英文医学论文中数量的常用表达

2022-11-22魏莎莎余党会

学报编辑论丛 2022年1期

魏莎莎，余党会

(海军军医大学教研保障中心出版社《海军军医大学学报》编辑部，上海 200433)

古希腊毕达哥拉斯学派认为“万物皆数”。可见从古至今数量与人类发展都密切相关。英文医学论文因经常需要提及各类实验统计数据等，其写作相对于普通写作和其他科技论文写作来说有许多特殊之处。掌握正确规范的数量表达形式，对英文医学论文的科学性和规范性意义重大[1]。不仅如此，准确的数量表达对医学论文的出版和传播也至关重要[2]。笔者总结了英文医学论文中常用的几种数量表达形式。

1 数量的表达

医学论文中各种数量的表达使用较多，几乎每篇文章都会涉及一种或多种数量的表达。数量的准确表达对医学论文来说至关重要，容不得半点差错。Robert Day博士[3]认为，在英文医学论文中0到10之间的整数宜用英语全拼，其余的应当采用阿拉伯数字。但在实际写作中，即使是0到10之间的整数也被阿拉伯数字所代替，这一点已为国际上大多数期刊所认可，如：In COX-1 indirect pathways, women experienced the same or more platelet inhibition than men in 8 of the 9 assays yet retained modestly greater platelet reactivity after aspirin therapy. (摘自四大医学期刊之一的《美国医学会杂志》The Journal of the American Medical Association[JAMA])。

需要注意的是，一般情况下应尽量避免将阿拉伯数字直接放于句首，遇到这类情况，可通过在句首的数字前加修饰词来避免，如：(A total of 或Totally) 280 patients were enrolled；若无法避免，则采用英文全拼，如：Seventy-five patients (68.2%) who screened positive for bipolar disorder had a current major depressive episode or an anxiety or substance use disorder. (摘自JAMA)。

一般数量的出现形式有单纯数量、序数、数量范围、比例和率、数量的变化(倍数)及特殊数量(均值、极值、其他形容词)的表达等，以下将分别举例说明。

1.1 单纯数量

单纯数量的表达有下面几种情况：

A：Urinary retention was noted in 5 patients (8.3%).

B：Tendons were harvested from euthanatized horses 1, 2, 4, 8, or 24 weeks following injury.

C：Ten of 19 eyes (53%) had a posterior vitreous detachment, 或者Out of (Among) the 100 patients, 10 (10%) showed hallux extension uni or bilateral, 或者 Ten (10%) out of the 100 patients showed hallux extension uni or bilateral.

D：The mean Knee Society knee scores, functional scores, and Tegner scores, available for 9 of these 10 knees, were 80, 97, and 4.2, respectively.

此外，要注意多位数、小数、分数的书写和表达。

1.2 序数

序数词是用来表示顺序的词，英语中的序数词在构成上由其相应的基数词变化而来，要注意拼写比较特殊的序数词：first, second, third, fifth, eighth, ninth, twelfth，其余的在相应的基数词后加“th”即可。

A：Blood samples were obtained following the first and fifth doses.

B：More than two fifths of children are exposed to passive smoking which is associated with increased prevalence of chronic cough, wheezing, running nose and sneezing without cold.

C：The youngest one-third of pupils had significantly lower average school grades than the middle one-third and oldest one-third of their classmates.

D：Conversations were recorded, transcribed by a third party, and coded by 2 independent assessors using standard grounded theory methods.

E：Primary hepatocellular carcinoma is one of the most common malignancies and has the fourth highest mortality rate worldwide.

F：Today is July 25th, 2022.

1.3 数量的范围

A：A greater number of case reports were received for children aged 1-9 years and for adults aged 30-39 years compared with other age groups.

B：The respondents scored their ability (range, 1-5).

C：The overall structure of IFN-tau is maintained across a pH range of 2-8.

D：The distance from the orbital rim to each MNJ in the 6 extraocular muscles ranged from 24.4 to 33.6 mm and the width of each MNJ ranged from 5.0 to 8.5 mm.

E：In pregnant sheep, galectin-15 mRNA expression appeared in the epithelia between days 10 and 12 and increased between days 12 and 16.

1.4 比例和率

在英文医学论文中，表示比例、率等概念的词有：rate, ratio, proportion, incidence, prevalence等。

A：The 1- and 2-year survival rates were 92% and 87%, respectively.

B：The ratio of male to female patients decreased from 1.7:1 to 1.3:1.

C：The median proportion of normally shaped spermatozoa was 15%, and the proportion of motile spermatozoa was 21%.

D：The incidences adverse events were similar in the simeprevir and placebo groups at 12 weeks (246 [96%]vs 130 [97%]).

E：The prevalence of depression was 15.5% in women with urinary incontinence and only 9.2%in women without urinary incontinence.

F：Over three-quarters of all participants reported at least one type of victim experience.

G：The products were diluted 1:100 and 1:1 000 for testing.

1.5 数量的变化(倍数)

涉及具体变化量的表达时常用词有：increase, decrease, raise, rise, drop, lower, reduce,decline, up-regulate, down-regulate, elevate, double等。下面以increase为例进行说明。

A：increasedxtimes (folds)，增加了x倍。

The median survival time increased 2-3 times relative to untreated controls.

B：increased by a factor ofx，增加了x倍。

Our results suggest that the prevalence of T1D is increased by a factor of 4 in young adults with IGE.

C：increased byxtimes (folds)，增加了x倍。

Among teens, the prevalence has increased by 2-3 times in recent decades.

D：increased toxtimes (folds)，增加到x倍。

ApoE levels in the experimental mice increased to 4 times the apoE levels of normal mice.

E：increased byx，增加了x。

The maximum jump height increased by 8 cm in group A.

F：increasedx，增加了x.

The most proximal descending thoracic aneurysm increased 2 cm in 2 weeks.

G：increased tox，增加到x。

The specific activity of AtsPLA2-alpha continuously increased as the Ca2+concentration was increased to 10 mM.

H：increased fromytox，从y增加到x。

One of the suspected metastases in the left lung increased from 1 cm to 2 cm.

1.6 特殊数量(均值、极值、其他形容词)表达

在英文医学论文中，有时需要在数量前面加上一定的修饰词来表示特定意义的量值，有时候甚至不需要数字，只需要用文字来说明数值。

A：Mean (Average)，表示“均数”，如，

The mean age at operation was 29 (12-46) years.

B：Median，表示“中位数”，如：

All patients were women and had a median age of 62 years.

C：Many (much, a lot of, a great deal of, a great number of, a large quantity of, a great amount of, more)，表示“多”，如：

This neurodegenerative syndrome shares pathobiological features with frontotemporal dementia and, indeed, many patients show features of both diseases.

D：Few (little, less)，表示“少”，如：

There are few data directly comparing the effects of physical activity and body weight on cardiovascular biomarkers.

E：A few ( a little)，表示“一些”或“少许”，如：

Only a few articles have described the complications of parotid gland surgery and their management.

F：Maximal value (maximum, peak, the highest level, peaked)，表示“最大值”，如：

Their plasma levels decline to less than 20% of their maximal value during aging.

G：Minimal value (minimum, the lowest level)，表示“最小值”，如：

Following i.v. bolus, CV ranges between a minimal value of 0.307 (1-ln2) and infinity.

H：Most (majority)，表示“大部分”，如：

Most patients had recurrent headache after treatment.

I：Totally (a total of, altogether, whole)，表示“全部”，如：

Totally, 136 species from 51 families were documented from which 120 species used as medicinal and 84 species mentioned by 3 or more informants.

J：Sufficient (adequate, enough)，表示“足够”，如：

We tested whether a single injection of OT (i.v.) is sufficient to initiate the PRL secretion pattern of OVX/CS rats.

K：Over (above, more than)，表示“多于”或“大于”，如：

Nine patients had a residual urine volume over 200 mL.

L：Under (below, less than)，表示“少于”或“小于”，如：

MR images showed milder osteonecrosis in patients who were under 10 years old at the time of primary diagnosis.

M：About (approximately, some, nearly, more or less, around)，表示“大约”，如：

Eligible patients had tumors of about 5 cm were poor surgical candidates or otherwise warranted nephron sparing treatment.

N：None (nil, null, zero)，表示“无”或“零”，如：

None of the patient in this cohort was eligible for surgical treatment.

O：Dozen，表示“十二”，如：

More than a dozen studies on the effectiveness of the 0.08 blood alcohol concentration (BAC)laws have been published.

P：Quarter，表示“四分之一”，如：

Almost a quarter of the patients presenting an ADR were prescribed drugs considered inappropriate for the elderly.

Q：Score，表示“二十”，如：

Three scores of patients were included in this study.

R：Double，表示“增至二倍”，如：

Between 1979 and 1999, the number of physicians doubled in the sample states.

S：Triple，表示“增至三倍”，如：

The incidence of obesity has more than tripled for children 6 to 11 years of age.

T：Quadruple，表示“增至四倍”，如：

The mean capillary flow velocity of all patients more than quadrupled after treatment.

U：Quintuple，表示“增至五倍”，如：

In the past 11 years, the cumulative number of AIDS cases in adults quintupled.

2 常见的数量表达错误

数量表达方面的错误是英文医学论文中常见的语法错误之一。这里列举了一些我们在日常工作中遇到的一些常见的数字表达错误，希望有所帮助。

2.1 句首用阿拉伯数字

错误：12 studies involving 616 patients were included.

正确：A total of 12 studies involving 616 patients were included.

2.2 序数词拼写错误

错误：ICOS expression in the allograft and allograft with tacrolimus ceased group gradually increased on the 3th, 5thand 7thday.

正确：ICOS expression in the allograft and allograft with tacrolimus ceased group gradually increased on the 3rd, 5thand 7thday.

2.3 两组数字连用时都用阿拉伯数字

两组数字连续出现时，其中一个用英文，另一个用阿拉伯数字。

错误：The patients were randomly assigned to a cross-over protocol with 2 4-week periods.

正确：The patients were randomly assigned to a cross-over protocol with two 4-week periods.

2.4 数量变化的表达错误

有些作者撰写英文医学论文时习惯先用中文写完后再翻译成英文。这种情况就需要特别注意，否则差之毫厘，谬以千里。

同样以increase为例，作者想表达“……增加了20%”。

错误：…increase to 20%.

正确：…increase by 20%.

2.5 几个特殊率的错误表达

2.5.1 发病率(incidence)和患病率(prevalence)

发病率(incidence)是指某地区某时期(一般为 1年)人群中新发某疾病的频率，用于描述某种疾病危险性大小。患病率(prevalence)是指某地区某时点(或时期)人群中某疾病新旧病例数所占比例，用于描述某一时点(或时期)某种病例存在的多少。如不注意，常见各种误用。

错误：The overall incidence of chronic kidney disease was 10.8% (10.2-11.3); therefore the number of patients with chronic kidney disease in China is estimated to be about 119.5 million(112.9-125.0 million).

正确：The overall prevalence of chronic kidney disease was 10.8% (10.2-11.3); therefore the number of patients with chronic kidney disease in China is estimated to be about 119.5 million(112.9-125.0 million).

2.5.2 死亡率(mortality)和病死率(fatality)

死亡率(mortality)是指在某时期内因某病死亡人数占总人口数的比例，用于描述某时期死于某病的频率。病死率(fatality)是指在某时期内因某病死亡人数占同期患某病人数的比例，用于描述某种特定疾病的严重程度。可见两者分母不同，从中文解释上看，差异很明显，但翻译过程中却很容易出错。

错误：The disease can cause severe morbidity and, since 2005, mortality.

正确：The disease can cause severe morbidity and, since 2005, fatality.