Clinical applications of squamous cell carcinoma antigen-immunoglobulins M to monitor chronic hepatitis C

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is the main cause of chronic liver disease and cirrhosis in Western countries. Over time, the majority of cirrhotic patients develop hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), one of the most common fatal cancers worldwide - fourth for incidence rate. A high public health priority need is the development of biomarkers to screen for liver disease progression and for early diagnosis of HCC development, particularly in the high risk population represented by HCV-positive patients with cirrhosis. Several studies have shown that serological determination of a novel biomarker, squamous cell carcinoma antigen-immunoglobulins M (SCCA-IgM), might be useful to identify patients with progressive liver disease. In the initial part of this review we summarize the main clinical studies that have investigated this new circulating biomarker on HCV-infected patients, providing evidence that in chronic hepatitis C SCCA-IgM may be used to monitor progression of liver disease, and also to assess the virological response to antiviral treatment. In the last part of this review we address other, not less important, clinical applications of this biomarker in hepatology

Non-exhaust traffic related emissions – Brake and tyre wear PM

Traffic related sources are a significant contributor of particulate matter, particularly in urban environments and major cities. Traffic related particles can be distinguished into: exhaust traffic related particles, which are emitted as a result of incomplete fuel combustion and lubricant volatilization during the combustion procedure, and non-exhaust traffic related particles, which are either generated from non-exhaust traffic related sources such as brake, tyre, clutch and road surface wear or already exist in the environment as deposited material and become resuspended due to traffic induced turbulence. It is estimated that exhaust and non-exhaust sources contribute almost equally to total traffic-related PM10 emissions. However, as exhaust emissions control become stricter, relative contributions of non-exhaust sources to traffic related emissions will increasingly become more significant. The aim of the present literature review study is to present the state-of-the-art of the different aspects regarding particulate emissions resulting from non-exhaust sources and particularly from brake and tyre wear. For this reason several different literature sources such as peer reviewed papers, research project reports, technical publications, as well as licentiate and doctoral theses were examined and the most significant findings in terms of importance, physicochemical characteristics, EFs and possible adverse health effects are discussed.JRC.F.8-Sustainable Transpor

Particle Number Emissions During Regeneration of DPF-equipped Light Duty Diesel Vehicles - a Literature Survey

The study reviews published work on the particle emissions during regeneration of diesel particulate filters in an attempt to assess the PMP methodology under these operating conditions. During regeneration of the DPF a significant increase of the emitted number of particles is observed. Size spectra reveal a nucleation mode peaking at approximately 10 nm, at concentrations that can exceed the emission levels under non-regenerating conditions by more than three orders of magnitude. These nano-sized particles are found to be mostly volatile in nature with their concentrations correlating with the sulphate content of the emitted particulate matter. Particle number measurements following the PMP methodology are found to be little affected by this burst of nucleation mode particles, partly because of the large cut-off size of the CPC (23 nm) and partly because of the semi-volatile nature of the emitted nanoparticles, exhibiting more than 97% overall removal efficiency.JRC.DDG.F.9-Sustainable Transport (Ispra

Real-World Mobility and Environmental Data for the Assessment of In-Vehicle Battery Capacity Fade

This work develops scenario-based analyses for predicting in-vehicle performance degradation of automotive traction batteries. It combines recent capacity performance-based models of NCM-LMO Li-ion (Nickel Cobalt Manganese Oxide—Lithium Manganese Oxide) variant batteries with real-world vehicle driving data from different geographical areas of Europe. The analysis addresses different battery and vehicle architectures (PHEVs (Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles) and BEVs (Battery Electric Vehicles)) combined with different recharging strategies and mobility patterns and environmental temperatures. The mobility pattern datasets used in this analysis refer to six European cities and include up to 508,609 private vehicles, corresponding to 1.78 billion GPS records, 9.1 million trips and parking events and a total driven distance of 106.1 million kilometers. The results show the effect that the environmental temperature, the recharging power, and the driven kilometers have on the calendar and cycling aging. The majority of the combinations of the considered vehicle architectures and recharge strategies do not lead to battery capacity drop below 80% of its nominal value in less than five calendar years for a usage profile of up to 1000 km/month

Durability Demonstration Procedures of Emission Control Devices for Euro 6 Vehicles

The implementation of increasingly demanding vehicle emissions standards fostered the improvement of existing aftertreatment technologies and the development of innovative solutions. However, new vehicle standards are only beneficial if effectively lead to emissions reduction; this implies assuring compliance with emissions limits not only for new registrations but also throughout vehicles’ useful life. With this aim, current legislation introduced emissions durability requirements; alternatively to actual in-use driving, the normative also proposes tailored accelerated aging procedures for PI and CI vehicles (Standard Bench Cycle and Standard Diesel Bench Cycle respectively) or the application of assigned deterioration factors. Whereas the fast aging protocol for vehicles with PI engine had already been successfully applied, the newly introduced approach for CI vehicles fast aging still has to prove its validity. The present report aims at contributing to a deeper understanding of aftertreatment system aging mechanisms and methods in order to assess Euro-6 vehicles durability approach. An overview on the legislative background is given before introducing an investigation on deterioration mechanisms that could critically affect most commonly implemented aftertreatment devices. The current accelerated aging procedure is then presented in greater detail, with focus on differences between gasoline and diesel vehicles approach; differences between European and American fast aging strategies are also discussed. The Standard Diesel Bench Cycle is examined in detail and focus is brought on potential deficiencies to match real diesel aftertreatment system aging mechanisms; open issues are discussed and complemented with the proposal for suitable solutions which are being jointly developed by US Research Institutes and Industries. Finally, a review of deterioration factors currently available for Euro-6 like vehicles is presented, in order to evaluate the variability of performance degradation for latest aftertreatment technologies.JRC.F.8-Sustainable Transpor

Assessment of particle number limits for petrol vehicles

The European Commission Regulations No 692/2008 and No 715/2007 set the regulatory framework for type-approval of motor vehicles with respect to emissions from light passenger and commercial vehicles (Euro 5/6). However, these regulations leave open some issues regarding the Euro 6 emission standards to be addressed and defined before the entry into force of these pieces of legislation. Among them, the Type I test particle number limit for vehicles equipped with Positive Ignition Direct Injection engines should be defined. The Joint Research Centre has carried out a study to support a possible implementation of such a limit for Euro 6 petrol vehicles. The first part of this report provides a review of the particle mass and number emissions of gasoline Port Fuel Injection (PFI) and Gasoline Direct Injection (G-DI) vehicles available in the literature. Over the second part, the particle mass and number emissions from a range of Euro 4 and Euro 5 gasoline vehicle/engine technology measured at JRC are synopsized. The vehicles have been tested over various driving cycles and ambient temperature conditions according to the Particle Measurement Programme (PMP) methodology.JRC.F.8-Sustainable Transpor

Revision of Low Temperature Emission Standards for Petrol Vehicles

The Commission Regulations (EC) No 692/2008 and 715/2007 set the regulatory framework for type approval of motor vehicles with respect to emissions from light passenger and commercial vehicles (Euro 5/6. In particular these regulations set the emission standards and the related implementing measures, divided into three different steps, that will enter into force between 2009 (Euro 5) and 2014 (Euro 6). However the above mentioned Regulations leave open some issues regarding the Euro 5b and the Euro 6 emission standards to be addressed and defined before the entry into force of these pieces of legislation. As far as the low temperature emission test for gasoline vehicles is concerned the current emission limits, carried over from Euro 3/4, are no longer appropriate for vehicles meeting the Euro 5/6 emission standards. This report provides a picture of the low temperature emission performances (based on type approval data of Type VI test) of the current generation of gasoline vehicles. It also summarizes the main results of the experimental activity carried out at JRC to investigate the behaviour at low temperature of Euro 5 passenger cars and provide useful data for the revision of the low temperature emission standards for gasoline vehicles. Moreover, the analysis includes also results of Ethanol Flex Fuel Vehicles in view of the extension of the low temperature test to this category of vehicles.JRC.F.8-Sustainable Transpor

Durability demonstration programme for EURO6 passenger cars: thermal load to after-treatment systems

The thermal aging of emission control devices is the most important cause of vehicles' emissions deterioration. This report compares the thermal load generated by the Standard Road Cycle (SRC) with that generated by the Worldwide-harmonized Light-duty Test Cycle (WLTC) on 2 gasoline and 2 diesel vehicles, confirming that the SRC is fit for the purpose.JRC.C.4-Sustainable Transpor

Efficacy and Tolerability of Fitostimoline in Two Different Forms (Soaked Gauzes and Cream) and Citrizan Gel in the Topical Treatment of Second-Degree Superficial Cutaneous Burns

A total of 227 patients (mean age 41.3 years, 52% females) with at least one second-degree superficial cutaneous burn of thermal origin of a smallest transverse diameter ≥20 mm and a largest transverse diameter ≤90 mm were randomised to receive the topical application of aqueous extract of Triticum vulgare (Fitostimoline) in two different forms (soaked gauzes and cream) or catalase of horse origin in form of gel (Citrizan Gel), given up to healing or to a maximum of 20 days. The rate of lesion healing at end of study was significantly higher in patients treated with Fitostimoline (gauzes 97.3%, cream 91.5%) than in those receiving catalase (84.5%). The pooled Fitostimoline groups were also significantly more effective than catalase gel in reducing total symptoms score, pain at medication, pain at rest, and burning at end of study. Both formulations of Fitostimoline and catalase gel were well tolerated in terms of adverse effects in the site of application

The never-ending story of the fight against tuberculosis: From Koch's bacillus to global control programs

Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the oldest diseases known to affect humanity, and is still a major public health problem. It is caused by the bacillus Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MT), isolated in 1882 by Robert Koch. Until the 1950s, X rays were used as a cheap method of diagnostic screening together with the tuberculin skin sensitivity test. In the diagnosis and treatment of TB, an important role was also played by surgery. The late Nineteenth century saw the introduction of the tuberculosis sanatorium, which proved to be one of the first useful measures against TB. Subsequently, Albert Calmette and Camille Gu\ue9rin used a non-virulent MT strain to produce a live attenuated vaccine. In the 1980s and 1990s, the incidence of tuberculosis surged as a major opportunistic infection in people with HIV infection and AIDS; for this reason, a combined strategy based on improving drug treatment, diagnostic instruments and prevention was needed