Increasing biomass resource availability through supply chain analysis

Increased inclusion of biomass in energy strategies all over the world means that greater mobilisation of biomass resources will be required to meet demand. Strategies of many EU countries assume the future use of non-EU sourced biomass. An increasing number of studies call for the UK to consider alternative options, principally to better utilise indigenous resources. This research identifies the indigenous biomass resources that demonstrate the greatest promise for the UK bioenergy sector and evaluates the extent that different supply chain drivers influence resource availability. The analysis finds that the UK's resources with greatest primary bioenergy potential are household wastes (>115 TWh by 2050), energy crops (>100 TWh by 2050) and agricultural residues (>80 TWh by 2050). The availability of biomass waste resources was found to demonstrate great promise for the bioenergy sector, although are highly susceptible to influences, most notably by the focus of adopted waste management strategies. Biomass residue resources were found to be the resource category least susceptible to influence, with relatively high near-term availability that is forecast to increase – therefore representing a potentially robust resource for the bioenergy sector. The near-term availability of UK energy crops was found to be much less significant compared to other resource categories. Energy crops represent long-term potential for the bioenergy sector, although achieving higher limits of availability will be dependent on the successful management of key influencing drivers. The research highlights that the availability of indigenous resources is largely influenced by a few key drivers, this contradicting areas of consensus of current UK bioenergy policy

STRUCTURAL AND OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF ZnO THIN FILMS GROWN ON FLEXIBLE POLYIMIDE SUBSTRATES

Nominally undoped ZnO thin films were grown on polyimide (PI) substrates at various temperatures by using radio-frequency magnetron sputtering. Atomic force microscopy images showed that the root mean squares of the average surface roughnesses for the ZnO thin films grown on the PI substrates at 27°C, 100°C, 200°C, and 300°C were 4.08, 4.50, 4.18, and 3.89 nm, respectively. X-ray diffraction patterns showed that the crystallinity of the ZnO films had a preferential (0001) direction and that the full width at half-maxima for the (0002) ZnO diffraction peak for the ZnO thin films grown on the PI substrates at 27°C, 100°C, 200°C, and 300°C were 0.22, 0.22, 0.22, and 0.23, respectively. The average optical transmittances in the visible ranges between 550 and 750 nm for the ZnO/PI heterostructures grown at 27°C, 100°C, 200°C, and 300°C were 87%, 83%, 87%, and 78%, respectively.ZnO thin film, polyimide, structural properties, optical properties

Antiallergic effect of Gami-hyunggyeyeongyotang on ovalbumin-induced allergic rhinitis in mouse and human mast cells

Background: Gami-hyunggyeyeongyotang (GMHGYGT) is a polyherbal medicine derived from an oriental prescription traditionally used in the treatment of allergic diseases such as allergic rhinitis (AR). This study aimed to evaluate the effects of GMHGYGT on ovalbumin (OVA) sensitization/challenge-induced AR in BALB/C mice, through examination of allergic inflammatory response regulation, as well as examination of human mast cells (HMC-1). Methods: Nasal symptoms were evaluated in the OVA-induced allergic rhinitis mouse model, and total immunoglobulin (Ig)E and OVA-specific IgE levels in serum were investigated. Eosinophil infiltration and thickness of the nasal mucosa, and levels of interleukin (IL)-1β and caspase-1 were also measured by immunohistochemistry. Additionally, the effect of GMHGYGT on the phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate plus calcium ionophore A23187-induced phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase, C-Jun N-terminal kinase and p38 in HMC-1 cells was investigated. Results: GMHGYGT was demonstrated to have antiallergic effects on the nasal symptoms of the OVA-induced mouse model, decreasing serum levels of OVA-specific IgE and levels of the cytokines IL-5, IL-6, IL-1β, monocyte chemotactic protein-1, and macrophage inflammatory protein-2. GMHGYGT reduced the number of eosinophils in the nasal mucosa and thickness of the nasal septum, and inhibited the expression of IL-1β and caspase-1. Moreover, it inhibited the phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase and C-Jun N-terminal kinase, as well as the activation of nuclear factor-κB on protein level in HMC-1 cells. Conclusion: These results suggest that GMHGYGT has therapeutic potential for the treatment of allergic rhinitis