ModerateDrinking.Com and moderation management: Outcomes of a randomized clinical trial with non-dependent problem drinkers.

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of a web-based protocol, ModerateDrinking.com (MD; www.moderatedrinking.com) combined with use of the online resources of Moderation Management (MM; www.moderation.org) as opposed to the use of the online resources of MM alone. Method: We randomly assigned 80 problem drinkers to either the experimental or control group with follow-ups at 3, 6, and 12 months. Results: Seventy-five participants (94%) had outcome data at 1 or more follow-up points, and 59 participants (73%) were assessed at all 3 follow-ups. Comparing baseline measures to the average outcomes at follow-ups indicated a significant overall reduction in both groups in alcohol-related problems and consumption variables. Compared with the control group, the experimental group had better outcomes on percent days abstinent. There was an interaction between intensity of drinking at baseline and treatment in determining outcomes assessing drinking. Less heavy drinkers in the experimental group had better outcomes on log mean blood alcohol content (BAC) per drinking day compared with the control group. Heavier drinkers did not differentially benefit from the MD program on this measure. Mixed model analyses in general corroborated these outcomes. Conclusion: The outcome data provide partial evidence for the effectiveness of the MD web application combined with MM, compared with the effectiveness of the resources available online at MM by themselves. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Novel models of intertemporal valuation: Past and future outcomes.

Temporal discounting refers to the reduction in the present subjective value of an outcome as a function of the temporal distance to that outcome. Though a number of mathematical models have been proposed to describe this time/value relationship, this search has largely excluded insights from the literature on memory decay. This study examines the utility of memory decay models by comparing the fits of 4 of these models to fits from established temporal discounting models using past and future temporal discounting data. These results (a) suggest that a single model describes valuation of both future and past outcomes; (b) indicate the exponential-power model, from memory decay literature, is statistically superior in fitting discounting data from both past and future outcomes; and (c) support the advancing perspective of the psychological interconnectedness of the future and past. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The association of form of gambling with problem gambling among American youth.

A random telephone survey was conducted with 2,274 United States residents aged 14 to 21. Analyses were performed to assess the relationship between the specific gambling games played and the extent of problem gambling symptoms. The forms of gambling that were most associated with gambling problems were card games, casino gambling, “other” gambling on routine activities, and betting on games of skill such as basketball, pool, or golf. The form of gambling that made the largest contribution to gambling problems per 14 days of play was casino gambling. The hypothesis that rapid forms of gambling, such as slot machines, would be the most problematic forms of gambling was not upheld. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Impact of Scaffold Micro and Macro Architecture on Schwann Cell Proliferation under Dynamic Conditions in a Rotating Wall Vessel Bioreactor

Over the last decade tissue engineering has emerged as a powerful alternative to regenerate lost tissues owing to trauma or tumor. Evidence shows that Schwann cell containing scaffolds have improved performance in vivo as compared to scaffolds that depend on cellularization post implantation. However, owing to limited supply of cells from the patients themselves, several approaches have been taken to enhance cell proliferation rates to produce complete and uniform cellularization of scaffolds. The most common approach is the application of a bioreactor to enhance cell proliferation rate and therefore reduce the time needed to obtain sufficiently significant number of glial cells, prior to implantation.In this study, we show the application of a rotating wall bioreactor system for studying Schwann cell proliferation on nanofibrous spiral shaped scaffolds, prepared by solvent casting and salt leaching techniques. The scaffolds were fabricated from polycaprolactone (PCL), which has ideal mechanical properties and upon degradation does not produce acidic byproducts. The spiral scaffolds were coated with aligned or random nanofibers, produced by electrospinning, to provide a substrate that mimics the native extracellular matrix and the essential contact guidance cues.At the 4 day time point, an enhanced rate of cell proliferation was observed on the open structured nanofibrous spiral scaffolds in a rotating wall bioreactor, as compared to static culture conditions. However, the cell proliferation rate on the other contemporary scaffolds architectures such as the tubular and cylindrical scaffolds show reduced cell proliferation in the bioreactor as compared to static conditions, at the same time point. Moreover, the rotating wall bioreactor does not alter the orientation or the phenotype of the Schwann cells on the aligned nanofiber containing scaffolds, wherein, the cells remain aligned along the length of the scaffolds. Therefore, these open structured spiral scaffolds pre-cultured with Schwann cells, in bioreactors could potentially shorten the time needed for grafts for peripheral nerve regeneration.     

Background Limited Performance of Long Wavelength Infrared Focal Plane Arrays Fabricated From M-Structure InAs–GaSb Superlattices

The recent introduction of a M-structure design improved both the dark current and R₀ A performances of type-II InAs-GaSb photodiodes. A focal plane array fabricated with this design was characterized at 81 K. The dark current of individual pixels was measured between 1.1 and 1.6 nA, 7 times lower than previous superlattice FPAs. This led to a higher dynamic range and longer integration times. The quantum efficiency of detectors without antireflective coating was 74%. The noise equivalent temperature difference reached 23 mK, limited only by the performance of the testing system and the read out integrated circuit. Background limited performances were demonstrated at 81 K for a 300 K background.     

Corrosion under mixed flowing gas conditions of various connector coatings

This paper presents an investigation on the corrosion performance of Ni/Au, NiP/Au, Ni/NiP/Au and Ni/NiPd/Au electrical connector coating systems. The coating systems were exposed to 10 days Class III mixed flowing gas and were subsequently examined by X‐ray diffraction, focused ion beam microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy to evaluate the performance of each coating system. The Ni/Au coating system showed the worst performance followed by NiP/Au and Ni/NiP/Au. The Ni/NiPd/Au coated connector materials exhibited the least surface corrosion and this was attributed to a number of factors including a thicker coating system, more compact gold layer with fewer defects and a reduction in the electrochemical potential difference between layers reducing the local cell effect.     

Global Stereo Reconstruction under Second-Order Smoothness Priors

Second-order priors on the smoothness of 3D surfaces are a better model of typical scenes than first-order priors. However, stereo reconstruction using global inference algorithms, such as graph cuts, has not been able to incorporate second-order priors because the triple cliques needed to express them yield intractable (nonsubmodular) optimization problems. This paper shows that inference with triple cliques can be effectively performed. Our optimization strategy is a development of recent extensions to alpha-expansion, based on the ldquo QPBOrdquo algorithm. The strategy is to repeatedly merge proposal depth maps using a novel extension of QPBO. Proposal depth maps can come from any source, for example, frontoparallel planes as in alpha-expansion, or indeed any existing stereo algorithm, with arbitrary parameter settings.