Daily Archives: May 4, 2017

Will This Insanely Powerful Psychedelic Drug Someday Help Your Sanity? – Big Think

Posted: May 4, 2017 at 3:31 pm

As we have mentioned on Big Think before, psychedelic drugs are currently enjoying a surge of new interest in medicine. Psilocybin (the compound in magic mushrooms) is showing potential in the treatment of anxiety, and LSD shows promise against alcoholism. While some of these drugs were used previously for therapeutic purposes, their association with the counterculture proved dangerous to their legality. As such, only now are their potential benefits being reconsidered.

A recent study shows yet another psychedelic to have potent and potentially therapeutic effects. The drug is Ayahuasca, a concoction consisting primarily of the chemical DMT, with other elements added to aid in the absorption of the drug. DMT is incredibly powerful; users often report the sensation of being in a different world, and when brewed as Ayahuasca the length of a trip goes from five minutes to several hours. Ayahuasca is therefore regarded, justly, as one of the most extreme psychedelic drugs in existence.

The study by Jos Carlos Bouso and others examined the brains of 22 long-term users of Ayahuasca. When their brains were measured for thickness in the posterior cingulate cortex it was found that they had reduced levels of brain activity in that region. This isnt as bad as it sounds; this part of the brain is associated with anxiety and depression. The size of this region is also negatively associated with working memory performance.

The users also scored higher on tests of self-transcendence and self-reported a reduced usage of alcohol and cocaine later. While correlation cannot prove causation, it does suggest that use of the drug leads to structural changes in the brain, ones that may assist people who have issues with anxiety, depression, and substance abuse,along with the typical effects of psychedelic usage.

An example of those typical effects.

It's not only Ayahuasca that has that brain-changing effect. Meditation can also reduce the area of the brain associated with anxiety and depression, and can do so without the side effects of extreme vomiting, apocalyptic diarrhea, and having to interact with potentially shady shamanistic hacks that take advantage of Ayahuasca's increasing public interest. Similarly, the studies are still new and more research is needed before the facts can be called settled. A single study of 22 people is no reason to go out and try it yourself.

We are living in a time when the potential therapeutic uses of psychedelic drugs are being seriously reconsidered. Ayahuasca, the drink of choice for the discriminating shaman, may prove to be another tool in the psychologist's arsenal. Much more research is needed before a conclusive answer can be given. The potential, however, is clear and intriguing. Our fear of psychedelics must not inhibit our ability to study their possible therapeutic effects, likewise we must be sure our hope for therapeutic effects does not inhibit our ability to do proper research.

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Will This Insanely Powerful Psychedelic Drug Someday Help Your Sanity? - Big Think

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‘Ghost In The Shell 1.5: Deluxe Edition’ Manga Review: A Great Collection Of Cyberpunk Short Stories – Forbes

Posted: at 3:28 pm


Forbes
'Ghost In The Shell 1.5: Deluxe Edition' Manga Review: A Great Collection Of Cyberpunk Short Stories
Forbes
With the travesty of the live-action movie adaptation of Ghost in the Shell now firmly behind us, it's worth going back to what made the series so memorable in the first place; its excellent manga. After the events in the original Ghost in the Shell ...

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'Ghost In The Shell 1.5: Deluxe Edition' Manga Review: A Great Collection Of Cyberpunk Short Stories - Forbes

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TMS (Magnets) Can Help Depression – Beliefnet

Posted: at 3:27 pm

Most people with depression feel better with treatment. But about 30 percent cant seem to shake off their depression. This is especially true if you respond poorly ordont respond at all toantidepressants.

For those with treatment-resistant depression, a noninvasive treatment calledtranscranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) offers hope.

This relatively new option can bring relief whenother treatmentsfor depression fail, says psychiatristMurat Altinay, MD.

TMS uses a magnetic field similar to that used in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to stimulate the brains dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, which plays a key role in mood.

Increasing the activity ofneurons in this area lessens depression, Dr. Altinay explains.Havingyour brainstimulated by a magnetic field may sound a bit scary, but the experience isnt painful.

The typical TMS session lasts about 30 to 40 minutes, he says. During the session, patients are fully awake and sitting in a comfortable chair.

Heres what happens:

Throughout treatment, you are fully aware of whats going on. You can speak, read or even nap. After treatment, you can resume your daily activities immediately without restrictions, he says.

One drawback of TMS is that its time-consuming, at least in the beginning. During the first phase, youll likely receive treatment every weekday for six weeks (about 30 times).

During the second (maintenance) phase, the doctor tailors the frequency to meet your needs. You may get treatments every other week, monthly, or every two months.The frequency gradually decreases.

Research shows that regular maintenance with TMS helps prevent recurrence and reduces the symptoms if depression should come back.

TMS has relatively few side effects.The most frequent side effect is headache, but not everybody experiences that, Dr. Altinay says. If you do get headaches, taking Advil or Tylenol before treatments can help.

More serious is the increased risk of seizures reported in the literature.Having a seizure disorder would prevent a patient from being the best candidate for TMS. However, Ive been doing TMS for 10 years, and none of mypatients have experienced seizures, he notes. Some literature suggests that if a seizure disorder is well-controlled with anti-epileptic drugs, TMS might still be an option.

Dr. Altinay says TMS mainly targets those who dont respond adequately to antidepressants or who are completely medication-resistant. TMS alsocan be offered if antidepressants cause severe reactions or side effects, or worsen other health issues.However, TMS is not recommended for anyone with a:

You may have heard of another treatment for medication-resistant depression:electroconvulsive therapy(ECT), inaccurately called shock therapy.

While TMS and ECT share similarities, TMS offers several advantages:

Only a limited number of healthcare providers offer TMS, so it may take some research to find one near you. And not all health insurance companies will pay for TMS, says Dr. Altinay.

However, this option offers hope for those whove struggled to find relief from depression through traditional avenues, he says.

Join the conversation. Leave a comment. Ask a question.

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TMS (Magnets) Can Help Depression - Beliefnet

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Is EDAP TMS S.A. (NASDAQ:EDAP) ready to Pivot? Share Update – Morgan Research

Posted: at 3:27 pm

Keen investors are consistently searching for true bargains in the stock market. Finding these stocks can make the difference between a winning or losing portfolio. Shares of EDAP TMS S.A. (NASDAQ:EDAP) have come into focus as of late. In recent trading activity, company stock has moved -0.39% touching the price of $2.53. Moving forward, the investment community will be watching to see if shares can gain some positive momentum.

Most investors are likely looking for that next stock that is ready to take off running. Maybe the focus is on finding a stock that has recently taken a turn for the worse for no real apparent reason. As we all know, as quickly as a stock can drop in price, it can bounce back just as fast. Although the popular stocks that receive a high level of media coverage tend to recover quicker after a sell-off, there may be plenty of under the radar stocks that are ripe for buying. Scoping out these potential market gems may help repair a portfolio that has taken a hit for any number of reasons.

Is EDAP TMS S.A. Ready to Move higher? Sign Up For Breaking Alerts on this Stock Before the Crowd.

The average investor might not have the time to monitor every single tick of a given stock, but taking a look at historical performance may help provide some valuable insight on where the stock may be trending in the future. Over the past week, EDAP TMS S.A. (NASDAQ:EDAP) has performed -6.30%. For the past month, shares are -5.95%. Over the last quarter, shares have performed -21.18%. Looking back further, EDAP TMS S.A. stock has been -3.44% over the last six months, and -22.87% since the start of the calendar year. For the past full year, shares are -27.09%.

There is rarely any substitute for diligent research, especially when it pertains to the equity markets. No matter what strategy an investor employs, keeping abreast of current market happenings is of the utmost importance. Everyone wants to see their stock picks soar, but the stark reality is that during a market wide sell-off, this may not be the case. Recently, shares of EDAP TMS S.A. (NASDAQ:EDAP)have been seen trading -14.40% away from the 200-day moving average and -5.20% off the 50-day moving average. The stock is currently trading -30.03% away from the 52-week high and separated 12.44% from the 52-week low. EDAP TMS S.A.s RSI is presently sitting at 42.47.

New investors may sometimes be working with limited capital. Choosing which stocks to own can be a tough decision. Individuals may be deciding on whether to buy 10 shares of a stock trading at $100 as opposed to purchasing 100 shares of a stock trading at $10. We have recently been focusing on stocks that are trading under the $10 price level. We are constantly monitoring technical and fundamental factors that may lead to breakouts for these relatively cheap (in terms of price) stocks.

Disclaimer: The views, opinions, and information expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any company stakeholders, financial professionals, or analysts. Examples of analysis performed within this article are only examples. They should not be utilized to make stock portfolio or financial decisions as they are based only on limited and open source information. Assumptions made within the analysis are not reflective of the position of any analysts or financial professionals.

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Is EDAP TMS S.A. (NASDAQ:EDAP) ready to Pivot? Share Update - Morgan Research

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Is There a Spark Ahead for EDAP TMS S.A. (NASDAQ:EDAP)? – Morgan Research

Posted: at 3:27 pm

In the past few sessions, investors have started paying a little bit more attention to shares of EDAP TMS S.A. (NASDAQ:EDAP). In recent trading action, the stock had changed -0.79% settling in at $2.52.

Is EDAP TMS S.A. Ready to Move higher? Sign Up For Breaking Alerts on this Stock Before the Crowd.

Equity marketscan move in an instant, requiring investors to always stay on their toes. Most sudden stock spikes or dropsrequire the attention of anyone who is keeping a keen eye on the shares. What may go somewhatundetected is the slow and steady rise or fall of a particular stock. Sometimes it can be difficultto decipher fact from fiction in the markets.

Why is a company that consistently produces strong returnsgoing down? Why are the underperforming company shares movinghigher? While there may be no clear cut answers to the questions, professional investors workendlesslyto make sense ofequity market nuances.

Based onrecent analysis, EDAP TMS S.A. (NASDAQ:EDAP) shares have been seen trading -20.25% off of the 50-day peakand 12.00% away from the 50-daybottom. In terms of the stock price in relation to its moving averages, company shares are -1.96% away from the 20-day moving average and -5.30% off of the 50-day average. If we take alongerapproach, shares have been trading -14.64% away from the 200-day moving average.

Occasionally investors may be looking to shift their stockstrategy. Maybe one plan worked for a period of time, but now economic conditions have shifted and a change is required. Whatever the case, the primary goalis typically to maximize profits.

Finding a winning investing strategy may not happen immediately. Navigating the sometimes murky economic waters can be a struggle. Staying afloat may depend on many factors, but doing homework and studying all the available information is essential.

Over the last year, EDAP TMS S.A. (NASDAQ:EDAP)s stock has performed -27.09%. For the last six months, the stock has performed -3.44%. From the start of the calendar year, shares have been -22.87%. Zooming in closer, company stock has been -21.18% for the quarter, -5.95% over the past month, and -6.30% over the past week.

Interested parties will be eagerly watching how the markets behave the rest of the year. Savvy investors typically try to spot opportunities around every corner. With the uncertainty of the global economic climate, individuals with a stake in the game will need to buckle down and be ready for multiple scenarios. Throw in the rate hike debate, and it makes for a very interesting next couple of months. We are currently keeping a close eye on stocks that are trading under the $5 price level.

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Is There a Spark Ahead for EDAP TMS S.A. (NASDAQ:EDAP)? - Morgan Research

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Are Firms & Funds Taking More Interest in EDAP TMS S.A. (NASDAQ:EDAP)? – Midway Monitor

Posted: at 3:27 pm

The latest EDAP TMS S.A. (NASDAQ:EDAP) SEC filingshave revealed that institutions owning shares of have increased their transactions by7.63% in the past quarter. Institutions now own 8.70% of the company.

Organizations that control large sums of money, like pension funds, insurance companies or mutual funds, who buy stocks are known as institutional investors. Compared to individual investors, institutional investors trade in large blocks, 10,000 or more shares per transaction. These large trades can affect the price of a commodity significantly.

Investors look favorably upon stocks with a large amount of institutional ownership. These large entities often hire a team of analysts to perform research prior to the group purchasing a companys stock. Because of the large research investment made, institutions arent quick to sell their position.

Institutions may also influence the price of a stock after acquiring a position by using TV shows, articles in high-profile newspapers or magazines and presentations at investor conferences to help drive the price higher, increasing the value of the share.

PROS AND CONS

Is institutional ownership a good thing or a bad thing? This is a matter of debate. In his best-selling book, One Up on Wall Street, Peter Lynch lists thirteen characteristics of the perfect stock. Regarding institutional ownership, he says: Institutions dont own it and the analysts dont follow it. He sees commodities that the big investment groups ignore as having the potential to be undervalued.

In comparison, William ONeil, founder of Investors Business Daily, thinks that institutional investors provide the largest source of stock demand. Something needed to increase the price of a share. He says that if a stock has no institutional owners, there is a reason for it. Theyve checked it out and passed. He looks at institutional ownership as a desirable characteristic in stocks, as noted in his book, How to Make Money in Stocks.

Both agree that institutional ownership can be a dangerous thing because they move in and out of the market in tremendous blocks, so the stocks value can plunge if they sell off.

TECHNICAL INDICATORS

EDAP TMS S.A. (NASDAQ:EDAP) stockstands -6.05% away from its 50-day simple moving average and also -15.31% away from the 200-day average. Recently, the commodity stands -30.86% away from the 52-week high and 11.11% from the 52-week low. The RSI (Relative Strength Index), an indicator that shows price strength by comparing upward and downward close-to-close movements is 40.92 for EDAP TMS S.A. (NASDAQ:EDAP).

Disclaimer: The advice provided on this website is general advice only. It has been prepared without taking into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. Before acting on this advice you should consider the appropriateness of the advice, having regard to your own objectives, financial situation and needs. Where quoted, past performance is not indicative of future performance.

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Are Firms & Funds Taking More Interest in EDAP TMS S.A. (NASDAQ:EDAP)? - Midway Monitor

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Do We Have a Right to Mental Privacy and Cognitive Liberty? – Scientific American (blog)

Posted: at 3:27 pm

The idea of the human mind as the ultimate domain of absolute protection from external intrusion has persisted for centuries. In a masque written by John Milton in 1634 a young woman is bounded to an enchanted chair by a debauched man named Comus. Despite being restrained against her will, she claims: Thou canst not touch the freedom of my mind, confident of her capacity to protect her mental freedom from any external manipulation. In 1913, historian John Bagnell Bury wrote: A man can never be hindered from thinking whatever he chooses so long as he conceals.

Today, however, this presumption might no longer hold. Cutting-edge neurodevices, such as sophisticated neuroimaging and brain-computer interfaces (BCI), enable to record, decode and modulate the neural correlates of mental processes. Research shows that the combination of neuroimaging technology and artificial intelligence allows to read correlates of mental states including hidden intentions, visual experiences or even dreams with an increasing degree of accuracy and resolution.

While these advances have a great potential for research and medicine, they pose a fundamental ethical, legal and social challenge: determining whether, or under what conditions, it is legitimate to gain access to, or to interfere with another persons neural activity.

This question has particular social relevance since many neurotechnologies have moved away from a solely clinical setting and into the commercial domain, where they are no longer subject to the strict ethical guidelines of clinical research. Today, companies like Google and Verizon use neuroimaging technology and other neuromarketing research services to detect consumer preferences and hidden impressions on their advertisements or products.

Attempts to decode mental information via neuroimaging are also occurring in court case, sometimes in a scientifically questionable way. For example, in 2008, an Indian woman was convicted of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment on the basis of a brain scan showing, according to the judge, experiential knowledge about the crime. The potential of neurotechnology as a forensic tool has raised particular attention in relation to lie detection for interrogation purposes. In spite of experts skepticism, commercial companies such as No-Lie-FMRI and Government Works Inc. are marketing the use of FMRI- and EEG-based technology to ascertain truth and falsehood via brain recordings. In parallel, armed forces are testing neuromonitoring techniques to detect deficiencies in a warfighters brain activity and utilizing brain stimulation to increase their alert and attention.

In 2015, the journal Science released a special issue titled The End of Privacy, highlighting how new technological trends from big data to ubiquitous Internet connections, make traditional notions of privacy obsolete. In a sense, neurotechnology can be seen as just another technological trend that might erode our privacy in the digital world and there is little we can do about it. However, given the intimate link between mental privacy and subjectivity we might not be so willing to accept this conclusion. In his famous 1984, George Orwell projected a future where nothing was your own except the few cubic centimeters inside your skull. In fact, when mental information is no longer secluded, nothing is secluded, and the very notion of subjectivitythe quality of existing in someone's mind rather than the external worldbecomes empty.

According to a new article, as neurotechnology disseminates outside the clinical setting, we are facing a societal challenge: determining what rights individuals are entitled to exercise in relation to their mental dimension. According to the authorsmyself from the University of Basel and Roberto Andorno from the University of Zrichthis challenge might require the reconceptualization of existing human rights and even the creation of new neurospecific human rights.

A right to cognitive liberty, widely discussed among neurolawyers, would entitle individuals to make free and competent decisions regarding their use of neurotechnology. A right to mental privacy would protect individuals against the unconsented intrusion by third parties into their brain data as well as against the unauthorized collection of those data. Breaches of privacy at the neural level could be more dangerous than conventional ones because they can bypass the level of conscious reasoning, leaving individuals without protections from having their mind involuntarily read. This risk does not apply only to participants in predatory neuromarketing studies and disproportionate uses of neurotechnology in courts, but to general individuals as well. With the growing availability of Internet-connected consumer-grade brain-computer interfaces, more and more individuals are becoming users of neurodevices.

Last week Facebook unveiled a plan to create brain-computer speech-to-text interface to translate thoughts directly from brain signals to a computer screen, bypassing speech and fingertips. Similar attempts are being made by major mobile communication providers, Samsung in particular. In the future, brain control could replace the keyboard and speech recognition as a primary way to interact with computers.

With interconnected neurotools becoming potentially ubiquitous, novel possibility for misuse will arisecybersecurity breaches included. Computer scientists have already demonstrated the feasibility of hacking attacks aimed at extracting information from BCI-users without authorization. In addition, research shows that connected medical devices are vulnerable to sabotage. Neuroscientists at Oxford University suggest that the same vulnerability affects brain implants, a phenomenon labeled brainjacking. Such possibilities of misuse might urge a reconceptualization of the right to mental integrity. This right, recognized by international law (Article 3 of the EU's Charter of Fundamental Rights) as a right to mental health, should not only protect from mental illness but also from illicit and harmful manipulations of peoples neural activity through the misuse of neurotechnology.

Finally, a right to psychological continuity might preserve peoples personal identity and the continuity of their mental life from unconsented external alteration by third parties. Psychological continuity is an important issue in the context of national security, where mandatory personality-changing interventions might be justified in light of greater strategic goals. Brain interventions that reduce the need for sleep are already in use in the military, and its easy to imagine interventions that make soldiers more belligerent or fearless. These possibilities have already raised attention among legislators. Back in 1999 a European Parliament committee called for a global ban of research which seeks to apply knowledge of the chemical, electrical, () or other functioning of the human brain to the development of weapons which might enable any form of manipulation of human beings.

Calibrated normative approaches should guarantee the alignment of neurotechnology development and personal freedoms. At the same time, they should avoid fear-mongering, unrealistic narratives that might harm scientific progress. An open debate involving neuroscientists, legal experts, ethicists and general citizens is required to maximize the benefits of advancing neurotechnology while minimizing unintended risks.

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BRIEF-CF Industries Holdings reports Q1 2017 results – Reuters

Posted: at 3:26 pm

May 3 CF Industries Holdings Inc:

* Cf Industries Holdings, Inc. reports first quarter net loss of $23 million and EBITDA of $218 million; adjusted net earnings of $11 million and adjusted EBITDA of $272 million

* Q1 adjusted earnings per share $0.05

* Q1 loss per share $0.10

* Q1 sales $1.037 billion versus I/B/E/S view $997.2 million

* Q1 earnings per share view $0.02 -- Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S

* Says "global nitrogen supply surplus continues to pressure marginal producers in china and other regions"

* Says new capital expenditures for 2017 are estimated to be in range of approximately $400 to $450 million for sustaining and other

* Says expects to receive tax refunds of about $800 million due to carryback of certain federal, state tax losses from 2016 tax year to prior periods

* Says cash refunds related to tax loss carryback are expected to be received in Q3 of 2017

* Says CF continues to expect 5-6 million metric tons of total urea exports from china in 2017

* Says company did not enter into any additional natural gas hedges in Q1 of 2017

* Says average selling prices in Q1 2017 were lower than average selling prices in Q1 2016 due to greater global nitrogen supply availability

* Sees uneven pricing environment to continue through 2017,with spring increase possible before return to low levels in summer Source text for Eikon: Further company coverage: (Reporting by Prithvi Kanti Bandyopadhyay)

* Healthcare legislation heads to Senate after narrow passage

* Sets quarterly cash dividend of $0.855 per share Source text for Eikon: Further company coverage:

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CF reports 1Q loss – Yahoo Finance

Posted: at 3:26 pm

DEERFIELD, Ill. (AP) _ CF Industries Holdings Inc. (CF) on Wednesday reported a first-quarter loss of $23 million, after reporting a profit in the same period a year earlier.

The Deerfield, Illinois-based company said it had a loss of 10 cents per share. Earnings, adjusted for non-recurring costs, came to 5 cents per share.

The results did not meet Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of four analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of 9 cents per share.

The fertilizer maker posted revenue of $1.04 billion in the period.

CF shares have decreased 19 percent since the beginning of the year, while the Standard & Poor's 500 index has climbed roughly 7 percent. In the final minutes of trading on Wednesday, shares hit $25.51, a decrease of 19 percent in the last 12 months.

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This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on CF at https://www.zacks.com/ap/CF

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Keywords: CF Industries, Earnings Report

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CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (CF) And Its Technical Chart Is Now Center Stage – NY Stock News

Posted: at 3:26 pm


NY Stock News
CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (CF) And Its Technical Chart Is Now Center Stage
NY Stock News
CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (CF) is now trading with a very clear set of technicals. Taken together they paint a very compelling picture of how investors and traders should be approaching CF. Technical charts are very important tools for traders, but ...

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