[extropy-chat] Computing Power: Moore's Law keeps going and going and going

[Robert Bradbury]

On 2/1/06, Emlyn <emlynoregan at gmail.com> wrote:

> Is efficiency terribly important in this case? If we can do ATP to
> electricity in body, and that causes weight loss (I'm not sure if it
> would; would stored fat be used for ATP production?? Or would it just
> make you really tired all the time?) then you already have a use for
> it, even if the amount of power generated is next to useless. And I
> agree with Damien, if you have to have a permanent break in the skin
> for a catheter, that's not going to fly.
>

If all you want to do is burn fat then its simple -- drugs or gene therapies
that activate the mitochondrial uncoupling proteins.  This is a normal
biochemical mechanism that decouples the proton gradient in the mitochondria
allowing the energy derived from glucose or fat metabolism to be "thrown
away".  The mitochondria will work harder to maintain the proton gradient
producing heat while consuming energy resources.  Now of course the rest of
the biochemical system to mobilize the fat from the fat cells has to be
intact.  Alternatively, targeted uncoupling within the fat cells would work
but I suspect this is trickier since they are generally setup to store
energy reserves not burn them.

Obviously you would only want to up the temperature a few tenths of a degree
but over time this would presumably lead to weight loss.  You would however
probably produce more free radicals within the cells burning the glucose/fat
reserves.  This would probably promote accelerated aging.  It is generally
better (IMO) to get the fat extracted from the fat cells and burn it outside
the body.  Alternatively there is liposuction.

The reason I went this way is that once you have a "computerized" system to
monitor blood glucose levels you can set it so the body runs "lean" (i.e.
reduced fat & glucose levels).  Ideally you would like a system which has
much faster extraction and restoration systems than the body is equiped with
(the whole glucose/fat/insulin cycle involving the digestive tract,
pancreas, liver, muscle & fat cells).  Running "lean" is effectively what CR
imposes on the body and most probably why it results in lifespan extension.
Computerized systems could maintain glucose within might tighter limits than
the current biochemical systems do.  Ideally of course you would complement
this with drugs which convince the brain that the glucose level is higher
than it actually is.

Robert
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