, and enhance commercialization of nanotechnology to spur business growth. The award supports Penn State's role as an engine for economic growth in the central region and Commonwealth.
Research finds that women who head households tend to support Democratic candidates, even in close races. This shift occurs when women become economically independent from men and develop their own perspectives.
A study by Penn State found that postnatal home nurse visits significantly reduce hospital readmissions and ED visits for jaundice and dehydration in newborns. The cost savings for insurance payers is estimated to be around $181.82 per child, making this a cost-effective alternative to traditional hospital care.
The Penn State Center for Environmental Kinetics Analysis will bring together experts to measure and synthesize kinetic data for environmental systems, with a focus on scaling and modeling. The center aims to increase understanding of environmental systems among researchers and the general public through education and outreach initiati...
A study by Dr. Namanjeet Ahluwalia found that iron deficiency in older women can impair immune function, affecting T-cell and granulocyte responses to infection. The study included 72 healthy women over 60 living in rural Pennsylvania counties.
Researchers have developed a method to stabilize and control the conductance state of single molecules using tailored intermolecular interactions. This breakthrough could lead to the development of molecular memory components with reduced power usage.
A computer program simulated how people who felt threatened would respond to a serial subtraction problem, showing a 25% decrease in performance speed. Increasing knowledge through instruction and practice, or continuously checking results to bolster confidence, can help individuals switch their pre-task appraisal from threatening to c...
A Penn State study suggests that student advocates and school districts can achieve their goals by agreeing on non-negotiable core values before compromising on issues. The study emphasizes the importance of dialogue, give-and-take negotiation, and acknowledging diverse social values.
Researchers at Penn State are part of a multi-institutional project studying restless legs syndrome (RLS), a condition characterized by creepy-crawly sensations in the legs. The study aims to explore treatment options and causes of RLS, including iron deficiency and FDA-approved pharmaceuticals.
A team of US marine scientists has discovered a new cluster of hydrothermal vents in the Lau Basin, a geologically unique back-arc basin. The vents are expected to hold secrets about the origin of life on Earth, and the discovery is part of an unprecedented research effort that includes multiple expeditions over the next two years.
A retrospective study found that low-dose ketamine infusions provided complete relief from CRPS pain for 76% of patients, with 54% remaining pain-free for three months or more. The therapy's effectiveness was linked to its ability to block NMDA-receptor complexes involved in pain processing.
A virtual zebrafish microanatomy atlas will be created with the grant, providing high-resolution files and three-dimensional images of body structures. The atlas will enable data-sharing among researchers to speed discovery in human diseases.
Researchers found that 10-year-old free time activities predicted sex-typed characteristics in early adolescence, but exceptions existed for boys. For girls, sports positively predicted math interests, while time with mothers boosted language arts grades.
Research suggests that big telecom firms are cornering the broadband market by buying up ISPs, offering broadband services, and providing scale advantages. Despite this, some independent ISPs have survived by specializing in value-added services.
A study by Penn State researchers found a cluster of four genes that appear to be heavily selected in the European-American population, suggesting adaptation to new environmental pressures. In contrast, the African-American population shows signs of natural selection for milk tolerance due to changes in TRPV6 and TRPV5 genes.
A study published in Physical Review E found that a loss of just 2% of US power grid substations can cause catastrophic failure. Researchers identified high-load transmission substations as critical points, emphasizing the need for increased redundancy and distributed generation.
Researchers at Penn State have created a new method to speed up the process of capturing carbon dioxide from combustion gases using serpentine minerals. This innovative approach significantly reduces the time required for sequestration from geologic timescales, making it a promising solution for mitigating climate change.
Researchers have found evidence of a chimp-sized hominid walking upright on two legs in Kenya's Tugen Hills, dating back to 6 million years ago. The fossil shows a thinner neck connecting the ball to the shaft, indicating an early transition to bipedalism.
Researchers observe supersolid behavior in solid helium-4, where a small fraction of atoms exhibit zero friction and nonclassical rotational inertia. The discovery challenges the accepted picture of crystalline solid 4-He and forces theorists to revise their understanding of quantum mechanics.
Preschoolers' diets have improved with increased servings of fruits, vegetables, and dairy products, but also saw a rise in added sugar and juice intake over the past 21 years. Children with healthier diets are less likely to be sick or overweight.
A study found that about 21% of middle-aged Americans have both high blood pressure and high LDL-cholesterol, significantly increasing heart attack risk. The combined effect was 51 cases per 10,000 person-years, much higher than expected.
Researchers found that UV light combined with certain coatings can lower cell adhesion by 15-50% on glass and metal-oxide coated surfaces, reducing bacterial contamination. Higher intensity light is more effective than lower intensity UV light in preventing biofouling.
The Expressive Lighting Engine (ELE) is an intelligent system that allows game developers to use lighting to direct attention, create mood, and provide visual depth. ELE can guide players to important elements in 3D scenes by tracking eye movements, improving player success rates in identifying enemies.
The Alpine fault begins as a single fault, unlike most other strike slip faults which form from multiple small faults. It exhibits significant seismicity at the southern and northern ends but is relatively aseptic in the central portion.
A new workholding technology uses light-activated adhesive to hold and release workpieces, offering an alternative to mechanical clamping. The technology has a yield strength of over 5500 pounds per square inch and can be used with a wide variety of workpieces.
Research reveals that women in IT jobs face complex interactions of factors including social networks, age, parenthood, and education level. Managers can address the issue by creating diverse networking opportunities and helping employees develop their own skills.
A recent study analyzing 100,000 students preparing for the SAT, ACT, and GRE reveals poor study habits among high schoolers. The study found that students spent more time on the test preparation website than expected, with many not practicing math or reading comprehension questions.
A study of Humboldt County, California reveals that a knowledge economy requires more than just IT infrastructure. Public policy, cultural attitudes and economic initiatives must be coordinated to thrive.
Researchers use physics and transportation theory to define a network of spatial spread of contagious disease. The models accurately predicted the spread of childhood diseases like measles and animal diseases like phocine distemper.
Materials researchers created a metamaterial with a negative refractive index for microwaves, allowing it to transmit light differently than natural materials. This discovery has implications for space navigation and the location of stars, making it challenging to determine their origins.
The Swift satellite will pinpoint the location of distant gamma-ray bursts, studying both the burst and its afterglow. It may uncover new clues about the burst mechanism and provide a bonanza of cosmological data, including information about supermassive black holes.
A new computer program was found to be more effective in increasing knowledge about breast cancer risk and genetic testing among low-risk women, reducing their perceived risk of getting breast cancer. However, one-on-one genetic counseling was superior in helping women better understand their risk and reduce anxiety.
Researchers identified a shared gene family responsible for calcium binding in bones, enamel, dentine, milk, and saliva. The genes, including SPARC and SPARCL1, evolved from a common ancestral gene and reside on the same chromosome in most vertebrates.
The RAD51 gene is crucial for repairing DNA breaks during recombination, a process vital for sexual reproduction. In humans, defects in this process can cause infertility, miscarriages, or birth defects.
Researchers have identified a potential molecular target to halt the spread of human papillomavirus (HPV), a common cause of cervical cancer. By targeting specific RNA molecules that produce proteins driving cellular proliferation, HPV-infected cells may be eradicated, offering new treatment options.
Researchers found that ghrelin was significantly elevated with weight loss in exercising subjects, indicating a potential role for ghrelin in returning the body to a prior set-point for body weight. The study suggests that exercise training itself has little impact on ghrelin levels.
A study published in Pediatrics found that over-the-counter cough medicines containing dextromethorphan and diphenhydramine were no better than a non-medicated placebo syrup in providing nighttime relief for children with coughs. The study showed significant improvements in symptoms regardless of treatment, suggesting that natural hist...
A recent study found that employees who were allowed to regulate their emotions in response to customer aggression reported lower levels of stress. Employers are advised to provide training in emotional regulation for service representatives to reduce burnout and absenteeism. The researchers also recommended enhancing job autonomy to m...
The Meharry-Penn State U54 Cooperative Reproductive Science Center aims to address health disparities in women's reproductive endocrinology. Four research studies currently recruiting participants will investigate racial differences in reproductive conditions such as polycystic ovary syndrome and fibroids.
A study analyzing 3 million records from Alta Vista in 2002 found that consumers who used the interface had fewer queries per session and used fewer terms per query. The researchers suggest that radio buttons can help with information overload, but widespread adoption is hindered by technical issues and lack of individual site use.
The Penn State team has developed a cheaper microbial fuel cell that produces more electricity from wastewater, with the potential to power small devices. The new design uses carbon paper instead of a proton exchange membrane, reducing costs and increasing efficiency.