http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/11/101103141531.htm#
Using a blend of brain imaging and genetic detective work, scientists at UCLA's David Geffen School of Medicine and Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior are the first to illustrate how genetic variants rewire the brain. Published in the Nov. 3 online edition of Science Translational Medicine, their discovery offers the crucial missing physical evidence that links altered genes to modified brain function and learning.
"This is a key piece of the puzzle we've been searching for," said co-principal investigator Dr. Daniel Geschwind, a professor of neurology and psychiatry who holds UCLA's Gordon and Virginia MacDonald Distinguished Chair in Human Genetics. "Now we can begin to unravel the mystery of how genes rearrange the brain's circuitry not only in autism, but in many related neurological disorders."
The UCLA team scrutinized the differences in brain connectivity and function that result from two forms of the CNTNAP2 gene, one of which boosts risk for autism.
Earlier studies by Geschwind and others demonstrated that the gene is most active during brain development in the frontal lobe. The region is highly involved in learning, which is often disrupted in autistic children.
Suspecting that CNTNAP2 might influence brain activity, the researchers used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to scan the brains of 32 children as they performed learning-related tasks. Half of the children had autism, and half did not.
The team's goal was to measure the strength of various communication pathways in different regions of the brain as they connected with each other.
The fMRI images excited the scientists -- and confirmed their suspicions.
Regardless of their diagnosis, the children carrying the risk variant showed a disjointed brain. The frontal lobe was over-connected to itself and poorly connected to the rest of the brain. Communication with the back of the brain was particularly diminished.
"In children who carry the risk gene, the front of the brain appears to talk mostly with itself," explained first author Ashley Scott-Van Zeeland, now a Dickinson Research Fellow at Scripps Translational Science Institute. "It doesn't communicate as much with other parts of the brain and lacks long-range connections to the back of the brain."
Depending on which CNTNAP2 version the child carried, the researchers also observed a difference in connectivity between the left and right sides of the brain. In most people, the left side processes functions tied to language, like speech and understanding.
In the children with the non-risk gene, communication pathways in the frontal lobe linked more strongly to the left side of the brain.
In children with the risk variant, communications pathways in the front lobe connected more broadly to both sides of the brain. The unusual symmetry suggests that the gene variant rewires connections in the brain, perhaps explaining why this version of CNTNAP2 is associated with delayed speech.
"We saw that if you had the risk variant, your brain showed disrupted activation patterns whether you were diagnosed on the autism spectrum or not," explained co-principal investigator Susan Bookheimer, a professor of psychiatry who holds the Joaquin Fuster Chair in Cognitive Neurosciences. "We suspect that CNTNAP2 plays an important role in wiring neurons at the front of the brain, and that the risk variant interferes with that process."
By enhancing understanding of the relationship between genes, the brain and behavior, the UCLA finding could lead to earlier detection for autism, and new interventions to strengthen connections between the frontal lobe and left side of the brain.
"If we determine that the CNTNAP2 variant is a consistent predictor of language difficulties," said Scott-Van Zeeland, "we could begin to design targeted therapies to help rebalance the brain and move it toward a path of more normal development."
Researchers could test whether specific therapies actually change brain function by measuring connectivity of patients before and after therapy, she added.
The authors emphasized that the patterns of connectivity found in the study still fall along the spectrum of normal gene variation. "One third of the population carries this variant in its DNA," noted Geschwind. "It's important to remember that the gene variant alone doesn't cause autism, it just increases risk."
Led by the UCLA Autism Center of Excellence, the research was supported by grants from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Alliance for Autism Research, National Center for Research Resources, Autism Speaks, Whitehall Foundation, Training Program in Neurobehavioral Genetics and a National Research Service Award.
Other UCLA coauthors included Ana Alvarez-Retuerto, Lisa Sonnenblick, Jeffrey Rudie, Dara Ghahremani, Jeanette Mumford, Russell Poldrack, Mirella Dapretto and Brett Abrahams, now at Albert Einstein College of Medicine.
Editor's Note: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
Rabu, 10 November 2010
Senin, 01 November 2010
Train The Brain: Using Neurofeedback To Treat ADHD by JON HAMILTON
Katherine Ellison's son was 12 when he was diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD.
Courtesy of Katherine Ellison
Katherine Ellison and her son, whom she refers to as "Buzz" in her book, both have ADHD. Buzz was diagnosed at age 12.
"He was getting into fights. He wasn't doing his homework. He was being very difficult with his little brother. And he was just melting down day after day," Ellison says. "So I decided to devote a year to trying out different approaches to see if we could make it any better."
In recent years, more people have been trying an alternative approach called neurofeedback, a type of therapy intended to teach the brain to stay calm and focused. Neurofeedback is expensive, time consuming and still scientifically unproved. But, there's growing evidence that it can help.
Ellison says the idea appealed to her immediately.
"Because I was always wary about using meds as a single approach or for very long, it seemed to be an interesting alternative. It's really like meditation on steroids," says Ellison, a journalist who won a Pulitzer Prize for International Reporting — and who has ADHD herself.
Ellison has written a book about living with ADHD called Buzz: A Year of Paying Attention. And one chapter of the book is devoted to neurofeedback.
Training The Brain
Ellison says she tried meditation, but her mind kept wandering. Neurofeedback is better for people with ADHD, she says, because it provides constant feedback during a session, which is usually done in a therapist's office.
People usually sit in a chair facing a laptop screen. The laptop is connected to electrodes applied to the scalp. Special software monitors the electrical activity in your brain. In particular, it measures rhythmic patterns known as theta and beta waves.
Proponents of neurofeedback say these patterns reveal when the brain is in a focused and attentive state. So the computer software looks for desirable brain wave patterns and changes the image on screen to let people know how they are doing.
Catherine Avalone/The Middletown Press
A clinical psychologist in Connecticut monitors the electrode impulses of a patient with ADHD. Some parents are turning to neurofeedback to treat the disorder.
The image that worked best for Ellison showed a field.
"When my brain responded the way that it was supposed to, the field would burst into color. I'd hear bird song and beautiful flowers would bloom," she says. "But when I got distracted or when I got a little bit more sped up, the flowers would wilt. It would turn gray, and I'd know that I needed to work a little bit harder."
At first, people can't control their brain wave patterns, at least not consciously. But over time, their brains become conditioned to associate certain patterns with pleasant images or sounds — a reward for good behavior. And our brains like rewards.
This sort of brain training can take 40 sessions or more, and typically costs thousands of dollars.
Promising But Unproved
Even though there are studies now showing that neurofeedback works for ADHD, all of these studies have serious limitations, researchers say. So the approach remains promising but unproved, says David Rabiner, a researcher at Duke University who writes a newsletter about treatments for ADHD.
Considering Neurofeedback For ADHD?
A growing number of parents see neurofeedback as an appealing alternative to medication to treat their child's ADHD. The treatment is relatively simple and painless. First, a practitioner attaches three to 10 electrodes to the child's head. Each electrode sprouts a lead, or wire, connecting it to a computer. The child sits in front of a screen displaying images that respond to the child's brain activity. When the child has the right kind of brain activity — the images are rewarding or positive, for example — puzzle pieces might fall into place. Proponents say this helps encourage better behavior over time.
Cynthia Kerson, executive director of the International Society for Neurofeedback and Research, says her sessions with children last about 30 minutes and include breaks. Her own patients might have anywhere from 20 to 40 sessions, but some kids with ADHD struggle to sit still for even one session in the beginning. "It can be quite frustrating for them," she says. Katherine Ellison writes that a course of treatment can cost $3,000 or more.
Many highly trained doctors like Kerson offer the treatment, but the field has also attracted people with more dubious backgrounds. "That's a big problem in our field because people can acquire equipment quite easily," Kerson says. Kerson said there are a few things parents should look for to ensure their neurofeedback practitioner is a professional.
1. Look for a clinician board certified by the Biofeedback Certification International Alliance who is either a licensed professional specializing in psychological or medical disorders, or working with someone who is.
2. Determine whether the practitioner is a good fit by having your child meet with him or her before agreeing to a treatment plan.
3. Verify that the practitioner is using up-to-date methods and equipment, since the field is changing rapidly. Ask what research backs up practitioner's methodology and what kind of training he or she has had.
— Whitney Blair Wyckoff
"Parents do need to know that relative to treatments like medication treatment, to behavior therapy, at this point, the research base is not as extensive," Rabiner says.
On the other hand, Rabiner says, neurofeedback may offer something other treatments can't.
"The hope for neurofeedback is that after training ends, the benefits that resulted from training will persist — that in some sense there's been more enduring change in the child's ability to focus and attend and to regulate their behavior," he says.
But it will take better research to figure out whether neurofeedback can live up to that promise, Rabiner says.
"There has been a need for some time to have the kind of carefully controlled study that would provide more definitive answers for parents and for the field," he says.
Research In Progress
And that research appears to be on the way.
A team at The Ohio State University has nearly completed a pilot study of neurofeedback for ADHD that was funded by the National Institute of Mental Health.
The team had hoped to announce results last week at a scientific meeting in New York, but Gene Arnold, one of the scientists in charge of the study, says they had to delay that announcement because "we weren't able to get the results analyzed in time," he says.
The results should be out within a few weeks, Arnold says. In the meantime, he says, the study has shown that it is possible to do neurofeedback research that involves a placebo.
The study used a video game involving race cars. For kids who got neurofeedback, he says, "The ability to speed up the car and steer it was contingent on maintaining your brain waves in a more favorable ratio."
But other children got a placebo — a race car that paid no attention to their brain waves.
Until a large study comes along using this sort of approach, parents and consumers will have to decide for themselves whether neurofeedback is worth the time and effort. Katherine Ellison says that for her and for her son, it was.
"What I noticed in my son was not necessarily that he'd stop losing things at school or do his homework better," she says. "The improvement I saw was that he was easier to live with."
But brain training might not be the only reason, Ellison says. She says it might have been because she and her son spent so much time going to all those sessions together, and had pizza together afterward.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=130896102
Related NPR Stories
Fujitsu Offers Free Mobile Phone Application to Support Children with Special Needs
Fujitsu Offers Free Mobile Phone Application to Support Children with Special Needs
| Fujitsu Offers Free Mobile Phone Application to Support Children with Special Needs |
Tokyo, Oct 29, 2010 - (JCN Newswire) - Fujitsu Limited today announced that it has started to offer in Japan a free mobile phone application that provides educational and social support for children with special needs, including those with learning disabilities and autism, and their parents. The new software was originally developed by Fujitsu, and its functionality and operability were improved through field tests undertaken in collaboration with Kagawa University from May to September 2010. Software Features Children with special needs often require help in areas such as understanding time, communicating, and handwriting. To meet these needs, Fujitsu developed three software modules: "Timer" to help understand time; "Picture Card" to help with communication as well as scheduling; and "Handwriting" to show the correct order in which to write characters in Japanese. These software modules also use special mobile phone functions that have been designed with attention to the nature of learning disabilities, such as a color filter and the mobile phone's vibration function, to facilitate understanding on the part of the children. Background and Aims The number of children in Japan requiring special assistance because of developmental or learning disabilities includes approximately 600,000 children in regular schools and nearly 100,000 more in special needs schools and classes. In 2005, the Act to Support Persons with Developmental Disabilities was enacted in Japan, and, year after year, there is a growing need to support children requiring special assistance because of disabilities. Fujitsu has long been working on universal design initiatives that seek to enable broad accessibility to the world of information and communications technologies (ICT), and the company developed the new software with the goal of raising the quality of life for children requiring special assistance through the use of mobile phones - an ICT platform that has become an integral part of our modern lives. Overview of Field Tests In collaboration with Kagawa University's Faculty of Education, which is actively involved in the use of ICT in education, Fujitsu undertook field tests of the software from May to September 2010 to verify its effectiveness by lending mobile phones loaded with the three software modules to parents of the children attending a special needs school affiliated with the university. In the field tests, there were cases in which, using the character stroke order software, children were able to write their names for the first time, as well as cases in which, using the picture card software, children were able to change their own clothes or shop on their own, among other results. Availability Free from October 29, 2010 on Fujitsu phones sold in Japan by NTT DOCOMO. Download Method The software can be downloaded using the following method: To download from iMenu, press the iMode button and go to the iMenu, select the menu list and then the mobile phone manufacturer, and then go to the @F mobile phone support group. Mobile Phone Models with Confirmed Compatibility The software can operate on the following models sold in Japan by NTT DOCOMO: F-08B, F-07B, F-06B, F-04B, F-03B, F-02B, F-01B, F-09A, F-08A, F-04A, F-03A, F-02A, F-01A, RakuRaku Phone 7 (F-09B), RakuRaku Phone 6 (F-10A), Kids Mobile Phone (F-05A)
Fujitsu Public and Investor Relations http://www.fujitsu.com/global/news/contacts/ +81-3-3215-5259 |
Senin, 18 Oktober 2010
50 Questions That Will Free Your Mind
http://www.marcandangel.com/2009/07/13/50-questions-that-will-free-your-mind/
These questions have no right or wrong answers.
Because sometimes asking the right questions is the answer.
These questions have no right or wrong answers.
Because sometimes asking the right questions is the answer.
- How old would you be if you didn’t know how old you are?
- Which is worse, failing or never trying?
- If life is so short, why do we do so many things we don’t like and like so many things we don’t do?
- When it’s all said and done, will you have said more than you’ve done?
- What is the one thing you’d most like to change about the world?
- If happiness was the national currency, what kind of work would make you rich?
- Are you doing what you believe in, or are you settling for what you are doing?
- If the average human life span was 40 years, how would you live your life differently?
- To what degree have you actually controlled the course your life has taken?
- Are you more worried about doing things right, or doing the right things?
- You’re having lunch with three people you respect and admire. They all start criticizing a close friend of yours, not knowing she is your friend. The criticism is distasteful and unjustified. What do you do?
- If you could offer a newborn child only one piece of advice, what would it be?
- Would you break the law to save a loved one?
- Have you ever seen insanity where you later saw creativity?
- What’s something you know you do differently than most people?
- How come the things that make you happy don’t make everyone happy?
- What one thing have you not done that you really want to do? What’s holding you back?
- Are you holding onto something you need to let go of?
- If you had to move to a state or country besides the one you currently live in, where would you move and why?
- Do you push the elevator button more than once? Do you really believe it makes the elevator faster?
- Would you rather be a worried genius or a joyful simpleton?
- Why are you, you?
- Have you been the kind of friend you want as a friend?
- Which is worse, when a good friend moves away, or losing touch with a good friend who lives right near you?
- What are you most grateful for?
- Would you rather lose all of your old memories, or never be able to make new ones?
- Is is possible to know the truth without challenging it first?
- Has your greatest fear ever come true?
- Do you remember that time 5 years ago when you were extremely upset? Does it really matter now?
- What is your happiest childhood memory? What makes it so special?
- At what time in your recent past have you felt most passionate and alive?
- If not now, then when?
- If you haven’t achieved it yet, what do you have to lose?
- Have you ever been with someone, said nothing, and walked away feeling like you just had the best conversation ever?
- Why do religions that support love cause so many wars?
- Is it possible to know, without a doubt, what is good and what is evil?
- If you just won a million dollars, would you quit your job?
- Would you rather have less work to do, or more work you actually enjoy doing?
- Do you feel like you’ve lived this day a hundred times before?
- When was the last time you marched into the dark with only the soft glow of an idea you strongly believed in?
- If you knew that everyone you know was going to die tomorrow, who would you visit today?
- Would you be willing to reduce your life expectancy by 10 years to become extremely attractive or famous?
- What is the difference between being alive and truly living?
- When is it time to stop calculating risk and rewards, and just go ahead and do what you know is right?
- If we learn from our mistakes, why are we always so afraid to make a mistake?
- What would you do differently if you knew nobody would judge you?
- When was the last time you noticed the sound of your own breathing?
- What do you love? Have any of your recent actions openly expressed this love?
- In 5 years from now, will you remember what you did yesterday? What about the day before that? Or the day before that?
- Decisions are being made right now. The question is: Are you making them for yourself, or are you letting others make them for you?
OUR Journey Thru Autism: Occupational Therapist Expert, Britt Collin Reports...What is OT?
OUR Journey Thru Autism: Occupational Therapist Expert, Britt Collin Reports...What is OT?
by Britt Collins
It is a pleasure to be invited to write for this amazing website and resource center. As you may have read, October is Sensory Awareness Month and the word is getting out about Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) and what it’s all about. As an occupational therapist I see children every day that have been diagnosed somewhere on the autism spectrum, or with sensory issues as well as Down syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, developmental delays and many other disabilities as well.
Let me paint a picture of what my daily work life looks like for you so you can understand how a neuromuscular outpatient Occupational Therapists (OT) treats kids day in and day out. Now you must understand that every therapist approaches things differently and every child is different, but here are some examples of what I do every day.
An outpatient/clinic based OT, my focus is to address any issue that a child has related to his or her “occupation”. Occupations of a child are; eating, dressing, brushing their teeth, sleeping, going to school, playing, coloring, cutting, playing on the playground, throwing and catching a ball and more. Anything that you do that has a functional purpose is your occupation. If an infant comes to me with a feeding disorder or low tone or decreased motor skills; I can treat them on a weekly basis for any and all of these issues. If a toddler comes to me with a new diagnosis of autism and is non-verbal, has behavior and sensory issues, is unable to tolerate having her teeth brushed because she hates the feel of it etc.; I can treat her using Sensory Integration and behavioral strategies. We may work on things like transitioning from an activity that she likes to an activity that she may not like quite as much. I would work on helping her be less tactile defensive and learn to tolerate having her teeth brushed. We would play games and swing and jump on the trampoline and crash down to the crash pad for sensory input to help organize the sensory system.
Most children that I see who have an ASD diagnosis also have sensory issues but just because someone has sensory processing disorder or sensory issues, does not mean they have autism. We treat the symptoms of the child not the diagnosis, though having a diagnosis can be helpful in knowing what to look for or expect from the child, though again every child is different and responds differently to OT treatment.
Another example of a child I may treat, is a child going into 1st grade who needs help with his fine and visual motor skills. Maybe he is unable to form letters correctly or cut out simple shapes. We would work on various activities that help strengthen these skills.
OT can be a very complex profession as we see so many various types of patients and can treat from birth to older adults so sometimes it is hard to understand when your child may need OT.
If your child has been diagnosed with ASD, SPD, ADHD or any other developmental disability, they probably need outpatient/clinic based OT. The school and early intervention programming can also provide services but they can only address what is educationally relevant and most of these children really need weekly ongoing more intensive therapy from a medical based model in addition to what the education model can provide. Many times your insurance will cover outpatient services for your child.
by Britt Collins
It is a pleasure to be invited to write for this amazing website and resource center. As you may have read, October is Sensory Awareness Month and the word is getting out about Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) and what it’s all about. As an occupational therapist I see children every day that have been diagnosed somewhere on the autism spectrum, or with sensory issues as well as Down syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, developmental delays and many other disabilities as well.
Let me paint a picture of what my daily work life looks like for you so you can understand how a neuromuscular outpatient Occupational Therapists (OT) treats kids day in and day out. Now you must understand that every therapist approaches things differently and every child is different, but here are some examples of what I do every day.
An outpatient/clinic based OT, my focus is to address any issue that a child has related to his or her “occupation”. Occupations of a child are; eating, dressing, brushing their teeth, sleeping, going to school, playing, coloring, cutting, playing on the playground, throwing and catching a ball and more. Anything that you do that has a functional purpose is your occupation. If an infant comes to me with a feeding disorder or low tone or decreased motor skills; I can treat them on a weekly basis for any and all of these issues. If a toddler comes to me with a new diagnosis of autism and is non-verbal, has behavior and sensory issues, is unable to tolerate having her teeth brushed because she hates the feel of it etc.; I can treat her using Sensory Integration and behavioral strategies. We may work on things like transitioning from an activity that she likes to an activity that she may not like quite as much. I would work on helping her be less tactile defensive and learn to tolerate having her teeth brushed. We would play games and swing and jump on the trampoline and crash down to the crash pad for sensory input to help organize the sensory system.
Most children that I see who have an ASD diagnosis also have sensory issues but just because someone has sensory processing disorder or sensory issues, does not mean they have autism. We treat the symptoms of the child not the diagnosis, though having a diagnosis can be helpful in knowing what to look for or expect from the child, though again every child is different and responds differently to OT treatment.
Another example of a child I may treat, is a child going into 1st grade who needs help with his fine and visual motor skills. Maybe he is unable to form letters correctly or cut out simple shapes. We would work on various activities that help strengthen these skills.
OT can be a very complex profession as we see so many various types of patients and can treat from birth to older adults so sometimes it is hard to understand when your child may need OT.
If your child has been diagnosed with ASD, SPD, ADHD or any other developmental disability, they probably need outpatient/clinic based OT. The school and early intervention programming can also provide services but they can only address what is educationally relevant and most of these children really need weekly ongoing more intensive therapy from a medical based model in addition to what the education model can provide. Many times your insurance will cover outpatient services for your child.
Autistic patients’ brains have less communication between regions, study finds
http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/home/50459539-76/autistic-brain-patients-regions.html.csp
Copyright 2010 The Salt Lake Tribune. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
There is no definitive diagnostic test for autism. Instead, doctors ask questions and observe children to see if they have difficulty communicating and interacting with others.
Those imprecise measures can make the neurological disorder hard to identify, delaying the diagnosis.
Hoping to speed detection, and thus treatment, and distinguish between types of autism, Utah researchers have been scanning the brains of autistic boys and men and comparing them with those without the disorder.
On Tuesday, they published their findings in Cerebral Cortex online, showing there is less communication between regions of the brain in the autistic patients.
The scientists are from the University of Utah and Brigham Young University, along with University of Wisconsin-Madison and Harvard Medical School.
“Our understanding of what causes autism is still in its infancy,” said Jason Druzgal, a neuroradiologst who was working at the U. at the time of the study and now works at the University of Virginia.
One theory targets abnormal connectivity in the brain.
Normally, there are strong connections between the left and right hemispheres of the brain allowing separate regions to work together to perform tasks.
Among autistic patients, the brain scans found less communication among regions associated with facial recognition, language and motor skills.
Druzgal said using MRIs in the diagnosis of autism is about five years away.
Other researchers are looking at different ways to use MRIs. What Druzgal finds promising about the Utah study was how straightforward it was: Instead of requiring patients to perform a task during the brain scan, they simply needed to be still for about 10 minutes.
Sabtu, 16 Oktober 2010
7 Tips for an Authentic and Productive Writing Process
http://www.copyblogger.com/authentic-writer/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Copyblogger+%28Copyblogger%29
Does this sound familiar?
You’re sitting in front of your laptop, staring at a blank screen.
The deadline for the article you need to write is approaching, and you’re struggling to get started when you should be in the final editing stages.
As you sit there trying to put your expertise in writing, a strange insecurity creeps up your spine. You see yourself changing before your own eyes, transforming from a confident expert into a self-conscious amateur.
It’s your own Dr. Jekyll to Mr. Hyde transformation experience.
I’ve been there.
Anytime I needed to write anything I’d procrastinate, pretending that avoiding the project would make it go away. Needless to say, the procrastination led to a flurry of rushed writing at the last minute to meet my deadlines, resulting in less than my best work.
But my real problem wasn’t the act of writing. It was fear. Fear of making mistakes, fear that what I wrote would sound stupid, fear that my writing wouldn’t make sense to the reader, etc.
It sounds ridiculous, but my fear of screwing up made writing a miserable experience for me.
I even used to try to compensate for my fears. I’d use stiff, formal sentences and large, important-sounding words to try to “prove” I knew what I was talking about. Unfortunately, all that did was make me sound like a pretentious jerk.
It was like I was changing from Dr. Jekyll into Mr. Hyde anytime I had to write something.
It can’t be that easy! Seriously? What a liberating idea! That one piece of advice helped me break free of my fears and relaxed my writing style. No more procrastination. No more using large, unnecessary words to try and impress the reader. I could just relax, be myself, and write.
Now before you get the wrong impression, let me explain something: writing the way you talk does not give you permission to write poorly, or to publish content that sucks.
What it does is help break down the mental barriers of fear and procrastination that keep you from being a more engaging, and more productive writer.
Here’s how to use “write the way you talk” to squash your insecurities and avoid sounding like a pompous idiot:
If you were having a conversation with that person, what words would you use? What would you talk about first? What examples would you give to help them understand your topic? What questions might they ask?
Approaching your writing this way will help you write copy that’s more informal and conversational in tone, that better engages your audience. As it happens, it’s also the best way to write sales copy.
This is especially helpful for people who have clients they talk to on the phone regularly. The next time you’re explaining something to a client on the phone, record the call and listen to it later (Be sure to check the laws in your state first. Some states require you get the other party’s permission before you record). The easiest way to do this is with one of the many available plugins for Skype that do call recording.
Combine that with a few relevant, well-placed personal stories and you have the makings of some irresistible content.
This prevents you from sounding like Captain Jack Sparrow using (in my best Johnny Depp impersonation) obtuse and generally confounding speech that makes your readers wish they were drinking rum.
So keep your writing simple and clear without artificially inflated language. A good rule of thumb is: if the average person would need a dictionary to know what your word means, then you need a different word.
Focus on getting the main points of your idea down in your first draft, and don’t worry about anything else.
Once you’ve done that, you can go back and edit the heck out of what you wrote.
Do you notice any obvious errors? Is there anything that could be rearranged to bring more clarity to what you wrote? If so, now’s the time to fix it along with any grammatical, spelling, or other writing problems.
After you’ve made those corrections, leave the article to sit overnight and look at it again in the morning with fresh eyes. Is there anything you can do to make it even better?
Enlist the help of a close friend. Have them read what you write, and tell you if it sounds like someone else wrote it. This will help keep you true to yourself, and will force you to be authentic with your writing.
So as you read your writing aloud, pay attention to those places that tend to trip you up — they may need some additional work.
If you’re willing to do that, you’ll find that you’ll dread writing a lot less and be able to get more writing done because you’re working on it instead of fearing it.
I’ve been using these tips to guide my writing for several years now, and today I got the best evidence yet that they work.
I was talking with one of my clients on the phone about blogging, and as we were discussing the content for her blog she told me, “Whenever I read something you wrote, you always sound like such an expert. Like you really know what you’re talking about. ”
Need I say more?
So go ahead. Dive in. Who knows? You may even start to like writing.
Does this sound familiar?
You’re sitting in front of your laptop, staring at a blank screen.
The deadline for the article you need to write is approaching, and you’re struggling to get started when you should be in the final editing stages.
As you sit there trying to put your expertise in writing, a strange insecurity creeps up your spine. You see yourself changing before your own eyes, transforming from a confident expert into a self-conscious amateur.
It’s your own Dr. Jekyll to Mr. Hyde transformation experience.
I’ve been there.
I used to hate writing
Well, actually, it was more like loathing than hating.Anytime I needed to write anything I’d procrastinate, pretending that avoiding the project would make it go away. Needless to say, the procrastination led to a flurry of rushed writing at the last minute to meet my deadlines, resulting in less than my best work.
But my real problem wasn’t the act of writing. It was fear. Fear of making mistakes, fear that what I wrote would sound stupid, fear that my writing wouldn’t make sense to the reader, etc.
My insecurities were turning me into a monster
So there I was, a guy with more than 15 years of experience, who has won some awards and is even a judge for three international design competitions, worried about sounding stupid.It sounds ridiculous, but my fear of screwing up made writing a miserable experience for me.
I even used to try to compensate for my fears. I’d use stiff, formal sentences and large, important-sounding words to try to “prove” I knew what I was talking about. Unfortunately, all that did was make me sound like a pretentious jerk.
It was like I was changing from Dr. Jekyll into Mr. Hyde anytime I had to write something.
Then one sentence from my college professor changed everything
I had a job that offered tuition reimbursement benefits, so I decided to take some college classes. One of my classes was a composition class, and the professor gave me the best writing advice I’d ever heard.“Write the way you talk.”Wait. What?
It can’t be that easy! Seriously? What a liberating idea! That one piece of advice helped me break free of my fears and relaxed my writing style. No more procrastination. No more using large, unnecessary words to try and impress the reader. I could just relax, be myself, and write.
Now before you get the wrong impression, let me explain something: writing the way you talk does not give you permission to write poorly, or to publish content that sucks.
What it does is help break down the mental barriers of fear and procrastination that keep you from being a more engaging, and more productive writer.
Here’s how to use “write the way you talk” to squash your insecurities and avoid sounding like a pompous idiot:
1. Imagine yourself having a chat with a trusted friend
Good writing is like a conversation between the writer and the reader. So when you’re writing, think about how you would explain your topic to a close friend who was sitting next to you.If you were having a conversation with that person, what words would you use? What would you talk about first? What examples would you give to help them understand your topic? What questions might they ask?
Approaching your writing this way will help you write copy that’s more informal and conversational in tone, that better engages your audience. As it happens, it’s also the best way to write sales copy.
2. Record yourself talking about your topic.
Not sure what you sound like in a conversation? Try recording yourself talking about your topic.This is especially helpful for people who have clients they talk to on the phone regularly. The next time you’re explaining something to a client on the phone, record the call and listen to it later (Be sure to check the laws in your state first. Some states require you get the other party’s permission before you record). The easiest way to do this is with one of the many available plugins for Skype that do call recording.
3. Take a deep breath, relax, and just be yourself
By writing the way you talk, you can’t help injecting a little of your personality into what you write. After all, you’ll be writing in your own voice, using plain English everyone can understand, and a tone that makes you seem more human than textbook.Combine that with a few relevant, well-placed personal stories and you have the makings of some irresistible content.
4. Use the same words that you do in your everyday life.
If you write the way you talk, you’ll be more inclined to use common, everyday words that you would normally use in conversation.This prevents you from sounding like Captain Jack Sparrow using (in my best Johnny Depp impersonation) obtuse and generally confounding speech that makes your readers wish they were drinking rum.
So keep your writing simple and clear without artificially inflated language. A good rule of thumb is: if the average person would need a dictionary to know what your word means, then you need a different word.
5. Toss out the rule book and just start writing
If all the rules about grammar, writing styles, active versus passive voice, and punctuation are adding to your insecurities about writing, toss out the “rule book” for awhile and just write.Focus on getting the main points of your idea down in your first draft, and don’t worry about anything else.
Once you’ve done that, you can go back and edit the heck out of what you wrote.
Do you notice any obvious errors? Is there anything that could be rearranged to bring more clarity to what you wrote? If so, now’s the time to fix it along with any grammatical, spelling, or other writing problems.
After you’ve made those corrections, leave the article to sit overnight and look at it again in the morning with fresh eyes. Is there anything you can do to make it even better?
6. Enlist the help of a close friend to keep you honest
Want to make sure that what you write actually sounds like you and not someone else?Enlist the help of a close friend. Have them read what you write, and tell you if it sounds like someone else wrote it. This will help keep you true to yourself, and will force you to be authentic with your writing.
7. Read what you write out loud
One of the first editing tests I put my writing through is reading it out loud. Doing that makes awkward sentences and bad punctuation become obvious, because as you read, you’ll naturally “stumble” over the parts that need to be fixed.So as you read your writing aloud, pay attention to those places that tend to trip you up — they may need some additional work.
The moral of the story
Get over the fears of messing up or sounding stupid. Just write the way you talk and you’ll be able to knock out your first draft in no time.If you’re willing to do that, you’ll find that you’ll dread writing a lot less and be able to get more writing done because you’re working on it instead of fearing it.
I’ve been using these tips to guide my writing for several years now, and today I got the best evidence yet that they work.
I was talking with one of my clients on the phone about blogging, and as we were discussing the content for her blog she told me, “Whenever I read something you wrote, you always sound like such an expert. Like you really know what you’re talking about. ”
Need I say more?
So go ahead. Dive in. Who knows? You may even start to like writing.
Senin, 11 Oktober 2010
What to Do When a Woman Does This to You
When she stares at your mouth, smile...then kiss her.
When she pushes you or hit's you, hug her tight.
When she starts cursing at you, say I love you.
When she's quiet, hold her hand and ask what's wrong.
When she ignores you, act cute so she'll notice you.
When she pulls away, pull her back.
When you see her at her worst, tell her you love her and she still looks amazing.
When you see her walking, approach her...give a kiss on the cheek.
When she's scared, assure her you're not going to leave her.
When she lays her head on your shoulder, tilt your head too...and hold her hand.
When she steals your favorite hat, let her keep it.
When she teases you, tease her back and make her laugh.
When she says that she likes you, she really does more than you could understand.
When she grabs at your hands, hold hers and play with her fingers.
When she bumps into you, bump into her back and make her laugh.
When she tells you a secret, keep it safe and untold.
When she is sick, stay up all night with her.
When she's bored and sad, hang out with her.
When she's mad, hug her tight and don't let go.
When she wants to see her favorite movie or show, watch it with her even if you think it's stupid.
When she says she's okay, don't believe it…talk to her.
When she looks at you in your eyes, don't look away until she does.
When she doesn't answer for a long time, reassure her that everything is okay.
When she looks at you with doubt, back yourself up.
When she misses you, she's hurting inside.
When you break her heart, the pain never really goes away.
When she says it's over, she still wants you to be hers.
When she's not saying anything, stay on the phone with her.
When you see her start crying, hold her...ask her what's wrong.
When she runs up at you crying, the first thing you'd say is..."Who's ass am I gonna kick baby?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Call her at 12:00am on her birthday to tell her you love her.
Call her before you sleep and after you wake up.
Treat her like she's all that matters to you.
Let her wear your clothes.
Let her know she's important.
Kiss her in the pouring rain.
Give her the world.
http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/2Jcvid/www.miacarmel.com/tips-about-relationships/what-to-do-when-a-woman-does-this-to-you-2.html
When she pushes you or hit's you, hug her tight.
When she starts cursing at you, say I love you.
When she's quiet, hold her hand and ask what's wrong.
When she ignores you, act cute so she'll notice you.
When she pulls away, pull her back.
When you see her at her worst, tell her you love her and she still looks amazing.
When you see her walking, approach her...give a kiss on the cheek.
When she's scared, assure her you're not going to leave her.
When she lays her head on your shoulder, tilt your head too...and hold her hand.
When she steals your favorite hat, let her keep it.
When she teases you, tease her back and make her laugh.
When she says that she likes you, she really does more than you could understand.
When she grabs at your hands, hold hers and play with her fingers.
When she bumps into you, bump into her back and make her laugh.
When she tells you a secret, keep it safe and untold.
When she is sick, stay up all night with her.
When she's bored and sad, hang out with her.
When she's mad, hug her tight and don't let go.
When she wants to see her favorite movie or show, watch it with her even if you think it's stupid.
When she says she's okay, don't believe it…talk to her.
When she looks at you in your eyes, don't look away until she does.
When she doesn't answer for a long time, reassure her that everything is okay.
When she looks at you with doubt, back yourself up.
When she misses you, she's hurting inside.
When you break her heart, the pain never really goes away.
When she says it's over, she still wants you to be hers.
When she's not saying anything, stay on the phone with her.
When you see her start crying, hold her...ask her what's wrong.
When she runs up at you crying, the first thing you'd say is..."Who's ass am I gonna kick baby?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Call her at 12:00am on her birthday to tell her you love her.
Call her before you sleep and after you wake up.
Treat her like she's all that matters to you.
Let her wear your clothes.
Let her know she's important.
Kiss her in the pouring rain.
Give her the world.
Kamis, 07 Oktober 2010
Imagine...
Imagine...
Enjoying your children more
Parenting without stress, anxiety and guilt
You have more time for fun
You avoid spanking and other forms of corporal punishment
You actually stop bribing, nagging and cajoling
Children in your family learning from their mistakes
Children are responsible for their schoolwork
You don't have to be the referee in your children's squabbles
You find real, practical solutions for tough problems
You respect your kids like your friends
You have the respect of your children
Enjoying your children more
Parenting without stress, anxiety and guilt
You have more time for fun
You avoid spanking and other forms of corporal punishment
You actually stop bribing, nagging and cajoling
Children in your family learning from their mistakes
Children are responsible for their schoolwork
You don't have to be the referee in your children's squabbles
You find real, practical solutions for tough problems
You respect your kids like your friends
You have the respect of your children
I've learn that
- you cannot make someone love you. All you can do is be someone who can be loved. The rest is up to them.
- no matter how much I care, some people just don't care back.
- it takes years to build up trust, and only seconds to destroy it.
- it's not what you have in your life, but who you have in your life that counts.
- you can do something in an instant that will give you a heartache for life.
- no matter how thin you slice it, there are always two sides.
- you should always leave loved ones with loving words. It may be the last time you see them.
- we are responsible for what we do, no matter how we feel.
- there are people who love you dearly, but just don't know how to show it.
- true friendship continues to grow, even over the longest distance. Same goes for true love.
- just because someone doesnt love you the way you want them to, doesn't mean they don't love you with all they have.
- maturity has more to do with what types of experiences you've had and what you've learned from them and less to do with how many birthdays you've celebrated.
- no matter how good a friend someone is, they're going to hurt you every once in a while and you must forgive them for that.
- no matter how bad your heart is broken the world doesn't stop for your grief.
- just because two people argue, it doesn't mean they don't love each other.And just because they don't argue, it doesn't mean they do.
- we don't have to change friends if we understand that friends change.
- you shouldn't be so eager to find out a secret. It could change your life forever.
- there are many ways of falling and staying in love.
- no matter how many friends you have, if you are their pillar, you will feel lonely and lost at the times you need them most.
- the people you care most about in life are taken from you to soon.
- although the word "love" can have many different meanings, it loses value when overly used.
- love is not for me to keep, but to pass on to the next person I see.
- there are people who love you dearly but just don't know how to show it.
- even when I have pains, I don't have to be one.
- every day you should reach out and touch someone. People love that human touch-holding hands, a warm hug, or just a friendly pat on the back.
- I still have a lot to learn......
Top 20 - Fun Sites for Kids with Autism!
Below is my revised list of some of the best games/fun sites for kids with autism. My daughter loves these sites. Poisson Rouge has bumped Starfall from the #1 spot around here, but the two are neck and neck for the all around funnest site.
- Poisson Rouge
- Starfall
- Fun with Facial Expressions
- PBS Kids
- Literacy Center
- Aven’s Corner
- The Wiggles Playground
- ZAC Browser is the first web browser developed specifically for children with autism!
- Kinderweb Educational Children Games
- Playhouse Disney
- Fun Brain
- Sensory World
- Game Goo
- School Time Games
- Mouse Trail
- ABC Learning Games
- My Little Pony
- Caillou
- Gamequarium
- Tree House TV and Games
Kamis, 30 September 2010
First direct evidence that ADHD is a genetic disorder: Children with ADHD more likely to have missing or duplicated segments of DNA
ScienceDaily (2010-09-29) -- New research provides the first direct evidence that attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, is a genetic condition. Scientists in the UK found that children with ADHD were more likely to have small segments of their DNA duplicated or missing than other children.
The study also found significant overlap between these segments, known as copy number variants (CNVs), and genetic variants implicated in autism and schizophrenia, proving strong evidence that ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder -- in other words, that the brains of children with the disorder differ from those of other children.
The research, published in the journal The Lancet, was largely funded by the Wellcome Trust, with additional support from Action Medical Research, the Medical Research Council and the European Union.
"We hope that these findings will help overcome the stigma associated with ADHD," says Professor Anita Thapar. "Too often, people dismiss ADHD as being down to bad parenting or poor diet. As a clinician, it was clear to me that this was unlikely to be the case. Now we can say with confidence that ADHD is a genetic disease and that the brains of children with this condition develop differently to those of other children."
ADHD is one of the most common mental health disorders in childhood, affecting around one in 50 children in the UK. Children with ADHD are excessively restless, impulsive and distractible, and experience difficulties at home and in school. Although no cure exists for the condition, symptoms can be reduced by a combination of medication and behavioural therapy.
The condition is highly heritable -- children with ADHD are statistically more likely to also have a parent with the condition and a child with an identical twin with ADHD has a three in four chance of also having the condition. Even so, until now there has been no direct evidence that the condition is genetic and there has been much controversy surrounding its causes, which some people have put down to poor parenting skills or a sugar-rich diet.
The team at Cardiff University analysed the genomes of 366 children, all of whom had been given a clinical diagnosis of ADHD, against over 1,000 control samples in search of variations in their genetic make-up that were more common in children with the condition.
"Children with ADHD have a significantly higher rate of missing or duplicated DNA segments compared to other children and we have seen a clear genetic link between these segments and other brain disorders," explains Dr Nigel Williams. "These findings give us tantalising clues to the changes that can lead to ADHD."
The researchers found that rare CNVs were almost twice as common in children with ADHD compared to the control sample -- and even higher for children with learning difficulties. CNVs are particularly common in disorders of the brain.
There was also significant overlap between CNVs identified in children with ADHD and regions of the genome which are known to influence susceptibility to autism and schizophrenia. Whilst these disorders are currently thought to be entirely separate, there is some overlap between ADHD and autism in terms of symptoms and learning difficulties. This new research suggests there may be a shared biological basis to the two conditions.
The most significant overlap was found at a particular region on chromosome 16 which has been previously implicated in schizophrenia and other major psychiatric disorders and spans a number of genes including one known to play a role in the development of the brain .
"ADHD is not caused by a single genetic change, but is likely caused by a number of genetic changes, including CNVs, interacting with a child's environment," explains Dr Kate Langley. "Screening children for the CNVs that we have identified will not help diagnose their condition. We already have very rigorous clinical assessments to do just that."
Dr John Williams, Head of Neuroscience and Mental Health at the Wellcome Trust, which has supported Professor Thapar's work for ten years, says: "These findings are testament to the perseverance of Professor Thapar and colleagues to prove the often unfashionable theory that ADHD is a brain disorder with genetic links. Using leading-edge technology, they have begun to shed light on the causes of what is a complex and often distressing disorder for both the children and their families."
The study also found significant overlap between these segments, known as copy number variants (CNVs), and genetic variants implicated in autism and schizophrenia, proving strong evidence that ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder -- in other words, that the brains of children with the disorder differ from those of other children.
The research, published in the journal The Lancet, was largely funded by the Wellcome Trust, with additional support from Action Medical Research, the Medical Research Council and the European Union.
"We hope that these findings will help overcome the stigma associated with ADHD," says Professor Anita Thapar. "Too often, people dismiss ADHD as being down to bad parenting or poor diet. As a clinician, it was clear to me that this was unlikely to be the case. Now we can say with confidence that ADHD is a genetic disease and that the brains of children with this condition develop differently to those of other children."
ADHD is one of the most common mental health disorders in childhood, affecting around one in 50 children in the UK. Children with ADHD are excessively restless, impulsive and distractible, and experience difficulties at home and in school. Although no cure exists for the condition, symptoms can be reduced by a combination of medication and behavioural therapy.
The condition is highly heritable -- children with ADHD are statistically more likely to also have a parent with the condition and a child with an identical twin with ADHD has a three in four chance of also having the condition. Even so, until now there has been no direct evidence that the condition is genetic and there has been much controversy surrounding its causes, which some people have put down to poor parenting skills or a sugar-rich diet.
The team at Cardiff University analysed the genomes of 366 children, all of whom had been given a clinical diagnosis of ADHD, against over 1,000 control samples in search of variations in their genetic make-up that were more common in children with the condition.
"Children with ADHD have a significantly higher rate of missing or duplicated DNA segments compared to other children and we have seen a clear genetic link between these segments and other brain disorders," explains Dr Nigel Williams. "These findings give us tantalising clues to the changes that can lead to ADHD."
The researchers found that rare CNVs were almost twice as common in children with ADHD compared to the control sample -- and even higher for children with learning difficulties. CNVs are particularly common in disorders of the brain.
There was also significant overlap between CNVs identified in children with ADHD and regions of the genome which are known to influence susceptibility to autism and schizophrenia. Whilst these disorders are currently thought to be entirely separate, there is some overlap between ADHD and autism in terms of symptoms and learning difficulties. This new research suggests there may be a shared biological basis to the two conditions.
The most significant overlap was found at a particular region on chromosome 16 which has been previously implicated in schizophrenia and other major psychiatric disorders and spans a number of genes including one known to play a role in the development of the brain .
"ADHD is not caused by a single genetic change, but is likely caused by a number of genetic changes, including CNVs, interacting with a child's environment," explains Dr Kate Langley. "Screening children for the CNVs that we have identified will not help diagnose their condition. We already have very rigorous clinical assessments to do just that."
Dr John Williams, Head of Neuroscience and Mental Health at the Wellcome Trust, which has supported Professor Thapar's work for ten years, says: "These findings are testament to the perseverance of Professor Thapar and colleagues to prove the often unfashionable theory that ADHD is a brain disorder with genetic links. Using leading-edge technology, they have begun to shed light on the causes of what is a complex and often distressing disorder for both the children and their families."
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