Clinical decision support systems (CDSS) and the Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS) have been adopted by large healthcare organization to support stroke diagnosis to reduce the level of misdiagnosis occurrence. This research presents a methodology for constructing a stroke decision support system (Stroke DSS) which integrates basic information, physical and image stroke assessment criterions, constructs ischemic, hemorrhage and subarachnoid hemorrhage of stroke diagnosis flow. A prototype embedded methodology was built to support stroke diagnosis in healthcare organization. Using a design science approach, we embed the constructs of our methodology in a prototype and perform a usability evaluation to demonstrate the utility of our approach. The usability evaluation demonstrates the effectiveness of our approach in terms of efficiency, effectiveness and satisfaction. The resulting system allowed flexible knowledge model and representation that are useful for stroke diagnosis.

The business environment nowadays becomes much more dynamically and tensely than the past driven by the trend of globalization and free trading. Therefore, any enterprise in the world has to face competition from everywhere in the world. Under such complicated business environment, it¡¦s dangerous to make decision based on past experience or instinct. If some key message is missed or not collected, a disaster caused by logical decision, but far away from the reality might just happen. In last couple decades, software providers launched DSS(Decision Support System), BI(Business Intelligence), ¡K, etc. based on current enterprise IT infrastructure like ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning), MRPII(Manufacturing Resource Planning), ¡K, etc. to help enterprise for decision making. However, such systems are not popular in Taiwan, not to mention the successful stories. While I studied the lesson ¡§information technology and competitive advantage¡¨ conducted by Profession Kuo, I concluded from classmates¡¦ discussion that the root causes were as follows. 1. Most Taiwan manufacturers¡¦ strategy is to launch product at lower cost to allow them to win business via price war. Therefore, they are willing to invest tangible hardware, not intangible software. 2. The branches of international companies can¡¦t develop their own information system due to Corporate policy or security concern. Based on above mentioned, I started thinking if we could have a BI system that doesn¡¦t need to spend money, is easy to implement, and no need for Corporate approval. Such BI system could help management to retrieve effective and enough information for precise decision making. After evaluation, I think Microsoft Excel spreadsheet software is the most suitable solution. It¡¦s because almost all enterprises have it, it can contain 1M units of data in a file, and useful tools of macro, pivot table, sorting, filtering, VBA(Visual Basic for Application). Furthermore, the nature of spreadsheet is similar to database structure, so it can be easily integrated with database like SQL database, Microsoft Access. Thanks to Profession Kuo¡¦s coaching, I started doing research, and studied necessary tool like VBA, ¡K, etc. to warm up for this thesis. After months, I finally finish it, and I hope it can contribute to the ones that have similar problem with me.

The planning and scheduling requirement of industry can not be satisfied by traditional scheduling systems. Companies need to put extra human resource to fix the result made by these systems. The main reason is an improper assumption of infinite capacity adopted by these scheduling systems. In order to improve the scheduling result, this research refers plastic injection industry¡¦s characters to implement a decision support system. The decision support system integrates Forward Finite Loading and Constraint Directed into our algorithm in order to minimize the increase in total cost, and raise the capacity balance between machines .According to the result of the practical research, we can prove this decision support system is more effective and efficiency than the traditional scheduling method.

Ashe Juniper encroachment onto privately owned rangelands in Central Texas has resulted in significant degradation of the ecological condition of these lands, and a subsequent public concern for the hydrologic function, wildlife habitat, and livestock production these historically predominant grasslands provide. The result has been an interest and public investment in land restoration programs such as the removal and management of brush via landowner cost-share. Implementation of a publicly funded land restoration program requires the allocation of millions of dollars of public funds on private lands over large geographic areas that represent hundreds of landowners with varying property management objectives, tract sizes, ecological conditions, and geologic characteristics. This study describes the development, accuracy, and application of a decision support geographic information system (DSGIS) for land restoration programs in the Leon, Lampasas, and Bosque River watersheds in the Brazos River basin of Central Texas. The spatially referenced data layers and associated database within the DSGIS provide the capability to assemble site specific information including vegetation cover, endangered species habitat, landowners, ecological sites, elevation and slope, hydrologic characteristics, and political boundaries to support policy and implementation decisions for Ashe Juniper (Juniperus ashei) brush control and management and goldencheeked warbler (Dendroica chrysoparia) habitat restoration programs. The goldencheeked warbler is a federally listed endangered species with a breeding range limited to the oak-juniper woodlands of Central Texas. The data layers were developed with the support of ongoing research from the Leon River Restoration Project (LRRP) in Coryell and Hamilton counties. One hundred and eighty-eight (188) sub-watersheds were delineated within the project area and prioritized for implementation of an Ashe Juniper brush control program and a golden-cheeked warbler habitat restoration program. Costs associated with the clearing and stacking of Ashe Juniper were estimated for selected subwatersheds based on projected landowner participation and an analysis of actual costs from the LRRP. Sub-watersheds were targeted for the implementation of an Ashe Juniper brush control and golden-cheeked warbler habitat management program in Bosque, Coryell, Lampasas, Bell, and Burnet counties. Detailed tables were also developed to document the density and quantity of pertinent layer attributes within each of the 188 sub-watersheds.

This thesis was aimed at the development of a Geographical Information System (GIS) based model to support the Rwanda Land Use and Development Master Plan. Developing sustainable land management is the main task of this master plan. Stakeholder’s involvement was of key importance. Their demands should be analysed and visualised to support discussions and the decision-making process. Spatial Multicriteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) is a proven method for land-use planning purposes. However, most land-use planning applications focus on a specific theme, such as urban development. In addition, land-use planning is often limited to a relatively small area. This thesis focused at the development of a countrywide GIS model, containing all land-uses accommodated in three main land-use categories: urban, agriculture and conservation. The GIS model was largely based on the Land-Use Conflict Identification Strategy (LUCIS) model. Many of the goals, objectives, and subobjectives that described the earlier mentioned land-use categories were adopted from the original model. However, a significant number of them were dropped, and new were created to suit the Rwandan situation. Stakeholder’s involvement was realized by assigning weights to the goals and preference maps. The Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) was used as weighting method. ESRI’s ArcGIS ModelBuilder was used to give the model shape in the GIS. Firstly, suitability maps were created of all elements in the model. The suitability maps were then transformed into preference maps by weighting them. In the next step the preference maps were collapsed in three classes: low, medium and high preference. Finally, the preference maps of the three land-use categories were combined, in order to visualize conflict areas. Ortho photos proved to be useful when acting as reference for the suitability and preference maps. Despite a large number of missing datasets, the GIS model was executed to simplify the understanding. However, many of the obtained results were unreliable because of the incompleteness of datasets, and can therefore not be used for decision-making.  Unfortunately, due to the stage of the project it was not possible to obtain weights from the stakeholders, and should therefore be done when the time is right. Right Choice DSS, a very user-friendly decision support application, was proposed to use for calculating weights. To conclude, the developed GIS model integrated countrywide land-use suitability mapping and stakeholders’ wishes that can be used for discussions and decision making.

Managing groundwater can be difficult because there is no common perspective among stakeholders about what they wish for their desired future conditions (DFCs) for Texas' aquifers. Conflicts over how to manage aquifers, whether to mine or sustain groundwater levels are complicated by diverse state and local approaches. This dissertation proposes a decision support method to derive acceptable future aquifer conditions through engaging stakeholders by combining five processes: landowner surveys, stakeholder and decision maker focus groups, contingent valuation, system element identification and scenario-testing. Surveys of water users identified conflicts among water users and decision makers' preferences. For example, how much is groundwater worth in Texas? Responses to two survey questions revealed a willingness to buy groundwater for an average of $2,872 per acre-foot. Most landowners most did not want to sell groundwater at any cost. Those willing to sell revealed an average of $4,069 per acre-foot. A survey of landowners and decision makers indicated that 41 percent of landowners indicated that no new users be issued permits to support stable Trinity Aquifer groundwater levels. Meanwhile, the decision makers chose a DFC of a 30 foot drawdown in the Trinity Aquifer over 50 years. Stakeholder surveys identified the 'best groundwater decision makers' as being the stakeholders or well owners, yet 75 percent of the decision makers preferred the groundwater conservation district board presidents. This suggests that stakeholders would prefer to be the decision makers rather than being asked for their preferences. One decision-maker focus group identified 12 elements representing their understanding of the DFC process. These elements form a system information diagram or preference map. Such a map can help identify alternative pathways for solving problems in the decision process. These complexities remain challenging as Texas moves toward more local regulatory control, more competing interests, and less certainty about Texas' future groundwater supply. / text

With an abundant average precipitation rate, Vietnam could be considered water-reach country. Unfortunately, the non-uniform spatial and temporal distribution of rainfall, coupled with a demographic and industrial development polarized on the two major river deltas, it makes the water resources extremely vulnerable. As consequence, severe depletions of groundwater table are reported all over the country, often in the range of 1-2 m per year and more. The subsequent land subsidence is just one of the drawbacks, another being the increasing salinity of coastal aquifers as sea water level continues to rise. Under these conditions, the natural groundwater replenishment alone is not anymore able to provide for a safe water supply, different studies indicating that the groundwater exploitation in major urban agglomerations like Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City already passed the sustainability level. The solution presented in this paper implies making use of engineered methods for enhancing the natural groundwater recharge rates by enabling better percolation rates of surface water into subsurface and thus optimizing the regional water cycle. The method known as ‘managed aquifer recharge’ (MAR) is introduced, together with general guidelines and tools for planning of MAR schemes, such as the newly web-based decision support system INOWAS_DSS. / Với tốc độ lượng mưa trung bình dồi dào, Việt Nam có thể được coi là quốc gia có nguồn nước trong tầm tay. Thật không may, sự phân bố không gian và thời gian không đồng đều của lượng mưa, cùng với sự phát triển dân số và công nghiệp phân cực trên hai vùng châu thổ sông lớn làm cho các nguồn nước rất dễ bị tổn thương. Vì vậy, sự suy giảm nước ngầm nghiêm trọng được báo cáo trên khắp đất nước, thường mỗi năm giảm 1-2 m và nhiều hơn nữa. Hiện tượng sụt lún đất xảy ra sau đó chỉ là một trong những hạn chế, mặt khác là độ mặn ngày càng tăng của các tầng chứa nước ven biển do mực nước biển tiếp tục tăng. Dưới những điều kiện này, việc bổ sung nước ngầm tự nhiên đơn thuần không còn có thể cung ứng cho một nguồn cấp nước sạch an toàn. Các nghiên cứu khác nhau cho thấy rằng việc khai thác nước ngầm tại các đô thị lớn như Hà Nội hay thành phố Hồ Chí Minh đã vượt qua mức độ bền vững. Giải pháp được trình bày trong bài báo này gợi ý việc sử dụng các phương pháp thiết kế để nâng cao tỷ lệ tái nạp nước ngầm tự nhiên bằng cách cho phép tỷ lệ thẩm thấu tốt hơn nước mặt vào dưới bề mặt và do đó tối ưu hóa chu trình nước trong khu vực. Phương pháp được gọi là 'tái nạp nước ngầm có quản lý (MAR) được giới thiệu, cùng với các hướng dẫn chung và các công cụ để lập kế hoạch đề án MAR, ví dụ như hệ thống mớihỗ trợ quyết định dựa trên kết nối mạng INOWAS_DSS.

New and growing demands to finite and fully allocated water resources in the semi-arid southwestern United States mean that existing water resources must be managed with increasing efficiency to minimize shortages and associated social conflict. Computer based simulations can provide a powerful tool to aid in policy related decisions. This dissertation describes the development of a simulation model of the Rio Grande surface water and groundwater system for use in scenario evaluation. The primary model goal is to integrate cross disciplinary science at a basin scale, and make it easily accessible to a wide range of stakeholders. To achieve this at a river basin scale, three existing groundwater models and one surface water model were simplified and combined in a system dynamics framework using the commercial software package Powersim Studio 2005. To this physical model, a simple human behavioral model and user interface was added. The resulting scenario evaluation tool runs 40 year simulations on a laptop computer in tens of seconds, with inputs that are easily changed by non-expert users via a graphic, user friendly interface.

The dissertation dwells on the process of construction and housing negotiations. The topic’s relevancy is determined by the need to analyse construction and housing negotiations because this area received insufficient attention in research related to the civil engineering discipline of technological sciences in the context of the development of knowledge society. The main research objects are the negotiation process, the decision-making process, stakeholders who make decisions in the negotiation process and the micro and macrolevel environment in its entirety. The thesis deals with several main objectives: review of scientific research on negotiations in various countries worldwide; creation of the conceptual model for multiple criteria analysis of the housing quality and price equilibrium negotiation; development of the web-based decision support system for the housing quality and price equilibrium negotiations using multiple criteria analysis methods in decision-making; presentation of a practical implementation example; and description of the research on voice stress analysis in housing negotiations. The dissertation includes an introduction, four chapters, general conclusions, a list of literature and two annexes. Chapter 1 provides a detailed analysis of research and achievements of Lithuanian and foreign scientists in scientific areas dealing with negotiations and negotiation decision-support systems. Chapter 2, which is based on the analysis of scientific research and... [to full text] / Disertacijoje nagrinėjamas statybos ir jos produkcijos – būsto pirkimo-pardavimo derybų procesas. Temos aktualumą nulemia žinių visuomenės plėtros ir statybos sektoriaus derybų, kaip technologijos mokslų statybos inžinerijos kryptyje iki šiol mažai tyrinėtos srities, analizės poreikis. Pagrindiniai tyrimo objektai yra būstas, derybos dėl būsto pirkimo-pardavimo, sprendimų priėmimo procesas, derybų procese dalyvaujančios sprendimus priimančios grupės, mikro- ir makrolygmens aplinka kaip visuma. Darbe sprendžiami keli pagrindiniai tikslai ir uždaviniai: įvairių pasaulio šalių mokslininkų tyrimų derybų srityje apžvalgos atlikimas; būsto kainos ir kokybės pusiausvyros derybų daugiakriterinės analizės koncepcinio modelio sudarymas; būsto kainos ir kokybės pusiausvyros derybų internetinės sprendimų paramos sistemos sukūrimas, sprendimų priėmimui pasitelkiant daugiakriterinės analizės metodus; praktinio realizavimo pavyzdžio pateikimas; aprašomas atliktas būsto pardavėjų balso tyrimas. Disertaciją sudaro įvadas, keturi skyriai, bendrosios išvados, literatūros šaltinių sąrašas ir du priedai. Pirmame skyriuje detaliai analizuojami Lietuvos ir užsienio šalių mokslininkų tyrimai ir pasiekimai derybas bei derybų sprendimų paramos sistemas tiriančių mokslų srityse. Antrame skyriuje, remiantis pirmame skyriuje atlikta mokslinių tyrimų analize ir pasiekimais, išsamiai aprašomas sukurtas būsto kainos ir kokybės pusiausvyros derybų daugiakriterinės analizės koncepcinis modelis. Trečias... [toliau žr. visą tekstą]

Disertacijoje nagrinėjamas statybos ir jos produkcijos – būsto pirkimo-pardavimo derybų procesas. Temos aktualumą nulemia žinių visuomenės plėtros ir statybos sektoriaus derybų, kaip technologijos mokslų statybos inžinerijos kryptyje iki šiol mažai tyrinėtos srities, analizės poreikis. Pagrindiniai tyrimo objektai yra būstas, derybos dėl būsto pirkimo-pardavimo, sprendimų priėmimo procesas, derybų procese dalyvaujančios sprendimus priimančios grupės, mikro- ir makrolygmens aplinka kaip visuma. Darbe sprendžiami keli pagrindiniai tikslai ir uždaviniai: įvairių pasaulio šalių mokslininkų tyrimų derybų srityje apžvalgos atlikimas; būsto kainos ir kokybės pusiausvyros derybų daugiakriterinės analizės koncepcinio modelio sudarymas; būsto kainos ir kokybės pusiausvyros derybų internetinės sprendimų paramos sistemos sukūrimas, sprendimų priėmimui pasitelkiant daugiakriterinės analizės metodus; praktinio realizavimo pavyzdžio pateikimas; aprašomas atliktas būsto pardavėjų balso tyrimas. Disertaciją sudaro įvadas, keturi skyriai, bendrosios išvados, literatūros šaltinių sąrašas ir du priedai. Pirmame skyriuje detaliai analizuojami Lietuvos ir užsienio šalių mokslininkų tyrimai ir pasiekimai derybas bei derybų sprendimų paramos sistemas tiriančių mokslų srityse. Antrame skyriuje, remiantis pirmame skyriuje atlikta mokslinių tyrimų analize ir pasiekimais, išsamiai aprašomas sukurtas būsto kainos ir kokybės pusiausvyros derybų daugiakriterinės analizės koncepcinis modelis. Trečias... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / The dissertation dwells on the process of construction and housing negotiations. The topic’s relevancy is determined by the need to analyse construction and housing negotiations because this area received insufficient attention in research related to the civil engineering discipline of technological sciences in the context of the development of knowledge society. The main research objects are the negotiation process, the decision-making process, stakeholders who make decisions in the negotiation process and the micro and macrolevel environment in its entirety. The thesis deals with several main objectives: review of scientific research on negotiations in various countries worldwide; creation of the conceptual model for multiple criteria analysis of the housing quality and price equilibrium negotiation; development of the web-based decision support system for the housing quality and price equilibrium negotiations using multiple criteria analysis methods in decision-making; presentation of a practical implementation example; and description of the research on voice stress analysis in housing negotiations. The dissertation includes an introduction, four chapters, general conclusions, a list of literature and two annexes. Chapter 1 provides a detailed analysis of research and achievements of Lithuanian and foreign scientists in scientific areas dealing with negotiations and negotiation decision-support systems. Chapter 2, which is based on the analysis of scientific research... [to full text]