美国有线新闻 CNN 研究称空气污染可能增加阿尔茨海默病风险

 

OK, next story. Air pollution, it's well-documented that it can cause lung problems. But can it hurt the human brain. Researchers at Lancaster University in the United Kingdom say yes. They took a look at brain samples from dozens of people who live in polluted areas and they say they found the same kind of particles in the brain that are found in polluted air. They say these particles are toxic¹. They believe the particles entered the brain when people breathe in polluted air, and they think these pollution particles could increase people's risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.

But there is room for doubt. For one thing, similar particles are produced naturally in the brain and an expert from University College London says any correlation² between pollution particles and Alzheimer's disease is weak. Scientists agree that more research needs to be done on this.

Still, experts in several major cities are taking steps to help lower levels of air pollution.

ANDREW GRIEVE, SENIOR AIR QUALITY ANALYST³, KINGS'S COLLEGE LONDON: Although you don't feel it day to day, it's a cumulative⁴ effect. Everyone is exposed to it, from your first breath to your last breath, you know, little kids, older people, people who respiratory conditions.

But also, if you reduce it just a little bit, because you're affecting the whole population, they can have a huge effect, beneficial effect.

REPORTER: In January of 2016, London took just over one week to reach its own annual limits of nitrogen dioxide. That's a toxic gas which comes from vehicle exhaust.

RUTH CALDERWOOD, CITY OF LONDON CORPORATION: We see drivers who are parked with their engines idling as an unnecessary source of local pollution. So, what we do is we go out, speak to drivers, ask them if they can turn their engines off. We have evidence that it does make a difference here locally.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Good morning. Hi. We're doing some volunteer work this morning on air quality on the city.

REPORTER: Switching off engines may seem like a small action. But experts have tracked an improvement in pollution levels on the days when air quality worsens are actually active.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So, thank you for turning it off.

REPORTER: Andrew Grieve suffered from asthma⁵ as a child. Now, he's a scientist who analyzes⁶ air quality and one of his jobs has been building city air that's enough which helps people navigate⁷ pollution hot spots.

GRIEVE: I've got kind of like a pollution map overlaid on the top of map, which is updated every hour. So, here, I plotted the route from Liverpool Street Station to Bank Station. There's a route here through the backstreets, which is 28 percent less polluted than behind it.

REPORTER: Individual actions are creating localized solutions which benefit everyone.

1 toxic   

adj.有毒的，因中毒引起的

参考例句：

• The factory had accidentally released a quantity of toxic waste into the sea.这家工厂意外泄漏大量有毒废物到海中。
• There is a risk that toxic chemicals might be blasted into the atmosphere.爆炸后有毒化学物质可能会进入大气层。

2 correlation   

n.相互关系，相关，关连

参考例句：

• The second group of measurements had a high correlation with the first.第二组测量数据与第一组高度相关。
• A high correlation exists in America between education and economic position.教育和经济地位在美国有极密切的关系。

3 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

4 cumulative   

adj.累积的，渐增的

参考例句：

• This drug has a cumulative effect.这种药有渐增的效力。
• The benefits from eating fish are cumulative.吃鱼的好处要长期才能显现。

5 asthma   

n.气喘病，哮喘病

参考例句：

• I think he's having an asthma attack.我想他现在是哮喘病发作了。
• Its presence in allergic asthma is well known.它在过敏性气喘中的存在是大家很熟悉的。

6 analyzes   

v.分析( analyze的第三人称单数 )；分解；解释；对…进行心理分析

参考例句：

• This approach analyzes management by studying experience usually through cases. 这个学派通常从实例获得经验，用以分析管理。 来自辞典例句
• The econometrician analyzes statistical data. 经济计量学者要分析统计材料。 来自辞典例句

7 navigate   

v.航行，飞行；导航，领航

参考例句：

• He was the first man to navigate the Atlantic by air.他是第一个飞越大西洋的人。
• Such boats can navigate on the Nile.这种船可以在尼罗河上航行。