美国科学60秒 SSS 2012-10-04
时间：2019-01-08 作者：英语课 分类：Scientific American(十)月
英语课
The black mamba is one of the world's most venomous snakes—its bite can kill a human in just half an hour. But along with deadly neurotoxins, the black mamba's venom 1 has a special ingredient: a painkiller 2 as potent 3 as morphine. So says a study in the journal Nature.
Researchers isolated 4 proteins from mamba venom called mambalgins, and injected them into mice. Then they tested how long it took those mice to yank their paws out of water heated to a painful—but not damaging—115 degrees Fahrenheit 5. Turns out mice treated with mambalgins could take the heat for just as long as mice dosed with morphine, indicating the two drugs had similar pain-relieving effects.
Morphine works by binding 6 opioid receptors, but mambalgins target a completely different pain pathway. Which is a good thing. Because they don't slow down breathing like opiates. And the body doesn't build up tolerance 7 to mambalgins as fast as it does to morphine—meaning mambalgins could keep the pain away for longer. The French company Theralpha is now developing a drug from the venom. Just don't call it snake oil.
n.毒液，恶毒，痛恨
- The snake injects the venom immediately after biting its prey.毒蛇咬住猎物之后马上注入毒液。
- In fact,some components of the venom may benefit human health.事实上，毒液的某些成分可能有益于人类健康。
n.止痛药
- I shall persuade him to take the painkiller.我将说服他把药吃下去。
- The painkiller only provides him a short respite from his pain.止痛药仅仅让他在疼痛中有短暂的疏解。
adj.强有力的，有权势的；有效力的
- The medicine had a potent effect on your disease.这药物对你的病疗效很大。
- We must account of his potent influence.我们必须考虑他的强有力的影响。
adj.与世隔绝的
- His bad behaviour was just an isolated incident. 他的不良行为只是个别事件。
- Patients with the disease should be isolated. 这种病的患者应予以隔离。
n./adj.华氏温度；华氏温度计(的)
- He was asked for the boiling point of water in Fahrenheit.他被问到水的沸点是华氏多少度。
- The thermometer reads 80 degrees Fahrenheit.寒暑表指出华氏80度。
有约束力的，有效的，应遵守的
- The contract was not signed and has no binding force. 合同没有签署因而没有约束力。
- Both sides have agreed that the arbitration will be binding. 双方都赞同仲裁具有约束力。