Patents Examined by Carolyn Smith
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Patent number: 7693664Abstract: The invention relates to a method of judging the thermostability of a protein, comprising the steps of calculating an analytical value specific to a test protein by a principal component analysis based on the amino acid composition of the protein calculated from the data of the amino acid sequence of the protein or the nucleotide sequence of the gene and comparing the analytical value with an analytical value of a protein which is retained by a thermostable organism and corresponds to the test protein, and further relates to a program for allowing a computer to execute processing for judging the thermostability of a protein by the method, and a computer readable recording medium having recorded the program thereon.Type: GrantFiled: February 23, 2005Date of Patent: April 6, 2010Assignee: Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and TechnologyInventors: Hideto Takami, Koki Horikoshi, Yoshihiro Takaki, Gab-Joo Chee, Shinro Nishi, Shigeru Shimamura, Hiroko Suzuki, Ikuo Uchiyama, Zhijun Li
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Patent number: 7636636Abstract: A method of obtaining a corrected image of a microarray includes acquiring an image of a microarray including a target spot, and processing the image to correct for background noise and chip misalignment. The method also includes analyzing the image to identify a target patch, edit debris, and correct for ratio bias; and detecting single copy number variation in the target spot using an objective statistical analysis that includes a t-value statistical analysis. The method provides statistically robust computational processes for accurately detecting genomic variation at the single copy level.Type: GrantFiled: October 11, 2002Date of Patent: December 22, 2009Assignee: Abbott LaboratoriesInventor: James R. Piper
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Patent number: 7623970Abstract: A personal authentication method capable of selecting types of biological information used for authentication flexibly depending on the user and the environment is provided. During registration, a plurality of types of biological information are acquired from the user, feature information is extracted from the acquired biological information, and authentication precision is estimated for each combination of pieces of feature information. During authentication, at least one type of biological information is acquired from the user, feature information is extracted from the acquired biological information, authentication is performed by comparing the acquired feature information with the feature information extracted from the biological information during registration, and operation of the user is controlled according to the authentication precision.Type: GrantFiled: April 11, 2002Date of Patent: November 24, 2009Assignee: Panasonic CorporationInventors: Kenji Kondo, Kenya Uomori
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Patent number: 7613573Abstract: Disclosed is a registry for candidate transfusion donors, which invokes an inventory management policy to create and actively manage lists of candidate donors in order to minimize imbalances between demand and supply across multiple regions and across multiple categories of donors and recipients. Together with a genotyping laboratory, the registry does targeted recruitment of prospective donors who are typed for a set of genetic markers relating to clinically relevant antigens including mutations of Human Erythrocyte Antigens (HEA), genetic variants of Rh, and possibly additional antigens such as HLA and HPA. The registry monitors incoming demand for transfusion antigen genotypes, preferably stratify the demand into a set of categories representing stable subpopulations, and will apply strategies, disclosed herein, to tune the composition of candidate donor lists to match the demand, thereby avoiding excess, and unnecessary, typing of candidate donors.Type: GrantFiled: April 27, 2006Date of Patent: November 3, 2009Inventors: Yi Zhang, Michael Seul
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Patent number: 7426440Abstract: A method of scoring the biological activity of bioactive agents like colostrum comprising conducting separate bioassays for cell restitution and cell proliferation on the bioactive agent, a comparative growth factor stimulating agent, and (preferably) a negative baseline control sample containing the cells and growth medium alone. These values are then plugged into the equations provided in this application to calculate a Restitution Score (“RS”), Proliferation Score (“PS”), and a composite repair and protection factor score (“RPF”). In this manner, the bioactivity of compositions that enhance the repair and/or proliferation of mammalian cells, or act as additives to growth media used to maintain and grow laboratory cell cultures can be quickly and reproducibly obtained. This invention may be applied to a wide variety of bioactive agents used to treat a large assortment of functional cells in organ tissues.Type: GrantFiled: September 24, 2004Date of Patent: September 16, 2008Assignee: Nutritional Bioscience Ltd.Inventor: Raymond J. Playford
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Patent number: 7424368Abstract: Methods of estimating genomic DNA copy number are disclosed. Amplified genomic DNA is hybridized to an array of allele specific SNP probes to generate a hybridization pattern. A value, S, is calculated for individual SNPs in the experimental sample, where S is the log of the arithmetic average of the intensities of the perfect match probes for the SNP. S is calculated for the SNP in reference samples that are matched to the experimental sample in genotype. The mean and standard deviation for the S values of the reference samples are calculated and a log intensity difference is calculated by subtracting the mean values for the reference and experimental samples. The copy number of the SNP region is estimated using the difference between the mean for the SNP in the reference samples and the S value for the SNP in the experimental sample in a log-log linear model.Type: GrantFiled: November 12, 2003Date of Patent: September 9, 2008Assignee: Affymetix, Inc.Inventors: Jing Huang, Keith W Jones, Michael H. Shapero
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Patent number: 7412332Abstract: A data structure, tangibly embodied in a computer-readable medium, representing a polymer of chemical units is disclosed. The data structure includes an identifier including a plurality of fields for storing values corresponding to properties of the polymer. The polymer may, for example, be a polysaccharide and the chemical units may be saccharides. Also disclosed is a computer-implemented method for determining whether properties of a query sequence of chemical units match properties of a polymer of chemical units. The query sequence is represented by a first data structure, and the polymer is represented by a second data structure, each are tangibly embodied in a computer-readable medium, including an identifier including a plurality of bit fields for storing values corresponding to properties of the query sequence and polymer, respectively. The invention also involves a notational system referred to as Property Encoded Nomenclature.Type: GrantFiled: April 24, 2000Date of Patent: August 12, 2008Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyInventors: Ganesh Venkataraman, Zachary Shriver, Rahul Raman, Ram Sasisekharan, Nishla Keiser
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Patent number: 7412333Abstract: A method for treating a patient with cancer includes the steps of obtaining cells from a cancerous tumor in the patient. Then there is the step of performing multiple correlated measurements on each cell to obtain cell data for each cell regarding each cell's place in a genetic evolutionary pathway that had occurred in the tumor. Next there is the step of determining from the cell data a likelihood of recurrence of the cancer by minimizing false negatives. A method for treating a patient with cancer. The method includes the steps of obtaining cells from a cancerous tumor in the patient. Then there is the step of obtaining cell data for each cell regarding each cell's place in a genetic evolutionary pathway that had occurred in the tumor. Next there is the step of recognizing distinctive false negative patterns from the cell data. Then there is the step of correlating the false negative patterns to aberrations in mitogenic signaling to determine a likelihood of recurrence of the cancer in the patient.Type: GrantFiled: June 22, 2002Date of Patent: August 12, 2008Assignee: Allegheny-Singer Research InstituteInventor: Stanley E. Shackney
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Patent number: 7395158Abstract: A method of screening for disorders of glucose metabolism such as impaired glucose tolerance and diabetes allows prevention, or early detection and treatment of diabetic complications such as cardiovascular disease, retinopathy, and other disorders of the major organs and systems. A mathematical algorithm evaluates the shape of a subject's glucose profile and classifies the profile into one of several predefined clusters, each cluster corresponding either to a normal condition or one of several abnormal conditions. The series of blood glucose values making up the glucose tolerance curve may be measured using any glucose analyzer including: invasive, minimally invasive and noninvasive types. The method is executed on a processing device programmed to perform the steps of the method. Depending on the outcome of the screening, a subject may be provided with additional information concerning their condition and/or counseled to consult further with their health care provider.Type: GrantFiled: August 13, 2002Date of Patent: July 1, 2008Assignee: Sensys Medical, Inc.Inventors: Stephen L. Monfre, Linda Hockersmith, Donald Hetzel, Kevin H. Hazen, Andrew Cone
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Patent number: 6684162Abstract: This invention is directed to the crystal structure of Acyl Carrier Protein Synthase (ACPS) complexed with Acyl Carrier Protein (ACP), the solution structure of B. subtilis ACP, and to the use of these structures in rational drug design methods to identify agents that may interact with active sites of ACPS and ACP, and to the testing of these agents to identify agents that may represent novel antibiotics.Type: GrantFiled: January 25, 2001Date of Patent: January 27, 2004Assignees: Wyeth, Millennium Pharmaceuticals, Inc.Inventors: Kevin Delos Parris, William Stuart Somers, Amy Szepui Tam, Laura Long Lin, Mark Lloyd Stahl, Robert Powers, Guang-Yi Xu