Plane inclinations: A critique of hypothesis and model choice in Barbi et al

Saul Justin Newman

PLOS Biology, 2018, vol. 16, issue 12, 1-4

Abstract: This study highlights how the mortality plateau in Barbi and colleagues can be generated by low-frequency, randomly distributed age-misreporting errors. Furthermore, sensitivity of the late-life mortality plateau in Barbi and colleagues to the particular age range selected for regression is illustrated. Collectively, the simulation of age-misreporting errors in late-life human mortality data and a less-specific model choice than that of Barbi and colleagues highlight a clear alternative hypothesis to explanations based on evolution, the cessation of ageing, and population heterogeneity.This Formal Comment raises fundamental issues regarding the apparent late-life mortality plateau proposed in Science by Barbi et al. 2018, and on the nature of documentary birth and death certificate evidence in general.

Date: 2018
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:plo:pbio00:3000048

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3000048

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