Contradicting (not-)at-issueness in exclusives and clefts: An empirical study

We present two empirical studies on exclusives, it-clefts, and pseudoclefts (i.e., identity statements with a definite description) in which the at-issue and not-at-issue content – a factor that has not been properly controlled for in prior experimental work on cleft exhaustivity – was teased apart systematically. The results show that violations of exhaustivity in it-clefts, a not-at-issue inference, patterned differently from the necessary presupposition failures of the not-at-issue semantic inferences. These findings pose a new experimental challenge to semantic accounts of exhaustivity in it-clefts, while being in line with pragmatic accounts

Contradicting (not-)at-issueness in exclusives and clefts: An empirical study

We present two empirical studies on exclusives, it-clefts, and pseudoclefts (i.e., identity statements with a definite description) in which the at-issue and not-at-issue content – a factor that has not been properly controlled for in prior experimental work on cleft exhaustivity – was teased apart systematically. The results show that violations of exhaustivity in it-clefts, a not-at-issue inference, patterned differently from the necessary presupposition failures of the not-at-issue semantic inferences. These findings pose a new experimental challenge to semantic accounts of exhaustivity in it-clefts, while being in line with pragmatic accounts

Oxiracetam in the treatment of multi-infarct dementia

1.1. Initial clinical trials in approximately 200 patients with dementias of diverse etiology suggested that oxiracetam, a structural analogue of the nootropic piracetam, was of some benefit in the treatment of cognitive dysfunction.2.2. Because previous studies had not specifically examined the effects of oxiracetam upon dementias of vascular origin, the present study evaluated the therapeutic efficacy and safety of oxiracetam in the treatment of symptoms of multi-infarct dementia (MID) of Bild to moderate severity.3.3. Incremental doses of up to 1200 mg oxiracetam daily were tested in a dose-range finding design in a group of patients with clinically and neuropsychologically confirmed MID.4.4. Based on improvement in global evaluations of clinical change, our analysis suggests that the drug may be of some benefit in MID

Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology in the New Millennium: A Workshop for Academia, Industry, and Government

Objective: To give academic researchers, government officials, and industry scientists an opportunity to assess the state of pediatric psychopharmacology and identify challenges facing professionals in the field. Method: Increased federal spending and the introduction of pediatric exclusivity led to large increases in pediatric psychopharmacology research in the 1990s. Despite the increase in research, concerns exist about methods and incentives for making new medications available for use in pediatric psychiatric disorders. In recognition of these concerns, the Duke Clinical Research Institute held a roundtable in September 2004. Participants from the National Institutes of Health, regulatory agencies, academia, and the pharmaceutical industry spoke about the effects of government regulations such as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Modernization Act and the Pediatric Research Equity Act on pediatric research from academic, clinical, and industry perspectives, and bioethical considerations of such research. Conclusions: To ensure development of new drugs for treating psychiatric disorders in children and adolescents, we must address the challenges posed by the regulatory environment governing pediatric psychopharmacology research. Strategies were identified for improving the evidence base for psychopharmacologic interventions in youth before widespread use and for more effectively defining a research agenda for the future