TED2010
Mark Roth: Suspended animation is within our grasp
马克·罗斯：可控的假死状态
Filmed:
Readability: 4
793,455 views
马克·罗斯研究假死状态：这是一种暂停生命过程，然后再重启的艺术。听起来非常玄，但这并不是科幻小说。通过谨慎使用某种毒气，可以利用假死状态帮助创伤以及心脏病患者延长生命，以获取治疗机会。
Mark Roth - Biochemist, cell biologist
Mark Roth's research has reawakened an unusual notion from the annals of science: reversible metabolic hibernation. Yes, putting living organisms into suspended animation -- and bringing them back safely. Full bio
Mark Roth's research has reawakened an unusual notion from the annals of science: reversible metabolic hibernation. Yes, putting living organisms into suspended animation -- and bringing them back safely. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
00:16
I'm going to talk to you today about my work on suspended animation.
0
1000
3000
我今天跟大家谈谈我对于假死的研究工作。
00:19
Now, usually when I mention suspended animation,
1
4000
3000
通常当我提到“假死状态”，
00:22
people will flash me the Vulcan sign and laugh.
2
7000
3000
人们会报以叹息和笑声。
00:25
But now, I'm not talking about gorking people out
3
10000
4000
但是现在，我不是要把人
00:29
to fly to Mars or even Pandora,
4
14000
3000
送到火星甚至潘多拉星球，
00:32
as much fun as that may be.
5
17000
2000
不管那有多好玩。
00:34
I'm talking about
6
19000
3000
我要谈的是
00:37
the concept of using suspended animation
7
22000
3000
利用假死
00:40
to help people out in trauma.
8
25000
3000
帮助创伤患者治疗。
00:43
So what do I mean
9
28000
2000
那么，当我说到“假死”
00:45
when I say "suspended animation"?
10
30000
3000
我是什么意思呢？
00:48
It is the process by which
11
33000
3000
这是一个过程，
00:51
animals de-animate,
12
36000
3000
在此过程中动物不动了，
00:55
appear dead
13
40000
2000
看上去死了，
00:57
and then can wake up again without being harmed.
14
42000
3000
然后却可以醒来，并且没有受到伤害。
01:00
OK, so here is the sort of big idea:
15
45000
4000
好了，这里就要说说我的想法。
01:04
If you look out at nature,
16
49000
3000
大家如果留意自然界，
01:07
you find that
17
52000
2000
会把
01:09
as you tend to see suspended animation,
18
54000
3000
假死状态
01:12
you tend to see immortality.
19
57000
4000
看作是长生不死。
01:16
And so, what I'm going to tell you about
20
61000
3000
所以，这里我想说
01:19
is a way to tell a person who's in trauma --
21
64000
5000
是用某种方法让创伤患者
01:24
find a way to de-animate them a bit
22
69000
3000
失去活力
01:27
so they're a little more immortal
23
72000
2000
这样他们就多少有一点可以长生不老
01:29
when they have that heart attack.
24
74000
2000
当他们的心脏病发作。
01:31
An example of an organism or two
25
76000
3000
有一两种生物体
01:34
that happens to be quite immortal
26
79000
3000
是有这种不朽的情况的
01:37
would be plant seeds
27
82000
2000
比如植物种子
01:39
or bacterial spores.
28
84000
2000
或细菌孢子。
01:41
These creatures are
29
86000
2000
这些生物
01:43
some of the most immortal life forms on our planet,
30
88000
3000
是我们这个星球上最不朽的生命形式，
01:46
and they tend to spend most of their time
31
91000
3000
它们一生大部分时间
01:49
in suspended animation.
32
94000
3000
都处于假死状态。
01:52
Bacterial spores are thought now by scientists
33
97000
3000
现在科学家认为细菌孢子
01:55
to exist as individual cells
34
100000
2000
是活着的
01:57
that are alive, but in suspended animation
35
102000
3000
单个细胞，但是在假死状态，
02:00
for as long as 250 million years.
36
105000
3000
它们可以处于这种状态长达2.50亿年。
02:03
To suggest that this all, sort of, about little, tiny creatures,
37
108000
5000
这是有关一种很微小的动物的，
02:08
I want to bring it close to home.
38
113000
2000
我希望把实验对象拿到离家很近的地方。
02:10
In the immortal germ line
39
115000
3000
对于人类来说
02:13
of human beings --
40
118000
2000
这种不朽的种子
02:15
that is, the eggs that sit in the ovaries --
41
120000
3000
就像是卵巢里的卵子，
02:18
they actually sit there in a state of suspended animation
42
123000
4000
它们实际上是处于假死或休眠状态
02:22
for up to 50 years in the life of each woman.
43
127000
3000
而且可以在每个妇女的一生中在它们身体里存在长达50年。
02:26
So then there's also my favorite example
44
131000
3000
关于假死，我还有一个
02:29
of suspended animation.
45
134000
2000
最喜欢的例子。
02:31
This is Sea-Monkeys.
46
136000
2000
就是一种叫“海猴”的虾。
02:33
Those of you with children,
47
138000
2000
在座的各位如果有孩子，
02:35
you know about them.
48
140000
2000
你知道这东西。
02:37
You go to the pet store or the toy store,
49
142000
2000
你在宠物商店或玩具店，
02:39
and you can buy these things.
50
144000
2000
可以买到这种东西。
02:41
You just open the bag, and you just dump them
51
146000
2000
回到家只需打开袋子，把它们倒到
02:43
into the plastic aquarium,
52
148000
2000
塑料水族箱里，
02:45
and in about a week or so, you'll have little shrimps swimming around.
53
150000
3000
过大约一个星期左右，就会看到有小虾游动。
02:48
Well, I wasn't so interested in the swimming.
54
153000
3000
我并不是对游泳特别感兴趣。
02:51
I was interested in what was going on in the bag,
55
156000
3000
我感兴趣的是在袋子里发生了什么，
02:54
the bag on the toy store shelf
56
159000
2000
这样的袋子会在玩具商店货架上
02:56
where those shrimp sat
57
161000
2000
里面的虾
02:58
in suspended animation indefinitely.
58
163000
3000
会在那里一直处于假死状态。
03:01
So these ideas of suspended animation
59
166000
5000
所以，这些关于假死的想法
03:06
are not just about cells and weird, little organisms.
60
171000
3000
不只是关于销售和古怪的小生物。
03:09
Occasionally, human beings
61
174000
2000
有时，人也会
03:11
are briefly de-animated,
62
176000
2000
短暂地失去活性，
03:13
and the stories of people who are briefly de-animated
63
178000
3000
最让我感兴趣的
03:16
that interest me the most
64
181000
2000
人短暂失去活性的例子
03:18
are those having to do with the cold.
65
183000
2000
是那些与寒冷有关的实例。
03:20
Ten years ago, there was a skier in Norway
66
185000
3000
10年前，在挪威有一个滑雪者
03:23
that was trapped in an icy waterfall,
67
188000
3000
被困在冰冷的瀑布中。
03:26
and she was there for two hours before they extracted her.
68
191000
3000
她在那里两个小时后才被救出来。
03:29
She was extremely cold,
69
194000
2000
她身上非常冷，
03:31
and she had no heartbeat --
70
196000
2000
已经没有心跳。
03:33
for all intents and purposes she was dead, frozen.
71
198000
2000
在所有的意义上，她已经是死了，冻死了。
03:35
Seven hours later,
72
200000
3000
7个小时后，
03:38
still without a heartbeat,
73
203000
2000
仍然没有心跳，
03:40
they brought her back to life, and she went on to be
74
205000
2000
人们救活了她，她后来成了
03:42
the head radiologist
75
207000
2000
救治她的那家医院的
03:44
in the hospital that treated her.
76
209000
2000
放射科的主任。
03:46
A couple of years later --
77
211000
2000
两三年后——
03:48
so I get really excited about these things --
78
213000
2000
我对这种事情特别感兴趣——
03:50
about a couple of years later,
79
215000
2000
大约一两年后，
03:52
there was a 13-month-old, she was from Canada.
80
217000
3000
加拿大有一个13个月大的小孩。
03:55
Her father had gone out in the wintertime; he was working night shift,
81
220000
2000
当时是冬天，她爸爸出去上夜班，
03:57
and she followed him outside in nothing but a diaper.
82
222000
3000
结果她跟着到了外面，什么也没穿，只是裹着纸尿裤。
04:00
And they found her hours later,
83
225000
2000
几个小时后人们发现了她
04:02
frozen, lifeless,
84
227000
2000
已经冻死了。
04:04
and they brought her back to life.
85
229000
2000
可人们让她起死回生了。
04:06
There was a 65-year-old woman
86
231000
2000
还有一名65岁女性
04:08
in Duluth, Minnesota last year
87
233000
2000
去年在明尼苏达州德卢斯
04:10
that was found frozen and without a pulse
88
235000
2000
人们发现她在自己家的院子里
04:12
in her front yard one morning in the winter,
89
237000
3000
冻死了，没有了脉搏，
04:15
and they brought her back to life.
90
240000
2000
可人们也救活了她。
04:17
The next day, she was doing so well, they wanted to run tests on her.
91
242000
2000
第二天，她身体恢复得很好，医生想给她做个检查。
04:19
She got cranky and just went home.
92
244000
2000
可她根本不听医生的，自个儿跑回家了。
04:21
(Laughter)
93
246000
2000
(笑声.)
04:23
So, these are miracles, right?
94
248000
2000
对，这些是奇迹，没错。
04:25
These are truly miraculous things that happen.
95
250000
3000
这是确实发生过的真正的奇迹般的事情。
04:28
Doctors have a saying
96
253000
2000
医生有一种说法
04:30
that, in fact, "You're not dead until you're warm and dead."
97
255000
3000
“如果你不是身体暖暖和和的死了，就没有真死。”
04:33
And it's true. It's true.
98
258000
3000
确实如此。真的。
04:36
In the New England Journal of Medicine,
99
261000
2000
在《新英格兰医学杂志》上，
04:38
there was a study published that showed
100
263000
2000
发表的一项研究显示，
04:40
that with appropriate rewarming,
101
265000
2000
只要适当复温，
04:42
people who had suffered without a heartbeat for three hours
102
267000
3000
那些3个小时没有心跳的患者，
04:45
could be brought back to life without any neurologic problems.
103
270000
3000
可以活过来，而且没有任何神经系统的问题。
04:48
That's over 50 percent.
104
273000
2000
这个比例在百分之五十以上。
04:50
So what I was trying to do is think of a way
105
275000
3000
因此，我试图做的就是想办法
04:53
that we could study
106
278000
2000
来研究
04:55
suspended animation
107
280000
2000
假死
04:57
to think about a way
108
282000
2000
是找到一种方法
04:59
to reproduce, maybe,
109
284000
2000
也许可以重复，
05:01
what happened to the skier.
110
286000
2000
那位滑雪者的经历。
05:03
Well, I have to tell you something very odd,
111
288000
2000
嗯，我还必须告诉大家一件很奇怪的事，
05:05
and that is that being exposed to low oxygen
112
290000
3000
是有关暴露于低氧环境
05:08
does not always kill.
113
293000
3000
却并不一定让人死亡的事。
05:11
So, in this room, there's 20 percent oxygen or so,
114
296000
3000
在这个礼堂里，空气中有百分之二十左右的氧气。
05:14
and if we reduce the oxygen concentration,
115
299000
2000
如果我们降低氧浓度，
05:16
we will all be dead.
116
301000
2000
我们大家都将死亡。
05:18
And, in fact, the animals we were working with in the lab --
117
303000
3000
而且，事实上，我们在实验室中做实验的动物，
05:21
these little garden worms, nematodes --
118
306000
2000
那些小花园虫，线虫，
05:23
they were also dead when we exposed them to low oxygen.
119
308000
3000
当它们被暴露在低氧环境中，也会死亡。
05:26
And here's the thing that should freak you out.
120
311000
2000
但下面这件事会让大家感觉匪夷所思。
05:28
And that is that, when we lower the oxygen concentration further
121
313000
3000
那就是，当我们进一步降低氧浓度
05:31
by 100 times, to 10 parts per million,
122
316000
4000
100倍，达到每百万单位中只有10个氧单位，
05:35
they were not dead,
123
320000
2000
它们就不会死，
05:37
they were in suspended animation,
124
322000
2000
而是进入假死状态，
05:39
and we could bring them back to life without any harm.
125
324000
3000
而且我们可以使它们重新活过来，没有任何伤害。
05:43
And this precise oxygen concentration,
126
328000
2000
这一特定的氧浓度，
05:45
10 parts per million,
127
330000
2000
百万分之10，
05:47
that caused suspended animation,
128
332000
2000
可以造成假死状态，
05:49
is conserved.
129
334000
2000
这个比例是恒定的。
05:51
We can see it in a variety of different organisms.
130
336000
2000
在许多不同的生物身上都能看到这种情况。
05:53
One of the creatures we see it in
131
338000
2000
其中的一种生物
05:55
is a fish.
132
340000
2000
就是鱼。
05:57
And we can turn its heartbeat on and off by going in and out
133
342000
3000
我们可以通过让鱼进入和脱离假死状态
06:00
of suspended animation like you would a light switch.
134
345000
3000
对其心脏进行“开”“关”操作。
06:03
So this was pretty shocking to me,
135
348000
3000
我们居然可以做到这一点，
06:08
that we could do this.
136
353000
2000
这让我感到非常震惊。
06:10
And so I was wondering, when we were trying
137
355000
2000
所以，我想知道，当我们试图
06:12
to reproduce the work with the skier,
138
357000
2000
重现救活那位滑雪者的经历的时候，
06:14
that we noticed that, of course,
139
359000
3000
我们注意到
06:17
she had no oxygen consumption,
140
362000
2000
她没有消耗氧气，
06:19
and so maybe she was in a similar state of suspended animation.
141
364000
3000
所以也许她是处于一种类似假死状态。
06:22
But, of course, she was also extremely cold.
142
367000
2000
但是，当然，她体温也十分低。
06:24
So we wondered what would happen
143
369000
2000
因此，我们不知道
06:26
if we took our suspended animals and exposed them to the cold.
144
371000
2000
如果把假死的动物暴露于寒冷之下会发生什么。
06:28
And so, what we found out
145
373000
2000
因此，我们发现
06:30
was that, if you take animals
146
375000
2000
如果你将活蹦乱跳的动物
06:32
that are animated like you and I,
147
377000
2000
比如你和我，
06:34
and you make them cold -- that is, these were the garden worms --
148
379000
3000
给他们降温——比如，这些蚯蚓——
06:37
now they're dead.
149
382000
2000
这样它们都死了。
06:39
But if you have them in suspended animation,
150
384000
2000
但是，如果你使它们进入假死状态，
06:41
and move them into the cold, they're all alive.
151
386000
3000
然后再把它们冷冻，它们就还会活着。
06:44
And there's the very important thing there:
152
389000
2000
这里就是最重要的事：
06:46
If you want to survive the cold,
153
391000
2000
如果你想渡过严寒，
06:48
you ought to be suspended. Right?
154
393000
2000
你应该暂停生命。对吧？
06:50
It's a really good thing.
155
395000
2000
这简直太好了。
06:53
And so, we were thinking about that,
156
398000
2000
因此，我们考虑
06:55
about this relationship between these things,
157
400000
2000
这些事情之间的这种关系，
06:57
and thinking about whether or not that's what happened to the skier.
158
402000
3000
并思考那位滑雪者是否就是发生这些事情。
07:00
And so we wondered: Might there be some agent
159
405000
3000
因此，我们想知道：是否我们体内有些
07:03
that is in us, something that we make ourselves,
160
408000
2000
机制，就是我们自身的某种机制
07:05
that we might be able to regulate our own metabolic flexibility
161
410000
3000
使我们也许能够调整自己的新陈代谢活性
07:08
in such a way as to be able to survive
162
413000
2000
这样一来，就能够经受
07:10
when we got extremely cold, and might otherwise pass away?
163
415000
3000
极度的寒冷，而如果没有这种技能，就可能会死去。
07:14
I thought it might be interesting to sort of hunt for such things.
164
419000
3000
我想研究一下这些机制到底是什么应该很有意思。
07:17
You know?
165
422000
2000
对不对？
07:19
I should mention briefly here
166
424000
3000
我要在此简要说一下，
07:22
that physiology textbooks that you can read about
167
427000
3000
大家要是阅读生理教科书，
07:25
will tell you that this is a kind of heretical thing to suggest.
168
430000
3000
会发现书中告诉你，这种说法属于某种邪教。
07:28
We have, from the time we are slapped on the butt
169
433000
3000
我们从一出娘胎
07:31
until we take our last dying breath --
170
436000
2000
直到临终时刻——
07:33
that's when we're newborn to when we're dead --
171
438000
2000
这就是当我们死亡时，就会获得新生——
07:35
we cannot reduce our metabolic rate
172
440000
2000
我们不能降低自己的代谢率
07:37
below what's called a standard,
173
442000
2000
将其降到所谓的标准水平之下，
07:39
or basal metabolic rate.
174
444000
2000
或称“基础代谢率”。
07:42
But I knew that there were examples
175
447000
2000
但我知道就有这样
07:44
of creatures, also mammals,
176
449000
2000
生物的例子，包括哺乳动物，
07:46
that do reduce their metabolic rate
177
451000
2000
可以减少其代谢率
07:48
such as ground squirrels and bears,
178
453000
2000
如地松鼠和熊。
07:50
they reduce their metabolic rate
179
455000
2000
它们可以在冬眠的时候
07:52
in the wintertime when they hibernate.
180
457000
2000
降低代谢率。
07:54
So I wondered: Might we be able to find some agent or trigger
181
459000
3000
所以，我在想：我们能否找到这样的机制，或许可以触发
07:57
that might induce such a state in us?
182
462000
3000
我们的身体进入这样的状态？
08:00
And so, we went looking for such things.
183
465000
3000
因此，我们去寻找这些东西。
08:03
And this was a period of time when we failed tremendously.
184
468000
3000
可是在这一段时间，我们经历了很多失败。
08:06
Ken Robinson is here. He talked about the glories of failure.
185
471000
2000
肯•罗宾逊在这里。他谈到了失败的辉煌。
08:08
Well, we had a lot of them.
186
473000
2000
是的，我们遭遇了很多失败。
08:10
We tried many different chemicals and agents,
187
475000
2000
我们尝试过许多不同的化学品，
08:12
and we failed over and over again.
188
477000
3000
经历过一次又一次失败。
08:15
So, one time, I was at home
189
480000
2000
有一次，我在家里
08:17
watching television on the couch
190
482000
2000
看电视，
08:19
while my wife was putting our child to bed,
191
484000
4000
我的妻子正哄孩子睡觉，
08:23
and I was watching a television show.
192
488000
2000
我是在看一个电视节目。
08:25
It was a television show --
193
490000
2000
这个节目
08:27
it was a NOVA show on PBS --
194
492000
3000
是PBS的NOVA节目
08:30
about caves in New Mexico.
195
495000
2000
关于新墨西哥的一个洞穴。
08:32
And this particular cave was Lechuguilla,
196
497000
2000
这个洞穴叫做Lechuguilla，
08:34
and this cave is incredibly toxic to humans.
197
499000
3000
这个洞穴对人类具有致命的毒性。
08:37
The researchers had to suit up just to enter it.
198
502000
2000
研究人员要想进洞必须穿上特殊防护服。
08:39
It's filled with this toxic gas,
199
504000
2000
洞里充满了硫化氢
08:41
hydrogen sulfide.
200
506000
2000
这种有毒气体。
08:43
Now, hydrogen sulfide is curiously present in us.
201
508000
4000
奇怪的是，我们身体里就有硫化氢。
08:47
We make it ourselves.
202
512000
2000
我们自己会制造它。
08:49
The highest concentration is in our brains.
203
514000
3000
浓度最高的地方是我们的大脑。
08:52
Yet, it was used
204
517000
2000
不过，在第一次世界大战期间
08:54
as a chemical warfare agent in World War I.
205
519000
3000
它曾被用作化学战剂。
08:59
It's an extraordinarily toxic thing.
206
524000
2000
这种东西毒性特大。
09:01
In fact, in chemical accidents,
207
526000
2000
事实上，在化学事故中，
09:03
hydrogen sulfide is known to --
208
528000
4000
硫化氢是很出名的——
09:07
if you breathe too much of it, you collapse to the ground,
209
532000
3000
如果你吸入太多，会瞬间倒地，
09:11
you appear dead,
210
536000
2000
看上去就像是死了，
09:13
but if you were brought out into room air, you can be reanimated without harm,
211
538000
3000
但是如果马上把你带到正常的空气中，你仍可以醒来，而且毫发无损，
09:16
if they do that quickly.
212
541000
2000
前提是救援要快。
09:18
So, I thought, "Wow, I have to get some of this."
213
543000
4000
所以，我想，哇，我要来点这东西。
09:22
(Laughter)
214
547000
2000
(笑声.)
09:24
Now, it's post-9/11 America,
215
549000
6000
对了，这是911事件后的美国了，
09:30
and when you go into the research institute,
216
555000
3000
你要是进入研究所，
09:33
and you say, "Hi.
217
558000
2000
和人说：“嗨，
09:35
I'd like to buy some concentrated,
218
560000
2000
我想买一些浓缩的，
09:37
compressed gas cylinders
219
562000
2000
压缩气瓶存储的
09:39
of a lethal gas
220
564000
2000
致命气体
09:41
because I have these ideas, see,
221
566000
2000
因为我想试试，能否
09:43
about wanting to suspend people.
222
568000
2000
让人进入假死状态。
09:45
It's really going to be OK."
223
570000
2000
这可有得瞧了。”
09:47
So that's kind of a tough day,
224
572000
2000
所以这事儿很难办，
09:49
but I said, "There really is
225
574000
3000
但我觉得，这事儿
09:52
some basis for thinking why you might want to do this."
226
577000
4000
真的是有一定根据的，我就想试一试。
09:56
As I said, this agent is in us,
227
581000
2000
正如我所说，我们体内有这样的机制，
09:58
and, in fact, here's a curious thing,
228
583000
2000
而且实际上，奇怪的是，
10:00
it binds to the very place inside of your cells
229
585000
3000
它就在我们的细胞内
10:03
where oxygen binds, and where you burn it,
230
588000
2000
在氧气发生结合，并在你体内燃烧当中，
10:05
and that you do this burning to live.
231
590000
2000
我们是通过燃烧氧气而生活的。
10:07
And so we thought, like in a game of musical chairs,
232
592000
3000
所以我们就想，就像做抢椅子游戏那样，
10:10
might we be able to give a person
233
595000
5000
也许我们能够给一个人
10:15
some hydrogen sulfide,
234
600000
2000
吸一些硫化氢，
10:17
and might it be able to occupy that place
235
602000
2000
也许这些硫化氢能够像抢椅子游戏那样
10:19
like in a game of musical chairs where oxygen might bind?
236
604000
3000
占据氧气的位置，
10:22
And because you can't bind the oxygen,
237
607000
2000
由于你无法不能与氧气结合反应，
10:24
maybe you wouldn't consume it,
238
609000
2000
也许就不需要消耗氧气了，
10:26
and then maybe it would reduce your demand for oxygen.
239
611000
3000
这样就可能会减少你对氧的需求。
10:29
I mean, who knows?
240
614000
2000
我是说，这事儿谁也拿不准。
10:31
So -- (Laughter)
241
616000
3000
所以 ——（众笑）
10:34
So, there's the bit about the dopamine
242
619000
3000
因此，这可能和多巴胺有关（大脑中产生满足和快乐的一种化学物质。）
10:37
and being a little bit, what do you call it, delusional,
243
622000
3000
虽然只有一点，但也有点属于妄想了吧
10:40
and you might suggest that was it.
244
625000
2000
你可能说就是因为多巴胺的效应。
10:42
And so, we wanted to find out
245
627000
2000
因此，我们希望找出
10:44
might we be able to use
246
629000
3000
也许我们可以利用
10:47
hydrogen sulfide in the presence of cold,
247
632000
3000
硫化氢加上严寒，
10:50
and we wanted to see whether we could
248
635000
2000
我们想看看我们能否
10:52
reproduce this skier in a mammal.
249
637000
2000
在哺乳动物身上复现滑雪者死去活来的经历。
10:55
Now, mammals are warm-blooded creatures,
250
640000
4000
哺乳动物是温血动物，
10:59
and when we get cold, we shake and we shiver, right?
251
644000
3000
当我们感到冷的时候会发抖。
11:02
We try to keep our core temperature at 37 degrees
252
647000
3000
我们会尽量将体温保持在37度
11:05
by actually burning more oxygen.
253
650000
3000
办法就是通过燃烧更多的氧气。
11:10
So, it was interesting for us
254
655000
2000
因此，让一个处于寒冷中的小鼠
11:12
when we applied hydrogen sulfide
255
657000
3000
呼吸硫化氢时，
11:15
to a mouse when it was also cold
256
660000
4000
我们发现了一个有趣的现象。
11:19
because what happened is the core temperature
257
664000
2000
结果小鼠身体的核心温度
11:21
of the mouse got cold.
258
666000
2000
降低了。
11:23
It stopped moving.
259
668000
2000
它不动了。
11:25
It appeared dead.
260
670000
2000
它看起来死了。
11:27
Its oxygen consumption rate
261
672000
2000
它的耗氧率
11:29
fell by tenfold.
262
674000
2000
下降了10倍。
11:31
And here's the really important point.
263
676000
3000
这里才是最重要的问题。
11:34
I told you hydrogen sulfide is in us.
264
679000
3000
我刚才告诉大家说，我们体内都有硫化氢。
11:37
It's rapidly metabolized,
265
682000
2000
它会迅速代谢，
11:39
and all you have to do after six hours of being
266
684000
2000
处于这种假死状态
11:41
in this state of de-animation
267
686000
2000
6小时后，只需
11:43
is simply put the thing out in room air,
268
688000
2000
将其置于室内空气中，
11:45
and it warms up, and it's none the worse for wear.
269
690000
3000
让它暖和过来，它就会活过来，毫发无损。
11:48
Now, this was cosmic.
270
693000
2000
这一规律总是灵验。
11:51
Really. Because we had found a way
271
696000
4000
真的。因为我们已经找到了办法，
11:55
to de-animate a mammal,
272
700000
3000
让哺乳动物进入假死状态。
11:58
and it didn't hurt it.
273
703000
3000
并且不会伤害它。
12:01
Now, we'd found a way to reduce
274
706000
3000
现在，我们找到了一种方法，可以减少
12:04
its oxygen consumption
275
709000
2000
动物的耗氧量
12:06
to rock-bottom levels, and it was fine.
276
711000
3000
使其达到最低水平，同时不伤害它们。
12:09
Now, in this state of de-animation,
277
714000
3000
在这种假死状态下，
12:12
it could not go out dancing,
278
717000
2000
它不能蹦蹦跳跳了，
12:14
but it was not dead,
279
719000
2000
但它也没有死，
12:16
and it was not harmed.
280
721000
2000
而且它并没有受伤。
12:18
So we started to think: Is this the agent
281
723000
3000
因此，我们开始想：是不是这种东西
12:21
that might have been present in the skier,
282
726000
2000
可能存在于那个滑雪者体内，
12:23
and might have she had more of it than someone else,
283
728000
3000
而且有可能她体内的比别人的更多
12:26
and might that have been able to reduce
284
731000
3000
这可能使她减少了
12:29
her demand for oxygen
285
734000
2000
对氧气的需求。
12:31
before she got so cold that
286
736000
2000
在她体温降得过低之前，
12:33
she otherwise would have died,
287
738000
2000
这一因素起了作用，不然她就死了。
12:35
as we found out with our worm experiments?
288
740000
3000
——我们前面说的蚯蚓实验就是把蚯蚓冻死了。
12:39
So, we wondered:
289
744000
3000
所以，我们想知道：
12:42
Can we do anything useful
290
747000
2000
对于这种
12:44
with this capacity to
291
749000
2000
控制代谢活性的能力
12:46
control metabolic flexibility?
292
751000
2000
能否好好运用呢？
12:48
And one of the things we wondered --
293
753000
3000
此外，另一个我们想知道的事情——
12:51
I'm sure some of you out there are economists,
294
756000
2000
我确信，在座的各位中有一些经济学家，
12:53
and you know all about supply and demand.
295
758000
2000
而且大家都知道供需关系。
12:55
And when supply is equal to demand,
296
760000
2000
当供给等于需求时，
12:57
everything's fine,
297
762000
2000
一切都很好，
12:59
but when supply falls,
298
764000
2000
但是当供求降低——
13:01
in this case of oxygen,
299
766000
2000
在这种情况下就是氧气含量降低——
13:03
and demand stays high, you're dead.
300
768000
3000
而需求继续保持旺盛，你就死了。
13:06
So, what I just told you
301
771000
2000
因此，我刚才想告诉大家的
13:08
is we can now reduce demand.
302
773000
2000
是我们现在可以减少需求。
13:10
We ought to be able to lower supply
303
775000
2000
我们应该把供应
13:12
to unprecedented low levels without killing the animal.
304
777000
3000
降低到前所未有的低水平，而不杀死动物。
13:15
And with money we got from DARPA,
305
780000
3000
我们用DARPA的资助，
13:18
we could show just that.
306
783000
2000
我们可以证明这一点。
13:20
If you give mice hydrogen sulfide,
307
785000
3000
如果给老鼠吸入硫化氢，
13:23
you can lower their demand for oxygen,
308
788000
2000
就可以降低其对氧的需求，
13:25
and you can put them into oxygen concentrations
309
790000
3000
可以把它们放到氧气浓度
13:28
that are as low as 5,000 feet above the top of Mt. Everest,
310
793000
3000
相当于珠穆朗玛峰顶峰再高五千英尺以上的空气
13:31
and they can sit there for hours, and there's no problem.
311
796000
3000
它们可以呆在那里好几个小时，一点问题也没有。
13:34
Well this was really cool.
312
799000
2000
嗯，这真的是很酷。
13:36
We also found out that we could subject animals
313
801000
2000
我们还发现，我们可以让动物
13:38
to otherwise lethal blood loss, and we could save them
314
803000
3000
大量失血，达到致命的程度，可仍能拯救它们
13:41
if we gave them hydrogen sulfide.
315
806000
3000
前提是给它们吸入硫化氢。
13:44
So these proof of concept experiments
316
809000
3000
因此，这些实验所证明的事实
13:47
led me to say "I should found a company,
317
812000
3000
促使我想到，我要建立一家公司，
13:50
and we should take this out to a wider playing field."
318
815000
3000
我们应该扩大它的使用范围。
13:55
I founded a company called Ikaria
319
820000
2000
我成立了一家名为伊卡利亚（Ikaria）的公司
13:57
with others' help.
320
822000
2000
当然也有其他人的帮助。
13:59
And this company, the first thing it did
321
824000
2000
而这家公司做的第一件事就是
14:01
was make a liquid formulation of hydrogen sulfide
322
826000
3000
制作出一种硫化氢的液剂
14:04
an injectable form that we could put in
323
829000
2000
这是一种注射药剂，我们可以把它
14:06
and send it out to physician scientists all over the world
324
831000
3000
发给世界各地的医生
14:09
who work on models of critical care medicine,
325
834000
2000
他们在处理危重实验动物病例的时候，
14:11
and the results are incredibly positive.
326
836000
2000
会获得积极的效果，结果令人难以置信。
14:13
In one model of heart attack,
327
838000
2000
在一例心脏病案例中，
14:15
animals given hydrogen sulfide
328
840000
2000
实验动物注射了硫化氢
14:17
showed a 70 percent reduction in heart damage
329
842000
2000
结果，与对照组相比
14:19
compared to those who got the standard of care that
330
844000
2000
心脏受损比例减少了百分之七十。
14:21
you and I would receive if we were to have a heart attack here today.
331
846000
3000
而我们大家目前在医院能够获得的，都是对照组所获得的标准护理。
14:24
Same is true for organ failure,
332
849000
2000
对于器官功能衰竭的结果也类似
14:26
when you have loss of function owing to poor perfusion of kidney, of liver,
333
851000
5000
比如肾、肝供给不足而造成的功能丧失，
14:31
acute respiratory distress syndrome
334
856000
2000
以及急性呼吸窘迫综合征
14:33
and damage suffered in cardiac-bypass surgery.
335
858000
3000
和进行心脏搭桥手术而对新增造成的损害等，都可受益于此。
14:38
So, these are the thought leaders in trauma medicine
336
863000
2000
因此，全世界创伤医疗的领头人物
14:40
all over the world saying this is true,
337
865000
2000
都认为这确实是真的，
14:42
so it seems that exposure to hydrogen sulfide
338
867000
4000
这样看来，吸入硫化氢
14:46
decreases damage that you receive
339
871000
2000
可以减少身体
14:48
from being exposed to otherwise lethal-low oxygen.
340
873000
3000
暴露在致命低氧环境中受损的可能性。
14:51
And I should say that the concentrations of hydrogen sulfide
341
876000
3000
而且我需要指出，要达到这种效果所需的
14:54
required to get this benefit
342
879000
3000
硫化氢的浓度
14:58
are low, incredibly low.
343
883000
2000
非常低，低得令人难以置信。
15:00
In fact, so low that physicians will not have to lower or dim
344
885000
3000
事实上，其浓度如此之低，医生不会明显降低
15:03
the metabolism of people much at all
345
888000
2000
人的新陈代谢率
15:05
to see the benefit I just mentioned,
346
890000
2000
就能看到我刚才所说的好处，
15:07
which is a wonderful thing, if you're thinking about adopting this.
347
892000
2000
这是一个非常好的事情，如果我们考虑采用这种办法的话。
15:09
You don't want to be gorking people out
348
894000
2000
当然，我们不想为了救人
15:11
just to save them, it's really confusing.
349
896000
2000
先把人弄得半死，这是很不好判断
15:13
(Laughter)
350
898000
2000
(笑声.)
15:15
So, I want to say that we're in human trials.
351
900000
4000
我要说的是，我们在进行人体试验。
15:19
Now, and so --
352
904000
2000
现在，——
15:21
(Applause)
353
906000
6000
（掌声。 ）
15:27
Thank you. The Phase 1 safety studies are over,
354
912000
3000
谢谢。第一阶段的安全性研究已经结束，
15:30
and we're doing fine, we're now moved on.
355
915000
2000
而且我们做得很好，我们现在要继续下一步。
15:32
We have to get to Phase 2 and Phase 3. It's going to take us a few years.
356
917000
3000
我们必须进行第二阶段和第三阶段的试验。这要花费数年的时间。
15:35
This has all moved very quickly,
357
920000
2000
这些都进行得非常快，
15:37
and the mouse experiments
358
922000
2000
冬眠小鼠实验
15:39
of hibernating mice happened in 2005;
359
924000
3000
是在2005年做的，
15:42
the first human studies were done in 2008,
360
927000
2000
第一次人类研究是在2008年，
15:44
and we should know in a couple of years
361
929000
2000
几年内，我们就能知道
15:46
whether it works or not.
362
931000
2000
这个办法究竟是否可行。
15:48
And this all happened really quickly
363
933000
2000
而这一切都发生得非常快
15:50
because of a lot of help from a lot of people.
364
935000
2000
因为我们得到了许多的很多帮助。
15:52
I want to mention that, first of all,
365
937000
2000
首先，我想提一下
15:54
my wife, without whom this talk and my work would not be possible,
366
939000
3000
我的妻子，没有她，我的这个演讲以及这些工作都是不可能的，
15:57
so thank you very much.
367
942000
2000
非常感谢。
15:59
Also, the brilliant scientists who work at my lab
368
944000
3000
此外，感谢在我的实验室工作的杰出的科学家们
16:02
and also others on staff,
369
947000
2000
以及华盛顿州西雅图的弗雷德哈钦森癌症研究中心的
16:04
the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, Washington --
370
949000
2000
其他工作人员，
16:06
wonderful place to work.
371
951000
2000
感谢这么好的工作场所。
16:08
And also the wonderful scientists
372
953000
2000
还要感谢
16:10
and businesspeople at Ikaria.
373
955000
2000
Ikaria公司的科学家和商界精英。
16:12
One thing those people did out there
374
957000
3000
这家公司的人们
16:15
was take this technology of hydrogen sulfide,
375
960000
3000
将这一硫化氢的技术，
16:18
which is this start-up company that's burning venture capital very quickly,
376
963000
3000
——这一技术耗资甚巨，因此这个初创公司的风险投资用得很快——
16:21
and they fused it with another company
377
966000
2000
他们将其与另一家公司的技术融合
16:23
that sells another toxic gas
378
968000
2000
那家公司销售另一种有毒气体
16:25
that's more toxic than hydrogen sulfide,
379
970000
4000
比硫化氢的毒性还大得多，
16:29
and they give it to newborn babies who would otherwise die
380
974000
3000
他们用它治疗某些新生婴儿，这些婴儿本来
16:32
from a failure to be able to oxygenate their tissues properly.
381
977000
3000
无法让器官正常吸收氧气，有夭折的危险。
16:36
And this gas that is delivered in over
382
981000
3000
这种气体，现在在
16:39
a thousand critical care hospitals worldwide,
383
984000
2000
全世界1000多家危重病医院都有使用，
16:41
now is approved, on label,
384
986000
2000
已经获得批准，
16:43
and saves thousands of babies a year
385
988000
2000
每年能拯救数千名婴儿
16:45
from certain death.
386
990000
2000
免于死亡。
16:47
(Applause)
387
992000
2000
（掌声。 ）
16:49
So it's really incredible
388
994000
3000
因此，这真是令人难以置信
16:52
for me to be a part of this.
389
997000
2000
我竟然也能参与到这样的工作中。
16:54
And I want to say that I think we're on the path
390
999000
2000
我想说，我认为我们正在
16:56
of understanding metabolic flexibility
391
1001000
2000
逐步从根本上了解
16:58
in a fundamental way,
392
1003000
2000
代谢的灵活性，
17:00
and that in the not too distant future,
393
1005000
4000
而且在不太遥远的将来，
17:04
an EMT might give an injection of hydrogen sulfide,
394
1009000
3000
内科急救专家可能会
17:07
or some related compound,
395
1012000
2000
给遭受严重伤害的病人注射硫化氢
17:09
to a person suffering severe injuries,
396
1014000
3000
或一些相关的化合物，
17:12
and that person might de-animate a bit,
397
1017000
2000
这样的病人可能会降低活性，
17:14
they might become a little more immortal.
398
1019000
4000
但却能因此而保留生命。
17:18
Their metabolism will fall
399
1023000
2000
他们的新陈代谢将下降
17:20
as though you were dimming a switch on a lamp at home.
400
1025000
6000
就像你把家里的灯拧暗一些。
17:26
And then, they will have the time, that will buy them the time,
401
1031000
3000
这样，他们就会赢得时间，
17:29
to be transported to the hospital
402
1034000
3000
可以被送到医院
17:34
to get the care they need.
403
1039000
4000
在那里获得所需的照顾。
17:38
And then, after they get that care --
404
1043000
5000
然后，在得到相应的医疗之后，
17:43
like the mouse, like the skier,
405
1048000
2000
像像实验中的老鼠，或是那个像滑雪，
17:45
like the 65-year-old woman --
406
1050000
2000
或是像那位65岁的妇女那样，
17:47
they'll wake up.
407
1052000
2000
他们会醒来。
17:49
A miracle?
408
1054000
2000
奇迹？
17:51
We hope not, or maybe we just hope
409
1056000
2000
我们希望不是奇迹，也许我们只是希望
17:53
to make miracles a little more common.
410
1058000
2000
让这样的奇迹变得更普通。
17:55
Thank you very much.
411
1060000
2000
非常感谢。
17:57
(Applause)
412
1062000
7000
（掌声。 ）
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Mark Roth - Biochemist, cell biologistMark Roth's research has reawakened an unusual notion from the annals of science: reversible metabolic hibernation. Yes, putting living organisms into suspended animation -- and bringing them back safely.
Why you should listen
As a cell biologist in cancer research, Mark Roth studies genes, chromosomes and autoimmune disease. But he's best known for his research into suspended animation. Already, Roth has managed a world first: putting a vertebrate -- a zebrafish embryo -- into an oxygen-deprived state for several hours, then restoring it to completely normal development. He's been able to reduce the core temperature of mice to 10 degrees Celsius, and then revive them, harmlessly.
This MacArthur "genius" grant winner may spur the next big leap for lifesaving medical systems with techniques that buy time for critically ill trauma patients -- people in desperate need of organ transplants, for example -- whether in emergency rooms or on battlefields. DARPA is a major supporter of this work. At TED2008, geologist Peter Ward was passionate enough about Mark Roth's work to devote several of his own 18 minutes to talking about it ...
Mark Roth | Speaker | TED.com