— A professor at UW-Madison is developing new methods for reducing errors in CT scans, MRIs and other imaging techniques.
Guang-Hong Chen is a medical physics specialist at the Wisconsin Institutes for Medical Research with a number of patents and technologies up for licensing. His work centers on ways to enhance internal medicine by improving how doctors see inside patients.
One widely used tool is known as computerized tomography, or CT imaging. X-ray images are taken of the patient from various angles, and a computer stitches the images together to create cross-sections of the patient’s body. CT scans provide more detailed information than normal X-rays, but the reconstructed images can contain errors known as artifacts.
To avoid these errors, Chen and collaborator Jiang Hsieh created a new way to break down scanned images, separating sections that contain artifacts from others that are compromised. By recombining the sections of the image using a set of image references, they were able to reduce artifacts in the scans they tested.
The researchers say their method could lead to lower hardware costs by offsetting the expense of calibrating the system to account for potential sources of artifacts. An info sheet from the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation shows researchers tested 20 images with industry-specific artifacts in developing this method for cleaning up CT images.
See more: http://www.wisbusiness.com/2019/professor-finding-new-ways-to-improve-medical-imaging/
— Johnson Controls has announced a new strategic partnership with Foxconn Industrial Internet, the Taiwanese company’s advanced technology group.
The two companies have signed a memorandum of understanding forming the partnership, according to a release. They plan to co-develop smart building technologies and improve building data analytics through artificial intelligence and machine learning.
The release shows data from smart buildings and other tech-enabled facilities could be combined with other information such as utility pricing, weather data, energy storage use to give consumers more control over their homes.
As part of the MOU, Johnson Controls will be the “preferred provider” of building management products at Foxconn facilities in Mount Pleasant, with potential for further business with Foxconn elsewhere.
Further details of the agreement were not made public.
George Oliver, chairman and CEO of Milwaukee-based Johnson Controls, says the agreement represents “recognition by the world’s leading electronics manufacturer that we have the right products and solutions to make buildings smart, safe and sustainable, not just in Southeastern Wisconsin, but around the world.”
See the release: http://prnmedia.prnewswire.com/news-releases/johnson-controls-and-foxconn-industrial-internet-create-global-strategic-partnership-300908202.html
See a recent story with comments from Richard Vincent, chief business officer for Fii: http://www.wisbusiness.com/2019/foxconn-probably-did-everything-the-wrong-way-in-engaging-with-uw-madison-fii-rep-says/
See more in Foxconn Reports below.
— UW-Milwaukee and the Medical College of Wisconsin are launching a joint nurse practitioner postgraduate residency program next year for professionals working in psychiatric mental health.
In announcing the program, school leaders emphasized the state’s ongoing health workforce shortage, specifically in the mental health space.
“Wisconsin has fewer mental health professionals per capita than most states, and this nurse residency is one of many efforts to increase the numbers of mental health professionals,” said Julie Raaum, director of the Medical College Physicians Office of Advanced Practice at MCW.
Participants will undergo one year of supervised clinical practice and continuing education at “community-based settings” in preparation for working with underserved populations in the Milwaukee area.
The program will train four nurse practitioners with rotations covering inpatient psychiatric units, general psychiatric ambulatory clinics, child psychiatry and other options. Other elective rotations will focus on topics like the link between mental health and HIV, sexuality and education.
The program is being funded by a $1.7 million, four-year grant from the federal Health Resources and Services Administration.
See the release: http://www.wisbusiness.com/2019/medical-college-of-wisconsin-uw-milwaukee-establish-nurse-practitioner-residency-program/
— The state Department of Health Services conducted 90 investigations at the King Veterans Home between 2012 and 2016 with three-fourths of them involving allegations of resident abuse or quality of care, according to a new Legislative Audit Bureau report.
The agency found 40 of the 90 investigations substantiated the allegations. That includes 18 of the 37 allegations of resident abuse either by staff or other residents and 13 of the 28 involving quality of care.
DHS cited deficient practices or policies at King as the cause for 11 of the 40 substantiated allegations and issued 22 citations to address them.
Yesterday’s report was based on information LAB received through a federal Freedom of Information Act request it submitted in 2017 after the state Department of Health said it couldn’t provide the agency the information. DHS said it acts on behalf of the federal government when conducting investigations at King, which is overseen by the Department of Veterans Affairs. LAB then received partially redacted reports in February 2019.
See more at WisPolitics.com: http://www.wispolitics.com/2019/wed-pm-update-pocan-questions-dems-chances-of-winning-7th-cd-seat/
— The Wisconsin Veterans Chamber of Commerce will oversee a U.S. Census Complete Count Committee aimed at getting military members, veterans and their families in the state counted during next year’s census.
Military veterans are designated by the U.S. Census Bureau as a “Hard-to-Count” demographic, a category that also applies to minorities, people with disabilities, the homeless and other groups.
The chamber’s committee is meant to help the Bureau achieve an accurate count at lower cost while advocating for the people it represents.
“It is absolutely imperative that military veterans are accurately counted in the coming Census. This is an opportunity to showcase that the Wisconsin’s business community is dedicated to the support and empowerment of all military veterans and their families,” said Wisconsin Veterans Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Saul Newton.
#TOP STORIES#
# Midwest Express begins long-awaited comeback with first new jet — and cookies
# Auditors: State launched 90 investigations at King vets home
# Iowa competitor buys Millis trucking company of Black River Falls for $150 million
– First destinations announced for return of Midwest Express Airlines
#TOPICS#
# AGRIBUSINESS
– DNR releases Wisconsin wild rice harvest outlook
– Man dies after tractor rollover accident
# BANKING
– Park Bank parent to be acquired by Chicago’s First Midwest Bancorp
– Chicago-based First Midwest Bank to acquire Park Bank for $195 million
# ECONOMY
– Longtime Northwest Side CDC leader Howard Snyder to step down
# EDUCATION
– UW-Extension to hold corn silage field day next week
– Telehealth brings counseling services to rural Lake Holcombe school district
# ENVIRONMENT
– Evers’ request for federal disaster declaration granted
– An Industry On The Line: Commercial Fishing The Mighty Mississippi
# FOXCONN REPORTS
– Johnson Controls partnering with Foxconn Industrial Internet on smart buildings
# HEALTH CARE
– Guest house near Froedtert Hospital goes public with $12M campaign to double capacity
# LEGAL
– American Crystal Sugar sues Wisconsin software company
# POLITICS
– Senators call for stronger renewable fuel standard
# REAL ESTATE
– BMO Harris office buildings in Brookfield sold to Pennsylvania investor
# REGULATION
– Gov. Evers expands efforts to address PFAS contamination
# RETAIL
– Chicago-based company replaces Forrer as area Steelcase dealer
– Christkindlmarket Milwaukee returning to Fiserv Forum plaza in November
# TOURISM
– Midwest Express returns with new look and focus, but some things stay the same: Slideshow
# TRANSPORTATION
– Midwest Express announces airline relaunch at Milwaukee airport
# UTILITIES
– Twin Ports residents weigh in on permit to rebuild Husky oil refinery
# PRESS RELEASES
<i>See these and other press releases:
http://wisbusiness.com/index.iml?Content=82 </i>
Hoffman Planning, Design & Construction, Inc.: Enhanced facilities for local organizations
