X-Message-Number: 29448
Date: Wed, 18 Apr 2007 21:26:04 -0700 (PDT)
From: 
Subject: super-cooling with an electrostatic field

No freezing at -5 C, even with no cryoprotectants.
Seems to me that 21st Century Medicine might want to consider investing
in one of these special "super-cooling" refrigerators. In addition to
lowering the freezing point, an electrostatic field can also slow tissue
deterioration, independantly of temperature.

Supercooling PROKEPT refrigerator (70 X 58 X 141.8 cm, 98 kg) available from...
http://www.mebix.co.jp/activities/cell_science/prokept.html

Better picture available at...
http://www.cellgentech.com/prokept.pdf

Ann Thorac Surg. 2006 Sep;82(3):1085-8.
Comment in: Ann Thorac Surg. 2006 Sep;82(3):1088-9.
A novel method for preserving human lungs using a super-cooling system.
Abe M, Jimi S, Hama H, Shiraishi T, Iwasaki A, Ono N, Shirakusa T,
Katsuragi T. Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Fukuoka
University, Fukuoka, Japan.
    PURPOSE: To ensure the suitable preservation of isolated lungs, a
super-cooling system was used to cool water to temperatures as low as -5
degrees C without freezing. DESCRIPTION: After lung tissues were obtained
from patients with lung cancer, they were kept at -5 degrees C or 4
degrees C for as many as 5 days, and then they were histologically and
biochemically examined. To evaluate biochemical stability, tissues after
storage were passively sensitized with immunoglobulin E and then
incubated with anti-immunoglobulin-E antibody. EVALUATION: Although
tissues preserved at -5 degrees C for 5 days had an almost normal
appearance with intact cilia on bronchial epithelium and normal
endothelium, tissues stored at 4 degrees C showed degradation of these
structures. Single-stranded DNA, a sign of DNA cleavage, was frequently
noted in tissues stored at 4 degrees C, but only rarely observed
at -5 degrees C. A significant amount of cysteinyl-leukotrienes was
generated from tissues stored at -5 degrees C for 3 days, but there was
no response to antibody stimulation from tissues stored at 4 degrees
C. CONCLUSIONS: Super-cooling systems may provide useful applications as
a novel preserving method.
PMID: 16928543

Ann Thorac Surg. 2006 Sep;82(3):1088-9.
Comment on: Ann Thorac Surg. 2006 Sep;82(3):1085-8.
Invited commentary.Hoopes C.
Surgery/Transplantation, University of California San Francisco, 350
Parnassus Ave, Suite 150, San Francisco, CA94143.
PMID: 16928544

Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2005 Nov 18;337(2):534-9. Epub 2005 Sep 22.
The use of a supercooling refrigerator improves the preservation of organ
grafts.
Monzen K, Hosoda T, Hayashi D, Imai Y, Okawa Y, Kohro T, Uozaki H,
Nishiyama T, Fukayama M, Nagai R. Department of Cardiovascular Medicine,
University of Tokyo Graduate School of Medicine, Bunkyo-ku, Japan.
    Current medical transplantation confronts major problems such as the
shortage of donors and geographical restrictions that inhibit efficient
utilization of finite donor organs within their storage lives. To
overcome these issues, expanding organ preservation time has become a
major concern. We investigated whether a strategy which best preserves
organ grafts can be achieved by the use of a newly developed
refrigerating chamber, which is capable of establishing a supercooled and
unfrozen state stably by generating an electrostatic field in its
inside. When adult rat organs such as heart, liver, and kidneys were
stored in the supercooled conditions, the levels of major biochemical
markers leaked from the preserved organs were significantly lower than in
the ordinary hypothermic storage. No apparent tissue damages were
observed histologically after the supercooled preservation. Our
results suggest that the use of this supercooling refrigerator improves
organ preservation and may provide an innovative technique for human
organ transplantation.
PMID: 16202974

J Anesth. 2007;21(1):42-6. Epub 2007 Jan 30.
Electrostatic field can preserve red blood cells in stored blood preparations.
Nishiyama T, Hayashi D. Department of Anesthesiology, Graduate School of
Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo,
113-8655, Japan.
    PURPOSE: During the storage of red blood cell concentrates (CRCs),
red blood cells are progressively destroyed and free hemoglobin and
potassium concentrations increase. In this study, we focused on an
electrostatic field that maintains food freshness without freezing, even
at less than the freezing point. We hypothesized that the storage of CRCs
under an electrostatic field could keep red blood cells in better
condition than conventional storage. METHODS: Each of 15 packs of
2-day-old CRCs, preserved in MAP (mannitol, adenine, glucose, phosphate,
and citrate) solution (MAP-CRC) was divided into 4 smaller equal-size
packs and stored at 4 degrees C in a newly developed refrigerator that can
generate an electrostatic field. Each group was exposed to a 0-, 500-,
1500-, or 3000-volt (V) electric field for 30 days. Concentrations of
free hemoglobin, total haptoglobin, sodium (Na), and potassium (K), and
the pH, were measured in the supernatant. RESULTS: Haptoglobin was not
detected. The Na concentration decreased with time but was significantly
lower in the 0-V than in the 500-, 1500-, and 3000-V groups. K and free
hemoglobin concentrations increased with time, with significantly higher
values in the 0-V than in the 500-, 1500-, and 3000-V groups. The pH
decreased in the 500-, 1500-, and 3000-V groups, while it did not change
in the 0-V group. The pH decrease was smaller in the 500-V than in the
1500- and 3000-V groups. CONCLUSION: Storing MAP-CRC in an electrostatic
field of 500 to 3000 V could decrease hemolysis in the
preparation. Considering the lower pH decrease, 500 V might be the field
of choice.
PMID: 17285412

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