2007年VOA标准英语-Adult Stem Cells Help Heart Attack Patients

By Carol Pearson
Washington
27 March 2007
 
watch Heart Stem Cell report 

It is being hailed as a major medical breakthrough: cardiologists are using adult stem cells, not the controversial embryonic¹ stem cells, to rejuvenate² the hearts of patients who have suffered heart attacks or whose hearts are not working properly.

VOA's Carol Pearson tells us about two studies reported at the American College of Cardiology conference that show promise for heart patients.

 
Joe Gasser
Joe Gasser is back on a treadmill³ after suffering a heart attack that left him with a grim prognosis and a weakened heart. He was one of 23 patients who had stem cells injected into his ailing⁴ heart in hopes of healing it. "It's a second chance," he says.

Researchers took the cells from muscles in the patients' own legs. Then they grew the cells in a laboratory before injecting them in the patients' hearts – without surgery or anesthesia.

The study was led by cardiologist Dr. Nabil Dib.  He looks at an image of the heart of one of his patients. In the image on the left, black spots show where the stem cells were injected. The red spot is an area of dead tissue.

 
Images of untreated heart (left) and treated heart (right) six months later
The other image shows the same heart six months later.  The damaged tissue is gone, replaced by healthy tissue. Dr. Dib says, "A patient who has no hope today will have hope in the future."

In another study, researchers took stem cells from donors⁵, not the patients, and infused them intravenously into the patients' hearts within ten days of a heart attack.

Fifty-three patients got the stem cell therapy.  Others did not.

Dr. Josua Hare at the University of Miami School of Medicine led the study and explains, "The patients getting the cells were doing better.  Their heart function was better and their breathing was better as well."

Experts caution that these studies need to be repeated in larger groups to confirm the results. Joe Gasser says he is proof of the outcome. "I have lots of energy.  I feed good.  Nothing holds me back."

1 embryonic   

adj.胚胎的

参考例句：

• It is still in an embryonic stage.它还处于萌芽阶段。
• The plan,as yet,only exists in embryonic form.这个计划迄今为止还只是在酝酿之中。

2 rejuvenate   

v.(使)返老还童；(使)恢复活力

参考例句：

• The mountain air will rejuvenate you.山里的空气会使你恢复活力。
• Exercise is perhaps the most effective way to rejuvenate your skin.锻炼可能是使皮肤恢复活力的最好手段。

3 treadmill   

n.踏车；单调的工作

参考例句：

• The treadmill has a heart rate monitor.跑步机上有个脉搏监视器。
• Drugs remove man from the treadmill of routine.药物可以使人摆脱日常单调的工作带来的疲劳。

4 ailing   

v.生病

参考例句：

• They discussed the problems ailing the steel industry. 他们讨论了困扰钢铁工业的问题。
• She looked after her ailing father. 她照顾有病的父亲。

5 donors   

n.捐赠者( donor的名词复数 )；献血者；捐血者；器官捐献者

参考例句：

• Please email us to be removed from our active list of blood donors. 假如你想把自己的名字从献血联系人名单中删去，请给我们发电子邮件。
• About half this amount comes from individual donors and bequests. 这笔钱大约有一半来自个人捐赠及遗赠。 来自《简明英汉词典》