X-Message-Number: 24255
From: "G. Urban" <>
Subject: Additions to the last mail
Date: Wed, 16 Jun 2004 18:14:23 +0200

I meant that all needles would be attached to a single plastic sheet 
hexagonally, so that all of them would be parallel with alll their 
neighbors. This experiment is very easy to do with only 7 or 19 needles and 
a brain of a mouse. The cryoprotectants are injected _while_ the needles are 
going through the brain, so it only takes precise timing, not some 
3D-coordination, to inject the correct cryoprotectants into the different 
parts of the brain.

Of course, the plastic sheet would be removed before cooling, so that the 
needles can get closer to each other, due to changes in the volume of the 
brain. One primitive, but effective method for cooling would be, to immerse 
the ends of all needles into a bath of liquid nitrogen, so it boils, and 
some of the gas goes through the needles. (Because the liquid is flowing up 
to the external surface level inside the needles, too, so it generates 
pressure when boiling inside the needles.) When the intensive boiling stops, 
the brain could be turned upside down, so that the other ends of the needles 
are immersed. (Maybe after some initial rewarming of the needle ends, so the 
boiling can last for a time.)

The only big problem I see in this idea, that the needles could stick to the 
vitrifiing surface around them, and if their shrinking rate differs from the 
shrinking rate of the tissue, there can be cracks around them. But this 
problem can be solved in many ways, if and when it would occur. (I guess, if 
the vitrification is successful, it would be a marginal problem, because 
there is no such radical change in volume, like in freezing. Of course, it 
is wise to choose the material constitution of the needles carefully, in 
accordance to their thermodynamical properties.) Probably, the needles would 
shrink faster, than the tissue around them, therefore the danger of cracks 
is small.

This method can even be used, when the blood vessels are already damaged, 
due to disease. The most problematic part of the procedure is the 
resuscitation, when the proper surgical glue must be utilized, to close the 
wounds made by the needles. I think, even a low-cost experiment with a rat 
brain or a single hyppocampus would show dramatically good results in 
viability, that would have a huge media response. And, in addition, this 
method is radical and spectacular enough to convince the general public, 
that the cryonics industry is developing new strategies, to achieve a _real_ 
, functioning protocol, that not only freezes the patients, but _really_ 
brings them back to "youthful good health", as stated on the home page of 
CI.

Such a method, in addition, would involve brain surgeons in the field of 
cryonics, who are much more intelligent and competent people, than _most_ 
cryobiologists (with all respect to a small minority, who are brave enough 
to aid cryonics). The media presence of these brain surgeons would be very 
helpful in showing the public, that cryonics is a _MEDICAL THREATMENT_, 
nothing less, and nothing more, and therefore absolutely not the field of 
some incompetent (cryo-)biologists.

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