Group Cancellation and Resolution

We establish a connection between the geometric methods developed in the combinatorial theory of small cancellation and the propositional resolution calculus. We define a precise correspondence between resolution proofs in logic and diagrams in small cancellation theory, and as a consequence, we derive that a resolution proof is a 2-dimensional process. The isoperimetric function defined on diagrams corresponds to the length of resolution proofs.     

A clausal resolution method for extended computation tree logic ECTL

A temporal clausal resolution method was originally developed for linear time temporal logic and further extended to the branching-time framework of Computation Tree Logic (CTL). In this paper, following our general idea to expand the applicability of this efficient method to more expressive formalisms useful in a variety of applications in computer science and AI requiring branching time logics, we define a clausal resolution technique for Extended Computation Tree Logic (ECTL). The branching-time temporal logic ECTL is strictly more expressive than CTL in allowing fairness operators. The key elements of the resolution method for ECTL, namely the clausal normal form, the concepts of step resolution and a temporal resolution, are introduced and justified with respect to this new framework. Although in developing these components we incorporate many of the techniques defined for CTL, we need novel mechanisms in order to capture fairness together with the limit closure property of the underlying tree models. We accompany our presentation of the relevant techniques by examples of the application of the temporal resolution method. Finally, we provide a correctness argument and consider future work discussing an extension of the method yet further, to the logic CTL^*, the most powerful logic of this class.     

Using temporal logics of knowledge for specification and verification—a case study

Temporal logics of knowledge are useful for reasoning about situations where the knowledge of an agent or component is important, and where change in this knowledge may occur over time. Here we use temporal logics of knowledge to reason about the game Cluedo. We show how to specify Cluedo using temporal logics of knowledge and prove statements about the knowledge of the players using a clausal resolution calculus for this logic. We discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using this logic to specify and verify the game Cluedo and describe related implementations.     

The role of the magnocellular and parvocellular pathways in the attentional blink

The attentional blink refers to the transient impairment in perceiving the 2nd of two targets presented in close temporal proximity in a rapid serial visual presentation (RSVP) stream. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect on human attentional-blink performance of disrupting the function of the magnocellular pathway--a major visual-processing pathway specialized in temporal segregation. The study was motivated by recent theories that relate the attentional blink to the limited temporal resolution of attentional responses, and by a number of poorly understood empirical findings, including the effects on the attentional blink of luminance adaptation and distraction. The attentional blink was assessed for stimuli on a red background (Experiment 1), stimuli on an equiluminant background (Experiment 2), and following flicker or motion adaptation (Experiment 3), three psychophysical manipulations known to disrupt magnocellular function. Contrary to our expectations, the attentional blink was not affected by these manipulations, suggesting no specific relationship between the attentional blink and magnocellular and/or parvocellular processing.     

论医疗纠纷中的替代性解决机制

由于在纠纷解决方面所表现出来的简便、经济、快捷、专业型及保密性强等优点,替代性纠纷解决机制逐渐成为许多国家和地区解决民事纠纷的一大趋势。根据我国所面临的现实情况,将ADR引入医疗纠纷领域是一条快速、有效地解决医疗纠纷的途径。医疗纠纷的替代性解决机制主要包括临时仲裁、调解、和解。这三种纠纷解决方式各具特点,适用于不同情况下医疗纠纷的解决。     

青少年特质情感、朋友冲突解决策略对友谊质量的影响

为考察特质情感对青少年友谊质量的影响机制,以638名小学四年级至初中三年级青少年为被试,用问卷法考察青少年朋友冲突解决策略的类型和特点,采用结构方程模型进行分析。结果表明:(1)青少年朋友冲突解决策略类型包括反省和解、说服建议、消极情绪、忽视回避和攻击伤害五种,女生的反省和解策略得分高于男生,男生的攻击伤害策略得分高于女生。(2)积极情感以积极解决策略为中介预测积极友谊质量,积极情感还对积极友谊质量具有直接预测作用。(3)消极情感通过积极和消极的解决策略为中介,分别预测积极友谊质量和消极友谊质量;消极情感对于友谊质量没有直接预测作用。说明积极情感与消极情感是通过不同的路径、相对独立地影响友谊质量。     

A family therapy perspective on mediation

Many times, family therapists are both the first to learn that a couple may separate and the last to see them in the same consultation room, still relating to each other and the same professional before the adversarial system takes over. Mediation offers a viable alternative to that system because clients are helped to speak directly and craft the decisions that will delineate their move toward separate lives. Mediation is defined and the divorce process demystified, and the similarities and differences between mediation and therapy are discussed. Brief examples and a longer case discussion are provided to illustrate the mediation process. A familiarity with this process will enable therapists to hold more informed discussions about mediation with their clients and invite them to consider a process that is congruent with many of the values of family therapy.     

Defining answer classes using resolution refutation

Resolution theorem proving provides a useful paradigm for the exploration of question answering. A partition of the clauses generated during resolution refutation based on their syntactic structure is presented. The three classes comprising this partition correspond to semantically intuitive types of answers. This work encompasses and expands upon previous work on question answering in a theorem proving paradigm, which began with the association of answers with proofs. A complete, formal definition of what is meant by answer in the context of resolution theorem proving is presented. In this context, clauses that are relevant are all identified as answers, where relevance is determined with respect to a question and knowledge base: any clause descended from the clause form of a negated question is deemed relevant. This definition of relevance is not in and of itself novel; rather, it is the way in which the set of relevant clauses is partitioned that provides the key to interpreting clauses as answers. The three answer classes identified are: specific, generic, and hypothetical. These classes are formally distinguished by the way in which literals in a clause share variables, with class membership based on a property termed the closure of variable sharing of a literal. The results presented provide a foundation for further work by establishing a context-independent logical pragmatics of question answering.