时差N小时 鲸鱼也怕被晒伤?(下)

University of London researchers theorize that there may be some correlation¹ between the severity of skin damage and the amount of time spent at the ocean’s surface, which varies based on whale species.

伦敦大学的研究人员推理说，鲸鱼晒伤的程度可能与它们在海面上暴露的时长有关，而海上暴露时长又会因鲸鱼种类而异。

Biopsies of skin samples indicated evidence of DNA² damage in the deepest layers of the whales’ skin cells.

鲸鱼皮肤样本的活组织检查显示，鲸鱼皮肤细胞最深层处的DNA有损伤迹象。

Researchers concede that there is little hope of reducing these damaging affects within the next several years.

研究人员承认，想在未来几年降低这些有害影响的希望渺茫。

They can only hope that whales’ cellular³ repair mechanisms⁴ can adjust to offset⁵ this damage.

他们只能希望鲸鱼的细胞修复机制可以调整并修复这些损伤。

Will skin damage in whales lead to skin cancer as it does in humans?

鲸鱼皮肤受损是否也会像人类一样发展为皮肤癌呢？

Could whales adapt to this increased UV radiation by perhaps, getting “suntans”?

鲸鱼能否通过晒黑来抵御逐渐增强的紫外线呢？

These are the types of questions that will be taken into consideration in future studies.

这类问题将被列入未来的研究范围内。

1 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。

2 DNA   

(缩)deoxyribonucleic acid 脱氧核糖核酸

参考例句：

• DNA is stored in the nucleus of a cell.脱氧核糖核酸储存于细胞的细胞核里。
• Gene mutations are alterations in the DNA code.基因突变是指DNA密码的改变。

3 cellular   

adj.移动的；细胞的，由细胞组成的

参考例句：

• She has a cellular telephone in her car.她的汽车里有一部无线通讯电话机。
• Many people use cellular materials as sensitive elements in hygrometers.很多人用蜂窝状的材料作为测量温度的传感元件。

4 mechanisms   

n.机械( mechanism的名词复数 )；机械装置；[生物学] 机制；机械作用

参考例句：

• The research will provide direct insight into molecular mechanisms. 这项研究将使人能够直接地了解分子的机理。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He explained how the two mechanisms worked. 他解释这两台机械装置是如何工作的。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 offset   

n.分支，补偿；v.抵消，补偿

参考例句：

• Their wage increases would be offset by higher prices.他们增加的工资会被物价上涨所抵消。
• He put up his prices to offset the increased cost of materials.他提高了售价以补偿材料成本的增加。