Abstract: Methods are provided for determining, in a single polymerase chain reaction (PCR) reaction, the quantity, quality, and gender of origin of DNA in a sample, and whether or not the sample contains PCR amplification inhibitors. The methods involve carrying out a single PCR multiplex reaction utilizing primer sets specific for amplifying: the human amelogenin locus; an X- and/or Y-chromosome specific gene that is shorter than the amelogenin gene; at least one mitochondrial DNA sequence, and preferably two differently-sized mitochondrial sequences; and a heterologous, non-human reporter gene.
Type:
Application
Filed:
September 21, 2011
Publication date:
May 29, 2014
Applicant:
The Board of Regents for Oklahoma State University
Abstract: A three-dimensional porous electrode architecture for a microbattery includes a substrate having first and second conductive patterns disposed thereon where the first and second conductive patterns are electrically isolated from each other, a three-dimensional porous cathode disposed on the first conductive pattern, and a three-dimensional porous anode disposed on the second conductive pattern. The porous cathode includes a first conductive scaffold conformally coated with a layer of a cathode active material and having a porosity defined by a network of interconnected pores, where the first conductive scaffold has a lateral size and shape defined by the first conductive pattern and porous side walls oriented substantially perpendicular to the substrate. The porous anode includes a second conductive scaffold conformally coated with a layer of an anode active material and having a porosity defined by a network of interconnected pores.
Type:
Application
Filed:
July 25, 2012
Publication date:
May 29, 2014
Applicant:
The Board of Trustee of the University of Illinois
Inventors:
William P. King, PAul V. Braun, JAmes H. Pikul
Abstract: Solvent mixtures useful for processing bulk heterojunction materials and methods for selecting the same are disclosed, wherein Hansen solubility parameters are utilized to select the solvent mixture. A solvent system using a fully nonhalogenated solvent mixture is disclosed. Also disclosed is a solvent mixture containing 20 vol. % acetophenone (AP) in mesitylene (MS), wherein the performance of the solvent system is comparable to dichlorobenzene.
Type:
Application
Filed:
November 28, 2011
Publication date:
May 29, 2014
Applicant:
Arizon Board of Regents Acting for and on Behalf Arizona State University
Abstract: Apparatus and methods for forming and propagating a plurality of plasma armatures along electrodes. In particular embodiments, the electrodes are flush mounted to the surface and the plasma armatures are formed and propagated at a high frequency and velocity.
Type:
Application
Filed:
August 8, 2013
Publication date:
May 29, 2014
Applicant:
Board of Regents, The University of Texas System
Inventors:
Laxminarayan RAJA, Jayant SIROHI, Mark CRAWFORD, Francesco STEFANI
Abstract: Provided herein are compositions comprising lanthanide-doped nanoparticles which upconvert electromagnetic radiation from infrared or near infrared wavelengths into the visible light spectrum. Also provided herein are methods activating light-responsive opsin proteins expressed on plasma membranes of neurons and selectively altering the membrane polarization state of the neurons using the light delivered by the lanthanide-doped nanoparticles.
Type:
Application
Filed:
November 4, 2011
Publication date:
May 29, 2014
Applicant:
The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University
Abstract: Methods, compositions, and kits are provided for providing a diagnosis, a prognosis, or a prediction of responsiveness to a therapy for a patient with a hematological malignancy. In practicing the subject methods, the expression level of at least one leukemia stem cell (LSC) genes in a tissue sample is assayed to obtain an LSC expression representation. The LSC expression representation is then employed to determine if an individual has a hematological malignancy, to provide a prognosis to a patient with a hematological malignancy, and/or to provide a prediction of the responsiveness of a patient with a hematological malignancy to a therapy. Also provided are screening methods for identifying novel therapies for patients with a hematological malignancy, and compositions and kits for use in these screening methods.
Type:
Application
Filed:
September 28, 2011
Publication date:
May 29, 2014
Applicant:
THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE LELAND STANFORD JUNIOR UNIVERSITY
Inventors:
Arash Ash Alizadeh, Ravindra Majeti, Andrew J. Gentles
Abstract: A method comprising reacting glycerol with acetaldehyde or 1,1-diethoxyethane to produce 1,3-dihydroxyacetone (DHA), without using fermentation or direct oxidation of the glycerol is provided. DHA is useful in various products, including as a sunless tanning agent.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
July 14, 2011
Date of Patent:
May 27, 2014
Assignee:
Board of Trustees of Michigan State University
Inventors:
Dennis Miller, Xi Hong, Carl Lira, Omar McGiveron
Abstract: A microbial fuel cell includes an anode portion having an anode and a cathode portion having a cathode. The anode is configured to support an electrically conductive biofilm matrix. A cation exchange membrane is positioned between the anode and the cathode. The anode portion and the cation exchange membrane define an anode chamber having a volume of between about 1 ?L and about 100 ?L and configured to receive an anolyte. The cathode portion and the cation exchange membrane define a cathode chamber having a volume of between about 1 ?L and about 100 ?L and configured to receive a catholyte. The microbial fuel cell is configured to achieve a Coulombic efficiency of at least 30% and/or a power density of at least of 4.7 ?W/cm2. The microbial fuel cell is a microelectromechanical system and can be fabricated in an automated production process.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
June 3, 2011
Date of Patent:
May 27, 2014
Assignee:
Arizona Board of Regents, a body corporated of the State of Arizona acting for and on behalf of Arizona State University
Inventors:
Junseok Chae, Bruce E. Rittmann, Seokheun Choi, Hyung-Sool Lee
Abstract: A specific region of chromosome 10 (10q23.3) has been implicated by series of studies to contain a tumor suppressor gene involved in gliomas, as well as a number of other human cancers. One gene within this region was identified, and the corresponding coding region of the gene represents a novel 47 kD protein. A domain of this product has an exact match to the conserved catalytic domain of protein tyrosine phosphatases, indicating a possible functional role in phosphorylation events. Sequence analyses demonstrated the a number of exons of the gene were deleted in tumor cell lines used to define the 10q23.3 region, leading to the classification of this gene as a tumor suppressor. Further analyses have demonstrated the presence of a number of mutations in the gene in both glioma and prostate carcinoma cells. Methods for diagnosing and treating cancers related to this tumor suppressor, designated as TS10q23.3, also are disclosed.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
April 23, 2012
Date of Patent:
May 27, 2014
Assignee:
Board of Regents, The University of Texas System
Inventors:
Peter Steck, Mark A. Pershouse, Samar A. Jasser, Alfred W. K. Yung, Sean V. Tavtigian
Abstract: Vaccines preparations against canine parvovirus are provided. The vaccines include a novel canine parvovirus-2 isolated from a raccoon, and related nucleic acids and proteins.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
October 14, 2010
Date of Patent:
May 27, 2014
Assignee:
The Board of Regents for Oklahoma State University
Abstract: The present invention relates generally to the detection of alcohol. The present invention relates more particularly to the film bulk acoustic wave resonator-based devices, and their use in the sensing of ethanol and/or acetone. One aspect of the invention is a method for detecting ethanol, acetone or both in a gaseous sample including: providing a film bulk acoustic wave resonator having a zinc oxide piezoelectric layer; exposing the film bulk acoustic wave resonator to the gaseous sample; determining the resonant frequency of the film bulk acoustic wave resonator; and determining the concentration of ethanol, the concentration of acetone, or both in the gaseous sample using the resonant frequency of the film bulk acoustic wave resonator.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
January 20, 2011
Date of Patent:
May 27, 2014
Assignee:
Arizona Board of Regents, a body corporate of the State of Arizona, Acting for and on Behalf of Arizona State University
Abstract: Engineered fusion proteins comprising photochromic protein domains are disclosed. In particular, the inventors have constructed fusion proteins containing photoswitchable photochromic fluorescent protein domains linked to selected proteins and shown that such fusion proteins can be used to control the activity or localization of selected proteins with light.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
March 21, 2013
Date of Patent:
May 27, 2014
Assignee:
The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University
Abstract: Biologically active compounds related to the bryostatin family of compounds, having simplified spacer domains and/or improved recognition domains are disclosed, including methods of preparing and utilizing the same.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
October 23, 2012
Date of Patent:
May 27, 2014
Assignee:
The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University
Abstract: Apparatus and methods for measuring radiation levels in vivo in real time. Apparatus and methods include a scintillating material coupled to a retention member.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
January 7, 2010
Date of Patent:
May 27, 2014
Assignee:
The Board of Regents of the University of Texas System
Inventors:
A. Sam Beddar, Tina Marie Briere, Louis Archambault
Abstract: A board mount which can be utilized to position a board relative to a building element. In various embodiments, the board mount can include a holder for receiving at least a portion of a drywall board and, in addition, a flexible member which can be inserted intermediate first and second building elements to retain the board holder relative to one of the first and second building elements. The flexible member can be configured to be deflected, or flexed, between a first configuration and a second configuration when the flexible member is positioned intermediate the building elements. In use, the flexible member can hold the board mount in place while a laborer inserts the drywall board into the board holder. In such circumstances, an additional laborer may not be required to hold the drywall board in position as it is fastened, or otherwise secured, to the frame of the building.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
January 8, 2008
Date of Patent:
May 27, 2014
Assignee:
Board Mount Inc.
Inventors:
Marc D. Lacerte, Richard Nadeau, Trevor Duhaime
Abstract: An automated system for creating parity on close orders in an exchange configured for trading securities or derivatives is disclosed including an electronic trade engine operative to receive an order for a security or derivative at the exchange, the trade engine further operative to disseminate a request for a price message to a plurality of market makers quoting a class in response to receiving the order, wherein the request for a price message includes a parity amount for the order; an electronic book in communication with the electronic trade engine, the electronic book operative to store at least one order received by the electronic trade engine; and wherein, in response to the request for a price message, the electronic trade engine receives at least one price message that includes a fee in addition to the parity amount.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
June 24, 2011
Date of Patent:
May 27, 2014
Assignee:
Chicago Board Options Exchange, Incorporated
Abstract: A method for sealing through-holes in a material via material diffusion, without the deposition of a sealant material, is disclosed. The method is well suited to the fabrication and packaging of microsystems technology-based devices and systems. In some embodiments, the method comprises forming sacrificial material release through-holes through a structural layer, removing the sacrificial material via an etch that etches the sacrificial material through the release through-holes, and sealing of the release through-holes via material diffusion.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
October 28, 2011
Date of Patent:
May 27, 2014
Assignee:
The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University
Abstract: The present invention relates to a recombinant Bacillus host cell containing a recombinant vector including a nucleic acid segment having a coding region segment encoding enzymatically active hyaluronan synthase (HAS). The recombinant Bacillus host cell is utilized in a method for producing hyaluronic acid (HA).
Type:
Grant
Filed:
July 5, 2011
Date of Patent:
May 27, 2014
Assignee:
The Board of Regents of the University of Oklahoma
Inventors:
Paul L. DeAngelis, Paul H. Weigel, Kshama Kumari
Abstract: This technology relates generally to compounds and methods for stimulating neurogenesis (e.g., post-natal neurogenesis, including post-natal hippocampal and hypothalamic neurogenesis) and/or protecting neuronal cell from cell death. Various compounds are disclosed herein. In vivo activity tests suggest that these compounds may have therapeutic benefits in neuropsychiatric and/or neurodegenerative diseases such as schizophrenia, major depression, bipolar disorder, normal aging, epilepsy, traumatic brain injury, post-traumatic stress disorder, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, Down syndrome, spinocerebellar ataxia, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Huntington's disease, stroke, radiation therapy, chronic stress, abuse of a neuro-active drug, retinal degeneration, spinal cord injury, peripheral nerve injury, physiological weight loss associated with various conditions, as well as cognitive decline associated with normal aging, chemotherapy, and the like.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
February 19, 2013
Date of Patent:
May 27, 2014
Assignee:
Board of Regents of The University of Texas System
Inventors:
Steven L. McKnight, Andrew A. Pieper, Joseph M. Ready, Jef K. De Brabander
Abstract: Disclosed are high density lipoprotein-nucleic acid particles, wherein the particles include (a) an apolipoprotein; (b) a nucleic acid component comprising a therapeutic nucleic acid segment; and (c) a polypeptide comprising a positively charged region, wherein the positively-charged region of the polypeptide associates with the nucleic acid component. Also disclosed are pharmaceutical compositions that include a) an apolipoprotein; (b) a nucleic acid component comprising a therapeutic nucleic acid segment; and (c) a polypeptide comprising a positively charged region. Methods that concern the particles and pharmaceutical compositions of the present invention are also set forth, as well as kits.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
November 17, 2009
Date of Patent:
May 27, 2014
Assignees:
University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth, The Board of Regents, The University of Texas System
Inventors:
Anil K. Sood, Andras G. Lacko, Gabriel Lopez-Berestein, Lingegowda S. Mangala, Walter J. McConathy, Laszlo Prokai, Maya P. Nair