VOA标准英语2010年-Hong Kong Scientists Find New Way to F

Dr. Richard Kao is part of the team that discovered a chemical compound called nucleozin thatt clumps¹ together nucleoproteins from the flu virus, so they cannot get into a healthy cell's nucleus²

Researchers in Hong Kong have discovered a new way to stop influenza³ viruses from replicating⁴. Doctors hope it will keep them one step ahead of mutating viruses that kill thousands every year.

When H1N1, or swine flu, hit Thailand last year, the government at first restricted the use of antiviral drugs, worried that indiscriminate use would help the virus build drug resistance.

Dr. Wasun Chantratita studied hundreds of Thailand's 2009 influenza cases. He worries about resistance in H1N1 influenza, because it was deadlier than the 2008 seasonal⁵ flu.

 

"[The number of] people who passed away after infection of 2009 is higher than seasonal flu [because of] the way that the infection goes deeper into the lungs," he said.

Most flu drugs target the neuraminidase, a protein at the surface of an infected cell that helps the virus spread to other cells.

At the University of Hong Kong, researchers found a way to hit deeper into an infected cell, where the virus reproduces.

Dr. Richard Kao is part of the team that discovered a chemical compound called nucleozin. It clumps together nucleoproteins from the flu virus, so they cannot get into a healthy cell's core, or nucleus.

"If the nucleoprotein cannot get into the nucleus, then the virus cannot replicate⁶ itself," he said.

The finding is a payoff from years of research into Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome⁷ (SARS) which killed more than 200 people in Hong Kong in 2003.

Because viruses often outsmart treatments over time and emerge in new variations, Dr. Kao says the team also found a way to rapidly identify more targets deep inside the cell using a method picked up from SARS research.

"Then we can find more new drugs, targeting different proteins… And also, if you look at resistance, if you can find a target that is very difficult for the virus to mutate, or the bacteria to mutate, then you've got a higher chance to find a drug that can be used for a longer time," added Dr. Kao.

Dr. Wasun says with more drugs in the arsenal⁸, more lives can be saved.

"The more drug[s we have at our disposal, the better] for us because these are the anti-virus, [and] no matter what, if you keep using that drug, sooner or later [a virus] will [be able] resist to that drug, for sure," noted⁹ Dr. Wasun.

Influenza kills hundreds of thousands worldwide every year. Last year, the World Health Organization issued a pandemic alert after H1N1 flu, an entirely¹⁰ new virus, appeared in Mexico and rapidly spread around the world.

 

1 clumps   

n.（树、灌木、植物等的）丛、簇( clump的名词复数 )；（土、泥等）团；块；笨重的脚步声v.（树、灌木、植物等的）丛、簇( clump的第三人称单数 )；（土、泥等）团；块；笨重的脚步声

参考例句：

• These plants quickly form dense clumps. 这些植物很快形成了浓密的树丛。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The bulbs were over. All that remained of them were clumps of brown leaves. 这些鳞茎死了，剩下的只是一丛丛的黃叶子。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 nucleus   

n.核，核心，原子核

参考例句：

• These young people formed the nucleus of the club.这些年轻人成了俱乐部的核心。
• These councils would form the nucleus of a future regime.这些委员会将成为一个未来政权的核心。

3 influenza   

n.流行性感冒，流感

参考例句：

• They took steps to prevent the spread of influenza.他们采取措施
• Influenza is an infectious disease.流感是一种传染病。

4 replicating   

复制( replicate的现在分词 )； 重复； 再造； 再生

参考例句：

• Applications create these partitions for storing and replicating data. 应用程序创建这些分区用来储存和复制数据。
• The closest real things to these creatures were bits of self-replicating RNA. 最贴近这些造物的实物是能做一点微不足道的自复制的核糖核酸。

5 seasonal   

adj.季节的，季节性的

参考例句：

• The town relies on the seasonal tourist industry for jobs.这个城镇依靠季节性旅游业提供就业机会。
• The hors d'oeuvre is seasonal vegetables.餐前小吃是应时蔬菜。

6 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。

7 syndrome   

n.综合病症；并存特性

参考例句：

• The Institute says that an unidentified virus is to blame for the syndrome. 该研究所表示,引起这种综合症的是一种尚未确认的病毒。
• Results indicated that 11 fetuses had Down syndrome. 结果表明有11个胎儿患有唐氏综合征。

8 arsenal   

n.兵工厂，军械库

参考例句：

• Even the workers at the arsenal have got a secret organization.兵工厂工人暗中也有组织。
• We must be the great arsenal of democracy.我们必须成为民主的大军火库。

9 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

10 entirely   

ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
• His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。