Abstract: An artificial skin surface film liquid (SSFL) is disclosed that mimics the chemical composition and biological action of both human sweat and sebum. The artificial sweat formulation contains a comprehensive combination of constituents. When combined with the sebum component it is particularly effective at modeling the effect of the skin surface film liquid on agents in contact with the skin. Also provided are methods of making and using the disclosed artificial skin surface compositions.

Abstract: Film laminates for packaging applications having at least two polymer layers which are formed together as a coextruded blown film such that the first polymer layer is a surface layer relative to the film and comprises a heat-sealable material having a melt index of at least 20 g/10 min. The first polymer layer of the coextruded film has a thickness A and the film has a total thickness B, such that the relative values of A and B satisfy the relationship A/B?0.3. The present invention further provides food packages formed from these film laminates.

Abstract: An adjustable size annular retaining assembly includes at least two substantially rigid segments (1, 2) and means (3, 4) for pivotably interconnecting the segments in end to end relationship, so that when the segments are pivotally interconnected at all but a single pair of adjoining segment ends (1b, 2b), the assembly can be contracted to a reduced size condition (5) for insertion through or into or removal through or from a confined space (6), and expanded into a desired annular size condition (7) for pivotal interconnection of said non-connected pair of adjoining segment ends (1b and 2b).

Abstract: There is described a burner for vegetable matter such as straw or the like, comprising a combustion chamber (9) having an upstream and a downstream end, a blower (6) discharging air and cut vegetable matter into the upstream end of the combustion chamber, an igniter (10) positioned at the upstream end of the combustion chamber, and a number of screens (14, 15, 16) extending across the combustion chamber and spaced from each other in the flow direction, the mesh size of the screens decreasing in the flow direction. The burner is used, inter alia, in a soil steriliser and stubble burner which comprises a chassis, a pick-up device (1) to collect a swath of vegetable-matter from the ground, a feed device (2, 3, 4) to feed the vegetable matter to a chopper (5) and a blower to transport the vegetable matter to the upstream end of the combustion chamber of the burner, the combustion gases from the burner being directed via a discharge device (11) onto the surface of the ground.