Quantifying how tests reduce diagnostic uncertainty

How accurate are rapid influenza diagnostic tests?

How to estimate measurement uncertainty when quantifying pesticides

Within the particular context of food safety, the concentrations of pesticides that have been detected should absolutely be lower than the authorized maximum concentration level (MRL). In that respect, the availability of complete data is of the utmost importance for deciding whether a product is or is not compliant with the regulations in force. However, these concentrations only get their ful...

Quantifying information and uncertainty

We examine ways to measure the amount of information generated by a piece of news and the amount of uncertainty implicit in a given belief. Say a measure of information is valid if it corresponds to the value of news in some decision problem. Say a measure of uncertainty is valid if it corresponds to expected utility loss from not knowing the state in some decision problem. We axiomatically cha...

Assessing the Validity of Diagnostic Tests

How to Evaluate Diagnostic Tests: The Thessaly Test

You are attending a continuing education seminar and a colleague tells you about a new orthopedic test for evaluating meniscal tears in the knee. The colleague explains that this orthopedic test, called the Thessaly test, is “great” at evaluating meniscal tears and suggests that you begin using it. At this point, you may wonder just how great the Thessaly Test is for diagnosing meniscal tears a...