Abstract: The present invention relates to delayed release oral formulations comprising active ingredients and modified proteins used as excipients. The proteins have chemical modifications such as succmylation, deammation, glytarylation or phosphorylation which decrease the isoelectric point of the protein compared to the protein's native isoelectric point and enhance protem-protem interactions, thereby reducing solubility and swelling, and delaying release of the active ingredient when the formulation is ingested orally. Particularly, the invention relates to tablets that comprise an excipient of chemically-modified food proteins such as soy proteins or -lactoglobulm useful for delaying release of an active ingredient such as a pharmaceutical drug or a probiotic.

Abstract: 3D protein modeling and virtual screening of commercially-available compounds were performed to identify new inhibitors of the herpesvirus DNA polymerase, a key enzyme in the viral replication cycle. Two compounds (Nos 2 and 9) were particularly active against HSV-1 and HSV-2 strains and one compound (No 3) inhibited specifically cytomegalovirus (CMV) strains (overall hit rate of 25%). Some of the tested compounds inhibited wild-type viruses and strains resistant to current antiviral agents. New chemical entity derivatives of compound 2 with binding potential to the DNA polymerase retained an excellent activity against HSV-1, HSV-2 and VZV like the parental compound, as well against strains resistant to current antiviral agents. These non-nucleosidic herpesvirus DNA polymerase inhibitors with in vitro activity against drug-resistant clinical isolates warrant further pre-clinical studies.

Abstract: The present invention relates to field of fertility. The invention identifies biological ovarian markers from follicular cells, from follicular fluid, from cumulus cells and from oocytes which are indicative of follicular maturity in mammals. Described are methods for improving ovarian stimulation, methods for assessing maturity of a mammalian ovarian follicle, methods for optimizing in vitro maturation (IVM) and methods for classifying an embryo, these methods being based on assessment of expression level of ovarian markers indicative of maturity. Also described are methods for screening compounds stimulatory of or inhibitory to mammalian follicular maturation, kits for evaluating follicular maturity.

Abstract: Polarization compensation in optical system having a primary optical element having polarization-altering characteristics, such as a dichroic element, is provided. A compensation optical element having substantially the same polarization-altering characteristics as the primary optical element is provided in the path of the light beam whose polarization state is to be conserved. The compensation optical element is oriented with respect to the light beam such that by transmitting or reflecting the light beam, it alters its polarization state in a manner opposite to the altering of this polarization state by the primary optical element. Advantageously, this is true for any orientation of the polarization state of the light beam.

Abstract: The detection method can include: exciting at least one fluorescent microsphere floating in said solution under test by exposing it to excitation light; measuring a fluorescence spectrum of said at least one fluorescent microsphere, said fluorescence spectrum comprising multiple whispering gallery modes; obtaining a set of predetermined fluorescence spectra corresponding to those of microspheres having varying external refractive index and varying radius, identifying a matching fluorescence spectrum of the set which more closely matches the measured fluorescence spectrum; comparing the matching fluorescence spectrum of the set to the measured fluorescence spectrum.

Abstract: This application relates to an in vitro method of producing a polyclonal IgG preparation. The method comprises (i) placing a polyclonal B-cell population enriched in IgG-secreting B cells in a culture medium; and (ii) culturing the polyclonal B-cell population under conditions enabling the production of the polyclonal IgG preparation from the polyclonal B-cell population. This improved method enables the production of antibodies (preferably IgG) and facilitates long-term culture of polyclonal B-cell populations.

Abstract: The present invention concerns an antibody which specifically binds to an abnormal superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1), and which neutralizes its pathologic effect when administered to an animal such as a human. The antibody of the invention is a monoclonal antibody produced by hybridoma cell lines deposited with the International Depositary Authority of Canada on Aug. 29, 2006 under accession numbers ADI-290806-01, ADI-290806-02 and ADI-290806-03. The present invention also concerns the use of the antibody of the invention in the treatment, prevention and diagnosis of neurodegenerative diseases such as Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Parkinson and Alzheimer in an animal such as a human.

Abstract: A method and system for delivering a gas containing carbon dioxide to a patient are described. The method comprises measuring a physiological parameter of breathing stability in the patient; determining an optimal gas delivery parameter based on the physiological parameter of breathing stability; and delivering the gas to the patient in accordance with the optimal gas delivery parameter.

Abstract: A method for writing a Bragg grating in a glass optical waveguide is provided. Ultrafast optical pulses are generated, preferably in the femtosecond range and having a writing wavelength in the range of 300 nm to 700 nm and an intensity sufficient to induce a change of refractive index in the waveguide through densification. The optical pulses are diffracted using a phase mask, to generate an interference pattern having a pitch providing a fundamental Bragg resonance corresponding to the target wavelength to be reflected by the grating. The interference pattern is impinged on a region of the waveguide, which is heated to a temperature above a threshold and for a predetermined heating period. Advantageously, the heating step allows the reduction of photoinduced losses which would otherwise be present in the waveguiding properties of the waveguide. Optionally, gratings may be written through the polymer jacket of an optical fiber.

Abstract: Applicants have discovered a multi-layer quality control/quality assurance system that provides higher quality data, without human intervention, by rejecting images that do not achieve a pre-determined quality threshold. In some embodiments of the present invention, there is provided a new method of processing an image from a data set through a pipeline wherein quality control/assurance allows to determine a quality of the image processing, the method comprising; receiving a test image; pre-processing the test image; registering the test image to a reference image; calculating a test image quality using a correlation of image intensity values between corresponding locations of the test image and the reference image; providing a plurality of training images and calculating training image quality distribution statistics for the training images with respect to the reference image; and relating the test image quality to the training image quality distribution.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods and uses for the diagnostic of a subject predisposed or suspected of developing a neurodegenerative disease or suffering from a neurodegenerative disease. The present invention also relates to methods and uses for identifying candidate compounds and to compounds for treating neurodegenerative disease. The present invention also relates to an animal model for neurodegenerative disease.

Abstract: This application relates to an in vitro method of producing a polyclonal IgG preparation. The method comprises (i) placing a polyclonal B-cell population enriched in IgG-secreting B cells in a culture medium; and (ii) culturing the polyclonal B-cell population under conditions enabling the production of the polyclonal IgG preparation from the polyclonal B-cell population. This improved method enables the production of antibodies (preferably IgG) and facilitates long-term culture of polyclonal B-cell populations.

Abstract: The invention described provides a method of quantitatively evaluating one or more of the likelihood. severity and progression of a disease from medical images comprising processing medical images of a test subject to derive one or more feature space values characteristic of a disease-dependent image attributes, comparing the feature space values to those of a previously established database from medical images of known health} and known diseased subjects, wherein the comparing is based on feature space values that best discriminate between health and diseased subjects, summing a weighted distance of discriminant feature space values of the test subject to those of at least one of the mean feature space value of the healthy subjects and the mean feature space value of the diseased subjects, and providing from the summing a single number which is indicative of at least one of disease likelihood. severity and progression.

Abstract: The present application discloses 17? hydroxy steroid dehydrogenase (17? HSD) type 1, 3, 10 inhibitors and use thereof (alone and in combination) in the treatment of cancer and other afflictions. 17? HSD1 inhibitors include estradiol derivatives with a nieta-carbamoylbenzyl substituent at C 16. 17? HSD3/HSD10 inhibitors include androsterone derivatives substituted at the C3 position with a sulfonamide piperazine. Also disclosed are compounds that are inhibitors of both 17? HSD1 and 17? HSD3 that have a spiro-morpholine substituent at C20.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of cystamine analogues for the treatment of Parkinson's disease. The present invention also relates to the use of composition comprising cystamine analogues and cysteine. The present invention relates to a method for modifying the progression of Parkinson's disease comprising administering a therapeutically effective amount of at least one cystamine analogue or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt of a cystamine analogue to a patient in need thereof.

Abstract: The present application relates to the use at least one PARP inhibitor or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof for the treatment of Group 1 pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) in a subject, including a human, in need of such treatment. There is also provided methods of treating and diagnosing Group 1 pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH).

Abstract: Novel chemical agents are described herein. More specifically, 2-(N-substituted piperazinyl) pregnane and 2-(N-substituted piperazinyl) androstane derivatives exhibiting cytotoxicity on a variety of cancer cell lines are disclosed herein.

Abstract: The cable lift system provides assistance to movement of a flexibly suspended payload actuated by operator input into one or more sensing devices attached to the payload. The sensing device is configured to collect information about the typical push-pull and lift-lower motions of an operator moving the payload horizontally and/or vertically, such that the operator's input to the sensor is intuitive and is provided in a manner which is substantially transparent to the operator. The assist mechanisms included in the system are actuated by a controller processing signals received from the one or more sensing devices on the payload. Movement assistance is provided such that the manual effort required by the operator to overcome the inertia of the payload in a starting or stopping event is substantially relieved, thus minimizing the ergonomic impact of the starting and stopping events on the operator.

Abstract: The present invention provides new evidences to support that repetitive peripheral magnetic stimulation (theta-burst en stimulation, TBS) over nerve/muscle improves sensorimotor control. Chronic low back pain (CLBP) is associated to a faulty volitional activation of transversus abdominis muscle (TrA) and its delayed contraction during anticipatory postural adjustment (APA), in correlation with maladaptive reorganization of primary motor cortex (M1). Repetitive magnetic stimulation of nerves can influence brain excitability and even reduce rigidity (Parkinson's disease), spasticity (stroke, ABI, cerebral palsy), and contribute to improvement of motor-control and function in stroke, chronic low back pain, ABI, cerebral palsy, prematurity and Parkinson's disease.

Abstract: There is provided a method for referencing and correcting the beating spectrum generated by the interference of the components of a frequency comb source. The proposed method allows monitoring of variations of a mapping between the source and the beating replica. This can then be used to compensate small variations of the source in Fourier transform spectroscopy or in any other interferometry application in order to overcome the accuracy and measurement time limitations of the prior art. Constraints on source stability are consequently reduced.