QUT models Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for Diabetic Wounds

A Queensland University of Technology (QUT) led team of international researchers from the Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation (IHBI) at Kelvin Grove has modelled the use of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) to heal chronic wounds, such as those from diabetic patients, that lead to the need for amputation. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy refers to the intermittent treatment of the entire body with pure oxygen at greater than normal atmospheric pressures. According to QUT mathematician Jennifer Flegg, even a minute wound on the foot of a diabetic could have a catastrophic effect because their wounds would not heal the same way as normal wounds due to many factors including reduced blood flow. “The investigation showed that HBOT applied intermittently under pressure to a diabetic wound speeds up its healing,” Mrs Flegg said. The researchers pointed out that the modelling showed first of all, that only HBOT, and not oxygen applied with no extra pressure, stimulates healing of these chronic wounds. In addition, it was also discovered that HBOT must be applied continuously until the wound has completely healed in order for it to be effective. It also points out the need to treat individual wounds separately as different patient has unique healing capacities with HBOT and the modelling shows that there should be a research focus on individual treatment protocols in order to optimize the outcome for each patient. An article on these findings by Mrs Flegg, Professor Ian Turner and Emeritus Professor Sean McElwain from QUT and Professor Helen Byrne from the Centre for Mathematical Medicine and Biology at the University of Nottingham will be published in the Public Library of Science (PLoS): Computational Biology, the top-ranked journal in the field of mathematical and computational biology.

Toyota and RIKEN develops control of Wheelchairs with Brain Waves

The BSI-Toyota Collaboration Centre (BTCC) managed by RIKEN has successfully developed a method to control wheelchairs using brain waves in as little as 125 milliseconds (125/1000th of a second). The rapid processing of the brain waves means that users can navigate the wheelchair as they do in real-time. Brain waves analysis are also displayed on the interface panel so quickly that users will receive nearly instant feedback. According to the press release, the system developed has been tested to have up to 95% of accuracy, which is also one of the highest in the world.

Controlling the wheelchair using brain waves. Photo from Associated Press.

The technology has also been reported around the world by Medgadget and UK’s Daily Mail.

Osstem Developed Synthetic Peptide and Completes Patent Registration

Korean dental implant manufacturer, Osstem, has completed the development and pre-clinical test of “Synthetic Peptide,” a new material that enhances the performance of dental implant. 

According to the company, the synthetic peptide is “a bone-promoting protein; any implant surface-treated with this material will promote bone formation in gums with insufficient bone volume”. The practice by dentists currently is to  transplant additional bone or insert bone-like materials in the gum to place the implant when there is not enough bone surrounding the implant. 

The company said that once implants that have been surface-treated with synthetic peptide are released, even patients with insufficient volume of gum bone will have no problem undergoing an implant operation and one that will drastically shorten the treatment period.

While other bone-promoting proteins are available, the cost of such products are more expensive and they have to be stored at -5℃. In contrast, Osstem’s synthetic peptide can be stored at normal temperature. The company can also lower the cost to 1/1,000 that of existing products, hence easily commercializing the product. The company has already registered the patent for synthetic peptide in January and is scheduled to start clinical test in 2010, and the product will be released commercially in 2012. By the company’s estimates, synthetic peptides could provide the backbone for 4th generation implant technology and is expected to replace products capturing more than 50% of the world’s dental implant market, which is valued at KRW 4 trillion as of 2012.

Portable X-ray for Medical Imaging could soon be a Reality

Japan’s National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) recently developed a portable X-ray source using carbon nanostructures, paving the way for X-ray nondestructive examination using dry batteries as a power source. 

According to the report, Ryoichi Suzuki (Leader), the Advanced Defect-Characterization Research Group, the Research Institute of Instrumentation Frontier (Director: Yoshio Akimune) of the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) (President: Hiroyuki Yoshikawa), In cooperation with Dialight Japan Co., Ltd. (President: Masanori Haba) and Life Technology Research Institute, Inc. (President: Yoshihisa Ishiguro), has developed practical portable X-ray sources with a cold-cathode electron source using carbon nanostructures.

Main Body of the Developed X-ray Source. Photo from AIST.

The X-ray sources use carbon nanostructures as field-emission electron sources. Due to the absence of a heater or a filament, it can promptly generate X-rays whenever required and does not require preheating. In addition, energy is consumed only while X-rays are being generated, allowing X-rays with an energy of more than 100 keV (the level needed in nondestructive inspection or medical diagnostics) can be generated from dry batteries or a USB power source.  The report also mentions that “the technology also is applicable to an electron beam with a power of more than 10 kW generating X-rays for ultrahigh-speed imaging, which contributes to new applications that require ultra-rapid X-ray inspection.”

Setup for X-ray transmission imaging using a portable X-ray source. Photo from AIST.

According to the report, the developed X-ray tube with a high-voltage power source can be hand-carried in a case, and used to generate X-rays on site.  The photo from AIST on the top shows the setup for X-ray transmission imaging using a low-power model of portable X-ray tube housed in a small case (measuring 37 cm × 13 cm × 35 cm) together with a power source.  This X-ray source can be used in nondestructive inspection and medical diagnostics in the same way as a conventional hot-cathode X-ray source.  The portable X-ray source is convenient to use because it eliminates warm-up time, a big issue for conventional hot-cathode X-ray tubes, and generate X-rays promptly whenever needed. We could really see the applications of a portable X-ray for use in outdoor medical field like helping refugees and for medical emergency use after a natural disaster like an earthquake and a tsunami. 

Scehmatic Diagram showing how the X-ray tubes work. Picture from AIST.

Fermented Extract of Noni Fruit to aid in Fighting Cancer

According to a report published by Oncology Reports, a fermented extract of the Noni fruit ,which is commonly found in Southeast Asia and the Pacific, could help the immune system attack cancer cells, and may provide long-term cancer protection. The Noni fruit, scientifically known as Morinda citrifolia, has been used in Polynesian folk medicine for more than 2,000 years.

The Noni Fruit. Photo from Flickr.

The report, published by lead author Yanzhang Wei, PhD, Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at Clemson University, and Assistant Director of the Clemson University Biomedical Institute, mentioned that fermented Noni may contain some bacterial and/or fungal materials, which may have the potential to engage the innate immune system through toll-like receptors (TLRs). The innate immune system is the body’s first line of defense against infection, and toll-like receptors are important proteins that help trigger this immune response.

Dr. Wei and his colleagues evaluated the use of a fermented liquid extract from the Noni fruit (fermented Noni exudate, or fNE) to prevent and treat cancer.

For the prevention study, female mice were injected with one of three substances: fNE, a phosphate-balanced solution (PBS, which is similar to saline solution), or lipopolysaccharides (LPS, a natural toxin found in bacteria and in fermented Noni juice) for three days. Then the researchers injected the mice with lung cancer and sarcoma cells. Meanwhile for the treatment study, the mice were first injected with the cancer cells, and then treated with three doses of fNE, LPS, or PBS.

The results of the prevention study was that after the mice were injected with fNE, they developed greater numbers of immune cells such as granulocytes (a type of white blood cell) and natural killer (NK) cells, indicating that fNE had stimulated their immune system.

In the treatment study, a month after receiving fNE for sarcoma treatment or prevention, more than 85 percent of the mice were not only alive, but also cancer-free. For lung cancer tumor cells, fNE also was effective, although the tumor prevention rate was slightly lower (62 percent). Meanwhile, all of the mice that received PBS or LPS died.

The study also showed that fNE not only warded off cancer immediately—it also provided long-term protection. When the mice that had received fNE were injected with sarcoma tumor cells a second time, 15 out of 16 of them rejected the tumors.

Similar experiments were conducted with nude mice (a laboratory mouse from a strain with a genetic mutation that causes a deteriorated or absent thymus gland, resulting in an inhibited immune system due to a greatly reduced number of T cells) and beige mice (strain of mice that are immune deficient). All of the nude mice eventually died, but fNE was able to prolong their lives. The beige mice died within 20 days of receiving the cancer cells, which the authors say was because they lacked functional NK cells. These cells of the innate immune system were responsible for the majority of the response to fNE treatment.

“These results indicate that the activation of the first line of defense of the innate immune system is absolutely necessary to kill the tumor cells,” the authors write. However, the innate immune system alone is not enough to wipe out tumors. It must work in conjunction with the adaptive immune system—the part of the immune system that protects against re-exposure to the same harmful substances. fNE appears to activate both aspects of the immune system to destroy cancers.

Future studies will help researchers gain a better understanding of how fNE stimulates the immune system, and determine whether it might be effective against other types of cancers. For now, the fruit extract shows great promise as a cancer-fighting agent. “I feel positive that fNE or its derivatives will provide useful new options for cancer, especially for cancer prevention,” Dr. Wei says.

Anhui Rice Research Institute signs agreement with Syngenta

Swiss agri-biotech company Syngenta announced in a press release that it had entered into a 8-year research collaboration with Anhui Rice Research Institute (ARRI) of Anhui Academy of Agricultural Sciences in China. The collaboration program will revolve around conducting laboratory and field tests of novel gene functions and will focus on drought tolerance and nitrogen utilization optimization in key crops such as corn and soybean. ARRI will work closely with Syngenta’s new biotech research and technology center in Beijing which was opened in October last year.

“This collaboration will accelerate our research and increase our efficiency and competitiveness,” said Xun Wang, Head of Syngenta Biotechnology China. “ARRI has strong expertise and experience in genetics, breeding and field experiments.”

According to Syngenta, the base crop for the program will be rice, which is highly suited for gene research. It is a well-characterized crop regarding genetic, molecular and agronomic information and its genome is closely related to those of major crops such as corn. The relatively short growing cycle of rice will also allow more testing to be completed in a shorter time frame.

The agreement expands on Syngenta’s existing collaborations with China. In 2007, the company entered into a five-year research collaboration with the Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology (IGDB) in Beijing on the development of novel agronomic traits for key crops such as corn, soybean, wheat, sugar beet and sugar cane.

Founded in 1987, ARRI is a leading institute in rice research and technology innovation in Anhui Province in China. Since its establishment, ARRI has undertaken many key projects such as with the United Nations Development Programme and the Chinese National Natural Science Foundation.

Formed in 2000 from the merger of Novartis and AstraZeneca’s agri-businesses units, Syngenta is one of the world’s leading companies in this field with more than 24,000 employees in over 90 countries.

Chang Gung Memorial Hospital first in Taiwan to use Varian RapidArc(TM)

One of the largest hospital groups in Taiwan, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital in Linkou has begun treatments using a new, faster form of radiotherapy that potentially enables doctors to improve outcomes while extending modern care to more patients. According to the hospital, a 50-year-old male patient with head and neck cancer was the first patient in Taiwan to be treated using RapidArc(TM) technology from Varian Medical Systems.

Dr. Ji-Hong Hong M.D., director of the hospital’s department of radiation oncology, carried out the pioneering treatment conducted the procedure in just two and half minutes using two arcs, or rotations, of the machine around the patient. This is in comparison to conventional IMRT (intensity modulated radiotherapy) treatments, which would have taken 8 to 10 minutes, according to the doctor.

Varian's RapidArc(TM) System. Picture from Varian Medical Systems.

“Along with prostate cancer, head and neck tumors are the most common cancer treated with radiotherapy in Taiwan and we feel patients with these forms of cancer will be the main beneficiaries of RapidArc,” says Dr. Hong. “The first patient received radiotherapy using RapidArc for tumors at the base of his tongue and right neck node metastasis. It was quite a complex treatment but delivery was very quick and efficient, with reduced dose to healthy tissue. We were extremely happy with the performance.”

Chang Gung Memorial Hospital’s department of radiation oncology treats up to 300 patients each day and sees between 2,600 and 3,000 new cancer patients each year. Such a heavy workload results in mounting waiting lists and Dr. Hong believes RapidArc is a good way to relieve pressure on these waiting lists without compromising the quality of the treatments offered.

Polartechnics looks to Shareholders to Raise Funds

Polartechnics, the Australian manufacturer of diagnostic kits for cervical cancer and melanoma, announced yesterday that it will launch a Share Purchase Plan (SPP) in February 2009 to present shareholders of the company, entitling them to acquire additional parcels of ordinary fully paid shares in the company. Under the plan, each eligible shareholder, irrespective of their current size of shares held, will be to purchase up to A$5,00o worth of new Polartechnics ordinary shares. Issue price for shares offered under the scheme will be A$0.11 per share, representing a 19.94% discount to the average traded market price recorded between 16th to 20th February 2009.

“We have overcome the challenges from scaling up our manufacturing to full production capacity putting us in a strong position to meet our sales forecasts for TruScreen. Additionally we have signed major distribution agreements for our new self-sampling products,” said Polartechnics Chairman, Robert Hunter.

According to the press release from the company, funds from the SPP will be funneled as working capital and for the continued expansion that will help the company distribute their products in a greater number of markets.

Taiwanese Scientists uses Silicates for Bone Regeneration

Biomaterials scientists in Taiwan have developed a quick-setting cement that could help broken bones to regenerate. This could probably replace calcium phosphates that were developed over 20 years ago as alternatives to polymer-based cements for mending damaged bones.

A biocompatible layer of bone-like apatite nodules forms on the cement's surface when it is immersed in a physiological solution

By using silicate rather than phosphate, a team led by Shinn-Jyh Ding at Chung-Shan Medical University, Taichung, has developed a quick-setting cement with promising biological properties. Earlier calcium silicate formulations had setting times of over an hour, which is too long for clinical applications, says Ding, but the new cement sets in just five minutes. This could make it a good candidate for bone replacements, he adds, because a biocompatible layer of bone-like apatite nodules forms on the cement’s surface when it is immersed in a physiological solution. Ding also mentions that in-vitro tests conducted suggest that the cement should encourage the growth of osteoblasts, the cells that are responsible for generating bone tissue, opening up the possibility of its use as an implant material.

Future research by the group, says Ding, will focus on improving the injectability and durability of the cement, which he suggests might be achieved by adding natural materials such as gelatin and chitosan.

Jake Barralet, a specialist in bioceramics at McGill University, Montreal, Canada, says that materials that stimulate tissue repair are the ‘next big thing’ in regenerative medicine. ‘It is not yet clear precisely what material parameters cause cell differentiation and tissue regeneration in bone, but this work broadens our knowledge in this growing field, and I look forward to reading further studies by this group,’ he says.

Takeda and XOMA expands Collaboration on Antibody Research

XOMA Ltd and Takeda Pharmaceutical expanded their present research collaboration allowing Takeda with access to multiple antibody technologies, including a suite of research and development technologies and integrated information and data management systems. According to the press release, XOMA will receive a $29 million expansion fee and may receive potential milestones and royalties on antibody products. XOMA may incur an estimated $7.5 million for taxes and other costs related to the expanded collaboration.

Both companies initiated a collaboration in November 2006, whereby XOMA will use its extensive collection of antibody phage display libraries and antibody optimization technologies to discover therapeutic antibodies in multiple therapeutic areas. XOMA’s activities may also include preclinical studies to support regulatory filings, cell line and process development, and production of antibodies for initial clinical trials. Meanwhile, Takeda is responsible for clinical trials and commercialization of drugs after IND submission, and has manufacturing rights once a product enters into phase 2 clinical trials.

The collaboration calls for Takeda to make up-front and milestone payments to XOMA, fund XOMA’s R&D activities including manufacturing of the antibodies for preclinical and early clinical supplies, and pay royalties to XOMA on sales of products resulting from the collaboration. In February 2007, the collaboration was expanded to increase the number of potential therapeutic antibody programs.

“This collaboration expansion is intended to help accelerate Takeda’s corporate goal of building a world class, highly competitive antibody product pipeline by augmenting its already significant in-house capabilities located in San Francisco and Osaka,” said Shigenori Ohkawa, PhD, General Manager of Pharmaceutical Research Division of Takeda. “With the antibody technologies of XOMA, we will further complement our antibody research activities for the creation of new drugs.”