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KaitlynSadtlerandElizabethWayne_mRNAVaccines_2021E-_为何新冠疫苗能如此快速的研制出来_
In the 20th century, most vaccines took well over a decade to research, test, and produce. 二十世纪时,多数疫苗 需要用至少十年时间 来完成科研、测试和生产。
But the vaccines for COVID-19 cleared the threshold for emergency use in less than 11 months. 但新型冠状病毒 (COVID-19) 的疫苗 在不到 11 个月内 通过了紧急使用的临界点。
The secret behind this speed is a medical technology that’s been developing for decades: the mRNA vaccine. 这速度背后的秘密 是数十年医学技术发展的飞跃: mRNA 疫苗。
vaccines:n.[药][计]疫苗; threshold:n.入口;门槛;开始;极限;临界值; emergency:n.紧急情况;突发事件;非常时刻;adj.紧急的;备用的; technology:n.技术;工艺;术语;
This new treatment uses our body’s existing cellular machinery to trigger an immune response , protecting us from viruses without ever experiencing an infection . 这个新治疗方式 运用我们身体里现有的细胞机器 来触发免疫反应, 让我们不感染生病就能抵抗病毒。
And in the future, this approach might be able to treat new diseases almost as quickly as they emerge. 而在未来,这个方法或许 能以发现新疾病的同等速度 找到治疗方法。
So how do these revolutionary vaccines work? 这个变革性的疫苗是如何运作的呢？
The key ingredient is in the name. 它的主要成分就在写在疫苗的名字里。
treatment:n.治疗;疗法;对待;处理;讨论; cellular:adj.细胞的;多孔的;由细胞组成的;n.移动电话;单元; machinery:n.机械;机器;机构;机械装置; trigger:n.触发器; v.触发; immune response:n.免疫应答(机体对抗原的应答); infection:n.感染;传染;(身体某部位的)感染;传染病; approach:n.方法;路径;v.接近;建议;着手处理; diseases:n.[医]病(disease的复数);[医]疾病;[植保]病害;疾病种类; revolutionary:adj.革命性的;革命的;彻底变革的;n.改革者;革命者; ingredient:n.原料;要素;组成部分;adj.构成组成部分的;
mRNA, or messenger ribonucleic acid, is a naturally occurring molecule that encodes the instructions for producing proteins . mRNA,或信使核糖核酸, 是个自然生成的 合成蛋白质的模板分子。
When our cells process mRNA, a part of the cell called the ribosome translates and follows these instructions to build the encoded protein. 当我们的细胞处理 mRNA 时, 将转译且复制对应的蛋白。
The mRNA in these vaccines works in exactly the same way, but scientists use the molecule to safely introduce our body to a virus. 这些疫苗里的 mRNA 使用相同的工作原理, 但科学家们用这个分子 来安全地将病毒引入人体。
messenger:n.报信者,送信者;先驱; ribonucleic:adj.核醣核酸; naturally:adv.自然地;自然而然地;轻而易举;天生地;大方地; occurring:n.事件;事故;事变; molecule:n.[化学]分子;微小颗粒,微粒; encodes:vt.[计]编码,译码; proteins:n.[生化]蛋白质(protein复数); process:v.处理;加工;列队行进;n.过程,进行;方法,adj.经过特殊加工(或处理)的; ribosome:n.[细胞][生化]核糖体;[生化]核蛋白体; encoded:adj.[计]编码的;v.把…编码(encode的过去分词);
First, researchers encode trillions of mRNA molecules with the instructions for a specific viral protein. 首先,科学家们 把特定的病毒蛋白质模版 编写到万亿个 mRNA 分子里。
This part of the virus is harmless by itself, but helpful for training our body’s immune response. 病毒的单独这一部分无害, 但有助于训练体内的免疫反应。
Then, they inject those molecules into a nanoparticle roughly 1,000 times smaller than the average cell. 他们接下来将这些分子 注射到纳米药物里, 大约比普通细胞小一千倍。
trillions:n.[数]万亿;adj.万亿的;num.[数]万亿; molecules:n.[化学]分子,微粒;[化学]摩尔(molecule的复数); specific:adj.特殊的,特定的;明确的;详细的;[药]具有特效的;n.特性;细节;特效药; viral:adj.滤过性毒菌引起的;滤过性毒菌的; inject:v.注入;注射; nanoparticle:n.纳米颗粒;毫微粒; roughly:adv.粗糙地;概略地;
This nanoparticle is made of lipids , the same type of fatty material that forms the membrane around our cells. 这些纳米药物有间脂质构成, 和我们细胞外包薄膜的 细胞间脂质为相同材质。
But these lipids have been specially engineered to protect the mRNA on its journey through the body and assist its entry into the cell. 但在这些间脂质受过特殊加工, 用来保护 mRNA, 让它完成在体内行程 且协助它进入细胞。
Lastly, the final ingredients are added: sugars and salt to help keep the nanoparticles intact until they reach their destination. 到最后,加入剩下的成分:糖与盐, 用来保持纳米药物完好无缺, 直到它们地抵达目的地。
lipids:n.脂肪,油脂;[生化]脂类(lipid的复数); fatty:adj.脂肪的;肥胖的;多脂肪的;脂肪过多的;n.胖子; membrane:n.膜;薄膜;羊皮纸; journey:n.旅行;行程;vi.旅行; ingredients:n.成分;(尤指烹饪)原料;(成功的)要素;(ingredient的复数) nanoparticles:n.纳米粒子(nanoparticle的复数形式); intact:adj.完整的;原封不动的;未受损伤的;
Before use, the vaccine is kept at a temperature of -20 to -80 degrees Celsius to ensure none of the components break down. 在使用前,疫苗需保存在 零下 20 到 80 摄氏度的环境下, 以防其中任何成分的失效。
Once injected , the nanoparticles disperse and encounter cells. 一旦注射至体内,这些纳米粒子 会扩散并与细胞相遇。
The lipid coating on each nanoparticle fuses with the lipid membrane of a cell and releases the mRNA to do its work. 每一个纳米粒子的间脂质 将与细胞间脂质结合 并通过释放 mRNA 来实现免疫。
Celsius:adj.摄氏的;n.摄氏度; ensure:vt.保证,确保;使安全; components:n.部件;组件;成份(component复数); injected:v.(给…)注射(药物等); (inject的过去分词和过去式) disperse:v.分散;驱散;疏散;散布;adj.分散的;弥散的 encounter:v.遭遇,邂逅;遇到;n.遭遇,偶然碰见; fuses:n.[电]保险丝; v.熔化; releases:n.释放; vt.释放;
At this point, we should note that while the vaccine is delivering viral genetic material into our cells, it’s impossible for this material to alter our DNA. 此刻值得一提: 虽然疫苗将病毒遗传物质 输送进我们身体里, 这个物质不可能更改我们的基因。
mRNA is a short-lived molecule that would need additional enzymes and chemical signals to even access our DNA, let alone change it. mRNA 分子寿命很短, 并需要其他的酶和化学信号 才能接触到我们的基因, 更别提更改它了。
And none of these DNA altering components are present in mRNA vaccines. mRNA 疫苗里也不包括 任何一个修改基因的部分。
genetic:adj.基因的;遗传学的; alter:v.更改;修改(衣服使更合身); short-lived:adj.短暂的,短期的;短命的;无常的; additional:adj.附加的,额外的; enzymes:n.[生化]酶(enzyme的复数);酶类,酵素; chemical:n.化学制品,化学药品;adj.化学的; let alone:更不必说;听任;不打扰; altering:n.变更;v.变更(alter的现在分词);
Once inside the cell, the ribosome translates the mRNA’s instructions and begins assembling the viral protein. 一旦进入细胞,核糖体将转译 mRNA 的指令 并开始组装病毒蛋白质。
In COVID-19 vaccines, that protein is one of the spikes typically found on the virus’s surface. 新冠疫苗含有的蛋白是 病毒表面的刺突蛋白。
Without the rest of the virus this lone spike is not infectious , but it does trigger our immune response. 少了剩下的病毒, 一个刺突蛋白没有感染力, 但是能触发我们的免疫反应。
assembling:v.聚集;集合;收集;装配;组装;(assemble的现在分词) spikes:n.钉鞋(spike的复数);v.把…钉牢(spike的第三人称单数); typically:adv.代表性地;作为特色地; infectious:adj.传染的;传染性的;易传染的;
Activating the immune system can be taxing on the body, resulting in brief fatigue , fever, and muscle soreness in some people. 激活免疫系统会消耗体力, 给一些人带来短期疲劳、发烧, 和肌肉酸痛的反应。
But this doesn’t mean the recipient is sick— it means the vaccine is working. 但这不代表接种者生病了—— 代表着疫苗生效了。
The body is producing antibodies to fight that viral protein, that will then stick around to defend against future COVID-19 infections . 身体生产着抵抗病毒蛋白的抗体, 能持续在身体里抵抗 未来的新冠感染。
Activating:v.使活动(activate的ing形式); immune system:n.免疫系统; fatigue:n.疲劳;劳累;厌倦;(金属或木材的)疲劳;v.疲劳;使疲乏;(士兵)担任杂役; muscle:n.肌肉;力量;v.加强;使劲搬动;使劲挤出; soreness:n.悲伤;痛苦;愤慨; recipient:n.容器,接受者;容纳者;adj.容易接受的,感受性强的; antibodies:n.[免疫]抗体(antibody的复数); stick around:v.逗留;在附近徘徊; infections:n.传染病;口腔病害(infection复数形式);
And since this particular protein is likely to be found in most COVID variants , these antibodies should reduce the threat of catching new strains . 由于这个蛋白很可能 在多种变异株上出现, 这些抗体应当减少 感染变异株的威胁性。
This approach offers significant advantages over previous vaccines. 这个手段比起原先的疫苗 有明显的优势。
Traditional vaccines contain weakened versions of live viruses or amputated sections of a virus, both of which required time intensive research to prepare and unique chemical treatments to safely inject. 传统疫苗含有削弱的活病毒 或肢解病毒的一部分, 两个都需要耗时间的研究来生产 及特殊的化学处理方式 才能安全接种。
variants:n.[计]变体;变异型(variant的复数); strains:n.[微]菌株(strain复数); v.[力]拉紧; significant:adj.重大的;有效的;有意义的;值得注意的;意味深长的;n.象征;有意义的事物; advantages:n.有利条件; v.有利于; previous:adj.以前的;早先的;过早的;adv.在先;在…以前; Traditional:传统的,惯例的, weakened:v.(使)虚弱,衰弱;减弱;削弱;动摇;(weaken的过去分词和过去式) amputated:切断;锯掉;截(肢)(amputate的过去式和过去分词); intensive:adj.加强的;集中的;透彻的;加强语气的;n.加强器; unique:adj.独特的,稀罕的;[数]唯一的;n.独一无二的人或物; treatments:n.治疗;疗法;对待;处理;讨论;(treatment的复数)
But mRNA vaccines don’t actually contain any viral particles, so they don’t have to be built from scratch to safely adjust each virus. 可 mRNA 疫苗本身 不含有任何病毒颗粒, 所以为了安全加工每个病毒, 它们不需要每次都从零开始。
In fact, every mRNA vaccine could have roughly the same list of ingredients. 实际上,每支 mRNA 疫苗 都有相似的成分表。
Imagine a reliable , robustly tested vaccine that can treat any disease by swapping out a single component. 想象一下,即可信又稳健的疫苗, 只需要更改一种成分 就能医治任何一种疾病。
from scratch:白手起家;从头做起; adjust:v.调整;调节;适应;习惯; reliable:adj.可信赖的;可依靠的;真实可信的;可靠的; robustly:adv.要用体力地;粗鲁地;坚定地; swapping:v.交换(东西);交换(工作);用…替换;(swap的现在分词)
To treat a new illness, researchers would identify the right viral protein, encode it into mRNA, and then swap that mRNA into the existing vaccine platform . 治疗新兴疾病时,研究员们 要找到合适的病毒蛋白, 改写编辑到 mRNA 里, 再把那个 mRNA 替换到 现有的疫苗载体内。
This could make it possible to develop new vaccines in weeks, giving humanity a flexible new tool in the never-ending fight against disease. 这样就使得数周内 研制出新的疫苗成为可能, 为人类在与疾病的无止境战斗中 提供灵活的新方法。
identify:v.识别:鉴定:确认:发现: platform:n.平台; v.把…放在台上[放在高处; humanity:n.人类;人道;仁慈;人文学科; flexible:adj.灵活的;柔韧的;易弯曲的; never-ending:adj.不停的;无限的;