BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS Patent applications |
Patent application number | Title | Published |
20140162465 | PLASMA SHIELD SURFACE PROTECTION - Apparatuses and methods are provided for electrostatically inhibiting particle contamination of a surface of a process structure, such as a mask or reticle. The apparatuses include a plasma-generating system configured to establish a plasma shield over the surface of the process structure. The plasma shield includes a plasma region and a plasma sheath over the surface of the process structure, with the plasma sheath being disposed, at least partially, adjacent to the surface of the process structure, between the plasma region and the surface of the process structure. The plasma shield facilitates negatively charging particles within the plasma shield, and electrostatically inhibits negatively-charged particle contamination of the surface of the process structure to be protected. | 06-12-2014 |
20140116639 | COOLING CONTROL SYSTEM FOR CONTINUOUS CASTING OF METAL - Maintaining the shell surface temperature profile under transient conditions by spray water cooling in continuous casting of steel is often desired to reduce occurrence of surface cracks. For this purpose, a real-time spray-cooling control system is provided that includes one or more of: a virtual sensor for accurate estimation/prediction of shell surface temperature, control algorithm and data checking subroutines for robust temperature control, server and client programs for communicating between these software components and the caster, and a real-time monitor to display the predicted shell surface temperature profiles, water flow rates, and operating data, among other things. | 05-01-2014 |
20130236510 | MULTIPLEXED SUPRAMOLECULAR ASSEMBLIES FOR NON-VIRAL DELIVERY OF GENETIC MATERIAL - The invention provides a composition comprising two or more of a) genetic material; b) a condensing agent; c) a membrane destabilizing agent; d) a targeting/stabilizing agent, and optionally e) an ionic cross-linking agent. The components of the composition can self-assemble to form particles via electrostatic and/or lipophilic interactions. Methods of making and using the composition are also provided. The compositions can be used, for example, to transfer genetic material to cells in vitro or in vivo. | 09-12-2013 |
20130101672 | NANOCONJUGATES AND NANOCONJUGATE FORMULATIONS - The invention provides a drug-polymer nanoconjugate that includes a drug covalently bonded to a polymer. The nanoconjugate can include a block copolymer coating and/or an albumin coating. The drug of the drug-polymer nanoconjugate can be one or more of a variety of therapeutic agents linked to the polymer through ether or thioether linkages formed from hydroxyl or thiol groups of the drug. The albumin coating can substantially or completely retard or prevent aggregation of the nanoconjugates in solid form or in solution. The invention further provides compositions that include a plurality of drug-polymer nanoconjugates, as well as methods for using the drug-polymer nanoconjugates, such as in therapeutic or diagnostic applications. | 04-25-2013 |
20120231468 | RNA FROM CYTOLOGY SAMPLES TO DIAGNOSE DISEASE - The invention relates to methods and kits for detecting the likelihood that a subject has cancer, e.g., squamous cell carcinoma, by assaying the expression levels of tumor associated genes. More specifically, the expression levels of nucleic acids or proteins can be assayed in the tumor associated genes, e.g., over-expression of beta-2 microgobulin (B2M), keratin 17 (KRT17), interleukin 8 (IL8), or annexin A2 (ANXA2), and under-expression of cytochrome p450 1B1 (CYP1B1) or laminin gamma-2 (LAMC2) can be indicative of the likelihood a subject has squamous cell carcinoma or a precancerous squamous cell disorder. The expression levels compared to standards can be indicative of the likelihood a subject has squamous cell carcinoma. The expression levels of B2M, CYP1B1, KRT17, IL8, ANXA2, or LAMC2 can also be repeatedly assayed to monitor the progression of a squamous cell neoplasia. | 09-13-2012 |
20120192280 | APPARATUS FOR ENHANCING WEB APPLICATION SECURITY AND METHOD THEREFOR - A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, constructing a symbolic representation from a portion of a web application that generates a plurality of structured query language (SQL) queries, parsing the symbolic representation into a plurality of trees, and adapting the web application with PREPARE statements according to the plurality of trees. Additional embodiments are disclosed. | 07-26-2012 |
20120077758 | INFERTILITY ASSOCIATED DEFB-126 DELETION POLYMORPHISM - The present application provides diagnostic methods for determining the fertility status of a male individual by evaluating his DEFB-126 phenotypic and genotypic status. The present invention relates to a dinucleotide deletion polymorphism in the protein coding sequence of a DEFB-126 nucleic acid. The amino acid sequence of this variant has a significantly altered the carboxyl terminal, carbohydrate-containing domain of DEFB-126 in comparison to a wild-type DEFB-126 polypeptide. This variant results in aberrant protein function and structure, leading to reduced sperm function and fertility. The present invention provides methods for analyzing the genotype of individuals with respect to the gene encoding DEFB-126 in order to determine whether that individual has reduced fertility. Such determination will provide an individual knowledge of whether their genotype is associated with a risk of reduced fertility and to allow that individual to receive appropriate fertility treatment options. The present invention further provides kits that are useful for diagnosing increased risk or probability of infertility based on the presence or absence of the DEFB-126 deletion polymorphism. The application also provides therapeutic methods and compositions for restoring sperm functionality (e.g., to effect conception) in sperm from an individual who expresses insufficient levels of DEFB-126. | 03-29-2012 |
20110293525 | TUMOR STEM CELLS - Tumor stem cells can be obtained by culturing a tumor cell population, and exposing the cultured tumor cell population to free radicals. In certain embodiments, the free radical agent can be a nitric oxide (NO) donor. In one embodiment, the free radical agent can be Diethylenetriamine NONOate (DETA NONOate) or agents that constitutively increase cellular nitric oxide, such as phosphodiesterase inhibitors or L-arginine, or agents that increase NO synthase in the population. The methods can further include inducing stem cells present in the population to expand and/or inducing dedifferentiation of tumor cells into tumor stem cells. Additionally, the present invention provides methods of selecting stem cells from a tumor cell population. Another aspect provides methods of screening for anti-tumor stem cell teherapeutic compounds by providing high nitric oxide (HNO) tumor cells, exposing the HNO cells to at least one compound, assessing one or more indicators of HNO cell health and determining toxicity of the compound to HNO tumor cells. | 12-01-2011 |
20110188629 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MEASURING PROPERTIES OF A COMPOUND - A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, an apparatus having a collimator having at least one aperture and a fluorescence detector. The collimator can be positioned next to a compound. The compound can emit fluorescence X-rays when impacted by an X-ray beam generated by an X-ray source. The collimator can absorb at least a first portion of the fluorescence X-rays emitted by the compound and release at least a second portion of the fluorescence X-rays at the at least one aperture. The second portion of the fluorescence X-rays released by the at least one aperture have known directional information based on a position of the collimator. The fluorescence detector can detect the second portion of the fluorescence X-rays released by the at least one aperture. A three-dimensional (3-D) rendering of an elemental distribution of the compound can be determined from the fluorescence X-rays detected and the directional information. Additional embodiments are disclosed. | 08-04-2011 |
20110062014 | PLASMA REACTOR - A plasma reactor ( | 03-17-2011 |
20100284998 | FIBRIN SEALANT - A fibrin sealant, comprises (a) thrombin, (b) fibrinogen, (c) polyP, and (d) calcium. The thrombin and the fibrinogen are separated prior to application. | 11-11-2010 |
20100191081 | QUANTITATIVE THREE-DIMENSIONAL MAPPING OF OXYGEN TENSION - Methods and apparatus are disclosed for measuring and mapping oxygen tension in a tissue and, in particular, permit direct non-invasive measurement of retinal tissue oxygen tension. In one aspect, the invention is directed to methods for determining oxygen tension in a target tissue sensitized with an oxygen sensitive probe by imaging the target tissue. In one embodiment, the invention provides a noninvasive method for monitoring oxygen tension in a chorioretinal tissue sensitized with an oxygen sensitive probe. In another aspect, apparatus is disclosed that can determine oxygen tension in tissue by quantifying a signal emitted by an oxygen sensitive probe within the three-dimensional map of a tissue to determine oxygen tension and provide a three-dimensional map of oxygen tension variations. | 07-29-2010 |
20090297372 | Dual Chamber Valveless Mems Micropump - A valveless MEMS micropump capable of improved efficiency and performance is disclosed. The micropump includes two adjoining chambers separated by a piezoelectric actuated pump membrane. The micropump moves fluid through the chambers through diffuser elements characterized by differential directional resistance to fluid flow by piezoelectric actuation of the pump membrane. | 12-03-2009 |
20090187983 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DISTRIBUTED, LOCALIZED AUTHENTICATION IN THE FRAMEWORK OF 802.11 - A method for controlling Internet access of a mobile device by using a communication system having a number of access points includes the steps of performing a certificate-based authentication between an authentication access point and a mobile device seeking access to the Internet; transmitting a certificate from the mobile device to the authentication access point; verifying the certificate by the authentication access point; determining whether the authenticating mobile device's certificate has been revoked prior to the expiration of its lifetime; and granting the authenticating mobile device access to the Internet, if the certificate has been verified successfully and not revoked prior to the expiration of its lifetime. | 07-23-2009 |
20090162912 | PROCESS FOR CONTINUOUS SOLVENT PRODUCTION - A continuous process for production of solvents, particularly acetone-butanol-ethanol (ABE) using fermentation of solventogenic microorganisms and gas stripping is provided. The solventogenic microorganisms are inoculated in a nutrient medium containing assimilable carbohydrates (substrate) and optional other additives. Control of the solventogenic microorganism concentration in the fermentor (cell concentration) and the assimilable carbohydrate concentration in the fermentor, along with removal of solvents formed results in a continuous process for production of solvents. | 06-25-2009 |
20090155780 | Methods for determining genetic haplotypes and DNA mapping - Improved methods of genetic haplotyping and DNA sequencing and mapping, including methods for making amplified ssDNA, methods for allele determination, and a DNA barcoding strategy based on direct imaging of individual DNA molecules and localization of multiple sequence motifs or polymorphic sites on a single DNA molecule. | 06-18-2009 |
20080296619 | ADHESIVE BONDING WITH LOW TEMPERATURE GROWN AMORPHOUS OR POLYCRYSTALLINE COMPOUND SEMICONDUCTORS - Amorphous and polycrystalline III-V semiconductor including (Ga,As), (Al,As), (In,As), (Ga,N), and (Ga,P) materials were grown at low temperatures on semiconductor substrates. After growth, different substrates containing the low temperature grown material were pressed together in a pressure jig before being annealed. The annealing temperatures ranged from about 300° C. to 800° C. for annealing times between 30 minutes and 10 hours, depending on the bonding materials. The structures remained pressed together throughout the course of the annealing. Strong bonds were obtained for bonding layers between different substrates that were as thin as 3 nm and as thick as 600 nm. The bonds were ohmic with a relatively small resistance, optically transparent, and independent of the orientation of the underlying structures. | 12-04-2008 |
20080241924 | Antibody-Mediated Induction of Tumor Cell Death - This invention provides methods and reagents for inducing cell death in tumor cells. The invention provides said reagents relating to inducing tumor cell death that are antibodies to a specific target, L1CAM, and methods for using said antibodies for inducing cell death. Pharmaceutical compositions of the L1CAM antibodies for use in the practice of the methods of the invention are also disclosed. | 10-02-2008 |