Optimal control of a revenue management system with dynamic pricing facing linear demand

This paper considers a dynamic pricing problem over a finite horizon where demand for a product is a time‐varying linear function of price. It is assumed that at the start of the horizon there is a fixed amount of the product available. The decision problem is to determine the optimal price at each time period in order to maximize the total revenue generated from the sale of the product. In order to obtain structural results we formulate the decision problem as an optimal control problem and solve it using Pontryagin's principle. For those problems which are not easily solvable when formulated as an optimal control problem, we present a simple convergent algorithm based on Pontryagin's principle that involves solving a sequence of very small quadratic programming (QP) problems. We also consider the case where the initial inventory of the product is a decision variable. We then analyse the two‐product version of the problem where the linear demand functions are defined in the sense of Bertrand and we again solve the problem using Pontryagin's principle. A special case of the optimal control problem is solved by transforming it into a linear complementarity problem. For the two‐product problem we again present a simple algorithm that involves solving a sequence of small QP problems and also consider the case where the initial inventory levels are decision variables. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

碘和甲状腺球蛋白诱导大鼠自身免疫性甲状腺炎的研究

目的　研究碘与自身免疫性甲状腺炎 (EAT)的关系。方法　用碘和甲状腺球蛋白 (TG)诱导SD大鼠建立甲状腺炎模型 ,随机分为 5组 ,每组 10只。正常对照组 (NC组 ) ;少量碘组 (LI组 ) :饮 5 0 0 μg/L碘化钠水 ;大量碘组 (HI组 ) :饮 5 0 0mg/L碘化钠水 ;TG组 :于实验第 15天大鼠接受皮内多点注射完全福氏佐剂乳化的TG各 10 0 μg作为初次免疫 ,2周后以不完全福氏佐剂乳化的TG加强免疫 ,以后每周加强免疫 1次至第 6周末实验结束 ;TG HI组 :TG及HI给药方法同上。至第 6周末实验结束处死所有动物 ,用放免法检测血清TG抗体 (TGAb)及甲状腺过氧化物酶抗体 (TPOAb)效价 ,并于光镜下观察甲状腺组织淋巴细胞浸润程度。结果　TG HI组、HI组及TG组甲状腺滤泡破坏及淋巴细胞浸润均较明显 ,TG HI组及HI组与NC组比较 ,P<0 .0 5 ,TG组与NC组比较有增高趋势 ,但无统计学意义。 3组TGAb、TPOAb均明显高于NC组及LI组 (P<0 .0 1;仅HI组TPOAbP<0 .0 5 )。各组TGAb及TPOAb水平与甲状腺病理分级呈正相关关系 (r =0 .9,P<0 .0 5 )。结论　高碘可诱发SD鼠EAT发生 ,TG与高碘结合诱导SD大鼠EAT的作用更明显     

Do Cost-Effectiveness Analyses Account for Drug Genericization? A Literature Review and Assessment of Implications

ObjectivesWe investigated how health technology assessment (HTA) organizations around the world have handled drug genericization (an allowance for future generic drug entry and subsequent drug price declines) in their guidelines for cost-effectiveness analyses (CEAs). We also analyzed a large sample of published CEAs to examine prevailing practices in the field.MethodsWe reviewed 43 HTA guidelines to determine whether and how they addressed drug genericization in their CEAs. We also selected a sample of 270 US-based CEAs from the Tufts Medical Center’s CEA Registry, restricting the sample to studies on pharmaceuticals published from 1991 to 2019 and to analyses taking a lifetime time horizon. We determined whether each CEA examined genericization (and if so, whether in base case or sensitivity analyses), and how inclusion of genericization influenced the estimated incremental cost-effectiveness ratios.ResultsFourteen (33%) of the 43 HTA guidelines mention genericization for CEAs and 4 (9%) recommend that base case analyses include assumptions about future drug price changes due to genericization. Most published CEAs (95%) do not include assumptions about future generic prices for intervention drugs. Only 2% include such assumptions about comparator drugs. Most studies (72%) conduct sensitivity analyses on drug prices unrelated to genericization.ConclusionsThe omission of assumptions about genericization means that CEAs may misrepresent the long run opportunity costs for drugs. The field needs clearer guidance for when CEAs should account for genericization, and for the inclusion of other price dynamics that might influence a drug’s cost-effectiveness.     

Reversal to normal anatomy after one-anastomosis/mini gastric bypass,indications and results: a systematic review and meta-analysis

This review evaluates the indications and outcomes of one-anastomosis/mini gastric bypass (OAGB/MGB) reversal to normal anatomy. A systematic literature search and meta-analysis was performed in PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus for articles published by October 1, 2020, including the keywords “one anastomosis gastric bypass,” “OAGB,” “mini gastric bypass,” “MGB,” “reversal,” “reverse,” “malnutrition,” and “reversal bariatric surgery”. After examining 182 papers involving 11,578 patients, 14 studies were included. A reversal was performed in 119 patients on average 23.6 months after the primary OAGB/MGB surgery. The mean body mass index (BMI) was 22.92 ± 3.47 kg/m² and the mean albumin level was 25.17 ± 4.21 g/L at reversal. The mean length of the common channel (CC) was 383.57 ± 159.35 cm, with a mean biliopancreatic limb (BPL) length of 214.21 ± 48.45 cm. Pooled estimation of the meta-analysis of prevalence studies reported a prevalence of 1% for reversal. The major signs and symptoms of protein-energy malnutrition were the leading causes of the reversal of OAGB/MGB. Bleeding, leakage, and death due to severe liver failure were the most reported complications after reversal, with an overall incidence of 10.9%. In conclusion, OAGB/MGB reversal has a prevalence of 1% and has a complication rate of 10.9%. Protein-energy malnutrition with hypoalbuminemia was the most common etiology. The mean lengths of BPL and CC were reported as 215 cm and 380 cm, respectively, in the cases. Therefore, special attention should be paid to malnutrition in all OAGB/MGB patients during follow-up to prevent severe malnutrition and subsequent increase in reversal procedures.     

Provider networks and health plan premium variation

ObjectiveTo examine how plan premiums are associated with physician network breadth, hospital network breadth, and hospital network quality on the Affordable Care Act''s Health Insurance Marketplaces in all 50 states and the DC in 2016.Data SourcesData on plan premiums and characteristics came from 2016 Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health Insurance Exchange (HIX) Compare. Provider network information was obtained from Vericred. Hospital characteristics were obtained from CMS Hospital Compare and the American Hospital Association (AHA) survey.Study DesignWe analyzed how plan premiums were associated with variations in physician network breadth, hospital network breadth, and hospital network quality using ordinary least square regressions with state‐rating area fixed effects and carrier fixed effects.Principal FindingsPlan premiums were positively associated with physician network breadth and hospital network breadth. We find the following statistically significant results: a one standard deviation increase in physician network breadth was linked to a premium increase of 2.8 percent or $101 per year; a one standard deviation increase in hospital network breadth was linked to a premium increase of 2.4 percent or $86 per year. There was no significant association between premiums and hospital network quality, as measured by hospital star ratings and the inclusion of teaching hospitals or the top‐20 hospitals nationwide.ConclusionsPhysician network breadth and hospital network breadth contributed positively to plan premiums. The roles of the two types of provider network breadth are quantitatively similar. Premiums appear to be insensitive to hospital network quality.     

Hospital Pricing Following Integration with Physician Practices

The past decade has witnessed a new wave of hospital-physician integration, with the fraction of hospitals owning any office-based physician practice increasing from 28% in 2009 to 53% in 2015 nationwide. We offer one of the first hospital-level longitudinal analyses in examining how hospital-physician integration affects hospital prices in the modern healthcare environment. We find a robust 3–5% increase in hospital prices following integration. There is little indication that hospital quality is commensurately higher or that patient mix has changed following integration. Our supplementary analyses point to stronger bargaining leverage and foreclosure of rival hospitals as potential mechanisms for the estimated price effects.