Patents Assigned to The South African Medical Research Council
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Patent number: 9687168Abstract: A method and apparatus for conducting electromyography of a deep muscle non-invasively are provided. An array of suitable surface electromyography electrodes is arranged in one or more rings encircling a part of the human body in which a deep muscle being investigated is located. The potential of at least selected electrodes relative to another electrode selected from a common reference electrode (mono-polar) and other electrodes (bi-polar) in the array is recorded and the data is processed in respect of the recorded potentials of at least some of said selected electrodes in order to determine (optionally using approximations or algorithms, or both) the contribution being made by at least the deep muscle being investigated. Typically, this is done mathematically by resolving the electromyography signals into their constituent components using a suitable technique.Type: GrantFiled: July 29, 2010Date of Patent: June 27, 2017Assignees: University of Cape Town, South African Medical Research CouncilInventor: Lester Ryan John
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Patent number: 9181293Abstract: A method of synthesising Aspalathin and its analogues or derivatives is disclosed. The method comprises synthesising a compound of formula 1 or its analogues or derivatives: wherein each of R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R7, R8, R9 and R10 is independently selected from the group consisting of —H, —OH, hydrocarbyl groups, saccharide moieties and —OR15; R15 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, a hydrocarbyl group (e.g. methoxy or ethoxy), an acyl group and a benzyl group; and R11, R12, R13 and R14 are independently selected from the group consisting of —H, hydrocarbyl groups, saccharide moieties, an acyl group and a benzyl group.Type: GrantFiled: November 24, 2010Date of Patent: November 10, 2015Assignee: South African Medical Research CouncilInventors: Jan Hendrik Van der Westhuizen, Daneel Ferreira, Elizabeth Joubert, Sussana Lucia Bonnet
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Patent number: 8586112Abstract: The invention provides a process for the production of a substance or composition for the treatment, by therapy or prophylaxis, of parasitic infections, in particular malarial infections such as Plasmodium falciparum infections, of the human or animal body. The process comprises extracting the substance or composition from roots of the plant species Dicoma anomala, by an extraction using an organic solvent to obtain a liquid extract containing the substance or composition and removing the solvent from the liquid extract to leave a dried extract containing the substance or composition. The invention extends also to the use of the substance or composition in the manufacture of a medicament or preparation for such treatment of infections; to a substance or composition for use in such treatment of said infections; to compounds for use in such treatment of said infections; and to a method of treating said infections using such compounds.Type: GrantFiled: November 2, 2005Date of Patent: November 19, 2013Assignees: South African Medical Research Council, University of Cape TownInventors: Motlalepula Gilbert Matsabisa, William Ernest Campbell, Peter Ian Folb, Peter John Smith
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Patent number: 8460933Abstract: The invention provides a method for enhancing expression of a transgene in a host cell, which includes the steps of inserting a capsid promoter element (Pcap), or a sequence comprising the reverse complement of the capsid promoter element (PcapR), into a mammalian expression cassette upstream (5?) of a cytomegalovirus immediate/early enhancer/promoter region (Pcmv); inserting the transgene into the expression cassette downstream (3?) of the cytomegalovirus immediate/early enhancer/promoter region; inserting a vector containing the expression cassette into the host organism; and causing expression of the transgene. The capsid promoter element (Pcap) is typically from a circovirus, parvovirus or anellovirus. The transgene is typically expressed at a higher level than when expressed by a vector containing the expression cassette without the transcriptional control element. An expression cassette, vector, DNA vaccine, pharmaceutical composition and method of treatment are also claimed.Type: GrantFiled: November 8, 2006Date of Patent: June 11, 2013Assignees: South African Medical Research Council, University of Cape TownInventors: Edward Peter Rybicki, Fiona Lesley Tanzer
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Publication number: 20130018182Abstract: A method of synthesising Aspalathin and its analogues or derivatives is disclosed. The method comprises synthesising a compound of formula 1 or its analogues or derivatives: wherein each of R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R7, R8, R9 and R10 is independently selected from the group consisting of —H, —OH, hydrocarbyl groups, saccharide moieties and —OR15; R15 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, a hydrocarbyl group (e.g. methoxy or ethoxy), an acyl group and a benzyl group; and R11, R12, R13 and R14 are independently selected from the group consisting of —H, hydrocarbyl groups, saccharide moieties, an acyl group and a benzyl group.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 24, 2010Publication date: January 17, 2013Applicant: South African Medical Research CouncilInventors: Jan Hendrik Van der Westhuizen, Daneel Ferreira, Elizabeth Joubert, Sussana Lucia Bonnet
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Publication number: 20120184838Abstract: A method and apparatus for conducting electromyography of a deep muscle non-invasively are provided. An array of suitable surface electromyography electrodes is arranged in one or more rings encircling a part of the human body in which a deep muscle being investigated is located. The potential of at least selected electrodes relative to another electrode selected from a common reference electrode (mono-polar) and other electrodes (bi-polar) in the array is recorded and the data is processed in respect of the recorded potentials of at least some of said selected electrodes in order to determine (optionally using approximations or algorithms, or both) the contribution being made by at least the deep muscle being investigated. Typically, this is done mathematically by resolving the electromyography signals into their constituent components using a suitable technique.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 29, 2010Publication date: July 19, 2012Applicants: SOUTH AFRICAN MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL, UNIVERSITY OF CAPE TOWNInventor: Lester Ryan John
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Publication number: 20120003642Abstract: A method of determining in a subject a predisposition to, or increased risk for, developing a tendon, ligament, or other soft tissue injury or pathology, the method comprising the step of screening the subject for the presence of at least one poly-morphism in at least one gene family selected from the group consisting of any one or more of: the matrix metallo-protease (MMP) family, the collagen family, including the COL5A1 and COL12A1 genes, the glycoprotein family, including the TNC and COMP genes, and derivatives thereof, which polymorphism is a polymorphism which results in a modified, augmented, or gated interaction with other members of the gene families mentioned herein, when compared to a wild-type interaction.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 4, 2009Publication date: January 5, 2012Applicants: SOUTH AFRICAN MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL, THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTHAMPTON, UNIVERSITY OF CAPE TOWNInventors: Malcolm Robert Collins, Martin Peter Schwellnus, Stuart Martin Raleigh, William J. Ribbans, Roger K. W. Smith
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Publication number: 20110230756Abstract: A method of assessing fluid flow in a body is provided which includes phase contrast velocity encoded MRI scanning the body to obtain the velocity of fluids flowing in each of a plurality of volume elements (voxels) in three orthogonal directions; determining whether the flow in each voxel (1) is significant typically by checking if it has a value exceeding a threshold value selected from either or both of a noise level value and a minimum expected constant flow or flow-time profile; comparing each voxel with significant flow to each adjacent voxels (4, 6, 6a, 8, 8a) in the same and adjacent parallel plains; registering a connection where an adjacent voxel has significant flow; and clustering and depicting connected voxels visually by computing isosurfaces.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 30, 2009Publication date: September 22, 2011Applicants: University of Cape Town, South African Medical Research CouncilInventors: Carl Henrik Axel Odeen, Bruce Shawn Spottiswoode
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Patent number: 7713530Abstract: The invention describes HIV-1 subtype isolate regulatory/accessory genes, and modifications and derivatives thereof. The genes which are described are the tat, nef and rev genes. Consensus amino acid sequences are also disclosed. The invention also relates to a vaccine including two or more of the nucleotide sequences, and nucleotide sequences from the pol and/or gag genes of HIV-1.Type: GrantFiled: July 30, 2008Date of Patent: May 11, 2010Assignees: The South African Medical Research Council, University of Cape TownInventors: Carolyn Williamson, Joanne Heidi van Harmelen, Clive Maurice Gray, William Bourn, Salim Abdool Karim
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Publication number: 20090076245Abstract: The invention describes HIV-1 subtype isolate regulatory/accessory genes, and modifications and derivatives thereof. The genes which are described are the tat, nef and rev genes. Consensus amino acid sequences are also disclosed. The invention also relates to a vaccine including two or more of the nucleotide sequences, and nucleotide sequences from the pol and/or gag genes of HIV-1.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 30, 2008Publication date: March 19, 2009Applicants: The South African Medical Research Council, University of Cape TownInventors: Carolyn Williamson, Joanne Heidi van Harmelen, Clive Maurice Gray, William Bourn, Salim Abdool Karim
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Patent number: 7479547Abstract: The invention describes HIV-1 subtype isolate regulatory/accessory genes, and modifications and derivatives thereof. The genes which are described are the tat, nef and rev genes. Consensus amino acid sequences are also disclosed. The invention also relates to a vaccine including two or more of the nucleotide sequences, and nucleotide sequences from the pol and/or gag genes of HIV-1.Type: GrantFiled: October 31, 2002Date of Patent: January 20, 2009Assignees: The South African Medical Research Council, University of Cape TownInventors: Carolyn Williamson, Joanne Heidi van Harmelen, Clive Maurice Gray, William Bourn, Salim Abdool Karim
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Publication number: 20080003328Abstract: A food product comprising fat and/or oil, high protein food source, sweetening agent and at least one type of vitamins, minerals and/or trace elements is disclosed herein. Preferably, the fat and/or oil contain high level of carotenoids, tocopherols and/or tocotrienols; the high protein food source is soy flour; the sweetening agent is sugar syrup having water content between 15 wt % to 25 wt %. Essential water-soluble micronutrients such as vitamin C, iron, zinc and selenium are successfully blended into the food product made possible by a mixing sequence/technique which is also disclosed herein.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 30, 2004Publication date: January 3, 2008Applicants: South African Medical Research Council, Carotino Sdn. Bhd., Carotino (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.Inventors: Ambrose Benade, Christiaan Marais, Unnikrishnan Unnithan, Siew Foo
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Patent number: 6835755Abstract: Naphthoquinone derivatives of Formula (1): wherein R, represents an OH group, methyl ether, ethyl ether or a similar ether, R1 represents a methyl, ethyl or similar aliphatic hydrocarbon derivative: R2 and R3 each independently represent hydrogen or a group selected from: (A), (B), or (C) wherein R5 represents an PH group, methyl ether, ethyl ether or a similar ether and R6 represents a methyl, ethyl or similar aliphatic hydrocarbon derivative: R4 represents hydrogen or a group selected from: (D), (E) or (F) wherein R7 represents an OH group, methyl ether, ethyl ether or a similar ether and R8 represents a methyl, ethyl or similar aliphatic hydrocarbon derivative: or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, are useful for the treatment and/or control of a tuberculosis in a patient caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis.Type: GrantFiled: March 19, 2002Date of Patent: December 28, 2004Assignees: University of Pretoria, South African Medical Research CouncilInventors: Jacobus Johannes Marion Meyer, Namrita Lall
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Patent number: 5769895Abstract: A method of preparing a delivery system for a biologically active growth and morphogenetic factor by using chromatographic techniques and which includes introducing such biologically active factor into a chromatography column of appropriate dimensions which contains an integral porous carrier comprising a solid adsorbent selected for its specific affinity for such biologically active factor. In one embodiment of the invention, porous hydroxyapatite is used as the carrier for bone morphogenetic proteins (i.e. BMPs). The invention extends to a delivery system prepared according to the above method; to an apparatus for preparing the delivery system according to this method; and to use of the delivery system in a method for inducing the information of new bone in primates.Type: GrantFiled: April 7, 1994Date of Patent: June 23, 1998Assignee: South African Medical Research CouncilInventor: Ugo Ripamonti
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Patent number: 5443531Abstract: A method of preparing a delivery system for a biologically active growth and morphogenetic factor by using chromatographic techniques and which includes introducing such biologically active factor into a chromatography column of appropriate dimensions which contains a porous carrier comprising a solid adsorbent selected for its specific affinity for such biologically active factor. In one embodiment of the invention porous hydroxyapatite is used as the carrier for bone morphogenetic proteins (ie BMPs). The invention extends to a delivery system prepared according to the above method; to an apparatus for preparing the delivery system according to the method; and to use of the delivery system in a method for inducing the formation of new bone in primates.Type: GrantFiled: April 29, 1992Date of Patent: August 22, 1995Assignee: South African Medical Research CouncilInventor: Ugo Ripamonti
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Patent number: 5355898Abstract: A method for screening a selected material for its osteoconductive or osteoinductive potential, which includes implanting a structure comprising the material, extraskeletally into a baboon, and examining the structure a predetermined period of time after implantation to determine what amount of bone, if any, has formed on or within the structure.Type: GrantFiled: June 2, 1992Date of Patent: October 18, 1994Assignee: South African Medical Research CouncilInventor: Ugo Ripamonti