英倫翻譯社/ Trsmaster

◎國際新聞中心

Smokers may get fewer hours of sleep and have less restful slumber than non-smokers, according to a German study that looked at more than two thousand people.

根據德國一項觀察2000多人的研究，吸菸者睡眠時數可能比不吸菸者少，也較容易淺眠。

Researchers whose work appeared in the journal Addiction Biology found that of nearly 1,100 smokers surveyed, 17 percent got fewer than six hours of sleep each night and 28 percent reported "disturbed" sleep quality.

成果刊登在「成癮生物學」期刊的研究人員發現，在他們調查的近1100名吸菸者中，17%每天晚上睡不到6小時，28%表示睡眠品質「受到干擾」。

That compared with rates of seven percent and 19 percent respectively among more than 1,200 non-smokers who were also surveyed, said lead researcher Stefan Cohrs, of Charite Berlin medical school in Germany.

德國柏林夏里特大學醫學院的研究計畫主持人寇爾斯說，調查的1200多名非吸菸者中，睡不到6小時與睡眠品質受到干擾的比例，分別是7%與19%。

The findings cannot prove that smoking directly impairs sleep, since smokers may have other habits that could affect their shut-eye such as staying up late to watch TV or getting little exercise.

這項研究發現無法證明吸菸會直接損害睡眠，因為吸菸者可能還有其他習慣影響闔眼，例如熬夜看電視或運動太少等。

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◎陳維真

A Texas company could have the answer to some consumers’ unwelcome discovery that just-purchased loaves contain mold.

麵包剛買就發霉，讓消費者不開心，一家德州公司或許有辦法解決。

MicroZap Inc. claims its technology allows bread to stay mold-free for 60 days. The bread is bombarded with microwaves for about 10 seconds, which kills the mold spores, said chief executive officer Don Stull said.

MicroZap公司聲稱握有技術可讓麵包60天不發霉。執行長斯特表示，麵包經過微波10秒後，就能殺光黴菌孢子。

The process could eliminate bakers’ need for preservatives and ingredients used to mask preservatives’ flavor, as well as reduce food waste and increase bread’s shelf life, he said.

斯特表示，這個過程或許可以讓麵包師傅不再需要防腐劑，或使用其他材料來掩蓋防腐劑的味道，也能減少食物浪費，延長麵包的保存期限。

Researchers at Texas Tech University also see using the technology in bread made in developing countries, where there are fewer food safety standards and spoilage is a problem.

德州科技大學的研究人員也認為可在開發中國家使用這項技術。開發中國家食物安全標準規範較少，食物腐爛是個問題。

After 60 days, researchers found the treated bread that remained packaged had the same mold content when compared to a freshly baked loaf, Stull said. In the end, though, he knows it comes down to consumers’ palates.

◎張沛元

A tourist swimming in a river in Australia has had a shock after a crocodile leapt onto him, slapping him in the face in the process.

一名泳客在澳洲一條河裡游泳時飽受驚嚇，因為一隻鱷魚不但撲向他，過程中還賞了他一耳光。

The reptile had been sunning itself on a rock in a national park in the Northern Territory but then seemed to want to cool off.

這隻爬蟲類動物原本在澳洲北領地的一座國家公園的一塊大石頭上做日光浴，但稍後看似想清涼一下。

The animal launched itself directly at Swedish tourist Felix Andersson, hitting him in the face before landing in the water.

這隻動物直接撲向瑞典遊客菲力克斯．安德森，落水前打了他的臉。

Mr Andersson and his friend Ulrik Bergsland quickly swam away laughing and were not hurt in the incident.

安德森與友人烏爾瑞克．伯格史蘭德邊笑邊趕快游開，而且沒有在此事中受傷。

In fact the pair were so unfazed they carried on swimming in the lagoon.

◎魏國金

Clean and green Singapore is going even greener this Chinese New Year, recycling S$2 bills for red packets of money alongside the printing of new ones.

乾淨環保的新加坡今年中國新年將更環保，因其印新鈔同時，也循環再使用2元紙鈔，做為壓歲錢之用。

Giving out the little packets, or "lai see", with crisp new notes during the Lunar New Year is a long-standing tradition. Adults typically give them to children, older relatives and unmarried siblings to wish them good luck for the coming year.

在農曆新年期間，給出裝有新印鈔票的小袋，或稱「來喜」，是長久以來的傳統。大人通常將它們送給孩子、年長親戚以及未婚手足，希望他們來年好運。

As well as printing millions of brand new $2 notes as it has done in the past, the Monetary Authority of Singapore （MAS）, the wealthy Southeast Asian city-state’s central bank, said it will issue older notes that look as good as new and encourage the public to use them.

如同過去作法，今年也將印行數百萬張全新的2元紙鈔，但這個富有東南亞城市國家的央行「新加坡金融管理局（MAS）」表示，將發行看起來與新鈔一樣好的舊鈔，並鼓勵民眾使用。

"The accumulation of excess $2 polymer notes and their destruction before the end of their lifespan is a waste of precious resources and is not environmentally friendly," the MAS said.

「累積過多的2元塑料鈔票以及在其使用期限結束前銷毀，是浪費珍貴資源，而且不環保，」MAS表示。

Singapore only needs around 50 million $2 notes in circulation. Printing the excess notes just for the Lunar New Year consumes 10 tonnes of ink and uses enough electricity to power an entire apartment block for six months, it added.

◎國際新聞中心

US researchers found patients with gout who ate cherries over a two-day period had a 35% lower risk of attacks compared to those who did not. The study in Arthritis & Rheumatism said cherries contain anthocyanins, antioxidants which contain anti-inflammatory properties.

美國研究人員發現，痛風病患吃2天櫻桃，會比沒吃的患者降低35%的發作風險。刊登在關節炎與風濕病的研究說，櫻桃內含有花青素，這是一種能抗發炎的抗氧化物。

Gout is a common type of arthritis that can cause sudden and very severe attacks of pain and swelling in the joints, particularly in the feet. Gout affects about one in 100 people, with men two to three times more likely to be affected than women.

痛風是一種常見的關節炎，可能造成關節突如其來且非常嚴重的疼痛與腫脹，特別是在腳部。痛風罹患率約百分之一，男性罹患率是女性的2到3倍。

In this study, researchers from Boston University recruited 633 gout patients with an average age of 54. Most were male. People were asked to record gout attacks including symptoms, the drugs they used and their diet and drinking patterns in the two days prior to the attack, including whether or not they had eaten cherries or cherry extract intake.

在這份研究中，波士頓大學的研究人員招募633名平均54歲的痛風病患，其中多數是男性。他們被要求記錄痛風發作，包括症狀、他們服用的藥物、發作前2天的飲食與喝酒模式，包括是否吃過櫻桃或櫻桃萃取物等。

Ten to 12 cherries was counted as one serving. During the period the patients were studied, they had a total of 1,247 gout attacks. Some 42% of those studied ate cherries or cherry extract. These patients had a 37% lower risk of gout attacks than those who did not eat the fruit.

10到12顆櫻桃算1份。在研究期間，病患痛風發作的次數共1247次。接受研究的病患，約42%病患吃了櫻桃或櫻桃萃取物。這些患者的痛風發作率，比沒吃的人低37%。

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