Taiwanese doctors shows success of Deep Brain Stimulation to solve Mood Changes

Taiwan’s China Post reported that doctors at the Buddhist Tzu Chi General Hospital in Hualien County, northeastern Taiwan, reported earlier this week that they have solved the problem of mood changes suffered by eight patients after they received deep brain stimulation (DBS) surgery to treat Parkinson’s disease.

According to Chen Shih-yuan, convener of the hospital’s Parkinson’s Clinical and Research Center, the hospital has treated 99 Parkinson’s disease patients since 2002 using the DBS therapy. He said that while most of the patients saw their quality of life improved because of the surgery, a few showed adverse changes of mood and often quarreled with their family members.

In order to understand the cause for these mood changes, Chen partnered with Tsai Sheng-tzung, chief resident at the hospital’s Department of Neurosurgery to undertake a study whereby 38 patients who received DBS surgery were placed under observation for more than one year. From this exercise, they concluded that a total of eight of the test subjects were affected by mood changes.

Comparison of research data between patients suffering from mood changes and those not affected by mood changes led to the finding that electrodes implanted in their brains were in apparently different areas of the thalamus than those patients who had no mood change problems. From this, the 8 patients who suffered from mood changes underwent additional surgery to adjust the positions of the electrodes in their brains, in conjuction with them taking medicine to stabilize their conditions. The researchers have thus far shown that the procedure has solved the problems of mood changes in the 8 patients.

Terumo’s US Subsidiary makes first successful implant of Heart Assist Device

Terumo Heart Inc., the US Subsidiary of Japan’s largest medical device company, Terumo announced last thursday that the first US patient implanted with its DuraHeart Left Ventricular Assist System (LVAS) has been discharged from the University of Michigan Health System. According to Terumo’s website, the LVAS is a third-generation rotary blood pump designed for long-term patient support who suffers from heart failure. The device is composed of a rotary centrifugal pump and an impeller that is suspended via electromagnetic means. 

Picture from Terumo Heart Inc.

The device works by helping the left ventricle pump oxygenated blood throughout the body. Since a failing heart cannot pump enough blood out to the body, the DuraHeart takes over the additional work. From the picture shown below, it is implanted just below the heart and a series of conduits allows the flow of blood between the heart and the device. Blood initially enters the DuraHeart LVAS through the Inflow Conduit, from the left ventricle. When the impeller is magnetically turned on by the motor, the blood is then pumped through the Outflow Conduit into the aorta, allowing blood flow to be restored to near normal levels. 

Picture from Terumo Heart Inc.

Indonesian Businessmen adopts Agriculture Biotechnology to expand crops

Being the 4th most populous nation in the world, Indonesia is under pressure in expanding its lagging agriculture sector. However, some of the richest businessmen in Indonesia is pumping in billions to invest in the sector and they are bringing in innovation and technology into developing better crops. Globe Asia reports that Tomy Winata, who spearheads the Artha Graha Group, is working together with China’s Guo Hao Seed Industries Co. Ltd. through his holding company, PT Sumber Alam Sutera (SAS) to increase rice production in the archipelago nation. In 2007, the SAS has added up to 12,347 tons of rice to the total national rice production. The company expects this figure to grow to 896,000 tons by 2010. The success of China’s hybrid rice to increase crop harvest is the main motivation behind SAS move to develop the rice sector within Indonesia. 

Another Indonesian businessman, Putera Sampoerna has made investments in the Timber, Palm Oil and Sugar Cane Industry within Indonesia after he sold the family’s majority stake in the country’s third largest cigarette maker, PT HM Sampoerna Tbk to Altria Group. The family’s PT Sampoerna Agro Tbk. which was founded 2 years ago, is aggressively expanding its plantation and has set up joint ventures to develop biofuel.

Thailand develops rapid test kit for white leaf disease

The National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA) of Thailand and Mitr Phol Research and Development Center, a progressive research and development arm of the Mitr Phol Sugar Group claim to have developed world’s first White Leaf Sugarcane Rapid Test Kit for the sugarcane plantation. The technology is expected to help reduce the amount of financial loss to the sugarcane sector as a result of white leaf disease, which is estimated at $30 million per year.

Picture from Mitr Phol

According to Dr Morakot Tanticharoen, BIOTEC senior advisor (member of NSTDA), Thailand is one of the major producers of sugar for the global market. Therefore, it is necessary for the national Agricultural and Food Cluster to give serious consideration to helping maintain this status quo. The joint collaboration with Mitr Phol R&D Center provides an opportunity to better understand the need of the sugar industry. “We will continue to collaborate to explore and improve other options for white leaf disease eradication such as breeding technology to build disease resistance,” added Dr Tanticharoen.

“White leaf disease is often compared to cancer or HIV virus in human. You never know if or when you will contract it, until it is often too late,” said Dr Pipat Weerathaworn, R&D Director for Mitr Phol Sugarcane Research Cente in Chaiyaphum province. “The rapid test kit is very efficient as it only take ten minutes to detect if the sugarcane plant has the disease or not.”

The rapid test kit is expected to go on sale locally prior to the end of 2008 and will also target overseas clients. Initial introduction to clients in India was very positive. The technology has been transferred to Innova Biotechnology of Thailand for mass manufacturing.

Chinese inventor helps develop device to prevent spread of HIV

Pictures from Medgadget and Weill Cornell Medical Center

Medical professionals from the New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center are studying a device invented and patented by a Chinese inventor, Shang Jianzhong from Wuhu City. His invention, dubbed as the ShangRing could eventually be used to prevent the spread of HIV in Africa and beyond.

According to the US Patent filed by the inventor, the apparatus is used for circumcision purposes, and the device composed of 2 concentric rings that are fitted with blades. From a press release by the medical center, the device is said to be able to minimize bleeding while performing the procedure and shorten the duration to a mere 5 minutes compared to 20/30 minutes for the traditional method. In addition, they also mentioned that the ShangRing has been used to circumcise several thousand Chinese men since 2005 and preliminary reports of 1,200 patients indicate good results with minimal complications. However, the ShangRing, has so far been available only in China, though patents have been filed in and an FDA evaluation is under way.

ResMed posts fastest sales growth in the last seven quarters

Picture from ResMed’s Website

Australian medical device company, ResMed, which is also the world’s 2nd largest maker of machines for breathing-related sleep disorders said net income climbed to US$29.6 million in the three months ended June 30 from US$27.7 million a year earlier. Revenue for the quarter was a record US$235.2 million, a 23% increase over the quarter ended June 30, 2007.

Kieran T. Gallahue, Chief Executive Officer of ResMed, commented that the company has received positive signals from the marketplace and would be geared for more growth ahead this year. He mentioned the move forward as both national and local Medicare rulings were released and private insurers, such as the country’s largest insurer, Anthem, issued updated coverage policies. This would allow the Australian company to increase sales in the United States, which is currently the biggest healthcare market in the world.

Beike Technology uses Research Forum to showcase Stem Cell Therapies

Shenzhen’s Beike Bio-technology recently held the first annual 2008 China Stem Cell Stem Cell Technology Forum, a gathering that was attended by over 300 of the world’s most renowned stem cell biologist and researchers. Hosted in Mandarin-language, the conference attracted many participants from China, as well as researchers from the United States, Canada, India, Australia, and Malaysia. The focus of the conference was on advanced induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cell research and therapeutic uses of stem cells, with the event being held at the China Medical City complex in Taizhou, China. 

From its website, Beike is a bio-technology company that was founded with capital from Beijing University, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology and Shenzhen City Hall. It is also supported with funds from the China State National Fund. The management, researchers and doctors have been focused on stem cell and other biomedical research since 1999. They have been treating patients with stem cell injections since 2001. As of October 15th, 2007, Beike had treated over 2,000 patients with stem cell injections for diseases like Alzheimers, Ataxia, Autism, ALS, Brain Trauma, Cerebral Infarction, Cerebral Hemorrhage, Cerebral Palsy, Guillain-Barre, Encephalatropy, and Spinal Cord Injury. The company currently supplies stem cells for treatment at eleven hospitals in China and one in Thailand and treatment for foreign patients are conducted at Nanshan Hospital in Shenzhen and 463 Hospital in Shenyang. The stem cells are delivered through IV, injections into the spinal cord fluid and surgical injections in some cases of spinal cord injury. Except for the surgical injections of the stem cells, the treatments are done as outpatient procedures. 

Research labs of the company are located in four major urban areas in China, namely Shenyang, Shenzhen, Zhengzhou and Hainan, with researchers coming from collaborative universities which includes Beijing University, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, No. 3 Army Medical University, Zhongshan Medical University, Guiyang Medical College and Zhengzhou University. Currently, the company charges its patients between US$20,000 and $30,000 for several rounds of stem cells injections, which it says can help cure diseases such as Alzheimer’s, atoxia, heart conditions, multiple sclerosis, optic nerve hypoplasia, and spinal muscular atrophy. Although most patients come from China, its therapies draw significant numbers of patients from the West.