Simplifying the selection of evidence synthesis methods to inform environmental decisions: A guide for decision makers and scientists

Decision problems are usually complex and involve evaluation of several conflicting criteria (parameters). Multi Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) is a promising field that considers the parallel influence of all criteria and aims at helping decision makers in expressing their preferences, over a set of predefined alternatives, on the basis of criteria (parameters) that are contradictory in nature. The Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) is a useful and widespread MCDM tool for solving such type of problems, as it allows the incorporation of conflicting objectives and decision makers preferences in the decision making. The AHP utilizes the concept of pair wise comparison to find the order of criteria (parameters) and alternatives. The comparison in a pairwise manner becomes quite tedious and complex for problems having eight alternatives or more, thereby, limiting the application of AHP. This paper presents a soft hierarchical process approach based on soft set decision making which eliminates the least promising candidate alternatives and selects the optimum(potential) ones that results in the significant reduction in the number of pairwise comparisons necessary for the selection of the best alternative using AHP, giving the approach a more realistic view. A supplier selection problem is used to illustrate the proposed approach.

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Qualitative Evidence Synthesis: Where Are We at?

International Journal of Qualitative Methods ◽

10.1177/1609406921993276 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 20 ◽

pp. 160940692199327

Author(s):

Kate Flemming ◽

Jane Noyes

Keyword(s):

Qualitative Research ◽

Systematic Reviews ◽

Evidence Synthesis ◽

Synthesis Methods ◽

Qualitative Evidence Synthesis ◽

Policy Makers ◽

Qualitative Evidence ◽

Health And Social Care ◽

Method Paper ◽

Increasing Demand

Qualitative evidence syntheses (QES) have increased in prominence and profile over the last decade as a discrete set of methodologies to undertake systematic reviews of primary qualitative research in health and social care and in education. The findings from a qualitative evidence synthesis can enable a richer interpretation of a particular phenomenon, set of circumstances, or experiences than single primary qualitative research studies can achieve. Qualitative evidence synthesis methods were developed in response to an increasing demand from health and social professionals, policy makers, guideline developers and educationalists for review evidence that goes beyond “what works” afforded by systematic reviews of effectiveness. The increasing interest in the synthesis of qualitative research has led to methodological developments documented across a plethora of texts and journal articles. This “State of the Method” paper aims to bring together these methodological developments in one place, contextualizing advances in methods with exemplars to support readers in making choices in approach to a synthesis and aid understanding. The paper clarifies what a “qualitative evidence synthesis” is and explores its role, purpose and development. It details the kind of questions a QES can explore, the processes associated with a QES, including the methods for synthesis. The rational and methods for integrating a QES with systematic reviews of effectiveness are also detailed. Finally approaches reporting and recognition of what a “good” or rigorous QES look like are provided.

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OP179 Quantitative Evidence Synthesis Methods For Assessing The Effectiveness Of Treatment Sequences For Clinical And Economic Decision-Making: Methodology Review

International Journal of Technology Assessment in Health Care ◽

10.1017/s0266462321000738 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 37 (S1) ◽

pp. 4-4

Author(s):

Ruth Lewis ◽

Dyfrig Hughes ◽

Alex Sutton ◽

Clare Wilkinson

Keyword(s):

Decision Making ◽

Chronic Conditions ◽

Evidence Synthesis ◽

Policy Decision ◽

Clinical Effectiveness ◽

Synthesis Methods ◽

Economic Decision Making ◽

Treatment Sequencing ◽

Policy Decision Making ◽

Treatment Sequences

IntroductionThe sequential use of alternative treatments for chronic conditions represents a complex, dynamic intervention pathway; previous treatment and patient characteristics affect both choice and effectiveness of subsequent treatments. Evidence synthesis methods that produce the least biased estimates of treatment-sequencing effects are required to inform reliable clinical and policy decision-making. A comprehensive review was conducted to establish what existing methods are available, outline the assumptions they make, and identify their shortcomings.MethodsThe review encompassed both meta-analytic techniques and decision-analytic modelling, any disease condition, and any type of treatment sequence, but not diagnostic tests, screening, or treatment monitoring. It focused on the estimation of clinical effectiveness and did not consider the impact of treatment sequencing on the estimation of costs or utility values.ResultsThe review included ninety-one studies. Treatment-sequencing is usually dealt with at the decision-modelling stage and is rarely addressed using evidence synthesis methodology for clinical effectiveness. Most meta-analyses are of discrete treatments, sometimes stratified by line of therapy. Prospective sequencing trials are scarce. In their absence, there is no single best way to evaluate treatment sequences, rather there is a range of approaches, each of which has advantages and disadvantages and is influenced by the evidence available and the decision problem. Due to the scarcity of data on sequential treatments, modelling studies generally apply simplifying assumptions to data on discrete treatments. A taxonomy for all possible assumptions was developed, providing a unique resource to aid the critique of decision-analytic models.ConclusionsThe evolution of network meta-analysis in HTA demonstrates that clinical and policy decision-making should account for the multiple treatments available for many chronic conditions. However, treatment-sequencing has yet to be accounted for within clinical evaluations. Economic modelling is often based on the simplifying assumption of treatment independence. This can lead to misrepresentation of the true level of uncertainty, potential bias in estimating the effectiveness and cost effectiveness of treatments and, eventually, the wrong decision.

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GIS Based Multi-Criteria decision support system and machine learning for Hospital Site Selection case study Oran - Algeria

International Journal of Software Science and Computational Intelligence ◽

10.4018/ijssci.285592 ◽

2022 ◽

Vol 14 (1) ◽

pp. 0-0

Keyword(s):

Site Selection ◽

Decision Makers ◽

Analysis Method ◽

Automatic Learning ◽

Hospital Site ◽

Set Up ◽

High Level ◽

Selection Of ◽

The Ideal

The selection of hospital sites is one of the most important choice a decision maker has to take so as to resist the pandemic. The decision may considerably affect the outbreak transmission in terms of efficiency , budget, etc. The main targeted objective of this study is to find the ideal location where to set up a hospital in the willaya of Oran Alg. For this reason, we have used a geographic information system coupled to the multi-criteria analysis method AHP in order to evaluate diverse criteria of physiological positioning , environmental and economical. Another objective of this study is to evaluate the advanced techniques of the automatic learning . the method of the random forest (RF) for the patterning of the hospital site selection in the willaya of Oran. The result of our study may be useful to decision makers to know the suitability of the sites as it provides a high level of confidence and consequently accelerate the power to control the COVID19 pandemic.

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CogTale: An online platform for the evaluation, synthesis and dissemination of evidence from cognitive interventions studies

10.21203/rs.3.rs-39520/v2 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Julieta Sabates ◽

Sylvie Belleville ◽

Mary Castellani ◽

Tzvi Dwolatsky ◽

Benjamin M. Hampstead ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systematic Reviews ◽

Intervention Studies ◽

Evidence Synthesis ◽

Research Synthesis ◽

Cognitive Intervention ◽

Synthesis Methods ◽

Data Synthesis ◽

Advanced Search ◽

Health Related ◽

Meta Analyses

Abstract Systematic reviews and meta-analyses are critical in health-related decision making, and are considered the gold standard in research synthesis methods. However, with new trials being regularly published and with the development of increasingly rigorous standards of data synthesis, systematic reviews often require much expertise and long periods of time to be completed. Automation of some of the steps of evidence synthesis productions is a promising improvement in the field, capable of reducing the time and costs associated with the process. This article describes the development and main characteristics of a novel online repository of cognitive intervention studies entitled Cognitive Treatments Article Library and Evaluation (CogTale). The platform is currently in a Beta Release phase, as it is still under development. However, it already contains over 70 studies, and the CogTale team is continuously coding and uploading new studies into the repository. Key features include advanced search options, the capability to generate meta-analyses, and an up-to-date display of relevant published studies.

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Implementasi Metode Electre Dalam Penentuan Karyawan Berprestasi (Studi Kasus: PT. MEGARIMAS SENTOSA)

Jurasik (Jurnal Riset Sistem Informasi dan Teknik Informatika) ◽

10.30645/jurasik.v3i0.64 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 3 ◽

pp. 32

Author(s):

Mesran Mesran ◽

Selpi Anita ◽

Ronda Deli Sianturi

Keyword(s):

Decision Support ◽

Decision Support System ◽

Human Resources ◽

Support System ◽

Decision Makers ◽

Electre Method ◽

The Right ◽

Assessment Result ◽

Selection Of

One of the important things that an employee must have is not separated from the performance of an employee. For the effectiveness of human resources work in the assessment of the right decision is needed. Therefore, the software is made that can take a decision to recommend employee achievement for PT. Megariamas Sentosa. The software is built on the basis of a decision support system that has the ability to select outstanding employees using the ELECTRE method. This Electre method has criteria that can determine alternative decisions in application in the software. So that decision makers can determine the selection of outstanding employees. The process in this Electre method compares employees with one employee to another and gives out put value of priority intensity in the form of the assessment result / criteria that has been specified by the company to the employee. The result of this process is recommended as an outstanding employee in PT. Megaria Mas Sentosa.

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Evaluation and Selection of Nigerian Third-Party Logistics Service Providers Using Multi-Criteria Decision Models

LOGI – Scientific Journal on Transport and Logistics ◽

10.2478/logi-2021-0013 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

pp. 135-146

Author(s):

E.A. Ejem ◽

C.M. Uka ◽

D.N. Dike ◽

C.C. Ikeogu ◽

C.C. Igboanusi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Service Providers ◽

Service Level ◽

Decision Makers ◽

Third Party ◽

Decision Models ◽

Third Party Logistics ◽

Logistics Service ◽

Logistics Service Providers ◽

Selection Of

Abstract This paper is focused on solving the evaluation and selection of 3PL’s by applying multi-criteria decision-making methods. Nigerian Breweries, Nigerian Bottling Company (NBC), AG Leventis, Kobo logistics, and Flour Mills of Nigeria (FMN) were understudied. The main criteria on which evaluation is based were established: Cost, Service level, Financial Capability, Reputation and Long-term relationship. A combination of two quantitative models was adopted in the study. Relevant data were collected through an oral interview with managers and key decision-makers at the companies. SWARA was first applied to the collated data to determine the relative weights of the criteria. Afterwards, the TOPSIS was applied to the weights developed using SWARA and on the performance of the selected service providers. After the analysis, the best service provider was identified as supplier 2 while the worst was supplier 5.

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Identifying stroke therapeutics from preclinical models: A protocol for a novel application of network meta-analysis

F1000Research ◽

10.12688/f1000research.15869.1 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 8 ◽

pp. 11 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Manoj M. Lalu ◽

Dean A. Fergusson ◽

Wei Cheng ◽

Marc T. Avey ◽

Dale Corbett ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Ischemic Stroke ◽

Burden Of Illness ◽

Evidence Synthesis ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Synthesis Methods ◽

Preclinical Models ◽

Ovid Medline ◽

Scientific Meetings ◽

Ischemia Testing

Introduction: Globally, stroke is the second leading cause of death. Despite the burden of illness and death, few acute interventions are available to patients with ischemic stroke. Over 1,000 potential neuroprotective therapeutics have been evaluated in preclinical models. It is important to use robust evidence synthesis methods to appropriately assess which therapies should be translated to the clinical setting for evaluation in human studies. This protocol details planned methods to conduct a systematic review to identify and appraise eligible studies and to use a network meta-analysis to synthesize available evidence to answer the following questions: in preclinical in vivo models of focal ischemic stroke, what are the relative benefits of competing therapies tested in combination with the gold standard treatment alteplase in (i) reducing cerebral infarction size, and (ii) improving neurobehavioural outcomes? Methods: We will search Ovid Medline and Embase for articles on the effects of combination therapies with alteplase. Controlled comparison studies of preclinical in vivo models of experimentally induced focal ischemia testing the efficacy of therapies with alteplase versus alteplase alone will be identified. Outcomes to be extracted include infarct size (primary outcome) and neurobehavioural measures. Risk of bias and construct validity will be assessed using tools appropriate for preclinical studies. Here we describe steps undertaken to perform preclinical network meta-analysis to synthesise all evidence for each outcome and obtain a comprehensive ranking of all treatments. This will be a novel use of this evidence synthesis approach in stroke medicine to assess pre-clinical therapeutics. Combining all evidence to simultaneously compare mutliple therapuetics tested preclinically may provide a rationale for the clinical translation of therapeutics for patients with ischemic stroke. Dissemination: Review findings will be submitted to a peer-reviewed journal and presented at relevant scientific meetings to promote knowledge transfer. Registration: PROSPERO number to be submitted following peer review.

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Multi-Objective Pharmaceutical Portfolio Optimization under Uncertainty of Cost and Return

Mathematics ◽

10.3390/math9182339 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (18) ◽

pp. 2339

Author(s):

Mahboubeh Farid ◽

Hampus Hallman ◽

Mikael Palmblad ◽

Johannes Vänngård

Keyword(s):

Portfolio Optimization ◽

Decision Makers ◽

Optimization Under Uncertainty ◽

Product Development Process ◽

Multi Objective ◽

Probability Of Success ◽

Low Probability ◽

Key Aspects ◽

The Cost ◽

Selection Of

This paper presents the study of multi-objective optimization of a pharmaceutical portfolio when both cost and return values are uncertain. Decision makers in the pharmaceutical industry encounter several challenges in deciding the optimal selection of drug projects for their portfolio since they have to consider several key aspects such as a long product-development process split into multiple phases, high cost and low probability of success. Additionally, the optimization often involves more than a single objective (goal) with a non-deterministic nature. The aim of the study is to develop a stochastic multi-objective approach in the frame of chance-constrained goal programming. The application of the results of this study allows pharmaceutical decision makers to handle two goals simultaneously, where one objective is to achieve a target return and another is to keep the cost within a finite annual budget. Finally, the numerical results for portfolio optimization are presented and discussed.

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Closed-Form Synthesis of Force-Generating Planar Four-Bar Linkages

Volume 1: 21st Design Automation Conference ◽

10.1115/detc1995-0111 ◽

1995 ◽

Author(s):

R. Randall Soper ◽

Michael Scardina ◽

Paul Tidwell ◽

Charles Reinholtz ◽

Michael A. Lo Presti

Keyword(s):

Closed Form ◽

The Other ◽

Design Parameters ◽

Synthesis Methods ◽

Function Generator ◽

Mechanical Advantage ◽

Nonlinear Mechanical ◽

Two Parameters ◽

Selection Of ◽

Weight Force

Abstract This paper presents a technique for synthesizing four-bar linkages to produce a specified resisting force or torque. The resisting energy is provided by a weight acting on the other grounded link. The linkage serves as a nonlinear mechanical advantage function generator. Force and velocity synthesis methods have been extensively discussed in the literature. The general approach, however, has been to assume that the specified force or velocity occurs at a prescribed position. This results in the loss of design parameters that are being used unnecessarily to control position. In this application, force input to the linkage is specified as a function of only the input link position and the magnitude and direction of the weight force. Mechanical advantage synthesis can be achieved at as many as seven precision points. The method presented in this paper allows free selection of two parameters and viewing one infinity of solutions.

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