双语：昆虫可以自我修复“骨骼”

当一个人的腿断了，那么他或许会做一个支架，通过支架来帮助骨骼痊愈。但是当蝗虫的肢体断掉的时候，会怎样呢？...







Whena person breaks a leg, they might get a splint, cast or boot to cradle the boneas it heals. But what happens when a locust breaks a limb?Instead of a cast on the outside, the insect will patch itself upfrom the inside. These patches can restoreup to 66 percent of a leg’s former strength, a new study finds.

当一个人的腿断了，那么他或许会做一个支架，通过支架来帮助骨骼痊愈。但是当蝗虫的肢体断掉的时候，会怎样呢？蝗虫并不需要在外部做一个支架，它可以在身体内部自我修复。一项新的研究表明，这些补丁可以使腿部力量恢复到之前的66%。

Thedata also suggest new ideas for mending various types of pipes — from those inour homes to the living “pipes” inside our bodies.

数据还对修复不同种类的管道——从家里的管道到人类身体内部的“活管道”——贡献了新的设想。

Locusts andother insects rely on an exoskeleton — external support — made of cuticle(KEW-ti-kul). This material is made from a material called chitin (KY-tin). Thecuticle has two layers. The outer one — or exocuticle (EX-oh-KEW-ti-kul)— is tough and can be very thick. It forms a protective armor. The inner layer— or endocuticle — flexes much more.

蝗虫和其他昆虫依靠外骨骼（外部支撑），由角质层构成（KEW-ti-kul）。这一材料是由角素（KY-tin）物质形成的。角质层有两层。外部的一层，叫做外角质层（EX-oh-KEW-ti-kul），又硬又厚。这就构成了保护外壳。里面的一层，叫做内角质层，能灵活屈伸。

Whencut, the cuticle forms a clot toseal off the wound. Then cells on either side of the cut secrete newendocuticle. The secretion spreads across and under the cut. Eventually itturns hard. This creates a thick patch on the inside.

当被切伤之后，角质层会形成凝块来封住伤口。然后伤口某一侧的细胞就会分泌新的内表皮。这一分泌在伤口之下，并贯穿整个伤口。最后分泌物会凝固变硬。这样就在内部形成了很厚的补丁。

Whilescientists understood that insects patched themselves this way, Eoin Parlerealized that no one knew just how strong the repaired sites were. He decidedto find out. Parle is a bioengineer — a scientist who uses engineering to studyliving things. He began this research while working at Trinity College DublininIreland(he now works at University Collegein Dublin).

尽管科学教知道这些昆虫是这样给自己打补丁的，约恩·帕尔意识到任何人都不曾了解修复的位置到底有多结实。他决定一探究竟。帕尔是一位生物工程师——用工程学研究活生物的科学家。他在爱尔兰的都柏林圣三一学院工作的时候，就开始进行这项研究（他现在在都柏林大学学院工作）。

“There’sa lot to learn from the natural world,” Parle says. An insect’s cuticle, forinstance, is very light andhard-wearing,he explains. Strong and stiff, it tends to be very tough, he adds.

帕尔说“还有很多东西可以从大自然中学习”。他解释道：例如，昆虫的角质层，非常轻薄而且耐磨。他还说，结实而坚硬，这样就会坚韧无比。

1.Insteadof 代替；而不是…

Shefrittered away her time in going to the cinema instead of studying.

她不把时间花在学习上，而是浪费在看电影上了。

2.upto 一直到；相当于；忙于…，在做…；由…决定的

Thedrunkard rolled up to me.

那个醉汉蹒跚地向我走来。

3.bemade from 由…制成

Maintenanceof the pump can be made from inside the vehicle (thru two doors that access theengine room).

水泵的维护可以在车内进行(穿过两道门进入机舱)。

4.sealoff 封闭；把…封锁起来

MicroRNAscould be used to seal off human cells from disease-causing viruses, or todisable viruses that gain entry.

小分子核糖核酸可以用来封闭人体细胞，使之免受致病病毒的侵扰，或者使病毒丧失侵入细胞的能力。

5.hard-wearing耐磨的

TheB300 has a hard-wearing magnesium alloy case resilient to small drops and hardknocks and features a shock-mounted hard disk drive.

B300采用了耐用的镁合金机箱，能承受较小的跌落和硬敲打，并装有防震的硬盘驱动器。

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