Weather Science Serves Olympic Games
As revealed by the Chinese Central Weather Observatory, the Study on Meteorological Supporting Techniques for Olympic Games has been listed in the first group of topics dedicated to the Special S&T Project for the Olympic Games under China's 10th Five-Year Plan(2001-2005). The project will be jointly undertaken by research institutions both at home and abroad and an Olympic Games Meteorological Supporting System will be roughly created and completed in 2005. After its readjustment and perfection, the system will start to provide fine weather service for Beijing Olympic Games to be held in 2008. Its major study topics are:
1) Full range accurate rolling forecast. As required by the special needs of Olympic Games for its weather service, China will install automatic observation and Doppler radar observation networks in both Beijing and Qingdao. Meanwhile, China will enhance its satellite data applications and increase the density and times of observations over the game sites as required. In addition, China will develop the accurate local numerical weather forecast model with its focus on medium and small scale weather forecast, especially the physical process and parameterization method for small scale weather changes.
2) Short range and instant severe weather forecast. Chinese weather service will develop the applications technologies of unconventional data from radar, satellite, wind profiler, auto weather stations, lightening positioning device and the strengthened marine observation data, carrying out the study of local data sharing technology; Chinese weather researchers will study the genesis and development cycle of severe weathers during the period from June to September in both Beijing and Qingdao and their peculiarity, developing integrated severe weather forecasting techniques and comprehensive weather forecasting techniques; China will establish short range and instant weather forecasting service system in both Beijing and Qingdao, providing real time atmospheric information and instant severe weather warning and forecasting ranged from several minutes to 12-hour in advance for Olympic Games and associated activities.
3) Analysis of impacts of weather conditions on sports games. The study team will, in close collaboration with China National Sports Bureau and other related institutions, adopting the method of mathematical statistics, introducing into and using for reference the latest scientific findings both at home and abroad in other related fields, study the effects of different weather conditions on sports games, players and their performance, establishing an evaluation model for the effects of weather condition on Olympic Games and the condition indicators of agreeable weather for different sports items. In the meantime, Chinese scientists will study emergency measures in response to the potential severe weather conditions over the game sites, means for readjusting players' conditions and their accommodation and the readjustment of players' physical abilities and the protecting policy for horse race game.
Beijing: the International Center for Technology Transfer
Statistics has shown that in 2002 the foreign technology contracts registered at Beijing Technology Contract Registration Office reached 775 in number, or 3 times that of the previous year, with a total amount of BMB 3.599 billion, of which the technologies worth BMB 3.051 billion were exported to the foreign countries and Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan. Beijing is becoming a new international center for technology transfer.
It is reported that among the 775 foreign technology contracts, 82.31% of them found their destinations in foreign countries with 7.89% left in Beijing, 7.35% for other provinces in the country, and 2.45% for Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan. Of the two major sellers of technology trading, Beijing based foreign businesses took 266 in number in an amount of BMB 1.919 billion, while domestic enterprises taking 509 but only in an amount of BMB 1.68 billion. Of the 775 foreign technology contracts, 505 are related to information technology, which indicates that information industry has become a major pillar industry in Beijing. Meanwhile, the concluded amount of technology development contracts has surpassed that of technical service contracts, which demonstrates Beijing's strength in technology development.
The Chief responsible for Beijing technology market expressed that the increase of foreign technology contracts at a large margin has not only demonstrated Beijing's technology development capacity and its enhanced international competitiveness, but also indicated an apparent trend that foreign research and development institutions are increasing their presence in the city. It is briefed that of the 206 technology export contracts, 23 are R&D contracts directly signed between foreign invested R&D institutions and their overseas parent companies. The concluded amount of these contracts reached BMB 1.515 billion, or almost half of the total amount of the city's technology export, though contracts themselves are small in number. On the contrary, the cisborder technology cooperation contracts between domestic businesses and foreign invested businesses claimed a majority of 556 in number but with their concluded amount only being BMB 547 million.
Since 1985, 70 foreign invested businesses have created their R&D institutions in Beijing and the total number is 89.
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INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION |
Dual Satellites Detect Magnetic Storm
The Space Center of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has recently disclosed that China is planning to launch two satellites in collaboration with European Space Agency at the end of this year and in June next year. These two satellites will be used to unveil the mysteries of space magnetic storms caused by the sun.
The so-called dual satellite program jointly sponsored by Chinese authorities and European Space Agency is an earth-space observation initiative, mainly studying the physical process of space magnetic storms and severe weathers caused by solar activities and planet disturbances. Being an important component of the international space exploration efforts, the program will sent two satellites into space with one running over the equator and the other over the polar region. Satellites for detecting near earth magnetic activities have not yet covered the said two regions.
Both Chinese and European scientists hope through the dual satellite program to establish for the first time in the world a dynamic model and physical prediction method tailored to the intermedium environment between the earth and the space, providing scientific evidences and response strategies for safe space activities, space military defense and protecting human living environment.
China-Russia for Intelligent Mobile Robot
Chinese and Russian scientists are jointly working on the research and development of intelligent mobile robots. Both parties hope to realize the self-decision making process without human interference and the coordinated movements among a number of intelligent robots through sharing resources and supplement to each other. The project named as Research on Intelligent Robot's Decision Making and Action Planning in Actual Environment, jointly undertaken by Zhejiang University and Russia's Taganrog State Radio Engineering University，landed new progresses in 2002. On the basis of their respective studies, the scientists of both countries have jointly attacked the topics such as the movement of individual intelligent robot movement and the coordinated movement among a number of robots, communications among them, associated theoretical study of data exchange and algorithm study for centralized decision making process. As a result, they have successfully launched an online visual football match among intelligent robots.
Chinese Traditional Medicines and Medical Herbs Bore Fruit in Israel
It is reported from the 3rd anniversary of the foundation of the International Cancer Research Center with Chinese Traditional Medicines held recently that Chinese traditional medicine Anticancer I has in collaboration with western medical therapies recorded an effect of 84.3% in treating Israeli cancer patients and the effect of the Chinese traditional medicine named Xiaochuanling in treating Israeli asthma patients reached 90%.
In 1996, Dr. Li Hongfen, a major founder of the Center, at the invitation of Israeli experts, launched her first cancer treatment research with Chinese traditional medicines in the Tumor Immunity Lab of Tel Aviv University. Thanks to her 8-year research and painstaking exploration, Dr. Li landed breakthrough progresses in treating her Israeli cancer and asthma patients with the help of Chinese traditional medicines. In her five-year clinic practice in Israel, Dr. Li has provided very effective help for thousands of Israeli patients. Her novel treatment method of combining both Chinese traditional and western therapies has not only effectively curbed the spread of cancer cells without side effects but also repaired the damaged cells. At present Dr. Li 's two findings are in the PCT process for further international patent in 80 other countries.
China's Continental Drilling Hit 2000m in Depth
Since its launch last year, China's continental drilling expedition has drawn extensive attention of scientific communities both at home and abroad. Scientists from many countries such as Russia, Germany, Japan and others have visited the drilling site. It is briefed that so far the drilling has made major progress in collecting geological information and associated analysis.
Now the integrated compilation of leading pore rock cores of 2000 m long is already finished. In the meantime, Chinese scientists have established bore rock sections, structure sections, mineralization sections and radiation sections of the drilling holes, in addition to their completed on-the-spot fluid sample analysis and measuring for creating fluid chemical sections. Up to date, the drilling has collected 4,574 pieces of core samples in different kinds, processed 3,484 core slices and evaluated 1,200 processed rock slices. In addition, Chinese scientists have completed the two dimensional seismological investigation of the continental scientific drilling area, the special processing of 3-D seismological data, VSP seismological investigation of leading pore and associated evaluation check.
Shanghai Platform for Transgenic Rats
Recently a R&D platform for rat's regular transgenes and genes cutting technology model passed experts' verification check in Shanghai. The platform will help scientists to understand the functions of tens of thousands human genes, the genes of medicinal values and malfunctioned genes, and provide strong support for the research and development of bio-pharmaceutical and related industries.
Up to date, the platform has produced 30 kinds of genetically modified rats and 7 kinds of gene-depleted rats, basically realizing the mass production of genetically modified or depleted rats. The platform has developed a capacity for turning out 60 kinds of genetically modified rats and 25 gene-depleted rats.
China Discovered Parkinson's Mutant Genes
Prof. Le Weidong and his study team of Ruijin Hospital under Shanghai No.2 Medical University have recently discovered for the first time in the world the mutant genes on No.2 chromosome that trigger the disease of Parkinson's. The finding will forcefully promote the genetic diagnosing and treatment of such a disease. The internationally renowned journal Nature Genetics published the latest finding in its first issue in 2003.
The Biomedical Institute of Ruijin Hospital had made the genetic comparison study between 201 Parkinson's patients and 221 normal people for five years. Scientists discovered that the protein genes on No.2 chromosome are able to readjust the growth, development and maturity of Dopamine nerve cells. Its mutant point is positioned at NR4A2, or 10% of the Parkinson's patients who have a family history seeing mutation at the point.
China Succeeds in Polar Drilling
Thanks to their 20-and-odd-day efforts, Chinese Antarctic Expedition Team has eventually obtained their desired results in Amery ice shelf drilling. Chinese scientists have for the first time made the drilling to the depth of 301.6m over this vast ice shelf of 50000 km2. The drilling tip has broken through the continental ice edge and gone into sea ice. Amery ice shelf is very complicated in its ice layer composition. Some ice crushed in the glacier movement was turned upwards from a depth of several thousand meters to only several dozens of meters. These have added scientists' interest in studying glacier movement and the formation and changes of the ice shelf. In the meantime, Chinese scientists measured the variations of ice shelf temperature at different bore levels and obtained the world first complete ice shelf temperature variation system. The expedition team has in the end got the ice core from the depth of 275 m.
Progress on China's Digital TV Mobile Reception
The digital fine definition TV single carrier wave mobile reception technology jointly developed by Shanghai Jiaotong University and Shanghai Qipu S&T Co. Ltd. has recently passed experts' verification check. Experts concluded that the technology could not only be directly applied to the mobile reception of digital ground broadcasting signals but is also of great importance to improving fixed and mobile signal reception in the future wide-band multi-media ground radio broadcasting system.
In response to numerous elements related to the needs of China's radio and TV broadcasting industry and TV sets manufacturing costs, Shanghais Jiaotong University and Shanghai Qipu S&T Co. Ltd. jointly worked out the technical line for realizing high speed mobile reception by taking advantage of single carrier wave modulation and landed the said major breakthrough.
Spacecraft Measuring Mission Completed
After a long journey over 20,000 sea miles in 85 days, Yuanwang No.III Space Measuring ship cast its anchor in the destined harbor on Feb. 14, 2003, after the successful completion of its measuring mission for China's Shenzhou spacecraft IV. Up to date, all the ships missioned for marine measuring of the spacecraft have returned safe and sound.
Yuanwang measuring fleet succesively departed for the Atlantic Ocean, the Pacific Ocean and the India Ocean at the end of last year, to track and measure Shenzhou IV spacecraft over the marine areas. The fleet passed through dangerous navigation spots such as Taiwan Strait, the Strait of Malacca and the Horn of Good Hope smoothly and successfully conducted a series of marine measurement of the spacecraft's solar energy plate stretching, orbit changing engine ignition, return braking, antisolar orientation and flight deviation experiment. Altogether the fleet have traveled 60,000 and more sea miles and sent out 3,694 remote control commands to the spacecraft all in success. During the expedition, they completed date and picture transmission and verbal telecommunication between the spacecraft and the ground station.
It is briefed that Yuanwang No.I ship worked out the highly accurate spacecraft's first orbit data seven minutes after the separation of the spacecraft from the rocket. Yuanwang No.III successfully performed a series of critical controls in orbit maintenance, return attitude readjustment, and separation and brake application of the orbiter from the return cabin. The spacecraft's experimental flight has shown that Yuanwang fleet has developed an internationally advanced capacity for its overall measuring technologies including its measuring and control, measuring accuracy, automation and reliability.
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