Explore the vast range of titles available.

The solvolysis of poly(ethylene-terephthalate) (PET) is one of the most researched areas in chemical recycling. In this study PET aminolysis with isophorondiamine has been done - in opposition to recent trends - without excess reagent and the raw reaction product was further used without purification. The aminolysis product was thoroughly characterized with nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Isophoronediamine was used as a solvent to prepare amine crosslinker solutions for epoxy resins. The effect of the concentration on the cross-linking reaction and thermomechanical properties were investigated. The curing reaction was found to be significantly accelerated by the presence of the aminolysis product. Both the ethylene-glycol and the terephthal-amide-diamines have a catalytic effect on the reaction. The glass transition temperature decreased with increasing concentrations of the cross-linker solutions due to the decreasing cross-link density. Thus, raw aminolysis products can be utilized for epoxy curing and are advantageous in modifying slower curing cycloaliphatic cross linker systems.

The curing of a thermoreactive alkyd-melamine-formaldehyde resin system was investigated by rheologycal, TG and TMA-analysis, in order to construct the time-temperature-transformation diagram. The points of the gelation curve were determined by measuring the increase in viscosity during isothermal curing at different temperatures. A power-function could be fitted to the gelation curve, which is suitable to estimate gelation at any curing conditions, as well as to establish storage conditions. The reaction in the resin matrix was followed by monitoring the loss of mass during isothermal curing at different temperatures. The final section of the resulted iso-curing temperature (iso-Tcure) diagrams could be fitted with logarithmic functions, which may be used for estimating the conditions needed to a given, desirable mass loss, i.e. conversion. The steepness of the curves increases with temperature suggesting the forthcoming of degradation during cure with increasing temperature. From these data the iso-mass loss curves of the TTT-diagram were constructed. For determining the iso-Tg curves of the TTT-diagram isothermal curing was carried out in a drying oven at different temperatures, followed by TMA measurements. The iso-Tcure diagrams served to determine Tg¥, and to construct the iso-Tg curves of the TTT diagram. Vitrification curve is far beyond conditions of storage, curing and degradation, meaning that the resin matrix is in rubbery physical state before, during and after the cure. Curing conditions resulting degradation can also be estimated from the TTT-diagram.

The curing behaviour of a thermosetting acrylic-amino-formaldehyde resin matrix has been investigated by rheological, thermogravimetric, and thermomechanical analysis. The time-temperature-transformation (TTT) diagram of the solventless resin matrix has been constructed. The gelation curve could be fitted with a power-function of Tgel=118.14·tgel-01238. With the help of this function the conditions for gelation can be calculated, and storability of the matrix can be predicted. The onset temperature of thermooxydative decomposition is 220°C, and the maximum loss of mass belonging to this temperature was found to be 16.3%, corresponding to the ultimate conversion of curing. From iso-Tcure diagrams determined by isothermal thermogravimetric analysis, the iso-curing time (iso-tcure) and iso-mass loss curves of the TTT diagram have been constructed. The iso-Tcure diagrams determined by TMA measurements, served the construction of the iso-Tcure and iso-glass transition temperature (iso-Tg) diagrams. The Tg of the fully cured system (Tg∞) was found to be 30°C. The iso-Tg line of 30°C represents the ultimate conversion of the cured system, up to which no degradation takes place. This curve runs below the ultimate conversion determined by thermogravimetric measurements, meaning that above 160°C decomposition takes place simultaneously with curing reactions as supported by the increasing tangent of the straight lines fitted to the last section of thermogravimetric iso-Tcure diagrams. The Tg of the matrix before the cure (Tg0) is less than 0°C. This means that the system is in its rubbery physical state during the curing process.

Limited cell source and the reliability of the conventional cell culturing technique are some of the major challenges facing tissue engineering. The use of Poly(N-Isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAm) as a temperature-induced molecular switch for cell adhesion and cell release, has revolutionised the cell culturing fraternity. The use of PNIPAAm as a cell culturing substrate allows viable tissue-like cell constructs to be cultured in vitro without requiring destructive enzymes. PNIPAAm is a temperature sensitive polymer which changes its surface properties reversibly between hydrophobic and hydro-philic states at temperatures above or below its lower critical solution temperature (LCST) ( similar to 32-33 degree C). PNIPAAm, however displays poor mechanical properties, and slow reswelling properties due to strong hydrophobic interactions between the isopropyl groups in its backbone. In this study a variety of PNIPAAm hydrogels were prepared by free radical polymerisation in water, THF:water or acetone:water mixtures. PNIPAAm hydrogels were crosslinked either with meth-ylene-bisacrylamide (BIS) or polyethylene glycol dimethacrylate. When BIS was used, a feed crosslinker content of 1 to 9 molar percent was investigated with a NIPAAm/BIS molar ratio (R) varying from 91 to 10 respectively. Crosslinked gels were characterised by gravimetric swelling ratios, gravimetric deswelling kinetics, LCST, environmental scanning electron microscopy, and dynamic oscillating rheology. Preliminary results indicate that the choice of polymerising solvent greatly influenced the swelling capability, porosity and heterogeneity of the gels. The swelling capacity and porosity of the gels decreased at both 25 degree C and 37 degree C as the crosslink density increased. All gels maintained their phase transition temperatures irrespective of the BIS content investigated.

The gelation of a powder coating and its matrix based on a saturated carboxyl functional polyester resin and triglycidyl isocyanurate of different diastereomer racemate composition was investigated by rotational viscometry. The iso-Tcure diagrams have been determined directly by isothermal viscometric measurements and the gelation curves for the TTT-diagram have been constructed. To the measured section of the gelation curves power functions could be fitted and with their help the reactivity of the investigated systems were compared. The ratio of the two diastereomer racemates of TGIC has a significant effect on the reactivity of the coating, as it was also supported by DSC measurements. β-TGIC is of highest reactivity, and by increasing its ratio in TGIC, reactivity increases, and adversely effects the performance of the powder coating. Commercial TGIC-s have similar reactivity, comparable to that of high α-TGIC. The reactivity of the matrix is higher than that of the powder.

IntroductionThe Mental Health Test serves as the operationalized, comprehensive measurement of Maintainable Positive Mental Theory which defines mental health (for either the non-clinical or psychiatric population) as a high level of global well-being, psychological, social and spiritual functioning, resilience, effective creative and executive functioning, savoring capacities, coping and enjoyment, regardless of the presence or absence of symptoms of psychopathology.ObjectivesTo assist psychiatrists and clinical psychologists to assess their patients’ psychological immune competence–based capacities and resources, depending on the mental health disorder diagnosis and the severity of the symptoms, the present study examined the psychometric properties of the Mental Health Test in a psychiatric sample.MethodsThe research was carried out in four Hungarian healthcare facilities using a cross-sectional design. A total of 331 patients (140 male, 188 female, and 3 who preferred not to disclose their gender) completed the Mental Health Test, six well-being and mental health measures, and the Symptom Checklist-90. Clinical psychologists reported the mental disorder status of each participant.ResultsConfirmatory factor analysis showed a good fit of the five-factor model to the data for the clinical version of the Mental Health Test (CFI = 0.972, RMSEA = 0.034). High internal consistency coefficients (α: 0.70–0.84; ω: 0.71–0.85) and excellent external and content validity were reported. The Mental Health Test was not sensitive to sociodemographic indicators but was sensitive to correlates of well-being and symptoms of mental disorders in a psychiatric sample. Regression analyses demonstrated that unipolar depression and number of mental disorders were related to a lower overall Mental Health Test score. Personality disorders, unipolar depression, and the greater severity and higher number of mental disorders were associated with a lower global well-being score. Unipolar depression was related to lower savouring capacity. Self-regulation showed a correlation with the self-reported number of mental disorders only. Anxiety and somatization disorders, unipolar depression, and a higher number of self-reported mental disorders were related to a lower psychological resilience score. The regression model for the creative and executive efficiency subscale did not fit our data. The interaction of all combinations of psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy was significantly related to the overall Mental Health Test score and to the subscales. These results can later serve as a basis for designing intervention studies.ConclusionsOur preliminary findings suggest that the Mental Health Test is a suitable measure for assessing mental health capacities and resources in psychiatric samples.Disclosure of InterestNone Declared

IntroductionExploring the positive psychological and behavioural dimensions of people living with mental disorders can establish a firm ground in a therapeutic alliance for setting up positive life goals.ObjectivesThe present study aimed to explored whether the strength of the mental health capacities and the severity of mental disorder symptoms and the interaction of the two differ in the strength of their associations with several dimensions of well-being on Hungarian adult psychiatric and non-clinical community samples.MethodsThe psychiatric sample (129 patients (44 male, 85 female)) was collected in four Hungarian healthcare facilities using a cross-sectional design. The non-clinical community sample (253 adults (43 male, 210 female)) was collected online using a cross-sectional design. All the respondents completed the Mental Health Test, six well-being and mental health measures, and the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised.ResultsIncluding both the mental health competencies and mental disorder symptoms variables in one regression model in both samples can predict patients’ well-being even more accurately. Mental health competencies related positively; mental disorder symptoms connected negatively to subjective well-being. In all models and both samples, mental health competencies were found to be a stronger determinant of well-being than the mental disorder symptoms. The interaction of mental health functioning and mental disorders is no more predictive of well-being in either psychiatric or non-clinical samples than when the effects of each are considered separately.ConclusionsThe assessment of mental health competencies has an important predictive value for well-being in the presence of psychopathological symptoms and/or mental disorders.Disclosure of InterestNone Declared

Investigation of the three-generation KE family, half of whose members are affected by a pronounced verbal dyspraxia, has led to identification of their core deficit as one involving sequential articulation and orofacial praxis. A positron emission tomography activation study revealed functional abnormalities in both cortical and subcortical motor-related areas of the frontal lobe, while quantitative analyses of magnetic resonance imaging scans revealed structural abnormalities in several of these same areas, particularly the caudate nucleus, which was found to be abnormally small bilaterally. A recent linkage study [Fisher, S., Vargha-Khadem, F., Watkins, K. E., Monaco, A. P. & Pembry, M. E. (1998) Nat. Genet. 18, 168-170] localized the abnormal gene (SPCH1) to a 5.6-centiMorgan interval in the chromosomal band 7q31. The genetic mutation or deletion in this region has resulted in the abnormal development of several brain areas that appear to be critical for both orofacial movements and sequential articulation, leading to marked disruption of speech and expressive language.

The aim of this pilot study was to investigate feasibility, tolerability, and effect of modified constraint‐induced movement therapy (mCIT) in children with hemiparesis after arterial ischaemic stroke (AIS). Children with chronic hemiparesis and impaired hand function after AIS had mCIT for 2 hours a day, 5 days a week for 4 weeks. Pre‐ and post‐therapy assessments included indices of sensorimotor function, quality of upper limb movement, functional therapy goals, and child and parent interviews. Of eight participants initially recruited, six (one male, five females) completed mCIT (median age 12y 3mo; range 6y 10mo–15y 2mo). Hemiparesis was predominantly spastic in three participants and dystonic in the others; all had severely impaired hand function. After mCIT there were no significant improvements in sensorimotor function or quality of upper limb movement. However, all children improved in individual therapy goals related to functional performance. Children and parents were positive about mCIT. The use of mCIT is a promising intervention for children with chronic acquired hemiparesis. In this severely impaired group functional improvements were seen after therapy despite unchanged sensorimotor measures.