Secret of DEET Could Lead to New Insect Products

Secret of DEET Could Lead to New Insect Products
Scientists finally discover how the world's most widely used insecticide works. Transcript of radio broadcast:
11 May 2008
This is the VOA Special English Development Report.
There are new findings about an old method for keeping away insects. Scientists have uncovered the molecular workings of DEET.

DEET is the most widely used product for preventing insect bites. The scientists say their findings could lead to better insecticide products.

Fifty years ago, the United States Army and the Department of Agriculture developed DEET to protect soldiers from disease-carrying insects. Since then, it has been used to guard against blood-sucking insects, like mosquitoes carrying malaria. DEET has been shown to work on almost all insects, including ticks, which spread Lyme disease.

Until recently, no one had explained exactly how the product keeps insects away from skin. Some people thought that because DEET’s strong smell is not pleasing to human beings, it also smelled bad to insects. But the new study shows that DEET temporarily interferes with an insect’s ability to smell.

Leslie Vosshall is a professor of neurogenetics at Rockefeller University in New York. She was the lead investigator of the study.

Her team carried out experiments with mosquitoes and fruit flies. She says they discovered proteins in the antennae of both insects that identify several smells. The antennae help the insects identify smells, including those of human breath and sweat. As a result, the insects are able to identify human beings as food.

Professor Vosshall says DEET works by stopping some of the smell proteins, or receptors, in the antennae. When insects come in contact with DEET, they are no longer able to guide themselves to their target. She says the insects do not bite people wearing DEET because they cannot smell them. Other studies have suggested that DEET affects the smelling abilities of insects. But the new study is the first to identify DEET’s molecular targets.

DEET is widely used and found in more than one hundred products. It is not considered dangerous when placed on clothing and unprotected arms and legs. But DEET is not advised for young children, especially those under two months old. Concerns about possible health risks have led scientists to work on improvements.

Professor Vosshall says the new information about DEET could help in the development of other, safer products. She says such products could even be used on babies.

And that's the VOA Special English Development Report, written by Brianna Blake.


----------------------------Google Translate

秘密deet可能会导致新的昆虫产品
科学家终于发现如何为世界上使用最广泛的杀虫剂工程。全文电台广播：
2008年5月11日
这是美国之音特别英语发展报告。
有新的结果，约一岁的方法远离昆虫。科学家发现分子的运作， deet 。

deet是使用最广泛的产品，为防止昆虫叮咬。科学家说，他们的研究结果可能会导致更好的杀虫剂产品。

五十年前，美国军队和农业部门制定了deet ，以保障官兵来自疾病进行昆虫。自那时以来，已用它，以防止吸血昆虫，如蚊子携带疟疾。 deet已被证明的工作，几乎所有的昆虫，包括蜱，传播莱姆病。

直到最近，没有人解释，究竟产品不断昆虫远离皮肤。有些人认为，因为deet的强烈气味是不是取悦人类，它也闻到坏的昆虫。但新研究表明， deet暂时干扰昆虫的嗅觉能力。

莱斯利vosshall是一个教授neurogenetics在纽约洛克菲勒大学的。她带头调查研究。

她的团队进行的实验与蚊子和果蝇。她说，他们发现，蛋白质在天线双方的昆虫，找出几个气味。天线帮助昆虫识别气味，包括那些人的呼吸和汗水。作为一个结果是，昆虫能够确定人类作为食物。

vosshall教授说， deet工程，停止一些气味的蛋白质，或受体，在天线。当昆虫来在接触deet ，他们不再能够引导它们的目标。她说，昆虫不咬的人身穿deet ，因为他们不能臭味。其他研究显示， deet影响闻能力的昆虫。但新的研究首次确定deet的分子的目标。

deet是广泛使用，并发现更多的比100的产品。这是没有考虑到危险时，放置在服装和保护的胳膊和腿。但deet是不建议为青少年儿童，特别是那些下二个月岁。关注可能的健康风险已导致工作的科学家对改善。

vosshall教授说，新的信息deet可以帮助在发展其他，更安全的产品。她说，这类产品，甚至可以用在婴儿。

这是该美国之音特别英语的发展报告，书面，由brianna布雷克。