Can governments do it better? Merger mania and hospital outcomes in the English NHS

Host Specificity Testing: Why Do We Do It and How We Can Do It Better

Host specificity testing is universally used in weed biological control to predict nontarget effects of potential agents. Despite this, there is some confusion regarding the role of host specificity testing in making such predictions. One possible role is as an assay of field host range. In this case, the ideal host specificity test will simulate conditions encountered in the field, and the res...

Do Rich Countries Choose Better Governments?

We analyze public investment in social infrastructure using a two-period model in which a government must intermediate all infrastructure investment. Voters choose a government from two alternative types, high quality and low quality. A high quality government obtains higher returns on infrastructure but also demands a bigger consumption payoff for intermediating investment, implying higher tax...

Do nurses do it better?

How Do People Get Back to Information on the Web? How Can They Do It Better?

In one study, people are observed to keep web information for later use through many different methods including the use of Bookmarks (or Favorites), self-addressed email, hand-written notes, and paper print-outs. Each keeping method realizes its own constellation of important features or functions. No observed method provides all desired functions. .A simple “Add Favorite 2” prototype is devel...

Assessing psychosocial/quality of life outcomes in screening: how do we do it better?

We read with interest McCaffery and Barratt’s editorial on assessing psychosocial and quality of life outcomes in screening. We agree that it is necessary to show greater concern about the reliability and validity of outcome measures used but would also argue that it is equally as important to be clear about which outcomes are being assessed and how outcome data should be analysed and interpret...