Researchers have developed smaller and lighter power adapters that can convert AC to DC power for laptops, enabling compact designs. The piezoelectric transformers are suitable for various appliances requiring an AC-DC converter and transformer.
A study by Penn State researchers found that high school merit scholarships can lead to a ceiling in student test scores, with limited improvement over time. The scholarships also disproportionately benefit students from more affluent schools, exacerbating existing racial achievement gaps.
The Penn State project aims to create interactive maps of cancer rates in specific geographic areas, enabling better planning and evaluation of cancer interventions. Based on prostate and colorectal cancers, the model can be expanded to other states, utilizing available screenings and interventions to reduce cancer burden.
Researchers at Penn State have developed a coating made of molecules that binds to glass and grabs onto DNA strands, improving DNA retention on microarrays by over 50%. The coating, which is single molecule thick, allows DNA to act as if it were free-floating.
Researchers from Penn State have developed an approach that improves existing local area networks and shows copper wire is a competitive option for new installations. The scheme jointly codes and decodes signals, eliminating crosstalk and achieving high bit error rates.
Researchers have developed a conceptual model examining how young people learn to use and abuse credit cards. They found that parents have the greatest influence on a young person's credit card behavior, with children learning from direct teaching and modeling of their own behavior. The study highlights the importance of understanding ...
A new study reveals that residents of Appalachia experience a disproportionate increase in cancer incidence, particularly lung, colon, rectum, and cervix cancers. The study found that rural residents had even higher rates of these cancers compared to the general population.
A simulation study by Penn State found that underride guards with diagonal struts increase impact resistance, while a height of 16 inches provides the best balance between risk reduction and vehicle penetration. The study aimed to inform the development of rear crash protection devices for heavy trucks.
The study, which took place from October 1999 to December 2002, showed a lower sepsis and device infection rate compared to the REMATCH trial. Patients lived an average of nine months with the device, with three still living as of November 1, 2003.
The Penn State Earth 101 course uses B-movie clips to engage students in learning about natural disasters, promoting critical thinking and science-based decision-making. Students work on projects such as public affairs manuals for cities with earthquake histories, debating topics like government response to natural disasters.
Researchers suggest that hydrogen sulfide gas, produced in the oceans through sulfate decomposition by sulfur bacteria, could have caused the largest mass extinction. The high levels of hydrogen sulfide would be toxic to most oceanic and terrestrial organisms, leading to a significant loss of life.
A Penn State study identified attitudinal barriers to school breakfast programs, including parents' lack of perceived role in promoting programs and administrators' concerns about scheduling, cost, and food quality. The study highlights the need for parent support and strategies to overcome these barriers.
A study by Penn State researchers found that school service personnel who participated in a Project PA workshop recognized the importance of nutrition education and healthy eating behaviors in addressing childhood obesity. The participants identified parental attitudes, peer pressure, and media as barriers to students' healthful eating...
Researchers have developed doped liquid crystals that allow for real-time holography with significantly improved optical properties. These materials can be used in various applications, including focusing optical telescopes and creating real-time holographic movies, due to their high sensitivity to light.
Researchers found that bilingual speakers' brains actively use both languages when speaking, not suppressing one over the other. This challenge traditional views on how languages are managed in the brain. By presenting subjects with pictures and tones, the study demonstrated that both languages are active at once.
Researchers at Penn State have created innovative design methods for a new class of antennas composed of fractal-shaped tiles, offering improved bandwidth and radiation patterns. The fractile arrays are generated recursively and offer advantages over conventional square boundaries.
A study by Dr. Emilie Phillips Smith found that family, school, and community factors play a significant role in shaping children's racial-ethnic attitudes and academic achievement. The research used interviews and questionnaires to assess the attitudes of African American child and parent pairs in South Carolina.
A new report by Penn State highlights the importance of coordinated broadband service access and quality in Pennsylvania's rural areas. The report emphasizes that advanced telecommunications infrastructures are crucial for spurring entrepreneurial activity, creating jobs, and supporting telecommuting workers in rural areas.
Researchers discovered that portion size and calorie density both contribute to caloric intake, with combined effects leading to a 56% increase. By choosing water-rich foods or smaller portions, individuals can reduce their risk of overeating.
The ACRN, a partnership of NHLBI and eight clinical centers across the US, conducts well-designed clinical trials for asthma treatments. Penn State's Data Coordinating Center leads expertise in biostatistical design and analysis.
Researchers found that higher religiosity levels in countries do not necessarily lead to stricter moral standards on sex. In fact, individual religiosity has a minimal effect on cheating on taxes due to existing laws.
A recent study found that nearly two-thirds of US elderly have unmet needs for help with daily activities, whereas in Sweden, less than four percent experience such gaps. The US healthcare policy has been criticized for directing few resources towards community-based services.
A study by Penn State researchers found that employer understanding of the Marine Corps experience is crucial in seeing its value, with those who comprehend core values and life skills leading to higher salary offers. However, a majority of employers lack clear understanding, resulting in no difference being seen between hiring civilia...
A Pennsylvania inventory reveals that fossil fuels are the largest source of carbon dioxide, while motor vehicles contribute significantly to greenhouse gas emissions. The study also highlights the need for policy makers and others in the state to take action to reduce emissions.
Researchers have discovered a potential new treatment for certain types of cancer by inhibiting sphingosine kinase. The study found that targeting this enzyme can reduce tumor growth and induce apoptosis in cancer cells, offering hope for new targeted therapies.
A study by Penn State researchers found that melatonin supplements can hinder nervous system responses that enable the body to compensate for blood pressure drops when standing. This may exacerbate orthostatic intolerance in individuals with cardiovascular challenges, including astronauts who experience it after space travel.
Scientists at Penn State University have created a novel method for synthesizing cage-like silica structures by combining different templates and heating them in a microwave oven. This innovative approach produces larger particles with improved stability and reduced synthesis time compared to previous methods.
Researchers review new glucose monitoring technologies, including non-invasive options that could lead to better compliance with testing recommendations. Continuous glucose monitoring systems also hold promise for early detection of hidden glucose trends.
A new study from Penn State finds that flavonoids at heart-healthy levels do not automatically increase bitterness but can promote good flavor development and palatability in some food products. The presence of flavonoids was shown to limit the generation of off-flavors in heated food, including ultrapasteurized milk.
Scientists create novel processing methods for producing organic conducting polymer circuits, leveraging micro contact printing for low-cost, adaptable, and fast production. The technique utilizes functionalized polymers that attach to surfaces via chemical reactions, overcoming conventional ink printing limitations.
Researchers have developed an innovative in-place fabrication method for conjugate conducting organic polymers, solving the long-standing problem of creating flexible circuits. This process enables the production of high-performance electronic devices, such as transistors and flexible displays.
Researchers discovered that 'hot pepper' receptors on the heart trigger symptoms of heart attack and may lead to new treatments for angina pectoris. The study found that these receptors cause blood vessels to constrict and increase blood pressure, leading to chest pain.
Dr. Beth Montemurro's study finds bachelorette parties reflect women's growing acceptance of their sexuality and desire for independence. The rise of bachelorette parties is linked to the sexual revolution and changing attitudes toward women's rights and freedoms.
Research suggests that planets with high tilt angles may be habitable if they have suitable geography, such as large oceans or continents near the equator. While extreme temperatures would make it difficult for simple life forms to survive, advanced water-dependent life could thrive in these environments.
Researchers studied two binary star systems, predicting regular flare cycles similar to the Sun's magnetic cycle. The team used continuous monitoring of radio waves to discover patterns in flare strength, indicating active and inactive cycles every 50-120 days.
Researchers found a clear association between ocean tides and ice stream motion in West Antarctica. The study discovered that a one-meter tide variation can cause an ice stream to halt and then accelerate rapidly.
Black students fall further behind White students in both math and reading, with disparities traced to different learning rates, not school differences. Low-income children also lag behind middle-class peers in math and reading during kindergarten and summer before first grade.
A new record of nitrous oxide concentration variations reveals that both land and ocean bacteria contributed equally to atmospheric emissions during glacial periods. This finding contradicts the long-held theory of oceanic storage being responsible for low atmospheric carbon dioxide levels.
Researchers discovered that glacial erosion is controlled by the relationships of the ground beneath the glacier, the rubble pile, and the glacier itself. Glaciers achieve a steady state existence when the angle between their toe and sediment pile becomes too steep, causing streams to stop flowing and erosion to cease.
First-year, full-time female college students experience emotional distress due to the loss of pre-college friendships. To overcome this challenge, colleges must create opportunities for students to meet new people and form connections on campus.
A Penn State study reveals that low-maintenance lawns harbor higher populations of beneficial arthropods, such as mites and collembolans, while high-maintenance lawns experience reduced diversity due to chemical applications and mowing.
A new study from Penn State found that couples who lived together before marriage reported less happiness and more marital conflict than those who did not. The researchers suggest that personal characteristics and cohabitation experience play important roles in predicting marital quality and stability.
Researchers at Penn State have developed a new type of sensor that can detect hydrogen levels with incredible sensitivity. The titania nanotube sensors are 200 times more sensitive than previously used materials and offer several advantages, including high response rates and minimal interference from other gases.
A new three-year grant will help researchers better understand the causes and risk factors of ALS, a neurodegenerative disease that affects 30,000 people in the US. The study aims to investigate the link between a genetic mutation called Hfe and the onset and progression of ALS.
A Penn State sociologist analyzed five NBC sitcoms from 1997-98, finding a high rate of gender harassment and a lower but still troubling rate of sexual harassment. The researcher argues that these incidents perpetuate a hostile work environment and minimize the seriousness of sexual harassment.
A study by Penn State researchers suggests that ancestry mix may be a key factor in obesity prevalence among African-American women. The analysis found an association between body mass index and West African ancestry, with implications for understanding the genetic basis of health disparities.
Researchers tested ancient tree species to disprove the carbon loss hypothesis, which suggested deciduous trees had an advantage in polar forests. The study found that deciduous trees actually lose more carbon than evergreen trees, challenging the long-held theory.
A study by Penn State researchers found that high-credit-consciousness college students owned more credit cards, carrying an average balance of $686 per month. These students also showed lower levels of personal responsibility, blaming external factors for their lives instead of taking control.
The study found significant disparities in self-reported versus diagnosed alcoholism rates among elderly individuals, with certain groups, such as those in poor health or aged 75+, being more likely to be under-diagnosed. The researchers identified key risk factors that can inform targeted screenings and interventions.
Researchers analyzed over 450,000 web queries, finding half of users enter only one query with 54% viewing just one page of results. Site developers can improve odds by getting indexed by all search engines and crafting clear abstracts about their site's purpose.