50,414 research outputs found

    Incorporation of genuine prior information in cost-effectiveness analysis of clinical trial data

    Get PDF
    The Bayesian approach to statistics has been growing rapidly in popularity as an alternative to the frequentist approach in the appraisal of heathcare technologies in clinical trials. Bayesian methods have significant advantages over classical frequentist statistical methods and the presentation of evidence to decision makers. A fundamental feature of a Bayesian analysis is the use of prior information as well as the clinical trial data in the final analysis. However, the incorporation of prior information remains a controversial subject that provides a potential barrier to the acceptance of practical uses of Bayesian methods. The pur pose of this paper is to stimulate a debate on the use of prior information in evidence submitted to decision makers. We discuss the advantages of incorporating genuine prior information in cost-effectiveness analyses of clinical trial data and explore mechanisms to safeguard scientific rigor in the use of such prior information

    Pitfalls to the current expansion

    Get PDF
    Economic conditions

    Government debt financing - its effects in view of tax discounting

    Get PDF
    Debts, Public ; Fiscal policy

    The perception of three-dimensionality across continuous surfaces

    Get PDF
    The apparent three-dimensionality of a viewed surface presumably corresponds to several internal preceptual quantities, such as surface curvature, local surface orientation, and depth. These quantities are mathematically related for points within the silhouette bounds of a smooth, continuous surface. For instance, surface curvature is related to the rate of change of local surface orientation, and surface orientation is related to the local gradient of distance. It is not clear to what extent these 3D quantities are determined directly from image information rather than indirectly from mathematically related forms, by differentiation or by integration within boundary constraints. An open empirical question, for example, is to what extent surface curvature is perceived directly, and to what extent it is quantitative rather than qualitative. In addition to surface orientation and curvature, one derives an impression of depth, i.e., variations in apparent egocentric distance. A static orthographic image is essentially devoid of depth information, and any quantitative depth impression must be inferred from surface orientation and other sources. Such conversion of orientation to depth does appear to occur, and even to prevail over stereoscopic depth information under some circumstances

    Outlook for food and agriculture in 1981

    Get PDF
    Agriculture ; Food industry and trade

    The futures market for farm commodities - what it can mean to farmers

    Get PDF
    Farm income ; Agricultural prices
    corecore