中英双语新闻——24 Why not brushing your teeth can kill you

 　　Now a Bristol University dental scientist has discovered that a common bacteria responsible for tooth decay and gum disease can break out into the bloodstream and help blood clots¹ to form.

 

　　最近英国布里斯托尔大学科学家经研究发现，一种导致蛀牙和口腔疾病的常见细菌能够侵入血液循环系统，导致血栓形成。

 

　　In turn these can cause heart attacks and strokes, which together cause more than 200,000 deaths in Britain every year.

 

　　这些细菌进而会引发心脏病和中风，每年英国有超过二十万人死于这两种疾病。

 

　　There the bacteria use a protein on their surface, called PadA, to force blood platelets to bind² together to shelter them.

 

　　这些细菌表层有种名叫PadA的蛋白质，能够促使血小板凝结在一起，从而为这些细菌提供保护。

 

　　Describing the mechanism³, he said: "When the platelets clump⁴ together they completely encase the bacteria. This provides a protective cover not only from the immune system, but also from antibiotics⁵ that might be used to treat infection.

 

　　谈到这一过程，詹金森描述道：“血小板凝固的同时也将这种细菌包裹起来，这样不仅是免疫系统，就连治疗这类感染的抗生素都不起作用。”

 

　　"In addition, platelet clumping⁶ can cause small blood clots, growths on the heart valves or inflammation of blood vessels⁷ that can block the blood supply to the heart and brain."

 

　　“此外，血小板凝固不但会在心瓣上形成微小血栓，致使栓体不断增长；还会引起血管发炎，从而导致血液无法输送到心脏和大脑。”

 

　　"People need to be aware that as well keeping a check on their diet, blood pressure, cholesterol⁸ and fitness levels, they also need to maintain good dental hygiene⁹ to minimise their risk of heart problems," said the scientist.

 

　　他还提到：“要降低患心脏疾病的可能性，除了控制饮食、血压、胆固醇以及运动强度之外，还应该保持良好的口腔卫生。”

 

　　But the research should also speed up the development of drugs which could prevent potentially deadly blood clots from forming in the first place.

 

　　但是，要首先遏制这种有潜在致命风险血栓的形成，还应加快治疗药物的研发。

 

　　Prof Jenkinson described the discovery of the key protein as a "new tool" on which to test drugs which might stop it from clotting¹⁰ blood.

 

　　詹金森教授将PadA蛋白质这一重要发现比作试验抗血凝药品的“新工具”。

 

　　He is working with his colleagues to see how the protein`s platelet-causing function can be blocked.

 

　　他和同事们正竭尽全力，寻求良方，阻止该蛋白质凝结血小板的功能。

 

　　"This could eventually lead to new treatments for cardiovascular disease which is the biggest killer¹¹ in the developed world," said Prof Jenkinson.

 

　　詹金森补充说：“这一研究成果将最终为治疗号称“发达国家头号杀手”的心血管疾病提供全新的方法。”

1 clots   

n.凝块( clot的名词复数 )；血块；蠢人；傻瓜v.凝固( clot的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• When you cut yourself, blood clots and forms a scab. 你割破了，血会凝固、结痂。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Milk clots when it turns sour. 奶变酸就凝块。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

2 bind   

vt.捆，包扎；装订；约束；使凝固；vi.变硬

参考例句：

• I will let the waiter bind up the parcel for you.我让服务生帮你把包裹包起来。
• He wants a shirt that does not bind him.他要一件不使他觉得过紧的衬衫。

3 mechanism   

n.机械装置；机构，结构

参考例句：

• The bones and muscles are parts of the mechanism of the body.骨骼和肌肉是人体的组成部件。
• The mechanism of the machine is very complicated.这台机器的结构是非常复杂的。

4 clump   

n.树丛，草丛；vi.用沉重的脚步行走

参考例句：

• A stream meandered gently through a clump of trees.一条小溪从树丛中蜿蜒穿过。
• It was as if he had hacked with his thick boots at a clump of bluebells.仿佛他用自己的厚靴子无情地践踏了一丛野风信子。

5 antibiotics   

n.（用作复数）抗生素；（用作单数）抗生物质的研究；抗生素，抗菌素( antibiotic的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• the discovery of antibiotics in the 20th century 20世纪抗生素的发现
• The doctor gave me a prescription for antibiotics. 医生给我开了抗生素。

6 clumping   

v.（树、灌木、植物等的）丛、簇( clump的现在分词 )；（土、泥等）团；块；笨重的脚步声

参考例句：

• Wipe the wand off before the first coat to prevent clumping. 把睫毛棒刷干净，避免结块。 来自互联网
• Fighting gravitational clumping would take a wavelength of a few dozen light-years. 为了对抗重力造成的聚集，这些粒子的波长可能会长达好几十光年的距离。 来自互联网

7 vessels   

n.血管( vessel的名词复数 )；船；容器；（具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的）人

参考例句：

• The river is navigable by vessels of up to 90 tons. 90 吨以下的船只可以从这条河通过。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• All modern vessels of any size are fitted with radar installations. 所有现代化船只都有雷达装置。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

8 cholesterol   

n.（U）胆固醇

参考例句：

• There is cholesterol in the cell of body.人体细胞里有胆固醇。
• They are determining the serum-protein and cholesterol levels.他们正在测定血清蛋白和胆固醇的浓度。

9 hygiene   

n.健康法，卫生学 （a.hygienic）

参考例句：

• Their course of study includes elementary hygiene and medical theory.他们的课程包括基础卫生学和医疗知识。
• He's going to give us a lecture on public hygiene.他要给我们作关于公共卫生方面的报告。

10 clotting   

v.凝固( clot的现在分词 )；烧结

参考例句：

• The study was also based only on the one anti-clotting drug. 所用抗血栓药物也仅限于一种。 来自互联网
• A plasma protein that is converted into thrombin during blood clotting. 凝血原酶一种血浆蛋白质，在血液凝聚时转化成凝血''。'酵'。''''。'素'。''。 来自互联网

11 killer   

n.杀人者，杀人犯，杀手，屠杀者

参考例句：

• Heart attacks have become Britain's No.1 killer disease.心脏病已成为英国的头号致命疾病。
• The bulk of the evidence points to him as her killer.大量证据证明是他杀死她的。