2006年VOA标准英语-New Stem Cell Treatment Provides Hope for Paral

By Melinda Smith
Washington, DC
22 June 2006
 
watch Stem Cell report
 
  
  
A new medical treatment injecting embryonic¹ stem cells and other drugs into paralyzed mice has researchers wondering if it could eventually help humans suffering from Parkinson's and other neurological diseases. 

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This mouse was recently paralyzed in the hind² legs by a virus. Now it can move again, thanks to an experimental drug treatment put together by researchers at Johns Hopkins Medical School in Baltimore, Maryland.  

Dr. Douglas Kerr  
  
Dr. Douglas Kerr of Johns Hopkins led the research. "I think that even two or three years ago, the possibility of this was really more in the realm of science fiction."

Mouse embryonic stem cells and two other chemical agents were injected into the spinal³ cords of 15 mice to help produce healthy nerves called motor neurons. 

Eleven of the 15 mice regained⁴ muscle strength and could move again.

Dr. Naomi Kleitman   
  
Dr. Naomi Kleitman, with the National Institutes of Health, says the treatment shows promise. "This is important in spinal cord injury, and in diseases like ALS. Polio would be an example where the actual connection to the muscle was lost, and now we have a possibility that that might be replaceable."  [Note: ALS stands for Amyotrophic Lateral⁵ Sclerosis - commonly known as Lou Gehrig's Disease]

During the research, the mice embryos⁶ had to be destroyed.  Groups opposed to the destruction of human embryos say they'd rather stem cells came from adults or babies' umbilical cords.  

 
David Prentice
  
David Prentice of the Family Research Council acknowledges, "There's a lot of science yet to be done to say whether embryonic [cells] will ever be any good to treat a patient."

At a news conference in Washington recently, Kansas Senator Sam Brownback said more research into the use of adult stem cells and cord blood is needed.

"Several of these patients had to go overseas to get their treatment.  They shouldn't have to do that."

The research team from Johns Hopkins says it will try to replicate⁷ the mice studies on larger animals...

Video Courtesy of The University of Missouri

1 embryonic   

adj.胚胎的

参考例句：

• It is still in an embryonic stage.它还处于萌芽阶段。
• The plan,as yet,only exists in embryonic form.这个计划迄今为止还只是在酝酿之中。

2 hind   

adj.后面的，后部的

参考例句：

• The animal is able to stand up on its hind limbs.这种动物能够用后肢站立。
• Don't hind her in her studies.不要在学业上扯她后腿。

3 spinal   

adj.针的，尖刺的，尖刺状突起的；adj.脊骨的，脊髓的

参考例句：

• After three days in Japan,the spinal column becomes extraordinarily flexible.在日本三天，就已经使脊椎骨变得富有弹性了。
• Your spinal column is made up of 24 movable vertebrae.你的脊柱由24个活动的脊椎骨构成。

4 regained   

复得( regain的过去式和过去分词 )； 赢回； 重回； 复至某地

参考例句：

• The majority of the people in the world have regained their liberty. 世界上大多数人已重获自由。
• She hesitated briefly but quickly regained her poise. 她犹豫片刻，但很快恢复了镇静。

5 lateral   

adj.侧面的，旁边的

参考例句：

• An airfoil that controls lateral motion.能够控制横向飞行的机翼。
• Mr.Dawson walked into the court from a lateral door.道森先生从一个侧面的门走进法庭。

6 embryos   

n.晶胚；胚，胚胎( embryo的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Somatic cells of angiosperms enter a regenerative phase and behave like embryos. 被子植物体细胞进入一个生殖阶段，而且其行为象胚。 来自辞典例句
• Evolution can explain why human embryos look like gilled fishes. 进化论能够解释为什么人类的胚胎看起来象除去了内脏的鱼一样。 来自辞典例句

7 replicate   

v.折叠，复制，模写；n.同样的样品；adj.转折的

参考例句：

• The DNA of chromatin must replicate before cell division.染色质DNA在细胞分裂之前必须复制。
• It is also easy to replicate,as the next subsection explains.就像下一个小节详细说明的那样，它还可以被轻易的复制。