Recent
Patents on Biomedical Engineering
ISSN: 1874-7647 - Volume 1, 2008
Recent Patents on Biomedical
Engineering
Volume 1, Number 1, January 2008
Contents
Review on Patents for Mechanical Stimulation of
Articular Cartilage Tissue Engineering Pp.
1-12
Corrinus C. van Donkelaar, and Ronny M. Schulz
[Abstract] [Full
Text Article]
A New Light Device For Wound Healing
Pp. 13-17
Rachel Lubart, Zvi Landau, Anat Lipovsky and Yeshayahu
Nitzan
[Abstract] [Full
Text Article]
Recent Advancements in Ligament Tissue Engineering: The Use
of Various Techniques and Materials for ACL Repair
Pp. 18-23
Joseph W. Freeman
[Abstract] [Full
Text Article]
Recent Patents on Wireless Capsule Endoscopy
Pp. 24-33
Andrea Moglia, Arianna Menciassi and Paolo Dario
[Abstract] [Full
Text Article]
Use of Core/Shell Structured Nanoparticles for Biomedical
Applications Pp. 34-42
Nagarajan Sounderya and Yong Zhang
[Abstract] [Full
Text Article]
Polymeric Nanocarriers: New Endeavors for the Optimization
of the Technological Aspects of Drugs Pp. 43-59
Alejandro Sosnik, Ángel M. Carcaboso and Diego
A. Chiappetta
[Abstract] [Full
Text Article]
Recent Patents and Advances in the Next-Generation
Sequencing Technologies Pp. 60-67
Biaoyang Lin, Jun Wang and Yin Cheng
[Abstract] [Full
Text Article]
Recent Patents on Electrospun Biomedical Nanostructures:
An Overview Pp. 68-78
Sangamesh G. Kumbar, Syam P. Nukavarapu, Roshan James,
MaCalus V. Hogan and Cato T. Laurencin
[Abstract] [Full
Text Article]
Patent
Selections Pp. 79-81
Abstracts
[Back to top]
Review on Patents for Mechanical Stimulation of Articular
Cartilage Tissue Engineering
Corrinus C. van Donkelaar, and Ronny M. Schulz
[Full Text Article]
To repair articular cartilage defects in osteoarthritic
patients with three-dimensional tissue engineered chondrocyte
grafts, requires the formation of new cartilage with sufficient
mechanical properties. The premise is that mechanical stimulation
during the culturing process is necessary to reach this aim.
Therefore, mechanical stimulation systems have been integrated
in aseptic bioreactors for in vitro cultivation of
tissue engineered cartilage. These vary from simple unconfined
compression systems to advanced bioreactors in which deformation
and loading are fully controlled. Fluid handling in these
devices is another decisive parameter for the success of cartilage
tissue engineering.
Over the last decades bioreactor developments have resulted
in the filing of many patents. The aim of this paper is to
review these patents, categorize them according to their possibilities
for mechanical stimulation and fluid handling systems and
finally to discuss them in the context of the demands of a
functional tissue engineered cartilage from a mechanical perspective.
[Back to top]
A New Light Device For Wound Healing
Rachel Lubart, Zvi Landau, Anat Lipovsky and Yeshayahu
Nitzan
[Full Text Article]
Phototherapy, the use of light for healing, has in recent
years been a field of advanced multidisciplinary research.
This modality has been shown to be beneficial in a wide and
diverse range of maladies, including the healing of chronic
and acute wounds as demonstrated by the use of laser light
and LED (Light Emitting Diodes) technology. Lasers are handy
tools in the laboratory. However, the specific characteristics
of laser light, such as coherency and polarization, have not
been proven to be relevant for the light-tissue interaction.
We therefore studied the effect of broadband visible light
on various cell cultures at appropriate energy doses, and
proved that it can mimic lasers and LEDs.
The present article presents a patented (US6379376) broadband
(400-800 nm) light device which was invented by the first
author and which is especially useful for wound healing. Its
ability to irradiate large areas is very important for wound
healing, in contradistinction to laser or LED beams which
can only irradiate a small area. Another advantage of the
broadband visible light device is its low cost, which will
enable patients to purchase it for home use. The same device
when operated at high intensity was shown to have bactericidal
effects.
This article describes the general principles of the visible
light-tissue interaction and reports use of the broadband
visible light device for treatment of patients with chronic
ulcers which were not cured by conventional treatments. The
bactericidal effect of the new device is also demonstrated.
[Back to top]
Recent Advancements in Ligament Tissue Engineering: The Use
of Various Techniques and Materials for ACL Repair
Joseph W. Freeman
[Full Text Article]
The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is important for knee
stability and kinematics. Unfortunately, it is also the most
commonly injured ligament of the knee and due to its poor
healing potential, severe damage warrants surgical intervention
including complete replacement. Current ACL replacements have
a host of limitations that prevent their extensive use. Thus,
investigators have begun to pursue tissue engineering techniques
to create new options for the repair, regeneration, and replacement
of the ACL. These options involve devices that are mechanically
functional tissue engineered scaffolds and as such are designed
to withstand normal mechanical loads while promoting ligament
development. This article presents background on the ACL and
its replacement, novel replacement approaches utilizing natural
polymers, synthetic polymers, and natural tissues, and recent
patent coverage.
[Back to top]
Recent Patents on Wireless Capsule Endoscopy
Andrea Moglia, Arianna Menciassi and Paolo Dario
[Full Text Article]
Wireless capsule endoscopy is a medical procedure which has
revolutionized endoscopy as it has enabled for the first time
a painless inspection of the small intestine. The procedure
was unveiled in 2000 and is based on a vitamin-size pill which
captures images of the digestive tract while it is transported
passively by peristalsis. The device consists of an image
sensor, an illumination module, a radio-frequency transmitter
and a battery. Wireless capsule endoscopy is a novel breakthrough
in the biomedical industry and future progresses in key technologies
are expected to drive the development of the next generation
of such devices. Therefore, the purpose of this review is
to illustrate the most recent and significant inventions patented
from 2005 to present in those areas concerning measurement
of human body parameters, advanced imaging features, localization,
energy management and active propulsion. Finally, the manuscript
reports a discussion on current and future developments in
wireless capsule endoscopy.
[Back to top]
Use of Core/Shell Structured Nanoparticles for Biomedical
Applications
Nagarajan Sounderya and Yong Zhang
[Full Text Article]
Nanoparticles have found wide spread application in varied
fields of engineering. Recently, core/shell nanostructures
have been found to have improved properties when compared
to their other alternatives are patented. These core/shell
structures also interest researchers in the field of biomedical
engineering and some potential applications have been identified.
The classification of core/shell nanoparticles, the synthesis
of these structures and their applications in the field of
biomedical engineering are discussed in this article. The
future work points at the possibilities of improvement and
the material that might be preferred for specific applications.
[Back to top]
Polymeric Nanocarriers: New Endeavors for the Optimization
of the Technological Aspects of Drugs
Alejandro Sosnik, Ángel M. Carcaboso and Diego
A. Chiappetta
[Full Text Article]
Drug low solubility and stability in physiological environment
constitutes a main hurdle in attaining the appropriate bioavailability.
Several polymer-based nanotechnologies are being intended
in order to optimize the technological (e.g., solubility,
stability, bioavailability, etc.) aspects of drugs. Among
them, polymeric nanoparticles, dendrimers, polymeric micelles
and polymersomes appear as the most attractive and promising.
Concomitant with efforts in the academic arena that aim at
overcoming these drawbacks and, strongly motivated by a constant
search for innovative therapeutic strategies, a very rich
intellectual property has been produced in the last years.
This phenomenon has been moved forward by the fact that aiming
at registering off-patent or about to be off patent products,
pharmaceutical companies develop new formulations of old products.
Another ambit of research is the design of more sophisticated
drug delivery devices (e.g., targeting, localized delivery)
in order to minimize adverse effects that make the administration
of certain drugs risky or to enhance the patient compliance.
A recent report by Cientifica Ltd. foresees a critical expansion
in the nano-based drug delivery market from its current $3.4B
(about 10% of the total drug delivery market) to about $26B
by 2012, being this only a promising beginning for the $220B
forecasted by 2015. Given the present circumstances, we are
probably witnessing a new revolution in therapeutics that
will take treatment to a different dimension. The goal of
the present review is to provide a comprehensive and updated
patent compilation of the most recent inventions relying on
polymer-based nanoparticulated carriers (polymeric nanoparticles,
dendrimers, polymeric micellles and polymersomes) for the
optimization of the technological aspects of therapeutic agents.
This article also includes a thorough review of the patents
made public in recent years (2003-2007).
[Back to top]
Recent Patents and Advances in the Next-Generation
Sequencing Technologies
Biaoyang Lin, Jun Wang and Yin Cheng
[Full Text Article]
We are now witnessing a new genomic revolution due to the
arrival and continued advancements in the next-generation
high-throughput sequencing technologies, which encompass sequencing
by synthesis including fluorescent in situ sequencing
(FISSEQ) and pyrosequencing, sequencing by ligation including
using polony amplification and supported oligonucleotide detection
(SOLiD), sequencing by hybridization in combination with sequencing-by-ligation
and nanopore technology, nanopore sequencing and other novel
sequencing technologies using nano-transistor array, scanning
tunneling microscopy and nanowire molecule sensors etc. We
review here major technologies and recent patents for achieving
high-throughput, ultra-fast, extremely cheap, and highly accurate
sequencing. We will see enormous impacts of these next-generation
sequencing methods for solving complex biological problems
and for ushering in the practice of personalized medicine.
[Back to top]
Recent Patents on Electrospun Biomedical Nanostructures:
An Overview
Sangamesh G. Kumbar, Syam P. Nukavarapu, Roshan James,
MaCalus V. Hogan and Cato T. Laurencin
[Full Text Article]
Nanostructures in the form of tubes, wires, crystals,
rods, spheres, and fibers have been fabricated and assembled
into various macrostructures for a variety of high technology
applications. Nanofeatures impart several amazing properties
to these macrostructures including high surface area, surface
functionality, and superior mechanical, optical, electrical,
and magnetic properties over the parent bulk material. Polymeric
nanofibers in the form of nonwoven cloth, membrane, braids
and tubes are extensively used for daily needs, and in addition
used as filters, protective clothing, and for a variety of
industrial and biomedical applications. Electrospinning or
electrostatic spinning has emerged as a very popular technique
to fabricate polymeric nanofiber matrices. More than 100 different
polymers of natural, synthetic origin, their blends and composites
have been electrospun into different three dimensional (3-D)
macrostructures. Electrospinning provides opportunities to
manipulate and control surface area, fiber diameter, porosity
and pore size of nanofiber matrices. These nanofiber matrices
closely mimic the structure of extracellular matrix (ECM)
and influence cellular activities both in vitro and
in vivo. Nanofiber macrostructures have been used
as a vehicle to deliver therapeutic agents, as scaffolds for
engineering various tissues and also serve as an integrated
part of biomedical implants. Present review will cover some
of the recent important patents that use electrospun nanofiber
matrices for various biomedical applications.
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