The American Heart Association 2005 Emergency Cardiovascular Care Guidelines Impact on Myocardial Infarction Mortality in Nevada Hospitals

This study investigates the impact of the 2005 American Heart Association (AHA) guidelines on first heart attack (AMI) mortality in Nevada. These guidelines are accepted by the healthcare industry in the U.S. and in many other countries to improve AMI outcomes. The 2005 AHA guidelines for cardiopulmonary and emergency cardiovascular care, which are based on the evidence evaluated by the International Consensus on Science and Treatment Recommendations, aim to decrease mortality and morbidity. The guidelines are based on evidence-based practice and science. This study uses hospital discharge data from full service hospitals in Nevada from 1996 – 2007 to measure the impact of the recommend guideline that percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) be implemented within 90 minutes from emergency room arrival to the PCI (door-to-balloon). The PCI guideline is expected to decrease AMI mortality. AMI mortality is adjusted for comorbidities and other factors that can influence AMI outcome, and does not include transferred AMI patients. While the proportion of patients receiving PCI increased after the guideline was implemented, mortality did not decrease. This suggests that Nevada healthcare providers do not fully comply with the guidelines for PCI, which causes more heart damage that leads to life threatening complications and death in 2005 to 2007. The results likely represent a lag in implementing the guidelines beyond 2007. PCI utilization appears poor with 39% use in 1996 – 2004 that only increased to approximately 47% in 2005 – 2007

Research on Layer Manufacturing Techniques at Fraunhofer

Within the German Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, the Fraunhofer Alliance Rapid Prototyping unites the competences of 12 institutes in the field of solid freeform fabrication. Covered competences are virtual and computer-aided product planning methods and techniques, the development and integration of materials and processes for different industrial sectors. This paper presents actual research results on layer manufacturing within the Fraunhofer- Gesellschaft based on examples from Fraunhofer ILT »Laser Melting - Direct manufacturing of metal parts with unique properties«, Fraunhofer IFAM »ecoMold - A novel concept to produce molds for plastic injection molding and pressure die casting« and Fraunhofer IPT »Quick manufacture, repair and modification of steel molds using Controlled Metal Build Up (CMB)«.Mechanical Engineerin

Research on Layer Manufacturing Techniques at Fraunhofer

Within the German Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, the Fraunhofer Alliance Rapid Prototyping unites the competences of 12 institutes in the field of solid freeform fabrication. Covered competences are virtual and computer-aided product planning methods and techniques, the development and integration of materials and processes for different industrial sectors. This paper presents actual research results on layer manufacturing within the Fraunhofer- Gesellschaft based on examples from Fraunhofer ILT »Laser Melting - Direct manufacturing of metal parts with unique properties«, Fraunhofer IFAM »ecoMold - A novel concept to produce molds for plastic injection molding and pressure die casting« and Fraunhofer IPT »Quick manufacture, repair and modification of steel molds using Controlled Metal Build Up (CMB)«.Mechanical Engineerin

The energy crises revealed by COVID: Intersections of Indigeneity, inequity, and health

The global COVID-19 pandemic is a health crisis, an economic crisis, and a justice crisis. It also brings to light multiple ongoing, underlying social crises. The COVID-19 crisis is actively revealing crises of energy sovereignty in at least four ways. First, there are many whose access to basic health services is compromised because of the lack of energy services necessary to provide these services. Second, some people are more vulnerable to COVID-19 because of exposure to environmental pollution associated with energy production. Third, energy services are vital to human wellbeing, yet access to energy services is largely organized as a consumer good. The loss of stable income precipitated by COVID-19 may therefore mean that many lose reliable access to essential energy services. Fourth, the COVID-19 crisis has created a window of opportunity for corporate interests to engage in aggressive pursuit of energy agendas that perpetuate carbon intensive and corporate controlled energy systems, which illuminates the ongoing procedural injustices of energy decision making. These four related crises demonstrate why energy sovereignty is essential for a just energy future. Energy sovereignty is defined as the right for communities, rather than corporate interests, to control access to and decision making regarding the sources, scales, and forms of ownership characterizing access to energy services. Energy sovereignty is a critical component in the design of a post-COVID-19 energy system that is capable of being resilient to future shocks without exacerbating injustices that are killing the most vulnerable among us

Energy policy for energy sovereignty: Can policy tools enhance energy sovereignty?

The concept of energy sovereignty redefines the priorities for decision making regarding energy systems while encouraging increased reliance on renewable energy technologies like solar. Energy sovereignty involves centering the inherent right of humans and communities to make decisions about the energy systems they use, including decisions about the sources, scales, and forms of ownership that structure energy access. Current U.S energy policy does not center concerns of energy sovereignty, and in many cases may work against it. Policies to enhance energy sovereignty can accelerate electricity decarbonization while also empowering community scale decision making and offering communities control to reduce the myriad externalities associated with the fossil-fuel energy system