"Today everyone is focused on reducing nutrient inputs to the sea in order to reduce eutrophication (the effect of excessive nutrients) in the Baltic, but by helping nature itself to deal with the phosphorus that is discharged we can create a turbo effect in the battle against eutrophication, " said Anders Stigebrandt, of the University of Gothenburg's Department of Earth Sciences.

CNN: Can oxygen pump breathe life into ocean 'dead zone?'

Concentration is improved when people's senses are aroused, says Dr Linnell, but if this becomes excessive it seems to have the opposite effect and reduces the ability to focus on a single task.

BBC: City living 'makes it harder to concentrate'

Owen said the combined effect of the points deduction was excessive and that it has left the club fighting for survival.

BBC: Owen devastated by Luton plight

"When (a futures commission merchant's) financial risk controls are so lacking that they do virtually nothing to prevent an unchecked customer from taking grossly excessive trading risks as happened here, a harmful domino effect of financially dangerous consequences can follow, affecting not only the FCM but also potentially other customers and the market at large, " said David Meister, the CFTC's enforcement director.

WSJ: FCStone fined $1.5 million in CFTC settlement

The effect would be to claw back profits earned by excessive risk-taking.

ECONOMIST: Bank incentives are all wrong

Wars also cause an excessive focus on what the competitor is doing and, in effect, allow that competitor to dictate the direction of the firm engaging in that war.

FORBES: IBM's Best Battle Strategy May Be To Avoid Wars

That avoids the excessive use of "he said" or "she said, " the effect of which is similar to watching a long rally in a tennis match.

WSJ: Alexander McCall Smith on Writing Dialogue | Word Craft

Again one example only: we were exercised by the excessive power given by the reformed New Zealand system to the small New Zealand First Party, which in effect was able to determine who was in government.

ECONOMIST: Lipsey on Jenkins: How we made up our minds | The

If, on the other hand, you've heard "The Four Seasons" a few dozen too many times for your own good, then spending an evening with "Recomposed by Max Richter" might just have the welcome effect of reopening your ears to a time-honored classic whose beauties have been dulled by excessive repetition.

WSJ: Tuning Up a Masterpiece | Sightings by Terry Teachout