Reconfigurable Pico-cell Antenna Array for Indoor Coverage in GSM 900 Band

This paper proposes a simple antenna array based on three stacked shorted patches aimed to be used as GSM (900 MHz) indoor base station antenna. Three same linearly polarized stacked patches are set in three orthogonal planes in space forming pyramid-like structure. The antenna array can be used for nearly omnidirectional coverage as well as for covering three 120º sectors. The proposed array also offers the possibility of polarization diversity

Association between loop diuretic dose changes and outcomes in chronic heart failure: observations from the ESC-EORP Heart Failure Long-Term Registry

[Abstract] Aims. Guidelines recommend down-titration of loop diuretics (LD) once euvolaemia is achieved. In outpatients with heart failure (HF), we investigated LD dose changes in daily cardiology practice, agreement with guideline recommendations, predictors of successful LD down-titration and association between dose changes and outcomes. Methods and results. We included 8130 HF patients from the ESC-EORP Heart Failure Long-Term Registry. Among patients who had dose decreased, successful decrease was defined as the decrease not followed by death, HF hospitalization, New York Heart Association class deterioration, or subsequent increase in LD dose. Mean age was 66±13 years, 71% men, 62% HF with reduced ejection fraction, 19% HF with mid-range ejection fraction, 19% HF with preserved ejection fraction. Median [interquartile range (IQR)] LD dose was 40 (25–80) mg. LD dose was increased in 16%, decreased in 8.3% and unchanged in 76%. Median (IQR) follow-up was 372 (363–419) days. Diuretic dose increase (vs. no change) was associated with HF death [hazard ratio (HR) 1.53, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.12–2.08; P = 0.008] and nominally with cardiovascular death (HR 1.25, 95% CI 0.96–1.63; P = 0.103). Decrease of diuretic dose (vs. no change) was associated with nominally lower HF (HR 0.59, 95% CI 0.33–1.07; P = 0.083) and cardiovascular mortality (HR 0.62 95% CI 0.38–1.00; P = 0.052). Among patients who had LD dose decreased, systolic blood pressure [odds ratio (OR) 1.11 per 10 mmHg increase, 95% CI 1.01–1.22; P = 0.032], and absence of (i) sleep apnoea (OR 0.24, 95% CI 0.09–0.69; P = 0.008), (ii) peripheral congestion (OR 0.48, 95% CI 0.29–0.80; P = 0.005), and (iii) moderate/severe mitral regurgitation (OR 0.57, 95% CI 0.37–0.87; P = 0.008) were independently associated with successful decrease. Conclusion. Diuretic dose was unchanged in 76% and decreased in 8.3% of outpatients with chronic HF. LD dose increase was associated with worse outcomes, while the LD dose decrease group showed a trend for better outcomes compared with the no-change group. Higher systolic blood pressure, and absence of (i) sleep apnoea, (ii) peripheral congestion, and (iii) moderate/severe mitral regurgitation were independently associated with successful dose decrease

Sex- and age-related differences in the management and outcomes of chronic heart failure: an analysis of patients from the ESC HFA EORP Heart Failure Long-Term Registry

Aims: This study aimed to assess age- and sex-related differences in management and 1-year risk for all-cause mortality and hospitalization in chronic heart failure (HF) patients. Methods and results: Of 16 354 patients included in the European Society of Cardiology Heart Failure Long-Term Registry, 9428 chronic HF patients were analysed [median age: 66 years; 28.5% women; mean left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) 37%]. Rates of use of guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) were high (angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin receptor blockers, beta-blockers and mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists: 85.7%, 88.7% and 58.8%, respectively). Crude GDMT utilization rates were lower in women than in men (all differences: P\ua0 64 0.001), and GDMT use became lower with ageing in both sexes, at baseline and at 1-year follow-up. Sex was not an independent predictor of GDMT prescription; however, age >75 years was a significant predictor of GDMT underutilization. Rates of all-cause mortality were lower in women than in men (7.1% vs. 8.7%; P\ua0=\ua00.015), as were rates of all-cause hospitalization (21.9% vs. 27.3%; P\ua075 years. Conclusions: There was a decline in GDMT use with advanced age in both sexes. Sex was not an independent predictor of GDMT or adverse outcomes. However, age >75 years independently predicted lower GDMT use and higher all-cause mortality in patients with LVEF 6445%

Slotted PIFA for Mobile Communication Devices

Slotted PIFA with capacitive loading for operation in the 880 / 960 MHz band is presented. The PIFA is intended for mobile terminals in GSM mobile communication network. The antenna is placed on a ground plane with dimensions of an average handheld device. It is optimized by using electromagnetic simulator and a prototype is manufactured. Calculated and measured results agree very well. Input impedance matching with SWR < 3 in the whole band was achieved. Maximum gain of 3.2 dBi is measured. Preliminary studies of the influence of the user's head and hand on the antenna characteristics have been performed

Design and analysis of planar UHF wearable antenna

Slotted PIFA on the textile substrate suitable for body-centric applications in the UHF band is proposed. The influence of slot in the ground plane on the antenna parameters is theoretically investigated using simplified model of human body. © 2012 IEEE

Very High Energy Gamma Ray Astronomy and Cosmic Ray Physics with the ARGO-YBJ experiment

Gamma ray astronomy at energies 1011 1013 eV, which are strictly related to the identication and study of the cosmic ray acceleration sites, is the main scientic goal of the ARGO-YBJ experiment. The detector, which is now being assembled in Tibet (China) at 4300 m a.s.l., is a full coverage Extensive Air Shower array consisting of a carpet of Resistive Plate Chambers covering a surface of about 7000 m2. The high altitude ( atmospheric depth 600 g/cm2 ) and the full coverage ensure a very low primary photon energy threshold at few hundreds GeV (close to the limits of the satellite technology), while the detector time resolution st 1ns gives a good pointing accuracy, thus allowing a high sensitivity to g -ray sources. Moreover the large eld of view and the high duty-cycle ensure the continuous monitoring of the sky in the declination band 20 d 80 . The detector layout, performance and location, offer a unique possibility to make also a deep study of several characteristics of the hadronic component of the cosmic ray ux up to energies of hundreds of TeV. In particular, the structure of the shower core, the lateral distribution, the energy spectra and the angular (e.g. anisotropies) and time (e.g. solar ares) ux modulations can be measured with high sensitivity. Moreover, the use of a full coverage detector with a high space granularity gives detailed images of the shower front, that can be used to test different hypotheses on the cosmic ray interactions, the shower development in the atmosphere and particle physics at very high energies. In this work the general layout of the detector and its performance will be described, together with some of the rst results coming from the data analysis of a relevant fraction of the apparatus that is already operating