The proposed overall research aims to establish feasibility of delivering an individually-tailored, behavioral intervention to manage gestational weight gain [GWG] that adapts to the unique needs and challenges of overweight/obese pregnant women [OW/OB-PW] and will utilize control systems engineering to optimize this intervention; in other words, make this intervention manage GWG in OW/OB-PW as effectively and efficiently as possible.

You will be randomized into an intervention or attention control group from ~8 weeks gestation to ~37 weeks gestation with a BMI of 25-45 (>40 with physician consent).You will have 1 pre-intervention session that explains the study procedures and to get you ready for the study. Here you will also complete various measures of demographics, behavioral surveys, etc.Over the course of the study, you will weigh yourself each day, wear an activity monitor and complete various surveys. If you are randomized to the intervention group, you may have healthy eating demonstrations and/or physical activity sessions each week.You will have 1 post-intervention session where you will return your devices, complete a 30-60 minute interview and complete the last of the surveys.

$175

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. The loss of estrogen from menopause puts women at a greater risk of developing heart disease. The purpose of this study is to determine the effects of drinking beetroot juice on measures of blood vessel health and blood pressure. Participants will drink beetroot juice and placebo juice each for one week followed by blood pressure measurements and ultrasound imaging of an artery in the upper arm. A sub-aim of this study is to investigate the effects of estrogen status on blood vessel function between pre- and post-menopausal women.

There are a total of 6 in-person visits to the Clinical Research Center. You will be asked to drink beetroot juice (2 oz) every day for 7 days. Participants will undergo vascular assessments, blood pressure measurements, and blood draws (11 in total for 6 visits).

$120

People with narrowed blood vessels in their legs can only walk a short distance before needing to sit down due to pain in their calf muscles. Most of these patients do not follow their heart doctor's advice to walk at home because it hurts. A therapy that does not involve painful walking would be ideal for these patients to begin to treat their disease so they can eventually walk with less discomfort. We will ask patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD) to place both feet into inflatable ankle splints 30 minutes a day for 4 weeks to passively stretch their calf muscles. Before and after this 4-week program, we will measure the health and size of their leg blood vessels, the length, and function of their calf muscles and tendons, and how long they can walk without pain. We will also closely track their joint and foot movements and calf muscle oxygen levels while they walk down a hallway. People with and without risk factors for heart disease are also eligible for this study to compare differences in vascular and muscular health to patients with PAD. Volunteers without a PAD diagnosis or poor leg circulation will not undergo the 4-week stretch and no-stretch interventions.

Peripheral artery disease (PAD) and poor leg circulation patients:-4 visits to University Park Clinical Research Center ~3 hours per visit-1 blood draw-Wear a calf muscle stretching device for 30-min a day, 5 days a week, for 4 weeks and 4 weeks of no stretching-Several muscle and vascular ultrasound measurements-Walking performance tests on and off the treadmill-Wear a smartwatch to monitor physical activity during each 4-week stretch or no stretch interventionParticipants with and without risk factors for heart disease:-2 visits to University Park Clinical Research Center within the same week lasting ~3 hours per visit-Not diagnosed with PAD or poor leg circulation-1 blood draw-Several muscle and vascular ultrasound measurements-Walking performance tests on and off the treadmill

PAD participants can receive up to $450 in compensation. Participants with and without heart disease risk factors (non-PAD participants) will receive $50 for their participation.

We will conduct a pilot study to test feasibility of an innovative light device and blue-light glasses for promoting better sleep and a novel, smart water bottle for proper hydration. We will also examine women’s sleep and hydration behaviors in relation to their perceptions of pain, and obtain feedback from the participants on the overall patient intervention content to reduce prescription opioid use and promote behavioral pain management strategies after delivery.

Currently recruiting pregnant women who are in their 2nd or 3rd trimester.Attend a pre-session (in person OR remote) to explain the use of the water bottle, lighting devices, activity monitors, and weight scaleUse the devices for 22 days and complete surveys in your own homeAttend a post-session (in person OR remote) to return devices and participate an interview about the last 22 days

$100

This study will investigate the link between previous COVID-19 infection and future heart disease risk.

AWS-PSU: Active Women's Study at Penn State University This research study is being conducted to evaluate the impact of exercise and reproductive function on bone strength. Eligible young women (age 18-30) are those that are generally healthy and either a) exercising and experiencing regular or irregular menstrual cycles, or b) not exercising and experiencing regular menstrual cycles.

This research is being conducted to determine how oxygen extraction within exercising muscles is altered in younger and older women when beta-1 receptors (receptors that contribute to the rise in heart rate with exercise) are temporarily blocked through a medication infused into an arm vein. The findings will help us understand how aging affects the regulation of oxygen supply to working muscles is regulated with normal aging.

There will be 3 in person visits.Visit 1) Subjects will undergo a physical and one blood draw in the Clinical Research Center and then perform two recumbent cycling exercise trials on a stationary bike.Visit 2) Subjects will undergo a DXA scan and then perform two recumbent cycling exercise trials.Visit 3) Subjects will have an IV catheter inserted into an arm vein. They will then perform two recumbent cycling exercise trials. During one trial the will receive esmolol via the IV catheter and during the other they will receive saline via the IV catheter (random order).

$150

This study looks at the relationship between motor control via. arm movement and visual stimuli. After participating in brief calibration protocol for the eye tracking system, participants will be moving a robotic handle to interact with visual stimuli during various tasks. Participants will spend approximately 2 hours in the lab.

There will be one approximately 2-hour visit. They will then be asked to complete 20-25 blocks of hand movements while looking at a moving virtual stimulus with a large visual background. Participants will receive regular breaks during the experiment.

$20

As we walk, we have to achieve different task goals: stay on the path, keep moving forward, maintain balance, etc. This study will test young healthy adults walking on various types of paths to determine how they negotiate achieving these various task goals. We predict that for different walking tasks, these healthy adults will make different trade-offs between which goals to achieve in a systematic and predictable way.

There will be one in-person visit lasting no more than 3 hours. Participants will be asked to perform some basic vision, reaction time, and balance tasks. Participants will then be asked to walk on a treadmill in a virtual environment under a variety of conditions where the visual scene and/or paths being walked on change from trial to trial.

$20

This study will use interviews to explore to explore perceptions of rurality, physical activity behaviors and physical activity intervention preferences among rural older adults who live in Pennsylvania

The earth’s climate is warming, and the number of heat waves has increased in recent years. At the same time, the number of adults over the age of 65 is growing. Humans sweat and increase blood flow to the skin to cool their body when they get hot. Older adults do not do this as well as young adults. This makes it harder to safely exercise in warm and/or humid conditions. It is important to learn about safe limits of heat and humidity for older adults to exercise. Also, nearly 40% of adults over age 50 take aspirin to lower their risk for heart disease. Our lab has shown that aspirin lowers the control of body heat.In this study, we will determine critical temperature and humidity environments above which normal body temperature cannot be maintained in young and older adults. We will also look at how aspirin may change critical temperature and humidity thresholds in older adults.

There will be 4 in person visits and sit, walk, or cycle at a low intensity in an environmental chamber.

360

This is a research study investigating the prevalence and manifestation of unhealthy eating behaviors and the relationships of energetic status, cognitive function, and reproductive health in a population of first year college students.

Phase 1 will involve a minimum of 1-2 visits, and completion of surveys about your general health, exercise and nutrition history, eating behaviors and attitudes, stress, and reproductive health, as well as cognitive testing and hair sampling. For those who qualify, Phase 2 will involve approximately 4 additional visits. Each visit will be about 2 hours. The visits include completion of surveys about general health, exercise and nutrition history, eating behaviors and attitudes, stress, and reproductive health, as well as cognitive testing and physiological measurements including blood and hair sampling, and tests of metabolism. Study participation will last at minimum about 1 week, and at maximum completion of Phase 1 and Phase 2 will occur over the course of a full academic year.

$25 per visit, up to $75

This study will test the hypothesize that the combination of low-moderate to severe paresis and persistent motor deficits in the non-paretic arm limits functional independence in chronic stroke survivors. We, therefore, predict that intense remediation, focused on improving the speed, coordination, and accuracy of the less-impaired arm should improve functional independence.

There will be two evaluation sessions, 15 training sessions, and 3 post-test evaluation sessions

$2,100

The purpose of this study is to define how eye movements contribute to eye-hand coordination in individuals of the age group 18-50 (young adults) and 65-80 (older adults). Specifically, the aim of the study is to understand how slow eye movements affect arm and hand movements. All procedures to be used in our study will be non-invasive. The task during the study will be performed with a robotic handle that participants will grasp with their right hand. They will interact with visual stimuli by moving the robotic handle. The robotic environmentwill attempt to simulate real-world mechanical interactions, such as those experienced during catching a ball.

During this study, we will ask you to come to our laboratory located in 23 Recreation Building,Pennsylvania State University, on two days separated by a maximum of 48 hours. Both sessions will last approximately 90-120 minutes. During the first session, we will review the procedures with you and if you agree to participate, you will sign this form and then proceed to perform the study. You will perform about 20-25 blocks of hand movements. Each block will consist of 24-30 trials and each trial will last between 3-5 seconds.The second day will be identical to the first day but the order of trials within a block will be changed.

$10/hour

This study will improve our understanding of movement control and how strokes of different sides affect overall independence. Participants will complete the visit seated at a chair with sensors connected to the less-affected arm. They will then play a short virtual reality game and complete several questionnaires and assessments.

The study will determine how the brain controls eye and hand movements during quiet upright stance.

There will be one visit to the lab (approximately 2 hours) in which participants will be required to make reaching movements towards virtual targets while standing upright. Participants will be required to wear comfortable shoes.

$20

This study continues our exploration into the mechanisms underlying the control of blood flow. During the experiments, we noninvasively measure skin blood flow (SkBF) and forearm blood flow (FBF) with a FLPI and venous occlusion plethysmography (VOP), respectively. The FLPI uses a low energy laser to measure SkBF. VOP uses blood pressure cuffs on the upper arm and wrist, and an elastic strain gauge encircling the forearm between the cuffs to measure the change in forearm-circumference over time from which we calculate FBF. For each experiment, we collect SkBF and FBF data for a 20-minute baseline, expose the skin of the forearms to negative pressure and then collect SkBF and FBF data for an additional 30-90 minutes. Each subject participates in 2 experiments that differ only in the protocol for the application of negative pressure (i.e. continuous, pulse).

Women with endometriosis have more thromboxane being produced in their platelets. Thromboxane affects blood vessels, making them constrict, and sensory nerves, making them more sensitive. This study will determine if women with endometriosis are negatively effected by the excess thromboxane.

There will be three in-person visits: one screening and two experimental visits. Participants will take aspirin before one visit and a placebo before the other then will undergo brief tests of nerve sensitivity and a blood draw.

$150

This study examines how each brain hemisphere contributes to motor control and coordination. Participants play virtual reality/computer games to look at how their arms move during different activities.

Average global temperatures and the number of heat waves have increased recently. Humans sweat and increase blood flow to the skin to cool their body when they get hot. Older adults (>65 yrs) do not do this as well as younger adults. This makes them at risk for heat-related illnesses. It is important to learn about cooling strategies that will lower body temperature for older adults in the heat. In this study, we will determine if placing your hands and forearms in cold water and/or supplementation with folic acid are effective cooling strategies for older adults resting in the heat.

There will be 4 in-person visits in a hot and humid environment, there will be folic acid supplementation and placebo for 6 weeks each

300

In this project, participants will perform experiments where they will be asked to look at salient virtual targets and make reaching movements to those targets, while ignoring other visual stimuli presented to them.

During this study, we will ask you to come to our laboratory located in 23 Recreation Building, Penn State University, on a single day.We will ask you to perform an eye-hand coordination task using a robot. You will sit in a modified chair and grasp a handle that permits you to move your hand leftward, rightward, towards and away from your body. A display system will project visual targets into the same plane as your hands, which will allow you to interact virtually with the visual targets. These targets will be either bright or dark and you will be instructed to look at some of these targets (while ignoring others) and make reaching movements to some of these targets.

20

The purpose of this study is to investigate psychobiological factors that impact the development and manifestation of eating disorder (ED) pathology in elite male and female athletes before and during their competitive season.

The purpose of this voluntary research study is to assess how changes in stress, cognitive flexibility, response inhibition, and reward delay predict the trajectory of eating disorder behaviors and associated side effects of energy deficiency from the off-season compared to the competitive season. Your participation in this study will last approximately the duration of one season of your sport, specifically 4-weeks of data collection prior to season commencement (baseline), 4-weeks of data collection during peak competition season, and 4-weeks of data collection during off-season. The total time spent in the lab will be approximately 10-14 hours. Procedures will occur three times and measurements will be taken twice following baseline measures (once during the peak competition season, once during off-season), if you agree to do so.

$50

The aim of this study is to determine the impact of cardiometabolic disease risk factors on cognitive performance and brain vascular function, as well as, to see if beetroot juice supplementation can improve these outcomes and reduce risk of cognitive decline and brain vascular dysfunction that is seen with aging and disease.

Participants with and without high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and high blood sugar will be recruited. These are all considered cardiovascular disease risk factors.Individuals without multiple cardiovascular disease risk factors will have 2 visits and complete cognitive and blood vessel function assessments. There involves a blood draw in each visit. All study assessments are non-invasive. Total compensation is $30. Individuals with cardiovascular disease risk factors will have 5 total visits and complete cognitive and blood vessel function assessments. Additionally, participants will drink beetroot juice for 4 weeks to determine the potential health benefits on cognitive, blood vessel function, and metabolic health. There will involve blood draws and all assessments are non-invasive. Total compensation is up to $170.

$30 -170

Description: This research study is to assess energetic status, reproductive health, and bone health in a population of young exercising men. Secondarily, this study will also explore how diet, fitness, cardiovascular function, eating behaviors, stress, cognitive function, and sleep related to energy and reproductive outcomes in exercising men. Eligible young men (age 18-35) are those who are generally healthy and either a) exercising or b) not exercising.

There will be essentially 5 study visits - The first visit will include informed consent to take part in the study & completion of questionnaires and measurement of anthropometrics. Visit 2 will include tests of your metabolism, a blood draw, a saliva collection, and assessment of diet and physical activity. Visit 3 will be a short visit for a saliva collection. Visit 4 will include tests of stress (a hair sample), body composition, bone health, aerobic and anaerobic fitness, cognitive testing, and reproductive function. Visit 5 will consist of a results meeting and return of wearable devices and logs.

Menthol, capsaicin, and camphor are active ingredients often found in over-the-counter pain relief creams and gels. These ingredients typically work by interacting with certain receptors in the skin that are sensitive to temperature changes. There is limited information on how combining menthol with other substances that target similar receptors affects the body. These naturally occurring substances found in plants can widen small blood vessels in the skin through specific processes controlled by nerves in the skin. This study aims to understand how menthol, camphor, and capsaicin individually and together affect sensory function and blood flow in the skin. Additionally, as people age, their skin's nerve and blood vessel function tends to decrease. The study also seeks to explore how aging impacts the effects of these substances on sensory perception and how nerves and blood vessels work together in the skin.

There will be a screening visit and then 6 experiment visits where different topical analgesics will be applied to the forearm skin. We will measure skin blood flow.

240

We plan to conduct a qualitative study exploring perspectives of physical therapists and people with disability regarding physical activity promotion

This study aims to assess energy status in young sedentary and exercising women as it is related to menstrual status, bone health, psychological health, sleep variables, and cardiovascular function.

There will be three to four visits to the laboratory. Procedures include questionnaires, a blood draw, providing a hair sample, providing two saliva samples, cardiovascular measurements, and bone scans, as well as resting metabolic rate, cognitive, aerobic fitness, and countermovement jump testing. Participants will be asked to collect urine samples throughout one menstrual cycle, or 28 days for amenorrheic females. Exercise and physical activity will be recorded and monitored for seven days via logs and wearables. Food intake will be recorded for three days. Collegiate athletes will be tested twice; in-season and off-season.

Endometriosis, is a disorder that occurs in women, is when tissue that should be normally found inside the womb is also found in sites outside of the womb. Endometriosis is a disorder that is associated with systemic inflammation. This disorder impairs the function of the endothelium, the cells that line the body’s blood vessels (endothelium). The endothelium helps to control blood flow in healthy vessels. Women with endometriosis not only have an increased risk for high blood pressure and high cholesterol, they also have an increased risk for cardiovascular disease. With this study, we will learn how systemic inflammation in endometriosis impairs the lining of blood vessels and increases the risk for cardiovascular disease.We will use a short term intervention with a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory to examine how inflammation impact endothelial function in women with endometriosis

There will be 4 in person visits, at all visits blood will be drawn. Two of the visits will be experimental visits where we will measure skin blood flow and blood flow in the brachial artery. Participants will be required to take a placebo or the drug salsalate for 4 days prior to each experimental visit.

$450

The purpose of this voluntary research study is to determine the effects of different methods of promoting physical activity with wearable devices and technology.

Participants will participate in an 18-month study with virtual study visits.-Use provided digital tools (activity tracker and messages) to monitor physical activity-Set goals to increase physical activity levels based on national guidelines-Monitor weight and complete questionnaires at five times throughout the study (at the beginning, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months and 18 months)

Up to $235 and a Fitbit tracker and BodyTrace scale

The purpose of this study is to define how eye movements contribute to eye-hand coordination. All procedures to be used in our study will be non-invasive. The task during the study will be performed with a robotic handle that participants will grasp with their right hand. They will interact with visual stimuli by moving the robotic handle. The robotic environment will attempt to simulate real-world mechanical interactions, such as those experienced during catching a ball. Our objective is to understand how the nervous system processes visual sensory information of moving objects through slow eye movements called smooth pursuit eye movements.

During this study, we will ask you to come to our laboratory located in 23 Recreation Building, Penn State University, on two days separated by a maximum of 48 hours. Both sessions will last approximately 90-120 minutes.We will ask you to perform an eye-hand coordination task using a robot. You will sit in a modified chair and grasp a handle that permits you to move your hand leftward, rightward, towards and away from your body. A display system will project visual targets into the same plane as your hands, which will allow you to interact virtually with the visual targets. These targets will move in the workspace. When the target comes in contact with your arm, the robot will apply a gentle force to mimic what you would typically experience when you catch a ball.

40