VOA标准英语2011--Diabetes in Lab Mice Reversed with Natural Compound

Diabetes¹ in Lab Mice Reversed with Natural Compound

The International Diabetes Federation² has released data (this week) that indicates the number of people living with diabetes around the world will likely rise from 366 million to 552 million by 2030 if urgent action is not taken. In marking World Diabetes Day this week, the World Health Organization focused attention on India and other developing countries that bear the brunt of the global diabetes epidemic³ - even as new research offers hope that a cure for the most common form of the disease - Type 2 diabetes - might not be far off.

Many public monuments in New Delhi were illuminated⁴ with blue lights on Monday to mark World Diabetes Day. There was good reason for the special notice. India has the world's largest number of diabetics - more than 50 million people and that number is expected to climb to 61 million over the next two decades.

“We want to disseminate⁵ the message to the public all over India and also to the world that you (should) beware of diabetes,” said Anup Mishra, chairman of the Fortis Center for Diabetes in India.

The International Diabetes Federation predicts that at least one in 10 people in the world could have diabetes by 2030. This most common of human disorders⁶ is caused mainly by poor diet, excess body weight and physical inactivity. It not only reduces the quality of life but is also a risk factor for heart disease, stroke and dementia.

A team of researchers in the United States reported recently that it was able to cure Type 2 diabetes in mice. In a study conducted at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis,Missouri, the researchers treated mice with a naturally-occurring substance known by its chemical acronym⁷, NMN.

“The bottom line is, NMN has remarkable⁸ effects on Type 2 diabetes, at least in mice,” said Professor Shin-ichiro Imai. He explains the results in mice hold promise because the metabolic⁹ processes that NMN influences in mice are likely to be the same in the human body.

“We fed mice a high-fat diet where 40 percent of the calories came from fat - a fatty, nasty diet which the mice liked and eventually they came up (down) with serious Type 2 diabetes. And that’s the model we used to examine the effects of NMN and it works really well.”

The study shows that aging and eating a high-fat diet reduce production of NMN in the body, leading to abnormal metabolic conditions - including diabetes.

The researchers are collaborating¹⁰ with a Japanese company to come up with a grade of the compound that can be used in human trials.

“It will probably take a couple of years, but we are planning to launch a human pilot trial,” said Imai.

The hope is that one day, it will be possible for people to take the compound like a daily vitamin as a way to treat or even prevent Type 2 diabetes.

1 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。

2 federation   

n.同盟，联邦，联合，联盟，联合会

参考例句：

• It is a federation of 10 regional unions.它是由十个地方工会结合成的联合会。
• Mr.Putin was inaugurated as the President of the Russian Federation.普京正式就任俄罗斯联邦总统。

3 epidemic   

n.流行病；盛行；adj.流行性的，流传极广的

参考例句：

• That kind of epidemic disease has long been stamped out.那种传染病早已绝迹。
• The authorities tried to localise the epidemic.当局试图把流行病限制在局部范围。

4 illuminated   

adj.被照明的；受启迪的

参考例句：

• Floodlights illuminated the stadium. 泛光灯照亮了体育场。
• the illuminated city at night 夜幕中万家灯火的城市

5 disseminate   

v.散布；传播

参考例句：

• We should disseminate science and promote the scientific spirit.普及科学知识，弘扬科学精神。
• We sincerely welcome all countries to disseminate their languages in China.我们真诚地欢迎世界各国来华推广本国语言。

6 disorders   

n.混乱( disorder的名词复数 )；凌乱；骚乱；（身心、机能）失调

参考例句：

• Reports of anorexia and other eating disorders are on the increase. 据报告，厌食症和其他饮食方面的功能紊乱发生率正在不断增长。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The announcement led to violent civil disorders. 这项宣布引起剧烈的骚乱。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 acronym   

n.首字母简略词，简称

参考例句：

• That's a mouthful of an acronym for a very simple technology.对于一项非常简单的技术来说，这是一个很绕口的缩写词。
• TSDF is an acronym for Treatment, Storage and Disposal Facilities.TSDF是处理，储存和处置设施的一个缩写。

8 remarkable   

adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的

参考例句：

• She has made remarkable headway in her writing skills.她在写作技巧方面有了长足进步。
• These cars are remarkable for the quietness of their engines.这些汽车因发动机没有噪音而不同凡响。

9 metabolic   

adj.新陈代谢的

参考例句：

• Impressive metabolic alternations have been undergone during embryogenesis.在胚胎发生期间经历了深刻的代谢变化。
• A number of intoxicants are associated with metabolic acidosis.许多毒性物质可引起代谢性酸中毒。

10 collaborating   

合作( collaborate的现在分词 )； 勾结叛国

参考例句：

• Joe is collaborating on the work with a friend. 乔正与一位朋友合作做那件工作。
• He was not only learning from but also collaborating with Joseph Thomson. 他不仅是在跟约瑟福？汤姆逊学习，而且也是在和他合作。