VOA慢速英语2010年-SCIENCE IN THE NEWS - In Study, B Vita

BOB DOUGHTY¹: This is SCIENCE IN THE NEWS, in VOA Special English. I'm Bob Doughty.

FAITH LAPIDUS: And, I'm Faith Lapidus. Today, we will tell about possible good news for people seeking to prevent Alzheimer's disease. We will also tell about two ancient creatures that scientists believe were close relatives of a famous dinosaur².

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BOB DOUGHTY: A British study has found that B vitamins can reduce brain shrinkage in older people with mild memory loss. It showed that B vitamins caused an average one-third reduction in brain shrinkage among adults who had trouble remembering.

Retired³ Oxford⁴ University pharmacology professor David Smith was a leader of the study. He praised the use of the vitamins as simple and safe. He also said researchers do not yet know if B vitamins could prevent or slow Alzheimer’s disease.

A report about the Oxford study appeared in PLoS One, a publication of the Public Library of Science.

FAITH LAPIDUS: Vitamins are important for good health. These complex organic substances help to carry out chemical changes within cells. If we do not get enough of the vitamins we need in our food, we are at risk of developing a number of diseases.

MRI scans showing brains of two patients in the Oxford study. The patient on the left did not have active vitamin treatment, while the person on the right did.

Some shrinkage of the brain is thought to happen normally as people grow older. Yet studies have shown a link between a larger shrinkage and Alzheimer’s disease.

BOB DOUGHTY: The Oxford researchers tested one hundred sixty-eight people over twenty-four months. All of those tested were over age seventy. One group in the study took B vitamins every day. They swallowed tablets containing folic acid, vitamin B-6 and vitamin B-12. A second group took placebos⁵ -- harmless substances that did not contain the vitamins or folic acid.

Two years later, the researchers used magnetic resonance⁶ imaging tests to study both groups. They also tested the thought processes of each person. Those taking the vitamins had up to fifty percent less brain shrinkage than those taking the placebos.

FAITH LAPIDUS: Professor Smith says the researchers chose B vitamins for the study because they control homocysteine, an amino acid in the blood. Earlier studies have linked high homocysteine levels to a greater risk of Alzheimer’s.

The Oxford researchers say about one in six people over age seventy has problems with mental operations. They say half of these people develop serious loss of mental ability, as in Alzheimer’s disease. Over time, the disease robs people of their memories. Finally, it takes away their ability to care for themselves.

BOB DOUGHTY: Rebecca Wood is chief officer of the Alzheimer's Research Trust in London. She described the results of the study as important. However, she said an extended study should be made of people who might be expected to develop Alzheimer's.

Professor Smith had a warning for older adults worried about memory loss. He said they should talk to their doctors before starting to take the vitamins. He said the vitamins could speed the growth of some cancers.

FAITH LAPIDUS: In two thousand eight, the Journal of the American Medical Association published a study of older patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease. Three hundred forty people took part in the study. Of those, two hundred two took vitamins. One hundred thirty eight others got placebos.

The results did not show a difference in loss of abilities such as attention, language and memory. That was true whether or not the people took the vitamins.

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BOB DOUGHTY: In other research news, American scientists say people with a special marker in their genes⁸ develop Alzheimer's faster than others. The journal PLoS Genetics published the finding of a scientific team from Washington University in Saint Louis, Missouri.

The scientists said a change of a gene⁷ that governs a protein known as tau strongly influences the rate at which the disease develops. Other studies have linked the tau protein to the development of Alzheimer's.

FAITH LAPIDUS: The recently announced World Alzheimer Report places a shocking financial cost on care linked to dementia, or loss of mental abilities. Alzheimer's is the most common of the dementia diseases. The report says dementia will cost the world six hundred four billion dollars this year. That is more than one percent of the world’s total amount of money from goods and services.

The report urges the World Health Organization to make loss of mental abilities a cause of major interest. Campaigners say more investment in care and research is necessary.

Martin Prince of Britain's Institute of Psychiatry⁹, at King's College in London, was a writer of the report. Professor Prince said nations around the world need to develop better plans for caring for the millions who have the disease.

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BOB DOUGHTY: You are listening to the VOA Special English program SCIENCE IN THE NEWS. With Faith Lapidus, I'm Bob Doughty in Washington.

Reconstructions¹⁰ of Utahceratops gettyi and Kosmoceratops richardsoni

Scientists and explorers in the United States have discovered two new species of horn-faced dinosaurs¹¹. The scientists believe the dinosaurs are close relatives of the plant-eating triceratops. These creatures lived more than sixty-five million years ago, during Earth's late Cretaceous period.

The triceratops is famous for having three horns growing on its head. The scientists say the two newly discovered dinosaurs had even more horns. They say the smaller of the two had fifteen horns. There was one over its nose, one on each cheekbone and one above each eye. There were also ten horns along the edge at the back of its skull¹².

FAITH LAPIDUS: The scientific team that found this horny creature has named it Kosmoceratops richardsoni. Kosmo is a Latin word that means ornate or very detailed¹³. Ceretops means horned face. Richarsoni was added in honor of a volunteer named Scott Richardson. He found two skulls¹⁴ of this animal at the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, in southern Utah.

Researchers working on a horn of Kosmoceratops richardsoni

PLoS One published a report about the discovery. Paleontologist Scott Sampson was the lead writer of the report. He says the huge skull and many horns of Kosmoceratops make it one of the most amazing animals ever found. He believes the creature used its horns to frighten off members of the same sex, and to interest members of the opposite sex.

BOB DOUGHTY: The second newly discovered species was named Utahceratops gettyi. Its remains¹⁵ were also found in Utah. Mike Getty is a paleontology collection manager at the Utah Museum of Natural History. He also discovered this animal.

The skull of the Utahceratops was two and three tenths meters long. It had one horn on each side of its head, short sideways facing horns above each eye, and one horn above its nose. The dinosaur stood about two meters tall at its shoulder and hips¹⁶, and was between six and seven meters long.

FAITH LAPIDUS: The dinosaur remains were discovered in an area called the lost island continent of Laramidia. Scientists say it formed when high sea levels flooded the middle of North America, splitting the continent in two for millions of years during the late Cretaceous period.

The eastern landmass was called Appalachia. The western land mass was known as Laramidia. It reached from what is now New Mexico to Alberta, Canada. Utah is now in what was the southern part of Laramidia.

BOB DOUGHTY: The Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument covers seven hundred seventy hectares of land in southern Utah.

Scott Sampson says it is one of the last great dinosaur bone-yards in the United States. He also says this is an exciting time for paleontologists. Over the past twelve years, scientists have discovered more than ten dinosaur species in the area. Most of those found were from species new to scientists.

The Utah Museum of Natural History is showing the skulls of the newly discovered dinosaurs through the end of the year. They will become part of the museum's permanent collection when it moves to a new building next year.

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FAITH LAPIDUS: This SCIENCE IN THE NEWS was written by Jerilyn Watson and June Simms, who was also our producer. You can read scripts and download audio at voaspecialenglish.com. You can also find us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and iTunes at VOA Learning English. I’m Faith Lapidus.

BOB DOUGHTY: And I’m Bob Doughty. Listen 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 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。

3 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

4 Oxford   

n.牛津（英国城市）

参考例句：

• At present he has become a Professor of Chemistry at Oxford.他现在已是牛津大学的化学教授了。
• This is where the road to Oxford joins the road to London.这是去牛津的路与去伦敦的路的汇合处。

5 placebos   

n.（给无实际治疗需要者的）安慰剂( placebo的名词复数 )；安慰物；宽心话；（试验药物用的）无效对照剂

参考例句：

• But, eventually, I think they were just kind of like placebos. 但是后来，我想它们只是安慰剂（安慰剂：没有任何药效的药） 来自电影对白
• But comparable numbers of those who received placebos also improved. 但是吃安慰剂的人的病情也改善了。 来自互联网

6 resonance   

n.洪亮；共鸣；共振

参考例句：

• Playing the piano sets up resonance in those glass ornaments.一弹钢琴那些玻璃饰物就会产生共振。
• The areas under the two resonance envelopes are unequal.两个共振峰下面的面积是不相等的。

7 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。

8 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

9 psychiatry   

n.精神病学，精神病疗法

参考例句：

• The study appeared in the Amercian science Journal of Psychiatry.这个研究发表在美国精神病学的杂志上。
• A physician is someone who specializes in psychiatry.精神病专家是专门从事精神病治疗的人。

10 reconstructions   

重建( reconstruction的名词复数 )； 再现； 重建物； 复原物

参考例句：

• Multicolored reconstructions have been formed using (black and white) volume holographic plates. 利用黑白体积全息片已经做成了彩色重建象。
• The method gives ways to evaluate collision speed in traffic accident reconstructions. 该模型为交通事故再现推算碰撞速度提供了有效实用的方法。

11 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》

12 skull   

n.头骨；颅骨

参考例句：

• The skull bones fuse between the ages of fifteen and twenty-five.头骨在15至25岁之间长合。
• He fell out of the window and cracked his skull.他从窗子摔了出去，跌裂了颅骨。

13 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。

14 skulls   

颅骨( skull的名词复数 )； 脑袋； 脑子； 脑瓜

参考例句：

• One of the women's skulls found exceeds in capacity that of the average man of today. 现已发现的女性颅骨中，其中有一个的脑容量超过了今天的普通男子。
• We could make a whole plain white with skulls in the moonlight! 我们便能令月光下的平原变白，遍布白色的骷髅！

15 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。

16 hips   

abbr.high impact polystyrene 高冲击强度聚苯乙烯，耐冲性聚苯乙烯n.臀部( hip的名词复数 )；[建筑学]屋脊；臀围（尺寸）；臀部…的

参考例句：

• She stood with her hands on her hips. 她双手叉腰站着。
• They wiggled their hips to the sound of pop music. 他们随着流行音乐的声音摇晃着臀部。 来自《简明英汉词典》