Unravelling the mystery of autobrewery syndrome
解开“自动酿酒综合症”之谜
Auto-Brewery Syndrome (ABS), is a largely mysterious condition that raises the levels of alcohol in the blood and produces the symptoms of alcohol intoxication in patients, even when they have had minimal or no alcohol intake. It can lead them to fail breathalyser tests, and brings social and legal consequences for sufferers.
自动酿酒综合症 (ABS) 是一种非常神秘的疾病，它会在患者只摄入了很少量甚至没有摄入酒精的情况下，提高其血液中的酒精含量，并使患者出现酒精中毒的症状。该病症会导致患者无法通过呼气酒精测试，给他们带来社会和法律后果。
But this unusual phenomenon is also highly controversial, not least because its exact cause is still poorly understood.
但这种不寻常的现象也引起了很大的争议，尤其是因为人们对它产生的确切原因仍然知之甚少。
One suggested mechanism underlying the condition revolves around imbalances in gut microbes, which lead to overgrowth of certain microbes that later, under particular conditions, ferment a high-carbohydrate meal into alcohol. But what might be triggering this sudden and dramatic change in the microorganisms living inside our bodies that in the right circumstances leads to ABS?
有一种身体机制可能是导致该病症的深层原因，其核心问题是肠道微生物失衡，导致肠道内某些微生物过度繁殖，进而在一定条件下，将高碳水化合物食物发酵成酒精。但是，究竟是什么可能会引起我们体内微生物急剧变化，以致于在一定条件下引发自动酿酒综合症呢？
The first reported cases of this syndrome appeared in Japan as early as the 1950s.
早在20世纪50年代，日本就报告了第一例自动酿酒综合症的病例。
A medical report of two cases from 1984 highlighted another culprit – yeasts living in the patients' digestive tracts. More recently, other studies have revealed it often takes a combination of factors to increase the risk of ABS. A number of alcohol-producing fungi and bacteria can lead to overproduction of alcohol.
1984年的一份医学报告根据两例自动酿酒综合症病例研究，指出了另一个致病因素就是患者消化道中的酵母菌。最近，也有其他研究表明，自动酿酒综合症的患病风险加大，通常是多重因素叠加的结果。会产生酒精的多种真菌和细菌结合到一起，最终会导致人体内酒精产生过量。
V. FAQ
Mat老师在今天的答疑环节中，讲解了 reckon 与 believe 的区别。
欢迎同学们把笔记分享到留言区~
应版权方要求，此内容仅对英国以外地区开放。
生词好句
1.unravel
英 [ʌnˈrævəl] 美 [ʌnˈrævəl]
v. to understand something difficult or complex by thinking about it for a long time. If you unravel a mystery – you think about it, you solve it, you understand it.
拓展:
Police are trying to unravel the mystery of the missing diamonds.
警方正在尽力破解钻石失踪案。
Scientists have unravelled the mystery of the new star.
科学家们已经揭开了这颗新恒星的奥秘。
2.minimal
英 [ˈmɪnɪml] 美 [ˈmɪnəml]
adj. very small – as small as possible, the smallest amount we can have.
拓展:
The data has only increased by a minimal amount.
数据只增加了很小的一部分。
The material is slowly warmed, using only a minimal amount of heat.
这种材料只需要极少量的热量，就能够慢慢升温。
3.intake
英 [ˈɪnteɪk] 美 [ˈɪnteɪk]
n. the amount of something that you eat or drink
拓展:
You should reduce your sugar and junk food intake.
你应该减少糖分摄入量，减少食用垃圾食品。
What is your daily intake of calories?
你每天饮食摄入多少卡路里？
4.consequence
英 [ˈkɒnsɪkwəns] 美 [ˈkɑːnsəkwəns]
n. the result or results or effects of something. We often use it with "serious"—there will be serious consequences (meaning bad results).
拓展:
Eating too much junk food can have serious consequences.
吃太多垃圾食品会严重影响健康。
The computer problem led to serious consequences for the company.
电脑故障给这家公司带来了严重的后果。
5.phenomenon
英 [fəˈnɒmɪnən] 美 [fəˈnɑːmənɑːn]
n. an event or situation that can be seen to exist or we know it happens. We often use it with common to mean a common situation, something that happens a lot, frequently or commonly.
拓展:
Obesity is now a common phenomenon in many countries.
如今，肥胖在许多国家都是一种普遍现象。
Online shopping is a very common phenomenon all around the world.
网上购物在全世界都是一种非常普遍的现象。
6.controversial
英 [ˌkɒntrəˈvɜːʃl] 美 [ˌkɑːntrəˈvɜrːʃl]
adj. If something is controversial, people have different opinions about it. Some people think it's good, some people think it's bad.
拓展:
The controversial plan to build a new airport—some people like this plan, other people dislike the plan.
建造新机场的的计划引发了争议——一些人喜欢这个计划，另一些人不喜欢。
The controversial new law about cycling in public parks—some people like the law, other people don't like this new law.
关于在公园骑自行车的新法律引发了争议——一些人支持这项法律，另一些人不支持。
7.revolve around
One thing can revolve around another thing.
拓展:
His life revolves around football.
他的生活围着足球转。
Most of his books revolve around history.
他的书大多是关于历史的。
8.overgrowth
英 [ˌəʊvəˈɡrəʊθ] 美 [ˌoʊvərˈɡroʊθ]
n. Overgrowth means too much growth, something has grown too much.
9.culprit
英 [ˈkʌlprɪt] 美 [ˈkʌlprɪt]
n. someone or something who has done something wrong. If we use it for a thing, it means something causing a problem.
拓展:
My washing machine has been making a very strange noise recently. But I found the culprit. It was a small coin inside the machine making that noise.
我的洗衣机最近一直发出很奇怪的声音。我找到了罪魁祸首，那声音是机器里的一枚小硬币发出的。
There is something really smelly in my fridge. I think the culprit is this old piece of cheese.
我冰箱里有东西特别臭。我认为罪魁祸首是这块放了很久的奶酪。
10.a combination of factors
This expression means many things, many causes, many different things together—cause a situation.
拓展:
Why did we lose that football game? I think it was because of a combination of factors, not just one reason.
我们为什么输了那场足球赛?我认为这是多因素共同作用的结果，而不仅仅是一个原因。
His success in business was a result of a combination of factors.
他在商业上的成功是多种因素综合作用的结果。
