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Attenuation characteristics of microstrip transmission lines on alumina substrates up to 50GHz are discussed. The lines under test came from three different manufacturers, each of whom used different processes to realise the transmission lines. Two of the manufacturers used silver (Ag) paste, whereas the process of one of the manufacturers was copper (Cu) based. Each manufacturer used identical alumina substrates and identical test pattern files so that the measured attenuation properties reflected manufacturer’s capability to fabricate microstrips and the quality of the metal system used. Measurements showed that the attenuation of copper microstrips was slightly lower than that of the silver microstrips, but the difference was small. Measured attenuation (S21) of about 50Ω microstrips was approximately 0.5db/cm at 30GHz and 0.8dB/cm at 50GHz, respectively. The loss coefficient, α_t, of about 0.035dB/mm at 40GHz was obtained for the Cu microstrips. Such an attenuation is reasonable for many practical applications in the microwave and millimetre wave regions.

‘The Choice between Chip and Wire and High Density Surface Mount Packages (MCM‐X, COB, etc.)’ was the title of the above event. One of a regular series held by ISHM‐France, this technical seminar was attended by over 100 members and non‐members of ISHM who were eager to hear of the latest developments in the field of multichip modules. The eight papers presented are summarised below:

On 20 April ISHM‐Benelux held its 1988 Spring meeting at the Grand Hotel Heerlen. This meeting was totally devoted to implantable devices, in particular to the technologies used for these high reliability, extremely demanding devices. For this meeting ISHM‐Benelux was the guest of the Kerkrade facility of Medtronic. Medtronic (headquartered in Minneapolis, USA) is the world's leading manufacturer of implantable electronic devices. Apart from the assembly of pacemakers and heart‐wires, the Kerkrade facility acts as a manufacturing technology centre for Medtronic's European facilities.

Examines some of the interpersonal barriers faced by product managers in obtaining interface support. Suggests an influence matrix exists in project management, consisting of four basic types of influence: reward power; punishment power; expert power; and referent power. Looks at each type of influence and analyses the problems encountered in acquiring and using each influence type. Takes a new look at the content of product managers and analyses the nature of their relationships with other executives, and says that apparent lack of influence in these relationships is shown to be over‐exaggerated. Sums up that the study has tried to delineate these interpersonal barriers as well as to indicate how they can be surmounted by product manager in gaining the support of their interfaces.

The venue for this year's ISHM‐Benelux Autumn Conference and ‘table‐top’ display meeting on 12 October will be the Institut Supérieur Industriel de l'Etat, Mons, Belgium.

ISHM‐Benelux has recently set up a permanent secretariat at the following address:

At the Annual General Meeting of ISHM‐France, held on 12 June 1991, the following were elected:

A hundred years ago the adulteration of food for fraudulent purposes was rife and public opinion demanded protection. The series of statutes which followed, including the Sale of Food and Drugs Act, 1875—a landmark in food legislation for upwards of half a century—virtually stamped out these practices. Today, there is as great an anxiety about the quality and purity of food used for human consumption. In 1951, Sir Edward Mellanby, speaking of the rising incidence of certain diseases in recent years, said he found it “difficult to avoid the conclusion that some at least of these increases in disease are due to errors in living recently introduced or greatly expanded in modern times”, and that “it may be that one of these errors is the ingestion of food treated by unnatural chemical substances”.