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2010 Asia Communications and Photonics Conference Held at SICC
On Dec 9, the Asia Communications and Photonics Conference (ACP) was held at Shanghai International Convention Center together with the ACP tradeshow exhibition. The conference was co-sponsored by Fudan University and Optical Association of Pudong New District. Following the successful merge from the Asia-Pacific Optical Communications (APOC) and the Asia Optical Fiber Communications and Optoelectronic Exposition and Conference (AOE) last year, the ACP is becoming a world premier conference that provides an excellent platform for scientists and engineers to exchange advances in research, development and engineering in the optical communications and photonics. The ACP technical conference features a full suite of plenary talks, invited talks, contributed talks, short courses and posters given by international academic and industrial researchers who are leaders in their respective fields.
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Conference on Chinese Economy Held at Fudan
From Dec 10th to 11th, the Conference on Chinese Economy was held at Fudan School of Economics. The Conference on Chinese Economy, which is annually jointly hosted by Fudan University, Tsinghua University and the Chinese University of Hong Kong, discusses specially the Chinese economic situations and development. The Conference has invited worldwide top economists and leading experts on Chinese Economy to attend the meeting and present their papers. High-ranking Chinese government officials were also invited. The conference aims to combine the latest academic successes with economic policies, in order to promote the exchange between academic and government circles and use standard languages and modern economic models to comprehend the Chinese economy and relevant policies. This conference will be held annually in turn by Fudan University, Tsinghua University and the Chinese University of Hong Kong. Fudan University hosted the first conference this year.
Members of the conference’s committee are renowned scholars of Chinese economy home and abroad, all of great academic influence, including: Prof. Christopher Carroll from Johns Hopkins University, Prof. Loren Brandt from University of Toronto, Prof. ZHU Xiaodong from School of Economics at University of Toronto, Prof. Chun-Yu Ho from Georgia Institute of Technology and Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Prof. Yi Lu from National University of Singapore, Prof. Baozhi Qu from City University of Hong Kong, Prof. Yang Tao from School of Economics at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prof. Yi Wen from St. Louis Fed Reserve and Tsinghua University, Mr. Colin Xu from World Bank, Prof. CHE Jiahua from the Chinese University of Hong Kong, and Prof. BAI Chongen, Assistant Dean of School of Economics and Management at Tsinghua University, among the others. Prof. YUAN Zhigang, Dean of Fudan School of Economics, Prof. SUN Lijian, Prof. Chen Zhao and so on delivered speeches on the conference.
The conference of this year has set up a special “policy round-table” session, which invited Prof. BAI Chongen, Prof. Yang Tao, Prof. ZHU Xiaodong and Prof. YUAN Zhigang to discuss the development and future of the Chinese labor market.
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Undergraduate Visiting Student Program Launched at Fudan
Fudan University launched Undergraduate Visiting Student Program recently. From now on, besides exchange programs, Fudan undergraduates can apply for visiting student programs (so-called free-mover in some systems) in one of 165 universities in the list offered by Fudan University. These 165 universities include all partner universities of Fudan and some prestigious universities such as Harvard University and University of Cambridge which at present do not have a student exchange scheme with Fudan. If their applications are approved, Fudan students can start their study abroad programs as visiting students.
In recent years, Fudan has established more and more international strategic partners with world-renowned universities. The exchange programs at both university and department levels are increasing every year, which provides students with a variety of choices. However, these exchange programs still cannot fully meet the needs of the students. Under such circumstances, Fudan University launched the scheme of visiting students for its undergraduates to provide more opportunities and expand the study abroad channels for students.
Tuition can be exempted from of the host university or supported by family, government scholarships as well as support from various foundations. Fudan also offers recourses for such a scheme. Qualified applicants can get up to almost 30,000 RMB for subsidies.
The scheme of visiting students allows Fudan students to study abroad for one semester or one academic year at most on a non-degree program. The credits can be transferred to Fudan University if they meet the requirement of relevant regulations.
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Zhongshan Hospital and Huadong Hospital Win BUPA Quality Approved Silver
On December 9, Ms Carma Elliot from British Consulate in Shanghai awarded BUPA Quality Approved Silver Plate and Certificate of Accreditation to Vice President Yan Zuoqin of Zhongshan hospital and President Yu Zhuowei of Huadong Hospital, which marks substantial results of the "Sino-British Health Innovation Partnership" program.
The two hospitals are also the first ones that win the honor. Its special medical services and settlement process have been recognized by the commercial insurance agencies and international standards, and its high quality medical services have received international recognitions.
It is reported that the British Government and the Chinese Government signed a Memorandum of Understanding on health cooperation on June 14, 2007. The memorandum aims to promote a close working relationship between the two countries’ health care institutions and enterprises through the "Sino-British health partnership" innovation plan. Chinese Ministry of Health identified four aspects for cooperation, one of which is that Britain provides services to Chinese hospital management and medical service quality assessment.
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Fudan China Studies Centre Inaugurated
On 26 December, 2010, the inauguration Ceremony of Fudan China Studies Centre was held on campus. Prof. Sang Yucheng, Deputy Party Secretary of Shanghai Social Sciences Association delivered a congratulatory speech. He highly remarked the establishment of the Centre at Fudan, expecting the new institution to play a vital role in flourishing the academic field of China Studies in the future through integrating resources from all sectors, enhancing international exchanges and broadening the research scopes. He also hopes the centre to be a well-known academic platform both home and abroad. The official from Hanban also indicated full support from the national level for Fudan in building the Centre in the future.
China Studies has already become a school among overseas institutions. The domestic promotion of the subject now does not only meet an academic demand, but also serves as an essential and critical step in providing a better understanding on China for the world.
Wu Zhaolu, Director of the Centre, gave a closing speech with further introduction on the aim and details of the Centre. Prof. Chen Limin, Deputy Party Secretary of Fudan University and Distinguished Prof. Qiu Xigui jointly unveiled the Centre, successfully inaugurating the new institution. Distinguished guests including Fudan Provost Lu Fang, Chief Reporter from People’s Daily Huang Jing, Deputy President of Shanghai Academy of Theatre Huang Changyong, Representative from Hanban Peng Zeng’an, and senior professors from Fudan such as Tong Bing and Jiang Yihua also actively participated in the event with warm speeches.
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Ministry of Education and Shanghai Municipality Pool Funds for Fudan and Another 3 Universities in Shanghai
On Dec. 29, the Ministry of Education and the Shanghai Municipal Government signed an agreement to support Fudan University and another 3 universities in Shanghai. Minister of Education Yuan Guiren and Shanghai Mayor Han Zheng signed the agreement and delivered speeches. Fudan University President Yang Yuliang, Chancellor Qin Shaode, and Vice-president Chen Xiaoman attended the ceremony.
According to “985 Project” Phase III agreement, from 2010 to 2013, the Central Government will provide a special fund to the four universities while Shanghai Government will match fund to further develop the universities.
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Leonurine Effective for Treating Stroke Found by Fudan School of Pharmacy
The research team led by Prof. Zhu Yizhun, Dean of Fudan School of Pharmacy found through a 5-year study that Leonurine, extracts from the leonurus japonicus, is able to produce a significant therapeutic effect on treating strokes. Leonurine can significantly reduce the cerebral ischemia caused by infarction in the cerebral cortex area, improving the functions of damaged neurons. The finding has been published in the recent November issue of Stroke, namely “Leonurine (4-guanidino-n-butyl Syringate) Protects the Middle Cerebral Artery Occluded Rats through Antioxidant effect and Regulation of Mitochondrial Function”, which has made itself a class-I new national drug candidate to be further worked on.
Leonurus japonicus, commonly called Chinese motherwort, is a herbaceous flowering plant native to Asia, including Korea, Japan, China and Cambodia. It is one of the 50 fundamental herbs used in traditional Chinese medicine, where it literally means "beneficial herb for mothers". Its functions include: smooth menses; regulate menses; invigorate blood circulation; move blood; reduce masses; promote urination; reduce swelling; disperse phlegm and disperse edema. Prof. Zhu Yizhun and his team used advanced technology to successfully extract leonurine from leonurus japonicus and named it “SCM-198”
Prof. Zhu and his coworkers found that in the state like ischemia or hypoxia, the mitochondria, one of the basic elements that build an intact cell, would swell, causing cell ruptures, brain tissue and myocardial necrosis, and eventually death. The study also found that adenosine triphosphate not only provides the energy needed for keeping the normal life activities of cells in vivo, but is also a direct energy source for keeping the tissues and cells working. In hypoxia, cells would see a reduced activity of adenosine triphosphate, resulting in apoptosis. Leonurine (SCM-198) works to inhibit cell death induced by mitochondrial oxidative stress through reducing the oxygen consumption of brain cells, and prevent further cell necrosis/apoptosis by enhancing the activity of ATP, achieving the effect of easing brain tissue necrosis.
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Research Result Accomplished by Zhongshan Hospital: Hypoceruloplasminemia is a Highly Risky Factor for Parkinson’s Disease
Deputy director Zhong Chunjiu and Attending Physician Jin Lirong from Department of Neurology of Zhongshan Hospital have been studying the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease, discovering that low ceruloplasmin hyperlipidemia in patients with Parkinson's seemed like "black mess" selective iron deposition, which amplifies that hypoceruloplasminemia is a risky factor for Parkinson's disease. Results of this study recently published online in Brain.
According to previous studies, Parkinson’s disease is caused by pathological changes in the “black mess” in human brain. However, the basic cause for why “black mess” had pathological changes is still a mystery. The research team studied 45 patients and 45 normal people, and found “black mess” in Parkinson’s patients contains high concentration of iron, just like characteristic selectivity iron deposition in midbrain. The results of this research are highly recognized internationally for its contribution to Parkinson’s disease prevention and treatment.
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Fudan Research Result Published on European Heart Journal
Postgraduate student from Fudan School of Public Health MA Wenjuan’s essay Stock Volatility as a Risk Factor for Coronary Heart Disease Death will be published on the latest issue (January 2011) of European Heart Journal. The essay was written under the supervision of her supervisor Prof. KAN Haidong and in collaboration with Shanghai Municipal Centre for Disease Control and Prevention. The online edition was released on the website of European Heart Journal on December 31.
The essay examined the relationship between daily change of the Shanghai Stock Exchange Composite Index and coronary heart disease (CHD) deaths from 1 January 2006 to 31 December 2008 in Shanghai. It is found that any change of the index, both rising and falling, will lead to increased risks of sudden cardiac death. The study pioneered to observe this biological phenomenon from a sociological perspective.
The study shows that, from 2006 to 2008, in a 1-day lag model, each 100-point change of the index corresponds to 5.17% increase in CHD deaths. Further analysis shows that the association is stronger for out-of-hospital CHD death than for in-hospital CHD death.
The essay suggests that psychological intervention should be strengthened to reduce the psychological stress of the public caused by fluctuation in stock markets and therefore to decrease the occurrence of CHD.
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Prof. Wang Hongyan Presented 7th China Young Female Scientists Award
Fudan Prof. Wang Hongyan from School of Life Sciences, together with the other 9 women scientists nationwide won the 7th China Young Female Scientists Award recently. Prof. Wang was nominated and recommended by Genetics Society of China and The Chinese Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. All the ten receipts were under the age of 45.
China Young Female Scientists' Award was jointly set up by the All-China Women's Federation, the China Association for Science and Technology, the Chinese National Commission for UNESCO and L'Oreal (China) Ltd. The purpose of the award is to honor young women who have made important and innovative achievements in all fields of science, stimulate enthusiasm among the nation's young female scientists to contribute to the aim of building a well-off society in an all-round way, and encourage more female scientists to engage themselves in natural science research. The Award is held annually and the maximum number of award winners is no more than ten, one of whom is chosen among female scientists in the country's under-developed western regions.
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Dr. Lui Che Woo Visits Fudan University
Fudan Board Member Dr. Lui Che Woo, Chairman of K. Wah Group of Hong Kong, visited Fudan University on the morning of December 20, 2010.
President Yang expressed warm congratulations toward the 55th Anniversary of the K. Wah group and expressed gratitude to the Group for long-standing support to Fudan.
Dr. Lui was accompanied by his family members and staff including Wilson Chan, Director Sales & Marketing of KWIH, K. Wah Construction Materials Business Development Director Wu Jinman, Ka Wah China Representative Wang Yiliang.
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Foreign Affairs Office, Fudan University
220 Handan Road, Shanghai 200433, China
Advisor: CHEN Yinzhang
Editor-in-chief: XU Yefang
Proof-reading by: TANG Wenqing
Contributor: CHEN Zhaojun
JING Ying
LIN Jieying
WANG Ying
XIA Jungang
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ZHU Yifei
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