VOA标准英语2010年-Combined Smallpox-Anthrax Vaccine Pass

Researchers have developed an improved version of the smallpox¹ vaccine² that can be combined with a vaccine against anthrax. The dual³ vaccine represents a significant scientific achievement as well as a possible improved defense⁴ against biological attack.

The World Health Organization declared smallpox eradicated⁵ in 1980.

 

Few people under age 40 have been immunized against the disease, so officials in the U.S. and elsewhere are concerned that smallpox might be used as a biological weapon.

The existing vaccine is essentially⁶ an improved version of the smallpox vaccine developed by Edward Jenner more than two centuries ago. It uses a live virus - not smallpox, but a related bug⁷ called vaccinia - which prompts the body to mount an immune response that protects against smallpox, too.

Unfortunately, the vaccine can sicken some people, especially those with weakened immune systems, including organ transplant patients and people infected with HIV.

Researchers led by Liyange Perera of the U.S. National Cancer Institute have developed a modified vaccine by adding a gene⁸ to the vaccinia virus.

"We were hoping that by sticking this gene into the existing virus, we can reduce the residual⁹ virulence¹⁰ of this vaccine because the immune system would see this vaccine more efficiently¹¹ and clear the viral infection," Perera said. "So that indeed was the case with the actual experiment."

The researchers found that the modified vaccine was not only safer, but also more effective in prompting an immune response in laboratory animals.

"Not only [have we] eliminated the residual virulence of the old smallpox vaccine, but at the same time we have increased the robustness¹² of this vaccine as well," Perera said in a telephone interview from Tokyo.

But there's more: the Sri Lankan researcher and his team added another gene that, in effect, makes anthrax vaccine. The combination appears to be faster-acting than the existing anthrax vaccine.

Further tests of the new vaccine are planned. In any event, it will probably be at least several years before it is ready for distribution.

Liyange Perera and his colleagues describe their new vaccine and how they made it in the Proceedings¹³ of the National Academy of Sciences.
 

1 smallpox   

n.天花

参考例句：

• In 1742 he suffered a fatal attack of smallpox.1742年，他染上了致命的天花。
• Were you vaccinated against smallpox as a child?你小时候打过天花疫苗吗？

2 vaccine   

n.牛痘苗，疫苗；adj.牛痘的，疫苗的

参考例句：

• The polio vaccine has saved millions of lives.脊髓灰质炎疫苗挽救了数以百万计的生命。
• She takes a vaccine against influenza every fall.她每年秋季接种流感疫苗。

3 dual   

adj.双的；二重的，二元的

参考例句：

• The people's Republic of China does not recognize dual nationality for any Chinese national.中华人民共和国不承认中国公民具有双重国籍。
• He has dual role as composer and conductor.他兼作曲家及指挥的双重身分。

4 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

5 eradicated   

画着根的

参考例句：

• Polio has been virtually eradicated in Brazil. 在巴西脊髓灰质炎实际上已经根除。
• The disease has been eradicated from the world. 这种疾病已在全世界得到根除。

6 essentially   

adv.本质上，实质上，基本上

参考例句：

• Really great men are essentially modest.真正的伟人大都很谦虚。
• She is an essentially selfish person.她本质上是个自私自利的人。

7 bug   

n.虫子；故障；窃听器；vt.纠缠；装窃听器

参考例句：

• There is a bug in the system.系统出了故障。
• The bird caught a bug on the fly.那鸟在飞行中捉住了一只昆虫。

8 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。

9 residual   

adj.复播复映追加时间；存留下来的，剩余的

参考例句：

• There are still a few residual problems with the computer program.电脑程序还有一些残留问题。
• The resulting residual chromatism is known as secondary spectrum.所得到的剩余色差叫做二次光谱。

10 virulence   

n.毒力，毒性；病毒性；致病力

参考例句：

• The virulence of the café owner's anger had appalled her.咖啡店老板怒气冲天，充满敌意，把她吓坏了。
• Medical authorities were baffled,both as to its causes and its virulence.医疗当局对其病因及有多致命都还不甚了解。

11 efficiently   

adv.高效率地，有能力地

参考例句：

• The worker oils the machine to operate it more efficiently.工人给机器上油以使机器运转更有效。
• Local authorities have to learn to allocate resources efficiently.地方政府必须学会有效地分配资源。

12 robustness   

坚固性，健壮性；鲁棒性

参考例句：

• There were other reasons for concern about the robustness of an economic recovery. 人们还有其他一些原因对经济恢复的健全程度表示关心。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件
• Robustness analysis attracts more and more attention in these years. 鲁棒性分析是近几年学术界较为关注的问题。 来自互联网

13 proceedings   

n.进程，过程，议程；诉讼(程序)；公报

参考例句：

• He was released on bail pending committal proceedings. 他交保获释正在候审。
• to initiate legal proceedings against sb 对某人提起诉讼