Sealed Bottles Research Articles

Impact of Fluorescent Lighting on Oxidation of Model Wine Solutions Containing Organic Acids and Iron.

Previous studies have provided evidence that light exposure can increase oxygen consumption in wine and that the photodegradation of iron(III) tartrate could contribute to this process. In the present study, model wine solutions containing iron(III) and various organic acids, either alone or combined, were stored in sealed clear glass wine bottles and exposed to light from fluorescent lamps. Dissolved oxygen was monitored, and afterward the organic acid degradation products were determined and the capacity of the solutions to bind sulfur dioxide, the main wine preservative, was assessed. In the dark controls, little or no dissolved oxygen was consumed and the organic acids were stable. In the irradiated solutions, dissolved oxygen was consumed at a rate that was dependent on the specific organic acid present, and the latter were oxidized to various carbonyl compounds. For the solutions containing tartaric acid, malic acid, and/or citric acid, irradiation increased their sulfur dioxide-binding capacity.

Safe storage of maize in alternative hermetic containers

Purdue Improved Crop Storage (PICS) bags have been developed and extended as a way to address grain storage issues faced by smallholder farmers in developing nations. A hermetic technology, PICS bags reduce insect damage to grain significantly while maintaining its quality for many months or longer. Farmers with varying and often small volumes of grain at harvest, may still benefit from alternatives to PICS bags for storing their grain. We evaluated plastic bottles, which may be hermetically sealed, for storing maize grain. Clean maize grain was stored for eight months in sealed and unsealed plastic bottles with half of these bottles being infested by maize weevil (Sitophilus zemais, Motschulsky). Oxygen levels in the bottles were monitored throughout the trial and grain was assessed for moisture content, insect damage, germination rate and insect population size when the study was terminated. Sealed bottles preserved grain quality significantly better than unsealed, infested bottles and as well as non-infested unsealed containers. Plastic soda bottles can be used as hermetic containers for safely storing grain.

The Heimlich Valve for Pleural Cavity Drainage

Introduction : Traditional chest tube fixation and drainage has been undertaken using standard rigid chest tubes connected to under water seal bottles. These are bulky, cumbersome, expensive, and pose a risk of accidental air suction into the chest. One-way valve systems such as the Heimlich valve are small, portable apparatus that allow regulation of fluid flow and require minimal nursing care other than daily charting. Methods : A retrospective descriptive analysis of all chest drains connected to a Heimlich valve between January 2009 and December 2012. Data on indications, duration of drainage and frequency of complications was collected. Results : Fifty seven chest tubes connected to a Heimlich valve were inserted over the study period. Majority were for pleural effusions. No complications were encountered. Four patients (7%) required thoracotomy. The average duration to removal was 6 days and all patients reported satisfactory comfort and mobility. Conclusion : The Heimlich valve is a feasible and cheap alternative method of chest tube drainage with high rates of success and very low morbidity. We propose their usage in resource-constrained settings. Keywords : Thoracentesis, Heimlich, Thoracostomy

Influence of thermal ageing and electrical discharges on uninhibited olive oil properties

In recent years, significant attention has been paid to biodegradable vegetable oils as an alternative to mineral insulating oils. This study presents the influence of electrical discharges and thermal stress on the variation of the properties of uninhibited olive oil. This latter constitutes a serious environmentally friendly and renewable substitute for currently used mineral oils. The investigated properties are: dielectric loss factor and permittivity, resistivity, acid number, cinematic viscosity, water content, breakdown voltage, flash point and colour index. To analyse the effect of thermal stress, the uninhibited olive oil was aged in sealed bottles at 110°C for durations up to 716 h. As concerns the electrical stress, series of 200 up to 1600 low energy discharges are applied under 50 Hz alternating divergent electric field. Frequency domain spectroscopy has also been performed in order to assess the oil behaviour in a large frequency range (20 Hz–1 MHz). The real part of the complex dielectric permittivity of oil tends to increase with ageing. The obtained results show an acceptable stability with regard to thermal ageing and even an improvement of the oil key properties when submitted to discharges of controlled low energy level.

Eight sages over five centuries share oxygen's discovery.

During the last century, historians have discovered that between the 13th and 18th centuries, at least six sages discovered that the air we breathe contains something that we need and use. Ibn al-Nafis (1213-1288) in Cairo and Michael Servetus (1511-1553) in France accurately described the pulmonary circulation and its effect on blood color. Michael Sendivogius (1566-1636) in Poland called a part of air "the food of life" and identified it as the gas made by heating saltpetre. John Mayow (1641-1679) in Oxford found that one-fifth of air was a special gas he called "spiritus nitro aereus." Carl Wilhelm Scheele (1742-1786) in Uppsala generated a gas he named "fire air" by heating several metal calcs. He asked Lavoisier how it fit the phlogiston theory. Lavoisier never answered. In 1744, Joseph Priestley (1733-1804) in England discovered how to make part of air by heating red calc of mercury. He found it brightened a flame and supported life in a mouse in a sealed bottle. He called it "dephlogisticated air." He published and personally told Lavoisier and other chemists about it. Lavoisier never thanked him. After 9 years of generating and studying its chemistry, he couldn't understand whether it was a new element. He still named it "principe oxigene." He was still not able to disprove phlogiston. Henry Cavendish (1731-1810) made an inflammable gas in 1766. He and Priestley noted that its flame made a dew. Cavendish proved the dew was pure water and published this in 1778, but all scientists called it impossible to make water, an element. In 1783, on June 24th, Lavoisier was urged to try it, and, when water appeared, he realized that water was not an element but a compound of two gases, proving that oxygen was an element. He then demolished phlogiston and began the new chemistry revolution.

Antique sealed bottles 1640-1900: and the families who owned them

Antique sealed bottles 1640-1900: and the families who owned them

Storage performance of bio-oil after hydrodeoxygenative upgrading with noble metal catalysts

The aim of this study was to investigate the improvement in bio-oil stability via hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) with noble metal catalysts. The bio-oil produced by fast pyrolysis was subjected to the hydrodeoxygenative upgrading process with Pd/C, Ru/C, or Pt/C at 300°C for 60min with 3MPa H2 pressure. Upgraded bio-oil (heavy oil) was stored in sealed glass bottles at 23°C for 2, 4, 8, or 12weeks.The major properties (water content, viscosity, and acidity) of heavy oils after storage and the chemical features (elemental composition and functional groups) of phenol polymers in the aged heavy oil were characterized.Most properties of the aged heavy oil were maintained at the initial levels during the storage period, which indicates that the oil properties were stabilized by HDO. The water content slightly increased from 0.3–2.1wt% to 2.3–3.5wt% during the storage, but the viscosity and acidity of the oil hardly changed. Chemical compositions of low-molecular weight compounds in the aged heavy oils were slightly modified during storage. A slight increase in molecular weight was also observed and was attributed to partial repolymerization of phenol polymers in the heavy oil during storage. Overall, this study suggests that HDO upgrading effectively improves the stability of bio-oil properties.

Modeling of in-use stability for tablets and powders in bottles

A model is presented for determining the time when an active pharmaceutical ingredient in tablets/powders will remain within its specification limits during an in-use period; that is, when a heat-induction sealed bottle is opened for fixed time periods and where tablets are removed at fixed time points. This model combines the Accelerated Stability Assessment Program to determine the impact on degradation rates of relative humidity (RH) with calculations of the RH as a function of time for the dosage forms under in-use conditions. These calculations, in a conservative approach, assume that the air inside bottles with broached heat-induction seals completely exchanges with the external environment during periods when the bottle remains open. The solid dosages are assumed to sorb water at estimable rates during these openings. When bottles are capped, the moisture vapor transmission rate can be estimated to determine the changing RH inside the bottles between opening events. The impact of silica gel desiccants can also be included in the modeling.

Non-Invasive Detection of Adulterated Olive Oil in Full Bottles Using Time-Domain NMR Relaxometry

A fast procedure using time-domain nuclear magnetic resonance (TD-NMR) to detect olive oil adulteration with polyunsaturated vegetable oils in filled bottles is proposed. The 1H transverse relaxation times (T2) of 37 commercial samples were measured using low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (LF-NMR) spectrometer and a unilateral nuclear magnetic resonance (UNMR) sensor. Results obtained with LF-NMR revealed better feasibility when compared with the UNMR sensor, with higher signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio and larger difference in the T2 decays. Principal component analysis (PCA) exhibited tight and well-separated clusters of pure olive oil (OO), pure soybean oil (SO), and blends of OO/SO (adulterated samples). Soft independent modeling of class analogies analysis (SIMCA) classification model indicated that five brands of olive oil commercialized in Brazil were adulterated with polyunsaturated fatty acids, further confirmed by high-resolution NMR. Overall, LF-NMR provided a fast procedure for screening olive oil authenticity directly in the sealed bottles.

Improved osseointegration of long-term stored SLA implant by hydrothermal sterilization

The sandblasted, large-grit and acid-etched (SLA) surface is easy to be contaminated during storage and its surface chemical state is usually changed by different sterilization methods. This causes an undesirable increase in surface hydrophobicity and results in osseointegration degradation. To overcome this problem, a low temperature hydrothermal (HT) sterilization method was proposed in this study. Briefly, 4 weeks-stored pure titanium SLA specimens were sterilized using a sealed glass bottle with pure water in an autoclave set at 121°C for 20min. Results showed that, stored SLA specimens were superhydrophobic before and after conventional autoclaving, whereas, HT sterilization decontaminated and endowed stored SLA surface with superhydrophilicity. Osteoblast spreading was greatly enhanced, ALP expression was upgraded and bone nodule formation was obviously promoted on HT sterilized specimens compared with autoclaved ones. More bone formation around HT sterilized specimens was observed and HT sterilization increased bonding strength of implant to bone by 95% and 127% after 2 and 4 weeks of healing, respectively. The simple, feasible HT sterilization restored osseointegration of SLA implant while diminishing recontamination as much as possible. Therefore, it is proposed as a standard sterilization method for implant practitioners and researches.

Message in a Sealed Bottle: Privacy Preserving Friending in Mobile Social Networks

Many proximity-based mobile social networks are developed to facilitate connections between any two people, or to help a user to find people with a matched profile within a certain distance. A challenging task in these applications is to protect the privacy of the participants’ profiles and communications. In this paper, we design novel mechanisms, when given a preference-profile submitted by a user, that search persons with matching-profile in decentralized mobile social networks. Meanwhile, our mechanisms establish a secure communication channel between the initiator and matching users at the time when a matching user is found. These techniques can also be applied to conduct privacy preserving keywords based search without any secure communication channel. Our analysis shows that our mechanism is privacy-preserving (no participants’ profile and the submitted preference-profile are exposed), verifiable (both the initiator and any unmatched user cannot cheat each other to pretend to be matched), and efficient in both communication and computation. Extensive evaluations using real social network data, and actual system implementation on smart phones show that our mechanisms are significantly more efficient than existing solutions.

Decreasing levels of the fish pathogen Streptococcus iniae following inoculation into the sludge digester of a zero-discharge recirculating aquaculture system (RAS)

Disease outbreaks are a major concern in aquaculture. This is particularly true in intensive recirculating aquaculture systems (RASs), due to the high rearing densities in a system where high concentrations of organic matter are produced with minimal water exchange. This study assessed the survivability of the common fish pathogen Streptococcus iniae in a solid-removal unit of a RAS, the upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB). A PCR detection method, along with an improved protocol for the extraction of high-quality DNA from sludge samples, were utilized for this purpose. This method enabled detection of S. iniae at a minimum concentration of 7.6×105CFUmL−1 raw sludge. We examined the survivability of S. iniae in batch digesters, which consisted of sealed serum bottles filled with sludge from the UASB reactor, and in laboratory-scale flow-through UASB reactors that were continuously fed with fish waste sludge. Results demonstrated a gradual decrease in the intensity of the PCR-amplified product to the point of no detection in either batch or UASB digesters, suggesting that the conditions present in the UASB reactor are not favorable for S. iniae. The PCR-based detection method was successfully applied to sludge from a commercial RAS enabling detection of potentially pathogenic bacteria. Statement of relevanceThe manuscript addresses the control of bacterial disease-causing agent in a near-zero discharge aquaculture system which contains a novel solid removal unit. The bacteria studied is S. iniae, a significant disease-causing agent in aquaculture. The potential threat of disease outbreaks increases with the intensification of the culture system, such as the one described and analyzed in this study. This intensification is of high relevance to the industry, as it reduces environmental contamination due to fish production as well as enables fish culture in places distant from a natural water source.

Does size and buoyancy affect the long-distance transport of floating debris?

Floating persistent debris, primarily made from plastic, disperses long distances from source areas and accumulates in oceanic gyres. However, biofouling can increase the density of debris items to the point where they sink. Buoyancy is related to item volume, whereas fouling is related to surface area, so small items (which have high surface area to volume ratios) should start to sink sooner than large items. Empirical observations off South Africa support this prediction: moving offshore from coastal source areas there is an increase in the size of floating debris, an increase in the proportion of highly buoyant items (e.g. sealed bottles, floats and foamed plastics), and a decrease in the proportion of thin items such as plastic bags and flexible packaging which have high surface area to volume ratios. Size-specific sedimentation rates may be one reason for the apparent paucity of small plastic items floating in the world’s oceans.

Ilex paraguariensis Pellets from a Spray-Dried Extract: Development, Characterization, and Stability.

Several studies have shown the potential use of Ilex paraguariensis in developing products with the aim to protect biological systems against oxidative stress-mediated damages. In the same way, technological studies have demonstrated the feasibility of obtaining dry products, by spray-drying process, from aqueous extracts of I. paraguariensis in laboratory. The present work was designed to develop pellets by extrusion/spheronization process, from an I. paraguariensis spray-dried powder. The pellets were characterized with respect to their chemical, physical, and technological properties, and the thermal and the photostability of the main polyphenol constituents were investigated. The pellets exhibited adequate size, shape, and high process yield (78.7%), as well as a good recovery of the total polyphenols (>95%) and a good dissolution in water (89.44 to 100.05%). The polyphenols were stable against light when conditioned in amber glass bottles; unstable against heat when the samples were conditioned either in open glass bottles or in hermetically sealed glass bottles and demonstrated to be hygroscopic and sensible to the temperature, especially when stored in permeable flasks. These findings pointed to the relevance of reducing the residual moisture content of pellets as well as of conditioning them in opaque humidity tight packages under low temperatures. The feasibility of obtaining pellets from an I. paraguariensis spray-dried powder using extrusion/spheronization technique was, for the first time, demonstrated. This finding represents a novelty for the herbal products in both pharmaceutical and food fields.

Biomimetic calcium phosphate coating of additively manufactured porous CoCr implants

The aim of this work was to study the feasibility to use a biomimetic method to prepare biomimetic hydroxyapatite (HA) coatings on CoCr substrates with short soaking times and to characterize the properties of such coatings. A second objective was to investigate if the coatings could be applied to porous CoCr implants manufactured by electron beam melting (EBM). The coating was prepared by immersing the pretreated CoCr substrates and EBM implants into the phosphate-buffered solution with Ca2+ in sealed plastic bottles, kept at 60°C for 3 days. The formed coating was partially crystalline, slightly calcium deficient and composed of plate-like crystallites forming roundish flowers in the size range of 300–500nm. Cross-section imaging showed a thickness of 300–500nm. In addition, dissolution tests in Tris–HCl up to 28 days showed that a substantial amount of the coating had dissolved, however, undergoing only minor morphological changes. A uniform coating was formed within the porous network of the additive manufactured implants having similar thickness and morphology as for the flat samples. In conclusion, the present coating procedure allows coatings to be formed on CoCr and could be used for complex shaped, porous implants made by additive manufacturing.

Controlling the Filling and Capping Operation of a Bottling Plant using PLC and SCADA

This paper presents basic stages of operation of a bottling plant, i.e. the filling and capping process. The main aim of our paper is to control the filling and capping section of a bottling plant simultaneously. At first a set of empty bottle is run by using a conveyer towards filling section, after the operation, the filled bottles are sent towards the capping section. After successful capping operation, the sealed bottles terminate towards exit and a new set of empty bottle arrive, in this way the process continues. This paper includes the method using which, a bunch of bottles can be filled and capped at one instant of time. This method has made the operation more flexible and time saving. The filling and capping operations are controlled using Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC), as the PLC’s are very much user-efficient, cost-effective and easy to control. By using PLC automation the whole process is kept under control. SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) is used to monitor the process by means of a display system.

Supplementation of increasing amounts of linoleic acid to Leymus chinensis decreases methane production and improves fatty acid composition in vitro

The effects of linoleic acid (LA) supplementation on in vitro dry matter disappearance (DMD), gas production, methane and hydrogen gas production, ruminal fermentation characteristics, and fatty acid (FA) profiles in fermentation fluid were investigated in vitro. Rumen fluid was collected from four ruminally cannulated goats, diluted with incubation buffer, and then incubated with 500 mg Leymus chinensis meal supplemented with different amounts of LA (0, 20, 40, and 60 mg for the control, LA20, LA40, and LA60 groups, respectively). In vitro rumen incubation was anaerobically carried out in 130‐mL sealed fermentation bottles at 39°C for 48 h, and samples were collected at three time points (12, 24, and 48 h) for analysis. Supplementation of LA reduced DMD (P<0.05), the cumulative gas production, theoretical maximal gas production and methane production (P<0.05), whilst increased the hydrogen gas production. In addition, LA addition to substrate had no negative effects on ruminal fermentation parameters (pH, NH3, and VFA). The concentration of total polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) were higher for LA groups than for control during the whole incubation process. These results indicate that LA supplementation in substrate reduces gas and methane production, and increases the amounts of some beneficial fatty acids in fermentation liquid in vitro.Practical applications: Achieving reduction of the production of methane and improving the composition of fatty acids in ruminant products.Information about H2 concentrations in the rumen of ruminents is scarce. This study investigated the effects of increasing amounts of linoleic acid on CH4 and H2 production when Leymus chinensis was fermented as a substrate in vitro. Supplementing different doses of LA to Leymus chinensis decreased the GP and suppressed CH4 emissions in vitro.

Microbiological evaluation of open and sealed tattoo inks

Background. Introduction of tattoo inks in the skin has been associated with a potential entry of a great number of microorganisms including bacteria, virus and fungi. Contaminated pigments, diluents and instruments represent primary infection risk factors as well as inadequacy of hygienic measures during this practice. However, the evaluation of the infectious risk for public health due to tattoo ink use is actually not feasible cause of the low efficiency of health surveillance and the lack of specific regulation in this area.Materials and Methods. A survey was carried out to test the microbial product safety of some tattoo inks available in Italian tattoo parlours. Physical packaging and labelling of the collected inks were also examined. Newly acquired sealed stock bottles, open ink bottles and tattoo-correlated instruments (needles, spikes and grips) were collected and tested for different microbiological parameters. Results. Both from opened and sealed inks a variety of potentially pathogenic organisms were isolated and identified including Gram positive rods and cocci, Gram negative bacteria and fungi. Different species of Bacillus and Staphylococcus genera were identified, among which S. haemolyticus; Cronobacter sakazaki, Enterobacter intermedius and Sphingomonas paucimobilis were also identified while no atypical mycobacteria were isolated. Needles, spikes and grips tested for sterility were aseptic.Conclusions. Microbial contamination of opened samples suggest inefficacy of preservatives and additives in maintaining inks hygienic quality, and inadequacy of hygienic procedures during the tattooing operations, while the occurrence of microorganisms in unopened samples put in doubt the effectiveness of the sterilization technology applied to this type of product.

Methane generation potential of Thar lignite samples

Eleven representative lignite samples from the Thar coalfield, Pakistan were subjected to a bioassay, based on mixed methanogenic bacterial consortium (WBC-2). The samples were characterized on the basis of chemical and petrographic studies in order to determine the geological stage of coal resource. Under anaerobic conditions in sealed serum bottles, the generation of methane was observed from six coal samples in the range of 3.7 to 23.2μmol/g of coal (2.13 to 16.33scf/ton of coal). This methane generation from Thar lignite samples may be considered as an indicative index of the presence of biogenic coalbed methane in the reservoir. The residual coal, after methanogenesis, was investigated and prospected on a preliminary basis for the release of humic materials. Conclusively, further exploration of biogenic methane production from low rank coals and subsequent extraction of soil conditioning agents from residual coal can be followed as an alternative route of coal conversion technologies for obtaining multiple value-added chemical entities from low rank coal.

Effects of Carbonation on Probiotic Survivability, Physicochemical, and Sensory Properties of Milk‐Based Symbiotic Beverages

Drinkable yogurt is a popular beverage in the United States and there may be a niche for carbonated drinkable yogurt in the functional foods market. Pomegranate (P) and vanilla (V) yogurt beverages were formulated, containing inulin as a prebiotic, along with probiotic bacteria Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium, to produce symbiotic products. These beverages were stabilized with high-methoxyl pectin and whey protein concentrate and compared to samples with approximately 2 volumes of added carbon dioxide (CO2 ). Samples were stored in sealed glass bottles at 4 °C for 9 wk for evaluation of physicochemical and functional properties. Trials were carried out in triplicate and 3 replicates from each trial were analyzed. Physicochemical attributes were analyzed using standard AOAC methods. Survivability of the probiotics and changes in pH and viscosity were measured weekly. Chemical composition of the carbonated beverages was: protein: 1.58 ± 0.05%, 1.59 ± 0.06%, fat: 1.24 ± 0.2%, 1.18 ± 0.11%, total solids: 14.78 ± 0.11%, 14.93 ± 0.05%, ash: 0.49 ± 0.02%, 0.46 ± 0.03%, and carbohydrate (by difference): 11.47 ± 0.12%, 11.69 ± 0.14% for P and V, respectively. Both L. acidophilus and Bifidobacterium were stable and remained above 10(6) CFU/g for both flavors of beverage both with and without carbonation. The new manufacturing technology for these prototypes may have potential for commercialization of carbonated symbiotic milk-based beverages.