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Sports Hockey Winnipeg Jets
Morrissey focused on making plays; not worried about mistakes
By: Jason Bell
Posted: 11/4/2019 5:41 PM	| Last Modified: 11/5/2019 6:45 PM	| Updates
MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS
Winnipeg Jets' Josh Morrissey during practice at Bell MTS Place Monday. The young defenceman has made some uncharacteristic mistakes recently that are difficult to ignore.
Nary a critical word has been uttered about the play of Josh Morrissey since he took on full-time work with the Winnipeg Jets three years ago, but some uncharacteristic mistakes committed by the defenceman recently are difficult to ignore.
Two careless decisions with the puck Saturday night in Vegas led directly to a pair of first-period goals by the Golden Knights, although the Jets rallied from a 3-1 deficit to register a 4-3 overtime victory. Morrissey finished minus-2 on the night.
While the Jets returned from their California-Nevada trip with four of a possible six points locked up, Morrissey's play was anything but memorable. In Anaheim last Tuesday, he finished a minus-4 as the Jets got clobbered 7-4 by the Ducks and then was a minus-1 as the Jets miraculously escaped with a 3-2 win in San Jose despite being soundly outplayed by the Sharks.
The math isn't pretty for the 24-year-old Calgary product. He's minus-12 just 15 games into the season, tied for third-worst among all NHLers in that category. Detroit Red Wings centre Andreas Athanasiou was minus-18, while San Jose Sharks blue-liner Erik Karlsson was minus-13 prior to Monday's slate of games.
It's a number he's neither proud of, nor enthusiastic about dissecting.
"I think I'm doing a lot of good things. I'm not happy about some of the minuses but I don't think there's a lot you can do on some of them. All that matters is we're getting wins," he said following Monday's practice.
The Jets (8-7-0) take on the New Jersey Devils (3-5-4) Tuesday at Bell MTS Place. Game time is 7 p.m.
"I watch my video after every game to see the plays I make. At the end of the day, you play the game and you're going to make mistakes, you're going to make plays that are good and bad."
During the first period at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Morrissey had a pass intercepted at the Winnipeg blue line by Mark Stone, who hit Max Pacioretty in the slot with a perfect feed, resulting in a 2-1 Vegas lead. Just 90 seconds later, he won a foot race to a puck in his own end but then sent a no-look, backhand pass that was quickly gobbled up by William Karlsson, who found Nate Schmidt alone in front of goalie Laurent Brossoit.
In both instances, Morrissey appeared uncommonly panicked. Yet, he maintains that wasn't so. In fact, he said the decisions were absolutely the right ones and were borne of a growing confidence in his game.
"Hindsight's always 20/20. In both instances, could you say you should make a different play? Sure. But at the same time I'm trying to make a play there. That's what I get paid to do is to make plays, make break-out plays, and two got knocked down. It's gonna happen," he said.
Morrissey, a first-round pick in the 2013 NHL Draft, is the undisputed leader on the Jets revamped back end — in large part because of his rapid development as a skilled, savvy two-way defender. But in many respects, the added responsibility heaped on his shoulders this season has come out of sheer necessity.
Gone is his longtime defensive partner, Jacob Trouba, who is now a New York Ranger. Veterans Tyler Myers and Ben Chiarot are both with new clubs, as well. And the unforeseen absence of Dustin Byfuglien all but cemented Morrissey's status as the No.1 guy on the blue line.
The Jets have needed to use two defenceman — his regular partner, Tucker Poolman, and Ville Heinola, now with the Moose — with far less experience than he has, while injuries have forced general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff to dip into waivers for help in the form of Carl Dahlstrom and Luca Sbisa. Head coach Paul Maurice has also done a pile of juggling on the back end due to injuries.
Meanwhile, Morrissey plays in every conceivable situation, the runaway leader in average ice time per game at 25:01. Neal Pionk is second at 23:12.
Maurice firmly believes Morrissey is equipped to handle the load, adding the awful plus-minus is a byproduct of some team-defence struggles still being addressed.
"I never look at that as an absolute number, as an indicator. He's on the ice for a lot. We've had a couple of real tough nights and he's been dinged up big time on those nights. I think his game is improving," said the Jets bench boss. "He's right where he should be, minutes-wise.
"That number's going to bother him because he's a really conscientious guy. He's added more minutes playing with a new partner. He's really working in practice and he's in watching video with (assistant coach) Charlie (Huddy), so I have complete faith that he's going to get to the next level."
Morrissey has played with several right-side defenceman this season and will, in all likelihood, need to adapt again Tuesday. Poolman is doubtful for the battle with the Devils after leaving Saturday's game with an upper-body injury,
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Maurice labelled the injury "day to day," but there was a cryptic tone in his description: "There's no mechanism of injury, he just wasn't feeling right after the first period. So, we're holding him off and going to get a bunch of tests on him," he said.
Morrissey said he's still adjusting to life without Trouba and that comfort level they found in each other, adding the work to improve comes one shift at a time.
"For me, over the course of this year, to be honest with you, I think I'm playing better hockey in the last number of games than I was at the start of the year. But it's pretty easy to look at plus-minus and stats like that to try to determine how a guy's playing. There's more to the game than just that," he said. "People can watch the game and have whatever opinion they want, but I'm working on my game and trying to improve.
"For me, I'm in a position now that I haven't been in the last number of years, being in every situation — which is awesome — and I think it's about getting better. I'm 24 years old, early on in my career, and just trying to get better every day."
jason.bell@freepress.mb.ca
Twitter: @WFPJasonBell
Jason Bell
Assistant sports editor
Jason Bell wanted to be a lawyer when he was a kid. The movie The Paper Chase got him hooked on the idea of law school and, possibly, falling in love with someone exactly like Lindsay Wagner (before she went all bionic).
Nov 4, 2019: Beaulieu, Ehlers cringe after watching Ottawa rookie's frightening collision Jason Bell
Updated on Tuesday, November 5, 2019 at 6:45 PM CST: Correction to New Jersey Devils record.


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National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) 744
Southern Christian Leadership Conference 290
Congress of Racial Equality 181
Wilkins, Roy 173
Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (U.S.) 143
Abernathy, Ralph 117
United States. Supreme Court 115
Kennedy, John F. (John Fitzgerald) 104
National Urban League 102
Walker, Wyatt Tee 96
Randolph, A. Philip (Asa Philip) 95
Montgomery Improvement Association 78
United States. Dept. of Justice 72
Shuttlesworth, Fred L. 71
King, Coretta Scott 65
Farmer, James 64
Gandhi, Mahatma 59
Ku Klux Klan 58
Young, Whitney M. 55
Kennedy, Robert F. 53
United States. Congress. Senate 53
Parks, Rosa 50
Johnson, Lyndon B. (Lyndon Baines) 49
Eisenhower, Dwight D. (Dwight David) 47
Montgomery, Ala. 286
Washington, D.C. 162
Birmingham, Ala. 122
Albany, Ga. 72
Richmond, Va. 35
San Francisco, Calif. 31
Selma, Ala. 27
Greensboro, N.C. 25
Tallahassee, Fla. 24
Raleigh, N.C. 23
Chattanooga, Tenn. 22
Memphis, Tenn. 20
Letter 284
Report 86
Speech 70
Ephemera 67
Interview 56
Press release 44
Published article 28
Essay 9
Manifesto 8
Oral histories 8
Pamphlet 7
Published speech 6
Martin Luther King, Jr. - Public Speaking 188
Voter registration 143
Nonviolence 131
Southern Christian Leadership Conference--relations with other organizations 131
Montgomery Bus Boycott 128
Freedom rides 99
Martin Luther King, Jr. - Friends and Associates 80
School integration 76
Southern Christian Leadership Conference--meetings 73
Brown vs. Board of Education, Topeka, Kansas 70
Sit-ins 64
Segregation--law and legislation 63
Student movements 58
Albany Movement 52
Martin Luther King, Jr. - Publications 51
Afro-Americans--Intimidation of 47
Martin Luther King, Jr. - Political and Social views 47
Discrimination in public accomodations 44
Segregation in transportation 44
March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, 1963 43
Discrimination in Employment 39
Direct action 37
Afro-Americans - Civil rights 36
Martin Luther King, Jr. - Interviews 36
MLKPP, Martin Luther King, Jr. Papers Project, Stanford University, Stanford, Calif. 734
MLKP-MBU, Martin Luther King, Jr., Papers, 1954-1968, Boston University, Boston, Mass. 198
MLKJP-GAMK, Martin Luther King, Jr. Papers (Series I-IV), Martin Luther King, Jr., Center for Nonviolent Social Change, Inc., Atlanta, Ga. 150
SCLCR-GAMK, Southern Christian Leadership Conference Records, 1954-1970, Martin Luther King, Jr., Center for Nonviolent Social Change, Inc., Atlanta, Ga. 56
NAACPP-DLC, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People Papers, 1909-1955, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. 50
MLKP-MBU, Martin Luther King, Jr., Papers, 1954-1968, Howard Gotlieb Archival Research Center, Boston University, Boston, Mass. 49
MCMLK-RWWL, Morehouse College Martin Luther King, Jr. Collection, Atlanta University Center, Robert W. Woodruff Library Archives and Special Collections, Atlanta, Ga. 27
SNCCP-GAMK, Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee Papers, 1959-1972, Martin Luther King, Jr., Center for Nonviolent Social Change, Inc., Atlanta, Ga. 19
NAACPP-DLC, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People Collection, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. 16
ASRC-RWWL, Southern Regional Council Papers, Atlanta University Center, Robert W. Woodruff Library Archives and Special Collections, Atlanta, Ga. 15
DJG-GEU-S, David J. Garrow Collection, Manuscript, Archives, and Rare Book Library, Emory University, Atlanta, Ga. 15
BRP-DLC, Bayard Rustin Papers, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. 13
PV-ARC, Preston Valien Collection, Amistad Research Center, Tulane University, New Orleans, La. 13
JFKWHCSF-MBJFK, John F. Kennedy Presidential Papers, White House Central Subject Files, John F. Kennedy Presidential Library, Boston, Mass. 11
SAVFC-WHi, Social Action Vertical File, State Historical Society of Wisconsin, Madison, Wis. 10
EJBC-NN-Sc, Ella J. Baker Papers, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division, Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, The New York Public Library, New York, N.Y. 9
APRP-DLC, A. Philip Randolph Papers, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. 8
SCLCE-GEU-S, Southern Christian Leadership Conference Records, 1864-2007, Manuscript, Archives, and Rare Book Library, Emory University, Atlanta, Ga. 8
BWOF-AB, Birmingham World Office Files, Birmingham Public and Jefferson County Free Library, Birmingham, Ala. 7
CORER-WHi, Congress of Racial Equality Records, State Historical Society of Wisconsin, Madison, Wis. 7
DABCC-INP, Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church Collection, In Private Hands 7
LDRP-NN-Sc, Lawrence Dunbar Reddick Papers, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division, Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, The New York Public Library, New York, N.Y. 7
MLKEC-INP, Martin Luther King, Jr. Estate Collection, In Private Hands 7
RWP-DLC, Roy Wilkins Papers, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. 6
name:( National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP))
746 records – page 1 of 75.
Address at National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) Mass Rally for Civil Rights
Los Angeles, Calif.
Shrine Auditorium
Afro-Americans - Civil rights
NAACPP-DLC
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People Papers, 1909-1955, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.
Group III-A175
CSKC-INP, Coretta Scott King Collection, In Private Hands
Sermon file folder 148, ''Speech on Voting''
Comments on National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) Resolution, 4/12/67
Published speech
Clergy and Laymen Concerned About Vietnam, King, Bennet, Commager, Heschel Speak on the War in Vietnam.
Chicago, Ill.
Ghettos
Martin Luther King, Jr. - Critics
SCLC Chicago campaign, 1966
Martin Luther King, Jr. - Political and Social views
Martin Luther King, Jr. - Publications - Reprints
Excerpts, Address for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)
[Nixon, Richard M. (Richard Milhous)]
Atlantic City, N.J.
Lincoln, Abraham
Brown vs. Board of Education
Discrimination in Employment
Vault Box 2, folder 1, box 18, folder 24
Notes, Joint Montgomery Improvement Association and National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) Meeting
Ferron, Donald T.
Fields, Uriah J.
Gray, Fred D.
Montgomery Improvement Association--relations with other organizations
PV-ARC
Preston Valien Collection, Amistad Research Center, Tulane University, New Orleans, La.
Address at the Fiftieth Annual National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) Convention
Wilkins, Roy
Williams, Robert Franklin
Group IIIA, folder 177
LDRP-NN-Sc, Lawrence Dunbar Reddick Papers, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division, Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, The New York Public Library, New York, N.Y.
Box 3, folder 11
Notes, Montgomery Improvement Association and National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) meeting
Patton, W. C.
Jones, Moses W.
Palmer, H.
Montgomery Improvement Association--fund raising
Montgomery Improvement Association--Finance
Montgomery Improvement Association--trials, litigation, etc.
Telegram to the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)
Javits, Jacob K. (Jacob Koppel)
Clark, Joseph S.
Randolph, A. Philip (Asa Philip)
United States. Congress. Senate
Support correspondence
Box 29A, folder 10
Draft, Address at the fifty-third annual convention of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)
Brown vs. Board of Education, Topeka, Kansas
Declaration of Independance
Photo of delegates at the Tenth Anniversay conference of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)
LOLP-ICIU
Lloyd O. Lewis Papers, University of Illinois at Chicago Circle
Speech at the Tenth Annual Conference of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)
Baptist Ministers Union
African Methodist Union
Part I, Reel 8

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Tag: appearing
Dallas Police Under Investigation For Appearing in Christian Rap Video
Below is the original video that was mentioned in the news report:
Mic Tunez – Taking Me Over
Lecrae & Thi'sl filming Fakin' music video
Today, Lecrae is shooting a music video for the Heat Academy produced song "Fakin'" from his latest album 'Gravity'. The song features Unashamed Tour 2012 special guest Thi'sl, who will also be appearing in the video.
Viktory Upgrades The R4 EP to LP Album – Adds Json, J.R. and Braille
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FUSE TV picks Rhema Soul's Music Video for Airplay
Rhema Soul is this month's Fuse TV Unsigned Artist of the Month. Rhema Soul's STEEZ music video will be available on FUSE TV On Demand. Steez is the debut single from their current release, Dope Beats & Good News. This album has been garnering the attention of many media outlets and has created a widespread buzz for ...


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Home Gastroenterology Innovative Upper Gastrointestinal Stenting: Reboring the Blocked Path
Innovative Upper Gastrointestinal Stenting: Reboring the Blocked Path
Abhijith Bale,1 Irshad H. Ali,1 Ajay Bale,2 Vidyasagar Ramappa,3 *Umesh Jalihal2
1. Sapthagiri Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre, Bangalore, India
2. Karnataka Gastro Center, Bangalore, India
3. Columbia Asia Referral Hospital Yeshwanthpur, Bengaluru, India
EMJ Gastroenterol. 2022; DOI/10.33590/emjgastroenterol/21-00227. https://doi.org/10.33590/emjgastroenterol/21-00227.
Cervical oesophageal leak, congenital oesophageal stenosis, oesophageal diverticulum, post-corrosive antropyloric stricture, self-expanding metal stents.
Self-expanding metal stents (SEMS) have been established beyond doubt as an effective tool in the palliative management of malignant gastrointestinal tract strictures. The advent of fully covered retrievable SEMS has allowed its use in benign oesophageal strictures and gastric outlet obstruction, which are traditionally treated with balloon or bougie dilation. Although balloon and bougie dilations are effective, strictures may be refractory, requiring repeated sessions of dilation or complex surgeries. Endoluminal stenting spares the patient from complex surgical procedures and their associated complications. Here, the authors present four cases wherein fully covered SEMS were used as an effective therapy for the restoration of the gastrointestinal lumen in non-malignant conditions.
1. The use of endoluminal stents means that healthcare professionals can treat patients with certain conditions such as anastomotic site leaks, strictures, and fistulas without complex surgical intervention.
2. The authors discuss the use of stents in four patients who presented with different benign conditions with failed prior endotherapy.
3. While there are advantages and disadvantages to specific stents, and they should be chosen depending on the condition, the clinical experience with self-expanding metal stent is better than self-expanding plastic stents and biodegradable stents.
Self-expanding metal stents (SEMS) have been established beyond doubt as an effective tool in the palliative management of malignant gastrointestinal (GI) tract strictures. Partially covered and uncovered stents are being frequently used in the case of oesophageal, gastric, and colonic malignancies, allowing for the endoscopic restoration of GI tract patency. The advent of fully covered retrievable SEMS has allowed its use in benign oesophageal strictures and gastric outlet obstruction (GOO), which are traditionally treated with balloon or bougie dilation. Although these dilations are effective, strictures may be refractory, requiring repeated dilations or complex surgeries such as gastric pull up, colonic transposition, and gastrojejunostomy. Endoluminal stenting spares the patient from complex surgical procedures and their associated complications, including anastomotic site leaks, strictures, and fistulas. Here, the authors present four unusual cases encountered in their clinical practice wherein fully covered SEMS were used as an effective therapy for the restoration of the GI lumen in non-malignant conditions.
A 70-year-old male presented to the hospital with a cervical fracture following a road traffic accident. The patient was subjected to cervical decompression and fusion. Nearly 2 weeks later, the patient developed an upper oesophageal leak that was secondary to the implant eroding through the posterior oesophageal wall (Figure 1A). The attempted closure of the leak with endoscopic clip placement and surgical correction, which involved a musculoskeletal flap placement and suturing of the oesophageal defect, failed. The patient was placed in an intensive care unit and underwent endotracheal intubation. Feeding was continued through a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tube. A 10 cm long cervical SEMS (Niti-S™ Stent, Taewoong Medical, Seoul, South Korea) was placed across the defect under endoscopic and fluoroscopic guidance (Figure 1B). This SEMS had a 7 mm long proximal flange and a lumen diameter of 18 mm. The stent remained in situ for 8 weeks. Post-SEMS removal endoscopy and barium swallow showed no evidence of a leak; the patient was then started on oral feeds. The patient eventually ambulated and they were discharged without recurrence of leak.
Figure 1: A 70-year-old male with cervical spine implant eroding through the posterior oesophageal wall (A). Cervical oesophageal SEMS in situ (B)
A 70-year-old male presented with recurrent episodes of dysphagia and regurgitation. An endoscopic evaluation revealed an epiphrenic diverticulum at the lower oesophagus (Figure 2A) and manometric evaluation revealed an underlying Type II achalasia cardia. Surgical correction with Heller's myotomy and diverticulectomy failed to provide symptomatic relief. The patient presented with recurrent episodes of acute onset dysphagia; endoscopy would reveal food bolus impaction in the diverticulum, prompting endoscopic foreign body removal. On barium swallow, barium would initially fill up the diverticulum, causing compression, kinking, and the narrowing of the infra-diverticular oesophagus. Repeated balloon dilation of the infra-diverticular oesophageal segment did not benefit the patient. Repeat surgery was deemed too difficult because of significant comorbidities and the failure of the index surgery to provide symptomatic relief. This prompted an innovative endoscopic intervention: a padlock clip was applied at the apex of the diverticulum, shrinking it significantly, and a 10 cm long, fully covered anti-migratory oesophageal stent (Niti-S Beta™ Stent, Taewoong Medical, Seoul, South Korea) was placed, covering the diverticular region. Repeat barium studies showed a smooth flow of barium through the oesophagus into the stomach. Although stent removal was planned to take place after 3 months, the stent had to be removed prematurely at 2 months after it migrated into the stomach. Post-stent removal (Figure 2B), the patient remained asymptomatic without any further episodes of food bolus impaction and gained 10 kg of weight.
Figure 2: A 70-year-old male with an epiphrenic devericulum with infradiverticular esophageal stricture (A) and post-stent removal (B); and a 45-year-old female with a congenital oesophageal stricture (C) and post-stent removal (D).
A 45-year-old female presented with a 3 month history of dysphagia for solids. Endoscopy showed a long segment stricture involving the mid-oesophagus with fragile mucosa (Figure 2C). The patient denied any history of caustic upper GI injury or radiation. Oesophageal biopsies were done to rule out eosinophilic oesophagitis. Multiple sessions of bougie dilations failed to provide results. A diagnosis of congenital oesophageal stenosis (COS) was considered, and a 10 cm long, fully covered SEMS (SX-ELLA Stent, ELLA-CS, Hradec Králové, Czechia) was placed across the stricture. The stent remained in situ for 2 months and, post-removal, the patient was relieved of dysphagia. Repeat endoscopy showed a restored lumen diameter, allowing for the free passage of an adult endoscope (Figure 2D). No recurrence of symptoms have been reported over 3 years of follow-up.
A 56-year-old male with no comorbid illness presented with a history of accidental ingestion of an unidentified volume of unlabelled floor cleaning agent. On admission, their main complaints were retrosternal and upper abdominal burning. Chest and abdomen X-rays showed no evidence of perforation. An upper GI endoscopy was performed the next day, which showed Zargar Grade IIA and IIB injuries to the oesophagus and the stomach, respectively. The patient was treated initially with intravenous fluids and proton pump inhibitors. Oral feeds were gradually introduced, after which the patient was discharged on oral proton pump inhibitor therapy. The patient presented again 25 days later with complaints of recurrent vomiting and post-prandial upper abdominal distention. Upper GI endoscopy showed scarring of gastric mucosa in the fundus and the body, with a stenosed, eccentrically located pyloric opening (Figure 3B). The antropyloric stricture was subjected to endoscopic balloon dilation (CRE™ Balloon 12–13.5–15 mm, Boston Scientific, Marlborough, Massachusetts, USA), which was repeated three times in the following 3 months to prevent recurrence of the stricture. As the stricture was refractory to multiple sessions of balloon dilation, the option of surgery versus SEMS placement was discussed. Consequently, a 10 cm long, fully covered SEMS (Niti-S™ Stent, Taewoong Medical, Seoul, South Korea) was placed across the stricture (Figure 3A). The patient remained asymptomatic and gained approximately 10 kg of weight post-procedure. The pyloric SEMS was removed endoscopically 3 months later (Figure 3C). At a 24-month follow-up, no stricture recurrence was observed.
Figure 3: A 56-year-old male with corrosive gastric outlet obstruction (B), SEMS in situ (A), Post- SEMS removal (C)
Since the introduction of SEMS in the 1990s for the palliation of oesophageal malignancies, stents have evolved in design and composition, allowing for their use in treating novel indications. Several types of stents are available on the market; nonetheless, careful selection of an appropriate type of stent is vital for achieving desired results.
Self-Expanding Metal Stents
SEMS can be uncovered, partially covered, or fully covered. Uncovered (or bare-metal) stents were widely used in the palliation of inoperable oesophageal malignancies. Although effective, these had the disadvantage of dysphagia recurrence due to tumour ingrowth, which was seen in up to 36% of the patients that required repeat stenting.1 The issue of tumour ingrowth was addressed by using fully covered metal stents, which had a polymer coating around the metal frame that prevented ingrowth. However, fully covered stents presented a unique problem: stent migration.2 Currently, partially covered stents, which are covered in the middle and have uncovered portions at both the ends, are used to balance the risk of migration and tumour overgrowth. In cases of benign strictures, only fully covered SEMS can be used as tissue ingrowth makes stent removal more difficult. The risk of migration can be addressed by using stents with flared ends and fixing stents using haemoclips,3 over-the-scope clips,4 or endoscopic suturing.5
SEMS have also been modified according to the intended location of their use. In cases where the lesions are in proximity to the upper oesophageal sphincter, foreign body sensation and injury preclude the use of regular SEMS. A special modification of the SEMS with a short and narrow funnel in the proximal end has allowed for its use in lesions of the cervical oesophagus.6 In cases involving the oesophagogastric junction, the placement of SEMS across the lower oesophageal sphincter complex has been associated with severe gastro-oesophageal reflux; however, SEMS with anti-reflux valves have been shown to reduce reflux symptoms.7
Self-Expanding Plastic and Biodegradable Stents
Although fully covered SEMS have made the non-surgical treatment of refractory benign strictures possible, they are not devoid of drawbacks. Complications such as the recurrence of the stricture, hyperplastic tissue reaction at the ends, perforation at the edges, and migration present difficulties.8 Plastic stents were introduced, which were proposed to have several advantages including low cost, minimal tissue reaction, and easy placement and removal. Several studies have shown good results with self-expanding plastic stents (SEPS).9,10 Biodegradable stents (BDS), which are made of biodegradable material that gradually disintegrates over 11–12 weeks post-stent placement, are a newer addition to the armamentarium. The radial force of these stents is maintained over 5–6 weeks, avoiding the need for reinterventions for stent removal.11
A meta analysis by Fuccio et al.12 compared the results of 18 studies that used SEPS, SEMS, and BDS in treating refractory benign oesophageal strictures. Overall, the pooled clinical success rate was 40.5%. The use of SEPS and SEMS did not result in significantly higher success rates than with BDS (46.2% versus 40.1% versus 32.9%, respectively). The migration rate for SEPS and SEMS were reported as not being significantly higher than for BDS (33.3% versus 31.5% versus 15.3%, respectively). Another prospective, multicentre study13 comparing the three different stent types concluded that BDS or a fully covered SEMS may lead to long-term relief of dysphagia in 30% and 40% of patients, respectively. The use of SEPS was the least preferable option due to frequent stent migrations and the need for reinterventions.
Although each stent category has its advantages and drawbacks, experience with fully covered SEMS is generally better than with SEPS and BDS. Moreover, the design of stents and our experience with novel stents may improve with time. However, SEMS placement, although capable of marvellous clinical outcomes, is not without complications. These complications can be early, occurring within 4 weeks of stent placement, or late, occurring after 4 weeks.14 Early complications include foreign body sensation, pain, gastro-oesophageal reflux, migration, bleeding, and perforation. Late complications include stent migration, stent block due to food impaction, tumour ingrowth, and tumour overgrowth.
In a retrospective analysis by Na et al.,15 complications related to stent placement were found in nearly 40.3% of patients. The complication rate was lower, at 32.6% in cases using the latest generation stents. Chest pain following stent placement was seen in 6.7% of patients, but the majority responded to analgesic therapy. Few patients required stent removal due to intractable pain that did not respond to analgesics. The pain was more common in stents made of stainless steel rather than those made of nitinol, and in patients who had undergone radiation therapy before stent placement. Stent migration was seen in 10.9% of the patients and was managed either by stent repositioning or stent replacement. Bleeding after stenting was seen in 1.9% of patients; in most, the bleeding stopped spontaneously within 48 hours. Only one patient required adrenaline injection and another required embolisation after stent removal. Membrane degradation, membrane separation, and incomplete expansion of the stent are other less common complications. Nonetheless, further development in stent design and materials may decrease the complication rates and increase clinical success in the near future.
In the first case mentioned, the patient presented with a post-traumatic cervical spine injury. Anterior cervical spine surgery with implant fixation is a commonly performed surgery for the management of degenerative or post-traumatic cervical injury. Although rare, oesophageal perforation occurring post-anterior cervical spine surgery can cause significant morbidity.16 Factors thought to contribute include the suboptimal placement of the implant and implant failure or breakage, exposing sharp edges that can erode through the oesophagus. The mass effect of the implant on the oesophageal wall, and ischaemia secondary to pressure while swallowing have also been proposed as possible causative factors.17
Whatever the cause, the resultant perforation is usually managed with implant removal whenever feasible. Surgical correction with primary closure and a sternocleidomastoid flap is considered the gold standard for the treatment of such cases.18 In this case, as the flap placement and primary closure failed to plug the leak, an out-of-the-box solution was used wherein the SEMS effectively closed the oesophageal leak while retaining the cervical implant for effective healing of the fracture. The choice of an appropriate stent was crucial. As per conventional wisdom, stent placement within 1–2 cm of the upper oesophageal sphincter is contraindicated as it is associated with a high risk of perforation, aspiration, tracheal compression, and foreign body sensation.19 However, the introduction of the cervical stent has made this task possible. The stent had a narrow proximal flare, resulting in less pressure in the proximal oesophagus, thereby minimising injury. The authors chose a fully covered stent as this was a benign case with stent removal planned after 10–12 weeks. Although distal migration of the stent was another concern, the use of clips was not possible in this case due to the proximity of the stent to the upper oesophageal sphincter.
In the second case, a symptomatic oesophageal diverticulum recurred post-surgical correction. As a repeat surgery was considered risky due to comorbid conditions, SEMS was utilised. Oesophageal diverticula are rare disorders presenting with dysphagia, chest pain, and regurgitation. Depending on their location, they can be categorised as epiphrenic, Zenker's, or Rokitansky diverticula. Epiphrenic diverticula are pseudodiverticula of the pulsion type that are located in the distal oesophagus. Oesophageal motility disorders and congenital weakness in the oesophageal wall have been thought to be pathological factors, and 75–100% of patients with an epiphrenic diverticulum have an underlying primary oesophageal motility disorder.20 Many patients may remain asymptomatic and do not require interventions. Symptomatic patients may have dysphagia and/or regurgitation, and some may present with respiratory symptoms like aspiration, asthma, etc.21,22 All symptomatic patients require intervention.
Traditionally, surgical resection of the diverticulum has been advised either with a transthoracic approach ,or by laparoscopy. Myotomy and fundoplication are usually performed together alongside the resection when an underlying motility disorder is suspected.23 Endoscopic per-oral endoscopic myotomy with septotomy for the treatment of distal oesophageal diverticula was also considered. While these approaches have good long-term results, leaks are common, which can cause significant morbidity, so these may be a difficult option in high-risk patients. Only a few cases have been reported in the literature where a surgically unfit patient has been treated with SEMS placement.24
The Niti-S Beta™ Stent (Taewoong Medical, Seoul, South Korea) used in the present case is a fully covered oesophageal stent that was designed for the treatment of suture line leaks occurring after bariatric surgeries. The stent has two bumps over the body that prevent migration by increasing the radial pressure. As the oesophageal narrowing in this case was focal with proximal oesophageal dilation, the risk of stent migration was high. A Beta stent was chosen to minimise the risk of migration; additional stent fixation or suturing was not necessary. A study that used Beta oesophageal stents for anastomotic leaks and following a total or proximal gastrectomy reported a migration rate of 7.1%, without any additional stent-fixing procedures. The stent migration rate was 13% for conventional stents with clips and 17% for suture fixation.25
On the other hand, another retrospective study investigating the use of Beta oesophageal stents in staple line leaks showed a migration rate of 32%, with no significant decrease in the stent migration rates.26 In this case, despite using an anti-migratory stent, the stent migrated distally after 8 weeks. Although this duration was sufficient to dilate the stricture in the present case, an additional application of haemoclip or an over-the-scope clip could be considered to prevent early migration.
Equally rare is the non-surgical management of an adult-onset presentation of COS, a rare disorder that usually presents in infancy or childhood and manifests with progressive dysphagia and vomiting.27 Three forms of the disease are known to exist: membranous diaphragm; hypertrophy and fibrosis of the submucosa and muscularis propria; and tracheobronchial remnants like cartridges and glands in the oesophageal wall. As rare as its incidence, it is rarer for the disease to go unnoticed till adulthood. Nevertheless, many cases of mild stenosis going unnoticed and being diagnosed in adulthood have been reported in the literature.28,29 Classically labelled as 'slow eaters', a modification of diet in cases with mild dysphagia may lead to delayed recognition of the problem. Once diagnosed, the treatments that are usually considered include dilation and surgery.
Many case reports have reported success in treating adult-onset cases with bougie dilations.29,30 A systemic review by Terui et al.31 concluded that both balloon and bougie dilations are effective forms of treatment for COS. Dilation was less effective in the tracheobronchial subtype of COS, and surgery has been recommended in those instances. The success rate in dilation with or without case selection (endoscopic ultrasound to exclude the tracheobronchial subtype of COS) was reported to be 89.7% and 28.9%, respectively. The rate of perforation with or without case selection was 7.4% and 23.9%, respectively. In this case, repeated dilation failed. Although the next logical mode of therapy would be surgery, SEMS placement was an innovative, non-surgical therapy that was successful in alleviating the symptoms. The literature search did not return any clinical trials studying the use of SEMS in COS. Although SEPS and BDS could have been used in this case, the authors considered the metal stent as they had more personal experience using SEMS compared with SEPS and BDS. Stent migration was not considered to be a challenge in this case due to the length of the stricture, so stent fixation was not considered.
In the final case of post-corrosive injury with GOO, SEMS was used successfully to restore the patency of the GI tract. Corrosive injury of the upper GI tract remains a frequent problem with high post-injury morbidity. Alkali ingestion affects the oesophagus, while gastric injuries are marked with acid burns; the squamous epithelium of the oesophagus is more resistant to acid penetration, while the free gastric acid buffers the alkaline agents, limiting injury.32-34 GOO usually manifests 3–4 weeks post-injury, but can be as early as 1 week, as per a few case reports.35,36 Endoscopic balloon dilation has been proved to be an effective intervention in patients with corrosive GOO. However, unlike in ulcer-related GOO, the recurrence of the stricture is common in caustic GOO, and is seen in up to two-thirds of patients.37,38 SEMS placement can be used as an alternative therapy in such patients.
Manta et al.39 treated three patients with refractory corrosive antral stenosis with SEMS placement, and Choi et al.40 treated 22 patients with benign antropyloric stenosis with SEMS. Despite stent migration being a major concern, most patients with late SEMS migration remained asymptomatic. SEPS and BDS are predominantly used for benign oesophageal lesions, and there is scant information in the literature regarding their use in either benign or malignant GOO. The authors used a fully covered SEMS with a wide flare; the duodenal bend also acts as an anchor, decreasing the chances of migration, so no stent fixation methods were employed. Another unique problem reported with the use of SEMS in treating caustic strictures is the extensive granulation tissue proliferation at the ends of SEMS, leading to ingrowth and membrane disintegration. These factors can interfere with stent removal and may require the use of argon plasma coagulation to separate the stent from the granulation tissue.39 SEMS placement may be an effective alternative to surgery in corrosive GOO, but more studies are needed to evaluate this treatment.
Benign oesophageal and gastric strictures and leaks may be managed by surgery or endoscopic therapy. In this paper, the authors outline a few complex and rare presentations of cases that were managed with innovative, mostly out-of-the-box treatment methods. SEMS placement successfully re-established the luminal patency with good clinical outcomes and minimal complications in all of these cases.
Acunaş B et al. Palliation of malignant esophageal strictures with self-expanding nitinol stents: drawbacks and complications. Radiology. 1996;199(3):648-52. Saranovic D et al. Fluoroscopically guided insertion of self-expandable metal esophageal stents for palliative treatment of patients with malignant stenosis of esophagus and cardia: comparison of uncovered and covered stent types. Dis Esophagus. 2005;18(4):230-8. Vanbiervliet G et al. The role of clips in preventing migration of fully covered metallic esophageal stents: a pilot comparative study. Surg Endosc. 2012;26(1):53-9. Watanabe K et al. Feasibility of esophageal stent fixation with an over-the-scope-clip for malignant esophageal strictures to prevent migration. Endosc Int Open. 2017;5(11):E1044-9. Bick BL et al. Endoscopic suturing of esophageal fully covered self-expanding metal stents reduces rates of stent migration. Gastrointest Endosc. 2017;86(6):1015-21. Shim CS. Esophageal stent for cervical esophagus and esophagogastric junction. Clin Endosc. 2012;45(3):235-9. Dua KS et al. A phase III, multicenter, prospective, single-blinded, noninferiority, randomized controlled trial on the performance of a novel esophageal stent with an antireflux valve (with video). Gastrointest Endosc. 2019;90(1):64-74.e3. Hramiec JE et al. Expandable metallic esophageal stents in benign disease: a cause for concern. Surg Laparosc Endosc. 1998;8(1):40-3. Langer FB et al. Management of postoperative esophageal leaks with the Polyflex self-expanding covered plastic stent. Ann Thorac Surg. 2005;79(2):398-403. Radecke K et al. Impact of a self-expanding, plastic esophageal stent on various esophageal stenoses, fistulas, and leakages: a single-center experience in 39 patients. Gastrointest Endosc. 2005;61(7):812-8. Gkolfakis P et al. Biodegradable esophageal stents for the treatment of refractory benign esophageal strictures. Ann Gastroenterol. 2020;33(4):330-7. Fuccio L et al. Clinical outcomes following stent placement in refractory benign esophageal stricture: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Endoscopy. 2016;48(2):141-8. Canena JMT et al. A comparison of the temporary placement of 3 different self-expanding stents for the treatment of refractory benign esophageal strictures: a prospective multicentre study. BMC Gastroenterol. 2012;12:70. Kim KY et al. Self-expandable metallic stent placement for the palliation of esophageal cancer. J Korean Med Sci. 2017;32(7):1062-71. Na HK et al. How to design the optimal self-expandable oesophageal metallic stents: 22 years of experience in 645 patients with malignant strictures. Eur Radiol. 2013;23(3):786-96. Newhouse KE et al. Esophageal perforation following anterior cervical spine surgery. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 1989;14(10):1051-3. Dakwar E et al. Management of delayed esophageal perforations after anterior cervical spinal surgery. J Neurosurg Spine. 2009;11(3):320-5. Ahn S-H et al. Successful repair of esophageal perforation after anterior cervical fusion for cervical spine fracture. J Clin Neurosci. 2011;18(10):1374-80. Gislason GT, Pasricha PJ. Crossing the upper limit: esophageal stenting in the proximal esophagus. Dysphagia. 1997;12(2):84-5. Nehra D et al. Physiologic basis for the treatment of epiphrenic diverticulum. Ann Surg. 2002;235(3):346-54. Altorki NK et al. Thoracic esophageal diverticula. Why is operation necessary? J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 1993;105(2):260-4. Tedesco P et al. Cause and treatment of epiphrenic diverticula. Am J Surg. 2005;190(6):891-4. Soares R et al. Epiphrenic diverticulum of the esophagus. From pathophysiology to treatment. J Gastrointest Surg. 2010;14(12):2009-15. Aiolfi A et al L. Endoscopic treatment of an epiphrenic diverticulum using a fully covered self-expanding metal stent. Endoscopy. 2013;45(Suppl 2):E101. Kim Y-I et al. Effectiveness of a novel covered stent without external thread fixation for anastomotic leakage after total or proximal gastrectomy for gastric cancer. Cancers (Basel). 2021;13(15):3720. Boerlage TCC et al. A novel fully covered double-bump stent for staple line leaks after bariatric surgery: a retrospective analysis. Surg Endosc. 2018;32(7):3174-80. Murphy SG et al. Isolated congenital esophageal stenosis. J Pediatr Surg. 1995;30(8):1238-41. Katzka DA et al. Congenital esophageal stenosis in adults. Am J Gastroenterol. 2000;95(1):32-6. Younes Z, Johnson DA. Congenital esophageal stenosis: clinical and endoscopic features in adults. Dig Dis. 1999;17(3):172-7. McNally PR et al. Congenital esophageal stenosis presenting as noncardiac, esophageal chest pain. Dig Dis Sci. 1993;38(2):369-73. Terui K et al. Endoscopic management for congenital esophageal stenosis: a systematic review. World J Gastrointest Endosc. 2015;7(3):183-91. Gray HK, Holmes CL. Pyloric stenosis caused by ingestion of corrosive substances: report of case. Surg Clin North Am. 1948;28(4):1041-56. Maggi AL, Meeroff M. Stenosis of the stomach caused by corrosive gastritis. Gastroenterology. 1953;24(4):573-8. McAuley CE et al. Late sequelae of gastric acid injury. Am J Surg. 1985;149(3):412-5. Jalundhwala JM, Shah RC. Corrosive stricture of the stomach. Am J Surg. 1967;114(3):461-4. Gonzalez LL et al. Cicatricial gastric stenosis caused by ingestion of corrosive. Ann Surg. 1962;156(1):84-9. Kochhar R, et al. Endoscopic balloon dilatation of benign gastric outlet obstruction. J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2004;19(4):418-22. Solt J et al. Long-term results of balloon catheter dilation for benign gastric outlet stenosis. Endoscopy. 2003;35(6):490-5. Manta R et al. Self-expandable metal stenting of refractory upper gut corrosive strictures: a new role for endoscopy? Case Rep Gastrointest Med. 2011;2011:346413. Choi WJ et al. Effects of the temporary placement of a self-expandable metallic stent in benign pyloric stenosis. Gut Liver. 2013;7(4):417-22.
Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass Associated with Increased Risk of Alcohol-Use Disorder-Related Hospitalisation
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Anti-TNF Treatment in Crohn's Disease Complicated by Intra-abdominal Abscess
Gastric Pouch Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumour Post-Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass: A First Reported Case
The Rise of Anti-TNF Biosimilars: Guidelines, Real-World Evidence, and Challenges to Acceptance
EMJ Gastroenterology 11 [Supplement 9] 2022


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Norske Skog will enter the European packaging markets in Q4 2022
Norske Skog
Norske Skog's Bruck mill in Austria.
Previous Article DS Smith and Solarenn : a zero plastic partnership
Next Article NewsPress 100 % TMP newsprint launched to better meet customer needs
Norske Skog's board of directors has made the final investment decision to convert one machine at the Bruck (Austria) industrial site from newsprint to recycled containerboard production.
This is the first major step of the two planned European conversion projects in the group's strategy of establishing Norske Skog as a leading independent European producer of recycled containerboard.The conversion at Bruck will introduce 210 000 tonnes of competitive containerboard capacity to meet the growing demand for renewable packaging. The project has received financing commitment from regional banks. Containerboard production will be based 100% on recycled fibre and will use steam from a new waste-to-energy plant, making Bruck a cost leading and green energy producer.
"This investment decision represents the coming of a new era for Norske Skog and is a major step to become a leading independent European producer of high-quality, renewable and environmentally produced containerboard. The conversion project illustrates the inherent potential of our industrial sites and will strengthen Norske Skog's asset base and cash flow generation for decades ahead," says Norske Skog's CEO Sven Ombudstvedt.
As announced in June 2020, Norske Skog plans to introduce 765 000 tons of competitive recycled containerboard capacity in Europe by investing approximately EUR 350 million to convert Bruck PM3 and Golbey PM1 (France). The converted machines are expected to generate an annual EBITDA of approximately NOK 700-800 million in 2025/26, based on historical trend prices for containerboard and recycled fibre. The final investment decision to convert Bruck PM3 was taken on 22 April, and a similar decision for Golbey PM1 is expected in the second quarter of 2021.
Norske Skog will invest approximately EUR 100 million in the conversion of Bruck PM3, and financing facilities of EUR 70 million have been committed by banks at agreed terms subject to final documentation. The remaining investment amount will be covered by cash on balance and cash flows.
Recycled containerboard production at Bruck PM3 will start in the fourth quarter of 2022 following a three-month production stand-still. Full production utilisation of 210 000 tonnes of testliner and fluting is expected in the second half of 2025. The waste-to-energy plant starting up at the Bruck industrial site in the first half of 2022, will supply cost efficient and sustainable steam for the containerboard production. The second machine at Bruck, with capacity of 265 000 tonnes of LWC magazine paper, will continue production unaffected by the project. Norske Skog will still remain a committed supplier of high-quality publication paper products, and a strong and reliable supplier of all publication paper grades after the planned conversion.
The Bruck conversion project consists of the following main installations;
new OCC plant for production of 100% of the pulp needed for the containerboard production,
rebuild of PM3 to production of recycled containerboard, including a new winder, electrical, automation and auxiliary systems, and
mill site integration and civil works.
"This investment decision marks an important step in Norske Skog's evolution as we look to enhance long-term value for all stakeholders. Increasing focus on environmentally conscious products and the continued rise of online shopping, has created a significant need for renewable packaging solutions. Recycled containerboard production at Bruck will meet this demand with cost-leading and environmental-friendly capacity. Located centrally in continental Europe, the Bruck industrial site is well positioned for the large containerboard market, and it has good and established access to recycled fibre," says Norske Skog's CEO Sven Ombudstvedt.
Webcast presenting the first quarter results and providing an update of the Bruck conversion project.
About Norske Skog
Norske Skog is a world leading producer of publication paper with strong market positions and customer relations in Europe and Australasia. The Norske Skog group operates four mills in Europe, of which two will produce recycled containerboard following planned conversion projects. In addition, the group operates one publication paper mill, a converting grade mill and one wood pellets facility in Australasia.
Norske Skog aims to further diversify its operations and continue its transformation into a growing and high-margin business through a range of promising conversions, energy and fibre projects. The group has approximately 2 300 employees in five countries, is headquartered in Norway and listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange under the ticker NSKOG.
Source: Norske Skog
Norske Skog - Demand drop due to corona pandemic
Norske Skog - Capacity adjustments
Promising future for the Tasman mill and Nature's Flame
Higher capacity utilisation as market tightens
Norske Skog Saugbrugs and Bergene Holm reduce emissions by moving from trucks to train


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1 charged after police say family followed home by robbers, held hostage at gunpoint
Suspect 23-year-old Taquarius Bynum, is charged with five counts of aggravated robbery, five counts of aggravated kidnapping, one count of aggravated burglary, theft of property valued at $1,000 or less, and employing a firearm with the intent to commit a dangerous felony.(Shelby County Sheriff's Office)
By Lydian Kennin and Gray News Staff
Published: Oct. 6, 2022 at 12:14 AM EDT
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC/Gray News) - Police in Tennessee arrested one suspect after a hostage situation that occurred after a family was followed home from a gas station, forced inside and robbed at gunpoint, according to authorities.
The incident took place at a Memphis home on Sept. 27, when a father was driving home from the fuel station after pumping gas around midnight. His wife and daughter were also in the car.
Investigators discovered via surveillance video, after he pumped gas and pulled out onto the street, a gray four-door Kia Optima immediately followed the family's car out of the lot in the direction of the victims' home.
Upon pulling into the family's driveway, the father said the Optima stopped at the end of the driveway, blocking them in.
The father told police that two unmasked men then got out of the vehicle and approached the family's car with guns drawn.
He said the men demanded money and forcibly removed his wife and daughter from the car at gunpoint.
He then gave his wallet to the suspects, who then took the house keys from his wife and forced everyone inside the home.
One of the men went into the bedroom of a sleeping 16-year-old, waking her by putting a gun to her head, while demanding money. She gave them the only thing she had, which was $5, police say.
The suspects also spotted another victim in the house, the father's brother, and demanded money from him at gunpoint.
The father told police that the suspects marched all of the victims into the same room and aimed a gun at the heads of the women, threatening to kill them.
The suspects took a total of $212 from the victims and a cell phone worth approximately $600.
They left the scene, leaving behind a wallet in the driveway.
The wallet belonged to 23-year-old suspect Taquarius Bynum.
Bynum was identified in a photo lineup as one of the suspects that robbed the family at gunpoint in their own home.
He was located by the Mt. Moriah Station Task Force officers on Wednesday, in the same Optima used to follow the family.
He refused to give a statement to investigators.
Bynum is charged with five counts of aggravated robbery, five counts of aggravated kidnapping, one count of aggravated burglary, theft of property valued at $1,000 or less, and employing a firearm with the intent to commit a dangerous felony.
His next court date is scheduled for Thursday.
Police have not released information about the second suspect at this time.
Copyright 2022 WMC via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.


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Catalino Parra (Image: Caracol Noticias)
Catalino Parra, singer of Colombia's legendary Gaiteros de San Jacinto, dies at 95
Catalino Parra, the singer and founding member of the legendary Gaiteros de San Jacinto, has died at 95 in northern Colombia, local media reported on Saturday.
The composer and singer died in the home of one of his daughters in the northern city of Cartagena after he fell ill last week.
With Parra, Colombia loses a musician whose contribution to Colombian music cannot be overstated.
The Gaiteros de San Jacinto were originally formed in the 1940s, but continue to exist as elderly or dying founding members of the group were replaced by younger generations of musicians from the Caribbean region.
The group won a Latin Grammy Award in 2007 when most of the founding members had already passed away. Parra himself had been awarded the award by the country's Culture Ministry for his invaluable contribution to Colombia's music.
Their continued existence under the leadership of Parra has made the Gaiteros de San Jacinto arguably one of the most influential groups ever to have come from the country.
Echoes and samples of their rhythms and melodies continue to be used by all kinds of contemporary artists, both in Colombia and abroad.
Gaiteros de San Jacintomusic
Colombia's countercultures: Bogota's rock and roll gangs
The Arab, Congolese, and Afro-Colombian roots of Shakira's Super Bowl halftime show
Anti-government concert in Medellin draws thousands


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Community • Hofstra University Museum • K-12
Hofstra University Museum of Art Named an Imagine Award Finalist
The Hofstra University Museum of Art is a finalist for a Long Island Imagine Award, an honor that recognizes the region's most effective and innovative nonprofit organizations. The awards, now in their seventh year, will be announced at a gala at Crest Hollow Country Club on April 30. Hofstra University Museum of Art is one of four nominees in the Arts & Culture category for its Art Travelers Through Time program.
Art Travelers, begun in 2008, has provided thousands of elementary school students and their teachers the opportunity to visit Hofstra and view authentic cultural objects from the Museum's large and diverse collections. They are then able to connect these objects with their classroom studies of "Communities around the World." Activities like Art Travelers engage students in creative thinking processes and reinforce classroom learning.
The program was developed collaboratively with museum and local classroom educators, and it correlates to the New York State Learning Standards in the Arts, Social Studies, Science, and Language Arts. Hofstra Museum educators complement the class visits by going into the schools to meet with the students before and after their trips to Hofstra. There are currently partnerships with the following school districts: Baldwin, Freeport, Hempstead, Rockville Centre, Roosevelt, Uniondale, Westbury, West Hempstead, and the Long Island School for the Gifted (South Huntington).
The Hofstra University Museum of Art is a dynamic learning and teaching resource serving both the University community as well as the larger Long Island community. The Museum features exhibitions and collections that cross time periods and cultures and that serve as a springboard for thought-provoking discussions and programs.
Museum Director Nancy Richner said, "Art Travelers makes it possible for students from many backgrounds to engage in the thrill of learning. They study of works of art from cultures around the world, connecting the stories of others to their own lives. When young people's curiosity is provoked, they naturally want to dig deeper, discover more, and understand better. They become transformed as learners and participants in the world."
Finalists were chosen by Long Island business professionals during preliminary judging. Members of the Awards' Distinguished Judging Panel select the Imagine Awards winners.
"Being named a finalist in The Long Island Imagine Awards is an important achievement," said Ken Cerini, founder of the Long Island Imagine Awards. "It means that the organization has been identified as a leader on Long Island, exhibiting impactful and innovative operations."
TagsArt Travelers gallery Hofstra University Museum of Art museum Nancy Richner
To Infinity and Beyond!
Child Care Institute Celebrates Reaccreditation


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Annex to the DIS Arbitration Rules 1998 - Supplementary Rules for Expedited Proceedings 2008
Supplementary Rules for Expedited ProceedingsSection 1 Scope of Application, Duration of ProceedingsSection 2 Costs upon commencement of proceedingsSection 3 Number of Arbitrators, Nomination of ArbitratorsSection 4 Statement of claim, statement of defence and oral hearingSection 5 Time Schedule, ProcedureSection 6 Modifications, Noncompliance with the Time FrameSection 7 Arbitral award
Supplementary Rules for Expedited Proceedings
Section 1 Scope of Application, Duration of Proceedings
1.1 The Supplementary Rules set forth herein shall only apply if the parties have referred to them in their arbitration agreement or if the parties have agreed on their application prior to filing a statement of claim. Unless otherwise agreed by the parties, the DIS Arbitration Rules as well as the Supplementary Rules in effect on the date of commencement of the arbitral proceedings apply to the dispute.
1.2 The duration of arbitral proceedings conducted under these Supplementary Rules should be no longer than six months (in the case of a sole arbitrator) or nine months (in the case of a three member tribunal) after the filing of the statement of claim pursuant to Sec. 1 sub. 3.
1.3 Pursuant to these Supplementary Rules a statement of claim shall be filed with the DIS Main Secretariat in Cologne. If the statement of claim is filed with another DIS Secretariat, the timeframe for the expedited proceedings referred to in Sec. 1 sub. 2 shall commence upon receipt of the statement of claim by the DIS Main Secretariat.
1.4 The arbitral tribunal shall at all times exercise its discretion to determine the procedure (Sec. 24 sub. 1, 2nd sentence DIS Arbitration Rules) in the light of the parties' interest in expediting the proceedings, as reflected by the parties' agreement to apply these Supplementary Rules. This applies in particular to possible extensions of time limits provided for in these Supplementary Rules.
Section 2 Costs upon commencement of proceedings
In deviation from Sec. 7 sub. 1 DIS Arbitration Rules as read with No. 17 of the Appendix to Sec. 40 sub. 5 DIS Arbitration Rules, the advance to by paid by the claimant upon filing the statement of claim shall cover the full amount of the arbitrators' fees.
Section 3 Number of Arbitrators, Nomination of Arbitrators
3.1 In deviation from Sec. 3 DIS Arbitration Rules, the dispute shall be decided by a sole arbitrator, unless the parties have agreed prior to the filing of the statement of claim that the dispute shall be decided by three arbitrators.
3.2 If the parties have agreed on the individual who is to act as sole arbitrator prior to the filing of the statement of claim, the claimant shall nominate the arbitrator in its statement of claim. In the absence of such agreement, the Appointing Committee of DIS shall appoint the sole arbitrator without undue delay upon request by one of the parties. Such request may be made together with the statement of claim. Until such request is received by the DIS Main Secretariat, a joint nomination of the sole arbitrator by the parties shall be permissible.
3.3 If the parties have agreed pursuant to Sec. 3 sub. 1 to have the dispute decided by three arbitrators, Sec. 6 sub. 2 (5) DIS Arbitration Rules apply in respect of the arbitrator nominated by the claimant. In deviation from Sec. 12 sub. 1 DIS Arbitration Rules, the respondent shall nominate an arbitrator within 14 days of the receipt of the statement of claim by the respondent. If the respondent fails to nominate an arbitrator within this time limit, the claimant may request nomination by the Appointing Committee of the DIS. The chairman of the arbitral tribunal shall be appointed pursuant to Sec. 12 sub. 2 DIS Arbitration Rules, subject to a shortening of the time limit mentioned therein to 14 days.
3.4 If a party-nominated arbitrator or the chairman cannot be not confirmed within 7 days of receipt of the request to submit the declaration pursuant to Sec. 16 subs. 1 DIS Arbitration Rules, the Appointing Committee of the DIS shall nominate a substitute arbitrator.
Section 4 Statement of claim, statement of defence and oral hearing
4.1 Until the arbitral tribunal is constituted, all written communications of the parties shall be transmitted to the DIS Main Secretariat; thereafter they shall be transmitted to the arbitral tribunal. Copies of written submissions shall at all times also be sent to the other party.
4.2 In deviation from Sec. 9 DIS Arbitration Rules, the statement of defence shall be filed by the respondent within four weeks of receipt of the statement of claim pursuant to Sec. 8 DIS Arbitration Rules. Unless the arbitral tribunal determines otherwise all further written submissions by the parties are to be filed within four weeks of receipt of the other party's submission.
4.3 The oral hearing shall be held at the latest four weeks after receipt of the final written submission. The arbitral award shall be rendered at the latest four weeks after the closing of the oral hearing.
4.4 In proceedings under these Supplementary Rules, counterclaims and set-offs shall only be admissible with the consent of all parties and the arbitral tribunal.
Section 5 Time Schedule, Procedure
5.1 At the outset of the proceedings, the arbitral tribunal shall in agreement with the parties establish a time schedule to ensure that the arbitral proceedings can be concluded within the time frame specified in Sec. 1 sub. 2.
5.2 Unless the arbitral tribunal determines otherwise,
- the exchange of written submissions shall be limited to the statement of claim within the meaning of Sec. 6 DIS Arbitration Rules and the statement of defence within the meaning of Sec. 9 DIS Arbitration Rules as well as one further written submission by each party;
- only one oral hearing, including any taking of evidence, shall be held;
- no further written submissions shall be exchanged after the closing of the oral hearing.
5.3 The arbitral tribunal should at the earliest possible stage of the proceedings identify to the parties and as a rule after each round of written submissions, the issues it may regard as relevant and material for the outcome of the case.
Section 6 Modifications, Noncompliance with the Time Frame
6.1 The provisions and time-limits contained in these Supplementary Rules may be modified by agreement between the parties. After the constitution of the arbitral tribunal, any modification shall require the consent of the arbitral tribunal. In the absence of consent of the parties, the arbitral tribunal may only extend a time-limit contained in these Supplementary Rules for good cause. The extension shall be effected by an order in writing, which shall state the reasons for the extension and which shall be transmitted to the parties and DIS Main Secretariat.
6.2 If the arbitral proceeding cannot be concluded within the time frame set forth in Sec. 1 sub. 2, the arbitral tribunal shall inform the DIS Main Secretariat and the parties of the reasons in writing. The competence of the arbitral tribunal shall remain unaffected if the time frame set forth in Sec. 1 sub. 2 is exceeded.
Section 7 Arbitral award
Unless the parties have agreed otherwise, the arbitral tribunal may abstain from stating the facts of the case in the arbitral award.
Trans-Lex Principle: XIII.2.1 - Number of arbitrators
Trans-Lex Principle: XIII.4.2 - Form and contents of award


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Study Resources :: Dictionaries :: Thing(s)
Dictionaries :: Thing(s)
1 Strong's Number: g3056 Greek: logos
Thing(s):
"a word, an account," etc., is translated "thing" in Mat 21:24, AV (1st part), and Luk 20:3, AV, RV, "question" (in Mat 21:24, 2nd part, "these things" translates tauta, the neut. plur. of houtos, "this"); Luk 1:4; Act 5:24, AV (RV, "words").
See ACCOUNT.
2 Strong's Number: g4229 Greek: pragma
for which see MATTER, No. 2, is translated "thing" in Mat 18:19, as part of the word "anything," lit., "every thing;" Luk 1:1, AV only; Act 5:4; in Hbr 6:18; 10:1; 11:1, "things."
See BUSINESS, MATTER, WORK.
3 Strong's Number: g4487 Greek: rhema
"a saying, word," is translated "thing" in Luk 2:15; Luk 2:19, AV (RV, "saying"); in Act 5:32, "things."
See SAYING.
(1) The neuter sing. and plur. of the article are frequently rendered "the thing" and neut. plur. of houtos, "this."
(2) So in this case of the neut. plur. of certain pronouns and adjectives without nouns, e.g., "all," "base," "heavenly," "which."
(3) When "thing" represents a separate word in the original, it is a translation of one or other of Nos. 1, 2, 3, above.
(4) In Phl 2:10, "things" is added in italics to express the meaning of the three adjectives.
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Globecampus.ca ~ serious illness gets serious attention
globecampus.ca ~ Serious illness gets serious attention Serious illness gets serious attention
A passion for tackling serious illnesses — sometimes driven by the experiences of someone close to them — led theserecipients to research potential improvements to existing treatments.
Neil Kalra, 19, Saskatoon, Sask.
Bottom to top: Perri Tutelman, Neil Kalra, Sapna Shah, Sofia Oke and Tony Kwon. Photo: J.P. Moczulski for The Globeand Mail Neil Kalra's involvement in medical research stems from his desire to "study something so that we can use the knowledgein the real world to help people." His interest in lymphomas and cell death in atherosclerosis led him to find and workwith researchers in these fields at the University of Saskatchewan.
Part of the research involves building tissue micro arrays, or combinations of different kinds of tissue that allow for quickanalysis of particular proteins involved in the disease. He's hoping the results of the lymphoma research will help at thetime of diagnosis to identify which patients have a higher chance of having a more aggressive cancer, allowing them toget the appropriate treatment. As for the atherosclerosis research, he's hoping results could help identify who is morelikely to have a stroke or heart attack.
Aside from science fair prizes, his lymphoma research won him second place in the Sanofi-Aventis BioTalent Challenge inthe Open category in 2008.
Already enrolled at the University of Saskatchewan, Mr. Kalra, who hopes to be a physician, was accepted to the school'scollege of medicine.
Mr. Kalra also volunteers with children and youth, among others at the Physical Activity for Active Living Camp for thosewith disabilities. He is also involved with reading programs and with a Rotary youth leadership program. He is also asoccer referee at the provincial and national levels. His awards include provincial youth awards and a team first-placeaward in 2007 at the RBC/Shad Entrepreneurship Cup for senior high-school students.
Mr. Kalra, who has co-authored abstracts for the Canadian Association of Pathologists, will continue his research thissummer.
http://www.globecampus.ca/in-the-news/article/serious-illness-gets-serious-attention/ globecampus.ca ~ Serious illness gets serious attention Tony Kwon, 17, London, Ont.
As a Grade 9 student, Tony Kwon approached the University of Western Ontario to conduct research in the microbiologyand immunology lab on the effects of garlic on Group A Sreptococcus bacteria.
The A.B. Lucas Secondary School student in London, Ont., had become aware of how Group A streptococcal infectionsaffect people in developing countries. It can cause strep throat, among other infections, which in the developed world canbe easily treated but in the Third World, treatments are not always available.
One serious consequence of strep throat, if left untreated, is that it can cause rheumatic heart disease, which conservativeestimates suggest causes 233,000 deaths worldwide, says Mr. Kwon. Estimated deaths from overall streptococcalinfections are 500,000 worldwide, he adds.
He chose to research garlic because it is already often used for medicinal purposes and is part of many cultures' cuisine.
Mr. Kwon's research indicates that fresh garlic inhibits streptococcal bacterial growth and can decrease virulence. Heplaced first in the senior medical sciences category in the 2009 national science fair and was a member of the 2009 TeamCanada at the international science fair in Tunisia.
He intends to continue his research, hoping to find whether garlic induced changes can make the bacteria less severelyinvasive.
Next year, Mr. Kwon will be studying life sciences at the University of Toronto, and hopes to become a researcher in thefield of microbiology and immunology.
Sofia Oke, 17, Guelph, Ont.
A close family friend's chemotherapy treatments after a cancer diagnosis gave Sofia Oke a close look at how harmful theside effects, such as hair loss and vomiting bleeding, can be. This inspired her to begin researching how to reduce them.
The Centennial Collegiate and Vocational Institute student in Guelph, Ont., became interested in chemosensitizers, whichcan make cancerous cells more sensitive to the effects of chemotherapy drugs. She and a partner they approached amentor from the University of Guelph. Two years of research using chemosensitizers indicated the ability to lower theside effects of chemotherapy drugs, in particular indomethacin, a commonly used drug for breast and colon cancer.
Their work earned a gold medal at the Waterloo-Wellington Science Fair in 2009 and 2010 and a Petro CanadaInnovation Award at the Canada-wide science Fair in 2009, as well as a bronze medal in senior health sciences at the2010 Canada-wide Science Fair.
Ms. Oke also volunteers with Habitat for Humanity, St. Joseph's Health Care Centre, the Canadian Red Cross, CanadianBlood Services and the Bracelet of Hope Campaign.
She is also a member of the Guelph Youth Council, was named most valuable player of her competitive soccer team, andplaced 10th out of 1,000 at the DECA international business competition in California.
Ms. Oke received a University of Guelph Chancellor's Scholarship for next year, and will be studying toxicology. She lovestravel and science, and hopes to combine both by eventually becoming a physician, opening a clinic and travelling theworld as a medical correspondent.
Sapna Shah, 17, Markham, Ont.
Inspired by a friend's father, who was dealing with kidney failure, Sapna Shah began researching the disease. She e-mailed professors doing research in the field, and found someone at McGill University who had hosted high schoolstudents in the past .
At 16, Ms. Shah began working as a summer research student at McGill, designing an experiment to see if coated liveyeast cells would decrease the toxins associated with kidney failure in rats.
http://www.globecampus.ca/in-the-news/article/serious-illness-gets-serious-attention/ globecampus.ca ~ Serious illness gets serious attention This shows potential for helping even patients with kidney failure, who might be able to decrease the number of timesthey need to undergo dialysis by taking the yeast cell capsules, she says.
Her co-authored review of the research was published in the Journal of Biologics last year.
This fall, the Markham District High School student has been accepted to Queen's University as a chancellor's scholarshiprecipient, where she will study science in hopes of becoming a physician or medical researcher .
Next summer, she will continue her research at McGill. She found that, while the live yeast cells were successful inbreaking down urea, one of toxins created by kidney failure, one result was an accumulation of ammonia, another toxin.
She is looking at a species of E. coli bacteria to counteract the ammonia.
Ms. Shah also volunteers at the Markham Stouffville Hospital , helping orient children before their surgeries.
She is also on the Mayor's Youth Task Force, helping advise on youth programs.
Perri Tutelman, 16, Richmond, B.C.
Concerned about breast cancer, Perri Tutelman began to research the potential of an herb in decreasing the effects ofchemotherapy. At the same time, the Grade 11 student at SIDES school is dedicated to helping children with lifethreatening illnesses and established the Cures for Kids Foundation.
Ms. Tutelman has been a contributing researcher at the B.C. Cancer research Centre. Her research into the herbartemisinin suggests that its ability to inhibit cell growth may allow patients with breast cancer to undergo lesschemotherapy. Her work was recognized with a gold medal at the Canada-wide science fair in 2009, a Canadian MedicalLaboratory Association award and second place at the Sanofi Aventis Biotalent competition.
Ms. Tutelman has also worked as a pediatric support worker, and witnessing the devastation of serious illness in childreninspired her to found Cures for Kids, a non-profit organization that raises funds and awareness for pediatric life-threatening illnesses.
She leads a team of student volunteers and a board of directors. The organization recently secured long-term corporatesupport through a partnership with Boston Pizza and raised $15,000 for a project for childhood cancers.
Cures for Kids received a national award of innovation from the Art of Living Foundation.
She has also volunteered at Canuck Place Children's Hospice and other recreational programs, working with children whohave special needs.
Ms. Tutelman continues to do research at the University of British Columbia as a volunteer research assistant, lookinginto the role of hormones in auto-immune disorders through the use of transgenic, or genetically modified, models.
She plans to go to the University of British Columbia and hopes to get MD and PhD degrees, allowing her to pursue bothresearch and clinical work, specializing in pediatric medicine.
is the non-profit organization that runs the Top 20 Under 20 awards program. Winners' ages arelisted as what they were on Dec. 31, 2009. A national panel selects the winners.
Other award winners
http://www.globecampus.ca/in-the-news/article/serious-illness-gets-serious-attention/ globecampus.ca ~ Serious illness gets serious attention GlobeCampus is The Globe and Mail's site dedicated to undergraduate education in Canada. Through its innovative search, compare and rank tool called campus navigator, Canadian and visiting students can quickly find the school that would fit them best. The Globe and Mail's annual Canadian University Report (formerly University Report Card) collects the opinion of over 40,000 students across the country. This site will guide parents in evaluating universities and colleges and help students make the right pick from the rich array of qualifiers and indicators available from each of the school's profile.
2010 CTVglobemedia Publishing Inc. All Rights Reserved.
globeandmail.com and The Globe and Mail are divisions of CTVglobemedia Publishing Inc., 444 Front Street W., Toronto, ON Canada M5V http://www.globecampus.ca/in-the-news/article/serious-illness-gets-serious-attention/
Source: http://curesforkids.ca/wp/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Serious_illness_gets_serious_attention.pdf
Ip newsletter - quarterly - print.indd
TC's inside IP A quarterly newsletter from the Intellectual Property Practice Group at Thompson Coburn LLPGreen Tech Gets the Green Light By William Holtz, Ph.D. In December 2009, the United States Patent and applicants to petition to have their green technology Trademark Office (USPTO) implemented a pilot pro-applications examined out of turn, thus reducing the gram to accel
Data linkage branch_projects1995-2012
Data Linkage Branch – Project Applications 1995 – 2010 Project Title Investigators Johnson Graeme, Fiona Stanley, Alison Plant Hospitalisation rates for women 20-60 years Breast cancer - patterns of care and outcomes Comorbidity in people with mental illness Key cancers - lung, colorectal, breast, melanoma Secondary prevention of Myocardial infarction SPLASH - Health behaviou


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Wang Quanzhang: Released from Prison but " Still Serving his Sentence"
Wang Quanzhang ( 王全璋) , a lawyer in custody since the "709" crackdown in 2015, was supposedly released from prison on April 5, 2020. But instead of being allowed to go home to Beijing, Wang was sent to Jinan ostensibly for a 14-day quarantine. But by April 23, he had still not been allowed to...
Where Is the Future —— On the 10th Anniversary of the Revocation of Tang Jitian and Liu Wei's Lawyer's Licenses
April 30, 2020 is the 10th anniversary of the revocation of Tang Jitian and Liu Wei's lawyer's licenses. In 2008, Tang Jitian and Liu Wei were among 35 lawyers who called for the direct elections of officers of the state-controlled Beijing Lawyers Association. In 2010, Tang and Liu's lawyer...
Tang Jitian
Human Rights Concerns Regarding Article 23 Legislation: Background and Key Issues
Pressure has been clearly mounting on the Hong Kong SAR government to once again make an attempt to introduce an Article 23 law. The overwhelming election of Pan-Democratic candidates in the district council elections in November 2019, along with the sustained mobilization of diverse sectors during...
Issues Brief
China Human Rights Lawyers Group's Public Statement on Safeguarding the Legal Rights of Lawyer Liu Yingying
On April 2, 2020, the Zhengzhou Lawyers Association issued a disciplinary "warning" to lawyer Liu Yingying( 刘莹莹 ) for posting on her blog an article titled, "Today, family members lined up in a long queue to pick up their relatives' ashes at the Hankou Funeral Home." The warning states that Liu is...
Suffering Members of our Church Need your Attention and Prayer
Christian Jiang Zhanchun ( 蒋湛春) has been criminally detained in Zhenjiang City Detention Center on suspicion of "picking quarrels and provoking trouble and disrupting the working order of state organs." Xu Yonghai ( 徐永海) , an elder of the Beijing Christian house church, Divine Love Group, appeals...
Xu Yonghai
An Appeal to the Beijing Municipal Government to Launch Urgent Mechanism to Protect Lawyer Yu Wensheng, a Beijing Resident
Xu Yan ( 许艳 ) , the wife of Beijing lawyer Yu Wensheng ( 余文生 ) , sends a letter to the Mayor of Beijing, seven Deputy Mayors, and the Chief Secretary of the municipal government, appealing to them, on whom the people depend for their livelihood, to immediately launch a mechanism for protecting and...
Yu Wensheng
Bank Account Frozen, Complaints Going Nowhere, Difficulty in Getting By: An Account by Cheng Yuan's wife, Shi Minglei, Who is "Under Suspicion of Subversion of State Power"
Shi Minglei, wife of the arrested public interest activist Cheng Yuan, has been put under residential surveillance for 50 days already, on suspicion of "subversion of state power." Without presenting any evidence, to date, to support their criminal allegations against Shi, the authorities have...
Brother of Cheng Yuan, Detained Changsha Legal Advocate, was Summoned with a Blank Summons
In a September 2, 2019 Twitter post titled, " Being Summoned for the Second Time ,"* Cheng Hao, the brother of detained Changsha activist Cheng Yuan, provides an account of his being summoned again by the Zhonghuamen police station in Nanjing. According to his account, three police officers came to...
Private Chat on WeChat Is Criminalized——An Appeal by the wife of Li Huaiqing, a private entrepreneur in Chongqing
The case of Li Huaiqing, a private entrepreneur in Chongqing who is suspected of "inciting subversion of state power," will be tried on August 22. After a year and eight months of silence, Li's wife, Bao Yan, made her first public appeal, directed at relevant government departments: Don't sit back...
On August 12, Cheng Hao, brother of Cheng Yuan, the detained Changsha legal advocate, posted a statement (see below) on Twitter about his interrogation by the police of Zhonghuamen police station in Nanjing on August 8, on suspicion of "picking quarrels and provoking trouble" (寻衅滋事). Cheng Hao was...


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China plugs its 'Great Firewall,' going after unauthorized VPN access from local ISPs
The crackdown is part of a 14-month campaign to clean up the country's internet service provider market.
Michael Kan
China is going after unauthorized internet connections, including tools known as VPNs (virtual private networks) that can bypass China's efforts to control the web.
The crackdown is part of 14-month campaign from China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology that's meant to clean up the country's internet service provider market
Unless authorized, internet service providers are forbidden from operating any "cross-border" channel business, including VPNs, the ministry said in a Sunday notice.
The announcement is a bit of rarity. The country has usually withheld from openly campaigning against VPN use, even as government censors have intermittently tried to squelch access to them in the past.
However, China has been steadily tightening control over the internet. Earlier this month, the country essentially extended its reach to local app stores operating in the country by forcing them to register with the government.
The action against VPNs will probably be alarming to businesses and local users in China who rely on them to access the internet unfiltered. Sites popular in the West such as Facebook, Google and Twitter have all been blocked in the country due to China's strict censorship that targets anti-government views.
Sunday's notice from China's IT ministry essentially asks that internet backbone providers and ISPs "self-check" to weed out any unauthorized VPN use. But it's unclear what affect this will have on third-party VPN providers, many of which operate in foreign countries, but also sell to customers in China.
For instance, sites such as SaferVPN, ExpressVPN and VyprVPN sell subscription-based services for around $10 a month or less. Despite China's censorship, these businesses are continually coming up with ways so that customers can access the unfiltered internet.
GreatFire.org, an activist group against China's censorship, said Sunday's announcement probably has less to do with foreign VPN providers than local ones.
"I think actually that everyone is kind of misreading this info at the moment," the group said over email. "I do not think that consumers are the ones who will get hit. Businesses who need unfettered access to the internet will suffer if their local provider decides not to provide this."
Sunday's notice said that local internet backbone providers in China can still offer private access lines for businesses to link with overseas offices.
However, use of those lines must be restricted for business purposes, and never linked with a data center or used to operate a telecommunication service. The Chinese backbone providers must also collect and establish user profiles for their customers.
In addition to the VPN issue, China's IT ministry said on Sunday it will be investigating ISPs, internet data centers and content delivery networks for failing to receive the right business permits and operating in areas that exceed the intended scope.


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Berkeley chemical engineer charged with trying to poison co-worker
By Cornell Barnard
BERKELEY, California -- A Berkeley engineer is in jail, charged with attempted murder, after police say he tried to poison a co-worker.
Morgan Davis just found out her longtime Lafayette neighbor, David Xu, is under arrest. She saw police on her street just days ago.
"I saw three officers in black with the city of Berkeley on the back," Davis said.
Xu is a chemical engineer at Berkeley Engineering and Research, and police say he's accused of trying to kill a colleague by poisoning her food and water.
The Alameda County criminal complaint reveals "toxic amounts of Cadmium" were used.
Court papers say the victim noticed a "strange taste and smell from her water and food," which she had left unattended in her office. The woman became sick, and her relatives also got sick last fall when they drank from her water bottle.
Court documents say surveillance footage from the woman's office showed Xu adding a substance to the woman's water bottle on two occasions.
Water samples taken from the bottle tested positive for cadmium. The alleged poisoning lasted almost a year and a half.
"That's insane, can't imagine anyone trying to poison anyone," Davis said.
BEAR Lab had no comment about the arrest.
Xu's LinkedIn page says he has served as an engineering expert witness and consultant in materials and chemicals.
Someone at his Lafayette home declined to comment and asked us to leave.
A motive remains unknown. Xu remains in the Berkeley jail.
The victim is recovering. She declined to comment.
californiaarrestpoisonu.s. & worldinvestigation