Perspectives in Biometrics is a collection of articles that deals with the state of active and important research area in the field of biometrics, as well as the methodological aspects of particular biometrical data analyses. The book reviews the statistical analysis of a large data base by using interactive computing and data analysis facilities as shown in the Albany Heart Study. One paper presents a survey of adaptive sampling techniques used in clinical trials, while another discusses computer-aided prognosis that can be useful in predicting the survival rate after the diagnosis and treatment of a serious disease. Another paper explains the use and interpretation of multivariate methods used in classifying the different stages encountered in infectious diseases of the critically ill. For example, the data bank in the Clinical Research Center-Acute is analyzed for a set of measurements that are then inputted in a computer base for later retrieval. The book also discusses "nonparametric estimation" that concerns estimates of distribution densities and cumulatives, as well as the use of "percentile points" to obtain decision rules in parametrization problems. The text can prove valuable for statisticians, students, and professors of calculus and advanced mathematics.

List of ContributorsPreface1. Interactive Statistical Computation with Large Data Structures I. Introduction II. The Data and the Computing Facilities III. The Example IV. Summary of Further Analyses V. Comments on Interactive Data Analysis Systems References2. A Survey of Adaptive Sampling for Clinical Trials I. Introduction II. The Finite Patient Horizon Model III. The Unknown Patient Horizon IV. Ranking and Selection Models V. Inverse Stopping VI. Likelihood Stopping Rules VII. Delayed Observations VIII. Conclusions Appendix References3. Computer-Aided Prognosis I. Introduction II. Description of the Data III. Density Estimation Methods IV. Regression Estimation Methods V. Results for Density Estimation Methods VI. Results for the Regression Estimation Methods References4. The Use and Interpretation of Multivariate Methods in the Classification of Stages in Serious Infectious Disease Processes in the Critically I. Introduction and Background of the Medical Problem and Data Description II. An Approach to the Development of a Physiologic State Point of View III. A Description of the Clustering Process IV. The Concatenation of Multivariate Methods V. Longitudinal Aspects of the Analysis-The Time Dimension-Can it Be Recovered? VI. Conclusions References5. Approximate Tests and Confidence Intervals Using the Jackknife I. Introduction II. Approximate Tests and Confidence Intervals III. Some Possible Extensions References6. Estimation Procedures for Simulation Applications I. Statement and Outline of the Problem II. Basic Structure III. Interpretation of Parameters IV. General Aspects of Estimation V. Applications to Biomedical Problems VI. Generalizations Appendix. Consideration of Systematic Scale Estimators under the Assumption of Symmetry ReferencesIndex