Effects of waste PET bottles aggregate on the properties of concrete

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choi, Yun-Wang; Moon, Dae-Joong; Chung, Jee-Seung; Cho, Sun-Kyu

2005-01-01

This paper investigates the surface microstructure of waste polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles lightweight aggregate (WPLA) to examine the effect of granulated blast-furnace slag (GBFS) on WPLA. The WPLA was made from the waste PET bottles and GBFS, and experimental tests were conducted on compressive strength, splitting tensile strength, modulus of elasticity, slump, and density of waste PET bottles lightweight aggregate concrete (WPLAC). The 28-day compressive strength of WPLAC with the replacement ratio of 75% reduces about 33% compared to the control concrete in the water-cement ratio of 45%. The density of WPLAC varies from 1940 to 2260 kg/m 3 by the influence of WPLA. The structural efficiency of WPLAC decreases as the replacement ratio increases. The workability of concrete with 75% WPLA improves about 123% compared to that of the normal concrete in the water-cement ratio of 53%. The adhered GBFS is able to strengthen the surface of WPLA and to narrow the transition zone owing to the reaction with calcium hydroxide

Dimensioning of a solar water heater made from PET bottles; Dimensionamento de um aquecedor solar de agua feito com garrafas PET

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bertoleti, Pedro Henrique Fonseca; Souza, Teofilo Miguel de [Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Guaratingueta, SP (Brazil). Centro de Energias Renovaveis

2008-07-01

This document show the solar water heater made of PET bottles, a simple-construction solar water heater that try to give us two important solutions, water heating using solar energy and reutilization of the PET bottles left in the nature. Also, it will be showed how to do the dimensioning of it. Based on the showed dimensioning a application / software is developed and after that simulations are made using the application to provide how is the economy if it's used this kind of solar water heater and their environmental contribution by reutilization of the PET bottles abandoned in the nature. For example, in a common home the economy is about 45% of the electricity bill considering that the warmed water is used just to take a shower. So, the conclusion is: the solar water heater made by PET bottles is a very relevant equipment to the use of the solar energy, to useful applications and environmental contribution. (author)

Green synthesis of graphene from recycled PET bottle wastes for use in the adsorption of dyes in aqueous solution.

Science.gov (United States)

El Essawy, Noha A; Ali, Safa M; Farag, Hassan A; Konsowa, Abdelaziz H; Elnouby, Mohamed; Hamad, Hesham A

2017-11-01

Polyethyleneterephthalate (PET) is an important component of post-consumer plastic waste. This study focuses on the potential of utilizing "waste-treats-waste" by synthesis of graphene using PET bottle waste as a source material. The synthesized graphene is characterized by SEM, TEM, BET, Raman, TGA, and FT-IR. The adsorption of methylene blue (MB) and acid blue 25 (AB25) by graphene is studied and parameters such as contact time, adsorbent dosage were optimized. The Response Surface Methodology (RSM) is applied to investigate the effect of three variables (dye concentration, time and temperature) and their interaction on the removal efficiency. Adsorption kinetics and isotherm are followed a pseudo-second-order model and Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models, respectively. Thermodynamic parameters demonstrated that adsorption of dye is spontaneous and endothermic in nature. The plastic waste can be used after transformation into valuable carbon-based nanomaterials for use in the adsorption of organic contaminants from aqueous solution. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Panel Board From Coconut Fibre And Pet Bottle

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ngadiman Norhayati

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The rate of global deforestation and its impact on the environment has led particle board manufacture to search for alternative feedstock, especially in countries where wood is less available compared to other cellulosic natural product. Based on the properties of coconut fibre and PET bottle, these two materials can be recycle as raw material for manufacture of panel board. As for this study, the coconut fibre were used as the filler and PET bottle as outer lining of the panel board. Two types of coconut fibre were used which are grinding and un-grinding coconut fibre. At first, the coconut fibre are undergoes softening, grinding, drying and sieving process, while PET bottle was cleaning, shredding, sieving before compacted using hydraulic hot press machine. There are four types of testing that been carried out which are swelling, water absorption, Modulus of Elasticity (MOE and Modulus of Rupture (MOR. The result show the conventional board has the highest value for MOE test, so it’s indicate that the conventional board is less strength from the coconut fibre board. As for water absorption test, the average water absorption of coconut fibre based panel board is less than conventional board. Overall, the coconut fibre board is better than conventional panel board because coconut fibre board are less swelling, has low water absorption, high modulus of rupture and low modulus of elasticity. Based on the finding, this coconut fibre panel board has potential as a stronger and long-lasting panel board than the conventional board in the market. Other than that, the panel also have their own aesthetic value since the recycled plastic bottle used as outer lining is colourful and giving aesthetic value.

Measuring the significance of pearlescence in real-time bottle forming

Science.gov (United States)

Nixon, J.; Menary, G.; Yan, S.

2018-05-01

This work examines the optical properties of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles during the stretch-blow-moulding (SBM) process. PET has a relatively large process window with regards to process parameters, however if the boundaries are pushed, the resultant bottle can become insufficient for consumer requirements. One aspect of this process is the onset of pearlescence in the bottle material, where the bottle becomes opaque due to elevated stress whitening. Experimental trials were carried out using a modified free-stretch-blow machine where the deforming bottle was examined in free air. The strain values of the deformation were measured using digital image correlation (DIC) and the optical properties were measured relative to the initial amorphous PET preform. The results reveal that process parameters can significantly affect pearlescence. The detrimental level of pearlescence may be predicted therefore reducing the probability of poorly formed bottles.

Selective separation of virgin and post-consumer polymers (PET and PVC) by flotation method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Burat, Firat; Gueney, Ali; Olgac Kangal, M.

2009-01-01

More and more polymer wastes are generated by industry and householders today. Recycling is an important process to reduce the amount of waste resulting from human activities. Currently, recycling technologies use relatively homogeneous polymers because hand-sorting waste is costly. Many promising technologies are being investigated for separating mixed thermoplastics, but they are still uneconomical and unreliable. At present, most waste polymers cause serious environmental problems. Burning polymers for recycling is not practiced since poisonous gases are released during the burning process. Particularly, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) materials among waste polymers generate hazardous HCl gas, dioxins containing Cl, etc., which lead to air pollution and shorten the life of the incinerator. In addition, they make other polymers difficult to recycle. Both polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and PVC have densities of 1.30-1.35 g/cm 3 and cannot be separated using conventional gravity separation techniques. For this reason, polymer recycling needs new techniques. Among these techniques, froth flotation, which is also used in mineral processing, can be useful because of its low cost and simplicity. The main objective of this research is to recycle PET and PVC selectively from post-consumer polymer wastes and virgin polymers by using froth flotation. According to the results, all PVC particles were floated with 98.8% efficiency in virgin polymer separation while PET particles were obtained with 99.7% purity and 57.0% efficiency in post-consumer polymer separation.

Process of chemical recycling of post-consumer PET using a factorial design

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lacerda, Carlos Eduardo de O.; Almeida, Yeda Medeiros B. de; Vinhas, Gloria M.

2015-01-01

The present study investigated important variables in the depolymerization reaction of post-consumer poly (ethylene terephthalate) - PET via alkaline hydrolysis. Through this reaction is obtained terephthalic acid (PTA), a monomer, which when purified, is used for the production of PET resin. The study was based on a 2"2 factorial design in which the independent variables were the concentration of NaOH solution and the reaction time, and the dependent variable was the yield of PTA obtained. The experiments that generated the best results, 100 % of yield, were obtained with the higher values of the independent variables. Statistical analysis showed that the concentration of NaOH solution is the variable that most influences in the process. The PTA obtained was analyzed by NMR ¹H technique, confirming the strong resemblance to commercial PTA obtained by petrochemical way. (author)

Bottled Water: United States Consumers and Their Perceptions of Water Quality

OpenAIRE

Hu, Zhihua; Morton, Lois Wright; Mahler, Robert L.

2011-01-01

Consumption of bottled water is increasing worldwide. Prior research shows many consumers believe bottled water is convenient and has better taste than tap water, despite reports of a number of water quality incidents with bottled water. The authors explore the demographic and social factors associated with bottled water users in the U.S. and the relationship between bottled water use and perceptions of the quality of local water supply. They find that U.S. consumers are more likely to report...

High value carbon materials from PET recycling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Parra, J.B.; Ania, C.O.; Arenillas, A.; Rubiera, F.; Pis, J.J.

2004-01-01

Poly(ethylene) terephthalate (PET), has become one of the major post-consumer plastic waste. In this work special attention was paid to minimising PET residues and to obtain a high value carbon material. Pyrolysis and subsequent activation of PET from post-consumer soft-drink bottles was performed. Activation was carried out at 925 deg. C under CO 2 atmosphere to different burn-off degrees. Textural characterisation of the samples was carried out by performing N 2 adsorption isotherms at -196 deg. C. The obtained carbons materials were mainly microporous, presenting low meso and macroporosity, and apparent BET surface areas of upto 2500 m 2 g -1 . The capacity of these materials for phenol adsorption and PAHs removal from aqueous solutions was measured and compared with that attained with commercial active carbons. Preliminary tests also showed high hydrogen uptake values, as good as the results obtained with high-tech carbon materials

Acetaldehyde in mineral water stored in polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles: Odour threshold and quantification

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Nijssen, B.; Kamperman, T.; Jetten, J.

1996-01-01

The use of PET bottles for packaging soft drinks and mineral waters is still growing world wide. The production process for these bottles is improving constantly. These improvements are focussed on bottles with better barrier properties, higher inertness and higher heat stability. One of the factors

Will bottle-grade PET demand lure fiber-grade capacity?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Coeyman, M.

1993-01-01

As demand for bottle-grade polyethylene terephthalate (PET) continues strong and new capacity hastens to meet it, some industry observers wonder if conversions to bottle-grade from fiber-grade capacity will become an industry trend. Taiwan's Nan Ya Plastics was recently said to be considering such a switch, but company sources say it has no such plans. Peter Driscoll, senior partner at PCI Fibres ampersand Raw Materials (Crawley, UK), says that while it is true that demand for the bottle-grade material remains unsatisfied, he doubts that many conversions will take place. You must remember, says Driscoll, that it is not always possible to switch, and that even where it is possible there are limitations

Study on heat transfer coefficients during cooling of PET bottles for food beverages

Science.gov (United States)

Liga, Antonio; Montesanto, Salvatore; Mannella, Gianluca A.; La Carrubba, Vincenzo; Brucato, Valerio; Cammalleri, Marco

2016-08-01

The heat transfer properties of different cooling systems dealing with Poly-Ethylene-Terephthalate (PET) bottles were investigated. The heat transfer coefficient (Ug) was measured in various fluid dynamic conditions. Cooling media were either air or water. It was shown that heat transfer coefficients are strongly affected by fluid dynamics conditions, and range from 10 W/m2 K to nearly 400 W/m2 K. PET bottle thickness effect on Ug was shown to become relevant under faster fluid dynamics regimes.

High value carbon materials from PET recycling

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Parra, J.B.; Ania, C.O.; Arenillas, A.; Rubiera, F.; Pis, J.J

2004-11-15

Poly(ethylene) terephthalate (PET), has become one of the major post-consumer plastic waste. In this work special attention was paid to minimising PET residues and to obtain a high value carbon material. Pyrolysis and subsequent activation of PET from post-consumer soft-drink bottles was performed. Activation was carried out at 925 deg. C under CO{sub 2} atmosphere to different burn-off degrees. Textural characterisation of the samples was carried out by performing N{sub 2} adsorption isotherms at -196 deg. C. The obtained carbons materials were mainly microporous, presenting low meso and macroporosity, and apparent BET surface areas of upto 2500 m{sup 2} g{sup -1}. The capacity of these materials for phenol adsorption and PAHs removal from aqueous solutions was measured and compared with that attained with commercial active carbons. Preliminary tests also showed high hydrogen uptake values, as good as the results obtained with high-tech carbon materials.

Evaluating localism in the management of post-consumer plastic bottles in Honolulu, Hawai'i: perspectives from industrial ecology and political ecology.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Joo Young; Gupta, Clare

2015-05-01

Localism or regionalization has become a popular topic in urban design, but recent critics raise the question of whether the local or regional scale is most desirable for industrial ecosystems. As a way to explore the claim that localized metabolism is more sustainable, this study examines the costs and benefits of two differentially scaled strategies for the management of post-consumer polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles originating in the city of Honolulu, Hawai'i: local incineration and trans-continental recycling. We first estimate total environmental impacts of two options using life cycle assessment, and then disaggregate them into local versus non-local impacts to examine the spatial distribution of costs and benefits. We further assess the environmental justification for localized waste management in relation to the broader socio-economic motivations that underlie the way that plastics are managed in Honolulu. In doing so we assess the scale at which waste management is optimized from an environmental standpoint as well as the non-environmental considerations such as security and safety that influence the politics of scale involved in urban metabolic design. By illustrating the trade-offs between a local versus global metabolic pathway for plastic waste, the results from our Honolulu case study are globally relevant for communities interested in sustainable urban design and in particular urban waste management. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparative evolution of oxygen, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and sulfites during storage of a rosé wine bottled in PET and glass.

Science.gov (United States)

Toussaint, Marie; Vidal, Jean-Claude; Salmon, Jean-Michel

2014-04-02

The management of dissolved and headspace gases during bottling and the choice of packaging are both key factors for the shelf life of wine. Two kinds of 75 cL polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles (with or without recycled PET) were compared to glass bottles filled with a rosé wine, closed with the same screwcaps and stored upright at 20 °C in light or in the dark. Analytical monitoring (aphrometric pressure, headspace volume, O2, N2, CO2, and SO2) was carried out for 372 days. After the consumption of O2 trapped during bottling, the total O2 content in glass bottles remained stable. A substantial decrease of CO2 and SO2 concentration and an increase of O2 concentration were observed in the PET bottles after 6 months because of the considerable gas permeability of monolayer PET. Light accelerated O2 consumption during the early months. Finally, the kinetic monitoring of partial pressures in gas and liquid phases in bottles showed contrasting behavior of O2 and N2 in comparison with CO2.

Experimental characterisation of Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) bottle Eco-bricks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Taaffe, Jonathan; O’Sullivan, Seán; Rahman, Muhammad Ekhlasur; Pakrashi, Vikram

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Characterisation of a novel “Eco-brick” by recycling PET bottles and plastic waste. • Eco-bricks have properties for possible uses in construction. • Consistent manufacturing of Eco-bricks demonstrated to be possible. • Weight of Eco-bricks has a nearly linear relationship with mechanical strength. • Light passage and sound reduction potential of Eco-bricks shown to be good. - Abstract: This paper addresses the issue of recycling waste plastic by considering the feasibility of use of Eco-bricks for constructional purposes. The Eco-bricks are formed by packing plastic within Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) bottles. Guidelines were provided for the construction of Eco-bricks. Experiments were carried out to characterise some of the properties of these bricks. Compression test, sound insulation assessment and light transmission were considered in this regard and compared with traditional construction materials and conditions. Possible applications of Eco-bricks were discussed. The paper presents the first attempt to characterise these bricks and the results encourage future use of them to a significantly wider extent and for various purposes

Influence of bottled water packaging attributes on consumers ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The purpose of this study was to identify the influence of bottled water packaging attributes on consumers' purchase decision. The research focused in Addis Ababa (Ethiopia). The study used color, graphic design, size, printed information and shape of packaging as independent variables and consumers' purchase ...

An evaluation of the migration of antimony from polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic used for bottled drinking water

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chapa-Martínez, C.A.; Hinojosa-Reyes, L.; Hernández-Ramírez, A.; Ruiz-Ruiz, E.; Maya-Treviño, L.; Guzmán-Mar, J.L., E-mail: jorge.guzmanmr@uanl.edu.mx

2016-09-15

The leaching of antimony (Sb) from polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottling material was assessed in twelve brands of bottled water purchased in Mexican supermarkets by atomic fluorescence spectrometry with a hydride generation system (HG-AFS). Dowex® 1X8-100 ion-exchange resin was used to preconcentrate trace amounts of Sb in water samples. Migration experiments from the PET bottle material were performed in water according to the following storage conditions: 1) temperature (25 and 75 °C), 2) pH (3 and 7) and 3) exposure time (5 and 15 days), using ultrapure water as a simulant for liquid foods. The test conditions were studied by a 2{sup 3} factorial experimental design. The Sb concentration measured in the PET packaging materials varied between 73.0 and 111.3 mg/kg. The Sb concentration (0.28–2.30 μg/L) in all of the PET bottled drinking water samples examined at the initial stage of the study was below the maximum contaminant level of 5 μg/L prescribed by European Union (EU) regulations. The parameters studied (pH, temperature, and storage time) significantly affected the release of Sb, with temperature having the highest positive significant effect within the studied experimental domain. The highest Sb concentration leached from PET containers was in water samples at pH 7 stored at 75 °C for a period of 5 days. The extent of Sb leaching from the PET ingredients for different brands of drinking water can differ by as much as one order of magnitude in experiments conducted under the worst-case conditions. The chronic daily intake (CDI) caused by the release of Sb in one brand exceeded the Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) regulated CDI value of 400 ng/kg/day, with values of 514.3 and 566.2 ng/kg/day for adults and children. Thus, the appropriate selection of the polymer used for the production of PET bottles seems to ensure low Sb levels in water samples. - Highlights: • The PET safety due to the release of Sb was evaluated in Mexican water PET

An evaluation of the migration of antimony from polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic used for bottled drinking water

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chapa-Martínez, C.A.; Hinojosa-Reyes, L.; Hernández-Ramírez, A.; Ruiz-Ruiz, E.; Maya-Treviño, L.; Guzmán-Mar, J.L.

2016-01-01

The leaching of antimony (Sb) from polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottling material was assessed in twelve brands of bottled water purchased in Mexican supermarkets by atomic fluorescence spectrometry with a hydride generation system (HG-AFS). Dowex® 1X8-100 ion-exchange resin was used to preconcentrate trace amounts of Sb in water samples. Migration experiments from the PET bottle material were performed in water according to the following storage conditions: 1) temperature (25 and 75 °C), 2) pH (3 and 7) and 3) exposure time (5 and 15 days), using ultrapure water as a simulant for liquid foods. The test conditions were studied by a 2 3 factorial experimental design. The Sb concentration measured in the PET packaging materials varied between 73.0 and 111.3 mg/kg. The Sb concentration (0.28–2.30 μg/L) in all of the PET bottled drinking water samples examined at the initial stage of the study was below the maximum contaminant level of 5 μg/L prescribed by European Union (EU) regulations. The parameters studied (pH, temperature, and storage time) significantly affected the release of Sb, with temperature having the highest positive significant effect within the studied experimental domain. The highest Sb concentration leached from PET containers was in water samples at pH 7 stored at 75 °C for a period of 5 days. The extent of Sb leaching from the PET ingredients for different brands of drinking water can differ by as much as one order of magnitude in experiments conducted under the worst-case conditions. The chronic daily intake (CDI) caused by the release of Sb in one brand exceeded the Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) regulated CDI value of 400 ng/kg/day, with values of 514.3 and 566.2 ng/kg/day for adults and children. Thus, the appropriate selection of the polymer used for the production of PET bottles seems to ensure low Sb levels in water samples. - Highlights: • The PET safety due to the release of Sb was evaluated in Mexican water PET

Towards a sensory congruent beer bottle: Consumer associations between beer brands, flavours, and bottle designs

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Fenko, Anna; Heiltjes, Sanne; van den Berg-Weitzel, Lianne; Lloyd, Peter; Bohemia, Erik

2016-01-01

Sensory packaging design congruent with product and brand characteristics may be used as an innovative tool to communicate product and brand values to consumers and to enhance taste experience. This study investigated whether consumers associate sensory properties of beer bottles with certain brand

Speciation of inorganic antimony in polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottled water using hydride generation atomic absorption spectrophotometry (HG-AAS)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Markwo, Ali

2015-07-01

Antimony (Sb) is a regulated drinking water contaminant that has been found to leach from polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic containers into the waters stored in them. The common inorganic species of antimony in water are Sb(III) and Sb(V), with the former being more toxic and the latter being more soluble. In order to assess the extent to which waters stored in PET bottles are contaminated with inorganic Sb and to further examine the effect of typical storage conditions on migration rates, speciation analysis of inorganic Sb using hydride generation atomic absorption spectrophotometry (HG-AAS) was undertaken on selected PET plastic bottled waters marketed in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana. Six brands of PET plastic bottled waters were obtained at source on the day of packaging, and analyses undertaken on samples of the waters stored in the plastic containers at intervals of four weeks for twelve weeks, under three carefully chosen storage conditions distinctive of bottled water usage. Selected physicochemical properties of samples of the waters stored in the plastic containers and total Sb of samples of the plastic containers were also determined to discover the effect of some physical properties and certain major ions, and the influence of the different quality PET plastic types on Sb migration respectively. The study revealed amounts of total Sb in the PET plastic containers of the 6 brands ranging from 123.46 mg/kg to 146.45 mg/kg. The selected physicochemical properties of the waters stored in the PET plastic containers considered were pH (6.78 – 7.43), Ca2+ (1.61 – 12.39 mg/L), Mg2+ (1.00 – 4.96 mg/L), HCO3− (6.18 – 55.41 mg/L) and TDS (8.70 – 70.40 mg/L)). PET bottled waters of 5 out of the 6 brands contained Sb (initial total Sb ranging from 1.11 – 14.65 μg/L) before storage. Total Sb concentrations of the waters stored in the plastic containers were observed to increase with storage time under all the three storage conditions for

A case for closed-loop recycling of post-consumer PET for automotive foams.

Science.gov (United States)

Bedell, Matthew; Brown, Matthew; Kiziltas, Alper; Mielewski, Deborah; Mukerjee, Shakti; Tabor, Rick

2018-01-01

Striving to utilize sustainable material sources, polyester polyols made via glycolysis and esterification of recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET) scrap were used to synthesize flexible polyurethane (PU) foams typically found in automotive interior applications. The objective of this endeavor was to ascertain if a closed-loop model could be established with the discarded PET feedstock. In five separate formulations, up to 50% of the total polyol content (traditionally derived from petroleum-based feedstock) was replaced with the afore-mentioned sustainable recycled polyols. These foams underwent mechanical, thermal, morphological, and physical characterization testing to determine feasibility for use in an automotive interior. Young's modulus, tensile stress at maximum load, tear resistance, and compression modulus all increased by combined averages of 121%, 67%, 32%, and 150% over the control petroleum-based formulation, respectively, in foams possessing 50% rPET polyol content. Thermal stability also increased with sustainable polyol content; thermogravimetric analysis showed that 50% mass loss temperature increased by an average of 20 °C in foams containing 30% recycled polyol. Properties of density and SAG factor remained within 5% of the control petroleum-based reference foams. After comparing these findings to traditional polyols, a compelling argument can be made for the use of post-consumer automotive and industrial feedstocks in developing high-performing interior automotive PU foams. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Field comparison of solar water disinfection (SODIS) efficacy between glass and polyethylene terephalate (PET) plastic bottles under sub-Saharan weather conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Asiimwe, J K; Quilty, B; Muyanja, C K; McGuigan, K G

2013-12-01

Concerns about photodegradation products leaching from plastic bottle material into water during solar water disinfection (SODIS) are a major psychological barrier to increased uptake of SODIS. In this study, a comparison of SODIS efficacy using glass and plastic polyethylene terephalate (PET) bottles was carried out under strong real sunlight and overcast weather conditions at Makerere University in central Uganda. Both clear and turbid natural water samples from shallow wells and open dug wells, respectively, were used. Efficacy was determined from the inactivation of a wild strain of Escherichia coli in solar-exposed contaminated water in both glass and PET bottles. The studies reveal no significant difference in SODIS inactivation between glass and PET bottles (95% CI, p > 0.05), for all water samples under the different weather conditions except for clear water under overcast conditions where there was a small but significant difference (95% CI, p = 0.047) with less viable bacterial counts in PET bottles at two intermediate time points but not at the end of the exposure. The results demonstrate that SODIS efficacy in glass under tropical field conditions is comparable to PET plastic. SODIS users in these regions can choose either of reactors depending on availability and preference of the user.

The degradation potential of PET bottles in the marine environment: An ATR-FTIR based approach

Science.gov (United States)

Ioakeimidis, C.; Fotopoulou, K. N.; Karapanagioti, H. K.; Geraga, M.; Zeri, C.; Papathanassiou, E.; Galgani, F.; Papatheodorou, G.

2016-03-01

The dominance and persistence of plastic debris in the marine environment are well documented. No information exists in respect to their lifespan in the marine environment. Nevertheless, the degradation potential of plastic litter items remains a critical issue for marine litter research. In the present study, polyethylene terephthalate bottles (PETs) collected from the submarine environment were characterized using ATR-FTIR in respect to their degradation potential attributed to environmental conditions. A temporal indication was used as indicative to the years of presence of the PETs in the environment as debris. PETs seem to remain robust for approximately fifteen years. Afterwards, a significant decrease of the native functional groups was recorded; some even disappear; or new-not typical for PETs-are created. At a later stage, using the PET time series collected from the Saronikos Gulf (Aegean Sea-E. Mediterranean), it was possible to date bottles that were collected from the bottom of the Ionian Sea (W. Greece). It is the first time that such a study has been conducted with samples that were actually degraded in the marine environment.

Preparation of value-added metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) using waste PET bottles as source of acid linker

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Dyosiba, Xoliswa

2016-12-01

Full Text Available of Value-added Metal-organic Frameworks (MOFs) Using Waste PET Bottles as Source of Acid Linker Xoliswa Dyosiba, Jianwei Ren, Nicholas M. Musyoka, Henrietta W. Langmi, Mkhulu Mathe, Maurice S. Onyango PII: S2214-9937(16)30053-7 DOI: doi:10.1016/j..., Hen- rietta W. Langmi, Mkhulu Mathe, Maurice S. Onyango, Preparation of Value-added Metal-organic Frameworks (MOFs) Using Waste PET Bottles as Source of Acid Linker, Sustainable Materials and Technologies (2016), doi:10.1016/j.susmat.2016...

Recycling potential of post-consumer plastic packaging waste in Finland.

Science.gov (United States)

Dahlbo, Helena; Poliakova, Valeria; Mylläri, Ville; Sahimaa, Olli; Anderson, Reetta

2018-01-01

Recycling of plastics is urged by the need for closing material loops to maintain our natural resources when striving towards circular economy, but also by the concern raced by observations of plastic scrap in oceans and lakes. Packaging industry is the sector using the largest share of plastics, hence packaging dominates in the plastic waste flow. The aim of this paper was to sum up the recycling potential of post-consumer plastic packaging waste in Finland. This potential was evaluated based on the quantity, composition and mechanical quality of the plastic packaging waste generated by consumers and collected as a source-separated fraction, within the mixed municipal solid waste (MSW) or within energy waste. Based on the assessment 86,000-117,000 tons (18 kg/person/a) of post-consumer plastic packaging waste was generated in Finland in 2014. The majority, 84% of the waste was in the mixed MSW flow in 2014. Due to the launching of new sorting facilities and separate collections for post-consumer plastic packaging in 2016, almost 40% of the post-consumer plastic packaging could become available for recycling. However, a 50% recycling rate for post-consumer plastic packaging (other than PET bottles) would be needed to increase the overall MSW recycling rate from the current 41% by around two percentage points. The share of monotype plastics in the overall MSW plastics fraction was 80%, hence by volume the recycling potential of MSW plastics is high. Polypropylene (PP) and low density polyethylene (LDPE) were the most common plastic types present in mixed MSW, followed by polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polystyrene (PS) and high density polyethylene (HDPE). If all the Finnish plastic packaging waste collected through the three collection types would be available for recycling, then 19,000-25,000 tons of recycled PP and 6000-8000 tons of recycled HDPE would be available on the local market. However, this assessment includes uncertainties due to performing the

Open-loop recycling: A LCA case study of PET bottle-to-fibre-recycling

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Shen, L.; Worrell, E.; Patel, M.K.

2010-01-01

This study assesses the environmental impact of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottle-to-fibre recycling using the methodology of life-cycle assessment (LCA). Four recycling cases, including mechanical recycling, semi-mechanical recycling, back-to-oligomer recycling and back-to-monomer recycling

Depolymerization of post-consumer PET with multifunctional alcohol through melt processing; Despolimerizacao de PET pos-consumo com alcool multifuncional atraves de processamento por fusao

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lessa, Tathiane C.R.F.; Mendes, Luis C.; Dias, Marcos L., E-mail: tathianecr@ima.ufrj.b [Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (IMA/UFRJ), RJ (Brazil). Inst. de Macromoleculas Professora Eloisa Mano. Centro de Tecnologia

2009-07-01

The purpose of this study was to prepare oligomers from post-consumer PET with multifunctional alcohol, through melt processing, aiming to develop a new material, able to play a role as filler or property modifier. Maintaining constants the process conditions, content and kind of catalyst, the influence of the solvolysis agent on the PET depolymerization was investigated. The products were evaluated by wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD) and thermogravimetry (TG/DTG). The changes in the WAXD curves and the shift of the maximum degradation temperature suggested that the ester linkages were broken being the ethylene glycol moieties replaced with hydroxyl-terminal groups of the multifunctional alcohol, as result of a transesterification reaction. The chemical structure of the new ester was named 'star-branching polymer'. (author)

The influence of the structures and compounds of DLC coatings on the barrier properties of PET bottles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Yang; Zhen-Duo, Wang; Shou-Ye, Zhang; Li-Zhen, Yang; Qiang, Chen

2009-01-01

To reduce the oxygen transmission rate through a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottle (an organic plastic) diamond-like carbon (DLC) coatings on the inner surface of the PET bottle were deposited by radio frequency plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition (RF-PECVD) technology with C 2 H 2 as the source of carbon and Ar as the diluted gas. As the barrier layer to humidity and gas permeation, this paper analyses the DLC film structure, composition, morphology and barrier properties by Fourier transform infrared, atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and oxygen transmission rate in detail. From the spectrum, it is found that the DLC film mainly consists of sp 3 bonds. The barrier property of the films is significantly relevant to the sp 3 bond concentration in the coating, the film thickness and morphology. Additionally, it is found that DLC film deposited in an inductively coupled plasma enhanced capacitively coupled plasma source shows a compact, homogeneous and crack-free surface, which is beneficial for a good gas barrier property in PET bottles. (fluids, plasmas and electric discharges)

Recycling of PET bottles as fine aggregate in concrete

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Frigione, Mariaenrica

2010-01-01

An attempt to substitute in concrete the 5% by weight of fine aggregate (natural sand) with an equal weight of PET aggregates manufactured from the waste un-washed PET bottles (WPET), is presented. The WPET particles possessed a granulometry similar to that of the substituted sand. Specimens with different cement content and water/cement ratio were manufactured. Rheological characterization on fresh concrete and mechanical tests at the ages of 28 and 365 days were performed on the WPET/concretes as well as on reference concretes containing only natural fine aggregate in order to investigate the influence of the substitution of WPET to the fine aggregate in concrete. It was found that the WPET concretes display similar workability characteristics, compressive strength and splitting tensile strength slightly lower that the reference concrete and a moderately higher ductility.

Polyester Polyols from Waste PET Bottles for Polyurethane Rigid Foams

OpenAIRE

Evtimova, Rozeta; Lozeva, Yordanka; Schmidt, Karl-Heinz; Wotzka, Michael; Wagner, Peter; Behrendt, Gerhard

2003-01-01

This paper describes a modified process to produce polyester polyols from PET wastes derived from the “bottle fraction residue” of the German Dual System (DSD) [11] employing a waste oligoester condensate of the polyesterification process with the addition of some glycols of longer chain and occasional modification with further dicarboxylic acids to produce polyester polyols of a broad range of properties which are further reacted to form polyurethane or polyisocyanurate rigid foams for insul...

Chemical recycling of post-consumer PET: structural characterization of terephthalic acid and the effect of Alkaline Hydrolysis at low temperature

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fonseca, Talitha Granja; Almeida, Yeda Medeiros Bastos de; Vinhas, Gloria Maria

2014-01-01

Due to the environmental impact caused by PET packaging disposal, this material recycling has been thoroughly discussed and evaluated. In particular, chemical recycling enables achievement of the monomers that are used in PET resin manufacture: ethylene glycol (EG) and terephthalic acid (PTA). Therefore, studies for this process optimization are important from environmental and economic points of view. The present study investigated certain parameters that influence the depolymerization reaction of PET post-consumer via alkaline hydrolysis in order to obtain PTA. Assays were performed at 70 °C by varying the concentration of sodium hydroxide and the reaction time. The best results were obtained at 10.82 mol L -1 NaOH and 9 h reaction time. Consequently, it was possible to prove this process viability, once analyses by infrared and nuclear magnetic resonance confirmed that PTA was obtained in all reactions performed. (author)

Process of chemical recycling of post-consumer PET using a factorial design; Processo de reciclagem quimica do PET pos-consumo empregando o planejamento fatorial

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lacerda, Carlos Eduardo de O.; Almeida, Yeda Medeiros B. de; Vinhas, Gloria M., E-mail: carlos.olacerda@hotmail.com [Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (UFPE), Recife, PE (Brazil)

2015-07-01

The present study investigated important variables in the depolymerization reaction of post-consumer poly (ethylene terephthalate) - PET via alkaline hydrolysis. Through this reaction is obtained terephthalic acid (PTA), a monomer, which when purified, is used for the production of PET resin. The study was based on a 2{sup 2} factorial design in which the independent variables were the concentration of NaOH solution and the reaction time, and the dependent variable was the yield of PTA obtained. The experiments that generated the best results, 100 % of yield, were obtained with the higher values of the independent variables. Statistical analysis showed that the concentration of NaOH solution is the variable that most influences in the process. The PTA obtained was analyzed by NMR ¹H technique, confirming the strong resemblance to commercial PTA obtained by petrochemical way. (author)

Recycling of PET bottles as fine aggregate in concrete.

Science.gov (United States)

Frigione, Mariaenrica

2010-06-01

An attempt to substitute in concrete the 5% by weight of fine aggregate (natural sand) with an equal weight of PET aggregates manufactured from the waste un-washed PET bottles (WPET), is presented. The WPET particles possessed a granulometry similar to that of the substituted sand. Specimens with different cement content and water/cement ratio were manufactured. Rheological characterization on fresh concrete and mechanical tests at the ages of 28 and 365days were performed on the WPET/concretes as well as on reference concretes containing only natural fine aggregate in order to investigate the influence of the substitution of WPET to the fine aggregate in concrete. It was found that the WPET concretes display similar workability characteristics, compressive strength and splitting tensile strength slightly lower that the reference concrete and a moderately higher ductility. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of PVP on the characteristic of modified membranes made from waste PET bottles for humic acid removal [version 2; referees: 2 approved

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nasrul Arahman

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Background: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the possibility of using recycled polymer (waste polyethylene terephthalate [PET] bottles as a membrane material. Furthermore, the effect of the addition of a pore-forming agent and preparation conditions was also observed. Methods: Porous polymeric membranes were prepared via thermally induced phase separation by dissolving recycled PET in phenol. PET polymer was obtained from waste plastic bottles as a new source of polymeric material. For original PET membrane, the casting solution was prepared by dissolving of 20wt% PET in phenol solution. For PET modified membrane, a 5 wt% of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP was added into polymer solution. The solution was cast onto a glass plate at room temperature followed by evaporation before the solidification process. The membranes formed were characterized in terms of morphology, chemical group, and filtration performance. A humic acid solution was used to identify the permeability and the solute rejection of the membranes. Results: The results showed that the recycled PET from waste plastic bottles was applicable to use as a membrane material for a water treatment process. The maximum flux of 97.0 l/m2.hr was obtained from filtration test using PET membrane. The highest rejection of humic acid in a water sample, which reached up to 75.92%, was obtained using the PET/PVP membrane. Conclusions: The recycled PET from waste bottles was successfully used to prepare porous membrane. The membrane was modified by the addition of PVP as a membrane modifying agent. SEM analysis confirmed that the original PET membrane has a rough and large pore structure. The addition of PVP improved the pore density with a narrow pore structure. The PET/PVP membrane conditioned with evaporation was the best in humic acid rejection.

Polymeric blends from post-consumer PET and polyester becoming of glycerol and phthalic acid; Misturas polimericas a partir do PET pos-consumo e poliesteres derivados do gliceraol e acido ftalico

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Miranda, C.S.; Brioude, M.; Fiuza, R.P.; Luporini, S.; Carvalho, R.F.; Jose, N.M., E-mail: cleidienesm@gmail.co [Universidade Federal da Bahia (GECIM/UFBA), Salvador, BA (Brazil). Inst. de Quimica. Grupo de Energia e Ciencias dos Materiais

2010-07-01

Preparation of physical mixture or polymer blends is a very important method to obtain a final product with excellent balance of properties, where one component can compensate for the poor property of another, and is often a modified low cost compared to development and synthesis of a new polymer. PET has become a major waste of post-consumer plastics and aiming to remedy this problem, this work aims to obtain blends from recycled PET and polyesters derived from glycerol and phthalic acid. The material with higher proportion of PET showed better thermal properties, observed by TGA and DSC, with a similar profile of pure PET. In XRD analysis showed a semicrystalline, while the SEM is a smooth surface on all materials, characteristic of pure polyester. The ratio of 50% its surface showed a probable immiscibility of polymers. (author)

Are consumers concerned about plastic water bottles environmental impact?

OpenAIRE

Caroline Orset; Nicolas Barret; Aurélien Lemaire

2015-01-01

Although plastic induces environmental damages, almost all water bottles are made from plastic. However, these damages are more or less significant according to the plastic used. This study evaluates the consumers' willingness to pay (WTP) for different plastics used for water packaging. Successive messages emphasizing the characteristics of plastic are delivered to participants allowing explaining information influence on the consumers' WTP. We find that information has a significant effect ...

Life cycle assessment of bottled water: A case study of Green2O products.

Science.gov (United States)

Horowitz, Naomi; Frago, Jessica; Mu, Dongyan

2018-03-01

This study conducted a full life cycle analysis of bottled water on four types of bottles: ENSO, PLA (corn based), recycled PET, and regular (petroleum based) PET, to discern which bottle material is more beneficial to use in terms of environmental impacts. PET bottles are the conventional bottles used that are not biodegradable and accumulate in landfills. PLA corn based bottles are derived from an organic substance and are degradable under certain environmental conditions. Recycled PET bottles are purified PET bottles that were disposed of and are used in a closed loop system. An ENSO bottle contains a special additive which is designed to help the plastic bottle degrade after disposed of in a landfill. The results showed that of all fourteen impact categories examined, the recycled PET and ENSO bottles were generally better than the PLA and regular PET bottles; however, the ENSO had the highest impacts in the categories of global warming and respiratory organics, and the recycled PET had the highest impact in the eutrophication category. The life cycle stages that were found to have the highest environmental impacts were the bottle manufacturing stage and the bottled water distribution to storage stage. Analysis of the mixed bottle material based on recycled PET resin and regular PET resin was discussed as well, in which key impact categories were identified. The PLA bottle contained extremely low impacts in the carcinogens, respiratory organics and global warming categories, yet it still contained the highest impacts in seven of the fourteen categories. Overall, the results demonstrate that the usage of more sustainable bottles, such as biodegradable ENSO bottles and recycled PET bottles, appears to be a viable option for decreasing impacts of the bottled water industry on the environment. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Optimization of fixed titanium dioxide film on PET bottles and visual indicator for water disinfection

Science.gov (United States)

Heredia-Munoz, Manuel Antonio

Water is perhaps the most important resource that sustains human life. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), almost two billion people do not have access to the required water that is needed to satisfy their daily needs and one billion do not have access to clean sources of water for consumption, most of them living in isolated and poor areas around the globe. Poor quality water increases the risk of cholera, typhoid fever and dysentery, and other water-borne illness making this problem a real crisis that humankind is facing. Several water disinfection technologies have been proposed as solutions for this problem. Solar water disinfection using TiO2 coated PET bottles was the alternative that is studied in this work. This technology does not only inactivate bacteria but also disintegrates organic chemicals that can be present in water. The objectives of this work address the optimization of the TiO 2 coated PET bottles technologies. The improvement on the bottle coating process, using two coats of 10% W/V of TiO2 in a solution of vinegar and sodium bicarbonate to form the TiO2 film, the use of a different indigo carmine (1.25 X 10-1mg/pill) concentration in the pill indicator of contamination, the increase of the disinfection rate through shaking the bottles, degradation under intermittent UV radiation and the effect of bottle size on photocatalytic water disinfection were among the most important findings. A new mathematical model that describes better photocatalytic water disinfection in TiO2 coated bottles and simulates water disinfection under different working conditions was another important achievement. These results can now be used to design a strategy for disseminating this technology in areas where it is required and, in that way, generate the greatest positive impact on the people needing safe drinking water.

HPLC study of migration of terephthalic acid and isophthalic acid from PET bottles into edible oils.

Science.gov (United States)

Khaneghah, Amin Mousavi; Limbo, Sara; Shoeibi, Shahram; Mazinani, Somayeh

2014-08-01

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) containers for food oil packaging were evaluated with a newly established determination method for terephthalic acid (TPA) and isophthalic acid (IPA). The analysis of monomers, TPA and IPA that migrate from PET bottles into oils was performed using high-pressure liquid chromatography with a diode array detector. Three types of commercial oils (sunflower oil, canola oil and blended oil which included sunflower oil, soy bean oil and cottonseed oil) were bottled in PET containers. These samples were incubated for 10 days at 49 °C as accelerated test condition. The means of recovery for this method varied from 70% to 72% and from 101% to 111% for TPA and IPA, respectively. The results showed that the amounts of specific migration of TPA and IPA into the samples conform to European Union legislation that identifies specific migration limits. More important, the results highlighted a different behavior of migration as a function of the fatty acid profile. Previous investigations have been performed with food simulants such as HB307 or 20% ethanol but our study used real food samples and determined trace amounts of the migrated compounds. Further investigation will be needed to better explain the influence of fatty acid conformation on migration of PET monomers. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry.

Characteristics of bacterial and fungal growth in plastic bottled beverages under a consuming condition model.

Science.gov (United States)

Watanabe, Maiko; Ohnishi, Takahiro; Araki, Emiko; Kanda, Takashi; Tomita, Atsuko; Ozawa, Kazuhiro; Goto, Keiichi; Sugiyama, Kanji; Konuma, Hirotaka; Hara-Kudo, Yukiko

2014-01-01

Microbial contamination in unfinished beverages can occur when drinking directly from the bottle. Various microorganisms, including foodborne pathogens, are able to grow in these beverages at room temperature or in a refrigerator. In this study, we elucidated the characteristics of microorganism growth in bottled beverages under consuming condition models. Furthermore, we provide insight into the safety of partially consumed bottled beverages with respect to food hygiene. We inoculated microorganisms, including foodborne pathogens, into various plastic bottled beverages and analysed the dynamic growth of microorganisms as well as bacterial toxin production in the beverages. Eight bottled beverage types were tested in this study, namely green tea, apple juice drink, tomato juice, carbonated drink, sport drink, coffee with milk, isotonic water and mineral water, and in these beverages several microorganism types were used: nine bacteria including three toxin producers, three yeasts, and five moulds. Following inoculation, the bottles were incubated at 35°C for 48 h for bacteria, 25°C for 48 h for yeasts, and 25°C for 28 days for moulds. During the incubation period, the number of bacteria and yeasts and visible changes in mould-growth were determined over time. Our results indicated that combinations of the beverage types and microorganism species correlated with the degree of growth. Regarding factors that affect the growth and toxin-productivity of microorganisms in beverages, it is speculated that the pH, static/shaking culture, temperature, additives, or ingredients, such as carbon dioxide or organic matter (especially of plant origin), may be important for microorganism growth in beverages. Our results suggest that various types of unfinished beverages have microorganism growth and can include food borne pathogens and bacterial toxins. Therefore, our results indicate that in terms of food hygiene it is necessary to consume beverages immediately after opening

Preparation of the PET/PP/PE/EVA polymeric blend from PET bottles and modification studies induced by ionizing radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rossini, Edvaldo Luis

2005-01-01

The environmental pollution is one of the biggest problems nowadays. Amidst the pollutants, plastic and especially the packings type P ET bottles , which comprise of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE) and poly[ethylene-co-(vinyl acetate)] (EVA) are causing big damage in the environment. In this work, the polymeric blend PET/PP/PE/EVA was obtained by a process of simplified mechanical recycling from 'PET bottles' after consumption, with the objective to find solution to this environmental problem. It was also studied the different ionizing radiation doses effects (25, 50, 75, 100, 150, 200, 300, 400 e 500 kGy) on the blend properties using an electron beam accelerator. The mechanical (tensile strength, impact and hardness), thermal (Vicat softening temperature, differential scanning calorimetry and termogravimetric) and microscopic (light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy) properties of the blend were studied. The analysis of the results showed to be a not mixing and compatible blend, with mechanical and thermal properties (which appeared to be similar to the properties of the component material used in the blend in separate) satisfactory, resulting in a resistant material and of low cost, being able to be used in the production of parts that do not demand specifications techniques. The use of the ionizing radiation improved some of the mechanical and thermal properties of the blend (these modifications had been random and irregular, depending directly on the dose of applied radiation and the type of property) making possible more specific applications for this material. (author)

Impact of temperature and storage time on the migration of antimony from polyethylene terephthalate (PET) containers into bottled water in Qatar.

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Otoum, Fatima; Al-Ghouti, Mohammad A; Costa, Ozeas S; Khraisheh, Majeda

2017-11-12

Prosperity in Qatar and the consequent stresses on water resources resulted in a sustainable increase in the bottled drinking water market. Reports on health concerns and possible migration of chemicals from the plastic material into the water have driven the current investigation. This study aims to address the extent of antimony (Sb) leaching from polyethylene terephthalate (PET) water bottles subject to temperature variations (24-50 °C) due to Qatar's hot climate and improper storage conditions. A representative basket including 66 different imported and locally produced water bottles was considered. The concentrations of Sb in bottled water ranged from 0.168 to 2.263 μg/L at 24 °C and from 0.240 to 6.110 μg/L at 50 °C. Antimony concentrations in PET bottles at 24 °C was significantly lower than those at 50 °C (p = 0.0142), indicating that the temperature was a principal factor affecting the release of Sb from the plastic into the water. Although the detected Sb amounts were below the guidelines endorsed by WHO and Qatar (standard 5 μg/L) at 24 °C, the concentration measured at 50 °C was higher than the recommended WHO values (6.11 μg/L).

PET after use. From problem to opportunity; PET post-consumo. Da problema a opportunita'

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chiacchio, G.; Malinconico, M. [Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Arcofelice, NA (Italy). Istituto di Ricerca e Tecnologia delle Materie Plastiche; Santacesaria, E.; Di Sero, M. [Naples Univ. Federico 2. (Italy). Dipt. di Chimica

1999-04-01

Due to collection, separation and legislation problems, the only type of PET suitable for recycling, is, at moment, the polymer employed in liquid containers or, more precisely, PET from drink bottles. The paper refer to the most up-to-date strategies to overcomes typical problems occurring during physical recycling of PET (hydrolytic and thermal degradation). Among others, a recent procedure is cited, that utilizes p-hydroxybenzoic acid and titanium tetraisopropylate. As far as chemical recycling is concerned, alternative methodologies to PET glycolysis (normally employing ethyleneglycol to obtain monomers) using unsaturated diols to obtain polyesters suitable for production of thermosetting resins, are reported. Finally, chemical recycling of PET to produce alkyl-phthalates (well know plasticizers for thermoplastic polymers) is described. [Italian] L'unico tipo di PET che si presta concretamente ad essere impiegato in processi di riciclo e', attualmente, quello che deriva da contenitori per liquidi ed in particolare da bottiglie per bevande. Nel lavoro si fa riferimento alle strategie piu' recenti per ovviare ai problemi tipici del riciclo fisico del PET e ai metodidi riciclo chimico, mediante metodologie alternative di glicolisi del PET. Viene anche esposta una via alternativa di produzione di esteri alchil-ftalici (noti plastificanti per polimeri termoplastici).

Migration measurement and modelling from poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) into soft drinks and fruit juices in comparison with food simulants.

Science.gov (United States)

Franz, R; Welle, F

2008-08-01

Poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) bottles are widely used for beverages. Knowledge about the migration of organic compounds from the PET bottle wall into contact media is of interest especially when post-consumer recyclates are introduced into new PET bottles. Using migration theory, the migration of a compound can be calculated if the concentration in the bottle wall is known. On the other hand, for any given specific migration limit or maximum target concentration for organic chemical compounds in the bottled foodstuffs, the maximum allowable concentrations in the polymer CP,0 can be calculated. Since a food simulant cannot exactly simulate the real migration into the foodstuff or beverages, a worse-case simulation behaviour is the intention. However, if the migration calculation should not be too overestimative, the polymer-specific kinetic parameter for migration modelling, the so-called AP value, should be established appropriately. One objective of the study was the kinetic determination of the specific migration behaviour of low molecular weight compounds such as solvents with relatively high diffusion rates and, therefore, with high migration potential from the PET bottle wall into food simulants in comparison with real beverages. For this purpose, model contaminants were introduced into the bottle wall during pre-form production. The volatile compounds toluene and chlorobenzene were established at concentrations from about 20-30 mg kg(-1) to 300-350 mg kg(-1). Phenyl cyclohexane was present at concentrations of 35, 262 and 782 mg kg(-1), respectively. The low volatile compounds benzophenone and methyl stearate have bottle wall concentrations of about 100 mg kg(-1) in the low spiking level up to about 1000 mg kg(-1) in the highly spiked test bottle. From these experimental data, the polymer specific parameters (AP values) from mathematical migration modelling were derived. The experimental determined diffusing coefficients were determined, calculated and

Speciation of antimony in polyethylene terephthalate bottles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martin, R.R.; Ablett, J.; Shotyk, W.S.; Naftel, S.; Northrup, P.

2010-01-01

Antimony contamination has been reported in drinking water from polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles. Micro-X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis has been used to identify the distribution and chemical form of residual antimony used as a catalyst in the manufacture of PET bottles. The results are consistent with clusters of Sb(III) having dimensions of the order of tens of micrometers, clearly showing the ability of synchrotron radiation analyses to both map elemental distribution and determine oxidation state.

Effect of environmental conditions on the migration of DI (2-Ethylhexyl) Phthalate from PET bottles into yogurt drinks: Influence of time, temperature and food simulant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Farhoodi, M.; Emam-Djomeh, Z.; Ehsani, Mohammad Reza; Oromiehie, A.

2008-01-01

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is one of the materials that are widely used for packaging of beverages and edible oils. In this study, the migration of di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) from PET bottles into the Iranian yogurt drink was investigated. According to European Commission regulations, acetic acid (3% w/v) was chosen as stimulant. The acetic acid samples were stored at 4C, 25C and 45Cfor four months and analyzed periodically by gas chromatography. Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) was used to investigate if contact with the food stimulant could affect the PET material. It was concluded that the storage temperature had a large effect on the migration of DEHP. Also, increasing storage time resulted in higher concentrations of migrating DEHP. The concentrations of migrating substance did not exceed its specific migration limit (Economic European Community (EEC) regulations). Determination of glass transition (Tg) and crystallinity percent of PET bottles using DSC method showed that the variations in the amount of migration at different storage condition did not induce any change in the PET material in contact with 3% acetic acid. (author)

A margin of exposure approach to assessment of non-cancerous risk of diethyl phthalate based on human exposure from bottled water consumption.

Science.gov (United States)

Zare Jeddi, Maryam; Rastkari, Noushin; Ahmadkhaniha, Reza; Yunesian, Masud; Nabizadeh, Ramin; Daryabeygi, Reza

2015-12-01

Phthalates may be present in food due to their widespread presence as environmental contaminants or due to migration from food contact materials. Exposure to phthalates is considered to be potentially harmful to human health as well. Therefore, determining the main source of exposure is an important issue. So, the purpose of this study was (1) to measure the release of diethyl phthalate (DEP) in bottled water consumed in common storage conditions specially low temperature and freezing conditions; (2) to evaluate the intake of DEP from polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottled water and health risk assessment; and (3) to assess the contribution of the bottled water to the DEP intake against the tolerable daily intake (TDI) values. DEP migration was investigated in six brands of PET-bottled water under different storage conditions room temperature, refrigerator temperature, freezing conditions (40 °C ,0 °C and -18 °C) and outdoor] at various time intervals by magnetic solid extraction (MSPE) using gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS). Eventually, a health risk assessment was conducted and the margin of exposure (MOE) was calculated. The results indicate that contact time with packaging and storage temperatures caused DEP to be released into water from PET bottles. But, when comprising the DEP concentration with initial level, the results demonstrated that the release of phthalates were not substantial in all storage conditions especially at low temperatures ( children > lactating women > teenagers > adults > pregnant women), but in all target groups, the MOE was much higher than 1000, thus, low risk is implied. Consequently, PET-bottled water is not a major source of human exposure to DEP and from this perspective is safe for consumption.

Water Quality Evaluation of PET Bottled Water by Mineral Balance in the Northeast Asian Region: A Case Study of South Korea.

Science.gov (United States)

Houri, Daisuke; Koo, Chung Mo

2015-09-01

The past few years have seen a demand for drinking water in contemporary society with a focus on safety and taste. Mineral water is now marketed as a popular commercial product and, partly due to health concerns, the production. For the study, a comparison was carried out of water samples from 9 types of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottled water sold in South Korea as well as from tap water in the cities of Seoul and Chuncheon. These were compared with samples of Japanese PET bottled water in order to determine shared commonalities and identify individual characteristics. To evaluate water quality objectively, we quantified the elements contained in the water samples. Samples were assessed not with the usual sensory evaluation but with the evaluation approach advocated by Hashimoto et al. which employs the Water Index of Taste and the Water Index of Health. The levels of water quality obtained were compared with the "Prerequisites for Tasty Water" and the "Standards for Tasty Water" devised for city water. The PET Bottled water varieties analyzed in this study-Seoksu, Icis, Bong Pyong, Soon Soo 100, Dong Won Saem Mul, GI JANG SOO and DIAMOND-showed the Water Index of Taste ≥ 2.0 and the Water Index of Health ≥ 5.2, which we classified as tasty/healthy water. SamDaSoo and NamiNeral can be classified as tasty water due to their values of the Water Index of Taste ≥ 2.0 and the Water Index of Health water studied here fulfills the "Water Index of Taste," "Water Index of Health," "Standard for Tasty Water" and "Prerequisites for Tasty Water" that Japanese people value for city water. We can conclude that bottled water which meets water quality requirements will be considered good-tasting by a majority of people.

An investigation on the use of shredded waste PET bottles as aggregate in lightweight concrete

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Akcaoezoglu, Semiha; Atis, Cengiz Duran; Akcaoezoglu, Kubilay

2010-01-01

In this work, the utilization of shredded waste Poly-ethylene Terephthalate (PET) bottle granules as a lightweight aggregate in mortar was investigated. Investigation was carried out on two groups of mortar samples, one made with only PET aggregates and, second made with PET and sand aggregates together. Additionally, blast-furnace slag was also used as the replacement of cement on mass basis at the replacement ratio of 50% to reduce the amount of cement used and provide savings. The water-binder (w/b) ratio and PET-binder (PET/b) ratio used in the mixtures were 0.45 and 0.50, respectively. The size of shredded PET granules used in the preparation of mortar mixtures were between 0 and 4 mm. The results of the laboratory study and testing carried out showed that mortar containing only PET aggregate, mortar containing PET and sand aggregate, and mortars modified with slag as cement replacement can be drop into structural lightweight concrete category in terms of unit weight and strength properties. Therefore, it was concluded that there is a potential for the use of shredded waste PET granules as aggregate in the production of structural lightweight concrete. The use of shredded waste PET granules due to its low unit weight reduces the unit weight of concrete which results in a reduction in the death weight of a structural concrete member of a building. Reduction in the death weight of a building will help to reduce the seismic risk of the building since the earthquake forces linearly dependant on the dead-weight. Furthermore, it was also concluded that the use of industrial wastes such as PET granules and blast-furnace slag in concrete provides some advantages, i.e., reduction in the use of natural resources, disposal of wastes, prevention of environmental pollution, and energy saving.

An investigation on the use of shredded waste PET bottles as aggregate in lightweight concrete.

Science.gov (United States)

Akçaözoğlu, Semiha; Atiş, Cengiz Duran; Akçaözoğlu, Kubilay

2010-02-01

In this work, the utilization of shredded waste Poly-ethylene Terephthalate (PET) bottle granules as a lightweight aggregate in mortar was investigated. Investigation was carried out on two groups of mortar samples, one made with only PET aggregates and, second made with PET and sand aggregates together. Additionally, blast-furnace slag was also used as the replacement of cement on mass basis at the replacement ratio of 50% to reduce the amount of cement used and provide savings. The water-binder (w/b) ratio and PET-binder (PET/b) ratio used in the mixtures were 0.45 and 0.50, respectively. The size of shredded PET granules used in the preparation of mortar mixtures were between 0 and 4 mm. The results of the laboratory study and testing carried out showed that mortar containing only PET aggregate, mortar containing PET and sand aggregate, and mortars modified with slag as cement replacement can be drop into structural lightweight concrete category in terms of unit weight and strength properties. Therefore, it was concluded that there is a potential for the use of shredded waste PET granules as aggregate in the production of structural lightweight concrete. The use of shredded waste PET granules due to its low unit weight reduces the unit weight of concrete which results in a reduction in the death weight of a structural concrete member of a building. Reduction in the death weight of a building will help to reduce the seismic risk of the building since the earthquake forces linearly dependent on the dead-weight. Furthermore, it was also concluded that the use of industrial wastes such as PET granules and blast-furnace slag in concrete provides some advantages, i.e., reduction in the use of natural resources, disposal of wastes, prevention of environmental pollution, and energy saving.

Effect of environmental conditions on the migration of di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate from pet bottles into yogurt drinks: influence of time, temperature, and food simulant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Farhoodi, Mehdi; Djomeh, Zahra Emam; Ehsani, Mohammad Reza; Oromiehie, Abdolrasul

2008-01-01

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is one of the materials that are widely used for packaging of beverages and edible oils. In this study, the migration of di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP) from PET bottles into the Iranian yogurt drink was investigated. According to European Commission regulations, acetic acid (3% w/v) was chosen as simulant. The acetic acid samples were stored at 4 degree C, 25 degree C, and 45 degree C for four months and analyzed periodically by gas chromatography. Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) was used to investigate if contact with the food simulant could affect the PET material. It was concluded that the storage temperature had a large effect on the migration of DEHP. Also, increasing storage time resulted in higher concentrations of migrating DEHP. The concentrations of migrating substance did not exceed its specific migration limit (Economic European Community (EEC) regulations). Determination of glass transition (Tg) and crystallinity percent of PET bottles using DSC method showed that the variations in the amount of migration at different storage condition did not induce any change in the PET material in contact with 3% acetic acid. (author)

Tap versus bottled water consumption: The influence of social norms, affect and image on consumer choice.

Science.gov (United States)

Etale, Anita; Jobin, Marilou; Siegrist, Michael

2018-02-01

What drives consumers to choose bottled water instead of tap water where the latter is safe, accessible, costs far less, and in spite of its environmental impacts? This research investigates the influence of hitherto unexplored psychological drivers in an attempt to generate a more holistic understanding of the phenomenon, and strategies for designing more effective consumption reduction campaigns. Using data from an internet survey of Swiss and German respondents (N = 849) we investigated the role of, social norms, affect and image on water consumption. Results suggest that these psychological factors play a role in water consumption choice. Convenience was the only contextual predictor - the inconvenience of transporting bottled water has a negative effect on its consumption, and a positive effect on tap water consumption. Although concern about the effect of bottled water on the environment was not a significant predictor of tap water consumption, we found that for some people, a link exists between environmental concern and consumption choice. Ways through which consumers may be more effectively influenced towards environmentally-friendly consumption are discussed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Preparation of the PET/PP/PE/EVA polymeric blend from PET bottles and modification studies induced by ionizing radiation; Obtencao da blenda polimerica PET/PP/PE/EVA a partir de garrafas PET e estudo das modificacoes provocadas pela radiacao ionizante

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rossini, Edvaldo Luis

2005-07-01

The environmental pollution is one of the biggest problems nowadays. Amidst the pollutants, plastic and especially the packings type {sup P}ET bottles{sup ,} which comprise of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE) and poly[ethylene-co-(vinyl acetate)] (EVA) are causing big damage in the environment. In this work, the polymeric blend PET/PP/PE/EVA was obtained by a process of simplified mechanical recycling from 'PET bottles' after consumption, with the objective to find solution to this environmental problem. It was also studied the different ionizing radiation doses effects (25, 50, 75, 100, 150, 200, 300, 400 e 500 kGy) on the blend properties using an electron beam accelerator. The mechanical (tensile strength, impact and hardness), thermal (Vicat softening temperature, differential scanning calorimetry and termogravimetric) and microscopic (light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy) properties of the blend were studied. The analysis of the results showed to be a not mixing and compatible blend, with mechanical and thermal properties (which appeared to be similar to the properties of the component material used in the blend in separate) satisfactory, resulting in a resistant material and of low cost, being able to be used in the production of parts that do not demand specifications techniques. The use of the ionizing radiation improved some of the mechanical and thermal properties of the blend (these modifications had been random and irregular, depending directly on the dose of applied radiation and the type of property) making possible more specific applications for this material. (author)

Chemical recycling of post-consumer PET: structural characterization of terephthalic acid and the effect of Alkaline Hydrolysis at low temperature; Reciclagem quimica do PET pos-consumo: caracterizacao estrutural do acido tereftalico e efeito da hidrolise alcalina em baixa temperatura

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fonseca, Talitha Granja; Almeida, Yeda Medeiros Bastos de; Vinhas, Gloria Maria, E-mail: gmvinhas@yahoo.com.br [Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (UFPE), Recife, PE (Brazil). Dept. de Engenharia Quimica

2014-09-15

Due to the environmental impact caused by PET packaging disposal, this material recycling has been thoroughly discussed and evaluated. In particular, chemical recycling enables achievement of the monomers that are used in PET resin manufacture: ethylene glycol (EG) and terephthalic acid (PTA). Therefore, studies for this process optimization are important from environmental and economic points of view. The present study investigated certain parameters that influence the depolymerization reaction of PET post-consumer via alkaline hydrolysis in order to obtain PTA. Assays were performed at 70 °C by varying the concentration of sodium hydroxide and the reaction time. The best results were obtained at 10.82 mol L{sup -1} NaOH and 9 h reaction time. Consequently, it was possible to prove this process viability, once analyses by infrared and nuclear magnetic resonance confirmed that PTA was obtained in all reactions performed. (author)

Flexural Toughness of Ring-Shaped Waste Bottle Fiber Concrete

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Faisal S. K.

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Polyethylene terephthalate (PET bottles are plastic containers that are typically discarded, and thus, cause environmental pollution. To solve this problem, PET bottles are recycled incorporating with concrete. A ring-shaped PET (RPET fiber are introduced in this study and designed with a special shape to mobilize fiber yielding rather than fiber pullout. Therefore, aim of this paper is to investigate the influence of RPET bottles fibre in terms of toughness strength. The width of RPET fibers is fixed at 5 and 10 mm and the loads were applied to the third points of the specimen. The experiment indicates that RPET-5 and RPET-10 FC presented an increase in the toughness index of I20 on averages of 23.1% and 39.9% respectively, compared to normal specimens. It can conclude that incorporating RPET fiber in concrete presents significant improved of concrete properties.

Finite Element Modeling of Reheat Stretch Blow Molding of PET

Science.gov (United States)

Krishnan, Dwarak; Dupaix, Rebecca B.

2004-06-01

Poly (ethylene terephthalate) or PET is a polymer used as a packaging material for consumer products such as beverages, food or other liquids, and in other applications including drawn fibers and stretched films. Key features that make it widely used are its transparency, dimensional stability, gas impermeability, impact resistance, and high stiffness and strength in certain preferential directions. These commercially useful properties arise from the fact that PET crystallizes upon deformation above the glass transition temperature. Additionally, this strain-induced crystallization causes the deformation behavior of PET to be highly sensitive to processing conditions. It is thus crucial for engineers to be able to predict its performance at various process temperatures, strain rates and strain states so as to optimize the manufacturing process. In addressing these issues; a finite element analysis of the reheat blow molding process with PET has been carried out using ABAQUS. The simulation employed a constitutive model for PET developed by Dupaix and Boyce et al.. The model includes the combined effects of molecular orientation and strain-induced crystallization on strain hardening when the material is deformed above the glass transition temperature. The simulated bottles were also compared with actual blow molded bottles to evaluate the validity of the simulation.

Life cycle energy and GHG emissions of PET recycling: Change-oriented effects

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Shen, Li; Nieuwlaar, Evert; Worrell, Ernst; Patel, Martin K.

2011-01-01

Purpose: The demand of PET bottles has increased rapidly in the past decades. The purpose of this study is to understand the environmental impact of PET recycling system, in which used bottles are recycled into both fibre and bottles, and to compare the recycling system with single-use PET. Methods:

Study of poly(ethylene terephthalate) - PET post consumption and its properties, when it is undergone ionizing radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Santos, Antonio Claudio dos

2008-01-01

The plastic materials have an important role in the life style changing, in the lives of the people and it is more and more utilized in the production and consumption by the world population. By the plastic utilization, it became possible the growth phenomenon of disposable products. As a consequence of this conjecture, the recycling of these materials becomes an obliging option of the modern society. The economy provided by the reutilization of the recycling materials is advantageous not only in consideration to the reutilization of the natural resources involved in these products, but specially for its benefit provided in which concern to the preservation of the environmental matters. Within the big universe of the plastics and plastic packaging materials, available in the current market, it was carried out, during this work, the mechanical recycling of the packagings post consumption, produced from PET polymer and more specifically, the bottles used in packagings for beverages as a whole; such as carbonated beverages, mineral water, isotonic, and so on. Thus, the aim of this work was to recycle the PET post-consumption and evaluate the effects provoked by the action of different ionizing radiation doses, in the properties of this recycled polymer, based on virgin PET. Based on the conclusive results, it was taken for granted that the effects provoked by the action of the ionizing radiation from the electron beam by electron accelerators and gamma rays emitted by 60 Co source in the virgin and recycled PET polymer promoted the predominance of the scission reactions at random of the main chain, with consequent decrease of the polymer molecular weight. Such fact was corroborated by the flow index essay and intrinsic viscosity. It was also carried out, thermal analysis by Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) proving the decreasing of molecular weight in the irradiated PET samples. (author)

The bacteriological quality of different brands of bottled water available to consumers in Ile-Ife, south-western Nigeria.

Science.gov (United States)

Igbeneghu, Oluwatoyin A; Lamikanra, Adebayo

2014-11-28

The upsurge in the demand for bottled water has prompted the interest of many manufacturers in the production of bottled water and very many water bottling companies are therefore involved in its production. These range from large scale multinational companies to medium scale business enterprises, institutional and government business investment companies as well as small scale entrepreneurs. There is however little information on the comparative quality of bottled water brands produced by different classes of water bottling companies in Nigeria. This study was undertaken to determine the bacteriological quality of brands of bottled water available to consumers in Ile-Ife. Forty-three samples of bottled water comprising of three batches each of thirteen bottled water brands and two batches of two brands were purchased and analyzed for total bacterial count, presence of coliform and the presence of other bacterial indicators of drinking water quality. Only 67.4% of the water samples representing the products of 10 companies or 66.7% of the brands had heterotrophic counts within the acceptable limits. Coliforms present in 100 ml of water were detected in 26.7% of the bottled water brands. Other indicator organisms detected included Staphylococci isolated from 27.9% of the samples (33.3% of the brands) and specifically Staphylococcus aureus found in four brands constituting 14% of the samples. Pseudomonas strains were consistently detected in consecutive batches of three brands of the water samples. Bottled water samples produced by the large scale multinational producers were of acceptable bacteriological quality unlike those produced by most small companies. There is need for a greater control of water bottling processes carried out by commercial bottled water producers in Nigeria.

A survey of the inorganic chemistry of bottled mineral waters from the British Isles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smedley, Pauline L.

2010-01-01

Research highlights: → Bottled waters from the UK have major-ion compositions that broadly reflect the compositions of groundwaters abstracted directly from the corresponding host aquifers. → Many trace elements differ in composition from in situ groundwaters due to post-abstraction modifying processes. → All parameters analysed comply with European and national limits for drinking water and with WHO guideline values; elements that most closely approach the limits include U, Ba. → Bottled water compositions clearly show the influence of contamination with Sb from PET bottles, although concentrations do not exceed drinking-water limits. - Abstract: The inorganic chemistry of 85 samples of bottled natural mineral waters and spring waters has been investigated from 67 sources across the British Isles (England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland). Sources include boreholes, springs and wells. Waters are from a diverse range of aquifer lithologies and are disproportionately derived from comparatively minor aquifers, the most represented being Lower Palaeozoic (10 sources), Devonian Sandstone (10 sources) and Carboniferous Limestone (9 sources). The waters show correspondingly variable major-ion compositions, ranging from Ca-HCO 3 , through mixed-cation-mixed-anion to Na-HCO 3 types. Concentrations of total dissolved solids are mostly low to very low (range 58-800 mg/L). All samples analysed in the study had concentrations of inorganic constituents well within the limits for compliance with European and national standards for bottled waters. Concentrations of NO 3 -N reached up to half the limit of 11.3 mg/L, although 62% of samples had concentrations 10 μg/L, both being from the Welsh Devonian Sandstone. The highest observed U concentration was 13.6 μg/L. Solute concentrations in waters contained in glass bottles compared with waters in PET showed slightly though significantly higher concentrations of Al, Ce, Cu, La, Nd, Mn, Sn, W, Zn and

Recycling of polyethylene terephthalate (PET plastic bottle wastes in bituminous asphaltic concrete

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adebayo Olatunbosun Sojobi

2016-12-01

Full Text Available This research sheds light on the concept of eco-friendly road construction which comprises eco-design, eco-extraction, eco-manufacturing, eco-construction, eco-rehabilitation, eco-maintenance, eco-demolition, and socioeconomic empowerment. It also revealed the challenges being faced in its adoption and the benefits derivable from its application. Furthermore, the effects of recycling PET plastic bottle wastes produced in North Central Nigeria in bituminous asphaltic concrete (BAC used in flexible pavement construction were also evaluated. The mix design consists of 60/70 penetration-grade asphaltic concrete (5%, 68% coarse aggregate, 6% fine aggregate, and 21% filler using the dry process at 170°C. The optimum bitumen content (OBC for conventional BAC was obtained as 4% by weight of total aggregates and filler. Polymer-coated aggregate (PCA-modified BAC seems preferable because it has the potential to utilize more plastic wastes with a higher optimum plastic content (OPC of 16.7% by weight of total aggregates and filler compared to that of 9% by weight of OBC achieved by PMB-BAC. For both PMB- and PCA-modified BAC, an increase in air void, void in mineral aggregate, and Marshall stability were observed. Eco-friendly road construction which recycles PET wastes should be encouraged by government considering its potential environmental and economic benefits.

A novel titanium-containing catalyst for PET bottle flake%新型钛系催化剂合成瓶用聚酯切片的研究

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

关震宇; 熊金根; 周文乐

2016-01-01

采用均一的液相新型钛系催化剂STiC－B1，在2 L间歇式聚合反应釜中制备钛系瓶用聚对苯二甲酸乙二醇酯（ PET）切片；考察了催化剂中主要成分对 PET 切片色相及乙醛含量的影响，以及不同催化体系的PET切片的结晶性能及热性能；并进行了工业化应用评价。结果表明：在相同的聚合工艺条件下，STiC－B1钛用量为5μg／g（相对于PET）时的催化活性及其所得PET切片乙醛含量与乙二醇锑锑用量为180μg／g时相当；钛系PET切片结晶速度较锑系PET切片的慢，较慢的结晶速度可避免PET切片降温时出现结晶过快，从而有利于吹瓶；工业化应用表明钛系PET瓶片质量指标基本达到锑系PET瓶片的水平，其瓶坯乙醛含量低于锑系PET瓶坯的乙醛含量。%A bottle-grade titanium-containing polyethylene terephthalate ( PET) chip was prepared by using a novel uniform liq-uid-phase titanium-containing catalyst STiC-B1 on a two-liter batch polymerization reactor .The effects of the main components in the catalyst on the hue and acetaldehyde content of PET chip were investigated .The crystallization behavior and thermal proper-ties of PET chips were studied with different catalyst systems .The industrial application was evaluated .The results showed that STiC-B1 and ethylene glycol antimony provided the equal catalytic activity and the same acetaldehyde content of PET chips when the titanium content was 5 μg/g or the antimony content was 180μg/g based on PET;the crystallization rate of titanium-contai-ning PET chips was lower than that of antimony-containing PET chips , which avoided the extremely rapid crystallization behavior while cooling and thus helped the bottle blowing .And the industrial application showed that the titanium-containing catalyst pro-vided the close quality index of PET bottle flake and the lower acetaldehyde content of bottle blank as compared with antimony -containing catalyst .

A pilot study comparing opaque, weighted bottles with conventional, clear bottles for infant feeding

OpenAIRE

Ventura, Alison K.; Golen, Rebecca Pollack

2014-01-01

Compared to breast-fed infants, bottle-fed infants consume greater volumes and gain more weight during infancy. It is hypothesized that the visual and weight cues afforded by bottle-feeding may lead mothers to overfeed in response to the amount of liquid in the bottle. The aim of the present pilot study was to test this hypothesis by comparing mothers’ sensitivity and responsiveness to infant cues and infants’ intakes when mothers use opaque, weighted bottles (that remove visual and weight cu...

Usage of Recycled Pet

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. Ebru Tayyar

2010-01-01

Full Text Available The increasing industrialization, urbanization and the technological development have caused to increase depletion of the natural resources and environmental pollution's problem. Especially, for the countries which have not enough space recycling of the waste eliminating waste on regular basis or decreasing the amount and volume of waste have provided the important advantages. There are lots of studies and projects to develop both protect resources and prevent environmental pollution. PET bottles are commonly used in beverage industry and can be reused after physical and chemical recycling processes. Usage areas of recycled PET have been developed rapidly. Although recycled PET is used in plastic industry, composite industry also provides usage alternatives of recycled PET. Textile is a suitable sector for recycling of some plastics made of polymers too. In this study, the recycling technologies and applications of waste PET bottles have been investigated and scientific works in this area have been summarized.

Impact of temperature and storage duration on the chemical and odor quality of military packaged water in polyethylene terephthalate bottles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Greifenstein, Michael, E-mail: Michael.Greifenstein@us.army.mil [Department of Preventive Medicine and Biometrics, 4301 Jones Bridge Road, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD 20814 (United States); White, Duvel W., E-mail: duvel.white@us.army.mil [Department of Preventive Medicine and Biometrics, 4301 Jones Bridge Road, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD 20814 (United States); Stubner, Alex, E-mail: alex.stubner@usuhs.edu [Department of Preventive Medicine and Biometrics, 4301 Jones Bridge Road, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD 20814 (United States); Hout, Joseph, E-mail: joseph.hout@usuhs.edu [Department of Preventive Medicine and Biometrics, 4301 Jones Bridge Road, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD 20814 (United States); Whelton, Andrew J., E-mail: ajwhelton@southalabama.edu [Department of Civil Engineering, 3021 Shelby Hall, University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL 36688 (United States)

2013-07-01

The impact of temperature and storage time on military packaged water (MPW) quality was examined at four temperatures (23.0 °C to 60.0 °C) for 120 days. Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles were filled in California and Afghanistan with unbuffered water treated by reverse osmosis. The US military's water pH long-term potability standard was exceeded, and US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) and US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) drinking water pH and odor intensity limits were also exceeded. During a 70 day exposure period, Port Hueneme MPW total organic carbon and total trihalomethane levels increased from < 0.25 mg/L to 2.0 ± 0.0 mg/L and < 0.05 μg/L to 51.5 ± 2.1 μg/L, respectively. PET released organic contaminants into MPW and residual disinfectant generated trihalomethane contaminants. After 14 days at 37.7 °C and 60.0 °C, Afghanistan MPW threshold odor number values were 8.0 and 8.6, respectively. Total organic carbon concentration only increased with exposure duration at 60.0 °C. Acetaldehyde and formaldehyde contaminants were not detected likely due to the high method detection limits applied in this study. Phthalate contaminants detected and their maximum levels were butylbenzylphthalate (BBP) 0.43 μg/L, di-n-butylphthalate (DnBP) 0.38 μg/L, di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP) 0.6 μg/L, and diethylphthalate (DEP) 0.32 μg/L. Antimony was only detected in 60.0 °C Afghanistan MPW on Day 28 and beyond, and its maximum concentration was 3.6 ± 0.3 μg/L. No antimony was found in bottles exposed to lesser temperatures. Environmental health, PET synthesis and bottle manufacturers, and bottle users can integrate results of this work to improve health protective decisions and doctrine. - Highlights: • Temperature and storage time impacted military bottled water quality up to 60 °C. • The chemical quality of water bottled in California and Afghanistan was affected. • Drinking water pH and odor intensity limits were also

Impact of temperature and storage duration on the chemical and odor quality of military packaged water in polyethylene terephthalate bottles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Greifenstein, Michael; White, Duvel W.; Stubner, Alex; Hout, Joseph; Whelton, Andrew J.

2013-01-01

The impact of temperature and storage time on military packaged water (MPW) quality was examined at four temperatures (23.0 °C to 60.0 °C) for 120 days. Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles were filled in California and Afghanistan with unbuffered water treated by reverse osmosis. The US military's water pH long-term potability standard was exceeded, and US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) and US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) drinking water pH and odor intensity limits were also exceeded. During a 70 day exposure period, Port Hueneme MPW total organic carbon and total trihalomethane levels increased from 37.7 °C, consume bottled water within 14 days of packaging

Hidrólise parcial da superfície do polyethylene terephthalate (PET: transformando um rejeito em um material de troca catiônica para aplicação ambiental Partial hydrolysis of pet surface: transforming a plastic waste into a material with cationic exchange properties for environmental application

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marcelo G. Rosmaninho

2009-01-01

Full Text Available In this work it is proposed a simple and versatile undergraduate chemical experiment in polymer and environmental technology based on the process of polyethylene terephthalate (PET hydrolysis. Polyethylene terephthalate from post-consume bottles is submitted to a controlled partial hydrolysis which allows the students to follow the reaction by a simple procedure. The students can explore the reaction kinetics, the effect of catalysts and the exposed polyethylene terephthalate surface area on the hydrolysis reaction. The second and innovative part of this experiment is the technological and environmental application of the hydrolyzed polyethylene terephthalate as a material with cation exchange properties. The surface hydrolyzed polyethylene terephthalate can be used as adsorbent for cationic contaminants.

Separation and recycling of cotton from cotton/PET blends by depolymerization of PET catalyzed by bases and ionic liquids

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bouwhuis, G.H. (Gerrit); Brinks, G.J. (Ger); Groeneveld, R.A.J. (Richard); Oelerich, J. (Jens)

2014-01-01

The recycling of post consumer cotton textile waste is highly requested, due to the high environmental impact of cotton production. Often cotton is mixed in blends with polyethylene terephthalate (PET). For the generation of high value products from recycled cotton, it essential that PET is

Evaluating FDG uptake changes between pre and post therapy respiratory gated PET scans

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aristophanous, Michalis; Yong, Yue; Yap, Jeffrey T.; Killoran, Joseph H.; Allen, Aaron M.; Berbeco, Ross I.; Chen, Aileen B.

2012-01-01

Purpose: Whole body (3D) and respiratory gated (4D) FDG-PET/CT scans performed pre-radiotherapy (pre-RT) and post-radiotherapy (post-RT) were analyzed to investigate the impact of 4D PET in evaluating 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) uptake changes due to therapy, relative to traditional 3D PET. Methods and materials: 3D and 4D sequential FDG-PET/CT scans were acquired pre-RT and approximately one month post-RT for patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The lesions of high uptake targeted with radiotherapy were identified on the pre-RT scan of each patient. Each lesion on the 3D and each of the five phases of the 4D scan were analyzed using a region of interest (ROI). For each patient the ROIs of the pre-RT scans were used to locate the areas of initial FDG uptake on the post-RT scans following rigid registration. Post-RT ROIs were drawn and the FDG uptake was compared with that of the pre-RT scans. Results: Sixteen distinct lesions from 12 patients were identified and analyzed. Standardized uptake value (SUV) maxima were significantly higher (p-value <0.005) for the lesions as measured on the 4D compared to 3D PET. Comparison of serial pre and post-RT scans showed a mean 62% decrease in SUV with the 3D PET scan (range 36–89%), and a 67% decrease with the 4D PET scan (range 30–89%). The mean absolute difference in SUV change on 3D versus 4D scans was 4.9%, with a range 0–15% (p-value = 0.07). Conclusions: Signal recovery with 4D PET results in higher SUVs when compared to standard 3D PET. Consequently, differences in the evaluation of SUV changes between pre and post-RT plans were observed. Such difference can have a significant impact in PET-based response assessment.

Consumer exposure to Bisphenol A from plastic bottles

Science.gov (United States)

Bidabadi, Fatemeh

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a plastic monomer and plasticizer and is a chemical that has one of the highest volume production worldwide, with more than six billion pounds each year. Its' primary use is the production of polycarbonate plastics, epoxy resins used to line metal cans in a host of plastic consumer products such as toys, water pipes, drinking containers, eyeglass lenses, sports safety equipment as well as consumer electronics. Studies have shown that BPA is leached from lacquer coated cans and baby feeding bottles due to hydrolysis of the Polymer during thermal treatment. Studies have also shown that even under normal use BPA may leach from food and beverage containers. For many years Bisphenol A was treated as neutral to human health. The detection of BPA in drinking water and food products has raised the interest of many researches since 1990. Thousands of studies have examined the impact of BPA to determine its effects in laboratory animals. Numerous toxicological and biochemical studies have supported that BPA has estrogenic properties. The effects of exposure to BPA can be harmful to fetus, infants and young children. BPA is used in products where traces of it can be found in every human at higher levels of concentration than that which causes problems in animals. The National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) has defined "low dose" of endocrine disrupting chemicals as doses below no observable adverse effect (NOAE) for specific chemicals. In BPA, this dose is 50 mg/kg of body weight per day. Today there are more than 150 published results describing how low doses of BPA effects animals. A recent study reported that adult female mice, monkeys, and humans metabolized BPA at almost identical rates. Since the level of BPA and other endocrine chemicals appears to be increasing throughout the World, especially where plastics are prevalent, it is extremely important to study the effects of this chemical on man and wildlife. This research effort

Glass vs. Plastic: Life Cycle Assessment of Extra-Virgin Olive Oil Bottles across Global Supply Chains

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Riccardo Accorsi

2015-03-01

Full Text Available The environmental impacts of global food supply chains are growing with the need for their measurement and management. This paper explores the operations of a global supply chain for extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO according to a life cycle assessment (LCA methodology. The LCA assessment methodology is applied to determine the environmental impact categories associated with the bottled EVOO life cycle, focusing on packaging decisions. The proposed analysis identifies the greatest environmental stressors of the EVOO supply chain, thereby supporting strategic and operative decisions toward more efficient and environmentally-friendly operations management and packaging choices. This paper quantifies the environmental categories of the impacts of global warming potential, ozone layer depletion, non-renewable energy use, acidification, eutrophication and photochemical smog, for the observed EVOO supply chain, given alternative packaging configurations, i.e., a glass bottle vs. a plastic bottle. The observed system includes the supply of EVOO, the EVOO processing and bottling, the supply of packaging, the distribution of final products to customers, the end-of-life (EOL treatments regarding the management, recycling and the disposal of waste across a global supply chain. The findings from the LCA highlight the potential of PET bottles in reducing the environmental impact of EVOO supply chains and identifies hotspots of discussion for policy-makers, EVOO producers and consumers.

Thermophysical characteristics of plastic bottles as an element of water heat accumulators in solar greenhouses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khalimov, A. G.; Khairiddinov, B. Eh.; Kim, V. D.; Khalimov, G. G.

2012-01-01

This article considers the thermophysical and granulometric characteristics of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic bottles filled with water. The given figures allow one to conduct calculations of thermal plastic bottles as heat storage elements for solar greenhouses. (author)

Preconcentration and Determination of Antimony in Drinking Water Bottled by Modified Nano-Alumina

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M Mohammad Zakizade

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Introduction: Antimony trioxide (Sb2O3 has been utilized as a catalyst in polyethylene terephtalate (PET production, and the studies conducted on the bottled water has demonstrated that antimony can be leached from PET bottles into drinking water. Methods: In this study, a simple method was applied in order to determine the trace amount of antimony in bottled drinking water based on preconcentration /solid phase extraction. The nano alumina modified with Schiff base ligand was used in regard with Sb preconcentration. The experiments were performed in a continuous system and HCI was used as eluent of Sb ion. Several chemical and flow variables were optimized for a quantitative preconcentration and determination of Sb ion. The atomic absorption spectroscopy was used to determine Sb ion concentration. In order to study the keeping conditions on the leaching of Sb ion from PET plastic, drinking water bottles were kept in different conditions(room temperature, sunny light and -18˚C. Results: The calibration graph was linear in the range of 0.5 to 15.0 ppm Sb with detection limit of 0.055 ppm. The flow rate of sample was optimized in range of 1.0-9.0 mLmin-1 and Sb ion can be quantitatively eluted at 90 Vsample: Veluent retio. Conclusion: The study results revealed that the modified nano alumina is an effective sorbent in regard with absorbing Sb ion from water and HCI 1M can be used as an appropriate eluent. Maximum leaching of Sb ion is observed when the bottled drinking water was exposed to the sun light. Keywords: Antimony; Bottled drinking water; Modified alumina; Preconcentration

Assessment of metal contaminations leaching out from recycling plastic bottles upon treatments.

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, Xiaoliang; Shi, Honglan; Adams, Craig D; Ma, Yinfa

2010-08-01

Heavy metal contaminants in environment, especially in drinking water, are always of great concern due to their health impact. Due to the use of heavy metals as catalysts during plastic syntheses, particularly antimony, human exposure to metal release from plastic bottles has been a serious concern in recent years. The aim and scope of this study were to assess metal contaminations leaching out from a series of recycling plastic bottles upon treatments. In this study, leaching concentrations of 16 metal elements were determined in 21 different types of plastic bottles from five commercial brands, which were made of recycling materials ranging from no. 1 to no. 7. Several sets of experiments were conducted to study the factors that could potentially affect the metal elements leaching from plastic bottles, which include cooling with frozen water, heating with boiling water, microwave, incubating with low-pH water, outdoor sunlight irradiation, and in-car storage. Heating and microwave can lead to a noticeable increase of antimony leaching relative to the controls in bottle samples A to G, and some even reached to a higher level than the maximum contamination level (MCL) of the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) regulations. Incubation with low-pH water, outdoor sunlight irradiation, and in-car storage had no significant effect on antimony leaching relative to controls in bottle samples A to G, and the levels of antimony leaching detected were below 6 ppb which is the MCL of USEPA regulations. Cooling had almost no effect on antimony leaching based on our results. For the other interested 15 metal elements (Al, V, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, As, Se, Mo, Ag, Cd, Ba, Tl, Pb), no significant leaching was detected or the level was far below the MCL of USEPA regulations in all bottle samples in this study. In addition, washing procedure did contribute to the antimony leaching concentration for polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles. The difference of antimony leaching

Endocrine disruptors in bottled mineral water: total estrogenic burden and migration from plastic bottles.

Science.gov (United States)

Wagner, Martin; Oehlmann, Jörg

2009-05-01

Food consumption is an important route of human exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals. So far, this has been demonstrated by exposure modeling or analytical identification of single substances in foodstuff (e.g., phthalates) and human body fluids (e.g., urine and blood). Since the research in this field is focused on few chemicals (and thus missing mixture effects), the overall contamination of edibles with xenohormones is largely unknown. The aim of this study was to assess the integrated estrogenic burden of bottled mineral water as model foodstuff and to characterize the potential sources of the estrogenic contamination. In the present study, we analyzed commercially available mineral water in an in vitro system with the human estrogen receptor alpha and detected estrogenic contamination in 60% of all samples with a maximum activity equivalent to 75.2 ng/l of the natural sex hormone 17beta-estradiol. Furthermore, breeding of the molluskan model Potamopyrgus antipodarum in water bottles made of glass and plastic [polyethylene terephthalate (PET)] resulted in an increased reproductive output of snails cultured in PET bottles. This provides first evidence that substances leaching from plastic food packaging materials act as functional estrogens in vivo. Our results demonstrate a widespread contamination of mineral water with xenoestrogens that partly originates from compounds leaching from the plastic packaging material. These substances possess potent estrogenic activity in vivo in a molluskan sentinel. Overall, the results indicate that a broader range of foodstuff may be contaminated with endocrine disruptors when packed in plastics.

Study of poly(ethylene terephthalate) - PET post consumption and its properties, when it is undergone ionizing radiation; Estudo da reciclagem do poli(tereftalato de etileno) (PET) pos-consumo e de suas propriedades, quando submetido a radiacao ionizante

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Santos, Antonio Claudio dos

2008-07-01

The plastic materials have an important role in the life style changing, in the lives of the people and it is more and more utilized in the production and consumption by the world population. By the plastic utilization, it became possible the growth phenomenon of disposable products. As a consequence of this conjecture, the recycling of these materials becomes an obliging option of the modern society. The economy provided by the reutilization of the recycling materials is advantageous not only in consideration to the reutilization of the natural resources involved in these products, but specially for its benefit provided in which concern to the preservation of the environmental matters. Within the big universe of the plastics and plastic packaging materials, available in the current market, it was carried out, during this work, the mechanical recycling of the packagings post consumption, produced from PET polymer and more specifically, the bottles used in packagings for beverages as a whole; such as carbonated beverages, mineral water, isotonic, and so on. Thus, the aim of this work was to recycle the PET post-consumption and evaluate the effects provoked by the action of different ionizing radiation doses, in the properties of this recycled polymer, based on virgin PET. Based on the conclusive results, it was taken for granted that the effects provoked by the action of the ionizing radiation from the electron beam by electron accelerators and gamma rays emitted by {sup 60}Co source in the virgin and recycled PET polymer promoted the predominance of the scission reactions at random of the main chain, with consequent decrease of the polymer molecular weight. Such fact was corroborated by the flow index essay and intrinsic viscosity. It was also carried out, thermal analysis by Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) proving the decreasing of molecular weight in the irradiated PET samples. (author)

Study on the leaching of phthalates from polyethylene terephthalate bottles into mineral water

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Keresztes, Szilvia; Tatár, Enikő; Czégény, Zsuzsanna; Záray, Gyula; Mihucz, Victor G.

2013-01-01

Carbonated and non-carbonated mineral water samples bottled in 0.5-L, 1.5-L and 2.0-L polyethylene terephthalate (PET) containers belonging to three different water brands commercialized in Hungary were studied in order to determine their phthalate content by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Among the six investigated phthalates, diisobutyl phthalate, di-n-butyl-phthalate, benzyl-butyl phthalate and di(2-ethyl-hexyl) phthalate (DEHP) were determined in non-carbonated samples as follows: −1 –0.2 μg L −1 , −1 –0.8 μg L −1 , −1 –0.1 μg L −1 and −1 –1.7 μg L −1 , respectively. Any of the above-mentioned phthalate esters could be detected in carbonated mineral water samples. DEHP was the most abundant phthalate in the investigated samples. It could be detected after 44 days of storage at 22 °C and its leaching was the most pronounced when samples were stored over 1200 days. Mineral water purchased in PET bottles of 0.5 L had the highest phthalate concentrations compared to those obtained for waters of the identical brand bottled in 1.5-L or 2.0-L PET containers due to the higher surface/volume ratio. No clear trend could be established for phthalate leaching when water samples were kept at higher temperatures (max. 60 °C) showing improper storage conditions. Phthalate determination by pyrolysis–gas chromatography/mass spectrometric measurements in the plastic material as well as in the aqueous phase proved the importance of the quality of PET raw material used for the production of the pre-form (virgin vs. polymer containing recycled PET). - Highlights: • DEHP — most abundant phthalate in bottled mineral water • Temperature and contact surface area influence phthalate leaching. • Phthalate occurrence depends on virgin vs. polymer containing recycled PET. • pH (carbonated vs. non-carbonated samples) affects hydrolysis of phthalate esters

A pilot study comparing opaque, weighted bottles with conventional, clear bottles for infant feeding.

Science.gov (United States)

Ventura, Alison K; Pollack Golen, Rebecca

2015-02-01

It is hypothesized that the visual and weight cues afforded by bottle-feeding may lead mothers to overfeed in response to the amount of liquid in the bottle. The aim of the present pilot study was to test this hypothesis by comparing mothers' sensitivity and responsiveness to infant cues and infants' intakes when mothers use opaque, weighted bottles (that remove visual and weight cues) compared to conventional, clear bottles to feed their infants. We also tested the hypothesis that mothers' pressuring feeding style would moderate the effect of bottle type. Formula-feeding dyads (N = 25) visited our laboratory on two separate days. Mothers fed their infants from a clear bottle one day and an opaque, weighted bottle on the other; bottle-order was counterbalanced across the two days. Infant intake was assessed by weighing each bottle before and after the feeding. Maternal sensitivity and responsiveness to infant cues was objectively assessed using the Nursing Child Assessment Feeding Scale. Mothers were significantly more responsive to infant cues when they used opaque compared to clear bottles (p = .04). There was also a trend for infants to consume significantly less formula when fed from opaque compared to clear bottles (p = .08). Mothers' pressuring feeding style moderated the effect of bottle type on maternal responsiveness to infant cues (p = .02) and infant intake (p = .03). Specifically, mothers who reported higher levels of pressuring feeding were significantly more responsive to their infants' cues (p = .02) and fed their infants significantly less formula when using opaque versus clear bottles (p = .01); no differences were seen for mothers who reported lower levels of pressuring feeding. This study highlights a simple, yet effective intervention for improving the bottle-feeding practices of mothers who have pressuring feeding styles. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Solid-state drawing of post-consumer isotactic poly(propylene): Effect of melt filtration and carbon black on structural and mechanical properties.

Science.gov (United States)

Luijsterburg, B J; Jobse, P S; Spoelstra, A B; Goossens, J G P

2016-08-01

Post-consumer plastic waste obtained via mechanical recycling is usually applied in thick-walled products, because of the low mechanical strength due to the presence of contaminants. In fact, sorted post-consumer isotactic poly(propylene) (i-PP) can be considered as a blend of 95% i-PP and 5% poly(ethylene), with traces of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET). By applying a treatment such as solid-state drawing (SSD) after melt extrusion, the polymer chains can be oriented in one direction, thereby improving the stiffness and tensile strength. In this research, molecular processes such as crystal break-up and chain orientation of these complex blends were monitored as a function of draw ratio. The melt filter mesh size - used to exclude rigid PET particles - and the addition of carbon black (CB) - often added for coloration in the recycling industry - were varied to investigate their influence on the SSD process. This research shows that despite the blend complexity, the molecular processes during SSD compare to virgin i-PP and that similar draw ratios can be obtained (λmax=20), albeit at reduced stiffness and strength as a result of the foreign polymers present in post-consumer i-PP. It is observed that the process stability improves with decreasing mesh size and that higher draw ratios can be obtained. The addition of carbon black, which resides in the dispersed PE phase, also stabilizes the SSD process. Compared to isotropic post-consumer i-PP, the stiffness can be improved by a factor 10 to over 11GPa, while the tensile strength can be improved by a factor 15-385MPa, which is approx. 70% of the maximum tensile strength achieved for virgin i-PP. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Tensile Strenght Properties Effect Of Rice-Husk Ash As On The Composite Of Plastic Drinking Bottle Waste

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maulida

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Rice-husk ash has a potential to be filler in composite. The study on rice-husk ash utilitation as afiller in polyethylene terephthalate PET matrix of plastic drinking bottle waste was conducted in order to find the ratio of rice-husk ask and PET matrix that would result the best tensile strength which was characterized by using scenning electron microscopy SEM. In this study the PET of plastic drinking bottle waste firstly was cut into smaller pieces and was extruded with the temperature of 265 o C. Then it was mixed with rice-husk ash on ratio of PET plastic drinking bottle waste and rice-husk ash of 955 9010 and 8515. After that it was extruded at temperature of 265 o C before it was pressed by hot press at temperature of 265 o C for five minutes. The highest tensile strength was achieved at 3462 MPa with elongation at break a round 14375 and youngs modulus of 34882 MPa for the ratio of 8515.

Comparative life cycle assessment and life cycle costing of four disposal scenarios for used polyethylene terephthalate bottles in Mauritius.

Science.gov (United States)

Foolmaun, Rajendra Kumar; Ramjeeawon, Toolseeram

2012-09-01

The annual rise in population growth coupled with the flourishing tourism industry in Mauritius has lead to a considerable increase in the amount of solid waste generated. In parallel, the disposal of non-biodegradable wastes, especially plastic packaging and plastic bottles, has also shown a steady rise. Improper disposal of used polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles constitutes an eyesore to the environmental landscape and is a threat to the flourishing tourism industry. It is of utmost importance, therefore, to determine a suitable disposal method for used PET bottles which is not only environmentally efficient but is also cost effective. This study investigated the environmental impacts and the cost effectiveness of four selected disposal alternatives for used PET bottles in Mauritius. The four disposal routes investigated were: 100% landfilling; 75% incineration with energy recovery and 25% landfilling; 40% flake production (partial recycling) and 60% landfilling; and 75% flake production and 25% landfilling. Environmental impacts of the disposal alternatives were determined using ISO standardized life cycle assessment (LCA) and with the support of SimaPro 7.1 software. Cost effectiveness was determined using life cycle costing (LCC). Collected data were entered into a constructed Excel-based model to calculate the different cost categories, Net present values, damage costs and payback periods. LCA and LCC results indicated that 75% flake production and 25% landfilling was the most environmentally efficient and cost-effective disposal route for used PET bottles in Mauritius.

Determinants of using pacifier and bottle feeding

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gabriela dos Santos Buccini

2014-08-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE To analyze the factors associated with the use of pacifiers and/or bottle feeding in infants aged under one year. METHODS This is a cross-sectional study with 34,366 children and using data from the database of the 2nd Nationwide Survey of Breastfeeding Prevalence performed in the Brazilian capitals and Federal District in 2008. Cluster sampling was used. The questionnaire included questions about the use of artificial nipples in the last 24 hours. The analysis considered three outcomes: exclusive use of pacifier, exclusive use of bottle feeding, and use of artificial nipples (pacifier and bottle feeding. Prevalence ratios were obtained using Poisson regression with robust variance following a hierarchical model. RESULTS The following factors were associated with exclusive use of the pacifier: mother working outside the home, primiparity, child was not breastfed within the first hour, and child had consumed tea on the first day at home. The following factors were associated with exclusive use of bottle feeding: mother working outside the home, primiparity, low birth weight, child not breastfed within the first hour, and child had consumed milk formula and tea on the first day at home. The following factors were associated with use of artificial nipples (pacifier and bottle feeding: mother working outside the home, primiparity, cesarean delivery, the male gender, low birth weight, born in a hospital not accredited as “baby friendly”, required health baby monitoring in the Primary Health Care Unit (PR = 0.91, and child had consumed milk formula, water, or tea on the first day at home. CONCLUSIONS This study identified profiles of exclusive users of pacifiers, bottle feeding, and both. The provided information can guide preventive practices for child health.

Aula adaptada de stand up paddle com garrafas pet nas aulas de educação física - Lecture adapted from stand up paddle with pet bottles in physical education classes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thiago Zagare

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Resumo Pelo presente trabalho procura-se mostrar como é possível adaptar as aulas de Educação Física aos esportes de aventura, no caso o stand up paddle. As aulas de educação física vêm se transformando aos poucos, pois os professores estão procurando se especializar e transformar suas aulas em algo mais atrativo e interessante a seus alunos, propondo novos conhecimentos. A prática do SUP é feita em um meio aquático, com uma prancha, um remo e um colete flutuante. O professor de educação física poderá levar esse esporte para seus alunos com algumas adaptações de todos os equipamentos, como a prancha de garrafa pet, o remo de cabo de vassoura ou varão de cortina com uma bolinha de tênis na ponta, que facilita o ensino do SUP. Sua prática também traz uma conscientização sobre o meio ambiente, que hoje está sendo cada vez mais destruído e poluído por dejetos que podem ser reaproveitados e reciclados, como as garrafas pet, que nesse trabalho foram transformadas em pranchas de stand up para as aulas de educação física na escola. Palavras- chave: educação física, esporte de aventura, stand up paddle, ensino. LECTURE ADAPTED FROM STAND UP PADDLE WITH PET BOTTLES IN PHYSICAL EDUCATION CLASSES Abstract By this study we aimed to show how you can adapt the physical education classes to adventure sports, in case the stand up paddle. The physical education classes are turning slowly, because teachers are looking to specialize and transform their classes into something more attractive and interesting to their students, proposing new knowledge. The practice of SUP is done in a water environment, with a board, a paddle and a floating vest. The physical education teacher may take the sport to his students with some adaptations of all equipment, such as plastic bottle plank, the broom handle paddle or curtain rod with a tennis ball on the end, which facilitates the teaching of SUP. His practice also brings an awareness of the

FDG PET as a prognostic predictor in the early post-therapeutic evaluation for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Higashi, Tatsuya; Nishii, Ryuichi [Shiga Medical Center Research Institute, Moriyama City, Shiga (Japan); Hatano, Etsuro; Ikai, Iwao; Seo, Satoru; Kitamura, Koji; Takada, Yasuji; Kamimoto, Shinji [Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto (Japan); Nakamoto, Yuji; Ishizu, Koichi; Suga, Tsuyoshi; Kawashima, Hidekazu; Togashi, Kaori [Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Department of Diagnostic Imaging and Nuclear Medicine, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto (Japan)

2010-03-15

To elucidate the prognostic role of post-therapeutic {sup 18}F-fluorodeoxyglucose ({sup 18}F-FDG) positron emission tomography (PET), we conducted a retrospective cohort study analysing the clinical factors that affect overall survival after non-operative therapy for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Sixty-seven cases with unresectable HCC who received non-operative therapy (transcatheter arterial chemoembolization: n=24, transcatheter arterial infusion chemotherapy: n=31, radiofrequency ablation: n = 5 or systemic chemotherapy: n = 7) and had received FDG PET for the evaluation of the therapeutic effect within 1 month after the end of the therapy were evaluated. Overall survival rate was evaluated using the univariate and multivariate analyses of relevant clinical and laboratory parameters before and after therapy, including visual PET analysis and quantitative analysis using maximum standardized uptake value (SUV). Visual PET diagnosis of post-therapeutic lesions was a good predictor of overall survival of unresectable HCC patients. The low FDG group showed significantly longer survival (average: 608 days) than that (average: 328 days) of the high FDG group (p<0.0001). Multivariate analysis showed four significant prognostic factors for the survival: post-therapeutic alpha-fetoprotein ({alpha}FP) level (=400 ng/ml, p=0.004), post-therapeutic visual PET diagnosis (p=0.006), post-therapeutic clinical stage (UICC stage IV, p=0.04) and post-therapeutic Milan criteria (p=0.03), while pre-therapeutic clinical factors, SUV by post-therapeutic FDG PET (5.0 or more) or others did not show significance. The present study suggests that post-therapeutic PET performed within 1 month after non-operative therapy can be a good predictor of overall survival in unresectable HCC patients, while pre-therapeutic evaluation including PET, tumour markers and clinical staging may not be useful. (orig.)

Study on the leaching of phthalates from polyethylene terephthalate bottles into mineral water

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Keresztes, Szilvia; Tatár, Enikő [Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Bioanalytics, Department of Analytical Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, Eötvös Loránd University, H-1117 Budapest, Pázmány Péter sétány 1/A (Hungary); Czégény, Zsuzsanna [Institute of Materials and Environmental Chemistry, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, H-1525 Budapest, P.O. Box 17 (Hungary); Záray, Gyula [Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Bioanalytics, Department of Analytical Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, Eötvös Loránd University, H-1117 Budapest, Pázmány Péter sétány 1/A (Hungary); Mihucz, Victor G., E-mail: vigami72@yahoo.es [Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Bioanalytics, Department of Analytical Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, Eötvös Loránd University, H-1117 Budapest, Pázmány Péter sétány 1/A (Hungary)

2013-08-01

Carbonated and non-carbonated mineral water samples bottled in 0.5-L, 1.5-L and 2.0-L polyethylene terephthalate (PET) containers belonging to three different water brands commercialized in Hungary were studied in order to determine their phthalate content by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Among the six investigated phthalates, diisobutyl phthalate, di-n-butyl-phthalate, benzyl-butyl phthalate and di(2-ethyl-hexyl) phthalate (DEHP) were determined in non-carbonated samples as follows: < 3.0 ng L{sup −1}–0.2 μg L{sup −1}, < 6.6 ng L{sup −1}–0.8 μg L{sup −1}, < 6.0 ng L{sup −1}–0.1 μg L{sup −1} and < 16.0 ng L{sup −1}–1.7 μg L{sup −1}, respectively. Any of the above-mentioned phthalate esters could be detected in carbonated mineral water samples. DEHP was the most abundant phthalate in the investigated samples. It could be detected after 44 days of storage at 22 °C and its leaching was the most pronounced when samples were stored over 1200 days. Mineral water purchased in PET bottles of 0.5 L had the highest phthalate concentrations compared to those obtained for waters of the identical brand bottled in 1.5-L or 2.0-L PET containers due to the higher surface/volume ratio. No clear trend could be established for phthalate leaching when water samples were kept at higher temperatures (max. 60 °C) showing improper storage conditions. Phthalate determination by pyrolysis–gas chromatography/mass spectrometric measurements in the plastic material as well as in the aqueous phase proved the importance of the quality of PET raw material used for the production of the pre-form (virgin vs. polymer containing recycled PET). - Highlights: • DEHP — most abundant phthalate in bottled mineral water • Temperature and contact surface area influence phthalate leaching. • Phthalate occurrence depends on virgin vs. polymer containing recycled PET. • pH (carbonated vs. non-carbonated samples) affects hydrolysis of phthalate esters.

Viewing consumer devices for business use at Fuji Electric; Fuji Denki no gyomuyo minsei kiki. Tenbo

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1999-01-10

This paper views development of consumer devices for business use at Fuji Electric. While the company is working mainly on domestic market placing automatic vending machines as the main item, it has faced with maturing of the market and large fall in sales price, and had to struggle with intensified competition during 1998. The major assignments therefrom were how to maintain and expand the automatic vending machine locations, reduce total cost including the operation cost, and respond to environmental harmony and social needs. In order to respond flexibly to the remarkably expanding market for 500-mL PET bottle drinks and diversification of bottle styles, the company has developed racks that can vend square bottles. Enhancement was made on energy conservation, noise and size reduction, cleanability, and maintainability. Works have been done on cup automatic vending machines to reduce total cost and increase consumers` buying motivation. A new cup mixing machine has been developed. This makes it possible to sell diverse kinds of drinks and improve taste. Improvements were made on food service devices for refreshments, beverages, and draft beer, and devices for cold food chains. (NEDO)

Self-consolidating concretes containing waste PET bottles as sand replacement

Science.gov (United States)

Khalid, Faisal Sheikh; Azmi, Nurul Bazilah; Mazenan, Puteri Natasya; Shahidan, Shahiron; Othman, Nor hazurina; Guntor, Nickholas Anting Anak

2018-02-01

This study evaluates the effect of self-consolidating concrete (SCC) containing waste polyethylene terephthalate (PET) granules on the fresh, mechanical and water absorption properties. Fine aggregates were replaced from 0% to 8% by PET granules. The fresh properties of SCC containing PET granules were determined using slump flow and V-funnel flow time tests. The compressive and splitting tensile strength were evaluated. The results indicated that utilization of waste PET granules in production of SCC could be an effective way for recycling purpose. The maximum amount of PET replacement should be limited to 5%. Exceeding 5% of PET content may result in an increase of V-funnel flow time to overpass the limiting value, decrease in strength. The production of high performance SCC containing 5% PET granules satisfies all the requirements for SCC with satisfactory outputs.

Post-consumer plastic packaging waste in England: Assessing the yield of multiple collection-recycling schemes.

Science.gov (United States)

Hahladakis, John N; Purnell, Phil; Iacovidou, Eleni; Velis, Costas A; Atseyinku, Maryann

2018-05-01

The European Commission (EC) recently introduced a 'Circular Economy Package', setting ambitious recycling targets and identifying waste plastics as a priority sector where major improvements are necessary. Here, the authors explain how different collection modalities affect the quantity and quality of recycling, using recent empirical data on household (HH) post-consumer plastic packaging waste (PCPP) collected for recycling in the devolved administration of England over the quarterly period July-September 2014. Three main collection schemes, as currently implemented in England, were taken into account: (i) kerbside collection (KS), (ii) household waste recycling centres (HWRCs) (also known as 'civic amenity sites'), and (iii) bring sites/banks (BSs). The results indicated that: (a) the contribution of KS collection scheme in recovering packaging plastics is higher than HWRCs and BBs, with respective percentages by weight (wt%) 90%, 9% and 1%; (b) alternate weekly collection (AWC) of plastic recyclables in wheeled bins, when collected commingled, demonstrated higher yield in KS collection; (c) only a small percentage (16%) of the total amount of post-consumer plastics collected in the examined period (141 kt) was finally sent to reprocessors (22 kt); (c) nearly a third of Local Authorities (LAs) reported insufficient or poor data; and (d) the most abundant fractions of plastics that finally reached the reprocessors were mixed plastic bottles and mixed plastics. Crown Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Calcite precipitates in Slovenian bottled waters.

Science.gov (United States)

Stanič, Tamara Ferjan; Miler, Miloš; Brenčič, Mihael; Gosar, Mateja

2017-06-01

Storage of bottled waters in varying ambient conditions affects its characteristics. Different storage conditions cause changes in the initial chemical composition of bottled water which lead to the occurrence of precipitates with various morphologies. In order to assess the relationship between water composition, storage conditions and precipitate morphology, a study of four brands of Slovenian bottled water stored in PET bottles was carried out. Chemical analyses of the main ions and measurements of the physical properties of water samples were performed before and after storage of water samples at different ambient conditions. SEM/EDS analysis of precipitates was performed after elapsed storage time. The results show that the presence of Mg 2+ , SO 4 2- , SiO 2 , Al, Mn and other impurities such as K + , Na + , Ba and Sr in the water controlled precipitate morphology by inhibiting crystal growth and leading to elongated rhombohedral calcite crystal forms which exhibit furrowed surfaces and calcite rosettes. Different storage conditions, however, affected the number of crystallization nuclei and size of calcite crystals. Hollow calcite spheres composed of cleavage rhombohedrons formed in the water with variable storage conditions by a combination of evaporation and precipitation of water droplets during high temperatures or by the bubble templating method.

Quantificação de antimônio em garrafas de politereftalato de etileno (PET brasileiras por fluorescência de raios-X e avaliação quimiométrica para verificar a presença de pet reciclado através do teor de ferro

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gustavo G. Shimamoto

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Antimony is a common catalyst in the synthesis of polyethylene terephthalate used for food-grade bottles manufacturing. However, antimony residues in final products are transferred to juices, soft drinks or water. The literature reports mentions of toxicity associated to antimony. In this work, a green, fast and direct method to quantify antimony, sulfur, iron and copper, in PET bottles by X-ray fluorescence spectrometry is presented. 2.4 to 11 mg Sb kg-1 were found in 20 samples analyzed. The coupling of the multielemental technique to chemometric treatment provided also the possibility to classify PET samples between bottle-grade PET/recycled PET blends by Fe content.

FE-Analysis of Stretch-Blow Moulded Bottles Using an Integrative Process Simulation

Science.gov (United States)

Hopmann, C.; Michaeli, W.; Rasche, S.

2011-05-01

The two-stage stretch-blow moulding process has been established for the large scale production of high quality PET containers with excellent mechanical and optical properties. The total production costs of a bottle are significantly caused by the material costs. Due to this dominant share of the bottle material, the PET industry is interested in reducing the total production costs by an optimised material efficiency. However, a reduced material inventory means decreasing wall thicknesses and therewith a reduction of the bottle properties (e.g. mechanical properties, barrier properties). Therefore, there is often a trade-off between a minimal bottle weight and adequate properties of the bottle. In order to achieve the objectives Computer Aided Engineering (CAE) techniques can assist the designer of new stretch-blow moulded containers. Hence, tools such as the process simulation and the structural analysis have become important in the blow moulding sector. The Institute of Plastics Processing (IKV) at RWTH Aachen University, Germany, has developed an integrative three-dimensional process simulation which models the complete path of a preform through a stretch-blow moulding machine. At first, the reheating of the preform is calculated by a thermal simulation. Afterwards, the inflation of the preform to a bottle is calculated by finite element analysis (FEA). The results of this step are e.g. the local wall thickness distribution and the local biaxial stretch ratios. Not only the material distribution but also the material properties that result from the deformation history of the polymer have significant influence on the bottle properties. Therefore, a correlation between the material properties and stretch ratios is considered in an integrative simulation approach developed at IKV. The results of the process simulation (wall thickness, stretch ratios) are transferred to a further simulation program and mapped on the bottles FE mesh. This approach allows a local

Labeling practices of water bottling firms and its public health ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Background: Bottled water labels enable the consumers to choose brands that can best fit to their needs and preferences. Anything inaccurate, however, may pose serious public health risks, especially to vulnerable individuals. In Ethiopia, regular monitoring of bottled water quality and labelling practices is still lacking.

Pre and post PET-CT impact on oesophageal cancer management: a retrospective analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Azmi, NA; Razak, HRA; Vinjamuri, S.

2017-05-01

Assessment of the retrospective cancer incidence, prevalence and crude survival rates of oesophageal cancer to allow comparison between pre and post PET-CT introduction are part of 4 phase cost effectiveness research. It will provide baseline data for to assess PET or PET-CT cost effective potential for staging. A total of 849 patient’s data received from NWCIS databases with various stages of oesophageal cancer between 2001 and 2008. The fundamental activities are retrospective analysis of patient data. In most cases where appropriate, results are presented with 95 percent confidence intervals (CI). Variances between patient groups and variables are assessed using chi-square test. In cases where it deems vital, multiple logistic regression are used to modify for potential confounder such as age and sex. All p-values are two-sided and any value lower than 0.05 were considered to suggest a statistically significant result. Retrospective analysis were categorised into two categories, patients from 2001-2003 considered as pre PET and post PET for 2004-2008. This categorisation allows better comparison of patients’ survival trend to be made between both groups. Rates are presented in percentages and being grouped by tumour characteristics and other variables associated with demographic profile, diagnosis, staging and treatment. Results allowed comparison of oesophageal cancer trends between the pre and post PET-CT introduction such as changes in incidence rate or changes in survival. These data were used to normalise the decision tree model so that cost-effectiveness analysis can be performed across the whole population.

Pre and post PET-CT impact on oesophageal cancer management: a retrospective analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Azmi, NA; Razak, HRA; Vinjamuri, S

2017-01-01

Assessment of the retrospective cancer incidence, prevalence and crude survival rates of oesophageal cancer to allow comparison between pre and post PET-CT introduction are part of 4 phase cost effectiveness research. It will provide baseline data for to assess PET or PET-CT cost effective potential for staging. A total of 849 patient’s data received from NWCIS databases with various stages of oesophageal cancer between 2001 and 2008. The fundamental activities are retrospective analysis of patient data. In most cases where appropriate, results are presented with 95 percent confidence intervals (CI). Variances between patient groups and variables are assessed using chi-square test. In cases where it deems vital, multiple logistic regression are used to modify for potential confounder such as age and sex. All p-values are two-sided and any value lower than 0.05 were considered to suggest a statistically significant result. Retrospective analysis were categorised into two categories, patients from 2001-2003 considered as pre PET and post PET for 2004-2008. This categorisation allows better comparison of patients’ survival trend to be made between both groups. Rates are presented in percentages and being grouped by tumour characteristics and other variables associated with demographic profile, diagnosis, staging and treatment. Results allowed comparison of oesophageal cancer trends between the pre and post PET-CT introduction such as changes in incidence rate or changes in survival. These data were used to normalise the decision tree model so that cost-effectiveness analysis can be performed across the whole population. (paper)

Clinical value of FDG-PET in the follow up of post-operative patients with endometrial cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saga, Tsuneo; Higashi, Tatsuya; Ishimori, Takayoshi

2003-01-01

The clinical usefulness of FDG-PET in the follow up of post-operative patients with endometrial cancer was retrospectively evaluated. Twenty-one post-operative patients with endometrial cancer received 30 FDG-PET examinations to evaluate recurrence or response to treatment. The findings of FDG-PET were compared with their serum levels of tumor markers, CT and/or MRI findings, and the final outcome. Results of FDG-PET were also correlated with the clinical course of each patient. In detecting recurrent lesions and evaluating treatment responses, FDG-PET, with the help in anatomic information by CT/MRI, showed better diagnostic ability (sensitivity 100.0%, specificity 88.2%, accuracy 93.3%) compared with combined conventional imaging (sensitivity 84.6%, specificity 85.7%, accuracy 85.0%) and tumor markers (sensitivity 100.0%, specificity 70.6%, accuracy 83.3%). FDG-PET had no false-negative results, suggesting the possibility of its use as the first-line examination in a patient's follow-up. FDG-PET could detect unknown lesions in 4 cases, and, as reported for other malignancies, FDG-PET affected the patient management in one-third of the cases. Furthermore, the results of FDG-PET correlated well with the clinical outcome of the patients, with patients with negative PET results tending to show disease-free courses. These results suggest that, despite the limited number of patients studied, FDG-PET was accurate in detecting recurrence and evaluating therapeutic response, and could afford important information in the management of post-operative patients with endometrial cancer. FDG-PET also appeared to have a possibility to predict the outcome of each patient. (author)

Mechanical properties of recycled PET fibers in concrete

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fernando Pelisser

2012-08-01

Full Text Available Fiber-reinforced concrete represents the current tendency to apply more efficient crack-resistant concrete. For instance, polyethylene terephthalate (PET is a polyester polymer obtained from recyclable bottles; it has been widely used to produce fibers to obtain cement-based products with improved properties. Therefore, this paper reports on an experimental study of recycled-bottle-PET fiber-reinforced concrete. Fibers with lengths of 10, 15 and 20 mm and volume fractions of 0.05, 0.18 and 0.30% related to the volume of the concrete were used. Physical and mechanical characterization of the concrete was performed, including the determination of compressive strength, flexural strength, Young's modulus and fracture toughness as well as analysis using mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP and scanning electron microscopy (SEM. Flexure and impact tests were performed after 28 and 150 days. No significant effect of the fiber addition on the compressive strength and modulus of elasticity was observed. However, the Young's modulus was observed to decrease as the fiber volume increased. At 28 days, the concrete flexural toughness and impact resistance increased with the presence of PET fibers, except for the 0.05 vol.% sample. However, at 150 days, this improvement was no longer present due to recycled-bottle-PET fiber degradation in the alkaline concrete environment, as visualized by SEM observations. An increase in porosity also has occurred at 365 days for the fiber-reinforced concrete, as determined by MIP.

Tumor Response and Survival Predicted by Post-Therapy FDG-PET/CT in Anal Cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schwarz, Julie K.; Siegel, Barry A.; Dehdashti, Farrokh; Myerson, Robert J.; Fleshman, James W.; Grigsby, Perry W.

2008-01-01

Purpose: To evaluate the response to therapy for anal carcinoma using post-therapy imaging with positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography and F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) and to compare the metabolic response with patient outcome. Patients and Methods: This was a prospective cohort study of 53 consecutive patients with anal cancer. All patients underwent pre- and post-treatment whole-body FDG-PET/computed tomography. Patients had been treated with external beam radiotherapy and concurrent chemotherapy. Whole-body FDG-PET was performed 0.9-5.4 months (mean, 2.1) after therapy completion. Results: The post-therapy PET scan did not show any abnormal FDG uptake (complete metabolic response) in 44 patients. Persistent abnormal FDG uptake (partial metabolic response) was found in the anal tumor in 9 patients. The 2-year cause-specific survival rate was 94% for patients with a complete vs. 39% for patients with a partial metabolic response in the anal tumor (p = 0.0008). The 2-year progression-free survival rate was 95% for patients with a complete vs. 22% for patients with a partial metabolic response in the anal tumor (p < 0.0001). A Cox proportional hazards model of survival outcome indicated that a complete metabolic response was the most significant predictor of progression-free survival in our patient population (p = 0.0003). Conclusions: A partial metabolic response in the anal tumor as determined by post-therapy FDG-PET is predictive of significantly decreased progression-free and cause-specific survival after chemoradiotherapy for anal cancer

Quantitative assessment of human and pet exposure to Salmonella associated with dry pet foods.

Science.gov (United States)

Lambertini, Elisabetta; Buchanan, Robert L; Narrod, Clare; Ford, Randall M; Baker, Robert C; Pradhan, Abani K

2016-01-04

Recent Salmonella outbreaks associated with dry pet foods and treats highlight the importance of these foods as previously overlooked exposure vehicles for both pets and humans. In the last decade efforts have been made to raise the safety of this class of products, for instance by upgrading production equipment, cleaning protocols, and finished product testing. However, no comprehensive or quantitative risk profile is available for pet foods, thus limiting the ability to establish safety standards and assess the effectiveness of current and proposed Salmonella control measures. This study sought to develop an ingredients-to-consumer quantitative microbial exposure assessment model to: 1) estimate pet and human exposure to Salmonella via dry pet food, and 2) assess the impact of industry and household-level mitigation strategies on exposure. Data on prevalence and concentration of Salmonella in pet food ingredients, production process parameters, bacterial ecology, and contact transfer in the household were obtained through literature review, industry data, and targeted research. A probabilistic Monte Carlo modeling framework was developed to simulate the production process and basic household exposure routes. Under the range of assumptions adopted in this model, human exposure due to handling pet food is null to minimal if contamination occurs exclusively before extrusion. Exposure increases considerably if recontamination occurs post-extrusion during coating with fat, although mean ingested doses remain modest even at high fat contamination levels, due to the low percent of fat in the finished product. Exposure is highly variable, with the distribution of doses ingested by adult pet owners spanning 3Log CFU per exposure event. Child exposure due to ingestion of 1g of pet food leads to significantly higher doses than adult doses associated with handling the food. Recontamination after extrusion and coating, e.g., via dust or equipment surfaces, may also lead to

In vivo verification of proton beam path by using post-treatment PET/CT imaging

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hsi, Wen C.; Indelicato, Daniel J.; Vargas, Carlos; Duvvuri, Srividya; Li Zuofeng; Palta, Jatinder [Proton Therapy Institute, University of Florida, Jacksonville, Florida 32206 (United States); Boca Radiation Oncology Associates, Boca Raton, Florida 33431 (United States); Proton Therapy Institute, University of Florida, Jacksonville, Florida 32206 (United States); Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32610 (United States)

2009-09-15

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to establish the in vivo verification of proton beam path by using proton-activated positron emission distributions. Methods: A total of 50 PET/CT imaging studies were performed on ten prostate cancer patients immediately after daily proton therapy treatment through a single lateral portal. The PET/CT and planning CT were registered by matching the pelvic bones, and the beam path of delivered protons was defined in vivo by the positron emission distribution seen only within the pelvic bones, referred to as the PET-defined beam path. Because of the patient position correction at each fraction, the marker-defined beam path, determined by the centroid of implanted markers seen in the post-treatment (post-Tx) CT, is used for the planned beam path. The angular variation and discordance between the PET- and marker-defined paths were derived to investigate the intrafraction prostate motion. For studies with large discordance, the relative location between the centroid and pelvic bones seen in the post-Tx CT was examined. The PET/CT studies are categorized for distinguishing the prostate motion that occurred before or after beam delivery. The post-PET CT was acquired after PET imaging to investigate prostate motion due to physiological changes during the extended PET acquisition. Results: The less than 2 deg. of angular variation indicates that the patient roll was minimal within the immobilization device. Thirty of the 50 studies with small discordance, referred as good cases, show a consistent alignment between the field edges and the positron emission distributions from the entrance to the distal edge. For those good cases, average displacements are 0.6 and 1.3 mm along the anterior-posterior (D{sub AP}) and superior-inferior (D{sub SI}) directions, respectively, with 1.6 mm standard deviations in both directions. For the remaining 20 studies demonstrating a large discordance (more than 6 mm in either D{sub AP} or D{sub SI}), 13

Does a time constraint modify results from rating-based conjoint analysis? Case study with orange/pomegranate juice bottles.

Science.gov (United States)

Reis, Felipe; Machín, Leandro; Rosenthal, Amauri; Deliza, Rosires; Ares, Gastón

2016-12-01

People do not usually process all the available information on packages for making their food choices and rely on heuristics for making their decisions, particularly when having limited time. However, in most consumer studies encourage participants to invest a lot of time for making their choices. Therefore, imposing a time-constraint in consumer studies may increase their ecological validity. In this context, the aim of the present work was to evaluate the influence of a time-constraint on consumer evaluation of pomegranate/orange juice bottles using rating-based conjoint task. A consumer study with 100 participants was carried out, in which they had to evaluate 16 pomegranate/orange fruit juice bottles, differing in bottle design, front-of-pack nutritional information, nutrition claim and processing claim, and to rate their intention to purchase. Half of the participants evaluated the bottle images without time constraint and the other half had a time-constraint of 3s for evaluating each image. Eye-movements were recorded during the evaluation. Results showed that time-constraint when evaluating intention to purchase did not largely modify the way in which consumers visually processed bottle images. Regardless of the experimental condition (with or without time constraint), they tended to evaluate the same product characteristics and to give them the same relative importance. However, a trend towards a more superficial evaluation of the bottles that skipped complex information was observed. Regarding the influence of product characteristics on consumer intention to purchase, bottle design was the variable with the largest relative importance in both conditions, overriding the influence of nutritional or processing characteristics, which stresses the importance of graphic design in shaping consumer perception. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Spatially resolved regression analysis of pre-treatment FDG, FLT and Cu-ATSM PET from post-treatment FDG PET: an exploratory study

Science.gov (United States)

Bowen, Stephen R; Chappell, Richard J; Bentzen, Søren M; Deveau, Michael A; Forrest, Lisa J; Jeraj, Robert

2012-01-01

Purpose To quantify associations between pre-radiotherapy and post-radiotherapy PET parameters via spatially resolved regression. Materials and methods Ten canine sinonasal cancer patients underwent PET/CT scans of [18F]FDG (FDGpre), [18F]FLT (FLTpre), and [61Cu]Cu-ATSM (Cu-ATSMpre). Following radiotherapy regimens of 50 Gy in 10 fractions, veterinary patients underwent FDG PET/CT scans at three months (FDGpost). Regression of standardized uptake values in baseline FDGpre, FLTpre and Cu-ATSMpre tumour voxels to those in FDGpost images was performed for linear, log-linear, generalized-linear and mixed-fit linear models. Goodness-of-fit in regression coefficients was assessed by R2. Hypothesis testing of coefficients over the patient population was performed. Results Multivariate linear model fits of FDGpre to FDGpost were significantly positive over the population (FDGpost~0.17 FDGpre, p=0.03), and classified slopes of RECIST non-responders and responders to be different (0.37 vs. 0.07, p=0.01). Generalized-linear model fits related FDGpre to FDGpost by a linear power law (FDGpost~FDGpre0.93, pregression analysis indicates that pre-treatment FDG PET uptake is most strongly associated with three-month post-treatment FDG PET uptake in this patient population, though associations are histopathology-dependent. PMID:22682748

Towards lower carbon footprint patterns of consumption: The case of drinking water in Italy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Botto, S.; Niccolucci, V.; Rugani, B.; Nicolardi, V.; Bastianoni, S.; Gaggi, C.

2011-01-01

The effects that individual consumption behaviours have on climate change are explored, focusing on products that satisfy the same need but with different carbon footprints. Two types of drinking water, produced, distributed and consumed in Italy, were compared as a case study: tap water and PET-bottled natural mineral water. The first is the one supplied to the municipality of Siena, while the second is a set of 6 different Italian bottled water brands. The results showed that drinking 1.5 L of tap water instead of PET-bottled water saves 0.34 kg CO 2 eq. Thus, a PET-bottled water consumer (2 L per day) who changes to tap water may prevent 163.50 kg CO 2 eq of greenhouse gas emissions per year. In monetary terms, this translates into a tradable annual verified emission reduction (VER) between US$ 0.20 and 7.67 per drinker. Analysing a mature bottled water market, such as the Italian one, may provide insights into the growing global bottled-water market and its effects on climate change. The environmental and economic benefits of changing drinking water habits are also discussed.

120 MeV Ni Ion beam induced modifications in poly (ethylene terephthalate) used in commercial bottled water

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kumar, Vijay; Sonkawade, R. G.; Ali, Yasir; Dhaliwal, A. S.

2012-01-01

We report the effects of heavy ion irradiation on the optical, structural, and chemical properties of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film used in commercial bottled water. PET bottles were exposed with 120 MeV Ni ions at fluences varying from 3 x 10 10 to 3 x 10 12 ion/cm 2 . The modifications so induced were analyzed by using UV-Vis, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Substantial decrease in optical band gap is observed with the increase in ion fluence. In the FTIR spectra, most of bands are decreased due the degradation of the molecular structure. XRD measurements show the decrease in peak intensity, which reflects the loss of crystallinity after irradiation.

An approach to the usage of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) waste as roadway pavement material

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gürü, Metin, E-mail: mguru@gazi.edu.tr [Gazi University, Eng. Fac., Chem. Eng. Depart., 06570 Maltepe-Ankara (Turkey); Çubuk, M. Kürşat; Arslan, Deniz; Farzanian, S. Ali [Gazi University, Eng. Fac., Civil Eng. Depart., 06570 Maltepe-Ankara (Turkey); Bilici, İbrahim [Hitit University, Eng. Fac., Chem. Eng. Depart., 19100 Çorum (Turkey)

2014-08-30

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • We derived two novel additive materials from PET bottle waste: TLPP and VPP. • We used them to modify the base asphalt separately. • The additives improved both the asphalt and the asphalt mixture performance. • TLPP, VPP offer a beneficial way about disposal of ecologically hazardous PET waste. - Abstract: This study investigates an application area for Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) bottle waste which has become an environmental problem in recent decades as being a considerable part of the total plastic waste bulk. Two novel additive materials, namely Thin Liquid Polyol PET (TLPP) and Viscous Polyol PET (VPP), were chemically derived from waste PET bottles and used to modify the base asphalt separately for this aim. The effects of TLPP and VPP on the asphalt and hot mix asphalt (HMA) mixture properties were detected through conventional tests (Penetration, Softening Point, Ductility, Marshall Stability, Nicholson Stripping) and Superpave methods (Rotational Viscosity, Dynamic Shear Rheometer (DSR), Bending Beam Rheometer (BBR)). Also, chemical structures were described by Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) equipped with Energy Dispersive Spectrometer (EDS) and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) techniques. Since TLPP and VPP were determined to improve the low temperature performance and fatigue resistance of the asphalt as well as the Marshall Stability and stripping resistance of the HMA mixtures based on the results of the applied tests, the usage of PET waste as an asphalt roadway pavement material offers an alternative and a beneficial way of disposal of this ecologically hazardous material.

An approach to the usage of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) waste as roadway pavement material

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gürü, Metin; Çubuk, M. Kürşat; Arslan, Deniz; Farzanian, S. Ali; Bilici, İbrahim

2014-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • We derived two novel additive materials from PET bottle waste: TLPP and VPP. • We used them to modify the base asphalt separately. • The additives improved both the asphalt and the asphalt mixture performance. • TLPP, VPP offer a beneficial way about disposal of ecologically hazardous PET waste. - Abstract: This study investigates an application area for Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) bottle waste which has become an environmental problem in recent decades as being a considerable part of the total plastic waste bulk. Two novel additive materials, namely Thin Liquid Polyol PET (TLPP) and Viscous Polyol PET (VPP), were chemically derived from waste PET bottles and used to modify the base asphalt separately for this aim. The effects of TLPP and VPP on the asphalt and hot mix asphalt (HMA) mixture properties were detected through conventional tests (Penetration, Softening Point, Ductility, Marshall Stability, Nicholson Stripping) and Superpave methods (Rotational Viscosity, Dynamic Shear Rheometer (DSR), Bending Beam Rheometer (BBR)). Also, chemical structures were described by Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) equipped with Energy Dispersive Spectrometer (EDS) and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) techniques. Since TLPP and VPP were determined to improve the low temperature performance and fatigue resistance of the asphalt as well as the Marshall Stability and stripping resistance of the HMA mixtures based on the results of the applied tests, the usage of PET waste as an asphalt roadway pavement material offers an alternative and a beneficial way of disposal of this ecologically hazardous material

Flotation separation of PET from a PET, PVC and PS mixture by the hydrofilization of the PET surface in NaOH solutions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ľubica Kozáková

2005-11-01

Full Text Available Recycling is the most effective method of waste minimization created by the human activity. The idea of waste re-use as a result of environmental, social and economical factors is becoming very relevant in the last decades. The portion of plastics in the municipal waste is growing year by year as also is its use in the wrapping industry. A condition for recycling technologies is the input of highly pure plastics (without undesirable admixtures suitable for recycling. Various separation technologies can be used which provide separation of particular components of plastic waste and contaminants. Flotation is one of the separation methods used especially for the ore beneficiation but recently is widely also used for the separation of various types of waste. Plastics, which are not possible to be separated by gravitational methods (because they have almost the same density, PET from beverage bottles, PVC from bottles and foils and PS from beverage beakers, were studied. By changing the surface properties of PET from naturally hydrophobic to hydrophilic by the adjustment in a NaOH solution, PET with the recovery of up to 99 % in the non-foamy product and with the product purity of up to 98 % was acquired by the flotation.

Perceptions on the use of bottled water in restaurants in Harare's Central Business District (CBD)

Science.gov (United States)

Juba, Olivia Sakhile; Tanyanyiwa, Vincent Itai

2018-06-01

Bottled water use continues to expand worldwide and in the last two decades, a significant number of consumers have shifted from tap water to bottled water due to Cryptosporidium outbreaks. Bottled water consumption has increased in Harare due to erratic tap water supplies. Since 2011, forty bottled water brands have been banned because of failure to meet safety and quality standards due to contamination, unsuitable packaging, and wrong labelling. Nevertheless, the bottled water industry continues to thrive as local authorities fail to adequately purify municipal water. The study assessed the perceptions on drinking bottled water in restaurants within Harare's CBD. Demographic and social factors associated with bottled water users were established and the role and influence of stakeholders in bottling and distribution of water documented. A field survey through the administration of questionnaires to fifty restaurant users was carried out to assess the perceptions of people on the use of bottled water in terms of its safety and potential health benefits. Key informant interviews were conducted using a semi-structured interview with ten local water bottling companies as well as representatives from the Environmental Management Agency (EMA) and Standards Association of Zimbabwe (SAZ). Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and logistic regression analysis. Standard descriptive statistics were generated, with 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs). Consumers used bottled water as their primary drinking water source when they perceived that tap water was not safe. Perceptions of purity of water, bottled water convenience, and tap water unavailability seemed to determine consumption patterns among users. Females in the 18-48 age groups were more likely to think that bottled water was cleaner, safer, tasted better and was more convenient than tap water. Consumers regularly purchased bottled water for drinking and used bottled water as their primary drinking water

Green Fiber Bottle

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Didone, Mattia; Tosello, Guido

has to have an inner coating barrier. The most reliable solution proposed is to coat the inner walls with silicon dioxide, which is not biodegradable but rather environmentally inert. To enhance the environmental footprint and sustainability of the bottle, and to be competitive with the existing...... technologies, the manufacturing technology for the production of the bottle has to offer the possibility of significant energy savings. Molded pulp products are made from wood fibers dispersed in water, and then they are formed, drained and dried. A relatively large quantity of resources (i.e. energy and time......) is consumed during the drying process. It is in this process stage that an innovative way of drying the products can be exploited by using the concept of impulse drying. Impulse drying is an advance drying technique in which water is removed from a wet paper pulp by the combination of mechanical pressure...

In vivo verification of proton beam path by using post-treatment PET/CT imaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Hsi, Wen C; Indelicato, Daniel J; Vargas, Carlos; Duvvuri, Srividya; Li, Zuofeng; Palta, Jatinder

2009-09-01

The purpose of this study is to establish the in vivo verification of proton beam path by using proton-activated positron emission distributions. A total of 50 PET/CT imaging studies were performed on ten prostate cancer patients immediately after daily proton therapy treatment through a single lateral portal. The PET/CT and planning CT were registered by matching the pelvic bones, and the beam path of delivered protons was defined in vivo by the positron emission distribution seen only within the pelvic bones, referred to as the PET-defined beam path. Because of the patient position correction at each fraction, the marker-defined beam path, determined by the centroid of implanted markers seen in the posttreatment (post-Tx) CT, is used for the planned beam path. The angular variation and discordance between the PET- and marker-defined paths were derived to investigate the intrafraction prostate motion. For studies with large discordance, the relative location between the centroid and pelvic bones seen in the post-Tx CT was examined. The PET/CT studies are categorized for distinguishing the prostate motion that occurred before or after beam delivery. The post-PET CT was acquired after PET imaging to investigate prostate motion due to physiological changes during the extended PET acquisition. The less than 2 degrees of angular variation indicates that the patient roll was minimal within the immobilization device. Thirty of the 50 studies with small discordance, referred as good cases, show a consistent alignment between the field edges and the positron emission distributions from the entrance to the distal edge. For those good cases, average displacements are 0.6 and 1.3 mm along the anterior-posterior (D(AP)) and superior-inferior (D(SI)) directions, respectively, with 1.6 mm standard deviations in both directions. For the remaining 20 studies demonstrating a large discordance (more than 6 mm in either D(AP) or D(SI)), 13 studies, referred as motion-after-Tx cases

Study of consumer fireworks post-blast residues by ATR-FTIR.

Science.gov (United States)

Martín-Alberca, Carlos; Zapata, Félix; Carrascosa, Héctor; Ortega-Ojeda, Fernando E; García-Ruiz, Carmen

2016-03-01

Specific analytical procedures are requested for the forensic analysis of pre- and post-blast consumer firework samples, which present significant challenges. Up to date, vibrational spectroscopic techniques such as Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) have not been tested for the analysis of post-blast residues in spite of their interesting strengths for the forensic field. Therefore, this work proposes a simple and fast procedure for the sampling and analysis of consumer firework post-blast residues by a portable FTIR instrument with an Attenuated Total Reflection (ATR) accessory. In addition, the post-blast residues spectra of several consumer fireworks were studied in order to achieve the identification of their original chemical compositions. Hence, this work analysed 22 standard reagents usually employed to make consumer fireworks, or because they are related to their combustion products. Then, 5 different consumer fireworks were exploded, and their residues were sampled with dry cotton swabs and directly analysed by ATR-FTIR. In addition, their pre-blast fuses and charges were also analysed in order to stablish a proper comparison. As a result, the identification of the original chemical compositions of the post-blast samples was obtained. Some of the compounds found were potassium chlorate, barium nitrate, potassium nitrate, potassium perchlorate or charcoal. An additional study involving chemometric tools found that the results might greatly depend on the swab head type used for the sampling, and its sampling efficiency. The proposed procedure could be used as a complementary technique for the analysis of consumer fireworks post-blast residues. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Concentration of ions in selected bottled water samples sold in Malaysia

Science.gov (United States)

Aris, Ahmad Zaharin; Kam, Ryan Chuan Yang; Lim, Ai Phing; Praveena, Sarva Mangala

2013-03-01

Many consumers around the world, including Malaysians, have turned to bottled water as their main source of drinking water. The aim of this study is to determine the physical and chemical properties of bottled water samples sold in Selangor, Malaysia. A total of 20 bottled water brands consisting of `natural mineral (NM)' and `packaged drinking (PD)' types were randomly collected and analyzed for their physical-chemical characteristics: hydrogen ion concentration (pH), electrical conductivity (EC) and total dissolved solids (TDS), selected major ions: calcium (Ca), potassium (K), magnesium (Mg) and sodium (Na), and minor trace constituents: copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) to ascertain their suitability for human consumption. The results obtained were compared with guideline values recommended by World Health Organization (WHO) and Malaysian Ministry of Health (MMOH), respectively. It was found that all bottled water samples were in accordance with the guidelines set by WHO and MMOH except for one sample (D3) which was below the pH limit of 6.5. Both NM and PD bottled water were dominated by Na + K > Ca > Mg. Low values for EC and TDS in the bottled water samples showed that water was deficient in essential elements, likely an indication that these were removed by water treatment. Minerals like major ions were present in very low concentrations which could pose a risk to individuals who consume this water on a regular basis. Generally, the overall quality of the supplied bottled water was in accordance to standards and guidelines set by WHO and MMOH and safe for consumption.

PET after use. From problem to opportunity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chiacchio, G.; Malinconico, M.; Santacesaria, E.; Di Sero, M.

1999-01-01

Due to collection, separation and legislation problems, the only type of PET suitable for recycling, is, at moment, the polymer employed in liquid containers or, more precisely, PET from drink bottles. The paper refer to the most up-to-date strategies to overcomes typical problems occurring during physical recycling of PET (hydrolytic and thermal degradation). Among others, a recent procedure is cited, that utilizes p-hydroxybenzoic acid and titanium tetraisopropylate. As far as chemical recycling is concerned, alternative methodologies to PET glycolysis (normally employing ethyleneglycol to obtain monomers) using unsaturated diols to obtain polyesters suitable for production of thermosetting resins, are reported. Finally, chemical recycling of PET to produce alkyl-phthalates (well know plasticizers for thermoplastic polymers) is described [it

THE ROLE OF INTRAMOLECULAR TIES ENERGY IN THE PYROLYSIS PROCESS OF PET

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P. Iu. Salikov

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Summary. Recycling plastic waste to focus on. The main type of used products made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET is a container from the various types of beverages. There was considered a possibility of waste of PET (bottles, bottles, packaging containers by pyrolysis. Most of the proposed methods are not suitable for recycling (recycling of waste consumption contamination. Purpose - to develop technological foundations and optimum modes waste PET to obtain useful secondary products, taking into account the energy of chemical intramolecular bonds. Applied scientific basis of recycling PET into useful forms of secondary products, in particular the establishment of the collapse of the intramolecular bonds, depending on the temperature of the pyrolysis method of mathematical processing - differentiation of polynomial equations change in the degree of pyrolysis temperature-dependent. The optimum modes of processing. The block diagram of apparatus for processing contaminated waste PET pyrolysis methods of control processing in accordance with the specified composition of secondary products. The possibility of controlling the amount and types of fuel components of secondary products due to measurable parameters of the pyrolysis process. The effective temperature pyrolysis of waste PET with the CCA-tures energy intramolecular bonds.

Changes in Isotopic Composition of Bottled Natural Waters Due to Different Storage Conditions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ferjan, T. [Geological Survey of Slovenia, Department of Hydrogeology, Ljubljana (Slovenia); Brencic, M. [Faculty of Natural Sciences and Engineering, Department of Geology, and Geological Survey of Slovenia, Department of Hydrogeology, Ljubljana (Slovenia); Vreca, P. [Jozef Stefan Institute, Department of Environmental Sciences, Ljubljana (Slovenia)

2013-07-15

To establish the influence of environmental conditions on processes affecting the stable isotopic composition of bottled water during storage, various brands of bottled water were exposed for 2 years in different conditions. Selected low mineralized natural mineral water of one particular brand stored in polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles was placed at three different locations with different physical conditions (temperature, relative humidity, air pressure, exposure to sunlight). For comparison, bottles of three other low mineralized natural mineral water brands, each from a different aquifer source, were placed in parallel at one of the locations. Each location was characterized by temperature, relative humidity and air pressure measurements. pH, conductivity and stable isotopic composition of oxygen, hydrogen and carbon in dissolved inorganic carbon ({delta}{sup 18}O, {delta}{sup 2}H, {delta}{sup 13}C{sub DIC}) were measured in regular intervals for nearly two years. Preliminary results from each location show noticeable changes in isotopic composition as well as the physical parameters of water with time of storage.

Garrafas de PET para óleo comestível: avaliação da barreira à luz PET bottles for edible oil packaging: evaluation of the light barrier

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Leda Coltro

2004-09-01

added to the package material, that absorb the incident UV radiation or deactivate the excited chromophores. The aim of this study was to evaluate the light barrier of PET bottles available in the Brazilian market used for edible oil packaging, by measuring the specular light transmission spectra obtained in the UV-Visible regions. The packages that showed light barrier were analyzed by HPLC in order to identify and quantify the additive. The UV absorbers identified in the plastic packages were considered with regard to the restriction and composition limits established by the Resolução 105 from Agência Nacional de Vigilância Sanitária - ANVISA. It was then possible to make a diagnosis about the use of UV absorbers in PET bottles for edible oil packaging available in the Brazilian market.

Thuringische builds large PET plant in Germany

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alperowicz, N.

1993-01-01

East Germany fibers producer Thuringische Faser AG Schwarza (TFS; Rudolstadt) is entering the polyethylene terephthalate (PET) business. The company, owned by India's Dalmia Group (New Delhi), is building an 80,000-m.t./year PET granulate plant, one of the largest in Europe, for completion at the end of 1995. The product will be used to make PET bottles and film for food packaging. TFS will need to buy 70,000 m.t./year of purified terephthalic acid and 27,000 m.t./year of ethylene glycol to feed the new plant. When acquiring TFS, Dalmia's chairman, Sanjay Dalmia, pledged to invest DM150 million ($95.4 million) in the Germany firm and keep 1,200 of the 3,000 workers. John Brown Deutsche Engineering (Essen) has been awarded a contract covering engineering, know-how, and turnkey supply of the complete plant, and will share of the complete plant, and will share the work with Austrian associate, Voest John Brown Industrieanlagenbau (Linz). The company, which completed against Zimmer (Frankfurt), will use its own technology. TFS, with 1992 sales of DM120 million, has capacities to produce 20,000 m.t/year of viscose staple fiber, 18,000 m.t./year of nylon-6 filament yarn, and 6,300 m.t./year of textile-grade polyester granulate, which will be converted to produce bottle-grade PET

ESTUDOS PRELIMINARES SOBRE A VIABILIDADE DA UTILIZAÇÃO DE GARRAFAS DE POLIETILENO (PET EM LAJES ESTRUTURAIS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gabriela Alves de Lima Cardoso

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Polyethylene bottles (PET have been widely used in the world nowadays, whether by easily design, durability or ease of handling , transportation and storage. However, reverse logistics problems due to lack of proper disposal of packaging causes pollution to the environment. Seeking the removal of this material from an ecologically responsible manner environment, associated with the reduction of production costs and the own weight concrete waffle slabs, this paper has the objective of discuss a research carried out by laboratory analysis and slabs construction feasibility, which slabs were built with PET use inside. The conclusion was the finding positives, as economic, echnical and environmental use in PET bottles in concrete slabs.

Predicting consumer preferences for mineral composition of bottled and tap water.

Science.gov (United States)

Platikanov, Stefan; Hernández, Alejandra; González, Susana; Luis Cortina, Jose; Tauler, Roma; Devesa, Ricard

2017-01-01

The overall liking for taste of water was correlated with the mineral composition of selected bottled and tap waters. Sixty-nine untrained volunteers assessed and rated twenty-five different commercial bottled and tap waters from. Water samples were physicochemical characterised by analysing conductivity, pH, total dissolved solids (TDS) and major anions and cations: HCO 3 - , SO 4 2- , Cl - , NO 3 - , Ca 2+ , Mg 2+ , Na + , and K + . Residual chlorine levels were also analysed in the tap water samples. Globally, volunteers preferred waters rich in calcium bicarbonate and sulfate, rather than in sodium chloride. This study also demonstrated that it was possible to accurately predict the overall liking by a Partial Least Squares regression using either all measured physicochemical parameters or a reduced number of them. These results were in agreement with previously published results using trained panellists. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The upcycling of post-industrial PP/PET waste streams through in-situ microfibrillar preparation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Delva, Laurens; Ragaert, Kim; Cardon, Ludwig

2015-01-01

Post-industrial plastic waste streams can be re-used as secondary material streams for polymer processing by extrusion or injection moulding. One of the major commercially available waste stream contains polypropylene (PP) contaminated with polyesters (mostly polyethylene tereftalate - PET). An important practical hurdle for the direct implementation of this waste stream is the immiscibility of PP and PET in the melt, which leads to segregation within the polymer structure and adversely affects the reproducibility and mechanical properties of the manufactured parts. It has been indicated in literature that the creation of PET microfibrils in the PP matrix could undo these drawbacks and upcycle the PP/PET combination. Within the current research, a commercially available virgin PP/PET was evaluated for the microfibrillar preparation. The mechanical (tensile and impact) properties, thermal properties and morphology of the composites were characterized at different stages of the microfibrillar preparation

The upcycling of post-industrial PP/PET waste streams through in-situ microfibrillar preparation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Delva, Laurens, E-mail: Laurens.Delva@ugent.be; Ragaert, Kim, E-mail: Kim.Ragaert@ugent.be; Cardon, Ludwig, E-mail: Ludwig.Cardon@ugent.be [Centre for Polymer and Materials Technologies (CPMT), Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Ghent University, Technologiepark 915, 9052 Zwijnaarde (Belgium)

2015-12-17

Post-industrial plastic waste streams can be re-used as secondary material streams for polymer processing by extrusion or injection moulding. One of the major commercially available waste stream contains polypropylene (PP) contaminated with polyesters (mostly polyethylene tereftalate - PET). An important practical hurdle for the direct implementation of this waste stream is the immiscibility of PP and PET in the melt, which leads to segregation within the polymer structure and adversely affects the reproducibility and mechanical properties of the manufactured parts. It has been indicated in literature that the creation of PET microfibrils in the PP matrix could undo these drawbacks and upcycle the PP/PET combination. Within the current research, a commercially available virgin PP/PET was evaluated for the microfibrillar preparation. The mechanical (tensile and impact) properties, thermal properties and morphology of the composites were characterized at different stages of the microfibrillar preparation.

The upcycling of post-industrial PP/PET waste streams through in-situ microfibrillar preparation

Science.gov (United States)

Delva, Laurens; Ragaert, Kim; Cardon, Ludwig

2015-12-01

Post-industrial plastic waste streams can be re-used as secondary material streams for polymer processing by extrusion or injection moulding. One of the major commercially available waste stream contains polypropylene (PP) contaminated with polyesters (mostly polyethylene tereftalate - PET). An important practical hurdle for the direct implementation of this waste stream is the immiscibility of PP and PET in the melt, which leads to segregation within the polymer structure and adversely affects the reproducibility and mechanical properties of the manufactured parts. It has been indicated in literature that the creation of PET microfibrils in the PP matrix could undo these drawbacks and upcycle the PP/PET combination. Within the current research, a commercially available virgin PP/PET was evaluated for the microfibrillar preparation. The mechanical (tensile and impact) properties, thermal properties and morphology of the composites were characterized at different stages of the microfibrillar preparation.

Quality status of bottled water brands in Pakistan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kahlown, M. A.; Tahir, M.A.

2005-01-01

The (PCRWR) has carried out a study to evaluate the quality of mineral water brands available in the market owing to demand of general public and consumer associations. Twenty one brands of bottled water were collected from Islamabad and Rawalpindi. Each water sample was analyzed for 24 aesthetic, physico-chemical and bacteriological water quality parameters by adopting standard analytical methods. It was observed that only 10 out of 21 brands (47.62%) were fit for drinking purpose. The remaining eleven brands (52.38%), including one imported brand, were found unsafe for human consumption. It was also concluded that present situation of water quality of bottled water is due to lack of legislation for water quality control. Hence there is a dire need for a legal organization to monitor and regulate the quality issues of bottled water industry. (author)

Effect of combined activation on the preparation of high porous active carbons from granulated post-consumer polyethyleneterephthalate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sych, N.V.; Kartel, N.T.; Tsyba, N.N.; Strelko, V.V.

2006-01-01

Activated carbons were prepared from granulated post-consumer PET by combined activation including heat treatment with sulphuric acid (chemical activation) followed by steam activation. The effect of activation time, temperature, impregnation coefficient in the activation process was studied in order to optimize those reception parameters. One of the most important parameter in combined activation of crushed PET was found to be impregnation coefficient. It was defined that the optimal impregnation coefficient is equal 28%. Activation temperature is another variability which has a significant effect on the pore volume evolution. The increasing of activation temperature enhances the surface area and pore volumes of active carbons. The yield of final product which composes of nearly 15% is the factor limited the activation temperature above 800 deg. C. Textural characteristics of the samples were carried out by performing N 2 adsorption isotherm at -196 deg. C. The obtained active carbons were mainly micro- and mesoporous and with BET apparent surface areas of up to 1030 m 2 /g. The adsorption capacity on methylene blue reaches 1.0 mmol/g, the sorption activity on iodine comes to 77%

Delineating sites of failure following post-prostatectomy radiation treatment using 68Ga-PSMA-PET.

Science.gov (United States)

Byrne, Keelan; Eade, Thomas; Kneebone, Andrew; Guo, Linxin; Hsiao, Ed; Schembri, Geoff; Kwong, Carolyn; Hunter, Julia; Emmett, Louise; Hruby, George

2018-02-01

To identify sites of failure with 68 Ga-PSMA-PET (PSMA-PET) imaging in patients who have Biochemical Failure (BF) following post-prostatectomy radiotherapy. Between June 2006 and January 2016, 409 men received post prostatectomy intensity modulated radiation treatment (IMRT) with protocolised planning. 310 patients received radiation treatment (RT) to the Prostate Fossa (PF) alone and 99 patients received RT to PF and pelvic lymphatics (PF + LN) usually in combination with androgen deprivation (AD) therapy. Any failure not detected on conventional imaging was delineated with PSMA-PET scanning. Sites of failure were characterised as in-field (PF ± LN), or out of field (nodal alone, distant metastatic alone (visceral or bone) or multi-site failure). Nodal failure was further divided into pelvic failure and/or distant failure. 119 men developed BF, defined as a PSA rise of >0.2 or greater, above post-RT nadir. Freedom from BF was 71% in the PF group and 70% in the PF + LN group, with median follow up of 52 and 44 months respectively. AD was used concomitantly in 13% of the PF group and 92% of the PF + LN group. 81 patients with BF (68%) had PSMA-PET imaging performed as per study intent, 67 (80%) of whom had PSMA avid disease identified. PSMA-PET delineated in-field failure occurred in 2/50 (4%) of the PF group and 1/17 (6%) in the PF + LN group. Nodal failure alone was 33/50 (66%) for the PF group vs 7/17 (41%) for the PF + LN group. For the nodal only failure patients, 18/33 (55%) had pelvic-only nodal failure in the PF group compared to 1/7 (14%) in the PF + LN group (p = 0.03). 16 (32%) of the PSMA avid failures in the PF group would have been encompassed by standard pelvic lymphatic radiotherapy volumes. Post-prostatectomy radiation treatment resulted in excellent in-field control rates. Isolated pelvic nodal failure was rare in those receiving radiotherapy to the prostatic fossa and pelvic nodes but accounted for one third of

Acid-base balance and hydration status following consumption of mineral-based alkaline bottled water

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Heil Daniel P

2010-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The present study sought to determine whether the consumption of a mineral-rich alkalizing (AK bottled water could improve both acid-base balance and hydration status in young healthy adults under free-living conditions. The AK water contains a naturally high mineral content along with Alka-PlexLiquid™, a dissolved supplement that increases the mineral content and gives the water an alkalizing pH of 10.0. Methods Thirty-eight subjects were matched by gender and self-reported physical activity (SRPA, hrs/week and then split into Control (12 women, 7 men; Mean +/- SD: 23 +/- 2 yrs; 7.2 +/- 3.6 hrs/week SRPA and Experimental (13 women, 6 men; 22 +/- 2 yrs; 6.4 +/- 4.0 hrs/week SRPA groups. The Control group consumed non-mineralized placebo bottled water over a 4-week period while the Experimental group consumed the placebo water during the 1st and 4th weeks and the AK water during the middle 2-week treatment period. Fingertip blood and 24-hour urine samples were collected three times each week for subsequent measures of blood and urine osmolality and pH, as well as total urine volume. Dependent variables were analyzed using multivariate repeated measures ANOVA with post-hoc focused on evaluating changes over time within Control and Experimental groups (alpha = 0.05. Results There were no significant changes in any of the dependent variables for the Control group. The Experimental group, however, showed significant increases in both the blood and urine pH (6.23 to 7.07 and 7.52 to 7.69, respectively, a decreased blood and increased urine osmolality, and a decreased urine output (2.51 to 2.05 L/day, all during the second week of the treatment period (P Conclusions Consumption of AK water was associated with improved acid-base balance (i.e., an alkalization of the blood and urine and hydration status when consumed under free-living conditions. In contrast, subjects who consumed the placebo bottled water showed no changes over the

Effect of the addition of ultraviolet absorber (Tinuvin 234) on the quality of soybean oil packaged in polyethylene terephthalate (PET)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oliveira Alves, M.A. de; Arruda, C.S.; Ogliari, P.J.; Meinert, E.M.; Teixeira, E.; Barrera-Arellano, D.; Block, J.M.

2005-01-01

In this work, the effect of the addition of the UV absorber Tinuvin 234 on the quality of soybean oil packaged in PET bottles stored at ambient temperature for 6 months under fluorescent light (634 lux). Along this period determinations were made of: peroxide value (PV), free fatty acids (FFA), specific extinction at 232 and 270 nm (EE) and sensorial evaluation (SE). The analysis of variance and resistance between the linear coefficients of each treatment indicates that significant difference does not exist (p0.0001) during the storage in relation to all determinations (PV, FFA, EE and SE). The results indicate that the addition of the absorbent Tinuvin 234 to PET bottles in the concentrations of 0.12% and 0.22% was not efficient in slowing down the deterioration of the oil exposed to the fluorescent light, when compared with soybean oil in PET bottles without addition of Tinuvin 234. (author) [es

Natural mineral bottled waters available on the Polish market as a source of minerals for the consumers. Part 1. Calcium and magnesium.

Science.gov (United States)

Gątarska, Anna; Tońska, Elżbieta; Ciborska, Joanna

2016-01-01

Natural mineral waters may be an essential source of calcium, magnesium and other minerals. In bottled waters, minerals occur in an ionized form which is very well digestible. However, the concentration of minerals in underground waters (which constitute the material for the production of bottled waters) varies. In view of the above, the type of water consumed is essential. The aim of the study was to estimate the calcium and magnesium contents in products available on the market and to evaluate calcium and magnesium consumption with natural mineral water by different consumer groups with an assumed volume of the consumed product. These represented forty different brands of natural mineral available waters on Polish market. These waters were produced in Poland or other European countries. Among the studied products, about 30% of the waters were imported from Lithuania, Latvia, Czech Republic, France, Italy and Germany. The content of calcium and magnesium in mineral waters was determined using flame atomic absorption spectrometry in an acetylene-air flame. Further determinations were carried out using atomic absorption spectrometer--ICE 3000 SERIES-THERMO-England, equipped with a GLITE data station, background correction (a deuterium lamp) as well as other cathode lamps. Over half of the analysed natural mineral waters were medium-mineralized. The natural mineral waters available on the market can be characterized by a varied content of calcium and magnesium and a high degree of product mineralization does not guarantee significant amounts of these components. Among the natural mineral waters available on the market, only a few feature the optimum calcium-magnesium proportion (2:1). Considering the mineralization degree of the studied products, it can be stated that the largest percentage of products with significant calcium and magnesium contents can be found in the high-mineralized water group. For some natural mineral waters, the consumption of 1 litre daily may

Resource conservation through beverage container recycling

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gaines, L L; Wolsky, A M

1983-01-01

This paper compares resource use for new and recycled polyester soft drink bottles with the glass bottles they displace, to determine the alternatives with minimum resource burden. A mechanism is then suggested for encouraging one efficient alternative. Since the introduction of plastic soft-drink bottles in 1977, the 2 1. container has captured almost the entire U.S. market. The number of PET bottles used in 1981 was 2.4 billion, and could grow to 14 billion by 1990 if the penetration into the 0.5 1. market is as rapid as some experts predict (2). Consumers value the PET bottle's light weight and unbreakability. However, plastic bottles are made from oil and gas feedstocks which are imported and becoming more expensive. Recycling drastically reduces the oil and gas required to supply these bottles; recycling PET from bottles to other uses could save on the order of six million barrels of oil equivalent per year by 1990. A simple and economic technology is available for performing this recovery, yet only 5% of the bottles used in 1980 were returned. What is missing is an effective inducement for bottle return. The reverse-vending machines that we propose can provide part of that inducement by eliminating the inconvenience that now surrounds the sale of empty bottles to recyclers. These machines would dispense coins in return for empty PET bottles, and could be located in supermarkets or their parking lots. We believe the design, construction, and use of such machines is an opportunity that has been overlooked.

Using waste plastic bottles as additive for stone mastic asphalt

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahmadinia, Esmaeil; Zargar, Majid; Karim, Mohamed Rehan; Abdelaziz, Mahrez; Shafigh, Payam

2011-01-01

Highlights: → The PET increased the stiffness level of the mixture improving its resistance level against permanent deformation. → The effects of waste PET on Marshall Stability, air void and bulk specific gravity of the mixture are significant. → The appropriate amount of PET was found to be 6% by weight of bitumen. -- Abstract: Currently, polymer modified asphalt mixture is a relatively costly mixture for paving roads. One way to reduce the cost of such constructions and rendering them more convenient is by using inexpensive polymers, i.e. waste polymers. The main purpose of this research is to determine the effect of incorporating waste plastic bottles (Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET)) on the engineering properties of stone mastic asphalt (SMA) mixture. The volumetric and mechanical properties of asphalt mixes that include various percentages of PET (0%, 2%, 4%, 6%, 8% and 10%) were calculated and assessed with laboratory tests. The appropriate amount of PET was found to be 6% by weight of bitumen. The outcomes were statistically analysed and the determination of the significance at certain confidence limits was performed with the two factor variance analysis (ANOVA). Moreover, some studies conducted on polyethylene modified asphalt mixture have also been taken into consideration in this paper. The results show that the addition of PET has a significant positive effect on the properties of SMA and it can promote the re-use of waste material in industry in an environmentally friendly and economical way.

Raw material generated from pet bottle recycling and its derivatives

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

João Almeida Santos

2015-08-01

Full Text Available The recycling process is no longer a pejorative connotation business to become the main business of any company not only because of the need to conserve virgin resources, but mainly because of the benefits to the environment. In this sense, this paper aims at assessing the possibility of exports of polyethylene terephthalate - PET known for - a type of product that can be recycled and reprocessed into products of various types and applications. This article has been structured based on exploratory research bibliographic database of scientific articles, books, newspapers and magazines where we analyze the main steps involved in the recycling of PET and its exploitation for export. Support of organizations and associations such as the Brazilian Association of PET (ABIPET contributed to the development of theoretical framework. The market operated and what can still be very large, with the possibility of exponential growth supported by: the economy in the use of virgin resources reduces the impact of chemicals in the environment, saving energy used in the production process, reducing the use of financial resources allocated to the reuse of materials.

Microbes on a Bottle: Substrate, Season and Geography Influence Community Composition of Microbes Colonizing Marine Plastic Debris.

Science.gov (United States)

Oberbeckmann, Sonja; Osborn, A Mark; Duhaime, Melissa B

2016-01-01

Plastic debris pervades in our oceans and freshwater systems and the potential ecosystem-level impacts of this anthropogenic litter require urgent evaluation. Microbes readily colonize aquatic plastic debris and members of these biofilm communities are speculated to include pathogenic, toxic, invasive or plastic degrading-species. The influence of plastic-colonizing microorganisms on the fate of plastic debris is largely unknown, as is the role of plastic in selecting for unique microbial communities. This work aimed to characterize microbial biofilm communities colonizing single-use poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) drinking bottles, determine their plastic-specificity in contrast with seawater and glass-colonizing communities, and identify seasonal and geographical influences on the communities. A substrate recruitment experiment was established in which PET bottles were deployed for 5-6 weeks at three stations in the North Sea in three different seasons. The structure and composition of the PET-colonizing bacterial/archaeal and eukaryotic communities varied with season and station. Abundant PET-colonizing taxa belonged to the phylum Bacteroidetes (e.g. Flavobacteriaceae, Cryomorphaceae, Saprospiraceae-all known to degrade complex carbon substrates) and diatoms (e.g. Coscinodiscophytina, Bacillariophytina). The PET-colonizing microbial communities differed significantly from free-living communities, but from particle-associated (>3 μm) communities or those inhabiting glass substrates. These data suggest that microbial community assembly on plastics is driven by conventional marine biofilm processes, with the plastic surface serving as raft for attachment, rather than selecting for recruitment of plastic-specific microbial colonizers. A small proportion of taxa, notably, members of the Cryomorphaceae and Alcanivoraceae, were significantly discriminant of PET but not glass surfaces, conjuring the possibility that these groups may directly interact with the PET

Microbes on a Bottle: Substrate, Season and Geography Influence Community Composition of Microbes Colonizing Marine Plastic Debris

Science.gov (United States)

Osborn, A. Mark

2016-01-01

Plastic debris pervades in our oceans and freshwater systems and the potential ecosystem-level impacts of this anthropogenic litter require urgent evaluation. Microbes readily colonize aquatic plastic debris and members of these biofilm communities are speculated to include pathogenic, toxic, invasive or plastic degrading-species. The influence of plastic-colonizing microorganisms on the fate of plastic debris is largely unknown, as is the role of plastic in selecting for unique microbial communities. This work aimed to characterize microbial biofilm communities colonizing single-use poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) drinking bottles, determine their plastic-specificity in contrast with seawater and glass-colonizing communities, and identify seasonal and geographical influences on the communities. A substrate recruitment experiment was established in which PET bottles were deployed for 5–6 weeks at three stations in the North Sea in three different seasons. The structure and composition of the PET-colonizing bacterial/archaeal and eukaryotic communities varied with season and station. Abundant PET-colonizing taxa belonged to the phylum Bacteroidetes (e.g. Flavobacteriaceae, Cryomorphaceae, Saprospiraceae—all known to degrade complex carbon substrates) and diatoms (e.g. Coscinodiscophytina, Bacillariophytina). The PET-colonizing microbial communities differed significantly from free-living communities, but from particle-associated (>3 μm) communities or those inhabiting glass substrates. These data suggest that microbial community assembly on plastics is driven by conventional marine biofilm processes, with the plastic surface serving as raft for attachment, rather than selecting for recruitment of plastic-specific microbial colonizers. A small proportion of taxa, notably, members of the Cryomorphaceae and Alcanivoraceae, were significantly discriminant of PET but not glass surfaces, conjuring the possibility that these groups may directly interact with the

Microbes on a Bottle: Substrate, Season and Geography Influence Community Composition of Microbes Colonizing Marine Plastic Debris.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sonja Oberbeckmann

Full Text Available Plastic debris pervades in our oceans and freshwater systems and the potential ecosystem-level impacts of this anthropogenic litter require urgent evaluation. Microbes readily colonize aquatic plastic debris and members of these biofilm communities are speculated to include pathogenic, toxic, invasive or plastic degrading-species. The influence of plastic-colonizing microorganisms on the fate of plastic debris is largely unknown, as is the role of plastic in selecting for unique microbial communities. This work aimed to characterize microbial biofilm communities colonizing single-use poly(ethylene terephthalate (PET drinking bottles, determine their plastic-specificity in contrast with seawater and glass-colonizing communities, and identify seasonal and geographical influences on the communities. A substrate recruitment experiment was established in which PET bottles were deployed for 5-6 weeks at three stations in the North Sea in three different seasons. The structure and composition of the PET-colonizing bacterial/archaeal and eukaryotic communities varied with season and station. Abundant PET-colonizing taxa belonged to the phylum Bacteroidetes (e.g. Flavobacteriaceae, Cryomorphaceae, Saprospiraceae-all known to degrade complex carbon substrates and diatoms (e.g. Coscinodiscophytina, Bacillariophytina. The PET-colonizing microbial communities differed significantly from free-living communities, but from particle-associated (>3 μm communities or those inhabiting glass substrates. These data suggest that microbial community assembly on plastics is driven by conventional marine biofilm processes, with the plastic surface serving as raft for attachment, rather than selecting for recruitment of plastic-specific microbial colonizers. A small proportion of taxa, notably, members of the Cryomorphaceae and Alcanivoraceae, were significantly discriminant of PET but not glass surfaces, conjuring the possibility that these groups may directly interact

76 FR 64810 - Beverages: Bottled Water Quality Standard; Establishing an Allowable Level for di(2-ethylhexyl...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-10-19

.... FDA 1993-N-0259 (Formerly Docket No. 1993N-0085)] Beverages: Bottled Water Quality Standard... evidence from two studies puts previous concerns to rest concerning the effects of DEHP consumption in... increase costs for consumers for beverages packaged in plastic bottles. However, this rule does not...

Surface modification of low cost carbons for their application in the environmental protection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arenillas, A.; Rubiera, F.; Parra, J.B.; Ania, C.O.; Pis, J.J.

2005-01-01

In this work, the CO 2 capture capacity of a series of activated carbons derived from recycled polyethylene terephtalate (PET) was tested, facing two problems at the same time: minimising plastic waste and developing an adsorbent for CO 2 capture. The PET raw material, obtained from post-consumer soft-drink bottles, was chemically activated with KOH. In addition, a series of nitrogen-enriched activated carbons was obtained by mixing the raw material with different nitrogen compounds (i.e., acridine, carbazole and urea). The influence of temperature on the CO 2 capture capacity of the adsorbents was evaluated in a thermogravimetric system. The CO 2 uptake was also related to the chemical and textural characteristics of the samples

Corks, screw caps and wine consumers of the Campanha Gaúcha

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fernandes Cordeiro Ataíde Israel

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The Campanha Gaúcha is a region the South of Brazil with a crescent production in fine wines. Corks or similar were the materials most utilized to seal the bottles, actually are utilized too screw caps. The objective of this research was investigated if the consumer of the Campanha considers the type of seal of the bottles at the moment of purchase. A questionnaire was elaborated and applied to seventy wine consumers, where was possible to measure the principals factors that lead these consumers to buy of bottle wine. Analyzed the data, referring the screw caps 45.71% believe that this type of seal is interesting just for young wines; As for sealing 85.71% considers indifferent the type of material to seal the bottle, because consider the variety and the price as the main factor in the buying decision; However, 14.29% of these consumers said just buy wines sealed by corks and similar. Therefore, despite the corks are linked with the culture of consumption of wine, exist a significant percentage of consumers that are more interested to purchase wines with a variety desired and with attractives prices, than specifically linked to type of seal.

Factors influencing the consumption and standards of bottled ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Thus, a number of companies and industries in Kenya and other developed countries have come up with bottled/packaged drinking water for sale to a wide range of consumers particularly those in urban areas. The objectives ... The brand choices were influenced by price, availability and media advertisements. More than ...

Radioactivity in French bottled waters

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Loyen, J.; Brassac, A.; Augeray, C.; Fayolle, C.; Gleizes, M. [Institut de Radioprotection et de Surete Nucleaire - IRSN (France)

2014-07-01

activity concentration higher than the guide value of 0,1 Bq/l, complementary measurements of natural radionuclides present were done. Activity concentrations of radium isotopes (226, 228), uranium isotopes (234, 235, 238) polonium-210 and lead-210 were determined. Uranium isotopes, radium-226 and in some cases radium-228 were often measured with significant activities. Those results were then used to estimate a Total Indicative Dose (TID), dose received by an adult consuming 2 liters of water a day for a one year period. TID estimated were lower or equal to the quality reference value defined in the national regulation of 0,1 mSv/y for 27 samples. For the 6 remaining samples, TID is over 0,1 mSv/y but lower the taking counter measure value of 0,3 mSv/y defined in the national regulation. Furthermore, 3 bottles have a label indicating that there are suitable for infants when the analysis showed that their gross alpha activity concentration of the sample analyzed was over the limit value of 0,1 Bq/l of the French regulation. As a conclusion, it can be said that this picture that was taken in 2012 showed that the radiological quality of French bottled waters is globally acceptable. Document available in abstract form only. (authors)

Correlation of pre-and post-induction chemotherapy 18-FDG PET findings with histopathology in patients with locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chan, Andrea M.; Berlangieri, Sam; Ngai, Michael W.

2009-01-01

Full text: Objective: To correlate 18F-FDG PET metabolic response to therapy with histopathology and survival, in patients with locally advanced (stage IIl) non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) receiving induction chemotherapy. Methods: A retrospective review of all patients with stage III NSCLC planned for induction chemotherapy and surgical resection, in whom pre- and post-chemotherapy FDG-PET at Austin Health between 2004 and 2007 was performed. The staging and positive nodal stations as determined by PET was compared to histopathological findings after resection. The tumour response on serial FDG PET was also compared to overall outcome. Results: 9 patients were included. There was a 100 % correlation between pre- or post- chemotherapy nodal staging and final histopathological nodal stage. Ninety percent of all positive nodal stations (9/10) seen on histopathology were correctly localised by pre- or post-chemotherapy FDG PET. Only one patient with a metastatic lymph node at nodal station 9 R could not be localised by prior PET studies. Of the patients in whom a down-staging in tumour status was observed on the postchemotherapy FDG-PET, 83% (5/6) of patients were still alive (follow-up range of 8 to 40 months) as compared with 33% (1/3 ) (follow-up range of 9-13 months) for non-responders. Conclusion: There is good correlation between pre- and/or post- chemotherapy FDG PET and final histopathology for the nodal staging of stage III NSCLC. There is an overall trend for those patients in whom PET resulted in a down-staging of tumour to have a longer survival.

27 CFR 5.41 - Bottle cartons, booklets and leaflets.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... TRADE BUREAU, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY LIQUORS LABELING AND ADVERTISING OF DISTILLED SPIRITS Labeling...), or any written, printed, graphic, or other matter accompanying the bottle to the consumer buyer shall not contain any statement, design, device, or graphic, pictorial, or emblematic representation that is...

Compatibilization of recycled polypropylene and recycled poly (ethylene terephthalate blends with SEBS-g-MA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luciana Maria Guadagnini Araujo

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract The compatibilization of recycled PP/PET blend with high and low concentration (20 and 5 phr of elastomer functionalized by maleic anhydride (SEBS-g-MA was achieved. Recycled polypropylene from plastic industry and recycled PET from post-consumer bottles was used. PP/PET blends: 80:20 w/w, 50:50 w/w and 20:80 w/w were prepared in an internal mixer for mechanical properties, thermal properties, morphology and rheological properties. SEBS-g-MA promoted compatibilization of the PP/PET blends and improved their properties. With an increasing compatibilization level, the refinement of morphology was observed in the PET rich blend. Compatibilized blends showed negative deviation in the PET glass transition temperature related to neat PET, demonstrating that compatibilization was very successful. PET crystallization was accelerated in the blends due to PP presence that enhanced nucleation. It was found that the 50/50/20 blend showed huge potential for textile fiber application and that of 80/20/20 showed more intermediary properties than neat polymers.

Temporal variation of microbiological and chemical quality of noncarbonated bottled drinking water sold in Sri Lanka.

Science.gov (United States)

Herath, A T; Abayasekara, C L; Chandrajith, Rohana; Adikaram, N K B

2012-03-01

Use of bottled water in Sri Lanka has increased over the last decade, while new brands of bottled water are often introduced to the market. However, the manufacturers' adherence to bottled water regulations is questionable, raising concerns regarding the quality of bottled water. The objective of the current study was to investigate the microbiological and chemical quality of bottled water in Sri Lanka. Thirty bottled water brands were sampled and their chemical and microbiological parameters were analyzed. Microbiological analysis was carried out within 1 to 3, 3 to 6, 6 to 9, and 9 to 12 mo after the date of manufacture. The results indicated that 63% of brands tested exceeded the levels permitted by the Sri Lanka Standards Institution (SLSI) for presumptive total coliforms (TC) (ammonia. The results of this study show the need for the bottling industry to be monitored closely by relevant authorities, in order to provide safe bottled drinking water to consumers in Sri Lanka. © 2012 Institute of Food Technologists®

Study of electron beam irradiation effects on morphologic properties of the PET/PP/PE/EVA polymeric blend

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rossini, Edvaldo L.; Silva, Leonardo G. Andrade e; Wiebeck, Helio

2009-01-01

Amidst the pollutants, plastics and especially the 'PET bottles' packaging type, which comprise of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE) and poly[ethylene-co-(vinyl acetate)] (EVA) have been causing big damage to the environment. In this work, the polymeric blend PET/PP/PE/EVA was obtained by mechanical recycling 'PET bottles' after consumption, with the objective of finding a solution for this environmental problem. It was also studied the different ionizing radiation dose effects (25, 50, 75, 100, 150, 200, 300, 400 and 500 kGy) on the blend properties using an electron beam accelerator. The morphologic properties of the non-irradiated and irradiated polymeric blend were evaluated by the Light Microscopy (LM) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The analysis of the results appeared to be a not mixing and compatible blend. The use of the ionizing radiation improved the homogeneity of the blend. These modifications have been randomized and irregular, depending directly on the dose of applied radiation. (author)

Study of electron beam irradiation effects on morphologic properties of the PET/PP/PE/EVA polymeric blend

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rossini, Edvaldo L.; Silva, Leonardo G. Andrade e, E-mail: lgasilva@ipen.b [Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares (IPEN/CNEN-SP), Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil); Wiebeck, Helio, E-mail: hwiebeck@usp.b [Universidade de Sao Paulo (USP), SP (Brazil). Escola Politecnica

2009-07-01

Amidst the pollutants, plastics and especially the 'PET bottles' packaging type, which comprise of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE) and poly[ethylene-co-(vinyl acetate)] (EVA) have been causing big damage to the environment. In this work, the polymeric blend PET/PP/PE/EVA was obtained by mechanical recycling 'PET bottles' after consumption, with the objective of finding a solution for this environmental problem. It was also studied the different ionizing radiation dose effects (25, 50, 75, 100, 150, 200, 300, 400 and 500 kGy) on the blend properties using an electron beam accelerator. The morphologic properties of the non-irradiated and irradiated polymeric blend were evaluated by the Light Microscopy (LM) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The analysis of the results appeared to be a not mixing and compatible blend. The use of the ionizing radiation improved the homogeneity of the blend. These modifications have been randomized and irregular, depending directly on the dose of applied radiation. (author)

Post-target produced [{sup 18}F]F{sub 2} in the production of PET radiopharmaceuticals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Forsback, Sarita; Solin, Olof [Turku PET Centre, Turku (Finland). Radiopharmaceutical Chemistry Lab. and Accelerator Lab.

2015-06-01

Electrophilic radiofluorination was successfully carried out in the early years of PET radiochemistry due to its ease and fast reaction speed. However, at the present, the use of electrophilic methods is limited due to low specific activity (SA). Post-target produced [{sup 18}F]F{sub 2} has significantly higher SA compared to other electrophilic approaches, and it has been used in the production of clinical PET radiopharmaceuticals at the Turku PET Centre for years. Here, we summarize the synthesis and use of these radiopharmaceuticals, namely [{sup 18}F]FDOPA, [{sup 18}F] CFT, [{sup 18}F]EF5 and [{sup 18}F]FBPA.

Innovative Design of Plastic Bottle Recycling Box Based on ARM

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yuedong Xiong

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Aiming at the problems of on-site plastic bottles recycling and the reuse of waste, the automatic recycling system was developed on the basis of ARM. As the main controller, ARM not only controls the mechanical system of the collector to recover and break plastic bottles, but also communicates with and rewards the user by the automatic reward system through the wireless network. The experimental prototype test results show: post treated fragments of plastic bottles are small, which are convenient to transport and take advantage of; the operation of recovery is easy, and the interface of man-machine interaction is friendly which is easy to expand functions.

Prospects for Recycling of Waste PET Bottles in Mauritius

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Nafiisah

However, the main snag of PET containers is its subsequent proper disposal after use where the ... 20% of the waste stream and is mainly linked to the high standard of living. In a broader-spectrum, it ..... availability of the material. The main ...

Heme products post-radiofrequency ablation obscure tumor recurrence on MR but not on PET-CT

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ehsan, Syed Ramisa; Gooden, Casey E.; Schuster, David M. [Emory Univ. Hospital, Atlanta (United States)

2012-06-15

A 76-year-old male with non-small-cell lung cancer, post lobectomy, presented with hepatic metastatic disease and underwent radiofrequency ablation (RFA), a minimally invasive and safe approach for treatment of liver tumors. Gadolinium-enhanced MRI of the patient performed at our institution 5 months post-RFA leads to palliation, increased T1 signal at the RFA site believed to be post-RFA blood products. RFA leads to palliation, increased survival, and is better tolerated than other ablative techniques. It has also been associated with a low rate of local recurrence. Post-RFA, the target, lesion typically has hyperintense signal with T1-weighting, low signal on T2-weighting, and is non-enhancing following post-gadolinium administration. Recurrent disease typically demonstrates new enhancement, increased size, and development of T1-weighted hypointense and T2-weighted hyperintense regions. Subsequent positron emission tomography (PET/CT) of the patient demonstrated focal FDG uptake on the corresponding sagittal image, at the border of the prior RFA ablation zone, with maximal SUV of 6.9, Characteristic for recurrent hepatic metastasis. The photopenic area was at the epicenter of the RFA site. PET/CT imaging is also used to monitor residual tumor or recurrence after RFA. Lesions that show increased 18-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) uptake on PET become photopenic immediately after RFA, suggestive of complete ablation. Focal areas of increased FDG uptake within the ablated zone are suspicious for residual or recurrent disease. Reactive tissue is typically present in the periphery of the ablated lesion and has uniform low-grade FDG uptake, unlike the focal nodular intense uptake observed with active tumor.

Bottle & Can Recycling in Denmark: addressing issues and optimizing the recycling rate

OpenAIRE

Carnevale, Alessandro; Larsen, Lucas; Tetens, Simon W.

2015-01-01

The research is conducted in the landscape of environmental care and consumer behaviour. This paper explores the different dynamics revolving around the recycling of plastic bottles and aluminium cans in Denmark. The aim is to shed light on the possible impediments people might encounter when attempting to hand back their deposit marked bottle to the allocated facilities as well as illuminating what the main forces involved in encouraging or inhibiting people from recycling are. The ultimate ...

Robust Identification of Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) Plastics through Bayesian Decision

Science.gov (United States)

Zulkifley, Mohd Asyraf; Mustafa, Mohd Marzuki; Hussain, Aini; Mustapha, Aouache; Ramli, Suzaimah

2014-01-01

Recycling is one of the most efficient methods for environmental friendly waste management. Among municipal wastes, plastics are the most common material that can be easily recycled and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is one of its major types. PET material is used in consumer goods packaging such as drinking bottles, toiletry containers, food packaging and many more. Usually, a recycling process is tailored to a specific material for optimal purification and decontamination to obtain high grade recyclable material. The quantity and quality of the sorting process are limited by the capacity of human workers that suffer from fatigue and boredom. Several automated sorting systems have been proposed in the literature that include using chemical, proximity and vision sensors. The main advantages of vision based sensors are its environmentally friendly approach, non-intrusive detection and capability of high throughput. However, the existing methods rely heavily on deterministic approaches that make them less accurate as the variations in PET plastic waste appearance are too high. We proposed a probabilistic approach of modeling the PET material by analyzing the reflection region and its surrounding. Three parameters are modeled by Gaussian and exponential distributions: color, size and distance of the reflection region. The final classification is made through a supervised training method of likelihood ratio test. The main novelty of the proposed method is the probabilistic approach in integrating various PET material signatures that are contaminated by stains under constant lighting changes. The system is evaluated by using four performance metrics: precision, recall, accuracy and error. Our system performed the best in all evaluation metrics compared to the benchmark methods. The system can be further improved by fusing all neighborhood information in decision making and by implementing the system in a graphics processing unit for faster processing speed. PMID

Robust identification of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastics through Bayesian decision.

Science.gov (United States)

Zulkifley, Mohd Asyraf; Mustafa, Mohd Marzuki; Hussain, Aini; Mustapha, Aouache; Ramli, Suzaimah

2014-01-01

Recycling is one of the most efficient methods for environmental friendly waste management. Among municipal wastes, plastics are the most common material that can be easily recycled and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is one of its major types. PET material is used in consumer goods packaging such as drinking bottles, toiletry containers, food packaging and many more. Usually, a recycling process is tailored to a specific material for optimal purification and decontamination to obtain high grade recyclable material. The quantity and quality of the sorting process are limited by the capacity of human workers that suffer from fatigue and boredom. Several automated sorting systems have been proposed in the literature that include using chemical, proximity and vision sensors. The main advantages of vision based sensors are its environmentally friendly approach, non-intrusive detection and capability of high throughput. However, the existing methods rely heavily on deterministic approaches that make them less accurate as the variations in PET plastic waste appearance are too high. We proposed a probabilistic approach of modeling the PET material by analyzing the reflection region and its surrounding. Three parameters are modeled by Gaussian and exponential distributions: color, size and distance of the reflection region. The final classification is made through a supervised training method of likelihood ratio test. The main novelty of the proposed method is the probabilistic approach in integrating various PET material signatures that are contaminated by stains under constant lighting changes. The system is evaluated by using four performance metrics: precision, recall, accuracy and error. Our system performed the best in all evaluation metrics compared to the benchmark methods. The system can be further improved by fusing all neighborhood information in decision making and by implementing the system in a graphics processing unit for faster processing speed.

Robust identification of polyethylene terephthalate (PET plastics through Bayesian decision.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohd Asyraf Zulkifley

Full Text Available Recycling is one of the most efficient methods for environmental friendly waste management. Among municipal wastes, plastics are the most common material that can be easily recycled and polyethylene terephthalate (PET is one of its major types. PET material is used in consumer goods packaging such as drinking bottles, toiletry containers, food packaging and many more. Usually, a recycling process is tailored to a specific material for optimal purification and decontamination to obtain high grade recyclable material. The quantity and quality of the sorting process are limited by the capacity of human workers that suffer from fatigue and boredom. Several automated sorting systems have been proposed in the literature that include using chemical, proximity and vision sensors. The main advantages of vision based sensors are its environmentally friendly approach, non-intrusive detection and capability of high throughput. However, the existing methods rely heavily on deterministic approaches that make them less accurate as the variations in PET plastic waste appearance are too high. We proposed a probabilistic approach of modeling the PET material by analyzing the reflection region and its surrounding. Three parameters are modeled by Gaussian and exponential distributions: color, size and distance of the reflection region. The final classification is made through a supervised training method of likelihood ratio test. The main novelty of the proposed method is the probabilistic approach in integrating various PET material signatures that are contaminated by stains under constant lighting changes. The system is evaluated by using four performance metrics: precision, recall, accuracy and error. Our system performed the best in all evaluation metrics compared to the benchmark methods. The system can be further improved by fusing all neighborhood information in decision making and by implementing the system in a graphics processing unit for faster

Post-treatment PET/CT and p16 status for predicting treatment outcomes in locally advanced head and neck cancer after definitive radiation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Awan, Musaddiq J.; Machtay, Mitchell; Yao, Min [Case Western Reserve University and University Hospitals, Department of Radiation Oncology, Cleveland, OH (United States); Lavertu, Pierre; Zender, Chad; Rezaee, Rod; Fowler, Nicole [University Hospitals, Department of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Cleveland, OH (United States); Karapetyan, Lilit; Gibson, Michael [University Hospitals, Department of Medical Oncology, Cleveland, OH (United States); Wasman, Jay [University Hospitals, Department of Pathology, Cleveland, OH (United States); Faulhaber, Peter [University Hospitals, Department of Nuclear Medicine and Radiology, Cleveland, OH (United States)

2017-06-15

To retrospectively review post-treatment (post-tx) FDG-PET/CT scans in patients with advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) and known p16 status, treated with definitive (chemo)radiation (RT). A total of 108 eligible patients had N2A or greater HNSCC treated with chemoRT from August 1, 2008, to February 28, 2015, with post-tx PET/CT within 6 months after RT. Kaplan-Meier curves, log-rank statistics, and Cox proportional hazards regression were used for statistical analysis. Median follow-up was 2.38 years. Sixty-eight (63.0%) patients had p16+ and 40 (37.0%) had p16- status. Two-year overall survival and recurrence-free survival were 93.4% and 77.8%, respectively. The negative predictive value (NPV) of PET/CT for local recurrence (LR) was 100%. The NPV for regional recurrence (RR) was 96.5% for all patients, 100% for p16+ patients, and 88.5% for p16- patients. The positive predictive value (PPV) of PET/CT for recurrence was 77.3% for all patients, 50.0% for p16+, and 78.6% for p16-. The PPV for LR was 72.7% for all patients, 50.0% for p16+ patients, and 72.7% for p16- patients. The PPV for RR was 50.0% for all patients, 33% for p16+, and 66.6% for p16-. Post-tx PET/CT and p16 status were independent predictors of recurrence-free survival (p < 0.01). Post-tx PET/CT predicts treatment outcomes in both p16 + and p16- patients, and does so independently of p16 status. P16- patients with negative PET have a 10% risk of nodal recurrence, and closer follow-up in these patients is warranted. (orig.)

An approach to the usage of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) waste as roadway pavement material.

Science.gov (United States)

Gürü, Metin; Çubuk, M Kürşat; Arslan, Deniz; Farzanian, S Ali; Bilici, İbrahim

2014-08-30

This study investigates an application area for Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) bottle waste which has become an environmental problem in recent decades as being a considerable part of the total plastic waste bulk. Two novel additive materials, namely Thin Liquid Polyol PET (TLPP) and Viscous Polyol PET (VPP), were chemically derived from waste PET bottles and used to modify the base asphalt separately for this aim. The effects of TLPP and VPP on the asphalt and hot mix asphalt (HMA) mixture properties were detected through conventional tests (Penetration, Softening Point, Ductility, Marshall Stability, Nicholson Stripping) and Superpave methods (Rotational Viscosity, Dynamic Shear Rheometer (DSR), Bending Beam Rheometer (BBR)). Also, chemical structures were described by Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) equipped with Energy Dispersive Spectrometer (EDS) and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) techniques. Since TLPP and VPP were determined to improve the low temperature performance and fatigue resistance of the asphalt as well as the Marshall Stability and stripping resistance of the HMA mixtures based on the results of the applied tests, the usage of PET waste as an asphalt roadway pavement material offers an alternative and a beneficial way of disposal of this ecologically hazardous material. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

27 CFR 4.38a - Bottle cartons, booklets and leaflets.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... TRADE BUREAU, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY LIQUORS LABELING AND ADVERTISING OF WINE Labeling Requirements... written, printed, graphic, or other matter accompanying the bottle to the consumer buyer shall not contain any statement, design, device, or graphic, pictorial, or emblematic representation that is prohibited...

A survey of the radiological quality of Mexican bottled waters

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lopez del R, H.; Davila R, J. I.; Rosales H, M. A.; Mireles G, F.; Pinedo V, J. L., E-mail: hlopezdelrio@hotmail.com [Universidad Autonoma de Zacatecas, Unidad Academica de Estudios Nucleares, Cipres No. 10, Fracc. La Penuela, 98060 Zacatecas (Mexico)

2013-10-15

More bottled drinking water is consumed per capita in Mexico than in any other country in the world. With the purpose of verifying the compliance with Mexican standards for radioactive content of drinking water, the gross alpha and beta activities were measured in 34 brands of bottled water consisting of purified water (19), natural mineral water (12), and mineralized water (3). Electrical conductivity of water samples ranged from 10 to 1465 μS/cm, and mostly high values were for the mineralized water samples. Gross alpha activities ranged from <12.2 to 709.8 mBq/L, while gross beta activities values varied from <26 to 616 mBq/L. All the bottled water samples had radioactivity content below the maximum permissible levels established in the Official Mexican Norm, except for the gross alpha level of one natural mineral water. Based upon these results it can be concluded that, in general, the analyzed bottled waters have acceptable quality with regard to radioactive content of gross alpha and beta activities. (Author)

A survey of the radiological quality of Mexican bottled waters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lopez del R, H.; Davila R, J. I.; Rosales H, M. A.; Mireles G, F.; Pinedo V, J. L.

2013-10-01

More bottled drinking water is consumed per capita in Mexico than in any other country in the world. With the purpose of verifying the compliance with Mexican standards for radioactive content of drinking water, the gross alpha and beta activities were measured in 34 brands of bottled water consisting of purified water (19), natural mineral water (12), and mineralized water (3). Electrical conductivity of water samples ranged from 10 to 1465 μS/cm, and mostly high values were for the mineralized water samples. Gross alpha activities ranged from <12.2 to 709.8 mBq/L, while gross beta activities values varied from <26 to 616 mBq/L. All the bottled water samples had radioactivity content below the maximum permissible levels established in the Official Mexican Norm, except for the gross alpha level of one natural mineral water. Based upon these results it can be concluded that, in general, the analyzed bottled waters have acceptable quality with regard to radioactive content of gross alpha and beta activities. (Author)

Phthalate Metabolites, Consumer Habits and Health Effects

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Peter Wallner

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Phthalates are multifunctional chemicals used in a wide variety of consumer products. The aim of this study was to investigate whether levels of urinary phthalate metabolites in urine samples of Austrian mothers and their children were associated with consumer habits and health indicators. Within an Austrian biomonitoring survey, urine samples from 50 mother-child pairs of five communities (two-stage random stratified sampling were analysed. The concentrations of 14 phthalate metabolites were determined, and a questionnaire was administered. Monoethyl phthalate (MEP, mono-n-butyl phthalate (MnBP, mono-isobutyl phthalate (MiBP, monobenzyl phthalate (MBzP, mono-(2-ethylhexyl phthalate (MEHP, mono-(2-ethyl-5-hydroxyhexyl phthalate (5OH-MEHP, mono-(2-ethyl-5-oxohexyl phthalate (5oxo-MEHP, mono-(5-carboxy-2-ethylpentyl phthalate (5cx-MEPP, and 3-carboxy-mono-propyl phthalate (3cx-MPP could be quantified in the majority of samples. Significant correlations were found between the use of hair mousse, hair dye, makeup, chewing gum, polyethylene terephthalate (PET bottles and the diethyl phthalate (DEP metabolite MEP. With regard to health effects, significant associations of MEP in urine with headache, repeated coughing, diarrhoea, and hormonal problems were observed. MBzP was associated with repeated coughing and MEHP was associated with itching.

Phthalate Metabolites, Consumer Habits and Health Effects.

Science.gov (United States)

Wallner, Peter; Kundi, Michael; Hohenblum, Philipp; Scharf, Sigrid; Hutter, Hans-Peter

2016-07-15

Phthalates are multifunctional chemicals used in a wide variety of consumer products. The aim of this study was to investigate whether levels of urinary phthalate metabolites in urine samples of Austrian mothers and their children were associated with consumer habits and health indicators. Within an Austrian biomonitoring survey, urine samples from 50 mother-child pairs of five communities (two-stage random stratified sampling) were analysed. The concentrations of 14 phthalate metabolites were determined, and a questionnaire was administered. Monoethyl phthalate (MEP), mono-n-butyl phthalate (MnBP), mono-isobutyl phthalate (MiBP), monobenzyl phthalate (MBzP), mono-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (MEHP), mono-(2-ethyl-5-hydroxyhexyl) phthalate (5OH-MEHP), mono-(2-ethyl-5-oxohexyl) phthalate (5oxo-MEHP), mono-(5-carboxy-2-ethylpentyl) phthalate (5cx-MEPP), and 3-carboxy-mono-propyl phthalate (3cx-MPP) could be quantified in the majority of samples. Significant correlations were found between the use of hair mousse, hair dye, makeup, chewing gum, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles and the diethyl phthalate (DEP) metabolite MEP. With regard to health effects, significant associations of MEP in urine with headache, repeated coughing, diarrhoea, and hormonal problems were observed. MBzP was associated with repeated coughing and MEHP was associated with itching.

Surface modification of low cost carbons for their application in the environmental protection

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Arenillas, A. [Instituto Nacional del Carbon, CSIC, Apartado 73, 33080 Oviedo (Spain)]. E-mail: aapuente@incar.csis.es; Rubiera, F. [Instituto Nacional del Carbon, CSIC, Apartado 73, 33080 Oviedo (Spain); Parra, J.B. [Instituto Nacional del Carbon, CSIC, Apartado 73, 33080 Oviedo (Spain); Ania, C.O. [Instituto Nacional del Carbon, CSIC, Apartado 73, 33080 Oviedo (Spain); Pis, J.J. [Instituto Nacional del Carbon, CSIC, Apartado 73, 33080 Oviedo (Spain)

2005-10-31

In this work, the CO{sub 2} capture capacity of a series of activated carbons derived from recycled polyethylene terephtalate (PET) was tested, facing two problems at the same time: minimising plastic waste and developing an adsorbent for CO{sub 2} capture. The PET raw material, obtained from post-consumer soft-drink bottles, was chemically activated with KOH. In addition, a series of nitrogen-enriched activated carbons was obtained by mixing the raw material with different nitrogen compounds (i.e., acridine, carbazole and urea). The influence of temperature on the CO{sub 2} capture capacity of the adsorbents was evaluated in a thermogravimetric system. The CO{sub 2} uptake was also related to the chemical and textural characteristics of the samples.

Determination of dimethyl selenide and dimethyl sulphide compounds causing off-flavours in bottled mineral waters.

Science.gov (United States)

Guadayol, Marta; Cortina, Montserrat; Guadayol, Josep M; Caixach, Josep

2016-04-01

Sales of bottled drinking water have shown a large growth during the last two decades due to the general belief that this kind of water is healthier, its flavour is better and its consumption risk is lower than that of tap water. Due to the previous points, consumers are more demanding with bottled mineral water, especially when dealing with its organoleptic properties, like taste and odour. This work studies the compounds that can generate obnoxious smells, and that consumers have described like swampy, rotten eggs, sulphurous, cooked vegetable or cabbage. Closed loop stripping analysis (CLSA) has been used as a pre-concentration method for the analysis of off-flavour compounds in water followed by identification and quantification by means of GC-MS. Several bottled water with the aforementioned smells showed the presence of volatile dimethyl selenides and dimethyl sulphides, whose concentrations ranged, respectively, from 4 to 20 ng/L and from 1 to 63 ng/L. The low odour threshold concentrations (OTCs) of both organic selenide and sulphide derivatives prove that several objectionable odours in bottled waters arise from them. Microbial loads inherent to water sources, along with some critical conditions in water processing, could contribute to the formation of these compounds. There are few studies about volatile organic compounds in bottled drinking water and, at the best of our knowledge, this is the first study reporting the presence of dimethyl selenides and dimethyl sulphides causing odour problems in bottled waters. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Consumer Acceptance of Dry Dog Food Variations

Science.gov (United States)

Donfrancesco, Brizio Di; Koppel, Kadri; Swaney-Stueve, Marianne; Chambers, Edgar

2014-01-01

Simple Summary The objectives of this study were to compare the acceptance of different dry dog food products by consumers, determine consumer clusters for acceptance, and identify the characteristics of dog food that drive consumer acceptance. Pet owners evaluated dry dog food samples available in the US market. The results indicated that appearance of the sample, especially the color, influenced pet owner’s overall liking more than the aroma of the product. Abstract The objectives of this study were to compare the acceptance of different dry dog food products by consumers, determine consumer clusters for acceptance, and identify the characteristics of dog food that drive consumer acceptance. Eight dry dog food samples available in the US market were evaluated by pet owners. In this study, consumers evaluated overall liking, aroma, and appearance liking of the products. Consumers were also asked to predict their purchase intent, their dog’s liking, and cost of the samples. The results indicated that appearance of the sample, especially the color, influenced pet owner’s overall liking more than the aroma of the product. Overall liking clusters were not related to income, age, gender, or education, indicating that general consumer demographics do not appear to play a main role in individual consumer acceptance of dog food products. PMID:26480043

Materiales carbonosos obtenidos a partir del reciclado de PET

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Parra, J. B.

2004-04-01

Full Text Available Poly(ethyleneterephthalate, PET, is nowadays one of the polymers more widely used. However, due to its big production, it accounts for a large part of the wastes generated and it becomes necessary to minimise them. The PET incineration with energy recovery is the most common way to eliminate these residues. Further research is needed in order to find alternative processes to recycling PET. In this work, it is shown that the post-consumer PET is an interesting source of carbonaceous materials that develop a well controlled microporosity, giving the possibility of application in several fields.

El polietilentereftalato o tereftalato de polietileno, PET, es un poliéster termoplástico ampliamente utilizado. Debido a su gran producción y consumo se genera un gran volumen de PET usado que es necesario tratar. En la actualidad, la única alternativa utilizada para la minimización de residuos de PET de pureza media/baja es la incineración. Por lo tanto, se hace necesaria la búsqueda de otras opciones que aprovechen en mayor medida el potencial de este residuo y que, a la vez, sean rentables. En este trabajo se muestra cómo el PET proveniente de botellas usadas puede ser una fuente de materiales carbonosos que desarrollan una microporosidad controlada, por lo que su campo de aplicación puede ser muy amplio.

Analysis of polyethylene terephthalate PET plastic bottle jointing system using finite element method (FEM)

Science.gov (United States)

Zaidi, N. A.; Rosli, Muhamad Farizuan; Effendi, M. S. M.; Abdullah, Mohamad Hariri

2017-09-01

For almost all injection molding applications of Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) plastic was analyzed the strength, durability and stiffness of properties by using Finite Element Method (FEM) for jointing system of wood furniture. The FEM was utilized for analyzing the PET jointing system for Oak and Pine as wood based material of furniture. The difference pattern design of PET as wood jointing furniture gives the difference value of strength furniture itself. The results show the wood specimen with grooves and eclipse pattern design PET jointing give lower global estimated error is 28.90%, compare to the rectangular and non-grooves wood specimen of global estimated error is 63.21%.

Feasibility study for bottled gas and LPG in Poland

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1992-04-01

With a total population of ca. 40 million, Poland has an annual consumption of liquefied petroleum gas amounting to 180,000 tons, used by 2.5 million bottled-gas consumers. The consumer pattern is expected to change, with an increasing market for gas for industrial purposes and for heating. Distribution systems will also change to include tank installations in many sizes and transport with large tank lorries. LPG is estimated to be competitive with other forms of energy, and the market is expected to increase to up to ca. 500,000 tons per year. Restricting factors are shortage of supply and lack of approved applications, transport equipment and tank facilities. A list of existing bottle gas companies and evaluation of the technical facilities in the Polish Oil and Gas Company in Gydnia are included. Bottled gas is currently distributed under normal conditions and, market prices for LPG have remained stable in Poland. Detailed studies of the current distribution network in the Suwalki area are given. It should be possible to extend the existing distribution network. A proposal for the establishment of standard tank installations and the gas supply for the town of Augustow is presented. Considerable investments will have to be made in terminals, tank plants and transport equipment, and international oil companies are expected to play an important role in this market. The European Bank for Restructuring and Development could possibly contribute to the financing of the pipe network. (AB)

Estudo do efeito do envelhecimento sob radiação UV no transporte de água em filmes de PET reciclados de bebidas carbonatadas Study of the UV ageing effect on water transport through PET films recycled from beverage bottles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Raquel B. Vichessi

2008-01-01

Full Text Available Este trabalho descreve um estudo sobre o efeito do envelhecimento sob radiação UV no transporte de água em filmes planos de PET reciclados de garrafas de bebidas carbonatadas. A partir do formalismo termodinâmico utilizando a relação de Eyring e os resultados de coeficientes de permeabilidade, foram determinadas a entropia e a entalpia de ativação para o transporte da água. Estas funções representadas num gráfico de efeito de compensação termodinâmica permitiram correlacionar a degradação do material, avaliada via espectroscopia na região do infravermelho com transformada de Fourier, com o transporte de água. Foram analisados os possíveis efeitos da presença de estabilizantes, pigmentos e história de processamento.This work describes a study about the UV ageing effect on water transport through PET film sheets recycled from beverage bottles. Using a thermodynamic formalism based on the Eyring relationship and results of water permeability coefficient, it is possible to determine the entropy and enthalpy of activation for the water transport process. These functions were correlated using the compensation thermodynamic plot and correlations were made between the degradation of the PET samples, measured by FTIR, and transport properties. Also, possible effects from the presence of stabilizers, pigments and processing history were analyzed.

Preliminary experience on the use of PET/CT in the management of pediatric post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder.

Science.gov (United States)

Guerra-García, Pilar; Hirsch, Steffen; Levine, Daniel S; Taj, Mary M

2017-12-01

Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) is a well-known complication following prolonged immunosuppression. Contrary to other lymphomas, there is no standardized imaging approach to assess PTLD either at staging or for response to therapy. Positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) is an imaging modality that has proven to be useful in lymphoma. However, there is still limited data concerning its use in pediatric PTLD. Our study evaluates the use of PET/CT in pediatric PTLD at our institution. To assess the role of PET/CT in pediatric PTLD, we reviewed the pediatric patients with PTLD who had undergone PET/CT at our institution between 2000 and 2016. Nine patients were identified. Six had PET/CT at diagnosis. All lesions seen on CT were identified with PET/CT. Fourteen PET/CTs were done during treatment. Eight PET/CTs were negative, including three where CT showed areas of uncertain significance. In these cases, PET/CT helped us to stop treatment and the patients remain in remission after a long follow-up (mean 74.3 months; range 12.4-180.9 months). PET/CT revealed additional disease in two cases, therefore treatment was intensified. Six biopsies and close follow-up was done to confirm PET/CT results. In one case, PET/CT did not identify central nervous system involvement demonstrated on magnetic resonance imaging. PET/CT may have an important role in the staging and follow-up of pediatric PTLD. In our cohort, PET/CT was helpful in staging and assessing treatment response and in clarifying equivocal findings on other imaging modalities. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Energy Globe 2004 - Plastic bottles for a human life; Plastikflaschen fuer ein Menschenleben

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2005-07-01

This short article takes a look at how the Swiss Aquatic Research Centre EAWAG won a special prize for its simple method of providing people suffering from lack of clean drinking water in the aftermath of the tsunami catastrophe in south-east Asia. The method involves filling PET-bottles with water and placing them for a period of six hours in the sun, preferably on hot corrugated iron. In this way, contaminated water can be made potable.

Cerebral Toxoplasmosis Masquerading Cns Lymphoma on FDG PET-CT in Post Renal Transplant Patient

Science.gov (United States)

Mukherjee, Anirban; Bal, Chandrasekhar; Tripathi, Madhavi; Das, Chandan Jyoti; Shamim, Shamim Ahmed

2017-01-01

20 year old post renal transplant patient developed recurrent episodes of seizure. MRI revealed focal lesion in right parieto-occipital lobe with perilesional edema. FDG PET-CT revealed multiple hypermetabolic lesions in bilateral cerebral hemisphere. Subsequent biopsy from the lesion demonstrated bradyzoites of Toxoplasma gondii with inflammatory cells and thereby, a confirmatory diagnosis of cerebral toxoplasmosis was made. This case demonstrates the fact that increased FDG uptake in cerebral lesions in post transplant patient should be interpreted with caution and confirmed with histopathological correlation. PMID:28533649

Usage of post-consumer tires as raw materials

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

O.A. Vovk

2006-04-01

Full Text Available  This article is devoted to the problem of post-consumer tires accumulation and recycling both in Europe and Ukraine. It describes general tires properties, their structure and composite elements which are valuable secondary resources. Also there are analyzed the most known methods of used tires treatment and final product of tires utilizations.

The Effect of Storage Time, Temperature and Type of Packaging on the Release of Phthalate Esters into Packed
Acidic Liquids.

Science.gov (United States)

Rastkari, Noushin; Zare Jeddi, Maryam; Yunesian, Masud; Ahmadkhaniha, Reza

2017-12-01

Acidic liquids such as verjuice, lemon juice and vinegar are frequently consumed in Iran. Different kinds of acidic liquids are packaged in polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and high-density polyethylene (HDPE) bottles. There is evidence indicating that phthalates can leach from PET and HDPE bottles into their contents. In this work the effect of storage time, temperature and bottle type on the migration of phthalates from packaging materials into acidic liquids is studied by analyzing the samples stored under different conditions, before storage and after 2, 4 and 6 months of storage. The determined mean phthalate concentrations in µg/L were: liquids. The possible migration of phthalic acid esters from plastic packaging materials into the contents was indicated by the results of the present study.

Survey on Heterotrophic Bacterial Contamination in Bottled Mineral Water by Culture Method

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Essmaeel Ghorbanalinezhad

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Background and Aim: This project focuses on the level of heterotrophic baceria in bottled mineral water which could be a health concern for the elderly, infants, pregnant women and immuno-compromised patients. Materials and Methods: Different brands of bottled water samples were selected randomly and evaluated for their bacteriological quality, using different specific culture media and biochemical tests. Water samples were analyzed within 24 hours of their purchase/collection. Samples were filtered with 0.45 micron and filters were plated in different media. Then media were incubated at 37˚C for 24-48 hours. Results: Morphological study and biochemical tests revealed a number of bacteria in different   brands of  bottled water. Heterotrophic bacteria(Gram positive cocci, Spore forming gram positive bacilli, non spore forming gram positive bacilli, gram negative bacilli, and gram negative coccobacilli; Pseudomonas and Stenotrophomonas counted in 70% of bottled water samples. There were no cases of fecal contamination or the presence of E.coli. Conclusions: Bottled water is not sterile and contains trace amounts of bacteria naturally present or introduced during processing. Testing drinking water for all possible pathogens is complex, time-consuming, and expensive. If only total coliform bacteria are detected in drinking water, the source is probably environmental. Since the significance of non-pathogenic heterotrophic bacteria in relation to health and diseases is not understood, there is an urgent need to establish a maximum limit for the heterotrophic count in the bottled mineral water. Growth conditions play a critical role in the recovery of heterotrophic bacteria in bottled drinking water.

A comprehensive waste collection cost model applied to post-consumer plastic packaging waste

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Groot, J.J.; Bing, X.; Bos-Brouwers, H.E.J.; Bloemhof, J.M.

2014-01-01

Post-consumer plastic packaging waste (PPW) can be collected for recycling via source separation or post-separation. In source separation, households separate plastics from other waste before collection, whereas in post-separation waste is separated at a treatment centre after collection. There are

Energy implications of bottled water

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gleick, P H; Cooley, H S

2009-01-01

As bottled water use continues to expand around the world, there is growing interest in the environmental, economical, and social implications of that use, including concerns about waste generation, proper use of groundwater, hydrologic effects on local surface and groundwater, economic costs, and more. A key concern is how much energy is required to produce and use bottled water. This paper estimates the energy footprint required for various phases of bottled water production, transportation, and use. We do not develop a single comprehensive life-cycle energy estimate because of differences among water sources, bottling processes, transportation costs, and other factors, but we quantify key energy inputs necessary for site-specific assessments. We also apply these inputs to three site-specific examples of the energy required from production to the point of use: local bottled water produced and used in Los Angeles, water bottled in the South Pacific and shipped by cargo ship to Los Angeles, and water bottled in France and shipped in various ways to Los Angeles. For water transported short distances, the energy requirements of bottled water are dominated by the energy used to produce the plastic bottles. Long-distance transport, however, can lead to energy costs comparable to, or even larger than, those of producing the bottle. All other energy costs-for processing, bottling, sealing, labeling, and refrigeration-are far smaller than those for the production of the bottle and transportation. These data can be used to generate specific estimates for different sources, treatments, and delivery options.

Effect of waste plastic bottles on the stiffness and fatigue properties of modified asphalt mixes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Modarres, Amir; Hamedi, Hamidreza

2014-01-01

Highlights: • PET reduced the mix stiffness at both temperatures of 5 and 25 °C. • PET improved the fatigue behavior at both testing temperatures. • At more than 210 microstrain, adding temperature resulted in higher fatigue life. • SBS modified mixes showed better fatigue behavior than PET modified ones. • Overall PET had comparable effects to SBS on the stiffness and fatigue behavior. - Abstract: Nowadays, the use of recycled waste materials as modifier additives in asphalt mixes could have several economic and environmental benefits. The main purpose of this research was to investigate the effect of waste plastic bottles (Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET)) on the stiffness and specially fatigue properties of asphalt mixes at two different temperatures of 5 and 20 °C. Likewise, the effect of PET was compared to styrene butadiene styrene (SBS) which is a conventional polymer additive which has been vastly used to modify asphalt mixes. Different PET contents (2–10% by weight of bitumen) were added directly to mixture as the method of dry process. Then the resilient modulus and fatigue tests were performed on cylindrical specimens with indirect tensile loading procedure. Overall, the mix stiffness reduced by increasing the PET content. Although stiffness of asphalt mix initially increased by adding lower amount of PET. Based on the results of resilient modulus test, the stiffness of PET modified mix was acceptable and warranted the proper deformation characteristics of these mixes at heavy loading conditions. At both temperatures, PET improved the fatigue behavior of studied mixes. PET modified mixes revealed comparable stiffness and fatigue behavior to SBS at 20 °C. However, at 5 °C the fatigue life of SBS modified mixes was to some extent higher than that of PET modified ones especially at higher strain levels of 200 microstrain

Non-target activity detection by post-radioembolization yttrium-90 PET/CT: Image assessment technique and case examples

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yung Hsiang eKao

2014-02-01

Full Text Available High-resolution yttrium-90 (90Y imaging of post-radioembolization microsphere biodistribution may be achieved by conventional positron emission tomography with integrated computed tomography (PET/CT scanners that have time-of-flight capability. However, reconstructed 90Y PET/CT images have high background noise, making non-target activity detection technically challenging. This educational article describes our image assessment technique for non-target activity detection by 90Y PET/CT which qualitatively overcomes the problem of background noise. We present selected case examples of non-target activity in untargeted liver, stomach, gallbladder, chest wall and kidney, supported by angiography and 90Y bremsstrahlung single photon emission computed tomography with integrated computed tomography (SPECT/CT or technetium-99m macroaggregated albumin SPECT/CT.

Poly(ester-amide)s derived from PET containing uniform bisester amide segments

OpenAIRE

Ascanio Nuñez, Yanireth

2013-01-01

Poly(ethylene terephthalate) has experienced a growth in its demand as a bottle container and food packaging material. However, in order to expand its uses, its barrier properties to gases like carbon dioxide and oxygen, have to be improved. In this way, bisester amide units have been introduced as a third component in the main chain of PET, with the aim to reduce both CO2 and O2 permeability. In this project, poly(ester-amide)s based on PET (PETxMXy) have been synthesized, according to th...

Relieving Dry Mouth: Varying Levels of pH Found in Bottled Water.

Science.gov (United States)

Fisher, Bailey Jean; Spencer, Angela; Haywood, Van; Konchady, Gayathri

2017-07-01

It is estimated that 30% of people older than 60 years suffer from hyposalivation or dry mouth. Drinking water frequently has been recommended as a safe, non-pharmacologic way to combat hyposalivation. The saliva in patients with dry mouth is acidic. Beverages consumed daily may have an erosive potential on teeth. The pH and the mineral content of the beverage determine its erosive potential. An acidic beverage, therefore, may have harmful effects on mineralized tooth structures, causing erosion of enamel, dentin, and cementum. Because bottled water is both convenient and easily available, the authors tested the pH of eight common brands of bottled water. (One brand included two different bottle types, for a total of nine bottled waters tested.) To standardize the pH electrode, pH buffers of 4.7 and 10 were used. The pH was measured using the Denver Instruments basic pH meter. Six recordings were used for each brand and then averaged to report the pH. Two of the bottled water samples tested were below the critical level of 5.2 pH to 5.5 pH, the level at which erosion of enamel occurs. Six of the samples tested were below the critical pH of 6.8, at which erosion of root dentin occurs. The authors conclude that both patients and clinicians incorrectly presume bottled water to be innocuous. Clinicians should be cognizant of the erosive potential of different brands of bottled water to both educate patients and to recommend water with neutral or alkaline pH for patients with symptoms of dry mouth to prevent further deterioration and demineralization of tooth structure.

Interactive baby feeding bottle

NARCIS (Netherlands)

2013-01-01

An interactive baby bottle with an electronic unit is disclosed. The electronic unit comprises a sensor unit configured to sense the heart beat of a person bottle feeding a baby and an actuator unit configured to transmit the sensed heart beat to the baby. The disclosed interactive baby bottle can

Stopping the Bottle

Science.gov (United States)

... difficult it can be to break the bottle habit. Longer bottle use may lead to cavities or ... Drinks for Kids Toddlers at the Table: Avoiding Power Struggles View more About Us Contact Us Partners ...

Safety of Bottled Water Beverages Including Flavored Water and Nutrient-Added Water Beverages

Science.gov (United States)

... Food Resources for You Consumers FDA Regulates the Safety of Bottled Water Beverages Including Flavored Water and Nutrient-Added Water Beverages ... addition, the flavorings and nutrients added to these beverages must comply with all applicable FDA safety requirements and they must be identified in the ...

Insta-Grams: The Effect of Consumer Weight on Reactions to Healthy Food Posts.

Science.gov (United States)

Kinard, Brian R

2016-08-01

Each day, social networking sites become increasingly inundated with food imagery. Since many of these images are of fresh, vibrant, and healthy eats, photo sharing of food through social media should have a long-term positive effect on consumption habits. Yet, obesity rates in the United States continue to rise, suggesting that people are spending more time posting images of healthy foods and paying less attention to the actual foods they consume. This confounding relationship could be explained by consumer weight, in that overweight consumers desire to engage with social media maybe for the purpose of expressing, presenting, and identifying with a healthy lifestyle. In the context of food posts, individuals higher in body mass index may be more likely to engage in social media activity (e.g., likes, shares, comments) that validates healthy food choices to others in their online community. A between-subjects experimental design tested this proposed effect using a manipulated Instagram post of a healthy food item (i.e., black bean veggie burger). Results indicate that obese individuals are more likely to engage with healthy food posts compared with their normal weight and overweight counterparts. The effect is even more pronounced when posts are absent of prior social media activity. Based upon these results, obese individuals are encouraged to establish and maintain social network connections with others who routinely post images of healthy food in their social media feeds. Limitations and directions for future research are provided.

Determination of oligomers in virgin and recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET) samples by UPLC-MS-QTOF.

Science.gov (United States)

Ubeda, Sara; Aznar, Margarita; Nerín, Cristina

2018-03-01

An oligomer is a molecule that consists of a few monomer units. It can be formed during polymer manufacturing and also due to polymer degradation processes or even during use conditions. Since oligomers are not included in chemical databases, their identification is a complex process. In this work, the oligomers present in 20 different PET pellet samples have been determined. Two different sample treatment procedures, solvent extraction and total dissolution, were applied in order to select the most efficient one. The analyses were carried out by UPLC-MS-QTOF. The use of high resolution mass spectrometry allowed the structural elucidation of these compounds and their correct identification. The main oligomers identified were cyclic as well as lineal from the first, second, and third series. All of them were composed of terephthalic acid (TPA), diethylene glycol (DEG), and ethylene glycol (EG). Quantitative values were very different in both procedures. In total dissolution of PET samples, the concentration of oligomers was always, at least, 10 times higher than in solvent extraction; some of the compounds were only detected when total dissolution was used. Results showed that the oligomers with the highest concentration values were dimers and trimers, cyclic, as well as lineal, from the first and second series. The oligomer with the maximum concentration value was TPA 2 -EG-DEG that was found in all the samples in a concentration range from 2493 to 19,290 ng/g PET. No differences between virgin and recycled PET were found. Migration experiments were performed in two PET bottles, and results showed the transference of most of these oligomers to a fat food simulant (ethanol 95%). Graphical abstract Graphical abstract of the two procedures developd and optimized for identifying oligomers in PET pellets and in migration form PET bottles.

Bottled Water Basics

Science.gov (United States)

Table of Contents Bottled water basics ....................................... pg.2 Advice for people with severely compromised immune systems (Sidebar) ............................. pg2 Know what you’re buying .............................. pg.3 Taste considerations ........................................ pg.4 Bottled water terms (Sidebar) ..................... pg.4 Begin by reading the ...

Sensor array for the detection of organic and inorganic contaminants in post-consumer recycled plastics for food contact.

Science.gov (United States)

Davis, Nathan; Danes, Jeffrey E; Vorst, Keith

2017-10-01

Post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastic material is made by collecting used plastic products (e.g., bottles and other plastic packaging materials) and reprocessing them into solid-state pellets or flakes. Plastic recycling has positive environmental benefits, but may also carry potential drawbacks due to unwanted organic and inorganic contaminants. These contaminants can migrate into food packaging made from these recycled plastic materials. The purpose of this research was to identify economically viable real-time monitoring technologies that can be used during the conversion of virgin and recycled resin feedstocks (i.e., various blends of virgin pellets and recycled solid-state pellet or mechanically ground flake) to final articles to ensure the safety, quality and sustainability of packaging feedstocks. Baseline analysis (validation) of real-time technologies was conducted using industry-standard practices for polymer analysis. The data yielded supervised predictive models developed by training sessions completed in a controlled laboratory setting. This technology can be employed to evaluate compliance and aid converters in commodity sourcing of resin without exceeding regulatory thresholds. Furthermore, this technology allowed for real-time decision and diversion strategies during the conversion of resin and flake to final articles or products to minimise the negative impact on human health and environmental exposure.

The Effect of Storage Time, Temperature and Type of Packaging on the Release of Phthalate Esters into Packed Acidic Liquids

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Noushin Rastkari

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Acidic liquids such as verjuice, lemon juice and vinegar are frequently consumed in Iran. Different kinds of acidic liquids are packaged in polyethylene terephthalate (PET and high-density polyethylene (HDPE bottles. There is evidence indicating that phthalates can leach from PET and HDPE bottles into their contents. In this work the effect of storage time, temperature and bottle type on the migration of phthalates from packaging materials into acidic liquids is studied by analyzing the samples stored under different conditions, before storage and after 2, 4 and 6 months of storage. The determined mean phthalate concentrations in μg/L were: <0.04 to 0.501 in verjuice, <0.04 to 0.231 in lemon juice and <0.04 to 0.586 in vinegar. The highest concentrations of diethyl phthalate (DEP and diethyl hexyl phthalate (DEHP were found in PET and HDPE bottles, respectively. Results of analyses before and after storage indicate that under some storage conditions, the concentrations of DEP, DEHP and dibutyl phthalate (DBP increased in acidic liquids. The possible migration of phthalic acid esters from plastic packaging materials into the contents was indicated by the results of the present study.

Analysis of reverse logistics management for glass bottles at a spirits company

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Roger Augusto Luna

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Issues related to reverse logistics demonstrate increasing relevance as a set of factors such as those of a strategic, competitive, economic and ecological nature become relevant in the current context. Organizations are finding opportunities in reverse logistics for differentiating products offered to its customers and consumers. This article aims to analyze the process of reverse logistics of bottles in a spirits manufacturing company. For this study, we used a case study method, where company logistics executives were interviewed. As a result of the research, we identify current reverse logistics processes and their drivers, in order to support the understanding of problems and actions taken by the company to be deployed the reverse logistics process for bottles.

Consumer protection on the drinking water market

OpenAIRE

Kosová, Martina

2009-01-01

The goal of Bachelor thesis is marketing research on consumer preferences and knowledge in the field of drinking water and also analyze and compare the price of tap water and bottled water. The theoretical part describes how the consumer market with drinking water is protected in the Czech Republic. They compared the advantages and disadvantages of both types of drinking water.

Investigating Consumer Preferences towards Sustainability in Product Packaging

OpenAIRE

Petit, Lisa

2017-01-01

This research-oriented thesis investigates to which extent German consumers consider the sustainability aspect of a product package as their main factor in preferring a product. The research was conducted based on a comparison between two specific smoothies from the Company A and Company B brands. Company A smoothies are packed in glass bottles, whereas Company B smoothies are sold in plastic bottles. For the scope of the thesis, sustainable product packaging was defined regarding its contrib...

Influence of content and particle size of waste pet bottles on concrete behavior at different w/c ratios

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Albano, C.; Camacho, N.; Hernandez, M.; Matheus, A.; Gutierrez, A.

2009-01-01

The goal of this work was to study the mechanical behavior of concrete with recycled Polyethylene Therephtalate (PET), varying the water/cement ratio (0.50 and 0.60), PET content (10 and 20 vol%) and the particle size. Also, the influence of the thermal degradation of PET in the concrete was studied, when the blends were exposed to different temperatures (200, 400, 600 o C). Results indicate that PET-filled concrete, when volume proportion and particle size of PET increased, showed a decrease in compressive strength, splitting tensile strength, modulus of elasticity and ultrasonic pulse velocity; however, the water absorption increased. On the other hand, the flexural strength of concrete-PET when exposed to a heat source was strongly dependent on the temperature, water/cement ratio, as well as on the PET content and particle size. Moreover, the activation energy was affected by the temperature, PET particles location on the slabs and water/cement ratio.

Influence of content and particle size of waste pet bottles on concrete behavior at different w/c ratios.

Science.gov (United States)

Albano, C; Camacho, N; Hernández, M; Matheus, A; Gutiérrez, A

2009-10-01

The goal of this work was to study the mechanical behavior of concrete with recycled Polyethylene Therephtalate (PET), varying the water/cement ratio (0.50 and 0.60), PET content (10 and 20 vol%) and the particle size. Also, the influence of the thermal degradation of PET in the concrete was studied, when the blends were exposed to different temperatures (200, 400, 600 degrees C). Results indicate that PET-filled concrete, when volume proportion and particle size of PET increased, showed a decrease in compressive strength, splitting tensile strength, modulus of elasticity and ultrasonic pulse velocity; however, the water absorption increased. On the other hand, the flexural strength of concrete-PET when exposed to a heat source was strongly dependent on the temperature, water/cement ratio, as well as on the PET content and particle size. Moreover, the activation energy was affected by the temperature, PET particles location on the slabs and water/cement ratio.

Using an interactive water bottle to target fluid adherence in pediatric kidney transplant recipients: a pilot study.

Science.gov (United States)

Kullgren, Kristin A; Scholl, Penny; Kidwell, Kelley M; Hmiel, S Paul

2015-02-01

Hydration is important post-renal transplant to maintain adequate renal perfusion and graft function. Adherence to fluid recommendations is challenging given barriers to staying hydrated. There are no studies of adherence to fluid intake recommendations following pediatric renal transplant. Through this pilot study, we sought to determine whether the use of a commercially available interactive water bottle would lead to better adherence to recommended fluid intake and improved kidney functioning post-transplant relative to standard of care. Participants included 32 youth ages 7-19 ≥1 month post-kidney transplant randomized to the intervention (HydraCoach(®) water bottle) or standard education control group. Laboratory records were reviewed for serum chemistries (Na, BUN, creatinine) at baseline and one-month follow-up, and participants recorded daily fluid intake for 28 days. Those in the intervention group were significantly more likely to meet or exceed their fluid target, but this did not translate into better kidney functioning. Participants in the intervention group largely reported satisfaction with the water bottle and were likely to continue its use. While an interactive water bottle providing real-time feedback may be a promising intervention to help pediatric kidney transplant patients meet fluid goals, it did not appear to impact kidney function. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Constructing a Plastic Bottle Wind Turbine as a Practical Aid for Learning about Using Wind Energy to Generate Electricity

Science.gov (United States)

Appleyard, S. J.

2009-01-01

A simple horizontal axis wind turbine can be easily constructed using a 1.5 l PET plastic bottle, a compact disc and a small dynamo. The turbine operates effectively at low wind speeds and has a rotational speed of 500 rpm at a wind speed of about 14 km h[superscript -1]. The wind turbine can be used to demonstrate the relationship between open…

Effect of Recycling in Post-Consumer Polystyrene Cups

OpenAIRE

Ahmed, Mehnaz

2016-01-01

The aim of the thesis was to recycle post-consumer polystyrene cups and to analyze the changes in mechanical and rheological properties of the recycled polystyrene. The me-chanical properties were tensile strength, Young’s modulus and the rheological proper-ties was melt flow index. In order to analyze the changes in properties, material testing results of pristine polystyrene were compared with the recycled polystyrene. The same polystyrene material was recycled and tested twice in order to ...

Pre and post operative evaluation of the perfusion reserve by acetazolamide 99mTc-HMPAO SPECT in patients with chronic occlusive cerebral arteries. A comparative study with PET

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kuwabara, Yasuo; Ichiya, Yuichi; Sasaki, Masayuki; Akashi, Yuko; Yoshida, Tsuyoshi; Fukumura, Toshimitsu; Masuda, Kouji; Fujii, Kiyotaka; Fukui, Masashi

1994-01-01

We studied the pre and post-operative perfusion reserve using Diamox 99m Tc-HMPAO SPECT in 7 patients with chronic occlusive cerebral arteries and then compared the results with PET. STAMCA anastomosis was performed on 5 patients, while a carotid endarterectomy was done on 2 patients. The cerebral blood flow, the vascular response to CO 2 or Diamox, the oxygen extraction fraction and transit time (CBV/CBF) were measured by PET. In the pre-operative state, the visual evaluations for hypoperfusion area at rest agreed in 5 out of 7 patients in HMPAO SPECT and PET studies. In the remaining 2 patients, hypoperfusion areas were only detected in the PET study. The pre-operative evaluation of perfusion reserve agreed in 2 patients. In the remaining 5 patients, 3 patients showed definite positive (++) in PET and positive (+) in HMPAO SPECT, and one patient showed positive (+) in PET and negative (-) in HMPAO SPECT. The post-operative change of hypoperfusion areas well agreed in HMPAO SPECT and PET studies. However, the change of perfusion reserve was underestimated in HMPAO SPECT compared with PET. In the semiquantitative and quantitative analyses, the count rate ratios (affected/unaffected side) in HMPAO SPECT were apparently higher than those of CBF in PET. The postoperative change of the count rate ratios in HMPAO SPECT were smaller than those of CBF in PET. There was no significant correlation between the change in the ratio of the HMPAO SPECT after the administration of Diamox and the oxygen extraction fraction, and it was thus thought to be impossible to predict the areas with an increased oxygen extraction fraction. Thus, Diamox HMPAO SPECT may underestimate the areas of hypoperfusion or decrease in perfusion reserve when compared with PET. We should consider these limitations in the evaluation of pre and post operative cerebral hemodynamics. (author)

Understanding advertising in pet nutrition.

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, R G

1994-04-01

Advertising is part of the effort to attract attention of consumers to products, in this case, pet foods. It is generally benign in its effect, but it can be misleading, although rarely deliberately so. It uses a specialized vocabulary, which must be mastered if one is to understand what is intended. For all of the expense and effort, advertising figures directly in relatively few decisions to purchase. Its main intention is to call our attention to a particular pet food and to give that product an image. If the pet food does not perform in the consumer's hands, then all of the advertising on earth will not be persuasive. On the other hand, if a product performs well, the word-of-mouth will be positive and that mode of advertising is one of the most effective.

27 CFR 4.26 - Estate bottled.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... bottled. (a) Conditions for use. The term Estate bottled may be used by a bottling winery on a wine label only if the wine is labeled with a viticultural area appellation of origin and the bottling winery: (1... owned or controlled by the winery within the boundaries of the labeled viticultural area; (3) crushed...

Evaluation of scatter limitation correction: a new method of correcting photopenic artifacts caused by patient motion during whole-body PET/CT imaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Miwa, Kenta; Umeda, Takuro; Murata, Taisuke; Wagatsuma, Kei; Miyaji, Noriaki; Terauchi, Takashi; Koizumi, Mitsuru; Sasaki, Masayuki

2016-02-01

Overcorrection of scatter caused by patient motion during whole-body PET/computed tomography (CT) imaging can induce the appearance of photopenic artifacts in the PET images. The present study aimed to quantify the accuracy of scatter limitation correction (SLC) for eliminating photopenic artifacts. This study analyzed photopenic artifacts in (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose ((18)F-FDG) PET/CT images acquired from 12 patients and from a National Electrical Manufacturers Association phantom with two peripheral plastic bottles that simulated the human body and arms, respectively. The phantom comprised a sphere (diameter, 10 or 37 mm) containing fluorine-18 solutions with target-to-background ratios of 2, 4, and 8. The plastic bottles were moved 10 cm posteriorly between CT and PET acquisitions. All PET data were reconstructed using model-based scatter correction (SC), no scatter correction (NSC), and SLC, and the presence or absence of artifacts on the PET images was visually evaluated. The SC and SLC images were also semiquantitatively evaluated using standardized uptake values (SUVs). Photopenic artifacts were not recognizable in any NSC and SLC image from all 12 patients in the clinical study. The SUVmax of mismatched SLC PET/CT images were almost equal to those of matched SC and SLC PET/CT images. Applying NSC and SLC substantially eliminated the photopenic artifacts on SC PET images in the phantom study. SLC improved the activity concentration of the sphere for all target-to-background ratios. The highest %errors of the 10 and 37-mm spheres were 93.3 and 58.3%, respectively, for mismatched SC, and 73.2 and 22.0%, respectively, for mismatched SLC. Photopenic artifacts caused by SC error induced by CT and PET image misalignment were corrected using SLC, indicating that this method is useful and practical for clinical qualitative and quantitative PET/CT assessment.

Determinação da variação da viscosidade intrínseca do poli (tereftalato de etileno de embalagens Determination of intrinsic viscosity variation for polyethyelene terephthalate's bottles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sandro D. Mancini

2004-06-01

Full Text Available O mercado de embalagens de poli(tereftalato de etileno -PET- para acondicionamento de refrigerantes, água mineral, sucos concentrados e óleos comestíveis apresenta polímeros de diferentes tipos, que foram desenvolvidos para personalizar o atendimento a clientes desejosos de propriedades melhores e mais específicas, principalmente em termos de massa molar. No caso do PET, assim como na indústria da reciclagem do polímero, o ensaio de viscosidade intrínseca é muito usado para determinar a massa molar. Este trabalho apresenta os resultados de viscosidade intrínseca de PET advindo de embalagens de várias marcas de refrigerantes, sucos e óleos de soja. Amostras de cada embalagem foram dissolvidas em solução de fenol-tetracloroetano (60:40 em peso e o fluxo das mesmas em um viscosímetro Cannon-Fenske a 30 °C para medir a viscosidade relativa, que foi convertido para viscosidade intrínseca. Os resultados mostraram uma variação no valor da propriedade conforme se variava o volume, tipo e a marca do produto envasado. Para as 21 amostras analisadas, os resultados variaram de 0,70 a 0,79 dL/g. Portanto, uma melhor seleção das embalagens pode ajudar os recicladores na obtenção de produtos melhores, com menor variação na massa molar. Os valores de densidade obtidos apresentaram uma pequena variação, que torna-se maior quando transformados em cristalinidade.The market of polyethylene terephthalate (PET bottles presents polymers of different types, which have been developed in order to provide the client with products with improved properties, mainly in respect of molar mass. In the case of PET, as well as in the recycling industry of this polymer, the test of intrinsic viscosity is widely used to determine molar mass. This study presents the results of intrinsic viscosity and density for PET bottles of soft-drinks, juices and soy-bean oils. Samples of each bottle were dissolved in 60-40 phenol-tetrachloroethane solution and flowed

Consumer Acceptance of Dry Dog Food Variations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Brizio Di Donfrancesco

2014-06-01

Full Text Available The objectives of this study were to compare the acceptance of different dry dog food products by consumers, determine consumer clusters for acceptance, and identify the characteristics of dog food that drive consumer acceptance. Eight dry dog food samples available in the US market were evaluated by pet owners. In this study, consumers evaluated overall liking, aroma, and appearance liking of the products. Consumers were also asked to predict their purchase intent, their dog’s liking, and cost of the samples. The results indicated that appearance of the sample, especially the color, influenced pet owner’s overall liking more than the aroma of the product. Overall liking clusters were not related to income, age, gender, or education, indicating that general consumer demographics do not appear to play a main role in individual consumer acceptance of dog food products.

The real water consumption behind drinking water: the case of Italy.

Science.gov (United States)

Niccolucci, V; Botto, S; Rugani, B; Nicolardi, V; Bastianoni, S; Gaggi, C

2011-10-01

The real amount of drinking water available per capita is a topic of great interest for human health and the economic and political management of resources. The global market of bottled drinking water, for instance, has shown exponential growth in the last twenty years, mainly due to reductions in production costs and investment in promotion. This paper aims to evaluate how much freshwater is actually consumed when water is drunk in Italy, which can be considered a mature bottled-water market. A Water Footprint (WF) calculation was used to compare the alternatives: bottled and tap water. Six Italian brands of water sold in PET bottles were inventoried, analysed and compared with the public tap water of the city of Siena, as representative of the Italian context. Results showed that more than 3 L of water were needed to provide consumers with 1.50 L of drinking water. In particular, a volume of 1.50 L of PET-bottled water required an extra virtual volume of 1.93 L of water while an extra 2.13 L was necessary to supply the same volume of tap water. These values had very different composition and origin. The WF of tap water was mainly due to losses of water during pipeline distribution and usage, while WF of bottled water was greatly influenced by the production of plastic materials. When the contribution of cooling water was added to the calculation, the WF of bottled water rose from 3.43 to 6.92 L. Different strategies to reduce total water footprint are discussed. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Risk Factors Associated with the Choice to Drink Bottled Water and Tap Water in Rural Saskatchewan

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lianne McLeod

2014-01-01

Full Text Available A cross-sectional study investigated risk factors associated with choices to drink bottled water and tap water in rural Saskatchewan. Of 7,500 anonymous postal questionnaires mailed out, 2,065 responses were analyzed using generalized linear mixed models. Those who reported a water advisory (p < 0.001 or living in the area for £10 years (p = 0.01 were more likely to choose bottled water. Those who reported tap water was not safe to drink were more likely to choose bottled water, an effect greater for those who had no aesthetic complaints (p ≤ 0.001, while those with aesthetic complaints were more likely to choose bottled water if they believed the water was safe (p < 0.001. Respondents who treated their water and did not use a community supply were more likely to choose bottled water (p < 0.001, while those who did not treat their water were more likely to choose bottled water regardless of whether a community supply was used (p < 0.001. A similar pattern of risk factors was associated with a decreased likelihood of consuming tap water daily; however, the use of a community water supply was not significant. Understanding the factors involved in drinking water choices could inform public health education efforts regarding water management in rural areas.

Microbiological assessment of house and imported bottled water by comparison of bacterial endotoxin concentration, heterotrophic plate count, and fecal coliform count.

Science.gov (United States)

Reyes, Mayra I; Pérez, Cynthia M; Negrón, Edna L

2008-03-01

Consumers increasingly use bottled water and home water treatment systems to avoid direct tap water. According to the International Bottled Water Association (IBWA), an industry trade group, 5 billion gallons of bottled water were consumed by North Americans in 2001. The principal aim of this study was to assess the microbial quality of in-house and imported bottled water for human consumption, by measurement and comparison of the concentration of bacterial endotoxin and standard cultivable methods of indicator microorganisms, specifically, heterotrophic and fecal coliform plate counts. A total of 21 brands of commercial bottled water, consisting of 10 imported and 11 in-house brands, selected at random from 96 brands that are consumed in Puerto Rico, were tested at three different time intervals. The Standard Limulus Amebocyte Lysate test, gel clot method, was used to measure the endotoxin concentrations. The minimum endotoxin concentration in 63 water samples was less than 0.0625 EU/mL, while the maximum was 32 EU/mL. The minimum bacterial count showed no growth, while the maximum was 7,500 CFU/mL. Bacterial isolates like P. fluorescens, Corynebacterium sp. J-K, S. paucimobilis, P. versicularis, A. baumannii, P. chlororaphis, F. indologenes, A. faecalis and P. cepacia were identified. Repeated measures analysis of variance demonstrated that endotoxin concentration did not change over time, while there was a statistically significant (p bacterial count over time. In addition, multiple linear regression analysis demonstrated that a unit change in the concentration of endotoxin across time was associated with a significant (p bacterial growth was not detected in some water samples, endotoxin was present. Measurement of Gram-negative bacterial endotoxins is one of the methods that have been suggested as a rapid way of determining bacteriological water quality.

Feeding bottles usage and the prevalence of childhood allergy and asthma.

Science.gov (United States)

Hsu, Nai-Yun; Wu, Pei-Chih; Bornehag, Carl-Gustaf; Sundell, Jan; Su, Huey-Jen

2012-01-01

This study aimed to examine the association between the length of use of feeding bottles or pacifiers during childhood and the prevalence of respiratory and allergic morbidities. A large-scale questionnaire survey was performed in day care centers and kindergartens (with children's ages ranging from 2 to 7 years) in southern Taiwan, and a total of 14,862 questionnaires completed by parents were finally recruited for data analysis. Effects of using feeding bottles on children's wheezing/asthma (adjusted OR: 1.05, 95% CI 1.00-1.09), allergic rhinitis (adjusted OR: 1.04, 95% CI 1.00-1.08), and eczema (adjusted OR: 1.07, 95% CI 1.01-1.2) were found. Moreover, significant dose-dependent relationships were further established after an adjustment for confounders was performed that included children's ages, gender, gestational age, birth weight, length of breastfeeding, the age when first given infant formula or complementary foods, family history, parental educational levels, and smoking status, as well as the problem of indoor water damage. This study was the first to reveal the potential risk of using plastic consumer products such as feeding bottles on the reported health status of preschool children in Asian countries.

Culture -independent Pathogenic Bacterial Communities in Bottled Mineral Water

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hamdy A. Hassan

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Bottled mineral water (BMW is an alternative to mains water and consider it to be better and safer. Access to safe BMW from the bacteria involving potential health hazard is essential to health. Cultivation-independent technique PCR-based single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP for genetic profiling of PCR-amplified 16S rRNA genes was performed using Com primer set targeting the 16S rRNA genes for detection of pathogenic bacteria in bottled mineral water from the final product of six factories for bottled mineral drinking water in Wadi El-natron region- Egypt. These factories use often ozone technology to treat large quantities of water because of its effectiveness in purifying and conditioning water. A total of 27 single products were isolated from the profiles by PCR re-amplification and cloning. Sequence analysis of 27 SSCP bands revealed that the 16S rRNA sequences were clustered into seven operational taxonomic units (OTUs and the compositions of the communities of the six samples were all common. The results showed that most communities from phyla Alphaproteobacteria and certainly in the Sphingomonas sp. Culture-independent approaches produced complementary information, thus generating a more accurate view for the bacterial community in the BMW, particularly in the disinfection step, as it constitutes the final barrier before BMW distribution to the consumer

Development of Syringe/Bottle Hybrids for Sampling Slurries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Coleman, C.J.

1998-01-01

A convenient and effective sample bottle system based on simple modifications of disposable plastic syringes and bottles has been devised and tested for slurry samples. Syringe/ bottle hybrids (hereafter referred to as syringe bottles) have the convenience of regular flat-bottom bottles with screw cap closures. In addition, the syringe imparts a sliding and adjustable bottom to the bottle that forces the entire contents from the bottle. The system was designed especially to collect samples for high temperature work-ups of DWPF slurry samples. The syringe bottles together with fixed-bottom sample vial inserts would provide the DWPF with convenient and reliable methods for dealing with slurry samples

Running Mechanics and Metabolic Responses with Water Bottles and Bottle Belt Holders.

Science.gov (United States)

Vincent, Heather K; Zdziarski, Laura A; Fallgatter, Kyle; Negron, Giorgio; Chen, Cong; Leavitt, Trevor; Horodyski, MaryBeth; Wasser, Joseph G; Vincent, Kevin R

2018-01-18

This study determined whether differential kinematics, kinetics, rates of energy use and cardiopulmonary responses occurred during running with water bottles and bottle belt holders compared to running only. Trained runners (N=42; 27.2±6.4 yr) ran on an instrumented treadmill for four conditions in a randomized order: 1) control run (CON); 2) hand-held full water bottle (FULL, 16.9 fluid oz; 454 g); 3) hand-held half-full water bottle (HALF, 8.4 fluid oz.; 227 g); and 4) waist-worn bottle belt holder (BELT; hydration belt; 676 g). Gas exchange was measured using a portable gas analyzer. Kinetic and kinematic responses were determined via standard 3D videographic techniques. Interactions of limb side (right, left) by study condition (CON, FULL, HALF, BELT) were tested for rates of oxygen use and energy expenditure, and kinematic and kinetic parameters. No significant limb side × condition interactions existed for rates of oxygen use or energy expenditure. A significant interaction occurred with sagittal elbow flexion (pwater by hand or on the waist does not significantly change kinematics of running motion, rates of oxygen use and energy expenditure or cardiopulmonary measures over short durations. Runners are likely making adjustments to joint moments and powers that preserve balance and protect the lower extremity joints while maintaining the rates of oxygen use and energy expenditure.

A Plastic Bottle in Rectosigmoid

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A. Derakhshanfar

2007-07-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Evaluation and treatment of foreign bodies in rectum involves careful history and physical examination. The cases of forced introduction of the objects most commonly are , sexual assault , self – introduced for anal eroticism and accidental insertion.Case Report: We describe a case of a patient with rectal impaction following self administration of a plastic bottle for anal sexual gratification. A 49 years old man was admitted in the emergency department with the history of self introduced a bottle into his rectum physical examination and abdominal X-Ray diagnosed the case as impacted foreign body in rectosigmoid. An attempt was made to deliver the bottle through the rectum but because of high lying big bottle in the sigmoid laporotomy was performed and the bottle was removed though a longitudinal incision on sigmoid colon.Conclusion: Retained rectosigmoid foreign bodies have been encountered more frequently and present a dilemma for management and rarely laporotomy for extraction of foreign bodies was performed.

Treatment of Bottled Liquid Waste During Remediation of the Hanford 618-10 Burial Ground - 13001

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Faulk, Darrin E.; Pearson, Chris M.; Vedder, Barry L.; Martin, David W.

2013-01-01

A problematic waste form encountered during remediation of the Hanford Site 618-10 burial ground consists of bottled aqueous waste potentially contaminated with regulated metals. The liquid waste requires stabilization prior to landfill disposal. Prior remediation activities at other Hanford burial grounds resulted in a standard process for sampling and analyzing liquid waste using manual methods. Due to the highly dispersible characteristics of alpha contamination, and the potential for shock sensitive chemicals, a different method for bottle processing was needed for the 618-10 burial ground. Discussions with the United States Department of Energy (DOE) and United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) led to development of a modified approach. The modified approach involves treatment of liquid waste in bottles, up to one gallon per bottle, in a tray or box within the excavation of the remediation site. Bottles are placed in the box, covered with soil and fixative, crushed, and mixed with a Portland cement grout. The potential hazards of the liquid waste preclude sampling prior to treatment. Post treatment verification sampling is performed to demonstrate compliance with land disposal restrictions and disposal facility acceptance criteria. (authors)

Treatment of Bottled Liquid Waste During Remediation of the Hanford 618-10 Burial Ground - 13001

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Faulk, Darrin E.; Pearson, Chris M.; Vedder, Barry L.; Martin, David W. [Washington Closure Hanford, LLC, Richland, WA 99354 (United States)

2013-07-01

A problematic waste form encountered during remediation of the Hanford Site 618-10 burial ground consists of bottled aqueous waste potentially contaminated with regulated metals. The liquid waste requires stabilization prior to landfill disposal. Prior remediation activities at other Hanford burial grounds resulted in a standard process for sampling and analyzing liquid waste using manual methods. Due to the highly dispersible characteristics of alpha contamination, and the potential for shock sensitive chemicals, a different method for bottle processing was needed for the 618-10 burial ground. Discussions with the United States Department of Energy (DOE) and United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) led to development of a modified approach. The modified approach involves treatment of liquid waste in bottles, up to one gallon per bottle, in a tray or box within the excavation of the remediation site. Bottles are placed in the box, covered with soil and fixative, crushed, and mixed with a Portland cement grout. The potential hazards of the liquid waste preclude sampling prior to treatment. Post treatment verification sampling is performed to demonstrate compliance with land disposal restrictions and disposal facility acceptance criteria. (authors)

Improved clinical staging of esophageal cancer with FDG-PET

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Young Hwan; Choi, Joon Young; Lee, Kyung Soo; Choi, Yong Soo; Lee, Eun Jeong; Chung, Hyun Woo; Lee, Su Jin; Lee, Kyung Han; Shim, Young Mog; Kim, Byung Tae

2004-01-01

Since preoperative staging in esophageal cancer is important in both therapy and prognosis, there had been many efforts to improve its accuracy. Recent studies indicate that whole body FDG-PET has high sensitivity in detection of metastasis in esophageal cancer. Therefore, we added FDG-PET to other conventional methods in staging esophageal cancer to evaluate the usefulness of this method. Subjects were 142 esophageal cancer patients (average 62.3±8.3 yrs) who received CT and PET just before operation. First, we compared N stage and M stage of the CT or PET with those of the post-operative results. Then we compared the stage according to the EUS (T stage) and CT (N and M stage) or EUS (T stage) and CT and PET (N and M stage) to that according to the post-operative results. Among 142 patients, surgical staging of 69 were N0 and 73 were N1. In M staging, 128 were M0 and 14 were M1. Sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of N staging were 35.6%, 89.9%, 62.0% with CT and 58.9%, 71.0%, 64.7% with PET, respectively. In M staging, 14.3%, 96.9%, 88.7% with CT and 50.0%, 94.5%, 90.1% with PET, respectively. The concordances of [EUS+CT] and [EUS+CT+PET] with post-operative results were 41.2% and 54.6%, respectively and there was significant improvement of staging with additional PET scan (p<0.005). The concordance of [EUS+CT+PET] with post-operative result was significantly increased compared to that of [EUS+CT]. Thus, the addition of FDG-PET with other conventional methods may enable more accurate preoperative staging

Penerapan Diagram Kontrol D^2 Mahalanobis Pada Proses Produksi Minuman Kemasan Returnable Glass Bottle (Studi Kasus Di PT. Coca-cola Bottling Indonesia Central Java)

OpenAIRE

Muhyidin, Muhammad Abid; Safitri, Diah; Rahmawati, Rita

2014-01-01

Quality being one of the basic factors in choosing a product consumers. Therefore, an industry or a company should always maintain the quality of their products in order to get loyal customers and are able to survive in the competitive market. Coca-cola Bottling Indonesia Central Java Limited Compay is one of the manufacturing company engaged in the beverage packaging industry and always trying to improve the quality for customer satisfaction. Although it has been to improve the quality, the...

27 CFR 24.256 - Bottle aging wine.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 27 Alcohol, Tobacco Products and Firearms 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Bottle aging wine. 24.256... OF THE TREASURY LIQUORS WINE Storage, Treatment and Finishing of Wine Bottling, Packing, and Labeling of Wine § 24.256 Bottle aging wine. Wine bottled or packed and stored for the purpose of aging need...

Scatter Correction with Combined Single-Scatter Simulation and Monte Carlo Simulation Scaling Improved the Visual Artifacts and Quantification in 3-Dimensional Brain PET/CT Imaging with 15O-Gas Inhalation.

Science.gov (United States)

Magota, Keiichi; Shiga, Tohru; Asano, Yukari; Shinyama, Daiki; Ye, Jinghan; Perkins, Amy E; Maniawski, Piotr J; Toyonaga, Takuya; Kobayashi, Kentaro; Hirata, Kenji; Katoh, Chietsugu; Hattori, Naoya; Tamaki, Nagara

2017-12-01

In 3-dimensional PET/CT imaging of the brain with 15 O-gas inhalation, high radioactivity in the face mask creates cold artifacts and affects the quantitative accuracy when scatter is corrected by conventional methods (e.g., single-scatter simulation [SSS] with tail-fitting scaling [TFS-SSS]). Here we examined the validity of a newly developed scatter-correction method that combines SSS with a scaling factor calculated by Monte Carlo simulation (MCS-SSS). Methods: We performed phantom experiments and patient studies. In the phantom experiments, a plastic bottle simulating a face mask was attached to a cylindric phantom simulating the brain. The cylindric phantom was filled with 18 F-FDG solution (3.8-7.0 kBq/mL). The bottle was filled with nonradioactive air or various levels of 18 F-FDG (0-170 kBq/mL). Images were corrected either by TFS-SSS or MCS-SSS using the CT data of the bottle filled with nonradioactive air. We compared the image activity concentration in the cylindric phantom with the true activity concentration. We also performed 15 O-gas brain PET based on the steady-state method on patients with cerebrovascular disease to obtain quantitative images of cerebral blood flow and oxygen metabolism. Results: In the phantom experiments, a cold artifact was observed immediately next to the bottle on TFS-SSS images, where the image activity concentrations in the cylindric phantom were underestimated by 18%, 36%, and 70% at the bottle radioactivity levels of 2.4, 5.1, and 9.7 kBq/mL, respectively. At higher bottle radioactivity, the image activity concentrations in the cylindric phantom were greater than 98% underestimated. For the MCS-SSS, in contrast, the error was within 5% at each bottle radioactivity level, although the image generated slight high-activity artifacts around the bottle when the bottle contained significantly high radioactivity. In the patient imaging with 15 O 2 and C 15 O 2 inhalation, cold artifacts were observed on TFS-SSS images, whereas

Preference for tap, bottled, and recycled water: Relations to PTC taste sensitivity and personality.

Science.gov (United States)

Harmon, Daniel; Gauvain, Mary; Z Reisz; Arthur, Isaac; Story, S Drew

2018-02-01

This study investigated people's preferences for different water sources and factors that predict such preferences using a blind taste test. Water preferences of 143 participants for one name-brand bottled water, one groundwater-sourced tap water, and one indirect potable reuse (IDR) water were assessed. For predictors of water preference, we measured each participant's PTC taste sensitivity and assessed two personality traits (Neuroticism, Openness to Experience). We also explored participants' descriptions of each water source. Results indicate a preference for water treated with Reverse Osmosis (RO) (bottled and IDR water) over groundwater-sourced water, which had higher pH levels and lower concentrations of Ca and HCO 3 - . PTC taste sensitivity did not predict preferences, while Openness to Experience and Neuroticism predicted preference for IDR water. Positive relations between Openness to Experience and preferences for bottled and IDR water were moderated by gender and were stronger among females. Participants described water primarily by its taste and texture. Findings suggest that (1) tap water treated by RO is equally preferable to some bottled water, (2) personality traits may affect water preferences, and (3) prior findings of gender differences in preferences for bottled water may reflect personality characteristics. Efforts to increase acceptance for sustainable water alternatives, such as IDR, may be more successful by assuring consumers about taste and addressing personality traits that encourage or inhibit use. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sensory characteristics changes of red Grenache wines submitted to different oxygen exposures pre and post bottling.

Science.gov (United States)

Caillé, Soline; Samson, Alain; Wirth, Jérémie; Diéval, Jean-Baptiste; Vidal, Stéphane; Cheynier, Véronique

2010-02-15

It is widely accepted that oxygen contributes to wine development by impacting its colour, aromatic bouquet, and mouth-feel properties. The wine industry can now also take advantage of engineered solutions to deliver known amounts of oxygen into bottles through the closures. This study was aimed at monitoring the influence of oxygen pick-up, before (micro-oxygenation, Mox) and after (nano-oxygenation) bottling, on wine sensory evolution. Red Grenache wines were prepared either by flash release (FR) or traditional soaking (Trad) and with or without Mox during elevage (FR+noMox, FR+Mox, Trad+noMox, Trad+Mox). The rate of nano oxygenation was controlled by combining consistent oxygen transfer rate (OTR) closures and different oxygen controlled storage conditions. Wine sensory characteristics were analyzed by sensory profile, at bottling (T0) and after 5 and 10 months of ageing, by a panel of trained judges. Effects of winemaking techniques and OTR were analyzed by multivariate analysis (principal component analysis and agglomerative hierarchical clustering) and analysis of variance. Results showed that, at bottling, Trad wines were perceived more animal and FR wines more bitter and astringent. Mox wines showed more orange shade. At 5 and 10 months, visual and olfactory differences were observed according to the OTR levels: modalities with higher oxygen ingress were darker and fruitier but also perceived significantly less animal than modalities with lower oxygen. Along the 10 months of ageing, the influence of OTR became more important as shown by increased significance levels of the observed differences. As the mouth-feel properties of the wines were mainly dictated by winemaking techniques, OTR had only little impact on "in mouth" attributes. Copyright 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Structural insight into catalytic mechanism of PET hydrolase

OpenAIRE

Han, Xu; Liu, Weidong; Huang, Jian-Wen; Ma, Jiantao; Zheng, Yingying; Ko, Tzu-Ping; Xu, Limin; Cheng, Ya-Shan; Chen, Chun-Chi; Guo, Rey-Ting

2017-01-01

PET hydrolase (PETase), which hydrolyzes polyethylene terephthalate (PET) into soluble building blocks, provides an attractive avenue for the bioconversion of plastics. Here we present the structures of a novel PETase from the PET-consuming microbe Ideonella sakaiensis in complex with substrate and product analogs. Through structural analyses, mutagenesis, and activity measurements, a substrate-binding mode is proposed, and several features critical for catalysis are elucidated.

Structural insight into catalytic mechanism of PET hydrolase.

Science.gov (United States)

Han, Xu; Liu, Weidong; Huang, Jian-Wen; Ma, Jiantao; Zheng, Yingying; Ko, Tzu-Ping; Xu, Limin; Cheng, Ya-Shan; Chen, Chun-Chi; Guo, Rey-Ting

2017-12-13

PET hydrolase (PETase), which hydrolyzes polyethylene terephthalate (PET) into soluble building blocks, provides an attractive avenue for the bioconversion of plastics. Here we present the structures of a novel PETase from the PET-consuming microbe Ideonella sakaiensis in complex with substrate and product analogs. Through structural analyses, mutagenesis, and activity measurements, a substrate-binding mode is proposed, and several features critical for catalysis are elucidated.

Estimates concentrations in bottled 222Rn of the dose due to mineral waters in Iran

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Assadi, M. R.; Esmaealnejad, M.; Rahmatinejad, Z.

2006-01-01

Radon is a radionuclide that has the main role in exposure. Radon in water causes exposure in whole body but the largest dose being received by the stomach, as EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) estimates that radon in drinking water causes about 168 cancer deaths per year: 89 p ercent f rom lung cancer caused by breathing released to the indoor air from water and 11 p ercent f rom stomach cancer caused by consuming water containing radon. Now days the consumption of bottled mineral waters has become very popular. As is known, some kinds of mineral waters contain naturally occurring radionuclides in higher concentration than the usual drinking (tap) water. Surveys and reports on radon in most surface waters is low compared with radon level in groundwater and mineral water. In our work, the concentration of Rn(222) was determined in some bottled mineral waters available in Iran , and in next step the dose contribution ; due to ingestion ; for 1 l d -1 bottled mineral water consumption.

21 CFR 165.110 - Bottled water.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Bottled water. 165.110 Section 165.110 Food and... CONSUMPTION BEVERAGES Requirements for Specific Standardized Beverages § 165.110 Bottled water. (a) Identity—(1) Description. Bottled water is water that is intended for human consumption and that is sealed in...

Feeding Bottles Usage and the Prevalence of Childhood Allergy and Asthma

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nai-Yun Hsu

2012-01-01

Full Text Available This study aimed to examine the association between the length of use of feeding bottles or pacifiers during childhood and the prevalence of respiratory and allergic morbidities. A large-scale questionnaire survey was performed in day care centers and kindergartens (with children’s ages ranging from 2 to 7 years in southern Taiwan, and a total of 14,862 questionnaires completed by parents were finally recruited for data analysis. Effects of using feeding bottles on children’s wheezing/asthma (adjusted OR: 1.05, 95% CI 1.00–1.09, allergic rhinitis (adjusted OR: 1.04, 95% CI 1.00–1.08, and eczema (adjusted OR: 1.07, 95% CI 1.01–1.2 were found. Moreover, significant dose-dependent relationships were further established after an adjustment for confounders was performed that included children’s ages, gender, gestational age, birth weight, length of breastfeeding, the age when first given infant formula or complementary foods, family history, parental educational levels, and smoking status, as well as the problem of indoor water damage. This study was the first to reveal the potential risk of using plastic consumer products such as feeding bottles on the reported health status of preschool children in Asian countries.

The impact of owner age on companionship with virtual pets

OpenAIRE

Lawson, Shaun W.; Chesney, Thomas

2007-01-01

This paper focuses on issues of interaction with a particular type of mobile information system – virtual pets. It examines the impact of owner age on companionship with virtual pets, and tests the hypothesis that younger virtual pet owners will experience closer companionship with their virtual pet than older owners. This is in response to the marketing stance adopted by virtual pet manufacturers who clearly target younger people as the main consumers of their products. The hypothesis was te...

The origin and reduction of spurious extrahepatic counts observed in 90Y non-TOF PET imaging post radioembolization

Science.gov (United States)

Walrand, Stephan; Hesse, Michel; Jamar, François; Lhommel, Renaud

2018-04-01

Our literature survey revealed a physical effect unknown to the nuclear medicine community, i.e. internal bremsstrahlung emission, and also the existence of long energy resolution tails in crystal scintillation. None of these effects has ever been modelled in PET Monte Carlo (MC) simulations. This study investigates whether these two effects could be at the origin of two unexplained observations in 90Y imaging by PET: the increasing tails in the radial profile of true coincidences, and the presence of spurious extrahepatic counts post radioembolization in non-TOF PET and their absence in TOF PET. These spurious extrahepatic counts hamper the microsphere delivery check in liver radioembolization. An acquisition of a 32P vial was performed on a GSO PET system. This is the ideal setup to study the impact of bremsstrahlung x-rays on the true coincidence rate when no positron emission and no crystal radioactivity are present. A MC simulation of the acquisition was performed using Gate-Geant4. MC simulations of non-TOF PET and TOF-PET imaging of a synthetic 90Y human liver radioembolization phantom were also performed. Internal bremsstrahlung and long energy resolution tails inclusion in MC simulations quantitatively predict the increasing tails in the radial profile. In addition, internal bremsstrahlung explains the discrepancy previously observed in bremsstrahlung SPECT between the measure of the 90Y bremsstrahlung spectrum and its simulation with Gate-Geant4. However the spurious extrahepatic counts in non-TOF PET mainly result from the failure of conventional random correction methods in such low count rate studies and poor robustness versus emission-transmission inconsistency. A novel proposed random correction method succeeds in cleaning the spurious extrahepatic counts in non-TOF PET. Two physical effects not considered up to now in nuclear medicine were identified to be at the origin of the unusual 90Y true coincidences radial profile. TOF reconstruction removing

Hybrid radio-frequency/direct-current plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition system for deposition on inner surfaces of polyethylene terephthalate bottles

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Jing; Tian, Xiubo; Gong, Chunzhi; Yang, Shiqin; Fu, Ricky K. Y.; Chu, Paul K.

2009-12-01

A hybrid radio-frequency (rf)/direct-current (dc) system has been developed to control the biasing effects during deposition of diamondlike carbon (DLC) films onto the inner wall of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles. An additional dc bias is coupled to the rf electrode to produce the effect of equivalent rf self-biasing. This allows more flexible control of the deposition of the DLC films which are intended to improve the gas barrier characteristics. The experimental results demonstrate that the additional dc bias improves the adhesion strength between the DLC film and PET, although the enhancement in the gas barrier properties is not significantly larger compared to the one without dc bias. The apparatus and methodology have practical importance in the food and beverage industry.

Hybrid radio-frequency/direct-current plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition system for deposition on inner surfaces of polyethylene terephthalate bottles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Jing; Gong Chunzhi; Yang Shiqin; Tian Xiubo; Fu, Ricky K. Y.; Chu, Paul K.

2009-01-01

A hybrid radio-frequency (rf)/direct-current (dc) system has been developed to control the biasing effects during deposition of diamondlike carbon (DLC) films onto the inner wall of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles. An additional dc bias is coupled to the rf electrode to produce the effect of equivalent rf self-biasing. This allows more flexible control of the deposition of the DLC films which are intended to improve the gas barrier characteristics. The experimental results demonstrate that the additional dc bias improves the adhesion strength between the DLC film and PET, although the enhancement in the gas barrier properties is not significantly larger compared to the one without dc bias. The apparatus and methodology have practical importance in the food and beverage industry.

Hybrid radio-frequency/direct-current plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition system for deposition on inner surfaces of polyethylene terephthalate bottles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li Jing; Gong Chunzhi; Yang Shiqin [Institute of Plasma Surface Engineering and Equipment, State Key Laboratory of Advanced Welding Production and Technology, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001 (China); Tian Xiubo [Institute of Plasma Surface Engineering and Equipment, State Key Laboratory of Advanced Welding Production and Technology, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001 (China); Department of Physics and Materials Science, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon (Hong Kong); Fu, Ricky K. Y.; Chu, Paul K. [Department of Physics and Materials Science, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon (Hong Kong)

2009-12-15

A hybrid radio-frequency (rf)/direct-current (dc) system has been developed to control the biasing effects during deposition of diamondlike carbon (DLC) films onto the inner wall of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles. An additional dc bias is coupled to the rf electrode to produce the effect of equivalent rf self-biasing. This allows more flexible control of the deposition of the DLC films which are intended to improve the gas barrier characteristics. The experimental results demonstrate that the additional dc bias improves the adhesion strength between the DLC film and PET, although the enhancement in the gas barrier properties is not significantly larger compared to the one without dc bias. The apparatus and methodology have practical importance in the food and beverage industry.

Plastic fish

CERN Multimedia

Antonella Del Rosso

2015-01-01

In terms of weight, the plastic pollution in the world’s oceans is estimated to be around 300,000 tonnes. This plastic comes from both land-based and ocean-based sources. A lecture at CERN by chemist Wolfgang Trettnak addressed this issue and highlighted the role of art in raising people’s awareness.   Artwork by Wolfgang Trettnak. Packaging materials, consumer goods (shoes, kids’ toys, etc.), leftovers from fishing and aquaculture activities… our oceans and beaches are full of plastic litter. Most of the debris from beaches is plastic bottles. “PET bottles have high durability and stability,” explains Wolfgang Trettnak, a chemist by education and artist from Austria, who gave a lecture on this topic organised by the Staff Association at CERN on 26 May. “PET degrades very slowly and the estimated lifetime of a bottle is 450 years.” In addition to the beach litter accumulated from human use, rivers bring several ki...

Oscillations in a half-empty bottle

Science.gov (United States)

Bourges, Andréane; Chardac, Amélie; Caussarieu, Aude; Plihon, Nicolas; Taberlet, Nicolas

2018-02-01

When a half-empty bottle of water is pushed to roll on a flat surface, the oscillations of the fluid inside the bottle induce an overall jerky motion. These velocity fluctuations of the bottle are studied through simple laboratory experiments accessible to undergraduate students and can help them to grasp fundamental concepts in mechanics and hydrodynamics. We first demonstrate through an astute experiment that the rotation of the fluid and the bottle is decoupled. The equations of motion are then derived using a mechanical approach, while the hydrodynamics of the fluid motion is explained. Finally, the theory is tested against two benchmark experiments.

Consumer Exposure to Bisphenol A from Plastic Bottles

Science.gov (United States)

Bidabadi, Fatemeh

2013-01-01

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a plastic monomer and plasticizer and is a chemical that has one of the highest volume production worldwide, with more than six billion pounds each year. Its primary use is the production of polycarbonate plastics, epoxy resins used to line metal cans in a host of plastic consumer products such as toys, water pipes, drinking…

Utilization of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) in bituminous mixture for improved performance of roads

Science.gov (United States)

Ahmad, A. F.; Razali, A. R.; Razelan, I. S. M.; Jalil, S. S. A.; Noh, M. S. M.; Idris, A. A.

2017-05-01

Plastic bottle for recycling can be found from the household waste stream, and most of them are made from Polyethylene Terephthalate. In this research, PET is utilized to explore the potential prospects to upgrade asphalt mixture properties. The objectives include deciding the best measure of PET to be used. For experimental, Marshall mix design was utilized to determine the ideal bitumen binder content and to test the modified mixture properties. The samples were created per the requirement for aggregate course wearing (ACW14) using the Standard Specification of Road Work (SSRW) in Malaysia. 20 samples were utilized to determine the binder content, and 30 samples were used to research the impact of modifying asphalt mixtures. 2%, 5%, 10%, 15% and 20% of PET by weight of the optimum binder content (4.8%) were tested. Optimum PET content is 10%, and the result shows a good stability with 16.824kN, 2.32g/cm3 bulk density, void filled with bitumen (VFB) with 71.35%, flow with 3.2248mm, air void (AV) with 4.53%, and void of mineral aggregate (VMA) with 15.15%. The outcomes showed that PET modifier gives better engineering properties. Therefore, 10% of PET by the weight of binder content was suggested as the best amount of the modifier.

Screening of hormone-like activities in bottled waters available in Southern Spain using receptor-specific bioassays.

Science.gov (United States)

Real, Macarena; Molina-Molina, José-Manuel; Jiménez-Díaz, Inmaculada; Arrebola, Juan Pedro; Sáenz, José-María; Fernández, Mariana F; Olea, Nicolás

2015-01-01

Bottled water consumption is a putative source of human exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs). Research has been conducted on the presence of chemicals with estrogen-like activity in bottled waters and on their estrogenicity, but few data are available on the presence of hormonal activities associated with other nuclear receptors (NRs). The aim of this study was to determine the presence of endocrine activities dependent on the activation of human estrogen receptor alpha (hERa) and/or androgen receptor (hAR) in water in glass or plastic bottles sold to consumers in Southern Spain. Hormone-like activities were evaluated in 29 bottled waters using receptor-specific bioassays based on reporter gene expression in PALM cells [(anti-)androgenicity] and cell proliferation assessment in MCF-7 cells [(anti-)estrogenicity] after optimized solid phase extraction (SPE). All of the water samples analyzed showed hormonal activity. This was estrogenic in 79.3% and anti-estrogenic in 37.9% of samples and was androgenic in 27.5% and anti-androgenic in 41.3%, with mean concentrations per liter of 0.113pM 17β-estradiol (E2) equivalent units (E2Eq), 11.01pM anti-estrogen (ICI 182780) equivalent units (ICI 182780Eq), 0.33pM methyltrienolone (R1881) equivalent units (R1881Eq), and 0.18nM procymidone equivalent units (ProcEq). Bottled water consumption contributes to EDC exposure. Hormone-like activities observed in waters from both plastic and glass bottles suggest that plastic packaging is not the sole source of contamination and that the source of the water and bottling process may play a role, among other factors. Further research is warranted on the cumulative effects of long-term exposure to low doses of EDCs. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Brucella detection in blood: comparison of the BacT/Alert standard aerobic bottle, BacT/Alert FAN aerobic bottle and BacT/Alert enhanced FAN aerobic bottle in simulated blood culture.

Science.gov (United States)

Sümerkan, B; Gökahmetoglu, S; Esel, D

2001-07-01

The objective of this study was to compare the performances of the standard aerobic bottle (StAe), FAN aerobic (FANAe) and enhanced FAN aerobic (E-FANAe) (the charcoal component of the FANAe was revised recently to improve the feasibility of Gram smear interpretation) blood culture bottles for BacT/Alert system for the detection of Brucella melitensis in simulated blood culture. Triplicate strains of eight clinical isolates of B. melitensis were studied. Each bottle was inoculated with 5 mL of freshly collected human blood at three different targeted bacterial inocula (10(1), 10(2) and 10(3) CFU/bottle). All bottles were monitored for up to 21 days or until they became positive. The results of time to detection (TTD) on the eight B. melitensis samples were as follows: at 10(1) CFU/bottle, the E-FANAe had a mean TTD significantly shorter than the StAe (48 h vs. 56.2 h, P StAe (41.2 h and 40 h vs. 45.6 h, P StAe, FANAe and E-FANAe were 96, 83 and 58%, respectively. At 10(3) CFU/bottle, the reproducibilities of StAe, FANAe and E-FANAe were 95, 95 and 91%, respectively. Positive results for the presence of bacteria in Gram smears were confirmed in 68% of StAe, 54% of FANAe and 90% of E-FANAe. In case of suspected brucellosis, the combination of one StAe bottle and one E-FANAe bottle seems to provide the highest and fastest recovery of the organism.

PET and Recycling

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Funda Sevencan

2007-08-01

Full Text Available This review aims to clarify the need of decreasing the environmental effects caused by human and draw attention to the increasing environmental effects of plastics wastes. Plastics consist of organic molecules with high density molecules or polymers. Main resources of plastics are the residue of oil rafineries. Several advantages of plastics, have increased the usage continuously. Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET is the most commonly used plastics. PET is used to protect food, drinking water, fruit juice, alcoholic beverage, and food packing films. By the increasing interest on the environmental effects of plastic wastes, concerns on the recyclable packing materials also grew up. Also the daily use of recyclable containers consisting PET have increased. There are five steps for recycling of plastics. These steps are; using large amounts of plastics, collecting them in a big center, classifying and sorting the plastics, reproducing the polymers and obtaining new products with melted plastics. Providing a healthy recycling of plastics, the consumers should have knowledge and responsibility. The consumer should know what he/she has to do before putting the plastics in the recycling containers. Recycling containers and bags should be placed near the sources of plastic wastes. Consequently, the plastic wastes and environmental problems they cause will be on the agenda in future. [TAF Prev Med Bull. 2007; 6(4: 307-312

PET and Recycling

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Funda Sevencan

2007-08-01

Full Text Available This review aims to clarify the need of decreasing the environmental effects caused by human and draw attention to the increasing environmental effects of plastics wastes. Plastics consist of organic molecules with high density molecules or polymers. Main resources of plastics are the residue of oil rafineries. Several advantages of plastics, have increased the usage continuously. Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET is the most commonly used plastics. PET is used to protect food, drinking water, fruit juice, alcoholic beverage, and food packing films. By the increasing interest on the environmental effects of plastic wastes, concerns on the recyclable packing materials also grew up. Also the daily use of recyclable containers consisting PET have increased. There are five steps for recycling of plastics. These steps are; using large amounts of plastics, collecting them in a big center, classifying and sorting the plastics, reproducing the polymers and obtaining new products with melted plastics. Providing a healthy recycling of plastics, the consumers should have knowledge and responsibility. The consumer should know what he/she has to do before putting the plastics in the recycling containers. Recycling containers and bags should be placed near the sources of plastic wastes. Consequently, the plastic wastes and environmental problems they cause will be on the agenda in future. [TAF Prev Med Bull 2007; 6(4.000: 307-312

Shipping container for a bottle of radioactive material

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Soldan, D.W.

1975-01-01

A shipping container for a bottle of radioactive material comprises a can having a cavity therein for receiving the bottle, a screw cap for the can and the cavity, and an annular bottle retainer extending downwardly in the cavity from its upper end having an outwardly extending flange at its upper end clamped between the cap and the upper end of the cavity and an inwardly extending flange at its lower end receiving the neck of the bottle. The cap carries a sponge to absorb spillage from the bottle. (U.S.)

Green fiber bottle: Towards a sustainable package

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Didone, Mattia; Tosello, Guido; Howard, Thomas J.

The Green Fiber Bottle is a fully biodegradable bottle made from molded paper pulp.Its development depends on the establishment of the manufacturing technology. Impulse drying, an innovative way of drying, has the potential to improve significantly the manufacturing process of the Green Fiber Bot...... Bottle, towards a sustainable packaging...

EVALUACIÓN DE UNA PRÁCTICA DE AGRICULTURA URBANA CON BOTELLAS PET EN EL MUNICIPIO DE POPAYÁN

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

ANTONIO JOSE CHAGUENDO DORADO

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The investigation had as objective to assess three forms of planting in PET bottles as the practice of urban agriculture in the commune two of the municipality of Popayán. The experimental design was completely randomized in factorial of 2x3, Where it is sought to find the interaction between the 2 factors that were the species or crops sown (1: Cilantro - Coriandrum sativum var. Patimorado; 2: Lettuce - Lactuca sativa var. Simpson and the degrees of inclination of the bottle (1 bottle: horizontal, 2 bottle: vertical, 3: bottle inclined 45°; planted two witnesses in pots to have the comparison of reference. Using the program SPSS 22, variables were analyzed agronomic characteristics such as height, coverage, force and biomass in the species planted. We applied three statistical tests; the first was to determine the homogeneity of the data by Kolmogorov - Smirnov; the second was Kruskal Wallis (p ≤ 0,05 to find differences between crops and finally the analysis of Mann Whitney of two independent samples (p ≤ 0,05. The results showed significant statistical differences (p ≤ 0,05 among the factors, evidencing best production in the bottle upright, which recorded higher values for force and fresh weight in the two species, due to the relationship between the size of the bowl and the root development - aerial biomass.

Cerebral postischemic hyperperfusion in PET and SPECT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cho, Inn Ho

2001-01-01

Cerebral post-ischemic hyperperfusion has been observed at the acute and subacute periods of ischemic stroke. In the animal stroke model, early post-ischemic hyperperfusion is the mark of recanalization of the occluded artery with reperfusion. In the PET studies to both humans and experimental animals, early post-ischemic hyperperfusion is not a key factor in the development of tissue infarction and indicates the spontaneous reperfusion of the ischemic brain tissue without late infarction or with small infarction. But late post-ischemic hyperperfusion shows the worse prognosis with reperfusion injury associated with brain tissue necrosis. Early post-ischemic hyperperfusion defined by PET and SPECT may be useful in predicting the prognosis of ischemic stroke and the effect of thrombolytic therapy

Green synthesis of chromium-based metal-organic framework (Cr-MOF) from waste polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles for hydrogen storage applications

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Ren, Jianwei

2016-10-01

Full Text Available It is of great economic value to produce high-value PET-based MOF materials by the veritable elimination of waste PET, and provide sufficient MOF materials for hydrogen storage applications. Consequently, this work demonstrates the use of waste PET...

The Utilisation of Shredded PET as Aggregate Replacement for Interlocking Concrete Block

Science.gov (United States)

Mokhtar, M.; Kaamin, M.; Sahat, S.; Hamid, N. B.

2018-03-01

The consumption of plastic has grown substantially all over the world in recent years and this has created huge quantities of plastic-based waste. Plastic waste is now a serious environmental threat to the modern way of living, although steps were taken to reduce its consumption. This creates substantial garbage every day, which is much unhealthy. Plastic bottles such as Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) was use as the partially component in this making of interlocking blocks concrete. This project investigates the strength and workability of the interlocking block concrete by replacing course aggregate with % PET. The suitability of recycled plastics (PET) as course aggregate in interlocking block concrete and its advantages are discussed here. Moreover, there were more benefits when using interlocking block than using conventional block such as it easy for construction because they are aligning, easy to place, high speed stacking and they offer more resistance to shear and buildings would be even stronger. Based on the test perform, the failure parameter were discussed .From the compressive strength test result, it shows that the strength of concrete block decreased with increased of PET used. From the results, it shows that higher compressive strength was found with 5% natural course aggregate replaced with PET compared to other percentages.

Bottle appeal drifts across the Pacific

Science.gov (United States)

Ebbesmeyer, Curtis; Ingraham, W. James, Jr.; McKinnon, Richard; Okubo, Akira; Wang, Dong-Ping; Strickland, Richard; Willing, Peter

Pacific drift currents were used by a group of oceanographers to estimate the path of a drift bottle that was found on a beach of Barkley Sound in Vancouver Island by Richard Strickland on June 10, 1990. The Chinese rice wine bottle, which remained unopened until December 18, 1991, contained six leaflets, one appealing for the release of China's well-known dissident, Wei Jingsheng. The bottle was one of thousands set adrift as part of a propaganda effort from the islands of Quemoy and Matsu off mainland China shortly after Wei was sentenced in 1979 to 15 years in prison (see Figure 1 for locations). Wei was in poor health and still in prison when the bottle made its way across the Pacific Ocean.

Mechanical behavior of sustainable building materials using PET waste and industrial by-products

OpenAIRE

Juárez, C. A; Mendoza-Rangel, J. M; González, J. R; Rodríguez, J. A; Valdez, P

2015-01-01

The building industry is facing the challenge of satisfying a growing demand for housing spaces that can be mitigated by the use of construction materials manufactured with industrial by-products that allow the production of low-cost housing with a low environmental impact. In this research, an alternative building system to manufacture lightweight masonry blocks with polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles and fiber-reinforced panels using binary mixture (Portland cement and fly ash), was s...

SU-E-J-254: Evaluating the Role of Mid-Treatment and Post-Treatment FDG-PET/CT in Predicting Progression-Free Survival and Distant Metastasis of Anal Cancer Patients Treated with Chemoradiotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, H; Wang, J; Chuong, M; D’Souza, W; Choi, W; Lu, W; Latifi, K; Hoffe, S; Moros, E; Saeed, Nadia; Tan, S; Shridhar, R

2015-01-01

Purpose: To evaluate the role of mid-treatment and post-treatment FDG-PET/CT in predicting progression-free survival (PFS) and distant metastasis (DM) of anal cancer patients treated with chemoradiotherapy (CRT). Methods: 17 anal cancer patients treated with CRT were retrospectively studied. The median prescription dose was 56 Gy (range, 50–62.5 Gy). All patients underwent FDG-PET/CT scans before and after CRT. 16 of the 17 patients had an additional FDG-PET/CT image at 3–5 weeks into the treatment (denoted as mid-treatment FDG-PET/CT). 750 features were extracted from these three sets of scans, which included both traditional PET/CT measures (SUVmax, SUVpeak, tumor diameters, etc.) and spatialtemporal PET/CT features (comprehensively quantify a tumor’s FDG uptake intensity and distribution, spatial variation (texture), geometric property and their temporal changes relative to baseline). 26 clinical parameters (age, gender, TNM stage, histology, GTV dose, etc.) were also analyzed. Advanced analytics including methods to select an optimal set of predictors and a model selection engine, which identifies the most accurate machine learning algorithm for predictive analysis was developed. Results: Comparing baseline + mid-treatment PET/CT set to baseline + posttreatment PET/CT set, 14 predictors were selected from each feature group. Same three clinical parameters (tumor size, T stage and whether 5-FU was held during any cycle of chemotherapy) and two traditional measures (pre- CRT SUVmin and SUVmedian) were selected by both predictor groups. Different mix of spatial-temporal PET/CT features was selected. Using the 14 predictors and Naive Bayes, mid-treatment PET/CT set achieved 87.5% accuracy (2 PFS patients misclassified, all local recurrence and DM patients correctly classified). Post-treatment PET/CT set achieved 94.0% accuracy (all PFS and DM patients correctly predicted, 1 local recurrence patient misclassified) with logistic regression, neural network or

SU-E-J-254: Evaluating the Role of Mid-Treatment and Post-Treatment FDG-PET/CT in Predicting Progression-Free Survival and Distant Metastasis of Anal Cancer Patients Treated with Chemoradiotherapy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, H; Wang, J; Chuong, M; D’Souza, W; Choi, W; Lu, W [University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD (United States); Latifi, K; Hoffe, S; Moros, E [Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, FL (United States); Saeed, Nadia [Brwon University, Providence, RI (United States); Tan, S [Huazhong University of Science & Technology, Wuhan (China); Shridhar, R [Florida Hospital, Orlando, FL (United States)

2015-06-15

Purpose: To evaluate the role of mid-treatment and post-treatment FDG-PET/CT in predicting progression-free survival (PFS) and distant metastasis (DM) of anal cancer patients treated with chemoradiotherapy (CRT). Methods: 17 anal cancer patients treated with CRT were retrospectively studied. The median prescription dose was 56 Gy (range, 50–62.5 Gy). All patients underwent FDG-PET/CT scans before and after CRT. 16 of the 17 patients had an additional FDG-PET/CT image at 3–5 weeks into the treatment (denoted as mid-treatment FDG-PET/CT). 750 features were extracted from these three sets of scans, which included both traditional PET/CT measures (SUVmax, SUVpeak, tumor diameters, etc.) and spatialtemporal PET/CT features (comprehensively quantify a tumor’s FDG uptake intensity and distribution, spatial variation (texture), geometric property and their temporal changes relative to baseline). 26 clinical parameters (age, gender, TNM stage, histology, GTV dose, etc.) were also analyzed. Advanced analytics including methods to select an optimal set of predictors and a model selection engine, which identifies the most accurate machine learning algorithm for predictive analysis was developed. Results: Comparing baseline + mid-treatment PET/CT set to baseline + posttreatment PET/CT set, 14 predictors were selected from each feature group. Same three clinical parameters (tumor size, T stage and whether 5-FU was held during any cycle of chemotherapy) and two traditional measures (pre- CRT SUVmin and SUVmedian) were selected by both predictor groups. Different mix of spatial-temporal PET/CT features was selected. Using the 14 predictors and Naive Bayes, mid-treatment PET/CT set achieved 87.5% accuracy (2 PFS patients misclassified, all local recurrence and DM patients correctly classified). Post-treatment PET/CT set achieved 94.0% accuracy (all PFS and DM patients correctly predicted, 1 local recurrence patient misclassified) with logistic regression, neural network or

An Experimental Approach to Study Individual Differences in Infants' Intake and Satiation Behaviors during Bottle-Feeding.

Science.gov (United States)

Ventura, Alison K; Mennella, Julie A

2017-02-01

As a group, bottle-fed infants are at higher risk for rapid weight gain compared with breast-fed infants. However, little is known about individual differences in feeding behaviors of bottle-feeding infants, as well as maternal and infant characteristics associated with bottle-feeding outcomes. We conducted a 2-day, within-subject study of 21 formula-feeding dyads; the within-subject factor was feeding condition: mother-led (ML; mothers were given the instruction to feed their infants as they typically would) vs. infant-led (IL; the experimenter ensured feeding began when infants signaled hunger and ended when they rejected the bottle on three consecutive occasions). Intake was determined by bottle weight; feedings were video-recorded and later analyzed to determine feeding duration and types of satiation behaviors displayed. Percent difference scores were calculated for each outcome as [((ML - IL)/IL) × 100] to standardize differences among dyads. Mothers completed questionnaires of feeding styles and infant temperament. On average, infants consumed ∼42% more formula during the ML- than IL-condition (p = 0.03). However, notable variation existed in difference scores for intake (range = -52.8% to 268.9%; higher scores reflect greater intake during ML than IL). Stepwise regression illustrated that greater intakes during the ML-condition were predicted by the combination of: (1) higher infant age; (2) lower levels of infant rhythmicity and adaptability; (3) higher levels of infant positive mood; and (4) lower levels of maternal restrictive and responsive feeding styles. This objective, experimental approach illustrated that variation in bottle-feeding outcomes is associated with characteristics of both members of the dyad.

Community challenges when using large plastic bottles for Solar Energy Disinfection of Water (SODIS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Preeti Borde

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Communities living in developing countries as well as populations affected by natural or man-made disasters can be left at great risk from water related diseases, especially those spread through the faecal-oral route. Conventional water treatments such as boiling and chlorination can be effective but may prove costly for impoverished communities. Solar water disinfection (SODIS has been shown to be a cheap and effective way for communities to treat their water. The exposure to sunlight is typically carried out in small volume plastic beverage bottles (up to 2 l. Given the water requirements of consumption and basic personal hygiene, this may not always meet the needs of communities. Recent work has shown 19-L plastic water dispenser containers to be effective SODIS reactors, comparable in efficacy to PET bottles. In this paper we outline the need for studying SODIS in large volumes and discuss 4 main associated challenges. Discussion Apart from clean water needed for consumption, access to adequate water is essential for sanitation and hygiene. Contamination of treated water through unwashed hands or vessels contributes heavily to the spread of water borne pathogens in communities. Traditional water treatments such as boiling and chlorination can be effective but may prove financially burdensome for low income communities. SODIS in large vessels could be used as a simple method to meet water requirements in low income and disaster affected populations. However, there have been some concerns associated with the conventional SODIS method; we identify the main ones to be: (1 cold or cloudy weather; (2 the fear of leaching in plastic bottles; (3 water turbidity, and; (4 community acceptance. Summary The application of SODIS in large bottles like WDCs has the potential to be an efficient and cost effective method of disinfecting water, either for consumption until more rigorous water treatments can be put in place, or for

Slow crack growth in post-consumer recycled high-density polyethylene

OpenAIRE

Sciammarella, Cesar A.; Yang, Y.

2015-01-01

An experimental study of slow crack growth behavior of post-consumer recycled high-density polyethylene blended with virgin high-density polyethylene copolymer has been done. The study has been performed under constant load and in baths of distilled water at 40, 60, 80°C. The specimen used is notched with side grooves. The test results of crack growth have been analyzed using linear fracture mechanics and the rate process theory. The results show that the resistance to crack growth increases ...

Exploration of consumer perception of Sauvignon Blanc wines with enhanced aroma properties using two different descriptive methods.

Science.gov (United States)

Lezaeta, Alvaro; Bordeu, Edmundo; Næs, Tormod; Varela, Paula

2017-09-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate consumers' perception of a complex set of stimuli as aromatically enriched wines. For that, two consumer based profiling methods were compared, concurrently run with overall liking measurements: projective mapping based on choice or preference (PM-C), a newly proposed method, and check-all-that-apply (CATA) questions with an ideal sample, a more established, consumer-based method for product optimization. Reserve bottling and regular bottling of Sauvignon Blanc wines from three wineries were aromatically enriched with natural aromas collected by condensation during wine fermentation. A total of 144 consumers were enrolled in the study. The results revealed that both consumer-based highlighted the positive effect of aromatic enrichment on consumer perception and acceptance. However, PM-C generated a very detailed description, in which consumers focused less on the sensory aspects and more on the usage, attitudes, and reasons behind their choices. Providing a deeper understanding of the drivers of liking/disliking of enriched Sauvignon Blanc wines. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

FDG PET in monitoring response to neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy in patients with locally advanced non-small lung carcinoma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Berlangieri, S. U.; Lee, S. T.; Chan, A. M.; Mitchell, P. L.; Knight, S. R.; Feigen, M. M.; Scott, A. M.

2009-01-01

Full text:Aim: The aim of our study was to correlate 18F-FDG PET response to neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy with histopathology in patients with locally advanced non-small cell lung carcinoma. Methods: All patients with stage III NSCLC planned for surgery following induction chemotherpay and/or radiotherapy who underwent pre- and post-treatment FDG-PET between 2004 and 2007 were retrospectively reviewed. The PET scans were performed according to standard protocol. The clinical FDG-PET TNM stage was correlated with the histopathology of the surgical specimens. Results: There were 9 patients (6 M :3 F ), median age 59.7 years (range 49 to 73 years). Post-treatment FDG-PET correctly predicted mediastinal pathological N stage in 8/9 patients, with one patient having microsopic disease in two nodes. The post-treatment FDG-PET correctly predicted pathological T stage in 7/9 patients, with 2 patients having small volume T4 disease not detected by PET. Post-treatment FDG-PET correctly downstaged 4 patients. Of the 5 patients, incorrectly staged on the post-treatment FDG-PET, one patient had microscopic pN 2 disease, 2 had pN 1 disease, and 2 had pT 4 disease. Conclusion: Post-treatment FDG-PET is predictive of pathological nodal stage within the mediastinum in patients with locally advanced NSCLC treated with neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy. FDG-PET does not detect microscopic or small volume disease, nor is it able to define the boundaries of mediastinal tissue invasion.

Analyse Nederlands statiegeldsysteem voor PET flessen : studie naar kosten, materiaalgebruik en energiegebruik van het Nederlandse statiegeldsysteem voor frisdrank- en waterflessen

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Thoden van Velzen, E.U.; Bos-Brouwers, H.E.J.

2012-01-01

The Dutch deposit-refund system for large (>0.5 l) PET bottles has been analysed in terms of costs, material use and energy use. A process chain analysis has been conducted to quantify the costs, material usage and energy use of all process steps from the beverage industry to the RPET processor

Transformación de pet mediante hidrolisis acida y Bacillus subtilis para obtener materiales con capacidad de absorcion de metales pesados como cobre y mercurio.

OpenAIRE

Jaramillo Sánchez, María Teresa; Vera Barros, Susana Elizabeth

2012-01-01

Heavy metals present in industrial effluents represent a major environmental problem due to mismanagement in the unloading process toward producing watershed pollution at different scales. To develop methods for the removal of copper and mercury, using waste materials that are produced in large quantities in our country such as from PET plastic bottles for water and soft drinks. In this research we studied the sorption capacity of copper and mercury using PET modified by acid hydrolysis an...

Predictive model for the Dutch post-consumer plastic packaging recycling system and implications for the circular economy.

Science.gov (United States)

Brouwer, Marieke T; Thoden van Velzen, Eggo U; Augustinus, Antje; Soethoudt, Han; De Meester, Steven; Ragaert, Kim

2018-01-01

The Dutch post-consumer plastic packaging recycling network has been described in detail (both on the level of packaging types and of materials) from the household potential to the polymeric composition of the recycled milled goods. The compositional analyses of 173 different samples of post-consumer plastic packaging from different locations in the network were combined to indicatively describe the complete network with material flow analysis, data reconciliation techniques and process technological parameters. The derived potential of post-consumer plastic packages in the Netherlands in 2014 amounted to 341 Gg net (or 20.2 kg net.cap -1 .a -1 ). The complete recycling network produced 75.2 Gg milled goods, 28.1 Gg side products and 16.7 Gg process waste. Hence the net recycling chain yield for post-consumer plastic packages equalled 30%. The end-of-life fates for 35 different plastic packaging types were resolved. Additionally, the polymeric compositions of the milled goods and the recovered masses were derived with this model. These compositions were compared with experimentally determined polymeric compositions of recycled milled goods, which confirmed that the model predicts these compositions reasonably well. Also the modelled recovered masses corresponded reasonably well with those measured experimentally. The model clarified the origin of polymeric contaminants in recycled plastics, either sorting faults or packaging components, which gives directions for future improvement measures. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

27 CFR 24.308 - Bottled or packed wine record.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 27 Alcohol, Tobacco Products and Firearms 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Bottled or packed wine... BUREAU, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY LIQUORS WINE Records and Reports § 24.308 Bottled or packed wine record. A proprietor who bottles, packs, or receives bottled or packed beverage wine in bond shall...

Intended Versus Inferred Treatment After 18F-Fluoride PET Performed for Evaluation of Osseous Metastatic Disease in the National Oncologic PET Registry.

Science.gov (United States)

Hillner, Bruce E; Hanna, Lucy; Makineni, Rajesh; Duan, Fenghai; Shields, Anthony F; Subramaniam, Rathan M; Gareen, Ilana; Siegel, Barry A

2018-03-01

We have previously reported that PET with 18 F-fluoride (NaF PET) for assessment of osseous metastatic disease led to changes in intended management in a substantial fraction of patients with prostate or other types of cancer participating in the National Oncologic PET Registry. This study was performed to assess the concordance of intended patient management after NaF PET and inferred management based on analysis of Medicare claims. Methods: We analyzed linked post-NaF PET data of consenting National Oncologic PET Registry participants age 65 y or older from 2011 to 2014 and their corresponding Medicare claims. Post-NaF PET treatment plans, including combinations of 2 modes of therapy, were assessed for their concordance with clinical actions inferred from Medicare claims. NaF PET studies were stratified by indication (initial staging [IS] or suspected first osseous metastasis [FOM]) and cancer type (prostate, lung, or other cancers). Agreement was assessed between post-NaF PET intended management plans for treatment (surgery, radiotherapy, or systemic therapy) within 90 d for lung and 180 d for prostate or other cancers, and for watching (the absence of treatment claims for ≥60 d) as compared with claims-inferred care. Results: Actions after 9,898 scans were assessed. After NaF PET for IS, there was claims agreement for planned surgery in 76.0% (19/25) lung, 75.4% (98/130) other cancers, and 58.9% (298/506) prostate cancer. Claims confirmed chemotherapy plans after NaF PET done for IS or FOM in 81.0% and 73.5% for lung cancer ( n = 148 and 136) and 69.4% and 67.5% for other cancers ( n = 111 and 228). For radiotherapy plans, agreement ranged from 80.0% to 84.4% after IS and 68.4% to 74.0% for suspected FOM. Concordance was greatest for androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) (86.0%, n = 308) alone or combined with radiotherapy in prostate cancer IS (80.8%, n = 517). In prostate FOM, the concordance across all treatment plans was lower if the patients had ADT claims

Evaluation of compressive strength and water absorption of soil-cement bricks manufactured with addition of pet (polyethylene terephthalate wastes

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João Alexandre Paschoalin Filho

2016-04-01

Full Text Available This paper presents the evaluation of compressive strength of soil-cement bricks obtained by the inclusion in their mixture of PET flakes through mineral water bottles grinding. The Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET has been characterized by its difficulty of disaggregation in nature, requiring a long period for this. On the other hand, with the increase in civil construction activities the demand for raw material also increases, causing considerable environmental impacts. In this context, the objective of this research is to propose a simple methodology, preventing its dumping and accumulation in irregular areas, and reducing the demand of raw materials by the civil construction industry. The results showed that compressive strengths obtained were lower than recommended by NBR 8491 (Associação Brasileira de Normas Técnicas [ABNT], 2012b at seven days of curing time. However, they may be used as an alternative solution in masonry works in order to not submit themselves to great loads or structural functions. The studied bricks also presented water absorption near to recommended values by NBR 8491 (ABNT, 2012b. Manufacturing costs were also determined for this brick, comparing it with the costs of other brick types. Each brick withdrew from circulation approximately 300 g of PET waste. Thus, for an area of 1 m2 the studied bricks can promote the withdrawal of approximately 180 beverage bottles of 2 L capacity.

Preliminary estimation of infantile exposure to BPA based on the standard quality of baby bottles distributed in Isfahan urban society

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Zohreh Abdi Moghadam

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Aims: This study was aimed to estimate the bisphenol A (BPA intake from baby bottles, considering the diversity and the standard quality of the baby bottles distributed in an Isfahan urban society. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed in Isfahan in 2011. Baby shops ( n = 33 and drug stores ( n = 7 in four district areas were included in the study. The distribution of baby bottles was investigated regarding their brand, origin, and being labeled "BPA free." Estimation of exposure to BPA from baby bottles was made based on the national and international representative data. Results: The products marked as "BPA free" were found among the western products and limited to two of the selected areas. No "BPA free" marked baby bottle was distinguished among the Iranian made products. Of the 8% exclusively formula-fed infants, 90% may be the high consumers of BPA from polycarbonate baby bottles, with an intake of 1.5-2 μg/kg b.w./day for the moderate and 7.5-10 μg/kg b.w./day in case of worse condition. Conclusion: Considering the current globally accepted threshold daily intake (TDI for BPA, primary exposure estimation is that feeding using non-BPA-free baby bottles is not a serious health concern in Iran. Thought that threshold level of TDI is discussed to be reduced in future, improvement and revision of the national standards can be effective in reducing the exposure to BPA in Iranian infants so as to provide large margin of safety for them.

Recobrimentos de poli (tereftalato de etileno depositados em aço por aspersão térmica a partir de pós obtidos em diferentes condições de moagem Thermally sprayed coated carbon steel produced using PET powder obtained in different grinding conditions

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Luciana Tavares Duarte

2003-07-01

Full Text Available Neste trabalho foram analisados recobrimentos de poli(tereftalato de etileno, PET, depositados em aço carbono através da técnica de aspersão térmica à combustão, e produzidos a partir de pós oriundos de processos de moagem, em moinho de bolas e de facas, de garrafas de PET pós-consumo. Algumas condições de moagem foram testadas, tendo-se obtido pós com diferentes características morfológicas. As características morfológicas dos pós e dos recobrimentos foram avaliadas por microscopia óptica e eletrônica, tendo-se observado que o recobrimento apresentava bolhas, provavelmente devido à degradação do polímero. Além disto, os recobrimentos produzidos, bem como as amostras de pó, foram caracterizados por espectroscopia na região do infravermelho, por calorimetria exploratória diferencial e através da determinação de viscosidade intrínseca em solução. Os resultados obtidos mostraram que é possível a produção de aço carbono recoberto com PET através da técnica de aspersão térmica, sendo que o grau de degradação, a morfologia e a distribuição granulométrica dos pós utilizados influenciaram significativamente as características e propriedades dos recobrimentos formados.The main purpose of this work was to study the production of a thermal spray coated poly(ethyleneterephthalate steel. Poly(ethylene terephthalate coatings were made of a thin grinding waste produced by a PET recycling company, and of a PET powder, which was obtained by grinding post-consumer beverage bottles. Some grinding conditions, using a ceramic ball mill, were studied. Scanning Electronic Microscopy (SEM and optical microscopy (OM were used in the study of powder and coating morphologies, and this analysis showed that PET coating presents bubbles due to polymer degradation. PET powder and coating characteristics were investigated using Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC and measurements of intrinsic viscosity. It was observed that

Solid-state drawing of post-consumer isotactic poly(propylene): effect of melt filtration and carbon black on structural and mechanical properties

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Luijsterburg, B.J.; Jobse, P.S.; Spoelstra, A.B.; Goossens, J.G.P.

2016-01-01

Post-consumer plastic waste obtained via mechanical recycling is usually applied in thick-walled products, because of the low mechanical strength due to the presence of contaminants. In fact, sorted post-consumer isotactic poly(propylene) (i-PP) can be considered as a blend of 95% i-PP and 5%

Pathophysiology and diagnosis of hibernating myocardium in patients with post-ischemic heart failure. The contribution of PET

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Camici, P.G.; Rimoldi, O.E.

2003-01-01

Identification and treatment of hibernating myocardium (HM) lead to improvement in left ventricular (LV) function and prognosis in patients with post-ischemic heart failure. Different techniques are used to diagnose HM: echocardiography, MRI, SPECT and PET and, in patients with moderate LV impairment, their predictive values are similar. There are few data on patients with severe LV dysfunction and heart failure in whom the greatest benefits are apparent after revascularization. Quantification of FDG uptake with PET during hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp is accurate in these patients with the greatest mortality risk in whom other techniques may give high false negative rates. The debate on whether resting myocardial blood flow to HM is reduced or not has stimulated new research on heart failure in patients with coronary artery disease. PET with H 2 15 O or 13 NH 3 has been used for the absolute quantification of regional blood flow in human HM. When HM is properly identified, resting blood flow is not different from that in healthy volunteers although a reduction of ∼20% can be demonstrated in a minority of cases. PET studies have shown that the main feature of HM is a severe impairment of coronary vasodilator reserve that improves after revascularization in parallel with LV function. Thus, the pathophysiology of HM is more complex than initially postulated. The recent evidence that repetitive ischemia in patients can be cumulative and lead to more severe and prolonged stunning, lends further support to the hypothesis that, at least initially, stunning and HM are two facets of the same coin. (author)

27 CFR 19.749 - Bottling and packaging record.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 27 Alcohol, Tobacco Products and Firearms 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Bottling and packaging record. 19.749 Section 19.749 Alcohol, Tobacco Products and Firearms ALCOHOL AND TOBACCO TAX AND TRADE... Account § 19.749 Bottling and packaging record. The bottling and packaging record shall be prepared and...

Optimization of PET system design for lesion detection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qi, Jinyi

2000-01-01

Traditionally, the figures of merit used in designing a PET scanner are spatial resolution, noise equivalent count rate, noise equivalent sensitivity, etc. These measures, however, do not directly reflect the lesion detectability using the PET scanner. Here we propose to optimize PET scanner design directly for lesion detection. The signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of lesion detection can be easily computed using the theoretical expressions that we have previously derived. Because no time consuming Monte Carlo simulation is needed, the theoretical expressions allow evaluation of a large range of parameters. The PET system parameters can then be chosen to achieve the maximum SNR for lesion detection. The simulation study shown in this paper was focused a single ring PET scanner without depth of interaction measurement. Randoms and scatters were also ignored

Physicochemical and bacteriological quality of bottled drinking water in three sites of Amhara Regional State, Ethiopia.

Science.gov (United States)

Biadglegne, Fantahun; Tessema, Belay; Kibret, Mulugeta; Abera, Bayeh; Huruy, Kahsay; Anagaw, Belay; Mulu, Andargachew

2009-10-01

. Percent of coefficient of variation showed that variations in total coliforms counts were significant with in the samples of both factory A and B (CV > 10%). Based on the recommended limit of World Health Organization and Quality and Standards Authority of Ethiopia, 7.4% of bottled drinking water sold commercially could be considered unfit for human consumption. Consumers of bottled water should be aware of this.

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN OF BRAND-FUNCTİON PERCEPTİONS AND POST-BUYİNG BEHAVIOUR OF CONSUMERS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

MEHMET MARANGOZ

2013-06-01

Full Text Available Today, ‘brand’ concept is gaining importance as a significant factor in buying behaviour of consumers. Firms should find ways to provide long-term brand retention on consumers and create brand loyalty by strengthening brand image. Therefore, identification of how brand concept is perceived and what functions it bears for consumers are vital for determining the real status of brand. Functions such as perceived quality and assurance, personal identity, social status increase the importance on the side of consumers. With this study, effects of brand-function perceptions of students on their post-buying behavior have been investigated. According to the obtained results, quality and assurance functions of the customers’ brand function perceptions affect re-buying and changing behaviours.

Post-purchase advertisement readership behaviour and repeat purchase intentions of motor vehicle consumers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Brijball

2000-06-01

Full Text Available The study assesses post-purchase advertisement readership behaviour and repeat purchase intentions of motor vehicle consumers. The aim is to determine the prevalence of selective exposure, and the impact of motor vehicle features and dissonance respectively. The empirical analysis was undertaken on a sample of 200 new motor vehicle buyers The results indicate that the majority of consumers do not engage in post-purchase selective advertisement readership behaviour. Furthermore, whilst motor vehicle features (make, model, dealership, month of purchases/ time lapse after purchases do not influence consumers' repeat purchase intentions, reported dissonance and the magnitude of cognitive dissonance experienced have a significant impact. Opsomming Hierdie studie evalueer die reaksie van verbruikers op advertensies nadat hulle n voertuig aangekoop het. Die doel was om vas te stel in watter n mate verbruikers selektiefis met advertensies en watter effek voertuig-eienskappe en dissonansie op die moontlikheid het om weer dieselfde voertuig te koop. Die empiriese anahse is mtgevoer op n steekproefvan 200 eicnaars van nuwe voertuie. Uit die resultate blyk dit dat die meerderheid van verbruikers me advertensies selektief lees nan aankoop me.Verder blyk dit dat die eienskappe vann motorvoertmg fabnkaat, model handelaar, maand van aankoop/tydsverloop na aankoop nie n verbruiker beinvloed om dieselfde voertuig weer te koop nie. Gerapporteerde dissonansie en die omvang van kognitiewe dissonansie na n aankoop, blyk tog 'n betekenisvolle impak te he.

Atrito e desgaste de recobrimentos de PET, politeraftalato de etileno, pós-consumo processados por aspersão térmica Friction and wear of a thermal sprayed PET - poly(ethylene teraphthalate coating

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rogério A. X. Nunes

2007-09-01

. The values of the abrasive wear coefficient and the friction coefficient of the coatings were compared to the values of the bottle PET reference sample. The wear coefficient values were similar to the values for the PET bottles, in the range of 10-5. The statistical analyses of the results indicate that the interaction effects of the three variables, gas pressure, feeding rate and carrier gas were significant for the wear coefficient but not for the friction coefficient.

Ocular injuries from carbonated soft drink bottle explosions.

Science.gov (United States)

Al Salem, M; Sheriff, S M

1984-04-01

Sixteen cases of ocular injuries serious enough to require admission to Ibn-Sina Hospital, Kuwait, Arabian Gulf, due to explosion of glass bottles of carbonated soft drinks are reported over a period of 14 months from the beginning of July 1981 to the end of August 1982. Prevalence was much greater in the summer months and among children. Explosions of bottles without prior agitation occurred in 11 cases (68.7%). High environmental temperature and defective bottles were the most important predisposing factors. Preventive measures we suggest are better standards for manufacturers, more careful inspection of returnable bottles to detect defective ones, a separate detailed warning label on all bottles, and health education especially of school children about this and other risks of serious injury to the eyes and other parts of the body.

Pharmacokinetics of reduced iso-α-acids in volunteers following clear bottled beer consumption.

Science.gov (United States)

Rodda, Luke N; Gerostamoulos, Dimitri; Drummer, Olaf H

2015-05-01

Reduced iso-α-acids (reduced IAA) consisting of the rho-, tetrahydro- and hexahydro-IAA groups (RIAA, TIAA and HIAA, respectively) are ingredient congeners specific to beer and generally found in clear and also occasionally green bottled beer. Concentrations of reduced IAA were determined in the blood and urine of five volunteers over 6h following the consumption of small volumes of beer containing each of the reduced IAA. The reduced IAA were absorbed and bioavailable with peak concentrations at 0.5h followed by a drop of generally fivefold by 2h. Preliminary pharmacokinetics of these compounds in humans shows relatively small inter-individual differences and an estimated short half-life varying between ∼38 and 46min for the three groups. Comparison of RIAA analyte ratios within the group indicate that some analytes eliminate relatively faster than others and the formation of metabolite products was observed. Preliminary urine analysis showed only unmodified RIAA analytes were detectable throughout 6h and suggests extensive phase I metabolism of TIAA and HIAA analytes. In authentic forensic casework where clear or green bottled beers are consumed, the identification of reduced IAA groups may provide a novel method to target ingredient congeners consistent with beer ingestion and suggest the type of beer consumed. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Quality Assurance for Iraqi Bottled Water Specifications

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May George Kassir

2015-10-01

Full Text Available In this research the specifications of Iraqi drinking bottled water brands are investigated throughout the comparison between local brands, Saudi Arabia and the World Health Organization (WHO for bottled water standard specifications. These specifications were also compared to that of Iraqi Tap Water standards. To reveal variations in the specifications for Iraqi bottled water, and above mentioned standards some quality control tools are conducted for more than 33% of different bottled water brands (of different origins such as spring, purified,..etc in Iraq by investigating the selected quality parameters registered on their marketing labels. Results employing Minitab software (ver. 16 to generate X bar, and Pareto chart. It was found from X bar charts that the quality parameters of some drinking bottled water brands are not within Iraqi standards set by the “Central Agency for Standardization and Quality Control” such as pH values, Fe, Na, and Mg concentrations. While the comparison of previously mentioned standard specifications through radar chart many important issues are detected such as the absence of lower limits the whole bottled water quality parameters such as for Na and Mg also the radar chart shows that Iraqi bottled and tap water specifications are almost equal in their quality values. Also the same chart pictured the limited range of Iraqi specifications compared to that of Saudi Arabia, and WHO and the need to introduce other water specifications such as K, Na, etc. This confirms the need to improve Iraqi bottled water specifications since it was introduced on 2000. These results also highlighted the weakness of quality assurance activities since only 33 % of the investigated companies registered the whole water quality specifications as shown in Pareto chart. Other companies do not register any quality characteristics. Also certain companies should be stopped due to non-conforming specifications, yet these companies are

Textural development and hydrogen adsorption of carbon materials from PET waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Parra, J.B.; Ania, C.O.; Arenillas, A.; Rubiera, F.; Palacios, J.M.; Pis, J.J.

2004-01-01

Polyethyleneterephthalate (PET) has become one of the major post-consumer plastic wastes. PET products present a problem of considerable concern due to the huge amount of solid waste produced. The disposal of this waste, together with its low bio- and photo-degradability represents a serious challenge for industrial countries all over the world. Pyrolysis could provide an alternative and economically viable route for processing PET waste due to the potential uses of different by-products: energy from the pyrolysis gases (58% yield in this work), recovery of terephthalic acid and other subproducts (20%), and a solid residue (22%), which has shown a high textural development after activation. The pyrolysis of PET waste was performed in a quartz reactor (i.d. 35 mm) under an inert atmosphere. Further activation was carried out at a temperature of 925 deg. C, with a flow rate of 10 ml min -1 of CO 2 . A series of carbon materials with different burn-off degrees was obtained. Textural characterisation of the samples was carried out by performing N 2 adsorption isotherms at -196 deg. C. Changes in the morphological and structural properties of chars were studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The carbons obtained were isotropic and highly microporous materials with apparent BET surface areas of up to 2500 m 2 g -1 . The suitability of the samples for hydrogen storage was studied by performing H 2 adsorption measurements in the 0-1 bar pressure range. Adsorption-desorption experiments showed that reversible physisorption takes place in all the samples. The hydrogen adsorption capacities of the activated PET waste compare favourably well with those attained with high-value carbon materials

UTILIZATION OF WASTE PLASTIC BOTTLES IN ASPHALT MIXTURE

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TAHER BAGHAEE MOGHADDAM

2013-06-01

Full Text Available Nowadays, large amounts of waste materials are being produced in the world. One of the waste materials is plastic bottle. Generating disposable plastic bottles is becoming a major problem in many countries. Using waste plastic as a secondary material in construction projects would be a solution to overcome the crisis of producing large amount of waste plastics in one hand and improving the structure’s characteristics such as resistance against cracking on the other hand. This study aimed to investigate the effects of adding plastic bottles in road pavement. Marshall properties as well as specific gravity of asphalt mixture containing different percentages of plastic bottles were evaluated. Besides, Optimum Asphalt Content (OAC was calculated for each percentages of plastic bottles used in the mix. The stiffness and fatigue characteristics of mixture were assessed at OAC value. Results showed that the stability and flow values of asphalt mixture increased by adding waste crushed plastic bottle into the asphalt mixture. Further, it was shown that the bulk specific gravity and stiffness of mixtures increased by adding lower amount of plastic bottles; however, adding higher amounts of plastic resulted in lower specific gravity and mix stiffness. In addition, it was concluded that the mixtures containing waste plastic bottles have lower OAC values compared to the conventional mixture, and this may reduce the amount of asphalt binder can be used in road construction projects. Besides, the mixtures containing waste plastic showed significantly greater fatigue resistance than the conventional mixture.

Modificação química de poli(tereftalato de etileno pós-consumo por reação com ácido sulfúrico: estrutura e propriedades Chemical modification of post consumer poly(ethylene terephthalate by sulfuric acid reaction: structure and properties

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Janaína G. Alonso

2005-03-01

Full Text Available PET pós-consumo foi modificado quimicamente através de reação com ácido sulfúrico por diferentes tempos. O material modificado foi caracterizado por DSC e FTIR-PAS e XPS. Verificou-se que a intensidade relativa do isômero trans diminui enquanto do isômero gauche aumenta para tempos de reação entre 0 e 60 minutos. Após 60 minutos de reação observou-se a presença de endotermas múltiplas que podem ser relacionadas com o desenvolvimento de estruturas intermediárias porque as intensidades relativas dos isômeros trans e gauche não apresentam variação significativa. O valor determinado de capacidade de troca iônica do PET pós-consumo modificado (PETS-pc é comparável com os valores de resinas ácidas comerciais e não é afetado no intervalo de tempo de reação utilizado. Os valores da capacidade máxima de adsorção, qm, e do parâmetro de afinidade entre o adsorvente e o adsorvato, K, (111,18 ppm e 531,91 mg de corante/100g de adsorvente, respectivamente para a adsorção do corante Remazol vermelho na amostra quimicamente modificada por 30 minutos foram calculados a partir da isoterma de adsorção de Langmuir. Os resultados indicam que esse material possui características adsorventes, podendo vir a ser utilizado para tratamento de efluente de indústria de tingimento têxtil.Chemical modification of post consumer PET was carried out by reaction with sulfuric acid. The modified material was characterized by DSC, XPS and FTIR-PAS measurements. The relative intensity of trans isomer increases while it decreases for gauche isomer for reaction times from 0 up to 60 min. After 60 minutes of reaction multiple endotherms were observed, which may be related to the development of an intermediated structure, since the relative intensities of the trans and gauche isomers do not change. The ionic exchange capacity of the modified post consumer poly(ethylene terephthalate, PETS-pc, is comparable to commercial acid resins and is not

A case of recurrent depressive disorder presenting with Alice in Wonderland syndrome: psychopathology and pre- and post-treatment FDG-PET findings.

Science.gov (United States)

Yokoyama, Tatsushi; Okamura, Tsuyoshi; Takahashi, Miwako; Momose, Toshimitsu; Kondo, Shinsuke

2017-04-27

Alice in Wonderland syndrome (AIWS) is a rare neuropsychiatric syndrome that typically manifests in distortion of extrapersonal visual image, altered perception of one's body image, and a disturbed sense of the passage of distance and time. Several conditions have been reported to contribute to AIWS, although its biological basis is still unknown. Here, we present the first case demonstrating a clear concurrence of recurrent depressive disorder and AIWS. The clinical manifestations and pre- and post-treatment fluorodeoxyglucose positron-emission tomographic (FDG-PET) images provide insights into the psychopathological and biological basis of AIWS. We describe a 63-year-old Japanese male who developed two distinct episodes of major depression concurrent with AIWS. In addition to typical AIWS perceptual symptoms, he complained of losing the ability to intuitively grasp the seriousness of news and the value of money, which implies disturbance of high-order cognition related to estimating magnitude and worth. Both depression and AIWS remitted after treatment in each episode. Pre-treatment FDG-PET images showed significant hypometabolism in the frontal cortex and hypermetabolism in the occipital and parietal cortex. Post-treatment images showed improvement of these abnormalities. The clinical co-occurrence of depressive episodes and presentation of AIWS can be interpreted to mean that they have certain functional disturbances in common. In view of incapacity, indifference, devitalization, altered perception of one's body image, and disturbed sense of time and space, the features of AIWS analogous to those of psychotic depression imply a common psychopathological basis. These high-order brain dysfunctions are possibly associated with the metabolic abnormalities in visual and parietotemporal association cortices that we observed on the pre- and post-treatment FDG-PET images in this case, while the hypometabolism in the frontal cortex is probably associated with depressive

Bottled vs. Canned Beer: Do They Really Taste Different?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrew Barnett

2016-09-01

Full Text Available People often say that beer tastes better from a bottle than from a can. However, one can ask how reliable this perceived difference is across consumers. And, if reliable, one can further ask whether it is a purely psychological phenomenon (associated with the influence of packaging on taste perception, or whether instead it reflects some more mundane physico-chemical interaction between the packaging material (or packing procedure/process and the contents. Two experiments were conducted in order to address these questions. In the main experiment, 151 participants at the 2016 Edinburgh Science Festival were served a special ‘craft beer’ in a plastic cup. The beer was either poured from a bottle or can (a between-participants experimental design was used. The participants were encouraged to pick up the packaging in order to inspect the label before tasting the beer. The participants rated the perceived taste, quality, and freshness of the beer, as well as their likelihood of purchase, and estimated the price. All of the beer came from the same batch (specifically a Session IPA from Barney’s Brewery in Edinburgh. None of the participants were familiar with this particular craft brew. Nevertheless, those who evaluated the beer from the bottle rated it as tasting better than those who rated the beer served from the can. Having demonstrated such a perceptual difference (in terms of taste, we then went on to investigate whether people would prefer one packaging format over the other when the beer from bottle and can was served blind to a new group of participants (i.e., when the participants did not know the packaging material. The participants in this control study (n = 29 were asked which beer they preferred. Alternatively, they could state that the two samples tasted the same. No sign of a consistent preference was obtained under such blind tasting conditions. Explanations for the psychological impact of the packaging format, in terms of

Recycling plastic bottles in a creative way

OpenAIRE

Pavlin, Suzana

2016-01-01

Beside other plastic products, plastic bottles represent a true environmental disaster in the last few years. We assume that hardly anyone asks what happens after they drink that last drop of water out of it. Just like most municipal waste, a plastic bottle can be reused, recycled, burned or deposited into landfill. When the Environment Protection Act is not respected, plastic bottle ends up in the nature, very often in the sea, where it decomposes very slowly and has negative influence on th...

Analysis of the Metabolic and Structural Brain Changes in Patients With Torture-Related Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (TR-PTSD) Using 18F-FDG PET and MRI

Science.gov (United States)

Zandieh, Shahin; Bernt, Reinhard; Knoll, Peter; Wenzel, Thomas; Hittmair, Karl; Haller, Joerg; Hergan, Klaus; Mirzaei, Siroos

2016-01-01

Abstract Many people exposed to torture later suffer from torture-related post-traumatic stress disorder (TR-PTSD). The aim of this study was to analyze the morphologic and functional brain changes in patients with TR-PTSD using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positron emission tomography (PET). This study evaluated 19 subjects. Thirteen subcortical brain structures were evaluated using FSL software. On the T1-weighted images, normalized brain volumes were measured using SIENAX software. The study compared the volume of the brain and 13 subcortical structures in 9 patients suffering from TR-PTSD after torture and 10 healthy volunteers (HV). Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) was performed in the transverse plane. In addition, the 18F-FDG PET data were evaluated to identify the activity of the elected regions. The mean left hippocampal volume for the TR-PTSD group was significantly lower than in the HV group (post hoc test (Bonferroni) P PTSD and the HV group (post hoc test (Bonferroni) P PTSD group showed low significant expansion of the ventricles in contrast to the HV group (post hoc test (Bonferroni) P PTSD and HV group (post hoc test (Bonferroni) P PTSD, in the temporal lobe in 1 of the 9 patients, and in the caudate nucleus in 5 of the 9 patients. In 2 cases, additional hypometabolism was observed in the posterior cingulate cortex and in the parietal and frontal lobes. The findings from this study show that TR-PTSD might have a deleterious influence on a set of specific brain structures. This study also demonstrated that PET combined with MRI is sensitive in detecting possible metabolic and structural brain changes in TR-PTSD. PMID:27082610

27 CFR 31.232 - Wine bottling.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

.... The decanting of wine by caterers or other retail dealers for table or room service, banquets, and... 27 Alcohol, Tobacco Products and Firearms 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Wine bottling. 31.232... OF THE TREASURY LIQUORS ALCOHOL BEVERAGE DEALERS Miscellaneous § 31.232 Wine bottling. Each person...

Plutonium solution storage in plastic bottles: Operational experience and safety issues

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Conner, W.V.

1995-01-01

Computer spread sheet models were developed to gain a better understanding of the factors that lead to pressurization and failure of plastic bottles containing plutonium solutions. These models were developed using data obtained from the literature on gas generation rates for plutonium solutions. Leak rates from sealed plastic bottles were obtained from bottle leak tests conducted at Rocky Flats. Results from these bottle leak tests showed that narrow mouth four liter bottles will seal much better than wide mouth four liter bottles. The gas generation rate and leak rate data were used to develop models for predicting the rate of pressurization and maximum pressures expected in sealed bottles of plutonium solution containing various plutonium and acid concentrations. The computer models were used to develop proposed time limits for storing or transporting plutonium solutions in sealed plastic bottles. For plutonium solutions containing 1.5 g/l plutonium, storage in sealed bottles should not be allowed. However, transportation of higher concentration plutonium solution in sealed bottles is required, and safe transportation times of 1 shift to 6 days are proposed

21 CFR 880.6085 - Hot/cold water bottle.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Hot/cold water bottle. 880.6085 Section 880.6085... Devices § 880.6085 Hot/cold water bottle. (a) Identification. A hot/cold water bottle is a device intended for medical purposes that is in the form of a container intended to be filled with hot or cold water...

Role of FDG-PET and PET/CT in the diagnosis and management of vasculitis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zerizer, Imene; Tan, Kathryn; Khan, Sameer; Barwick, Tara [Department of Nuclear Medicine, Imperial College Healthcare, Hammersmith Hospital, Du Cane Road, London (United Kingdom); Marzola, Maria Cristina [Department of Nuclear Medicine, PET/CT Centre, Radiology and Medical Physics, ' Santa Maria della Misericordia' Hospital, Rovigo (Italy); Rubello, Domenico [Department of Nuclear Medicine, PET/CT Centre, Radiology and Medical Physics, ' Santa Maria della Misericordia' Hospital, Rovigo (Italy)], E-mail: domenico.rubello@libero.it; Al-Nahhas, Adil [Department of Nuclear Medicine, Imperial College Healthcare, Hammersmith Hospital, Du Cane Road, London (United Kingdom)

2010-03-15

Purpose: to investigate the role of FDG-PET and PET/CT in the evaluation of vasculitis. Materials and methods: a systematic revision of the papers published in PubMed/Medline until December 2009 was done. Results: FDG-PET and PET/CT have been proven to be valuable in the diagnosis of large-vessel vasculitis, especially giant cells arteritis with sensitivity values ranging 77% to 92%, and specificity values ranging 89% to 100%. In particular, FDG-PET/CT has demonstrated the potential to non-invasively diagnose the onset of the vasculitis earlier than traditional anatomical imaging techniques, thus enabling prompt treatment. False positive results mainly occur in the differential diagnosis between vasculitis and atherosclerotic vessels in elderly patients. Another area where FDG-PET/CT is gaining wider acceptance is in monitoring response to therapy; it can reliably detect the earliest changes of disease improvement post-therapy, and persistent activity is an indicator of non-responders to therapy. A few data have been reported about medium/small vessel vasculitis. Discussion: FDG-PET and PET/CT have proven utility: (a) in the initial diagnosis of patients suspected of having vasculitis particularly in those who present with non-specific symptoms; (b) in the identification of areas of increased FDG uptake in which a biopsy should be done for obtaining a diagnosis; (c) in evaluating the extent of the disease; (d) in assessing response to treatment.

Role of FDG-PET and PET/CT in the diagnosis and management of vasculitis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zerizer, Imene; Tan, Kathryn; Khan, Sameer; Barwick, Tara; Marzola, Maria Cristina; Rubello, Domenico; Al-Nahhas, Adil

2010-01-01

Purpose: to investigate the role of FDG-PET and PET/CT in the evaluation of vasculitis. Materials and methods: a systematic revision of the papers published in PubMed/Medline until December 2009 was done. Results: FDG-PET and PET/CT have been proven to be valuable in the diagnosis of large-vessel vasculitis, especially giant cells arteritis with sensitivity values ranging 77% to 92%, and specificity values ranging 89% to 100%. In particular, FDG-PET/CT has demonstrated the potential to non-invasively diagnose the onset of the vasculitis earlier than traditional anatomical imaging techniques, thus enabling prompt treatment. False positive results mainly occur in the differential diagnosis between vasculitis and atherosclerotic vessels in elderly patients. Another area where FDG-PET/CT is gaining wider acceptance is in monitoring response to therapy; it can reliably detect the earliest changes of disease improvement post-therapy, and persistent activity is an indicator of non-responders to therapy. A few data have been reported about medium/small vessel vasculitis. Discussion: FDG-PET and PET/CT have proven utility: (a) in the initial diagnosis of patients suspected of having vasculitis particularly in those who present with non-specific symptoms; (b) in the identification of areas of increased FDG uptake in which a biopsy should be done for obtaining a diagnosis; (c) in evaluating the extent of the disease; (d) in assessing response to treatment.

Fully 3D GPU PET reconstruction

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Herraiz, J.L., E-mail: joaquin@nuclear.fis.ucm.es [Grupo de Fisica Nuclear, Departmento Fisica Atomica, Molecular y Nuclear, Universidad Complutense de Madrid (Spain); Espana, S. [Department of Radiation Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA (United States); Cal-Gonzalez, J. [Grupo de Fisica Nuclear, Departmento Fisica Atomica, Molecular y Nuclear, Universidad Complutense de Madrid (Spain); Vaquero, J.J. [Departmento de Bioingenieria e Ingenieria Espacial, Universidad Carlos III, Madrid (Spain); Desco, M. [Departmento de Bioingenieria e Ingenieria Espacial, Universidad Carlos III, Madrid (Spain); Unidad de Medicina y Cirugia Experimental, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Maranon, Madrid (Spain); Udias, J.M. [Grupo de Fisica Nuclear, Departmento Fisica Atomica, Molecular y Nuclear, Universidad Complutense de Madrid (Spain)

2011-08-21

Fully 3D iterative tomographic image reconstruction is computationally very demanding. Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) has been proposed for many years as potential accelerators in complex scientific problems, but it has not been used until the recent advances in the programmability of GPUs that the best available reconstruction codes have started to be implemented to be run on GPUs. This work presents a GPU-based fully 3D PET iterative reconstruction software. This new code may reconstruct sinogram data from several commercially available PET scanners. The most important and time-consuming parts of the code, the forward and backward projection operations, are based on an accurate model of the scanner obtained with the Monte Carlo code PeneloPET and they have been massively parallelized on the GPU. For the PET scanners considered, the GPU-based code is more than 70 times faster than a similar code running on a single core of a fast CPU, obtaining in both cases the same images. The code has been designed to be easily adapted to reconstruct sinograms from any other PET scanner, including scanner prototypes.

Fully 3D GPU PET reconstruction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Herraiz, J.L.; Espana, S.; Cal-Gonzalez, J.; Vaquero, J.J.; Desco, M.; Udias, J.M.

2011-01-01

Fully 3D iterative tomographic image reconstruction is computationally very demanding. Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) has been proposed for many years as potential accelerators in complex scientific problems, but it has not been used until the recent advances in the programmability of GPUs that the best available reconstruction codes have started to be implemented to be run on GPUs. This work presents a GPU-based fully 3D PET iterative reconstruction software. This new code may reconstruct sinogram data from several commercially available PET scanners. The most important and time-consuming parts of the code, the forward and backward projection operations, are based on an accurate model of the scanner obtained with the Monte Carlo code PeneloPET and they have been massively parallelized on the GPU. For the PET scanners considered, the GPU-based code is more than 70 times faster than a similar code running on a single core of a fast CPU, obtaining in both cases the same images. The code has been designed to be easily adapted to reconstruct sinograms from any other PET scanner, including scanner prototypes.

Physical, chemical and microbial analysis of bottled drinking water.

Science.gov (United States)

Sasikaran, S; Sritharan, K; Balakumar, S; Arasaratnam, V

2012-09-01

People rely on the quality of the bottled drinking water, expecting it to be free of microbial contamination and health hazards. To evaluate the quality of bottled drinking water sold in Jaffna peninsula by analysing the physical, chemical and microbial contents and comparing with the recommended Sri Lankan Standard (SLS) values. All bottled water samples sold in Jaffna peninsula were collected. Electrical conductivity, total dissolved solid, pH, calcium, nitrate, total aerobic and anaerobic count, coliform bacterial count and faecal contamination were checked. These are 22 brands of bottled drinking water sold in Jaffna peninsula. The sample had very low electrical conductivity when compared with SLS (750 μS/ cm) and varied from 19 to 253 μS/cm with the mean of 80.53 (±60.92) μS/cm. The pH values of the bottled drinking water brands varied from 4.11 to 7.58 with a mean of 6.2 (±0.75). The total dissolved solid content of the bottled drinking water brands varied from 9 to 123.67 mg/l with a mean of 39.5 (±30.23) mg/l. The calcium content of the bottled drinking water brands varied from 6.48 to 83.77 mg/l with a mean of 49.9 (±25.09) mg/l. The nitrate content of the bottled drinking water brands varied from 0.21 to 4.19 mg/l with the mean of 1.26 (±1.08) mg/l. Aerobic bacterial count varied from 0 to 800 colony forming unit per ml (cfu/ml) with a mean of 262.6 (±327.50) cfu/ml. Among the 22 drinking bottled water brands 14 and 9% of bottled drinking water brands showed fungal and coliform bacterial contaminants respectively. The water brands which contained faecal contamination had either Escherichia coli or Klebsiella spp. The bottled drinking water available for sale do not meet the standards stipulated by SLS.

Acceptability of Dry Dog Food Visual Characteristics by Consumer Segments Based on Overall Liking: a Case Study in Poland.

Science.gov (United States)

Gomez Baquero, David; Koppel, Kadri; Chambers, Delores; Hołda, Karolina; Głogowski, Robert; Chambers, Edgar

2018-05-23

Sensory analysis of pet foods has been emerging as an important field of study for the pet food industry over the last few decades. Few studies have been conducted on understanding the pet owners’ perception of pet foods. The objective of this study is to gain a deeper understanding on the perception of the visual characteristics of dry dog foods by dog owners in different consumer segments. A total of 120 consumers evaluated the appearance of 30 dry dog food samples with varying visual characteristics. The consumers rated the acceptance of the samples and associated each one with a list of positive and negative beliefs. Cluster Analysis, ANOVA and Correspondence Analysis were used to analyze the consumer responses. The acceptability of the appearance of dry dog foods was affected by the number of different kibbles present, color(s), shape(s), and size(s) of the kibbles in the product. Three consumer clusters were identified. Consumers rated highest single-kibble samples of medium sizes, traditional shapes, and brown colors. Participants disliked extra-small or extra-large kibble sizes, shapes with high-dimensional contrast, and kibbles of light brown color. These findings can help dry dog food manufacturers to meet consumers’ needs with increasing benefits to the pet food and commodity industries.

Generation of Pet1210-Cre Transgenic Mouse Line Reveals Non-Serotonergic Expression Domains of Pet1 Both in CNS and Periphery

Science.gov (United States)

Pelosi, Barbara; Migliarini, Sara; Pacini, Giulia; Pratelli, Marta; Pasqualetti, Massimo

2014-01-01

Neurons producing serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) constitute one of the most widely distributed neuronal networks in the mammalian central nervous system (CNS) and exhibit a profuse innervation throughout the CNS already at early stages of development. Serotonergic neuron specification is controlled by a combination of secreted molecules and transcription factors such as Shh, Fgf4/8, Nkx2.2, Lmx1b and Pet1. In the mouse, Pet1 mRNA expression appears between 10 and 11 days post coitum (dpc) in serotonergic post-mitotic precursors and persists in serotonergic neurons up to adulthood, where it promotes the expression of genes defining the mature serotonergic phenotype such as tryptophan hydroxylase 2 (Tph2) and serotonin transporter (SERT). Hence, the generation of genetic tools based on Pet1 specific expression represents a valuable approach to study the development and function of the serotonergic system. Here, we report the generation of a Pet1210-Cre transgenic mouse line in which the Cre recombinase is expressed under the control of a 210 kb fragment from the Pet1 genetic locus to ensure a reliable and faithful control of somatic recombination in Pet1 cell lineage. Besides Cre-mediated recombination accurately occurred in the serotonergic system as expected and according to previous studies, Pet1210-Cre transgenic mouse line allowed us to identify novel, so far uncharacterized, Pet1 expression domains. Indeed, we showed that in the raphe Pet1 is expressed also in a non-serotonergic neuronal population intermingled with Tph2-expressing cells and mostly localized in the B8 and B9 nuclei. Moreover, we detected Cre-mediated recombination also in the developing pancreas and in the ureteric bud derivatives of the kidney, where it reflected a specific Pet1 expression. Thus, Pet1210-Cre transgenic mouse line faithfully drives Cre-mediated recombination in all Pet1 expression domains representing a valuable tool to genetically manipulate serotonergic and non

Modeling and Optimizing of Producing Recycled PET from Fabrics Waste via Falling Film-Rotating Disk Combined Reactor

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dan Qin

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Recycling and reusing of poly (ethylene terephthalate (PET fabrics waste are essential for reducing serious waste of resources and environmental pollution caused by low utilization rate. The liquid-phase polymerization method has advantages of short process flow, low energy consumption, and low production cost. However, unlike prepolymer, the material characteristics of PET fabrics waste (complex composition, high intrinsic viscosity, and large quality fluctuations make its recycling a technique challenge. In this study, the falling film-rotating disk combined reactor is proposed, and the continuous liquid-phase polymerization is modeled by optimizing and correcting existing models for the final stage of PET polymerization to improve the product quality in plant production. Through modeling and simulation, the weight analysis of indexes closely related to the product quality (intrinsic viscosity, carboxyl end group concentration, and diethylene glycol content was investigated to optimize the production process in order to obtain the desired polymer properties and meet specific product material characteristics. The model could be applied to other PET wastes (e.g., bottles and films and extended to investigate different aspects of the recycling process.

F-FDG PET/CT (PET/CT) influences management in patients with known or suspected pancreatic cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barber, Thomas W.; Kalff, Victor; Cherk, Martin H.; Yap, Kenneth SK.; Evans, Peter; Kelly, Michael J.

2009-01-01

Full text: Objective: To assess the impact on clinical management of PET/CT in patients with known or suspected pancreatic cancer. Methods: Between April 2006 and September 2008,25 PET/CT scans were performed using a dedicated PET/CT (22 scans) or a coincidence hybrid PET/CT camera (3 scans) in 23 patients with known or suspected pancreatic cancer. 17 scans were performed for initial evaluation and 8 for restaging of disease. The pre-PET/CT management plan and for intent were prospectively recorded in all cases. The post-PET/CT management plan was determined from the medical record and for discussions with treating clinicians. The impact of PET/CT on management was classified as High, Medium, Low or None, defined using ANZAPNM PET data collection project criteria. Follow-up was used to reconcile any discordance between PET/CT and conventional imaging. Results: Overall, PET/CT management impact was classified as high (n equal 7), medium (n equal 4), low (n equal 10) or none (n equal 4). Impact was either high or medium in l l/25 patients (44%) (95% confidence interval; 24 - 64%). Impact was high in 4/17 patients imaged for initial evaluation, predominantly by clarifying equivocal lesions on conventional imaging. In restaged patients, PET/CT impact was high in 3/8, and it correctly modified disease extent in 5/8. In the 16 discordant studies, PET/CT assessment was correct in 10, conventional imaging in 4 and there was insufficient information in 2. Conclusion: PET/CT has high or medium management impact in 44% of patients imaged for known or suspected pancreatic cancer, more commonly during restaging. Discordant PET/CT results were usually correct.

Is Necessary Attenuation Correction for Cat Brain PET?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Jin Su; Lee, Jae Sung; Park, Min Hyun; Im, Ki Chun; Oh, Seung Ha; Lee, Dong Soo; Moon, Dae Hyuk

2007-01-01

Photon attenuation and scatter corrections (AC and SC) were necessary for quantification of human PET. However, there is no consensus on whether AC and SC are necessary for the cat brain PET imaging. Since post-injection transmission (TX) PET scans are not permitted or provided to microPET scanner users at present, additional time for performing TX scan and awaiting FDG uptake is required for attenuation and scatter corrections. Increasing probability of subject movement and possible biological effect of long term anesthesia would be the problem in additional TX scan. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of AC and SC for the quantification of cat brain PET data

11C-Choline PET/pathology image coregistration in primary localized prostate cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grosu, Anca-Ligia; Prokic, Vesna; Weirich, Gregor; Wendl, Christina; Geinitz, Hans; Molls, Michael; Kirste, Simon; Souvatzoglou, Michael; Schwaiger, Markus; Gschwend, Juergen E.; Treiber, Uwe; Weber, Wolfgang A.; Krause, Bernd Joachim

2014-01-01

The aim of this study was to develop a methodology for the comparison of pathology specimens after prostatectomy (post-S) with PET images obtained before surgery (pre-S). This method was used to evaluate the merit of 11 C-choline PET/CT for delineation of gross tumour volume (GTV) in prostate cancer (PC). In 28 PC patients, 11 C-choline PET/CT was performed before surgery. PET/CT data were coregistered with the pathology specimens. GTV on PET images (GTV-PET) was outlined automatically and corrected manually. Tumour volume in the prostate (TVP) was delineated manually on the pathology specimens. Based on the coregistered PET/pathology images, the following parameters were assessed: SUVmax and SUVmean in the tumoral and nontumoral prostate (NP), GTV-PET (millilitres) and TVP (millilitres). PET/pathology image coregistration was satisfactory. Mean SUVmax in the TVP was lower than in the NP: 5.0 and 5.5, respectively (p = 0.093). Considering the entire prostate, SUVmax was located in the TVP in two patients, in the TVP and NP in 12 patients and exclusively in NP in 14 patients. Partial overlap the TVP and GTV-PET was seen in 71 % of patients, and complete overlap in 4 %. PET/pathology image coregistration can be used for evaluation of different imaging modalities. 11 C-Choline PET failed to distinguish tumour from nontumour tissue. (orig.)

Natural uranium and 226Ra in bottled potable waters of Argentina

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bomben, Ana M.; Palacios, Miguel A.

2001-01-01

This paper presents the results obtained of the measurement of the natural uranium and 226 Ra concentrations carried out on 345 drinking water samples coming from different provinces of Argentina. The samples were collected from tap water systems and private wells. Six bottled mineral waters samples, selected from those most extensively consumed, were also analyzed. The natural uranium concentration was determined by a fluorimetric procedure and 226 Ra by the 222 Rn emanation technique and liquid scintillation counting. Values ranging from 0,03 to 50 μg L -1 of natural uranium and concentrations up to 22 mBq L -1 were found in the drinking water samples analyzed. Natural uranium concentrations from 0,04 to 3,8 μg L -1 and 226 Ra concentrations up to 2,4 mBq L -1 were measured in the bottled mineral waters samples. Based on the water intake rate and the measured concentrations of both radionuclides analyzed, an annual collective effective dose of 1,5 man Sv and an average committed effective dose of 0,5 μSv a -1 , were calculated for the City of Buenos Aires inhabitants. (author)

Analysis of the Metabolic and Structural Brain Changes in Patients With Torture-Related Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (TR-PTSD) Using ¹⁸F-FDG PET and MRI.

Science.gov (United States)

Zandieh, Shahin; Bernt, Reinhard; Knoll, Peter; Wenzel, Thomas; Hittmair, Karl; Haller, Joerg; Hergan, Klaus; Mirzaei, Siroos

2016-04-01

Many people exposed to torture later suffer from torture-related post-traumatic stress disorder (TR-PTSD). The aim of this study was to analyze the morphologic and functional brain changes in patients with TR-PTSD using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positron emission tomography (PET). This study evaluated 19 subjects. Thirteen subcortical brain structures were evaluated using FSL software. On the T1-weighted images, normalized brain volumes were measured using SIENAX software. The study compared the volume of the brain and 13 subcortical structures in 9 patients suffering from TR-PTSD after torture and 10 healthy volunteers (HV). Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) was performed in the transverse plane. In addition, the 18F-FDG PET data were evaluated to identify the activity of the elected regions. The mean left hippocampal volume for the TR-PTSD group was significantly lower than in the HV group (post hoc test (Bonferroni) P PTSD and the HV group (post hoc test (Bonferroni) P PTSD group showed low significant expansion of the ventricles in contrast to the HV group (post hoc test (Bonferroni) P PTSD and HV group (post hoc test (Bonferroni) P PTSD, in the temporal lobe in 1 of the 9 patients, and in the caudate nucleus in 5 of the 9 patients. In 2 cases, additional hypometabolism was observed in the posterior cingulate cortex and in the parietal and frontal lobes. The findings from this study show that TR-PTSD might have a deleterious influence on a set of specific brain structures. This study also demonstrated that PET combined with MRI is sensitive in detecting possible metabolic and structural brain changes in TR-PTSD.

Bottles to trees: Plastic beverage bottles as an alternative nursery growing container for reforestation in developing countries

Science.gov (United States)

Khurram, Safiullah; Burney, Owen T.; Morrissey, Robert C.

2017-01-01

Reforestation is needed globally to help restore degraded sites, combat desertification, protect watersheds, and provide forest products. This involves planting forest tree seedlings grown in local nurseries, but technologies to produce quality seedlings are lacking in developing countries. Modern nursery containers used to propagate seedlings have internal-surface barriers (ribs or ridges) or side-slits to prevent root spiraling. These are cost prohibitive or unavailable in developing countries and so polybags (plastic bags) are more commonly used, despite their tendency to produce seedlings with deformed root systems that have less potential to establish on field sites. Discarded plastic bottles, which are readily available worldwide, may be a feasible alternative for seedling propagation. We conducted two experiments to assess the potential of repurposed plastic beverage bottles to grow quality trees: 1) Container Comparison–to evaluate Arizona walnut (Juglans major [Toor.] Heller) and Afghan pine (Pinus eldarica Medw.) seedling root and shoot development in two plastic bottle types compared to modern nursery containers and polybags, and 2) Bottle Modification–to examine the effects of root spiraling prevention techniques (side-slits, internal-ridges, and control) and container opacity (green, black, and clear) on Afghan pine seedling morphological attributes. Nursery growth and first-year seedling field performance were evaluated for both experiments. In experiment one, seedlings of both species had fewer spiraled roots in bottle containers compared to polybags. Arizona walnut had more fibrous root systems in polybags, while Afghan pine root system fibrosity was greatest in bottle containers. First-year field performance of both species was not affected by container type. In experiment two, less spiraled roots occurred in containers with air-slits and interior-ridges compared to the control. The effects of container opacity on seedling morphology were

Early post-treatment FDG PET predicts survival after {sup 90}Y microsphere radioembolization in liver-dominant metastatic colorectal cancer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sabet, Amir; Aouf, Anas; Sabet, Amin; Ghamari, Shahab; Biersack, Hans-Juergen [University Hospital, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Bonn (Germany); Meyer, Carsten; Pieper, Claus C. [University Hospital, Department of Radiology, Bonn (Germany); Mayer, Karin [University Hospital, Department of Medicine and Oncology, Bonn (Germany); Ezziddin, Samer [University Hospital, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Bonn (Germany); Saarland University, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Homburg (Germany)

2014-10-29

The aim of this study was to evaluate the predictive value of early metabolic response 4 weeks post-treatment using {sup 18}F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET)/CT in patients with unresectable hepatic metastases of colorectal cancer (CRC) undergoing radioembolization (RE) with {sup 90}Y-labelled microspheres. A total of 51 consecutive patients with liver-dominant metastases of CRC were treated with RE and underwent {sup 18}F-FDG PET/CT at baseline and 4 weeks after RE. In each patient, three hepatic metastases with the highest maximum standardized uptake value (SUV{sub max}) were selected as target lesions. Metabolic response was defined as >50 % reduction of tumour to liver ratios. Survival analyses using Kaplan-Meier and multivariate analyses were performed to identify prognostic factors for overall survival (OS). Investigated baseline characteristics included age (>60 years), performance status (Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group >1), bilirubin (>1.0 mg/dl), hepatic tumour burden (>25 %) and presence of extrahepatic disease. The median OS after RE was 7 months [95 % confidence interval (CI) 5-8]; early metabolic responders (n = 33) survived longer than non-responders (p < 0.001) with a median OS of 10 months (95 % CI 3-16) versus 4 months (95 % CI 2-6). Hepatic tumour burden also had significant impact on treatment outcome (p < 0.001) with a median OS of 5 months (95 % CI, 3-7) for patients with >25 % metastatic liver replacement vs 14 months (95 % CI 6-22) for the less advanced patients. Both factors (early metabolic response and low hepatic tumour burden) remained as independent predictors of improved survival on multivariate analysis. These are the first findings to show that molecular response assessment in CRC using {sup 18}F-FDG PET/CT appears feasible as early as 4 weeks post-RE, allowing risk stratification and potentially facilitating early response-adapted treatment strategies. (orig.)

Effect of Post-Reconstruction Gaussian Filtering on Image Quality and Myocardial Blood Flow Measurement with N-13 Ammonia PET

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hyeon Sik Kim

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Objective(s: In order to evaluate the effect of post-reconstruction Gaussian filtering on image quality and myocardial blood flow (MBF measurement by dynamic N-13 ammonia positron emission tomography (PET, we compared various reconstruction and filtering methods with image characteristics. Methods: Dynamic PET images of three patients with coronary artery disease (male-female ratio of 2:1; age: 57, 53, and 76 years were reconstructed, using filtered back projection (FBP and ordered subset expectation maximization (OSEM methods. OSEM reconstruction consisted of OSEM_2I, OSEM_4I, and OSEM_6I with 2, 4, and 6 iterations, respectively. The images, reconstructed and filtered by Gaussian filters of 5, 10, and 15 mm, were obtained, as well as non-filtered images. Visual analysis of image quality (IQ was performed using a 3-grade scoring system by 2 independent readers, blinded to the reconstruction and filtering methods of stress images. Then, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR was calculated by noise and contrast recovery (CR. Stress and rest MBF and coronary flow reserve (CFR were obtained for each method. IQ scores, stress and rest MBF, and CFR were compared between the methods, using Chi-square and Kruskal-Wallis tests. Results: In the visual analysis, IQ was significantly higher by 10 mm Gaussian filtering, compared to other sizes of filter (PP=0.923 and 0.855 for readers 1 and 2, respectively. SNR was significantly higher in 10 mm Gaussian filter. There was a significant difference in stress and rest MBF between several vascular territories. However CFR was not significantly different according to various filtering methods. Conclusion: Post-reconstruction Gaussian filtering with a filter size of 10 mm significantly enhances the IQ of N-13 ammonia PET-CT, without changing the results of CFR calculation. .

Effect of Post-Reconstruction Gaussian Filtering on Image Quality and Myocardial Blood Flow Measurement with N-13 Ammonia PET

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Hyeon Sik; Cho, Sang-Geon; Kim, Ju Han; Kwon, Seong Young; Lee, Byeong-il; Bom, Hee-Seung

2014-01-01

In order to evaluate the effect of post-reconstruction Gaussian filtering on image quality and myocardial blood flow (MBF) measurement by dynamic N-13 ammonia positron emission tomography (PET), we compared various reconstruction and filtering methods with image characteristics. Dynamic PET images of three patients with coronary artery disease (male-female ratio of 2:1; age: 57, 53, and 76 years) were reconstructed, using filtered back projection (FBP) and ordered subset expectation maximization (OSEM) methods. OSEM reconstruction consisted of OSEM-2I, OSEM-4I, and OSEM-6I with 2, 4, and 6 iterations, respectively. The images, reconstructed and filtered by Gaussian filters of 5, 10, and 15 mm, were obtained, as well as non-filtered images. Visual analysis of image quality (IQ) was performed using a 3-grade scoring system by 2 independent readers, blinded to the reconstruction and filtering methods of stress images. Then, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) was calculated by noise and contrast recovery (CR). Stress and rest MBF and coronary flow reserve (CFR) were obtained for each method. IQ scores, stress and rest MBF, and CFR were compared between the methods, using Chi-square and Kruskal-Wallis tests. In the visual analysis, IQ was significantly higher by 10 mm Gaussian filtering, compared to other sizes of filter (P<0.001 for both readers). However, no significant difference of IQ was found between FBP and various numbers of iteration in OSEM (P=0.923 and 0.855 for readers 1 and 2, respectively). SNR was significantly higher in 10 mm Gaussian filter. There was a significant difference in stress and rest MBF between several vascular territories. However CFR was not significantly different according to various filtering methods. Post-reconstruction Gaussian filtering with a filter size of 10 mm significantly enhances the IQ of N-13 ammonia PET-CT, without changing the results of CFR calculation

Textural development and hydrogen adsorption of carbon materials from PET waste

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Parra, J.B.; Ania, C.O.; Arenillas, A.; Rubiera, F.; Palacios, J.M.; Pis, J.J

2004-10-06

Polyethyleneterephthalate (PET) has become one of the major post-consumer plastic wastes. PET products present a problem of considerable concern due to the huge amount of solid waste produced. The disposal of this waste, together with its low bio- and photo-degradability represents a serious challenge for industrial countries all over the world. Pyrolysis could provide an alternative and economically viable route for processing PET waste due to the potential uses of different by-products: energy from the pyrolysis gases (58% yield in this work), recovery of terephthalic acid and other subproducts (20%), and a solid residue (22%), which has shown a high textural development after activation. The pyrolysis of PET waste was performed in a quartz reactor (i.d. 35 mm) under an inert atmosphere. Further activation was carried out at a temperature of 925 deg. C, with a flow rate of 10 ml min{sup -1} of CO{sub 2}. A series of carbon materials with different burn-off degrees was obtained. Textural characterisation of the samples was carried out by performing N{sub 2} adsorption isotherms at -196 deg. C. Changes in the morphological and structural properties of chars were studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The carbons obtained were isotropic and highly microporous materials with apparent BET surface areas of up to 2500 m{sup 2} g{sup -1}. The suitability of the samples for hydrogen storage was studied by performing H{sub 2} adsorption measurements in the 0-1 bar pressure range. Adsorption-desorption experiments showed that reversible physisorption takes place in all the samples. The hydrogen adsorption capacities of the activated PET waste compare favourably well with those attained with high-value carbon materials.

Is Your Drinking Water Acidic? A Comparison of the Varied pH of Popular Bottled Waters.

Science.gov (United States)

Wright, Kellie F

2015-06-01

Dental professionals continually educate patients on the dangers of consuming acidic foods and beverages due to their potential to contribute to dental erosion and tooth decay. Excess acid in the diet can also lead to acidosis, which causes negative systemic side effects. However, water is not typically categorized as acidic. The purpose of this in-vitro study was to investigate the pH levels of several popular brands of bottled water and compare them to various other acidic beverages. Two different brands of marketed alkaline water (with a pH of 8.8 or higher) were also studied, tested for acidity and described. A pilot in-vitro study was conducted to determine the pH levels of a convenience sample of popular brands of bottled water, tap water and other known acidic beverages in comparison with the pH values reported on the respective manufacturers' website. Each beverage was tested in a laboratory using a calibrated Corning pH meter model 240, and waters were compared to the corresponding company's testified pH value. Waters were also compared and contrasted based on their process of purification. The data was then compiled and analyzed descriptively. The pH values for the tested beverages and bottled waters were found to be predominantly acidic. Ten out of the 14 beverages tested were acidic (pHwaters were neutral (pH=7) and 2 bottled waters were alkaline (pH>7). The majority of waters tested had a more acidic pH when tested in the lab than the value listed in their water quality reports. It is beneficial for the health care provider to be aware of the potential acidity of popular bottled drinking waters and educate patients accordingly. Copyright © 2015 The American Dental Hygienists’ Association.

Beer bottle whistling: a stochastic Hopf bifurcation

Science.gov (United States)

Boujo, Edouard; Bourquard, Claire; Xiong, Yuan; Noiray, Nicolas

2017-11-01

Blowing in a bottle to produce sound is a popular and yet intriguing entertainment. We reproduce experimentally the common observation that the bottle ``whistles'', i.e. produces a distinct tone, for large enough blowing velocity and over a finite interval of blowing angle. For a given set of parameters, the whistling frequency stays constant over time while the acoustic pressure amplitude fluctuates. Transverse oscillations of the shear layer in the bottle's neck are clearly identified with time-resolved particle image velocimetry (PIV) and proper orthogonal decomposition (POD). To account for these observations, we develop an analytical model of linear acoustic oscillator (the air in the bottle) subject to nonlinear stochastic forcing (the turbulent jet impacting the bottle's neck). We derive a stochastic differential equation and, from the associated Fokker-Planck equation and the measured acoustic pressure signals, we identify the model's parameters with an adjoint optimization technique. Results are further validated experimentally, and allow us to explain (i) the occurrence of whistling in terms of linear instability, and (ii) the amplitude of the limit cycle as a competition between linear growth rate, noise intensity, and nonlinear saturation. E. B. and N. N. acknowledge support by Repower and the ETH Zurich Foundation.

Software-based PET-MR image coregistration: combined PET-MRI for the rest of us

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Robertson, Matthew S.; Liu, Xinyang; Vyas, Pranav K.; Safdar, Nabile M.; Plishker, William; Zaki, George F.; Shekhar, Raj

2016-01-01

With the introduction of hybrid positron emission tomography/magnetic resonance imaging (PET/MRI), a new imaging option to acquire multimodality images with complementary anatomical and functional information has become available. Compared with hybrid PET/computed tomography (CT), hybrid PET/MRI is capable of providing superior anatomical detail while removing the radiation exposure associated with CT. The early adoption of hybrid PET/MRI, however, has been limited. To provide a viable alternative to the hybrid PET/MRI hardware by validating a software-based solution for PET-MR image coregistration. A fully automated, graphics processing unit-accelerated 3-D deformable image registration technique was used to align PET (acquired as PET/CT) and MR image pairs of 17 patients (age range: 10 months-21 years, mean: 10 years) who underwent PET/CT and body MRI (chest, abdomen or pelvis), which were performed within a 28-day (mean: 10.5 days) interval. MRI data for most of these cases included single-station post-contrast axial T1-weighted images. Following registration, maximum standardized uptake value (SUV max ) values observed in coregistered PET (cPET) and the original PET were compared for 82 volumes of interest. In addition, we calculated the target registration error as a measure of the quality of image coregistration, and evaluated the algorithm's performance in the context of interexpert variability. The coregistration execution time averaged 97±45 s. The overall relative SUV max difference was 7% between cPET-MRI and PET/CT. The average target registration error was 10.7±6.6 mm, which compared favorably with the typical voxel size (diagonal distance) of 8.0 mm (typical resolution: 0.66 mm x 0.66 mm x 8 mm) for MRI and 6.1 mm (typical resolution: 3.65 mm x 3.65 mm x 3.27 mm) for PET. The variability in landmark identification did not show statistically significant differences between the algorithm and a typical expert. We have presented a software

Software-based PET-MR image coregistration: combined PET-MRI for the rest of us

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Robertson, Matthew S.; Liu, Xinyang; Vyas, Pranav K.; Safdar, Nabile M. [Children' s National Health System, Sheikh Zayed Institute for Pediatric Surgical Innovation, Washington, DC (United States); Plishker, William; Zaki, George F. [IGI Technologies, Inc., College Park, MD (United States); Shekhar, Raj [Children' s National Health System, Sheikh Zayed Institute for Pediatric Surgical Innovation, Washington, DC (United States); IGI Technologies, Inc., College Park, MD (United States)

2016-10-15

With the introduction of hybrid positron emission tomography/magnetic resonance imaging (PET/MRI), a new imaging option to acquire multimodality images with complementary anatomical and functional information has become available. Compared with hybrid PET/computed tomography (CT), hybrid PET/MRI is capable of providing superior anatomical detail while removing the radiation exposure associated with CT. The early adoption of hybrid PET/MRI, however, has been limited. To provide a viable alternative to the hybrid PET/MRI hardware by validating a software-based solution for PET-MR image coregistration. A fully automated, graphics processing unit-accelerated 3-D deformable image registration technique was used to align PET (acquired as PET/CT) and MR image pairs of 17 patients (age range: 10 months-21 years, mean: 10 years) who underwent PET/CT and body MRI (chest, abdomen or pelvis), which were performed within a 28-day (mean: 10.5 days) interval. MRI data for most of these cases included single-station post-contrast axial T1-weighted images. Following registration, maximum standardized uptake value (SUV{sub max}) values observed in coregistered PET (cPET) and the original PET were compared for 82 volumes of interest. In addition, we calculated the target registration error as a measure of the quality of image coregistration, and evaluated the algorithm's performance in the context of interexpert variability. The coregistration execution time averaged 97±45 s. The overall relative SUV{sub max} difference was 7% between cPET-MRI and PET/CT. The average target registration error was 10.7±6.6 mm, which compared favorably with the typical voxel size (diagonal distance) of 8.0 mm (typical resolution: 0.66 mm x 0.66 mm x 8 mm) for MRI and 6.1 mm (typical resolution: 3.65 mm x 3.65 mm x 3.27 mm) for PET. The variability in landmark identification did not show statistically significant differences between the algorithm and a typical expert. We have presented a software

SU-D-201-05: Phantom Study to Determine Optimal PET Reconstruction Parameters for PET/MR Imaging of Y-90 Microspheres Following Radioembolization

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Maughan, N [Washington University in Saint Louis, Saint Louis, MO (United States); Conti, M [Siemens Healthcare Molecular Imaging, Knoxville, TN (United States); Parikh, P [Washington Univ. School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO (United States); Faul, D [Siemens Healthcare, New York, NY (United States); Laforest, R [Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO (United States)

2015-06-15

Purpose: Imaging Y-90 microspheres with PET/MRI following hepatic radioembolization has the potential for predicting treatment outcome and, in turn, improving patient care. The positron decay branching ratio, however, is very small (32 ppm), yielding images with poor statistics even when therapy doses are used. Our purpose is to find PET reconstruction parameters that maximize the PET recovery coefficients and minimize noise. Methods: An initial 7.5 GBq of Y-90 chloride solution was used to fill an ACR phantom for measurements with a PET/MRI scanner (Siemens Biograph mMR). Four hot cylinders and a warm background activity volume of the phantom were filled with a 10:1 ratio. Phantom attenuation maps were derived from scaled CT images of the phantom and included the MR phased array coil. The phantom was imaged at six time points between 7.5–1.0 GBq total activity over a period of eight days. PET images were reconstructed via OP-OSEM with 21 subsets and varying iteration number (1–5), post-reconstruction filter size (5–10 mm), and either absolute or relative scatter correction. Recovery coefficients, SNR, and noise were measured as well as total activity in the phantom. Results: For the 120 different reconstructions, recovery coefficients ranged from 0.1–0.6 and improved with increasing iteration number and reduced post-reconstruction filter size. SNR, however, improved substantially with lower iteration numbers and larger post-reconstruction filters. From the phantom data, we found that performing 2 iterations, 21 subsets, and applying a 5 mm Gaussian post-reconstruction filter provided optimal recovery coefficients at a moderate noise level for a wide range of activity levels. Conclusion: The choice of reconstruction parameters for Y-90 PET images greatly influences both the accuracy of measurements and image quality. We have found reconstruction parameters that provide optimal recovery coefficients with minimized noise. Future work will include the effects

Survey report on an environmental harmony type production system of chemical products; Kankyo chowagata kagaku seihin seizo system ni kansuru chosa hokokusho

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1996-03-01

As part of establishing an environmental harmony type production system of chemical products, study and survey were made on PET bottles. Using the life cycle analysis method (LCA), a study was made for proposing a material recycle (MR) method which is environmentally and economically excellent in the stage of recycling waste PET bottles. The total cost of recycling can be reduced by 34% supported by a decrease in equipment cost and improvement in yield if there is no mixture of foreign substances such as aluminum caps and PVC bottles. However, the ratio of the amount obtained from the reduction to the total production cost is small, and it is necessary to take measures from a viewpoint of the cost in a total production process and environmental loads. In a survey in Kawaguchi city, PET bottles discharged from the business sector occupied 41% of all the discharge amount. In a survey in Yokohama city, very important data were obtained on PET bottles appointed as the second type under the recycle law. The quality of PET bottles to be brought to the recycling plant is important for effectively processing PET bottles in MR method. For achievement of MR which is low in cost and small in environmental load, needed were cooperation by citizens, the shipping management system in autonomous government, and changes in design and material quality to be made by the industrial circle. 8 refs., 64 figs., 68 tabs.

Design element analysis on juice market Case study: Prigat

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nicoleta Andreea NEACŞU

2015-06-01

Full Text Available : If at the beginning package was considered simply a package that contained a product, now due to the development and modernization of the trade, it is a very valuable component of the marketing policy, being a carrier of messages to the consumer. Classic design elements that are included in any packaging refer to shape, color and graphics. The Romanian Juices Market was marked by originality and innovation in terms of packaging design elements. Thus, from 1998 until now the following have appeared: the first wide mouth square bottle, the first sport opening head PET bottle for Prigat Active, the first opening gable top box produced in our country.

Ocular injuries from carbonated soft drink bottle explosions.

OpenAIRE

Al Salem, M; Sheriff, S M

1984-01-01

Sixteen cases of ocular injuries serious enough to require admission to Ibn-Sina Hospital, Kuwait, Arabian Gulf, due to explosion of glass bottles of carbonated soft drinks are reported over a period of 14 months from the beginning of July 1981 to the end of August 1982. Prevalence was much greater in the summer months and among children. Explosions of bottles without prior agitation occurred in 11 cases (68.7%). High environmental temperature and defective bottles were the most important pre...

Environmental assessment of post-consumer wood and forest residues gasification: The case study of Barcelona metropolitan area

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Puy, Neus; Rieradevall, Joan; Bartroli, Jordi

2010-01-01

An energy and environmental analysis of post-consumer wood and forest residues gasification in metropolitan areas is carried out to determine the most critical stages of their life cycle. Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA) methodology is used to identify the environmental load of three defined scenarios: (1) Post-consumer wood from recycling points; (2) Post-consumer wood from bulky wastes; and (3) Forest residues. The stages considered are biomass pre-treatment, transport and gasification. Biomass pre-treatment comprise different steps: separation, chipping, sifting, post-chipping for all the scenarios; except for the drying step which is only entailed to Scenario 3. The midpoint impact categories taken into account are: abiotic depletion (AD), global warming (GW), ozone layer depletion (ODP), human toxicity (HT), acidification (A) and eutrophication (E). Results show that, due to the high physical requirements for biomass gasification, the most appropriate biomass is that of Scenario 1, since forest residues require a drying stage, which involves high energy consumption and high environmental impact. Energy consumption in biomass pre-treatment and transport stages is low compared to the energy obtained from gasification, which represents the 5% in Scenario 1; 7% in Scenario 2; and 13% in Scenario 3. Biomass pre-treatment is associated to an important contribution in AD and ODP impact categories, calculated as 71% and 98% of the overall impact. The transport stage is of no significant influence either in the scenarios or in the impact categories (less than 24% of the overall impact). Finally, gasification represents an impact of 3-78% of the different impact categories. (author)

[India: breast feeding is obsolete, the bottle is modern].

Science.gov (United States)

Uniyal, M

1992-09-07

In July, 1992 Indian health groups met in New Delhi to demand that the government promote a child nutrition code based on the 1981 code of the WHO which stated that mother's milk is quite sufficient and is the best nourishment for infants. Every day approximately 40,000 children are born in India, but thousands of them die in infancy because of infection caused by the unsanitary mixing of milk powder in unsterile bottles. Indian health activists want the government to regulate the production, access, and distribution of mother's milk substitutes, bottles, and child nutriments. A new law based on internationally recognized codes for marketing mother's milk substitutes could put an end to the present irresponsible marketing. Activists are not opposed to the production of milk powder, but they think it should only be used when the mother has no milk. The turnover of India's child nutrition industry is about $280 million per year with an annual increase of 5%. The use of bottle feeding has infiltrated the whole urban scene, and it is spreading in rural areas. Women consider bottle feeding a modern way of child feeding. 60 million kg of milk powder is produced yearly and sold under 25 different product names. Amul and Nestle command 85% of the growing market. Experts have calculated that 1 billion liters of mother's milk is wasted and replaced by substitute milk every year. Many Indian children get their first substitute milk at health posts where free or subsidized milk is distributed despite notices calling on mothers to breast-feed. According to a national survey sponsored by UNICEF, almost 1/2 of India's mothers give their children milk substitutes at the instigation of doctors or health personnel. 63% of children in the state of West Bengal were undernourished because families did not buy enough milk powder. The activists want the government to launch an offensive against the advertisement of breast milk substitutes in state-owned TV and radio and to promote proper

Security of bottle to fill in a high pressure air

Science.gov (United States)

Todic, M.; Latinovic, T.; Golubovic-Bugarski, V.; Majstorovic, A.

2018-01-01

Charging the bottle of high pressure air isolation devices is performed by a high-pressure compressor. The charging time is in function of the compressor capacity and the intensity of the nominal pressure of the air in the bottle. However, in accident situations this time is long and therefore high-pressure accumulators are used where the filling time of the bottle of isolation apparatus has been drastically reduced. Due to the short filling time of the bottle through the air flow, there is a thermodynamic load of bottle material that could endanger the safety of users and other participants in the area. It is therefore necessary to determine the critical parameters of the rapid charge and their intensity.

Consumer Involvement and Knowledge Influence on Wine Choice Cue Utilisation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bruwer, Johan; Chrysochou, Polymeros; Lesschaeve, Isabelle

2017-01-01

of consumer involvement. Design/methodology/approach The case of wine as an exemplary product category is considered, given the importance and variability of choice cues that have been found to affect product choice. Analysis is conducted on survey data from a sample of wine consumers in Ontario, Canada...... an image of desirability, etc., but not nearly as much on the functionality aspects thereof; for example alternative smaller packaging sizes to the standard 750 ml wine bottle. Originality/value The study uses a multi-dimensional approach to measure the impact of enduring involvement on utilisation...

Hazards of Healthy Living: Bottled Water and Salad Vegetables as Risk Factors for Campylobacter Infection

Science.gov (United States)

Ribeiro, C. Donald; Salmon, Roland L.

2003-01-01

Campylobacter is the most common cause of bacterial gastroenteritis worldwide, yet the etiology of this infection remains only partly explained. In a retrospective cohort study, we compared 213 sporadic campylobacter case-patients with 1,144 patients with negative fecal samples. Information was obtained on food history, animal contact, foreign travel, leisure activities, medical conditions, and medication use. Eating chicken, eating food from a fried chicken outlet, eating salad vegetables, drinking bottled water, and direct contact with cows or calves were all independently associated with infection. The population-attributable fractions for these risk factors explained nearly 70% of sporadic campylobacter infections. Eating chicken is a well-established risk factor, but consuming salad and bottled water are not. The association with salad may be explained by cross-contamination of food within the home, but the possibility that natural mineral water is a risk factor for campylobacter infection could have wide public health implications. PMID:14609455

Use of F-18 fluoro deoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) in the assessment of malignant mesothelioma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brown, F.M.M.; Pathmaraj, K.; Berlangieri, S.U.; Knight, S.; Clarke, C.P.; Scott, A.M.

2002-01-01

Full text: Australia has the highest mesothelioma incidence rate in the world and the incidence of Mesothelioma is increasing. Therapy for Mesothelioma involves surgery (including phototherapy), radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Computed tomography (CT) is frequently used to stage the extent of Mesothelioma. This study aimed to evaluate the utility of FDG PET in staging Mesothelioma and monitoring response to therapy. Nineteen F-18 FDG PET was performed at the A and RMC Centre for PET in 14 patients (13M: 1F, age range 39-77 years, mean age 58 years) with biopsy proven malignant pleural Mesothelioma. Patients were referred for staging (5 patients) or evaluation of patients post surgery or phototherapy (9 patients). 3 patients had more than 1 PET scan. FDG scans were reviewed with full access to the CT report. Standardised Uptake Values (SUV) were performed in all scans in regions of maximal FDG uptake corresponding to CT abnormality. Normal lung SUVs were also calculated. Follow-up was possible in all patients to the time of death or December 2001 (Follow-up 4 - 45 months, mean 16 months; 3 patients still alive). All FDG PET scans were positive for FDG-avid pleural tissue. No surgery was deferred due to FDG PET findings. In 3 patients mediastinal nodes were identified pre-surgery. Post surgical therapy assessment by FDG PET (9 patients) guided therapy by confirming disease progression or further characterising post-operative changes when CT findings were uncertain. FDG PET was able to more accurately distinguish between collapse/consolidation and recurrent disease than CT scan. Almost all post-surgical scans were performed in patients who received phototherapy. Different Mesothelioma histological subtypes could not be differentiated by SUV criteria. False positive FDG PET studies were seen in 3 patients, all of whom had post-surgical empyemas. In conclusion, FDG PET has a potential role in the management of malignant mesothelioma patients, particularly in the post

Ten years summary: FDG-PET on irradiated brain tumour

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Shuxia; Boethius, J.

2004-01-01

Purpose: To retrospectively evaluate FDG-PET in differentiation of post-radiotherapy status: recurrence, radiation necrosis, malignant regression of low grade primary brain tumour, and to evaluate PET in terms of survival prediction. Material and methods: 117 irradiated patients (156 PET) were consecutively included. PET results were judged by a set of rigid follow-up standards. Brain metastases from lung carcinoma were further studied. Survival time was analysed with Kaplan-Meier method. Results: There were 61 true-positive, 2 false-positive, 15 false-negative, 51 true-negative PET; leaving 5 positive and 22 negative PET results indeterminate. PET positive predictive value was 96% in all and 100% in brain metastasis from lung carcinoma. PET negative predictive value was 55.6% among surgically selected cases. Survival time was significantly longer in patient's with negative PET, both brain metastasis and primary brain tumour. Conclusions: FDG-PET was a good method to pick up tumour recurrence from radiation necrosis, especially metastasis from lung carcinoma. FDG uptake could be used as a non-invasive parameter to predict patient's prognosis. (authors)

A New Bottle Design Decreases Hypoxemic Episodes during Feeding in Preterm Infants

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alejandro Jenik

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Oxygen saturation is lower during bottle feeding than during breastfeeding in preterm infants. Our objective was to compare two different bottle systems in healthy preterm infants before discharge in terms of SpO2 and oral feeding efficiency (rate of milk intake. Infants without supplement oxygen needs were evaluated twice on the same day during two consecutive feeds, by the same nurse. Infants served as their own controls for comparison of two systems of bottles, the order of which was randomized. The new bottle's nipple design mimics mom's breast in shape and feel, and the bottle vents to air when the child sucks on the nipple. The other system was the hospital's standard plastic bottle with silicone nipple. The rate of milk intake was calculated as the total volume transferred minus volume lost divided by time of feeding, mL/min. Thirty-four infants (BW: 1,163±479.1 g were studied at 35.4±1.3 weeks after-conception. SpO2 was significantly higher in infants fed with the new bottle design. Milk intake rate was significantly higher with the new bottle than with the standard bottle design. The new bottle design improves oral feeding performance in preterm infants near to discharge when compared to that of a standard bottle.

Post transplant lymphoproliferative disease in pediatric solid organ transplant patients: A possible role for [{sup 18}F]-FDG-PET(/CT) in initial staging and therapy monitoring

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Falck, C. von [Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover (Medical School Hanover), Carl-Neuberg-Strasse 1, 30625 Hannover (Germany)], E-mail: Falck.Christian.von@mh-hannover.de; Maecker, B. [Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover (Medical School Hanover), Carl-Neuberg-Strasse 1, 30625 Hannover (Germany); Schirg, E. [Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover (Medical School Hanover), Carl-Neuberg-Strasse 1, 30625 Hannover (Germany); Boerner, A.R.; Knapp, W.H. [Department of Nuclear Medicine, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover (Medical School Hanover), Carl-Neuberg-Strasse 1, 30625 Hannover (Germany); Klein, C. [Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover (Medical School Hanover), Carl-Neuberg-Strasse 1, 30625 Hannover (Germany); Galanski, M. [Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover (Medical School Hanover), Carl-Neuberg-Strasse 1, 30625 Hannover (Germany)

2007-09-15

Post transplant lymphoproliferative disease (PTLD) is a severe complication after solid organ or bone marrow transplantation. In pediatric transplant recipients PTLD is the most common malignancy. The aim of this study was to evaluate a possible role for positron emission tomography with [{sup 18}F]-2-fluoro-2-desoxy-glucose (FDG) in the initial staging and in therapy monitoring of pediatric patients suffering from biopsy-proven CD20-positive PTLD after solid organ transplantation. Seven pediatric patients were included. All available imaging studies - CT (n = 15), MRI (n = 16) and PET/PETCT (n = 16) - were reviewed on a lesion by lesion base. The performance of FDG-PET in the initial staging and during therapy with a chimeric anti-CD20 antibody was compared to conventional cross sectional imaging and correlated with the clinical outcome. FDG-PET identified all sites of disease as shown by CT/MRI and helped to clarify the significance of equivocal findings. The initial stage of disease was correctly identified by FDG-PET alone when compared to CT/MRI. During therapy, FDG-PET was superior to conventional cross-sectional imaging in the early evaluation of response.

Ergonomics Designs of Aluminum Beverage Cans and Bottles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Han Jing; Itoh, Ryouiti; Shinguryo, Takuro; Yamazaki, Koetsu; Nishiyama, Sadao

2005-01-01

This paper introduced the finite element analyses into the ergonomics designs to evaluate the human feelings numerically and objectively. Two design examples in developing aluminum beverage cans and bottles are presented. The first example describes a design of the tab of the can with better finger access. A simulation of finger pulling up the tab of the can has been performed and a pain in the finger has been evaluated by using the maximum value of the contact stress of a finger model. The finger access comparison of three kinds of tab ring shape designs showed that the finger access of the tab that may have a larger contact area with finger is better. The second example describes a design of rib-shape embossed bottles for hot vending. Analyses of tactile sensation of heat have been performed and the amount of heat transmitted from hot bottles to finger was used to present the hot touch feeling. Comparison results showed that the hot touch feeling of rib-shape embossed bottles is better than that of cylindrical bottles, and that the shape of the rib also influenced the hot touch feeling

18F-FDG versus 11C-choline PET/CT for the imaging of advanced head and neck cancer after combined intra-arterial chemotherapy and radiotherapy: the time period during which PET/CT can reliably detect non-recurrence

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ito, Kimiteru; Matsuda, Hiroshi; Yokoyama, Jyunkichi; Kubota, Kazuo; Morooka, Miyako; Shiibashi, Michio

2010-01-01

The purpose of this prospective study was to evaluate the usefulness of 18 F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) and 11 C-choline positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) for detecting recurrences of advanced head and neck cancer after combined intra-arterial chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Additionally, we surveyed the time period during which an effective negative predictive value could be maintained after the first follow-up PET/CT examination and estimated the optimal timing of a second PET/CT examination for detecting late recurrences. Fifty-three subjects (36 men and 17 women; mean age: 59.4±11.5 years) with advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma were recruited. Post-treatment 18 F-FDG PET/CT and 11 C-choline examinations were performed in all patients between 8 and 12 weeks after combined intra-arterial chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The PET/CT images were evaluated using a patient-based analysis and a lesion-based analysis. All of the patients were prospectively followed for at least 9 months after the post-treatment PET/CT examination, with surveillance using conventional images (including CT and/or MRI) and a physical examination performed every 3 months. Recurrences, as determined using the patient-based analysis, were eventually confirmed in 18, 6 and 5 patients at 3, 4-6 and 7-9 months after the post-treatment PET/CT examination, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of the 18F-FDG PET/CT and the 11C-choline PET/CT examinations to predict recurrence within 3 months were higher (FDG: 89 and 91%; choline: 83 and 80%, respectively) than for recurrence detection 6 months (FDG: 67 and 90%; choline: 62 and 76%, respectively) and 9 months later (FDG: 59 and 92%; choline: 55 and 75%, respectively). The lesion-based analysis showed that the maximum standardized uptake value of 18 F-FDG and 11 C-choline in the recurrent lesions were correlated with each other, compared with their relation in scar tissues (R 2 = 0.492 and 0

Housing the Citizen-Consumer in Post-war Britain: The Parker Morris Report, Affluence and the Even Briefer Life of Social Democracy.

Science.gov (United States)

Kefford, Alistair

2018-06-01

This article examines debates about the design and provision of post-war housing within the papers and report of the Parker Morris committee. It does so to show how the models of citizens' rights and expectations which underpinned post-war welfare provision were transformed by mass affluence and the dynamic sphere of commercial consumption. Parker Morris's deliberations demonstrate that, as early as the 1950s, the citizen-subject was reimagined as a consuming individual, with requirements based on their expressive needs and consuming desires, and that this had far-reaching consequences for social democratic systems of universal welfare provision. The introduction of consumerist imperatives into publicly defined models of citizens' needs enhanced the political and cultural authority of the commercial domain, prompted a heightened role for commercial experts and market logics within public governance, and served to devalue socialized forms of provision in favour of consumer choice in the private market. The article thus engages with the growing scholarship on the politics of mass consumerism by showing how the material and emotional comforts of post-war affluence came to be constructed as critical to social democratic citizenship and selfhood. Situating this uneasy entanglement of social democratic rights with consumer satisfaction as part of a wider trajectory of political change, the piece suggests that Parker Morris marks an early but significant moment in the transition from post-war welfarism and social democracy to the consumer- and market-oriented forms of governance which came to dominate British politics and society in the latter part of the twentieth century.

Criticality safety requirements for transporting EBR-II fuel bottles stored at INTEC

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lell, R. M.; Pope, C. L.

2000-01-01

Two carrier/shipping cask options are being developed to transport bottles of EBR-II fuel elements stored at INTEC. Some fuel bottles are intact, but some have developed leaks. Reactivity control requirements to maintain subcriticality during the hypothetical transport accident have been examined for both transport options for intact and leaking bottles. Poison rods, poison sleeves, and dummy filler bottles were considered; several possible poison materials and several possible dummy filler materials were studied. The minimum number of poison rods or dummy filler bottles has been determined for each carrier for transport of intact and leaking bottles

76 FR 54791 - Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) Film From Korea

Science.gov (United States)

2011-09-02

... Terephthalate (PET) Film From Korea Determination On the basis of the record \\1\\ developed in the subject five... order on polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film from Korea would not be likely to lead to continuation or... was given by posting copies of the notice in the Office of the Secretary, U.S. International Trade...

Automatic delineation of brain regions on MRI and PET images from the pig

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Villadsen, Jonas; Hansen, Hanne D; Jørgensen, Louise M

2018-01-01

: Manual inter-modality spatial normalization to a MRI atlas is operator-dependent, time-consuming, and can be inaccurate with lack of cortical radiotracer binding or skull uptake. NEW METHOD: A parcellated PET template that allows for automatic spatial normalization to PET images of any radiotracer....... RESULTS: MRI and [11C]Cimbi-36 PET scans obtained in sixteen pigs made the basis for the atlas. The high resolution MRI scans allowed for creation of an accurately averaged MRI template. By aligning the within-subject PET scans to their MRI counterparts, an averaged PET template was created in the same...... the MRI template with individual MRI images and 0.92±0.26mm using the PET template with individual [11C]Cimbi-36 PET images. We tested the automatic procedure by assessing eleven PET radiotracers with different kinetics and spatial distributions by using perfusion-weighted images of early PET time frames...

FDG-PET status following chemoradiotherapy provides high management impact and powerful prognostic stratification in oesophageal cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Duong, Cuong P.; Thomas, Robert J.S.; Hicks, Rodney J.; Drummond, Elizabeth; Weih, LeAnn; Leong, Trevor; Michael, Michael

2006-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of FDG-PET following chemoradiotherapy (CRT) on treatment planning and survival in patients with oesophageal cancer (OC). Fifty-three consecutive OC patients had a post-treatment PET scan to evaluate tumour response to CRT prior to possible surgery. Baseline pre-CRT PET was performed in 33 patients. Prospectively recorded post-CRT management plans were compared with post-PET treatment. High impact was defined as a change in treatment intent or modality. Survival was analysed using the Kaplan-Meier product limit method and Cox proportional hazards regression model. After completion of CRT, 23/53 patients (43%) achieved complete metabolic response (CMR), as compared with only four (8%) with complete response on computed tomography. High PET impact was observed in 19 patients (36%). CMR was strongly predictive of survival (p<0.008) on multivariate analysis. CMR patients in whom resection was not performed had comparable survival to those (CMR and non-CMR) who underwent resection. The use of post-treatment FDG-PET for assessment of tumour response after CRT changed the clinical management of more than one-third of OC patients. CMR status as assessed by PET powerfully stratified prognosis. Even in the absence of a baseline study, normalisation of uptake at all sites of known tumoral involvement carries a good medium-term prognosis. (orig.)

Consumer Perception and Preference of Drinking Water Sources.

Science.gov (United States)

Sajjadi, Seyed Ali; Alipour, Vali; Matlabi, Mohammad; Biglari, Hamed

2016-11-01

Understanding consumer perception of drinking water can contribute to improvements in water management and consumer satisfaction. The aim of this study was to assess the consumer perception of tap water quality and other drinking water sources in Gonabad as a small semiarid city. This study was performed in autumn and winter 2013. For collection data a researcher-made a questionnaire consisting of nine questions, based on demographic information prepared. Questions were asked for participants to provide information regarding household drinking water usage and patterns, opinion about tap water safety, taste and reasons for purchasing bottled water. For statistical analysis, analysis of variance (ANOVA) using SPSS version 16 was applied in this study. Results showed that demographic variables had a significant relationship with consumer satisfaction (p Consumer reasons for using domestic water softeners are: suitable taste (80%), easy availability (71%), economical (56%) and low health side effects (34%). According to these results it was clear that each consumer group, based on self-condition, prefers using a specific drinking water source.

PET imaging of inflammation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Buscombe, J. R.

2014-01-01

Inflammatory diseases are common place and often chronic. Most inflammatory cells have increased uptake of glucose which is enhanced in the presence of local cytokines. Therefore, imaging glucose metabolism by the means of 18F-fluoro-deoxy-glucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) holds significant promise in imaging focal inflammation. Most of the work published involved small series of patients with either vasculitis, sarcoid or rheumatoid arthritis. It would appear that FDG PET is a simple and effective technique to identify inflammatory tissue in these conditions. There is even some work to suggest that by comparing baseline and early post therapy scans clinical outcome can be predicted. This would appear to be true with vasculitis as well as retroperitoneal fibrosis. The number of patients in each study is small but the evidence is compelling enough to recommend FDG PET imaging in the routine care of these patients.

FDG-PET/ceCT is useful to predict recurrence of Pseudomyxoma peritonei

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dubreuil, Julien; Skanjeti, Andrea; Giammarile, Francesco; Rousset, Pascal; Bakrin, Naoual; Passot, Guillaume; Isaac, Sylvie; Glehen, Olivier

2016-01-01

Pseudomyxoma peritonei (PMP) is a rare peritoneal neoplasm originating from appendicular tumours. There is no consolidated data available in the literature about the precise role of [ 18 F] fluorodesoxy-D-glucose Positron Emission Tomography / contrast enhanced Computed Tomography (FDG-PET/ceCT). The aim of this study was to evaluate the correlation between preoperative FDG-PET/ceCT (qualitative and semi-quantitative assessment) and progression free survival (PFS) of patients treated for PMP. All patients scheduled for PMP treatment by cytoreductive unicentric surgery, intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC), and who underwent a FDG-PET/ceCT between February 2008 and January 2014, were included. No previous treatment was performed (except biopsy or appendectomy). FDG-PET/ceCT was interpreted by two nuclear physicians in consensus. Positive FDG-PET/ceCT scans were further labelled in diffuse disease and poly/mono focal disease. SUVmax was measured based on post-operative reports. The Peritoneal Cancer Index (PCI) and Completeness of CytoReduction Score (CCR) were assessed after surgery. Fifty-six patients were included in this study, with a mean age of 56-years-old and a mean follow-up of 29.3 months. SUVmax, with a cut-off at 2.02, was predictive for the PFS on multivariate analysis. No differences were observed between diffuse disease and focal disease on PFS for progression free survival, PCI, and SUVmax (p = 0.1). Post-operative CCR was not significantly correlated with SUVmax or FDG-PET/ceCT qualitative assessment. SUVmax on preoperative FDG-PET/ceCT was an independent predictive factor for PFS in PMP. Further studies are needed to explore if FDG-PET/ceCT could potentially predict post-operative CCR. (orig.)

27 CFR 25.157 - Determination of tax on bottled beer.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... bottled beer. 25.157 Section 25.157 Alcohol, Tobacco Products and Firearms ALCOHOL AND TOBACCO TAX AND TRADE BUREAU, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY LIQUORS BEER Tax on Beer Determination of Tax § 25.157 Determination of tax on bottled beer. The quantities of bottled beer removed subject to tax shall be computed to...

Spatio-temporal diffusion of dynamic PET images

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tauber, C; Chalon, S; Guilloteau, D; Stute, S; Buvat, I; Chau, M; Spiteri, P

2011-01-01

Positron emission tomography (PET) images are corrupted by noise. This is especially true in dynamic PET imaging where short frames are required to capture the peak of activity concentration after the radiotracer injection. High noise results in a possible bias in quantification, as the compartmental models used to estimate the kinetic parameters are sensitive to noise. This paper describes a new post-reconstruction filter to increase the signal-to-noise ratio in dynamic PET imaging. It consists in a spatio-temporal robust diffusion of the 4D image based on the time activity curve (TAC) in each voxel. It reduces the noise in homogeneous areas while preserving the distinct kinetics in regions of interest corresponding to different underlying physiological processes. Neither anatomical priors nor the kinetic model are required. We propose an automatic selection of the scale parameter involved in the diffusion process based on a robust statistical analysis of the distances between TACs. The method is evaluated using Monte Carlo simulations of brain activity distributions. We demonstrate the usefulness of the method and its superior performance over two other post-reconstruction spatial and temporal filters. Our simulations suggest that the proposed method can be used to significantly increase the signal-to-noise ratio in dynamic PET imaging.

The Moderating Role of Risk Perception on The Relationship Between Satisfaction and Repurchase Intention of Bottled Water in Nigeria: A Research Proposition

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wahid N. Abdul

2018-01-01

Full Text Available There has been a surge of bottled water consumption globally to date. This phenomenon requires investigation on why consumers intend to repeat purchase the product. While past literature has applied Oliver’s expectation disconfirmation theory (EDT to explain the link between customer satisfactions (CS and repurchase intention (RI, other studies have reported conflicting findings. Thus, this study argues that risk perception (RP should be added as a moderating variable between CS-RI which should improve our understanding of the RI behaviour in the context of EDT, bottled water consumption, policy and marketing strategy research. A new framework is proposed to explain the role of RP in EDT, with the aim of stimulating further enquiry.

Study on mechanical and physical properties of composite materials with recycled PET as fillers for paving block application

Science.gov (United States)

Wicaksono, Sigit Tri; Ardhyananta, Hosta; Rasyida, Amaliya

2018-04-01

Base on Sidoarjo's goverment data, there was more than 4000 metric ton perday of waste that has been accumulated during 2016. More than 10 percent from overall waste is plastics. In accordance with the Indonesia government regulation, "Indonesia clean from waste" by 2020 through 3R (Reduce, Reuse and Recycle) program, we have been focusing research on how to reduce the accumulation of the plastics waste in Sidoarjo by processing it become a new product. In this research, we have made the plastic waste of PET bottle as additional fillers or agregates of composite material for construction application as a paving block. The composition of PET plastic used as fillers is vary from 0, 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50% from total volume of agregates. The ratio of cement binder to sands agregate is 1:3. The specimens were characterized its mechanical and physical properties by using flexural testing, compressive testing, density and water absorbance measurement. The results show that the mechanical (flexural and compressive) properties of composite materials is increased significantly by increasing PET fillers up to 20%, however it was decreased when PET content more than 20%. But, both the density and water absobance of specimens are decreased by increasing of PET fillers.

Nutritional sustainability of pet foods.

Science.gov (United States)

Swanson, Kelly S; Carter, Rebecca A; Yount, Tracy P; Aretz, Jan; Buff, Preston R

2013-03-01

Sustainable practices meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. Applying these concepts to food and feed production, nutritional sustainability is the ability of a food system to provide sufficient energy and essential nutrients required to maintain good health in a population without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their nutritional needs. Ecological, social, and economic aspects must be balanced to support the sustainability of the overall food system. The nutritional sustainability of a food system can be influenced by several factors, including the ingredient selection, nutrient composition, digestibility, and consumption rates of a diet. Carbon and water footprints vary greatly among plant- and animal-based ingredients, production strategy, and geographical location. Because the pet food industry is based largely on by-products and is tightly interlinked with livestock production and the human food system, however, it is quite unique with regard to sustainability. Often based on consumer demand rather than nutritional requirements, many commercial pet foods are formulated to provide nutrients in excess of current minimum recommendations, use ingredients that compete directly with the human food system, or are overconsumed by pets, resulting in food wastage and obesity. Pet food professionals have the opportunity to address these challenges and influence the sustainability of pet ownership through product design, manufacturing processes, public education, and policy change. A coordinated effort across the industry that includes ingredient buyers, formulators, and nutritionists may result in a more sustainable pet food system.

Utility of “1”1C -methionine PET/CT in neuro-oncology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Casas Parera, I.; Igirio Gamero, J.L.; Báez, A.; Tafur Canabal, J.G.; Báez, M.; Kuchkaryan, V.; B lumenkrantz, Y.; Bruno, G.

2013-01-01

Positron emission tomography (PET) with “1”1C-methionine (“1”1C-methionine PET/CT) is a new technique used to evaluate primary central nervous system (CNS) tumors. We describe our experience regarding the first 4 patients with glial tumors and “1”1C-methionine PET/CT. This is a descriptive, observational and prospective study of 4 patients between 38-50 years of age, with different gliomas (WHO classification). MRI and “1”1C-methionine PET/CT were performed in all cases. Case 1, gliomatosis cerebri grade II post-radiotherapy. Case 2, oligodendroglioma grade II diagnosed and treated with radiotherapy in 1993. Case 3, glioblastoma grade IV post-radiotherapy + temozolomide. Case 4, anaplastic oligoastrocytoma grade III post-radiotherapy + temozolomide. The pattern of “1”1C-methionine uptake compared with MRI showed tumor progression in cases 1, 3 and 4, and in case 2 showed uptake although the final diagnosis was pseudoprogression. Unlike “1”8fluordeoxiglucose PET/TC, “1”1C-methionine uptake in normal brain tissue and pseudoprogression is low, and gliomas are displayed as metabolically active areas. The “1”1C-methionine PET/CT provided valuable information on the tumoral behavior and extension, although in one case presented did not differentiate tumor progression from pseudoprogression. “1”1C-methionine PET/CT could be a useful tool in the study and follow-up to patients with gliomas. (authors) [es

Rework and postponement: a comparison of bottling strategies

NARCIS (Netherlands)

R.H. Teunter (Ruud); S.D.P. Flapper

2003-01-01

textabstractThis paper presents the results of a case study in a batch production facility for biological vaccines. The problem considered is that of finding the best bottling strategy for produced batches. A batch can be bottled directly after production, after positive intermediate test results,

Computed Tomography characterization of the Green Fiber Bottle

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Saxena, Prateek; Bissacco, Giuliano

The work carried out in this research aims at identifying suitable ways for thorough characterization of the quality of paper bottles. Industrial X-ray Computed Tomography (XCT) is particularly advantageous in determining the quality of paper bottles and thus correlating it with the production...

Dynamically tunable optical bottles from an optical fiber

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Chen, Yuhao; Yan, Lu; Rishøj, Lars Søgaard

2012-01-01

Optical fibers have long been used to impose spatial coherence to shape free-space optical beams. Recent work has shown that one can use higher order fiber modes to create more exotic beam profiles. We experimentally generate optical bottles from Talbot imaging in the coherent superposition of two...... fiber modes excited with long period gratings, and obtain a 28 μm × 6 μm bottle with controlled contrast up to 10.13 dB. Our geometry allows for phase tuning of one mode with respect to the other, which enables us to dynamically move the bottle in free space....

An axisymmetric PFEM formulation for bottle forming simulation

Science.gov (United States)

Ryzhakov, Pavel B.

2017-01-01

A numerical model for bottle forming simulation is proposed. It is based upon the Particle Finite Element Method (PFEM) and is developed for the simulation of bottles characterized by rotational symmetry. The PFEM strategy is adapted to suit the problem of interest. Axisymmetric version of the formulation is developed and a modified contact algorithm is applied. This results in a method characterized by excellent computational efficiency and volume conservation characteristics. The model is validated. An example modelling the final blow process is solved. Bottle wall thickness is estimated and the mass conservation of the method is analysed.

Migration of 2-butoxyethyl acetate from polycarbonate infant feeding bottles

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Petersen, Jens Højslev; Lund, K.H.

2003-01-01

An enforcement campaign was carried out to assess the migration of 2-butoxyethyl acetate (2-BEA) from polycarbonate infant feeding bottles intended for repeated use. Migration was measured by three successive migration tests into two of the European Union official food simulants: distilled water......-BEA was found from eight of 12 bottles. However, migration above the target value of 0.33 mg kg(-1) was not observed in the third decisive test from any of the 12 different brands of polycarbonate feeding bottles. A migration of between 0.05 and 0.26 mg kg(-1) from seven of 12 bottles was measured...

Color sorter for waste bottles; Hai garasu bin no iro senbetsu sochi

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Uchida, M. [Sumitomo Metal Industries Ltd., Osaka (Japan)

1994-08-12

The recycling business about glass bottles having extended widely, ratio of recycled materials has come up to 55% out of all raw materials for bottle manufacturing. For the purpose of effective reuse, sorting by color into colorless, brown, green, etc. is indispensable. But, at present, this sorting work relies solely upon manpower. In response to the demand for automation of the above work, automatic color sorting system has been developed. In the first place, a pre-sorter can divide bottles into large ones (larger than 10cm in diameter), small ones and cullets. Bottles from the pre-sorter are arranged horizontally on a conveyer, and then light is shined in the direction from each bottle neck. By a color camera, each light permeated through a bottle bottom is caught. Next, by means of an image processing unit, bottles are gathered by color. Cullets are put on several conveyers and are separated by means of color sensors and air nozzles. Disposing capacity of one unit is 5,000 bottles/hr by each size, and one ton of cullets/hr. 4 figs., 2 tabs.

Radiation injury vs. recurrent brain metastasis: combining textural feature radiomics analysis and standard parameters may increase 18F-FET PET accuracy without dynamic scans.

Science.gov (United States)

Lohmann, Philipp; Stoffels, Gabriele; Ceccon, Garry; Rapp, Marion; Sabel, Michael; Filss, Christian P; Kamp, Marcel A; Stegmayr, Carina; Neumaier, Bernd; Shah, Nadim J; Langen, Karl-Josef; Galldiks, Norbert

2017-07-01

We investigated the potential of textural feature analysis of O-(2-[ 18 F]fluoroethyl)-L-tyrosine ( 18 F-FET) PET to differentiate radiation injury from brain metastasis recurrence. Forty-seven patients with contrast-enhancing brain lesions (n = 54) on MRI after radiotherapy of brain metastases underwent dynamic 18 F-FET PET. Tumour-to-brain ratios (TBRs) of 18 F-FET uptake and 62 textural parameters were determined on summed images 20-40 min post-injection. Tracer uptake kinetics, i.e., time-to-peak (TTP) and patterns of time-activity curves (TAC) were evaluated on dynamic PET data from 0-50 min post-injection. Diagnostic accuracy of investigated parameters and combinations thereof to discriminate between brain metastasis recurrence and radiation injury was compared. Diagnostic accuracy increased from 81 % for TBR mean alone to 85 % when combined with the textural parameter Coarseness or Short-zone emphasis. The accuracy of TBR max alone was 83 % and increased to 85 % after combination with the textural parameters Coarseness, Short-zone emphasis, or Correlation. Analysis of TACs resulted in an accuracy of 70 % for kinetic pattern alone and increased to 83 % when combined with TBR max . Textural feature analysis in combination with TBRs may have the potential to increase diagnostic accuracy for discrimination between brain metastasis recurrence and radiation injury, without the need for dynamic 18 F-FET PET scans. • Textural feature analysis provides quantitative information about tumour heterogeneity • Textural features help improve discrimination between brain metastasis recurrence and radiation injury • Textural features might be helpful to further understand tumour heterogeneity • Analysis does not require a more time consuming dynamic PET acquisition.

Who wants cancer screening with PET?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yasunaga, Hideo

2009-01-01

Objectives: Cancer screening using whole-body fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) has gradually become popular in Japan. Although some studies have reported high cancer detection rates with PET screening, the justification for such an approach is still unclear, and no evidence has been provided to indicate that PET screening reduces cancer mortality. We measured the general public's willingness to pay (WTP) for this service using a contingent valuation method, after providing them with sufficient information regarding the efficacy and limitations of the service. Methods: A computer-assisted questionnaire survey was conducted on males and females in Japan aged between 40 and 59 years. The study participants (n = 390) were provided with sufficient information about the PET procedure, the high cancer detection rate, false-negatives/false-positives and the fact that the mortality-reducing effect of PET screening has not yet been demonstrated. The participants' WTP was ascertained by a double-bound dichotomous choice approach. Results: The average WTP among all the participants was $68.0 (95% confidence interval: $56.9-79.2). A Weibull regression analysis showed that income, degree of concern about health, and family history of cancer were significant factors affecting WTP. Conclusions: The actual charge for PET screening in Japan is approximately $1000 on average, which is significantly higher than the participants' WTP for the actual benefit obtained from the service. If the Japanese healthcare consumers are well-informed, most of them would avoid purchasing such a costly service.

FDG-PET on Irradiated Brain Tumor: Ten Years' Summary

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, S.X.; Boethius, J.; Ericson, K.

2006-01-01

Purpose: To evaluate FDG-PET in post-radiotherapy differentiation of tumor recurrence/malignant degeneration and radiation reaction, and to assess the role of PET in terms of survival. Material and Methods: 117 consecutive patients with a total of 156 FDG-PET examinations with positive but non-diagnostic MRI and/or CT were included. Final diagnosis was based on histopathology or correlated with radiologic and clinical follow-up. Brain metastases from lung carcinomas were further studied separately. Survival time was analysed using the Kaplan-Meier method. Results: There were 61 true-positive, 2 false-positive, 15 false-negative, and 51 true-negative PET examinations; 5 positive and 22 negative PET examinations were indeterminate. The positive predictive value of a PET examination was 96% in all and 100% in brain metastases from lung carcinoma. The negative predictive value based on the histopathologic results was 55.6%. Survival time was significantly longer in patients with negative PET. Conclusion: FDG-PET is a valuable tool in the detection of tumor recurrence, especially lung carcinoma metastasis. FDG uptake is a prognostic marker

Blood culture bottles are superior to conventional media for vitreous culture.

Science.gov (United States)

Thariya, Patsuda; Yospaiboon, Yosanan; Sinawat, Suthasinee; Sanguansak, Thuss; Bhoomibunchoo, Chavakij; Laovirojjanakul, Wipada

2016-08-01

To compare blood culture bottles and conventional media for the vitreous culture in patients with clinically suspected infectious endophthalmitis. Retrospective comparative study at KKU Eye Center, Khon Kaen University. There were 342 patients with clinically suspected infectious endophthalmitis participated in the study. The vitreous specimens were inoculated in both blood culture bottles and on conventional culture media (blood agar, MacConkey agar, chocolate agar, Sabouraud dextrose agar and thioglycolate broth). The number of positive culture yields in both blood culture bottles and conventional media. Positive culture yields in both methods were found in 151 eyes (49.5%). There were 136 of 151 eyes (90.1%) with positive culture in blood culture bottles, whereas 99 of 151 eyes (65.6%) yielded positive cultures in conventional media. These findings were different with a statistical significance (P culture bottles and conventional media improved the yield. Blood culture bottles are superior to conventional media for vitreous culture in clinically suspected infectious endophthalmitis. Vitreous culture using blood culture bottles should be recommended as the primary method for microbiological diagnosis. A combination of both methods further improves the positive culture yield. © 2016 Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists.

Positron emission tomography (PET) for oncologic applications in oral region

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shozushima, Masanori; Terasaki, Kazunori

2004-01-01

A rapidly emerging clinical application of positron emission tomography (PET) is the detection of cancer with radionuclide tracer, because it provides information unavailable by ultrasound, computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging. The most commonly used radiotracer for PET oncologic imaging is fluorine-18-labeled fluorodeoxyglucose ( 18 F-FDG). Early studies show PET has potential value in viewing the region of the tumor, detecting, staging, grading, monitoring response to anticancer therapy, and differentiating recurrent or residual disease from post treatment changes. However, limitations of FDG-PET in the head and neck region, namely, physiological FDG uptake in the salivary glands and palatine tonsils, have been reported, increasing the false-positive rates in image interpretation. This review was designed to address these distinctions of oral cancer PET imaging: specialization of PET equipment, cancer cell metabolism, proliferation and tracers, clinical diagnosis of oral cancer with PET, pitfalls in oncologic diagnosis with FDG-PET imaging. (author)

Multi institutional quantitative phantom study of yttrium-90 PET in PET/MRI: the MR-QUEST study.

Science.gov (United States)

Maughan, Nichole M; Eldib, Mootaz; Faul, David; Conti, Maurizio; Elschot, Mattijs; Knešaurek, Karin; Leek, Francesca; Townsend, David; DiFilippo, Frank P; Jackson, Kimberly; Nekolla, Stephan G; Lukas, Mathias; Tapner, Michael; Parikh, Parag J; Laforest, Richard

2018-04-04

Yttrium-90 ( 90 Y) radioembolization involves the intra-arterial delivery of radioactive microspheres to treat hepatic malignancies. Though this therapy involves careful pre-treatment planning and imaging, little is known about the precise location of the microspheres once they are administered. Recently, there has been growing interest post-radioembolization imaging using positron-emission tomography (PET) for quantitative dosimetry and identifying lesions that may benefit from additional salvage therapy. In this study, we aim to measure the inter-center variability of 90 Y PET measurements as measured on PET/MRI in preparation for a multi-institutional prospective phase I/II clinical trial. Eight institutions participated in this study and followed a standardized phantom filling and imaging protocol. The NEMA NU2-2012 body phantom was filled with 3 GBq of 90 Y chloride solution. The phantom was imaged for 30 min in listmode on a Siemens Biograph mMR non-TOF PET/MRI scanner at five time points across 10 days (0.3-3.0 GBq). Raw PET data were sent to a central site for image reconstruction and data analysis. Images were reconstructed with optimal parameters determined from a previous study. Volumes of interest (VOIs) matching the known sphere diameters were drawn on the vendor-provided attenuation map and propagated to the PET images. Recovery coefficients (RCs) and coefficient of variation of the RCs (COV) were calculated from these VOIs for each sphere size and activity level. Mean RCs ranged from 14.5 to 75.4%, with the lowest mean RC coming from the smallest sphere (10 mm) on the last day of imaging (0.16 MBq/ml) and the highest mean RC coming from the largest sphere (37 mm) on the first day of imaging (2.16 MBq/ml). The smaller spheres tended to exhibit higher COVs. In contrast, the larger spheres tended to exhibit lower COVs. COVs from the 37 mm sphere were  25%. Post-radioembolization dosimetry of lesions or other VOIs ≥ 22 mm in diameter can

Fluoride Content of Bottled Drinking Waters in Qatar.

Science.gov (United States)

Almulla, Hessa Ibrahim; King, Nigel M; Alnsour, Hamza Mohammad; Sajnani, Anand K

2016-12-01

Fluoridation of drinking water has been recognized as one of the most effective ways of achieving community-wide exposure to the caries prevention effects of fluoride (F). A vast majority of people in Qatar use bottled water for drinking. Use of bottled water without knowing the F level may expose children to dental caries risk if the F level is lower than optimal or to dental fluorosis if the F level is too high. The aim of this study was to determine the F concentration of bottled water available in Qatar. A total of 32 brands of bottled water were evaluated. The F concentrations displayed on the labels were recorded. The F ion-selective electrode method was used to measure the F concentration in water samples, and three measurements were taken for every sample to ensure reproducibility. The p value was set at 0.05. The F concentration ranged from 0.06 to 3.0 ppm with a mean value of 0.8 ppm (±0.88). The F levels were provided by the manufacturers on the labels of 60 % of the samples, but this was significantly lower than the measured F levels (p < 0.0001). Moreover, bottled water that was produced in Saudi Arabia had significantly higher levels of F when compared to those produced in other countries (p < 0.05). There was a wide variation in the F levels in the different brands of bottled water. Furthermore, there was a significant disparity between the F levels which were measured and those that were provided on the labels.

The frequency of bottle feeding as the main factor of baby bottle tooth decay syndrome

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mochamad Fahlevi Rizal

2010-03-01

Full Text Available Background: Dental caries remains as main problem in Indonesia and its prevalence is high (90.05%. However, there is no appropriate data that can be used to analyze dental caries in toddlers, especially baby bottle tooth decay syndrome (BBTD, though the number of BBTD cases is high in some pediatric dental clinics (90% of patients visiting the clinics. Even though some factors have already been considered to be the risk factor of BBTD, the main risk factor of BBTD is still unknown, especially BBTD in Indonesia. Purpose: This research was aimed to obtain data relating with bottle-feeding habit in 3-5 year old children in Indonesia and its caries risk. Method: The study was an observational research conducted with clinical examination through caries status (deft of each child deserved by pediatric dentists and through questionnaire distributed to parents to examine the risk factor of BBTD. Observation was conducted on 62 children in the range of age 3 to 5 years old with bottle-feeding habit. Result: The results revealed that status of caries was various. The data showed that the frequency of bottle feeding more than twice could trigger BBTD 2.27 times higher than other factors such as the use of bottle feeding as a pacifier prior sleeping, the period of bottle-feeding, and the breast-feeding experience. Conclusion: though milk as subtract can possibly become a factor triggering caries, the frequency of bottle-feeding is highly considered as main factor. Since it could modulated the bacterial colonization on dental surface, which affects its virulence.Latar belakang: Karies masih menjadi masalah utama di Indonesia. Dalam praktek sehari-hari prevalensi karies masih sangat tinggi (90.05%. Belum ada data yang memadai dalam penelaahan karies yang spesifik pada anak balita selama ini khususnya kasus sindroma karies botol (SKB sementara itu kasus SKB ditemukan sangat tinggi di beberapa klinik gigi anak (90% dari jumlah pasien yang datang ke klinik

The switch to refillable bottled water in Indonesia: a serious health risk.

Science.gov (United States)

Komarulzaman, Ahmad; de Jong, Eelke; Smits, Jeroen

2017-10-01

In recent years, the consumption of refillable bottled water has increased considerably in emerging countries. However, the quality of this water is often questionable, as authorities lack the capacity to properly check refilling depots. Given that refillable bottled water not only replaces unimproved water sources, but also better-quality sources, like piped and branded bottled water, its increasing use poses a major health risk. We investigate the motives behind the decision to switch to refillable bottled water in Indonesia. Findings indicate that this switch is driven by lifestyle motives, as well as by cost and availability considerations. It is mostly the young affluent households who switch from piped and 'other' sources to refillable bottled water. In rural areas, the tendency to make this switch is negatively affected by availability problems and the higher price of refillable bottled water. Availability and cost also influence the switch from branded bottled to refillable bottled water, but here it is the poorer households who have a higher propensity to switch. Further exploration of the lifestyle motive and affordability issues, as well as better monitoring of the refilling depots, are needed to improve the quality of drinking water in Indonesia and other emerging countries.

Detection of bottled explosives by near infrared

Science.gov (United States)

Itozaki, Hideo; Sato-Akaba, Hideo

2013-10-01

Bottled liquids are not allowed through the security gate in the airport, because liquid explosives have been used by the terrorists. However, passengers have a lot of trouble if they cannot bring their own bottles. For example, a mother would like to carry her own milk in the airplane for her baby. Therefore the detection technology of liquid explosives should be developed as soon as possible. This paper shows that near infrared spectroscopy can detect bottled explosives quickly. The transmission method cannot deal with milk in the sense of liquid inspection. Here we examined the reflection method to the test of milk. The inspection method with light cannot make test for the metal can. We also use ultrasonic method to check metal can simultaneously in order to expand test targets.

Regional correlations between [11C]PIB PET and post-mortem burden of amyloid-beta pathology in a diverse neuropathological cohort

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sang Won Seo

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Imaging-pathological correlation studies show that in vivo amyloid-β (Aβ positron emission tomography (PET strongly predicts the presence of significant Aβ pathology at autopsy. We sought to determine whether regional PiB-PET uptake would improve sensitivity for amyloid detection in comparison with global measures (experiment 1, and to estimate the relative contributions of different Aβ aggregates to in vivo PET signal (experiment 2. In experiment 1, 54 subjects with [11C] PiB-PET during life and postmortem neuropathologic examination (85.2% with dementia, interval from PET to autopsy 3.1 ± 1.9 years were included. We assessed Thal amyloid phase (N = 36 and CERAD score (N = 54 versus both global and regional PiB SUVRs. In experiment 2 (N = 42, PiB SUVR and post-mortem amyloid β burden was analyzed in five customized regions of interest matching regions sampled at autopsy. We assessed the relative contribution of neuritic plaques (NPs, diffuse plaques (DPs and cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA to regional PIB SUVR using multi-linear regression. In experiment 1, there were no differences in Area Under the Curve for amyloid phase ≥ A2 and CERAD score ≥ C2 between global and highest regional PiB SUVR (p = 0.186 and 0.230. In experiment 2, when NPs, DPs, and/or CAA were included in the same model, moderate to severe NPs were independently correlated with PiB SUVR in all regions except for the inferior temporal and calcarine ROI (β = 0.414–0.804, p < 0.05, whereas DPs were independently correlated with PiB SUVR in the angular gyrus ROI (β = 0.446, p = 0.010. CAA was also associated with PiB SUVR in the inferior temporal and calcarine ROI (β = 0.222–0.355, p < 0.05. In conclusion, global PiB-PET SUVR performed as well as regional values for amyloid detection in our cohort. The substrate-specific binding of PiB might differ among the brain specific regions.

27 CFR 24.255 - Bottling or packing wine.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... in the same tax class when that wine is removed from bond, without benefit of tolerance, when the... 27 Alcohol, Tobacco Products and Firearms 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Bottling or packing wine..., DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY LIQUORS WINE Storage, Treatment and Finishing of Wine Bottling, Packing, and...

Noise risk assessment in a bottling line of a modern Sicilian winery

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mariangela Vallone

2013-09-01

Full Text Available In wine industry, bottling is a phase of the production cycle characterized by high levels of noise mostly due to repeated collisions between the bottles. In Italy the Law Decree 81/2008 defined the requirements for assessing and managing noise risk, identifying a number of procedures to be adopted at different noise levels to limit workers exposure. This study aims at evaluating the equivalent and peak noise level inside the bottling plant area of a modern Sicilian winery. In particular, the influence of the working capacity (number of bottles produced per hour on noise levels was evaluated. We considered three test conditions: T1 with working capacity of 4,000 bottles per hour, T2 with working capacity of 5,000 bottles per hour and T3 with working capacity of 6,000 bottles per hour. Fifteen measurement points were identified inside the bottling area. The instrument used for the measurements is a precision integrating portable sound level meter, class 1, model HD2110L by Delta OHM, Italy. The tests were performed in compliance with ISO 9612 and ISO 9432 regulations. The results show that as bottling plant working capacity increases, noise level increases. The measured sound levels exceed the limits allowed by the regulations in all the test conditions; values exceeding the threshold limit of 80 dB(A were recorded coming up to a maximum value of 95 dB(A in test T3. In this case, the operator working along the bottling line is obliged to wear the appropriate Personal Protective Equipment.

Infant feeding bottle design, growth and behaviour: results from a randomised trial

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fewtrell MS

2012-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Whether the design of an anti-vacuum infant feeding bottle influences infant milk intake, growth or behavior is unknown, and was the subject of this randomized trial. Methods Subjects 63 (36 male healthy, exclusively formula-fed term infants. Intervention Randomisation to use Bottle A (n = 31, one-way air valve: Philips Avent versus Bottle B (n = 32, internal venting system: Dr Browns. 74 breast-fed reference infants were recruited, with randomisation (n = 24 to bottle A (n = 11 or B (n = 13 if bottle-feeding was subsequently introduced. Randomisation stratified by gender and parity; computer-based telephone randomisation by independent clinical trials unit. Setting Infant home. Primary outcome measure infant weight gain to 4 weeks. Secondary outcomes (i milk intake (ii infant behaviour measured at 2 weeks (validated 3-day diary; (iii risk of infection; (iv continuation of breastfeeding following introduction of mixed feeding. Results Number analysed for primary outcome Bottle A n = 29, Bottle B n = 25. Primary outcome There was no significant difference in weight gain between randomised groups (0-4 weeks Bottle A 0.74 (SD 1.2 SDS versus bottle B 0.51 (0.39, mean difference 0.23 (95% CI -0.31 to 0.77. Secondary outcomes Infants using bottle A had significantly less reported fussing (mean 46 versus 74 minutes/day, p Breast-fed reference group There were no significant differences in primary or secondary outcomes between breast-fed and formula fed infants. The likelyhood of breastfeeding at 3 months was not significantly different in infants subsequently randomised to bottle A or B. Conclusion Bottle design may have short-term effects on infant behaviour which merit further investigation. No significant effects were seen on milk intake or growth; confidence in these findings is limited by the small sample size and this needs confirmation in a larger study. Trial registration Clinical Trials.gov NCT00325208.

Evaluation of microbial contamination of canine plasma eyedropper bottles following clinical use in canine patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Strauss, Rachel A; Genschel, Ulrike; Allbaugh, Rachel A; Sebbag, Lionel; Ben-Shlomo, Gil

2018-05-24

To investigate microbial contamination of canine plasma eye drops when used clinically and to compare the effect of two different eyedropper bottles on contamination rate. Forty-six bottles containing plasma were randomly dispensed for use on 42 dogs with ulcerative keratitis. Of these, 23 were standard eyedropper bottles and 23 were Novelia ® bottles designed to prevent contamination. After use for up to 2 weeks, samples for bacterial culture were obtained from a drop of plasma, the bottle tip, the plasma inside the bottle, and the corneal surface. Fungal culture was performed from a drop of plasma. The overall microbial contamination rate was 17.4% (8/46 bottles); however, only one bottle had growth from the plasma inside the bottle. There was a lower contamination rate of Novelia ® bottles (3/23 = 13.0%) compared to standard bottles (5/23 = 21.7%), but this difference was not statistically significant (P = .57). There were also no significant differences in contamination rate of bottles used greater than 7 days compared to less than or equal to 7 days, or in bottles used greater than 4 times daily compared to 4 times daily or less. Three corneal samples (6.5%) had bacterial growth, but none matched contamination from the bottles. Novelia ® bottles may decrease contamination of plasma eye drops used clinically. However, while microbial contamination of plasma bottles was documented, no clinically relevant complications were observed. This study supports safe use of plasma eye drops for up to 2 weeks when refrigerated and dispensed from either Novelia ® or standard eyedropper bottles. © 2018 American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists.

Conical Refraction Bottle Beams for Entrapment of Absorbing Droplets.

Science.gov (United States)

Esseling, Michael; Alpmann, Christina; Schnelle, Jens; Meissner, Robert; Denz, Cornelia

2018-03-22

Conical refraction (CR) optical bottle beams for photophoretic trapping of airborne absorbing droplets are introduced and experimentally demonstrated. CR describes the circular split-up of unpolarised light propagating along an optical axis in a biaxial crystal. The diverging and converging cones lend themselves to the construction of optical bottle beams with flexible entry points. The interaction of single inkjet droplets with an open or partly open bottle beam is shown implementing high-speed video microscopy in a dual-view configuration. Perpendicular image planes are visualized on a single camera chip to characterize the integral three-dimensional movement dynamics of droplets. We demonstrate how a partly opened optical bottle transversely confines liquid objects. Furthermore we observe and analyse transverse oscillations of absorbing droplets as they hit the inner walls and simultaneously measure both transverse and axial velocity components.

Uncovering patterns of consumers' interest for beer: A case study with craft beers.

Science.gov (United States)

Donadini, Gianluca; Porretta, Sebastiano

2017-01-01

To uncover patterns of consumer interest in craft beers, the authors explored the quality perception of craft beers in a panel of industrial mass-marketed beer drinkers (n=150) and examined the differences in interest for this beer segment between men and women. The authors adopted a conjoint rating experiment in which the respondents were given forty-nine beer profiles to evaluate and were asked to score the degree of interest in each profile on a 9-point scale. Each profile was described on eight attributes (type of brewery, brewing technology, characterizing raw materials, brewhouse equipment, location of the brewery, type of container, retail price, where to buy) varied at different levels. Results showed that Italian consumers placed greatest importance on type of container (30.49%) and on brewing technology (17.64%). Characterizing raw materials (13.44%) and type of brewery (12.64) rank 3 and 4 and were placed in the same band some way below brewing technology. Retail price (9.87%) and where to buy (8.73%) were of far less importance. The least importance of all was attached to brewhouse equipment (4.44%) and to location of the brewery (2.75%). As far as utility values are concerned, the factor level glass bottle+crown cap and the factor level microfiltration are the utilities that most increased the interest of consumers. They were followed by the factor level local grains, stainless steel keg and monastery. In contrast, the factor level PET Keg, aluminum can and large scale corporate brewery showed the greatest negative impact on interest. Men and women shared similar patterns of interest. However, men placed more importance than women on retail price, location of the brewery and where to buy. Women attached more importance than men on type of container, brewing technology and type of brewer. These findings are relevant to understanding consumers'behavior in the beer market and to translating consumer needs, wants and expectations into manufacturing

Comparison of whole-body 18F-FDG PET, 99mTc-MIBI SPET, and post-therapeutic 131I-Na scintigraphy in the detection of metastatic thyroid cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Iwata, Masahiro; Kasagi, Kanji; Misaki, Takashi; Matsumoto, Keiichi; Nakamoto, Yuji; Iida, Yasuhiro; Ishimori, Takayoshi; Higashi, Tatsuya; Saga, Tsuneo; Konishi, Junji

2004-01-01

The usefulness of fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) in differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) has been demonstrated by many investigators, but in only a small number of studies have FDG-PET images been compared with those obtained using other non-iodine tumour-seeking radiopharmaceuticals. In most of the studies, planar imaging was performed for comparison using thallium-201 chloride or technetium-99m 2-methoxyisobutylisonitrile ( 99m Tc-MIBI). Furthermore, FDG-PET studies were not always performed in the hypothyroid state with increased levels of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), which are known to increase FDG uptake by DTC. The aim of this study was to compare the ability of FDG-PET to detect metastatic DTC with that of 99m Tc-MIBI whole-body single-photon emission tomography (SPET) and post-therapeutic iodine-131 scintigraphy, evaluated under TSH stimulation. Nineteen patients (8 men, 11 women; age range, 38-72 years, mean 60 years; 17 thyroidectomised and 2 inoperable patients following 131 I ablation of the remaining thyroid tissue; 16 papillary and 3 follicular carcinomas) with metastatic DTC underwent FDG-PET whole-body scan (WBS) and 99m Tc-MIBI SPET WBS at an interval of less than 1 week, followed by 131 I therapy. The SPET images were reconstructed using the maximum likelihood expectation maximisation (ML-EM) method. All patients were hypothyroid at the time of each scan. 131 I WBS was performed 3-5 days after oral administration of the therapeutic dose. A total of 32 lesions [10 lymph node (LN), 15 lung, 6 bone, 1 muscle] were diagnosed as metastases, as confirmed by histopathology and/or other imaging modalities (X-ray, US, CT, MRI, bone, 201 Tl and 131 I scans). FDG-PET, 99m Tc-MIBI SPET and post-therapeutic 131 I scintigraphy respectively revealed a total of 26 (81.3%), 20 (62.5%) and 22 (68.8%) lesions. These techniques respectively demonstrated nine (90.0%), eight (80.0%) and six (60.0%) LN metastases, and eleven

Improvements to the Whoosh Bottle Rocket Car Demonstration

Science.gov (United States)

Campbell, Dean J.; Staiger, Felicia A.; Jujjavarapu, Chaitanya N.

2015-01-01

The whoosh bottle rocket car has been redesigned to be more reusable and more robust, making it even easier to use as a demonstration. Enhancements of this demonstration, including the use of heat sensitive ink and electronic temperature probes, enable users to find warmer and cooler regions on the surface of the whoosh bottle.

Low-count PET image restoration using sparse representation

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Tao; Jiang, Changhui; Gao, Juan; Yang, Yongfeng; Liang, Dong; Liu, Xin; Zheng, Hairong; Hu, Zhanli

2018-04-01

In the field of positron emission tomography (PET), reconstructed images are often blurry and contain noise. These problems are primarily caused by the low resolution of projection data. Solving this problem by improving hardware is an expensive solution, and therefore, we attempted to develop a solution based on optimizing several related algorithms in both the reconstruction and image post-processing domains. As sparse technology is widely used, sparse prediction is increasingly applied to solve this problem. In this paper, we propose a new sparse method to process low-resolution PET images. Two dictionaries (D1 for low-resolution PET images and D2 for high-resolution PET images) are learned from a group real PET image data sets. Among these two dictionaries, D1 is used to obtain a sparse representation for each patch of the input PET image. Then, a high-resolution PET image is generated from this sparse representation using D2. Experimental results indicate that the proposed method exhibits a stable and superior ability to enhance image resolution and recover image details. Quantitatively, this method achieves better performance than traditional methods. This proposed strategy is a new and efficient approach for improving the quality of PET images.

Improving accuracy of medication identification in an older population using a medication bottle color symbol label system.

Science.gov (United States)

Cardarelli, Roberto; Mann, Christopher; Fulda, Kimberly G; Balyakina, Elizabeth; Espinoza, Anna; Lurie, Sue

2011-12-29

The purpose of this pilot study was to evaluate and refine an adjuvant system of color-specific symbols that are added to medication bottles and to assess whether this system would increase the ability of patients 65 years of age or older in matching their medication to the indication for which it was prescribed. This study was conducted in two phases, consisting of three focus groups of patients from a family medicine clinic (n = 25) and a pre-post medication identification test in a second group of patient participants (n = 100). Results of focus group discussions were used to refine the medication label symbols according to themes and messages identified through qualitative triangulation mechanisms and data analysis techniques. A pre-post medication identification test was conducted in the second phase of the study to assess differences between standard labeling alone and the addition of the refined color-specific symbols. The pre-post test examined the impact of the added labels on participants' ability to accurately match their medication to the indication for which it was prescribed when placed in front of participants and then at a distance of two feet. Participants appreciated the addition of a visual aid on existing medication labels because it would not be necessary to learn a completely new system of labeling, and generally found the colors and symbols used in the proposed labeling system easy to understand and relevant. Concerns were raised about space constraints on medication bottles, having too much information on the bottle, and having to remember what the colors meant. Symbols and colors were modified if they were found unclear or inappropriate by focus group participants. Pre-post medication identification test results in a second set of participants demonstrated that the addition of the symbol label significantly improved the ability of participants to match their medication to the appropriate medical indication at a distance of two feet (p

levels of common ions in bottled mineral waters consumed in addis

African Journals Online (AJOL)

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ment, cancer, organ damage, nervous system damage, and in ... consumed in any desired amount without adverse effect on ... drinking water which practically costs much .... mg/L) in 100 mL volumetric flask and working .... water and the lowest was in tap water sample. The ... blood pressure and a long list of degenerative.

FDG-PET/contrast-enhanced CT as a post-treatment tool in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: comparison with FDG-PET/non-contrast-enhanced CT and contrast-enhanced CT

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Suenaga, Yuko; Kitajima, Kazuhiro; Sugimura, Kazuro [Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Department of Radiology, Kobe (Japan); Ishihara, Takeaki; Sasaki, Ryohei [Kobe University Graduate, School of Medicine, Department of Radiology, Division of Radiation Oncology, Kobe (Japan); Otsuki, Naoki; Nibu, Ken-ichi [Kobe University Graduate, School of Medicine, Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Kobe (Japan); Minamikawa, Tsutomu [Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Kobe (Japan); Kiyota, Naomi [Kobe University Hospital, Department of Medical Oncology and Hematology, Kobe (Japan)

2016-04-15

To evaluate the accuracy of PET/CT using {sup 18}F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) with IV contrast for suspected recurrent head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). One hundred and seventy patients previously treated for HNSCC underwent PET/CT, consisting of non-contrast-enhanced and contrast-enhanced CT, to investigate suspected recurrence. Diagnostic performance of PET/contrast-enhanced CT (PET/ceCT), PET/non-contrast-enhanced CT (PET/ncCT) and contrast-enhanced CT (ceCT) for local or regional recurrence, distant metastasis, overall recurrence and second primary cancer was evaluated. The reference standard included histopathology, treatment change and imaging follow-up. The patient-based areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUC) for ceCT, PET/ncCT and PET/ceCT were 0.82, 0.96 and 0.98 for local recurrence, 0.73, 0.86 and 0.86 for regional recurrence, 0.86, 0.91 and 0.92 for distant metastasis, 0.72, 0.86 and 0.87 for overall recurrence, and 0.86, 0.89 and 0.91 for a second primary cancer. Both PET/ceCT and PET/ncCT statistically showed larger AUC than ceCT for recurrence, and the difference between PET/ceCT and PET/ncCT for local recurrence reached a significant level (p = 0.039). The accuracy of PET/ceCT for diagnosing overall recurrence was high, irrespective of the time interval after the last treatment (83.3-94.1 %). FDG-PET/CT was a more accurate HNSCC restaging tool than ceCT. The added value of ceCT at FDG-PET/CT is minimal. (orig.)

Nutritional Sustainability of Pet Foods12

Science.gov (United States)

Swanson, Kelly S.; Carter, Rebecca A.; Yount, Tracy P.; Aretz, Jan; Buff, Preston R.

2013-01-01

Sustainable practices meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. Applying these concepts to food and feed production, nutritional sustainability is the ability of a food system to provide sufficient energy and essential nutrients required to maintain good health in a population without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their nutritional needs. Ecological, social, and economic aspects must be balanced to support the sustainability of the overall food system. The nutritional sustainability of a food system can be influenced by several factors, including the ingredient selection, nutrient composition, digestibility, and consumption rates of a diet. Carbon and water footprints vary greatly among plant- and animal-based ingredients, production strategy, and geographical location. Because the pet food industry is based largely on by-products and is tightly interlinked with livestock production and the human food system, however, it is quite unique with regard to sustainability. Often based on consumer demand rather than nutritional requirements, many commercial pet foods are formulated to provide nutrients in excess of current minimum recommendations, use ingredients that compete directly with the human food system, or are overconsumed by pets, resulting in food wastage and obesity. Pet food professionals have the opportunity to address these challenges and influence the sustainability of pet ownership through product design, manufacturing processes, public education, and policy change. A coordinated effort across the industry that includes ingredient buyers, formulators, and nutritionists may result in a more sustainable pet food system. PMID:23493530

Fluid dynamics following flow shut-off in bottle filling

Science.gov (United States)

Thete, Sumeet; Appathurai, Santosh; Gao, Haijing; Basaran, Osman

2012-11-01

Bottle filling is ubiquitous in industry. Examples include filling of bottles with shampoos and cleaners, engine oil and pharmaceuticals. In these examples, fluid flows out of a nozzle to fill bottles in an assembly line. Once the required volume of fluid has flowed out of the nozzle, the flow is shut off. However, an evolving fluid thread or string may remain suspended from the nozzle following flow shut-off and persist. This stringing phenomenon can be detrimental to a bottle filling operation because it can adversely affect line speed and filling accuracy by causing uncertainty in fill volume, product loss and undesirable marring of the bottles' exterior surfaces. The dynamics of stringing are studied numerically primarily by using the 1D, slender-jet approximation of the flow equations. A novel feature entails development and use of a new boundary condition downstream of the nozzle exit to expedite the computations. While the emphasis is on stringing of Newtonian fluids and use of 1D approximations, results will also be presented for situations where (a) the fluids are non-Newtonian and (b) the full set of equations are solved without invoking the 1D approximation. Phase diagrams will be presented that identify conditions for which stringing can be problematic.

Microbial assessment of un-bottled synthetic juices sold in Peshawar

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abid, H.; Ali, J.; Hussain, A.

2010-01-01

Un-bottled synthetic juices are sold by street vendors and hawkers raising the concern about their safety. To examine the quality of un-bottled synthetic beverages from different locations of Peshawar city using Standard techniques. A total of 56 samples of un-bottled synthetic juices were collected from 8 different locations of Peshawar City and analyzed for Total Plate Count, Total Coliform Bacteria, Total Fecal Coliform bacteria E. coli, Yeast and Mould. In all localities, the street vended un-bottled synthetic juices were found hygienically of poor quality as all had high total plate count which ranged from 2 x 102 to 5 x 107 and total coliform bacteria ranged from 110 MPN/ml. Total Fecal Coliform ranged from < 0.3 to 110M PN/ml. The presence of E coli, contamination was found in (25) 44 % Samples, while all the analyzed samples were contaminated with yeasts and moulds. All un-bottled synthetic juices sold on roadside were highly contaminated with disease causing microorganisms. Policy message: Periodic monitoring of street beverage should be carried out to make them safe for consumption. (author)

The Semi-automatic Synthesis of 18F-fluoroethyl-choline by Domestic FDG Synthesizer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

ZHOU Ming

2016-02-01

Full Text Available As an important complementary imaging agent for 18F-FDG, 18F-fluoroethyl-choline (18F-FECH has been demonstrated to be promising in brain and prostate cancer imaging. By using domestic PET-FDG-TI-I CPCU synthesizer, 18F-FECH was synthesized by different reagents and consumable supplies. The C18 column was added before the product collection bottle to remove K2.2.2. The 18F-FECH was synthesized by PET-FDG-IT-I synthesizer efficiently about 30 minutes by radiochemical yield of 42.0% (no decay corrected, n=5, and the radiochemical purity was still more than 99.0% after 6 hours. The results showed the domestic PET-FDG-IT-I synthesizer could semi-automatically synthesize injectable 18F-FECH in high efficiency and radiochemical purity

Bacteriological quality of bottled water sold on the Ghanaian market ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Bacteriological quality of bottled water sold on the Ghanaian market. ... Consumption of bottled water is increasing rapidly in developing countries especially among ... limits set by WHO guidelines and therefore safe for human consumption.

Significance of the impact of motion compensation on the variability of PET image features

Science.gov (United States)

Carles, M.; Bach, T.; Torres-Espallardo, I.; Baltas, D.; Nestle, U.; Martí-Bonmatí, L.

2018-03-01

In lung cancer, quantification by positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) imaging presents challenges due to respiratory movement. Our primary aim was to study the impact of motion compensation implied by retrospectively gated (4D)-PET/CT on the variability of PET quantitative parameters. Its significance was evaluated by comparison with the variability due to (i) the voxel size in image reconstruction and (ii) the voxel size in image post-resampling. The method employed for feature extraction was chosen based on the analysis of (i) the effect of discretization of the standardized uptake value (SUV) on complementarity between texture features (TF) and conventional indices, (ii) the impact of the segmentation method on the variability of image features, and (iii) the variability of image features across the time-frame of 4D-PET. Thirty-one PET-features were involved. Three SUV discretization methods were applied: a constant width (SUV resolution) of the resampling bin (method RW), a constant number of bins (method RN) and RN on the image obtained after histogram equalization (method EqRN). The segmentation approaches evaluated were 40% of SUVmax and the contrast oriented algorithm (COA). Parameters derived from 4D-PET images were compared with values derived from the PET image obtained for (i) the static protocol used in our clinical routine (3D) and (ii) the 3D image post-resampled to the voxel size of the 4D image and PET image derived after modifying the reconstruction of the 3D image to comprise the voxel size of the 4D image. Results showed that TF complementarity with conventional indices was sensitive to the SUV discretization method. In the comparison of COA and 40% contours, despite the values not being interchangeable, all image features showed strong linear correlations (r  >  0.91, p\\ll 0.001 ). Across the time-frames of 4D-PET, all image features followed a normal distribution in most patients. For our patient cohort, the

Imaging and PET - PET/CT imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Von Schulthess, G.K.; Hany, Th.F.

2008-01-01

PET/CT has grown because the lack of anatomic landmarks in PET makes 'hardware-fusion' to anatomic cross-sectional data extremely useful. Addition of CT to PET improves specificity, but also sensitivity, and adding PET to CT adds sensitivity and specificity in tumor imaging. The synergistic advantage of adding CT is that the attenuation correction needed for PET data can also be derived from the CT data. This makes PET-CT 25-30% faster than PET alone, leading to higher patient throughput and a more comfortable examination for patients typically lasting 20 minutes or less. FDG-PET-CT appears to provide relevant information in the staging and therapy monitoring of many tumors, such as lung carcinoma, colorectal cancer, lymphoma, gynaecological cancers, melanoma and many others, with the notable exception of prostatic cancer. for this cancer, choline derivatives may possibly become useful radiopharmaceuticals. The published literature on the applications of FDG-PET-CT in oncology is still limited but several designed studies have demonstrated the benefits of PET-CT. (authors)

Evaluation of PET Scanner Performance in PET/MR and PET/CT Systems: NEMA Tests.

Science.gov (United States)

Demir, Mustafa; Toklu, Türkay; Abuqbeitah, Mohammad; Çetin, Hüseyin; Sezgin, H Sezer; Yeyin, Nami; Sönmezoğlu, Kerim

2018-02-01

The aim of the present study was to compare the performance of positron emission tomography (PET) component of PET/computed tomography (CT) with new emerging PET/magnetic resonance (MR) of the same vendor. According to National Electrical Manufacturers Association NU2-07, five separate experimental tests were performed to evaluate the performance of PET scanner of General Electric GE company; SIGNATM model PET/MR and GE Discovery 710 model PET/CT. The main investigated aspects were spatial resolution, sensitivity, scatter fraction, count rate performance, image quality, count loss and random events correction accuracy. The findings of this study demonstrated superior sensitivity (~ 4 folds) of PET scanner in PET/MR compared to PET/CT system. Image quality test exhibited higher contrast in PET/MR (~ 9%) compared with PET/CT. The scatter fraction of PET/MR was 43.4% at noise equivalent count rate (NECR) peak of 218 kcps and the corresponding activity concentration was 17.7 kBq/cc. Whereas the scatter fraction of PET/CT was found as 39.2% at NECR peak of 72 kcps and activity concentration of 24.3 kBq/cc. The percentage error of the random event correction accuracy was 3.4% and 3.1% in PET/MR and PET/CT, respectively. It was concluded that PET/MR system is about 4 times more sensitive than PET/CT, and the contrast of hot lesions in PET/MR was ~ 9% higher than PET/CT. These outcomes also emphasize the possibility to achieve excellent clinical PET images with low administered dose and/or a short acquisition time in PET/MR.

Novel Preparation Methods of 52Mn for ImmunoPET Imaging

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Graves, Stephen A.; Hernandez, Reinier; Fonslet, Jesper

2015-01-01

acquired using PET/CT in mice bearing 4T1 xenograft tumors are presented. Peak tumor uptake is 18.7 ± 2.7 %ID/g at 24 hours post injection and ex vivo 52Mn biodistribution validates the in vivo PET data. Free 52Mn2+(as chloride or acetate) is used as a control in additional mice to evaluate the non...

Pre-consumer apparel waste mangement in Macedonia

OpenAIRE

Tomovska, Elena; Jordeva, Sonja; Trajković, Dušan; Zafirova, Koleta

2014-01-01

By its origine textile waste can bi divided in two broad categories: post-consumer waste derived from householda, and pre consumer waste generated during the manifacturing process. The division of the clothing supply chain between developed consumer markets and developing countries where apparel production capacities are out outsources implies that post-consumer waste is present in the former countries, whereas the later generate more pre-consumer waste. To effectively utilize the textile was...

The clinical impact of PET scanning in patients with melanoma: A prospective study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kalff, V.; Hicks, R.J.; Binns, D.S.; Henderson, M.A.; Ainslie, J.; Jenner, D.A.

1998-01-01

Full text: Small series have shown that PET scanning using F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG), can quite accurately stage patients melanoma. At this Institute these patients are only sent for PET imaging if they have high risk melanomas ( >3 Clarke's grade primaries) or there remains any significant doubt as to their clinical staging or management after the completion of conventional screening. This prospective study examines how PET scan findings influenced the clinical management decisions in 53 patients (29 males, mean age 54±13 yrs: range 31-81 yrs) Referring doctors were asked to indicate reason for the PET scan, stage their patients on the basis of all their current investigations, and to indicate their management plans prior to PET scanning. Follow-up of subsequent patient management at 2-4 weeks post PET scan was then obtained and compared to pre PET plans. PET was used to stage 26 patients, restage 17, follow-up 5, assess recurrence in 3, and other in 2 patients. To date follow-up has shown that in 32/49 (65%) patients PET was used to triage patients to locoregional surgery (10 patients), radical radiotherapy (5 patients), or to continuing follow-up only (17 patients). Three further high risk patients with negative PET scans had sentinel mode biopsy. In only 13 patients was management already determined, with planned treatment being changed in 6. Four patients have not had their post PET scan review yet. To date proven false negative PET scans have occurred in 3 cases, 2 sentinel node biopsies showed microscopic disease, and one scan incorrectly labelled gall-bladder melanoma as hydro-nephrotic kidney. Interestingly in 3 cases, PET discovered other unsuspected tumours (rectum x 2, plasmacytoma). PET scanning has been incorporated into routine management to triage most high risk patients, but it still alters interventions in half of those patients where management has already been planned. PET clearly misses small volume disease, the importance of which is

Preparation of an Evaluated HACCP- Plan in Order to Implementation in Iranian Mineral Water Factories for Avoiding the Common Food Safety Hazards in Such Industries

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amin Kiyani

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Background: consumption of mineral waters in the world has increased in recent years, and also concerns of consumers about its contamination are growing. Thereby, implementation of such a protective system as HACCP can prevent contamination of waters by different agents. This research aimed to develop an HACCP-Plan standard for mineral waters manufacturing factories in Iran. Methods: In current study, like production lines, polyethylene terephthalate (PET containers packaging, warehouses and laboratories sections of factories were observed from view of production and quality control. To monitor, control and restrict the hazards, seven principles of HACCP were considered. In continue applicable solutions were presented inclusive and practically for all factories. Required information were verified and presented through investigation of national and international standards. Results: The results shown that lack of sanitizing mineral water supplies and factories environment, incomplete water treatment, non-standard production of PET bottles, improper storage of raw materials and final product, and lack of inspection of equipment led to the increasing health hazards of the product and endanger the consumers health. Conclusion: In order to produce safe mineral water, it is necessary to sanitize the water supplies and factory environment. In addition, the process of water treatment and the production of PET bottles must be according to national and international standards. As the implementation of the HACCP system in various mineral water producing factories is not same, application of developed system in this research will be effective to standardize the implementation of this system in plants.

ANÁLISE DAS PROPRIEDADES FÍSICAS DO CONCRETO OBTIDO COM USO DE POLIETILENO TEREFTALATO (PET

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cassio Fabian S. Campos

2014-12-01

Full Text Available In Brazil the industry that produces PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate bottles is a recent and growing exorbitantly increasing problems caused by inappropriate disposal of this material on the environment. On the other hand, the civil construction increases every year by removing the sand from the environment to manufacture of concrete. This study aimed to analyze the partial replacement of sand by PET crushed in concrete production, aiming to reduce the extraction of sand from the environment and reduction of solid waste and develop a new material for construction. For this, sample cylindrical were produced, partially replacing the sand and tested its resistance according to NBR 5738 (ABNT, 2003 and NBR 5739 (ABNT, 1994. Was found that examined the ecological alternative is feasible execution in case of construction of simple street furniture, such as example: sidewalks and gutters whose resistance required is in the range of 10MPa to 15MPa.

Heat Transfer in Glass, Aluminum, and Plastic Beverage Bottles

Science.gov (United States)

Clark, William M.; Shevlin, Ryan C.; Soffen, Tanya S.

2010-01-01

This paper addresses a controversy regarding the effect of bottle material on the thermal performance of beverage bottles. Experiments and calculations that verify or refute advertising claims and represent an interesting way to teach heat transfer fundamentals are described. Heat transfer coefficients and the resistance to heat transfer offered…

Simulation on Effect of Preform Diameter in Injection Stretch Blow Molding

Science.gov (United States)

Tan, Z. Q.; Rosli, Nurrina; Oktaviandri, Muchamad

2018-03-01

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is the most common material of resin for manufacturing plastic bottle by injection stretch blow molding due to its excellent properties. As various issues of health and environmental hazards due to the PET use have risen, PET bottle manufacture may be improved by minimizing the wall thickness to reduce the PET use. One of the critical qualifications of the manufacturing process which lead to the wall thickness distribution is the initial preform diameter. In this project, we used the ANSYS Polyflow with aim to evaluate the wall thickness distribution of PET bottle for different diameter of initial preform. As a result, only 4 mm preform diameter presented wall thickness below than 1 mm. On the other hand, at least 6 mm preform diameter can permit the wall thickness 1.3 mm i.e. at the shoulder area.

Recall campaign for gas bottles and banks

CERN Multimedia

2015-01-01

The previous contract with gas supplier Carbagas ended on 31 March 2015. Gas bottles and banks are not a property of CERN. According to the contract terms, they can remain on CERN sites without any extra costs until 30 September 2015.    If you are using Carbagas containers (bottles and/or banks) for gas purchased between 1 April 2010 and 31 March 2015, multiple options exist: Return them to the closest gas point. Purchase them on the following basis:     Rent them on the following basis: 12 CHF/month for bottles, 144 CHF/month for banks. The recall campaign has been going on for several months already: we would like to thank everyone who has already replied to it. If you haven’t answered yet, there is still time. If you know of unused or abandoned Carbagas containers, please don’t hesitate to contact us. Thank you i...

Bottle roll leach test for Temrezli uranium ore

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Çetin, K.; Bayrak, M.; Turan, A. İsbir; Üçgül, E.

2014-01-01

The bottle roll leach test is one of the dynamic leaching procedure which can meet in-situ mining needs for determining suitable working conditions and helps to simulate one of the important parameter; injection well design. In this test, the most important parameters are pulp density, acidic or basic concentration of leach solution, time and temperature. In recent years, bottle roll test is used not only for uranium but also gold, silver, copper and nickel metals where in situ leach (ISL) mining is going to be applied. For this purpose for gold and silver metal cyanide bottle roll tests and for uranium metal; acidic and basic bottle roll tests could be applied. The new leach test procedure which is held in General Directorate of Mineral Research and Exploration (MTA) of Turkey is mostly suitable for determining metal extraction conditions and recovery values in uranium containing ore bodies. The tests were conducted with samples taken from Temrezli Uranium Ore located in approximately 200 km east of Turkey’s capital, Ankara. Mining rights of Temrezli Ore is controlled 100% by Anatolia Energy Ltd. The resource estimate includes an indicated mineral resource of 10.827 Mlbs U_3O_8 [~4160 t U] at an average grade of 1426 ppm [~1210 ppm U] and an additional inferred resource of 6.587 Mlbs of U_3O_8 [~2530 t U] at an average grade of 904 ppm [~767 ppm U]. In accordance with the demand from Anatolia Energy bottle roll leach tests have been initiated in MTA laboratories to investigate the recovery values of low-grade uranium ore under in-situ leach conditions. Bottle roll leaching tests are performed on pulverized samples with representative lixiviant solution at ambient pressure and provide an initial evaluation of ore leachability with a rough estimate of recovery value. At the end of the tests by using 2 g/L NaHCO_3 and 0.2 g/L H_2O_2 more than 90% of uranium can pass into leach solution in 12 days. (author)

FDG PET/CT in pediatric primary bone tumours: comparison with conventional imaging (CI) and management impact assesment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stege, Claudia; London, Kevin; Cross, Siobhan; Howman-Giles, Robert; Onikul, Ella; Graf, Nicole; Pozza, L.D.

2009-01-01

Full text: To evaluate PET/CT in pediatric primary bone tumours (PBT), the accuracy, clinical impact, prognostic indicators in predicting tumour response to therapy and determining epiphyseal involvement were compared to Cl. Methods: A retrospective review of PET/CT scans with CI was performed. Lesions were compared to a reference standard: histopathology or follow up >6 mths. Pt based analysis was performed for clinical impact. Prognostic indicators (SUYmax, tumour size) were compared to histopathology response post chemotherapy. Results: 43 pts (average 12.9 yrs) with osteosarcoma (I 8), Ewing's sarcoma (21), PNE (4) were analysed. 109 PET/CT scans with CI scans were evaluated (371 lesions). 33 lesions were discordant. Accuracy of PET/CT was higher for all lesions than CI (95% vs92%) but sensitivity was lower (79% vs 83%). Excluding lung lesions, sensitivities increased for PET/CT and CI (92% vs 89%). 9pts had PET/CT staging and follow up with histopathological evaluation post chemotherapy: 2pts poor responders, 7 good responders. Good responders had a higher SUYmax at diagnosis compared to poor responders (av 13.84 vs 7.95) but reduced more [10.5(70%) vs 3.5( 45%)]following chemotherapy. There were no false negatives for epiphyseal involvement for PET/CT and CI but one PET/CT was false positive. Conclusion: PET/CT is less sensitive in small lung lesions, but more sensitive in other areas compared to Cl. SUYmax at diagnosis is a poor predictor of response, but percent decrease post therapy was associated with therapeutic response. Change in tumour size on MR is a poor predictor of response. There is improved clinical impact with PET/CT in patient management.

Filling or Draining a Water Bottle with Two Holes

Science.gov (United States)

Cross, Rod

2016-01-01

Three simple experiments are described using a small water bottle with two holes in the side of the bottle. The main challenge is to predict and then explain the observations, but the arrangements can also be used for quantitative measurements concerning hydrostatic pressure, Bernoulli's equation, surface tension and bubble formation.

Quality characteristics of commercial bottled water sold in Owerri ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The quality characteristics of commercial bottled water sold in Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria were investigated to determine their physical, chemical and bacteriological content. The four brands of bottled water investigated were Mevok ®, Ozonized April ®, Lacrystal ® and Eva ®. The mean turbidity value of all the samples were ...

Natural radioactivity in bottled mineral water available in Australia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cooper, M.B.; Ralph, B.J.; Wilks, M.J.

1981-08-01

The levels of naturally-occurring radioactive elements in bottled mineral water, commercially available in Australia, have been assessed. The survey concentrated upon 226 Ra, 228 Ra and 210 Pb, radionuclides which have a high toxicity in drinking water. Detectable levels of 226 Ra were found to range from 0.02Bq/1 to 0.32Bq/1 in locally-bottled water and from 0.02Bq/1 to 0.44Bq/1 in imported brands. 210 Pb levels were found to be generally very low ( 228 Ra content of bottled water will have a similar distribution to that of 226 Ra. Concentrations of 228 Ra in excess of 0.7Bq/1 were measured in a number of samples. The radiological health implications of the consumption of bottled mineral water are discussed with reference to existing drinking water standards and also in terms of radiation exposure and the increased risk to health. It was concluded that, although some brands of water contain radioactivity in excess of the drinking-water limits recommended by Australian and overseas authorities, the annual radiation dose to an individual will be below the dose-equivalent limits recommended by the International Commission on Radiological Protection for life-long exposure. The increased risk of radiation-induced fatal disease due to the consumption of bottled mineral water is estimated to be less than 10 -5 and is therefore negligible

PET AND SPECT STUDIES IN CHILDREN WITH HEMISPHERIC LOW-GRADE GLIOMAS

Science.gov (United States)

Juhász, Csaba; Bosnyák, Edit

2016-01-01

Molecular imaging is playing an increasing role in the pre-treatment evaluation of low-grade gliomas. While glucose positron emission tomography (PET) can be helpful to differentiate low-grade from high-grade tumors, PET imaging with amino acid radiotracers has several advantages, such as better differentiation between tumors and non-tumorous lesions, optimized biopsy targeting and improved detection of tumor recurrence. This review provides a brief overview of single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) studies followed by a more detailed review of clinical applications of glucose and amino acid PET imaging in low-grade hemispheric gliomas. We discuss key differences in the performance of the most commonly utilized PET radiotracers and highlight the advantage of PET/MRI fusion to obtain optimal information about tumor extent, heterogeneity and metabolism. Recent data also suggest that simultaneous acquisition of PET/MR images and the combination of advanced MRI techniques with quantitative PET can further improve the pre- and post-treatment evaluation of pediatric brain tumors. PMID:27659825

27 CFR 25.158 - Tax computation for bottled beer.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... bottled beer. 25.158 Section 25.158 Alcohol, Tobacco Products and Firearms ALCOHOL AND TOBACCO TAX AND TRADE BUREAU, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY LIQUORS BEER Tax on Beer Determination of Tax § 25.158 Tax computation for bottled beer. Barrel equivalents for various case sizes are as follows: (a) For U.S. measure...

Community Responses to the Removal of Bottled Water on a University Campus

Science.gov (United States)

Mikhailovich, Katja; Fitzgerald, Robert

2014-01-01

Purpose: This paper aimed to examine the impact of the removal of bottled water on the campus community. This paper presents the findings of a survey conducted at the first Australian university to remove single-use bottled water from sale on a small regional university campus. The removal of bottled water from sale at the university formed part…

Techno-economic packaging of palm wine preservation and bottling ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The study was carried out to investigate the economic viability of setting up a small scale palm wine bottling factory with a view to providing investment data to guide entrepreneurs in making investment decisions. The economic evaluation was based on a factory capacity of 750,000 bottles (60cl) per annum with production ...

Infant bottle propping among a low-income urban population in Mexico.

Science.gov (United States)

Pérez-Escamilla, R; Segura-Millán, S; Dewey, K G

1995-06-01

The prevalence of bottle propping (permitting an infant to drink from a bottle unattended) and the determinants of this practice at 1 week and 4 months of life were studied in a selected sample of urban women in Hermosillo, Mexico. The sample (n = 165) consisted of mothers planning to breast-feed who gave birth to healthy infants at one of two public hospitals. Data were obtained by interviewing women shortly before they were discharged from the hospital and at about 1 week and 4 months postpartum. Among those mothers giving liquid breast milk substitutes to their infants, the percentage practicing bottle propping increased from 27% at 1 week (n = 20/74) to 67% at 4 months (n = 87/130). Women who practiced bottle propping at 1 week were significantly more likely to continue this practice at 4 months. Bottle propping was significantly more common, both at 1 week and 4 months, among women who had completely weaned their infants than among those who were still combining breast and formula feeding. Multivariate logistic regression indicated that 1-week risk factors for bottle propping were low socioeconomic status, being a multiparous single mother, and being a young mother (< or = 18 years old) with a female infant, while 4-month risk factors were complete weaning, delivery in a "nursery" (versus a "rooming-in") hospital, and lack of support by the mother's partner for breast-feeding. While the possible health risks associated with early bottle propping have not been well defined, the extent of the practice observed in this study suggests that such risks deserve further investigation.

Evaluation of Microbial Quality of Bottled Water in Iran

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Mahmood Alimohammadi

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Background: Because of population growth, limited access to fresh water resources, the need to use bottled water, controlling microbial quality of  bottled water is important. Materials and Methods: Microbiological quality of 24 brands of bottled water available in the town markets of Iran was studied Random. Samples were collected in summer and autumn, 2012. In each season, we collected two samples for each brand. In order to analyze Total coliforms, E-Coli, and HPC, MPN and Plate Count Methods were used. Data analysis was processed by SPSS software. Results: Total coliforms were 2 MPN/100CC in two brands S18 and S20. Increased HPC levels were also observed in all brands. pH level of 6% from bottled waters were higher than the standard. Average of turbidity was 0.232 and 0.228 at the autumn and summer, respectively. Conclusion: the heterotrophic microorganisms were present in 100% of the samples. Total coliforms were also found in 12% of the samples. None of the samples contained E-Coli.

Detection algorithm for glass bottle mouth defect by continuous wavelet transform based on machine vision

Science.gov (United States)

Qian, Jinfang; Zhang, Changjiang

2014-11-01

An efficient algorithm based on continuous wavelet transform combining with pre-knowledge, which can be used to detect the defect of glass bottle mouth, is proposed. Firstly, under the condition of ball integral light source, a perfect glass bottle mouth image is obtained by Japanese Computar camera through the interface of IEEE-1394b. A single threshold method based on gray level histogram is used to obtain the binary image of the glass bottle mouth. In order to efficiently suppress noise, moving average filter is employed to smooth the histogram of original glass bottle mouth image. And then continuous wavelet transform is done to accurately determine the segmentation threshold. Mathematical morphology operations are used to get normal binary bottle mouth mask. A glass bottle to be detected is moving to the detection zone by conveyor belt. Both bottle mouth image and binary image are obtained by above method. The binary image is multiplied with normal bottle mask and a region of interest is got. Four parameters (number of connected regions, coordinate of centroid position, diameter of inner cycle, and area of annular region) can be computed based on the region of interest. Glass bottle mouth detection rules are designed by above four parameters so as to accurately detect and identify the defect conditions of glass bottle. Finally, the glass bottles of Coca-Cola Company are used to verify the proposed algorithm. The experimental results show that the proposed algorithm can accurately detect the defect conditions of the glass bottles and have 98% detecting accuracy.

Reciclagem de rejeitos de poli(tereftalato de etileno (PET e de poliamida (PA por meio de extrusão reativa para a preparação de blendas Recycling of wastes from poly(ethylene tereftalate (PET and polyamide (PA by reactive extrusion for preparation of polymeric blends

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Caio T Ferreira

2011-01-01

Full Text Available O consumo crescente de materiais poliméricos em diversas formas de aplicação leva à produção de uma quantidade enorme de resíduos pós-consumo e pós-industriais com potencial poluidor elevado. A reciclagem mecânica é uma das maneiras mais adequadas para contornar os problemas gerados por estes rejeitos, uma vez que permite conciliar interesse econômico com benefícios ambientais. Neste trabalho foi feito um estudo sobre a reciclagem de rejeitos pós-industriais de poli(tereftalato de etileno (PET provenientes da fabricação de mantas de tecido não tecido e de resíduos de poliamida (PA oriundos de pneus usados na forma de blendas, produzidas por meio de extrusão reativa dos dois resíduos em presença de catalisador. Os resultados obtidos a partir de caracterização térmica e química das blendas evidenciaram a ocorrência de trans-reações entre segmentos de cadeia polimérica dos dois polímeros, possibilitando a compatibilização do sistema. A produção de blendas PET/PA se configura como uma forma adequada para a reciclagem dos rejeitos de PET e de PA.The increasing use of polymeric materials in several applications leads to the production of a high amount of post consume and post industrial wastes with expressive pollutant potential. Mechanical recycling is an important way to decrease the problems caused by these wastes because it allows one to associate economic viability with environmental benefits. In this paper a study was carried out on the recycling of poly(ethylene tereftalate (PET wastes from the production of nonwoven fabrics (NWF and of polyamide (PA wastes from old tires for production of polymeric blends via reactive extrusion in the presence of trans-reaction catalysts. The results from thermal and chemical characterization indicated trans-reactions between segments of polymeric chains of the two polymers, promoting the system compatibilization. The production of PET/PA blends is an interesting alternative

Statistical image reconstruction methods for simultaneous emission/transmission PET scans

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Erdogan, H.; Fessler, J.A.

1996-01-01

Transmission scans are necessary for estimating the attenuation correction factors (ACFs) to yield quantitatively accurate PET emission images. To reduce the total scan time, post-injection transmission scans have been proposed in which one can simultaneously acquire emission and transmission data using rod sources and sinogram windowing. However, since the post-injection transmission scans are corrupted by emission coincidences, accurate correction for attenuation becomes more challenging. Conventional methods (emission subtraction) for ACF computation from post-injection scans are suboptimal and require relatively long scan times. We introduce statistical methods based on penalized-likelihood objectives to compute ACFs and then use them to reconstruct lower noise PET emission images from simultaneous transmission/emission scans. Simulations show the efficacy of the proposed methods. These methods improve image quality and SNR of the estimates as compared to conventional methods

Understanding Consumer Preferences for Australian Sparkling Wine vs. French Champagne

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Julie Culbert

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Sparkling wine represents a small but significant proportion of the Australian wine industry’s total production. Yet, Australia remains a significant importer of French Champagne. This study investigated consumer preferences for Australian sparkling wine vs. French Champagne and any compositional and/or sensorial bases for these preferences. A range of French and Australian sparkling wines were analyzed by MIR spectroscopy to determine if sparkling wines could be differentiated according to country of origin. A subset of wines, comprising two French Champagnes, a French sparkling wine and three Australian sparkling wines, were selected for (i descriptive analysis to characterize their sensory profiles and (ii acceptance tests to determine consumer liking (n = 95 Australian wine consumers. Significant differences were observed between liking scores; on average, the $70 French Champagne was liked least and the $12 Australian sparkling wine liked most, but segmentation (based on individual liking scores identified clusters comprising consumers with distinct wine preferences. Interestingly, when consumers were shown wine bottle labels, they considered French wines to be more expensive than Australian wines, demonstrating a clear country of origin influence.

Significant clinical impact and prognostic stratification provided by FDG-PET in the staging of oesophageal cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Duong, Cuong P.; Demitriou, Helen; Thompson, Anne; Williams, David; Thomas, Robert J.S.; Weih, LeAnn; Hicks, Rodney J.

2006-01-01

To evaluate the clinical impact of FDG-PET in staging oesophageal cancer and whether this information improves prognostic stratification. Impact was based on comparison of a prospectively recorded pre-PET plan with post-PET treatment in 68 consecutive patients undergoing primary staging. Survival was analysed using the Kaplan-Meier product limit method and the Cox proportional hazards regression model. FDG-PET findings impacted on the management of 27/68 patients (40%): in 12 therapy was changed from curative to palliative and in three from palliative to curative, while in 12 other patients there was a change in the treatment modality or delivery but not in the treatment intent. The median survival was 21 months, with post-PET stage and treatment intent both strongly associated with survival (p<0.001). Conventional stage was not able to clearly stratify this population. The use of FDG-PET for primary staging of oesophageal cancer changed the clinical management of more than one-third of patients and provided superior prognostic stratification compared with conventional investigations. (orig.)

A study of commercially-available polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polycarbonate as nuclear track detector materials

Science.gov (United States)

Espinosa, G.; Golzarri, J. I.; Vazquez-Lopez, C.; Trejo, R.; Lopez, K.; Rickards, J.

2014-07-01

In the study of the sensitivity of materials to be used as nuclear track detectors, it was found that commercial polyethylene terephthalate (PET) from Ciel® water bottles, commercial roof cover polycarbonate, and recycled packaging strips (recycled PET), can be used as nuclear track detectors. These three commercial materials present nuclear tracks when bombarded by 2.27 MeV nitrogen ions produced in a Pelletron particle accelerator, and by fission fragments from a 252Cf source (79.4 and 103.8 MeV), after a chemical etching with a 6.25M KOH solution, or with a 6.25M KOH solution with 20% methanol, both solutions at 60±1°C. As an example, the nitrogen ions deposit approximately 1 keV/nm in the form of ionization and excitation at the surface of PET, as calculated using the SRIM code. The fission fragments deposit up to 9 keV/nm at the surface, in both cases generating sufficient free radicals to initiate the track formation process. However, 5 MeV alpha particles, typical of radon (222Rn) emissions, deposit only 0.12 keV/nm, do not present tracks after the chemical etching process. This valuable information could be very useful for further studies of new materials in nuclear track methodology.

TH-E-BRF-10: Interim Esophageal Cancer Response Assessment Via 18FDG-PET Scanning During Radiation Therapy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Higgins, K [Duke University Medical Physics Graduate Program, Durham, NC (United States); Wu, Q; Perez, B; Czito, B; Palta, M; Willett, C; Das, S [Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC (United States)

2014-06-15

Purpose: Local failure occurs in a large proportion of esophageal cancer patients treated with chemoradiation. The treatment strategy for non-responders could potentially be modified if they are identified during therapy. This work investigates the utility of an interim 18FDG-PET scan acquired during the course of therapy as a predictor of pathological response post-therapy. Methods: Fifteen patients underwent 18FDG-PET scanning prior to radiation therapy (RT) and once during RT, after delivery of ∼32 Gy. The physician-contoured GTV on the planning CT scan was used to automatically segment a PET-based GTV on the pre-RT PET (GTV-pre-PET) as the volume with >40% of the maximum GTV PET SUV value. The pre- and intra-RT CTs were deformably registered to each other to transfer the GTV-pre-PET to the intra-RT PET (GTV-intra-PET). The fractional decrease in the maximum SUV, mean SUV and the SUV to the highest intensity 10% – 90% volumes from GTV-pre-PET to GTV-intra-PET were compared to pathological response assessed at the time of post-RT surgery. Results: Based on post-treatment pathology of 15 patients, 7 were classified as achieving favorable response (treatment effect grade ≤ 1) and 8 as unfavorable response (treatment effect grade > 1). Neither fractional decrease in maximum SUV nor mean SUV were significant between the favorable and unfavorable groups. However, the fractional decrease in SUV20% (SUV to the highest 20% volume) was significant (p = 0.02), with an area under the Receiver Operating Characteristics (ROC) curve of 0.84. An optimal cutoff value of 0.46 for this metric was able to distinguish between the two groups with 71% sensitivity (favorable) and 88% specificity (unfavorable). Conclusion: The fractional decrease in SUV to the volume with highest 20% intensity from pre- to intra-RT 18FDG-PET imaging may be used to distinguish between favorable and unfavorable responders with high sensitivity and specificity.

TH-E-BRF-10: Interim Esophageal Cancer Response Assessment Via 18FDG-PET Scanning During Radiation Therapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Higgins, K; Wu, Q; Perez, B; Czito, B; Palta, M; Willett, C; Das, S

2014-01-01

Purpose: Local failure occurs in a large proportion of esophageal cancer patients treated with chemoradiation. The treatment strategy for non-responders could potentially be modified if they are identified during therapy. This work investigates the utility of an interim 18FDG-PET scan acquired during the course of therapy as a predictor of pathological response post-therapy. Methods: Fifteen patients underwent 18FDG-PET scanning prior to radiation therapy (RT) and once during RT, after delivery of ∼32 Gy. The physician-contoured GTV on the planning CT scan was used to automatically segment a PET-based GTV on the pre-RT PET (GTV-pre-PET) as the volume with >40% of the maximum GTV PET SUV value. The pre- and intra-RT CTs were deformably registered to each other to transfer the GTV-pre-PET to the intra-RT PET (GTV-intra-PET). The fractional decrease in the maximum SUV, mean SUV and the SUV to the highest intensity 10% – 90% volumes from GTV-pre-PET to GTV-intra-PET were compared to pathological response assessed at the time of post-RT surgery. Results: Based on post-treatment pathology of 15 patients, 7 were classified as achieving favorable response (treatment effect grade ≤ 1) and 8 as unfavorable response (treatment effect grade > 1). Neither fractional decrease in maximum SUV nor mean SUV were significant between the favorable and unfavorable groups. However, the fractional decrease in SUV20% (SUV to the highest 20% volume) was significant (p = 0.02), with an area under the Receiver Operating Characteristics (ROC) curve of 0.84. An optimal cutoff value of 0.46 for this metric was able to distinguish between the two groups with 71% sensitivity (favorable) and 88% specificity (unfavorable). Conclusion: The fractional decrease in SUV to the volume with highest 20% intensity from pre- to intra-RT 18FDG-PET imaging may be used to distinguish between favorable and unfavorable responders with high sensitivity and specificity

The utility of FDG-PET for assessing outcomes in oligometastatic cancer patients treated with stereotactic body radiotherapy: a cohort study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Solanki Abhishek A

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Studies suggest that patients with metastases limited in number and destination organ benefit from metastasis-directed therapy. Stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT is commonly used for metastasis directed therapy in this group. However, the characterization of PET response following SBRT is unknown in this population. We analyzed our cohort of patients to describe the PET response following SBRT. Methods Patients enrolled on a prospective dose escalation trial of SBRT to all known sites of metastatic disease were reviewed to select patients with pre- and post-therapy PET scans. Response to SBRT was characterized on PET imaging based on standard PET response criteria and compared to CT based RECIST criteria for each treated lesion. Results 31 patients had PET and CT data available before and after treatment for analysis in this study. In total, 58 lesions were treated (19 lung, 11 osseous, 11 nodal, 9 liver, 6 adrenal and 2 soft tissue metastases. Median follow-up was 14 months (range: 3–41. Median time to first post-therapy PET was 1.2 months (range; 0.5-4.1. On initial post-therapy PET evaluation, 96% (56/58 of treated metastases responded to therapy. 60% (35/58 had a complete response (CR on PET and 36% (21/58 had a partial response (PR. Of 22 patients with stable disease (SD on initial CT scan, 13 had CR on PET, 8 had PR, and one had SD. Of 21 metastases with PET PR, 38% became CR, 52% remained PR, and 10% had progressive disease on follow-up PET. 10/35 lesions (29% with an initial PET CR progressed on follow-up PET scan with median time to progression of 4.11 months (range: 2.75-9.56. Higher radiation dose correlated with long-term PET response. Conclusions PET response to SBRT enables characterization of metastatic response in tumors non-measurable by CT. Increasing radiation dose is associated with prolonged complete response on PET.

Comparison of PET/CT with Sequential PET/MRI Using an MR-Compatible Mobile PET System.