Add BrightSurf on Google Email

Prosocial preferences produce socially-optimal outcomes for subsistence farming communities amid rising climate risks

A study suggests that promoting prosocial preferences in smallholder farming communities can minimize economic losses from extreme weather events. By diversifying risk transfer mechanisms and implementing formal insurance, communities can shield farmers from individual risks while protecting against collective-scale volatility.

SourcePrinceton School of Public and International Affairs·JournalNature Sustainability·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateFeb 14, 2024

Chinese Medical Journal study explores the health and economic burden of air pollution

A Chinese Medical Journal study examined the spatiotemporal features of disease burden due to air pollution across China between 2005 and 2017. The findings revealed a downward trend in premature mortality from fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and ozone (O3) pollution, but an increasing financial burden due to economic growth.

SourceCactus Communications·JournalChinese Medical Journal·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateFeb 6, 2024

Novel methodology projects growth of native trees, enhancing return on investment in forest restoration

A study published in Perspectives in Ecology and Conservation proposes a novel methodology for projecting native tree growth and optimizing timber production in forest restoration. This approach reduces the time to harvest by 25% and increases stand density by 38%, making large-scale forest restoration more attractive to landowners.

SourceFundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo·JournalPerspectives in Ecology and Conservation·DateJan 19, 2024

Chung-Ang University study reveals a higher market valuation of cash holdings of firms adopting electronic voting

A study by Chung-Ang University found that electronic voting enhances shareholders' perception of corporate governance, increasing the market value of a firm's cash holdings. Firms with larger free cash flows and minority ownership saw stronger governance effects from adopting electronic voting.

SourceChung Ang University·JournalInternational Review of Financial Analysis·TypeSystematic review·DateJan 4, 2024

Study provides new insight into low social determinants of health screening rates

Researchers found that less than two percent of patients in Medicaid and commercially insured plans received Z-codes to document Social Determinants of Health. The study highlights the need for improved tracking and documentation of SDOH in healthcare settings, with recommendations for policy changes and provider education.

SourceUniversity of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus·JournalHealth Affairs Scholar·DateDec 19, 2023

Navigating climate challenges: UVA engineers and environmental scientists aid Virginia’s eastern shore

A team of UVA civil and environmental engineers and environmental scientists have developed a web-based decision-support tool, called the Climate Equity Atlas, to help residents deal with the challenges caused by climate change. The tool combines historical environmental data and socioeconomic data to create a sophisticated predictive ...

Study: How farmers decide to store or sell their grain

A new study from the University of Illinois College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences examines how Illinois corn and soybean producers make marketing decisions. The research found that farms with lower financial positions tend to store more grain, while bigger and older farms have lower storage costs.

SourceUniversity of Illinois College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences·JournalAmerican Journal of Agricultural Economics·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateDec 7, 2023

I eat what you eat

A study at the University of Bonn found that primary school children are more likely to choose unhealthy snacks when buying with friends or classmates. Conversely, they opted for healthier choices when purchasing alone. This highlights the importance of understanding how social factors influence children's purchasing decisions.

SourceUniversity of Bonn·JournalAppetite·DateNov 23, 2023

The economic damage of a pandemic is inevitable, but targeted interventions can save more lives and lessen its social impact

Research published in Nature Human Behaviour suggests that lockdowns and voluntary behaviour change lead to similar economic damage, with lockdowns saving more lives. The study's model simulates the balance between health and economic impact, predicting health-economic outcomes of political and health measures during a pandemic.

SourceUniversidad Carlos III de Madrid·JournalNature Human Behaviour·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateNov 17, 2023

Abortion rates among commercially insured patients declined during the COVID-19 pandemic and did not rebound to pre-pandemic rates

A study by Brigham researchers found that the COVID-19 pandemic led to a sharp decline in surgical abortions for commercially insured patients, with no concurrent increase in medical abortions. The rate of surgical abortions remained below pre-pandemic levels through June 2022.

SourceBrigham and Women's Hospital·JournalAnnals of Internal Medicine·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateOct 26, 2023

UMass Amherst research finds adult vaccination rates increase when out-of-pocket costs decrease

A new study by UMass Amherst researchers found that adult vaccination rates increase when out-of-pocket costs decrease. The study analyzed data from the shingles vaccine and found a significant increase in vaccination rates after the Affordable Care Act required private insurers to cover vaccinations.

SourceUniversity of Massachusetts Amherst·JournalAmerican Journal of Health Economics·TypeObservational study·DateOct 18, 2023

Researchers show consequences of inaction on devastating banana disease

Banana Xanthomonas Wilt (BXW) could cause a 55% reduction in banana production in newly affected regions within 10 years. The disease is projected to result in significant economic losses, with consumers bearing 40% of the estimated $25 billion cost.

SourceThe Alliance of Bioversity International and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture·JournalFrontiers in Sustainable Food Systems·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateOct 9, 2023

Fruit flies offer clues to how brains make reward-based decisions

Researchers studied fruit flies to understand how their brains assign value to rewards, finding that expectations play a crucial role in decision-making. By observing the flies' behavior, the team pinpointed the site in the brain where these value adjustments are made, enabling them to test a theoretical framework on neural circuits.

SourceHoward Hughes Medical Institute·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateSep 22, 2023

Take the money now or later? Financial scarcity doesn’t lead to poor decision making

A study published by the American Psychological Association finds that people experiencing financial scarcity make decisions based on their immediate needs, prioritizing short-term gains only when scarcity threatens their most pressing requirements. Researchers examined how participants' choices changed depending on the timeline of the...

SourceAmerican Psychological Association·JournalJournal of Personality and Social Psychology·DateSep 14, 2023

Difficult decisions led to unequal vaccination rates

A new study by Uppsala University researchers reveals a significant difference in vaccination rates among people with varying cognitive abilities. Among those with the highest cognitive ability, 80% were vaccinated within 50 days, while it took 180 days for those with the lowest cognitive ability to reach the same rate.

SourceUppsala University·JournalJournal of Health Economics·DateSep 7, 2023

LRT, REM, mass transit projects and their fuzzy reality

New research from the University of Ottawa's Telfer School of Management suggests that managing public transit projects requires a comprehensive approach considering rational, psychosocial, and political dimensions. This involves engaging stakeholders, including non-users, to ensure societal impact and cost-effectiveness.

SourceUniversity of Ottawa·JournalIEEE Transactions on Engineering Management·TypeCase study·DateAug 17, 2023

What motivates family forest landowners to manage invasive species?

A study by the University of Illinois examines how family forest landowners in Maine and New Hampshire approach invasive species management. The researchers found that landowners prefer mechanical control methods, which are more expensive but less effective than chemical control, due to strong neighborhood effects. This has implication...

SourceUniversity of Illinois College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences·JournalJournal of the Agricultural and Applied Economics Association·TypeSurvey·DateJul 18, 2023

Targeted prevention helps stop homelessness before it starts

Researchers at the University of Notre Dame found that targeted financial assistance can prevent homelessness, with participants 81% less likely to become homeless within six months. The study suggests that investing in homelessness prevention programs can yield benefits exceeding the costs.

SourceUniversity of Notre Dame·JournalThe Review of Economics and Statistics·TypeRandomized controlled/clinical trial·DateJul 13, 2023

Consumers tend to overuse shared products, such as hand sanitizer, study finds

A study by the University of California - Riverside found that consumers tend to overuse shared products like hand sanitizer when they think others will use them. To reduce waste, the study suggests making consumers believe they're sharing with family or friends, and increasing their identification with the product.

SourceUniversity of California - Riverside·JournalJournal of Marketing Research·TypeLiterature review·DateJun 28, 2023

New research: Maybe crying in baseball is a good thing?

Researchers found that specialized MLB pitchers perform better in their specialty after obligatory tasks outside of their specialization, such as batting. This phenomenon is known as 'forced task inferiority,' where underperformance in non-specialist tasks frustrates specialists and generates heightened drive that they can channel into...

SourceCornell University·JournalOrganization Science·DateJun 7, 2023