Akshay Swaminathan

All Publications

• Critically reading machine learning literature in neurosurgery: a reader's guide and checklist for appraising prediction models. Neurosurgical focus Emani, S., Swaminathan, A., Grobman, B., Duvall, J. B., Lopez, I., Arnaout, O., Huang, K. T. 2023; 54 (6): E3

  Abstract

  OBJECTIVE: Machine learning (ML) has become an increasingly popular tool for use in neurosurgical research. The number of publications and interest in the field have recently seen significant expansion in both quantity and complexity. However, this also places a commensurate burden on the general neurosurgical readership to appraise this literature and decide if these algorithms can be effectively translated into practice. To this end, the authors sought to review the burgeoning neurosurgical ML literature and to develop a checklist to help readers critically review and digest this work.METHODS: The authors performed a literature search of recent ML papers in the PubMed database with the terms "neurosurgery" AND "machine learning," with additional modifiers "trauma," "cancer," "pediatric," and "spine" also used to ensure a diverse selection of relevant papers within the field. Papers were reviewed for their ML methodology, including the formulation of the clinical problem, data acquisition, data preprocessing, model development, model validation, model performance, and model deployment.RESULTS: The resulting checklist consists of 14 key questions for critically appraising ML models and development techniques; these are organized according to their timing along the standard ML workflow. In addition, the authors provide an overview of the ML development process, as well as a review of key terms, models, and concepts referenced in the literature.CONCLUSIONS: ML is poised to become an increasingly important part of neurosurgical research and clinical care. The authors hope that dissemination of education on ML techniques will help neurosurgeons to critically review new research better and more effectively integrate this technology into their practices.

  View details for DOI 10.3171/2023.3.FOCUS2352

  View details for PubMedID 37283326

• Post-traumatic growth in PhD students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Psychiatry research communications Tu, A., Restivo, J., O'Neill, K., Swaminathan, A., Choi, K., Lee, H., Smoller, J., Patel, V., Barreira, P., Liu, C., Naslund, J. 2023; 3 (1): 100104

  Abstract

  Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, graduate students have faced increased risk of mental health challenges. Research suggests that experiencing adversity may induce positive psychological changes, called post-traumatic growth (PTG). These changes can include improved relationships with others, perceptions of oneself, and enjoyment of life. Few existing studies have explored this phenomenon among graduate students. This secondary data analysis of a survey conducted in November 2020 among graduate students at a private R1 University in the northeast United States examined graduate students' levels and correlates of PTG during the COVID-19 pandemic. Students had a low level of PTG, with a mean score of 10.31 out of 50. Linear regression models showed significant positive relationships between anxiety and PTG and between a measure of self-reported impact of the pandemic and PTG. Non-White minorities also had significantly greater PTG than White participants. Experiencing more negative impact due to the pandemic and ruminating about the pandemic were correlated with greater PTG. These findings advance research on the patterns of PTG during the COVID-19 pandemic and can inform future studies of graduate students' coping mechanisms and support efforts to promote pandemic recovery and resilience.

  View details for DOI 10.1016/j.psycom.2023.100104

  View details for PubMedID 36743383

  View details for PubMedCentralID PMC9886426