新奇事件簿 不整理床铺对健康更有益

Scientists in England believe that not tidying your bed after you wake up may be healthier for you. Their research suggests that the dust mites¹ that live in our mattresses³ do not like messy and unmade beds. This could be good news for people with asthma⁴. The research team, from Kingston University, said the tiny bugs⁵ could only survive in sheets and mattresses that were slightly damp – they live off the moisture and sweat from our bodies. If a bed is unmade, air circulates between the sheets and dries them out. Dry sheets means the creatures will die from dehydration⁶ – a lack of water. The researchers said that the average bed contained around 1.5 million mites. They are less than a millimetre long and they feed on the flakes⁷ of skin that fall from your body.

英格兰科学家相信，醒来后不整理床铺可能对健康更有益。他们的研究显示，寄居在我们的床垫中的尘螨不喜欢乱七八糟的床。对于哮喘患者来说，这应该是好消息。来自英国金斯顿大学的研究小组表示，螨虫只在稍微有点潮湿的床单和床垫上生存——它们依靠我们的身体产生的湿气和汗液。如果不整理床铺，空气在床单之间流通，会使床单变干。干燥的床单意味着螨虫会死于脱水。研究人员表示，一张床上平均有大约150万个螨虫。它们的大小不足1毫米，食用我们的身体脱落的皮屑。

Lead researcher Dr Stephen Pretlove said his research could cut amount of money spent on treating illnesses that are caused by mites. We breathe in the waste produced by bed bugs or get bitten by them. These can lead to asthma and other health problems. The British health service currently spends over $1 billion a year treating illnesses caused by mites. Dr Pretlove believes his research could change the way our houses are designed. “Our findings could help building designers create healthy homes and healthcare workers point out environments most at risk from mites, he said. Allergy⁸ expert Professor Andrew Wardlaw agreed, saying: “It would be good if ways were found to modify the home so that mite² numbers were reduced.

首席研究人员Stephen Pretlove表示，他的研究或许可以减少在治疗螨虫引起的疾病方面的花费。我们吸入螨虫产生的废气，或者被螨虫叮咬。这些会导致哮喘和其他健康问题。英国卫生部门现在每年花费超过10亿美元治疗螨虫引起的疾病。Pretlove医生相信，他的研究会改变我们房屋的设计方式。“我们的发现可以帮助建筑设计师设计出更健康的房屋，医疗工作者指出，螨虫导致的环境问题最为迫切。”过敏问题专家Andrew Wardlaw教授表示赞同：“如果找到能使螨虫数量减少的家庭改装方法，这将会是非常好的。”

1 mites   

n.（尤指令人怜悯的）小孩( mite的名词复数 )；一点点；一文钱；螨

参考例句：

• The only discovered animals are water bears, mites, microscopic rotifers. 能够发现的动物只有海蜘蛛、螨和微小的轮虫。 来自辞典例句
• Mites are frequently found on eggs. 螨会经常出现在蛋上。 来自辞典例句

2 mite   

n.极小的东西；小铜币

参考例句：

• The poor mite was so ill.可怜的孩子病得这么重。
• He is a mite taller than I.他比我高一点点。

3 mattresses   

褥垫，床垫( mattress的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The straw mattresses are airing there. 草垫子正在那里晾着。
• The researchers tested more than 20 mattresses of various materials. 研究人员试验了二十多个不同材料的床垫。

4 asthma   

n.气喘病，哮喘病

参考例句：

• I think he's having an asthma attack.我想他现在是哮喘病发作了。
• Its presence in allergic asthma is well known.它在过敏性气喘中的存在是大家很熟悉的。

5 bugs   

adj.疯狂的，发疯的n.窃听器( bug的名词复数 )；病菌；虫子；[计算机]（制作软件程序所产生的意料不到的）错误

参考例句：

• All programs have bugs and need endless refinement. 所有的程序都有漏洞，都需要不断改进。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The sacks of rice were swarming with bugs. 一袋袋的米里长满了虫子。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 dehydration   

n.脱水，干燥

参考例句：

• He died from severe dehydration.他死于严重脱水。
• The eyes are often retracted from dehydration.眼睛常因脱水而凹陷。

7 flakes   

小薄片( flake的名词复数 )； （尤指）碎片； 雪花； 古怪的人

参考例句：

• It's snowing in great flakes. 天下着鹅毛大雪。
• It is snowing in great flakes. 正值大雪纷飞。

8 allergy   

n.(因食物、药物等而引起的)过敏症

参考例句：

• He developed an allergy to pollen.他对花粉过敏。
• The patient had an allergy to penicillin.该患者对青霉素过敏。