Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of treating metabolic bone diseases in a patient, which comprises the modulation of PEX activity to modulate the bone micro-environmental concentrations of critical bone anabolic agents, namely PTH and PTHrP. The present invention also provides the use of inhibitors of PEX activity, such as, the use of inhibitors of NEP and/or ECE and/or PEX such as phosphoramidon, and analogs thereof, to modulate and preferably increase PTH/PTHrP levels in bone microenvironment to consequently result in an increase in bone formation, as confirmed by serum bone markers, namely, osteocalcin, to thereby provide a novel method for treating metabolic bone diseases, such as osteomalacia, osteoporosis, osteopetrosis, Paget's disease and X-linked hypophosphatemic rickets.
Type:
Application
Filed:
September 30, 2004
Publication date:
May 26, 2005
Applicant:
McGill University
Inventors:
Andrew Karaplis, David Goltzman, Mark Lipman, Janet Henderson
Abstract: The invention provides methods of diagnosing bone disease and/or a susceptibility thereto, in an individual. The method includes screening a biological sample obtained from the individual for one or more genetic indicators of bone disease in said PTHrP gene of the individual, and diagnosing the individual based on a characterization of the genetic indictor(s) detected. A genetic indicator of the invention preferably includes a genetic segment of a PTHrP gene. More preferably, a genetic segment of a PTHrP gene includes a VNTR containing region.
Abstract: Proteolytically stable small molecule ?-turn peptidomimetic compounds have been identified as agonists or antagonists of neurotrophin receptors, such as TrkA. A compound of particular interest binds the immunoglobulin-like C2 region of the extracellular domain of TrkA, competes the binding of another TrkA ligand, affords selective trophic protection to TrkA-expressing cell lines and neuronal primary cultures, and induces the differentiation of primary neuronal cultures. The small ?-turn peptidomimetic compounds of the invention can activate a tyrosine kinase neurotrophin receptor that normally binds a relatively large protein ligand. Such compounds that bind the extracellular domain of Trk receptors are useful pharmacological agents to address disorders where Trk receptors play a role, by targeting populations selectively.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
January 18, 2001
Date of Patent:
April 19, 2005
Assignees:
McGill University, The Texas A&M University System
Abstract: The present invention relates to a human PAB II gene containing transcribed polymorphic GCG repeat, which comprises a sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:3, which includes introns and flanking genomic sequence. The allelic variants of GCG repeat of the human PAB II gene are associated with a disease related with protein accumulation in nucleus, such as polyalanine accumulation, a disease related with swallowing difficulties, such as oculopharyngeal muscular dystrophy. The present invention also relates to a method for the diagnosis of a disease with protein accumulation in nucleus, which comprises the steps of: a) obtaining a nucleic acid sample of said patient; and b) determining allelic variants of GCG repeat of the gene of claim 1, and wherein long allelic variants are indicative of a disease related with protein accumulation in nucleus.
Abstract: The present invention relates to methods for reducing pollen production in plants. In particular, the present invention relates to a method of reducing pollen production in plants, which comprises the steps of: a) introducing into the nucleus of a plant cell a gene construct essentially consisting of a developmentally regulated promoter driving expression of a sequence encoding a mitochondrial transit peptide fused upstream of and in frame with an edited form of the orf224 gene of Brassica napus mitochondria, wherein said promoter is expressed in mid- to late-stage stamen development; b) selecting for plant cells that have acquired the gene construct in step a); and c) inducing regeneration of selected plant cells to produce a mature plant with reduced pollen production.
Abstract: In recent years, much effort has been placed on improving the performance of timing and jitter measurement devices using Delay Locked Loop (DLL) and Vernier Delay Line (VDL) techniques. However, these approaches require highly matched elements in order to reduce differential non-linearity timing errors. In an attempt to reduce the requirement on element matching, a component-invariant VDL technique is disclosed that enables the measurement device to be synthesized from an RTL description. The present invention is based on a single-stage VDL structure, which is used to mimic the behavior of a complete VDL. Furthermore, as test time is an important consideration during a production test, a method and system is provided that reduces test time at the expense of additional hardware.
Abstract: The present invention provides methods for screening modulators of 2-polyprenyl-3-methyl-6-methoxy-1,4-benzoquinone (DMQ) hydroxylation activity, inhibitors and activators of the activity, and methods of using such compounds. More particularly, this invention relates to modulators of and UbiF and CLK-1 enzyme activity and methods of identifying same.
Type:
Application
Filed:
May 7, 2004
Publication date:
December 30, 2004
Applicant:
McGill University
Inventors:
Siegfried Hekimi, Abdelmadjid K. Hihi, Guy Nadeau
Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of molecules capable of specifically binding a urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR) as diagnostic reagents for the detection of metastases in vivo. Such metastases can include, but are not limited to, micrometastases.
Type:
Application
Filed:
October 15, 2003
Publication date:
December 30, 2004
Applicants:
American Diagostica, Inc., McGill University
Abstract: Polymorphic nucleic acid molecules encoding the very low density lipoprotein receptor are described, as well as gene products encoded by these nucleic acid molecules. Allele-specific primers and probes hybridizing to regions flanking or containing these sites are also described, along with methods of use therefor.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
March 8, 2001
Date of Patent:
December 21, 2004
Assignees:
McGill University, Complexe Hospitalier de la Sagamie
Inventors:
James C. Engert, Marie-Claude Vohl, Carl Brewer, Kenneth Morgan, Daniel Gaudet, Thomas J. Hudson
Abstract: A system and device suitable for use in performing a DC parametric test on an external load is provided. The device may be configured to apply a desired voltage or current to the external load. The circuit device receives a forcing parameter signal, at an input and releases at an output a signal approximating the forcing parameter signal to the external load. The circuit device includes a first circuit segment between the input and the output having a search unit, an intermediate voltage point and an internal load between the intermediate voltage point and the output. A second circuit segment connected in a feedback arrangement with the first circuit segment provides the search unit with the voltage at the output. The search unit is adapted for generating a second voltage signal on the basis of the forcing parameter signal and the first voltage signal received and to apply the second voltage signal to the intermediate voltage point.
Abstract: The present invention relates to a human PAB II gene containing transcribed polymorphic GCG repeat, which comprises a sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:18, which includes introns and flanking genomic sequence. Allelic variants of GCG repeat of the human PAB II gene are associated with a disease related with protein accumulation in the nucleus, such as polyalanine accumulation, or with swallowing difficulties, such as oculopharyngeal muscular dystrophy. The present invention also relates to a method for the diagnosis of a disease associated with protein accumulation in the nucleus, which comprises the steps of: a) obtaining a nucleic acid sample of a patient; and b) determining allelic variants of GCG repeat of the PAB II gene, and wherein long allelic variants are indicative of a disease related with protein accumulation in the nucleus.
Abstract: Isolated spastin genes and fragments thereof, as well as Spastin proteins and fragments thereof are disclosed. Also disclosed are altered forms of spastin, as well as methods for the diagnosis and treatment of neurodegenerative disease.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
October 20, 2000
Date of Patent:
November 2, 2004
Assignees:
Hopital Sainte-Justine, McGill University
Inventors:
Thomas J. Hudson, James Engert, Andrea Richter
Abstract: This invention relates to multipotent neural stem cells, purified from the peripheral nervous system of mammals, capable of differentiating into neural and non-neural cell types. These stem cells provide an accessible source for autologous transplantation into CNS, PNS, and other damaged tissues.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
September 25, 2000
Date of Patent:
September 7, 2004
Assignee:
McGill University
Inventors:
Freda D. Miller, Andrew Gloster, Jean Toma
Abstract: Agents that inhibit the development of cancer and tumor growth are provided. Such agents comprise a classical cadherin CAR sequence HAV within a cyclic peptide ring, and may be used to prevent or treat cancer.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
January 29, 2002
Date of Patent:
August 24, 2004
Assignee:
McGill University
Inventors:
Orest W. Blaschuk, Barbara J. Gour, Riaz Farookhi
Abstract: Natural-quality synthetic noise will replace background acoustic noise during speech gaps and will achieve a better representation of the excitation signal in a noise-synthesis model by classifying the type of acoustic environment noise into one or more of a plurality of noise classes. The noise class information is used to synthesize background noise that sounds similar to the actual background noise during speech transmission. In some embodiments, the noise class information is derived by the transmitter and transmitted to the receiver which selects corresponding excitation vectors and filters them using a synthesis filter to construct the synthetic noise. In other embodiments, the receiver itself classifies the background noise present in hangover frames and uses the class information as before to generate the synthetic noise.
Abstract: Hydrogen storage compositions which liberate hydrogen readily and which are readily regenerated from a dehydrogenated state formed by liberation of hydrogen are derived from an AlH3-based complex hydride incorporating a member selected from a metalloid such as B, C, Si, P and S, a metal such as Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Mo, Zn, Ga, In and Sn, a metal which forms a stable hydride such as Be, Mg, Ca, Ti, V, Y, Zr and La and a second AlH3-based complex hydride.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
March 30, 2001
Date of Patent:
May 11, 2004
Assignee:
McGill University
Inventors:
Alicja Zaluska, Leszek Zaluski, John Olaf Strom-Olsen
Abstract: The invention features E4orf4-encoding nucleic acids, pharmaceutical compositions and expression vectors containing the same, and methods for their use. E4orf4-encoding nucleic acids include (i) nucleic acids capable of hybridizing at high stringency to the complement of the nucleic acid encoding Ad2E4orf4, and (ii) nucleic acids having 50% or greater nucleotide sequence identity to the nucleotide sequence of Ad2E4orf4, so long as the nucleic acids encode a polypeptide capable of inducing apoptosis.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
June 7, 1999
Date of Patent:
May 4, 2004
Assignee:
McGill University
Inventors:
Philip E. Branton, Gordon C. Shore, Jose G. Teodoro, Richard C. Marcelius, Josee N. Lavoie
Abstract: A system and device suitable for use in performing a DC parametric test on an external load is provided. The device may be configured to apply a desired voltage or current to the external load. The circuit device receives a forcing parameter signal at an input and releases at an output a signal approximating the forcing parameter signal to the external load. The circuit device includes a first circuit segment between the input and the output having a search unit, an intermediate voltage point and an internal load between the intermediate voltage point and the output. A second circuit segment connected in a feedback arrangement with the first circuit segment provides the search unit with the voltage at the output. The search unit is adapted for generating a second voltage signal on the basis of the forcing parameter signal and the first voltage signal received and to apply the second voltage signal to the intermediate voltage point.