use-two-intracorporeal-ventricular-assist-devices-as-total-artificial

Use of Two Intracorporeal Ventricular Assist Devices As a Total Artificial Heart

Mechanical circulatory support (MCS) has been introduced as a viable alternative to heart transplantation primarily through the use of intracorporeal ...

Duke University

The evolutionary dynamics of insecticide resistance in harmful arthropods has economic implications, not only for the control of agricultural pests (as has been well studied), but also for the control of disease vectors, such as malaria-transmitting Anopheles mosquitoes. Previous economic work on insecticide resistance illustrates the policy relevance of knowing whether insecticide resistance mutations involve fitness costs. Using a theoretical model, this article investigates economically optimal strategies for controlling malaria-transmitting mosquitoes when there is the potential for mosquitoes to evolve resistance to insecticides. Consistent with previous literature, we find that fitness costs are a key element in the computation of economically optimal resistance management strategies. Additionally, our models indicate that different biological mechanisms underlying these fitness costs (e.g., increased adult mortality and/or decreased fecundity) can significantly alter economically optimal resistance management strategies.

Insecticide resistance and malaria vector control: the importance of fitness cost mechanisms in determining economically optimal control trajectories.

Decision analysis tools and mathematical modeling are increasingly emphasized in malaria control programs worldwide to improve resource allocation and address ongoing challenges with sustainability. However, such tools require substantial scientific evidence, which is costly to acquire. The value of information (VOI) has been proposed as a metric for gauging the value of reduced model uncertainty. We apply this concept to an evidenced-based Malaria Decision Analysis Support Tool (MDAST) designed for application in East Africa. In developing MDAST, substantial gaps in the scientific evidence base were identified regarding insecticide resistance in malaria vector control and the effectiveness of alternative mosquito control approaches, including larviciding. We identify four entomological parameters in the model (two for insecticide resistance and two for larviciding) that involve high levels of uncertainty and to which outputs in MDAST are sensitive. We estimate and compare a VOI for combinations of these parameters in evaluating three policy alternatives relative to a status quo policy. We find having perfect information on the uncertain parameters could improve program net benefits by up to 5-21%, with the highest VOI associated with jointly eliminating uncertainty about reproductive speed of malaria-transmitting mosquitoes and initial efficacy of larviciding at reducing the emergence of new adult mosquitoes. Future research on parameter uncertainty in decision analysis of malaria control policy should investigate the VOI with respect to other aspects of malaria transmission (such as antimalarial resistance), the costs of reducing uncertainty in these parameters, and the extent to which imperfect information about these parameters can improve payoffs.

The Value of Information in Decision-Analytic Modeling for Malaria Vector Control in East Africa.

Insecticide-based tools remain critical for controlling vector-borne diseases in Uganda. Securing public support from targeted populations for such tools is an important component in sustaining their long-run effectiveness. Yet little quantitative evidence is available on the perceived benefits and costs of vector control programmes among targeted households.

Zachary Brown

Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery,
Department of Surgery,
Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery

Duke University

Use of Two Intracorporeal Ventricular Assist Devices As a Total Artificial Heart

Zachary Brown

Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery,Department of Surgery,Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery

Duke University

Use of Two Intracorporeal Ventricular Assist Devices As a Total Artificial Heart

Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery,
Department of Surgery,
Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery