text:
// ======================================================================== //
// Copyright 2009-2015 Intel Corporation                                    //
//                                                                          //
// 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                           //
//                                                                          //
// 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 "bvh_refit.h"
#include "bvh_statistics.h"

#include "../geometry/linei.h"
#include "../geometry/triangle.h"
#include "../geometry/trianglev.h"
#include "../geometry/trianglei.h"

#include <algorithm>

#define STATIC_SUBTREE_EXTRACTION 1

namespace embree
{
  namespace isa
  {
    static const size_t block_size = 1024;

    template<int N>
    __forceinline bool compare(const typename BVHN<N>::NodeRef* a, const typename BVHN<N>::NodeRef* b)
    {
      int sa = *(size_t*)&a->node()->lower_x;
      int sb = *(size_t*)&b->node()->lower_x;
      return sa < sb;
    }

    template<int N>
    __forceinline BBox<Vec3<vfloat<N>>> transpose(const BBox3fa* bounds);

    template<>
    __forceinline BBox3vf4 transpose<4>(const BBox3fa* bounds)
    {
      BBox3vf4 dest;

      transpose((vfloat4&)bounds[0].lower,
                (vfloat4&)bounds[1].lower,
                (vfloat4&)bounds[2].lower,
                (vfloat4&)bounds[3].lower,
                dest.lower.x,
                dest.lower.y,
                dest.lower.z);

      transpose((vfloat4&)bounds[0].upper,
                (vfloat4&)bounds[1].upper,
                (vfloat4&)bounds[2].upper,
                (vfloat4&)bounds[3].upper,
                dest.upper.x,
                dest.upper.y,
                dest.upper.z);

      return dest;
    }

#if defined(__AVX__)
    template<>
    __forceinline BBox3vf8 transpose<8>(const BBox3fa* bounds)
    {
      BBox3vf8 dest;

      transpose((vfloat4&)bounds[0].lower,
                (vfloat4&)bounds[1].lower,
                (vfloat4&)bounds[2].lower,
                (vfloat4&)bounds[3].lower,
                (vfloat4&)bounds[4].lower,
                (vfloat4&)bounds[5].lower,
                (vfloat4&)bounds[6].lower,
                (vfloat4&)bounds[7].lower,
                dest.lower.x,
                dest.lower.y,
                dest.lower.z);

      transpose((vfloat4&)bounds[0].upper,
                (vfloat4&)bounds[1].upper,
                (vfloat4&)bounds[2].upper,
                (vfloat4&)bounds[3].upper,
                (vfloat4&)bounds[4].upper,
                (vfloat4&)bounds[5].upper,
                (vfloat4&)bounds[6].upper,
                (vfloat4&)bounds[7].upper,
                dest.upper.x,
                dest.upper.y,
                dest.upper.z);

      return dest;
    }
#endif

    template<int N>
    __forceinline BBox3fa merge(const BBox3fa* bounds);

    template<>
    __forceinline BBox3fa merge<4>(const BBox3fa* bounds)
    {
      const Vec3fa lower = min(min(bounds[0].lower,bounds[1].lower),
                               min(bounds[2].lower,bounds[3].lower));
      const Vec3fa upper = max(max(bounds[0].upper,bounds[1].upper),
                               max(bounds[2].upper,bounds[3].upper));
      return BBox3fa(lower,upper);
    }

#if defined(__AVX__)
    template<>
    __forceinline BBox3fa merge<8>(const BBox3fa* bounds)
    {
      const Vec3fa lower = min(min(min(bounds[0].lower,bounds[1].lower),min(bounds[2].lower,bounds[3].lower)),
                               min(min(bounds[4].lower,bounds[5].lower),min(bounds[6].lower,bounds[7].lower)));
      const Vec3fa upper = max(max(max(bounds[0].upper,bounds[1].upper),max(bounds[2].upper,bounds[3].upper)),
                               max(max(bounds[4].upper,bounds[5].upper),max(bounds[6].upper,bounds[7].upper)));
      return BBox3fa(lower,upper);
    }
#endif

    template<int N>
    BVHNRefitter<N>::BVHNRefitter (BVH* bvh, const LeafBoundsInterface& leafBounds)
      : bvh(bvh), leafBounds(leafBounds), numSubTrees(0)
    {
#if STATIC_SUBTREE_EXTRACTION

#else
      if (bvh->numPrimitives > block_size) {
        annotate_tree_sizes(bvh->root);
        calculate_refit_roots();
      }
#endif
    }

    template<int N>
    void BVHNRefitter<N>::refit()
    {
#if STATIC_SUBTREE_EXTRACTION
      if (bvh->numPrimitives <= block_size) {
        bvh->bounds = recurse_bottom(bvh->root);
      }
      else
      {
        numSubTrees = 0;
        gather_subtree_refs(bvh->root,numSubTrees,0);

        if (numSubTrees)
          parallel_for(size_t(0), numSubTrees, [&] (const range<size_t>& r) {
              for (size_t i=r.begin(); i<r.end(); i++) {
                NodeRef& ref = subTrees[i];
                recurse_bottom(ref);
              }
            });

        numSubTrees = 0;
        bvh->bounds = refit_toplevel(bvh->root,numSubTrees,0);
      }
#else
      /* single threaded fallback */
      size_t numRoots = roots.size();
      if (numRoots <= 1) {
        bvh->bounds = recurse_bottom(bvh->root);
      }

      /* parallel refit */
      else
      {

        parallel_for(size_t(0), roots.size(), [&] (const range<size_t>& r) {
            for (size_t i=r.begin(); i<r.end(); i++) {
              NodeRef& ref = *roots[i];
              recurse_bottom(ref);
              ref.setBarrier();
            }
          });
        bvh->bounds = recurse_top(bvh->root);
      }
#endif

  }

    template<int N>
    size_t BVHNRefitter<N>::annotate_tree_sizes(NodeRef& ref)
    {
      if (ref.isNode())
      {
        Node* node = ref.node();
        size_t n = 0;
        for (size_t i=0; i<N; i++) {
          NodeRef& child = node->child(i);
          if (child == BVH::emptyNode) continue;
          n += annotate_tree_sizes(child);
        }
        *((size_t*)&node->lower_x) = n;
        return n;
      }
      else
      {
        size_t num;
        ref.leaf(num);
        return num;
      }
    }

    template<int N>
    void BVHNRefitter<N>::gather_subtree_refs(NodeRef& ref,
                                              size_t &subtrees,
                                              const size_t depth)
    {
      if (ref.isNode())
      {
        if (depth >= MAX_SUB_TREE_EXTRACTION_DEPTH)
        {
          assert(subtrees < MAX_NUM_SUB_TREES);
          subTrees[subtrees++] = ref;
          return;
        }

        Node* node = ref.node();
        for (size_t i=0; i<N; i++) {
          NodeRef& child = node->child(i);
          if (child == BVH::emptyNode) continue;
          gather_subtree_refs(child,subtrees,depth+1);
        }
      }
    }

    template<int N>
    BBox3fa BVHNRefitter<N>::refit_toplevel(NodeRef& ref,
                                            size_t &subtrees,
                                            const size_t depth)
    {
      if (ref.isNode())
      {
        Node* node = ref.node();
        BBox3fa bounds[N];

        if (depth >= MAX_SUB_TREE_EXTRACTION_DEPTH)
        {
          assert(subtrees < MAX_NUM_SUB_TREES);
          assert(subTrees[subtrees++] == ref);
        }

        for (size_t i=0; i<N; i++)
        {
          NodeRef& child = node->child(i);
          bounds[i] = BBox3fa(empty);

          if (unlikely(child == BVH::emptyNode)) continue;

          if (depth >= MAX_SUB_TREE_EXTRACTION_DEPTH)
            bounds[i] = node->bounds();
          else
            bounds[i] = refit_toplevel(child,subtrees,depth+1);
        }

        BBox<Vec3<vfloat<N>>> boundsT = transpose<N>(bounds);

        /* set new bounds */
        node->lower_x = boundsT.lower.x;
        node->lower_y = boundsT.lower.y;
        node->lower_z = boundsT.lower.z;
        node->upper_x = boundsT.upper.x;
        node->upper_y = boundsT.upper.y;
        node->upper_z = boundsT.upper.z;

        return merge<N>(bounds);
      }
      else
        return leafBounds.leafBounds(ref);
    }

    template<int N>
    void BVHNRefitter<N>::calculate_refit_roots ()
    {
      if (!bvh->root.isNode()) return;

      roots.push_back(&bvh->root);
      std::make_heap (roots.begin(), roots.end(), compare<N>);

      while (true)
      {
        std::pop_heap(roots.begin(), roots.end(), compare<N>);
        NodeRef* node = roots.back();
        roots.pop_back();
        if (*(size_t*)&node->node()->lower_x < block_size)
          break;

        for (size_t i=0; i<N; i++) {
          NodeRef* child = &node->node()->child(i);
          if (child->isNode()) {
            roots.push_back(child);
            std::push_heap(roots.begin(), roots.end(), compare<N>);
          }
        }
      }
    }

    template<int N>
    BBox3fa BVHNRefitter<N>::recurse_bottom(NodeRef& ref)
    {
      /* this is a leaf node */
      if (unlikely(ref.isLeaf()))
        return leafBounds.leafBounds(ref);

      /* recurse if this is an internal node */
      Node* node = ref.node();

      /* enable exclusive prefetch for >= AVX platforms */
#if defined(__AVX__)
      ref.prefetchW();
#endif
      BBox3fa bounds[N];

      #pragma unroll
      for (size_t i=0; i<N; i++)
        bounds[i] = recurse_bottom(node->child(i));

      /* AOS to SOA transform */
      BBox<Vec3<vfloat<N>>> boundsT = transpose<N>(bounds);

      /* set new bounds */
      node->lower_x = boundsT.lower.x;
      node->lower_y = boundsT.lower.y;
      node->lower_z = boundsT.lower.z;
      node->upper_x = boundsT.upper.x;
      node->upper_y = boundsT.upper.y;
      node->upper_z = boundsT.upper.z;

      /* return merged bounds */
      return merge<N>(bounds);
    }

    template<int N>
    BBox3fa BVHNRefitter<N>::recurse_top(NodeRef& ref)
    {
      /* stop here if we encounter a barrier */
      if (unlikely(ref.isBarrier())) {
        ref.clearBarrier();
        return node_bounds(ref);
      }

      /* this is a leaf node */
      if (unlikely(ref.isLeaf()))
        return leafBounds.leafBounds(ref);

      /* recurse if this is an internal node */
      Node* node = ref.node();
      BBox3fa bounds[N];

      #pragma unroll
      for (size_t i=0; i<N; i++)
        bounds[i] = recurse_top(node->child(i));

      /* AOS to SOA transform */
      BBox<Vec3<vfloat<N>>> boundsT = transpose<N>(bounds);

      /* set new bounds */
      node->lower_x = boundsT.lower.x;
      node->lower_y = boundsT.lower.y;
      node->lower_z = boundsT.lower.z;
      node->upper_x = boundsT.upper.x;
      node->upper_y = boundsT.upper.y;
      node->upper_z = boundsT.upper.z;

      /* return merged bounds */
      return merge<N>(bounds);
    }

    template<int N, typename Mesh, typename Primitive>
    BVHNRefitT<N,Mesh,Primitive>::BVHNRefitT (BVH* bvh, Builder* builder, Mesh* mesh, size_t mode)
      : builder(builder), refitter(nullptr), mesh(mesh), bvh(bvh) {}

    template<int N, typename Mesh, typename Primitive>
    BVHNRefitT<N,Mesh,Primitive>::~BVHNRefitT () {
      delete builder;
      delete refitter;
    }

    template<int N, typename Mesh, typename Primitive>
    void BVHNRefitT<N,Mesh,Primitive>::clear()
    {
      if (builder)
        builder->clear();
    }

    template<int N, typename Mesh, typename Primitive>
    void BVHNRefitT<N,Mesh,Primitive>::build(size_t threadIndex, size_t threadCount)
    {
      /* build initial BVH */
      if (builder) {
        builder->build(threadIndex,threadCount);
        delete builder; builder = nullptr;
        refitter = new BVHNRefitter<N>(bvh,*(typename BVHNRefitter<N>::LeafBoundsInterface*)this);
      }

      /* refit BVH */
      double t0 = 0.0;
      if (bvh->device->verbosity(2)) {
        std::cout << "refitting BVH" << N << " <" << bvh->primTy.name << "> ... " << std::flush;
        t0 = getSeconds();
      }

      refitter->refit();

      if (bvh->device->verbosity(2))
      {
        double t1 = getSeconds();
        std::cout << "[DONE]" << std::endl;
        std::cout << "  dt = " << 1000.0f*(t1-t0) << "ms, perf = " << 1E-6*double(mesh->size())/(t1-t0) << " Mprim/s" << std::endl;
        std::cout << BVHNStatistics<N>(bvh).str();
      }
    }

    template class BVHNRefitter<4>;
#if defined(__AVX__)
    template class BVHNRefitter<8>;
#endif

    Builder* BVH4Line4iMeshBuilderSAH (void* bvh, LineSegments* mesh, size_t mode);
    Builder* BVH4Triangle4MeshBuilderSAH  (void* bvh, TriangleMesh* mesh, size_t mode);
#if defined(__AVX__)
    Builder* BVH4Triangle8MeshBuilderSAH  (void* bvh, TriangleMesh* mesh, size_t mode);
#endif
    Builder* BVH4Triangle4vMeshBuilderSAH (void* bvh, TriangleMesh* mesh, size_t mode);
    Builder* BVH4Triangle4iMeshBuilderSAH (void* bvh, TriangleMesh* mesh, size_t mode);

    Builder* BVH4Line4iMeshRefitSAH (void* accel, LineSegments* mesh, size_t mode) { return new BVHNRefitT<4,LineSegments,Line4i>((BVH4*)accel,BVH4Line4iMeshBuilderSAH(accel,mesh,mode),mesh,mode); }
    Builder* BVH4Triangle4MeshRefitSAH (void* accel, TriangleMesh* mesh, size_t mode) { return new BVHNRefitT<4,TriangleMesh,Triangle4>((BVH4*)accel,BVH4Triangle4MeshBuilderSAH(accel,mesh,mode),mesh,mode); }

#if defined(__AVX__)
    Builder* BVH4Triangle8MeshRefitSAH (void* accel, TriangleMesh* mesh, size_t mode) { return new BVHNRefitT<4,TriangleMesh,Triangle8>((BVH4*)accel,BVH4Triangle8MeshBuilderSAH(accel,mesh,mode),mesh,mode); }
#endif
    Builder* BVH4Triangle4vMeshRefitSAH (void* accel, TriangleMesh* mesh, size_t mode) { return new BVHNRefitT<4,TriangleMesh,Triangle4v>((BVH4*)accel,BVH4Triangle4vMeshBuilderSAH(accel,mesh,mode),mesh,mode); }
    Builder* BVH4Triangle4iMeshRefitSAH (void* accel, TriangleMesh* mesh, size_t mode) { return new BVHNRefitT<4,TriangleMesh,Triangle4i>((BVH4*)accel,BVH4Triangle4iMeshBuilderSAH(accel,mesh,mode),mesh,mode); }

  }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Shop > Categories > Your Recent Finds > Is this bone?
If not, any ideas? Found at Yaverland last week.
It is not bone, or at least does not have the typical internal structure of Wealden reptilian bone. I am not able to offer a suggestion as to what it might be though.
This may be a mineral deposit?


A wealth of family dynasties have made a fortune in the drinks industry, according to a new Forbes report on America's richest families.
The report, an update of that which we reported on recently, ranks the Busch family of St. Louis as the number-one beverage billionaires (they placed 17th overall among America's richest families), with an estimated fortune of $13 billion (£7.6bn).
The Brown family, of Brown-Forman fame, ranks number two among beverage billionaires (20th overall) at $11.6 billion (£6.8bn). Next is the Gallo family, which has owned E.&J. Gallo Winery for more than 80 years, coming in third (25th overall) at $9.7 billion (£5.7bn).
Also among America's richest families are the Reyes family ,the beer distribution at $8 billion (£4.7bn), the Wirtz family of Wirtz Beverage at $4.2b (£2.5bn), the Coors family at $2.9bn (£1.7bn), beer distributor John Anderson's family at $2.5bn (£1.5bn) and the Jackson family of Kendall-Jackson fame at $2.3bn (£1.3bn).
We will be compiling a concise list of the top booze billionaires shortly.
John Paul DeJoria of Patron Tequila and ROK Drinks should also make the list? $5 billion.
The way the 10th Mountain Whiskey & Spirit company is growing, their owners will be on that list next year!


text:
[ January 18, 2021 ] Bank of Zambia Orders Top Zimbabwean Banker George Manyere To Exit MyBucks	Banking
HomeHeadlines#GraceMugabe's multimillion dollar SA mansion
#GraceMugabe's multimillion dollar SA mansion
August 17, 2017 Staff Reporter Headlines, Zimbabwe 0
Johannesburg – Zimbabwe's first lady, Grace Mugabe has bought a R45 million mansion in the affluent Sandhurst suburb of Joburg.
The news come against the backdrop of a national outrage over allegations she assaulted a 20-year-old Joburg model she found with her two sons at a hotel on Sunday. She had flown into South Africa earlier in the day, just 24 hours after she had returned to Harare after medical treatment.
Sources close to the sale on Wednesday confirmed that the wife of the 93-year-old Zimbabwe leader Robert Mugabe bought the majestic property in February through a shelf company.
"It had been on the market for some time but was transferred in May this year," said a northern suburbs property expert who asked not to be named.
Property adverts for the home before its acquisition said: "It has rolling lawns, a summer house, koi pond and six reception rooms. It also has four bedrooms and four bathrooms, a two-bedroomed cottage, pool, etc."
An estate agent who knows the property and asked not to be named, said it does need some renovations. Official documents on the transfer of the property show that Grace has spent about R45m on this 9 249m2 property, which is nearly double the size of most others in Sandhurst, a suburb redolent of money and extravagance.
Sandhurst is home to some of South Africa's richest families as well as from oil-rich parts of Africa.
Property sources in the most elite part of the northern suburbs say the first lady is also interested in another property nearby valued at about R55m.
Grace, 52, is anxious like many Zimbabweans as the ruling Zanu-PF party is divided about the "succession issue".
She is widely feared and disliked, particularly in the capital, Harare, but is seen as important in the succession battle to replace her ageing husband.
Earlier this year, Grace rented a mansion in Sandhurst on a year's lease, and lived in it with her staff, during her trips to South Africa. This property, around the corner from her new mansion, is valued at about R25m, and was for sale for an extended period before she signed the lease. The owners of the property have left South Africa and are now living in Europe.
Zimbabwean security guards were on duty outside this mansion earlier this week, and there is a permanent van with security personnel parked opposite it.
Property experts in the area estimate she would be paying at least R150 000 a month in rent.
Her sons rented two flats in a plush hotel complex not far away.
They are known to frequent Joburg's exclusive night clubs.
Late last year, Grace also bought a R58m property in Harare from Jan Teede and the central bank allowed the cash to be exported to a Mauritius bank account.
Tendai Biti, former finance minister during the inclusive government which ended in 2013, said Zimbabwe was "haemorrhaging" foreign currency. "The Zimbabwe state has been bled dry because of illicit financial flows which include massive spending by the first family when nearly 80% of the population is living in extreme poverty and more than 90% are unemployed."
Brian Raftopoulos, a veteran political analyst and academic, said: "There is gross extortion of public funds and some of this is spent to protect the first family in the context of real uncertainty about the future of the succession."
He said Grace's exorbitant spending on property in South Africa indicated she was "uncertain about her future".
She has spent considerable time in South Africa since she and her family quickly left their R500 000-per-month rented Dubai home earlier this year after her sons, Robert jr, 25, and Bellarmine Chatunga, 21, allegedly had to leave in a hurry.
The sons then moved to Joburg and were recently kicked out of a R70 000-a-month flat they rented in Rivonia after a drunken brawl which left a security guard injured.
President Mugabe jetted into the country on Wednesday to defuse a potential diplomatic fallout over the assault allegations.
As the public pushed for her arrest, Minister of Police Fikile Mbalula said Grace's lawyers and government representatives made verbal representations to investigators that she wished to invoke diplomatic immunity.
"Subsequently, the government of Zimbabwe dispatched a diplomatic note verbale to the Department of International Relations and Co-operation invoking said cover."
According to Mbalula, Grace is still in the country, while her itinerary includes participation at the Southern African Development Community Heads of States Summit and Bilateral Diplomatic Meetings in Pretoria.
"Discussions with the suspect's lawyers and Zimbabwean High Commission representatives are taking place to make sure that the suspect is processed through the legal system."
Zimbabwe's central bank has not answered questions about payment of Grace's properties here.
Bank of Zambia Orders Top Zimbabwean Banker George Manyere To Exit MyBucks

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
tv 2020 ABC January 8, 2016 10:01pm-11:00pm EST
tt2w`t+o@p47 bt@q!4h tt2w`t+o@p47 "a@q18, tt2w`t+o@p47 bm@q:3 tt4w`t+o@p47" dztq **( tt4w`t+o@p47" entq z.h tt4w`t+o@p47" gzt& c)0 tt4w`t+o@p47" hnt& s'\ tt4w`t+o@p47" iztq 9n$ tt4w`t+o@p47" jntq +>d tt4w`t+o@p47" lzt& 3s8 i had always wanted since i was a little kid, i'd see these older couples dancing. every step was perfect and every move was in unison. they were one. >> richelle shetina was looking for the perfect partner in dance and in life, and she thought she found him in a wealthy doctor. >> he was a wonderful dancer, and he introduced himself to me. my name's joseph. >> reporter: but somebody else wanted to cut in. this plastic surgeon. >> hello. i'm dr. mike dixon. >> 911, what's your emergency? >> reporter: three people trapped in what would become a dance of death. >> there's a bullet. i need somebody to hurry. >> there are police cars everywhere. there's crime scene tape all around. it was just absolute chaos. >> it was an in and out job, a hit to kill this person specifically. >> reporter: tonight only on
middle between two doctors. >> the kind of plot you expect from a soap opera. >> this is the oldest story in the book. this is vengeance. this is revenge. this is pride. >> reporter: a dangerous game of cat and mouse. >> accused of hiring a hit man -- >> so there was some kind of a triangle things going on. >> reporter: but who's the cat? >> no part of this is right. >> reporter: who's the mouse? >> this is a huge whodunit. >> reporter: a case with no shortage of suspects. a list of ex-girlfriends. a peeping tom in the back yard. and a con man with his own obsession. >> i'm kind of a sassy smart [ bleep ] and we just kind of hit it off. >> reporter: characters so villainous even their own children turn on them. >> you made yourself a monster, dad. >> the verdict is in. >> unanimous verdict. >> what was your mindset going into that first trial? >> let's go get these guys. >> there are real sociopaths. sometimes they sleep in your bed with you. >> okay, game on. >> reporter: a last dance in texas. good evening.
>> and i'm elizabeth vargas. and tonight a love triangle that started in texas and went on to make national headlines. two doctors and a beautiful woman who says she finally found the love of her life. >> but right here tonight what you have never heard until now. that woman caught in the center now speaking out. ryan smith with a story that went from dance lessons to dirty tricks to deadly consequences. >> reporter: on a lazy summer afternoon in lubbock, texas -- >> 911, what's the emergency? >> reporter: a break-in in this neighborhood of stately homes. >> somebody has broken a window in the back, and the doctor did not show up for work today. >> reporter: prominent local physician dr. joseph sonnier is found murdered. a landscaper finds his body. >> oh, no! oh, god. >> ma'am, ma'am. what's going on? >> reporter: shot and stabbed multiple times. >> there's a bullet that was laying on the ground.
>> reporter: zach johnson, a detective with the lubbock police, heads to the scene. this neighborhood had to be freaked out by this killing. >> they were. they were very scared because this doesn't happen. especially to somebody that's so esteemed. >> reporter: upon entering sonnier's house it's immediately clear to detective johnson that this isn't a robbery gone bad. >> there was artwork in the home. there were very expensive pieces of furniture. there was ipads, all kinds of things, just kind of laying around. you know. nothing was taken. it was an in and out job. >> reporter: in the dining area johnson can see where the fatal blows were delivered. >> and the crime scene was very succinct. it wasn't spread out. you had the overturned chair. you had the glass on the floor. and you had the casings. so you knew that he was shot right here. >> reporter: another clue stands out. a gatorade bottle lies on the floor near the shell casings
police determine it's a crudely fashioned silencer. >> we were dealing with something that was a hit of sorts, that somebody had come to this house to kill this person specifically. >> reporter: but who? >> to me it was just mind-boggling. you know, why is this man dead? he's a well-respected citizen in this community. why is he dead? >> reporter: sonnier's children are devastated and perplexed. two years earlier their mother had been murdered. and now their father too. for sonnier's oldest son, dallas, it's a hauntingly familiar scenario. >> i knew how to plan a funeral. i knew how to scrub blood off the floor. i knew everything we had to do because i'd already done it once before. >> this just doesn't happen. >> the statistical likelihood that both parents would be murdered, separate occasions, is unfathomable. i got the call the day before the two-year anniversary of my mother's death.
to do with her death. that's how out of left field and completely out of nowhere this was. >> reporter: for joseph's third son, phillip, there are more questions than answers. >> we started racking our brains, well, it's got to be some kind of girlfriend situation. if it's not a robbery, it's somebody he knows. >> reporter: this all took place in lubbock, texas. nestled in the heart of ranching country. a broad and wind-swept terrain of cotton fields, cattle, and money. >> you can't see better sunsets and sunrises and thunderstorms and everything else coming in. but it's the people that drive it. there's no better people probably anywhere in the world. >> reporter: one of those people is the victim, joseph sonnier, a well-known doctor, successful businessman, and multimillionaire. and as far as women in lubbock are concerned, unquestionably a catch. he enjoys foreign travel, has a
even makes his own perfume. >> he was a single man in his late 40s with disposable income and an empty house. >> he's living the single life and having a fun time. >> so it wasn't about getting married? >> i don't think he would have gotten married again. >> reporter: at 19 sonnier married his high school sweetheart, becky. dallas recalls his happy childhood, with loving parents. >> merry christmas, dad. >> my dad was the most supportive person in my life. my mom was our emotional support. >> merry christmas. >> reporter:. >> he was the one who was going to push us to succeed, push us to follow our dreams. >> reporter: dallas remembers how his father fell apart when his mother walked out on him after 27 years of marriage for another man. >> she was the only person that he had ever been with and ever
when they got divorced, it was a shock to him. everything he'd worked for in his life evaporated in one second. >> reporter: his ex-wife, becky, quickly remarried, and to the sonnier family's horror she was murdered by her new husband, who then killed himself. james sonnier remembers how his father helped him and his brothers come to terms with their mother's murder. >> he came in after she was murdered and he became like our guide about how to handle this -- this tragedy. >> reporter: and the elder sonnier was still in the process of rebuilding his own life. 48 years old and on the dating scene, dr. sonnier takes a chance. >> he went i think on a lark to a dance class. ballroom and salsa. swing. and through that dance community he found his confidence again. >> reporter: and that's not all he finds. >> he started to meet beautiful
who were also in his age range. >> so that's how he was able to start dating again. >> and he got the mojo back like that. >> so how did you feel about the women that he dated? >> the truth is we liked most of them. >> reporter: dallas and his brothers had grown up and moved away. but every fall they joined their dad for a texas tech football game. one year dr. sonnier brings a date to their family tailgate. >> she's blond. she's tall. she's gorgeous. >> reporter: she is richelle shetina. single mother of four boys who sonnier meets at a ballroom dance class. >> it's the first date and he's bringing you around his family. which is -- that's nerve-wracking for some people. >> i mean, it was the first date. it really wasn't a big deal to me. i certainly wasn't nervous about it. >> she knew how to handle herself in a social situation, around his sons. we're tough critics. you know. and we gave her a thumbs up. >> reporter: like sonnier, richelle is divorced and has grown children.
and when things start to get serious, he takes her to visit his grandchildren in los angeles. >> touch your head. >> we had a great time. she came over to the house. played with my kids. it couldn't have gone better. >> she's a smart girl. >> reporter: while sonnier is enjoying dating richelle, dallas says his father's feelings do not run to marriage. >> in your mind he was never going to put a ring on it. >> that's right. >> reporter: but richelle may want more than casual dating. according to sonnier's family she repeatedly tells him how much she wants to get married. >> it was constant pressure at every step of the way following the l.a. trip. >> that's not true. what i was looking for was a committed relationship with a good person. and that was it. >> reporter: a couple of months after the l.a. trip dr. sonnier tells his son that he and richelle were going to paris. >> it was a birthday gift for my 50th birthday. i was just over the moon. it was really a dream come true.
richelle's romantic getaway includes a trip to the pont pont des artes, a bridge across the seine river with locks by the thousands. >> we bought a lock and joseph wrote his name on it and i wrote my name on it, and you throw the keen into the seine river. and that locks the most forever. >> reporter: but for richelle and joseph forever would only be a matter of weeks. on a sweltering wednesday in july richelle learns that the love of her life has been murdered. >> there are police cars everywhere. there's crime scene tape all around joseph's house. emergency vehicles there. reporters there. it was just absolute chaos. >> reporter: searching for a killer, the first place police go is to the people closest to the victim. so detective zach johnson's
girlfriend, richelle shetina. >> meeting with richelle that very first time i don't know a lot about her. >> did you ever have a time where you suspected that richelle could in some way have been involved in dr. sonnier's death? >> you always have to consider people the closest because 90% of the time it's going to be the people that are closest to our victims that committed crime against them. >> reporter: the police take richelle in for questioning. she's on the hot seat, and she starts naming names. >> there's just, you know, some girls that he dated. and joseph would get these horrible text messages, you know, calling him [ bleep ]. you know, you're such a [ bleep ], whatever. >> reporter: when "20/20" returns. hey, you forgot the milk! that's lactaid. right. 100% real milk, just without the lactose. so you can drink all you want... ...with no discomfort? exactly. here, try some... mmm, it is real milk.
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>> announcer: "20/20" continues with "a last dance in texas." joseph sonnier, a respected doctor, is found murdered in his home in an upscale lubbock neighborhood. and the first person homicide detective zach johnson wants to interview is richelle shetina, sonnier's current girlfriend. he brings her in for questioning. >> how would you describe your relationship with dr. sonnier? >> he's -- he's the love of my life. >> meeting with richelle that very first time, i don't know a lot about her. there were a couple of things that were mentioned by her that struck me as odd.
months leading up to the murder she feels like someone was watching her, following her to the gym. >> i had gone in to work out and i pulled into the parking lot and there was this big creepy-looking guy sitting there. and at the door, like he was looking for someone or watching someone. >> reporter: she also thinks someone was hiding in sonnier's back yard, spying on the couple one evening after dance class. >> it was dark outside, and joseph and i both saw a flash from the outside. we laughed and kind of joked about, you know, maybe somebody was following us. >> reporter: detective johnson asks richelle if she knows anyone who might have stalked the doctor or held a grudge against him. >> joseph would get this -- these horrible text messages, you know, calling him a [ bleep ] and you know, you're such a [ bleep ] and whatever. >> reporter: and richelle has no shortage of theories about suspects. she rattles off a list of
she also remembers a letter she received from a mysterious woman named tina. >> and that she met joseph on the internet and that they had sex for money, basically. and he said, you know, this is obviously someone trying to drive a wedge in between us. >> reporter: police are intrigued by the idea of a love rival. but instead of focusing on sonnier's dating history he asks richelle about her past lovers. one name is on the tip of her tongue. >> his name is thomas michael dixon. he's a plastic surgeon in amarillo. >> reporter: dr. mike dixon. >> hello. i'm dr. mike dixon. if you're considering plastic surgery -- >> reporter: well known, he's divorced, wealthy, and used to date richelle. >> he had a place in amarillo and i went there to get botox injections. >> what attracted you to him? >> he was funny, he was very witty, and he was enjoyable.
somebody put needles in your face, you know, i guess that's about as enjoyable as it could be. >> reporter: richelle and dr. dixon had dated for a year and a half before they broke up and she started seeing dr. sonnier. >> did he know about your current relationship? joseph. he called him by name in a series of text messages, trying to get me to go out with him and to meet him for coffee. >> reporter: richelle says she rejected his advances but he was persistent. >> so he wanted you to see him on the side, basically? >> he wanted me to come back to him. i told him no. >> reporter: but is dixon the kind of man to take no for an answer? johnson wants to find out. so he drives two hours to amarillo for a face-to-face conversation with richelle's ex that the detective secretly records. [ knocking ] >> dr. dixon, i'm detective
we've got a case down in lubbock, and i'm needing to talk to you about it. >> i told him, it's richelle's boyfriend. and his first thing was oh, i don't know anything about him. >> i don't know anything about him. i haven't talked to her in months and months. >> and i was like, okay, well, that's a little odd because in our interview with richelle she told us that he knew about the relationship. >> yeah, i'll be honest with you. i loved, loved, loved that woman. i really did. >> he was obsessed with richelle. he had a lot of problems getting over this break-up. he just couldn't seem to let her go. >> for detective zach johnson alarm bells were sounding. heels. in fact, made a lot of life changes for her. >> he's very up front about yeah, i wanted her back. >> reporter: dixon recalls how their relationship ended when he failed to propose to richelle on her birthday and instead gave her a subscription to a tea of the month club. >> and she went ballistic and
remember clearly it's not a big [ bleep ] rock. and i said, no, it's not. like a wedding ring. >> it wasn't about the fact that it was tea. tea is lovely. i don't happen to drink it. he was not present in any emotionally supportive aspect of my world. >> reporter: but despite richelle's unhappiness with him dixon says they kept in contact after their break-up, exchanging texts and he says they even planned a weekend getaway to a resort. >> she was like, hey, do you want to put this back together? and i was like, yeah, i do. and so let's plan a trip, blah, blah, blah. the next day she's like, hey, sorry, i'm in love with my dance partner. >> he still loves her. he's got a lot of feelings for her. but boom, she drops the hammer on him and says oh, by the way, i'm in love with my dance partner. >> some would say, well, you're throwing it in his face a little bit. >> well, no, i wasn't throwing it in his face. there was an ugliness from him to me. >> reporter: dixon seems like a
alibi the night of sonnier's murder. as do richelle shetina and those ex-girlfriends. detective johnson is stumped. >> there's something not right here. this is a huge whodunit. >> reporter: until johnson gets the call all detectives pray for. it's from a tipster who offers a new name that could crack the case. >> his name's dave shepard. s-h-e-p-a-r-d. >> reporter: but who is dave shepard? stay with us., stephanie. we're, like, so goth. we're, like, goth goth. sfx: knocks on door. honey? i'm dying my hair, mom. hair dye? no, not in my bathroom! relax, mom. honey, just let me in! sfx: door rattling. no. tiffany! no. tiffany! it's just purple. teenage daughter? get scrubbing bubbles. kill 99.9% of germs and destroy dirt and grime. you only need scrubbing bubbles disinfecting cleaners for 100% problem solved. we work hard, so you don't have to.
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tt2w`t2n`qt" bt@q2;x tt2w`t2n`qt" "a@q"7< tt2w`t2n`qt" bm@q)> announcer: "20/20" continues with ryan smith and "a last dance in texas." homicide detective zach johnson is desperately trying to unravel a tangled web, but he has no viable suspects in the murder of dr. joseph sonnier. until he gets a phone call. what was it that broke this case wide open for you? >> when paul reynolds called the police department. >> my name is paul reynolds. i'm trying to get some information and we think we've got a crime that happened down here in lubbock. it's a homicide. >> who is paul reynolds? >> believe it or not, there are good people in the world and paul reynolds is one of them. >> reporter: reynolds is a registered nurse. down on his luck when a childhood friend named dave shepard offers to let him crash on his couch. he offers to tell police
>> so i crashed on his couch. he kind of started in with just weird talk. >> reporter: according to reynolds, shepard starts acting strangely, telling wild violent stories of killing a man in lubbock. incredulous, reynolds googles the information, only to discover that the murder is real. >> and then these stories started to come out. >> reporter: reynolds tells investigators that coincidentally, shepard is a good friend of none other than richelle's ex, dr. mike dixon. the investigation takes a turn, zeroing in on shepard. >> and tell me about y'all's relationship, how it evolved. >> he's quick-witted. i'm kind afdof a sassy smart [ bleep ] and we just hit it off. >> they bonded over cigars and martinis at local hangouts in amarillo commiserating over ex-wives. >> smoking cigars is a very sociable thing and we just connected, hooked up. >> so y'all just happened to meet up in the cigar shop --
and kind of had a connection. >> reporter: shepard's daughters, haley, abigail, and rachel speaking exclusively to "20/20" about the strange bond between their father and dr. mike dixon. >> dad was definitely obsessed with mike. >> really? >> he had a big man crush on mike. >> reporter: it was an unlikely bromance. dixon, a successful plastic surgeon, and shepard, a divorced unemployed con man. >> so what did your dad see in him? >> his money. and his success. >> dad wanted to be mike. >> reporter: shepard may have been obsessed with dixon, but dixon was obsessed with someone else. richelle shetina. >> he left his wife for her. you know, she broke up his marriage. and he just wanted i guess payback. >> david shepard does come in and tells us exactly what happened. >> so he tells you everything. >> this whole thing was like
at the very bottom of these stairs as being a prank. >> reporter: shepard tells police that it all began harmlessly enough, trying to tarnish dr. sonnier's reputation in the hope that richelle would break up with him and run back to the arms of dixon. what were some of the things they came up with? >> they were going to get this porn subscription, like child gay important, and they were going to send it to dr. sonnier's office. >> go to an adult bookstore and buy the most obscene, nastiest, man-boy love association book he could and buy him a subscription and send it to his office. because -- i said that's a gift that'll keep giving. >> they were thinking that was going to ruin his reputation, his professional reputation. >> reporter: thinking more like teenagers than grown men, they concoct ridiculous schemes to humiliate dixon's rival, like hiring a stripper to pretend to be sonnier's girlfriend so that richelle will think he's two-timing her.
is still dating sonnier, dixon becomes desperate. >> he said we have to follow him. we have to figure out where he's at. he goes, hey, what are you doing? let's go -- let's take a little trip to lubbock. >> reporter: they drive the 120-mile stretch of highway between amarillo and lubbock. >> and next thing i know he tells me that richelle and dr. sonnier take these dance classes. and he showed me where the dance class was, where to go. >> reporter: shepard spends months in lubbock, watching the lovers. turns out it was shepard who scares richelle in the early morning hours when he's staking out her gym. and it's shepard who in a brazen move breaks into sonnier's back yard and takes this accidental selfie. the flash alerting richelle and sonnier inside. >> it looked like a camera flash. and we kind of shrugged our shoulders and said that was weird. >> reporter: shepard fails to dig up dirt on sonnier. so dixon grows impatient.
he was wanting done that -- was that what y'all were discussing? >> yes. >> and what was that? >> he -- he wanted him hurt. and then it gradually developed into having him killed. >> reporter: after hours of interrogation an exhausted shepard gives police a blow by blow of what happened that night. a full confession. july 10th, 2012 is the last night shepard will stalk his prey. he breaks into sonnier's back yard armed with a gun and a knife and lies in wait. sonnier comes home, makes himself a drink after a long day at work. suddenly, shepard is at the back window. >> i pull the gun out of the bag with the gatorade on it. i point the weapon with the bottle at him. >> reporter: shepard pushes through the window and fires, emptying his gun into sonnier. the doctor somehow finds enough strength to stumble out of the room to get away. but shepard is in pursuit and
he stabs him 11 times. >> he's laying on the floor, not moving, not breathing, nothing. i check his pulse in his neck. he's dead. >> reporter: there's so much blood it seeps under the garage door to the outside. >> he's a murderer. he's a liar. he's a thief. he's an embezzler. he's lots of things. as far as his role in this, i think he was a pawn for mike dixon. >> reporter: so district attorney matt powell offers shepard a deal. rat out his good friend dr. mike dixon in exchange for a life sentence instead of a death sentence. but who will the jury believe, a respected plastic surgeon or a convicted con man? and would one of them not live to tell? big news! the new sprint lte plus network is faster than verizon and at&t... based on data from the world's foremost
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>> announcer: now more of "20/20" and "a last dance in texas." despite the fall chill rolling across the outer western plains, in downtown lubbock things were heating up as the biggest murder trial this town has ever witnessed kicked off. >> this prominent plastic surgeon. >> dr. michael dixon -- >> accused of hiring a hit man. >> friend and business partner david shepard. >> i cannot believe that they did this. it makes me so angry. a lowlife scum and a piece of [ bleep ] doctor. >> reporter: when dr. mike dixon was arrest kd and brought to trial for his role in joseph
was hellbent on bringing his father's suspected killers to justice. >> what was your mindset going into that first trial? >> let's go [ bleep ] get these guys. >> reporter: but as always, there's another side to this story, and there was another son in that courtroom. >> he was a good dad. he still is a good dad. >> reporter: andrew dixon convinced his father is innocent. >> they're trying to prove him guilty, and he's fighting for his life. i mean, it's just terrifying and just so sickening. >> reporter: the man tasked with putting andrew dixon's father away, a hard-charging texas district attorney named matt powell. >> mike dixon's running the show and he orchestrated this whole thing. >> many people make the argument that mike dixon never laid a hand on dr. sonnier. >> he's just controlling the -- dave shepard's just another instrument for mike dixon. >> reporter: and that instrument dave shepard has agreed to testify. pitted against his friend mike dixon to avoid the death penalty. >> this is the oldest story in the book. this is vengeance. this is revenge. this is pride.
in courtroom 72 of the lubbock county courthouse the prosecution paints a picture for the jury of dixon as an obsessed, calculating puppetmaster. >> he wanted her to suffer or he wanted her back. he knows what the true answer to that question is. but dr. sonnier was in the way. >> reporter: the pillars of powell's case -- police find the gun shepard used at the bottom of a lake, conveniently located behind dixon's office. and discover it's registered to dixon's brother. and they also find surveillance videos from the day after the murder. that's shepard in the plaid shirt, dixon in blue. the two hanging out. thick as thieves. >> was there any discussion about when the police went over there and spoke to him? >> he was nervous. he said i had to get out of town. >> reporter: but he didn't. instead shepard attempts suicide. he slits his wrists. when he fails, who does he call for help? his buddy mike. here they are. that's shepard towering over
doctor's office to stitch shepard up. >> so he sews your hand up. does he discuss anything with you in reference to sonnier? >> he told me i need to keep my cool. >> reporter: prosecutors also have a myriad of incriminating text messages between shepard and dixon. as shepard stalks sonnier for months. messages from dixon ordering shepard, you have to stay close, watch him in the a.m., go get 'em. and put it on him. finally, what's the price for murder between friends? police say dixon paid shepard for the hit in the form of a box of cuban cigars and three silver bars. bars that turned up at this pawn shop in amarillo. one before the murder, two the day after the murder. sold by none other than dave shepard. >> in terms of demeanor he didn't strike you one way or the other, it sounds like? >> not at all. >> couple days later he's on the front page of the paper. >> i was blown away. >> reporter: but dixon's lawyers have an explanation for all of this. first the gun used.
dixon's home. shows me where. >> they came in here. smoke. and shepard opens this drawer here, and it's a gun. >> so that's how shepard knew a gun was in that drawer. >> exactly. bars? the defense says they were for a business investment, not a murder for hire. they say dixon only wanted shepard to try to take photographs of sonnier out with other women to show richelle cracked up to be. >> in the days before they leave for paris he says, "it's got to happen tomorrow because the trip is imminent." it almost sounds like somebody's trying to say attack or hurt somebody imminently. >> we believe it was an attempt to make the trip uncomfortable. get the photographs. >> reporter: and they say this was all because dixon was upset. he believed richelle was throwing her new relationship in his face. >> richelle was posting on facebook all the time how dr.
that michael dixon would ever be. and he wanted to show richelle that she was wrong. >> reporter: zbl so from your perspective it wasn't about richelle shetina. it was about mike dixon and his ego. >> right. if he was obsessed with her, he'd have been following her. >> were you in any way trying to flaunt your relationship? >> he was blocked from my facebook page. so was i flaunting anything? no. >> reporter: dixon's attorneys say dave shepard simply went rogue when he killed sonnier. >> do you at least admit that he planted the seed by even discussing this relationship? >> planted the seed for a murder? no. absolutely not. >> mike is morally responsible for david shepard being down here. but not for the purpose of killing dr. sonnier. mike dixon never wanted that to happen. >> i asked him, you sure you want to do this, mike? i said, when you kill somebody,
you'll have nightmares. it will bother you. me." >> reporter: and when it was time for the trigger man to testify against his best buddy in open court, the sonnier family was sitting front and center. >> he had a chance to get up there, confirm his story, point to that guy as the person who paid him to kill my dad, and end it all. >> reporter: he does end it. but not in the way dallas wants. shepard is about to drop a bombshell. >> but daddy, why didn't you tell that? >> reporter: and make his own flesh and blood despise him. >> you've made yourself a monster, dad. >> reporter: when we come back. i'm jerry bell the second. and i'm jerry bell the third. i'm like a big bear and he's my little cub. this little guy is non-stop. he's always hanging out with his friends. you've got to be prepared to sit at the edge of your seat and be ready to get up. there's no "deep couch sitting." definitely not good for my back. this is the part i really don't like right here. (doorbell) what's that?
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>> announcer: "20/20" continues with ryan smith. when the convicted murderer dave shepard took the stand at his best friend mike dixon's trial, he was facing the victim's family, the jury, but perhaps most poignantly his three daughters, rachel, abigail, and haley. and they are not here to defend their father. >> you were in that courtroom to get closure. >> we were there more in support of the sonnier family. >> yes. >> our heart was broken for them. >> reporter: shepard's daughters murderer. >> and do you think that mike dixon paid your father to kill dr. sonnier? >> yes. >> yes. >> reporter: but on the stand a shocking twist nobody saw coming. >> shepard himself has basically denied all of his previous testimony. >> reporter: shepard's confession was expected to put mike dixon away. this is what he said.
him when he's not paying attention, hit him with a board. i said, you could probably kill him. and doc went -- like that. we'll talk about that later. >> reporter: but in the courtroom he suddenly changes his story and says mike dixon never asked him to kill sonnier, letting his friend completely off the hook. >> you begin to question him. what happens? >> well, he completely digressed from what his statement was to law enforcement in the fact that mike dixon didn't have any involvement in this deal. >> reporter: the veteran prosecutor blindsided. >> what's going through your mind? >> okay, game on. >> in that moment i've never hated anyone more than i've hated him in my entire life. >> reporter: the shepard daughters also watching are embarrassed and ashamed. >> it was cowardly. >> i mean, he has a chance to make it right and he completely ruined it. >> why do you think he did that? >> he was trying to help out his buddy. >> reporter: the girls compelled to do something extraordinary.
family for what their father has done. >> what did you say to them? >> we are so sorry for what he has done to you and what he's continuing to do to you. >> reporter: and after shepard changes his story, back in jail, his daughters confront him. it's a rare and raw look at a fractured family. >> but daddy, you didn't tell the truth. >> i did. >> you didn't say anything. you just kept saying that you wouldn't tell them. >> but i did. >> why didn't you tell -- no, you didn't, daddy. you said i plead the fifth. i don't -- i'm not going to answer that. >> none of this is right. none of it will ever be right. >> there's nothing i could do. >> no matter what i do -- they think i'm some kind of a monster. >> you've made yourself a monster, dad. >> reporter: you were literally breaking down in tears. >> it was frustrating. i felt like i was scolding a child. like i just want you to answer my question and then you can go back to time out. >> reporter: but the damage was done. if shepard hoped to free his friend, it works.
>> the only reason for the hung jury was david shepard's testimony. >> reporter: regardless, d.a. matt powell is undeterred. >> matt powell comes into the room where we're standing, and without blinking he says, "we are going to get this guy. we are going to do this again. don't you worry. i've got you." and that's all i needed to hear. >> reporter: a second trial is scheduled, delaying a homecoming for andrew dixon's father, who once lived in this big texas spread with a canyon as his back yard. >> you look so happy. >> he was a good dad. he did dad things. you know, american dream kind of stuff. >> reporter: but that dream was over. the nightmare truth is andrew's father is facing capital murder charges and the second trial begins. >> amarillo doctor michael dixon is back on trial. >> reporter: and this time around prosecutor mike powell has a new witness.
thing from this second trial was the unbelievably courageous testimony of haley shepard. >> reporter: next, dave shepard's own daughter haley takes the stand. and what she recalls about a simple steak dinner will stick a fork in this case once and for all. >> what did you say on the you focus on making great burgers, or building the best houses in town. or becoming the next highly-unlikely dotcom superstar. and us, we'll be right there with you, helping with the questions you need answered to get your brand new business started. we're legalzoom and we've already partnered with over a million newbusiness owners to do just that.
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featuring new dishes, all under 650 calories and starting at just $9.99. we stop arthritis pain, so you don't have to stop. because you believe in go. onward. today's the day. carpe diem. tylenol 8hr arthritis pain has two layers of pain relief. the first is fast. the second lasts all day. we give you your day back. what you do with it is up to you. tylenol . >> announcer: "20/20" continues with "a last dance in texas." lubbock, texas. haley shepard, the hit man's daughter, is on the stand. she takes the jury back three years.
it's a hot summer night in amarillo, texas. her father, dave shepard, treats his daughters to a fancy steak dinner, served with a side of suspicion. >> he had some money. i got a nice steak. >> reporter: shepard's daughters say that night their typically cash-poor father bragged about buying a new grill and new tires for his suv. >> dad had money out of the blue. he just randomly had money. and he didn't ever have money. >> reporter: for his older daughter haley there was also a brand new cell phone. >> we all asked him, how do you have money? and his words were "i did some work for mike and he paid me early." >> reporter: this time the prosecutor calls her, not her father, to testify in mike dixon's retrial. and you think that was a prepayment for killing dr. sonnier. >> in retrospect, absolutely. >> reporter: for victim joseph sonnier's family haley's testimony is a game changer. >> she got up there and said, at
where did you get this money? and david shepard says to her, i did some work for mike, he paid me early, don't ask what i did for him. game over. >> reporter: it takes a new jury only three hours to deliberate. >> and my hand was shaking like this because i knew we got a guilty verdict. i knew it. i knew it. i knew it. >> reporter: and he's right. >> the verdict is in. >> unanimous verdict. >> guilty on two charges. >> reporter: mike dixon is convicted on two counts of capital murder. >> what was your first reaction? >> i had to turn to my wife, and i had to say, he said guilty, right? he said guilty? we'd been waiting for that moment for over three years. >> reporter: for the sonnier brothers it's finally closure. >> when you look at the photos of him, smug smile.
from his arrest, smug smile. and he has had that smile for both trials, and it was so great to be able to know that we'd finally wiped that smile off his face. >> reporter: still -- >> he's lost everything. time with his family. >> reporter: another son, andrew dixon, remains convinced his father is innocent. >> when you think about the fact that he has to spend the rest of his life in prison without parole, how does that make you feel? >> it's unreal. it's like a nightmare. you lay your head down at night and it's just always there. always in the back of your mind. everything. >> reporter: remarkably, dave shepard's daughters have accepted both men's fate as justice served. >> i know you guys don't talk to your dad a lot right now. but if you could what would you say to him? >> we're doing very good. we are all okay. >> we're okay without him. >> i think he's where he needs to be. >> reporter: as for the woman at
shetina has a warning. >> there are real sociopaths and psychopaths that walk amongst us. they're charming. they sit at the dinner table with you and your children. and sometimes they sleep in your bed with you. they're not capable of feeling love for you or empathy for anyone. when you see that, don't ignore it. get out. run. as fast as you can. >> reporter: tonight, richelle shetina has put mike dixon out of her mind but says joseph sonnier will always have a place in her heart. >> i would tell him i loved him. and that i'll always -- i'll always love him. and i would just tell him how sorry i am. >> both dave shepard and his one-time best friend dr. mike
prison without the possibility of parole. dixon's lawyers are appealing that verdict. >> and that is our program for tonight. but be sure to join us tomorrow night for a special "20/20" saturday. i'll have the very latest on the major new turn in the bill cosby case. i'm elizabeth vargas. >> and i'm david muir. for all of us here at "20/20" and abc news, thank you for watching tonight.
<div class="tv-ttl">2020<div>ABC January 8, 2016 10:01pm-11:00pm EST</div></div>
A durable newsmagazine mixing investigative pieces with human-interest and celebrity features that's ABC's oldest prime-time series despite its notoriously rocky premiere. (Hosts Robert Hughes and Harold Hayes lasted only that one show.)
Sonnier 34, Richelle 29, Mike Dixon 15, Lubbock 13, Dave Shepard 12, Dr. Sonnier 9, Amarillo 8, Dr. Mike Dixon 7, Richelle Shetina 7, Dallas 6, Johnson 6, Haley 5, Zach Johnson 5, Andrew Dixon 4, Joseph Sonnier 4, Paul Reynolds 4, David Shepard 3, Ryan Smith 3, Matt Powell 3, At&t 3
WVEC (ABC)


Our children's HIV is not a secret. It's just private. Only a few of our closest friends know our children's real story because it is THEIR story, and not ours to tell. But the truth is that because of a treatable blood-born virus, our two children waited in an isolated group medical home for over seven years before being adopted. The truth is, China still isn't so sure anyone would really want these children because of the virus they carry. The hard truth is, even now, hardly any Americans choose to adopt a child with this blood-borne illness.


Woocrack.com – Give Form Field Manager is a WordPress Plugin being developed by Give. Give Form Field Manager allows you to add and manage additional fields for your Give donation forms using an intuitive drag-and-drop interface.
Download Now Give Form Field Manager at Woocrack.com. You'll receive the exact .zip file you would download from the original author. If you buy on woocrack.com, you can save your money up to 99% and 100% virus free.


text:
{ "207834": { "url": "/technology/firefighting", "shareUrl": "https://www.britannica.com/technology/firefighting", "title": "Firefighting" ,"gaExtraDimensions": {"3":"false"} } }
Firefighting, activity directed at limiting the spread of fire and extinguishing it, particularly as performed by members of organizations (fire services or fire departments) trained for the purpose. When it is possible, firefighters rescue persons endangered by the fire, if necessary, before turning their full attention to putting it out.
A discussion of the history and danger of firefighting, from the documentary Trial by Fire: The New York City Fire Museum. Great Museums Television
Venice: fire brigadeOverview of Venice's fire brigade. Contunico © ZDF Enterprises GmbH, Mainz
Firefighters, skilled in the use of specific equipment, proceed as rapidly as possible to the site of the fire; in most urban areas, fire stations housing a company of firefighters and their equipment occur frequently enough that an alarm receives a response within two or three minutes. Most fire services in towns inhabited by 5,000 persons or more will dispatch an engine company (pumper), a truck company (ladder truck), and a rescue vehicle to the scene. If the fire involves a structure occupied by many persons, two or more companies may respond to the first alarm. The first firefighters arriving will assess the fire to determine the techniques to be used in putting it out, taking into account the construction of the burning building and any fire protection systems within it.
London Fire BrigadeA firefighting device, featuring a turntable ladder, once used by the London Fire Brigade. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
Systematic firefighting involves four steps: protection of currently uninvolved buildings and areas; confinement of the fire; ventilation of the building; and extinguishment of the fire. Pathways by which the fire could spread are closed off, and the leading edge of the flame is controlled by the application of water or other cooling agents. Openings are made to permit the escape of toxic combustion products and hot air; this step (ventilation) must be conducted with keen judgment so as to permit the firefighters access to the fire without causing its intensification or risking a smoke explosion (the result of admitting fresh air to a space in which a high concentration of unburned fuel particles is present in a hot, oxygen-depleted atmosphere).
The final stage of fighting a fire is extinguishment. The firefighting force uses water streams mixed with appropriate extinguishing agents to quench the remaining flames. When this is accomplished, the firefighters initiate salvage of the structure by removing smoke and water from the interior and protecting undamaged materials.
computer-assisted wildfire controlLearn about a computer program used by Australian firefighters to predict the paths of wildfires. © University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Facts Matter. Support the truth and unlock all of Britannica's content. Start Your Free Trial Today
This article was most recently revised and updated by Robert Lewis, Assistant Editor.
security and protection system
…services such as police and fire departments is that the former employs means that emphasize passive and preventive measures.…
…searing drafts of a forest fire.…
Fire extinguisher, portable or movable apparatus used to put out a small fire by directing onto it a substance that cools the burning material, deprives the flame of oxygen, or interferes with the chemical reactions occurring in the flame. Water performs two of these functions: its conversion to…
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Red Adair
Fire prevention and control
Ladder truck
Hose-carrier truck
Firefighter Foundation - History of Firefighting
firefighting - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11)
fire fighting - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)


You can get the logic pro on your computer from the download button below. And afterwords I made a new text document inside that folder. Selected the text document and clicked install. How does the Logic Pro for Windows work? Now, you might be wondering how? Well it is pretty simple, we converted or emulated the logic x application and made it available for windows. But, in the end it was worth it!. So, in order to use our emulated music editing application all you need to do is download it from the link below. A lot of hard work was put into it.
Well, I do hope you enjoyed our short tutorial. Open it up and make a new folder in your desired disk. The Logic Pro X For Windows! Because our consumers were now able to edit music or produce music like professionals using our logic pro for windows. . . . .


It's no secret that the recent economic downturn has thrown fear into the hearts of many employees and forced most to hold tight to their jobs – like them or not.
However….a recent survey by job placement firm Manpower, states that 84% of employees plan to look for a new position this year! That is up from 60% in 2010.
Those dissatisfied with a company's policies, offerings or management philosophies are apt to quickly explore better opportunities and greener pastures!
While it might be tempting, this is certainly not the time to decrease benefits or place more financial strains on employees.
What earns employee loyalty? Some insist it's all about salary, but somewhat surprisingly, the small things are what seem to count.
Perks relating to food (gourmet coffee, subsidized beverages and celebratory free lunches) were ranked highly by those participating in a poll. Free parking and designated special parking were also mentioned and favored particularly by those who are, by their own admission, cheap, egocentric, at least somewhat flamboyant, and status seeking. In contrast, more reserved respondents cited intellectual challenges and chances to broaden their areas of expertise as the most attractive work-related benefits.
Everyone's needs, expectations and loyalty building blocks are different.
You and your employees have been riding out one of the worst economic storms seen in recent history, yet new opportunities are within reach, better days lie ahead. Don't shortchange your team now! Use an Omnia® Retention Profile to uncover each of their unique motivators. It's only with a satisfied, experienced and loyal staff at your command that the expectations of future unprecedented success can become a reality.


I recently bought a small apartment at the pretty town Dwarskersbos on the # flower route of the West Coast (SA). Wish I could translate the name but alas no! it is an indigenous name and just say bushbushbush for the lack of a better word.
The place was a little run down and was never occupied since it was built several years ago. It is in the Fisherman cottage style and a few hundred meters from a perfect white sand beach.
I was not sure about the way I wanted to go with the renovatios. I needed a lock-up and go kind of place but something I could potentially rent out…to cover my initial cost. I had to do something different to my usual french inspired decor and didn't want to do the beach cottage look again. The double volume thatched roof asked for something different # loft living or perhaps industrial decor.
We decided on cement floors as it is practical and goes with all the major decor trends. The apartment does not have the best lay-out ever and we had to knock down one wall to make it habitable. A mere 50 sqm but luckily it has a lock-up garage and two balconies. I used what I had as decor items and decided to keep it simple as it is a rental apartment and for that one doesn't need clutter..


Sleek and smooth, these stylish Innocence Whites Tiles are perfect for creating a fresh, bright space in your home. A mixture of square and rectangular tiles, they allow you to piece together a striking wall display. Bring that classic white look to any room in the house - from the kitchen and bathroom, through to the lounge or dining room. Use the White Smooth Tiles to create a strong, chiselled appearance and the Bumpy Tiles to add texture and character.
To get the full effect, we recommend ordering some sample tiles. Samples are the perfect way to examine the quality of a tile before committing to a full order. Our sample tiles come full-size, and with Free Delivery - so you have nothing to lose.


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i solved the errror with these codes.

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When Roelly Winklaar placed seventh in his inaugural professional show at the Arnold Classic, whispers rang through the bodybuilding industry that he may be the next big thing. The native of the Netherlands only added to that by finishing in the top three a week later at the Australian Pro and qualifying for the Mr. Olympia.
Shortly after that, he was inked to a contract by Muscular Development magazine and graced the cover of their next issue. The buzz was surrounding Winklaar as he prepared for the New York Pro. This would be a good test for him against a quality line-up, but not one that he couldn't hang with if he came to the Big Apple in top condition.
The likes of Toney Freeman, Hidetada Yamagishi, Dennis Wolf, Johnnie Jackson and Sergey Shelestov would be staring Winklaar in the face and he gladly accepted the challenge. Although these men had years of high end show experience at their disposal, the new guy in town didn't blink.
Winklaar, who finished with 10 points, earned his first pro win, beating out Yamagishi (24) and Wolf (30) by a wide margin on the judge's scorecards. This sets him up for the biggest decision of his young career – does he take the stage in Las Vegas this September or take time off for a potentially huge 2011?
It would obviously be difficult to peak more than once or twice in a calendar year and Winklaar has already done that. Does he want to come into his maiden Olympia not in his best shape? That's a decision he needs to make. The experience of standing on that stage is enticing and may be invaluable, regardless of where he places.
We will find out soon enough what he intends to do, but the O will be a better show with the addition of Winklaar.


Progress through the stages of the systematic review. RCT indicates randomized controlled trial.
Background Lack of adherence to blood pressure–lowering medication is a major reason for poor control of hypertension worldwide. The objective of this study was to determine the effectiveness of interventions to increase adherence to blood pressure–lowering medication.
Methods We performed a systematic review of randomized controlled trials and searched for all-language publications in the Cochrane Controlled Trials Register, MEDLINE, EMBASE, and CINAHL in April 2002.
Results We included 38 studies testing 58 different interventions and containing data on 15 519 patients. The studies were conducted in 9 countries between 1975 and 2000. The duration of follow-up ranged from 2 to 60 months. Because of heterogeneity between studies in terms of interventions and the methods used to measure adherence, we did not pool the results. Simplifying dosing regimens increased adherence in 7 of 9 studies, with a relative increase in adherence of 8% to 19.6%. Motivational strategies were partly successful in 10 of 24 studies with generally small increases in adherence up to a maximum of 23%. Complex interventions comparing more than 1 technique increased adherence in 8 of 18 studies, ranging from 5% to a maximum of 41%. Patient education alone seemed largely unsuccessful.
Conclusions Reducing the number of daily doses appears to be effective in increasing adherence to blood pressure–lowering medication and should be tried as a first-line strategy, although there is so far less evidence of an effect on blood pressure reduction. Some motivational strategies and complex interventions appear promising, but we need more evidence on their effect through carefully designed randomized controlled trials.
Because more trials in this area have emerged recently,14-16 we carried out a new systematic review of the literature to establish which types of interventions to increase adherence are most effective, using a more comprehensive search strategy and including foreign-language publications. We also aimed to investigate and report the effect of individual interventions used in factorial trials. A version of this review will be available from the Cochrane Hypertension Group for inclusion in the Cochrane Library.
We identified original RCTs by an all-language search of articles (any year) in the Cochrane Controlled Trials Register, MEDLINE, EMBASE, and CINAHL (full search strategy available from the authors on request) in February 2002, with the use of an approach advocated by the Cochrane Heart Group. We screened the references of all retrieved articles as well as individual files to identify additional publications. We also contacted study authors and experts in the field about other relevant trials or unpublished material.
Two of us (K.S. and T.F.) assessed lists of citations and abstracts independently. We were not masked with regard to authors or journal. We selected studies for review if (1) the population of interest was composed of adult patients with essential hypertension in a primary care, outpatient, or community setting; (2) the interventions aimed to increase adherence to blood pressure–lowering medication (eg, education, rewards, improved administration, simplification of drug regimens, use of computers, use of allied health professionals, or self-recording of blood pressure); (3) a reported outcome was adherence to medication; and (4) the type of evidence was limited to RCTs where patient care in the intervention group(s) was compared with either no intervention or usual care. We excluded studies that tested interventions that were not designed to increase adherence or where participants had secondary hypertension. Each reviewer indicated whether a citation was potentially relevant (ie, appearing to meet the inclusion criteria), was clearly not relevant, or gave insufficient information to make a judgment. To be included, a study had to meet all of our inclusion criteria. We resolved differences by discussion and obtained reprints of all potentially relevant citations.
Two reviewers (K.S. and T.F.) assessed the quality of the studies independently and in duplicate. We handled disagreements by consensus and requested additional information about study design from the authors if necessary. We extracted data on potential sources of bias, including the method of patient randomization, blinding of the outcome assessor, and differential losses to follow-up, and collated this information in Table 2.
Because of heterogeneity between studies in terms of interventions and the various methods that were used to measure adherence, we believed that pooling of the results was inappropriate. We grouped and reported the individual arms of factorial trials separately in the respective groups.
We screened 1929 citations and included 38 studies that met all of our predefined criteria, involving a total of 15 519 patients and testing 58 different interventions14-50 (Figure 1). Table 1 summarizes the characteristics of included RCTs, which were conducted between 1975 and 2000. We chose to report the interventions tested in factorial trials separately and treated these like individual studies. The majority of trials were performed in the United States (n = 20) and Canada (n = 8), with the remainder located in France (n = 3), the United Kingdom (n = 2), Australia (n = 1), Belgium (n = 1), South Africa (n = 1), Spain (n = 1), and Sweden (n = 1). Study participants fell into a number of different categories that included newly diagnosed patients, patients with established hypertension taking medication, patients with controlled or uncontrolled hypertension, patients adherent or nonadherent to medication, and infrequent attendees at clinic. Because there are no generally accepted categories, we grouped studies arbitrarily into the following 4 pragmatic categories: (1) simplification of dosing regimens; (2) patient education; (3) patient motivation, support, and reminders; and (4) complex health and organizational interventions, including interventions in combination. Adherence was measured in different ways, including self-report, direct questioning, pill counts, and the Medication Event Monitoring System (AARDEX Ltd, Zug, Switzerland), and various criteria for adherence were used in the different studies. We treated the different arms of studies by means of a factorial design as separate studies and present the results of these accordingly. All studies examined both men and women in varying proportions, and the duration of follow-up ranged from 2 to 60 months.
The methodologic quality of included studies was generally low (Table 2). The randomization process was reported and provided adequate concealment of allocation in only 10 (26%) of the 38 studies.16,19,21,22,27,38,39,41,48,50 The outcome assessors were blind to treatment allocation in 12 studies (32%).3,5,19,22,24,27,32,39-41,46,48 Losses to follow-up were well documented in 33 studies (87%). Only 8 trials (21%) reported a power calculation,21,25,32,34,39,41,44,45 and most of the remaining trials appeared too small to detect clinically important differences. None of the included studies fulfilled all of the quality criteria.
Individual RCTs reported results on adherence in many different ways, making a pooled analysis inappropriate (Table 1). Nineteen studies reported an improvement in adherence alone, 7 found improvement in adherence combined with a reduction in blood pressure, and in 7 studies a reduction in blood pressure occurred without an increase in adherence. Fifteen (39%) of the included studies did not report a blood pressure outcome, and none of the studies examined major clinical end points. In the following section, the total number of RCTs (ie, interventions) is 58 rather than 38, because some factorial RCTs tested interventions in different categories, which therefore counted more than once.
Patient education seemed largely unsuccessful. Only a single small trial improved adherence (93% vs 69%; P<.002), with no reported effect on blood pressure.29 This study used group education in groups of 15 people over 90 minutes and additional postal information leaflets at 1, 3, and 5 months.
Complex interventions increased adherence in 8 of 18 study interventions,14,35,40,47,49 ranging from 5% to a maximum of 41%. Work-site care through specially trained nurses improved adherence (67% vs 49%; P<.005) and led to a net reduction in blood pressure of 4 mm Hg between intervention and control groups (P<.001).40 A combination of home visits, education, and special dosing devices improved adherence in a small trial of 16 patients (92% vs 71%; P<.001).35 A strategy involving an educational leaflet, a telephone reminder, a mailed reminder, and an educational newsletter was successful in both previously treated hypertensive patients ("medication possession ratio," 82% vs 48%; P<.05) and those who were newly diagnosed (93% vs 52%; P<.05).47 Two fairly recent trials reported weak evidence of an effect of a patient-centered pharmaceutical care model (compliance score, 0.23 vs 0.61; P<.05)49 and a combination of structured brief questioning protocol with advice, information, and referral to the family practitioner (62% adherent vs 50%; P<.05).14 In this study, blood pressure was also better controlled in the intervention group (35.7% became controlled vs 17.1%; P<.05).
In this systematic review, we found that simplification of dosing regimens increased adherence in 7 of 9 studies, with improvement in adherence ranging from 8% to 19.6%. Adherence in these studies was mainly measured with electronic monitors, and these results confirm findings from past research. There was mixed evidence of the effect of motivational and more complex interventions. Education alone appeared largely unsuccessful. A combined effect on adherence and blood pressure was observed in only 7 (12%) of 58 study interventions.
This review differs from previously published reviews in that we used a more comprehensive search strategy and different methodology. Compared with the latest reviews on adherence-enhancing strategies,11,12 we found and included considerably more studies (9 and 32 more studies, respectively). The review by Morrison et al11 extracted categorical data in preference to continuous data and ignored evidence from trials where data could not be converted. This may have been particularly relevant for the results in the group with changes in medication dosing, where we come to the opposite conclusion. This review is also different in that we have reported the results from individual arms of factorial trials separately.
We agree with the review by McDonald et al12 that, for complex interventions, it is often difficult to estimate the independent effects of individual interventions. It also remains difficult to disentangle specific adherence effects as opposed to nonspecific effects of increased attention. Our findings confirm that even the most effective interventions do not appear to lead to large improvements in adherence and treatment outcomes.
An earlier review of research on adherence reported benefits of educational interventions in improving adherence.9 However, we were unable to confirm this finding, perhaps because we included only RCTs in our review.
Comparing the RCTs included in this review was difficult. Many RCTs showed marked heterogeneity in terms of participants, interventions, and outcomes. Study authors also measured and reported adherence inconsistently. Individual RCTs demonstrated variable and often poor methodologic quality, particularly with regard to randomization, blinding of outcome assessment, and losses to follow-up, while the sample sizes of many trials were too small to detect clinically relevant differences. Rather surprisingly, 15 (39%) of the included 38 studies did not report a blood pressure outcome, and none reported major clinical end points.
There are also some difficulties in interpreting the results of this systematic review and meta-analysis. Adherence was measured (eg, self-report, pill counts, direct questioning, electronic monitoring, and drug blood levels) and calculated in different ways (eg, using arbitrary cutoff points, such as 80%, to define adherence), and in addition was usually assessed unblinded to allocation status, which made the comparison of RCTs difficult. Levels of adherence in the control groups of the trials studied ranged from 12% to 94%, which is indicative of the heterogeneity in both criteria for defining adherence and the participants studied. With no agreed-on criteria for how adherence should be measured and defined, it is not surprising that for most interventions the impact on adherence and blood pressure appears to be variable. Because of the different definitions for adherence that have been adopted in individual RCTs, it has not been possible to examine the relationship between adherence to medication and subsequent blood pressure control. Our categorization and grouping of trials was arbitrary, and the group allocation of some trials might be debatable.
Our findings suggest that introducing simpler dosing regimens can be effective in improving adherence, but the effect on subsequent blood pressure reduction has not been established and may not be clinically important. The results of various motivational and more complex interventions are promising, although there is insufficient evidence to suggest a single approach. In many countries, the role of allied health professionals such as nurses or physician assistants is expanding, which may lead to new management opportunities for addressing adherence-related problems in patients with high blood pressure. However, we suggest that innovative approaches should be introduced in the context of further RCTs. It is important that physicians be aware of the various reasons for poor adherence and aim to simplify dosing regimens as far as possible.
The results of this review highlight a number of problem areas in adherence-related research. Many studies used unreliable methods of measuring adherence such as self-report and pill counts. It appears that electronic monitoring provides more objective and reliable results and, in addition, produces data on medication-taking patterns. Although a large number of studies have been conducted in this area, larger trials of higher quality are needed that use reliable methods of measuring adherence and that also investigate the relationship between adherence and blood pressure reduction. We believe this is particularly important in the context of an increasing elderly population of people who often take multiple medications. Hypertensive patients may fail to take their medication because of the long duration of therapy, the symptomless nature of the condition, side effects of medication, complicated drug regimens, lack of understanding about hypertension management, lack of motivation, and the challenge to individual patients' health beliefs.10,51 It would seem logical that future studies should try to adopt a tailored approach aimed at individual patients and addressing the above-mentioned barriers to adherence. Using combinations of strategies that include simpler dosage regimens, patient motivation, and involvement of other health professionals in a patient-centered approach should be further investigated. In addition, patients' views should be taken into account when interventions are piloted, and the interventions themselves should be based on shared decision making and a true partnership between patient and practitioner.52-55 Finally, it is of paramount importance that every study that evaluates an intervention to increase adherence to blood pressure–lowering medication should also measure blood pressure as a second outcome to help establish the often unclear relationship between adherence and blood pressure control.
We conclude that simplification of dosing regimens appears to be the most promising intervention to increase adherence to blood pressure–lowering medication. The evidence of the effect of motivational and more complex interventions is mixed and inconclusive. The results of this review should be interpreted with caution because of the poor methodologic quality and heterogeneity of many trials included in this review. Our findings emphasize the need for further RCTs with sufficient power and rigorous methodology.
Corresponding author: Knut Schroeder, MD, MSc, MRCGP, MRCP, Division of Primary Health Care, University of Bristol, Cotham House, Cotham Hill, Bristol BS6 6JL, England (e-mail: k.schroeder@bristol.ac.uk).
Accepted for publication January 13, 2003.
The UK National Health Service Executive South and West Research and Development Fund, Bristol, England, funded the review. The University of Bristol, Bristol, is the lead center of the UK Medical Research Council Health Services Research Collaboration.
We thank Margaret Burke (Trial Search Coordinator, Cochrane Heart Group) for her kind assistance with the search strategy and for conducting the literature searches. We thank James Burris, MD, Emilio Marquez Contreras, MD, Joyce Cramer, Erik DeKlerk, MD, Nathalie Genès, MD, Briegeen Girvin, PhD, David Hawkins, PharmD, Frans Leenen, MD, Alexander Logan, MD, Nancy Houston-Miller, RN, C. A. Nugent, Manel Pladeval, MD, Joseph Saseen, MD, Duncan Saunders, PhD, David Sclar, PhD, and John Urquhart, MD, for responding to our request for further information.