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AI-Driven Precision Medicine in Alzheimer's Disease: Drug Repurposing, Digital Therapeutics and Clinical Decision Support.

Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease that causes significant clinical, social, and economic burden worldwide. Despite improvements in understanding its multifaceted pathogenesis, current treatments are mostly symptomatic and ineffective across varied patient populations. To overcome these constraints, AI-driven precision medicine allows tailored risk assessment, treatment selection, and disease monitoring. This review covers AI's role in AD precision medicine, focusing on drug repurposing, digital therapies and clinical decision support systems. Machine and deep learning models are used to predict medication response, integrate heterogeneous data sources such as genomics, transcriptomics, neuroimaging and electronic health records, and uncover pharmacogenomic treatment success factors. The paper covers AIenabled precision pharmacology, including tailored dosing algorithms, adaptive therapeutic monitoring, and adverse drug reaction prediction. Bioinformatics-based target identification, network pharmacology, graphbased AI models, virtual screening, and real-world and clinical data validation are emphasized in AI-driven medication repurposing. AI-powered digital treatments like personalized cognitive training platforms, wearable- derived digital biomarkers, virtual and mixed reality interventions, adherence monitoring, and digital twins for therapy optimization have been discussed. AI-based clinical decision support systems are also thoroughly assessed for clinical value, accuracy, and explainability in disease subtyping, trajectory prediction, and risk stratification in preclinical and prodromal AD. Despite these promises, data heterogeneity, algorithmic bias, legal barriers, and privacy concerns exist. Federated learning enables safe multi-center collaboration and hybrid AI-human approaches, and it represents the future. AI's ability to alter AD care opens the door to precision medicine paradigms that use repurposed medications, digital tools and intelligent decision-making to improve patient outcomes.

Alzheimer’s disease↗

The AI Revolution: Shaping the Present and Future of Pharmaceutical Research and Development.

The transformative role of artificial intelligence (AI) in the pharmaceutical industry is examined, with a focus on its significant contributions to drug discovery, development, and clinical trial processes. It highlights the inefficiencies and high costs associated with traditional drug development and explores how AI and machine learning (ML) can enhance these processes by analyzing extensive biological datasets. The historical context of AI in pharmaceutical development is examined, noting how advances in computational power and data accessibility have facilitated innovative methodologies, such as predictive analytics and natural language processing. Contemporary trends reveal the integration of AI technologies in drug design, repurposing, and patient response forecasting. This study also addresses the challenges of participant recruitment for clinical trials and proposes AI-driven solutions to optimize patient selection and data management. Furthermore, it discusses AI's role in tailored medicine, emphasizing its potential for advancing precision therapy through targeted drug development and personalized treatment strategies. The importance of digital tools, genomic data analysis, and AI-driven imaging technologies for customizing therapeutic approaches is underscored, along with the regulatory and ethical challenges posed by AI deployment in healthcare. This study illustrates the complexities of AI applications in the pharmaceutical sector, offering insights into both successful and unsuccessful initiatives. The findings suggest that the digitalization of the pharmaceutical industry and enhanced AI integration hold promise for developing safer and more effective therapeutic strategies, while also identifying obstacles to their widespread adoption and optimal functionality.

Artificial intelligence↗

A review on the integration of artificial intelligence into coastal modeling.

With the development of computing technology, mechanistic models are often employed to simulate processes in coastal environments. However, these predictive tools are inevitably highly specialized, involving certain assumptions and/or limitations, and can be manipulated only by experienced engineers who have a thorough understanding of the underlying theories. This results in significant constraints on their manipulation as well as large gaps in understanding and expectations between the developers and practitioners of a model. The recent advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) technologies are making it possible to integrate machine learning capabilities into numerical modeling systems in order to bridge the gaps and lessen the demands on human experts. The objective of this paper is to review the state-of-the-art in the integration of different AI technologies into coastal modeling. The algorithms and methods studied include knowledge-based systems, genetic algorithms, artificial neural networks, and fuzzy inference systems. More focus is given to knowledge-based systems, which have apparent advantages over the others in allowing more transparent transfers of knowledge in the use of models and in furnishing the intelligent manipulation of calibration parameters. Of course, the other AI methods also have their individual contributions towards accurate and reliable predictions of coastal processes. The integrated model might be very powerful, since the advantages of each technique can be combined.

Artificial Intelligence↗

Digital pathology and spatial omics in steatohepatitis: Clinical applications and discovery potentials.

Steatohepatitis with diverse etiologies is the most common histological manifestation in patients with liver disease. However, there are currently no specific histopathological features pathognomonic for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease, alcohol-associated liver disease, or metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease with increased alcohol intake. Digitizing traditional pathology slides has created an emerging field of digital pathology, allowing for easier access, storage, sharing, and analysis of whole-slide images. Artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms have been developed for whole-slide images to enhance the accuracy and speed of the histological interpretation of steatohepatitis and are currently employed in biomarker development. Spatial biology is a novel field that enables investigators to map gene and protein expression within a specific region of interest on liver histological sections, examine disease heterogeneity within tissues, and understand the relationship between molecular changes and distinct tissue morphology. Here, we review the utility of digital pathology (using linear and nonlinear microscopy) augmented with AI analysis to improve the accuracy of histological interpretation. We will also discuss the spatial omics landscape with special emphasis on the strengths and limitations of established spatial transcriptomics and proteomics technologies and their application in steatohepatitis. We then highlight the power of multimodal integration of digital pathology augmented by machine learning (ML)algorithms with spatial biology. The review concludes with a discussion of the current gaps in knowledge, the limitations and premises of these tools and technologies, and the areas of future research.

Humans↗

Effectiveness and usability of artificial intelligence-powered assistive technologies in Supporting daily activities of children with cerebral palsy: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Cerebral Palsy (CP) is the main cause of motor disabilities in childhood, necessitating innovative approaches to rehabilitation and assistive technology (AT). Simultaneously, artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly being integrated into devices to create more adaptive, personalized, and effective AT. This systematic review aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and usability of AI-powered assistive technologies designed to support daily activities and rehabilitation in children with CP. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Five databases, including Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, Embase, and IEEE Xplore, were systematically searched, and 23 articles were included in the final analysis. Articles were identified, selected, and categorized into emerging thematic areas based on the primary function and application of the technology. RESULTS: Five key thematic topics were identified: 1) AI-driven motor rehabilitation and gait training for functional mobility; 2) intelligent assessment and monitoring systems for clinical decision support; 3) AI-supported communication, social interaction, and intention recognition tools; 4) gamified and virtual reality-based interventions to enhance engagement and usability; and 5) smart assistive systems supporting daily living and independent mobility. The findings demonstrate a strong trend toward the application of AI technologies in personalized, engaging, and data-driven interventions for children with CP. However, the field is predominantly in the proof-of-concept stage, with limitations including small sample sizes, lack of long-term clinical validation, challenges in user-centered design, and usability for children with CP. CONCLUSION: AI-powered assistive technologies hold significant potential for transforming the care of children with CP by enabling highly personalized and engaging interventions. To actualize this potential, future work must realize that practical application remains challenging owing to limited clinical validation, technological integration, and usability barriers for children with CP. Future research must prioritize user-centered design and multidisciplinary collaboration to ensure that AI and robotic advancements improve the usability and quality of life for children with CP.

Humans↗

Prediction of cyclosporine blood levels in heart transplantation patients using a pharmacokinetic model identified by evolutionary algorithms.

BACKGROUND: Artificial intelligence (AI)-based computation methods have been recently shown to be applicable in several clinical diagnostic fields. The purpose of this study was to introduce a novel AI method called evolutionary algorithms (EAs) to clinical predictions. The technique was used to create a pharmacokinetic model for the prediction of whole blood levels of cyclosporine (CyA). METHODS: One hundred one adult cardiac transplant recipients were randomly selected and included in this study. All patients had been receiving oral cyclosporine twice daily, and the trough levels in whole blood were measured by monoclonal-specific radioimmunoassay. An evolutionary algorithm (EA)-based software tool was trained with pre- and post-operative variables from 64 patients. The results of this process were then tested on data sets from 37 patients. RESULTS: The mean value of the predicted CyA level throughout the measurement period for the test data was 175 +/- 27 ng/ml, which compared well with the mean observed CyA level of 180 +/- 31 ng/ml. The system bias expressed as the mean percent error (MPE) for the training and test data sets were 7.1 +/- 5.4% (0.1% to 26.7%) and 8.0 +/- 6.7% (0.8% to 28.8%), respectively. The prediction accuracy ranged from 80% to 90%. The correlation coefficient between predicted and observed CyA concentration for the training data were 0.93 (p < 0.001) and for the test data were 0.85 (p < 0.001), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study suggest that the use of evolutionary algorithms to identify pharmacokinetic models yields accurate prediction of cyclosporine whole blood levels in heart transplant recipients. This and other similar technologies should be considered as future clinical tools to reduce costs in our health systems.

Adult↗

The role of protocols and professional judgement in emergency medical dispatching.

The task of evaluating incoming calls to Emergency Medical Services (EMS) systems in order to determine the most appropriate response is performed in many different ways in current EMS systems. At one end of the spectrum, the process is entirely dependent on the judgement of professionals, while at the other end protocols specify the exact questions to be asked and corresponding decisions. This case study describes the experience of the Montreal EMS system, Urgences santé, where professional telephone evaluation performed by nurses since 1981 was replaced by a protocolized system in 1992. During the professional era, there were many attempts to formalize the nurses' decision-making process. These first revealed that professional judgement tended to override decision-support tools that did not allow a flexible processing of the information spontaneously provided by callers. Second, the choice of a single protocol for each call was unnatural for professionals who could spontaneously integrate multiple aspects of a problem in parallel. Third, when protocols were used by professionals, it was a posteriori in order to document their decisions rather than actually support them. Fourth, the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) methods in order to formalize professional judgement revealed its great complexity, which was confirmed by cognitive analyses of the nurses' decision-making processes. In particular, decisions of not sending EMS resources seemed to be the most difficult. These unsuccessful attempts at formalizing professional judgement led to an evaluation of its performance in terms of results, i.e. to which extent actual decisions minimized errors (both false positives and false negatives) and decision times. A random sample of 1006 calls was collected and the ideal decision was determined by concensus of experts for each call based on the patient's clinical condition. This theoretical decision was considered as a goal standard to which actual decisions were compared. Data analysis revealed that sensitivity of telephone triage (i.e. decision to send EMS resources or not) was almost perfect and specificity was 0.55. The necessary compromise between sensitivity and specificity varied with the types of decisions. Decision times were related to the urgency of the situations, more urgent calls being processed more rapidly. These results were interpreted as representing sophisticated optimization processes in professional judgement. The professional system was replaced by a non-professional protocolized system in 1992. This new system has not yet been formally evaluated in terms of results, but many sources of evidence suggest that it was accompanied by a deterioration of performance. Many contextual factors influence the organization of telephone assessment in EMS systems. This case study suggests that professional judgement may be most useful in contexts where the demand for EMS services often exceeds the availability of resources. On the other hand, protocolized systems may be more appropriate in the absence of such constraints, and where the litigation context prohibits the occurrence of any false negative.

Artificial Intelligence↗

Spectral Transforms as a Tool to Optimize Digital Phenotyping in Biological Images.

Modern livestock breeding has mastered genotyping. Genome-wide association studies, genomic selection, and SNP arrays enable genetic merit prediction at lower cost. However, phenotyping remains the bottleneck, as manual measurement is slow, expensive, subjective, and unable to capture spatial or temporal trait organization. Digital phenotyping via artificial intelligence could resolve this, but deep learning requires thousands of labelled examples, impractical when phenotyping cost itself limits datasets to hundreds of individuals. This creates a paradox: AI could accelerate phenotyping but requires large numbers of samples to train the models. Here, we demonstrate that integrating computer vision with machine learning offers sample-efficient digital phenotyping using eggshell colour as a model system. Rather than learning features from scratch (deep learning), we engineer physically motivated features via Wavelet transforms that decompose images into multi-scale spatial components. Wavelet features captured 14.2 percentage points more variance (R2&#x2009;=&#x2009;0.976 vs. 0.834, p&#x2009;<&#x2009;0.001) than standard colorimetry, with 50% better sample efficiency (achieving at n&#x2009;=&#x2009;60 what colorimetry required n&#x2009;=&#x2009;120). Variance decomposition revealed 77% of discriminative capacity derives from spatial patterns (bands, spots, gradients) invisible to scalar averages. Additionally, we identified "cryptic phenotypes" (3.3%) where spatial patterns contradicted average colour, cases where colorimeters failed but Wavelets succeeded. The underlying principle-that spatial decomposition can recover organizational information lost by scalar averaging-may be applicable to other traits with spatial or temporal structure, such as marbling, dermatitis, or pigmentation rhythms, although whether comparable performance gains would be observed remains to be tested empirically. Hence, for breeding programs implementing genomic selection, computer vision-based digital phenotyping captures complex trait variation without massive training datasets, addressing the bottleneck that increasingly limits genetic progress as genotyping becomes trivial.

Wavelet transform↗

The application of artificial intelligence in healthcare practice: A mapping review of systematic reviews.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming healthcare practice, with growing evidence supporting its use in diagnosis, prognosis, treatment planning, and operational decision-making. The proliferation of systematic reviews in recent years underscores the need for an updated synthesis of the literature to inform research, policy, and practice. We searched PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, IEEE Xplore, and CINAHL for systematic reviews and meta-analyses published between 2019 and February 2026. Eligible reviews focused on AI applications in healthcare practice, were peer-reviewed, and written in English. A total of 368 reviews met the inclusion criteria. Publication volume increased steadily, peaking in 2025. AI research was concentrated in high-density domains, such as radiology, oncology, and critical care. Across reviews, diagnostic imaging, electronic health record (EHR) data, and biomarkers/laboratory results accounted for 68% of training data sources, though newer data types, such as wearable device and sensor data, emerged from 2022 onward. Diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment comprised over 80% of AI applications, with novel uses emerging in recent years, such as AI-assisted clinical documentation (e.g., ambient documentation tools) and patient education. Ethical concerns were reported in 78.5% of reviews, with privacy, model accuracy, data and algorithmic bias, and explainability as recurrent themes. The proportion of reviews reporting ethical concerns increased from 2021 to 2025. AI applications in healthcare are expanding in scope, diversifying in data sources, and evolving toward novel clinical and operational uses. The human-centered AI or augmented intelligence paradigm, integrating computational precision with clinical expertise, holds significant promise but will require parallel advances in governance, regulatory frameworks, and ethical oversight to ensure safe adoption.

Artificial Intelligence↗

An advanced artificial intelligence tool for menu design.

The computer-assisted menu design still remains a difficult task. Usually knowledge that aids in menu design by a computer is hard-coded and because of that a computerised menu planner cannot handle the menu design problem for an unanticipated client. To address this problem we developed a menu design tool, MIKAS (menu construction using incremental knowledge acquisition system), an artificial intelligence system that allows the incremental development of a knowledge-base for menu design. We allow an incremental knowledge acquisition process in which the expert is only required to provide hints to the system in the context of actual problem instances during menu design using menus stored in a so-called Case Base. Our system incorporates Case-Based Reasoning (CBR), an Artificial Intelligence (AI) technique developed to mimic human problem solving behaviour. Ripple Down Rules (RDR) are a proven technique for the acquisition of classification knowledge from expert directly while they are using the system, which complement CBR in a very fruitful way. This combination allows the incremental improvement of the menu design system while it is already in routine use. We believe MIKAS allows better dietary practice by leveraging a dietitian's skills and expertise. As such MIKAS has the potential to be helpful for any institution where dietary advice is practised.

Artificial Intelligence↗

How AI-supported intelligent systems support infection prevention and control training in healthcare: A systematic review of educational functions and outcomes.

AIMS: Artificial intelligence (AI)-supported intelligent systems have been increasingly incorporated into infection prevention and control (IPC) education and training, primarily to support the monitoring of observable behaviors and the provision of feedback. However, existing evidence has focused largely on short-term compliance outcomes, with limited synthesis of the educational role of AI-supported intelligent systems in supporting sustained IPC competence. This systematic review examined how AI-supported intelligent systems have been designed and used to support IPC education and training, with a focus on system characteristics, educational functions, and reported outcomes. DESIGN: A systematic literature search was conducted across the PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane, and CINAHL databases. DATA SOURCES: A total of 18 studies met the inclusion criteria. Findings were qualitatively synthesized according to system design characteristics, educational functions, and outcome domains. REVIEW METHODS: Methodological quality was appraised using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. RESULTS: Most AI-supported intelligent systems focused on hand hygiene and relied on fully automated monitoring systems to capture behaviors and provide performance feedback. Educational functions were predominantly limited to performance assessment, automated feedback, and reminders. Outcomes were mainly measured using compliance or performance metrics, whereas sustained behavioral change and decision quality were rarely assessed. CONCLUSIONS: AI-supported intelligent systems have been used primarily to reinforce short-term IPC performance and compliance. However, their current applications for supporting sustained competence over time remain limited. The findings of this review suggest that AI-supported intelligent systems may serve as maintenance-oriented educational support by extending learning beyond initial instruction through repeated practice and feedback. Future research should prioritize outcome measures that capture the durability of performance and decision-making processes to better align AI-supported intelligent systems used in IPC education and training with the educational demands of clinical practice.

Humans↗

Community-driven advances in computational mass spectrometry: The perspective of EuBIC-MS members.

Advances in data acquisition, artificial intelligence, and integrative bioinformatics are driving the rapid evolution of computational mass spectrometry, and in turn, transforming modern proteomics, metabolomics, and lipidomics. These developments have greatly increased the scale and complexity of mass spectrometry data, underscoring the importance of evolving accurate, transparent, efficient and reproducible data processing workflows. Addressing these challenges requires collaborative innovation that brings together expertise in software engineering, statistics, and biology. The European Bioinformatics Community for Mass Spectrometry (EuBIC-MS), an initiative of the European Proteomics Association (EuPA), fosters a culture of open, community-driven development through its biennial Developers Meetings and Winter Schools. This commentary summarizes the scientific background and outcomes of the EuBIC-MS Developers Meeting 2025, which took place in Novacella, Italy. Three keynote presentations highlighted major frontiers in the field: deep proteome and phosphoproteome profiling, text mining for protein-protein interaction extraction, and scalable proteomics for AI-driven drug discovery. Seven community-selected hackathons addressed emerging challenges such as single-cell proteomics data analysis, FAIR metadata extraction, deep learning frameworks, R-Python interoperability, and DIA validation. Together, these efforts demonstrate the potential for scientific and technical innovation to arise from open collaboration, and highlight how community-driven initiatives can accelerate progress in computational mass spectrometry. SIGNIFICANCE: Modern proteomics increasingly depends on computational advances to translate complex, high-dimensional data into biological knowledge. The EuBIC-MS Developers Meeting 2025 exemplifies how community-driven collaboration can directly accelerate this process by bringing together experts from bioinformatics, statistics, and experimental proteomics to co-develop open, interoperable, and reproducible analytical tools. By fostering shared software frameworks, transparent benchmarking, and collaborative problem solving, the EuBIC-MS community helps ensure that technological innovation translates into reliable biological insights. This collaborative model strengthens the foundation for quantitative, system-level understanding of proteomes and establishes a sustainable path for integrating artificial intelligence and next-generation data acquisition into routine biological discovery. This commentary shows some current highlights in the field of computational mass spectrometry and community-based approaches undertaken during the most recent Developers Meeting to solve these challenges. The approaches discussed and initiated during the meeting - ranging from deep proteome profiling and phosphosite mapping to text mining, single-cell data analysis, and FAIR metadata extraction - address key bottlenecks that currently limit the biological interpretability and comparability of proteomics data.

Mass Spectrometry↗

Artificial intelligence in hematology.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is a computer based science which aims to simulate human brain faculties using a computational system. A brief history of this new science goes from the creation of the first artificial neuron in 1943 to the first artificial neural network application to genetic algorithms. The potential for a similar technology in medicine has immediately been identified by scientists and researchers. The possibility to store and process all medical knowledge has made this technology very attractive to assist or even surpass clinicians in reaching a diagnosis. Applications of AI in medicine include devices applied to clinical diagnosis in neurology and cardiopulmonary diseases, as well as the use of expert or knowledge-based systems in routine clinical use for diagnosis, therapeutic management and for prognostic evaluation. Biological applications include genome sequencing or DNA gene expression microarrays, modeling gene networks, analysis and clustering of gene expression data, pattern recognition in DNA and proteins, protein structure prediction. In the field of hematology the first devices based on AI have been applied to the routine laboratory data management. New tools concern the differential diagnosis in specific diseases such as anemias, thalassemias and leukemias, based on neural networks trained with data from peripheral blood analysis. A revolution in cancer diagnosis, including the diagnosis of hematological malignancies, has been the introduction of the first microarray based and bioinformatic approach for molecular diagnosis: a systematic approach based on the monitoring of simultaneous expression of thousands of genes using DNA microarray, independently of previous biological knowledge, analysed using AI devices. Using gene profiling, the traditional diagnostic pathways move from clinical to molecular based diagnostic systems.

Artificial Intelligence↗

Foundations of Artificial Intelligence in Hepatology: What a Clinician Needs to Know.

This review focuses on foundational knowledge about artificial intelligence (AI) in hepatology, exploring how AI, including machine learning and deep learning, leverages large-scale clinical data to transform the diagnosis, risk assessment, prognostication, and management of liver diseases. Online resources are described to offer fundamental AI knowledge and essential technical skills and to facilitate clinician participation across the entire AI lifecycle, ensuring they contribute not only as end users but also in development and deployment. Unlike traditional statistical approaches that prioritize interpretable parameters and clinical insight, AI focuses on maximizing predictive accuracy by identifying complex, often non-linear patterns using high-dimensional data, albeit often at the cost of model interpretability. AI is demonstrating clinical utility in liver histopathology and radiological imaging, significantly improving detection accuracy for cirrhosis, clinically significant portal hypertension, and hepatocellular carcinoma. Beyond diagnostics, AI-driven prediction models are emerging to provide personalized risk stratification for the development of liver-related complications and treatment guidance, based on complex data including longitudinal laboratory results, comorbidities, and co-medication use to monitor disease progression and therapy response. The field is rapidly expanding into novel areas such as analyzing patient-reported outcomes, genomic data, and real-time liver function monitoring, offering deeper mechanistic insights alongside clinical tools. Despite the potential to revolutionize hepatology practice and research, successful integration into routine care faces challenges. These include seamless workflow integration with existing electronic health records, establishing clear liability frameworks, and guaranteeing protection of patient privacy. Addressing these hurdles requires collaborative efforts from clinicians, researchers, and regulators to develop best practices and governance. Understanding the transformative capabilities, current applications, emerging frontiers, and essential implementation considerations is crucial for clinicians navigating the evolving AI landscape and responsibly utilizing its power for improved patient outcomes.

PROBAST+AI↗

Artificial intelligence and the supervision of bioprocesses (real-time knowledge-based systems and neural networks).

The ability to supervise and control a highly non-linear and time variant bioprocess is of considerable importance to the biotechnological industries which are continually striving to obtain higher yields and improved uniformity of production. Two AI methodologies aimed at contributing to the overall intelligent monitoring and control of bioprocess operations are discussed. The development and application of a real-time knowledge-based system to provide supervisory control of fed-batch bioprocesses is reviewed. The system performs sensor validation, fault detection and diagnosis and incorporates relevant expertise and experience drawn from both bioprocess engineering and control engineering domains. A complementary approach, that of artificial neural networks is also addressed. The development of neural network modelling tools for use in bioprocess state estimation and inferential control are reviewed. An attractive characteristic of neural networks is that with the appropriate topology any non-linear functional relationship can be modelled, hence significantly reducing model-process mismatch. Results from industrial applications are presented.

Artificial Intelligence↗

Artificial intelligence enabled social robotic interventions (PARO) in Australian dementia care: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Although there is a growing body of research indicating that Personal Robot/Social Robot could be used in various aspects of care for individuals with dementia, little is known about how well these types of interventions work in an actual hospital setting in Australia. AIMS & OBJECTIVES: The objective of the present systematic review and meta-analysis is to assess the effectiveness of PARO-based socially assistive robotic intervention in terms of its effectiveness outcomes towards the reduction of dementia-related behavioural and psychological symptoms in Australian based healthcare settings. METHODS: A systematic search was conducted across five electronic databases, including MEDLINE (PubMed), EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and the Cochrane Library, to identify randomised controlled trials (RCTs) investigating PARO-based socially assistive robotic interventions for dementia in Australian healthcare settings. This review was registered with PROSPERO (CRD420251251916) and followed the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. In addition, the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool (RoB 2) was used to evaluate the risk of bias across all studies. Pooled standardised mean differences (SMD) with 95&#xa0;% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated for agitation, anxiety, and depression. Heterogeneity across studies was evaluated using the I2 statistic. RESULTS: Six RCTs involving 1444 participants were identified for inclusion in this review. AI-enabled socially assistive robotic interventions, specifically the PARO therapeutic robot, significantly reduced agitation and anxiety when compared to standard treatment or control conditions. The pooled analysis showed that agitation [SMD&#xa0;=&#xa0;-0.44 (95&#xa0;% CI: -0.70, -0.18) p&#xa0;=&#xa0;0.0008] and anxiety [SMD&#xa0;=&#xa0;-0.59 (95&#xa0;% CI: -0.91, -0.27) p&#xa0;=&#xa0;0.0003] were reduced significantly, while the decrease in depression [SMD&#xa0;=&#xa0;-0.44 (95&#xa0;% CI: -0.95, -0.07) p&#xa0;=&#xa0;0.09] scores was non-significant among dementia patients receiving PARO-based socially assistive robotic interventions as compared to the control. The overall risk of bias across all six studies was considered low to moderate. CONCLUSION: PARO-based socially assistive robotic interventions may provide preliminary evidence of effectiveness in reducing agitation and anxiety in individuals with dementia in Australian healthcare, but the evidence regarding the reduction of depression remains unclear. Therefore, additional high-quality trials with consistent methodology and extended follow-up will be necessary to determine both the short-term and long-term clinical efficacy and practicality of implementing these interventions into practice.

Humans↗

Sniffing out the truth: clinical diagnosis using the electronic nose.

Recently the use of smell in clinical diagnosis has been rediscovered due to major advances in odour sensing technology and artificial intelligence (AI). It was well known in the past that a number of infectious or metabolic diseases could liberate specific odours characteristic of the disease stage. Later chromatographic techniques identified an enormous number of volatiles in human clinical specimens that might serve as potential disease markers. "Artificial nose" technology has been employed in several areas of medical diagnosis, including rapid detection of tuberculosis (TB), Helicobacter pylori (HP) and urinary tract infections (UTI). Preliminary results have demonstrated the possibility of identifying and characterising microbial pathogens in clinical specimens. A hybrid intelligent model of four interdependent "tools", odour generation "kits", rapid volatile delivery and recovery systems, consistent low drift sensor performance and a hybrid intelligent system of parallel neural networks (NN) and expert systems, have been applied in gastric, pulmonary and urine diagnosis. Initial clinical tests have shown that it may be possible in the near future to use electronic nose technology not only for the rapid detection of diseases such as peptic ulceration, UTI, and TB but also for the continuous dynamic monitoring of disease stages. Major advances in information and gas sensor technology could enhance the diagnostic power of future bio-electronic noses and facilitate global surveillance models of disease control and management.

Biomarkers↗

Filtering of ineffective siRNAs and improved siRNA design tool.

MOTIVATION: Short interfering RNAs (siRNAs) can be used to suppress gene expression and possess many potential applications in therapy, but how to design an effective siRNA is still not clear. Based on the MPI (Max-Planck-Institute) basic principles, a number of siRNA design tools have been developed recently. The set of candidates reported by these tools is usually large and often contains ineffective siRNAs. In view of this, we initiate the study of filtering ineffective siRNAs. RESULTS: The contribution of this paper is 2-fold. First, we propose a fair scheme to compare existing design tools based on real data in the literature. Second, we attempt to improve the MPI principles and existing tools by an algorithm that can filter ineffective siRNAs. The algorithm is based on some new observations on the secondary structure, which we have verified by AI techniques (decision trees and support vector machines). We have tested our algorithm together with the MPI principles and the existing tools. The results show that our filtering algorithm is effective. AVAILABILITY: The siRNA design software tool can be found in the website http://www.cs.hku.hk/~sirna/ CONTACT: smyiu@cs.hku.hk

Algorithms↗