Scientists have transfused (输血) lab-made red blood cells into a human volunteer in a world-first trial that experts say has major potential for people with hard-to-match blood types or conditions such as sickle cell disease. The research could someday mean an end to long searches for compatible donors (匹配的捐赠者) or dangerous transfusion reactions.
The experimental transfusion was done at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge, England, as part of a joint effort among UK scientists to understand how lab-made blood transfusions could work.
The scientists took whole blood from donors in a UK database and separated out the stem cells. These are the body’s raw materials — the cells from which all specialized cells,like a red blood cell, can generate.Researchers grew red blood cells from those stem cells and transfused them into two healthy volunteers.
The transfusions involved only a tiny amount of blood: about one or two teaspoons. A standard blood transfusion would involve many hundred times that amount. This stage of the trial involves two mini transfusions at least four months apart, one with a standard donation of red cells and the other with lab-made cells from the same donor.
The researchers are closely monitoring the volunteers to determine whether the process was safe. They say there have been with“no unexpected side effects” so far. They’re also watching how long the lab-grown cells last compared with an infusion of standard red blood cells. Red blood cells typically last about 120 days, but a transfusion from a standard donation contains cells that are a variety of ages because the bone marrow (骨髓) continuously makes these cells.
Previous tests have shown that manufactured cells function like normal cells and that these lab-made cells are likely to survive longer overall while in circulation. This study will determine for the first time whether that’s true.
Further trials will be necessary to determine whether there could be a clinical use of this lab-grown product.
The research could eventually make a difference for people with sickle cell disease, those who. develop antibodies against most donor blood types, or those with genetic disorders in which their bod can’t make red blood cells or the blood cells they make don’t work well.
1. What is the purpose of the experiment?| A．To seek out hard-to-match blood types. |
| B．To end dangerous transfusion reactions. |
| C．To promote close cooperation among UK scientists. |
| D．To know how to transfuse lab-grown blood effectively. |
| A．They typically last about four months. |
| B．They were grown from red blood cells. |
| C．They did unexpectedly cause some side effects. |
| D．They were transfused into a volunteer in large amounts. |
| A．Indifferent. | B．Disapproving. | C．Suspicious. | D．Favourable. |
| A．Lab-made cells function normally and are likely to survive longer in circulation. |
| B．Lab-grown blood could have enormous potential for people with rare blood conditions. |
| C．Long searches for compatible donors and dangerous transfusion reactions can be ended. |
| D．An experimental transfusion was done at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge, England. |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】Lessons learned in past outbreaks
The novel coronavirus dominates(主导）the headlines as one of the world's most pressing issues.It has killed more people than the 2003 SARS outbreak,according to the World Health Organization（WHO).
One of the biggest lessons from SARS was to share the latest information about the virus with the public and other countries in the world as quickly as possible.,
With experiences of fighting against SARS and MERS,many countries were also better prepared to stop the spread of coronavirus.
In the fight against the novel coronavirus,China has also taken many effective measures to control the virus.Under the leadership and command of the central government,all provinces and municipalities(自治区）across the country have launched a Level One emergency response to the novel coronavirus.
| A．They also quickly isolated(隔离）those who were confirmed infected for medical care |
| B．Chinese health officials published the details of the new virus online |
| C．The number of infections overall in China are now far more than that of SARA |
| D．Following the measures,the number of the infected has dramatically decreased |
| E．The outbreak has killed many people since the first death was reported in Wuhan |
| F．But there is no better prevention than stopping the source |
| G．What can we learn from the past outbreaks,including SARS and MERS |
【推荐2】Health care is regarded as an important way to improve the health and well-being of people around the world. In many countries of the world, free health care is provided by the government.
Clearly, we all have to pay for this service through our taxes.
Finally, I would like to say that I think free health care is a good thing. I understand that the system is not perfectly fair because some people use it more than others. Besides, not all the medical treatment is really necessary for the health of the patient. The taxpayer should not have to pay the costs of such treatment.
| A．It helps you make money. |
| B．Personally, I disagree with this point of view. |
| C．However, some people think this is basically unjust. |
| D．This means that everybody has a chance to see a doctor. |
| E．Free health care will decrease the economy of the country. |
| F．Besides, fire fighters take risks, but they are necessary risks. |
| G．However, in my opinion, this is a small price to pay for a healthier society. |
【推荐3】As a student at a medical school, Sam thinks poetry is a big part of his life, thanks to his new teacher, Rafael Campo, who believes poetry can benefit every doctor’s education and work. Rafael is a physician, professor and a highly respected poet.
“Poetry is in every encounter with my patients. If we do anything when we’re with our patients, we’re really immersed in their stories, really hearing their voices. And, certainly, that’s what a poem does,” he said.
Rafael worries that something important has been lost in medicine and medical education today: humanity, which he finds in poetry. To end that, he leads a weekly reading and writing workshop for medical students and residents. He thinks medical training focuses too much on distancing the doctor from his or her patients, and poems can help close that gap.
Third-year resident Andrea Schwartz was one of the workshop regulars. She said, “I think there’s no other profession other than medicine that produces as many writers as it does. And I think that is because there’s just so much power in doctors and patients interacting when patients are at their saddest moments.” Not everyone believes that’s what doctors should do, though.
Rafael said, “I was afraid of how people might judge me, actually. In the medical profession, as many people know, we must always put the emergency first. But, you know, that kind of treatment, if it’s happening in the hospital, very regrettably, sadly, results in a bad outcome. The family is sitting by the bedside. The patient hasn’t survived the cancer. Don’t we still have a role as healers there?”
In a poem titled “Health”, Rafael writes of the wish to live forever in a world made painless by our incurable joy. He says he will continue teaching students, helping patients and writing poems, his own brand of medicine.
1. What’s Rafael Campo?| A．He’s a doctor. |
| B．He’s a physicist. |
| C．He is a teacher in a senior school. |
| D．He is a student at a medical school. |
| A．Committed. | B．Forced. | C．Absorbed. | D．Persuaded. |
| A．It contributes to medical work. |
| B．It is mostly produced by doctors. |
| C．It has nothing to do with doctors. |
| D．It keeps doctors away from patients. |
| A．Gifted but overconfident. |
| B．Capable and responsible. |
| C．Honest and modest. |
| D．Cold but respected. |
| A．A good medicine tastes bitter |
| B．Poetry heals the pain |
| C．Sad poetry is a ready medicine |
| D．A poem a day keeps the doctor away |
【推荐1】Attachment Parenting is not Indulgent (纵容) Parenting. Attachment parents do not “spoil” their children. Spoiling is done when a child is given everything that they want regardless of what they need and what is practical. Indulgent parents give toys for tantrums (发脾气), ice cream for breakfast. Attachment parents don’t give their children everything they want, they give their children everything that they need. Attachment parents believe that love and comfort are free and necessary. Not sweets or toys.
Attachment Parenting is not “afraid of tears” parenting. Our kids cry and have tantrums sometimes, of course. But they do this because their emotions are so strong that they need to get them out. They simply expect us to listen to them. We pick up our babies when they cry, and we respond to the tears of our older children because we believe firmly that comfort is free, love is free, and that when a child is in need of comfort and love, it is our job to provide these things.
Attachment Parenting is not Clingy Parenting. I do not cling (抓紧) to my children. In fact, I’m pretty free-range. As soon as they can move, they usually move away from me. Sure, I carry them and hug them and chase them and kiss them and rock them and sleep with them. But this is not me following them everywhere and pulling them back to me. This is me being a home base.
Attachment Parenting is not Helicopter Parenting. I don’t hover. I supervise (监督). I follow, I teach, I demonstrate, I explain. I don’t slap (拍，打) curious hands away. I show how to do things safely. I let my child do what he wishes to do, first with help and then with supervision and finally with trust. I don’t insist that my 23-month-old hold my hand when we walk on the sidewalk because I know that I can recall him with my voice because he trusts me to allow him to explore and he trusts me to explain when something is dangerous and to help him satisfy his curiosities safely.
Most of the negative things that I hear about “Attachment Parents” are completely off-base and describe something that is entirely unlike Attachment-Parenting. Attachment Parenting is child-centered and focuses on the needs of the child. Attachment Parents simply believe that children are taught, not trained.
1. According to the author, what should parents do when their kids cry?| A．Reward them with toys. | B．Try to stop them crying. |
| C．Provide comfort and love to them. | D．Hold them tight in their arms. |
| A．The author’s providing of a home base. |
| B．The author’s readiness to play games with their kids. |
| C．The author’s being curious about watching the games they play. |
| D．The author’s willingness to give their kids freedom of movement. |
| A．Encouraging your child’s curiosity. | B．Always standing by to protect your child. |
| C．Helping your child to do the right thing. | D．Showing your child how things are done. |
| A．A certain type of parenting | B．Parent-child relationships. |
| C．How to bring out love in children. | D．How to build children’s self-confidence. |
【推荐2】If you're a traditional pasta lover, then you know the noodles come in all sorts of different shapes. There are flat noodles, round noodles, shells, tubes with stripes, and many more. Some of these pastas pack easily into a small box or package. But others require much larger boxes or bags because their hard 3D shapes take up a much greater amount of space.
Now a team of scientists at Carnegie Mellon University(CMU) has figured out a way that pasta can be packed flat in a package, and still form fancy 3D shapes once its cooked in the water. The team hopes that the new pasta will be easier on the environment.
The team was inspired by “flat-pack furniture”. Flat-pack furniture comes tightly packed in a box and is easy to store because it takes up so little space. Sending flat-pack furniture is also much easier on the environment because there's very little wasted space in the delivery vehicles.
To bring the flat-pack idea to the pasta world, scientists used 3D printers to create flat sheets made with semolina flour and water, which look normal, but actually involve some clever engineering. When cooked in water, the flat sheets have been designed in such a way that they instantly transform into different 3D shapes, including traditional pasta forms.
The team, led by Lining Yao, has even experimented with other shapes to see how creative they could get. He can make flat pasta like beads of caviar, and when the pasta is placed in hot soup, they can turn into smaller noodles.
Aside from being visually impressive, the project could prove to be especially interesting for the shipping industry and food trader, as it could allow for more food to be shipped and stored than ever before. For the consumers, all that would then be required is to put the pasta in water and watch it transform into the desired shape.
1. What is the feature of the traditional pastas?| A．They take up less space in a package. | B．They are environment-friendly products. |
| C．They can be made into a variety of shapes. | D．They are popular food all around the world. |
| A．To pack them up easily in a box. | B．To make them look more attractive. |
| C．To meet the demand of food retailers. | D．To change them into different 3D shapes. |
| A．Indifferent. | B．Negative. | C．Objective. | D．Appreciative. |
| A．Scientists Create Flat Pasta That Changes Shapes |
| B．Will 3D-printed Pastas Be The Future Of Food? |
| C．The Flat-pack Pasta Tastes Better After Boiling |
| D．Is Flat-pack Furniture Easier On The Environment? |
【推荐3】Some yogurt containers in your grocery store might be looking a little different soon. Pure Dairy yogurt will be sold in cups made mostly of paper. Pure Dairy is a food company which specializes in making yogurt which is often sold in plastic containers. But plastic, unlike paper, can take hundreds of years to break down, leading to long-lasting waste. Now, Pure Dairy’s first-ever paper cups will replace the plastic cups previously used to hold its yogurt products.
“People have been asking for a paper cup, and we welcome this challenge to start reducing our plastic use, and to spark a conversation about how we can drive change together. I think we all have a role to play in protecting our planet.” said Hamdi Ulukaya, Pure Dairy’s founder and chief executive officer.
Pure Dairy currently produces yogurt, creamers, coffee and plant-based drinks. Many of these products already come in paper-based, recyclable packaging. But its yogurt products had always been sold in plastic. That’s why the company has spent the past two years working to create a paper cup. They wanted it to hold yogurt just as well as the plastic cups do. The paper cup is expected to hit grocery shelves at the end of this year, which is 80 percent paperboard made from renewable materials.
The new paper cup still has a thin plastic lining to maintain the quality of the product and prevent the yogurt from seeping into the packaging. Although packaging with mixed materials is often not recyclable, Pure Dairy will continue working with partners to make it happen. This group works with businesses to make their products and packaging more sustainable, meaning they want to use resources so that they will continue to be available in the future. The yogurt company says it hopes to put more sustainable packaging on shelves all over the country which will use less plastic and more paper.
1. Why will the company sell yogurt in paper containers?| A．To reduce waste. | B．To create a new packaging. |
| C．To recycle the plastic containers. | D．To specialize in making paper cups. |
| A．Share. | B．Continue. | C．Dominate. | D．Activate. |
| A．It can be recyclable. | B．It is made of plastic and paper. |
| C．It doesn’t satisfy the public’s demands. | D．It is not the joint effort of the companies. |
| A．Paper cups may replace the plastic cups. | B．A lot of paper products will be available. |
| C．A renewable material will replace yogurt. | D．The company hopes to produce more packaging. |
