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These pages describe how to light scenes using High Dynamic Range (HDR) images. This can be done with two methods, the Sky shader and the Skydome Light. It is recommended that you use the Skydome Light as this uses Multiple Importance Samping (MIS) to fire more rays towards bright, important areas of the environment map. This way, shadow details are preserved, while at the same time keeping noise levels low. There is no need to pre-blur the environment map used for diffuse/glossy rays as you normally would need to do when using the Sky shader.
Should I use a background Sky shader or a Skydome light?
The skydome_light will most of the time be more efficient, in both speed and noise, than hitting the sky shader with GI Diffuse rays. The only situation where using a sky shader may be faster than the skydome_light is when the environment texture is a constant color or has very low variance (see image below). There are various reasons why using a skydome_light is more efficient:
- The skydome_light uses importance sampling to fire rays to bright spots in the environment, therefore automatically achieving both soft and sharp shadows; sampling the sky shader with GI rays cannot achieve hard shadows in reasonable times, you will need huge amounts of GI samples.
- The environment map lookups for the skydome_light are cached rather than evaluated at render time. Since texture lookups via OIIO are very slow, this caching results in a nice speedup, usually 2-3x faster than uncached (if you are curious, you can switch to uncached lookups by setting options.enable_fast_importance_tables = false and measure the difference yourself).
- The skydome_light is sampled with shadow rays, which can be faster than GI Diffuse rays because shadow rays only need to know that any hit blocks the light (rather than the first hit). This also means the sampling quality for the skydome_light is controlled via skydome_light.samples, whereas the quality for a background sky is controlled via the GI_{diffuse|glossy}_samples. This subtle distinction is very important: skydome_light is direct lighting and sampled with shadow rays, whereas the background sky shader is indirect lighting and therefore sampled with GI Diffuse rays.
This scene uses a sky shader with a constant color which is sufficient to 'light' the scene with GI Diffuse rays. However, this is a rare example. It is generally recommended that you use a Sky Dome light to light an external scene.


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MLS # 388734 | Listed by Celia Dunn Sotheby's International Realty
MLS # 388734 | Listed by Celia Dunn Sotheby's International Realty
35 Spartina Crescent is a $159,000 property on a 0.64 acre lot located in Bluffton, SC.
Amazing Marsh Front lot in Rose Hill walking distance to the Polo Field and equestrian center. This is ready to build with a full set of low country house plans valued at $30,000. Priced well below market value.
|Exterior Features
Amenities - Community Pool
Restrictions - Community Covenants and Restrictions Apply
Restrictions - Pets OK
|Water Source
City PSD
|Property Type
|Property Sub Type
Full Lot
Zoning - Residential
Estate Side
We do not attempt to independently verify the currency, completeness, accuracy or authenticity of the data contained herein. It may be subject to transcription and transmission errors. Accordingly, the data is provided on an "as is" "as available" basis only and may not reflect all real estate activity in the market. © 2019 Multiple Listing Service of Hilton Head Island, Inc. All rights reserved. Data last updated 12/08/2019 at 10:49am MST

subset: commoncrawl


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The Barcelona Collection
- 2 Photographers
- 5 Hour Time Limit
- Digital Files
- 1 Hardcover Press Books: 20-page book
- Professional Coffee Table Album: 10 x 10
- All for $1600
Barcelona, the cosmopolitan capital of Spain's Catalonia region, is known for its art and architecture and our Barcelona Wedding Photography Collection is known for value. With a professional wedding album and a press book, you'll get the memories you want, and you'll have the coverage you need. Five hours covers many wedding ceremonies and receptions especially if they are in one location.


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News and Travel Editor
Imagine eerie, deserted streets, flecked with abandoned coins and burnt money, grand offerings of fruit and hot food, and sticks upon sticks of slowly burning incense, left to stand solitarily in the moonlight.
This is not a scene from a horror film or a nightmare, but something you can see in many towns and villages across China during the seventh lunar month, known as Ghost Month; particularly on the fifteenth day, when the Ghost Festival takes place. This year it falls on August 17th.
Here are some things to do to make sure you avoid bad luck…
- Children, young adults and pregnant women should not stroll outdoors at night, as it is believed that ghosts can easily possess them
- Don't try to move house, as this could invite lost spirits into your new home.
- Don't hang clothes outside at night, as passing ghosts may try on the clothes and linger in them.
- Don't pick up coins or money found on the street and bring it home, as ghosts will find this offensive.
- Don't step on offerings by the roadside, and make sure to apologise loudly to the spirits if you do.
- Don't wear red or black as this may attract ghosts who may follow you home.
- Don't sing or whistle as this may attract music loving ghosts.
- Keep away from walls as it is believed that ghosts like sticking to and flying along walls.
- Whatever you do, don't go outside at midnight as ghosts may approach you.
- Don't take photographs at night as ghosts may appear on them.
- If someone taps you on the shoulder or calls your name from behind, do not turn around and look or answer the call, as it may be a spirit waiting to reveal itself to you.
- Don't curse or talk to yourself as this may invite interaction from or offend any eavesdropping ghosts around you.
- Don't kill insects like moths, butterflies, or grasshoppers in the house as they may be manifestations of passed ancestors visiting their family home.
- Avoid leaving the main door to your home open at night, as this could invite unwanted ghosts into the premises.
- Don't poke chopsticks vertically into rice as this can look like the incense used when praying to ancestral spirits. A ghosts may think that you're inviting them to share your meal.
You have been warned!


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We have reduced our range whilst we are away for a week. However - Everything that shows IN STOCK is in stock and ready for same day dispatch (apart from Pre-orders). Some items may experience a slight delay in shipping however due to this. Normal service (and normal range of stock) will resume 26th July.
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Adoptionism is an error asserting that Jesus was adopted by God, as God, because of His success in being tested by God by the temptation, and crucifixion. This doctrine states that Jesus did not exist prior to His arrival on earth and that when He was baptized by John at the Jordan river, God gave Jesus the power of miracles and adopted Him as His Son.
Errors like this occur due to a lack of knowledge in simply reading the Bible in its plain revelation and comparing verses of scripture with others who are in like context.
In the chapter: Jesus, the certainty that Jesus was, is, and always will be God, eternally is made certain.
Pope Victor, in 190-198 A.D., condemned this heresy that gained its prominence by Theodotus of Byzantium
Later Versions Of Adoptionism
Pope Leo III, in 798 A.D., at a counsel of Rome condemned this doctrine as heresy.
In Spain the Archbishop of Toledo, and Felix, Bishop of Urgel, brought Adoptionism again to the world in the eight century with a slight variation that Jesus is the Son of God by His dual nature as God and Man, but the man nature of God was adopted by God as His firstborn.


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Midnight Flyover
Just after midnight [early in the morning of] 2 December 1987, Pat and Elsie McClellan of Navarre Beach [about ten miles east of Gulf Breeze] were watching a late movie on television. Thru the west-facing picture window Pat saw a bright light apparently hovering over the water [Santa Rosa Sound] some distance away. He assumed it was a helicopter or aircraft landing light until it started making anomalous movements [e.g., bobbing up and down].
The couple went out onto the balcony to get a better look. The lighted object now appeared to have a searchlight that was shining down on the water. As they watched, the light seemed to pulsate and move slowly toward them, then, at an estimated distance of about seven miles, it suddenly winked out. Straining his eyes to the west, Pat asked his wife, Whered it go? No more than five seconds had elapsed when Elsie replied, Look up!
There, approaching slowly from the west and already at an elevation of about sixty degrees, was the dimly lighted silhouette of a circular object, an object so close that its outline appeared 20 or more inches in diameter at extended arm's length. Accompanied by a low humming sound, the object continued its steady course and passed directly overhead. The couple were incredulous that this could be the same craft they had seen so far away only a few seconds before, however this seemed the only explanation. Both Pat and Elsie had seen news reports of the Gulf Breeze UFO, and these thoughts immediately came to mind. This was obviously not a type of aircraft the McClellans were familiar with. Elsie, fearful for the safety of their young daughter, rushed inside. Any concern Pat might have felt was quickly overridden by curiosity, and he hurried around to the other side of the house to watch the object as it proceeded toward the southeast. After continuing on this same course for several seconds, the craft veered right and took up a southerly heading. As it moved out over the Gulf of Mexico, its bright lights came back on again, and it rapidly accelerated out of sight.
The McClellans were mystified; neither could figure out what they had seen. About five to ten minutes later Pat, who had resumed watching TV, saw two more lights coming up the sound. He immediately went out on the deck to investigate. This time it was obviously two aircraft [apparently jet fighters] following the same path as the object had traveled. These jets even made the same right-hand turn and proceeded out over the gulf on the identical trajectory the UFO had taken. The McClellans had lived at this address since September, and never before had any aircraft flown over their house in this way.
Reference for the above text is: The Gulf Breeze Sightings by Ed and Frances Walters, pp.52-52, © 1990.
North America United States, Florida, Santa Rosa
Gulf Breeze Latitude 30-21-26 N, Longitude 087-09-50 W (D-M-S)
Navarre Beach Latitude 30-22-46 N, Longitude 086-51-44 W [County Escambia]
Santa Rosa Sound Latitude 30-24-06 N, Longitude 086-51-49 W
Reference: http://geonames.usgs.gov/pls/gnispublic/f?p=154:1:1765846258792399
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The best way to keep put strays is use the Pet Mate 363 when it comes to your large cat or small dog. This budget friendly pet door is easy to install and runs on one small 9 volt battery all year long.
Stray pets can often be a big problem. This highly proven design provides a reliable solution for owners of the largest cats or small dogs such as Yorkshire Terriers, Pekinese, Dachshund, Miniature Poodles and Spaniels to a shoulder height of 14". The pet wears a small magnet that doubles as an identification tag. A sensitive, fast reacting circuit guarantees instant entry for selected pets of all temperament. An easy to use 4 way locking system enables complete control over your pets movements.
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Burundi's president, Pierre Nkurunziza, has introduced strict controls over the country's renowned drumming rituals, banning female drummers and limiting the sacred tradition to official events.
It says the "entire population of Burundi recognizes it as a fundamental part of its heritage and identity".
Today, the drums are played for entertainment: but for centuries they were a sacred rite, symbolic of a united kingdom -- a powerful memory for a country whose recent history has been scarred by civil war and political crisis.
Source: dailystar.com.lb


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Museum of Civilization: Water and Stone
of an Exhibit
Published on July 29, 2007 , Modified on July 29, 2007
Museum: Museum of Civilization/Musee des Civilisations
Visit Date: July, 2007
Website(s): http://www.civilization.ca/
The spectacular view down into the Grand Hall with its totem poles and house fronts is the iconic experience at Ottawa's Museum of Civilization/Musee des Civilisations. What the photographs don't convey is how it feels to come upon the hall as you move from the entrance toward a long escalator, as if approaching the edge of a cliff. Below, floor-to-ceiling windows frame a view over the river beyond, toward Parliament Hill. On this cool, rainy July afternoon, what stood out as I continued into and outside of the museum were stone and water, and the ways the museum frames and shapes perceptions. Beyond the Grand Hall's glass wall, it's possible to walk into a shadowy grotto behind a waterfall and see the river in a new light. The sound of running water masks the loud hum of tires over the nearby Pont Alexandra and creates a solitary space within the vast museum complex. Above, a stream of photographers take up positions next to the pool where the waterfall begins and frame their own views of river and hill.
On the walk back downtown along the river and across the Pont du Portage, I see stone and water in a new light, and recall a talk Philip and Phylis Morrison once gave at a meeting for people starting new science centers. An exhibit, they said, makes the familiar strangeand the strange, familiar. Sometimes, framing a familiar sightthe river nearby, a rockface we've driven by many timescan makes us stop and look, and maybe see it in a new light. And for a visitor new to the area, the framing can focus attention and suggest that it's worth taking time to linger and look.


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Most Viewed | Lastest News
Lastest News | Most Viewed
And while insiders say the sector is saturated, government officials seem to disagree with the IMF's forecast.
The IMF's Cambodian Economic Growth Report released on Tuesday predicted that the country 's economic growth will continue to remain robust for another few years, before falling to about six per cent in the medium term due to subdued productivity growth, credit maturity and real estate cycles.
"Currently, the real estate and construction sectors are strong drivers of economic growth, but five years [from now], other sectors will [drive] growth [more] than [real estate and construction]," IMF representative Jarkko Turunen said.
CPL Cambodia Properties Ltd chairman and CEO Cheng Kheng who runs the oldest real estate firm in Cambodia said the sector will remain strong for the next five years.
"The real estate and construction sectors in Cambodia currently have strong momentum in just three to four provinces for the next five to six years, I think that they will continue to pick up in other provinces with potential. The real estate sector in Cambodia will continue to grow for a long time," Kheng said.
Cambodia Constructors Association secretary Chiv Sivpheng said large construction projects take three to five years to complete, so the IMF's forecast could come true amid the completion of some of them.
"Upon completion of [a project], investors do not make new investments immediately, waiting until the project is sold out so that even if the investment falls short for a time, it will recover afterwards," he said.
But Sivpheng said the construction sector is now on the rise without signs of slowing.
Emerging Markets Consulting senior advisor Nget Chou said the market will be saturated in five years due to the rapid surge in large construction projects.
However, he said Cambodia's real estate sector will continue on the upswing thanks to the influx of Chinese investors.
"The real estate sector in Cambodia for the next five years may decline somewhat, but if the Chinese continue to come and invest, it will be as good as always," he said.
Reports from the Ministry of Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction showed investment capital in the construction sector for the first half of this year was some $2.15 billion only, whereas it was over $6.4 billion over the same period last year and $5.26 billion in 2016.
Ministry spokesman Seng Loth said he did not know what the IMF's forecast was based on, but judging by the momentum of the construction sector, he still believed it will continue to grow even stronger.
"We cannot say that growth in real estate and construction in Cambodia will reach maturity in the next five to six years because developing countries obviously need constant construction," he said.
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There's a plan for you! Let me make it!
I don't do generic plans. Instead, everything is completely customized for your body, your preferences, and your schedule. This attention to quality and individuality is how I've been able to help many people get the body they want. I keep my client list small and happy, and continue to try and be a price leader. My online coaching program is small and personal. You get unlimited access to ask questions (text), receive personalized nutritional plans and training plans. Maybe most importantly, you know that I have your back.
While we're at it, let's address some other common questions people ask about online fitness coaching.
"* Group rates available **
Set up a phone appointment to secure your spot!
How frequently do you open online coaching?
After reaching their goals, some of my clients graduate out of the program. That means new spots open up every few weeks. However, you must have already filled out an application to be considered. So I strongly recommend filling one out as soon as possible, if you'd like to be first in line. Because once those new spots are taken, they are gone. Click here and see if the program is right for you. I've done everything I can to make my coaching affordable, and ensure that you get the personalized attention you deserve. And starting is risk-free.
How long is the online coaching program?
In order to get the best results possible, I have a 4-month minimum commitment. Remember, we're playing the long-game here. I don't follow fads. I focus on bringing health and fitness into your life so it works no matter how hectic or difficult your life gets. Making lasting, meaningful change takes time. That is why I ask for a 4-month minimum.After the first four months, I'll continue to coach you for as long as you want. My clients come to enjoy having someone they trust write their exercise and nutrition programs, so the vast majority stay on for a full year—with many of them sticking around for two or three years.
I already have a personal trainer at my local gym.
Can I work with you too? Absolutely. I think it's great that you're getting hands-on coaching. I will work with you to build a program that compliments the work you're doing with your local personal trainer. Once you are accepted into the program, just let me know and I'll make sure to integrate the two. Will I be required to join a gym? Nope. I can build a custom training plan for you no matter what equipment you have available. It doesn't matter if you have just have a pair of dumbbells and an exercise ball at home – I'll build you a plan that works. I can even create an entire training plan using nothing but body weight movements.
Do I have to take any supplements?
No. While I may suggest the occasional supplement that aligns with your goals I will never require you to purchase any supplement nor do I sell any supplements .
I don't live in the United States.
You do not have to live in the United States to receive one of my Custom Programs.
I like to do other things outside of going to the gym (running, swimming, hiking, skiing,etc. ). Can I do these things and coaching?
Of course! Keep doing what you love because my goal is to help you do those things better. That's how you make health and fitness a sustainable part of your life. I'm here to help you be the change. And the best part? You help us do the same.To sign up for one of the limited spots you can access all the details here.
Traditional Personal Training Also Available!
Custom Meal Plans & Shopping Lists
Custom workout plans based on your specific goals and needs.
One-on-one and group accountability
Success is found in balance, so let me help you find it!


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Our school will be participating in lots of fun events for Bullying Awareness Week. Today we chose five character virtues that teachers will be watching for. Students who show these characteristics will be entered into a draw at the end of the week!
We will also be welcoming some of the older students at our school into our class to share some ideas about bullying. On Friday, we'll all try to wear pink to show we STAND UP against bullying.
Check out a great song at the Family Channel to remind us to Stand Up against bullying. You can even download the song for free and learn the dance.
Bullying Awareness Week 2013
Posted by Megan Bacchus at 11/18/2013
Labels: Our Class


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Ov Hollowness : Demo 2010 : Metal albums reviews
Ov Hollowness : Demo 2010
Band name: Ov Hollowness
Free downloads are a hit or miss. You do not know what you get, but the advantage of downloading free stuff is that you can get rid of the stuff easily. In case of Ov Hollowness such might not be the necessary – the latter argument –, because on their first demo they are already able to write some interesting compositions as well as create a decent atmosphere. Surprisingly, also a nine minute compositions is able to fascinate in some respect and does not come with the fallacies a lot of bands tend to web into their music: too much repetition, too many vocals etc. A lot was done right here
Album: Demo 2010 , review
The bands country origin: Canada
Metal albums reviews


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Researches in the field of cellular and molecular mechanisms of cell variability, based on phenotypic interactions, remain one of the most central and promising problems in modern biology. The current paper proposes a possible model for studying "variability windows" and cell phenotype reprogramming using different somatic cell types (epi... Read More»
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Behind a stellar performance from Clayton Kershaw and Justin Turner's go-ahead homer, the Dodgers beat the Astros 3-1 in Game 1. USA TODAY Sports
One of the stories emerging from the Los Angeles Dodgers' World Series Game 1 win is something National Baseball Hall of Famer and former UC Bearcats legend Sandy Koufax said to former Cincinnati Reds minor-leaguer Justin Turner.
More from Yahoo Sports' Jeff Passan:
Before Game 1 of the World Series on Tuesday, as Turner prepared to bat second for the Los Angeles Dodgers in the first World Series game here since 1988, he received a small nugget of wisdom from a large source of inspiration. And it just so happened to involve his footwear.
"You'd better wear those shoes again," Sandy Koufax said.
The shoes to which Koufax referred were a simple, humble pair of Adidas spikes worn by Turner throughout the National League Championship Series, when he shared series MVP honors and walloped the walk-off home run that conjured memories of Kirk Gibson's fist-pumping limp around the bases in that 1988 World Series. And if there is one truism in life, aside from that which says Justin Turner is actually Tormund Giantsbane in a baseball uniform, it is: Thou shalt not disobey Sandy Koufax.
So Turner wore those plain, blue-and-white shoes, and all he managed to do was thump another postseason home run, also one that provided the winning margin, as the Dodgers outlasted the Houston Astros, 3-1.
Koufax, a Brooklyn native who earned a basketball scholarship with the University of Cincinnati in 1953, pitched in 1954 for the Bearcats before going on to a Hall of Fame career for the Dodgers.
Turner, a seventh-round draft pick of the Reds in 2006, never played for the team at the big-league level, but played for the Rookie League Billings Mustangs in 2006, the High-A Sarasota Reds and Low-A Dayton Dragons in 2007 and the Double-A Chattanooga Lookouts as well as Sarasota in 2008. He was traded by the Reds in December of 2008 with Brandon Waring and Ryan Freel to the Baltimore Orioles for Ramon Hernandez and cash.


text: In this work the current state of the problem, which consists in choice the rational model of academic-industry consortiums such as "University – IT-company" is analyzed. There is researched the existing variants of successful innovative collaboration of academic institutions and IT-companies in Ukraine and abroad. At the present moment a matter of choice of partnership models based on the development of multicriterion evaluation system for possible level of cooperation of universities and IT companies is unsettled. Incorrectly chosen model of collaboration can lead to loss of a significant amount of intellectual and/or material resources, decrease of educational qualification level of specialists, limited in the training. To solve this problem it is developed and researched the intelligent decision support system based on fuzzy logic with hierarchically-organized structure for choice the most rational model of academic-industrial consortiums such as "University – IT-company". Testing of the developed decision support system proved its high efficiency, which is confirmed by the authors for solving practical problems of choosing the model of cooperation within consortiums such as "University – IT-company" and for solving different types problems of transport logistics.


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Thursday, December 28, 2017
Winter Street by Elin Hilderbrand
Winter Trilogy - Book 1
This was not the book I was expecting but I quite enjoyed it!
I was expecting a heart-warming romance, typical of the season, but what I got was a family story filled with love, humour, drama, whimsy and fun.
The characters of the Quinn family are real and flawed and quite perfect in some ways. All I can tell you is that I loved reading about them. Dysfunctional doesn't quite cover it. *LOL* Oh, but they're a lot of fun, really. I wanted to see the Christmas movie made of this novel. It'd beat the Hallmark Christmas movies all to hell, I'm sure!
So, not quite a romance and not really a family saga. It's a heart-warming novel, as they say, about a family coming home for Christmas and I found it hit the perfect spot. And as such, this will close my Christmas reading for the year. Always good to close on a good note. 😊
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After eating way too much chocolate and other treats during the holidays, I wanted to create my own detox drink to help me get back on track. This detox green tea drink tastes really refreshing, and in my opinion, it doesn't even need any added sweetener. If you wish to sweeten it up a little, you can use stevia. My girls also loved this drink, even though I didn't add any sweetener to it.
Here's why I chose these ingredients:
Matcha green tea boosts metabolism and burns fat. One study even suggested that matcha may help burn calories by four times. It doesn't raise blood pressure, heart rate or put any stress on the body. Matcha is packed with antioxidants, containing over 100 times more of the popular antioxidant known as EGCG found in regular green tea.
Cinnamon helps boost your metabolism. It also regulates blood sugar and stops food cravings. Cinnamon slows down the emptying of your stomach, mostly to reduce the blood sugar spikes. And if you feel fuller, then chances are you will eat less. If you're taking cinnamon on a daily basis, then Ceylon Cinnamon is the best choice, because it has low coumarin levels and won't damage your liver.
Lemon juice contains pectin, a soluble fiber that has been shown to help with weight-loss by helping you feel full and keeping cravings at bay. Lemons also help get rid of the toxins in your body.
Not only do nectarines sweeten this drink, but phenolic compounds present in them have anti-obesity, anti-inflammatory and anti-diabetic properties in different cell lines and may also reduce the oxidation of bad cholesterol LDL which is associated to cardiovascular disease. (Texas AgriLife Research.)
Mint leaves stimulate the digestive enzymes that absorb nutrients from food and consume fat and turn it into usable energy. Mint also promotes digestion and soothes stomach.
My detox drink certainly works for weight loss to some extent, but it must be combined with a healthy program of diet and exercise.
I wrote my FREE e-book about my favorite tips for sustainable weight loss. Personally, I follow these simple habits each day. I started following this routine 2 years ago, and I've kept my weight 20 pounds(10 kg) less ever since, even though I have treats every day and won't use a lot of time for exercising. I highly recommend giving my tips a try. When you subscribe to my newsletter, you will receive my e-book, a food diary and my natural beauty tricks video.
If you know someone who is struggling with losing weight, please share my article
- 1 liter= (5 cups) water (spring/filtered)
- 3 green tea bags (Matcha is the best)
- 1ts cinnamon(organic, Ceylon)
- 2 organic lemons (½ lemon juiced, slice the rest)
- mint leaves
- nectarines
- icecubes
- Boil 1 cup of water, and steep the tea bags in it.
- Add cinnamon to the hot tea.
- Pour 4 cups of cold water in the pitcher, and add tea in it.
- Squeeze lemon juice in the drink, and mix.
- Add lemon and nectarine slices+ mint leaves and icecubes
- Serve cold


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Objective: To study the development of the bilateral benefit in children using bilateral cochlear implants by measurements of speech recognition and sound localization. Design: Bilateral and unilateral speech recognition in quiet, in multi-source noise, and horizontal sound localization was measured at three occasions during a two-year period, without controlling for age or implant experience. Longitudinal and cross-sectional analyses were performed. Results were compared to cross-sectional data from children with normal hearing. Study sample: Seventy-eight children aged 5.1-11.9 years, with a mean bilateral cochlear implant experience of 3.3 years and a mean age of 7.8 years, at inclusion in the study. Thirty children with normal hearing aged 4.8-9.0 years provided normative data. Results: For children with cochlear implants, bilateral and unilateral speech recognition in quiet was comparable whereas a bilateral benefit for speech recognition in noise and sound localization was found at all three test occasions. Absolute performance was lower than in children with normal hearing. Early bilateral implantation facilitated sound localization. Conclusions: A bilateral benefit for speech recognition in noise and sound localization continues to exist over time for children with bilateral cochlear implants, but no relative improvement is found after three years of bilateral cochlear implant experience.
Objective: To compare bilateral and unilateral speech recognition in quiet and in multi-source noise, and horizontal sound localization of low and high frequency sounds in children with bilateral cochlear implants. Design: Bilateral performance was compared to performance of the implanted side with the best monaural speech recognition in quiet result. Parental reports were collected in a questionnaire. Results from the CI children were compared to binaural and monaural performance of normal-hearing peers. Study sample: Sixty-four children aged 5.1-11.9 years who were daily users of bilateral cochlear implants. Thirty normal-hearing children aged 4.8-9.0 years were recruited as controls. Results and Conclusions : Group data showed a statistically significant bilateral speech recognition and sound localization benefit, both behaviorally and in parental reports. The bilateral speech recognition benefit was smaller in quiet than in noise. The majority of subjects localized high and low frequency sounds significantly better than chance using bilateral implants, while localization accuracy was close to chance using unilateral implants. Binaural normal-hearing performance was better than bilateral performance in implanted children across tests, while bilaterally implanted children showed better localization than normal-hearing children under acute monaural conditions.
Objectives: To identify whether speech recognition outcomes are influenced by the choice of ear for cochlear implantation in adults with bilateral hearing loss who use a hearing aid in 1 ear but have long-term auditory deprivation in the other. less thanbrgreater than less thanbrgreater thanStudy Design: Retrospective matched cohort study. Speech recognition results were examined in 30 adults with monaural sound deprivation. Fifteen received the implant in the sound-deprived ear and 15 in the aided ear. less thanbrgreater than less thanbrgreater thanSetting: Tertiary referral centers with active cochlear implant programs. less thanbrgreater than less thanbrgreater thanPatients: Adults with bilateral hearing loss and a minimum of 15 years of monaural sound deprivation who received a cochlear implant after meeting the traditional implantation criteria of the referral centers. less thanbrgreater than less thanbrgreater thanIntervention: Cochlear implantation with devices approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. less thanbrgreater than less thanbrgreater thanMain Outcome Measure(s): Paired comparisons of postoperative monosyllabic word recognition scores obtained with the implant alone and in the usual listening condition (CI alone or bimodal). less thanbrgreater than less thanbrgreater thanResults: With the cochlear implant alone, individuals who received the implant in a sound-deprived ear obtained poorer scores than individuals who received the implant in the aided ear. There was no significant difference, however, in speech recognition results for the 2 groups when tested in their usual listening condition. In particular, poorer speech recognition scores were obtained with the cochlear implant alone by individuals using bimodal hearing. less thanbrgreater than less thanbrgreater thanConclusion: Similar clinical outcomes of cochlear implantation can be achieved by adults with a long-term monaural sound deprivation when comparing the usual listening condition, irrespective of whether the implant is in the sound-deprived or in the aided ear.
A multicenter study was set up to elucidate the environmental and medical risk factors contributing to age-related hearing impairment (ARHI). Nine subsamples, collected by nine audiological centers across Europe, added up to a total of 4,083 subjects between 53 and 67 years. Audiometric data (pure-tone average [PTA]) were collected and the participants filled out a questionnaire on environmental risk factors and medical history. People with a history of disease that could affect hearing were excluded. PTAs were adjusted for age and sex and tested for association with exposure to risk factors. Noise exposure was associated with a significant loss of hearing at high sound frequencies (>1 kHz). Smoking significantly increased high-frequency hearing loss, and the effect was dose-dependent. The effect of smoking remained significant when accounting for cardiovascular disease events. Taller people had better hearing on average with a more pronounced effect at low sound frequencies (<2 kHz). A high body mass index (BMI) correlated with hearing loss across the frequency range tested. Moderate alcohol consumption was inversely correlated with hearing loss. Significant associations were found in the high
Objective : There are only a few population-based epidemiological studies on audiogram configurations among adults. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of different audiogram configurations among older adults. In addition, audiogram configurations among subjects reporting hearing problems were examined. Design : Cross-sectional, population-based, unscreened epidemiological study among older adults. Study sample : The subjects (850), aged 54-66 years, were randomly sampled from the population register. A questionnaire survey, an otological examination, and pure-tone audiometry were performed. Results : The most prevalent audiogram configuration among men was high-frequency steeply sloping (65.3% left ear, 51.2% right ear) and among women, high-frequency gently sloping (33.0% left ear, 31.5% right ear). There were significantly more flat configurations among women than among men. Unclassified audiograms were common especially among women (17.5%). Subjects reporting hearing difficulties, difficulties in following conversation in noise, or tinnitus, more often had a high-frequency steeply sloping configuration than those not reporting. Conclusions : High-frequency sloping audiogram configurations were common among older adults, and a high-frequency steeply sloping configuration was common among those reporting hearing problems.
Objective: To investigate the prevalence of ear diseases, other otological risk factors potentially affecting hearing, and noise exposure among adults. Furthermore, subject-related factors possibly associated with hearing impairment (HI), i.e. handedness, eye color, and susceptibility to sunburn, were studied. Design: A cross-sectional, unscreened, population-based, epidemiological study among adults. Study sample: The subjects (n = 850), aged 54-66 years, were randomly sampled from the population register. A questionnaire survey, an otological examination, and pure-tone audiometry were performed. Results: Chronic middle-ear disease (both active and inactive) was the most common ear disease with a prevalence of 5.3%, while the prevalence of otosclerosis was 1.3%, and that of Menieres disease, 0.7%. Noise exposure was reported by 46% of the subjects, and it had no effect on hearing among those with no ear disease or other otological risk factors for HI. Dark eye color and non-susceptibility to sunburn were associated with HI among noise-exposed subjects. Conclusions: Common ear diseases and other otological risk factors constitute a major part of the etiologies of HI among adults. Contrary to previous studies, noise exposure turned out to have only marginal effect on hearing among those with no otological risk factors.
Background: There are not many population-based epidemiological studies on the association between self-reported hearing problems and measured hearing thresholds in older adults. Previous studies have shown that the relationship between self-reported hearing difficulties and measured hearing thresholds is unclear and, according to our knowledge, there are no previous population-based studies reporting hearing thresholds among subjects with hyperacusis. less thanbrgreater than less thanbrgreater thanPurpose: The aim was to investigate the prevalence of self-reported hearing problems, that is, hearing difficulties, difficulties in following a conversation in noise, tinnitus, and hyperacusis, and to compare the results with measured hearing thresholds in older adults. less thanbrgreater than less thanbrgreater thanResearch Design: Cross-sectional, population-based, and unscreened. less thanbrgreater than less thanbrgreater thanStudy Sample: Random sample of subjects (n = 850) aged 54-66 yr living in the city of Oulu (Finland) and the surrounding areas. less thanbrgreater than less thanbrgreater thanData Collection and Analysis: Otological examination, pure tone audiometry, questionnaire survey less thanbrgreater than less thanbrgreater thanResults: The prevalence of self-reported hearing problems was 37.1% for hearing difficulties, 43.3% for difficulties in following a conversation in noise, 29.2% for tinnitus, and 17.2% for hyperacusis. More than half of the subjects had no hearing impairment, or HI (BEHL[better ear hearing level](0.5-4 kHz) andlt; 20 dB HL) even though they reported hearing problems. Subjects with self-reported hearing problems, including tinnitus and hyperacusis, had significantly poorer hearing thresholds than those who did not report hearing problems. Self-reported hearing difficulties predicted hearing impairment in the pure-tone average at 4, 6, and 8 kHz, and at the single frequency of 4 kHz. less thanbrgreater than less thanbrgreater thanConclusions: The results indicate that self-reported hearing difficulties are more frequent than hearing impairment defined by audiometric measurement. Furthermore, self-reported hearing difficulties seem to predict hearing impairment at high frequencies (4-8 kHz) rather than at the frequencies of 0.5-4 kHz, which are commonly used to define the degree of hearing impairment in medical and legal issues.
There are only a few large, population-based epidemiological studies on hearing impairment (HI) in adults. The objective of this study was to investigate the prevalence of HI and possible differences between ears in older adults. The subjects (n = 850), aged 54-66 years, were randomly sampled from the population register. A questionnaire survey, an otological examination, and pure-tone audiometry were performed. Another questionnaire was mailed to collect information on non-participants. The prevalence of HI averaged over the frequencies of 0.5, 1, 2, and 4 kHz for the better ear andgt;= 20 dB HL was 26.7% (men: 36.8%, women: 18.4%). There was no difference between left and right ear pure-tone averages over the frequencies 0.5, 1, 2, and 4 kHz (PTA (0.5-4 kHz)), but a significant difference of -0.8 dB HL was found for the low frequencies 0.125, 0.25, and 0.5 kHz (PTA (0.125-0.5 kHz)), and 4.4 dB HL for the high frequencies over 4, 6, and 8 kHz (PTA (4-8 kHz)). In conclusion, HI was a highly prevalent finding in this age group.
Background: Studies of language in children with mild-to-moderate hearing impairment (HI) indicate that they often have problems in phonological short-term memory (PSTM) and that they have linguistic weaknesses both in vocabulary and morphosyntax similar to children with specific language impairment (SLI). However, children with HI may be more likely than children with SLI to acquire typical language skills as they get older. It has been suggested that the more persisting problems in children with SLI are due to a combination of factors: perceptual, cognitive and/or linguistic.
Aims: The main aim of this study was to explore language skills in children with HI in comparison with children with SLI, and how children with both HI and language impairment differ from those with non-impaired spoken language skills.
Methods & Procedures: PSTM, output phonology, lexical ability, receptive grammar and verb morphology were assessed in a group of children with mild-to-moderate HI (n = 11) and a group of children with SLI (n = 12) aged 5 years 6 months to 9 years 0 months.
Outcomes & Results: The HI group tended to score higher than the SLI group on the language measures, although few of the differences were significant. The children with HI had their most obvious weaknesses in PSTM, vocabulary, receptive grammar and inflection of novel verbs. The subgroup of children with HI (five out of 10) who also showed evidence of grammatical output problems was significantly younger than the remaining children with HI. Correlation analysis showed that the language variables were not associated with age, whereas hearing level was associated with PSTM.
Conclusions: Children with HI are at risk for at least a delay in lexical ability, receptive grammar and grammatical production. The problems seen in the HI group might be explained by their low-level perceptual deficit and weak PSTM. For the SLI group the impairment is more severe. From a clinical perspective an important conclusion is that the language development in children with even mild-to-moderate HI deserves attention and support.
Tinnitus is a common condition affecting approximately 20% of the older population. There is increasing evidence that changes in the central auditory system following cochlear malfunctioning are responsible for tinnitus. To date, few investigators have studied the influence of genetic factors on tinnitus. The present report investigates the presence of a familial effect in tinnitus subjects.
In a European multicentre study, 198 families were recruited in seven European countries. Each family had at least 3 siblings. Subjects were screened for causes of hearing loss other than presbyacusis by clinical examination and a questionnaire. The presence of tinnitus was evaluated with the question "Nowadays, do you ever get noises in your head or ear (tinnitus) which usually last longer than five minutes". Familial aggregation was tested using three methods: a mixed model approach, calculating familial correlations, and estimating the risk of a subject having tinnitus if the disorder is present in another family member.
All methods demonstrated a significant familial effect for tinnitus. The effect persisted after correction for the effect of other risk factors such as hearing loss, gender and age. The size of the familial effect is smaller than that for age-related hearing impairment, with a familial correlation of 0.15.
The presence of a familial effect for tinnitus opens the door to specific studies that can determine whether this effect is due to a shared familial environment or the involvement of genetic factors. Subsequent association studies may result in the identification of the factors responsible. In addition, more emphasis should be placed on the effect of role models in the treatment of tinnitus.
To investigate the familial correlations and intraclass correlation of age-related hearing impairment (ARHI) in specific frequencies. In addition, heritability estimates were calculated.
Multicenter survey in 8 European centers.
One hundred ninety-eight families consisting of 952 family members, screened by otologic examination and structured interviews. Subjects with general conditions, known to affect hearing thresholds or known otologic cause were excluded from the study.
We detected familial correlation coefficients of 0.36, 0.37, 0.36, and 0.30 for 0.25, 0.5, 1, and 2 kHz, respectively, and correlation coefficients of 0.20 and 0.18 for 4 and 8 kHz, respectively. Variance components analyses showed that the proportion of the total variance attributable to family differences was between 0.32 and 0.40 for 0.25, 0.5, 1, and 2 kHz and below 0.20 for 4 and 8 kHz. When testing for homogeneity between sib pair types, we observed a larger familial correlation between female than male subjects. Heritability estimates ranged between 0.79 and 0.36 across the frequencies.
Our results indicate that there is a substantial shared familial effect in ARHI. We found that familial aggregation of ARHI is markedly higher in the low frequencies and that there is a trend toward higher familial aggregation in female compared with male subjects.
Objective: Our aim in this randomized controlled trial was to investigate the effects on global tinnitus severity of 2 Internet-delivered psychological treatments, acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) and cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), in guided self-help format. Method: Ninety-nine participants (mean age = 48.5 years; 43% female) who were significantly distressed by tinnitus were recruited from the community. Participants were randomly assigned to CBT (n = 32), ACT (n = 35), or a control condition (monitored Internet discussion forum; n = 32), and they were assessed with standardized self-report measures (Tinnitus Handicap Inventory; Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale; Quality of Life Inventory; Perceived Stress Scale; Tinnitus Acceptance Questionnaire) at pre-, posttreatment (8 weeks), and 1-year follow-up. Results: Mixed-effects linear regression analysis of all randomized participants showed significant effects on the primary outcome (Tinnitus Handicap Inventory) for CBT and for ACT compared with control at posttreatment (95% CI [-17.03, -2.94], d = 0.70, and 95% CI [-16.29, -2.53], d = 0.68, respectively). Within-group effects were substantial from pretreatment through 1-year-follow-up for both treatments (95% CI [-44.65, -20.45], d = 1.34), with no significant difference between treatments (95% CI [-14.87, 11.21], d = 0.16). Conclusions: Acceptance-based procedures may be a viable alternative to traditional CBT techniques in the management of tinnitus. The Internet can improve access to psychological interventions for tinnitus.
The Saami from Fennoscandia are believed to represent an ancient, genetically isolated population with no evidence of population expansion. Theoretical work has indicated that under this demographic scenario, extensive linkage disequilibrium (LD) is generated by genetic drift. Therefore, it has been suggested that the Saami would be particularly suited for genetic association studies, offering a substantial power advantage and allowing more economic study designs. However, no study has yet assessed this claim. As part of a GWAS for a complex trait, we evaluated the relative power for association studies of common variants in the Finnish Saami. LD patterns in the Saami were very similar to those in the non-African HapMap reference panels. Haplotype diversity was reduced and, on average, levels of LD were higher in the Saami as compared with those in the HapMap panels. However, using a 'hidden' SNP approach we show that this does not translate into a power gain in association studies. Contrary to earlier claims, we show that for a given set of common SNPs, genomic coverage attained in the Saami is similar to that in the non-African HapMap panels. Nevertheless, the reduced haplotype diversity could potentially facilitate gene identification, especially if multiple rare variants play a role in disease etiology. Our results further indicate that the HapMap is a useful resource for genetic studies in the Saami.
The understanding of patterns of genetic variation within and among human populations is a prerequisite for successful genetic association mapping studies of complex diseases and traits. Some populations are more favorable for association mapping studies than others. The Saami from northern Scandinavia and the Kola Peninsula represent a population isolate that, among European populations, has been less extensively sampled, despite some early interest for association mapping studies. In this paper, we report the results of a first genome-wide SNP-based study of genetic population structure in the Finnish Saami. Using data from the HapMap and the human genome diversity project (HGDP-CEPH) and recently developed statistical methods, we studied individual genetic ancestry. We quantified genetic differentiation between the Saami population and the HGDP-CEPH populations by calculating pair-wise F-ST statistics and by characterizing identity-by-state sharing for pair-wise population comparisons. This study affirms an east Asian contribution to the predominantly European-derived Saami gene pool. Using model-based individual ancestry analysis, the median estimated percentage of the genome with east Asian ancestry was 6% (first and third quartiles: 5 and 8%, respectively). We found that genetic similarity between population pairs roughly correlated with geographic distance. Among the European HGDP-CEPH populations, F-ST was smallest for the comparison with the Russians (F-ST=0.0098), and estimates for the other population comparisons ranged from 0.0129 to 0.0263. Our analysis also revealed fine-scale substructure within the Finnish Saami and warns against the confounding effects of both hidden population structure and undocumented relatedness in genetic association studies of isolated populations.
Age-related hearing impairment (ARHI), or presbycusis, is a very common multifactorial disorder. Despite the knowledge that genetics play an important role in the etiology of human ARHI as revealed by heritability studies, to date, its precise genetic determinants remain elusive. Here we report the results of a cross-sectional family-based genetic study employing audiometric data. By using principal component analysis, we were able to reduce the dimensionality of this multivariate phenotype while capturing most of the variation and retaining biologically important features of the audiograms. We conducted a genome-wide association as well as a linkage scan with high-density SNP microarrays. Because of the presence of genetic population substructure, association testing was stratified after which evidence was combined by meta-analysis. No association signals reaching genome-wide significance were detected. Linkage analysis identified a linkage peak on 8q24.13-q24.22 for a trait correlated to audiogram shape. The signal reached genome-wide significance, as assessed by simulations. This finding represents the first locus for an ARHI trait.
This study investigates the use of requests for clarification in conversations between teenagers with a cochlear implant (CI) and hearing peers. So far very few studies have focused on conversational abilities in children with CI.
The aim was to explore co-construction of dialogue in a referential communication task and the participation of the teenagers with CI in comparison with individually matched hearing children and teenagers (HC) by studying the use of requests for clarification.
Sixteen conversational pairs participated: eight pairs consisting of a child with CI and his/her hearing conversational partner (CIP); and eight pairs consisting of an HC and a conversational partner (HCP). The conversational pairs were videotaped while carrying out a referential communication task requiring the description of two sets of pictures depicting faces. The dialogues were transcribed and analysed with respect to the number of words and turns, the time it took for each pair to complete the tasks, and the occurrence and different types of requests for clarification that were used in each type of conversational pair and in each type of dialogue.
The main finding was that the teenagers with CI produced significantly more requests for clarification than the HCs. The most frequently used type of request for clarification in all dialogues was request for confirmation of new information. Furthermore, there was a trend for the teenagers with CI to use this type of request more often than the HC. In contrast, the teenagers with CI used significantly fewer requests for confirmation of already given information and fewer requests for elaboration than the HC.
The deaf teenagers with CI in the study seem to be equally collaborative and responsible conversational partners as the hearing teenagers. The interpretation is that certain conditions in this study facilitate their participation in conversation. Such conditions might be a calm environment, a task that is structured and without time limits and that the partner is well known to the teenager with CI.
Objective: To investigate the influence of cardiovascular diseases on hearing impairment (HI) among adults. Furthermore, to seek other potential risk factors for HI, such as smoking, obesity, and socioeconomic class. Design: A cross-sectional, unscreened, population-based, epidemiological study among adults. Study sample: The subjects (n = 850), aged 54-66 years, were randomly sampled from the population register. A questionnaire survey, an otological examination, and pure-tone audiometry were performed. Results: Cardiovascular diseases did not increase the risk for HI in a propensity-score adjusted logistic regression model: OR 1.24, 95% CI 0.79 to 1.96 for HI defined by better ear hearing level (BEHL), and OR 1.48, 95% CI 0.96 to 2.28 for HI defined by worse ear hearing level (WEHL), in the 0.5-4 kHz frequency range. Heavy smoking is a risk factor for HI among men (BEHL: OR 1.96, WEHL: OR 1.88) and women (WEHL: OR 2.4). Among men, obesity (BEHL, OR 1.85) and lower socioeconomic class (BEHL: OR 2.79, WEHL: OR 2.28) are also risk factors for HI. Conclusion: No significant association between cardiovascular disease and HI was found.
The purpose of the present article is to present an overview of a set of studies conducted in our own laboratory on cognitive and communicative development in children with cochlear implants (CI). The results demonstrate that children with CIs perform at significantly lower levels on the majority of the cognitive tasks. The exceptions to this trend are tasks with relatively lower demands on phonological processing. A fairly high proportion of the children can reach a level of reading comprehension that matches hearing children, despite the fact that they have relatively poor phonological skills.General working memory capacity is further correlated with the type of questions asked in a referential communication task. The results are discussed with respect to issues related to education and rehabilitation.
This report summarizes some of the results of studies in our laboratory exploring the development of cognitive, reading and prosodic skills in children with cochlear implantation (CI). The children with CI performed at significantly lower levels than the hearing comparison group on the majority of cognitive tests, despite showing levels of nonverbal ability. The differences between children with CI and hearing children were most pronounced on tasks with relatively high phonological processing demands, but they were not limited to phonological processing. Impairment of receptive and productive prosody was also evident in children with CI. Despite these difficulties, 75% of the children with CI reached a level of reading skill comparable to that of hearing children. The results are discussed with respect to compensation strategies in reading.
The purpose of the study was to examine neurophysiological, cognitive and linguistic development in deaf and hearing-impaired children (5–7 years of age) with CI and/or hearingaids and how a phonological intervention programme may influence this development. The deaf and hearing-impaired children were compared with age-matched hearing children. The results reveal that deaf and hearing-impaired children had equivalent or close to equivalent performance levels compared to hearing children for cognitive and linguistic tasks with relatively low demands on phonological processing, whereas there was a substantial and significant difference between the groups for cognitive tasks involving explicit phonological processing. The results indicate that there is a relationship between age at implant and neurophysiological, cognitive and linguistic development, where early implantation promotes faster development. The childrens´ cognitive performance increased as a function of phonological intervention.
The proportion of elderly population increases and an increasing number of old adults have severe to profound hearing impairment, thus being possible cochlear implant (CI) candidates. The aim of the project was to assess the outcome of CI in terms of speech audiometric results and self-reported benefit in adults with a special emphasis on elderly adults.Subjects and methods: All 124 adult patients (≥ 18 years at implantation) who have been implanted in the Linköping CI program in 1992-2009 were eligible for the study. In addition to audiological tests, the pre-operative assessment of adult patients includes tests of working memory capacity, phonological and lexical processing skills. Glasgow Benefit Inventory (GBI), a self-assessment instrument covering general health, degree of social support and physical state, was mailed to the CI recipients.Results: Response rate was high (90%) and 43 of the participants were ≥ 65 years. The mean time the participants had used their CI was 5.1 years (SD 4, range 1.2-16.9). All patients, with one exception, reached some degree of open set speech recognition. GBI results were comparable to earlier reports in CI populations. Analyses of the cognitive test results and more detailed analyses of speech reception and GBI among the oldest olds (≥75 years) will be reported.Discussion: According to our preliminary results, CI gives good benefit in the whole group. Provided that a careful assessment of cognitive abilities has been made and general health is reasonably good, a good outcome can be expected also in the oldest part of the population.
As coexisting vestibular and cochlear lesions are of etiological importance, evaluation of children with congenital or early acquired hearing impairment (HI) should include vestibular assessment. A rotation test requires specific equipment and allows only detection of bilateral vestibular impairment. An impulse or head thrust test allows assessment of one ear at a time, detects more pronounced caloric side differences and can be performed without any equipment. We report a consecutive series of children with profound sensorineural HI investigated at a tertiary hospital unit. Age at taking first steps without help, the results of temporal bone images (CT/MRT) and vestibular tests were collected retrospectively from patient files. The children were 12 to 90 months old at the time they attended both a rotation and an impulse test. All 14 children cooperated in the impulse test, and 12 completed the vestibular rotation test successfully. Three out of 14 children tested so far have been confirmed to have a bilaterally pathological vestibulo-ocular reflex confirmed both in the rotation test and the impulse test. Our results show that both the rotation test and the vestibular impulse test can be successfully performed on small children at a regular outpatient appointment.
Purpose: The aim of the study was to examine pre-operative expectations and the postoperative experiences related to cochlear implants (CI) in CI-users and their significant others. Methods: A questionnaire was used and the responses were analysed by means of The Qualitative Content Analysis. All adults implanted between 1992 and 2010, who had had their implants for a minimum of 12 months (n = 120) were contacted. Response rate was high (90.8%), and all-inclusive answers were received from 101 CI-users (84.2%). Results: The overall sense of increased well-being and life satisfaction was described as having lived in two different worlds, one with the auditory stimulation and one without. In the overall sense of increased well-being and satisfaction three interwoven subcategories, alienation - normality, fear - autonomy, and living a social life emerged. When CI-users and their significant others recalled the time prior to receiving the CI, a sense of fear was present with origins in the concern for the respondents (CI-users) ability to cope and care independently in society. Conversely, after the implantation both parties emphasized the notion of a distinct transformation within the CI-user towards autonomy. Communication was highlighted as a large part of living social life. Conclusion: The CI increases well-being and satisfaction for both CI-users and their significant others, which is especially evident regarding enhanced autonomy, normality and living social life.
Objective: This study includes a battery of psychoacoustical and electrophysiological tests to quantitatively investigate the changes in the frequency and the temporal features of the human auditory periphery caused by aging (presbyacusis) and noise-induced lesions, two common types of sensorineural hearing impairments. The scores are comparatively analyzed.
Design: These clinical experiments have been implemented in MATLAB software.
Study sample: 20 normal hearing adults (aged 30-54), 20 older hearing-impaired subjects (aged 65-70) with no history of Ototoxic medication or noise exposure and 7 adult men with a traceable noise-induced hearing impairment.
Results: The observed temporal and spectral declines are generally consistent with the high-frequency audiometric loss depicted by the audiogram, for each group. Moreover, the test battery provides valuable information on the frequency sensitivity, temporal resolution, loudness growth, compression and otoacoustic emissions.
Conclusion: These scores are compared with the predictions of a physiologicallybased cochlear model to provide evidence about specific inner-ear pathologies, beyond what the audiogram can indicate. Among these 7 clinical experiments, the results from the forward temporal masking test, the categorical loudness discrimination test and the distortion product otoacoustic emission test provide the most differential information about the underlying cellular lesions. The results indicate that the reduction in the temporal resolution is substantially age-relate since the presbyacusis listeners, unlike the other groups, obtained almost no benefit from the temporal cues provided by the gap duration at any of the experiments. Moreover, the results suggest that the DPOAEs reflect the cellular lesions associated with the acoustic overstimulation rather than the age-related strial degenerations.
We studied the prevalence, segregation, and phenotype of the mitochondrial DNA 3243A>G mutation in children in a defined population in Northern Ostrobothnia, Finland.
Children with diagnoses commonly associated with mitochondrial diseases were ascertained. Blood DNA from 522 selected children was analyzed for 3243A>G. Children with the mutation were clinically examined. Information on health history before the age of 18 years was collected from previously identified adult patients with 3243A>G. Mutation segregation analysis in buccal epithelial cells was performed in mothers with 3243A>G and their children whose samples were analyzed anonymously.
Eighteen children were found to harbor 3243A>G in a population of 97,609. A minimum estimate for the prevalence of 3243A>G was 18.4 in 100,000 (95% confidence interval, 10.9-29.1/100,000). Information on health in childhood was obtained from 37 adult patients with 3243A>G. The first clinical manifestations appearing in childhood were sensorineural hearing impairment, short stature or delayed maturation, migraine, learning difficulties, and exercise intolerance. Mutation analysis from 13 mothers with 3243A>G and their 41 children gave a segregation rate of 0.80. The mothers with heteroplasmy greater than 50% tended to have offspring with lower or equal heteroplasmy, whereas the opposite was true for mothers with heteroplasmy less than or equal to 50% (p = 0.0016).
The prevalence of 3243A>G is relatively high in the pediatric population, but the morbidity in children is relatively low. The random genetic drift model may be inappropriate for the transmission of the 3243A>G mutation.
Hypothesis: The common GJB2 (Connexin 26) 35delG mutation might contribute to the development of age-related hearing impairment (ARHI) and noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL).
Background: GJB2, a gene encoding a gap junction protein expressed in the inner ear, has been suggested to be involved in the potassium recycling pathway in the cochlea. GJB2 mutations account for a large number of individuals with nonsyndromic recessive hearing loss, with 35delG being the most frequent mutation in populations of European origin. Other genes involved in potassium homeostasis have been suggested to be associated with ARHI and NIHL, and distortion product otoacoustic emission distortions indicative of hearing loss alterations have been found in 35delG carriers.
Method: We genotyped 35delG in two distinct sample sets: an ARHI sample set, composed of 2,311 Caucasian samples from nine different centers originating from seven different countries with an age range between 53 and 67 years, and an NIHL sample set consisting of 702 samples from the two extremes of a noise-exposed Polish sample.
Results: After statistical analysis, we were unable to detect an association between 35delG and ARHI, nor between 35delG and NIHL.
Conclusion: Our findings indicate that there is no increased susceptibility in 35delG carriers for the development of ARHI or NIHL.
Age‐related hearing impairment (ARHI) is the most common sensory impairment in older people, affecting 50% of those aged 80 years. The proportion of older people is increasing in the general population, and as a consequence, the number of people affected with ARHI is growing. ARHI is a complex disorder, with both environmental and genetic factors contributing to the disease. The first studies to elucidate these genetic factors were recently performed, resulting in the identification of the first two susceptibility genes for ARHI, NAT2 and KCNQ4.
In the present study, the association between ARHI and polymorphisms in genes that contribute to the defence against reactive oxygen species, including GSTT1, GSTM1 and NAT2, was tested. Samples originated from seven different countries and were combined into two test population samples, the general European population and the Finnish population. Two distinct phenotypes for ARHI were studied, Zlow and Zhigh, representing hearing in the low and high frequencies, respectively. Statistical analysis was performed for single polymorphisms (GSTM1, GSTT1, NAT2*5A, NAT2*6A, and NAT2*7A), haplotypes, and gene–environment and gene–gene interactions.
We found an association between ARHI and GSTT1 and GSTM1 in the Finnish population sample, and with NAT2*6A in the general European population sample. The latter finding replicates previously published data.
As replication is considered the ultimate proof of true associations in the study of complex disorders, this study provides further support for the involvement of NAT2*6A in ARHI.
This study aimed at contributing to the elucidation of the genetic basis of age-related hearing impairment (ARHI), a common multifactorial disease with an important genetic contribution as demonstrated by heritability studies. We conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) in the Finnish Saami, a small, ancient, genetically isolated population without evidence of demographic expansion. The choice of this study population was motivated by its anticipated higher extent of LD, potentially offering a substantial power advantage for association mapping. DNA samples and audiometric measurements were collected from 352 Finnish Saami individuals, aged between 50 and 75 years. To reduce the burden of multiple testing, we applied principal component (PC) analysis to the multivariate audiometric phenotype. The first three PCs captured 80% of the variation in hearing thresholds, while maintaining biologically important audiometric features. All subjects were genotyped with the Affymetrix 100 K chip. To account for multiple levels of relatedness among subjects, as well as for population stratification, association testing was performed using a mixed model. We summarised the top-ranking association signals for the three traits under study. The top-ranked SNP, rs457717 (P-value 3.55 x 10(-7)), was associated with PC3 and was localised in an intron of the IQ motif-containing GTPase-activating-like protein (IQGAP2). Intriguingly, the SNP rs161927 (P-value 0.000149), seventh-ranked for PC1, was positioned immediately downstream from the metabotropic glutamate receptor-7 gene (GRM7). As a previous GWAS of a European and Finnish sample set already suggested a role for GRM7 in ARHI, this study provides further evidence for the involvement of this gene.
Age-related hearing impairment (ARHI) is the most prevalent sensory impairment in the elderly. ARHI is a complex disease caused by an interaction between environmental and genetic factors. The contribution of various environmental factors has been relatively extensively studied. In contrast, investigations to identify the genetic risk factors have only recently been initiated. In this paper we describe the results of an association study performed on 2418 ARHI samples derived from nine centers from seven European countries. In 70 candidate genes, a total of 768 tag single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were selected based on HAPMAP data. These genes were chosen among the monogenic hearing loss genes identified in mice and men in addition to several strong functional candidates. After genotyping and data polishing, statistical analysis of all samples combined resulted in a P-value that survived correction for multiple testing for one SNP in the GRHL2 gene. Other SNPs in this gene were also associated, albeit to a lesser degree. Subsequently, an analysis of the most significant GRHL2 SNP was performed separately for each center. The direction of the association was identical in all nine centers. Two centers showed significant associations and a third center showed a trend towards significance. Subsequent fine mapping of this locus demonstrated that the majority of the associated SNPs reside in intron 1. We hypothesize that the causative variant may change the expression levels of a GRHL2 isoform.
The purpose of the present study was to examine working memory (WM) capacity, lexical access and phonological skills in 19 children with cochlear implants (CI) (5;7-13;4 years of age) attending grades 0-2, 4, 5 and 6 and to compare their performance with 56 children with normal hearing. Their performance was also studied in relation to demographic factors. The findings indicate that children with CI had visuospatial WM capacities equivalent to the comparison group. They had lower performance levels on most of the other cognitive tests. Significant differences between the groups were not found in all grades and a number of children with CI performed within 1 SD of the mean of their respective grade-matched comparison group on most of the cognitive measures. The differences between the groups were particularly prominent in tasks of phonological WM. The results are discussed with respect to the effects of cochlear implants on cognitive development.
Early in reading development, children generally read by using phonological decoding strategies where words are read letter by letter. Later in reading development, orthographic decoding strategies are generally used by most readers. This means that whole words are recognized directly through a process of comparing written words to mental orthographic representations, i.e. long-term memories of written words.This strategy is quicker and more efficient for reading familiar words.The process of building up a mental orthographic lexicon in long term memory is often referred to as orthographic learning (e.g. Share, 2004). In children with normal hearing and typical development, those who are better at phonological decoding also become better at constructing their orthographic lexicon. Children with cochlear implants (CI) have demonstrated relatively high reading skills despite less favorable cognitive prerequisites in terms of phonological representations, phonological working memory, phonological skills and lexical access (Asker-Árnason et al., 2007, Wass et al., 2010).The present study explores the acquistion orthographic representations in children who use CI and children who have moderate hearing impairments and use hearing aids (HA). The performance of each group was compared to that of hearing children matched for grade, nonverbal intelligence and gender.The results indicated that the children with CI did not have significantly different orthographic learning ability than their comparison group but had slightly poorer reading comprehension. The children with HA performed significantly poorer than their comparison group on orthographic learning but had similar reading skills as their comparison group on all measures of reading.


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When life gives you lemons...
Or as Lee would say, when life kicks you in the nuts.
His mom is in the ICU on life support, I am due in three weeks and have been having contractions off and on for three weeks. I can't fly, he doesn't want to leave me here and fly back home.
Tomorrow we will know if she is likely to recover or not. If she is not, she is also unlikely to be concious and he is uncertain if he wants to risk missing Otter's birth to go say goodbye to his unconcious mother. I wish beyond anything that we could all fly back and say goodbye, but they simply will not let me on a plane. They view me in a light similar to a bomb. I could go off at any moment, spewing baby and whatever else all over the plane.
On the upside, you always find out how wonderful your friends are when this stuff happens, Devon has offered to stay with us and take a crash course in labor partnership in case Lee has to go home and I go into labor while he is away, Monkey offered to help me out in L&D as well. Morgan and Amy offered to keep Monkey while I am in labor, and my mother offered to fly out and stay with me while Lee goes back.
This would all be so much easier if I could go into labor tonight, have the baby, and then send Lee on his way to his mother's bedside tomorrow or the next day.
We are sad. We are angry. I am so upset that she is unwell, that she might be dead before her first grandson is here, when she is so close to meeting him. I am also angry with her, illogically so, for adding this new dimension to our lives in a time that should be filled with anxiety and excitement for the baby, and not really anything else. It is silly I know, but I can't help feeling this way, chock it up to hormones, I only have them as an excuse for another month or so.
Anyway, please send Lee your love, he needs it.
Wednesday, March 07, 2007
Making lemonade...
When life gives you lemons...
6 comments:
- Woman with a Hatchet said...
Sorry this is happening to you kiddo. Tell Lee we're sorry.
By the way, don't kid yourself - you're gonna have hormones whipping around in your body well past the time you stop breast feeding.
What? You think they drain out of your body along with amniotic fluid? Hah! Weeping over dumb commercials will still have you in thrall for MONTHS to come!
- Scylla said...
true, but that can be chocked up to sleep deprivation, in addition to hormones.
Thanks for your love, we feel better knowing it is out there.
- woman at the well said...
Not that I want you to have the baby without Lee being there, but my gut reaction to this is if he doesn't go home, even to say goodbye to an unconscious mother, he'll regret it. If he misses the baby's birth, he can still have a relationship with the baby, but when his mother is gone, she's gone. I managed to arrive when my father was unconscious just before he died. I always regretted I didn't go immediately when he was hospitalized instead of beleiving the docs who said he'd be OK, until they called to say he wouldn't live through the night. But at least he knew on some level that I'd come.
I'm sorry this is happening at such a vulnerable time for you, but now it is about Lee and his mom.
- Scylla said...
I agree with you. As much as I would be sad to have him miss this moment in our lives, I feel as though he really needs to go home.
However, I also need to respect his choices, and he is really reluctant to take that chance.
I wish I could make is easier by going into labor tonight so he could leave tomorrow.
- woman at the well said...
I can see how he would be torn. I told my husband about the situation and all he said was it would be a hard decision. Make it. Do your best. It's all you can do.
- Luke said...
Wait a tick. I weep over dumb commercials.


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A white dresser used as a changing table and an acrylic stool with fur help furnish this glamorous gray and pink nursery, which features floral wallpaper, gray crown molding and a crystal chandelier.
Although the remodeling budget didn't allow for replacement of these mirrored closet doors, they were refreshed by attaching painted overlays. The teddy bear drawing was made for the baby as a gift by a close family friend.
This glamorous gray nursery includes pink feminine accents, such as the pink accessories in the white crib. A furry white stool and a crystal chandelier add a sense of refinement to the room.


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April 27, 2018
Prepare Baking Soda Cream Before Sleeping, Say Goodbye To Wrinkles, Blemishes, Blackheads and Crow's Feet
Today, in this article we bring you a natural remedy that will help you with spots, pimples and wrinkles.
The necessary ingredients :
- A couple of tablespoons of baking soda.
- Natural mineral water (Never take the tap).
- Lemon if you have very oily skin.
- Honey if your face is dry, since it moisturizes in depth.
- Any other ingredient that you are used to such as aloe vera, olive oil, acetylsalicylic acid, etc.
- Add all the sodium bicarbonate to the water.
- Stir well until homogenized.
- Deposit a few drops of lemon, or half a spoonful of honey depending on your needs. For greater exfoliation, aspirin is a good choice.
- Extend the mask all over the face, avoiding the eye contour.
- Wait for 15-20 minutes.
- Remove with plenty of water.
- If you see that the skin of the face dries a lot, apply a moisturizer or some vegetable oil, as well as a few drops of hydrogen peroxide.
Enjoy !


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Plenty of grade-A hilarity has come from Chicago's Second City sketch comedy troupe. For a sampling, let's look at just a few of its alumni: Tina Fey, Stephen Colbert, and Bill Murray. Another piece of history this trio shares? At various points in their sketch comedy careers, they packed up and hit the road with Second City's traveling troupe to deliver jokes to those outside the Windy City.
A fresh crop of Second Citians comes to the Valley to perform Happily Ever Laughter, a show that comprises newsy bits and classic scenes. And when they're in town, best keep in mind that the next Tina (or Stephen or Bill) could be gracing a stage in Queen Creek, of all places.
The troupe's traveling cast performs at 7:30 p.m. January 18, at Queen Creek Performing Arts Center, 22149 East Ocotillo Road. Tickets are $28 to $32. Call 480-987-7469 or visit www.qcpac.com.
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Sat., Jan. 18, 7:30 p.m., 2014


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Shift Happens
Tuesdays @ 2 pm with Jeff Pilsner and Ana Bokstrom
Current events program with a focus on positive shifts happening locally, nationally and globally.
Tuesdays from 2 – 4 pm with Jeff Pilsner and Ana Bokstrom. Repeats Sundays @ 11 am.
If you'd like more information about Shift Happens check out their website at https://shifthappens.media


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|The Tourists
Lincoln Memorial as seen from the WWII Memorial
Washington D.C.
I had a wonderful time Friday night at Arts By the Bay Autumn Aura show reception. I had so many people stop and chat with me about my pieces. It is so lovely to see the sparkle in someone's eye when I give them the history or meaning behind a piece of my art. It is even better when I hear people talking about a piece of my work with each other and they have no idea I am standing behind them listening. I love to hear their thoughts about it and how it affects them. What an honor to have my work hang in a gallery and be seen by such a gracious public.
If you didn't get a chance to stop in on Friday, my 5 pieces will be hanging until November (unless they sell, of course...). Stop in and check it out and buy yourself a piece of art or start some early Christmas shopping...it really is a great show. I have sold more than one piece each of the last several shows I have been in, so if there is a particular one you really like and are interested in, please be sure to act quickly! All of them are limited edition, signed, and numbered. Thank you to everyone who took the time to come out and chat. It was a blast.
The next time I am sitting at the gallery will be September 10 from 3PM-7PM, so mark your calendar and hang out with me! I'll give you a tour of the gallery. Also, I am in the planning stages of an autumn photography workshop/photo walk with another of the gallery's photographers. It's looking like it will be in November, so keep your eyes out for that.
I hope you all are enjoying your weekend! Have a wonderful Sunday and tune in through the week to see more brand new digital art coming to the blog.


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Category Archives: Faith
Midrash on the ShehecheyanuAugust 9, 2013
Perhaps this is a prose poem, perhaps a prose prayer poem. I don't know. But I'm on track, preparing for my Bat Mitzvah coming up at the end of September. The invitations are in the mail. It's happening. And this … Continue readingPosted in Bat Mitzvah, Faith, family, Jewish, Shehecheyanu | 4 Comments
FaithFebruary 16, 2013
A writer's faith that the blank page will yield; a sculptor's faith that she will find form inside of wood or marble, a painter's faith in line and brush. Lev's faith that the world will give. My friend, Sue, has … Continue readingPosted in Bat Mitzvah, Faith, Jewish | 2 Comments


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Theft, Corp Theft that is
Yes I know this is a downer but what can I say I guess some will get coal or coal dust or just a sack of crap set on fire. It seems whilst I was away, and enojying things there was a theft by a certain ASSHAT from our corporation. The last time this happened all kinds of crap ( whaa whaa jabber jabber jabber) commenced.
Corp directors/CEO check your courier contracts system, it is screwed up.
That was the highlight of my ever so short stay yesterday when I had a spare 5 minutes. From shoveling snow till my back hurt, to running around trying to finish Christmas shopping for Mrs. Mule, this peice of news was the 'highlight'. Deep sigh…yes, yes , yes…EvE is a cutthroat game, do not bother to explain that to me a vet of 6 years ( well not a whole 6 years but enough of it) It is just that these gentlemen that make up CEPTA have tried REALLY hard to be a good bunch, and when people steal it just pisses me off.
Word to the wise, mechanacitions are already in motion and vengence ( as opposed to revenge) will be served. I know your name you baseless traitor and I will hunt you down ( in game of course) it is just fake stuff , but dangitt it is our Corps fake stuff and well, you'll reap what you sow.
Enough about Venegence and what not we will let tham have their Christmas/ New years and next year we can smack em around.
See I feel better already 🙂
Lets turn this frown, back right side up.
I'm looking forward to being able to do more than jst log in and send an e-mail. Mrs. Mule has a Wonderful present or two. Brother mule and sister in law mule also are set, Mother Mule and Step-Father Mule are all good to go. All is well in the Mule house. Oh even the Cats have a present or two.
I hope that all ( or almost all, except maybe the said Corp thief) have a great day , whether it be blowing ships up, being around family and whatnot or just hanging out with friends, I hope you enjoy some time to appreciate those that you ahve around you.
To all the mule readers out there take care, safe jumping, and good hunting.
One Response to "Theft, Corp Theft that is"
Have a very Merry Christmas. Karma will get the thief if you don't.


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Do it with friends
If you are doing household tasks, you may as well do them with friends. It's a simple concept of friends helping friends, so no need to make it too stressful or complicated.
We have these friends, Mike and Sarah Wolff, who are DIY SuperStars. Not only do they build shelves and raised garden beds and pave their own front walk; they also do plaster repair, run plumbing and electrical, and even move walls (non-load-bearing, of course). If you need to borrow a tool, they have it.
When we first met them, a lot of the major projects in their sweat equity renovation had already been done, and the house looked great. We heard about how it was originally covered in wood paneling that concealed a lot of damaged plaster. It was hard to imagine the before. We marveled at their skill, courage and seemingly boundless energy. Then we heard about their DIY group.
Now don't get me wrong, they had serious renovation skills and an unflappable attitude that they can tackle almost any project. But their secret weapon is this DIY group.
The group – they call themselves Habitat for You-manity – started with one guy, Dan Levine (who, you can tell from his blog, is an industrious fellow). He had recently moved into his first single-family house and had a project wish list a mile long. He remembered an article he had seen a few years before about a barter group that shared household chores. Wheels turned, and he put two and two together. He recruited a few friends and coworkers who had similar lists and a can-do spirit. The group would rotate visits to each other's houses, doing whatever tasks that homeowner needed.
They keep it pretty simple, rotating houses in a regular order. The whole group must approve before a new household is added. There is a sweet spot on group size – just big enough so that there is variety and you don't run out of projects too fast – small enough that the rotation comes around to your house often enough to make it worthwhile. They have five households meeting monthly, although there were six for a while. I asked how they decided what work they would do (and what they wouldn't). Dan said, "As for work that was off limits, it was just a question of what you could sucker people into–typically, we drew the line at crawl spaces." It seems like they did a lot of demo (pulling down that wood paneling, swinging sledgehammers into yucky old tile), painting (every room you can think of), spreading mulch ("Five cubic yards of mulch disappears much more quickly with a big group working." That's a lot of mulch!).
These days the group is on a bit of a hiatus – most of the households now include little rugrats. They kept going for a while, with some spouses running daycare during the work sessions, but eventually the scales tipped and there were fewer child-free hands available for work. I think they hope to pick it up again once the kiddos get older and are easier to corral – or taught to wield a paintbrush!
Sometimes I find the tales of the group's exploits overwhelming (now, I don't think I would ever attempt to run plumbing to my garage…), but mostly I find them inspiring. They are the type of DIYers that I wish that we were.
If you too are inspired, Dan offers this advice: "Recruit at least one family with actual home improvement skills if you want to learn new techniques, though plain old menial labor is helpful too." Sarah and Mike say, "It's helpful to have a bunch of different tasks so you can break the group up into smaller work groups. We tried to work the group into our larger projects and use them when brute force was needed or when we needed to get things going (that we could then keep working on for a while). Another key component (of course!) was lunch and beer."
Now get out there and do it!


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Winding your way down the drive you find yourself suddenly thinking you feel like Alice in Wonderland and you have just stepped through the looking glass into paradise.
As you reach the front door you are drawn in and you want to fling it open to see what surprise awaits you. On the other side is the elegant foyer and your senses are excited as you cast your eyes over the open plan lounge, out to the full length rear deck and beyond.
Moving down from the foyer to the living areas you really appreciate the space that this home offers with its' soaring ceilings, open plan design and a wall of glass to take advantage of the view. The stunning kitchen with waterfall bench tops is positioned to ensure you are never left out of the conversation as you prepare the next meal.
The master suite affords you the luxury of waking up every day to majestic views that would make you smile even on the dreariest of days. From here you can step out onto your own private balcony and enjoy a morning cuppa before you start your day.
A second & third bedroom are well appointed in their own wing of the house with one opening up through sliding doors to the courtyard where you can sit, reflect and escape life for a little while, listen to the sweet chatter of bird life or just stay in bed and appreciate the outlook.
The covered back balcony overlooks the glorious, peaceful gardens and if fairies were going to live anywhere it would be here as it really is magical and serene. From little nooks to sit and relax to a canopy of foliage that shields you like an umbrella from the heat of the day, you will not want to leave.
A studio/workshop is positioned outside on the lower level where you can balance life with work and enjoyment. This would make a great greenhouse like those you see in English Country Manors.
On the Tathra River Estate, sitting on a 2,414m2 parcel of land and protected from the madding crowd, this home is as breathtaking with its' expansive wetlands and ocean views as it is secluded.
Privacy is assured yet you are only 5minutes to Tathra Beach, and 20minutes to Bega.
I would like to say thank you for everything you have done for me. It means the world knowing you have been apart of this and have given me advice and support. Purchaser - 10 Little Church Street, Bega
My heartfelt thanks Nat....to "the bestest agent"....and hopefully "friend?" as i felt such a strong connection between us. Thank you for being so wonderful Nat....and trust that you will stay in touch...not just on the 3rd....But whenever you find yourself out that way...call in for a cuppa...no need to call as you will always be welcome.
Dear Natalie Thank you so much for all that you have done for Tony & I, you made the purchasing of 43 Wildlife Drive such a pleasure for us. Best wishes.


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National Aviary to open 'Living Dinosaurs' exhibit
A new National Aviary exhibit will allow visitors to fly like a pterosaur, part of a wide array of interactive learning opportunities. The "Living Dinosaurs" exhibit, opening Saturday, is putting an emphasis on experiencing birds as living descendants of dinosaurs and highlighting the traits birds and dinosaurs share.
Guests with a 50-inch or greater "wingspan" can fly like a pterosaur through Jurassic times on "Birdly," the National Aviary's full body, flight simulator which uses virtual reality, wind speed, audio headsets, flappable wings, and full body, responsive mechanical systems to give participants the feel of flying. The National Aviarty is one of only three places in the country where this Jurassic Flight experience is available.
In addition, visitors can see real dinosaur fossils, experience the textures of touchable replicas, and get close to dinosaur skeletons and models.
Hands-on learning activities also include interactive question boards, magnifying stations and a dinosaur fossil puzzle.
The "Living Dinosaurs" exhibit runs from May 25 to September 29 at the National Aviary.
Paul Guggenheimer is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Paul at 724-226-7706 or [email protected].


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David Richo Quotes
"The foundation of adult trust is not "You will never hurt me." It is "I trust myself with whatever you do."
Rating 4.33 em 5(15 Votes)
"The more invested I am in my own ideas about reality, the more those experiences will feel like victimizations rather than the ups and downs of relating. Actually, I believe that the less I conceptualize things that way, the more likely it is that people will want to stay by me, because they will not feel burdened, consciously or unconsciously, by my projections, judgments, entitlements, or unrealistic expectations."
Rating 4.54 em 5(13 Votes)