Enhanced Transduction and Replication of RGD-Fiber Modified Adenovirus in Primary T Cells

Background: Adenoviruses are often used as vehicles to mediate gene delivery for therapeutic purposes, but their research scope in hematological cells remains limited due to a narrow choice of host cells that express the adenoviral receptor (CAR). T cells, which are attractive targets for gene therapy of numerous diseases, remain resistant to adenoviral infection because of the absence of CAR expression. Here, we demonstrate that this resistance can be overcome when murine or human T cells are transduced with an adenovirus incorporating the RGD-fiber modification (Ad-RGD). Methodology/Principal Finding: A luciferase-expressing replication-deficient Ad-RGD infected 3-fold higher number of activated primary T cells than an adenovirus lacking the RGD-fiber modification in vitro. Infection with replicationcompetent Ad-RGD virus also caused increased cell cycling, higher E1A copy number and enriched hexon antigen expression in both human and murine T cells. Transduction with oncolytic Ad-RGD also resulted in higher titers of progeny virus and enhanced the killing of T cells. In vivo, 35–45 % of splenic T cells were transduced by Ad-RGD. Conclusions: Collectively, our results prove that a fiber modified Ad-RGD successfully transduces and replicates in primary

Endoscopic hemostasis of bleeding peptic ulcers.

Digestive Diseases114-5216-22

ENDOSCOPIC HEMOSTASIS OF BLEEDING PEPTIC-ULCERS

Developments in therapeutic endoscopy over the last decade have made it possible to perform endoscopic hemostasis for bleeding peptic ulcers. This review traces the developments in this field in the Department of Surgery of the National University of Singapore. A recently conducted prospective randomized controlled trial using intralesional adrenaline and heater probe demonstrated that initial hemostasis could be achieved in 100% of patients with actively bleeding ulcers or stigmata of recent hemorrhage. The rebleed rate was 6.6% compared with 20.3% in a well-matched control group. The recent advent of laparoscopic vagotomy and laparoscopic Billroth II gastrectomy offers a low-morbidity surgical option to long-term medical treatment for the follow-up management of patients with bleeding ulcers

Peroral tunable-dye laser lithotripsy of intrahepatic stones in Oriental cholangitis

Surgical Endoscopy6138-40SURE

Endoscopic removal of a retained T tube [7]

Gastrointestinal Endoscopy391108-109GAEN

To the editor

10.1007/BF02067391World Journal of Surgery164799WJSU

Pyloric channel ulcers: Management and three-year follow-up

American Surgeon613237-239AMSU

Endoscopic management of bleeding peptic ulcers in Singapore: A multimodality approach

Journal of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh366388-391JRCS

PYLORIC CHANNEL ULCERS - MANAGEMENT AND 3-YEAR FOLLOW-UP

Twenty-five patients with pyloric channel ulcers are presented. They were predominantly males (84%), with a mean age of 54 years. Four patients were operated upon in the initial admission because of gastric outlet obstruction in three and persistent bleeding in one. Twenty-one patients received H2-antagonist treatment (ranitidine 150 mg or cimetidine 400 mg twice a day). Clinical and endoscopic healing rates were 76% and 38% respectively at 6 weeks, and 91% and 85% respectively at 12 weeks of treatment. The recurrence rate at an average of 3 years of follow-up period on maintenance treatment (ranitidine 150 mg or cimetidine 400 mg nightly) was 65%. Three patients were operated upon during the follow-up period due to persistent symptoms in two and recurrence with obstruction in one. Surgical procedures were vagotomy + drainage (five patients) and vagotomy + antrectomy (two patients). There were no recurrences in surgically treated patients at an average of 3.5 years of follow-up, and all were graded as Visick I or II

Laparoscopic repair of perforated peptic ulcer [1]

British Journal of Surgery804535BJSU