Scientist at University College London have discovered sets of regulatory genes，which are responsible for maintaining healthy hearing.The finding，made in fruit flies，could lead to treatments for age-related hearing loss（ARHL） in humans.
Globally，one-third of people aged over 65 experience hearing impairment，and while there are thought to be more than 150 genes that may affect hearing loss，there is no unified（統(tǒng)一的） view on how to use these to develop hearing loss treatments.
In the study，published in Scientific Reports，researchers are at the UCL Ear Institute assessed the hearing ability of the common fruit fly across its life span（around 70 days） to see if their hearing declines with age.
A fruit fly's ears share many molecular（分子的） similarities with the ears of humans，making it an ideal tool for the study of human hearing loss.
Researchers found that the antennal ears of fruit flies also display ARHL with nearly all sensitive hearing measures starting to decline after 50 days of age.This made the researchers want to know if there were any "age-variable" genes in the flies' inner ears which have kept the ears healthy for 50 days of their lives.
After closer examination，researchers identified a new set of regulatory genes-homeostasis genes.These genes are often responsible for picking up sound and the overall sensitivity of the ear.Using this information，scientists were then able to genetically modify（修改） the genes and prevent the flies from getting ARHL.
Professor Joerg Albert，lead author of the study，said： "While many studies have been conducted into the hearing function of fruit flies，ours is the first to look at the mechanistic and molecular detail of their auditory life course."
"The fact that these genes are conserved in humans will also help to focus future clinical research in humans and thereby accelerate the discovery of new pharmacological or gene-therapeutic strategies."
（1）What did scientists at UCL discover？ BB
A．One-third of people aged over 65 have hearing problems.
B．Homeostasis genes maintain one's ability to hear.
C．There are regulatory genes that are related to aging.
D．Humans have over 150 genes that can affect hearing loss.
（2）Why were fruit flies used in the research？ AA
A．Their hearing system is similar to that of humans'.
B．Their hearing ability also declines with age.
C．They display ARHL during their lifespan.
D．They share many genes with humans.
（3）What is the main purpose of the last two paragraphs？ BB
A．The discovery of new treatments.
B．The significance of the study.
C．The result of the study.
D．The future commercial prospects.
（4）Which of the following would be the best title for the text？ CC
A．Age-related hearing loss：fruit flies and humans
B．Hearing loss：a common problem for older adults.
C．Gene discovery could lead to hearing loss treatments.
D．The body's ability can be unlocked to treat lost hearing
【答案】B；A；B；C
【解答】
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發(fā)布：2024/5/23 20:38:36組卷：8引用：1難度：0.7
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