Review of model sensor studies on Pd/SnO2(110) surfaces

Studies performed at the National Institute of Standards and Technology on the model gas sensor system, Pd/SnO2(110), are reviewed. Adsorption and interfacial effects play a primary role in the gas sensing process, as they do in catalysis. For this reason, researchers have used a variety of surface sensitive techniques in the research, including x ray and ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopies (XPS and UPS), low energy electron diffraction (LEED), and ion scattering spectroscopy (ISS). By combining these complementary techniques with in situ gas response (conductance) measurements, researchers were able to correlate directly sensor activity with the composition and structure of the Pd/SnO2 interface. Although the intent of this work is to develop an understanding of gas sensing mechanisms, its relevance to Pt/SnO2 catalytic systems is obvious

Advanced thin film thermocouples

The fabrication, materials characterization, and performance of thin film platinum rhodium thermocouples on gas turbine alloys was investigated. The materials chosen for the study were the turbine blade alloy systems MAR M200+Hf with NiCoCrAlY and FeCrAlY coatings, and vane alloy systems MAR M509 with FeCrAlY. Research was focussed on making improvements in the problem areas of coating substrate stability, adhesion, and insulation reliability and durability. Diffusion profiles between the substrate and coating with and without barrier coatings of Al2O3 are reported. The relationships between fabrication parameters of thermal oxidation and sputtering of the insulator and its characterization and performance are described. The best thin film thermocouples were fabricated with the NiCoCrAlY coatings which were thermally oxidized and sputter coated with Al2O3

Identifying Progenitor Cells of Heterotopic Ossification

Heterotopic Ossification (HO) is the abnormal formation of bone within extraskeletal soft tissues. The condition can occur through both genetic and acquired means. Acquired cases of HO result from invasive surgery or traumatic injuries, with increasing prevalence of ectopic skeletogenesis as a result of combat-related blast injuries. HO has been characterized to some extent, including the histological features and the mutation underlying the genetic form, but the cells resident in skeletal muscle that represent the progenitors of heterotopic bone have yet to be determined. Only a few publications have attempted to definitively determine the progenitor cells in this disorder. Findings have been inconclusive, but cell types such as skeletal muscle satellite cells, pericytes and endothelial cells, mesenchymal progenitors, and circulating hematopoietic cells were considered attractive candidates due to accessibility and displays of osteogenic characteristics. The aim of this study was to determine the progenitor cells of HO. To accomplish this goal, lineage tracing and bioassays of heterotopic ossification were used to identify and characterize the progenitor cell type. We identified a population of Tie2+ cells that are non-endothelial (CD31-) in origin and represent a major source of progenitors for HO. The identification of the progenitor is crucial to establishing any future therapeutic agents or treatments for HO

Fail-over file transfer process

The present invention provides a fail-over file transfer process to handle data file transfer when the transfer is unsuccessful in order to avoid unnecessary network congestion and enhance reliability in an automated data file transfer system. If a file cannot be delivered after attempting to send the file to a receiver up to a preset number of times, and the receiver has indicated the availability of other backup receiving locations, then the file delivery is automatically attempted to one of the backup receiving locations up to the preset number of times. Failure of the file transfer to one of the backup receiving locations results in a failure notification being sent to the receiver, and the receiver may retrieve the file from the location indicated in the failure notification when ready

Correlation of Chemisorption and Electronic Effects for Metal Oxide Interfaces: Transducing Principles for Temperature Programmed Gas Microsensors

The spectrum of chemical monitoring problems faced by the Department of Energy at its hazardous waste sites is formidable. It is likely that a variety of existing types of instrumentation will be applied in the years ahead, with varying degrees of practicality and success. A tremendous impact could be realized, however, if instrumental methods could be supplemented by a low-cost, reliable sensing technology for continuous monitoring of a range of species, including, for example, volatile organics, chlorinated hydrocarbons, ammonia, and hydrogen. To meed the diverse gas and vapor monitoring needs at ODE hazardous waste sites, the sensing system must offer, inherently, and adaptability to match the wide variety of analytes and environmental conditions that well be encountered (in tank vapor spaces, and at locations with contaminated soil or groundwater.) The purpose of this project was to investigate scientific and technical concepts that could enable a MEMS-based chemical sensing technology (developed in its foundational form at NIST during early and mid 1990's) to be made tunable for multiple target analytes in differing types of backgrounds relevant to DOE waste storage and remediatio

Coupling Nanowire Chemiresistors with MEMS Microhotplate Gas Sensing Platforms

Recent advances in nanotechnology have yielded materials and structures that offer great potential for improving the sensitivity, selectivity, stability, and speed of next-generation chemical gas sensors. To fabricate practical devices, the “bottom-up” approach of producing nanoscale sensing elements must be integrated with the “top-down” methodology currently dominating microtechnology. In this letter, the authors illustrate this approach by coupling a single-crystal SnO2 nanowire sensing element with a microhotplate gas sensor platform. The sensing results obtained using this prototype sensor demonstrate encouraging performance aspects including reduced operating temperature, reduced power consumption, good stability, and enhanced sensitivity

Effects of Exogenous Auxins on Tomato Tissue Infected With the Citrus Exocortis Viroid

Leaf disks, stem segments, and callus cultures from healthy and CEVinfected plants of a hybrid of Lycopersicon esculentum and Lycopersicon peruvianum were cultured in vitro under different hormone regimes. The differences in response observed when the medium was supplemented with auxins, alone or in combination with cytokinins, suggest that the inability of CEV-infected cells to respond to auxins might be involved in the development of the pathogenic syndrome caused by CEV

The vein-banding disease syndrome: A synergistic reaction between grapevine viroids and fanleaf virus

Viroid-free Vitis vinifera cultivars Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon blanc were established in controlled field trials in California to evaluate the relationship between grapevine viroids and fanleaf virus for induction of the vein-banding disease. Vein-banding symptoms were observed only on vines which contained the three principal grapevine viroids, grapevine yellow speckle viroids (GYSVd-1, GYSVd-2), and hop stunt viroid (HSVd-g), as well as grapevine fanleaf virus (GFLV). Sauvignon blanc vines which contained the single viroid, HSVd-g, and GFLV were non-symptomatic indicating an absence of a correlation between HSVd-g and the vein-banding disease. The intensity of vein-banding symptoms was directly correlated with an enhanced titer of GYSVd-1 and GYSVd-2. Vein-banding and yellow speckle symptomatic as well as non-symptomatic vines in Italy contained two viroids, GYSVd-1 and HSVd-g. However, symptomatic vines displayed a higher titer of GYSVd-1 than non-symptomatic materials and vein-banding symptomatic vines were GFLV infected. These data experimentally demonstrate that expression of the vein-banding disease is induced by an unique synergistic reaction between a viroid, GYSVd-1 and a virus, GFLV

Relationship and patterns of distribution among grapevine viroids from California and Europe

Analyses of California and European grapevine sources indicated a ubiquitous occurrence of viroids in these materials. Hybridization results indicated sequence homology to both GV-1 and GV-3 for viroids of varieties grown in California as well as from European sources. Wine and rootstock varieties contained a greater proportion of the more common GV-1 plus GV-3 viroid profile, whereas the table varieties contained a larger proportion of the relatively unusual viroid profile of GV-1, -2, and-3. An unexpected divergence of four viroid profiles emerged in the rootstock species. These profiles were 1) Gv-1, -2, and -3, 2) GV-1 plus GV-3, 3) GV-3, and 4) viroid-free. V. californica was the only grapevine analyzed which was found to be viroid-free