University of Florida News

Research suggests that late hours and red tape hurt your job performance more than you or your boss realize. University of Florida researchers tested the effects of different types of stress on employees across various occupations. They found challenge stressors had a direct positive impact by motivating workers. But researcher Nathan Podsakoff says hindrance stressors, like red tape and job insecurity, have a big negative impact on motivation and performance.

After a hurricane, communities try to better prepare for the next one. Now University of Florida engineers have developed the perfect tool for what happens after a storm. This portable power plant generates power, freshwater and enough refrigeration to make ice. UF engineer William Lear says emergency managers could drop-in the system before a storm hits or integrate it into a community’s everyday power grid.

Older adults who enjoy a few alcoholic beverages each week can potentially reduce their risk of heart disease or death by about 25 percent. That’s the finding of a University of Florida study that shows moderate alcohol consumption can cut the risk of a heart attack or death thanks to cellular or genetic interactions in the body. UF researcher Cinzia Maraldi studied healthy seniors who enjoyed seven or fewer drinks a week.

Kindergartners who bring a simple of set of reading skills to the first day of school can look forward to years of success in the classroom. A University of Florida study shows kindergartners who’ve master simple reading skills as they start school tend to perform well through at least fourth grade. Experts often focus on letter recognition as the key skill for kids to learn. UF researcher Anne Bishop says word games can have the same impact.

New research suggests that a generation of young mothers may not be able to breast-feed their babies because their mothers were exposed to pesticides. A University of Florida study shows long-term exposure to the chemicals can have a major impact on breast development. UF anthropologist Elizabeth Guillette says mothers exposed to pesticides likely pass the chemicals on to their unborn children.