人为实现冬暖夏凉易引发疾病

 　　An 'eternal summer' created by home heating and lighting¹ may be disrupting seasonal² rhythms in the human body with the risk of illness or even premature³ death, researchers say.

　　研究人员指出，由家庭供暖和照明设备创造的“永恒夏日”可能会扰乱人体内部的季节节律，有着导致人们患病甚至过早死亡的风险。

　　Scientists fear that the prevalence of warm houses and sustained contact with bright lights could supress important genes⁴ which have evolved to activate⁵ at different times of the year.

　　科学家们担心温暖宜人的房子的普及和持续的明亮灯光可能抑制人体重要基因的活动，这些基因已经进化出在一年当中的不同时期激活的机制。

　　They think perpetually warm dwellings⁶ may be a recipe for disaster as the sensitive proteins – some of which kick in during the winter to fight off common diseases like flu – are fooled into thinking it is still the summer and do not activate.

　　他们认为永远温暖的房屋有可能导致灾难性后果，因为敏感蛋白会误以为时间还是夏天而不会激活，其中有些敏感蛋白会在冬季激活以抵抗流感等常见疾病。

　　Scientists at the University of Cambridge have previously⁷ found that a quarter of human genes display seasonal variation, including the protection against various infectious diseases.

　　剑桥大学的科学家此前已经发现人体内四分之一的基因呈季节性变化，包括抵抗各种传染性疾病的侵袭。

　　人为实现冬暖夏凉易引发疾病

　　Now a study says that the efficacy of these genes could be hampered⁸ by modern western lifestyles.

　　现在一项研究表明，这些基因的效力可能会受到现代西方生活方式的阻碍。

　　Dr Tyler Stevenson, a senior lecturer at the University of Aberdeen, said: "The real take home message is that seasonal rhythms are pervasive⁹.

　　阿伯丁大学（University of Aberdeen）的高级讲师泰勒?史蒂芬森（Tyler Stevenson）博士指出：“真正重要的信息就是季节节律是普遍存在的。”

　　"Just like daily rhythms which tell us to sleep at night, a similar thing is happening seasonally¹⁰.

　　“就像日常节律告诉我们要在晚上睡觉一样，季节也有相似的规律。”

　　"But over time these seasonal signals are dampening down.

　　“但是随着时间的流逝，这些季节信号都被抑制了。”

　　"During the twentieth century our species has developed technologies that allow precise light and climate control over our living environments and humans in developed societies now spend the vast majority of their lives in conditions that mimic¹¹ 'summer-like' environments.

　　“在20世纪，我们人类实现了对生活环境进行精准的灯光和气候控制的技术，现在发达国家的人们生命中的大部分时间都在一种‘模拟夏日’的环境中度过。”

　　"These so-called eternal summers are characterised by light and temperature controls that lack seasonal rhythmicity.

　　“这种所谓的永恒夏日的特点就是缺乏季节节律性的灯光和温度控制。”

　　"Seasonal changes in environmental variables play a significant role in the regulation of many physiological¹² and behavioural processes.

　　“环境变量中的季节变化在许多生理和行为过程的调节上发挥重要作用。”

　　"Presently many of us no longer live in accordance with the naturally occurring variation in geophysical rhythms."

　　“现在许多人不再依照地球物理节奏的自然变化生活。”

　　The research appears in the journal Proceedings¹³ of The Royal Society B.

　　此研究登载在期刊《英国皇家学会学报B辑》（Proceedings of the Royal Society B）上。（注：B指的是 BiologicalSciences，生物科学领域）

　　Vocabulary

　　perpetually：永恒地，持久地

　　infectious：传染的

　　efficacy：功效

　　rhythmicity：节律性

　　physiological：生理的

　　geophysical：地球物理学的

1 lighting   

n.照明，光线的明暗，舞台灯光

参考例句：

• The gas lamp gradually lost ground to electric lighting.煤气灯逐渐为电灯所代替。
• The lighting in that restaurant is soft and romantic.那个餐馆照明柔和而且浪漫。

2 seasonal   

adj.季节的，季节性的

参考例句：

• The town relies on the seasonal tourist industry for jobs.这个城镇依靠季节性旅游业提供就业机会。
• The hors d'oeuvre is seasonal vegetables.餐前小吃是应时蔬菜。

3 premature   

adj.比预期时间早的；不成熟的，仓促的

参考例句：

• It is yet premature to predict the possible outcome of the dialogue.预言这次对话可能有什么结果为时尚早。
• The premature baby is doing well.那个早产的婴儿很健康。

4 genes   

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

5 activate   

vt.使活动起来，使开始起作用

参考例句：

• We must activate the youth to study.我们要激励青年去学习。
• These push buttons can activate the elevator.这些按钮能启动电梯。

6 dwellings   

n.住处，处所( dwelling的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The development will consist of 66 dwellings and a number of offices. 新建楼区将由66栋住房和一些办公用房组成。
• The hovels which passed for dwellings are being pulled down. 过去用作住室的陋屋正在被拆除。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 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。

8 hampered   

妨碍，束缚，限制( hamper的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The search was hampered by appalling weather conditions. 恶劣的天气妨碍了搜寻工作。
• So thought every harassed, hampered, respectable boy in St. Petersburg. 圣彼德堡镇的那些受折磨、受拘束的体面孩子们个个都是这么想的。

9 pervasive   

adj.普遍的；遍布的，(到处)弥漫的；渗透性的

参考例句：

• It is the most pervasive compound on earth.它是地球上最普遍的化合物。
• The adverse health effects of car exhaust are pervasive and difficult to measure.汽车尾气对人类健康所构成的有害影响是普遍的，并且难以估算。

10 seasonally   

参考例句：

• The price of vegetables fluctuates seasonally. 蔬菜的价格随季节变动。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They moved seasonally among various vegetation types to feed on plants that were flourishing. 它们还随着季节的变化而在各种类型植物之间迁移，以便吃那些茂盛的植物。 来自辞典例句

11 mimic   

v.模仿，戏弄；n.模仿他人言行的人

参考例句：

• A parrot can mimic a person's voice.鹦鹉能学人的声音。
• He used to mimic speech peculiarities of another.他过去总是模仿别人讲话的特点。

12 physiological   

adj.生理学的，生理学上的

参考例句：

• He bought a physiological book.他买了一本生理学方面的书。
• Every individual has a physiological requirement for each nutrient.每个人对每种营养成分都有一种生理上的需要。

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