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No.177 |
CHINA SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
NEWSLETTER
The Ministry of Science and Technology
People's Republic of China
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February 10,1999 |
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IN THIS ISSUE
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National Plan on Ecological Environment Improvement
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Discovery of New Functional Liver Cancer Gene
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Prototype Testing by Asian Largest Transonic Wind Tunnel
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China's Radial Plunger Pump
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China's Antarctic Expedition Team Braved into “Forbidden Zone”
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National Plan on Ecological Environment Improvement
National Plan on Ecological Environment Improvement reviewed and adopted recently by the routine meeting of the State Council has proposed to curb the deterioration trend of China's ecological environment in 50 years so as to basically restore the green beauty of Chinese land.
Under the instructions by senior state leaders including Jiang Zemin, Li Peng and Zhu Rongji, National Plan on Ecological Environment Improvement was drafted and prepared by relevant government agencies organized by State Planning and Development Commission.
General objectives of ecological environment improvement proposed by the plan are: it will take about 50 years to mobilize and organize Chinese people to strengthen the efforts protecting the existing natural forests and wild animal and plant resources with the help of science and technology, vigorously advocate for afforestation, harness soil erosion, prevent and control desertification, build up ecological agriculture, improve production and living conditions, complete a number of major projects of ecological environment improvement in the country and curb deteriorating trend of ecological environment. By the middle of next century, areas suffering from soil erosion in the country shall be placed under basic control and targeted land be made green with trees and grasses. The damaged grassland shall be basically recovered and a relatively complete ecological environment monitoring and protection system be established. As a result, most areas in the country shall witness remarkable improvement of their ecological environment and vast land and massive mountains and rivers in the country shall look more beautiful than before.
In the last 4 decades and more, China has worked on 670,000 square kilometers ofland suffered from soil erosion on a cumulative basis and raised its forest coverage to 1392%. China's efforts on improving its ecological environment has produced and will continuously produce positive impacts on the sustainable socialand economic development. However, China's current natural ecological environment is still very weak with unchecked deteriorating trend.
The Plan points out that preparing a national ecological environment developmentplan of long-term guidance and making the plan as part of national economic and social development is an important strategy for promoting China's modernization construction into the 21st century in an all-round way.
In view of practical situation of China's ecological environment protection and development, the Plan has selected major aspects affecting national land ecological environment development such as protection of natural resources including natural forests, afforestation, water and soil conservancy, combat against desertification, grassland build-up, ecological agriculture and so on.
By the middle of next century, China's ecological environment improvement will be implemented in three phases. Near phase targets are: from now on till 2010, firmly curb new soil erosions caused by human activities and strive to check the further development of desertification; major areas suffered from serious ecological damages in upper and middle reaches of the Yangtze River and Huanghe River and areas suffered from serious desertifications shall see preliminary improvements.
The Plan outlined priority areas and projects as follows: continuously work on existing ecological projects such as the socalled “Three Norths” shelter-forest system, maintain afforestation and grass growing and soil erosion control efforts on an extensive and persistent basis, prevent further desertifications and establish ecological agriculture. The listed priority areas are the upper and middle reaches of the Yangtze River and Huanghe River, windy and sandy areas and grasslands where the ecological environment is most vulnerable, of major impacts on improving the country's ecological environment and of most importance to realize the near phase targets of ecological environment improvement. Reinforced support will be given to these areas for a breakthrough improvement in a short period of time.
The Plan also points out that in the course of ecological environment improvement, foreign capital including long-term low-interest loans and donations shall be attracted to finance priority ecological improvement projects.
It is reported that in order to strengthen the leadership in the improvement activities, the State Planning and Development Commission will together with related government agencies establish a ministerial joint meeting system on national ecological environment improvement.
Discovery of New Functional Liver Cancer Gene
Prof. Chen Zhinan of Xi'an based No. 4 Military University of Medical Sciencesand Dr. Yang Zhi of Sainojin International Company discovered a new functional liver cancer gene for the first time in the world. The discovered new gene is able to control proliferation and metastasis of liver cancers. At an annual meeting on national high tech development oriented 863 Program that dropped its curtain on December 5, 1998, the new gene named as Hab18G was deemed as a major discovery in the field of liver cancer research.
From the 1980s Prof. Chen and others started their oriented studies on liver cancer with high tech means and for the first time in the world worked out Hab18, a liver cancer antibody of high affinity and specificity and realized major breakthroughs with the antibody used as carriers in clinical diagnosis and treatment of liver cancers with a successful diagnosis rate as high as 900%, effective treatment rate 531% and full curing rate 41%.
To understand the mechanism of the antibody killing liver cancers, Prof. Chen joined with Dr. Yang Zhi to further their studies and eventually discovered Hab18G in the gene bank made up of the cells of liver cancer patients and tracked to the mechanism why the antibody could control liver cancer cells.
Lightest Electromagnetic Mini-Motor Was Born in Shanghai
The lightest electromagnetic mini-motor in the world with a size even smaller than a sesame seed and weight of 125 mg was born in Shanghai. As confirmed by the comparing result of on-line international data retrieving, the motor is the lightest one among its USA and Japanese made counterparts in weight.
The new proctocikiscopy where the motor found its applications has recently passed experts judgement in Shanghai.
With a maximum rotation speed of 18000 r.p.m and output torque of 1.5 micro newton-meters, experts believed the integrated manufacturing technology of the motor reached the first world class level.
The mini-motor was developed by Information Storage Research Center of Shanghai Jiaotong University. Prof. Zhang Chen who headed the studies told that thanks to its tiny size and extremely light weight the new motor is of extensive applications in high tech fields such as aviation and space, mini robot and biomedical studies. Medical endoscopes such as gastroscope, cystoscope and laryngoscope may widen their views and realize automatic frond end operation with the help of the new motor. Doctors will be able to reach a clear view of pathological changes inside without necessary reorienting the endoscope, which will alleviate damages and pains to patients and improve diagnosis accuracy.
Prototype Testing by Asian Largest Transonic Wind Tunnel
The transonic wind tunnel developed by Chinese Military Air Dynamics Research Base was first used on December 30, 1998 to test a new prototype air fighter and the test achieved satisfactory results. This illustrates the said wind tunnel, the largest in Asia, has possessed the capability of testing flying vehicles of different types used in both aviation and space industry.
Since its completion of construction on December 20, 1997, the Chinese designed and made transonic wind tunnel has experienced air seal test, static and dynamicdebug, flow field calibration tests and standard model test. Applied with the latest internationally advanced technologies in comprehensive testings, researchers have greatly shortened the time testing flying vehicles in the tunnel.
Wind tunnel experts told that the wind tunnel is of rational data variations, accurate Mach number control with reliable experiment output. Fully met with designed technical requirements, the tunnel has clearly demonstrated great potentials in prototype testing. Base authorities said upon the start of its official operational application, the tunnel would play its special role in the development of new Chinese flying vehicles and the construction of national economy.
Digital No-clutch Crystallizer Level Control System
Chongqing Steel (Group) Co. Ltd. and Beijing Yimeibo S&T Co. Ltd. have successfully upgraded technical part of slab caster with digital no-clutch crystallizer level control system. The result passed through experts verification organized by State Metallurgical Bureau.
The said system is a level control technique used to apply numerical control techniques to slab casting. In the course of development, both companies worked in close cooperation on the integration of the latest technologies in the fields of vortex flow sensor, PLC programmable controller, digital electronic cylinder, proportional integral and differential readjustment and fuzzy control functions, etc. The equipment was delivered to the factory in July 1998 and tested for switch-on in August. In the third day after its being put into operation, the control accuracy of the system reached world advanced level of ±1-2 mm. Up to date, it has stood the tests of more than ten thousand tons of production activities with a satisfactory reliability without occurrence of common accidents such as steel spilling or leakage.
It is estimated by Chongqing Steel Group that the application of the system may lead to a saving of more than 172 million yuan and creating annual economic benefits of 163 million yuan.
China's Radial Plunger Pump
Thanks to their arduous efforts and on the basis of their nationally patented techniques, researchers of Gansu Polytechnic University have successfully developed new constant voltage controlled 250ml/r radial plunger pump of their own intellectual property right in the world. With its major performances reaching or being better than that of the imported ones, the new radial pump is characteristic of innovative design, low noise, strong impact resistance, high reliability and long life. Through solving some internationally acknowledged key technical problems relating to interior designing and manufacturing techniques and application of advanced austenite-bainite alloy materials and new heat-treated techniques, they creatively proposed overbalance approach for rotor and pintle designing so as to overcome a number of technical problems such as heavy load causing hydraulic pressure fever and pintle clutching, remarkably reduce the noise, strikingly prolong the operational life and reduce the operation costs. Structured with constant voltage control valve which is characteristic of simple design and fine function, the pump has achieved constant voltage control accuracy and abrasion resistance which have proved better than internationally advanced level. Testing reports by Lanzhou Steel Plant and other client factories have shown that with apparent economic benefits harvested in 13-month trial operation, the pump is in an acknowledged position to replace the imported famous brands. The research results on the design, technique and materials used for the pump are of innovative nature both at home and abroad. Experts appraisal panel concluded that the technology has reached internationally advanced level and laid a solid foundation for developing China's own plunger pumps of high pressure and large volume.
China's Antarctic Expedition Team
Braved into “Forbidden Zone”
Chinese Antarctic Ice Sheet Expedition team arrived DOM-A zone, the highest ice sheet area in the pole on January 8, 1999 and became the first expedition team in the world that braved into the forbidden zone, 1100 km away from Zhongshan Station (Chinese Antarctic expedition headquarters), since the start of international horizontal traveling across the Antarctic. It is also the first Chinese expedition team that reached the southern tip of the earth since China kicked off its expedition efforts.
On January 5, 1999 the expedition team reached the planned target (78°20'south and 77°00'east), 1000 km away from Zhongshan Station. The expedition team decided to march on southward in view of the fine status of both people and logistics.
On January 6, 1999, the expedition team reached the position at 79°00'48'' south and 77°00'4'' east, 1076 km away from the Zhongshan Station with an altitude of 3750 m above sea level. The expedition team kept collecting ice core samples on the way. On January 7, 1999 the expedition team sent a sledge car to continue the journey with most of team members remaining working on the site.
The ultimate sea level height reached by the expedition team went up from 3428m on January 5 to 3900m with an average ascending speed of more than 100m of altitude per day in the three-day acceleration. Both vehicles and expedition members were affected by high altitude climate but they remained in high spirit.
DOM-A zone was deemed as an unreachable place in the world for its extremely severe climate. However, being a tip recorded the complete history of earth climate and environmental changes, it is a science shrine longed for by many scientists.
It is reported that Chinese expedition team has overdone its due by not only acquiring an expedition cross section chart covering 1100 km and many valuable ice core samples but also investigating DOM-A zone.
Research on Chinese
Computer Information Network Passed Examination
Chinese Computer Information Network and associated key application technologieshave passed experts examination organized by Ministry of Education recently in Beijing.
With a total budget of 30 million yuan, the research project on computer information network and associated key application technologies was approved by the former State Planning Commission for its development. The project, on the basis of China's first nation-wide computer academic network: China Education and Research Network, is designed to address major issues appeared in the development and applications of large computer information network such as network system structures, networking construction, operational management and typical application systems.
The project has so far harvested 34 results that have been applied in the construction of China Computer Information Network and will contribute directly to the information process of national economy in the country.
Experts from related government agencies believed that many results derived from the project have reached internationally advanced level. The successful completion and application of the project will play an important role in the development of China's information industry and application of information resources.
Comments or inquiries on editorial matters or Newsletter content should be directed to:Mr. Dong Jianlong, Department of International Cooperation, MOST 15B, Fuxing Road Beijing 100862, PR China Tel: (8610)68512650 Fax: (8610) 68512594, or Mr. Wang Jianping, Editor,NEWSLETTER, 15 Fuxing Road Beijing 100038, PR China, Tel:(8610) 68515544 Ext. 2921
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