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Many patients with certain types of cancers suffer from damage to their blood cells due to the cancer itself or treatments like chemotherapy. To help rebuild healthy blood cells, patients often receive bone marrow transplants by using either pluripotent or hematopoietic stem cells.
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A bone marrow or stem cell transplant can speed up recovery and boost healthy blood cell production. There are primarily two types of bone marrow transplants: autologous and allogeneic. The former involves using the patient’s own stem cells, while the latter uses stem cells from a matching donor, usually a relative with a compatible human leukocyte antigen (HLA) type. If someone doesn’t have a close relative with a matching type, there are registries for doctors to seek suitable donors.
Nearly anyone can sign up to become a donor. If a person is matched as a suitable donor after joining a registry, they will undergo a minimally invasive procedure to collect their stem cells mainly through either of the following methods.
Bone marrow harvest |
Peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) collection |
Doctors use a needle to extract stem cells from liquid bone marrow, often from the hip bone but sometimes from other locations like the chest bone. | This is now a widely used method. It involves stimulating the body to release stem cells into the bloodstream through medications. The stem cells are then collected using a machine similar to that used in blood donation. |
While some donors might experience discomfort or fatigue after the procedure, most people can regenerate the harvested bone marrow within a month. For the donor, the process is relatively simple. For the recipient, a bone marrow transplant can be life-saving.
If you would like to help people in need of a stem cell transplant, consider joining a registry like the Buddhist Tzu Chi Stem Cells Center. The group is available for consultations and holds seminars on developments in bone marrow transplant procedures.
1. What is the primary purpose of bone marrow transplants? (A) To enhance the growth of healthy blood cells. (B) To prevent the side effects of chemotherapy. (C) To detect the early signs of certain cancers. (D) To help combat cancer cells. |
2. What distinguishes an autologous bone marrow transplant from an allogeneic transplant? (A) The method of transplantation. (B) The type of cancer treated. (C) The source of stem cells. (D) The age of the patient. |
3. Which of the following is true about harvesting stem cells? (A) Both methods require donors to take medicine before the donation. (B) The harvested stem cells will be replaced in about a month. (C) Usually only a close relative’s stem cells can be harvested. (D) The procedure is rather dangerous to the donor. |
4. According to the passage, what can recipients of bone marrow transplants expect? (A) Minor discomfort or fatigue. (B) Minimal impact on overall health. (C) Reduced risk of cancer recurrence. (D) Improved production of healthy blood cells. |
My father suffers from diabetes.
我爸爸患有糖尿病。
Speed up, or we’ll be late.
快一點,否則我們會遲到。
I’m going to sign up for a course on English literature this semester.
這學期我準備選修一門英國文學課程。
I’m planning to sign up for that course this semester.
我這學期計劃要修那門課。
transplant n.(器官)移植 &
vt. 移植(器官等)
transplantation n. 移植(不可數)
• Albert will die if he doesn’t have a heart transplant soon.
如果艾伯特不趕快接受心臟移植,他很快就會死掉。
• The doctors transplanted a liver into the patient.
這些醫師將肝臟移植到那位病患身上。
字首 trans- 源自拉丁文,表「橫越,跨越」或「轉變,轉換」。在英文中以 trans- 開頭的字通常與「越過」或「改變」有關,以下是其他常見的單字:
a. transport n. 運輸 &
vt. 運送,運輸
• Trains, planes, and trucks transport goods from place to place.
火車、飛機和卡車把貨物運送到各地。
transportation n. 交通,運輸
• Officials promised to improve public transportation in a year.
官員們承諾要在一年內改善交通運輸。
b. transform vt. 使轉變,使轉化
• The four men transformed the little apartment into a mini palace.
那四個人將那間小公寓改造成迷你宮殿。
transformation n. 轉變
• Ken went through a major transformation during college.
阿肯在大學時期經歷了很大的轉變。
c. transfer n. 轉移;調動 &
vt. & vi. 調任;轉學;轉乘
• Rita has applied for a transfer to the marketing department.
瑞塔已申請轉調到行銷部。
d. transmit vt. 傳播(疾病);傳送(訊號)
• According to the experts, the disease is transmitted through the air.
根據專家的說法,這種疾病是透過空氣傳播。
The former involves using the patient’s own stem cells, while the latter uses stem cells from a matching donor, ...
While some donors might experience discomfort or fatigue after the procedure, ...
介紹 while 作連接詞的三種重要用法:
※ 表「(然)而」
此時 while 為對等連接詞,其所引導的主要子句通常置於另一主要子句之後,前方加逗點,即等於 but 或 whereas,但 whereas 引導的主要子句可置於另一個主要子句之前或之後(上列第一句即屬此用法)。
• Ed adores rap music, while his wife can’t stand the sound of it.
艾德很喜歡饒舌樂,但他老婆卻受不了那種聲音。
※ 表「雖然」
作此義時,while 為副詞連接詞,即等於 though 或 although,其所引導的副詞子句通常置於句首,之後加逗點,再接主要子句。(上列第二句即屬此用法)。
• While many people sampled the chocolate, few of them bought any.
雖然許多人都試吃了巧克力,卻沒多少人買。
※ 表「當……時」
while 作此義時為副詞連接詞,通常用來表示持續的動作或狀態,所引導的副詞子句可置於主要子句之前或之後,表「A 動作在進行時,B 動作亦在進行」。
• The dancer suddenly passed out while she was waiting in the wings to go on stage.
那位舞者在舞臺邊等待上臺時突然暈倒了。
在 while 引導的副詞子句中,若主詞與主要子句的主詞相同,此副詞子句的主詞可以刪除,之後的動詞就得改成現在分詞,但如果該動詞是 be 動詞,通常會省略。 |
• Anna burned her hand while (she was) grilling the burger.
安娜在烤漢堡時燙傷了手。
精選試題
Paul keeps alert by chewing gum _____ his truck.
(A) while driven (B) while drives
(C) while driving (D) while he driving
答案:C
「髓」緣之情 延續生命
某些癌症的許多患者都因癌症本身或像是化療等療法而致使血球遭受破壞。為了幫助重建健康的血球,患者往往會接受骨髓移植,而骨髓移植是使用多功能幹細胞或是造血幹細胞。
骨髓移植(或稱幹細胞移植)能夠加速復原,並促進健康血球的生長。主要有兩種骨髓移植:自體移植和異體移植。前者涉及使用患者自身的幹細胞,後者則使用配對成功之捐贈者的幹細胞,捐贈者通常是人類白血球抗原(HLA)類型相符的親戚。如果沒有相符類型的近親,那麼還有登錄名冊可供醫生搜尋適合的捐贈者。
幾乎任何人都可以登記成為捐贈者。如果有人在登記後被配對為適合的捐贈者,就會進行微創手術來收集其幹細胞,主要是透過下列兩種方法其中之一。
骨髓收集 醫生使用針筒來取出骨髓液中的幹細胞,通常是從髖骨的位置取,但有時也會從其他地方(像是胸骨)抽取。 |
周邊血液幹細胞移植 這是現在廣泛使用的方法。其涉及透過藥物來刺激身體釋放幹細胞至血液中。接著再透過與類似於捐血所使用的機器來收集幹細胞。 |
雖然一些捐贈者在術後可能會經歷一些不適或疲勞,但大多數人在一個月內被收集的骨髓就會再生了。對捐贈者而言,這個過程相對簡單。而對受贈者而言,骨髓移植可以挽救生命。
如果你想要幫助需要幹細胞移植的人們,考慮在像是慈濟骨髓幹細胞中心登記吧。這個組織提供諮詢,並且會舉辦骨髓移植手術發展的研討會。
1. 骨髓移植的主要目的為何?
(A) 促進健康血球的生長。
(B) 預防化療的副作用。
(C) 偵測某些癌症的早期徵兆。
(D) 協助對抗癌細胞。
2. 哪一點使自體骨髓移植和異體移植不同?
(A) 移植的方法。 (B) 所治療的癌症類型。
(C) 幹細胞的來源。 (D) 患者的年齡。
3. 下列關於收集幹細胞的敘述,何者正確?
(A) 兩種方法都需要捐贈者在捐贈前服用藥物。
(B) 被採集之幹細胞在約一個月裡就會再生。
(C) 通常只有近親的幹細胞能夠被採集。
(D) 手術對捐贈者來說相當危險。
4. 根據本文,骨髓移植的受贈者能預期什麼事?
(A) 輕微的不適或疲憊。
(B) 對整體健康極小的影響。
(C) 癌症復發的機率減少。
(D) 健康血球生長的改善。
答案: 1. A 2. C 3. B 4. D