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20140204 – Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) typically use a cobalt compound as the cathode material. Cobalt oxides are relatively expensive and scarce. An innovative zirconate-based cathode material developed at the University of Minnesota has the potential to have significantly higher charge capacity than cobalt based cathodes. Lithium zirconate (Li8ZrO6) is generally far less expensive than cobalt... Read More
20130206 – The Criticality Spatial Analysis (CRISTAL) corporate risk software instantly traces products across multiple companies, identifying specific points in the system that are at risk of failure. The technology was developed by the National Center for Food Protection and Defense for performing corporate food traceability. By documenting parallel systems (i.e. food, water, chemicals,... Read More
20130253 – A dental implant support compound has been designed for use in dental implant surgery to reduce the cases of peri-implantitis in patients with bony defects and unstable or low-quality bone. This fast-setting, osteoconductive compound is made of calcium sulfate, allogeneic bone particles, bone morphogenic protein and an antimicrobial material. When the powder phase of the compound is mixed... Read More
20140168 – An innovative sleeve design that attaches over a transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) probe improves control and allows the operator to maintain a steady grip. Associated buttons are embedded on the sleeve to enable control of a diagnostic ultrasound system. A holder clamps onto the probe to hold it in place via attachment to a surgical bed or mobile cart. A carrier serves as a storage... Read More
20110125 – Statistical software that detects structural variations such as large insertions and deletions in short segments (reads) of DNA, can be used to diagnose cancer. Structural variations in short segments (reads) of DNA occur in complex diseases, such as cancer. To use these variations in diagnoses, the process of reading the DNA segments needs to be fast and inexpensive. The fast mapping... Read More
20130255 – A new, versatile reagent can make dual, simultaneous site-specific protein modifications in one reaction and a wide range of conjugates, including protein-protein, protein-nucleotide, protein polymers, and protein-small molecule couplings. The reagent uses the enzyme PFTase, which is small, specific, and fast acting. The reagent is non-toxic and allows nearby biological processes to... Read More
20130141 – The Sanfilippo Behavior Rating Scale questionnaire can define Sanfilippo syndrome behavior along a specific pattern and progression of behavioral symptoms. Currently, there is no scale specifically for the disease. Sanfilippo syndrome (also known as Mucopolysaccharidosis type III) is a genetic neurological disease which manifests early in life, generally ending in death in adolescence... Read More
z02049-z01174-99186 – Electronic light detectors can be used to image and/or map biological samples and for DNA chip analysis. In contrast to conventional biological imaging techniques, this method scans across the sample and detects multiple images constructed from light emitted by the biological sample. The detector may be a linear charged-couple device (CCD) or a CMOS image sensor which gathers slices of... Read More
20150034 – A mannequin face and torso modelled precisely after its own researcher has been developed that feels, appears, and responds exactly like human flesh. An anatomically complete airway trainer assists in practicing tracheal intubations, common practice-intensive procedures in military and civilian emergencies. There exist many mannequins (manikins) designed to assist in tracheal (or... Read More
20140194-20150025 – Given the emphasis put on empirical evidence in modern science, scientific datasets are a huge component of publications and research documents. Much of this data is useful to future studies, and needs proper data annotation so that the datasets can be found in an online search. Unfortunately, most datasets lack annotations and context that facilitate searching. The need for proper... Read More
20130174 – A position sensor system has been designed that models the movement of an object based on the fluctuations in the magnetic field surrounding it. Based upon the distance between the sensor and the object, the magnetic field strength and direction will be unique. For example, in a free-piston engine the piston can be modeled and calibrated magnetically with this measuring device. The... Read More
20130323 – A fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) assay method for monitoring and testing the interactions between protein molecules in a high-throughput sample setting has been developed. The FRET system is able to test pharmaceuticals by attaching fluorescent derivatives to pairs of targeted proteins and mixing these with the drug that is being researched. This FRET method is applicable... Read More
20130273 – Researchers at the University of Minnesota have developed a new pacing protocol without feedback to prevent alternans formation and subsequently ventricular fibrillation (VF). This pacing protocol was tested using a physiological ionic model of cardiac myocyte, in the presence or absence of heart rate variability (HRV). They also incorporated the effects of short-term memory on diastolic... Read More
20130267 – A reliable method to identify potato varieties that resist cold-induced sweetening (CIS) has been developed. Researchers characterized multiple biomarkers of 400 different potato varieties to create this diagnostic test. With this test, companies can predict the CIS characteristics of harvested or stored potatoes, allowing for timely potato use. Using potato varieties that resist CIS can... Read More
20140059 – The next generation of non-immunoglobulin based (i.e. non-antibody) protein scaffolds for use in immunotherapies and medical diagnostics has been developed. The protein scaffolds are smaller and more stable than comparable antibody scaffolds, which improves their physiological distribution. Additionally, these scaffolds bind with high affinity to their targets and can be easily customized... Read More
20140124 – A system that monitors parking availability in parking lots has been developed. It uses a 3-dimensional camera method and is robust under all weather conditions. It is highly effective in accounting for vehicular occlusion which happens often in parking facilities with large vehicles. Detection of vehicles in real-world lighting (accounting for reflections and shadows) is a dramatic... Read More
20140226 – A user behavior modelling algorithm has been developed that acknowledges a user’s changing preferences on sites where users experience many pieces of successive media and adjusts the recommendations accordingly. How much time does it take to bore a customer with the same “reliable” recommendations? How long will it take for a certain recommendation to finally pique the interest of a user?... Read More
20140120 – An open-source PostgreSQL-embedded system has been produced that creates and processes user-item preference matrices from within the database itself. This database application, RecDB, provides a solution by eliminating the wasteful online-offline transition step common to most recommendation systems located outside the database. The SQL language involved is simple and designed to easily... Read More
20140083 – An algorithm has been designed to maximize clicks in a search engine result page. It measures the incongruity of a given text segment (i.e. how unrelated and rare the terms are within the segment). In the utility of a search algorithm, the method utilizes a user’s cookies and browser history to further refine its prediction of what the user will find interesting based on search terms. It... Read More
20130100 – A recent breakthrough in MRI data imaging overcomes the poor spatial correlation between MRI findings in slices and arthroscopic images and allows MRI to be used as a diagnostic tool for cartilage injury. A current trend in orthopedic surgery is to focus on joint preservation by repairing torn cartilage before osteoarthritis and irreversible damage occurs, causing long-term joint pain and... Read More
20140196 – A method of creating a scalable block copolymer from a new branched lactone monomer has been developed. The new lactone monomer is generated from direct fermentation of sugar. The biobased monomer, when copolymerized with lactide, has many utilities and its mechanical properties (i.e. stretchiness, strength) can be tuned depending on the application requirements. Sugar (glucose) is one... Read More
20130046 – Hydrogen extraction from wastewater for use as energy is possible with a recent University of Minnesota innovation. The system includes a membrane laden with hydrogen-generating bacteria. The hydrogen is then passed into hollow fibers for removal and can be utilized by fuel cells for energy production. The process does not require costly wastewater aeration at the time of disposal, is... Read More
20140246 – An iPad application, Global Outbreak, has been developed that simulates how a health department might implement the federal government’s Incident Command System (ICS) during an outbreak response. The simulation aims to illustrate a Department Operations Center coming to life and increase the likelihood the user will be able to perform well in a real response. It presents the user with the... Read More
20140312 – Discernment counseling is a powerful process for couples with divorce ambivalence who aren't sure whether to pursue couples counseling or consider divorce. This short term protocol helps “mixed agenda couples” where one is leaning out of the marriage and the other wants to save it. The introductory video on discernment is now available only as part of comprehensive training in discernment... Read More
20140245 – Emergency event responders have some of the world’s most important jobs, but also some of the most personally taxing. Occupations, such as EMT, deal with injury, death, risk, trauma of fellow human beings which increases the risk of psychological and physical detriment to the occupation holder. To ensure that responders maintain personal care in areas of nutrition, hygiene, and psyche is... Read More
20120305 – Aurora A, B, and C are a family of serine/threonine kinases that play key roles in mitosis. In particular, inhibition of Aurora B causes cytokinesis failure, abnormal exit from mitosis, and ultimately apoptosis. Aurora kinases are believed to be key to the development and progression of cancer, evidenced by the efficacy of cancer treatments based on Aurora kinase inhibition. Several... Read More
20140240 – Biguanide compounds have been created to treat estrogen receptor positive (ER+) breast cancer. In vitro studies and breast cancer xenograft models showed that these compounds strongly inhibit the activity of CYP3A4, an epoxygenase that promotes cancer cell growth and proliferation in ER+ breast cancer. ER+ breast cancer represents about 75-80% of breast cancer diagnoses and requires... Read More
20140103 – The CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing system has been used to repair the FANCC gene in human fibroblasts from a Fanconi Anemia patient. Fanconi Anemia is a hereditary disorder in which a DNA point mutation renders the FANCC gene nonfunctional. Loss of FANCC causes patient skeletal abnormalities and leads to bone marrow failure. Fanconi Anemia patients also have much higher rates of hematological... Read More
20140050 – Dedicated short-range communications (DSRC) systems have been recently developed that allow for vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication as well as vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) communication. Various safety techniques are being developed for DSRC-equipped vehicles, but despite an anticipated standardization of DSRC in U.S. automobiles, use is not widespread. DSRC as it stands today has... Read More
20130320 – Systemic administration of D-serine has been shown to alter blood sugar levels in mice. An acute, high-dose injection of D-serine or a genetic mutation leading to endogenously elevated levels of D-serine resulted in hypoglycemia compared to controls in mice. Human islets secreted more insulin in response to glucose when exposed to D-serine under target activating conditions. Prolonged... Read More
20140049 – A new system has been developed that replaces roadside V2I DSRC units with a Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V) network to relay dangerous changes in the speed of traffic along with additional statistics. A vehicle approaching an area where traffic speed is volatile will issue a dedicated short-range communications (DSRC) Basic Safety Message to other DSRC-equipped vehicles. Of these trailing... Read More
20140013 – Unmanned Ground Vehicles and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UGV/UAV) can be used in precision agriculture to optimize farming efficiency. They are capable of cooperatively predicting nitrogen deficiencies in crop soil. The agriculture drone units are guided by algorithms designed at the University of Minnesota not only to pinpoint field locations that need nitrogen measurements, but to get the... Read More
20130229 – Although there have been advances in cancer research in the past few decades, many cancers still lack adequate forms of treatment. In certain types of cancers, this is due to the ability of tumors to produce immunosuppressive factors that prevent T cells from recognizing a threat to the body and responding. The cancer is able to escape the immune system and spread unchecked, making the... Read More
z08092-z05221-z07046 – Current uncooled infrared sensors are broadband devices that are not sensitive enough to use narrow spectral lines to detect trace amounts of material. Their performance is fundamentally limited by excessive background noise levels that prevent the sensor from identifying “hot spots” and cause other inaccuracies. Uncooled infrared detectors have traditionally been limited to detecting... Read More
z08015-20110161 – As the magnetic field strength increases in clinical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanners, the images become less sensitive to classic T1-weighting, which is based on T1 relaxation time. T1-weighted images are often used in biomedical imaging since it inherently provides tissue-specific differences that provide contrast in images (darker and lighter areas in the MRI image). **... Read More
20120263 – Recent canine cancer treatments have incorporated immunotherapy research to find a way to employ the animal’s own immune system to seek out and destroy tumors. While this method can be less harmful than current cancer treatments, a major hurdle to the approach is that cancer does not stimulate a strong immune response. Costimulatory proteins must activate receptors on T-cells in order to... Read More
20140098 – Flexible electronics fabrication technology creates circuits on substrates like plastic. However, most advances in flexible electronics manufacturing have focused on mechanical transfer of conventionally fabricated circuits using lithography from an initial substrate onto a flexible one. Such “pick and place” manufacturing systems may face limitations in scaling. In order to bring more... Read More
20130193-20140051 – A link has been found between a variety of heart and bone illnesses and the dysregulation of sarco/endoplasmic reticulum calcium ATPase (SERCA), the calcium pump in cardiac and skeletal muscles. To test pharmaceuticals aimed at treating and reversing the diseases caused by impaired SERCA regulations, specific assays must be designed. These tests are required to analyze the reactions... Read More
20140058 – A bovine and human screening method has been developed that is capable of specifically diagnosing subclinical tuberculosis infection. The test uses pathogen serum proteins as reliable biomarkers to detect subclinical evidence of M. bovis infection quicker than current methods. Unlike procedures that lack biological specificity, this method solely identifies bovine tuberculosis and does... Read More
20140290 – The Learning About Learning Disabilities video was developed to educate teachers, parents and others about sensory processing difficulties in children and adults with learning disabilities. It can often be very difficult for those dealing with individuals with learning disorders and this video helps to offer information regarding the different aspects of the disorders. Individuals with... Read More
20140291 – The From Roots to Wings video presents factual and practical information about sensory processing disorders. Topics include difficulties in motor coordination/planning, self- regulation and sensory defensiveness. Parents share their insight on the impact these difficulties have had on the lives of their children. The major focus of the video is on strategies for addressing these sensory... Read More
20130266 – Metal nanogaps with increased precision and reliability of sub-nanoscale structures can be achieved by using standard procedures for nanofabrication of metal films while adding a unique final step of atomic layer deposition and adhesive-tape based planarization. Using this fabrication technique allows for a final product that has vertically oriented metal-insulator-metal structures... Read More
20140012 – Recently, silica nanoparticles have been heavily researched for applications such as drug delivery, catalysis and biosensing. The pharmaceutical industry has been particularly interested in these biodegradable structures that are able to transport drugs to target locations in the body. Research is ongoing to maximize the number of pores and minimize particle diameter. Ultra-porous... Read More
20130297 – Drugs that are repelled by water (hydrophobic) are difficult to absorb in the body due to poor water solubility and complexity of administration. For these types of pharmaceuticals to be administered, a prodrug is often utilized for proper body absorption through aided drug solubility. Currently, the procedure for administering hydrophobic drugs requires prodrugs to be delivered to the... Read More
20100226 – The software to manage grant proposals is more flexible and less expensive than comparable software. It is designed for both grant managers and proposal submitters and manages the grant process with the aim of selecting the most qualified proposal for funding in a straight forward and user friendly manner. The web-based workflow system allows users to register and submit their... Read More
20130152 – The integration of web applications with Shibboleth is easier using the open-source tool Shibboleth’s Lil Helper (SLH). Shibboleth is the most widely used federated authentication system in higher education. SLH provides a more simplified, automated, and consistent approach to integrating web applications with Shibboleth. The technology saves developer time and improves maintainability... Read More
z09066 – An ammonia synthesis process has been developed that has conversion rates greater than 90%, as compared to conversion rates of 20% with the standard Haber-Bosch process. This method does not require the downstream separation and recycling that are currently limiting factors in creating plants with small capital investments. The improved process includes the addition of magnesium chloride... Read More
20130324 – A metal corrosion sensor has been developed that is installed as a deactivated water battery. Electrodes positioned on substrate paper activate in the presence of harmful liquid and transmit detailed information about the corrosion wirelessly. The signals are received by a nearby RFID-reader and the information is processed to accurately determine the time to failure. Overall features... Read More
20140040 – A new method and tool have been developed for the genetic therapy of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) and related genetic disorders. The dystrophin gene sequence has been genetically corrected by inserting a synthetic exon transcript into the gene code prior to the first exon in the natural coding sequence. The inserted construct ends in a stop signal that keeps transcription of mutated... Read More
20140072 – A process has been developed for synthesizing two new dimethacrylate monomers from glucose and mannose. The materials produced by the sugar-derived dilactones undergo degradation in basic conditions while remaining stable in neutral and acidic environments. The dimethacrylates are derived from sugars, making them renewable and comparable to petroleum-based sources. The monomers reported... Read More
