text:
|Número de publicación
|Tipo de publicación
|Número de solicitud
|Número de PCT
|Fecha de publicación
|8 May 2008
|Fecha de presentación
|13 Ene 2006
|Fecha de prioridad
|14 Ene 2005
|También publicado como
|Número de publicación
|Martin N. Bureau, Jean-Gabriel Legoux, Sylvain Belanger
|Cesionario original
|National Research Council Of Canada
|Exportar cita
|BiBTeX, EndNote, RefMan
|Citada por (47), Clasificaciones (52), Eventos legales (1)
|Enlaces externos: USPTO, Cesión de USPTO, Espacenet
This application claims the benefit of priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/643,599 filed Jan. 14, 2005, and of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/676,299 filed May 2, 2005, each of which is incorporated herein by reference.
The present invention relates generally to thermal spraying, and particularly relates to a tie layer formulation and a method for bonding a coating to a thermoplastic-based substrate.
The formation and adhesion of thermal spray coatings over heat sensitive materials is a technical challenge. Historically numerous techniques have been used to overcome this problem. However, no solution has been found for thermal spraying thermoplastic-based substrates, such as unfilled thermoplastics polymers, particle- or fiber-filled thermoplastic polymers, fiber reinforced composites with a thermoplastic matrix, that is applicable to a large variety of materials.
The use of thermoplastic composites in automotive, transport, aeronautical, industrial, and medical applications is in rapid expansion. In order to improve their performance and take advantage of their unique properties, it is becoming more and more important to modify the surface properties of thermoplastic-based materials to respond to the peculiar conditions that real service conditions are imposing to parts made from these materials, including wear & abrasion, thermal shock or extreme temperature exposition, indentation & fretting, sliding, chemical, biochemical and biologic environments, etc. Coatings need to be design to improve the performance of these thermoplastic-base materials, i.e., by improving their resistance to wear & abrasion, thermal shock or extreme temperature exposition, indentation & fretting, sliding, chemical, biochemical and biologic environments, and providing their biocompatibility, bioinertness, bioactivity, osteoconductivity, osteoinductivity, hemocompatibility, etc.
In order to produce coatings over heat sensitive parts, such as thermoset-based materials, including glass or carbon fiber/epoxy composites, numerous techniques have been used. Depending on the application and the nature of the coating, different types of thermal sprayed chemically bonded coats have been used [1]. Other techniques for bonding coatings have also been described, some involve as forming of a topography at the surface conducive to bonding (e.g. roughing the surface), or binding the layer to exposed fibers, which act as anchor points [2], adding a particle-charged thermoset resin at the surface of parts [3], or using high power heat removal devices [4]. These techniques have been mostly used on thermoset-based materials. Some research has been directed toward the production using thermal spraying of ceramic particle/thermoplastic compounds [5-8]. Research is also directed to potential use of chemical bond coats made of low melting point materials (Huber, EP00052186A1) or blends of polymer and metals [9,10]. Electrochemical solution has also been suggested to be used if the bond material is Cu or Ni [1]. However, none of these techniques are independent of the sprayed materials which might be prohibited for certain applications.
Disadvantageously, the use of adhesives which form chemical bonds between a substrate and a coating may cause undesirable results for the thermoplastic substrate, and thus an alternative to an adhesive is desirable.
It is an object of the present invention to obviate or mitigate at least one disadvantage of previous thermoplastics or previous methods for forming thermoplastics.
According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided a tie layer for bonding a ceramic or metallic coating to a thermoplastic substrate, comprising from 2 to 70% filler particles in a thermoplastic matrix, the thermoplastic matrix being compatible with the thermoplastic substrate, and the filler particles being ceramic, metallic, or a combination or composite thereof.
A further aspect of the invention provides a method of bonding a ceramic or metallic coating to a thermoplastic substrate comprising: applying a tie layer to the substrate, the tie layer comprising a thermoplastic matrix compatible with the thermoplastic substrate, and from 2 to 70% filler particles embedded in the matrix, the filler particles being ceramic, metallic, or a combination or composite thereof; and bonding the ceramic or metallic coating to the tie layer using a coating process that consolidates the substrate, the tie layer and the coating.
Another aspect of the invention provides a method of bonding a ceramic or metallic coating to an implantable prosthetic bone comprising applying a tie layer, as described herein, to a prosthetic bone and subsequently bonding the ceramic or metallic coating to the tie layer using thermal spray material deposition.
Advantageously, the filler particles act to shield the substrate from the coating process. For example when the coating process comprises a thermal spray, the capacity of the filler particles to withstand and absorb applied heat prevents damage of the substrate surface, while allowing the compatible thermoplastic matrix to bond to the thermoplastic substrate. In this way, the applied heat required in a thermal spray process does not damage the substrate.
As a further advantage, filler particles found within the tie layer act to bind mechanically through mechanical interlocking or chemically through chemical affinity of the ceramic or metallic material of the coating and the filler particles of the tie layer with the applied ceramic or metallic layer that is applied thereon in the coating process. In the embodiment where the surface of the tie layer has exposed filler particles at the surface, or is modified to have such particles exposed, the coating process allows the ceramic or metallic coating to bond with exposed filler, while the thermoplastic component of the tie layer consolidates with the substrate below.
As a further advantage, for such coating processes that do not require application of heat, the consolidation of the tie layer with the substrate still allows shielding of the substrate. For example, if chemical application of the coating would have deleterious effects on the substrate, the tie may perform the function of a protective barrier.
Advantageously, the use of a tie layer in bonding ceramic or metallic coatings to a thermoplastic substrate allows for superior bonding, and prevents problems relating to quality control for coatings on substrates subjected to rigorous use. The tie layer may prevent or reduce chipping or wear of a ceramic or metallic coating, and may allow application of coatings which were previously believed to be to difficult to accomplish.
Other aspects and features of the present invention will become apparent to those ordinarily skilled in the art upon review of the following description of specific embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying figures.
Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the attached Figures.
Generally, the present invention provides a tie layer for bonding a ceramic or metallic coating to a thermoplastic substrate. The tie layer comprises from 2 to 70% of metallic or ceramic filler particles in a thermoplastic matrix. The thermoplastic matrix is compatible with the thermoplastic substrate.
The thermoplastic matrix. The thermoplastic matrix may be formed of any polymer that is compatible with the substrate to be coated. By "compatible", it is meant able to melt, meld, or otherwise bond together in a permanent manner. A number of known thermoplastics may be used with the invention, some of which are provided in the following list: PA, polyamide; PET, polyethylene terephthalate; PBT, polybutylene terephthalate; PSU, polysulfone; PES, polyethersulfone; PAS, polyarylsulfone; PPS, polyphenylene sulfide; PC, polycarbonate; PA, polyamide; PAI, polyamide-imide; TPI, thermoplastic polyimide; PAEK, polyaryletherketone; PEEK, polyetheretherketone; PAEN, polyarylethernitrile; PE, polyethylene; PP, polypropylene; PEK, polyetherketone, or a combination of these. Of course, other thermoplastics may be used with the invention. An exemplary thermoplastic matrix for use with the tie layer is polyamide 12 (PA12). The thermoplastic matrix may be one that is miscible with the polymeric composition of the substrate. Co-polymers, composites, such as nano-composites may be used.
The filler particles. The filler particles embedded within the tie layer are particles of metallic or ceramic materials, or combinations or composites of such materials, with or without a specific aspect ratio. Hydroxyapatite, stainless steel, WC—Co, zirconia (ZrO2), alumina (Al2O3), silica (SiO2) or titania (TiO2) may also be used. Other such materials not listed here may also be employed, depending on the desired application. Exemplary filler particles may be formed of hydroxyapatite, Ti, titanium oxide, a CaP ceramic, or composites or combinations of these.
The filler particles are present at a level adequate to provide shielding to the substrate below, and generally fall within the approximate range of from 2 to 70% of the tie layer (by volume). In a preferred embodiment, the tie layer may comprise from 10 to 40% filler particles.
The particles may be of any acceptable size or shape adequate to effect such shielding. For example, particles may be spherical, irregular, filamentous, or fibrous. In general, the particles can range in average diameter from 1 nm to 100 μm. particles in the size range of nano particles, for example having a diameter of from 1 nm to 100 nm, may be used. Further particles ranging in diameter from 100 nm to 100 μm, in the micro particle range, may be used. Nano and micro particles may be used either alone or in combination with each other.
Properties of the tie layer. The tie layer may have a thickness of from 0.05 to 1 mm., for example 200-300 μm. Filler particles may be exposed on the surface of the tie layer, so as to permit direct contact between the ceramic or metallic coating and the embedded particles in the tie layer. The exposed particles may be either incidentally present after formation of the tie layer, or may be emphasized using a tie layer surface modification (such as sand blasting, etching, scratching, or polishing), as described further with reference to the method of forming the tie layer.
The tie layer may be pre-formed in the form of a film, or may be formed directly on the substrate surface, as described in more detail below.
Method for forming the tie layer. The invention further relates to a method of bonding a ceramic or metallic coating to a thermoplastic substrate. In a broad aspect, the method comprises applying a tie layer to the substrate followed by bonding the coating to the tie layer so as to consolidate the substrate, tie layer and coating. The tie layer comprises a thermoplastic matrix compatible with the thermoplastic substrate, and contains from 2 to 70% filler particles embedded in the matrix. The filler particles being formed of ceramic, metallic, or of a combination or composite of both ceramic and metallic, have a higher heat capacity than the thermoplastic substrate. This allows the filler particles to absorb and withstand the applied heat, protecting the substrate below. Bonding of the ceramic or metallic coating to the tie layer is conducted using a coating process that consolidates the substrate, the tie layer and the coating.
The coating process may comprises any procedure that allows the substrate, tie layer and coating to bond together. A general example of this is thermal spray material deposition. Other specific coating processes which may be used include, for example, plasma spraying, arc-spraying, high velocity oxy-fuel spraying (HVOF), cold spraying, vacuum plasma spraying (VPS), kinetic metallization, or cold gas dynamic application.
According to an embodiment of the invention, the tie layer may be formed as a film prior to application to the substrate. In this case, the film may be formed in any way acceptable in the art, for example by extruding a film stretched from melt, or by blowing a film from melt form using air.
According to another embodiment of the invention, the tie layer can be applied to the substrate as a dry powdered mixture. The dry powdered mixture could then be melted and will form a uniform surface through application of heat from thermal spray material deposition, radiation or convection heating. In other applications of the invention, it may be desirable to have non-uniform application of the dry powdered mixture, so that the regions without a tie layer act as a mask to prevent later bonding of the coating, if desired. In the instance where a dry powder is used, the mixture melts and forms a tie layer under the ceramic or metallic coating upon application of the coating through thermal spray material deposition.
According to embodiments of the invention, the tie layer may be applied to the substrate using any acceptable method, for example by spraying, compression molding, injection overmolding, or co-injection molding.
The method may additionally comprise the step of preparing the tie layer surface so as to expose particles on the surface of the tie layer. Examples of such surface preparations (or modifications) include sand blasting, sanding, etching, polishing or scratching.
According to a specific embodiment of the invention, there is provided a method of bonding a ceramic or metallic coating to an implantable prosthetic bone comprising applying a tie layer as disclosed herein to a prosthetic bone and subsequently bonding the ceramic or metallic coating to the tie layer using thermal spray material deposition. Formation of a particular implantable prosthetic bone is disclosed in applicants' co-pending PCT patent application entitled "Implantable biomimetic prosthetic bone" filed on Jan. 13, 2006, the entirety of which is herein incorporated by reference. Briefly, bone tissue at the interface of a bone implant is shielded from stresses found in normal bone because of the higher stiffness or rigidity in the implant versus in bone. The resulting "stress shielding" of the bone by the implant eventually results in resorption of bone at the bone-implant interface and ultimately necessitates replacement of the bone implant. To overcome these problems, an implantable biomimetic prosthetic bone having a rough or porous surface, a fiber-reinforced composite structure, and a polymer-based core is disclosed. The prosthetic bone is a good match for structure, stiffness, viscoelastic properties, specific weight and overall structure as real bone or host tissues adjacent to the prosthetic bone. The prosthetic bone may be formed as a total hip prosthesis. The surface of the prosthetic bone may comprise hydroxyapatite applied to the underlying fiber-reinforced composite. In a particular exemplary embodiment, a tie layer containing hydroxyapatite and PA12 is used to bind a surface layer of hydroxyapatite to a CF/PA12 composite substrate.
According to the invention thermal spray hydroxyapatite (HA) coatings can be successfully applied on a thermoplastic polymer composite substrate. In an exemplary embodiment CF/PA12 is used (68 wt. % long carbon fibers, CF; and 32 wt. % polyamide 12, PA12).
Attempts aimed at coating CF/PA12 composite directly by means of plasma spraying illustrated that proper adhesion of coatings was difficult to achieve, mostly because of the thermal degradation of the composite leading to a destruction of the composite. Other attempts made to create different surface profiles by embossing or machining techniques did not arrive at the success observed with certain embodiments of the invention. It was noted that the presence of fibers at the surface was enhancing the adhesion of the coating, as already described in the literature [2]. Attempts were also made to introduce a layer of particles embedded at composite surface by heating the surface above the polymer matrix melting temperature and pressing the composite over a particle bed. This method was found to improve the adhesion, but did not provide adequate control of the thickness of the particle-rich surface layer. Best adhesion was obtained when particles appeared well embedded in the polymer matrix.
By inserting a tie layer, composed of a thermoplastic matrix that is thermoplastically compatible or miscible within a thermoplastic-based substrate, and a filler in the form of metallic or ceramic particles (with or without a specific aspect ratio), on the surface of the substrate prior to thermal spraying, high quality coatings can be produced on thermoplastic-based materials. These coatings show good mechanical adhesion and very low thermal damage of the heat sensitive thermoplastic-based material substrate.
As used herein, the term 'substrate' designates any object, piece, part or material to be coated using the tie layer according to the invention.
One embodiment of the invention employs a tie layer, produced on a surface of a heat sensitive substrate prior to thermal spray coating, to successfully bind to the tie layer a coat of a ceramic, a metal, or a blend thereof.
Another embodiment of the invention provides a method that allows formation of the tie layer directly at the surface of the substrate during thermal spraying, by placing a dry blend of the constituents of the tie layer described above in the form of particles or powder, which melts and produces a uniform surface tie layer under the action of heat during thermal spraying of the desired coating. Heat may be applied by thermal spraying, or by any other means of radiation or convection heating.
Overmolding, laminating, primary molding or dry powder formation heating are 4 ways of producing the tie layer. Heating of the thermal spray is absorbed by the particles or powder causing them to melt into a particle-filled or powder-filled thermoplastic compound and further mitigating damage to the substrate cause by the heat of the thermal spray.
Another embodiment of the invention allows production of a tie layer, having the composition described herein, by any other means available from polymer chemistry to produce such tie layer. For example, dissolution of a thermoplastic matrix followed blending of filler and solvent extraction to produce the film of tie layer or the raw compound that can be transformed into such a film of tie layer. Other techniques of solidifying a tie layer with the composition described herein can be used in other embodiments.
The invention involves introducing a thermoplastic-based compound in the form of a surface tie layer over a thermoplastic-based substrate. Suitable compositions for the tie layer are described herein which allow bonding or a ceramic and/or metallic layer to a heat sensitive substrate thermoplastic.
The tie layer preferably contains from 2 to 70% (v/v) of particles (i.e. filler) compounded into a thermoplastic matrix. The filler may include ceramic particles (including nitrides, carbides, borides, oxides, and glasses), metals (including alloys), and composites and particle blends thereof. All of these filler particles are applied in similar thermal spray operations (temperatures etc.), and bond in substantially the same manner using mechanical anchoring.
The tie layer may have a thickness ranging from 0.05 to 1 mm.
It has been found that the improvements in coating adhesion results from both the mechanical interlocking of splats in the coating caused by impact of the thermal spray material, and the filler in the surface tie layer of the substrate, and the thermoplastic bond produced between the polymer matrix of the tie layer and the polymer matrix of the substrate. Therefore, any thermal spray coating can be produced using such a tie layer provided that the top surface of the tie layer is prepared to expose the particles enabling mechanical interlocking with the deposition material, and the tie layer can properly dissipate the heat produced by thermal spraying.
Advantageously, the tie layer provides an adequately high filler particle concentration and employs of particles formed of ceramic and/or metallic, thus having sufficient heat capacity, to dissipate the heat of the thermal spray process. The filler, or particle, component is substantially responsible for protection the underlying surface to be coated from detrimental heat effects. The thermal spray material thus is not restricted to the material or material type or family constituting the tie layer filler. The tie layer can be produced with any type of filler material provided that it adequately dissipate heat, provide good mechanical interlocking with the thermal spray material and can be formed into a surface compound as described herein. The tie layer can also be produced with any type of thermoplastic polymer, provided that it thermoplastically adheres well to the matrix of the thermoplastic-based substrate, i.e. that it is thermoplastically miscible or at least thermoplastically compatible with the matrix of the thermoplastic-based substrate, and also that it can be produced and formed into a surface layer as described herein.
The tie layer can be obtained by any means that can ensure mixing of the filler into polymeric matrix. A twin screw extruder (TSE) may be used. Internal mixers such as a Brabender™, single screw extruders with previous dry blending of the filler with thermoplastic powder or pellets may also be used. The compound can then be pelletized at the exit of the extruder (twin or single screw), or granulated into a more or less fine powder when produced by internal mixers. The latter granulated, powdered or pelletized compound can then be used to form a film using, preferably but not exclusively, cast film line extruders, film blowers, sheet extruders with or without calendaring, injection molding of thin plates (0.5 mm to 1 mm), or other applicable techniques. The tie layer film can then be overmolded on the thermoplastic-based material by compression molding, although it will be appreciated that other methods of fixing the film to the substrate such as calendaring or roll forming of film apposed to the substrate, and co-laminating the film over the substrate. The film could also but not exclusively be formed directly at the surface of the substrate by injection overmolding or co-injection molding, injection molding followed by compression molding, calendaring or roll forming of film apposed to the substrate, sheet forming followed by roll forming, etc. While these methods can be used to fix the film on an independently produced thermoplastic-based part, it will be appreciated that similar techniques can be used to apply the film directly on a part ready to receive thermal spraying during primary molding of the part.
Other techniques may be employed to produce and fix the tie layer on a thermoplastic-based substrate. For example, according to known powder coating techniques typically applied to metal substrates, a dry powder compound can be applied on the surface of a part and then melted to form the tie layer. Another way of doing the same would be to use a process similar to a known spray and fuse process to melt the surface compound and thus form the tie layer directly on the part. In the latter case the heat source might come directly from the thermal spray process or from any radiant or convective source, such as air blower, oven, lamps and electrical heating elements.
The polymer composite substrate on which HA was to be applied was a composite of 68 wt. % long CF and 32 wt. % PA12.
These results demonstrate that the incorporation (at the surface of the CF/PA12 composite) of a surface tie layer containing a predetermined amount of well dispersed particles within a PA12 matrix results in improved bond strength of thermal spray coatings. This surface tie layer was obtained by first compounding the particles in a PA12 matrix using a twin screw extruder (TSE) and pelletizing the PA12/particles compound. A 200-300 μm-thick film was produced from the pellets of this compound using a cast film line extruder. Different compositions were produced and tested, including 25 and 40% (v/v) HA/PA12 compounds, 10% (v/v) Ti/PA12 compound and 25% (v/v) (Ti+HA)/PA12 compound where Ti and HA were mixed at equal volume amounts. Microstructures of these different tie layer compositions are shown in
The tie layer films were then overmolded on the CF/PA12 composite flat substrates by compression molding, although it will be appreciated that other methods of fixing the film to the substrate (such as injection molding, compression molding, calendaring (roll forming), sheet forming/roll forming, etc.) could alternatively be performed. Resulting thickness of the surface layer was generally found to be lower than the original film thickness, as a result of the co-infiltration of the polymer within the film and the coating.
After a light sand blasting of the surface of the part to expose the particles of the tie layer, the thermal coatings were produced using spray conditions that impose a relatively low heat load on the substrates during spraying. A SG-100 plasma gun (Praxair) using argon at a flow rate of 60 L/min was used. The applied current of 500 A had a voltage of 31V. Since the substrate geometry was flat, the plasma gun was moved in an x-y plane parallel to the surface of the substrate. The gun was applied a gun transverse speed of 61 cm/s, and the surface was coated in overlapping passes. Each pass followed a parallel line and separated by a step size of 3.2-mm. The spray distance was set at 7.6 cm from the substrate to the torch. An example of the plasma sprayed coatings of HA is shown in
Mechanical adhesion of HA coating was evaluated from pull tests, as recommended by ASTM F1609 Standard Specification for Calcium Phosphate Coatings for Implantable Materials. HA coated composite specimens used for pull tests were fixed to steel rods by means of a polyamide-epoxy adhesive (with a verified composite-steel adhesion of 30 MPa). An Instron™ mechanical tester with crosshead speed of 1.26 mm/min was used to evaluate the bond strength. The adhesion and/or cohesion strength was obtained from the maximum load divided by the nominal surface of the samples. A minimum of three pull tests were performed for each reported condition. Careful analyses of the fracture surface, at low magnification, were carried out in order to evaluate the type of generated failure.
The mechanical properties of the composite-film structure has been evaluated in fatigue under shear stresses by means of double lap shear specimen, as recommended in ASTM D3165 Standard Test Method for Strength Properties of Adhesives in Shear by Tension Loading of Single-Lap-Joint Laminated Assemblies.
Results show that the use of the described surface tie layer, with different compositions as shown in
The fabrication technique described in Example 1 has been used with success with a plasma sprayed coating of a CF/PA12 cylindrical part.
A 1.9 cm-diameter hollow cylinder composed of CF/PA12 composite stem, covered by a surface layer containing a predetermined amount of well dispersed particles within a PA12 matrix was manufactured. This surface layer was obtained by first compounding the particles in a PA12 matrix using a twin screw extruder (TSE) and pelletizing the PA12/HA particles compounding, followed by producing a 200-300 μm-thick film from the pellets of this compound using a cast film line extruder. A composition of 25% (v/v) HA/PA12 for the compound was used.
The film was then overmolded on the CF/PA12 composite cylindrical structures by inflatable bladder molding in a closed mold placed into a heated press. Resulting part was then coated with HA using plasma spray.
After lightly sand blasting the surface of the part in order to expose the particles of the tie layer, the coating was produced using an SG-100 plasma gun (Praxair) using argon at a flow rate of 60 L/min. The applied current was 500 A for a voltage of 31V. Since the sample geometry was cylindrical an axial rotational at a speed of 925 rpm was imposed to the part and a 4.9 cm/s transverse speed was applied to the plasma gun. The spray distance was set at 7.6 cm. The schematized view of a part so coated, and a photograph of a cylindrical part coated in certain regions are shown in
The aging baby boomer population coupled with an increase in life expectancy is leading to a rising number of active elderly persons in occidental countries. As a result, the orthopedic implant industry is facing numerous challenges such as the need to extend implant life, reduce the incidence of revision surgery and improve implant performance. This example reports results of an investigation on the bioperformance of coating-substrate systems. Hydroxyapatite (HA) and nano-titania (nano-TiO2) coatings were produced on Ti-6Al-4V and fiber reinforced polymer composite substrates using a tie layer according to an embodiment of the invention. In vitro studies were conducted in order to determine the capacity of bioactive coatings developed to sustain osteoblast cells (fetal rat calvaria) adherence, growth and differentiation.
As revealed by SEM observations and alkaline phosphatase activity (ALP), cell adhesion and proliferation demonstrated that HA coatings over a polymer composite are at least as good as HA coatings made over Ti-6Al-4V substrate in terms of osteoblast cell activity. Nano-TiO2 coatings produced by high-velocity oxy fuel (HVOF) spraying led to different results. For short term cell culture (4.5 and 24 hrs), the osteoblasts appeared more flattened when grown on nano-TiO2 than on HA. The surface cell coverage after 7 days of incubation was also more complete on nano-TiO2 than HA. These results indicate that osteoblast activity after 15 days of incubation on nano-TiO2 is equivalent to or greater than that observed on HA.
Substrate Materials. Coatings were produced on two types of substrates, a titanium alloy (Ti-6Al-4V) that is widely used for hip prostheses and a polyamide 12/carbon fiber (PA12/CF) composite used for a novel design of hip prostheses as described in applicants' co-pending PCT patent application entitled "Implantable biomimetic prosthetic bone" filed on Jan. 13, 2006, the entirety of which is herein incorporated by reference. In order to improve the coating adhesion and heat resistance, a 100 μm layer made of twin-screw-extruder compounded PA12/HA was over-molded onto composite substrates was used as the tie layer, as described in detail above in Example 2.
Bioactive Coatings. Two types of coatings over two different substrates were produced: a plasma sprayed HA coating and a high-velocity oxy fuel (HVOF) nano-TiO2 coating on both polymer composite and Ti-based substrates.
The HA coating involved a bioactive HA powder (Captal 30, Plasma Biotal Ltd, Tideswell, UK) was used for depositing HA coatings. Granulometry testing on the initial HA powder (LS Particle Size Analyzer, Beckham Coulter, Fullerton, Calif., USA) indicated a number-average diameter of 33 μm. The HA coatings were produced using atmospheric plasma spray.
The nano-TiO2 coating involved titania feedstock employed in this work (VHP-DCS, Altair Nanomaterials Inc., Reno, Nev., USA) exhibited a nominal particle size range from 5 to 20 mm. Each feedstock particle was formed via the agglomeration of individual nanostructured TiO2 particles smaller than 100 nm. The feedstock powder was thermally sprayed via the HVOF technique using an oxy-propylene based torch (Diamond Jet 2700-hybrid, Sulzer Metco, Westbury, N.Y., USA). The coatings were sprayed on grit-blasted substrates to roughen the surface prior to spraying. During the spraying process on the substrates a cooling system (air jets) was applied to reduce the coating temperature, which was monitored using a pyrometer. The maximum surface temperature was approximately 240° C. for the Ti-6Al-4V substrates and 130° C. for the PA12/CF substrates.
Osteoblast Isolation and Seeding. Osteoblasts were isolated from the calvariae of 21-day-old Spargue Dawley rat fetuses by sequential collagenase digestion as described by Bellows et al. (Calcif Tissue Int, Vol 38, 1986, 143-1542). The cells were then plated in T-75 flasks in a Dulbecco's modified Eagle medium (DMEM) containing 10% of fetal bovine serum (FBS). After 24 h the adhered cells were washed with phosphate buffer saline (PBS) to remove dead cells and other debris, then detached using 0.01% trypsin in PBS. The re-suspended cells were counted and seeded on the different disc-shaped material surfaces previously placed in the 6-well culture plates at 2×10−4 cells/well in an osteogenic medium (growth medium containing 50 mg/ml of ascorbic acid, 10 mM Na-b-glycerophosphate, and 1% antibiotics). The cells were incubated at 37° C. in a humidified atmosphere consisting of 95% O2 and 5% CO2 and allowed to grow for 4.5 h, 1, 7 and 15 days. For these periods, the medium was changed three times per week.
Osteoblast Adherence, Growth and Differentiation on Materials. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observation was used to determine the adherence, morphology and growth of the osteoblasts on the different coatings after 4.5 h, 1, 7 and 15 days. At the end of each incubation period, the cells were rinsed in phosphate buffer pH 7.2, fixed in a 0.089 M phosphate buffer solution containing 2.5% glutaraldehyde and 2.5 mM magnesium chloride, pH 7.2 for 3 hours. The samples were then rinsed in 0.1 M phosphate buffer, postfixed in 1% osmium tetroxide for 1 h, washed in distilled water three times and then dehydrated in a graded series of ethanol solutions (70% through 100% dry ethanol). Specimens were then treated with mixtures consisting of 75:25, 50:50, 25:75 and 0:100 ethanol:amyl acetate. The samples were dried by the critical-point drying method, sputter-coated by gold/palladium and observed using a scanning electron microscope (Hitachi, Model S-4700, manufacturer, Hitachi Science Systems, Ibarahi, Japan).
Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP) Activity The osteoblast phenotype of cells cultured on different surfaces was determined by enzymatic ALP activity test after 15 days. Before staining, coated samples (with attached cells) were rinsed once with cold PBS, then the cells were fixed in 10% cold neutral buffered formalin for 15 minutes, rinsed with distilled water, and then left in distilled water for 15 minutes. A fresh mixture constituted of 10 mg Naphthol AS MX-PO4 in 400 μl N,N-dimethylformamide, 50 ml distilled water, 50 ml of 0.2 M Tris-HCl pH 8.3, 60 mg red violet LB salt was used for ALP staining. The ALP staining mixture was placed on the coated samples covered with the fixed cells and incubated for 1 h at room temperature. All the chemicals were purchased from Sigma-Aldrich Chemical Company (Oakville, Canada). The different material discs were then removed from the wells, rinsed in tap water, drained and air-dried, and then photographed. The ALP positive signal was quantified with Imagine J software. For normalization, the background color was subtracted by setting a threshold.
Results: Coating Surfaces Characterization by SEM. Prior to cell culture experiments, HA and nano-TiO2 coatings are quite different. Both coating surfaces are constituted of smooth zones formed from the solidification of a liquid and rougher areas constituted either of unmelted or 'oversprayed' material. The HA coating is considerably rougher than the nano-TiO2 as can be expected when comparing a HVOF coating made with fast and small particles with plasma sprayed coatings made from relatively large and slow particles.
Cell Adhesion and Growth. After 4.5 h of incubation the coating surfaces were examined by SEM. It was noted that the two coating topologies are quite different, the plasma sprayed HA coating being rougher than the HVOF nano-TiO2 that exhibits a smoother aspect caused by flattening of semi-molten particles impinging on the surface at high velocity. Osteoblasts found on the nano-TiO2 are well flattened on the surface and have started to spread, whereas osteoblast cells do not appear to follow the contour of the HA coating surface. Also osteoblast cells were more difficult to locate on the HA surface, which might be related to a slower initial adhesion but also to the difficulty of locating cells on a rougher surface (e.g., cells at bottom of valleys). It was also noted that the HA coating surface was modified during its immersion in the culture media.
Images of cells after 1 day of incubation were assessed. For 4.5 h, cell morphology on HA and nano-TiO2 coatings was quite different. Cells remained with an elongated shape on the HA coating, they had a close to circular shape on nano-TiO2. Interestingly, osteoblast cells attached to the HA surface appeared partly covered by mineral concretion, probably some HA precipitated from the culture media.
Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP) Activity and Cell Differentiation. After 15 days of incubation the number of cells was characterized by the staining of the alkaline phosphatase, which produce a red color. All surfaces were almost completely covered by red stained cells. Osteoblast morphology remains more elongated on the HA coatings compared with that developed on nano-TiO2 coatings. It is difficult to evaluate the difference between white HA coatings and dark gray nano-TiO2 coatings mainly because of the difference in contrast. In order to quantify the coating response, color image analysis was performed on samples after proper normalization to take into account the divergence in contrast caused by the substrate color. The nano-TiO2 coating exhibits the highest intensity, followed closely by HA coating on the polymer composite substrate and finally HA coatings over Ti-6Al-4V substrate. These results indicate that even though no morphological difference was seen between the different substrates, the cell activity as defined by the alkaline phosphatase staining shows a difference. The reason for this difference is not explained at this point. However, it should be highlighted that the staining for ALP activity, as performed in this study, does not allow for a precise quantification. Also the large variation in the data especially for the HA coating over the Ti-6Al-4V substrate would justify further study. The quantification of ALP activity is very important especially for the rougher HA coating where only the stained surface is visible, whereas the cells embedded in the valleys or in the re-precipitated apatite are not shown.
The interpretation of the observed differences of the osteoblast initial adhesion and proliferation for the two coatings can be quite complex. Differences in coating chemistry may play a role. For titanium alloys, chemistry (i.e., pure Ti, Ti-6Al-4V, TiNb13Zr13, TiNb30) may induce different responses. Also titanium oxide formed by laser heating might have a different effect than native oxide. Another important factor linked to the cell adhesion is the wettability of the surface, which can have either a direct effect on adhesion by promoting the cell contact with the surface or an indirect one by promoting the protein unfolding at the surface. The effect of protein type on cell adhesion is also a factor to be considered. For example, vitronectin, fibronectin or osteopontine have an effect on cell adhesion. Transmembranous integrins might play a role in the signal transduction from the environmental milieu up to the cell nucleus leading to an appropriate cell response such as proliferation rates or morphology. This signal seems to be the consequence of the interaction of various molecules and growth factors.
Regarding the effect of surface roughness, osteogenicity may be enhanced by increasing surface roughness. However, for samples with the highest roughness, cells were less adhesive, which may be attributed to an effect of confinement of cells at the bottom of deep holes, leading to early decease and detachment, possibly an observation related to in vitro experiments. This apparent negative effect of high surface roughness could be attributed in part to the fact that at the cell level the surface appears to be flat.
The tie layer used in the instant example clearly showed good bonding ability, and permitted the study of the development of osteoblast colonies on the bioactive coatings. Early stage of cell adhesion was characterized by direct observation of the coating surfaces. Both nano-TiO2 and HA coatings applied using the tie layer support the attachment, growth, and expression of the osteoblastic phenotype of the cells as assessed by the ALP activity assay.
Results on cells adhesion and proliferation demonstrate that hydroxyapatite coatings on a polymer composite are at least as good as HA coatings deposited on a Ti-6Al-4V substrate, in terms of osteoblast cell activity. The tie layer achieved good bonding in order to allow this assessment.
Nano-TiO2 coatings produced by the HVOF technique are behaving differently when compared to HA coatings. Preliminary osteoblast cell culture revealed that the activity of the cells after 15 days of incubation is at least equivalent to that observed on hydroxyapatite coatings.
To evaluate the feasibility of HA coatings of acceptable adhesion on a prosthetic bone, flat coupons of CF/PA12 composite were prepared and coated by plasma spraying.
Results showed that an HA-filled polymer film affixed to the substrate surface prior to thermal spraying led to excellent results. The HA coatings showed very good integrity and adherence values above 21 MPa based on pull tests (ASTM C633), which is considered a standard value for thermal spray coatings in an aircraft turbine engine.
Given the complex geometry of prosthetic bone and the physiological loads involved, the shear stresses at the surface of an implanted prosthetic bone (a total hip prosthesis (THP) stem, for example) can be estimated in the 2-6 MPa range. Shear testing of the HA-coated composite coupons (ASTM D3163) showed that the shear strength of the coatings varied between 14 and 27 MPa. Preliminary shear fatigue testing of the coated composite coupons (ASTM D3166) showed that at the maximum physiological shear stress of 6-7 Mpa, and no fatigue was observed after 5,000,000 cycles. Considering the difference between the shear stresses involved, the shear strength of the coatings and the shear fatigue life at maximum physiological shear stresses, it appears that HA coating adherence is sufficient, at least on the flat composite coated coupons, to withstand the physiological conditions of an implanted THP.
The bioactivity of these HA coatings was assessed. The results showed that the plasma-sprayed HA coatings are highly crystalline (>65%), with the hexagonal JCPDS Standard 9-342 for HA representing above 99% of the crystalline phase.
The above-described embodiments of the present invention are intended to be examples only. Alterations, modifications and variations may be effected to the particular embodiments by those of skill in the art without departing from the scope of the invention, which is defined solely by the claims appended hereto.
|Patente citante
|Fecha de presentación
|Fecha de publicación
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|11 Jul 2007
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|Stent with embedded material
|12 Abr 2006
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|Endoprosthesis having a fiber meshwork disposed thereon
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|Endoprosthesis with three-dimensional disintegration control
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|Drug-releasing stent with ceramic-containing layer
|5 Abr 2007
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|Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
|Stents with ceramic drug reservoir layer and methods of making and using the same
|27 Feb 2008
|6 Dic 2011
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|Medical device with a porous surface for delivery of a therapeutic agent
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|Medical devices comprising a porous metal oxide or metal material and a polymer coating for delivering therapeutic agents
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|30 Jul 2008
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|Medical device coating by laser cladding
|3 Dic 2009
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|Bioerodible endoprosthesis
|2 Mar 2010
|18 Sep 2012
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|Self-buffering medical implants
|24 Abr 2009
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|Remon Medical Technologies Ltd.
|Method and device for electrochemical formation of therapeutic species in vivo
|10 Sep 2007
|15 Ene 2013
|Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
|Medical devices with drug-eluting coating
|3 Oct 2008
|26 Feb 2013
|Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
|Medical implant having NANO-crystal grains with barrier layers of metal nitrides or fluorides
|27 Feb 2008
|30 Abr 2013
|Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
|Coated medical devices for abluminal drug delivery
|17 Jun 2009
|28 May 2013
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|Endoprosthesis coating
|25 May 2010
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|14 Sep 2007
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|Boston Scientific Scimed. Inc.
|Bioerodible endoprostheses and methods of making the same
|27 Jul 2007
|26 Ago 2014
|Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
|Drug eluting medical devices having porous layers
|28 Jun 2006
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|Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
|Coatings for medical devices comprising a therapeutic agent and a metallic material
|5 Ene 2006
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|Bioerodible endoprostheses and methods of making the same
|6 Oct 2009
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|Coating for medical device having increased surface area
|17 Abr 2009
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|Medical devices having inorganic particle layers
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|Natalie Salk
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|Mtu Aero Engines Gmbh
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|Clasificación de EE.UU.
|428/323, 264/176.1, 428/473.5, 428/474.4, 428/457, 427/446, 428/500, 428/332, 428/412, 264/328.1, 428/704, 427/427
|Clasificación internacional
|Clasificación cooperativa
|Clasificación europea
|12 Jul 2007
Owner name: NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL OF CANADA, CANADA
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:BUREAU, MARTIN N.;LEGOUX, JEAN-GABRIEL;BELANGER, SYLVAIN;REEL/FRAME:019549/0653;SIGNING DATES FROM 20060119 TO 20060125


text:
Now closed
This year we had a festive frenzy of prizes. Each day we put a hand in our lucky dip and pulled out something completely different for you to win. There were fifteen fantastic prizes, as well as a chance of winning a two night stay at Watergate Bay Hotel.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Ear hair removal
Best Products:
1. Elephant Ear Washer Bottle System by Doctor Easy
2. Debrox Drops Earwax Removal Aid Kit
3. Health Enterprises Ear Wax Removal Syringe
5. Clinere Ear Cleaners
6. 10 Pcs Metal Silver Tone Earpick Ear Curette Wax Removers
7. Jobar's Lighted Earwax Remover
8. Zymox Ear Cleanser With Bio-Active Enzymes
9. Ear Syringe Metal 4 oz
10. Hands and Ears! Good Luck ;-)
Many at times, there are many reasons why you should remove the hair in your ear because it makes the ear look ugly. It mainly affects the old aged men and can appear on your ear when you are not aware of it or at a time that you never expected. When using ear hair removal cream, it is advisable not to let the cream go to a place that it is not intended. It works perfectly to remove the hair. You are also encouraged to choose the best creams to remove hair from your ear. Most of the creams are fairly affordable and therefore can be bought by anybody who is interested in buying one. The men are the most affected by this growth of hair in the ears. Rarely, do you see women have this hair on their ears.
How to use laser ear hair removal for men?
While the men become older they may have hair grow around many parts of their bodies including the places that hair never grew before. It is important to find a way in which you can remove them because they are often unattractive and very boring. One of the easiest methods is to shave them so that you may look presentable.
But remember, there are also ways in which you can eradicate the hair completely. These methods can be quite expensive but it is worth it. When you can afford then it can really help you because the hair will have gone completely. You can use laser ear hair removal method to remove hair completely on your ear. This process in not always painful; if you can afford it then you can go ahead and visit one of the leading salons that offer it. The price will vary i.e. the charges will be upon them. Alternatively, if you can't afford this and you use ear removal cream for men that will also give you best results. When you have decided to use the ear hair removal wax to remove hair in your ear then you should take great care. This is because wax is not recommended by many people. It is important to know the methods and the steps that are supposed to be followed while using wax. But still you can use the ear hair removal for men wax to get good results if you use it properly.
How to use dog ear hair removal powder?
Using ear hair powder to remove hair from your dog's can be very easy. The dogs offer us security and therefore should be well taken care of. You will ensure this when you give and provide the dogs with the necessary things that it may need to promote its health. You need to remove hair on your dog's ears. It is a very easy task that will not hurt your dog. You can use either scissors or dog ear hair removal to remove hair from your dog. Though, there are some dogs that do not require hair to be removed from their ears.


text:
Utah forecast: Midweek weather a mixed bag
Northern Utah was in for a midweek of mixed sunshine, blustery winds, valley rain and periodic thunderstorms in the mountains.
Is that a Garbage kind of forecast, or what? Sure it is. Some people are only happy when it rains, only happy when the forecast is ⦠complicated.
Consider this: After Tuesday's forecast for highs near 80 degrees and winds of 10-20 mph, with evening rain and thunder on tap, the Wasatch Front looked for mostly cloudy skies Wednesday morning leading into scattered afternoon and evening showers and mountain storms with the thermometer dipping into the low- to mid-70s.
But drive a few hours south, and sunny, breezy conditions were to prevail. Utah's Dixie looked for highs in the low- to mid-80s on Wednesday, along with winds in the 15-25 mph range.
Here is the tradeoff: lack of rain and plenty of wind means dry conditions become only more parched, and that prompted the National Weather Service to issue a Red Flag Warning for wildfire danger in southwestern Utah through 10 p.m. Tuesday and tinder-dry conditions are expected to prevail in southwestern Utah throughout the week.
The Utah Division of Air Quality rated breathability as "green," or healthy, statewide heading into the latter part of this week.
The Intermountain Allergy & Asthma website's pollen index was "very high" for oak, "high" for cedar and mulberry and "moderate" for sycamore.
For more extensive forecast information, visit The Tribune's weather page at http://www.sltrib.com/weather.
Twitter: @remims
See more about comments here.


text: Thinkstock [ Early Balding Linked to an Enlarged Prostate By Daryl Nelson February 28, 2012 | TheCheckup.com Are you losing your hair? You may want to have your prostate examined. A new study suggests that men who begin balding tend to have larger prostates. Read More|Comment Category: Health Tags: balding, prostate Send to a friend! Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Pin it! Reddit This! Share on Tumblr!


text:
Spend A KOOL Evening At Penske Auto Mall-Land Rover In North Scottsdale
September 16, 2011 3:31 PM
18100 North Scottsdale Road
Phoenix, AZ, 85054
Join the KOOL Kids on the Block at Land Rover North Scottsdale today, Friday, September 16th from 5-6pm!!! Come out and enjoy the KOOL music and good times with the KOOL Kids On The Block. See you there!


text:
Dr. Zoidberg on investing: "Once again, the conservative, sandwich-heavy portfolio pays off for the hungry investor."
Here are some articles from around the blogosphere I enjoyed this past week. Dylan Ross, a guest at Five Cent Nickel, writes about the importance of risk in investing. Free Money Finance warns us not to quit our day jobs without other prospects.
Dr, Zoidberg on relationships: "It's all so complicated with the flowers and the romance and the lies upon lies!"
AllFinancialMatters presents the best and worst months for the S&P 500. Jim from Blueprint for Financial Prosperity has abandoned AT&T Wireless. Mighty Bargain Hunter found some good items at last week's yard sale.
Dr. Zoidberg on fulfilling careers: "I'm the most important doctor at the delivery company where I work."
No Credit Needed is on the way to his goal of saving $48,000 this year. The hobby of collecting is addictive, and Get Rich Slowly has some ideas for curbing the habit.
Have a good weekend, why not.
Updated June 23, 2014 and originally published September 7, 2007. If you enjoyed this article, subscribe to the RSS feed or receive daily emails. Follow @ConsumerismComm on Twitter and visit our Facebook page for more updates.


text:
Create An Account
The Valethske are hunters. They prefer human flesh to any other. They've been sleeping for centuries and now they're hungry. The Doctor, teaming up with shamed xenologist Aline Vehlmann, finds himself caught up in the machinations of the vulpine hunters, and discovers that fresh meat isn't all they're after...
For deep beneath the surface of a strange and beautiful garden-planet, something is waiting. Something that Aline believes is her destiny. Something for which the Valethske have been searching for centuries. And as events escalate into a desperate fight for survival, who will prove themselves the superior beings?
Featuring The Fifth Doctor and Peri, this adventure takes place between Planet of Fire and The Caves of Androzani.
Copyright © 2015 www.thewhoshop.com, Doctor Who MerchandisePowered by osCommerce
The Who Shop, 39-41 Barking Road, Upton Park, London E6 1PY | Telephone: +44 (0)20-8471 2356
Copyright © 2013 The WHO Shop international LTD
Web Design Wexford Website by Cubeb Webdesign


text:
The young barmen was happy that at least I came in. And as you guys know me I of course had to try my luck.
More Galleries from Czech Hunter Click to see all 330 Galleries
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POLO Männer Taschen Mode-Klassiker neu stlye billig online zum VerkaufReply
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The North Face Kids, North Face Menn , North Face UKReply


text:
Sustainability has become a hot topic in the current age of conservation and self-sufficient living. For residents of New Orleans, this is no exception, and locals and visitors alike can easily enjoy the scrumptious, fresh delights like local produce, seafood, dairy, farm-raised meat, fresh baked goods, and cut flowers via local farmers markets regularly held […]
Posts Tagged 'Crescent City Farmers Market'
Eat Local, Eat Fresh: New Orleans' Farmers Markets
October 1st, 2012 by cindee
Mr. Okra……Fruits and Vegetables!
December 28th, 2011 by cindee
Everyone's New Year's resolution these days seems to include eating better. In New Orleans, the home of fried food and starchy red beans and rice, oil and flour-thickened roux for gumbo, etc. etc., that may seem to be an impossible dream. But think about all the fruit and vegetable vendors in town, and it may […]


text:
Shoppers ride escalators between floors during Black Friday shopping at Macy's, in Chicago. (Photo: Andrew Nelles, AP)
- Filed Under
The U.S. economy grew at a 3.2% annual clip in the fourth quarter, powered by a strong gain in consumer spending.
That represents a slowdown from the third quarter's growth rate of 4.1%, the Commerce Department said Thursday.
Even so, the last six months of 2013 were the best stretch of economic activity since October, 2011-March 2012. ...


text:
Ventura filmmaker sumbits Ray Bradbury short to festival
Ventura's Michael O'Kelly has submitted a short film about science fiction legend Ray Bradbury to the inaugural Your Film Festival.
Titled "Live Forever," the 15-minute docudrama is described as "an inspiring, emotional and humorous odyssey illustrating Bradbury's life and creative process."
The 91-year-old Bradbury, author of such iconic books as "The Martian Chronicles," "The Illustrated Man," "Fahrenheit 451" and "Something Wicked This Way Comes," has worked with O'Kelly on the project for the past three years.
The film begins with Bradbury's birth in 1920, traces his influence on the golden age of science fiction, explores his work with Walt and Roy Disney, and delves into his views on space, the future of mankind and death.
Featured is a mix of new interviews, vintage footage and original animation by O'Kelly's co-producer, Christopher "Moonlight" Cooksey. Ojai actor Malcolm McDowell narrates Bradbury's "The Groon," and several other well-known personalities, including Playboy publisher Hugh Hefner and actors Joe Mantegna and Edward James Olmos, make guest appearances. When the full film is finished, O'Kelly said, it will run more than four hours and be sold as a five-DVD set.
Entries for the Your Film Festival are being accepted through Saturday. Fifty semifinalists will be chosen and YouTube voters will whittle that list down to 10. Those films will be shown at the Venice Film Festival, where a winner will be chosen.To watch an early trailer for "Live Forever," visit http://youtu.be/_U5el6fNFVE.
Mark Wyckoff, Ventura County Star
Subscribe to the Ventura County Star
Need Help? Call us at 1-877-710-6182.
Monday-Friday: 6am-3pm / Saturday: 6:30am-10:30am / Sunday: 7am-11am


text:
Have You Ever Opened a Store Credit Card Out of Sympathy?
Have You Ever Opened a Store Credit Card Out of Sympathy?
Like us on Facebook
MSNBC recently shared the story of Mary Uhazi, who is struggling to repay the $60,000 she owes on credit cards. Mary's hours were recently cut at work, so it's tougher than ever to keep up with her debt, and she says the debt compiled without ever making any major purchases. She juggled 13 credit cards and admits that if someone asked her to open a store credit card, sometimes she would agree because she used to work in retail and knew the salesperson would get a commission.
Have you ever opened a store card out of sympathy?
Image Source: Getty


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Tart cherries, also known as sour cherries, aren't just for dessert. Here's a simple recipe using them as a dressing for succulent seared pork chops. Pair this with a Riesling, or even champagne for an elegant summer night indulgence. For our classic Tart Cherry Pie recipe, click here. Print Seared Pork Chops with Tart Cherries… View Article
Paul became obsessed with pulled pork barbecue while we were visiting relatives in North Carolina. In our search for authentic barbecue in the area, a guidebook highly recommended one particular restaurant, but after trekking a half hour out of our way, we drove up to a weedy overgrown parking lot and boarded up windows. A… View Article


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I think this is quite unfair on Senna. He's had some good races so far this season. This weekend was rubbish, I agree, but it was partly due to difficult circumstances. And I also think that the lack of P1 practice is probably hurting him compared to Maldonado.


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The Queen of Spades (story)
"The Queen of Spades" (Russian: Пиковая дама; translit. Pikovaya dama) is a short story with supernatural elements by Alexander Pushkin about human avarice. Pushkin wrote the story in autumn 1833 in Boldino[1] and it was first published in the literary magazine Biblioteka dlya chteniya in March 1834.[2]
The story was the basis of the operas The Queen of Spades (1890) by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, La dame de pique (1850) by Fromental Halévy and Pique Dame (1864) by Franz von Suppé[3] (the overture to the Suppé work is all that remains in today's repertoire). It has been filmed various times, the most notable version being a 1949 film by the same name directed by Thorold Dickinson.
Plot summary[edit]
Hermann, an ethnic German, is an officer of the engineers in the Imperial Russian Army. He constantly watches the other officers gamble, but never plays himself. One night, Tomsky tells a story about his grandmother, an elderly countess. Many years ago, in France, she lost a fortune at cards, and then won it back with the secret of the three winning cards, which she learned from the notorious Count of St. Germain. Hermann becomes obsessed with obtaining the secret.
The countess (who is now 87 years old) has a young ward, Lizavyeta Ivanovna. Hermann sends love letters to Lizavyeta, and persuades her to let him into the house. There Hermann accosts the countess, demanding the secret. She first tells him that story was a joke, but Hermann refuses to believe her. He repeats his demands, but she does not speak. He draws a pistol and threatens her, and the old lady dies of fright. Hermann then flees to the apartment of Lizavyeta in the same building. There he confesses to have killed the countess by fright with his pistol. He defends himself by saying that the pistol was not loaded. He escapes from the house with the aid of Lizavyeta, who is disgusted to learn that his professions of love were a mask for greed.
Hermann attends the funeral of the countess, and is terrified to see the countess open her eyes in the coffin and look at him. Later that night, the ghost of the countess appears. The ghost names the secret three cards (three, seven, ace), tells him he must play just once each night and then orders him to marry Lizavyeta. Hermann takes his entire savings to Chekalinsky's salon, where wealthy men gamble for high stakes. On the first night, he bets it all on the three, going against the Countess orders; and wins. On the second night, he wins on the seven. On the third night, he bets on the ace — but when cards are shown, he finds he has bet on the Queen of Spades, rather than the ace, and loses everything. When the Queen appears to wink at him, he is astonished by her remarkable resemblance to the old countess, and flees in terror. Hermann goes mad and is committed to an asylum. He is installed in Room 17 at the Obukhov hospital; he answers no questions, but merely mutters with unusual rapidity: "Three, seven, ace! Three, seven, queen!"
The character of the old countess was inspired by Princess Natalya Petrovna Galitzine (Princesse Moustache) while Ficquelmont Palace, where Pushkin was a regular guest, is believed to be the frame for the old countess' grand palace in Pushkin's story.
Pushkin would also have depicted his own feelings for countess Dolly de Ficquelmont through Hermann's love for Lise.
- ^ Binyon, Pushkin: A Biography, p. 424.
- ^ Binyon, Pushkin: A Biography, p. 444.
- ^ The Operatic Pushkin
Binyon, T. J. (2003). Pushkin: A Biography. HarperCollins. ISBN 0-00-637338-0.
External links[edit]
|Wikisource has original text related to this article:
- Пиковая дама available at Russian Virtual Library (Russian)
- "The Queen of Spades", transl. by Natalie Duddington
- Queen of Spades (1910) on YouTube (English subtitles)
- Opera Queen of Spades on YouTube


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Basta Dobbs' main beef with Dobbs is his frequent reporting on immigration, claiming he not only uses "faulty reporting" (e.g. Dobbs has legitimately discussed the Reconquista movement), but that he "promotes" the views of "extremists."
Spokespersons afflilated with the Minuteman Project, the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), the so-called Birther Movement, as well as Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio are among the "extremists" who champion American sovereignty and rule of law that the critics are referring to.
Lovato declined an invitation to appear on Dobbs' show to discuss his campaign saying he wouldn't appear unless Jonathan Klein, CNN/U.S. president, appeared alongside him. Lovato's letter to Dobbs noted: "… as much as the BastaDobbs.com campaign targets your long history of faulty, incendiary reporting and its effects on Latino communities, our issue is not so much with you as the network that provides you with a platform."
Lovato does, however, approve of the predictably statist reporting done by CNN's Latino talent Rick Sanchez, Thelma Gutierrez, and Soledad O'Brien, who hosted the "Latino in America" special.
One wonders what the "rising tide of anti-Latino sentiment in the United States" that Basta Dobbs is also complaining about really is because, these days, it's just the opposite. Latino Power is evident everywhere.
The NFL just celebrated Hispanic Heritage Month by featuring segments of the pre-game festivities and even the game itself in Spanish. Superstar Latino singers Marc Anthony and Gloria Estefan are minority owners of the Miami Dolphins. The brouhaha over the illegal alien Halloween costume resulted in major retailers pulling it off their web sites. And what about the one-week suspension of ESPN analyst Bob Griese for the so-called ethnic comment he made about NASCAR's Colombian driver, Juan Pablo Montoya? The wildly successful Montaya, himself, is proof that even the stock car racing industry is eager to reach out to Latinos.
Montana State University, of all places, recently hired its first-ever Hispanic-American female president, Waded Cruzado. And Sonia Sotomayor, of course, made history by becoming the first Puerto Rican appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court. Anyone else notice how the helpful "en español" sign is now a staple of American society?
These few examples (and there are many, many more) indicate that Hispanics, the United States' largest minority, are seen as serious hires and customers. Their votes, money, attention, and favor are constantly being courted in the Nuevo America.
You could even argue that Lou Dobbs himself has jumped on that bandwagon.
One of his correspondents is the pretty, Argentinian-born Ines Ferré, and Dobbs' own wife, Debi Lee Segura, is Mexican-American. Janet Murguia, president of the National Council of La Raza (NCLR); John Trasviña, former president of Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF); and other progressive leaders of ethnic advocacy groups have been guests on Dobbs' telecasts. Always respectfully treated, by the way.
But somehow Dobbs is guilty of "xenophobia" and being "anti-Latino."
Lovato does have a point: A regular feature of Dobbs' show has been to expose the perils and costs to the United States due to unrestricted illegal immigration. These include lost jobs, depressed wages, crime, disease, higher taxes, loss of freedoms, and a diluted national identity, all of which are undeniable and escalating continuously. Dobbs has utilized statistics, interviews, and man-on-the-street reporting (especially by the terrific Casey Wian) to bolster his positions, leaving little doubt in viewers' eyes' that the immigration crisis needs our federal government's attention immediately.
The American public agrees. A recent CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll revealed that 73 percent of those questioned want to see a reduction in illegal immigration.
I have watched Lou Dobbs Tonight for years and was thrilled that a letter I wrote to him was read on the show. As a Latina woman, I have no sense of any fearmongering.
For me, it's not Basta Dobbs, it is Viva Dobbs.
Isabel (Izzy) Lyman's op. eds. and articles have appeared in the Miami Herald, Wall Street Journal, Dallas Morning News, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, Investor's Business Daily, Boston Herald, Los Angeles Daily Journal, National Review, Homeschooling Today, Chronicles, The New American, Daily Oklahoman, Middle American News, Ventura County Star, and Lancaster Sunday News.
Hasta la vista, Lou Dobbs?
Basta Dobbs' main beef with Dobbs is his frequent reporting on immigration, claiming he not only uses "faulty reporting" (e.g. Dobbs has legitimately discussed the Reconquista movement), but that he "promotes" the views of "extremists."


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Upcoming events in your Maine town
Concert by Judy Pancoast
The halls of the Academy Hill School will ring with the sound of children singing, dancing and laughing on June 26th when singer-songwriter Judy Pancoast presents a special program of music for the Wilton Free Public Library's Summer Reading Program participants.Please contact Cassie at 645-4831 at the Wilton Library for more information. This concert is the opening of the library's Summer Reading Program titled "Bee A Bookworm!" The concert will begin at 6:00 P.M on Wednesday, June 26th in the Academy Hill School Gym. All are welcome to this free event! Following her performance, Pancoast will give each child a personally autographed photo in a "meet and greet" session. Families will also have the opportunity to purchase copies of her CDs. For more information about Judy Pancoast, visit www.judypancoast.com.
Wednesday, 26 June, 2013Starts at 06:00 PM
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In Focus: Aditya Roy Kapur and Shraddha Kapoor bond with the Aashiqui 2 team
Aashiqui 2's lead stars Aditya Roy Kapur and Shraddha Kapoor are the latest to enter the Bollywood sweethearts club, with the film's promos and songs a huge hit already. The two hotties joined the movie's team at the Vishesh Films office in celebrating the success of Aashiqui 2's music. Filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt tweeted this picture of the film's director Mohit Suri along with Aditya, Shraddha and producer Pooja Bhatt. We sure are waiting to watch Aashiqui 2 (it releases on Apri 26, 2013). Are you? | MUST SEE: Aashiqui 2 song Sunn raha hai na tu: Aditya Roy Kapur hopelessly in love with Shraddha Kapoor


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IFEU news
Eco-profiles of PVC and VCM updated
01.09.2015 Commissioned by PlasticsEurope, the Association of Plastics Manufacturers in Europe, and by the European Council of Vinyl Manufacturers (ECVM), ifeu recently updated the Eco-profile of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and its monomer vinyl chloride (VCM). For this reason, production data concerning material and energy input as well as emissions to air and water was collected from 38 European VCM and PVC producers. Collected data was combined with data describing resource input and emissions occurring during the production of energy and materials needed for PTA production resulting in a mathematical model.
This led to a detailed description of environmental impacts caused by the production of 1 kg of VCM and PVC in Europe, respectively.
Eco-profiles focus on the production phase of a product "from cradle to factory gate", whereas in a full Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) the complete life cycle of a product "from cradle to grave" is investigated.
Thus, Eco-profiles represent important building-blocks for the calculation of a LCA. The updated Eco-profile for PVC therefore gives rise for updates of downstream products, for example of PVC pipes.
More information ...
Taking over of Scheme Ownership and Updates of the Greenhouse Gas CalculationTools for Biofuels
15.07.2015 It is essential that greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions arising from the production of biofuels and bioliquids are calculated in a standardised way. This is a requirement under the current biofuels sustainability ordinance. For that purpose, the IFEU participated in the development of two calculation tools: the BioGrace I tool at European level and ENZO2 as a German national tool.
After the completion of the EU financed BioGrace project in March 2015 IFEU took over the scheme ownership, i.e. the management and updating of the BioGrace I tool. An update of the BioGrace I tool is now available (Version 4d). For guaranteeing further harmonisation also for the ENZO2 tools updates have been prepared (version 1.4).
To the tools and further information …
Assessment of the Socio-Ecological Potentials of Private Lending, Swapping, and Selling
30.06.2015 Cars, clothes, accommodation – many products and services can be lent and borrowed, swapped and sold between private individuals or peers. The German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) is funding the project "PeerSharing". This transdisciplinary research project analyses the socio-ecological potentials of peer-to-peer-sharing. Four pioneers of the sharing community cooperate with the project: the platforms Kleiderkreisel, flinc, Drivy, and Airbnb. IFEU and the Institute for Futures Studies and Technology Assessment (IZT) are teaming up with the Institute for Ecological Economy Research (IÖW, lead). Further collaborators and partners are the German online platform for sustainable consumption Utopia, and the international network Ouishare. The main task of IFEU is the life cycle assessment of shared products and serviced, as well as the comparison with suitable reference and alternative scenarios.
Efficiency Transition requires stronger Citizen Support
19.06.2015 New study on "Citizens conserving energy" commissioned by the Citizens' Energy Alliance Bürgerenergie e.V. and the Friends of the Earth Germany (Bund für Umwelt und Naturschutz Deutschland, BUND) indicates considerable potential.
The concerted efforts of citizens supporting efficiency projects, i.e. citizens conserving energy, may be a decisive factor in the energy transition (Energiewende). Citizen support may effectively address major problem areas. Only the participation of local citizens allows for the full realisation of the numerous decentralised and small-scale opportunities for energy conservation, e.g. in sitting rooms, basements, garages and in office space of small businesses. There, on the ground, local knowledge, responsibility and networking interact most successfully.
However, to date, the enormous potentials of citizen energy conservation have barely been tapped. The recent study "Citizens conserving energy" commissioned by the Citizens' Energy Alliance Bürgerenergie e.V. and the Friends of the Earth Germany (Bund für Umwelt und Naturschutz Deutschland, BUND) illustrates the considerable potential of citizen support in energy conservation. Moreover, the study proposes solutions to overcome existing obstacles
More information (in German) ... (pdf 1.14 MB)
SETAC - Annual Conference
08.05.2015 Hemeroby approach as impact category indicator for the integration of land use into LCA presented at the 25th annual conference of SETAC Europe in Barcelona.
Hemeroby means distance from nature or from natural conditions. This ecological term is denominated as the negative environmental impact on focus. IFEU is applying this concept in LCA to assess land-use effects. This concept is also recommended by the German Federal Environment Agency (UBA). All types of land-use areas (e.g. forest land, agricultural land, built-up area) are assigned to a system of seven hemeroby classes according to the results of the systematic approach via defined criteria and metrics. This approach has been recently updated and shall contribute to the on-going discussion on land use and biodiversity in LCA, as performed at the SETAC conference in Barcelona. Within this activity IFEU is cooperating with Prof. Dr. Birgit Grahl.
More information ...
Highest Order of Merit of the State of Baden-Württemberg bestowed to Ulrich Höpfner
27.04.2015 Minister President Winfried Kretschmann bestowed the Order of Merit of the State of Baden-Württemberg on Dr. Ulrich Höpfner, Honorary Chairman, Co-founder and Executive Director of IFEU from 1977 to 2009. This order is the highest award of the state. It is bestowed for great merits for the State of Baden-Württemberg, especially in social, cultural, economic and political affairs. The number of award holders is limited to 1,000 living persons.
The Minister President declared at the ceremony: "Dr. Ulrich Höpfner is the pioneer of critical sustainability research in Germany. In 1977, together with like-minded people, he founded the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research in Heidelberg. Independent from political parties and companies, the Institute creates positions to environmental policy issues based on sound science and promotes the public debate. Important studies on nuclear energy, on waste management and resource issues, on questions related to climate protection, energy, environment and transport have strongly influenced policy-making in Germany." For many years, Höpfner also served as member of State and Federal Committees, such as the Sustainabiliy Advisory Committee of the State of Baden-Württemberg.
More information…
New Logo for IFEU
On April 26, 2015 we introduced a new logo for the institute.
The new logo combines the new and the proven: we kept the color green but used a fresher shade. The small font in the acronym was also preserved. The bouncing dot above the "i" signals our curiosity, enthusiasm and constant presence in all areas of environmental research. It also echoes the measuring points in the old logo.
Our logo thus reflects central elements in the work of the IFEU: creativity and continuity, scientific integrity, and our main goal, which is to contribute to improving environmental quality while raising awareness of sustainability in society.
The new logo is being introduced 25 years after the last logo change and on the anniversary of the disaster in Chernobyl, which had a significant impact on the work of the IFEU.
Download the new IFEU logo ...
Technological GHG Reduction Potentials of heavy-duty Vehicles and related Costs
20.04.2015 Heavy-duty vehicles account for about a quarter of the GHG emissions in road transport at present. Current projections expect substantial increases of HDV transport in the future. Therefore, compliance with climate change mitigation goals and the minimisation of final energy consumption require a substantial reduction of the fuel consumption associated with heavy-duty vehicles.
IFEU Heidelberg in cooperation with Graz University of Technology have analysed fuel savings and GHG reduction potentials of technological measures (e.g. powertrain, aerodynamics, rolling resistance) using VECTO the designated simulation-based approach for the standardised quantification of CO2 emissions from heavy-duty vehicles in Europe.
Based on fuel savings of each measure and related changes of vehicle costs (investment and fuel costs), payback periods as well as specific GHG abatement costs have been estimated for the single technologies and for technology packages.
Download of the study (in German) and English summary ...
Eco-Profile for PTA updated
16.03.2015 Commissioned by the Committee of PET Maufacturers of Europe (CPME), IFEU recently updated the Eco-profile of purified terephthalic acid (PTA).
PTA is an important precursor for the production of PET (polyethylene terephthalate). For this reason, production data concerning material and energy input as well as emissions to air and water was collected from five European PTA producers. Collected data was combined with data describing resource input and emissions occurring during the production of energy and materials needed for PTA production resulting in a mathematical model. This led to a detailed description of environmental impacts caused by the production of 1 kg of PTA in Europe.
Eco-profiles focus on the production phase of a product "from cradle to factory gate", whereas a in full Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) the complete life cycle of a product "from cradle to grave" is investigated.
Thus, Eco-profiles represent important building-blocks for the calculation of a LCA. The updated Eco-profile for PTA therefore gives rise for updates of downstream products, for example of PET bottles.
More information ...
New Energy Consultancy Studies
09.02.2015 The IFEU has completed two new studies on energy consultancy. For the Consumer Advice Centre North Rhine-Westphalia (VZ NRW), the energy consultancy project "Climate change mitigation and energy transition in detail" (KEK) was evaluated. The evaluation revealed a distinct positive effect on local energy consultancy and thus, on achievements in final energy savings and associated reductions of greenhouse gas emissions.
For the ASEW (Working Group for rational use of Energy and Water in the Association of Municipal Companies), existing energy consultancy services for private households were investigated with the aim to identify opportunities for improved coordination to optimise quality control in energy consultancy. One crucial point revealed by the study was the lack of sufficient distinction between different energy consultancy services. This lack of distinction impedes efficient interlocking and networking of services. In consequence, the establishment of adequate quality control systems is hampered. The study proposed a number of measures for categorisation of consultancy services for improved clarity.
More information on the Evaluation for VZ NRW ...
Further information on the study for ASEW ...
Milestones for Bioenergy
09.02.2015 The final report of the project "Milestones 2030 - Elements and Milestones for the Development of a Sustainable Bioenergy Strategy" is now available. The project was commissioned by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy and had a duration of about two years.
The research consortium could simulate different developments of bioenergy use by means of scenario-based modeling and analysed the impacts on climate, biodiversity, environment, infrastructure and food security. Within the project, IFEU was responsible for the life cycle assessment of the bioenergy scenarios
On basis of the results important milestones could be identified and recommendations for action could be derived, which should be achieved by 2030 to facilitate a long-term sustainable bioenergy strategy.
English summary (pdf 2.0 MB)
More information (in German) ...
Waste Prevention by use of Flexible Packaging
26.1.2015 The principal aim of the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive is the prevention of packaging waste.
On behalf of Flexible Packaging Europe (FPE), the IFEU analysed whether the substitution of non-flexible packaging by flexible packaging solutions would lead to waste prevention and an overall decrease in resources consumption. The analysis revealed that the reduction in primary packaging waste associated with a switch to flexible packaging amounted to over 60 % of the total annual amount of primary packaging waste in the EU. A potential substitution of all non-flexible packaging used for non-beverage fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) by flexible packaging solutions would improve total Global Warming Potential (GWP) and Abiotic Depletion (ADP) results of all European FMCGs packaging, regardless of the various recycling rates modelled in a number of different scenarios. In consequence, the benefits of the substitution of flexible packaging for non-flexible packaging may distinctly exceed those of an increased recycling rate.
More information:
Executive Summary of the Study ( pdf 37 KB)
Calculation Tool for Milk - presented on the International Green Week
19.1.2015 During the International Green Week, the world's major consumer fair on foods, IFEU director Dr. Guido Reinhardt presents the first publicly accessible calculation tool for the environmental impacts of dairy products. IFEU developed a publicly available greenhouse gas calculation tool for milk, yogurt, cheese and further dairy products in a research project supported by the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture. For the project, in addition to greenhouse gases and energy, all other relevant environmental parameters were investigated, as targeted by a life cycle assessment. Also a comprehensive final report was compiled.
More information ...
Change of the IFEU Executive Board
from left:
Markus Duscha, Dr. Martin Pehnt, Andreas Detzel, Lothar Eisenmann, Jürgen Giegrich
(with future IFEU-Logo)
This year's Christmas party at the IFEU provided the suitably festive setting to bid farewell to the current executive directors stepping down and to welcome the new executive board. Markus Duscha and Jürgen Giegrich had been at the helm of the IFEU for about five years. Now they look forward to a break from primarily administrative duties and the return to their scientific roots at the IFEU. "You have done a brilliant job. Under your leadership, the IFEU substantially expanded its staff and diversified in topics. Our most heartfelt thanks for that", Bernd Franke applauded the parting directors while the entire IFEU staff expressed their appreciation. At the same time, the new executive board – Andreas Detzel, Lothar Eisenmann and Dr. Martin Pehnt – were given a warm welcome. "Come 1st of January 2015, it will be your turn. Together, you are looking at more than 50 years of experience at the IFEU, so you'll know what to expect. You have prudently divided the workload of the executive management so that it will be in able hands. We wish you the best of luck!"
can find additional articles in our data archive - IFEU "news"
IFEU is a member of Ecornet (Ecological Research Network)
Links to important internet offers with IFEU-contribution:
CO2- Calculator:
Introduction to IFEU (Chinese)
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Showing 121 Results for hawaii
Assessing The Aftermath From Ragin' Cajun Senior Day
Nikki Jaded – Babe of the Day
Jasmine Tookes – Babe of the Day
What We Learned From UL's Fifth Straight Victory
What's the Happiest (And Unhappiest) State in America?
Ohio State University Marching Band Stages Incredible Halftime TV Tribute
Last year, the Ohio State University Band gave football fans one hell of a movie tribute, marching along to formations of everything from 'Superman' to 'Jurassic Park,' so what was the one way to top it? TV! See what "the best damn band in the land" came up with for everything from 'Game of Thrones' to 'Dragnet,' with the full TVLand TV tribute!
Watch a Pig That Surfs Because You Know You Want to
New Orleans Breakers Flashback: Lyndell Jones (VIDEO)
The New Orleans Breakers were a United States Football League franchise that played in the Louisiana Superdome for one season, in 1984. The Breakers began their USFL tenure in Boston, in 1983, but a stadium issue forced a move, allowing New Orleans real estate developer Joe Canizaro to buy the team, and move it to New Orleans for the 1984 season.


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The Crossroads of the Aether
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Richard A. Johnson has not received any gifts yet
Greetings, Good Sir!
Welcome to the Empire... Steampunk certainly is quite an experience!
I'm not far from you in LA, (and I love Monterey) May I point you to the Manticore Society, a group of So. Cal Steampunk Enthusiasts...which I believe includes some events in your area.
Hope to meet you some day!
Penelope/aka Jennifer
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Gophers Set for Final Test Before B1G Meet
May 7, 2014
MINNEAPOLIS – Members of the Gopher women's track and field team are slated to compete at the UW-La Crosse Eagle Open this Friday. The meet marks the final competition before the 2014 Big Ten Men's & Women's Outdoor Track and Field Championships at Purdue on May 16-18.
The Eagle Open is scheduled to begin with women's high jump, pole vault, hammer throw and long jump and men's javelin, triple jump and discus at 3 p.m. Friday. Running events then begin with the women's 100-meter hurdles at 4 p.m. The Gopher throwers and pole vaulters, select distance runners and a handful of sprinters are expected to compete at UW-La Crosse.
Last Time Out: Gophers Claim Six Titles at Two Meets
The Gophers were split between two meets last week, traveling to the Musco Twilight in Iowa and competing locally at the Hamline Meet of the Unsaintly.
Minnesota earned five individual titles en route to a third-place team finish at the Musco Twilight. Seniors Megan Geyen (400-meter dash), Maggie Bollig (1,500-meter run), Kelli Budd (3,000-meter run) and Katie Loberg (high jump) along with freshman Nicolle Murphy (javelin) won their respective events to lead the Golden Gophers. Nebraska won the seven-team meet with 221.50 points. The Gophers recorded 165.50 points, just 4.50 points behind second-place Iowa (170). Northern Iowa (94), Drake (38), Iowa State (31) and Grinnell (5) rounded out the standings.
Minnesota also competed at the Meet of the Unsaintly where sophomore Becci Osterdyk won the shot put (46-02.75, 14.09m) to secure the Gophers' only event title of the meet. The Golden Gophers also picked up three runner-up finishes as sophomore Stacey Swatek clocked a career-best 2:14.74 for second in the 800m, and redshirt freshman Haley Johnson was second in the 1,500m with a career-best 4:33.52. Senior Ashlie Decker was second in the 5,000-meter run in 17:54.47 as well.
USTFCCCA National & Regional Rankings Update
No. 1 Florida, No. 2 Texas, No. 3 Oregon, No. 4 Texas A&M and No. 5 Kentucky are the top five teams in the USTFCCCA NCAA Division I National Team Rankings for the week of May 6. No. 19 Penn State, No. 24 Michigan and No. 25 Nebraska represent the Big Ten Conference in the top 25. The next USTFCCCA rankings are slated to be released Tuesday, May 13.
The Gophers rank No. 7 in the Midwest Region in this week's USTFCCCA NCAA Division I Regional Index. No. 1 Kansas leads the Midwest Region, followed by No. 2 Nebraska and No. 3 Kansas State. Minnesota is the second-ranked Big Ten team in the region, behind second-ranked Nebraska but ahead of No. 8 Iowa and No. 9 Illinois.
Seven individual Gophers and two relay teams land among the best in the Midwest Region according to the USTFCCCA NCAA Division I Regional Index, led by Kelli Budd (first, 10:14.53) and Katie Moraczewski (fourth, 10:19.51) in the 3,000-meter steeplechase. Liz Berkholtz ranks fourth (34:12.67) in the 10,000-meter run, and Te'Shon Adderley ranks seventh in the 800-meter run (2:07.19).
Minnesota's 4x400m team of Titania Markland, Adderley, Jessica Waldvogel and Megan Geyen is fifth (3:38.64), and the Gopher 4x100m team of Akuoma Omeoga, Geyen, Waldvogel and Erin Hawkins ranks sixth (45.29).
Three Gophers are ranked in field events, led by Jess Herauf at third in the heptathlon with 5,444 points. Nicolle Murphy is seventh in the javelin (161-9, 49.32m), and Devin Stanford ranks eighth in the hammer at 196-7 (59.92m).
Gophers Rank Among B1G and Nation's Best
Several Golden Gophers rank among the top performers in the Big Ten Conference this season, including two relay teams and six individuals ranked in seven events among the B1G's top five.
2. Liz Berkholtz, 10,000m (34:12.67)
In the national rankings, senior Kelli Budd owns the 20th-best mark of the season in the 3,000-meter steeplechase; Budd's time of 10:14.53 is sixth in the Big Ten.
2014 Gophers Secure All-Time Top-10 Marks
Thirteen Gophers have made their mark among Minnesota's all-time top-10 performers so far this season. The 2014 Gophers already have six of the all-time top-10 relay performances as well.
2. Jess Herauf, heptathlon (5,444)
Up Next: 2014 Big Ten Men's & Women's Outdoor Track and Field Championships
The 2014 B1G Championships are next weekend, beginning Friday, May 16 and concluding Sunday, May 18. Purdue is set to host the 2014 championships at the Boilermakers' Rankin Track and Field.
More Headlines
7/13/2015Season Recap: A Look Back at 2015
06/23/2015Gophers Set for USATF Championships
06/11/2015Six Gophers Earn All-American Awards


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Why not, maybe:)) thank you for the suggestion
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Build America Bonds—BABs—have become one of the biggest success stories of last year's American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Under the BABs program states and localities have financed nearly $80 billion of new investment in schools, roads, water and sewer systems and other key public infrastructure resulting in thousands of new jobs. The cost to the federal government is a fraction of the total amount invested.
Come to this special event to hear from federal, state and local officials and market participants on why BABs have become such a successful example of intergovernmental partnership and how extending the program past its 2010 expiration can promote capital investment and create jobs.
The program will last from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm and will be followed by a reception.
Program now available, Click here.
Registration questions? Call Lisette Rios at 212.313.1210 or email@example.com.
Program Information? Contact Michael Decker at 202-962-7430 or firstname.lastname@example.com.
Click here to register.
This event is free to SIFMA members and invited guests.