Plant husbandry – Electroculture – magnetoculture or electrocuting
Reexamination Certificate
2002-09-06
2003-04-01
Poon, Peter M. (Department: 3643)
Plant husbandry
Electroculture, magnetoculture or electrocuting
Reexamination Certificate
active
06539664
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a method and devices for the treatment of a biological material with a magnetic field. The invention is useful in the treatment of plants and parts thereof, plant tissue culture, living cells, etc.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Conventional vegetative plant propagation techniques for stimulating root formation in cuttings that are widely used in nurseries and greenhouses typically utilize various chemical materials for treating the cuttings and soil. This technique generally consists of the following. Cuttings that are to undergo the rooting process are taken from a tree. Foliage is removed only from the lower part of each cutting, while the upper part of the cutting remains foliaged. The foliage-free part of the cutting is then dipped into a powder or solution of a suitable hormone substance, such as the synthetic axin “Indolyl-3-Butric acid” (IBA), commercially available from Sigma Chemical CO., U.S.A. This chemical material penetrates through a relatively friable end section of the cutting, affecting the growth hormone thereof, and thereby stimulating the root formation. As to the upper, untreated part of the cutting, the foliage produces natural axin which is transferred towards the lower part and also affects the root formation at a further stage, the so-called “Mass Root Formation Treatment”. More specifically, treated cuttings are transplanted into special trays filled with soil, where they are further treated over a long period of time on special tables provided with a heating system under the trays and a water sprinkling system.
Techniques of treating biological materials with a magnetic field have been developed, and are disclosed, for example, in the following publications: U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,587,957; 4,757,804; 5,077,934; EP 0459540; EP 0039163; EP 0392626; DE 3613891; RU 2095966; JP 62260240 and G 9102416.
According to some of these techniques, a biological material is subjected to a time-varying magnetic field, e.g., a pulsating magnetic field. However, such a field is typically created by solenoids or coils. The values of the magnetic induction of a magnetic field produced by a solenoid or coil change along one axis (that coincides with the geometrical axis of the solenoid or coil) and reach the amplitude value. Such a magnetic field is characterized by magnetic force lines that intersect the biological material under treatment, and are also oriented along the geometrical axis of the solenoid or coil. It is known that a biological material is characterized by its own microscopic and macroscopic currents occurring within the atoms, molecules, cells, tissues and organs. These currents, in turn, create magnetic fields. In accordance with the known law of electromagnetic induction, the pulsating field produced by a solenoid or coil creates an electromagnetic disturbance and a corresponding response inside the biological material, essentially in a plane perpendicular to the geometrical axis of the solenoid or coil. The disturbance and response vary with the changes in the values of the magnetic induction of the pulsating field.
The techniques directed towards altering the growth of a young tree utilize a strip formed by permanent magnets of alternating polarity mounted stationary around the stem of the tree, or the deposition of a mixture of a ferromagnetic powder on the stem and/or branches.
According to the technique disclosed in DE3613891 aimed at treating seeds, the magnetization of iron in the seeds by an external magnetic field is utilized.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides for the manipulation of a biological material with a magnetic field by providing a novel method and device for subjecting a biological material in vitro or in vivo to a coordinate varying magnetic field, to produce a desired physiological effect.
The term “biological material” refers to material obtained from a biological source, having at least the complexity of a cell. This term refers both to eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells from either plant or animal source, present, for example, in a cell culture; to tissues (from plant or animal) present in a tissue culture, to isolated organs (such as plant stems, plant cuttings, bones, spine, heart, kidney, corneal blood bone marrow); to tissues present inside the organism, as well as to the full organism itself (both full plant and full animal organism).
The manipulation of the biological material may take place in vitro on isolated cells, tissues, or organs; may be carried out ex vivo on cells, or tissues which are manipulated and then returned to the body of the individual; or may be carried out in vivo.
The term “manipulation” in the context of the present invention refers to a change in at least one physiological property of said biological material. Typically, said manipulation is carried out in order to obtain a desired effect, as will be exemplified hereinbelow.
The term “desired effect” refers to the final physiological property the method is intended to achieve and may refer to such properties such as enhanced metabolism, enhanced circulation or diffusion, improved ion cell membrane permeability, increased growth, proliferation, viability, improved healing, propagation, as well as the enhanced flow of fluids. The results may also be the disintegration of aggregates and the targeting of pharmaceutical substances, as will be explained below.
The term “coordinate varying magnetic field” is a field that defines a magnetic field region (for a biological material to be located therein) and has a certain amplitude value of the wave of its magnetic induction, such that the amplitude value continuously displaces along the magnetic field region. The coordinate varying magnetic field (CVMF) is a field created by a system of magnetic poles that changes its position in time relative to the biological material located within the magnetic field region along at least one coordinate and in at least one direction. CVMF creates an electromagnetic disturbance and corresponding response inside the biological material in a plane inclined with respect to this at least one axis at a certain angle (e.g., right angle). This may, for example, lead to the creation of known magneto-hydro-dynamic effects. More specifically, if the biological material contains a liquid medium, CVMF can move the liquid medium inside the biological material in at least one direction along at least one coordinate. Another effect that can be achieved with the CVMF is the movement of a paramagnetic and ferromagnetic particle, as well as ions, in at least one direction along at least one coordinate. Additionally, the CVMF can cause the revolution of the particles. These effects are essentially different from those achieved with the pulsating fields that are characterized solely by time changes of their magnetic induction.
The term “subjecting” refers to the positioning of the biological material to be manipulated and a magnetic field source producing the CVMF with respect to each other, such that the biological material is located in or passes through the magnetic field region defined by the CVMF. This relative positioning should be such that an effective space &Dgr; defined by the dimensions of the biological material and its distance from the magnetic field source is smaller than the half of a wavelength &lgr; of the wave of the CVMF. The wavelength &lgr; is defined by the accommodation of conductors of the magnetic field source.
By one aspect of the present invention, the manipulation of the biological material is achieved by directly subjecting the biological material to the magnetic field of the invention, without any need for the administration of any auxiliary substances.
It is known that all biological material contains electrolytes, which are effected to one degree or another by magnetic fields. Without wishing to be bound by theory, it is believed that by subjecting the biological material to a CVMF, at least one of the following physiological phenomena may take place:
1. The CVMF may enhance cytoplasmic flow inside
Dat Tsur
Katsen Alexander
Prilutsky Alexander
Yogev Yakov
Browdy and Neimark , P.L.L.C.
Gellner Jeffrey L.
Pemsti Technologies Ltd.
Poon Peter M.
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