news 2011

In the first study to examine cereal-buying patterns in homes in the United States, researchers at the Yale Rudd Center for Food Policy & Obesity found that African-American and Hispanic families are most likely to buy cereals that are advertised directly to children, which are also the least nutritious cereals.

University of Warwick economics professor Christopher Woodruff will oversee a new initiative that plans to invest £15 million into research on private enterprise development in low-income countries. The initiative, the largest research endeavour undertaken on the subject, is a joint venture co-ordinated by the Centre for Economic Policy Research in partnership with the Department for International Development.

ANN ARBOR, Mich.-Consumers with multiple debts routinely mismanage them, paying off small debts first even when larger debts have higher interest rates, says a University of Michigan researcher. Although some personal finance experts advocate eliminating smaller debt first-even if it has a higher interest rate-in order to get a quick win, new research from Scott Rick of U-M's Ross School of Business shows that such advice actually makes it harder to dig out of debt.

It is currently an efficient filter system that could be used in countries with poor access to fresh potable water, or to remove heavy metals and industrial waste products from ground water sources." —Dr Easan Sivaniah from the University of Cambridge's Cavendish Laboratory Scientists have developed a new method of creating nanoporous materials with potential applications in everything from water purification to chemical sensors.

According to the first results from the Swiss Earnings Structure Survey conducted by the Federal Statistical Office (FSO), the gross median wage was CHF 5979 per month in 2010.

New research from The Australian National University has shown that women are more likely to make risky choices when they are surrounded by other women. The findings could help to reduce gender inequality in the workforce. In an experiment at the University of Essex, Professor Alison Booth from the ANU Research School of Economics and colleagues, tested whether single-sex classrooms in co-educational environments altered students' risk-taking attitudes.

Innovative technology being pioneered at Cardiff to speed up the discovery of new drugs to tackle lung diseases could also dramatically reduce testing on animals. Scientists at the School of Biosciences have shown it is feasible to integrate human liver cells with lung cells to create the Metabo-Lung - a working model of human lung tissue to test the toxicity of drugs.

Among young American adults, relationships between white men and minority women move into sexual intimacy and from sex to cohabitation significantly faster than white-white couples or minority-minority pairings, reports a new study by a Cornell demographer. Despite rising intermarriage rates in recent decades - a sign of declining social distance between race groups in the United States - the new paper suggests that racial hierarchies remain an influence on the pace and durability of young adult relationships.

Modern buildings are characterised by the use of glazed Multi-Skin Façade (MSF) that are aesthetically appealing; consider the re-development of the former CUB site, Swanston Street Melbourne. However, leading researchers in the School of Engineering, University of Melbourne have found that buildings with glazed façade systems could consume energy for heating and cooling up to 60-70% of operational costs.

Celebrity endorsement of charities and NGOs may not quite have the pulling power it once had, according to new research by a University of Manchester academic. Daniel Brockington says the proportion of newspapers stories about charities which mention celebrity have been declining over recent years. Other research on the use of celebrity in the US, he says, shows that even the highest profile figures can fail to get the causes they advocate prominently reported in the news.

Weakness in social media site, exposing users' personal data, has been corrected Computer scientists at Harvard, Boston University, and Yale stumbled upon a privacy leak in the mobile version of the popular Yelp social networking review site ( m.yelp.com ) in late October.

One million Britons experienced workplace violence in the last two years, while millions more were subjected to intimidation, humiliation and rudeness, new research has shown. Surprisingly, managers and professionals in well-paid full-time jobs are among the groups most at risk. The study also shows that conventional employment policies are failing to deal with workplace ill-treatment.

AUSTIN, Texas — Despite substantial controversy among academics and policymakers about individuals' ability to choose complicated drug insurance products, economics research from The University of Texas at Austin has provided evidence that Medicare Part D participants quickly adapt and learn to reduce rates of overspending within the system.

Planned changes to the way vets are allowed to conduct TB tests could have a dramatic impact on rural veterinary practices and fail to address quality control issues surrounding tests for bovine tuberculosis, University research has found. The Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency (AHVLA) recently announced their intention to require veterinary practices in England to competitively tender for TB tests in specific geographical areas.

Previous studies have found that health outcomes improve during an economic downturn. Job loss means less money available for potentially unhealthy behaviors such as excessive drinking, according to existing literature on employment and alcohol consumption. A new study by health economist Michael T. French from the University of Miami and his collaborators has concluded just the opposite-heavy drinking and alcohol abuse/dependence significantly increase as macroeconomic conditions deteriorate.

Managers advised to consider team-building strategies to prevent subversive behavior To avoid workplace sabotage managers need to keep team members connected and engaged, according to new research from the University of Minnesota's Carlson School of Management. In "A Social Context Model of Envy and Social Understanding," which will appear in the Academy of Management Journal, professors Michelle Duffy and Jason Shaw of the school's Department of Work and Organizations found envious employees are more likely to undermine peers if they feel disconnected from others.

Oct. Study casts doubt on sex offender notification laws ANN ARBOR, Mich.—While evidence suggests that requiring convicted sex offenders to register with the police reduces the chances they'll re-offend, a recent paper co-authored by a University of Michigan law professor shows that publicizing sex offenders' identities may actually increase the chances they'll commit another sex crime.

Researchers from the University of Bristol's School of Veterinary Sciences have concluded that the wellbeing of barn chickens is increased if they have activity objects, perches and other stimulation. Around 75 per cent of barn chickens reared for UK households are in barns which don't have natural daylight or activity objects such as pecking blocks.

Researchers find recipe for "perfect plastic” Researchers have solved a long-standing problem that could revolutionise the way new plastics are developed. The breakthrough, involving researchers at Durham University and the University of Leeds, will allow experts to create the 'perfect plastic' with specific uses and properties by using a high-tech 'recipe book'.

If tripping in public or mistaking an overweight woman for a mother-to-be leaves you red-faced, don't feel bad. A new study from the University of California, Berkeley, suggests that people who are easily embarrassed are also more trustworthy, and more generous. In short, embarrassment can be a good thing.