2006年VOA标准英语-Genetic Research Pinpoints Probable Cause

By Zulima Palacio
Washington, DC
27 January 2006
 
watch Gene¹ report

Mapping the Human Genome has been one of the most complex research projects of recent decades.  Its findings could open many windows, including cures for illnesses.  A group of scientists in San Antonio, Texas has identified a gene on chromosome² 15, which apparently³ regulates inflammation. The finding could have far reaching implications for treating heart disease, diabetes⁴, obesity⁵, arthritis⁶ and even Alzheimer's.  Carol Pearson narrates⁷.

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"This is the largest super computing⁸ cluster in the world that is completely dedicated⁹ to human genome," points out John Blangero, Senior Genetics Scientist, at the Southwest Foundation for Biomedical Research.

 

the computer ranch¹¹   
  

He calls it "the computer ranch," a 1500-computer cluster.  Running millions of genetic¹⁰ analyses here in the San Antonio, Texas laboratory saved years of work, and helped find what could be one of the key genes¹² responsible for inflammation in the human body.  It is the Selenoprotein S, also known by its short name: SEPS1.

Blangero and a colleague created the software to run the genetic program with nearly six terabytes of memory -- the equivalent of computer memory for 1.8 million songs or over 10 years of uninterrupted music.

At the other end of the Foundation, geneticist Joanne Curran generates the basic information from the lab.

Dr. Curran says blood samples from about 40 families with 1400 individuals were brought to this lab, where their DNA¹³ was extracted and used for all the gene studies. In all, the lab has 48,000 gene transcripts¹⁴ for each individual person.

Dr. Joanne Curran   
  
"An example was one project that took two hours to analyze¹⁵ on the ranch with 1500 processors.  That would have taken us seven years to do with one processor,” she says. “That's just an example of the time that was able to calculate."

Dr. Blangero and his team identified SEPS1, previously¹⁶ unknown.  The gene plays a key role in how the body responds to inflammation.

"When we look at this gene and map it on to the human genome, we saw that it’s found in an area that has been associated with things like type-one diabetes, Alzheimers disease, rheumatoid arthritis, so it started to be a trend there,” he said.  “These are all things that have some kind of inflammatory component¹⁷."

Dr. Blangero and his team found that people with diabetes have a lower level of Selenoprotein S and they expect similar results in heart disease patients.  

Dr. John Blangero  
  
Right now they are testing the gene in relation to parasitic¹⁸ infection.   But Dr. Blangero warns that there is a huge difference -- and a vast amount of time -- between identifying a gene and finding out what it does, and using that knowledge to diagnose or treat diseases. Even so, he expects his work will benefit patients some day.

"I would say this pathway will end up being important in a pharmaceutical¹⁹ type of intervention²⁰."

1 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。

2 chromosome   

n.染色体

参考例句：

• Chromosome material with exhibits of such behaviour is called heterochromatin.表现这种现象的染色体物质叫做异染色质。
• A segment of the chromosome may become lost,resulting in a deletion.染色体的一个片段可能会丢失，结果产生染色体的缺失。

3 apparently   

adv.显然地；表面上，似乎

参考例句：

• An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。
• He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

4 diabetes   

n.糖尿病

参考例句：

• In case of diabetes, physicians advise against the use of sugar.对于糖尿病患者，医生告诫他们不要吃糖。
• Diabetes is caused by a fault in the insulin production of the body.糖尿病是由体內胰岛素分泌失调引起的。

5 obesity   

n.肥胖，肥大

参考例句：

• One effect of overeating may be obesity.吃得过多能导致肥胖。
• Sugar and fat can more easily lead to obesity than some other foods.糖和脂肪比其他食物更容易导致肥胖。

6 arthritis   

n.关节炎

参考例句：

• Rheumatoid arthritis has also been linked with the virus.风湿性关节炎也与这种病毒有关。
• He spent three months in the hospital with acute rheumatic arthritis.他患急性风湿性关节炎，在医院住了三个月。

7 narrates   

v.故事( narrate的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• It narrates the unconstitutional acts of James II. 它历数了詹姆斯二世的违法行为。 来自辞典例句
• Chapter three narrates the economy activity which Jew return the Occident. 第三章讲述了犹太人重返西欧后的经济活动。 来自互联网

8 computing   

n.计算

参考例句：

• to work in computing 从事信息处理
• Back in the dark ages of computing, in about 1980, they started a software company. 早在计算机尚未普及的时代（约1980年），他们就创办了软件公司。

9 dedicated   

adj.一心一意的；献身的；热诚的

参考例句：

• He dedicated his life to the cause of education.他献身于教育事业。
• His whole energies are dedicated to improve the design.他的全部精力都放在改进这项设计上了。

10 genetic   

adj.遗传的，遗传学的

参考例句：

• It's very difficult to treat genetic diseases.遗传性疾病治疗起来很困难。
• Each daughter cell can receive a full complement of the genetic information.每个子细胞可以收到遗传信息的一个完全补偿物。

11 ranch   

n.大牧场，大农场

参考例句：

• He went to work on a ranch.他去一个大农场干活。
• The ranch is in the middle of a large plateau.该牧场位于一个辽阔高原的中部。

12 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

13 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。

14 transcripts   

n.抄本（ transcript的名词复数 ）；转写本；文字本；副本

参考例句：

• Like mRNA, both tRNA and rRNA are transcripts of chromosomal DNA. tRNA及rRNA同mRNA一样，都是染色体DNA的转录产物。 来自辞典例句
• You can't take the transfer students'exam without your transcripts. 没有成绩证明书，你就不能参加转学考试。 来自辞典例句

15 analyze   

vt.分析，解析 (=analyse)

参考例句：

• We should analyze the cause and effect of this event.我们应该分析这场事变的因果。
• The teacher tried to analyze the cause of our failure.老师设法分析我们失败的原因。

16 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。

17 component   

n.组成部分，成分，元件；adj.组成的，合成的

参考例句：

• Each component is carefully checked before assembly.每个零件在装配前都经过仔细检查。
• Blade and handle are the component parts of a knife.刀身和刀柄是一把刀的组成部分。

18 parasitic   

adj.寄生的

参考例句：

• Will global warming mean the spread of tropical parasitic diseases?全球变暖是否意味着热带寄生虫病会蔓延呢？
• By definition,this way of life is parasitic.从其含义来说，这是种寄生虫的生活方式。

19 pharmaceutical   

adj.药学的，药物的；药用的，药剂师的

参考例句：

• She has donated money to establish a pharmaceutical laboratory.她捐款成立了一个药剂实验室。
• We are engaged in a legal tussle with a large pharmaceutical company.我们正同一家大制药公司闹法律纠纷。

20 intervention   

n.介入，干涉，干预

参考例句：

• The government's intervention in this dispute will not help.政府对这场争论的干预不会起作用。
• Many people felt he would be hostile to the idea of foreign intervention.许多人觉得他会反对外来干预。