MHD

Outline of Biological Magnetohydrodynamics

http://www.emergentmind.org/Sedlak06.htm
Włodzimierz Sedlak, Ph.D.
translated by Leane Roffey Line, Ph.D. and Jaroslaw Kempczynski, Ph.D.
a Bioelektronika report

In this article, Sedlak discusses how a living organism is not only an information detector and generator, but is also a transformer of electromagnetic energy. Biological systems generate their own magnetic mediums through a process he calls "dia-par", or diamagnetic to paramagnetic transition. Sedlak proposes that the science of magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) can be used to model living bioplasma. He predicts that this model can account for such phenomena as spin- waves, anabolic to catabolic transitions, and redox processes. Such low-frequency biological rhythmic activity can probably be accounted for by MHD mathematics, the proof of which he leaves to future generations.

The paper first appeared (in Polish) in the prestigious journal Kosmos A (Vol. 3, 1971) and later as Chapter 9 of Sedlak's book Bioelektronika. In 1993, the article was translated into English and published as an offprint by Dr. Leane Roffey Line (Neuro Magnetic Systems, San Antonio, TX) with permission of the Sedlak Estate. All materials © 1993 by Leane E. Roffey. All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reproduced in any form, electronic or mechanical, including photography, recording or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from us.

Acknowledgements:

The translation of this paper is, to a large extent, the product of a group effort. In particular, we would like to thank the following:

My husband, Mark P. Line, for his efforts in building and supporting the Bioelektronika website and linguistic support of these translation efforts.
Mrs. Joanna Kalisz-Potorak, executrix of the Sedlak estate, Radom, Poland, for permission to bring this work to the attention of the English-speaking world.
Mr. Waldemar Kulinski of INKOM Instruments, Warsaw, Poland, for his tireless efforts in our behalf to obtain a copy of Bioelektronika.
Mr. Wilanowski and the PAX Institute for a copy of Bioelektronika.
MACRO, Inc. (USA) and MACRO PJG (Warsaw, Poland) for allowing Dr. Kempczynski to participate in this project.
Dr. James L. Oschman, Ph.D., N.O.R.A., Dover, NH, for introducing me to Dr. Sedlak's work and for many hours of discussion on the possibilities (pro and con) of biological MHD.
Mr. Richard Stenstavold and The Guild for Structural Integration, Boulder, CO, for additional assistance and the opportunity to communicate these ideas to their students in 1993. This work has percolated thanks to their past efforts.
The team of Polish scientists who reviewed this translation. In particular to my colleagues at the University of Lublin, Dr. Józef Zon and Dr. Marian Wnuk.

Biological information beyond the physiology of nerves and the endocrine system constitutes open territory in zoology. In the vegetable realm it is a nearly unknown subject. There is no life, however, without internal information. The formation of organized structures and directed functions requires a subtle and efficient system of information. Information from outside is essential to the maintenance of vital processes, as biological systems "feed" on information hence the need to distribute it through the entire system as an energetic resource.

It should be presumed that a common basis for information exists within any biological system, whether animal or vegetable. Biological steering (control) should display the following features: a) it should be instantaneous and generalized; it cannot be a "diffusion" of information through the system, as that would work too slowly; b) capable of receiving every type of information from the environment (electromagnetic, acoustic, thermal, chemical, mechanical, gravitational); c) able to receive selectively the same information over different biological orders of magnitude;
d) it must incorporate parts of the organism and the whole at the same time; e) an excess of information must trigger a "switch-off" in the organism; f) it must experience minimal loss and distortion, and therefore insure maximum fidelity of transmission.

A living system does not just detect and generate information, it also transforms it. The propagation of information throughout the system is an important question, and the one least studied until now.

The subject of interest here will be that of magnetic signals.

The Effect of Magnetic Fields on Living Organisms

Changes in behavior of animals ^{7, 8} and magnetotropism observed in plants ³ are features not just of entire organisms: such effects are also displayed by leukocytes ⁴, erythrocytes ³⁵, macrophages ⁵⁰, and blood platelets ⁶. Single-cellular organisms, such as Paramecium, display generalized magnetic characteristics, being on the whole diamagnetic. Magnetic field lines repel organisms in water.^{28, 37} There may be an analogy with electrophoretic methods; in this case we may deal with magnetophoresis, suitable for separating organisms of different magnetic
susceptibilities. This concept has already been applied to microorganisms.²⁷

Normal ⁵ and tumorous tissues ³³ display varied responses to magnetic fields. Indeed, a diagnostic method based on the magnetic susceptibility of tissues has been proposed.⁴⁵ The effect of such fields is not restricted to morphological and structural alterations; it is also observed in functions such as respiration ³⁸, fermentation processes,³² maturation,¹⁰ and enzyme activity.¹⁹

The basis for such reactions should be sought in magnetochemical processes, particularly in electronic states, the effect of magnetic fields on the rate of recombination of radicals, dia- to paramagnetic transitions -- this has been observed in bacteriophages,³⁴ in the protein of human blood serum,³⁶ as well as in stimulated nerves.¹⁴

The action of magnetic fields affects the magnetic states of organic molecules, conditioned by quantum-electronic processes. There presumably exists some fundamental magnetic state of a living organism which is disrupted by the action of external factors.

In addition to passive dependence, it is also observed that biological units generate magnetic fields. This is put to advantage in magnetoencephalography¹³ and magnetocardiography.¹² Biological systems presumably create their own magnetic environment, which varies and is dependent on many factors. Moreover, it seems that magnetic fields determine general coordination, at least in the case of superior types of systems;¹⁷ conditioned reflexes have been seen to be affected in fish and birds. Perturbations of the weak geomagnetic field confuse coordination of superior nervous structures in humans.¹⁶

Paramagnetic resonance in living tissues indicates that these are endowed with a certain state of magnetic susceptibility and constitute, as a whole, magnetic media. Indeed, all organisms, including the complex, display generalized magnetic characteristics -- although some authors find discrepancies in the experimental data. The interpretation of these mechanisms must be considered relative at this time.

The most important point is the response of living organisms to low-frequency fields. Unfortunately, the separation of an electro-magnetic field into electric and magnetic vectors is an involved problem, and the effects are usually attributed to the electric vector. The sensibility of living systems to fluctuations of weak magnetic fields of planetary origin indicates that magnetic effects are of greater importance, at least to the general reaction of the organism. These matters form the subject of the young science of bioclimatology.

The Internal Magnetic Environment of Life

The structure of the internal magnetic environment can be viewed in approximate analogy to lasers, where paramagnetic centers play an important role. This procedure is justified by the recent observation of laser-like effects in biological systems.⁴²

Semiconducting organic matter constitutes a diamagnetic "solvent" for paramagnetic components. These may thus form a paramagnetic "colloid" within a diamagnetic medium. Such a "colloidal" state is an essential condition. The activated particles must form an actual or colloidal solution, while preserving their paramagnetic properties.³¹ The medium consists of diamagnetic water, as well as saccharides, lipids and protein. The nature of paramagnetism in organic semiconductors remains an open question; it is presumably related to an increased number of delocalized
π-electrons³¹ or to the increase of donor-acceptor type autocomplex between molecules. Hydrogen bonding is another cause of larger paramagnetic shifts.²⁴ A hydrogen bond may be considered as a "magnetic" amphoter, since it binds the exceptionally paramagnetic proton to a diamagnetic oxygen nucleus. The same situation occurs with other types of hydrogen bonding, such as H-N and H-S. In all cases a proton is bound to a strongly diamagnetic atomic nucleus.

Such an evolutionary direction may be partly observed in the phylogenesis of respiration. Respiration was not always based on oxygen, though presumably it always was "paramagnetic". It may therefore have been based on hydrogen.49 The intermediate product of oxydase action -- H2O2 -- decays under the action of peroxydase and catalase into diamagnetic water and a paramagnetic oxygen atom. Hydrogen is a paramagnetic, as is oxygen in its atomic state. It seems that life searched through many roads in joining paramagnetic components in respiration. Relic forms of
oxygen transport, on a paramagnetic vanadium atom, are known to operate in Urochordata (hemovanadin), on paramagnetic copper in Mollusca (hemocyanin), and finally, the most evolved form, is assisted by ferromagnetic iron in hemoglobin.

A biological system may be in general understood as a diamagnetic medium with distributed paramagnetic centers. This is arranged for in various ways, either using paramagnetic protons -- if these are not screened by the electrons of the compound's configuration -- or paramagnetic atoms of the transition metals. Molecular hydrogen presumably belongs to the same class. Another way proceeds by a variably paramagnetic situation created in the organic substrate -- for instance, by an increase in the number of unpaired electron spins. The concentration of these in organic compounds is sometimes as high as 10¹⁹to 10²¹ per gram of substance. Moreover, the spatial configuration of some molecules leads to a situation which is at once both diamagnetic and paramagnetic. In any event, aromatic rings display simultaneously a strong diamagnetic field, resulting from the action of π-electrons, and a paramagnetic field produced by the circular current of the protons¹⁵ (Fig. 1).

It may prove useful to treat biological electronic states as a physical plasma. Enrichment with a paramagnetic component was in the interest of the plasma processes of life. This problem forms the subject of a separate paper.⁴⁴By plasma we mean here the averaged-out electronic states of metabolism, that is, the most generalized and unique approach to the processes of life. This is further justified by the fact that protein semiconductors may be understood in terms of solid-state plasma.²¹ In organic compounds, this plasma is of electron-proton type. A plasma responds to magnetic and electric fields, acoustic waves, mechanical action, gravitational fields, and temperature; in addition it depends on chemical composition. Its exceptional selectivity and responsiveness, through alteration of its own state, make plasma the ideal carrier system of information within living organisms. Plasma is basically diamagnetic, there are however many factors which may locally produce paramagnetism. Moreover, there are two basic moments in evolution to be considered: a) the growth of the number of electrical components forming the plasma; b) the accumulation of paramagnetics and the formation of temporary paramagnetic centers in diamagnetic organic compounds.

The first issue above has been treated in more detail elsewhere.⁴³As to the accumulation of paramagnetics, a good example is the pyrolysis reaction which yields condensed pyridine rings. This has been studied experimentally in polyacrylonitrile.³¹ The reaction of pyridine latticization is enhanced by the presence of Fe, Cu and Cr atoms or by irradiation. The products of pyrolysis are paramagnetic, containing approximately 10¹⁹ unpaired electrons per gram of substance, even though the polymer was diamagnetic before pyrolysis. Nature presumably makes use of the same
properties of heterocyclic rings in forming complexes involving Fe in the case of heme, cyto-chromium or catalase, Cu in the case of hemocyanine, Mg in chlorophyll, Co in cobalamine. Derivatives of pyridine have found extensive application in the organization of vital processes.

In addition, nucleic acids and their protein complexes are systems of strongly coupled spins.⁹ Annular complexes with charge transfer, formed from aromatic amines adn quinones with quadruple substitution, are another case of paramagnetics. Research on charge-transfer paramagnetism has barely begun -- we are still referring to semiconducting polymers. In these cases the number of unpaired electrons is between 10¹⁶ and 10²¹ per gram of substance.

A separate issue is that of the formation, along with plasma oscillations, of helical waves.²⁵Presumably, the helical structures of DNA and RNA are the product of a long molecular evolution, not without directive assistance of the helical wave and of an axially oriented magnetic field. In addition, nucleic acids are a system of strongly coupled spins. This applies equally to their protein complexes.

Anisotropic biological structures form a kind of guideway for plasmic processes. In some situations, such as in nucleic acids, they may direct electronic processes towards cycotron motion -- along helical trajectories. Helical waves in plasma produce a strong axial magnetic field. This is all the more true in the case of DNA, as one finds within the structure ferromagnetic iron atoms²³ -- which may serve the purpose of amplifying this field; also stressed is the possibility of ferromagnetic to anti-ferromagnetic transitions.²² DNA molecules may constitute paramagnetic
media of variable magnetic susceptibility.

There exist data of atomic nature, on molecular structures and field situations, concerning the temporary increase of paramagnetic centers in a diamagnetic medium. What therefore exists in a biological system is a magnetic situation which displays an analogy with an electronic state described by an oxido-reductive potential. One may speak of "donor" or "acceptor" states of a magnetic field. Plasma indeed repels magnetic field lines (or is itself repelled by them), or "freezes" field lines within itself. Within such a description, diamagnetic and paramagnetic transitions are
reminiscent of "magnetically" expressed redox reactions, if one may be allowed to say so.

Such a situation may be abbreviated as "dia-par". The analogy with redox processes may be further substantiated by the existence of charge transport between paramagnetic centers and diamagnetic molecules. Equally important is the subsistence of a level of diamagnetism as a general background for "dia-par" processes. Most likely, the enzymatic decay of organic compounds serves a similar purpose in that the decay products are always diamagnetic.¹¹

A biological system displays not only an electronic "life" of its own, typical of protein semiconductors, but also a specific magnetic "life" endowed with a characteristic rhythm. This seems to consist of non-adiabatic variations of the direction of a constant magnetic field, as one of the means of inverting the filling of spin levels.1 In such a case there would be no need for any additional field to excite the paramagnetic centers.

As a result this should yield: 1) plasma pulsations between paramagnetic and diamagnetic components, 2) spin pulsations within organic diamagnetics and paramagnetics (spin waves). In this spatial aspect, the plasma pulses between two dia-par systems, exciting spin waves within them. These two waves display a relative phase shift. This may be how the generation and decay of plasma takes place within a biological system. Such a situation is technically described as a plasma placed in a field of periodic structure² (Fig. 2). The plasma is subject to periodic states of magnetic compression.

In a simplified two-dimensional description, this should be understood as follows (Fig. 3): (a) is subject to variable diamagnetic and paramagnetic states. Another such system (b) is subject to the saem wave motion, shifted in phase. The enclosed plasma (an averaged-out electronic state of metabolism) is subject to alternating situations of compression and decompression. Thus we have a propagating plasma wave, characterized by an oscillating electric field. The variation of the state of the plasma is always accompanied by the emission of photons (f), of visible, ultraviolet or infrared frequencies. The emitted photons again induce variations of dia-paramagnetic states, maintaining the pulse of the spin wave. It may be that the weak bioluminescence which accompanies vital processes in cells, tissues, and complex organisms, taking place in the ultraviolet to infrared and in the intermediate visible band, is a product of the variable plasmic states of a living system. Experimental attempts to prove the reality of bioplasma are already under way.^22a
Figure 3. The vibration of dia-par(amagnetic) plasma between two phase-shifted spin waves.

Magnetic vibrations and the concomitant emission of weak radiation are only different pictures of the same plasma discontinuity. Paramagnetic centers are quantum-mechanically "mobile", and vary according to the general magnetic situation of the system and radiation. The term 'plasmon', popular in solid state physics (an analog of excited states such as exciton or polaron) may prove to be adequate for, or even the key to, describing the biological vibration in terms of plasma.

As a consequence, wave motion in biological systems must include such effects as: a) spin waves in organic compounds; b) the generation and decay of the plasma itself. This is also magnetically described by the dia-par relation, as plasma is basically diamagnetic, becoming paramagnetic and freezing in magnetic field lines in magnetohydrodynamic states; c) anabolic-catabolic rhythm; d) redox processes; e) "wave-like" arrangement
of antagonistic enzymes, as these display their specific action only in phase, remaining inactive in counterphase, when enzymes of the opposite type become active. In counterphase, the activation energy is too large, thus antagonistic enzymes of lower activation energy become active.

The dia-par rhythm seems thus to be the moderator of all oscillatory or pulsating situations in life. The periodicity of processes is probably the basic issue within a biological system. Plasma is the best carrier for the simultaneous occurrence of opposite situations.

It would be useful to identify a universal carrier of information in living systems, common to plants and animals. The optimal adaptation to receive any kind of information and relay it instantaneously to the entire mass of the system is found in plasma. This reality of plasma physics must now be transferred into biology. It seems that the secret of life consists in process control through small energy and with minimal noise. Plasma can be controlled only through fields, in particular magnetic fields. Plasma betrays its presence only by the emission of an electromagnetic field and is obedient only to this field. Moreover, it "distinguishes" between the components of the electromagnetic field,
somewhat similarly to a semiconductor in the Hall effect.

The basic issue to the functional organization of life seems to be that of maintaining an unstable plasma state and controlling it by magnetic fields.

Magnetohydrodynamic Control

A generally diamagnetic medium with local and variable paramagnetic centers appears to be the basic data underlying plasma. Control over the correct and sequential development of paramagnetic centers in a living system is presumably based on magnetic transmission over a plasma carrier. Such a situation is called magnetohydrodynamics.

Magnetohydrodynamic biological control was anticipated in 1967.⁴¹ It is implied by the description of semiconductors in terms of plasma, by microplasmic features of hydrogen bonds, and the averaged-out description of electronic processes in a living organism.

Plasma unites in itself the phenomena of electrodynamics, electronics, and hydrodynamics, even in the absence of a fluid medium. One of the manifestations of this situation is given by the magnetohydroydnamic waves (MHD), that is, the wave propagation of magnetic field fluctuations in plasma, analogous to the transport of protuberance in a fluid medium, accompanied by real transport of magnetic energy. Thus it seems that a biological system possesses its own magnetic information, highly sensitive to external field variations and unusually responsive to spin variations in organic structure. The magnetohydrodynamic wave is one of the electromagnetic effects, and so is weak radiation. It is however typical of
plasma.

The plasma approach to life provides explanation for many effects. Above all, it points to two aspects of one and the same fact: life is, in its nature, electric -- however, its control takes place magnetically. Such appears to be the essential conclusion arising from the understanding of a living organism as plasma. The suitable arrangement of ferromagnetic atoms and the existence of temporary paramagnetic centers create a particular situation within the plasma, which undergoes abrupt changes in its properties under the action of a constant magnetic field, even a very weak one.¹⁸

The distribution of diamagnetics and paramagnetics, bioluminscence, semiconductivity of protein, and the plasma features of metabolic processes leads to conclusions concerning the control of vital functions. Plasma -- the fundamental background for the processes of life -- is maintained in a constantly agitated state of generation and decay through magnetohydrodynamic control. This state is correlated with other antagonistic situations, such as anabolism-catabolism, oxido-reductivity, dia-paramagnetism. It is moreover related to physiological currents and weakly luminescent effects. What is formed is a complex signaling system -- involving electric, magnetic, optical and acoustic effects.

This signaling system must operate not only on the level of single macromolecules like DNA,but also on that of groups of molecules, biological complexes such as cells, tissues, organs and the organism, and above all on the level of the metabolism, as an ensemble of chemical processes. Reducing the matter to basics: in a plasma medium with the features of a conducting liquid, control is effected by magnetic mechanisms. Here hydrodynamics combines with electrodynamics, yielding magnetohydrodynamic vibrations. The common factor of the entire system, namely the
averaged-out electronic state of the metabolism, seems therefore to be a carrier and receptor of those controls. In more biological terms -- the metabolism forms the carrier for the entire fundamental control within a living system.

The metabolism is not just the sum of chemical reactions regulated merely by the concentration of reagents. It is a property of the system as a whole, and as such, it is endowed with general control which regulates its anabolic-catabolic rhythm. Taken together, the electronic processes of metabolism may be treated, according to the most recent in physics, as a plasma state within the solid state of organic compounds.

The metabolism as a whole is controlled by magnetic rhythm of the MHD type. On top of this general wave-like background a more detailed communication takes place, involving weak bioluminescent radiation and all sort of effects collectively termed the biological field. On the same plasma substrate various other types of vibrations, other than MHD, may also develop -- such as optical, electric, gravitational, mechanical. The plasma and the wave-like interactions within produce a sui generis integrity of the system. The plasma is a source of all types of waves, which
feed back on the plasma and display mutual correlation.¹⁸

The coupled action generally termed life involves electronic processes of chemical reactions in protein semiconductors, oxido-reductive correlation, p-n micro-junction functions displayed in hydrogen bonds, luminescence, the dia-paramagnetic rhythm, ionization and recombination, preserving the direction and periodicity of processes. Chemical, electronic and (electromagnetic) field effects are closely combined. The manifestations of life may be ultimately summarized in terms of plasma and radiation.

Returning to low-frequency biological rhythms of presumably magnetohydrodynamic nature, it must be added that probably the most suitable subject for future research on this situation is the nervous system and the autonomous motions of the myocardium, of the aortic walls, as well as the peristalsis of the intestines and of the esophagus. Here, bioluminescence has been observed in the active muscular fibers⁴⁷and nerves,⁴⁶ as well as slow oscillations of electric potential. The diagnostic features of the scheme displayed in Fig. 3 are therefore present. The basis for these
states should be provided by MHD rhythm which coordinates dia-paramagnetic states. Moreover, the brain and spinal cord accumulate large amounts of iron, lipofuscine. Brain tissue additionally displays a strong EPR adsorption in the 9.5 GHz frequency range.⁴⁰ Electromagnetic fields produce variations of the alpha rhythm. The nervous and muscular systems may provide a good area of research on simultaneous optical and magnetohydrodynamic control.

Significantly, low-frequency biological rhythms display relations with the geophysical environment. The alpha rhythm of the human brain has a frequency of about 10 Hz, which is the same as the frequency of magnetohydrodynamic oscillations of the ionosphere, and of the vibrations of the Earth's crust.^{29, 48} The same frequency is found in the continuous vibrations of the entire organism's skeletal muscles in warm-blooded animals.39 For a human adult this frequency is 7 - 13 Hz, falling in the range of 8 - 12 Hz in 80% of subjects. The coincidence with the cerebral
alpha waves lacks an explanation to date. The rhythm may be transmitted by waves through the organism. At least, certain domains of electric resistance have been found to exist,²⁶ as well as variations in the intensity of radiation from different parts of the surface of the organism.

It cannot be ruled out that these are periodic waves transmitted by the musculature, similarly to ciliary motion or the peristalsis of the esophagus and intestines. The vascular rhythm of blood is already being interpreted in magnetohydrodynamic terms.³⁰ It may be that the oscillations of biopotentials in the higher form of plants will be assigned to the same class of slow rhythms: the frequency observed in the common pumpkin treated with potassium chloride is between 7 to 12 pulses per minute in different parts of the plant. Further research will tell more about the
simple or multiple magnetohydrodynamic correlation between geophysics and biology. Such facts would imply far-reaching and strongly converging evolutionary conditioning by environmental periodicity.

Such is the outline of the bionics of the near future, which will be concerned with the electromagnetic system of control in biological systems -- control based upon the quantum states of a living organism.

Magnetohydrodynamics has been relatively well developed for the diffuse state of inter-stellar matter and of the ionosphere, and much less so for laboratory plasma. The magnetohydrodynamics of semiconductors is a recent field in solid state physics, where the search for theoretical approaches is still on at present.²⁰ It is true that the application of magnetohydrodynamics to biological systems proceeds by analogy, but one which is justified by the plasmic properties of protein semiconductors, bioluminscence, paramagnetic resonance in proteins and entire tissues, biological rhythm, the sensitivity of organisms to magnetic fields, and the pulsation of biopotentials.

Biological magnetohydrodynamics simultaneously enhances our understanding of energy storage in a living system; in addition to energy-rich chemical compounds such as ATP, there is the storage of electric and magnetic energy in the plasma state. Life is a highly energetic system, not only in its chemical aspect.

Summary

A living organism is not only an information detector and generator, but is also a transformer. The chief interest of the author is internal information of the biosystem at the molecular and submolecular level, mainly in its magnetic profile.

Influence of magnetic fields on a living organism: Change in behaviour of animals,^7,8 magnetotropism of plants,³ influence on leucocytes and erythrocytes,^4,35, macrophages,⁵⁰ blood platelets,6 normal tissues⁵ and neoplastic tissue,³³ changes in respiration,³⁸ in fermentation processes,³² maturation,¹⁰ enzyme activity,¹⁹moreover influence on unicellular organisms as a whole (they are diamagnetic^28,37). The basis of such reactions is sought for in magnetochemical, but also in electronic processes and in transitions from dia- to paramagnetism. The magnetic
field influences the co-ordination of higher nervous activities. Conditioned reflexes in fish and birds change under this influence.¹⁷ Disturbances in the geomagnetic field cause dissociation of the function in human nervous centres.¹⁶

Internal magnetic medium of life: Biological systems generate their own magnetic medium. The semiconductor organic mass constitutes a diamagnetic "solvent" for paramagnetic elements. Paramagnetic centres may arise owing to protons, if they are not screened by the electrons of the chemical compound configuration, or they may be due to atoms of transition metals or else free radicals with unpaired spins. Hydrogen bonds also give wide paramagnetic shifts.²⁴ The role of delocalized electrons and donor-acceptor autocomplexes³¹is stressed. The configuration of some molecules creates a dia- and paramagnetic situation. Aromatic rings exhibit both a strong diamagnetic field owing to the action of π
electrons and a paramagnetic one as the result of a circular proton current¹⁵ (Fig. 1). Paramagnetic centres are associated with the formation of complexes and transfer of the charge, as has been demonstrated for aromatic amines. Nucleic acids and their complex with proteins9 are a system of strongly coupled spins. DNA and RNA formation in molecular evolution did not occur without the contribution of a helical wave and an axially oriented magnetic field.²⁵ The electron movement can take place inside the helix giving a cyclotron effect with the axial field. The presence of iron atoms in the DNA structure may enhance the paramagnetic effects.²⁹

The magnetic situation in a biological system is analogous to a reducing-oxydizing system. One can speak of a "donor" and "acceptor" state of the magnetic field. Dia- and paramagnetic transitions resemble redox reactions. The author suggests for them the abbreviation "dia-par". The analogy seems correct since there is charge transfer between the paramagnetic centres and diamagnetic molecules.

As a result of this pulsation of paramagnetic states in a diamagnetic centre spin pulsation should occur. Two pulsating dia-par systems should give a spin wave. A similar situation occurs in rhythmic magnetic compression for the plasma contained in a field with a periodic structure²(Fig. 2). If we accept the bioplasms concept of Sedlak,^41,42 two molecular systems (a) and (b) undergoing changing dia- and paramagnetic states a shifted phase can be represented. The bioplasma contained between them, in the sense of an averaged electron state of metabolism, is subjected to alternating magnetic compression and decompression (Fig. 3).

The following rhythmic processes may occur in biosystems: spin wave, a generative-degradative bioplasma situation, the relation described as dia-par, anabolic-catabolic states, redox processes.

Magnetohydrodynamic control: Magnetohydrodynamic effects in biological systems have been reported by Sedlak in 1967.⁴¹ A living organism possesses its own magnetic information. The basic substrate of life -- plasma of protein semiconductors -- is maintained in generative-degradative excitement in the case of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) control. In organic semiconductors undergoing metabolism and electronic processes a complex electric, magnetic and acoustic signalling system is formed. The final recipient of these signals is metabolism. Biological rhythmics of low frequency could probably be referred to the MHD wave.

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Summary

Internal magnetic medium of life: Biological systems generate their own magnetic medium. The semiconductor organic mass constitutes a diamagnetic "solvent" for paramagnetic elements. Paramagnetic centres may arise owing to protons, if they are not screened by the electrons of the chemical compound configuration, or they may be due to atoms of transition metals or else free radicals with unpaired spins. Hydrogen bonds also give wide paramagnetic shifts.²⁴ The role of delocalized electrons and donor-acceptor autocomplexes³¹is stressed. The configuration of some molecules creates a dia- and paramagnetic situation. Aromatic rings exhibit both a strong diamagnetic field owing to the action of π
electrons and a paramagnetic one as the result of a circular proton current¹⁵ (Fig. 1). Paramagnetic centres are associated with the formation of complexes and transfer of the charge, as has been demonstrated for aromatic amines. Nucleic acids and their complex with proteins9 are a system of strongly coupled spins. DNA and RNA formation in molecular evolution did not occur without the contribution of a helical wave and an axially oriented magnetic field.²⁵ The electron movement can take place inside the helix giving a cyclotron effect with the axial field. The presence of
iron atoms in the DNA structure may enhance the paramagnetic effects.²⁹

The following rhythmic processes may occur in biosystems: spin wave, a generative-degradative bioplasma situation, the relation described as dia-par, anabolic-catabolic states, redox processes.