Opportunities for Biodiesel Compatibility as a Modern Combustion Engine Fuel

This chapter summarizes the feasibility of effective utilization of biodiesel in modern vehicle engines. The parameters discussed in this chapter include diesel engine characterization and diagnostics including performance, emissions, and combustion behavior. The lifecycle and economic analyses with future scope of biodiesel are also described. From the review, it is conferred that a huge proportion of biodiesel is produced from edible vegetable oils, which is a threat to the food supply. Biodiesel sources are focused upon non-edible oils and other feedstocks that do not compete with the food crops. Therefore, the selection of appropriate feedstock is essential to confirm the low-cost production of biodiesel. Concerning the engine characteristics and combustion diagnostics, it can be ensured that biodiesel improves engine performance and emission characteristics with little engine modifications such as injection timing, pressure, exhaust gas recirculation, etc. The review holds well on the possibility of using biodiesel in diesel engines, but still it is not economically viable and needs more research and technology advancements to make it competitive with other conventional fuels in the marke

ER stress and the unfolded protein response in neurodegeneration.

The clinical manifestation of neurodegenerative diseases is initiated by the selective alteration in the functionality of distinct neuronal populations. The pathology of many neurodegenerative diseases includes accumulation of misfolded proteins in the brain. In physiological conditions, the proteostasis network maintains normal protein folding, trafficking and degradation; alterations in this network - particularly disturbances to the function of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) - are thought to contribute to abnormal protein aggregation. ER stress triggers a signalling reaction known as the unfolded protein response (UPR), which induces adaptive programmes that improve protein folding and promote quality control mechanisms and degradative pathways or can activate apoptosis when damage is irreversible. In this Review, we discuss the latest advances in defining the functional contribution of ER stress to brain diseases, including novel evidence that relates the UPR to synaptic function, which has implications for cognition and memory. A complex concept is emerging wherein the consequences of ER stress can differ drastically depending on the disease context and the UPR signalling pathway that is altered. Strategies to target specific components of the UPR using small molecules and gene therapy are in development, and promise interesting avenues for future interventions to delay or stop neurodegeneration