It is once again a peak time for air pollution in central and southern Taiwan with concentrations of PM2.5 — fine particulate matter measuring 2.5 micrometers or smaller — above normal limits, which has led to a rise in the number of people suffering from allergic rhinitis. Some people go to a pharmacy of their own accord and buy a nasal spray, but doctors have warned members of the public to follow medical advice when using such devices. A nasal spray should only be used two to three times a day, and not for more than 10 consecutive days. Incorrect usage will cause drug-induced rhinitis (irritation and inflammation of the nasal mucous membrane).
According to Liu Tsung-wei, attending physician at Chi Mei Hospital’s Ear Nose and Throat Department, there are two types of nasal spray: Steroid nasal sprays and nasal decongestants. Due to fears over the side effects of using of steroids, many members of the public purchase the latter to obtain relief from blocked noses, yet Liu says many people do not follow the medical guidance when using them.
People who suffer from high blood pressure or arrhythmia should avoid using nasal decongestants. Incorrect usage can cause blood vessels within the nasal mucous membrane to lose their elasticity and become swollen, which will reduce the efficacy of decongestant medicine over time and increase the severity of nasal congestion. As the decongestant medicine becomes less effective, the user will often increase the number of sprays, leading to a vicious cycle which can eventually lead to drug-induced rhinitis.
Photo: Huang Wen-yu, Liberty Times
照片：自由時報記者黃文瑜
(LIBERTY TIMES, TRANSLATED BY EDWARD JONES)
最近中南部又進入空汙高峰期，甚至出現細懸浮微粒濃度超標，導致過敏性鼻炎患者增加。有些人會到藥局自行購買鼻噴劑使用，但醫師提醒，使用噴劑要照醫師指示使用，並且一天最多使用二至三次，不要連續使用超過十天，使用不當反而會造成藥物性鼻炎。
奇美醫學中心耳鼻喉部主治醫師劉宗瑋指出，「鼻噴劑」有兩類，分別為類固醇鼻噴劑及鼻黏膜血管收縮劑，民眾常因害怕類固醇的副作用而會自行購買「鼻黏膜血管收縮劑」消除鼻塞，卻忽略了需要遵照醫師指示使用。
特別是高血壓或心律不整病人應避免使用「鼻黏膜血管收縮劑」，若不當使用會導致鼻腔黏膜的血管失去彈性變腫脹，使得藥物療效越來越差，鼻塞症狀越來越嚴重。病人因此常自行增加噴藥次數，發生惡性循環，形成藥物性鼻炎。
(自由時報記者黃文瑜)
A: Yet another shopping mall has just opened in Taipei. B: Do you mean the Mitsui Shopping Park LaLaport Nangang? A: Yeah, the shopping mall run by Japanese Mitsui & Co. opened last week. B: I hear the mall features about 300 stores, Vieshow Cinemas and Japanese Lopia supermarket. A: With the opening, a war is breaking out between Taipei’s department stores. A: 台北又有新的購物商場可逛啦。 B: 你是說Mitsui Shopping Park LaLaport 南港？ A: 對啊這家日本三井集團旗下的商場上週開幕。 B: 聽說商場有威秀影城、樂比亞日系超市，還有多達300家專櫃。 A: 新商場一開幕，看來又要掀起一場百貨大戰啦！ （By Eddy Chang, Taipei Times／台北時報張迪）
A: Hey, didn’t you go to the opening of the Mitsui Shopping Park LaLaport Nangang last week? B: Yeah, there are about 300 shops, including the first overseas branch of Japan’s Mahou Dokoro — a famous Harry Potter-themed store. A: Wow, I’ve always wanted to get a magic wand. B: There are also a bunch of great restaurants, such as Smart Fish hotpot restaurant. A: I wish I had Harry Potter’s “apparition” and “disapparition” magic, so I could teleport to the mall right now. A: 你上週不是有去LaLaport南港的盛大開幕嗎？有什麼特別的？ B: 那裡有多達300家專櫃，包括魔法之地的海外首店——它可是日本知名的《哈利波特》專賣店。 A: 哇我一直想買根魔杖。 B: 另外還有各式各樣的美食，像是林聰明沙鍋魚頭。 A: 真希望我也有哈利波特的「現影術／消影術」魔法，能瞬間移動到商場去！ （By Eddy Chang, Taipei Times／台北時報張迪）
When it comes to movies, some people delight in watching spine-chilling horror films. Surprisingly, apart from containing a few scares, horror movies may also offer an unexpected __1__. According to a study, watching 90 minutes of a scary movie can burn an average of 113 calories, which is roughly __2__ to taking a 30-minute walk. Researchers from the University of Westminster carried out an experiment in which they __3__ participants’ oxygen intake, carbon dioxide output, and heart rates while they were watching horror movies without any distractions. The results revealed that physiological responses to fear play a crucial role
Dos & Don’ts — 想想看，這句話英語該怎麼說？ 1. 你覺得這部電影怎樣？ ˇ What do you think of the movie? χ How do you like the movie? χ How do you think of the movie? 註︰What do you think of ＝ What is your opinion of。 think 的受詞是 what，不能用 how。 2. 你認為哪一個歌星唱得最好？ ˇ Which singer do you think is the best? χ Do you think which singer is the best? 註︰英語中 which singer 似乎是 do you think 的受詞，實則 do you think 是插入語，其他例子如下： 你以為他喜歡誰？ Who do you think he likes? 你以為我住在哪裏？ Where do you think I live? 你想我昨天在公園裏碰到了誰？ Whom/Who do you think I met in the park yesterday? 3. 他不論到什麼地方，總是帶著一把雨傘。 ˇ No matter where he goes, he
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