Technology Trade Information Network
A technology trade information network has recently put into official operation in China. The information platform, mainly working to establish a national technology trade information network, will use the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology’s network as the center stage, and be supported by technology trade information networks at provincial and municipal levels, connecting to all high tech export businesses in the nation. The new information platform will realize the long expected technology trade information sharing at central, local and industrial levels.
The construction of the technology trade information service network is an important part of the efforts to rejuvenate trade with science and technology. Since the launch of the program rejuvenating trade with science and technology, the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) has created a technology trade information network at the central level, and supported more than 20 provinces or municipalities and export bases to establish their respective technology trade information networks and high tech products export information management system. To consolidate existing resources, further strengthen the construction of technology trade information networks, and enhance businesses oriented information feeding capacity, the Department of Development and Planning, a part of MOST, contracted the China S&T Promotion and Development Center to work on the establishment of the national technology & trade information network. Financed by the MOST’s special public good research fund, more than 20 provinces or municipalities have established their own technology trade information networks, or technology trade information pages at local websites designated by the China S&T Promotion and Development Center.
Health Data Sharing System
A medical and health data management and sharing service project was launched on April 7, 2004. As one of 2003 priorities in establishing scientific infrastructure data sharing platforms at the national level, the new data sharing project will constitute a national medical and health data management and sharing service system, distributive in physical existence and unified in logics. The new system will consolidate the exiting medical data resources by creating trunk databases, diseases databases, and coordinated medical study environment. It will facilitate government agencies’ and medical researchers’ accessibility to rich scientific data, improving medical innovation level and governmental capacity to deal with public health emergencies, and playing a role in constructing a well-to-do society.
The new system will be jointly developed by four contractors, under the initiatives of the Ministry of Health, the Department of Health under the People’s Liberation Army, and State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicines. The Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences is contracted to create the basic medical database; the General Military Hospital and Concord Medical School the clinic medical data network management center; the China Diseases Prevention and Control Center the preventive medical and public health database; and the Chinese Academy of Traditional Medicines the Chinese traditional medicine database. The launch of the project marks an end to the long time unshared data resources in basic medical study, clinic study, preventive study and traditional medicine study. As a first step to realizing medical data sharing, the project has become a part of the national scientific data sharing program.
Improved Geo-disaster Forecast
China has achieved notable results in carrying out massive geological disasters surveys and predictions at municipal and county levels. As of the end of 2003, 545 cities or counties have completed geological disasters surveys, and established corresponding information system and prediction/prevention network. In addition, Chinese authorities have established the geological disasters emergency commanding center and the geological disasters reporting system at both national and provincial levels. Scientists have successfully predicted 697 geological disasters, which kept nearly 30,000 people away from possible death and injuries.
According to the recently published “China National Land Resources Bulletin”, the Chinese State Council promulgated “The Regulations on Geological Disasters Prevention and Control” in 2003. The Regulations has created a legal ground for geological disasters prevention and control planning, prevention activities, emergency actions, geological disasters control, and corresponding legal liabilities. The Ministry of Land Resources and the Chinese Meteorological Administration have jointly established a weather prewarning and prediction system for geological disasters. The system issued 56 geological disasters related weather forecasts through CCTV for the 2003 flood period. In addition, the Ministry of Land Resource’s website and the China Geological Environmental Information Network issued 109 geological disasters related weather prewarnings.
Gene Reproduction Discovered
The recent issue of the journal Nature and Genetics published the finding jointly worked out by Dr. WANG Wen, a researcher fellow with the Kunming Zoology Institute, a part of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and his collaborators. The new finding confirms that a gene may divide and give birth to a new gene.
Researchers studied a fruit fly family’s young RNA gene, the second of its kind discovered in the world. They found the gene family had produced a number of new genes within a short period of evolution, and named the new gene family “monkey king gene”, after a Chinese fairytale story, in which a monkey king is able to turn his body hair into numerous small monkeys.
Dr. WANG has also found in his study that the division of “monkey king gene” produces two gene copies. The two copies realize the division through making up each other’s defects. The finding has not only, for the first time, unveiled the process of gene division, but also confirmed the fact that a genetic sequence can be produced within a short period of time.
Plant’s Irregular Chromosome Mutation Discovered
The Life Science Institute, a part of Sichuan based Xihua Normal University, recently announced that its basic study team, headed by Prof. TANG Zesheng, has discovered massive irregular chromosome mutation in balsamine, or lady’s-slipper for its nickname.
Researchers studied the balsamine seeds, a payload aboard China’s Shenzhou IV spacecraft that returned to earth after its 6-day-and-18-hour orbiting mission starting from December 30, 2002. Researchers found that, after sowing, balsamine reduced its normal 7 chromosomes to 6 in number, or drastically increased the number to 20 with 28 as the maximum. The chromosomes’ structure, at the same time, showed changes, too. Some of them are interrupted to combine with others, or got lost after the interruption, showing notable mutations. Researchers also observed that the divided pollen spores saw changes in the same manner, becoming 3-9 in number instead of the normal 4, with some spores becoming connected. Researchers said these air-borne seeds will produce the plants with different features, and their flowers and fruits will be very different from normal balsamine, whether in terms of size or color.
Space Environment Map for Future Flight
As of 13:00 p.m., April 15, 2004, China’s Shenzhou V orbiter has circled Earth 2,890 times in a half-year long space travel. The orbiter, approaching its designed life span, has harvested rich space experimental findings and results.
Blasted on October 15, 2003 from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, Shenzhou V spacecraft made its return capsule separated from the orbiter at 5:36 a.m. October 16, 2003. The orbiter has been since left to work on scientific missions in orbit.
According to a briefing, the Beijing Space Commanding and Control Center’s ground controllers have kept daily dialogues with the orbiter, tracked down its operation in more than 600 circles, and successfully performed 5 in-orbit maintenance and 8 flying mode changing operations. Ground controllers have also beamed up 400 and odd groups of data and more than 2,000 instructions to the orbiter, to ensure its safe and accurate in-orbit flight. Thanks to their accurate tuning, ground controllers have kept the orbiter away from strong solar storms’ interferences, effectively maintained and controlled orbit decay, and realized optimized fuel consumption and safe and extended flight.
The orbiter’s payloads, during the flight, have performed series of experiments in space environment observation, spatial positioning and ground observation. Researchers are currently processing and analyzing returned data, based on which they will add more items for space environment observations. These efforts will eventually produce a space environment map, applicable for the phase II manned space project, providing solid support for astronauts’ space walk and establishing China’s space lab.
China’s Nano-optic Nippers
An optic nipper having nanometer accuracy, developed by the Chinese University of Science and Technology, passed on March 22, 2004 the verification checks organized by the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The breakthrough makes possible manipulation of sophisticated cell and large molecule combinations in a 3-D environment.
According to a briefing, the University’s researchers proposed the nano-optic nipper concept first in the world. By taking advantage of findings in optic nipper technology and nanobiology, researchers have successfully realized the integration of an optic nipper system having nanometer accuracy. The new system produces a moving measuring accuracy at quasi-nanometer level, a dynamic measurement resolution reaching the Newton level, and a time resolution as high as 0.1ms. The new system makes itself the world first optic nipper made up of thee independent optic mechanic arms.
Consisting of a three-way optic nipper, a dual-way high accuracy probe and a nanometer control system, the new nipper system constitutes a probe able to work on individual and live molecules at nanometer level. With numerous improvements, including bacteria free operation, and advanced data analyzing and graphic processing functions, the new system is a suitable application for in-depth nanobiological study of individual living cells’ and large molecules’ behaviors in exploring rules governing life movements. It is also promising for a broad application perspective in micro particle study, nanomedicine, nanocomponents and scattering bodies.
Robot Porter Works
China’s first laser guided robot porters, developed by the Shenyang Xinsong Robot Automation Co. Ltd., were recently put into operation at the Shandong Weifang Diesel Engine Factory and the Shanghai Wenxin Newspaper Group.
The laser guided robot porter possesses many merits unmatched by conventional robots, including automatic probing, automatic address seeking, high stop accuracy, strong self-manipulation, and high intelligence. A new robot porter is able to ship a one-ton paper roll or a 1.5-ton diesel engine to the destination. The Shandong Weifang Diesel Engine Factory let 5 laser guided robot porters, under the manipulation of computer based control room, ship diesel engines on rotation, which greatly enhance the automation level of shipping activities among workshops.
Experts believe that laser guided robot porters will find a broad application perspective in numerous sectors, including machinery, electronics, energy, transportation, goods distribution, library among others.
Freckle Gene Positioned
The Dematosis Institute, a subsidiary of the Anhui Medical School, has recently defined the position in which a freckle gene sits. The development is believed to have laid an important ground for finding freckle genes and eventually working out corresponding therapeutic approaches.
Researchers told reporters that freckles, commonly seen in people having yellow or white skin, is a kind of skin disease caused by gene mutation. In this context, existing laser or medicinal removing techniques cannot eradicate freckle growing, though they can remove the freckles on skin surface. Researchers use a full-genome scanning technique to make consecutive analysis of the freckle specimen collected from a traditional freckle growing family in China. Eventually, they position the freckle gene in a section of No. 4 human chromosome.
The finding has been published in the recent issue of the internationally authoritative journal Dermatological Study.
Hair Epithelioma Gene Cloned
The Dematosis Institute under the Anhui Medical School has recently announced its successful cloning of a hair epithelioma gene.
With the support of the National 863 Program and National Natural Science Foundation, a joint study team, made up of researchers from both the Institute and the Southern Branch of National Human Genome Center, cloned a hair epithelioma gene. The gene is cloned from a Han family who has the history of growing hair epithelioma. The study has shown that the family hair epithelioma gene has the genetic heterogeneity.
Researchers said that the discovery of hair epithelioma gene will find the short term benefit in greatly reducing the time needed for diagnosing. A gene based blood sample testing will be sufficient to tell if the patient has grown the epithelioma. In the long run, the discovery lays a ground for studying causes of hair epithelioma, and eventually working out therapeutic drugs.
China’s High End Chip
Huaxia Chip, China’s first high end telecommunication router chip, made its debut in early April at Sichuan based Nanshan Bridge Microelectronic Corp. The chip has obtained ten invention patent grants and 2 copyrights.
The chip, named Huaxia Wangxin TS2410, uses an advanced NFP design, with its security management, integrated connection and user management functions more advanced than its overseas counterparts. As a most advanced, sophisticated and largest data communication chip of most potentials in the nation, the new chip has left no “back doors” to security loop holes. As a result, it is able to filter hazardous contents through its diversified security functions.
Innovative Electroplating Water Recycling
Advanced techniques for electroplating water recycling, a national key technology project, has achieved innovative findings. The new findings, advanced nanometer filtering and reverse osmosis techniques for treating electroplating waste water, has filed a patent application.
Researchers introduced innovative hardware such as integrated film arrays and new software for film designing, optimizing and operating. The nanometer filter first removes univalent salt from the waster water and pre-concentrates nickel ions. Then the two-level reverse osmosis process further concentrates nickel ions by 100 times, which greatly reduces the energy consumption in aftertreatment, and improves the economic performance of electroplating waste water treatment. The technique has been translated into a 1000m3 demonstration unit at the Changsha Liyuan New Material Co. Ltd.. The two-year trial operation shows that the new treatment unit has reached its design capacity with a recycling rate higher than 95%, and a nickel recovery rate also exceeding 95%. The soluble solids in recycled water is less than 10mg/l., making the recycled water a desirable solution for electroplating. It only takes 1.41 years for the demonstration project to get its investment back, showing an extremely good economic perspective.
Comments or inquiries on editorial matters or Newsletter content should be directed to:Mr. Mao Zhongying, Department of International Cooperation, MOST 15B, Fuxing Road Beijing 100862, PR China Tel: (8610)58881360 Fax: (8610) 58881364
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