Intercomparison of real-time tailpipe ammonia measurements from vehicles tested over the new world-harmonized light-duty vehicle test cycle (WLTC).

Four light-duty vehicles (two diesel, one flex-fuel, and one gasoline vehicle) were tested as part of an intercomparison exercise of the world-harmonized light-duty vehicle test procedure (WLTP) aiming at measuring real-time ammonia emissions from the vehicles' raw exhaust at the tailpipe. The tests were conducted in the Vehicle Emission Laboratory (VELA) at the European Commission Joint Research Centre (EC-JRC), Ispra, Italy. HORIBA, CGS, and the Sustainable Transport Unit of the Joint Research Centre (JRC) took part in the measurement and analysis of the four vehicles' exhaust emissions over the world-harmonized light-duty vehicle test cycle class 3, version 5.3 using a HORIBA MEXA 1400 QL-NX, a CGS BLAQ-Sys, and the JRC Fourier transform infrared spectrometer, respectively. The measured ammonia concentrations and the emission profiles revealed that these three instruments are suitable to measure ammonia from the vehicles' raw exhaust, presenting no significant differences. Furthermore, results showed that measurement of ammonia from the vehicle exhaust using online systems can be performed guaranteeing the reproducibility and repeatability of the results. While no ammonia was detected for any of the two diesel vehicles (even though, one was equipped with a selective catalytic reduction system), we report average ammonia emission factors 8-10 mg/km (average concentrations 20-23 ppm) and 10-12 mg/km (average concentrations 22-24 ppm) for the flex-fuel and gasoline vehicles, respectively.

[Effective treatment with the additional administration of UFT for refractory malignant pleural effusion secondary to adenocarcinoma of the lung after the treatment regimen of gemcitabine and vinorelbine].

The patient was a 71-year-old man with pleural effusion secondary to adenocarcinoma of the lung. Systemic chemotherapy with gemcitabine (GEM) and vinorelbine (VNR) was administered. This treatment brought a decrease in pleural effusion. After three cycles of the regimen with GEM and VNR, the regimen was changed to weekly paclitaxel. However, the paclitaxel regimen was not effective. Therefore, we returned to the former regimen. However, the pleural effusion was refractory to that regimen, and increased. We then added 5-FU to the regimen. This addition again brought a decrease in the pleural effusion, suggesting that the additional administration of UFT is effective against refractory malignant pleural effusion after the treatment regimen with GEM and VNR.

[Successful treatment with chemotherapy of vinorelbine and gemcitabine for an elderly patient with advanced non-small cell lung cancer].

A 74-year-old man with non-small cell lung cancer was referred to our hospital for chemotherapy. On admission, he suffered from high fever and left upper back pain. Laboratory data showed marked leukocytosis and increased CRP. He was treated with chemotherapy of weekly vinorelbine and gemcitabine. After the second cycle, the levels of leukocytes and CRP were remarkably decreased, and the severe back pain was also alleviated. He has been given an additional 4 cycles as an outpatient. He is now doing well. This regimen seems to be effective in alleviating symptoms and improving QOL.

Hydrophobicity gradient columns for the separation of trypsin inhibitor by hydrophobic interaction chromatography at low salt concentration.

We investigated hydrophobicity gradient columns composed of two columns packed with supports of different hydrophobicities in order to save time in protein separation by hydrophobic interaction chromatography at low salt concentration using a crude sample of trypsin inhibitor as a model sample. One of the two hydrophobicity gradient columns was packed with a support whose hydrophobicity was critically controlled for target protein (trypsin inhibitor) and the other was packed with a support which was less hydrophobic than the critically controlled hydrophobicity support. It was found that the hydrophobicity gradient columns are useful to separate samples containing impurities of a wide range of hydrophobicities within a reasonable time.