Clustering large high-dimensional databases has emerged as a challenging research area. A number of recently developed clustering algorithms have focused on overcoming either the “curse of dimensionality” or the scalability problems associated with large amounts of data. The majority of these algorithms operate only on numeric data, a few handle nominal data, and very few can deal with both num...

OBJECTIVES To develop an automated method for extracting and structuring numeric lab test comparison statements from text and evaluate the method using clinical trial eligibility criteria text. METHODS Leveraging semantic knowledge from the Unified Medical Language System (UMLS) and domain knowledge acquired from the Internet, Valx takes seven steps to extract and normalize numeric lab test e...

The generalization of Boolean lnformatlon Retrieval Systems (IRS) is still an open research field; in fact, though such systems are diffused on the market, they present some limitations; one of the main features lacking in these systems is the ability to deal with the “imprecision” and “subjectivity” characterizing retrieval activity. However, the replacement of such systems would be much more ...

This article was stimulated by the recent SIAM “100 Digit Challenge” of Nick Trefethen, beautifully described in [12]. Indeed, these ten numeric challenge problems are also listed in [14], where they are followed by the ten symbolic/numeric challenge problems that are discussed in this article. Our intent was to present ten problems that are characteristic of the sorts of problems that commonly...

To produce an image from backscattered signals requires a knowledge of the time of flight from each source to each sensor in a transducer array. The authors reduced the determination of the rectangular coordinates of a new point on any time-of-flight surface, which requires finding the square root of the sum of squares, to the time of a single addition. To do this, the time-of-flight surface wa...

Health technology assessments represent comprehensive summaries of available evidence and information on a technology. They are used by medical decision makers in a variety of ways, including diagnostic testing, treatment selection, care management, patient perspectives, patient safety, insurance coverage, pharmaceutical innovation, equipment planning, device purchasing, and total cost-of-care....

 To understand the role of health technology assessment (HTA) as a means of relating research with healthcare decision making.  To familiarize participants with the most important definitions related to HTA.  To recognize the main features of Economic Evaluations (EE).  To identify the usefulness and necessity of EE in the decision making process.  To understand the concept of opportunity ...

The quality of assessment of older people with health and social care needs has for some time been a concern of policy makers, practitioners, older people and carers in the United Kingdom and internationally. This article seeks to address a key aspect of these concerns, namely whether sufficient expertise is deployed when, as a basis for a care plan and service allocation, an older person’s eli...

BACKGROUND Randomized controlled trials provide robust data on the efficacy of interventions rather than on effectiveness. Health technology assessment (HTA) agencies worldwide are thus exploring whether real-world data (RWD) may provide alternative sources of data on effectiveness of interventions. Presently, an overview of HTA agencies' policies for RWD use in relative effectiveness assessmen...

OBJECTIVES As an initiative of the International Network of Agencies for Health Technology Assessment (INAHTA), a checklist for assessment reports was developed as a means of improving transparency and consistency in HTA. METHODS Preparation of a summary of key elements in HTA reports, drawing on experience in preparation of such documents, information from guidelines for HTA, and individual ...