VOA标准英语2012--High-Tech Device Reduces Risk of Hospital Infections

High-Tech¹ Device Reduces Risk of Hospital Infections

This machine fires bursts of ultraviolet, or UV, light that penetrate² the cells of micro-organisms and kill them.
The organisms have no chance to adapt and gain immunity³ as they might with a chemical, says Dr. Mark Stibich, Xenex Healthcare co-founder and chief scientific officer .
“The high energy UV penetrates⁴ the cell walls of organisms and it is absorbed by the DNA⁵, so it is really treating the organisms or disinfecting the organism at the root of where any mutation⁶ would develop," said Stibich.
Dr. Stibich says the device uses concentrated bursts of pulse xenon light, a technology that has been around for more than 30 years.
But Xenex has developed the concept further. Its device can sweep a room in a matter of minutes, eliminating most organisms on surface areas.
No one understands the importance of that more than Xenex Healthcare's Chief Executive Officer, Brian Cruver, who became sick some years ago after being treated at a hospital.
“I went in for a simple procedure and it turned into, well, I acquired an infection in a hospital," said Cruver.
Cruver went through two months of intravenous antibiotic⁷ treatment to recover, but the experience introduced him to the crisis hospitals face.
“Finding out that hospital infections are the fourth leading cause of death in the United States, that hospital infections kill more people than AIDS, breast cancer and automobile⁸ accidents combined; that is staggering," he said.
Xenex is a small company. But Cruver sees great potential for growth as hospitals here and in other countries discover how well the device works..
“The fact is this is a huge problem; it is global," he said. "Every hospital needs this product.”
The Xenex device is being thoroughly⁹ tested at the top cancer hospital in the United States - MD Anderson Cancer Clinic in Houston. Dr. Roy Chemaly the hospital's chief of infection control, says patients there are especially vulnerable.
“We know they already have compromised immune systems, they have already infections and they are at risk for serious infections and infections from resistant¹⁰ organisms," said Chemaly.
Dr. Chemaly says preliminary tests show close to 100 per cent disinfection using the Xenex device after a room has already been given an initial cleaning. But he says he won't have full results for at least another year.

1 high-tech   

adj.高科技的

参考例句：

• The economy is in the upswing which makes high-tech services in more demand too.经济在蓬勃发展，这就使对高科技服务的需求量也在加大。
• The quest of a cure for disease with high-tech has never ceased. 人们希望运用高科技治疗疾病的追求从未停止过。

2 penetrate   

v.透(渗)入；刺入，刺穿；洞察，了解

参考例句：

• Western ideas penetrate slowly through the East.西方观念逐渐传入东方。
• The sunshine could not penetrate where the trees were thickest.阳光不能透入树木最浓密的地方。

3 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。

4 penetrates   

v.穿过( penetrate的第三人称单数 )；刺入；了解；渗透

参考例句：

• This is a telescope that penetrates to the remote parts of the universe. 这是一架能看到宇宙中遥远地方的望远镜。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The dust is so fine that it easily penetrates all the buildings. 尘土极细，能极轻易地钻入一切建筑物。 来自辞典例句

5 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。

6 mutation   

n.变化，变异，转变

参考例句：

• People who have this mutation need less sleep than others.有这种突变的人需要的睡眠比其他人少。
• So far the discussion has centered entirely around mutation in the strict sense.到目前为止，严格来讲，讨论完全集中于围绕突变问题上。

7 antibiotic   

adj.抗菌的；n.抗生素

参考例句：

• The doctor said that I should take some antibiotic.医生说我应该服些用抗生素。
• Antibiotic can be used against infection.抗菌素可以用来防止感染。

8 automobile   

n.汽车，机动车

参考例句：

• He is repairing the brake lever of an automobile.他正在修理汽车的刹车杆。
• The automobile slowed down to go around the curves in the road.汽车在路上转弯时放慢了速度。

9 thoroughly   

adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地

参考例句：

• The soil must be thoroughly turned over before planting.一定要先把土地深翻一遍再下种。
• The soldiers have been thoroughly instructed in the care of their weapons.士兵们都系统地接受过保护武器的训练。

10 resistant   

adj.(to)抵抗的，有抵抗力的

参考例句：

• Many pests are resistant to the insecticide.许多害虫对这种杀虫剂有抵抗力。
• They imposed their government by force on the resistant population.他们以武力把自己的统治强加在持反抗态度的人民头上。