AI in Medicine

This chapter explores the use of artificial intelligence in medicine. AI promises major benefits for healthcare. But along with the benefits come risks. Not so much the risk of powerful super-intelligent machines taking over, but the risk of structural injustices, biases, and inequalities being perpetuated in a system that cannot be challenged because nobody actually knows how the algorithms work. Or the risk that there might be no doctor or nurse present to hold your hand and reassure you when you are at your most vulnerable. There are many initiatives to come up with ethical or trustworthy AI and these efforts are important. Yet we should demand more than this. Technological solutionism and the urge to “move fast and break things” often dominate the tech industry but are inappropriate for the healthcare context and incompatible with basic healthcare values of empathy, solidarity, and trust.

The Meaning of Value in “Person-centred” approaches to Healthcare

In health economics, value has usually been understood within the framework of the production and consumption of healthcare. Two tools of measurement, efficiency and equity, have been used to make decisions on healthcare resources. However, the healthcare system is also not a market like others, and applying the criteria of efficiency and equity to the field of health calls for significant adaptation. In addition, even when epistemologically informed and technically equipped, care is also attention and an engagement toward the person for whom the care is directed. Current models fail to take into consideration the individual, qualitative nature of individual patient experience, but also the wider environment affecting the patient’s health outcomes. Therefore tensions continue to exist between value as understood in a health economics perspective and the relational values promoted in proposals of person-centered care. Healthcare values are plural and explain what one commits to in terms of actions and relationships with others. Taking into account this plurality reminds us both of the ethical dimension of care but also how it is made possible through financing. Person-centered care therefore calls for new models of evaluation, ones which will understand the values of care for the person in their personal and professional contexts.

Golden Camellias: A Review

Golden camellias or yellow camellias are species belonging to genus Camellia L., family Theaceae. Fifty two species were described in southern China and Vietnam. Active ingredients such as polysaccharides, polyphenols, saponins, and flavonoids are well known characteristics of golden camellias. Its leaves and flowers have been long traditionally used for health improvement. It was found to be able to inhibit transplanted cancer, lower blood pressure, lower blood lipid, lower cholesterol, and prevent atherosclerosis. Currently, it costs 320–700US$ per one kg of dry flowers. Such price attracts many local ethnic people to plant golden camellias for poverty reduction. This work reviews (1) species and natural distribution, (2) uses and healthcare values, (3) techniques for seedling production, planting and tending, and (4) opportunities and challenges for future development of golden camellias.

Healthcare values and potential uses of the new Hungarian apple varieties on the basis on fruit analysis

Biological active compounds and valuable characteristics of some apple varieties and candidates were measured in our trials. Fruits of ’Rosmerta’, ’Hesztia’, ’Cordelia’ and ’Artemisz’ are recommended to enrich the Hungarian assortments for fresh consumption and choice of new tastes. Based on examined parameters it can be assumed that novel Hungarian resistant varieties are suitable for juice and fruit concentrate production, and due to high pectin content of their remaining pomace these varieties can be raw material of pectin production as well as they are also suitable for jam production mixed with other fruit species. Furthermore, functional food industrial product having high quality can be produced by using novel resistant varieties because of their high pectin and polyphenol content. Beside of their high market value their suitability for growing among orchard conditions is confi rmed by lower costs of production because of less plant protection treatments.

Healthcare 2025: alternative views and underlying values

This article describes the development of scenarios to stimulate public dialog concerning healthcare values. Different values lead to different futures. America’s current healthcare system has serious difficulties and must be transformed, but the underlying problems will not be addressed until the public has enough understanding to develop a consensus on the values it desires in a new system that meets societal needs. Value driven scenarios can help by illustrating the consequences of different alternatives and thereby stimulating thinking about key value‐driven components that must be included for a functional and sustainable solution.