Abstract: Provided herein are methods for identifying a subject with an increased likelihood of developing or having metastatic papillary thyroid cancer (PTC), or a subject with an increased likelihood of developing or having recurrent PTC, and the treatment of such a subject.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
February 1, 2013
Date of Patent:
February 20, 2018
Assignee:
The Governors of the University of Alberta
Abstract: An antenna that radiates non-dispersive and time-aligned wave-fronts at all angles of radiation (in a half space). The antenna consists of a source radiator enclosed within a metallic shield with an aperture opening to couple plane waves radiated by the source through the aperture. Pulse dispersion is eliminated by having a truly planar aperture, resulting in an abrupt radiation zone, and the aperture field distribution being uniform. Wave-front alignment is caused by the continuity of the coupled electric field lines of force onto the metallic shield to result in radiated spherical waves. The antenna transfer function is impulse-like for all angles of radiation, thus it can be considered a distortion-less antenna.
Type:
Application
Filed:
August 10, 2017
Publication date:
February 15, 2018
Applicant:
The Governors of the University of Alberta
Inventors:
Kevin Chan, Rambabu Karumudi, Pierre Boulanger
Abstract: The invention provides isolated, purified, recombinant receptor binding proteins Gp-6, Gp-10 and Gp-31 from mycobacterium phage L5, and methods for producing these recombinant receptor binding proteins. The invention also provides the use of recombinant receptor binding proteins, including Gp-6, Gp-10 and Gp-31, as probes for the identification and diagnosis of mycobacterium infections and conditions caused by mycobacterium. Further provided by the invention are methods of targeting mycobacteria using recombinant receptor binding proteins, including Gp-6, Gp-10 and Gp-31. Other methods provided by the invention include the use of recombinant receptor binding proteins, such as Gp-10, in diagnostic assays for diseases, such as Johne's disease, in animals, including ruminants.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
August 1, 2014
Date of Patent:
February 6, 2018
Assignee:
The Governors of the University of Alberta
Abstract: Described herein are compositions, methods and/or kits for determining the likelihood of a pregnant subject delivering at term, or developing a disorder associated with pregnancy. These compositions, methods and/or kits feature the measurement of the chemotactic activity of peripheral leukocytes, the measurement of ccl2 mRNA expression or the measurement of Fp or Otr protein expression.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
January 23, 2012
Date of Patent:
January 30, 2018
Assignee:
THE GOVERNORS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA
Abstract: There is provided a method of detecting in a sample the presence of an anti-M and/or anti-A and/or anti-C/Y antibody, the method comprising contacting the sample with a diagnostic conjugate provided according to the invention, comprising an oligosaccharide which comprises at least two units of 4,6-dideoxy-4-acylamido-?-pyranose and comprising at least one -(1-3)- link between adjacent 4,6-dideoxy-4-acylamido-?-pyranose units, in which the carbon at position 5 in the pyranose is linked to an R group, where R is independently selected from —CH2OH, —H or an alkyl group having at least one C atom, the oligosaccharide being covalently linked to a non-saccharide molecule or to a surface.
Type:
Application
Filed:
July 28, 2017
Publication date:
January 25, 2018
Applicants:
THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS, THE GOVERNORS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA
Inventors:
John MCGIVEN, David BUNDLE, Laurence HOWELLS, Julie GUIARD, Vijaya Ganesh NARAYANASWAMY
Abstract: The present application provides a method of synthesizing a genetically-encoded chemical modification of a peptide library. A vector in a substrate, such as a phage, is modified to include a peptide linker and a modification to form a genetic “barcode”. The barcode is screened against potential targets which may be used in drug discovery.
Type:
Application
Filed:
October 22, 2015
Publication date:
December 14, 2017
Applicant:
THE GOVERNORS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA
Inventors:
Ratmir DERDA, Pavel KITOV, Simon NG, Katrina Felicia TJHUNG, Daniel FERRER VINALS
Abstract: Systems and techniques for task training laboratory animals are described. The systems and techniques may be particularly useful for training laboratory rodents to perform a single pellet grasping (SPG) task. A system for training animals may include a task enclosure having a slit at one end. A system may include an automated pellet retrieval system. A system may include a sensor system. A system may include a computing device configured to receive data from a sensor system and cause pellet retrieval system to present a pellet to an animal. Further computing device may be configured to evaluate each task attempt.
Type:
Application
Filed:
November 4, 2015
Publication date:
November 23, 2017
Applicant:
The Governors of the University of Alberta
Abstract: Constructs having membrane proteins stabilized by functionalized beta-sheet peptides are provided. The constructs can be associated with or covalently linked to supports. The support can be a membrane. The membrane can be used to selectively move desired particles from one side of the membrane to the other while impeding passage of undesired particles through the membrane. Methods of making and using such constructs and membranes are provided.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
August 25, 2015
Date of Patent:
November 21, 2017
Assignee:
The Governors of the University of Alberta
Inventors:
Carlo David Montemagno, Jeffrey Germain, Kyle Minor, Sinoj Abraham, Hiofan Hoi, Yuan He
Abstract: A time series of image frames in an anatomical scan is segmented. An image frame k in the time series of image frames is manually segmented. A non-rigid registration is then performed between the image frame k and a next image frame k+1 in the time series of image frames. A segmentation on the image frame k+1 is computed based on the non-rigid registration. Each subsequent image frame k+n in the time series of image frames is iteratively segmented using non-rigid registration with the segmented previous image frame k+(n?1) in the time series of image frames.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
June 26, 2015
Date of Patent:
November 21, 2017
Assignee:
The Governors of the University of Alberta
Abstract: Provided herein are variants of an archaerhodopsin useful for application such as optical measurement of membrane potential. The present invention also relates to polynucleotides encoding the variants; nucleic acid constructs, vectors, cells comprising the polynucleotides, and cells comprising the polypeptides; and methods of using the variants.
Type:
Application
Filed:
November 28, 2016
Publication date:
November 2, 2017
Applicants:
President and Fellows of Harvard College, The Governors of the University of Alberta
Inventors:
Adam E. Cohen, Daniel Hochbaum, Peng Zou, Samouil Leon Farhi, Robert Earl Campbell, Yongxin Zhao, Daniel Jed Harrison
Abstract: A new set of branched nanowire or nanotree structures and their fabrication process. Some structures have one or more of the following distinctions from other branched nanowires: (1) the trunk and branch diameter and branching number density can be changed along the trunk's length; (2) the branch's azimuthal direction can be controlled along the trunk's length; (3) the branch's diameter can be modulated along its length; (4) the crystal orientation and branches of the ensemble of nanowires can be aligned on a non-epitaxially matched substrate. The structures are made by a geometrically controlled kinetic growth method.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
November 27, 2013
Date of Patent:
September 19, 2017
Assignee:
The Governors of the University of Alberta
Inventors:
Ryan Thomas Tucker, Allan Leo Beaudry, Joshua Michael LaForge, Michael Thomas Taschuk, Michael Julian Brett
Abstract: A hydrogen sulphide adsorbent is formed from an alkali metal nanotitanate having a portion of the alkali metal cations exchanged with metal cations reactive with hydrogen sulphide, and heat treated. A method for producing the adsorbent includes the steps of mixing an alkali metal nanotitanate in powder form into an aqueous metal cation solution to produce a slurry, which is subsequently dehydrated to produce a powder, which is heat treated. A low temperature method for removing hydrogen sulphide from a gaseous mixture involves exposing the gaseous mixture to the aforementioned adsorbent, at a temperature less than 250° C. The adsorbent maintains a high adsorption capacity over a range of activation temperatures and humidity conditions.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
August 27, 2014
Date of Patent:
September 19, 2017
Assignee:
THE GOVERNORS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA
Abstract: Herein, a polymer-based device capable of lifting many times its own mass was fabricated by drying a solution of the polycation poly (diallyldimethyl ammonium chloride) (pDADMAC) on a surface coated with charged poly (N-isopropylacrylamide)-based microgels. Due to strong polymer-polymer and polymer-surface interactions, when the pDADMAC solution dries on the microgel-modified surface, it bends. If the surface is flexible, it curls up into a scroll like structure, that can be opened up at high (ca. 80%) humidity. This process is fully reversible, i.e., if the humidity is decreased, the surface curls back up. This expansion/contraction behavior is capable of lifting relatively large masses, many times its own mass, and can potentially be used as an artificial muscle.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
July 2, 2015
Date of Patent:
September 12, 2017
Assignee:
The Governors of the University of Alberta
Abstract: A Schottky source-gated thin film transistor is provided including: a drain contact; an insulating substrate; a source contact made of a Schottky metal; a channel connecting the buried source contact to the drain, the channel made of ZnO; and a Schottky source barrier formed between the source contact and the channel; and a gate; wherein the source contact is positioned below the channel.
Type:
Application
Filed:
May 16, 2017
Publication date:
August 31, 2017
Applicant:
THE GOVERNORS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA
Inventors:
Douglas Barlage, Alex Ma, Manisha Gupta, Kyle Bothe, Kenneth Cadien, Amir Afshar
Abstract: There is provided a method of detecting in a sample the presence of an anti-M and/or anti-A and/or anti-C/Y antibody, the method comprising contacting the sample with a diagnostic conjugate provided according to the invention, comprising an oligosaccharide which comprises at least two units of 4,6-dideoxy-4-acylamido-?-pyranose and comprising at least one -(1-3)-link between adjacent 4,6-dideoxy-4-acylamido-?-pyranose units, in which the carbon at position 5 in the pyranose is linked to an R group, where R is independently selected from —CH2OH, —H or an alkyl group having at least one C atom, the oligosaccharide being covalently linked to a non-saccharide molecule or to a surface.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
April 16, 2014
Date of Patent:
August 29, 2017
Assignees:
THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS, THE GOVERNORS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA
Inventors:
John McGiven, David Bundle, Laurence Howells, Julie Guiard, Vijaya Ganesh Narayanaswamy
Abstract: The invention provides compositions for the inhibition of bacterial adhesion. The composition can include nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC) and a water-soluble polymer, which form an NCC hydrogel in water. The NCC hydrogel can be used to treat or coat devices such as a catheter, whereby the NCC hydrogel inhibits bacterial adhesion to the catheter surface to thereby inhibit biofilm formation and growth of bacteria on the catheter surface. The compositions and devices can thus be useful for inhibiting or preventing conditions such as urinary tract infections.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
June 20, 2014
Date of Patent:
August 29, 2017
Assignee:
The Governors of the University of Alberta
Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices for encoding and decoding data packets for transmission across a data network. To encode, data packets are first subjected to a an outer code process to result in outer coded packets. The outer coded packets are then divided into generations or groups of outer coded packets, each group or generation having an equal number of packets. Output packets are then created by forming random linear combinations of the outer coded packets from a specific generation or group of outer coded packets. The coefficients for the various elements of each linear combination is selected from a Galois field of values. To decode the incoming packets, enough packets are received until an iterative decoding process can be initiated.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
June 18, 2014
Date of Patent:
August 29, 2017
Assignee:
THE GOVERNORS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA
Abstract: Described herein is insulin, an insulin-like growth factor, parathyroid hormone, a fragment of parathyroid hormone, or a parathyroid hormone related protein that includes at least one bone targeting moiety, wherein the bone targeting moiety is covalently bonded to the peptide. Also described herein are the methods of making these compositions that prevent or treat conditions associated with bone loss and preventing bone fractures, and/or the inability to initiate de novo bone turnover and stimulate bone fracture repair.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
August 28, 2013
Date of Patent:
August 1, 2017
Assignee:
The Governors of the University of Alberta
Inventors:
Michael Doschak, Yang Yang, Krishna Hari Bhandari
Abstract: Methods of using modified keratin to remove trace metals and/or napthenic acids from a waste water stream are described. The waste water stream may be mature or fine fluid tailings from oil sands operations, and the methods may include the removal of trace metals, naphthenic acids with simultaneous consolidation of the tailings. The keratin may be modified to unfold the keratin, disrupt disulphide bonding, add functional groups, and/or maintain or stabilize the unfolded configuration.
Type:
Application
Filed:
December 14, 2016
Publication date:
July 27, 2017
Applicant:
THE GOVERNORS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA
Abstract: A quantum device is provided that includes controllably quantum mechanically coupled dangling bonds extending from a surface of a semiconductor material. Each of the controllably quantum mechanically coupled dangling bonds has a separation of at least one atom of the semiconductor material. At least one electrode is provided for selectively modifying an electronic state of the controllably quantum mechanically coupled dangling bonds. By providing at least one additional electron within the controllably quantum mechanically coupled dangling bonds with the proviso that there exists at least one unoccupied dangling bond for each one additional electron present, the inventive device is operable at least to 293 degrees Kelvin and is largely immune to stray electrostatic perturbations. Room temperature operable quantum cellular automata and qubits are constructed therefrom.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
June 28, 2016
Date of Patent:
July 11, 2017
Assignees:
National Research Council of Canada, The Governors of the University of Alberta
Inventors:
Gino A. Dilabio, Robert A. Wolkow, Jason L. Pitters, Paul G. Piva