Integration of decision support systems to improve decision support performance

Decision support system (DSS) is a well-established research and development area. Traditional isolated, stand-alone DSS has been recently facing new challenges. In order to improve the performance of DSS to meet the challenges, research has been actively carried out to develop integrated decision support systems (IDSS). This paper reviews the current research efforts with regard to the development of IDSS. The focus of the paper is on the integration aspect for IDSS through multiple perspectives, and the technologies that support this integration. More than 100 papers and software systems are discussed. Current research efforts and the development status of IDSS are explained, compared and classified. In addition, future trends and challenges in integration are outlined. The paper concludes that by addressing integration, better support will be provided to decision makers, with the expectation of both better decisions and improved decision making processes

Agent-based modeling: a systematic assessment of use cases and requirements for enhancing pharmaceutical research and development productivity.

A crisis continues to brew within the pharmaceutical research and development (R&D) enterprise: productivity continues declining as costs rise, despite ongoing, often dramatic scientific and technical advances. To reverse this trend, we offer various suggestions for both the expansion and broader adoption of modeling and simulation (M&S) methods. We suggest strategies and scenarios intended to enable new M&S use cases that directly engage R&D knowledge generation and build actionable mechanistic insight, thereby opening the door to enhanced productivity. What M&S requirements must be satisfied to access and open the door, and begin reversing the productivity decline? Can current methods and tools fulfill the requirements, or are new methods necessary? We draw on the relevant, recent literature to provide and explore answers. In so doing, we identify essential, key roles for agent-based and other methods. We assemble a list of requirements necessary for M&S to meet the diverse needs distilled from a collection of research, review, and opinion articles. We argue that to realize its full potential, M&S should be actualized within a larger information technology framework--a dynamic knowledge repository--wherein models of various types execute, evolve, and increase in accuracy over time. We offer some details of the issues that must be addressed for such a repository to accrue the capabilities needed to reverse the productivity decline

Role and Discipline Relationships in a Transdisciplinary Biomedical Team: Structuration, Values Override and Context Scaffolding

Though accepted that "team science" is needed to tackle and conquer the health problems that are plaguing our society significant empirical evidence of team mechanisms and functional dynamics is still lacking in abundance. Through grounded methods the relationship between scientific disciplines and team roles was observed in a United States National Institutes of Health-funded (NIH) research consortium. Interviews and the Organizational Culture Assessment Instrument (OCAI) were employed.. Findings show strong role and discipline idiosyncrasies that when viewed separately provide different insights into team functioning and change receptivity. When considered simultaneously, value-latent characteristics emerged showing self-perceived contributions to the team. This micro/meso analysis suggests that individual participation in team level interactions can inform the structuration of roles and disciplines in an attempt to tackle macro level problems.Comment: Presented at COINs13 Conference, Chile, 2013 (arxiv:1308.1028

Clinical proteomics for precision medicine: the bladder cancer case

Precision medicine can improve patient management by guiding therapeutic decision based on molecular characteristics. The concept has been extensively addressed through the application of –omics based approaches. Proteomics attract high interest, as proteins reflect a “real-time” dynamic molecular phenotype. Focusing on proteomics applications for personalized medicine, a literature search was conducted to cover: a) disease prevention, b) monitoring/ prediction of treatment response, c) stratification to guide intervention and d) identification of drug targets. The review indicates the potential of proteomics for personalized medicine by also highlighting multiple challenges to be addressed prior to actual implementation. In oncology, particularly bladder cancer, application of precision medicine appears especially promising. The high heterogeneity and recurrence rates together with the limited treatment options, suggests that earlier and more efficient intervention, continuous monitoring and the development of alternative therapies could be accomplished by applying proteomics-guided personalized approaches. This notion is backed by studies presenting biomarkers that are of value in patient stratification and prognosis, and by recent studies demonstrating the identification of promising therapeutic targets. Herein, we aim to present an approach whereby combining the knowledge on biomarkers and therapeutic targets in bladder cancer could serve as basis towards proteomics- guided personalized patient management

Theorizing healthy settings: a critical discussion with reference to Healthy Universities

The settings approach appreciates that health determinants operate in settings of everyday life. Whilst subject to conceptual development, we argue that the approach lacks a clear and coherent theoretical framework to steer policy, practice and research. Aims: To identify what theories and conceptual models have been used in relation to the implementation and evaluation of Healthy Universities. Methods: A scoping literature review was undertaken between 2010-2013, identifying 26 papers that met inclusion criteria. Findings: Seven theoretical perspectives or conceptual frameworks were identified: the Ottawa Charter; a socio-ecological approach (which implicitly drew on sociological theories concerning structure and agency); salutogenesis; systems thinking; whole system change; organisational development; and a framework proposed by Dooris. These were used to address interrelated questions on the nature of a setting, how health is created in a setting, why the settings approach is a useful means of promoting health, and how health promotion can be introduced into and embedded within a setting. Conclusion: Although distinctive, the example of Healthy Universities drew on common theoretical perspectives that have infused the settings discourse more generally. This engagement with theory was at times well-developed and at other times a passing reference. The paper concludes by pointing to other theories that offer value to healthy settings practice and research and by arguing that theorisation has a key role to play in understanding the complexity of settings and guiding the planning, implementation and evaluation of programmes

Knowledge-Intensive Processes: Characteristics, Requirements and Analysis of Contemporary Approaches

Engineering of knowledge-intensive processes (KiPs) is far from being mastered, since they are genuinely knowledge- and data-centric, and require substantial flexibility, at both design- and run-time. In this work, starting from a scientific literature analysis in the area of KiPs and from three real-world domains and application scenarios, we provide a precise characterization of KiPs. Furthermore, we devise some general requirements related to KiPs management and execution. Such requirements contribute to the definition of an evaluation framework to assess current system support for KiPs. To this end, we present a critical analysis on a number of existing process-oriented approaches by discussing their efficacy against the requirements