Chinese firm LeEco recently confirmed its imminent entry into the U.S. market, but there was no word on which devices will be gracing the October 19 occasion.
However, in a new leaked report by the company, we now have a confirmation of some of the devices we can expect to see on this date. The event will be held in San Francisco and apparently, there will be two amazing smartphones to mark the company’s entry into the country.
The LeEco Le Max 2 and Le S3 are expected to be unveiled on this day. This news came in after the company accidentally leaked details of these two phones including their prices via its official website. The LeEco Le Max 2 will be selling at a cool price of just $349, however, if you buy the phone before December 2016, there is a $60 discount for you. The story is the same for the LeEco Le S3, which has a price tag of just $299, but you may also get a discount of $120 until December 2016.
LeEco was among the first companies to come in with smartphones that have no 3.5mm headphone jack, even ahead of the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus. The LeEco Le Max 2 was actually the first handset to come without this feature and the story is the same for the Le S3.
As for the rest of the specs, there is a 5.7-inch QHD Super Retina display unit on the LeEco Le Max 2 that features a bezel-less design. Under the hood, there is the 2016 flagship chipset – the Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 – alongside three RAM and storage options. The base model has 4GB RAM and 32GB of inbuilt storage, the next variant has the same RAM but adds another 32GB of storage. As for the high-end model, you get 6GB of RAM alongside 64GB of storage.
In terms of photos, you get a 21MP sensor on the back and an 8MP sensor on the front. You get a 3100mAh battery unit in addition to a unique dual quick-charging system that delivers up to 3.5 hours of battery life with just 5 minutes of charging. There is support for LTE, USB Type-C, Bluetooth, among many other standard connectivity options.
On the other hand, the LeEco Le S3 has a screen size of 5.5 inches, but unlike the LeEco Le Max 2, you get a Full HD resolution. Under the hood, the S3 comes with a Snapdragon 652 processor alongside a rear snapper of 16MP and a selfie camera of 8MP. You get decent storage of 32GB alongside a Quick Charge 3.0-backed 3000mAh battery unit.


One day after dropping out of a Downstate debate because of a back injury, Democratic governor candidate Chris Kennedy is facing more problems in deep Southern Illinois.
Kennedy is under fire for comments he made about the school system in Cairo. He said that zero-percent of students there are college-ready and 75-percent need remedial education. But students and teachers there dispute that, and say many of those kids are college-bound and doing well.
Kennedy says his comments were based on SAT data… but the Illinois Federation of Teachers says students are whole people, not just test scores.


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Today the European Tyre and Rubber Manufacturers’ Association published its members’ replacement sales for the second quarter 2021.
Q2 2021 data confirms the positive evolution started in Q1 of this year, reinforcing the recovery trend of the industry.
All segments have registered a positive evolution compared to the second quarter 2020 and this second positive quarter is a good signal for the industry and society, after the unprecedented impact of Covid-19 pandemic. The Consumer Tyres market is driving the growth with 44% increase, followed by the Truck segment (42%) and the Moto and Scooter segment (41%). The agriculture segment is lagging behind (6%)
“The second quarter positive results in all the segments are very promising for the recovery of the tyre industry and for the society. We are relieved and confident to see that, also thanks to the vaccine campaign, the world is restarting to move again”, said Mrs Cinaralp, Secretary General of ETRMA.
If we compare the 2021 data with 2019 same period, we observe that we are slowly going back to the same level, with the Car all seasons tyres leading the trend.
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When the attending physician prescribes a diuretic with pressure, the patient should simultaneously abandon salt, alcohol and certain medications. With hypertension, these drugs are prescribed for prolonged use. If a specialist notes that the drug is addictive and stops producing the expected result, then the dosage is increased or another main drug is selected.
The diuretic therapy process is almost never prescribed for patients at a young age, diabetics or people with obesity. Diuretics should be drunk 1 time per day, usually in the morning. In the process of treatment with this group of drugs, it is important to strictly follow all the rules that the doctor has established. Also, once every 1 weeks, a general blood and urine test is required to be taken to monitor kidney function and condition.
A disease associated with high blood pressure is accompanied by the intake of diuretic drugs. They are included in the list of essential drugs to help cope with hypertension.
The course of treatment allows you to develop a cumulative effect in the body, because of which it then begins to independently, without the help of drugs, remove excess fluid in a natural way. So it is possible to maintain the effect for a long time, maintaining blood pressure indicators within normal limits. It is not the diuretics themselves that act, but with their help, the process of weakening the resistance to blood flow occurs in the body.
With proper use, diuretic drugs significantly reduce the likelihood of developing all kinds of complications against the background of hypertension. According to statistical studies, the risks of stroke fall by 40%, and heart attacks – by 15%.
With the help of diuretic drugs for hypertension, it is possible:
- positively affect the renal channels at the cellular level;
- intensify the processes of effective absorption;
- normalize kidney filtering functions;
- reduce the amount of fluids entering the circulatory system;
- reduce the negative effects of substances, due to which the vessels are narrowed.
Use of diuretics for hypertensive crisis is possible only when a person is diagnosed with fluid retention. It is recommended that you take fast-acting medications such as Furosemide.
There are situations when the amount of blood that is in the circulatory system is less than normal. Under such circumstances, diuretic tablets should never be used. Otherwise, this will lead to vomiting, strong vomiting, and delayed release of urine from the body.
It is important to consider that taking a diuretic allows you to fight only against symptomatic manifestations. Diuretics cannot independently deliver a person from hypertension.
To achieve the desired effect, they are taken in parallel with drugs that the doctor selects for the patient against hypertension. Their joint use provides restoration of indicators and prolongs efficiency.
- How to take
- Loop group
- Best diuretic recipes
- Monastic tea
- Mother and stepmother
- Folk remedies
- Milk thistle
- 3. Beta-blockers
- brief information
- Important caution
- 4. Means acting on the renin-angiotensin system
- Operating principle
- Drugs for edema
- Drugs for hypertension
- Heart failure medications
- Drug “Furosemide”
- The drug “Torasemide”
- The drug “Indapam >
- The drug “Triamteren”
- The drug “Spironolactone”
- Doctor’s recommendations
How to take
Diuretics or diuretics are divided into several categories. But only 4 types help to cope with the problem of excessive blood pressure:
- Thiazide. This type of medication allows you to get rid of hypertension by combining it with other medicines to normalize blood pressure. Specialists do this because thiazide drugs have a wide range of side effects. They negatively affect lipid and electrolyte exchanges in the human body.
- Thiazide-like. These drugs are important for use if patients are diagnosed with systolic hypertension.
- Potassium-sparing. They are considered auxiliary medicines. Always included only in the complex treatment of problems of excessive blood pressure. Usually complement the effect of the thiazide group of drugs. Reception of these funds ensures the maintenance of a normal level of potassium.
- Loopback. This type combines potent drugs that provide an active reduction in blood pressure, an increase in which was caused by kidney problems. The use of such drugs helps to normalize the functions of the body and accelerate the withdrawal of salts (potassium, magnesium and sodium salts).
These four types of drugs are used for the complex treatment of hypertension.
It is correct to determine which diuretic will better affect the human body with high blood pressure, only a qualified specialist can. Without preliminary diagnosis, it is impossible to say exactly how and which medicine will affect the patient.
But for people suffering from hypertension and hypertension, it is important to navigate at least a little in the names of medicines and understand which ones are worth buying.
Therefore, we will separately consider representatives of the presented groups of diuretic medications, which are considered the most effective and useful. But self-medicating with their help is strictly prohibited. The diuretic is not completely harmless, because with the wrong selection of medicine, a person may encounter side effects.
All diuretics are released in the form of tablets, capsules and solutions, which are administered by injection. But representatives of the potassium-sparing group are available only in the form of solid dosage forms. Solutions for injection are not provided here.
The drugs included in this list showed themselves well:
“Spironol”. It is characterized by the ability to enhance the natriuretic effect, improve the process of urine excretion and reduce blood pressure. An additional feature is the decrease in ac >Veroshpiron
Tablets and capsules of the potassium-sparing group of diuretic drugs are only an adjuvant. They are not used independently and do not give the desired effect. Therefore, in the absence of concurrent administration of other drugs, it is not necessary to count on special effectiveness.
Detonic – a unique medicine that helps fight hypertension at all stages of its development.
The complex effect of plant components of the drug Detonic on the walls of blood vessels and the autonomic nervous system contribute to a rapid decrease in blood pressure. In addition, this drug prevents the development of atherosclerosis, thanks to the unique components that are involved in the synthesis of lecithin, an amino acid that regulates cholesterol metabolism and prevents the formation of atherosclerotic plaques.
Detonic not addictive and withdrawal syndrome, since all components of the product are natural.
Detailed information about Detonic is located on the manufacturer’s page.
Perhaps you want to know about the new medication - Cardiol, which perfectly normalizes blood pressure. Cardiol capsules are an excellent tool for the prevention of many heart diseases, because they contain unique components. This drug is superior in its therapeutic properties to such drugs: Detonic. If you want to know detailed information about Cardiol, go to the .There you will find answers to questions related to the use of this drug, customer reviews and doctors. You can also find out the Cardiol capsules in your country and the delivery conditions. Some people manage to get a 50% discount on the purchase of this drug (how to do this and buy pills for the treatment of hypertension for 39 euros is written on the official website of the manufacturer.),
Such drugs perform their direct functions better. They are produced in the form of solid tablets or liquid solutions, for the introduction of which injections are used.
The list of the most effective representatives of this group includes:
Britomar. It has a prolonged effect on the body. Effectively copes with the tasks of removing salts and liqu >Diuver
Lasix. It is characterized by a high speed of exposure. With the introduction of the injection, the effect is observed after a few minutes. It is important to take into account such a property of the drug as the excretion of magnesium, potassium and calcium, in addition to salts.
“Furosemide.” One of the most popular and affordable drugs. The tool is able to inhibit highly efficient processes of reverse absorption of salt ions and minimally reabsorb potassium. If used by internal administration, the effect is achieved after 20 minutes.
They are used only as directed by the doctor in an individually selected dosage. Qualitatively and quickly affect the patient’s body, but they have not the highest properties for lowering blood pressure.
Although representatives of this group remove fluids and salts well, they have a more serious list of side effects when compared with the following category of diuretics.
These medicines are available in pharmacies in the form of oral tablets and capsules. No injectable solutions.
Among the popular and popular remedies there are such medicines:
Representatives of this group of diuretics are less effective in terms of excretion of salt and water, but better than others are able to reduce blood pressure.
When treating with diuretic drugs, it will be necessary to completely exclude table salt from the diet. Many diuretics contribute to the leaching of potassium, so they should almost always be consumed simultaneously with special vitamin complexes with minerals. In the treatment of diuretics, hypertensive patients must comply with the following rules:
- do not drink alcohol and do not take sleeping pills;
- constantly monitor the level of blood pressure;
- Follow the recommendations of your doctor;
- drink the medicine in the morning so that it can not affect the night’s sleep;
- systematically donate blood and urine for analysis.
Until now, there is no single system by which all diuretics are divided, since all drugs have different chemical structures and affect the body systems in different ways. Therefore, creating an ideal classification does not work.
Often, separation occurs by the mechanism of action. According to this classification, there are:
- Thiazide preparations. They are great for the treatment of hypertension, perfectly lowering blood pressure. It is recommended to use them in parallel with other medicines. Thiazides are able to negatively affect the metabolism, therefore, such diuretics are prescribed in a small amount. The drugs (a list of only the most popular are given in the article) from this group are Ezidrex, Hydrochlorothiazide, Chlortalidone, Indapamide, Hypothiazide, Arifon.
- Loop means. They remove salt, fluid from the body due to their effect on kidney filtration. These drugs have a fast diuretic effect. Loop diuretics do not affect cholesterol, do not create the prerequisites for the occurrence of diabetes. However, their biggest drawback is the many side effects. The most common drugs are “Torasemide”, “Furosemide”, “Ethacrine acid”, “Bumetanide”.
- Potassium-sparing agents. A fairly extensive group of drugs. Such medications increase the output of chloride and sodium from the body. In this case, the removal of potassium minimizes such diuretic tablets. The list of the most popular drugs: Amiloride, Triamteren, Spironolactone.
- Aldosterone antagonists. These diuretics block the natural hormone that holds salt and moisture in the body. Aldosterone-neutralizing drugs promote fluid withdrawal. In this case, the potassium content in the body does not decrease. The most popular representative is Veroshpiron.
- Diuretics (diuretics)
- Calcium channel blockers
- Means acting on the renin-angiotensin system
- Angiotensin Converting Enzyme Inhibitors (ACE)
- Angiotensin receptor blockers (antagonists) (sartans)
- Neurotropic agents of central action
- Means acting on the central nervous system (CNS)
- Alpha blockers
In the initial stage of the disease, the doctor prescribes one drug, based on some studies and taking into account the existing diseases in the patient. If one drug is ineffective, other drugs are often added, creating a combination of drugs to lower blood pressure, affecting various mechanisms for lowering blood pressure. Combination therapy for refractory (stable) arterial hypertension can combine up to 5-6 drugs!
Drugs are selected from different groups. For instance:
- ACE inhibitor / diuretic;
- angiotensin receptor blocker / diuretic;
- ACE inhibitor / calcium channel blocker;
- ACE inhibitor / calcium channel blocker / beta-blocker;
- angiotensin receptor blocker / calcium channel blocker / beta-blocker;
- ACE inhibitor / calcium channel blocker / diuretic and other combinations.
Best diuretic recipes
Diuretics should be used strictly according to the rules. It is advisable to completely abandon the use of salt. And with a low level of potassium in the body, you need to increase it with the help of vitamin supplements and food. If potassium-sparing drugs are used, the use of products containing a high level of K. should be reduced.
Folk diuretics for hypertension can be used as infusions, decoctions or teas. In addition to the hypotonic effect, the drugs have an antispasmodic, sedative, strengthening effect for blood vessels and the heart.
The list of herbs under high pressure is huge, but the most effective and harmless are listed below.
Folk recipes for hypertension include a large number of diuretic infusions and decoctions. One of these is monastery tea. It contributes to the normalization of kidney function, eliminates vascular symptoms and easily removes excess fluid from the body, it is they that cause high blood pressure.
For cooking, you should take:
- elecampane root;
- rosehip berries;
- St. John’s wort;
- plain black tea without additives.
Mix 2 tablespoons of each ingredient in 1 liter of water. First, rosehip berries and elecampane roots are poured with boiling water and left over low heat for 20 minutes, then you need to add St. John’s wort, oregano and tea, leave it for an hour. Then strain. You can also purchase this collection in finished form.
Horsetail is allowed for the treatment of people in old age. Due to the high concentration of protein in the composition, silicon salts, fatty oils, alkaloids and organic acids, it has a beneficial effect on the human body. To prepare a diuretic, 4 teaspoons of dried grass should be poured with 2 cups of boiling water and insisted. Drink the drug a little all day.
Linden tea is not only healthy, but also a very tasty drink. A diuretic broth is prepared from 2 teaspoons of dried flowers per 250 ml of boiling water. Tea must stand in order to brew well; drink it must be warm, not hot. The product is rich in vitamin C and essential oils, characterized by a strong diuretic effect.
To make a diuretic decoction of lemon balm, you need to grind 10 g of grass, pour 250 ml of boiling water and let it brew. Take the drug in 5 ml. It has an excellent diuretic effect, it also calms down and perfectly reduces pressure, while normalizing heart rate. Melissa is prohibited for hypotonics working in the workplace, as it can cause drowsiness and inhibition of reactions.
Mother and stepmother
A decoction with coltsfoot is prescribed for severe swelling, dropsy, and kidney disease. It helps people lose weight through a positive effect on the digestive tract. To prepare, pour a teaspoon of dried leaves of coltsfoot with a glass of boiling water, slowly warm in a water bath.
So, hypertension is a common problem for the treatment of which diuretics are used. They are considered the main treatment for high blood pressure in the elderly. But taking such medicines often provokes a large number of side effects, so treatment is necessarily carried out under the supervision of a doctor with a clear establishment of doses and time, frequency of repetition of the course.
Many patients are interested in the opinions of those people who are already taking diuretic pills. Reviews, as a rule, contain information about the effectiveness, side effects.
People faced with a hypertensive crisis confirm that the drug “Furosemide” can very quickly and effectively help. However, at the same time they emphasize that it is worth using the drug only as prescribed by the doctor and in the recommended doses.
Confirm the effectiveness of the drug and pregnant women who use the drug in the last months of pregnancy. Patients claim that it perfectly eliminated puffiness.
However, abuse of the drug is strictly prohibited. After all, the medicine “Furosemide” is quite addictive enough. In addition, the drug removes potassium from the body. After prolonged use, patients may experience seizures.
The Indapamide preparation is in sufficient demand. Hypertensive patients are often prescribed such a remedy. Among patients, it is believed that the medicine is well tolerated by the body. In this case, the diuretic effect is favorable. Negative opinions about the drug are not observed.
A good effect on the body has the drug “Torasemide.” Patients taking the drug strictly as prescribed by the doctor and under his control say that the drug is very effective. It perfectly eliminates puffiness. In this case, patients do not observe problems in the form of side effects.
Favorable results bring the body and other diuretic tablets. Reviews on the drug “Spironolactone” indicate a strong diuretic effect. However, patients argue that the drug should be used only as prescribed by the doctor and in appropriate doses.
As a result of removing excess fluid from the body, blood pressure decreases. Diuretics prevent the reverse absorption of sodium ions, which as a result are brought out and carry water along with them. In addition to sodium ions, diuretics wash out potassium ions from the body, which are necessary for the cardiovascular system. There are diuretics that preserve potassium.
Diuretics are prescribed in combination with other antihypertensive drugs. Indapamide is the only diuretic used in hypertension alone. Fast acting diuretics (furosemide) are undesirable to use systematically in hypertension, they are taken in case of emergency. When using diuretics, it is important to take potassium preparations for up to 1 month.
After consulting a therapist, perhaps he will not immediately recommend diuretics for high blood pressure, but pay attention to diuretic herbs for hypertension, from which decoctions and teas are prepared. Consultation with a doctor will help to avoid unnecessary complications and allergic reactions. In order to treat hypertension, a large number of recipes have been developed that are aimed at eliminating edema and restoring normal blood pressure levels. The most effective and often used folk remedies include:
- Mix the juice from one lemon, 350 ml of cranberry juice and the same amount of beetroot, 200 g of honey and 200 ml of vodka. Take this tool 3 times a day before meals, 2 sips.
- Mix 500 g of chokeberry, 300 g of sugar. Consume 100 g of the drug 3 times a day.
- Prepare 10 partitions from walnuts, 1 kg of onions, 150 g of honey, 150 ml of vodka. All ingredients mix well and insist for 10 days. Take a drink in the morning and before eating at lunch, also the third time before bedtime in a tablespoon.
The use of diuretics based on herbs and berries can be an effective complement to traditional treatment or a mild alternative to therapy in the early stages of hypertension. Preparations of medicinal plants have a weak diuretic effect and stand out in a separate group of diuretics.
Despite the apparent harmlessness, the use of home-made diuretics for hypertension should only be after consultation with a doctor.
Many berry-based infusions and teas have diuretic properties. The most effective of them are:
Due to the high potassium content, the largest berry – watermelon also has diuretic properties.
To prepare a useful diuretic for hypertension, it is necessary to grind 2-3 tbsp. fresh berries (viburnum, cranberries, lingonberries, junipers) or chop dried rosehip berries, put them in a thermos, pour 300-400 ml of hot water and leave overnight. Ready to drink in 3-4 doses.
The following types of herbs have pronounced diuretic properties:
- hibiscus flowers (hibiscus);
- black cumin seeds;
- bearberry leaves;
- horsetail grass;
- Birch buds;
- cowberry leaves;
- stalks and leaves of capitate headwood;
- orthosiphon leaves;
- dandelion root;
- cornflower flowers;
- burdock root;
- elderberry leaves, etc.
The most effective herbal diuretics for the treatment of hypertension are prepared according to the following recipes:
- 1 tbsp juniper berries, birch buds and dandelion roots. To prepare the infusion, pour the resulting mixture into 200 ml of boiling water, warm in a water bath for 10-12 minutes and strain. Infusion take 1 tbsp. 3 times a day.
- 1 part of leaves of lingonberry and nettle, horsetail grass, lemon balm and parsley seeds. To get medicine, pour 3-4 tbsp. mix in a thermos, pour raw materials 500 ml of boiling water and insist for 8-12 hours. Ready to take 100-150 ml 3 times a day after meals.
- 1 part of bearberry leaves, cornflower, burdock root and lingonberry leaves. To prepare the infusion, pour 1 tbsp. vegetable raw materials 200 ml of boiling water, cover and leave for 15-20 minutes. After this, cool, strain and consume 100 ml 2 times a day.
The duration of treatment with medications and folk remedies is determined by the doctor. Strong diuretics are used for several days, and herbal preparations can be used for several months. Weak diuretics should be used in combination with moderate to strong diuretics.
Diuretic herbs for hypertension have been used in medicine since ancient times. The most effective are infusions, tea and decoctions of medicinal plants. There are a number of products that contribute to the removal of excess fluid from the body.
The action of herbal potions does not have a strong effect, they can not be used to stop the hypertensive crisis, with serious forms of the disease. Such drugs are taken in the complex treatment of the disease, in the form of an additional component.
Products with pronounced diuretic properties:
- fresh cucumber;
- fresh parsley leaves;
- strawberry berries;
- celery stalks.
Medicinal plants with pronounced diuretic properties:
- feline mustache;
- birch leaves;
- flax seeds;
- lingonberry leaves;
- dandelion leaves.
From the above herbs and fruits, you can prepare decoctions and infusions that help remove fluid, relieve swelling, and lower blood pressure.
Take one tablespoon of dried nettle and mint leaves, add 2 tablespoons of horsetail, 2 teaspoons of dill seeds.
Pour the ingredients into a porcelain teapot, pour a liter of boiling water, let it brew. Drink tea half a cup warm in the morning and afternoon.
Collect young birch leaves, rinse, finely chop. Five tablespoons of leaves pour 500 ml of hot water. Put in a dark place for several hours. Strain the finished infusion, take 1 tablespoon before meals three times a day.
Although folk recipes are considered natural and harmless, some contraindications are necessarily taken into account when using them.
Using diuretic folk remedies, be sure to follow a few basic rules.
- The use of folk remedies for hypertension is allowed strictly after agreement with the attending physician and under his control. You can not pick up herbs and fees yourself. Self-medication with such drugs is especially dangerous when using pharmacy medicines in parallel.
- Diuretic herbs for hypertension, like other drugs, are used only as a course. If you constantly use them, this will lead to excessive stress on the kidneys, which can turn into unpleasant and dangerous consequences.
- Pathologies such as prostate adenoma, urolithiasis, and decreased potassium levels in the blood are considered strict contraindications to the use of natural diuretics.
Separately, we consider several medicinal herbs that are characterized by an effective diuretic effect and help in combination with the main treatment to help solve the problem of high blood pressure.
It is considered a highly effective plant that helps strengthen the body, restore the cardiovascular system, normalize nerves and tidy up the human liver.
In the preparation of natural home-made medicines, branches, flowers, leaves, fruits, and even viburnum bark are used.
Using viburnum there are several popular recipes:
- The easiest way to use viburnum is to mix its berries with sugar. Such a delicacy should be eaten every day for 20 g. Before meals.
- Juice is squeezed from 1 kg. fresh berries, and the resulting cake is poured 200 ml. water. Boil the broth for 10 minutes, then mix it with fresh juice and add a little sugar. So you get a delicious fruit drink that should be drunk 30 minutes before a meal.
- Pure juice helps with hypertension. They drink it in 50 ml. before each meal.
- Melt the honey, add to it, while it is still hot, 40 g. Crushed berries of viburnum. Such a medicine is taken after a meal.
Keep in mind that with excessive blood clotting, gout and a tendency to form blood clots, viburnum cannot be used to treat hypertension.
A plant that is known to almost everyone. But not everyone knows about its healing properties. Dandelion is easy to assemble on your own, so you don’t have to spend money on it.
Tea is brewed from it using dry or fresh leaves. If you mix the leaves, pre-ground, with vodka in equal proportions, you get a very effective tincture.
The uniqueness of this plant is the diaphoretic and diuretic simultaneous effects.
It is actively used in folk medicine, when it is necessary to remove edema, get rid of seizures, cleanse the body and cope with inflammatory processes.
The plant helps to strengthen the process of production of gastric juice and has a hypnotic effect.
A fairly common medicinal herb that can gently and briefly act as a diuretic.
To achieve the desired result, experts advise using milk thistle regularly, but in small quantities. Reception is not the most convenient, although antioxidant properties and high-quality cleansing of the body open milk thistle from the best side.
Use in the form of a decoction of seeds. You need to take 30 g and pour 500 ml. water, boil and leave over low heat to approximately 250 ml. liquid evaporated. Then you need to insist the remedy for another 15 minutes.
It is considered a good preventive medicine, which is taken for this purpose, 1 spoon twice a day.
Refers to highly effective alternative medicines for the formation of stones in the bladder. Use in the form of a decoction and tinctures.
Tincture is prepared from 25 g of flowers and 100 ml. alcohol. First, the medicine is insisted, after which they drink 30 drops three times during the day.
The broth is made on the basis of 10 g of flowers and 200 ml. boiling water. Boil, insist, cool to room temperature and drink 50 ml.
It is deservedly popular as a diuretic natural remedy. The prepared medicine has a pronounced diuretic effect.
The composition of linden includes a large number of nutrients, vitamins, essential oils. Best used as tea. For this, 200 ml. boiling water take 2 teaspoons of dry linden. Drink only in hot form to ensure the desired effect.
This is only a small part of those folk remedies with which you can supplement or partially replace drugs. But not a single type of medicine is used without first consulting with a specialist.
First you need to find out why a person develops hypertension, what provoking factors exist and what is required to eliminate them. Hypertension requires increased attention, since an advanced disease can cause the development of a number of dangerous pathologies.
Calcium channel blockers (calcium antagonists) are a heterogeneous group of drugs that have the same mechanism of action, but differ in a number of properties, including pharmacokinetics, tissue selectivity, and the effect on heart rate. Another name for this group is calcium ion antagonists.
There are three main subgroups of AK: dihydropyridine (the main representative is nifedipine), phenylalkylamines (the main representative is verapamil) and benzothiazepines (the main representative is diltiazem). Recently, they began to be divided into two large groups depending on the effect on heart rate.
Diltiazem and verapamil are referred to as the so-called “rhythm-reducing” calcium antagonists (non-dihydropyridine). The other group (dihydropyridine) includes amlodipine, nifedipine and all other derivatives of dihydropyridine, increasing or not changing the heart rate. Calcium channel blockers are used for arterial hypertension, coronary heart disease (contraindicated in acute forms!) And arrhythmias. With arrhythmias, not all calcium channel blockers are used, but only pulsating.
- Verapamil 40mg, 80mg (prolonged: Isoptin SR, Verogalid EP) – dosage 240mg;
- Diltiazem 90mg (Altiazem PP) – dosage 180mg;
The following representatives (dihydropyridine derivatives) are not used for arrhythmias: Contraindicated in acute myocardial infarction and unstable angina.
- Nifedipine (Adalat, Cordaflex, Kordafen, Cordipin, Corinfar, Nifecard, Phenigidin) – dosage of 10 mg, 20 mg; Nifecard XL 30mg, 60mg.
- Amlodipine (Norvask, Normodipine, Tenox, Cordy Kor, Es Cordy Kor, Cardilopin, Kulchek,
- Amlotop, Omelarkardio, Amlovas) – dosage of 5 mg, 10 mg;
- Felodipine (Plendil, Felodip) – 2,5 mg, 5 mg, 10 mg;
- Nimodipine (Nimotop) – 30 mg;
- Lacidipine (Lacipil, Sakur) – 2 mg, 4 mg;
- Lercanidipine (Lerkamen) – 20mg.
Of the side effects of dihydropyridine derivatives, one can indicate edema, mainly lower extremities, headache, redness of the face, increased heart rate, increased frequency of urination. If the swelling persists, the drug must be replaced. Lerkamen, who is a representative of the third generation of calcium antagonists, due to the higher selectivity to slow calcium channels, causes swelling to a lesser extent than other representatives of this group.
There are drugs that do not selectively block receptors – non-selective action, they are contraindicated in bronchial asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Other drugs selectively block only beta-receptors of the heart – a selective effect. All beta-blockers interfere with the synthesis of prorenin in the kidneys, thereby blocking the renin-angiotensin system. In this regard, the vessels expand, blood pressure decreases.
- Metoprolol (Betalok ZOK 25mg, 50mg, 100mg, Egilok retard 25mg, 50mg, 100mg, 200mg, Egilok C, Vazokardinretard 200 mg, Metokardretard 100 mg) ;;
- Bisoprolol (Concor, Coronal, Biol, Bisogamma, Cordinorm, Niperten, Biprol, Bidop, Aritel) – most often the dosage is 5 mg, 10 mg;
- Nebivolol (Nebilet, Binelol) – 5 mg, 10 mg;
- Betaxolol (Lokren) – 20 mg;
- Carvedilol (Carvetrend, Coriol, Talliton, Dilatrend, Akridiol) – basically a dosage of 6,25 mg, 12,5 mg, 25 mg.
Drugs of this group are used for hypertension, combined with coronary heart disease and arrhythmias. Short-acting drugs whose use is not rational for hypertension: anaprilin (obzidan), atenolol, propranolol.
The main contraindications to beta blockers:
- bronchial asthma;
- low pressure;
- sick sinus syndrome;
- pathology of peripheral arteries;
- cardiogenic shock;
- atrioventricular block of the second or third degree.
These agents attach to alpha-adrenergic receptors and block them for the irritating effect of norepinephrine. As a result, blood pressure decreases. The applicable representative – Doxazosin (Kardura, Tonocardin) – is more often produced in dosages of 1 mg, 2 mg. It is used for relief of attacks and long-term therapy. Many alpha-blocker drugs have been discontinued.
Diuretic tablets are used to treat many ailments. The list of effective drugs continues to grow today. Diuretics are also called diuretics.
Their main goal is the removal of excess water, chemicals, salts from the body, which tend to accumulate in the walls of blood vessels and tissues. In addition, diuretics have a positive effect on the water-salt balance.
If a large number of sodium ions accumulate in the body, then subcutaneous tissue begins to be deposited. It very negatively affects the functioning of the kidneys, heart, hematopoiesis system. As a result, the patient has a variety of diseases and disorders.
In addition, diuretics are very popular in sports medicine. Often they are used for weight loss. Very often, diuretics (tablets) are included in complex therapy to combat a variety of ailments.
According to the effects on the body, modern diuretics are divided into two main forms. The first category of drugs affects the process of urination directly in the kidneys. The second form of diuretics is responsible for the hormonal regulation of urine formation.
There is a lot of information that diuretic pills, the list of which is given below, can easily solve cosmetic problems. However, many people believe that such drugs are completely safe. Some women take these funds on their own for weight loss purposes. Athletes make extensive use of drugs before the competition, wanting to lose weight. Even bodybuilders apply them, trying to create artificial dehydration so that the muscles look more prominent.
However, people who take diuretics without medical prescription are very at risk. After all, treatment with diuretics can turn into unpleasant consequences. You should know that diuretics are capable of:
- Remove potassium from the body, thereby increasing human fatigue.
- To provoke the deposition of salts.
- Increase the risk of diabetes, as they contribute to an increase in the level of “bad” cholesterol.
- Frequent urination, causing sleep disturbance.
- Create problems in men with potency.
Quite often, even those patients who understand the risk, believe that the latest drugs “Indapamide”, “Torasemide”, “Arifon” do not have a detrimental effect on metabolism. Such medicines are actually much better tolerated than old-generation medicines. However, they are also harmful to health. But the negative impact of these funds comes to light much later.
It is important to understand that fluid retention in the body is a symptom of a serious illness. Swelling cannot occur on its own. It provokes serious malfunctions in the functioning of the kidneys, heart, and sometimes other reasons. Consequently, diuretics are drugs (their list is very extensive) of exclusively symptomatic action.
4. Means acting on the renin-angiotensin system
The drugs act at different stages of the formation of angiotensin II. Some inhibit (suppress) the angiotensin-converting enzyme, others block the receptors that are affected by angiotensin II. The third group inhibits renin; it is represented by only one drug (aliskiren).
These drugs inhibit the transition of angiotensin I to active angiotensin II. As a result, the concentration of angiotensin II in the blood decreases, the vessels dilate, the pressure decreases. Representatives (synonyms are indicated in brackets – substances with the same chemical composition):
- Captopril (Kapoten) – dosage of 25 mg, 50 mg;
- Enalapril (Renitek, Burlipril, Renipril, Ednit, Enap, Enarenal, Enam) – dosage most often is 5 mg, 10 mg, 20 mg;
- Lisinopril (Diroton, Dapril, Lysigamma, Lisinoton) – the dosage is most often 5 mg, 10 mg, 20 mg;
- Perindopril (Prestarium A, Perineva) – Perindopril – dosage 2,5mg, 5mg, 10mg. Perineva – dosage of 4 mg, 8 mg .;
- Ramipril (Tritace, Amprilan, Hartil, Pyramil) – dosage of 2,5 mg, 5 mg, 10 mg;
- Hinapril (Akkupro) – 5 mg, 10 mg, 20 mg, 40 mg;
- Fosinopril (Fosicard, Monopril) – in a dosage of 10 mg, 20 mg;
- Trandolapril (Gopten) – 2 mg;
- Zofenopril (Zokardis) – dosage of 7,5 mg, 30 mg.
The drugs are available in different dosages for therapy with varying degrees of increase in blood pressure.
The peculiarity of Captopril (Kapoten) is that because of its short duration of action, it is rational only for hypertensive crises.
Bright representative of the group Enalapril and its synonyms are used very often. This drug does not differ in duration of action, therefore, take 2 times a day. In general, the full effect of ACE inhibitors can be observed after 1-2 weeks of drug use. In pharmacies, you can find a variety of generics (analogues) of enalapril, i.e.
ACE inhibitors cause a side effect – a dry cough. In cases of cough development, ACE inhibitors are replaced with drugs of another group. This group of drugs is contraindicated in pregnancy, has a teratogenic effect in the fetus!
These agents block angiotensin receptors. As a result, angiotensin II does not interact with them, the vessels dilate, blood pressure decreases
- Lozartan (Kozaar 50mg, 100mg; Lozap 12.5mg, 50mg, 100mg; Lorista 12,5mg, 25mg, 50mg, 100mg; Vazotens 50mg, 100mg);
- Eprosartan (Teveten) – 400 mg, 600 mg;
- Valsartan (Diovan 40mg, 80mg, 160mg, 320mg; Valsacor 80mg, 160mg, 320mg, Valz 40mg, 80mg, 160mg; Nortian 40mg, 80mg, 160mg; Valsafors 80mg, 160mg);
- Irbesartan (Aprovel) – 150mg, 300mg;
Candesartan (Atakand) – 8mg, 16mg, 32mg;
Telmisartan (Mikardis) – 40 mg, 80 mg;
Olmesartan (Kardosal) – 10mg, 20mg, 40mg.
Just like their predecessors, they allow you to evaluate the full effect 1-2 weeks after the start of administration. Do not cause dry cough. Should not be used during pregnancy! If pregnancy is detected during treatment, antihypertensive therapy with drugs of this group should be discontinued!
If hypertension is caused by prolonged stress, then drugs that act on the central nervous system (sedatives (Novopassit, Persen, Valerian, Pustyrnik, tranquilizers, sleeping pills) are used.
The principle of action of diuretics is based on inhibition of the reabsorption process in the renal tubules.
More than 150 liters of fluid are filtered in the renal glomeruli per day, but most (up to 99%) are absorbed back into the bloodstream through the renal tubules. This process is called primary urine reabsorption. In order to double the amount of secondary urine that is brought out, it is necessary to reduce the volume of reabsorbed liquid by only 1%.
Together with the liquid, ions of several trace elements (sodium, potassium and chlorine) are also absorbed in the tubules. To reduce overall reabsorption, the active components of diuretics reduce the reverse absorption of sodium ions, and the liquid follows a more osmotically active chemical element.
Neurotropic drugs of central action affect the vasomotor center in the brain, reducing its tone.
The first representative of this group is clonidine, widely used earlier in hypertension. Now this drug is dispensed strictly according to the prescription. Currently, moxonidine is used both for emergency care for hypertensive crisis, and for planned therapy. Dosage 0,2 mg, 0,4 mg. The maximum daily dosage is 0,6 mg / day.
Drugs for edema
For a good effect, potent agents can be used. The following diuretic tablets are used for edema:
The above drugs are recommended to be taken in short courses. Be sure to take a break between receptions. This eliminates the addiction of the body to drugs and prevents the pronounced manifestation of the therapeutic effect.
Medium-strength diuretic tablets can also be used for edema:
Such drugs are used for a long time and continuously. The recommended dose is set by the attending physician. As a rule, it is about 25 mg per day.
With small edema, potassium-sparing diuretics such as Spironolactone, Amyloride, Triamteren are more suitable. They are taken in courses (2-3 weeks) at intervals of 10-14 days.
Drugs for hypertension
Diuretic drugs that are used at high pressure are divided into two categories:
- Means that have a quick effect. Such drugs are used for hypertensive crisis, when there is a need to quickly reduce pressure.
- Means for daily use. Medications help maintain an optimal level of pressure.
To stop hypertensive crisis allow potent drugs. The most popular drug is Furosemide. Its price is low. The following remedies are no less effective in a crisis:
The duration of the above drugs can be 1-3 days. After stopping the crisis, from such potent drugs, they switch to drugs that can daily maintain pressure at the required level.
The second category includes medium-impact agents. The most popular drugs are:
These medicines are taken daily as prescribed by your doctor. They perfectly maintain an optimal level of pressure.
Today, elevated blood pressure indicators are found in people of all ages. Improper nutrition, constant stressful situations, a sedentary lifestyle greatly rejuvenated the disease. Increasingly, young people face the problem of periodic pressure increases.
The most common reason leading to an increase in blood pressure is fluid and salt retention in the human body. The increased permeability of the vascular walls in the disease leads to the fact that sodium ions penetrate into the vessels, retaining fluid.
In the vascular system, narrowing occurs, swelling may occur. As a result, blood pressure indicators increase.
Diuretic drugs for hypertension are prescribed for the following reasons:
- diuretic drugs have the ability to quickly reduce blood pressure;
- they remove excess fluid and salts, removing puffiness from the vessels;
- significantly reduce the burden on the heart, alleviating the condition of the patient;
- many drugs have light vasodilating properties;
- with prolonged use exclude the development of diseases such as stroke, myocardial infarction, persistent hypertension.
Heart failure medications
Due to this pathology, fluid retention in the body often occurs. This phenomenon creates blood stasis in the lungs. The patient has many unpleasant symptoms, such as shortness of breath, swelling, enlarged liver, and wheezing in the heart.
For people with heart failure, the doctor must introduce a diuretic into the therapy. It perfectly prevents the most serious consequences in the form of pulmonary edema, cardiogenic shock. At the same time, diuretics increase the tolerance of physical exercise by patients.
For patients with the first and second degree of illness, a good diuretic is a thiazide drug. With a more serious pathology, the patient is transferred to a powerful tool – a loop diuretic. In some cases, the drug “Spironolactone” is additionally prescribed. Especially relevant is the administration of such a drug if the patient has developed hypokalemia.
With the weakening effect of the use of the drug “Furosemide” cardiologists recommend replacing it with the drug “Torasemide.” It is noted that the latter remedy has a more beneficial effect on the body in severe forms of heart failure.
The medicine refers to high-speed diuretics. Its effect occurs after administration for 20 minutes. The duration of exposure to the drug is about 4-5 hours.
Effectively, this tool is not only for stopping a hypertensive crisis. According to the instructions, the medicine helps with heart failure, swelling of the brain and lungs, chemical poisoning. Often it is prescribed for late toxicosis during pregnancy.
However, the tool also has strict contraindications. The drug is not used in the first trimester of pregnancy. Do not use it for patients with renal failure, people who have hypoglycemia, urinary tract obstruction.
Low cost of the drug “Furosemide”. The price is approximately 19 rubles.
The drug “Torasemide”
The medicine is a fast-acting remedy. The drug “Furosemide” undergoes biotransformation in the kidneys, so it is not suitable for all patients. A more effective medicine for people suffering from kidney ailments is the drug “Torasemide”, since it passes through the liver in biotransformation. But with the pathologies of this organ, the medicine can cause serious harm.
After 15 minutes, the effect on the body begins (according to the instructions for use attached to the drug “Torasemide”). The price of the product varies from 205 to 655 rubles.
Long-term studies have confirmed the high effectiveness of the drug in heart failure. In addition, the drug perfectly removes salt and liquid. In this case, the loss of potassium by the body is insignificant, since an effective agent blocks the hormone aldosterone.
The drug “Indapam >
The medicine is very effective for hypertension (severe and moderate). The tool perfectly reduces pressure and maintains its optimal level throughout the day. In addition, it prevents an increase in this indicator in the morning.
You need to take the medicine once a day for 1 tablet, as indicated by the instructions enclosed in the drug “Indapamide”. The price of the product on average varies from 22 to 110 rubles.
Before taking, you should familiarize yourself with the contraindications, since an excellent remedy is not suitable for all patients suffering from hypertension. The drug is not intended for people who have revealed abnormalities in the work of the kidneys, liver. It is forbidden to take medicine for pregnant and lactating mothers. In case of cerebrovascular accident, anuria, hypokalemia, the drug is contraindicated.
The drug “Triamteren”
The medicine is a mild diuretic. It is recommended to use it in combination with another diuretic, Hydrochlorothiazide. Thanks to this combination, it is possible to reduce the loss of potassium by the body. The beneficial effect is given by the drug “Triamteren”. The instruction positions it as a potassium-sparing agent.
The medicine should be used strictly considering the prescribed dosage. People with impaired kidney function may experience an unpleasant side effect – elevated potassium levels. Sometimes the remedy can lead to dehydration. When interacting with folic acid, the drug helps to increase red blood cells.
The cost of the tool is 316 rubles.
The drug “Spironolactone”
The medicine is a potassium and magnesium preserving agent. It effectively removes sodium and chlorine from the body. After the start of the drug, the diuretic effect occurs approximately 2-5 days.
The medicine can be prescribed for hypertension, a chronic form of heart failure, liver cirrhosis, and nephrotic syndrome. Effective use of “Spironolactone” for swelling in the 2nd and 3rd trimester of pregnancy.
The drug is not intended for people who are diagnosed with diabetes mellitus, renal or liver failure, anuria. It is forbidden to use the drug in the first trimester of pregnancy. With hyponatremia, hyperkalemia, hypercalcemia, the drug is contraindicated. It should not be introduced into therapy for people with Addison’s disease.
Side effects may also occur when taking the medicine. In some cases, the drug provokes the occurrence of urticaria, itching, drowsiness, headache, diarrhea, or constipation.
The cost of the tool is about 54 rubles.
Before taking a diuretic, be sure to tell your doctor about all the drugs you are taking. In addition, the presence of chronic ailments is an important factor in the selection of the necessary medicine. You should not arbitrarily take such funds. It is necessary to strictly follow the doctor’s prescription. Take the drug at the appointed time (this will avoid unpleasant awakenings at night) and only at the dosage that has been prescribed to you. Such simple truths will not allow you to feel the grave consequences of taking diuretics.Ask a Question

domain: biology


text:
By | IANS India Private Limited/Yahoo India News New Delhi, Sep 23 (IANS) Jindal Steel and Power (JSPL) chairman Naveen Jindal Tuesday said he... ...https://in.news.yahoo.com/coal-block-allocation-risk-crores-invested-jindal-133218923--finance.html
At 2:07 PM: The S&P BSE Sensex is trading at26,946, down260points, while NSE Nifty is trading at 8,054, down 92 points. The BSE Mid-cap index is... ...http://www.indiainfoline.com/article/news-top-story/sensex-below-27-000-realty-scrips-down-4-114092300088_1.html
State-run steel manufacturer Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL) has filed a draft prospectus with the capital markets regulator Securities and... ...http://www.vccircle.com/news/manufacturing/2014/09/23/govt-sell-10-stake-rashtriya-ispat-ipo
Sr No Name Organizer Contacts Date City Country Sector 1 Festival of Architecture & Interior Designing - 2014 Coalesce Eventz India Pvt Ltd FOAID... ...http://www.Constructionupdate.com/events/
By | IANS India Private Limited/Yahoo India News Kiev, Sep 22 (IANS) Ukraine will increase the use of heating oil in the county's energy mix to... ...https://in.news.yahoo.com/ukraine-partially-replace-gas-heating-oil-181410740.html
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text:
Forks, Knives and Spoons [Leah DeCesare]
There are three kinds of guys: forks, knives, and spoons. That is the final lesson that Amy York’s father sends her off to college with, never suspecting just how far his daughter will take it. Clinging to the Utensil Classification System as her guide, Amy tries to convince her skeptical roommate, Veronica Warren, of its usefulness as they navigate the heartbreaks and soul mates of college and beyond. Beginning in 1988, their freshman year at Syracuse University, Amy and Veronica meet an assortment of guys—from slotted spoons and shrimp forks to butter knives and sporks—all while trying to learn if the UCS holds true. On the quest to find their perfect steak knives, they learn to believe in themselves—and not to settle in love or life.
My thoughts on the book: I had first requested the novel on NetGalley but wasn’t quick enough to download the file that was archived shortly after. Anyway, I was really keen on reading it because I was curious about the whole kitchen utensil classification of men. So, months later, I finally took the time to buy a copy online and read it.
Overall, I thought the novel was endearing and entertaining. It was fun to read about the American college experience. The fraternity and sorority societies are culturally foreign to me, but I enjoyed reading about them. Somehow, the action unfolding in Syracuse University made me think of the US show Felicity also set at a time when people didn’t have smartphones or Internet and still used letters and audio tapes. There’s a real sense of nostalgia for this decade.
It’s a well-paced novel with a deep message for girls. It’s moving to watch the main characters navigate college life, love life and friendships. Even though there were some lengthy moments when I slightly disconnected from the intrigue, I had a very good time seeing Amy, Veronica and Jenny grow into mature women, laughing with them during their attempts to categorize men and find their right match, their steak knife!
I like that the story starts at the end of the eighties and then covers a vast period of time. It gives enough time to watch the protagonists evolve in a credible way. The relationships between Andrew and Amy, but also Amy and Matt are a major highlight of the book. But I must say that I have a soft spot for Joey and Veronica who are an unusual but heart-melting pair.
All in all, if you’re looking for a heartwarming, fun and witty novel, I really recommend Forks, Knives and Spoons.
My score: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ (=I loved it) Read more…

domain: library


text:
THE LORD OF THE SHADOWS
Someone is watching the Albas sisters from the dark. This person knows why Natalia Albas disappeared when she was a child and why her sister Rebeca has disappeared now, in her adolescence. When Rebeca, given up for dead, starts sending threatening messages, a disturbing investigation begins to solve the mystery. Why do the Albas family seem to be cursed? Jealousy, blame, anathemas… there could be many reasons, but only one is true. And the real, terrifying truth is known only to the lord of the shadows.

domain: literature


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Aurora Unicorn Skin™
Make your nails light up like the northern lights! This iridescent flakie top coat transforms your nails like a wash of colourful lights in the night sky. Over a dark base, the translucent asymmetrical flakies will shift in colour from a bold blue-purple to a hint of pink. Over a light base, they appear yellow, green, and blue. Time to get shifting!
- Iridescent colour-shifting nail polish toppers packed with translucent flakies in a clear base. Flakies are predominantly purple-blue and shift to pink. The final colour effect changes depending on the base polish colour worn underneath.
- Apply just 1 coat to transform any manicure!
- No two iridescent flakies are the same. Flakies lay nice and flat on the nail.
- Holo bonus tip: Try layering a holographic topper (Flakie, Scattered, or Linear) over a Unicorn Skin to unlock extra magical possibilities!
- Pro glossy tip: Finish off with a Glossy Taco or Super Glossy Taco to achieve that glossy finish and make your mani last longer without chipping. A top coat will help seal in and smooth out the Unicorn Skins!
- Designed by Simply Nailogical
- Made in USA
- 12ml / 0.4 fl oz each
- Note: Iridescent top coats show differently over different base colours and under different lighting conditions. A camera flash or direct lighting will showcase the dominant colour of the iridescent flakie and indirect lighting (or shade) will reveal the secondary shifts in colour! Swatch photos as pictured have one coat of Glossy Taco or Super Glossy Taco for optimal smoothness and shine.
- Batch variability: Please note this polish is created using unique pigments that may vary slightly between batches.
Butyl Acetate, Ethyl Acetate, Nitrocellulose, Adipic Acid/Neopentyl Glycol/Trimellitic Anhydride Copolymer, Acetyl Tributyl Citrate, Isopropyl Alcohol, Stearalkonium Bentonite, Acrylates Copolymer, Benzophenone-1, Silica, Trimethylpentanediyl Dibenzoate, Titanium Dioxide (CI 78891)
Quantity must be 1 or more
Made in USA
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domain: hobby


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Alexandria, La. (May 11, 2020) — The Louisiana Department of Health announced today revised hours for COVID-19 testing at the Rapides Parish Coliseum. Effective immediately, testing will be scheduled at the Coliseum site from 9 a.m. until noon on Tuesdays and Thursdays. However, there will not be testing at the Coliseum site this Thursday (May 14).
In addition, testing will again be offered from 9 a.m. until noon Friday, May 15, at Frank O. Hunter Park. Drive-up service will be provided and residents are encouraged to stay in their cars to minimize contact but walk-ups will be seen as needed. Nasal swab testing will be offered at no charge. Residents are asked to bring ID and an insurance card if they have one.
Testing is offered for those with any COVID-19 symptoms, which include fever, cough, sore throat, muscle aches, loss of smell or taste, or diarrhea as well as anyone who has had close contact with someone who has tested positive. Results will be phoned to those tested as soon as they are available.


HALESTORM's LZZY HALE Talks Early Musical Inspirations (Video)
April 1, 2019
HALESTORM frontwoman Lzzy Hale and guitarist Joe Hottinger were recently interviewed by "The 13th Floor". You can now watch the chat below.
Speaking about her early musical inspirations, particularly when it comes to her singing technique, Lzzy said: "I was born in '83, so I grew up in the '90s as a teenager, but I was always kind of obsessed with '80s and '70s hard rock and metal, so a lot of my dad's music. So it was ALICE COOPER and JUDAS PRIEST and DIO and BLACK SABBATH and all of that stuff — much to my little friends' chagrin, who, at the time, were listening to BACKSTREET BOYS and TLC and all of that stuff. They were, like, 'Why are you listening to this? We don't like it.'
"When I first started getting into music, it was a lot of my dad's music, so it was a lot of male-based rock," she said. "And then my mom was, like, 'Well, if you're gonna be into rock music, you should listen to all this stuff too.' So she, one Christmas, got me CDs — it was 'The Road Home' from HEART, a greatest-hits [compilation] by Pat Benatar, Janis Joplin, Joan Jett, Lita Ford, all of that. [She was like], 'Here. Listen to all this.' And so it was kind of interesting being… I guess then around that time, I was about 15 years old, really digging into the female vocals. I'm, like, 'Wow! I didn't know that girls could do that.' All of a sudden, the gap was not as far. I'm, like, 'Oh, wait! I can totally do that.' So it's really neat."
Lzzy added: "It's interesting, 'cause when you're a kid, you get into rock music not because of any type of gender — you know that you love it, and you don't understand why. I don't even really call it a decision, like, 'I decided to be in a rock band.' It's, like, for some reason, I had to be here and had to do this type of music. And so by having that example, it sparked something in me. It wasn't so impossible. Like when I heard Ann Wilson sing, or when I heard Pat Benatar sing, I'm, like, 'Oh, wait! That's a female voice. And I'm already a female. So the hard part's over.' [Laughs]"
HALESTORM has announced a month-long North American tour, kicking off April 12 at Ladson, South Carolina's 98 Rockfest and running through Columbus, Ohio's Sonic Temple, with dates across the continent, including a stop at Mexico City's Domination Festival in early May. PALAYE ROYALE and BEASTO BLANCO will open for HALESTORM on the run of dates.
HALESTORM's latest album, "Vicious", was released last July via Atlantic. The disc was recorded at Nashville, Tennesse's Rock Falcon recording studio with producer Nick Raskulinecz.
HALESTORM was nominated for a "Best Rock Performance" Grammy Award for its song "Uncomfortable".
In 2012, the band won its first Grammy in the category of "Best Hard Rock/ Metal Performance" for "Love Bites (So Do I)". According to the Grammy web site, Lzzy became the first woman to earn a Grammy in the category.
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Galleries and Museums
Cortez Village Historical Society
The Cortez Historical Society has been around since 1985, with the Cultural Center opening February, 2016. The new Center houses historic photographs & information about Cortez, as well as the genealogy of families that lived & are still living here.
Artists Guild Gallery of Anna Maria
A shopping destination for over 20 years, members of the Artists’ Guild run this non-profit gallery featuring local artists’ original art in a variety of media, prints, jewelry, baskets, pottery, cards & AMI keepsakes. Come meet an artist!
Studio at Gulf and Pine
Owned by Rhea Chiles, former First Lady of Florida, The Studio offers an eclectic array of exhibits and instructional classes. The Studio is also available to rent for weddings, rehearsals and business functions.
Anna Maria Island Historical Society
Family fun at the Historical Park, visit the museum, scavenger hunts for the kids and a waterfront park to relax in.

domain: artistic


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There is a pretty good learning curve with this lens and I struggled with tracking birds in flight. The lens is so powerful that I could not get on birds quick enough even with setting the focus limits. But practice makes perfect right? Well I will need a lot more practice. I was able to catch these really fast moving ducks though. I saw them pretty far out and was able to get locked on. I caught this male Ahinga sitting high in the brush with a nice blue sky background.
I spent my first morning shooting at the Venice Rookery. Located in Venice, Florida Managed by the Venice Area Audubon Society, this small rookery is an amazing place to photograph several nesting species of birds. Here is a link to their website
. If you make a trip to anywhere near this area and you like to photograph birds, this is a must stop location. The great thing is they are close enough you do not need a monster lens. (It is nice though) I was actually to close several times and the birds would be half out of the frame at times. 300-400mm of reach will do extremely well here.
This shot is a pair of young Great Blue Heron Chicks doing a little sparring while the parents were away from the nest. After the rookery shoot I stopped at an eagles nets in the North Ft.Myers area that I have shot in previous years. The eagles mate and nest sooner here and the chicks are probably only a couple weeks away from being able to leave the nest. I then went over to Cape Coral Florida and shot Burrowing Owls. It was getting cold by then and they stayed pretty far down in their burrows so nothing to brag about there. Just the fact that with an 800mm lens you can do head shot portraits on these tiny owls from 40 feet away.
Well gotta go clean the equipment and charge the camera batteries for tomorrow's shoot.


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Wild Strawberry, Blackberry, and Blueberry Leaf Extracts Alleviate Starch-Induced Hyperglycemia in Prediabetic and Diabetic Mice.
Planta Med. 2020 Jul ;86(11):790-799. Epub 2020 May 25. PMID: 32450572
Intestinal-glucosidase and-amylase break down nutritional poly- and oligosaccharides to monosaccharides and their activity significantly contributes to postprandial hyperglycemia. Competitive inhibitors of these enzymes, such as acarbose, are effective antidiabetic drugs, but have unpleasant side effects. In our ethnopharmacology inspired investigations, we found that wild strawberry (), blackberry (), and European blueberry () leaf extracts inhibit-glucosidase and-amylase enzyme activityand are effective in preventing postprandial hyperglycemia. Toxicology tests on H9c2 rat embryonic cardiac muscle cells demonstrated that berry leaf extracts have no cytotoxic effects. Oral administration of these leaf extracts alone or as a mixture to normal (control), obese, prediabetic, and streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice attenuated the starch-induced rise of blood glucose levels. The efficiency was similar to that of acarbose on blood glucose. These results highlight berry leaf extracts as candidates for testing in clinical trials in order to assess the clinical significance of their effects on glycemic control.

domain: medical


Neida 'Slowing' 12"
Relentless raver and emerging artist from the Rinse France roster of captivating talent, RONI launches her imprint Nehza Records with a five-track EP titled ‘Slowing’ by Bordeaux-based Neida . Marking the debut release on the label, Neida is the first producer to bring RONI’s fantasy-led vision to life.
‘Slowing’ is a cross-pollination of breaks, acid, jungle and bass which nods to the sound of the underground UK rave scene circa 1990. An era that RONI closely aligns with in terms of sound, art and the sense of liberation synonymous with 90s club culture, Neida nails this aesthetic throughout the EP.
Expected: March 2021


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Eat Fat, Lose Fat: The Healthy Alternative to Trans Fats
Coconut oil, red meat, and butter—these fats are traditionally considered harmful, but this powerful book, based on more than two decades of research, shows that these saturated fats are actually essential to weight loss and health. Eat Fat, Lose Fat flouts conventional wisdom by revealing that so-called healthy vegetable oils (such as corn and soybean) are in large part responsible for our national obesity and health crisis.
The three programs in this book, which features delicious coconut oil based recipes, among others, show that eating healthy fats is the answer to losing weight and achieving good health for a lifetime.
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Eat Fat, Lose Fat: Lose Weight And Feel Great With The Delicious, Science-based Coconut DietUser Review - Not Available - Book Verdict
In this new addition to the fast-fix diet book shelf, Enig and Fallon attempt to correct what they see as Americans' false belief that tropical fats and oils (such as coconut and palm) are unhealthy ... Read full review
Chapter Two Fats the Real Deal
Chapter Three Know Your Fatsand Your Nutrients
Chapter Four Our Nutritional Approach to Weight Loss
Chapter Five Real Food the World Over
Chapter Six Quick and Easy Weight Loss
Chapter Seven Health Recovery
Chapter Eight Everyday Gourmet
Chapter Nine Coconut Recipes
Chapter Ten Traditional Recipes
Chapter Eleven Resources
Other editions - View all
Eat Fat, Lose Fat: Lose Weight and Feel Great With the Delicious, Science ...
No preview available - 1999

domain: food


Judge Howard Manning, Jr., the Superior Court judge in the Leandro case that changed the course of public education in North Carolina by finding that the state has a constitutional duty to give every student a sound education, spoke recently at a lecture sponsored by Campbell University’s School of Education. Brought against the state by several low-wealth counties, including Cumberland, Halifax, Hoke, Robeson and Vance, the plaintiffs in the Leandro case claimed that the state of North Carolina was not providing equal education for all public schools. “Hoke County High School said the state wasn’t even providing enough money for the high school to offer a basic chemistry class, and there were a lot of other poor counties that thought they should also have more equity in funding,” Manning said. The state moved to dismiss the case, saying that education in North Carolina, as defined by the state constitution, had no substantive or quantitative definition. By then rich school districts such as Wake, Durham and Charlotte-Mecklenburg had also joined the plaintiffs. “At that time, education in North Carolina meant that turning on the heat, putting a teacher in the classroom and supplying a curriculum was all that was required under the state constitution,” Manning said. But Leandro changed the meaning of education in North Carolina. In July of 1997 Burley Mitchell, chief justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court, wrote a unanimous opinion which included a substantive definition of education. “It is very simple, yet very profound,” said Manning. “Under this new ruling our constitution requires that every child who is a citizen of our state must have an equal opportunity to obtain an education.” More precisely, every child must have sufficient ability to read, write and speak the English language. He or she must have knowledge of fundamental math, science and economic and political systems in order to be a productive citizen. And the student must have sufficient academic and vocational skills to successfully engage in post secondary education. “That means when you go to community college, you shouldn’t have to take remedial English or math before you can be successful in the curriculum,” Manning said. Also resulting from the Leandro case were quantitative measurements such as end of course testing and programs like “More at Four” and “Smart Start” to ensure students’ success. Citing positive test score statistics from 2005, Manning reported that 90 percent of North Carolina’s elementary schools were scoring at or above grade level; 79 percent of middle schools scored 80 percent or above; and 39 percent of North Carolina high schools scored above 80 percent. “The Leandro case gave meaning to public education in North Carolina,” Manning said. “Now it has life to it; it has teeth.” Manning learned from the case, however, that it takes more than money to make a school successful. “You must also have high expectations for your kids and competent, certified teachers in the classroom who know how to teach the children in their care,” he said.Photo Copy: Judge Howard Manning, Jr. addresses students at Campbell University’s Lynch Auditorium recently.


On Tuesday, Apple launched three of its much awaited products, the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 plus and the fancy iPhone X.
Here are the funny memes on Apple's iPhone X launch
The high-end gadget, with a $999 price tag, inspired some hilarious memes from the Internet.
And while people had eagerly waited for the three products, much attention was drawn to the iPhone X given that it is the latest generation of its flagship device.
The phone has a glass front and back which according to Apple “is the most durable in a smartphone.” It is water and dust resistant. It also has an all-new design, an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) screen that covers nearly its entire face, and a new facial-recognition system that's used to unlock it. It will also support wireless charging.
The Iphone 8 and 8 Plus will retail at $699 and $799 respectively while the iPhone X will go for $999.
The exorbitant prices of these phones and more so the iPhone X inspired some hilarious memes from the internet. Here are some of them:
Some even took a shot at iPhone X's facial recognition feature dubbed the "FaceID":
Eyewitness? Submit your stories now via social or:


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(Bob Fosse, 1972)
Life is one big, perverse party for Sally Bowles (Liza Minnelli) and her chums as the Nazis come to power in 1930s Berlin. Bob Fosse brings Christopher Isherwood's Berlin stories vividly to life with showstopping choreography that sees Minnelli strutting the stage of the Kit Kat club in suspenders and bowler hat. Divine decadence, darling!
The Cabinet of Dr Calgari
(Robert Wiene, 1920)
Despite its reputation as the template for a thousand horror movies, Robert Weine's silent-screen phantasmagoria remains a rare and unruly treasure. With its outlandish style (wild theatrics, expressionistic sets), this may even be the genre's missing link, shackling old-style grand-guignol to the emergent medium of cinema.
La Cage Au Folles
(Edouard Molinaro, 1978)
Then-daring high-camp comedy that found unexpected international success; the fact that it was genuinely funny helped. Michel Serrault has the best lines as the drag queen "auntie" to lover Ugo Tognazzi's son; when he announces his marriage - to a girl - the stage is set for dinner-party farce of the highest order.
A Canterbury Tale
(Michael Powell And Emeric Pressburger, 1944)
Beware the glueman. Critics writing retrospective analysis of Powell and Pressburger cite Eric Portman's village squire (who goes around squirting sticky stuff on the hair of girls on dates with GIs) as evidence that the imp of the perverse was in their work right from the outset. Glue aside, this is a wondrously evocative paean to pastoral England. The wonder is that it was made in the middle of the war.
Capturing the Friedmans
(Andrew Jarecki, 2003)
The title has a double meaning, referring to the persecution of a suburban family for unsubstantiated sex crimes and to the family's compulsion for putting their entire lives on videotape. The cameras keep running even when they hit rock bottom, making for a staggering tragedy that dares you to look away.
(Derek Jarman, 1986)
Jarman brings all the irreverent force of his punk poetry to his take on the wild-child baroque painter Caravaggio. With its mix of contemporary references and Jarman's highly mannered, stage-set version of 17th century Italy, this is a movie as non-conformist, as headily, violently sexual and inventive as its title character.
Carry On Cleo
(Gerald Thomas, 1964)
The Carry On team's tilt at the superstar pairing of Liz Taylor and Richard Burton is one of their more focused efforts, starring Jim Dale and Kenneth Connor as a primitive Brits taken to Rome to be sold as slaves. Kenneth Williams steals the show, though, as the haughty Julius Caesar, going nasally to his death with the immortal line, "Infamy, infamy - they've all got it in for me!"
The Cars That Ate Paris
(Peter Weir, 1974)
Low budget exploitation has proved an easy entry into moviemaking for many directors, and the smarter ones manage to sneak in satire. Weir's movie has cars covered in spikes and enough gore to satisfy the Friday night crowd, with well-aimed barbs at consumerism and automobile culture for those seeking a little depth.
(Michael Curtiz, 1942)
Rick's Cafe is in Burbank, not north Africa, and Paul Henreid got his scar in make-up, not Dachau. Who cares, when the real war relieved Casablanca just as the movie opened? This is looking at you, kid, playing it again, and musing over hills of beans. I have the letters of transit, but I'm staying in Casablanca forever.
(Martin Scorsese, 1995)
Scorsese's savage epic weaves a fascinating tapestry, illustrating the workings of organized crime in Las Vegas - from kingpins to the lowest underlings - as an exercise in controlled chaos. The graphic violence is essential to the milieu, with the "head in a vice" scene the most famous among many acts of brute force.
Cat On a Hot Tin Roof
(Richard Brooks, 1958)
Tennessee Williams' brilliant dissections of human relationships were rarely better served than this luminous melodrama, starring Paul Newman as a former football hero who is falling into alcoholism and closet homosexuality. His steely-eyed charm meets its match, however, in the buxom, blousy Maggie - a terrific Southern belle part that liberated Elizabeth Taylor from her coy National Velvet roots forever.
Céline and Julie Go Boating
(Jacques Rivette, 1974)
Two eccentric women run amok in Paris. Jacques Rivette's three hour feature is whimsy on an epic scale, mannered, playful and inspired by turns. Madonna's movie career might have been different without it: Susan Seidelman was inspired by Céline and Julie when she came to make Desperately Seeking Susan, in which Madge had the best part.
The Cement Garden
(Andrew Birkin, 1993)
Ian McEwan has rarely had a better showcase than this heated and haunting adaptation of his Lord of the Flies-style analysis of suburban anarchy. Against the backdrop of a forbidding concrete house, a husband and wife die of natural causes, leaving their children to cover up their deaths and explore their new freedoms, sexual and otherwise, in ways that defy convention and - especially - the law.
(Walter Salles, 1998)
The film that kicked off Latin America's cinematic renaissance, and the most emotionally honest. Fernanda Montenegro's seasoned turn as a cynical ex-schoolteacher, and newcomer Vinicius de Oliver as the nine-year-old she is forced to care for, fuse into a film with all the tough social credentials of the "buena onda".
(Claude Chabrol, 1995)
In Claude Chabrol, France's master of suspense, Ruth Rendell found the perfect cinematic interpreter for her classic A Judgment In Stone about an illiterate young woman hired as a cleaner in a well-off bourgeois household. She forms a dangerous friendship with the local postmistress who is enviously resentful of the family's local prestige.
The Charge of the Light Brigade
(Tony Richardson, 1968)
Tony Richardson fashioned a MASH-like anti-war film set in the Crimean era. Many of Britain's finest actors are on display, most of them sporting facial hair to die for. Trevor Howard is wonderfully bad-tempered as Lord Cardigan, Charles Wood's dialogue is barbed and witty, and the charge itself is staged with elan. The cartoon sections (courtesy of Richard Williams of Roger Rabbit fame) aren't bad either.
Chariots of Fire
(Hugh Hudson, 1981)
Iconic running scenes accompanied by Vangelis score. The film tells the true story of British athletes, Eric Liddell (Ian Charleson) and Harold Abrahams (Ben Cross) who overcame personal difficulties to compete in the 1924 Olympics. What with all the slow-mo action by top toff totty, it's easy to get carried away with all the flag-waving.
The Chess Players
(Satyajit Ray, 1977)
Elegant, lavish, but emotionally understated satire from the great Indian film-maker about the British Raj in 1850. Richard Attenborough plays the British General Outram, and Saeed Jaffrey and Sanjeev Kumar play two noblemen whose passion for chess means they won't wake up to the clear and present danger from the rapacious British. They are about to be checkmated.
(Peter Lord, Nick Park, 2000)
Aardman's attempt to court America could have led to dilution of their homegrown vision. But despite drafting in Mel Gibson to lead a group of chickens, Great Escape-fashion, to safety, Lord and Park retained the eccentricity and delicate characterisation of their best work, as well as unbelievably intricate technical prowess.
Un Chien Andalou
(Luis Buñuel, 1928)
Sensual, shocking and deeply subversive, Buñuel and Salvador Dali's surreal short from 1928 - complete with razor and eyeball - is a masterpiece of provocation. One of the few films really to use the medium's potential for pure anarchy.
(Jean Pierre & Luc Dardenne, 2005)
A superb Belgian film about a young man below society's moral radar who lives only to serve his immediate needs. It is far more than a study of doomed youth, though it certainly is tragic. The Cannes-winning Dardennes transcend the finger-wagging of social problem movies to confront humanist questions that are as simple as they are profound.
(Roman Polanski, 1974)
Classic 1970s neo-noir set in a glaring, sunbaked Los Angeles dying of thirst. Jack Nicolson is the gumshoe who pokes his nose into corruption and gets his nostril sliced open for his pains. Superb cinematography, meticulous direction and many-layered screenplay by Robert Towne combine to devastating effect.
Chuck & Buck
(Miguel Arteta, 2000)
Pre-adolescence never really ended for lollipop-sucking Buck, an unsocialised man-child who tries to rekindle the relationship he shared with his boyhood best friend, Charlie, when they meet as adults. Turning the fantasy of childhood innocence on its head, this dark stalker comedy will make you squirm in your seat.
(Wong Kar-Wai, 1994)
Filmed in Wong Kar-Wai's typically uncontrolled fashion in 23 days, and expertly photographed by maverick cameraman Christopher Doyle, Chungking Express is more coherent than the director's previous Days of Being Wild and more spontaneous than his later In the Mood for Love. It's a breezy, enigmatic, compact statement of the key Wong themes: love, longing, loneliness, time.
(Lucrecia Martel, 2001)
The Swamp (as the title translates) was an apt metaphor for late 90s Argentina. Money was swilling around but there was a sense of corruption and an undercurrent of violence. Martel captures brilliantly the ennui of Argentina's sinking middle-classes, too listless and apathetic (and too cowed by memories of the dictatorship) to change the society that is decaying around them.
The Cincinnati Kid
(Norman Jewison, 1965)
Did for poker what The Hustler did for pool. Steve McQueen plays against bluff master Edward G. Robinson in a smoky, backroom card sharp drama. As it's perhaps not the best spectator sport, the script is full of great character touches from screenwriters Terry Southern and Ring Lardner Jr with Rip Torn providing some casually terrifying villainy.
(Giuseppe Tornatore, 1988)
A famous film-maker recalls his rapturous discovery of cinema as a child in his native Sicilian village, his ensuing friendship with the elderly projectionist and a forever-lost teenage love. Tornatore's wistful autobiographical drama, set in grim postwar Italy, is unabashedly sentimental, but it's a touching homage to the magic of movies.
(Orson Welles, 1941)
Yes, it's bizarre that in a young medium the best film is already 60 years old. And putting Citizen Kane on that plateau may prevent people from seeing it, or thinking about it. But the voting is right. In 1941, Orson Welles changed our expectations about the movies and showed what a mixed-up thing it is to be American.
City of God
(Fernando Meirelles, 2002)
Meirelles brings the storytelling sass of Scorsese to the slums of Rio of Janeiro, and how thrillingly. The rise of the precociously psychotic gangster Li'l Zé to rule his scrappy fiefdom, watched by photographer Buscapé, is a heady and morally queasy ride - with added samba style and Copacabana sunshine.
(Kevin Smith, 1994)
The first and best instalment of Smith's ongoing slacker epic, and a boon to no-budget filmmakers of the early indie-Hollywood period. Shot for buttons in crappy-looking black-and-white, it transcends its shortcomings through the inventiveness of its scatology and vulgarity.
A Clockwork Orange
(Stanley Kubrick, 1971)
Kubrick's notorious delinquent drama engaged with the problems of violence and spectatorship so effectively, it became a problem itself, and he withdrew it from British cinemas. The film's "ultraviolence" made the headlines, but it's a bold enterprise all round: technically brilliant, consistently confrontational and disarmingly cheerful, with an iconic anti-hero in the form of Malcolm McDowell.
Close Encounters of the Third Kind
(Steven Spielberg, 1977)
Spielberg's first trip around the extra-terrestrial block is one of his best films -it's certainly his creepiest. Richard Dreyfuss is on superb form as the small-towner haunted by visions and sounds he doesn't understand. And that really is François Truffaut playing the kindly French boffin.
Closely Observed Trains
(Jiri Menzel, 1966)
A beautiful comedy of boredom (gentle, tragic and farcical by turns) that exposed a vibrant new wave of Czech cinema flourishing behind the Iron Curtain. Hard to believe that so much humour could be wrung from the experiences of a lugubrious adolescent whose dearest wish is to "stand on a platform and avoid hard work".
(Abbas Kiarostami, 1990)
With minimal resources and considerable intelligence, Kiarostami turns truth and fiction into a hall of mirrors in an astounding film. His elusive subject is a man charged with impersonating another film director, Mohsen Makhmalbaf. Kiarostami complicates matters considerably, though, interviewing the impostor, filming his real-life trial, restaging scenes and, most poignantly, introducing him to the real Makhmalbaf.
(Amy Heckerling, 1995)
Director Amy Heckerling had done teen before, with Fast Times at Ridgemont High; here she takes Jane Austen's Emma along to a prissier establishment, and lets teen queen Cher (Alicia Silverstone) rearrange the lives of her fellow pupils. Everyone, not least Cher, is capable of a delectable, barbed riposte in this 90210 wonderland, but Heckerling makes sure her satire of self-absorption is essentially sweet.
(Robert Frank, 1972)
Lacking as we do any filmed account of Led Zeppelin's US tours, CSB stands as the definitive account of degenerate British rock bands on tour in the early-stadium rock era. Robert Frank's crisp photography captures the Stones, junkie sidemen and sexually available groupies in all their heedless, satanic splendour.
The Colour of Pomegranates
(Sergei Paradjanov, 1969)
Ostensibly a biography of Sayat Nova, the 18th-century Armenian poet and archbishop, this is a biopic like no other. Paradjanov concocts a bizarre mosaic of religio-folk iconography, in which farm animals wander freely. Soviet officialdom, unimpressed by its astounding beauty, banned it.
Come and See
(Elem Klimov, 1985)
Among the innumerable horrors of the second world war, the savagery of the conflict in German-occupied Byelorussia was among the most bestial, and Klimov bears witness to this through the eyes of young partisan Alexei Kravchenko. An anti-war film with a vengeance, it connects atrocities and scenes of compelling beauty.
The Company of Wolves
(Neil Jordan, 1984)
An adult fairytale, adapted from Angela Carter, positing Little Red Hiding Hood in a world forested by Freudian symbols and gender issues, and fleshed out with some splendid human-to-wolf transformations. The heroine's conclusion: the beast in man is as alluring as it is dangerous.
(Bill Douglas, 1987)
The last testament and only colour film of Bill Douglas, lost genius of poetic British realism, memorialises the Tolpuddle Martyrs, 19th-century labour agitators transported for attempting to unionise. This "Lanternist's Account" utilises many proto-cinematic tools, and a revelatory increase in the aspect-ratio from 1.33:1 to 1.85:1 once the story reaches Australia.
(Simon West, 1997)
Sure, it stars Nic Cage and was directed by Simon West, but real ownership of this movie lies with producer Jerry Bruckheimer. There's no real story but that just leaves more room for goofy character work - "make a move and the bunny gets it" - and great action sequences. Big dumb fun, in the best possible way, as a good Bruckheimer should be.
(Bernardo Bertolucci, 1970)
Disturbing thriller based on Moravia's 1930s novel about a spineless Italian aristocrat (creepily played by Jean-Louis Trintignant) who is sent to Paris while on his honeymoon to assassinate his dissident ex-professor. Treachery, cowardice and sexual decadence have never looked as dazzling as in this masterful baroque assembly of light, shadow, and camera fluidity.
The Consequences of Love
(Paolo Sorrentino, 2004)
Italian cinema's bright hope masterfully stages a mystery in miniature: what is the story behind a seemingly innocuous 50-year-old man who lives in a Swiss hotel and spends his time solving chess problems? The director's elegant visual sense and Toni Servillo's supple performance as the unfathomable resident give Sorrentino's second feature a sharp and compelling shape.
(Francis Ford Coppola, 1974)
Gene Hackman gives one of his greatest performances as a surveillance whiz incapable of the most basic intimacy in Coppola's paranoid character study. An impeccable technical achievement (the sound design was supervised by Walter Murch), the film arrives at its unforgettable finale inside the self-made prison of a lonely, tortured soul.
(Don Siegel, 1968)
Clint Eastwood is Arizona sheriff Walt Coogan, hunting killer Don Stroud through the alien territory of New York: the city cops mock the cowboy "from Texas", but out west or in the urban jungle, Coogan always gets his man. This was the first of the tough, taut Siegel-Eastwood collaborations that included Dirty Harry.
The Cook, the Thief, His Wife and Her Lover
Greenaway's trademark elements - schematic plot, extravagant design, stately Michael Nyman score, bourgeois-shocking sex and violence - are all in perfect balance in this ripe tale of culinary revenge, transformed into a seductive feast. The cast is outstanding, led by Michael Gambon and Helen Mirren.
Cool Hand Luke
(Stuart Rosenberg, 1967)
Facile, sentimental, desperate to be loved, and larded with overripe crucifixion imagery, Cool Hand Luke none the less thrives on Paul Newman's indomitable charisma as a convict who won't be caged. The finest hours of Strother Martin and George Kennedy. Avoid eating eggs beforehand.
(Henri-Georges Clouzot, 1943)
A French provincial town is plagued by poison-pen letters from Le Corbeau, or "The Raven". Who is the villain? A clever, dyspeptic whodunnit from Clouzot, brilliantly capturing a spirit of paranoia, pettiness and self-loathing during the Nazi occupation of France.
The Cranes Are Flying
(Mikhail Kalatozishvili, 1954)
The Russian film industry effectively died out during Stalin's final years before bursting back to life with this potent anti-war melodrama. Kalatozishvili won the Palme d'Or for his hard-edged antidote to Soviet propaganda, though it's Sergei Urusevsky's cinematography that most stirs the senses.
(David Cronenberg, 1997)
Cronenberg's obsession with encounters between human flesh and hard technology usually produces horrific results, but when it came to this adaptation of JG Ballard's novel, it produced an erotic one, which many found even worse. In less able hands, this would be patently absurd, but it manages a sleek, fatalistic conviction.
The Cremaster Cycle
(Matthew Barney, 1995-2002)
In an undifferentiated foetus, the cremaster is the muscle that dictates whether it will be male or female. This is fine-art prodigy Barney's central conceit for his five-part meditation on the creative process, which has given rise to more interpretations than David Beckham's barnet. Bizarre rituals, claustrophobic struggles and (as Barney's budgets increased) dizzying spectacles abound: an endlessly fertile seed-bed of ideas.