China Research Institute Research Articles

First Molecular Evidence of Citrus yellow vein clearing virus from Citrus in Punjab, Pakistan

Yellow vein clearing disease was first observed on lemon and sour orange trees in Pakistan in 1988 (Catara et al. 1993). It was an important vector-transmitted disease (Onelge et al. 2011) that was then found in India, Turkey, and China. Recently, a putative new member of the genus Mandarivirus, Citrus yellow vein clearing virus (CYVCV), was identified as the putative causal agent of this disease (Loconsole et al. 2012) in Turkey and then in China. However, so far, no data on a virus associated with this disease were available from Pakistan, even though the disease was originally described there. In 2009, a survey was performed to evaluate the occurrence and distribution of citrus viruses and virus-like diseases in Punjab, Pakistan. Field symptoms of distinct yellow vein clearing and leaf distortion were observed on two lemon trees in Faisalabad District. Infected budwood from one symptomatic Eureka lemon (Citrus limon) tree was grafted onto lemons budded on rough lemon rootstock as indicator plants kept in the greenhouse of Citrus Research Institute in China. Six months later, typical yellow vein clearing disease symptoms were visible on lemon seedlings. Total RNA was extracted from symptomatic lemon seedlings using Trizol. One pair of primers, CYV-627F (5′-CAAACAACCAAGCCGCTA-3′) and CYV-1254R (5′-GCCGAACTCTTTCTTTCCG-3′), was used to amplify a ∼600-bp CYVCV specific product by one-step RT-PCR (Invitrogen). The presence of CYVCV was confirmed through sequencing of the 600-bp fragment. Based on the sequences of CYVCV-Turkey, eight primer pairs were designed to amplify overlapping cDNA fragments spanning the CYVCV RNA genome. The 5′ and 3′ termini were determined using the 5′/3′ RACE kit. Each cDNA fragment was cloned with pGEM-T Easy kit and a minimum of five recombinant clones were sequenced. The sequence of the whole genome of CYVCV-Pakistan isolate (KP313241) obtained was 7,529 bp and had 97% identity to the reference sequence from Turkey. CYVCV-Pakistan had the same six open reading frames as CYVCV reported from Turkey. To confirm the virus is still in the field, samples from these two symptomatic trees in Faisalabad District and eight other symptomatic lemon trees with YVC in Sahiwal District were collected in March 2015. RT-PCR tests with primers CYV-627F and CYV-1254R confirmed CYVCV presence in all these samples. To our knowledge, this is the first molecular evidence of CYVCV occurrence in Pakistan, which confirms the strict association of CYVCV infections with lemon trees exhibiting yellow vein clearing disease, as previously reported from Turkey and China. Our finding emphasizes the need for CYVCV indexing in production and distribution of pathogen-free citrus plants in Pakistan.

China-DPRK Research Institutions in China and their Research Outcomes

China-DPRK Research Institutions in China and their Research Outcomes

Team diversity, mood, and team creativity: The role of team knowledge sharing in Chinese R & D teams

AbstractResearch on the team diversity-team creativity relationship has been mixed. We present and empirically examine a model of mediated moderation in which team knowledge sharing intervenes in the impact of the interaction of team work value diversity and positive mood on team creativity. Survey participants included 458 employees working in 47 R&D teams from 17 research institutes in China. The interaction of team work value diversity and team positive mood positively affected team creativity and was mediated by team knowledge sharing. Our findings suggest that knowledge sharing and positive mood are necessary to facilitate the positive link between value diversity and creativity; otherwise, diversity can have negative effects on creativity. Thus, value diversity, mood, and knowledge sharing should be considered in the formation, training, and performance evaluation of teams.

Genetic diversity of resynthesized Brassica napus lines from SW China assessed by main agronomic traits and SSR markers in comparison with common B. napus lines

Genetic diversity of 96 resynthesized (RS) Brassica napus lines and 25 common (CM) lines were evaluated in present study based on eight main agronomic traits and 315 polymorphic SSR markers. The RS lines were developed through interspecific hybridizations between a vegetable cabbage (B. oleracea L. ssp. alboglabra Bailey) and a number of landraces in B. rapa L. ssp. chinensis and campestris from Southwestern regions of China. The CM lines include 10 elite lines bred in our own Sichuan Agricultural University, 9 elite lines from domestic research institutes in China and 6 exotic spring rapeseed lines from Germany and Canada. The investigated main agronomic traits include plant height, first branch height, main inflorescence length, number of primary branches, siliqua length, seeds per siliqua, siliqua density on the main inflorescence and 1000-seed weight. The observed agronomic traits exhibited a remarkable difference between the RS lines and the CM lines. Large variations were observed in main agronomic traits in the RS and CM lines. A number of salient RS lines were identified, showing variable unique agronomic traits, such as extremely long siliqua length, large 1000-seed weight, high number of seeds per siliqua and high siliqua density, etc. Clustering analyses were made based on both agronomic traits and SSR markers. The UPGMA dendrogram based on the main agronomic traits revealed a major differentiation between the RS lines and the CM lines. The UPGMA dendrogram based on SSR markers clearly distinguished the two main groups of RS lines and CM lines. Large variations and diversities were observed among the RS lines and the CM lines. Big variations were also observed within most of the RS and CM subgroups. We conclude that the RS lines are markedly different from the common (CM) B. napus lines in the study. Large diversity exists among the RS lines and the CM lines. These RS lines could be a valuable source of new germplasm for rapeseed breeding and genetic studies. It is also suggested that the resynthesis of novel B. napus types through interspecific hybridizations with the diverse indigenous B. oleracea and B. rapa sources could be an efficient way to broaden the genetic basis of B. napus L.

The development and application of e-Geoscience in China

In the era of big data, scientific research is entering a key stage of scientific development under the guidance of a new paradigm, "e-Science", and the core characteristics of which are collaboration and sharing. In the past decade, e-Science has rapidly developed around the world. There are now e-Science strategic plans, projects and extensive research activities on the national and international scales that encompass particle physics, astronomy, earth science, ecology, marine science, medicine, life sciences and other disciplines. However, there is no uniform and clear understanding of the essence, characteristics, infrastructure and application of e-Geoscience. This paper first discusses and analyzes the development of e-Science in a global context and then explores its development in China. Next, the development of e-Geoscience is discussed, particularly regarding the details of its design and implementation in China, including a conceptual model, a mode of application, a logical hierarchy, and functional and technical systems. Finally, the paper introduces a typical application, called the Northeast Asia Joint Scientific Exploration and Cooperative Research Platform (NAJSECRP), which is operating in research institutions in China, Russia and Mongolia. This platform can not only provide geodata and bibliographies and promote resource sharing but also provides a collaborative research platform for scientific exploration. In practice, this platform has been shown to save costs and improve the efficiency of transnational, interdisciplinary scientific exploration and cooperative research.

Identifying the research focus of Library and Information Science institutions in China with institution-specific keywords

In order to distinguish the research focus between different Library and Information Science (LIS) research institutions in China, we use the Keyword Activity Index (KAI) to identify their institution-specific keywords. The KAI, whose idea is borrowed from the Activity Index, measures whether an institution has alternatively comparative advantage in a particular topic according to its share in publications. In this study, a total of 65,653 papers from 19 core LIS journals in China during the period of 2000---2013 are collected. The top 8 most prolific LIS research institutions in China are selected for further investigation of the utility of KAI. Their institution-specific keywords are extracted based on the KAI values to represent their research focus and then clustered using co-word analysis; the research advantages of each institution are analyzed and compared according to these clusters. The reasons of their research advantages are analyzed based on their research function and research background.

Развитие правового статуса Вооруженных сил КНР

The article is devoted to the characteristics of the main legislative acts that regulate the activities of the PRC armed forces, and of a number of political guideposts that determine the lines of the Chinese army development for the future. The authors touch upon the modern character of the Chinese defense sector, as well as legal issues of forming a new structure of the China’s industrial complex, which made the transition from the sectoral system of industry to the enterprise system of industry. The article identifies the dominant trends of governing the services of the armed forces, regions, main directorates and military research and educational institutions in China. Within the framework of this article, the authors emphasize the focus areas of the Chinese People´s Liberation Army modernization, the analysis of which permitted the authors to highlight the future vectors of the PRC military policy and its legal coverage.

An oral contraceptive containing ethinyl estradiol and drospirenone for the treatment of women with moderate acne vulgaris: a randomized, multicenter, placebo-controlled clinical trial

Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of an oral contraceptive containing ethinyl estradiol and drospirenone（YAZ）in the treatment of women with moderate acne vulgaris. Methods A multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial was conducted. Totally, 179 female patients with moderate acne vulgaris were enrolled into this study from 7 research institutions in China, and randomly divided into YAZ group and placebo group by a random number table to be treated by oral YAZ and placebo respectively. In one cycle of treatment, patients administrated YAZ or placebo（one tablet once daily）from the 1st to 24th day of the menstrual cycle followed by a 4-day treatment with inactive tablets. All the patients received six cycles of treatment without a treatment-free interval. Efficacy and safety were evaluated according to the number of papules, pustules, nodules, open and closed comedones after 1, 3 and 6 cycels of treatment and within 8-15 days after the end of treatment. Results Finally, 173 patients were eligible for the full analysis set（FAS）, 146 completed the study, and 143 were eligible for the per protocol set（PPS）. After 6 cycles of treatment, the total number of lesions was meanly reduced by 66.8% and 37.3% in the YAZ group and placebo group respectively in the FAS, 72.6% and 55.6% respectively in the PPS. The number of inflammatory and noninflammatory lesions decreased by 75.5% and 69.3% in the YAZ group respectively after 6 cycles of treatment when compared to baseline, and by 60.9% and 50.2% in the placebo group respectively. The proportion of subjects rated as improved by investigators was 93.7%（74/79）in the YAZ group and 78.1%（57/73）in the placebo group. There were no serious adverse events in this study. The incidence rate of adverse reactions was 25.3%（22/87）in the YAZ group, and 4.7%（4/86）in the placebo group. Conclusion Six cycles of treatment with oral YAZ are effective and safe for female patients with moderate acne vulgaris. Trial registration number ClinicalTrials.gov Ref. No: NCT00818519. Key words: Acne vulgaris; Androgen antagonists; Randomized controlled trials; Ethinyl estradiol; Drospirenone; Contraceptive agents, female

Privacy and Biobanking in China: A Case of Policy in Transition.

Disease-based biobanks have operated in hospitals and research institutes in China for decades, and China has recently embarked on a plan to establish further biobank networks with the aim of promoting data sharing among the existing biobanks. Although the Chinese Constitution has only recently begun to recognize individual privacy as a distinct and independent constitutional right, biobanking in China has been loosely regulated under a patchwork of sometimes overlapping laws (such as the Interim Measures for the Administration of Human Genetic Resources) and regulatory instruments, as well as and the policies of individual biobanks and networks of biobanks (such as the Shanghai Biobank Network Guidelines). A Draft Ordinance on Human Genetics Resources is currently being developed that will deal in more detail than previous laws with issues such as management measures, legal liability, and punishment for violations. International data sharing will be tightly regulated under this new law, and individual biobanks' policies such as the Shanghai Guidelines may choose to regulate such sharing even more. In contrast with national regulatory instruments, the Shanghai Guidelines also contain detailed de-identification policies, and explicitly endorse broad consent.

Think of Scientific Research Management in Scientific Research Institutes in China

The scientific research is a process in which the researcher apply the scientific knowledge on the practice, and is a link between theory and practice as well. Being the main carrier, the research institutes of some scientific research institution has functions of developing science technology and servicing for society. Every institute has own administration section, which decides whether administration service level update and scientific research achievement application. In this paper, the author discusses the current administration section function based on her work experience, and on the further provides some suggestions to enhance the administration service level in scientific research institutions.

The characteristics of oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma: an analysis of 1317 cases in southeastern China.

Aim of the studyTo research the demographic and histopathological features of ESCC in southeastern China.Material and methodsWe retrospectively reviewed the ESCC cases in the biobank of the National Engineering Centre for Biochip in Shanghai, which cooperates with lots of hospitals and research institutions in southeastern China. The patients were pathologically confirmed as having ESCC. The demographic and histopathological features of these cases were analysed subsequently.ResultsA total of 1317 patients were enrolled. The overall male: female ratio was 2.88: 1. 74.34% of these cases occurred in people aged between 50–70 years. Dysphagia was the most common symptom, which accounted for 93.40% of all the patients. Stage II and III were predominant (79.73%). 72.89% of patients had a tumour length greater than 3 cm. Most of the tumours (65.83%) were located in middle third of the oesophagus. There was a significant difference among the tumour stage, length, and location in different sex groups (P < 0.05), but not between different age groups (P > 0.05). In males, ESCC is usually located in the lower parts, with a longer tumour length and higher tumour stage. 24.15% of patients had lymph nodes ratio (LNR) > 0.2.ConclusionsIn our analysis, dysphagia was more common in ESCC patients, to whom more attention should be paid. Additionally, males had a higher incidence, with longer and more distant disease, which gives a poor prognosis.

Comprehensive management of research budgets in agricultural research Institutes in China

Over the years, increasing attention has been focused on the implementation rather than the preparation of research budgets in the agricultural research institutes in China. It resulted in unscientific and irrational budgeting of research funds. The practical implementation of research funds has also been adversely affected. After investigating three provincial-level institutes for agricultural research, we analyzed the problems as well as their root causes with regards to budgeting and implementation of research funds. The possible solutions and suggestions are finally highlighted. Key words: Research funds, budget preparation, budget implementation, China.

Evaluating knowledge resources in R&amp;D organizations in China

This paper aimed to measure the value of knowledge resources and examine the factors influencing separate knowledge resource evaluation in R&amp;D organizations. To accomplish these goals, a knowledge resource evaluation model was developed, using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) and Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) methods, based on the results of 160 respondents from several research institutions in China. A two-stage research framework was also proposed. The analytical results demonstrated that labor value, technology value and utilization value have positive and significant relationships with the value of knowledge resources. The study also measured the weights of the evaluation criteria, sub-criteria, and the score of the value of knowledge resources using the developed model. The findings will facilitate the sharing or transfer of knowledge resources among organizations more effectively and will help knowledge workers mobilize and manage their knowledge resources more effectively in their organizations.

Institutional constraints of product innovation in China: Evidence from international joint ventures

Research interests in product innovation and relevant success factors in an international context are increasing in the past decades. With the data from over 400 international joint ventures in China's manufacturing sector, this study explores China's institutional factors that may significantly affect product innovations in international joint ventures. The results show that while total R&D investment can increase China's international joint ventures' global product sales brought by new product innovations, local professional services and infrastructure including local universities and research institutes in China can also facilitate product innovation and patent applications. In addition, local market for talents and technologies in China has negative impact on international joint ventures' efforts to sell products overseas. This paper concludes with the discussions of the implications for Chinese government and international joint ventures in China's market.

Characterization of swine leukocyte antigen (SLA) polymorphism by sequence-based and PCR-SSP methods in Chinese Bama miniature pigs

The highly polymorphic swine leukocyte antigen (SLA) genes have been repeatedly shown to influence swine immune traits, disease resistance, vaccine responsiveness and tumour penetrance. Analysis of the SLA diversity in as many pig breeds as possible is important to clarify the relationships between SLA genes and diseases or traits, and develop these pigs as valuable animal models for biomedical research. The Chinese Bama miniature pig breed is an economically significant breed that is available at several research institutions in China. In this study, we identified a total of 32 alleles at five polymorphic SLA loci (SLA-1, SLA-3, SLA-2, DRB1 and DQB1) representing nine class I and seven class II haplotypes using the reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) sequence-based typing (SBT) method. The possible functional sites of the SLA genes were predicted and analyzed by comparison with those of the human and mouse. Based on the sequence information, we subsequently developed a rapid PCR-based typing assay using sequence-specific primers (PCR-SSP) to efficiently follow the SLA types of the progeny. In the studied cohort (2n=562), the most prevalent Haplotype Hp-35.6 (SLA-1∗1201, SLA-1∗1301-SLA-3∗0502-SLA-2∗1001-DRB1∗0501-DQB1∗0801) was identified in 182 Bama pigs with a frequency of 32.38%. The presence of the duplicated SLA-1 locus was confirmed in five of the class I haplotypes. Moreover, we identified two crossovers within the class I region and one between the class I and class II regions, which corresponded to recombination frequencies of 0.36% and 0.18%, respectively. The information of this study is essential for an understanding of the SLA allelic architecture and diversity, and it will be helpful for studying the adaptive immune response and further developing the more effective vaccines in the context of SLA specificities.

Automatic scaling of F layer from ionograms based on image processing and analysis

This paper presents a novel method for automatic scaling of the F layer from ionograms based on image processing and analysis techniques. The proposed method converts ionospheric vertical sounding data to a binary image. By extracting the F layer trace through segmentation of the F layer image, the ordinary and extraordinary traces used to scale ionospheric parameters can be separated automatically. We applied the method to ionograms recorded by the digital ionosonde developed at China Research Institute of Radiowave Propagation in which the ordinary and extraordinary modes are recorded together. Tests were performed on random ionograms with different qualities obtained at three ionospheric stations in different seasons and time and comparison of the results with those scaled by the standard manual method was given. The experiments show that the scaled parameters are valid and our method is feasible.

Prevalence and Risk Factors for Latent Tuberculosis Infection among Health Care Workers in China: A Cross-Sectional Study

BackgroundHealth care workers (HCWs) are at risk of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI). In China, tuberculosis (TB) is a major public health problem, but the prevalence of LTBI in HCWs especially in the hospital for pulmonary diseases has not been assessed enough. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and putative risk factors of LTBI among HCWs in a chest hospital and a TB research institute in China.Methodology/Principal FindingsA cross-sectional study was conducted among HCWs in China in 2012. LTBI was assessed by T-SPOT.TB, and information on HCWs was collected using a standardised questionnaire. Risk factors for LTBI were analyzed by univariate and multivariate regression. The overall prevalence of LTBI among HCWs was 33.6%. Analyzed by job category, the highest prevalence was found among laboratory staff (43.4%). In the different workplaces, the proportion of LTBI was significantly higher among the high risk workplaces (37.4%) compared to the low risk workplaces. The duration of employment had a significant impact on the prevalence of LTBI. Positive T-SPOT.TB test results accounted for 17.6%, 16.8%, 23.5%, 41.8% and 41.6% in groups of ≤2, 3–5, 6–10, 11–20, and >20 working years respectively. In multivariate analysis, job categories (Laboratory staff [2.76 (95% CI: 1.36; 5.60)], technician staff [2.02 (95% CI: 1.12; 3.64)]); working duration as a HCW for 11 to 20 years [3.57 (95% CI: 1.46; 8.71)], and 20 years above [3.41 (95% CI: 1.28; 9.11)]; and the history of household TB contact [2.47 (95% CI: 1.15; 5.33)] were associated with increased risk of LTBI.Conclusions/SignificancePrevalence of LTBI estimated by T-SPOT.TB is high among Chinese HCWs and working duration, job category and the history of household TB contact were associated with increased risk. These data highlight adequate infection control measures should be undertaken.

UK–China Science Bridge – Sustainable solutions for the built environment

The remit of the UK–China Science Bridge is to accelerate deployment of research knowledge in sustainable solutions for the built environment developed at Queen’s University Belfast, to high-ranking partner universities and research institutions in China. To achieve this, proof of concept studies are being undertaken at key Chinese universities and research centres to assess the relevance and transferability of Queen’s University-developed technologies. Particular attention is given to non-destructive testing and sensors for monitoring the durability of structures as well as a novel form of construction called ‘flexible arch’. Chinese counterparts aim to set up monitoring systems in concrete bridges using sensor systems from Queen’s. Data from these monitoring stations will be used to predict the service life and structural health performance of concrete bridges in marine environments. The aim of this paper is to introduce this international collaborative programme and research, allowing other organisations to benefit from the outcomes.

Remembering one of Maa Dah-You’s last essential contributions to acoustics

The book The fundamentals of Modern Acoustic Theory written by Maa Dah-You was published (in Chinese) in March 2004 at his age of 88. This 421 pages volume with 15 chapters covers almost all main acoustic fields from basics to many extended areas, such as linear to non-linear acoustics, common acoustical measures to active control, and the aerodynamic sound and thermo-acoustics. References listed in each chapter include many Maa's pioneering work of the related acoustic fields. This book systematically reflects his deeper understanding of acoustics theory, and further account new developments of acoustic technology. Moreover, the history of acoustics, particularly of the ancient China in the beginning sections of the first chapter, and the overview of the future developments in the afterword are also the exclusive items in this book. A well prepared exercise at the end of each chapter is most helpful for better understanding and thinking of the related topics. Therefore, it is widely used as a text or main reference book in many universities and research community in China.

Novel polarimetric SAR speckle filtering algorithm based on mean shift

For better interpretation of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images, the speckle filtering is an important issue. In the area of speckle filtering, the proper averaging of samples with similar scattering characteristics is of great importance. However, existing filtering algorithms are either lack of a similarity judgment of scattering characteristics or using only intensity information for similarity judgment. A novel polarimetric SAR (PoISAR) speckle filtering algorithm based on the mean shift theory is proposed. As polarimetric covariance matrices or coherency matrices form Riemannian manifold, the pixels with similar scattering characteristics gather closely and those with different scattering characteristics separate in this hyperspace. By using the range-spatial joint mean shift theory in Riemannian manifold, the pixels chosen for averaging are ensured to be close not only in scattering characteristics but also in the spatial domain. German Aerospace Center (DLR) L-Band Experiment SAR (E-SAR) data and East China Research Institute of Electronic Engineering (ECRIEE) PolSAR data are used to demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed algorithm. The filtering results of two commonly used speckle filtering algorithms, refined Lee filtering algorithm and intensity driven adaptive neighborhood (IDAN) filtering algorithm, are also presented for the comparison purpose. Experiment results show that the proposed speckle filtering algorithm achieves a good performance in terms of speckle filtering, edge protection as well as polarimetric characteristics preservation.