Inline Non-Destructive Material Property Testing; The Future of Manufacturing

Across all industries, material specifications are tightening beyond previously understood process capabilities. Slight shifts in material grade, microstructure, heat treatment, or alloy composition can significantly impact long term material integrity. This study examines the feasibility of non-contact, 100% inline magneto-inductive testing on material/components destined for the automotive, aerospace, agricultural, and medical markets to ensure proper material quality standards. To test the hypothesis that material grade, carbon content, density, and alloy composition can be accurately tested in real time during production, an experiment was conducted utilizing magneto-inductive test instrumentation and encircling coil. Throughout this experiment, and proposed future state of manufacturing, 100% of material was tested. Results yielded clear confirmation in accordance with the hypothesis. This data driven subjective approach provided the ability to accurately, efficiently, and autonomously verify proper material grade had been used for the designated product. Ensuring proper material composition and material properties without slowing production using this testing method should be considered when improved quality is desired.

All-Electronic Emitter-Detector Pairs for 250 GHz in Silicon

The spread of practical terahertz (THz) systems dedicated to the telecommunication, pharmacy, civil security, or medical markets requires the use of mainstream semiconductor technologies, such as complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) lines. In this paper, we discuss the operation of a CMOS-based free space all-electronic system operating near 250 GHz, exhibiting signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) with 62 dB in the direct detection regime for one Hz equivalent noise bandwidth. It combines the state-of-the-art detector based on CMOS field-effect-transistors (FET) and a harmonic voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO). Three generations of the oscillator circuit are presented, and the performance characterization techniques and their improvement are explained in detail. The manuscript presents different emitter–detector pair operation modalities, including spectroscopy and imaging.

Indigenous Traditions, Modernity, and Madness

Emergence of the ‘mind sciences’ in vernacular Hindi literature was a variegated phenomena. Western medical ideas were sometimes amalgamated, segregated, filtered, and appropriated by the vaidyas and hakims according to the needs of the time. Certain key psychiatric concepts had long interesting afterlives while others could not survive. These hybrid practices reflect not only the wide circulation of knowledge but also the impulses of the medical markets that recast traditional medicine in a modern garb. This chapter is a preliminary investigation into the indigenous ways of dealing with and healing madness. The spread and dissemination of Western medical knowledge led to the reshaping of some of the Ayurvedic concepts of mental illness.

The importance of medical devices in preventing and combating SARS-CoV-2 and cooperation between national regulators, academy and industry - Perspectives from the Portuguese reality

In view of the scarcity of medical devices necessary to combat the outbreak crisis caused by the new SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus pandemic, an exceptional regime regarding applicable device conformity assessment procedures and market surveillance was established through Recommendation (EU) 2020/403 of the European Commission of 13 March. This was adopted by Portugal through the publication of Decree-Law no. 14-E / 2020 of 13 April. Many guidelines were issued during the pandemic by INFARMED and with the cooperation of other national entities (Ministry of Economy, Ministry of Science, Technology and Higher Education, national Industry and General Directorate of Health) to support medical device manufacturers and importers. It is important that these guidelines are reflected in the development of the Portuguese medical device industry in order to promote its international recognition and to ease access to other medical markets. A detailed analysis of all variables here included in this opinion article, together with some proposals, aims to promote a national strategic vision in the area of the development and production of medical devices, in order to enhance ideas and gains that resulted from these responses to the crisis, serving for future analysis to be published in due course.

Survival of altruistic gatekeepers: Kickbacks in medical markets

Patients often rely on the advice of their general practitioner (GP) to decide which treatment best fits their needs. Hospitals, in turn, might influence GPs’ referral decision through kickbacks. We present a model with a monopolistic hospital and competitive GPs who vary in the degree of altruism towards their heterogeneous patients and show that an equilibrium without crowding out exists that separates GPs into referrers and care providers. Naïve patients visit purely selfish (referring) GPs, while rational patients sort themselves between the two groups of GPs. Finally, we investigate the scope for regulation, including an optimal coinsurance rate.

Who Counts as Family? Gamete donation and the construction of family forms in medical markets

This paper examines how gender beliefs are embedded in the organizational practices of the reproductive market. Third party reproduction blurs boundaries between familial and non-familial members, making gamete banks and donation agencies important sites for studying the construction of family. Cultural beliefs about gender are implicated in the discourses and practices of these organizations, which shape and constrain the experiences and options for both gamete donors and recipient families. To evaluate this process, I conducted qualitative analyses on the recruitment materials of all of sperm banks, egg banks, and egg donation agencies in the United States. My analysis demonstrates that the reproductive market still relies on heteronormative assumptions of family. However, the extent to which these organizations facilitate participation in new, non-normative family forms breaks down along gendered lines, where sperm donors have more freedom, status, and potential to create relationships with recipient families than egg donors.

Externalities and Taxation of Supplemental Insurance: A Study of Medicare and Medigap

Most health insurance uses cost-sharing to reduce excess utilization. Supplemental insurance can blunt the impact of this cost-sharing, increasing utilization and exerting a negative externality on the primary insurer. This paper estimates the effect of private Medigap supplemental insurance on public Medicare spending using Medigap premium discontinuities in local medical markets that span state boundaries. Using administrative data on the universe of Medicare beneficiaries, we estimate that Medigap increases an individual’s Medicare spending by 22.2 percent. We calculate that a 15 percent tax on Medigap premiums generates savings of $12.9 billion annually with a standard error of $4.9 billion. (JEL G22, H24, H51, I13, J14)