医学文摘

42 医学文摘

DATE=7-3-01
TITLE=SCIENCE IN THE NEWS #2131 - Digest BYLINE=Staff
VOICE ONE:

This is Bob Doughty¹.
VOICE TWO:
And this is Sarah Long with Science in the News, a VOA Special English program about recent developments in science. Today, we tell about a campaign to develop a (1) vaccine² to prevent the disease (2) meningitis in Africa. We tell about (3) traditional medicines. And we tell about a (4) gene³ treatment for the disease (5) hemophilia.
((THEME))
VOICE ONE:
For years, scientists believed it was possible to develop a vaccine to prevent the deadly disease meningitis in Africa. However, it costs a great deal of money for (6) drug companies to research and test such a vaccine. Recently the Bill and Melinda Gates (7) Foundation gave seventy-million dollars for a project to develop a vaccine to end meningitis in southern Africa.
The (8) World Health Organization and a health technology company in (9) Seattle, Washington, will work with drug companies on the ten-year project. Scientists hope to develop, test and provide a vaccine to countries in southern Africa.
VOICE TWO:
The development of vaccines⁴ usually is influenced by market (10) competition. Such research is (11) profitable when demand for the vaccines is great and rich countries are willing to pay for the drugs. In very poor countries, however, the market for medicines is very small. Poor countries do not have enough money to pay for (12) costly⁵ vaccines. As a result, most drug companies do not usually invest in this kind of research because it is not profitable.
VOICE ONE:
Meningitis is an (13) infection of the brain caused by a (14) bacterium⁶. The disease is most common among young people. Babies are most at risk. People with the disease often die within days. Signs of meningitis include high fever and the (15) expulsion of food through the mouth.
The disease can be treated with (16) antibiotic⁷ drugs. But even when treated, at least ten percent of the (17) victims die. Another ten percent suffer (18) nerve damage. Or they lose the use of their arms or legs. As many as fifty percent of all cases result in death if meningitis is not treated at all.
VOICE TWO:
More than seven-hundred-thousand cases of meningitis were reported in Africa between Nineteen-Eighty-Eight and Nineteen-Ninety-Seven. More than one-hundred-thousand deaths were reported in the area hardest hit by the disease. This area (19) extends from (20) Ethiopia to (21) Gambia.
The largest recorded meningitis (22) epidemic⁸ was in Nineteen-Ninety-Six. More than two-hundred-thousand cases of the disease and twenty-thousand deaths were reported.
VOICE ONE:
Patty Stonesifer is an official with the Gates Foundation in Seattle, Washington. The foundation was started by Bill Gates, the head of the (23) Microsoft Corporation, and his wife Melinda. The foundation's goal is to improve the health of people in developing countries.
Mizz Stonesifer says she hopes the foundation's latest gift will lead to other vaccines or treatments for disease in the world's poorest countries. She says the meningitis vaccine research program could become an example for future health projects.
((MUSIC BRIDGE))
VOICE TWO:
For hundreds of years, people have used traditional medicine to (24) heal the sick. Traditional healers use medical information and customs they learned from their (25) ancestors. For example, they use plants to cure many kinds of medical problems. The World Health Organization says populations in developing countries still depend on it today. In China, for example, the W-H-O says up to fifty percent of the total medicine used is traditional medicine from plants.
During the last ten years, traditional medicine has also grown popular in industrial countries. The W-H-O reports that one-third of all adults in the United States have used some form of traditional medicine.
VOICE ONE:
Plants with medical qualities are the oldest known health-care products. Traditional healers have known this for centuries. But now, drug companies in industrial countries are starting to create modern medicines using traditional plants. This has created (26) legal fights over who should have ownership rights, or (27) patents, to the drugs. Patents are legal agreements that governments give to (28) inventors of products. Patents (29) guarantee that inventors control the right to make, use, and sell their products for a period of time.
Traditional healers argue that drug companies are using plants known for years to have medical qualities. They say their ancestors discovered the value of the plants, not researchers from drug companies. Legal cases over the rights to patents are increasing.
VOICE TWO:
For example, (30) Zimbabwe is trying to (31) block an American patent given to (32) Swiss researchers. In Nineteen-Ninety-Five, the Swiss reportedly signed an agreement with Zimbabwe. The agreement permitted Swiss researchers to study thousands of plants used by traditional (33) healers, including the snake-bean tree. A Swiss scientist later discovered that the outer part of the snake-bean tree kills an (34) organism called a (35) fungus⁹.
Now Zimbabwean government officials say the scientist patented the local plant (36) illegally. Native healers in Zimbabwe want a share in the profits from any medicines made from the snake-bean tree. They also want recognition of their traditional knowledge.
VOICE ONE:
In another case in Nineteen-Ninety-Seven, the United States government (37) withdrew a patent given to the University of Mississippi Medical Center. Scientists were using the plant (38) turmeric to treat wounds. Researchers in India requested that the patent be withdrawn¹⁰. They said the use of turmeric was not new. They said women in India have used it for many years to heal wounds.
Experts say these disputes about drug patents are common because international agreements on patents are (39) conflicting.
VOICE TWO:
For example, the Nineteen-Ninety-Two Convention on (40) Biological Diversity supports developing countries. This document says that countries producing genetic¹¹ resources and traditional knowledge upon which research is based should share in any (41) financial gains from the research. However, a Nineteen-Ninety-Four (42) World Trade Organization agreement protects the (43) property rights of whoever seeks the patent first. Often these are big drug companies from industrial countries.
Recent W-T-O negotiations¹² in Geneva, Switzerland, aimed to solve this conflict. However, officials say the (44) negotiations will take years. Experts say more legal cases over patents are likely until an agreement is reached.
((MUSIC BRIDGE))
VOICE ONE:
American researchers report (45) limited success using gene therapy to treat the genetic blood disease (46) hemophilia. Hemophilia results when a gene fails to produce the (47) protein needed for the blood to (48) clot¹³, or change from a liquid to a solid. In almost all cases, the (49) defective¹⁴ gene is passed from parents to male children. People with hemophilia suffer uncontrolled bleeding. Patients can be treated with the missing clotting¹⁵ substance. They generally can lead normal lives.
Scientists say gene therapy may be a possible way to cure hemophilia in the future. (50) Gene therapy places a good copy of a gene into a cell that needs it. The new gene helps the body operate normally. For people with hemophilia, this means that clotting genes¹⁶ placed in the body would result in blood cells that clot normally.
VOICE TWO:
Researchers consider hemophilia the best disease for gene therapy because it is caused by a single defective gene. Also, only a small increase in the missing clotting substance could provide good results. Scientists at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, Massachusetts carried out the experiment. They tested gene therapy in six patients with severe hemophilia.
First, they removed skin cells from the patients' arms. The researchers grew the cells in the laboratory. They added copies of the needed gene taken from healthy people. Then they created hundreds of millions of genetically¹⁷ changed cells. They placed these cells into the patients' stomachs.
After four months, the amount of blood clotting substance in the blood increased in four of the six patients. However, ten months later, the clotting substance was no longer in the patients' blood. It is not clear if the (51) implanted cells died or the added genes stopped working.
((THEME))
VOICE ONE:
This SCIENCE IN THE NEWS program was written by Jill Moss¹⁸ and Nancy Steinbach. It was produced by Caty Weaver¹⁹. This is Bob Doughty.
VOICE TWO:
And this is Sarah Long. Join us again next week for more news about science in Special English on the Voice of America.

(1)  vaccine [ 5vAksi:n ] adj.疫苗的, 牛痘的 n.疫苗
(2)  meningitis [ 7menin5dVaitis ] n.[医]脑膜炎
(3) traditional [trE5dIFEn(E)l] adj.传统的, 惯例的, 口传的, 传说的
(4) gene [ dVi:n ] n.[遗传]因子, [遗传]基因
(5)  hemophilia [ 7hi:mE5filiE ] n.血友病
(6)  drug [ drQ^ ] n.药, 麻药, 麻醉药, 滞销货vt.使服毒品, 毒化
(7) foundation [ faun5deiFEn ] n.基础, 根本, 建立, 创立, 地基, 基金, 基金会
(8) World Health Organization n.世界卫生组织
(9) Seattle [ si5Atl ] n.西雅图
(10) competition [ kCmpi5tiFEn ] n.竞争, 竞赛
(11) profitable adj.有利可图的
(12) costly [ 5kCstli ] adj.昂贵的, 贵重的
(13) infection [ in5fekFEn ] n.[医] 传染, 传染病, 影响, 感染
(14) bacterium [ bAk5tiEriEm ] n.细菌
(15) expulsion [ iks5pQlFEn ] n.逐出, 开除
(16) antibiotic [ 7Antibai5Ctik ] n.抗生素 adj.抗生的
(17) victim [ 5viktim ] n.受害人, 牺牲者, 牺牲品
(18) nerve [ nE:v ] n.神经, 胆量, 勇气, 叶脉 vt.鼓起勇气
(19) extend [ iks5tend ] v.扩充, 延伸, 伸展, 扩大
(20) Ethiopia [ 7i:Wi5EupjE ] n.埃塞俄比亚(非洲东部国家)
(21) Gambia [ 5^AmbiE ] n.冈比亚(非洲西部沿海一殖民地,1965年独立,首都Bathurst)
(22) epidemic [ 7epi5demik ] adj.流行的, 传染的, 流行性 n.时疫, 疫疾流行, (风尚等的)流行, 流行病
(23) Microsoft Corporation n.美国微软公司
(24) heal [ hi:l ] v.治愈, 医治, 结束
(25) ancestor [ 5AnsistE ] n.祖先, 祖宗
(26) legal [ 5li:^El ] adj.法律的, 法定的, 合法
(27) patent [ 5peitEnt] n.专利权, 执照, 专利品 adj.特许的, 专利的, 显著的, 明白的, 新奇的 vt.取得...的专利权, 请准专利
(28) inventor [In5ventE(r)] n.发明家
(29) guarantee [ 7^ArEn5ti: ] n.保证, 保证书, 担保, 抵押品 vt.保证, 担保
(30) Zimbabwe [ zim5bB:bwei ] 津巴布韦
(31) block [ blCk ] n.木块, 石块, 块, 街区, 印版, 滑轮, 阻滞, (一)批 vt.防碍, 阻塞
(32) swiss [ swis ] n.瑞士人 adj.瑞士的, 瑞士人的
(33) healer [`hi:lE(r)] n.医治者, （尤指用宗教迷信方式给人治病的人）, 治病术士, 治疗物
(34) organism [ 5C:^EnizEm ] n.生物体, 有机体
(35) fungus [ 5fQN^Es ] n.菌类, 蘑菇
(36) illegally adv.不法地
(37) withdraw [ wiT5drC: ] vt.收回, 撤消 vi.缩回, 退出 v.撤退
(38) turmeric [ 5tE:mErik ] n.[植]姜黄, 姜黄根, 姜黄根粉末
(39) conflicting [ kEn5fliktiN ] adj.相冲突的, 不一致的, 相矛盾的
(40) biological diversity 生物多类状态, 生物差异
(41) financial [ fai5nAnFEl] adj.财政的, 金融的
(42) World Trade Organization n.世界贸易组织
(43) property rights 财产权
(44) negotiation [ ni7^EuFi5eiFEn ] n.商议, 谈判, 流通
(45) limited [ 5limitid ] adj.有限的, 狭窄的, 缺乏创见的 n.高级快车
(46) hemophilia [ 7hi:mE5filiE ] n.血友病
(47) protein [ 5prEuti:n ] n.[生化]蛋白质 adj.蛋白质的
(48) clot [ klCt ] n.(血液等的)凝块 v.(使)凝结
(49) defective [ di5fektiv ] adj.有缺陷的, (智商或行为有)欠缺的 n.有缺陷的人, 不完全变化动词
(50) gene therapy n. 基因治疗
(51) implant [ im5plB:nt ] v.灌输

 

1 doughty   

adj.勇猛的，坚强的

参考例句：

• Most of successful men have the characteristics of contumacy and doughty.绝大多数成功人士都有共同的特质：脾气倔强，性格刚强。
• The doughty old man battled his illness with fierce determination.坚强的老人用巨大毅力与疾病作斗争。

2 vaccine   

n.牛痘苗，疫苗；adj.牛痘的，疫苗的

参考例句：

• The polio vaccine has saved millions of lives.脊髓灰质炎疫苗挽救了数以百万计的生命。
• She takes a vaccine against influenza every fall.她每年秋季接种流感疫苗。

3 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。

4 vaccines   

疫苗，痘苗( vaccine的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His team are at the forefront of scientific research into vaccines. 他的小组处于疫苗科研的最前沿。
• The vaccines were kept cool in refrigerators. 疫苗放在冰箱中冷藏。

5 costly   

adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的

参考例句：

• It must be very costly to keep up a house like this.维修这么一幢房子一定很昂贵。
• This dictionary is very useful,only it is a bit costly.这本词典很有用，左不过贵了些。

6 bacterium   

n.(pl.)bacteria 细菌

参考例句：

• The bacterium possibly goes in the human body by the mouth.细菌可能通过口进入人体。
• A bacterium is identified as the cause for his duodenal ulcer.一种细菌被断定为造成他十二指肠溃疡的根源。

7 antibiotic   

adj.抗菌的；n.抗生素

参考例句：

• The doctor said that I should take some antibiotic.医生说我应该服些用抗生素。
• Antibiotic can be used against infection.抗菌素可以用来防止感染。

8 epidemic   

n.流行病；盛行；adj.流行性的，流传极广的

参考例句：

• That kind of epidemic disease has long been stamped out.那种传染病早已绝迹。
• The authorities tried to localise the epidemic.当局试图把流行病限制在局部范围。

9 fungus   

n.真菌，真菌类植物

参考例句：

• Mushrooms are a type of fungus.蘑菇是一种真菌。
• This fungus can just be detected by the unaided eye.这种真菌只用肉眼就能检查出。

10 withdrawn   

vt.收回；使退出；vi.撤退，退出

参考例句：

• Our force has been withdrawn from the danger area.我们的军队已从危险地区撤出。
• All foreign troops should be withdrawn to their own countries.一切外国军队都应撤回本国去。

11 genetic   

adj.遗传的，遗传学的

参考例句：

• It's very difficult to treat genetic diseases.遗传性疾病治疗起来很困难。
• Each daughter cell can receive a full complement of the genetic information.每个子细胞可以收到遗传信息的一个完全补偿物。

12 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

13 clot   

n.凝块；v.使凝成块

参考例句：

• Platelets are one of the components required to make blood clot.血小板是血液凝固的必须成分之一。
• The patient's blood refused to clot.病人的血液无法凝结。

14 defective   

adj.有毛病的，有问题的，有瑕疵的

参考例句：

• The firm had received bad publicity over a defective product. 该公司因为一件次品而受到媒体攻击。
• If the goods prove defective, the customer has the right to compensation. 如果货品证明有缺陷， 顾客有权索赔。

15 clotting   

v.凝固( clot的现在分词 )；烧结

参考例句：

• The study was also based only on the one anti-clotting drug. 所用抗血栓药物也仅限于一种。 来自互联网
• A plasma protein that is converted into thrombin during blood clotting. 凝血原酶一种血浆蛋白质，在血液凝聚时转化成凝血''。'酵'。''''。'素'。''。 来自互联网

16 genes   

n.基因( gene的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• You have good genes from your parents, so you should live a long time. 你从父母那儿获得优良的基因，所以能够活得很长。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Differences will help to reveal the functions of the genes. 它们间的差异将会帮助我们揭开基因多种功能。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 生物技术的世纪

17 genetically   

adv.遗传上

参考例句：

• All the bees in the colony are genetically related. 同一群体的蜜蜂都有亲缘关系。
• Genetically modified foods have already arrived on American dinner tables. 经基因改造加工过的食物已端上了美国人的餐桌。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 基因与食物

18 moss   

n.苔，藓，地衣

参考例句：

• Moss grows on a rock.苔藓生在石头上。
• He was found asleep on a pillow of leaves and moss.有人看见他枕着树叶和苔藓睡着了。

19 weaver   

n.织布工；编织者

参考例句：

• She was a fast weaver and the cloth was very good.她织布织得很快，而且布的质量很好。
• The eager weaver did not notice my confusion.热心的纺织工人没有注意到我的狼狈相。