VOA标准英语2010年-HIV: Verifying the Test Results

Small kits² are now available – similar to pregnancy³ tests – that can determine whether a person is infected with HIV, the AIDS virus.  But the tests can give a false positive reading if used incorrectly, possibly dealing⁴ an emotional or psychological blow.  University of Michigan researchers say they may have solved that problem with a way to test the test.

 

The quick HIV tests call for a drop of blood to be placed in a tiny bowl or well, where it mixes with chemicals.  A positive result is indicated by a colored band that appears perpendicular⁵ to a control bar.  However, human error can result in a false reading.  Or the image may be difficult to read and fail to clearly indicate any result.

Professor Ali El Kateeb, of the University of Michigan’s Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, says, “These are kits that generate some images.  Sometimes these images are not clear.  Sometimes the people get confused by reading their testing result from these kits.”

 

University of Michigan
Professor Ali El Kateeb

His team is working on a prototype of a device that verifies HIV test results.

“Actually, I don’t have any name for it,” he says, “but it is very small.  It’s like the size of the hand of a human being.  So, it’s not a big device.”

The device can take the guesswork out of reading the HIV test kit¹.

He says, “Just to make sure that the result provided to the patient is going to be accurate 100 percent.  We don’t leave things to the patient to say this could be positive, it could be negative, and then maybe they get the wrong result or interpret the result wrongly.”

The kits may also come with very technical instructions, adding to the confusion.  El Kateeb says to find out whether the HIV testing kit is accurate, you simply insert the kit itself into a slot in the prototype device.

University of Michigan

“If you take that kit after you put the blood (on it) and put it inside this device, the device can read the image and tell the people if they have the HIV positive or negative,” says El Kateeb.

It verifies the results almost immediately.

The University Of Michigan professor says it’s unclear when the device will be on the market, but he sees uses for it in developing countries – possibly placed in pharmacies⁶ or small clinics.  He currently estimates the initial cost would be about $200.

 

1 kit   

n.用具包，成套工具；随身携带物

参考例句：

• The kit consisted of about twenty cosmetic items.整套工具包括大约20种化妆用品。
• The captain wants to inspect your kit.船长想检查你的行装。

2 kits   

衣物和装备( kit的名词复数 )； 成套用品； 配套元件

参考例句：

• Keep your kits closed and locked when not in use. 不用的话把你的装备都锁好放好。
• Gifts Articles, Toy and Games, Wooden Toys, Puzzles, Craft Kits. 采购产品礼品，玩具和游戏，木制的玩具，智力玩具，手艺装备。

3 pregnancy   

n.怀孕，怀孕期

参考例句：

• Early pregnancy is often accompanied by nausea.怀孕早期常有恶心的现象。
• Smoking during pregnancy increases the risk of miscarriage.怀孕期吸烟会增加流产的危险。

4 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

5 perpendicular   

adj.垂直的，直立的；n.垂直线，垂直的位置

参考例句：

• The two lines of bones are set perpendicular to one another.这两排骨头相互垂直。
• The wall is out of the perpendicular.这墙有些倾斜。

6 pharmacies   

药店

参考例句：

• Still, 32 percent of the pharmacies filled the prescriptions. 但仍然有32%的药剂师配发了这两张药方。 来自互联网
• Chinese herbal pharmacies, and traditional massage therapists in the Vancouver telephone book. 中药店，和传统的按摩师在温哥华的电话簿里。 来自互联网