Background Chemoradiotherapy remains the standard of care for locally advanced rectal cancer. Efforts to intensify treatment and increase response rates have yet to yield practice changing results due to increased toxicity and/or absence of increased radiosensitization. Enadenotucirev (EnAd) is a tumour selective, oncolytic adenovirus which can be given intravenously. Pre-clinical evidence of synergy with radiation warrants further clinical testing and assessment of safety with radiation. Methods Eligibility include histology confirmed locally advanced rectal cancer that require chemoradiation. The trial will use a Time-to-Event Continual Reassessment Model-based (TiTE-CRM) approach using toxicity and efficacy as co-primary endpoints to recommend the optimal dose and treatment schedule 30 patients will be recruited. Secondary endpoints include pathological complete response the neoadjuvant rectal score. A translational program will be based on a mandatory biopsy during the second week of treatment for ‘proof-of-concept’ and exploration of mechanism. The trial opened to recruitment in July 2019, at an expected rate of 1 per month for up to 4 years. Discussion Chemoradiation with Enadenotucirev as a radiosensitiser in locally Advanced Rectal cancer (CEDAR) is a prospective multicentre study testing a new paradigm in radiosensitization in rectal cancer. The unique ability of EnAd to selectively infect tumour cells following intravenous delivery is an exciting opportunity with a clear translational goal. The novel statistical design will make efficient use of both toxicity and efficacy data to inform subsequent studies. Trial registration ClinicalTrial.gov, NCT03916510 . Registered 16th April 2019.

Gas evacuation from a partially saturated composite prepregs—a woven fabric reinforcement with a laminated liquid resin film—was characterized using the pulse-decay method. Dimensionless analysis was used to show how the initial pressure, boundary conditions (vacuum pressure at \(x=0\) and with or without a reservoir volume at \(x=L\)), and Klinkenberg parameter effect the predicted decay of gas pressure. By comparing the experimental data to a set of dimensionless master curves, the intrinsic permeability, Klinkenberg parameter, and porosity were determined. Resin saturation was inferred by monitoring the area of resin saturating the initially dry side of the fabric. By mapping the gas flow parameters to the observed area fraction of resin, a complete and repeatable characterization method is demonstrated.

We describe a technique for injecting contrast material around a mandril wire of an Accustick™ access system through the outer 6 French sheath of this system, thus identifying the position of the wire. This is accomplished by using an extension tubing.

During an 18-month period 33 patients in whom there were contraindications to the use of iodinated contrast arteriography underwent 40 carbon dioxide/digital subtraction arteriograms for lower extremity ischemia (19), severe hypertension and renal insufficiency (12), or arterial aneurysm (2). Contraindications to iodinated contrast agents included renal insufficiency, congestive heart failure, and contrast hypersensitivity. Sixteen aortic, 15 iliac-femoral-popliteal-tibial, five aorta-iliac-femoral and four aorta-iliac-femoral-popliteal-tibial carbon dioxide/digital subtraction arteriography studies were performed. In 11 studies, imaging of selected arterial segments required the addition of 10 to 60 ml of dilute nonionic contrast. Guided by carbon dioxide/digital subtraction arteriography studies four femoral-tibial bypasses, three aneurysmorrhaphies, two aortorenal bypasses, one aortofemoral bypass and one femoral-femoral bypass were successfully performed in 11 patients. In addition, carbon dioxide/digital subtraction arteriography directed angioplasties of the common iliac (4), superficial femoral (6), popliteal (3), or tibioperoneal trunk (1) were performed in 10 patients. Complications of carbon dioxide/digital subtraction arteriography included transient deterioration in renal function in three patients in whom 20 ml of nonionic contrast was used, a nonfatal myocardial infarction after a popliteal percutaneous transluminal angioplasty in one patient, and transient tachypnea and tachycardia during a carbon dioxide/digital subtraction arteriography study in one patient. Diagnostic arteriograms are obtainable using carbon dioxide as the contrast agent. Carbon dioxide/digital subtraction arteriography permits patients with symptomatic arterial disease at high risk for contrast related complications to safely undergo arteriography and subsequent arterial reconstruction or endovascular intervention.