1 . Healthy human skin is covered with bacteria (细菌) that are quick to settle in an open wound. To prevent these organisms from spreading through the body, which can permanently injure or kill a person, the infected wound may need to be cleaned and treated with antibiotics. Medical professionals typically identify infections by unwrapping and observing a wound or by swabbing (用拭子擦拭) it and conducting a laboratory test. But removing a wound dressing can slow down the healing process. Plus, observations are subjective, while swab tests take time and require that a patient be physically present.
To address these issues, some research teams are developing devices that sit under bandages and continuously monitor indirect signs of infection, such as changes in wound temperature or acidity. And scientists at the National University of Singapore have now created an even more direct infection sensor.
This sensor can detect an enzyme (酶) called DNase. The enzyme acts as a reliable infection indicator because disease-causing bacteria produce it in large amounts inside wounds, whereas bacteria on healthy skin do not—so testing for the substance reduces the chance of a false positive result. Furthermore, DNase builds up before other infection signs appear. The new alert system, nicknamed the“wireless infection detection on wounds” (WINDOW) sensor, was detailed in Science Advances.
WINDOWs enzyme-sensing parts rely on a material called DNAgel. There searchers developed a particular kind of DNAgel that remains stable in watery environments, such as the human body, but begins to break down in the presence of DNase. They connected this gel (凝胶) to a chip that senses when the gel responds by sending a signal to a smartphone.
Thus far, the team has exposed the DNAgel to wound swabs from 18 people’s wounds to see how much the material degraded in the presence of the bacteria. There searchers also used the device on six living lab mice whose wounds were exposed to the same bacterial species, and it successfully detected infections.
1. What is the first paragraph mainly about?| A．The harm of common wounds. |
| B．The treatment of infected wounds. |
| C．The intervention on wound healing. |
| D．The dilemma of infection observation. |
| A．By comparing wound acidity. |
| B．By detecting the DNase enzyme. |
| C．By measuring the bacteria amount. |
| D．By observing changes in wound color. |
| A．It will cut down the length of infection-treating. |
| B．It could reduce the cost of infection observation. |
| C．It can monitor wounds continuously and remotely. |
| D．It might help conduct laboratory tests on wounds. |
| A．Innovations in Wound Infection Detection |
| B．Removing the Dangers of Open Wounds |
| C．Recognizing the Role of DNase in Healing |
| D．Challenges in Wound Care and Treatment |
The once-futuristic idea of sequencing every newborn child’s DNA to screen for genes that could shape their future health is being put to two major tests. The United Kingdom this week announced plans to sequence the genomes(基因组)of 100, 000 newborns for about 200 rare genetic diseases starting next year. In New York City, a similar project
The goal is to catch treatable diseases that standard newborn screening cannot detect.
But sequencing the full genomes of new-borns raises a host of ethical questions, including
In many countries,
3 . Artificial intelligence (AI) technology may soon be a useful tool for doctors. For example, it may help them better understand and treat diseases like breast cancer (乳腺癌) in ways that were not possible.
Rishi Rawat teaches AI at a University in Los Angeles. He is part of a team of scientists who are researching how AI and machine learning can more easily recognize cancerous growths in the breast. He says, “You put information about cancer cells (细胞) into a computer and it will learn the cancerous growth patterns. The pattern recognition is very important to making decisions.”
At present, researchers have to take a thin piece of tissue (组织), put it on a small piece of glass and add color to better see the cell-growth patterns. That process could take days or even longer. Scientists say artificial intelligence can do it better than just count cells. Through machine learning, it can quickly recognize patterns, or structures, and learn how the cells are organized.
The hope is that machines will soon be able to make a quick recognition of cancerous cell-growth patterns that is free of human mistakes. Rawat adds that the process could be done “for almost no cost for the patients”. But having a large amount of information about cells is important for a machine to effectively do its job. Once the cancerous growth pattern is recognized, doctors still have to treat the patient. The form of treatment depends on the kind of cancer.
David Agus is another researcher of the team. He believes, “Computers will help doctors make better decisions and look for those patterns that the human brain can't recognize by itself. But they will not treat patients.”
1. What’s the advantage of AI technology?| A．It treats breast cancer all by itself. |
| B．It provides free cancer treatment for the patients. |
| C．It recognizes the cancerous growth patterns faster. |
| D．It helps doctors make fewer mistakes in cancer treatment. |
| A．The process of treating cancers. | B．The process of adding color to cells. |
| C．The process of taking a piece of tissue. | D．The process of recognizing the cell-growth. |
| A．AI will not replace doctors. | B．AI will develop fast in the future. |
| C．AI can be useless in treating cancers. | D．AI can provide the doctors with treatments. |
| A．AI technology has a long way to go. | B．AI Makes Better Doctors. |
| C．Future Cancer Treatments will be successful. | D．AI Helps Pattern Recognition. |
4 . Researchers say a new electrical device placed in three paralyzed patients has helped them walk again. The lower bodies of the three patients were left paralyzed after they suffered spinal (脊柱的) cord injuries. But a device implanted in the spinal cord was able to send electrical signals to the muscles to permit them to stand, walk and exercise.
Scientists have discovered that neurons—which receive and send signals for muscle movements—often still work in injured patients with serious spinal cord injuries. However, past research into spinal cord injuries has centered on the stimulation of neurons. Now in the latest experiment led by Gregoire Courtine and Jocelyne Bloch of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne, three paralyzed men were implanted a new electrical device designed to copy an action of the brain, in which it sends signals to the spinal cord that result in muscle movement. When the spinal cord receives the brain signals, it stimulates a collection of nerve cells that can activate different muscles.
The researchers reported that all three patients who got the spinal cord implants were able to take their first steps within an hour after receiving them. Over the next six months, the patients regained the ability to take part in more advanced walking activities, the study found. They were also able to ride bicycles and swim in community settings.
Unlike other attempts to help paralyzed patients walk by stimulating nerves through the back of the spine, Courtine said that his team redesigned the devices so signals would enter the spine from the sides. This method permits more direct targeting and activation of spinal cord areas, he said.
The team then developed artificial intelligence (AI) systems linked to the device. The AI controls electrodes on the device to send signals to stimulate individual nerves that control muscles needed for walking and other activities. However, because the patients’ muscles were weak from not being used, they needed help with supporting their weight, the researchers said. It also took some time for them to learn to work with the technology. Still, Bloch said, “The more they train, the more they start lifting their muscles, the more fluid it becomes.”
1. What can be inferred from paragraph 2?| A．Courtine and Bloch have found that neurons in paralyzed patients still work. |
| B．The new electrical device can imitate the brain to send signals to the spinal cord. |
| C．Three paralyzed men recovered with the help of a new electrical device. |
| D．Stimulating the neurons is the focus of the latest research into spinal .cord injuries. |
| A．By stimulating nerves through the back of the spine. |
| B．By using the AI system. |
| C．By making signals enter the spine from the sides. |
| D．By sending the signals to the brain. |
| A．Every garden has its weeds. |
| B．Put the cart (运货马车) before the horse. |
| C．It's hard to please all. |
| D．Practice makes perfect. |
| A．To report the consequence of spinal cord injuries. |
| B．To introduce the findings of a recent research. |
| C．To compare a recent research with other previous researches. |
| D．To recommend a treatment for paralyzed patients. |
Tu Youyou, a
6 . Paintings and sculptures can be a feast for the eyes of visitors to art museums, but today their viewing is also an unconventional treatment for people with mental illness.
Last month, a group of Canadian doctors started to write a new kind of prescription（处方）,which gives patients free access to the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts（MMFA）. There, they will have a "relaxing, revitalizing experience" looking at the museum's collections, according to MMFA.
Nathalie Bondil, the museum's director general, believes that being in contact with culture and arts can help with wellbeing. "In the 21st century, culture will be what physical activity was for health in the 20th century," she said.
Each prescription will allow not only the patients but also their families or friends to go with them. In the museum, the visitor can appreciate the artworks, and take part in a wide range of activities including drawing, sewing（缝纫）and making a sculpture with recycled materials.
The new treatment is said to be the first of its kind in the world. But there's increasing evidence that the display of visual art, especially art depicting（描绘）nature, can have positive effects on people with depression, anxiety and self-esteem（自尊）problems.
In 2017, the UK's All Party Parliamentary Group on Arts, Health and Wellbeing（APPGAHW）also released a report stating that "the time has come to recognise the powerful contribution the arts can make to our health and wellbeing".
Is it possible for art to improve overall health? We may not know the answer yet. But one thing is certain, more and more people today are persuaded by the idea that "art is good medicine".
1. What prescription did the group of Canadian doctors give to mental patients?| A．Get conventional treatment. |
| B．Relax by experiencing nature. |
| C．Join in some physical activities. |
| D．Appreciate paintings and sculptures. |
| A．Contacting culture and arts can make people rich. |
| B．Visiting art museums can help keep people healthy. |
| C．Culture will replace physical activities in the 21st century |
| D．Mental patients should go to museums with their families. |
| A．It can help with mental problems. |
| B．Nothing has proved it right so far. |
| C．It was used before by visual artists. |
| D．APPGAHW doubted its value. |
| A．Will MMFA be open to patients? |
| B．Is there a new treatment for artists? |
| C．Will fine arts improve mental health? |
| D．Is there a better medicine than art? |
7 . For the first time, the World Health Organization has included Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) in its globally influential medical compendium(手册), according to an international science journal.
An article published by Nature on Wednesday said that TCM will be included in the latest version of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD)set to be released next year. Starting from the 1800s, the ICD has been improved and published in a series of editions,reflecting the advances in health and medical science over time. It serves as the foundation for the identification of global health trends, and the international standard for diseases and health conditions.
The latest ICD is based largely on the work of the International Classification of Traditional Medicine (ICTM) project's experts from around the world. These experts had been working on traditional medicine research and practices for years.
China has been promoting the modernization of TCM and pushing for TCM to gain acceptance worldwide. Tu Youyou, a Chinese expert focusing on the scientific study of drugs and medicines, was awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 2015 for her research in TCM. Her discovery has saved millions of lives in developing countries in South Asia, Africa and South America. TCM is sure to grow in popularity globally.
Though the application of traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture(针灸) and other traditional medical practices has been on the rise, there's still a shortage of global classification and terminology(术语) tools for traditional medicine, according to officials of the WHO.
“The decision is to promote the safe and effective use of traditional medicine by regulating, researching and combining traditional medicine products, practitioners and practice into health systems, where appropriate," the WHO was quoted as saying by Nature.
1. What can we learn about the ICD from Paragraph 2?| A．It has included TCM this year. |
| B．It has a history of over 300 years. |
| C．It is published in various languages. |
| D．It provides standards for diseases worldwide. |
| A．To imply the worldwide popularity of TCM. |
| B．To prove TCM's gaining worldwide acceptance |
| C．To introduce a breakthrough in the medical field. |
| D．To show Chinese people deserve the Nobel Prize for their contribution. |
| A．The classification of TCM. |
| B．The standard of TCM terms. |
| C．The official promotion of TCM. |
| D．The use of traditional Chinese medicine |
| A．Lifestyle. | B．Opinion |
| C．Health. | D．Tech |
8 . A drug used to treat severe bleeding could save thousands of lives for mothers giving birth. A global trial of the drug found it reduced the risk of bleeding deaths during childbirth by nearly one-third. The study involved 20,000 women in 21 countries, mainly in Africa and Asia. The trial was carried out by London's School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. The drug is called d tranexamic acid (氨甲环酸). It is low-cost and researchers said it does not cause serious side effects for mothers or babies.
The drug is used to treat mothers for severe bleeding during childbirth, also known as postpartum hemorrhage (产后出血).It is the leading cause of mother’s death worldwide, according to the World Health Organization.
Haleema Shakur is the project director of the trial. She says despite medical advances in many countries, severe bleeding after childbirth remains a big problem in some parts of the world. “It's one of the biggest killers of mothers. In Africa and Asia. about 10 percent of women will end up with severe bleeding. " The drug works by stopping blood clots(血凝块) from breaking down after a mother gives birth. The treatment can prevent the need for doctors to perform surgery to find the source of bleeding.
Shakur said the best results were reported when the drug was given to women as soon as possible after childbirth, “The earlier you give it- so within the first three hours of giving birth—the better the effect is. ”
The next step will be to get the drug where it is needed provide training for doctors and nurses on how to use it. During the trial, women were given the drug in a hospital. But researchers are looking for easier ways to administer the drug so it can be more widely used in small clinics and rural areas.
1. Tranexamic acid is a drug that________ .| A．should be used for every mother |
| B．helps mothers before giving birth |
| C．ensures most new-born babies’ health |
| D．can help mothers giving birth stop bleeding |
| A．To know how much the drug is. |
| B．To get permission to use the drug. |
| C．To let more people know the drug. |
| D．To make medical staff know how to use the drug. |
| A．The more mothers use the drug, the better its effect is. |
| B．African and Asian countries made great progress in medicine. |
| C．There is a long way to go before the drug can be used more widely. |
| D．Postpartum hemorrhage is the leading cause of women’s death. |
| A．Care for the Health of Mothers |
| B．How Can We Use Tranexamic Acid Well? |
| C．Childbirth Drug Greatly Reduces Bleeding Deaths |
| D．What's the Biggest Killer of Mothers? |
The health-care economy is filled with unusual and even unique economic relationships. One of the least understood involves the peculiar roles of producer or “provider” and purchaser or “consumer” in the typical doctor-patient relationship. In most sectors of the economy, it is the seller who attempts to attract a potential buyer with various appealing factors of price, quality, and use, and it is the buyer who makes the decision. Such condition, however, is not common in most of the health-care industry.
In the health-care industry, the doctor-patient relationship is the mirror image of the ordinary relationship between producer and consumer. Once an individual has chosen to see a physician — and even then there may be no real choice — it is the physician who usually makes all significant purchasing decisions: whether the patient should return “next Wednesday”, whether X-rays are needed, whether drugs should be prescribed, etc. It is rare that a patient will challenge such professional decisions or raise in advance questions about price, especially when the disease is regarded as serious.
This is particularly significant in relation to hospital care. The physician must certify the need for hospitalization, determine what procedures will be performed, and announce when the patient may be discharged. The patient may be consulted about some of the decisions, but in general it is the doctor’s judgments that are final. Little wonder then that in the eye of the hospital it is the physician who is the real “consumer”. As a consequence, the medical staff represents the “power center” in hospital policy and decision-making, not the administration.
Although usually there are in this situation four identifiable participants— the physician, the hospital, the patient, and the payer (generally an insurance carrier or government)— the physician makes the essential decisions for all of them. The hospital becomes an extension of the physician; the payer generally meets most of the bills generated by the physician/hospital, and for the most part the patient plays a passive role. We estimate that about 75-80 percent of health-care choices are determined by physicians, not patients. For this reason, the economy directed at patients or the general is relatively ineffective.
1. The author’s primary purpose in writing this passage is to ________.| A．urge hospitals to reclaim their decision-making authority |
| B．inform potential patients of their health-care rights |
| C．criticize doctors for exercising too much control over patients |
| D．analyze some important economic factors in health-care |
| A．most of patient’s bills are paid by his health insurance |
| B．it is doctors who generate income for the hospital |
| C．some patients might refuse to take their physician’s advice |
| D．a doctor is ultimately responsible for a patient’s health |
| A．advising the patient to seek a second opinion |
| B．warning the patient that a hospital stay might be necessary |
| C．instructing the patient to buy more medical services |
| D．admitting that the first visit was ineffective |
| A．a proposal to control medical costs |
| B．a study of lawsuits against doctors for malpractice |
| C．an analysis of the cause of inflation (通货膨胀) in the US |
| D．a discussion of a new medical treatment |
