Minority youth in foster care: managed care and access to mental health treatment.
Public sector mental health treatment has been transformed in recent years by the advent of managed care, but investigators of managed care policy have not yet focused on ethnic minority children, especially those involved with the child welfare system. Because of an overrepresentation of high-need minority children, foster care in particular is important to consider. The present study examined children placed in foster care and documented differences between minority children and youth (black persons, Hispanic persons, and white persons) in use of mental health services. The primary concern of the study was to consider whether there were differences in access to services or service use among the groups in the transition to capitated managed care. Medicaid claims and encounter data for two experimental managed care sites and one comparison fee-for-service site are used in a "difference-in-difference" analysis to estimate a changes in inpatient, outpatient, and residential treatment center (RTC) utilization, controlling for patient characteristics. The study finds persistent declines in inpatient and outpatient use for all ethnic groups, persistent under-representation of Hispanic persons and black persons in treatment regardless of managed care, and greater use of RTCs by black persons and Hispanic persons that is attributable in part to managed care. Black and Hispanic children received more rather than less mental health care under capitated managed care. The significance of this shift, largely increased in use of RTCs, however, cannot be determined at present, as the effectiveness of treatment delivered in RTCs is not known.


Theanine, an antitumor promoter, induces apoptosis of tumor cells via the mitochondrial pathway.
Theanine, an active component of green tea (Camellia sinensis), is considered a modulator of chemotherapy. To further investigate the anticancer activity of theanine, the present study investigated the cytotoxic effect of theanine at the concentration of 600 µg/ml, in the human HepG2 hepatoblastoma and HeLa adenocarcinoma cell lines, in comparison with the normal L02, H9c2 and HEK293 cell lines using a MTT assay. It was found that theanine induced cell death in the tumor cells, but not in the normal cells. Notably, when glutamine was restricted or reduced in the cell culture medium, the cell death induced by theanine was significantly enhanced. A terminal deoxynucleotidyl‑transferase‑mediated dUTP nick end labeling assay indicated that DNA damage was induced in theanine‑treated HepG2 cells. Further experiments demonstrated that theanine caused HepG2 cell apoptosis through the mitochondrial pathway, with a loss of membrane potential and the release of apoptosis‑inducing factor, endonuclease G and cytochrome c. Western blot analysis and caspase activity detection also revealed that caspase‑9 and caspase‑3 were activated, whereas caspase‑8 remained inactive. These observations suggested that theanine exerted potent cytotoxicity on tumor cells when glutamine was restricted.


COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — An Ohio House committee has signed off on a bill clarifying that guns legally carried onto the grounds of a school must remain in a locked car.

Ohio law currently says that a person with a concealed-carry license can carry a gun into a school safety zone while dropping off or picking up a student. But there was confusion as to whether the person could legally exit the car with a firearm on their person.

The Columbus Dispatch (http://bit.ly/1kNxGvR ) reports that the bill was proposed to avoid the kind of scene that occurred at a school in suburban Columbus in January.

A parent called police after she saw another parent get out of a car with a gun on him. That led to the school being locked down.


It was arguably one of the biggest roster moves during the competitive League of Legends offseason – certainly one that nobody expected. Now, Joey ‘YoungBuck’ Steltenpool admits that leaving Fnatic for Excel was the right decision and the Six Star General is much happier.

YoungBuck had his most successful stint at G2 Esports, where he won four straight EU LCS titles back in 2016 and 2017 but he also went on to become a beloved figure among Fnatic fans. As Fnatic’s team director in 2018, he helped the organisation to their first Worlds final since season one and proceeded to take them to the quarter-finals at Worlds last year as head coach.

His departure from a team that made it out of the group of death at Worlds to Excel, who finished bottom of the LEC two seasons in a row, came as a shock to many. But the 28-year-old says that his mental health was more important than staying at an organisation he wasn’t happy with just for the sake of winning trophies.

Now, after just a one week in the LEC, YoungBuck admits the move to Excel has dramatically improved his happiness.

He says: “The move to Excel made me much, much happier. It was a very conscious decision at the time to go for either the option of staying at Fnatic and making it to Worlds or going to a place where I can build something and really have an influence and impact on the players and have a say within the organisation when it comes to performance.

“I’ve found that here and I feel like we have a really great group of guys, great players who are always having fun. Even when we’re down 10k gold in scrims, everyone’s laughing and joking around. We have great staff behind the scene as well, Fabian and Alex are both doing great work. I’ve nothing but positive things to say right now because everyone is part of creating this really good environment.

“The effort the guys put into practice makes me happy because that was quite lacking in some of the individuals at Fnatic. But here, everyone is try-harding. Even if we are 10k gold down we’re laughing, but the guys are trying hard. No one is giving up and everyone is constantly working on goals we set out and things we tried to implement in the gameplay. That’s very fulfilling as a coach because that makes me feel like I’m not wasting my time.”

YoungBuck will be hoping to bring Excel their first ever 2-0 weekend in the LEC as they take on Mad Lions and Misfits next week.


Adolescent Preeclampsia: Pathological Drivers and Clinical Prevention.
Preeclampsia is an important cause of maternal and perinatal morbidity, especially in first-time pregnant adolescent women. Although prevention of preeclampsia has been attempted for many decades, effective intervention can only be achieved upon the full elucidation of the risk factors and mechanisms of disease. As the pathogenesis of preeclampsia during adolescence may differ from that in older women, preventive interventions should be tailored accordingly. During adolescence, 4 putative drivers of preeclampsia can be identified. First, uterine immaturity in very young teenagers is likely a major cause of defective deep placentation and adverse reproductive outcome, underscoring the importance of educational programs and public health initiatives focused on teen pregnancy prevention. Second, the association between adolescent obesity and preeclampsia merits further studies on the benefits of weight loss and dietary interventions to improve pregnancy outcome. Third, there is a need for greater awareness of the link between cardiovascular risk factors in young women and early-onset preeclampsia associated with atherosclerosis of the uteroplacental arteries. Finally, infrequent menstruations may prolong uterine immaturity because of lack of "menstrual preconditioning." This risk factor may be amenable to pharmacological/hormonal preconditioning prior to conception.


Christian responsibility in times like these

There is a great spirit in this place. I would almost say an unusual spirit these days: an island of responsibility, solidarity and unity. I am just arriving from another morning meeting on the sovereign debt crisis. The spirit there was slightly different. I wished the European Parliament was much more inspired by you.

This is the 14th Annual European Prayer Breakfast and I am delighted to be here with you today. Welcome to the European Parliament to all those who have come from outside our House, especially those who have travelled to Brussels for this event.

I understand that there are about 300 participants at this year’s Prayer Breakfast and that you have come from all across the EU as well as from further afield in some cases.
Our prayer is something of crucial importance these days – as always. Furthermore, this is a Christian ecumenical prayer gathering and as a member of the Augsburg Congregation living in predominantly-Catholic Poland, I have always been a strong supporter of ecumenical initiatives.

Various signs of crisis – economic, social, and ecological – seem to overshadow the horizon today, they cause fear, doubt, and a sense of chaos. In moments like this, the special responsibility lies with the Christians. We – because of the nature of our faith – are people of hope. We proved that many times in history.

In two years time, 2013, we will mark the 1700 anniversary of the Edict of Milan. It brought freedom of religion in the Roman Empire and allowed Christianity for public worship. From now on, Christianity became the main driving force, shaping Europe – the richness of its spiritual diversity of many confessions and national cultures. Over the centuries, Christianity had various experiences – good and bad. The evil ones counted inquisition and the crusades, also the religious wars fought among Christians. All Christian believers are aware of that. Pope John Paul II passed his apologies for those events. But there is also an extremely rich heritage of values and beliefs, on which European civilisation is based – and today even more than merely the European civilisation.

This heritage has been questioned in the 20th century by two totalitarian ideologies: Atheistic Communism and Fascist Nazism. Starting from other premises, they cruelly tried to change the face of Europe. Its revival after these disasters was also a revival of Christianity. This is reflected in concepts such as the political unification or our continent. This resulted in a period of unprecedented growth and prosperity, unknown to earlier generations. And we must always remember that the founding fathers of the united Europe were active Christians.

It cannot be forgotten today, when we are facing a difficult series of challenges. At the same time, the question arises whether Christian heritage is still valuable, if it is not just another historical costume – respectable but useless? Let me be clear – a courageous testimony of Christians, present also in politics – tolerant and open to others – is one of the greatest strengths we have. If we give it up, we will be condemned to the erosion of the European spirit, digested by nationalism and atomisation; and also by increased feeling of spiritual emptiness – disease of a world of excessive consumption.

Bringing up the Milan Edict is also a very good starting point for discussions about the autonomy between Church and the state. I am saying clearly – ”autonomy”, not ”separation”. Throughout the centuries we have built a model in which public authorities and religious authorities each keep their autonomy in their own domain. At the same time, there is an absolute need for cooperation between public and religious authorities in many spheres – because such cooperation is important for building together a fair and just society.

In this context, it is difficult not to notice that in Europe we have recently been witnesses of aggressive secularism. This is something I would call negative tolerance. One example can be the question of the cross in the public space. An aggressive, and in reality intolerant, minority would like to lock our faith in to the small box of our privacy. Indeed, this would mean to scrap the idea of religious freedom which has been promoted in the Milan Edict.

History shows that the empty space left by the removed cross has always been conquered by totalitarian ideologies. The disappearance of the cross often resulted not in the release but the enslavement of man. I am convinced that we can not only save our faith, but through our attitude in a secularised world, we Christians can also be the salt of this earth and a light for everyone.

I am convinced that what we are experiencing today is not only a crisis of public debt – a crisis, which came from the US after the failure of Lehman Brothers – it is also a fundamental crisis of values. It is because our material development is not accompanied by a spiritual development, nor by credibility of our moral standards.

The search for our own benefits requires a search for values! When we are getting rich, there is a need of responsibility; a need to take care of welfare – a need to take of equality; finally – the idea of competitiveness requires the idea of justice. We need not only jobs, but work ethos. Finally, any activity without love the Apostle Paul called a “noisy gong or a clanging cymbal” (1 Corinthians 12).

The lack of values could be much more dangerous to Europe than the lack of capital or the lack of political power.

Dear friends, Communism was overthrown by faith. We can see it clearly in the success of Solidarność, whose background and mission were based on Christian values and on the spirit of Christian love. In 1981, at the founding congress of Solidarność I chaired, we had a prayer breakfast every morning. Why could capitalism not be saved in the same way? I am certain it could be.

Therefore, prayer and personal testimony are of so much importance. It is the best promotion of our beliefs. Our responsibilities towards Europe are a consequence of this belief.
Europe can’t be only pragmatic, rational, focused on economy. Without reference to axiology it is not possible to give an answer to the most important challenges which we are facing today. They relate to the sphere of values, not only to techniques.

Even more so, for us Christians the supranational idea is quite obvious. It is because we have always been united by the principles of our faith and our values, despite of all divisions in the world.

This is what Europe needs today: a renewal of our faith, a renewal of our common values. It is the responsibility of us, Christian politicians, to provide for this. Sensing the enormous amount of spiritual strength in this hall and beyond, I am sure we can manage.
Thank you very much!


Q:

Git post-receive hook and environment variables

I have git server running on Gitolite, under "git" system user. I added to ~/.profile of git user: export STAGE_PATH="/srv/http/stage" , as you can guess, I want to automagically put website from repo on stage when pushing changes. However it seems that variable STAGE_PATH is unavailable to me in post-receive hook. Is it normal? Is there a way to access environment variables from post-receive hook?

A:

How about adding
    . ~git/.profile
at the top of your post-receive hook script (assuming it's sh).
It's unclear exactly what you want, though.  You either want:
1) just to push to an external spot, and don't care about commonality between repos.  In which case, why do you need an environment variable from somewhere else?  Why not put the final location inside the post-receive hook script itself?
2) You want to have some external variable that controls the root of where you're going to push a lot of different repos to, and it would be better to code that location into a single variable if you ever need to change it.  If that's the case, what you're doing above makes sense.  But you don't, necessarily, need to do it in the .profile in the first place.  Clearly git is cleaning the environment for you before running your script.  So, you should instead source an external file instead that contains your parameters (though I'd argue against using .profile for this).


Q:

Seamless animation of Wave procedural texture

Following advice from this question on Stack Exchange I’m now able to seamlessly animate generated textures. I’m now using these methods to animate stripes via the Wave texture.
Something that I’ve noticed is that the stripes only will appear seamless if the scale is set 1.88889 or multiples thereof (see gif below). Is there significance to this number? What does it relate to?

A:

You wrong. Perfect number is 1,884955781 ( or Pi / 5 * value in modulo )
For answer the question, first you need to know, that exactly Wave Texture node do.
So I build in simpler nodes exact copy of Wave Texture node:

This node setup produce similar result as Wave Texture node, and you can check this:

So now we can follow the nodes, to know where 1.8888 is hidden.
We begin in modulo coordinates here, from reference question. As i see, you have 3 repeats, so I think you set 0.3333 in modulo. You didn't give any information about it, but it's looks like that I'm right.

x,y,z now is from 0 to 0.3333.
Next stop is my node setup, in first nodes texture coordinates are multiplying with the result of this two:

First, multiply 10: 0.3333*10=3.3333
Next it is our X-number, that you think is 1.8888. I call him X, so result is 3.3333*X.

Last stop - sine. You need to know, that Sine repeats in 2*Pi period. So now we can get eaquation:
3.3333*X=2*Pi

So X will be:
X=(2*Pi)/3.3333

X=1,884955781

So, you wrong. perfect number is 1,884955781


../_pyrsistent_version.py
../pyrsistent/_pclass.py
../pyrsistent/_toolz.py
../pyrsistent/typing.py
../pyrsistent/__init__.py
../pyrsistent/_pvector.py
../pyrsistent/_immutable.py
../pyrsistent/_checked_types.py
../pyrsistent/_plist.py
../pyrsistent/_pdeque.py
../pyrsistent/_pset.py
../pyrsistent/_transformations.py
../pyrsistent/_precord.py
../pyrsistent/_pmap.py
../pyrsistent/_pbag.py
../pyrsistent/_helpers.py
../pyrsistent/_field_common.py
../pyrsistent/_compat.py
../pyrsistent/py.typed
../pyrsistent/__init__.pyi
../pyrsistent/typing.pyi
../pvectorc.cpython-37m-x86_64-linux-gnu.so
requires.txt
SOURCES.txt
dependency_links.txt
PKG-INFO
top_level.txt


Q:

Cauchy sequence of quasi-conformal automorphisms --> Conclusion on corresponding sequence of maximal dilatation?

Let $G \subsetneq \mathbb{C}$ be a simply connected, bounded domain in $\mathbb{C}$. Denote by $Q(G)$ the set of all quasi-conformal automorphisms of $G$, i.e.
$$Q(G) := \left\{ f: G \rightarrow G \, | \, f \text{ is } K\text{-quasiconformal for some } K \in [1, \infty) \right\}$$
(Note that, in particular, $Q(G)$ contains the set of all conformal automorphisms of $G$). This set can be given some structure: On the one hand, if equipped with the composition of functions, denoted by $\circ$, $(Q(G), \circ)$ becomes a group. On the other hand, when introducing the supremum metric
$$d_{\sup}(f,g) := d(f,g) := \sup \limits_{z \in G} |f(z) - g(z)|$$
for $f, g \in Q(G)$ on the domain $G$, the tuple $(Q(G), d)$ becomes a metric space.
Now suppose you have a Cauchy sequence $(f_n)_{n \in \mathbb{N}} \subseteq Q(G)$ in $Q(G)$ with respect to $d$. Let $K_n := K(f_n)$ denote the maximal dilatation of $f_n$ in $G$, i.e.
$$ K_n := K(f_n) := \sup \limits_{\overline{Q} \subseteq G} \frac{M(f_n(Q))}{M(Q)} $$
where $Q$ is some quadrilateral in $G$ and $M$ denotes the conformal modulus of such a quadrilateral $Q$ (see Lehto/Virtanen, "Quasiconformal Mappings in the Plane", p. 15 ff., for example; Of course, there are also several other ways to express the maximal dilatation!).
My question is: Can one draw any conclusion on the corresponding real sequence $(K_n)_{n \in \mathbb{N}} \subseteq [1, \infty)$ and some of its properties, in particular (un)-boundedness and convergence/divergence?
Any help or hint on this topic (or also related topic!) would be highly appreciated! Thanks in advance!

A:

Not much can be inferred about the behavior of derivatives on the basis of uniform convergence. For example, let $G$ be the square $\{x+iy:|x|,|y|<1\}$ and consider maps of the form $f_n(x+iy)=h_n(x)+iy$ with $h$ increasing. Then uniform convergence of $f_n$ is equivalent to uniform convergence of $h_n$. The maximal dilatation of $f_n$ is $$K_n=\max(\sup h_n', 1/\inf h_n')$$ It's easy to construct piecewise affine $h_n$ such that $h_n(x)\to x$ uniformly but  $K_n\to\infty$. (Or $K_n$ alternates between being $n$ and $1$, so there is no limit at all.) Simply put, uniform convergence to a nice map does not prevent $f_n$ from having small wrinkles that make dilatation large.
It is true that if $K_n$ are uniformly bounded, then the limit is quasiconformal, but you probably already knew that: I'm sure Lehto & Virtanen have a proof.


Hagerty and DeLand advance to the Class 8A, District 2 final at Lake Mary.

(Stephen M. Dowell, Orlando…)

February 8, 2013

Schuyler Rimmer hammered down a rebound dunk off a fast-break miss with seven seconds to go, and B.J. Taylor added a game-sealing steal as Boone (21-6) rallied to beat Dr. Phillips (19-8) 61-58 for the Class 8A, District 4 boys basketball title Friday night at Cypress Creek.

Taylor had 19 points, three assists, three rebounds and three steals for the Braves, district champs for the first time since 2002.

Rimmer added 10 points and 11 rebounds, and Jeremy Bouton made three second-half 3-point shots as the Braves erased a 10-point deficit. Area scoring leader RaShawn Powell scored 29 points to set a DP single-season record (755) and triggered a dominant third quarter in which the Panthers erased an eight-point halftime deficit.

"Two great teams and a great battle," Boone coach Greg Shirley said. "My assistant coaches gave me some great ideas on things that made a difference in that fourth quarter."

Buddy Collings

Top seeds advance

Top-seeded Hagerty and second-seeded DeLand utilized superior team depth to carve out semifinal wins in the 8A, District 2 tournament at Lake Mary.

Hagerty (22-4) jumped out to an 11-point, first-quarter lead against Port Orange Spruce Creek (11-14) before escaping with a 50-43 victory. The Hawks crept to within six points, 48-42, with less than four minutes left before going cold.

Four players scored in double figures for Hagerty, led by Eric Castaneda and Luke Doyle with 13 points each. Henry Torres and Nick Nunkarch each added 10 points for the Huskies.

Malcolm Fletcher and Keyshawn Johnson had 10 points each for Spruce Creek.

DeLand (20-7) used a 14-0 run spanning the end of the second quarter and the start of the third quarter to blow out Lake Mary 56-40. Monolito Hamilton scored 24 points, and Jason Burnell had 12 for the Bulldogs. The final will be at 7 tonight.

Jeff Gardenour

Evans tops Oviedo

Courtney Williamson sank two free throws with less than a second left in overtime to give visiting Evans, ranked No. 13 in the Super 16, a 71-69 win over No. 14 Oviedo in the 7A-4 final. Oviedo's Matt Milon hit back-to-back 3-pointers in the final 20 seconds of OT to tie the score at 69.

R.J. June fouled Williamson to give Evans (15-8) a chance to win. Williamson played just three games this season after being academically ineligible during the regular season.

"It couldn't have happened for a better guy, for someone who has had to sit and watch us play all year, because he is ineligible and now he has his chance at the end of the year when it counts the most," Evans coach Chucky Atkins said. "For him to step up says a lot about his character."

Evans' Deion James scored as time expired in regulation to tie the score at 60, just five seconds after Oviedo's Aaron Bennett gave the Lions the lead. James finished with 21 points. June led Oviedo (19-8) with 21 points.

Nicole Saavedra

Elsewhere:

•Windermere Prep (18-9) made 16 3-pointers and shot No. 9 3A First Academy (19-7) out of the playoffs with an 88-82 3A-5 semifinal win. The Lakers made six treys in the first quarter, three by Barry Babbitt. He hit another from NBA range to close the third period and Windermere's lead grew to 69-56 a minute into the fourth. "I think our system and our style took over," said Lakers coach Ben Wilson. "We spread them out and shared the ball really well." Host Trinity Prep (17-9), the fifth seed, upset top seed Mount Dora Bible 49-46 and meets Windermere in Saturday night's final.

•Joe Chealey and Haleem Brown both hit two crucial free throws down the stretch and Apopka (23-3) won 47-43 over Wekiva (14-12) in 8A-3 for its first district title in 34 years. The Blue Darters host Thursday's region quarterfinal vs. Dr. Phillips.

•Clermont East Ridge (22-6) prevailed 62-56 over Lake Minneola (18-7) in three overtimes and Kissimee Gateway (13-11) won 76-75 in double-OT over top seed Kissimmee Osceola (13-11) in the 7A-5 semifinals. Gateway's Justin Peters came off the bench to shoot two free throws for injured starter Felix Gonzalez (28 points) and made both for the victory with two seconds to go. Austin Mills made 6-of-7 free throws in the third OT as East Ridge tied its school record for wins in a season.

•Saturday's Faith Christian (23-1) at OCP (17-7) rematch is set after both cruised to 2A-5 semifinal wins. Faith edged defending state champ OCP 54-52 last month to end a six-year winning streak by the Warriors against district foes.


Toro Rosso: "Gracias, McLaren, por equivocarte con Honda" Fórmula 1 Franz Tost lanza un dardo al equipo de Alonso

Se respira buen ambiente en Toro Rosso. Su campaña está siendo muy buena. En Hungría, en los test, hasta sacaron pecho por su alianza con Honda. Y aprovechan para tirar un dardo a McLaren. Franz Tost estaba radiante en Hungaroring y analizó la primera mitad de la temporada.

"La colaboración con Honda es fantástica. Estamos muy contentos con ellos. Honda es una empresa muy buena y muy seria. Han mejorado mucho respecto al año pasado. Nos sentamos en noviembre para ver los pasos a tomar y, en cuanto a desarrollo, todo va bien y en tiempos. Es una buena combinación con el Toro Rosso. El año que viene, con Red Bull, el objetivo es bastante simple: ganar carreras. Con Toro Rosso es difícil por nuestra estructura. Por ejemplo, Red Bull tiene el triple de empleados que nosotros. Todo está a otro nivel. Honda es una empresa muy exitosa que quiere ganar carreras. En Canadá tuvimos una mejora que nos dio tres décimas. Tendremos otra en el G.P. de las Américas. Para 2019 habrá más y estoy convencido de que la unidad de potencia será muy competitiva", señaló a MARCA para explicar su actual situación en la F1.

El austriaco reiteró que con los nipones se cumplen todos los plazos. "La colaboración es muy exitosa. La poca competitividad a veces se debe al chasis. Trajimos paquetes aerodinámicos que no funcionaron según lo esperado. Con Honda es un proyecto a largo plazo. Honda va mejorando. Trae pequeñas actualizaciones", justificó.

El dirigente centroeuropeo está encantado con la decisión de los de Woking de no seguir con el motorizador japonés. "Por suerte, McLaren se equivocó con Honda. Ya lo sabía el año pasado. Decía: 'Jesús, cómo puedes criticar así a un colaborador tan fantástico y con el dinero que ponen ahí'. Sabemos que su chasis no es el mejor. Es bueno para nosotros. Gracias, McLaren. Ya les di las gracias el año pasado y sonreían. Creo que ahora yo sonrío", atizó.

El objetivo de Red Bull en 2019 será luchar por el título" Franz Tost (jefe equipo Toro Rosso Honda)

Tost no quería hablar mucho de su teórica casa matriz, pero ve un futuro brillante para la escuadra de Milton Keynes cuando deje de llevar motor Renault. "Estoy convencido de que Red Bull tendrá mucho éxito el año que viene. El objetivo será ganar carreras y luchar por el título. Fácil".

Por cierto, si por él fuera, promovería a Pierre Gasly al conjunto austriaco. "Estoy muy impresionado con él. Ha mejorado en todos los aspectos: gestión de neumáticos, de los tiempos. Por ejemplo, en Hungría controló muy bien toda la carrera", alabó sobre el joven francés.

Tost evitó mojarse sobre si Carlos Sainz podría acabar junto a Verstappen. Fue su pupilo, pero le pasa la pelota a Marko y Horner. "Por lo que sé, Carlos está en un equipo top, Renault. Son rivales de Toro Rosso. Hay que preguntar a Red Bull. Sí, tienen una opción sobre él. Tener una opción es una cosa, ejercerla, otra. No lo olvidemos".

"La marcha de James Key es una gran pérdida para Toro Rosso" Franz Tost (jefe equipo Toro Rosso Honda)

El directivo no puso paños calientes al fichaje de James Key, su actual diseñador, por McLaren para 2019. "Lo sabemos desde la semana pasada. Por supuesto, es una gran pérdida para Toro Rosso. Es el líder del equipo. Ahora, nuestra historia continúa. Debemos hablar con él antes de que se vaya a McLaren", dijo. Cabe recordar que los equipos ya están probando cosas para el curso venidero y entonces será un enemigo más con lo que lo lógico es que le cierren el grifo a conocer cierta información. *

En su repertorio de cumplidos, Tost añadió a Haas, uno de sus grandes adversarios esta campaña. "Están haciendo un gran trabajo, siendo muy inteligentes", concluyó antes de irse de vacaciones con una sonrisa de oreja a oreja. Como todos en Toro Rosso.


Q:

"App isn't installed" for any Actions app that requires Account Linking

I'm working on an Assistant app which requires account linking, and I've gotten to the step where, if I say "talk to [my app name]" I get back a card with the text "Link [my app name] to Google". Clicking it however only gives me an (improperly formatted) toast with the text "App isn't installed".
I thought I did something wrong, so I tested other apps that require account linking. Alarm.com, Mail Buddy, they all behave the same way. How is a user supposed to "install" these apps ?

A:

That was a bug on Google side that is now fixed


UPDATED, 12:31 PM: Dalian Wanda Group confirmed today that it will invest $3.3B by 2024 in EuropaCity, a mega-project near Paris’ Charles de Gaulle airport that will boast a theme park, attractions, cultural exhibitions, retail shops, outdoor sports venues and restaurants over about 200 acres. It’s Wanda’s biggest-ever single project in Europe, which the company said will create about 14,000 jobs.“We have wanted to develop ourselves in France for a while, and particularly in Paris, as I had told the French President during his visit to China last November,” DWG president Wang Jianlin said in a statement. “EuropaCity allows us to finally reach that objective and we are pleased to collaborate with a famous French stakeholder to develop this ambitious and innovative project. For us, it is the most important project outside of China.”

PREVIOUSLY, February 25: It’s been a busy week for Dalian Wanda Group chairman Wang Jianlin as the exec continues his five-day European tour with stops in the UK, Switzerland and France. Already this week, Wang gave a lecture at Oxford where he announced the unveiling of a “major deal” to come Friday, while back at home, reports surfaced late yesterday that he is shopping a piece of Legendary Entertainment to Chinese investors ahead of a potential listing. Today comes word that Wanda may be making a substantial first investment in France via Paris’ EuropaCity development, and that it’s eyeing the acquisition of premiere cycing race, the Tour de France.

Due to open in 2024, EuropaCity is a mega-project near Charles de Gaulle aiport which is set to boast a theme park, attractions, cultural exhibitions, retail shops, outdoor sports venues and restaurants. Wanda is said to be in advanced talks about an investment in the development, according to The Wall Street Journal. It is unclear if this is the same “major deal” that Wang said would be announced tomorrow — and which led to speculation he might be eyeing a piece of Paramount. However, it would fall in line with the company’s real estate track record and mark an important step towards France where the Journal report says Wanda has shown interest in Amaury Sport Organisation. That’s the group that owns the Tour de France, although the talks are said to be early stages.

Wanda earlier this year said it was looking at five major acquisitions in 2016 with three of them outside China. The company in January set a $3.5B deal to acquire Legendary Entertainment which would fold into its Wanda Pictures once the deal closes formally. Industry watchers have suggested tomorrow’s announcement could be about a studio or exhibition circuit investment. Wanda already owns AMC Entertainment, but has been shopping for a Euro chain. On the studio side, it’s also after content and a distribution pipeline. It now looks as though the EuropaCity deal may be the one unveiled on Friday.

The real estate play would see money going toward a big amusement park inside the urban development project. Wanda has designs on diversifying its real estate holdings beyond China’s borders, especially with a volatile stock market. Its other offshore real estate interests include a major development on the banks of London’s River Thames and plans for an industrial park in India at a $10B investment. However, it is also currently at work on a major Middle Kingdom entertainment development which will include a theme park and the world’s largest film studio. In September 2013, the group broke ground on the $8.2B Qingdao Oriental Movie Metropolis complex surrounded by a who’s who of Hollywood.

Looking at a possible Amaury/Tour de France acquisition, it would be in line with other purchases Wanda made last year when it bought Swiss marketing company Infront Sports & Media and a 20% stake in Spanish football club Atlético Madrid.


373 Mass. 676 (1977)
369 N.E.2d 996
COMMONWEALTH
vs.
ISRAEL GONSALEZ CRUZ.
Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts, Middlesex.
September 13, 1977.
November 17, 1977.
Present: HENNESSEY, C.J., QUIRICO, BRAUCHER, KAPLAN, & WILKINS, JJ.
James A. O'Donovan for the defendant.
James W. Sahakian, Assistant District Attorney, for the Commonwealth.
*678 HENNESSEY, C.J.
The defendant was tried before a Superior Court jury on indictments charging murder in the first degree, arson, and attempted arson. Before trial, the defendant moved to suppress certain statements made by him at the Lowell police station and to sever the indictment for attempted arson from the other indictments charging arson and murder. After a lengthy voir dire, the judge denied both motions. At the close of the Commonwealth's case, the trial judge allowed a motion for a directed verdict on the attempted arson indictment. On the other charges, the jury returned verdicts of guilty of murder in the second degree and arson.
The defendant appeals under G.L.c. 278, §§ 33A-33G, and argues three assignments of error:[1] (1) the denial of the defendant's motion to suppress; (2) the denial of the motion to sever; and (3) the admission in evidence of unequivocal denials made by the defendant when questioned by the police. We conclude that there was no error.
We summarize the facts as found by the judge on voir dire. On February 15, 1974, shortly after 8 P.M., a fire occurred at 909 Middlesex Street, Lowell, in a first-floor apartment. An occupant of that apartment, Fernando M. Andrades, died as a result of injuries suffered in the fire. At approximately 10:30 P.M., a second fire occurred in the same building in a second-floor apartment. Shortly thereafter, still another fire of lesser dimensions occurred at 5 Queen Street in an occupied building which was roughly diagonally across the street from the scene of the first two fires.
Several witnesses placed the defendant at the scene of each of these fires. At approximately 8:40 P.M., both Patrolman Upton and Officer Waterhouse of the Lowell police department saw the defendant at the scene of the first fire. Each man spoke to the defendant briefly during the course of their investigations. Subsequently, Officer Waterhouse *679 saw the defendant standing in a crowd of people at the scene of the second fire.
Sometime after the fires at Middlesex Street, the defendant appeared at the second-floor apartment of one Michael Rivera, an occupant of the 5 Queen Street apartment building. The defendant knocked on Rivera's door, inquired about a woman, and left. Moments later, Rivera heard a noise, ran upstairs, and saw a fire in the hallway of the third floor. He then began to look into various rooms in the building. On opening a door to the basement, Rivera saw the defendant sitting in the dark at the top of the stairs. The defendant then went out the front door. Rivera followed, and saw the defendant go into an alley behind the 5 Queen Street building.
Rivera's path intercepted that of Lieutenant Burke, a fireman who earlier that evening had responded to the alarms at Middlesex Street. He saw people coming out of the Queen Street building, and was told by one of the women occupants that someone had been trying to set a fire, and that "[h]e ran into the alley." Rivera also told Burke that the defendant was in the alley, and that he, Rivera, believed that the defendant had set the fire.
When Lieutenant Burke entered the alley to investigate, the defendant announced, "Man, here I am." Burke asked the defendant if he was the one setting the fires. The defendant did not reply. He did, however, comply with Burke's request to go with him to see the fire chief. Burke accompanied the defendant to Middlesex Street, where they met Deputy Fire Chief Murphy and Officer Waterhouse. In the presence of the defendant, Burke told Murphy and Waterhouse that "[t]his is the man I found in the alley. The people in the tenement said he's starting the fires." The defendant then walked with Lieutenant Burke to Officer Upton, who called for a police cruiser.
Officers Waterhouse and Upton testified that at this time the defendant had a strong odor of alcohol on his breath. Nevertheless, the judge found that during this sequence of events and, at all times thereafter, the defendant was able to walk without assistance, that he spoke *680 coherently and intelligibly, and that he was sufficiently sober at all material times to understand what was said to him. The judge further found that at no time was the defendant handcuffed or placed under any physical constraint.
At Officer Upton's suggestion, the defendant and Upton waited in the cruiser until its driver, Sergeant McElroy, returned from investigating the scene. While in the cruiser, the defendant had a conversation in Spanish with his sister and brother-in-law. Shortly thereafter, and on McElroy's return, the defendant was taken to the police station for questioning.
When the defendant arrived at the station at 12:45 A.M. on February 16, 1974, he was advised in English and Spanish of his constitutional rights. A waiver of rights card was read to the defendant in English and Spanish, and he read and signed the two waiver cards at 1:20 A.M. A Spanish speaking officer, Officer Cortes, then told the defendant that he was a suspect in an arson case, and began to question him as to his involvement.
During the first hour of questioning, the defendant and Cortes discussed the defendant's relationship to the victim and discussed the defendant's whereabouts on the evening of the fires. Cortes became suspicious of the defendant's assertion that the victim was his brother, because the names of the parties bore no relationship to each other. Cortes asked the defendant two or three times whether he had set the fires, and, if he had not, whether he had any information to help the police discover who had. The defendant denied lighting any fires, but added at some point in the questioning, "I know, but I'm not going to tell you, I'm going to get him myself." Cortes impressed on the defendant the importance of revealing the identity of that person, and told him that the police would prosecute whoever was responsible. The defendant named one Jesus deJesus. At approximately 2:30 A.M., Cortes began writing in English a statement concerning the defendant's naming of deJesus, which statement was read to the defendant and signed by him at approximately 3 A.M.
*681 Shortly after Cortes wrote the statement, deJesus arrived at the station. He responded to questions concerning his whereabouts at the time of the fires and asked to see the person claiming that he had set the fires. At approximately 4:15 A.M., the defendant was brought into the presence of deJesus. On seeing deJesus, the defendant stated that deJesus was not the one he saw lighting the fires.
After deJesus left the station, the defendant asked for the first time whether he could go home. Cortes told the defendant he could not go home, and that he wanted the truth about the fires. Shortly thereafter, the defendant told Cortes that he had attempted to light a fire at 5 Queen Street, but denied lighting the others. About fifteen minutes later, at approximately 4:45 A.M., the defendant confessed to lighting the fires on Middlesex Street. Thereafter, the defendant signed a statement prepared and read to him by Cortes, and was placed under arrest.
1. The defendant advances three arguments to support the contention that his statements made at the police station should have been suppressed. The first argument, based on the Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution, contests the judge's conclusions that (1) the defendant's presence at the police station was voluntary; and that (2) as a result, the defendant was not legally "under arrest" until approximately 4 A.M., when he was informed by Officer Cortes that he was not free to leave. The defendant asserts that he was "in custody" from the time he was taken to the police station, and argues that this detention amounted to an arrest without probable cause.
We conclude that there was no reversible error in the denial of the motion to suppress. As will be seen below, we are unable to agree with the judge's conclusion that the entire period of questioning at the police station was voluntary, and thus noncustodial in nature. Although we now decide that the defendant was in custody after the first hour of questioning, we conclude, on two alternative grounds, that his detention at the police station comported *682 with requirements of the Fourth Amendment. First, the circumstances in this case clearly warrant the conclusion that the defendant was detained with probable cause, on facts known to the police at the time the defendant entered the police cruiser. Second, assuming arguendo that no probable cause existed precisely at that time, we find that the defendant accompanied the police officers to the station voluntarily, and then, while under no restraint or compulsion, made statements which, when combined with the circumstances surrounding his discovery in the alley, gave the police probable cause to detain him for further questioning. See Commonwealth v. Daniels, 366 Mass. 601, 610 (1975).
On the issue of the defendant's status during the four-hour questioning at the police station, we find ample evidence in the record to warrant the conclusion that the defendant complied voluntarily with initial requests to answer questions at the police station.[2] The defendant was not apprehended and forcibly taken into custody; rather, he announced his presence to Lieutenant Burke on his own accord, and then freely accompanied him to the police officers on duty. There is also sufficient evidence in the record to warrant a finding that the defendant consented to enter the police cruiser and to go to the station for questioning.[3] The record shows that throughout this sequence of events, the defendant was neither searched nor *683 placed under any physical constraint. He was mentally alert, understood the requests of the officers, and responded accordingly. "While we are aware of the still uncertain line of demarcation between legitimate investigation and unlawful detention of a suspect ..., we think that it is clear that no illegal detention arises when a person, complying with a request by the police, voluntarily goes to a police station for questioning...." Commonwealth v. Slaney, 350 Mass. 400, 406 (1966). See United States v. Brunson, 549 F.2d 348, 357 (5th Cir.1977), and cases cited therein. See also Commonwealth v. Daniels, 366 Mass. 601, 610 (1975); City & others, Search and Seizure  A Symposium, 54 Mass. L.Q. 203, 223 (1969).
Yet in determining whether the defendant's freedom of action was restrained in any way during these four hours of questioning, we must look not only to the voluntariness of his arrival at the station, but also to his ability voluntarily to leave. See Commonwealth v. Wallace, 346 Mass. 9, 16 (1963); United States v. Brunson, 549 F.2d 348, 357-358 (5th Cir.1977). On this issue, the record shows that during the first hour of questioning, the defendant was given Miranda warnings in English and Spanish,[4] and was informed that he was a suspect in an arson case. Initial questioning was clearly focused on the defendant's relationship to the victim of the first fire and on his involvement in the events of that evening. The record shows that during the first hour, the police suspected that the defendant was not answering truthfully. Also during that hour, the defendant informed the police that he knew who had set the fires, but that he would not tell them. These circumstances do not warrant the judge's conclusion that "had the defendant requested or insisted upon the right to leave [after the first hour of questioning] he would have been allowed to depart although with reluctance on the part of the police." We find the inference compelling that the defendant was not free to go at this time, and, as a *684 consequence, he was "in custody" in every significant sense of the term.
Although we disagree with the judge's conclusion that the defendant was not "in custody" until formally arrested, we find no infringement of the defendant's Fourth Amendment rights because we find that the police detained the defendant on probable cause. Our conclusion as to probable cause rests on the following circumstances. The defendant had been observed at the scene of all three fires by both firemen and police officers. When the third fire occurred, two occupants of the burning building independently informed an approaching fireman that the person responsible for setting the fire had run into the alley. From his own observation of the scene, Lieutenant Burke had ample ground for believing that a fire had in fact occurred. The crucial link between the unsolved arson and the defendant was provided by informants whose reliability was ensured by their status as victims of the offense. Nelson v. Moore, 470 F.2d 1192, 1197 (1st Cir.1972). See United States v. Anderson, 533 F.2d 1210, 1213 (D.C. Cir.1976); Pendergrast v. United States, 416 F.2d 776, 785 (D.C. Cir.1969). Their identical stories were then independently corroborated by Lieutenant Burke, who found the defendant in the alley, where the defendant volunteered, "Man, here I am."[5]
Applying the rule that, when engaged in a cooperative effort, the knowledge of one officer is the knowledge of all, *685 Commonwealth v. Riggins, 366 Mass. 81, 88 (1974); Commonwealth v. Lanoue, 356 Mass. 337, 340 (1969); Commonwealth v. McDermott, 347 Mass. 246, 249 (1964), we find that the facts known to the police at this time constituted more than a "bare suspicion" that the defendant was involved in setting the fires. Brinegar v. United States, 338 U.S. 160, 175 (1949). These facts and circumstances amply warranted the police in concluding that it was "more probable than not" that the defendant had committed the offense. Commonwealth v. Haas, ante, 545, 567-568. (1977) (Hennessey, C.J., dissenting in part). Cf. Commonwealth v. Snow, 363 Mass. 778, 788 (1973); Brinegar v. United States, 338 U.S. 160, 175-176 (1949).
Even if these facts were not in and of themselves sufficient to warrant a prudent person, applying a more probable than not standard, in believing that the defendant had committed the offense, we find that initial statements made by the defendant at the police station supplied additional facts which, when added to the above, clearly warranted further detention. During the first hour of questioning, a time when the defendant can clearly be found to have been present voluntarily (see discussion supra), the defendant offered implausible explanations of his relationship to the victim of the first fire, told the police that he knew who had set the fire, and then refused to identify the person responsible. Such evasive replies, coupled with the unusual circumstances of his discovery in the alley, clearly provided the police with probable cause to detain the defendant further. See Commonwealth v. Riggins, 366 Mass. 81, 88 (1974); Commonwealth v. Chaisson, 358 Mass. 587, 590 (1971).
The defendant next argues that incriminating statements made by him at the police station should have been suppressed on Fifth Amendment grounds. The defendant, rightfully, does not challenge the judge's finding that complete Miranda warnings were carefully given and fully understood by him at the outset of the questioning.[6] Nor *686 does he argue that the statements given before his confession were involuntarily made.[7] Rather, according to the defendant, the judge erred when he found that at the time the defendant was informed he was not free to leave, "it was not legally necessary... nor [sic] required for the police to repeat ... the Miranda warnings which had already been given fully both in English and Spanish to the defendant and fully comprehended by him." Relying heavily on Commonwealth v. Murray, 359 Mass. 541 (1971), the defendant argues that the earlier Miranda warnings were not sufficient to keep him apprised of his rights during the interrogation, particularly after 4:30 A.M., when the judge found that the defendant was "in custody." Additionally, the defendant asserts that if his status did change from noncustodial to custodial at approximately 4:30 A.M., he was not aware of that fact. According to the defendant, the police's failure to disclose this significant fact negated his previously valid waiver.
We reject the defendant's Fifth Amendment claims. First, it is clear from the record that the defendant was *687 fully aware of his status as a suspect at the police station. The defendant was in the presence of police officers when they were initially informed by Lieutenant Burke that the defendant may have been involved in the fires. After Miranda warnings were read to the defendant, he was explicitly informed by Officer Cortes that he was a suspect. When the defendant asked Officer Cortes, at approximately 4:30 A.M., whether he could return home, he was explicitly told that he was not free to leave the station. Thus, although urged to do so by the defendant, we do not reach the questions confronting the court in Commonwealth v. McKenna, 355 Mass. 313, 324 (1969), where the police failed to inform the defendant that his attorney had called, and then, notwithstanding the attorney's request to be present, allowed the defendant to make inculpatory statements. Here, no such significant facts remained undisclosed.
Second, the Miranda warnings given to the defendant at the outset of police questioning were both adequate and timely. We recognize that "Miranda warnings, once given, are not to be accorded unlimited efficacy or perpetuity." United States v. Hopkins, 433 F.2d 1041, 1045 (5th Cir.1970). Generally, when there has been a significant lapse of time between initial Miranda warnings and inculpatory statements, "the ultimate question is: Did the defendant, with a full knowledge of his legal rights, knowingly and intentionally relinquish them?" Miller v. United States, 396 F.2d 492, 496 (8th Cir.1968). United States v. Standing Soldier, 538 F.2d 196, 201 n. 5 (8th Cir.1976). Evans v. Swenson, 455 F.2d 291, 297 (8th Cir.1972). Cf. Commonwealth v. Valliere, 366 Mass. 479, 487 (1974); Roy v. Hall, 521 F.2d 120, 123-124 (1st Cir.1975).
Here, we find no significant lapse of time between the warnings and the interrogation, and the questioning was not conducted at separate interviews.[8] See Commonwealth *688 v. Valliere, supra at 487 (initial Miranda warnings found sufficient to support a waiver of approximately four hours). Cf. Evans v. Swenson, supra at 297 (Miranda warnings given before the defendant was taken to the police station found sufficient to support a waiver of rights at the police station). Further, there is ample evidence in the record to warrant the inference that the defendant fully understood his legal rights, and knowingly and intelligently waived them.[9] Thus, the defendant's Fifth Amendment rights were adequately protected.
The defendant finally asserts that, because his confession was a product of the all-night interrogation at the police station, its use at trial deprived him of his right to due process of law under the Fourteenth Amendment. The determination whether a confession has been coerced, and thereby extracted in violation of Fourteenth Amendment rights, involves essentially the same inquiry into "voluntariness" required under the Miranda rule.[10] The question is "whether the will of the defendant had been overborne so that the statement was not his free and voluntary act, and that question [is] to be resolved in light of the totality of the circumstances." Procunier v. Atchley, 400 U.S. 446, 453 (1971). Commonwealth v. Mahnke, 368 Mass. 662, 679 (1975). Further, while we do not disturb the judge's findings of fact where warranted by the evidence, "[i]t is our duty in ... cases dealing with the question whether a confession was involuntarily given, to examine the entire record and make an independent determination of the ultimate issue of voluntariness." Davis v. North Carolina, 384 U.S. 737, 741-742 (1966). See Commonwealth *689 v. Mahnke, supra at 723-725, 726 (Hennessey, J., dissenting). See also note 2, supra.
We conclude that there was no error in the judge's finding that the defendant's confession was voluntary. While the fact that the defendant was questioned from approximately 12:30 to 4:30 A.M. is certainly relevant in determining the ultimate voluntariness of his confession (see Commonwealth v. Makarewicz, 333 Mass. 575, 587 [1956]), we are satisfied that the judge's finding of voluntariness is warranted "from the totality of the circumstances." The defendant came to the station voluntarily, and, while there, was not physically restrained in any way. See generally Watts v. Indiana, 338 U.S. 49, 53 (1949); Chambers v. Florida, 309 U.S. 227, 230 (1940); Brown v. Mississippi, 297 U.S. 278, 286 (1936). He was fully advised of his rights to remain silent, to make a telephone call, and to have an attorney present. See generally Davis v. North Carolina, 384 U.S. 737, 739-741 (1966); Haynes v. Washington, 373 U.S. 503, 510-511 (1963); Spano v. New York, 360 U.S. 315, 322-323 (1959); Haley v. Ohio, 332 U.S. 596, 598 (1948). He was not held "incommunicado."[11] See generally Fikes v. Alabama, 352 U.S. 191, 197 (1957); Ashcraft v. Tennessee, 322 U.S. 143, 154 (1944); Chambers v. Florida, 309 U.S. 227, 230 (1940). His statements were not procured by the police through trickery or deceit. See generally Spano v. New York, supra at 323.
There is ample evidence to warrant the judge's finding that at all times the defendant was mentally alert and understood what was said to him. Further, the evidence supports the judge's conclusion that "at no time did the defendant ... ask to leave the station, ask to lie down, lie down, fall asleep, become ill or nauseated, complain in any manner of mistreatment, exhibit any manifestations of the D.T.'s, or hallucinations, or ask for food or drink." The totality of the circumstances do not show that the confession was coerced.
*690 2. There was no error in the judge's denial of the defendant's motion to sever. As a general rule, "the decision whether to allow a motion to sever two or more indictments which have been joined for purposes of trial rests in the sound discretion of the trial judge." Commonwealth v. Jervis, 368 Mass. 638, 645 (1975). See Commonwealth v. Beneficial Fin. Co., 360 Mass. 188, 223 (1971), cert. denied sub nom. Farrell v. Massachusetts, 407 U.S. 910, and sub nom. Beneficial Fin. Co. v. Massachusetts, 407 U.S. 914 (1972); Commonwealth v. Fancy, 349 Mass. 196, 204 (1965); Commonwealth v. Iannello, 344 Mass. 723, 727 (1962). The legal standards which must guide the exercise of this discretion have been articulated by this court as follows: "No sound reason can be given why several indictments charging different crimes arising out of a single chain of circumstances should not be tried together. Where several offenses might have been joined in one indictment, and would be proved by substantially the same evidence, or evidence connected with a single line of conduct, and grow out of what is essentially one transaction, and where it does not appear that any real right of the defendant has been jeopardized, it would be a refinement not demanded by the law or by justice to require in all instances a separate trial, simply because separate indictments have been found for each offense." Commonwealth v. Blow, 362 Mass. 196, 200 (1972), quoting from Commonwealth v. Rosenthal, 211 Mass. 50, 54 (1912). See Commonwealth v. Maloney, 348 Mass. 610, 613 (1965); Commonwealth v. Slavski, 245 Mass. 405, 411-412 (1923). The question in each case is simply whether "the separate offences would be proved by `evidence connected with a single line of conduct, and grow out of what is essentially one transaction.'" Commonwealth v. Maloney, supra at 614.
Here, the separate acts with which the defendant is charged were closely related in time and space and were of the same general nature. Contrast Commonwealth v. Blow, 362 Mass. 196 (1972). As such, the judge could properly have concluded that the separate offenses of attempted arson and arson/murder grew essentially out of the same line of conduct. Further, the circumstantial evidence *691 of the defendant's whereabouts on the evening of the fires, the circumstances of his discovery by Lieutenant Burke, and the defendant's own statement concerning his activities on the evening in question implicate the defendant in both the Middlesex Street and Queen Street fires. Thus, the judge could properly have found that the separate offenses with which the defendant was charged were "supported by similar evidence." Commonwealth v. Blow, supra at 200. Last, it is clear that even if the indictments had not been tried together, evidence of the defendant's connection with the other related incidents would undoubtedly have been relevant and admissible at the trial of any one of the indictments. Since the several fires were so closely related in time and location, any reasonably complete presentation of the events of that evening and the defendant's conduct, with respect to any one of the fires, would have involved a recitation of the facts as to the other fires.
3. There was no error in the judge's admission in evidence of unequivocal denials made by the defendant in response to questioning by the police. Past cases reveal two basic reasons why accusatory questions followed by unequivocal denials are to be excluded from evidence. The first reason rests on the hearsay rule. See Commonwealth v. Pleasant, 366 Mass. 100, 103 (1974); Commonwealth v. Locke, 335 Mass. 106, 115 (1956); Commonwealth v. Hosey, 5 Mass. App. Ct. 138, 141 (1977). Accusatory statements and unequivocal denials, when offered as evidence against the defendant for the purposes of proving the Commonwealth's case-in-chief, are simply out-of-court statements offered to prove the truth of the matter asserted.[12] As such, they plainly are hearsay statements which must be excluded. See Commonwealth v. Twombly, 319 Mass. 464, 465 (1946). See also McCormick, Evidence § 270 at 652 (2d ed. 1972).
*692 The defendant correctly points out in his brief that his unequivocal denials were admitted not for hearsay purposes, but "for the purpose of showing the defendant's state of mind concerning the voluntariness of his confession." The defendant further accurately notes that the judge gave "[c]areful instructions that the statements were admitted to show state of mind only...." Clearly, in these circumstances, the hearsay exclusion does not apply. Cf. Commonwealth v. Sherman, 234 Mass. 7, 10-11 (1919).
A second subsidiary reason given for the exclusion of accusatory statements followed by unequivocal denials is that the relevance of this type of dialogue may be far outweighed by potential prejudice to the defendant. Cf. Commonwealth v. Pleasant, 366 Mass. 100, 103 (1974); Commonwealth v. Locke, 335 Mass. 106, 115 (1956); Commonwealth v. Robinson, 165 Mass. 426, 428 (1896). Whether such evidence is so prejudicial in nature as to outweigh its probative value and preclude its admission "is a question to be determined by the trial judge in the exercise of his sound discretion." Commonwealth v. D'Agostino, 344 Mass. 276, 279 (1962).
We find no abuse of discretion here. First, it is difficult in this case to draw any inference of guilt from the police's initial questioning and the defendant's unequivocal denials. Cf. 4 J. Wigmore, Evidence § 1144 (Chadbourn rev. 1972). Second, questions asked the defendant by the police were highly relevant to the issue of voluntariness  to the question whether the defendant was interrogated in circumstances tending to overbear his will. Careful limiting instructions given by the judge were sufficient in this case to clarify the purpose for which the evidence could properly be used.
4. We have reviewed the entire record in light of our duties under G.L.c. 278, § 33E, and we conclude that justice does not require or recommend that we modify the verdict of murder in the second degree, or grant a new trial on that indictment, pursuant to our powers under that statute.
Judgments affirmed.
NOTES
[1]  The defendant originally made nine assignments of error, but specifically waived six in his brief on appeal.
[2]  In reviewing the record on this issue "[w]e accept, as we must, the trial judge's resolution of conflicting testimony ..., and will not disturb his subsidiary findings if they are warranted by the evidence.... However, ultimate findings and conclusions of law, particularly those of constitutional dimensions, are open for our independent review in this appeal" (citations omitted). Commonwealth v. Mahnke, 368 Mass. 662, 666-667 (1975), cert. denied, 425 U.S. 959 (1976). See Commonwealth v. Murphy, 362 Mass. 542, 551 (1972) (Hennessey, J., concurring); Commonwealth v. Cook, 351 Mass. 231, 235, cert. denied, 385 U.S. 981 (1966); Commonwealth v. Kleciak, 350 Mass. 679, 685-689 (1966).
[3]  Consent may properly be found from the "totality of all the circumstances," even where the defendant has not been informed specifically that his consent may be withheld. Schneckloth v. Bustamonte, 412 U.S. 218, 227 (1973).
[4]  The sufficiency of these warnings and the question whether the defendant waived his rights voluntarily will be discussed infra.
[5]  Further corroboration by Lieutenant Burke lends an additional element of reliability to the informants' "tip." In Commonwealth v. Stevens, 362 Mass. 24, 26-27 (1972), this court recognized that, generally speaking, credibility is established by meeting the two-pronged test of Aguilar v. Texas, 378 U.S. 108, 112-116 (1964): (1) that there are underlying facts and circumstances indicating the informant's reliability; and (2) that there are underlying facts and circumstances on which the informant bases his information that the defendant is engaged in criminal activity. However, we also found that an arrest may be upheld where the informant's tip fails to meet this two-pronged test, "provided that the tip is sufficiently corroborated by other sources." For example, "observation by police officers of suspicious acts of the defendant may constitute sufficient corroboration of the tip." Commonwealth v. Stevens, supra at 27.
[6]  The record shows that at approximately 12:45 A.M., before any questions were asked of the defendant, Inspector Myers identified himself to the defendant and advised him in English of his Miranda rights. The defendant said that he understood his rights. At approximately 1:10 A.M., Officer Cortes again gave the defendant Miranda warnings, this time in Spanish. After Cortes recited the warnings, he gave the defendant a card on which the Miranda warnings were printed in Spanish. The defendant read the card and told Officer Cortes that he understood his rights. Officer Myers then read to the defendant a waiver of rights form. The defendant read and signed duplicate waiver of rights forms without difficulty. The judge found "from personal observation during the hearing on the motions to suppress that despite his testimony tending somewhat to the contrary the defendant is in fact able to understand spoken English with considerable facility, and that he is able to read English at least to the extent that he can understand the substance of what he sees."
[7]  The judge found that the defendant "understood his right to remain silent, to have an attorney present if he wished one.... [W]hile ... [the defendant] had consumed intoxicating liquors earlier that day and in the evening, he was not then drunk or otherwise so intoxicated ... as to be unable to understand his situation or to make intelligent decisions.... [I]n the totality of the circumstances ... he made a conscious, voluntary, intelligent decision to remain at the station house and to answer questions, ... and that he voluntarily, intelligently and knowingly made statements to the police ..."
[8]  Contrary to the defendant's claims, this case is distinguishable from Commonwealth v. Murray, 359 Mass. 541, 545 (1971), where there was a two-day interval between initial warnings and the interview at which the inculpatory statements were made.
[9]  See notes 6 and 7, supra.
[10]  Indeed, after Miranda v. Arizona, 384 U.S. 436 (1966), the Fourteenth Amendment voluntariness standard has generally been applied only where the Fifth Amendment Miranda standard is clearly inapplicable. Commonwealth v. Mahnke, 368 Mass. 662, 679 (1975) (confession made to private individuals rather than to law enforcement officers). Delle Chiaie v. Commonwealth, 367 Mass. 527, 532-533 (1975) (confession made to police prior to the time that the Miranda ruling took effect). See Procunier v. Atchley, 400 U.S. 446, 453 (1971); Davis v. North Carolina, 384 U.S. 737, 740 (1966).
[11]  Before the defendant was driven to the station, he had a conversation with his sister and brother-in-law. They were aware that he was being questioned by the police.
[12]  These statements by their very nature are not "admissions," which are allowable in evidence on the theory that admissions are not hearsay. See Commonwealth v. Trefethen, 157 Mass. 180, 197 (1892).


/*=========================================================================
*
*  Copyright NumFOCUS
*
*  Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
*  you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
*  You may obtain a copy of the License at
*
*         http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0.txt
*
*  Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
*  distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
*  WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
*  See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
*  limitations under the License.
*
*=========================================================================*/
#include "sitkTranslationTransform.h"
#include "sitkTransformHelper.hxx"

#include "itkTranslationTransform.h"

namespace itk
{
namespace simple
{

TranslationTransform::~TranslationTransform()
{
}

TranslationTransform::TranslationTransform(unsigned int dimensions,
                                           const std::vector<double> &offset)
  : Transform(dimensions, sitkTranslation)

{
  Self::InternalInitialization(Self::GetITKBase());

  this->SetOffset(offset);
}

TranslationTransform::TranslationTransform( const TranslationTransform &arg )
  : Transform(arg)
{
  Self::InternalInitialization(Self::GetITKBase());
}

TranslationTransform::TranslationTransform( const Transform &arg )
  : Transform(arg)
{
  Self::InternalInitialization(Self::GetITKBase());
}

TranslationTransform &TranslationTransform::operator=( const TranslationTransform &arg )
{
  Superclass::operator=(arg);
  return *this;
}

/** fixed parameter */
TranslationTransform::Self &TranslationTransform::SetOffset(const std::vector<double> &params)
{
  this->MakeUnique();
  this->m_pfSetOffset(params);
  return *this;
}

std::vector<double> TranslationTransform::GetOffset( ) const
{
  return this->m_pfGetOffset();
}
void TranslationTransform::SetPimpleTransform( PimpleTransformBase *pimpleTransform )
{
  Superclass::SetPimpleTransform(pimpleTransform);
  Self::InternalInitialization(this->GetITKBase());
}

void TranslationTransform::InternalInitialization(itk::TransformBase *transform)
{

  MyVisitor visitor;
  visitor.transform = transform;
  visitor.that = this;

  typedef typelist::MakeTypeList<itk::TranslationTransform<double, 3>,
                                 itk::TranslationTransform<double, 2> >::Type TransformTypeList;

  typelist::Visit<TransformTypeList> callInternalInitialization;

  // explicitly remove all function pointer with reference to prior transform
  this->m_pfSetOffset = nullptr;
  this->m_pfGetOffset = nullptr;

  callInternalInitialization(visitor);

  if ( this->m_pfSetOffset == nullptr )
    {
    sitkExceptionMacro("Transform is not of type " << this->GetName() << "!" );
    }
}

template<class TransformType>
void TranslationTransform::InternalInitialization(TransformType *t)
{
  SITK_TRANSFORM_SET_MPF(Offset, typename TransformType::OutputVectorType, double);

}

}
}


The present invention relates to the preparation of a composition of titanium dioxide in an aqueous slurry suitable for production of coated boards, e.g., paperboards having high gloss characteristics and surface smoothness.
Titanium dioxide slurries suitable for use in paper and paperboard manufacture are relatively well known. For example, Hall et al. disclose in U.S. Pat. No. 3,702,773, a stabilized titanium dioxide slurry of 60 to 82% by weight of TiO.sub.2 for use in paper manufacturing. DeColibus discloses in U.S. Pat. No. 4,177,081 titanium dioxide slurries imparting high gloss to water-based acrylic paint systems, and Glaeser discloses in U.S. Pat. No. 4,214,913 a process for producing rutile TiO.sub.2 slurries which may be used in board coating.
In order to produce coatings with sufficient gloss and smoothness, certain finishing steps are required to be performed on the slurries. Consequently, such steps as filtration, washing, drying, micronization and reslurrying are often performed. Other advantages such as improved tinctorial strength are achieved by a reduction in particle size. As a result, various techniques are known for reduction of the particle size of such slurries, e.g., mechanical grinding (Whatley et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,342,424), steam milling micronization (Baloga, U.S. Pat. No. 4,427,451), high shear milling (Gladu, U.S. Pat. No. 4,288,254, Hall et al., above, Slepetys, U.S. Pat. No. 3,549,091, Jester et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,380,665, micronizing process) and ball milling (Jacobs et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,313,492).
It is desirable, however, to have a production process that yields the improved coating smoothness of conventional finishing steps.


Pro-Am Dopeness >>> Andrew Lewis Earns Formula D License

Andrew Lewis finished the 2013 Midwest Drift Union season in third place, securing a Formula D license to compete in the series next year. Much as we did with Geoff Stoneback and Mike Skudlarek, we’re taking a look back on the road that got Lewis to this point. More after the jump!

Lewis started off with a fourth place finish at round one.

“I tried to qualify pretty high,” Lewis said. “That was my goal. On my first qualifying run, I messed up and went down too low and just lost a bunch of speed, and the second one I did, I was thinking I’ve at least got to put together something, so I wasn’t expecting to be up there real high.”

Lewis also said he preferred the road course from last year instead, and that the tight turn coming off the oval embankment had to be precisely timed.

“I put it in the grass a couple times coming off the embankment, but it was so tight right there, you had like what we were saying was a 3-5 mph play; if you were 2 mph faster than you should be, you’d shoot right past it, and if you were a little slow, you were dropping it and throwing your wheels at the corner of the dirt…it would pull your car and hop it so bad,” Lewis said. “It actually messed with my alignment and I had to fix it like twice. It made my camber adjustment slide all the way to the inside. And I curb rashed one of my front wheels on it.” usa online casino bonus

This put him up against Geoff Stoneback in top eight, where he was taken out. Despite the loss, Lewis finished the event in sixth and stood third in the points going into Detroit.

But it was in Motor City where problems arose for Lewis. Despite the mechanical setbacks, he managed a very high qualifying position.

“I went in to practice and the car broke,” Lewis said. “My power steering blew apart and I had to fix it before qualifications, and I ended up doing that with no power steering. I hadn’t even driven a car without power steering before, but I ended up qualifying third.”

Having overcome the issues, Lewis defeated Alex Ledbetter in the first round of top 16.

He found himself against Michael Tung in top eight. Tung’s Corolla was definitely at a power disadvantage, but that didn’t mean it was any less entertaining to watch.

“That was an awesome battle,” Lewis said. “We got back to the pits and just high-fived.”

But the problems came back for his round against Stoneback.

“I broke an axle on the lead run,” he said. “That’s when I got the five minute rule. We had it almost fixed. A buddy of mined timed us and we did it in twelve minutes, but Stoneback didn’t want to give me extra time I guess so he could get a by-run.”

That setback placed Lewis against Josh Collins for the battle of third and fourth, and he finished the latter, still sitting securely third in points.

“They didn’t even give me five minutes for that, so I ended up getting fourth place because my car wasn’t fixed quick enough,” Lewis said. “I ended up going out there and did third gear circles until I couldn’t see anything. I’ll get ‘em next time I guess. My car was perfect for the course gearing wise. I mean, I could just jump into third gear and stand in the throttle through the sweeper. I didn’t hit the rev limiter or anything, it was just great.”

Come Street Life Tour, Lewis once again finished sixth.

“The embankment is still something I’ve got to work on,” Lewis said. “It’s hard, but towards the end of the day I was getting it. At the end of the day, I decided to look cool and ride the wall and hit it twice and almost put me out for the day and ruined my car pretty much.”

Though he said there were no major breakages, Lewis had indicated he might be developing some issues.

“I think I’m starting to have transmission problems, and that kind of put me in the hole with Skudlarek,” Lewis said of his top 16 match. “When I followed him, he out drove me. Hands down, he destroyed me, which was awesome. When I led, I missed a gear, but it’s cool. I think the transmission is starting to lock up.”

Even though he earned his license, Lewis gave no indication that he’d be utilizing it at the pro level for 2014.

“Plans for next year are a bigger motor, better tranny and unbreakable parts,” he said. “Turbo V8 is the plan. I’ll probably run MDU. If I do a different chassis, to where I can go back and forth maybe, I may try to run DMCC and a couple MDUs or something.”

Lewis said he was satisfied with how the season played out.

“This season’s been awesome,” he said. “Everybody’s stepped up their game. Guys that I didn’t think had it, had it. Everybody from St. Louis got into it, because last year it was just me and Tyson (Schmidt).

We still have one more season recap to present, so stay tuned for Brian Peter’s in the near future!


1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the design and use of medical devices, and more particularly to the design and use of an implantable port having a simplified design that establishes temporary access to a body lumen in the patient.
Access to a patient's vascular system can be established by a variety of temporary and permanently implanted devices. Most simply, temporary access can be provided by the direct percutaneous introduction of a needle through the patient's skin and into a blood vessel. While such a direct approach is relatively simple and suitable for some applications, they are not suitable for hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis, and hemofiltration. Such a direct approach is also inconvenient for other procedures, such as insulin or drug delivery procedures, which are repeated frequently over the lifetime of the patient.
A variety of implantable ports have been proposed over the years to provide long-term vascular access for hemodialysis, hemofiltration, and other medical treatments. Typically, the port includes a chamber having an access region, such as a septum, where the chamber is attached to an implanted cannula which in turn is secured to a blood vessel. In the case of veins, the cannula is typically indwelling, and in the case of arteries, the cannula may be attached by conventional surgical technique. Percutaneous access to a port through a septum is generally limited to small diameter, non-coring needles. Large diameter needles will core the septum, i.e. form permanent channels therethrough, which will destroy the septum after repeated uses. Unfortunately, even the use of small diameter, non-coring needles will eventually cause a septum to fail due to repeated septum penetrations.
Implantable ports having an access aperture and internal valve mechanism for isolating the implanted cannula have also been proposed. One type of implantable valved port is described in a series of issued of U.S. patents which name William Ensminger as inventor. The Ensminger access ports have internal lumens for receiving a percutaneously introduced needle and an internal valve structure for isolating the port from an associated implanted cannula. Generally, the Ensminger ports have a needle-receiving aperture which is oriented at an inclined angle relative to the patient's skin. The Ensminger ports employ relatively entry ports having large funnel-like tapers and troughs so that needles can be introduced through many different sites in accordance with conventional procedures. The Ensminger patents do not describe port access using large diameter, coring needles, such as fistula needles. Moreover, as many of the specific Ensminger designs employ elastomeric valve elements, it is likely that the valve mechanisms would be damaged if the ports were accessed by a fistula needle or other large bore coring needle. Representative Ensminger patents are listed in the Description of the Background Art below.
Although promising, these known valve-type implantable ports are not without limitations. For one thing, these known ports are expensive and that limits their applicability to a broader range of medical treatments. Such implantable ports typically have an interior structure having many moving parts and elements as evidenced by the devices of the Ensminger patents. The complicated interior of these known ports increases the cost per part of each implantable port. Although not true in all circumstances, the additional parts may also increase the probability that one of these parts may fail. The plurality of parts also increases the level of skill required to assemble each implantable port. Additionally, some of these known implantable ports still have valves which contact the needle and will wear out due to needle damage incurred during repeated use. Furthermore, to the extent that implantable ports have been used, it has generally been recommended that the access site be moved relative to the port in order to change the location of the tissue tract between successive access procedures.
For these reasons, it would be desirable to provide improved methods and apparatus for percutaneously accessing a patient's vasculature. The improved methods and apparatus should reduce patient trauma, reduce cost, simplify apparatus design, provide for reliable access to the vasculature, minimize the risk of infection to the patient, and preferably require only minor modifications to present procedures. At least some of these objectives will be met by the invention described hereinafter.
2. Description of the Background Art
U.S. Pat. No. 5,562,617 and WO 95/19200, assigned to the assignee of the present application, describe implantable vascular access systems comprising an access port having an internal slit or duck bill valve for preventing back flow into the port. Vascular access ports having various articulating valves for isolating the port from the vascular system in the absence of external percutaneous connection to the port are described in the following U.S. patents which name William Ensminger as an inventor: U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,527,278; 5,527,277; 5,520,643; 5,503,630; 5,476,451; 5,417,656; 5,350,360; 5,281,199; 5,263,930; 5,226,879; 5,180,365; 5,057,084; and 5,053,013. Other patents and published applications which show implantable ports having valve structures opened by insertion of a needle include U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,741,228; 5,702,363; 4,569,675; 4,534,759; 4,181,132; WO 97/47338; and WO 96/31246. Devices for hemodialysis or devices having one piece valves are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,892,518; 5,098,405; and 5,125,897. Implantable ports and subcutaneous catheters for connecting the ports for hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis, and other procedures which may be useful in the present invention are described in co-pending application Ser. Nos. 08/539,105; 08/724,948; 09/009,758; 08/942,990; 08/857,386; 08/896,791; 08/856,641; and 09/003,772, the full disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.


How do I connect my WIX website to my domain name?

The advantage of keeping your hosting account and changing only your DNS records is keeping your email account here active. In other words, if you change your name servers as WIX suggests your email account you are using here will not be found. Below is how you can edit your DNS only and retain your active email accounts...

Assuming you have hosting here:

Login to cPanel and select Zone Editor

Beside Filter select A record so you only view A records

Look for the existing A record for your domain written like this; yourdomain.com.

Select Edit and paste in this WIX IP address 23.236.62.147

Save record

Ok, now in the same way, filter the record showing again using CNAME this time. You should only be viewing CNAME records

Beside Filter select CNAME record so you only view CNAME records

Look for the existing CNAME record for your domain written like this; www.yourdomain.com.

Select Edit and paste in this WIX address: www183.wixdns.net

Save record

You should now be able to view your new WIX site in a browser. Be sure to delete your browser cache, update your desktop DNS on Windows using commend prompt: enter ipconfig and /flushdns command to delete your Windows desktop cached DNS.


Q:

Autocomplete (JqueryUI) returning blank

I'm doing assignment, and essentially what I would like to do it have an autocomplete on the input box so the user can select a 'Starter' and 'Main' from a JSON file. When inputting characters, a dropdown list is displayed, but it is not populated with values.
The JSON file (spanish.php) is:
([{"course":"starter","name":"Chorizo Sausage Rolls","price":"5.99"},{"course":"starter","name":"Sardines in Lemon Sauce","price":"6.99"},{"course":"starter","name":"Spanish Tortilla","price":"5.99"},{"course":"starter","name":"Escabeche","price":"4.99"},{"course":"main","name":"Seafood Paella","price":"13.99"},{"course":"main","name":"Albondigas Soup","price":"9.99"},{"course":"main","name":"Linguine with Mussels","price":"13.99"},{"course":"main","name":"Spanish Rice with Shrimp","price":"11.99"},{"course":"main","name":"Roasted Red Pepper Salad","price":"8.99"},{"course":"main","name":"Chorizo Fritatta","price":"10.99"},{"course":"main","name":"Lamb Meatballs","price":"12.99"}]);

Here is my code:

And the HTML:
Choose starter
                <input type="text" name="starter" id="starter">

                Choose main
                <input type="text" name="main" id="main">

As I said, the list is returning nothing when 2+ digits are entered. Do I need to ask for it just starters? Am I goin about this correctly? I will be asking the user to choose a starter and main, then submitting the form.
Thanks.

A:

I'm giving here a solution for auto-completing the starter menu. Hope that you can do the same for main menu searching. Or comment in this answer, if you're facing any problem implementing this.
<!doctype html>

    Choose starter
    <input type="text" name="starter" id="starter">


Q:

Центрирование фона в CSS

Мне необходимо задать фон body так, чтобы центр фоновой картинки совпадал с центром экрана, при этом не сжимаясь при изменении размеров экрана. Есть ли возможность реализовать такое поведение фона на чистом CSS?

A:

Как-то так?

body {
  background-image: url(https://picsum.photos/200/200);
  background-repeat: no-repeat;
  background-position: center;

  margin: 0;
  height:100vh;
}


*Dear Editor,*

Ureteral stents are being used more commonly in the daily urological practice. They are functionally used to re-establish or maintain the patency of the ureter and are used to relieve ureteral obstruction, promote ureteral healing following surgery, and to assist with ureteral identification during pelvic surgery. Ureteral stents passively dilate the ureter; urine flows through the center of the hollow stent as well as around the stent, facilitating the passage of debris. Stent insertion initially increases ureteral peristaltic activity, but with time, the frequency and amplitude of ureteral peristalsis decreases ([@A9493R1], [@A9493R2]). Ureteral stent placement is associated with some degree of morbidity in the majority of patients that ranges from generalized urinary discomfort to urinary tract infection or obstruction. Much of the morbidity is related to the biocompatibility of the materials used to fashion the stent and, to some extent, their design; unfortunately, the ideal stent has yet to be discovered.

Despite advances in technology and communication skills, unintentionally forgotten ureteral stents represent as challenging cases, and interesting series are still being reported in the literature ([@A9493R3]). Patients with forgotten stents may present with stone formation around stent material, severe infections, obstruction and even renal failure. Fortunately, combined endourological procedures are highly satisfactory in successful and safe management of these forgotten stents, as recently reported in the series by Rabani ([@A9493R4]).

A detailed radiological evaluation, either with preoperative CT scans and/or preoperative ascending pyelography, is highly mandatory in the management of forgotten stents, since the stone burden at tip and the top of the stent has to be evaluated. Otherwise, aggressive traction of any part of the stent in order to remove it may cause more severe complications. Furthermore, a complete endourological set-up is necessary in the minimally invasive management of forgotten ureteral stents, including ureteroscope, nephroscope and intracorporeal lithotripters. A main element of the treatment strategy is to keep the number of interventions as low as possible ([@A9493R5]). Although not used by Rabani, a flexible ureterorenoscope with a holmium laser for retrograde intrarenal surgery may also be very useful in the management of forgotten stents and may eliminate the need for percutaneous renal approach in order to remove the fragments in the upper urinary tract. However, it should be kept in mind that laser may be harmful to the integrity of the stent and may cause fragmentation of the stent.

Finally, as underlined by Rabani, the best treatment is prevention and it can be achieved by informing the patient in detail and programming an effective recall system ([@A9493R4]).

**Please cite this paper as:** Tefekli A. Percutaneous and Transurethral Lithotripsy for Forgotten Ureteral Stents. Nephro-Urol Mon.2013;5(2): 781-2. DOI: 10.5812/numonthly.9493

**Authors' Contribution:** None declared.

**Financial Disclosure:** There is no financial disclosure.


N.C. Republicans Move To Limit Powers Of Incoming Democratic Governor

Enlarge this image toggle caption Chuck Burton/AP Chuck Burton/AP

The Republican-controlled North Carolina Legislature has introduced measures to limit the powers of the incoming Democratic governor.

Roy Cooper, the state's current attorney general, beat current Republican Gov. Pat McCrory by a slim margin in the November election. McCrory initially refused to concede until a vote recount proved he had lost by about 10,000 votes.

On Wednesday, the state Legislature met for a special session called by Republican lawmakers ostensibly to pass a disaster relief bill for Hurricane Matthew.

But once the relief bill had been passed, the Legislature moved to introduce a slew of new laws which, if passed, would go to McCrory to sign.

The proposed laws strip the incoming governor of powers his predecessor held, including the power to appoint his Cabinet without legislative approval, the power to appoint trustees for the University of North Carolina and the power to oversee the state's election board.

The five-member election board — which is currently controlled by the governor, who can appoint up to three members from his or her own party — would be reduced to four members, two from each party. Such a change could have ripple effects, since the state body appoints members to county election boards across the state.

Three of North Carolina's county election boards faced a legal challenge in November after they attempted to revoke the voting rights of thousands of registered voters shortly before Election Day. A federal judge blocked the move.

Republicans hold large majorities in both chambers of the state Legislature and will continue to do so when the new session begins in January. If McCrory signs the bills, Cooper will wield significantly less power when he takes office.

The Charlotte Observer reported on Cooper's response to the 11th-hour changes to the state's executive branch powers:

" 'Major changes in the way state government operates should be done deliberately, with input from all parties, particularly something as important as elections and making sure people have the opportunity to vote,' said Cooper. ... 'They shouldn't be pushed through in the dark of night.' ... " 'It's time for them to go home,' he said. 'It's time for us to get ready for the long session,' the legislative session that starts next month."

The special session of the Legislature also considered newly proposed bills to increase the maximum class size in North Carolina schools and make changes to a proposed highway project before the new administration takes over.