Analyzing sex imbalance in EGA and dbGaP biological databases: Recommendations for better practices.

Precision medicine aims at tailoring treatments to individual patient's characteristics. In this regard, recognizing the significance of sex and gender becomes indispensable for meeting the distinct healthcare needs of diverse populations. To this end, continuing a trend of improving data quality observed since 2014, the European Genome-phenome Archive (EGA) established a policy in 2018 that mandates data providers to declare the sex of donor samples, aiming to enhance data accuracy and prevent imbalance in sex classification.

Raising awareness of sex and gender bias in artificial intelligence and health.

Historically, biomedical research has been led by and focused on men. The recent introduction of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in this area has further proven this practice to be discriminatory for other sexes and genders, more noticeably for women. To move towards a fair AI development, it is essential to include sex and gender diversity both in research practices and in the workplace.

Investing in AI for social good: an analysis of European national strategies.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become a driving force in modern research, industry and public administration and the European Union (EU) is embracing this technology with a view to creating societal, as well as economic, value. This effort has been shared by EU Member States which were all encouraged to develop their own national AI strategies outlining policies and investment levels. This study focuses on how EU Member States are approaching the promise to develop and use AI for the good of society through the lens of their national AI strategies.

The ethical use of high-performance computing and artificial intelligence: fighting COVID-19 at Barcelona Supercomputing Center.

The COVID-19 pandemic has created an extraordinary medical, economic and humanitarian emergency. Artificial intelligence, in combination with other digital technologies, is being used as a tool to support the fight against the viral pandemic that has affected the entire world since the beginning of 2020. Barcelona Supercomputing Center collaborates in the battle against the coronavirus in different areas: the application of bioinformatics for the research on the virus and its possible treatments, the use of artificial intelligence, natural language processing and big data techniques to analyse the spread and impact of the pandemic, and the use of the MareNostrum 4 supercomputer to enable massive analysis on COVID-19 data.

Covid-19 and tracing methodologies: A lesson for the future society.

As the new  (-CoV-2) surged across the globe, new technical solutions have supported policy makers and health authorities to plan and modulate containment measures. The introduction of these solutions provoked a large debate which has focused on risks for privacy and data protection. In this paper we offer an analysis of the available technical approaches and provide new arguments to move beyond the ongoing discussions.

A Web-Based Platform for People With Memory Problems and Their Caregivers (CAREGIVERSPRO-MMD): Mixed-Methods Evaluation of Usability.

Background: The increasing number of people with dementia (PwD) drives research exploring Web-based support interventions to provide effective care for larger populations. In this concept, a Web-based platform (CAREGIVERSPRO-MMD, 620911) was designed to (1) improve the quality of life for PwD, (2) reduce caregiver burden, (3) reduce the financial costs for care, and (4) reduce administration time for health and social care professionals.

Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the usability and usefulness of CAREGIVERSPRO-MMD platform for PwD or mild cognitive impairment (MCI), informal caregivers, and health and social care professionals with respect to a wider strategy followed by the project to enhance the user-centered approach.

Reducing Fall Risk with Combined Motor and Cognitive Training in Elderly Fallers.

Background: Falling is a major clinical problem in elderly people, demanding effective solutions. At present, the only effective intervention is motor training of balance and strength. Executive function-based training (EFt) might be effective at preventing falls according to evidence showing a relationship between executive functions and gait abnormalities.