text:
Compositions and processes for forming radiopaque polymeric articles are disclosed. In one embodiment, radiation inspection apparatuses and methods are then used to determine the presence and attributes of such radiopaque polymeric articles. A radiopaque polymeric article of the present invention can be created by mixing a radiopaque material, such as barium, bismuth, tungsten or their compounds, with a powdered polymer, pelletized polymer or liquid solution, emulsion or suspension of a polymer in solvent or water. In addition to creating radiation detectable objects, the radiopaque polymeric materials of the present invention can be used to create radiation protective articles, such as radiation protective garments and bomb containment vessels. Enhanced radiation protection can also be achieved through the use of nano-materials. The principals of the present invention can be used to provide protection against other types of hazards, including fire, chemical, biological and projectile hazards.
1. An article of clothing comprising a flexible layer formed from a radiopaque polymeric mixture having a polymer and a radiopaque nano-material.
2. The article of clothing of
3. The article of clothing of
4. The article of clothing of
5. The article of clothing of
6. The article of clothing of
7. The article of clothing of
8. The article of clothing of
9. The article of clothing of
10. The article of clothing of
11. The article of clothing of
12. The article of clothing of
13. The article of clothing of
14. The article of clothing of
15. A radiation protective article of clothing comprising a flexible layer formed from a polymeric mixture and a radiation protective nano-material.
16. The radiation protective article of clothing of
17. The radiation protective article of clothing of
18. The radiation protective article of clothing of
19. The radiation protective article of clothing of
20. The radiation protective article of clothing of
This application is a continuation-in-part of pending application Ser. No. 10/620,954, filed Jul. 16, 2003, entitled "Multiple Hazard Protection Articles And Methods For Making Them," which is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 10/238,160, filed Sep. 9, 2002, entitled "Lightweight Radiation Protective Articles And Methods For Making Them," and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 6,828,578 B2 on Dec. 7, 2004, which is itself a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 09/940,681, filed Aug. 27, 2001, entitled "Lightweight Radiation Protective Garments," and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 6,459,091 B1 on Oct. 1, 2002, which was a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 09/206,671, filed Dec. 7, 1998, entitled "Lightweight Radiation Protective Garments," and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 6,281,515 on Aug. 28, 2001. The disclosures in each of these priority applications are hereby incorporated by reference.
The present invention relates to radiation detectable and protective articles. The radiation detectable articles of the present invention can be easily detected through the use of x-rays and other radioactive emissions. The processes and compositions for producing such radiation detectable articles can also be applied to creating articles which protect against radiation as well as other types of hazards, such as fire, chemical, biological and projectile hazards.
Radiation has been used by humans in numerous ways. The most well known destructive application of radiation is atomic bombs. The electromagnetic radiation released by an atomic bomb can penetrate deeply into human tissue to damage human cells. The threat posed by atomic bombs has arguably increased in recent years with the growth of terrorism and the very real possibility that a "dirty bomb" can be made by terrorists through use of readily available nuclear waste materials. The destructive threat to humanity of such nuclear bombs has given rise to a need for cost-effective radiation protection, including the need for lightweight radiation protective garments. Ideally, such lightweight radiation protective garments would simultaneously provide protection against other types of hazards, such as fire, chemical, biological, projectile hazards and other forms of electromagnetic radiation. In this way, first responders, such as firemen, paramedics, policemen or the military, could use a single garment to provide them with protection against any type of hazard they might foreseeably confront. Such "universal" protective garments are addressed in Applicants' co-pending application Ser. No. 10/620,954, filed Jul. 16, 2003, entitled "Multiple Hazard Protection Articles And Methods For Making Them", the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference.
A number of constructive uses have also been developed for harnessing radiation. These constructive uses include medical x-rays and nuclear power plants. Other constructive uses of radiation, though, remain undiscovered. For example, in many industries, automated, high-speed machines are used to manufacture products quickly and inexpensively. The food industry is one such industry. For example, machines largely do the manufacture and packaging of the many popular brands of breakfast cereals. To market this mass-produced breakfast cereal, the breakfast cereal manufacturers often include a prize or "premium" inside the cereal box, such as a model of a popular superhero. This premium is typically inserted and sealed into the box by machine during the packaging process.
Where high speed, automated manufacturing processes are used, there is a need for quality control procedures. Returning to the cereal box example, if the cereal box assembly machine runs out of premiums or has its premium insertion apparatus jammed, a number of cereal boxes might be sealed, shipped and sold without the premium. Since, for children's cereals, the cereal box is often purchased for the primary purpose of receiving the premium inside, the manufacturer's failure to include the premium in the cereal box can lead to angry and disillusioned customers.
As such, there is a need, particularly in the high speed manufacturing art, to be able to quickly check to see if the manufactured product is made in full compliance with the company's manufacturing standards (e.g., including any premium) and that the product is also free of foreign contaminants. In the case of cereal boxes, this includes making sure that all of the cereal boxes which are supposed to have premiums actually have them and lack foreign contaminants, such as stones and metals, which can inadvertently enter the final assembly.
While visual inspection by humans is often performed to maintain quality control, visual inspection is difficult to effectively perform for products manufactured on a high-speed assembly line. One problem with visual inspection is giving the human inspector enough time to perform a proper inspection without slowing down the manufacturing process. In the case of trying to detect premiums in cereal boxes, this problem is compounded by the fact that the cereal box is visually opaque and, as such, not amenable to visual inspection of items, such as premiums, which are inside the cereal box.
The present invention includes compositions and processes for forming radiopaque polymeric articles. When these radiopaque polymeric articles are used in high speed, automated manufacturing processes, their attributes and presence can be easily confirmed through the use of radiation inspection apparatuses.
A radiopaque polymeric article of the present invention can be created by mixing a radiopaque material, such as barium, bismuth, tungsten or their compounds, with a powdered polymer, palletized polymer or liquid solution, emulsion or suspension of a polymer in solvent or water. The polymer may advantageously be selected from a broad range of plastics including, but not limited to, polyurethane, polyamide, polyvinyl chloride, polyvinyl alcohol, natural latex, polyethylene, polypropylene, ethylene vinyl acetate, polyester, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene, acrylic, polycarbonate, polyoxymethylene, acetal, polytetrafluoroethylene (TEFLON™), ionomers, celluloses, polyetherketones, silicones, epoxy, elastomers, polymer foams and other polymer compounds.
The radiopaque polymeric mixture can then be used to form a radiopaque polymeric article through a number of existing commercial processes, such as injection molding, extrusion and thermoforming. For example, in the case of injection molding, the radiopaque polymeric mixture can be heated in an extruder and then injected into a mold until it assumes the shape of the mold. After the radiopaque polymeric mixture has hardened into the appropriate molded shape, it is removed from the mold. In the case of a superhero model, the molded model can then be wrapped in cellophane and inserted, as a premium, into a cereal box.
The radiopaque article may also be advantageously formed by spraying, adhering or coating a radiopaque adhesive mixture onto a pre-existing article. For example, mixing a lightweight radiopaque material with an adhesive, such as a gum adhesive or a liquid polymer, can form the radiopaque adhesive mixture. The radiopaque adhesive mixture may then be applied to the pre-existing article either by spraying the radiopaque adhesive mixture onto the article or dipping the article in the radiopaque adhesive mixture.
During the manufacturing process, a radiation inspection apparatus can be used to detect the presence and attributes of a radiopaque polymeric article. In one embodiment, x-rays are passed through the radiopaque polymeric article itself or a radiation transmissible package containing the radiopaque polymeric article. An x-ray detector is then positioned on the opposite side of the radiopaque polymeric article to detect where the radiation has been attenuated and where it has been transmitted. Through this x-ray detector, the presence of the radiopaque polymeric article can be confirmed and, if desired, the attributes of the radiopaque polymeric article (e.g., proper dimensions, quantity, lack of defects etc.) can be ascertained. This x-ray detector can also make sure that undesired foreign contaminants, such as stones or metal debris, are not included in the finished product.
A number of the processes and compositions used for creating radiopaque detectable objects may also be used to provide protection against a wide spectrum of ionizing radiation, such as neutron, ultraviolet, gamma and radio frequency radiation. For example, in the inventor's co-pending priority application Ser. No. 10/620,954, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference, the radiopaque polymeric compounds of the present invention are used to create radiation protective garments, which, in some cases, can also provide protection against other hazards (e.g., fire, chemical, biological, projectile etc.). Similarly, in the same way an adhesive mixture of radiation protective materials can be sprayed onto a pre-existing object to make it radiation detectable, the same type of mixture can be sprayed onto a garment to make it attenuate radiation.
As another part of the present invention, recent advances in nanotechnology can be used to create better radiation detectable and radiation attenuating articles. In certain embodiments, these radiation attenuating articles can also provide protection against other types of hazards, such as fire, chemical, biological, projectile hazards, and a wide range of electromagnetic radiation energies. Owing to their small size and high surface area to volume ratio, these nano-materials have demonstrated unique electrical, mechanical and optical properties. In this invention, various types of nano-materials can be utilized to enhance mechanical, thermal, attenuating and barrier protection properties of a product.
In the present invention, nano-materials are used in at least three different ways. In one embodiment, nano-materials are added to the previously disclosed radiation protective polymeric mixtures to either enhance the radiation protection or provide additional protections, such as fire, chemical, biological and/or projectile protection. In a second embodiment, nanoparticles formed from radiopaque materials (e.g., barium, bismuth, tungsten etc.) are used in the radiation protective mixture instead of more bulky forms of the same or similar radiopaque materials. Use of such radiopaque nano-materials allows more even dispersion of radiopaque materials in the polymeric mixture, with the attendant possibility of allowing higher concentrations of radiopaque materials before the polymer becomes embrittled. In a third embodiment, the nano-materials are formed into a discrete nano-material layer. Such a discrete nano-material layer could either be added to a product or formed into a stand alone product.
Nano-materials for use in the present invention include nanoparticles, nanotubes and nano-platelets. Nanoparticles are predominantly formed as solid grains, but may also consist of hollow nanospheres, nano shells, hemi-spheres, parabolas and so forth. Nanoparticles can be formed of various metal/non-metal powders including oxides, sulphides and ceramic powders. Nano-platelets are layered nano-materials which include natural nanoclays and synthetic nano-clays, such as silicic acids and transition-metal dichalcogenides (i.e. tantalum dichalcogenides interacted with lithium). Nanotubes are tube like nano-materials that have a diameter of a few nanometers but yet could be several microns in length.
To attenuate electromagnetic radiation such as radio waves, ultra-violet rays and ionizing radiation, nano-particles can be formed of conventional radiopaque materials such as tungsten, tantalum, barium or their compounds, shell structures such as metal coated magnetic particles like Fe2O3/Au, SiO2/Au or other coated semiconducting particles like PbS/CdS. Hollow metal, metal oxide/sulphides nanospheres or nanospheres of other compounds; nanoparticles having shapes of parabolas, hemi-spheres and shell structures can also be used in this current invention. Shaped nanoparticles (e.g., nanoparabolas, nano hemi-spheres, nanospheres etc.) are believed to deflect, reflect and capture radiation in a manner similar to the way mirrors deflect, reflect and capture lightwaves. Since these shaped nanoparticles are believed to attenuate radiation differently than powdered radiopaque nanoparticles, these shaped nanoparticles do not need to be formed from radiopaque materials, but may instead be formed from such materials as metal/semiconductor hybrid particles. For example, the hybrid CdS-coated Ag nanoparticles exhibit red-shifted plasmon resonance absorption. This resonance absorption band of the metal nanoparticles is a function of particle size. As the particle size decreases, the theoretical wavelength of maximum absorption intensity can be approached. By creating these nano-spheres, nano-hemispheres, and nano-parabolic structures in specific shapes and curvatures, the optical properties can be used against smaller wavelengths of the light spectrum to attenuate electromagnetic radiation in the radiowaves, ultraviolet rays and ionizing radiation frequencies. Rather than absorbing the electromagnetic radiation as in the case of heavy metals, the electromagnetic radiation is effectively redirected, shifted, or reflected to allow its energy to be reduced to a lower level or converted to heat.
To enhance the chemical and fire-retardant properties of a polymeric mixture, nano-materials of suitable composition can be evenly dispersed in the polymeric mixture. For instance, nanoclays when properly dispersed in a polymer enhances its chemical properties by creating a tortuous path in the polymer matrix, which makes hard for the harmful chemicals, biological agents and other gases, such as oxygen, to penetrate the polymer. To increase the fire-retardant properties of the polymer, a small percentage of nanoclays or other nano platelets in the range of 2 to 10% could be added along with conventional fire retardants, such as alumina trihydrate, magnesium hydroxide or other organic brominated and organic chlorinated compounds either in the nanoscale or micron range. Nanotubes can be used to enhance the mechanical properties such as tensile strength, flexibility, modulus and electrical conductivity of a polymeric mixture.
There are three general ways of dispersing nano-materials into the polymeric mixture. The first is direct mixing of the polymer and the nano-materials either as a discrete phase or in solution. The second is in-situ polymerization in the presence of a nano material, and the third is in-situ particle processing which involves both in-situ formation of the nano-materials and in-situ polymerization. Also, nanomaterials could be coated on a number of substrates by several techniques such as evaporization, sputtering (glow-discharge, ion-beam, laser), ion-plating, chemical vapor deposition (CVD), plasma enhanced CVD, thermal spraying, dip coating, fluidized bed and atomized liquid spray.
It should also be noted that nano-materials tend to agglomerate to reduce their surface area and, therefore, without proper dispersion and distribution in the polymer matrix the desired properties of the resulting nano-composite cannot be achieved. In order to disperse nano-materials into a polymer and process the resulting mixture by standard manufacturing techniques, they should preferably be surface modified. For instance, in the case of nanoclays, the clay surface is modified by a process known as compatibilization so that they are attracted to the resin matrices and thus get thoroughly dispersed. The two most common compatibilization methods known are onium ion modification and the ion-dipole interaction.
By incorporating nano-materials into polymeric mixtures of the present invention or creating a pure nanolayer, a radiation protective shield can be created to either make an article radiation detectable, radiation protective (ultraviolet, radiofrequency, electromagnetic, x-radiation, or gamma radiation) or "universally" protective (i.e., protective against one or more hazards such as neutron radiation, fire, chemical, biological, or projectile hazards). The resultant radiopaque polymeric mixture, with or without the nano-materials, can additionally be laminated to a chemical film, anti-ballistics fabric, woven or non-woven, or flame retardant material as described in our previously referenced patent applications.
Referring now to
For the radiopaque materials, barium sulfate, tungsten and bismuth are preferred choices for the present invention because, as compared with lead, for example, they have fewer known heath hazards. Other radiopaque materials can also be used, including, but not limited to, barium, other barium compounds (e.g., barium chloride), tungsten compounds (e.g., tungsten carbide and tungsten oxide), bismuth compounds, tantalum, tantalum compounds, tin, titanium, titanium compounds, Diatrizoate Meglumine Inj. USP (sold by Nycomed Corporation under the trade name HYPAQUE™), Acetrizoate Sodium, boron, boric acid, boron oxide, boron salts, other boron compounds, beryllium, beryllium compounds, Bunamiodyl Sodium, Diatrizoate Sodium, Ethiodized Oil, Iobenzamic Acid, Iocarmic Acid, Iocetamic Acid, Iodipamide, Iodixanol, Iodized Oil, Iodoalphionic Acid, o-Iodohippurate Sodium, Iodophthalein Sodium, Iodopyracet, Ioglycamic Acid, Iohexol, Iomeglamic Acid, Iopamidol, Iopanoic Acid, Iopentol, Iophendylate, Iophenoxic Acid, Iopromide, Iopronic Acid, Iopydol, Iopydone, Iothalamic Acid, Iotrolan, Ioversol, Ioxaglic Acid, Ioxilan, Ipodate, Meglumine Acetrizoate, Meglumine Ditrizoate Methiodal Sodium, Metrizamide, Metrizoic Acid, Phenobutiodil, Phentetiothalein Sodium, Propryliodone, Sodium Iodomethamate, Sozoiodolic Acid, Thorium Oxide and Trypanoate Sodium. These radiopaque materials can be purchased from a variety of chemical supply companies, such as Fisher Scientific, P.O. Box 4829, Norcross, Ga. 30091 (Telephone: 1-800-766-7000), Aldrich Chemical Company, P.O. Box 2060, Milwaukee, Wis. (Telephone: 1-800-558-9160) and Sigma, P.O. Box 14508, St. Louis, Mo. 63178 (Telephone: 1-800-325-3010). Those of skill in the art will readily recognize that other radiopaque materials incorporating the same metals can be used interchangeably with the ones listed.
The polymer used in the polymeric mixture of the present invention may preferably be selected from a broad range of plastics including, but not limited to, polyurethane, polyamide, polyvinyl chloride, polyvinyl alcohol, natural latex, polyethylene, polypropylene, ethylene vinyl acetate, polyester, polyisoprene, polystyrene, polysulfone, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene, acrylic, polycarbonate, polyoxymethylene, acetal, polytetrafluoroethylene (TEFLON™), ionomers, celluloses, polyetherketone, silicones, epoxy, elastomers, polymer foams and other polymer compounds.
Conventional additives may be included in the polymeric mixture to improve the flexibility, strength, durability or other properties of the end product and/or to help insure that the polymeric mixture has an appropriate uniformity and consistency. These additives might be, in appropriate cases, plasticizers (e.g., epoxy soybean oil, ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, etc.), emulsifiers, surfactants, suspension agents, leveling agents, drying promoters, adhesives, flow enhancers, and flame retardants.
The proportions of these various polymeric mixture ingredients can vary. Using a greater proportion of conventional sized radiopaque materials will generally allow the presence and attributes of the radiopaque polymeric article to be more easily ascertained through radiation detection techniques. Nonetheless, if the proportion of conventional sized radiopaque materials compared to the polymer is too high, the polymeric mixture will become brittle when dried or cooled and easily crumble apart. The inventors have found from their work that over 50% of the polymeric mixture, by weight, can be barium sulfate, tungsten, bismuth or other conventional sized radiation protective materials, with most of the rest of the mixture consisting of the polymer.
In one preferred embodiment, the polymeric mixture contains approximately 85% by weight of conventional sized radiopaque materials and approximately 15% by weight of polymer. In this preferred embodiment, the radiopaque materials used in the polymeric mixture are tungsten (75%), barium sulfate (20%) and bismuth (5%). The currently preferred polymers for this preferred embodiment are a mixture of ethyl vinyl acetate (EVA) and polyethylene.
It may be appropriate to consider the use of lead as one of the radiopaque materials for the polymeric mixture. While, because of its potential health hazards, lead would not be as preferred as many of the other radiopaque materials previously listed, lead nonetheless might have a role in some radiopaque polymeric mixtures.
A number of known manufacturing processes may advantageously be used to create the radiopaque polymeric articles of the present invention. For example, the radiopaque polymeric mixture of the present invention can first be melted in an extruder and then pushed by a piston in molten form into the mold of an injection-molding machine.
Thermoplastics, thermosets and elastomers can all be injection molded. By using multiple inlets to the mold 40 (not shown), a co-injection molding process allows molding of components with different materials, colors and/or features. Moreover, other types of molding techniques can be used depending on the shape, thickness, weight range, allowable tolerance, surface roughness and economic batch size of the injection-molded articles. These other types of molding techniques include, but are not limited to, rotational molding for large hollow closed or semi-closed structures, blow molding, foam molding, compression molding, resin transfer molding, die-casting, sand casting, investment casting, polymer casting, shape rolling, die forging, extrusion, press forming, roll forming, spinning, thermoforming, lay-up methods, powder methods, laser prototyping and deposition.
Many other known plastic forming techniques can be used to form the radiopaque polymeric articles of the present invention. For example, the polymeric mixture of the present invention could again be put into the hopper of an extruder, heated and, in this case, deposited in molten form as a thin film on a conveyor belt. Vacuum pressure could then be applied to the thin film so as to draw the molten film into intimate contact with a mold impression to form the thin film into its desired shape. An example of such vacuum forming techniques is described in greater detail in Gilbert's U.S. Pat. No. 6,319,456 B1, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference. Alternatively, instead of drawing the thin film into a vacuum mold, the thin film sheet could simply be cut into a desired planar shape.
As a further alternative, the article, such as the superhero, could be pre-formed and subsequently made radiopaque through the application of a thin radiopaque layer. In such case, mixing a lightweight radiopaque material with an adhesive, such as a gum adhesive or a liquid polymer, could advantageously form the radiopaque layer. The radiopaque adhesive mixture could then be applied to the pre-formed article either by spraying the radiopaque adhesive mixture onto the outside of the article or dipping the article in a solution of the radiopaque adhesive mixture.
The mold used in the injection molding process shown in
Since the straw or other utensil in this example touches the mouth of the user, it would be important to choose a non-toxic radiopaque material for the polymeric mixture, such as barium sulfate, iodine, bismuth or some combination of them or their compounds, rather than a toxic material, such as lead. A further factor to be considered in selecting a suitable radiopaque material is the degree of radiation attenuation which the material would provide. For example, in the straw and juice box example, the cardboard juice box freely transmits radiation. As such, one would not need a radiopaque compound with strong attenuating properties to create a sufficient radiation contrast between the straw and the box. More specifically, a radiopaque compound with relatively weaker attenuation properties, such as iodine compounds, could be used for the straw and juice box example or a radiopaque compound with stronger attenuation properties, such as a bismuth compound, could be used in lower concentrations.
Other packaging industries would also benefit from the principles of the present invention. In disposable medical products, most of the devices are made of plastic and, if any of the contents were missing, the entire device would likely fail. Using radiopaque plastics of the present invention, an x-ray inspection of the sealed medical package at the factory could insure that all the contents of the medical device were present. Also in the field of medicine, a catheter could be manufactured with radiopaque materials using the principles of the present invention, which would allow the catheter's insertion into the human body to be carefully monitored using an x-ray machine. By so monitoring the catheter insertion, the doctor could make sure that the catheter reaches the correct position in the patient's body.
As a further application, guns, knives and explosives are now being produced from plastics, which cannot be detected by the x-ray scanning machines used at airports. If such plastic guns, knives and/or explosives were in the hands of terrorists, they could be used to pose a threat to airplane crews and passengers. Using the principles of the present invention, the government could require that all plastic guns, knives and explosives incorporate one and more radiopaque materials of the present invention so that they would be readily detectable by the x-ray scanning machines used at airports. Given the great importance of detecting guns, knives and explosives at airports, the government would likely want to require that radiopaque compounds with high attenuating properties, such as bismuth compounds, be used for these applications.
Referring now to
After the x-rays pass through the box or other container 52 being examined, the x-rays are detected by an x-ray detector 80. The x-ray detector 80 can include a scintillator and one or more MOS image sensor(s). In such an arrangement, incident x-rays are converted by the scintillator into visual light, which is detected by the MOS image sensor(s). The MOS image sensor, in turn, outputs a detection signal 82 whose characteristics correspond to the amount of incident x-ray radiation detected.
A data processor 84 is used to analyze the detection signal 82 received from the x-ray detector 80. Since the box 52 itself would evenly transmit x-ray radiation, a detection signal with no discontinuities would indicate that the radiopaque polymeric article 10 is missing from the box 52. By contrast, since the radiopaque polymeric article 10 would block a portion of the radiation, a detection signal with sharp discontinuities would usually indicate the presence of the radiopaque polymeric article 10 in the box.
Further confirmation that the radiopaque polymeric article 10 is actually in the box 52 can be made by measuring the level or pattern of x-rays detected by the x-ray detector 80. For example, the amount of radiation detected by the x-ray detector 80 for a box 52 having a radiation detectable article 10 can be measured and loaded into the memory of the data processor 84 as a template. The data processor 84 could then compare the level for each subsequent box 52 on the conveyor 60 with the memorized template value and, if the two values match within a pre-determined tolerance, the data processor 84 could conclude that the box 52 indeed contains the radiopaque polymeric article 10. If, by contrast, the data processor 84 concludes that the box 52 is missing the radiopaque polymeric article 10, it could send a signal to alarm 86 to alert an attendant to the defective box 12. Alternatively, the data processor 84 could direct an operation unit 88 to either stop the assembly line or eject the defective box from the assembly line.
For even greater precision of inspection, the x-ray detector 80 could have a pattern of detection pixels which each would detect the transmission of x-ray radiation over a small defined area. To establish a template, a box 52 with a radiopaque polymeric article 10 could be x-rayed with the x-rays being detected by the pattern of pixels. The level of detected x-rays for each pixel would then be stored in the memory of the data processor 84 as a template for future inspections. The data processor 84 could then, for each pixel, compare the level of detected radiation for each box 52 inspected during the manufacturing process with the memorized template to first determine, within a predetermined tolerance, whether the inspected box 52 contains a radiopaque polymeric article 10. The data received from the detailed detection pixels could then be used to determine the shape (e.g., outside contours) of the radiopaque polymeric article. Moreover, use of the detection pixels also allows analysis of whether there is a crack, nick or other defect in the radiopaque polymeric article 10. The use of pixel data in a radiation inspection apparatus to detect the presence of cracks or nicks in an article is described in greater detail in Sawada's U.S. Pat. No. 6,574,303 B2, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
In addition to detecting the presence and attributes of a desirable object in a box, the radiation inspection apparatus 50 shown in
Thus far, the focus has been on methods and compositions for forming radiopaque detectable articles. Nonetheless, many of the same principles can be applied to making articles which protect against the harmful effects of radiation, including ultraviolet, electromagnetic, radiofrequency, neutron, x-ray and gamma radiation, as well as other hazards (e.g., fire, chemical, biological, and ballistic). For example, in the inventor's co-pending priority application Ser. No. 10/620,954, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference, the radiopaque polymeric compounds of the present invention are used to create garments which protects against radiation and other hazards. Similarly, in the same way an adhesive mixture of lightweight radiation protective materials can be sprayed, adhered or coated onto a pre-formed object to make it radiation detectable in the previous examples, the same type of mixture can also be sprayed, adhered or coated onto a garment to make it radiation protective.
Turning to
This chemical protective layer 210, 220 can be constructed of known chemical protective polymers and/or fabrics. For example, one known class of chemically protective fabrics are non-woven textiles, such as the flashspun polyethylene fabric sold by DuPont under the tradename Tyvek®, polypropylene fabrics such as Kimberly-Clark's Kleenguard™, Kappler's Proshield 1™, Lakeland's Safeguard 76™, fabrics mixing polyethylene with polypropylene and cellulose based fabrics such as DuPont's Sontara™ and Kimberly Clark's Prevail™. A similar type of non-woven textile would be the class of plastic films laminated onto one or both sides of a nonwoven fabric including DuPont's TyChem® series of fabrics, Kimberly Clark's HazardGard I, II™ fabrics, Kappler's CPF™ and Responder series of fabrics and ILC Dover's Ready 1 fabric™. These non-woven textiles would typically be combined with the three radiation protective layers 204, 206, 208 by sewing or otherwise adhering the fabrics together.
Chemical protection can also be imparted by using polyvinyl chloride and/or chlorinated polyethylene films, such as ILC Dover's Chemturion™. These films could be laminated or extruded onto the three radiation protective layers 204, 206, 208.
Another class of chemical protective layers are polymer films with microscopic pores laminated onto fabrics such as Gore-tax® or polypropylene based fabrics such as DuPont's NexGen™, Kimberly Clark's Kleenguard Ultra™, Lakeland's Micro-Max™ and Kappler's Proshield 2™. Chemical protection can further be provided by materials incorporating an absorbent layer, such as the carbon/fabric combinations sold by Blucher GmbH and Lanx. Another class of chemically protective fabrics are woven fabrics coated with rubber or plastic on one or both sides. These coated chemically protective fabrics include polyvinyl chloride and nylon composites, polyurethane/nylon composites, neoprene/aramid composites, butyl/nylon composites, chlorinated polyethylene/nylon composites, polytetrafluoroethylene (i.e., Teflon®/fiberglass composites and chlorobutyl/aramid composites.
Because the chemical protective layers 210, 220 is preferably nonporous, it will also provide protection against infectious biological agents.
While the fabric shown in
It may alternatively be prudent to form layer 230 of a heat dissipation material. One way of forming such a heat dissipation layer is to mix compounds with high thermal conductivity, such as silver, copper, gold, aluminum, beryllium, calcium, tungsten, magnesium, zinc, iron, nickel, molybdenum, carbon and/or tin, with a polymer in the same way that the radiation protective materials are mixed with polymers to form radiation protective layer 206.
While a six layer hazard protecting fabric 200 is illustrated in
Turning now to
To add additional hazard protection to the bullet proof vest 300 shown in
Turning now to
In the
The multipiece protective garment 400 is constructed from the same type of radiation and hazard protecting materials previously described. For radiation protection alone, a radiation protective polymeric film can be applied to fabric in the manner described in co-pending application Ser. No. 10/620,954 and then cut into the shapes illustrated in
Additionally, recent advances in nanotechnology can be used to create better radiation detectable and protective articles In certain embodiments, these radiation attenuating articles can also provide protection against other types of hazards, such as fire, chemical, biological and projectile hazards as well as against a wide range of electromagnetic radiation energies.
Nano-materials are materials that have structural features (particle size or grain size, for example) in the range of 1-100 nanometers in at least one dimension. Owing to their small size and high specific surface area to volume ratio, these materials demonstrate unique mechanical, electrical, electronic and optical properties. In addition, nano-materials, unlike conventional micron-sized materials, are less likely to create large stress concentrations, which in turn increases their yield strength, tensile strength and Young's modulus.
In the present invention, nano-materials are used in at least three different ways. In one embodiment, nano-materials are added to the previously disclosed radiation protective polymeric mixtures to either enhance the radiation protection or provide additional protections, such as fire, chemical, biological and/or projectile protection. In a second embodiment, nanoparticles formed from radiopaque materials (e.g., barium, bismuth, tungsten etc.) or other hazard protecting materials are used in the polymeric mixture instead of more bulky forms of the same or similar protective materials. Use of radiopaque nano-materials allows more even dispersion of radiopaque materials in the polymeric mixture with the attendant possibility of allowing higher concentrations of radiopaque materials before the polymer becomes embrittled. In a third embodiment, the nano-materials are formed into a discrete nano-material layer. Such a discrete nano-material layer could either be added to a product or formed into a stand alone product.
Nano-materials used in the present invention include nanoparticles, nanotubes and nano platelets.
The first type of nanomaterials used in the present invention are nanoparticles. Suitable nanoparticles include nanopowders of conventional radiopaque materials, nano ceramics, nano shells, nanospheres and other nanoparticles in the shape of hemispheres and parabolas. Relative proportions of radiopaque materials could be increased in a polymeric mixture by replacing bulky radiopaque materials with radiopaque nanopowders or by incorporating a mixture of both nano-sized and micron-sized radiopaque powders. By incorporating a greater proportion of radiopaque nanopowders into the polymeric mixture, the resultant product could have enhanced electromagnetic radiation attenuating capabilities.
Nanopowders of radiopaque materials are commercially available and could be incorporated into a polymer using standard compounding techniques. The types of radiopaque nano-powders that could be used include: tungsten, barium, boron, lead, tin, bismuth, depleted uranium, cerium, yttrium, tantalum, lanthanum, neodymium and their compounds. Tungsten (APS: 100 nm) and tantalum (APS: 100 nm) nanopowders can be purchased, for example, from Argonide Nanomaterial Technologies, Sanford, Florida. Rare earth radiopaque nanomaterials of cerium oxide, yttrium oxide or neodymium oxide can be purchased at NanoProducts Corporation, Longmont, CO.
Moreover, nanoparticles formed in the shape of hollow nanospheres, nano-hemi spheres, nano parabolas and nano shells could be used in the present invention to achieve radio pacification and attenuation of a wide spectrum of electromagnetic radiation. These shaped nanoparticles are believed to deflect, reflect and capture radiation in a manner similar to the way mirrors deflect, reflect and capture lightwaves. Since these shaped nanoparticles are believed to attenuate radiation differently than powdered radiopaque nanoparticles, these shaped nanoparticles do not need to be formed from radiopaque materials, but may instead be formed from such materials as metal/semiconductor hybrid particles. For example, hybrid CdS coated gold nanoparticles have been found to exhibit red-shifted plasmon resonance absorption. This resonance absorption band of the metal nanoparticles is a function of the particle size. As the particle size decreases, the theoretical wavelength of maximum absorption intensity could be approached. By creating these metal nano spheres, hemi spheres and parabola structures in specific shapes and curvatures, the optical-like properties can be used to attenuate against smaller wavelengths of the electromagnetic spectrum including radio waves, ultraviolet rays, and ionizing radiation, such as x-rays and gamma rays. Unlike conventional heavy metals, which absorb or scatter the electromagnetic radiation, these nanoparticles effectively redirect, shift or reflect the electromagnetic radiation, later converting it into a lesser energy or heat.
Referring to
As is known in the art, resonating antennas in a parabolic or semi-spherical shape have very sharp directional characteristics. By analogy, when creating similar resonating characteristics for radiation at a nano level, one would preferably want to orient the position of the nano-materials in space to create a layer which would block radiation coming from a particular direction (e.g., the outside of a garment). Nonetheless, by applying a coating of randomly positioned particles in hundreds of layers, one can effectively achieve shielding from all directions. For better performance, such a coating of nano-materials should have a minimum of voids. As such, when making a mixture of nano-materials with a binder, the nano-materials should preferably be the bulk of the coating, for example, over 70% and, more preferably, between 85% and 95% by weight.
Ceramic nanoparticles could also be added to the radiopaque polymeric mixture to enhance not only mechanical strength, like tensile strength and creep resistance, but also enhance heat resistance, anti-ballistic, electromagnetic attenuation and neutron emission attenuation. Ceramic nano-powders, which include, but are not limited to, oxides of aluminum, zirconium, silicon, titanium, mullite and spinel as well as carbides/nitrides such as boron carbide, silicon carbide, titanium carbide, tungsten carbide, boron nitride, silicon nitride, titanium diboride, zirconium diboride and other intermetallics like nickel aluminide, titanium aluminide and molybdenum disilicate could be advantageously incorporated into the polymeric mixture to provide radiation attenuation. These ceramic nanomaterials can be prepared by a number of methods including chemical vapor deposition, pulsed laser deposition, conventional powder processing (i.e. sol-gel processing), plasma synthesis, pyrolysis, carbothermal reduction, hydrothermal processes, emulsion processes, combustion synthesis, NIST process, precipitation, electrical arc, and ball milling. Adding metallic second phase particles into ceramics can also be done to enhance mechanical, thermal and electromagnetic attenuation properties. Metals such as tungsten, molybdenum, nickel, copper, cobalt and iron can be added to the ceramics using conventional powder metallurgical techniques and solution chemical processes like sol-gel, as well as co-precipitation methods.
Alternatively, nanoparticles could be synthesized by several additional techniques. One such technique is colloidal templating in which an inner removable template particle, such as silica or polymer beads, are coated with metal materials in a multi-step colloidal or vapor-phase assembly and can later be removed to create empty metallic shells. Creating uniform coating on a particle template by colloidal self-assembly is based on the concept of self-assembled organic molecular species. The two ends of the molecules to be joined have specific functional groups (i.e. Thiols, amines, carboxylic groups) that can be targeted for specific interactions with the template and the clusters that are used to make the coatings. Uniform dense packing of the molecules around the templates leads to close packing of the clusters that form a porous but space filled shell around the template. Non-interacting metal-coated magnetic particles, which include SiO2/Au, Fe3O4/Au, NiO/Co, silver, platinum, tantalum, tungsten, aluminum and copper or coated semi-conducting particles, such as PbS/CdS, are examples of such composite particle structures. Alternatively PbS-coated CdS nanocomposite particles that are a few nanometers in diameter can be synthesized by ion displacement in inverse micro emulsions. The refractive nonlinearity in these nano-composite particles may be attributed to the optical Stark effect and to strong interfacial and inter nano-particle interactions.
Hollow nanospheres could be synthesized by taking advantage of the nanoscale Kirkendall effect. When nano-crystals, such as cobalt, are exposed to sulfur, there is a differential in diffusion in which the cobalt atoms move outward more quickly that then sulfur atoms thus creating a hollow nanosphere of cobalt sulfide. Cobalt oxide and cobalt selenide could also be synthesized by this technique. Similarly, it may be possible to synthesize other metals such as silver, gold, platinum, aluminum, copper and tungsten using this technique.
Nanoparticles could also be made via in-situ particle formation/in-situ polymerization. In this method, a stable suspension of metal particles is prepared in the presence of a polymer. Once in solution, the composite can be cast, or additional monomers of the same or different polymer type can be added to form a nano-composite. The reaction occurs in the presence of a protective polymer, which limits the size of the resultant nano-composite. Particle size is also controlled by the choice of metal precursor and the metal/polymer interaction. For example, if PdCl2 is compared with (NH4)2PdCl4, the former tends to form halogen-bridged complexes and thus tends to form agglomerates of nano-particles, but the latter does not. The interaction of the metal precursor with the polymer is also important in controlling particle size. If the polymer has a stronger interaction with the precursor, then the particle size tends to be reduced because the metal precursors are prevented from phase separating. Using this technique, nanoparticles could also be formed through the use of micelles formed from amphiphilic block polymers or cross-linked gelled matrices. Using copolymers to form micelles, metal salts are introduced that can either penetrate the micelle or are stable in the micelle corona. A reducing agent can be added and metal particles form either within the micelles or in the corona resulting in several morphologies.
In general, nanoparticle size is controlled in several ways depending on the synthesizing technique used. For instance, in gas phase, synthesis particle size is controlled by varying the system parameters such as temperature, gas flow rate and system pressure. In other methods such as sol-gel technique, the particle size can be varied by changing the concentration of the solutions and temperature. In mechanical milling, the particle size depends more on the speed of the grinding media and milling time.
Hollow nano-crystals can be commercially obtained from the Molecular Foundry at the Berkeley National Laboratory in Berkeley California, which specializes in synthesizing hollow metal, metal oxide/sulphide nano-crystals.
The second type of nano-materials used in the present invention are nano-tubes. Nano-tubes are typically formed from carbon. When added to a polymeric mixture, nano-tubes represent another way to enhance mechanical properties like modulus, chemical resistance, flame resistance, strength and also electrical conductivity of the mixture. Carbon nano-tubes have unique electrical properties because the electronic conduction process in nano-tubes is confined in the radial direction and, as a result, they can also be used to attenuate electromagnetic radiation. The methods to produce these nanotubes includes chemical vapor deposition techniques using catalysts and hydrocarbon precursors to grow the nano-tubes. Nano-tubes can also be made by electric arc, laser ablation, chemical vapor deposition and high pressure carbon monoxide conversion (HiPCO). HiPCO uses high-pressure disproportionation of carbon monoxide gas in the presence of iron carbonyl catalyst vapor to produce nano-tubes of 80% purity in large quantities. Other types of nano-tubes include the hexagonal boron nitride nano-tubes, nano-tubes made of dichalcogenides (i.e. MoS2, WS2), nano-tubes of oxides (i.e. V2O, MoO3), gold nanotubes and organic nano-tubes. Nano-tubes may be commercially purchased from Materials and Electrochemical Research Corporation of Tucson, Ariz.
Once produced, nano-tubes should undergo purification procedures before they can be incorporated into a radiopaque polymeric mixture of the present invention. Methods of purification and processing include preliminary filtration, dissolution, micro-filtration, settling and chromatography. The resultant nano-tube product is then preferably dispersed in the polymeric mixture with a surfactant, such as sodium dodecyl sulfate.
The third type of nano-materials that could be added to the radio opaque polymeric mixture are nano platelets (i.e., plate-like nano-fillers). Nano platelets are layered materials that typically have a high aspect ratio and a thickness on the order of about 1 nm.
When added to a polymeric mixture in quantity, nano-platelets would enhance the mixture's chemical, ballistic, fire, electromagnetic radiation and neutron resistance. Nano-platelets include nano-clays, such as montmorillonites clays. Montmorillonite clays belong to the smectite group which also includes clays like bentonite, hectorite, pyrophyllite, talc, vermiculite, sauconite, saponite and nontronite, layered silicic acids (i.e. kanemite and makatite) and layered double hydroxides. Clays from other groups, such as kaolinites and chlorites, and other phyllosilicates, such as mica, could also be used. Transition-metal dichalcogenides (i.e. tantalum dichalcogenides intercalated with lithium) could also be dispersed in a polymer mixture not only to provide the mixture with nanoclay like properties (because of its similar layered structure), but also to enhance the electromagnetic radiation attenuation.
Natural nano-clays, such as smectites clays, are highly layered weakly bonded materials. Each layer consists of two sheets of silica tetrahedra with an edge shared octahedral sheet of either alumina or magnesia. Due to the isomorphic substitution of alumina into the silicate layers or magnesium for aluminum, each unit cell has a negative charge. The natural nano-clay layers are held together with a layer of charge compensating cations such as Lithium (Li+), Sodium (Na+), Potassium (K+), and Calcium (Ca+). These charge-compensating cations provide a route to the rich intercalation chemistry and surface modification that is required to disperse nanoclays into the polymer. Synthetic clays, such as hydrotalcite, carry a positive charge on the platelets. For these layered nano-clays to become useful within the radiopaque polymeric mixture, the layers should be separated and dispersed properly within the mixture. In the case of nano-clays, such as silicate clays, they are inherently hydrophilic while the polymers tend to be hydrophobic. To get intercalation and exfoliation of these clays, the galleries or layers of these clays must be opened and the polarities of the resultant clay must match the polarity of the polymer so that the polymer will intercalate between the layers. This is done by exchanging an organic cation for an inorganic cation. The larger organic cation will swell the layers and increase the hydrophobic properties of the clay. The organically modified clay can then be intercalated with the polymer by several routes. For positively charged clays, such as hydrotalcite, an anionic surfactant can be used. Other types of clay modifications can be used depending on the choice of polymer. These include ion-dipole interactions, the use of silane coupling agents and the use of block polymers. An example of ion-dipole interactions is the intercalation of a small molecule, such as dodecylpyrrolidone, into the clay. Unfavorable interactions of clay edges with polymers can be overcome by the use of silane coupling agents to modify the edges. Alternatively, compatibilization of clays and polymers can be done through the use of copolymers where one component of the copolymer is compatible with the clay and the other component of the copolymer is compatible with the polymer.
The resistance of a polymeric mixture to harmful chemicals could be improved substantially by incorporating a small amount of nanoclays (about 2 to 5% by weight) into the polymer mixture. The level of chemical resistance improvement depends on many factors, though, such as the degree of exfoliation of the nano platelets in the polymer mixture, the percentage of the nano-material filler, its aspect ratio, and the alignment of the platelets. By incorporating nano-clays within the polymeric mixture, oxygen transmission through the mixture is particularly reduced which then reduces polymer degradation by reducing oxidation of the resins and hence improving its flame retardancy property as well. In addition, the inorganic phase can act as a sink to prevent polymer chains from decomposing.
To enhance flame retardance in polymeric mixtures of the present invention, traditional fire retardant additives, such as alumina trihydrate (ATH), magnesium hydroxide or organic brominated and chlorinated compounds are often added. Nonetheless, very high levels of these fire retardant additives are usually needed to achieve acceptable levels of fire retardancy (e.g., for cable or wires). These high additive levels make the manufacturing process more difficult and therefore embrittles the polymeric end product.
In the present invention, nanomaterials can be used in the polymeric mixture to overcome this fire retardant embrittlement problem. More specifically, a small weight percent of nanoclays (e.g., 2 to 10%) can be added with the traditional bulky fire-retardant additives, such as ATH or magnesium hydroxide, to drastically lower the additive loading levels needed to achieve the same or an improved level of flame resistance in a polymeric mixture. Other nano sized fire-retardant additives which could be added to the polymeric mixture are nano/micron-sized oxides such as antimony oxide, nano/micron-sized compounds of molybdenum, titanium, zirconium and zinc. Silicon carbide, silicon nitrate, aluminum nitride, silicon nano-tubes, carbon nano-tubes, boron nitride nano-tubes also could be used to enhance the fire resistant properties of a polymer. Moreover, conventional fire resistant additives, such as ATH or magnesium hydroxide, could be added in the nano-size range to more effectively achieve fire resistance in a polymeric mixture. Through use of these nanomaterials, the resultant polymeric mixture would be more strong, light and flexible.
One of the key limitations in the use of nano-materials in polymeric compositions is processing. More specifically, nanomaterials tend to agglomerate to reduce their surface area and, therefore, without proper dispersion and distribution in the polymer mixture, the desired properties of the resulting nano-composite cannot be achieved. In order to effectively disperse nanomaterials into a polymer and process the resulting mixture by standard manufacturing techniques, the nanomaterials should be surface modified. For instance, in the case of nanoclays, the clay surface can be modified by a process known as compatibilization so that the nanoclays are attracted to the polymeric resin matrices and thus get thoroughly dispersed. The two most common compatibilization methods are onium ion modification and the ion-dipole interaction.
Once the nano-material agglomeration problem is overcome, there are three general ways of dispersing nano-materials into the polymeric mixture. The first is direct mixing of the polymer and the nano-materials either as a discrete phase or in solution. The second is in-situ polymerization in the presence of a nano-material, and the third is in-situ particle processing which involves both in-situ formation of the nano-materials and in-situ polymerization.
For example, to prepare a chemical-fire resistant nano-composite, a polymer, such as ethyl vinyl acetate (EVA), can be directly mixed with nano-platelets such as nano-clays, silicic acids, or transitional metal dichalcogenides. Such a mixture can be made with or without conventional fire retardants, such as ATH and magnesium hydroxide. The resultant polymeric mixture can then be processed in a twin-screw extruder and formed into a desired product using blow molding, or injection molding. Compounding with twin-screw extruder creates a great amount of shear force, which helps exfoliate the nano-materials in the polymer mixture. The addition of nanoclays or nanotubes would increase the viscosity of the polymeric mixture. Therefore, the rheology of the mixture should be closely monitored and controlled, though, by adding Theological additives that are compatible to the polymer and filler used (i.e. nanoclays or nanotubes).
To produce the protective products of the present invention, nano-materials can also be coated on several different substrates, including polymeric substrates. Using known techniques, such as evaporation, sputtering (glow discharge/ion and beam/laser), ion plating, chemical vapor deposition (CVD), plasma enhanced CVD, thermal spraying, dip coating, fluidized bed, and atomized liquid spray, nano-composites can be coated on several different substrates. Also, nano-materials could be applied as a coat on different substrates by other techniques like unassisted spraying, spraying assisted by a high voltage electrical field, liquid coating by such existing technologies as roll stock, extrusion, coating and co-extrusion.
Alternatively, nano-materials can be applied to a flexible film, which can then be coated with a pressure sensitive adhesive to produce a self-adhering material with shielding properties. For protection of human skin from the sun's ultraviolet rays, for example, nano-materials can be mixed with binders to form a spray or ointment to be applied directly to the skin. Further, since the thickness of several hundred rows of nano-materials is on the order of a single micrometer, the nano shielding materials of the present invention can be made transparent to visible light and thereby allow its use in the manufacture of goggles and other clear shields, with excellent optical properties.
Turning now to
In the preferred embodiment, a radiation protective polymeric layer 770 is applied to the outside of the bomb containment vessel 760. As before, the radiation protective polymeric layer 770 is formed from a mixture, which includes one or more of the previously mentioned radiopaque materials and one or more of the previously mentioned polymers. In the preferred embodiment illustrated in
In operation, the hardened materials of the bomb containment vessel 760 will contain the explosive force of the bomb while the radiation protective layer 770 of the present invention will contain any radiation emitted by the bomb. While the radiation protective layer of the present invention could also be applied to the inside of the bomb containment vessel 760, the inventors believe that this would be less effective because of the damage an explosion could do to the radiation protective layer 770.
In the foregoing specification, the invention has been described with reference to specific preferred embodiments and methods. It will, however, be evident to those of skill in the art that various modifications and changes may be made without departing from the broader spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. For example, those of skill in the art will recognize that the principles of the present invention would apply to many types of articles besides the toys, utensils, weapons and medical devices previously described. More specifically, the relatively lightweight radiopaque materials of the present invention could be incorporated into virtually any type of plastic product (e.g., auto parts, phones, storage containers etc.) to allow the presence and/or attributes of such products to be assessed using x-rays. Further, the principles of the present invention would apply to virtually all types of manufacturing processes for plastic products. While x-ray inspection has been described in the preferred embodiments, other types of radiation, such as alpha, beta or gamma radiation could alternatively be used to detect the radiopaque polymeric articles. In the case of nano-materials, since many nano-materials have been found to have minimal toxicity, nano-composites could be added intravenously or orally to the human body to provide enhanced tissue contrast for use in radiography. The specification and drawings are, accordingly, to be regarded in an illustrative, rather than restrictive sense; the invention being limited only by the appended claims.
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(UM02-C1) - Welfare Reform and Immigrant Participation in the SSI Program
Michael J. Greenwood and Paul S. Davies
We examine the effect of the 1996 welfare reform legislation on participation in the Supplemental Security income (SSI) program by non-citizen immigrants. Although none of the non-citizens on the SSI rolls before welfare reform lost eligibility, the potential exists for future impacts on the SSI caseload and the well being of recent immigrants. Using Social Security administrative data from the Continuous Work History Sample matched to data on SSI participation, we estimate compositional and hazard models of SSI participation before and after welfare reform. We use data on Social Security benefits to explore interactions between SSI and Social Security among immigrants.

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America East
First Team
Position Name School Cl Hometown/High School/Last School Attack Luke Daquino Albany Sr. Farmingville, N.Y./Sachem Attack Merrick Thomson Albany So. Stoney Creek, Ontario/Albany Academy Attack Brendan Mundorf UMBC Jr. Baltimore, Md./Mt. St. Joseph's Midfield Frank Resetarits Albany So. Hamburg, N.Y./Hamburg Midfield Joe Cahill UMBC Sr. Lewes, Del./Cape Henlopen Midfield Andy Gallagher UMBC Jr. Rockville, Md./DeMatha Defender Patrick McSweeney Albany Sr. Marcellus, N.Y./Marcellus Defender Michael Baudouin Binghamton Jr. Southside, N.Y./Southside Defender Kyle Pearl Stony Brook Sr. Oceanside, N.Y./Oceanside Goalkeeper Kevin Rae Albany Sr. Yorktown Heights, N.Y./YorktownSecond Team
Position Name School Cl Hometown/High School/Last School Attack Matt McNamara Binghamton So. Oswego, N.Y./Oswego Attack Drew Westervelt UMBC So. Bel Air, Md./John Carroll Attack Jason Cappadoro Stony Brook Jr. Levittown, N.Y./MacArthur Midfield Brendan Russell Albany Sr. Jamesville, N.Y./Jamesville-DeWitt Midfield Josh Murray Quinnipiac Jr. Hamden, Conn./Cheshire Midfield Sean Layton Vermont So. Wilmington, Mass./Malden Catholic Defender Justin Berdeguez UMBC Jr. Annapolis, Md./Annapolis/Essex CC Defender John Donnellan Quinnipiac Jr. Shoreham, N.Y./Shoreham-Wading River Defender David Weiss Stony Brook Sr. Long Beach, N.Y./Nassau CC Goalkeeper Kevin McKeown Binghamton Jr. Brewster, N.Y./Brewster####
Atlantic Coast (ACC)
Rob Bateman, Virginia, Grad, Midfield
Mike Culver, Virginia, Junior, Defense
Matt Danowski, Duke, Sophomore, Attack
Aaron Fenton, Duke, Senior, Goalkeeper
Tony McDevitt, Duke, Sophomore, Defense
Bill McGlone, Maryland, Junior, Midfield
Jed Prossner, North Carolina, Senior, Attack
Joe Walters, Maryland, Junior, Attack
Matt Ward, Virginia, Junior, Attack
Matt Zash, Duke, Junior, Midfield
ACC Player of the Year
Matt Danowski, Duke
Freshman of the Year
Zack Greer, Duke
Coach of the Year
Michael Pressler, Duke
Colonial (CAA)
FIRST TEAM Name, School Pos. Yr. Hometown/High School Athan Iannucci, Hofstra A So. Glen Eagle, B.C./Gleneagle Cam Howard, Delaware A So. Wilmington, Del./Tatnall School Kiel Adams, Sacred Heart A Jr. Rome, N.Y./RFA Jordan Hall, Delaware M So. Surrey, B.C./Fleetwood Park Casey Cittadino, Towson M Jr. Baldwin, N.Y./Baldwin Matt Robideau, Sacred Heart M Jr. Massena, N.Y./Massena Ted Turnblacer, Towson LSM Jr. Severna Park, Md./St. Mary's Alex Smith, Delaware FO So. Timonium, Md./Boy's Latin Brett Moyer, Hofstra D Jr. Ridley Park, Pa./Ridley Jon Urbana, Villanova D Sr. Denver, Colo./Denver East Adam Cummins, Towson D Sr. Doylestown, Pa./LaSalle Reed Sothoron, Towson GK Sr. Lexington Park, Md./St. Mary's Ryken SECOND TEAM Name, School Pos. Yr. Hometown/High School Chris Unterstein, Hofstra A Jr. Shoreham, N.Y./Shoreham-Wading River Steve Mull, Towson A Jr. Fallston, Md./Fallston Bobby Griebe, Towson A So. Bel Air, Md./Boys' Latin Chris Kramer, Villanova M Sr. Massapequa Park, N.Y./St. Anthony's Joe Trentzsch, Delaware M Sr. Fallston, Md./Fallston Matt Starker, Villanova M Jr. Summit, N.J./Summit Steve Grossi, Drexel LSM Fr. Wallingford, Pa./Strath Haven Matt Eckerl, Towson FO So. Baltimore, Md./Calvert Hall Matt Slotman, Drexel D Sr. Moorestown, N.J./Moorestown Adam Crystal, Drexel D So. Baldwin, N.Y./Baldwin Taylor Bloor, Delaware D Jr. Corning, N.Y./Corning East Chris Collins, Delaware GK Sr. Yorktown Heights, N.Y./Lakeland Panas Joe Canuso, Villanova GK Jr. Moorestown, N.J./MoorestownCAA Player of the Year: Jordan Hall, So., M, Delaware
CAA Defensive of the Year: Brett Moyer, Jr., D, Hofstra
CAA Rookie of the Year: Mike Unterstein, Fr., A, Hofstra
CAA Coach of the Year: Bob Shillinglaw, Delaware
Offensive Player of the Year: Sean Morris, Massachusetts Jr.
Defensive Player of the Year: Brodie Merrill, Georgetown Sr.
Goaltender of the Year: Michael Fretwell, Loyola Jr.
Rookie of the Year: Daryl Veltman, Hobart Fr.
Coach of the Year Glenn Thiel, Penn State
First Team All-League
A Nate Hill, Hobart Sr.
A Jeff Zywicki, Massachusetts Sr.
A Sean Morris, Massachusetts Jr.
M Nick Miaritis, Georgetown Sr.
M Chris Doyle, Massachusetts Sr.
M Pat Heim, Penn State So.
D Brodie Merrill, Georgetown Sr.
D Jack Reid, Massachusetts Jr.
D Jesse Tarr, Penn State Sr.
G Michael Fretwell, Loyola Jr.
Second Team All-League
A Sean Denihan, Georgetown Jr.
A Matt Monfett, Loyola Sr.
A Nate Whitaker, Penn State Jr.
M Pete Cannon, Georgetown Jr.
M Andy Spack, Loyola So.
M Chris David, Hobart So.
D Reyn Garnett, Georgetown Jr.
D Aaron Paskalis, Massachusetts Sr.
D Greg McCarthy, Hobart Sr.
G Rich D'Andrea, Georgetown Jr.
First Team
#5 Will Meister Sophomore Air Force
#44 Matt Brown Senior Denver
#6 Pat Walsh Junior Notre Dame
#18 Justin Kuchta Sophomore Air Force
#3 Scott Davidson Senior Denver
#8 Greg Downing Sophomore Fairfield
#11 Tom Randisi Senior Ohio State
#14 Steve Forsythe Junior Butler
#30 ChristianAnderson Senior Denver
#21 DJ Driscoll Junior Notre Dame
#11 Justin Pavoni Junior Air Force
Offensive Player of the Year: Greg Downing - Fairfield (#8, Sophomore, Midfielder)
Defensive Player of the Year: DJ Driscoll - Notre Dame (#21, Junior, Defender)
Goalie of the Year: Justin Pavoni - Air Force (#11, Junior)
Rookie of the Year: Joey Kemp - Notre Dame (#1, Goalie)
Coach of the Year: Ted Spencer - Fairfield
Second Team
#19 Nick Vosburgh Freshman Butler
#10 Mike Bocklet Sophomore Fairfield
#34 Jim Morrison Senior Notre Dame
#36 Cliff Smith Freshman Butler
#20 Greer Hanlon Senior Denver
#17 Matt Karweck Junior Notre Dame
#10 Andrew Bender Junior Ohio State
#19 Gary Gambarani Junior Butler
#2 Matt Bocklet Freshman Fairfield
#42 Brian Yontz Junior Ohio State
#1 Joey Kemp Freshman Notre Dame
Ivy League
Player of the Year - Sean Greenhalgh, Cornell, Sr., St. Catharines, Ontario
Rookie of the Year - Dan Cocoziello, Princeton, Fr., Oldwick, N.J.
First Team
Attack - Jamie Coffin, Dartmouth, Jr., Greenwich, Conn.
Attack - Seth Goldberg, Yale, Sr., Syracuse, N.Y.
Attack - *Sean Greenhalgh, Cornell, Sr., St. Catharines, Ontario
Attack - Kevin Nee, Cornell, Sr., Canton, N.Y.
Midfield - Joe Boulukos, Cornell, Jr., Huntington, N.Y.
Midfield - *Ben Grinnell, Dartmouth, Sr., Waccabuc, N.Y.
Midfield - Justin Redd, Cornell, Sr., Towson, Md.
Defense - Oliver Barry, Princeton, Sr., New York, N.Y.
Defense - *Kyle Georgalas, Cornell, Sr., Mahopac, N.Y.
Defense - *Pat Keeley, Dartmouth, Sr., Potomac, Md.
Goalkeeper - Matt McMonagle, Cornell, So., Bryn Mawr, Pa.
Second Team
Attack - Chazz Woodson, Brown, Sr., Virginia Beach, Va.
Attack - Peter Trombino, Princeton, So., Huntington Station, N.Y.
Midfield - Dan Kallaugher, Yale, Jr., Glyndon, Md.
Midfield - David Schecter, Yale, Jr., Sea Ranch Lakes, Fla.
Midfield - Scott Sowanick, Princeton, So., Bethesda, Md.
Defense - Brian Mulholland, Yale, Sr., New Vernon, N.J.
Defense - Bobby Shields, Brown, So., Hampstead, N.H.
Defense - Tom Mikula, Harvard, Jr., Chester, Md.
Goalkeeper - Andrew Goldstein, Dartmouth, Sr., Milton, Mass.
Honorable Mention
Attack - D.J. Andrzewski, Penn, Jr., Parkton, Md.; Jason Doneger, Princeton, Sr., Hewlett, N.Y.; Nick Bonacci, Dartmouth, So., Crofton, Md. Midfield - Kyle Wailes, Brown, Toronto, Ontario; Chuck Mucciolo, Brown, Sr., Manhasset, N.Y.; Britton Derkac, Brown, Sr., Virginia Beach, Va.; Mike Gaudio, Princeton, So., Cheshire, Conn. Defense - Adam White, Dartmouth, Sr., Damariscotta, Maine; Dan Cocoziello, Princeton, Fr., Oldwick, N.J.; Andrew Blechman, Penn, Jr., Potomac, Md.; Tim Sullivan, Princeton, Sr., Cockeysville, Md.; Mike Pisco, Cornell, Jr., Duxbury, Mass. Goalkeeper - Evan O'Donnell, Harvard, Fr., Guilderland, N.Y.; Nick Gentilesco, Brown, Jr., Setauket, N.Y.
Metro Atlantic (MAAC)
Offensive Player of the Year
Matt Warner, Mount St. Mary's
Defensive Player of the Year
Brett Warmington, Manhattan
Rookie of the Year
Dan Needle, Marist
Co-Coaches of the Year
Tim McIntee, Manhattan
Brian Brecht, Siena
First Team
Matt Warner Mount St. Mary's A Jr. Corning, NY
John Hollister Providence A Sr. Longmeadow, MA
Justin Otto Manhattan A Sr. Merrick, NY
Eugene Tanner Manhattan A Sr. Medford, NY
Leo McInerney VMI A Sr. Syracuse, NY
Tim Iuculano Marist M Jr. Silver Spring, MD
Billy Jautze Mount St. Mary's M Sr. Setawket, NY
Billy Duerr Marist M Jr. Manasquan, NJ
Dan Giuntini Providence M Sr. Floral Park, NY
Brett Warmington Manhattan D Sr. Hudson, OH
Andrew McMinn Providence G Sr. Pittsburgh, PA
Second Team
Dan Carey Canisius A Jr. Peterborough, Ont.
Kevin Ross Canisius A So. Toronto, Ont.
Chris Oppito Manhattan M So. West Babylon, NY
Eric Seifert Mount St. Mary's M So. Dover, DE
Gerard McCloskey Manhattan D Sr. Centereach, NY
Mark Paquette Marist D Sr. Wading River, NY
James Courter Providence D So. Lincoln Park, NJ
Marc Reynolds Saint Joseph's D Sr. Madison, CT
Pat Farrell Mount St. Mary's D Jr. Cold Spring Harbor, NY
Matt Vinc Canisius D Sr. St. Cahtarines, Ont.
Harry Mendez Mount St. Mary's D Sr. Baltimore, MD
Stephen Gravino Marist G Jr. East Meadow, NY
Justin Henry Manhattan G So. West Babylon, NY
Patriot League
First Team
Pos. Name, School Yr. Hometown/Last School A John Walker, Army Jr. Dix Hills, NY/Half Hollow Hills West A Jim Wagner, Army Sr. Grand Island, NY/Grand Island A Chris Cara, Bucknell Sr. Medford, NY/Patchogue-Medford M Mike Obringer, Army Jr. Baltimore, MD/Dulaney M Graham Gill, Navy Sr. Medford, NJ/Shawnee M Billy Looney, Navy So. Silver Spring, MD/DeMatha M (Sp.) Chris Pieczonka, Navy Sr. Hamburg, NY/Hamburg D Matt Luyster, Army Jr. Hicksville, NY/Hicksville D Michael Abou Jaoude, Bucknell Jr. San Francisco, CA/St. Ignatius D Mitch Hendler, Navy Sr. Reisterstown, MD/Boys' Latin GK Matt Russell, Navy Jr. Madison, Conn./Fairfield PrepSecond Team
Pos. Name, School Yr. Hometown/Last School A Pat Christensen, Bucknell Sr. Leonardtown, MD/St. Mary's Ryken A Andrew Lucas, Lehigh Sr. Baldwin, NY/Oceanside A Jon Birsner, Navy Jr. Levittown, NY/MacArthur M (Sp.) Ryan Goodman, Bucknell Sr. Franklin Lakes, NJ/Dwight Englewood M Alec Hooff, Lehigh So. Alexandria, VA/Lawrenceville School M Steve Looney, Navy Jr. Silver Spring, MD/DeMatha Catholic M (Sp.) Clipper Lennon, Navy Sr. Westminster, MD/Loyola D Nick Doerr, Army Sr. Elbridge, NY/Jordan-Elbridge D Jeffrey King, Lehigh Jr. Levittown, NY/MacArthur D Mike Felber, Navy Sr. Penfield, NY/McQuaid Jesuit GK Frank DiFilippo, Navy Sr. Springfield, VA/West Springfield(Sp.) = Specialist
Offensive Player of the Year - Chris Cara, Bucknell
Defensive Player of the Year - Matt Luyster, Army
Goalkeeper of the Year - Matt Russell, Navy
Rookie of the Year - Matt Scheel, Army
Coach of the Year - Sid Jamieson, Bucknell


text:
Posted at: 07/26/2013 7:46 AM
Updated at: 07/27/2013 3:28 PM
By: Jennie Olson
The Stillwater Prison was on lockdown Friday, the Department of Corrections has confirmed.
All visiting at the prison has been canceled through the weekend, and security operations are ongoing.
John Schadl with the Department of Corrections says the lockdown is not the result of a fight or disturbance but wasn't able to confirm any additional information. Officials also say all of the inmates are safe and that the lockdown wasn't sparked by one major incident.
Prison lockdowns are a tool that staff members use to get every inmate into his cell, accounted for and safe. This can free up the staff to do other tasks that might be more labor-intensive.
While partial lockdowns can be used on a regular basis, full lockdowns are not as common. Earlier this year there was a full prison lockdown in St. Cloud so that staff could search for contraband. The last time there was a full lockdown at Stillwater was in the fall of 2010.
The Stillwater Prison is Minnesota's largest "close" Level 4 security facility, which is just below Level 5 maximum security. It currently has 1,613 inmates.
Schadl says more information will come when operations are complete. Stay with KSTP.com as we work to bring you more details.


text:
Charles Kinbote/King Charles Xavier the Beloved of Zembla
A socially awkward professor at Wordsmith University in New Wye who lives next to, and idolizes, the poet who penned "Pale Fire".
John Shade
This renowned poet teaches at Wordsmith University, and wrote the autobiographical poem "Pale Fire," in the month prior his death in July 1959.
Sybil Shade
This person is the love interest of the author of "Pale Fire", and the only character who sees the poem prior to its completion.
Hazel Shade
This character commits suicide after being rejected by a blind date.
Jakob Gradus (a.k.a. Jack Degree, Jacques de Grey, James de
This escaped lunatic kills the author or "Pale Fire" in a case of mistaken identity.
Gerald Emerald
This character goes by a pseudonym and calls a fellow professor "the Great Beaver."
Dr. Nattochdag
This character...
(read more Character Descriptions)
This section contains 677 words
(approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page)


text: Market Turbulence Sounds Warning for ERISA Fiduciaries By Gregory L. Ash, Spencer Fane Britt & Browne LLP 10/1/2008 Permissions The turmoil in the financial markets, while troubling for individual investors, also has potentially significant implications for qualified retirement plan fiduciaries under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA). Individuals and committees who have investment authority over retirement plan assets should reevaluate their portfolios and policies in light of these developments. Review Defined Benefit Funding Fiduciaries of defined benefit plans should pay especially close attention to market developments. Plans that were nearly "at risk" (for single employer plans) or "endangered" (for multiemployer plans) under the Pension Protection Act standards as of their most recent actuarial valuations could easily fall below those thresholds as a result of investment losses. Fiduciaries of such plans should consider asking their actuaries to conduct midyear valuations taking into account current market conditions, so that any contribution increases necessary to avoid at-risk or endangered status can be spread over a longer period. Review 401(k) Investment Options Many defined contribution plan fiduciaries are fielding calls from participants who are concerned about the stability of the investment options available to them. Although fiduciaries have significant protection under section 404(c) of ERISA from claims arising out of investment losses suffered by individual participants, the U.S. Department of Labor has long taken the position that if the plan's fiduciaries have selected the funds from which participants may choose imprudently, the 404(c) shield is unavailable. All ERISA fiduciaries are required to fulfill their duties prudently and in light of "the circumstances then prevailing." This standard means that they must take current conditions into account. It does not mean that fiduciaries should abandon long-term investment strategies, but if their conduct comes into question 18 or 24 months from now, a prudent record probably should reflect that the fiduciaries considered how existing conditions could affect the plan. Steps To Take Individual circumstances will dictate whether and how plan fiduciaries should react to market conditions. At a minimum, however, fiduciaries should consider the following steps: 1. Request formal input from the plan's financial advisor. Many advisors are issuing market updates that reflect their general assessment of the situation. Fiduciaries should consider asking their advisor for a more specific assessment of the implications for the plan's investments. 2. Call a special meeting to evaluate the situation. Waiting until the next regularly scheduled meeting of the fiduciaries—which could be months away—might not be considered prudent in light of the market's volatility. Even if the fiduciaries decide that no action is necessary, evidence that they engaged in such an evaluation will show that they are acting prudently in light of current circumstances. Be sure to reflect the substance of the fiduciaries' deliberations in meeting minutes. 3. For defined benefit plans, evaluate whether an interim actuarial valuation is advisable. If additional contributions will be required to avoid falling into at-risk or endangered status, those contributions might hurt a little less if they can be spread out over several months. Gregory L. Ash is a partner in law firm Spencer Fane's Overland Park, Kansas office, where he is a member of the firm's employee benefits group and chair of its ERISA litigation group. He contributes to the firm's Benefits Law Center Blog. Permissions Related Content Fiduciary Decisions and the Fee Transparency Movement Pension Plans Still at Risk from Global Economic Downturn IRS: 2009 Retirement Plan Contribution Limits Retirement Plan Sponsors Focusing on Investment Monitoring, Decision Making Record Drop Seen in Retirement Confidence TOP PICKS: LEGAL & REGULATORY DEVELOPMENTS FLSA Essentials Manual Online compliance guide with update service. Webcast: Who and What Federal Contractors Must Count Cara Crotty on new rules for employers doing business with the government. Available on demand. Seminar: California HR Learn critical California workplace regulations. Oct. 26-27, L.A. Labor Law Posters State and federal labor law posters with one-year update service. U.S. Immigration Essentials SHRM Seminar - Oct. 2015 in Los Angeles; Nov. 2015 in Houston Workplace Compliance E-Newsletter Free weekly update, summarizing legal decisions, legislative news and regulatory news. Whistleblowing, Reporting, & Retaliation Online course from SHRM E-Learning Express Request: Same-Sex Marriage Learn implications of Supreme Court's recent ruling. Webcast: The ACA After the Supreme Court Sibyl Bogardus discusses what employers should do now. Available now on-demand. Swipe for more! ADVERTISING LINKS


text: Here's my story in brief...24 weeks pregnant, so far no problems other than some water retention (last checkup gained 5 lbs in one month - 13 in total - which after monitoring my salt intake and staying away from processed foods, has disappeared). BP started out at 115/65 and is now 120/70. Have some minor pain in my upper abdomen (like between my rib cage) that is controlled by not eating raw fruits and veggies (only cooked). Travelled this past weekend (with my doc's ok) and was fine except I thought I was getting a UTI. Turns out no UTI but one day had major urethra pain/pressure (I was highly agitated and was crying all morning) so called my doc who told me to go to the nearest hospital to be monitored. They found bacterial vaginosis and was given antibiotics, which seem to be making me feel much better (pain is gone). While at the hospital, baby was fine, strong heartbeat, excellent fetal movement (he kicked the nurse but hard!). However, when I first checked in, my bp was 157/87 (mind you when I went to my doc 2 days earlier it was 120/70). When I picked up my prescription about 2 hours later, the machine told me my bp was 130/71...much reduced. Is it possible that this was just a one time off thing because I was stressed about the hospital? I really don't have any other symptoms....no headaches (except the occassional which is remedied by Tylenol), no huge abdominal/back pain, vision is great, no protein in urine. Am I to see my doctor next week and I'm wondering if I'm just panicking. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.


text:
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Mrs. Huntsman of Florida, on the stump
POLITICO's Kasie Hunt notes that Mary Kaye Huntsman is making her solo flight on the stump tomorrow.
The location is Florida, where the campaign is headquarters and where she was raised, and the event is a meeting with delegates to Presidency V, the straw poll her husband is organizing for.Continue Reading
Mrs. Huntsman, like others including Mitt Romney's wife and Tim Pawlenty's wife, have stood out In a political season of spouses largely ducking the trail or openly unhappy about the prospect of a campaign.
Get reporter alerts
Maggie Haberman


text:
+myConnections: Engage your community - connect to news, events and information you care about. View more information...
View your community's facilities and features online with the new Facilities Module.View the new Facilities
Personalize your online experience to stay up-to-date on news, events and other information.View My Dashboard
For people who are looking to engage in discussions about using foundations (like the Washington State Parks Foundation) and individual park friends groups to aid in the preservation, maintenance, and improvement of Washington State Parks.
Automated pay station: This park is equipped with an automated pay station for visitors to purchase a one-day or annual Discover Pass and boat launch permit.


text:
We work with the spine, not just because it's often the source of neck and back pain, but because it houses and protects the central nervous system – that system which monitors, controls and regulates all body function, and allows the body to adapt to internal and external influences.
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text:
|Terry Suzette Coffey
|Thursday, 24 April 2014 13:48
Terry Suzette Coffey 64 of Glasgow, died Thursday, April 24, 2014 at the Glasgow Health and Rehab. Born in Glasgow she was the daughter of the late Lorne and Gladys Jennings Coffey.
Survivors include 1 sister Geralean Anderson and husband Robert of Glasgow; 3 brothers Barry Coffey and wife Georgia, Larry Coffey and wife Barbara and Gary Coffey and wife Pam all of Glasgow; 1 sister-in-law Jean Garrison Coffey of Glasgow and several nieces and nephews also survive.
In addition to her parents she was preceded in death by 1 brother Carroll Coffey.
Funeral services will be held 3:00PM Saturday, April 26, 2014 at the A. F. Crow & Son Funeral Home with burial in the Glasgow Municipal Cemetery. Visitation will be after 3:00PM Friday at the funeral home.


text:
NBA Playoffs 2009
Print without images
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Cavs advanced as far as they could
By Chris Broussard
ESPN The Magazine
LeBron James had 25 points in Game 6 but was held scoreless in the second quarter by the Magic.
ORLANDO -- I have an old college teammate who is hurting right now. Born and raised in Cleveland, he nearly cried in his dorm room after "The Fumble" cost the Browns a trip to Super Bowl XXII in 1988.
He obviously enjoyed this season's Cavaliers, but he celebrated their every victory and individual accolade with caution, fearing that come playoff time, they would be "exposed."
His fears were well warranted.
The annals will record this as the first time in the
LeBron James
era when the Cavaliers didn't go as far as -- or further than -- they were supposed to in the postseason, the third-seeded
Orlando Magic
's 4-2 victory in the Eastern Conference finals marking James' first loss to a lower seed.
But the truth is that despite winning a league-best 66 games, the Cavaliers
go as far as they were supposed to. The Magic, 103-90 winners in Saturday's Game 6 and the flat-out better team, merely exposed them.
That's not an insult to the Cavs.
They did exactly what every coach hopes and prays his team will do during the regular season: With few exceptions, the Cavs protected their home court and beat the teams they were supposed to.
Zoned in and focused for nearly all 82 games, they fattened up on the New Yorks, the Milwaukees and the Chicagos and even the really good clubs like Portland, San Antonio and Dallas. Amazingly, only four of their 16 losses were to teams with losing records.
They kept it up in the playoffs, whipping Detroit and Atlanta in eight straight games.
But the scary truth, the elephant in the room, the family secret they had hoped to ignore and keep hidden, was that they were just 3-6 during the regular season against the ultraelite: Boston, Orlando and the
Los Angeles Lakers
. Those six losses were by an average of 13.8 points, five of them coming by double figures. And that's not even including the 19-point shellacking the Rockets put on them in Houston.
The Cavs' 66-16 record was a tribute to their hard work, professionalism and the greatness of LeBron.
"It wasn't about a lack of effort," Cleveland coach Mike Brown said, explaining the loss to the Magic. "It wasn't about a lack of passion. It wasn't about a lack of heart. Our guys have that. To accomplish the things that we did, you have to display that the entire year."
What the Cavs lack is elite talent.
Oh, they have
elite talent -- James, the league MVP and arguably the best player on the globe. But outside of LeBron, who averaged 38.5 points, 8.3 rebounds and 8.0 assists during this series, the Cavaliers are a bunch of role players. Smart, savvy, hard-nosed role players, but role players nonetheless.
The Cavs are the only team in the NBA that's even close to title contention with only one star.
The Lakers have
Kobe Bryant
Pau Gasol
and a star-quality talent in
Lamar Odom
, not to mention the developing
Andrew Bynum
. The Magic have
Dwight Howard
Rashard Lewis
Hedo Turkoglu
-- the three best players in this series after LeBron -- not to mention injured All-Star
Jameer Nelson
The Nuggets have
Carmelo Anthony
Chauncey Billups
. Houston has
Yao Ming
Ron Artest
Tracy McGrady
). San Antonio has
Tim Duncan
Tony Parker
Manu Ginobili
. Boston has
Kevin Garnett
Paul Pierce
Ray Allen
The Cavs?
The Eastern Conference coaches, a group that places winning above all else, did not vote any of LeBron's teammates to the All-Star team even though the Cavs had the best record in the league at the time. That tells you what the coaches think of Cleveland's talent. It was NBA commissioner David Stern, not the coaches, who made
Mo Williams
an All-Star replacement for Nelson.
Folks missed something former Lakers player and coach Jerry West said two weeks ago when he called LeBron the game's top player. Before he opined that LeBron had surpassed Kobe, West gave his reasoning for praising James: "I look at Cleveland and say to myself, 'How many games could they win without LeBron James?'"
In another interview, this one with a local Cleveland radio station, West, one of the greatest team builders in league history, said the Cavs would be a lottery team without James.
He's right. Take away LeBron, and a lineup of Williams,
Delonte West
Wally Szczerbiak
Anderson Varejao
Zydrunas Ilgauskas
would not be better than eighth-seeded Detroit, seventh-seeded Chicago or sixth-seeded Philadelphia.
Williams, the closest thing James has to a star sidekick, is very good. But he may not even be one of the league's top 10 point guards.
Delonte West, who played well on Saturday, is ideally a first guard off the bench, a tough, skilled player who can man both guard spots. But at just 6-foot-3, he's too small to start at shooting guard, especially next to the 6-1 Williams.
Varejao is also ideally suited for coming off the bench as an energy guy, unless he's playing next to a powerful force such as Howard. But he's playing next to Ilgauskas, who will turn 34 years old next week and has become strictly a finesse player.
And the main bench guys --
Ben Wallace
Joe Smith
and Szczerbiak -- are all at the tail end of their careers.
Criticize Brown all you want, but he threw everything imaginable at Orlando. Without a big man who could guard Howard one-on-one -- such as Detroit's
Rasheed Wallace
or Boston's
Kendrick Perkins
-- and with just one long, athletic defender (LeBron), the Cavs simply didn't have the personnel to stop the Magic.
Orlando torched them all series long, shooting 48 percent from the floor in averaging 103.7 points. In Game 6, the Cavs didn't pick their poison, they gave up everything, as Howard scored 40 and Orlando made 12 3-pointers.
To their credit, the Cavs tried to upgrade their talent at the trade deadline. They had serious interest in
Shaquille O'Neal
and were discussing a deal with the Suns involving Wallace and
Sasha Pavlovic
. But Phoenix, which had just replaced fired coach Terry Porter with Alvin Gentry, wanted to play out the season and see how far it could go with Shaq.
In the end, it didn't work out for Cleveland or Phoenix.
A month ago, James was on top of the basketball world, sharing his first Most Valuable Player award with those closest to him in a touching ceremony at his alma mater, St. Vincent-St. Mary High School in Akron, Ohio.
Not only did he feel like the best player on the globe, but he also felt as though he was on his way to winning the NBA title, an achievement that would've given Cleveland its first major sports championship in 45 years.
Instead, he became like the previous four MVPs, finishing his season under a cloud of disappointment that eclipsed the euphoria of winning the league's ultimate individual honor.
He felt so awful that he not only walked off the court without congratulating the Magic but also left Amway Arena without speaking with the media.
James, unlike many other All-Stars, speaks to reporters before nearly every regular-season and playoff game and is easily the most accessible superstar in the league. But Saturday, after dressing quickly, he threw on his headphones, left the locker room and walked straight to the Cavaliers' bus without saying a word to anyone.
Reserve guard
Daniel Gibson
said James told his teammates in the locker room after the game, "Don't hold your heads down. We gave it our best shot, and they won."
It's not clear whether LeBron spoke with any teammates individually.
"I haven't talked to him yet," said Williams, his closest friend on the team. "He's just disappointed. It's like you're at Christmastime and you want that remote control car. You've been begging your mom for the whole time, and Christmas comes, and you open up a present and you open up another present, another present, and you never see that remote control car. You can have 10 presents, but if you don't have that remote control car, you're going to be sad and disappointed anyway."
Although James may not say it, what he really needs by Christmas -- actually, make that Labor Day -- is some more talent playing beside him.
Chris Broussard is a senior writer at ESPN The Magazine.


text:
Measures sought to spur bourse
The Ministry of Finance and the state Securities Commission (SSC), together with other relevant agencies, proposed plans to give a fresh boost to the stagnant bourse.
The total stock market capitalisation makes up roughly 1% of the country's gross domestic product although it rose a lot in 2004, according to the SSC. The target is 4-5% this year and 10-15% by 2010.
In the next five years SSC will develop a bond market where companies can gain easier access to mid-and long-term capital, a move that will in turn help reduce risks for banks, which are now the main financiers in the economy, said SSC vice chair Nguyen Doan Hung said.
The first approach is to set up a credit rating agency, Hung said. SSC will then allow those corporations and big companies with high ratings to issue bonds on the bourse.
The current Securities Trading Centre (STC) will be developed into a real stock exchange, where companies can seek approval for any bond and share issues while securities firms can provide full services such as brokerage, dealing, consulting, portfolio management, underwriting and custody.
A second bourse in Hanoi is expected to make debut some time before the Lunar New Year holidays, or Tet, which falls on February 9, as an over-the counter market for small companies to trade their shares.
Last year, there was an additional 12.5 trillion dong worth of shares trading on the STC, a 93.4%year-on-year increase.
Securities firms made big contributions to stirring the market, underwriting share issues by 20 companies going public, and providing consulting for 100 companies to undergo equitisation and 10 companies to list on the bourse.
The number of accounts opened at 13 securities firms had reached 20,300 by end 2004, up 18%.
The market, which now has 26 corporate stocks, one equity fund stock and one corporate bond, has its average trading value of 80 billion dong a session.
Category: Stocks


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