Probability Distributions.- Linear Models for Regression.- Linear Models for Classification.- Neural Networks.- Kernel Methods.- Sparse Kernel Machines.- Graphical Models.- Mixture Models and EM.- Approximate Inference.- Sampling Methods.- Continuous Latent Variables.- Sequential Data.- Combining Models.

Pattern Recognition and Machine Learning

Following the 2016 U.S. presidential election, many have expressed concern about the effects of false stories (“fake news”), circulated largely through social media. We discuss the economics of fake news and present new data on its consumption prior to the election. Drawing on web browsing data, archives of fact-checking websites, and results from a new online survey, we find: (i) social media was an important but not dominant source of election news, with 14 percent of Americans calling social media their “most important” source; (ii) of the known false news stories that appeared in the three months before the election, those favoring Trump were shared a total of 30 million times on Facebook, while those favoring Clinton were shared 8 million times; (iii) the average American adult saw on the order of one or perhaps several fake news stories in the months around the election, with just over half of those who recalled seeing them believing them; and (iv) people are much more likely to believe stories that favor their preferred candidate, especially if they have ideologically segregated social media networks.

/pdf/social-media-and-fake-news-in-the-2016-election-1m4ttkb5mo.pdf

Social Media and Fake News in the 2016 Election

The use of artificial intelligence, and the deep-learning subtype in particular, has been enabled by the use of labeled big data, along with markedly enhanced computing power and cloud storage, across all sectors. In medicine, this is beginning to have an impact at three levels: for clinicians, predominantly via rapid, accurate image interpretation; for health systems, by improving workflow and the potential for reducing medical errors; and for patients, by enabling them to process their own data to promote health. The current limitations, including bias, privacy and security, and lack of transparency, along with the future directions of these applications will be discussed in this article. Over time, marked improvements in accuracy, productivity, and workflow will likely be actualized, but whether that will be used to improve the patient-doctor relationship or facilitate its erosion remains to be seen.

High-performance medicine: the convergence of human and artificial intelligence

This study aimed to review the literature describing and quantifying time lags in the health research translation process. Papers were included in the review if they quantified time lags in the development of health interventions. The study identified 23 papers. Few were comparable as different studies use different measures, of different things, at different time points. We concluded that the current state of knowledge of time lags is of limited use to those responsible for R&D and knowledge transfer who face difficulties in knowing what they should or can do to reduce time lags. This effectively ‘blindfolds’ investment decisions and risks wasting effort. The study concludes that understanding lags first requires agreeing models, definitions and measures, which can be applied in practice. A second task would be to develop a process by which to gather these data.

The Answer Is 17 Years, What Is the Question

Background: Student mental health in higher education has been an increasing concern. The COVID-19 pandemic situation has brought this vulnerable population into renewed focus.
Objective: Our study aims to conduct a timely assessment of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of college students.
Methods: We conducted interview surveys with 195 students at a large public university in the United States to understand the effects of the pandemic on their mental health and well-being. The data were analyzed through quantitative and qualitative methods.
Results: Of the 195 students, 138 (71%) indicated increased stress and anxiety due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Multiple stressors were identified that contributed to the increased levels of stress, anxiety, and depressive thoughts among students. These included fear and worry about their own health and of their loved ones (177/195, 91% reported negative impacts of the pandemic), difficulty in concentrating (173/195, 89%), disruptions to sleeping patterns (168/195, 86%), decreased social interactions due to physical distancing (167/195, 86%), and increased concerns on academic performance (159/195, 82%). To cope with stress and anxiety, participants have sought support from others and helped themselves by adopting either negative or positive coping mechanisms.
Conclusions: Due to the long-lasting pandemic situation and onerous measures such as lockdown and stay-at-home orders, the COVID-19 pandemic brings negative impacts on higher education. The findings of our study highlight the urgent need to develop interventions and preventive strategies to address the mental health of college students.

/pdf/effects-of-covid-19-on-college-students-mental-health-in-the-5cjqdtjg9b.pdf

Effects of COVID-19 on College Students' Mental Health in the United States: Interview Survey Study.

OBJECTIVE The aim of the study was to explore feasibility of smartphone-based digital phenotyping methods to examine depression and its relation to psychosocial well-being indicators after spinal cord injury. DESIGN Smartphone research platform obtained smartphone sensor and survey data among community-living adult wheelchair users with spinal cord injury. Weekly measurements for 4 mos included Patient Health Questionnaire 8, Spinal Cord Injury-Quality of Life Satisfaction with and ability to participate in social roles and activities, global positioning system-derived community mobility metrics, health conditions, and physical activity. RESULTS Forty-three individuals were enrolled. Study retention was higher among individuals offered financial incentives (78%) compared with participants enrolled before incentives (50%). Participants who dropped out more commonly had nontraumatic or acute spinal cord injury, were older, and had less satisfaction and lower participation in social roles and activities. Among 15 individuals with complete data, half had 1 wk or more of mild depression. Those with depression had frequent health issues, less satisfaction, and lower participation in social roles and activities. Those without depression experienced increased social engagement over time. Average community mobility was similar across depression groups. Relationships were typically in-phase but also varied by individual. CONCLUSIONS Smartphone-based digital phenotyping of psychosocial well-being after spinal cord injury is feasible but not without attrition challenges. Individual differences in depression patterns highlight clinical utility of scaling these methods.

Digital Phenotyping to Quantify Psychosocial Well-Being Trajectories After Spinal Cord Injury.

The Digital Doctor: Hope, Hype, and Harm at the Dawn of Medicine's Computer Age, 1st ed., R. Watcher. McGraw-Hill Education (April 1, 2015)

Expanding, Augmenting, and Operationalizing Ethical and Regulatory Considerations for Using Social Media Platforms in Research and Health Care

Over the recent years, mental health has become a major disease burden globally. Untreated mental illness has serious consequences for the individual, resulting in lower quality of life and has severe negative effects on the global economy. Digital solutions for mental health offer relief to the overburdened health care system but would benefit from design approaches geared to increase participant adherence and engagement. Video games offer a rich design ecosphere-ranging from narrative elements usable in therapy, accessible social dynamics, challenging cognitive tasks, to novel assessment approaches and applicability as preventive measures-suggesting their potential to advance digital solutions for mental health. While there is clear potential in video games for mental health, the challenges and opportunities of transferring game design to mental health applications, designing for specific mental illnesses, and integration games for mental health into the clinical context are rarely addressed.

Forum on Video Games for Mental Health

App-based interventions have the potential to enhance access to and quality of care for patients with schizophrenia. However, less is known about the current state of schizophrenia apps in research and how those translate to publicly available apps. This study, therefore, aimed to review schizophrenia apps offered on marketplaces and research literature with a focus on accessibility and availability. A search of recent reviews, gray literature, PubMed, and Google Scholar was conducted in August 2022. A search of the U.S. Apple App Store and Google Play App Store was conducted in July 2022. All eligible studies and apps were systematically screened/reviewed. The academic research search produced 264 results; 60 eligible studies were identified. 51.7% of research apps were built on psychosis-specific platforms and 48.3% of research apps were built on non-specific platforms. 83.3% of research apps offered monitoring functionalities. Only nine apps, two designed on psychosis-specific platforms and seven on non-specific platforms were easily accessible. The search of app marketplaces uncovered 537 apps; only six eligible marketplace apps were identified. 83.3% of marketplace apps only offered psychoeducation. All marketplace apps lacked frequent updates with the average time since last update 1121 days. There are few clinically relevant apps accessible to patients on the commercial marketplaces. While research efforts are expanding, many research apps are unavailable today. Better translation of apps from research to the marketplace and a focus on sustainable interventions are important targets for the field. 

/pdf/accessibility-and-availability-of-smartphone-apps-for-22h2edbn.pdf

John Torous

Papers

Digital Phenotyping to Quantify Psychosocial Well-Being Trajectories After Spinal Cord Injury.

The Digital Doctor: Hope, Hype, and Harm at the Dawn of Medicine's Computer Age, 1st ed., R. Watcher. McGraw-Hill Education (April 1, 2015)

Expanding, Augmenting, and Operationalizing Ethical and Regulatory Considerations for Using Social Media Platforms in Research and Health Care

Forum on Video Games for Mental Health

Accessibility and availability of smartphone apps for schizophrenia