VOA标准英语2010年-Tumors Shrink When Mice Live in Stimul

Researchers believe activity and interaction activated¹ a communication channel in mice that prompted fat cells to stop releasing a hormone² which accelerates cancer growth.

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Cell

New research has found that mice with cancer are better able to fight off the disease when they are in complex, stimulating³ environments, with lots of toys and other mice that they interact - and compete - with. Although this was an animal study, the scientist behind it thinks it could signal new ways of treating cancer in people.

The study involved genetically-identical mice with cancerous tumors. Some mice were put in standard laboratory cages, in groups of five or so, with plenty of food and water. Another group lived in what the researchers call an enriched environment up to 20 mice per cage, with toys, hiding places, and running wheels.

"And what was surprising to us was that [in] the animals in the enriched environment, the cancers are 40 percent smaller" after just three weeks, said lead author Matthew During of Ohio State University. "When we moved that enrichment to six weeks, now, the cancers were approximately 80 percent smaller - a dramatic effect, and not only that, but 17 percent of those animals had no tumors whatsoever⁵."

It took several years of further experiments and analysis, but During and his colleagues ultimately concluded that the mild stress of all that activity and interaction activated a communication channel that prompts fat cells to stop releasing a hormone called leptin, which accelerates cancer growth.

"The crux⁶ of what this study is all about is that we define a new pathway where the brain talks to fat," he said. "And the brain is activated by this challenging environment and signals to the fat to stop the release of this hormone. And this particular hormone stimulates⁷ and feeds the cancer growth, essentially⁸. And that's the simplest analysis of what we showed."

During's field is gene⁴ therapy, so he's working on a way to recreate that effect by modifying the gene that controls the leptin hormone. But the study also suggests a more low-tech solution might be helpful.

"Being more socially engaged in your community - maybe in environments which aren't always just the same, a little bit more challenging socially - may be a very good thing. So I think this study gives investigators⁹ who are working with cancer survivors¹⁰ some ideas as to how best, perhaps, to think about prescribing a lifestyle," said the scientist.

Matthew During's paper on how the mild stress of an enriched environment can change the production of hormones¹¹ related to cancer growth is published in the journal "Cell."

 

1 activated   

adj. 激活的 动词activate的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• The canister is filled with activated charcoal.蒸气回收罐中充满了活性炭。

2 hormone   

n.荷尔蒙，激素，内分泌

参考例句：

• Hormone implants are used as growth boosters.激素植入物被用作生长辅助剂。
• This hormone interacts closely with other hormones in the body.这种荷尔蒙与体內其他荷尔蒙紧密地相互作用。

3 stimulating   

adj.有启发性的，能激发人思考的

参考例句：

• shower gel containing plant extracts that have a stimulating effect on the skin 含有对皮肤有益的植物精华的沐浴凝胶
• This is a drug for stimulating nerves. 这是一种兴奋剂。

4 gene   

n.遗传因子，基因

参考例句：

• A single gene may have many effects.单一基因可能具有很多种效应。
• The targeting of gene therapy has been paid close attention.其中基因治疗的靶向性是值得密切关注的问题之一。

5 whatsoever   

adv.（用于否定句中以加强语气）任何；pron.无论什么

参考例句：

• There's no reason whatsoever to turn down this suggestion.没有任何理由拒绝这个建议。
• All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you,do ye even so to them.你想别人对你怎样，你就怎样对人。

6 crux   

adj.十字形；难事，关键，最重要点

参考例句：

• The crux of the matter is how to comprehensively treat this trend.问题的关键是如何全面地看待这种趋势。
• The crux of the matter is that attitudes have changed.问题的要害是人们的态度转变了。

7 stimulates   

v.刺激( stimulate的第三人称单数 )；激励；使兴奋；起兴奋作用，起刺激作用，起促进作用

参考例句：

• Exercise stimulates the body. 运动促进身体健康。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Alcohol stimulates the action of the heart. 酒刺激心脏的活动。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

8 essentially   

adv.本质上，实质上，基本上

参考例句：

• Really great men are essentially modest.真正的伟人大都很谦虚。
• She is an essentially selfish person.她本质上是个自私自利的人。

9 investigators   

n.调查者，审查者( investigator的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• This memo could be the smoking gun that investigators have been looking for. 这份备忘录可能是调查人员一直在寻找的证据。
• The team consisted of six investigators and two secretaries. 这个团队由六个调查人员和两个秘书组成。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 survivors   

幸存者，残存者，生还者( survivor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The survivors were adrift in a lifeboat for six days. 幸存者在救生艇上漂流了六天。
• survivors clinging to a raft 紧紧抓住救生筏的幸存者

11 hormones   

n. 荷尔蒙，激素 名词hormone的复数形式

参考例句：

• This hormone interacts closely with other hormones in the body. 这种荷尔蒙与体內其他荷尔蒙紧密地相互作用。
• The adrenals produce a large per cent of a man's sex hormones. 肾上腺分泌人体的大部分性激素。