Predictors of outcome in LAAM, buprenorphine, and methadone treatment for opioid dependence.

This study examined (1) predictors of treatment outcome for opioid-dependent participants in a single-site controlled trial comparing methadone, buprenorphine, and LAAM treatments and (2) the extent to which various subpopulations of patients may have more successful outcomes with each medication. The relationships between patient demographics, drug use history, and psychological status and outcome measures of treatment retention, opiate use, and cocaine use were assessed. We believe this study to be the first to demonstrate that predictors of treatment success appear to be largely similar in LAAM, buprenorphine, and methadone treatment for opioid dependence. We did not find any factors that would strongly guide selection of one medication over others. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

An Investigation on Noisy Environments in Evolutionary Multiobjective Optimization

In addition to satisfying several competing objectives, many real-world applications are also characterized by a certain degree of noise, manifesting itself in the form of signal distortion or uncertain information. In this paper, extensive studies are carried out to examine the impact of noisy environments in evolutionary multiobjective optimization. Three noise-handling features are then proposed based upon the analysis of empirical results, including an experiential learning directed perturbation operator that adapts the magnitude and direction of variation according to past experiences for fast convergence, a gene adaptation selection strategy that helps the evolutionary search in escaping from local optima or premature convergence, and a possibilistic archiving model based on the concept of possibility and necessity measures to deal with problem of uncertainties. In addition, the performances of various multiobjective evolutionary algorithms in noisy environments, as well as the robustness and effectiveness of the proposed features are examined based upon five benchmark problems characterized by different difficulties in local optimality, nonuniformity, discontinuity, and nonconvexity     

铜布线面临生产实际挑战

铜布线工艺 在集成电路布线中,铝被广泛使用,其布线工艺较为简单。1997年9月,IBM公司率先推出一种称为CMOS7S的新技术,该技术在集成电路设计中采用铜代替铝作为外部导电材料,使电路布线的尺寸更加微小,芯片处理逻辑运算的能力更强。     

Neural network payload estimation for adaptive robot control

A concept is proposed for utilizing artificial neural networks to enhance the high-speed tracking accuracy of robotic manipulators. Tracking accuracy is a function of the controller's ability to compensate for disturbances produced by dynamical interactions between the links. A model-based control algorithm uses a nominal model of those dynamical interactions to reduce the disturbances. The problem is how to provide accurate dynamics information to the controller in the presence of payload uncertainty and modeling error. Neural network payload estimation uses a series of artificial neural networks to recognize the payload variation associated with a degradation in tracking performance. The network outputs are combined with a knowledge of nominal dynamics to produce a computationally efficient direct form of adaptive control. The concept is validated through experimentation and analysis on the first three links of a PUMA-560 manipulator. A multilayer perceptron architecture with two hidden layers is used. Integration of the principles of neural network pattern recognition and model-based control produces a tracking algorithm with enhanced robustness to incomplete dynamic information. Tracking efficacy and applicability to robust control algorithms are discussed.     

Approximate channel identification via δ‐signed correlation

A method of approximate channel identification is proposed that is based on a simplification of the correlation estimator. Despite the numerical simplification (no multiplications or additions are required, only comparisons and an accumulator), the performance of the proposed estimator is not significantly worse than that of the standard correlation estimator. A free (user selectable) parameter moves ‘smoothly’ from a situation with small sum‐squared channel estimation error but hard‐to‐identify channel peaks, to one with a larger sum‐squared estimation error but easy‐to‐identify channel peaks. The proposed estimator is shown to be biased and its behaviour is analysed in a number of situations. Applications of the proposed estimator to sparsity detection, symbol timing recovery and to the initialization of blind equalizers are suggested. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Intelligent handling of data by integration of commonsense reasoning

Any intelligent problem solving system should be able, given the known data on a case, to decide whether some item of information is true, false or unknown. In this paper the way in which various forms of commonsense reasoning can be integrated to provide such decisions is described. To this end three structural types of knowledge defined over data, and four strategies for exploiting these structures, are identified. ‘Decide-Status’ integrates the reasoning strategies into a task frame. This frame structure not only integrates the reasoning but also affords the appropriate facilities for providing strategic justifications for its conclusions, if required.     

Maturation ponds, rock filters and reedbeds in the UK: statistical analysis of winter performance.

Wastewater treatment technologies suitable for serving large populations are generally reliable and reasonably cost-effective, yet they are almost always financially inappropriate for small communities (< 2,000 p.e.). Comparative cost data suggests that waste stabilization ponds should be an attractive option for small communities, yet perceptions relating to land costs, climate and effluent quality have limited their application in the UK. This paper details typical UK land costs, climate and winter performance data for a pilot-scale waste stabilization pond with various upgrading technologies: system A, two tertiary maturation ponds in series; B, two tertiary maturation ponds in series followed by a reed bed channel; C, a control rock filter; D, an aerated rock filter; and E, a constructed wetland. System D was found to perform best, closely followed by system B.