New Drug Slows Alzheimer, But Not a Cure

What a good piece of news! Last week, United States health officials finally     1     (approve) a new Alzheimer drug after enormous clinical trials. The drug, called Leqembi, is the first to slow the decline in memory by several months.

The Alzheimer’s Association describes Alzheimer     2     a brain disease that causes a decline in memory, thinking and reasoning skills. One of the most common signs of Alzheimer’s disease is forgetting recently     3     (learn) information or dates and events. People with the disease have difficulty doing     4     they did before. Some may struggle with joining or following a discussion.

The newly approved Leqembi is a long-needed new treatment for the disease. But Dr. Joy Snider,     5     is a brain doctor at Washington University in St. Louis, warns that the drug isn’t a cure. It doesn’t stop people     6     (get) worse, but it does measurably slow the progression of the disease. She added. “That might mean someone     7     have an extra six months to a year of being able to drive.”

The U. S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the drug through a speedier-than-usual process, which permits drugs     8     (launch) based on early results. The drug is only for early-stage patients and requires an injection by healthcare workers every two weeks. It is not yet clear     9     the drug can help people with the disease. There are also concerns about its safety. “Still, it’s a landmark.” said Dr. Richard Hodes, director of the National Institute on Aging. “It’s not enough, but it’s     10     (encourage) that there’s something we can do,” he added.

Hospital of the Future

To most people, hospitals are associated with illnesses, injuries and sometimes, death. Of course, births that deserve     1    (celebrate) take place there too, but with their grey rooms flooded by daylight lamps and still air, hospitals are often not at the top of anyone’s favourite places to visit. Healthcare professionals and patients alike wear anxious faces,     2     hurrying endlessly along the hallways painted an unpleasant green, or stuck in the comfortless wards; the ill health and despair almost sensible in the air. It is no wonder then, that almost everyone is afraid of hospital visits. However, with the rapid advancement of technology nowadays, along with human-centric approaches towards interior design, the hospitals of the future     3     look and feel broadly different, bringing the visitors a more pleasant experience.

A patient’s journey at the hospital always begins at the reception,     4     patients are usually crowded into row upon row of creaky plastic chairs, filling out boring paperwork and awaiting their turn. Instead, fully integrated online systems may turn this process into a breeze,     5    (allow) patients to check in electronically to register themselves smoothly. With waiting times minimised, lobby spaces may be       6    (well) furnished with comfortable sofa chairs and potted plants around to bring clam and relaxation to an otherwise typically distressing situation.

Digital medical devices become increasingly mainstream in the diagnostic(诊断的) process, awkward physical examinations may soon become a thing of the past.     7    (power) by artificial intelligence, machines would become the efficient mode of detecting physical abnormity, as high-tech sensors scan your body, processing data through supercomputers in the hospital’s mainframe, leaving absolutely no margin     8     error. With patient consent, this data may even be stored in the cloud for future reference by different medical facilities if the need arises, especially in emergencies.

Conquering the Scientific World, Dr. Roberto Crea

Although the scientists that brought a revolution into human life are no more, there remain a few who are following in their footsteps to find permanent solutions to persistent human life problems and add value, ease, and comfort to people’s lives.     1     fits the context perfectly is worth worshiping. And Dr. Roberto Crea is the one of them.

Born on July 1, 1948, in Italy, Roberto Crea was a genius kid.     2    (graduate) from the University of Pavia in Italy, he moved to the Netherlands for his specialization later on and finally enrolled at the University of Leiden, where he studied the synthesis of nucleorides (核苷酸), the basic units that are required to build a DNA.     3     he was immensely interested in and exceedingly curious about it, he was determined to specialize in the DNA/RNA synthesis by the phosphotriester method. Roberto’s strong chemistry background paved the way for a historical invention. And his marvelous research at the University spoke volumes.

With Genetech funding Dr. Crea’s on-going research on gene synthesis, Crea invented a new procedure that streamlined the chemical synthesis of oligonucleotides and synthetic genes. His profound knowledge, along with the collaboration of the excellent Genetech team, utilized this discovery to produce the human insulin genes. It was his invention that allowed Genentech     4    (label) as the first producer of human protein. This was made from therapeutic interest in bacteria for the benefit of hundreds of millions of people     5    (suffer) from diabetes all over the world.

His efforts did not cease     6     discovering the synthetic insulin(胰岛素); in fact, he was more than driven and strived to make more contributions to the field of biotechnology. In 1982, Roberto switched roles slightly to become a scientist entrepreneur and launched his company, Creative BioMolecules. This venture     7    (initial) functioned as a service company but later began producing therapeutic protein substances.

Another notable contribution to the medicine industry was the life-changing discovery of ziconotide, which     8    (take) place when Roberto served as the scientific director at Neurex. His team of experts in neuroscience discovered this drug under his teachings and guidance. According to leading scientists and researchers, this drug is more powerful and effective than morphine, a powerful drug used to reduce pain, and     9    (good) part of this is that it has zero side-effects.

Established as one of the greatest researchers and scientists America has ever known, Dr. Roberto Crea can be looked up to as an idol in Biotechnology and an inspiration for many individuals     10     dream of adding value to humanity with the help of science is deeply rooted.

Finding the right doctor isn’t easy and it shouldn’t be. When you put your life in someone else’s hands, you need to feel confident that this is     1     individual with enough smarts, qualifications, and skills to give you the care you deserve. You should shop for a doctor “the same way you interview a lawyer or an accountant,” says Don Powell, president of the American Institute for Preventive Medicine, a nonprofit organization that promotes healthy behavior. He notes that you could be starting one of the most important professional relationships you ever have.

“People know more about how to buy a car     2     they do about selecting a doctor,” says Powell. It’s not so much a matter of labeling a doctor     3     “good” or “bad”—you want to go beyond just weeding out (淘汰) physicians who have gotten     4     into professional or legal hot water. It’s about comfort level, whether a particular doctor is good for you. Smart questions and a little healthy skepticism can help you find Dr. Right.

What kind of care are you looking for? A primary care doctor helps keep you healthy, provides a home base for all your medical needs, and is your go-to person when you’re sick. A specialist has a deeper but narrower skill set, and may serve only a short-term purpose, like diagnosing a problem or designing a treatment regimen (养生法). Experts suggest     5     (start) with a primary care doctor who can then help direct you to the most appropriate specialist or sub-specialist (think a cardiologist for a possible heart problem or a cardiac electrophysiologist for a heart rhythm problem), should the need arise.

After the general category of physician is roughly determined, the next step is     6     (ask) yourself what blend of experience and personality traits are important to you     7     you and the doctor will be a good fit. It’s a mix that obviously depends on the relationship you will have with the doctor.     8     it’s long-term, such as one with a primary care doctor or with a specialist who sees you for an ongoing condition, personality and behavior will carry more weight than if it’s a one- or two-time encounter with a specialist or surgeon.

For vanity or medical necessity? To enhance or to correct? Clients or patients? Plastic surgery has traditionally been divided into two separate camps: the cosmetic and the reconstructive.

Cosmetic procedures are broadly about the quest for beauty,    1     reconstructive ones restore functions lost or impaired. The two may share history, expertise and technology, but when it comes to our attitudes toward going under the knife, the dichotomy matters.

Netflix's new reality show "Skin Decision: Before and After" demonstrates, however, the distinction     2     what is considered cosmetic and reconstructive isn't always so clear.

Across the first season's eight episodes, Dr. Sheila Nazarian and nurse Jamie Sherrill consult patients     3     (carry) the scars, irregularities and deformities of personal trauma. Some have suffered violent attacks or road accidents;     4     bear painful reminders of lifelong acne or the physical damage of alcoholism.

But it could be argued that all of the participants stand to gain psychologically from undergoing some form of surgical or non-surgical cosmetic procedure,     5     it isn't strictly necessary. Using their field's latest technologies, Nazarian and Sherrill eliminate scar tissue, smooth damaged skin and restore patients' smiles (quite literally in the case of one man,     6     facial injuries caused pain every time he smiled).

They use tucks, fillers and lasers - treatments that are, on paper, cosmetic rather than reconstructive. Yet, their patients aren't searching for perfection.

Unlike other plastic surgery reality shows, which routinely document wealthy participants' efforts to remove wrinkles, enlarge breasts or lift buttocks, those appearing on "Skin Decision" often just want to return to their former selves. As a patient with large amounts excess skin, following a dramatic weight loss,     7     (explain) in one episode: "I don't have to look like Barbie. I just want to look normal."

Few participants better exemplify surgery's potential to transform people's lives than Katrina Goodwin, who appeared on the show following a horrific 2017 attack in which she was shot nine times by her then-husband, who went on     8     (kill) the pair's two young daughters. Nazarian and Sherrill helped to remove scar tissue on Goodwin's abdomen, reconstruct cavernous bullet wounds and remove a tattoo bearing her ex-husband's name     9    (use) advanced laser equipment.

"Every time I took a shower I was reminded (of the tragedy)," she said. "Now, when I take a shower I'm reminded ... that this is phase two. This is my new beginning.

"Before appearing on the show, I didn't realize how defeated I was - defeated in my whole body language," she added. "Now friends and family say, 'You walk taller, you walk prouder, you seem happier.' So it was a transformation, and a way for me to reclaim     10     and feel complete, like a normal woman."

Mini-Biographies Help Clinicians Connect with Patients

Bog Hall was recovering from yet another surgery in March 2014 when a volunteer walked into his hospital room.

The volunteer wasn't there to check on his lungs or breathing. Instead, she asked Hall     1     he wanted to tell his life story.

The interview was part of a program     2    （call）My Life, My Story. Volunteer writers seek out veterans（老兵）at the hospital like Hall, and ask them all about their lives. Then they write up a thousand-word biography, and go over it with the patient,     3    can add more details or correct any mistakes.

When the story is finished, it     4    （attach）to the patient's electronic record, where a doctor or nurse     5    （work）anywhere in the Veterans Affairs medical system can read it.

Today more than 2,000 patients at the Madison VA     6    （share）their life stories.

Project organizers say it could change the way providers interact with patients.     7     clinicians can access a lot of medical data through a patient's electronic medical record,   there's nowhere to learn about a patients' personality or learn about his career, passion or values, said Thor Ringler, who has managed the My Life, My Story project     8    2013.

    9    idea for My Life, My Story came from Dr. Elliot Lee, a medical resident who was doing a training programme at the Madison VA in 2012. The typical programme for medical residents lasts only about a year, so Lee wanted to find a way to bring new, young doctors up to speed on the VA patients. He wanted a way for them     10    （absorb）not just their health histories, but more personal pieces of knowledge.