Strip Mining and the 1971 West Virginia Surface Mining and Reclamation Act

This article will cover to a limited extent the vocabulary and physical process of strip mining, and its cost to society and to people individually through direct damage to people, property, and the public environment. But the main purpose of this article is to, (1) explain the basic approach of the 1971 Surface Mining and Reclamation Act passed by the West Virginia Legislature, (2) identify the legal questions raised by the Act, and (3) suggest interpretations and applications of the Code language that would answer some of these questions. This article will not discuss several major questions arising under the 1971 Act, such as the constitutionality of the application of the Act to existing strip mining operations,3 the constitutionality of some of the limitations on permit areas contained in the Act, and the constitutionality of the moratorium on the issuance of new strip mining permits in twenty-two West Virginia counties. This article will not discuss the primary legal question running throughout the public debate on strip mining, i.e., whether the public can constitutionally abolish strip mining without compensating the owners of mineral rights for the coal that they cannot recover by other mining methods

Incidence, predictors and clinical impact of electrical storm in patients with left ventricular assist devices: new insights from the ASSIST-ICD study

International audienceBackground - Ventricular arrhythmias (VAs) can occur after continuous flow left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation as a single arrhythmic event or as electrical storm (ES) with multiple repetitive VA episodes. Objective - We aimed at analyzing the incidence, predictors, and clinical impact of ES in LVAD recipients. Methods - Patients analyzed were those included in the multicenter ASSIST-ICD observational study. ES was consensually defined as occurrence of ≥3 separate episodes of sustained VAs within a 24-hour interval. Results - Of 652 patients with an LVAD, 61 (9%) presented ES during a median follow-up period of 9.1 (interquartile range [IQR] 2.5-22.1) months. The first ES occurred after 17 (IQR 4.0-56.2) days post LVAD implantation, most of them during the first month after the device implantation (63%). The incidence then tended to decrease during the initial years of follow-up and increased again after the third year post LVAD implantation. History of VAs before LVAD implantation and heart failure duration > 84 months were independent predictors of ES. The occurrence of ES was associated with an increased early mortality since 20 patients (33%) died within the first 2 weeks of ES. Twenty-two patients (36.1%) presented at least 1 recurrence of ES, occurring 43.0 (IQR 8.0-69.0) days after the initial ES. Patients experiencing ES had a significantly lower 1-year survival rate than did those free from ES (log-rank, P = .039). Conclusion - There is a significant incidence of ES in patients with an LVAD. The short-term mortality after ES is high, and one-third of patients will die within 15 days. Whether radiofrequency ablation of arrhythmias improves outcomes would require further studies

Predictors and Clinical Impact of Late Ventricular Arrhythmias in Patients With Continuous-Flow Left Ventricular Assist Devices

International audienceObjectives - This study aimed to evaluate the incidence, clinical impact, and predictors of late ventricular arrhythmias (VAs) in left ventricular assist device (LVAD) recipients aiming to clarify implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) indications. Background - The arrhythmic risk and need for ICD in patients implanted with an LVAD are not very well known. Methods - This observational study was conducted in 19 centers between 2006 and 2016. Late VAs were defined as sustained ventricular tachycardia or fibrillation occurring >30 days post-LVAD implantation, without acute reversible cause and requiring appropriate ICD therapy, external electrical shock, or medical therapy. Results - Among 659 LVAD recipients, 494 (median 58.9 years of age; mean left ventricular ejection fraction 20.7 ± 7.4%; 73.1% HeartMate II, 18.6% HeartWare, 8.3% Jarvik 2000) were discharged alive from hospital and included in the final analysis. Late VAs occurred in 133 (26.9%) patients. Multivariable analysis identified 6 independent predictors of late VAs: VAs before LVAD implantation, atrial fibrillation before LVAD implantation, idiopathic etiology of the cardiomyopathy, heart failure duration >12 months, early VAs (<30 days post-LVAD), and no angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors during follow-up. The "VT-LVAD score" was created, identifying 4 risk groups: low (score 0 to 1), intermediate (score 2 to 4), high (score 5 to 6), and very high (score 7 to 10). The rates of VAs at 1 year were 0.0%, 8.0%, 31.0% and 55.0%, respectively. Conclusions - Late VAs are common after LVAD implantation. The VT-LVAD score may help to identify patients at risk of late VAs and guide ICD indications in previously nonimplanted patients. (Determination of Risk Factors of Ventricular Arrhythmias [VAs] after implantation of continuous flow left ventricular assist device with continuous flow left ventricular assist device [CF-LVAD] [ASSIST-ICD]; NCT02873169)

Transmissão de preços e cointegração no mercado brasileiro de arroz

O objetivo do presente trabalho foi avaliar a dinâmica de formação de preços no mercado nacional de arroz em casca de modo a definir o processo de formação e intensidade do ajustamento (períodos em que se dá a transmissão de preços) entre os principais mercados produtores (RS e MT). O conhecimento das relações de preços entre os mercados importante para o desenvolvimento de contratos de comercialização (contratos a termo e de futuro) para o arroz e para a formulação (ou reformulação) de políticas públicas para o setor. Como instrumental metodológico utilizou-se da modelagem de sries temporais (Modelos de Autorregressão Vetorial com Correção de Erro (VEC)) e causalidade de Granger. O resultado do teste de causalidade de Granger apontou que os preços do RS são importantes para prever os preços de MT. O modelo de transferência estimado com correção de erro mostrou que, para cada 1% de aumento na taxa de crescimento dos preços no RS, a taxa de crescimento dos preços em MT registrará, em mdia, aumento contemporâneo de 0,44% e em torno de 0,17% com um período de defasagem.<br>The aim of this study is to evaluate the dynamics of pricing in the domestic market of paddy rice in order to define the process of prices formation and the adjustment intensity (periods in which the price transmission occurs) among the major producing markets (Rio Grande do Sul and Mato Grosso states). The knowledge of price ratios between markets is important for the development of trading contracts (fixed-term and future contracts) for rice and for the formulation (or reformulation) of public policies for the sector. As a methodological tool, we used the modeling of time series (Auto-Regression Models with Vector Error Correction - VEC) and Granger' causality. The Granger' causality test indicated that prices in the Rio Grande do Sul state are important to forecast prices in the Mato Grosso state. The model of transference estimated with an error correction term showed that for each 1% of increase in the growth rate for the RS prices, the growth rate of prices in MT will have, on average, a contemporaneous high of 0.44%, and around 0.17% in the following month