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

N0.396	March 10,2005
	IN THIS ISSUE
* Action for a Well-Off Society * China-US Work on Bovine Stem Cells * China-Italy Joint Meeting Convened * New Approach to Blockade AIDS Virus * Chinese Nanomedicine Wins US Patent * Fluorescent Polarization for Drug Screening

 

INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION

Action for a Well-Off Society

A signing ceremony was recently held in Beijing to kick off the implementation of project “supporting China to build up a well-off society”, jointly initiated by the UNDP and China State Development and Reform Commission.

Financed by the UNDP and organized by China State Development and Reform Commission for implementation, the project is designed to learn proven good practice and experience of other nations, to address difficulties and problems in building a well-off society on a full-fledged basis, and provide policy research support for formulating China’s 11th Five-year Plan(2006-2010) and long term planning up to 2020, in a move to combine the goal of building a well-off society with the UN objectives for millennium development.

Mr.Khalid Malik, UNDP resident representative said in his remarks that, building a well-off society bears numerous similarities with the UN objectives for millennium development. The implementation of the project will exert positive impacts on both the formulation of China’s 11th Five-year Plan, and on promoting the process to build a well-off society on a full-fledged basis.

ZHU Zhixin, Vice Minister of State Development and Reform Commission, said that his commission pays great attention to forging cooperative ties with international organizations.  The Commission will establish a powerful government steering body, in a move to ensure the successful implementation of the project. It will also invite both domestic and overseas experts and technical advisors to provide needed advice and guidance, and to make their policy proposals for building a well-off society with Chinese characteristics.

China-US Work on Bovine Stem Cells

A study team headed by Dr. YANG Xiangzhong and TIAN Xiuchun, University of Connecticut, in collaboration with Dr. DUAN Enkui, Institute of Zoology, a part of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, harvested a stable embryonic stem cell line, through cloning a bovine embryo. Researchers said these cells could be repeatedly copied without a limit, or made into the cells of almost all bovine tissues or organs. The finding was published in the latest issue of journal Reproductive Biology.

Started from creating three embryonic stem cell lines, the study established one stem cell line using in-vitro impregnated embryos, and other two using transplanted embryos. Researchers used a very simple in-vitro technique. Egg cells were in-vitro impregnated into a tube fetus in a lab environment. Nucleid transplanting needs to denucleid unfertilized egg cells, before implanting DNAs of other cells.

Researchers observed that two nucleid transplanting lines had chromosomes similar to that of in-vitro line. The finding runs a bit different against same efforts reported in the past, namely some of chromosomes show negative. The specific marker expression of these stem cell lines bears a close resemblance to that of humans. The finding indicates that bovine embryonic stem cells, compared with that of mice, make a better simulating model for understanding human embryonic stem cells.

China-Italy Joint Meeting Convened

The first joint meeting of China-Italy Government Committee recently lifted its curtain in Rome. Participants exchanged views and suggestions on future cooperation in the fields of political, economic, trade, cultural, S&T, and academic affairs. Both sides reached a consensus on substantively expanding the overall cooperation between two nations. The committee Secretary-Generals of both sides inked a common document produced at the meeting.

In the field of science and technology, the common document embraces numerous initiatives, including China-Italy Joint Committee for Science and Technology, and cooperation in environmental protection and traditional medicines, with the following major events:

--The 12^th meeting of China-Italy Joint Committee for Science and Technology will be held before the end of 2005, in an effort to formulate an action plan for S&T cooperation between two nations, and define development strategies for coming years.

--Based on a China-Italy foundation for environment and energy efficiency, China Ministry of Science and Technology and Italian Ministry of Environment will work on a CDM agreement to launch a project to reduce the emission of carbides and greenhouse gases, under the clean development mechanism defined by the Kyoto Protocol.  

--China Ministry of Science and Technology and Italian Ministry of Health will jointly organize the implementation of an agreement on traditional medicines.

The Department of International Cooperation, a part of China Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST), sent its representatives to attend the first joint meeting of China-Italy Government Committee. MOST officials also held talks with involving officials from Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Education, University and Research, Ministry of Health, and Ministry for the Environment and Territory.   

New Approach to Blockade AIDS Virus

The University of Science and Technology of China recently announced that, Chinese and American scientists have jointly discovered a new way to prevent the HIV virus from duplicating. Published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, the finding says the discovery creates a new means for developing drugs to halt the virus.

Chinese scientists and their collaborators work together to sort out a new target that can blockade the HIV virus. The latest pharmaceutical studies have found that an HIV virus has to adhere to normal human cells, before finding a gap to get in and duplicating itself inside. Researchers, therefore, believe that the key is to find a compound that can occupy the gap in a human cell, leaving no “gate” for the virus entering, let alone its spreading through the body.

Researchers said they are still working on the process, and would not expect clinic trials until the basic study is completed in 3-5 years.

China Algorithm for Tsunami Warning

The University of Science and Technology of China recently announced that Prof. NI Sidao and his overseas collaborators, have worked out a method to predict the possibility of oncoming tsunami, through analyzing the high frequency of seismological radiation. The new approach can produce basic parameters, including rupture length and duration, within 25 minutes after the attack of earthquake. The new methodology for early tsunami warning was published in the journal Nature.

Prof. NI and his collaborators analyzed body-waves and location angles, and worked out the direction of ruptures in a timely manner, using high-frequency P wave signal >2HZ received from the Indonesia’s Sumatra–Andaman earthquake. Especially suitable for a super earthquake scaled above a magnitude of 9, the process can give out basic parameters, including rupture length and duration, within 25 minutes after the attack of earthquake. It is also able to provide key data for simulating a tsunami, in an attempt to provide early tsunami warning, and avoid massive losses of life and properties.

International Cooperation for New Drug Screening

China National New Drug Screening Center recently launched a massive random screening on China’s unique composite bank (including natural products, such as traditional herbs), using high flux and high content screening techniques. Based on optimized active composites that came out from the screened process, researchers are working on original drugs for treating cancers and central nerve system diseases. The Center enjoys enhanced international cooperation activities. For example, it has forged a cooperative tie with Swiss Actelion for three years. So far the cooperative research has resulted in a small molecule agonist for nerve regulation peptides receptor U-1. In collaboration with Japan Tanabe Seiyako Co. Ltd., researchers discovered a small molecule regulator of high bioactivity, with a completely new structure, for nicotinic acetylcholine receptor. Working together with US Cellomics in a strategic partnership, the Center established and put into operation an internationally advanced high content drug screening technical platform, the first of its kind in the country.  These developments have upgraded China’s technical level for new drug R&D, increased its international visibility, and laid a solid foundation for the further development of relevant precursor composites.

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

Chinese Nanomedicine Wins US Patent

An artificial nanobone, developed by Prof. CUI Fuzhai at Tsinghua University, has recently been granted with a patent issued by the US Patent Office.  The artificial nanobone, approved in November 2002 by the China State Food and Drug Administration for clinical trials, was allowed in March 2004 by the same authorities for trial production as a Grade III transplanting product. As the first nanomedical product sold for clinic applications in China, the nanobone has been used by more than 2,000 patients who suffered bone related diseases. Applications have so far reported no side effects or adverse reaction. The new products have found applications at some 30 hospitals in Beijing, Jiangxi, Jiangsu, Guangdong, Liaoning, and Hebei.

Researchers are currently working on other nanobone applications, including injection application (can be injected into body without an operation), enhanced nanobone application (can be used to enhance bone hardness and density), and bone marrow stem cell application that can speed up the healing of wounds.

Nanobone, using nanocrystal glue as basic material, is a new bone material, developed through many-year study of tiered structures of human bone scabs and embryonic bones, and the associated biomineral process. Comparing to a traditional artificial bone, it has a noticeable advantage for making a repaired bone look exactly like a natural bone, leaving no transplanting traces in vivo. Imitating the human bone growing process, the bio-hard tissues, prepared using nanohydroxide phosphorite and glue composites, present a layered multi-pore nanostructure like a natural bone.

Fluorescent Polarization for Drug Screening

A research team working on new drug screening platforms, a major special S&T project initiated by the Ministry of Science and Technology, has successfully applied fluorescent polarization technology in screening new drugs. The team has developed two high flux drug screening models for cardiovascular diseases, the first of its kind in the nation.

The project has produced two fluorescent marker targets for fluorescent polarization applications, and rolled out two high flux drug screening models through matching process. The new models are sensitive enough to screen out small molecule compounds matched with new targets. The active specimens or compounds screened out by models are not only used for new drug development, but are also valuable for studying new targets. With numerous merits, including easy operation, high sensitivity, and low fake positive or negative rate, all reagents can be prepared in a lab environment, which reduces screening costs. Up to date, the two models have screened out some 160,000 specimens, and sorted out 10 active specimens of research or development perspectives.

Large Scientific Instruments Sharing Network

Initiated by the Chinese Academy of Sciences, with the participation of Peking University, China Association for Instrumental Analysis, and China Coal Research Institute, a project to build a sharing network for large scientific instruments reported its phase progresses at a meeting recently held in Beijing. Based on progresses so far achieved, the project expects to be completed by mid-year.   

The project is made up of the following three components: establishing an information management system for nationwide large scientific instruments sharing, creating a database for nationwide large scientific instruments resources, and developing an operational modality for nationwide large scientific instruments sharing. In an attempt to promote large scientific instruments resources sharing in the country, the project will establish relevant infrastructures, including databases, information management system, and associated operation and management modalities. While striving to improve the utilization and management of large scientific instruments resources, the project will provide a scientific, reasonable, and fair technical support for joint assessment of large scientific instruments at the central level, in an attempt to avoid overlapping, waste and irrational distribution of large scientific instruments resources.

Catalyst for Liquid Coal

A project to develop a catalyst that can directly turn coal into liquid coal, undertaken by Beijing Coal Research Institute, has passed the verification check. The project has resulted in 3 invention and 2 utility model patent applications.

Financed by the National 863 Program, the Institute rolled out an experimental device for consecutive catalyst preparation, and gone through trial consecutive operations. Researchers have made repeated testing on the new catalyst in the liquidifying device. The proprietary 863 catalyst can evenly distribute over the carrier surface, giving a maximum show of catalyst activity, with only one fourth of the dosage needed by the conventional catalyst, and an increased oil recovery by 5%, compared with regular iron based catalysts. It costs only RMB 14-19 for the new catalyst to produce a ton of liquid coal, demonstrating a strong profitable side with broad application perspectives.

Major Progress for Nanomaterial

A project to develop non-crystal and nanocrystal materials, jointly undertaken by Antai S&T Shareholding Co. Ltd., Beijing University of Science and Technology, and the Institute of Physics, a part of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, has recently passed verification checks for its findings and associated commercial applications. Aiming at major S&T applications, including China’s manned spacecraft, the project has produced new materials that can be used in the future spacecraft. The project rolled out a range of non-crystal and nanocrystal materials, and found solutions to key technologies manufacturing such materials. The project resulted in 18 national patent applications, and realized a leaping development in establishing products lines, developing manufacturing techniques and associated equipment, and working out commercial applications. The efforts have made China third country in the world, following Japan and Germany, capable for non-crystal and nanocrystal material research and production.

       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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