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Creative Commons

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Research output, citation impact, and the most-cited recent papers from Creative Commons (United States). Aggregated across the NobleBlocks index of 300M+ scholarly works.

Total works
27.0K
Citations
711.2K
h-index
192
i10-index
17.7K
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Creative Commons

Top-cited papers from Creative Commons

Estimated Projection of US Cancer Incidence and Death to 2040
Lola Rahib, Mackenzie R. Wehner, Lynn M. Matrisian, Kevin T. Nead
2021· JAMA Network Open1.4Kdoi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.4708

Importance: Coping with the current and future burden of cancer requires an in-depth understanding of trends in cancer incidences and deaths. Estimated projections of cancer incidences and deaths will be important to guide future research funding allocations, health care planning, and health policy efforts. Objective: To estimate cancer incidences and deaths in the United States to the year 2040. Design and Setting: This cross-sectional study's estimated projection analysis used population growth projections and current population-based cancer incidence and death rates to calculate the changes in incidences and deaths to the year 2040. Cancer-specific incidences and deaths in the US were estimated for the most common cancer types. Demographic cancer-specific delay-adjusted incidence rates from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program were combined with US Census Bureau population growth projections (2016) and average annual percentage changes in incidence and death rates. Statistical analyses were performed from July 2020 to February 2021. Main Outcomes and Measures: Total cancer incidences and deaths to the year 2040. Results: This study estimated that the most common cancers in 2040 will be breast (364 000 cases) with melanoma (219 000 cases) becoming the second most common cancer; lung, third (208 000 cases); colorectal remaining fourth (147 000 cases); and prostate cancer dropping to the fourteenth most common cancer (66 000 cases). Lung cancer (63 000 deaths) was estimated to continue as the leading cause of cancer-related death in 2040, with pancreatic cancer (46 000 deaths) and liver and intrahepatic bile duct cancer (41 000 deaths) surpassing colorectal cancer (34 000 deaths) to become the second and third most common causes of cancer-related death, respectively. Breast cancer (30 000 deaths) was estimated to decrease to the fifth most common cause of cancer death. Conclusions and Relevance: These findings suggest that there will be marked changes in the landscape of cancer incidence and deaths by 2040.

Revised National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel Pressure Injury Staging System
Laura E. Edsberg, Joyce Black, Margaret Goldberg, Laurie McNichol +2 more
2016· Journal of Wound Ostomy and Continence Nursing1.1Kdoi:10.1097/won.0000000000000281

Our understanding of pressure injury etiology and development has grown in recent years through research, clinical expertise, and global interdisciplinary expert collaboration. Therefore, the National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel (NPUAP) has revised the definition and stages of pressure injury. The revision was undertaken to incorporate the current understanding of the etiology of pressure injuries, as well as to clarify the anatomical features present or absent in each stage of injury. An NPUAP-appointed Task Force reviewed the literature and created drafts of definitions, which were then reviewed by stakeholders and the public, including clinicians, educators, and researchers around the world. Using a consensus-building methodology, these revised definitions were the focus of a multidisciplinary consensus conference held in April 2016. As a result of stakeholder and public input, along with the consensus conference, important changes were made and incorporated into the new staging definitions. The revised staging system uses the term injury instead of ulcer and denotes stages using Arabic numerals rather than Roman numerals. The revised definition of a pressure injury now describes the injuries as usually occurring over a bony prominence or under a medical or other device. The revised definition of a Stage 2 pressure injury seeks to clarify the difference between moisture-associated skin damage and injury caused by pressure and/or shear. The term suspected has been removed from the Deep Tissue Pressure Injury diagnostic label. Each definition now describes the extent of tissue loss present and the anatomical features that may or may not be present in the stage of injury. These important revisions reflect the methodical and collaborative approach used to examine the available evidence and incorporate current interdisciplinary clinical expertise into better defining the important phenomenon of pressure injury etiology and development.

Carbon Nanofibers Prepared via Electrospinning
Michio Inagaki, Ying Yang, Feiyu Kang
2012· Advanced Materials796doi:10.1002/adma.201104940

Carbon nanofibers prepared via electrospinning and following carbonization are summarized by focusing on the structure and properties in relation to their applications, after a brief review of electrospinning of some polymers. Carbon precursors, pore structure control, improvement in electrical conductivity,and metal loading into carbon nanofibers via electrospinning are discussed from the viewpoint of structure and texture control of carbon.

Perceptions by Family Members of the Dying Experience of Older and Seriously Ill Patients
Joanne Lynn, Joan M. Teno, Russell S. Phillips, Albert W. Wu +4 more
1997· Annals of Internal Medicine770doi:10.7326/0003-4819-126-2-199701150-00001

BACKGROUND: Alleviating the problems faced by dying persons and their families has drawn substantial public attention, but little is known about the experience of dying. OBJECTIVE: To characterize the experience of dying from the perspective of surrogate decision makers, usually close family members (89%). DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. SETTING: Five teaching hospitals. PATIENTS: Persons who had one of nine serious medical conditions or were 80 years of age or older who died and for whom a surrogate decision maker completed an interview about the death. MEASUREMENTS: Medical records were reviewed and surrogate decision makers were interviewed. RESULTS: 4124 of 9105 seriously ill patients died (46%); 408 of 1176 elderly patients died (35%). The patients' family members were interviewed after 3357 persons (73%) had died. Of 1541 patients who survived the enrollment hospitalization, 46% died during a later hospitalization. In the last 3 days of life, 55% of patients were conscious. Among these patients, pain, dyspnea, and fatigue were prevalent. Four in 10 patients had severe pain most of the time. Severe fatigue affected almost 8 in 10 patients. More than 1 in 4 patients had moderate dysphoria. Sixty-three percent of patients had difficulty tolerating physical or emotional symptoms. Overall, 11% of patients had a final resuscitation attempt. A ventilator was used in one fourth of patients, and a feeding tube was used in four tenths of patients. Most patients (59%) were reported to prefer a treatment plan that focused on comfort, but care was reported to be contrary to the preferred approach in 10% of cases. CONCLUSIONS: Most elderly and seriously ill patients died in acute care hospitals. Pain and other symptoms were commonplace and troubling to patients. Family members believed that patients preferred comfort, but life-sustaining treatments were often used. These findings indicate important opportunities to improve the care of dying patients.

The global burden of hepatitis E virus genotypes 1 and 2 in 2005
David B. Rein, Gretchen A Stevens, Jordan Theaker, John S. Wittenborn +1 more
2011· Hepatology747doi:10.1002/hep.25505

UNLABELLED: We estimated the global burden of hepatitis E virus (HEV) genotypes 1 and 2 in 2005. HEV is an emergent waterborne infection that causes source-originated epidemics of acute disease with a case fatality rate thought to vary by age and pregnancy status. To create our estimates, we modeled the annual disease burden of HEV genotypes 1 and 2 for 9 of 21 regions defined for the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (the GBD 2010 Study), which represent 71% of the world's population. We estimated the seroprevalence of anti-HEV antibody and annual incidence of infection for each region using data from 37 published national studies and the DISMOD 3, a generic disease model designed for the GBD Study. We converted incident infections into three mutually exclusive results of infection: (1) asymptomatic episodes, (2) symptomatic disease, and (3) death from HEV. We also estimated incremental cases of stillbirths among infected pregnant women. For 2005, we estimated 20.1 (95% credible interval [Cr.I.]: 2.8-37.0) million incident HEV infections across the nine GBD Regions, resulting in 3.4 (95% Cr.I.: 0.5-6.5) million symptomatic cases, 70,000 (95% Cr.I.: 12,400-132,732) deaths, and 3,000 (95% Cr.I.: 1,892-4,424) stillbirths. We estimated a probability of symptomatic illness given infection of 0.198 (95% Cr.I.: 0.167-0.229) and a probability of death given symptomatic illness of 0.019 (95% Cr.I.: 0.017-0.021) for nonpregnant cases and 0.198 (95% Cr.I.: 0.169-0.227) for pregnant cases. CONCLUSION: The model was most sensitive to estimates of age-specific incidence of HEV disease.

The Role of Amenities and Quality of Life In Rural Economic Growth
Steven C. Deller, Tsung‐Hsiu Tsai, David W. Marcouiller, Donald B.K. English
2001· American Journal of Agricultural Economics711doi:10.1111/0002-9092.00161

Abstract A structural model of regional economic growth is estimated using data for 2243 rural U.S. counties. Five indices designed to capture specific amenity and quality of life characteristics are constructed using fifty‐four separate indicators. Results suggest that amenity characteristics can be organized into consistent and meaningful empirical measures that move beyond ad hoc descriptions of amenities. In addition to insights into the influence of local characteristics ranging from tax burdens to income distribution on regional economic growth, results suggest that predictable relationships between amenities, quality of life, and local economic performance exist.

The Diffusion of Wal-Mart and Economies of Density
Thomas J. Holmes
2011· Econometrica466doi:10.3982/ecta7699

The rollout of Wal-Mart store openings followed a pattern that radiated from the center outward, with Wal-Mart maintaining high store density and a contiguous store network all along the way. This paper estimates the benefits of such a strategy to Wal-Mart, focusing on the savings in distribution costs afforded by a dense network of stores. The paper takes a revealed preference approach, inferring the magnitude of density economies from how much sales cannibalization of closely packed stores Wal-Mart is willing to suffer to achieve density economies. The model is dynamic with rich geographic detail on the locations of stores and distribution centers. Given the enormous number of possible combinations of store-opening sequences, it is difficult to directly solve Wal-Mart's problem, making conventional approaches infeasible. The moment inequality approach is used instead and works well. The estimates show the benefits to Wal-Mart of high store density are substantial and likely extend significantly beyond savings in trucking costs.

Comparison of 10-kHz High-Frequency and Traditional Low-Frequency Spinal Cord Stimulation for the Treatment of Chronic Back and Leg Pain
Leonardo Kapural, Cong Yu, Matthew W. Doust, Bradford E. Gliner +4 more
2016· Neurosurgery461doi:10.1227/neu.0000000000001418

BACKGROUND: Pain relief with spinal cord stimulation (SCS) has focused historically on paresthesias overlapping chronically painful areas. A higher level evidence supports the use of SCS in treating leg pain than supports back pain, as it is difficult to achieve adequate paresthesia coverage, and then pain relief, in the low back region. In comparison, 10-kHz high-frequency (HF10 therapy) SCS therapy does not rely on intraoperative paresthesia mapping and remains paresthesia-free during therapy. OBJECTIVE: To compare long-term results of HF10 therapy and traditional low-frequency SCS. METHODS: A pragmatic randomized, controlled, pivotal trial with 24-month follow-up was conducted across 11 comprehensive pain treatment centers. Subjects had Visual Analog Scale scores of ≥5.0/10.0 cm for both back and leg pain, and were assigned randomly (1:1) to receive HF10 therapy or low-frequency SCS. The primary end point was a responder rate, defined as ≥50% back pain reduction from baseline at 3 months with a secondary end point at 12 months (previously reported). In this article, 24-month secondary results are presented. Non-inferiority was first assessed, and if demonstrated the results were tested for superiority. RESULTS: In the study, 198 subjects were randomized (101 HF10 therapy, 97 traditional SCS). One hundred seventy-one subjects (90 HF10 therapy, 81 traditional SCS) successfully completed a short-term trial and were implanted. Subjects averaged 54.9 ± 12.9 years old, 13.6 ± 11.3 years since diagnosis, 86.6% had back surgery, 88.3% were taking opioid analgesics. At 3 months, 84.5% of implanted HF10 therapy subjects were responders for back pain and 83.1% for leg pain, and 43.8% of traditional SCS subjects were responders for back pain and 55.5% for leg pain (P < .001 for both back and leg pain comparisons, non-inferiority and superiority). At 24 months, more subjects were responders to HF10 therapy than traditional SCS (back pain: 76.5% vs 49.3%; 27.2% difference, 95% CI, 10.1%-41.8%; P < .001 for non-inferiority and superiority; leg pain: 72.9% vs 49.3%; 23.6% difference, 95% CI, 5.9%-38.6%; P < .001 for non-inferiority and P = .003 for superiority). Also at 24 months, back pain decreased to a greater degree with HF10 therapy (66.9% ± 31.8%) than traditional SCS (41.1% ± 36.8%, P < .001 for non-inferiority and superiority). Leg pain also decreased to a greater degree with HF10 therapy (65.1% ± 36.0%) than traditional SCS (46.0% ± 40.4%, P < .001 for non-inferiority and P = .002 for superiority). CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates long-term superiority of HF10 therapy compared with traditional SCS in treating both back and leg pain. The advantages of HF10 therapy are anticipated to impact the management of chronic pain patients substantially. ABBREVIATIONS: IPG, implantable pulse generatorMCID, minimal clinically important differencePI, permanent implantODI, Oswestry Disability IndexSCS, spinal cord stimulationVAS, Visual Analog Scale.

Mindfulness and Behavior Change
Zev Schuman‐Olivier, Marcelo Trombka, David Lovas, Judson A. Brewer +4 more
2020· Harvard Review of Psychiatry419doi:10.1097/hrp.0000000000000277

Initiating and maintaining behavior change is key to the prevention and treatment of most preventable chronic medical and psychiatric illnesses. The cultivation of mindfulness, involving acceptance and nonjudgment of present-moment experience, often results in transformative health behavior change. Neural systems involved in motivation and learning have an important role to play. A theoretical model of mindfulness that integrates these mechanisms with the cognitive, emotional, and self-related processes commonly described, while applying an integrated model to health behavior change, is needed. This integrative review (1) defines mindfulness and describes the mindfulness-based intervention movement, (2) synthesizes the neuroscience of mindfulness and integrates motivation and learning mechanisms within a mindful self-regulation model for understanding the complex effects of mindfulness on behavior change, and (3) synthesizes current clinical research evaluating the effects of mindfulness-based interventions targeting health behaviors relevant to psychiatric care. The review provides insight into the limitations of current research and proposes potential mechanisms to be tested in future research and targeted in clinical practice to enhance the impact of mindfulness on behavior change.

RULES AND DISCRETION WITH NONCOORDINATED MONETARY AND FISCAL POLICIES
Alberto Alesina, Guido Tabellini
1987· Economic Inquiry390doi:10.1111/j.1465-7295.1987.tb00764.x

The time inconsistency of optimal monetary policy is due to the effects of tax distortions. Thus the issue of how to improve upon the time‐consistent suboptimal monetary policy is related to that of the coordination of monetary and fiscal policy. We present a model with three players (the central bark, the fiscal authority, and wage setters) in which distortionary taxes are explicitly modelled. We show that binding commitments to monetary rules are not necessarily welfare improving if monetary and fiscal policy are not coordinated. We also examine the effects of different degrees of independence of the central bank.

Global potential for harvesting drinking water from air using solar energy
Jackson Lord, Ashley Thomas, Neil D. Treat, Matthew Forkin +4 more
2021· Nature377doi:10.1038/s41586-021-03900-w

Abstract Access to safely managed drinking water (SMDW) remains a global challenge, and affects 2.2 billion people 1,2 . Solar-driven atmospheric water harvesting (AWH) devices with continuous cycling may accelerate progress by enabling decentralized extraction of water from air 3–6 , but low specific yields (SY) and low daytime relative humidity (RH) have raised questions about their performance (in litres of water output per day) 7–11 . However, to our knowledge, no analysis has mapped the global potential of AWH 12 despite favourable conditions in tropical regions, where two-thirds of people without SMDW live 2 . Here we show that AWH could provide SMDW for a billion people. Our assessment—using Google Earth Engine 13 —introduces a hypothetical 1-metre-square device with a SY profile of 0.2 to 2.5 litres per kilowatt-hour (0.1 to 1.25 litres per kilowatt-hour for a 2-metre-square device) at 30% to 90% RH, respectively. Such a device could meet a target average daily drinking water requirement of 5 litres per day per person 14 . We plot the impact potential of existing devices and new sorbent classes, which suggests that these targets could be met with continued technological development, and well within thermodynamic limits. Indeed, these performance targets have been achieved experimentally in demonstrations of sorbent materials 15–17 . Our tools can inform design trade-offs for atmospheric water harvesting devices that maximize global impact, alongside ongoing efforts to meet Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with existing technologies.

The Governance of a Fragile Eurozone
Paul De Grauwe
2012· Australian Economic Review374doi:10.1111/j.1467-8462.2012.00691.x

Abstract When entering a monetary union, member countries change the nature of their sovereign debt in a fundamental way; that is, they cease to have control over the currency in which their debt is issued. As a result, financial markets can force these countries’ sovereigns into defaulting. This makes the monetary union fragile and vulnerable to changing market sentiments. It also makes it possible that self‐fulfilling multiple equilibria arise. I analyse the implications of this fragility for the governance of the Eurozone. I argue that the role of the European Central Bank as a lender of last resort is crucial in reducing the fragility of the Eurozone. In addition, steps towards a budgetary union are key in structurally strengthening the union.

Kurt Semm: A laparoscopic crusader
Om P. Sudrania
2007· Journal of Minimal Access Surgery372doi:10.4103/0972-9941.37197

Sir, It is indeed heartening to read an account on the biography of Kurt Semm - the oceanic personality who is rightfully acclaimed worldwide as the “Father of Gynecological Laparoscopy”. However, Bhattacharya mentions that he preferred the term ‘pelviscopy’ for operative laparoscopy. He used it to differentiate between gynecological laparoscopy and procedures that other specialties performed for upper abdominal screening and liver biopsies.” Though true verbatim, but it was only a sequel to the prevailing bad reputation against the word ‘laparoscopy’ which had profound legal and insurance implication beyond its diagnostic purposes during those days. The period between 1940s to early 1960s was regarded as the period of accidents. I quote Kurt Semm himself, “At the beginning of laparoscopy in Gynecology there were serious accidents (period of serious accidents). The result of this was that at the beginning of the 1960s laparoscopy in Gynecology was absolutely forbidden.”[1] Please mark his words - ‘absolutely forbidden.’ Therefore changing name from laparoscopy to pelviscopy helped him to overcome the legal and social stigmata so deeply enrooted those days. This in turn helped him to convince the insurance companies to pay more fees for a more prolonged procedure.[2] Bhattacharya further mentions - Raoul Palmer, was an American Surgeon. This is a repetition of the same mistake which Annette Tuffs had committed in her obituary on Kurt Semm. However, this was corrected by Herbert E Reiss in his rapid response.[3] I quote him, “Kurt Semm's obituarist names Palmer as an American Surgeon.[4] Raoul Palmer in fact was a great French Gynecologist who taught most of the world's tubal surgeons before the advent of IVF. His work place, life and love were Paris.” A further correction to the same effect was published by the Editorial Team[4] as: ‘Correction for Tuffs: Obituary of Kurt Semm’. It reads, ‘In this obituary of Kurt Semm supplied by Annette Tuffs (16 August, p 397),[5] Raoul Palmer was wrongly referred to as an American Surgeon, he was in fact French’. Again Bhattacharya's observation, “and finally laparoscopic-assisted vaginal hysterectomy (nowadays termed as Cervical intrafascial Semm hysterectomy)” deserves further comment for which I shall like to reproduce Kurt Semm himself once again, “All these technical developments combined with a change of heart among the general surgeons allowed me to realize my dream in pelviscopic surgery: the complete pelviscopic hysterectomy. On September 7, 1991, I performed the first C. I. S. H. (Classic Intrafascial S. E. M. M. (Serrated Edged Macro Morcelator) Hysterectomy).”[6] In this technique, what he called C. I. S. H, ‘C’ stand for Classic instead of Cervical and Semm is S. E. M. M. - which should not be erroneously construed for Kurt Semm's surname by the unwary.

Defining the HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis care continuum
Amy Nunn, Lauren Brinkley‐Rubinstein, Catherine E. Oldenburg, Kenneth H. Mayer +3 more
2017· AIDS365doi:10.1097/qad.0000000000001385

Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is an effective HIV prevention strategy. There is little scientific consensus about how to measure PrEP program implementation progress. We draw on several years of experience in implementing PrEP programs and propose a PrEP continuum of care that includes: (1) identifying individuals at highest risk for contracting HIV, (2) increasing HIV risk awareness among those individuals, (3) enhancing PrEP awareness, (4) facilitating PrEP access, (5) linking to PrEP care, (6) prescribing PrEP, (7) initiating PrEP, (8) adhering to PrEP, and (9) retaining individuals in PrEP care. We also propose four distinct categories of PrEP retention in care that include being: (1) indicated for PrEP and retained in PrEP care, (2) indicated for PrEP and not retained in PrEP care, (3) no longer indicated for PrEP, and (4) lost to follow-up for PrEP care. This continuum of PrEP care creates a framework that researchers and practitioners can use to measure PrEP awareness, uptake, adherence, and retention. Understanding each point along the proposed continuum of PrEP care is critical for developing effective PrEP interventions and for measuring public health progress in PrEP program implementation.

Insider Trading around Dividend Announcements: Theory and Evidence
Kose John, Larry H.P. Lang
1991· The Journal of Finance355doi:10.1111/j.1540-6261.1991.tb04621.x

ABSTRACT The informational role of strategic insider trading around corporate dividend announcements is studied based on the efficient equilibrium in a signalling model with endogenous insider trading. Insider trading immediately prior to the announcement of dividend initiations has significant explanatory power. For firms with insider selling prior to the dividend initiation announcement, the excess returns are negative and significantly lower than for the remaining firms (with no insider trading or just insider buying) as implied by our model. Another implication is that dividend increases may elicit a positive or negative stock price response depending on the firm's investment opportunities.

Psychological Stress and Mitochondria: A Systematic Review
Martin Picard, Bruce S. McEwen
2018· Psychosomatic Medicine341doi:10.1097/psy.0000000000000545

OBJECTIVE: Mitochondria are multifunctional life-sustaining organelles that represent a potential intersection point between psychosocial experiences and biological stress responses. This article provides a systematic review of the effects of psychological stress on mitochondrial structure and function. METHODS: A systematic review of the literature investigating the effects of psychological stress on mitochondrial function was conducted. The review focused on experimentally controlled studies allowing us to draw causal inference about the effect of induced psychological stress on mitochondria. RESULTS: A total of 23 studies met the inclusion criteria. All studies involved male laboratory animals, and most demonstrated that acute and chronic stressors influenced specific facets of mitochondrial function, particularly within the brain. Nineteen studies showed significant adverse effects of psychological stress on mitochondria and four found increases in function or size after stress. In humans, only six observational studies were available, none with experimental designs, and most only measured biological markers that do not directly reflect mitochondrial function, such as mitochondrial DNA copy number. CONCLUSONS: Overall, evidence supports the notion that acute and chronic stressors influence various aspects of mitochondrial biology, and that chronic stress exposure can lead to molecular and functional recalibrations among mitochondria. Limitations of current animal and human studies are discussed. Maladaptive mitochondrial changes that characterize this subcellular state of stress are termed mitochondrial allostatic load. Prospective studies with sensitive measures of specific mitochondrial outcomes will be needed to establish the link between psychosocial stressors, emotional states, the resulting neuroendocrine and immune processes, and mitochondrial energetics relevant to mind-body research in humans.

Advancing translational research with the Semantic Web
Alan Ruttenberg, Tim W. Clark, William Bug, Matthias Samwald +4 more
2007· BMC Bioinformatics334doi:10.1186/1471-2105-8-s3-s2

BACKGROUND: A fundamental goal of the U.S. National Institute of Health (NIH) "Roadmap" is to strengthen Translational Research, defined as the movement of discoveries in basic research to application at the clinical level. A significant barrier to translational research is the lack of uniformly structured data across related biomedical domains. The Semantic Web is an extension of the current Web that enables navigation and meaningful use of digital resources by automatic processes. It is based on common formats that support aggregation and integration of data drawn from diverse sources. A variety of technologies have been built on this foundation that, together, support identifying, representing, and reasoning across a wide range of biomedical data. The Semantic Web Health Care and Life Sciences Interest Group (HCLSIG), set up within the framework of the World Wide Web Consortium, was launched to explore the application of these technologies in a variety of areas. Subgroups focus on making biomedical data available in RDF, working with biomedical ontologies, prototyping clinical decision support systems, working on drug safety and efficacy communication, and supporting disease researchers navigating and annotating the large amount of potentially relevant literature. RESULTS: We present a scenario that shows the value of the information environment the Semantic Web can support for aiding neuroscience researchers. We then report on several projects by members of the HCLSIG, in the process illustrating the range of Semantic Web technologies that have applications in areas of biomedicine. CONCLUSION: Semantic Web technologies present both promise and challenges. Current tools and standards are already adequate to implement components of the bench-to-bedside vision. On the other hand, these technologies are young. Gaps in standards and implementations still exist and adoption is limited by typical problems with early technology, such as the need for a critical mass of practitioners and installed base, and growing pains as the technology is scaled up. Still, the potential of interoperable knowledge sources for biomedicine, at the scale of the World Wide Web, merits continued work.

Estimating ambiguity aversion in a portfolio choice experiment
David S. Ahn, Syngjoo Choi, Douglas Gale, Shachar Kariv
2014· Quantitative Economics316doi:10.3982/qe243

We report a portfolio-choice experiment that enables us to estimate parametric models of ambiguity aversion at the level of the individual subject. The assets are Arrow securities that correspond to three states of nature, where one state is risky with known probability and two states are ambiguous with unknown probabilities. We estimate two specifications of ambiguity aversion, one kinked and one smooth, that encompass many of the theoretical models in the literature. Each specification includes two parameters: one for ambiguity attitudes and another for risk attitudes. We also estimate a three-parameter specification that includes an additional parameter for pessimism/optimism (underweighting/overweighting the probabilities of different payoffs). The parameter estimates for individual subjects exhibit considerable heterogeneity. We cannot reject the null hypothesis of subjective expected utility for a majority of subjects. Most of the remaining subjects exhibit statistically significant ambiguity aversion or seeking and/or pessimism or optimism.

Rates and Predictors of Seizure Freedom With Vagus Nerve Stimulation for Intractable Epilepsy
Dario J. Englot, John D. Rolston, Clinton W. Wright, Kevin H. Hassnain +1 more
2015· Neurosurgery307doi:10.1227/neu.0000000000001165

BACKGROUND: Neuromodulation-based treatments have become increasingly important in epilepsy treatment. Most patients with epilepsy treated with neuromodulation do not achieve complete seizure freedom, and, therefore, previous studies of vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) therapy have focused instead on reduction of seizure frequency as a measure of treatment response. OBJECTIVE: To elucidate rates and predictors of seizure freedom with VNS. METHODS: We examined 5554 patients from the VNS therapy Patient Outcome Registry, and also performed a systematic review of the literature including 2869 patients across 78 studies. RESULTS: Registry data revealed a progressive increase over time in seizure freedom after VNS therapy. Overall, 49% of patients responded to VNS therapy 0 to 4 months after implantation (≥50% reduction seizure frequency), with 5.1% of patients becoming seizure-free, while 63% of patients were responders at 24 to 48 months, with 8.2% achieving seizure freedom. On multivariate analysis, seizure freedom was predicted by age of epilepsy onset >12 years (odds ratio [OR], 1.89; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.38-2.58), and predominantly generalized seizure type (OR, 1.36; 95% CI, 1.01-1.82), while overall response to VNS was predicted by nonlesional epilepsy (OR, 1.38; 95% CI, 1.06-1.81). Systematic literature review results were consistent with the registry analysis: At 0 to 4 months, 40.0% of patients had responded to VNS, with 2.6% becoming seizure-free, while at last follow-up, 60.1% of individuals were responders, with 8.0% achieving seizure freedom. CONCLUSION: Response and seizure freedom rates increase over time with VNS therapy, although complete seizure freedom is achieved in a small percentage of patients. ABBREVIATIONS: AED, antiepileptic drugVNS, vagus nerve stimulation.

How artificial intelligence is changing nursing
Nancy J Robert
2019· Nursing Management302doi:10.1097/01.numa.0000578988.56622.21

In Brief This article provides an overview of artificial intelligence (AI), including how AI algorithms and robots are altering the nurse's role and the challenges facing the nursing profession as AI is integrated into healthcare delivery.