Modelling supply and demand of bioenergy from short rotation coppice and Miscanthus in the UK.

Biomass from lignocellulosic energy crops can contribute to primary energy supply in the short term in heat and electricity applications and in the longer term in transport fuel applications. This paper estimates the optimal feedstock allocation of herbaceous and woody lignocellulosic energy crops for England and Wales based on empirical productivity models. Yield maps for Miscanthus, willow and poplar, constrained by climatic, soil and land use factors, are used to estimate the potential resource. An energy crop supply-cost curve is estimated based on the resource distribution and associated production costs. The spatial resource model is then used to inform the supply of biomass to geographically distributed demand centres, with co-firing plants used as an illustration. Finally, the potential contribution of energy crops to UK primary energy and renewable energy targets is discussed.

Comparison of hepatocyte cultures and liver slices in in vitro toxicity testing.

The aim of this study was to compare the in vitro toxicities of two hepatotoxins in hepatocyte cultures and in liver slices from both rats and dogs. Hepatocytes and liver slices were pre-incubated for 2 hours and then exposed to galactosamine or paracetamol, both of which mainly induce liver necrosis in vivo. Following exposure to the compounds for 20 hours, neutral red uptake (NRU [hepatocyte cultures only]), MTT reduction, and reduced glutathione (GSH), adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and protein content, were used to measure the toxicity induced. In general, galactosamine and paracetamol exposure caused comparable levels of toxicity in hepatocyte cultures and in liver slices. For galactosamine, no consistent differences were seen between hepatocyte cultures and liver slices. With paracetamol, the toxic effects were generally slightly more pronounced in hepatocyte cultures than in liver slices, and the preparations from dog liver were more sensitive than those from rat liver to paracetamol exposure. These results are in agreement with previously described species differences in vitro. NRU and GSH content were more sensitive and more consistent endpoints than MTT reduction, ATP content or protein content. Liver slices appeared to lose viability over the 20 hours in culture. Therefore, it can be concluded that liver slices should only be used in relatively short-term investigations.

Expanding the role of the neonatal transport nurse: nurse-led teams.

Nottingham neonatal service provides a unit-based interhospital transport programme for the stabilization and transportation of critically III neonates within the Trent region. The transport nurse is responsible and accountable for providing optimum care for infants in conjunction with a registrar. The quality of care received by the neonate requiring emergency transfer could be further enhanced by a team of two specifically trained transport nurses.