Role of RAGE in the Pathogenesis of Neurological Disorders.

This review reflects upon our own as well as other investigators' studies on the role of receptor for advanced glycation end-products (RAGE), bringing up the latest information on RAGE in physiology and pathology of the nervous system. Over the last ten years, major progress has been made in uncovering many of RAGE-ligand interactions and signaling pathways in nervous tissue; however, the translation of these discoveries into clinical practice has not come to fruition yet. This is likely, in part to be the result of our incomplete understanding of this crucial signaling pathway. Clinical trials examining the therapeutic efficacy of blocking RAGE-external ligand interactions by genetically engineered soluble RAGE or an endogenous RAGE antagonist, has not stood up to its promise; however, other trials with different blocking agents are being considered with hope for therapeutic success in diseases of the nervous system.

Thermal and chemical effects of turkey feathers pyrolysis.

This study examines the thermal and chemical effects of the pyrolysis of turkey feathers. Research of feathers pyrolysis is important because of their increasing production and difficulties of their utilization. The experiments were carried out by means of thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and two pyrolytic reactors. The experimental investigation indicated that the feather material liquefies at temperatures between 210 and 240°C. This liquefaction together with the agglomeration of various dispersed and porous elements of the feathers into larger droplets leads to the volume reduction. Moreover, this work presents characteristics of the composition of the solid, liquid and gaseous products of turkey feathers pyrolysis at different temperatures. The higher heating value (HHV) of gaseous products in temperature 900°C equals 19.28 MJ/Nm(3) making the gases suitable for use as a fuel. The thermochemical conversion of turkey feathers leads to the formation of poisonous compounds such as hydrogen cyanide (HCN) in the liquid (0.13%) and gaseous (88 mg/Nm(3)) products. The phenomenon of liquefaction of feathers is important because it can lead to rapid degradation of the walls of reactors, and the formation of deposits.