NIST Technicalendar April 2 to April 6, 2007 The NIST Technicalendar is issued each Friday. All items MUST be submitted electronically from this web page by 12:00 NOON each Wednesday unless otherwise stated in the NIST Technicalendar. The address for online weekly editions of the NIST Technicalendar and NIST Administrative Calendar is: http://www.nist.gov/tcal/.
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In this Issue: Meetings at NIST Meetings Elsewhere Announcements Talks by NIST Personnel NIST Web Site Announcements NIST Administrative Calendar (current)   NIST Vacancy Announcements (current)

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No Scheduled Events

10:30 AM - Process Measurements Division Seminar
10:30 AM - The Quantum SI: a possible new International System of Units

10:00 AM - Gold-Molecule-Silicon Devices: The Importance of Contacts

11:00 AM - Model-Based Statistical Software Testing: An Overview of Methods and Tools

10:30 AM - Optical Techniques for Nanoscale Probing in Aqueous Environments

4/2 -- MONDAY

No Scheduled Events

4/3 -- TUESDAY

10:30 AM - PROCESS MEASUREMENTS DIVISION SEMINAR: Process Measurements Division Seminar
Analytical measurements are at the heart of assuring uniform product quality and consistency in a variety of bioprocess applications. These same considerations apply to the measurement of biomedically significant parameters in health care applications. We will present sensor technology based on low-cost non-invasive measurement schemes that potentially could cause a paradigm shift in the measurement of oxygen, pH, pCO2, glucose, glutamine, temperature and oxidative stress in a variety of applications.
Govind Rao , Professor & Director, Center for Advanced Sensor Technology, UMBC.
Bldg 221, Rm. A366. (NIST Contact: Mike Tarlov, 301-975-2058, michael.tarlov@nist.gov)

10:30 AM - ATOMIC PHYSICS DIVISION SEMINAR: The Quantum SI: a possible new International System of Units
The International System of Units is a widely used system of measurement standards that provide the basis for expressing physical quantities, such as the kilogram for mass. This talk for nonspecialists will describe modernizations of some of the unit definitions that are being considered by metrology community and issues concerning their implementation. It is expected that the new units would provide a measurement system that is more stable over time and more suitable for expressing the values of many fundamental constants.
Dr. Peter Mohr , Physicist, NIST.
221 Bldg, Rm. B-145. (NIST Contact: Ben Brown, 301-975-4841, ben.brown@nist.gov)


4/4 -- WEDNESDAY

10:00 AM - SEMICONDUCTOR ELECTRONICS DIVISION SEMINAR: Gold-Molecule-Silicon Devices: The Importance of Contacts
Adina Scott , Purdue University.
Tech. Bldg, Rm. A362. (NIST Contact: Nadine Gergel-Hackett, 301-975-8755, nadinegh@nist.gov)


4/5 -- THURSDAY

11:00 AM - NIST CENTER FOR NEUTRON RESEARCH SEMINAR: Model-Based Statistical Software Testing: An Overview of Methods and Tools
Thomas Swain , University of Tennessee Software Quality Research Laboratory.
Materials (223) Bldg, Rm. B351. (NIST Contact: Paul Kienzle, 301-975-4727, pkienzle@nist.gov)


4/6 -- FRIDAY

10:30 AM - POLYMERS DIVISION SEMINAR: Optical Techniques for Nanoscale Probing in Aqueous Environments
Self-assembled water-soluble synthetic polymers and polymer-based layered structures made from weak polyelectrolytes find emerging applications from responsive nanoshells for controlled drug delivery to adhesive layers for ultrasensitive detection. We apply in situ optical techniques to study these responsive systems to changes in aqueous solution and polymer properties. Three optical techniques based on custom built instruments for nanoscale polymer characterization will be presented. Fluorescence correlation spectroscopy investigates the translational diffusion of synthetic polyelectrolytes in dilute aqueous solutions to demonstrate the utility of the technique and study the hydrodynamic sizes response to the solution pH or concentration of salt and polyelectrolyte. Phase-modulated ellipsometry was applied to determine the refractive index and the thickness of a hydrogel-like polymer layer on substrate. The sensitivity of the phase modulated ellipsometry to errors of measurement and optimized conditions for decoupling the film thickness and refractive index is described. Finally, surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectroscopy was applied to study the enhancement capabilities of individual silver nanoparticles attached to polymer coated glass and silicon substrates. The results are used for the design of photonic crystal fiber based SERS sensors for sub-microliter identification of toxins and explosives.
Denis Pristinski , Stevens Institute of Technology.
224 Bldg, Rm. A312. (NIST Contact: Vivek Prabhu, 3657, vprabhu@nist.gov)


ADVANCE NOTICE

4/10/07 1:00 PM - NIST COLLOQUIUM SERIES (JOINTLY SPONSORED BY NIST IT SECURITY OFFICE): The Economics of Information Security
SPECIAL DATE AND TIME Surveying current trends in information security, it's clear that a myriad of forces are at work. But fundamentally, security is all about economics: both attacker and defender are trying to maximize the return on their investments. Economics can both explain why security fails so often, and offer new solutions for security success. For example, often the people who could protect a system are not the ones who suffer the costs of failure. Changing those economic incentives will do more to improve security than more technology.
Bruce Schneier , Founder and Chief Technical Officer, Counterpane Network Security, Inc..
Administration Building, Red Auditorium. (NIST Contact: Kum Ham, 301-975-4203, kham@nist.gov)
Special Assistance Available

4/12/07 10:30 AM - ,NIST CHAPTER OF SIGMA XI SEMINAR: Driving Change in the Automobile Industry: Technology Trends and Challenges in the 21st Century
The DNA of the automobile has not changed for over 100 years. Vehicles continue to be largely energized by petroleum, powered by internal combustion engines, and operated via mechanical linkages. However, given today’s challenges related to energy, environment, safety, and congestion, one must question whether the continued evolution of this DNA will enable sustainable industry growth. Fortunately, a new and revolutionary automotive DNA is at hand, made possible by the convergence of advanced propulsion, electrical and electronic controls and systems, telematics, and advanced and smart materials. The convergence of these technologies will enable the industry to reinvent the automobile and address the externalities currently associated with our vehicles. In his talk, Dr. Taub will discuss the major issues in each technology arena, which in many cases includes infrastructure and standards development. He will highlight how solutions to these issues will help the industry reinvent the automobile and continue to grow the business sustainably. Alan Taub joined General Motors Corporation in January 2001 as Executive Director-Science Laboratories for GM Research and Development. He was named Executive Director of Research & Development in April 2004. In this post, he is responsible for GM’s seven science laboratories in Warren, Michigan and Bangalore, India. These labs focus on a wide range of technology, including advanced powertrain systems; computer-based design and analysis systems for vehicle engineering; electronics and information-based vehicle systems; new materials and fabrication processes; new, more environmentally friendly fuels and lubricants, and more efficient emission control systems. In addition, Alan has responsibility for GM’s advanced technical work activity, managing a portfolio of major innovation programs of strategic importance to the company. He oversees global technology collaboration, managed through science offices around the world that coordinate government and industry partner projects and collaborative research at leading universities. He also serves as the interface between R&D and the rest of GM on advanced technology development and implementation. Alan received a bachelors degree in materials engineering from Brown University in 1976. He earned masters and doctorate degrees in applied physics from Harvard University in 1977 and 1979, respectively. Alan was elected to membership in the National Academy of Engineering in 2006. He has been an active member of the Materials Research Society and the Industrial Research Institute and serves on the advisory boards of several institutions, including Harvard, Brown, MIT, Northwestern University, and the NSF. He is married with three children and resides in West Bloomfield, Michigan.
Dr. Alan Taub, Ph.D. , Executive Director, Research and Development, General Motors Corporation.
Administration Bldg, Red Auditorium. (NIST Contact: John Slotwinski, 301-975-2171, john.slotwinski@nist.gov)

4/17/07 8:30 AM - COMPUTER SECURITY DIVISION SEMINAR: 6th Annual PKI R&D Workshop
This year's focus is striking the proper balance to permit users to easily complete tasks requiring security while exposing the appropriate security details through all layers of software. Come join with experts from NIST, NIH, private industry and universities around the world for our sixth workshop. Peer-reviewed research papers focused on Digital Signatures, PKI Technology and Grid Security will be interspersed with topical panels during the two and a half day event. Ask questions of panels on topics like Identity Systems, PKI in the Mortgage Industry, PKI in Government and Federation Experiences. Invited talks will include Kerberos Extensions, Attribute Ecosystem and Certificate Testing Model. And as always, take advantage of the opportunity for informal networking.
Keynote Talk: "Identity Management", Carl Ellison, Microsoft

Administration Bldg, Red Auditorium. (NIST Contact: Sara Caswell, 301-975-4634, sara@nist.gov) http://middleware.internet2.edu/pki07/
Special Assistance Available (teresa.vicente@nist.gov)

5/8/07 10:00 AM - SEMICONDUCTOR ELECTRONICS DIVISION SEMINAR: Are We Heading Towards Performance-Based MEMS Standards?
Research at the micro/nano-scale poses new challenges for metrology and technological advancement. This talk begins with an overview of several of these challenges. Then an interesting metrology technique will be presented, which may be used to help with such challenges. The talk will conclude with a discussion of a few benefits and applications of this new methodology. Advancements in micro/nano-scale materials, sensors, actuators, typically depend on precise measurements of new phenomena, and accurate characterizations of performances through modeling. To verify analytical and numerical models of such phenomena, it is necessary that the performance of the models match the performance of the actual devices. To accomplish this, the model and device must share the same geometric and material parameters. These parameters should be measured for each device because parameters vary across and within fabrication runs. To address this challenge, EMM is being developed to exploit the strong coupling between micro/nano-mechanical parameters and precise micro-electronic measurands. That is, it deduces many geometric, dynamic, and material properties by electronic probing. Since EMM is performance-based, it retains a clear meaning to manufacturers and users; and it applies to a wide variety of micro/nano-devices. Preliminary results show that EMM is several orders of magnitude more precise than convention.
Jason Clark , Assistant Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, and of Mechanical Engineering, at Purdue, West Lafayette, IN, jvclark@purdue.edu.
Technology Building, Rm A362. (NIST Contact: Janet Marshall, 301-975-2049, janet.marshall@nist.gov)

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MEETINGS ELSEWHERE


4/2 -- MONDAY

No Scheduled Events

4/3 -- TUESDAY

4:15 PM - JOHNS HOPKINS UNIV. CHEMISTRY DEPT/ EPHRAIM AND WILMA SHAW ROSEMAN COLLOQUIUM SERIES: AN NMR VIEW OF RNA DYNAMICS AND ITS ROLE IN ADAPTIVE RECOGNITION
A. Al-Hashimi , Univ. of Michigan.
Bldg, Rm. .
Chemistry Dept., The Johns Hopkins Univ., Baltimore, MD. (NIST Contact: R. Elder, 410-516-7432, rosalie@jhu.edu)



4/4 -- WEDNESDAY

No Scheduled Events

4/5 -- THURSDAY

No Scheduled Events

4/6 -- FRIDAY

No Scheduled Events

ADVANCE NOTICE

4/16/07 8:00 AM - NATIONAL COUNCIL ON RADIATION PROTECTION AND MEASUREMENTS (NCRP)
Advances in Radiation Protection in Medicine
James Brink , Yale University. Patricia Durbin , Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.
Bldg, Rm. .
Crystal Forum, Crystal City Marriott, 1999 Jefferson David Highway, Arlington, Virginia. (NIST Contact: David Gilliam, 301-975-6206, david.gilliam@nist.gov) http://www.ncrponline.org/News_Events/News_Events.html
Special Assistance Available - Call Marriott 713-413-5500

4/24/07 9:00 AM - COMPACT X-RAY SOURCES BASED ON INVERSE COMPTON-SCATTERING OF LASER RADIATION
Satellite Workshop to the 14th National Synchrotron Radiation Instrumentation Conference SRI2007
Winthrop Brown , MIT Lincoln Laboratory, Cambridge, MA, wbrown@ll.mit.edu. Frank Carroll , MXISystems, Inc., Fairview, TN, frank.carroll@mxisystems.com. Ronald Ruth, Lyncean Technologies, Inc., Palo Alto, CA, ronald_ruth@lynceantech.com and David Moncton, MIT Nuclear Reactor Laboratory, Cambridge, MA, dem@mit.edu
Bldg, Rm. .
Hilton Baton Rouge Capitol Center, Baton Rouge, Louisiana. (NIST Contact: Uwe Arp, 301-975-3233, uwe.arp@nist.gov) http://www.camd.lsu.edu/SRI/workshops.htm

4/24/07 8:30 AM - COMPACT X-RAY SOURCES BASED ON INVERSE-COMPTON SCATTERING
Description of these sources; operation principles, radiation characteristics, tunability.
Dr. Winthrop Brown , MIT Lincoln Laboratory, Cambridge, MA, wbrown@ll.mit.edu. Prof. Frank Carroll , MXISystems, Inc., Fairview, TN, frank.carroll@mxisystems.com. Prof. Ronald Ruth, Lyncean Technologies, Inc., Palo Alto, CA, ronald_ruth@lynceantech.com; Prof. David Moncton, MIT Nuclear Reactor Laboratory, Cambridge, MA, dem@mit.edu.
Bldg, Rm. .
Hilton Baton Rouge Capitol Center, Baton Rouge, LA . (NIST Contact: Uwe Arp, 301-975-3233, uwe.arp@nist.gov) http://www.camd.lsu.edu/SRI/Workshop3.pdf

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TALKS BY NIST PERSONNEL

CLARK, C. : CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS AT NANOGRAMS/CUBIC CENTIMETER.
Inaugural Symposium of the Joint Quantum Institute, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 3/26.

NAVE, G. : VUV SPECTROSCOPY AT NIST FOR THE CALIBRATION AND INTERPRETATION OF ASTROPHYSICAL SPECTRA.
Lund Observatory, Lund, Sweden, 3/29.

RITCHIE, N. : IMPROVED X-RAY SIMULATION IN NISTMONTE.
Scanning 2007 Meeting, Monterey, CA, 4/10.

RITCHIE, N. : QUANTIFYING LARGE PARTICLE DATA SETS TO FACILITATE ROBUST CLASSIFICATION.
Scanning 2007 Meeting, Monterey, California, 4/10.

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ANNOUNCEMENTS

SAVE THE DATE – TUESDAY, APRIL 24, 2007 – NCSCI STANDARDS INFORMATION DAY
Do you use documentary standards in your work, need standards research, or standards delivered to your desktop? If so, circle April 24 on your calendar and watch for more news from the National Center for Standards and Certification Information (NCSCI). NCSCI is your source for standards information at NIST!
NIST Contact: Anne Meininger, 301-975-2921, anne.meininger@nist.gov

SEMINAR 04/06/07 THE EFFECT OF PARTICLE SHAPE ON THE SHEAR-INDUCED JAMMING OF DENSE SUSPENSIONS
Ryan J. Larsen, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University - Discontinuous shear thickening, or shear jamming, occurs when dense colloidal suspensions undergo a shear-induced transition from fluid-like properties to solid-like properties. Because jamming is associated with geometrical confinement of the particles, it is reasonable to expect particle shape to have an effect on the jamming of suspensions. To test this dependence, we synthesize uniform polystyrene particles of dumbbell and triangle shape and compare their jamming behavior to that of similar spheres. We show that the non-spherical particles display more dramatic viscosity increases during jamming, they persist in the jammed state for longer periods of time, and they are more dilatant. Our results suggest that non-spherical particles form more rigid structures because they have rotational degrees of freedom not available to spherical particles.
NIST Contact: Erik Hobbie, 301-975-6774, erik.hobbie@nist.gov

THE EFFECT OF PARTICLE SHAPE ON THE SHEAR-INDUCED JAMMING OF DENSE SUSPENSIONS
Dr. Ryan J. Larsen, Harvard University - Discontinuous shear thickening, or shear jamming, occurs when dense colloidal suspensions undergo a shear-induced transition from fluid-like properties to solid-like properties. Because jamming is associated with geometrical confinement of the particles, it is reasonable to expect particle shape to have an effect on the jamming of suspensions. To test this dependence, we synthesize uniform polystyrene particles of dumbbell and triangle shape and compare their jamming behavior to that of similar spheres. We show that the non-spherical particles display more dramatic viscosity increases during jamming, they persist in the jammed state for longer periods of time, and they are more dilatant. Our results suggest that non-spherical particles form more rigid structures because they have rotational degrees of freedom not available to spherical particles.
NIST Contact: Erik Hobbie, 301-975-6774, erik.hobbie@nist.gov

PHOTOTHERMAL CANCER THERAPY USING IMMUNONANOSHELLS
Photothermal cancer therapy using immunonanoshells enables the preferential destruction of cancer cells by targeting over-expressed surface markers on cancer cells, increasing cellular specificity of nanoshell binding, and selectively inducing photothermal heating. Nanoshells possess an optical tunability that spans the visible to the near infrared (NIR) region — a region where light penetrates tissues deeply. My work focuses on the development of an immunonanoshell therapy, where cancer specific antibodies are conjugated to the nanoshell surface, to enable photothemal ablation of cancer and cancer supporting cells. NIR absorbing immunonanoshells preferentially bind to tumor sites. Then NIR light, applied over the tumor region, heats the tumor-bound nanoshells, thus destroying the tumor. In vitro, SKBR-3 breast carcinoma cells were targeted with anti-HER2 antibodies conjugated to the nanoshell surface. Upon NIR excitation, nanoshell laden cells were thermally ablated while cells not receiving both the NIR laser and nanoshells experienced no detectable damage. Similarly, vascular endothelial growth factor receptor on endothelial cells was targeted with the soluble vascular endothelial growth factor demonstrating the feasibility of immunonanoshells as an anti-angiogenic strategy. In mixed populations of cells, cancer cells could be targeted and ablated without damaging the adjacent cell type. In a tumor bearing mouse model, nanoshells conjugated with VEGF induced tumor regression after systemic nanoshell delivery and laser irradiation. Both in vivo and in vitro studies have confirmed the ability to selectively induce cell death with the photothermal interaction of immunonanoshells and NIR light. Immunonanoshells exposed to laser irradiation produced targeted cell death of cancer cells even when cancer cells were in close proximity to normal healthy cells. Nanoshells are a promising minimally invasive cancer therapy due to their biocompatibility, targeting, and NIR-assisted photothermal destruction of tumor tissue. Amanda Lowery is a PhD candidate in Bioengineering at Rice University. Her thesis focuses on the targeting of metal nanoshells for cancer therapy. She obtained a BS in Engineering (2002) from the University of Tennessee in Martin, TN. While there Ms. Lowery was active in the University Scholars Program, the highest scholarship program at the university. In 2001, she received the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship. After beginning at Rice University, she received two NIH training grants and several awards for poster presentations. Ms. Lowery is a member of the Society for Biomaterials and plans to pursue a career investigating therapeutic nanoparticles.
NIST Contact: Jeeseong Hwang, 301-975-4580, jesseong.hwang@nist.gov

NIST RESEARCH LIBRARY BOOK GIVEAWAY EXTENDED
The NIST Research Library is discarding some older, unused books from its collection. Please feel free to look them over and to take any that may be useful to you. The giveaway books are designated by signs in the library and will now be available through April 15.
NIST Contact: NIST Research Library, 301-975-3052, library@nist.gov

VISITOR REGISTRATION FOR NIST EVENTS
Because of heightened security at the NIST Gaithersburg site, members of the public who wish to attend meetings, seminars, lectures, etc. must first register in advance. For more information please call or e-mail the "NIST Contact" for the particular event you would like to attend.
NIST Contact: . ., ., .

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NIST WEB SITE ANNOUNCEMENTS

No Web Site announcements this week.

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For more information, contact Ms. Sharon Hallman, Editor, Stop 2500, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg MD 20899-2500; Telephone: 301-975-TCAL (3570); Fax: 301-926-4431; or Email: tcal@nist.gov.

All lectures and meetings are open unless otherwise stated.

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