On education

On education (editorial). Gerontechnology 2008; 7(1):1-2. Gerontechnology may be variously described as a hypothesis, a philosophy, a movement, or an application-oriented field of study, but it always combines gerontology and technology, and has increased well-being of aging individuals as its measure of success. From the start it has also been developed as a higher-education teaching endeavour that stresses multidisciplinary aspects and the suitability for generalization of existing theories from the relevant monodisciplines. In a rising number of master classes for PhD students the theoretical and practical bases are made explicit

Persuasive GERONtechnology : an introduction

The motivationally positive property of technologies has both a functional and an attractiveness component. The first one concerns the use of interactive technology to encourage or discourage specific behaviours by controlling the conditions under which they occur. Riding a motorcycle for the excitement, is a good example of the second component. Gerontechnology, as a service of human health and well-being during development and aging, has been defined in 1991. After 15 years it is time to view the persuasiveness of current and future practices to focus our behaviour and attitude towards a lifespan with enlarged vitality and independence

Personalized treatment strategies for depression

Depression is highly prevalent, and involves many different symptom profiles, courses and prognoses. Over the years, research has consistently shown that different types of evidence-based treatments are equally effective on average. However, individual responses to these treatments vary widely and are highly unpredictable. Since it is unclear what works best for a specific individual, in clinical practice, consecutive treatments are often being offered to find the optimal regimen. This strategy can be best described as a “trial and error approach”. As alternatives for this approach, this thesis focusses on data-driven personalized treatment strategies that aim to find the optimal depression treatment for a specific individual at a specific point in time. Results of this thesis indicate that prediction models are superior to traditional approaches (e.g., clinical judgment), and have the potential to guide personalized treatment strategies in depression

Fine-scale determination of OH in radiation-damaged zircon using Synchrotron Fourier Transform Infra Red spectroscopy (FTIR) and Attenuated Total Reflectance (ATR)

The crystal structure of zircon is gradually broken down by the decay of small amounts of U and Th present in zirconium lattice sites. It has been observed that, with increasing radiation damage, zircon can lose radiogenic Pb and at the same time gain water from the environment. The disturbance of the U-Pb system is a major problem in zircon U-Pb geochronology. Water penetration appears to be an important factor in Pb loss but to explore this further a technique is needed for making fine-scale in situ measurements of water on the polished surface of radiation damaged zircons. Our research has shown that Attenuated Total Reflectance Fourier Transform Infra Red (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy with a synchrotron source and thermal analysis can be successfully used to map the fine-scale distribution of OH/H2O in radiation damaged zircons. The radiation damaged zircons were found to have an OH/H2O content varying from 0.4% to 5% with maxima occurring in the heavily damaged (metamict) zones noted for their disturbed U-Pb systems. Whilst thermal analysis confirmed the presence of OH and possibly H2O the infrared spectra did not distinguish between them

Failure stress as a motivator for creative construction management

A building assignment is a complex task that demands collaborative working in order to achieve added value for users and society through creative construction management. Modular building systems are used in workshops in the building environment domain to make students aware of various phenomena that occur in the process of creative construction. Existing modular building systems used in training do not include the experience of failure as a motivator for creative construction. This article validates an innovative set of modular building materials (Handstorm®) that has a high innate risk of construction failure, as a tool in using failure as a motivator in creative construction. It reports on the effect of both innate failures – such as instability or collapsing – and emotional failures, such as the success of a competitor or losing a competition. The results indicate that the presence of failure stress is a valid motivator in teaching creative construction management

Indoor environment in Dutch primary schools and health of the pupils

No summary availabl

Leaching of a low-grade, copper-nickel sulfide ore: 2. Impact of aeration and pH on Cu recovery during abiotic leaching

The conditions under which copper was retained and re-distributed in a test heap of pyrrhotite-rich, copper-nickel sulfide ore were investigated in abiotic column leaching tests. It was determined that acidity plays a key role in maximising copper recovery. During passage through the ore bed, when the leachate pH rose to >2.3, copper ions previously released to solution through the oxidation of chalcopyrite were retained by adsorption on, or reaction with, ore minerals. Lack of aeration (limited oxygen) had only a small impact on copper recovery, in association with a favourable pH environment. Possible reaction mechanisms are discussed. The results indicated the need for careful acid management in the operation of heaps of pyrrhotite-rich ores such as complex copper-nickel sulfide ores