Coplanar Wave Guide Fed Dual Band Notched MIMO Antenna

A coplanar wave guide fed of semicircle monopole antenna is designed in this work to overcome polarization diversity mimo technique is implemented in this paper. The proposed antenna is designed to notch a particular band of frequencies in UWB range. The designed model is notching the first band from 2 to 5 GHz & the second band from 7 to 11 GHz. The proposed antenna has been fabricated on FR4 substrate with di electric constant 4.4 & tested for its reliability on ZNB20 vector network analyzer. The operating bands will come under WLAN, KU band, satellite communication applications. A peak realized gain of 4.3 dB with radiation efficiency 90% is attained at the operating bands of the designed antenna. At notch band significant gain reduction is observed from the current design. The antenna is showing omnidirectional radiation pattern in the pass band & disturbed radiation pattern in the notch band. Antenna is fabricated with dimensions of 40x68x1.6 mm & simulation works are carried with finite element method based HFSS tool

A survey of practices for the use of electronic health records to support research recruitment

Electronic health records (EHRs) provide great promise for identifying cohorts and enhancing research recruitment. Such approaches are sorely needed, but there are few descriptions in the literature of prevailing practices to guide their use. A multidisciplinary workgroup was formed to examine current practices in the use of EHRs in recruitment and to propose future directions. The group surveyed consortium members regarding current practices. Over 98% of the Clinical and Translational Science Award Consortium responded to the survey. Brokered and self-service data warehouse access are in early or full operation at 94% and 92% of institutions, respectively, whereas, EHR alerts to providers and to research teams are at 45% and 48%, respectively, and use of patient portals for research is at 20%. However, these percentages increase significantly to 88% and above if planning and exploratory work were considered cumulatively. For most approaches, implementation reflected perceived demand. Regulatory and workflow processes were similarly varied, and many respondents described substantive restrictions arising from logistical constraints and limitations on collaboration and data sharing. Survey results reflect wide variation in implementation and approach, and point to strong need for comparative research and development of best practices to protect patients and facilitate interinstitutional collaboration and multisite research

Enhancing neuroimaging genetics through meta-analysis for Tourette syndrome (ENIGMA-TS): A worldwide platform for collaboration

Tourette syndrome (TS) is characterized by multiple motor and vocal tics, and high-comorbidity rates with other neuropsychiatric disorders. Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), major depressive disorder (MDD), and anxiety disorders (AXDs) are among the most prevalent TS comorbidities. To date, studies on TS brain structure and function have been limited in size with efforts mostly fragmented. This leads to low-statistical power, discordant results due to differences in approaches, and hinders the ability to stratify patients according to clinical parameters and investigate comorbidity patterns. Here, we present the scientific premise, perspectives, and key goals that have motivated the establishment of the Enhancing Neuroimaging Genetics through Meta-Analysis for TS (ENIGMA-TS) working group. The ENIGMA-TS working group is an international collaborative effort bringing together a large network of investigators who aim to understand brain structure and function in TS and dissect the underlying neurobiology that leads to observed comorbidity patterns and clinical heterogeneity. Previously collected TS neuroimaging data will be analyzed jointly and integrated with TS genomic data, as well as equivalently large and already existing studies of highly comorbid OCD, ADHD, ASD, MDD, and AXD. Our work highlights the power of collaborative efforts and transdiagnostic approaches, and points to the existence of different TS subtypes. ENIGMA-TS will offer large-scale, high-powered studies that will lead to important insights toward understanding brain structure and function and genetic effects in TS and related disorders, and the identification of biomarkers that could help inform improved clinical practice

State-of-the-art methods for exposure-health studies: Results from the exposome data challenge event

The exposome recognizes that individuals are exposed simultaneously to a multitude of different environmental factors and takes a holistic approach to the discovery of etiological factors for disease. However, challenges arise when trying to quantify the health effects of complex exposure mixtures. Analytical challenges include dealing with high dimensionality, studying the combined effects of these exposures and their interactions, integrating causal pathways, and integrating high-throughput omics layers. To tackle these challenges, the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal) held a data challenge event open to researchers from all over the world and from all expertises. Analysts had a chance to compete and apply state-of-the-art methods on a common partially simulated exposome dataset (based on real case data from the HELIX project) with multiple correlated exposure variables (P > 100 exposure variables) arising from general and personal environments at different time points, biological molecular data (multi-omics: DNA methylation, gene expression, proteins, metabolomics) and multiple clinical phenotypes in 1301 mother–child pairs. Most of the methods presented included feature selection or feature reduction to deal with the high dimensionality of the exposome dataset. Several approaches explicitly searched for combined effects of exposures and/or their interactions using linear index models or response surface methods, including Bayesian methods. Other methods dealt with the multi-omics dataset in mediation analyses using multiple-step approaches. Here we discuss features of the statistical models used and provide the data and codes used, so that analysts have examples of implementation and can learn how to use these methods. Overall, the exposome data challenge presented a unique opportunity for researchers from different disciplines to create and share state-of-the-art analytical methods, setting a new standard for open science in the exposome and environmental health field

A systematic review and quality analysis of cancer pain guidelines

Background and Aims: Cancer pain guidelines remain confined due to implementation barriers, preventing them from attaining a global perspective. The guidelines must be robust in development and inculcate high-quality content to achieve practical utility. Quality indicators related to safe opioid practice empower effective guideline implementation. Methods: The protocol was registered prospectively in PROSPERO (CRD42021244823). Guidelines published over the last decade providing insights into cancer pain management and incorporating safe opioid practice were evaluated. The review's primary outcome was to evaluate the quality of cancer pain guidelines. Appraisal of guidelines for research and evaluation II (AGREE II) instrument was used to assess a guideline's quality. The ADAPTE collaboration-guideline adaptation resource tool kit (ADAPTE) provided insights into its adaptation based on specific questions within the guideline. Results: Fourteen cancer pain guidelines met the eligibility criteria and were included for quality evaluation. Eight guidelines were evaluated with combined AGREE II and ADAPTE process, attaining >66.7% in the rigour of development domain score, summated scaled domain score, and specific ADAPTE tools to evaluate the quality of each guideline. The intra-class correlation coefficient was utilised for resolving inter-rater agreement. 'Safe opioid practice' within a guideline was assessed for quality content implementation. Conclusion: Combined AGREE II and ADAPTE identified four cancer pain guidelines, namely Ministry of Health Malaysia, National Comprehensive Cancer Network, NCEC-National Clinical Guideline, and World Health Organization, which were of the highest quality and incorporated safe opioid practice effectively

Effect of transesophageal echocardiography probe on tracheal perfusion pressure and ventilatory parameters in pediatric patients undergoing cardiac surgery using cardiopulmonary bypass: A prospective observational study

Background: Overinflation of cuffed endotracheal tubes and transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) probe causes increased intracuff pressure (CP) compromising tracheal perfusion pressure (TPP). Primary objective of the study was to assess CP, TPP on TEE probe insertion and examination during pediatric cardiac surgeries. Secondary objectives were to evaluate the effect of the probe on peak airway pressures (Ppeak), mean airway pressures (Pmean) and to monitor CP, TPP on cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). Materials and Methods: This prospective observational study included fifty patients, aged 1–5 years undergoing cardiac surgeries using CPB. Following induction, TEE probe was introduced. CP, TPP, Ppeak, Pmean were measured before insertion of TEE probe (T1), during probe insertion (T2) and examination at mid-esophageal (T3), transgastric level (T4), and on removing probe (T6). CP, TPP were monitored on CPB (T5). Statistical analysis was done using paired t-test. Results: CP, Ppeak and Pmean increased significantly, while TPP decreased significantly from T1 to T2, T3, T4 (P < 0.001). CP, TPP decreased significantly at T5 in comparison to T6 (P < 0.001). In 48% of the patients CP increased above 30 cm H2O at T2. Conclusion: TEE probe causes an increase in CP and decreases TPP. Constant monitoring and maintaining CP, TPP in optimum range is recommended