The measurement of dilational properties of liquid surfaces

For measurements of viscoelastic properties of monolayer covered interfaces, the longitudinal wave technique is used. The longitudinal wave is generated in the plane of the interface, using a horizontal oscillating barrier. The wave propagation depends on the values of the viscoelastic parameters of the monolayer. The present paper deals with a new method of determining the wave parameters. Using small tracer particles, the displacement of the monolayer, as a function of the distance to the oscillating barrier, is made visible and recorded by video cameras. From these recordings the wave parameters and viscoelastic properties are evaluated. A comparison is made between results obtained with this method and those obtained from the measurements of the varying surface tension. This latter method has until now normally been used to determine the wave parameters. Results on cholesterol and decanoic acid monolayers indicate that both methods lead to similar results within experimental error. It is shown that in case of reflected waves the combination of the results of the two methods, as described earlier by Crone et al., leads to significantly more accurate values of the wave parameters

The introduction of virtual reality in forensic mental healthcare:n interview study on the first impressions of patients and healthcare providers regarding VR in treatment

Background: Recognizing the potential of Virtual Reality (VR) as a powerful technology to support behavior change, the careful introduction of this technology into treatment settings is essential. This is especially important in vulnerable populations like forensic psychiatric patients. This study aims to gain insight from the impressions of both patients and healthcare providers concerning the integration of VR in practice. The study aims to contribute valuable information that guides the introduction of VR technology, ensuring its optimal use in the complex context of forensic mental healthcare.Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with healthcare providers (n = 10) working at forensic outpatient clinics and forensic psychiatric patients (n = 8). All participants experienced VR before the interview. Inductive thematic analysis was employed for analyzing the interview data.Results: Patients valued the unique opportunity to simulate personal experiences in VR scenarios and reflect on them with healthcare providers. In addition to positive first impressions, areas for improvement were identified, including the wish for enhanced realism and reduced physical discomfort while immersed in VR. Finally, important factors contributing to the successful introduction of VR were identified. For example, taking into account psychological distress experienced by patients or supporting healthcare providers with implementation resources.Conclusion: The integration of VR into forensic mental healthcare holds great potential for behavior change. However, its immersive characteristics also increase the chance of amplifying psychological distress. This emphasizes the need for caution when using VR– especially when a vulnerable patient group is subjected to triggering scenarios. This study advocates for a gradual introduction of the technology and provides valuable insights into essential elements for this introduction in clinical practice. It highlights that even the initial step of integrating VR into practice – the introduction phase – demands careful planning and a personalized approach. This underscores the need for ongoing refinement and a systematic approach to the overall implementation of VR. These efforts are crucial to fully realize its potential in clinical practice

VIQ-PIQ Discrepancies are unrelated to mental health indicators in a child psychiatric sample

In a sample of children aged 8-16 years (N = 151) in a child psychiatric setting, the relationship between VIQ-PIQ discrepancies and both Quality of Life (QoL) and psychosocial problems was explored. It was hypothesized that compared to children without a VIQ-PIQ discrepancy children with a discrepancy would have lower QoL and show more psychosocial problems. Using the WISC-III to measure IQ discrepancies, QoL and the severity of psychosocial problems (measured with the Child Behavior Checklist) were found not to differ between the two groups of children. Neither were there any significant correlations between VIQ-PIQ discrepancies and these mental health indicators. Moreover, the proportion of children showing a VIQ-PIQ discrepancy was found not to deviate from the value in the normal population. The conclusion is that in children with psychiatric problems, VIQ-PIQ differences and core mental health indicators are unrelated and that therefore in diagnostic practice psychologists should be hesitant in assuming such a relationship

Efficient inverted tandem polymer solar cells with a solution-processed recombination layer

Solution-processed tandem polymer solar cells with an inverted polarity configuration provide a power conversion efficiency of 5.8%. The tandem cells use an almost loss-free recombination layer and two photoactive layers, with wide and small bandgaps, to increase the power conversion efficiency beyond that of the corresponding single-layer cells