Diagnostic Aspects of Paraquat in the Forensic Toxicology: A Systematic Review.

Background: Paraquat (N, N-dimethyl-4,4-bipyridinium dichloride) is a nonselective, fast-acting, and contact chemical herbicide used extensively for weed control. It has high acute oral toxicity, the ability to accumulate in the lungs, and a high potential for pulmonary fibrosis after its intoxication. The present systematic review focuses on evaluating diagnostic aspects of paraquat (PQ) in forensic toxicology.

Surface Phonon Polariton-Mediated Near-Field Radiative Heat Transfer at Cryogenic Temperatures.

Recent experiments, at room temperature, have shown that near-field radiative heat transfer (NFRHT) via surface phonon polaritons (SPhPs) exceeds the blackbody limit by several orders of magnitude. Yet, SPhP-mediated NFRHT at cryogenic temperatures remains experimentally unexplored. Here, we probe thermal transport in nanoscale gaps between a silica sphere and a planar silica surface from 77-300 K.

Quantitative Mapping of Unmodulated Temperature Fields with Nanometer Resolution.

Quantitative mapping of temperature fields with nanometric resolution is critical in various areas of scientific research and emerging technology, such as nanoelectronics, surface chemistry, plasmonic devices, and quantum systems. A key challenge in achieving quantitative thermal imaging with scanning thermal microscopy (SThM) is the lack of knowledge of the tip-sample thermal resistance (), which varies with local topography and is critical for quantifying the sample temperature. Recent advances in SThM have enabled simultaneous quantification of and topography in situations where the temperature field is modulated enabling quantitative thermometry even when topographical features cause significant variations in .

Near-field thermophotovoltaics for efficient heat to electricity conversion at high power density.

Thermophotovoltaic approaches that take advantage of near-field evanescent modes are being actively explored due to their potential for high-power density and high-efficiency energy conversion. However, progress towards functional near-field thermophotovoltaic devices has been limited by challenges in creating thermally robust planar emitters and photovoltaic cells designed for near-field thermal radiation. Here, we demonstrate record power densities of ~5 kW/m at an efficiency of 6.

Microwatt-Resolution Calorimeter for Studying the Reaction Thermodynamics of Nanomaterials at High Temperature and Pressure.

Calorimetry of reactions involving nanomaterials is of great current interest, but requires high-resolution heat flow measurements and long-term thermal stability. Such studies are especially challenging at elevated reaction pressures and temperatures. Here, we present an instrument for measuring the enthalpy of reactions between gas-phase reactants and milligram scale nanomaterial samples.

Phononic thermal transport properties of CN nanotubes.

Reverse nonequilibrium molecular dynamics (RNEMD) is employed to study the phononic thermal transport properties of CN nanotubes. We study the effect of nanotube length and diameter on the thermal conductivity and investigate the phonon transport transition from ballistic to diffusive regime in CN nanotubes. It is found that the thermal conductivity of CN nanotubes is significantly lower than those of carbon nanotubes across the entire ballistic-diffusive range.

Buprenorphine augmentation improved symptoms of OCD, compared to placebo - Results from a randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled clinical trial.

Background: In the search for new psychopharmacologic options in the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorders (OCD), some findings suggested that augmentation with buprenorphine, a partial-opioid agonist used to treat opioid addiction, moderate acute pain and moderate chronic pain, is worthy of consideration. Accordingly, to explore this possibility further, a double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial was performed.

Method: A total of 43 patients (mean age: 34.