1 . “Going wireless is the future for just about everything!” That is a quote from scientist Sreekanth Chalasani, and we can’t help but agree. Realizing this, a team of scientists has made a breakthrough toward wirelessly controlling human cells using sound, in a technique called “sonogenetics (声遗传学).” This concept may seem strange but let us explain.
Basically, the term “sonogenetics” means using ultrasound (超声波) to change the behavior of cells in a non-invasive manner. “We already know that ultrasound is safe, and that it can go through bone, muscle and other tissues, making it the ultimate tool for controlling cells deep in the body,” says Chalasani.
Low-frequency ultrasound waves can target a particular protein that is sensitive to the signal. This research, published in Nature Communications, focused on TRPA1. When this protein is stimulated through the ultrasound waves, it also stimulates the cells which carry it. What type of cell is being stimulated depends on the outcome. For example, a muscle cell may contract with stimulation, or a neuron (神经元) in the brain will fire. In this experiment, scientists genetically marked cells with an increased concentration of TRPA1, making them the key targets of the ultrasound waves.
Currently, treating conditions like Parkinson’s disease requires scientists to implant electrodes (电极) in the brain which stimulate certain disordered cells. Researchers hope that sonogenetics can one day replace these invasive treatments.
In the future, the team wants to adjust the placement and amount of TRPAI around the body using the gene treatment. Gene delivery techniques have already been shown to be successful in humans, such as in treating blindness. Therefore, it’s just a case of adjusting this theory to a different sound-based setting.
“Gene delivery techniques already exist for getting a new gene—such as TRPA1—into the human heart,” Chalasani says. “If we can then use an external ultrasound device to activate those cells, that could really change pacemakers.” There is still a while to go before this treatment can become a reality. The future for sonogenetics, though, looks bright.
1. What’s working principle for sonogenetics?| A．Using medicine interventional therapies. |
| B．Changing cells’ shape with new equipment. |
| C．Controlling cells in a non-invasive manner. |
| D．Using a kind of unique medical composition. |
| A．Change the concentration of the protein. |
| B．Find target cells for treatment precisely. |
| C．Analyze the protein sensitive to the sign. |
| D．Choose the type of cell to be stimulated. |
| A．It can be applied to other fields besides medicine. |
| B．It may replace some traditional medical therapies. |
| C．It will totally transform gene delivery techniques. |
| D．It has succeeded in curing diseases like blindness. |
| A．Can cells be controlled by sound? |
| B．How is sonogenetics clinically used? |
| C．Are gene delivery techniques available? |
| D．What are applications of sonogenetics? |
2 . When you’re sitting on an examining table, it’s easy to forget all the questions that brought you in to see the doctor in the first place. Maybe you thought your physician would ask you about something, but they didn’t, so you weren’t sure if you should bring it up. Or a symptom (症状) felt like a big deal to you, but they brushed it off. How to get the best care from your physician?
Prepare for an appointment
Most patients feel that the doctor is all-knowing, and that in the medical relationship they are powerless.
If you feel dismissed by your doctor, don’t hesitate to voice your opinions. Some helpful phrases can be used in those moments: “This is limiting my life,” and “I think that there’s something going on and I’m having a hard time putting it together. I need your help.” You can also ask for a referral (转诊) to see another specialist and bring a friend or family member to your next appointment to ask questions or take notes.
Take information home with you
Taking written or recorded information home with you can help you remember information and instructions any time you need to. Your doctor is a good source of accurate information you can trust. You can take home with you the notes that you have taken during the appointment.
Follow up with your doctor
| A．Ask follow-up questions. |
| B．Here’s how to talk to your physician. |
| C．Your doctor can write all instructions down for you. |
| D．But your physician can’t read your mind. |
| E．Make sure to follow any instructions your doctor gave you. |
| F．Here are some tips on making the most of a diagnosis (诊断). |
| G．You can also take home any written instructions from your doctor. |
1. When did the man start to have a fever?
| A．Yesterday afternoon. |
| B．Last night. |
| C．This morning. |
| A．Take some medicine. |
| B．Fill in the registration slip. |
| C．Go to the Medical Department. |
4 . Vaccination(接种疫苗) is among the most effective ways to help us prevent diseases. For viruses that don't change too much—the measles virus(麻疹病毒), for example—getting vaccinated is a once-and-for-all method to prevent you from becoming infected with the virus. If you had two measles vaccines when you were a child, you would be protected for life.
However, it's a different story when it comes to influenza(流行性感冒), commonly known as “the flu”, which generally peaks between December and February. Flu vaccines cannot protect us in the long term.
There is no long-term immunity(免疫), according to Theodore Strange, associate medical director at Staten Island University Hospital in New York. “The virus essentially ‘changes its coat’—H1N1, H2N3, and so on,” he told the website Healthline.
Apart from a person's immune protection from flu vaccination declining over time, flu viruses are also constantly changing. So the vaccines are likely to be updated from one season to the next to protect against the viruses that research suggests may be the most common during the upcoming flu season.
Thus, to develop effective flu vaccines, over 100 national influenza centers around the world conduct year-round surveillance(监测) for influenza. Researchers will test thousands of influenza virus samples from patients, according to the official website of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC). The World Health Organization also suggests there are three or four influenza viruses that are most likely to spread among people during the upcoming flu season.
But even when a vaccine is developed, getting it can prove to be difficult, as it is in high demand and short supply. The timing of influenza vaccine production and distribution is unpredictable, thus the availability of the flu vaccine supply does not always meet peak demand.
So scientists prioritize access to the vaccination. The CDC recommends key populations, such as medical staff, teachers, students, children and those aged 60 and above, receive flu vaccines.
This year the situation seems more complicated, as the upcoming flu season coincides with the COVID-19 pandemic. This could overwhelm hospitals, straining(过度使用) resources and healthcare workers, time.
1. What do we know about influenza?| A．Influenza viruses are continuously changing. |
| B．It commonly peaks between November and December. |
| C．Getting two flu vaccines can protect people against the viruses. |
| D．H1N1 and H2N3 are the most easily infectious flu viruses. |
| A．They update vaccines once a year. |
| B．They monitor the flu throughout the year. |
| C．They focus on one or two viruses during a period. |
| D．Influenza centers worldwide share virus samples from patients. |
| A．Because not all people can afford it. |
| B．Because some people refuse to get vaccinated. |
| C．Because the vaccine is not safe for everyone. |
| D．Because the vaccine fails to meet the demand. |
| A．Worried. | B．Positive. |
| C．Confident. | D．Skeptical. |
Some years ago, SARS
6 . China will give the green light to Internet medical services conducted by medical institutions as part of a broader push to promote Internet Plus Healthcare, which was decided at a State Council executive meeting held by Premier Li Keqiang.
Medical institutions will be allowed to provide online diagnostic services for patients with common and chronic diseases in their followup visits to their doctors. The top levels of hospitals will be encouraged to provide online services, including consultations (会诊), reservations and test result inquiries.
As China joins the ranks of middleincome countries, the demand for health services has increased accordingly. Internet Plus Healthcare can help reduce the problem of inaccessible and expensive public health services that have long been a big concern for the general public.
One decision coming out of the meeting says the intelligent review of health insurance will be applied and that the onestop settlement will be advanced. The realtime sharing of prescription and drug retail sales will be explored as well.
“We must waste no time in pushing forward the measures once the decision is made，” Li said. “In recent years, toplevel hospitals in major cities have seen steady increases in the number of patients. Medical bills have become a heavy burden on families and highend medical resources still fall short of meeting the growing demand of the public.”
To solve the problem, a twopronged (双管齐下的) approach must be taken. One is to establish medical partnerships to strengthen cooperation between major hospitals and community clinics. The other is to bring forward Internet Plus Healthcare to promote the sharing of quality medical resources.
The government will see to it that longdistance healthcare services cover all countylevel hospitals. So more efforts will be made to ensure that highspeed broadband network will be extended to cover medical institutions in urban and rural areas. Dedicated Internet access services will be set up to meet the needs for longdistance healthcare services.
1. According to the text, which of the following services won't a patient enjoy online?| A．Asking doctors for advice after the test. |
| B．Receiving a medical operation. |
| C．Knowing their situation about the disease. |
| D．Making an appointment with a doctor in advance. |
| A．The improvement of people's life quality. |
| B．The recognition of health insurance. |
| C．The expense of medical care. |
| D．The inconvenience of hospital equipment. |
| A．The bills are impossible to afford. |
| B．The measures are perfectly worked out. |
| C．The situations need urgent improvement. |
| D．The hospitals are unwilling to admit patients. |
| A．Modern Hospitals |
| B．Wide Applications of Internet Medical Services |
| C．No More Burden for General People |
| D．Online Healthcare on Its Way |
