2020年11月7日 星期六

Australian stinging trees contain ’scorpion-like venom’:scientists

Australian stinging trees contain ’scorpion-like venom’scientists

科學家:澳洲螫人樹含有「類似蠍子的毒物」

【摘要2020.11.4.自由】管淑平

Australia is notorious for its venomous spiders, snakes and sea creatures, but researchers have now identified "scorpion-like" toxins secreted by a tree that can cause excruciating pain for weeks.

澳洲的有毒蜘蛛、蛇和海洋生物惡名昭彰,但是研究人員現在辨識出一種樹木分泌的「類似蠍子」的毒物,能使人極度疼痛達數週。

Split-second contact with the dendrocnide tree, a rainforest nettle known by its indigenous name gympie-gympie, delivers a sting far more potent than similar plants found in the US or Europe.

與這種生長在熱帶雨林、當地名為「金皮金皮」的火麻樹屬樹木接觸瞬間,就能造成劇烈刺痛,疼痛程度遠比在美國或歐洲發現的類似樹種還嚴重。

Irina Vetter, an associate professor at the University of Queensland’s Institute for Molecular Bioscience, said the research team discovered a new class of neurotoxin miniproteins, which they christened ’gympietides’.

昆士蘭大學分子生物科學研究所副教授維特說,研究團隊發現一類新的神經毒素微蛋白,他們將它命名為「金皮潮」。

Vetter said the long-lasting pain inflicted by the tree may be explained by the gympietides permanently altering the chemical makeup of the affected sensory neurons not due to the fine hairs getting stuck in the skin. AFP

維特說,「金皮潮」會對受影響的感覺神經元化學組成,造成永久性的改變,而非細小絨毛卡在皮膚裡,這或許可解釋這種樹為何造成長時間的疼痛。(法新社)

新聞辭典

stinging :形容詞,刺痛的,尖酸的;sting,動詞,另有「敲詐」意思。例句:We were stung for a $10 surcharge.(我們被敲詐了10美元的額外費用。)

split-second:形容詞或名詞,瞬間。例句:The car accident has changed his life forever in a split second.(這場車禍瞬間永遠改變了他的人生。)

inflict:動詞,使遭受,造成。例句:The suffering inflicted on children by war is immense.(孩童因戰爭受到龐大的痛苦。)

 

沒有留言:

張貼留言