Further progress/developments, on surface/bulk treated Constantan wires, for anomalous heat generation by H2/D2 interaction

In the framework of those studies aimed to analyze anomalous effects (thermal and/or nuclear) due to the interaction among some specific materials (pure and/or alloys) and H2 (or D2), we focused, since 2011, on a specific alloy called Constantan (Cu55-Ni44-Mn1). We selected such material using our own considerations and intuitions and because, according to a scientific paper [1], it has the largest energy value for dissociation of H2 to 2H, i.e. about 3eV. Among others B. Ahern suggested that Ni-Cu-H can be used for heat generation. We improved the preparation procedure of such wire from simple thermal treatments (up to May 2012 [2])to more sophisticated ones, with more tight control of the multilayered (400-700) surface structures. Some of the results were presented at ICCF17, Aug. 2012 [3]. After [3], several groups asked to make their own experiments using such kind of wires ([phi]=200[mu]m, l=100cm) to cross-check (and possibly improve) our results. Some of such Researchers (group of M. Fleischmann Memorial Project; U. Mastromatteo) made public their (positive) results since Dec. 14, 2012 at Ministry of Aeronautics in Rome, Italy. In short, using an (home-made) apparatus integrated with an acquisition system (type PXi) by National Instruments, we made, since September 2012, not mentioning qualitative reconfirmation of previous results, further and unexpected progress and discoveries: a) We developed a new kind of procedure of measurement (about anomalous excess heat) under dynamic vacuum, to avoid the effect of different thermal conductivity, inside the gas cell, due to type of gas and pressure variation: the wire didn't lose, macroscopically, H even at T=600[degrees]C. b) We developed a new, very simple, type of surface coating (2 layers) that is nano-diamandoidslike; c) We observed, at least 2 times, the phenomenon of water splitting due to catalytic effect of surface treated Constantan. Such phenomenon is larger in comparison with what expected just by thermal splitting (wires temperature of about 300-500[degrees]C); d) We observed a very large variation (about a factor 100) of Resistive Thermal Coefficient (RTC) of the wire used (400 layers) as the amount of H (related to the macroscopic value of resistive ratio R/Ro, normalize to empty wire Ro) increased. As example, with "treated" virgin wire (w/o H2) the RTC was about 5*10-6 and increased to6*10-4 when the R/Ro reduced to 0.68; temperature range 20-300[degrees]C. The RTC is larger with D in respect to H. Experiments are in progress also at 77K. e) Overall results are affected by previous operating conditions

New Procedures to Make Active, Fractal-Like Surfaces on Thin pd Wires

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Breast cancer "tailored follow-up" in Italian oncology units: a web-based survey

urpose: Breast cancer follow-up procedures after primary treatment are still a controversial issue. Aim of this study was to investigate, through a web-based survey, surveillance methodologies selected by Italian oncologists in everyday clinical practice. Methods: Referents of Italian medical oncology units were invited to participate to the study via e-mail through the SurveyMonkey website. Participants were asked how, in their institution, exams of disease staging and follow-up are planned in asymptomatic women and if surveillance continues beyond the 5th year. Results: Between February and May 2013, 125 out of 233 (53.6%) invited referents of Italian medical oncology units agreed to participate in the survey. Ninety-seven (77.6%) referents state that modalities of breast cancer follow-up are planned according to the risk of disease progression at diagnosis and only 12 (9.6%) oncology units apply the minimal follow-up procedures according to international guidelines. Minimal follow-up is never applied in high risk asymptomatic women. Ninety-eight (78.4%) oncology units continue follow-up in all patients beyond 5 years. Conclusions: Our survey shows that 90.4% of participating Italian oncology units declare they do not apply the minimal breast cancer follow-up procedures after primary treatment in asymptomatic women, as suggested by national and international guidelines. Interestingly, about 80.0% of interviewed referents performs the so called "tailored follow-up", high intensity for high risk, low intensity for low risk patients. There is an urgent need of randomized clinical trials able to determine the effectiveness of risk-based follow-up modalities, their ideal frequency and persistence in time

Ability to Consolidate Instances as a Proxy for the Association Among Reading, Spelling, and Math Learning Skill

Learning skills (as well as disorders) tend to be associated; however, cognitive models typically focus either on reading, spelling or maths providing no clear basis for interpreting this phenomenon. A recent new model of learning cognitive skills proposes that the association among learning skills (and potentially the comorbidity of learning disorders) depends in part from the individual ability to consolidate instances (taken as a measure of rate of learning). We examined the performance of typically developing fifth graders over the acquisition of a novel paper-and-pencil task that could be solved based on an algorithm or, with practice, with reference to specific instances. Our aim was to establish a measure of individual rate of learning using parameters envisaged by the instance theory of automatization by Logan and correlate it to tasks requiring knowledge of individual items (e.g., spelling words with an ambiguous transcription) or tasks requiring the application of a rule or an algorithm (e.g., spelling non-words). The paper-and-pencil procedure yielded acquisition curves consistent with the predictions of the instance theory of automatization (i.e., they followed a power function fit) both at a group and an individual level. Performance in tasks requiring knowledge of individual items (such as doing tables or the retrieval of lexical representations) but not in tasks requiring the application of rules or algorithms (such as judging numerosity or spelling through sublexical mapping) was significantly predicted by the learning parameters of the individual power fits. The results support the hypothesis that an individual dimension of “ability to consolidate instances” contributes to learning skills such as reading, spelling, and maths, providing an interesting heuristic for understanding the comorbidity across learning disorders

Developmental dyslexia in a regular orthography: can the reading profile be reduced to strategic control?

In languages with regular orthographies, the identification of different forms of reading impairment (such as surface or phonological dyslexia) has proved elusive. Alternatively, it has been proposed that different patterns of errors depend upon strategic choices on the part of the reader. The present study aimed to test this strategic interpretation by evaluating the effectiveness of instructions to read quickly (or accurately) in modifying the reading rate and types of errors of dyslexic children. Further, drawing on an error classification based on the contrast between sounding-out behaviour and word substitution, we examined the types of reading error that best characterize the deficit in a language with regular orthography (Italian). Thirty children with dyslexia and 30 chronologically age-matched controls read aloud passages and word lists with instructions to emphasize either rate or accuracy. When asked to read quickly, children with dyslexia increased their reading rate (although less than skilled children). However, the type of instructions had little influence on reading errors. Therefore, the results did not support the view that strategic control has an important role in modulating the types of reading errors made by children with dyslexia. For word lists, sounding-out behaviour, errors in stress assignment, and form-related nonwords were useful to correctly identifying children with dyslexia. For text passages, sounding-out behaviour and form-related errors were the best predictors of group membership. Thus, specific types of errors are a fundamental component of the reading deficit in children who speak a language with regular orthography over and above their reading slowness

A study about remedial measures to reduce 222Rn concentration in an experimental building

Radon gas emanating from underground can spread to adjoining closed areas. It can concentrate and reach levels which represent a risk to people’s health. It is well known that radon presence in most areas depends mainly on the area’s geological features. Indoor radon concentrations further depend on the type of structure, construction materials and the technology used for the building. Therefore, indoor radon monitoring is of primary importance for deciding whether remedial measures are to be adopted for reducing harmful concentrations. This approach has been tried by measuring radon concentration in an experimental building situated in Milan (Italy). This building situated in a geological area that is considered at low radon risk. The results were obtained after analysing radon concentration in indoor rooms, crawl spaces, soil gas and in the atmosphere outside and by measuring before and after adoption of remedial measures. The study shows that improper building design can give rise to higher indoor radon accumulation even in an area of poor radon exhalation. Furthermore, the results enable quantification of the effectiveness of the remedial measures