This introductory paper explores how the use of information affects the effectiveness of early warning systems. By effectiveness, we refer to the capacity of the system to detect and decide on the existence of a threat. There are two aspects to effectiveness: being able to see the evidence that is indicative of a threat; and making the decision, based on the weight of the evidence, to warn that...

BACKGROUND Recent studies suggest that statin use may reduce influenza vaccine effectiveness (VE), but laboratory-confirmed influenza was not assessed. METHODS Patients ≥45 years old presenting with acute respiratory illness were prospectively enrolled during the 2004-2005 through 2014-2015 influenza seasons. Vaccination and statin use were extracted from electronic records. Respiratory sampl...

BACKGROUND Many women fail to adhere to Papanicolaou smear screening guidelines. Although many interventions have been developed to increase screening, the effectiveness of different types of interventions is unclear. METHODS We performed a systematic review of interventions to increase Papanicolaou smear use published between 1980 and April 2001 and included concurrently or randomized contro...

PURPOSE The aim of this paper is to highlight the contributions that complementary efficacy, effectiveness, and cost-effectiveness studies can make to assessing the outcomes of assistive technology interventions for enhancing mobility. METHOD The terms, 'assistive technology outcomes research' and 'assistive technology interventions', are defined. Several bases are examined for the shortage o...

the use of adjuvants enhances the insecticide efficiency and increases the persistence of insecticides. in this study, the effect of adjuvants on the toxicity of chlorpyrifos and cyhalothrin formulations were investigated under laboratory and field conditions. the comparative toxicity of two chlorpyrifos [(48% emulsifiable concentrate (ec)] formulations (dursban and pyrifos el nasr), two cyhalo...

These modes of analysis [cost-effectiveness and cost-benefit] are neither good for nothing nor good for everything, and one cannot speak of them as wholly good or bad. It is much more useful to try to specify some conditions under which they would or would not be helpful for various purposes.