NEW TECHNIQUE BATTLES INFECTIONS ON ARTIFICIAL JOINTS

Stubborn infections on artificial joints are tough to treat, sometimes requiring multiple surgeries and weeks of IV antibiotics.

Drs. David Greenberg and Rajiv Chopra

Research done by scientists at UT Southwestern Medical Center has shown that a short exposure to an alternating magnetic field can help destroy bacteria that is encased in a slimy “biofilm” that grows on metal surfaces, helping to alleviate the infections.

The technique — the same principle used in induction cooktops — used alternative magnetic fields to send electrical currents only on the outer edge of the metal joint where the biofilm exists.

The technology was developed by Drs. Rajiv Chopra and David Greenberg. You can find out more about their work here.

Ted Price and his colleagues created Ted’s Brain Science Products Pain Cream. [Photo courtesy of Ted’s Brain Science Products]

TREATING PERSISTENT PAIN WITH RESVERATROL, WINTERGREEN

A researcher at the University of Texas at Dallas has developed a pain cream he’s selling on the internet that’s derived from resveratrol, wintergreen, and a good dose of entrepreneurial spirit.

The product is called Ted’s Brain Science Products Pain Cream and it was created through research by Ted Price and his colleagues who focused on the chemical signals sent inside nerve cells in examining how they could ease persistent pain.

“We just eventually decided that it was better to get this out there than to continue to try to raise money, and run the risk of never getting it into the hands of people that it can help.”
Ted Price

Price’s Plano-based company can’t claim the cream actually works because it’s never been test in human trials.

“The reason we couldn’t do that is pretty simple,” Price told National Public Radio. He said the trials are expensive and, “we couldn’t raise the money to do it.”

But Price could market his product legally as long has he didn’t make any specific claims that resveritrol would actually ease pain.

“We just eventually decided that it was better to get this out there than to continue to try to raise money, and run the risk of never getting it into the hands of people that it can help,” he told NPR.

Resveratrol is a well-known component of red wine and has been said to have anti-aging and other health benefits.

You can read more about Ted’s Pain Cream here and at the company’s website here.

Anand Puppala of the Univeristy of Texas at Arlington has received his first patent. [Photo: UT Arlington]

UT ARLINGTON RESEARCHER GETS HIS FIRST PATENT
Anand Puppala, associate dean for research in the College of Engineering at the University of Texas at Arlington, has received his first patent.

Puppala was awarded the patent, along with a collaborator, Xiong Yu of Case Western Reserve University, for developing a sensor system with an algorithm that will facilitate field assessment of stabilization of high sulfate soil near roads and bridges, according to UTA.

Issued in November, it’s Patent No. 9,822,504, titled, “Systems, Apparatuses, and Methods for assessing soil heave.” 

Essentially the sensor is placed in soil and measures the soil stiffness and moisture content when the soil begins to heave.

The research that resulted in the patent was funded by an Innovations Deserving Exploratory Analysis grant from the National Academy of Sciences’ National Cooperative Highway Research Program.

Find out more about Puppala’s research here.

Get on the list.

Sign up to keep your eye on what’s new and next in Dallas-Fort Worth, every day. 
And, you’ll be the first to get the digital edition of our new Dallas Innovates magazine: 
The annual edition publishes in January