Towards the formal specification of an OPS5 production system architecture

The article presents a formal specification for many important aspects of the OPS5 production systems framework. the article illustrates how an abstract formal specification of a production system can be created and the benefits this provides to those involved in the development of knowledge-based systems. the formal specification is preceded by an informal specification of a production system upon which the formal model is based and the development is illustrated through the use of concrete examples. the notation used is that of “Z” (J. M. Spivey, The Z Notation, Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, 1990), a language based upon typed set theory. This language has been used to success in the specification of critical conventional software systems (I. Hayes, Technical Monograph PRG-46, Oxford University Computing Laboratory, Oxford, England, 1985) and which is formal enough to allow for the creation of rigorous specifications, yet is of a form that makes these specifications “readable.” the aim of the article is to show that formal techniques can be applied to areas of knowledge-based system development, thus promoting correctness, reliability, and understanding. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

The therapeutic frame revisited: A contemporary perspective.

Argues that since it was first proposed, the therapeutic "frame" has been widely adopted in a relatively unquestioned manner despite major modifications in clinical theory and practice. A reexamination of the frame from a contemporary perspective is presented. While traditional conceptions of the frame emphasize its function for the client, it is argued that this structure also serves a crucial purpose for the therapist. By minimizing the opportunity for self-indulgence (e.g., by fostering abstinence, anonymity, and neutrality), the frame enables the clinician to maintain a therapeutic stance and to create an environment that fosters comprehension of the client. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Sex differences in sensitivity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis.

Two studies examined sex differences in responsiveness of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal cortical axis, a major component of the stress response. The first measured pituitary-adrenal responses to ovine corticotropin-releasing hormone (oCRH) in 24 healthy men and 19 healthy women. Plasma adrenocorticotropin hormone responses to oCRH were significantly greater among women than among men. In contrast, cortisol concentrations were similar in both groups, though elevations were more prolonged in women. Differences in corticotropin-releasing activity between men and women may help account for these findings; such differences in central components of the stress response might play a role in the known epidemiological differences in diseases of stress system dysregulation between men and women. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Catheter-associated Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia

The majority of cases of Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia are hospital-acquired, and most are associated with infected intravenous catheters. Preventive measures, early detection of infections, and strategies for effective treatment have become matters of increasing urgency.     

Fluoride treatment for facial nerve stimulation caused by cochlear implants in otosclerosis

Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) pseudomembraneous colitis was diagnosed in a 13-year-old boy with Hodgkin's disease 3 months after autologous bone marrow transplantation. Hematopoiesis was fully reconstituted at the time. C. difficile infection occurred after gall bladder empyema had been treated conservatively with i.v. antibiotics and prophylactic 4-week administration of oral amoxicillin. C. difficile colitis was diagnosed early and intensive supportive therapy combined with administration of i.v. and subsequently oral vancomycin therapy failed. It is a phenomenon rarely seen and successful eradication of the clostridium infection was only achieved by a combination of higher dose vancomycin with metronidazole. During the post-colitis recovery the patient experienced a relapse of Hodgkin's disease and died following further surgical intervention 137 days post-transplantation.     

Personal and peers' word associations in relation to children's false recognition errors.

Attempted to show that false recognition errors would be more frequently elicited by children's personal associates to a set of target words than by associates based on peer norms; Ss were 80 White middle-class 2nd and 5th graders (mean ages, 7.6 and 10.6 yrs, respectively). In Session 1 Ss gave oral associations to 34 words. In the 1st phase of Session 2, target words were each read aloud once and Ss were required to memorize them; in the 2nd phase Ss worked for 5 min on a maze task to prevent rehearsal; and in the final phase, a 40-item recognition list was read. Ss determined whether a word was one they had been asked to remember. As predicted, responses occurred with decreasing frequency to target, personal, peer, and control words. Consistent with the expectation that personal associates would more frequently elicit false recognition errors than would peer associates, the difference between personal and control responses was larger than the difference between peer and control. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Prediction of success from examination of performance during the training period.

Production during early weeks of the learning period was correlated with average production after completing learning for a group of power sewing machine operators. In accordance with initial hypotheses, correlations are low during the first few weeks, rising steadily as the learning period progresses, but remaining lower than those obtained in studies using learning performance criteria rather than ultimate level of proficiency. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Psychology--A Profession or What?

The author asserts that if psychology is a profession, then: Let us first establish the doctoral level as the minimal requirement for any individual wishing to be classified and recognized as a psychologist. Let the public and other professions know that to be designated psychologist, a doctor's degree from an approved university is required. Let's establish a broad general core of functions for psychologists so that they may serve as general practitioners and let specialization emerge as adequate bodies of knowledge develop out of cumulative experience and research. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Metabolism of 1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)-ethane and 1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)ethane in the mouse

The metabolites of 1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)ethane (DDT) and 1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)ethane (DDD) found in the urine of female Swiss mice are reported. The metabolites of DDT are DDD, 1-chloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)ethene (DDMU), 1,1-dichloro-2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)ethene (DDE), 2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)acetic acid (DDA), 2-hydroxy-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)acetic acid (alpha OH-DDA) and 2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)ethanol (DDOH), while DDD afforded DDMU, DDE, DDA, alpha OH-DDA and DDOH. The relative excreted levels of DDA and DDOH and the absence of 2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)acetaldehyde (DDCHO) are not consistent with the generally accepted pathway for DDA formation, which involves sequential metabolism of DDT and DDD via DDOH to afford DDA. The quantitative results are interpreted to mean that DDA is formed by hydroxylation at the chlorinated sp3-side chain carbon of DDD to give 2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)acetyl chloride (DDA-Cl), which in turn is hydrolyzed to DDA. The excretion of alpha OH-DDA from both DDT- and DDD-treated mice has never been previously observed. It is suggested that this metabolite arises from the initial epoxidation of DDMU, a metabolite of DDT and DDD, to yield 1,2-epoxy-1-chloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)ethane (DDMU-epoxide). This chloroepoxide is then hydrolyzed and oxidized to produce the alpha OH-DDA.