Medication non-compliance is associated with poor outcomes in patients. Although different methods are currently used to measure compliance, the ability to translate this measure into a meaningful metric, which is interpretable for both methodologists and clinicians, has not yet been realized. Medication compliance has become an increasingly important area of research as policy makers perceive the extent and effect of the problem that non-compliance poses.

Teck Cominco Ltd. is a diversified mining, smelting and refining group, a world leader in the production of metallurgical coal and zinc and a major producer of copper and gold. The company was interested in investigating the dispersion of particulate matter from its Trail facility into the surrounding area under the influence of diffusion, advection by the wind and settling effects. In particular, the company was interested in estimates of yearly release rates from particular release points which are very difficult and costly to measure directly.

Detecting ovarian cancer is, in general, difficult because of the lack of effective screening tests. If the disease is discovered when confined to the ovaries, surgery alone is curative in more than 90% of patients - however, in most patients, diagnosis only occurs after dissemination beyond the ovaries. In these cases, a combined treatment of surgery and chemotherapy is necessary. Unfortunately prognosis is grim and median survival is only 3 years despite treatment.