This is the VOA Special English Health Report.
这里是美国之音慢速英语健康报告。
Rheumatoid arthritis is a painful disease that can destroy joints. Women are three times more likely to get it than men.
类风湿关节炎是一种可以破坏关节的痛苦的疾病。女性患该病的机率是男性3倍。
Rheumatoid arthritis is considered an autoimmune disease, a disease where the body attacks healthy cells. The exact cause is unknown. But in a recent study, an experimental drug showed signs of halting the disorder in laboratory mice.
类风湿关节炎被认为是一种人体攻击自身健康细胞的自身免疫性疾病，确切病因尚不清楚。但在最近的研究中，一种实验性药物显示出能遏制小白鼠病状的迹象。
Harris Perlman is a medical researcher at Northwestern University in Illinois. He says normally a protein in healthy immune cells causes the cells to die after they attack an invading virus or bacteria. But in rheumatoid arthritis, that protein is missing in some immune cells. Instead, the protein builds up in the joints and attacks cartilage and bone.
哈里斯·帕尔曼是位于伊利诺伊州的西北大学的一位医学研究者。他称，通常健康免疫细胞中的蛋白质会促使细胞在攻击入侵病毒或细菌后死亡。但是类风湿关节炎中，某些免疫细胞中缺少这种蛋白质，相反，这种蛋白质积聚在关节处攻击软骨和骨骼。
Professor Perlman developed what he calls a suicide molecule. It acts like the protein that directs cells to self-destruct. He says the suicide molecule halted and even reduced rheumatoid arthritis in seventy-five percent of the mice in the study. He believes the treatment could also work in people.
帕尔曼教授开发出了他所谓的“自杀分子”。它的作用就像细胞中指示自我毁灭的蛋白质。他说，在小白鼠实验中，自杀分子能遏制，甚至减少了75%的类风湿关节炎。他认为，这种疗法也能应用于人类。
Current treatments for rheumatoid arthritis can reduce pain, but they do not work for everyone. They also have side effects such as an increased risk of infection. Harris Perlman says the new treatment produced no major side effects in the mice.
类风湿关节炎当前的疗法可以减轻疼痛，但不是对所有人都有效。它们还有增加感染风险的副作用。哈里斯·帕尔曼称，这种新疗法在小白鼠身上没有产生重大的副作用。
The study appeared earlier this year in the journal Arthritis and Rheumatism.
这项研究发表在今年早些时候的关节炎和风湿病杂志上(Arthritis and Rheumatism)。
Arthritis is not a single disease. The MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia, a United States government website, says there are more than one hundred different kinds.
关节炎不是一种单一的疾病。一家名为MedlinePlus医学百科的美国政府官方网站表示，（关节炎）有100多种不同类别。
Arthritis produces pain, swelling and limited movement in one or more joints. It involves the breakdown of cartilage. Joints need cartilage for smooth movement and to absorb shock when you put pressure on a joint.
关节炎在一个或多个关节产生疼痛，肿胀和功能障碍。它包括软骨损伤。关节利用软骨缓冲运动，并在关节承压时吸收冲击。
Arthritis can be caused by injury, infection, an autoimmune disease or just long-term use. Some forms are curable, others are not. Some autoimmune forms of arthritis, if not treated, may cause joints to become deformed.
关节炎可能由损伤、感染、自身免疫性疾病或长期过度运动造成，某些类别的关节炎是可以治愈的，其他的则不能治愈。某些自身免疫性关节炎如果不治疗，可能导致关节变形。
The most common form of arthritis, osteoarthritis, is more likely to affect older people. It most commonly affects the hips, knees or fingers. Overweight people have a higher risk of osteoarthritis. Other risk factors are repeatedly putting stress on a joint or having an earlier injury.
骨关节炎是一种最常见的关节病变，多发于老人。最常发病部位是臀部、膝盖和手指。过于肥胖者患骨关节炎风险更高。其他风险因素包括关节反复受力或存在早期损伤。
A physical therapist can design an individualized exercise program to reduce arthritis pain and support healthy joints. Getting plenty of sleep, reducing stress and eating a diet high in vitamins and minerals can also help.
物理治疗师可以设计一个个性化的运动计划，来减少关节炎的病痛并保护健康关节。获得充足睡眠，减少压力以及高维生素和矿物质的饮食也有帮助。