Simple Reconfigurable Circularly Polarized Antenna at Three Bands.

In this paper, a simple design for a triple-band circularly polarized (CP) antenna with the capability of switching its polarization between dual-sense CPs is presented. The proposed antenna is comprised of a monopole loop antenna as a primary radiator. By placing a parasitic loop around the primary radiator, an additional CP band is achieved. Reconfigurability of the polarization between right-hand CP (RHCP) and left-hand CP (LHCP) at three different frequencies of 2.5, 3.3, and 3.8 GHz was realized by controlling the ON/OFF states of two PIN diodes. For validation, the fabricated antenna yielded an impedance bandwidth of 52.6% (2.34-4.01 GHz), while the axial ratio bandwidths for both the RHCP and LHCP states were 3.5% (2.47-2.56 GHz), 6.6% (3.20-3.42 GHz), and 2.4% (3.74-3.83 GHz). The measured broadside gains within the axial ratio bandwidth were 1.2, 2.7, and 1.4 dBi, respectively. Compared to other reconfigurable multi-band CP antennas, the proposed design is the first work to achieve a reconfigurable polarization at three distinct bands at a low fabrication cost by using only two diodes. The proposed antenna is suitable for WLAN and WiMAX applications.

Short Stature and Access to Lung Transplantation in the United States. A Cohort Study.

RATIONALE: Anecdotally, short lung transplant candidates suffer from long waiting times and higher rates of death on the waiting list compared with taller candidates. OBJECTIVES: To examine the relationship between lung transplant candidate height and waiting list outcomes. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 13,346 adults placed on the lung transplant waiting list in the United States between 2005 and 2011. Multivariable-adjusted competing risk survival models were used to examine associations between candidate height and outcomes of interest. The primary outcome was the time until lung transplantation censored at 1 year. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The unadjusted rate of lung transplantation was 94.5 per 100 person-years among candidates of short stature (<162 cm) and 202.0 per 100 person-years among candidates of average stature (170-176.5 cm). After controlling for potential confounders, short stature was associated with a 34% (95% confidence interval [CI], 29-39%) lower rate of transplantation compared with average stature. Short stature was also associated with a 62% (95% CI, 24-96%) higher rate of death or removal because of clinical deterioration and a 42% (95% CI, 10-85%) higher rate of respiratory failure while awaiting lung transplantation. CONCLUSIONS: Short stature is associated with a lower rate of lung transplantation and higher rates of death and respiratory failure while awaiting transplantation. Efforts to ameliorate this disparity could include earlier referral and listing of shorter candidates, surgical downsizing of substantially oversized allografts for shorter candidates, and/or changes to allocation policy that account for candidate height.