Review of Reconfigurable Microstrip Patch antenna for Wireless Application

In recent time, world have seen a rapid growth in wireless communication. Development in antenna from single band to dual band and multi band had made the antenna system more compact. A frequency reconfigurable microstrip antenna using a PIN diode for multiband operation is using many application and hot research area. In this paper, reconfigurable microstrip patch antennas and their types like frequency, polarization, radiation pattern and gain are described

Association Between Breastfeeding and Infant Growth: A Probable Reverse Causality

Background: Much conflicting results exist in the association between breastfeeding and infant growth. One of these confusions is related to the temporal sequence between breastfeeding practice and infant growth. Objective: This study aimed at examining the association and investigating a possible reverse causality between breastfeeding and infant growth. Method: Infant Feeding Practices Survey II, a national longitudinal database with repeated measurements, following women prenatally and until one year postpartum (N=2914) was used. Mixed linear model assessed the impact of breastfeeding from the 2nd, 4th, 6th and 9th months on infant growth at the 3rd, 5th, 7th and 12th months, respectively. Log-linear model assessing reverse causation used infant growth data from the 3rd, 5th and 7th months and breastfeeding data from the 4th, 6th and 9th months respectively, restricting to infants\u27 breastfed in the prior months or being exclusively breastfed in the first 5 months. Results: Non-exclusively breastfed infants had a linear increase in mean weight-for-age z-score (WAZ) from the 3rd month (0.10) to the 7th month (0.34) while exclusively breastfed infants had a stable WAZ (0.27-0.24) (p-value for interaction=0.003). Non-breastfed infants had a higher WAZ throughout the first year (3rd month=0.20, 12th month=0.67) than infants who were ever breastfed in the first year (3rd month=0.04, 12th month=0.29) (p\u3c.0001). Weight-for-length z-score (WLZ) showed similar results (p interaction=0.006). Log-linear model showed a 7% (95% Confidence Interval 1.00, 1.14) higher risk of continuing with exclusive breastfeeding with every unit increase in WAZ. Conclusion: In earlier months WAZ was better in exclusively breastfed infants. Only WAZ showed some possibility of reverse causality suggesting weight gain as a predictor of continuation of exclusive breastfeeding

Association between Diabetes and Cancer in Indian and US Populations using Longitudinal Study Design

Background: There is growing evidence of association between diabetes and cancer. No studies have been conducted in India evaluating this association. With the current epidemiologic, nutritional and economic transition in India, it becomes extremely important to examine this association in an Indian population. Additionally, difference in association exists based on different cancer subtypes. Research has shown that diabetes is associated with an increased risk of colorectal cancer. However most of these studies suggest detection bias to be one of the probable reasons for this association. Additionally, the common risk factors shared by both these conditions are considered to one of the reasons in the association. Furthermore, very few studies have assessed the association between duration of diabetes and either CRC risk or disease aggressiveness. Even more rarely have studies confirmed the status of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) while determining the diabetes-CRC association. Methods: For our first objective, we used the Mumbai Cohort Study (MCS)- a longitudinal study. Diabetes information was collected at baseline and cancer information was received via follow-up questionnaire and confirmed using cancer registry. We also evaluated the association between diabetes and cancer subtypes after creating matched datasets for each cancer subtype. We used Cox Proportional model for cancer incidence and conditional logistic regression for cancer subtypes. For our second and third question, we used the Prostate Lung Colorectal Ovarian (PLCO) Cancer screening trial. Diabetes information was self-reported and collected at baseline and using one of the follow-up questionnaires-supplemental questionnaires. The cancer information was collected using annual survey questionnaire (ASU) administered every year and confirmed using medical records. For our second aim final analysis we use cox proportional hazards model. To evaluate the notion of detection bias, we conducted stratified analysis. In our final question, the diabetes duration was calculated using information on age at diabetes diagnosis. We fit a Cox proportional hazards model for cancer incidence and conducted logistic regression analysis for cancer grade and stage. Results: In the MCS, we did not observe any significant associations between diabetes and all cancer incidence and cancer subgroups. However the association was in the expected direction. The hazards of all cancer incidence was 1.06 (95%CI=0.75, 1.62) among persons with diabetes as compared to people without diabetes. Among cancer subtypes, there was an increased risk of ‘lip/oral/pharyngeal cancer’ (OR=1.83; 95%CI=0.86, 3.86) and ‘respiratory tract cancer’ among people with diabetes (OR=1.28; 95%CI=0.53, 3.13) respectively. Inverse direction was observed for ‘digestive organ cancer and ‘breast/prostate/uterine/cervical cancer’ among people with diabetes compared to people without diabetes (OR=0.59; 95%CI=0.27, 1.32) and (OR=0.66; 95%CI=0.24, 1.84) respectively, but none of these associations reached statistical significance. For our second aim, we observed a 33% higher risk of CRC among people with diabetes as compared to people without diabetes. After stratifying the results by screening arm, we still found a higher risk among both the screening arms, (HR=1.41, 95%CI=1.13, 1.76) among the control arm (HR=1.22, 95%CI=0.94, 1.58). After stratifying by BMI, the risk was still high among people with diabetes in all the groups.In our final aim, we observed that participants with \u3e10 years of diabetes had a higher risk (HR=1.37; 95%CI: 1.06, 1.77) of CRC incidence compared people without diabetes. An apparently smaller effect was observed among people with(HR=1.13; 95%CI: 0.89, 1.43); however, it was not significant. We did not find significant results in the association between cancer aggressiveness and diabetes. Conclusion: In Indian population, our findings appear to show a higher hazards of all cancer incidence, lip/oral/pharyngeal and respiratory tract cancer among people with diabetes compared to people without diabetes. They direction of the association is consistent with previous study results. However the association is not significant. Future studies needed to explore this association in detail. Secondly, in the PLCO data, our findings showed an association between diabetes and increased risk of colorectal cancer. Detection might not be the reason for this association. Further studies should include information on other factors like diabetic medications. For our final aim, the CRC risk was higher among people with longer duration of diabetes, even after accounting for the potential confounders

Mentoring, Training, and Scholarly Productivity Experiences of Cancer-Related Health Disparities Research Trainees: Do Outcomes Differ for Underrepresented Scientists?

The study aims to explore variation in scholarly productivity outcomes by underrepresented status among a diverse sample of researchers in a community-engaged training program. We identified 141 trainees from a web-based survey of researchers in the National Cancer Institute-funded, Community Networks Program Centers (CNPCs) (2011-2016). We conducted a series of multiple logistic regression models to estimate the effect of National Institutes of Health (NIH)-defined underrepresented status on four, self-reported, scholarly productivity outcomes in the previous 5 years: number of publications (first-authored and total) and funded grants (NIH and any agency). Sixty-five percent (n = 92) indicated NIH underrepresented status. In final adjusted models, non-NIH underrepresented (vs. underrepresented) trainees reported an increased odds of having more than the median number of total publications (> 9) (OR = 3.14, 95% CI 1.21-8.65) and any grant funding (OR = 5.10, 95% CI 1.77-14.65). Reporting ≥ 1 mentors (vs. none) was also positively associated (p < 0.05) with these outcomes. The CNPC underrepresented trainees had similar success in first-authored publications and NIH funding as non-underrepresented trainees, but not total publications and grants. Examining trainees' mentoring experiences over time in relation to scholarly productivity outcomes is needed

The Florida pancreas collaborative next-generation biobank: Infrastructure to reduce disparities and improve survival for a diverse cohort of patients with pancreatic cancer

Background: Well-annotated, high-quality biorepositories provide a valuable platform to support translational research. However, most biorepositories have poor representation of minority groups, limiting the ability to address health disparities. Methods: We describe the establishment of the Florida Pancreas Collaborative (FPC), the first state-wide prospective cohort study and biorepository designed to address the higher burden of pancreatic cancer (PaCa) in African Americans (AA) compared to Non-Hispanic Whites (NHW) and Hispanic/Latinx (H/L). We provide an overview of stakeholders; study eligibility and design; recruitment strategies; standard operating procedures to collect, process, store, and transfer biospecimens, medical images, and data; our cloud-based data management platform; and progress regarding recruitment and biobanking. Results: The FPC consists of multidisciplinary teams from fifteen Florida medical institutions. From March 2019 through August 2020, 350 patients were assessed for eligibility, 323 met inclusion/exclusion criteria, and 305 (94%) enrolled, including 228 NHW, 30 AA, and 47 H/L, with 94%, 100%, and 94% participation rates, respectively. A high percentage of participants have donated blood (87%), pancreatic tumor tissue (41%), computed tomography scans (76%), and questionnaires (62%). Conclusions: This biorepository addresses a critical gap in PaCa research and has potential to advance translational studies intended to minimize disparities and reduce PaCa-related morbidity and mortality

Morphologic and molecular correlates of EZH2 as a predictor of platinum resistance in high-grade ovarian serous carcinoma

Abstract Background Enhancer of zesta homologue 2 (EZH2) is an essential component of polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) that contributes to tumor progression and chemo-resistance. The aim of this study was to comprehensively assess the prognostic value of EZH2 across the morphologic and molecular spectra of high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma (HGSOC) by utilizing both immunohistochemistry (IHC) and proteogenomic technologies. Methods IHC of EZH2 was performed using a tissue microarray of 79 HGSOC scored (+/−) for lymphovascular invasion (LVI), tumor-infiltrating lymphocytic aggregates ≥1 mm (TIL) and architectural growth patterns. The association of EZH2 H-score with response to therapy and overall survival was evaluated by tumor features. We also evaluated EZH2 transcriptional (RNA sequencing) and protein (mass spectrometry) expression from bulk tumor samples from 336 HGSOC from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). EZH2 expression and co-expression networks were compared by clinical outcomes. Results For HGSOC without TIL (58%), EZH2 expression was almost 2-fold higher in platinum resistant tumors (P = 0.01). Conversely, EZH2 was not associated with platinum resistance among TIL+ HGSOC (P = 0.41). EZH2 expression was associated with reduced survival for tumors with LVI (P = 0.04). Analysis of TCGA found higher EZH2 expression in immunoreactive and proliferative tumors (P = 6.7 × 10− 5) although protein levels were similar across molecular subtypes (P = 0.52). Both mRNA and protein levels of EZH2 were lower in platinum resistant tumors although they were not associated with survival. Co-expression analysis revealed EZH2 networks totaling 1049 mRNA and 448 proteins that were exclusive to platinum sensitive or resistant tumors. The EZH2 network in resistant HGSOC included CARM1 which was positively correlated with EZH2 at both mRNA (r = 0.33, p = 0.003) and protein (r = 0.14, P = 0.01) levels. Further, EZH2 co-expression with CARM1 corresponded to a decreased prognostic significance of EZH2 expression in resistant tumors. Conclusions Our findings demonstrate that EZH2 expression varies based on its interactions with immunologic pathways and tumor microenvironment, impacting the prognostic interpretation. The association between high EZH2 expression and platinum resistance in TIL- HGSOC warrants further study of the implications for therapeutic strategies

Mentoring, Training, and Scholarly Productivity Experiences of Cancer-Related Health Disparities Research Trainees: Do Outcomes Differ for Underrepresented Scientists?

The study aims to explore variation in scholarly productivity outcomes by underrepresented status among a diverse sample of researchers in a community-engaged training program. We identified 141 trainees from a web-based survey of researchers in the National Cancer Institute-funded, Community Networks Program Centers (CNPCs) (2011-2016). We conducted a series of multiple logistic regression models to estimate the effect of National Institutes of Health (NIH)-defined underrepresented status on four, self-reported, scholarly productivity outcomes in the previous 5 years: number of publications (first-authored and total) and funded grants (NIH and any agency). Sixty-five percent (n = 92) indicated NIH underrepresented status. In final adjusted models, non-NIH underrepresented (vs. underrepresented) trainees reported an increased odds of having more than the median number of total publications (> 9) (OR = 3.14, 95% CI 1.21-8.65) and any grant funding (OR = 5.10, 95% CI 1.77-14.65). Reporting ≥ 1 mentors (vs. none) was also positively associated (p < 0.05) with these outcomes. The CNPC underrepresented trainees had similar success in first-authored publications and NIH funding as non-underrepresented trainees, but not total publications and grants. Examining trainees mentoring experiences over time in relation to scholarly productivity outcomes is needed

Mentoring, Training, and Scholarly Productivity Experiences of Cancer-Related Health Disparities Research Trainees: Do Outcomes Differ for Underrepresented Scientists?

The study aims to explore variation in scholarly productivity outcomes by underrepresented status among a diverse sample of researchers in a community-engaged training program. We identified 141 trainees from a web-based survey of researchers in the National Cancer Institute-funded, Community Networks Program Centers (CNPCs) (2011-2016). We conducted a series of multiple logistic regression models to estimate the effect of National Institutes of Health (NIH)-defined underrepresented status on four, self-reported, scholarly productivity outcomes in the previous 5 years: number of publications (first-authored and total) and funded grants (NIH and any agency). Sixty-five percent (n = 92) indicated NIH underrepresented status. In final adjusted models, non-NIH underrepresented (vs. underrepresented) trainees reported an increased odds of having more than the median number of total publications (> 9) (OR = 3.14, 95% CI 1.21-8.65) and any grant funding (OR = 5.10, 95% CI 1.77-14.65). Reporting ≥ 1 mentors (vs. none) was also positively associated (p < 0.05) with these outcomes. The CNPC underrepresented trainees had similar success in first-authored publications and NIH funding as non-underrepresented trainees, but not total publications and grants. Examining trainees' mentoring experiences over time in relation to scholarly productivity outcomes is needed

Racial and ethnic disparities in a state‐wide registry of patients with pancreatic cancer and an exploratory investigation of cancer cachexia as a contributor to observed inequities

Pancreatic cancer (PC) is characterized by racial/ethnic disparities and the debilitating muscle‐wasting condition, cancer cachexia. Florida ranks second in the number of PC deaths and has a large and understudied minority population. We examined the primary hypothesis that PC incidence and mortality rates may be highest among Black Floridians and the secondary hypothesis that biological correlates of cancer cachexia may underlie disparities. PC incidence and mortality rates were estimated by race/ethnicity, gender, and county using publicly available state‐wide cancer registry data that included approximately 2700 Black, 25 200 Non‐Hispanic White (NHW), and 3300 Hispanic/Latino (H/L) Floridians diagnosed between 2004 and 2014. Blacks within Florida experienced a significantly (P < 0.05) higher incidence (12.5/100 000) and mortality (10.97/100 000) compared to NHW (incidence = 11.2/100 000; mortality = 10.3/100 000) and H/L (incidence = 9.6/100 000; mortality = 8.7/100 000), especially in rural counties. To investigate radiologic and blood‐based correlates of cachexia, we leveraged data from a subset of patients evaluated at two geographically distinct Florida Cancer Centers. In Blacks compared to NHW matched on stage, markers of PC‐induced cachexia were more frequent and included greater decreases in core musculature compared to corresponding healthy control patients (25.0% vs 10.1% lower), greater decreases in psoas musculature over time (10.5% vs 4.8% loss), lower baseline serum albumin levels (3.8 vs 4.0 gm/dL), and higher platelet counts (332.8 vs 268.7 k/UL). Together, these findings suggest for the first time that PC and cachexia may affect Blacks disproportionately. Given its nearly universal contribution to illness and PC‐related deaths, the early diagnosis and treatment of cachexia may represent an avenue to improve health equity, quality of life, and survival