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VOA慢速英语 2009 016b

时间:2009-01-15 06:14来源:互联网 提供网友:mu870725   字体: [ ]
    (单词翻译:双击或拖选)
VOICE ONE:

This is SCIENCE IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English. I'm Faith Lapidus.

VOICE TWO:

And I'm Bob Doughty1. This week, we tell about the disease multiple sclerosis.

(MUSIC)

VOICE ONE:
 
Joan Molenaar helps her husband Larry, a victim of multiple sclerosis, in a 2007 photo at their home in Minnesota

Multiple sclerosis is not very easy to say. Those who suffer from the disease may also have difficulty naming it. One sign of multiple sclerosis is losing the ability to speak clearly. It is estimated that more than two million five hundred thousand people worldwide suffer from multiple sclerosis, which also is called MS.

MS is a disease of the brain and spinal2 cord. The cause of the disease is not known. In patients with MS, the covering of the nerves is destroyed. This temporarily blocks signals that pass through the nerves to the muscles of the body and back to the brain.

The disease especially affects the ability to see, the sense of touch and the use of the arms and legs. Most forms of MS are described as progressive. This means that the disease gets worse as time passes.

VOICE TWO:

The central nervous system of the body includes the brain and the spinal cord. The system contains millions of nerve cells joined together by long thin fibers3, like wires. Electric signals start in nerve cells and travel along these fibers to and from the brain. A fatty substance called myelin covers and protects the fibers. Myelin works in the same way that protective coverings work on electric wires.

In patients with MS, the myelin becomes infected. It swells4, or grows larger, and loses its connection with the nerve fibers. As time passes, the unconnected myelin is destroyed. Hardened, scar tissue then forms over the nerve fibers. The process of hardening is called sclerosis. The word is from Latin and means scar. The many areas of hardened or scar tissue give the disease its name.

VOICE ONE:

In people with MS, when nerve signals reach a damaged area, some of the signals are blocked or delayed from traveling to or from the brain. This results in problems in different parts of the body. These problems may appear and then disappear, sometimes resulting in long periods when there are no problems at all. Or, they may happen more and more often and become worse. Doctors do not know what causes this process.

Experts say the disease affects women at least two times as often as men. And the experts say the average age of people found to have the disease is between twenty and fifty years old.

(MUSIC)

VOICE TWO:

For years, doctors believed that the cause of multiple sclerosis was environmental. They believed this because most of those suffering from the disease lived in northern Europe and the northern half of the United States.

In recent years, however, they have changed their beliefs about the causes of MS. Studies support the theory that there are several causes, instead of a single environmental cause or genetic6 problem. The studies appear to show that genetic problems are involved in making people likely to get the disease.

The studies also appear to show that environmental causes such as viruses or bacteria may be involved. However, researchers have not identified just what those causes might be. Another likely cause is a problem within the body's defenses against disease, when the defenses misunderstand signals and attack the body.

VOICE ONE:

Multiple sclerosis is different from many other diseases. The signs or symptoms of MS are not always the same. Sometimes, symptoms of the disease appear and then disappear for a long time. For example, one of the symptoms is a lack of feeling in one part of the body or another.

Two other symptoms of the disease are muscle weakness and tiredness. However, these also could be caused by other health problems that are not MS. Other symptoms include a loss of the ability to move normally or a loss of balance. A person suffering from MS also may have difficulty seeing well or speaking clearly.

VOICE TWO:

Doctors who suspect a patient has MS must carry out a number of tests and study the patient's history of health problems. MS symptoms can depend on where the nerve scars are in the body's central nervous system. And some of these signs are not always easy to see.

Magnetic Resonance7 Imaging is one way to tell if a patient has multiple sclerosis. The test, also known as MRI, involves studying the magnetic signals from all the cells in the body. An MRI can show if there are scars from MS along a patient's nerves. A doctor can use this test to tell if a patient might have the disease, as well as by studying the patient's medical history.

(MUSIC)

VOICE ONE:

There are four main kinds of multiple sclerosis. The first kind is called Relapsing-Remitting. About eighty-five percent of MS patients begin with this form of the disease. More than half of the patients have this form at any one time. These patients have one or two major MS-related problems every one to three years. Then they have periods with no signs of the disease.

The symptoms appear suddenly and last a few weeks or months before slowly disappearing. However, the symptoms may also become worse each time they appear.

VOICE TWO:

The second kind of MS is called Primary Progressive. In this form, the signs of the disease appear and begin to grow worse, with no periods of disappearance8. About ten percent of patients begin their struggle with the disease this way.

The third kind of MS is called Secondary Progressive. This form of the disease affects about fifty percent of those with the Relapse-Remitting form of MS. It begins to affect them several years after they have had Relapse-Remitting MS. When the disease changes to Secondary Progressive, the disease begins to grow worse.

The fourth kind of MS is called Progressive Relapsing. It is the worst form of multiple sclerosis. New signs of MS appear while existing ones grow worse. This form of the disease is rare. It affects only five percent of MS cases.

(MUSIC)

VOICE ONE:

Scientists say multiple sclerosis does not appear to be passed from parents to children. However, it does appear to be found in families. The National Multiple Sclerosis Society says one in every seven hundred fifty Americans is at a risk of developing MS. But the risk rises to one in every forty people among those who have a close family member with the disease.

It does not appear that one gene5 is responsible for MS. Instead, several genes9 may increase the possibility that a person will develop MS. Common viruses or bacteria may also increase the chances that some people will develop the disease.

VOICE TWO:

There is no cure for multiple sclerosis. MS does not always result in severe disability. Many patients with the disease are able to live normal lives. The National Institute of Neurological Disorders10 and Stroke says many patients do well with no treatment at all. The agency notes that many medicines to treat the disease have serious side effects while some carry risks.

Several kinds of medicine are used to treat the symptoms. Some drugs reduce the swelling11 in nerve tissue. Drugs known as beta interferons also are used to treat MS. Interferons are genetically12 engineered copies of proteins found naturally in the body. These proteins help fight viral infections and help the body's defenses against disease.

VOICE ONE:

The United States Food and Drug Administration has approved three forms of beta interferon for treatment of Relapsing-Remitting MS. The FDA also has approved a man-made form of myelin basic protein to treat this kind of MS. And, a treatment to suppress the body's defenses against disease was approved to treat severe cases of MS.

The FDA has approved sales of the drug natalizumab to treat people with relapsing forms of MS. But the drug can be given only in centers where specially-trained doctors can observe patients.

VOICE TWO:

Scientists are working to develop new treatments for MS. The National Multiple Sclerosis Society says more than one hundred studies are continuing around the world. Doctors are hopeful that new treatments will help patients with multiple sclerosis in the future.

(MUSIC)

VOICE ONE:

This SCIENCE IN THE NEWS program was written by George Grow. Our producer was Brianna Blake. I'm Faith Lapidus.

VOICE TWO:

And I'm Bob Doughty. Read and listen to our programs at voaspecialenglish.com. Join us again next week for more news about science in Special English on the Voice of America.


点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 doughty Jk5zg     
adj.勇猛的,坚强的
参考例句:
  • Most of successful men have the characteristics of contumacy and doughty.绝大多数成功人士都有共同的特质:脾气倔强,性格刚强。
  • The doughty old man battled his illness with fierce determination.坚强的老人用巨大毅力与疾病作斗争。
2 spinal KFczS     
adj.针的,尖刺的,尖刺状突起的;adj.脊骨的,脊髓的
参考例句:
  • After three days in Japan,the spinal column becomes extraordinarily flexible.在日本三天,就已经使脊椎骨变得富有弹性了。
  • Your spinal column is made up of 24 movable vertebrae.你的脊柱由24个活动的脊椎骨构成。
3 fibers 421d63991f1d1fc8826d6e71d5e15f53     
光纤( fiber的名词复数 ); (织物的)质地; 纤维,纤维物质
参考例句:
  • Thesolution of collagen-PVA was wet spined with the sodium sulfate as coagulant and collagen-PVA composite fibers were prepared. 在此基础上,以硫酸钠为凝固剂,对胶原-PVA共混溶液进行湿法纺丝,制备了胶原-PVA复合纤维。
  • Sympathetic fibers are distributed to all regions of the heart. 交感神经纤维分布于心脏的所有部分。
4 swells e5cc2e057ee1aff52e79fb6af45c685d     
增强( swell的第三人称单数 ); 肿胀; (使)凸出; 充满(激情)
参考例句:
  • The waters were heaving up in great swells. 河水正在急剧上升。
  • A barrel swells in the middle. 水桶中部隆起。
5 gene WgKxx     
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 genetic PgIxp     
adj.遗传的,遗传学的
参考例句:
  • It's very difficult to treat genetic diseases.遗传性疾病治疗起来很困难。
  • Each daughter cell can receive a full complement of the genetic information.每个子细胞可以收到遗传信息的一个完全补偿物。
7 resonance hBazC     
n.洪亮;共鸣;共振
参考例句:
  • Playing the piano sets up resonance in those glass ornaments.一弹钢琴那些玻璃饰物就会产生共振。
  • The areas under the two resonance envelopes are unequal.两个共振峰下面的面积是不相等的。
8 disappearance ouEx5     
n.消失,消散,失踪
参考例句:
  • He was hard put to it to explain her disappearance.他难以说明她为什么不见了。
  • Her disappearance gave rise to the wildest rumours.她失踪一事引起了各种流言蜚语。
9 genes 01914f8eac35d7e14afa065217edd8c0     
n.基因( gene的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • You have good genes from your parents, so you should live a long time. 你从父母那儿获得优良的基因,所以能够活得很长。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Differences will help to reveal the functions of the genes. 它们间的差异将会帮助我们揭开基因多种功能。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 生物技术的世纪
10 disorders 6e49dcafe3638183c823d3aa5b12b010     
n.混乱( disorder的名词复数 );凌乱;骚乱;(身心、机能)失调
参考例句:
  • Reports of anorexia and other eating disorders are on the increase. 据报告,厌食症和其他饮食方面的功能紊乱发生率正在不断增长。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • The announcement led to violent civil disorders. 这项宣布引起剧烈的骚乱。 来自《简明英汉词典》
11 swelling OUzzd     
n.肿胀
参考例句:
  • Use ice to reduce the swelling. 用冰敷消肿。
  • There is a marked swelling of the lymph nodes. 淋巴结处有明显的肿块。
12 genetically Lgixo     
adv.遗传上
参考例句:
  • All the bees in the colony are genetically related. 同一群体的蜜蜂都有亲缘关系。
  • Genetically modified foods have already arrived on American dinner tables. 经基因改造加工过的食物已端上了美国人的餐桌。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 基因与食物
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TAG标签:   VOA慢速英语  voa special english  vo  vo
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