PRESIDENT'S REPORT

by Ben Best

The big news in this issue of THE IMMORTALIST is the application of Dr. Pichugin's new vitrification mixture and protocol to the cryopreservation of CI Member Kevin Boyle's dog Thor. In January we received the final components we needed for a portable ice bath which could be used with our new ACDC Thumper. This equipment was all used with good success during our cryopreservation of the dog Thor.

We expect to be using the new vitrification protocol for our human patients in the United States. The protocol involves perfusing only the upper body (above a line between the arm-pits) with vitrification mixture and cryopreserving the whole body without perfusing the lower body. We do not expect that reconstruction of the lower body will be a challenge for future science. One of our prominent Members, James Swayze, is a paraplegic and we definitely believe that if future technology is able to reanimate him, he will be restored to full functionality.

We do not expect to be asking funeral directors in the United States to be doing cryoprotectant perfusions in the near future. We would still want funeral directors to inject with heparin, apply cardiopulmonary support and provide cooling. If possible, the funeral director should perfuse through the femorals with a cold washout solution we would provide -- the best way to cool rapidly as well as to preserve organs and vessels.

We will certainly be cryopreserving the whole body. Future technology will still be required to reverse biochemical damage, reverse the effects of aging and to eliminate all disease, including the damaging results of past disease.

We strongly believe that the elimination or near-elimination of ice in the brain is an enormous benefit for all CI Members. Although glycerol has vitrifying (anti-freeze) properties, it results in no less than 20% ice formation everywhere, including the brain. Eventually our research may allow for whole body vitrification, but we can make no guarantees. Our highest immediate priorities are to improve washout and eliminate cold ischemia during shipment to Michigan for administration of the vitrification protocol. We also want to improve the vitrification protocol.

DONATIONS TO THE CI RESEARCH FUND ARE ALWAYS WELCOME. Make checks or money orders payable to The Immortalist Society to be tax-deductable. Mail to 24355 Sorrentino Court; Clinton Township, MI 48035 USA. Or pay by PayPal to immsoc@aol.com or phone-in your credit card number to (586) 791-5961.

For a description of the cryopreservation of Kevin Boyle's dog see later.

On February 5, 2005 there was an in-person meeting at the CI Facility of six Directors and four Advisors (two of the Directors "attended" by conference-call). I am reluctant to pre-announce anything that is not yet decisive, so I will mention only a few definite decisions reached at the meeting. It was decided that cryopreservation prices will not be raised at this time, but the question will be reconsidered next year. To save on unnecessary accounting costs it was decided to change the CI fiscal year to match the calendar year. Thus, our next fiscal "year" will be a shortened one: from April 1, 2005 to December 31, 2005. Thus we can begin a full fiscal year in 2006.

We are currently in the process of coating our newer (cylindrical) cryostats with fire retardant. After very exhaustive research we decided upon Fire-Free 88. Facilities Manager Andy Zawacki demonstrated that three coats of FF88 could withstand a full minute of the hottest portion of a blowtorch without penetration. The closest contender was Contego. The older (rectangular) cryostats were constructed with 10% antimony trioxide fire retardant incorporated into the fiberglass-resin composite.

On February 23rd and 24th a Russian film crew spent several hours at the CI Facility. Dr. Yuri Pichugin, our Russian cryobiologist researcher, spoke with them at length and gave them a tour of the facility. Others were interviewed as well. The half-hour program about cryonics and the Cryonics Institute was scheduled for broadcast on the Russian national television network NTV for March 5, 2005.

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Interest in cryonics appears to be growing in Australia, with 19 CI members currently, the largest number of any country outside the US other than the UK.

However many of those members have not made contact with the Cryonics Association of Australia, which is a non profit association, founded in 1980, and which exists in order to provide support to its members when needed, as well as to promote the concept in the wider community. Having the support of an in-country cryonics organization is important, particularly when cryonicists are scattered over a large continent and far from the center of activity in the US.

Membership of CAA offers many benefits. It allows members to keep up to date with local developments. Its officers and members have a wide experience and knowledge of the local situation. CAA maintains a contact telephone number to allow quick response in time of emergency, as well as for general enquiries. The number - which is listed in the Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane telephone directories is (03) 9589-6236.

CAA has arrangements with co-operating funeral directors in each of the three main east coast population centres to carry out the necessary procedures and arrange shipment, and it maintains regular close contact with these firms. CAA has three purpose-built Air Transport Containers  for the purpose of shipping patients to the facility in the US. as well as a quantity of supplies for  use in suspension procedures.  

Membership in CAA also allows Australian cryonicists to make their contribution, and to have their input, to the development of cryonics in Australia. Members are invited upon joining to pay a funding contribution of $1,000, which is used to meet the costs of the Association’s services, and funded members will enjoy full use of the Association’s services and equipment when needed at no further cost. Members who elect not to make this contribution initially will pay the amount, together with any excess costs, at time of use, while non-members are charged $1,750, reflecting the fact that they have not been contributing to the Association over the years.

Thus there are great benefits for signed-up cryonicists in Australia from membership in CAA, and all CI members in Australia should look carefully at this option. For further information call the above number or write to CAA, P.O. Box 57, Hampton VIC 3188.

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CI still has two manually-operated ACDC units -- Ambu-CardioPumps for sale, Thanks to Paul Michaels who was able to get them imported from Europe, CI purchased them for members living outside of Michigan who might want to use them. For more info see later.

The website of the "Instituto de Crionica" is now active:http://crionica.org/

The main objectives of the Institute are researching and distributing information on cryonics to a Spanish speaking audience. The website, positioned as the leading cryonics related portal in Spanish, already contains translations of many documents of the Cryonics Institute, and others are being translated.

The portal contains the website of the Spanish Cryonics Society:

http://crionica.org/sec/

One of the objectives of the Spanish Cryonics Society is providing members with practical assistance on cryonics arrangements.

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Kennita Watson has made arrangements to have Cryonics T shirts printed.. Check them out at: http://www.cafepress.com/cryopromote

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CI MEMBERSHIP REPORT

As of 23-Feb-2005 the Cryonics Institute has 486 Members. Membership in the Cryonics Institute is the pre-requisite for creating a funded contract which can be used for cryopreservation purposes.

I like trying to tease different information about our Members from our database. This time I have tried to look at birthdates and Member funding. Information for birthdates is incomplete because we have been accepting applications with the birthdate left blank. Consequently, we do not have a birthdate for 91 of our Members. Birthdates of the Members can be classified by decade as follows:

Unknown..91

1910s.....7

1920s....15

1930s....24

1940s....66

1950s....86

1960s....75

1970s....69

1980s....33

1990s....16

2000s.....4

.......-----

TOTAL...486

The above figures indicates that the median age of a CI Member (for whom we have a birthday) is just under 40.

Funding is harder to classify. In some cases we have large amounts of funding if they deanimate in an accident, but smaller amounts for other forms of deanimation. In a few cases we have Members who will only be funded if they deanimate in an accident. Although we nominally have funding for about 200 Members, I will only count the 194 Members for whom there is reasonable funding in place for all circumstances. Funding can thus be classified as follows:

Exactly 28,000..................23

Between 28K and 30K…....5

Exactly 30,000..................13

Between 30K and 35K…..14

Exactly 35,000..................16

Between 35K and 40K…..11

Exactly 40,000..................11

Between 40K and 50K…...8

Exactly 50,000...................41

Between 50K and 75K…..15

Between 76K and 99K........7

Exactly 100,000……….....17

Between 101K and 200K....7

Between 201K and 300K....3

Exactly 500,000............... ..3

TOTAL.............................194

I am concerned that there are still 23 Members who have only funded the bare Minimum $28,000 -- which does NOT include local funeral director services or shipping. Except for those living in Michigan near the CI Facility, funding should be over $28,000 to cover these extra charges or the family will have to pay. The same remarks apply to the Option Two Members who have funded at $35,000, ie, 14 of the 16 Members above who have funded at $35,000. 23 Members have prepaid some or all of their funding and the amounts can be classified as follows:

Under 1,000......................5

Between 1K and 28K…...3

Exactly 28,000.................8

Between 28K and 35K.....5

Nearly 40,000..................1

Nearly 100,000................1

TOTAL..........................23

-- Ben Best

On Thursday, February 10 the Cryonics Institute perfused the dog of one of our Members, Kevin Boyle. This was the second time we perfused the dog of one of our Members with Dr. Yuri Pichugin's Vitrification Mixture (VM).

Kevin had been ruefully watching the declining health of his beloved dog Thor and had come to the difficult decision to euthanize so as to optimize the conditions of cryopreservation. Thor had a pitiful limp due to worsening degenerative myelopathy in his hind legs. The once powerful dog was down to two-thirds his original weight. As Kevin monitored Thor's condition he struggled to decide when would be the best time to euthanize. Kevin didn't want to lose his companion too soon, but neither did he want to risk an untimely death which would reduce the chance for good cryopreservation.

When Thor's deterioration became unquestionable, Kevin finally bit the bullet. Thor, Kevin and Kevin's girlfriend Cheryl loaded into Kevin's van and drove to Michigan from Massachusetts. At 9 am that fateful Thursday morning I was met at the door of the CI Facility by a very sad-looking Kevin. Kevin and Cheryl spent their last hour together with Thor at CI. Cheryl too was obviously upset about Thor's condition and the prospect of euthanasia.

Shortly before 10 am we all drove to the veterinary clinic, which is conveniently located within a few blocks of the CI Facility. The veterinarian in charge of the case proved to be a very sensitive, compassionate and competent man. When I requested that an endotracheal tube be inserted immediately following euthanasia, he agreed without hesitation. (An endotracheal tube runs from the mouth into the trachea -- the tube leading to the lungs. Our ACDC Thumper is fitted to connect an endotracheal tube to the oxygen supply.) CI Facilities manager Andy Zawacki parked his truck by the outside door of the room in which Thor was to be euthanized. Andy, Kevin, Cheryl, Thor, the veterinarian, the assistant veterinarian and I crowded into the small room.

Thor was given some heparin which was allowed to circulate for a few minutes. As Kevin embraced Thor for the last time he commented that he had never seen Thor shaking so badly -- as if in anticipation. (Andy speculated that Thor was sensing Kevin's upset rather than anticipating the impending event.) Yet Thor remained quiet, compliant and somewhat mournful as the veterinarian administered the injection to stop the heart.

Kevin clearly loved Thor deeply, and yet was able to maintain the discipline and rationality to do what he believed would be best for Thor by having him euthanized under controlled conditions which would allow for good cryopreservation. It is a stark contrast to many of our human cases. Yvan Bozzonetti's mother, our 68th patient, had deanimated in France where the authorities would not even allow administration of ice and would not release the body for three days. Although an S-A cryonics rescue team arrived fairly soon after the deanimation of our 67th patient in Florida, cancer had made the final moment difficult to predict. Other recent patients have been discovered hours or days after deanimating alone.

We at CI had been waiting for the opportunity to apply Dr. Pichugin's new vitrification protocol to human patients, yet we only succeeded in doing so for Thor and for another dog we perfused the previous August. After the vet inserted the endotracheal tube into Thor we loaded Thor into a Ziegler shipping box on the back of Andy's truck, added ice and drove back to the CI Facility. We placed Thor in our portable ice bath, which contained two battery-operated bilge pumps (one 360 gallons per hour and one 1100 gph)

Cooling was slow at first, but once we got the ACDC Thumper in action, cooling was much faster. (For more on our ACDC Thumper, see ACDC Thumper.) We only used the compression stroke because the dog was not shaved on the side. We tried to ensure that the compression stroke would not break the dog's ribs. Although the positioning was not optimal for cardiopulmonary support, the acceleration of cooling the Thumper provided seems to be an indication that blood circulation was occurring. We wrapped duct tape around Thor's mouth to hold the endotracheal tube in place.

Thor in the Portable Ice Bath

Thor receives Cardio-Pulmonary Support during cooling

After two hours the temperature probe in the throat had dropped from 38.9ºC to 18.5ºC and the probe in the rectum had dropped from 39.0ºC to 26.8ºC. The 360 gph bilge pump was pumping water through a hose directly onto the head, which may have partly accounted for the greater cooling of the head. We wondered if we should have shaven the dog entirely beforehand to speed cooling. The dog we cryopreserved in August had been cooled in a quarter of the time (half an hour) by using cold washout solution. Thor was receiving oxygen from the Thumper, however, so the difference may have been more a matter of delay than anything else.

Dr. Pichugin performed the surgery, with Andy and me providing support. The chest was opened, the descending aorta was clamped and the aorta was cannulated. The superior vena cava was cut for drainage. Thus, we perfused the whole upper body including the forelegs, head and brain. With a perfusion pressure of about 70-80 mm Hg and a flow rate of about one liter per minute, the throat temperature dropped nearly 10ºC to approximately 10ºC in less than 20 minutes.

Yuri then drilled a burr hole into the dog's skull. Burr holes have long been used in cryonics and were sensationalized by the media with the revelation that holes had been drilled in Ted William's head -- as if this were a careless & abusive mutilation. But burr holes do not injure the brain and they provide a means of monitoring possible edema or dehydration as well as allow for evaluation of perfusion. Burr holes are a standard life-saving medical procedure to relieve pressure due to bleeding in the brain. The holes are drilled as standard procedure in all hospital neurosurgical operations. As the perfusion continued Yuri sampled the burr hole as a means of determining when perfusion was complete.

Over the space of an hour and eight minutes Yuri increased concentration of his cold vitrification mixture perfusate until he was perfusing at full strength (70%) and perfusion pressure was 110 mm Hg. Examining samples from the burr hole with a refractometer he determined that the samples had a refractive index matching that of the perfusate and that the brain must be fully saturated with vitrification mixture. Throat temperature at the end of perfusion was -2.3ºC.

TEMPERATURE refers to the temperature of administered perfusate
PERFUSION DATA PERFUSATE	QUANTITY	TEMPERATURE	FLOW RATE	PRESSURE
name/percent	liters	degrees Celcius	liters/minute	mm Hg
m-RPS-2	5	+4º	1.0	70-80
10% EG	7	+4º	1.0	80-90
30% EG	7	+4º	1.0	90-100
70% VM-1	9	0º	1.0-0.7	100-120
70% VM-1	8	-10º	0.7-0.7	100-120
70% VM-1	5	-10º	0.5	100-120m-RPS-2 is modified Renal Perfusion Solution EG is Ethylene Glycol VM-1 is Dr. Pichugin's Vitrification Mixture

Thor was then placed on a board and moved to our cooling box, which is basically a foam-insulated transport box. A couple of inches of liquid nitrogen was placed in the bottom of the box and the dog on his board were placed in the box just above the liquid nitrogen, supported by metal blocks. A fan in the side of the box circulated nitrogen vapor at a fairly uniform rate. Two ordinary fans were used on the cooling-box fan motor to keep it from overheating. Probes at the top of the board, the top of the dog and six inches above the dog all eventually recorded temperatures close to -180ºC.

In about nine hours we dropped throat temperature to just below -130ºC and rectal temperature to about -60ºC. Dr. Pichugin estimates the glass-transition temperature of his vitrification mixture to be between -110ºC and -130ºC. It is important to cool as rapidly as possible prior to solidification in order to minimize the possibility of ice formation. But below the glass transition temperature it is important to cool very slowly to minimize thermal stress in the solid which can lead to cracking. We turned-off the fan and stabilized the temperature for the next eight hours until rectal temperature reached -112.6ºC. Then the dog was removed, Yuri and Andy examined the burr hole and found that the brain region through the hole showed no evidence of visible ice crystals. The dissected head tissues (the skin and muscles) around the burr hole was vitrified. The refractive index of the last portion of fluid from the burr hole during perfusion of the dog may be another indication that the brain was saturated with vitrification mixture completely. The use of the CI vitrification protocol for the big dog was successful. Previously Yuri had been able to vitrify the brain of rats and sheep using the CI vitrification protocol. Then the dog was removed, Yuri sampled the burr hole, the dog was placed in a sleeping bag and ropes tied to the board were attached to cranks above the cooling box to allow control of elevation of the board. Thereafter, the fan was not used and cooling was very slow -- about 10ºC per day -- until liquid nitrogen temperature was reached.

Although we would like to use perfected technique on all of our patients -- animal as well as human -- the fact is that we are making major changes in order to make major progress. Although many new things were tried with Thor, we felt there was reason to believe these would result in greatly improved cryopreservation. We believe that we achieved this, and Thor received the best treatment any CI patient has ever received. Nonetheless we acknowledge that we learned many things which will help us do better next time.