万花筒 2010-11-07&11-09 普通感冒有望治愈？

Sneezing, coughing, and sniffing¹. Welcome to winter and the common cold virus, a cure for which has eluded² for years. But now a major breakthrough by scientists in Cambridge University brings that cure a step closer, as they've discovered a new way to help body's fight tough viruses.
Before we always thought of the antibodies which protects us from viruses only work outside cells. And once a virus has infected the cell, there is nothing your immune system can do, all it can do is killing³ infected cell. But what we discovered now is that actually antibodies are able to work inside the cell, where they triggers system of immunity⁴ that allows the cells to get rid of the viruses that already affecting them.
And this is how it works. As the virus enters the cell it draws antibody shown here in yellow with it, inside a protein called TRIM21 recognizes the antibody as a foreign body and latches⁵ on to it. The TRIM21 protein that attracts powerful antiviral agents which degrades the virus, saving the cell. So by designing medicines to boost that protein, we could have a cure for the common cold.
Every year almost all of us catch a cold, millions of us end up at the doctors' because of it, so any cure would be very welcome. But this new research could be revolutionary if it helps us to combat viruses in general.
Twice as many people die from viral illness than they do from cancer, even in this DNA⁶ age. So if we can understand what happens with the common cold, then use it as a model to try to beat and overcome other viruses that are more deadly, things like shingles⁷, small pox and chicken pox, then you know, it's a really exciting prospect⁸.
This is a historic discovery, the lab results are very encouraging, but it will be at least two to five years before any clinical trials can begin for any future treatments.

1 sniffing   

n.探查法v.以鼻吸气，嗅，闻( sniff的现在分词 )；抽鼻子（尤指哭泣、患感冒等时出声地用鼻子吸气）；抱怨，不以为然地说

参考例句：

• We all had colds and couldn't stop sniffing and sneezing. 我们都感冒了，一个劲地抽鼻子，打喷嚏。
• They all had colds and were sniffing and sneezing. 他们都伤风了，呼呼喘气而且打喷嚏。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

2 eluded   

v.（尤指机敏地）避开( elude的过去式和过去分词 )；逃避；躲避；使达不到

参考例句：

• The sly fox nimbly eluded the dogs. 那只狡猾的狐狸灵活地躲避开那群狗。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The criminal eluded the police. 那个罪犯甩掉了警察的追捕。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

3 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。

4 immunity   

n.优惠；免除；豁免，豁免权

参考例句：

• The law gives public schools immunity from taxation.法律免除公立学校的纳税义务。
• He claims diplomatic immunity to avoid being arrested.他要求外交豁免以便避免被捕。

5 latches   

n.（门窗的）门闩( latch的名词复数 )；碰锁v.理解( latch的第三人称单数 )；纠缠；用碰锁锁上（门等）；附着（在某物上）

参考例句：

• The virus latches onto the red blood cells. 这种病毒附着在红细胞上。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The opposite end latches onto the pathogen. 相对的一端锁在病原体上。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 预防生物武器

6 DNA   

(缩)deoxyribonucleic acid 脱氧核糖核酸

参考例句：

• DNA is stored in the nucleus of a cell.脱氧核糖核酸储存于细胞的细胞核里。
• Gene mutations are alterations in the DNA code.基因突变是指DNA密码的改变。

7 shingles   

n.带状疱疹；（布满海边的）小圆石( shingle的名词复数 )；屋顶板；木瓦（板）；墙面板

参考例句：

• Shingles are often dipped in creosote. 屋顶板常浸涂木焦油。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• The roofs had shingles missing. 一些屋顶板不见了。 来自辞典例句

8 prospect   

n.前景，前途；景色，视野

参考例句：

• This state of things holds out a cheerful prospect.事态呈现出可喜的前景。
• The prospect became more evident.前景变得更加明朗了。