From VOA Learning English, this is the Health Report.

这里是美国之音慢速英语健康报道。

Could young blood be the answer to cheating death? It may sound like the story in a vampire movie but now there is scientific research that supports the theory.

年轻血液可以欺骗死神？这听起来像是吸血鬼电影中的故事。但现在该理论有了科学研究的支持。

U.S. scientists have discovered a protein in the blood in young mice that can undo some effects of aging in old mice. The same protein is present in human blood and might one day help us lead healthier lives.

美国科学家发现年轻老鼠血液中的一种蛋白质可以逆转年老老鼠衰老的影响。同样的蛋白质存在于人体血液中，可能某天它可以帮助我们活得更健康。

Two papers published in the journal Science discuss this protein, called GDF11.

两篇发表在《科学》期刊上的论文讨论了这种被称为GDF11的蛋白质。

Researchers at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts explain how GDF11 improved the brain and muscle ability of older mice. This protein is found in high levels in the blood of young mice. And it appears to help develop new blood vessels.

马萨诸塞州剑桥市哈佛大学的研究人员解释了GDF11如何改善年老老鼠大脑和肌肉的能力。这种蛋白质在年轻老鼠血液中被大量发现，它似乎可以帮助新的血管生长。

In one experiment, the scientists increased the levels of GDF11 in aging mice by surgically connecting (or infusing) the blood flow systems of young mice to the old mice. Blood containing higher levels of GDF11 flowed among both groups. In another experiment, they injected the protein into old mice.

在一项试验中，科学家们通过外科手术将年轻老鼠的血流系统和年老老鼠连接起来，提高了年老老鼠血液中GDF11的含量。两组老鼠的血液中都含有高水平的GDF11。在另一个试验中，科学家们将这种蛋白质注射到年老老鼠体内。

Scientists saw the greatest change in the old mice that shared blood flow with the young.

科学家发现，和年轻老鼠共享血流的年老老鼠发生的变化最大。

The old mice formed new blood vessels. The animals' blood flow improved. And the aging process changed directions, or reversed, in every tissue the researchers observed.

这些年老老鼠形成了新的血管，它们的血流量有所改善。研究人员观察的每个组织的衰老过程都发生了逆转。

Researcher Lee Rubin is a professor of stem cell research at Harvard's Stem Cell Institute. His team looked at the effect of GDF11 on brain tissue.

研究员李·鲁宾（Lee Rubin）是哈佛大学干细胞研究所一位从事干细胞研究的教授。他的研究小组查看了GDF11对脑组织的影响。

"So, this simple surgery, infusing an old mouse with young blood, actually produced some structural changes in the old brain, making the old brain, in essence, more like (a) young brain. And some people have used the phrase 'rejuvenating the old brain.' And similar things were observed in other tissues."

他说，“将年轻血液注入到年老老鼠的这样一个简单手术竟然在年老老鼠的大脑内产生了结构性变化，使得年老大脑在本质上更像是一个年轻的大脑。有人已经用到‘使大脑重生’这个词。”

Rubin's teammate Amy Wagers said that GDF11 repaired DNA damage linked to aging. Wagers said earlier GDF11 research showed a change in the weakened hearts of older mice. The hearts returned to a more youthful size and beat more efficiently.

鲁宾的研究小组成员艾米·韦戈斯（Amy Wagers）说，GDF11修复了和衰老有关的DNA损伤。韦戈斯说，早期的GDF11研究表明，年老老鼠衰弱的心脏有了变化，心脏回复到更年轻的规格，跳动更为有力。

So, this is great news for old mice. But what does it mean for us? There is growing hope GDF11 might someday repair and renew unhealthy human hearts. Also, Mr. Rubin says the protein might improve memory power for Alzheimer's patients or physical movement for people with Parkinson's disease.

所以这对年老老鼠来说是个大好消息。但这对我们来说意味着什么？人们越来越希望GDF11有一天能够修复和恢复不健康的人类心脏。此外鲁宾先生还说，这种蛋白质可能可以提高老年痴呆症患者的记忆力，或者帕金森病人的身体运动。

But the researcher says the protein is not a "fountain of youth." He says the aim of the research is not to lengthen life as much as to improve it.

但鲁宾先生表示，这种蛋白质不是“不老泉”。他说，研究的目的是改善生命而不是延长生命。

"In other words, even if you did not live more years, at least you could remain healthier for the number of years you do live. And I think again, what we've shown is functional improvement in ... various different tissues in mice."

他说，“换句话说，即使你并未多活几年，至少你可以活得更健康。我再次想起，我们已经证实的是老鼠各种不同组织功能的改善。”

Researchers at Stanford University in California are doing similar research. They report that blood from young mice improved brain operations in older mice. 

加州斯坦福大学的研究人员也在进行类似研究。他们报告说，来自于年轻老鼠的血液改善了年老老鼠的大脑运作。

Researchers in Massachusetts and California are working with technology companies that specialize in human medicine to see how these findings can help humans.

马萨诸塞州和加利福尼亚州的研究人员正和专门从事人类医学的科技公司合作，以确定这些发现可以如何帮助人类。

Harvard University's Lee Rubin predicts human testing could begin in as little as three years.

哈佛大学的鲁宾预计人体试验可能会在少于三年内开始进行。

And that's the Health Report. I'm Anna Matteo.