Participants are needed for a neuroscience research study on social influences. Penn State researchers seek individuals between the ages of 18-30 years to participate in a study using functional magnetic resonance imaging while thinking about different socialscenes and viewing pictures. Space to participate in the study is limited. Participants are paid $20 for a two hour study. To be considered for the study, contact Joe Beeney at jeb425@psu.edu or Robert Franklin at rgf130@psu.edu. This research study is being conducted by Reginald Adams Jr., and has been approved by Penn State's Institutional Review Board. Contact Beeney at 814-863-1149 with questions about the study. (more)
Penn State researchers are looking for male volunteers between the ages of 55 and 60 years to take part in a study of interpersonal behavior, health, emotions, well-being and aging. Participants will be asked to complete surveys during lab visits and answer questions using a smartphone after social interactions and at the end of the day. The study will be conducted in three 21-day phases, each about six months apart. In return for their participation, volunteers will receive training on the use of a smartphone, financial compensation, and access to amenities of the smartphone including texting, a camera, local weather reports and Internet access. Those who are interested should call 814-863-7903 or send an e-mail to smartphone@psu.edu. (more)
Penn State's Cognitive Aging and Neuroimaging (CAN) Lab is seeking healthy volunteers between the ages of 60 and 85 who are interested in participating in research that aims to discover how the brain adapts in response to the aging process. Specifically, the CAN Lab seeks to understand the relationship between cognition (learning and memory) and brain function across the lifespan. On the first visit to the lab participants will complete several pencil and paper tasks designed to examine many aspects of cognitive function, including memory, vocabulary and problem-solving. On a subsequent visit, participants will perform a cognitive task in our lab, or if interested, inside an fMRI scanner where researchers can image brain activity during the session. Participants will be compensated for their time and travel. For more information or to volunteer, call Simon Vandekar at 814-865-0878 or send an e-mail to canlabatpsu@gmail.com. The principle investigator is Nancy A. Dennis. For more information, visit http://canlab.psych.psu.edu/Participate.html online. (more)
A group of Penn State researchers is looking for healthy, nonsmoking adults aged 21-70 years who are not taking cholesterol lowering medication to participate in a study examining the effects of avocados on the levels of fat in the bloodstream. Subjects will be provided with all food and drinks for 17 weeks and at the completion of the study will receive lab results and monetary compensation. Those who are interested in learning more about the study, should call 866-PSU-DIET (866-778-3438) or send an e-mail to psudiet@gmail.com, mention the avocado study and leave their name and a contact number. This study is being conducted by Penny Kris-Etherton, distinguished professor of nutrition at Penn State, and her research team. (more)
The Family and Child Development Lab at Penn State is currently recruiting families with two young children to be part of the Socialization, Temperament and Relationships Research Study (STARS). Families (mother, father, and two siblings between the ages of 2 and 5 years) will participate in a 2.5-hour laboratory visit and complete questionnaires at home. The visit includes different activities such as a family play session, talking about emotional experiences and cleaning up toys. Heart rate data also will be collected from all four members of the family. Families will receive $65.00 for completing the study and each child will get a small gift. Signed parental consent is required for participation. For more information, call the Family and Child Development Lab at 814-863-5670. (more)
The Women's Health and Exercise Lab is seeking research participants for a study investigating the impact of exercise and diet on bone health and menstrual cyclicity. In addition to being compensated for their time, participants will receive nutrition and energy expenditure analyses as well as measurements of their bone density, hormone levels, body fat, and fitness level. Participants must be healthy 18 to 35 year old females who participate in regular exercise and who have had no menstrual bleeding for the last 3 months or 6 or less menstrual periods in the last year. Participants should not be taking any form of hormonal therapy. This study is under the direction of Mary Jane De Souza and Nancy Williams, and requires regular visits to the University Park campus. For more information please call 814-863-4488, or visit us at http://www.refuel.psu.edu/ online. (more)
Penn State researchers are seeking individuals who live and work in central Pennsylvania and who have participated in past research studies at the University Park campus. Previous participation can consist of completing surveys or questionnaires, eating special diets, exercising, having blood drawn, taking any kind of tests, and the like. Groups are being scheduled at the convenience of the volunteers at the Survey Research Center's Innovation Park location. Volunteers will receive $5 for their participation in one 2-hour session. Interested adults (18 years and older) should call Diana Crom at the Survey Research Center at Penn State at 814-863-0170 or 800-648-3617 for more information. (more)
Penn State researchers seek participants for a diet study examining the effects of different dietary unsaturated fatty acids, as part of a healthy diet, on markers of cardiovascular disease such as the blood lipid profile and vascular health. Participants must be healthy, non-smoking adults between 20 and 65 years of age who are not taking cholesterol-lowering medication. Subjects will be provided with all food and drinks for 20 weeks, with several compliance breaks in between. At the completion of the study participants will receive lab results and compensation of $550. Those who are interested in learning more should call 866-PSU-DIET (866-778-3438) or send an e-mail to psudiet@gmail.com, mention the canola study and leave their name and a contact number. This study is being conducted by Penny Kris-Etherton and Sheila West, professors of nutritional sciences and biobehavioral health at Penn State, along with their research teams. (more)
Penn State researchers seek women ages 18-39 who are planning their first pregnancy and their male partners to participate in a lifestyle and fertility study. Eligible couples with no known history of infertility will be asked to provide a urine and blood sample and fill out questionnaires. Participation involves one initial visit and follow-up visits until couple is pregnant or six months have passed. Compensation up to $190, free pregnancy tests, diet assessment and cholesterol readings will be provided to participants at no cost. For more information, or to register for the study, call 814-865-6325. This research is being conducted under the direction of Terry Hartman, of the Nutritional Sciences Department at Penn State. (more)
One in six men is at risk of getting prostate cancer in his lifetime. Penn State Hershey Cancer Institute researchers are trying to determine if selenium yeast and selenomethionine lower prostate-specific antigen levels and prevent other markers related to prostate cancer development in healthy individuals of different age groups. Selenium is a mineral and is known to protect against cancer in laboratory animal models. (more)
