Study participants are needed to help design a better weight loss program. If you are a healthy, moderately overweight adult interested in losing weight, you may be a candidate for a research study to identify components of a successful community-based weight loss program. Study coordinators will collect health and dietary data, and, in some cases, invite candidates to a group meeting. Study sites are located in State College (Geisinger Medical Group-Scenery Park) and Danville (Geisinger Medical Center). For more information, call 1-877-650-9878 or e-mail asc126@psu.edu. This is a collaborative research project with Geisinger Obesity Institute and Penn State University. (more)
Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are neurodevelopmental disorders marked by impaired social interactions, restricted interests, repetitive behaviors, and communication impairment, which persist throughout a person's lifetime. The ASD prevalence rate--the number of individuals diagnosed with autism--has been steadily increasing over time. A new report from the U.S. Department of Health's Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), based on a phone survey of over 78,000 families, set the prevalence rate at nearly one in 91 children. This is an increase from the prior statistic of one in 150 children reported in 2007 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says The Medical Minute, a service of the Penn State Hershey Medical Center. (more)
A physics experiment using a super-fast explosion in a galaxy 7.3 billion light-years away has given scientists rare experimental evidence about the fundamental structure of space and time. The experiment was performed by a team that includes astrophysicists at Penn State University, who used NASA's Fermi Gamma Ray Space Telescope to study particles from the explosion moving at nearly the speed of light. The experiment confirmed aspects of Einstein's theories of gravity, which unite space and time in the concept of space-time. The team's research is published in the current online edition of the journal Nature and will be published at a later date in the print edition. (more)
At each of two separate campus events, at times, the room was so quiet you could probably have heard the proverbial pin drop when the guest speakers began sharing their experiences on writing, journalism, and the Vietnam War.
The events were part of a county-wide effort in Lackawanna County, called Scranton Reads, an annual community reading event organized by the City of Scranton and the Albright Memorial Library. (more)
"Corridors are like a sidewalk for animals; they help them to get from
one point to another," said wildlife conservation professor Richard
Yahner. "But a lot goes into designing a wildlife corridor so that the
target animal will actually use it." (more)
Look in your wallet, purse, personal digital assistant or smart phone and you probably have a list of names, phone numbers and addresses. You might even have a file for your passwords or important account numbers, birthdays and anniversaries, bank account numbers and so many more bits of data from your life. Do you have your medication list there, too? (more)
Penn State coach Joe Paterno is featured in this week's issue of Sports Illustrated, which hits news stands Wednesday. Sports Illustrated Senior Writer Joe Posnanski takes an in-depth look at the life, family and career of Paterno in eight pages of the magazine's NBA Preview issue. Posnanski's profile on the legendary coach is an elongated thank-you note to Joe's father, Angelo, who allowed Joe to forgo a career as a lawyer and follow his passion -- for 60 years and counting. (more)
The thickness of their vocal cords determines how deep their voices are, explained David Puts, assistant professor of biological anthropology. His research has revealed that women are attracted to deeper voices. (more)
"We'll be relying on fossil fuels for the next several decades, but algae-based fuels could be a great way to reduce our carbon footprint," said Tom Richard, professor of agricultural and biological engineering at Penn State. (more)
Halloween is supposed to be a spooky night, but parents don't have to be scared about their kids' safety if they follow some simple safety tips from Safe Kids Dauphin County, led by the Penn State Hershey Children's Hospital at the Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center. It's essential for parents to prepare their children properly to stay safe while trick-or-treating. Roughly four times as many children aged 5-14 are killed while walking on Halloween evening compared with other evenings of the year. (more)
