Photometric stereo data for the validation of a structural health monitoring test rig.

Photometric stereo uses images of objects illuminated from various directions to calculate surface normals which can be used to generate 3D meshes of the object. Such meshes can be used by engineers to estimate damage of a concrete surface, or track damage progression over time to inform maintenance decisions. This dataset [1] was collected to quantify the uncertainty in a photometric stereo test rig through both the comparison with a well characterised method (coordinate measurement machine) and experiment virtualisation. Data was collected for 9 real objects using both the test rig and the coordinate measurement machine. These objects range from clay statues to damaged concrete slabs. Furthermore, synthetic data for 12 objects was created via virtual renders generated using Blender (3D software) [2]. The two methods of data generation allowed the decoupling of the physical rig (used to light and photograph objects) and the photometric stereo algorithm (used to convert images and lighting information into 3D meshes). This data can allow users to: test their own photometric stereo algorithms, with specialised data created for structural health monitoring applications; provide an industrially relevant case study to develop and test uncertainty quantification methods on test rigs for structural health monitoring of concrete; or develop data processing methodologies for the alignment of scaled, translated, and rotated data.

Impact of COVID-19 Infection and Persistent Lingering Symptoms on Patient Reported Indicators of Nutritional Risk and Malnutrition.

Persistent malnutrition after COVID-19 infection may worsen outcomes, including delayed recovery and increased risk of rehospitalization. This study aimed to determine dietary intakes and nutrient distribution patterns after acute COVID-19 illness. Findings were also compared to national standards for intake of energy, protein, fruit, and vegetables, as well as protein intake distribution recommendations. Participants (≥18 years old, n = 92) were enrolled after baseline visit at the Post-COVID Recovery Clinic. The broad screening battery included nutritional assessment and 24-h dietary recall. Participants were, on average, 53 years old, 63% female, 69% non-Hispanic White, and 59% obese/morbidly obese. Participants at risk for malnutrition (48%) experienced significantly greater symptoms, such as gastric intestinal issues, loss of smell, loss of taste, or shortness of breath; in addition, they consumed significantly fewer calories. Most participants did not meet recommendations for fruit or vegetables. Less than 39% met the 1.2 g/kg/day proposed optimal protein intake for recovery from illness. Protein distribution throughout the day was skewed; only 3% met the recommendation at all meals, while over 30% never met the threshold at any meal. Our findings highlight the need for nutritional education and support for patients to account for lingering symptoms and optimize recovery after COVID-19 infection.

A Multicomponent Intervention to Improve Pneumococcal Vaccination Knowledge Among Internal Medicine Residents.

INTRODUCTION: The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices updated its pneumococcal vaccination guidelines in September 2014 and provided an additional recommendation in February 2016. We perceived a knowledge gap related to these guidelines among residents who serve as primary care physicians during postgraduate training. Our research team confirmed the presence of this knowledge gap and designed a curriculum focused on the current guidelines for pneumococcal vaccination. METHODS: This curriculum consists of a preeducation quiz and survey, as well as an educational video, pocket card, and poster. The educational materials were then disseminated over a 7-week period and included a short video, handouts (laminated pocket cards), and summaries of guideline recommendations in electronic format. RESULTS: The quiz, which includes eight clinical vignette selected-response items, revealed a knowledge deficiency. For example, only a minority of residents (31.2%) correctly chose the appropriate pneumococcal vaccination schedule for an elderly patient with multiple comorbid and chronic medical ailments. A postintervention survey showed that a majority of residents (87.5%) found the educational tools effective in improving understanding and implementation of vaccine guidelines. DISCUSSION: This novel educational strategy is designed to increase resident knowledge of pneumococcal vaccination guidelines with eventual translation to actual clinical practice.

Diffuse reflectance spectroscopy as a possible tool to complement liver biopsy for grading hepatic fibrosis in paraffin-preserved human liver specimens.

A diffuse reflectance spectroscopy-based method to score fibrosis in paraffin-preserved human liver specimens has been developed and is reported here. Paraffin blocks containing human liver tissue were collected from the General Hospital of Mexico and included in the study with the patients' written consent. The score of liver fibrosis was determined in each sample by two experienced pathologists in a single-blind fashion. Spectral measurements were acquired at 450-750 nm by establishing surface contact between the optical probe and the preserved tissue. According to the histological evaluation, four liver samples showed no evidence of fibrosis and were categorized as F0, four hepatic specimens exhibited an initial degree of fibrosis (F1-F2), five liver specimens showed a severe degree of fibrosis (F3), and six samples exhibited cirrhosis (F4). The human liver tissue showed a characteristic diffuse reflectance spectrum associated with the progressive stages of fibrosis. In the F0 liver samples, the diffuse reflection intensity gradually increased in the wavelength range of 450-750 nm. In contrast, the F1-F2, F3, and F4 specimens showed corresponding 1.5-, 2-, and 5.5-fold decreases in the intensity of diffuse reflectance compared to the F0 liver specimens. At 650 nm, all the stages of liver fibrosis were clearly distinguished from each other with high sensitivity and specificity (92-100%). To our knowledge, this is the first study reporting a distinctive diffuse reflectance spectrum for each stage of fibrosis in paraffin-preserved human liver specimens. These results suggest that diffuse reflectance spectroscopy may represent a complementary tool to liver biopsy for grading fibrosis.