A differential efficiency of adenovirus-mediated in vivo gene transfer into skeletal muscle cells of different maturity

High titre (10¹¹–10¹² pfu/ml) suspensions of autonomouslyreplication-defective type 5 human adenovirus (AV) recombinantswith different reporter gene inserts (CMV-Luciferase (Lux),CMV-ß-galactosidase (Lac Z), RSV-Lux and RSV-Lac Z)were injected Into intact quadrlceps muscles of 1–5 dayold (Group 1) or 35–45 day old (Group 2) normal mice,as well as regenerating adult mouse muscles (Group 3) and 35day old mdx muscles (Group 4). The expression of the reportergenes was quantitated 10 days and 2 months later. At 10 dayspostinjection all reporter gene expression was very high inthe neonatally injected (Group 1) muscles. In Group 2 musclesthe transduction was markedly less. In Group 3 muscles the geneexpression was significantly better than in the Group 2 muscles.In adult mdx muscles (Group 4) where spontaneous regenerationis usually present, the results were similar to those in Group3 animals. At 2 months post-injection in Group 1 animals, theRSV-Lux expression was even higher than at 10 days postinjection.The cell surface density of     

Once-daily oral gatifloxacin vs. three-times-daily co-amoxiclav in the treatment of patients with community-acquired pneumonia

A double-blind, double-dummy, multicentre, multinational, parallel-group study was designed to establish proof of equivalence between oral gatifloxacin and oral co-amoxiclav in the treatment of 462 patients with mild-to-moderate community-acquired pneumonia. Eligible patients were randomised equally to either gatifloxacin 400 mg once-daily plus matching placebo for 5-10 days, or amoxycillin 500 mg + clavulanic acid 125 mg three-times-daily for 5-10 days. The primary efficacy endpoint was clinical response (clinical cure plus improvement) at the end of treatment. Overall, a successful clinical response was achieved in 86.8% of gatifloxacin-treated patients, compared with 81.6% of those receiving co-amoxiclav, while corresponding rates of bacteriological efficacy (eradication plus presumed eradication) were 83.1% and 78.7%, respectively. The safety and tolerability profile of gatifloxacin was comparable to that of co-amoxiclav, with adverse gastrointestinal events, e.g., diarrhoea and nausea, being the most common treatment-related adverse events in both groups. The study showed no evidence of gatifloxacin-induced phototoxicity, musculoskeletal disorders, or hepatic and renal problems. Overall, this study showed that gatifloxacin was equivalent clinically to a standard course of co-amoxiclav in patients with community-acquired pneumonia, and that gatifloxacin was safe and well-tolerated.