Medical savings accounts: opportunities for cost savings?

Interest in medical savings accounts (MSAs) as a potential tool to reduce healthcare costs has been widespread. A small number of countries have either implemented or run pilot programs of MSAs, and vigorous policy debates have taken place in several other countries about the potential merits of introducing MSAs as a method of paying for health care. In this paper we develop a model to assess the cost saving potential of MSAs in a publicly funded healthcare system. We assume that the public healthcare payer may choose between reimbursing healthcare expenditures through an MSA or through a form of third‐party payer insurance. We use the model to identify the conditions under which MSAs may reduce costs. We illustrate using data on healthcare expenditures from Canada.     

Neuroticism and depressive symptoms among spouse caregivers: Do health behaviors mediate this relationship?

This study examined the mediating role of health behaviors in the relationship between neuroticism and depressive symptoms among spouse caregivers. Path analysis was used to test a model of the caregiver stress process among 233 caregivers of people with dementia. Results indicate that neuroticism has a significant direct effect on depressive symptoms and also indirectly influences depressive symptoms through health behaviors and perceived stress. When individual health behaviors were examined in the path model, only physical activity served a significant mediating role. These findings suggest that neuroticism may lead to depressive symptoms among caregivers partly through declines in physical activity. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Simulation of Strength Distribution in Ground Ceramics by Incorporating Residual Stress Effect

Strength of ground ceramics may be affected by residual stress as well as surface flaws induced by grinding. Strength prediction for ground ceramics is convenient for mechanical design of ceramic components. In this article, a numerical procedure based on fracture mechanics was proposed to estimate strength distribution of ground ceramics by considering grinding-induced residual stress. Bending strength and residual stress of ground ceramics were measured for three grinding-conditions. By comparison of simulated results with experimental ones, it was revealed that strength characteristics in experiments were well simulated by using the proposed procedure.     

Structural and electronic properties of CuInSe2

Structural investigation on monocrystalline CuInSe₂ samples has been made. From the single crystal results, the space group of CuInSe₂ was confirmed to be Iˉ42d and the crystal solidification direction was investigated. Compositional uniformity of the ingots was established by EPMA and it was found that the indium concentration was greater than that for copper. Systematic annealing experiments were carried out in vacuum at different temperatures (as low as 160° C) and for different times. Large variation in resistivity was observed after the annealing treatment. P-type samples were found to convert to n-type after the heat-treatments.     

大朝山水电站地下洞室安全监测资料分析

大朝山水电站引水发电系统为地下工程，根据各项安全监测物理量的主要观测成果，对最大观测值分析其对工程的安全影响，为保证其安全运行具有重要意义。为此，分别对大朝山水电站的主要地下建筑物，包括压力引水隧洞、地下厂房、尾水调压室的最大观测值进行了分析研究，并提出了一些建议，有较大的参考价值。     

机械结构动态改进技术在电动机振动噪声防治中的应用

本文介绍了结构实验模态分析、灵敏度分析和局部结构改进分析等先进的结构动态改进技术的基本原理,并由此对Y112M-4型电动机的机座进行了计算和分析,确定出一个结构改进方案.经实际改进试验验证,这一改进可有效地抑制电动机电磁振动和电磁噪声的传递,具有明显的减振降噪作用.     

The development and application of a multiple wavelength illumination technique for the vision-based process monitoring of aero-structure riveting

Airframe riveting is a critical process that requires high levels of process monitoring and quality assurance due to the very high risk associated with the failure of such joints. This paper describes the development of the enabling technology developed for a machine vision-based process monitoring system. One of the key factors affecting the performance of a machine vision system is the quality of the lighting. In the application described in this paper the available lighting was severely limited by the confined space in which the system had to operate. The problem was also compounded by the reflective nature of the objects to be examined. The initial images obtained were not suitable for further processing due to the presence of significant shadows and specular reflections. A novel solution to this problem based on multiple wavelength illumination and signal processing is presented along with results from experimental trials of the approach.     

Conceptual damage-sensitive features for structural health monitoring: Laboratory and field demonstrations

The use of damage-sensitive features to evaluate structural condition or health is a very critical aspect of structural health monitoring. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the potential of two different damage-sensitive features for detecting damage. Different damage scenarios are simulated on a large-scale laboratory structure and a three-span highway bridge for demonstration. The features presented in this paper are the modal flexibility-based deflection and curvature both of which are obtained directly from dynamic properties. In the literature, flexibility associated with mode shapes and mode shapes curvatures have been mostly explored. In this study, multi-input–multi-output dynamic data are used to obtain modal flexibility, which is a close approximation to the actual flexibility. A main novelty is that the curvature is calculated from the deflected shapes using the modal flexibility as opposed to using modal vectors. In this paper, the theory of the methodology is explained and then experimental studies and results are presented. For the experimental studies, the laboratory specimen and the three-span bridge were gradually damaged. It is shown that both deflection and curvature are conceptual and physically meaningful features for damage detection and localization. The issues and the requirements for these features to perform successfully are also presented.     

裂齿矩形翅片板翅式换热器优化设计的分析

对裂齿矩形翅片板翅式换热器中的裂齿矩形翅片的传热效率作了分析,并以单位质量材耗的换热能力最大为目标函数,分析研究了在不同雷诺数(Re)的操作条件下裂齿矩形翅片间角度、翅片厚、长度、宽度及极厚之间的关系。结果表明:在气体换热的场合下,当Re在某一范围时翅片可有效地起到强化传热的作用。当板厚为5mm,翅片厚为3mm,翅片间夹角为45°～70°,Re为2×10~3～8×10~3,最佳翅片纵向间距与翅片长度和翅片厚度乘积的平方根的比为1.5～2.5,最佳翅片尺寸系数为3～5时,传热强化效果较好。     

HACCP在保健食品西洋参口服液生产中的应用

保健食品行业GMP的实施有利HACCP的应用推广。本文应用HACCP于传统保健食品西洋参口服液生产过程中，将生产及加工过程中危害因素降最低限度，以确保产品的质量与安全。