Lunasin’s biological activity and medical importance, discovered by a Filipino

A space-filing model of the Lunasin's structure

Lunasin is a 43-amino acid polypeptide discovered by a team of Japanese scientists in 1987. It was originally isolated, purified, and sequenced from soybean seed. Although no name has been given, it was described as an amino acid sequence of a soybean (Glycine max) seed polypeptide having a poly (L-aspartic acid) structure at the carboxyl terminus by its discoverers. Subsequent research by Dr. Alfredo F. Galvez at the University of California- Berkeley, identified the peptide as a subunit of the cotyledon-specific 2S albumin. Its amino acid sequence is SKWQHQQDSCRKQKQGVNLTPCEKHIMEKIQGRGDDDDDDDDD. Due to the health benefits of soy in which it was extracted, Dr. Galvez and associates named it as Lunasin from the Filipino word “lunas” which means ”cure”. Aside from soy as its main source, it is also found in barley, wheat, amaranth, black nightshade, pinto bean, corn and rye.

Discovery of biological activity

Lunasin’s biological and cancer-preventive activity was discovered by a Filipino doctor during his post-doctoral research --- Dr. Alfredo Galvez in Dr. Benito de Lumen’s (another Filipino doctor) laboratory in the University of California – Berkeley in 1997. This is an excerpt from Dr. de Lumen’s statement on the discovery of Lunasin, “Many years ago, my laboratory initiated a project on enhancing the nutritional of soy protein and other legumes through bioengineering. This requires increasing the level of methionine, the essential amino acid, which is most limiting in soy and other legumes, including mung bean. The strategy is quite straightforward: clone a gene coding for methionine-rich protein (MRP) and over-express the gene in soy or any target legume. We were faced with two choices for the source of the MRP gene – obtain it from other plants or from soy itself. I made the fateful decision to clone the MRP gene from soy itself, which eventually led to the discovery of lunasin as a cancer preventive agent.”

Dr. Alfredo F. Galvez: discoverer of
Lunasin's mitotic activity

“The choice to clone the MRP gene from soy is based on the hypothesis that there must be non-abundant MRPs in soy because most of the proteins in soy seed are notoriously low in methionine and therefore, there must be other MRPs that contribute to the overall methionine content of soy protein but they are non-abundant. The process of cloning the MRP gene turned out to be not easy, taking about four years, two graduate students and a postdoctoral scientist. One of the graduate students is a Filipina (now Dr. Jamie Revilleza from UPLB), and the postdoctoral scientist is another Filipino from UPLB (Dr. Alfredo Galvez). Dr. Revilleza contributed to the purification of the MRP from soy that eventually led to the cloning of the gene, and Dr. Galvez took over the project and discovered the anti-mitotic effect of the lunasin gene when transfected into mammalian cells and the cancer preventive effect of the lunasin peptide. While it was not by design that the major contributors to lunasin discovery were both Filipinos, it is a source of pride to point this out.”

Cancer research

Lunasin has a unique epigenetic mechanism that interferes at the very early stages of the carcinogenic process; Lunasin is non tissue-specific and would be effective against different types of cancer. In addition, Lunasin has no known toxic effects, which is consistent with its presence in soybean that has been consumed in Asia for centuries.

Dr. Galvez was the first to identify the peptide’s ability to prevent the transformation of normal cells into cancerous tumors in cell culture. Animal studies validated the findings when lunasin significantly reduced the tumor incidence in mice skin exposed to chemical carcinogens. In the original 2001 study that discovered and named lunasin, the authors wrote that their results "suggest a mechanism whereby lunasin selectively induces apoptosis, mostly in cells undergoing transformation, by preventing histone acetylation"—the protein could cause cell death in developing cancer cells, while not affecting regular cells, in mice. This led to the speculation that lunasin might explain the numerous epidemiological associations between consumption of soy products and the low cancer incidence observed in Asian populations. In 2003 a study conducted by Bio-Rad Laboratories showed that the protein also did not affect immortalized and established cancer cells.

In 2008 a study performed by Dr. de Lumen found that lunasin was found to help prevent chemical carcinogens and oncogenes from causing cancer in a skin cancer mouse model. The peptide becomes bioavailable in mice through ingestion within a few minutes and reaches the nucleus of cells within eighteen hours. The effectiveness was shown only against non-established cancer cell lines in this study. In 2009 another study was performed at the Andong National University, that found further evidence of the inhibition of histone acetyl transferase. In addition, lunasin has also been shown to bind deacetylated histones, which can also help to prevent cancer. Wayne R. Bidlack and Raymond L. Rodriguez wrote that the inability for lunasin to kill established cancer cells was due to a genetic change in cells when they are first becoming cancerous, which disappears when a cell becomes fully cancerous. They also write that the food has the potential to reduce cancer risk, though not affect existing cancer cells in a patient, and could provide help in explaining an inverse correlation between soy consumption and the risk of some cancers.

Extensive researches on Lunasin's cancer-preventive ability shows that Lunasin internalizes inside the cell and ends up mostly in the nucleus; inhibiting core histone acetylation and activating tumor suppressor genes such as PTEN.

Lunasin selectively inhibits transcription, a dynamic process that occurs at various locations and at different times in the cell and is initiated by unfolding of the chromosomes; a process facilitated by histone acetylation.

It is proposed that during the initiation of the carcinogenic process that involves transcription, the dynamic process of histone acetylation-deacetylation is disrupted. This evidence demonstrates that the molecular mechanism for Lunasin is profound, compared to other cancer preventative agents in that it selectively kills cells that are transforming into cancer cells, without affecting normal cells. 

A graphical representation on Lunasin's mechanism of action as a cancer-preventive peptide

Since Lunasin has a unique epigenetic mechanism that interferes at the very early stages of the carcinogenic process, this suggests that Lunasin is non tissue-specific and would be effective against different types of cancer. In addition, Lunasin has no known toxic effects, which is consistent with its presence in soybean that has been consumed in Asia for centuries.

The novel mechanism of action by Lunasin makes it an important research tool in understanding epigenetic control of gene expression during cancer development. Together with powerful tools in genomics and proteomics, Lunasin can be used to identify potential drug targets and diagnostic biomarkers.

Cardiovascular and cholesterol management research

Lunasin's ability to support cardiovascular health was acknowledged by the American Heart Association at their Annual Scientific Session in November, 2012, and Dr. Alfredo Galvez's presentation abstract was selected for publication in the AHA Journal, Circulation. 

Lunasin works in two ways to lower serum LDL cholesterol levels. First, it selectively disrupts a necessary step in the production of a key enzyme, HMG-CoA reductase. Lunasin reduces the acetylation of the Histone H3 tail by PCAF (lunasin blocks PCAF's specific binding position at K14), thus reducing the level of expression of the HMG-CoA reductase gene. With levels of the HMG-CoA reductase enzyme lowered and available for the liver to carry out cholesterol synthesis, the liver in turn produces less cholesterol.

Secondly, Lunasin upregulates the expression of the LDL-receptor gene. With an increase in the number of receptors available to clear LDL cholesterol from the bloodstream, LDL levels also decrease. Studies show that in the presence of Lunasin, the levels of SP1 (the coactivator of SREBP for LDL-receptor production) are two times higher than without Lunasin present. With SP1 more readily available to bind with SREBP, the LDL receptors are produced more efficiently, so more LDL cholesterol is pulled from the bloodstream, thereby reducing the circulating serum LDL levels.

Lunasin's cholesterol-lowering mechanism of action

Since 70-80% of the circulating cholesterol in your body is produced within your liver, it is important to target this process in addition to consuming less saturated fat and cholesterol in your diet. Lunasin works at an earlier stage in your body’s internal cholesterol production process than prescription statins. Lunasin reduces the amount of HMG-CoA reductase enzyme produced by the HMG-CoA reductase gene. Statin drugs work by blocking the HMG-CoA reductase enzyme after it has been produced when it is on its way to carry out the body’s internal cholesterol production cycle. Statin drugs can oftentimes be too efficient and block too much of the HMG-CoA enzyme. This leads to serious side effects because a minimum level of cholesterol is required in the body for certain necessary cellular functions such as maintaining cell membrane integrity and hormone production.

Anti-inflammatory research

Other studies have shown that lunasin has the ability to inhibit the aberrant inflammation that can occur in chronic diseases, including cancer. This property was also discovered by a team including Benito O. de Lumen, along with Elvira Gonzalez de Mejia, Vermont P. Dia, as well as others, as a part of research attempts to create purified lunasin through a more inexpensive means.

Benefits of Lunasin

The following list includes some of the many benefits of Lunasin while on going in-depth research continues to uncover more.

• Bio-active peptide with an epigenetic mode of action
• Natural component of soy and other seeds – favorable public perception
• GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) by the FDA
• Ideal chemo-preventative agent to fight skin cancer
• Extends cell longevity (anti-aging) *Unpublished
• Anti-oxidant effect: especially protects DNA from oxidation as well lipids
• Anti-inflammatory effect
• Effective dose is minimal
• Non-invasive treatment

Lunasin’s patents

After its discovery, several researches have been made and patents applied. Patents applied by Dr. Alfredo Galvez and/or Dr. Benito de Lumen are as follows: CA2303061A1, CA2303061C, DE69830066D1, EP1017798A1, EP1017798B1, US6107287, US6544956, US7375092, US20030229038, and WO1999015642A1.

Commercial Lunasin products

Due to the proven studies in various health benefits of Lunasin, several companies commercialize the peptide as food supplements. Dr. Galvez licensed Lunasin worldwide rights to Reliv International, a food science and manufacturing company. Reliv possesses the only proprietary mechanical extracting process that does not use chemicals. They also hold the patent to the peptide, the ability to make it bioactive and any and all future applications of the supplement.

A bottle of LunaRich X^TM

Reliv International released its LunaRich® Soy Powder in February 2012 and claim to contain five to ten times more lunasin than ordinary soy powders, and it delivers that elevated lunasin in a more bioavailable way. In addition, LunaRich® soy powder contains other beneficial nutritive components of soy, including protein, isoflavones and more. Another Reliv’s product that was launched in January 2013 is the LunaRich X^TM  According to Galvez, LunaRich X^TM is a form of Lunasin that is bioactive. It’s a shepherd molecule travels with the lunasin in the body as it remains active after digestion. LunaRich X, the capsule form, is said to have lunasin potency 200 times more than high quality soy protein. One 125mg capsule of LunaRich X^TM delivers the same amount of bioactive lunasin found in 25 grams of high-quality soy protein, the daily amount identified by the Food and Drug Administration to help reduce the risk of heart disease. A two-month supply retails at less than $100. Wholesale for the same quantity is less by $20.

Another companies are SoyLabs and FilGen, Inc. 

Source:

cdn.intechopen.com

FilAmstar.net

FilGen, Inc.
Google Patents

lunasin.com

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

PhilStar

Wikipedia

Reliv International

takelunasin.com

Photo credit:

Facebook

FilGen, Inc.

lunasin.com

Reliv International

McJIM Leather Products - truly Filipino

Leather craftsmanship that is distinctly Filipino                                
                                     Tina Arceo-Dumlao

                                     Philippine Daily Inquirer, Aug. 3, 2013

If Jim Cham had his way, he would be singing all the way to the bank. That’s because music has always been his passion. He spent a good part of his youth singing in combos, as they were known then. He gladly sang for a pittance just to be able to share his love for music with his audience.

But family life, which started when he got married at age 19, nipped his singing career in the bud. Realizing he had to find a more stable source of livelihood to feed, clothe and shelter his young family, he set aside his guitar, turned his back on the stage and pursued another passion: leather goods.

McJIM is an expert when 
it comes to accessories for men.

That put Cham on the long road to build McJim Leather Goods to what it is today, one of the biggest local manufacturers of men’s leather accessories that are giving foreign brands a run for their money.

McJim specializes in men’s accessories, with belts and wallets accounting for the bulk of its sales. Founded in the backyard of the family home in 1968 with just three employees—Jim, his wife and a helper from Baguio City where the couple met during his guitar playing days—the company today has over 300 employees.

McJim marketing manager Bernadett Chang says that McJim has been able to grow significantly over the past 45 years because of its unstinting adherence to top quality standards.

Quality, the company says, is the first ingredient of a good product and a philosophy that guides its processes—from selecting materials to product design, the manufacturing methods to selecting the most qualified leather craftsmen to make the products by hand.

This means investing in fine leather from Spain and Italy, sewing machines from Germany, and high level of craftsmanship from the Philippines. While certain phases of the manufacturing process involve machines, it still takes expert human hands to fashion a leather product into something that approaches art.

Based on the company’s experience, machines are an inferior substitute to the work achieved by expert craftsmen. Jim, whose family used to distribute popular watches such as Rado and Longines, learned all about the leather industry through experience—trial and error being a hash taskmaster.

Initially, he ventured into belts. In the early 1970s, he did not put any brand but merely supplied to the department stores and other retailers who put their own brands on his products. But even if he did not have any name, he was already big on quality, and McJim was one of the first local manufacturers of leather accessories to go abroad to hunt for the best materials for its target market.  It went to Japan, for instance, to buy leather as well as buckles for the belts.

Among the first department stores to carry the leather goods was the former Otis Department store, which was partly owned by Jim’s sister. Jim’s wife, a Miss Baguio pageant winner, was instrumental in finding buyers for the fledgling company’s products due to her amiable nature. She could talk to anyone and everyone, and would easily convert cold calls to potential clients into sales, not just in Otis, but in other department stores such as the former Good Earth Emporium.

After a few years of selling unbranded goods, Jim felt it was time to put his own brand on the products. He dared to brand the leather using his own name, an indication of how much he believed in his products.

He was also able to penetrate new distribution channels, such as the SM group. The Gaisano and Robinsons malls likewise carried McJim leather goods, which expanded in range from belts and wallets to bags and other men’s accessories.

“As the malls grew, the company did, too,” says Chang, adding that McJim’s wide range of leather products are now found in all department stores, under the men’s accessories department where it has its own section. From three, McJim now employs 350 people, including a full staff of designers, spread across four factories. Founder Jim, however, remains the driving design force.

The 66 year old frequently goes abroad to update himself on the latest trends and technology. For McJim, there is simply no compromising on quality even if it means pricing the goods above those of its competitors and exerting extra effort to impart on the employees the need to maintain product standards.

Today, McJim’s sales mainly come from the original belts, which account for 40 percent of annual sales, followed by wallets, with up to 35 percent. Bags and small leather goods, such as the occasional suspenders, make up the rest.

Chang says that McJim tried to produce a ladies line. But the company discontinued the line when the founders realized that ladies fashion required a different skills set. Thus it stuck to men’s accessories, which it knew by heart.

Chang explains that, unlike women’s accessories, those of men tend to be more stable and did not require frequent changes. Its market—professionals who have left their trendy days behind, according to the company—wants to be both fashionable and conservative, steering clear of anything flashy.

McJIM goes abroad in search of top quality
leather used to make bags, belts and wallets.

After 45 years in the market, its challenge today is to keep up with the times and penetrate the broader market to endear McJim to a new generation of loyal customers. This means possibly coming up with a separate brand that will feature products using other materials such as local leather and polyester.

But the core, however, will still be McJim Classic and all products will conform with the McJim philosophy of style, quality and elegance expressed in products of high quality but within reach of most Filipinos.

“We want everyone to enjoy great products with a great brand that is proudly Filipino,” says Chang.

Source:

Philippine Daily Inquirer

Photo credit:

Philippine Daily Inquirer

Philippines' low-cost landslide sensor

Low-cost landslide sensor tested in Philippines

                          Nora Gamolo

                          SciDev, 08/12/11

A low-cost sensor that can detect landslides has been developed in the Philippines and is being promoted as an alternative to expensive early warning systems manufactured overseas. The sensor costs less than US$1,000, in contrast to standard commercially available landslide sensors that can cost up to US$60,000 — excluding installation costs.

The Philippine system was developed through collaboration between the National Institute of Geological Studies (NIGS) and the Electrical and Electronics Engineering Institute, both part of the University of the Philippines.

Two prototype sensors were deployed 14 months ago in the upland province of Benguet, selected by the researchers because of its high vulnerability to landslides.

Ms. Ruffa Carreon, engineering student and research
assistant explaining the column part of the device

The sensor uses power available from an electric grid, but has a back-up battery in case of power failure. "The sensor is buried vertically in the bedrock of the areas that are being monitored for possible landslides," explained engineer and programme leader Joel Joseph Marciano Jr. 

The sensor logs ground movement electronically and transmits a report every ten seconds to the NIGS, which serves as a central base station. Geologists then process and analyse the data, measuring various parameters that affect the sturdiness of slopes, such as rainfall intensity and moisture content.

Sandra Catane, a NIGS geologist, said her team has already noted a displacement of 20 centimetres in Puguis, Benguet, since the sensors were deployed. But she admitted that, at present, they still have to identify the tipping point that indicates when a landslide is about to occur.

According to Catane, the project was initiated following a landslide in Southern Leyte in 2006 that buried the village of Guinsaugon, killing more than 1,100 people. "It was an experience that can occur in one in 1,000 cases, and [was] an eye-opener for us," she said.

Landslides occur because of loosened soil and rocks. Strong rains are the most common cause of landslides in the Philippines, although ground movement — for example, resulting from an earthquake — can increase the probability of a landslide occurring.

Catane said the eventual widespread deployment of the landslide sensors is also an opportunity to create a database on landslides in the country, and could trigger an interest in this area of geology.

But the project faces several problems, including the lack of trained geologists to carry out reconnaissance and choose the appropriate area for deployment of the sensors; interpret the results; and make a visual validation after the data has been logged.

Catane added that the copper wires attached to the deeply-buried sensors had already been stolen twice, apparently to be sold as scrap metal. She emphasized the need to make communities aware of the importance of sensors, and to train them to manage and secure sensors for their own safety.

The project is featured in this video.

Source:

SciDev

Photo and video credits:

NTDTV

Philippine-made MOSES Tablet for DOST Project NOAH

When the weather remains to be unpredictable, there is no other way but to apply the most sophisticated scientific tool to mitigate, if not prevent, the negative impact of typhoons, floods, tsunamis and even volcanic eruptions and earthquakes.

This is the reason why the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) through Project NOAH (Nationwide Operational Assessment of Hazards) has come up with a tablet device aptly called MOSES or Mobile Operational System for Emergency Services.

DOST MOSES tablet for Project NOAH

MOSES is a tablet capable of receiving real-time weather and flood information reports from DOST’s Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) and Project NOAH that local officials, down to the barangay level, can access for accurate decision-making eventually to prevent massive destruction and casualties.

The 8-inch mobile tablet is designed locally with assembled chipset and circuit boards to ensure the availability of spare parts as well as service support. It has a dual SIM function, television, and radio component and is packaged in a rugged shell with a long-life battery that can last up to three days. 

MOSES also provides Doppler radar sensor data, water level sensor data and measurements culled from gauges strategically located in different high-risk areas. Also available in the tablet is a hazard map that is updated in real time.

The tablet also comes with other disaster prevention apps like the Arko, which gives historic flood data on the areas in Metro Manila that can be used to predict the level of floods in several areas in the nation, Project NOAH, and the Flood Patrol.

It allows its user to take pictures of calamities and its effects such as flooded areas, fires, and landslides. The pictures are then uploaded and sent to the command center via 3G or Wifi. Photos of specific locations such as schools, houses, and hospitals can also be taken and sent immediately for reporting.

The photos will help pinpoint the location of search-and-rescue facilities, as well as blocked access routes and emergency access routes, giving visually accurate information on the situation in each barangay. The central command center can then send messages containing advisories or warnings back to the barangays. 

DOST aims to provide the 42,028 barangays with this tablets. For the pilot test, 1,000 units are expected to be distributed to different barangays in Metro Manila.

So if Moses could wave his staff and part the Red Sea, MOSES may be the answer to scientifically managing disasters and allow us to rise above the floods.

Source: 

DOST

GMA Network

Photo Credit:

bp.blogspot.com

Project NOAH (Nationwide Operational Assessment of Hazards): Philippines' advanced disaster prevention and mitigation system

Project NOAH is the Department of Science and Technology’s (DOST) response to the call of President Benigno S. Aquino III for a more accurate, integrated, and responsive disaster prevention and mitigation system, especially in high-risk areas throughout the Philippines.

The Project will harness technologies and management services for disaster risk reduction activities offered by the DOST through PAGASA, PHIVOLCS, and the DOST-Advanced Science and Technology Institute (ASTI), in partnership with the UP National Institute of Geological Sciences and the UP College of Engineering.

A screenshot of Project NOAH website

The Project has the following components:

• Distribution of Hydrome-teorological Devices in hard-hit areas in the Philippines (Hydromet). A total of 600 automated rain gauges (ARG) and 400 water level monitoring stations (WLMS) will be installed along the country’s 18 major river basins (RBs) by December 2013 to provide a better picture of the country’s surface water in relation to flooding. 

• Disaster Risk Exposure Assessment for Mitigation – Light Detection and Ranging (DREAM-LIDAR) Project. The project, which is targeted to be completed by December 2013, aims to produce more accurate flood inundation and hazard maps in 3D for the country’s flood-prone and major river systems and watersheds. 

• Enhancing Geohazards Mapping through LIDAR. The project, which is targeted to be completed by December 2014, shall use LIDAR technology and computer-assisted analyses to identify exact areas prone to landslides. 

• Coastal Hazards and Storm Surge Assessment and Mitigation (CHASSAM). CHASSAM, which is targeted to be completed by December 2014, will generate wave surge, wave refraction, and coastal circulation models to understand and recommend solutions for coastal erosion. 

• Flood Information Network (FloodNET) Project. Targeted to be completed by December 2013 is a flood center that will provide timely and accurate information for flood early warning systems. The FloodNET Project will come up with computer models for the critical RBs, automate the process of data gathering, modeling and information output, and release flood forecasts. 

• Local Development of Doppler Radar Systems (LaDDeRS). LaDDeRS seeks to develop local capacity to design, fabricate, and operate sub-systems of Doppler radars for remotely sensing the dynamic parameters of sea surface such as wave, wind field, and surface current velocity. 

• Landslide Sensors Development Project. This project is a low-cost, locally developed, sensor-based early monitoring and warning system for landslides, slope failures, and debris flow. As of May 2012, ten sensors have been installed in San Francisco, Surigao del Norte; Tago, Surigao del Sur; Tublay, Bugias, and Bokod in Benguet; Guihulngan City, Negros Occidental; St. Bernard, Southern Leyte; and Tubungan, Iloilo. Additional sensors are expected to be deployed to not less than 50 sites by 2013. 

• Weather Hazard Information Project (WHIP). WHIP involves the utilization of platforms such as television (DOSTv) and a web portal (http://noah.dost.gov.ph), which display real-time satellite, Doppler radar, ARG, and WLMS data to empower LGUs and communities to prepare against extreme natural hazards. This is complemented by activities, such as: a) conducting of IEC (Information, Education, and Communication) activities; and b) the processing and packaging of relevant and up-to-date information for public use.

Source:

Official Gazette

Project NOAH

Photo Credit:

Project NOAH

Mechanical Anti-terrorist Concept (MAC): the Philippines' first bomb disposal robot

The MAC bomb disposal robot

Bomb disposal is the process by which hazardous explosive devices are rendered safe. Bomb disposal is an all encompassing term to describe the separate, but interrelated functions in the military fields of Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) and Improvised Explosive Device Disposal (IEDD), and the public safety roles of Public Safety Bomb Disposal (PSBD) and the Bomb Squad. Though properly equipped and highly skilled, bomb disposal activities still pose danger to bomb disposal personnel. Thus, remote-controlled robots have been developed to take the hazardous job.

In the Philippines, where terrorism poses a great threat and terrorists often use bombs to create fear among the public, such device is important. The first locally-made bomb disposal robot is MAC (Mechanical Anti-terrorist Concept). It is developed in collaboration between the Philippine National Police and a robotics team from Mapua Institute of Technology and costs roughly $6,100 as of 2008. Its chief designer is Engr. John Judilla, head of the robotics team of MIT and one of the country’s top engineers in the multidisciplinary field of mechatronics and who is also a naval reserve officer.

MAC is two feet tall, three feet wide and five feet long. It is made of aluminum, fiberglass, and engineering plastic. It is equipped with a mobile arm that can lift objects weighing up to 11 pounds. It features a front and rear cameras and has a night-vision capability. The four wheeled vehicle runs off motorcycle batteries, and can move at up to four meters a second or 15 kilometers per hour. Though MAC is controlled via a 150 foot cable, with the operator viewing the video feed on a laptop it can also be operated via remote control depending on the situation. MAC, which weighs about a hundred pounds, can carry up to 44 pounds of equipment, and future versions will carry different types of equipment.

Engr. John Judilla, MAC's chief designer

MAC was presented to the public in October 2008 and inducted into the Makati City police force conferred a Police Inspector rank equivalent to a captain in the military. In the same month, MAC won as the grand champion during the year’s World Cup of Computer Implemented Inventions Competition held in China.

In November of the same year, the Philippine Navy expressed interest to acquire enhanced and navalized version of MAC capable of operating in water under Project Smart. Funding for the project was taken under the Self-Reliance Defense Program (SRDP) 2009 budget of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) modernization.

If MAC will be put into mass production with lower production costs, quality engineering and talented individuals to develop further the technology, Philippines will become a source of a cheap alternative to countries that need bomb disposal robots that can’t afford expensive units from developed countries like the United States.

Source: 

Inquirer
MIT

Philstar

Strategypage
Wikipedia

Photo Credit: 

MIT

Tinypic

Filipino inventions: 2BIG POWER and Tubig-powered Machine - green solution to scarce electricity

Aiming to help his Filipino countrymen, Stevenson “Steve” Rejuso invented the LED Lamp Portable DC Generator or simply known as 2BIG POWER. The invention generates electricity and enables to light its LED bulb using water as a fuel.

Screen shot of ABS-CBN's video in YouTube
featuring 2BIG POWER being filled with water

According to him, 2BIG POWER lights up to 3-4 days depending on the amount of water added and capable of producing 3-10 watts. The device doesn’t need clean water for it to light. It works also with dirty water, seawater, freshwater, buko juice, or even wastewater.

Along with 2BIG POWER, he also invented the Tubig-powered Machine prompted with the shortage of electricity in their area. The device can light a flashlight, a lamp post, charge batteries and battery pack of cellular phones or even power a transistor radio and can light a village for two weeks. Same with his 2BIG POWER, it generates electricity using water.

The principle for both of his devices is simple. The production of electricity happens through a reaction between the several metal plates inside the device chamber aided by the addition of water. Water serves as an electrolyte that enables the ions from different plates to pass through. Since it consists of many plates, it produces electricity strong enough to have an economical value.

Sir Rejuso is a member of the Filipino Inventors Society (FIS) and known for his inventions here and abroad. He was featured in ABS-CBN separate programs, IMBENSIYON and Kabuhayang Swak na Swak. He said that many foreign countries are interested for the sale of his inventions. However, he refused the offer because he wants that Filipinos to benefit first.

2BIG POWER is safe to use compared to the candles and oil lamps as source of light. It is more economical and environment-friendly. On the other hand, Tubig-powered Machine is now functioning at Brgy. Greater Lagro, Quezon City, Metro Manila.

His inventions are very useful especially in areas where electricity is scarce. He is aiming to reach far-flung places of the Philippines where service of electricity is not available.

Source:

YouTube

The Lemurian's Scroll

Photo and video credits:
YouTube

Philippines' plastic bottle classroom - first in Asia

First bottle classroom in Asia rises in Laguna

                                 By Sarita Kare, ABS-CBN Southern Tagalog

                                 Posted at 12/21/2010 12:04 PM | Updated as of 12/21/2010 4:55 PM

MANILA, Philippines - Inside the Dalubhasaan ng Lungsod ng San Pablo in Laguna stands a building made up of hundreds of plastic bottles.

Illac Diaz

The “Plastic Bottle Mo, Kinabukasan Ko” project of the provincial government together with former actor/model and architect Illac Diaz, known for his ecological structures and other sponsors, has unveiled the model classroom on Saturday.

Diaz of My Shelter Foundation said that they have thought of using plastic bottles to save the environment and for economic reasons. Plastic bottles are known to decompose only after 700 years.

“Instead of burying them as garbage under the ground, we thought of making them rise as buildings”, he said.

Eight classrooms and a library will be built in the said school with the support of 3rd District Board Member Angelica Jones who helped in securing a donation for the lot.

The country lacks 7,000 classrooms and this project aims to encourage more local government units (LGUs) to build similar classrooms without having to worry about the funds.

Sturdier and practical

Celso Alcantara who helped build the plastic classroom admitted that the bottle classroom is stronger compared to the structures he has put up in his 14 years as a mason.

A mixture of cement and sand is placed inside each plastic bottle and in between bottles.

The Plastic Bottle classroom

“It takes about 2 months, longer than the normal construction of concrete, but it is more worth it," said Alcantara.

It is even stronger than hollow blocks, said Diaz, as tested by the Mapua Institute of Technology. It's a technique the Spaniards used, proof why our old churches are still existing.

Aside from bottles, rice hulls were also used for the walls.

They also plan to use tetra packs for the roof.

Source:

ABSCBN News

Photo Credit:

whatsnewph.com

Self-Charging Electric Car - Philippines' hope from oil independence

Ismael Aviso Self-Charging Electric Car

                             by Sterling D. Allan
                             Pure Energy Systems News
                             Saturday, February 5, 2011

A "bare-bones" version of Aviso's Self-Charging Electric Car

When we hear of electric vehicles, we typically envision a trunk full of batteries. Not so with an electric vehicle prototype developed by Filipino inventor, Ismael Aviso. In his small prototype vehicle, one 12-volt battery is all that is needed, because his vehicle is not running from the storage capacity of the battery, but the battery is merely serving as the delivery point for the energy that is being harvested from unseen energy all around us through his special circuitry.

This is reminiscent of Nikola Tesla's Pierce-Arrow electric automobile conversion that he ran on a little black box, extracting energy freely somehow from the wheelwork of nature, requiring no petrol.

Aviso has been working on this for 13 years but recently achieved a major milestone, posting a video to YouTube showing his vehicle running for around 10 minutes back and forth in his long garage, with passengers on January 31, 2011; but the battery stayed full.

First of all, the 11 kilowatt DC motor should have very quickly drained the one battery. Aviso says that "there is no one else who can run an 11 kilowatt motor on just one 12-volt battery." So that was the first feat.

Secondly, at the end of the demonstration, the voltage on the battery was 13 — higher than the rated 12.6 volts for the stock battery. Acceleration takes a lot of energy. Stopping and starting like that repeatedly should have sucked a battery bank down. Yet the battery stayed full.

Here's the video of their demo. It's not entertainment material, but it is an excellent demo in content. Even though they don't show a "before" shot of the battery voltage, the stock specs of the Motolite battery can easily be looked up, to show that their "full" voltage is 12.6 volts.

Aviso said that this is made possible by an antenna that receives energy from signals in the range of 750 megahertz to 1.2 gigahertz. He says that once he tunes his device to the proper resonance, "any signal within that range will be collected to boost the power of the battery", enabling one battery to power his vehicle. He names the effect "Fymeg" (FYMEGM) energy, in memory of two of his late friends who helped in the earlier phases of the project. In contrast to the Bedini and Bearden technologies which are high impedance, his technology is based on low impedance and high voltage.

He did the demo in the garage because the weather was unpredictable. The next day, he posted a video of them driving around his neighborhood: a third-world depiction, that he said he would like to uplift once this technology takes hold.

In looking at his earlier videos, you can see that he stripped down the vehicle to its bare minimal requirements – making it easy to see that there are no hidden power sources or other devices that could be accounting for the power being demonstrated. This version is also greatly simplified from earlier ones that involved banks of capacitors and other electronics equipment.

This whole scenario brings to mind for me a prophecy: "And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are…" (1 Corinthians 1:28)

Aviso envisions a retrofit kit costing around $3000 (not including labor) to enable a petrol vehicle to be converted to electric using this technology. He likes to compare that to the $25000 price tag usually accompanying conversion to run on an AC motor; or the $12000 price tag for conversion to run on a DC motor.

He said that his technology is ready for demonstration to qualified parties who are ready to help them move forward with the funding and expertise they need.

A screen shot of GMA network's interview with Ismael Aviso 

Once he gets adequate funding, he plans to file patents simultaneously worldwide. So he is not disclosing how it works yet, just that it does work. He said that the equipment that will be required to measure the ambient frequencies around the device costs around $150,000; and this will be one of the tests that will need to be done fairly soon to characterize what is going on with the device.

He hopes to get some support from the Philippine government to get some funding to do proper third party testing.

But this isn't all. There's more where that came from.

Electro-Piston

Once Aviso gets adequate funding, whether from investors and/or from sales of this first product, he wants to finish developing another technology he's been working on – creating an electric piston engine using his repelling force. He demonstrates this force in a video, showing a 1 kilogram weight flying about 15 feet into the air, the ejection having been powered by one AA battery. Aviso envisions replacing a fuel-based combustion engine with this electro-motive-force-driven engine.

Sir Ismael Aviso, we're proud of you!

Please visit the PESWIKI site for more information and to support Aviso's invention. 

Source:

peswiki.com

Photo credit:

GMA Network
YouTube

Video credit:

YouTube

IRONMATE® - cut your flat iron electrical consumption up to 53%, a diligent Filipino invention

Electric bills, water bills, phone bills, internet bills, credit card bills and all other bills are the main recipients of Filipinos' income at the end of the month. What’s left for an average income earners whose salaries are barely enough for the family’s food and everyday needs?

Cutting down these bills are necessary. If not to eliminate, at least reduction shall be done. In the case of electric bill, some people resort to cut their electrical consumption illegally especially those who are leaving in overpopulated areas. But what if we can do it legally without compromising a necessary household chore that needs electricity? Yes, there’s a way. 

An IRONMATE® promotional banner

Electric iron is one of the appliances that consumes electricity a lot. A typical clothes iron has 1000-1800 wattage. To save electricity, a former teacher in Albay, Rodolfo B. Biescas, Sr. invented the IRONMATE®. Due to his love for the ordinary Pinoys, and believing that the Filipino is a creative persona and has strong global-standard that one can be the pride of Asia, he began inventing and innovating things that Filipinos may benefit. He believes that “Necessity is not the mother of all Inventions” because there are inventions that are not necessity like those that causes destruction. IRONMATE® was invented in 1988. Sir Biescas applied patent in 1990 and granted in 1991. 

The IRONMATE® is a device which automatically shuts off the electrical flow towards the flat iron when the iron is rested or not in use without losing the heat energy. It can save up to 50-53% of energy consumption and electricity cost. It is portable and made of fiber plastic crystals, with the stainless steel plate and a heat indicator at the rear side.

Major highlights of the IRONMATE® include: 

• Timely energy saving & fire safety device for flat iron. 
• Pay only what you actually consume in ironing clothes 
• Multi-awarded Filipino invention 
• Conserves heat and reduce electrical consumption by 50-53%. 
• Controls built-in loss in ironing – electrical consumption automatically stops and heat conserved when the flat-iron presses the push button while rested on the IRONMATE® during frequent idle periods
• Ensures fire safety in ironing 
• Automatic shut off power 
• Portable and easy to use. 
• Affordable 

Specifications: 

• Voltage: 220v 
• Power Capacity: 1000 watts 
• Fuse: 10mA

Due to the excellence of the product, it became a recipient of the following awards.

• 1993 National Inventors week and Golden International Expo ’93 – Gold Medal 
• 1999 Phil. Official Entry to: 27E Salon International DES Inventors- Geneva, Switzerland 
• 1999 Official Delegates to Europartenariat, Vienna Austria I-TEX 2000 international Invention, Invention Industrial Design and Technology 
• Putra World Trade Center – Malaysia – Broze Medal 
• National Inventors week 2000- Tuklas Award – Outstanding Invention

The IRONMATE® was featured in various television programs such as SiS of GMA7, Shopping Network (ShopTV),  and Venta5 in ABC 5. 

Rodolfo B. Biescas Sr.,
inventor of the IRONMATE®

Among his other high-impact technology inventions and innovations which concretely addresses pressing global concerns on energy, environment and health are the following: Multi-Cooler Fan (Semi Air Conditioning Unit), Ironmate Economizer (Energy Saving Device for Flat Iron), Super Flame (Charwood Stove) Brickcoal (Charcoal Briquettes) Cosmic Pure (Water Purifier), The Pacman (Mechanical Street Sweeper), Sapun (Sanitary Disposal Toilet Seat Cover), and Nature’s Air (Car and Room Ionizer), a timely health advocacy during this times of spreading environmental pollution in society. He is also one of the founders of the Filipino Multi-Purpose Cooperative and credited for eight inventions/innovations which he developed, patented spanning 25-year period (since 1982).

To order this product, contact 09293189480 or 09759270863. You may also send an e-mail inquiry to BuyPinoyInvention@gmail.com.

Tangkilikin po natin ang sariling atin.

Source: 
energy.gov
opinyon.com
Rodolfo B. Biescas Sr.
YouTube

Photo credit:

Rodolfo B. Biescas Sr.