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New research finds women and minorities likely to pay higher auto loan premiums

Research by Ozturk, He, and Chintagunta found that women and minorities are charged higher interest rates, with women facing a 0.6% markup and minority borrowers paying 2.6% more. These markups amount to significant annual losses, with the estimated total being $40.3 million for women and $226.3 million for minority borrowers nationwide.

SourceInstitute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences·JournalMarketing Science·TypeObservational study·DateFeb 12, 2024

About 20% of patients listed as alive in their electronic health records were actually deceased according to California data

A study by UCLA researchers found that nearly 20% of patients with serious illnesses listed as alive in their medical records were actually deceased according to California data. This discrepancy led to hundreds of wasteful follow-up outreach efforts, straining resources and healthcare workers' time.

SourceUniversity of California - Los Angeles Health Sciences·JournalJAMA Internal Medicine·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateDec 4, 2023

More is not always better

A new framework demonstrates that proportionately more multi-homing consumers lead to significant efficiency gains when integrating two business platforms. However, this trend also creates higher barriers to entry for new platform firms and may require policy guidance to mitigate potential harms of platform mergers.

SourceKyoto University·JournalJournal of Industrial Economics·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateNov 22, 2023

High temperatures may have caused over 70,000 excess deaths in Europe in 2022

A new study developed a theoretical framework to re-evaluate the impact of record summer temperatures on European mortality. Using daily temperature and mortality records from 147 regions, researchers found that weekly, 2-weekly, and monthly models underestimated heat-related mortality, with errors increasing with aggregation period.

SourceBarcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal)·JournalThe Lancet Regional Health - Europe·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateNov 21, 2023

Contrary to common belief, artificial intelligence will not put you out of work

A new study in Management Science found that AI favors junior workers over senior colleagues due to their lower sensitivity to imperfections, despite the latter's greater task-based experience. This challenges conventional wisdom and highlights the importance of considering worker experience types when introducing AI into the workplace.

SourceInstitute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences·JournalManagement Science·TypeObservational study·DateNov 2, 2023

Chinese Medical Journal published updates on hypertensive heart disease burden in older adults

The study analyzed global data from the past three decades, revealing an overall increase in hypertensive heart disease (HHD) prevalence but a decrease in mortality and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs). The burden of HHD is particularly concerning for healthcare systems due to higher prevalence with lower mortality rates.

SourceCactus Communications·JournalChinese Medical Journal·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateOct 31, 2023

Unlocking urban diversity: The magnetism of complex amenities

A study from the Complexity Science Hub reveals that rare shops and services in urban locations can bring people of different socio-economic backgrounds together. Researchers found that neighborhoods offering a range of unique amenities, like zoos or cinemas, tend to attract more diverse audiences. This understanding can inform policy ...

SourceComplexity Science Hub·JournalEPJ Data Science·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateSep 18, 2023

New research provides hope for Parkinson’s disease symptom control

Researchers developed an algorithm that uses wearable health tracker data to identify promising treatment strategies for Parkinson's disease, which could improve patients' outcomes. The model suggests a novel medication approach that benefits almost all patients and offers the potential to revolutionize care.

SourceInstitute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences·JournalManagement Science·TypeObservational study·DateSep 12, 2023

Draining 401(k) accounts when changing jobs: the hidden time bomb undermining retirement savings

New research reveals that 41.4% of departing employees withdraw their 401(k) savings, resulting in a significant loss of retirement savings. The study found that psychology and administrative factors contribute to this phenomenon, with employers often unaware of the issue.

SourceInstitute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences·JournalMarketing Science·TypeObservational study·DateJul 20, 2023

Activating volunteer system increases bystander CPR, AED use and improves survival

A study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found that alerting volunteers can increase bystander CPR and AED use, leading to improved survival rates. The volunteer system increased rates of CPR and defibrillation in out-of-hospital cardiac arrests, giving victims a higher chance of receiving early care.

SourceAmerican College of Cardiology·JournalJournal of the American College of Cardiology·TypeObservational study·DateJul 10, 2023

Collect race, Indigenous identity on health card renewal to address health inequities

Collecting self-reported racial and Indigenous identity data on health card applications and renewals could facilitate the measurement of racial inequities in healthcare. This approach could aid in tracking progress and ensuring accountability, particularly for Indigenous and Black patients who face significant barriers to care.

SourceCanadian Medical Association Journal·JournalCanadian Medical Association Journal·TypeCommentary/editorial·DateJun 26, 2023

Utilizing data to predict hospital wait times – it can save more than your patience!

A new study in the INFORMS journal Manufacturing & Service Operations Management uncovers how to showcase hospital wait times to increase efficiency, accurately route emergency vehicles, and save money. The study provides a comprehensive picture of patient waiting trajectories for low-acuity patients and first responders, aiding in bet...

SourceInstitute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences·JournalManufacturing and Service Operations Management·TypeObservational study·DateJun 8, 2023

BRIDGEcereal: Self-teaching web app improves speed, accuracy of classifying DNA variations among cereal varieties

Researchers have developed a self-teaching web app called BRIDGEcereal that quickly and accurately analyzes genomic data for cereal crops, identifying patterns of DNA variations. This breakthrough tool is expected to revolutionize crop improvement by efficiently mining publicly accessible cereal pan-genomes.

SourceUS Department of Agriculture - Agricultural Research Service·JournalMolecular Plant·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateJun 5, 2023

Reconstructing brain connectivity using 3D images

A team of scientists has developed an automated algorithm to reconstruct the shape of each neuron inside a light microscopy image using deep learning. This breakthrough addresses the challenge of generalizing algorithms across diverse species, brain locations, developmental stages, and microscopy image sets.

SourceTexas A&M University·JournalNature Methods·DateMay 25, 2023

New research finds altering language of job descriptions may not help organizations address diversity issues

A new study by MIT and Michigan State University found that altering job descriptions to make them more gender-neutral has little impact on applicant behavior. Despite efforts to appeal equally to women and men, the research reveals no practical effects of 'degendering' job listing language.

SourceInstitute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences·JournalManagement Science·TypeObservational study·DateApr 12, 2023

Rice U.’s Todd Treangen wins NSF CAREER Award

Rice University's assistant professor of computer science, Todd Treangen, has been awarded a $599,943 National Science Foundation CAREER Award to develop a comprehensive computational platform for detecting yet-unseen microbial pathogens. The project aims to characterize previously unseen pathogens that could pose a risk to humans.

HIV and hepatitis C virus monitoring needs to increase to achieve global elimination goals

Global efforts to track HIV and HCV incidence among people who inject drugs are necessary to validate targets for ending the epidemics by 2030. The research highlights the importance of prioritizing this population in prevention and elimination work, particularly for vulnerable subgroups like young people and women.

SourceUniversity of Bristol·JournalThe Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology·TypeMeta-analysis·DateMar 28, 2023

Older Black men are likelier to die after surgery than others, particularly following elective procedures, new UCLA research suggests

Researchers found that Black men have a higher mortality rate after surgery compared to other groups, with a 50% higher risk of death after elective procedures. The study suggests that structural racism, poor pre-operative care, and exposure to toxins may contribute to these disparities.

SourceUniversity of California - Los Angeles Health Sciences·JournalThe BMJ·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateMar 1, 2023

Amazon develops algorithm to improve collaboration between robots and humans

A new study by Amazon uses robotics and operations research to enable humans and robots to work together effectively, reducing distance traveled by robots by 62% and resulting in $500 million in annual savings. The algorithm has also reduced storage footprint by 29%, leading to more efficient use of space and a productive human workforce.

SourceInstitute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences·JournalINFORMS Journal on Applied Analytics·TypeObservational study·DateFeb 27, 2023

How does biodiversity change globally? Detecting accurate trends may be currently unfeasible

A global picture of local species richness trends is hindered by incomplete and biased data, with regional imbalances leading to a distorted impression. The study advocates for prioritizing local assessments and standardized monitoring programs to address measurement errors and spatial biases.

SourceGerman Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig·JournalEcography·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateFeb 10, 2023

HETDEX reveals galaxy gold mine in first large survey

Astronomers have cataloged over 51,863 Lyman-alpha-emitting galaxies, 123,891 star-forming galaxies, and 4,976 active galactic nuclei using HETDEX's spectroscopic data. The survey is a non-targeted, moon-sized survey that collects spectra from 35,000 fiber optic cables, providing a unique dataset for future galaxy mapping.

SourceUniversity of Texas at Austin, Texas Advanced Computing Center·JournalThe Astrophysical Journal·TypeExperimental study·DateFeb 9, 2023

Severe weather straining electrical grids: new research mitigates demand surges, increasing grid reliability and reducing costs

A new study in Management Science finds that direct load control contracts can reduce peak-demand energy costs by about 5% and summer peak demand by 4,000 megawatt hours. By controlling air conditioners and other devices in residential and commercial units, utilities can increase grid reliability and reduce electricity costs.

SourceInstitute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences·JournalManagement Science·TypeCase study·DateFeb 8, 2023

Community health information exchanges may reduce likelihood of re-hospitalizations and follow-up emergency department visits

Researchers found that primary care physicians using community health information exchanges (HIEs) reduced the likelihood of re-hospitalizations and follow-up emergency department visits. By accessing data about patient care transitions, doctors increased hospital admission lengths from 99 to 238 days.

SourceAmerican Academy of Family Physicians·JournalThe Annals of Family Medicine·DateJan 23, 2023

Novel method for assigning workplaces in synthetic populations unveiled

Researchers in Japan have developed a novel method to assign workplace locations to individuals in synthetic populations, addressing a significant limitation of previous models. This breakthrough enables more accurate social simulations, which can be used to assess various social issues and inform policy decisions.

SourceShibaura Institute of Technology·JournalIEEE Transactions on Computational Social Systems·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateJan 19, 2023