Investigation of the Nanoscale Morphology in Industrially Relevant Clearcoats of Waterborne Polymer Colloids by Means of Variable-Angle-Grazing Incidence Small-Angle X-ray Scattering

Soft polymer colloidal water suspensions are extremely important formulations for industrial applications such as water-based environmental-friendly coatings, paints, and adhesives. Homogeneity of the final coating at the micrometer and nanoscale is a crucial factor for optimal coating performance, such as barrier properties against solvent permeation. Here, we investigated the remnant nanostructure in slot-die-coated micrometer-sized thick clear coating films (clearcoats) of three different waterborne polymer colloids (pure soft, pure hard, and soft/hard multiphase), commonly utilized as primers in paint formulations [Mader et al. Prog. Org. Coat. 2011, 71, 123-135], using variable-angle grazing incidence small-angle X-ray scattering (GISAXS) complemented with cross-sectional atomic force microscopy (cs-AFM). After complete macroscopic drying, the coating films exhibit the presence of residual nanostructure with characteristic distance (d*) smaller than the original particle size and even smaller

Discrimination in the workplace, reported by people with major depressive disorder:A cross-sectional study in 35 countries

Objective: Whereas employment has been shown to be beneficial for people with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) across different cultures, employers' attitudes have been shown to be negative towards workers with MDD. This may form an important barrier to work participation. Today, little is known about how stigma and discrimination affect work participation of workers with MDD, especially from their own perspective. We aimed to assess, in a working age population including respondents with MDD from 35 countries: (1) if people with MDD anticipate and experience discrimination when trying to find or keep paid employment; (2) if participants in high, middle and lower developed countries differ in these respects; and (3) if discrimination experiences are related to actual employment status (ie, having a paid job or not). Method: Participants in this cross-sectional study (N=834) had a diagnosis of MDD in the previous 12 months. They were interviewed using the Discrimination and Stigma Scale (DISC-12). Analysis of variance and generalised linear mixed models were used to analyse the data. Results: Overall, 62.5% had anticipated and/or experienced discrimination in the work setting. In very high developed countries, almost 60% of respondents had stopped themselves from applying for work, education or training because of anticipated discrimination. Having experienced workplace discrimination was independently related to unemployment. Conclusions: Across different countries and cultures, people with MDD very frequently reported discrimination in the work setting. Effective interventions are needed to enhance work participation in people with MDD, focusing simultaneously on decreasing stigma in the work environment and on decreasing self-discrimination by empowering workers with MDD.</p

Drug suicide: a sex-equal cause of death in 16 European countries

Background: There is a lack of international research on suicide by drug overdose as a preventable suicide method. Sex- and age-specific rates of suicide by drug self-poisoning (ICD-10, X60-64) and the distribution of drug types used in 16 European countries were studied, and compared with other self-poisoning methods (X65-69) and intentional self-injury (X70-84).Methods: Data for 2000-04/05 were collected from national statistical offices. Age-adjusted suicide rates, and age and sex distributions, were calculated.Results: No pronounced sex differences in drug self-poisoning rates were found, either in the aggregate data (males 1.6 and females 1.5 per 100,000) or within individual countries. Among the 16 countries, the range (from some 0.3 in Portugal to 5.0 in Finland) was wide. 'Other and unspecified drugs' (X64) were recorded most frequently, with a range of 0.2-1.9, and accounted for more than 70% of deaths by drug overdose in France, Luxembourg, Portugal and Spain. Psychotropic drugs (X61) ranked second. The X63 category ('other drugs acting on the autonomic nervous system') was least frequently used. Finland showed low X64 and high X61 figures, Scotland had high levels of X62 ('narcotics and hallucinogens, not elsewhere classified') for both sexes, while England exceeded other countries in category X60. Risk was highest among the middle-aged everywhere except in Switzerland, where the elderly were most at risk.Conclusions: Suicide by drug overdose is preventable. Intentional self-poisoning with drugs kills as many males as females. The considerable differences in patterns of self-poisoning found in the various European countries are relevant to national efforts to improve diagnostics of suicide and appropriate specific prevention. The fact that vast majority of drug-overdose suicides came under the category X64 refers to the need of more detailed ICD coding system for overdose suicides is needed to permit better design of suicide-prevention strategies at national level

Projecten voor Gezondheidspromotie Een handleiding voor kwaliteitsvol werken

Deze handleiding is bedoeld als handleiding bij het opzetten en uitvoeren van projecten voor gezondheidspromotie. Daartoe wordt zowel een algemeen kader aangereikt, als praktische richtlijnen gegeven. Naast een theoretische afbakening, aandacht voor de basisprincipes en strategieën op het gebied van gezondheidspromotie, kwaliteit en projectmatig werken, wordt ruim ingegaan op de verschillende fasen in de planning en de uitvoering van een project. Per fase worden inhoudelijke aandachtspunten en praktische richtlijnen beschreven. Zo zijn er inzichten opgenomen uit o.a. planningsmodellen, gedragsverklaringsmodellen, projectmanagement, netwerking, evaluatie, … Checklists bevatten de belangrijkste criteria om kwaliteitsvol werken in de betreffende fase mogelijk te maken. Hierdoor kan de gebruiker de kwaliteit van zijn project gemakkelijker inschatten en eventueel evalueren. Deze handleiding richt zich tot alle personen en organisaties in Vlaanderen die projecten voor gezondheidspromotie opzetten. Het is etevens een handzaam didactisch middel voor opleidingen in gezondheidspromotie. Theoretisch kader: Een begripsafbakening - Strategieën - De ‘ evidence base’ voor gezondheidspromotie - Projecten en projectmatig werken – De fasen in een project: Oriëntatie - Analyse - Strategiebepaling - Projectuitwerking - Uitvoering - Afronding