A stepped impedance resonator (SIR) based wideband bandpass filter (BPF) with a good rejection level in the extended upper stopband is presented in this article. The proposed SIR is found to have the ability to introduce two transmission poles in the passband. By appropriately selecting the impedance ratio and length ratio (α) of the SIRs, the BPF can provide a wide passband and a sharp rejecti...

BACKGROUND In stepped care models patients typically start with a low-intensity evidence-based treatment. Progress is monitored systematically and those patients who do not respond adequately step up to a subsequent treatment of higher intensity. Despite the fact that many guidelines have endorsed this stepped care principle it is not clear if stepped care really delivers similar or better pati...

Wood is an important component of flash floods and debris flows in forested mountainous areas. To better understand the characteristics large wood (LW) movement its destructive effects on check dams, bridges, buildings, we conducted field investigations theoretical calculations flood process Keze gully Jiuzhaigou National Park (China). Based calculation method, magnitude amplification ratio pea...

Dam breaks of landslide dams are always accompanied by large numbers of casualties, a large loss of property, and negative influences on the downstream ecology and environment. This study uses the Jiadanwan landslide dam, created by the Wenchuan earthquake, as a case study example. Several laboratory experiments are carried out to analyse the dam-break mechanism of the landslide dam. The differ...

The design of a gravity dam is performed through an interactive process involving a preliminary layout of the structure followed by a stability and stress analysis. This study presents a method to define the optimal top width of gravity dam with genetic algorithm. To solve the optimization task (minimize the cost of the dam), an optimization routine based on genetic algorithms (GAs) was impleme...

Along with the development of virtual reality (VR) technology, simulation system as a new perspective of management methods and technical means in the progress of the project management plays an increasingly important role. This paper presents a Virtools-based visual simulation method and realizes a concrete dam pouring process. It proposes that the mode of the dam for a certain period could be...

AIM To assess levels of anxiety in children concerning different dental instruments and equipment and to relate them with parents' anxiety levels moments before the appointment. MATERIALS AND METHODS Fifty children from 4 to 12 years of age (average of 10±3.07) and their respective parents were evaluated. A facial scale was used to assess children's anxiety levels, while the Dental Anxiety Sc...

INTRODUCTION Stepped care strategies are potentially effective to organise integrated care but unknown is whether they function well in practice. This paper evaluates the implementation of a stepped care programme for depression in primary care and secondary care. THEORY AND METHODS We developed a stepped care algorithm for diagnostics and treatment of depression, supported by a liaison-consu...

BACKGROUND Screening for alcohol use disorders identifies a wide range of needs, varying from hazardous and harmful drinking to alcohol dependence. Stepped care offers a potentially resource-efficient way of meeting these needs, but requires evaluation in a randomised controlled trial. AIMS To evaluate the feasibility, effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of opportunistic screening and a step...

We describe a method to make even insulation layers for high-pressure laser-heated diamond-anvil cell samples using stepped anvils. The method works for both single-sided and double-sided laser heating using solid or fluid insulation. The stepped anvils are used as matched pairs or paired with a flat culet anvil to make gasket insulation layers and not actually used at high pressures; thus, the...