Trends. Warranted Dogmatism against the Closed Mind: Preliminary Look at the Intelligence Agency\u27s (CIA) Groat Case

In this article, the author analyzes the arrest of former CIA employee, Douglas F. Groat

Effect of Curcumin on Pediatric Intractable Epilepsy

ObjectivesEpilepsy is the most prevalent chronic neurologic disorder in children. One-third of patients with epilepsy do not respond to antiepileptic drugs. This condition is known as intractable epilepsy. Previous studies have shown the beneficial effects of curcumin in the treatment of epilepsy. There are no randomized controlled clinicaltrials assessing the use of curcumin in epilepsy. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of nanomicelle curcumin on intractable pediatric epilepsy. Materials & Methods This double-blinded randomized crossover clinical trial was performed by a consecutive sampling to select 22 patients with intractable epilepsy divided into two groups. Patients received a daily dose of 4 mg/kg of curcumin or placebo as add-on therapy for 4 weeks. After a 2-week washout period, the treatment was replaced, and the new treatment was given for another 4 weeks. The SPSS software version 16 was used for statistical analysis. The study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Iran Results A total of 22 children were enrolled in this study, 11 of which were boys. The mean age of the patients was 4.28±5 years. A female patient taking a placebo was excluded in the first week of the trial due to parental dissatisfaction. The most common type of seizure among our patients was a generalized myoclonic seizure (42.9%). The mean number of seizure attacks among the subjects was 68.76±69.26 preintervention and 39.85±39.41at the end of the intervention, which represents a statistically significant difference (P=0.01). Conclusion Nanomicelle curcumin reduced the number of seizures significantly. Our results imply that curcumin treatment can help treat patients wit intractable pediatric epilepsy

Assessing the impact of news on oil prices : a text mining approach

This research adds to the scarce literature that exists on the issue of commodity pricing. Within the realms of marketing commodity pricing has not attracted that much attention since pricing in marketing has mainly focused on the issue of pricing of branded products and not homogenous products such as commodities. We will add to the literature by investigating the effects of news as a sentiment creating factor on prices of oil. The emergence of text mining techniques as tools to analyze large amounts of unstructured text gives us the ability to accomplish this task without the need for human intervention. To overcome this issue we have used a text mining methodology and implemented with the use of several programming languages to see to what extent news affects oil prices. Our results show that there is a major correlation between news and oil prices and oil prices are inefficient to a large extent. Also we found out that there is a major predictive power in news and it could be used to predict oil prices with great accuracy.Validerat; 20101217 (root

Women seek more variety in rewards when closer to ovulation

We propose that women's increased generalized sensitivity to rewards during the fertile phase of the menstrual cycle causes them to seek more variety in rewards when they are in the fertile phase than when they are not in the fertile phase of the cycle. In Studies 1–3, across the reward domains of mating and hedonic food, we show that women seek more variety in rewards when closer to ovulation. Moreover, we provide support for the proposition that women's increased reward sensitivity during the fertile phase of the menstrual cycle causes their greater variety seeking. Specifically, in Study 3, we show that fertile women's greater variety seeking does not extend to non-rewards, such as non-hedonic food. Our findings suggest that behavioral effects of women's hormonal shifts during the menstrual cycle are not limited to the mating domain and may extend to a wide category of reward domains

Women seek more variety in rewards when closer to ovulation

We propose that women’s increased generalized sensitivity to rewards during the fertile phase of the menstrual cycle causes them to seek more variety in rewards when they are in the fertile phase than when they are not in the fertile phase of the cycle. In Studies 1–3, across the reward domains of mating and hedonic food, we show that women seek more variety in rewards when closer to ovulation. Moreover, we provide support for the proposition that women’s increased reward sensitivity during the fertile phase of the menstrual cycle causes their greater variety seeking. Specifically, in Study 3, we show that fertile women’s greater variety seeking does not extend to non-rewards, such as non-hedonic food (vs. hedonic food). Our findings suggest that behavioral effects of women’s hormonal shifts during the menstrual cycle are not limited to the mating domain and may extend to a wide category of reward domains.nrpages: 21status: publishe

Similar advisers are more persuasive when advice-takers rely on their feelings

We propose that an advice-taker’s perceived similarity with an adviser creates a momentary subjective “feels right” experience towards the advice. The advice-taker incorporates this feeling, as information, into a judgment about topics of advice. Thus, persuasiveness of the advice is increased. Across six studies, we show that reliance on feelings moderates the effect of perceived similarity on advice persuasiveness. A similar adviser is more persuasive when advice-takers are instructed to use their feelings (vs. logic), when they have experiential (vs. functional) motives, when they are making a decision for near future (vs. distant future), when they see the topic of the advice as being more (vs. less) within reach, and when their cognitive resources are limited (vs. not limited). Moreover, we show that participants’ self-reported “feels right” experience while receiving the advice mediates this moderation.nrpages: 49status: publishe

A roof cavability classification system and its use for estimation of main caving interval in longwall mining

Proper strata caving in longwall mining guarantees the success of the operation while delayed or poor caving will lead to severe consequences. Therefore, the reliable prediction of strata and its caving potential is essential during the planning stage of a longwall project. This paper reports a novel classification system to evaluate the cavability level of the immediate roof strata in coal mines. A Fuzzy integrated multi-criteria decision-making method was used to incorporate nine inherent parameters that control the caving behaviour. After the determination of parameters’ weights and assigning corresponding ratings, the Cavability Index (CI) was defined as the summation of ratings for all the parameters to indicate the potential of caving qualitatively. The proposed classification system was applied to evaluate twelve panels throughout the world. In addition, the applicability of the classification system was investigated through the estimation of the main caving intervals. For this purpose, statistical relationships were developed in which the Cavability Index (CI) and hydraulic radius was independent variables. Model validation indicated that the linear model possesses an acceptable accuracy in the estimation of the main caving intervals for actual cases. These results showed reliable performance of the novel developed classification system from a practical point of view

Dysphagia Due to Anterior Cervical Spine Osteophyte: A Case Report

Introduction: Degenerative changes of the cervical spine are more common in elderly, but anterior cervical osteophytes that cause problems in swallowing are rare. The most common cause of this problem is DISH disease (diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis). Trauma is also suggested as a potential cause in osteophyte formation. Case Report: We report a rare case of anterior cervical osteophyte with problems in swallowing that was caused by cervical spine trauma in a car accident 4 years ago, treated with a cervical collar. Dysphagia was the initial symptom of the disease. Barium swallowing showed a large cervical osteophyte at the C3-C4 level with compression effect on the esophagus. X-ray, CT scan and MRI of the cervical spine confirmed the osteophyte and its correlation with the esophagus. Endoscopic study of esophagus and stomach also ruled out other disorders. Surgical osteophytectomy was performed. Conclusion: Up to now, only two cases of post-traumatic anterior cervical osteophyte have been cited in the literature. In this report, we introduce an unusual case of dysphagia caused by cervical spine trauma

Study the Effect of Melatonin on Fatigue in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis

Background and Aim: Multiple Sclerosis is (MS) is a common demyelinating disease of CNS that inflammation and stress oxidative processes have an important role in clinical courses and progression of it. The aim of the present study was to determine the anti-inflammatory effects of Melatonin on fatigue in MS. Materials and Methods: In a double-blind clinical trials study, 62 patients with relapsing remitting MS were randomized to oral Melatonin 3 mg or placebo daily for 8 weeks. Scale of Fatigue in MS was studied by assessing FSS (Fatigue Severity Scale) on weeks 1 and 8. Findings: 47 patients in intervention group and 15 patients in placebo group completed the study. In intervention group, treatment with Melatonin produced a significant decrease in FSS vs placebo group (before intervention: the average of FSS in patient group was 32.04±13.97 and in control group was 35.86±15.44; after intervention: the average of FSS in patient group was 30.42±12.40 and in control group was 41±12.66). Although in control group, the average of FSS was 35.866 and it was 41 after intervention. Because the score of placebo patient is near or upper than 36, this study suggested that Melatonin has a significant effect on improving and decreasing fatigue in MS. Conclusion: The use of melatonin alongside of First-line drugs such as mitoxantrone, IFN – B or glatimer acetate can improve fatigue and disability in patient with MS