VOA标准英语2010年-Have a Smoke at Your Child's Expense

"These kids are at higher risk for the development of plaque¹ in their arteries² as time goes by." - Donald LaVan, MD

A new study has found that teenagers who are exposed to second-hand³ tobacco smoke are more likely to have changes to their blood vessels⁵ that could lead to heart disease later in life. 

Researcher Katariina Kallio of the University of Turku in Finland says her study on teenagers extends previous research, which found cardiovascular damage in grown-ups who breathed in other peoples' smoke.

"We know previously⁶ that in adults there is that kind of association, but we didn't know that in adolescents," she said in a telephone interview. "So somehow it was a surprise that there is already in adolescents these kinds of changes."

Significant changes

Changes include thicker walls in the youngsters' blood vessels. American Heart Association spokesman Dr. Donald LaVan explains why that change in the arteries is significant.

"The blood vessel⁴ wall, when it becomes thickened and the lining⁷ is disturbed, is more sensitive to the effects of cholesterol⁸ deposition⁹. So therefore, these kids are at higher risk for the development of plaque in their arteries as time goes by."

Plaque inside the artery¹⁰ can restrict blood flow, and makes blood clots¹¹ more likely. Blood clots can block an artery and cause a heart attack.

In their study, the researchers tested blood for cotinine, a chemical which is produced when nicotine¹² is metabolized, so they got an objective measure of how much smoke the teenagers were exposed to. They also did ultrasound and other tests to measure blood vessel function and the thickness of the artery wall.

Dr. Kallio agrees with Dr. LaVan that the results support the recommendation that kids be kept away from tobacco smoke.

Undoing¹³ the damage

"Exposure to tobacco smoke is a risk factor for cardiac disease already in adolescents, and that's why this study supports that children and adolescents need smoke-free environments," said Kallio.

Although there is some evidence that artery damage caused by second-hand smoke in adults may be reversible, LaVan says it's unclear whether that's also true for adolescents.

"We think that they may be. We do know that people who are taken out of high tobacco smoke environments have a definite drop in developing coronary artery disease. There's been studies that show that in adults, that when they're taken away, it is a prevention."

The study was published in the journal "Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes," which is published by the American Heart Association.
 

1 plaque   

n.饰板，匾，(医)血小板

参考例句：

• There is a commemorative plaque to the artist in the village hall.村公所里有一块纪念该艺术家的牌匾。
• Some Latin words were engraved on the plaque. 牌匾上刻着些拉丁文。

2 arteries   

n.动脉( artery的名词复数 )；干线，要道

参考例句：

• Even grafting new blood vessels in place of the diseased coronary arteries has been tried. 甚至移植新血管代替不健康的冠状动脉的方法都已经试过。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• This is the place where the three main arteries of West London traffic met. 这就是伦敦西部三条主要交通干线的交汇处。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 second-hand   

adj.用过的，旧的，二手的

参考例句：

• I got this book by chance at a second-hand bookshop.我赶巧在一家旧书店里买到这本书。
• They will put all these second-hand goods up for sale.他们将把这些旧货全部公开出售。

4 vessel   

n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管

参考例句：

• The vessel is fully loaded with cargo for Shanghai.这艘船满载货物驶往上海。
• You should put the water into a vessel.你应该把水装入容器中。

5 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》

6 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

7 lining   

n.衬里，衬料

参考例句：

• The lining of my coat is torn.我的外套衬里破了。
• Moss makes an attractive lining to wire baskets.用苔藓垫在铁丝篮里很漂亮。

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 deposition   

n.免职，罢官；作证；沉淀；沉淀物

参考例句：

• It was this issue which led to the deposition of the king.正是这件事导致了国王被废黜。
• This leads to calcium deposition in the blood-vessels.这导致钙在血管中沉积。

10 artery   

n.干线，要道；动脉

参考例句：

• We couldn't feel the changes in the blood pressure within the artery.我们无法感觉到动脉血管内血压的变化。
• The aorta is the largest artery in the body.主动脉是人体中的最大动脉。

11 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》

12 nicotine   

n.(化)尼古丁，烟碱

参考例句：

• Many smokers who are chemically addicted to nicotine cannot cut down easily.许多有尼古丁瘾的抽烟人不容易把烟戒掉。
• Many smokers who are chemically addicted to nicotine cannot cut down easily.许多有尼古丁瘾的抽烟人不容易把烟戒掉。

13 undoing   

n.毁灭的原因，祸根；破坏，毁灭

参考例句：

• That one mistake was his undoing. 他一失足即成千古恨。
• This hard attitude may have led to his undoing. 可能就是这种强硬的态度导致了他的垮台。