(单词翻译:单击)
听力文本
Inside our guts is a diverse ecosystem of bacteria:the microbiome.
But the makeup of the community can depend on what we eat.
Emulsifiers are food additives that extend the shelf life of processed foods.
And now research with mice finds that consuming emulsifiers may throw off the microbiome's delicate balance and thereby contribute to obesity and inflammatory bowel disease.
In the study, mice were fed doses of common emulsifiers in their water and mouse chow.
The substances appeared to make it easier for gut bacteria to chew through the layers of mucus that typically line the intestine.
The result was the triggering of chronic colitis in mice with impaired immune systems that predispose them to the condition.
And even in mice with normal immune systems, emulsifier consumption appeared to trigger mild intestinal inflammation.
These mice then tended to overeat and become obese and insulin resistant.
The study is in the journal Nature.
Could emulsifiers cause the same health consequences in humans and be behind some of the obesity trend?
The researchers hope to find out in future studies.
If nothing else, they write that their new finding suggests that there should be improved testing on the total health effects of chemicals in our food.
参考译文
我们的肠道内部是一个由细菌组成的多样化生态系统:微生物群。
但这个群落的组成取决于我们所进食的食物。
而乳化剂是一种用于延长加工食品保质期所添加的食品添加剂。
而现在通过对小白鼠的研究发现，食用乳化剂可能会使小鼠脱离这种微生物群的微妙平衡，造成小鼠变得肥胖并患上炎症性肠病。
在这项研究中，研究人员在小鼠的水中加入了一定量的一般乳化剂。
这种物质似乎使得肠道细菌更容易通过位于肠道内的粘液层。
结果造成小鼠患上慢性结肠炎并导致免疫系统受损从而更易于患病。
即使是免疫系统正常的小鼠，食用乳化剂也会引发轻微性肠炎。
这些小鼠会变得过度饮食进而导致肥胖并形成胰岛素抗性。
这项研究已经在《自然》杂志上发表。
而对于人类而言乳化剂是否会引发同样的健康问题并且是造成肥胖的幕后元凶?
研究人员希望在未来的研究中能够有所发现。
如果一无所获，他们在这项新发现中表示至少应该进一步测试食品中的化学物质对人类健康的影响。
译文为可可英语翻译，未经授权请勿转载！
重点讲解
1.depend on 依赖；相信
Whether such properties are a good deal will depend on individual situations.
这样的地产是否可获得大笔收益还要视具体情形而定。
They depend on the goodwill of visitors to pick up rubbish.
他们相信游客会自觉捡起垃圾。
2.food additive 食物添加剂
Some food additive are regarded as beneficial by the manufacturer.
有些食品添加物,生产者认为是有用的。
Nitrite is used as a food additive.
亚硝酸盐被用作一种食物的附加剂。
3.appear to 似乎，好像
By all accounts, Rodger would appear to be a fine fellow.
据说，罗杰是个好小伙。
Most doctors appear to recognize homeopathy as a legitimate form of medicine.
大多数医生似乎都接受顺势疗法是一种合理的医疗手段。
