Replicating retroviral vectors for oncolytic virotherapy of experimental hepatocellular carcinoma.

Gene therapy mediated by murine leukemia virus (MLV)-based replicating retrovirus vector (RRV) was previously proven to be highly effective in tumor cell killing, resulting in significant suppression of tumor growth in vivo. Recently, we developed a different form of RRV which is derived from another retrovirus, gibbon ape leukemia virus (GALV), as a cancer therapeutic agent. We compared the gene delivery efficiency and antitumor effects in the two types of RRV in experimental hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Our results show that both RRVs can efficiently spread throughout entire HCC cell populations in vitro and achieve high transduction efficiency in HCC xenografts in vivo, while GALV RRV, in general, exhibited more rapid replication kinetics in the tumors. In vitro, substantial HCC cell killing was achieved even when initially only 1% of the HCC cells were producing RRVs that express the yeast cytosine deaminase suicide gene, indicating that the high efficiency of gene transfer by replicative spread of RRVs greatly increased suicide gene toxicity. In vivo, GALV RRV-mediated suicide gene therapy efficiently suppressed HCC tumor growth and no detectable RRV signals were observed in extratumoral tissues, showing promise in using GALV RRV as a cancer therapeutic agent.

Enhancement of mercury capture by the simultaneous addition of hydrogen bromide (HBr) and fly ashes in a slipstream facility.

Low halogen content in tested Powder River Basin (PRB) coals and low loss of ignition content (LOI) in PRB-derived fly ash were likely responsible for higher elemental mercury content (averaging about 75%) in the flue gas and also lower mercury capture efficiency by electrostatic precipitator (ESP) and wet-FGD. To develop a cost-effective approach to mercury capture in a full-scale coal-fired utility boiler burning PRB coal, experiments were conducted adding hydrogen bromide (HBr) or simultaneously adding HBr and selected fly ashes in a slipstream reactor (0.152 x 0.152 m) under real flue gas conditions. The residence time of the flue gas inside the reactorwas about 1.4 s. The average temperature of the slipstream reactor was controlled at about 155 degrees C. Tests were organized into two phases. In Phase 1, only HBr was added to the slipstream reactor, and in Phase 2, HBr and selected fly ash were added simultaneously. HBr injection was effective (>90%) for mercury oxidation at a low temperature (155 degrees C) with an HBr addition concentration of about 4 ppm in the flue gas. Additionally, injected HBr enhanced mercury capture by PRB fly ash in the low-temperature range. The mercury capture efficiency, attesting conditions of the slipstream reactor, reached about 50% at an HBr injection concentration of 4 ppm in the flue gas. Compared to only the addition of HBr, simultaneously adding bituminous-derived fly ash in a minimum amount (30 lb/MMacf), together with HBr injection at 4 ppm, could increase mercury capture efficiency by 30%. Injection of lignite-derived fly ash at 30 lb/MMacf could achieve even higher mercury removal efficiency (an additional 35% mercury capture efficiency compared to HBr addition alone).

A Wireless Physiological Signal Monitoring System with Integrated Bluetooth and WiFi Technologies.

This paper proposes a wireless patient monitoring system which integrates Bluetooth and WiFi wireless technologies. A wireless portable multi-parameter device was designated to acquire physiological signals and transmit them to a local server via Bluetooth wireless technology. Four kinds of monitor units were designed to communicate via the WiFi wireless technology, including a local monitor unit, a control center, mobile devices (personal digital assistant; PDA), and a web page. The use of various monitor units is intending to meet different medical requirements for different medical personnel. This system was demonstrated to promote the mobility and flexibility for both the patients and the medical personnel, which further improves the quality of health care.