UW-Madison genetic scientists sound alarm on AI overreliance, say there are persistent flaws in data

Science and Health

Researchers in the Genetics-Biotechnology Center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, led by associate professor Qiongshi Lu, published a study Sept. 30 in Nature Genetics raising concerns over persistent problems found in artificial intelligence-assisted genome-wide association studies.
Broadly, genome-wide association studies search for links between genetic variation and health traits. This process requires large amounts of genetic and health related data, which come from “biobanks” that collect and store biological data. Based on links found in these datasets, scientists can predict future health risks for people with certain genetic traits.

But attempting to predict certain health risks is challenging.
“Some outcomes are very easy to measure. If you want to study the genetics of height, it’s easy to measure everyone’s height and DNA and just link them to identify associations. But if you want to study, say, Alzheimer’s, it gets tricky,” Lu said.
Collecting and studying the traits of diseases like Alzheimer’s in large numbers is difficult because there isn’t enough prevalence in the datasets. This is mostly because collecting this type of data is extremely resource intensive. Without enough data, researchers don’t have the statistical power to make health-risk predictions.
As a result, it has become popular in recent years to leverage AI tools, which can infer unknown traits based on proxy data. This allows scientists to work around the challenge of missing data by assigning traits to individuals in whom that trait has not been actually observed. But Lu said the inferences don’t account for their own uncertainty.
Jiacheng Miao, a Ph.D. student in the Biomedical Data Science Program at UW-Madison and co-author of the study published in Nature Genetics, told The Daily Cardinal many scientists “are pretending that outcomes produced by AI are the gold standard, but we show that this is actually a pretty bad idea.”
“For example, we have hospital-recorded diabetes statuses of individuals. So we created an AI predicted diabetes status to compare the results, and we found that they differ a lot,” he said.

Further comparisons revealed persistent flaws in traits produced by AI. In response to these findings, Lu’s team developed a new statistical framework to improve the quality of AI inferences. While the results have been well-received within the field of genome research, they have not yet been widely implemented since Lu and his colleagues are some of the first to advance this discussion in genome-wide association studies, Lu said.
Impacts
The results of genome research are often used in developing therapeutic drugs. However, it’s possible that without the right statistical frameworks in place, these drugs will be developed based on contaminated data. While drugs built on false data would likely not make it past testing stages, Lu said developing those ineffective treatments “is a huge waste of resources.”
“You could spend 10 years focusing on a therapeutic intervention strategy just to realize it’s false,” Lu said. “We need frontier methodology to guard people against spurious findings, so that we can really efficiently advance the field of medical sciences.”

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Marco LamaMarco is a features writer for The Daily Cardinal. He is an English and History major and has experience covering local businesses.

Mass. lawmakers spend nearly $30k in campaign funds on travel agent for health care-focused Cuba trip

Travel

Massachusetts House lawmakers spent nearly $30,000 in political donations last month on a trip to Cuba billed as an opportunity to learn about the island nation’s interest in biomedical research.Specifically, the lawmakers paid $28,566 to Marazul Tours, a New Jersey-based travel agent that specializes in trips to Cuba. State Representative Marjorie Decker, who led the trip, announced the plans one day before the 11 lawmakers traveled to the island nation.House Speaker Ron Mariano and state Representatives Mike Moran, Frank Moran, Mike Day, Mindy Domb, Ken Gordon, John Lawn, Aaron Michlewitz, Jeff Roy, and Jenny Armini were slated to attend the trip, which began Nov. 15. Lawmakers are scheduled to return on Friday.Massachusetts Health & Hospital Association president Steve Walsh and an aide to Decker, Ryan Telingator, are also on the trip.Massachusetts’ campaign finance rules are broad, allowing lawmakers to travel on their campaign’s dime as long as they can show it’s for the “enhancement of [their] political future” and is not “primarily for personal use.”In a statement, Decker said all expenses, including transportation, lodging, and meals, would be paid for by the individual members or their campaign accounts and that no third party would pay expenses related to the trip.In September and October, lawmakers spent as little as $45 in “agent fees” up to payments of $4,737.20 to the travel agency, according to campaign finance records.The agency, Marazul Tours, calls itself “the oldest and largest continuously operating travel agency to Cuba.”Not every lawmaker’s account showed charges to Marazul, meaning they either paid their way without tapping their campaign accounts or were charged in November — charges wouldn’t necessarily show up in campaign finance records until the reporting period ends Dec. 5.According to Decker, lawmakers were to meet with Cuban public officials, hospital staff, and charities, such as Caritas Cuba, to discuss investing in health care, public health and disease, climate resiliency and flooding, and life sciences.Ahead of the visit, lawmakers were briefed by the US State Department and met with Massachusetts Representative Jim McGovern, who has long advocated for better relations between the United States and Cuba.The trip comes as three major health care bills sit in limbo on Beacon Hill, with the Legislature yet to take action on the measures, which would tackle hospital oversight, prescription drug pricing, and substance use disorders.Before the Cuba trip was announced, Mariano suggested he would take a post-election vacation.“I have no intent to do anything right now, except maybe take a few days off,” he said in response to questions about changing a voter-approved law governing legislative audits.Material from State House News Service was used in this report.Samantha J. Gross can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her @samanthajgross.

Holiday Gift Guide 2024: The Best Fashion And Style Books

Arts & Culture, Books

For the people in your life who are passionate about fashion, these fabulous books make perfect Christmas presents. Be entertained by the glamour of a bygone age and the women who made a significant impact, delve into the dazzling imagery of haute couture at a time when a photographers skill lay in his technical abilities with a Leica not a computer screen, and be uplifted by the witty advice of fashion’s Grande Dames who embraced their unique personal style, unafraid to champion individuality and stand out from the crowd. Nothing beats the pleasure of a holding a beautifully crafted book in your hands, flicking through the color infused pages for creative inspiration.

Marilyn Monroe Style

If you thought you knew everything there was to know about Marilyn Monroe think again. Terry Newman is a masterful writer with a forensically investigative style, revealing so much more about Monroe’s role as a fashion influencer than the bombshell sex goddess in shimmering sequins, that became shorthand for her image. In films like The Misfits, she showed us how to look chic in a man’s Lee Storm Rider denim jacket and jeans, off screen she championed designers like Pucci (silk jersey) Ferragamo (classic court shoes) and Chanel (perfume). Analysis of the star as a fashion muse extends seamlessly into luxury modern day collections, with Newman observing key creatives who have paid homage to Monroe’s style, including Yves Saint Laurent, Versace, Max Mara and Prada. With hundreds of glossy images, examination of the actress’s sartorial choices reveal them to be as multifaceted as the woman behind them. accartbooks.com £35/$40

Iris Apfel sporting her trademark statement glassesCover Photography © Ruven Afandor

Colourful by Iris Apfel
The ‘accidental icon’ who was known as the World’s Oldest Living Teenager, Iris Apfel imparts her words of fashion wisdom and shares the creative philosophy behind her spectacularly colorful life. Bursting with hundreds of pictures of Apfel from childhood, through to her modelling the turquoise jacquard trouser suit she designed for H&M in 2021, this book chronicles her life, documenting inspirational travels, whilst offering the invaluable advice of a fashion visionary. “Wrinkles are a badge of courage. Why try to hide the years you’ve been lucky enough to live”. abrhamsbooks.com £40/$44.95Campaign for Gucci shot in Cannes, France 2018Picture credit: © Martin Parr / Magnum Photos

Fashion Faux Parr
A fabulous compendium of global fashion imagery that mixes authentic street style with candid front row pictures at the international runway shows. Martin Parr’s distinct view of the world has earned him many photographic awards and this his first fashion book showcases three decades of work, including inspired editorial spreads for Vogue Espana showing girls in shocking pink flamenco style outfits at the petrol pump, and surreal campaigns featuring the octogenarian sun worshipping citizens of Cannes for Gucci. Parr’s irreverent attitude to his subject, (he claims not to be a fashion photographer) is what makes all of these 300 pages of full colour images, totally compelling to look at. phaidon.com £39.95/$45

Silk chiffon dress by Phoebe Philo for Chloe 2004Cover image © yale university

MOOD OF THE MOMENT Gaby Aghion & Chloe
Choosing the name Chloe simply because she liked the roundness of the letters, the stylish French Egyptian, Gaby Aghion launched her upmarket range of feminine womenswear in 1952, inventing the idea of well-crafted garments in beautiful fabrics at a time before ready to wear existed. With comprehensive texts detailing the history of the brand, starting with the founder’s initial philosophy of using a team of creative stylists (of whom Karl Lagerfeld was the most famous) to bring her vision to life, this beautiful book charts seven decades of Chloe. With stunning photographic images and contributions from many of the celebrated designers who have been associated with the house, Claire Waight Keller, Gabriela Hearst and Phoebe Philo to name just a few, it provides a fascinating view of how the industry itself has changed. yalebooks.yale.edu £50/$65The timeless style of the inimitable CBKCover image ©Bruce Webber/Trunk Archive 2023 Abrams
CBK:Carolyn Bessette Kennedy A Life In Fashion
With an understated style that became synonymous with fashion in the 1990s, Carolyn Bessette Kennedy was the poster girl for elegant minimalism. With every public appearance she exuded a cool New York vibe that seemed effortlessly modern, yet somehow attainable. This commemorative book examines the impact she had on fashion, with introductions by Gabriela Hearst and Edward Enninful who provide personal endorsements of her timeless appeal, and original interviews with current creatives who analyse her pared back approach to luxury. Written by Sunita Kumar Nair, with many unseen photographs and numerous personal anecdotes from friends, photographers and fashion aficionados, CBK serves as a reminder that ‘fashion’ is always commerce, real style comes from within and can never be bought. abramsbooks.com £50/$65
Fashion editorial shot in Barbados for British Vogue 1973Image © Norman Parkinson and ABG Images (UK) Ltd
Norman Parkinson Style Photographs for Vogue
Affectionately known as “Parks”, the eccentric English photographer built his career in the 1940s and ‘50s but was still working on location in 1990 when he died. Divided into five chapters from the 1930s through to the 1970s, Parkinson’s work for Vogue magazine captures the great beauties of the day chronicling the changing face of fashion in each era. From the aristocratic charm of Fiona Cambell Walter (later Baroness Thyssen) in the early 1950s, to the waiflike spontaneity of Twiggy in 1967, and later the full-on glamour of the 1980s with Jerry Hall and Iman together in Louis Feraud furs. Text by Terence Pepper details the significant social changes of each decade and provides insight into the leading designers and models of the day. welbeckpublishing.com £40/$44.95
Audrey Hepburn dressed by Hubert de Givenchy in 1966Cover image ©20th Century Fox/Kobal/Shutterstock
Audrey Hepburn in Paris
Although never a resident of Paris, Hepburn had a long-time love affair with the City of Light, not least because of her astonishingly successful friendship with Hubert de Givenchy for whom she became a glamorous ambassador championing his clothes both on and off set. Compiled by longtime fan Meghan Friedlander with an introduction by Audrey’s son Luca Dotti, this book provides a comprehensive text documenting Hepburn’s first trip to the French capital in 1951 for couture fittings for Monte Carlo Baby, to her final au revoir in 1992. With hundreds of color and black and white photos including many candid family snapshots that have never been seen before (visiting Monet’s gardens in Giverny) as well as many stunning fashion images (modelling Courrèges white felt space helmet) this book captures both sides of the much loved movie star. harpercollins.com £30/$40The Empress of Fashion, Diana VreelandCover illustration ©Luke Edward Hall
Diana Vreeland Bon Mots
The groundbreaking American fashion editor Diana Vreeland was renowned for her sharp wit and perceptive observations on life, ‘Pink is the navy blue of India’ was just one of her famous musings. Her bon mots (French for well-chosen words) have been compiled by her son Alexander Vreeland, from many disparate sources, including notes and journals she created during her long career, letters to friends and content found in the archive files of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and New York Public Library. Vreeland was a visionary who was revered within the industry, and her personality shines through in all these funny, insightful aphorisms. “I mean a new dress doesn’t get you anywhere; it’s the life you’re living in the dress” With charming illustrations by Luke Edward Hall, this book is guaranteed to lift the spirits. rizzoliusa.com £14.90/$14.98

Penn Engineering launches Responsible Innovation Initiative at intersection of tech and ethics

Technology

Amy Gutmann Hall will expand Penn Engineering’s research infrastructure, helping facilitate the Responsible Innovation Initiative.
Credit: Kenny Chen

Penn Engineering launched the Responsible Innovation Initiative to operate at the intersection of tech and ethics and manage how future engineers approach technological innovations.

The Penn Engineering announcement of the initiative said that, by placing ethical considerations at the center of engineering education and research, it aims to ensure that technological advancement serves humanity’s best interests. The initiative also coincides with a significant expansion of Penn’s research infrastructure.

STAT+: Bluesky is the new destination for X/Twitter’s health and science community. Here’s why

Science and Health

Ten years ago, science was entering its extremely online era. On Twitter, some academics, traditionally siloed in their niche fields, were growing unprecedented public profiles. Neil Hall, a genome scientist in the United Kingdom, responded by creating what he called the “Kardashian index,” a satirical measure comparing a scientist’s publishing record with their following on Twitter. The K-index — and countless lists of scientists to follow — sparked intense debate over scientists’ role in communicating their work (and more) to the public.  Last week Hall, now director of the Earlham Institute, joined many of his scientific colleagues in decamping from Twitter, more recently known as X, for the new social media platform Bluesky. Some have left permanently, deleting all their old tweets, while some are simply setting up an outpost as millions of new users join Bluesky in the wake of the U.S. election. While a decade ago, science and health researchers were preoccupied with new, public-facing roles online, now they’re confronted with a new challenge: How to support scientific conversations and public health messaging when expert voices and institutions are scattered across internet platforms. advertisement

It’s difficult to quantify the scale of the scientific exodus to Bluesky, which was conceived by former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey and launched in February 2023. This week, overall accounts on Bluesky surpassed 20 million, including the owners of many of X’s top-followed accounts posting on science, medicine, and health policy. Members of those communities describe a slow collapse of engagement on X after billionaire Elon Musk purchased and renamed the company in 2022, mirrored by growing frustration with the platform that surged after Donald Trump won a second presidential term. Since then, Bluesky has emerged as a possible successor to X as a meeting ground for science and health experts, finding a scale of commenting and engagement that has been missing on other alternatives like Mastodon and Threads.  

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STAT+: Bluesky is the new destination for X/Twitter’s health and science community. Here’s why

Science and Health

Ten years ago, science was entering its extremely online era. On Twitter, some academics, traditionally siloed in their niche fields, were growing unprecedented public profiles. Neil Hall, a genome scientist in the United Kingdom, responded by creating what he called the “Kardashian index,” a satirical measure comparing a scientist’s publishing record with their following on Twitter. The K-index — and countless lists of scientists to follow — sparked intense debate over scientists’ role in communicating their work (and more) to the public.  Last week Hall, now director of the Earlham Institute, joined many of his scientific colleagues in decamping from Twitter, more recently known as X, for the new social media platform Bluesky. Some have left permanently, deleting all their old tweets, while some are simply setting up an outpost as millions of new users join Bluesky in the wake of the U.S. election. While a decade ago, science and health researchers were preoccupied with new, public-facing roles online, now they’re confronted with a new challenge: How to support scientific conversations and public health messaging when expert voices and institutions are scattered across internet platforms. advertisement

It’s difficult to quantify the scale of the scientific exodus to Bluesky, which was conceived by former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey and launched in February 2023. This week, overall accounts on Bluesky surpassed 20 million, including the owners of many of X’s top-followed accounts posting on science, medicine, and health policy. Members of those communities describe a slow collapse of engagement on X after billionaire Elon Musk purchased and renamed the company in 2022, mirrored by growing frustration with the platform that surged after Donald Trump won a second presidential term. Since then, Bluesky has emerged as a possible successor to X as a meeting ground for science and health experts, finding a scale of commenting and engagement that has been missing on other alternatives like Mastodon and Threads.  

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Why has Earth been so hot the past 2 years? Scientists aren’t sure

Science and Health

Yes, we’re going to talk about another year of warming. You might be tired of the same old tale: another year, another position on the top 10 warmest years, a podium on which we definitely don’t want to stand.But the past two years have been different — and climate scientists don’t understand why.We know that fossil fuels are primarily responsible for Earth’s upward-trending temperature and our changing climate. But something else seems to be driving temperatures up, higher than scientists expected or would like.Last year was 1.48 C warmer globally than the pre-industrial average from 1850 to 1900, beating out 2020’s record of 1.25 C, according to the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service.The climate service said in its latest monthly bulletin that 2024 is “virtually certain” to be the warmest year on record. They also believe that this year will be more than 1.55 C warmer.Almost 200 jurisdictions through the Paris Agreement are aiming to limit their warming to well below 2 C above pre-industrial levels, with a target of 1.5 C, to significantly reduce the impact of climate change.While that limit seems to have breached, it will only be one year, and the threshold looks at long-term warming, not just annual. And there’s a chance we could go back down in the following years, though the global warming trend will continue upwards.B.C. experienced its worst fire season on record in 2023, which also happened to be the hottest year on record. Climate scientists say with Earth’s temperature continuing to rise, we could see more fires.