????隨著越來越多的人要求將自己的癥狀添加到正在進行的小組研究中，這一網(wǎng)絡社區(qū)迅速擴張,。目前,，成千上萬的小組成員正在通過這個網(wǎng)絡小組就數(shù)百種健康狀況分享自己的經(jīng)歷。CureTogether目前正同幾所高校進行研究合作,。德雷塞爾大學（Drexel University）綜合生物信息學中心（Center for Integrated Bioinformatics）的威爾?丹皮爾正利用匿名的CureTogether數(shù)據(jù)建立一個治療預測系統(tǒng),。用戶在系統(tǒng)中輸入自己的癥狀后，系統(tǒng)就會根據(jù)數(shù)據(jù)庫中具有相同癥狀病友的有效治療方案,，預測什么樣的治療方案最可能見效,，目前這套系統(tǒng)的準確度約為80%。

????在加州大學戴維斯分校,，阿普麗爾?阿姆斯特朗及其團隊正在將CureTogether的皮膚病數(shù)據(jù)與已發(fā)表的研究數(shù)據(jù)進行比較,，以判斷CureTogether數(shù)據(jù)對總體人口的代表性。這種對比有助于證實CureTogether是否可以作為一個準確可靠的工具用于未來的研究,。

????現(xiàn)在,，量化自我在世界各地都有活動小組，它們通過一個共享的網(wǎng)站互相聯(lián)系,。量化自我的網(wǎng)絡平臺現(xiàn)在還包括卡邁克爾和《連線》（Wired）雜志記者凱文?凱利和加里?沃爾夫管理的博客,。

????創(chuàng)立至今，成員們已經(jīng)為彼此創(chuàng)建了初級讀本,、視頻和指南,。這個社區(qū)，或曰生態(tài)系統(tǒng),，匯集了大量來自各地的參與者,。這個社區(qū)主持會議和研討會。蒂姆?費里斯是創(chuàng)始小組的活躍成員,，當初他在為自己的書《每周健身四小時》（The 4-Hour Body）進行實驗時,，也曾向小組成員尋求反饋,。目前，CureTogether和HealthTap公司共同贊助量化自我網(wǎng)站,；HealthTap公司是一家為用戶量身定制個人健康信息的企業(yè),。

????量化自我網(wǎng)站的草根活動為群體生態(tài)系統(tǒng)提供了一個有力例證。群體生態(tài)系統(tǒng)的廣泛活動很大程度上是自發(fā)的,，由參與者的共同熱情所驅動,，但沒有任何明確定義的“中心”來組織這些努力。最著名的群體生態(tài)系統(tǒng)包括極限運動愛好者,，如沖浪者,，以及職業(yè)業(yè)余活動——匯聚對科學抱有熱情的人，受過專業(yè)訓練的人,，抑或只是對這一領域感興趣的人,，都能參加。

????這種很大程度上自發(fā)而成的社區(qū)受到快速學習和提高的愿望驅使,，走到了一起,。參與者在線上和線下彼此建立聯(lián)系，分享各自的經(jīng)歷和困難,。

????由于這些社區(qū)缺乏明確的領導且高度分散,，因此很容易被企業(yè)忽視。然而,，它們能夠非常有效地聯(lián)系和動員熱情高漲的參與者,，這些參與者動力十足，往往會非常積極地支持與自身利益相一致的項目,。

????企業(yè)應該效仿23andMe公司帕金森氏癥項目借助量化自我成員的做法,，利用這些現(xiàn)有的群體生態(tài)系統(tǒng)。這些社區(qū)的成員聯(lián)系密切,，這種聯(lián)系甚至超越了小團體和某一運動的范疇,。公司的相關項目可以借助他們迅速將消息傳播開去，同時吸納他們的專長和熱情,。

????譯者：Qian

????The community quickly expanded as people asked that their conditions be added to the ongoing group studies. Now, thousands of members share their own experiences of hundreds of health conditions. CureTogether is now collaborating on research with several universities. Will Dampier at Drexel University's Center for Integrated Bioinfomatics is using anonymized CureTogether data to build a treatment prediction system. When someone enters their symptoms into the system, it will predict (currently with about 80% accuracy) which treatments are likely to work best for them, based on what has worked well for other people with the same symptoms.

????At the University of California Davis, April Armstrong and her team are comparing CureTogether's skin disease data against published research to determine how representative CureTogether's data is of the general population. This could help validate CureTogether as an accurate, trusted instrument for future research.

????Quantified Self now has groups around the world that are linked to each other through a shared website. It now includes a blog moderated by Carmichael and Wired magazine writers Kevin Kelly and Gary Wolf.

????Along the way, members have created primers, videos, and guides for each other. This community, or ecosystem, brings together large numbers of diverse participants across many locations. It hosts meetings and conferences. Tim Ferriss, an active member of the original group, tapped members for feedback as he was conducting experiments for his book, The 4-Hour Body. Now, CureTogether and a firm that personalizes health information for individuals called HealthTap sponsor the Quantified Self website.

????The Quantified Self grass-roots initiative provides a powerful example of a pack ecosystem. Pack ecosystems represent broad initiatives that are largely spontaneous, driven by a common passion among a group of participants without any clearly defined "center" to organize the efforts. Some of the best known examples of pack ecosystems include extreme sports enthusiasts like big wave surfers, or "pro-am" (professional-amateur) initiatives that bring together people who have a passion for science, whether the participants are professionally trained or simply have an interest in the field.

????These largely self-organized communities come together, driven by a desire to learn faster and improve. Participants connect with each other in person and online to share their experiences and challenges.

????Because they lack clearly defined leadership and are so highly distributed, these communities can escape the radar screen of companies. Nevertheless, they can provide powerful ways to connect with, and mobilize, deeply passionate participants who are highly motivated to support initiatives that align with their interests.

????Companies ought to take advantage of existing pack ecosystems like the way 23andMe Parkinson's initiative involved those in the Quantified Self movement. Members tend to become highly connected, even well beyond the group and the larger movement. They can help spread the word about a company's related projects and contribute their own expertise and passion.