NO2 detection at room temperature with copper phthalocyanine thin film devices

In this work, we report the effect of post-deposition film treatment on the NO2 sensing properties of CuPc thin films for room temperature operation. The gas-sensitive response of the electrical conductivity to doping with NO2, doping with oxygen (in air) and cooling to 77 K in liquid nitrogen are reported. The pretreatment with NO2 is shown to improve the gas sensing properties by providing both an increase in the magnitude of the conductivity change for a given NO2 concentration and a significant improvement in the recovery time. Data is analysed using an Elovich model, which suggests that the cooled devices have the best fit to this model; the data for the NO2 doped devices suggest a Langmuir behaviour. For all devices, a simple time derivative of the change in current provides a measure of concentration for real time gas sensing applications

Guidance from an NIH Workshop on Designing, Implementing, and Reporting Clinical Studies of Soy Interventions1–4

The NIH sponsored a scientific workshop, “Soy Protein/Isoflavone Research: Challenges in Designing and Evaluating Intervention Studies,” July 28–29, 2009. The workshop goal was to provide guidance for the next generation of soy protein/isoflavone human research. Session topics included population exposure to soy; the variability of the human response to soy; product composition; methods, tools, and resources available to estimate exposure and protocol adherence; and analytical methods to assess soy in foods and supplements and analytes in biologic fluids and other tissues. The intent of the workshop was to address the quality of soy studies, not the efficacy or safety of soy. Prior NIH workshops and an evidence-based review questioned the quality of data from human soy studies. If clinical studies are pursued, investigators need to ensure that the experimental designs are optimal and the studies properly executed. The workshop participants identified methodological issues that may confound study results and interpretation. Scientifically sound and useful options for dealing with these issues were discussed. The resulting guidance is presented in this document with a brief rationale. The guidance is specific to soy clinical research and does not address nonsoy-related factors that should also be considered in designing and reporting clinical studies. This guidance may be used by investigators, journal editors, study sponsors, and protocol reviewers for a variety of purposes, including designing and implementing trials, reporting results, and interpreting published epidemiological and clinical studies