CHINA  SCIENCE  AND  TECHNOLOGY
NEWSLETTER
The Ministry of Science and Technology
People's Republic of China

N0.391	January 20,2005
	IN THIS ISSUE
* Major Progress for Pharmaceutical Particle Design * All-Weather Watch for Marine Disasters * China Busy International Space Cooperation * China-France Visiting Scholar Club * Nerve Cell Polarity Defined at Molecular Level * New Drug for Diabetes
		SPECIAL ISSUES

 

Major Progress for Pharmaceutical Particle Design

 

With the support of a genetic engineering component under the 863 Program, Tailuo TM, a proprietary diabetes drug, developed through combined efforts of pharmaceutical design and research activities, made its debut on November 7, 2004 in Chongqing. Developed by the Chinese Academy of Military Medical Sciences, incubated by the Beijing Pharmaceutical Particle Design Center, and materialized by the Taiji Industrial Group, the new medicine has been granted with a national invention patent, a certificate for new medical products by the State Food and Drug Administration and the associated production permit.

 

Other innovative drugs developed through the pharmaceutical design process include one IBS drug allowed into phase II clinical trials, and seven others that have completed pre-phase research and are ready for clinical trials. A SPFF asthma drug has applied for clinical trials. Ten more innovative drug candidates entered pre-phase study.

 

In addition, two drug design demonstration platforms are created in Beijing and Shanghai respectively. Chinese scientists developed a technique for designing and screening high flux medicines, with a capacity for sorting out 500, 000 compounds a day, recorded an efficiency a thousand times faster than conventional means. The internationally advanced new technique has shortened the screening cycle of a new cursor compound, and saved cost for developing new drugs. In collaboration with the information sector, a national pharmaceutical particle design network with 1000 billion connecting knots has been created in Shanghai and Beijing, in a move to facilitate the particle design process for new drugs, and establish a virtual as well as a real research system for the same purpose.

 

DacoDock, China’s first proprietary software system developed by the Chinese University of Science and Technology for pharmaceutical particle design, has completed the design of user friendly interfaces and a working manual, and moved into the testing phase at major domestic pharmaceutical particle design platforms and research institutes.

All-Weather Watch for Marine Disasters

JIANG Xingwei, Director of the Marine Environment Forecast Center, a part of the State Oceanography Bureau, said recently that China has established a comprehensive all-weather marine disaster monitoring system. The system is able to make accurate forecasts, in an attempt to reduce possible losses caused by disasters to the minimum.

China uses diversified means to monitor marine disasters, including shoreline, floating buoy, and ship based all-weather watch, marine weather and hydrological data sharing and exchanges with international communities on a regular basis, and marine satellite based observation. During typhoon Yuna’s attacks to the East China Sea from 0800 of August 11 to 2000 of August 13, 2004, the No. 9 marine observation buoy deployed by the State Oceanography Bureau recorded wave and weather data in the entire course accurately and completely. The buoy also observed a maximum wave height of 13.2 meters, providing valuable data for marine disaster warning and forecasting activities.

China has so far established a marine disaster pre-warning mechanism, and an emergency responding system for marine disaster prevention and preparedness with a tsunami warning function. At 1600, September 14, 2004, the National Marine Forecast Center and the Tianjin Marine Environment Monitoring and Forecasting Center jointly issued a timely storm surge and large wave warning. Upon the warning, the Tianjin municipal government immediately embarked on disaster prevention and preparedness through its emergency responding system, and reduced the possible losses to the minimum.

Chinese marine scientists are currently working on numerical forecast models for both deep and shallow waters, a limited area numerical forecast model for sea surface wind fields, and a numerical forecast model for typhoon wind fields, in a move to realize operational wave numerical forecasts for China’s shoreline areas and adjacent offshore areas. In the meantime, Chinese scientists are developing other application models, including a high resolution coupled numerical forecast model for storm surges and offshore tidal waves, a numerical forecast model for typical invading storm surges, and regional and global numerical forecast models for El Nino.

INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION

China Busy International Space Cooperation

SUN Laiyan, Director of the China National Space Administration recently told reporters that China has harvested from its collaboration with the European Space Agency. Following the dual-satellite initiative, a cooperation program between the two agencies, the China National Space Agency and the UK National Space Center jointly inked in early 2005 a cooperation agreement in Beijing. In 2004, the China National Space Administration lined up a series of cooperation initiatives with France, and outlined future cooperation directions and working mechanism with Italy. In addition, China has enhanced its space cooperation activities with Russia, and achieved progresses in cooperative projects.

China also saw new progresses in developing series resource satellites in collaboration with Brazil. To ensure the continuity of satellite applications, China plans to add a 02b satellite to the series before 2006. China National Space Administration has signed with the Argentine National Space Activities Committee a cooperation agreement. Other countries, including Chile, Peru, and Venezuela have showed their intentions to cooperate with China in the same area.

On the basis of regular meetings launched last year between the heads of national space agencies of China and the US, China has invited the head of the US National Space Agency to visit China. During the visit, both sides will enhance communications and exchanges on space cooperation activities.

SUN added that China would continue to support the international exchanges and cooperation in the fields of space technology, space applications, and space science, strengthening its cooperation with Europe, promoting the regional space cooperation in a major initiative for an Asia-Pacific Space Cooperation Organization, and striving for more cooperation with developing nations. Meanwhile, China is willing to cooperate with the US, and strengthen its cooperation with the United Nations in the same field. 

China-France Visiting Scholar Club

A club was established on January 27, 2005 in Beijing to get-together visiting scholars under the China-France Foundation for Sciences and Applications. The inauguration ceremony was held at the newly built French Cultural Center. Prof. Jacques Caen, Chairman of the Foundation, and officials and scholars from the French Embassy in Beijing, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Chinese Academy of Engineering, the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, the Ministry of Science and Technology, and the Ministry of Education were present.

The Foundation was jointly created by the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the French Academy of Sciences on December 17, 2001 in Paris. As the first intergovernmental program between the two nations for exchanging scholars in the field of scientific research, the Foundation, affiliated to the Representative Office of International Relations under the French Academy of Sciences, has a liaison office at the Bureau of International Cooperation, a part of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Under the joint supervision of both Academies, the Foundation has attracted the partnership made up of multinationals and labs of solid research strength. Up to date, some 50 Chinese visiting scholars have been sent to work at the state-of-the-art labs in France, covering extensive high tech fields, including nanotechnology, microelectronics, biosecurity, artificial intelligence, and energy security. The Foundation constitutes a bridge between the two nations for communications and cooperation in the fields of education, science and associated applications. 

 

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

 

Nerve Cell Polarity Defined at Molecular Level

 

While cultivating hippocampal nerve cells in an external environment, Chinese scientists found that nerve cells would usually produce several short neurites of similar size. Some of them would experience a fast growth in the later development stage, though others could remain the same in terms of size. The fast growing neurites would eventually become axones, and others dendrites. The findings, worked out by a study team made up of scientists from the Shanghai Institute of Life Science, the Graduate School under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and the Beijing Institute of Life Science, were reported in the January 14 issue of the US journal of Cell.

 

Further studies also show that the activity of a protein kinase called GSK plays a critical role in regulating the growth of nerve cells. Meanwhile, GSK activity in axones is lower than that in dendrites, though GSK activity could be relatively same in undivided nerve cell neurites. The formation of axones can be blocked, when GSK activity is manipulated to increase. On the contrary, declined GSK activity may lead to the formation of several axones at a single nerve cell, which is very unusual. What makes scientists more surprised is a dendrite can also be turned into an axone, when GSK activity is reduced. Researchers also spotted the upper molecules that can regulate GSK activity. The findings, in addition to unveiling the molecular basis for orderly transmission of brain cell information, also indicate that the application of appropriate drugs can increase the number of axons, in an attempt to help patients repair damaged nerve cells.

New Drug for Diabetes

Financed by the National 863 Program, Tailuo TM, a patented new diabetes drug developed by the Chinese Academy of Military Medical Sciences, and manufactured by the Taiji Group, recently made its debut in the market.

As a new drug that has been put into mass production, Tailuo TM makes an innovation over the old diabetes drug Rosiglitazone Maleate. Researchers made specific calculation and analysis of the parent core of Rosiglitazone, using molecular design theory. Countless trials revealed weak acidity in the hydrogen bond of Rosiglitazon lactam. Researchers, based on the new findings, screened out a number of applicable elements, and synthesized them into the first proprietary Rosiglit-azone Sodium in the world.

The new drug has been clinically tested in a number of hospitals, including No. 1 Hospital affiliated to the Peking University, and the Ruijin Hospital, a part of Shanghai No.2 Medical School. Random and comparison testings show that Tailuo TM makes the best medicine to treat type II diabetes. Comparing with similar imported products, the Chinese made drug demonstrates its fine bio-utility for easy absorption. 

Improved Spacecraft Communication and Landing Systems

To secure a new spacecraft mission that will carry more than one astronaut and fly for more days, the Xi’an Satellite Control Center has made enhancements to two major systems: control communication and landing, in an attempt to fully meet the technological requirements for flying China’s Shenzhou VI spacecraft. 

In the preceding test flying of Shenzhou series spacecraft, the performance and reliability of control communication and landing systems have been fully tested. The upcoming spacecraft mission asks for a manned payload of more than one astronaut and a longer operation. The Center, based on the previous five test flights, has made numerous improvements on the existing software and hardware. The comprehensive technological performance of the sixth mission of Shenzhou series spacecraft will see noticeable enhancements, especially compared with the previous systems.

Engineers told reporters that the new landing system, integrated with functionalities of control, communication, search, rescue, recovery and meteorological support, is of numerous enhancements, including more mobility, better coordination and higher reliability. In the upcoming test flight of Shenzhou series spacecraft, the landing system will add the weather forecast equipment to its meteorological component and an optical measurement module. The enhancements will provide weather forecasts needed by longer operation, and make real-time video recording of the process from opening the return capsule parachute to its descending.

Reliable Tidal Wave Power Generator

Guangzhou Institute of Energy has recently rolled out a stable tidal wave power generating system. The new system is made up of three major components, including a standalone tidal wave power generating system, a fresh water making system using wave energy, and a floating recharging system. The tidal wave power generating system is able to turn wave energy into steady electric power supply for illumination, computation, air-conditioning, and boat applications. The wave energy based fresh water making system can directly turn sea water into fresh water, while the recharging system is designed to store the surplus wave energy in batteries for backup or beacon applications.

According to an estimation, a standalone tidal wave power generating system, with an installed capacity of 50kw and maximum wave peak power of 400kw, may generate 26,300 kwh of electricity a year. Chinese engineers are currently working on a standalone tidal wave power generating system, with an installed capacity of 50kw and allowable maximum wave peak power of 400kw, which expects to be put into operation at the end of the year.

NEWS BRIEFS

 

China’s Top Ten S&T Progresses for 2004 Unveiled

 

Selection of China’s top ten S&T progresses for 2004, jointly initiated by the Chinese Academy of Engineering and Science Times, and made by 584 academicians by vote, unveiled the result on January 13, 2005. The selected ten major S&T progresses are: 1) China’s high performance computer with 1000 billion calculations per second sits among the world top ten computer systems; 2) the first Chinese made nuclear power plant is put into operation; 3) the west-to-east natural gas diverting project is put into full commercial operation; 4) China’s first next-generation Internet trunk network opened; 5) satellite Probe II blasted off and “dual satellite probe” initiative realized; 6) a “super switch’ made of nanometer materials called a success; 7) high accuracy submarine positioning and navigation system rolled out; 8) Chinese scientists solved the mysteries of membrane protein crystals; 9) Chinese scientists achieved major breakthroughs in studying quantum information process; and 10) China has made important progresses in strategic mapping of offshore oil and gas resources.

China Launches Qinghai-Tibet Expedition

The Chinese Academy of Sciences and the State Bureau of Surveying and Mapping will jointly organize a comprehensive expedition trip to investigate the Everest area on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.  Starting from March 20 and winding up on June 20, 2005, the expedition is also missioned to measure the latest height of the Everest Peak.

As a major scientific initiative following the previous three expeditions organized at the national levels in 1959, 1966 and 1975 respectively, the exploring trip will focus on the regional response of the Everest Peak to the global greenhouse environment in the past three decades, from diversified angles, including atmospheric physics and chemistry, glacier evolution, changes of biodiversity and ecological environment, geology and geophysics.

In addition, the State Bureau of Surveying and Mapping will, taking advantage of Chinese women mountaineering team climbing up the Everest Peak, and other means such as radar and GPS, make the latest measurement of the Peak’s height.

       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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