Terms such as ‘adaptive’ and ‘evolutionary’ capture the organic nature of the development of a decision support system (DSS). However, they are rarely defined in DSS research and their meaning varies widely in the research literature. The aim of this paper is to contribute to decision support systems theory by clarifying the nature of the evolutionary process of a DSS. Using insight from the th...

BACKGROUND Several animal models for human ulcerative colitis (UC) associated neoplasia have been reported. However, most neoplasias developed in these models have morphological and genetic characteristics different from UC associated neoplasia. AIMS To establish a new colitis associated neoplasia model in p53 deficient mice by treatment with dextran sulphate sodium (DSS). METHODS DSS colit...

This paper illustrates an evaluation methodology for DSS software selection. The methodology incorporates three stages: 1) DSS software screening; 2) generator evaluation; and, 3) specific DSS design. Initially, developing a short list through screening of DSS software determines whether an appropriate package exists and narrows the field of available generator products for detailed considerati...

The purpose of this chapter is to discuss how characteristics of a decision support system (DSS) interact with characteristics of a task to affect DSS use and decision performance. This discussion is based on the motivational framework developed by Chan (2005) and the studies conducted by Chan (2009) and Chan et al. (2009). The key constructs in the motivational framework include task motivatio...

Pathogenic mechanisms responsible for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are poorly understood. In an IBD animal model, the oral administration of polysaccharides such as dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) induces colitis, which exhibit several clinical and histological features for IBD. However, pathogenic factors in the development of colitis remain unclear. Therefore, we investigated possible mechan...

Butyrate is recognised as efficient in healing colonic inflammation, but cannot be used as a long-term treatment. Dietary fibre that produces a high-butyrate level when fermented represents a promising alternative. We hypothesised that different types of dietary fibre do not have the same efficiency of healing and that this could be correlated to their fermentation characteristics. We compared ...

BACKGROUND The Department of Veterans Affairs is adopting the Decision Support System (DSS), computer software and databases which include a cost-accounting system which determines the cost of health care products and patient encounters. OBJECTIVES A system for providing cost data for cost-effectiveness analysis should be provide valid, detailed, and comprehensive data that can be aggregated....