53 疟疾
DATE=6-5-01
TITLE=SCIENCE IN THE NEWS #2127 - Malaria
BYLINE=Oliver Chanler
VOICE ONE:
This is Bob Doughty.
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 (1) malaria, a disease that affects millions of people around the world.
((THEME))
VOICE ONE:
Malaria is a common and serious disease that has affected people for thousands of years. Today, it continues to be a major public health problem (2)throughout the world. It is most common in developing countries, especially in Africa, Asia, and Central and South America.
The (3) World Health Organization (4) estimates that as many as five-hundred-million cases of malaria develop each year. More than one-million people die from the disease each year. Most of them are children in African countries.
VOICE TWO:
Malaria is spread by a common (5)insect, the (6) mosquito. The (7) Anopheles mosquito carries the (8) parasite that causes the disease. Very small parasites develop in the (9)stomach of the mosquito. Parasites are (10) organisms that live on or in another animal and get their food from that animal.
The general name for the malaria parasite is (11) Plasmodium. Mosquitoes pass the parasites to people when they drink blood through the skin. However, only the female Anopheles mosquitoes drink blood. The male Anopheles mosquitoes feed only on plant (12)juices.
VOICE ONE:
The female Anopheles mosquito drinks blood from humans and animals by breaking through the skin with its long, (13)tube-like feeding (14)device. The parasites enter the (15) victim's blood. The blood carries the parasites to the victim's liver. From there they (16) invade (17)cells and (18)reproduce.
After nine to sixteen days, the parasites return to the blood and enter the red blood cells. Then they reproduce again. As they do this they destroy the blood cells. In a short time, the victim develops a high body temperature. The victim becomes weak and is unable to carry out normal activities. Other signs of malaria include pain in the muscles, headache, (19) chills and (20)shaking. Patients with (21)severe malaria may develop (22)liver and (23) kidney (24)failure, (25) seizures and (26) coma.
((MUSIC BRIDGE))
VOICE TWO:
These signs of malaria have been observed since the beginning of history. Researchers studying bodies of (27)ancient Egyptians have found (28)evidence of the disease in people who lived at least three-thousand years ago. And scientists have found mosquitoes in (29) fossil remains millions of years old. However, the real cause of the disease was unknown to ancient peoples.
At one time, it was believed that malaria was caused by bad air. People believed this bad air came from areas of water that were not deep and did not move. It seemed that malaria was most common near these (30) swamps.
Ancient people (31)suspected that mosquitoes were linked to the spread of malaria. Roman historian (32) Herodotus lived about two-thousand-four-hundred years ago. He noted that in swampy areas of Egypt, some people slept in tall (33)structures where mosquitoes could not go. Or they slept under special material called nets that mosquitoes could not go through.
VOICE ONE:
In Eighteen-Seventy-Six, British scientist Patrick Manson discovered that mosquitoes were responsible for passing the disease to humans. More exactly, he discovered that insects carry the parasites and pass them to humans.
In Eighteen-Eighty, French doctor Alphonse Laveran discovered that the Plasmodium parasite causes the disease. In Eighteen-Ninety-Seven, a British scientist, Ronald Ross, found the malaria parasite in the Anopheles mosquito.
For his discovery of the cause of malaria and other scientific work, Doctor Laveran received the Nobel Prize for Medicine in Nineteen-Oh-Seven. Mister Ross received the Nobel Prize for Medicine in Nineteen-Oh-Two for his work on malaria.
The discoveries of the three scientists soon led to (34)efforts to control malaria. Then, the discovery of the insect poison D-D-T led to efforts to try to end the disease completely.
VOICE TWO:
Between Nineteen-Fifty-Five and Nineteen-Sixty-Nine, the World Health Organization's Global Malaria (35)Eradication Program carried out a series of campaigns against the disease. The goal was to use chemicals to kill mosquitoes inside homes around the world. The effort was successful in large areas of North America, southern Europe, the former Soviet Union and some parts of Asia and South America. The spread of the disease in these areas was (36) halted.
However, the disease continued in Central America, some parts of South America, and most Asian countries. The W-H-O program never was attempted in Africa. This is because it was too difficult and costly for most African countries.
VOICE ONE:
In Nineteen-Sixty-Eight, malaria suddenly spread rapidly among people in Sri Lanka, where it was believed the disease no longer existed. The disease also spread in Central America and Southeast Asian countries, as well as in parts of Africa.
Efforts to end malaria throughout the world were (37)suspended in Nineteen-Sixty-Nine. Today, the W-H-O says that malaria control programs must be developed for local areas. It says such programs must involve everyone in each community - citizens, health experts and people involved in development.
((MUSIC BRIDGE))
VOICE TWO:
There are four different kinds of malaria. They are caused by four different kinds of parasites. Three kinds of parasites cause victims to suffer high body temperatures, or fevers, every few days. But they do not cause death. However, the most common malaria parasite also is the most dangerous. This parasite causes infections that can lead to death.
The best way to prevent malaria is to (38) avoid the mosquitoes that carry the malaria parasites.
The female Anopheles mosquito takes blood from its victims mainly at night.
So, people can place special nets treated with insect poison over their beds at night while they sleep. People can also put anti-insect chemicals on their skin, on clothing and in sleeping areas. They also can wear clothes that cover most of the body.
VOICE ONE:
If the mosquitoes get past barriers used to block them, drugs are necessary for (39) treatment. Drugs can destroy the malaria parasite as soon as it enters the human body. This prevents the parasites from entering the red blood cells and dividing. Some drugs can prevent the parasite from establishing itself in the (40) liver. However, malaria must be treated early for the treatment to be (41) effective.
Well before the fifteenth century, people in what is now (42) Peru knew that the covering or bark from the cinchona tree was effective in treating the signs of malaria. In Eighteen-Twenty, two French researchers identified the substance in the (43) bark as (44) quinine. Until the twentieth century, quinine was the chief drug used to prevent and cure some forms of malaria. Today, manufactured drugs are mostly effective in treating the disease. These drugs are designed to prevent the parasites from developing in the body and causing malaria.
VOICE TWO:
The most commonly used malaria prevention drug is (45) chloroquine. It is suggested for use in Mexico, Central America, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and the Middle East. Another drug, called mefloquine, is used in all other areas of the world where malaria is a threat. Both drugs must be taken once a week on the same day each week. Another commonly used anti-malaria drug is (46) doxycycline. It must be taken every day.
Although these drugs are effective in preventing malaria, great numbers of people still die every year from the disease. In almost all cases, this is because of delayed treatment or no treatment at all. International health organizations are increasing efforts to reduce the deaths from malaria in the next ten years.
((THEME))
VOICE ONE:
This SCIENCE IN THE NEWS program was written by Oliver Chanler. It was produced by George Grow. 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) Malaria [ ????????? ] n.疟疾, 瘴气
(2) throughout [??????????? ]prep.遍及, 贯穿
(3) World Health Organization n.世界卫生组织
(4) estimate [ ?????????] v.估计, 估价, 评估 n.估计, 估价, 评估
(5) insect [ ??????? ]n.昆虫
(6) mosquito [??????????] n.蚊子
(7) anopheles [???????????] 按蚊,疟蚊
(8) parasite [ ?????????] n.寄生虫, 食客
(9) stomach [ ??????? ]n.胃, 胃部
(10) organism [ ??????????] n.生物体, 有机体
(11) plasmodium [????????????] n.原形体, 变形体
(12) juice [ ????? ]n.(水果)汁, 液
(13) tube [ ?????? ]n.管, 管子
(14) device [ ??????? ]n.装置
(15) victim [ ???????] n.受害人, 牺牲者, 牺牲品
(16) invade [???????] vt.侵略, 侵袭, 拥挤
(17) cell [ ??? ]n.细胞
(18) reproduce [?????????????? ]v.繁殖
(19) chill [????] n.寒意, 寒战, 寒心 adj.寒冷的, 扫兴的
(20) shaking [???????]n.摇动, 挥动
(21) severe [ ?????? ]adj.严重的
(22) liver [ ????? ]n.肝脏
(23) kidney [ ?????? ] n.肾
(24) failure [ ??????? ]n.(肾等器官的)衰竭
(25) seizure [ ??????] n. 发作突然的发作、痉挛或惊厥
(26) coma [ ??????] n.昏迷
(27) ancient [????????? ]adj.远古的
(28) evidence [ ?????????]n.证据
(29) fossil [ ?????] n.化石
(30) suspect [ ???????? ] v.怀疑
(31) swamp [?????] n.沼泽, 湿地
(32) Herodotus [??????????] n.（希腊的历史学家）希罗多德
(33) structure [ ????????? ]n. 建筑物
(34) effort [?????]n.成就
(35) eradication [?????????????? ]n.根除
(36) halt [?????] n.停止, 暂停, 中断 vt.使停止, 使立定
(37) suspend [????????? ] v.延缓
(38) avoid [??????] vt.避免, 消除
(39) treatment [ ??????????] n. 处理, 治疗
(40) liver [ ?????] n.居住者，生活优裕的人，肝脏
(41) effective [????????] adj.有效的, 被实施的
(42) Peru [??????] n.秘鲁
(43) bark [????] n.树皮, 吠声 v.吠, 咆哮, 剥树皮
(44) quinine [????????] n.奎宁, 奎宁化合物
(45) chloroquine [????????????] n.疟疾的特效药之一种, 氯喹
(46) doxycycline [?????????????] n.[微]强力霉素
54 时差对大脑的影响
DATE=6-6-01
TITLE=SCIENCE REPORT- Jet Lag and the Brain
BYLINE=Nancy Steinbach
(Start at 59")This is Steve Ember with the VOA Special English Science Report.
A new study says one part of the human brain may become smaller as the result of a condition known as (1) jet lag. Jet lag results from flying long distances in an airplane. Jet lag interferes with a person's normal times for sleeping and waking. People with jet lag may feel extremely tired for several days. They also may have problems thinking clearly and remembering.
Kwangwook Cho is a researcher at the University of Bristol in Britain. He reported the findings of his jet lag study in the publication Nature (2) Neuroscience.
The study involved twenty young women who worked for international airlines. The women had served passengers on airplanes for five years. These flight attendants flew across many countries and at least seven time zones.
In the study, the flight attendants had different amounts of time to recover from jet lag. Half the women spent five days or fewer in their home areas between long flights. The other half spent more than fourteen days in their home areas.
Mister Cho took some fluid from the women's mouths to measure levels of a (3) hormone that increases during stress. He tested them to see if they could remember where black spots appeared on a computer screen. And he took pictures of their brains using (4) magnetic (5) resonance (6) imaging. This is a way to measure the size of the brain's (7) temporal (8) lobes.
Mister Cho found that the women who had less time between flights had smaller right temporal lobes. This area of the brain deals with recognizing and remembering what is seen. The same group performed worse and had slower reaction times on the visual memory test. And their (9) saliva samples showed higher levels of stress hormones.
Mister Cho says he believes the brain needs at least ten days to recover after a long trip. He says airline workers told him their ability to remember got worse after working on planes for about four years. Other studies have shown that increased feelings of stress can cause a loss of cells in the part of the brain that controls memory.
Scientists say more tests are needed to study the effects of jet lag on the brain. They want to find out if too much jet lag could (10) permanently affect memory.
This VOA Special English Science Report was written by Nancy Steinbach.
This is Steve Ember.
(1) jet lag n. 时差
(2) neuroscience [???????????????] n.神经系统科学( 指神经病学、 神经化学等)
(3) hormone [ ????????] n.荷尔蒙, 激素
(4) magnetic [?????????] adj.磁的, 有磁性的, 有吸引力的
(5) resonance [ ?????????] n.共鸣, 回声, 反响, 中介
(6) imaging [????????] [计] 成像
(7) temporal [ ?????????] adj.时间的, 当时的, 暂时的
(8) lobe [????] n.圆形突出部（尤指耳垂）
(9) saliva [????????] n.口水, 唾液
(10) permanently [ ????????????] adv.永存地, 不变地
55 肯塔基州的母马不育症
DATE=6-7-01
TITLE=SCIENCE REPORT - Mare Reproductive Loss Syndrome
BYLINE=George Grow
(Start at 59")This is Steve Ember with the VOA Special English SCIENCE REPORT.
Scientists and animal experts have been searching for a killer in the American state of Kentucky. Hundreds of horses on Kentucky farms have suffered failed (1) pregnancies in the past few weeks. Many horses one year of age or younger also have died unexpectedly.
The mysterious killer has had a major effect on the state's economy. Reports estimate the Kentucky horse industry has lost hundreds of millions of dollars.
Kentucky farms produce some of the world's finest pure breed horses. They normally produce about ten-thousand (2) thoroughbred foals each year. That represents about one-third of the country's (3) racehorses.
The University of Kentucky has received reports of more than five-hundred dead foals or failed pregnancies since late April. Animal experts are calling the problem Mare Reproductive Loss (4) Syndrome.
There have been unexplained horse deaths in Kentucky before. Many horses had failed pregnancies during the spring of Nineteen-Eighty and Nineteen-Eighty-One. In those years and this year, Kentucky had lower than normal temperatures in March. This was followed by higher than normal temperatures in April.
Scientists thought the deaths this year might have resulted from an unknown disease or (5) fungus. Fungus infections can produce harmful substances, called (6) mycotoxins. However, most tests showed mycotoxins were not responsible for the problem. The investigation also found no evidence of an infectious disease.
Recently, the scientists began studying a possible link to eastern tent (7) caterpillars. There have been large numbers of the insects in Kentucky during the past two years. Tent caterpillars feed on cherry tree leaves. Some of the affected horses lived in fields near cherry trees.
Two weeks ago, the investigators announced progress in their search for the cause of Mare Reproductive Loss Syndrome. They said cyanide poison was to blame for the deaths this year. The scientists said wild black cherry trees probably produced the (8) cyanide. They said (9)pregnant horses may have gotten the cyanide by eating the leaves from the cherry trees or the caterpillars.
The scientists say their (10)observations still must be confirmed. And they say their findings have not yet met what they call reasonable (11)standards of scientific (12)proof.
This VOA Special English SCIENCE REPORT was written by George Grow.
This is Steve Ember.
(1) pregnancy [ ??????????] n.怀孕
(2) thoroughbred [ ?????????] n.受过严格训练的人, 良种动物
(3) racehorse [ ?????????] n.赛马
(4) syndrome [ ?????????] n.综合病症
(5) fungus [ ???????] n.菌类, 蘑菇
(6) mycotoxin [??????????????] n.[药]毒枝菌素
(7) caterpillar [ ?????????] n.毛虫
(8) cyanide [ ?????????] n.[化]氰化物
(9) pregnant [ ??????????]adj.怀孕的
(10) observation [ ????????????? ]n.观察报告
(11) standard [ ???????? ]n.标准
(12) proof [ ??????]n.证据
