Using multi-layer perceptron with Laplacian edge detector for bladder cancer diagnosis

Metadata information and fundus image fusion neural network for hyperuricemia classification in diabetes

OBJECTIVE

In diabetes mellitus patients, hyperuricemia may lead to the development of diabetic complications, including macrovascular and microvascular dysfunction. However, the level of blood uric acid in diabetic patients is obtained by sampling peripheral blood from the patient, which is an invasive procedure and not conducive to routine monitoring. Therefore, we developed deep learning algorithm to detect noninvasively hyperuricemia from retina photographs and metadata of patients with diabetes and evaluated performance in multiethnic populations and different subgroups.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

To achieve the task of non-invasive detection of hyperuricemia in diabetic patients, given that blood uric acid metabolism is directly related to estimated glomerular filtration rate(eGFR), we first performed a regression task for eGFR value before the classification task for hyperuricemia and reintroduced the eGFR regression values into the baseline information. We trained 3 deep learning models: (1) metadata model adjusted for sex, age, body mass index, duration of diabetes, HbA1c, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure; (2) image model based on fundus photographs; (3)hybrid model combining image and metadata model. Data from the Shanghai General Hospital Diabetes Management Center (ShDMC) were used to develop (6091 participants with diabetes) and internally validated (using 5-fold cross-validation) the models. External testing was performed on an independent dataset (UK Biobank dataset) consisting of 9327 participants with diabetes.

RESULTS

For the regression task of eGFR, in ShDMC dataset, the coefficient of determination (R2) was 0.684±0.07 (95 % CI) for image model, 0.501±0.04 for metadata model, and 0.727±0.002 for hybrid model. In external UK Biobank dataset, a coefficient of determination (R2) was 0.647±0.06 for image model, 0.627±0.03 for metadata model, and 0.697±0.07 for hybrid model. Our method was demonstrably superior to previous methods. For the classification of hyperuricemia, in ShDMC validation, the area, under the curve (AUC) was 0.86±0.013for image model, 0.86±0.013 for metadata model, and 0.92±0.026 for hybrid model. Estimates with UK biobank were 0.82±0.017 for image model, 0.79±0.024 for metadata model, and 0.89±0.032 for hybrid model.

CONCLUSION

There is a potential deep learning algorithm using fundus photographs as a noninvasively screening adjunct for hyperuricemia among individuals with diabetes. Meanwhile, combining patient's metadata enables higher screening accuracy. After applying the visualization tool, it found that the deep learning network for the identification of hyperuricemia mainly focuses on the fundus optic disc region.

RNA-Seq analysis for breast cancer detection: a study on paired tissue samples using hybrid optimization and deep learning techniques

PROBLEM

Breast cancer is a leading global health issue, contributing to high mortality rates among women. The challenge of early detection is exacerbated by the high dimensionality and complexity of gene expression data, which complicates the classification process.

AIM

This study aims to develop an advanced deep learning model that can accurately detect breast cancer using RNA-Seq gene expression data, while effectively addressing the challenges posed by the data's high dimensionality and complexity.

METHODS

We introduce a novel hybrid gene selection approach that combines the Harris Hawk Optimization (HHO) and Whale Optimization (WO) algorithms with deep learning to improve feature selection and classification accuracy. The model's performance was compared to five conventional optimization algorithms integrated with deep learning: Genetic Algorithm (GA), Artificial Bee Colony (ABC), Cuckoo Search (CS), and Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO). RNA-Seq data was collected from 66 paired samples of normal and cancerous tissues from breast cancer patients at the Jawaharlal Nehru Cancer Hospital & Research Centre, Bhopal, India. Sequencing was performed by Biokart Genomics Lab, Bengaluru, India.

RESULTS

The proposed model achieved a mean classification accuracy of 99.0%, consistently outperforming the GA, ABC, CS, and PSO methods. The dataset comprised 55 female breast cancer patients, including both early and advanced stages, along with age-matched healthy controls.

CONCLUSION

Our findings demonstrate that the hybrid gene selection approach using HHO and WO, combined with deep learning, is a powerful and accurate tool for breast cancer detection. This approach shows promise for early detection and could facilitate personalized treatment strategies, ultimately improving patient outcomes.

Rapid detection of liver metastasis risk in colorectal cancer patients through blood test indicators

Introduction

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common malignancies, with liver metastasis being its most common form of metastasis. The diagnosis of colorectal cancer liver metastasis (CRCLM) mainly relies on imaging techniques and puncture biopsy techniques, but there is no simple and quick early diagnosisof CRCLM.

Methods

This study aims to develop a method for rapidly detecting the risk of liver metastasis in CRC patients through blood test indicators based on machine learning (ML) techniques, thereby improving treatment outcomes. To achieve this, blood test indicators from 246 CRC patients and 256 CRCLM patients were collected and analyzed, including routine blood tests, liver function tests, electrolyte tests, renal function tests, glucose determination, cardiac enzyme profiles, blood lipids, and tumor markers. Six commonly used ML models were used for CRC and CRCLM classification and optimized by using a feature selection strategy.

Results

The results showed that AdaBoost algorithm can achieve the highest accuracy of 89.3% among the six models, which improved to 91.1% after feature selection strategy, resulting with 20 key markers.

Conclusions

The results demonstrate that the combination of machine learning techniques with blood markers is feasible and effective for the rapid diagnosis of CRCLM, significantly im-proving diagnostic ac-curacy and patient prognosis.

Artificial intelligence algorithms permits rapid acute kidney injury risk classification of patients with acute myocardial infarction

Objective

This study aimed to develop and validate several artificial intelligence (AI) models to identify acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients at an increased risk of acute kidney injury (AKI) during hospitalization.

Methods

Included were patients diagnosed with AMI from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care (MIMIC) III and IV databases. Two cohorts of AMI patients from Changzhou Second People's Hospital and Xuzhou Center Hospital were used for external validation of the models. Patients' demographics, vital signs, clinical characteristics, laboratory results, and therapeutic measures were extracted. Totally, 12 AI models were developed. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) were calculated and compared.

Results

AKI occurred during hospitalization in 1098 (28.3 %) of the 3882 final enrolled patients, split into training (3105) and test (777) sets randomly. Among them, Random Forest (RF), C5.0 and Bagged CART models outperformed the other models in both the training and test sets. The AUCs for the test set were 0.754, 0.734 and 0.730, respectively. The incidence of AKI was 9.8 % and 9.5 % in 2202 patients in the Changzhou cohort and 807 patients in the Xuzhou cohort with AMI, respectively. The AUCs for patients in the Changzhou cohort were RF, 0.761; C5.0, 0.733; and bagged CART, 0.725, respectively, and Xuzhou cohort were RF, 0.799; C5.0, 0.808; and bagged CART, 0.784, respectively.

Conclusion

Several machines learning-based prediction models for AKI after AMI were developed and validated. The RF, C5.0 and Bagged CART model performed robustly in identifying high-risk patients earlier.

Clinical trial approval statement

This Trial was registered in the Chinese clinical trials registry: ChiCTR1800014583. Registered January 22, 2018 (http://www.chictr.org.cn/searchproj.aspx).

Application of artificial intelligence in the diagnosis and treatment of urinary tumors

Diagnosis and treatment of urological tumors, relying on auxiliary data such as medical imaging, while incorporating individual patient characteristics into treatment selection, has long been a key challenge in clinical medicine. Traditionally, clinicians used extensive experience for decision-making, but recent artificial intelligence (AI) advancements offer new solutions. Machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL), notably convolutional neural networks (CNNs) in medical image recognition, enable precise tumor diagnosis and treatment. These technologies analyze complex medical image patterns, improving accuracy and efficiency. AI systems, by learning from vast datasets, reveal hidden features, offering reliable diagnostics and personalized treatment plans. Early detection is crucial for tumors like renal cell carcinoma (RCC), bladder cancer (BC), and Prostate Cancer (PCa). AI, coupled with data analysis, improves early detection and reduces misdiagnosis rates, enhancing treatment precision. AI's application in urological tumors is a research focus, promising a vital role in urological surgery with improved patient outcomes. This paper examines ML, DL in urological tumors, and AI's role in clinical decisions, providing insights for future AI applications in urological surgery.

Construction and validation of predictive models for intravenous immunoglobulin-resistant Kawasaki disease using an interpretable machine learning approach

BACKGROUND

Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG)-resistant Kawasaki disease is associated with coronary artery lesion development.

PURPOSE

This study aimed to explore the factors associated with IVIG-resistance and construct and validate an interpretable machine learning (ML) prediction model in clinical practice.

METHODS

Between December 2014 and November 2022, 602 patients were screened and risk factors for IVIG-resistance investigated. Five ML models are used to establish an optimal prediction model. The SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) method was used to interpret the ML model.

RESULTS

Na+, hemoglobin (Hb), C-reactive protein (CRP), and globulin were independent risk factors for IVIG-resistance. A nonlinear relationship was identified between globulin level and IVIG-resistance. The XGBoost model exhibited excellent performance, with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.821, accuracy of 0.748, sensitivity of 0.889, and specificity of 0.683 in the testing set. The XGBoost model was interpreted globally and locally using the SHAP method.

CONCLUSION

Na+, Hb, CRP, and globulin levels were independently associated with IVIG-resistance. Our findings demonstrate that ML models can reliably predict IVIG-resistance. Moreover, use of the SHAP method to interpret the established XGBoost model's findings would provide evidence of IVIG-resistance and guide the individualized treatment of Kawasaki disease.

Optimizing cystoscopy and TURBT: enhanced imaging and artificial intelligence

Diagnostic cystoscopy in combination with transurethral resection of the bladder tumour are the standard for the diagnosis, surgical treatment and surveillance of bladder cancer. The ability to inspect the bladder in its current form stems from a long chain of advances in imaging science and endoscopy. Despite these advances, bladder cancer recurrence and progression rates remain high after endoscopic resection. This stagnation is a result of the heterogeneity of cancer biology as well as limitations in surgical techniques and tools, as incomplete resection and provider-specific differences affect cancer persistence and early recurrence. An unmet clinical need remains for solutions that can improve tumour delineation and resection. Translational advances in enhanced cystoscopy technologies and artificial intelligence offer promising avenues to overcoming the progress plateau.

Enhanced multi-layer perceptron for CO2 emission prediction with worst moth disrupted moth fly optimization (WMFO)

This study introduces the Worst Moth Disruption Strategy (WMFO) to enhance the Moth Fly Optimization (MFO) algorithm, specifically addressing challenges related to population stagnation and low diversity. The WMFO aims to prevent local trapping of moths, fostering improved global search capabilities. Demonstrating a remarkable efficiency of 66.6 %, WMFO outperforms the MFO on CEC15 benchmark test functions. The Friedman and Wilcoxon tests further confirm WMFO's superiority over state-of-the-art algorithms. Introducing a hybrid model, WMFO-MLP, combining WMFO with a Multi-Layer Perceptron (MLP), facilitates effective parameter tuning for carbon emission prediction, achieving an outstanding total accuracy of 97.8 %. Comparative analysis indicates that the MLP-WMFO model surpasses alternative techniques in precision, reliability, and efficiency. Feature importance analysis reveals that variables such as Oil Efficiency and Economic Growth significantly impact MLP-WMFO's predictive power, contributing up to 40 %. Additionally, Gas Efficiency, Renewable Energy, Financial Risk, and Political Risk explain 26.5 %, 13.6 %, 8 %, and 6.5 %, respectively. Finally, WMFO-MLP performance offers advancements in optimization and predictive modeling with practical applications in carbon emission prediction.

A novel model of artificial intelligence based automated image analysis of CT urography to identify bladder cancer in patients investigated for macroscopic hematuria

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate whether artificial intelligence (AI) based automatic image analysis utilising convolutional neural networks (CNNs) can be used to evaluate computed tomography urography (CTU) for the presence of urinary bladder cancer (UBC) in patients with macroscopic hematuria.

METHODS

Our study included patients who had undergone evaluation for macroscopic hematuria. A CNN-based AI model was trained and validated on the CTUs included in the study on a dedicated research platform (Recomia.org). Sensitivity and specificity were calculated to assess the performance of the AI model. Cystoscopy findings were used as the reference method.

RESULTS

The training cohort comprised a total of 530 patients. Following the optimisation process, we developed the last version of our AI model. Subsequently, we utilised the model in the validation cohort which included an additional 400 patients (including 239 patients with UBC). The AI model had a sensitivity of 0.83 (95% confidence intervals [CI], 0.76-0.89), specificity of 0.76 (95% CI 0.67-0.84), and a negative predictive value (NPV) of 0.97 (95% CI 0.95-0.98). The majority of tumours in the false negative group (n = 24) were solitary (67%) and smaller than 1 cm (50%), with the majority of patients having cTaG1-2 (71%).

CONCLUSIONS

We developed and tested an AI model for automatic image analysis of CTUs to detect UBC in patients with macroscopic hematuria. This model showed promising results with a high detection rate and excessive NPV. Further developments could lead to a decreased need for invasive investigations and prioritising patients with serious tumours.

Community screening for dementia among older adults in China: a machine learning-based strategy

BACKGROUND

Dementia is a leading cause of disability in people older than 65 years worldwide. However, diagnosing dementia in its earliest symptomatic stages remains challenging. This study combined specific questions from the AD8 scale with comprehensive health-related characteristics, and used machine learning (ML) to construct diagnostic models of cognitive impairment (CI).

METHODS

The study was based on the Shenzhen Healthy Ageing Research (SHARE) project, and we recruited 823 participants aged 65 years and older, who completed a comprehensive health assessment and cognitive function assessments. Permutation importance was used to select features. Five ML models using BalanceCascade were applied to predict CI: a support vector machine (SVM), multilayer perceptron (MLP), AdaBoost, gradient boosting decision tree (GBDT), and logistic regression (LR). An AD8 score ≥ 2 was used to define CI as a baseline. SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) values were used to interpret the results of ML models.

RESULTS

The first and sixth items of AD8, platelets, waist circumference, body mass index, carcinoembryonic antigens, age, serum uric acid, white blood cells, abnormal electrocardiogram, heart rate, and sex were selected as predictive features. Compared to the baseline (AUC = 0.65), the MLP showed the highest performance (AUC: 0.83 ± 0.04), followed by AdaBoost (AUC: 0.80 ± 0.04), SVM (AUC: 0.78 ± 0.04), GBDT (0.76 ± 0.04). Furthermore, the accuracy, sensitivity and specificity of four ML models were higher than the baseline. SHAP summary plots based on MLP showed the most influential feature on model decision for positive CI prediction was female sex, followed by older age and lower waist circumference.

CONCLUSIONS

The diagnostic models of CI applying ML, especially the MLP, were substantially more effective than the traditional AD8 scale with a score of ≥ 2 points. Our findings may provide new ideas for community dementia screening and to promote such screening while minimizing medical and health resources.

Applications of artificial intelligence in urologic oncology

PURPOSE

With the recent rising interest in artificial intelligence (AI) in medicine, many studies have explored the potential and usefulness of AI in urological diseases. This study aimed to comprehensively review recent applications of AI in urologic oncology.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We searched the PubMed-MEDLINE databases for articles in English on machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL) models related to general surgery and prostate, bladder, and kidney cancer. The search terms were a combination of keywords, including both "urology" and "artificial intelligence" with one of the following: "machine learning," "deep learning," "neural network," "renal cell carcinoma," "kidney cancer," "urothelial carcinoma," "bladder cancer," "prostate cancer," and "robotic surgery."

RESULTS

A total of 58 articles were included. The studies on prostate cancer were related to grade prediction, improved diagnosis, and predicting outcomes and recurrence. The studies on bladder cancer mainly used radiomics to identify aggressive tumors and predict treatment outcomes, recurrence, and survival rates. Most studies on the application of ML and DL in kidney cancer were focused on the differentiation of benign and malignant tumors as well as prediction of their grade and subtype. Most studies suggested that methods using AI may be better than or similar to existing traditional methods.

CONCLUSIONS

AI technology is actively being investigated in the field of urological cancers as a tool for diagnosis, prediction of prognosis, and decision-making and is expected to be applied in additional clinical areas soon. Despite technological, legal, and ethical concerns, AI will change the landscape of urological cancer management.

Apple Fruit Edge Detection Model Using a Rough Set and Convolutional Neural Network

Accurately and effectively detecting the growth position and contour size of apple fruits is crucial for achieving intelligent picking and yield predictions. Thus, an effective fruit edge detection algorithm is necessary. In this study, a fusion edge detection model (RED) based on a convolutional neural network and rough sets was proposed. The Faster-RCNN was used to segment multiple apple images into a single apple image for edge detection, greatly reducing the surrounding noise of the target. Moreover, the K-means clustering algorithm was used to segment the target of a single apple image for further noise reduction. Considering the influence of illumination, complex backgrounds and dense occlusions, rough set was applied to obtain the edge image of the target for the upper and lower approximation images, and the results were compared with those of relevant algorithms in this field. The experimental results showed that the RED model in this paper had high accuracy and robustness, and its detection accuracy and stability were significantly improved compared to those of traditional operators, especially under the influence of illumination and complex backgrounds. The RED model is expected to provide a promising basis for intelligent fruit picking and yield prediction.

Predicting effluent quality parameters for wastewater treatment plant: A machine learning-based methodology

Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTPs) present complex biochemical processes of high variability and difficult prediction. This study presents an innovative approach using Machine Learning (ML) models to predict wastewater quality parameters. In particular, the models are applied to datasets from both a simulated wastewater treatment plant (WWTP), using DHI WEST software (WEST WWTP), and a real-world WWTP database from Santa Catarina Brewery AMBEV, located in Lages/SC - Brazil (AMBEV WWTP). A distinctive aspect is the evaluation of predictive performance in continuous data scenarios and the impact of changes in WWTP operations on predictive model performance, including changes in plant layout. For both plants, three different scenarios were addressed, and the quality of predictions by random forest (RF), support vector machine (SVM), and multilayer perceptron (MLP) models were evaluated. The prediction quality by the MLP model reached an R2 of 0.72 for TN prediction in the WEST WWTP output, and the RF model better adapted to the real data of the AMBEV WWTP, despite the significant discrepancy observed between the real and the predicted data. Techniques such as Partial Dependence Plots (PDP) and Permutation Importance (PI) were used to assess the importance of features, particularly in the simulated WEST tool scenario, showing a strong correlation of prediction results with influent parameters related to nitrogen content. The results of this study highlight the importance of collecting and storing high-quality data and the need for information on changes in WWTP operation for predictive model performance. These contributions advance the understanding of predictive modeling for wastewater quality and provide valuable insights for future practice in wastewater treatment.

Optimizing Gene Selection and Cancer Classification with Hybrid Sine Cosine and Cuckoo Search Algorithm

Gene expression datasets offer a wide range of information about various biological processes. However, it is difficult to find the important genes among the high-dimensional biological data due to the existence of redundant and unimportant ones. Numerous Feature Selection (FS) techniques have been created to get beyond this obstacle. Improving the efficacy and precision of FS methodologies is crucial in order to identify significant genes amongst complicated complex biological data. In this work, we present a novel approach to gene selection called the Sine Cosine and Cuckoo Search Algorithm (SCACSA). This hybrid method is designed to work with well-known machine learning classifiers Support Vector Machine (SVM). Using a dataset on breast cancer, the hybrid gene selection algorithm's performance is carefully assessed and compared to other feature selection methods. To improve the quality of the feature set, we use minimum Redundancy Maximum Relevance (mRMR) as a filtering strategy in the first step. The hybrid SCACSA method is then used to enhance and optimize the gene selection procedure. Lastly, we classify the dataset according to the chosen genes by using the SVM classifier. Given the pivotal role gene selection plays in unraveling complex biological datasets, SCACSA stands out as an invaluable tool for the classification of cancer datasets. The findings help medical practitioners make well-informed decisions about cancer diagnosis and provide them with a valuable tool for navigating the complex world of gene expression data.

Immune, metabolic landscapes of prognostic signatures for lung adenocarcinoma based on a novel deep learning framework

Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is a malignant tumor with high lethality, and the aim of this study was to identify promising biomarkers for LUAD. Using the TCGA-LUAD dataset as a discovery cohort, a novel joint framework VAEjMLP based on variational autoencoder (VAE) and multilayer perceptron (MLP) was proposed. And the Shapley Additive Explanations (SHAP) method was introduced to evaluate the contribution of feature genes to the classification decision, which helped us to develop a biologically meaningful biomarker potential scoring algorithm. Nineteen potential biomarkers for LUAD were identified, which were involved in the regulation of immune and metabolic functions in LUAD. A prognostic risk model for LUAD was constructed by the biomarkers HLA-DRB1, SCGB1A1, and HLA-DRB5 screened by Cox regression analysis, dividing the patients into high-risk and low-risk groups. The prognostic risk model was validated with external datasets. The low-risk group was characterized by enrichment of immune pathways and higher immune infiltration compared to the high-risk group. While, the high-risk group was accompanied by an increase in metabolic pathway activity. There were significant differences between the high- and low-risk groups in metabolic reprogramming of aerobic glycolysis, amino acids, and lipids, as well as in angiogenic activity, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, tumorigenic cytokines, and inflammatory response. Furthermore, high-risk patients were more sensitive to Afatinib, Gefitinib, and Gemcitabine as predicted by the pRRophetic algorithm. This study provides prognostic signatures capable of revealing the immune and metabolic landscapes for LUAD, and may shed light on the identification of other cancer biomarkers.

Emerging Trends in Artificial Intelligence-Based Urological Imaging Technologies and Practical Applications

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into medical imaging has notably expanded its significance within urology. AI applications offer a broad spectrum of utilities in this domain, ranging from precise diagnosis achieved through image segmentation and anomaly detection to improved procedural assistance in biopsies and surgical interventions. Although challenges persist concerning data security, transparency, and integration into existing clinical workflows, extensive research has been conducted on AI-assisted imaging technologies while recognizing their potential to reshape urological practices. This review paper outlines current AI techniques employed for image analysis to offer an overview of the latest technological trends and applications in the field of urology.

Prediction model for hepatocellular carcinoma recurrence after hepatectomy: Machine learning-based development and interpretation study

Background

Identifying patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) at high risk of recurrence after hepatectomy can help to implement timely interventional treatment. This study aimed to develop a machine learning (ML) model to predict the recurrence risk of HCC patients after hepatectomy.

Methods

We retrospectively collected 315 HCC patients who underwent radical hepatectomy at the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University from April 2013 to October 2017, and randomly divided them into the training and validation sets at a ratio of 7:3. According to the postoperative recurrence of HCC patients, the patients were divided into recurrence group and non-recurrence group, and univariate and multivariate logistic regression were performed for the two groups. We applied six machine learning algorithms to construct the prediction models and performed internal validation by 10-fold cross-validation. Shapley additive explanations (SHAP) method was applied to interpret the machine learning model. We also built a web calculator based on the best machine learning model to personalize the assessment of the recurrence risk of HCC patients after hepatectomy.

Results

A total of 13 variables were included in the machine learning models. The multilayer perceptron (MLP) machine learning model was proved to achieve optimal predictive value in test set (AUC = 0.680). The SHAP method displayed that γ-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT), fibrinogen, neutrophil, aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and total bilirubin (TB) were the top 5 important factors for recurrence risk of HCC patients after hepatectomy. In addition, we further demonstrated the reliability of the model by analyzing two patients. Finally, we successfully constructed an online web prediction calculator based on the MLP machine learning model.

Conclusion

MLP was an optimal machine learning model for predicting the recurrence risk of HCC patients after hepatectomy. This predictive model can help identify HCC patients at high recurrence risk after hepatectomy to provide early and personalized treatment.

Artificial intelligence to improve cytology performance in urothelial carcinoma diagnosis: results from validation phase of the French, multicenter, prospective VISIOCYT1 trial

PURPOSE

Cytology and cystoscopy, the current gold standard for diagnosing urothelial carcinomas, have limits: cytology has high interobserver variability with moderate or not optimal sensitivity (particularly for low-grade tumors); while cystoscopy is expensive, invasive, and operator dependent. The VISIOCYT1 study assessed the benefit of VisioCyt® for diagnosing urothelial carcinoma.

METHODS

VISIOCYT1 was a French prospective clinical trial conducted in 14 centers. The trial enrolled adults undergoing endoscopy for suspected bladder cancer or to explore the lower urinary tract. Participants were allocated either Group 1: with bladder cancer, i.e., with positive cystoscopy or with negative cystoscopy but positive cytology, or Group 2: without bladder cancer. Before cystoscopy and histopathology, slides were prepared for cytology and the VisioCyt® test from urine samples. The diagnostic performance of VisioCyt® was assessed using sensitivity (primary objective, 70% lower-bound threshold) and specificity (75% lower-bound threshold). Sensitivity was also assessed by tumor grade and T-staging. VisioCyt® and cytology performance were evaluated relative to the histopathological assessments.

RESULTS

Between October 2017 and December 2019, 391 participants (170 in Group 1 and 149 in Group 2) were enrolled. VisioCyt®'s sensitivity was 80.9% (95% CI 73.9-86.4%) and specificity was 61.8% (95% CI 53.4-69.5%). In high-grade tumors, the sensitivity was 93.7% (95% CI 86.0-97.3%) and in low-grade tumors 66.7% (95% CI 55.2-76.5%). Sensitivity by T-staging, compared to the overall sensitivity, was higher in high-grade tumors and lower in low-grade tumors.

CONCLUSION

VisioCyt® is a promising diagnostic tool for urothelial cancers with improved sensitivities for high-grade tumors and notably for low-grade tumors.

Artificial Intelligence in Urooncology: What We Have and What We Expect

INTRODUCTION

Artificial intelligence is transforming healthcare by driving innovation, automation, and optimization across various fields of medicine. The aim of this study was to determine whether artificial intelligence (AI) techniques can be used in the diagnosis, treatment planning, and monitoring of urological cancers.

METHODOLOGY

We conducted a thorough search for original and review articles published until 31 May 2022 in the PUBMED/Scopus database. Our search included several terms related to AI and urooncology. Articles were selected with the consensus of all authors.

RESULTS

Several types of AI can be used in the medical field. The most common forms of AI are machine learning (ML), deep learning (DL), neural networks (NNs), natural language processing (NLP) systems, and computer vision. AI can improve various domains related to the management of urologic cancers, such as imaging, grading, and nodal staging. AI can also help identify appropriate diagnoses, treatment options, and even biomarkers. In the majority of these instances, AI is as accurate as or sometimes even superior to medical doctors.

CONCLUSIONS

AI techniques have the potential to revolutionize the diagnosis, treatment, and monitoring of urologic cancers. The use of AI in urooncology care is expected to increase in the future, leading to improved patient outcomes and better overall management of these tumors.

Machine learning-based prediction of in-ICU mortality in pneumonia patients

Conventional severity-of-illness scoring systems have shown suboptimal performance for predicting in-intensive care unit (ICU) mortality in patients with severe pneumonia. This study aimed to develop and validate machine learning (ML) models for mortality prediction in patients with severe pneumonia. This retrospective study evaluated patients admitted to the ICU for severe pneumonia between January 2016 and December 2021. The predictive performance was analyzed by comparing the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AU-ROC) of ML models to that of conventional severity-of-illness scoring systems. Three ML models were evaluated: (1) logistic regression with L2 regularization, (2) gradient-boosted decision tree (LightGBM), and (3) multilayer perceptron (MLP). Among the 816 pneumonia patients included, 223 (27.3%) patients died. All ML models significantly outperformed the Simplified Acute Physiology Score II (AU-ROC: 0.650 [0.584-0.716] vs 0.820 [0.771-0.869] for logistic regression vs 0.827 [0.777-0.876] for LightGBM 0.838 [0.791-0.884] for MLP; P < 0.001). In the analysis for NRI, the LightGBM and MLP models showed superior reclassification compared with the logistic regression model in predicting in-ICU mortality in all length of stay in the ICU subgroups; all age subgroups; all subgroups with any APACHE II score, PaO₂/FiO₂ ratio < 200; all subgroups with or without history of respiratory disease; with or without history of CVA or dementia; treatment with mechanical ventilation, and use of inotropic agents. In conclusion, the ML models have excellent performance in predicting in-ICU mortality in patients with severe pneumonia. Moreover, this study highlights the potential advantages of selecting individual ML models for predicting in-ICU mortality in different subgroups.

Artificial Intelligence in the Advanced Diagnosis of Bladder Cancer-Comprehensive Literature Review and Future Advancement

Artificial intelligence is highly regarded as the most promising future technology that will have a great impact on healthcare across all specialties. Its subsets, machine learning, deep learning, and artificial neural networks, are able to automatically learn from massive amounts of data and can improve the prediction algorithms to enhance their performance. This area is still under development, but the latest evidence shows great potential in the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of urological diseases, including bladder cancer, which are currently using old prediction tools and historical nomograms. This review focuses on highly significant and comprehensive literature evidence of artificial intelligence in the management of bladder cancer and investigates the near introduction in clinical practice.

Assessing Biomaterial-Induced Stem Cell Lineage Fate by Machine Learning-Based Artificial Intelligence

Current functional assessment of biomaterial-induced stem cell lineage fate in vitro mainly relies on biomarker-dependent methods with limited accuracy and efficiency. Here a "Mesenchymal stem cell Differentiation Prediction (MeD-P)" framework for biomaterial-induced cell lineage fate prediction is reported. MeD-P contains a cell-type-specific gene expression profile as a reference by integrating public RNA-seq data related to tri-lineage differentiation (osteogenesis, chondrogenesis, and adipogenesis) of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) and a predictive model for classifying hMSCs differentiation lineages using the k-nearest neighbors (kNN) strategy. It is shown that MeD-P exhibits an overall accuracy of 90.63% on testing datasets, which is significantly higher than the model constructed based on canonical marker genes (80.21%). Moreover, evaluations of multiple biomaterials show that MeD-P provides accurate prediction of lineage fate on different types of biomaterials as early as the first week of hMSCs culture. In summary, it is demonstrated that MeD-P is an efficient and accurate strategy for stem cell lineage fate prediction and preliminary biomaterial functional evaluation.

Robustness Fine-Tuning Deep Learning Model for Cancers Diagnosis Based on Histopathology Image Analysis

Histopathology is the most accurate way to diagnose cancer and identify prognostic and therapeutic targets. The likelihood of survival is significantly increased by early cancer detection. With deep networks' enormous success, significant attempts have been made to analyze cancer disorders, particularly colon and lung cancers. In order to do this, this paper examines how well deep networks can diagnose various cancers using histopathology image processing. This work intends to increase the performance of deep learning architecture in processing histopathology images by constructing a novel fine-tuning deep network for colon and lung cancers. Such adjustments are performed using regularization, batch normalization, and hyperparameters optimization. The suggested fine-tuned model was evaluated using the LC2500 dataset. Our proposed model's average precision, recall, F1-score, specificity, and accuracy were 99.84%, 99.85%, 99.84%, 99.96%, and 99.94%, respectively. The experimental findings reveal that the suggested fine-tuned learning model based on the pre-trained ResNet101 network achieves higher results against recent state-of-the-art approaches and other current powerful CNN models.

Machine Learning Models for Predicting Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes in Pregnant Women with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Predicting adverse outcomes is essential for pregnant women with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) to minimize risks. Applying statistical analysis may be limited for the small sample size of childbearing patients, while the informative medical records could be provided. This study aimed to develop predictive models applying machine learning (ML) techniques to explore more information. We performed a retrospective analysis of 51 pregnant women exhibiting SLE, including 288 variables. After correlation analysis and feature selection, six ML models were applied to the filtered dataset. The efficiency of these overall models was evaluated by the Receiver Operating Characteristic Curve. Meanwhile, real-time models with different timespans based on gestation were also explored. Eighteen variables demonstrated statistical differences between the two groups; more than forty variables were screened out by ML variable selection strategies as contributing predictors, while the overlap of variables were the influential indicators testified by the two selection strategies. The Random Forest (RF) algorithm demonstrated the best discrimination ability under the current dataset for overall predictive models regardless of the data missing rate, while Multi-Layer Perceptron models ranked second. Meanwhile, RF achieved best performance when assessing the real-time predictive accuracy of models. ML models could compensate the limitation of statistical methods when the small sample size problem happens along with numerous variables acquired, while RF classifier performed relatively best when applied to such structured medical records.

On Approximating the pIC50 Value of COVID-19 Medicines In Silico with Artificial Neural Networks

In the case of pandemics such as COVID-19, the rapid development of medicines addressing the symptoms is necessary to alleviate the pressure on the medical system. One of the key steps in medicine evaluation is the determination of pIC50 factor, which is a negative logarithmic expression of the half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50). Determining this value can be a lengthy and complicated process. A tool allowing for a quick approximation of pIC50 based on the molecular makeup of medicine could be valuable. In this paper, the creation of the artificial intelligence (AI)-based model is performed using a publicly available dataset of molecules and their pIC50 values. The modeling algorithms used are artificial and convolutional neural networks (ANN and CNN). Three approaches are tested-modeling using just molecular properties (MP), encoded SMILES representation of the molecule, and the combination of both input types. Models are evaluated using the coefficient of determination (R2) and mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) in a five-fold cross-validation scheme to assure the validity of the results. The obtained models show that the highest quality regression (R2¯=0.99, σR2¯=0.001; MAPE¯=0.009%, σMAPE¯=0.009), by a large margin, is obtained when using a hybrid neural network trained with both MP and SMILES.

A novel discrete learning-based intelligent methodology for breast cancer classification purposes

Classification is one of the most significant subfields of data mining that has been successfully applied to various applications. The literature has expended substantial effort to present more efficient and accurate classification models. Despite the diversity of the proposed models, they were all created using the same methodology, and their learning processes ignored a fundamental issue. In all existing classification model learning processes, a continuous distance-based cost function is optimized to estimate the unknown parameters. The classification problem's objective function is discrete. Consequently, applying a continuous cost function to a classification problem with a discrete objective function is illogical or inefficient. This paper proposes a novel classification methodology utilizing a discrete cost function in the learning process. To this end, one of the most popular intelligent classification models, the multilayer perceptron (MLP), is used to implement the proposed methodology. Theoretically, the classification performance of the proposed discrete learning-based MLP (DIMLP) model is not dissimilar to that of its continuous learning-based counterpart. Nevertheless, in this study, to demonstrate the efficacy of the DIMLP model, it was applied to several breast cancer classification datasets, and its classification rate was compared to that of the conventional continuous learning-based MLP model. The empirical results indicate that the proposed DIMLP model outperforms the MLP model across all datasets. The results demonstrate that the presented DIMLP classification model achieves an average classification rate of 94.70 %, a 6.95 % improvement over the classification rate of the traditional MLP model, which was 88.54 %. Therefore, the classification approach proposed in this study can be utilized as an alternative learning process in intelligent classification methods for medical decision-making and other classification applications, particularly when more accurate results are required.

Multi-modal data combination strategy based on chest HRCT images and PFT parameters for intelligent dyspnea identification in COPD

Introduction

Because of persistent airflow limitation in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), patients with COPD often have complications of dyspnea. However, as a leading symptom of COPD, dyspnea in COPD deserves special consideration regarding treatment in this fragile population for pre-clinical health management in COPD. Methods: Based on the above, this paper proposes a multi-modal data combination strategy by combining the local and global features for dyspnea identification in COPD based on the multi-layer perceptron (MLP) classifier.

Methods

First, lung region images are automatically segmented from chest HRCT images for extracting the original 1,316 lung radiomics (OLR, 1,316) and 13,824 3D CNN features (O3C, 13,824). Second, the local features, including five selected pulmonary function test (PFT) parameters (SLF, 5), 28 selected lung radiomics (SLR, 28), and 22 selected 3D CNN features (S3C, 22), are respectively selected from the original 11 PFT parameters (OLF, 11), 1,316 OLR, and 13,824 O3C by the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (Lasso) algorithm. Meantime, the global features, including two fused PFT parameters (FLF, 2), six fused lung radiomics (FLR, 6), and 34 fused 3D CNN features (F3C, 34), are respectively fused by 11 OLF, 1,316 OLR, and 13,824 O3C using the principal component analysis (PCA) algorithm. Finally, we combine all the local and global features (SLF + FLF + SLR + FLR + S3C + F3C, 5+ 2 + 28 + 6 + 22 + 34) for dyspnea identification in COPD based on the MLP classifier.

Results

Our proposed method comprehensively improves classification performance. The MLP classifier with all the local and global features achieves the best classification performance at 87.7% of accuracy, 87.7% of precision, 87.7% of recall, 87.7% of F1-scorel, and 89.3% of AUC, respectively.

Discussion

Compared with single-modal data, the proposed strategy effectively improves the classification performance for dyspnea identification in COPD, providing an objective and effective tool for COPD management.

Comparison of machine learning and logistic regression as predictive models for adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes of preeclampsia: A retrospective study

Introduction

Preeclampsia, one of the leading causes of maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality, demands accurate predictive models for the lack of effective treatment. Predictive models based on machine learning algorithms demonstrate promising potential, while there is a controversial discussion about whether machine learning methods should be recommended preferably, compared to traditional statistical models.

Methods

We employed both logistic regression and six machine learning methods as binary predictive models for a dataset containing 733 women diagnosed with preeclampsia. Participants were grouped by four different pregnancy outcomes. After the imputation of missing values, statistical description and comparison were conducted preliminarily to explore the characteristics of documented 73 variables. Sequentially, correlation analysis and feature selection were performed as preprocessing steps to filter contributing variables for developing models. The models were evaluated by multiple criteria.

Results

We first figured out that the influential variables screened by preprocessing steps did not overlap with those determined by statistical differences. Secondly, the most accurate imputation method is K-Nearest Neighbor, and the imputation process did not affect the performance of the developed models much. Finally, the performance of models was investigated. The random forest classifier, multi-layer perceptron, and support vector machine demonstrated better discriminative power for prediction evaluated by the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, while the decision tree classifier, random forest, and logistic regression yielded better calibration ability verified, as by the calibration curve.

Conclusion

Machine learning algorithms can accomplish prediction modeling and demonstrate superior discrimination, while Logistic Regression can be calibrated well. Statistical analysis and machine learning are two scientific domains sharing similar themes. The predictive abilities of such developed models vary according to the characteristics of datasets, which still need larger sample sizes and more influential predictors to accumulate evidence.

The augmented radiologist: artificial intelligence in the practice of radiology

In medicine, particularly in radiology, there are great expectations in artificial intelligence (AI), which can "see" more than human radiologists in regard to, for example, tumor size, shape, morphology, texture and kinetics - thus enabling better care by earlier detection or more precise reports. Another point is that AI can handle large data sets in high-dimensional spaces. But it should not be forgotten that AI is only as good as the training samples available, which should ideally be numerous enough to cover all variants. On the other hand, the main feature of human intelligence is content knowledge and the ability to find near-optimal solutions. The purpose of this paper is to review the current complexity of radiology working places, to describe their advantages and shortcomings. Further, we give an AI overview of the different types and features as used so far. We also touch on the differences between AI and human intelligence in problem-solving. We present a new AI type, labeled "explainable AI," which should enable a balance/cooperation between AI and human intelligence - thus bringing both worlds in compliance with legal requirements. For support of (pediatric) radiologists, we propose the creation of an AI assistant that augments radiologists and keeps their brain free for generic tasks.

Applying a CT texture analysis model trained with deep-learning reconstruction images to iterative reconstruction images in pulmonary nodule diagnosis

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the feasibility and accuracy of applying a computed tomography (CT) texture analysis model trained with deep-learning reconstruction images to iterative reconstruction images for classifying pulmonary nodules.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

CT images of 102 patients, with a total of 118 pulmonary nodules (52 benign, 66 malignant) were retrospectively reconstructed with a deep-learning reconstruction (artificial intelligence iterative reconstruction [AIIR]) and a hybrid iterative reconstruction (HIR) technique. The AIIR data were divided into a training (n = 96) and a validation set (n = 22), and the HIR data were set as the test set (n = 118). Extracted texture features were compared using the Mann-Whitney U test and t-test. The diagnostic performance of the classification model was analyzed with the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC), the area under ROC (AUC), sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy.

RESULTS

Among the obtained 68 texture features, 51 (75.0%) were not influenced by the change of reconstruction algorithm (p > 0.05). Forty-four features were significantly different between benign and malignant nodules (p < 0.05) for the AIIR dataset, which were selected to build the classification model. The accuracy and AUC of the classification model were 92.3% and 0.91 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.74-0.90) with the validation set, which were 80.0% and 0.80 (95% CI, 0.68-0.86) with the test set.

CONCLUSION

With the CT texture analysis model trained with deep-learning reconstruction (AIIR) images showing favorable diagnostic accuracy in discriminating benign and malignant pulmonary nodules, it also has certain applicability to the iterative reconstruction (HIR) images.

A novel artificial neural network for the diagnosis of orofacial pain and temporomandibular disorders

BACKGROUND

Temporomandibular disorders (TMD) and orofacial pain are highly prevalent. This prevalence can be compared to that of leading non-communicable diseases (NCDs). However, it is surprising to still find a high degree of controversy regarding its diagnosis and management. Patients usually experience treatment delays, missed diagnoses, and receive unnecessary therapies. New artificial intelligence algorithms have helped diagnose numerous diseases. Nevertheless, no studies have focused on the use of artificial intelligence to diagnose these conditions.

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to develop and test the performance of a novel neural network (multilayer perceptron) with diagnostic capabilities in orofacial pain and TMD, including some types of referred pain.

METHODS

A multilayer perceptron (MLP) was developed with one input layer, five hidden layers, and one output layer. It was trained using backpropagation algorithms. Several categories of orofacial pain and TMD clinical cases were presented to 12 general dental clinicians, and their diagnoses were contrasted to those provided by the artificial intelligence neural network.

RESULTS

Overall, the diagnostic accuracy of the artificial intelligence was superior to that of the general dental clinicians (p = .0072). This was more evident in the clinical cases involving non-dental and referred orofacial pains (e.g. neuropathic pain, referred cardiac pain, neurovascular pain).

CONCLUSIONS

This study showed, for the first time, that an artificial neural network can help medical and general dental clinicians diagnose several types of orofacial pain and dysfunction, including TMD, neuropathic, neurovascular, and referred cardiac pain. In some cases, the MLP appears to have a life-saving role.

A Comprehensive Review of Computation-Based Metal-Binding Prediction Approaches at the Residue Level

Clear evidence has shown that metal ions strongly connect and delicately tune the dynamic homeostasis in living bodies. They have been proved to be associated with protein structure, stability, regulation, and function. Even small changes in the concentration of metal ions can shift their effects from natural beneficial functions to harmful. This leads to degenerative diseases, malignant tumors, and cancers. Accurate characterizations and predictions of metalloproteins at the residue level promise informative clues to the investigation of intrinsic mechanisms of protein-metal ion interactions. Compared to biophysical or biochemical wet-lab technologies, computational methods provide open web interfaces of high-resolution databases and high-throughput predictors for efficient investigation of metal-binding residues. This review surveys and details 18 public databases of metal-protein binding. We collect a comprehensive set of 44 computation-based methods and classify them into four categories, namely, learning-, docking-, template-, and meta-based methods. We analyze the benchmark datasets, assessment criteria, feature construction, and algorithms. We also compare several methods on two benchmark testing datasets and include a discussion about currently publicly available predictive tools. Finally, we summarize the challenges and underlying limitations of the current studies and propose several prospective directions concerning the future development of the related databases and methods.

Augmenting perception: How artificial intelligence transforms sensory substitution

What happens when artificial sensors are coupled with the human senses? Using technology to extend the senses is an old human dream, on which sensory substitution and other augmentation technologies have already delivered. Laser tactile canes, corneal implants and magnetic belts can correct or extend what individuals could otherwise perceive. Here we show why accommodating intelligent sensory augmentation devices not just improves but also changes the way of thinking and classifying former sensory augmentation devices. We review the benefits in terms of signal processing and show why non-linear transformation is more than a mere improvement compared to classical linear transformation.

Accuracy versus reliability-based modelling approaches for medical decision making

Forecasting in the medical domain is critical to the quality of decisions made by physicians, patients, and health planners. Modeling is one of the most important components of decision support systems, which are frequently used to simulate and analyze under-studied systems in order to make more appropriate decisions in medical science. In the medical modeling literature, various approaches with varying structures and characteristics have been proposed to cover a wide range of application categories and domains. Regardless of the differences between modeling approaches, all of them aim to maximize the accuracy or reliability of the results in order to achieve the most generalizable model and, as a result, a higher level of profitability decisions. Despite the theoretical significance and practical impact of reliability on generalizability, particularly in high-risk decisions and applications, a significant number of models in the fields of medical forecasting, classification, and time series prediction have been developed to maximize accuracy in mind. In other words, given the volatility of medical variables, it is also necessary to have stable and reliable forecasts in order to make sound decisions. The quality of medical decisions resulting from accuracy and reliability-based intelligent and statistical modeling approaches is compared and evaluated in this paper in order to determine the relative importance of accuracy and reliability on the quality of made decisions in decision support systems. For this purpose, 33 different case studies from the UCI in three categories of supervised modeling, namely causal forecasting, time series prediction, and classification, were considered. These cases were chosen from various domains, such as disease diagnosis (obesity, Parkinson's disease, diabetes, hepatitis, stenosis of arteries, orthopedic disease, autism) and cancer (lung, breast, cervical), experiments, therapy (immunotherapy, cryotherapy), fertility prediction, and predicting the number of patients in the emergency room and ICU. According to empirical findings, the reliability-based strategy outperformed the accuracy-based strategy in causal forecasting cases by 2.26%, classification cases by 13.49%, and time series prediction cases by 3.08%. Furthermore, compared to similar accuracy-based models, the reliability-based models can generate a 6.28% improvement. As a result, they can be considered an appropriate alternative to traditional accuracy-based models for medical decision support systems modeling purposes.

Semantic Segmentation of Urinary Bladder Cancer Masses from CT Images: A Transfer Learning Approach

Simple Summary

Bladder cancer is a common cancer of the urinary tract, characterized by high metastatic potential and recurrence. The research applies a transfer learning approach on CT images (frontal, axial, and saggital axes) for the purpose of semantic segmentation of areas affected by bladder cancer. A system consisting of AlexNet network for plane recognition, using transfer learning-based U-net networks for the segmentation task. Achieved results show that the proposed system has a high performance, suggesting possible use in clinical practice.

Abstract

Urinary bladder cancer is one of the most common cancers of the urinary tract. This cancer is characterized by its high metastatic potential and recurrence rate. Due to the high metastatic potential and recurrence rate, correct and timely diagnosis is crucial for successful treatment and care. With the aim of increasing diagnosis accuracy, artificial intelligence algorithms are introduced to clinical decision making and diagnostics. One of the standard procedures for bladder cancer diagnosis is computer tomography (CT) scanning. In this research, a transfer learning approach to the semantic segmentation of urinary bladder cancer masses from CT images is presented. The initial data set is divided into three sub-sets according to image planes: frontal (4413 images), axial (4993 images), and sagittal (996 images). First, AlexNet is utilized for the design of a plane recognition system, and it achieved high classification and generalization performances with an AUCmicro¯ of 0.9999 and σ(AUCmicro) of 0.0006. Furthermore, by applying the transfer learning approach, significant improvements in both semantic segmentation and generalization performances were achieved. For the case of the frontal plane, the highest performances were achieved if pre-trained ResNet101 architecture was used as a backbone for U-net with DSC¯ up to 0.9587 and σ(DSC) of 0.0059. When U-net was used for the semantic segmentation of urinary bladder cancer masses from images in the axial plane, the best results were achieved if pre-trained ResNet50 was used as a backbone, with a DSC¯ up to 0.9372 and σ(DSC) of 0.0147. Finally, in the case of images in the sagittal plane, the highest results were achieved with VGG-16 as a backbone. In this case, DSC¯ values up to 0.9660 with a σ(DSC) of 0.0486 were achieved. From the listed results, the proposed semantic segmentation system worked with high performance both from the semantic segmentation and generalization standpoints. The presented results indicate that there is the possibility for the utilization of the semantic segmentation system in clinical practice.

Using Machine Learning Algorithms to Predict Hospital Acquired Thrombocytopenia after Operation in the Intensive Care Unit: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Hospital acquired thrombocytopenia (HAT) is a common hematological complication after surgery. This research aimed to develop and compare the performance of seven machine learning (ML) algorithms for predicting patients that are at risk of HAT after surgery. We conducted a retrospective cohort study which enrolled adult patients transferred to the intensive care unit (ICU) after surgery in West China Hospital of Sichuan University from January 2016 to December 2018. All subjects were randomly divided into a derivation set (70%) and test set (30%). ten-fold cross-validation was used to estimate the hyperparameters of ML algorithms during the training process in the derivation set. After ML models were developed, the sensitivity, specificity, area under the curve (AUC), and net benefit (decision analysis curve, DCA) were calculated to evaluate the performances of ML models in the test set. A total of 10,369 patients were included and in 1354 (13.1%) HAT occurred. The AUC of all seven ML models exceeded 0.7, the two highest were Gradient Boosting (GB) (0.834, 0.814-0.853, p < 0.001) and Random Forest (RF) (0.828, 0.807-0.848, p < 0.001). There was no difference between GB and RF (0.834 vs. 0.828, p = 0.293); however, these two were better than the remaining five models (p < 0.001). The DCA revealed that all ML models had high net benefits with a threshold probability approximately less than 0.6. In conclusion, we found that ML models constructed by multiple preoperative variables can predict HAT in patients transferred to ICU after surgery, which can improve risk stratification and guide management in clinical practice.

Utilization of multilayer perceptron for determining the inverse kinematics of an industrial robotic manipulator

Inverse kinematic equations allow the determination of the joint angles necessary for the robotic manipulator to place a tool into a predefined position. Determining this equation is vital but a complex work. In this article, an artificial neural network, more specifically, a feed-forward type, multilayer perceptron (MLP), is trained, so that it could be used to calculate the inverse kinematics for a robotic manipulator. First, direct kinematics of a robotic manipulator are determined using Denavit–Hartenberg method and a dataset of 15,000 points is generated using the calculated homogenous transformation matrices. Following that, multiple MLPs are trained with 10,240 different hyperparameter combinations to find the best. Each trained MLP is evaluated using the R 2 and mean absolute error metrics and the architectures of the MLPs that achieved the best results are presented. Results show a successful regression for the first five joints (percentage error being less than 0.1%) but a comparatively poor regression for the final joint due to the configuration of the robotic manipulator.

Multi-Input Dual-Stream Capsule Network for Improved Lung and Colon Cancer Classification

Lung and colon cancers are two of the most common causes of death and morbidity in humans. One of the most important aspects of appropriate treatment is the histopathological diagnosis of such cancers. As a result, the main goal of this study is to use a multi-input capsule network and digital histopathology images to build an enhanced computerized diagnosis system for detecting squamous cell carcinomas and adenocarcinomas of the lungs, as well as adenocarcinomas of the colon. Two convolutional layer blocks are used in the proposed multi-input capsule network. The CLB (Convolutional Layers Block) employs traditional convolutional layers, whereas the SCLB (Separable Convolutional Layers Block) employs separable convolutional layers. The CLB block takes unprocessed histopathology images as input, whereas the SCLB block takes uniquely pre-processed histopathological images. The pre-processing method uses color balancing, gamma correction, image sharpening, and multi-scale fusion as the major processes because histopathology slide images are typically red blue. All three channels (Red, Green, and Blue) are adequately compensated during the color balancing phase. The dual-input technique aids the model's ability to learn features more effectively. On the benchmark LC25000 dataset, the empirical analysis indicates a significant improvement in classification results. The proposed model provides cutting-edge performance in all classes, with 99.58% overall accuracy for lung and colon abnormalities based on histopathological images.

Artificial intelligence in urological oncology: An update and future applications

There continues to be rapid developments and research in the field of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Urological Oncology worldwide. In this review we discuss the basics of AI, application of AI per tumour group (Renal, Prostate and Bladder Cancer) and application of AI in Robotic Urological Surgery. We also discuss future applications of AI being developed with the benefits to patients with Urological Oncology.

Underwater localization system based on visible-light communications using neural networks

Underwater localization using visible-light communications is proposed based on neural networks (NNs) estimation of received signal strength (RSS). Our proposed work compromises two steps: data collection and NN training. First, data are collected with the aid of Zemax OpticStudio Monte Carlo ray tracing software, where we configure 40,000 receivers in a $100\;{\rm m} \times 100\;{\rm m}$ area in order to measure the channel gain for each detector in seawater. The channel gains represent the input data set to the NN, while the output of the NN is the coordinates of each detector based on the RSS intensity technique. Next, an NN system is built and trained with the aid of Orange data mining software. Several trials for NN implementations are performed, and the best training algorithms, activation functions, and number of neurons are determined. In addition, several performance measures are considered in order to evaluate the robustness of the proposed network. Specifically, we evaluate the following parameters: classification accuracy (CA), area under the curve (AUC), training time, testing time, F1, precision, recall, logloss, and specificity. The corresponding measures are as follows: 99.1% for AUC and 98.7% for CA, F1, precision, and recall. Further, the performance results of logloss and specificity are 7.3% and 99.3% respectively.

The Prediction of Body Mass Index from Negative Affectivity through Machine Learning: A Confirmatory Study

This study investigates on the relationship between affect-related psychological variables and Body Mass Index (BMI). We have utilized a novel method based on machine learning (ML) algorithms that forecast unobserved BMI values based on psychological variables, like depression, as predictors. We have employed various machine learning algorithms, including gradient boosting and random forest, with psychological variables relative to 221 subjects to predict both the BMI values and the BMI status (normal, overweight, and obese) of those subjects. We have found that the psychological variables in use allow one to predict both the BMI values (with a mean absolute error of 5.27-5.50) and the BMI status with an accuracy of over 80% (metric: F1-score). Further, our study has also confirmed the particular efficacy of psychological variables of negative type, such as depression for example, compared to positive ones, to achieve excellent predictive BMI values.

On Urinary Bladder Cancer Diagnosis: Utilization of Deep Convolutional Generative Adversarial Networks for Data Augmentation

Simple Summary

One of the main challenges in the application of Machine Learning in medicine is data collection. Either due to ethical concerns or lack of patients, data may be scarce. In this paper Deep Convolutional Generative Adversarial Networks (DCGAN) have been applied for the purpose of data augmentation. Images of bladder mucosa are used in order to generate new images using DCGANs. Then, combination of original and generated images are used to train AlexNet and VGG16 architectures. The results show improvements in AUC score in some cases, or equal scores with apparent lowering of standard deviation across data folds during cross-validation; indicating networks trained with the addition of generated data have a lower sensitivity across the hyperparameter range.

Abstract

Urinary bladder cancer is one of the most common urinary tract cancers. Standard diagnosis procedure can be invasive and time-consuming. For these reasons, procedure called optical biopsy is introduced. This procedure allows in-vivo evaluation of bladder mucosa without the need for biopsy. Although less invasive and faster, accuracy is often lower. For this reason, machine learning (ML) algorithms are used to increase its accuracy. The issue with ML algorithms is their sensitivity to the amount of input data. In medicine, collection can be time-consuming due to a potentially low number of patients. For these reasons, data augmentation is performed, usually through a series of geometric variations of original images. While such images improve classification performance, the number of new data points and the insight they provide is limited. These issues are a motivation for the application of novel augmentation methods. Authors demonstrate the use of Deep Convolutional Generative Adversarial Networks (DCGAN) for the generation of images. Augmented datasets used for training of commonly used Convolutional Neural Network-based (CNN) architectures (AlexNet and VGG-16) show a significcan performance increase for AlexNet, where AUCmicro reaches values up to 0.99. Average and median results of networks used in grid-search increases. These results point towards the conclusion that GAN-based augmentation has decreased the networks sensitivity to hyperparemeter change.

An Improvised Machine Learning Model Based on Mutual Information Feature Selection Approach for Microbes Classification

The accurate classification of microbes is critical in today's context for monitoring the ecological balance of a habitat. Hence, in this research work, a novel method to automate the process of identifying microorganisms has been implemented. To extract the bodies of microorganisms accurately, a generalized segmentation mechanism which consists of a combination of convolution filter (Kirsch) and a variance-based pixel clustering algorithm (Otsu) is proposed. With exhaustive corroboration, a set of twenty-five features were identified to map the characteristics and morphology for all kinds of microbes. Multiple techniques for feature selection were tested and it was found that mutual information (MI)-based models gave the best performance. Exhaustive hyperparameter tuning of multilayer layer perceptron (MLP), k-nearest neighbors (KNN), quadratic discriminant analysis (QDA), logistic regression (LR), and support vector machine (SVM) was done. It was found that SVM radial required further improvisation to attain a maximum possible level of accuracy. Comparative analysis between SVM and improvised SVM (ISVM) through a 10-fold cross validation method ultimately showed that ISVM resulted in a 2% higher performance in terms of accuracy (98.2%), precision (98.2%), recall (98.1%), and F1 score (98.1%).

Estimation of COVID-19 epidemic curves using genetic programming algorithm

This paper investigates the possibility of the implementation of Genetic Programming (GP) algorithm on a publicly available COVID-19 data set, in order to obtain mathematical models which could be used for estimation of confirmed, deceased, and recovered cases and the estimation of epidemiology curve for specific countries, with a high number of cases, such as China, Italy, Spain, and USA and as well as on the global scale. The conducted investigation shows that the best mathematical models produced for estimating confirmed and deceased cases achieved R² scores of 0.999, while the models developed for estimation of recovered cases achieved the R² score of 0.998. The equations generated for confirmed, deceased, and recovered cases were combined in order to estimate the epidemiology curve of specific countries and on the global scale. The estimated epidemiology curve for each country obtained from these equations is almost identical to the real data contained within the data set.

Automatic Evaluation of the Lung Condition of COVID-19 Patients Using X-ray Images and Convolutional Neural Networks

COVID-19 represents one of the greatest challenges in modern history. Its impact is most noticeable in the health care system, mostly due to the accelerated and increased influx of patients with a more severe clinical picture. These facts are increasing the pressure on health systems. For this reason, the aim is to automate the process of diagnosis and treatment. The research presented in this article conducted an examination of the possibility of classifying the clinical picture of a patient using X-ray images and convolutional neural networks. The research was conducted on the dataset of 185 images that consists of four classes. Due to a lower amount of images, a data augmentation procedure was performed. In order to define the CNN architecture with highest classification performances, multiple CNNs were designed. Results show that the best classification performances can be achieved if ResNet152 is used. This CNN has achieved AUCmacro¯ and AUCmicro¯ up to 0.94, suggesting the possibility of applying CNN to the classification of the clinical picture of COVID-19 patients using an X-ray image of the lungs. When higher layers are frozen during the training procedure, higher AUCmacro¯ and AUCmicro¯ values are achieved. If ResNet152 is utilized, AUCmacro¯ and AUCmicro¯ values up to 0.96 are achieved if all layers except the last 12 are frozen during the training procedure.

Identification of the Framingham Risk Score by an Entropy-Based Rule Model for Cardiovascular Disease

Since 2001, cardiovascular disease (CVD) has had the second-highest mortality rate, about 15,700 people per year, in Taiwan. It has thus imposed a substantial burden on medical resources. This study was triggered by the following three factors. First, the CVD problem reflects an urgent issue. A high priority has been placed on long-term therapy and prevention to reduce the wastage of medical resources, particularly in developed countries. Second, from the perspective of preventive medicine, popular data-mining methods have been well learned and studied, with excellent performance in medical fields. Thus, identification of the risk factors of CVD using these popular techniques is a prime concern. Third, the Framingham risk score is a core indicator that can be used to establish an effective prediction model to accurately diagnose CVD. Thus, this study proposes an integrated predictive model to organize five notable classifiers: the rough set (RS), decision tree (DT), random forest (RF), multilayer perceptron (MLP), and support vector machine (SVM), with a novel use of the Framingham risk score for attribute selection (i.e., F-attributes first identified in this study) to determine the key features for identifying CVD. Verification experiments were conducted with three evaluation criteria-accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity-based on 1190 instances of a CVD dataset available from a Taiwan teaching hospital and 2019 examples from a public Framingham dataset. Given the empirical results, the SVM showed the best performance in terms of accuracy (99.67%), sensitivity (99.93%), and specificity (99.71%) in all F-attributes in the CVD dataset compared to the other listed classifiers. The RS showed the highest performance in terms of accuracy (85.11%), sensitivity (86.06%), and specificity (85.19%) in most of the F-attributes in the Framingham dataset. The above study results support novel evidence that no classifier or model is suitable for all practical datasets of medical applications. Thus, identifying an appropriate classifier to address specific medical data is important. Significantly, this study is novel in its calculation and identification of the use of key Framingham risk attributes integrated with the DT technique to produce entropy-based decision rules of knowledge sets, which has not been undertaken in previous research. This study conclusively yielded meaningful entropy-based knowledgeable rules in tree structures and contributed to the differentiation of classifiers from the two datasets with three useful research findings and three helpful management implications for subsequent medical research. In particular, these rules provide reasonable solutions to simplify processes of preventive medicine by standardizing the formats and codes used in medical data to address CVD problems. The specificity of these rules is thus significant compared to those of past research.

Improvement of Marine Steam Turbine Conventional Exergy Analysis by Neural Network Application

This article presented an improvement of marine steam turbine conventional exergy analysis by application of neural networks. The conventional exergy analysis requires numerous measurements in seven different turbine operating points at each load, while the intention of MLP (Multilayer Perceptron) neural network-based analysis was to investigate the possibilities for measurements reducing. At the same time, the accuracy and precision of the obtained results should be maintained. In MLP analysis, six separate models are trained. Due to a low number of instances within the data set, a 10-fold cross-validation algorithm is performed. The stated goal is achieved and the best solution suggests that MLP application enables reducing of measurements to only three turbine operating points. In the best solution, MLP model errors falling within the desired error ranges (Mean Relative Error) MRE < 2.0% and (Coefficient of Correlation) R2 > 0.95 for the whole turbine and each of its cylinders.