Western firms averse to offshore R&D

Although corporate research and development operations are increasingly moving to emerging countries like India and China, companies continue to keep the majority of their cutting-edge research in developed nations, according to the journal Science. That’s because the type of R&D conducted at a particular location is most influenced by the ease of collaboration with nearby universities and the presence of faculty with special expertise, and therefore high-tech companies from developed nations frequently seek collaborative relationships with local universities. The study was based on a survey of 249 R&D-intensive companies headquartered in the US and Western Europe, and was conducted by researchers from Georgia Tech College of Management and Emory University.

Long hours make doctors err

A study of medical interns in the US has showed that working extended shifts is associated with increased reporting of medical errors and adverse patient events. The study, published in PLoS Medicine, which was led by researchers from Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, included 2,737 medical residents, who completed 17,003 monthly reports. In months in which residents worked even one long shift, they were three times more likely to report a fatigue-related significant medical error compared with months in which they worked no extended hours. The rate increased seven-fold in months with more than five extended shifts.

Olive oil fights cancer

If you want to avoid developing cancer, then you might want to add eating more olive oil to your list of New Year’s resolutions. In a study to be published in the January 2007 issue of The FASEB Journal, scientists from five European countries have found evidence that phenols in olive oil reduce the oxidative damage to cells, a precursor to cancer. This they say is one of the reasons for higher cancer rates among Northern Europeans than Southern Europeans because the latter eat more olive oil-based diets. Phenols are also present in a wide range of foods, such as dark chocolate, red wine, tea, fruits, and vegetables, the researchers add.

Women more practical cooks

A study of nearly 200 British men and women in their early 30s found that three-quarters of women still do most of the cooking and food shopping for their partner and family. The study, published in the British Food Journal, found that whereas some of the men saw cooking as a hobby and a chance to be creative, women were more practical in their approach to their household chores.