[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 225 (Tuesday, November 21, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 69950-69951]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-29717]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

National Institutes of Health


Government-Owned Inventions; Availability For Licensing

AGENCY: National Institutes of Health, Public Health Service, DHHS.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The inventions listed below are owned by agencies of the U.S. 
Government and are available for licensing in the U.S. in accordance 
with 35 U.S.C. 207 to achieve expeditious commercialization of results 
of federally-funded research and development. Foreign patent 
applications are filed on selected inventions to extend market coverage 
for companies and may also be available for licensing.

ADDRESSES: Licensing information and copies of the U.S. patent 
applications listed below may be obtained by contacting Dale Berkley, 
Ph.D., J.D., at the Office of Technology Transfer, National Institutes 
of Health, 6011 Executive Boulevard, Suite 325, Rockville, Maryland 
20852-3804; telephone: 301/496-7735 ext. 223; fax: 301/402-0220; e-
mail: [email protected]. A signed Confidential Disclosure Agreement 
will be required to receive copies of the patent applications.

Automated Core Biopsy Instrument

    Erik Kass, Carter Vanwaes (NIDCD), DHHS Reference No. E-269-00/0 
filed 20 Sep 2000.
    The invention is an automated core biopsy instrument that may be 
operated with one hand. The instrument has a single activation element 
that causes a stylet to advance into the tissue of interest as a 
cutting cannula disposed around the stylet is fired to shear off the 
tissue into specimen notches disposed in the stylet. The invention is 
constructed so that the stylet and cutting cannula may be separately 
driven and biased. The cocking mechanism of the automated core biopsy 
instrument is used to cock both the stylet assembly and cutting cannula 
assemblies against separate biasing springs. Manipulation of the 
cocking mechanism permits the exposure of tissue in the specimen 
notches when desired. The instrument has a locking mechanism that is 
used to prevent inadvertent firing of the automated core biopsy 
instrument.

EZ Navigator and EZ Forms Software

    Andrew Schwartz, William K. Jones, Michelle R. Ugas, Ta-Jen Hu 
(CIT), DHHS Reference No. E-236-00/0.
    The EZStart invention is a method of accessing a database 
management system that can be used to convert non-relational data to 
relational data and create and manage relational data over a network 
such as the Internet. The invention provides user-friendly access to 
data stored in a database management system, allowing users with little 
or no knowledge of database management systems to access, store and 
manage data using only a web browser. EZStart provides a generic 
platform from which any user can select, insert, update and delete data 
without creating a custom software application for each user. The 
invention automatically generates navigation and data forms, allowing 
access to a Relational Database Management System (RDBMS) while masking 
the complexity of the RDBMS. Using a function of EZStart coined 
EZNavigator, users can easily maneuver through the RDBMS, view lists of 
objects, drill-down into column, view and index definitions, and manage 
object privileges. A separate function of EZStart, known as EZForms, 
allows a user to select, insert, update and delete rows in tables. No 
Structured Query Language (SQL) knowledge is required to perform these 
functions, but advanced users can use EZForms to generate SQL into a 
text area for modification and execution of the SQL. The SQL can be 
saved into and retrieved from a repository.

Integrated Low Field MRI/RF EPRI for Co-Registering Imaging of In 
Vivo Physiology and Anatomy in Living Objects

    Murali K. Cherukuri et al. (NCI), DHHS Reference No. E-120-99/0 
filed 01 Nov 1999.
    Obtaining physiological information in a non-invasive manner from 
living tissue will provide valuable information, rather than invasive 
methods that are sometimes not available and also may damage living 
tissue. EPRI (Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Imaging) is the technique 
to investigate physiological information such as oxygen imaging and

[[Page 69951]]

pharmacokinetic imaging in a non-invasive manner after non-toxic 
infusion of the spin probe.
    However, the disadvantage of EPRI is the lack of proper orientation 
of the physiological image with respect to anatomy. On the contrary, 
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) methods are excellent for providing 
images with fine anatomical detail, but are often not possible methods 
that provide physiological information co-registered with anatomy with 
clinically relevant resolution.
    The current invention complements a MRI with EPRI methods to solve 
each method's problem described above. A low-field MRI(5-30 mT) module 
is integrated into an EPRI(5--20 mT) system to provide an MRI scout 
image to properly orient the EPRI physiological information with 
respect to anatomy (A common magnet/gradient coil assembly is used for 
both MRI and EPRI scans).
    Therefore, the EPR images contain spectral information regarding 
the local physiological conditions such as oxygen status. This data, 
when overlaid with anatomical images of MRI (Magnetic Resonance 
Imaging), co-register anatomical MR images and EPR physiological 
images.

    Dated: November 13, 2000.
Jack Spiegel,
Director, Division of Technology Development and Transfer, Office of 
Technology Transfer, National Institutes of Health.
[FR Doc. 00-29717 Filed 11-20-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4140-01-P