A game-based approach towards facilitating decision making for perishable products: an example of blood supply chain

NOTICE: this is the author’s version of a work that was accepted for publication in Expert Systems with Applications. Changes resulting from the publishing process, such as peer review, editing, corrections, structural formatting, and other quality control mechanisms may not be reflected in this document. Changes may have been made to this work since it was submitted for publication. A definitive version was subsequently published in Expert Systems with Applications, Volume 41, Issue 9, July 2014, Pages 4043–4059 doi:10.1016/j.eswa.2013.12.038Supply chains for perishable items consist of products with a fixed shelf life and limited production/collection; managing them requires competent decision-making. With the objective of placing the learners in the position of decision-makers, we propose the Blood Supply Chain Game which simulates the supply chain of blood units from donors to patients based on a real case study modeling the UK blood supply chain. The Excel-based game is an abstraction of the technical complex simulation model providing a more appropriate learning environment. This paper presents the game’s background, its mathematical formulations, example teaching scenarios and the learners’ evaluation. The game aims to translate qualitative aspects of a sensitive supply chain into quantitative economic consequences by presenting a process analysis and suggesting solutions for the patient’s benefit in a cost effective manner, trying to synchronize blood demand and supply and maximize the value of the whole supply chain. This innovative approach will be instructive for students and healthcare service professionals

Using Platelet-Rich Plasma to Reverse the Effects of Tendinopathy and Prevent Tendon Re-rupture after Surgery in Athletes: The Search for a Standardized Protocol

30-50% of all lesions amateur and professional sports players will experience during activity are related to the tendon. Moreover, the incidence of tendinopathy, a precursor to tendon rupture, is much higher in both of these groups due to excessive loading of tendons during physical activity, insufficient rest afterwards and certain antibiotic use. The tendon anatomically has both a low blood supply and a low cell turnover rate, which contribute to the relative ease by which an athlete can develop tendinopathy. Chronic tendinopathy has very few high-success treatments but in recent years, platelet-rich plasma (PRP), a treatment in which platelets are isolated from the patient’s blood and injected back into the diseased tendon, has seen promising results. Prior research has focused on assessing the viability of PRP as a treatment but failed to come up with a standard and procedure protocol for its administration. In this study, PRP is evaluated in terms of success rate, concentration of cells other than platelets, concentration of growth factors, life of growth factors, and size and cross section of the tendon to develop a formulation standard, injection plan, and procedure protocol for different tendinopathies. Furthermore, a rehabilitation program that takes into account both the treatment and natural healing process of the tendon to shorten the time the athlete spends off the field is outlined

Position specific differences in activity in club level sevens rugby players : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Philosophy in Sport & Exercise Science at Massey University, Wellington, New Zealand

The increase in popularity of seven-a-side rugby through the World Sevens Series has increased the need for training programmes to be developed specifically for the seven-a-side game. The aim of this thesis was to use time motion analysis to gather and compare data on match play variables in club sevens rugby, and interpret the results to construct effective guidelines for game-specific sevens rugby training. The first step in programme development was to identify the specific demands of sevens rugby, and then determine the best way for these demands to be replicated through training. Time motion analysis was used to identify the specific physiological demands of club-level game play. These demands included distances travelled, average speeds, the percentage of game time spent in different gaits and exercise intensities, and the number of activities and events performed per game half. The data were used to make comparisons between positional groups (forwards, backs, halfback), between game halves, and between pool and final games. There were no significant differences found between positional groups, game halves or game type, which implies that all players in sevens should train in the same way. The average distance covered per half was 0.77km, with 9% of the game spent in passive rest, 81% spent in active recovery and 10% spent in high-intensity running, equating to an average work to rest ratio of 1:9. Each player performed an average of 12 activities per half. Only half of the passes received resulted in a continuation of passing, the other half of balls received were either taken into a tackle or fumbled. The execution of activities at training should focus on maintaining possession of the ball at set plays and breakdowns, and using movement of the ball and players to create space to break through the defensive line and score a try. This can be achieved by working on game-specific skills, and may include executing these skills in a fatigued state to simulate the requirements of game play. Game-based fitness training should focus on the development of both aerobic power and anaerobic capacity, with special emphasis on the development of the lactate energy system through repeated-speed training. Work to rest ratios of 1:9 reflect club level game play, and are suggested as the standard for training at club level. To create overload and increase training response, smaller work to rest ratios (eg 1:3) may be used. Training which specifically focuses on the development of acceleration, top-end speed, agility, and strength should also be implemented as these attributes have been identified as critical components for successful sevens players. These results suggest that sevens rugby players require game-specific, rather than position-specific, training to promote maximal transfer to game performance

Spartan Daily, October 30, 1946

Volume 35, Issue 20https://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/spartandaily/3806/thumbnail.jp

Replacing the Transfusion of 1-2 Units of Blood with Plasma Expanders that Increase Oxygen Delivery Capacity: Evidence from Experimental Studies.

At least a third of the blood supply in the world is used to transfuse 1-2 units of packed red blood cells for each intervention and most clinical trials of blood substitutes have been carried out at this level of oxygen carrying capacity (OCC) restoration. However, the increase of oxygenation achieved is marginal or none at all for molecular hemoglobin (Hb) products, due to their lingering vasoactivity. This has provided the impetus for the development of "oxygen therapeutics" using Hb-based molecules that have high oxygen affinity and target delivery of oxygen to anoxic areas. However it is still unclear how these oxygen carriers counteract or mitigate the functional effects of anemia due to obstruction, vasoconstriction and under-perfusion. Indeed, they are administered as a low dosage/low volume therapeutic Hb (subsequently further diluted in the circulatory pool) and hence induce extremely small OCC changes. Hyperviscous plasma expanders provide an alternative to oxygen therapeutics by increasing the oxygen delivery capacity (ODC); in anemia they induce supra-perfusion and increase tissue perfusion (flow) by as much as 50%. Polyethylene glycol conjugate albumin (PEG-Alb) accomplishes this by enhancing the shear thinning behavior of diluted blood, which increases microvascular endothelial shear stress, causes vasodilation and lowering peripheral vascular resistance thus facilitating cardiac function. Induction of supra-perfusion takes advantage of the fact that ODC is the product of OCC and blood flow and hence can be maintained by increasing either or both. Animal studies suggest that this approach may save a considerable fraction of the blood supply. It has an additional benefit of enhancing tissue clearance of toxic metabolites

Spartan Daily, October 30, 1946

Volume 35, Issue 20https://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/spartandaily/3806/thumbnail.jp

Spartan Daily, February 6, 2004

Volume 122, Issue 5https://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/spartandaily/9940/thumbnail.jp