In the Vascular events In noncardiac Surgery patIents cOhort evaluatioN (VISION) study, an elevated troponin after noncardiac surgery independently predicted 30-day mortality irrespective of the ...presence of an ischemic feature.3 Gomes et al1 found that variables associated with late mortality were MINS, arterial hypertension, previous myocardial infarction, atrial fibrillation, dementia, urgent surgery, peripheral arterial disease, chronic health status, and age. The findings of this study emphasize the potential of machine learning to offer accurate predictions by which we can better anticipate patient outcomes and initiate targeted therapies for enhancing personalized patient care. The implementation of machine learning across cardiology has the potential to revolutionize patient care.Declaration of Competing Interest The authors have no competing interests to declare.
ECG monitoring is common place in the hospital and even pre-hospital setting. The need for different types of lead systems in different settings has been emphasised. Simple three electrode bipolar ...recording is ubiquitous for monitoring. This can be used to record modified bipolar chest leads as well. Using five leads gives the option of getting a chest lead in addition to bipolar limb leads, enhancing detection of ischemia during procedures. Lead stability is important when the movement of the subject is maximum as in exercise testing. Mason-Likar modification with limb leads shifted to the torso is popular for exercise testing, though the diagnostic value of the ECG is altered. Lund system with leads on proximal part of limbs have both stability and fair diagnostic value. EASI lead system permits derivation of 12 leads from just five electrodes. Lewis lead and the newly devised modified limb lead system are useful in enhancing detection of atrial activity. Fontaine lead has been designed to improve visualization of Epsilon wave in arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia.
•This study performs LCA analysis of sugarcane-based bioethanol production.•Energy and GHG balances are evaluated in the entire production chain.•Sensitivity analysis is performed to identify key ...influencing parameters.•Efficient cogeneration and biogas recovery enhances energy and climate gains.•Results of LCA studies and issues related to land use change impact are discussed.
This study analyses the sustainability of fuel ethanol production from cane molasses in Indonesia. Life cycle assessment (LCA) is performed to evaluate the net emissions (climate change impact) and energy inputs (resource consumption) in the production chain. The lifecycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the production and use of ethanol are estimated at 29gCO2eq per MJ of ethanol produced which is a 67% reduction in comparison to gasoline emissions. Net Energy Value (NEV) and Net Renewable Energy Value (NREV) are −7MJ/l and 17.7MJ/l, while the energy yield ratio (ER) is 6.1. Economic allocation is chosen for dividing environmental burdens and resource consumption between sugar (i.e. main product) and molasses (i.e. co-product used for fuel production). Sensitivity analysis of various parameters is performed. The emissions and energy values are highly sensitive to sugarcane yield, ethanol yield, and the price of molasses. The use of sugarcane biomass residues (bagasse/trash) for efficient cogeneration, and different waste management options for the treatment of spent wash (effluent of distilleries) are also explored. Surplus bioelectricity generation in the efficient cogeneration plant, biogas recovery from wastewater treatment plant, and their use for fossil fuel substitution can help improve energy and environmental gains. The study also compares important results with other relevant international studies and discusses issues related to land use change (LUC) impact.
Food versus fuel Rosillo-Calle, Frank; Johnson, Francis
2010., 2010, 2013-04-04, 2010-09-23, 20100101
eBook, Book
Presents an introduction to the science and economics behind a well-worn debate, that debunks myths and provides quality facts and figures for academics and practitioners in development studies, ...environment studies, and agricultural studies.
Many global climate change mitigation pathways presented in IPCC assessment reports rely heavily on the deployment of bioenergy, often used in conjunction with carbon capture and storage. We review ...the literature on bioenergy use for climate change mitigation, including studies that use top‐down integrated assessment models or bottom‐up modelling, and studies that do not rely on modelling. We summarize the state of knowledge concerning potential co‐benefits and adverse side effects of bioenergy systems and discuss limitations of modelling studies used to analyse consequences of bioenergy expansion. The implications of bioenergy supply on mitigation and other sustainability criteria are context dependent and influenced by feedstock, management regime, climatic region, scale of deployment and how bioenergy alters energy systems and land use. Depending on previous land use, widespread deployment of monoculture plantations may contribute to mitigation but can cause negative impacts across a range of other sustainability criteria. Strategic integration of new biomass supply systems into existing agriculture and forest landscapes may result in less mitigation but can contribute positively to other sustainability objectives. There is considerable variation in evaluations of how sustainability challenges evolve as the scale of bioenergy deployment increases, due to limitations of existing models, and uncertainty over the future context with respect to the many variables that influence alternative uses of biomass and land. Integrative policies, coordinated institutions and improved governance mechanisms to enhance co‐benefits and minimize adverse side effects can reduce the risks of large‐scale deployment of bioenergy. Further, conservation and efficiency measures for energy, land and biomass can support greater flexibility in achieving climate change mitigation and adaptation.
We review the literature on bioenergy use for climate change mitigation, including studies that use top‐down integrated assessment models or bottom‐up modelling, and studies that do not rely on modelling. We summarise the state of knowledge concerning potential co‐benefits and adverse side‐effects of bioenergy systems and discuss limitations of modelling studies used to analyse consequences of bioenergy expansion. The implications of bioenergy supply on mitigation and other sustainability criteria are context dependent and influenced by feedstock, management regime, climatic region, scale of deployment and how bioenergy alters energy systems and land use.
There is a long-term concern that the cultivation of biofuel feedstocks could have negative impacts on communities involved in, or adjacent to, such projects. In southern Africa, the acquisition and ...allocation of large blocks of land for biofuel feedstock production has been especially contentious. The present study investigates the local multi-dimensional poverty effects of growing biofuel crops using the Oxford Poverty & Human Development Initiative's Multidimensional Poverty Index. It investigates different modes of production (large-scale vs. smallholder-based) and different feedstocks (sugarcane vs. jatropha) in four study sites in Malawi, Swaziland and Mozambique. In the sugarcane growing areas, those who participated in its value chain as farmers or workers had lower poverty than those who were not involved. However, for jatropha growing areas, there were no clearly defined differences between the controls and the jatropha farmers in Mangochi, while in Mozambique the plantation workers had slightly lower poverty than the control groups. Although it was not possible to make direct comparisons between all projects, sugarcane areas seem to be better off than non-sugarcane areas. In all projects there was generally high incidence of deprivations in indicators related to living standards, particularly, access to electricity and cooking fuel.
•Sugarcane study sites had lower poverty than the jatropha sites.•Sugarcane farmers and plantation workers had lower poverty than control groups not growing sugarcane.•In jatropha-growing areas impacts of projects on poverty alleviation were minimal.•The choice of indicators in the multidimensional poverty index may exaggerate apparent benefits from some production models.
Understanding the complex interactions among food security, bioenergy sustainability, and resource management requires a focus on specific contextual problems and opportunities. The United Nations’ ...2030 Sustainable Development Goals place a high priority on food and energy security; bioenergy plays an important role in achieving both goals. Effective food security programs begin by clearly defining the problem and asking, ‘What can be done to assist people at high risk?’ Simplistic global analyses, headlines, and cartoons that blame biofuels for food insecurity may reflect good intentions but mislead the public and policymakers because they obscure the main drivers of local food insecurity and ignore opportunities for bioenergy to contribute to solutions. Applying sustainability guidelines to bioenergy will help achieve near‐ and long‐term goals to eradicate hunger. Priorities for achieving successful synergies between bioenergy and food security include the following: (1) clarifying communications with clear and consistent terms, (2) recognizing that food and bioenergy need not compete for land and, instead, should be integrated to improve resource management, (3) investing in technology, rural extension, and innovations to build capacity and infrastructure, (4) promoting stable prices that incentivize local production, (5) adopting flex crops that can provide food along with other products and services to society, and (6) engaging stakeholders to identify and assess specific opportunities for biofuels to improve food security. Systematic monitoring and analysis to support adaptive management and continual improvement are essential elements to build synergies and help society equitably meet growing demands for both food and energy.
Practical cardiac electrophysiology Francis, Johnson
Indian Pacing and Electrophysiology Journal,
July-August 2016, Letnik:
16, Številka:
4
Journal Article, Book Review
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