密歇根新闻广播 COVID测试

 

How Michigan Tech brought COVID testing to the Upper Peninsula

Plants, like humans, have a remarkable¹ ability to adapt. When their surroundings change, they do too.

“It happens in response to the environment,” said James Rauschendorfer, a Ph.D student at Michigan Technological² University, in Houghton.

“So it's no good if you, you know, just say I'm going to be this way forever.”

Rauschendorfer studies how northern pin oaks and northern red oaks, which can be found in the Upper Peninsula, regulate their genes³ to survive in increasingly hot and dry conditions.

In March, Rauschendorfer had recently returned from a research trip in Puerto Rico. Governor Gretchen Whitmer had issued her lockdown order. And the western U.P., where Houghton is located, had few, if any, COVID-19 cases.

Keeping it that way would require frequent, reliable testing, which the region didn’t have. The few people who were getting tested in the U.P. were waiting as long as two weeks for results.

So lawmakers from the area -- Senator Ed McBroom (R-Waucedah Township) and Representative Greg Markkanen (R-Hancock) -- looked to Michigan Tech. Maybe the professors, students, and administrators⁴ there could set up a testing lab.

“When I was first asked, I had no idea if this was going to be possible,” said Caryn Heldt, a chemical engineering professor at the university.

Heldt was tapped to lead the effort because, in her research, she works with viruses that require the same level of precaution as the novel coronavirus -- they have to be studied in what’s known as a biosafety level 2 facility.

But Heldt immediately recognized that running COVID tests takes a lot more than experience with viruses. It involves a range of scientific expertise⁵. It calls for people who can work with hospitals, and others who can navigate⁶ federal certification processes.

It requires testing supplies, like reagents, and specialized⁷ hardware, like PCR machines. (PCR stands for polymerase chain reaction, the process by which the COVID test developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention detects the virus.)

Heldt soon learned that Michigan Tech’s campus contained all those ingredients. They just needed to be collected.

“It all had to be coordinated⁸. And that was mostly Caryn Heldt's work,” said Carsten Külheim, who studies forest genetics at Michigan Tech. “She did an unbelievably fantastic job there.”

Külheim, along with another professor, had a PCR machine to offer, because he and his students (one of whom is Rauschendorfer, the Ph.D candidate) use it for their research on trees.

Again, PCR stands for polymerase chain reaction, a process that detects genetic⁹ material in a sample of cells. In this case, it searches through a patient sample for RNA from the novel coronavirus.

A lab worker inserts the sample into the PCR machine. If present, the viral RNA gets replicated¹⁰ millions of times (hence the chain reaction), amplifying¹¹ it to the point when the machine can detect it.

But before all that, the sample needs “cleaning.” A lab worker must separate out the RNA from other molecules¹² that might appear in the cells.

“In a human cell and in a plant cell you would have things like sugars in the cell as well,” said Külheim. “And these can often interfere¹³ with how your PCR works. So you want to have it as clean as possible, your RNA.”

Külheim managed that step, known as RNA extraction.

Stephen Techtmann, an environmental microbiologist who studies aquatic¹⁴ bacteria, oversaw¹⁵ the step that uses the PCR machine (his research lab loaned out a machine as well).

Claire Danielson, a medical laboratory technologist who worked for years in hospitals, determined¹⁶ how the lab would work with health care providers to receive samples and report results.

Graduate students were trained in the four main steps of the process -- sample intake¹⁷, RNA extraction, PCR testing, and result reporting -- and by mid-April, the lab was up and running.

Rauschendorfer, the student who researches oak trees, was one of the PCR workers. He had never before worked in a lab that diagnoses illness.

“I'm not used to being deemed so necessary,” he said. “It was very strange.”

Though Rauschendorfer and the other students specialized in different fields, they all knew a lot about genetics.

And the skillset for studying genetics in the lab is broadly applicable. Whether you’re looking at the genes behind wolf anatomy¹⁸, or a northern pin oak’s drought tolerance¹⁹, a PCR test is basically the same.

In June, the lab could process 50 samples a day. Now the capacity is 150, and 98% of results come back within 36 hours.

Some nursing homes, like Bayside Village, now rely on Michigan Tech’s quick turnaround for weekly testing of staff. Because the U.P. is now designated a medium- to high-risk zone, the state health department requires that testing.

At Baraga County Memorial Hospital, some tests were initially²⁰ getting sent to Lansing. Others were going as far as the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.

But a courier can get to Houghton in 30 minutes.

“Michigan Tech's been a godsend,” said Sue Copley, the lab manager at Baraga County Memorial Hospital.

Most of the tests she sends to the lab come back with results the same day.

But this week, she’ll be sending the tests to a hospital in Marquette, U.P. Health System, which is Baraga Memorial’s reference lab for all other diagnostic tests.

It’s freshman²¹ orientation²² at Michigan Tech, and the lab there is dedicating all its capacity to those students. After that, it will resume accepting tests from local health care providers.

Heldt, the lab’s manager, is now training her replacement²³.

“I was hired to be a professor, which is to teach and do research. And while this has been an amazing experience, I am ready to go back to being a professor,” she said.

The other professors and students will be returning to their specialties²⁴ too. They’ve been hiring more workers, and have been so far successful. They’ve found that Houghton is home to a lot of people qualified²⁵ to work in the lab setting.

But if there are any hang-ups, and the lab needs their help, they’ll be ready to jump back in.

 

1 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。

2 technological   

adj.技术的；工艺的

参考例句：

• A successful company must keep up with the pace of technological change.一家成功的公司必须得跟上技术变革的步伐。
• Today,the pace of life is increasing with technological advancements.当今， 随着科技进步，生活节奏不断增快。

3 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

4 administrators   

n.管理者( administrator的名词复数 )；有管理（或行政）才能的人；（由遗嘱检验法庭指定的）遗产管理人；奉派暂管主教教区的牧师

参考例句：

• He had administrators under him but took the crucial decisions himself. 他手下有管理人员，但重要的决策仍由他自己来做。 来自辞典例句
• Administrators have their own methods of social intercourse. 办行政的人有他们的社交方式。 来自汉英文学 - 围城

5 expertise   

n.专门知识(或技能等)，专长

参考例句：

• We were amazed at his expertise on the ski slopes.他斜坡滑雪的技能使我们赞叹不已。
• You really have the technical expertise in a new breakthrough.让你真正在专业技术上有一个全新的突破。

6 navigate   

v.航行，飞行；导航，领航

参考例句：

• He was the first man to navigate the Atlantic by air.他是第一个飞越大西洋的人。
• Such boats can navigate on the Nile.这种船可以在尼罗河上航行。

7 specialized   

adj.专门的，专业化的

参考例句：

• There are many specialized agencies in the United Nations.联合国有许多专门机构。
• These tools are very specialized.这些是专用工具。

8 coordinated   

adj.协调的

参考例句：

• The sound has to be coordinated with the picture. 声音必须和画面协调一致。
• The numerous existing statutes are complicated and poorly coordinated. 目前繁多的法令既十分复杂又缺乏快调。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

9 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。

10 replicated   

复制( replicate的过去式和过去分词 )； 重复； 再造； 再生

参考例句：

• Later outplant the seedlings in a replicated permanent test plantation. 以后苗木出圃栽植成重复的永久性试验林。
• The phage has replicated and the donor cells have lysed. 噬菌体已复制和给体细胞已发生裂解。

11 amplifying   

放大，扩大( amplify的现在分词 )； 增强； 详述

参考例句：

• Often they use borrowed funds, amplifying their gains and losses. 他们通常会用借贷的资金交易，从而放大收益或损失。
• An amplifying type (or analog) device, as opposed to digital device. 放大器类（或模拟）器件，相对于数字器件而言的。

12 molecules   

分子( molecule的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The structure of molecules can be seen under an electron microscope. 分子的结构可在电子显微镜下观察到。
• Inside the reactor the large molecules are cracked into smaller molecules. 在反应堆里，大分子裂变为小分子。

13 interfere   

v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰

参考例句：

• If we interfere, it may do more harm than good.如果我们干预的话，可能弊多利少。
• When others interfere in the affair,it always makes troubles. 别人一卷入这一事件，棘手的事情就来了。

14 aquatic   

adj.水生的，水栖的

参考例句：

• Aquatic sports include swimming and rowing.水上运动包括游泳和划船。
• We visited an aquatic city in Italy.我们在意大利访问过一个水上城市。

15 oversaw   

v.监督，监视( oversee的过去式 )

参考例句：

• He will go down as the president who oversaw two historic transitions. 他将作为见证了巴西两次历史性转变的总统，安然引退。 来自互联网
• Dixon oversaw the project as creative director of Design Research Studio. 狄克逊监督项目的创意总监设计研究工作室。 来自互联网

16 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

17 intake   

n.吸入，纳入；进气口，入口

参考例句：

• Reduce your salt intake.减少盐的摄入量。
• There was a horrified intake of breath from every child.所有的孩子都害怕地倒抽了一口凉气。

18 anatomy   

n.解剖学，解剖；功能，结构，组织

参考例句：

• He found out a great deal about the anatomy of animals.在动物解剖学方面，他有过许多发现。
• The hurricane's anatomy was powerful and complex.对飓风的剖析是一项庞大而复杂的工作。

19 tolerance   

n.宽容；容忍，忍受；耐药力；公差

参考例句：

• Tolerance is one of his strengths.宽容是他的一个优点。
• Human beings have limited tolerance of noise.人类对噪音的忍耐力有限。

20 initially   

adv.最初，开始

参考例句：

• The ban was initially opposed by the US.这一禁令首先遭到美国的反对。
• Feathers initially developed from insect scales.羽毛最初由昆虫的翅瓣演化而来。

21 freshman   

n.大学一年级学生(可兼指男女)

参考例句：

• Jack decided to live in during his freshman year at college.杰克决定大一时住校。
• He is a freshman in the show business.他在演艺界是一名新手。

22 orientation   

n.方向，目标；熟悉，适应，情况介绍

参考例句：

• Children need some orientation when they go to school.小孩子上学时需要适应。
• The traveller found his orientation with the aid of a good map.旅行者借助一幅好地图得知自己的方向。

23 replacement   

n.取代，替换，交换；替代品，代用品

参考例句：

• We are hard put to find a replacement for our assistant.我们很难找到一个人来代替我们的助手。
• They put all the students through the replacement examination.他们让所有的学生参加分班考试。

24 specialties   

n.专门，特性，特别；专业( specialty的名词复数 )；特性；特制品；盖印的契约

参考例句：

• Great Books are popular, not pedantic. They are not written by specialists about specialties for specialists. 名著绝不引经据典，艰深难懂，而是通俗易读。它们不是专家为专业人员撰写的专业书籍。 来自英汉 - 翻译样例 - 文学
• Brain drains may represent a substantial reduction in some labor force skills and specialties. 智力外流可能表示某种劳动力技能和特长大量减少。 来自辞典例句

25 qualified   

adj.合格的，有资格的，胜任的，有限制的

参考例句：

• He is qualified as a complete man of letters.他有资格当真正的文学家。
• We must note that we still lack qualified specialists.我们必须看到我们还缺乏有资质的专家。