Interruption is a widespread phenomenon in human–computer interaction in modern working environments. To minimize the adverse impact or to maximize possible benefits of interruptions, a reliable approach to evaluate interruption cost needs to be established. In this paper, we suggest a new approach to evaluate the interruption cost by cognitive workload and task performance measures. The cognitive workload is assessed by pupil diameter changes and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) task load index. Task performance includes task completion time and task accuracy in a series of controlled laboratory experiments. This integrated approach was applied to three interruption coordination modes (i.e., the immediate, the negotiated, and the scheduled modes), which were designed based on McFarlane’s interruption coordination modes. Each mode consists of cognitive and skill tasks depending on the degree of mental demands providing four different task sets of interruptive task environments. Our results demonstrate that the negotiated mode shows a lower interruption cost than other modes, and primary task type and task similarity between primary and peripheral tasks are crucial in the evaluation of the cost. This study suggests a new approach evaluating interruption cost by cognitive workload and task performance measures. Applying this approach to various interruptive environments, disruptiveness of interruption was evaluated considering interruption coordination modes and task types, and the outcomes can support development of strategies to reduce the detrimental effects of unexpected and unnecessary interruptions.
The purpose of this study was to evaluate variations in the number of retrieved lymph nodes (LNs) over time and to determine the factors that influence the retrieval of <12 LNs during colon cancer resection.Patients with colon cancer who were surgically treated between 1997 and 2013 were identified from our institutional tumor registry. Patient, tumor, and pathologic variables were evaluated. Factors that influenced the retrieval of <12 LNs were evaluated using multivariate logistic regression modeling, including time effects.In total, 6967 patients were identified. The median patient age was 61 years (interquartile range [IQR] = 45–79 years) and 58.4% of these patients were male. The median number of LNs retrieved was 21 (IQR = 14–29), which increased from 14 (IQR = 11–27) in 1997 to 26 (IQR = 19–34) in 2013. The proportion of patients with ≥12 retrieved LNs increased from 72% in 1997 to 98.8% in 2013 (P < 0.00001). This corresponded to the more recent emphasis on a multidisciplinary approach to adequate LN evaluation. The number of retrieved LNs was also found to be associated with age, sex, tumor location, T stage, and operative year. Tumor location and T stage influenced the number of retrieved LNs, irrespective of the operative year (P < 0.05). Factors including a tumor location in the sigmoid/left colon, old age, open resection, earlier operative year, and early T stage were more likely to be associated with <12 recovered LNs (P < 0.5; chi-squared test) (P < 0.001).The total number of retrieved LNs may be influenced by tumor location and T stage of a colon cancer, irrespective of the year of surgery. LN retrieval after colon cancer resection has increased in recent years due to a better awareness of its importance and the use of multidisciplinary approaches.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.