Microsoft and Walgreen Both Biggest Names in Their Respective Fields have Signed a Deal for Innovation in Health-Technology Space

Microsoft has joined hand with pharmaceutical manufacturing and distribution company Walgreens Boots Alliance for its cloud computing solutions. The pharmacy chain as part of this strategic partnership will use Microsoft’s Azure cloud computing software as the two companies start innovation in healthcare sector.

Under the deal which spans seven years, Microsoft will provide Walgreens Boots Alliance 380,000 plus employee strength Office365 software, Windows 10 and other productivity tools, Walgreen on its part will move most of its information technology and cloud infrastructure to Microsoft’s artificial intelligence and cloud computing software Azure.

 In addition to partnership in cloud computing solutions, Microsoft and Walgreens are working ways to innovate in health care delivery systems for low cost and quality health outcomes. The research and development investment will span several years by which the companies are planning to establish joint innovation centers in strategically important markets. Walgreens will start 12 digital health corners in its stores. They’re aimed at sale and merchandising of health care related select devices. Microsoft and Walgreens have resolved to focus more personalized health care related experiences from disease management to preventive self-care.

The deal is the most strategic move by Microsoft when other huge conglomerates including Amazon are pushing boundaries and have entered into healthcare and health technology space. Amazon in 2018 has pushed aggressively into the healthcare sector with filings of several healthcare related technology patents as well as partnerships with companies like Berkshire Hathaway and JP Morgan for employee health initiative.

To launch in Healthcare which a complex industry with number of players including pharmaceuticals, wholesalers, hospital, medical device maker, distributor  and retail chains, a technology company like Microsoft needs tremendous expertise in the field. A partnership with a major enterprise in the industry like Walgreens gives Microsoft the credibility to go after other players in the space. Walgreens and other retail pharmacy players are wary of Amazon after the e-commerce giant bought pharmacy chain PillPack in June 2018. Walgreens has also recently partnered with Alphabet’s Life sciences division Verily for a project to help people take their medicine.

Microsoft has been actively pursuing partnerships with major companies for providing artificial intelligence and cloud computing solutions through its Azure platform.  The recent partnerships include Kroger, the grocery store chain, Walmart and Gap, the fashion retailer. It has inked deals with MasterCard, Nielson, General Electric and Royal Dutch Shell.  Microsoft’s stocks rose to 105.01 by 2.9% and Walgreens to 71.79 by 1.6% post announcement of the deal.

New Data Released by Eurostats Confirm Fears of European Economic Slowdown with Major Economies Already in Recession

Europe is facing a an economic slowdown with two of its largest economies already on the brink of recession according the recent release of statistics report by Eurostat which is EU’s central agency for handling economic statistics. With US- China trade war and consequent slowdown in China the world’s second largest economy, the European as well as the global economy have shown signs of deep trouble.

A slowdown in China’s automotive market has already threatened revenues of many European automakers who draw massive revenues from the Asian giant, forcing many to enter partnerships and job cuts to balance the rapidly dwindling profits. A recent report released by Standard Chartered Bank has found that United States is going to lose its status of the biggest economy in the world by 2020 replaced by China, and may never get that title back again as Asian economies move ahead in the race.

Economists, policymakers and investors observing the global economy fear that a major economic crisis is in the process of making. Eurostat reveled on Monday that between October to November last year industrial production fell by over 1.7%. The data signaled that the European Union’s economy is growing but at a laggardly pace. It said that although Eurozone GDP increased by a small amount in the fourth but slowed down by a gear; however there is no reasonable evidence to predict a sharp rebound in 2019.

Germany, usually the star performer in European Union reported a decline in industrial production by 1.9% in November 2018, while the year-on-year production reached a low of -4.6%, which is the biggest slowdown since 2008 financial crisis. Exports in November fell to -0.4%. Manufacturing being the key driver of German economy, any slowdown in manufacturing is reverberated across the whole economy. The slowdown is credited to the plunging profits of German automotive giants in the shifting landscape of adopting to electric cars and tougher emission standards simultaneously. EU’s ambition to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 30% is putting a heavy blow to automobile industry.

Italian manufacturing has also slumped down with evidence from official government data showing negative trends at the end of 2018. The Italian government is highly Eurosceptic and volatile. The French government seems has a lot to deal with lately with Gilets Jaune protests escalating everyday along with an economic slowdown. France’s GDP, third largest in Europe is expected to be halved by 0.2% from 0.4% in the last quarter, thanks to the belligerent yellow vest protests. The protests which started in November 2018 have already cost retailers a whopping $1 billion and more.

Although slowdown in German economy continues, the UK based staffing and human resources firm Hays has reported an 8% rise in net fees, contributed hugely by the 15% rise in payments from Germany. The numbers indicate a strong hiring in Germany but it has to be noted that the firm largely deals with white collar jobs rather than factory ones. All major automakers including Jaguar, Ford and Volkswagen have recently announced major plant closures with thousands of job cuts. This has raised alarming bells in Europe and worldwide.

Facebook Plans to Help Local News Organizations Find Profitable Business Models Through a $300 Million Investment

Facebook has announced plans to invest $300 million in local news organizations worldwide over the coming three years. The social media giant often a recipient of egregious accusations of being the doom of local news business worldwide seems to address these by its investment plans.

The plan includes investment of both money and time by the organization to help local news companies find sustainable and viable business models to compete in the rapidly shifting news business relying heavily on online advertising revenues. The investment is different from other such investments by the company as it does not involve tie up with any Facebook related products as reported by the recipients of the investment.

The earlier rounds of investment were meant to incentivize publishers to rely on Facebook’s products and services for news delivery which ended up hurting them in the end as Facebook shifted its strategy repeatedly.

The latest round of investment is supposedly aimed at fighting fake news and misinformation which has rampantly spread across the platform by exploiting its capabilities. Campbell Brown, vice president of Global News in the company, also believes that Facebook also has a responsibility and opportunity in helping local news to grow. Critics of Facebook have accused it of being a silent witness to spread of misinformation, fake news and political meddling.

The investment in the US will help augment resources needed for local reporting, evolve new technology to create new services and product and improve the gathering of news. It has also devised a program which is modeled after Peace Corp which will hire ‘trainee community journalist’ and will place them in newsrooms. The program has planned over the next five years to place 1000 trainee journalists in local newsrooms.

The notable recipients of the investments include non-profits such as Report for America, Pulitzer Center as well as The American Journalism Project, Local Media consortium and Local Media Association, Knight-Lenfest Local News Transformation Fund and Community News Project. An alliance of over 80 news organizations Local Media Consortium’s CEO Fran Wils said that Facebook is helping the organization to create a content program for attracting advertising opportunities and expresses optimism that it will create new revenue streams which will aid local journalism to grow.

Facebook last year also launched an “Accelerator’’ program to help newsrooms such as Denver Post and San Francisco Chronicle to attract membership and subscribers. It also invested $6 million in local publishing in Britain. The company has taken several initiatives recently to improve its public image after the platform lost credibility because of major controversies last year with reports saying that Facebook was used extensively by the Russians for influencing 2016 presidential elections.

Facebook has recently announced that political advertising tools and rules will be extended to countries like Ukraine, Nigeria, India and European Union to curb election interference.

Safer Substitutions to Sleeping Pills that Keep the Functioning of Brain Intact

Multiple factors have contributed in the increasing sleeping disorders in adults, which in turn have surged the demand for sleeping pills. A new research published by Behavioral Neuroscience in the Frontiers journal proposes a safer substitute to sleeping pills. As compared to conventional sleeping pills which strongly cause drowsiness and prevent the transmission of any signal to the brain, the proposed drug is said to have specific characteristics, wherein the one who takes them can sense threat even in the state of deep slumber. Once the threat is over, the individual can drift back to sleep.

According to CDC – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1/3rd of U.S. adults find it difficult to get sound sleep on a daily basis. Additionally, about 50 to 70 Mn individuals in U.S. suffer from either sleep deprivation or insomnia. CDC report further stated that approximately 4% of the U.S. population above 20 years pop sleeping pills and this percent intensifies with education and age. Furthermore, 1 in every 8 adults rely on sleeping pills to get adequate sleep. However, whether sleeping pills are safe for consumption is yet debatable.

Various researches have been carried out which have highlighted the adverse effects of popping a sleeping pill on a daily basis. With a continued usage of sleeping pills over a long period of time, one can easily get accustomed to these drugs and as a result, the body needs a higher dose of the drug. If the dose of the drug consumed is too high, it could cause breathing issues during sleep, which can eventually cause death. Moreover, a prolonged usage of these pills can cause drowsiness the next morning, since the chemical contents may still have their deposits in the body. Diarrhea, dizziness, and impairment on the following day are some of its additional side-effects.

The most dangerous side-effect is however, when an individual cannot sense a threat-like situation and fall a victim to it. The new drug developed by Behavioral Neuroscience possesses an intrinsic property that enables a person to wake up from his sleep and respond to the dangerous situation. Prof. Kuwaki, along with his team devised this novel solution by testing the drug on mice. He reported that the rodent woke up as soon as his brain sensed danger. Additionally, once the threat was over, the mice fell asleep. The professor and his team proposed a solution named, “Dual Orexin Receptor Antagonists (DORAs)” to enable the transmission of threat signals to the brain even during deep slumber.

Surface Plasmon Resonance: Cost-efficient, Label-free Bio-molecular Detection Processes Drive Adoption

A senior market analyst, at Future Market Insights discusses the changing dynamics of the surface Plasmon resonance market and how are biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies responding to the same.

Used for achieving detailed analysis of the interactions between biomolecules, surface Plasmon resonance (SPR) finds extensive applications in the fields of biotechnology and pharmaceuticals, for the production of bio-sensors, new drugs, and also for material sciences procedures testing. With the growth of healthcare infrastructure, the demand in the surface Plasmon resonance market is anticipated to witness higher rate of growth.

How will SPR procedures fare in assisting the development of innovative new drugs?

The prohibitive restrictions of time, cost, and reduced rate of success for drugs incorporating small molecules has generated a demand for faster and precise activity and characteristic measurements through the drug development life cycle.

For instance, the binding characteristics of small molecule towards a targeted protein compound with SPR allows accurate profiling of the molecules binding behavior. The process allows researchers to study the stability and speed of formation for new compounds, which can significantly affect the behavior of the medication.

Unlike other similar procedures, SPR has the added advantage of being able to provide results without any labels, that too in real time.

What are the major innovative products defining the future of SPR procedures?

A recent product by Bruker named the SierraTM SPR-32 makes use of an innovative frame-inject technology that provides new opportunities for mechanistic study on interactions of molecular interactions, with a faster rate of analysis. This is made possible through the pre-stabilization of the molecules surface through the application of a portion of molecular co-factors that comprise added buffers, prior to the injection process of the compound. This allows the kinetics of the compound to be monitored in a disassociated stage allowing major savings on time, and expenses on consumable items.

When being used in conjunction with spectrometry equipment, superlative results from high throughput screening activities can be achieved easily, making this technology a massive change for pharmaceutical development.

What is SPR’s role in disease control?

Researchers at the Monash University have developed an unique Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) sensor with the application of specialized antimonene materials, which can detect cancer-related bio markers such as MicroRNA-155 and Micro-RNA 21, with nearly 150,000 cases of early detection of cancer in the last year alone, through research conducted by The Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Future Low-Energy Electronics Technology.  The technology has increased the accuracy of 2D cancer detection by approximately 10,000 times.

Throw some light on the challenges facing the development of SPR-based point-of-care devices?

Key aspects such as the mass production of metallic nanostructures on the biomolecule substrates, lack of detection sensitivity capabilities, and prohibitive expenses for combining microfluidic chips with point of care equipment is significantly restricting the creation of such devices.

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Head Mounted Displays for Entertainment and Gaming to Witness Higher Demand

Growing affordability of components such as micro displays, and increased applications of head mounted displays for fields such as medicine, military, gaming, and augmented reality among others are anticipated to boost the prospects of the head mounted display market for the years ahead.

What are some key demand-driving factors translating into effective adoption of helmet mounted/eye wear display devices?

With easy access to lightweight materials for helmet mounted displays (HMD), and increased adoption by military and healthcare professionals, these devices are anticipated to witness a strong rate of growth.

Military applications of security, training, monitoring, and simulations are increasing adoption of HMD devices in the field. Moreover, manufacturers are developing awareness programs about health hazards for prolonged use of wearable displays, or stereoscopic display, are anticipated to help users to utilize helmet mounted display devices in the long run.

On the other hand, the higher portability, smaller size, and lower weight of eye wear devices are anticipated to increase the demand for such wearable devices in the near future.

Throw some light on the technological advancements being made for efficient Head Mounted Displays.

Offering significant advantages to surgical, industrial, and military devices, the Ultra high pixel density display (UHPD) platform makes use of a proprietary red/green/blue organic light-emitting diode, which provides an active matrix that are ideal for virtual reality and augmented reality compatible headsets. Similarly, smart pixel IC (SPIC) has been developed by INT Tech as a board scale solution that allows the integrated functioning of multiple sensors on the rear pane of the display, which is based on thin film transistors. The technology allows for sensing fingerprints, proximity, eye tracking, and light generation, making it ideal for bio-sensory devices and integration through internet of things (IoT).

Moreover, the rising use of head mounted projection displays (HMPD), provide easier display corrections and improved depth perception owing the use of retro reflective material, occlusion optics, and side-mounted optics.

What is the future of head mounted displays in entertainment and gaming?

 The applications of head mounted display devices are anticipated to grow at a relatively faster rate in comparison to other fields in the near future owing to recent enhancements to high resolution displays, improvements to video capabilities, and 3D video display functionality, which is considered as the next stage in entertainment by the vast majority of end users.

On the other hand, such devices are still plagued by a number of disadvantages such as wide bezels, lack of compatibility for vertical integration, and side effects such as headaches and fatigue after prolonged use are keeping manufacturers from reaching their peak. When such problems are surmounted in the future, head mounted display devices are anticipated to make all conventional computer and console monitors completely obsolete.

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Increased Global Consumption of Processed Food Drives Demand for Dehydrated Onions: FMI Market Expert

A senior market analyst at Future Market Insights discusses the evolving dynamics of the dehydrated onions market and the activities of producers to optimally tackle the same.

The growing consumption of dehydrated vegetables around the globe can be largely attributed to enhanced palatability and long duration of consumable quality. In addition, dried vegetables are cost efficient to store and transport as well. As a result, producers of dehydrated onions can optimally make use of surplus fresh onion produce, in addition to making considerable savings on the packaging materials of the product, which bodes well for the future prospects of the dehydrated onions market.

What is India’s status in the global dehydrated onions market?

Owing to the high production rate of fresh onions, in comparison to other countries, India currently exports more than 30% of all exported dehydrated onions. Moreover, increasing awareness about the health benefits of consuming dried vegetables is also expected to significantly increase the production and sales of dehydrated onions in food products in this region.

On the other hand, rising prices in the international market, and sluggish growth on a domestic scale are anticipated to restrict the countries dehydrated onion production, in the near future, at least for the short term. These effects have been offset by government activities by local bodies such as the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), which regularly conducts campaigns for the promotion of dried vegetable products and awareness about its uses on a national scale. The government is also offering a minimum guaranteed price policy, which allows farmers to legitimize collaterals towards small scale loans, thereby enhancing the supply chain of the industry.

What initiatives are dehydrated onion manufacturers undertaking to sustain growth?

Unlike western countries, populations in Asia are generally averse to the consumption of dehydrated vegetables, over the consumption of fresh counterparts, which is keeping dehydrated onions from becoming a mainstream food product in the region. However, growing awareness about the advantages of consuming dried vegetables through the proliferation of the internet, the adoption of the various types of dehydrated onions is expected to grow rapidly in the years ahead.

With growing consumption of processed food, and the introduction of new technologies that enable improved efficiency of dehydrating processes, the production and demand of such products is expected to increase.

What innovations in packaging processes will make a notable impact on the demand for dehydrated onions?

Manufacturers are increasingly moving from traditional drying methods to using solar powered dehydrators to minimize the risk of contamination, boost moisture extraction techniques, and extend the shelf life of the end products. This is creating a robust demand for dehydrated onions, especially from masala manufacturers, hospitality establishments, ready-to-cook-meals producers, and processed foods manufacturers.

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Rubber Tracks for Defense and Security: Manufactures meet Changing Industry Demands with Lightweight, Fuel-Efficient Variants

With the expanding defense sector and the developments in the rubber industry are together influencing the growth of the rubber tracks for defense and security. The wide range of benefits such as reduced vibration, weight reduction, fuel efficiency, and survivability of the rubber tracks for defense and security are expected to offer extensive major benefits in the operations of the defense and security sector. Furthermore, the rubber tracks for defense and security make the military vehicles for durable, quieter, and efficient.

What is trending in the rubber tracks for defense and security market?

A. The emergence of intelligent rubber tracks over the coming years is expected to boost future innovations in the rubber tracks for defense and security landscape. As intelligent rubber tracks offer high stability, better traction, durability, and other such beneficial attributes, they are expected to create promising opportunities for the manufacturers of rubber tracks for defense and security.

What are the key strategies adopted by the manufactures to remain competitive in the rubber tracks for defense and security market?

With the accelerating demand, companies manufacturing rubber tracks for defense and security are incorporating strategies that allow them to expand their market presence. Expansion of their distribution capabilities remains one such crucial step that allows companies to harvest the meet the demand. DEKK Rubber Tracks & Pads progressed on a similar line where the company was appointed for distribution of the Trelleborg’s S-1500 rubber track through its support network.

What is generating demand for rubber tracks in defense and security sectors?

The rubber tracks for defense and security are lightweight and allow the defense sector to reduce the overall weight of the vehicle. Compared to the steel tracks, rubber tracks for defense and security are gaining major traction owing to this crucial aspect. A company operating in the rubber tracks for defense and security, Soucy Defense offers 50 percent reduction in weight with their rubber tracks for defense and security, thereby allowing military personnel to add mission-critical components and the essential armor and protective equipment onto the vehicle.

How are the providers of rubber tracks for defense and security tapping opportunities in emerging regions?

A. Although European nations and North American economies are the major focus areas of manufacturers of rubber tracks for defense and security, they are also eyeing on opportunities reflected by the emerging nations. The leading provider of rubber tracks for defense and security, Soucy Defense unveiled its product portfolio at a defense show in Asia, thereby making efforts to gain a significant presence in that region.

What are the future opportunities for companies in the rubber tracks for defense and security market?

The transforming demand created by the defense sector is expected to fuel innovations in the rubber tracks for defense and security. Demand for improved military vehicles and better survivability is expected to influence major developments in the rubber tracks for defense and security landscape. For instance, the US Marin Corps (USMC) is looking for improved tracks that could improve the capabilities of the Assault Amphibious Vehicles (AAVs). USMC strives to gauge the industry’s capabilities for developing Improved Amphibious Tracks (IAT) that could cater to their demands, where the potential approach would include the replacement of conventional steel tracks with rubber-band tracks.

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Hydrostatic Transmission Systems: Applicability to Remain High in Agricultural Processes

Hydrostatic transmission systems are anticipated to witness a high rate of demand in the near future, considering widespread applications in engines of machinery or vehicles that are operated in rough conditions such as off road transport, or material processing systems. Hydrostatic transmission systems have the superlative ability to provide high rate of torque, even at low speeds, which is essential for several industrial users including construction, transport, and agriculture among others.

What are some key factors driving demand for heavy-duty hydrostatic transmission systems?

Currently, the hydrostatic transmission market is witnessing a very steady rise in demand, especially for heavy-duty hydrostatic transmission systems, owing to the recent rise in remotely operated process activities, for areas with extreme conditions. The ability of heavy-duty hydrostatic transmission to provide engines with a stable power flow and minimizing fluctuations, enables industrial vehicles to operate smoothly at lower speeds. With growing activities of infrastructural developments such as underground mining, tunnel construction, through the use of equipment such as crawler bulldozers, and articulate forklifts will boost the demand for heavy-duty hydrostatic transmission.

Through some light on the newer models of hydrostatic transmission?

Manufacturers are equipping modern hydrostatic transmissions with state-of-the-art electrically powered control mechanisms that provides users to minimize the issues of gear shifts, while gaining optimal control on the machine. This is especially true of medium-duty systems that are being updated to reduce user efforts during operation. Such devices can provide an improved output of power and torque through the constant research and development activities of the manufacturers. Owing to such factors, medium-duty hydrostatic transmissions have been observed to have relatively higher adoption.

For example, Linde Hydraulics has designed hydrostatic transmission systems for a joint assembly for variable and displacement motors, through an inline configuration integrating high-pressure relief valves and external feed for electric or hydraulic control.

What does the future hold for hydrostatic transmission in agricultural processes?

With the rise in automation for agricultural machinery such as planters, harvesters, and threshers, the use of hydrostatic principles allows farming implements to be more resource efficient and accurate through the use of electronic sensors, GPS, and self-operating software. In the near future, hydrostatic agricultural machines, are expected to become fully automated, and work efficiently regardless of the farm terrain or crop conditions. For instance, future machinery using hydrostatic transmission will allow each wheel to be powered individually for superlative weight distribution and more accurate movement.

Will emerging economies showcase demand for hydrostatic transmission systems?

Owing to the immense potential of countries such as Brazil, China, and India, with regards to the industrial applications of heavy lifting tools, and growing government efforts towards the construction of roads and public infrastructure, is generating higher demand for heavy machinery, and consequently for hydrostatic transmission systems.

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Emission Control Catalyst: Stringent Emission Regulations to Push Adoption

Automotive and Transportation analysts at Future Market Insights discuss the crucial developments witnessed in the emission control catalyst landscape

The growing significance given to emission control by the governments of several countries is creating demand for emission control technology. Emission control catalyst being a workable fix for cutting down toxic emissions generated by automobiles and other industries. Emission control catalyst helps the amount of emission of hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxide. The rising penetration of automobiles coupled with the increasing need for controlling the emission of harmful gases that pose a threat to the environment is boosting the emission control catalyst activities across the globe. This has created growth opportunities for the manufacturers of emission control catalyst.

What are some of the key developments that are shaping the manufacturing landscape of emission control catalyst?

Given the increasing regulations pertaining to the emissions by the automotive sector, the demand for emission control catalyst solutions is elevating substantially. Owing to this there are some key developments that are expected to define the manufacturing landscape of the emission control catalyst. In line with the stringent emission control requirements in the spike of China Stage 6 implementation in 2020, BASF SE, a leading supplier of emission control catalyst, will expand its production capabilities to Shanghai. This manufacturing facility will product catalysts for both diesel and petrol based light-duty and heavy-duty vehicles.

Which consumer demands are fostering the deployment of emission control catalyst?

The automotive sector is continually working towards meeting the demands of the automobile customers. Fuel efficiency remains a crucial requirement for modern automobile buyers. Owing to this, the emission control catalyst manufacturers are increasingly innovating their product range to cater to these demands. Continental demonstrated a pioneering technology that supports the global initiative of cleaner emissions. The company offers two solutions including the SCR (Selective Catalytic Reduction) catalysts and an electrically heated catalyst that is designed to remain compliant along with cost-effectiveness.

Which are the strategies adopted by automotive suppliers that could boost the sales of emission control catalyst systems?

There is an increasing adoption of emission control catalyst solutions across the automotive sector, thereby reflected several growth opportunities for emission control catalyst producers. The automotive suppliers are entering into strategic collaborations that are aimed at increasing the sales of emission control catalyst. For instance, China Yuchai International Limited and Eberspaecher Exhaust Technology International GmbH entered into a partnership agreement for the production and sale of exhaust emission control systems that are designed for commercial vehicles.

What are the potential shortcomings that the emission control catalyst manufacturers could face in the near future?

While the overall market for emission control catalyst remains promising there are a few challenges that the manufacturers are expected to face in future. The development of more thermally stable emission control catalyst material would remain one of the key challenges. The future emission control catalyst systems are expected to have a maximum operating temperature which is about 950 degrees. This has given rise to extensive research and development activities that aim at achieving these requirements.

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