Articles tagged with Economics Research
A study by economist Richard Easterlin reveals that Chinese people are less happy overall than they were two decades ago, despite unprecedented economic growth. Life satisfaction among the poorest Chinese has fallen dramatically, reflecting rising unemployment and deteriorating social safety nets.
Researchers found that street furniture, public spaces, and architecture can both fuel and mitigate tensions between different social groups. Dr Ralf Brand identified urban features that contribute to community divisions, as well as those that promote positive interactions.
Concordia University has received $3.4 million in funding to advance composite materials manufacturing technique AFP, keeping Canada at the forefront of aerospace research and teaching.
A recent study funded by ESRC mapped London state school pupils' languages, revealing 60% speak English as first language and nearly 40% a minority language. Language spoken at home provides valuable insights into socio-economic position and culture.
A study by Caltech researchers suggests that when high financial incentives are involved, people become afraid of losing their potential reward and perform worse. The team found that the more someone is afraid of loss, the worse they perform, and that this effect even occurs when there are no explicit losses.
Researchers found that screening programs can save lives, but at a significant cost, with estimated annual costs ranging from $90,000 to $200,000 per life year saved. The study suggests that finite public health resources may be better spent elsewhere due to the rarity of conditions causing sudden cardiac death in children.
Research finds that many migrant children have positive experiences, but some face racism, language barriers, and access issues. Policy recommendations include national guidance, better funding, and clear training for professionals.
A Brazilian law change enabled banks to sell repossessed cars quickly, encouraging them to offer better terms and increasing lending to riskier borrowers. The 'democratization of credit' resulted in more consumers buying newer, more expensive cars.
A systematic review of data from 35 years found that intrauterine devices (IUDs) have a failure rate of less than one per thousand and are more effective than the morning after pill. IUDs also provide long-term protection against unwanted pregnancy, making them a recommended option for emergency contraception.
Research in the Eurasian Steppes reveals horse domestication originated from a single founder population, with herds restocked with wild horses as they spread across Eurasia. The large number of female lineages in the domestic horse gene pool is explained by later introductions of local wild mares.
Australian researchers advocate for open source software principles to be applied to clinical trials, aiming to reduce biases and self-interest. They propose that clinical trial data could be re-analyzed and pooled, leading to more efficient and trustworthy evidence for pressing health problems.
Robert M. Townsend, a prominent development economist at MIT, has been elected to the National Academy of Sciences. He is recognized for his outstanding contributions to understanding financial systems and their impact on developing economies.
Researchers applied financial portfolio theory to NIH funding allocation decisions, suggesting potential efficiency gains and improved public health outcomes. The study found that optimized funding allocations may yield more desirable results, with a 28% to 89% greater decrease in years of life lost.
AcademyHealth has awarded its inaugural Presidential Scholarship to five early-career researchers, offering them access to the Annual Research Meeting and exclusive mentorship opportunities. The scholarship program aims to nurture the careers of budding researchers in health services research.
A University of Michigan study finds a significant correlation between world GDP and CO2 concentrations, highlighting the need for drastic changes in economic habits to combat global warming. The research suggests that carbon taxes could be an effective solution to reduce emissions and stabilize the climate.
Historical research suggests that affluence rather than poverty drives alcohol consumption levels, particularly among the middle classes. This challenges traditional approaches to reducing consumption through taxation.
Historians have discovered that a Florentine merchant house financed the earliest English voyages to North America, leading by John Cabot in 1496. The funding, £16 13s. 4d., was provided by the Bardi banking house in London.
A long-term study on nature tourism in China's Wolong Nature Reserve found that those with resources, education, and government connections were more likely to succeed in the tourism industry. The research highlights the need for balanced policies between economic development and habitat management.
Tim Townes receives $20,000 HudsonAlpha Prize for his groundbreaking work on reprogramming cells to treat sickle cell anemia. His research successfully corrects the DNA mutation associated with the disease, producing healthy red blood cells.
Researchers found that countries like China, India, and the USA rely heavily on pollination-dependent crops, while others like Egypt and Turkey have decreased dependence. The study suggests that global price increases for these products may be a warning sign for potential conflicts between agriculture and insect-related services.
Researchers at INRS developed a new laser with unparalleled stability and precision, enabling new experiments and research opportunities. The laser's unique design allows for improved control of light sources, increasing stability and resistance to external disruptions.
A new study by Harvard Medical School researchers found that C-sections are a cost-effective means of improving health in the developing world. The study's median economic benefit of death and disability prevented outweighs the cost of procedures 6 to 1, with an average return on investment of $6 for every $1 invested.
Researchers found that thinking in a foreign language reduces loss aversion and asymmetry in decision-making. People are more likely to take attractive bets when considering options in a non-native tongue, as it provides a distancing mechanism that moves them from intuitive to deliberate thinking.
Economists create new framework for examining developing economies by analyzing Thai villages. Preliminary findings show highly integrated capital markets across villages, with households relying on informal borrowing and gifts to finance opportunities.
Oded Netzer, a Columbia Business School professor, has received the 2012 George S. Eccles Research Award for his groundbreaking research on quantitative methods to understand customer preferences. His work focuses on dynamic segmentation and a marketing framework to move customers toward deeper relationships with firms.
A historic workshop in Indonesia aimed to develop a national strategy on agroforestry research, identifying key challenges such as government partiality, land tenure insecurity, and trade-offs between conservation and development. Opportunities for agroforestry were also highlighted, including international support and knowledge sharing.
A dirty bomb attack on downtown Los Angeles' financial district could lead to significant economic losses, with estimated costs of nearly $16 billion over a decade. The study found that the public's fear and risk perception would have a larger impact than the immediate damage, with employees demanding higher wages to return to work.
Research found that only a small minority of students don't use email or mobile phones, but most struggle with in-depth technology skills. Despite this, students often rely on technologies for social life and leisure rather than study purposes.
Researchers at Newcastle University are using a mobile laboratory car called DriveLAB to develop new technologies to support older drivers. The team is investigating in-vehicle systems that can help keep people driving safely into their 70s, 80s, and beyond.
The £10 million funding will support research into low-cost solutions for rural broadband access and applications for rural health monitoring, emergency communications, and social TV-Virtual Classrooms. The ultimate aim is to develop solutions that can scale to benefit millions of users in both the UK and India.
The Diesel Reloaded project redefines vehicles as integrated information and communication systems with modular, scalable architecture. It aims to address megatrends in environmental care, urbanization, and demographics by optimizing energy efficiency and adapting human-machine interfaces.
TNT Express won the 2012 Franz Edelman Award for its successful application of operations research to modernize its operations and reduce its carbon footprint. This led to significant operational benefits, including €207 million in savings between 2008 and 2011.
Researchers at VIB discovered a new transport mechanism for auxin, allowing plants to direct their growth towards the light and absorb sunlight efficiently. This breakthrough could lead to more efficient crop growth and higher yields by regulating auxin levels in specific areas.
A daily pill to prevent HIV infection is cost-effective for men at high risk of acquiring the virus, according to a Stanford University study. The researchers found that targeted use of the drug in this population could save $495 billion over 20 years compared to widespread use.
A new study found that policy documents advocating for equal access to education oversimplify issues and fail to address the complexity of gender roles and culture. The researchers analyzed 300 policy documents from 14 agencies from 1995-2008, highlighting the limitations of language used in these documents.
Researchers found that consumers who feel financially deprived prefer scarce products over abundant ones. Financial deprivation prompts heightened visual sensitivity to scarce goods, influencing purchasing decisions.
The EPSRC grant will attract top researchers to the UK, introduce young scientists to senior figures, and promote cross-disciplinary collaboration. ICMS events aim to foster innovation and address the gender gap in mathematics.
Spartan Innovations, a new initiative by Michigan State University, aims to turn research innovations into successful businesses. The program provides resources such as entrepreneurship education, stipends, CEO mentors-in-residence, and gap funding to support MSU startups.
A study published in PLoS ONE found that people's fear levels toward threats are associated with the typical size of their social circles. The researchers determined that this effect was not due to a lack of differentiation between small and large groups, suggesting that social circle size plays a significant role in shaping our percep...
A new study proposes that purchasing extraction rights for dirty fossil fuels in non-participating countries is a more effective way to combat climate change. By conserving these deposits, coalitions can reduce emissions and mitigate carbon leakage, allowing them to implement their ideal policy without fear of non-participating countri...
The article cites a Royal Society report predicting Chinese scientists' publications output will surpass US-based scientists by 2013. Major investments in discovery and innovation are building capacity in Korea, Singapore, and Taiwan.
Increasing escapement can improve the natural environment by benefiting grizzly bears, who will consume more salmon and occur at higher densities. This leads to a better environment for salmon, with more discarded salmon entering downstream life and enriching the ecosystem.
Researchers from the University of Leeds and CSIC-University of Granada have discovered a way to produce bassanite, a precursor phase to gypsum precipitation, at room temperature. This process could lead to significant cost savings in the production of plaster and potentially reduce environmental impacts related to gypsum disposal.
A recent US study found that teens in areas of high income inequality are more likely to have a baby. Low-income teens are more likely to give birth rather than investing in their own economic progress. The study suggests that teen childbearing is a symptom, not a cause of poverty.
A study found that bilingual children are faster at switching between tasks than their monolingual counterparts, showcasing improved executive functioning skills. However, bilinguals lag behind monolinguals in acquiring vocabulary due to language division.
A landmark study by University of Leicester researcher Dr Patrick White found that participation in adult learning neither increased nor widened during the first decade of the 21st Century. Despite easier access to the internet, online technologies failed to break down barriers to learning and expand access to previously excluded groups.
Scientists have discovered that the Earth's crust beneath the Mississippi Delta sinks at a much slower rate than previously assumed. The researchers used sea-level reconstructions from different portions of coastal Louisiana to compare rates of subsidence over time.
A recent study found that raising the school leaving age was met with significant controversy and sacrifice in the past, highlighting potential difficulties in adapting to future changes. The UK's decision to raise the education participation age to 17 in 2013 and potentially 18 in 2015 may face similar challenges.
Arizona State University's Global Institute of Sustainability will develop and deploy solutions to sustainability challenges, including energy and climate change. The $27.5 million Walton investment will support four strategies to educate future leaders in sustainability.
A new study by University of Notre Dame researchers estimates the annual economic cost of ship-borne invasive species in the Great Lakes at $138 million, with potential costs as high as $800 million. Replacing shipping with alternative modes could bring net benefits to society within 30-50 years.
A new study links mass privatization programs in former Soviet states to economic failure and corruption. The researchers found that countries that adopted the policy experienced severe recession, poverty, and economic crime, highlighting the need for cautious implementation of untested economic reforms.
Autism has more than tripled in cost since 2006, reaching $126 billion in the US and £34 billion in the UK. The lifetime costs of caring for individuals with autism affected by intellectual disability are significantly higher, up to $2.3 million in the US and £1.5 million in the UK.
Research from North Carolina State University finds that broadening circle hook requirements could decrease catch rates for yellowfin tuna and other non-billfish species. Circle hooks were only 60-70% as effective as J hooks in catching these species, making them less suitable for offshore anglers.
A three-year study found that embedding TaMHS programme in schools led to greater improvements in behavioural problems among primary pupils. Schools providing self-help leaflets also saw reduced aggression and anger issues.
Researchers discovered a compound in mustard seed meal with antibacterial effects against Staphylococcus aureus, E. coli, and Listeria monocytogenes. The isolated sinapic acid lends a useful function to the previously economic value-less defatted seed meal, enabling its use as a natural food preservative.
A University of California, Riverside professor and researchers developed a model that uses Twitter data to predict traded volume and value of a stock the following day. The model outperformed other investment strategies by between 1.4 percent and nearly 11 percent.
A team of scientists created a methodology that considers timber vulnerability, harvesting value, and fire behavior to estimate potential net losses from timber production and fire survival probability. This approach helps fire managers and planners evaluate the economic impacts of wildfires on timber resources.
A new study estimates the total economic burden of fragility fractures in the European Union at €39 billion EUR, with hip fractures contributing to over half of all costs. The study highlights the need for preventive action to address the growing number of seniors and estimated doubling of fractures by 2050.
A study published in the Journal of Abnormal Psychology found that people with autism possess a higher capacity for processing information, especially when faced with rapid presentations and distractions. This increased ability can be beneficial in careers such as IT, where intense concentration is required.
A Cardiff University team has secured funding to develop a new surgical simulator that accurately reproduces the effects of cutting in real time. The project, led by Professor Stéphane Bordas, aims to reduce risk to neurosurgery patients and aid training worldwide.