A nicotinic cholinergic antagonist, mecamylamine (MEC), was administered to rabbits tested on eyeblink classical conditioning (EBCC) in the 750-ms delay paradigm for 10 90-trial sessions. Nicotinic receptors were measured in 3 brain regions in 5 treatment groups: paired conditioned stimulus-unconditioned stimulus (CS-US) presentations with (a) vehicle, young; (b) vehicle, older; (c) 0.5 mg/kg MEC, young; unpaired CS-US with (d) 0.5 mg/kg MEC, young; and (e) vehicle, young. Daily MEC injections disrupted acquisition in young rabbits (769 trials to learning criterion vs. 323 trials for vehicle-treated young rabbits). MEC-treated young rabbits learned similarly to older rabbits. Brain nicotinic receptors were not affected by 10 daily MEC injections. To our knowledge, this experimental protocol, using a low MEC dose to selectively inhibit nicotinic cholinergic receptors, is the first to demonstrate a role for nicotinic cholinergic receptors in EBCC.
The chapter sets the scene for the book by tackling some of the fundamental issues with biorefineries. The biorefinery cannot just be a processing facility which utilises biomass without any concern for the chemical methods being used. So the first section of this chapter covers the fundamental aspects of green chemistry and how they can be incorporated into future biorefineries. There has been much discussion and debate on the biorefinery concept and what it actually means. The second section in the chapter covers the main aspects of biorefinery systems including the two platform concept. The last section of the chapter focuses on the current and potential uses of oil crops that are produced within Europe.
The concept of Green Chemistry is now mainstream with industry and society taking the lead. Recently, on UK national radio the issue of waste cooking oil from domestic households and restaurants that ends up blocking drains was being discussed. The waste congeals and forms a “Fatberg”, and unsurprisingly it costs Thames Water, £1 million per month to remove the 100,000 blockages that arise each year. Instead of just accepting that this materials destiny is landfill, a commercial energy company has collaborated with the water agency to burn this fat and generate renewable energy. The plant will generate enough energy to support nearly 40,000 homes, although the company plans to use the electricity to run internal processes and the surplus amount will be distributed in the national energy grid. This example shows how the concept of “waste” is disappearing and being replaced by the concept of “resource”. We know that waste cooking oil is being used to manufacture biodiesel by leading retail outlets such as McDonald’s to fuel the companies transport fleet. These types of closed-loop approaches not only make sense from an environmental perspective but also commercially. Let us not forget that when the price of crude oil spiked to $150 it caused global chaos and according to some economists, it was the trigger of the deepest recession we have seen for nearly a century. Alternative supplies of fuel and energy may provide a buffer during high crude oil prices, and the same applies to alternative chemicals and materials. Society needs to implement a biorefinery approach where renewable carbon is used to provide the necessities of life; food, chemicals, materials and energy.
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