Patents Assigned to The University of Alberta
  • Publication number: 20130228525
    Abstract: A flocculating agent that comprises a complex of a metal salt and multiple strands of a temperature sensitive polymer. A process for separating coal fines from an aqueous liquid using a flocculent having a critical flocculation temperature, said critical flocculation temperature being the temperature below which flocculent is hydrophilic and forms floccules with fines and above which the flocculent is hydrophobic, which comprises adding to the aqueous liquid an effective amount of the flocculent at a temperature below the critical flocculent flocculation temperature of the flocculent to cause generation of floccules, said comprising at least a metal complex including a metal salt and a water soluble polymer, separating (for example filtering) floccules from the aqueous liquid, then heating the floccules to a temperature above the critical flocculation temperature of the flocculent to expel water from the floccules to create a solids and expelled water, and separating the expelled water from the solids.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2013
    Publication date: September 5, 2013
    Applicant: THE GOVERNORS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA
    Inventor: THE GOVERNORS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA
  • Publication number: 20130210618
    Abstract: A hydrogen absorbing and desorbing material formed by co-deposition of magnesium with a catalyst for the kinetic absorption and desorption of hydrogen. A hydrogen absorbing and desorbing material formed of an alloy of magnesium with a catalyst for the kinetic absorption and desorption of hydrogen in which the catalyst for the kinetic absorption and desorption of hydrogen forms a dispersed amorphous or nanocrystalline phase in the magnesium. A hydrogen absorbing and desorbing material having a catalytic surface formed by a process comprising the steps of depositing a layer of tantalum on the hydrogen absorbing and desorbing material and depositing a layer of palladium on the layer of tantalum. A hydrogen absorbing and desorbing material comprises a multilayer film having at least two layers of magnesium and at least two layers of catalyst for the kinetic absorption and desorption of hydrogen, in which the multilayer film comprises alternating layers of magnesium and catalyst.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2011
    Publication date: August 15, 2013
    Applicant: THE GOVERNORS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA
    Inventors: David Mitlin, Beniamin Zahiri, Mohsen Danaie, Babak Shalchi Amirkhiz, XueHai Tan, Erik Luber, Christopher Harrower, Peter Kalisvaart
  • Publication number: 20130211066
    Abstract: Provided in the following specification are precursors or synthons that are useful for the synthesis of various arabinose based chemical and radiochemical derivatives of nitroimidazole-containing azomycin arabinosides, such as radioiodinated 1-#-D-(5-deoxy-5-[I*]-iodoarabinofuranosyl)-2-nitroimidazole (*IAZA), and radiofluorinated 1-#-D-(5-deoxy-5-[18F]-iodoarabinofuranosyl)-2-nitroimidazole (18FAZA). Such compounds are useful in imaging, therapy, or radiotherapy. Further, various syntheses of said precursors/synthons and the incorporation of said precursors/synthons into kits is provided. The precursors/synthons provided herein allow for an improved and facile manufacturing process for nitroimidazole-containing azomycin arabinosides.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2011
    Publication date: August 15, 2013
    Applicants: ALBERTA HEALTH SERVICES, THE GOVERNORS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA
    Inventors: Piyush Kumar, Leonard Wiebe, Alexander McEwan
  • Publication number: 20130205910
    Abstract: A new approach for building a stress-sensing rosette capable of extracting the six stress components and the temperature is provided, and its feasibility is verified both analytically and experimentally. The approach can include varying the doping concentration of the sensing elements and utilizing the unique behaviour of the shear piezoresistive coefficient (?44) in n-Si.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2011
    Publication date: August 15, 2013
    Applicant: The Governors of the University of Alberta
    Inventors: Hossam Mohamed Hamdy Gharib, Walied Ahmed Mohamed Moussa
  • Patent number: 8507203
    Abstract: The invention is directed to aptamers, methods and kits comprising same for detecting Streptococcus pyogenes. The method of screening a subject for Streptococcus pyogenes involves obtaining a body sample from the subject; contacting the sample or a bacterial culture of the sample with an aptamer or a panel of aptamers specific to S. pyogenes; and detecting the presence or absence of S. pyogenes in the sample or the bacterial culture, wherein binding of the aptamer is indicative of the presence of S. pyogenes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: The Governors of the University of Alberta
    Inventors: X. Chris Le, Camille Hamula, Xing-Fang Li
  • Patent number: 8501995
    Abstract: The present invention provides new ?-phenylethylidenehydrazine derivatives, processes for preparing them and their use as pharmaceutical compostions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: The Governors of the University of Alberta
    Inventors: Glen Baker, Edward Knaus
  • Patent number: 8503849
    Abstract: A method of forming a waveguide is disclosed, as well as the waveguide itself. A multilayer stack of light guiding layers is formed, and the multilayer stack is delaminated between light guiding layers to form a waveguide between the light guiding layers. The multilayer stack is delaminated in a patterned region between light guiding layers. Here a new approach is described, wherein hollow microchannels forming a Bragg waveguide assembly are fabricated by controlled formation of thin film delamination buckles within a multilayer stack. A hollow waveguide is formed by alternating layers of the multilayer stack forming light guiding surfaces. The hollow waveguide is formed between layers that delaminate from each other, as for example under applied stress to one or more of the layers. The multi-layer stack may be formed of alternating layers of low and high index of refraction materials, as for example forming omni-directional dielectric reflectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: The Governors of the University of Alberta
    Inventor: Raymond George Decorby
  • Patent number: 8501154
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to fructose-based radiopharmaceuticals, pharmaceutical compositions comprising same, precursors and methods for preparing same, and methods of using same for diagnostic imaging of cancer cells and non-imaging tracer studies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: The Governors of the University of Alberta
    Inventors: Chris Cheeseman, Frederick West, Tina Grant, Brendan Trayner, John Mercer, Andrei Manolescu
  • Patent number: 8498323
    Abstract: A novel ultra-wide bandwidth receiver structure dubbed the “zonal” receiver is proposed to detect time-hopping ultra-wide bandwidth signals in multiple access interference channels. The zonal receiver outperforms the conventional matched filter ultra-wide bandwidth receiver and the recently proposed soft-limiting ultra-wide bandwidth receiver when only MAI is present, or AWGN is negligible compared to MAI. In more practical mixed MAI-plus-AWGN environments, the zonal ultra-wide bandwidth receiver achieves better performance than the conventional matched filter ultra-wide bandwidth receiver, the recently proposed soft-limiting ultra-wide bandwidth receiver, and the recently proposed adaptive threshold soft-limiting ultra-wide bandwidth receiver. In multipath fading UWB channels, a new Rake receiver based on the zonal UWB receiver design has been proposed, this new Rake receiver can achieve better BER performance than the conventional matched filter based Rake receiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2013
    Assignee: The Governors of the University of Alberta
    Inventors: Norman C. Beaulieu, Hua Shao
  • Publication number: 20130178515
    Abstract: Taxanes are widely used in the treatment of breast cancer, although there are currently no validated predictive markers for taxane responsiveness. While the mechanism by which taxanes induce mitotic arrest is well documented, the signaling pathway that links mitotic arrest to cell death, is ill-defined. As described herein, the BH3-only protein Bad and Bik are prognostic indicators for overall survival after adjuvant taxane chemotherapy and a predictive marker for taxane responsiveness.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2010
    Publication date: July 11, 2013
    Applicants: ALBERTA HEALTH SERVICES, THE GOVERNORS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA
    Inventors: Ing Swie Goping, John R. Mackey, D. Alan Underhill
  • Publication number: 20130165333
    Abstract: Described herein are the preparation and use of novel bromo-phosphonomethylphenylalanine amino acid derivatives (BrPmp) and BrPmp-containing peptides as specific, irreversible protein tyrosine phosphatase inhibitors, which are suitable for application in peptide synthesis. These derivatives are particularly advantageous since their synthesis is both easy and scalable, and they are suitable for peptide synthesis. The BrPmp derivatives described herein can be appropriately protected to allow for solid phase peptide synthesis (SPPS) and incorporation into peptides for preparation of protein tyrosine phosphatase inhibitors and inhibitor libraries. The peptides and peptide libraries can be used to identify new protein tyrosine phosphatase specific sequences and profile protein tyrosine phosphatase activity in cell lysates, diagnostic samples and biopsy samples.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2011
    Publication date: June 27, 2013
    Applicant: THE GOVERNORS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA
    Inventors: Christopher Warren Cairo, Naresh Singh Tulsi, Alan Michael Downey
  • Publication number: 20130160169
    Abstract: The invention is directed to isolated polynucleotide and polypeptides of the CoD5, CoD6 and CoE6 genes from Conidiobolus obscurus, the CtE6 gene from Conidiobolus thromboids, and the PgDesX gene from Puccinia graminis; nucleic acid constructs, vectors and host cells incorporating the polynucleotide sequences; and methods of producing and using same.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2011
    Publication date: June 20, 2013
    Applicants: THE UNIVERSITY OF SASKATCHEWAN, THE GOVERNORS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA
    Inventor: Xiao QIU
  • Publication number: 20130157278
    Abstract: The present invention provides for a novel system and method for amplification and detection of nucleic acids within a microfluidic device wherein multiple nucleotides capable of priming PCR are present within the system and substantially sequestered within separate hydrogel posts therein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2011
    Publication date: June 20, 2013
    Applicant: THE GOVERNORS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA
    Inventor: Alexey Atrazhev
  • Publication number: 20130149709
    Abstract: The present invention provides for a novel system and method for amplification and detection of nucleic acids within a miniaturized device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2011
    Publication date: June 13, 2013
    Applicant: THE GOVERNORS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA
    Inventors: Alexey Atrazhev, Jason Acker
  • Publication number: 20130150556
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a method of producing deamidated barley proteins by extracting protein from barley using an alcohol or alkaline; treating the extracted protein with an alkaline or acidic solution for a sufficient time and temperature for partial deamidation; and recovering partially deamidated protein from the solution. The partially deamidated protein has improved functional properties with respect to solubility, and emulsifying and foaming properties at acidic and neutral pHs compared to those of a non-deamidated protein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2011
    Publication date: June 13, 2013
    Applicant: THE GOVERNORS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA
    Inventor: Lingyun Chen
  • Patent number: 8464126
    Abstract: Two hybrid message decoders for low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes are proposed. One decoder uses a posteriori probability ratio (APPR) and a posteriori probability difference (APPD), and the other decoder uses a logarithm a posteriori probability ratio (LAPPR) and a logarithm a posteriori probability difference (LAPPD) as hybrid message. Since the variable node and check node processing can be readily done using APPR and APPD, respectively, the proposed decoders have lower complexity than the conventional decoder that uses LAPPR only as a message.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: The Governors of the University of Alberta
    Inventors: Young Gil Kim, Norman C. Beaulieu
  • Publication number: 20130144369
    Abstract: A flexible-base electrode array for implantation within neural tissue, method of making the electrode array and use thereof, is provided. A surrogate neural tissue, method of making same and use thereof, is further provided. The use of the present flexible-base electrode array for implantation into the surrogate neural tissue for stimulation or recording neural activity, wherein the array is biocompatible with the surrogate tissue.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2012
    Publication date: June 6, 2013
    Applicant: The Governors of the University of Alberta
    Inventor: The Governors of the University of Alberta
  • Patent number: 8458811
    Abstract: An all-metal microdevice or nanodevice such as an atomic force microscope probe is manufactured from a copper-hafnium alloy thin film having an x-ray amorphous microstructure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignees: The Governors of the University of Alberta, The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Erik J. Luber, Colin Ophus, David Mitlin, Brian Olsen, Christopher Harrower, Velimir Radmilović
  • Publication number: 20130136860
    Abstract: A method of fabricating carbon nanotube arrays (CNTA) on an oxide catalyst layer is disclosed. In one embodiment, the oxide catalyst is a metal oxide. The metal oxide may be deposited on a substrate used as a support. The CNTA is grown on the oxide catalyst layer under conditions promoting CNT growth. CNT growth is dependent on temperature, concentration of oxidizing molecules and carbon availability. One embodiment of the method comprises depositing an oxide catalyst layer on the substrate, heating the catalyst layer at certain rates to the target temperatures, adding oxidation molecules for the pretreatment of the oxide catalyst layer, and growing the array on the substrate. The oxide catalyst layer may comprise a group VIII element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2011
    Publication date: May 30, 2013
    Applicant: THE GOVERNORS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA
    Inventors: Weixing Chen, Xinwei Cui
  • Patent number: 8450127
    Abstract: Visible and infrared light sources on silicon that have several attractive properties with respect to integrated optics. First, the devices are operational at room temperature and strictly require no thermal processing in their synthesis (although low temperature annealing can be used to form Ohmic contacts). These devices could therefore be included at any stage of chip fabrication. The special ease of synthesis of these silicon LEDs enables simple fabrication of surface structures such as patterned emitters and photonic crystal surfaces that enhance light emission in the forward direction. The LEDs are color-switchable—by reversing the current one can switch from infrared emission to visible emission. The lifetime of the luminescence is much shorter than the standard carrier recombination time in silicon, suggesting direct modulation of the emitted light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: The Governors of the University of Alberta
    Inventors: Al Meldrum, Sulan Kuai