X-Message-Number: 23636 Date: Mon, 15 Mar 2004 11:24:06 -0500 From: david shumaker <> Subject: News from Suspended Animation News from Suspended Animation for March 1 - 12. Despite the setback in our attempts to begin construction of our laboratories, SA is moving forward at a fairly fast pace. We have located alternative buildings but are delaying decisions regarding them until another, more desirable, locational possibility can be explored. Fortunately, the lack of a permanent facility does not hamper basic equipment fabrication activities or our transport capability. All of our perfusion and cooldown equipment is on wheels and will simply be moved to our new home when such is located. Similarly, it can also be moved to a local laboratory to perform appropriate experiments or vitrification itself. Only the required LN2 is somewhat less portable. As has been the case for some time, we are totally ready for and capable of performing Standby Based Transport anywhere. All members of our team have SBT field experience. We can both transport to Alcor for freezing or vitrification or to CI for final cooldown in a traditional glycerol based freeze. Efforts underway include the following: 1. A portable dry ice temperature, moderate-speed, gas cooldown box that fits inside a Ziegler box and can be shipped to the patient location for field glycerolized freezing to dry ice temperature prior to shipment to CI or Alcor is in final design for fabrication beginning this week. Once the patient is cooled to dry ice temperature, the cooling paraphernalia is removed, dry ice is added and the box fits into the Ziegler box for shipping to the custodial facility. 2. SA has orders for three of its gurney based PIBs. Parts are in fabrication and delivery should occur soon. The PIB has its own operating-height gurney that fits inside the folded PIB. The liner is seamless to avoid microbe hiding places. 3. We have had an indication of interest for three of our advanced thumpers but need orders for a total of ten in order to get the initial low price from Michigan Instruments. 4. Our whole body fast gas vitrification cooldown system has completed its major physical design and is now being mocked up in preparation for final metal fabrication in about two weeks. We incurred significant delays attempting to design a system working at a gas velocity of 60 MPH. Recent measurements indicate that gas speeds on the order of 10-12 MPH will suffice, and we are now back on track. This cooldown box will enable SA to rapidly cool the patient to glass transition, perform an annealing sequence and then slowly take the patient on down to storage temperature (or remain at intermediate temperature when such storage becomes available) all under automated computer control. The software that drives the system has been complete for several months. The cooling chamber itself, with 10 inches of foam insulation, was fabricated months ago and doubles as a shipping container to move the patient to the long-term storage facility. The cooling system can also provide standard glycerolized freezing profiles. 21 CM has been a big help in this effort. 5. The first whole body computer controlled patient perfusion enclosure is complete and has demonstrated the ability to maintain a commanded patient temperature environment from 5 C to well below -20C under software control. In fact, the enclosure temperature can be programmed to match perfusion temperature, all under automated control. The enclosure is currently undergoing final modification to add a sump to collect patient perfusate effluent, but is otherwise complete. 6. Progress continues on our computerized perfusion system. Our goal here is to have a completely computer controlled, web integrated system that will enable persons anywhere to participate in vitrification experiments without having to leave their office. Pumps, refractometers, thermometers, and pressure sensors have all been successfully integrated. This is not a simple task and because it is operated on the labview software platform, software experts are few and far between. If anyone knows of a labview capable person that could help in this area we would jump at the opportunity to contract them. As I am sure everyone knows, we have a contract with the American Cryonics Society to support its members. We are also getting a few requests every week from members of other cryonics organizations for information regarding how we may support their needs. This growing show of support is particularly gratifying. As everyone also knows we do not compete with existing cryonics companies but provide SBT and cryopreservation services for everyone. Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=23636