Patent Application
20050203578
This invention relates to treatment biological organisms with various forms of energy, particularly electromagnetic energy.
The application of exterior photonic and other electromagnetic energy to a body for therapeutic purposes is well known. Thus, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,843,074 discloses “An improved non-coherent pulsed and colored light stimulation device used for therapeutic effects in living creatures.” Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,500,009 discloses “A method of treating herpes by illuminating a herpes affected dermal zone with continuous wave (CW) non-coherent radiation emitted by at least one light emitting diode (LED), the radiation having a narrow bandwidth centered at a wavelength suitable for herpes treatment, and maintaining the light radiation for a prescribed treatment duration.” The entire disclosure of each of these United States patents is hereby incorporated by reference into this specification.
Chinese and other Eastern medical traditions have mapped out acupuncture points over the body. Other traditions have mapped out “meridian” and “chakra” points of the body. Devices have been developed to locate and measure (see U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,408,617 and 4,016,870) and stimulate (see U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,113,530 and 4,535,784) such “biologically active” points using light and/or other electromagnetic and/or vibrational and/or heat energies. The entire disclosure of each of these United States patents is hereby incorporated by reference into this specification.
It is known that the application of high frequency electromagnetic signals can have beneficial therapeutic effects on tissues. Thus, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 6,246,912 discloses “A method and apparatus are provided for altering a function of tissue in a patient.” The tissue affected can include that of the brain, as is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,983,141 (“Method and apparatus for altering neural tissue function”), which discloses “A method and apparatus for altering a function of neural tissue in a patient. An electromagnetic signal is applied to the neural tissue through an electrode.” The entire disclosure of each of these United States patents is hereby incorporated by reference into this specification.
It is known that the application of extremely low frequency (less than 100 hertz) electromagnetic signals can have beneficial therapeutic effects. See, for example, the paper “Therapeutic aspects of electromagnetic fields for soft-tissue healing” by B. F. Siskin and J. Walker, 1995 published in Electromagnetic fields: biological interactions and mechanisms, M. Blank editor, Advances in Chemistry Series 250, American Chemical Society, Washington D.C., pages 277-285.
Millimeter waves have wavelengths of from about 1 to about 10 millimeters, corresponding to frequencies of from about 300 to about 30 gigahertz. In recent years, a substantial amount of research has been conducted regarding the biological and medical effects of such millimeter waves. See, e.g., an article by A. G. Pakhomov et al. entitled “Current state and implications of research on biological effects of millimeter waves: A review of the literature,” published in 1998 in Bioelectromagnetics, 19(7), at pages 393-413.
Today millimeter wave therapy, also known as “extremely high frequency therapy,” has become an approved and accepted method of medical treatment in Russia and many former Soviet republics. More than 2,000 physicians from all over Russia have completed formal education courses in Moscow on the medical uses of millimeter waves; the method is currently used in more than 1,500 hospitals and clinics in the Russian Federation; more than 1,000,000 patients have undergone this treatment; and more than 10,000 millimeter wave devices have been sold to research and clinical institutions. See, e.g., a paper by A. Yu. Lebedeva entitled “Millimeter waves in clinical practice in Russia: a Review” that was presented on Oct. 31, 2000 in Zvenigorod, Russia at the 12th Russian Symposium on Millimeter Waves in Medicine and Biology.
It has been determined that low intensity millimeter waves (with power levels of less than about 11 milliwatts per square centimeter) have effects on cell growth and proliferation, activity of enzymes, the function of excitable membranes, peripheral receptors, and other biological systems. See, e.g., the aforementioned 1998 article by A. G. Pakhomov et al. It has also been determined that, in animals and humans, local millimeter wave exposure has stimulated tissue repair and regeneration, alleviated stress reactions, and facilitated recovery in a wide range of diseases. See, e.g., an 1999 article by N. N. Lebedeva and T. I. Kotorovskaya entitled “Experimental and clinical studies in the field of biological effects of millimeter waves” (review, part 1) published in Russian in Millimetrovye Volny v. Biologii I Meditsine (“Millimeter Waves in Medicine and Biology”), 3(15), pages 3-14.
Millimeter wave generators are well known to those skilled in the art and are commercially available. Thus, e.g., referring to U.S. Pat. No. 3,596,695, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference into this specification, it is disclosed that “Referring now to
U.S. Pat. No. 6,101,015 discloses a microwave or millimeter wave generator. U.S. Pat. No. 5,777,572 discloses a gyrotron oscillator millimeter wave generator for producing high power millimeter wave beams for jamming and/or damaging electronic equipment; the generator of this patent produces 20 millisecond megawatt pulses at a frequency of from 100 to 140 gigahertz. U.S. Pat. No. 5,760,397 discloses a millimeter wave imaging system. U.S. Pat. No. 5,507,791 discloses a millimeter wave generator producing radiation with a frequency of from 40 to 70 gigahertz. U.S. Pat. No. 5,379,309 discloses a photonic down conversion system which employs a millimeter wave generator. In
Millimeter wave generators, devices incorporating them, and processing using them, are described in many different Russian patents. Reference may be had, e.g., to Russian patents 2122395 (method for treatment of auditory nerve neuritis), 2089166 (device for extremely high frequency therapy).
In a book entitled Light: Medicine of the Future, Bear and Company, Santa Fe, N. Mex., 1991, Jacob Liberman discussed the therapeutic effects of light for treating, e.g., cholesterol, cortisone, stress, cancer, venereal disease, viral infection, tuberculoses, etc. Reference also may be had, e.g., to U.S. Pat. No. 5,454,837.
The application of acoustic energy is also known to have therapeutic effects on the body and its tissues and organs. Thus, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,687,729 discloses “A source of therapeutic acoustic waves for minimally invasive treatment of internal body regions with the therapeutic acoustic waves has a number of source parts which emit the acoustic waves.” U.S. Pat. No. 5,458,130 discloses “Non-invasive therapeutic treatment and/or quantitative evaluation of musculoskeletal tissue are performed in vivo by subjecting musculoskeletal tissue to an ultrasonic acoustic signal pulse of finite duration, and involving a composite sine-wave signal consisting of plural discrete frequencies that are spaced in the ultrasonic region to approximately 2 megahertz the excitation signal is repeated substantially in the range 1 to 1000 Hz.” U.S. Pat. No. 5,209,221 discloses “A device for generating sonic signal forms for limiting, preventing or regressing the growth of pathological tissue comprises an ultrasonic transmission system for transmitting sound waves, focused on the tissue to be treated, by way of a coupling medium.” The entire disclosure of each of these United States patents is hereby incorporated by reference into this specification.
Bone material may also be treated using electromagnetic and/or vibrational energies. Thus, e.g., pulsing electromagnetic fields are widely used by orthopedic physicians to stimulate the healing of fracture non-unions. See, e.g., the 1995 article by CAL Bassett entitled “Bioelectromagnetics in the service of medicine” published in Electromagnet Fields: Biological Interactions and Mechanisms, M. Blank editor, Advances in Chemistry Series 250, American Chemical Society, Washington D.C., pp. 261-275. U.S. Pat. No. 5,309,898 discloses “Non-invasive therapeutic treatment and/or quantitative evaluation of bone tissue are performed in vivo, by subjecting bone to an ultrasonic acoustic signal pulse of finite duration, and involving a composite sine-wave signal consisting of plural discrete frequencies that are spaced in the ultrasonic region to approximately 2 MHz; the excitation signal is repeated substantially in the range 1 to 1000 Hz.” The entire disclosure of each of these United States patents is hereby incorporated by reference into this specification.
The application of acoustic energy to a biological system can produce an electromagnetic response. Applying both acoustic and electromagnetic energy at the same time has therapeutic effects on the body. International patent publication WO015097A2 discloses “The present invention makes use of resonant acoustic and/or acousto-EM energy applied to inorganic or biologic structures for the detection and/or identification, and for augmentation and/or disruption of function within the biologic structure.” The entire disclosure of this patent is hereby incorporated by reference into this specification.
Implantable medical devices are now commonplace. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,212,063 discloses “An implantable medical device such as a defibrillator is described.” Another example is U.S. Pat. No. 6,143,035, which discloses “An implanted piezoelectric module generates charge which may be applied to tissue or used to power or recharge an implanted device such as a pump or pacemaker.” The entire disclosure of each of these United States patents is hereby incorporated by reference into this specification.
It is known that the application of certain electromagnetic energies and signals can change the biological effectiveness of fluids including water. References to such effects include Dr. Alan Halls' book Water, Electricity and Health, Hawthorn Press, 1997 and references cited therein, as well as the papers “Digital Recording/Transmission of the Cholinergic Signal” by Dr. J. Benveniste, et. al. and references therein. Another reference is the 1987 article by R. V. S. Choy, J. A. Monro, and C. W. Smith, “Electrical sensitivities in allergy patients” published in Clinical Ecology IV(3):93-102, which states “A protocol for clinical testing has been devised based on the confrontation-neutralization technique for chemical allergens. Neutralizing frequencies can usually be found and magnetic fields at these frequencies can be used to “potentize” water for therapeutic purposes. In a given patient, the symptoms provoked electrically are similar to those provoked chemically and those provoked by the patient's environment. Electrical and chemical stimuli and neutralization appear to be interchangeable.” Hence treatment of water and other bodily fluids could be included into existing internal or external devices which sample the bodily fluids. For example, insulin pumps, kidney machines, flow cytometers, and syringes.
Means are also available for sensing or predicting pathological disturbances or imbalances in physiological parameters. In some cases these sensors are useful in following changes in parameters during the course of treatments.
Transmural electrical potential differences have been suggested as an early marker for the detection of colon cancer. See the 1986 article by D A. Goller, W. F. Weidema, and R. J. Davies entitled “Transmural electrical potential difference as an early marker in colon cancer” published in Archives of Surgery 121:345-350. Surface electrical potentials have been tested in the diagnosis of breast lesions. See the 1994 article by B. A. Weiss, G. A. P. Ganepola, H. P. Freeman, Y-S Hsu, and M. L. Faupel entitled “Surface electrical potentials as a new modality in the diagnosis of breast lesions—A preliminary survey” published in Breast Diseases 7:91-98). Transcranial magnetic stimulation has been used to evaluate the probable outcome of patients post-stroke. See the 2000 article by U. Ziemann entitled “Transcranial magnetic stimulation: Its current role in the evaluation of patients post-stroke” published in Neurology Report 24(3):82-93.
The vulnerability of the heart to ventricular arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death has been correlated with certain patterns in the electrocardiogram known as T-wave alternans. Noninvasive techniques are available that permit the accurate measurement in ambulatory patients. U.S. Pat. No. 5,560,368 discloses methodology for automated QT variability measurement to determine risk of malignant arrhythmias, that involves sensing fluctuations in voltage resulting from electrical activity of a heart and assessing changes in QT interval for each heartbeat using the entire T wave. U.S. Pat. No. 5,555,888 discloses a method for automatic, adaptive assessment of myocardial electrical instability to assess the patient's likelihood for myocardial electrical instability. The entire disclosure of each of these United States patents is hereby incorporated by reference into this specification.
Optical approaches to the non-invasive measurement of blood glucose are disclosed by R. W. Waynant and V. M. Chenault in an 1998 article entitled “Overview of non-invasive fluid glucose measurement using optical techniques to maintain glucose control in diabetes mellitus” published in IEEE Lasers and Electro-Optics Society Proceedings 12:2. Reference also may bed had to a 1998 article by C. Marwick entitled “Development of noninvasive methods to monitor blood glucose levels in people with diabetes” published in the Journal of the American Medical Association 280(4):312-313. U.S. Pat. No. 5,989,409 discloses a method for measuring the concentration of glucose diffused from a source to a working electrode which assembly includes a scavenging electrode. U.S. Pat. No. 6,233,471 discloses a method for continually or continuously measuring the concentration of target chemical analytes present in a biological system, and processing analyte-specific signals to obtain a measurement value that is closely correlated with the concentration of the target chemical analyte in the biological system. One important application of the invention involves a method for signal processing in a system for monitoring blood glucose values. The entire disclosure of each of these United States patents is hereby incorporated by reference into this specification.
Electromagnetic probes can be used to monitor microvascular changes taking place in response to diabetes, as is disclosed by A. S. De Vriese, J. Van de Voorde, J. J. Blom, P. M. Vanhoutte, M. Verbeke, and N. H. Lameire in the 2000 article entitled “The impaired renal vasodilator response attributed to endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factor in streptozotocin—induced diabetic rats is restored by 5-methyltetrahydrofolate” published in Diabetologia 43(9): 1116-25. Sympathetic skin responses following both electrical nerve and magnetic brain stimulations in insulin-dependent diabetic patients show an early yet detectable impairment of afferent pathways that takes place before the onset of peripheral neuropathy or dysautonomia, as is disclosed in a 1999 article by L. Sagliocco, F. Sartucci, O. Giampietro, and L. Murri entitled “Amplitude loss of electrically and magnetically evoked sympathetic skin responses in early stages of type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetes mellitus without signs of dysautonomia” published in Clinical Autonomic Research: Official Journal of the Clinical Autonomic Research Society 9(1):5-10). The conduction of vibrations from tuning forks is being used to screen for sensation loss that can expose the diabetic patient to the risk of foot injury, as is disclosed in the 1990 article by P. H. Tchen, H. C. Chiu, and C. C. Fu entitled “Vibratory perception threshold in diabetic neuropathy” published in Journal of the Formosan Medical Association 89(1):23-9 and in the 1990 article by C. Liniger, A. Albeanu, D. Bloise, and J. P. Assal J P entitled “The tuning fork revisited” published in Diabetic Medicine 7(10):859-64. Functional changes in pulsatile arterial blood flow occur early in the time course of insulin-dependent diabetes and can be detected by measuring pulsatile waveforms noninvasively using an electromagnetic flowmeter, as is disclosed in a 1983 article by L. N. Cunningham, C. Labrie, J. S. Soeldner, and R. E. Gleason entitled “Resting and exercise hyperemic pulsatile arterial blood flow in insulin-dependent diabetic subjects” published in Diabetes 32(7):664-9. A non-invasive evaluation of lens fluorescence has been suggested as an early indicator of ocular complications associated with diabetes as is disclosed by M. Mota, A. M. Morgado, A. Matos, P. Pereira, and H. Burrows in 1999 in their article entitled “Evaluation of a non-invasive fluorescence technique as a marker for diabetic lenses in vivo” published in Graefe's Archive for Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology 237(3):187-192.
The prior art devices and processes discussed above generally are not suitable for automatically detecting and treating a multitude of chronic disease states, are not readily adapted to treat small, localized internal regions of a living organism, and cannot readily and automatically modify the treatment regimen as the condition of the living organism changes.
In accordance with this invention, there is provided an implantable device comprised of means for emitting and delivering energy to specific sites within a body, a programmable controller for varying the type and/or amount of energy emitted, and means for sensing a condition of a biological organism. The energy emitted by the device comprises part or all of the spectra of a desired energy pattern, and it contains at least a major peak and a minor peak.
The invention will be described by reference to the following drawings, in which like numerals refer to like elements, and in which:
In one embodiment of this invention, spectral analyses is used to describe some of the properties of a specified electromagnetic energy pattern. The term spectral analysis, as used in this specification, refers to the determination of the distribution of frequencies or wavelengths of transmission or absorption, or both, within the energy spectrum; it is an analytical technique for identification of materials, or of electromagnetic, vibrational, rotational frequencies. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 6,191,417 (mass spectrometer), U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,191,271, 6,043,276, 5,902, 772, 5,814,314, 5,565,037, 5,462,751, 5,334,394, 4,997,842, and the like. The entire disclosure of each of these United States patents is hereby incorporated by reference into this specification.
Similarly, the terms energy spectrum or spectrum or spectra or energy pattern, are used in this specification. These terms refer to the set of electromagnetic, vibrational, rotational, or other energy type, pattern of frequencies. Frequencies and waveforms can be combined in different ways including, but limited to, amplitude modulation, frequency modulation, pulsating direct current, square wave, sawtooth waves, ramping, etc.) These patterns may be determined or composed by means illustrated in
One embodiment of this invention involves the application of an electromagnetic energy to an organism. The organism used in the process of this invention may be, but need not be, a living biological organism. Thus, by way of illustration and not limitation, the processes of this invention may be used with organs harvested from people who recently have died and wish to donate such organs.
The organism may be an animal organism, such as, e.g., a human being, a mammal, a reptile, and the like. Alternatively, or additionally, the organism may be a vegetable organism, such as a food crop. Alternatively, or additionally, the organism may be a virus, a bacteria, a mold, a yeast, a protozoa, and/or one or more other life forms.
By way of further illustration, one may treat via the process of this invention genetically modified bacteria used in cell cultures. In one aspect of this embodiment, the organisms used in fermentation processes (such as, e.g., making bread, brewing alcohol) may be treated with one or more forms of energy to insure their viability and/or optimal performance.
By way of further illustration, one may use one or more radiations in hydroponic farming to increase the yield of certain crops.
By way of further illustration, one may implant an energy emitting device into a tree and/or plant to increase its growth and/or production and/or disease resistance.
It is known that very minute alterations to molecules and fluids, such as blood or water, can have dramatic therapeutic effects, and that it is possible to digitize the method for effecting the alterations of these treatments and transmit them electronically so that they can be repeated with high precision at a later time and if necessary in a different place. As a result, complex diagnostics, including imaging and chemical analyses, can be conducted of tissue or fluid samples at a remote site, and a patient prescription provided for treating the situation that can be transmitted to the patient location and administered locally.
In one embodiment, the emitter 16 is utilized to effect a process for treating the body 10. In this process, one first determines the electromagnetic pattern of a biological process within body 10. This energy pattern determination may be made, e.g., by the process depicted in
In one preferred embodiment, the energy emitted by emitter 16 varies with time in either its frequencies and/or amplitudes and/or phases. In another preferred embodiment, the energy spectrum emitted by emitter 16 varies with time. Thus, by way of illustration, one may transmit the spectra of a drug as it dissolves in the organism and interacts with the organism over time.
In another embodiment, the energy emitted by emitter 16 has a spectrum with at least one major peak and one minor peak. In another embodiment, the energy emitted by emitter 16 contains at least 5 major peaks and minor peaks.
In one embodiment, the energy emitted by emitter 16 has at least 10 major and/or minor peaks.
In one embodiment, the energy emitted by emitter 16 is a combination of energies selected from the group consisting of photonic energy, vibratory energy, electrical energy, and mixtures thereof, provided that, in this embodiment, at least two of such energies are emitted.
In one aspect of this embodiment, millimeter and/or centimeter wavelength energy is used. In general, this energy has a frequency of from about 30 to about 300 gigahertz. In some papers, reference to “millimeter waves” refers to frequencies around 60 gigahertz.
By way of further illustration, one may use energy of from about 1 to about 3 hertz to regenerate nerves. One may use an energy of from about 5 to about 9 hertz to promote bone growth. One may use an energy of about 10 hertz to heal ligaments. Energies of 15, 20, and 72 hertz decrease skin necrosis, stimulate capillary formation, and cause the proliferation of fibroblasts. Energies of 25 and 50 hertz promote synergistic effects with nerve growth factor. In general, the use of energies from about 1 to about 100 hertz promotes healing of many bodily parts.
Resistant myofascial pain can be treated with microcurrent of specific frequencies, as is disclosed in a 1998 article by C. McMakin entitled “Microcurrent treatment of myofascial pain in the head, neck, and face” published in Topics in Clinical Chiropractic 5(1):29-35. Chronic wounds can be treated by electric and electromagnetic fields, as is disclosed in a 1992 article by L. Vodovink and R. Karba entitled “Treatment of chronic wounds by means of electric and electromagnetic fields. Part 1. Literature review” published in Medical and Biological Engineering &_Computing 30:257-266. A variety of soft tissues have been treated with pulsing electromagnetic fields and 27 megahertz electromagnetic frequencies, as is disclosed by B. F. Sisken and J. Walker in an article published in 1995 with the title “Therapeutic aspects of electromagnetic fields for soft-tissue healing” in Advances in Chemistry Series 250, American Chemical Society, Washington D.C., pp. 277-285. Photoradiation therapy has been used for the treatment of malignant tumors, as was disclosed in 1978 by T. J. Dougherty, J. E. Kaufman, A. Goldfarb, K. R. Weishaupt, D. Boyd, and A. Mittleman A in an article entitled “Photoradiation therapy for the treatment of malignant tumors” published in Cancer Research 38:2628-2635). Weak direct current fields or stronger alternating current fields enhance the sprouting of intact saphenous nerves in rats, as is disclosed in an article by B. Pomeranz, M. Mullen, and H. Markus in 1984 with the title “Effect of applied electrical fields on sprouting of intact saphenous nerve in adult rat” published in Brain Research 303:331-336; and electrical fields enhance the regeneration of spinal cord in the lamprey, as is disclosed by R. B. Borgens, E. Roederer and M. J. Cohen in a 1981 article entitled “Enhanced spinal cord regeneration in lamprey by applied electric fields” published in Science 213:611-617. Scalar waves have been used to stimulate the immune system, as is disclosed by G. Rein in a 1989 article entitled “Effect of non-hertzian scalar waves on the immune system” published in the US Psychotronic Association Journal 1:15, and in another article by G. Rein published in 1998 entitled “Biological Effects of Quantum Fields and their Role in the Natural Healing Process” published in Frontier Perspectives 7(1):16-23. Skin wounds and intractable ulcers have been stimulated to heal faster with application of electrical fields, as is disclosed by D. S. Weiss, R. Kirsner, and W. H. Eaglstein in 1990 in an article entitled “Electrical stimulation and wound healing” published in Archives of Dermatology 126:222-225. Infrasound has been used in a wide variety of clinical situations, as is disclosed by R. R. Sunderlage in 1996 in a paper entitled “Clinical applications of infrasound therapy and clinical case studies” published as a research paper submitted to the Midwest Center for the Study of Oriental Medicine, course #A572, Dec. 21, 1996. Low frequency current pulses have been used over many years in electroacupuncture, as is disclosed by R. Voll, et. al. and summarized in the 1999 book Virtual Medicine by K Scott-Mumby and published by Harper Collins, London. Externally applied picotesla magnetic fields have been used to treat neurologic disorders as disclosed by J. I. Jacobson and W. S. Yamanashi in 1994 in an article entitled “A possible physical mechanism in the treatment of neurologic disorders with externally applied picotesla magnetic fields” published in Subtle Energies 5(3):239-252.
Laser acupuncture has been used to treat paralysis in stroke patients, as is disclosed by M. A. Naeser, M. P. Alexander, D. Stiassny-Eder, V. Galler, J. Hobbs, D. Bachman, and L. N. Lannin in 1995 in an article entitled “Laser Acupuncture in the Treatment of Paralysis in Stroke Patients: A CT Scan Lesion Site Study” published in the American Journal of Acupuncture 23(1):13-28. In general, the use of energies from about 1 to about 100 hertz promotes healing of many bodily parts, with some studies showing effects at much higher frequencies into the terahertz range. Millimeter waves are being utilized for the treatment of pain as disclosed by A. A. Radzievsky, M. A. Rojavin, A. Cowan, S. I. Alekseev, A. A. Radzievsky Jr, and M. C. Ziskin in a 2001 article entitle “Peripheral neural system involvement in hypoalgesic effect of electromagnetic millimeter waves” published in Life Science 68(10): 1143-51.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,528,256 discloses that cells can be modified “by subjecting them to the influence of ions from a metal electrode, for example of silver, which is placed in contact with them and which is made electrically positive, causing low intensity direct current to flow through them. The cells, which are relatively specialized, such as normal mammalian fibroblasts, assume a simpler, relatively unspecialized form and come to resemble hematopoetic or marrow-like cells.” The process leads to improved therapeutic effects, “such as enhanced cell or biochemical production, enhanced lesion healing, enhanced normal tissue growth or regeneration, cell dedifferentiation, changing cancer cell form, and stopping multiplication of cancer cells.” The entire disclosure of this patent is hereby incorporated by reference into this specification.
A light source called the MFbio-spectrum lamp treatment has been successful in treatment of diabetes, as is disclosed by G. Wu in 2000 in an article published on the web at http://www.findhealr.com/mall/telstar/clinic/diabetes.php3). Pulsed electromagnetic fields are being used to stimulate cutaneous wound healing in diabetic rats, as is disclosed by O. Patino, D. Grana, A. Bolgiani, G. Prezzavento, J. Mino, A. Merlo, and F. Benaim in a 1996 article entitled “Pulsed electromagnetic fields in experimental cutaneous wound healing in rats” published in the Journal of Burn Care Rehabilitation 17(6 Pt 1):528-31. Magnetotherapy is being applied to the comprehensive treatment of vascular complications of diabetes mellitus, as is disclosed by I. B. Kirillov, Z. V. Suchkova, A. V. Lastushkin, A. A. Sigaev, and T. I. Nekhaeva in a 1996 article entitled “Magnetotherapy in the comprehensive treatment of vascular complications of diabetes mellitus” published in Klinicheskaia Meditsina (Moskva) 74(5):39-41). Pulsating high-frequency electromagnetic fields are being used to treat patients with diabetic neuropathies and angiopathies, as is disclosed by V. Vesovic-Potic and S. Conic in a 1993 article entitled “Use of pulsating high-frequency electromagnetic fields in patients with diabetic neuropathies and angiopathies” published in Srpski Arhiv Za Celokupno Lekarstvo (Beograd) 121(8-12):124-6. Suppurative wounds in patients with diabetes mellitus are being treated by magnetic field and laser irradiation, as is disclosed by R. A. Kuliev, R. F. Babaev, L. M. Akhmedova, and A. I. Ragimova in a 1992 article entitled “Treatment of suppurative wounds in patients with diabetes mellitus by magnetic field and laser irradiation” published in Khirurgiia (Moskva) (7-8):30-3). Electromagnetic stimulation of the rat pancreas lowers serum glucose levels in rats, as is disclosed by P. O. Milch, J. B. Ott, R. J. Kurtz, and E. Findl in a 1981 article entitled “Electromagnetic stimulation of the rat pancreas and the lowering of serum glucose levels” published in Transactions—American Society for Artificial Internal Organs 27:246-9). Non-invasive electromagnetic flowmetry (NMF) using external magnets and flowmetry by NMR are being used for screening for arterial diseases, monitoring of the treatment, and study of hardened arteries in diabetes, as is disclosed by H. Boccalon in 1989 in an article entitled “The necessary advantage of measuring the pulsatile arterial flow of the limbs in patients with arterial disease” published in Annales de Cardiologie et d Angeiologie (Paris) 38(8):461-4).
Referring again to the Figures, and in one embodiment, the energy utilized in the process of this invention has a frequency of at least 1,000 gigahertz (one terahertz) and is believed to cause deoxyribonucleic acid to resonate. In this embodiment, a multiplicity of different frequencies, each of which has a frequency of at least one terahertz, are used.
In one embodiment, one may determine the vibrational spectrum of the agent by conventional means. Thus, e.g., one may determine the vibrational spectrum of a drug by the means disclosed in one or more of U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,232,499, 6,040,191, 5,912,179, 5,866,430, 5,848,977, 5,733,739, 5,733,507, 5,712,165, 5,555,366, 5,386,507, and the like. The entire disclosure of each of these United States patents is hereby incorporated by reference into this specification. Reference also may be had, e.g., to John A. Dean's “Analytical Chemistry Handbook”(McGraw-Hill, Inc., New York, 1995).
In another embodiment, one may determine the electromagnetic spectrum of the therapeutic agent; see, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,178,346 and 5,210,590 (rapid scanning spectrographic analyzer), and the like, the entire disclosure of each of which is hereby incorporated by reference into this specification. Thus, e.g., one may determine the optical spectrum of the therapeutic agent by the means disclosed in United States patents, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,251,280, 6,246,901, 6,167,297, 5,977,162, 5,853,370, 5,833,603, 5,622,945, 5,410,045, 5,330,741, 5,135,717, 4,980,566, 4,711,245, 4,250,394, and the like, the entire disclosure of each of which is hereby incorporated by reference into this specification.
Referring again to
It is known that signal molecules can activate their corresponding receptor sites without physical contact. See, e.g., an article by C. W. Smith, “Electromagnetic effects in humans,” in Biological Coherence and Response to External Stimuli, Frohlich H (editor), Springer-Verlag, Berlin, pages 205-232. Reference also may be had to James L. Oschman's book Energy Medicine: The Scientific Basis (Churchill Livingston, New York, N.Y., 2000) and a book published in 1957 by A. Szent-Gyorgyi entitled Bioenergetics, published by Academic Press, New York. In one preferred process of this invention, the energy patterns from signal molecules are used without their corresponding drugs to treat the receptor sites. Once one has determined a desired receptor response produced by a specified drug or combination of drugs, one may then evaluate which combination of energy pattern stimuli will produce the same response in step 19 of the process. Reference may be had to U.S. Pat. No. 6,242,209. The entire disclosure of this United States patent is hereby incorporated by reference into this specification.
Alternatively, and as is illustrated in step 15, one may determine the spectrum response of a receptor site to various stimuli, including stimulation by drugs as well as stimulation by application of various energy patterns or by combinations. Alternatively, one may determine the spectrum of the receptor site, over time, as it is exposed to a drug. By trial and error, one may determine what combination of stimuli produce the desired receptor response.
The set of drug compounds available to the medical community is limited by available chemical synthesis technology, and by precursor chemical structures available from organic, inorganic, botanical, or animal sources. Thus there is a practical limit to the array of signal molecules that can be used to elicit a cellular response. The cells themselves, and the receptor sites in particular, are under no such restriction. Thus there are a wide variety of electromagnetic spectra that have no corresponding available synthesized chemical structure, but which spectra may have effective, and even superior, therapeutic affect at the desired receptor site when used in the manner described in this invention. One approach to determine the specific receptor spectrum is to excite the receptor with an ultra short energy pulse, measure the resulting spectrum, and perform a mathematical transform on the resulting spectrum to determine the ideal-fit complementary spectrum that would be associated with the ideal-fit chemical compound. This approach shall be referred to as ‘receptor response spectrum development’ for descriptive purposes and is included in
Alternatively, electromagnetic signals can be designed on the basis of highly specific information on the structure and operation of receptor sites on and within cells. The growing information on the molecular configurations of receptors and on the mechanisms taking place when ligands interact with receptors provides a wealth of opportunities for the design of highly specific electromagnetic therapies. We now know that what has been referred to in the past as “a receptor” can actually have several functional domains. There is a ligand-binding domain and an effector domain. The ligand-binding domain is the specific site, often on the cell surface, where a regulator ligand (such as a hormone, growth factor, or neurotransmitter) has its primary action. The effector domain consists of a series of intermediary cellular molecules in the signal transduction pathway. Drugs and electromagnetic fields can interact with both of these domains, including the domains of the second messenger molecules that convey messages within cells. Recent advances in computational chemistry, structural analysis of organic compounds, and biochemical measurement of the primary actions of drugs at their receptors have permitted the design of new and more specific drugs. The same information can be used in the de novo design of highly specific electromagnetic interventions. Moreover, recent advances in determining the structures of drug-receptor complexes, at atomic resolution by X-ray crystallography or nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, are even more helpful, and offer great promise for the design of electromagnetic signals of extreme potency and specificity.
Alternatively, as is illustrated in
Alternatively, as illustrated in
Referring again to
In portion 27 of the process, which is comprised of steps 11 through 25, the steps necessary to identify the appropriate energy pattern are described. In portion 29 of the process, comprising steps 31 through 37, the steps necessary to apply the selected energy pattern to the living organism are described.
In step 31 of the process, which is optional, one may utilize an external monitor/reprogrammer for bidirectional communication between the implanted device and the outside world. With such a monitor/reprogrammer, one can visually observe indicia of the state of biological organism and, as appropriate, change the program of the implanted device.
The external monitor/reprogrammer is operatively connected to the implanted energy device of step 33 which, in response to external stimuli and/or in vivo stimuli provided by the biological organism, provides energy to biological organism of step 35. In one embodiment, depicted in step 37, a sensor which can monitor the response of the living organism to the applied energy and, with use of a programmable computer (not shown), continually modifies the energy delivered to the organism. The connection between the external monitor/reprogrammer 31 and the energy device may be direct, or it may be indirect. In one embodiment, the connection is indirect and is made, e.g., by means of transceivers.
In another embodiment of this invention, illustrated in
In another embodiment of this invention, illustrated in
Referring to
Once such correlations have been made, using the methods disclosed herein or by reference to research studies conducted by others, one can deliver to the patient, via emitter 16, that portion of the spectral pattern which is advantageous to the patient at times when it is advantageous to the patient. Thus, e.g., the sensors 46 can determine when, e.g., the liver is malfunctioning and deliver the required electromagnetic radiation to the patient, either alone and/or in combination with one or more drugs, until the liver is functioning properly.
In the preferred embodiment depicted in
In one embodiment, as depicted in
In another embodiment of this invention, also depicted in
In another embodiment of this invention, illustrated in
In one embodiment, illustrated in
In another embodiment of this invention, illustrated in
In the embodiment depicted in
In one preferred embodiment, in any or all of the processes of this invention, the electromagnetic energy is delivered directly into one or more bodily fluids, such as, e.g., the blood, the lymph, the urine, cerebrospinal fluid, endolymph, aqueous humor, etc. Reference may be had, e.g., to
After verifying that the therapy regimen is safe, in step 108, millimeter wave frequency is applied for a specified duration such as, e.g., 15 minutes. Thereafter, the blood pressure of the biological organism is again checked in step 102′. In one aspect of this embodiment, if the blood pressure of the organism is still too high after the initial treatment, additional incremental treatments 110 preferably are continued up to a threshold decision point 112. In the embodiment depicted, additional chemical therapy is administered in step 114, and monitored in step 102″. If this additional drug therapy is not effective, the patient is alerted in step 118.
It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the preferred process depicted in
Referring to the graph depicted in
The spectrum 216 depicted in the graph of
When a drug is administered to patient, its spectrum changes as it is dissolved within the patient's system and/or is metabolized within the patient. As the drug undergoes physical and/or chemical changes, its spectrum changes. In one embodiment of this invention, the energy pattern delivered by the emitter 16 is substantially comparable to the energy pattern delivered by a drug as it undergoes physical and/or chemical changes within the patient's body.
One may, by conventional techniques, measure the spectrum of one or more drugs as they interact with and within a patient's body. Thereafter, one may program this spectrum into an emitter comprised of programmable computer such that the emitter will deliver the same energy pattern to a biological organism as the drug did, over time. Thus, e.g., one may use the emitter 16 and the controller 44, as depicted in
It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the process just described may not be ideal, as alterations in the structure of drug molecules, and resulting alterations in the emission spectrum of the molecules, may be detrimental to the organism, leading to undesired side effects. Hence in another preferred embodiment the computer is programmed such that the emitter will continue to deliver the same energy pattern to a biological organism as the drug did when the drug was first administered to the patient.
In the embodiment of
How the energy pattern of any particular drug, or combinations of drugs, or how combinations of drugs and electromagnetic fields, changes over time may be stored within the controller 44 of
If, for example, a drug is being administered which, at a particular point in time, is producing a disadvantageous energy pattern, the emitter 16 may emit one or more interfering and/or phase shifted and/or phase inverted and/or complementary energy patterns which, after they interact with the energy pattern produced by such drug, or with the response of the receptor molecules the drug is acting upon, produce the desired energy pattern and/or lack thereof.
The process of this invention is not limited to the use of only one emitter 16 or only one implantable drug dispenser 240. As will be apparent to those skilled in the art, the use of a multiplicity of emitters 16 allows one to produce a large variety of different waveforms and spectra patterns that can interact with a multiplicity of injected drugs.
In one embodiment, there is provided an apparatus for treating a biological organism, comprising an externally worn and removable appliance comprised of means for inducing an electromagnetic and/or vibrational and/or light and/or other energy pattern of a biological process and/or a suitable drug or drugs through the skin of a organism which, preferably, is living. In this embodiment, the energy pattern corresponds to at least a portion of the electromagnetic pattern, or a modification thereof, of a biological process within the organism.
In many cases, it may be desirable to introduce more than one electromagnetic pattern to the patient. Thus, in one embodiment, depicted in
In one preferred embodiment, in any or all of the processes of this invention, the electromagnetic energy and/or other energy is delivered directly into cartilage. In another embodiment of the invention, the electromagnetic and/or other energy is delivered directly into bone. In yet another embodiment of the invention, the electromagnetic and/or other energy is delivered directly into brain cells. In yet another embodiment of this invention, the electromagnetic and/or other energy is delivered to fascia and/or cerebrospinal fluid and/or other fluids. In yet another embodiment of this invention, the electromagnetic and/or other energy is delivered to acupuncture and/or other biologically active points within and/or on the body.
In any or all of the aforementioned embodiments, one may substitute for part or all of the electromagnetic energy other energy forms, such as vibratory energy.
After a suitable number of correlations have been made with the devices of this invention, one may deliver one or more energy patterns, and/or drugs, adapted to provide anti-allergy signals, anti-aids recognition signals, signals that reduce the side effects of drugs, signals that mimic the signals of homeopathic remedies, signals that mimic the patterns of heat drugs (such as beta blockers), nitrolycerine, anti-tumor drugs, antibiotics, antiviral agents, stress reducing agents, pain killers, and the like. As will be apparent, this list is merely illustrative.
In one embodiment, a desired electromagnetic spectrum and/or modulated light or sound (including, e.g., ultraviolet light or ultrasound or infrared radiation, e.g.) is injected directly into a patient's blood stream on demand and/or at regular intervals and/or continuously.
In one embodiment, the spectral pattern which exists when the AIDS virus attaches to a lymphocyte is determined, and a pattern designed to interfere with this first spectral pattern is emitted. Thus, e.g., one may emit coherent photon signals that mediate the behavior of the AIDS viron and its attraction to and identification of and docking on the human lymphocyte. In one aspect of this embodiment, either the viron itself and/or a component of the viron is caused to resonate at its natural coherent resonant frequency. Two key elements of such viron are two surface proteins, glycoprotein GP41 and glycoprotein GP 120; they constitute a dielectric antenna. By the application of suitable electromagnetic energy to such “antenna,” the AIDS viron can be affected.
In one embodiment, the emitter 16 is comprised of means for transmitting a desired electromagnetic pattern to a pacemaker. Thus, e.g., one may transmit suitable analog, digital, or scalar versions of such signals to a cardiac assist device. In one aspect of this embodiment, the cardiac assist device is adapted to store the spectrum transmitted to it by the emitter 16 and, when appropriate, to retransmit part or all of such spectrum.
In another embodiment, see
In another embodiment, fluid is treated externally and independent of a body as it flows through tubing. In
In another embodiment (not shown), the emitter tip 356 of
In another embodiment, see
A Process for the Treatment of, Diseased Organisms
In yet another embodiment of the invention, a process for the treatment of disease, such as cancer is provided. Although the process is applicable to many different diseases, it will be described by reference to cancer for ease of simplicity of description.
The group of diseases commonly referred to as cancer in fact includes a highly diverse set of cell types that have, through a process of mutation, begun a process of unregulated proliferation. Since the accumulation of these mutations is a random process, the combination of mutations that ultimately result in a cancerous disease state varies widely. This complicates the process of disease treatment, as each protocol must be tailor-made to suit each different patient.
Physicians have long sought a treatment for cell proliferation diseases (such as cancer) that could be generalized for the treatment of all of these related maladies, avoiding this process of “tailoring making” a protocol that may involve invasive diagnostic techniques that can be uncomfortable for the patient and rely on conventional pathological analysis which is expensive, time-consuming and often is based on techniques that have variable accuracy.
One unique property of cancer cells is their ability, once in their fully transformed state, to become motile. This property is known to those of skill in the art as invasive and metastasis. Reference may be had, e.g. to U.S. Pat. No. 5,260,288 (“Method for inhibition of cell motility by sphingosine-1-phosphate and derivatives,”) that discloses that “cell motility is an important parameter defining various pathological processes such as inflammation, tumor invasion, and metastasis.”(See column 1, Line 57-60). The entire content of this United States patent are hereby incorporated by reference into this specification.
In one embodiment, describe more fully elsewhere in this specification, there is disclosed a process and device to influence the cell motility and cell division cycle of cancer and other diseased cells in order to slow or stop their proliferation and thereby slow the progression of the disease or affect a cure. As will be apparent to those skilled in the art, disease processes involving the control of cell proliferation include, but are not limited to restenosis of vascular and arteriole tissue following angioplasty or the introduction of a vascular stent, the development of excessive or unwanted scar tissue, thickening of ventricular walls in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, angiogenesis of tumor masses, psoriasis, and other related disorders.
These disease processes are well described in the patent literature. Thus, by way of illustration and not limitation, reference may be had, e.g., to U.S. Pat. No. 6,417,338 (“Autotaxin: motility stimulating protein useful in cancer diagnosis and therapy”), the entire contents of which is hereby incorporated by reference into this specification. This patent states that “cell motility plays an important role in embryonic events, adult tissue remodeling, wound healing, angiogenesis, immune defense, and metastasis of tumor cells (Singer, 1986). In normal physiologic processes, motility is tightly regulated. On the other hand, tumor cell motility may be aberrantly regulated or autoregulated.”(see column 1, lines 29 to 34) There is a great clinical need to predict the aggressiveness of a patient's individual tumor, to predict the local recurrence of treated tumors and to identify patients at high risk for development of invasive tumors.”
Additionally, U.S. Pat. No. 6,844,184: (“Device for arraying biomolecules and for monitoring cell motility in real-time”), the entire contents of which is hereby incorporated by reference into this specification, reiterates the importance of cell motility in disease by stating that “When a cell is exposed to chemical stimuli, its behavior is an important consideration, particularly when developing and evaluating therapeutic candidates and their effectiveness. By documenting the reaction of a cell or a group of cells to a chemical stimulus, such as a therapeutic agent, the effectiveness of the chemical stimulus can be better understood. In particular, in the fields of oncology and cell biology, cell migration and metastasis are regularly considered. Typically, studies in these fields involve analyzing the migration and behavior of living cells with regard to various biological factors and potential anti-cancer drugs. Moreover, the resultant migration, differentiation, and behavior of a cell are often insightful towards further understanding the chemotactic processes involved in tumor cell metastasis. In addition, these studies can also provide insight into the processes of tissue regeneration, wound healing, inflamation, autoimmune diseases, and many other degenerative diseases and conditions”(see column 1, lines 36-53).
By way of further illustration, U.S. Pat. No. 6,844,184 discloses that “cell migration assays are often used in conducting these types of research. Commercially available devices for creating such assays are often based on or employ a Boyden chamber (a vessel partitioned by a thin porous membrane to form two distinct, super-imposed chambers). Also known as transwells, the Boyden chamber is used by placing a migratory stimulus on one side of a thin porous membrane and cells to be studied on the other. After a sufficient incubation period the cells may be fixed, stained, and counted to study the effects of the stimulus on cell migration across the membrane” (see column 1, lines 54-64).
Cell motility and invasion can be described experimentally, as is well known to those skilled in the art. Reference may be had to U.S. Pat. No. 5,260,288 (a method “ . . . for determining chemotactic cell motility and chemoinvasion . . . . ” Reference also may be had to U.S. Pat. No. 5,260,288 (see column 4, line 61 to column 5, line 5) which discloses a method that “ . . . can be performed using transwell plates with a polycarbonate membrane filter (pore size 8 μm) (Costar Scientific, Cambridge, Mass.). Aliquots, e.g., 50 μl, of an aqueous solution of MATRI-GEL (Collaborative Research, Bedford, Mass.) containing SPN-1-P or other inhibitor (e.g., 20 μg/ml for chemotactic motility assay or 200 μg/ml for chemoinvasion assay), is added to each well and dried overnight. The filter is then fitted onto the lower chamber plate. The lower chamber can contain conditioned medium (CM) (i.e., medium used for splenic stromal cell culture, and containing motility factor secreted by these cells), e.g., 0.6 ml, with or without SPN-1-P or other inhibitor.” The entire disclosure of each of these United States patents is hereby incorporated by reference into this specification.
By way of further illustration, U.S. Pat. No. 5,260,288 discloses that “[t]o the upper chamber is added, e.g., about 100 μl, of cell suspension (5×104 cells/ml for invasion assay, 5×105 cells/ml for motility assay), which is then incubated in 5% CO2 at 37° C. for 70-72 hours (invasion assay) or 20 hours (motility assay). After incubation, cells remaining in the upper chamber are wiped off with a cotton swab, and cells which had migrated to the lower chamber side of the filter are fixed in methanol for 30 seconds and stained with 0.05% toluidine blue. The filter is removed, the stain is solubilized in 10% acetic acid (e.g., 0.1 ml for invasion assay, 0.5 ml for motility assay), and color intensity (optical density) is quantitated by ELISA reading at 630 nm. A schematic summary of this procedure is shown in
In order to interrogate aberrant cells, one may use the assay disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,844,184, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference into this specification. This patent describes “an assay device or method that would allow further study of cell migration in response to various factors, including synergistic effects . . . .”.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,844,184 also discloses that “To study cell motility, either in response to a cell affecting agent, or random motility, it is desirable to be able to monitor cellular movement from a predefined “starting” position. To do this, cells must be placed, attached or immobilized upon a surface in such a manner that their viability is maintained and that their position is definable so that multiple interrogations or probing of cellular response (i.e. motility or lack thereof) may be performed. In previous methods concerning cell immobilization, cells often undergo a nonreversible immobilization. For example, cells have been immobilized by patterning cells on a self-assembled monolayer that has a protein tether that will “capture” the cell. Alternatively, cells have been immobilized via immunological reaction with antibodies, which themselves have been immobilized on the immobilization surface. Other methods of immobilization involve simply allowing cells to attach themselves to a suitable surface, such as glass or plastic, and then allowing them to migrate into adjacent areas” (see column 4, line 52 to column 5, line 3).
Other prior art references have also disclosed processes aimed at the prevention of cell motility aimed at the treatment of disease. Thus, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,997,868 (“inhibition of scatter factor for blocking angiogenesis”), the entire contents of which is hereby incorporated by reference into this specification, discloses that “Angiogenesis is often associated with chronic inflammation diseases. Psoriasis is a common inflammatory skin disease characterized by prominent epidermal hyperplasia and neovascularization in the dermal papillae”(see column 7, lines 23 to 30).
U.S. Pat. No. 6,716,597(“methods and products for regulating cell motility”), teaches a method that “involves inducing a functional Ena/VASP protein in a mammalian cell in an effective amount for preventing cell migration.”(see column 5, lines 47 to 49). Further, it states that “the method involves administering to a subject having or at risk of developing a metastatic cancer a plasma membrane targeting compound in an effective amount for preventing cell migration in order to prevent tumor cell metastasis. In yet other aspects, the invention is a method for preventing or treating inflammatory disease in a subject” (see column 5, lines 51 to 57). The entire disclosure of each of these United States patents is hereby incorporated by reference into this specification.
By way of further illustration, U.S. Pat. No. 5,994,325: (methods and compositions based on inhibition of cell invasion and fibrosis by anionic polymers), the entire contents of which is hereby incorporated by reference into this specification, discloses “the discovery that biocompatible anionic polymers can effectively inhibit fibrosis, scar formation, and surgical adhesions. The invention is predicated on the discovery that anionic polymers effectively inhibit invasion of cells associated with detrimental healing processes, and in particular, that the effectiveness of an anionic polymer at inhibiting cell invasion correlates with the anionic charge density of the polymer.” Additionally, “the invention further provides compositions and methods to inhibit glial cell invasion, detrimental bone growth and neurite outgrowth.”
The prior art has disclosed devices and processes for influencing the behavior of cells by exposing them to light. Thus, e.g., Dr. Guenter Albrecht-Buehler reports that 3T3 cells can be influenced to move in the direction of a source of infrared light in the “Journal of Cell Biology” (Vol. 114, Num. 3, August 1991 pages 493-502). He states that: “using a specially designed microscope with an infrared spot illuminator we found that approximately 25% of 3T3 cells were able to extend pseudopodia towards single microscope infrared light sources nearby. If the cells were offered a pair of such light sources next to each other, 47% of the cells extended towards them.”
In this Albrecht-Buehler article in the Journal of Cell Biology (114:3, pages 493-502), the author describes the design of the Infrared Spot-irradiation Phase-Contrast Light Microscope (IRSIP) as follows: “the opaque center of the illumination annulus of commercial phase-contrast condensers would have blocked the incident infrared light beam. Furthermore, its glass lenses would have absorbed infrared light above wavelengths of X>2.5 Am (10). Therefore, we replaced the phase contrast condensor with a fiber optical illuminator in the shape of a ring (
In this article, Albrecht-Buehler elaborates the description of his device by stating that the Spot Illuminator is constructed with “Field Illumination Wavelengths. Based on our earlier investigations about the least perturbing field illumination spectrum for long-term observation of 3T3 cells (12), in most of the experiments we restricted the light for phase-contrast illumination to a small window between 600 and 700 run by combining a heat filter (BG38: Zeiss, Oberkochen, Germany) with a filter (RG 630; Corning Glass Division, Park Ridge, Ill.). In a special set of experiments (see Results) we used light of 510-560-nm wavelength (peak at 540 run) by combining a 540-nn interference filter with a CS3-70 absorption filter. All experiments were carried out in a darkened room to avoid effects of other wavelengths contained in the room light.”
The article then discloses that “Intensity. Using a cadmium sulfide photoconductive element as photometer and a Dewar flask filled with 400 ml of distilled water as a calorimeter we determined the normal illumination intensity in the range of wavelengths below X=2,000 ran to be I=0.48 mW/cm2. This intensity is N1/170a′ of the total solar irradiance of 80 mW/cm2 at sea level (11). THE SPOT ILLUMINATOR Monochromator The Beckman monochromator of a dismantled spectrophotometer (model 252; Gilford Instruments, Oberlin, Ohio) with a 20 W/6V halogen lamp (No. 778; General Electric, Co., Cleveland, Ohio) served as its infrared light source. Its spectral resolution at our normal setting of the slit width=1 nun was better than 10 nm as measured with a 3.5 mW HeNe Laser (Metrologic Instruments, Bellmawr, N.J.) which emits light at 633 t 1 run. Spot Size. To generate a well-defined outline of the irradiating spot, the light from the monochromator was sent through a small aperture (
Albrecht-Buehler used the disclosed microscope to generate data about the response of cells to light in their environment, once again in his article in the Journal of Cell Biology (114:3, pp 493-502) stating that “Control Levels. We observed 83 individual cells for 1 h or longer in the infrared spot-irradiation phase-contrast microscope without using any infrared spot irradiation. We found that only three cells (4 t 2%) extended small lamellipodia at their tails. All others retracted the tail or kept it unchanged during the period of observation. Infrared Irradiation Experiments. In contrast, we found up to six times as many cells (24%; p<0.001 by t test) extending large lamellipodia towards the rear, if the base of their tail was exposed for 60 min to infrared spot irradiation with a sinusoidally oscillating amplitude at a frequency of 30/min.
In one preferred embodiment of this invention, also described elsewhere in this specification, infrared light is used to promote the migration of cells or cell appendages to a particular region. This migration can include, but is not limited to, angiogenesis, nerve axons, and myocytes.
In another article also by Dr. Guenter Albrecht-Buehler, “Cell motility and cytoskeleton” Vol. 32, pp. 299-304, he asserts that “3T3 cells respond differently to specific near-infrared signals than epithelial CV1 cells. Furthermore, signals with the same wavelength and energy changed the percentages of attracted and repelled 3T3 cells if their intensity modulation was altered. I have found this result in a 22 month long study which established a spectrum of motile responses of 781 individual 3T3 cells and 148 CV1 cells to the near-infrared emissions of microscopic, pulsating light sources using the infrared spot-irradiation phase-contrast microscope . . . . Since it seems to depend on the cell type and temoral pattern in which the light energy is emitted, it appears to imply the existence of a new kind of cellular information.” He further illustrates by stating that “If I used near-infrared of 800-900 nm wavelength with a pulsation frequency of 0.5 Hz about 28% of the test cells bridged distances of up to 60 micrometers with newly formed surface projections as they touched the light sources . . . . The cells essentially ignored light sources whose [sic.] intensity was constant.” Dr. Albrecht-Buehler then adds, “In addition to the general trends I observed in 3T3 cells a critical frequency range between 0.5 ad 1.0 Hz where “attraction” and “repulsion” were sharply frequency dependant: around 1.0 Hz nearly twice as many 3T3 cells were attracted as repelled, whereas I found the reverse situation at 0.7 Hz.”
In yet another 1998 article, in the journal “Cell motility and Cytoskeleton” Volume 40, pages 183-192, Albrecht-Buehler describes experiments in which infrared light was shown to “[reduce] the stability of radial microtubules around the centrosome.” In one preferred embodiment of this invention the application of light energy to the mitotic spindle of a dividing cancer cell prevents the completion of the cell division process.
In one preferred embodiment of this invention, pulsed infrared light is used to turn away invasive or migrating cells from an irradiated area. In another embodiment, light in the visual and ultraviolet spectrum is used. Each of these embodiments is described elsewhere in this specification.
In another preferred embodiment, non-cancer and cancer cells are cultured by methods routine to those skilled in the art, and exposed to light in the range of 660-1000 nanometers with varied pulse rates and wavelengths that were discovered to be capable of altering the progression of the cell cycle. This alteration could be a cessation or a signal to begin cell division. In another embodiment, light in the visual and ultraviolet spectrum is used.
In a preferred embodiment of this invention, an intravascular probe, such as that described in United States published patent application 20040039269: (“Use of ultraviolet, near-ultraviolet and near infrared resonance raman spectroscopy and fluorescence spectroscopy fro tissue interrogation of shock states, critical illnesses, and other disease states”), is used to deliver light energy to internal organs, vascular tissue and the like, with the goal of affected cell migration, cell division and other cellular processes as described in the above disclosure the entire contents of this United States patent application is hereby incorporated by reference into this specification. U.S. patent application 20040039269 claims “A tissue analysis method, comprising: interrogating a biological tissue with Raman spectroscopy and fluorescence spectroscopy to obtain spectroscopy results.”
In another section of this specification, various types and regimens of energy are delivered to a biological organism. It will be understood that any one or more of these energy protocols may be used with one or more of the devices of
In one preferred embodiment, the control unit 552 uses information derived from the process described in
In one embodiment the properties of the light emitted by one or more of the devices of
In one embodiment, the wavelength is between about 601 and about 1200 nanometers. In another embodiment the wavelength is from about 390 to about 600 nanometers. In yet another embodiment, the wavelength is from about 200 to about 389 nanometers. In one aspect of these embodiments, regardless of the wavelength used, the light energy is pulsed into a biological sample (such as a tissue sample) at a 0.5 hertz pulse rate. In another aspect of this embodiment, the pulse rate is from about 0.55 hertz to about 0.7 hertz. In another aspect of this embodiment, the pulse rate is less than about 0.4 hertz and preferably is from about 0.1 to about ˜0.4 hertz. In another embodiment, when using one or more of the aforementioned wavelengths of light, the light is continuous.
A Process for Diagnosing and Treating Malignant Cells
Referring to
Referring again to
Spectral density and phase coherence of the emissions from normal cells 610 and malignant cells 611 are computed in step 612 and stored in database 620. Such detection and measurement can be accomplished by well-known electronic devices; e.g., spectrum analyzers and oscilloscopes. For a definition of spectrum analyzer, reference may be had to Sybil P. Parker “Concise Encyclopedia of Science and Technology, 3rd Ed.” (McGraw-Hill: New York, N.Y.) 1994, page 1776. As stated in this reference a spectrum analyzer is “A device which sweeps over a portion of the radio-frequency spectrum, responds to signals whose frequencies lie within the swept band, and displays them in relative magnitude and frequency on a cathode ray tube screen. In essence, it is a superheterodyne receiver having a local oscillator whose frequency is varied cyclically, usually at the power line frequency.” Reference may also be had, e.g., to U.S. Pat. No. 4,598,247: (“Spectrum analyzer and analysis method for measuring power and wavelength of electromagnetic radiation.”) and U.S. Pat. No. 6,016,197: (“Compact, all optical spectrum analyzer for chemical and biologic fiber optic sensors”). The entire contents of these two United States patents are hereby incorporated by reference into this specification.
Optionally, and in one embodiment, Fast Fourier transform algorithms may be used with wideband signals to determine power spectral density of biological data by converting a signal in the time domain into data in the frequency domain, using either digital signal processors or the equivalent algorithms in software. Reference may also be had e.g., to U.S. Pat. No. 5,609,158: (“Apparatus and method for predicting cardiac arrhythmia by detection of micropotentials and analysis of all ECG segments and intervals”); U.S. Pat. No. 5,870,704: (“Frequency-domain spectral envelope estimation for monophonic and polyphonic signals”); U.S. Pat. No. 6,859,816: (“Fast Fourier transform method and inverse fast Fourier transform method”); U.S. Pat. No. 6,263,356: (“Fast fourier transform calculating apparatus and fast fourier transform calculating method”). The entire contents of these United States patents are hereby incorporated by reference into this specification.
As is known to those skilled in the art, such measurements of spectral density and phase coherence may be performed in a Faraday cage to attenuate artifacts from environmental sources. In addition, artifacts from electrical signals in the extreme low frequency (ELF) range, such as 60 Hz power line signals, may be attenuated by using battery-powered equipment, mu-metal shielding, common-mode-rejection circuits, and other methods.
Optionally, and in one embodiment, electromagnetic signals in the 100 to 1200 nanometer wavelength range are detected, measured, and recorded for normal cells 610 and malignant cells 611. One may detect, measure, and record spectral density and phase coherence for such signals by well-known devices; e.g., spectrophotometers, photomultipliers, and the like, or combinations thereof. Reference may be had e.g., to U.S. Pat. No. 6,714,304: (“Fourier transformation infrared spectrophotometer”); U.S. Pat. No. 6,549,795: (“Spectrophotometer for tissue examination”); U.S. Pat. No. 6,134,460: (“Spectrophotometers with catheters for measuring internal tissue”); U.S. Pat. No. 5,779,631: (“Spectrophotometer for measuring the metabolic condition of a subject”). The entire contents of these United States patents are hereby incorporated by reference into this specification. A detection device for detecting energy emissions from biological cells is also disclosed in published U.S. patent application 2003/0013094: (“Hybrid nucleic acid assembly”), the entire contents of which is hereby incorporated by reference into this specification.
By way of yet further illustration, one may use the processes disclosed in published U.S. patent 2003/0013094 (hybrid nucleic acid assembly), the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference into this specification. This published patent application discloses “a process for measuring DNA conductivity (of electrons, photons, and vibration) while such DNA is undergoing its normal processes (such as transcription or replication) in substantially its normal environment . . . ” using “a hybrid nucleic acid assembly comprised of a partially denatured double strand of nucleic acid, a first probe attached to a proximal end of such strand, and a second probe attached to a distal end. Each of the first and second probes is comprised of a conductive fiber.”
Published U.S. patent application 2003/0013094 also discloses that “The energy transmitted may be light energy, either in the form of waves and/or particles, at various frequencies, wavelengths, or combinations thereof.” With such a device, “one can determine when there is any aberrant condition with such DNA that would affect such current flow, and/or one can determine when normal DNA processes (such as transcription or replication) are occurring. Reference data can be generated as to the current flows normally existing during these events, and such data can be correlated with readings taken from the DNA when it is in a substantially in vivo environment.”
Published U.S. patent application 2003/0013094 also discloses that “The electrical properties of DNA strand 72 will vary depending upon its geometry and chemical composition. These characteristics will, in turn, vary when events such as protein binding, transcription, replication, denaturation, and the like occur. Thus, the circuit 100 may be used to determine when a particular strand 72 of DNA is undergoing such an event and/or whether a particular strand of DNA 72 evidences an aberrant behavior or composition or geometry which affects such electrical characteristics.”
Optical phase coherence may alternatively be measured by means of such techniques and devices as, for example, laser diodes in combination with interferometers. Reference may be had e.g., to World Intellectual Property Organization patent WO05001445A2: (systems and methods for phase measurements) which states that “Preferred embodiments of the present invention are directed to systems for phase measurement which address the problem of phase noise using combinations of a number of strategies including, but not limited to, common-path interferometry, phase referencing, active stabilization and differential measurement. Embodiment are directed to optical devices for imaging small biological objects with light. These embodiments can be applied to the fields of, for example, cellular physiology and neuroscience. These preferred embodiments are based on principles of phase measurements and imaging technologies. The scientific motivation for using phase measurements and imaging technologies is derived from, for example, cellular biology at the sub-micron level which can include, without limitation, imaging origins of dysplasia, cellular communication, neuronal transmission and implementation of the genetic code. The structure and dynamics of sub-cellular constituents cannot be currently studied in their native state using the existing methods and technologies including, for example, x-ray and neutron scattering. In contrast, light based techniques with nanometer resolution enable the cellular machinery to be studied in its native state. Thus, preferred embodiments of the present invention include systems based on principles of interferometry and/or phase measurements and are used to study cellular physiology. These systems include principles of low coherence interferometry (LCI) using optical interferometers to measure phase, or light scattering spectroscopy (LSS) wherein interference within the cellular components themselves is used, or in the alternative the principles of LCI and LSS can be combined to result in systems of the present invention.”
Referring again to
The aforementioned steps (shown in 610, 611, 612, 616, 617, 618) are also repeated to determine the signature of electromagnetic radiation for normal and malignant cells for each isotope in the database of tubulin isotypes in step 621. These tubulin isotypes are described in applicants' copending United States patent application U.S. Ser. No. 10/923,615, (filed on Aug. 20, 2004), the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference into this specification.
The signature (unique patterns) of the spectral density and phase coherence of the electromagnetic radiation for each group of normal and malignant cells is then determined by computational algorithms (which can be executed in either hardware or software) known to those skilled in the art, based on an analysis of the normal and malignant electromagnetic radiation and other data in the database.
Referring again to
Referring again to
In one embodiment, after a measurement is made of the emission(s) from the normal cells and/or the cancer cells, phase-cancellation signals are sent out to selectively confuse or incapacitate the cancer cells. Thus, e.g., one may use real-time phase cancellation, as known to those skilled in the art. Phase cancellation is achieved by transmitting an inverse (180 degrees out of phase) signal at the same frequency as a detected mitogenic or mutagenic signal. As a result, the mitogenic or mutagenic signal may be attenuated or blocked.
For example, mitogenic or mutagenic signals may be blocked using electronic countermeasures techniques such as, for example, electromagnetic radiation (at microwave or optical frequencies) that is modulated with high levels of noise (“jamming”) at target-sensitive frequencies or ranges of frequencies, or at specific power levels, or by specific pulse trains, or at specific phase regimens, or by synchronizing with mitogenic signals, or by using phase cancellation with mitogenic signals, or by using pulse trains that confuse mitogenic or mutagenic signals, or by using pulse trains that confuse by signalling completion of an event such as mitosis, or by any combination of these tactics, or by using a plurality of other electronic countermeasures techniques that are well known to those skilled in the art.
The candidate therapeutic regimens 624 are then executed in designed experiments 626 seeking to determine the optimal methods of entraining orderly cell division and appropriate coherence in electromagnetic energy emitted by cells. The effects of the candidate regimens are then measured, using standard techniques for the assessment of tumor mass growth, regression and remission known to those of skill in the art. In step 630 of such designed experimentation, a specific regimen that produces the desired therapeutic result for the patient, if successful, is determined and confirmed in final step 640.
A Light Emitting Coating for a Stent
Referring to
Referring again to
In one preferred embodiment, described elsewhere in this specification, the wavelength of the light used is a wavelength determined a process described elsewhere to be toxic to cancer cells.
A Process for Treating Congestive Heart Failure
Referring to
In another preferred embodiment of this invention, and with reference to
A Device for Interrogating Cellular Components
Referring again to
In the embodiment depicted, the monolayer 1008 is disposed on the media 1010. A light emitting device 1012 is preferably disposed below the monolayer 1008, and it is adapted to emit one or more of the radiations described elsewhere in this specification.
In the preferred embodiment depicted, and referring again to
Lid 1002 is configured so as to ensure an optically sterile environment; it is preferably opaque, neither allowing light to enter or leave. As used herein, the term light with a wavelength of from about 200 to about 1200 nanometers.
In the preferred embodiment depicted, the device 1000 is preferably shielded from radio frequency radiation by Mu metal shields 1006.
Referring again to
In one preferred embodiment, it is preferred to generate harmonics with a wavelength of from 200 to 400 nanometers. In this embodiment, one thus would utilize a light source 1012 that produced light with a wavelength of 400 to 800 nanometers.
After light energy 1014 has been emitted from the light source 10-12, one can observe the effect of such light energy 1014 (and/or of the harmonics it creates) upon the cell monolayer 1008. One can remove the lid 1002 and observe whether the cells have proliferated, and/or been killed, and/or moved. In one embodiment, camera 1009 continually monitors the effects of the radiation 1014 upon the cell monolayer and transfers this information by a telemetric link (not shown) to the controller (not shown).
As will be apparent, the device 1000 allows one to determine the effects, if any, upon cellular health of various light regimens. Some of these are discussed elsewhere in this specification.
In one preferred embodiment, the light regimen in question preferentially kills cancer cell and/or preferentially stops the cell division of cancer and/or preferably stops the motility of cancer cells.
In one embodiment, the cell monolayer 1008 is a cell monolayer derived from cancer cells taken from a patient. As will be apparent, one can determine, for these particular cells in question, which light energy regimen is most efficacious in treating such cancer cells. Thereafter, one can implant a device, such as the device depicted in
Treatment of the Biological Material with Solitons and/or Phonons
In one preferred embodiment, the biological material referred to elsewhere in this specification is treated with either solitons and/or phonons.
As is known to those skilled in the art, a soliton is an isolated wave that propagates without dispersing its energy over larger and larger regions of space and whose nature is such that two such objects emerge unchanged from a collision. Reference may be had, e.g., to page 1770 of the “McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms,” Fourth Edition (McGraw-Hill Book Company, New York, N.Y., 1989). Reference may he had, e.g., to U.S. Pat. No. 5,157,744 (soliton generator), U.S. Pat. No. 5,473,458 (soliton data transmission using non-soliton transmitter), U.S. Pat. No. 5,477,375 (optical soliton generator), U.S. Pat. No. 5,508,845 (quasi-soliton transmission system), U.S. Pat. No. 5,523,874 (optical soliton pulse transmission system), U.S. Pat. No. 6,130,767 (method and apparatus for conditioning optical solitons), U.S. Pat. No. 6,134,038 (optical signal for a soliton optical transmission system), U.S. Pat. No. 6,222,669 (optical partial regeneration of solitons), U.S. Pat. No. 6,342,962 (optical system for transmitting data in soliton format), U.S. Pat. No. 6,441,939 (device and method for regenerating a train of solitons), U.S. Pat. No. 6,449,408 (soliton pulse generator), and the like. The entire disclosure of each of these United States patents is hereby incorporated by reference into this specification.
It is to be understood that the aforementioned description is illustrative only and that changes can be made in the apparatus, in the ingredients and their proportions, and in the sequence of combinations and process steps, as well as in other aspects of the invention discussed herein, without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the following claims. Moreover, it is to be understood that maintaining the proper physiology of the heart and liver and carbohydrate metabolism and other organs and tissues have been used as examples of the application of the invention, and that many other diseases and disorders can be approached with this invention without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.
This application is a continuation-in-part of applicants' U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/930,364, filed on Aug. 15, 2001.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 09930364 | Aug 2001 | US |
| Child | 11066418 | Feb 2005 | US |
