Minimum detectable bias

For determination of minimum detectable bias (MDB) at the 95% confidence level ... 

Hypothesis testing is applicable to all of the above factors. Detection decisions may be made, for example, using the critical level of Student s-t to test for bias, or the critical level of to test an assumed spectral shape or calibration model or error model. For a given measurement design and assumption test procedure, one can estimate the corresponding detection limit for the alternative hypothesis, e.g., the minimum detectable bias. As with analyte detection, the ability to detect erroneous assumptions rests heavily on the design of the experiment and the study of optimal designs is a field unto Itself. 

Systematic error is also known as bias. The bias is the constant value difference between a measured value (or set of values) and a consensus value (or true value if known). Specificity is the analytical property of a method or technique to be insensitive to interferences and to yield a signal relative to the analyte of interest only. Limit of reliable measurement predates the use of minimum detection limit (MDL). The MDL... 

The limit of quantitation is the minimum concentration of an analyte in a specific matrix that can be determined above the method detection limit and within specified bias and precision limits under routine operating conditions (EPA, 1998a). The limit of quantitation is often referred to as the practical quantitation limit (PQL). The concept of PQL is discussed in Chapter 4.5.1. 

Using this equation, the minimum bubble size that can be detected without bias is approximately 0.05 cm. This is in reasonably good agreement with the smallest bubble length of 0.03 cm measured with the conductivity probes of this investigation. 

The evaluation study will determine the attributes (bias, precision, specificity, limits of detection) of the immunoassay. Bias testing (systematic error) will be conducted by measuring recoveries of the analyte added to matrices of interest. Replicate analysis will be performed on blind replicates or split levels (e.g., Youden pairs). A minimum number of replicates will be performed to provide statistically meaningful results. The number of replicates will be determined by the intended purpose of the immunoassay as well as the documented method performance of the comparative method. 

The passage of the proton bunches in the beam was detected on the basis of the BPTX signals, while the BSC signals were used to collect minimum-bias collision... 

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