Ethical Aspects of Vaccination

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Georg Marckmann
Keyword(s):  
Ethical Issues ◽  
Effective Means ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Cost Ratio ◽  
Full Potential ◽  
Human Right ◽  
Vaccination Rates ◽  
Benefit Cost Ratio ◽  
Individual Decisions ◽  
The Individual

Vaccinations are among the most effective and cost-effective means to reduce the burden of serious infectious diseases. As vaccination rates remain too low to realize the full potential to reduce morbidity and mortality, strategies to increase immunization rates are ethically and economically mandated. Questions to be addressed in this framework are: Which restrictions to individual decisions are ethically acceptable in order to achieve a sufficient protection of the community? Does the individual have an ethical obligation to get vaccinated? Which requirements do vaccines have to fulfill to be ethically acceptable? Five criteria are presented: Proven efficacy/effectiveness, favorable benefit-risk ratio, acceptable benefit-cost ratio, minimized restrictions of the individual, and fair and transparent decision procedures. Depending on how far the five ethical requirements are met, different strengths of recommendations result, from level 1 (do not offer vaccination) to level 5 (vaccination required by law). Ethical issues on the vaccination of children arise if the human right of parents to care for their child are in contrast to the human right of children to receive optimal protection from disease.

scholarly journals Multiple Noisy Label Distribution Propagation for Crowdsourcing

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hao Zhang ◽  
Liangxiao Jiang ◽  
Wenqiang Xu
Keyword(s):  
Supervised Learning ◽  
Real World ◽  
Effective Means ◽  
Ground Truth ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Nearest Neighbors ◽  
True Label ◽  
Real World Datasets ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Label Distribution

Crowdsourcing services provide a fast, efficient, and cost-effective means of obtaining large labeled data for supervised learning. Ground truth inference, also called label integration, designs proper aggregation strategies to infer the unknown true label of each instance from the multiple noisy label set provided by ordinary crowd workers. However, to the best of our knowledge, nearly all existing label integration methods focus solely on the multiple noisy label set itself of the individual instance while totally ignoring the intercorrelation among multiple noisy label sets of different instances. To solve this problem, a multiple noisy label distribution propagation (MNLDP) method is proposed in this study. MNLDP first transforms the multiple noisy label set of each instance into its multiple noisy label distribution and then propagates its multiple noisy label distribution to its nearest neighbors. Consequently, each instance absorbs a fraction of the multiple noisy label distributions from its nearest neighbors and yet simultaneously maintains a fraction of its own original multiple noisy label distribution. Promising experimental results on simulated and real-world datasets validate the effectiveness of our proposed method.

scholarly journals The Benefit-Cost Ratio as a Decision Criteria When Managing Catastrophes

2020 ◽  
Vol 77 (2) ◽  
pp. 345-363
Author(s):  
Kine Josefine Aurland-Bredesen
Keyword(s):  
Relative Risk ◽  
Willingness To Pay ◽  
Risk Aversion ◽  
Optimal Policy ◽  
Cost Ratio ◽  
Relative Risk Aversion ◽  
Decision Criteria ◽  
Benefit Cost Ratio ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Benefit Cost

Abstract Previous work has shown that when projects are non-marginal, it creates an interdependence among projects. This implies that policies to manage catastrophes should not be evaluated in isolation but in conjunction with each other. As long as relative risk aversion is sufficiently high, the benefits of averting one catastrophe depend positively on the background risk created by other catastrophes. This specific bias makes it possible to create upper and lower boundaries on the willingness to pay to manage catastrophes and the optimal policy. These boundaries can be used to make inferences on which catastrophes should be averted and not, and in which order. The upper and lower boundaries depend only on the individual catastrophe’s benefit-cost ratio and the coefficient of risk aversion, which both are easy to identify using standard economic frameworks.

scholarly journals Variable Porous Electrode Compression for Redox Flow Battery Systems

Batteries ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 53 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicholas Gurieff ◽  
Victoria Timchenko ◽  
Chris Menictas
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Effective Means ◽  
Porous Electrode ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Electrical Energy ◽  
Limiting Current ◽  
Great Promise ◽  
Full Potential ◽  
Uniform Compression ◽  
Novel Concept

Vanadium redox flow batteries (VRFBs) offer great promise as a safe, cost effective means of storing electrical energy on a large scale and will certainly have a part to play in the global transition to renewable energy. To unlock the full potential of VRFB systems, however, it is necessary to improve their power density. Unconventional stack design shows encouraging possibilities as a means to that end. Presented here is the novel concept of variable porous electrode compression, which simulations have shown to deliver a one third increase in minimum limiting current density together with a lower pressure drop when compared to standard uniform compression cell designs.

Efficient two-stage sequential arrays of proof of concept studies for pharmaceutical portfolios

2020 ◽  
pp. 096228022095817
Author(s):  
Linchen He ◽  
Linqiu Du ◽  
Zoran Antonijevic ◽  
Martin Posch ◽  
Valeriy R Korostyshevskiy ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cost Effectiveness ◽  
Cost Benefit ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Cost Ratio ◽  
Proof Of Concept ◽  
Type Iii ◽  
Benefit Cost Ratio ◽  
Stage 1 ◽  
Two Stages ◽  
Benefit Cost

Previous work has shown that individual randomized “proof-of-concept” (PoC) studies may be designed to maximize cost-effectiveness, subject to an overall PoC budget constraint. Maximizing cost-effectiveness has also been considered for arrays of simultaneously executed PoC studies. Defining Type III error as the opportunity cost of not performing a PoC study, we evaluate the common pharmaceutical practice of allocating PoC study funds in two stages. Stage 1, or the first wave of PoC studies, screens drugs to identify those to be permitted additional PoC studies in Stage 2. We investigate if this strategy significantly improves efficiency, despite slowing development. We quantify the benefit, cost, benefit-cost ratio, and Type III error given the number of Stage 1 PoC studies. Relative to a single stage PoC strategy, significant cost-effective gains are seen when at least one of the drugs has a low probability of success (10%) and especially when there are either few drugs (2) with a large number of indications allowed per drug (10) or a large portfolio of drugs (4). In these cases, the recommended number of Stage 1 PoC studies ranges from 2 to 4, tracking approximately with an inflection point in the minimization curve of Type III error.

Micronutrient seed priming improves stand establishment, grain yield and biofortification of bread wheat

2018 ◽  
Vol 69 (5) ◽  
pp. 479 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nauman Ali ◽  
Muhammad Farooq ◽  
Muhammad Ahmad Hassan ◽  
Muhammad Shakeel Arshad ◽  
Muhammad Kamran Saleem ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Grain Yield ◽  
Bread Wheat ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Seed Priming ◽  
Triticum Aestivum L ◽  
Cost Ratio ◽  
Stand Establishment ◽  
Benefit Cost Ratio ◽  
Benefit Cost ◽  
Crop Stand

Agronomic biofortification by seed treatments is a convenient way to harvest improved yields of micronutrient-enriched grains. This 2-year field study was conducted to evaluate the effects of seed priming with zinc (Zn), boron (B) and manganese (Mn) alone and in combinations on stand establishment, grain yield and biofortification of bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Seeds of wheat cv. Faisalabad-2008 were soaked in aerated solutions of 0.5 m Zn, 0.01 m B and 0.1 m Mn, alone and in different combinations, for 12 h. Seed priming with the micronutrients was quite effective in improving stand establishment, yield-contributing traits, grain yield, and straw and grain micronutrient contents during both years. Best stand establishment was achieved from seed priming with Zn+B, followed by seed priming with Zn+Mn. Grain yield improvement from different seed priming treatments was in the order Zn+B > Zn+Mn > Zn > B > Mn > Zn+B+Mn, with respective increases of 34%, 33%, 21%, 19%, 18% and 8% relative to untreated seeds. Seed priming with Zn, B and Mn alone and in combinations also improved the contents of the respective micronutrients in straw and grain. All seed priming treatments were economically profitable except Zn+B+Mn, which was not cost-effective. The highest benefit : cost ratio accrued from seed priming with Zn+B. In conclusion, seed priming with micronutrients was generally cost-effective in meeting the crop micronutrient requirements, and in improving crop stand, grain yield and grain micronutrient contents in bread wheat. Seed priming with Zn+B was the most effective in this regard.

scholarly journals Economic analysis of Red Chittagong Cattle farming system in some selected areas of Chittagong district

1970 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 271-276 ◽  
Author(s):  
MA Halim ◽  
MA Kashem ◽  
JU Ahmed ◽  
M Hossain
Keyword(s):  
Milk Fat ◽  
Economic Status ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Farming System ◽  
Cost Ratio ◽  
Benefit Cost Ratio ◽  
Lactation Length ◽  
Cash Cost ◽  
Daily Milk Yield ◽  
The Cost

The study was carried out in 5 Upazilas under Chittagong district with a view to analyze the present socio-economic status of RCC farming practices on 100 RCC rearers (Potiya, Raujan, Chandanaish, Anowara and Satkania Upazila). The study showed that, about 39.00 percent of RCC farm owners were landless, 31.00 percent were small and marginal farmers, 17.00 percent were medium and 13.00 percent were large farmers according to their landholding sizes. The cost of rearing RCC per cattle per year was found to be Tk. 17503.76, Tk. 15540.27, and Tk. 33044.03 as cash cost, non cash cost and total cost respectively. The study also revealed that, average daily milk yield, lactation yield and lactation length of RCC were found to be 2.71 liters, 581.61 liters and 215.41 days, respectively. The average per year per cattle gross return of RCC was found Tk. 25390.41. The gross returns over cash cost and full cost basis of rearing per lactation per cattle of RCC were found at Tk 8058.642 and Tk.-7501.53, respectively. The benefit cost ratio on the basis of cash cost and full costs per year per cattle was found 1.47 and 0.77, respectively. The study also revealed that, the rural farmers prefer RCC farming than other breeds due to high conception rate, each year calving, disease resistance, high milk fat per cent and cost effective farming. Keyword: RCC; Cost; Return; Profitability; Disease Occurrences DOI: 10.3329/jbau.v8i2.7937 J. Bangladesh Agril. Univ. 8(2): 271-276, 2010  

scholarly journals The Feasibility of a Land Ferry System to Reduce Highway Maintenance Cost and Associated Externalities

2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steve J. Merrill ◽  
Alexander Paz ◽  
Victor Molano ◽  
Pramen P. Shrestha ◽  
Pankaj Maheshwari ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cost Effective ◽  
Maintenance Cost ◽  
Cost Ratio ◽  
Construction Period ◽  
Pavement Maintenance ◽  
Benefit Cost Analysis ◽  
Benefit Cost Ratio ◽  
Loading System ◽  
Heavy Loads ◽  
Benefit Cost

This study provides an economic evaluation for a Land Ferry, which is a rail system capable of carrying trucks and all other types of vehicles, passengers, and cargo. The Land Ferry system involves a sliding loading system to roll heavy loads onto a flatbed; as a result, loading and unloading of all vehicles and cargo could be accomplished simultaneously. The evaluation for this system included (1) the design of a new track alignment over which the Land Ferry system would run, (2) evaluation of various sources of power, (3) estimation of how many local jobs the Land Ferry would generate, and (4) a benefit-cost analysis. It was estimated that the Land Ferry would create over 45,788 temporary jobs in Nevada during the three-year construction period and 318 permanent jobs during operation. The majority of the benefits were attributed to savings in travel time ($356.4 M), vehicle operating costs ($1000.4 M), reduction of accidents ($544.6 M), and pavement maintenance ($503.2 M). These benefits would be a consequence of the shift of trucks from the highway, thus resulting in higher speeds, decrease fuel consumption, and decrease vehicle maintenance costs. The overall benefit-cost ratio of 1.7 implies a cost-effective project.

Preliminary Cost-Benefit Analysis (CBA) for Safety Assist Technologies in ASEAN NCAP – Rationalizing the Impact to Road Safety for Malaysia’s Case

2014 ◽  
Vol 663 ◽  
pp. 596-603
Author(s):  
Zulhaidi Mohd Jawi ◽  
Aqbal Hafeez Ariffin ◽  
Yahaya Ahmad ◽  
Khairil Anwar Abu Kassim ◽  
Norlen Mohamed ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Road Safety ◽  
Cost Benefit Analysis ◽  
Cost Benefit ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Cost Ratio ◽  
Benefit Analysis ◽  
Benefit Cost Ratio ◽  
Benefit Cost ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Rating Scheme

The newly established New Car Assessment Program for Southeast Asian Countries (ASEAN NCAP) has incorporated Safety Assist Technologies (SATs) in its automobile safety rating scheme. In order for any assessed car to be eligible for the maximum 5-star rating, it should first be equipped with Electronic Stability Control (ESC) and fitted with seatbelt reminder (SBR). However, since these SATs are not being evaluated in their performance by the means of field testing, this paper explains the benefit of having these SATs through Cost-Benefit Analysis (CBA) which help to rationalize the importance of SATs in preventing road accidents or mitigating severity of injuries. Due to data limitation, this preliminary CBA assessment will only be focusing on Malaysia’s situation and is based on published sources and the authors’ best estimates. This study also includes the Cost-Benefit Analysis on Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), which is the basis for ESC technology, in preparation for its inclusion in the future rating scheme to expedite the vision of making ABS as standard fit in all ASEAN’s passenger cars. The preliminary result shows that all technologies – ESC, SBR and ABS – appear to be cost-effective (benefit/cost-ratio > 3) or most likely cost effective (1 < benefit/cost-ratio < 3) in Malaysia’s road safety situation per se.

scholarly journals Cost-Effectiveness of Stronger Woodframe Buildings

2006 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 239-266 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keith A. Porter ◽  
Charles R. Scawthorn ◽  
James L. Beck
Keyword(s):  
Cost Effectiveness ◽  
Los Angeles ◽  
San Francisco ◽  
Seismic Vulnerability ◽  
Time History ◽  
Soil Classification ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Cost Ratio ◽  
Benefit Cost Ratio ◽  
Zip Code

We examine the cost-effectiveness of improvements in woodframe buildings. These include retrofits, redesign measures, and improved quality in 19 hypothetical woodframe dwellings. We estimated cost-effectiveness for each improvement and each zip code in California. The dwellings were designed under the CUREE-Caltech Woodframe Project. Costs and seismic vulnerability were determined on a component-by-component basis using the Assembly Based Vulnerability method, within a nonlinear time-history structural-analysis framework and using full-size test specimen data. Probabilistic site hazard was calculated by zip code, considering site soil classification, and integrated with vulnerability to determine expected annualized repair cost. The approach provides insight into uncertainty of loss at varying shaking levels. We calculated present value of benefit to determine cost-effectiveness in terms of benefit-cost ratio (BCR). We find that one retrofit exhibits BCRs as high as 8, and is in excess of 1 in half of California zip codes. Four retrofit or redesign measures are cost-effective in at least some locations. Higher quality is estimated to save thousands of dollars per house. Results are illustrated by maps for the Los Angeles and San Francisco regions and are available for every zip code in California.

The Distribution of Benefits in Road-Investment Appraisal

1978 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-15
Author(s):  
J S Dodgson
Keyword(s):  
Cost Ratio ◽  
Investment Planning ◽  
Benefit Cost Ratio ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Investment Appraisal ◽  
Alternative Approach ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Benefit Cost ◽  
Distributional Impact ◽  
Project Level

This paper discusses the problems involved in allowing for distributional considerations in road-investment appraisal. The first part demonstrates how existing traffic models can be modified in order to evaluate the distributional impact of benefits to leisure-time travellers in different income groups and different areas. In addition, it outlines the difficulties involved in estimating the distributional impact of benefits to travellers in working time, of freight-traffic benefits, and of accident benefits. The second part of the paper discusses the alternative approach of allowing for distributional considerations at the sector level, rather than at the individual project level. A model for determining a cut-off benefit–cost ratio for projects with particular distributional consequences is outlined, and is illustrated by reference to interurban road-investment planning in the United Kingdom.

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