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Hi Kris no, this is the first time I've seen it - I'll forward it on your behalf. > Harry, > I sent this as a reply but have not seen it back in my inbox. Did you > happen to get this? > Kris > > -----Original Message----- > From: Kris Tesh > Sent: Thursday, May 04, 2006 9:39 AM > To: [email protected] > Subject: RE: [ccp4bb]: Dewars opened by customs ? > > > Here at Rigaku, we have had this same problem. Travelers to our laboratory > usually send their shipping dewar ahead so that there is little lost time > due to a late arriving dewar. I wish to add a few observations and > recommendations. > > We have found the full range of samples having: ice, clear freezes turn > opaque, samples no longer in the loops, loops broken off, whole canes of > samples (which were in sleeves!) emptied into the basket, and even cryopins > (and canes) in the crate outside of the dewar. So, I am never surprised > with the "weird" condition of samples. And, this is on both foreign and > domestic shipments. > > Now, the truly interesting thing is what the source of the problems is. I > have gone back through on many occasions to find the culprit to be one or > more of the following: customs observations, shipping company concern for > contents, airline peaking (since some of these "non-regulated" dewars and > contents sometimes make it under a domestic flight), and shipping personnel > at the university. This latter one surprised me the most as one had removed > the samples when emptying the nitrogen from the dewar! > > What was suggested to us some years ago (pre 911) is to use cable ties on > both the dewar and the outer packaging. I empty the dewar of the excess > liquid by tipping the dewar while holding the plug/lid of the dewar in > place. It takes longer, but warmer, moist air is not rushing back into the > dewar. Then I cable tie the lid onto the top of the dewar. Finally, I > close the crate and again seal the container with at least one cable tie. > Since starting this, I have found fewer pins out of place. > > Although for years I placed letters inside the dewar case, I have only been > called once about the container "emitting gases." I have since ended the > inside letter. > > Additionally, I play soccer with several owners and workers shipping > companies at Houston Intercontinental Airport involved in cargo movement, > and they have assured me that nothing I can place in the crate is useful > unless the crate or contents are destroyed and the outer documentation is > uninterpretable...and then it is only to notify you to come pick it up. One > of the worries they told me is that if the crate is sealed, they have no > problem with what they called "hitchhiker" cargo...things added to (then > removed from) an easily opened package by shippers for illicit purposes. > > Kris > > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of > Leslie A. > Sent: Thursday, May 04, 2006 4:15 AM > To: [email protected] > Subject: [ccp4bb]: Dewars opened by customs ? > > > *** For details on how to be removed from this list visit the *** > *** CCP4 home page http://www.ccp4.ac.uk *** > > > > We recently sent two dewars of crystals by DHL to ESRF for data collection. > On opening the dewars at the ESRF, it was obvious that the dewars (or at > least one of them) had been opened during transit. The "groove" in the top > to the dewar that accommodates the handle for the basket had been ignored > when the top was replaced, and the top had clearly been forced back into the > dewar, gouging out a new "groove". > > The result was a significant accumulation of ice on the pucks, which > subsequently caused serious problems with the automatic sample changer, > which got jammed by the ice. In addition, and most importantly, the > diffraction from the crystals, which had been carefully screened prior to > the trip, was so poor that no useful data could be collected. > > Has anyone else had a similar experience ? > > We used to secure the tops to the dewars with cable ties, but did not do so > on this trip. Following this experience we are tempted to use a padlock, but > this may provoke the use of greater force in opening the dewar. > > One worrying thought is that this is the first time that we have transported > the crystals in pucks rather than in canes. Is it possible that the customs > people are unaccustomed (excuse the pun) to seeing pucks rather than canes, > and that is why they wanted to investigate ? Are customs officials the only > people who would open a dewar in transit ? > > Is there any way that this can be avoided in the future ? > > Any information/thoughts are greatly welcome > > > Matt Bowler and Andrew Leslie > > Harry -- Dr Harry Powell, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, MRC Centre, Hills Road, Cambridge, CB2 2QH
