VOA慢速英语2009年-SCIENCE IN THE NEWS - Getting Clean in the

VOICE ONE:

This is SCIENCE IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English. I'm Bob Doughty¹.

VOICE TWO:

And I'm Faith Lapidus. This week, we will tell about an experimental vaccine² against the disease AIDS. We also will tell about a newly found hiding place for harmful bacteria. And we will tell about a discovery that could change scientific beliefs about dinosaurs⁴.

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VOICE ONE:

Researchers say they still have much work to do on a vaccine against the virus that causes AIDS. But the first reports of some success have raised hopes. Scientists say an experimental vaccine reduced the risk of infection in human beings by thirty-one percent and was safe.
　
A lab technician works on blood samples at the research center in Bangkok, Thailand, where the AIDS vaccine tests took place

The study was designed to test for two abilities. One was the ability of the vaccine to prevent infections from the human immunodeficiency virus, better known as H.I.V. The other was the vaccine's ability to reduce the amount of virus in the blood of people who became infected during the study.

VOICE TWO:

Volunteers received vaccinations⁵ over a period of six months. They were tested for H.I.V. for an additional three years. The testing began six years ago. It was the largest AIDS vaccine study yet. It involved more than sixteen thousand adults in Thailand. Half received the vaccine. The other half received a placebo⁶, or harmless substance. The volunteers did not know which they were getting.

Seventy-four people in the placebo group became infected during the study. The researchers say that was compared with only fifty-one of those who received the vaccine.

VOICE ONE:

Doctor Supachai Rerks-Ngarm led the study for Thailand's Ministry⁷ of Public Health. The United States government paid for the study. Doctor Anthony Fauci of the National Institutes of Health called the findings, an important step forward. He said it represents the first time an investigational⁸ H.I.V. vaccine has shown some ability to prevent infection. But he also said additional research is needed to better understand how the vaccine reduced the risk in those individuals.

The vaccine did not lower the amount of virus in the blood of volunteers who became infected during the study.

VOICE TWO:

The study was based on versions of H.I.V. commonly found in Thailand. The volunteers received a combination of two vaccines⁹. The first, or prime, vaccine came from Sanofi Pasteur. The second, or booster, vaccine was developed by another company, VaxGen. The non-profit group Global Solutions for Infectious Diseases now has rights to it.

Neither vaccine had been successful by itself when tested earlier. More detailed¹⁰ results of the study are expected to be presented at a conference in France later this month.

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VOICE ONE:

We all have heard about harmful bacteria hiding in the home. Studies have discovered evidence of harmful bacteria in toilets, on surfaces where food is prepared, even on home telephones.

Recently, American researchers found harmful bacteria in a place most of us would never suspect. They found that the bathroom showerheads people use to wash up may be covering us with more than water.

VOICE TWO:

The researchers used a molecular¹¹ genetics test to examine fifty showerheads from nine American cities. Those showerheads came from homes and public places in Colorado, Illinois, New York, North Dakota and Tennessee.

Thirty percent of the devices had high levels of Mycobacterium avium, an organism linked to lung disease. The researchers say the bacteria were grouped together in a thin, but sticky area of cells on the inside of showerheads. They say the levels of Mycobacterium avium were one hundred times higher than that of normal household water. And, showerheads made of plastic seemed to have higher bacteria levels than metal ones.

One of the showerheads was cleaned with a bleach¹² solution in an effort to destroy the bacteria. Bleach is often used as a whitening agent when washing clothes. Tests showed that instead of killing¹³ the bacteria, the bleach actually caused the bacteria levels to increase.

VOICE ONE:

A report about the study appeared last month in the Proceedings¹⁴ of the National Academy of Sciences.

The lead writer of the report was Norman Pace of the University of Colorado at Boulder¹⁵. Professor Pace has a warning for people who let water hit their face when they first turn on the shower. He says they probably are getting a full face of the unhealthy bacteria. He says the bacteria can also float around in the air and be easily pulled into the lungs.

The professor says earlier research at National Jewish Hospital in Denver supports this theory. The research suggested that increases in pulmonary infections in the United States may be linked to people taking more showers than traditional baths.

Signs of pulmonary disease caused by Mycobacterium avium can include shortness of breath, a continual dry cough, and feelings of tiredness or weakness.

The researchers say showers may not be big a problem for healthy people. But, they warn that persons with weakened defenses for fighting disease are at greater risk. This includes pregnant women, older adults and people with other diseases.

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VOICE TWO:

Many young children can describe the well-known prehistoric¹⁶ dinosaur³, Tyrannosaurus rex. T. rex had a big head, long legs and small arms. Its teeth filled a fierce-looking mouth that was heavy with muscles.

Now, try to imagine a dinosaur that looked like T. rex. But the creature you are imagining is only one-hundredth of T. rex's size. This describes Raptorex Kriegsteini -- a distant relative of T. rex. Researchers say Raptorex might have looked like a toy version of the huge creature.

VOICE ONE:

Raptorex was not a T. rex. Instead, it belonged to a tyrannosaurid species that lived many millions of years before its T. Rex relative. An examination of Raptorex and its meaning to dinosaur development appeared recently on the Internet version of "Science" magazine.

The small dinosaur is thought to have lived about one hundred twenty-five million years ago. T. Rex lived between sixty-five and eighty-five million years ago.

Researcher Stephen Brusatte says scientists have believed that the physical qualities of Tyrannosaurus developed because of its large body. But he notes similar qualities in the smaller Raptorex.

For example, the small arms on T. rex did not develop as the creature got bigger. Instead, such arms were also present earlier. The researcher says traditional beliefs about Tyrannosaurus' development were too simple -- or wrong.

VOICE TWO:

Stephen Brusatte is a doctoral candidate at Columbia University in New York. He works with the city's American Museum of Natural History. He helped write about Raptorex Kriegsteini with Paul Sereno of the University of Chicago, the lead writer and researcher.

Professor Sereno says Raptorex Kriegsteini was probably just as effective at killing as T. rex. He notes that Raptorex's body was about two and seven-tenths meters long. The creature weighed only sixty-eight kilograms, about the same as many people. The professor said it probably died at an early age, living only about five or six years.

VOICE ONE:

The head of Raptorex Kriegsteini shows evidence of a well-developed olfactory¹⁷ system. The researchers suspect Raptorex had a strong sense of smell. The professor says the body design of the creature made it a kind of jaw¹⁸ on legs. It appeared to be a successful finder and killer¹⁹ of other animals.

Professor Sereno received fossilized remains²⁰ of the creature three years ago from a private collector in the American state of Massachusetts. The Raptorex Kriegsteini reportedly was discovered inside a single piece of rock in the Inner Mongolia area of China. The fossil was removed from China under mysterious conditions. It had reached the collector, Henry Kriegstein, through sales.

Doctor Kriegstein later sent it to an expert who recognized its importance. The doctor then contacted Professor Sereno. Doctor Kriegstein named the fossil to honor his parents and donated it to science. Paul Sereno said the fossil will be returned to China and put in a museum when the scientists have finished their studies.

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VOICE TWO:

This SCIENCE IN THE NEWS was written by June Simms, Jerilyn Watson and Caty Weaver²¹. Our producer was Brianna Blake. I'm Faith Lapidus.

VOICE ONE:

And, I'm Bob Doughty. Join us again next week for more news about science in Special English on the Voice of America.

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 dinosaur   

n.恐龙

参考例句：

• Are you trying to tell me that David was attacked by a dinosaur?你是想要告诉我大卫被一支恐龙所攻击？
• He stared at the faithful miniature of the dinosaur.他凝视著精确的恐龙缩小模型。

4 dinosaurs   

n.恐龙( dinosaur的名词复数 )；守旧落伍的人，过时落后的东西

参考例句：

• The brontosaurus was one of the largest of all dinosaurs. 雷龙是所有恐龙中最大的一种。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Dinosaurs have been extinct for millions of years. 恐龙绝种已有几百万年了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 vaccinations   

n.种痘，接种( vaccination的名词复数 )；牛痘疤

参考例句：

• Vaccinations ensure one against diseases. 接种疫苗可以预防疾病。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I read some publicity about vaccinations while waiting my turn at the doctor's. 在医生那儿候诊时，我读了一些关于接种疫苗的宣传。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 placebo   

n.安慰剂；宽慰话

参考例句：

• The placebo has been found to work with a lot of different cases.人们已发现安慰剂能在很多不同的病例中发挥作用。
• The placebo effect refers to all the observable behaviors caused by placebo.安慰剂效应是指由安慰剂所引起的可观察的行为。

7 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

8 investigational   

[医]调查研究的

参考例句：

• Investigational New Drug Application (IND) for the compound. 为化合物的研究中的新药物申请(IND)。
• He said it representsan investigational H.I. 一位博士说：我们已经向成功迈出了重要的一步。

9 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。

10 detailed   

adj.详细的，详尽的，极注意细节的，完全的

参考例句：

• He had made a detailed study of the terrain.他对地形作了缜密的研究。
• A detailed list of our publications is available on request.我们的出版物有一份详细的目录备索。

11 molecular   

adj.分子的；克分子的

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。
• For the pressure to become zero, molecular bombardment must cease.当压强趋近于零时，分子的碰撞就停止了。

12 bleach   

vt.使漂白；vi.变白；n.漂白剂

参考例句：

• These products don't bleach the hair.这些产品不会使头发变白。
• Did you bleach this tablecloth?你把这块桌布漂白了吗？

13 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

14 proceedings   

n.进程，过程，议程；诉讼(程序)；公报

参考例句：

• He was released on bail pending committal proceedings. 他交保获释正在候审。
• to initiate legal proceedings against sb 对某人提起诉讼

15 boulder   

n.巨砾；卵石，圆石

参考例句：

• We all heaved together and removed the boulder.大家一齐用劲，把大石头搬开了。
• He stepped clear of the boulder.他从大石头后面走了出来。

16 prehistoric   

adj.（有记载的）历史以前的，史前的，古老的

参考例句：

• They have found prehistoric remains.他们发现了史前遗迹。
• It was rather like an exhibition of prehistoric electronic equipment.这儿倒像是在展览古老的电子设备。

17 olfactory   

adj.嗅觉的

参考例句：

• He is to develop a sensor to substitute for the olfactory abilities of dogs.克罗克将研制一种传感器用以代替狗的嗅觉功能。
• Based on these findings, Keller suspects that each person has an olfactory blind spot.根据这些发现，凯勒推断，每个人都有一个嗅觉盲区。

18 jaw   

n.颚，颌，说教，流言蜚语；v.喋喋不休，教训

参考例句：

• He delivered a right hook to his opponent's jaw.他给了对方下巴一记右钩拳。
• A strong square jaw is a sign of firm character.强健的方下巴是刚毅性格的标志。

19 killer   

n.杀人者，杀人犯，杀手，屠杀者

参考例句：

• Heart attacks have become Britain's No.1 killer disease.心脏病已成为英国的头号致命疾病。
• The bulk of the evidence points to him as her killer.大量证据证明是他杀死她的。

20 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

21 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。