Artificial Intelligence in the Intensive Care Unit: Current Evidence on an Inevitable Future Tool.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is a technique that attempts to replicate human intelligence, analytical behavior, and decision-making ability. This includes machine learning, which involves the use of algorithms and statistical techniques to enhance the computer's ability to make decisions more accurately. Due to AI's ability to analyze, comprehend, and interpret considerable volumes of data, it has been increasingly used in the field of healthcare. In critical care medicine, where most of the patient load requires timely interventions due to the perilous nature of the condition, AI's ability to monitor, analyze, and predict unfavorable outcomes is an invaluable asset. It can significantly improve timely interventions and prevent unfavorable outcomes, which, otherwise, is not always achievable owing to the constrained human ability to multitask with optimum efficiency. AI has been implicated in intensive care units over the past many years. In addition to its advantageous applications, this article discusses its disadvantages, prospects, and the changes needed to train future critical care professionals. A comprehensive search of electronic databases was performed using relevant keywords. Data from articles pertinent to the topic was assimilated into this review article.

Cardiac amyloidosis and aortic stenosis: a state-of-the-art review.

Cardiac amyloidosis is caused by the extracellular deposition of amyloid fibrils in the heart, involving not only the myocardium but also any cardiovascular structure. Indeed, this progressive infiltrative disease also involves the cardiac valves and, specifically, shows a high prevalence with aortic stenosis. Misfolded protein infiltration in the aortic valve leads to tissue damage resulting in the onset or worsening of valve stenosis. Transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis and aortic stenosis coexist in patients > 65 years in about 4-16% of cases, especially in those undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement. Diagnostic workup for cardiac amyloidosis in patients with aortic stenosis is based on a multi-parametric approach considering clinical assessment, electrocardiogram, haematologic tests, basic and advanced echocardiography, cardiac magnetic resonance, and technetium labelled cardiac scintigraphy like technetium-99 m (99mTc)-pyrophosphate, 99mTc-3,3-diphosphono-1,2-propanodicarboxylic acid, and 99mTc-hydroxymethylene diphosphonate. However, a biopsy is the traditional gold standard for diagnosis. The prognosis of patients with coexisting cardiac amyloidosis and aortic stenosis is still under evaluation. The combination of these two pathologies worsens the prognosis. Regarding treatment, mortality is reduced in patients with cardiac amyloidosis and severe aortic stenosis after undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement. Further studies are needed to confirm these findings and to understand whether the diagnosis of cardiac amyloidosis could affect therapeutic strategies. The aim of this review is to critically expose the current state-of-art regarding the association of cardiac amyloidosis with aortic stenosis, from pathophysiology to treatment.

The abstraction of potentially zoonotic SARS-like coronavirus (BtSY2): A threat to global health.

This article highlights the discovery of a new virus lurking in bats in Yunnan province of China. The virus shows phylogenetic and genomic similarity to the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus, which was the cause of the COVID-19 pandemic. The virus, named Bat SARS-like virus BtSY2, along with four other viruses, has been named a "virus of concern." Recombination events in the viral genome due to coinfection by multiple viruses in related animal hosts can lead to disease emergence, a process that has repeated itself innumerable times throughout history and has given rise to some major viral pandemics. Zoonotic infections, if not contained at the right time, can cause significant harm to the public health sector as well as the global economy. Studies like this are required to acquire a good understanding of the phylogeny of the virus, mechanisms of its transmission, carriers, probable clinical picture, and similarity to previous outbreaks. This will help to devise preventive strategies and, in case of higher probability and hazardous potential of the disease, develop prototype vaccines and drugs to face the outbreak with adequate preparedness.

Under-representation of low-income countries in the literature - targeting the bummock of neglected tropical diseases.

More than 50% of the world's youth and many economies with the greatest growth rates are in tropical and subtropical regions of Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Many prevailing diseases in these areas comprise neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) - the 13 bacterial and parasitic infections that predominantly affect the poorest one-sixth of the world's population. The lack of published data, heightened by the disregard of researchers of developed countries, amounts to the 'missing piece' when attempting to draw a global picture of such diseases using systematic reviews or meta-analyses because of the imbalance in distribution. Defining and measuring the problem, evaluating the effectiveness and cost of interventions, and assessing cost-effectiveness are all necessary steps in determining health priorities for eradicating these NTDs.

SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination in India: Considerations of Hesitancy and Bioethics in Global Health.

Introduction: Worldwide mass vaccination against SARS-CoV-2, while having been the most critical action in combating further waves of COVID-19, was initially fraught with multiple infrastructural and socio-cultural challenges. Vaccine hesitancy, a phenomenon of doubt over the vaccines' claimed efficacy and/or safety amidst access to vaccination, emerged as a major challenge for global health, despite approval and regular post-marketing surveillance by major regulatory bodies. Methods: We reviewed the literature related to vaccine hesitancy in India published until November 14, 2021 using relevant keywords in various databases and examined it from a bioethical perspective. Results: Factors driving hesitancy either intensified skepticism towards vaccination in general or exacerbated reluctance towards specific vaccines. In India, hesitancy towards indigenously developed vaccines was aggravated by the lack of peer-reviewed phase III trial data before the start of vaccination, lack of public transparency of regulatory bodies, and presence of public perception of inappropriately expedited processes. This perspective piece discusses the state of mass immunization in India as a case of how vaccination and its hesitancy thereof gave rise to unique bioethical challenges in global health. In early 2021, vaccination in India was subject to difficulties in adhering to the principles of equity and justice, while a compromise of the principles of informed consent, beneficence, and non-maleficence also perhaps did occur. Conclusions: Post-pandemic debriefing on the subversion of bioethical principles will be needed, and an appropriate response may be required to rebuild and enhance the public faith in future mass vaccination movements.