Bottle Cork Research Articles

Point of use drinking water filtration: A microfluidic solution providing safe drinking water during flood situation

In this paper, development of a portable bottle cork is discussed which filters grey water in passive mode with gravity driven feed. The treatment process involves inertia based microfluidic filtration, antimicrobial activated carbon (AC) treatment, and ultra-violet (UV) disinfection stages, to ensure the quality of water, safe for drinking purposes. Eighteen water samples (12 lab made, 3 field, and 3 flood) are considered for testing the filtration performance of the device. Microfluidic filtration is employed for size based exclusion of particulates and bypassing. With optimal bypass port opening, the filtration stage has consistently shown >99 % turbidity reduction. A water stable hybrid activated carbon (AC) coating, developed by crosslinking of organic binder with in silver doped AC, is employed for its excellent adsorption performance and anti-bacterial activity (4 Log reduction, LRV in 20 min). Additionally, a UV chamber housing is integrated to destroy the chemical resistant bacteria (6 LRV in 65 s), resulting in adequately safe drinking water. Thirty six individual filtration units are arranged in parallel to filter and treat nearly 50 l of raw water in 4 days of continuous operation. The final prototype takes the shape of a bottle cap so that it can be fitted to any commercial pet bottle making it ideal solution for emergencies like floods, cyclones, and other natural calamities.

Appraisal of A Detailed Perimeter Survey of Igwuruta Flood Plain In Greater Portharcourt City of Rivers State

Perimeter survey is the establishment of perimeter points on the surface of the earth and taking bearings between lines or angles between the points, moreover measurement of distance to provide such points with defined coordinate values on a plane surface (X,Y) only. The aim of this work is to ascertain the dimension of Igwuruta flood plain in greater portharcourt city of rivers state.Below are the objectives to achieve the stated aim; to carve out an area of land. Selection of traverse station and marking of the selected station, demarcation of boundary points with bottle cork and nail, to establish boundary points of the study area, to determine the bearings and distances of survey boundaries, to generate the Easting and Northing coordinates of each points, ,to calculate the area of the portion of land, to fix reasonable details within the assigned site using any suitable method of detail fixing, to produce a digital plan of the site under study and to write a comprehensive report.The Perimeter and detail Survey was carried out at Igwuruta flood plain of greater portharcourt city of Rivers state.The survey was carried out in accordance with the third order specifications for a survey operation. The reconnaissance survey was properly carried out both in the office and on the field; this was carried out for proper planning of the survey operation by locating the controls needed for proper orientation, the instrument to be used, and selection of traverse stations and finally, drawing of a sketched diagram of the area under study.The data processing was done so as to reduce the data collected in the field and the necessary corrections were applied so as to obtain the corrected bearings and distances of points relative to one another.The corrected values were reckoned with in every aspect of computation and also in plotting the plan. The final plan was produced showing the boundary of the traverse, the bearings and distances and also the details found within the site. The plan was produced in digital format titled plan showing the perimeter and detail survey of the flood Igwuruta flood plain of greater portharcourt city of Rivers state. Finally, a comprehensive report was written on how the practical and field works were carried out.

Structural mechanisms of TRPV6 inhibition by ruthenium red and econazole

TRPV6 is a calcium-selective ion channel implicated in epithelial Ca2+ uptake. TRPV6 inhibitors are needed for the treatment of a broad range of diseases associated with disturbed calcium homeostasis, including cancers. Here we combine cryo-EM, calcium imaging, and mutagenesis to explore molecular bases of human TRPV6 inhibition by the antifungal drug econazole and the universal ion channel blocker ruthenium red (RR). Econazole binds to an allosteric site at the channel’s periphery, where it replaces a lipid. In contrast, RR inhibits TRPV6 by binding in the middle of the ion channel’s selectivity filter and plugging its pore like a bottle cork. Despite different binding site locations, both inhibitors induce similar conformational changes in the channel resulting in closure of the gate formed by S6 helices bundle crossing. The uncovered molecular mechanisms of TRPV6 inhibition can guide the design of a new generation of clinically useful inhibitors.

Preliminary evaluation of the anaerobic biodegradability of three biobased materials used for the production of disposable plastics

Biodegradable plastics have been introduced to the market to substitute “traditional”, non-biodegradable, petro-based plastics to alleviate plastic pollution. Biochemical methane potential tests were carried out on compostable bags made of MaterBi®, biodegradable bottle wine corks and cellulosic plates to examine the anaerobic biodegradability of those materials. The impact of four factors: type of pretreatment (predigestion, mechanical, alkaline, predigestion and alkaline), digestion duration, type of inoculum and temperature were statistically evaluated through regression modeling. Anaerobic tests on compostable and polyethylene bags (control) were carried out in mesophilic (35 °C) and thermophilic (55 °C) conditions, while tests on bottle wine corks and cellulosic plates were carried out in mesophilic conditions only. After 15 days of digestion, a dry mass reduction of 22.8 ± 6.2 % and 27.6 ± 14.0 % for mesophilic and thermophilic tests respectively was recorded for MaterBi®. Chemical pretreatment with NaOH led to a mass reduction of 78.2 ± 7.2 % and was the only statistically significant factor to affect both methane yields and dry mass loss. A higher digestion temperature led to an increased mass loss without a concurrent increase in methane production. The cellulosic plates were completely degraded (99.9 ± 0.03 % mass reduction), while the wine bottle corks weight did not change.

Laparoscopic resection of a sigmoid colon lipoma in a young female patient: A case report and review of the literature.

Lipomas of the sigmoid colon are rare entities. The present case describes a 27-year-old Caucasian woman who underwent a laparoscopic sigmoidectomy following the detection of a giant lipoma. The young patient was referred to the Emergency Department of the University Hospital of Heraklion (Crete, Greece) in May 2013 after experiencing intermittent abdominal cramping during defecation, and altering episodes of diarrhea and constipation. In addition, the patient described the protrusion of a solid tissue mass shaped like a 'champagne bottle cork' from the anus following defecation. These symptoms had been present for 1 month prior to referral. Physical examination was unremarkable. An urgent colonoscopy revealed a polypoid lesion measuring 2.5 cm in diameter in the sigmoid colon, which was located ~12 cm above the anal ring, with a smooth surface and tissue fragility. Tissue samples were obtained and sent for histopathological analysis. Preoperative contrast-enhanced computed tomography was performed urgently and confirmed the presence of a solid mass in the sigmoid colon without enlargement of regional lymph nodes. Following adequate preparation, the patient underwent a laparoscopic sigmoidectomy with intracorporeal termino-terminal colorectal anastomosis, with the use of a circular stapler. The patient had a positive post-operative outcome without complications and was discharged on day 4 post-surgery in an optimal condition. Histopathological examination of the surgical specimen demonstrated a pedunculated lipoma shaped like a 'champagne bottle cork'. The tumor consisted of mature adipose cells. The overlying colonic mucosa showed hyperplastic crypts with regenerative changes. In the lamina propria mild inflammatory infiltration was observed. At 2 years post-surgery, the patient remains asymptomatic without any clinical evidence of recurrence.

Pattern of traumatised anterior teeth among adult Nigerians and complications from late presentation.

Background The objectives of this study were to determine the prevalence and pattern of traumatic dental injury (TDI) among adults presenting in a tertiary health care facility in Nigeria, the time interval between injury and presentation in the hospital, the reasons for seeking treatment, and the complications arising due to late presentation.Methods Information obtained from history taking and clinical examination included Patient’s demographics, the when, where, and how of the injury, previous history of trauma, time elapsed between injury and presentation at the hospital, reason for seeking treatment, tooth/teeth involved, sensibility, tenderness to percussion, mobility, presence of discolouration, swelling, sinus tract, and mobility. Radiographic findings such as periapical radiolucency, pulp canal obliteration, and root resorption were also documented. TDI was classified using the Andreasen’s classification.ResultsOut of the 2645 adult patients that attended the outpatient clinic, 184 Presented with TDI giving a prevalence of 6.96 %. Their age range and mean age were 17–69 years and 30.6 ± 11.2 years respectively. Falls accounted for most (26.4 %) of the trauma to anterior teeth followed by motor cycle accidents (18.4 %) and domestic accidents (12.9 %), while opening bottle cork accounted for 1.2 %. The most common type of injury was enamel-dentine fracture accounting for 28.8 %, followed by complicated crown fracture 18.6 %, and avulsion 11.7 %. The maxillary central incisors were the most commonly affected followed by the maxillary lateral incisors and canines. More than half (51.5 %) of the patients presented in the hospital more than 1 year after injury. Majority of patients in the age groups ≤20 and 51–60 sought treatment because of pain, while more of those in the age groups 21–30 and 31–40 sought treatment because of aesthetic considerations. Seventy three (45.3 %) of the patients presented with complications involving 138 teeth. Majority of the complications were in teeth with enamel-dentine fracture (93.4 %), followed by concussion injury (55.6 %).ConclusionsThe prevalence of TDI in this study falls within previously reported figures. However, the high number of teeth developing complications may have resulted from late presentation for care.

New Malacovia

AbstractIn his 2009 award‐winning design thesis project for the Bartlett School of Architecture (UCL), Pascal Bronner evokes the imaginary land of New Malacovia. Using an existing text as a catalyst, and graphite as the sole medium, Bronner transforms the inventions and urban ideas of an original fictionalised city afresh into a speculative environmental programme: a potato‐fuelled miniature city is laid out on foundations of bottle corks.

Bottle cork and cap injury to the eye: a review of 34 cases

To describe our series of bottle cork and cap injuries to the eye in order to report the visual impairment and clinical outcomes observed in 34 cases over an 8-year period. Retrospective review of the database of the Ophthalmology Institute of Modena from January 1999 to September 2007. All patients presented with closed-globe injury according to Kuhn et al.'s classification. All the cases were caused by sparkling wine: white in 24 cases and red in ten cases. The incidence varied between six and two cases a year (average 3.89). Bottle cork and cap injuries represent 11% of all injuries admitted to our department in the period considered in our series. In details: nine patients recovered totally, 22 patients recovered partially, three patients had a severe visual outcome (<grade 3 according to trauma classification system, BCVA < 0.2). Five patients needed a surgical procedure. The most frequent ocular lesion was hyphema; the worst was retinal detachment due to a giant retinal tear and two patients suffered very severe visual impairment. To our knowledge, this is the largest series of bottle cork and cap injuries to the eye published to date. This kind of injury can be potentially sight-threatening, leading to severe visual loss in a small percentage of cases. We highlight the need for preventative measures such as labelling or devices to regulate cork pressure.

A genomic approach to suberin biosynthesis and cork differentiation.

Cork (phellem) is a multilayered dead tissue protecting plant mature stems and roots and plant healing tissues from water loss and injuries. Cork cells are made impervious by the deposition of suberin onto cell walls. Although suberin deposition and cork formation are essential for survival of land plants, molecular studies have rarely been conducted on this tissue. Here, we address this question by combining suppression subtractive hybridization together with cDNA microarrays, using as a model the external bark of the cork tree (Quercus suber), from which bottle cork is obtained. A suppression subtractive hybridization library from cork tree bark was prepared containing 236 independent sequences; 69% showed significant homology to database sequences and they corresponded to 135 unique genes. Out of these genes, 43.5% were classified as the main pathways needed for cork biosynthesis. Furthermore, 19% could be related to regulatory functions. To identify genes more specifically required for suberin biosynthesis, cork expressed sequence tags were printed on a microarray and subsequently used to compare cork (phellem) to a non-suberin-producing tissue such as wood (xylem). Based on the results, a list of candidate genes relevant for cork was obtained. This list includes genes for the synthesis, transport, and polymerization of suberin monomers such as components of the fatty acid elongase complexes, ATP-binding cassette transporters, and acyltransferases, among others. Moreover, a number of regulatory genes induced in cork have been identified, including MYB, No-Apical-Meristem, and WRKY transcription factors with putative functions in meristem identity and cork differentiation.

Survey of solid waste generation and composition in a rapidly growing urban area in Central Nigeria

The objective of this study was to carry out a field survey of the solid waste generation profile in parts of Makurdi, a rapidly growing urban city in north central Nigeria. The areas surveyed covered low, medium and high-density residential quarters, representing high/medium/low income groups in the area. Results of the survey show that the bulk (∼82%) of the solid waste generated in the area originates from households, rather than from commercial, institutional or industrial premises. Of the waste from households, a substantial proportion consists of various putrescible materials (36–57%), with ash, dust and sand (combined) forming another significant proportion (21–41%). From the non-household sources, putrescible matter is also significant (23–45%), as is the combined ash/dust/sand fraction (32–36%). The quantity of plastics/cellophane materials from household and non-household sources was, however, comparable (6–10%). There was more paper from commercial and institutional premises (9–12%) than from household or small/medium scale industrial premises (2–4%). Glass (0.1–6.9%), metals (mostly cans and bottle corks, 0.7–3.4%) and textiles (0.3–6%) form only a minor proportion of the waste across generators. Waste generation rates were for households, 0.54 kg/cap/day; for commercial, 0.018 kg/m 2/day; institutional, 0.015 kg/m 2/day while for small and medium scale industries, the rate was 0.47 kg/m 2/day. As there is no previous study of this kind in the Makurdi urban area, what is reported here may be taken as baseline for the entire area. The implications of the findings for solid waste management planning are discussed.

Inhibitory Activity of Micro-organisms Isolated from Wine Bottle Corks

Inhibitory Activity of Micro-organisms Isolated from Wine Bottle Corks

Guest Editorial Everyday Applications Of Neural Networks

EURAL-NETWORK technology has reached a degree of maturity as evidenced by an ever-increasing number of applications. Our experience, however, is that most practitioners of neural networks are familiar with only a handful of cases where neural-network technology has been reduced to practice. The objective of this special issue is presentation of some specific cases of ongoing everyday use of neural networks. Specifically excluded are neural-network applications still in the exploratory stage. While publication of extraordinary exploratory applications papers is within the scope of the IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON NEURAL NETWORKS, this special issue deals only with neural networks used on a regular basis. At minimum, the system must be at the beta test stage. Of the 53 papers received for the special issue, the 14 herein were chosen. In some important cases, papers solicited for submission were unfortunately withheld because developers or licensees wished to not disclose proprietary technology. Nevertheless, the spectrum of the everyday neural-network applications reported herein is a veritable smorgasbord of variety. Applications are reported in telecommunications, control of Publisher Item Identifier S 1045-9227(97)05726-3. steel plants, plasma etching, pattern recognition of cataloged parts, credit card fraud detection, space robot tuning, electric utility load forecasting, railway maintenance, power system security assessment, scanning electron microscope image characterization, cold mill prediction, economic forecasting and, not least, assessment of wine bottle cork quality. This sampling of applications in everyday use is in no way complete. It gives, however, a taste of the impact of neural technology in society. Indeed, impact is the metric by which all technology is ultimately measured.

Captive fledgling American kestrels prefer to play with objects resembling natural prey

Object play may be a mechanism by which young predators acquire skills in manipulating prey, as well as physical strength and endurance. It has also been proposed that fledgling raptors play with live or dead prey if available, but would play with surrogates such as sticks or grass if not. Different objects were offered to captive fledgling American kestrels, Falco sparverius, to test whether they prefer to play with objects resembling prey. Individuals were divided into two groups: those in treatment A were offered mouse mimics, along with one of four objects (large and small pine cones, long and short twigs) which were alternated daily. Individuals in treatment B were offered bottle corks, and the same type of alternative objects as in treatment A. There were no significant differences in the mean number of play instances of birds in each of the two treatments (total of 506 instances). However, fledglings in treatment A played significantly more with the mouse mimics, whereas fledglings in treatment B played with the different objects in proportion to their availability. These results support the hypothesis that young raptors devote a relatively fixed amount of time to object manipulation, and that they prefer to manipulate objects resembling natural prey. The same set of objects were offered to adult American kestrels, but they were never manipulated. This suggests that object play has a function in the maturation of hunting skills of young raptors.

Pyrolysis and Thermally Assisted Hydrolysis-Methylation/Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry of Sound and Degraded Wine Bottle Cork

The present paper reports on the utilization of pyrolysis/gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (PY/GC/MS) and thermally assisted hydrolysis–methylation/gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (THM/GC/MS) to characterize cork (Quercus suber L.) of wine bottle stoppers. Sound and degraded cork samples were analysed to verify whether structural differences between the two samples are present. A series of p-hydroxyphenyl, guaiacyl and syringyl phenolic compounds, ascribed to cork polyphenols (suberin and lignin), were identified in the pyrograms. Furan-based derivatives were also detected as the dehydration products of structural polysaccharides (cellulose and hemicellulose). A homologous series of saturated and unsaturated hydrocarbons from C9 to C22 was evident. Finally, pyrolysis in presence of a methylating agent, the technique THM/GC/MS, allowed the determination of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids which probably originated from thermal degradation of suberin aliphatic fraction. Compared to sound cork, the degraded sample showed relatively more odd-chain hydrocarbons and relatively less even-chain fatty acids contents.

Migration of mineral hydrocarbons into foods. 5. Miscellaneous applications of mineral hydrocarbons in food contact materials.

Polystyrene and acrylonitrile/butadiene/styrenes (ABS) containers for individual serving portions (80 samples of milk, cream, butter, margarine and spreads) used in the catering industry were found to contain 1-4% mineral oil. Levels of mineral oil migrating into the foods were generally low (< 5-15 mg/kg) except in one instance where levels of 45-85 mg/kg were detected in a low fat spread, and this was attributed to mineral hydrocarbon transfer from an adhesive used in the lidding. Analysis of wine bottle corks (105 samples from 11 different countries) indicated that 50% had been treated with mineral wax or mineral oil, although in all cases mineral hydrocarbon contamination of the wine was < 0.2 mg/l. Waxed paper discs sold for home-use for covering the surface of jams and preserves were found to be coated with 100 mg/dm2 of mineral hydrocarbons. However, in experiments with a variety of jams and preserves levels of migration were not significant, ranging from 0.15 to 1.2 mg/kg.

Analysis of solid samples by ICP-mass spectrometry

ICP-Mass spectrometry is typically used as a technique for very rapid multielement analysis at trace and ultra-trace levels of solutions by continuous sample aspiration and nebulization. However, ICP-MS is well suited to be used as a detector for other sample introduction devices. For the analysis of solid samples laser sampling and electrothermal vaporization accessories may be used as sample introduction devices for ICP-MS. Laser sampling permits the analysis of many different types of solid materials. For solid sampling ETV-ICP-MS analysis it is of advantage to reduce the sample to a fine powder prior to analysis. For automated analysis powders may be introduced as slurries into the graphite furnace by means of a slurry sampling device. Since appropriate certified solid reference materials are not always available for calibration, or since they are not certified for all analyte elements of interest, the analyses discussed in this contribution were performed semiquantitatively. The instrument response function was established using reference materials which were similar in their composition to the samples. The results of semiquantitative bulk analyses of glass (NIST 612) and geological material (USGS GXR-3) by laser sampling ICP-MS are in good agreement with the certified values. The concentrations of the analytes determined in the glass sample were in the range of 10 μg/g to 80 μg/g. The lowest analyte concentration in the geological sample was 0.4 μg/g (Eu) and the highest was approximately 186 mg/g (Fe). The precision achieved was in the order of 5% to 15%. Laser sampling ICP-MS is not only suitable to bulk analysis but also to analyses where spatial information is required. As an example for such an application the determination of Pb in a wine bottle cork stopper is dicussed. The slurry sampling technique was used for the semiquantitative analysis of NIST coal reference samples by electrothermal vaporization ICP-MS. The accuracy achieved with this approach was within a factor of ±2 of the reference values.

Zum Feinbau der Suberinschichten im Flaschenkork

The suberinic layer of the cell wall in bottle cork was investigated by means of ultrathin sections in the electron microscope. The layer was found to consist of fine lamellae, as was expected and depicted, in cork of other plants, by Falk and El-Hadidi. Certain difficulties involved in the investigation of this lamellated structure are discussed briefly.

Factors influencing the lead content of wine

AbstractWinemaking procedures, materials and equipment were examined for their influence on the lead content of wine.Unwashed grapes contained from less than 0.01 to 0.98 p.p.m. of lead (mean 0.13 p.p.m.), depending on the extent of surface contamination which was partly due to lead arsenate spray residue. Grapes, washed with acid to remove surface contamination, contained from less than 0.01 p.p.m. to 0.10 p.p.m. (mean 0.05 p.p.m.). Fermentation removed from solution 11 to 45% (mean 30%) of the lead present in the grape juice.Fining agents, fortifying spirit and acids normally added to wine did not significantly alter the lead content, nor was it lowered by the Möeslinger blue fining, which is used in some countries to remove copper and iron. Brass winery equipment and rubber wine hoses were found to be sources of contamination, but stainless steel, plastic, and glass equipment and a filter pad examined were not.Maturation of young wine produced a slight decrease but refrigeration and ion‐exchange treatment produced no significant alteration in lead content. Contact with various types of cask wood, paraffin wax, bottle corks and also wine analysed before and after shipment to England led to no significant change.The influence of wine type and composition on the extent of lead contamination was examined. Contamination was not found to be related to sulphur dioxide content, titratable acid or pH but was higher in sweet fortified wines than in dry wines, and in these wines added sulphur dioxide and tartaric acid produced a further increase.The influence of lead bottle capsules was not investigated as these are known to be a major source of contamination.The method of determination of lead is given.

The Haustorial System ofViscum album

The Haustorial System of<i>Viscum album</i>

Opportunities for Biologists in the Field of Medicine and Public Health

places. I was onee myself interviewed for a position with the Crown Cork and Seal Co., who had a serious problem in preserving bottle corks agoainist the inroads of microorganisms. Few would think of looking for biologists in electroplating plants, telephonie cable works, storage battery plants and pluimibing establishmnents, but wliemi miiolds grow in copper sulfate baths causing bubbles to appear in the plating, or attack the insulation of cables or when iron bacteria cause the sudden disintegration of supposedly rust-proof pipe, the biologist is called in post haste! If I were to outlilie the things that our secon-dary schools can do in training ancd oriemitiiig students for careers in biological fields and particularly biological research, I would say, first, give them a broad acquaintance with all fields of scientific knowledge, botalny, zoology, geology, astronomy, physices, chemistry, mathemiaties, psychology, ''atural philosophy'; in other words, a sound, balaneed, inelusive course in Genieral Science, giveii without bias toward any onie scielnce ancd given with imaginatioin alld verve. Seconcd, give them soun-cd training in seieintific methods of thinking such as cani be imparted by a really thorough course in any of the particular scienees but which mnust inelude some ''original' investioation, experimen-:t and its interpretationi, eveni though this may be on a very simple scale. Anid third, souncd traininig in the humanistic background against which all man 's activities miust be laid if they are to be carried out with real understaniding,: anid satisfactioni. If our schools can provide these, those studenits wrho are fitted to become biologists cami be trusted to find the proper paths that lead to a career.