Abstract: The present invention involves compositions and methods for treating preventing cancer using compositions including replication competent adenovirus. The application competent adenovirus may or may not encode a therapeutic polynucleotide.

Abstract: The disclosure provides methods and apparatus for simultaneously providing protection to an implantable medical device, such as an extra-cardiac implantable defibrillator (EID), while allowing efficacious therapy delivery via an external defibrillator (e.g., an automated external defibrillator, or AED). Due to the orientation of the electrodes upon application of therapy via, for example, via an AED the structure of the EID essentially blocks therapy delivery. In addition, but for the teaching of this disclosure sensitive circuitry of an EID can be damaged during application of external high voltage therapy thus rendering the EID inoperable. EIDs are disclosed that are entirely implantable subcutaneously with minimal surgical intrusion into the body of the patient and provide distributed cardioversion-defibrillation sense and stimulation electrodes for delivery of cardioversion-defibrillation shock and pacing therapies across the heart when necessary.

Abstract: Novel vectors which are replication competent in neoplastic cells and which overexpress an adenovirus death protein are disclosed. Some of the disclosed vectors are replication-restricted to neoplastic cells or to neoplastic alveolar type II cells. Compositions and methods for promoting the death of neoplastic cells using these replication-competent vectors are also disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of cotton rats and Syrian hamsters as models for adenoviral gene therapy. In particular, the models are directed to the examination of the ability of various replicative, non-replicative and conditionally-replicative adenovirus vectors to treat cancer.

Abstract: The present invention provides replication-competent Adenoviral vectors that express TRAIL and ADP. In a particular aspect, TRAIL and/or ADP are highly expressed using the Adenovirus major late promoter or other promoter. Methods of treating hyperproliferative disorders using such vectors, alone or in combination with secondary therapies, also are described.

Abstract: In power circuit designs, it is sometimes necessary to connect two or more semiconductor power switches in parallel and to simultaneously operate both so that current levels in excess of the rated current handling capability of one of the devices can be conducted. Such operation, however, encounters the problem of current sharing which results from variations in the characteristics of the parallel-connected devices. The method of the present invention obviates the difficulties encountered with current sharing by operating N parallel-connected semiconductor devices one at a time in sequential fashion so that each device conducts an average current equal to the desired average output current divided by N.