X-Message-Number: 27258
From: "Basie" <>
Subject: Artificial hibernation could help patients
Date: Sat, 22 Oct 2005 17:08:46 -0400

A Hibernated patient could probable be transported closer to a suspension 
facility more easily in this state. It will remove the need for a standby 
team.
Basie


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Artificial hibernation could help patients

SEATTLE, April 21 (UPI) -- U.S. researchers said they have induced and then 
reverse hibernation in mice, the first step toward hibernating human 
patients by slowing their metabolism.
 Researchers at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center said they used 
oxygen deprivation to trigger the hibernations, which lasted six hours. The 
mice were revived with no ill effects.
During hibernation, cell activity nearly stops, reducing the need for 
oxygen. If such a suspended state could be induced in human patients, it 
could help doctors buy enough time to locate transplant organs for the 
critically ill or transport wounded soldiers to field hospitals.

Inducing such a state might require only an intravenous saline solution 
mixed with trace amounts of an agent that interferes with the body's ability 
to use oxygen.

"We think this may be a latent ability that all mammals have -- potentially 
even humans -- and we're just harnessing it and turning it on and off, 
inducing a state of hibernation on demand," said Mark Roth, the lead 
investigator.

Oxygen deprivation also could speed the healing of wounds by stopping cell 
death and keeping transplantable organs fresh longer.

Copyright 2005 by United Press International. All Rights Reserved.



http://www.sciencedaily.com/upi/index.php?feed=Science&article=UPI-1-20050421-23011700-bc-us-hibernation.xml

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