System and method for collecting, storing, processing, transmitting and presenting very low amplitude signals

Abstract

A method and apparatus for producing an effect of a chemical or biochemical agent on a system responsive to such agent, are disclosed. In practicing the method, a plurality of low-frequency time-domain signals of the agent are generated, each at a different at a different noise level within a selected noise level range. The signals are analyzed by producing spectral plots of the time-domain signals, and identifying an optimized agent-specific time-domain signal based on information in the spectral plots. A chemical or biological system responsive to the agent is exposed to the optimized time-domain signal by placing the system within the magnetic field of an electromagnetic transducer, and applying the signal to the transducer at a signal amplitude and for a period sufficient to produce in the system an agent-specific effect on the system.

1 - 33 . (canceled) 
   
   
       34 . A method for producing an effect of a chemical or biochemical agent on a system responsive to such agent, comprising:
 (a) generating a plurality of low-frequency time-domain signals by the steps of:   (i) placing a sample containing the agent in a container having both magnetic and electromagnetic shielding,   (ii) injecting noise into the sample at a given noise amplitude;   (iii) recording an electromagnetic time-domain signal composed of sample source radiation superimposed on the injected noise, and   (iv) repeating steps (ii)-(iii) at each of a plurality of noise levels within a selected noise-level range,   (b) analyzing the plurality of time domain signals generated in (a) by producing spectral plots of the time-domain signals, and identifying an optimized agent-specific time-domain signal based on information in said spectral plots, and   (c) exposing the agent-responsive system to the optimized agent-specific time-domain signal identified in (b) by placing the system within the magnetic field of an electromagnetic transducer, and applying said signal to said transducer at a signal amplitude and for a period sufficient to produce in the system an agent-specific effect on the system.   
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the analyzing step (b) is carried by one of the steps of:
 (i) generating a histogram that shows, for each event bin f over a selected frequency range within the range DC to 8 kHz, the number of event counts in each bin, where f is a sampling rate for sampling the time domain signal, assigning to the histogram, a score related to the number of bins that are above a given threshold; and selecting a time-domain signal based on said score,   (ii) autocorrelating the time domain signal, generating an FFT of the autocorrelated signal over a selected frequency range within the range DC to 8 kHz, assigning to the FFT signal, a score related to the number of peaks above a mean average noise value, and selecting a time-domain signal based on said score; and   (iii) calculating a series of Fourier spectra of the time-domain signal over each of a plurality of defined time periods, in a selected frequency range between DC and 8 kHz, averaging the Fourier spectra; assigning to the averaged FFT signal, a score related to the number of peaks above a mean average noise value, and selecting a time-domain signal based on said score.   
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the injected noise is Gaussian noise, and noise is injected into a Helmholz coil surrounding said sample, at a selected noise output in the range up to  1  volt. 
   
   
       37 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein step (b)(i) includes
 (i) storing a time-domain signal of the sample over a sample-duration time T;   (ii) selecting a sampling rate F for sampling the time domain signal, where F*T is the total sample count S, F is approximately twice the frequency domain resolution f of a Real Fast Fourier Transform of the time-domain signal sampled at sampling rate F, and S>(2)f*n, where n is at least 10,   (iii) selecting S/n samples from the stored time domain signal and performing a Real Fast Fourier Transform (RFFT) on the samples,   (iv) normalizing the RFFT signal and calculating an average power for the signal,   (v) placing an event count in each of f selected-frequency event bins where the measured power at the corresponding selected frequency≧average power*∈obtains, where 0<∈<1, and is chosen such that the total number of counts placed in an event bin is between about 20-50% of the maximum possible bin counts in that bin,   (vi) repeating steps (iii-v) N>2 times, and   (viii) generating a histogram that shows, for each event bin f over a selected frequency range, the number of event counts in each bin.   
   
   
       38 . The method of  claim 34 , which further includes, in step (iv) for normalizing the RFFT signal includes placing the normalized power value from the RFFT in f corresponding-frequency power bins, and in step (viii) (a) dividing the accumulated values placed in each of the f power bins by n, to yield an average power in each bin, and (b) displaying on the histogram, the average power in each bin. 
   
   
       39 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein said recording is carried out using a gradiometer coupled to a SQUID, and said injecting includes injecting noise into said gradiometer. 
   
   
       40 . The method of  claim 34 , for use in a biological system responsive to the presence of an agent known to bind to an acceptor in the system to produce an agent-specific effect, and exposing the system to said signal is carried out at a signal amplitude and for a time sufficient to observe said agent-specific effect. 
   
   
       41 . The method of  claim 40  wherein the biological system includes one or more genes that are upregulated or downregulated by the presence of said agent, and exposing the system to said signal is carried out at a signal amplitude and for a time sufficient to produce a measurable upregulation or downregulation of said gene. 
   
   
       42 . The method of  claim 40 , for use in generating an antibiotic response in a mammalian target. 
   
   
       43 . The antibiotic of  claim 42 , represented by ampicillin. 
   
   
       44 . The method of  claim 40 , for use in generating a lac-operon induction response in an  E. coli  target, wherein the peaks correspond to the frequencies of stochastic events produced by arabinose L(+). 
   
   
       45 . The method of  claim 40 , for use in generating a growth-inhibitory response in a plant target, wherein the peaks correspond to the frequencies of stochastic events produced by glyphosphate. 
   
   
       46 . The method of  claim 40 , for use in generating a growth-inhibitory response in a plant target, wherein the peaks correspond to the frequencies of stochastic events produced by gibberelin. 
   
   
       47 . The method of  claim 34 , for use in a system responsive to the presence of an agent known to promote binding between or assembly of one or more components in a system, and exposing said system to said signal is carried out at a signal amplitude and for a duration sufficient to promote a level of binding between or assembly of said component(s) than is greater than that observed prior to said exposing. 
   
   
       48 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein said electromagnet transducer includes a coil winding defining an open interior, and said exposing includes placing the sample within the open interior of said winding. 
   
   
       49 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein said electromagnet transducer includes an implantable coil, and said transducer is implanted in a biological system prior to said exposing. 
   
   
       50 . Apparatus for producing an effect of a chemical or biochemical agent on a system responsive to such agent, comprising
 (1) a container adapted for receiving a sample of said agent, said container having both magnetic and electromagnetic shielding,   (2) an adjustable-power source of noise for injection into the sample, with the sample in said container, at each of at each of a plurality of noise levels in a selected range,   (3) a detector for recording an electromagnetic time-domain signal composed of sample source radiation superimposed on the injected Gaussian noise,   (4) a memory device for storing each of a plurality of plurality of time domain signals recorded at different injected noise levels,   (5) an electronic computer adapted to   (a) retrieve time-domain signals stored in said memory device, produce a spectral plot of the time-domain signals, allowing identification of 0 an optimized agent-specific time-domain signal based on information in said spectral plots, and   (6) an electromagnet transducer for exposing the agent-responsive system to an optimized time-domain signal identified from ( 5 ), at a signal amplitude and for a period sufficient to produce in the system an agent-specific effect on the system.   
   
   
       51 . The apparatus of  claim 50 , wherein the source of noise includes an adjustable-power Gaussian noise generator and a Helmholz coil and which receives a selected noise output signal from the noise generator in the range up to 1 volt. 
   
   
       52 . The apparatus of  claim 50 , wherein said electronic computer is operable produce a spectral plot of a time-domain signal by one of the steps of:
 (i) generating a histogram that shows, for each event bin f over a selected frequency range within the range DC to 8 kHz, the number of event counts in each bin, where f is a sampling rate for sampling the time domain signal, whereby a score related to the number of bins that are above a given threshold can be determined for each time-domain signal;   (ii) autocorrelating the time domain signal, generating an FFT of the autocorrelated signal over a selected frequency range within the range DC to 8 kHz, assigning to the FFT signal, whereby a score related to the number of peaks above a mean average noise value can be determined for each time-domain signal; and   (iii) calculating a series of Fourier spectra of the time-domain signal over each of a plurality of defined time periods, in a selected frequency range between DC and 8 kHz, averaging the Fourier spectra; whereby a score related to the number of peaks above a mean average noise value can be determined.   
   
   
       53 . The apparatus of  claim 51 , wherein said electronic computer includes machine readable code operable to:
 (i) store a time-domain signal of the sample over a sample-duration time T;   (ii) select a sampling rate F for sampling the time domain signal, where F*T is the total sample count S, F is approximately twice the frequency domain resolution f of a Real Fast Fourier Transform of the time-domain signal sampled at sampling rate F, and S>2f n, where n is at least 10,   (iii) select S/n samples from the stored time domain signal and performing a Real Fast Fourier Transform (RFFT) on the samples,   (iv) normalize the RFFT signal and calculating an average power for the signal,   (v) place an event count in each of f selected-frequency event bins where the measured power at the corresponding selected frequency≧average power*∈ obtains, where 0<∈<1, and is chosen such that the total number of counts placed in an event bin is between about 20-50% of the maximum possible bin counts in that bin,   (vi) repeat steps (iii-v) times, and   (vii) generate a histogram that shows, for each event bin f over a selected frequency range, the number of event counts in each bin.   
   
   
       54 . The apparatus of  claim 53 , wherein said machine readable code is further operable to, in step (iv) place the normalized power value from the RFFT in f corresponding-frequency power bins, and in step (viii) (a) divide the accumulated values placed in each of the f power bins by n, to yield an average power in each bin, and (b) display on the histogram, the average power in each bin. 
   
   
       55 . The apparatus of  claim 50 , wherein said container is an attenuation tube having a sample-holding region, a magnetic shielding cage surrounding said region, and a Faraday cage contained within the magnetic shielding cage and also surrounding said region, the source of Gaussian noise includes a Gaussian noise generator and a Helmholz coil which is contained within the magnetic cage and the Faraday cage, and which receives a noise output signal from the noise generator, and which further includes, for use in removing stationary noise components in the time-dependent signal, a signal inverter operatively connected to the said noise source and to said SQUID, for receiving Gaussian noise from the noise source and outputting into said SQUID, Gaussian noise in inverted form with respect to the Gaussian noise injected into the sample. 
   
   
       56 . The apparatus of  claim 50 , wherein said electromagnet transducer includes a coil winding and an open interior into which the sample is adapted to be placed. 
   
   
       57 . The apparatus of  claim 50 , wherein said electrogmagnetic transducer is a Helmholz coil having a pair of aligned electromagnetic coils defining an exposure station therebetween, and said exposing includes placing the sample within said station. 
   
   
       58 . The apparatus of  claim 50 , wherein said electromagnet transducer includes an implantable coil. 
   
   
       59 . An optimized low-frequency time-domain signal of a chemically or biologically active agent, produced by the steps comprising:
 (a) generating a plurality of low-frequency time-domain signals of the agent by the steps of:   (i) placing a sample containing the agent in a container having both magnetic and electromagnetic shielding,   (ii) injecting noise into the sample at a given noise amplitude;   (iii) recording an electromagnetic time-domain signal composed of sample source radiation superimposed on the injected noise,   (iv) repeating steps (ii)-(iii) at each of a plurality of noise levels within a selected range, and   (b) analyzing the plurality of time domain signals generated in (a) by producing a spectral plot of the time-domain signals, and identifying an optimized agent-specific time-domain signal based on information in said spectral plots.   
   
   
       60 . The signal of  claim 59 , wherein said analyzing is carried out by one of the steps of:
 (i) generating a histogram that shows, for each event bin f over a selected frequency range within the range DC to 8 kHz, the number of event counts in each bin, where f is a sampling rate for sampling the time domain signal, assigning to the histogram, a score related to the number of bins that are above a given threshold;   and selecting a time-domain signal based on its score,   (ii) autocorrelating the time domain signal, generating an FFT of the autocorrelated signal over a selected frequency range within the range DC to 8 kHz, assigning to the FFT signal, a score related to the number of peaks above a mean average noise value, and selecting a time-domain signal based on its score; and   (iii) calculating a series of Fourier spectra of the time-domain signal over each of a plurality of defined time periods, in a selected frequency range between DC and 8 kHz, averaging the Fourier spectra; assigning to the averaged FFT signal, a score related to the number of peaks above a mean average noise value, and selecting a time-domain signal based on its score.   
   
   
       61 . A method for treating a tumor in a mammalian subject, comprising
 (a) generating a plurality of low-frequency time-domain signals by the steps of:   (i) placing a sample containing a cancer chemotherapeutic the agent in a container having both magnetic and electromagnetic shielding,   (ii) injecting noise into the sample at a given noise amplitude;   (iii) recording an electromagnetic time-domain signal composed of sample source radiation superimposed on the injected noise, and   (iv) repeating steps (ii)-(iii) at each of a plurality of noise levels within a selected noise-level range,   (b) analyzing the plurality of time domain signals generated in (a) by producing spectral plots of the time-domain signals, and identifying an optimized agent-specific time-domain signal based on information in said spectral plots, and   (c) exposing the subject to the optimized agent-specific time-domain signal identified in (b) by placing the subject within the magnetic field of an electromagnetic transducer, and applying said signal to said transducer at a signal amplitude and for a period sufficient to produce a reduction in the size and/or rate of growth of a tumor in the subject.   
   
   
       62 . The method of  claim 61 , wherein said agent is taxol or a taxol derivative.