Real-time integration of emotion analysis into homecare platforms.

The scientific and technological advancements in the area of affective computing enable the development of services in various domains that facilitate the interaction between humans and computers, and can considerably improve decision-making. This work presents the integration and operation of an emotion analysis service in a homecare/mHealth application. In the described approach, the developed emotion analysis service follows the IoT paradigm and it is combined with features for connectivity such as biosignal sensors and wearables, while it is fully integrated in the WebRTC video communication functionality offered by the homecare platform. Thus, it supports the medical experts to perform real-time analysis of their patients' emotional status during interactive video-conference sessions. The paper discusses the technical details of the implementation and the integration of the proposed service and provides initial results from its operation in practice.

DIANA-microT web server: elucidating microRNA functions through target prediction.

Computational microRNA (miRNA) target prediction is one of the key means for deciphering the role of miRNAs in development and disease. Here, we present the DIANA-microT web server as the user interface to the DIANA-microT 3.0 miRNA target prediction algorithm. The web server provides extensive information for predicted miRNA:target gene interactions with a user-friendly interface, providing extensive connectivity to online biological resources. Target gene and miRNA functions may be elucidated through automated bibliographic searches and functional information is accessible through Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways. The web server offers links to nomenclature, sequence and protein databases, and users are facilitated by being able to search for targeted genes using different nomenclatures or functional features, such as the genes possible involvement in biological pathways. The target prediction algorithm supports parameters calculated individually for each miRNA:target gene interaction and provides a signal-to-noise ratio and a precision score that helps in the evaluation of the significance of the predicted results. Using a set of miRNA targets recently identified through the pSILAC method, the performance of several computational target prediction programs was assessed. DIANA-microT 3.0 achieved there with 66% the highest ratio of correctly predicted targets over all predicted targets. The DIANA-microT web server is freely available at www.microrna.gr/microT.

A decentralized multichannel length transformation algorithm and its parallel implementation for real-time ECG monitoring.

Multichannel algorithms have been developed for more accurate analysis of electrocardiograms (ECGs). Their benefit is the ability to use the information contained in all simultaneously acquired channels. In this paper we present a multichannel version of a nonsyntactic algorithm, based on length transformation. The proposed algorithm uses a decentralized schema for combining the results derived from each individual lead, instead of a global/centralized one (a spatial vector approach). Its performance was evaluated using the CSE database and real ECGs acquired by a 12-lead cardiograph. The results are also compared with previous-single-channel and multichannel-versions of the algorithm, showing a better performance. Since a multichannel algorithm is always a time-consuming task, it is rarely used in real-time monitoring systems. Motivated by this observation, we designed a parallel implementation of the proposed algorithm and tested its ability to be used in such systems.

A workflow-based approach to virtual patient record security.

Virtual patient records provide a means for integrated access to patient information that may be scattered around different healthcare organizations (or hospital departments). As Intranets provide, among others, secure access to medical information, they constitute an appropriate technological infrastructure for a virtual patient record implementation. In such cases, a security policy can be enforced by combining the security features of the Intranet with the security features of the intraorganizational systems. However, when a workflow system is implemented to automate interorganizational healthcare processes, an additional security layer is needed. An authorization architecture that serves this purpose is presented in this paper.

The CARDIO-LOGOS system for ECG training and diagnosis.

A new approach in ECG training is presented. The overall approach is based on a combination of the "page-turning architecture", the "reference model" and AI techniques. A thorough analysis of the training requirements in this field has been carried out; the results determined the educational scenarios and the associated evaluation sessions. The system (CARDIO-LOGOS) is intended to be used mainly by internal medicine physicians and general practitioners, as well as by medical students. The layered structure of the whole CBT application together with the advanced learning strategies and the interactive multimedia technology offer a flexible environment that encourages experimentation and supports individualised training for a wide variety of users.

ECG handling on a telemedicine platform.

In this paper we present the principles of a new platform developed for handling ECG signals in a telemedicine setting. We focus on three basic services: an ECG file management system (acquisition, storage, transmission); ECG-oriented teleconferencing; and realtime transmission of ECGs over the telephone network. This work has been carried out in the context of national and EU-sponsored projects. Its main purpose was to help patients from remote or isolated areas, like small islands, with insufficient health-care services, to get appropriate and experienced medical care directly from large central hospitals. We present the design and the basic operations of the ECG handling system.