X-Message-Number: 16247
From: 
Date: Thu, 10 May 2001 04:54:35 EDT
Subject: Fluid Breathing:  The FLUTEC Perfluorocarbon Liquids

LN2 Trip and Back this Summer?  (Installment #2)

My current "science fixation" is the prospect of taking a few relatively 
simple life forms to cryogenic temperatures and back--safe and sound.  Or, as 
close as possible to such temperatures, and as close as possible to safe and 
sound.  Aquatic crustaceans, tropical fish and plants should do.  Actually 
plants, (with their unforgiving ridged cell walls rather that lipid bi-layer 
membranes) will be plenty challenge enough. I will start with them. I 
estimate odds of report-worthy success to be a little less than one in a 
hundred.

I may try numerous tactics (if I try it at all) including simple pressure 
generating techniques to possibly minimize icing damage and/or encourage 
vitrification. Earlier (Installment #1) I described a means of generating 
pressure by taking advantage of the expansion properties of freezing water. 
(I will refer to the technique as "passive pressure generation.")

Aquarium zebra fish are popular choices these days in research--I forgot why, 
but will try to find the article I read a while back at the doctor's office 
(first Lipitor prescription).  I believe they may be considered good models 
for such things as gene research and probably partly because of their 
hardiness.  Its hard to off a zebra fish.

The working concept is that the cessation of the specimen's respiration is to 
be triggered by, and to coincide with, the lowering of temperatures whereby 
cellular ischemia issues are hopefully averted.  More specifically, 
deleterious oxygen depravation may have been removed from the equation for 
the revival.  Remember the recent news story of the revived "frozen child?"

The hypothesis is that metabolic functions are to seamlessly slow to a stop 
for a literal suspended animation along the way down and then will kindly 
resume somewhere along the way back up.  All kinds of more than vexing 
technical problems exist which I'll save for another day/headache.  

For now, what is the interest in the perfluorocarbons?  With any success, I 
might consider moving on to bumble bees and other insects.  But they breath 
air and air does not have anywhere near the same compression characteristics 
as liquids.  At such a point, I would consider perfluorocarbons.  In addition 
to having cryoprotective attributes, these liquids could sustain an air 
breathing creature while later transmitting the pressure desired for 
potential icing suppression.

Since its got a good long shelf life and is not too expensive per gallon,  I 
might just decide to splurge at some point in the future.  In the meantime to 
support more promising research, I mailed a $100 to INC today.  If everyone 
on the list would, I believe it could make a difference.

Here are some interesting websites:

http://www.allbiehn.com/abyss/fluidbreathing.html

http://ds.dial.pipex.com/town/street/ql54/flutec/medical/index.htm

Regards,

David C. Johnson, Raleigh, NC

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