X-Message-Number: 26744
From: 
Date: Sun, 31 Jul 2005 20:23:19 EDT
Subject: questions

Brian Wowk (see yesterday's Cryonet) give two nice references that I hadn't  
seen before, but clarification is needed.
 
I had repeatedly said that, to the best of my knowledge, no mammalian brain  
had ever been subjected to the vitrification procedure that Alcor now uses  
for its human neuro patients, stored at liquid nitrogen temperature, and then  

adequately evaluated. A couple of days ago I repeated this, but a bit sloppily
or with less precision.
 
The references cited (Lemler et al) were useful and encouraging, but  glossed 
over some points. A hasty reader might conclude that brain vitrification  

with liquid nitrogen storage is a done deal, and also that rabbit kidneys can be
vitrified well enough for routine transplant. This does not seem to be the  
case.
 
The  lowest reported temperature was - 140 C, and the period of time  at that 
temperature was not given. The rabbit kidney results could be read as  long 
term survival of vitrified transplants, but it didn't actually say that,  and 
my impression is that rabbit kidney results, while  much improved over  those 
of years earlier, are still considerably short of what would be needed for  
human clinical use.
 
And the composition of the solution "M22" was not given, so there is no way  
for us to do any independent verification.
 
Perhaps Brian or one of the authors would comment on these  points.
 
The secrecy issue is an unsolved problem. Presumably 21CM wants to cash in  

on any potential commercial market, e.g. for organ transplantation. However, as
 I read the patent law (in  my amateur way), you can publish your results  

(in any venue, doesn't have to be a recognized journal) and have up to a year to
 apply for a U.S. patent, while you are protected against someone else 
preceding  you.
 
As far as the brain is concerned, there is no serious commercial  potential, 
aside from the tiny cryonics market. Seems to me we should just be  open about 
our results and try not to duplicate effort. Publish our results  freely as 
they come, and forget about cryonics royalties or monopolies. Looking  for 
commercial advantage here seems very short-sighted and  counterproductive.
 
Robert Ettinger


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