60秒科学:Resuscitating Lungs for Transplant

Resuscitating¹ Lungs for Transplant

A study in the journal Science Translational Medicine details a new procedure for making damaged, donated lungs functional², potentially doubling the number of lungs available for transplant. Cynthia Graber reports

Emphysema and cystic fibrosis patients who need new lungs are faced with a life-threatening problem: more than 80 percent of donated lungs can’t be used—they’re inflamed³ and barely functional. But a new approach, detailed⁴ this week in the new journal Science Translational Medicine, describes a novel gene⁵ therapy that can repair these damaged lungs—and make them available for transplant.

Researchers first developed a system for preserving the lungs. They put the organs in a glass chamber⁶ and kept them functioning and at human body temperature. This technique proved better than freezing. Then they inserted into the lungs a gene IL-10. The gene plays a key role in inhibiting⁷ the immune response. About six hours after injection, the cells start producing proteins that combat the damaging inflammation. The presence of the IL-10 gene may also lower the chances that the recipient⁸ of the lung will reject the transplanted organ.

After the gene therapy, treated lungs showed improved blood flow and were significantly better at taking in oxygen and expelling carbon dioxide. The technique could double the number of lungs available for transplant, truly making patients breathe easier.
 

1 resuscitating   

v.使（某人或某物）恢复知觉，苏醒( resuscitate的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Purpose To observe the curative effect of resuscitating and scalp acupunctures on apoplectic hemiplegia. 目的观察醒脑开窍法与头针治疗中风偏瘫的疗效。 来自互联网

2 functional   

adj.为实用而设计的，具备功能的，起作用的

参考例句：

• The telephone was out of order,but is functional now.电话刚才坏了，但现在可以用了。
• The furniture is not fancy,just functional.这些家具不是摆着好看的，只是为了实用。

3 inflamed   

adj.发炎的，红肿的v.（使）变红，发怒，过热( inflame的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• His comments have inflamed teachers all over the country. 他的评论激怒了全国教师。
• Her joints are severely inflamed. 她的关节严重发炎。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 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。

5 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。

6 chamber   

n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所

参考例句：

• For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
• The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。

7 inhibiting   

抑制作用的，约束的

参考例句：

• The high cost of borrowing is inhibiting investment by industry in new equipment. 借款的高成本抑制了企业对新设备的投资。
• The pesticides affect the nervous system by inhibiting the enzyme cholinesterase. 这类农药抑制胆碱酯酶而影响神经系统。

8 recipient   

a.接受的,感受性强的 n.接受者,感受者,容器

参考例句：

• Please check that you have a valid email certificate for each recipient. 请检查是否对每个接收者都有有效的电子邮件证书。
• Colombia is the biggest U . S aid recipient in Latin America. 哥伦比亚是美国在拉丁美洲最大的援助对象。