阿斯匹靈如何防癌
By Nicholas Bakalar
Aspirin
and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs significantly reduce the
risk for cancer, but no one has been able to explain why. Now
researchers have found that these drugs slow the accumulation of a type
of DNA change called somatic genome abnormalities, or S.G.A.’s, that
lead to uncontrolled cell growth.
阿斯匹靈與其他非類固醇消炎藥可大幅降低罹癌風險，然而至今不知其緣由。如今研究人員發現，這些藥物可減緩名為細胞體基因組異常的DNA變異累積速度，而這種變異會使細胞生長失控。
The
scientists studied 13 people with Barrett’s esophagus, a condition in
which cells in the esophagus become damaged, usually by acid reflux.
Sometimes the cells become precancerous, and rarely the problem leads to
esophageal cancer.
如果食道的細胞因為胃酸逆流而受損，常會形成巴瑞特氏食道症。科學家研究13名罹患這種症狀的民眾。有時候，細胞會呈現發展為癌症之前的狀態。極少數情況下，這種問題會變成食道癌。
The
researchers tracked S.G.A.’s with periodic biopsies over an average of
almost 12 years. Over all, the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory
drugs was associated with a 90 percent reduction in the rate of
mutations.
研究人員以平均將近12年的時間進行定期切片檢查，以追蹤細胞體基因組異常的演變過程。整體而言，使用非類固醇消炎藥與突變比例降低90%有關。
“We
used techniques used to measure mutation rate in viruses like H.I.V. to
measure it in humans,” said Carlo C. Maley, the senior author and
director of the Center for Evolution and Cancer at the University of
California, San Francisco. “We measured whole pieces of chromosomes that
are getting deleted or copied.” Apparently aspirin slows that rate of
mutation.
研究報告主要執筆人、舊金山加大演化與癌症中心主任馬雷說：「我們把估計愛滋病毒等病毒突變速率的技術用在人體。我們估算刪除或複製中的整組染色體。」阿斯匹靈顯然可以減緩突變的速率。
The study, published in the journal PLoS Genetics,
was very small, Dr. Maley said. But most cancers take decades to
develop, he added, “if you could just slow it down, you could slow it
enough to have people die of something else.”
馬雷說，這項發表在PLoS遺傳學期刊的研究規模很小，不過多數癌症要數十年才會形成，因此，「如能減緩癌症生成的速率，就可以把它減緩到可使人們死於其他因素的程度」。
A Walk Aids Digestion
飯後散步好處多多
By Anahad O’Connor
The
food-induced stupor that often follows a big meal is a good excuse for a
nap. But a brief walk shortly after eating is a quick way to burn
calories and aid digestion.
大餐後因為食物引起恍惚是打個盹的好理由。然而飯後散步是燃燒卡路里與幫助消化的快速方法。
Researchers have found that a post-meal walk, as short as 15 minutes, can help with digestion and improve blood sugar levels. In one 2008 study,
German researchers observed people who ate a large meal and then
consumed either an espresso or an alcoholic digestif, or walked at a
slow pace on a treadmill. Walking, sped the rate at which food moved
through the stomach. The beverages had no effect.
研究人員發現，飯後散步有助消化及改善血糖濃度，哪怕短到只有15分鐘。2008年德國科學家做了項研究，觀察飽餐一頓後，喝杯濃咖啡或服用含酒精消化劑，或者在跑步機上緩緩散步的一群人。散步可使食物加速通過胃部。飲料毫無作用。
In
other studies, researchers have found that walking has a significant
effect on blood sugar after meals. Large spikes and variations in blood
sugar can raise cardiovascular risk and signal diabetes.
科學家在其他研究中發現，飯後散步可大幅降低血糖的濃度。血糖驟升與劇變會提高罹患心血管疾病及出現糖尿病的風險。
In a 2009 study,
researchers found that a 20-minute walk about 15 minutes after dinner
led to lower post-meal blood sugar levels in people with Type 2 diabetes
than either a walk before dinner or no walking.
科學家在2009年的研究中發現，第二型糖尿病患者吃完晚飯約15分鐘後散步20分鐘，可使飯後血糖降低，效果非飯前散步或不散步可比。
A
recent study, found that in older adults who were overweight and
sedentary, walking for 15 minutes after each meal improved daily blood
sugar levels more than a single 45-minute walk in the morning.
最近一項研究發現，體重過重及久坐不動的老人每頓飯後散步15分鐘，可明顯改善每日血糖值，效果大於早上散步45分鐘。
Researchers say that a post-meal stroll helps clear glucose from the bloodstream in part because the muscles use more of it.
研究人員說，飯後散步有助於清除血液中的葡萄糖，部分原因是肌肉會因為散步而消耗更多葡萄糖。
Inferior Drugs a Risk
次級藥物構成風險
BY Donald G McNeil Jr
Substandard
tuberculosis drugs sold in poor countries are a growing public health
threat, but the problem could be alleviated if governments enforced
World Health Organization standards, a new study reports.
貧窮國家販賣的不合規格肺結核藥物，已經構成越來越嚴重的公衛威脅。然而根據一項最新發表的研究報告，如果各國政府落實世界衛生組織制訂的標準，這個問題可以改善。
At pharmacies in 17 countries, the authors bought 713 samples of two TB
drugs, and found 9 percent had no active ingredient or, worse, too
little: An inadequate dose encourages the growth of drug-resistant TB
strains.
研究人員在17個國家的藥房購買二種肺結核藥物的713件樣本，結果發現，其中有9%不含任何有效成分或有效成分太少，又以後者更為糟糕，因為劑量不足會使抗藥性肺結核菌株出現。
The study shows the failures of a nearly perfect system for basic TB control, said Dr. Lucica Ditiu, of the Stop TB Partnership.
That system supplies packaged high-quality drugs for about $30 per box
for a six-month supply. Poor countries get them free, said Dr. Ditiu.
「中止肺結核夥伴計畫」的露西卡‧戴迪烏表示，研究凸顯出一個近乎完美的肺結核基本控制體系的缺失。這種體系供應每盒約30美元的半年分包裝式高品質藥物。戴迪烏博士說，窮國可免費取得。
Ideally,
said Amir Attaran, an author of the study, all countries would buy
those drugs and governments would ban sales of those drugs for other
purposes.
研究報告執筆人之一艾塔倫表示，理想情況下，各國都引進這些藥物，政府並禁止因為其他理由而販售這些藥物。
But
not all countries follow the W.H.O. regimen, not all doctors prescribe
the drugs in it, “and in private pharmacies, all bets are off,” Dr.
Attaran added, as some will sell anything to any buyer.
然而艾塔倫指出，並不是所有的國家都遵循世衛組織的建議，醫師也不會絕對開立世衛組織建議的處方，至於私人的藥房，「情況難料」，因為有些人會把任何東西賣給任何買家。
Even
poor countries like Rwanda have shown they can control TB by enforcing
“pharmacovigilance,” the study said. Dr. Attaran and Dr. Ditiu cited
India as a country that fails to enforce it and so is facing a huge epidemic of multidrug-resistant TB.
研究報告指出，連盧安達之類的窮國都已證明，它們可以因為提高對藥品的警覺性而控制肺結核。艾塔倫與戴迪烏以印度為負面例子指出，它就是因為未能落實這項原則而面臨多重抗藥性肺結核疫情難以收拾的局面。
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