UNIVERSITEIT MAASTRICHT Patent applications |
Patent application number | Title | Published |
20150105342 | IN VITRO METHOD FOR PREDICTING DISEASE OUTCOME IN STAGE II COLORECTAL CANCER - The present invention relates to a method for determining the likelihood of disease outcome of a patient diagnosed with microsatellite stable, stage II colorectal cancer. More in particular, the present invention relates to a method for determining the prognosis of a patient diagnosed with microsatellite stable, stage II colorectal cancer wherein the CpG island methylation status of the promoter of the CHFR gene is determined and wherein methylation of the promoter is indicative of a poor prognosis. | 04-16-2015 |
20150056633 | DETECTION OF GLUTATHIONYLATED PROTEINS - The present invention, in some aspects, relates to systems and methods for determining oxidized proteins, including glutathionylated proteins such as S-glutathionylated proteins. The systems and methods of the invention can be used in vitro (e.g., in cell or tissue culture) or in vivo, for example, to diagnose a person having an oxidative stress condition. For instance, in some cases, the invention can be used to spatially determine the location and/or concentration of oxidized proteins within cells and/or tissues (e.g., through visual detection). In one set of embodiments, a glutathionylated or otherwise oxidized moiety on a protein may be reacted with a detection entity, which may be, for example, fluorescent, radioactive, electron-dense, able to bind to a signaling entity or a binding partner in order to produce a signal, etc. As a specific example, a glutathionylated moiety on a glutathionylated protein may be reacted with an alkylating agent to form an alkylthio moiety; the alkylthio moiety may include a detection entity or otherwise be able to interact with a signaling entity. In some embodiments, other moieties on the protein may be altered or blocked before reaction of the protein with the detection entity. Such moieties on the protein may be, for instance, non-oxidized or non-glutathionylated moieties able to react with the detection entity. As a particular example, in a protein containing a glutathionylated moiety and non-glutathionylated thiol moieties, the thiol moieties may first be altered or blocked prior to reaction of the protein with the detection entity. Also provided in certain aspects of the present invention are kits for determining oxidized proteins, which may include components such as detection entities, alkylating agents, blocking agents, reducing agents, signaling entities, binding partners, antibodies, instructions, and the like. | 02-26-2015 |
20140296146 | Thermostable Inhibitors of Activation of the Blood Clotting System Through Contact with Foreign Surfaces - The present invention relates to the field of blood clotting. Specifically, the invention relates to particular inhibitors of artificial activation of the blood clotting process through contact with foreign surfaces. | 10-02-2014 |
20140194309 | IN VITRO METHOD FOR PREDICTING IN VIVO GENOTOXICITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS - The invention is in the field of genomics and it provides an in vitro method for predicting whether a compound is genotoxic in vivo. In particular, the invention provides a method for predicting the in vivo genotoxicity of a compound comprising the steps of performing an Ames test on the compound and determining if the result is positive or negative, followed by a step wherein the gene expression of at least 3 genes is determined in a HepG2 cell, compared to a reference value and predicting that the compound is in vivo genotoxic if the expression level of more than 2 of the genes is above a reference value. | 07-10-2014 |
20140162978 | METHOD FOR THE PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OF SEPSIS - This invention is in the field of medical treatment, in particular the invention provides a method for the prevention and treatment for sepsis or septic shock. The invention provides a novel use of a known medicament, i.e. pentasaccharide-depleted heparin for use in the treatment or prevention of sepsis, SIRS, severe sepsis or septic shock. | 06-12-2014 |
20140140975 | TREATMENTS INVOLVING GLUTAREDOXINS AND SIMILAR AGENTS - The present invention generally relates to treatments involving glutaredoxins. In one aspect, systems and methods of the invention can be used to treat a subject having an oxidative stress condition, for example, airway inflammation or asthma. In some embodiments, a glutaredoxin may be used to treat a subject. Also provided in certain aspects of the present invention are kits for therapies involving glutaredoxins, methods for promoting such therapies, and the like. | 05-22-2014 |
20130316924 | METHOD FOR DETERMINING THE NEURODEVELOPMENTAL TOXICITY OF A COMPOUND IN VITRO - This invention is in the field of medical molecular diagnostics. It provides methods and means for the in vitro detection of the neurodevelopmental toxicity of a compound by determining the gene expression of a limited number of genes. More in particular, it relates to a method for determining the likelihood that a compound is neurodevelopmental toxic, comprising the steps of: providing embryonic stem cells, allowing the stem cells to form embryoid bodies, allowing the embryoid bodies to differentiate into neural cells, in the presence of said compound, thereby creating a neural differentiation culture, extracting total RNA from the cells in said neural differentiation culture, determining the expression levels of genes Hoxb6, Nrk, 1700011H14Rik and Tph1, comparing the expression levels with a predetermined reference value and determining the increase or decrease of the expression level relative to the reference value, wherein a relative increase or decrease in expression value of more than 20% indicates that a compound is neurodevelopmental toxic. | 11-28-2013 |
20130244896 | IN VITRO METHOD FOR PREDICTING WHETHER A COMPOUND IS GENOTOXIC IN VIVO - The invention is in the field of genomics and it provides an in vitro method for predicting whether a compound is genotoxic in vivo. It provides a method that employs the analysis of expression profiles of microRNAs in cells exposed to a potentially genotoxic compound. It was found that differential expression of a number of microRNAs could reliably predict whether a compound was a genotoxic or a non-genotoxic compound. | 09-19-2013 |
20130189716 | METHOD FOR IDENTIFYING A SUBJECT AT RISK OF DEVELOPING HEART FAILURE BY DETERMINING THE LEVEL OF GALECTIN-3 OR THROMBOSPONDIN-2 - The present invention relates to a method for identifying a subject at risk of developing hypertensive and organ damage, such as and in particular heart failure, comprising: a) obtaining a biological sample of said subject; b) determining the level of at least one non-myocytal marker in said sample; c) comparing the level of said marker to a standard level; and d) determining whether the level of the marker is indicative of a risk for developing hypertensive end organ damage. The non-myocytical marker preferably is galectin-3 or thrombospondin-2. | 07-25-2013 |
20120220532 | METHOD FOR IDENTIFYING A SUBJECT AT RISK OF DEVELOPING HEART FAILURE BY DETERMINING THE LEVEL OF GALECTIN-3 OR THROMBOSPONDIN-2 - The present invention relates to a method for identifying a subject at risk of developing hypertensive end organ damage, such as and in particular heart failure, comprising: a) obtaining a biological sample of said subject; b) determining the level of at least one non-myocytal marker in said sample; c) comparing the level of said marker to a standard level; and d) determining whether the level of the marker is indicative of a risk for developing hypertensive end organ damage. The non-myocytical marker preferably is galectin-3 or thrombospondin-2. | 08-30-2012 |
20120141442 | MEANS AND METHODS FOR COUNTERACTING, DELAYING AND/OR PREVENTING ADVERSE ENERGY METABOLISM SWITCHES IN HEART DISEASE - The invention relates to the fields of molecular biology and medicine, more specifically to treatment and prevention of heart disease. The invention provides alternative methods for counteracting, diminishing, treating, delaying and/or preventing heart disease. | 06-07-2012 |
20120122727 | IN VITRO METHOD FOR PREDICTING WHETHER A COMPOUND IS GENOTOXIC IN VIVO - The invention is in the field of genomics and it provides an in vitro method for predicting whether a compound is genotoxic in vivo. It provides a method that employs the analysis of expression profiles of primary mouse hepatocytes as an in vitro system to discriminate false GTX compounds from true GTX carcinogens. It was found that differential expression of a number of genes could reliably predict whether a compound was a true genotoxic compound. | 05-17-2012 |
20120014876 | ANTAGONISTIC PEPTIDES FOR FRIZZLED-1 AND FRIZZLED-2 - The invention is in the field of molecular medicine. It provides antagonistic compounds for frizzled 1 and/or frizzled 2 receptors, which may be useful in molecular imaging of the wound healing process after myocardial infarction and in therapeutic intervention into wound healing after remodeling of the heart, thereby ameliorating the consequences of myocardial infarction. The invention provides a method for antagonizing frizzled-1 or frizzled-2 receptors, wherein the receptor is contacted with a composition comprising a linear fragment of Wnt3(a) or Wnt5a or a functional analogue thereof, which comprises at least one cysteine residue, one threonine residue, one aspartic acid residue and one glycine residue. | 01-19-2012 |
20110250606 | METHOD FOR THE IDENTIFICATION OF CARCINOGENIC COMPOUNDS - The present invention relates to methods for the identification of genotoxic carcinogenic compounds. In particular, a method is disclosed for the identification of genotoxic carcinogenic compounds wherein a eukaryotic cell is exposed to a potentially genotoxic compound in a culture medium where after samples are taken from the cell and/or the culture medium at at least one predetermined time point which samples are then analysed for increased or decreased expression levels of at least three DNA repair genes as compared to a control cell that is not exposed to the carcinogenic compound. | 10-13-2011 |
20110230357 | METHOD FOR DETERMINING THE PRIMARY SITE OF CUP - The invention relates to a method for the classification of cancer using a specific multi-class tumor classifier comprising specific sets of genes for the interpretation of expression data obtained from tumor samples. More specifically, the method of the present invention provides an accurate, reproducible, robust, objective and easy to perform method for determining the primary site of a Cancer of Unknown Primary site (CUP). For this purpose, the method provides that a classifier parameter is determined by comparing an expression profile of a tumor sample with a template profile representative for a particular primary site of a cancer. | 09-22-2011 |
20110229483 | TUMOR ANGIOGENESIS ASSOCIATED GENES AND A METHOD FOR THEIR IDENTIFICATION - Crucial to designing anti-angiogenic and vascular targeting approaches is the identification of specific target molecules. We compared transcriptional profiles of tumor endothelial cells with that of normal resting endothelial cells, normal but angiogenically activated placental endothelial cells, and cultured endothelial cells. Although the majority of transcripts were classified as general angiogenesis markers, we identified 17 genes that show specific overexpression in tumor endothelium. Antibody targeting of four cell-surface expressed or secreted products (vimentin, CD59, HMGB1 and IGFBP7) inhibited angiogenesis in vitro and in vivo. Finally, targeting endothelial vimentin in a mouse tumor model significantly inhibited tumor growth and reduced microvessel density. Our results demonstrate the utility of the identification and subsequent targeting of specific tumor endothelial markers for anticancer therapy. | 09-22-2011 |
20110217380 | PROTEINS THAT STIMULATE THE SECRETION OF SATIETY HORMONES - The invention is in the field of weight management, in particular in the field of weight management by influencing the mechanisms of body-weight regulation. Intact pea protein and intact wheat protein were found to be effective in reducing appetite or inducing or increasing satiety when brought into contact with their receptors in the duodenum. Since it is known that intact proteins hydrolyse in the gastrointestinal tract, intact pea protein and intact wheat protein will not exhibit their satiating effect when ingested in a conventional oral preparation. Therefore, special care should be taken to deliver the intact proteins to the duodenum in order for them to arrive there intact. One object of the invention may therefore be achieved by incorporating the intact protein in an enteric delivery vehicle. | 09-08-2011 |
20100292601 | APPARATUS FOR AND METHOD OF CONDENSING EXHALED BREATH - A breath condensing apparatus includes a mouthpiece, a condenser having an inlet coupled to the mouthpiece, a first container for collecting condensate communicating with an outlet of the condenser, and a second container for collecting residual, non-condensed exhaled breath coupled to the condenser. A method of condensing exhaled breath includes the features of receiving exhaled vapor into a condenser, condensing at least part of the exhaled vapor, collecting at least part of residual, non-condensed exhaled vapor, recirculating at least part of the collected residual vapor through the condenser, condensing at least part of the recirculated vapor, and collecting condensate. | 11-18-2010 |
20090297612 | HOMOGENEOUS, INTRINSIC RADIOPAQUE EMBOLIC PARTICLES - The invention is directed to embolic material comprising spherical, homogeneous and substantially non-porous radiopaque polymer particles based on at least one hydrophilic monomer and at least one radiopaque monomer according to general formula | 12-03-2009 |
20090275671 | TWO COMPONENT BONE CEMENT COMPOSITION FOR VERTEBROPLASTY - The invention is directed to an intrinsically radio-opaque two component bone cement, comprising a first component which contains at least one acrylate monomer and a second component which contains at least one initiator for the polymerisation of said acrylate monomer, wherein the at least one iodine containing radio-opacity providing polymer is present in at least one of the two components and wherein the cement, when mixed into a slurry has a viscosity, which is sufficiently low to allow injection of the cement slurry through a needle with a diameter in the range of 10-15 G used in percutaneous vertebroplasty. | 11-05-2009 |
20090035312 | TUMOR ANGIOGENESIS ASSOCIATED GENES AND A METHOD FOR THEIR IDENTIFICATION - Methods of identifying specific target molecules for design of anti-angiogenic and vascular targeting approaches are disclosed. Transcriptional profiles of tumor endothelial cells were compared with that of normal resting endothelial cells, normal but angiogenically activated placental endothelial cells, and cultured endothelial cells. Although the majority of transcripts were classified as general angiogenesis markers, 17 genes were identified that show specific overexpression in tumor endothelium. Antibody targeting of four cell-surface expressed or secreted products (vimentin, CD59, HMGB1 and IGFBP7) inhibited angiogenesis in vitro and in vivo. Finally, targeting endothelial vimentin in a mouse tumor model significantly inhibited tumor growth and reduced microvessel density. The results demonstrate the utility of the identification and subsequent targeting of specific tumor endothelial markers for anticancer therapy. | 02-05-2009 |