Search

Objectives With the advent of new optical technologies, early pharyngolaryngeal cancerous lesions can be better visualized. Although the conventional transnasal approach offers great views of the hypopharynx and larynx, the visualization of the oropharynx and palatine tonsils is limited. Through the transoral insertion of a flexible video-laryngoscope, direct views of the oropharynx and oral cavity can be obtained. Thus, transoral examination may contribute to primary detection of cancers of unknown primary (CUP). Methods Eighty-five CUP patients from Tokai University were included retrospectively in this study, from 2006 to 2017. Starting in 2010, we employed the transoral examination in addition to our conventional method. The primary detection rates were compared before and after 2010. Oropharyngeal primaries were further analyzed for tumor subsite and p16 status. Results The overall primary detection rate did not improve with the addition of transoral examination. However, greater numbers of oropharyngeal primaries were detected. The oropharyngeal lesions detected by transoral examination were mainly p16 positive, located on the palatine tonsil. Conclusion Transoral examination is a noninvasive, easy method to adopt in an outpatient setting, and a promising technique to improve tumor detection in this era of human papillomavirus-associated head and neck cancers. Level of evidence 3.

Engineering and the manner in which engineers think is largely visual and functional, and yet engineers are typically provided with search engines that are text-based. While software based on a visual and functional ethos exist (CAD for example), when searching for information engineers are still required to enter a text query into a search box. This process holds potential incompatibilities both with the nature of the data (i.e. 3D models) and with the way in which engineers think and work. Consequentially, the proposition tested in this paper is that a model-based approach to information access, i.e. a representation of an organisations information around a model of an artefact i.e. CAD model, can improve engineering information retrieval.In an A-B test with a traditional text-based search engine, and using study questions derived from real-world information seeking scenarios based on the activities of a world-leading aircraft manufacturer, the results presented in this paper suggest that there is merit to such an approach.Specifically, this paper shows that there is no significant difference in time to complete a search between a model-based and text-based interfaces in spite of the addition of a new stage in the search process (navigating a 3D model); that the system structure of the model-based interface allows for non-text based documents to be indexed, making up for the inherent limitations in traditional text-based search; and that participants enjoy using the model-based interface and find it intuitive, easy and simple to use. Further, this paper also finds that those with more experience/familiar with the product structure and those in managerial positions are more likely to find information using a model-based interface that those who are not, who perform better using a text-based interface.

The properties of thermal networks are examined to understand the effective thermal conductivity of heterogeneous two-phase composite materials and systems. At conditions of high contrast in thermal conductivity of the individual phases (k1 and k2), where k1 &lt, &lt, k2 or k1 &gt, &gt, k2, the effective thermal conductivity of individual networks of the same composition was seen to be highly sensitive to the distribution of the phases and the presence of percolation paths across the network. However, when the contrast in thermal conductivities of the two phases was modest (k1/k2 ~ 10&minus, 2 to 102), the thermal networks were observed to exhibit an emergent response with a low variability in the effective thermal conductivity of mixtures of the same composition. A logarithmic mixing rule is presented to predict the network response in the low variability region. Excellent agreement between the model, mixing rule and experimental data is observed for a range two-phase porous and granular media. The modelling approach provides new insights into the design of multi-phase composites for thermal management applications and the interpretation or prediction of their heat transfer properties.

This paper contributes to a better understanding and design of dashboards for monitoring of engineering projects based on the projects’ digital footprint and user-centered design approach. The paper presents an explicit insight-based framework for the evaluation of dashboard visualisations and compares the performance of two groups of student engineering project managers against the framework: a group with the dashboard visualisations and a group without the dashboard. The results of our exploratory study demonstrate that student project managers who used the dashboard generated more useful information and exhibited more complex reasoning on the project progress, thus informing knowledge of the provision of information to engineers in support of their project understanding.

As whole body MRI (WB-MRI) gains currency, the data this class of technique generates presents new challenges for the imaging community. One acquisition protocol currently being applied with considerable success entails imaging the subject in a number of successive coronal sections, resulting in a high resolution, gap free, full body acquisition. However this technique often results in considerable greylevel offsets between adjacent coronal sections. To make the images suitable for the application of automated image analysis procedures these discontinuities in the grey data must be alleviated. We examine the issues related to this problem, and present a solution based on histogram rescaling, which is designed to correct for the non-uniformities while preserving the integrity of the data histogram so that it can be used robustly in later processing steps. The final datasets reconstructed from the resampled coronal sections exhibit superior greyscale homogeneity, visually and in statistical measures, and the image segmentation results achieved using this corrected data are consistently more robust and more accurate than those arrived at using the original raw data. The approach has been tested and successfully validated on a database of sixty two WB-MRI datasets.

The successful realization of the goal of Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) practice, to contain all project information in models, is predicated on the ability of the system model to represent the information needs of a broad range of stakeholders such as the owners, acquirers, suppliers, maintainers, and users. The paper opens by discussing the interface between the acquirer and supplier within the pre-contract competitive Australian defence context. From this and earlier work, the need for the model of the system of interest to be built upon a comprehensive knowledge representation that can support the creation and integration of multiple stakeholder specific models is derived. Elicitation of further requirements from both stakeholder workshops and from functional analysis follows. Refereed/Peer-reviewed

That Noelle Brennan. It's like she thought of everything! In a city legendary for finding a way to make any city job a patronage gig, the federal hiring monitor wants to know how the city plans to lay off well over 1,000 people without it becoming a political purge. "We are aware of the potential for abuse. We're talking about how we can prevent that from happening -- what sort of process and procedures we can put in place to make sure layoffs happen in a nonpolitical way. We haven't come to any conclusion yet," Brennan told the Sun-Times. Mayor Daley doesn't think it will be an issue, however. “A layoff is done because of union rules. I don’t know where you get that,” he told the press at a ceremony for graduating firefighters held at Navy Pier. "That's just a phony headline. It's done by union rules. I'm sorry. About 99 percent of the people are unionized in the city of Chicago. So, don't make up phony stories." Anthony Boswell, director of the city's Office of Compliance, which is charged with ensuring that the city follows the hiring rules spelled out in the Shakman decrees. Image via AP [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Emil Jones, defending his decision to bequeath his office to his son, Emil Jones, III, told the media yesterday that keeping it in the family is a political tradition. "'I recall John F. Kennedy, president of the United States, when he became president, he recommended his brother. Right? And his brother was elected,' Jones said, in an apparent reference to Sen. Ted Kennedy, who followed his brother as a senator from Massachusetts." Then he confused which Daley came first . [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Well, is it? [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

House Speaker Mike Madigan, speaking to the press at the Illinois State Fair, said yesterday that he may actually consider leasing the state lottery to pay for a capital construction plan. "Over the last few days in the House of Representatives, we've had two very productive meetings concerning a potential lease of the state lottery, where the proceeds of that lease would be used for a capital construction program," Madigan said . [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Mayor Daley’s chief-of-staff Lori Healey, Chief Financial Officer Paul Volpe and Intergovernmental Affairs Director John Dunn met Tuesday with 40 union leaders that represent city workers. Top of the agenda? The more than $400 million projected hole in next year's city budget. "We’re looking at workforce reductions. We’re looking at a significant, almost restructuring of the way we deliver and get services and the number of agencies we have," the Sun-Times says Healy was overheard saying . "This is not an exercise where we’ve said to department heads, ‘Cut a bunch of people and give us their names.’ We’re gonna…find areas and functions that don’t make sense...It’s not focussed at unions. Managers, commissioners, deputy commissioners," will be included. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Well, not exactly. Ross Perot ran the first political infomercial back in 1992, when he ran for president on his Reform Party ticket. At the time, conventional wisdom said that a half-hour presentation by a talking head would drive away viewers, leaving his message, and campaign money, wasted. Instead, his low-budget presentations, given with charts and graphs and peppered with Americana-infused humor garnered some of the highest ratings in television, even drawing more viewers than popular sitcoms."The Obama campaign may be test marketing a similar strategy, albeit one with a less folksy approach. The 28-minute infomercial ran at 1:30 a.m. on ION Telelvision (channel 38 if you don't have cable in Chicago) early this morning. “This was one more effective way for us to communicate with folks who may not normally see other communications we have with voters who are paying closer attention to the race.,” the campaign told Advertising Age. "I guess they are going after the insomniac vote," said Evan Tracey, chief operating officer of TNS Media Intelligence's Campaign Media Analysis Group. He told AdAge that the unusual time slot might give the campaign a chance to try out the infomercial format and its impact on voters without spending much money. [Ed's Note: As of 9:30 a.m., the Obama video has not yet appeared on the series of tubes known as "The Internet." We're still looking, though...] [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The Red Cross announced its Dog Days of Summer campaign yesterday, promoting pet safety in the event of disasters or extreme weather. Along with the Humane Society of the United States, the Red Cross is urging people with pets to be prepared for emergencies and disasters.Photo by Mister Buckets Serious Time They recommend that in the event that you have to evacuate, you take your pet with you. This includes having a place to take your pet and being aware that many disaster shelters (including Red Cross shelters) cannot accept pets. They also recommend that you prepare a portiable pet disaster kit, including:Medications and medical records (stored in a waterproof container) and a first aid kitSturdy leashes, harnesses, and/or carriers to transport pets safely and ensure that your animals can't escapeCurrent photos of your pets in case they get lostFood, potable water, bowls, cat litter/pan, and can openerInformation on feeding schedules, medical conditions, behavior problems, and the name and number of your veterinarian in case you have to foster or board your petsPet beds and toys, if easily transportable. More information is available at the Red Cross's Animal Safety page. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Robert Hogan, former President of Teamsters Local 714, agreed to leave the union earlier this week amid allegations of misconduct. Hogan, whose family has run the union since the Depression, signed an agreement with the Teamsters' Independent Review Board that he would voluntarily leave the union, agreeing never to serve as an officer or member there, or work as an employee again. Hogan's departure is the result of a recommendation made to international union president James Hoffa, Jr last August by the IRB. The IRB alleged that Hogan had acted against the best interests of union members by hiring Robert Riley as a business agent and organizing director, even though Riley had been barred from the union. The IRB also charged that the local union was failing to represent its membership, had corrupt relationships with companies where members worked, and was using favoritism and nepotism to secure jobs for associates of the Hogan family. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

While Governor Blagojevich was announcing the first in his series of " Rewrite to do Right " bills on Wednesday, he lashed out at House Speaker Mike Madigan and Mayor Daley for not helping him push his agenda. "They are all talking out of the same music book, I mean they are all talking out of the same song sheet that was written by Mike Madigan," Blagojevich said . He continued: "You know, we did a little homework and we found out some of the things that he said when Governor Thompson was governor and Governor Edgar was governor, the same things he says now he was saying back then. These are just tactics. They are tactics, they are politics, it’s the games they play and that's why it’s so frustrating and so disappointing that you would screw with the lives of people because you have your own political agenda." [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Just a week after seeming amenable to concessions to help the city close a projected $400 million budget hole, Fraternal Order of Police President Mark Donahue said that his members aren't really feeling Daley's calls for cuts, which include city workers forgoing promised pay raises and accepting extra unpaid leave days. "We base what we're gonna do in the future on what we've seen happen in the past. And what we've seen in the past is a scandalous waste of hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars," Donahue said, referring to the Hired Trucks scandal, city contracting and hiring fraud charges, and 14 months of contract negotiations that have stalled. In fact, Lodge Seven's third Vice President, Greg Bella, wrote in an editorial posted on the FOP's website that they "will sit down and help the mayor find solutions to the problem but not at the expense of our officers." But the Chicago Federation of Labor is still talking like they'll work with the mayor to close the budget hole. Unions representing city workers are willing to discuss proposals with the city, but not until they get more specific answers on the budget. "We need a better understanding of the financial picture before we’re willing to do anything. Is it $400 million or $450 million? If they [lease] the parking meters or Midway [Airport], does that do anything? These are moving targets. We need a better understanding of how we can save some jobs. They need to tell us, ‘If we do X, we’ll get Y,’" said CFL President Dennis Gannon. Labor leaders met Wednesday at Plumbers Hall to discuss proposals, but don't expect any specifics. "It would be irrational for any labor leader to stand by and watch his people get cut. We should try to preserve as many jobs as we we can. But we’re working in the dark. How can you make a deal when you don’t know what you’re dealing with?" Gannon said. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

As promised , the city council's Human Rights Committee held a hearing Tuesday to investigate who has been "tipping off" the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, leading to the arrest of nearly 60 people with Spanish surnames. "We will not tolerate this in Chicago...We want to know where it's coming from and who is filing these reports," said 26th Ward Alderman Billy Ocasio, chairman of the City Council's Human Relations Committee. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Governor Rod Blagojevich called on lawmakers yesterday to return to Springfield August 12 and 13 for a special session to work on the state's spending. Blago doesn't expect lawmakers to deal with his recent budget cuts, however. “Unless they find the funding, there’s nothing much more to do with the budget,” said Blagojevich spokesman Lucio Guerrero. Instead, he wants them to address the state's need for both an education funding plan and a capital spending plan. “Last week former U.S. Speaker Dennis Hastert and I sat with leaders from the four caucuses to present a compromise that addresses many of the concerns that legislators had posed with the previous capital plan. Now that they have had time to review our proposal, I will convene a special session so that they can pass a plan this summer that will repair and rebuild our states infrastructure and put Illinoisans to work,” said Governor Press Release, in an, erm, press release. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced a new self-deportation program Tuesday. Chicago, along with four other cities, has been chosen for the pilot program, known as "Scheduled Departure". The program asks illegal aliens who have already been ordered by a court to leave the country, but have stayed illegally, to voluntarily to report to ICE to coordinate their departure. According to ICE , the program is designed "for fugitives with no criminal record, who pose no danger to the community and who have the ability to verify their departure from the United States." Fugitives are aliens who were previously ordered removed from the US but stayed illegally. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

After last week's kerfuffle over the McCain attack ad comparing Obama to Britney Spears and Paris Hilton blew up teh internets, Paris Hilton (finally) is responding. “It sounds like Paris Hilton supports John McCain’s ‘all of the above’ approach to America’s energy crisis - including both alternatives and drilling. Paris Hilton might not be as big a celebrity as Barack Obama, but she obviously has a better energy plan,” said McCain spokesman Tucker Bounds. "Whatever," said Obama spokesman Bill Burton. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The House Judiciary Committee approved the Great Lakes Basin Compact yesterday, paving the way for approval by congress. "The compact will ensure that our Great Lakes will remain stabile and vibrant for generations to come," said Michigan Democrat and committee chair John Conyers . Wisconsin Republican James Sensenbrenner echoed that sentiment, saying, "the sooner this compact can be ratified by the Congress, the sooner it will become effective and the greater protection will be given." [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Chicago-based UAL Corp (NASDAQ:UAUA) is asking a federal judge for a an injunction against four of its pilots and their union, claiming that they are abusing their sick leave by refusing to fly extra hours. The injunction request charges the pilots and the Air Line Pilots Association with encouraging a "sick-out," a violation of the Railway Labor Act, which also applies to airlines. The airline says that it canceled 329 flights from July 19 to 27, stranding 36,000 travelers, since they had no pilots.Claiming that the pilots actions are the result of ALPA's opposition to UAL's plans to downsize its fleet size and furlough pilots, United Chief Operating Officer John Tague said that "unlawful job actions escalated, intimidation of pilots continued and the impact on our customers and other employees grew to truly unacceptable levels." The pilots have been pushing to reopen their contract negotiations with the airline. They took pay cuts when UAL went into bankruptcy, and are hoping to win back some of those concessions. Photo by p2wy [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The City of Chicago is fighting with the Federal Emergency Management Agency over nearly $6 million in federal disaster money the city used for snow removal in 1999 and 2000. In a complaint filed in federal court, the city says that it had a right to use those funds to clear runways at O'Hare and Midway. FEMA has been trying to recover those funds for three years, contending that airlines should have paid for snow removal services at the airports. “That’s a conclusion we disagree with,” a spokeswoman for the city’s Law Department told Crain's. Chicago has already lost two administrative appeals, and now is asking a federal judge to rule that FEMA's actions are "arbitrary and capricious, an abuse of discretion and contrary to law; without observance of procedure as required by law, and unwarranted by the facts.” Airlines typically pay for snow removal at airports, but since FEMA declared Cook County eligible for disaster recovery funds after snowstorms both years, the city is arguing that those extraordinary situations superseded those agreements. “These were declared disaster areas and disaster money was used,” said the spokeswoman. The city is also asking the court to rule that Chicago did not receive federal disaster funding twice. “It is a misinterpretation of our accounting,” the city’s spokeswoman said. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]