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Healthcare
Clinical AI, diagnostic bias, patient safety and medical-device regulation — the healthcare front of AI ethics, daily.
Optimized Dynamic Network Biomarker Deciphers a High‐Resolution Heterogeneity Within Thyroid Cancer Molecular Subtypes
ABSTRACT The progression of differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC) poses significant clinical challenges, especially in determining the optimal time for intervention. To capture early signals of disease progression, we employed an optimized dynamic network biomarker (DNB) method—a systems biology approach that detects abrupt molecular changes indicating a critical transition signal. This analysis revealed that Stage II marks a critical transition in the disease trajectory. We further developed a
Ultrasensitive detection of clinical pathogens through a target-amplification-free collateral-cleavage-enhancing CRISPR-CasΦ tool
Clinical pathogen diagnostics detect targets by qPCR (but with low sensitivity) or blood culturing (but time-consuming). Here we leverage a dual-stem-loop DNA amplifier to enhance non-specific collateral enzymatic cleavage of an oligonucleotide linker between a fluophore and its quencher by CRISPR-CasΦ, achieving ultrasensitive target detection. Specifically, the target pathogens are lysed to release DNA, which binds its complementary gRNA in CRISPR-CasΦ to activate the collateral DNA-cleavage c
Benchmark evaluation of DeepSeek large language models in clinical decision-making
Bridging the digital health divide: a narrative review of the causes, implications, and solutions for digital health inequalities
Background: Digital health interventions have the potential to improve health at a large scale globally by improving access to healthcare services and health-related information, but they tend to benefit more affluent and privileged groups more than those less privileged.Methods: In this narrative review, we describe how this ‘digital health divide’ can manifest across three different levels reflecting inequalities in access, skills and benefits or outcomes (i.e. the first, second, and tertiary
Integrating AI in medical education: a comprehensive study of medical students’ attitudes, concerns, and behavioral intentions
BACKGROUND: To analyze medical students' perceptions, trust, and attitudes toward artificial intelligence (AI) in medical education, and explore their willingness to integrate AI in learning and teaching practices. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was performed with undergraduate and postgraduate medical students from two medical universities in Beijing. Data were collected between October and early November 2024 via a self-designed questionnaire that covered seven main domains: Awareness of
Mapping the use of artificial intelligence in medical education: a scoping review
INTRODUCTION: The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare has transformed clinical practices and medical education, with technologies like diagnostic algorithms and clinical decision support increasingly incorporated into curricula. However, there is still a gap in preparing future physicians to use these technologies effectively and ethically. OBJECTIVE: This scoping review maps the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in undergraduate medical education (UME), focusing
Towards conversational diagnostic artificial intelligence
Abstract At the heart of medicine lies physician–patient dialogue, where skillful history-taking enables effective diagnosis, management and enduring trust 1,2 . Artificial intelligence (AI) systems capable of diagnostic dialogue could increase accessibility and quality of care. However, approximating clinicians’ expertise is an outstanding challenge. Here we introduce AMIE (Articulate Medical Intelligence Explorer), a large language model (LLM)-based AI system optimized for diagnostic dialogue.
Phytochemicals in Cancer Therapy: A Structured Review of Mechanisms, Challenges, and Progress in Personalized Treatment
Cancer is a major global health concern. Therefore, new treatment options are needed. The phytochemicals have different chemical structures. It also exhibits several other biological activities. Therefore, these compounds are promising anticancer agents. This review aims to identify and assess new candidates for anticancer therapy. Researchers have identified these compounds among the well-studied plant chemicals and their actions. Thus, these compounds can be used in anticancer therapies. The p
Retrieval augmented generation for 10 large language models and its generalizability in assessing medical fitness
Large Language Models (LLMs) hold promise for medical applications but often lack domain-specific expertise. Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG) enables customization by integrating specialized knowledge. This study assessed the accuracy, consistency, and safety of LLM-RAG models in determining surgical fitness and delivering preoperative instructions using 35 local and 23 international guidelines. Ten LLMs (e.g., GPT3.5, GPT4, GPT4o, Gemini, Llama2, and Llama3, Claude) were tested across 14 cl
Enhancing digital readiness and capability in healthcare: a systematic review of interventions, barriers, and facilitators
INTRODUCTION: The rapid integration of digital technologies in healthcare requires healthcare professionals to be digitally ready and capable. This systematic review aims to identify interventions that improve digital readiness and capability among health professionals and to understand the barriers and facilitators they encounter during this digital transformation. METHODOLOGY: A mixed-methods systematic review was conducted following the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) guidelines. We searched fi
Machine learning in point-of-care testing: innovations, challenges, and opportunities
The landscape of diagnostic testing is undergoing a significant transformation, driven by the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) into decentralized, rapid, and accessible sensor platforms for point-of-care testing (POCT). The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the shift from centralized laboratory testing but also catalyzed the development of next-generation POCT platforms that leverage ML to enhance the accuracy, sensitivity, and overall efficiency of point-of-
A cerebrospinal fluid synaptic protein biomarker for prediction of cognitive resilience versus decline in Alzheimer’s disease
Rates of cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) are extremely heterogeneous. Although biomarkers for amyloid-beta (Aβ) and tau proteins, the hallmark AD pathologies, have improved pathology-based diagnosis, they explain only 20–40% of the variance in AD-related cognitive impairment (CI). To discover novel biomarkers of CI in AD, we performed cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) proteomics on 3,397 individuals from six major prospective AD case–control cohorts. Synapse proteins emerged as the stronge
Disclosing artificial intelligence use in scientific research and publication: When should disclosure be mandatory, optional, or unnecessary?
Currently there is a broad consensus among scholars that artificial intelligence (AI) tools can be used in research and publication, and that their use should be disclosed. Publishers and influential organizations, like the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors, have developed different and sometimes contradictory disclosure policies. We review some of these policies, examine the ethical reasons for disclosing AI use in research, and develop a framework for disclosure. We distinguis
Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence in the Multi-Omics Approach to Gut Microbiota
The gut microbiome is involved in human health and disease, and its comprehensive understanding is necessary to exploit it as a diagnostic or therapeutic tool. Multi-omics approaches, including metagenomics, metatranscriptomics, metabolomics, and metaproteomics, enable depiction of the gut microbial ecosystem's complexity. However, these tools generate a large data stream in which integration is needed to produce clinically useful readouts, but, in turn, might be difficult to carry out with conv
The Role of AI in Nursing Education and Practice: Umbrella Review
BACKGROUND: Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming health care, offering substantial advancements in patient care, clinical workflows, and nursing education. OBJECTIVE: This umbrella review aims to evaluate the integration of AI into nursing practice and education, with a focus on ethical and social implications, and to propose evidence-based recommendations to support the responsible and effective adoption of AI technologies in nursing. METHODS: We included systematic reviews, sco
The Transformative Role of Artificial Intelligence in Dentistry: A Comprehensive Overview. Part 1: Fundamentals of AI, and its Contemporary Applications in Dentistry
Artificial intelligence (AI) holds immense promise in revolutionising dentistry, spanning, diagnostics, treatment planning and educational realms. This narrative review, in two parts, explores the fundamentals and the multifaceted potential of AI in dentistry. The current article explores the profound impact of AI in dentistry, encompassing diagnostic tools, treatment planning, and patient care. The Part 2 of the article delves into the potential of AI in patient education, ethics and the FDI co
The role of explainable artificial intelligence in disease prediction: a systematic literature review and future research directions
Explainable Artificial Intelligence (XAI) enhances transparency and interpretability in AI models, which is crucial for trust and accountability in healthcare. A potential application of XAI is disease prediction using various data modalities. This study conducts a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) following the PRISMA protocol, synthesizing findings from 30 selected studies to examine XAI's evolving role in disease prediction. It explores commonly used XAI methods, such as Shapley Additive Exp
Dietary Phytochemicals in Health and Disease: Mechanisms, Clinical Evidence, and Applications—A Comprehensive Review
Phytochemicals are bioactive compounds found in plants that play a key role in promoting health and preventing diseases. Present in fruits, vegetables, grains, and seed oils, these compounds are considered safe for consumption due to the co-evolution and adaptation between mammals and plants. Due to their wide-ranging biological effects, they have attracted considerable research interest. This comprehensive review explores the mechanisms of action, health benefits, and applications of dietary ph
Artificial intelligence in public health: promises, challenges, and an agenda for policy makers and public health institutions
Artificial intelligence (AI) can rapidly analyse large and complex datasets, extract tailored recommendations, support decision making, and improve the efficiency of many tasks that involve the processing of data, text, or images. As such, AI has the potential to revolutionise public health practice and research, but accompanying challenges need to be addressed. AI can be used to support public health surveillance, epidemiological research, communication, the allocation of resources, and other f
Shaping the Future of Healthcare: Ethical Clinical Challenges and Pathways to Trustworthy AI
Background/Objectives: Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming healthcare, enabling advances in diagnostics, treatment optimization, and patient care. Yet, its integration raises ethical, regulatory, and societal challenges. Key concerns include data privacy risks, algorithmic bias, and regulatory gaps that struggle to keep pace with AI advancements. This study aims to synthesize a multidisciplinary framework for trustworthy AI in healthcare, focusing on transparency, accountability, fairne
Exploring the Ethical Challenges of Conversational AI in Mental Health Care: Scoping Review
BACKGROUND: Conversational artificial intelligence (CAI) is emerging as a promising digital technology for mental health care. CAI apps, such as psychotherapeutic chatbots, are available in app stores, but their use raises ethical concerns. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to provide a comprehensive overview of ethical considerations surrounding CAI as a therapist for individuals with mental health issues. METHODS: We conducted a systematic search across PubMed, Embase, APA PsycINFO, Web of Science, Scopus,
AI-driven triage in emergency departments: A review of benefits, challenges, and future directions
BACKGROUND: Emergency Departments (EDs) are critical in providing immediate care, often under pressure from overcrowding, resource constraints, and variability in patient prioritization. Traditional triage systems, while structured, rely on subjective assessments, which can lack consistency during peak hours or mass casualty events. AI-driven triage systems present a promising solution, automating patient prioritization by analyzing real-time data, such as vital signs, medical history, and prese
Artificial intelligence for individualized treatment of persistent atrial fibrillation: a randomized controlled trial
Although pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) has become the cornerstone ablation procedure for atrial fibrillation (AF), the optimal ablation procedure for persistent and long-standing persistent AF remains elusive. Targeting spatio-temporal electrogram dispersion in a tailored procedure has been suggested as a potentially beneficial alternative to a conventional PVI-only procedure. In this multicenter, randomized, controlled, double-blind, superiority trial, patients with drug-refractory persistent
The application of artificial intelligence in the field of mental health: a systematic review
INTRODUCTION: The integration of artificial intelligence in mental health care represents a transformative shift in the identification, treatment, and management of mental disorders. This systematic review explores the diverse applications of artificial intelligence, emphasizing both its benefits and associated challenges. METHODS: A comprehensive literature search was conducted across multiple databases based on Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses, including ProQu
Guiding AI in radiology: ESR’s recommendations for effective implementation of the European AI Act
This statement has been produced within the European Society of Radiology AI Working Group and identifies the key policies of the EU AI Act as they pertain to medical imaging. It offers specific recommendations to policymakers and the professional community for the effective implementation of the legislation, addressing potential gaps and uncertainties. Key areas include AI literacy, classification rules for high-risk AI systems, data governance, transparency, human oversight, quality management
The integration of AI in nursing: addressing current applications, challenges, and future directions
Artificial intelligence is increasingly influencing healthcare, providing transformative opportunities and challenges for nursing practice. This review critically evaluates the integration of AI in nursing, focusing on its current applications, limitations, and areas that require further investigation. A comprehensive analysis of recent studies highlights the use of AI in clinical decision support systems, patient monitoring, and nursing education. However, several barriers to successful impleme
AI versus human-generated multiple-choice questions for medical education: a cohort study in a high-stakes examination
BACKGROUND: The creation of high-quality multiple-choice questions (MCQs) is essential for medical education assessments but is resource-intensive and time-consuming when done by human experts. Large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT-4o offer a promising alternative, but their efficacy remains unclear, particularly in high-stakes exams. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the quality and psychometric properties of ChatGPT-4o-generated MCQs compared to human-created MCQs in a high-stakes me
AI Ethics: Integrating Transparency, Fairness, and Privacy in AI Development
The expansion of Artificial Intelligence in sectors such as healthcare, finance, and communication has raised critical ethical concerns surrounding transparency, fairness, and privacy. Addressing these issues is essential for the responsible development and deployment of AI systems. This research establishes a comprehensive ethical framework that mitigates biases and promotes accountability in AI technologies. A comparative analysis of international AI policy frameworks from regions including th
Unlocking precision medicine: clinical applications of integrating health records, genetics, and immunology through artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as a transformative force in precision medicine, revolutionizing the integration and analysis of health records, genetics, and immunology data. This comprehensive review explores the clinical applications of AI-driven analytics in unlocking personalized insights for patients with autoimmune rheumatic diseases. Through the synergistic approach of integrating AI across diverse data sets, clinicians gain a holistic view of patient health and potential risks.
Digital twins as global learning health and disease models for preventive and personalized medicine
Ineffective medication is a major healthcare problem causing significant patient suffering and economic costs. This issue stems from the complex nature of diseases, which involve altered interactions among thousands of genes across multiple cell types and organs. Disease progression can vary between patients and over time, influenced by genetic and environmental factors. To address this challenge, digital twins have emerged as a promising approach, which have led to international initiatives aim
FUTURE-AI: international consensus guideline for trustworthy and deployable artificial intelligence in healthcare
Despite major advances in artificial intelligence (AI) research for healthcare, the deployment and adoption of AI technologies remain limited in clinical practice. This paper describes the FUTURE-AI framework, which provides guidance for the development and deployment of trustworthy AI tools in healthcare. The FUTURE-AI Consortium was founded in 2021 and comprises 117 interdisciplinary experts from 50 countries representing all continents, including AI scientists, clinical researchers, biomedica
Examining inclusivity: the use of AI and diverse populations in health and social care: a systematic review
BACKGROUND: Artificial intelligence (AI)-based systems are being rapidly integrated into the fields of health and social care. Although such systems can substantially improve the provision of care, diverse and marginalized populations are often incorrectly or insufficiently represented within these systems. This review aims to assess the influence of AI on health and social care among these populations, particularly with regard to issues related to inclusivity and regulatory concerns. METHODS: W
Large Language Models for Chatbot Health Advice Studies
Importance: There is much interest in the clinical integration of large language models (LLMs) in health care. Many studies have assessed the ability of LLMs to provide health advice, but the quality of their reporting is uncertain. Objective: To perform a systematic review to examine the reporting variability among peer-reviewed studies evaluating the performance of generative artificial intelligence (AI)-driven chatbots for summarizing evidence and providing health advice to inform the develop
Exploring the effects of artificial intelligence on student and academic well-being in higher education: a mini-review
The increasing use of artificial intelligence (AI) in higher education is reshaping how students engage with their academic and personal lives. However, the impact of AI on students' well-being remains underexplored. This mini-review synthesizes current literature to assess how AI affects student well-being, focusing on mental health, social interactions, and academic experiences. While AI offers benefits such as personalized learning, mental health support, and improved communication efficiency
Clinical applications of human organoids
Convergence of evolving artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques in precision oncology
The confluence of new technologies with artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) analytical techniques is rapidly advancing the field of precision oncology, promising to improve diagnostic approaches and therapeutic strategies for patients with cancer. By analyzing multi-dimensional, multiomic, spatial pathology, and radiomic data, these technologies enable a deeper understanding of the intricate molecular pathways, aiding in the identification of critical nodes within the tumor's
Multi-omics approaches for understanding gene-environment interactions in noncommunicable diseases: techniques, translation, and equity issues
Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as cardiovascular diseases, chronic respiratory diseases, cancers, diabetes, and mental health disorders pose a significant global health challenge, accounting for the majority of fatalities and disability-adjusted life years worldwide. These diseases arise from the complex interactions between genetic, behavioral, and environmental factors, necessitating a thorough understanding of these dynamics to identify effective diagnostic strategies and interventions
The Role of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Models in Antimicrobial Stewardship in Public Health: A Narrative Review
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses a critical global health threat, necessitating innovative approaches in antimicrobial stewardship (AMS). Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) have emerged as transformative tools in this domain, enabling data-driven interventions to optimize antibiotic use and combat resistance. This comprehensive review explores the multifaceted role of AI and ML models in enhancing antimicrobial stewardship efforts across healthcare systems. AI-powered pre
The Clinicians’ Guide to Large Language Models: A General Perspective With a Focus on Hallucinations
Large language models (LLMs) are artificial intelligence tools that have the prospect of profoundly changing how we practice all aspects of medicine. Considering the incredible potential of LLMs in medicine and the interest of many health care stakeholders for implementation into routine practice, it is therefore essential that clinicians be aware of the basic risks associated with the use of these models. Namely, a significant risk associated with the use of LLMs is their potential to create ha
Trust in Artificial Intelligence–Based Clinical Decision Support Systems Among Health Care Workers: Systematic Review
Background: Artificial intelligence-based clinical decision support systems (AI-CDSSs) have enhanced personalized medicine and improved the efficiency of health care workers. Despite these opportunities, trust in these tools remains a critical factor for their successful integration into practice. Existing research lacks synthesized insights and actionable recommendations to guide the development of AI-CDSSs that foster trust among health care workers. Objective: This systematic review aims to i