Parallel plan execution with self-processing networks

A critical issue for space operations is how to develop and apply advanced automation techniques to reduce the cost and complexity of working in space. In this context, it is important to examine how recent advances in self-processing networks can be applied for planning and scheduling tasks. For this reason, the feasibility of applying self-processing network models to a variety of planning and control problems relevant to spacecraft activities is being explored. Goals are to demonstrate that self-processing methods are applicable to these problems, and that MIRRORS/II, a general purpose software environment for implementing self-processing models, is sufficiently robust to support development of a wide range of application prototypes. Using MIRRORS/II and marker passing modelling techniques, a model of the execution of a Spaceworld plan was implemented. This is a simplified model of the Voyager spacecraft which photographed Jupiter, Saturn, and their satellites. It is shown that plan execution, a task usually solved using traditional artificial intelligence (AI) techniques, can be accomplished using a self-processing network. The fact that self-processing networks were applied to other space-related tasks, in addition to the one discussed here, demonstrates the general applicability of this approach to planning and control problems relevant to spacecraft activities. It is also demonstrated that MIRRORS/II is a powerful environment for the development and evaluation of self-processing systems

Taxation: Disclaimer or Renunciation under Nebraska Statutes

I. Introduction II. Federal Disclaimer Law … A. Statutory Basis … B. Case Law Interpretation III. Nebraska Laws … A. The Nebraska Disclaimer Act … B. The New Nebraska Probate Code: Renunciation IV. Remaining Uncertainties … A. Joint Tenants … B. Time to Disclaim … C. Partial Disclaimer … D. Insolvency … E. United States Savings Bonds VI. Conclusio

Autoplan: A self-processing network model for an extended blocks world planning environment

Self-processing network models (neural/connectionist models, marker passing/message passing networks, etc.) are currently undergoing intense investigation for a variety of information processing applications. These models are potentially very powerful in that they support a large amount of explicit parallel processing, and they cleanly integrate high level and low level information processing. However they are currently limited by a lack of understanding of how to apply them effectively in many application areas. The formulation of self-processing network methods for dynamic, reactive planning is studied. The long-term goal is to formulate robust, computationally effective information processing methods for the distributed control of semiautonomous exploration systems, e.g., the Mars Rover. The current research effort is focusing on hierarchical plan generation, execution and revision through local operations in an extended blocks world environment. This scenario involves many challenging features that would be encountered in a real planning and control environment: multiple simultaneous goals, parallel as well as sequential action execution, action sequencing determined not only by goals and their interactions but also by limited resources (e.g., three tasks, two acting agents), need to interpret unanticipated events and react appropriately through replanning, etc

VIRIS: A Visual-Infrared Imaging System for the Lick Observatory 1-M Telescope

We describe a system in use at the Lick Observatory 1-m Nickel telescope for near-simultaneous imaging at optical and near-infrared wavelengths. The combined availability of a CCD and a NICMOS-3 camera makes the system well-suited for photometric monitoring from 0.5-2.2 microns of a variety of astrophysical objects. Our science program thus far has concentrated on studying variability trends in young stellar objects.Comment: 11 pages LaTex, 3 Postscript figure, Pub. Astr. Soc. Pac. 1998, in pres

Can We Fight Social Engineering Attacks By Social Means? Assessing Social Salience as a Means to Improve Phish Detection

Phishing continues to be a problem for both individuals and organisations, with billions of dollars lost every year. We propose the use of nudges – more specifically social saliency nudges that aim to highlight important information to the user when evaluating emails. We used a signal detection analysis to assess the effects of both sender saliency (highlighting important fields from the sender) and receiver saliency (showing numbers of other users in receipt of the same email). Sender saliency improved phish detection but did not introduce any unwanted response bias. Users were asked to rate their confidence in their own judgements and these confidence scores were poorly calibrated with actual performance, particularly for phishing (as opposed to genuine) emails. We also examined the role of impulsive behaviour on phish detection, concluding that those who score highly on dysfunctional impulsivity are less likely to detect the presence of phishing emails

Young children's narrations of relational recovery: A school-based group for children who have experienced domestic violence

In the UK, domestic violence (DV) is one of the most common safeguarding concerns children and young people report (CAADA, 2014). However, little is known about how children experience participation in interventions that aim to support their recovery if they have been affected by DV. This study aims to understand children’s experiences of participating in a group programme facilitated by a DV organisation in the UK. Interviews were conducted with four children (aged 7–10) using a flexible, creative and child-led approach. A thematic narrative analysis was used, using a small story approach to narrative data. Results indicate that issues of children’s agency, choice and intersecting identities are central to not only how children experience DV but also how they experience recovery. Findings highlight the experiential and relational aspect of therapeutic spaces that can enable children to form relationships and construct meaningful identities. Conclusions suggest that children need to be consulted in inclusive ways in order to contribute to the development and accessibility of services designed to support them when they have been affected by DV

"It may take ages":understanding human-centred lateral phishing attack detection in organisations

Smartphones are a central part of modern life and contain vast amounts of personal and professional data as well as access to sensitive features such as banking and financial apps. As such protecting our smartphones from unauthorised access is of great importance, and users prioritise this over protecting their devices against digital security threats. Previous research has explored user experiences of unauthorised access to their smartphone – though the vast majority of these cases involve an attacker who is known to the user and knows an unlock code for the device. We presented 374 participants with a scenario concerning the loss of their smartphone in a public place. Participants were allocated to one of 3 scenario groups where a different unknown individual with malicious intentions finds the device and attempts to gain access to its contents. After exposure, we ask participants to envision a case where someone they know has a similar opportunity to attempt to gain access to their smartphone. We compare these instances with respect to differences in the motivations of the attacker, their skills and their knowledge of the user. We find that participants underestimate how commonly people who know them may be able to guess their PIN and overestimate the extent to which smartphones can be ‘hacked into’. We discuss how concerns over the severity of an attack may cloud perceptions of its likelihood of success, potentially leading users to underestimate the likelihood of unauthorised access occurring from known attackers who can utilize personal knowledge to guess unlock codes

Differential Regulation of Neuropeptide Y in the Amygdala and Prefrontal Cortex during Recovery from Chronic Variable Stress

Accumulating evidence from clinical studies and pre-clinical animal models supports a role for neuropeptide Y (NPY) in adaptive emotional response following stress. The long-term impact of stress, particularly chronic stress, on availability, and function of resilience factors such as NPY may be critical to understanding the etiology of stress-related psychopathology. In these studies, we examined expression of NPY during recovery from a chronic variable stress (CVS) model of repetitive trauma in rats. Due to the importance of amygdala and prefrontal cortex in regulating emotional responses, we predicted chronic changes in NPY expression could contribute to persistent behavioral deficits seen in this model. Consistent with the hypothesis, ELISA for NPY peptide identified a significant reduction in NPY at the delayed (7 days) recovery time-point. Interestingly, a significant increase in prefrontal NPY was observed at the same recovery time-point. The mRNA expression for NPY was not changed in the amygdala or PFC, although there was a modest but not statistically significant increase in NPY mRNA at the delayed recovery time-point in the prefrontal cortex. The observed changes in NPY expression are consistent with maladaptive coping and enhanced emotionality, due to the nature of NPY signaling within these respective regions, and the nature of reciprocal connections between amygdala and prefrontal cortex