High performance membrane materials for gas separation

The use of membranes in various gas separations has increased significantly in recent times. This review presents some of the recent noteworthy advances in the field of membranes materials for these applications. A description of the most promising groups of high free volume polymers, including polyimides, thermally rearranged (TR) polymers, substituted polyacetylenes, perfluoropolymers, and polymers with intrinsic microporosity (PIM) is provided. High performance, rubbery, polyethers and polyether based copolymers are shown as another important class of polymer membrane materials.  The development of inorganic membranes, which are not bound to the trade-off limitations between permeability and selectivity exhibited by polymers is also presented. The attention is focused on zeolitic materials, metal organic frameworks (MOF), and carbon molecular sieves (CMS). The field of mixed matrix membranes composed of inorganic particles embedded in a polymer matrix is also briefly outlined

Social competence of physicians and medical students – a preliminary report

Background . Efficient functioning at work and in the environment depends on social and emotional competence, understood as complex skills that determine the effectiveness of behaviors in various professional and social situations. Objectives. The aim of this study was to determine the social competence of physicians and medical students with regard to the sociodemographic contributors which shape social competence. Material and methods . The study was conducted in 2015 and 2016 and it involved 90 physicians, including 25 GPs (27.8%) and 53 medical students of PMU in Szczecin. The median age of the physicians and the students was 32 and 25, respectively. The Social Competencies Questionnaire (SC Q) by Anna Matczak and a self-developed survey questionnaire were employed. Results. The ability of physicians to achieve medium and high levels of social competence increases by 8.5% with every year of seniority. Membership in scientific societies increases the odds of a high level of social competence fivefold in the ES scale and fourfold in the A scale. Physicians involved in the education of medical students were less likely to obtain medium and high scores (5 stens) in the A scale. An increase in seniority in the last workplace is accompanied by a 0.93 times lower probability of obtaining a high competence score in the A scale. Similarly, third cycle degree studies increase the odds of achieving high competence level by 7.48 times in the A scale. Conclusions . Low levels of competence can be expected from physicians with less seniority, not belonging to scientific societies, not involved in students’ education, working in only one place, and not participating in third cycle degree studies. This group should be provided with social competence training

Beta-strength and anti-neutrino spectra from total absorption spectroscopy of a decay chain \u3csup\u3e142\u3c/sup\u3eCs→\u3csup\u3e142\u3c/sup\u3e Ba →\u3csup\u3e142\u3c/sup\u3eLa

Beta decays of mass A = 142 isobaric chain starting from 142Cs have been investigated by means of Modular Total Absorption Spectrometer (MTAS) and on-line mass separation at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The beta strength distribution derived for 142Cs decay from MTAS spectra is showing significant differences in β-feeding pattern when compared to the values listed at nuclear databases. MTAS results are shifting the associated anti-neutrino energy spectrum towards lower energies. A decay pattern deduced for 142Ba is similar to earlier reported results

New possibilities and limitations in remote psychotherapy

Today, at a time of many restrictions in direct human contact, teleconsultations and remote audio-video sessions have become an essential part of health care services. In psychiatry and psychotherapy, a detailed investigation of the phenomena occurring in the relation between the therapist and the patient (or between patients in group psychotherapy) is a necessity. The fairly widespread access to online data transfer technology affords the possibility of conducting a session without the actual need to travel and meet one another in person in a mutually experienced space. Some significant benefits of real-time remote communication are worth mentioning (e.g. the possibility of maintaining the therapeutic alliance without the need of direct contact). However, the limitations and considerable flaws of remote therapy need to be taken into consideration and carefully addressed to guarantee basic safety for the patient and high professional standards of the treatment. Thorough attention should be given to patient confidentiality and intimacy of the sessions. Only limited evidence is available from research addressing the effectiveness of remote psychotherapeutic treatments. Moderate levels of patient satisfaction and gains from remote treatment in the domain of symptomatic improvement are among the more commonly reported observations. Nevertheless, the lack of well-designed long-term follow-up studies is limiting the possibilities for ascertaining whether the effectiveness of long-term psychotherapy conducted remotely is comparable to face-to-face treatment in domains of personality functioning. Considering both clinical expertise and available research results, remote sessions in psychotherapy are worth recommending when direct contact with the patient is impossible due to external circumstances (e.g. pandemic). This form of temporary reinforcement of the therapeutic relationship and alliance is generally well-received by patients. It is mainly beneficial when implemented under extraordinary circumstances and conducted as an adjunct to direct face-to-face sessions within the bounds of therapeutic contract

Polyimide-Based Membrane Materials for CO2 Separation: A Comparison of Segmented and Aromatic (Co)polyimides

A series of new poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO)-based copolyimides varying in hard segment structure are reported in this work as CO2 selective separation membranes. Their structural diversity was achieved by using different aromatic dianhydrides (4,4′-oxydiphthalic anhydride (ODPA), 4,4’-(hexafluoroisopropylidene)diphthalic anhydride (6FDA)) and diamines (4,4′-oxydianiline (ODA), 4,4′-(4,4′-isopropylidene-diphenyl-1,1′- diyldioxy)dianiline (IPrDA), 2,3,5,6-tetramethyl-1,4-phenylenediamine (4MPD)), while keeping the content of PEO (2000 g/mol) constant (around 50%). To get a better insight into the effects of hard segment structure on gas transport properties, a series of aromatic polyimides with the same chemistry was also studied. Both series of polymers were characterized by 1HNMR, FTIR, WAXD, DSC, TGA, and AFM. Permeabilities for pure He, O2, N2, and CO2 were determined at 6 bar and at 30 °C, and for CO2 for pressures ranging from 1 to 10 bar. The results show that OPDA-ODA-PEO is the most permeable copolyimide, with CO2 permeability of 52 Barrer and CO2/N2 selectivity of 63, in contrast to its fully aromatic analogue, which was the least permeable among polyimides. 6FDA-4MPD-PEO ranks second, with a two times lower CO2 permeability and slightly lower selectivity, although 6FDA-4MPD was over 900 times more permeable than OPDA-ODA. As an explanation, partial filling of hard domain free voids by PEO segments and imperfect phase separation were proposed

Social competence of physicians and medical students – a preliminary report

Background . Efficient functioning at work and in the environment depends on social and emotional competence, understood as complex skills that determine the effectiveness of behaviors in various professional and social situations. Objectives. The aim of this study was to determine the social competence of physicians and medical students with regard to the sociodemographic contributors which shape social competence. Material and methods . The study was conducted in 2015 and 2016 and it involved 90 physicians, including 25 GPs (27.8%) and 53 medical students of PMU in Szczecin. The median age of the physicians and the students was 32 and 25, respectively. The Social Competencies Questionnaire (SC Q) by Anna Matczak and a self-developed survey questionnaire were employed. Results. The ability of physicians to achieve medium and high levels of social competence increases by 8.5% with every year of seniority. Membership in scientific societies increases the odds of a high level of social competence fivefold in the ES scale and fourfold in the A scale. Physicians involved in the education of medical students were less likely to obtain medium and high scores (5 stens) in the A scale. An increase in seniority in the last workplace is accompanied by a 0.93 times lower probability of obtaining a high competence score in the A scale. Similarly, third cycle degree studies increase the odds of achieving high competence level by 7.48 times in the A scale. Conclusions . Low levels of competence can be expected from physicians with less seniority, not belonging to scientific societies, not involved in students’ education, working in only one place, and not participating in third cycle degree studies. This group should be provided with social competence training

Beta-strength and anti-neutrino spectra from total absorption spectroscopy of a decay chain 142

Beta decays of mass A = 142 isobaric chain starting from 142Cs have been investigated by means of Modular Total Absorption Spectrometer (MTAS) and on-line mass separation at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The beta strength distribution derived for 142Cs decay from MTAS spectra is showing significant differences in β-feeding pattern when compared to the values listed at nuclear databases. MTAS results are shifting the associated anti-neutrino energy spectrum towards lower energies. A decay pattern deduced for 142Ba is similar to earlier reported results

Beta-strength and anti-neutrino spectra from total absorption spectroscopy of a decay chain 142Cs→142Ba→142La

Beta decays of mass A = 142 isobaric chain starting from 142Cs have been investigated by means of Modular Total Absorption Spectrometer (MTAS) and on-line mass separation at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The beta strength distribution derived for 142Cs decay from MTAS spectra is showing significant differences in β-feeding pattern when compared to the values listed at nuclear databases. MTAS results are shifting the associated anti-neutrino energy spectrum towards lower energies. A decay pattern deduced for 142Ba is similar to earlier reported results

Beta-strength and anti-neutrino spectra from total absorption spectroscopy of a decay chain

Beta decays of mass A = 142 isobaric chain starting from 142Cs have been investigated by means of Modular Total Absorption Spectrometer (MTAS) and on-line mass separation at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The beta strength distribution derived for 142Cs decay from MTAS spectra is showing significant differences in β-feeding pattern when compared to the values listed at nuclear databases. MTAS results are shifting the associated anti-neutrino energy spectrum towards lower energies. A decay pattern deduced for 142Ba is similar to earlier reported results