Affective, Natural Interaction Using EEG: Sensors, Application and Future Directions

Abstract. ElectroEncephaloGraphy signals have been studied in relation to emotion even prior to the establishment of Affective Computing as a research area. Technological advancements in the sensor and network communication technology allowed EEG collection during interaction with low obtrusiveness levels as opposed to earlier work which classified physiological signals as the most obtrusive modality in affective analysis. The current article provides a critical survey of research work dealing with broadly affective analysis of EEG signals collected during natural or naturalistic interaction. It focuses on sensors that allow such natural interaction (namely NeuroSky and Emotiv), related technological features and affective aspects of applications in several application domains. These aspects include emotion representation approach, induction method and stimuli and annotation chosen for the application. Additionally, machine learning issues related to affective analysis (such as incorporation of multiple modalities and related issues, feature selection for dimensionality reduction and classification architectures) are revised. Finally, future directions of EEG incorporation in affective and natural interaction are discussed

MALDI‐Imaging for Classification of Epithelial Ovarian Cancer Histotypes from a Tissue Microarray Using Machine Learning Methods

Purpose: Precise histological classification of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) has immanent diagnostic and therapeutic consequences, but remains challenging in histological routine. The aim of this pilot study is to examine the potential of matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) imaging mass spectrometry in combination with machine learning methods to classify EOC histological subtypes from tissue microarray. Experimental design: Formalin‐fixed‐paraffin‐embedded tissue of 20 patients with ovarian clear‐cell, 14 low‐grade serous, 19 high‐grade serous ovarian carcinomas, and 14 serous borderline tumors are analyzed using MALDI‐Imaging. Classifications are computed by linear discriminant analysis (LDA), support vector machines with linear (SVM‐lin) and radial basis function kernels (SVM‐rbf), a neural network (NN), and a convolutional neural network (CNN). Results: MALDI‐Imaging and machine learning methods result in classification of EOC histotypes with mean accuracy of 80% for LDA, 80% SVM‐lin, 74% SVM‐rbf, 83% NN, and 85% CNN. Based on sensitivity (69–100%) and specificity (90–99%), CCN and NN are most suited to EOC classification. Conclusion and clinical relevance: The pilot study demonstrates the potential of MALDI‐Imaging derived proteomic classifiers in combination with machine learning algorithms to discriminate EOC histotypes. Applications may support the development of new prognostic parameters in the assessment of EOC

AHRR and SFRP2 in primary versus recurrent high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma and their prognostic implication

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to analyse transcriptomic differences between primary and recurrent high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma (HGSOC) to identify prognostic biomarkers. METHODS: We analysed 19 paired primary and recurrent HGSOC samples using targeted RNA sequencing. We selected the best candidates using in silico survival and pathway analysis and validated the biomarkers using immunohistochemistry on a cohort of 44 paired samples, an additional cohort of 504 primary HGSOCs and explored their function. RESULTS: We identified 233 differential expressed genes. Twenty-three showed a significant prognostic value for PFS and OS in silico. Seven markers (AHRR, COL5A2, FABP4, HMGCS2, ITGA5, SFRP2 and WNT9B) were chosen for validation at the protein level. AHRR expression was higher in primary tumours (p < 0.0001) and correlated with better patient survival (p < 0.05). Stromal SFRP2 expression was higher in recurrent samples (p = 0.009) and protein expression in primary tumours was associated with worse patient survival (p = 0.022). In multivariate analysis, tumour AHRR and SFRP2 remained independent prognostic markers. In vitro studies supported the anti-tumorigenic role of AHRR and the oncogenic function of SFRP2. CONCLUSIONS: Our results underline the relevance of AHRR and SFRP2 proteins in aryl-hydrocarbon receptor and Wnt-signalling, respectively, and might lead to establishing them as biomarkers in HGSOC