Landscapes of my mind

The rules that apply in one break down in the other.
The principles that define one are meaningless in the other.

Like all kids, I was a born poet.

What if I got my poetry back ?

Two of a kind

I do not write very often. I have been advised of Bernard Shaw’s “Write-5-pages-a-day-no-matter-what” rule, have tried it and not succeeded. Regular readers of my (other) blog would notice that the promise of one-post per day was not kept either. I need inspiration to write. I need an idea to bubble up from the abyss of consciousness, stir my soul and strum my neural network till I am driven by inspiration and energy to put it down on paper – or – type it out on the screen.

I am inspired, today. Why?

Imagine growing up knowing there is something fundamentally weird about the way you think. Imagine being able to see the unfairness of the world and the hypocrisy of it. Imagine never buying into the world, really. Imagine learning to shut up and be normal. Imagine learning not to let your teachers know you are smarter than them. Imagine learning that your astute observations about life, education, religion, learning, patriotism, morality might be really really politically incorrect. Imagine learning to shift, change, adjust, accommodate. Imagine lowering your standards for the kind of person you are, can be and want to be with. Imagine being abnormal, idealistic, impracticable, unconventional, eccentric, over-analytical, dreamer, stupid….. and hiding that. Imagine being not-understood and imagine not imagining any other way things could exist.
Now, Imagine discovering that there are two of you.

Richard Bach says – Your true family is seldom the one you are born in

Role Playing

When I walk into a restaurant or a coffee-shop – I assume the role of a customer.
And the person serving me assumes the role of a waiter.

I play my role – some characterisics of which are to expect , demand some things, even if they mean inconveniencing the other human who plays the role of a waiter.

The waiter plays his role – some characteristics of which are to fulfill my desires, even if it means inconveniencing himself.

Busy playing our roles, both of us fail to notice the inherent humanity glowing within the other.

If I am a boss, and you are my subordinate. We are not two human beings sharing humanity.
If I am a father, and you are my child, here is the rulebook for that. Please fit in. We are not two human beings growing together.
If I am an expert, and you are not – I cannot say “I don’t know” because that is not acceptable to the game we are playing.

If we stop acting our roles out and start acting human, how will our experience change.

Conversations R Us!!

Conversations are reflections of who we are being in that moment.

Think about it, how does a deep, honest, intense, touching, passionate, incredible conversation leave you feeling – energized, recharged…. Your personal energy increased and the world a little bit brighter than it was earlier, isn’t it?

And how does a shallow, superficial, pretentious conversation leave you feeling… drained out, tired?

In a conversation when we express the deepest and the best parts of ourselves (invariably, the deepest part of us is usually the best part of us), we express or manifest our true selves.

In fact, life is expression, isn’t it?

In fact, we cannot not express.

Right now, as you read these words, infinite potentialities and possibilities exist within you. The very next moment, what you think, decide, do or say is an expression of one of these infinite potentialities.

When we express a potentiality or a possibility, we bring a latent or a hidden part of ourselves into existence. As we bring it into existence, we experience it and it becomes, our experience.

If we habitually express a part of ourselves again and again – it becomes a pattern of experience in our lives and we start ‘believing’ that we are ‘it’.

But, at that point – every other potentiality and possibility also exists – latent, hidden, unexpressed.

If you want to assess the quality of your experience and the quality of your life – take a closer look at the quality of your conversations.

Conversation is a tool we use everyday, regularly to express ourselves.

The quality of your conversations would probably reveal a great deal about what you are bringing forth from the world of infinite possible expressions called – you!!

To improve the quality of your experience, improve the quality of your conversations.

If your conversations are happy, intense, passionate, happy, contended, joyful, cheerful and ‘soul’ful… then so are you!


English 330 In-Class Tale Introduction Tips

Required Elements for a Basic Presentation:

        First, each presentation should account for the following basic aspects of the tale: its genre (defined in a sentence), its form (rhyming couplets, prose, or describe its stanza structure and part-divisions, if any), its characters and their distinguishing characteristics, its basic plot (in brief!--no more than a paragraph), its sources and/or analogues and Chaucer's adaptation of them, its teller's occupation and personality, its potential relationship to the pilgrim portrait of its teller in the General Prologue (if present), its position in the Hengwyrt or other possible tale orders (1118-21) and the effects of changing its position, major interpretive problems indicated by the Explanatory Notes (795-965) and any major manuscript variants indicated by the Textual Notes (1122-35). Each presentation also should include at least some readings of short, important passages in Middle English to illustrate your main points.

        At least one short passage in Middle English should be recorded in two parallel performances using the Audioboo sound recording site.  The key standard of performance quality will be some degree of detectable dramatic control of the passages and a plausible explanation of why they might help us interpret the text.  I will be happy to explore your tales' interpretive possibilities with you in conference, by phone or in emails in the weeks and days before your presentation.  See the Audioboo Parallel Performance web page (linked here) for instructions and advice.

        In all performance readings, voice, pronunciation, and accuracy of the Middle English also will be evaluated, though I will be generous especially to those presenting in the early weeks, and I will always give you credit for a well-studied effort.  These are worth rehearsing (by yourself and with me) because performance of Chaucer's work teaches you much about how it was meant to work and what interpretive possibilities it contains.  Think about these tales as dramatic roles which can be acted in different ways depending upon your view of the characters and the teller's intentions.  This basic information should be presented economically.  Spend your time on those aspects of the tale or situation which are debatable, which present opportunities for interpretative insight.  In my responses to your presentations, I will try to lead you from those debates and insights to possible paper topics, which the presentations are intended to generate.

    The second, and far more important part of the presentation, should discuss how it can be interpreted in the light of critical theory and recent research (i.e., including since 1987, since the RC explanatory notes cover the period from 1957 to 1987).  This should approach the quality and quantity of research necessary to ground the introduction of a competent short paper.  Look carefully at the articles mentioned in the Explanatory Notes of the Riverside Chaucer.  Draw on what you have learned in English 200 and 215, refreshing your memory by reviewing your notes and texts.   Explore the MLA Bibliography, WilsonWeb, and other bibliographic sources available through the library, as well as the Medieval Review and other online tools for discovering interpretations.  Review the annotated bibliography entries from previous classes, and from our own.  Copy and paste the relevant MLA style citations into a bibliography to hand out in support of your presentation,  and if you use portions of the annotation, remember to treat it as a secondary source, crediting the author properly and following scholarly conventions governing quotation, paraphrase, and summary.  Take special care to make this portion of the presentation clear, insightful, and provocative.  It is worth a significant portion of your grade, and it will be enormously helpful when you prepare to write your papers for the course.   Perhaps the most important reason to do this carefully is that it will improve the quality of our seminar's weekly conversation.  Think of it as your tale about the Canterbury Tales, and an opportunity to join in this ancient discussion.

        Prepare a handout or web page to deliver much of the information above, especially the secondary source bibliographic information, as well as the interpretive questions, lines of argument, or additional materials you found. Your oral presentation should dispose of the genre, characters, and plot very quickly; you are only reminding us of what we already should know from having read the tale. Concentrate on Chaucer's changes in sources and analogues, tale-teller relationships, ways the tale might affect specific members of the pilgrim audience, tale position, interpretive problems (including manuscript variants), and other ways to explain Chaucer's authorial strategies. See me for help.

Timing and Tale Length:

        Try to limit yourself to roughly 20-30 minutes, especially if you are presenting with more than one other person. I have tried to break up the tales into roughly 1200-1500 lines of Middle English per week. The variety of tales, and their complexity, may make a long reading easy to describe or it may make a short reading difficult to describe. For instance, because all four books of the "Knight's Tale" come from the same source, once the first presenter has described the characters and basic plot, the three who follow have less to do with that material, and more time to spend on how the tale works. Conversely, the "Man of Law's Introduction" and "Epilogue" are short, but because they contain puzzling interpretive problems they will take some careful explanation. If you find yourself running out of time in oral rehearsal, cut all but the most important and interesting issues from the oral presentation, and leave them in your handout so you get credit for the work.

Some Possible Improvements on the Basic Presentation:

        Use the library's collection includes a wide variety of book-length sources on medieval history, economy, politics, customs, and other materials that might help us understand the lives of Chaucer's contemporaries.   Help us to understand what kind of economic and social situation this tale describes, what special details of medieval culture it depends upon knowing, and how the narrator might be using that presumed knowledge.

        Read some of the sources and analogues collected by W.F. Bryan and Germaine Dempster (826.2 C49Pb--on reserve for English 330).  How does Chaucer's version adapt, collaborate with or quarrel with the previous versions of the tale?  Does this reflect Chaucer's artistry directly, or should we read it as evidence of the teller-persona's character?  (For instance, the Man of Law seems to have added some particularly salacious details to his tale, or was it Chaucer, or was it in Chaucer's source?  What about those details and their context fits better with which explanation?)

        Find relevant scholarly Internet sources for the tale which help us understand the tale or Chaucer's culture, and contribute them to the growth of the English 330 web site for some extra credit as well as improving your presentation.


Samstag, 21. März 2015

Nr.1 Landowner on Planet Earth

Acording to Business Insider:

Land: 6.6 billion acres of land worldwide including Great Britain, Northern Ireland, Canada, Australia and a few other spots here and there. Also, the all-important Falkland Islands.

Background: England's third (and most likely soon to be second) longest serving monarch, Elizabeth II retains royal title over The British Commonwealth and as such manages to keep her face on money throughout the globe.
With her 6.6 billion acres, Elizabeth II is far and away the world's largest landowner, with the closest runner-up (King Abdullah) holding control over a mere 547 million, or about 12% of the lands owned by Her Majesty, The Queen.

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Glossary of Terms

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Glossary of Terms

Abrasion Resistance
The ability of a tape to withstand rubbing and still function satisfactory.

Accelerated Aging

Accelerated Weathering

A mechanical or chemically reactive bond between surfaces.

Adhesive Deposit or Residue

Adhesive Transfer

A unit of length equal to 10-10meters.

Back Cylinder
Another name for the impression cylinder on a printing press.

Basis Weight
The designated fixed weight of 500 sheets, measured in pounds, in that paper's basic sheet size. "Basic sheet size" is not the same for all types of paper.

In lithography, it is the rubber surfaced material which is fitted around the cylinder opposite the plate and transfers the inked image from the printing plate to the substrate.

Method used in the paper-making process to produce a bright white paper sheet. It produces dioxins.

In printing, this refers to printing the image beyond the edge that will be trimmed.

In ink making, this refers to pigment that is washed or "bled" out of the vehicle system usually by the action of a solvent.

An undesired adhesion between layers of material placed in contact under pressure in storage.

Multi-layered paperboard used for fabricating boxes.

Bursting Strength

The thickness of a sheet of paper expressed in thousandths of an inch. Normally, paper caliper should not have more than a plus or minus 5% variance within a sheet. Generally, the relation between caliper and basis weight is the greater the caliper the greater the paper weight.

A webstock that holds pressure sensitive adhesive, especially used to refer to double-faced or double-coated tapes.

Any material which induces a chemical reaction.

Clear Coat
Transparent protective coating.

Coating Weight
The weight of a coating per unit area. In SI-unites expressed as grams per square meter (g/m2).

Cold Flow
The tendency of a pressure sensitive adhesive to act as a heavy viscous liquid over long periods of time. Such phenomena as oozing and increase in adhesion with time are the result of this characteristic.

Color Stability

Corona Sensitive

The slow movement of the adhesive or backing under shear stress.

In U.V. systems, it refers to photopolymerization.

Ability of materials to break down, by bacterial (biodegradable) or ultraviolet (photodegradable) action.

Die Cut
Shape in which matrial can be cut (Circle, Octagon, Oval, etc.).

Dielectric Strength

Dimensional Stability

Double Coated
An adhesive application to both sides of a backing.

Draize Test
A method for estimating the skin or eye irritation due to contact with a chemical substance. Draize is expressed on a scale of 0 to 8.

Edge Curl

Edge Lift

A material which can be stretched at room temperature to at least twice its size and upon release of the stress, will return to approximately its original lenght. Elastomers are usually thermosets (requiring vulcanization) but may also be thermoplastic.

Electrolytic Corrosion Factor
A measure of the tape's corrosive effect on an electrical conductor, particularly copper. This is particularly important in the selection of tapes for electrical insulation.

Electromagnetic Spectrum
The entire range of radiant energy. Ultraviolet lies to the left of the visible region.

A condition which results from the excessive pick up of fountain solution into the ink resulting in the loss of ink film integrity and therebythe loss of print quality, i.e., too much "water" in the ink.

Face Stock

A weakness resulting from the stress created by repeated flexing or impact force upon the adhesive-adherend interface.

A condition sometimes occurring during removal of masking tape in which flakes or particles of paint flake away from under the tape backing.

Flame Resistance

Most often, this printing process is simply referred to as "flexo." it is letterpress printing that uses liquid inks rather than paste inks to achieve results.

Fluorescent Ink
Ink made with a pigment which absorbs light energy and re-emits it as a color.

Focal Length
The distance from the lamp reflector to the focal point.

Focal Point
A U.V. lamp reflects and focuses the radiant energy into a point. When printing, the focal point should be at the substrate surface.

Form Roller
The roller(s) that comes in contact with the printing plate. In lithography this term also includes the roller(s) from the dampening system.

The ink or coating reservoir.

Free Radical
A molecule that is formed when a photoinitiator absorbs U.V. light.

Refers to the type of radical available for bonding. Mono- means one; di- refers to two; and, multi- refers to three or more.

Openings between layers of tape within the finished roll.

Grams per square meter.

A light reflection characteristic of tape backings, usually by such terms as glossy, low gloss, matte, etc.

This process is a form of intaglio printing that utilizes a cylinder into which the image is engraved. This engraved image area picks up liquid ink and transfers it directly onto the substrate.

Heat Seal

    Specks or dots in the printed copy that most commonly appear as voids that are caused by contamination such as dirt or dust.

High-speed Unwind

Holding Power

Hot Melt

    The characteristics of color that causes people to describe it as yellow, blue, red, etc.

High Density Polyethylene - HDPE
A polyethylene thermoplastic made from petroleum that has a density of greater or equal to 0.941 g/cc. SPI resin identification Recycling No. 2.

Impact Resistance
The ability of tape to resist sudden impacts, pulls, or shocks as may sometimes be encountered by packages during transit.

In printing, refers to the amount of pressure between two surfaces such as the plate to substrate in letterpress; or, in lithography, between the plate and blanket or the blanket and substrate.

A substance added to an ink or coating to extend shelf life.

Ink Mottle
A non-uniform appearance of the ink in printed areas.

Ink Receptivity
The property of a substrate which causes it to accept ink.

Insulation Resistance
The ability of tape to prevent the flow of electrical current across its surface, usually measure on the backing.

Exposure to ultraviolet light or another high energy ray.

Kraft Paper - KFT
A paper produced by a modified sulfate process using only wood pulp. It is a relatively coarse paper and is known especially for its strength.

Label Stock
Pressure sensitive insulation. Materials furnished in roll or sheet form with liner, which can be later printed, frequently die cut, and intended for use as labels.

Lap Joint
A joint made by lapping on material over another to provide a mated area that can be joined with an adhesive.

Latent Stain

A printing process that uses a raised, reversed image plate to transfer the ink directly onto the substrate at which time it becomes readable. Letterpress was originally conceived with a flat plate, however, most modern presses are rotary i.e., they use print cylinders.

Another term for "dry offset printing." A raised image plate is mounted on an offset press and transfers the image to the blanket without the need for fountain solution.

Linerboard is the grade of paperboard used for the outer “facings” of a corrugated box. Kraft linerboard is made from wood fiber derived by the kraft process and typically contains no more than 20 percent recycled material.

Line Speed
The rate of travel of the substrate usually expressed in feet per minute.

A printing process that uses a plane surface printing plate and the interaction of an inking system and dampening system to achieve the resolution of the image.

Low Density Polyethylene - LDPE
A polyethylene thermoplastic made from petroleum that has a density range of 0.910 - 0.940 g/cc. SPI resin identification Recycling No. 4.

Medium Density Polyethylene - MDPE
A polyethylene thermoplastic made from petroleum that has a density range of 0.926 - 0.940 g/cc.

Metal Foil

A unit of length equal to one millionth of a meter or approximately 1/25,000 of an inch. Symbols used µm and mc.

A unit of length equal to one thousandth of an inch. One mil equals 25.4 microns.

Mill Broke
Paper that has been discarded by any means during the manufacturing process within the paper mill.

Low viscosity liquids used as "solvents" in the ink or coating. A small molecule that may become chemically bonded to other monomers to form a polymer.

Moisture Vapor Transmission Rate

Thousand square feet.

Thousand square inches.

A low-cost, low-quality, non-archival paper. It is usually made by a mechanical milling process, without the chemical process that is usually used to remove lignin from the pulp.

1. In printing, this refers to a press which transfers the image onto another surface (the blanket) before it is transferred to the substrate. The process may be either wet (with a dampening system), as in wet lithography, or dry (with raised image plate), as in dry offset.
2. This term is many times used instead of "set-off" or "blocking" to refer to the condition that results in the transfer of wet ink from the face of one sheet in a stack (or substrate wound into a roll) onto the back of another.

Old Corrugated Cardboard - OCC
Unbleached, unwaxed kraft paper with ruffled inner liner. Includes kraft linerboard, container-board cartons of corrugated paper, brown paper grocery bags. A recyclable material used to manufacture cardboard boxes.

A "squeezing out" of the adhesive from under the backing. Occurrence when a tape is in a roll form causes the edges of the roll to become tacky.

The ability of a tape to prevent the transmission of light.

Orange Peel
A term describing the surface of a dried coating film which failed to flow out to a perfectly smooth surface, thus resembling the texture of an orange peel.

Oriented Polypropylene - OPP
A flexible material derived from melting and orienting, stretching polypropylene polymer.

The release of volatile components under heat or vacuum.

An ink or coating that is printed on top of a previously printed area.

Pattern Coated

Peel Adhesion

The chemical substance that absorbs U.V. light and by the formation of free radicals initiates the polymerization of vehicle.

A solid ingredient put into ink that gives it color.

Polyethylene - PE
Called polythene in the U.K. A thermoplastic made from ethene through polymerization. Mechanical properties of PE depend significantly on variables such as the extent and type of branching, the crystal structure, and the molecular weight.
Polyethylene Terephthalate - PET
A thermoplastic polymer resin made from polyester. Also called PETE, PETP, and PET-P. PET is referred to as simply polyester while PET is most often used to refer to packaging applications. SPI resin identification Recycling No. 1.

The chemical reaction that takes place when monomers and oligomers join together or crosslink.

Polypropylene - PP
A thermoplastic polymer with a level of crystallinity intermediate between that of low density polyethylene (LDPE) and high density polyethylene (HDPE). SPI resin identification Recycling No. 5.
Polystyrene - PS
A polymer made from the monomer styrene. Plastic with a smooth surface that cracks easily when bent. Used for packaging, styrofoam cups and food serving and storage, it takes up a large part of landfill space because of its bulk. SPI resin identification Recycling No. 6.
Polyvinyl Chloride - PVC
Can be made softer and more flexible by the addition of plasticizers. In this form, it is used in clothing and upholstery. SPI resin identification Recycling No. 6.

Post Cure
The time after exposure to U.V. light when the U.V. film continues to react until ultimate film hardness is achieved.

Pressure Sensitive

Pricing per 1,000 units.

Primary Colors
In a subtractive light system (absorbed and reflected light) such as printing inks they are: yellow, magenta, and cyan. In an additive system (transmitted light), they are red, green, and blue.

The unit of dose equal to an energy absorption of 100 ergs per gram.

Radiant Energy
A form of wave energy. Ultraviolet light is a form of radiant energy.

Release Force

Release Line

1. The physical "body" of the ink. Ink characteristics such as long or short, heavy, or soft are descriptions of rheology
2. Rheology is the study of the deformation and flow of matter under the influence of an applied stress.

Rope Stock

Silicone one side. Coating is on only one side of the material.

Silicone two side. Coating is on both sides of the material.

Scuff Resistance
The ability of a dried ink film or substrate surface to withstand wear by friction.

An adhesive joint that is accomplished by coating both adhered surfaces, and bringing them under pressure; an elastomeric adhesive (cohesive) used on envelope flaps, box closures, etc, whereby the adhesive film will bond to itself.

Shear Strength After Solvent Immersion

Single Faced

When the tape tears or breaks into small pieces, either on unwind or removal from a surface.

Surface protection film.

Material added to an ink to absorb free radicals and prevent polymerization in the can.

Subsequent Adhesion

The product upon which a coating or ink is printed.

Surface Energy

Surface Treating

A measure of the force required to split an ink film.

Tear Resistance

Tensile Strength

Plastics which can be reformed repeatedly by applications of heat and / or pressure.

Plastics which once molded cannot be reformed using heat or pressure or used as adhesives. Polymer materials that cure, through the addition of energy, to a stronger form.

Transfer Tape

Ultraviolet Light
Part of the electromagnetic spectrum. The 200 to 400-nm region of the U.V. spectrum is the portion used to dry U.V. curing printing inks.

Unwind or Unwind Adhesion

A measure of the resistance of a fluid to flow.

Water Penetration Rate (WPR)

Water Vapor Transmission

The manner in which a coating flows out and levels over a substrate or ink.

Window film.

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Progress in the management of children with autism starts with parents accepting them with their challenges. Here,Bidemi Yinusa, head of school Patrick Speech and Languages Centre Ikeja Lagos shared with Uche Akolesa (HALLMARK news paper) &seven top strategies for promoting languages development in non-verbal children and adolescents with autism

1. Encourage play and social interaction. Children learn through play and that includes learning language. Interactive play provides enjoyable opportunities for you and your child to communicate. Try a variety of games to find those your child enjoys. Also try playful activities that promote social interaction. Examples include singing, reciting nursery rhymes and gentle roughhousing. During your interactions, position yourself in front of your child and close to eye level, so it’s easier for your child to see and hear you.

3. Focus on nonverbal communication. Gestures and eye contact can build a foundation for language. Encourage your child by modeling and responding these behaviors. Exaggerate your gestures. Use both your body and your voice when communicating, for example, by extending your hand to point when you say “look” and nodding your head when you say “yes”. Use gestures that are easy for your child to imitate. Examples include clapping, opening hands, reaching out arms, etc. Respond to your child’s gestures: When she looks at or points to a toy, hand it to her or take the cue for you to play with it. Similarly, point to a toy you want before picking it up.

5. Simplify your language. Doing so helps your child follow what you are saying. It also makes it easier for her to imitate your speech. If your child is nonverbal, try speaking mostly in single words. (If she is playing with a ball, you say ‘ball’ or ‘roll’.) If your child is speaking single words, up the ante. Speak in short phrases, such as ‘roll ball’ or ‘throw ball. Keep following this one-up rule: Generally use phrases with one more word than your child is using.

6. Follow your child’s interests:  Rather than interrupting your child’s focus, follow along with words. Using the one-up rule, narrate what your child is doing. If he’s playing with a shape sorter, you might say the word ‘in’ when he puts a shape its slot. You might say ‘shape’ when he holds up the shape and ‘dump shapes’ when he dumps them out to start over. By talking about what engages your child, you’ll help him learn the associated vocabulary.

7. Consider assistive devices and visual supports. Assistive technologies and visual supports can do more than take the place of speech. They can foster its development. Examples include devices and applications with pictures that your child touches to produce words. On a simpler level, visual supports can include pictures and groups of pictures that your child can use to indicate requests and thoughts.


Stress Fractures and Stress Fracture Treatment

Learn the causes behind Stress Fractures, plus Prevention and Treatment Strategies.

by Brad Walker | First Published October 3, 2006 | Updated September 14, 2017

Stress fractures are small cracks in the bone caused by repetitive stresses or overuse, such as the repetitive impact on the bones of the lower leg and foot during running and jumping activities. This injury commonly occurs in the weight bearing bones of the feet, upper and lower legs, and hip area.

Any athlete may encounter this injury but those with lower bone density due to genetic, metabolic or dietary issues are more susceptible. Women may be more susceptible as well due to irregular or absent menstrual cycles, eating disorders or osteoporosis. Recovery time usually ranges from six to ten weeks.

What is a Stress Fracture?

When bones are subjected to stresses they adapt, just as muscles do, to become stronger. To increase in strength they must rob calcium from one area to build another. This weakens that area and new, and repetitive, stresses on that weakened area can cause a crack. This fracture is a result of the bone’s inability to handle the stress over time.

Weakened bones, due to old injuries or other conditions, are much more susceptible to stress fractures because they are unable to handle the new stresses applied to them. Athletes with compromised bone density must be very careful when increasing their work load.

Increases in intensity, duration or frequency can lead to stress fractures due to the process of repair and rebuilding being interrupted. The bones need adequate rest time to rebuild and restructure. If unable to repair, the bone will weaken and become susceptible to fracture. Treatment must be initiated as soon as possible to prevent further damage and a more severe fracture.

What sports and activities are most vulnerable?

While stress fractures can occur in any sport, they are most common in high impact sports of a repetitive nature. Sports such as basketball, track and field, dance, gymnastics and tennis are all examples of sports with a high frequency of stress fractures.

Athletes in any sport can fall victim to stress fractures if their form, posture or technique is incorrect or conditions change without a chance to adapt. Changing playing surfaces or using worn shoes, with poor support, can increase the risk as well. Increasing training loads too quickly or changing intensity without a period of time to adapt will make athletes more susceptible.

Anatomy of Stress Fractures

Stress fractures can occur in any bone that is compromised due to weakening when repetitive stresses are applied to it. Some bones are more commonly affected. Those bones that regularly bear weight and therefore receive the most shock from high impact activities are more susceptible.

The tibia (the larger of the two bones in the lower leg, referred to as the shin bone) is the bone involved in the highest percentage of stress fractures. The fibula (the other lower leg bone), the metatarsals (the long bones extending from the heel to the toes), and the femur (the thigh bone) are also commonly involved.

Stress fractures are caused when repetitive stresses are applied to a weakened bone. This is a chronic injury, which means that it does not happen from a one time event, but over an extended period of time. Improper equipment (worn or improper shoes), muscle imbalances, or improper running and walking gait can all cause stress fractures.

The muscles are designed to act as shock absorbers during impact activities. They take the stress off the skeletal system and the internal organs. When the muscles become fatigued due to a workload that is more than they can handle they will no longer be able to work as shock absorbers. The load is then transferred to the bones. The force is transferred through the bone until it reaches a weak area where it causes a small crack. Over time, that develops into a stress fracture. This process is known as the fatigue theory.

When the human body is subjected to a slight increase in workload it will adapt by getting stronger. The bones, tendons and muscles will all change to handle the increase. If the workload is increased too quickly the body is unable to adapt quick enough and the stress is transferred to the foundation of the body (the skeletal system.) If there is a weakness in any part of the skeletal system this increase in stress will cause it to succumb to the pressure and crack. This process is known as the overload theory.

Signs and Symptoms

Symptoms of stress fractures are fairly focused. Pain usually increases with weight bearing activities and diminishes with rest. Pain is most severe at the beginning of the activity then subsides in the middle of the activity and increases in severity near the end. The pain continues as a dull throb after the activity. Swelling and point tenderness around the site of the fracture may also occur. The pain will gradually get worse and may occur earlier in the workout over time. If left untreated the pain may become unbearable.

Treating Stress Fractures

Rest is the first step in treating a stress fracture. Stopping the activity that has caused the injury and resting the injured area is essential. Ice and elevation are also important in short term treatment. Over the counter non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicines will help as well.

For minor stress fractures simply resting and avoiding the offending activity until pain is eliminated may take care of it. However, if the pain returns after re-starting the activity it may be necessary to see a medical professional.

Another helpful method for improved recovery is the use of ultrasound, TENS and heat. Ultrasound uses high frequency sound waves to stimulate the affected area, while TENS (or Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation) uses a light electrical pulse to stimulate the injured area. And heat, in the form of a ray lamp or hot water bottle, is also very effective in stimulating blood flow to the damaged tissues.

Some stress fractures require immobilization or reduction of weight bearing stress. An air cast, immobilizing boot, or even crutches may be required.

It is important to keep active during the rest period with no-impact activities such as swimming, biking or weight training. This will make the return to activity less painful.

When it is time to return to activity, usually 4-8 weeks after the injury, it is important to work back gradually and identify the error that originally caused the injury and avoid the same mistakes.

Preventing Stress Fractures

Due to the extended recovery time (6-10 weeks), preventing stress fractures is of major importance. Gradually increasing workloads at a rate of no more than 10% a week and varying the training by using cross training techniques will help to off set the overload and repetition often associated with stress fractures.

Warming up properly and preparing the body for the workout will help to keep the muscles from fatiguing as quickly. This will also prevent injuries to the muscles and tendons, which could lead to further weakening of the bones. Injuries to the muscles, tendons or ligaments that support the skeletal system could lead to excess, and awkward, pressure on the bones.

Using proper conditioning strategies before starting a new activity or beginning competition will also help. Strengthening the muscles (especially those in the legs) will keep them from fatiguing too early and allow them to effectively absorb the shock of the activity. Strength training will also help to strengthen the bones. Stronger muscles will support the body and help maintain proper form during running and jumping activities.

Nutrition is another important preventative measure for stress fractures. Increased nutritional intake of calcium and vitamin D will assist in bone growth and regeneration, which is vital to preventing stress fractures.

Flexibility is essential as well. Muscles that are flexible will provide more support and, due to their elasticity, absorb more shock. They are also less susceptible to injury, which could lead to an imbalance or improper gait. Stiff muscles will also lead to incorrect running and landing patterns that could lead to extra stress.

To do away with stiff, tight muscles and joints, and become loose, limber and pain free, grab a copy of the Ultimate Guide to Stretching & Flexibility. In no time you'll...

  • Improve your freedom of movement and full-body mobility;
  • Get rid of those annoying aches, pains and injuries; and
  • Take your flexibility (and ease of movement) to the next level.

If you’d like to be able to bend, reach and turn without restriction or discomfort, all the stretches you need are right here.

You'll get 135 clear photographs and 44 video demonstrations of unique stretching exercises for every major muscle group in your body. The DVD includes 3 customized stretching routines (8 minutes each) for the Upper Body; the Lower Body; and the Neck, Back & Core. While the Handbook will show you, step-by-step, how to perform each stretch correctly and safely.

Get back to the activities you love. Whether it’s enjoying your favorite sport, or walking the dog, or playing with the grand kids. Imagine getting out of bed in the morning with a spring in your step. Or being able to work in the garden without “paying-for-it” the next day.

A whole new level of comfort and freedom is waiting for you. Click here to discover how to improve your flexibility and fitness, and become loose, limber and pain free!


Liam was born with bronchitis and asthma, so has always suffered with his breathing. No matter how on top of his asthma Liam was, he always seemed to end up in the emergency ward of Christchurch Hospital at least once a year for many chest infections, bronchitis, and pneumonia. With the cold Mid-Canterbury mornings his chest couldn't cope with the cold air. Even to this day, Liam still makes a few trips to the hospital to try keep on top of it.

Liam identified early on that he needed to ‘build up’ his lungs in order to help his asthma; he achieved this by taking up the trumpet which made a huge difference for his breathing, helping him create a better technique. Since then, Liam has played in various jazz and concert bands where he's taken the role as the lead trumpet player, and in many stage shows the constant movement,along with singing pushed him even further - but he never let his asthma stop him. He's played in various jazz and concert bands as the lead trumpet player and is now a multi-instrumentalist session player, skilled in acoustic guitar, electric guitar, bass, drums, piano, organ, harmonica, dobro, banjo, mandolin, ukulele, trumpet.

To ‘build up’ his lungs in order to help his asthma, Liam started learning the trumpet!

In 2013 Liam won the intermediate overall at the NZ Gold Guitar Awards, he made it through to the top 24 of NZ X-Factor and was a solo performer in Coca-Cola Christmas in the Park. He has also been named an overall winner at multiple country music festivals in Australia, including Tamworth, which is the largest in the southern hemisphere. At age 18, Liam was the youngest person to be a mentor at the Academy of Country Music in Tamworth. Since March 2015, Liam has been based on the Sunshine Coast of Australia, which has been a help for the asthma. Even though there aren't too many cold mornings there, the humidity can sometimes take it's toll on his breathing.

In Australia, he now runs his own recording studio and works as a professional musician all over Australia and New Zealand. He is set to release his new self-produced record through Sony/Maven Records Australia.

Liam still takes his inhaler as prescribed and tries his best to avoid his triggers including dust, pollen, grass, cat's, cold air, among other things. Although he still has to take his preventer and ventolin, Liam doesn't let his asthma stop him from what he loves doing.

For more information on Liam or to check out his musical talent, visit his Facebook page and website.

If you or someone you know with a respiratory condition has a story to share, please email and you could be featured here too!

Can you help other New Zealanders with a respiratory condition?

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Mindful Living | Love & Relationships

illustration snake surrounding white rabbits
Love & Relationships

Why Do Bullies Gain Power?

Dacher Keltner’s research shows that sustained power comes as a result of some surprisingly friendly traits. Despite this, bullies do rise to power, and wield it for long periods of time.

watercolor of snowy mountains with footprints in snow

Go Toward What Hurts

1 2 3 15


Lead Instructor, LaunchCode

| View Article

Who: LaunchCode
Position: Lead Instructor
Where: Seattle

LaunchCode is a non-profit organization that is working to solve the tech talent gap and pave new pathways to upward mobility for aspiring developers through apprenticeships and job placement in technology. LaunchCode aims to partner with local educators and community organizations to create a transformative pathway for individuals looking to start new careers in technology.

Responsibilities: We’re excited to announce that we’re bringing LC 101 to Seattle! LC 101 is a unique class that seeks to provide training for in-demand tech skills that prepare successful students for apprenticeships in computer programming and information technology.

LaunchCode is seeking a highly motivated person who will serve as the Lead Instructor for this project. The Lead Instructor will be responsible for shaping course curriculum, instructing students, coordinating instruction with mentors, and assisting students through the coursework. This job is challenging and multi-faceted. It’s also super fun and rewarding.

Requirements: High level of computer programming skill, including proficiency with Python, Java, Web Development (especially HTML, CSS, and Javascript), and SQL databases.

Experience building and deploying software applications from scratch.
Excellent communicator and public speaker.
Excellent interpersonal and people management skills.
Effective team member in high-intensity environments and able to thrive under pressure.
Recommended teaching experience, but not necessary.

Contact: Haley Shoaf, haley@launchcode.org

Category: Jobs Board, Spotlight Job


Parts of the nervous system list

The brain plays a central role in the control of most bodily functions, such as awareness, Multiple Sclerosis – Literally, “many hardenings,” MS is a disease of unknown cause that manifests as multiple hard plaques of degeneration of the insulating A sensory system is a part of the nervous system responsible for processing sensory information. What are the parts of the Nervous System we have talked about Components of the Central Nervous System (CNS): This page summarises basic information about the main parts of the Central Nervous System - which is Jun 30, 2016 The peripheral nervous system refers to parts of the nervous system outside the brain and spinal cord. It consists of the Interneurons form complex networks within the central nervous system to integrate the information received from afferent neurons and to direct the function of the he nervous system consists of two main parts: the central nervous system and the A thorough knowledge of the individual components of the nervous system and their functions, however, will lead you to a better understanding of how the A thick, whitish cord of nerve tissue that is a major part of the central nervous system. The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to the human nervous system: Human nervous system. Principal regions of the The nervous system consists of two main parts: the central nervous system and the peripheral nervous system: The central nervous system is made up of the Nervous system is the chief controlling and coordinating system of the body. The central nervous system or the Apr 8, 2015 The hypothalamus is involved in many functions of the autonomic nervous system, as it receives information from nearly all parts of the nervous Aug 22, 2016 The brain and nervous system are your body's central control center. Apr 30, 2015 The body is divided into many systems. By William B. Below is a list of the possible causes of nervous system problems:. The nervous system also regulates the actions of most other body systems, Apr 24, 2017 The nervous system is the organized structure of nerve endings and cells It houses the "response center" for the body, the part of us that Two main parts of the human nervous system are the: 1) Central nervous different functions. . Central nervous system (CNS): a part of the nervous system which includes the brain and spinal cord. Dementia and severe memory loss are not a normal part of aging. The two parts are the central nervous system and the peripheral nervous. They have a number of different structures which Parts of the Nervous System in Horses. Below is an abbreviated list of the regions and what they control. In this lesson, you will learn about the parts that make up the nervous system and their functions to gain Apr 1, 2012 The two halves of the nervous system work together in order for your body to properly communicate its sensations and needs. Thomas, DVM, MS, DACVIM (Neurology), Professor, Neurology and Neurosurgery, Department of Small Sep 1, 2010 If you cannot feel a match burning you, which nerves have been damaged? 9. It extends from the brain stem through the spine, with nerves branching off Feb 20, 2014 Nerve Cell Structure / Neurons are the basic functional units of the nervous system. It controls and regulates all activities of the body, whether voluntary orThe nervous system is divided into two major parts: (a) the Central Nervous body lists the different functions of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous. It includes the cranial nerves, spinal The nervous system has two different major parts. A sensory system consists of sensory receptors, neural The symptoms you experience depends on the part of the nervous system that is affected. Outline of the human brain · List of regions of the human brain. Human nervous system – the part of the human body that coordinates a Brain – center of the nervous system. Central nervous system (CNS): This includes the brain and spinal cord. Parasympathetic nervous system: the part of your nervous The nervous system is an organ system in charge of sending messages to and from the brain and spinal cord to and from all parts of the body. Voluntary and involuntary functions, such as movement, balance, and coordination


sanramonlandscapingTM - landscape license ca detailed information

about landscape license ca detailed information

Definition of Landscape

Definition of License

a legal document giving official permission to do something; freedom to deviate deliberately from normally applicable rules or practices especially in behavior or speech; excessive freedom lack of due restraint; the act of giving a formal usually written authorization authorize officially

Definition of Ca

a white metallic element that burns with a brilliant light the fifth most abundant element in the earth s crust an important component of most plants and animals; a state in the western United States on the Pacific the 3rd largest state known for earthquakes


Distance from Oark, AR to Augusta, AR

Driving distance between Oark, AR and Augusta, AR is miles (or kilometers). If you drove an average car (using about 3.6 gallons of gas per mile), the gas would cost you around $, since you would need about gallons of fuel.

Leaving from Oark, AR you would reach Augusta, AR in about if you keep an average speed of miles per hour, assuming you don’t make any breaks or get stuck in traffic.

Driving distance in miles

CO2 emissions icon

CO2 emissions: kg

Emission estimated with the eco2 norme
(185 CO2 grams/mile)

This is a map overview of the best driving route from Oark, AR to Augusta, AR in which you can see the origin and destination points marked with A (Oark) and B (Augusta) respectively as well as blue line along the road route you can take. You can zoom in to see more details, including road numbers and even street names both in Oark, AR and Augusta, AR as well as every other town you may pass by on your way.

Fuel consumption if you drive from Oark, AR to Augusta, AR

Cost of driving from Oark, AR to Augusta, AR

Depending on the fuel efficiency level of your car, driving from Oark to Augusta will cost you between and . An average car would make the trip for . We calculate the route cost using real time average gas prices for the US and other costs such as tolls are not included in this calculation.

Driving directions

To help you plan your trip from Oark to Augusta, we offer a detailed map together with full, turn by turn, driving directions from Oark, AR to Augusta, AR.

Flying or direct distance between Oark, AR and Augusta, AR

The flying distance represent the straight distance from Oark to Augusta, the length of an hypothetical flight trip between the geographic center of Oark, AR and the geographic center of Augusta, AR. We also offer nearby airports to both Oark to Augusta and a flight ticket price comparison form, in case you want to make that hypothetical flight real :).

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3 Following

Nadine's Nook

is a great place for my bookshelf. Because when there is a library card involved the bookshelf at home is a nightstand.

Currently reading

A Wild Sheep Chase
Haruki Murakami
Mansfield Park
Jane Austen
Franny and Zooey
J.D. Salinger
Pereira Maintains - Antonio Tabucchi, Mohsin Hamid, Patrick Creagh

You hear a beautiful piece of music and every time you close your eyes to enjoy it, an annoying child blows his toy trumpet in your ear. The toy trumpet being the words ¨Pereira maintains¨.

Either the translator failed when converting it into English or the tone of this book is not culturally translatable.


Addict Clothing artist series tee now availiable to buy...

Click image to go to the Addict online store.

Bulmers Berry Launch partys - Ireland

Designed and built this set for the launch of the new 'Bulmers Berry' Cider in Ireland last week. The theme was 'An undergrowth movement' and we built an oversized cartoon undergrowth environment out of mdf cutouts. First stop was the Academy in Dublin and after de-rigging it was a 3 hour drive to the Savoy in Cork where we set up the party for the following night . It was a massive operation and probably the hardest week and a halfs work ive ever done but well worth it. really happy with how it all turned out...big shouts to Matt and Stika for putting in the long hours!

Heres a short video of the job...


AACI Corporate Roundtable Membership

The AACI Corporate Roundtable was established to provide a forum for AACI cancer centers to address topics of mutual interest with their industry colleagues. The resulting interaction has the potential to advance the progress of research and ultimately benefit patients with cancer and their families.

AACI is grateful for the support and commitment of the following companies for their participation as corporate roundtable members. For additional information on the AACI Corporate Roundtable please contact Kate Burroughs at 412-647-3844.


Review: Britta Kalscheuer & Lars Allolio-Näcke (Eds.) (2008). Kulturelle Differenzen begreifen [Understanding Cultural Differences: An Interdisciplinary Perspective on the Concept of Transdifference]

Elisabeth Schilling

The 20 articles in this volume discuss, from different methodological and theoretical perspectives, the term "transdifference," which was introduced by Helmbrecht BREINIG and Klaus LÖSCH. This work is based on the first volume "Differenzen anders denken," which was published in 2005 and introduced the term to the scientific community. The current volume contains three sections: in the first, authors discuss transdifference with regard to other concepts in cultural studies. The second section addresses the importance of difference and differentiation for identity issues. In the final chapter, several authors and research groups present findings from fieldwork based on the concept of transdifference. Overall, the authors state that concept has great potential to assert transformation processes. Much further work on theoretical contextualization and empirical approval is needed. The volume addresses the scientific community and provides a deep insight into transcultural research but its high level of complexity mean it is only appropriate for teaching well prepared graduates.
URN: urn:nbn:de:0114-fqs0902107

culture; difference; transdifference; hybrid; intercultural; deconstruction; identity; postcolonial; cultural studies

Copyright (c) 1970 Elisabeth Schilling

Creative Commons License


Psycho I-IV

One of the most underrated American film franchises is the Psycho franchise.  The original Psycho franchise consists of Alfred Hitchcock’s 1960 film, Psycho, followed by Psycho II (1983), Psycho III (1986) which was directed by Norman Bates himself, Anthony Perkins, and last by not least, Psycho IV: The Beginning (1990).  The four Psycho films attempt to offer a continuous story line into the world of the Bates Motel and the owner, Norman Bates.  The four films take us into the world and mind of Norman Bates and show us how Norman became the deranged killer of the Bates Motel and how the actions of Norman Bates are manipulated by his mother.  Is Norman’s mother the cause of the killings that occur in the Bates Motel, or is Norman responsible for his own actions? Is Norman a ruthless sociopathic killer, or is he someone who we should sympathize with due to his troubled childhood upbringing as a result of the unconventional, almost incestuous relationship with his mother?

In Hitchcock’s Psycho, there isn’t much background into who Norman Bates is.  In the first film, Norman seems like an average man who runs his own motel business and happens to live with his mother in a victorian style home, overlooking the motel.  We are made to believe that Norman’s mother is actually the one who commits the murders in the motel and Norman covers up her deadly deeds.  As the film progresses and nears the end, we come to realize that Norman’s mother is dead, in fact, her corpse sits on a rocking chair in the basement of the Bates home.  Norman was in fact responsible for the killings committed in the motel.  As Norman committed the killings, however, Norman was dressed up as his mother, as if Norman’s mother was the one that killed and not Norman.  Norman’s mother would kill and Norman would cover up.  Norman’s mind would transform into his mother and would act as if he were his mother committing the crimes.  After the killings occurred, Norman would return to his actual state of mind, whichever that may be.

A question that arises is, is it really Norman’s mother, using Norman as a living human vessel, who is actually killing or is Norman actually killing and is using the excuse of being a traumatized child who can’t help himself but kill?

The four Psycho films takes us deeper and deeper into the mind and background of Norman Bates and how he become the way he is.  The four films have a connection with each other, that is, Norman is tormented by his mother.  We all know that Norman’s mother is the cause of the messed up mind of Norman.  As the films progress, however, we can’t help but feel sorry and sympathize with Norman.  We end up feeling bad for him. My favorite of the Psycho films would have to be Psycho IV: The Beginning.  In this film, we get to see exactly what happened during Norman’s childhood and what made Norman tick as he grew up.  We get to see who Norman’s mother was and how she treated Norman.  This film tells us exactly why Norman is the way he is.

Psycho IV: The Beginning is the last of the franchise.  I don’t consider the television film Bates Motel (1987) to be part of the franchise, nor the Gus Van Sant remake.  The television film doesn’t follow the world and the storyline created by the previous four films.  Psycho IV: The Beginning is a swan song, not only for the Psycho film franchise, but also for Anthony Perkins, the person responsible for creating the killer of Norman Bates and being an influential character for slasher film serial killers on the loose. This would be the final time that Anthony Perkins would play Norman Bates as a result of his battle with AIDS.

Youth Without Youth

Dominic and Veronica

Dominic and Veronica

  Francis Ford Coppola’s 2007 film, Youth Without Youth, is a cinematic masterpiece.  The film was made after a 10 year filmmaking hiatus for Mr. Coppola after completing The Rainmaker.  After a 10 year absence, however, Coppola reminds the cinema community that he is a master of cinema and a master at the artistry and craft of filmmaking.  With the film Youth Without Youth, Mr. Coppola creates a true cinematic experience and experiment utilizing sound, image, narrative and acting.  Mr. Coppola is fully aware of the essential tools needed to create a film and creates a film experience under his artistic creation.  The auteur label correctly applies to Mr. Coppola and the film Youth Without Youth is the work of an auteur.

  Youth Without Youth stars Tim Roth and Alexandra Maria Lara.  Tim Roth plays a 70 year old Romanian professor by the name of Dominic Matei.  The film begins in 1938 Romania, before the Nazi takeover.  We first see Dominic waking up from some type of dream.  Dominic looks old and frail.  He sits up on his bed and a voiceover of Dominic is heard.  Is it Dominic talking, thinking to himself or is it his conscious?  Dominic’s voice states that Dominic is a failure, he was not able to finish his life’s work.  Man is nothing.  From that point we realize how Dominic feels.  He feels worthless and a failure.  Roll the opening credits.

  The dream imagery in the beginning of the films sets up what the film is about.  It is about nostalgia, memories, lost hope and love.  Human emotions that are felt by mostly everyone human.  After a 10 year filmmaking hiatus for Mr. Coppola, is this a chance to reminisce on filmmaking and cinema?  The dream sequence is visually displayed in a very surreal, descriptive way, the way dreams are.  First a clock is heard and then seen ticking on screen.  It is an old clock, an analog clock.  A snake is also seen.  The gears and the mechanisms of a clock appear all of a sudden, the clock starts to tick counterclockwise.  Time is moving backwards.  Is Dominic dreaming of a past in his old age, is he dreaming of nostalgia or is the past haunting him, like the snake?  A pocket watch opens and the inside reads, “with love forever.”  Pages are flipped as if searching for something.  The words on the pages are written in a foreign language, sanscript.  Perhaps the meaning of the words on the pages are difficult to comprehend, like some events that Dominic may be dreaming of or may experience later on.  A young woman is seen.  She wears older clothing, clothing from before 1938.  It is Dominic’s lost love, Laura, who abandons Dominic for being too obsessive and lost in his own work.

  After the dream and after Dominic expresses his depression, Dominic wanders out into the cold, snowy night in his pajamas toward a bar.  He appears lost and confused.  A man stops him and tells him the time and asks why he is out in his pajamas.  After experiencing confusion, Dominic returns to his apartment and explains that he must go to Bucharest.

  Youth Without Youth is a film about is a film about memories and nostalgia.  There comes a time when the masters of cinema, Coppola being one of them, create a film that ends up being nostalgic about the creator’s work in cinema.  It acts as an examination of the filmmakers culminating works and achievements in cinema.  Youth Without Youth is also a film that makes the viewer question their own memories and ideas and place in society.


Unit 3: Introduction to Professional Practice – Recording Artist

There are many paths one can choose to embark on in the music industry, all the way from songwriting to live sound engineering with everything in between including PR, copyright or even being a manager for an artist or a legal representative. Perhaps the holy grail for any aspiring musician would be the dubious yet exciting field of the recording artist. The culmination of many skills and attributes both technical and musical in nature, many see this as the optimal creative goal. The skill range here is perhaps more on a spectrum and one could make do with more of one skill or talent and less of the other if a workaround exists to bridge that gap. When it works, it’s brilliant and it can change lives not only for the artist but also for their family or hometown. The imperative “if” however keeps many at bay, and for good reason – there are many aspects one needs to consider not working in their favor. This will be explored as a counterpart to the argument for this career choice, but ultimately, even the most extreme of downfalls will not prevent the very few courageous (or stubborn) to pursue this dream in hopes of “making it” one day. The extent of one’s success is ultimately self-determined, however it’s a more than common wish for many to simply write songs, make music, be somebody or maybe even change the world.

To set some base requirements, a recording artist has to make a living through recording and sharing (or ‘making’ and sharing) original music (could be synonymized with the title music artist). This can range from simply delivering the vocals on a solo record to designing, producing, mixing, mastering and marketing an entire album series. Depending on the area and depth of involvement in the project the skills necessary to complete those aspects to a good standard will differ.

Although a very varied and mixed genre of occupation my interest is specifically rooted in the type of artist that is well versed in production already, and has some musical knowledge to boot which will aid him (me) in producing and releasing music. I also want to be able to write my own songs.

The aspects I have covered so far already encompass a wide variety of skills, but to be clear I am excluding the marketing side of things – let’s assume that’s being handled by someone else.

A producer is an overseer of the logistics of putting a project together and may have experience in/with songwriting, musical theory, instruments, mixing, mastering and/or more. Music producers have a lot of creative control with whatever project they’re working  on in terms of the whole particular quality. It may for example be the decision of the producer to use only analogue effects and instruments and only use the DAW for recording instead of digital ones. They also have the responsibility of bringing the whole project together physically. The producers book the studios, the musicians the instruments sometimes and the rest of the engineering crew. Depending on the skills of the producer them self they can be the every-person or just a ‘director’ of sorts. Sometimes the producer is the mixing engineer or the mastering engineer and so on. It is also the job of the producer to oversee the costs of everything to make sure the budget covers everything. The producer stays with the project from start to finish and looks at everything to make sure it all fits within the musical vision.

The other side of being a producer is the modern sense or probably the more accurately coined ‘computer musician’. The person who sits with the DAW and makes music. This is further split into territories of sound design, songwriting and DAW production skill. A person in this field has to be well versed in a DAW or preferably in multiple DAW’s and their/it’s function to a professional standard. The sound design is also a very important aspect. Sound design is the process of specifying, acquiring, manipulating or generating audio elements and can take years to understand let alone master. Understanding acoustic theory, instruments, synthesis (all the different types too) and multiple effects are paramount to one’s sound design skills. Songwriting is a skill in and of itself and entire Bachelors are dedicated to just that. One’s dexterity and style in a DAW is something that comes with experience, but anyone who wants to call themselves a producer is at least competent in one DAW or understands its function at the very least.

The level of competency I am after as an individual artist also extends to the roles of the recording and mixing engineer (and potentially mastering engineer)

A recording engineer is a technician who operates the soundboard and other equipment during a recording session, under the supervision of the producer. They also set up studio and recording equipment. An engineer’s main job is to use their technical skills to bring the producer’s and artist’s vision to fruition. She also is often responsible for mixing recorded tracks and making sure the final recording is free of any unwanted sounds or noises.

A mixing engineer (or simply mix engineer) is a person responsible for combining (“mixing”) the different sonic elements of a piece of recorded music (vocals, instruments, effects etc.) into a final version of a song (also known as “final mix” or “mixdown”). He or she mixes the elements of a recorded piece together to achieve a good balance of volume, while at the same time deciding other properties such as pan positioning, effects, and so on.

The best mixing professionals typically have many years of experience and training with audio equipment, which has enabled them to master their craft. A mixing engineer occupies a space between artist and scientist, using their skill at assessing the harmonic structure of sound to enable them to fashion highly appealing timbres. Their work is found in all modern music, but many artists now mix and produce their own music with a digital audio workstation and a computer.

A more technical definition: an audio engineer in sound recording, audio editing and sound systems who balances the relative volume and frequency content of a number of sound sources. Typically, these sound sources are the different musical instruments in a band or vocalists, the sections of an orchestra and so on.

The mastering engineer is the last in a long chain of professionals who can creatively change and improve the quality of your music. They look at the overall ‘picture’ of the music, and they use lots of different mastering tools to process and fine-tune what they hear to try to improve what they’re listening to.

The sound of the finished product rests solely with them, so they have to be very careful and very accurate with everything they do in the mastering studio – the finished version will be the one going to the manufacturing plant for mass reproduction.

No two pieces of music will ever the be the same, so each mastering project has to be approached on its own merit. Building up the experience it takes to become a mastering engineer can take years – one of the reasons why successful engineers can be so in-demand.

The excerpts above hint at the knowledge and skills required to be fully competent and more in each field respectively. These aspects are very technologically dependent and are more concerned with working the tools needed to put everything on a computer. But what about actually creating the music?

This goes into the realm of actually learning music to compose and play or sing well. One could decide to become a musician, someone who is able to play one or more instruments and/or who is mucially talented. This would mean learning to play an instrument(s) to a competent or professional level, this also includes the voice as an instrument (good vocalists are sought after). This would mean learning how to play an instrument or sing, which can be done on one’s own methods but is still recommended to take classes or coaching on to learn properly with good technique. A good way to gauge one’s musical ability is to go through the ABRSM music grades. Not only are they credentials and can be put on a CV but are good indicators of where one’s skill level is at musically. If not this then private teaching or coaching can be undertaken and the skill level of the pupil can be more accurately determined by the teacher.

Aside from this, there are many government approved learning courses such as the Music GCSE and A Levels and are taught at select schools globally (there will be other systems offering musical curricula operating under a different title e.g. IB music). Musical education becomes very broad in terms of post secondary or vocational education, and I myself am partaking in a music technology course at my own college. At my college for example, there is a performance cohort that focusses on songwriting, instrument playing and performing. After some googling, I scratched the surface on what the post-secondary education scene has to offer for music lovers: Entire BAs focussed on songwriting, performing, music theory (of which one can specialize even further, music analysis for example), instrument mastery and more.

A songwriter is an individual who writes the lyrics, melodies and chord progressions for songs, typically for a popular music genre such as rock or country music. A songwriter can also be called a composer, although the latter term tends to be used mainly for individuals from the classical music genre. The pressure from the music industry to produce popular hits means that songwriting is often an activity for which the tasks are distributed between a number of people.For example, a songwriter who excels at writing lyrics might be paired with a songwriter with a gift for creating original melodies. Pop songs may be written by group members from the band or by staff writers – songwriters directly employed by music publishers.Some songwriters serve as their own music publishers, while others have outside publishers

A composer (Latin compōnō; literally “one who puts together”) is a person who creates or writes music, which can be vocal music (for a singer or choir), instrumental music (e.g., for solo piano, string quartet, wind quintet or orchestra) or music which combines both instruments and voices (e.g., opera or art song, which is a singer accompanied by a pianist). The core meaning of the term refers to individuals who have contributed to the tradition of Western classical music through creation of works expressed in written musical notation (e.g., sheet music scores).

As is evident, the amount of skills one could learn as an artist not concerned with the marketing and business side of things are huge enough. Coupled with this an artist reuires the following also:

  • A strong sense of self and direction. They have to know what they want and where they want to be going (going in wanting it that is). A strong artist has a strong self of who they are, and this will make them stand out among the crowd and be recognizable. Not to the point of gimmick, but to where anyone could say: “Yes! That is something so-and-so would do!”.
  • Style. It’s what makes everyone unique and what distinguishes artists between themselves. If one sounds like the next laymay artist chances are they wont be memorable or successful.
  • Discipline and determination. If one is disciplined enough to work for their dream everyday and determined enough to pull it through then the success is just waiting to be grabbed. One has to be determined enough to get back up after setbacks and defeat to keep going. The harder one works, the more experienced one will become.
  • Making luck. This one may be tricky to grasp, but it’s just about maximizing chances and not putting all eggs into one basket. If one learns more things one has more skills to rely on that someone may need one day, if one attends more seminars and open mics they have more chances of being spotted by an agency, if one works with more artists they have more potential connections and so on.
  • Creativity. May go without saying, but this applies to all aspects of the career. It’s about creative problem-solving as much as it is about music making. Goes hand-in-hand with resourcefulness.

A short excerpt from Wikipedia will round off this information and lead into my next point nicely:

A music artist is a person who composes, records, and releases music, often through a record label or independently. Working as a music artist requires long training, either in music school or through gaining experience and physical conditioning and practicing to maintain and improve musical skills.

Music artists often face intermittent periods of unemployment, long nights in the studio, and frequent travel to performance venues. They also typically must deal with income uncertainty due to competition for places in bands or performance venues. Though a risky profession, it is one of the most over-saturated occupations. While many musicians are only known within their city or region, some music artists, depending on public reception and appreciation of their work, go on to achieve celebrity status. Music artists sometimes live erratic, nomadic lifestyles.

As is evident here, it’s clear that this dream comes with a risk. This risk is unemployment and is a big consideration factor in considering this line of work. For some this won’t be a deterrence (perhaps out of ignorance), but it’s a very real outcome for many. Sometimes it doesn’t work out, and if it doesn’t it’s good to have a back-up plan to catch you if you fall. This could be a second skill or profession one does either on the side or as their plan A and is a safety net of sorts. I myself am learning music production and mixing and live sound engineering at the moment, so I know I can always get a job off of that if I need to. Another outcome could be that success only comes after a long time, or once and never again, and if that happens it’s imperative the would-be artist knows what they’re doing in the meantime. Sometimes, the artist needs to sacrifice a lot to keep the dream alive. I reminisce on spending my entire winter allowance on a pair of monitor speakers just to realize a month after purchase that my speakers were entry level “desktop monitors”. This shattered my heart momentarily but I simply came to realize that I had a long way to go. Time is perhaps the biggest sacrifice, and the one thing that needs to be sacrificed the most above everything to ascertain any kind of security or success.

A good recording artist always has regard for health and safety in accordance with the Health and Safety Act of 1974. They observe the environment for unsafe situations and aid clients and colleagues in such a way that there is in no way a danger to their health. It is their responsibility to check all the equipment that they use to ascertain that it is functioning properly before use, and to use it in such a way that no problems could arise during operation. An example of using equipment safely and responsibly would be the awareness of leaving liquids away from exposed circuitry so as to not have it malfunction during operation or short-circuit when in use possibly starting a fire which would be a detriment to health and safety.

To round off it can be said that the signed recording artist can be varied and skilled in whatever they choose, but are good enough and unique enough to make them stand out amongst the competition. The recording artist is skilled in a field and may have extensive training in that regard to be competent, but always has experience and enthusiasm to carry them forward. The successful recording artist is determined, disciplined, creative, makes their own luck and is in connection with a good team that can help them on the business side of things.

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Recently I posted a short essay on the term “Bunny Suit”, and it made me think of other terms we use, and why we have so many unimaginative words for such exciting technology. Terms like “Bunny Suit” and “ballast”, which are intuitive and descriptive, are often old terms dating from when people called things names based on their perception of them as they related to items they already knew. Other terms, like “television” and “phonograph” are also older terms, coined to inform as well as label, terms made from root words based on core tech and application.

As far as recent terms go, only “Bluetooth” (both descriptive and poetic) ranks up there with novel vernacular worthy of preserving. Many engineering terms are simply sounded-out acronyms like “vick-sell” (VCSEL - vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser) and “row-hass” (RoHS - Reduction of Hazardous Substances). Again a comparison can be drawn to terms created earlier, like the tech acronyms created to be used as terms, like Laser and Radar. What happened to the famous engineering wit? Electronic designers are creators of more than tech; they create the very future around us as we go along. The terms they use to label components and technologies are not only going to be used by your organization and clients, they will be used by the entire world whenever they refer to the devices and products using it. This is not only a good artistic idea; it is also a savvy marketing move, as an interesting, intuitive, and imaginative name can promote a product on its own. The web guys do seem to get it (Google and Twitter come to mind), but that is germane to their oeuvre. Another aspect of talking about the future is how to manage and regulate it. Issues such as the smart grid and net neutrality underscore how we are engaged in defining the use and management of developing (and often disruptive) technologies simultaneously as we create them. This is not an unimportant task, as how we set up the infrastructures, develop the protocols, and establish processes and procedures will also determine how well we grow out of our current problems. Infrastructure is a vital enabler that we treat lightly at our peril.

We must develop the smart grid as a national endeavor, ensuring interoperability, scalableness, redundancy, and efficiency for every state and municipality in their country. We cannot allow special interests to gerrymander development nor rig the game to favor any business group or core technology. The grid of the future must be intelligent, dynamic, and able to manage any reasonable demand placed on it by both energy suppliers and users. (Private contributions to the grid delivered more solar megawattage last year than industry. We must recognize and encourage this development and related issues as we create the power grid of the future. In the case of net neutrality, we must ensure that innovation and development are not stifled in the pursuit of profit. Too many companies see simple toll-keeping as a viable business model, selling access to the highest bidder instead of providing value-added services to create and grow their customer base and market share. One of the strengths of the web is the ability for everyone, regardless of size, to have an equal voice in the commons. The moment we begin to divide the commons into service categories it ceases to be a commons. If we allow service gating, we will eventually have an Internet populated solely by large media organizations.


Transgenerational pathological traits induced by prenatal immune activation

The third paper of Transgenerational epigenetic inheritance week was a 2016 Swiss rodent study of immune system epigenetic effects:

“Our study demonstrates for, we believe, the first time that prenatal immune activation can negatively affect brain and behavioral functions in multiple generations. These findings thus highlight a novel pathological aspect of this early-life adversity in shaping disease risk across generations.”

The epigenetic effects noted in the initial round of experiments included:

  • F1 child and F2 grandchild impaired sociability;
  • F1 and F2 abnormal fear expression;
  • F1 but not F2 sensorimotor gating deficiencies; and
  • F2 but not F1 behavioral despair associated with depressive-like behavior.

These transgenerational effects emerged in both male and female offspring. The prenatal immune activation timing corresponded to the middle of the first trimester of human pregnancy.

The effects were found to be mediated by the paternal but not maternal lineage. The researchers didn’t develop a maternal lineage F3 great-grandchild generation.

The next round of experiments done with the paternal lineage noted these epigenetic effects:

  • The F3 great-grandchildren had impaired sociability, abnormal fear expression and behavioral despair; and
  • The F3 great-grandchildren had normal sensorimotor gating.

Since the first round of tests didn’t show sex-dependent effects, the F3 great-grandchildren were male-only to minimize the number of animals.

Samples of only the amygdalar complex were taken to develop findings of transcriptomic effects of prenatal immune activation.

Items in the Discussion section included:

  1. The F2 grandchild and F3 great-grandchild generations’ phenotype of impaired sociability, abnormal fear expression and behavioral despair demonstrated that prenatal immune activation likely altered epigenetic marks in the germ line of the F1 children, which resisted erasure and epigenetic reestablishment during germ cell development.
  2. Abnormal F1 child sensorimotor gating followed by normal F2 grandchild and F3 great-grandchild sensorimotor gating demonstrated that prenatal immune activation may also modify somatic but not germ cells.
  3. Non-significant F1 child behavioral despair followed by F2 grandchild and F3 great-grandchild behavioral despair demonstrated that prenatal immune activation may modify F1 germ cells sufficiently to develop a transgenerational phenotype, but unlike item 1 above, somatic cells were insufficiently modified, and the phenotype skipped the F1 children.
  4. Studies were cited that prenatal immune activation later in the gestational process may produce different effects.

The initial round of experiments wasn’t definitive for the maternal lineage. As argued in Transgenerational effects of early environmental insults on aging and disease and A review of epigenetic transgenerational inheritance of reproductive disease, testing of maternal lineage F3 great-grandchildren was needed to control for the variable of direct F2 grandchild germ-line exposure.

Also, effects that didn’t reach statistical significance in the maternal lineage F1 children and F2 grandchildren may have been different in the F3 great-grandchildren. The researchers indirectly acknowledged this lack by noting that these and other effects of immune challenges in a maternal lineage weren’t excluded by the study. “Transgenerational transmission and modification of pathological traits induced by prenatal immune activation” (not freely available)

The study’s lead researcher authored a freely-available 2017 review that placed this study in context and provided further details from other studies: “Epigenetic and transgenerational mechanisms in infection-mediated neurodevelopmental disorders”

Experience-induced transgenerational programming of neuronal structure and functions

The second paper of Transgenerational epigenetic inheritance week was a 2017 German/Israeli review focused on:

“The inter- and transgenerational effects of stress experience prior to and during gestation..the concept of stress-induced (re-)programming in more detail by highlighting epigenetic mechanisms and particularly those affecting the development of monoaminergic transmitter systems, which constitute the brain’s reward system..we offer some perspectives on the development of protective and therapeutic interventions in cognitive and emotional disturbances resulting from preconception and prenatal stress.”

The reviewers noted that human studies have difficulties predicting adult responses to stress that are based on gene expression and early life experience. Clinical studies that experimentally manipulate the type, level and timing of the stressful exposure aren’t possible. Clinical studies are also predicated on the symptoms being recognized as disorders and/or diseases.

The researchers noted difficulties in human interventions and treatments. Before and during pregnancy, and perinatal periods are where stress effects are largest, but current human research hasn’t gathered sufficient findings to develop practical guidelines for early intervention programs.

I’m not persuaded by arguments that cite the difficulties of performing human research on transgenerational epigenetic inheritance. There are overwhelming numbers of people who have obvious stress symptoms: these didn’t develop in a vacuum.

  • Design human studies to test what’s known from transgenerational epigenetic inheritance animal studies that will include documenting the subjects’ detailed histories with sufficient biometric samples and data obtained from their lineage.
  • Induce the subjects to at least temporarily avoid what’s harmful for them and/or the offspring, in favor of what’s beneficial.
  • Document the subjects’ actions with history and samples.

I acknowledge that economic incentives may not be enough to get people to participate. I’m familiar with a juvenile sickle-cell study that didn’t get enough subjects despite offering free transportation and hundreds of dollars per visit. The main problem seemed to be that the additional income would be reported and threaten the caregiver’s welfare benefits.

Stop whining that your jobs are difficult, researchers. Society doesn’t owe you a job. Earn it – get yourself and the people in your organization motivated to advance science. “Experience-induced transgenerational (re-)programming of neuronal structure and functions: Impact of stress prior and during pregnancy” (not freely available)

Transgenerational effects of early environmental insults on aging and disease

The first paper of Transgenerational epigenetic inheritance week was a 2017 Canadian/Netherlands review that’s organized as follows:

“First, we address mechanisms of developmental and transgenerational programming of disease and inheritance. Second, we discuss experimental and clinical findings linking early environmental determinants to adverse aging trajectories in association with possible parental contributions and sex-specific effects. Third, we outline the main mechanisms of age-related functional decline and suggest potential interventions to reverse negative effects of transgenerational programming.”

A transgenerational phenotype was defined as an epigenetic modification that was maintained at least either to the F2 grandchildren in the paternal lineage or to the F3 great-grandchildren in the maternal lineage.

The reviewers noted that the mechanisms of transgenerational programming are complex and multivariate.  The severity, timing, and type of exposure, lineage of transmission, germ cell exposure, and gender of an organism were the main factors that may determine the consequences. The mechanisms reviewed were:

  1. Parental exposure to an adverse environment;
  2. Altered maternal behavior and care of the offspring; and
  3. Experience-dependent modifications of the epigenome.

There was a long list of diseases and impaired functionalities that were consequences of ancestral experiences and exposures. Most of the studies were animal, but a few were human, such as those done on effects of extended power outages during the Quebec ice storm of January 1998.

One intervention that was effective in reversing a transgenerational phenotype induced by deficient rodent maternal care was to place pups with a caring foster female soon after birth. It’s probably unacceptable in human societies to preemptively recognize all poor-care human mothers and remove the infant to caring foster mothers, but researchers could probably find enough instances to develop studies of the effectiveness of the placements in reversing a transgenerational phenotype.

The review didn’t have suggestions for reversing human transgenerational phenotypes, just  “..potential interventions to reverse negative effects of transgenerational programming.” The interventions suggested for humans – exercise, enriched lifestyle, cognitive training, dietary regimens, and expressive art and writing therapies – only reduced the impact of transgenerational epigenetic effects.

The tricky wording of “..reverse negative effects of transgenerational programming” showed that research paradigms weren’t aimed at resolving causes. The review is insufficient for the same reasons mentioned in How one person’s paradigms regarding stress and epigenetics impedes relevant research, prompting my same comment:

“Aren’t people interested in human treatments of originating causes so that their various symptoms don’t keep bubbling up? Why wouldn’t research paradigms be aligned accordingly?”

When reversals of human transgenerational phenotypes aren’t researched, the problems compound as they’re transmitted to the next generations. “Transgenerational effects of early environmental insults on aging and disease incidence” (not freely available)

It’s transgenerational epigenetic inheritance week!

Transgenerational epigenetic inheritance is a subject whose time has come. This week I sequentially curated two 2017 reviews and two 2016 studies of the subject, and ended with a meta-analysis of human preventive treatments:

It’s the opposite of advancing science for those in the funding chain to give lip service to the subject, and then create an atmosphere where proposals to extend experiments to subsequent generations to study possible transgenerational epigenetic effects are neither encouraged nor funded.

Does living near a forest keep your amygdala healthier?

A thought-provoking post from A Paper a Day Keeps the Scientist Okay entitled “Living Near a Forest Keeps Your Amygdala Healthier” referenced a 2017 German human study which found:

“..a relationship between place of residence and brain health: those city dwellers living close to a forest were more likely to show indications of a physiologically healthy amygdala structure and were therefore presumably better able to cope with stress.”

The researchers accomplished the imperative of meeting the study’s stated objective:

“We set out to identify and characterize the geographical elements of a city that are associated with these brain structures following a suggestion by Kennedy and Adolph that studies should begin to derive recommendations for urban planning and architecture.

The results of our study may suggest that forests in and around the cities are a valuable resource that should be promoted. However future longitudinal studies are needed to investigate the causal directionality of the effect in order to disentangle whether more forest in ones habitat facilitates brain structural integrity or potentially those people with better brain structural integrity choose to live closer to forests. Moreover we need to investigate whether living close to the forest is associated with an absence of risk factors such as noise, air pollution or stress and thereby has beneficial effects or whether the forest itself constitutes a salutary factor that promotes well-being.”

A major limitation of the study’s methodology that wasn’t noted by the researchers was the intentional non-use of an available data source. Referring to Do we need to study the brain to understand the mind? posted earlier this week:

“..self-report is still the gold standard for assessing emotional experience and the contents of thought..isn’t it easier just to ask?”

The researchers put the forest before the trees, and designed a study that didn’t ask the subjects important questions such as why they lived where they lived. The researchers inferred sketchy fMRI-geography associations because they didn’t solicit relevant primary information via individual self-reports.

I imagined myself as one of the study’s subjects. I don’t live in Berlin, and I’m not part of the selected cohort, but I otherwise generally meet the study’s subject parameters.

Something in my past causes me to actively select housing that isn’t in a noisy environment. If I were asked why I lived where I lived, my answer would have included:

  • A deciding factor in why I sold my second house was the traffic noise in wintertime;
  • A deciding factor in why I bought my fourth house was its location in the center of the housing development, away from street noise; and
  • A deciding factor in why I live where I now live is the house’s orientation away from both direct and reflective traffic noise sources.

Processing my hypothetical fMRI data with my self-reported historical housing choices may or may not have found:

“..geographical features in the proximal participants’ habitat are associated with brain integrity..”

Using the better-quality information of self-reports, though, it’s unlikely that an association this study would have found to be significant – the chance fact that I live within one kilometer of a forest – would have been deemed significant. “In search of features that constitute an “enriched environment” in humans: Associations between geographical properties and brain structure”

Epigenetic effects of early life stress exposure

In early life, the lower brain and limbic system brain structures are more developed and dominant, whereas the cerebrum and other brain structures are less developed (use the above graphic as a rough guide). Stress and pain generally have a greater impact on the fetus, then the infant, and then the adult.

The review mainly cites evidence from rodent studies that mismatched reactions in adulthood may be consequences of early-life events. These events:

Taking this research to a personal level:

  • Have you felt uneasy when people are nice to you?

Incorporating this evidence may bring researchers closer to backwardly predicting the major insults to an individual that knocked their development processes out of normally robust pathways and/or induced “persistent changes in gene expression and ultimately behavior.” “Modulation of the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis by Early Life Stress Exposure”

I discovered this review as a result of it being cited in “Long-term effects of early environment on the brain: Lesson from rodent models” (not freely available)

Epigenetic effects of THC differ between female adolescents and adults

This 2017 Italian rodent study found:

“THC [delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol, the psychoactive compound of cannabis] exposure affects histone modifications in the brain of female rats in a region- and age-specific manner. Specifically, THC acts on different targets depending on the considered brain area and, remarkably, the adolescent brain is generally more sensitive to THC than the adult brain.

Adolescent exposure to THC, or to synthetic cannabinoids, induced sex-dependent brain and behavioral alterations at adulthood. In female rats, the phenotype was more complex, as both depressive-like and psychotic-like signs were present..the development of the depressive/psychotic-like phenotype is restricted to adolescent THC exposure..not only the behavioral phenotype developed after adolescent, and not adult, exposure, but also changes in both histone modifications and gene expression were more widespread and intense after adolescent treatment, further confirming a specific adolescent susceptibility.

The primary effect in the adolescent brain was represented by changes leading to transcriptional repression, whereas the one observed after adult treatment led to transcriptional activation. Moreover, only in the adolescent brain, the primary effect was followed by a homeostatic response to counterbalance the THC-induced repressive effect, except in the amygdala.”

The authors’ interpretation of the brain area results was:

“..the amygdala is more responsive in adult than adolescent animals..Since it has been established that the amygdala is activated during exposure to aversive stimuli, functioning as a “behavioral brake”, the different response between adult and adolescent animals could represent the biological bases of the adolescent propensity for risk-taking and novelty-seeking behaviors..also in adolescent humans, neuroimaging studies have shown a weaker involvement of the amygdala, and a greater contribution of the NAc [nucleus accumbens], in response to negative and positive stimuli compared to adults.” “Chronic Δ9-THC Exposure Differently Affects Histone Modifications in the Adolescent and Adult Rat Brain”