Analysis of optimal gold holdings has normally been conducted in U.S. dollar terms since gold is traditionally denominated in the U.S. dollar.

FORBES: INTERVIEW: Emerging Market Central Bank Gold Allocations Could Rise If Dollar-Based Valuations Removed -- WGC

In the past year or so, much of the talk about Big Data has obscured the fact that the real issue is enabling intelligent and instantaneous analysis to provide optimal insights for business decisions.

FORBES: The Biggest Big-Data Opportunities: How to Choose the Right One

This analysis helps retailers find the optimal score threshold to determine which orders they accept.

ECONOMIST: Computing

This is especially true in online analytical processing, which stores the data in an optimal form to support specific types of analysis.

FORBES: Big Data Requires a Big, New Architecture

The Enhancer recommends the optimal set of creative choices based on technical analysis of the user's video and social data to remove guesswork and make the experience fun and creative.

ENGADGET: Vimeo announces 'Looks' feature, now lets users add visual effects to videos

There is a reason analysis paralysis occurs when you try to find the optimal portfolio.

FORBES: Agonizing Over Optimal

Following a positive interim analysis showing that fractional flow-reserve-guided PCI was superior to optimal medical treatment, an independent Data and Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB) has recommended that patient enrollment in the ongoing FAME II trial be stopped.

FORBES: New Enrollment in FAME II Halted After Interim Analysis Shows Benefits of FFR

Economists argue about the disincentive effects of higher tax rates. (Messrs Piketty and Saez, the economists who have transformed analysis of income concentration at the top, reckon, controversially, that the optimal top income-tax rate could be as high as 80%.) But no one doubts that there are trade-offs.

ECONOMIST: Policy prescriptions