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每种生物都有一定的寿命。随着时间流逝,机体逐渐丧失对环境适应的能力,谓之“衰老”。衰老不仅是生物学的问题,也是一个社会问题。从本世纪开始,由于一些传染病的控制,婴幼儿死亡率的降低,环境卫生的改善,以及饮食营养的合理化,人类平均寿命较前显著延长。生命曲线由对角线逐渐变为直角线,但最高寿限变化不大(图1)。如果人类四大死因(心脏病、脑血管病、心血管肾病及癌症)也得到控制的话,平均年龄可望再延长一、二十年。研究衰老问题,不仅仅是为了人类的延年益寿,更重要的目的是延长人类的有效“工作年龄”,防止早衰。
Each creature has a certain life span. As time goes by, the body gradually loses its ability to adapt to the environment, which is called “aging.” Aging is not only a biological issue, but also a social issue. From the beginning of this century, the average life expectancy of mankind has been significantly prolonged due to the control of some infectious diseases, the reduction of infant and child mortality, the improvement of environmental sanitation and the rationalization of diet and nutrition. The life curve gradually changed from diagonal to right angle, but the maximum life did not change much (Figure 1). If the four major causes of death in humans (heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, cardiovascular nephropathy and cancer) are also controlled, the average age is expected to be extended for another one or two decades. Studying aging is not only for the longevity of mankind, but more important is to extend the effective “working age” of mankind and to prevent premature aging.