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The demand for wideband circularly polarized (CP) antennas in wireless communication applications has been increasing, given that it offers reliable signals with reduced interference. In particular, planar monopole antennas are a popular choice for use in CP applications due to their compact size and ease of integration. However, achieving CP characteristics often requires complex modifications, an increased antenna size, and design complexity. To address these challenges, this study proposes a simplified radiator structure modification for CP planar monopole antennas and validates the performance of the proposed antenna for ultra-wideband (UWB) applications by conducting both frequency-domain and time-domain analyses. The size of the proposed antenna is 34 mm × 41 mm × 1.6 mm, with FR-4 as the substrate. Both the −10 dB S11 bandwidth and 6 dB axial ratio axial ratio is 3.46–5.5 GHz, with the radiation patterns in the frequency range of interest being omni-directional. The proposed UWB CP antenna also yields decent antenna performance in time-domain analyses, such as the antenna fidelity factor and the system fidelity factor.

Repeaters have been widely used to improve communication quality and extend the coverage areas of wireless communication systems. However, mutual coupling between the Tx and Rx antennas significantly deteriorates the performance of repeater systems. This work presents a high-isolation repeater antenna operating in a frequency range of 3.6–3.7 GHz in a 5G communication system. Perpendicularly arranged microstrip patch antennas are used because this arrangement can lead to greater isolation than a parallel arrangement. However, the perpendicular arrangement results in radiation pattern distortion due to the ground mode. A novel defected ground structure (DGS) is developed to suppress the ground mode and simultaneously reduce the mutual coupling between the Tx and Rx antennas. An electromagnetic bandgap (EBG) is additionally employed to further increase isolation. The measurement results of a fabricated repeater antenna show no radiation pattern deformation and an isolation improvement of 28 dB over the repeater antenna without the DGS and EBG.

External partial discharge (PD) sensors for the ultra-high frequency (UHF) method are widely used to detect the PD signals in high-voltage power equipment for ease of installation and maintenance. However, conventional external PD sensors detect not only PD signals but also LTE signals; thus, a microwave filter is usually employed. In this work, a UHF filtering antenna (filtenna) is proposed as the external PD sensor to detect PD signals and simultaneously block LTE-band signals. The proposed UHF filtenna is the printed monopole antenna with a built-in interdigital bandpass geometry, which is selected for its compact size. Measurement results show that the proposed UHF-printed monopole filtenna operates adequately in the frequency range of 1 GHz to 1.6 GHz and simultaneously blocks LTE signals significantly.

BackgroundSubjects with diabetes are at higher risk of serious influenza-related complications. We aimed to investigate the yearly trend of influenza vaccination and factors associated with being unvaccinated for influenza in subjects with diabetes using a nationwide observational study performed within the recent decade.MethodsAmong 105,732 subjects from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey between 2007 and 2019, 8,632 with diabetes were included. We investigated the yearly trend of influenza vaccination and factors associated with being unvaccinated for influenza.ResultsDuring the study period, the prevalence of influenza vaccination in subjects with diabetes showed a tendency to increase every year, reaching almost 60% in 2019, which was higher than the rate in subjects without diabetes. Younger age (adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) [95% CI] 11.29 [8.63–14.75] for < 50 years; 6.16 [5.21–7.29] for 50–65 years), male (aHR 1.67 [1.52–1.87]), current smoker (aHR 1.31 [1.00–1.72], lower-income status (aHR 1.46 [1.17, 1.84]), and high education level (aHR 1.30 [1.01–1.67]) were associated with being unvaccinated. Also, a poorer glycemic control with HbA1c ≥ 9% was found to be correlated with unvaccinated status (aHR 1.48 [1.15–1.90]).ConclusionThe influenza vaccination rate is still unsatisfactory in subjects with diabetes. Young age, males, low-income level, high education level, and poor glycemic control were associated with unvaccinated status. Considering the risk-benefits of influenza vaccination in patients with diabetes, physicians should make an effort to increase vaccination rates, especially in low vaccination rate groups.

Ultra-Wideband (UWB) is a wireless communication technology that can be utilized for precise indoor positioning system. UWB is low power-consuming and resistant to complex multipath environments, thanks to a short pulse signal. Since the main desired characteristics of the UWB antennas for radio-frequency localization systems are wide bandwidth, omnidirectional radiation pattern, and low profile for simple integration with printed circuit boards, various planar monopole antennas for UWB applications were proposed to meet the requirements. In order to satisfy these conditions, in this paper, a novel compact UWB planar monopole antenna operating in 3.1 GHz–10.8 GHz is designed on FR-4 substrate. The overall size of the antenna is $12.5\times 12.5\times $ 1 mm3, which is $0.129\,\,\lambda _{0} \times 0.258\,\,\lambda _{0} \times 0.01\,\,\lambda _{0}$ in free space at the lowest frequency. The transmission line is designed based on a coplanar waveguide with ground (CPWG) and vias in the CPWG are employed to eliminate non-radiating phenomenon at some specific frequencies. The shape of the radiator is modified from the hexagonal shape and a ribbon-shaped slot inside the radiator is adapted to improve the operating frequency range. The proposed UWB planar monopole antenna is fabricated and measured. The proposed antenna provides good antenna performance from 3.1 to 10.8 GHz and also the radiation patterns at various frequencies are omnidirectional pattern.

The high-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) has been recently used in several clinical settings for oxygenation in adults. In particular, the advantages of HFNC compared with low-flow oxygen systems or non-invasive ventilation include enhanced comfort, increased humidification of secretions to facilitate expectoration, washout of nasopharyngeal dead space to improve the efficiency of ventilation, provision of a small positive end-inspiratory pressure effect, and fixed and rapid delivery of an accurate fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO2) by minimizing the entrainment of room air. HFNC has been successfully used in critically ill patients with several conditions, such as hypoxemic respiratory failure, hypercapneic respiratory failure (exacerbation of chronic obstructive lung disease), post-extubation respiratory failure, pre-intubation oxygenation, and others. However, the indications are not absolute, and much of the proven benefit remains subjective and physiologic. This review discusses the practical application and clinical uses of HFNC in adults, including its unique respiratory physiologic effects, device settings, and clinical indications.

Background The molecular adsorbent recirculating system (MARS) is a hepatic replacement system that supports excretory liver function in patients with liver failure. However, since MARS has been employed in our hospital, bleeding complications have occurred in many patients during or after MARS. The objective of this study was to determine how MARS affects coagulopathy and identify specific factors associated with bleeding complications. Methods We retrospectively analyzed data from 17 patients undergoing a total of 41 MARS sessions. Complete blood count, coagulation profiles, and blood chemistry values were compared before and after MARS. To identify pre-MARS factors associated with increased bleeding after MARS, we divided patients into bleeder and non-bleeder groups and compared their pre-MARS laboratory values. Results MARS significantly reduced bilirubin and creatinine levels. MARS also increased prothrombin time and reduced platelet and fibrinogen, thus negatively impacting coagulation. Pre-MARS hemoglobin was significantly lower in the bleeder group than in the non-bleeder group (P=0.015). When comparing the upper and lower 33% of MARS sessions based on the hemoglobin reduction rate, hemoglobin reduction was significantly greater in MARS sessions involving patients with low pre-MARS international normalized ratio of prothrombin time (PT-INR) and factor V (P=0.038 and P=0.023, respectively). Conclusions MARS could appears to alter coagulation-related factors such as factor V and increase the risk of bleeding complications particularly in patient with low hemoglobin. However, individual differences among patients were large, and various factors, such as low hemoglobin, PT-INR, and factor V levels, appear to be involved.

In this work, a circularly-polarized ultra-high frequency (UHF) partial discharge (PD) antenna is proposed to detect the PD in 0.6 GHz - 1.7 GHz. The proposed PD antenna consists of an Archimedean spiral antenna, a balun, and a cavity. The Archimedean spiral antenna is embedded by FR-4 as substrate and superstrate for miniaturization. The microstrip-to-paired strips balun is designed to yield good performance in the return loss, insertion loss, and amplitude and phase imbalances which are of great necessity for low axial ratio. The cavity is employed to obtain unidirectional radiation patterns and prevent external signal interference. However, it is found that the originally-designed cavity-backed antenna does not work properly near 1.35 GHz due to resonance phenomena in the cavity. In this work, the cavity is modified to tackle this problem. The proposed UHF PD antenna is fabricated and measured and the results show that it provides good impedance matching, realized gain, radiation pattern, and circular polarization.

Abstract Background There are limited data regarding the efficacy and safety of remifentanil sedation for diagnostic bronchoscopy. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of remifentanil by comparing it with those of conventional drugs, midazolam and propofol. Methods A retrospective study of 186 patients who underwent diagnostic bronchoscopy at Chonbuk National University Hospital was performed. Patients were classified into the remifentanil group and midazolam/propofol group according to the drugs used during bronchoscopy. Results Of the 186 patients, 111 patients received remifentanil and 75 received midazolam/propofol during the bronchoscopy. The proportion of patients who required bronchoscopy for endobronchial inspection alone was significantly higher in the midazolam/propofol group than in the remifentanil group (93.3% vs. 73.0%; p

Background Beyond its current function as a rescue therapy in acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) may be applied in ARDS patients with less severe hypoxemia to facilitate lung protective ventilation. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of extended ECMO use in ARDS patients. Methods This study reviewed 223 adult patients who had been admitted to the intensive care units of 11 hospitals in Korea and subsequently treated using ECMO. Among them, the 62 who required ECMO for ARDS were analyzed. The patients were divided into two groups according to pre-ECMO arterial blood gas: an extended group (n=14) and a conventional group (n=48). Results Baseline characteristics were not different between the groups. The median arterial carbon dioxide tension/fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO2) ratio was higher (97 vs. 61, p

The feasibility study of a 24 GHz industrial, scientific, and medical (ISM) band Doppler radar antenna in electromagnetic aspects is numerically performed for near-field sensing of human respiration. The Doppler radar antenna consists of a transmitting (Tx) antenna and a receiving (Rx) antenna close to the human body for a wearable device. The designed slot-type Doppler radar antenna is embedded between an RO4350B superstrate and an FR-4 substrate. To obtain the higher radiation pattern of the antenna towards the human body, a ground plane reflector is placed underneath the substrate. The measured −10 dB reflection coefficient (S11) bandwidth is 23.74 to 25.56 GHz and the mutual coupling (S21) between Tx and Rx antennas is lower than −30 dB at target frequencies. The Doppler radar performance of the proposed Doppler radar antenna is performed numerically by investigating the signal returned from the human body. The Doppler effect due to human respiration is investigated through the I/Q and arctangent demodulation of the returned signal. According to the results, the phase variation of the returned signal is proportional to the displacement of the body surface, which is about 0.8 rad in accordance with 1 mm displacement. The numerical experiments indicate that the proposed Doppler radar antenna can be used for near-field sensing of human respiration in electromagnetic aspects.

This paper presents a ultra-high frequency (UHF) antenna for partial discharge (PD) detection and the antenna sensor can be used near a conducting ground wire. The proposed UHF antenna has advantages of easy setup and higher-frequency detection over the high-frequency current transformer (HFCT) sensor. First, a variety of loop-shaped antennas are designed to compare each near field coupling capability. Then, a new UHF antenna is designed based on the loop-shaped antenna, which has the best near field coupling capability. Finally, the proposed UHF antenna is fabricated and measured. It provides a wide impedance bandwidth of 760 MHz (740−1500 MHz). Its simple setup configuration and wide bandwidth frequency response in the UHF band can provide a more efficient means for PD detection.