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UBC economist proposes solution to Vancouver's affordability crisis

A new model for calculating property tax could help combat Vancouver's housing affordability problem by transferring tax burden from owners to renters. The proposal aims to raise property taxes and lower income and sales taxes, stimulating the economy and making it easier for workers to afford housing.

Davis Instruments Vantage Pro2 Weather Station

Davis Instruments Vantage Pro2 Weather Station offers research-grade local weather data for networked stations, campuses, and community observatories.

Financial incentives for cholesterol control may be cost-effective

A study found that a shared financial incentive program provided reasonable value for the health gains it produced compared with other programs. The program offered $1,024 per year, split between patient and doctor, and showed lower LDL cholesterol levels. Further evaluation is warranted to test this strategy in real-world settings.

Politicization and prioritization in the judiciary

A study by Adam Bonica and Maya Sen reveals that American courts become politicized due to strategic judicial selection. The researchers found that higher courts are more conservative and polarized, deviating from the broader legal profession's liberal ideology.

SAMSUNG T9 Portable SSD 2TB

SAMSUNG T9 Portable SSD 2TB transfers large imagery and model outputs quickly between field laptops, lab workstations, and secure archives.

Cash and goal-setting help motivate heart patients to take healthy steps

A new clinical trial found that combining wearable devices with financial incentives and personalized goal-setting significantly increased physical activity levels among ischemic heart disease patients. After financial incentives were stopped, the incentive group continued to increase their physical activity.

In helping smokers quit, cash is king, e-cigarettes strike out

A new study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that financial incentives significantly improve smoking cessation rates, with free e-cigarettes and cessation aids offering no additional benefit. The study enrolled over 6,000 participants and found that those receiving financial rewards remained smoke-free for at leas...

Nikon Monarch 5 8x42 Binoculars

Nikon Monarch 5 8x42 Binoculars deliver bright, sharp views for wildlife surveys, eclipse chases, and quick star-field scans at dark sites.

Four reasons that could explain ACOs' sluggish savings

The study highlights four reasons for the failure of ACOs to achieve savings: economic barriers such as weak incentives and lack of patients, and organizational challenges like knowledge development needs and complexity. The authors recommend a flexible approach to motivating providers.

Helping smokers quit: Payments, personalized support can work

A new study found that smokers who received financial incentives, in addition to personalized support, were nearly 10 times more likely to quit smoking after six months compared to those in the control group. The intervention also showed significant reductions in smoking rates among older participants, women, and non-white smokers.

Apple iPhone 17 Pro

Apple iPhone 17 Pro delivers top performance and advanced cameras for field documentation, data collection, and secure research communications.

Are teens more likely to take charge of their health when money is on the line?

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine conducted a randomized control trial showing that providing small financial incentives can motivate young people to engage in daily glucose monitoring. Participants who received $60 monthly credits were nearly three times more likely to achieve daily goals, but overall gl...

GoPro HERO13 Black

GoPro HERO13 Black records stabilized 5.3K video for instrument deployments, field notes, and outreach, even in harsh weather and underwater conditions.

The way of change is important!

A case study in Guangdong province finds green building development contributes to local economy but is limited by regional conditions. The research uses system dynamic theory to analyze the relationship between green building and regional economy.

Aranet4 Home CO2 Monitor

Aranet4 Home CO2 Monitor tracks ventilation quality in labs, classrooms, and conference rooms with long battery life and clear e-ink readouts.

Financial incentives improve viral suppression among people living with HIV

The HPTN 065 study found that financial incentives can motivate some people living with HIV to take their medication regularly and maintain viral load suppression. This increase in viral suppression was observed at care sites offering financial incentives, with an overall increase of 5% at the peak of the intervention.

Electric car subsidies may do more harm than good

A new study by Concordia economics professor Ian Irvine reveals that electric vehicle (EV) subsidies could actually increase greenhouse gas emissions in Canada. The subsidies encourage the production of more EVs but undermine efficiency requirements for conventional vehicles, resulting in a zero or negative near-term GHG benefit.

Apple Watch Series 11 (GPS, 46mm)

Apple Watch Series 11 (GPS, 46mm) tracks health metrics and safety alerts during long observing sessions, fieldwork, and remote expeditions.

Eco-label in exchange for less chemicals on rice fields

Rice farmers in Taiwan value eco-labels more than financial incentives, according to a study by the Technical University of Munich. The study found that offering an eco-label can encourage farmers to reduce chemical fertilizers and adopt sustainable cultivation methods.

Welfare reform that really works

Researchers found that introducing dynamic tax/sanctions and work subsidies can help people commit to long-run goals, leading to increased employment and welfare participation rates. In contrast, focusing on short-term payoffs results in reduced earnings and government expenditure.

Garmin GPSMAP 67i with inReach

Garmin GPSMAP 67i with inReach provides rugged GNSS navigation, satellite messaging, and SOS for backcountry geology and climate field teams.

Kestrel 3000 Pocket Weather Meter

Kestrel 3000 Pocket Weather Meter measures wind, temperature, and humidity in real time for site assessments, aviation checks, and safety briefings.

Insurance causes costs of services to rise

Researchers found that customers with insurance are less critical of costs, leading to overcharging and higher prices. The study showed a significant difference in repair prices, with customers with insurance paying up to €128.68 compared to €70.17 without insurance.

Heirloom dry beans suitable for small-scale organic production

A study by Hannah Swegarden and colleagues identifies four heirloom dry bean cultivars with high yield stability as ideal for local organic production in Minnesota. Heirloom varieties like 'Lina Sisco's Bird Egg' and 'Peregion' showed relatively high yields, making them a viable marketing option for small-scale producers.

CalDigit TS4 Thunderbolt 4 Dock

CalDigit TS4 Thunderbolt 4 Dock simplifies serious desks with 18 ports for high-speed storage, monitors, and instruments across Mac and PC setups.

Paying employees to exercise doesn't work, but the reverse might

A randomized controlled trial found that threatening to lose a reward is more effective than earning one in increasing physical activity among overweight and obese adults. The study also suggests that the way financial incentives are framed is important to their effectiveness.

Rigol DP832 Triple-Output Bench Power Supply

Rigol DP832 Triple-Output Bench Power Supply powers sensors, microcontrollers, and test circuits with programmable rails and stable outputs.

The art of maintaining productive sales channel partnerships

A study found that firms expecting increased productivity through partner programs may fail due to feelings of indebtedness, causing suppliers to avoid the supplier. To enhance performance, suppliers should aim to prevent channel partners from feeling indebted and provide benefits creating feelings of gratitude.

Celestron NexStar 8SE Computerized Telescope

Celestron NexStar 8SE Computerized Telescope combines portable Schmidt-Cassegrain optics with GoTo pointing for outreach nights and field campaigns.

Big data analysis of state of the union remarks changes view of American History

A new study at Columbia University finds that World War I marks a significant shift in modern political thought, with keywords like 'democracy' and 'unity' emerging after 1917. The researchers analyzed nearly 1.8 million words from State of the Union addresses to chart the evolution of social and political discourses over time.

How limiting CEO pay can be more effective, less costly

Research by UC Berkeley economists finds that limiting CEO stock-based compensation benefits shareholders, while executives may be incentivized through trust-based contracts. The study suggests that government regulation can make executive pay less costly and more effective.

Sony Alpha a7 IV (Body Only)

Sony Alpha a7 IV (Body Only) delivers reliable low-light performance and rugged build for astrophotography, lab documentation, and field expeditions.

What is more rewarding: A soccer goal or prize money?

A study by researchers at the University of Bonn found that brain activity in soccer players is similar when scoring a goal or winning money. Players with more egotistical personalities showed increased activity in learning and reflection regions when goals were scored after passing, not after taking the shot.

Protections, not money, can boost internal corporate whistleblowing

New research from North Carolina State University and Bucknell University finds that strong anti-retaliation policies encourage employees to report wrongdoing internally. Protection from retaliation is key, contingent on employee trust in the company. Monetary incentives do not necessarily influence whistleblowing behavior, but can fra...

Observation articles in Annals of Internal Medicine, March 3, 2015

A study published in Annals of Internal Medicine found that female medical students are as accurate as their male counterparts but report less confidence in their abilities. This confidence gap could be addressed through improved medical training, helping to enhance physician competency and reduce defensive medicine practices.

Shopping vouchers could help 1 in 5 pregnant women quit smoking

A recent study found that financial incentives can encourage one in five pregnant women to quit smoking, with a significant number stopping at least for the duration of their pregnancy. The scheme, which provided vouchers worth up to £752, was successful in motivating many women to quit, with only a small number 'gaming' the system.

Meta Quest 3 512GB

Meta Quest 3 512GB enables immersive mission planning, terrain rehearsal, and interactive STEM demos with high-resolution mixed-reality experiences.

Financial incentives help pregnant women to quit smoking

New research published in The BMJ finds that financial rewards motivate pregnant women to quit smoking. A study of 612 pregnant smokers showed that those offered shopping vouchers had a 69% quit rate compared to 23% in the control group.

Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch (M4 Pro)

Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch (M4 Pro) powers local ML workloads, large datasets, and multi-display analysis for field and lab teams.

Corporate philanthropy increases workers' productivity

A study from the University of Southampton found that corporate philanthropy increases workers' productivity by up to 30% when tied to their job performance. When workers can choose how much of their pay to donate, it improves performance by an average of 13%, rising to 26% in those who were initially less productive.

Benefits of whistleblower programs outweigh costs

A new study finds that whistleblower involvement leads to greater penalties and enforcement, resulting in a $21.27 billion increase in penalties over 35 years. This research supports the increase of whistleblower incentive programs, as policymakers push for more rewards without considering economic benefits.

UTHealth smoking study: Financial incentives double quit rates

Researchers found that small financial incentives doubled smoking cessation rates among socioeconomically disadvantaged smokers. The study, published in the American Journal of Public Health, suggests that such programs could be a cost-effective solution to reduce smoking-related illnesses.

GQ GMC-500Plus Geiger Counter

GQ GMC-500Plus Geiger Counter logs beta, gamma, and X-ray levels for environmental monitoring, training labs, and safety demonstrations.