Apparatus and method for electromagnetic treatment of plant, animal, and human tissue, organs, cells, and molecules

Abstract

An apparatus and method for electromagnetic treatment of plants, animals, and humans comprising: configuring at least one waveform according to a mathematical model having at least one waveform parameter, said at least one waveform to be coupled to a target pathway structure; choosing a value of said at least one waveform parameter so that said at least waveform is configured to be detectable in said target pathway structure above background activity in said target pathway structure; generating an electromagnetic signal from said configured at least one waveform; and coupling said electromagnetic signal to said target pathway structure using a coupling device.

1 . An electromagnetic treatment device for treating plant, animal or human tissue by modulating the kinetics of a target pathway for therapeutic and prophylactic purposes, the device configured to maximize the frequency distribution within the bandpass of the target pathway, the device comprising:
 an applicator; and   a control circuit configured to provide an electromagnetic signal to the applicator to induce an electric field of peak amplitude between about 1 μV/cm and about 100 mV/cm in the target tissue and a peak induced magnetic field between about 1 μT and about 0.1 T, wherein the signal generated by the control circuit comprises a burst of waveforms having a burst duration of greater than 65 μsec and a burst repetition rate of about 0.01 to about 1000 bursts per second;   wherein the signal is detectable in a target pathway structure in the target tissue above background electrical activity in the target pathway structure.   
   
   
       2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the electromagnetic signal has been configured according to a mathematical model. 
   
   
       3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the electromagnetic signal has been configured according to a mathematical model which incorporates a SNR or PSNR analysis with respect to the target pathway. 
   
   
       4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the electromagnetic treatment device is lightweight. 
   
   
       5 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the electromagnetic treatment device is disposable. 
   
   
       6 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the lightweight electromagnetic treatment device is configured to be worn. 
   
   
       7 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the applicator comprises a coil applicator. 
   
   
       8 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the applicator comprises a lightweight coil applicator. 
   
   
       9 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the applicator comprises a disposable coil applicator 
   
   
       10 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the applicator comprises a wire loop configured to conform to the anatomical site of the target tissue. 
   
   
       11 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the coil applicator comprises at least one inductive coil applicator. 
   
   
       12 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the applicator comprises at least one capacitively coupled electrode. 
   
   
       13 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the applicator comprises at least one electrochemically coupled electrode. 
   
   
       14 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the applicator is implantable. 
   
   
       15 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the entire device is implantable. 
   
   
       16 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the control circuit is a miniaturized circuit. 
   
   
       17 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the signal generated by the control circuit comprises a burst of arbitrary waveforms. 
   
   
       18 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the burst duration of the waveforms generated by the control circuit have a burst duration greater than about 0.5 msec. 
   
   
       19 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the control circuit is configured to provide an electromagnetic signal to the applicator to induce an electric field of peak amplitude between about 1 μV/cm and about 100 mV/cm in the target tissue and a peak induced magnetic field between about 1 μT and about 20 μT. 
   
   
       20 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the burst of waveforms generated by the control circuit repeat at a frequency of less than 100 MHz and have a duty cycle less than 1. 
   
   
       21 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the waveforms generated by the control circuit are selected from the group of wave shapes consisting of: sinusoidal, square, chaotic, random, symmetrical, asymmetrical, half- or full-wave rectified. 
   
   
       22 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the waveforms generated by the control circuit have a frequency of approximately 27.12 MHz. 
   
   
       23 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising an anatomical support configured to hold the treatment device adjacent to the target tissue. 
   
   
       24 . The device of  claim 1 , further wherein the control circuit is configured so that the signal generated by the control circuit comprises at least one frequency component that falls within the bandpass of the kinetics of ion binding at a molecular target, the frequency component having sufficient amplitude so that the induced electric field is detectable above background electrical activity in the ion binding pathway in the target tissue. 
   
   
       25 . The device of  claim 1 , further wherein the control circuit is configured so that the signal generated by the control circuit comprises at least one frequency component that falls within the bandpass of the kinetics of ion transport at a living cell boundary, the frequency component having sufficient amplitude so that the induced electric field is detectable above background electrical activity in the ion transport pathway in the target tissue. 
   
   
       26 . The device of  claim 1 , further wherein the control circuit is configured so that the signal generated by the control circuit comprises at least one frequency component that falls within the bandpass of the kinetics of Ca binding to CaM having sufficient amplitude so that the induced electric field is detectable above background electrical activity in the Ca/CaM pathway in the target tissue. 
   
   
       27 . A method for electromagnetic treatment of plants, animals, and humans for modulating a target pathway structure for therapeutic and prophylactic purposes, the method comprising:
 activating an electromagnetic treatment device to treat a target tissue of the plant, animal or human; and   inducing an electric field waveform at the target tissue having frequency components of the induced electric field that fall within the bandpass of the kinetics of the target pathway structure, further wherein the electric field has sufficient amplitude so that the induced electric field is above background electrical activity in the target pathway in the target tissue.   
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 27  further comprising configuring the induced electric field using a mathematical model which incorporates a SNR or PSNR analysis so that at least one frequency component of the induced electric field falls within the bandpass of the kinetics of the target pathway. 
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the target pathway comprises the Ca/CaM pathway in the target tissue. 
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the induced electric field has an amplitude of between about 1 μV/cm to about 100 mV/cm in the target pathway structure, and further wherein the induced electric field comprises a burst of waveforms having a burst duration of greater than 0.065 msec and a burst repetition rate. 
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the induced electric field has an amplitude of between about 1 μV/cm to about 100 mV/cm in the target pathway structure, and further wherein the induced electric field comprises a burst of waveforms having a burst duration of greater than about 0.5 msec. 
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the induced electric field has an amplitude of between about 1 μV/cm to about 100 mV/cm in the target pathway structure, and further wherein the induced electric field comprises a burst of waveforms having a burst duration of about 2 msec. 
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the step of activating comprises applying a burst of waveforms repeating at a frequency of less than 100 MHz and having a duty cycle less than 1. 
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the waveforms are selected from the group of wave shapes consisting of: sinusoidal, square, chaotic, random, symmetrical, asymmetrical, half- or full-wave rectified. 
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the waveforms have a frequency of approximately 27.12 MHz. 
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the electromagnetic treatment device is a lightweight, wearable treatment device. 
   
   
       37 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the electromagnetic treatment device comprises:
 an applicator; and   a control circuit configured to provide a signal to the applicator to induce an electric field of amplitude less than 100 mV/cm in a specified target pathway in the target tissue, wherein the control circuit generates a burst of waveforms having a burst duration of greater than 0.5 msec and a burst repetition rate.   
   
   
       38 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the control circuit is a miniaturized circuit. 
   
   
       39 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the applicator comprises at least one coil. 
   
   
       40 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the applicator comprises at least one electrode. 
   
   
       41 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the applicator is implantable 
   
   
       42 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the step of activating an electromagnetic treatment device comprises applying pulsating electrical current to a lightweight coil. 
   
   
       43 . An electromagnetic treatment device for modulating the binding of calcium to calmodulin in a target tissue by inducing an electric field having at least one frequency that falls within the bandpass of the kinetics of the binding of calcium to calmodulin to maximize signal frequency distribution within the bandpass of the Ca/CaM pathway, the device comprising:
 an applicator; and   a control circuit configured to provide an electromagnetic signal to the applicator to induce a peak electric field of amplitude of less than about 100 mV/cm at the target tissue and a peak induced magnetic field between about 1 μT and about 0.1 T, wherein the signal generated by the control circuit comprises a burst of waveforms having a burst duration of greater than 65 μsec and a burst repetition rate of about 0.01 to about 1000 bursts per second;   whereby the signal is detectable above background electrical activity in the Ca/CaM pathway in the target tissue.   
   
   
       44 . The device of  claim 37 , wherein the electromagnetic signal provided by the control circuit has been configured according to a mathematical model. 
   
   
       45 . The device of  claim 37 , wherein the electromagnetic signal provided by the control circuit has been configured according to a mathematical model which incorporates a SNR or PSNR analysis with respect to the target pathway. 
   
   
       46 . The device of  claim 37 , wherein the applicator comprises a coil applicator. 
   
   
       47 . The device of  claim 37 , wherein the applicator comprises a disposable coil applicator 
   
   
       48 . The device of  claim 37 , wherein the applicator comprises a lightweight coil applicator. 
   
   
       49 . The device of  claim 37 , wherein the applicator comprises a wire loop configured to conform to the anatomical site of the target tissue. 
   
   
       50 . The device of  claim 37 , wherein the device is configured for treatment of an animal, and the coil applicator is configured for use with the animal. 
   
   
       51 . The device of  claim 37 , wherein the applicator comprises at least one inductive coil applicator. 
   
   
       52 . The device of  claim 37 , wherein the applicator comprises at least one capacitively coupled electrode. 
   
   
       53 . The device of  claim 37 , wherein the control circuit is a miniaturized circuit. 
   
   
       54 . The device of  claim 37 , wherein the electromagnetic treatment device is a lightweight treatment device configured to be worn. 
   
   
       55 . The device of  claim 37 , wherein the burst of waveforms generated by the control circuit have a frequency of less than 100 MHz and a duty cycle less than 1. 
   
   
       56 . The device of  claim 37 , wherein the burst of waveforms generated by the control circuit are selected from the group of wave shapes consisting of: sinusoidal, square, chaotic, random, symmetrical, asymmetrical, half- or full-wave rectified. 
   
   
       57 . The device of  claim 37 , wherein the waveforms generated by the control circuit have a frequency of approximately 27.12 MHz. Attorney No.: 11415-700.300 
   
   
       58 . The device of  claim 37 , wherein the burst duration of the waveforms generated by the control circuit have a burst duration greater than about 0.5 msec. 
   
   
       59 . The device of  claim 37 , wherein the control circuit is configured provide an electromagnetic signal to the applicator to induce a peak magnetic field between about 1 μT and about 20 μT. 
   
   
       60 . The device of  claim 37 , further comprising an anatomical support configured to hold the treatment device adjacent to the target tissue. 
   
   
       61 . A method of modulating calcium binding to calmodulin in a target tissue by inducing an electric field having a frequency that falls within the bandpass of the kinetics of the binding of calcium to calmodulin to maximize signal frequency distribution within the bandpass of the Ca/CaM pathway, the method comprising:
 placing an applicator of an electromagnetic treatment device adjacent to a tissue target in a plant, animal or human;   activating the electromagnetic treatment device so that the applicator delivers a burst of waveforms having a burst duration and a burst repetition rate which induces an electric field having an amplitude of less than 100 mV/cm at the target tissue, such that at least one frequency component of the induced electric field falls within the bandpass of the kinetics of the Ca/CaM pathway with sufficient amplitude so that the induced electric field is detectable above background electrical activity in the target tissue.   
   
   
       62 . The method of  claim 61 , further comprising configuring the induced electric field using a mathematical model. 
   
   
       63 . The method of  claim 61 , further comprising configuring the induced electric field using a mathematical model which incorporates a SNR or PSNR analysis to confirm that at least one frequency component of the induced electric field falls within the bandpass of the Ca/CaM pathway. 
   
   
       64 . The method of  claim 61 , wherein the induced electric field has a plurality of frequency components that fall within the bandpass of the kinetics of the Ca/CaM pathway with sufficient amplitude so that the induced electric field is detectable above background electrical activity in the target tissue. 
   
   
       65 . The method of  claim 61 , wherein the induced electric field has an amplitude of between about 1 μV/cm to about 100 mV/cm at the target tissue, and further wherein the induced electric field comprises a burst of waveforms having a burst duration of greater than 0.065 msec and a burst repetition rate. 
   
   
       66 . The method of  claim 61 , wherein the induced electric field has an amplitude of between about 1 μV/cm to about 100 mV/cm at the target tissue, and further wherein the induced electric field comprises a burst of waveforms having a burst duration greater than about 0.5 msec. 
   
   
       67 . The method of  claim 61 , wherein the step of activating comprises applying a burst of waveforms repeating at a frequency of less than 100 MHz and having a duty cycle less than 1. 
   
   
       68 . The method of  claim 61 , wherein the waveforms are selected from the group of wave shapes consisting of: sinusoidal, square, chaotic, random, symmetrical, asymmetrical, half- or full-wave rectified. 
   
   
       69 . The method of  claim 61 , wherein the waveforms have a frequency of approximately 27.12 MHz. 
   
   
       70 . The method of  claim 61 , wherein the electromagnetic treatment device is a lightweight, wearable treatment device. 
   
   
       71 . The method of  claim 61 , wherein the electromagnetic treatment device comprises:
 an applicator; and   a control circuit configured to provide a signal to the applicator to induce an electric field of peak amplitude less than 100 mV/cm in the target tissue, wherein the control circuit generates a burst of waveforms having a burst duration of greater than 0.065 msec and a burst repetition rate.   
   
   
       72 . The method of  claim 71 , wherein the control circuit is a miniaturized circuit. 
   
   
       73 . The method of  claim 71 , wherein the applicator comprises at least one coil. 
   
   
       74 . The method of  claim 61 , wherein the step of activating an electromagnetic treatment device comprises applying pulsating current to a lightweight coil. 
   
   
       75 . A low-power, wearable electromagnetic treatment device for modulating the binding of calcium to calmodulin in a target tissue by inducing an electric field having a frequency that falls within the bandpass of the kinetics of the binding of calcium to calmodulin to maximize signal frequency distribution within the bandpass of the Ca/CaM pathway, the device comprising:
 a lightweight applicator; and   a control circuit configured to provide an electromagnetic signal to the applicator to induce an electric field of peak amplitude of less than about 100 mV/cm at the target tissue and to induce a peak magnetic field of between about 1 μT and about 20 μT, wherein the signal generated by the control circuit comprises a burst of high-frequency waveforms having a burst duration greater than 0.065 msec and a burst period of between about 0.1 to about 10 seconds;   whereby the signal is detectable above background electrical activity in the Ca/CaM pathway in the target tissue.   
   
   
       76 . The device of  claim 75 , wherein the burst control circuit is configured to provide a burst of high-frequency waveforms having a frequency of approximately 27.12 MHz. 
   
   
       77 . The device of  claim 75 , wherein the control circuit is configured to generate a burst duration greater than about 0.5 msec. 
   
   
       78 . The device of  claim 75 , wherein the burst control circuit is configured to provide a burst of high-frequency waveforms selected from the group of wave shapes consisting of: sinusoidal, square, chaotic, random, symmetrical, asymmetrical, half- or full-wave rectified. 
   
   
       79 . A method of applying a low-power, wearable electromagnetic treatment device to modulate the binding of calcium to calmodulin in a target tissue by inducing an electric field having a frequency that falls within the bandpass of the kinetics of the binding of calcium to calmodulin to achieve maximum signal power within the bandpass of the Ca/CaM pathway, the method comprising:
 positioning a target tissue adjacent to the low-power, wearable applicator; and   providing an electromagnetic signal to the applicator to induce an electric field of amplitude of less than about 100 mV/cm at the target tissue and to induce a peak magnetic field of between about 1 μT and about 20 μT, wherein the signal comprises a burst of high-frequency waveforms having a burst duration greater than about 65 μsec and a burst period of between about 0.1 to about 10 seconds;   whereby the signal is detectable above background electrical activity in the Ca/CaM pathway in the target tissue.   
   
   
       80 . The method of  claim 79 , wherein the burst of high-frequency waveforms have a frequency of approximately 27.12 MHz. 
   
   
       81 . The method of  claim 79 , wherein the burst of high-frequency waveforms have a wave shape selected from the group of wave shapes consisting of: sinusoidal, square, chaotic, random, symmetrical, asymmetrical, half- or full-wave rectified. 
   
   
       82 . The method of  claim 79 , wherein the induced electric field has a plurality of frequency components that fall within the bandpass of the kinetics of the Ca/CaM pathway with sufficient amplitude so that the induced electric field is detectable above background electrical activity in the target tissue. 
   
   
       83 . An electromagnetic treatment device for treating a target tissue, the device comprising:
 a coil applicator; and   a control circuit configured to provide a signal to the applicator to induce an electric field of amplitude less than about 100 mV/cm in a specified target pathway in the target tissue, wherein the control circuit generates a burst of waveforms having a burst duration and a burst repetition rate;   wherein the induced electric field waveform has been configured according to a mathematical model which incorporates a SNR or PSNR analysis so at least one frequency component of the induced electric field falls within the bandpass of the kinetics of Ca binding to CaM having sufficient amplitude so that the induced electric field is detectable above background electrical activity in the Ca/CaM pathway in the target tissue.