SSS 2010-10-25
时间：2018-12-24 作者：英语课 分类：Scientific American(十)月
This is Scientific American’s 60-Second Science. I’m Cynthia Graber. This will just take a minute.
Take a deep breath. Taste anything? Actually, your lungs may, because scientists have discovered that the same receptors that exist on the tongue to taste bitter substances are also found on the smooth muscle of lungs.
Researchers were studying the receptors on smooth lung muscles that regulate contraction 1 and relaxation 2 of the airways 3. That’s when they made the discovery which was so unexpected that the researchers themselves were skeptical 4.
Finally, they became convinced that the receptors were really there, though were not clustered in taste buds as they are on the tongue. The scientists then exposed human and mouse airways to various bitter compounds to gauge 5 the effects.
Many toxic 6 compounds are bitter, so the researchers expect that the lung muscle to tense up and contract-- to compel the breather to move away from whatever is bitter and perhaps toxic. But, in a second surprise, bitter compounds relaxed and opened airways better than any existing asthma 7 drug. The study is in the journal Nature Medicine.
Researchers will continue to search for the role of the receptors. Meanwhile, the work represents a surprising new lead in the search for drugs to treat asthma, emphysema or chronic 8 bronchitis.
Thanks for the minute. For Scientific American’s 60-Second Science, I’m Cynthia Graber.
- The contraction of this muscle raises the lower arm.肌肉的收缩使前臂抬起。
- The forces of expansion are balanced by forces of contraction.扩张力和收缩力相互平衡。
- The minister has consistently opposed any relaxation in the law.部长一向反对法律上的任何放宽。
- She listens to classical music for relaxation.她听古典音乐放松。
- The giant jets that increasingly dominate the world's airways. 越来越称雄于世界航线的巨型喷气机。
- At one point the company bought from Nippon Airways a 727 jet. 有一次公司从日本航空公司买了一架727型喷气机。
- Others here are more skeptical about the chances for justice being done.这里的其他人更为怀疑正义能否得到伸张。
- Her look was skeptical and resigned.她的表情是将信将疑而又无可奈何。
- Can you gauge what her reaction is likely to be?你能揣测她的反应可能是什么吗？
- It's difficult to gauge one's character.要判断一个人的品格是很困难的。
- The factory had accidentally released a quantity of toxic waste into the sea.这家工厂意外泄漏大量有毒废物到海中。
- There is a risk that toxic chemicals might be blasted into the atmosphere.爆炸后有毒化学物质可能会进入大气层。