X-Message-Number: 24448 Date: Thu, 29 Jul 2004 14:29:59 -0700 (PDT) From: Jeff Davis <> Subject: Drag Reducing Polymer Cryofolk, I've gotten the impression that viscosity is a limiting factor in perfusion with glycerol-based cryoprotectant. So when I read the article excerpted below, I thought maybe here was a substance which as an additive "at minute concentrations" might reduce perfusate viscosity. Best, Jeff Davis "Everything's hard till you know how to do it." Ray Charles http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2004-07/uopm-fdf072604.php Fluid derived from aloe plant prolongs life after hemorrhagic shock in animal study The central ingredient of Pitt's resuscitation fluid comes from the slick substance inside the leaves of the aloe vera plant. A so-called mucilage, it is rich in polysaccharides and has a high molecular mass and specific "visco-elastic" properties that allow it to reduce resistance to turbulent flow when added to a fluid at minute concentrations. "As a drag reducing polymer, it may provide better diffusion of oxygen molecules from red blood cells to tissues because of its ability to better mix in the plasma surrounding red blood cells," explained Marina Kameneva, Ph.D., research associate professor of surgery and bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, and director of the Artificial Blood Program at the McGowan Institute, who developed the fluid and has been researching its potential for the past several years. __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail - 50x more storage than other providers! http://promotions.yahoo.com/new_mail Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=24448