科学家在研究大脑时，往往用间接的方法，比如磁共振。最近，有人发明了把微量药物直接注入大脑中特定部位的技术，而且还能用手机来控制。
Manipulating brain cells via smartphone
by Rima Sabina Aouf
Brain disease research could be sped up using a smartphone-controlled "plug-and-play" neural implant invented by scientists from the USA and South Korea.
speed up 加速、使加速
smartphone /ˈsmɑːtfəʊn/ n. 智能手机（由smart和phone组成）
plug and play 指设备接好以后就能使用
neural /ˈnjʊərəl/ adj. 神经的
implant /ˈɪmplɑːnt/ n. 植入人体的东西（比如器官、心脏支架等）
The researchers, who come primarily from the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) and the University of Washington, designed the soft device to deliver drugs or coloured lights directly to targeted neurones（神经元）, with the goal of accelerating discovery about Parkinson's（帕金森病）, Alzheimer's（阿尔兹海默症）, addiction, depression and pain. The LEDs involved are smaller than a grain of salt, and the drugs are transmitted by microfluidic（微流体） channels with the thickness of a human hair.
researcher /rɪˈsɜːtʃə(r)/ n. 研究者（由research加上表示人的后缀-er）
primarily /praɪˈmer(ə)li/ adv. 主要地（由primary加后缀-ly变成副词）
institute /ˈɪnstɪtjuːt/ n. 学院、研究所
device /dɪˈvaɪs/ n. 设备
drug /drʌɡ/ n. 药物
target /ˈtɑːɡɪt/ v. 瞄准、以…为目标
accelerate /əkˈseləreɪt/ v. 加速
discovery /dɪˈskʌv(ə)ri/ n. 发现
addiction /əˈdɪkʃ(ə)n/ n. 上瘾
depression /dɪˈpreʃ(ə)n/ n. 抑郁、抑郁症
LED 发光二极管
grain /ɡreɪn/ n. 谷粒、颗粒
transmit /trænzˈmɪt/ v. 传输、传送
channel /ˈtʃæn(ə)l/ n. 通道、管道
thickness /ˈθɪknəs/ n. 厚度（由thick加后缀-ness变成名词）
For neuroscience（神经科学） researchers, the main advantage of the new wireless implant is ease of use. The inventors describe its replaceable drug cartridges（筒） as "Lego-like" and "plug-and-play", while set-up happens over an "elegant, simple" smartphone interface.
wireless /ˈwaɪələs/ adj. 无线的（由wire加上表示否定的后缀-less并变成形容词）
inventor /ɪnˈventə(r)/ n. 发明者（由invent加上表示人的后缀-or）
replaceable /rɪˈpleɪsəb(ə)l/ adj. 可更换的（由replace加后缀-able变成形容词）
Lego 乐高（一种儿童积木玩具）
elegant /ˈelɪɡ(ə)nt/ adj. 简洁的
interface /ˈɪntəfeɪs/ n. 界面
For the subjects – mice, in current testing – the small, soft device won't impede（妨碍） movement and is safer to use over time.
subject /ˈsʌbdʒekt/ n. 实验对象
current /ˈkʌr(ə)nt/ adj. 现在的
movement /ˈmuːvmənt/ n. 移动（由move加后缀-ment变成名词）
over time 随着时间的推移
Current devices used in this field are rigid, so they cause lesions（损伤） in soft brain tissue over time. With the new device, neuroscientists（神经科学家） can now monitor one area of the brain over much longer periods, and with the test subjects moving freely.
field /fiːld/ n. 领域
rigid /ˈrɪdʒɪd/ adj. 坚硬的、固定的
cause /kɔːz/ v. 造成
tissue /ˈtɪʃuː/ n. 细胞组织
monitor /ˈmɒnɪtə(r)/ v. 监控
"It allows us to better dissect（剖析） the neural circuit basis of behaviour, and how specific neuromodulators（神经调节物质） in the brain tune behaviour in various ways," said Michael Bruchas, a professor at the University of Washington School of Medicine who heads the Bruchas Lab. "We are also eager to use the device for complex pharmacological（药理学的） studies, which could help us develop new therapeutics（疗法） for pain, addiction and emotional disorders."
circuit /ˈsɜːkɪt/ n. 回路
basis /ˈbeɪsɪs/ n. 基础
specific /spəˈsɪfɪk/ adj. 特定的
tune /tjuːn/ v. 微调
head /hed/ v. 领导
eager /ˈiːɡə(r)/ adj. 急切的
complex /ˈkɒmpleks/ adj. 复杂的
emotional /ɪˈməʊʃ(ə)n(ə)l/ adj. 情绪的（由emotion加后缀-al变成形容词）
disorder /dɪˈsɔːdə(r)/ n. 失调、疾病（由order加上表示否定的前缀dis-）
The researchers, who published their findings in the journal Nature Biomedical Engineering, created the implant for laboratory use with animals but would like to develop the technology for clinical applications in the future, meaning one day a similar device could be tested on humans.
publish /ˈpʌblɪʃ/ v. 发表
journal /ˈdʒɜːn(ə)l/ n. 期刊
clinical /ˈklɪnɪk(ə)l/ adj. 临床的
application /ˌæplɪˈkeɪʃ(ə)n/ n. 运用、应用
Their invention comes after three years of collaboration between the Jeong group at KAIST in Daejeon and the Bruchas Lab in Seattle. The former specialises in soft electronics for wearable and implantable（可植入体内的） devices, while the latter is a research laboratory focusing on stress, depression, addiction, pain and other neuropsychiatric（神经精神病学） disorders.
collaboration /kəˌlæbəˈreɪʃ(ə)n/ n. 合作
Seattle /sɪˈæt(ə)l/ n. 西雅图（美国西北部城市）
specialise /ˈspeʃ(ə)laɪz/ v. 专门研究、专攻（由special加后缀-ise变成动词）
electronics /ˌelekˈtrɒnɪks/ n. 电子学
wearable /ˈweərəb(ə)l/ adj. 可穿戴的（由wear加后缀-able变成形容词）
latter /ˈlætə(r)/ n. 后者
focus on 聚焦于、专注于
Their project is much more limited in scope than the sorts of neural implants envisioned by the likes of Elon Musk's start-up Neuralink, which is building a device to connect human brains with computer interfaces. The entrepreneur has stated he hopes to test his device on a human patient before the end of 2020.
project /ˈprɒdʒekt/ n. 项目
scope /skəʊp/ n. 范围、范畴
envision /enˈvɪʒ(ə)n/ v. 设想、预想
the likes of 像…这样的东西
start-up 初创公司
entrepreneur /ˌɒntrəprəˈnɜː(r)/ n. 企业家
state /steɪt/ v. 说明、陈述
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