POPULARITY
2 episodes with sichuan university
2 episodes with sichuan university
2 episodes with sichuan university
2 episodes with sichuan university
2 episodes with sichuan university
2 episodes with sichuan university
2 episodes with sichuan university
2 episodes with sichuan university
2 episodes with sichuan university
Chinese Premier Li Qiang has made a trip to Southeast Asia this week for a historic first summit—where ASEAN, China, and the Gulf states aim to prove that 1+1+1 is greater than 3. Speaking at the talks in Kuala Lumpur, Li said the launch of the new forum marked a major innovation in regional economic cooperation amid complex changes in the international landscape.Host Ge Anna is joined by Dr Lee Pei May, Assistant Professor of Political Science at the International Islamic University Malaysia; Dr Rong Ying, Chair Professor with the School of International Studies, Sichuan University; Dr Zhou Mi, a senior research fellow with the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation.
Shanghai has become a pioneering city in China to introduce standards regulating smoking in outdoor public spaces. Could this be the start of a nationwide shift? China aims to cut adult smoking from 24% to 20% by 2030, but with cigarette sales still climbing, how challenging is that goal? Can this policy truly make an impact, or will deep-rooted smoking culture stand in the way?Host Tu Yun joins Dr. Xiongfei Pan, a Professor of Epidemiology and Population Health at the West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Dr. Liu Baocheng, the Director of the Center for International Business Ethics, University of International Business and Economics, and Dr. Lauren Johnston, an associate professor of the China Studies Centre, University of Sydney, Australia to check for answers to these and more at the Chat Lounge.
Once upon a time, fat people were believed to be more blessed. Now, they are urged to watch their weight. On this week's Chat Lounge, host Tu Yun joins Dr. Lauren Johnston, an associate professor of the China Studies Centre, University of Sydney, Australia, Dr. Julie Ju Shi, an associate professor of health economics at the School of Economics and the School of Global Health Development, Peking University, and Dr. Xiongfei Pan, Professor of Epidemiology and Population Health, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University to check out China's ongoing national campaign to promote public awareness and skills in weight management as the nation deals with its unbearable heaviness of being overweight.
Links: Mandarin Blueprint: https://www.mandarinblueprint.com/ My blog: imlearningmandarin.com -- On today's episode, I interview Phil Crimmins. Phil is one of the two minds behind Mandarin Blueprint, a Mandarin learning course with over 4000 videos taking learners step-by-step all the way to Mandarin proficiency. Phil's journey with Mandarin is fascinating. He graduated from Sichuan University in China with a bachelor's degree in the Chinese language. But he left unsatisfied with the traditional methods of learning Chinese he'd been exposed to. So together with his business partner Luke, they created Mandarin Blueprint. Before exploring how the blueprint works and the thinking that went behind it, I was keen to find out more about Phil's personal experiences of learning Mandarin.
This episode features Suning Mao (State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases & National Center for Stomatology & National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China) What is already known about the topic? Home-based palliative care has grown in popularity, but challenges in coordinating care and communication between hospital and home settings can impact transitions, healthcare consumption, care quality, and patient safety. Electronic symptom monitoring systems in home-based palliative care utilize telemedicine to remotely collect real-time symptom data, offering flexible feedback to patients and healthcare providers during clinical consultations. What this paper adds? Most patients positively engage in electronic symptom monitoring, potentially enhancing quality of life, physical and emotional well-being, and symptom scores without significant cost increase. Definitive conclusions regarding the impact of electronic symptom monitoring on outcomes such as survival, hospital admissions, length of stays, emergency visits, and adverse events were constrained by substantial variability in reported data or inadequate statistical power. Implications for practice, theory, or policy Future high-quality randomized controlled trials or large-scale real-world studies on electronic symptom monitoring in home-based palliative care should assess its short-, medium-, and long-term effects on both cancer and non-cancer populations. Employing globally recognized patient-reported outcome scales like the EORTC Core Quality of Life Questionnaire and the 36-item Short Form Health Survey guarantees reliable and generalizable results in accurately assessing symptoms and enabling meta-analysis. Incorporating electronic symptom monitoring into home-based palliative care should prioritize accessibility, feasibility, and patient acceptance, particularly in uncertain clinical scenarios. Full paper available from: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/02692163241257578?icid=int.sj-abstract.citing-articles.8 If you would like to record a podcast about your published (or accepted) Palliative Medicine paper, please contact Dr Amara Nwosu: a.nwosu@lancaster.ac.uk
Our guest this month is renowned writer Peter Hessler, a staff writer at The New Yorker and author of five books about China, most recently Other Rivers: A Chinese Education, published earlier this year by Penguin Press. In the book, Hessler details his most recent stint living in China, teaching writing at Sichuan University in Chengdu from 2019 to 2021. Hessler talked to us about how the new generation of Chinese students differ from those he taught in the late 1990s; his experiences of Covid in 2020; the circumstances in which he left China in 2021; and the uncertain future of China writing.The China Books Podcast is a companion of China Books Review, a project of Asia Society's Center on U.S.-China Relations and The Wire, a digital business platform that also publishes The Wire China. For any queries or comments, please write to editor@chinabooksreview.com.
When implemented effectively, generative artificial intelligence can enhance innovation among employees, relieve them from repetitive tasks, and bolster their communication skills. AI enables employees to maximize their potential in the workplace.In this “AI Horizons” podcast episode, scholars from the University of Southern California's Marshall School of Business, Temple University's Fox School of Business, and Sichuan University's Business School discuss what their research reveals about AI in the workplace. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In 1996, when Peter Hessler first went to China to teach, almost all of his students were first-generation college students. Most came from large rural families, and their parents, subsistence farmers, could offer little guidance as their children entered a new world. By 2019, when Mr. Hessler arrived at Sichuan University, he found a very different China, as well as a new kind of student – an only child whose schooling was the object of intense focus from a much more ambitious cohort of parents. China's education system offers a means of examining the country's past, present, and future. At a time when anti-Chinese rhetoric in America has grown intense, Other Rivers is a work of empathy that shows us China from the inside out and the bottom up. In an interview conducted on August 6, 2024, Peter Hessler, in conversation with Lenora Chu, looks at Chinese education as a way to understand both China and the United States. About the speakers: https://www.ncuscr.org/video/peter-hessler-other-rivers/ Follow Peter Hessler on X: @peterhessler Follow Lenora Chu on X: @LenoraChu Subscribe to the National Committee on YouTube for video of this interview. Follow us on Twitter (@ncuscr) and Instagram (@ncuscr).
This week on Sinica, the highly-regarded writer Peter Hessler joins to talk about his new book, out July 9: Other Rivers: A Chinese Education. Over 20 years after teaching with the Peace Corps in Fuling (the subject of his first book, Rivertown, Pete returns to China to teach at Sichuan University in Chengdu. He writes about the two cohorts of students, with whom he has maintained extensive contacts, to offer fascinating insights into how China has changed across this momentous period with touching, deeply human stories. 3:47 – Why Pete couldn't teach in Fuling again6:56 – How Pete stayed in touch with his Fuling cohort 9:46 – Pete's SCUPI [(Sichuan University-Pittsburgh Institute)] cohort 13:51 – Pete's Fuling cohort 19:35 – Chinese rural values: pragmatism and modesty23:08 – The physical and psychological differences between the Fuling and Chengdu cohorts 29:32 – “Educated acquiescence” in the Chinese education system 35:07 – The Hessler family's experience with Chengdu Experimental Primary School43:04 – The impending lack of “Country feel,” and Pete's sense of humor 47:02 – Facing criticism over his reporting during the pandemic 52:13 – Pete's experience being jǔbào'ed and teaching Orwell's Animal Farm 59:01 – Pete's take on the COVID origins debate1:02:10 – Competition and authoritarianism in China, and the phenomenon of Chinese and Chinese American Trump supporters 1:06:57 – Serena's investigation for Chángshì and why Pete's contract was not renewed 1:15:28 What's next for Pete Recommendations:Pete: Burma Sahib by Paul Theroux, a forthcoming novel about George Orwell's time in Burma as a policeman; Burmese Days by George Orwell Kaiser: the Meta Quest VR headset See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Smiling is a universal symbol of happiness. However, there are instances when the ability to smile is taken away from a person, outside of mere saddening and heartbreaking life occurrences. There are situations when one chooses not to smile because of how it looks on them. In a 2019 survey of 2,000 Americans by Snow Teeth Whitening, 57% of people said they cover their mouths when they laugh because they were ashamed of their teeth' appearance, with 7 in 10 people admitting self-consciousness about their teeth due to lack of whiteness, crookedness, and gaps between teeth. However, beyond the sphere of dental aesthetics, there lies an array of dental issues that seep deeper than color and shade. The dental specialty of orthodontics focuses on the skeletal issues of the teeth, such as crookedness of teeth, malposition of the jaw, and misalignment of bite patterns, that are usually corrected by traditional braces, clear aligners like Invisalign®, and retainers that seek to correct these issues and restore one's confidence to smile.We are joined by Orthodontic resident dentist Dr. Vivian Chen. She received her BA in Biological Sciences from Columbia University, DDS from the University of California San Francisco School of Dentistry, and is currently completing her Orthodontics residency at the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine. Previously, she was a Fulbright Research Fellow in Chengdu, China, where she was a research assistant to Dean Xue-Dong Zhou, the Director of State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases at Sichuan University for dental public health. She was also a research assistant at UCSF School of Dentistry's Department of Orofacial Sciences. Through her social media platform, she promotes oral hygiene and oral health, as well as academic guidance for prospective Orthodontics trainees.Livestream Air Date: March 5, 2023Follow Vivian Chen, DDS: InstagramFollow Friends of Franz Podcast: Website, Instagram, FacebookFollow Christian Franz Bulacan (Host): Instagram, YouTubeThankful to the season's brand partners: Covry, House of M Beauty, Nguyen Coffee Supply, V Coterie, Skin By Anthos, Halmi, By Dr Mom, LOUPN, Baisun Candle Co., RĒJINS, Twrl Milk Tea, 1587 Sneakers
Dr. Dechao Feng from the Department of Urology, Institute of Urology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, discusses a research paper he co-authored that was published by Aging (Aging-US) in Volume 15, Issue 18, entitled, “Identification of senescence-related lncRNA prognostic index correlating with prognosis and radiosensitivity in prostate cancer patients.” DOI - https://doi.org/10.18632/aging.204888 Corresponding authors - Dechao Feng - fdcfenix@stu.scu.edu.cn, and Ping Han - hanping@scu.edu.cn Video interview - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHiWwd5RlJw Transcription - https://aging-us.net/2023/10/26/behind-the-study-senescence-related-lncrna-prognostic-index-in-prostate-cancer/ Sign up for free Altmetric alerts about this article - https://aging.altmetric.com/details/email_updates?id=10.18632%2Faging.204888 Subscribe for free publication alerts from Aging - https://www.aging-us.com/subscribe-to-toc-alerts Keywords - aging, prostate cancer, senescence-related lncRNA prognostic index, biochemical recurrence, radiosensitivity, androgen response About Aging-US Launched in 2009, Aging-US publishes papers of general interest and biological significance in all fields of aging research and age-related diseases, including cancer—and now, with a special focus on COVID-19 vulnerability as an age-dependent syndrome. Topics in Aging-US go beyond traditional gerontology, including, but not limited to, cellular and molecular biology, human age-related diseases, pathology in model organisms, signal transduction pathways (e.g., p53, sirtuins, and PI-3K/AKT/mTOR, among others), and approaches to modulating these signaling pathways. Please visit our website at https://www.Aging-US.com and connect with us: SoundCloud - https://soundcloud.com/Aging-Us Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/AgingUS/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/AgingJrnl Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/agingjrnl/ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@AgingJournal LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/aging/ Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/AgingUS/ Media Contact 18009220957 MEDIA@IMPACTJOURNALS.COM
The owner of a black Rottweiler that attacked a girl on Monday has been criminally detained by the local public security bureau in Chongzhou, a county-level city in Chengdu, Southwest China's Sichuan province.一名女童于10月16日遭到一只黑色罗威纳犬袭击，黑犬主人已被崇州市公安局刑事拘留。崇州市是四川省成都市的县级市。According to a statement released by the Chongzhou's joint investigation group on Tuesday, the police have found the black dog and its owner, surnamed Tang. They have also taken criminal coercive measures against Tang according to the law.据崇州市联合调查工作组17日通报，警方已找到伤人黑犬及其主人唐某，并已对唐某依法采取刑事强制措施。At present, the police have filed a case to investigate the incident.目前，警方已对该事件立案侦查。In order to receive better treatment, the girl has been transferred to the West China Hospital of Sichuan University. Her vital signs are currently stable.为了得到更好的治疗，受伤女童已转至四川大学华西医院，目前生命体征稳定。On Monday, a woman and her daughter were attacked by a black dog in Chongzhou city, Sichuan province. The daughter suffered multiple bites, a right kidney contusion and a right rib fracture.10月16日，四川省崇州市一名妇女和她的女儿遭到一只黑犬袭击。女童全身多处被咬伤，右肾挫伤，右肋骨骨折。Rottweiler英/ˈrɒtwaɪlə(r)/美/ˈrɑːtwaɪlər/n.罗威纳犬Criminal coercive measuresn.刑事强制措施
DIM may be a Mighty Tooth Protector Most of the world's population either chronically suffers from plaque and dental cavities or will develop them at some point in their lives. Toothpastes, mouthwashes, and regular checkups do their part, but more could always be done. Ben-Gurion University of the Negev scientists and their colleagues at Sichuan University and the National University of Singapore have discovered that 3,3′-Diindolylmethane (DIM), a naturally occurring molecule also known as bisindole, reduces the biofilms that produce plaque and cavities by 90%. The molecule is also found to have anti-carcinogenic properties. #DIM #Cavities #Plaque Baruch Y, Golberg K, Sun Q, Yew-Hoong Gin K, Marks RS, Kushmaro A. 3,3′-Diindolylmethane (DIM): A Potential Therapeutic Agent against Cariogenic Streptococcus mutans Biofilm. Antibiotics. 2023; 12(6):1017. https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics12061017 DIM, Cavity Fighter, S.Mutans, Oral Health, Oral Microbiome, Diindolylmethane, biofilm, teeth, tooth, cavity preventer, anti-plaque, healthy mouth, natural anti-biofilm agents, extracellular polymeric substance, toothpaste, mouthwash --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ralph-turchiano/support
GUEST BIO: Audrey is the Head of Brand at Noble Panacea, which she co-designed and created with Founder Sir Fraser Stoddart, a 2016 Nobel Laureate in Chemistry, as well as CEO Céline Talabaza.With 15+ years of experience in marketing and international brand development, Audrey is a devotee of beauty. Throughout her career, she has partnered with CEOs and Founders to shape beauty brand architecture and strategic marketing initiatives. She is a visionary brand builder driven by her passionate personality and curiosity to bring unique and innovative brands and products to the market. She is known for being creative, dynamic, enthusiastic and goal-oriented to lead teams to success.Audrey is equally a people leader and a business leader as she's worked across and developed multiple multicultural teams. Prior to Noble Panacea, she was the Global Marketing Group Manager for Topicrem, a French dermo-cosmetic brand, leading 360 marketing strategy and product development. Previously, as the Global Marketing Manager for Foreo based in Shanghai, she was on the launch team to create and launch the brand from the ground up as well as developed 20+ award-winning skincare products. Early on, Audrey launched her career at renowned French cosmetic brands Yves Rocher and Guinot in Marketing and Communications.Audrey holds a Master of Marketing from Montpellier International Business School in France and a Bachelor of Economics from the Sichuan University in China.SHOW NOTES:
To listen to episode 38 on Video Game characters, please click here or scroll below on our episode list.Remote controlled cars and planes are toys we are familiar with. A remote-controlled fish that can not just swim, but also eat the plastic pieces floating in the water is now around. Chinese scientists from Sichuan University have developed this little piece of marvel, in a bid to keep our oceans clean. 10-year Anura from Emerald Heights School, Indore, describes how micro-plastics is a big problem both for our fishes and for land animals.More than 80% of us have micro-plastics in our blood. Ouch! How did we start eating plastics? Anura discusses some ways of how we get it into our foods and beverages. (a) Drinking tea from a tea bag releases more than a few billion micro-plastics into our tea. Oh! we'll remember to make our tea the old fashioned way - boil some water and let our tea leaves steep in them. (b) Sea-salt can also carry micro-plastics given the large amount of plastics already absorbed by the sea-water. This robotic fish from China can now start swimming in our oceans and eat up the plastics in the water. If a shark were to swim by and accidentally consume this robot, Anura assures us that the shark won't get a stomach ache, since the robotic fish is made of a material that is eco-friendly.If you are a child (aged 6-17) and would like to feature on this show, follow us on Instagram to find out about how you can be a part of this show. Write to us with your thoughts or comments at hello@wsnt.in.
Videos: Dr. Ryan Cole: Covid Vaccine Side Effects Are Like A Nuclear Bomb New Rule: F*** tha Casting Police | Real Time with Bill Maher (HBO) Renters In America Are Running Out Of Options Consuming green vegetables, supplements suppresses inflammatory bowel disease Sichuan University in China and from Cedars Sinai Medical Center, August 17, 2022 The dietary supplement chlorophyllin alleviates inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, according to researchers from the Center for Diabetes and Metabolism Research at Sichuan University in China and from Cedars Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. In addition, chlorophyllin significantly reduces mortality related to IBD, weight loss, diarrhea and hidden blood in the stool, intestinal epithelial damage and infiltration of inflammatory cells. The findings are published ahead of print in the American Journal of Physiology-Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology, and the study has been chosen as an APS select article for August. Current therapeutics for IBD include medications that suppress the immune system (immunosuppressants) and surgery. However, long-term use of immunosuppressive treatments could result in severe adverse effects, including opportunistic infections and even organ failure. In this study, researchers found taking an oral chlorophyllin supplement—a compound derived from the green pigment found in plants—reduced colitis and abnormalities in the intestinal epithelia of mice. Also, consumption of green vegetables and chlorophyllin may be helpful for IBD recovery, in part through alleviation of inflammation and autolysosomal flux (a process that uses lysosome to degrade and remove toxic molecules and organelles). Green pigment found in these foods and supplements can initiate a feeding signaling to modulate autophagy in the cells, which suppresses IBD symptoms. (next) Coriander is a potent weapon against antibiotic resistant bacteria University of Beira Interior (Portugal) August 10, 2022 The problem of antibiotic resistant bacteria has been deemed a public health crisis, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reporting that invasive MRSA – or methicillin-resistant S. aureus – infections affect 80,000 people globally a year, and claim over 11,000 lives. But, what the CDC will never tell you is how coriander can potentially save lives. Researchers in Portugal now say that that the oil from coriander – a common kitchen spice – is quite toxic to a wide range of harmful bacteria, leading to hopes that it may be enlisted in the fight against MRSA and other pathogens. The scientific research about coriander is promising Researchers at University of Beira Interior used flow cytometry to study the effects of coriander oil on 12 different disease-causing types of bacteria, including E. coli, Salmonella, B. cereus and MRSA. In the study, published in Journal of Medical Microbiology, the oil significantly inhibited bacterial growth – especially that of MRSA and E. coli. (next) Tumour blood supply stopped in its tracks by modified natural compound University of New South Wales (Australia), August 10, 2022 Researchers have discovered how the modified natural compound dextran-catechin disrupts formation of blood vessels that fuel growth in the childhood cancer neuroblastoma. Researchers have discovered how a modified natural compound disrupts angiogenesis, the formation of blood vessel networks, in neuroblastoma tumours, stopping them laying down the vital supply lines that fuel cancer growth and spread. Dextran catechin is a sugar based conjugated form of catechin commonly found in green tea, red wine, dark chocolate and apple peels. Lead author Dr Orazio Vittorio of Children's Cancer Institute found that the natural polyphenol catechin slows tumour growth in the laboratory but breaks down too quickly in the body to be effective. (next) Researchers discover how DDT exposure contributes to Alzheimer's disease risk Florida International University and Rutgers University, August 17, 2022 A new study led by researchers from Florida International University and Rutgers reveals a mechanism linking the pesticide DDT to Alzheimer's disease. Published in Environmental Health Perspectives, the study shows how the persistent environmental pollutant DDT causes increased amounts of toxic amyloid beta, which form the characteristic amyloid plaques found in the brains of those with Alzheimer's disease. According to Jason Richardson, professor at FIU's Robert Stempel College of Public Health & Social Work and corresponding author, the study further demonstrates that DDT is an environmental risk factor for Alzheimer's disease.”The vast majority of research on the disease has been on genetics—and genetics are very important—but the genes that actually cause the disease are very rare,” Richardson says. “Environmental risk factors like exposure to DDT are modifiable. So, if we understand how DDT affects the brain, then perhaps we could target those mechanisms and help the people who have been highly exposed.” The study focused on sodium channels, which the nervous system uses to communicate between brain cells (neurons), as the potential mechanism. DDT causes these channels to remain open, leading to increased firing of neurons and increased release of amyloid-beta peptides. In the study, researchers demonstrate that if neurons are treated with tetrodotoxin, a compound that blocks sodium channels in the brain, the increased production of the amyloid precursor protein and toxic amyloid-beta species is prevented. “This finding could potentially provide a roadmap to future therapies for people highly exposed to DDT,” Richardson says. (next) Study shows how food preservatives may disrupt human hormones and promote obesity Cedars-Sinai Medicine Institute, August 9, 2022 Can chemicals that are added to breakfast cereals and other everyday products make you obese? Growing evidence from animal experiments suggests the answer may be “yes.” But confirming these findings in humans has faced formidable obstacles – until now. A new study published in Nature Communications details how Cedars-Sinai investigators developed a novel platform and protocol for testing the effects of chemicals known as endocrine disruptors on humans. The three chemicals tested in this study are abundant in modern life. Butylhydroxytoluene (BHT) is an antioxidant commonly added to breakfast cereals and other foods to protect nutrients and keep fats from turning rancid; perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) is a polymer found in some cookware, carpeting and other products; and tributyltin (TBT) is a compound in paints that can make its way into water and accumulate in seafood. The investigators used hormone-producing tissues grown from human stem cells to demonstrate how chronic exposure to these chemicals can interfere with signals sent from the digestive system to the brain that let people know when they are “full” during meals. When this signaling system breaks down, people often may continue eating, causing them to gain weight. (next) Standing desks can improve well-being, reduce stress among office workers University of Leicester (UK), August 17 2022 Standing desks can improve workers' performance as well as cut their time sitting by an hour each day, according to new research. Study authors add that getting up from an office chair also boosts well-being and energy levels, while reducing stress. “High levels of sitting time are associated with several health related outcomes and premature mortality, with high levels of workplace sitting associated with low vigor and job performance and high levels of presenteeism.” Presenteeism is the practice of being present at one's place of work for more hours than is required, especially as a manifestation of insecurity about one's job. Sedentary lifestyles increase the risk of chronic conditions including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, depression, anxiety, and cancer.
Dr. Jebina Lama is a board-certified dermatologist specializing in cosmetic treatments. She did her MD in Dermatology and graduated from Sichuan University, China in 2014. She did her fellowship in Aesthetic Dermatology and Dermato-Laser Surgery from Mahidol University, Thailand in 2014. In this podcast, Dr. Jebina and Sushant talk about hair care, treatments, skin care, dermatology, and much more. GET CONNECTED WITH Dr. Jebina Lama Instagram: https://instagram.com/dr.jebinalama?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y= The Skin Clinic: https://instagram.com/theskinclinic_drjebinalama?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
Cochrane Stroke has produced more than 70 systematic reviews of pharmacological interventions that might improve the recovery of patients after stroke. In this podcast, co-authors Simiao Wu and Xing Hua, both from the West China Hospital at Sichuan University, in Chengdu, China, talk about the November 2021 update for one of these, which looks at the effects of selective serotonin uptake inhibitors on recovery from stroke.
Cochrane Stroke has produced more than 70 systematic reviews of pharmacological interventions that might improve the recovery of patients after stroke. In this podcast, co-authors Simiao Wu and Xing Hua, both from the West China Hospital at Sichuan University, in Chengdu, China, talk about the November 2021 update for one of these, which looks at the effects of selective serotonin uptake inhibitors on recovery from stroke.
How do we know what people ate in the past? How did they make their food? How did food fit into the social aspect of life in the past? We discuss old old recipes, spicy Sichuanese history, an herbal mystery, how food changed our faces, and more! Interested in learning about how to use X-Rays and similar technology in archaeology? Check out the linked PaleoImaging course from James Elliot! Start your own podcast with Zencastr and get 30% off your first three months with code DIRT. Click this message for more information. Links Stone Age spices (NPR) Garlic Mustard Phytoliths (PLOS One) Oldest Noodles Found in China (BBC) Decoding Ancient Recipes (BBC) Roman food blogger Apicius (Wikipedia) History of Spice in Sichuan (University of Illinois) Why Revolutionaries Love Spicy Food (Nautilus) Cooking Before Ceramics (The Atlantic) Monte Testaccio (Archaeology Magazine) Oyster Middens (Atlas Obscura) Oyster Midden Exhibit (University of Maine) Silphium, an Herbal Mystery (BBC) What is Silphium? Early Dilmun Diet (Journal of Arabian Archaeology and Epigraphy) Facial Changes due to Diet (PLOS One) Changes in Skull Features (PNAS) How Forks Gave us Overbites (The Atlantic) Lynne Olver's Food Timeline (Eater.com) Virginia Tech Saves the Food Timeline (Eater.com) Contact Email the Dirt Podcast: thedirtpodcast@gmail.com ArchPodNet APN Website: https://www.archpodnet.com APN on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/archpodnet APN on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/archpodnet APN on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/archpodnet Tee Public Store Affiliates Wildnote TeePublic Timeular
How do we know what people ate in the past? How did they make their food? How did food fit into the social aspect of life in the past? We discuss old old recipes, spicy Sichuanese history, an herbal mystery, how food changed our faces, and more! Interested in learning about how to use X-Rays and similar technology in archaeology? Check out the linked PaleoImaging course from James Elliot! Start your own podcast with Zencastr and get 30% off your first three months with code DIRT. Click this message for more information. Links Stone Age spices (NPR) Garlic Mustard Phytoliths (PLOS One) Oldest Noodles Found in China (BBC) Decoding Ancient Recipes (BBC) Roman food blogger Apicius (Wikipedia) History of Spice in Sichuan (University of Illinois) Why Revolutionaries Love Spicy Food (Nautilus) Cooking Before Ceramics (The Atlantic) Monte Testaccio (Archaeology Magazine) Oyster Middens (Atlas Obscura) Oyster Midden Exhibit (University of Maine) Silphium, an Herbal Mystery (BBC) What is Silphium? Early Dilmun Diet (Journal of Arabian Archaeology and Epigraphy) Facial Changes due to Diet (PLOS One) Changes in Skull Features (PNAS) How Forks Gave us Overbites (The Atlantic) Lynne Olver's Food Timeline (Eater.com) Virginia Tech Saves the Food Timeline (Eater.com) Contact Email the Dirt Podcast: thedirtpodcast@gmail.com ArchPodNet APN Website: https://www.archpodnet.com APN on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/archpodnet APN on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/archpodnet APN on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/archpodnet Tee Public Store Affiliates Wildnote TeePublic Timeular
“When I first came to Britain in 1978, I was one of the first people to leave China and come to the West. I wrote about the experience in Wild Swans. And for many years I had nightmares of the horrible things I saw and experienced. Writing Wild Swans made all these nightmares disappear. It was a wonderful process. The writing process turned trauma in memory. I am now able to talk to you about my book, my life, to read it without too much pain. I think this is a luxury people in China still don't have.”Jung Chang is the author of the best-selling books Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China (1991), which the Asian Wall Street Journal called the most read book about China; Mao: The Unknown Story (2005, with Jon Halliday), which was described by Time magazine as “an atom bomb of a book”; and Empress Dowager Cixi: The Concubine Who Launched Modern China (2013), a New York Times “notable book”. Her latest book, Big Sister, Little Sister, Red Sister: Three Women at the Heart of Twentieth-Century China (2019), is regarded as “another triumph” (Evening Standard London).Her books have been translated into more than 40 languages and sold more than 15 million copies worldwide. She has won many awards, including The NCR Book Award (UK, 1992, the forerunner of the Samuel Johnson Prize), UK Writers' Guild Best Non-Fiction (1992), Fawcett Society Book Award (UK, 1992), Book of the Year (UK, 1993).She has received a number of honorary doctorates from universities in the UK and USA (Buckingham, York, Warwick, Dundee, the Open University, and Bowdoin College, USA). She is an Honorary Fellow of SOAS University of London.Jung Chang was born in Sichuan Province, China, in 1952. During the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976) she worked as a peasant, a “barefoot” doctor, a steelworker, and an electrician before becoming an English-language student at Sichuan University. She left China for Britain in 1978 and obtained a PhD in Linguistics in 1982 at the University of York – the first person from Communist China to receive a doctorate from a British university.· www.jungchang.net· www.creativeprocess.info
Jung Chang is the author of the best-selling books Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China (1991), which the Asian Wall Street Journal called the most read book about China; Mao: The Unknown Story (2005, with Jon Halliday), which was described by Time magazine as “an atom bomb of a book”; and Empress Dowager Cixi: The Concubine Who Launched Modern China (2013), a New York Times “notable book”. Her latest book, Big Sister, Little Sister, Red Sister: Three Women at the Heart of Twentieth-Century China (2019), is regarded as “another triumph” (Evening Standard London).Her books have been translated into more than 40 languages and sold more than 15 million copies worldwide. She has won many awards, including The NCR Book Award (UK, 1992, the forerunner of the Samuel Johnson Prize), UK Writers' Guild Best Non-Fiction (1992), Fawcett Society Book Award (UK, 1992), Book of the Year (UK, 1993).She has received a number of honorary doctorates from universities in the UK and USA (Buckingham, York, Warwick, Dundee, the Open University, and Bowdoin College, USA). She is an Honorary Fellow of SOAS University of London.Jung Chang was born in Sichuan Province, China, in 1952. During the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976) she worked as a peasant, a “barefoot” doctor, a steelworker, and an electrician before becoming an English-language student at Sichuan University. She left China for Britain in 1978 and obtained a PhD in Linguistics in 1982 at the University of York – the first person from Communist China to receive a doctorate from a British university.· www.jungchang.net· www.creativeprocess.info
Denis F. Simon, senior adviser to the president for China affairs and professor of the practice at Duke University, leads a conversation on the role of joint venture universities in China. FASKIANOS: Thank you and welcome to CFR's Higher Education Webinar. I am Irina Faskianos, vice president of the National Program and Outreach at CFR. Today's discussion is on the record and the video and transcript will be available on our website, CFR.org/Academic, if you would like to share it with your colleagues. As always, CFR takes no institutional positions on matters of policy. We are delighted to have Denis Simon with us to talk about the role of joint venture universities in China. Dr. Simon is senior advisor to the president for China affairs and professor of the practice at Duke University. From 2015 to 2020, he served as executive vice chancellor at Duke Kunshan University in China. He has more than four decades of experience studying business, competition, innovation, and technology strategy in China, and is fluent in Mandarin Chinese. He served as senior advisor on China and global affairs at Arizona State University, vice provost for international affairs at the University of Oregon, and professor of international affairs at Penn State University. He has extensive leadership experience in management consulting and is the author of several books. Dr. Simon, thanks very much for being with us today. I thought we could begin by having you give us an overview of joint venture universities in China. What has the last two years in U.S.-Sino relations and COVID-19 meant for joint venture universities and their long-term goals? SIMON: Great. Well, thank you, Irina. I really am happy your team was able to arrange this. And I can't think of a more important subject right now. The president of Duke University, Vincent Price, has called our joint venture a beacon of light in the midst of the turbulence in U.S.-China relations. And so, this is a rather appropriate time for us to take stock at where this venture is and where it may be going. So let me just give an overview, talk a little bit about what joint ventures are, how they operate, and some of the challenges of operating them, and some of the effects of the last, as you said, two years, with the tensions growing in U.S.-China relations. Well, I think the first thing to recognize is that while there are over two thousand joint venture projects and initiatives involving foreign schools and universities, there are really only ten joint venture universities. These are campuses authorized to give two degrees—a Chinese degree and a foreign degree. The last one that was approved is Julliard, from the United States. So there are four U.S. joint ventures, two from the U.K., one from Russia, one from Israel involving the Technion, and the rest from Hong Kong. And so they're not growing by leaps and bounds. Everyone is taking stock of how they are working. The one from Duke is a liberal arts or a research-oriented university, and I think the same can be said for NYU Shanghai also in the same category. Joint venture universities are legal Chinese entities. This is very important. So, for example, our campus at Duke is not a branch campus. It is a legal Chinese entity. The chancellor must be a Chinese citizen, because they represent the legal authority of the university within the Chinese law, and also the Chinese education system. We are liberal arts oriented. The one involving Russia and Israel are polytechnic. They're more for engineering. Kean University, which is the State University of New York, has a very big business-oriented program. The U.K. programs also have very big programs. So some are liberal arts, like Duke, but others are also polytechnic. So they span the gamut. And finally, these are in many cases engines for economic development. In the cities in which they occur, these universities are sort of like Stanford in Silicon Valley. They're designed to act as a magnet to attract talent, and also to train young people, some of whom hopefully will stay in the region and act as a kind of entrepreneurial vanguard in the future as they go forward. Now, the reality is that they've been driven by a number of factors common to both the Chinese side and the foreign side. One is just the whole process of campus internationalization. U.S. universities, for example, over the last five to ten years have wanted to expand their global footprint. And setting up a campus in X country, whether it's been in the Middle East or been in China in this case, has been an important part of the statement about how they build out a global university. A second driver has been government regulation. So in China in 2003, the government set in place a series of regulations that allowed joint venture universities to be established. And I think we need to give kudos to the Ministry of Education in China because they had the vision to allow these kinds of universities to be set up. And I think the impact so far has been very positive. And then finally, they're a vehicle for building out what I would call transnational collaborative research. And that is that they're a vehicle for helping to promote collaboration between, let's say, the United States and China in areas involving science and technology, and their very, very important role in that. That's why I said we're not just a liberal arts university, but we are a research-oriented liberal arts university. And I think that NYU Shanghai, Nigbo and Nottingham, et cetera, they all would claim the same space in that regard. Now, why would a city like Kunshan want to have a joint venture university? After all, Kunshan is rather unique. It's one of the wealthiest cities in China, the largest site of Taiwan foreign investment, but it never has had its own university. So somebody in the leadership did, in fact, read the book about Silicon Valley and Stanford. And they decided, I think it was a McKinsey study that helped them make that decision, that they needed to have a university. And the opportunity to work with Duke was there. And it's a little bit a long, complicated story, but we've ended up where we are today with a university which now will embark on the second phase of having a new campus. But this clearly, for Kunshan, has been a magnet for talent, and an effort to help Kunshan transition from a factory to the world economy to a new knowledge economy, consistent where—with where Xi Jinping and the Chinese leadership wants to take China during the current period, and into the future. It also provides a great bridge for connectivity between the high-tech knowledge communities in North Carolina, and particularly around Research Triangle, and the companies in the Kunshan area. And that bridge at some times or others can be very vibrant, and there are people and activity moving across it. And it's also a place where internationalization of Kunshan gets promoted through the visibility of Duke. Every year during my five years, we had 2,000-plus visitors come to our university, both from abroad and from within China, to understand: What do these universities mean and what's going to happen to them? Now, for Duke, a lot of people think it's about the money. They think that these joint venture campuses make a lot of money. And I can tell you, nothing could be further from the truth. This is not about money. This is about, as I mentioned before, internationalization. But it's also about the opportunity for pedagogical innovation. You can imagine that in existing universities there's a lot of baggage, lots of legacy systems. You don't get virgin territory to do curricular reform and to introduce a lot of edgy ideas. Too many vested interests. But within an opportunity like DKU or NYU Shanghai, you get a white piece of paper and you can develop a very innovative, cutting-edge kind of curriculum. And that's exactly what has been done. And so you get a kind of two-way technology transfer, obviously from Duke to DKU, but also interestingly from DKU back to Duke. And the same thing again happens with these other universities as well. And I think that's important. So there's a great deal of benefit that can accrue to Duke simply by having this campus and watching it go through this kind of evolving development of a new curriculum. Now, we must not forget, these ten joint ventures, and particularly in the context of Sino-U.S. relations, are not all that's there. Starting with Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies and its relationship with Nanjing University, the United States has had projects like this going on in China. There are joint colleges. So, for example, the University of Pittsburgh and Sichuan University have one in engineering. And similarly, Michigan and Jiao Tong University also have similar kinds of ventures. And these all seem to be working very nicely. And then there's a whole array of two-plus-two programs, three-plus-two programs. All of these are part of a broad landscape of educational engagement that exists between the two countries. It is much more extensive than anyone could have imagined in the late 1970s, when the two countries signed the bilateral agreement. Now, what are some of the things that happen when you manage these joint venture universities? First, let me mention the operational issues that come across. So you probably, you know, ask: How do you find your partner? Well, in a joint venture university, you must have an educational partner. So for Duke, it's Wuhan University. For NYU Shanghai, it's East China Normal University. And for Kean University it's Wenzhou University. And you go through these—finding these partners, and the partners hopefully form a collaborative relationship. But I can tell you one of the problems, just like in all joint ventures in China, is the sleeping in the same bed but with two different dreams phenomenon. Duke came to China to bring a liberal arts education and to serve as a platform for knowledge transfer across the Chinese higher education landscape. Kunshan wanted a Stanford that can provide commercializable knowledge that can turn into new products, new services, and hopefully new businesses. And so they kind of exist in parallel with one another, with the hope that somewhere along the future they will—they will come together. Another issue area is the issue of student recruitment. Student recruitment is very complex in China because of the reliance on the gaokao system. And the gaokao system introduces an element of rigidity. And the idea of crafting a class, which is very common in liberal arts colleges, is almost impossible to do because of the rather rigid and almost inflexible approach one must take to evaluating students, scoring them, and dealing with a whole array of provincial quotas that make X numbers of students available to attend your university versus other universities. And don't forget, these joint venture universities exist in the context of over 2,000 Chinese universities, all of whom are trying to recruit the students. So you get intense involvement not only from the officials in the province level, but also Chinese parents. And the idea of Chinese parents make helicopter parents in the U.S. look like amateur hour. They are very, very involved and very, very active. A third area are home campus issues that we have to think about. And that is that a lot of people have always said to me: Wow, you know, the Chinese side must give you a big headache. And with all due respect to all my dear colleagues and friends, I can say also sometimes I got a headache from the Duke side as well. And I think anyone who sits in these kind of leadership positions must figure out how to balance the interests and the perspectives of the home country campus and the host country campus, and their ability to work together. And there are a lot of issues that come up along the way that make it very, very complex. And in particular, the idea of attracting faculty. Seventy-five percent of our faculty are hired locally. That is, they are in tenure or tenure-track jobs by Duke-Kunshan University. Twenty-five percent must be supplied by Duke. The reason is very simple: The Chinese authorities want to make sure that the quality of the education is no different than what's offered at Duke. And because we have to give two degrees, a Chinese degree and a Duke degree, that Duke degree is not a Duke-B degree, or a Duke-lite degree. It is the same degree that you get at Duke University, signed by the head of the board of trustees, the president, the provost, et cetera, et cetera. So this is a real Duke degree. It's not Duke-lite. The fourth thing I want to mention, which I mentioned before slightly, which is money. These are not inexpensive ventures. And they also are a kind of elite education. And the degree to which they can be replicated over and over again in China is something that remains to be—remains to be seen. We've had a lot of people coming from Congress who have looked at these joint venture universities and said, ah, you're selling out American values and academic freedom or religious freedom, in return for a big payday. And as I said, that's simply just not the case. These joint venture universities are very difficult to run. You must pay faculty according to the global faculty prices. And plus, there are lots of expat benefits that you have to pay to them. The tuition rates that you can charge to Chinese students are set by the provincial authorities. And therefore, in our case, they're about 50 percent less than what international students have to pay. And so already you're in a deficit, technically speaking, because Chinese students are getting a, you know, preferential price. Also, the idea of building up a research capability is not inexpensive, particularly if you're looking at developing a capability in science and engineering. These are, again, very expensive propositions. Now, I don't want to make it seem like it's all hardship. There are lots of rewarding moments. I think, as I said, the pedagogical side is one of those. And also the opportunity to really build true cross-cultural understanding among young people has been very important. Now, let me just make a couple of comments about where we are in terms of the last two years in particular. No one—you know, when our joint venture was formed, and similarly for the other ones which were formed before ours—could have envisioned what was going to happen, particularly in terms of the U.S.-China trade war, the onset of the protests in Hong Kong, and the issues—human rights issues that have to do with Xinjiang, Tibet, et cetera. And also, as everyone knows, COVID also presented some amazing challenges to the campus. We had to, by late January/early February 2020, we evacuated the whole campus when COVID came. And for the last two years, all of the international students have been studying either in their home country or if they've been able to come to the United States, they've been able to study at Duke during this period. And the big question is, when are these international students going to be able to go back? Which of course, that raises the big question about what is the campus like without international students? Our campus has somewhere between 35 to 40 percent international students. NYU Shanghai has 50 percent international students. Those make for very interesting pedagogical challenges, particularly given the fact that the high school experiences of these young people from China versus all countries—you know, we have forty-one different countries represented at DKU—make for a very challenging learning environment and teaching environment. Now, a couple of the issues that really have been exacerbated over the last two years, first of all are visa issues. Delays in being able to get visas or sometimes denial of visas. Another one are the uncertainties about the campus. Many people think that as Sino-U.S. tensions have risen, OK, the Chinese side is going to shut the campus. No, no, no, the U.S. side is going to shut the campus. And there's been the lack of clarity. And this also not only hurts student recruitment sometimes, but it also can hurt faculty recruitment as well—who are also wondering, you know, what's going to happen in the future and what kind of security of their jobs. Most recently we've also had—particularly because some of the policies adopted during the Trump administration—national security issues. So we want to build a research capability. Let's say the city of Kunshan says: We'll support the building of a semiconductor research capability. Duke University has to say no. That technology now is a more tightly controlled technology and it's not clear what we can and can't do. And so some of these kind of initiatives get interrupted, can't go forward. And everyone is very vigilant to make sure that nobody crosses the line in terms of U.S. law. And, of course, watching out for Chinese law as well. So where is this all going? I think these difficulties are going to continue. The most obvious one that everyone talks about is academic freedom, the ability to deal with these complex, controversial issues. I can say very proudly that up until this point, and at least until when I left in June of 2020, we had not had any kind of explicit intervention that stopped us from doing something, per se. We've had the national committee for U.S.-China relations, China town halls for several years. They didn't have one this past year, but we've had it for several years. We have courses on China politics. We have courses on U.S.-China relations, et cetera. So we haven't had that. But we've had to be flexible. Instead of having an open forum about Hong Kong, we created a minicourse to talk about Hong Kong. So those issues are out there. Academic freedom is a real issue that is one of those redline issues. And everyone is a little bit nervous all the time about getting into that. The other thing, of course, is the fluidity in the Chinese environment itself. We know that China continues to witness political changes, further economic reforms. And a lot of the commitments that were made, you know, five years ago, ten years ago, the ability to see them through. DKU is covered by a CEA, a cooperative educational accord, that promises academic freedom in the engagement of the university's work on campus. Now, if you go out and throw a brick through the mayor's window, well, all bets are off. But while you're on campus, you should be able to have, you know, academic freedom. And this is not a political issue. This is an accreditation issue. If the pedagogy and the learning environment were to become distinctly different, the Southern States Accreditation, which accredits the Duke degrees, could not accredit the degree that's coming out of DKU. And so there must not be any kind of significant gap or significant differentiation in order to preserve that issue of academic integrity. Now, finally, I would say—you know, looking now retrospectively, looking back at all of this, I think there's no more important kind of initiative than these universities. Getting young people from all around the world to sit in the same classroom, engage with one another, even become uncomfortable. It's great if they can do that when they're eighteen to twenty-four so hopefully when they're forty-five to fifty, they sit down and deal with these real issues, they can have some degree of understanding and some perspective of why the other side is thinking the way it does. This doesn't happen automatically on these campuses. There's a lot of orchestration and a lot of fostering of activity. But I would just say that he ability and the opportunity to do this makes this, and makes all of these joint ventures, really exciting opportunities that have larger impact than just the campus on which they sit. And let me stop here. Thank you. FASKIANOS: Thank you very much. That was really a terrific overview. And you really brought your experience to the table. Thank you. So let's go to all of you now for your questions, comments. You can either raise your hand by clicking on the “raise hand” icon, or you can type your question in the Q&A box. Please include your affiliation so I can read it. And when I call on you, please unmute yourself and also say who you are and your academic affiliation, so to put it in context. I'm going to go first, raised hand, to James Cousins. There we go. Q: Hi. Yeah, this is Morton Holbrook at Kentucky Wesleyan College, along with James Cousins. FASKIANOS: Great. (Laughs.) Q: And thanks very much, Dr. Simon. A great explanation. Happy to hear about academic freedom. Could I hear a little bit more about, for example, textbook choice? Do you have to submit—do professors have to submit textbook choices to the party secretary, for example? I assume there's a party secretary there. Is there self-censorship by professors who would want to skip over Tiananmen massacre or the Taiwan issue or the South China Sea issue? Thank you. SIMON: OK. Great question. So I'm happy to say that each professor creates their own syllabus, as they would in the United States. We have three big required courses, one of which is China in the world. And it is to look at the impact of the West on China, and China's impact on the West. And in that course, which every student has to take, we discuss very, very sensitive issues, including the Taiwan issue, including Chinese security policy, including South China Sea, et cetera, et cetera. There are some limitations on books that can be imported through the Chinese customs, because those will be controlled at the customs port. But because we have unlimited access through the internet right directly into the Duke library, any book that any instructor would like to have on their syllabus, that book is available to the students. So we do not have to report any of these teaching intentions to the party secretary. In the case of DKU, the party secretary is the chancellor. That just happened when we got a new chancellor a couple years ago. And we also have a deputy party secretary. But for the most part, they do not intervene at all in the academic affairs of the university. And the main reason for this is that the university must remain accredited for giving out both the Duke degree and the Chinese degree. FASKIANOS: Great. I'm going to go next to a written question from Michael Raisinghani, who is an associate professor at Texas Women's University. And two parts. What are some things you would have done differently going forward based on your experience over the last five years? And this is also—camps onto what the prior question was—does China censor the minicourse on Hong Kong? SIMON: So let me take the second one first. The minicourse on Hong Kong was a sort of an in-place innovation. We got a directive from the government indicating that we were to have no public forum to discuss the events in Hong Kong. And we had had two students who were in Hong Kong during the summer, witness to the events that were going on. And they came back to the campus after the summer wanting to basically expose everything that went on in Hong Kong. Now, obviously we wanted this to be a learning opportunity. And so we didn't mind, you know, talking about the media, the press, you know, who's vantage point, et cetera. So we felt that that could be best done within a minicourse. And so we literally, in real time, created an eight-hour minicourse. We had four of our faculty put together teaching about the society and the issues in contemporary Hong Kong. And each of those classes, you know, they discussed, you know, ongoing issues. I can tell you that there were lots of PRC students attending at the beginning of the session. There were fewer by the end. And we can, you know, extrapolate why they may have pulled out. But nobody pulled out because somehow someone was holding a gun to their head and said: You ought not to be here. So, you know, there's a lot of peer pressure about academic freedom issues. And there also is some issues about self-censorship that exist. And we try to deal with them. We try to make the academic environment extremely comfortable for everybody. But I can tell you, look, there's parental pressure. We don't know who the parents are of some of these kids. They may be even party officials. And so we basically, you know, let the kids determine. But we let the kids say: Look, in the classroom, all—everything goes. And I instituted a policy which I would not have changed, and that is that no cellphones in the classroom. No cellphones at major events, without explicit permission of the participants. And that means that in the class you cannot record by video or by audio what's going on in the classroom without special permission of the—of the instructor when that's happening. During my five years, you know, that worked very well. It raised the level of engagement by all students. And I would say people felt much more comfortable. A hundred percent comfortable? No. That wasn't the case. There is still some uneasiness. What would I have done differently? That's kind of a very interesting question. It kind of comes up because I'm writing a book about my experiences. I think maybe, you know, I would have tried to build more bridges with Duke earlier on. I think that Duke's involvement in this was really what the Chinese side bought. And I think that we needed to get more Duke involvement in terms of trying to sell the DKU opportunity to the faculty. I would have become a little bit more proactive in getting them to understand the benefits of spending a semester or two semesters at DKU. I think we—that would have helped to build more political support for the DKU project back on the DKU—back on the Duke campus in the United States. FASKIANOS: Thank you. I'm going to go next to raised hand, to Maryalice Mazzara. Q: Hi. Hello to both of you. And, Dr. Simon, great to see you. I'm here at SUNY Office of Global Affairs at SUNY Global Center. And I must say, disclaimer, I had Dr. Simon as a boss, my first boss at SUNY. And he was wonderful. So and I've worked a lot with China, as you know, Denis, from when we started, and continuing on. What would you say you would recommend going forward? So you just had a question about, you know, what would you have done differently in the last five years. For those of us, and all of us on the call, who are interested—very interested in U.S.-China positive relations, what would you recommend that we can do at the academic level? SIMON: So one of the things I think we need to realize is that China's Ministry of Education is extremely committed to not only these joint venture projects, but to international engagement as a whole. During my five years, I had an extensive opportunity to interact with a number of officials from the ministry, not only at the central government level but also at the provincial government level. And despite some of the noise that we hear about China regarding self-reliance and closing the door, I think that understanding that China is open for business. It wants to see more international students come into the country. There are now about close to 500,000 international students. China wants to grow that number. You know, there are about 700,000-plus Chinese students studying abroad, 370,000 of them, or so, in the United States. The ministry is very interested. And I think that we need to basically build bridges that continue to be sustainable over time, so that we continue to engage in the educational sphere with China. And that means that perhaps it's time for the two countries to sit down and revise, update, and reconfigure the education cooperation agreement that was signed back when Deng Xiaoping visited the United States in '78, and then formalized in '79. I think that we need to think about altering the rules of the road going forward so it takes into account that China is no longer a backward, or a higher-education laggard. China how has world-class universities, offering world-class curriculum. Collaboration and research between faculty in the U.S. and faculty in China is extensive. We need to make sure that initiatives, like the China initiative through the Justice Department, doesn't take hold and basically lead to the demise or the decoupling of the two countries. Basically, the bottom line is: Keep going forward. Keep being honest with your Chinese partners and your Chinese colleagues. Let them know some of the challenges that you face. And make them feel committed to playing by the rules of the game. And we have to do the same on our side. And if we can do that, I think that the basis for collaboration is not only there, but the basis for expanded collaboration is very real and can help, hopefully, over the long term overcome some of the difficulties and the tensions that we face because of lack of understanding and lack of trust that currently plagues the relationship. FASKIANOS: Great. The next question is from Emily Weinstein, who is a research fellow at Georgetown University. Curious about issues associated with intellectual property. Since JV universities are Chinese legal entities, in the case of DKU does Duke maintain the IP or is it the independent DKU entity? SIMON: Well, right now let's assume that the faculty member is a permanent member of the DKU faculty. Then that faculty member, in conjunction with the Chinese regulatory environment, would own a piece of that IP. The university doesn't have a technology transfer office, like you would see at Duke in the United States, or Stanford, or NYU, et cetera. And I think that probably no one really can see that there would be, you know, just a lot of new IP coming out of this. But I think that now, given the momentum that's been built up in some of these areas, I think that that is an issue. And I think that that's something that will get decided. But right now, it's a local issue. The only way that would be different is if a faculty member from Duke came over, participated in a research project, and then laid claim. China has a—(inaudible)—kind of law in place. And of course, we know the United States does. That would tend to be the basis for a sharing of the IP. And I think that was the basic notion going forward, that as a joint venture whatever came out of these collaborative research engagements, they would be on a shared IP basis. FASKIANOS: Thank you. I'm going to take the next question from Wenchi Yu, who has raised a raised hand. Q: Hi. Thank you. Hi, Denis, good to see you again. A question about—first of all, just a small comment about China still welcoming collaboration internationally at higher ed. I think that's been the case for a couple years. The question now is not so much about their will, but more how, right? So in order to collaborate in a way that neither side compromises our own values and principles, I think that's more of the key question. So I think moving forward if you can just maybe go deeper on this point. How can we really collaborate without, you know, feeling that we're making too much of a compromise? And the second related is, I think what we're seeing in terms of the change of attitude is not just at higher ed level. You and I have talked about K-12 as well. It's also been extremely difficult for international schools as well as online education to even, you know, try to connect students with anything international, whether it's curriculum or, you know, international foreign tutors, educators. So, I mean, do you think, you know, this will impact higher ed? You know, and what is your interpretation of Ministry of Education's attitude? And, you know, how much is what local officials can actually be flexible when it comes to implementation of those bigger policies? SIMON: So I think one of the—one of the challenges I didn't get to mention, but I'll talk about it now, is this issue of homogenization. I think that the Ministry of Education, because of its general approach to curriculum and things of that sort, would like all universities basically to operate very similarly and that there's not a whole bunch of outliers in the system. The special provisions for these joint venture universities are indeed just that, they're very special, they're very unique. And in fact, just like lots of regulation in China, they couldn't cover the entire waterfront of all the operating, all the administrative, and even all the political issues that might come across. And so many of these, the CEA agreement, or the equivalent of that, was signed, you know, are very unique to those nine or ten joint venture universities. And they—as you know, in China just because you sided with Duke doesn't mean that if you're up next you're going to get the same terms and conditions. And I think that right now because of the tensions in the relationship, it would be difficult to actually replicate exactly what Duke, and NYU, and some of the other universities had, particularly because of the very pronounced way academic freedom issues had been—had been dealt with. But I think that each of our universities is very clear about the red lines that exist regarding issues as sensitive, like academic freedom. In other words, there are very few issues that would invite the kind of deliberation about potential withdrawal, but academic freedom is one of those. Religious freedom, in terms of what goes on on the campus is another issue. Again, the campus is sort of like a protected territory in the way an embassy would be, in many ways. And it's not exactly the same. It doesn't have that legal status. But what I'm suggesting here in terms of the operating environment is sort of like that. So up till now, we've been very fortunate that we haven't felt the full brunt, you know, of some of the political tightening that some Chinese universities have experienced. And so we've been pretty—the situation has been pretty good for all of us. But I think that part of the problem is that we were dealing with China in a very asymmetrical, hierarchical kind of manner in the past. And that is that the gap between the two countries was very large in capability, particularly in education and higher education. And therefore, it was from the haves—Europe, the United States, et cetera—to the have-no country. That's no longer the case. And so therefore, that's why I think that in order to get more accommodation from the Chinese side, we have to bring China much more to the table as a co-equal. And as China sits at that table, then we have to secure commitments to say: Look, we commit to doing this when we're in China. You have to commit to doing this, whether it's regarding IP theft, whether it's regarding the censorship of Chinese students in the United States, whether it's all other kinds of things that we know are problems. And at the same time, as many U.S. university leaders have done, we promised to protect our Chinese students, that they don't become the object of attack because we have a kind of anti-China, you know, fervor going through the country, and somehow these students are going to be, you know, experiencing some problems. This is a very difficult period. But I don't see how we can continue to go forward based on a document, or set of documents, that were signed forty-plus years ago. I think we need to begin to consider, both in education and in science and technology, to sign a new agreement that looks at new rules of the game, reflecting the different status of the countries now versus what it was forty years ago. FASKIANOS: I'm going to ask the next question from Qiang Zha from York University in Toronto, Canada. Two questions: A rise in nationalism and patriotism can be observed among Chinese young generations. How is it going to impact the JVs in China? And whether and now the JVs in China impact the country's innovation capacity and performance. SIMON: So it seems that there's two questions there. Let me respond. Professor Cheng Li, who's at Brookings Institution, has just written a very interesting article about this growing patriotism and even anti-Americanism among young Chinese, that I would recommend. And it's a very important article, because I think we had assumed in the past that young Chinese are very global, they're cosmopolitan, they dress the dress, they walk the talk, they listen to the same music. But I think that what's going on in the country especially over the last ten years is an effort to say, look, you know, stop worshiping Western things and start attaching greater value to things Chinese. And I think that that's sort of had an impact. And I think when you go and look at a classroom discussion at a place like DKU, where you have students from forty different countries talking about a common issue, Chinese students tend to band together and be very protective of China. I think that's just a common reaction that they have. Now, in a—as a semester goes on, a few of them will break away a bit from those kind of—you know, that rigidity, and open their minds to alternative ways to thinking about problems and issues, and particularly in terms of Chinese behavior. And I know that I've advised a number of students on projects, papers, et cetera. And I'm almost in awe of the fact of the degree to which they in fact have broken away from the old molds and old stereotypes that they had when they entered the program back in 2018. So this is part of a process that occurs over time. And I think it's something that we have to have some patience about. But I am worried. And I'll just give you an example. You know, a young Chinese student comes to the United States, has their visa. They get to immigration in the United States, and they're turned back all of a sudden and they're forced to go home. No apparent reason, but somebody thinks they're up to no good, or they don't—they weren't from the right, you know, high school, or whatever is the case. We've got to really be careful that we don't start to alienate not only young Chinese—which I think that's a big problem—but also Chinese American faculty and staff who are at our universities, who now feel that they're not trusted or they're under suspicion for doing something wrong. And I know in conversations that I have had with numerous of these people who have talked about should I go back, should I go to a third country? If I'm not in the U.S., should I be in—you know, in Europe? What's a good place for me to go, because I don't feel good—nor does my family feel good—now in the United States. We have created a big problem that's going to have a very negative effect on our talent needs in the 21st century. And that includes young Chinese who would come to the United States for advanced education and hopefully stay here when they get their doctorates, or whatever degree they came for, and Chinese Americans who are here who have been loyal, who have been hardworking, who now feel that somehow they are not trusted any longer. And we're in a big dilemma right now at this point in time. And I think that my experience at this JV university says, look, as I said, it doesn't happen naturally that there's a kumbaya moment that everyone gets together and hugs and is on the same wavelength. There's a lot of intense discussion among these young people that we must recognize. But hopefully, through the process of being put together and making friends and building trust, they can begin to open their minds for different perspectives and different ideas. And I think that if DKU, or NYU Shanghai, or these other campuses are going to be successful, they must continue to push in that direction. Not to close the door, pull the shades down, and simply hide. But they must be open. And one of the things at DKU, all of our events, open—are open. Our China town halls, we invited officials from Suzhou and Kunshan to come and listen to whether it was Henry Kissinger or somebody else who was—Ray Dalio, who was on, or Fareed Zakaria. They're all the same thing, we invited people to come to listen and to have an open mind to these kind of events. So I think that we are a beacon of light in the midst of a turbulence. I think President Price's comment is very apropos to what this represents. FASKIANOS: Thank you. I'm going to take two written questions. The first is from Peggy Blumenthal, who is senior counselor to the president at the Institute of International Education. Do you see a difference in the kinds of Chinese students who enroll in Duke-Kushan versus those who applied to study in Duke in North Carolina? Are they less from elite political families and less wealthy families? And do you have any students from Taiwan or Hong Kong? And then a second question from GianMario Besana, who's at DePaul University, the associate provost for global engagement. How is faculty governance handled? Are faculty teaching at the JV tenured as Duke faculty? SIMON: OK. So, yes, we have students from Taiwan. And we don't always get students from Hong Kong, but we're open to having students from Hong Kong. So there is no limit. The only thing is, and I'll mention this, that all Chinese students, PRC students, must have a quote/unquote “political” course. And that course has been revised sharply by our partner at Wuhan University to make it much more of a Chinese history and culture course. The students from Taiwan must take that course. Now, they don't want to take it and they reject the idea of taking it, but that's a requirement. And so they do take it. But I can assure you, the one that we have is much softer than some of the things that go on at other Chinese Universities. In terms of the caliber of the students, one thing is very clear. As the reputation of places like DKU and NYU Shanghai, et cetera, have grown, the differentiation between who applies to the U.S. campus and who applies to the DKU campus, that differentiation is getting smaller and smaller. And the reason is very simple: we cannot have a two-track system if we're giving a Duke degree to the students graduating at DKU, and the same thing for NYU Shanghai. We must have near equivalency. And we have a very strong requirement in terms of English language capability. We don't trust, frankly, TOEFL. And we don't trust, you know, some of the other mechanism. We now deploy specialized versions of language testing so we can ensure that the quality of the language is strong enough so at the beginning of the engagement on campus, when they matriculate, they are able to hit the ground running. And that helps a great deal. In terms of faculty governance, the faculty in place, you know, at DKU, as far as I know, are able to—in effect, they meet as a faculty. There's an academic affairs committee. We have a vice chancellor for academic affairs who oversees the faculty engagement, in effect. And the faculty do have a fairly loud voice when there are certain things that they don't like. There's a Chinese tax policy is changing. That's going to have a big impact on their compensation. They've made their concerns well known to the leadership. If they don't like a curriculum that is being, you know, put in place and they want to change it, they will advocate, you know, to redo some of the curriculum that has been done, and also alter the requirements. So their voice is heard loudly and strongly. But it's through the vice chancellor for academic affairs to the executive vice chancellor of the campus. It doesn't necessarily go through the chancellor. And I don't mean to suggest that there's full compartmentation of the Chinese side. But there are certain things in which we closely operate together and joint decision making. And then there are things in which basically, at least up to my time, the engagement was a little lighter on the academic side and more intense on the operational side. And I think that that was the model that we had hoped to sustain from the beginning. FASKIANOS: Great. I'm going to take the next question from David Moore from Broward College in Florida. Do you know of any issues the Chinese have with required courses at Duke in U.S. history or U.S. government/political science? And just to give context, he writes, Florida has recently imposed a new required test in civic literacy, which has questions related to the U.S. Constitution, Bill of Rights, and major Supreme Court cases. Next year students in China will need to take this test in order to graduate. Are you aware of any such requirements imposed by other states? SIMON: So I'm not aware right now that North Carolina, for example, has this kind of requirement. But I can tell you that we do teach courses about American government, American society, American culture. In other words, American studies gets a full, you know, treatment, if that's what your major is or that's something that you choose to study. Now, like many places, even on a U.S. campus, except from what you've just told me, I mean, you could go through an entire university education without doing American studies whatsoever. But I think from what I'm hearing from you, that's not going to be the case in Florida now. (Laughs.) We don't—we haven't had that problem. The only requirement, as I said, is on the Chinese side, that Chinese students must have this one course on Chinese history and culture, and they also must have military service. They do this short-term summer military training that they must go through. And I've gone to the graduation. It's a—it's kind of fascinating to watch it. But, you know, it's something that's for bonding purposes. And, you know, that makes China different. Remember, this is not an island existing, you know, in the middle of in the entire China. In some ways, the campus and the fact that we're in China become part of the same reality. It is not the case—you know, we can't be an island unto ourselves. That's when I think real problems would occur. I think the more that we can integrate and understand what's going on in the larger societal context, it's important for our students, particularly the international students who come. And the international students are such a critical element because they represent an alternative perspective on the world that they bring into the classroom, as does our international faculty bring new ideas into the classroom. And those are what basically can open up the minds of our Chinese students. We're not here to make Chinese students think like Americans. We're here to raise global awareness. That's all we want to do. We want to give them alternatives and options and different perspectives on the world, and then let them make up their mind. Let them decide what's the right, or wrong, or comfortable way to think about an issue, and then feel that on this campus and then, you know, further on in their lives, they have the power and they have the capacity to think for themselves. And that's why—just one point I want to make—critical thinking is such an important part of our pedagogy. How to think critically and independently about issues and express yourself in a lucid fashion are part of what we call seven animating features that we want with each of our graduates. And another one is something called rooted globalism. And that is the ability to understand your own roots, but also the ability to understand the roots of others, and bring that to bear as you begin to look at a problem like: Why do these two countries have different views on climate change? Or why do they think different—so differently about handling pandemics, or handling even things like facial recognition and video surveillance? We have one professor who studies this, and he and I have had many numerous conversations about how to involve Chinese students in these discussions, so they don't feel intimidated, but get exposed to these kinds of debates that are going on. Now issues like what's the future of AI, in which we're looking at moral, ethical issues that face societies—all societies, not just American or Chinese society—and how do these get worked out? These are what the opportunities are that we can accomplish in these kind of joint venture environments. FASKIANOS: A next question from Lauren Sinclair. I'm administrator and faculty at NYU Shanghai. I'm very interested in the notion of pedagogical reciprocity and cross-cultural exchange. Do you see any evidence that this is occurring? Do you have qualitative or quantitative measures through institutional or student-level surveys? SIMON: So this occurs—this kind of what I call knowledge transfer occurs because we do have, as I mentioned, 25 percent of the faculty on the campus at any time are Duke or Duke-affiliated faculty. So when we are doing things on the campus at DKU, there are Duke faculty who are exposed to these experiences, they get to hear the students' presentations, et cetera, et cetera. They're part of the discussions about the curriculum. And I can tell you that the Duke curriculum and the DKU curriculum are different in many respects, ours being much more highly interdisciplinary, for example. And we have a project called Signature Work. When our students do this, they get a chance to spend—under normal situation, not COVID—but a semester at Duke. And during that semester at Duke, that also serves as a vehicle for the students to bring with them the things that they've learned, and the way that they've learned them. And we also have vehicles for our faculty in certain cases to spend time at Duke as well. And one best example I have to give you is the COVID experience. DKU was online by March of 2020. With the help of Duke's educational technology people we started delivering curriculum to our students in March, April, May, so that they could finish their semester. Quickly, by time June rolled around, Duke, as well as all sorts of U.S. universities, were faced with the dilemma of how to go online. The experience of DKU in handling the online delivery to students who were located all over the world, and the Duke need to be prepared to do that, had great benefit to Duke when it tried to implement its own online programs. That experience was very positive. The synergies captured from that were very positive. And I think that this serves as a reminder that knowledge and information can go in both directions. You mentioned cross-cultural. And again, I think the more faculty we can get to come and have an experience in China, and that they bring back with them the learning that's occurred, we've seen that now get transported back to Duke, and delivered in Duke classrooms based on the experience that they've had in China. FASKIANOS: Well, this has been a fantastic hour. Thank you very much. We are at the end of our time. It came, alas, too quickly, and I could not get to all the questions. So my apologies. But we will send around the link to this webinar, the transcript, and other resources that Dr. Simon has mentioned. So, Denis, thank you very much for doing this. We really appreciate it. SIMON: My pleasure. And thank you for having me. FASKIANOS: And we will be having our next Higher Education webinar in January 2022. So this is the last one for this year. And we will send an invitation under separate cover. As always, I encourage you to follow @CFR_Academic on Twitter and visit CFR.org, ForeignAffairs.com, and ThinkGlobalHealth.org for more resources. I'm wishing you all luck with your finals, grading, all of that, wonderful things that you have to do as faulty and as academics. And hope you enjoy the holidays. And of course, stay well and stay safe. And we look forward to reconvening in the new year. (END)
This week on Sinica, a live show taped on November 11 at the fourth annual NEXTChina Conference at the China Institute in New York, featuring Peter Hessler. Pete returned to the U.S. from Chengdu over the summer after his contract at Sichuan University, where he was teaching journalism and freshman composition, was not renewed. His departure sparked speculation about government displeasure at his reporting for The New Yorker — despite earlier criticism that his coverage of China's COVID-19 response had been too favorable to Beijing. Pete joins Kaiser and Jeremy to discuss his latest book, The Buried: An Archaeology of the Egyptian Revolution, his approach to writing on China, his interactions with his students, and the real reasons for his departure from China.3:18 – How Egypt sheds light on China7:00 – Language-learning as a device in Pete Hessler's writing9:50 – How Pete kept in touch with over 100 students from Fuling — the making of a longitudinal cohort study18:33 – How Pete is viewed in China vs. in Egypt25:10 – Pete's writing on Chinese entrepreneurship29:02 – Why Pete & Leslie moved to Chengdu — and why they had to leaveA transcript of this podcast is available on SupChina.com.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Because of its extreme hardness, diamond is used as a cutting material in a multitude of fields, from aerospace engineering to geothermal energy. Using ultra-high pressures and temperatures, scientists have created a new form of diamond, which is now the hardest material known to humankind. Dr Guodong (David) Zhan and Timothy Eric Moellendick at Saudi Aramco, alongside Dr Duanwei He at Sichuan University, are the scientists behind this record-breaking substance, which will serve as an ‘indestructible' cutting and drilling material.
限期出境！造谣抹黑中国的外籍教师处理结果来了｜Foreign teacher ordered to leaveRecently, a foreign teacher named Emily Jane O'Dell has drawn attention for not cooperating with China's COVID-19 prevention measures during her stay in China and making racist remarks on overseas social media. 近日，一位名叫Emily Jane O'Dell（艾米丽）的中国高校美籍教师因违反当地政府疫情防控规定，并在境外社交媒体发表种族主义言论引发舆论关注。O'Dell is a teacher at the Pittsburgh Institute of the Sichuan University. On Aug 4, she refused to cooperate with local working staff on the COVID-19 prevention measures and had a quarrel with them. She releaseduntenable and racist remarks on overseas social media. Due to the bad impact, the institute decided to terminate her contract. 艾米丽是四川大学匹兹堡学院的老师。8月4日，艾米丽违反疫情防控规定并与工作人员发生争执，当晚其在社交媒体发布不实及种族主义言论。由于其言行造成恶劣影响，四川大学匹兹堡学院决定与其解聘。 O'Dell tweeted the racist remarks on Aug 4. She also turned to the US Embassy in China for help, claiming that she was "abducted" against her will and posted pictures of local officers. The officers were smiling in the photos, a sharp contrast with what O'Dell described. 艾米丽在8 月 4 日在推特上发布了种族主义言论。她还向美国驻华大使馆求助，声称她被“绑架”，并配上几张当地民警的照片。照片中民警均是和善的笑容，跟艾米丽所描述的情况形成了鲜明的对比。 Before coming to China, O'Dell taught in many US universities, including Harvard and Columbia University and writes for many media including the New York Times. 在来中国之前，艾米丽曾在美国许多大学任教，包括哈佛大学和哥伦比亚大学，还为包括《纽约时报》在内的许多媒体撰过稿。According to Global Times, Wu Jialin, a police officer from the Danba county, said that O'Dell arrived in the county on July 20 and lived in a homestay hotel. "On Aug 4, we asked her to show her health code and cooperate with us in taking temperature. According to local prevention measures, if she did not have nucleic acidreport, we needed to persuade her to return to where she came from. But she refused to show us the health code, which brought huge difficulties and risks for local prevention work," Wu said.据《环球时报》报道，丹巴县民警吴嘉林说，艾米丽于7月20日抵达该县，住在一家民宿里。“8月4日，在排查过程中，我们要求艾米丽出示‘四川天府健康通'（四川健康码）并配合体温测量。按照当时的防控政策，如果没有核酸报告的话，我们就要对她进行劝返，但是，连第一步出示健康码她都拒不配合，这会给我们的疫情防控工作带来巨大的困难和风险。”吴警官说到。 Before the working staff for prevention work arrived at thehomestay hotel, three police officers took on other duties nearby. "These police officers told me that O'Dell seemed to be in a good mood at that time and took pictures of them. To be polite, the officers smiled at her," Wu said.在疫情防控人员抵达艾米丽下榻的民宿前，有三位民警正在进行其他工作，正好路过民宿，“据当事民警说，当时艾米丽心情看起来不错，还顺手拿着手机拍他们，出于礼貌，对着镜头笑了笑。However, these police officers were later described by O'Dell in her tweets as "creepy" and "Red Rum girls" and asked the Marines to save her from them.而在艾米丽的社交媒体上，这些对她微笑的民警，却被描述成“很恐怖”，是“女杀人狂”（注：Red Rum在美国俚语中有谋杀的意思，因为这两个词倒过来就是英文中的谋杀一词“Murder”）。她甚至还发帖要求美国海军陆战队把她从这两名“女杀人狂”那里救出来。 She also tweeted that she was "getting rounded up by 20 cops." Wu refuted such remarks and said that the three officers O'Dell met were just passing by and after the conflict between her and local working staff of prevention work occurred, three other police officers for COVID-19 prevention work arrived. Because she was a foreigner, two police officers from the entry and exit administrationbureau were invited to assist. A total of only eight police officers were on spot, among which three were passing by. 她还在推特上说，她“被20 名警察围起来”。吴警官说这一内容完全不实，并说，艾米丽起初遇到的三名与其聊天的民警纯粹是路过，后来发生冲突后，另有疫情防控保障的三名民警到场，但由于艾米丽是外籍人员，所以又请负责出入境管理的两名民警到场协助，“总共出现在现场的民警不超过8人，其中3人还只是路过。”"According to witnesses, working staff for prevention work asked O'Dell to show the health code and she became emotional and even cried and screamed on the site. No police officer nor the working staff had taken anycoercivemeasures on her. No physical contact with her. All the residents, including the owner of the homestay hotel can prove that," Wu said. “据目击群众描述，疫情防控人员抵达要求她出示健康码的时候，她情绪变得非常激动，甚至在现场哭闹。但在防疫和执法过程中，警方和疫情防控人员没有采取任何强制措施，没有肢体接触。民宿老板等群众都可以证实。”O'Dell's remarks have drawnbacklash and some Chinese netizens said she may be suffering from mental problems as her remarks sounded "frantic". Some foreign netizens also noted that the US professor might have studied "creative writing" and "script writing" and these may be the reasons for her exaggerated descriptions on Twitter. 艾米丽社交媒体的言论引发轩然大波。有中国网民认为，艾米丽可能是精神出问题了，因为她的这些言论实在看起来“太癫狂了”。一些外国网民还提醒，这个美国教授之前学习过“创作性写作”和“剧本写作”，并怀疑这可能是她在推特上的描述如此夸张耸动的原因。 According to China's Exit and Entry Administration Law, "where foreigners engage in activities not corresponding to the purposes of stay or residence, or otherwise violate the laws or regulations of China, which makes them no longer eligible to stay or reside in China, they may be ordered to exit China within a time limit."依据中华人民共和国出境入境管理法第81条：“外国人从事与停留居留事由不相符的活动，或者有其他违反中国法律、法规规定，不适宜在中国境内继续停留居留情形的，可以处限期出境。”Where a foreigner's violation of this Law is serious but does not constitute a crime, the Ministry of Public Security may deport them. The penalty decision made by the Ministry of Public Security shall be final. Deported foreigners shall not be allowed to enter China within 10 years calculating from the date ofdeportation, according to the law. 外国人违反本法情节严重但不构成犯罪的，公安部可以予以驱逐出境。公安部作出的处罚决定为终审决定。被驱逐外国人自被驱逐之日起10年内不得进入中国境内。On Sept 2, O'Dell took a plane from Shanghai to San Francisco.9月2日，艾米丽从上海搭乘飞往旧金山的班机离境。1. untenable美 [ʌn'tenəb(ə)l] 英 [ʌn'tenəb(ə)l]adj.难以捍卫的；站不住脚的；不堪一击的网络：难以防守的；不能维持的；不可防守的 2. abduct美 [æbˈdʌkt]v.绑架；劫持；【医】外转；使外展网络：诱拐；诱拐案；肉票 3. nucleic acid美 [nju:ˌkli:ɪk 'æsɪd] 英 [nju:ˌkli:ɪk 'æsɪd]n.核酸网络：核酸类；核苷酸；核酸第七种营养素 4. homestay美 ['hoʊm.steɪ] 英 ['həʊm.steɪ]n.（为学生或游客提供的）家庭寄宿网络：寄宿家庭；民宿；住宿家庭 5. bureau美 ['bjʊroʊ] 英 ['bjʊərəʊ]n.处；办公室；（附抽屉及活动写字台的）书桌网络：局；办事处；司 6. coercive美 [koʊ'ɜrsɪv] 英 [kəʊ'ɜː(r)sɪv]adj.用武力的；强制的；胁迫的网络：强迫的；强制性；强制型 7. backlash美 ['bæk.læʃ] 英 ['bæk.læʃ]n.（对社会变动等的）强烈抵制v.发生后冲网络：间隙；齿隙；侧隙 8. frantic美 ['fræntɪk] 英 ['fræntɪk]adj.紧张忙乱的；手忙脚乱的；（由于恐惧或担心）无法控制感情的网络：疯狂的；狂乱的；发狂的 9. deportation美 [.dipɔr'teɪʃ(ə)n] 英 [.diːpɔː(r)'teɪʃ(ə)n]n.驱逐出境网络：放逐；递解出境；遣返
CoQ10 supplementation associated with improved trauma patient outcomes Urmia University of Medical Sciences (Iran) July 23 2021. Findings from a trial reported on July 12, 2021 in the Journal of Nutritional Science revealed benefits for hospitalized traumapatients who were given supplements that contained coenzyme Q10. The trial enrolled 40 men and women with traumatic injury and low plasma levels of CoQ10. Participants received a placebo or 400 milligrams CoQ10 daily for seven days. Blood samples collected at the beginning and end of the trial were analyzed for interleukin 6 (IL-6), which may be elevated during inflammation, and the oxidative stress markers malondialdehyde (MDA) and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS). Body composition was also assessed at these time points, as well secondary outcomes that included Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) and the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS). While interleukin-6 levels at the beginning of the study were similar between the CoQ10 and placebo groups at an average of 175.05 pg/mL and 177.82 pg/mL, they were reduced by 76.99 pg/mL in the CoQ10 group and 17.35 pg/mL in the placebo group. MDA values averaged 232.37 picograms per milliliter (pg/mL) and 239.96 pg/mL and were lowered by 88.84 pg/ml among participants who received CoQ10 and by 26.23 pg/mL among those who received a placebo. In comparison with the placebo group, fat free mass, skeletal muscle mass and body cell mass increased among those who received CoQ10. GCS and SOFA scores, and duration of hospital stay, ICU stay and ventilator use also improved among treated patients. “To date, no randomized clinical trial study has been conducted to evaluate the effect of CoQ10 supplementation in traumatic mechanical ventilated patients and we hypothesized that CoQ10 administration in these patients could have beneficial effects on biochemical and clinical factors,” the authors wrote. “We have shown that CoQ10 could improve some of the clinical and anthropometric parameters in patients with a traumatic injury.” Nigella sativa (black seed) prevents covid-induced vascular damage, scientists conclude Oriental Institute of Science and Technology (India), July 27, 2021 New research published in the journal Vascular Pharmacology shows that Nigella sativa, also known as black seed or black cumin, binds to ACE2 in the lungs, effectively stopping the Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) from inducing inflammation and vascular damage. Researchers out of India investigated the effects of nigellidine, an indazole alkaloid of black seed, using molecular docking for binding to different angiotensin-binding proteins, as well as the Chinese Virus spike glycoprotein. They found that nigellidine “strongly binds” to the Chinese Virus spike protein at what is known as the hinge region or active site opening, which may in turn hamper its binding to the nCoV2-ACE2 surface. “Nigellidine effectively binds in the Angiotensin-II binding site / entry pocket,” the study explains. “Nigellidine showed strong binding to mono / multi-meric ACE1.” This process of ACE blocking could, the study goes on to suggest, restore angiotensin levels and restrict vasoturbulence in Chinese Virus patients, while the receptor blocking could help to stop resulting inflammation and vascular impairment. “Nigellidine may slow down the vaso-fluctuations due to Angiotensin deregulations in Covid patients,” the paper further explains. “Angiotensin II-ACE2 binding (ACE-value -294.81) is more favorable than nigellidine-ACE2. Conversely, nigellidine-ACE1 binding-energy / Ki is lower than nigellidine-ACE2 values indicating a balanced-state between constriction-dilatation.” Nigellidine also binds to the viral spike proteins, which when taken by Chinese Virus patients, and especially those who fall in the elderly category, could greatly reduce their risk of suffering complications or death. Nigellidine impairs SARS-CoV-2 infection, “cytokine storm” through numerous mechanisms In a related study that was published last year in the journal Europe PMC, researchers learned that nigellidine inhibits the Chinese Virus infection in several other ways. It was discovered early on in the “pandemic” that many of those who tested “positive” for the virus were suffering associated “cytokine storms,” in which their immune systems were over-responding and causing more damage, or even death. Nigellidine was then studied and discovered to possess certain properties that inhibit cytokine storms, as well as impede the SARS CoV-2 virus from causing infection. It is also hepato- and reno-protective, meaning it protects against liver damage. Beyond this, nigellidine was determined to possess unique immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory characteristics, as well as antioxidant potential strong enough to inhibit important proteins associated with the Chinese Virus. In their quest to uncover possible “drug” candidates to protect patients against hyper-inflammation and other associated problems, the researchers learned that nigellidine – and more than likely other black seed constituents – helps tremendously with preventing negative side effects. Along with nigellicine, nigellidine is found in the seed coat of Nigella sativa. Both of these constituents in their sulfated forms are extremely bioavailable, and along with thymoquinone and dithymoquinone, two other black seed components, they show strong antioxidant, antibacterial, anti-hypertensive, anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects. Black seed extracts have been shown in other experiments to decrease oxidative stress, effectively lowering the risk of inflammation-related diseases. We now know that this includes the Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19). Black seed is also recognized as a metabolic protector, helping to improve lipid and blood sugar levels. “Most importantly, in SARS CoV-2 infection ACE-2 mediated impairment of aldosterone system may be repaired by,” the study further explains, providing relevant information to the current “pandemic.” “Vasorelaxant and anti-hypertensive function of [black seed] helps in the modulation of renin angiotensin system (RAS) or the diuretic activity, which is one of the major targets of COVID. It might have great protective role during post infective secondary disorder of the peripheral vasculature namely cardiac and renal systems. In most of the instances patients die due to this organ dysfunction/failure in COVID-19 infection.” By quelling inflammation, black seed could save lives from covid Laboratory studies have found that intake of Nigella sativa significantly improves the parameters for hyperglycemia and diabetes control, as well as glycated hemoglobin and insulin resistance. Based on this, experts believe that nigellidine specifically could play an important role in fighting the Chinese Virus by “docking” to the proteins and inflammatory molecules that can cause a cytokine storm – mainly TNF-? receptors such as TNFR1, TNFR2 and IL1R. “In the experimental rat model the source of this drug Nigella sativa; black cumin seed extracts were tested for its role on antioxidant, hepatic and renal status,” the paper states. “This work will help in the urgent therapeutic intervention against COVID-19 global pandemic.” “In the current study, we have decisively shown by molecular modeling that nigellidine can bind in the active sites of several important proteins of SARS CoV 2, several host receptors specific for SARS CoV-2 induced inflammatory markers IL1, IL6, TNF-?. Moreover, the extract from black cumin seed has been shown in experimental rat to be highly antioxidative, hepato- and reno-protective. Further studies are necessary to verify the potential effects of nigellidine in in vivo laboratory experimental animal model.” Vitamin D supplementation improves recovery time of children with pneumonia at pediatric hospital Cairo University (Egypt), July 20, 2021 According to news reporting originating from Cairo, Egypt, by NewsRx correspondents, research stated, “Despite the well-recognized effect of vitamin D in metabolism and homeostasis, there is now growing interest in its probable association with pneumonia. This study aims to supply vitamin D3 (Cholecalciferol) (100,000 IU) to pneumonic children to minimize the duration of illness and improve their outcome.” Our news editors obtained a quote from the research from Cairo University, “A double-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled trial was conducted in a Pediatric Cairo University affiliated hospital. An intervention arm (93 children) and a control arm (98 children), who had pneumonia with an insufficient or deficient level of vitamin D and whose parental permission was obtained, were enrolled in the trial. All children were treated with antibiotics according to WHO guidelines. Children were given a single injection of 1 mL of 100,000 IU of vitamin D3 or placebo. Clinical data were recorded every eight hours for all children. Outcomes were assessed 7 days after vitamin D injection. The primary outcome variable was the change in serum level of 25(OH)D, while the secondary outcomes were the medical state of the assigned cases (improvement or death) and duration between enrollment and hospital discharge for improved cases. In the supplementation group, the percentage of patients who suffered either deficient (38.7%) or insufficient levels (61.3%) of 25 (OH)D at day one had significantly decreased in the seventh day to (11.8%) and (52.7%), respectively. Kaplan--Meier plots highlighted that the median time to recover of the placebo group was significantly longer than that of the supplementation group (Log Rank P value < .001). VDD was detected in pediatric critical care children.” According to the news editors, the research concluded: “In pneumonic children with high VDD, it is illustrated that Vitamin D supplementation is accompanied by lowered mortality risk and pSOFA scores, reduced time to recover, and improved PaO2/FiO(2).” Physical activity could combat fatigue, cognitive decline in cancer survivors University of Illinois, July 26, 2021 A new study indicates that cancer patients and survivors have a ready weapon against fatigue and "chemo brain": a brisk walk. Researchers at the University of Illinois, along with collaborators at Digital Artefacts in Iowa City, Iowa, and Northeastern University in Boston, looked at the association between physical activity, fatigue and performance on cognitive tasks in nearly 300 breast cancer survivors. "The data suggest that being more physically active could reduce two of the more commonly reported symptoms in breast cancer survivors: fatigue and cognitive impairment," said study leader Edward McAuley, a professor of kinesiology and community health at Illinois. "Most people think, 'If I exercise, I'll become tired.' In our study, exercise actually was associated with reduced fatigue, which in turn was associated with better cognitive function." Cognitive impairment, such as memory problems or shortened attention spans, is a common complaint among cancer patients and survivors, and is thought to be similar to decline due to aging. Past Illinois research has explored the effect of physical fitness on age-related cognitive decline, so the researchers wondered whether cancer survivors would respond similarly to exercise. "Other studies of cancer survivors have relied on small samples of cancer survivors, and used self-reporting measures of physical activity and cognitive function, which can be very biased," said postdoctoral researcher Diane Ehlers, the first author of the study, which is published in the journal Breast Cancer Research and Treatment. "What makes our study novel is that we had objective measures for both physical activity and cognitive performance, and a nationwide sample of breast cancer survivors." The researchers worked with Digital Artefacts -- developer of the commercial neuroscience app BrainBaseline - to create an iPad app tailored to this study. The app included questionnaires and activities designed to measure attention, memory and multitasking skills. The researchers also sent each participant an accelerometer to track daily physical activity. "We found that higher levels of daily moderate-to-vigorous physical activity were associated with better performance on the cognitive tasks measuring attention, memory and multitasking," Ehlers said. "What was notable was that physical activity's effect on cognitive performance was mediated by fatigue. This provides evidence that physical activity interventions targeting fatigue in cancer patients and survivors might provide promising models for improving cognitive function as well." Next, the researchers plan to conduct further studies to establish causation and further explore the pathways of how physical exercise improves cognitive performance. They are working with Digital Artefacts to conduct an iPhone-based study and focusing on diverse populations of breast cancer survivors. "The message for cancer patients and survivors is, get active!" Ehlers said. "Even if it's 10-minute bouts of brisk walking. It's not a magical cure-all, but we've seen many benefits of physical activity for cancer patients and survivors." Cannabidiol promotes oral ulcer healing by inactivating CMPK2-mediated NLRP3 inflammasome Sichuan University (China), July 26, 2021 Xingying Qi, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China, presented the oral session "Cannabidiol Promotes Oral Ulcer Healing by Inactivating CMPK2-Mediated NLRP3 Inflammasome" at the virtual 99th General Session & Exhibition of the International Association for Dental Research (IADR), held in conjunction with the 50th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Dental Research (AADR) and the 45th Annual Meeting of the Canadian Association for Dental Research (CADR), on July 21-24, 2021. The oral ulcer is a common oral inflammatory lesion with severe pain but little effective treatment is currently available. Cannabidiol (CBD) is recently emerging as a therapeutic agent for inflammatory diseases. However, the underlying mechanisms are not fully elucidated. Qi and colleagues sought to investigate whether and how CBD could play a therapeutic role in the oral ulcer. Oral ulcer models were performed in the tongue of C57BL/6 mice by acid etching or mechanical trauma, followed by CBD local administration. Samples were harvested for macroscopic and histological evaluation. CBD oral spray on acid- or trauma-induced oral ulcers on mice tongues inhibited inflammation, relieved pain and accelerated lesions closure in a dose-dependent manner. The results show that CBD accelerates oral ulcer healing by inhibiting CMPK2-mediated NLRP3 inflammasome activation and pyroptosis, which is mediated mostly by PPARγ in nucleus and partially by CB1 in plasma membrane. This data may shed light on the development of new therapeutic strategies for oral ulcers. Algal solution: Could Spirulina modify the microbiome to protect against age-related damage? Louvain Drug Research Institute (Belgium), July 25 2021 Spirulina might help protect against age-related liver inflammation by modifying pathways in the microbiome, say researchers. Consumption of spirulina could help protect against hepatic inflammation in the elderly, according to the new animal research published in Nutrients. Belgian researchers carried out tests on mice, which suggest that the algae Spirulina has an impact on the gut microbiota, which in turn activates the immune system in the gut and improves inflammation in the liver that is associated with ageing. Led by senior author Professor Nathalie Delzenne from the Louvain Drug Research Institute in Belgium, the team said oral feeding of Spirulina was found to modulates several immunological functions involving, among others, the TLR4 pathway in old mice. “The fact that its oral consumption can influence both gut immunity and systemic sites, such as the liver, suggests that its immune action is not confined to the gut immune system,” wrote the team – who said the findings open the way to new therapeutic tools “in the management of immune alterations in aging, based on gut microbe-host interactions.” Furthermore, they suggested that improvement of the homeostasis in the gut ecosystem ‘could be essential' during the aging process, “and, in this perspective, dietary manipulation of the gut microbiota of the elderly with Spirulina, may represent a tool for preserving a healthy gastrointestinal microbial community in addition to its beneficial effects on immune function.” Study details Delzenne and colleagues noted that while the possible cardiovascular and immune support benefits of Spirulina have been fairly widely reported, the new study brings a fresh approach by testing whether the effects could be related to a modulation of gut micrbiota. In the trial, young mice aged three months were fed a standard diet, while older mice aged 24 months were fed a standard diet either with or without 5% Spirulina for six weeks. Upton supplementation with Spirulina, the team reported several changes to gut microbiota composition, including an increase in Roseburia and Lactobacillus populations. “Interestingly, parameters related to the innate immunity are upregulated in the small intestine of Spirulina-treated mice,” said the team. “Furthermore, the supplementation with Spirulina reduces several hepatic inflammatory and oxidative stress markers that are upregulated in old mice versus young mice.” Expression of several genetic and biochemical markers of inflammation and immunity were altered by supplementation with Spirulina, said the team. In particular, the transcription factor Foxp3 – involved in the differentiation of T cells into regulatory T cells (Tregs) – and MCP1 were increased due to Spirulina supplementation in old mice. Old mice that consumed Spirulina also showed activation of several immune parameters including Foxp3 in the ileum – suggesting an improvement of the gut immune function upon Spirulina treatment in this segment, said the Belgian researchers. Furthermore, Spirulina supplementation upregulated both TLR2 and TLR4 expression in the ileum of aged mice. “In accordance with these results, a solution of Spirulina (5%) exhibited a TLR4 agonist activity similar to the one reached in old-SP mice, suggesting a direct effect of the Spirulina, itself, on the TLR4 pathway,” they added. Microbiome mechanisms While the positive effect of Spirulina on the microbiome and liver inflammation is clear, the team noted that the mechanism by which the algae could change the composition of the intestinal microbiota remains unanswered. One possible mechanism could be the presence of antimicrobial substances produced by Spirulina, they said. “On the other hand, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) could be mediators of the nutritional modulation of the gut microbiota.” “In the present study, RegIIIγ and Pla2g2 were increased by the supplementation with Spirulina, suggesting that the host contributes to the reduction and modification of the microbial community by modulating the production of specific AMPs,” they added.
Jung Chang is the author of the best-selling books Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China (1991), which the Asian Wall Street Journal called the most read book about China; Mao: The Unknown Story (2005, with Jon Halliday), which was described by Time magazine as “an atom bomb of a book”; and Empress Dowager Cixi: The Concubine Who Launched Modern China (2013), a New York Times “notable book”. Her latest book, Big Sister, Little Sister, Red Sister: Three Women at the Heart of Twentieth-Century China (2019), is regarded as “another triumph” (Evening Standard London).Her books have been translated into more than 40 languages and sold more than 15 million copies worldwide. She has won many awards, including The NCR Book Award (UK, 1992, the forerunner of the Samuel Johnson Prize), UK Writers' Guild Best Non-Fiction (1992), Fawcett Society Book Award (UK, 1992), Book of the Year (UK, 1993).She has received a number of honorary doctorates from universities in the UK and USA (Buckingham, York, Warwick, Dundee, the Open University, and Bowdoin College, USA). She is an Honorary Fellow of SOAS University of London.Jung Chang was born in Sichuan Province, China, in 1952. During the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976) she worked as a peasant, a “barefoot” doctor, a steelworker, and an electrician before becoming an English-language student at Sichuan University. She left China for Britain in 1978 and obtained a PhD in Linguistics in 1982 at the University of York – the first person from Communist China to receive a doctorate from a British university.· www.jungchang.net· www.creativeprocess.info
“When I first came to Britain in 1978, I was one of the first people to leave China and come to the West. I wrote about the experience in Wild Swans. And for many years I had nightmares of the horrible things I saw and experienced. Writing Wild Swans made all these nightmares disappear. It was a wonderful process. The writing process turned trauma in memory. I am now able to talk to you about my book, my life, to read it without too much pain. I think this is a luxury people in China still don't have.”Jung Chang is the author of the best-selling books Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China (1991), which the Asian Wall Street Journal called the most read book about China; Mao: The Unknown Story (2005, with Jon Halliday), which was described by Time magazine as “an atom bomb of a book”; and Empress Dowager Cixi: The Concubine Who Launched Modern China (2013), a New York Times “notable book”. Her latest book, Big Sister, Little Sister, Red Sister: Three Women at the Heart of Twentieth-Century China (2019), is regarded as “another triumph” (Evening Standard London).Her books have been translated into more than 40 languages and sold more than 15 million copies worldwide. She has won many awards, including The NCR Book Award (UK, 1992, the forerunner of the Samuel Johnson Prize), UK Writers' Guild Best Non-Fiction (1992), Fawcett Society Book Award (UK, 1992), Book of the Year (UK, 1993).She has received a number of honorary doctorates from universities in the UK and USA (Buckingham, York, Warwick, Dundee, the Open University, and Bowdoin College, USA). She is an Honorary Fellow of SOAS University of London.Jung Chang was born in Sichuan Province, China, in 1952. During the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976) she worked as a peasant, a “barefoot” doctor, a steelworker, and an electrician before becoming an English-language student at Sichuan University. She left China for Britain in 1978 and obtained a PhD in Linguistics in 1982 at the University of York – the first person from Communist China to receive a doctorate from a British university.· www.jungchang.net· www.creativeprocess.info
Jung Chang is the author of the best-selling books Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China (1991), which the Asian Wall Street Journal called the most read book about China; Mao: The Unknown Story (2005, with Jon Halliday), which was described by Time magazine as “an atom bomb of a book”; and Empress Dowager Cixi: The Concubine Who Launched Modern China (2013), a New York Times “notable book”. Her latest book, Big Sister, Little Sister, Red Sister: Three Women at the Heart of Twentieth-Century China (2019), is regarded as “another triumph” (Evening Standard London).Her books have been translated into more than 40 languages and sold more than 15 million copies worldwide. She has won many awards, including The NCR Book Award (UK, 1992, the forerunner of the Samuel Johnson Prize), UK Writers' Guild Best Non-Fiction (1992), Fawcett Society Book Award (UK, 1992), Book of the Year (UK, 1993).She has received a number of honorary doctorates from universities in the UK and USA (Buckingham, York, Warwick, Dundee, the Open University, and Bowdoin College, USA). She is an Honorary Fellow of SOAS University of London.Jung Chang was born in Sichuan Province, China, in 1952. During the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976) she worked as a peasant, a “barefoot” doctor, a steelworker, and an electrician before becoming an English-language student at Sichuan University. She left China for Britain in 1978 and obtained a PhD in Linguistics in 1982 at the University of York – the first person from Communist China to receive a doctorate from a British university.· www.jungchang.net· www.creativeprocess.info
The Creative Process · Seasons 1 2 3 · Arts, Culture & Society
“When I first came to Britain in 1978, I was one of the first people to leave China and come to the West. I wrote about the experience in Wild Swans. And for many years I had nightmares of the horrible things I saw and experienced. Writing Wild Swans made all these nightmares disappear. It was a wonderful process. The writing process turned trauma in memory. I am now able to talk to you about my book, my life, to read it without too much pain. I think this is a luxury people in China still don't have.”Jung Chang is the author of the best-selling books Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China (1991), which the Asian Wall Street Journal called the most read book about China; Mao: The Unknown Story (2005, with Jon Halliday), which was described by Time magazine as “an atom bomb of a book”; and Empress Dowager Cixi: The Concubine Who Launched Modern China (2013), a New York Times “notable book”. Her latest book, Big Sister, Little Sister, Red Sister: Three Women at the Heart of Twentieth-Century China (2019), is regarded as “another triumph” (Evening Standard London).Her books have been translated into more than 40 languages and sold more than 15 million copies worldwide. She has won many awards, including The NCR Book Award (UK, 1992, the forerunner of the Samuel Johnson Prize), UK Writers' Guild Best Non-Fiction (1992), Fawcett Society Book Award (UK, 1992), Book of the Year (UK, 1993).She has received a number of honorary doctorates from universities in the UK and USA (Buckingham, York, Warwick, Dundee, the Open University, and Bowdoin College, USA). She is an Honorary Fellow of SOAS University of London.Jung Chang was born in Sichuan Province, China, in 1952. During the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976) she worked as a peasant, a “barefoot” doctor, a steelworker, and an electrician before becoming an English-language student at Sichuan University. She left China for Britain in 1978 and obtained a PhD in Linguistics in 1982 at the University of York – the first person from Communist China to receive a doctorate from a British university.· www.jungchang.net· www.creativeprocess.info
Jung Chang is the author of the best-selling books Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China (1991), which the Asian Wall Street Journal called the most read book about China; Mao: The Unknown Story (2005, with Jon Halliday), which was described by Time magazine as “an atom bomb of a book”; and Empress Dowager Cixi: The Concubine Who Launched Modern China (2013), a New York Times “notable book”. Her latest book, Big Sister, Little Sister, Red Sister: Three Women at the Heart of Twentieth-Century China (2019), is regarded as “another triumph” (Evening Standard London).Her books have been translated into more than 40 languages and sold more than 15 million copies worldwide. She has won many awards, including The NCR Book Award (UK, 1992, the forerunner of the Samuel Johnson Prize), UK Writers' Guild Best Non-Fiction (1992), Fawcett Society Book Award (UK, 1992), Book of the Year (UK, 1993).She has received a number of honorary doctorates from universities in the UK and USA (Buckingham, York, Warwick, Dundee, the Open University, and Bowdoin College, USA). She is an Honorary Fellow of SOAS University of London.Jung Chang was born in Sichuan Province, China, in 1952. During the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976) she worked as a peasant, a “barefoot” doctor, a steelworker, and an electrician before becoming an English-language student at Sichuan University. She left China for Britain in 1978 and obtained a PhD in Linguistics in 1982 at the University of York – the first person from Communist China to receive a doctorate from a British university.· www.jungchang.net· www.creativeprocess.info
“Writing Wild Swans was the thing that resolved the trauma for me.”Jung Chang is the author of the best-selling books Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China (1991), which the Asian Wall Street Journal called the most read book about China; Mao: The Unknown Story (2005, with Jon Halliday), which was described by Time magazine as “an atom bomb of a book”; and Empress Dowager Cixi: The Concubine Who Launched Modern China (2013), a New York Times “notable book”. Her latest book, Big Sister, Little Sister, Red Sister: Three Women at the Heart of Twentieth-Century China (2019), is regarded as “another triumph” (Evening Standard London).Her books have been translated into more than 40 languages and sold more than 15 million copies worldwide. She has won many awards, including The NCR Book Award (UK, 1992, the forerunner of the Samuel Johnson Prize), UK Writers' Guild Best Non-Fiction (1992), Fawcett Society Book Award (UK, 1992), Book of the Year (UK, 1993).She has received a number of honorary doctorates from universities in the UK and USA (Buckingham, York, Warwick, Dundee, the Open University, and Bowdoin College, USA). She is an Honorary Fellow of SOAS University of London.Jung Chang was born in Sichuan Province, China, in 1952. During the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976) she worked as a peasant, a “barefoot” doctor, a steelworker, and an electrician before becoming an English-language student at Sichuan University. She left China for Britain in 1978 and obtained a PhD in Linguistics in 1982 at the University of York – the first person from Communist China to receive a doctorate from a British university.· www.jungchang.net· www.creativeprocess.info
On today's episode we discuss: —Epidemiology: Experienced scientists from the Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education at the University of California San Francisco conducted a meta-analysis of 19 peer-reviewed papers involving 11,590 COVID-19 patients. They found a positive association between smoking and severe progression of COVD-19. Authors suggest that while this data clearly shows smoking puts COVID-19 patients at increased risk for disease progression, the actual risk may be even higher due to limitations in the reviewed papers. —Transmission & Prevention: Infection control experts from West China Hospital of Sichuan University in Chengdu discuss prevention measures implemented to protect healthcare workers (HCW) across China, including mask-wearing for workers, securing and providing personal protective equipment, using fluid resistant protective clothing and respirators, allocating specific hospitals for COVID-19 patients, and enacting strict community lockdown procedures. —Adjusting Practice During COVID-19: Spanish dermatologists discuss a scabies outbreak in their region during the nationwide lockdown in March-May, 2020, with a three-fold increase in reported cases at a single hospital compared to the same period in the previous five years. Authors suggest that time spent in confinement increased fomite transmission and that individuals were less likely to seek treatment until the scabies lesions became more serious leading to more cases in family clusters, longer infection time due to reinfection, and the need for more aggressive treatment regimens to treat resistant infections. —R&D: Diagnosis & Treatments: Lab scientists from the Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University in Chennai, India reviewed the limited existing literature related to antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE) and its potential impact on the effectiveness of immunotherapy and vaccine development for SARS-CoV-2. Citing evidence from research on MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV, authors suggest ADE, which occurs when non-neutralizing or poorly neutralizing antibodies increase viral entry into cells, may intensify coronavirus infection. However, they propose targeting receptor binding motifs as a possible mitigation strategy. —Mental Health & Resilience Needs: A representative panel survey of adults (n=5,470) conducted across the United States by Australian and American researchers found the mental health impact of COVID-19 disproportionately affected young adults, certain racial/ethnic minorities, essential workers, unpaid adult caregivers, and individuals with pre-existing psychiatric conditions. Authors recommend COVID-19-specific mental health interventions and prevention efforts be implemented to improve care for the at-risk populations identified by this study. —Silver Linings: Utilizing data from the Epidemiological Surveillance Network from Madrid Autonomous Community, epidemiologists from Madrid, Spain compared the number of cases of reportable communicable diseases in the first quarter of 2020 compared to 2019. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/covid19lst/support
Abbie from the University of Southampton Study Abroad and Exchange Team chats with Daisy who took part in a Summer School at Sichuan University in China. They chat about travel, food and cultural differences! Giving tips and tricks for students thinking of going abroad on a summer school. Contact us at studyabroad@soton.ac.uk if you're interested in Summer School Opportunities or applying for the Southampton Opportunity Scholarship, and follow our students on Instagram @sotonabroad Presented and Produced by Abbie Skinner
Translated by: Xiao Liang M.M., Department of Anesthesiology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China Edited by: Yiping Bai, M.D., Ph.D., Department of Anesthesiology, Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China Proofread and audio file completed by: Yishuang Wu, M.D., Department of Anesthesiology, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Beijing, China. Transcript
The Archways Podcast - The College of Arts and Letters at JCSU
In 2007, Arizona State University and Johnson C. Smith University sent three scholars -- William Brashears, Yvette Hall, and Jemayne King -- to three American Cultural Centers to present on aspects of race in the United States. In this podcast, William Brashears of Arizona State University ("Discussing Race in America") and Jemayne King of Johnson C. Smith University ("The Development of American Sneaker Culture") engage with two facets of the topic. This recording was made at Sichuan University on March 30. The two prior lectures took place at Guangdong Baiyun University (March 27) and Guangzhou University (March 28).
The Archways Podcast - The College of Arts and Letters at JCSU
In 2007, Arizona State University and Johnson C. Smith University sent three scholars -- William Brashears, Yvette Hall, and Jemayne King -- to three American Cultural Centers to present on aspects of race in the United States. In this podcast, Yvette Hall of Johnson C. Smith University ("Ethnic Hair Care and Entrepreneurship in America") examines race through the intersection of hair care and corporate culture following a brief question and answer session, in which she is joined by William Brashears of Arizona State University ("Discussing Race in America: Whiteness Studies") and Jemayne King of Johnson C. Smith University ("The Development of American Sneaker Culture") engage with two facets of the topic. This recording was made at Sichuan University on March 30. The two prior lectures took place at Guangdong Baiyun University (March 27) and Guangzhou University (March 28).
This is Special English. I'm Mark Griffiths in Beijing. Here is the news.A clinical trial of a gene-editing technique on advanced lung cancer patients in China has aroused world attention in medical circles.The potentially revolutionary CRISPR technique allows scientists to selectively edit genome parts and replace them with new DNA stretches, in the hope that certain diseases including cancer could be cured.CRISPR is a collection of DNA sequences that direct a certain gene where to cut and paste. The gene can edit DNA, allowing the alteration of genetic patterns by genome modification.The trial began in late October as a group of oncologists at the West China Hospital of Sichuan University started injecting genetically modified cells into a patient with aggressive lung cancer.The editing therapy treatment will last from eight to 13 weeks, while the whole trial could last more than a year.Experts around the globe have been discussing the pros and cons of the groundbreaking medical technology.Carl June, a clinical researcher in immunotherapy at the University of Pennsylvania, told the journal Nature that the Chinese scientists' trial is "an exciting step forward".The United States is also planning trials that would use CRISPR for cancer treatment. U.S. experts applauded the work of the Chinese scientists and hoped that China's research, as well as the healthy competition worldwide, could improve modern medical science and finally benefit patients.This is Special English.Renowned Chinese developer of hybrid rice Yuan Longping has set a new world record. A hybrid rice project headed by Yuan has achieved an annual yield of 22 tonnes per hectare of farmland.According to authorities in south China's Guangdong Province, the amount of the double-cropping rice is equal to that produced over three seasons in the past, marking a big breakthrough.An academic at the Chinese Academy of Engineering told the Xinhua News Agency that this is the fifth generation of hybrid rice technology, and the quality of the rice is as good as Japan&`&s renowned Koshihikari rice.Known as China's "father of hybrid rice", Yuan began theoretical research around 50 years ago and continued to set new records in the average yields of hybrid rice.The Ministry of Agriculture officially launched a hybrid rice breeding program in 1996.Around 65 percent of Chinese people depend on rice as a staple food.You&`&re listening to Special English. I'm Mark Griffiths in Beijing.The International Space Station has gained three new residents, including the oldest and most experienced woman to orbit the world.A bit of Mars also arrived, courtesy of a Frenchman who brought along a small piece of a Mars meteorite.Launched from Kazakhstan, the Russian capsule docked at the 250-mile-high outpost and delivered a U.S. astronaut, a French astronaut and a Russian cosmonaut. They joined three men already on board, one American and two Russians.This is the third space station mission for NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson who, at 56, is older than each of her crewmates.She already holds the record for the most time spent in space for a woman, almost 400 days during her various missions. By the time she returns next spring, she should have broken the record for any American, man or woman.A biochemist by training, Whitson will celebrate her 57th birthday in the orbiting lab in February. Until Thursday, no woman older than 55 had traveled into space.November 20 marked the 18th anniversary of the launch of the first space station piece. Now the space station is as big as a football pitch, with a mass of 1 million pounds and eight miles of electrical wiring. Whitson and company represent its 50th full-time expedition crew.This is Special English.Scientists in the United States have hacked a plant&`&s genes to make it use sunlight more efficiently, a breakthrough that could eventually dramatically increase the amount of food grown.Scientists say photosynthesis is how plants convert sunlight, carbon dioxide and water into food. But it&`&s a very inefficient process, using less than 1 percent of the energy available.By genetically modifying part of the plant&`&s protective system, which kicks into gear when too much sunlight beams down, scientists were able to increase leaf growth between 14 and 20 percent in experiments with tobacco plants. The study has been published in the journal Science.Lead author the study Stephen Long said it won&`&t be too difficult to do it with other crops too; and if the technology is applied to crops around the world, it would increase the yield of many millions of tons of food.Long said that&`&s still at least 15 years away, but this is the first time scientists have been able to do something like this.An agriculture professor at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln said the study makes sense, but cautioned the yield might not be quite so high for conventional food crops. But he added that still, the study remains a breakthrough.This is Special English.Shanghai will implement stricter tobacco control rules, banning smoking in all indoor public places, workplaces and public transport from March next year.The Standing Committee of the Shanghai People&`&s Congress, the local legislature, has passed an amendment to existing smoking control regulations that took effect six years ago.While the existing version allows designated areas for smokers in indoor areas of hotels, restaurants, entertainment venues, as well as airports, trains and ports, the amendment closes such loopholes.In addition, smoking will be prohibited outdoors at certain public venues visited by children, including schools, after-school education institutions and children&`&s hospitals. Outdoor auditoriums in stadiums are also subject to the ban.China has 300 million smokers, with another 700 million exposed to second-hand smoke. Last year, more than 700,000 people in China were diagnosed with smoking-related lung cancer.At least 16 Chinese cities, including Beijing, have passed their own tobacco control rules.You&`&re listening to Special English. I&`&m Mark Griffiths in Beijing. You can access the program by logging on to newsplusradio.cn. You can also find us on our Apple Podcast. If you have any comments or suggestions, please let us know by e-mailing us at mansuyingyu@cri.com.cn. That&`&s mansuyingyu@cri.com.cn. Now the news continues.The island nation of Kiribati has established a large shark sanctuary that will help ensure the creatures are protected across much of the central Pacific.Vice President Kourabi Nenem said at the sanctuary&`&s launch ceremony that his country was committed to protecting sharks from exploitation and overfishing.Kiribati has banned commercial shark fishing in the sanctuary which is about the size of India.Palau established the first shark sanctuary in the region in 2009, followed by the Marshall Islands, French Polynesia and other countries.One hundred million sharks are killed each year by commercial fisheries. Sharks are vulnerable to overfishing because they&`&re slow to mature and reproduce.Sharks are prized by some for their fins, which are used in shark fin soup.Ben Namakin, who was born in Kiribati and has pushed for the sanctuary, said he first began to consult elders and community groups with the idea four years ago. He said some people were resistant at first because Kiribati has a tradition of catching and eating sharks.But he said the elders didn&`&t like the way commercial operators were fishing for the creatures and understood their plight more when they were told of their unusual biology.Namakin said they came to realize that the shark sanctuary was important to protecting their culture.This is Special English.In a ghost town of dead coral off a remote Pacific island, scientists have found a bit more life.In excursions a year ago and then last April, scientists examined the normally stunning coral reefs around the island of Kiritimati and pronounced it mostly a bone yard of dead coral. Around 85 percent of the coral was dead, 10 percent was sick and bleached but still technically alive, and only 5 percent was doing OK.The same scientists returned this month and found that 6 to 7 percent of the coral is alive and not bleached.Many of the fish that rely on the reef and had been absent seem to be back.Hot water, mostly from El Nino, the natural occasional warming of the Pacific that changes weather worldwide, and man-made global warming had made the area one of the worst hit coral spots in the world. Later, nearby Jarvis Island was even more damaged. And the death of 85 percent of the coral of the better known and much larger Great Barrier Reef has been reported.Scientists say that despite the mass mortality, there are a few small signs of hope, and it is clear that coral reefs have great resilience and the coral there is trying to recover.This is Special English.The skeleton of a dodo bird is about to take flight, at least at an auction in the U.K.Summers Place Auctions is selling what it describes as a rare composite skeleton of a dodo bird, a creature once found on the island of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean.Sailors hunted the species into extinction in the 17th century and it has come to symbolize the harsh impact human beings can have on the world&`&s ecosystems. The bird&`&s name recognition was enhanced by Lewis Carroll, who included a dodo in "Alice&`&s Adventures in Wonderland".You&`&re listening to Special English. I&`&m Mark Griffiths in Beijing.The government of north China&`&s Shanxi Province has published a circular with details of more than 4,000 Great Wall sites in the region in an effort to enhance protection.The circular includes the names, location, dates, and protection areas of the Great Wall sections, as well as areas where construction is strictly controlled. The sites are spread across 40 counties and districts in eight cities in the province.Within the protected areas, no dismantling or reconstruction of the Great Wall is allowed. Construction projects and underground mining are also prohibited.Within the construction control areas, construction projects should not affect the historical style of the Great Wall, and construction blueprints should be approved before projects begin.The Great Wall was built between the third century B.C. and the Ming Dynasty that ended in 1644. With a total length of 9,000 kilometers, the existing sections of the Great Wall were mostly created during the Ming Dynasty some 400 years ago.In 2006, a national regulation on Great Wall protection was released, but the sheer size of the structure has posed a challenge to enforcement. Less than 10 percent of the wall is considered well-preserved, while around 30 percent has disappeared.This is Special English.（全文见周六微信。）
Do you remember President-elect Trump holding forth on the campaign trail about "China beating us at our own game"? Well, it's true, as long as the game in question is editing human DNA using Crispr/Cas9. China is now using Crispr-edited cells in living, breathing human beings. Last month, Chinese scientists at Sichuan University injected cancer-fighting, Crispr-modified white bloodcells into a patient suffering from metastatic lung cancer.
This is Special English. I'm Mark Griffiths in Beijing. Here is the news. China is striving to become an innovation powerhouse by 2020. A national program for science and technology was recently adopted as part of the Five-Year Plan for national socioeconomic development. Premier Li Keqiang said the plan fully demonstrates that the country has given top priority to innovation. He added that the plan is a fresh impetus to the national movement of supporting and encouraging innovation launched in 2013. With science and technology parks and entrepreneur roadshows, Chinese cities are fiercely competing to win reputations for accommodating business startups and mass innovation. So far, more than 200 maker-space projects, 1,600 business incubators, and more than 100 high-tech zones and science and technology parks have been created nationwide. They help concentrate resources for innovation and nurturing start-ups launched by business executives, scientific researchers and even college students. According to data released by the local government in Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan Province, the total number of newly registered enterprises jumped 34 percent in the city last year, compared with the previous year. The number of invention patent applications was up by more than 35 percent in the same period. This is Special English. The latest anti-terrorism regulation in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region will help to prevent terrorists from using religion to attract people into terrorist activities. The new regulation took effect earlier this month. Under the regulation, people who expand the concept of halal to include other areas of life will face detention and fines. The concept in Islam means adherence to dietary laws. In recent years, the region has seen many cases of terrorists and extremists making people believe that bank notes, ID cards and marriage certificates are not halal, so people become isolated from modern society and are easily radicalized. The new regulation is a legal interpretation of China's Anti-Terrorism Law. It also punishes those who use the preaching of religious teachings to promote terrorism or extremism. An anti-terrorism expert says the detailed regulation has been drafted to deal with the anti-terrorism situations that are unique in Xinjiang. The area faces a greater terrorist threat than any other place in China. Xinjiang has always been China's front line against terrorism. The penetration of religious extremism has led to an increasing number of terrorist attacks in recent years. You're listening to Special English. I'm Mark Griffiths in Beijing. When China introduced the one-child family planning policy more than 35 years ago, elderly people, who traditionally relied on their children for care, were told to look to the State to provide support. The policy was intended to reduce family sizes and people's reliance on their children, so there would no longer be any point in having a large family, especially many sons. The story didn't unfold as expected though, especially for the large number of disabled elderly people and their struggling families. Du Ping, a resident of the Jianye district of Nanjing, the capital of East China's Jiangsu province, has become increasingly frustrated after many failed attempts to hire a long-term qualified care worker for his 73-year-old father. The elderly man was diagnosed with dementia in 2014 and is also paralyzed and incontinent, so he is dependent on other people. Du resumed his search two weeks ago, when the most-recent caregiver quit, even though her monthly salary was 5,000 yuan, roughly 750 U.S. dollars. That's almost twice the average salary of 3,000 yuan per month for a caregiver in the city. Du said the salary is a considerable sum of money, almost half of the couple's combined monthly income. It will cost even more if they place his father in a nursing home. This is Special English. Chinese scientists are scheduled to perform the world's first genetic editing trial on humans this month in an attempt to find a cure for lung cancer. A group of oncologist from Sichuan University will inject patients with cells that have been modified using a new gene-editing technique. The technique, CRISPR, was named "2015 Breakthrough of the Year" by US journal Science. It allows scientists to selectively edit genome parts and replace them with new DNA stretches. The leader of the trial, Lu You, said his team was formed at the end of last year and the trial received ethical approval last month. Lu and his team plan to select ten volunteers, all advanced lung cancer patients who have undergone chemotherapy, radiation therapy and other types of treatment. He has received a lot of applications and is now busy screening and drawing up the final list. The treatments will lasts between eight weeks and three months and the trial project will last at least 12 months. Doctors will extract T cells, a type of immune cell, from a patient's blood and then knock out the gene that encodes the PD-1 protein, which normally limits the cell's capacity to launch an immune response. The edited cells will be multiplied in the lab before being reintroduced to the patients. This process will hopefully kick start the T cells to launch an attack on the tumor cells. This is Special English. Chinese geneticist Han Chunyu defended the authenticity of his gene-editing technique after the head of a genetics lab in Australia said the lab was unable to replicate it. Han's paper describing his research findings on a new gene-editing technology called NgAgo was published online in early May by Nature Biotechnology, a monthly scientific journal of Nature Publishing Group. It drew instant international attention. Three months later, a group of peer scientists began to question the research's viability, largely because they have not been able to replicate the results so far. Forty-two-year-old Han is an associate professor at Hebei University of Science and Technology. He has vowed to repeat the experimental results. The new technology had been touted as being better than the current mainstream gene-editing technique CRISPR in precision, efficiency and flexibility. According to a regional news portal in China, it's about more than just the science. It comes with a potentially huge business impact, especially for companies already heavily invested in the CRISPR technology. The portal said NgAgo is a possible replacement for CRISPR once it is widely confirmed; and it will inevitably undermine colossal business interests and investments based on CRISPR. You're listening to Special English. I'm Mark Griffiths in Beijing. You can access the program by logging on to newsplusradio.cn. You can also find us on our Apple Podcast. If you have any comments or suggestions, please let us know by e-mailing us at mansuyingyu@cri.com.cn. That's mansuyingyu@cri.com.cn. Now the news continues. A huge deposit of potassium, which China desperately needs for agriculture, has been discovered in the northwestern province of Qinghai. The Ministry of Land and Resources announced that almost 160 million tonnes of potassium chloride was found during a preliminary exploration in the western part of the Qaidam Basin. The ministry expected more deposits to be discovered. The Ministry has called the discovery a "milestone", as China currently imports 70 percent of its potassium. Around 30 million hectares of farmland in China uses potassium; and 6 million tonnes of potassium fertilizer is imported every year. Canada, Russia and Belarus own 60 percent of the world's potassium fertilizer resources and production. This is Special English. Chinese colleges have signed strategic agreements with their counterparts in Southeast Asian countries to train skilled railway transportation talent for ASEAN member countries. The agreements involve a number of Chinese universities including the Beijing Jiaotong University and Guiyang Vocational and Technical College. The Chinese universities will enroll international students for two-year training programs and four-year bachelor's degree programs. As China has inked an increasing number of contracts with ASEAN countries to build new railways, the need for technicians capable of railway construction, operations and maintenance is growing. Under the agreements, faculty members and students from the two sides will conduct more visits to each other's countries for academic and cultural exchanges. You're listening to Special English. I'm Mark Griffiths in Beijing. Former Olympic hurdles champion Liu Xiang has filed a lawsuit against online ride-hailing service provider Didi for using his image without authorization in online ads. In the indictment, Liu says the company released news of his retirement and six images of him through its official microblog account in 2015. Liu said the company violated his rights of publicity for commercial use and misled the public to believe Liu had been hired as the company's brand spokesman or had cooperated with the company. Liu requested the company to apologize, delete the web links and photos, as well as pay compensation of more than 1.2 million yuan, roughly 190,000 U.S. dollars. It is not known when the hearing is scheduled. This is Special English. More than 40 percent of employees in Taiwan have plans to leave the island to broaden their vision and seek better opportunities. According to an online survey released by a business services company based in Taiwan, around 10 percent of respondents said they were considering setting up businesses outside Taiwan. They cited reasons which included the highly competitive market and unfavorable environment for new businesses on the island. Catering services and public relations firms were among the most desired businesses. According to the survey, the Chinese mainland was the first choice of destination, followed by Japan and the United States. Daniel Lee, who carried out the survey, said the Chinese mainland was the top choice because good business relationships are already well-established, in addition to the benefits of Chinese language and culture. More than 21 percent of respondents said they already had working experience outside the island. The survey was conducted last month and it involved the interviewing of more than 500 office workers in Taiwan. You're listening to Special English. I'm Mark Griffiths in Beijing. Pengzhou city in southwest China is known as a home of longevity, with 50 centenarians among its population of 780,000. The seniors share some common traits for living longer, which include being optimistic and eating simple food. Pengzhou is located 36 kilometers northwest of Sichuan Province's capital Chengdu. It has a warm weather, with abundant rainfall as well as a beautiful natural environment. Most of the long-living seniors live in the rural areas and spent the whole life in farm work. Most of the seniors eat coarse grains and vegetables, and avoid overeating. However, unlike most seniors in the area, 103-year-old Lin Yongqing's favorite foods are eggs and meat. Lin eats six meals a day, and his wife, who is in her 90s, is always around to cook. Lin was an accountant in a bank and a bank cashier when he was younger. In his late years, he became keen on counting bank notes as a hobby and sometimes can do it all day long. Lin also smokes cigarettes. This is Special English. （全文见周六微信。）
Jung Chang was born in Yibin, Sichuan Province, China, in 1952. She was a red guard briefly at the age of fourteen and then worked as a peasant, a 'barefoot doctor', a steelworker, and an electrician before becoming an English language student and, later, an assistant lecturer at Sichuan University. She left China for Britain in 1978 and was subsequently awarded a scholarship by York University, where she obtained a Ph.D. in linguistics in 1982 - the first person from the People's Republic of China to receive a doctorate from a British University. Jung Chang lives in London and teaches the School of Oriental and African Studies, London University.
© 2020-2025 Ivy Podcast Discovery LLC
