This paper presents a flexible microstrip low-pass filter (LPF) fabricated on a polyimide film substrate. The proposed flexible microstrip LPF with ten cascaded asymmetrical Pi-shaped defected ground structure (DGS) resonators are designed, simulated, manufactured, and measured. The simulation and experiment results demonstrate that the designed flexible microstrip LPF has a very sharp transition band, an ultra-wide stop-band (SB) and high rejection in SB performance compared with the existed microstrip LPFs with symmetrical and asymmetrical DGS. The proposed flexible LPF with ten cascaded resonators is with a compact size of 100 mm × 2.6 mm × 0.254 mm, a very low insertion loss of less than 1.9 dB under 2.2 GHz, and a wide SB from 2.7 to 12 GHz with the rejection of larger than 50 dB. The proposed flexible LPF has the potential to be used in wireless terminals to replace the traditional RF coaxial cable because it is very thin and has good transmission and filtering functions.INDEX TERMS Defected ground structure (DGS), flexible printed circuit board (FPCB), low-pass filter (LPF), pi-shaped DGS, wireless communication.

Background Little research has been conducted to explore variables associated with the healthcare providers’ (HCPs) understanding and recommendation of human papillomavirus vaccine (HPV) since the vaccine was approved for use in China. Methods A large-scale cross-sectional survey was conducted in southern China covering Guangdong, Guangxi, and Hainan provinces between April 2019 and October 2019. Firstly, descriptive analysis was used to access awareness, knowledge, barriers, and recommendations toward HPV vaccine among all participants. Multi-variable logistic regression was further applied to explore potential factors associated with awareness, acknowledgment of HPV vaccine, and recommendation behaviors toward HPV vaccine. Results 2075 questionnaires were collected, and 2054 were included in the final analysis. In total, 77.9% of participants have heard of HPV vaccine and obtained sub-optimal HPV/HPV vaccine knowledge scores with a mean (SD) of 13.8 (3.5) out of a maximum score of 23. 68.1% HCPs reported that they have recommended HPV vaccine to others. Province and profession were the most significant characteristics associated with awareness, knowledge score, and recommendation behavior toward HPV vaccine. HCPs in Guangdong obtained a much better knowledge score [Mean (SD) = 15.5 (3.0)] and reported higher recommendation behavior (82.8%). Compare with HCPs from the Division of Expanded Program on Immunization (DEPI), Community Health Center (CHC), and obstetrician-gynecologists, other non-HPV closely related professions showed a less competent knowledge of HPV and HPV vaccine [Mean (SD) = 12.5 (3.0)] and lower frequency of recommendation behavior on vaccination (58.1%). The difference in HPV vaccine knowledge among different professions was concentrating on the items about clinical pathology of HPV and the practical aspects of HPV vaccine. Educational level and title were also closely associated with their knowledge of HPV and its vaccine. Besides, knowledge scores independently determined with recommendation behavior (OR = 1.18, 95% CI 1.13–1.23). Conclusion Knowledge level of HPV and HPV vaccine as well as recommendation behavior toward HPV vaccine were relatively lower in southern China and differed significantly between provinces. Profession-specific gaps on the knowledge level of HPV and HPV vaccine emphasized the need for targeted education and training to improve HCPs’ engagement in the promotion of the HPV vaccine.

Background As a core part of the primary healthcare system, family doctor contract services (FDCS) may help healthcare providers promote cervical cancer screening to the female population. However, evidence from population-based studies remains scant. This study aimed to investigate the potential associations between the signing status of FDCS and cervical cancer screening practices in Shenzhen, China. Methods A cross-sectional survey among female residents was conducted between July to December 2020 in Shenzhen, China. A multistage sampling method was applied to recruit women seeking health services in community health service centers. Binary logistic regression models were established to assess the associations between the signing status of FDCS and cervical cancer screening behaviors. Results Overall, 4389 women were recruited (mean age: 34.28, standard deviation: 7.61). More than half (54.3%) of the participants had signed up with family doctors. Women who had signed up for FDCS performed better in HPV-related knowledge (high-level rate: 49.0% vs. 35.6%, P<0.001), past screening participation (48.4% vs. 38.8%, P<0.001), and future screening willingness (95.9% vs. 90.8%, P<0.001) than non-signing women. Signing up with family doctors was marginally associated with past screening participation (OR: 1.13, 95%CI: 0.99–1.28), which tended to be robust among women with health insurance, being older than 25 years old at sexual debut, using condom consistently during sexual intercourse, and with a low level of HPV related knowledge. Similarly, signing up with family doctors was positively associated with future screening willingness (OR: 1.68, 95%CI: 1.29–2.20), which was more pronounced among women who got married and had health insurance. Conclusions This study suggests that signing up with family doctors has positive associations with cervical cancer screening behaviors among Chinese women. Expanding public awareness of cervical cancer prevention and FDCS may be a feasible way to achieve the goal of cervical cancer screening coverage.