Analysis: Industry-sponsored academic inventions spur increased innovation

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PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

19-Mar-2014

Contact: Bobbie Mixon bmixon@nsf.gov 703-292-8485 National Science Foundation

Industry-sponsored, academic research leads to innovative patents and licenses, says a new analysis led by Brian Wright, University of California, Berkeley professor of agricultural and resource economics.

The finding calls into question assumptions that corporate support skews science toward inventions that are less accessible and less useful to others than those funded by the government or non-profit organizations.

The analysis, based on a study of two decades of records from the University of California system, is in today's science journal Nature.

The National Science Foundation's Directorate for Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences funded the study. "There are two potential interpretations of the report," said Joshua Rosenbloom, program director for Science of Science and Innovation Policy (SciSIP). "One is optimistic. Corporate funding leads to research that is more likely to be commercialized and this greater focus is good.

"The second reading is that corporate funding shifts the focus of research away from basic science," added Rosenbloom.

During the last few decades, the share of gross domestic product supporting research and development has been stable, but the corporate share has increased substantially. "This may reflect a shift in emphasis away from basic science discoveries that provide a basis for future commercialization," Rosenbloom said.

SciSIP supports interdisciplinary social science research that builds an evidence base for informed policy choices and contributes to a better understanding of the interactions between science, technology and innovation.

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Analysis: Industry-sponsored academic inventions spur increased innovation

Spices and herbs intervention helps adults reduce salt intake

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Teaching people how to flavor food with spices and herbs is considerably more effective at lowering salt intake than having them do it on their own, according to research presented on Wednesday at the American Heart Association's Epidemiology & Prevention/Nutrition, Physical Activity & Metabolism Scientific Sessions 2014.

In the first phase of the study, 55 volunteers ate a low-sodium diet for four weeks. Researchers provided all foods and calorie-containing drinks. Salt is the main source of sodium in food.

In the second phase, half of the study volunteers participated in a 20-week behavioral intervention aimed at reducing their sodium intake to 1,500 mg/day by using spices and herbs. The other half reduced sodium on their own.

More than 60 percent of the participants in the study had high blood pressure, 18 percent had diabetes and they were overweight.

The researchers found:

"People in the intervention group learned problem-solving strategies, use of herbs and spices in recipes, how culture influences spice choices, how to monitor diet, overcoming the barriers to making dietary changes, how to choose and order foods when eating out and how to make low-sodium intake permanent," said Cheryl A. M. Anderson, Ph.D., M.P.H., lead author of the study and associate professor in the Department of Family and Preventive Medicine at the University of California San Diego.

Those assigned to the behavioral intervention group had cooking demonstrations and had a chance to share how they were changing traditional recipes to remove salt and include spices. The researchers didn't emphasize specific spices, and encouraged participants to try different things to find out what they liked most.

"Salt is abundant in the food supply and the average sodium level for Americans is very high -- much higher than what is recommended for healthy living," Anderson said. "We studied the use of a behavioral intervention where people learn how to use spices and herbs and less salt in their daily lives."

"Given the challenges of lowering salt in the American diet, we need a public health approach aimed at making it possible for consumers to

The McCormick Science Institute funded the study.

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Spices and herbs intervention helps adults reduce salt intake

Westchester is back on course, beats Redondo, 76-67

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A week and a half after losing in the City Section Division I championship basketball game, Westchester has regained its swagger and shooting touch, moving to within one victory of reaching the state championship game in Sacramento.

With Elijah Stewart scoring 30 points and the Comets making 10 three-pointers, Westchester knocked off host Redondo, 76-67, on Tuesday night in a semifinal game of the Southern California Regional Open Division playoffs.

The Comets (30-6) will play Santa Ana Mater Dei on Saturday at 8 p.m. in a regional final at Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario.

Mater Dei defeated Etiwanda, 67-64, in double overtime.

There were no guarantees when the regional playoffs began that Westchester would be able to move forward after its disappointing 58-56 loss to Woodland Hills El Camino Real on March 8.

"You can't dwell on it," Coach Ed Azzam said. "Our practices the week after were not good. They're kids. They're resilient. We're capable of beating anybody and losing to anybody."

Against Redondo, the Comets made nine three-pointers in the first half

to open a 16-point halftime lead. They outscored Redondo 25-9 in the second quarter. Stewart, who

has signed with Loyola Marymount, made four threes.

Redondo (25-6) closed to within seven points in the third quarter, but Westchester built the lead back to 20 points in the fourth.

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Westchester is back on course, beats Redondo, 76-67

World travel destructive?

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Whether theyre crashing at a hostel or staying at a luxury hotel, world travelers want to experience local culture. But do they ever consider how their presence affects the places they visit?

A new documentary film, Gringo Trails, shines a light on the dangers facing some tourist spots in developing countries when they dont control an influx of travelers.

- Pegi Vail, producer of "Gringo Trails"

The movie, which includes footage spanning three decades, was beautifully shot in several exotic locales, including the lush green Amazon jungles of South America, the arid lands of Timbuktu, Mali and the tropical beaches of Thailand.

Its director, Pegi Vail, associate director of media, culture, and history at New York University, wrote her dissertation on the gentrification of tourism in Bolivia.

As an anthropologist, I had a desire to look at my own tribe. Im a longtime traveler and backpacker. I wanted to make a visual ethnography of backpack culture around the world and the long-term observation of some of these places, Vail told FoxNews.com.

Some of the films most powerful images compare tourist destinations in the 1980s and 90s with how they look now. Vail found old video from other anthropologists and returned several times to spots she visited over the course of more than 20 years while working on her dissertation.

The movie opens in the Amazon jungle in Bolivia known for its dynamic biodiversity where too many tourists are threatening the wildlife and land in some areas. Natives and guides say the tourists need to be educated on the sights they visit to help preserve the areas.

Pictures of one Bolivian community, Incahuasi which hosts one of the largest salt deserts in the world show how an increase in tourism in the last decade has dramatically changed the landscape. Hundreds of buses and cars bring in 40,000 tourists each year, and they have created deep tracks in the desert, changing its formerly pristine vista. Locals complain that native animals have migrated elsewhere out of fear.

Gringo Trails is a compelling documentary that will make even couch potatoes want to explore its enchanting locales. Vails pace is quick, and she uses travel expert interviews and amusing anecdotes with seasoned tourists to move the story along.

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World travel destructive?

In 2013 in Hong Kong:

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In 2013 in Hong Kong:

- The total contribution of Travel & Tourism to GDP was HKD464.1bn, (21.8% of GDP). - The total contribution of Travel & Tourism to employment, including jobs indirectly supported by the sector was 716,571 jobs (19.1% of total employment). - Travel & Tourism investment was HKD48.6bn, or 9.4% of total investment. It is projected to rise by 0.7% in 2014.

Each year, WTTC undertakes an economic analysis of the impact of the Travel & Tourism sector in 184 countries.

In 2013, globally:

- Travel & Tourism's total contribution to the global economy rose to 9.5% (nearly US $7 trillion) - Travel & Tourism continues to outperform the wider economy in terms of economic growth (3% vs. 2%) - Travel & Tourism not only outpaced the wider economy, but also grew faster than other significant industries such as financial and business services, retail and distribution, public services, transport and manufacturing. - 4.7 million new jobs were created as a result of tourism activity - The industry supported nearly 266 million jobs - so 1 in 11 of all jobs in the world. - Visitor exports, the measure of money spent by international tourists, exceeded expectations rose by 4% to US$1.3trillion and by more than 10.2% within South East Asia. - T&T investment grew by 2.9%. - South East Asia leads the pack in terms of both total Travel & Tourism economic and employment growth at 7.9% and 4.1% respectively. - In Europe, both total Travel & Tourism GDP and employment growth have exceeded expectations, boosted by strong demand from long-haul markets. - There was particularly strong expenditure growth from travellers of China, Russia, Brazil, Indonesia, Turkey and Egypt in 2013 to other destinations. - Economies which benefited from expanded revenues from hosting international travellers included the US, UK, Thailand, Hong Kong, Turkey, Japan, Greece, Russia and Indonesia.

In 2014, globally:

- Travel & Tourism growth is expected to outpace growth in the whole economy (4.3% vs. 2.8%) - T&T investment is forecast to increase by 5.6% increase - It is anticipated that there will be a 4.8% increase in visitor exports. - At 8.3%, China is expected to grow the most of any G20 country in 2014. - The sector is expected to generate around 6.5 million new jobs.

David Scowsill, President & CEO of WTTC, says 2013 proved another successful year for the sector; "Travel & Tourism's contribution to the world economy grew for the fourth consecutive year in 2013, helped especially by strong demand from international travellers. Visitor exports, the measure of money spent by these international tourists, rose by 3.9% at a global level year on year, to US$1.3 trillion, and by over 10% within South East Asia. It is clear that the growth in Travel & Tourism demand from emerging markets continues with pace, as the burgeoning middle-classes, especially from Asia and Latin America, are willing and more able than ever to travel both within and beyond their borders."

However, Mr Scowsill reminds governments that they need to take action; "The outlook for Travel & Tourism for the next ten years looks extremely favourable, with growth forecast of more than 4% annually. This will require Governments to implement more open visa regimes and to adopt intelligent rather than punitive taxation policies. It is also critical that public and private partnerships ensure that long term infrastructure and human resource needs are planned responsibly and sustainably, to absorb the inevitable growth that we are forecasting. If the right steps are taken, Travel & Tourism can be a true force for good."

Please refer to the reports for more details.

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In 2013 in Hong Kong:

Above average growth forecast for travel biz following a slow 2013

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The year 2014 is expected to be a year of above-average growth for Travel & Tourism in India to counteract a weak performance for domestic travel in 2013. That is according to the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), which has unveiled its Annual Economic Impact Data and forecasts for India today.

WTTC is the global authority on the economic and social impact of the Travel & Tourism Industry. WTTCs Annual Economic Impact Report 2014 for India shows Travel & Tourisms economic contribution is expected to grow by 7.3% this year, outperforming the general economy by 2.5 percentage points.

Revenues gained from domestic tourism rose by 5.1% in 2013 and is expected to increase by 8.2% in 2014. The amount that International visitors spent in India rose by 6.2% in 2013 but is forecast to slow to a 2.9% growth rate in 2014.

President and CEO of WTTC, David Scowsill, says the predicted boost to tourism in 2014 will be appreciated after a tough year for the general economy in India; Inbound tourism is continuing to grow both in terms of international tourist arrivals and international tourism receipts. But, it is the domestic market which will see particularly strong growth in 2014 with more investment and more Indians travelling.

The Government of India has recently announced that it proposes to extend visa on arrival and Electronic Travel Authorization for tourists from 180 countries and to speed up the application process for those still requiring a paper visa to only three days. David Scowsill says that WTTC and WTTC India Initiative welcome this historic initiative; This is a result of our continuing conversations with the Government authorities to encourage Freedom to Travel for legitimate, bona fide tourists who want to visit India. It will give a necessary boost and competitive advantage to India against other destinations in South Asia and Middle East. This will also provide a major thrust to jobs and employment both direct and indirectly linked with the tourism sector in India. We hope the Government ensures an effective rollout of this much-anticipated program before the ensuing tourist season in 2014. Long term, we would also encourage India to move towards e-visa applications.

A study undertaken by WTTC and UNWTO in 2012 (The Impact of Visa Facilitation on Job Creation in the G20 Economies, May 2012. UNWTO and WTTC) shows that India will gain from improvements to its visa regime. The research estimates that improved visa facilitation could result in up to 6 million more international visitors for India, resulting in US$8 million more spend and creating 1.8 million jobs over three years.

Mr Scowsill continues; This latest announcement is a significant step towards achieving these substantial economic gains. A simple additional step of adding the capability for mulitiple entry to these visas on arrival for a longer period such as 6 months could allow India to capitalise on the long term potential from Travel & Tourism.

In 2013 Travel & Tourism contributed INR6,631.6 billion to the economy of India and generated 35 million jobs.

The WTTC research also highlights the size of Travel & Tourism around the world:

In 2013, Travel & Tourism contributed US$7 trillion to the global economy and is expected to grow by 4.2% in 2014. The total global contribution of Travel & Tourism to employment, including jobs indirectly supported by the industry, was 266 million jobs (8.9% of total employment) one in 11 of all jobs on the planet

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Above average growth forecast for travel biz following a slow 2013

Tourism investments seen to grow 3.8%

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TRAVEL and tourism investments in the Philippines are expected to grow by 3.8 percent to P84.39 billion this year, according to the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC).

Last year, the sector accounted for P81.3 billion or 3.6 percent of total investments, contributing 11.3 percent of the countrys Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and generating 4,295,110 jobs, or 11.3 percent of total employment.

WTTC is an international organization of travel industry executives promoting travel and tourism. Each year, the organization undertakes an economic analysis of the impact of the travel and tourism sector in 184 countries.

Fast growth

In 2013, the sectors contribution to the global economy rose to 9.5 percent or $7 trillion, not only outpacing the wider economy but also growing faster than other significant sectors such as financial and business services, transport and manufacturing, the report said.

It generated nearly 266,000,000 jobs or 8.9 percent of total world employment or one in 11 jobs on the planet.

WTTC president and chief executive officer David Scowsill said in a report emailed to Sun.Star Cebu that 2013 was another successful year for the sector. He said that for four consecutive years now, the strong demand of international travelers fueled the growth of the sector.

Visitor exports, the measure of money spent by these international tourists, rose by 3.9 percent at a global level year on year, to $1.3trillion, and by over 10 percent within South East Asia, he said.

It is clear that the growth in travel and tourism demand from emerging markets continues with pace, as large rising middle- classes, especially from Asia and Latin America, are willing and more able than ever to travel both within and beyond their borders.

Scowsill said the sustained demand in the sector together with its ability to generate high levels of employment continues to prove the importance and value of the sector as a tool for economic development and job creation.

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Tourism investments seen to grow 3.8%

Former Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl took his computer home, returned it later

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City officials turned over to the FBI a city-owned desktop computer that belonged to former Mayor Luke Ravenstahl after Mayor Bill Peduto's office learned the former mayor took it with him when he left office and held onto it for several days.

The mayor's office initially reported to the FBI that the computer was missing on Jan. 10, four days after Mr. Peduto took office. When it was returned, it was promptly turned over to federal authorities, said the mayor's chief of staff Kevin Acklin.

The FBI declined comment.

Mr. Ravenstahl referred comment to his attorney, Charles Porter, who said the former mayor took the computer because he was concerned the Peduto administration would move in, hide it and then concoct a story about it going missing.

"He didn't trust the administration, so he thought it prudent" to take the computer with him, Mr. Porter said, "so that people couldn't claim any derogatory things about him."

Mr. Porter said he does not believe there is any reason the city should have alerted the FBI because he said the matter does not involve any federal jurisdiction.

Mr. Acklin said the administration decided to contact the FBI because of the continuing federal probe into city business, which last year resulted in the indictment of former police chief Nate Harper. Later, Mr. Ravenstahl's chief of staff, secretary, police bodyguards and two female acquaintances were called before the FBI.

"There is an ongoing federal investigation," Mr. Acklin said. "When we found that city property was missing -- including the mayor's computer -- we felt obligated to contact the lead agency."

The machine was discovered missing when technicians from City Information Systems went to the mayor's suite on Jan. 9 to install a new computer for Mr. Peduto. A monitor, keyboard, mouse and loose wiring remained at the desk. But the computer was nowhere to be found.

A CIS employee called Mr. Ravenstahl and left a message with him inquiring about the computer. The following day, a Peduto administration official called the FBI to report the computer missing.

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Former Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl took his computer home, returned it later