Stepped block protection has considerable potential as a low-cost method for the construction of chute spillways and the protection of embankments from erosion by overtopping flow. Stepped spillways are structurally stable, resistant to water loads and significantly increase the rate of energy dissipation on the spillway face thus eliminating or greatly reducing the need for a large energy diss...

Excess mortality in persons of lower socioeconomic status is a finding confirmed in many population studies. Among the nearly 11,000 hypertensive trial participants in the population-based Hypertension Detection and Follow-up Program, lower educational level (an indicator of low socioeconomic status) was associated with a 5-year death rate significantly above that found in those with higher edu...

Background/Aims We sought to optimise the design of stepped wedge trials with an equal allocation of clusters to sequences and explored sample size comparisons with alternative trial designs. Methods We developed a new expression for the design effect for a stepped wedge trial, assuming that observations are equally correlated within clusters and an equal number of observations in each period b...

This paper describes the design and analysis of planar dual-band bandpass filters using stepped impedance resonators. In the proposed filter configurations, dual-band bandpass filters are designed, and realized by using inverted stepped impedance (SIR) resonators. The conventional half wavelength open circuited stub single frequency resonators are replaced with dual band simple two section step...

In the last three decades the design of stepped spillways regained some interest because of their suitability with new construction methods including gabion placement. In this study, the hydraulic performances of gabion stepped weirs were investigated experimentally in terms of the air-water flow properties and energy dissipation rate. A physical study was performed in a relatively large size f...

For overflow weirs and embankments, the stepped chute profile may increase the rate of energy dissipation on the waterway. Herein four different stepped chute configurations were tested with a focus on the cavity flow processes, flow aeration and energy dissipation performances. Detailed flow visualisations and air-water flow measurements were conducted for all configurations. The results highl...

We propose an optimization technique for reducing global synchronizations in traditional time-stepped simulations. Time-stepped simulations are known to be efficient when events are frequent or dense. However, when events are less frequent (when compared to the size of time-steps) the performance of time-stepped simulations drop noticeably. This paper aims at improving the performance of tradit...

Researchers should consider five questions before starting a stepped wedge trial. Why are you planning one? Researchers sometimes think that stepped wedge trials are useful when there is little doubt about the benefit of the intervention being tested. However, if the primary reason for an intervention is to measure its effect, without equipoise there is no ethical justification for delaying imp...

The catfish (Ameiurus nebulosus) taken from streams near Philadelphia, is commonly afflicted with an epithelial tumor bearing some resemblance to epithelioma of the lip in man. This neoplasm usually occurs as solitary or multiple, large, red, fleshy masses upon the lips or dental plates, and by reason of its size, may prevent closure of the mouth. The tumor is comprised of epithelial cells, oft...