Patents Issued in June 14, 2011
  • Patent number: 7960133
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an association between specific polymorphisms of the COMT polypeptide and the development, or risk of developing, preterm labor and uterine diseases and conditions. Disclosed are therapeutic, preventative and diagnostic methods and compositions relating to pre-term labor, uterine diseases and conditions, and ovarian conditions and diseases. In certain embodiments, such methods and compositions involve a COMT inhibitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: The Board of Regents of the University of Texas System
    Inventor: Ayman Al Hendy
  • Patent number: 7960134
    Abstract: The present invention provides a c-Met inhibition model. The invention further provides a method to derive inhibition models for other kinases. The kinase inhibition models of the present invention can be used to design or screen for inhibitors for kinases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: ArQule, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark A. Ashwell, Rocio Palma, Sudharshan Eathiraj
  • Patent number: 7960135
    Abstract: The present invention relates to compositions and methods for identification, sorting and enrichment of cells. In particular, the present invention provides compositions and methods for quantitation of cell motility by measurement of individual cell motility, and rapid isolation of cell populations, using fluorescent signal within single cells. Such compositions and methods find use in clinical, therapeutic and research settings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: Northwestern University
    Inventor: Anjen Chenn
  • Patent number: 7960136
    Abstract: An antimicrobial susceptibility assay, including the steps of: providing an assay dish; providing a growth medium in said dish; providing an antimicrobial agent sample; providing an interpretive indication located a predetermined distance from a sample location adjacent the growth medium in the assay dish; providing an interfitting element which interfits with said dish, said interfitting element configured to enable at least one the steps of: a) more accurately positioning the antimicrobial sample at the sample location in contact with the growth medium; b) providing the interpretive indication at a predetermined distance from said sample position to enable said interpretative indication to be compared with a margin of a zone of inhibition of a colony grown on said medium to determine an assay result, wherein said result can include determination of at least one of: a) “susceptible;” “intermediate;” and, “resistant;” placing a microorganism on the growth medium; placing the antimicrobial agent sample at said
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: Kwikculture LLC
    Inventor: Read Robert Taintor
  • Patent number: 7960137
    Abstract: Strains of Lactobacillus which have been selected for their capability of reducing gastrointestinal inflammation, such as that due to Helicobacter pylori, and products derived from these strains, including agents for treatment or prophylaxis of inflammation associated with Helicobacter pylori for administration to humans and include conditioned media in which the selected strains have grown and protein-containing extracts of the conditioned media.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: Biogala AB
    Inventors: Eamonn Connolly, Bo Mollstam
  • Patent number: 7960138
    Abstract: Presented is a method of prognosing a patient's response to a cancer therapy wherein prior to the therapy contacting a sample of cells from the patient's tissue or organ being treated for the cancer with a solution of TCPP to permit binding of the TCPP to components of the abnormal dysplastic or carcinomic cells, if any are present; detecting TCPP fluorescence in the sample, the presence of TCPP fluorescence being indicative that the sample contains dysplastic or carcinomic cells; at intervals during the therapy and subsequent to the therapy performing steps a-c on another sample of cells from the patient's tissue or organ being treated for the cancer; and determining if the percentage of abnormal pre-cancerous cells in the samples tested during and subsequent to the therapy are reduced as compared with the sample tested prior to the therapy, the reduction being prognostic of the patients response to the cancer therapy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: Biomoda, Inc.
    Inventor: Jeffrey L. Garwin
  • Patent number: 7960139
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method for metabolic oligosaccharide engineering that incorporates derivatized alkyne-bearing sugar analogs as “tags” into cellular glycoconjugates. The disclosed method incorporates alkynyl derivatized Fuc and alkynyl derivatized ManNAc sugars into a cellular glycoconjugate. A chemical probe comprising an azide group and a visual probe or a fluorogenic probe is used to label the alkyne-derivatized sugar-tagged glycoconjugate. In one aspect, the chemical probe binds covalently to the alkynyl group by Cu(I)-catalyzed [3+2] azide-alkyne cycloaddition and is visualized at the cell surface, intracellularly, or in a cellular extract. The labeled glycoconjugate is capable of detection by flow cytometry, SDS-PAGE, Western blot, ELISA or confocal microscopy, and mass spectrometry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: Academia Sinica
    Inventors: Masaaki Sawa, Chi-Huey Wong, Tsui-Ling Hsu, Sarah Hanson
  • Patent number: 7960140
    Abstract: Two circularly permuted avidin monomers arc designed. The circularly permuted monomers are fused and the resulting fusion peptides (dcAvd) form a pseudo-tetrameric dual-chain avidin, which is biologically active in biotin binding and shows similar structural characteristics as wild-type avidin. The dcAvd makes the development of dual-affinity avidins possible by allowing the adjustment of the ligand binding properties in the half of the binding sites differently than in the rest of the sites. The present invention provides further a single-chain avidin (scAvd) where two dcAvd-molecules are fused together via a linker to form a single polypeptide with four binding sites for biotin or other ligand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: Orion Diagnostica Oy
    Inventors: Henri Rainer Nordlund, Olli Heikki Laitinen, Vesa Pekka Hytönen, Markku Sakari Kulomaa
  • Patent number: 7960141
    Abstract: The invention relates to compositions and methods for the in vivo production of polypeptides comprising one or more unnatural amino acids. Specifically, the invention provides plasmid systems for the efficient eubacterial expression of polypeptides comprising one or more unnatural amino acids at genetically-programmed positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: The Scripps Research Institute
    Inventors: Youngha Ryu, Peter G. Schultz
  • Patent number: 7960142
    Abstract: The invention is based, at least in part, on the development of stabilized binding molecules that consist of or comprise a stabilized scFv and methods for making such stabilized molecules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: Biogen Idec MA Inc.
    Inventors: Scott Glaser, Stephen Demarest, Brian Robert Miller, William B. Snyder, Xiufeng Wu, Norman Wang, Lisa J. Croner, Alexey Alexandrovich Lugovskoy
  • Patent number: 7960143
    Abstract: Described is the production of proteins in a host cell. Even more specifically, described are methods for improving expression of two or more proteins in a cells or host cell. The methods are suited for production of, for example, recombinant antibodies that can be used in pharmaceutical preparations or as diagnostic tools. In certain embodiments, provided are methods for obtaining a cell that expresses two or more proteins comprising providing the cell with two or more protein expression units encoding two or more proteins, characterized in that at least two of the protein expression units comprise at least one STAR sequence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: Chromagenics B.V.
    Inventors: Arie Pieter Otte, Arthur Leo Kruckeberg, Richard George Antonius Bernardus Sewalt
  • Patent number: 7960144
    Abstract: Provided are methods of assaying and improving protein folding using circular permutants of fluorescent proteins, including circular permutants of GFP variants and combinations thereof. The invention further provides various nucleic acid molecules and vectors incorporating such nucleic acid molecules, comprising polynucleotides encoding fluorescent protein circular permutants derived from superfolder GFP, which polynucleotides include an internal cloning site into which a heterologous polynucleotide may be inserted in-frame with the circular permutant coding sequence, and which when expressed are capable of reporting on the degree to which a polypeptide encoded by such an inserted heterologous polynucleotide is correctly folded by correlation with the degree of fluorescence exhibited.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: Los Alamos National Security, LLC
    Inventors: Geoffrey S. Waldo, Stephanie Cabantous
  • Patent number: 7960145
    Abstract: The compositions and methods of the present invention comprise the efficient and effective presentation of antigens to the appropriate components of the immune system resulting in the production of species-specific antibodies in vitro. In general, these compositions comprise one or more antigenic components together with a colloidal metal, optionally combined with derivatized PEG (polyethylene glycol) or other agents. The invention also comprises novel cytokine cocktails for generating desired antibodies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: CytImmune Sciences, Inc.
    Inventors: Giulio F. Paciotti, Ramadevi Raghunandan, Marja S. Huhta, Lawrence Tamarkin
  • Patent number: 7960146
    Abstract: The present invention provides a novel ?-glucosidase nucleic acid sequence, designated bgl3, and the corresponding BGL3 amino acid sequence. The invention also provides expression vectors and host cells comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding BGL3, recombinant BGL3 proteins and methods for producing the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: Danisco US Inc.
    Inventors: Nigel Dunn-Coleman, Frits Goedegebuur, Michael Ward, Jian Yao
  • Patent number: 7960147
    Abstract: Methods are disclosed for rapid, reliable and simple isolation of RNA from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue samples. RNA purified in this manner can be used for quantitative measurement gene expression levels. The tissue sample can be a tumor or other pathological tissue.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: University of Southern California
    Inventors: Kathleen D Danenberg, Peter V Danenberg, Steven Swenson
  • Patent number: 7960148
    Abstract: The invention relates to polypeptides having glucanase, e.g., endoglucanase, mannanase, xylanase activity or a combination of these activities, and polynucleotides encoding them. In one aspect, the glucanase activity is an endoglucanase activity (e.g., endo-1,4-beta-D-glucan 4-glucano hydrolase activity) and comprises hydrolysis of 1,4-beta-D-glycosidic linkages in cellulose, cellulose derivatives (e.g., carboxy methyl cellulose and hydroxy ethyl cellulose) lichenin, beta-1,4 bonds in mixed beta-1,3 glucans, such as cereal beta-D-glucans or xyloglucans and other plant material containing cellulosic parts. In addition, methods of designing new enzymes and methods of use thereof are also provided. In alternative aspects, the new glucanases e.g., endoglucanases, mannanases, xylanases have increased activity and stability at increased pH and temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignees: Verenium Corporation, Syngenta Participations AG
    Inventors: Brian Steer, Walter Callen, Shaun Healey, Derrick Pulliam
  • Patent number: 7960149
    Abstract: The present invention relates to isolated polypeptides having beta-glucosidase activity and isolated polynucleotides encoding the polypeptides. The invention also relates to nucleic acid constructs, vectors, and host cells comprising the polynucleotides as well as methods for producing and using the polypeptides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: Novozymes, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul Harris, Elizabeth Golightly
  • Patent number: 7960150
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for the production of a lipid acyltransferase comprising the steps of: (i) providing a Bacillus licheniformis cell; (ii) transforming the Bacillus licheniformis cell with a heterologous nucleotide sequence encoding a lipid acyltransferase; and (iii) expressing the lipid acyltransferase in the cell under the control of a promoter sequence. In addition, the present invention further relates to the use of Bacillus licheniformis to express a lipid acyltransferase, a Bacillus licheniformis host cell comprising a heterologous lipid acyltransferase and a vector comprising a nucleotide sequence encoding a lipid acyltransferase operably linked to a promoter sequence homologous to B. licheniformis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: Danisco A/S
    Inventors: Marc Kolkman, Jørn Dalgaard Mikkelsen, Rikke Høegh Lorentsen
  • Patent number: 7960151
    Abstract: An acetyl xylan esterase variant having perhydrolytic activity is provided for producing peroxycarboxylic acids from carboxylic acid esters and a source of peroxygen. More specifically, a Thermotoga maritima acetyl xylan esterase gene was modified using error-prone PCR and site-directed mutagenesis to create an enzyme catalyst characterized by an increase in the ratio of peracetic acid formation to peracetic acid hydrolysis specific activities (PAAF/PAAH ratio). The variant acetyl xylan esterase may be used to produce peroxycarboxylic acids suitable for use in a variety of applications such as cleaning, disinfecting, sanitizing, bleaching, wood pulp processing, and paper pulp processing applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company
    Inventors: Robert DiCosimo, John Edward Gavagan, Mark S. Payne
  • Patent number: 7960152
    Abstract: The invention provides biosynthetic routes to xylitol production that do not require pure D-xylose for synthesis and that can utilize inexpensive substrates such as hemicellulose hydrolysates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: Biotechnology Research Development Corporation
    Inventors: Paul Taylor, Ian Fotheringham, Nathan Wymer, Badal Saha, David Demirjian, Yoshikiyo Sakaibara, Francis Michael Racine
  • Patent number: 7960153
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to the enhanced production of ethanol from fermentation using an ethanol producing microorganism. In particular, the present invention provides a process for the enhanced growth and metabolism of an ethanol producing microorganism (e.g., yeast), for the purpose of increasing or enhancing ethanol production, both in terms of total ethanol produced and in terms of the time required for ethanol producing microorganisms to convert carbohydrates and/or sugars to end products (i.e., ethanol). In accordance with this invention bicarbonate ions are used to enhance ethanol fermentation and/or reduce the time required for ethanol producing microorganisms to convert carbohydrates and/or sugars to end products, i.e., ethanol. The present invention can also be used for enhancing fermentation end products in, for example, the fuel ethanol, industrial, cheese, brewing, and wine making industries.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: Church & Dwight Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Melvin H. Czechowski, Steven A. Bolkan
  • Patent number: 7960154
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel microorganism and a method for degrading plastics or for collecting monomers through biological treatment using the microorganism. The present invention also relates to a novel polyester-based plastic-degrading enzyme and a polynucleotide encoding the enzyme, as well as a method for degrading plastics or for collecting monomers using the enzyme or a microorganism expressing the enzyme.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: Japan Science and Technology Agency
    Inventors: Toshiaki Nakajima, Yukie Shigeno
  • Patent number: 7960155
    Abstract: The invention relates to novel cytochrome P450 monooxygenases comprising a modified substrate specificity, to nucleotide sequences which code therefor, to expression constructs and vectors containing these sequences, and to microorganisms transformed therewith. The invention also relates to methods for microbiologically oxidizing different organic substrates, such as methods for producing indigo and indirubin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: BASF Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Bernhard Hauer, Juergen Pleiss, Ulrich Schwaneberg, Jutta Schmitt, Markus Fischer, Rolf Schmid, Qing-shan Li, Sabine Lutz-Wahl, Daniel Appel
  • Patent number: 7960156
    Abstract: A DNA encoding a glucose dehydrogenase enzyme with high substrate specificity and recombinant vectors and transformants for expression of the DNA are disclosed. By culturing the transformant, the glucose dehydrogenase enzyme can be produced at a low cost. The glucose dehydrogenase enzyme produced is not affected by oxygen dissolved in a measurement sample and, in particular, has superior thermal stability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Inventor: Koji Sode
  • Patent number: 7960157
    Abstract: The present invention discloses novel blends of chimeric and non-chimeric thermostable DNA polymerases for use in PCR, DNA sequencing and mutagenesis protocols. The invention allows for PCR reactions with shorter extension times that will facilitate PCR amplification of genomic DNA templates and improve the efficacy of long PCR.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael Borns
  • Patent number: 7960158
    Abstract: The present invention provides a c-Met inhibition model. The invention further provides a method to derive inhibition models for other kinases. The kinase inhibition models of the present invention can be used to design or screen for inhibitors for kinases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: ArQule, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark A. Ashwell, Palma Rocio, Sudharshan Eathiraj
  • Patent number: 7960159
    Abstract: The present invention is a method for detecting DNA sequence differences including single nucleotide mutations or polymorphisms, one or more nucleotide insertions, and one or more nucleotide deletions. Labeled heteroduplex PCR fragments containing base mismatches are prepared. Endonuclease cleaves the heteroduplex PCR fragments both at the position containing the variation (one or more mismatched bases) and to a lesser extent, at non-variant (perfectly matched) positions. Ligation of the cleavage products with a DNA ligase corrects non-variant cleavages and thus substantially reduces background. This is then followed by a detection step in which the reaction products are detected, and the position of the sequence variations are determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: Corneil Research Foundation, Inc.
    Inventors: Francis Barany, Weiguo Cao, Jianmin Huang, Jing Lu
  • Patent number: 7960160
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an isolated polypeptide having xylanase activity from Aspergillus fumigatus with a molecular weight of approximately 50 kDa by SDS-PAGE and homologous polypeptides thereof comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 95% identity with amino adds 20 to 397 of SEQ ID NO: 6; encoded by a polynucleotide comprising a nucleotide sequence having at least 95% identity with nucleotides 107 to 1415 of SEQ ID NO: 5: or encoded by a polynucleotide that hybridizes under high stringency conditions with (i) nucleotides 107 to 1415 of SEQ ID NO: 5, (ii) the cDNA sequence of (i), or (iii) a full-length complementary strand of (i) or (ii). The present invention also relates to a method for producing such polypeptides having xylanase activity comprising: (a) cultivating a wild-type Aspergillus fumigatus cell under conditions conducive for production of the polypeptide; and (b) recovering the polypeptide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: Novozymes, Inc.
    Inventors: Debbie Yaver, Paul Harris, Suzanne Otani, Janine Lin, Haiyan Ge
  • Patent number: 7960161
    Abstract: The invention relates to a variant of a parent Termamyl-like alpha-amylase, which variant has alpha-amylase activity and exhibits an alteration in at least one of the following properties relative to the parent alpha-amylase: substrate specificity, substrate binding, substrate cleavage pattern, thermal stability, pH/activity profile, pH/stability profile, stability towards oxidation, Ca2+dependency and specific activity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: Novozymes A/S
    Inventors: Allan Svendsen, Torben Vedel Borchert, Henrik Bisgaard-Frantzen
  • Patent number: 7960162
    Abstract: Proteins isolated from Coprinus clastophyllus having prolyl oligopeptidase activity, nucleic acids encoding the protein and methods for producing and using the protein, wherein SEQ ID NO:5, SEQ ID NO:6, SEQ ID NO:9 and SEQ ID NO:10 must be contained therein to at least 60% similarity. The proteins and nucleic acids have improved heat stability and perform more favorably in vivo having optimum activity conditions around 40 degrees centigrade and around pH 7, and can therefore be used in medicaments for the treatment of celiac disease caused by proline abundant gluten or other applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: Food Industry Research & Development Institute
    Inventors: Jen-Tao Chen, Mei-Li Chao, Wen-Shen Chu, Chiou-Yen Wen
  • Patent number: 7960163
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a method of detecting a malignancy or a pre-malignant lesion in breast or other tissue, or a pathologic condition, by detecting the presence of single-chain or two-chain forms of matriptase in the tissue. The invention is further directed to a method of treating malignancies, which have the phenotype of matriptase production by administering a tumor formation inhibiting effective amount of concentrate of Bowman-Birk inhibitor (BBIC), or other matriptase inhibitor. The invention also is directed to nucleic acids encoding a matriptase protein or fragments thereof, and their use for structure elucidation and modeling to identify other inhibitors of matriptase, as well as to methods of identifying matriptase modulating agents, including activators and inhibitors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: Georgetown University School of Medicine
    Inventors: Robert B. Dickson, Chen-Yong Lin, Michael Johnson, Shaomeng Wang, Istvan Enyedy
  • Patent number: 7960164
    Abstract: The invention is a selective growth medium for investigating, isolating, counting and directly identifying pathogenic bacteria of the genus Listeria.The medium promotes the Listeria spp. while simultaneously inhibiting the growth of non-Listeria organisms. The medium does not produce a bacterial biomass contaminated with interfering fluorophores. The medium contains nitrofurantoin, esculin and lithium chloride and lacks acriflavin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: Paradigm Diagnostics, Inc.
    Inventor: Alan D. Olstein
  • Patent number: 7960165
    Abstract: Organic waste having a moisture content of about 65% is dried to a level of dryness by applying heat generated by microbial action on the waste organic material to dry that material to usable levels of about 20% moisture. Method of the present invention is more efficient and economical for the drying of waste materials to combustible fuel than conventional drying methods and apparatus. Preblended portions of the organic material are deposited sequentially into a fermentation zone of a chamber and hot exhaust gases generated by the fermentation process are passed through an air-to-air heat exchanger along with cooler ambient intake air which is in its turn heated and turned back on the waste material in the second drying stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Inventor: James Wright
  • Patent number: 7960166
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a three-dimensional system, and compositions obtained therefrom, wherein individual layers of the system comprise channels divided longitudinally into two compartments by a centrally positioned membrane, and wherein each compartment can comprise a different cell type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignees: The General Hospital Corporation, The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory
    Inventors: Joseph P. Vacanti, Jeffrey T. Borenstein, Eli Weinberg
  • Patent number: 7960167
    Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus, comprising a first mechanical structure having a first rigid surface, an area of the first rigid surface having a nanostructured surface. The apparatus also includes a second mechanical structure having a second rigid surface and opposing the first mechanical structure. The second rigid surface is cooperable with the nanostructured surface such that a microscopic particle is locatable between the nanostructured surface and the second rigid surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent USA Inc.
    Inventors: Joanna Aizenberg, Paul Kolodner, Thomas Krupenkin, Joseph Ashley Taylor
  • Patent number: 7960168
    Abstract: The invention provides a biologically active substance transfer sheet which can be formed with simple steps, a cell culture kit which comprises a cell culture plate and a biologically active substance transfer sheet, a producing method therefor, and a method for screening cell culture conditions with cells. The transfer sheet is prepared by providing biologically active substances having biological activity in plural areas on a sheet base, and biologically active substances are supplied from the sheet to culture regions provided on the plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kohei Watanabe, Takeshi Miyazaki, Osamu Kanome, Ryoichi Matsuda, Tomoyo Fujiyama
  • Patent number: 7960169
    Abstract: A biological indicator for monitoring the effectiveness of a sterilizing, disinfecting treatment or process. A compound or condition is disclosed which comprises a substrate containing functional groups residing on a surface thereof, said functional end groups being desirably free of silicon linking groups. The functional end groups are desirably in the form of a monolayer of a uniform distribution and of a selected quantity. Various types of microorganisms, such as spores, fungi, mycobacteria, vegetative bacteria, protozoa, and/or etiological agents are covalently bonded to the functional end groups through a zero-length crosslinking agent and thus form a uniform number and distribution of microorganisms and/or etiological agent indicators on a surface of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: American Sterilizer Company
    Inventors: Tricia A. Cregger, Phillip P. Franciskovich, Mark J. Duda, Robert E. Bellow, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7960170
    Abstract: A grating-based sensor is disclosed that has a grating structure constructed and designed for both evanescent resonance (ER) fluorescence detection and label-free detection applications. Some embodiments are disclosed which are optimized for ER detection in an air mode, in which the sample is dry. Other embodiments are optimized for ER detection in liquid mode, in which the sample is suspended in liquid medium such as water. One and two-dimensional gratings are also disclosed, including gratings characterized by unit cells with central posts, central holes, and two-level, two-dimensional gratings. A readout system for such sensors is also disclosed. One embodiment includes a first light source optimized for collecting label-free detection data, a second light source optimized for collecting ER fluorescence amplification data, and at least one detector. In one embodiment, the detector is an imaging system and includes a CCD camera for collecting both ER and label-free data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: SRU Biosystems, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen C. Schulz, Brian T. Cunningham, Lance G. Laing, Peter Y. Li, Brant Binder, Gangadhar Jogikalmath, Alex Borsody
  • Patent number: 7960171
    Abstract: The present invention can feed substrates without waste to generate seed sludge with high bacterial cell concentrations and can start up operation within a short time, in cultivating anaerobic ammonium oxidizing bacteria with ammonium and nitrite as substrates. Equipment for cultivating anaerobic ammonium-oxidizing bacteria, which cultivates, in a cultivation tank, novel anaerobic ammonium-oxidizing bacteria that anaerobically denitrify nitrite and ammonium used as substrates, comprises an ammonium feed device which feeds ammonium at a given concentration into the cultivation tank, a nitrite feed device which feeds nitrite at a given concentration into the cultivation tank, and a control device which controls a feed rate Y of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi Plant Technologies, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuichi Isaka, Tatsuo Sumino, Satoshi Tsuneda
  • Patent number: 7960172
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus are provided for aeration of organic material, wherein the organic material undergoes an aerobic composing process, such that air is caused to evenly penetrate the organic material. The organic material is first sealed in a vessel. Air is then delivered to the contents of the vessel such that an air pressure of from about 1 to about 1000 kPa above atmospheric pressure is maintained in the vessel. A pressure differential initially forms and is then allowed to equilibrate over a period of time, in which time air flows from areas of high pressure to areas of low pressure in the organic material thus ensuring that aeration is evenly distributed throughout the organic material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: AnaeCo Limited
    Inventor: Thomasz Rudas
  • Patent number: 7960173
    Abstract: Isolation and amplification of cardiac pacemaking/conduction system cells and development of a pacemaking/conduction system in vitro using the expression of surrogate expression markers. Use of markers to identify and select for clusters of pacemaking “nodes” that are functionally coupled with adjacent contracting regions and generation of cell populations displaying electrical properties characteristic of specialized pacemaking/conducting cardiac myocytes for modeling the cardiac conduction system, testing of pharmaceuticals and for transplantation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: Board of Supervisors of Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College
    Inventors: Steven M. White, William C. Claycomb
  • Patent number: 7960174
    Abstract: The present invention relates to the field of animal health and in particular to Lawsonia intracellularis. In particular, the invention relates to a method of diagnosing Lawsonia intracellularis infection and a diagnostic test kit using Lawsonia intracellularis-specific antibodies. The invention also relates to the use of the method or test kit for diagnosing Lawsonia intracellularis infections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica GmbH
    Inventor: Malik Merza
  • Patent number: 7960175
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide an immunodeficient animal capable of generating human-derived lymphoid cells, a human-derived lymphoid cell, and a method for producing a human antigen-specific antibody. The means for solving the aforementioned object is: an immature immunodeficient mammal into which human-derived hematopoietic precursor cells have been transplanted, and which is able to generate said human-derived hematopoietic cells or immunocompetent cells; and a method for producing a human-derived antibody, which is characterized in that it comprises recovering immunocompetent cells from the above-described mammal, culturing the immunocompetent cells, and collecting a human-derived antibody from the obtained culture product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: Kyushu University, National University Corporation
    Inventors: Fumihiko Ishikawa, Mine Harada, Masaki Yasukawa
  • Patent number: 7960176
    Abstract: A method and device for determining whether a product is in condition to be used or consumed, this product being intended to be preserved under temperature conditions and for a period of time which limit its degradation includes an indicator combined with the product, to provide a signal indicating that the product can be used or consumed, and then, after the expiration of a preservation period of time, a signal indicating a change in the condition of possible use or consumption of the product. The period of time depends on the preservation conditions of the product. The indicator provides information enabling the product to be used or consumed for a longer period of time if the product has been preserved under conditions better than recommended conditions or for a shorter period of time if the product has been preserved under conditions worse than recommended conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: Cryolog SA
    Inventors: Olivier Louvet, Dominique Thuault, Renaud Vaillant
  • Patent number: 7960177
    Abstract: A standard calibration set having at least three calibration standards. Each standard is a molded article made of a thermoplastic polymer which contains the elements Cd, Cr, Pb, Hg and Br, with the Cr:Pb:Hg:Br:Cd ratio being different in each of the three calibration standards. Further disclosed is a method for manufacturing the calibration standards and their use in X-ray fluorescence analysis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: Fachhochschule Münster
    Inventors: Martin Kreyenschmidt, Christian Mans, Stephanie Hanning
  • Patent number: 7960178
    Abstract: A sample processing system 101 that may be automated and methods are disclosed where sample(s) 198 are arranged on a carrier element 197 and a process operation control system 171 automatically processes the sample(s) perhaps robotically according to an desired aggregation of event dictated by an input 173. Alteration of an initial aggregated event topology may be accepted while the system is processing an initial aggregation and varied-parameter robotic control simulation functionalities 606 may be accomplished to determine an enhanced sequence for processing. Suggested operator actions may be displayed that might further enhance the scheduling of the altered aggregated event topology together with an automatic operator need prompt 608 that may inform an operator of a need for a particular action in order to accomplish the desired tasks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: DAKO Denmark A/S
    Inventors: Marc Key, Gordon Feingold, Rosanne Welcher
  • Patent number: 7960179
    Abstract: Analytical methods using hydrogen/deuterium exchange are provided which reduce or eliminate the back-exchange of deuterium for hydrogen. The methods, which are useful in protein and peptide mapping, include the steps of (a) providing a peptide or protein comprising a solvent accessible hydrogen; (b) exchanging the solvent accessible hydrogen for a deuterium; (c) separating the peptide or protein with supercritical fluid chromatography; and (d) analyzing by mass spectrometry the mass of the separated peptide or protein. Supercritical fluid chromatography enables the observation of fast exchanging hydrogen atoms missed using conventional liquid chromatography methods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: Florida State University Research Foundation
    Inventors: Mark R. Emmett, Sasa Kazazic, Alan G. Marshall, Michael J. Greig
  • Patent number: 7960180
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus to capture and release microbe particles using amino-functionalized silica substrates are described. An example apparatus adapted to capture a microbe particle includes a silica substrate and a positively charged material to at least partially coat the silica substrate. The positive charged material includes an aminopropyl functional group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignees: University of Notre Dame Du Lac, Scientific Methods, Inc.
    Inventors: Hsueh-Chia Chang, Zilin Chen, Fu-Chih Hsu, David Battigelli
  • Patent number: 7960181
    Abstract: The invention relates to methods of determining potassium ions in a sample, wherein the ions are contacted with a compound having chromophoric moiety and an ionophoric moiety, where the ionophoric moiety interacts with the potassium ions present in the sample, resulting in the chromophoric moiety changing its radiation absorption properties in the ultraviolet and visible regions of the spectrum. For example, a change in an intensity of an absorption maximum is measured and the ion concentration is determined accordingly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: OPTI Medical Systems
    Inventors: Huarui He, Chao Lin, Neeta Raje, Chuseng Liu
  • Patent number: 7960182
    Abstract: For the separation, removal, isolation, purification, characterization, identification or quantification of Factor VIII, von Willebrand's Factor or a protein that is a analogue of either, an affinity adsorbent is used that is a compound of formula (II) wherein one X is N and the other is N, C—Cl or C—CN; A is a support matrix, optionally linked to the triazine ring by a spacer; Y is O, S or NR2; Z is O, S or N—R3; R2 and R3 are each H, C1-6 alkyl, C1-6 hydroxyalkyl, benzyl or &bgr;-phenylethyl; B and W are each an optionally substituted hydrocarbon linkage containing from 1 to 10 carbon atoms; D is H, OH or a primary amino, secondary amino, tertiary amino, quaternary ammonium, imidazole, guanidino or amidino group; or B-D is —CHCOOH—(CH2)3-4—NH2; and R7 is a group bearing a positive charge at neutral pH.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: Prometic Biosciences Ltd.
    Inventors: Jason Richard Betley, Baldev Singh Baines