国外媒体:科学家揭秘香烟究竟为什么会致癌

科学家表示，试验证明，那些在尿样中被发现有高剂量NNAL（一种尼古丁衍生物）的吸烟者患癌症的可能性比那些尿样中NNAL剂量少的吸烟者患肺癌的可能性多一倍。而如果在尿样中同时发现高剂量的NNAL和另一种被称为Cotinine的尼古丁衍生物，这类人群患肺癌的可能性比尿样中两种衍生物含量都很低的人群高出7倍。

A new published report says at least a dozen victims and families of those killed in Rhode Island in 2003 in a nightclub fire have filed for bankruptcy¹ protection while awaiting their share of a 176-million-dollar settlement. Providence² Journal reports its review of bankruptcy court records shows some victims have lost their homes and vehicles or were laid off after they recovered from their injuries and returned to work. 100 people died in the fire in February 2003 at the Station nightclub. It started when the pyrotechnics group used by the band Great White ignited soundproofing foam³ in the building.

Researchers have found that urine test for a particular chemical may be useful in predicting which smokers⁴ will develop lung cancer. NPR's Joanne Silberner has the story.

Researchers from the University of Minnesota and Shanghai and Singapore suspected that a breakdown⁵ product of tobacco called NNAL might play a role in lung cancer. They look for NNAL in the urine of 500 smokers, half of whom developed lung cancer. Smokers with high levels of NNAL were twice as likely to get lung cancer. Smokers with high levels of both NNAL and a nicotine-related compound were eight times as likely. A low level of NNAL and a lower risk of lung cancer is no licence to light up. Tobacco smoke causes other cancers, heart disease and emphysema. Urine test for the compound may someday be useful in identifying people who should be screened more frequently for lung cancer. The researchers reported their results at the American Association for Cancer Research meeting. Joanne Silberner, NPR News.

A spokesman for the group Doctors Without Borders confirms that two workers of the group are missing in Somalia. Witnesses say the two may have been abducted⁶ by a masked gunman.

I'm Craig Windham, NPR News in Washington.

1 bankruptcy   

n.破产；无偿付能力

参考例句：

• You will have to pull in if you want to escape bankruptcy.如果你想避免破产，就必须节省开支。
• His firm is just on thin ice of bankruptcy.他的商号正面临破产的危险。

2 providence   

n.深谋远虑，天道，天意；远见；节约；上帝

参考例句：

• It is tempting Providence to go in that old boat.乘那艘旧船前往是冒大险。
• To act as you have done is to fly in the face of Providence.照你的所作所为那样去行事，是违背上帝的意志的。

3 foam   

v./n.泡沫，起泡沫

参考例句：

• The glass of beer was mostly foam.这杯啤酒大部分是泡沫。
• The surface of the water is full of foam.水面都是泡沫。

4 smokers   

吸烟者( smoker的名词复数 )

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。
• Chain smokers don't care about the dangers of smoking. 烟鬼似乎不在乎吸烟带来的种种危害。

5 breakdown   

n.垮，衰竭；损坏，故障，倒塌

参考例句：

• She suffered a nervous breakdown.她患神经衰弱。
• The plane had a breakdown in the air,but it was fortunately removed by the ace pilot.飞机在空中发生了故障，但幸运的是被王牌驾驶员排除了。

6 abducted   

劫持，诱拐( abduct的过去式和过去分词 )； 使（肢体等）外展

参考例句：

• Detectives have not ruled out the possibility that she was abducted. 侦探尚未排除她被绑架的可能性。
• The kid was abducted at the gate of kindergarten. 那小孩在幼儿园大门口被绑架走了。