RGB color constancy using multispectral pixel information.

Multispectral imaging is a technique that captures data across several bands of the light spectrum, and it can be useful in many computer vision fields, including color constancy. We propose a method that exploits multispectral imaging for illuminant estimation, and then applies illuminant correction in the raw RGB domain to achieve computational color constancy. Our proposed method is composed of two steps: first, a selected number of existing camera-independent algorithms for illuminant estimation, originally designed for RGB data, are applied in generalized form to work with multispectral data. We demonstrate that the sole multispectral extension of such algorithms is not sufficient to achieve color constancy, and thus we introduce a second step, in which we re-elaborate the multispectral estimations before conversion into raw RGB with the use of the camera response function. Our results on the NUS dataset show that an improvement of 60% in the color constancy performance, measured in terms of reproduction angular error, can be obtained according to our method when compared to the traditional raw RGB pipeline.

Improving RGB illuminant estimation exploiting spectral average radiance.

We introduce a method that enhances RGB color constancy accuracy by combining neural network and k-means clustering techniques. Our approach stands out from previous works because we combine multispectral and color information together to estimate illuminants. Furthermore, we investigate the combination of the illuminant estimation in the RGB color and in the spectral domains, as a strategy to provide a refined estimation in the RGB color domain. Our investigation can be divided into three main points: (1) identify the spatial resolution for sampling the input image in terms of RGB color and spectral information that brings the highest performance; (2) determine whether it is more effective to predict the illuminant in the spectral or in the RGB color domain, and finally, (3) assuming that the illuminant is in fact predicted in the spectral domain, investigate if it is better to have a loss function defined in the RGB color or spectral domain. Experimental results are carried out on NUS: a standard dataset of multispectral radiance images with an annotated spectral global illuminant. Among the several considered options, the best results are obtained with a model trained to predict the illuminant in the spectral domain using an RGB color loss function. In terms of comparison with the state of the art, this solution improves the recovery angular error metric by 66% compared to the best tested spectral method, and by 41% compared to the best tested RGB method.

The influence of dyad sex combination on patient self-care and caregiver contribution to self-care in multiple chronic conditions: An observational study.

INTRODUCTION: We know that patient and caregiver sex influence patient self-care and caregiver contribution to self-care in multiple chronic conditions. However, the role of dyad sex combination (e.g., male patient and female caregiver, female patient and male caregiver, male patient and caregiver, and female patient and caregiver) in influencing patient self-care and caregiver contribution to self-care remains unexplored. Our aim was to investigate the relationship between patient and caregiver sex combination and patient self-care and caregiver contribution to self-care in multiple chronic conditions. DESIGN: Multicentre cross-sectional study. METHODS: We enrolled patients with multiple chronic conditions and caregiver dyads in outpatient and community settings from April 2017 to December 2019. We used the Self-Care of Chronic Illness Inventory and the Caregiver Contribution to Self-Care of Chronic Illness Inventory that measure, from the patient and caregiver perspective, self-care maintenance (i.e., behaviors to maintain illness stability), self-care monitoring (i.e., monitoring of illness signs and symptoms), and self-care management (i.e., behaviors to manage signs and symptoms). We used multivariate analysis of covariance to evaluate the association between sex and self-care and caregiver contribution to self-care. RESULTS: We recruited 540 patient-caregiver dyads. Male patients cared by female caregivers performed higher self-care maintenance compared to female patients cared by female caregivers. Female caregivers caring for female patients performed higher caregiver contribution to self-care monitoring compared to male caregivers caring for female or male patients. CONCLUSIONS: Clinicians should consider the influence of patient and caregiver sex combination on self-care and caregiver contribution to self-care in multiple chronic conditions to provide tailored interventions. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Healthcare professionals should consider the patient and caregiver sex combination in the dyad to tailor better interventions aimed at improving patient self-care and caregiver contribution to self-care in multiple chronic conditions.

Instruments to evaluate non-technical skills during high fidelity simulation: A systematic review.

Introduction: High Fidelity Simulations (HFS) are increasingly used to develop Non-Technical Skills (NTS) in healthcare providers, medical and nursing students. Instruments to measure NTS are needed to evaluate the healthcare providers' (HCPs) performance during HFS. The aim of this systematic review is to describe the domains, items, characteristics and psychometric properties of instruments devised to evaluate the NTS of HCPs during HFS. Methods: A systematic review of the literature was performed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). Studies were retrieved from PubMed, Cinahl, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, ProQuest and PubPsych. Studies evaluating the measurement properties of instruments used to assess NTS during HFS training were included. Pairs of independent reviewers determined the eligibility, extracted and evaluated the data. Risk of bias and appraisal of the methodological quality of the studies was assessed using the Consensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement Instruments (COSMIN) checklist, and the quality of the evidence with the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE). Results: A total of 3,953 articles were screened. A total of 110 reports were assessed for eligibility and 26 studies were included. Studies were conducted in Europe/United Kingdom (n = 13; 50%), North America/Australia (n = 12; 46%) and Thailand (n = 1; 4%). The NTS instruments reported in this review included from 1 to 14 domains (median of 4, Q1 = 3.75, Q3 = 5) and from 3 to 63 items (median of 15, Q1 = 10, Q3 = 19.75). Out of 19 NTS assessment instruments for HFS, the Team Emergency Assessment Measure (TEAM) can be recommended for use to assess NTS. All the other instruments require further research to assess their quality in order to be recommended for use during HFS training. Eight NTS instruments had a positive overall rating of their content validity with at least a moderate quality of evidence. Conclusion: Among a large variety of published instruments, TEAM can be recommended for use to assess NTS during HFS. Evidence is still limited on essential aspects of validity and reliability of all the other NTS instruments included in this review. Further research is warranted to establish their performance in order to be reliably used for HFS.

On the evaluation of temporal and spatial stability of color constancy algorithms.

Computational color constancy algorithms are commonly evaluated only through angular error analysis on annotated datasets of static images. The widespread use of videos in consumer devices motivated us to define a richer methodology for color constancy evaluation. To this extent, temporal and spatial stability are defined here to determine the degree of sensitivity of color constancy algorithms to variations in the scene that do not depend on the illuminant source, such as moving subjects or a moving camera. Our evaluation methodology is applied to compare several color constancy algorithms on stable sequences belonging to the Gray Ball and Burst Color Constancy video datasets. The stable sequences, identified using a general-purpose procedure, are made available for public download to encourage future research. Our investigation proves the importance of evaluating color constancy algorithms according to multiple metrics, instead of angular error alone. For example, the popular fully convolutional color constancy with confidence-weighted pooling algorithm is consistently the best performing solution for error evaluation, but it is often surpassed in terms of stability by the traditional gray edge algorithm, and by the more recent sensor-independent illumination estimation algorithm.

Impact of telemedicine on health outcomes in children with medical complexity: an integrative review.

Children with medical complexity (CMC) are a high priority population with chronic illnesses dependent on the use of health services, on technological systems to support their vital functions and characterized by multiple health needs. One of the main challenges linked to chronic conditions is finding solutions to monitor CMC at home, avoiding re-hospitalization and the onset of complications. Telemedicine enables to remotely follow up patients and families. An integrative review was performed to assess whether telemedicine improves health outcomes for CMC. Medline/PubMed, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and Scopus were searched to identify studies describing the effect of using telemedicine systems on health outcomes for CMC. The PRISMA guidelines were used to select the papers. The methodological quality of the studies was evaluated through the Johanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal tools and the Cochrane Collaboration ROB 2.0. A total of 17 papers met the quality criteria and were included. Specialized telemedicine systems (tele-visits), telehealth, and tele-monitoring have been reported to reduce unplanned hospitalizations and visits, decrease total costs for healthcare services and families, and increase satisfaction for family members. No effect was found on the quality of life in children and their families.Conclusion: Available evidence supporting the use of telemedicine in CMC is favorable but limited. High-quality methodological studies including other unexplored health outcomes such as mental health, hospital readmissions, mortality, caregiver competences, and self-efficacy are needed to confirm the effectiveness of telemedicine systems in improving health outcomes for CMC. What is Known: • CMC are an extremely fragile patient population with frequent access to healthcare services compared with other chronic conditions. • There is conflicting evidence of the effectiveness of telemedicine clinical outcomes, healthcare utilization, and costs in pediatrics. What is New: • There is some evidence that for CMC, telemedicine reduces unplanned hospitalizations, healthcare service costs, and financial burden for families, while increasing caregivers' satisfaction with care. • Further research is needed to confirm the effectiveness of telemedicine systems in improving health for CMC.

Management of Enteral Nutrition in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit: Prokinetic Effects of Amoxicillin/Clavulanate in Real Life Conditions.

PURPOSE: Malnutrition is a common feature in critically ill children. Enteral nutrition (EN) is the main strategy to nutritionally support critical ill children, but its use can be hindered by the development of intolerance. The study aimed to assess the effectiveness and safety of amoxicillin/clavulanate (A/C) to treat EN intolerance. METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated patients admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit from October 2018 to October 2019. We conducted a case-control study: in the first 6 months (October 2018-April 2019) we implemented the nutritional protocol of our Institution with no drug, whereas in the second half (May 2019-October 2019) we employed A/C for 1 week at a dose of 10 mg/kg twice daily. RESULTS: Twelve cases were compared with 12 controls. At the final evaluation, enteral intake was significantly higher than that at baseline in the cases (from 2.1±3.7 to 66.1±27.4% of requirement, p=0.0001 by Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed rank test) but not in the controls (from 0.2±0.8 to 6.0±14.1% of the requirement, p=NS). Final gastric residual volume at the end of the observation was significantly lower in the cases than in the controls (p=0.0398). The drug was well tolerated as shown by the similar safety outcomes in both cases and controls. CONCLUSION: Malnutrition exposes critically ill children to several complications that affect the severity of disease course, length of stay, and mortality; all may be prevented by early EN. The development of intolerance to EN could be addressed with the use of A/C. Future prospective clinical trials are needed to confirm these conclusions.