|
CHINA SCIENCE
AND TECHNOLOGY
NEWSLETTER
The Ministry of Science and Technology
People's Republic of China
N0.321 February 10,2003
IN
THIS ISSUE
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*
Weather Science Serves Olympic Games
* Beijing: the
International Center for Technology Transfer
* Dual
Satellites Detect Magnetic Storm
* China-Russia for
Intelligent Mobile Robot
* Shanghai Platform for
Transgenic Rats
* China Succeeds in Polar Drilling
* Progress on China's Digital TV Mobile Reception
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SPECIAL
ISSUES
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 and 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 and D contracts directly signed between
foreign invested R and 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 and D
institutions in Beijing and the total number is 89.
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.
NEWS BRIEFS
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 and 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 and 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 and 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.
|
