A general approach to set safety stocks in multi-stage inventory systems under rolling horizon mathematical programming models

This paper considers the problem of determining safety stocks in multi-item multi-stage inventory systems tha face demand uncertainties

"Thunderstruck": Penetrating thoracic injury from lightning strike

Lightning strike victims are rarely presented at an emergency department. Burns are often the primary focus. This case report describes the improvised explosive device like-injury to the thorax due to lightning strike and its treatment, which has not been described prior in (kerauno)medicine. Penetrating injury due to blast from lightning strike is extremely rare. These shrapnel injuries should however be rule

Treatment of rectal war wounds

Treatment strategies for penetrating rectal injuries (PRI) in civilian settings are still not uniformly agreed, in part since high-energy transfer PRI, such as is frequently seen in military settings, are not taken into account. Here, we describe three cases of PRI, treated in a deployed combat environment, and outline the management strategies successfully employed. We also discuss the literature regarding PRI management. Where there is a major soft tissue component, repetitive debridement and vacuum therapy is useful. A loop or end colostomy should be used, depending on the degree of damage to the anal sphincter complex

"The Practical Perforator Flap": the sural artery flap for lower extremity soft tissue reconstruction in wounds of war

Background: Sural artery perforator flaps have been described for use as both local flaps and in free tissue transfer. We present the use of this flap for compound soft tissue defects of the lower limb in civilian casualties of armed conflict in Afghanistan. Methods/results: Detailed description of the management of blast and high-velocity projectile wounds of the lower extremity with the use of local sural perforator flaps and a review of literature. Conclusions: Sural artery perforator flaps may be harvested to cover complex lower limb defects. The use of this technique is not limited

Reprogramming of blood cells into induced pluripotent stem cells as a new cell source for cartilage repair

Characterization of hMSCs and hMSC-chondrogenic pellets. (a) Flow cytometric analysis of the hematopoietic markers (CD34, CD45) and MSC markers (CD73, CD105) in hMSCs. The proportion of CD73-expressing cells was 99.7 ± 0.63 %; The proportion of CD105-expressing cells was 98.7 ± 1.21 %. Values represent means ± SEM; n = 3. (b) Three-dimensional pellet culture of the hMSC-chondrogenic pellet. (c) Alcian blue staining and (d) toluidine blue staining of glycosaminoglycans and proteoglycans revealed the chondrocyte-type appearance in the hMSC-chondrogenic pellets. Scale bar = 100 μm. (e,f) Immunohistochemistry for type II and type X collagen. Scale bar = 100 μm. (TIF 8130 kb

Treatment of rectal war wounds

Treatment strategies for penetrating rectal injuries (PRI) in civilian settings are still not uniformly agreed, in part since high-energy transfer PRI, such as is frequently seen in military settings, are not taken into account. Here, we describe three cases of PRI, treated in a deployed combat environment, and outline the management strategies successfully employed. We also discuss the literature regarding PRI management. Whe

Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs are associated with a reduced risk for cardiovascular disease in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: a case control study

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is characterized by inflammation and an increased risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD). This study investigates possible associations between CVD and the use of conventional disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) in RA. Using a case control design, 613 RA patients (5,649 patient-years) were studied, 72 with CVD and 541 without CVD. Data on RA, CVD and drug treatment were evaluated from time of RA diagnosis up to the first cardiovascular event or the end of the follow-up period. The dataset was categorized according to DMARD use: sulfasalazine (SSZ), hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) or methotrexate (MTX). Odds ratios (ORs) for CVD, corrected for age, gender, smoking and RA duration, were calculated per DMARD group. Patients who never used SSZ, HCQ or MTX were used as a reference group. MTX treatment was associated with a significant CVD risk reduction, with ORs (95% CI): 'MTX only', 0.16 (0.04 to 0.66); 'MTX and SSZ ever', 0.20 (0.08 to 0.51); and 'MTX, SSZ and HCQ ever', 0.20 (0.08 to 0.54). The risk reductions remained significant after additional correction for the presence of rheumatoid factor and erosions. After correction for hypertension, diabetes and hypercholesterolemia, 'MTX or SSZ ever' and 'MTX, SSZ and HCQ ever' showed significant CVD risk reduction. Rheumatoid factor positivity and erosions both increased CVD risk, with ORs of 2.04 (1.02 to 4.07) and 2.36 (0.92 to 6.08), respectively. MTX and, to a lesser extent, SSZ were associated with significantly lower CVD risk compared to RA patients who never used SSZ, HCQ or MTX. We hypothesize that DMARD use, in particular MTX use, results in powerful suppression of inflammation, thereby reducing the development of atherosclerosis and subsequently clinically overt CVD

Management of penetrating injuries of the upper extremities

Background: Routine surgical exploration after penetrating upper extremity trauma (PUET) to exclude arterial injury leads to a large number of negative explorations and iatrogenic injuries. Selective non-operative mana

Fire tests carried out in FCH JU FireComp project, recommendations and application to safety of gas storage systems

International audienceIn the event of a fire, composite pressure vessels behave very differently from metallic ones: the material is degraded, potentially leading to a burst without significant pressure increase. Hence, such objects are, when necessary, protected from fire by using thermally-activated devices (TPRD), and standards require testing cylinder and TPRD together. The pre-normative research project FireComp aimed at understanding better the conditions which may lead to burst, through testing and simulation, and proposed an alternative way of assessing the fire performanceof composite cylinders. This approach is currently used by Air Liquide for the safety of composite bundlescarrying large amounts of hydrogen gas