Getting Started in Asset Allocation

Book Description

Asset allocation is an essential component of creating a solid portfolio. This indispensable guide clarifies the where, when and how to begin of asset allocation in plain English. Covering the basics of starting an asset allocation program, it offers sound advice, helpful tips, and practical guidelines - all corresponding to your particular financial situation, whether you're single, married with children, saving for college, or retired. Along with a helpful glossary of financial terms, here is where you will find complete details on:

Risk - the nature of risk, risk versus volatility, risk/reward trade-off, and the ten types of risk
Allocation techniques - financial objectives, cash flow needs, and tactical asset models
Low-, medium-, and high-risk assets - government securities, certificates of deposit, fixed annuities, corporate bonds, futures, commodities
Mutual funds and asset allocation - selecting funds, added rewards, additional risks
Maximizing wealth - value approach, re-balancing your portfolio, periodic review

Getting Started in Asset Allocation, authoritative, accessible, comprehensive and completely up-to-date.

Customer Reviews:

Good place to start.......2000-02-14

The book does a good job at explaining the various ways you can invest your money (stocks, bonds, options, etc.), but too many times refers you to your financial planner for more information. If you're just starting an investment portfolio, this would be a good place to start. If you're looking for guidance on how to tweak the portfolio you already have to achieve a certain level of risk or returns, you should look elsewhere.

Average customer rating:

Getting Started In Asset Allocation -
Bill Bresnan -
Manufacturer: John Wiley Publishing -
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000QSBTOW

Average customer rating:

Getting Started in Asset Allocation
Eric Gelb Bill Bresnan
Manufacturer: NY
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000MU6OLC

Customer Reviews:

This is a great resource book.......2002-06-30

Technology Acquisition: Buying the Future of Your Business is a great book for establishing procurement best practices or confirming existing practices. This book is not a high-level overview but provides you with detailed step-by-step procedures, case studies, and a wealth of examples. As a consultant, each company that I work with is different and this book has helped me to establish a complete procurement cycle with the client. Many companies, it seems, do not have a cradle to grave procurement practice and therefore do not understand what a project manager should be responsible for. This book gives you a starting place. Also, it is evident that the author is speaking from experience - he has done what is in the book and the examples demonstrate a real working knowledge of the topic. I highly recommend this to any person starting a new project.

How to make acquisition a development process.......2001-07-18

All companies, from the largest to the smallest, perform technology acquisitions. There are definite steps in the sequence, from the determination of need to the final step in the integration. For example, even the basic choice of a compiler for development has stages of determining the needs, performing research, acquiring the compiler and integrating it into the enterprise. The key to success is to consider the purchase of new technology to be a process, subject to rules that control the decision making structure. BR> Each step is clearly defined with instructions on how to do it well. While the advice is often an apparent statement of the obvious, that is not a drawback. In business, the best advice one can often hear is a simple, accurate remark repeated over and over. All too often, technology decisions are made on emotional attachment rather than environmental or economic fit. By following the advice laid out in this book, the influence of emotions and politics can be reduced.
Making the right decisions concerning what technology to use is a decision that all businesses are required to make. If you follow the rules in this book, it will not be made any easier, in fact it may be made harder. However, they will increase your chances of making the correct one, and that is far more important than making the easy one.

Technology Acquisition: Buying the Future of Your Business

Average customer rating:

Technology Acquisition: Buying the Future of Your Business
Allen Eskelin
Manufacturer: NY
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000MUFHW4

Book Description

The game-theoretic analysis of rights forms a rapidly growing field of study to which this book makes an important contribution. Van Hees combines the game-theoretic approach with the results and tools from logic, in particular from the logic of norms. The resulting synthesis between logic and game theory provides a firm foundation for the game-theoretic approach. The analysis shows how different types of right are related to the strategic opportunities of individuals and of groups of individuals. Furthermore, the book makes an important contribution to the theory of liberalism, in particular to the study of the so-called `liberal paradoxes'. It demonstrates how the paradoxes resurface in the new decision-theoretic framework. In fact, they not only do so at the level of `ordinary' decision making, but also at the level of constitutional decision making.

Book Description

The Aspiring Adept presents a provocative new view of Robert Boyle (1627-1691), one of the leading figures of the Scientific Revolution, by revealing for the first time his avid and lifelong pursuit of alchemy. Boyle has traditionally been considered, along with Newton, a founder of modern science because of his mechanical philosophy and his experimentation with the air-pump and other early scientific apparatus. However, Lawrence Principe shows that his alchemical quest--hidden first by Boyle's own codes and secrecy, and later suppressed or ignored--positions him more accurately in the intellectual and cultural crossroads of the seventeenth century.

Principe radically reinterprets Boyle's most famous work, The Sceptical Chymist, to show that it criticizes not alchemists, as has been thought, but "unphilosophical" pharmacists and textbook writers. He then shows Boyle's unambiguous enthusiasm for alchemy in his "lost" Dialogue on the Transmutation and Melioration of Metals, now reconstructed from scattered fragments and presented here in full for the first time. Intriguingly, Boyle believed that the goal of his quest, the Philosopher's Stone, could not only transmute base metals into gold, but could also attract angels. Alchemy could thus act both as a source of knowledge and as a defense against the growing tide of atheism that tormented him. In seeking to integrate the seemingly contradictory facets of Boyle's work, Principe also illuminates how alchemy and other "unscientific" pursuits had a far greater impact on early modern science than has previously been thought.

Customer Reviews:

One of the great minds of that time.......2001-01-22

This is a well-written book that exposes the inner workings of one of the great scientific minds of that era, a time when Isaac Newton was putting together his laws of gravity and men like Boyle were formulating laws that evolved into our modern day chemistry. It's important to the history of science because this is when much of the superstition and mysticism of the Dark Ages finally fell away and led humanity toward a whole new way of thinking about nature. I liked this book because it shows in some detail how this crossover was accomplished and how difficult it was for thinkers of that time to tear their roots from the past and dream a new world.

The Aspiring Adept: Robert Boyle and His Alchemical Quest.(Review): An article from: American Scientist

Average customer rating:

The Aspiring Adept: Robert Boyle and His Alchemical Quest.(Review): An article from: American Scientist

Manufacturer: Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Society
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

General | Science | Subjects | Books

Science & Technology | Subjects | e-Docs | Formats | Books

Book Description

Modern advanced semiconductor lasers show complex spatio-temporal dynamics of the emitted optical fields. This book presents fundamental theories and simulations of the spatio-temporal dynamics and quantum fluctuations in semiconductor lasers. The dynamic interplay of light and matter is theoretically described by taking into account microscopic carrier dynamics, spatially dependent light-field propagation and the influence of spontaneous emission and noise. Microscopic simulations reveal the internal spatio-temporal dynamics of in-plane lasers, high-power amplifiers and vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers. The theory developed here provides the basis for the interpretation of measured emission properties and may serve as a predictive guideline for the design of advanced semiconductor lasers.

Average customer rating:

Finally! A Book Of Pure Enjoyment, Entertainment and Fun!!!

My name is Andy But! You may call me Andrew

My Name Is Andy But! You! May Call Me Andrew
Andrew Copenhagen
Manufacturer: Athena Press Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Comic | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1931456461

Book Description

What is it like living with a character that makes you laugh, cry, lose your temper, throw up your hands in despair, yet is still able to remain your very best friend and confidant? This is the only way to describe a gorgeous blond and platinum, wire-hair dachshund, with a beard, a not too long but very sturdy body, and an attitude the likes of which one rarely comes across in a lifetime. This is what caused this book to come about. We are not talking about antics that occur once in a while, but on a daily basis. And all the events are based on pure fact...

Customer Reviews:

Finally! A Book Of Pure Enjoyment, Entertainment and Fun!!!.......2002-09-13

I cannot remember the last time I read something that taught me nothing except how to have a good laugh. MY NAME IS ANDY BUT! YOU! MAY CALL ME ANDREW, is written by a dog with a definite attitude, explaing to the reader about life, entirely from his point of view. Andy's always doing unusual, incredibly funny things that seem outstanding, when you consider that this is a non-fiction book. He also dwells, momentarily, on his fellings about not being the best he could be but quickly pushes those thoughts aside while looking for another project to emBARK upon. I am always in search of a humorous book that fits in a pocket or purse and can go anyywhere. No matter what page you open it too, you are assured a good time, not only in words, but also in fabulous illustrations. This is not what I would call a children's book since they might not understand the innuendos and the shananigan's of a dog of this nature. Just thinking about some of the things I read makes me want to stop what I'm doing and pick it up for a quick refreshing treat.

My name is Andy But! You may call me Andrew.......2002-09-06

If you are looking for a fun,whimsical read this book is it!! All dog lovers will be enthralled with the tough minded little bit of fur with a big voice and even sharper teeth. You don't even have to like animals to fallin love with Andy.Great gift for anyone with a sense of humour.

Book Description

Built around 8 case studies, WHY NATIONS GO TO WAR covers the crucial events that led to the outbreak of the twentieth century's major military conflicts, with particular focus on the pivotal role leaders play in pushing a nation over the threshold into war.

Customer Reviews:

Good read.......2007-02-25

I don't normally read non fiction but this book is excellent- giving a different view of history and war.

Great idea and great book.......2006-12-14

This was one of the best textbooks I have read in college. It covers most of the major wars post world war 2 and gives the history leading up to them. You can see a clear dichotomy where the major power in the world leading up to the conflict causes the conflict through foolish colonization policies. Mostly British for the first half and then the United States. It is a good summary overall and is a must have for any student in International Relations or military history. It is a well written and quick read. 5 stars.

Fascinating and Insightful.......2006-03-02

"Why Nations Go to War" is a very fascinating book to read as it provides some unique perspectives on the reasons that the author views as the cause of nations to go into conflict. The author uses a clear and simple style of writing that make it easy to read and understand his arguments, propositions and conclusions, even if one does not agree with them.

Basically, Stoessinger argues that the national leaders play the decisive role in bringing nations into conflict. It is the characteristics and ego of the leader that, at the critical moment, makes the difference between nations crossing the Rubicon and ultimately committing to go to war. Other factors such as territorial disputes, economic considerations or clash of religions or civilisations may be contributory but not the main cause for nations to go to war. The author supports his views with some well presented, insightful and compelling case studies.

Stoessinger critically examines the characters, personalities and egos of some of the modern leaders that took their nations to war and shows how poor judgements and wrong perceptions led to disasters and untold suffering for their countries.

This is a well researched book that emphasises the importance of moral courage on the part of leaders to prevent war and not allow their fragile egos to cause unnecessary suffering to other human beings. Although this is easier said than done, this message from the author is compelling.

I recommend the book to anyone with an interest in history, international relations and war.

Very interesting perspective.......2005-10-09

I was originally required to read this book for a class, but found it interesting anyway :).

In any case, I have always been interested in history, and almost majored in it in college, and so found this book particularly interesting. His concept is so simple, and yet so often overlooked. As I understand it, his basic point is that people often think of wars as being caused by factors such as religious differences, economics, etc. Stoessinger argues that these types of factors are necessary but not sufficient. You also need additional factors, particularly misperceptions.

I think that he makes a pretty decent case for this, his examples are appropriately chosen, and he makes some very interesting observations. I think many of his ideas have very great explaining power and should be a consideration in any discussion of war.

Definitly a recommended read, particularly if you're interested in history or political science.

A Product of a Non-Existent Discipline.......2005-09-13

The title of a book is a promise to the reader, in this case to answer the question. Stoessinger makes little effort to make good on his promise.

When we ask "why" we are asking a question of causation, not a question of what proximate events surrounded and immediately preceeded another event. Nor are we asking for speculative assertions about the centrality of the psychological culture of a country which are easily disproven by any broader knowledge of human behavior and history.

For example, Stroessinger is "convinced that Hitler's charismatic grip on Germany can best be explained by the authoritarian structure of the family." How then do we explain the numerous similar charismatic grips held by leaders in other countries, with different family structures, throughout history? For example, Stalin, Mao, Peron, Napoleon, numerous rulers in Africa and elsewhere in the third world?

When we ask a question of causation we are not looking for answers that simply push the question back a level, or back in time, and leave it to languish there. When we ask a general question of causation such as "why nations go to war" we are seeking general answers, answers that reveal regularities and provide insight into why they exist.

So an examination of the proximate details, yet again, of WWI or WWII or any other specific war is not germain to the question at hand. To pretend to answer by describing some detail or asserting some psychological state is to beg the question...why then did that detail or psychological state exist?

Stroessinger seeks to emphasize the role of the individual leader and find the ""moment of truth" when leaders crossed the threshold into war." Unfortunately this is a very poorly concieved approach. First, because nations are not buttons to be pushed that respond automatically. Bush could decide tomorrow to attack Britain, but I doubt that anyone would respond. The people of the country have to also largely be willing to go to war with whatever country is in question.

The second problem is that he appears to be ignorant of the psychology of commitment, that one small decision can commit us psychologically to many more larger ones in the same direction. This is how corruption and corporate scandal often develops as well. People dont start out corrupt, they start out willing to look the other way and not say anything. People also dont start out willing to go massacre a whole enemy town, there is a process. That process has it's own momentum that pushes it along, each step making the next more likely, so the critical issue is when the process starts and how, not some randomly judged "threshold."

International Relations is terminally conflicted. On the one hand they seek regularities of human behavior, and on the other hand they seek to ignore the fact that all the people involved are humans, that there is just one species involved here.

Somehow they have convinced themselves of the obviously false proposition that explaining universal paterns by asserting that it is the "state system" which makes the paterns happen means that they can avoid being "deterministic." They seem to feel that explaining universal regularities of human behavior by noting that humans share a lot of genes in common with each other would be "deterministic." They also want to examine a behavior patern at the state level but ignore all the piles of evidence that the same behavior patern occurs at the band and tribal levels as well. As if ignorance will allow insight.

When it comes to the issues that Stroessinger promises in his title to address he is in fact hilariously ignorant. In the few paragraphs he devotes to the asserted topic of his book, why humans go to war, he makes a complete fool of himself. He has been so dismissive of human nature, the effects of evolution on making humans behavioraly predisposed for war, that he is beyond entirely ignorant. I quote from the sixth edition...

"Whereas aggression may be inherent, war is learned behavior and as such can be unlearned and ultimately selected out entirely.Humans have overcome other habits that previously had seemed unconquerable. For example, during the Ice Age, when people lived in caves, incest was perfectly acceptable, whereas today incest is almost universally taboo." (pg 210)

This is just comical! For one thing, plenty humans did not live in caves during the ice age. There just are not that many caves in Africa, Asia, and Australia. For another, there is absolutely no evidence whatsoever that incest was perfectly acceptable then, or that it had seemed an unconquerable habit. Seeing that, in evolutionary terms, incest is maladaptive, and that all primates(see Human Universals), even most mammals in general, avoid incest, this assertion is highly unlikely to be true.

Of course, there are examples such as the ancient Egyptians where the ruling Pharoahs kept their bloodline 'pure' by only marrying close relatives, like sisters. Even here though this was not the practice of the larger society, and it took place well after the ice ages.

There is just no factual basis for asserting that war is entirely a learned behavior. All human societies have war, except for a small handful of tribes that share one common trait; they are geographicaly isolated and have no neighbors. Overwhelming evidence shows that humans have made war on each other for at least the last 30,000 years (see Constant Battles), and we know now that even chimps have primitive warfare.

Denial of this only leads to a hopeless effort to show regularities while fighting to maintain complete ignorance of why such regularities exist. When the title of your book promises to in fact explain just that, why the regularities exist, it is quite a problem that you are in some strange state of denial. All you can do then is beg the question, force us to ask further questions. Why were the Germans the way they were psychologically? Why was Hitler insane? Why did this or that condition arise in the first place? Why was the government organized like that? We can keep going back and back with this method of answering why until we end up explaining WWI by looking at the Germanic wars with Rome, and perhaps back before that even.

Descriptions of proximate circumstances and purely uninformed speculative generalizations about the psychological cultures of millions of people do not constitute an answer to the causative question why.

What should be the starting point for a book by this title is showing that while the precise proximate details leading to war are infinite in variety, the psychological processes are not. There has yet to be a circumstance where mutual admiration and trust led to war. Feeling that your two nations have much in common also has proven a poor road to combat. Ditto for describing the other people as honest and good and hard working. On the other hand, opposites of the above have consistently led to war no matter what individual was the leader or what the specific circumstances were.

Stroessinger has failed to address the topic of the assignment he gave himself, so I must give him an F.

Average customer rating:

Why nations go to war
John G. Stoessinger
Manufacturer: New York, St. Martin's Press, 1974
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
Similar Items:

A History of the Twentieth Century: The Concise Edition of the Acclaimed World History

ASIN: B0000E7O04

Average customer rating:

Why Nations Go to War

Manufacturer: Palgrave Macmillan
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Military | History | Subjects | Books

General | World | History | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 031208952X

Average customer rating:

Why Nations Go to War
John G. Stoessinger
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OT8MXE

Average customer rating:

Why Nations Go to War
John G. Stoessinger
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000O5WY2S

Average customer rating:

Why Nations go to War
Stoessinger John G
Manufacturer: St Martin's Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000LBU954

Average customer rating:

Why Nations go to War (7th edition)
John G. Stoessinger
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000MBN7UM

Average customer rating:

Why Nations Go To War -
John G. Stoessinger -
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Press -
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OMPJGY

Average customer rating:

Why Nations Go To War With Infotrac
John G. Stoessinger
Manufacturer: Palgrave Macmillan
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OSZ8WS

Average customer rating:

Why Nations Go to War, 5th Ed.
John G. Stoessinger
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 0312035144

Customer Reviews:

Dispells the myth of white ghettos.......1998-11-24

The author (my father) shows that no groups of white people (Irish, Jews, Italians, etc.) have ever in the United States faced any sort of appreciable discrimination in terms of housing, employment, access to public facilities, or education. In contrast, blacks all over the US have faced severe, organized, legally enforced discrimination on all these essential fronts. However, most white ethnics have created for themselves the myth they their predecessors overcame the same sorts of obstacles faced by blacks. My father's elders had a phrase they used to demean black people: "We made it, why can't they?" My dad wrote this book as a PhD candidate in history at the University of Chicago. He examined two of the claims of his elders: (1) Just like Chicago's enormous black ghetto, the city had many white ghettos (i.e., ones for Irish, ones for Italians, ones for Jews, etc.); and (2) just like blacks, members of these white ethnic groups faced severe discrimination in their attempts to elevate their lots in life. What my father discovered is that claims of white ethnic ghettos and discrimination are purely mythical. None of the ethnic neighborhoods contained a majority of any particular white ethnic group. He found, for example, some supposed "Italian" neighborhoods would contain more, say, Jews than Italians, and vice versa. (He writes that his mother told him she had been raised in a Jewish neighborhood, but that the census data revealed her contained more Irish than Jews during the time she lived there.) He also found that for jobs and education, there really was no effective discrimination against any groups of white people. (Enrollment caps against Jews at Harvard or strictures against Jews at country clubs being minor exceptions that look quite silly compared to the discrimination faced by blacks banned from public elementary schools and union jobs.) He found for example that businesses with "Irish need not apply" or "No Jews Allowed" in fact employed Irish and served Jews. Ultimately, he showed discrimination among white ethnics against each other are most usefully viewed as resulting from ethnic rivalries in which all the participants "win", in terms of achieving full US citizenship and all the rights and privileges that go along with that. One of those rights and privileges turns out to be a subordination of these rivalries in the name of discriminating against blacks, of denying them full US citizenship. All white ethnic groups, according to my father's research, have throughout history united together to ban blacks (but not each other-with the rare and ultimately insignificant exception) from their places of employment, from their neighborhoods, from their schools, from their public facilities, their professional societies, from their families (i.e., intermarriage), from their political parties, and from their public institutions (i.e., voting, testifying in court, holding office). Granted, you can argue that blacks have in recent years have overcome all these bans (though my father didn't necessarily think so). However, no groups of whites have ever been faced any of these bans. I regard this book as essential for understanding why white immigrants have succeeded as a whole, whereas blacks have not.

Book Description

Praise for the First Edition of Design and Analysis of Clinical Trials
"An excellent book, providing a discussion of the clinical trial process from designing the study through analyzing the data, and to regulatory requirement . . . could easily be used as a classroom text to understand the process in the new drug development area."
-Statistical Methods in Medicine
A complete and balanced presentation now revised, updated, and expanded
As the field of research possibilities expands, the need for a working understanding of how to carry out clinical trials only increases. New developments in the theory and practice of clinical research include a growing body of literature on the subject, new technologies and methodologies, and new guidelines from the International Conference on Harmonization (ICH).
Design and Analysis of Clinical Trials, Second Edition provides both a comprehensive, unified presentation of principles and methodologies for various clinical trials, and a well-balanced summary of current regulatory requirements. This unique resource bridges the gap between clinical and statistical disciplines, covering both fields in a lucid and accessible manner. Thoroughly updated from its first edition, the Second Edition of Design and Analysis of Clinical Trials features new topics such as:
* Clinical trials and regulations, especially those of the ICH
* Clinical significance, reproducibility, and generalizability
* Goals of clinical trials and target population
* New study designs and trial types
* Sample size determination on equivalence and noninferiority trials, as well as comparing variabilities
Also, three entirely new chapters cover:
* Designs for cancer clinical trials
* Preparation and implementation of a clinical protocol
* Data management of a clinical trial
Written with the practitioner in mind, the presentation assumes only a minimal mathematical and statistical background for its reader. Instead, the writing emphasizes real-life examples and illustrations from clinical case studies, as well as numerous references-280 of them new to the Second Edition-to the literature. Design and Analysis of Clinical Trials, Second Edition will benefit academic, pharmaceutical, medical, and regulatory scientists/researchers, statisticians, and graduate-level students in these areas by serving as a useful, thorough reference source for clinical research.

Customer Reviews:

Most complete reference on the topic.......2006-09-07

I own several books on clinical trials and this one is my favorite. It is biblical in its treatment of the topic and always seems to contain what my other books don't.

There are a few strengths that are particularly worth pointing out:
1) Makes many references to regulatory guidelines.
2) Excellent coverage of the various trial designs.
3) Good sample size chapter.
4) Several chapters on how to practically implement a trial.

Other options include:
-Piantodosi (Clinical Trials: methodologic perspective): my second favorite, not as comprehensive as Chow and Liu
-Freidman and DeMets (Fundamentals of Clinical Trials): a bit too superficial but very well written
-Pocock (Clinical trials: practical approach): a bit dated and superficial

Design and Analysis of Clinical Trials: Concept and Methodologies (Wiley Series in Probability and Statistics. Applied Probability and Statistics)

Average customer rating:

good practical guide with FDA examples

Design and Analysis of Clinical Trials: Concept and Methodologies (Wiley Series in Probability and Statistics. Applied Probability and Statistics)
Shein-Chung Chow , and Jen-Pei Liu
Manufacturer: Wiley-Interscience
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Science | Subjects | Books

General & Reference | Technology | Science | Subjects | Books

General | Pharmacology | Medicine | Subjects | Books

Pharmacy | Pharmacology | Medicine | Subjects | Books

General | Medicine | Subjects | Books

Biostatistics | Research | Medicine | Subjects | Books

General | Research | Medicine | Subjects | Books

Research | Medical | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books

Book Description

A unique, unifying treatment for statistics and science in clinical trials

What sets this volume apart from the many books dealing with clinical trials is its integration of statistical and clinical disciplines. Stressing communication between biostatisticians and clinical scientists, this work clearly relates statistical interpretation to clinical issues arising in different stages of pharmaceutical research and development. Plus, the principles presented here are universal enough to be easily adapted in non-biopharmaceutical settings.

Design and Analysis of Clinical Trials tackles concepts and methodologies. It not only covers statistical basics such as uncertainty and bias, design considerations such as patient selection, randomization, and the different types of clinical trials but also deals with various methods of data analysis, group sequential procedures for interim analysis, efficacy data evaluation, analysis of safety data, and more. Throughout, the book:
* Surveys current and emerging clinical issues and newly developed statistical methods
* Presents a critical review of statistical methodologies in various therapeutic areas
* Features case studies from actual clinical trials
* Minimizes the mathematics involved, making the material widely accessible
* Offers each chapter as a self-contained entity
* Includes illustrations to highlight the text

This monumental reference on all facets of clinical trials is important reading for physicians, clinical and medical researchers, pharmaceutical scientists, clinical programmers, biostatisticians, and anyone involved in this burgeoning area of clinical research. It can also be used as a textbook in graduate-level courses in the field.

Customer Reviews:

good practical guide with FDA examples.......2000-06-28

The authors have experience conducting clinical trials in the pharmaceutical industry and this shows in their approach. All the issues that arise in an NDA submission to the FDA are covered. In the introduction the authors describe the regulatory process and the role of the FDA. They even provide organizational charts for the FDA Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. I have been working as a senior biostatistician for medical device companies for the last 5 years. Most of the trials I have worked on were regulated by the FDA and a number of issues that have been important to the FDA include (1) multiple comparisons, (2) intention-to-treat versus per protocol analysis, (3) pooling centers, (4) baseline data and demographics, (5) data monitoring and (6) safety. They are all covered in chapters 11 and 12 of this book.

Chapter 10 emphasizes sample size determination and interim analyses are covered in chapter 9. Randomization and blinding are covered in chapter 4. These topics are emphasized because of their importance in regulated clinical trials. One does not find them covered very much in other statistics texts on survival analysis or clinical trials.

The mathematics level is intermediate. The authors write well and incorporate the important practical interplay between the statistician, the clinician and the physician.

They provide many good references. The book is a good reference for anyone interested in clinical trials. Points are illustrated through the use of real trials.

Recent advances in Bayesian methods, resampling and meta analysis are not covered but most important topics are covered including group sequential methods.

Average customer rating:
DESIGN AND ANALYSIS OF CLINICAL TRIALS: CONCEPTS AND METHODOLOGIES, SECOND EDITION
CHOW
Manufacturer: NY
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000N5JL20

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books