- Bird flu reported in Michigan farm worker is second human case linked with ongoing outbreak Michigan
- How to remove ticks and what to know about these bloodsuckers
- China starts ‘punishment’ military drills around Taiwan days after island swears in new leader
- Apple offers biggest-ever iPhone discounts in China as annual ‘618’ shopping festival begins
- Lab-grown sperm and eggs: ‘epigenetic’ reset in human cells paves the way
- Mars rover mission will use pioneering nuclear power source
Bird flu reported in Michigan farm worker is second human case linked with ongoing outbreak Michigan
農場工人報告的禽流感是第二起與持續爆發有關的人類病例
Health
A case of H5 influenza, also known as avian influenza or bird flu, has been reported in a farm worker in Michigan who had regular exposure to infected livestock, according to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It’s the second case reported as part of an ongoing outbreak of the virus in birds and cattle across the country and the third bird flu case ever reported in a person in the US. However, health officials emphasized Wednesday that the risk to the general public remains low. The person was being monitored for the virus because of their exposure to infected cattle, the CDC said in a news release Wednesday. A nasal swab tested negative for influenza at the state health department and later at the CDC, but an eye swab tested positive. The person reported only eye symptoms, and they have recovered. Eye symptoms such as redness, swelling and watering were also the only ones reported in the previous human case in this outbreak, in a dairy farm worker in Texas. That man took antiviral medications and recovered with no lasting problems. “It is not unexpected that comprehensive testing identified a human infection,” the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services said in a news release Wednesday. “Information to date suggests this is a sporadic infection, with no associated ongoing spread person-to-person.”
---from CNN
據Michigan衛生與公共服務部和美國疾病管制與預防中心稱，Michigan一名農場工人報告了一例 H5 流感，也稱為禽流感或鳥流感，該工人經常接觸受感染的牲畜。 這是全國各地禽類和牛群中持續爆發該病毒的第二例報告病例，也是美國報告的第三例人類感染禽流感病例。 然而，衛生官員週三強調，民眾面臨的風險仍然很低。 疾病預防控制中心在周三的新聞稿中表示，由於該人接觸過受感染的牛，因此正在對他進行病毒監測。 州衛生部門和疾病預防控制中心的鼻拭子檢測結果呈陰性，但眼部拭子檢測結果呈陽性。 該患者僅報告了眼部症狀，目前已康復。 在這次疫情中，Texas一名乳牛場工人的前一起人類病例中，也報告了唯一的眼部症狀，如發紅、腫脹和流淚。 該男子服用了抗病毒藥物，康復後沒有任何持久問題。 Michigan衛生與公眾服務部周三在一份新聞稿中表示：“綜合檢測發現人類感染，這並不令人意外。” “迄今為止的信息表明，這是一種零星發生的感染，沒有相關的持續人際傳播。”
---摘錄翻譯自CNN
How to remove ticks and what to know about these bloodsuckers
如何清除蜱蟲以及對這些吸血蟲的了解
Health
Ticks are parasitic bloodsuckers, capable of spreading deadly disease, and they’re becoming increasingly common. Here’s what you need to know about them. Ticks are arachnids, close cousins of mites and more distant cousins of spiders. There are more than 800 species of ticks found around the world, and 84 that have been documented in the United States. However, only a handful in the US bite and transmit diseases to humans. The most common ones are blacklegged ticks (also known as deer ticks, but they feed on lots of animals besides deer), lone star ticks, American dog ticks and brown dog ticks. For instance, DEET “burns the feet of ticks, and they fall off because their feet are burning,” as opposed to interfering with the tick’s ability to find its prey the way DEET affects mosquitoes, Mather said. What’s more, “as soon as the product is dried, it doesn’t burn as much, so it really doesn’t last very long for ticks.” Instead, Chapman recommends preventing tick bites by covering your skin and tucking the bottoms of your pants into your socks. Ticks also are killed by half an hour in the dryer, so toss your clothes in as soon as you get home, even before you wash them. What’s more, “we favor wearing treated clothes with permethrin — it’s far, far more effective” than bug spray, Mather said. “It blocks nerve conduction in ticks, and it makes them hyper-excited and then they just lose function pretty quickly, and it actually ends up killing them.” Depending on where you live, he said, it might also make sense to investigate exterminating ticks living in your yard.
---from CNN
蜱蟲是寄生吸血動物，能夠傳播致命的疾病，而且它們變得越來越常見。 以下是您需要了解的有關它們的資訊。 蜱蟲是蜘蛛綱動物，是蟎蟲的近親，也是蜘蛛的遠親。 世界各地發現了超過 800 種蜱蟲，其中 84 種在美國已被記錄。 然而，在美國祇有極少數會叮咬並向人類傳播疾病。 最常見的是黑腿蜱（也稱為鹿蜱，但除了鹿以外，它們還以許多動物為食）、孤星蜱、美國狗蜱和棕色狗蜱。 例如，避蚊胺“會灼傷蜱蟲的腳，它們會因為腳被灼燒而脫落”，而不是像避蚊胺影響蚊子那樣幹擾蜱蟲尋找獵物的能力，Mather說。 更重要的是，“一旦產品乾燥，它就不會燃燒得那麼厲害，所以它對蜱蟲來說確實不會持續很長時間。” 相反，Chapman建議透過遮蓋皮膚並將褲腳塞進襪子裡來預防蜱蟲叮咬。 蜱蟲在烘乾機中烘乾半小時也會被殺死，所以一到家就把衣服丟進去，甚至在洗衣服之前。 更重要的是，“我們喜歡穿著經過氯菊酯處理的衣服——它比殺蟲劑有效得多”，馬瑟說。 “它會阻斷蜱蟲的神經傳導，讓它們過度興奮，然後它們很快就失去功能，最終殺死它們。” 他說，根據你居住的地方，調查消滅你院子裡的蜱蟲也可能有意義。
---摘錄翻譯自CNN
China starts ‘punishment’ military drills around Taiwan days after island swears in new leader
新領導人宣誓就職幾天后，中國在台灣周圍開始「懲罰式」軍事演習
Culture
China has launched two days of large-scale military drills surrounding Taiwan in what it called “punishment” for so-called “separatist acts,” days after the self-ruling island swore in a new democratically elected leader who called on Beijing to cease its intimidation tactics. As part of the drills, dozens of Chinese fighter jets carrying live ammunition conducted mock strikes against “high-value military targets” of the “enemy” alongside destroyers, frigates and missile speedboats, according to China’s state broadcaster CCTV. The exercises, which started early on Thursday and will encircle Taiwan, pose the first real test for newly elected Lai Ching-te as he attempts to manage relations with the island’s powerful authoritarian neighbor. China’s ruling Communist Party says Taiwan is part of its territory, despite never having controlled it, and has vowed to take the island, by force if necessary.
---from CNN
中國在台灣週邊展開了為期兩天的大規模軍事演習，稱其是對所謂「分離主義行為」的「懲罰」。制裁。這是在台灣民選總統近日就職演說時講稿指出，北京應停止對台灣的文攻武嚇。 根據中國國家電視台中央電視台報道，作為演習的一部分，數十架攜帶實彈的中國戰鬥機與驅逐艦、護衛艦和飛彈快艇一起對「敵人」的「高價值軍事目標」進行了模擬打擊。 這些演習於週四早些時候開始，將環繞台灣，這對新當選的賴清德總統來說是第一次真正的考驗，因為他試圖處理與台灣強大的獨裁鄰國的關係。 中國執政的共產黨表示，台灣是其領土的一部分，儘管從未控制過台灣，並誓言要奪取該島，必要時將使用武力。
---摘錄翻譯自CNN
Apple offers biggest-ever iPhone discounts in China as annual ‘618’ shopping festival begins
一年一度的「618」購物節拉開序幕，蘋果在中國推出有史以來最大的 iPhone 折扣
Culture
Apple is offering unprecedented price cuts in China as big brands and retailers launch promotions for the annual “618” shopping festival in the face of sluggish consumer demand. The hefty discounts by the iPhone maker come at a time when it is battling stiff competition from Chinese smartphone manufacturers, such as Huawei and Vivo, and declining market share in the world’s second largest economy. On Monday, Apple said it would slash prices of some of its smartphones on Tmall — an Amazon-like site owned by Alibaba — by as much 23% till May 28. Customers can now get an iPhone 15 for 4,599 yuan ($639), down 1,400 yuan ($194) from the original price, according to promotions on Apple’s official store on Tmall. Apple is hoping to boost its sales during China’s second biggest online shopping bonanza of the year, which usually runs from late May to mid-June. The company did not respond to a request for comment. Launched by e-commerce firm JD.com in 2008, “618” is beaten only by Singles Day, which was created by Alibaba in 2009.
---from CNN
面對疲軟的消費需求，各大品牌和零售商為一年一度的「618」購物節推出促銷活動，蘋果在中國推出了前所未有的降價舉措。 這家 iPhone 製造商推出大幅折扣之際，正面臨華為和 Vivo 等中國智慧型手機製造商的激烈競爭，並且在全球第二大經濟體的市佔率不斷下降。 週一，蘋果表示將在 5 月 28 日之前將天貓（阿里巴巴旗下類似亞馬遜的網站）上的部分智慧型手機價格下調 23%。 根據蘋果天貓官方商店的促銷活動，顧客現在可以以 4,599 元（639 美元）的價格購買 iPhone 15，比原價下降 1,400 元（194 美元）。 蘋果希望在中國今年第二大網上購物熱潮（通常從五月底到六月中旬）期間提高其銷售量。 該公司沒有回應置評請求。 由JD.com的e銷售紀錄，自2008年起，618只被由阿里巴巴2009年創立的1111單身購物節打敗。
---摘錄翻譯自CNN
Lab-grown sperm and eggs: ‘epigenetic’ reset in human cells paves the way
實驗室培養的精子和卵子：人類細胞的「表觀遺傳」重置鋪平了道路
Sciences
The day when human sperm and eggs can be grown in the laboratory has inched a step closer, with the discovery of a way to recreate a crucial developmental step in a dish. The advance, described 20 May in Nature, addresses a major hurdle: how to ensure that the chemical tags on the DNA and associated proteins in artificially produced sperm and eggs are placed properly. These tags are part of a cell’s ‘epigenome’ and can influence whether genes are turned on or off. The epigenome changes over a person’s lifetime; during the development of the cells that will eventually give rise to sperm or eggs, these marks must be wiped clean and then reset to their original state. “Epigenetic reprogramming is key to making the next generation,” says Mitinori Saitou, a stem-cell biologist at Kyoto University in Japan, and a co-author of the paper. He and his team worked out how to activate this reprogramming — something that had been one of the biggest challenges in generating human sperm and eggs in the laboratory, he says. But Saitou is quick to note that there are further steps left to conquer, and that the epigenetic reprogramming his lab has achieved is not perfect.
---from Nature
隨著一種在培養皿中重現關鍵發育步驟方法的發現，人類精子和卵子可以在實驗室中培養的日子已經更近了一步。 5 月 20 日《自然》雜誌描述了這一進展，解決了一個主要障礙：如何確保人工產生的精子和卵子中 DNA 和相關蛋白質上的化學標籤放置正確。 這些標籤是細胞「表觀基因組」的一部分，可以影響基因的開啟或關閉。 表觀基因組在人的一生中會改變； 在最終產生精子或卵子的細胞發育過程中，這些標記必須被擦乾淨，然後才能重置回原始狀態。 「表觀遺傳重編程是產生下一代的關鍵，」該論文的合著者、日本京都大學幹細胞生物學家 Mitinori Saitou 說。 他和他的團隊研究瞭解如何激活這種重編程——他說，這是在實驗室中生成人類精子和卵子的最大挑戰之一。 但Saitou很快指出，還有進一步的步驟需要克服，而且他的實驗室所實現的表觀遺傳重編程並不完美。
---摘錄翻譯自Nature
Mars rover mission will use pioneering nuclear power source
火星探測器任務將使用開創性的核動力源
Sciences
Europe’s upcoming Mars mission will use a pioneering nuclear-powered device that harnesses the radioactive decay of americium to keep its components warm — a first for spacecraft. The European Space Agency (ESA) announced the plans on 16 May, alongside details of an agreement with NASA that crystallized the US agency’s contribution to the long-delayed mission, which will deliver Europe’s first Mars rover, called Rosalind Franklin. ESA was originally working with Russian space agency Roscosmos on the mission, but cancelled the partnership in 2022 after Russia invaded Ukraine. Devices that harness the heat produced by the decay of radioactive elements, known as radioisotope heater units (RHUs), allow spacecraft to operate without relying on electricity generated by solar panels to warm them. ESA has historically relied on US or Russian partners to provide RHUs that use plutonium-238 for missions, but since 2009 has been working on its own programme to create radioisotope heaters, as well as batteries that provide electricity. The European RHUs will heat components in the mission’s landing platform, which deploys the rover onto the Martian surface. The lander powers the rover before it exits the platform and opens its solar panels. So extending the lander’s life provides back up in case there are issues in deploying the rover, says Orson Sutherland, ESA’s group leader for Mars Exploration, based at the European Space Research and Technology Center (ESTEC) in Noordwijk, the Netherlands.
--from Nature
歐洲即將到來的火星任務將使用一種開創性的核動力裝置，該裝置利用镅的放射性衰變來為其零件保溫，這對太空船來說是第一次。 歐洲太空總署(ESA) 於5 月16 日宣布了這些計劃，並公佈了與NASA 達成的協議細節，該協議明確了美國機構對這項拖延已久的任務的貢獻，該任務將交付歐洲第一輛火星探測器Rosalind Franklin。 歐空局最初與俄羅斯航太局俄羅斯航太局合作執行這項任務，但在俄羅斯入侵烏克蘭後於 2022 年取消了合作關係。 利用放射性元素衰變產生的熱量的設備，稱為放射性同位素加熱器單元（RHU），使太空船能夠在不依賴太陽能電池板產生的電力來加熱的情況下運作。 歐空局歷來依賴美國或俄羅斯合作夥伴提供使用鈽238執行任務的RHU，但自2009年以來，歐空局一直致力於自己的計劃，製造放射性同位素加熱器以及提供電力的電池。 歐洲 RHU 將加熱任務著陸平台中的組件，該平台將火星車部署到火星表面。 著陸器在火星車離開平台並打開太陽能電池板之前為其提供動力。 位於荷蘭諾德韋克的歐洲太空研究和技術中心(ESTEC) 的歐空局火星探索小組負責人Orson Sutherland 表示，因此，延長登陸器的使用壽命可以在部署漫遊車出現問題時提供支援。
--摘錄翻譯自Nature