Mechanisms with evidence: commitment and robustness

We show that in a class of I‐agent mechanism design problems with evidence, commitment is unnecessary, randomization has no value, and robust incentive compatibility has no cost. In particular, for each agent i, we construct a simple disclosure game between the principal and agent i where the equilibrium strategies of the agents in these disclosure games give their equilibrium strategies in the game corresponding to the mechanism but where the principal is not committed to his response. In this equilibrium, the principal obtains the same payoff as in the optimal mechanism with commitment. As an application, we show that certain costly verification models can be characterized using equilibrium analysis of an associated model of evidence.Accepted manuscrip

Descriptive Profiles of the MMPI-2-Restructured Form (MMPI-2-RF) across a National Sample of Four Veteran Affairs Treatment Settings

This investigation provides descriptive information on substantive scale scores from the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2-Restructured Form (MMPI-2-RF) across four common service locations within Veterans Affairs (VA): PTSD clinical team, individual substance use treatment, primary medical care, and residential polytrauma rehabilitation. Test protocols for these four service settings are drawn from a national sample of all MMPI-2-RF and converted MMPI-2 administrations between January 1, 2008 and May 31, 2015 using the VA Mental Health Assist system at any VA across the United States. Frequency of substantive scale elevation and descriptive findings are examined. Results of this investigation suggest that there are differences between VA service locations on the MMPI-2-RF substantive scales, the magnitude of difference depends on the substantive scale examined, and the pattern of elevation within service location follows common clinical concerns for the settings. Implications for the clinical use, and research with, the MMPI-2-RF within the VA and with the veteran population are discussed. The views expressed in this manuscript do not reflect those of the Department of Veteran Affairs or of the United States Government

Patterns of MMPI-2-Restructured Form (MMPI-2-RF) Validity Scale Scores Observed Across Veteran Affairs Settings

The purpose of this investigation is to provide descriptive information on veteran response styles for a variety of VA referral types using the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI)-2- Restructured Form (MMPI-2-RF), which has well-supported protocol validity scales. The sample included 17,640 veterans who were administered the MMPI-2-RF between when it was introduced to the VA system in 2013 until May 31, 2015 at any VA in the United States. This study examines frequencies of protocol invalidity based on the MMPI-2-RF’s validity scales and provides comprehensive descriptive findings on validity scale scores within the VA. Three distinct trends can be seen. First, a majority of the sample did not elevate any of the validity scales beyond their recommended interpretive cut-scores, indicating that scores on the substantive scales would be deemed valid and interpretable in those cases. Second, elevation rates are higher for the overreporting scales in comparison to the underreporting and non-content-based invalid responding scales. Lastly, a majority of those with an elevation on one overreporting validity indicator also had an elevation on at least one other overreporting scale. Implications for practice and the utility of the MMPI-2-RF within the VA are discussed

Critical behavior of cascading failures in overloaded networks

In recent years, research on spatial networks has become of widespread interest, with the focus on analyzing critical phenomena that can dramatically affect real systems via cascading failures and abrupt collapses. Here, we study the breakdown of a spatial network having a characteristic link-length due to overloads and the cascading failures that are triggered by failures of a fraction of links. While such breakdowns have been studied extensively, the critical exponents and the universality class of this phase transition have not been found. Here, we show indications that this transition has features and critical exponents which are the same as those of interdependent network systems, suggesting that both systems are in the same universality class. We find different abrupt transitions at the steady state, for different spatial embedding strength. For the weakly embedded systems (i.e., link-lengths of the order of the system size) we observe a mixed-order transition where the order parameter collapses with time in a long plateau shape. On the other hand, in strongly embedded systems (relatively short links), we find a pure first order transition which involves nucleation and growth of damage. System behavior in both limits is analogous to that observed in interdependent networks.Comment: 7 pages, 6 figure

IMproving PArticipation of patients in Clinical Trials - rationale and design of IMPACT

BACKGROUND: One of the most commonly reported problems of randomised trials is that recruitment is usually slower than expected. Trials will cost more and take longer, thus delaying the use of the results in clinical practice, and incomplete samples imply decreased statistical power and usefulness of its results. We aim to identify barriers and facilitators for successful patient recruitment at the level of the patient, the doctor and the hospital organization as well as the organization and design of trials over a broad range of studies. METHODS/DESIGN: We will perform two cohort studies and a case-control study in the Netherlands. The first cohort study will report on a series of multicenter trials performed in a nationwide network of clinical trials in obstetrics and gynaecology. A questionnaire will be sent to all clinicians recruiting for these trials to identify determinants - aggregated at centre level - for the recruitment rate. In a case control-study nested in this cohort we will interview patients who refused or consented participation to identify factors associated with patients' consent or refusal. In a second cohort study, we will study trials that were prospectively registered in the Netherlands Trial Register. Using a questionnaire survey we will assess whether issues on hospital organization, trial organization, planning and trial design were associated with successful recruitment, i.e. 80% of the predefined number of patients recruited within the planned time. DISCUSSION: This study will provide insight in barriers and facilitators for successful patient recruitment in trials. The results will be used to provide recommendations and a checklist for individual trialists to identify potential pitfalls for recruitment and judge the feasibility prior to the start of the study. Identified barriers and motivators coupled to evidence-based interventions can improve recruitment of patients in clinical trials

Nifedipine versus atosiban in the treatment of threatened preterm labour (Assessment of Perinatal Outcome after Specific Tocolysis in Early Labour: APOSTEL III-Trial)

Background: Preterm birth is the most common cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality. Postponing delivery for 48 hours with tocolytics to allow for maternal steroid administration and antenatal transportation to a centre wit

StemCellNet: an interactive platform for network-oriented investigations in stem cell biology.

Stem cells are characterized by their potential for self-renewal and their capacity to differentiate into mature cells. These two key features emerge through the interplay of various factors within complex molecular networks. To provide researchers with a dedicated tool to investigate these networks, we have developed StemCellNet, a versatile web server for interactive network analysis and visualization. It rapidly generates focused networks based on a large collection of physical and regulatory interactions identified in human and murine stem cells. The StemCellNet web-interface has various easy-to-use tools for selection and prioritization of network components, as well as for integration of expression data provided by the user. As a unique feature, the networks generated can be screened against a compendium of stemness-associated genes. StemCellNet can also indicate novel candidate genes by evaluating their connectivity patterns. Finally, an optional dataset of generic interactions, which provides large coverage of the human and mouse proteome, extends the versatility of StemCellNet to other biomedical research areas in which stem cells play important roles, such as in degenerative diseases or cancer. The StemCellNet web server is freely accessible at http://stemcellnet.sysbiolab.eu