Plan variants and a plan refinement algorithm

The relational production model of problem solving, due to Vere, is used to analyze plan inefficiency. The concept of plan variant is introduced and precisely related to the triangle tables of Nilsson. The concept is used to extend certain classes of inefficiencies. A method is described which "tightens up" plans containing these inefficiencies, often producing optimal ones

The Impact of Constitutional Liability on the Privatization Movement After Richardson v. McKnight

Privatization is the process of delegating control of a govern- mental function to the private sector. Although privatization is a relatively new words the concept of privatization can be traced back to the very founding of this continent. Christopher Columbus was a private contractor for the Spanish monarch when he accidentally ran into America while trying to find a quicker route to China. Since Columbus\u27 blooper and the subsequent formation of the United States, privatization has been a part of this country\u27s political culture. Over the last twenty years privatization has experienced an unprecedented level of global support and has become a central part of a strong American anti-government political movement. This political climate has prompted different levels of government to contract with private companies for the performance of services as varied as prison opera- tion, fire protection, and electricity production and distribution. Proponents of privatization claim that the private sector can perform governmental functions better and with less expense. Proponents argue that government-provided service is inherently inefficient because the government lacks profit motive and competition. Critics of privatization, on the other hand, argue that any value created by privatization comes at the expense of the general public good, and that privatization only benefits greedy corporations. Critics complain that the private sector uses its delegated governmental power to sacrifice equality of service, privacy, and individual liberty for profit

My Dusky Ola: From Pensacola

https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/mmb-vp/5192/thumbnail.jp

Extraordinary Writs: A Powerful Tool for the Florida Practitioner

This article explores the distinctive nature of extraordinary writs and their availability in the Florida courts. Recent decisional and statutory law in this area is analyzed in detail. The authors\u27 presentation affords Florida practitioners valuable guidelines for the effective invocation of extraordinary writs

A randomized controlled trial examining a cognitive behavioral therapy intervention enhanced with cognitive remediation to improve work and neurocognition outcomes among persons with schizophrenia spectrum disorders

This single blind, three-armed randomized controlled trial compared cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) enhanced with cognitive remediation (CBT + CR) to CBT alone and an active control condition on work and neurocognition outcomes for persons with schizophrenia spectrum disorders. Seventy-five adult outpatients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder were randomized to three study conditions (N = 25 per group). The CBT intervention was the Indianapolis Vocational Intervention program (IVIP), consisting of weekly group and individual sessions focused on work-related content. Participants in the CBT + CR group received IVIP and Posit Science computer-based cognitive training. The active control group consisted of weekly vocational support groups and individual vocational support sessions. All participants were placed into a noncompetitive work assignment and were followed for 26 weeks. Data collection included hours worked, weekly work performance ratings, and neurocognition assessed at baseline and 6 months. Neurocognition was also assessed at 12 months. Data were analyzed using multilevel linear models to account for nested, repeated measures data. Results indicate that participants in the CBT + CR condition worked significantly more hours and had a more positive trajectory of improving global work performance and work quality across the study compared with the CBT alone and vocational support condition. Compared to the other conditions, CBT + CR also had a significant increase in overall neurocognition that continued to the 12 month follow-up, particularly in the domains of verbal learning and social cognition. In conclusion, CBT + CR may be an effective intervention to improve work functioning and neurocognition in persons with schizophrenia

An Empirical Study of Public Defender Effectiveness: Self-Selection by the "Marginally Indigent"

Abstract: An econometric study of all felony cases filed in Denver, Colorado, in 2002, shows that public defenders achieved poorer outcomes than their privately retained counterparts, measured by the actual sentences defendants received. But this study suggests that the traditional explanation for this difference—under-funding resulting in overburdened public defenders—may not tell the whole story. The authors discovered a large segment of what they call “marginally indigent” defendants, who appear capable of hiring private counsel if the charges against them are sufficiently serious. When the sentence data was controlled for the seriousness of the charges, however, public defenders still performed more poorly than private counsel. These results suggest that at least one explanation for poor public defender outcomes may be that public defender clients, by self selection, tend to have less defensible cases. If marginally indigent defendants can find the money to hire private counsel when the charges are sufficiently serious, perhaps they can also find the money when they are innocent, or think they have a strong case

Efficient Logic Programs: A Research Proposal

The goal of the proposed research is to develop methods for efficient implementation of logic programs. There are two areas we wish to investigate, both of which are continuations of research conducted by members of the UCI dataflow architecture group. One aspect of the proposed research involves development of a non-von Neumann architecture for parallel execution of logic programs; preliminary work in this area is reported by Conery [9]. The second area invovles transformation of high level logic specifications into efficient Prolog and/or procedural language programs, and is based on work by Morris [20]

Autonomous Spacecraft Communication Interface for Load Planning

Ground-based controllers can remain in continuous communication with spacecraft in low Earth orbit (LEO) with near-instantaneous communication speeds. This permits near real-time control of all of the core spacecraft systems by ground personnel. However, as NASA missions move beyond LEO, light-time communication delay issues, such as time lag and low bandwidth, will prohibit this type of operation. As missions become more distant, autonomous control of manned spacecraft will be required. The focus of this paper is the power subsystem. For present missions, controllers on the ground develop a complete schedule of power usage for all spacecraft components. This paper presents work currently underway at NASA to develop an architecture for an autonomous spacecraft, and focuses on the development of communication between the Mission Manager and the Autonomous Power Controller. These two systems must work together in order to plan future load use and respond to unanticipated plan deviations. Using a nominal spacecraft architecture and prototype versions of these two key components, a number of simulations are run under a variety of operational conditions, enabling development of content and format of the messages necessary to achieve the desired goals. The goals include negotiation of a load schedule that meets the global requirements (contained in the Mission Manager) and local power system requirements (contained in the Autonomous Power Controller), and communication of off-plan disturbances that arise while executing a negotiated plan. The message content is developed in two steps: first, a set of rapid-prototyping "paper" simulations are preformed; then the resultant optimized messages are codified for computer communication for use in automated testing