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I have been a cake baking fiend lately. In addition to my Perfect Party Cake, and my Cinnamon Blueberry Cakes, I now present: a birthday sheet cake. About a month ago, a friend had a monumentally important birthday coming up, and I volunteered to make the cake.
And what a cake it would turn out to be. Knowing that my circular cake pans wouldn't make a big enough cake for his party, I opted to bake it in one of my larger baking pans, a 9″ by 13″ pan with 2″ tall sides. I was incredibly lucky, I think, because I sort of made up the ingredient measurements as I went along, and (miraculously) the amount of batter I created fit the pan perfectly.
Let me explain what I did to (humbly) improve the other cake recipes I've posted here. First of all, many recipes call for lots of egg whites in the cake, and even more egg whites in the frosting. I love creme anglaise and homemade mayonnaise as much as anyone, but there is no way I will use up six or eight egg yolks before they spoil (and they always turn gross when I try to freeze them). So I made yellow cake — extra egg yolks in the cake batter, egg whites saved for the meringue buttercream frosting.
I also wanted a sweet, sweet, sweet frosting, so I increased the amount of sugar pretty significantly. My one problem with using sweetened whipped cream as a frosting, like I did in the blueberry cakes, is that I can never get it sweet enough — this one is tooth-aching, in a good way.
Maybe my friends were a little tipsy by the time we cut into it, maybe the appeal of a homemade cake just overwhelmed them, or maybe I really did a great job. Either way, this cake got rave reviews, and I definitely recommend it!
Birthday Sheet Cake
For the cake:
1 1/2 cups of sugar
1 stick of butter, softened
1/4 tsp of salt
1/4 cups heavy cream
3/4 cup water
3 large egg yolks
1 whole egg
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
For the Buttercream:
1 1/2 cup sugar
3 large egg whites
3 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Food coloring
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, beat together butter sugar, salt, cream, water, egg yolks and one whole egg until smooth. Add 1 cup of flour and baking powder, beat until combined. Add remaining 1 1/4 cups of flour, beat until combined.
3. Pour batter into a baking sheet or cake tin and bake for about 30-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out smooth. Allow the cake to cool completely before frosting.
4. For the frosting, heat the egg whites and sugar on a double boiler and beat until hot and tripled in volume. Remove from heat and beat in the vanilla and butter slowly, one or two tablespoons at a time. Once the butter is fully incorporated, refrigerate for about 30 minutes,
5. Beat the cooled icing again, adding food coloring for your desired color. You can separate the frosting into several bowls to mix different colors.
6. To frost the cake, spread the buttercream over the sides and top of the cake. Use two coats — one light bottom coat which will inevitably be full of crumbs, and another, smooth top coat that's entirely buttercream.
7. Use a pastry bag to pipe any decorations onto the top of the cake. Serve!
Serves about 18-20.


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Hot Cocoa Mix
Total TimePrep/Total Time: 10 min.
Makes1 serving
- 10 cups nonfat dry milk powder
- 3-3/4 cups instant chocolate drink mix
- 1-1/3 cups powdered nondairy creamer
- 2 cups confectioners' sugar
- In an airtight container, combine all ingredients. Store in a cool, dry place up to 6 months. Yield: 13 cups mix (about 41 servings).
- To prepare: Dissolve 4-5 tablespoons mix with 1 cup boiling water; stir well.
- For spiced cocoa: Add 1-1/2 teaspoons ground nutmeg plus 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon to 3 cups of the basic cocoa mix.
- For mocha cocoa: Add 1/4 cup instant coffee granules to 3 cups of the basic cocoa mix.
Recommended Video
Dec 18, 2009
Made with coffee granules (decaf) and hazelnut creamer - go good. Not as strong as most coffee drinks whick I like.
Dec 9, 2009
I make this all the time! MOST EXCELLENT! As for the question about the instant chocolate drink mix, that is what you use to make a glass of chocolate milk. I use the store brands which are much much cheaper than name brand ones and the end product is WONDERFUL--Nice and creamy. For an additional flavor change, try a pack of Orange Kool-Aid mix--Yummy!
Nov 8, 2009
sounds good. but what is instant chocolate drink mix?? store bought hot chocolate?? please help.
Sep 22, 2009
My mother would make a large container of this when I was a child. I am 51 and still enjoy this recipe and have passed to to my daughters!
Nov 22, 2008
This was creamy and not lumpy like when you use cocoa. It had a good taste. I used hazlenut flavored nondairy creamer. GOOD!

subset: commoncrawl


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Raptors beat Knicks 123-120 in double OT
TORONTO (AP) -- Terrence Ross scored 27 points, DeMar DeRozan had 21 and the Toronto Raptors beat the New York Knicks 123-120 in double overtime on Monday night, their fourth straight preseason victory.
Rudy Gay scored 19 points, Kyle Lowry had 11 and Tyler Hansborough 10 as the Raptors improved to 5-1.
Beno Udrih scored 19 points and Metta World Peace had 16 for the Knicks, who lost for the third time in four games. Tyson Chandler and Tim Hardaway Jr. each scored 15.
Andrea Bargnani had 13 against his former team, while Carmelo Anthony had nine points and eight rebounds in 26 minutes.
A pair of 3-pointers by Ross gave the Raptors a 110-103 edge with 2:22 left in the first overtime, but New York responded with an 10-0 run, taking the lead on Udrih's 3 with 37 seconds left, then adding two more on a pair of free throws by Hardaway Jr.
After missing a 3 with 6 seconds left, Ross sent it to double overtime with a buzzer-beating 3 from the wing.
Toronto's Dwight Buycks scored the first two baskets of the second overtime and Ross added a third, giving the Raptors a six-point cushion.
Ross sealed it with four made free throws in the final six seconds.
World Peace picked up a technical foul with 5:22 left in the fourth following an altercation with Hansborough.
NOTES: The Knicks were without G Raymond Felton (left hamstring) and G Iman Shumpert (right elbow). New York G Pablo Prigioni sat out with flulike symptoms. ... Knicks coach Mike Woodson said F Amare Stoudemire (left knee) and G J.R. Smith (left knee) both did individual workouts Monday and could take part in scrimmages Tuesday. ... Woodson said F Kenyon Martin (left ankle) might be able to practice Tuesday. Martin has not played this preseason. ... Toronto was without F Steve Novak (right thumb). ... Actor Isiah Whitlock Jr. attended the game.


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Our intrepid PIX CGI artist Kyle Jagger recently tackled a gruelling, two day, 145 mile charity cycle ride from Barnsley to Amsterdam in aid of Prostate Cancer. When asked why he undertook the challenge he explained: "It helped to raise money and awareness of a great cause. My brother and his fiancée have done it for the past two years representing Oldham Athletic FC and said it was a great challenge."
Kyle returned to the office feeling fitter and
healthier, but complained the seat was "absolute agony" as he hasn't
ridden a bike for 15 years! The team helped to raise over £425,000.
(From left to right: Bryan Lawton, Jenny Warburton, Rick Wallis, Kyle Jagger, Scott Jagger, Rob (teddy bear) Stockford)


text:
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Berghaus Customer Service
We've lots of other cool stuff, but we don't have that
Contact our UK Customer Services Team on: 0345 607 2477
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text:
Degrassi red carpet
Degrassi Goes Hollywood, the show's first movie, broke records at The N a couple of weeks ago in America as the most–watched, highest-rated telecast ever for the network. Canadian shows have been kicking ass lately with the major players. And both Degrassi and Flashpoint received Gemini Award nominations this week.
The Degrassi movie airs this Sunday at 8pm on CTV.
A special screening took place last night in Toronto – Adamo Ruggiero, Cassie Steele, Jake Epstein, Stacey Farber, Miriam McDonald, Lauren Collins all in attendance and also Jason Mewes…
Yes, Jay and Silent Bob Jason Mewes. Cute, non? Cleaned up and a father now. Last time we saw him, at the end of 2008, he was hanging out with Kristen Stewart and Nikki Reed. Apparently they were supposed to work on a movie together.
Jason has a part in Degrassi Goes Hollywood. Pete Wentz, Kevin Smith, Kelly Carlson, and more also made cameo appearances. And look out for Dan Levy from The Aftershow on MTV. Obviously a far superior actor than that useless twat Audrina Patridge.
Photos from Wenn.com


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In a recent J.C.Penney marketing circular inserted in the New York Times, the company highlighted some fashions that will soon be in stores. Prominently showcased were dresses designed by Georgina Chapman of Marchesa for fast living floozies. On the next page was matching lingerie by Cosabella Amore.
This was followed by L'Amour by Nanette Lepore, apparel that will not be tolerated in any high school. It is only when we get to Joe Fresh, that we see any representation of modest and conservative fashion—the type the old J.C.Penney customer bought. Adding insult to injury, the circular has a legend on the back page that states: "Everyday prices are effective February 24-March 2." My understanding of the English language, and Ron Johnson's use of the language, are very different. Every day, in my book, extends from now to the end of eternity.
I think we have been had. This is all a farce. Especially since the company just reported a stunning drop in sales and earnings for the first year that Ron Johnson, the company's heralded CEO, has been in office. His effort to transform the company has brought extremely disappointing results and a question whether 2013 will be much better. I fear it will be much worse as consumers continue to walk away from J.C.Penney and its financial health continues to deteriorate.
As expected, but still truly awful, the company reported a drop in sales of $4.3 billion to $13.0 billion for the full year (4Q included an extra 14th week this year versus the standard 13 week quarter last year). If the extra week were excluded, sales dropped an additional $1.5 Billion in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2012. For the full year, the company reported a net loss of $985 Million or ($4.49) per share. Taking out all special charges connected with the transition of J.C.Penney stores to a specialty department store, earnings would have been a loss of $766 million or ($3.49) per share. In all my years, I have never seen a loss of momentum of these proportions. It is clear to me J.C.Penney lost its core customer during the transformation.
I am convinced that recovery will be much harder than management led everyone to believe. Inventory has shrunk and will not permit many mistakes. The core customer has now found a new place to shop, and the reintroduction of comparison pricing is not convincing and is not reaching the customers management is seeking. The store environment has also really slipped. I have found dirty bathrooms and broken elevators during my visits to key stores. No question, the associate cutbacks have hurt the whole store.
To be fair, there are a few initiatives that could help sales from being even worse in 2013. The J.C.Penney credit card is now also a loyalty card, and that may entice some customers to shop. Strong jewelry promotions at key times (Valentine's Day, Easter, Mother's Day, etc.) may bring some response given jewelry has always been a good business for J.C.Penney. A stepped up newspaper promotional stance with bold discounts and a limited one- or two-day sale event could spark some consumer interest. Management promised several new shops to be opened this spring and more this fall. Among the brands opening shops are the ones mentioned above, as well as a major home effort including Pantone Universe, Martha Stewart, Michael Graves, Bodum and others. In past years, the company did 20% of its total business in home; it is now down to 10%. Management sees this as a great opportunity for rebirth.
Despite these efforts, I project a 22% drop of sales the first quarter of fiscal 2013 (ends April). The company has a difficult comparison with last year when there were many clearance sale events as goods bought under the previous management were sold off. This year, however, there is less intensity of merchandise and fewer bargains. Gross margins may be better, but sales will be hit, and the loss of gross margin dollars hurts earnings and cash flow. 1Q will probably be the worst quarter of 2013. While the drop in sales may slow, I do not see a bottoming yet.
In a videocast, J.C.Penney's visionary CEO Ron Johnson promised there is a great day coming "tomorrow", but like the song says, that "tomorrow" never comes.


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When ideas need technology
Web applications. System integration. Internet of Things.
When you have a great idea, we design and build the application to support it.
Application development is our playing field, your business goals and creating value are our challenge.
Cooperating with Up2 is a pleasant experience. Up2 brings creative and goal oriented solutions, and Up2 is very accurate in communication.
Working with Up2 Technology
Why work with us?
We can help you find the best solution for your idea, because we have a broad technical expertise.
We dream technology and love to be challenged.
We have a proven track record in delivery and support.
Why call us today?
You want to know what is new and how you can benefit from it.
You are stuck, because of what you have, and you want to learn your way forward.
We make technology an asset and not a liability to your company..


text:
Car buying decisions are changing; Good looks are still important, but what's inside really counts. And at this year's LA Auto Show, technology is competitive.
Car companies are quickly realizing that customers want useful technology that's easy.
"Quality used to be about squeaks and rattles, horse power, reliability," said David Kiley, Editor-in-Chief of AOL Autos. "Now the frontier of competition is how well the car integrates with your smartphone."
There has been more collaboration between automakers and big name technology groups. Chevy is the first to use Siri in cars and Sprint hopes to power dashboards everywhere with its new in-car internet platform-velocity.
"Automakers make cars very well. Sprint knows wireless communications and consumer experience very well. Sprint Velocity is meshing it all together for the consumer in the car," said Tim Johnson from Sprint Velocity.
Other automakers are following suit: Audi uses the best mapping software out there for their maps and Chrysler's Uconnect lets you unlock your car with your iPhone — handy if you leave your keys inside.
Outside of the car, filling tires on new Nissans is a no brainer; they honk and blink the headlights when the pressure is right.
Altogether, it's a great time for cars. They last longer than they ever have, and technology integration should allow drivers to be less distracted on the road.
For more information and other tech stories, visit RichOnTech.tv.


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It is not a very well known fact, but all hard disks have a very strong hardware password capability build in. This password is usually stored both in a chip on the HD controller (the printed circuit board on the hard disk) and on the hard disk itself in a special hidden sector.
Setting this password will make the hard disk completely unusable to anyone that doesn't know it. And not only on your computer, but on any computer.
A lot of newer laptops will set the HD password together with the BIOS password, completely locking all the hardware.
The hard disk manufacturers are unable to unlock a password protected hard disk, as there aren't any "secret" master passwords build into the firmware. Even swapping the controller of the password-protected hard disk with exactly the same controller from an unprotected HD will not remove the protection on most disks, as the password (together with most of the firmware) is also stored on the hard disk itself.
The only way of retrieving any files from a password protected hard disk without knowing the password is to send it to a data recovery company for unlocking, but not all data recovery companies could or would unlock a password protected HD.
In this time of rising identity theft, protecting your personal data by locking your hard disk with a password is indeed a good idea. The downside is that when the HD eventually malfunctions it will be harder or even impossible to retrieve any files from it. So, the first rule of using a computer applies here in full strength – "Your data is only as good as your latest backup"!


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Obama: We Can't Accept Events Like This as Routine
In a speech to the nation, President Barack Obama addresses the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown, Conn., saying he'll use 'whatever power this office holds' to change gun violence. Photo: Getty Images.
This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.
... I ... we saw use whatever power ... his office holds to gauge my fellow citizens from long Forstmann ... the metal health professionals parents and educators ... in an effort aimed at preventing more tragedies like this ... because what choice do we have ... we can access ... events like this as routine ... we really ... fair to say the were powerless ... in the face of such carnage ... but the politics are to our ... we prepare to say that such violence visited on our children year after year


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Monday - Friday
All visits are scheduled by appointment only.
Epilepsy is a disorder of the brain that causes recurrent episodes called seizures. A seizure is sometimes described as an electrical storm in the brain leading to abnormal movements, sensations, and states of consciousness. In reality, however, it is more orderly than a storm. During a seizure, nerves function in an abnormally synchronized manner, a kind of lockstep that can continue for seconds or minutes. The results range from mild changes in awareness to violent convulsions.
Isolated seizures can occur for many reasons. The term
is applied when a person has recurrent seizures with no known treatable cause. If the seizure occurs in a localized part of the brain, it is called a
partial seizure. If it affects much of brain, it is called a
generalized seizure.
The most common forms of generalized seizures are absence seizures (petit mal) and tonic-clonic seizures (grand mal). Petit mal seizures involve a brief lapse of consciousness that occurs suddenly and lasts for a brief time before disappearing; there are usually no symptoms afterward. A grand mal seizure involves: loss of consciousness, convulsions of the body, tongue biting, and often urination. A state of confusion follows the seizure.
Partial seizures come in three main varieties. They can be simple (involving just an arm, for example) or complex (involving more complicated movements and loss of consciousness). Finally, some may turn into generalized seizures. There are several medications used to treat epilepsy, generally with considerable success. Most of these drugs can cause significant side effects, though. Fortunately, some of these side effects may be partially correctable through nutrient supplementation (see the
Nutritional Support
There are no well-established herbs or supplements for the treatment of epilepsy. However, a number of supplements may be useful for treating nutritional deficiencies caused by anticonvulsant drugs. Besides herbs and supplements, the ketogenic diet might be helpful for controlling seizures in children.
Note: Epilepsy is far too serious a condition for self-treatment. For this reason, none of the treatments listed below should be used without the advice and supervision of a doctor.
Before drug treatments for epilepsy were invented, scientists noticed that fasting tends to reduce seizure frequency. Subsequent investigation pinned down a metabolic state called ketosis as the causative factor. Ketosis occurs during fasting and also while consuming a diet high in fat and very low in carbohydrates (the ketogenic diet).
When effective anticonvulsant drugs were developed, the ketogenic diet fell into disfavor, but in recent years medical interest has returned. Today, the diet is seeing increased use in the treatment of people who do not respond fully to standard medications. Most studies have involved children because they tend to be more agreeable than adults to the diet.
Evidence suggests that the ketogenic diet may almost completely stop seizures in about half of all children with epilepsy and reduce seizure frequency less dramatically in another third.1-6 Unfortunately, the ketogenic diet can cause side effects, such as fatigue, nausea, reduced immunity, mental confusion, dehydration, constipation, and increased tendency to bruise.2,3,7-13 Major side effects seen occasionally with certain forms of the ketogenic diet include kidney stones, gallstones, impaired liver function, severe hypoproteinemia (dangerously low levels of protein in the blood), and kidney injury.14
Vitamin and mineral deficiency may also occur with some ketogenic diets, but the use of a
multivitamin/multimineral supplement can easily prevent this.15
Many drugs can impair the body's ability to absorb or metabolize certain nutrients; however, anticonvulsants are particular offenders. Meaningful evidence indicates that common anticonvulsants interfere with the body's handling of
vitamin D, and
vitamin K. In addition, one anticonvulsant, valproic acid, affects the nutrient-like substance
carnitine. For these reasons, it is often recommended that people using anticonvulsants take supplements that provide these nutrients.
However, there's a potential catch to correcting such "nutrient depletions." In some cases, taking the nutrient can impair the absorption or alter the metabolism of anticonvulsant drugs. In other cases, it is possible that nutrient depletion is part of how the anticonvulsant operates! For this reason, physician supervision is essential when taking any supplements.
For more information, see the full articles on
(Mysoline), and
valproic acid
Folate (also known as folic acid) is a B vitamin that plays an important role in many vital aspects of health. Unfortunately, most drugs used for preventing seizures can reduce levels of folate in the body.16-21 In turn, low serum folate levels can cause elevated levels of homocysteine, possibly increasing the risk of heart disease.22
Low folate levels are also linked to increased risk of a variety of birth defects. Because anticonvulsant drugs deplete folate, babies born to women taking anticonvulsants are at increased risk for such birth defects.
However, the case for taking extra folate is complicated by the fact that high folate levels may speed up the normal breakdown of phenytoin
and possibly other anticonvulsants. This could lead to breakthrough seizures. For this reason, folate supplementation during anticonvulsant therapy should always be supervised by a physician.
Numerous anticonvulsants can reduce body levels of the essential vitamin
biotin, probably by interfering with its absorption.23,24
Valproic acid may affect biotin to a lesser extent than other anticonvulsants.
It is not clear whether this biotin deficiency actually causes any problems. Nonetheless, it is not good to be short on any essential nutrient, and for this reason biotin supplementation has been recommended during long-term anticonvulsant therapy. Keep in mind, though, that the action of anticonvulsant drugs may be at least
partly related to their effect on biotin levels. For this reason, physician supervision is strongly advised before adding biotin to an anticonvulsant regimen.
Many anticonvulsant drugs increase the risk of
osteoporosis and other bone disorders.25,26
This is believed to be due in part to the fact that they impair calcium metabolism (see also the sections on vitamin D and vitamin K below). Effects on calcium may also
increase the tendency toward seizures by lowering blood levels of calcium.26
Calcium supplementation may thus be beneficial for people taking anticonvulsant drugs. However, some studies indicate that antacids containing calcium carbonate interfere with the absorption of phenytoin and perhaps other anticonvulsants.27,28
For this reason, calcium supplements and anticonvulsant drugs should be taken several hours apart.
Anticonvulsant drugs may interfere with the activity of
vitamin D; this may be another contributing factor to anticonvulsant-induced bone problems.29-31
Vitamin D supplementation may help prevent bone loss.79 Adequate sunlight exposure may also help because sunlight causes the body to manufacture the vitamin D.32
Phenytoin, carbamazepine, phenobarbital, and primidone speed up the normal breakdown of
vitamin K into inactive byproducts, thus depriving the body of active vitamin K. Use of these anticonvulsants by pregnant mothers can lead to vitamin K deficiencies in their unborn babies, resulting in bleeding disorders or facial-bone abnormalities in the newborns.33,34
For this reason, mothers who take these anticonvulsants may need vitamin K supplementation during pregnancy.
In other circumstances, anticonvulsants seldom deplete vitamin K enough to cause bleeding problems. However, vitamin K deficiency may contribute to anticonvulsant-induced osteoporosis.
Valproic acid (Depakene) and possibly other anticonvulsants may reduce the body's levels of the substance
For this reason it has been suggested that people using these drugs should take supplemental carnitine. However, there is no evidence as yet that
taking carnitine will provide any noticeable benefit; the one study that did attempt to evaluate this possibility failed to discern any meaningful effect.45
traditional Chinese herbal remedies known by the Japanese names saiko-keishi-to and sho-saiko-to have also been suggested for epilepsy, but the supporting evidence for their use remains highly preliminary.46-48
Both of these combination treatments consist of bupleurum, peony root, pinellia root, cassia bark,
ginger root, jujube fruit,
Asian ginseng root, Asian skullcap root, and
licorice root, but the proportions vary.
A double-blind study performed in Iran reportedly found that use of an extract of the seed of the
Nigella sativa plant helped control seizures in children.80
Weak evidence suggests that the amino acid
taurine might offer modest, short-term benefits in epilepsy.49-51
Results are inconsistent regarding whether the use of
fish oil can decrease seizure frequency in people with epilepsy.68,81,86
Several studies by a single research group hint that the supplement
melatonin may improve quality of life in children with epilepsy.52, 69-72
People with epilepsy have lower-than-normal levels of the mineral
manganese in their blood.53
This suggests (but doesn't prove) that manganese supplements might be helpful for epilepsy
Other supplements sometimes suggested for epilepsy (but with no meaningful supporting evidence) include
vitamin B1,
vitamin B6,
beta-carotene, and
glycine. Herbs traditionally regarded as "nervines" or nerve-relaxants are also sometimes proposed, such as the following:
However, there is no meaningful evidence that they can help, and some of these herbs present significant safety concerns.
Note: Most herbs used for epilepsy are sedatives, as are many anticonvulsant drugs. Combination treatment could lead to dangerous over-sedation. People with epilepsy should, therefore, seek medical supervision before using any herbs or supplements.
A special form of
electromagnetic therapy called rTMS has shown promise for epilepsy. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, 24 participants with epilepsy localized to a specific part of the brain and not fully responsive to drug treatment were given twice daily treatment with rTMS or sham rTMS for a week.54
The results showed a mild reduction in seizures among the participants given real rTMS. However, the benefits rapidly disappeared when treatment was stopped.
Weak evidence hints that
food allergen identification and avoidance
may be helpful for people with both
migraine headaches
Acupuncture showed promise of reducing seizure frequency in some people with epilepsy in a review of 17 randomized trials with 1,538 people. The trials compared acupuncture (alone or with medication) to placebo or sham acupuncture; or medications or no treatment. Although some had a lower frequency rate of seizures with acupuncture alone or with medications, the quality of the trials was low, reducing the reliability of results. Current evidence does not support the use of acupuncture as treatment for epilepsy.84
Yoga has also been studied as a potential treatment. A review of 2 randomized trials involving 50 people found mixed results. One trial comparing real yoga to sham yoga or no treatment found that real yoga did reduce the frequency and duration of seizures. But, another trial did not support the use of yoga. The researchers all emphasized the need for more studies.83, 85
Numerous herbs and supplements have been associated with unexpected or unexpectedly severe seizures.67
In most cases, however, the evidence linking any particular natural product to increased seizure activity remains circumstantial. Some of the more worrisome potential "pro-seizure" agents are discussed here. In addition, we discuss herbs and supplements that may interact with medications used for seizures. See also the discussion of
Ginkgo seeds contain a seizure-promoting substance called 4-methoxypyridoxine (MPN).57
Although ginkgo
seeds are seldom used today, seizures have also been reported with the use of the more normal form of the herb: ginkgo leaf extract.58,59,73
One possible explanation is that ginkgo-leaf products may have been contaminated ginkgo seeds. Another possibility has been proposed as well: ginkgo may affect the brain in ways similar to tacrine, a drug also used to improve memory and which has been associated with seizures. Finally, it has been suggested that ginkgo might impair the effectiveness of dilantin and depakote. Regardless of the explanation, people with epilepsy should probably avoid ginkgo.
Many anti-epilepsy drugs work by blocking the effects of a substance called glutamate; for this reason, high dosages of the closely-related amino acid
could conceivably overwhelm these drugs and pose a risk to people with epilepsy.
Manufacturers of the supplement
warn that it might increase seizure risk.
Tea made from the herb
is thought to be safe, but hyssop essential oil, like most
essential oils, is toxic in excessive doses. Some of the constituents of hyssop oil are thought to increase risk of seizures.74,75
For this reason, hyssop essential oil should not be used by people with epilepsy.
Japanese star-anise contains substances that can trigger seizure activity.76-78
Some evidence hints that the supplement
5-HTP could potentially exacerbate or initiate a seizure-related illness called myoclonic seizure disorder.60,61
Grapefruit juice slows the body's normal breakdown of several drugs, including the anticonvulsant
carbamazepine, allowing it to build up to potentially dangerous levels in the blood; this effect can last for 3 days or more following the last glass of juice.62
The supplement
ipriflavone might increase levels of carbamazepine and phenytoin, potentially raising the risk of side effects.63
The herb
white willow, also known as willow bark, is used to treat pain and fever. White willow contains a substance closely related to aspirin known as salicin. Aspirin is known to increase phenytoin levels and toxicity during long-term use of both drugs.64
This raises the concern that white willow might have similar effects on phenytoin, though this has not been proven.
Nicotinamide appears to increase blood levels of carbamazepine and primidone, possibly requiring a reduction in drug dosage to prevent toxic effects.65
Early reports suggested the possibility that the supplement
gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) might worsen temporal lobe epilepsy.66
However, there has been no later confirmation of this.
Prasad AN, Stafstrom CF, Holmes GL. Alternative epilepsy therapies: the ketogenic diet, immunoglobulins, and steroids.
Vining EPG, Freemen JM, Ballaban-Gil K, et al. A multicenter study of the efficacy of the ketogenic diet.
Arch Neurol.
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08. March 2017
This will be GKD's sixth time at the AFS Conference. In three different talks, development engineer Dominik Herper will be presenting the company's latest products and discoveries. With its simulation of the bubble point test and the capillary pressure constants determined in this way, GKD has developed a procedure with which the experts can precisely determine the size of the largest pore in a matter of seconds for all conventional mesh types. For the company's standard weave types, the capillary pressure constants have already been determined using the simulation. Apart from the significant savings in time and money through being able to dispense with the physical screening test, the diameter of the largest pore determined in this way is, in fact, considerably more accurate than is the case with the conventional bubble point test.
Dominik Herper will also be presenting a completely new mesh type developed by GKD: Porometric mesh. This is a very open, 3-dimensional mesh construction that, while maintaining a constant volume flow rate, reduces local pore velocity by up to 40%, with throughput increasing by a similar factor – properties which represent significant advantages for efficient oil and gas exploration. On the basis of a comprehensive experimental study and the tried and tested meshes of its YMAX® product family, GKD used computer simulation and design studies to develop a new mesh weave. Thanks to its significantly increased porosity and air permeability, Porometric mesh with a pore size of 150 µm achieves an air permeability of 4,800 l/m²/s at a pressure of 200 Pa. In spite of this high porosity of over 70 percent, the 3-dimensional mesh is extremely stable. And its open structure also offers attractive advantages in terms of weight. For customers, the 30 percent lower grammage means significant savings, as the reduction in material consumption is reflected in lower production costs. The future-orientated mesh construction has also been signed up by GKD for the annual New Product Award, announced by AFS.
Third new development that will be presented at the AFS Spring Conference is GKD's optimised dutch weave ODW8. This ODW closes the gap between GKD's ODW6 and its ODW10 mesh types. ODWs combine a high flow rate and a low tendency to clog with optimal backwashing capability. Slot-shaped pores on the mesh surface that are smaller than the pores inside the mesh ensure that particles above the specified cut point are reliably separated on the mesh surface. Because GKD achieves the small geometric pore size through its weaving process – and not through finishing stages like calendering – a consistently high degree of porosity is guaranteed. Parallel to the talks, GKD will also be exhibiting these three new developments at the small expo that accompanies the conference. The AFS Expo is a regular opportunity for lively interaction with all the many representatives of the international filtration sector.
If you do not yet have access to the GKD-Infocenter, please set up a user account. Due to our new website, it is necessary that users with an existing account register again.Register now


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Click to viewCall it the year of mindwipe chic. Coming up on TV in midseason, we've got Joss Whedon's new show Dollhouse, about "actives" whose personalities are wiped and replaced for each job they do. And in the fall we've got the debut of My Own Worst Enemy, where Christian Slater plays a nice guy who finds out he has a secret alternate personality: a turbo assassin he's been brainwashed to forget about. Plus, we'll be treated to the continuing adventures of Summer Glau, who plays a Terminator who has been reprogrammed in Sarah Connor Chronicles; and we'll still be following the adventures of the taciturn Haitian mind-wiper on Heroes. What's the allure of the mindwipe, and why has it invaded the small screen? We've got three answers for you.
One of the brilliant things about mindwipey plots, at least in a television show, is that they allow writers to transform a character without any of those messy "gradually changing over time" transitions. So there's an immediate lure for television creators who need to come up with new stuff every week, and for actors who want to step outside their usual characters.
Despite the fact that mindwipe stories mean lots of changes, there are really just three basic ways to construct them, all of which you've seen before and are about to see again (that is, if we don't force you to forget about them).
You've Been Reprogrammed
One of the most popular mindwipe plots involves some kind of deleting and reprogramming of our character's personality, whether that character is Eliza Dushku's Echo in Dollhouse or Summer Glau's Cameron in Sarah Connor Chronicles. When a character is reprogrammed, you might say she experiences a series of sequential personalities — she sheds an old identity and gains a new one. This is a quick way to turn an evil character good, and that's why the good guys in Sarah Connor have a Terminator on their side.
But it's also an easy way to symbolize the weirdness of all human identity, where we often put on different roles throughout the day and shed them as necessary. In one day, a person might be a parent, an underling at work, a nervous lover on a second date, and (in the case of a show like Dollhouse) a super-assassin and sex doll. You've seen the drama of the reprogrammed person before, of course: the movie Johnny Mnemonic was all about a guy who deletes his personality so he can have more room in his brain when he works as a data mule. And in the Matrix, people can reprogram their brains (though there's no hint that they have to delete old identities to do it).
Oddly, the one non-scifi place on TV where you can find a lot of "reprogrammed" characters is soap operas, where characters have to constantly change all the time or your daily audience gets bored. I don't mean to say that soap writers literally reprogram or brainwash their characters (thought that does happen sometimes). I just mean that the idea of sequential personalities is common on soaps, where people flip-flop between the extremes of good and bad all the time.
Missing Time
Perhaps the most often-used mindwipe plot involves people who forget chunks of their past. This is a central premise in Heroes, where the Haitian's special power is to make people forget things they've seen. It's also used to comedic effect in the movie Men in Black, where the agents all have devices that make people forget that they've seen aliens.
Often, a missing time mindwipe allows a character to reboot and become a new person, the way superspy Sydney did during the amnesia season of Alias. Or it can simply reduce our character to a terrified weirdo, desperately trying to remember what has happened to him by tattooing information all over his body like the main character does in Memento.
Missing time is also, for some reason, an incredibly popular plot twist in romantic comedies: Everything from Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind to 50 First Dates involve characters who fall in love despite (or because of) the fact that they can't remember each other clearly.
A Secret Sharer
Probably the darkest way to spin the mindwipe plot is to create a character who has two personalities, one of whom is working against the other. Usually the story is spun the way My Own Worst Enemy is, where a main character who seems fairly innocuous discovers that he has an alter-ego who secretly shares his body and is doing all kinds of dastardly and/or dangerous things. Usually the alter-ego knows all about the main character, while the main character has no memory of his darker half. This setup goes all the way back to Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, where the doctor can't remember what he does as Hyde, but Hyde knows all about the doctor and hates his guts — oh, and by the way, the two sharers in Worst Enemy are named Henry and Edward, after Henry Jekyll and Edward Hyde.
The classic "secret sharer" plot that My Own Worst Enemy is clearly referencing is Philip K. Dick's A Scanner Darkly, where a druggie realizes that the cop who has him under surveillance is actually the other half of his own personality.
This kind of "secret identity" story lends itself well to spy thrillers, which is why you see less mindwipey versions of it showing up in crappy 1990s flick True Lies (where Jamie Lee Curtis discovers her dorky husband Arnie Schwarzenegger is secretly a superspy) and inexplicable hit Mr. and Mrs. Smith, where a very domestic couple turn out to be mega-assassins at each other's throats. This is basically the drama of discovering a secret self: The plot goes all scifi when the secret self turns out to live in your own head.
Why Mindwipes Now?
Essentially, the mindwipe is a way of making a standard reality-based plot into something scifi. Soaps, romances, and spy thrillers can all be remolded into cool scifi stories if you just add a little brainwashing. Or reprogramming. Or weird drugs that give you a split personality. So it's possible the mindwipe craze is just an epiphenomenon in the more general scifi craze.
It's also likely that, as I mentioned earlier, the mindwipe is an easy way to talk about how our daily lives make us feel that our personalities have become fragmented. In a world where people switch jobs every few years, where families can be scattered across great distances, and the internet creates communities that have no geographical location at all, everyone starts to feel a little bit like they they are leading triple and quadruple lives.
And when you try to juggle multiple selves, it often leads to an uncanny sense of missing time. And who knows? Maybe you saved the world during that missing time. Or released a Big Bad from some other dimension. That's the really potent fantasy at the heart of all this. The idea that you didn't lose time to some dumb traffic jam or distracting blog, but instead were doing something more important than you ever realized.


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New: Those Booms Over Berkeley Are the Blue Angels Practicing--And The Noise Could Terrify Pets
The U.S. Navy's Blue Angels will be roaring over parts of the Bay Area starting this afternoon as San Francisco Fleet Week gets under way.
The squadron will be rehearsing between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. to prepare for air shows on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
The annual aerial displays over the San Francisco Bay can be seen from San Francisco and parts of the East Bay, the Peninsula and Marin County.
But as many Bay Area residents know, the Blue Angels are sometimes heard before they are seen -- the F/A-18 Hornets' startling rumble is often the first sign that they are nearby.
While the noise can be scary to humans, it is terrifying to many animals.
"On a weekend like this, Fleet Week, we advise people to keep animals indoors," San Francisco SPCA spokeswoman Krista Maloney said.
Maloney said the sound of the fighter jets passing overhead makes dogs and other animals run and hide, and sometimes get lost.
She advised those taking their dogs outside to keep them on a leash and equip the pets with an easy-to-track-down collar, tags, and a microchip in case they run off.
"It's not a good time to go to the dog park when the Blue Angels are out," she said.
Fleet Week officially started this morning with military personnel convening at Piers 30/32 to overview disaster preparedness, response and recovery in San Francisco. The air shows are part of a series of Fleet Week activities that includes a Parade of Ships sailing under the Golden Gate Bridge on Saturday morning and military ship tours along San Francisco's southern waterfront through Monday.