[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 8 (Friday, January 12, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1549-1550]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-350]



[[Page 1549]]

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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

National Institutes of Health


Government-Owned Inventions; Availability for Licensing

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

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The inventions listed below are owned by an agency 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 writing to the indicated 
licensing contact at the Office of Technology Transfer, National 
Institutes of Health, 6011 Executive Boulevard, Suite 325, Rockville, 
Maryland 20852-3804; telephone: 301/496-7057; fax: 301/402-0220. A 
signed Confidential Disclosure Agreement will be required to receive 
copies of the patent applications.

In Vivo Assessment of Tissue Microstructure and Microdynamics: 
Estimation of the Average Propagator From Magnetic Resonance Data

    Description of Technology: This invention relates to diffusion-
weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DW-MRI) and describes a novel 
method for estimating the 3-D average propagator from DW-MRI data. The 
average propagator measures the probability that water molecules move 
from one place to another during a given diffusion time. This quantity 
provides local information about the tissue microstructure and the 
microenvironment in which water diffuses without making any a priori 
assumptions about the underlying diffusion process itself. Several 
methods, such as 3D q-space magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and 
diffusion spectrum imaging have been developed to measure the average 
propagator, but these techniques currently require acquisition of large 
numbers of DW images, making them infeasible for routine animal and 
clinical imaging. The proposed methodology introduces a new data 
reconstruction concept, which involved using computer tomography (CT) 
algorithms to estimate the average propagator from the MR data. The 
proposed CT reconstruction requires many fewer DW-MRI data than 
conventional methods consistent with a clinically feasible period of MR 
image acquisition. The novel technique can be used to diagnose medical 
disorders that are associated with alterations in water diffusion, such 
as stroke and several neurodegenerative diseases and other disorders 
for which diffusion tensor MRI is currently used. Additional 
applications include drug development (screening drug candidates), 
material science (testing the quality of materials that have restricted 
and hindered compartments, e.g. porous media, gels and films) and food 
processing (testing structural changes in food).
    Applications: In vivo Functional MRI of humans and animals; Drug 
development; Material science; Food processing.
    Development Status: Early stage; only testing using fixed tissues 
and numerical phantoms have been performed at this time.
    Inventors: Peter J. Basser and Valery Pickalov (NICHD).
    Patent Status: U.S. Patent Application No. 11/407,096 filed 20 Apr 
2006 (HHS Reference No. E-164-2006/0-US-01).
    Licensing Status: Available for non-exclusive or exclusive 
licensing, as well as for collaborative research, provided that non-
disclosure agreements and MTAs have been executed.
    Licensing Contact: Chekesha S. Clingman, Ph.D.; 301/435-5018; 
[email protected].
    Collaborative Research Opportunity: The NICHD Laboratory of 
Integrative and Medical Biophysics, Section on Tissue Biophysics and 
Biomimetics, is seeking statements of capability or interest from 
parties interested in collaborative research to further develop, 
evaluate, or commercialize this technology. Please contact Peter J. 
Basser, Ph.D. at [email protected] for more information.

Fast Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Imaging (EPRI) Using CW-EPR 
Spectrometer With Sinusoidal Rapid-Scan and Digital Signal Processing

    Description of Technology: Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) 
Imaging is an indispensable tool that may be applied to a variety of 
disciplines for evaluation of chemical species having unpaired 
electrons such as free radicals and transition metal ions. In 
Continuous Wave (CW)-EPR the sample is continuously irradiated with 
weak RF radiation while sweeping the magnetic field relatively slowly. 
Existing CW-EPR techniques utilize a signal detection method known as 
phase-sensitive detection which results in data acquisition times that 
are too long for in vivo applications. The present technology 
represents significant improvements on conventional CW-EPR.
    The subject technology includes three approaches to collecting 
image data with increased spatial, temporal and spectral resolution and 
improved sensitivity. Spectral data acquisition is performed by a 
direct detection strategy involving mixing a signal to base-band and 
acquiring data with a fast-digitizer. Projection data is acquired using 
a sinusoidal magnetic field sweep under gradient magnetic fields. Data 
collection times are decreased with the utility of rotating gradients. 
Further, the current technology improves sensitivity by employing 
Digital Signal Processing, which decreases background analog noise.
    Increased speed and sensitivity makes CW-EPR a potentially useful 
and complementary tool to Magnetic Resonance Imaging for in vivo 
imaging. The presently described improvements to CW-EPR will allow 
changes of blood perfusion and oxygenation in tumors to be observed in 
nearly real-time, while improved resolution will permit angiogenesis in 
and around tumors to be carried out in a non-invasive manner. 
Additionally, rapid scan imaging provides excellent temporal resolution 
and will help quantify pharmaco-kinetics and metabolic degradation 
kinetics of bioactive free radicals.
    Applications: (1) Enhanced spatial, temporal, and spectral 
resolution of Continuous Wave-Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Imaging; 
(2) Real-time assessment of changes in blood perfusion and oxygenation.
    Development Status: Preliminary experiments have been conducted and 
the technology has been tested for feasibility.
    Inventors: Sankaran Subramanian, Nallathamby Devasahayam, Janusz 
Koscielniak, James Mitchell, and Murali Krishna (NCI).
    Publication: S Subramanian, JW Koscielniak, N Devasahayam, RH 
Pursley, TJ Pohida, TJ Pohida, MC Krishna. A new strategy for fast 
radiofrequency CW-EPR imaging: Direct detection with rapid scan and 
rotating gradients. Submitted to Journal of Magnetic Resonance for 
publication.
    Patent Status: U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/818,052, filed 
30 Jun 2006 (HHS Reference No. E-221-2005/0-US-01).
    Licensing Status: Available for non-exclusive or exclusive 
licensing and commercial development.

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    Licensing Contact: Chekesha S. Clingman, PhD; 301/435-5018; 
[email protected].
    Collaborative Research Opportunity: The Radiation Biology Branch, 
National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD is seeking statements of 
capability or interest from parties interested in collaborative 
research to further develop, evaluate, or commercialize the above Rapid 
scan-Rotating gradients strategy for performing routine in vivo 
Radiofrequency CW-EPR imaging in small animals. Please contact John D. 
Hewes, PhD at 301-435-3121 or [email protected] for more information.

    Dated: January 5, 2007.
Steven M. Ferguson,
Director, Division of Technology Development and Transfer, Office of 
Technology Transfer, National Institutes of Health.
[FR Doc. E7-350 Filed 1-11-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4140-01-P