About the Authors

Aria Fallah

aria.fallah@mail.utoronto.ca

Affiliations Division of Neurosurgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada, Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada

Elie A. Akl

Affiliations Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada, Department of Medicine, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, United States of America

Shanil Ebrahim

Affiliation Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada

George M. Ibrahim

Affiliations Division of Neurosurgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada, Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada

Alireza Mansouri

Affiliation Division of Neurosurgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada

Clary J. Foote

Affiliations Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada, Division of Orthopedic Surgery, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada

Yuqing Zhang

Affiliations Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada, Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Science, Beijing, China

Michael G. Fehlings

Affiliations Division of Neurosurgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada, Toronto Western Research Institute, Toronto Western Hospital, Toronto, Canada, Krembil Neuroscience Center, University Health Network, Toronto, Canada

Competing Interests

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Author Contributions

Conceived and designed the experiments: AF EAA SE CJF MGF. Performed the experiments: AF SE GMI AM YZ. Analyzed the data: AF EAA SE CJF MGF. Wrote the paper: AF EAA SE GMI AM YZ MGF.