Why are You Here? Modeling Illicit Massage Business Location Characteristics with Machine Learning

Illicit massage businesses are a venue for sex and labor trafficking in the United States. Though many of their locations are made publicly available through online advertising, little is known about why they choose to locate where they do. In this work, we use inferential modeling to better understand the spatial distribution of illicit massage businesses within the U.S. Based on addresses web-scraped weekly from online advertisements over 6 months, we modeled illicit massage business prevalence at the census tract and county levels. We used publicly available data to characterize census tracts and counties, finding that the state in which they are located, distance to international airports, rent and income levels, racial composition, and religious presence all had significant relationships to illicit massage business presence. Illicit massage businesses operating with unethical labor practices and/or forced sexual services are not in line with just, peaceful, and inclusive societal goals, and the burdens of this industry disproportionately fall on women. While we emphasize that not all illicit massage businesses are settings of human trafficking, better understanding this industry is a key step toward better regulating it and protecting those harmed within it

Evidence for Orbital Order and its Relation to Superconductivity in FeSe0.4Te0.6

The emergence of nematic electronic states accompanied by a structural phase transition is a recurring theme in many correlated electron materials, including the high-temperature copper oxide- and iron-based superconductors. We provide evidence for nematic electronic states in the iron-chalcogenide superconductor FeSe0.4Te0.6 from quasi-particle scattering detected in spectroscopic maps. The symmetry-breaking states persist above Tc into the normal state. We interpret the scattering patterns by comparison with quasi-particle interference patterns obtained from a tight-binding model, accounting for orbital ordering. The relation to superconductivity and the influence on the coherence length are discussed.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figures, updated with published versio

Introduction to the special issue : historical and projected climatic changes to Australian natural hazards

Australia’s size and varied climates mean that it is affected by a range of weather-related natural hazards, including tropical and extra-tropical storms and associated extreme wind and hail, coastal and inland floods, heatwaves and bushfires. These hazards cause multiple human and environmental impacts, and collectively account for 93 % of Australian insured losses (Schuster 2013). In addition, drought—often treated distinctly from other hazards due to its more gradual onset—can cause substantial reductions in agricultural productivity, and places stress on municipal and industrial water resources and natural ecosystems. Evidence is building that the frequency and cost of natural hazards are increasing both in Australia (Insurance Council of Australia 2013; Schuster 2013) and globally (Munich Re 2014). However, understanding the cause of these changes has proved to be difficult, with increases in reporting rates (Munich Re 2014), changes in societal exposure and vulnerability (Bouwer 2011; Neumayer and Barthel 2011) and anthropogenic climate change (IPCC 2013) all potentially playing a role in explaining the observed changes. Yet although the potential causes are many, correct attribution of the observed changes is necessary in order to identify appropriate policy responses, and to predict how the frequency and severity of natural hazards might change in the future. This Special Issue focuses on the specific role of large-scale climatic changes on the observed and future incidence of Australian natural hazards. The Special Issue is divided into seven papers, each covering a major class of climate-influenced natural hazard: floods, drought, storms (including wind and hail), coastal extremes, bushfires, heatwaves and frost. The work was initiated by the Working Group on Trends and Extremes from the Australian Water and Energy Exchanges (OzEWEX) initiative, which is a regional hydroclimate project run under the auspices of the Global Energy and Water Exchanges (GEWEX) initiative

Emerging market entry and risk assessment process analysis in a biopharmaceutical supply chain organization

Thesis (M.B.A.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Sloan School of Management; and, (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Engineering Systems Division; in conjunction with the Leaders for Global Operations Program at MIT, 2013.Cataloged from PDF version of thesis. Vita.Includes bibliographical references (p. 69-70)..Amgen is attempting to increase the impact that its products make in people's lives. To meet this goal, the company is aggressively working to reach more patients through growth opportunities in international markets and expects to significantly increase its existing footprint and product impact over the next several years. While the current market entry practices for emerging markets are meeting Amgen's needs, rapid expansion poses significant challenges. This thesis explores two primary aspects, the investigation of improvement opportunities in the commercialization of emerging markets and the development of a risk assessment model applicable to new market commercial entry. Both aspects relate to the larger problem of rapid international expansion and support its resolution in different forms. The assessment of improvement opportunities for emerging market commercialization strives to develop a tangible set of actions the organization can take forth in order to enhance the planning and execution of new market entry. The analysis is accomplished through an in depth study to determine the current level performance for commercial market entry. Based on the current state determination, a future vision is established which incorporates fundamental principles of operational excellence methodologies, integrating various techniques to develop a cohesive approach for improving current entry practices. An improvement roadmap is developed, detailing out specific actions, utilizing a phased implementation approach that allows for making incremental improvements. The risk assessment model establishes a tool the organization can utilize in order to properly identify risk associated with emerging market entry and enhance the decision making process that occurs at a senior leadership level as to whether or not a country should be entered. A scenario based evaluation methodology integrates cross-functional expertise across the organization assimilating information that is normally isolated to a small group within the company. The model determines risk levels for each scenario, generates a risk report and an output review is conducted with subject matter experts (SME) and functional leads. Scenarios that potentially require remediation are reviewed in a detailed risk assessment and resolved as necessary. Any substantial cost associated with control efforts are incorporated into the financial analysis for the target launch country, providing a better depiction of cost versus reward. Thus, the model increases the firm's ability to make agile risk-informed market entry decisions while providing a standardized method that is scalable cross-regionally.by Seth Brian White.S.M.M.B.A

The Dymanics of Market Entry: The Effects of Mergers and Acquisitions on De Novo Entry and Small Business Lending in the Banking Industry,

We study the dynamics of market entry following mergers and acquisitions (M&As), and the behavior of recent entrants in supplying output that might be withdrawn by the consolidating firms. The data, drawn from the banking industry, suggests that M&As are associated with subsequent increases in the probability of entry. The estimates suggest that M&As explain more than 20% of entry in metropolitan markets, and more than 10% of entry in rural markets. Additional results suggest that bank age has a strong negative effect on the small business lending of small banks, but that M&As have little influence on this lending

Pneumatospinning of Collagen Microfibers From Benign Solvents

Introduction. Current collagen fiber manufacturing methods for biomedical applications, such as electrospinning and extrusion, have had limited success in clinical translation, partially due to scalability, cost, and complexity challenges. Here we explore an alternative, simplified and scalable collagen fiber formation method, termed \u27pneumatospinning,\u27 to generate submicron collagen fibers from benign solvents. Methods and results. Clinical grade type I atelocollagen from calf corium was electrospun or pneumatospun as sheets of aligned and isotropic fibrous scaffolds. Following crosslinking with genipin, the collagen scaffolds were stable in media for over a month. Pneumatospun collagen samples were characterized using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, circular dichroism, mechanical testing, and scanning electron microscopy showed consistent fiber size and no deleterious chemical changes to the collagen were detected. Pneumatospun collagen had significantly higher tensile strength relative to electrospun collagen, with both processed from acetic acid. Stem cells cultured on pneumatospun collagen showed robust cell attachment and high cytocompatibility. Using DMSO as a solvent, collagen was further co-pneumatospun with poly(d, l-lactide) to produce a blended microfibrous biomaterial. Conclusions. Collagen microfibers are shown for the first time to be formed using pneumatospinning, which can be collected as anisotropic or isotropic fibrous grafts. Pneumatospun collagen can be made with higher output, lower cost and less complexity relative to electrospinning. As a robust and rapid method of collagen microfiber synthesis, this manufacturing method has many applications in medical device manufacturing, including those benefiting from anisotropic microstructures, such as ligament, tendon and nerve repair, or for applying microfibrous collagen-based coatings to other materials

Efficacy of RTS,S malaria vaccines: individual-participant pooled analysis of phase 2 data.

BACKGROUND: The efficacy of RTS,S/AS01 as a vaccine for malaria is being tested in a phase 3 clinical trial. Early results show significant, albeit partial, protection against clinical malaria and severe malaria. To ascertain variations in vaccine efficacy according to covariates such as transmission intensity, choice of adjuvant, age at vaccination, and bednet use, we did an individual-participant pooled analysis of phase 2 clinical data. METHODS: We analysed data from 11 different sites in Africa, including 4453 participants. We measured heterogeneity in vaccine efficacy by estimating the interactions between covariates and vaccination in pooled multivariable Cox regression and Poisson regression analyses. Endpoints for measurement of vaccine efficacy were infection, clinical malaria, severe malaria, and death. We defined transmission intensity levels according to the estimated local parasite prevalence in children aged 2-10 years (PrP₂₋₁₀), ranging from 5% to 80%. Choice of adjuvant was either AS01 or AS02. FINDINGS: Vaccine efficacy against all episodes of clinical malaria varied by transmission intensity (p=0·001). At low transmission (PrP₂₋₁₀ 10%) vaccine efficacy was 60% (95% CI 54 to 67), at moderate transmission (PrP₂₋₁₀ 20%) it was 41% (21 to 57), and at high transmission (PrP₂₋₁₀ 70%) the efficacy was 4% (-10 to 22). Vaccine efficacy also varied by adjuvant choice (p<0·0001)--eg, at low transmission (PrP₂₋₁₀ 10%), efficacy varied from 60% (95% CI 54 to 67) for AS01 to 47% (14 to 75) for AS02. Variations in efficacy by age at vaccination were of borderline significance (p=0·038), and bednet use and sex were not significant covariates. Vaccine efficacy (pooled across adjuvant choice and transmission intensity) varied significantly (p<0·0001) according to time since vaccination, from 36% efficacy (95% CI 24 to 45) at time of vaccination to 0% (-38 to 38) after 3 years. INTERPRETATION: Vaccine efficacy against clinical disease was of limited duration and was not detectable 3 years after vaccination. Furthermore, efficacy fell with increasing transmission intensity. Outcomes after vaccination cannot be gauged accurately on the basis of one pooled efficacy figure. However, predictions of public-health outcomes of vaccination will need to take account of variations in efficacy by transmission intensity and by time since vaccination. FUNDING: Medical Research Council (UK); Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Vaccine Modelling Initiative; Wellcome Trust

Use of dietary supplements among people living with HIV/AIDS is associated with vulnerability to medical misinformation on the internet

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Use of dietary supplements is common among people living with HIV/AIDS. Because dietary supplements are used in the context of other health behaviors, they may have direct and indirect health benefits. However, supplements may also be associated with vulnerability to medical misinformation and unfounded health claims. We examined use of dietary supplements among people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWH) and the association between use of dietary supplements and believing medical misinformation.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A convenience sample of 268 men and 76 women living with HIV was recruited from AIDS services and clinics in Atlanta, GA. Participants completed measures of demographic and health characteristics, dietary supplement use, beliefs about dietary supplements, internet use, and an internet evaluation task designed to assess vulnerability to medical misinformation.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>One out of four PLWH currently used at least one dietary supplement product excluding vitamins. Dietary supplement use was associated with higher education and greater use of the internet for health-related information. Dietary supplement users also endorsed greater believability and trust in unfounded claims for HIV cures.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Dietary supplement use is common among PLWH and is associated with a broad array of health information seeking behaviors. Interventions are needed to reduce the vulnerability of PLWH, particularly dietary supplement users, to medical misinformation propagated on the internet.</p

Extending the M_(bh)-sigma diagram with dense nuclear star clusters

Abridged: Four new nuclear star cluster masses, M_nc, plus seven upper limits, are provided for galaxies with previously determined black hole masses, M_bh. Together with a sample of 64 galaxies with direct M_bh measurements, 13 of which additionally now have M_nc measurements rather than only upper limits, plus an additional 29 dwarf galaxies with available M_nc measurements and velocity dispersions sigma, an (M_bh + M_nc)-sigma diagram is constructed. Given that major dry galaxy merger events preserve the M_bh/L ratio, and given that L ~ sigma^5 for luminous galaxies, it is first noted that the observation M_bh ~ sigma^5 is consistent with expectations. For the fainter elliptical galaxies it is known that L ~ sigma^2, and assuming a constant M_nc/L ratio (Ferrarese et al.), the expectation that M_nc ~ sigma^2 is in broad agreement with our new observational result that M_nc ~ sigma^{1.57\pm0.24}. This exponent is however in contrast to the value of ~4 which has been reported previously and interpreted in terms of a regulating feedback mechanism from stellar winds.Comment: 6 pages, 2 figures. Submitted 08/08/2011 to MNRAS, first referee report received 19/01/2012, accepted 10/02/201