Interfacial areas and gas hold-ups in bubble columns and packed bubble columns at elevated pressures

Interfacial areas and gas hold-ups have been determined at pressures up to 1.85 MPa in a bubble column with a diameter of 85.5 mm and for superficial gas velocities between 1 and 10 cm s−1. In some experiments the bubble column was packed with glass cylinders of length 5.0 mm and diameter 4.0 mm. The interfacial areas were determined by the chemical method using the model reaction between CO2 and aqueous diethanolamine (DEA) and hold-ups by observation of height differences.\ud \ud The interfacial areas in the packed bubble column are unaffected by pressure. The gas hold-ups as well as the interfacial areas in the bubble column increase with increasing operating pressure. The magnitude of the pressure influence depends on the superficial gas velocity. The positive influence of pressure on the gas hold-ups and the interfacial in the bubble column originates from the formation of smaller bubbles at the gas distributor

Eating Disorders and Treatment from Different Perspectives

Eating disorders (EDs) are rare, but very serious psychiatric disorders, with a low recovery rate (1,2). This warrants studies on treatment quality to improve the course and consequences of EDs and enhance recovery rates. Despite the increasing recognition of the value of patient input, few studies address how ED patients evaluate the illness, its consequences and treatment, and how their views are related to scientific evidence and expert opinions.This thesis investigates eating disorders (EDs) and treatment from the patients’ perspective and compares the patients’ perspective as a body of knowledge with the scientific evidence and the therapists’ perspective. EDs, namely anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and the EDs not otherwise specified, are rare, but very serious psychiatric disorders, with a low recovery rate. Mortality in anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa is high in comparison to other mental disorders. The physical, psychological and social consequences are also severe. Optimal treatment is imperative. Evidence-based medicine (EBM) has increasingly become the accepted means to offering optimal treatment of EDs, although the evidence on treatment of EDs, as described in the Dutch multidisciplinary guidelines on EDs, is limited. In EBM, a therapist, when confronted with specific problems, seeks to integrate scientific research with clinical expertise and a patient’s preferences. The growing importance of the patients’ preferences arises from the changing attitudes towards (and of) patients. Today patients are considered to be emancipated citizens or consumers, who want to have a say in their treatment. Although a patient’s preferences are considered important in an individual’s encounter with a clinician, the patients’ views are rarely considered to be a body of knowledge. This thesis investigates if and how the patients’ perspective - as a body of knowledge - contributes to an understanding of EDs, the consequences of EDs and what should be regarded optimal treatment of EDs and how the patients’ perspective is related to other bodies of knowledge. The following questions are addressed: 1. What are the patients’ views on eating disorders, their consequences and treatment? 2. In what ways can the patients’ perspective contribute to a better understanding of eating disorders, their consequences and optimal treatment? 3. How is the patients’ perspective related to other bodies of knowledge, namely the scientific evidence and the therapists’ perspective

Effects of Family Literacy Programs : the role of implementation quality

Enhancing literacy skills in children who are at risk of lagging behind in school is an international policy priority, as these skills are of key importance for children’s academic careers. Recognizing the strong and long lasting influence of parents as first educators of their children, family literacy programs aim to promote children’s literacy development by stimulating the home literacy environment, particularly in at-risk families. Previously established disappointing program effects for these families stress the need for insight into how programs are implemented. Starting from a comprehensive framework for measuring i

The impact of torture on mental health in the narratives of two torture survivors

Introduction: Torture survivors risk developing Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) as well as other mental health problems. This clinical case study describes the impact of torture on two survivors who were treated for their PTSD with Narrative Exposure Therapy. Methods: The reports of the narratives of two torture survivors were qualitatively analyzed. It was hypothesized that torture yields overaccommodating cognitions, as well as mental defeat, which in turn, are related to severity of psychological complaints. Results: Both patients have experienced an accumulation of traumatic events. The psychological and physical torture they experienced lead to increased anticipation anxiety, loss of control and feelings of hopelessness, as well as overaccommodating cognitions regarding self and others. Conclusions: Cognitions, culture and beliefs, as well as issues of confidence and a more long-term perspective affect therapeutic work. Building trust, pacing the therapeutic process, and applying tailor-made interventions that focus on cognitions regarding self-esteem, trust in relationships, as well as safety and control are warranted

Effects of a Dutch family literacy program:The role of implementation

It is hypothesized that variability found in the effects of family literacy programs results from differences in implementation by parents. In this study, the implementation and effects of a Dutch program were examined in a sample of 207 kindergarteners (mean age at pre-test: 64 months). No main intervention effects on children’s literacy development were found. The quality of implementation proved to be higher for high-SES and native Dutch (speaking) parents than for low-SES, ethnic-minority parents with other home languages. Parent SES, ethnic-minority status, and home language did not moderate the program effects on child language scores and the program failed to impact targeted parental attributes, namely, the home literacy environment and parent self-efficacy. Finally, children’s development proved unrelated to implementation variables. Our results stress the importance of delivery for adequate implementation

Self-Assembly of a Triphenylene-Based Electron Donor Molecule on Graphene:Structural and Electronic Properties

In this study, we report on the self-assembly of the organic electron donor 2,3,6,7,10,11-hexamethoxytriphenylene (HAT) on graphene grown epitaxially on Ir(111). Using scanning tunneling microscopy and low-energy electron diffraction, we find that a monolayer of HAT assembles in a commensurate close-packed hexagonal network on graphene/Ir(111). X-ray and ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy measurements indicate that no charge transfer between the HAT molecules and the graphene/Ir(111) substrate takes place, while the work function decreases slightly. This demonstrates that the HAT/graphene interface is weakly interacting. The fact that the molecules nonetheless form a commensurate network deviates from what is established for adsorption of organic molecules on metallic substrates where commensurate overlayers are mainly observed for strongly interacting systems