A paint removal concept with side-chain liquid crystalline polymers as primer material

A new paint removal concept is introduced making use of a polymer primer layer with a sharp softening temperature. For this, a new class of side-chain liquid crystalline polymers with polar moieties in the backbone has been developed and studied in thin films. These polymers form lamellar-ordered mesophases and contain adhesion-enhancing moieties, which can provide protection against corrosion. Furthermore, the polymers possess phase transitions which are accompanied by drastic changes in the mechanical properties. When the viscosity of a primer film abruptly drops it will start to flow which makes it possible to remove the coating layer as an intact film, simply by pulling the coating off the primer layer. Since the various synthesised polymers all possess different transition temperatures, we can choose the most convenient polymer on the basis of the desired temperature dependenc

Specular and non-specular X-ray reflection from inorganic and organic multilayers.

Specular and non-specular X-ray reflectivity measurements can be exploited to obtain interesting properties of layered materials such as electron-density profile and lateral and perpendicular structure of interface roughness. This will be illustrated using results on a nickel–carbon multilayer and a liquid-crystalline polymer

Order in thin films of side-chain liquid-crystalline polymers.

Spin-coated side-chain liquid-crystalline polymer films, based on alternating copolymers of maleic anhydride and -olefins carrying terminal mesogenic methoxybiphenylyloxy groups, on silicon wafers show lamellar ordering upon annealing above the glass transition temperature. In the surface topography (atomic force microscopy measurements), structures are visible with a height corresponding to a bilayer. Also within the film, the side chains are ordered perpendicularly to the surface as measured by X-ray reflectometry. There are indications that directly at the substrate surface the side chains are aligned parallel to the surface. By the two complementary techniques, a rather complete picture is obtained. Even though the films are very thin (nanometer-scale thickness), the structure has a high degree of perfection and the bilayer spacing is the same as measured for bulk polymer

Beleid en onderzoek in actie; reflecties van bestuurskundig onderzoekers op hun nieuwe rol in groene beleidsprocessen

"Beleid en onderzoek in actie" toont aan de hand van concrete ervaringen van beleidskundige onderzoekers in de groene ruimte tot welke nieuwe rollen en dilemma's dit leidt, qua beleidsprocessen, procesbegeleiding, interactief ontwerpen, draagvlak-onderzoe

Beleid en onderzoek in actie; reflecties van bestuurskundig onderzoekers op hun nieuwe rol in groene beleidsprocessen

"Beleid en onderzoek in actie" toont aan de hand van concrete ervaringen van beleidskundige onderzoekers in de groene ruimte tot welke nieuwe rollen en dilemma's dit leidt, qua beleidsprocessen, procesbegeleiding, interactief ontwerpen, draagvlak-onderzoe

Validated treatments and therapeutic perspectives regarding nutritherapy

Nutritherapy seeks to prevent or correct disease by the use of nutritional supplements including vitamins, trace elements, or macronutrients. This chapter of the "Les Entretiens du Carla" reviews the potential of nutritherapy for the prevention or improvement of sarcopenia, which is the progressive reduction in muscle mass and muscle strength prevalent in late-life. It is critical that we review nutrients and their potential to maintain muscle mass and strength which ultimately will help minimize falls and fractures among the older population. Evidence from randomized-controlled trials will be reviewed for muscle mass as well as important sarcopenia-related endpoints including lower extremity strength and function, as well as falls and fall-related fractures. This chapter will focus on vitamin D as a compelling strategy with evidence for strength gain, fall and fracture prevention from double-blind randomized controlled trials. The other strategy discussed is increased protein intake although longer-term trials and evidence for clinically important endpoints are limited. Today, there is no consistent data on other micronutrients or macronutrients with an established potential to combat sarcopenia

The effect of a nutrient dense drink on mental and physical function in institutionalized elderly people.

Item does not contain fulltextOBJECTIVES: To determine whether in the current study the supply of a nutrient dense drink has a positive effect on mental and physical function of institutionalized elderly people. DESIGN: A 24-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, intervention trial. SETTING: Homes for the elderly and nursing homes in the Netherlands. PARTICIPANTS: Institutionalized elderly people older than 60 years, with a BMI < or = 30 kg/m2, and a Mini-Mental State Examination score of at least 10 points. INTERVENTION: In addition to their usual diet the participants (n=176) received either a nutrient dense drink or a placebo drink twice a day during 24 weeks. MEASUREMENTS: The functionality measures included cognitive function, mood, physical performance and the ability to perform activities of daily living. RESULTS: In the supplement group a favorable effect of the intervention drink on body weight (1.6 kg difference in change; P = .035), calf circumference (0.9 cm difference in change; P = .048), and blood values (e.g. Hcy decreased from 16.8 to 11.2 mumol/L in the supplement group) was found. In the total group no significant effect was found on functionality outcomes. However, a subgroup of participants with BMI at baseline below 24.4 kg/m2 performed better on the cognitive subscale of Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale (P = .09), and its language sub score (P = .01) after 24 weeks of intervention. CONCLUSION: The results in the total group of this trial suggest that the nutritional supplement used in this study improves nutritional status. Furthermore, the results of this trial suggest that it is effective as treatment for decreasing function in a subgroup of institutionalized elderly people with low BMI