Talking Justice,the Chinese Way

Western legal scholars learn from China’s approach to justice at a seminar held at Oxford University.Mediation can work better than prosecution and prison.

Just 19: Love on the Beijing Subway

Travel through Chinese culture on Beijing’s latest subway line and learn all about China.MANY foreign visitors to Beijing never travel on the city’s subway.This is a sad fact because they will never truly understand the Chinese character.They will not meet the grandmother temporarily lost in memories of childhood back in a time when dreams were impossible since everyone was still poor and hungry.Her grandson sees things differently.He fears that if he does not make it rich in modern China,his life will be considered a failure.

Resisting Economic Coercion

PROFESSOR Alena Douhan is a Special Rapporteur for the United Nations and a human rights lawyer.She visited China in May as part of her mandate to investigate the humanitarian consequences of the unilateral coercive measures imposed on China.“Unilateral coercive measures”are what other people tend to call sanctions-or trade embargoes or punitive tariffs.During her visit,Professor Douhan met government officials,representatives of the legislative and judicial branches,members of the diplomatic community and academia,and stakeholders from business and non-governmental organisations.

Cooling the“Warming War”:Politics and Climate Change

IN its latest report,the World Meteorological Organization confirms what the world had been fearing.There is a 98 percent chance that at least one of the next five years will be the hottest on record.Moreover,it is more than likely that the average temperature will exceed preindustrial levels by 1.5oC.This is important since higher temperatures for a sustained period may trigger irreversible and multiplicative processes that further disrupt the“harmony between humanity and nature.”

Human Rights Protection After the COVID-19 Pandemic

To alleviate the extra suffering of people in the developing world caused by the pandemic, rich countries are called on to fulfill their legal and moral obligations to ensure that people there can also enjoy the rights to social security, health care, and education.

COVID-19:Still a Matter of Life and Death

China has begun the transition from pandemic to an endemic phase with announcements of a reduction in COVID-test checks, the possibility of isolating at home, and priority vaccination of the elderly. A total of 6.7 million people in 224 countries and jurisdictions have died from COVID-19. Many more will have perished without being diagnosed and others because they were denied treatment for other illnesses in over-crowded hospitals. Altogather, 653 million cases have been confirmed.

不丹的黑颈鹤:种群现状和保护

黑颈鹤(Grus nigricollis)在世界自然保护联盟濒危物种红色名录中被列为“易危”物种,在不丹也同样受法律保护。不丹是重要的、也是除中国之外的最大黑颈鹤越冬地。黑颈鹤在不丹的越冬期为5个月,越冬区域为不丹的中部(Phobjilka,Khotokha和Gyetsa)和东部(Bumdeling)。不丹的黑颈鹤同步统计工作始于1986-1987年冬季,调查地点包括了最主要的几个越冬区,如不丹中部的Phobjikha和Khotokha以及东部的Bumdeling。调查工作由不丹皇家自然保护学会和林业部(现为林业和公园服务部)发起。从1986-1987冬季开始,至2013-2014冬季(共28个越冬期),同步调查结果表明平均每年的越冬黑颈鹤数量为415只1。在1986-1987冬季,黑颈鹤数量仅为370只,但在2013-2014年冬季调查中,黑颈鹤数量已达550只,增长率高达48.6%2。在28年中,平均每年的种群增长率为1.73%,或者说每年会增加6只黑颈鹤。在过去的两个半世纪中,不丹的黑颈鹤数量一直在稳步增加。但是除了Phobjikha山谷地区的黑颈鹤数量在逐步增长以外,其他几个地点,如Bumthang、Bumdeling和Khotokha的数量却在减少,尤其是在20世纪90年代初之后。整体来看,在黑颈鹤统计数量最多的那一年,共550只,幼鹤数量为63只,幼体新增率为11.4%。最引人注目的保护工作是Phobjikha和Bumdeling两地均已晋升为保护地,其中Phobjikha为保护区,而Bumdeling falls(位于Bumdeling野生动物庇护所)则成为了国际重要湿地。Khotokha和Bumdeling一样,也在2012年成为了国际重要湿地。在Bumthang地区的Thangbi falls(位于Ugyen Wangchuck Centennial Park),黑颈鹤同样受到了有效保护。在这些地区,黑颈鹤受到的主要威胁是人类经济发展导致的对自然环境的破坏。今后的保护计划主要包括生境恢复、生境和捕猎研究、宣教项目、环志研究等。“可持续民生发展项目”也已在Phobjikha和Bumdeling实施,其中在Phobjikha的项目尤其备受关注。在法律层面上,针对黑颈鹤的保护政策日趋完善,而在社会文化中,民众一直视黑颈鹤为“LhaBja”,即“天堂之鸟”,这些均保证了黑颈鹤会得到最好的保护。

ENERGY-EFFICIENT MICROWAVE COMPONENTS FOR MOBILE COMMUNICATION

In the coexisted world of 3G,4G,5G and many other specialized wireless communication systems,billions of connections could be existing for various information transmission types.Unluckily,data show that the increase of network capacity is heavily more than the increase of the network energy efficiency in recent years,which could lead to more energy consumption per transmitted bit in the future network.As basic units in mobile communication systems,microwave/RF components and modules play key roles

On the Future:A Keynote Address

The following commentary is based on the keynote speech Professor Lord Martin Rees,the United Kingdom’s Astronomer Royal,presented at Engineering in an Unpredictable World:The Global Grand Challenges Summit 2019 in London on 18 September 2019.This and other talks at the Summit are available to watch at:https://www.raeng.org.uk/policy/partnerships/international-policy-and-development/ggcs/2019/welcome/on-demand-2.Based at the University of Cambridge,Lord Rees is a cosmologist and astrophysicist,a philosopher of science,and a former President of the Royal Society.Besides his countless scientific papers,Lord Rees has written a wide range of books,from academic texts to best-selling popular science.The content of Lord Rees’s speech was drawn from his most recent book,On the Future:Prospects for Humanity,published in 2018[1].A Chinese translation of the book will be available in 2020.

Visualizing the Earth in Earthquake Education:Investigating the Value of Visuals Used in Southern California's Shakeout Public Earthquake Public Earthquake Drill

The value of visuals used in public earthquake education is a theme essentially unexplored.This Los Angeles-based study is a preliminary investigation into this topic,focusing on the pioneering 2008 ShakeOut Southern California public earthquake drill: the largest earthquake drill in US history.The ShakeOut scenario is based on a magnitude 7.8 earthquake occurring on the San Andreas Fault,and

Photocatalytic activity of metal nanoparticle-decorated titanium dioxide for simultaneous H_(2) production and biodiesel wastewater remediation

A set of metal nanoparticle-decorated titanium dioxide(Mx/TiO_(2);where x is the percent by mass,%)photocatalysts was prepared via the sol-immobilization in order to enhance the simultaneous hydrogen(H_(2))production and pollutant reduction from real biodiesel wastewater.Effect of the metal nanoparticle(NP)type(M=Ni,Au,Pt or Pd)and,for Pd,the amount(1%–4%)decorated on the surface of thermal treated commercial TiO_(2)(T_(400))was evaluated.The obtained results demonstrated that both the type and amount of decorated metal NPs did not significantly affect the pollutant reduction,measured in terms of the reduction of chemical oxygen demand(COD),biological oxygen demand(BOD)and oil&grease levels,but they affected the H_(2) production rate from both deionized water and biodiesel wastewater,which can be ranked in the order of Pt_(1)/T_(400)>Pd_(1)/T_(400)>Au_(1)/T_(400)>Ni_(1)/T_(400).This was attributed to the high difference in work function between Pt and the parent T400.However,the difference between Pt1/T400 and Pd1/T400 was not great and so from an economic consideration,Pd/TiO_(2) was selected as appropriate for further evaluation.Among the four different Pdx/TiO_(2) photocatalysts,the Pd3/TiO_(2) demonstrated the highest activity and gave a high rate of H_(2) production(up to 135 mmol·h−1)with a COD,BOD and oil&grease reduction of 30.3%,73.7%and 58.0%,respectively.

Birds of the Kangchenjunga Landscape,the Eastern Himalaya:status,threats and implications for conservation

Birds are reliable and widely used indicators for conservation planning and monitoring. We reviewed birds of the Kangchenjunga Landscape, a transboundary complex shared by Bhutan, India and Nepal in the Eastern Himalaya. Using 119 literature, we analyzed the bird survey efforts in the landscape, their taxonomic representation, global threat status, distribution patterns, and habitat preferences. We also discussed the potential threats and conservation challenges and documented current conservation efforts and government policies. Most of the bird surveys are carried out in India followed by Nepal and Bhutan. A total of 618 bird species belonging to 19 orders and 77 families are recorded. Passeriformes is the dominant order that constitutes 62% of the total records listed from the landscape. Among the families, Muscicapidae is the most common and diversely represented family. There are 41 species of birds that are categorized as threatened under IUCN Red List. Of the total birds occurring in the landscape, the highest number of bird species(95%) was documented from India, followed by Nepal(55%) and Bhutan(34%). Of them, 24% of the species were found to occur in the tropical zone. Forested habitat is widely used by 63% of the total species followed by wetlands(16%). Despite promising policies and legal provisions, the landscape faces numerous challenges including habitat loss and fragmentation, hunting and trapping, unsustainable extraction of natural resources, invasive alien species, unregulated tourism and global climate change. We suggest protection and management of birds through strengthening Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas, reduction in forest encroachment and habitat destruction, conservation awareness programmes and comprehensive bird surveys with long term monitoring to assess the impact of environmental change as some of the approaches to conserve the rich avifaunal diversity of the landscape.

Using remotely sensed and climate data to predict the current and potential future geographic distribution of a bird at multiple scales: the case of Agelastes meleagrides, a western African forest endemic

Background:Understanding geographic distributions of species is a crucial step in spatial planning for biodiversity conservation, particularly as regards changes in response to global climate change.This information is especially important for species of global conservation concern that are susceptible to the effects of habitat loss and climate change. In this study, we used ecological niche modeling to assess the current and future geographic distributional potential of White.breasted Guineafowl (Agelastes meleagrides)(Vulnerable) across West Africa. Methods:We used primary occurrence data obtained from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility and national parks in Liberia and Sierra Leone, and two independent environmental datasets (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer normalized difference vegetation index at 250 m spatial resolution, and Worldclim climate data at 2.5' spatial resolution for two representative concentration pathway emissions scenarios and 27 general circulation models for 2050) to build ecological niche models in Maxent. Results: From the projections, White.breasted Guineafowl showed a broader potential distribution across the region compared to the current IUCN range estimate for the species. Suitable areas were concentrated in the Gola rainforests in northwestern Liberia and southeastern Sierra Leone, the Tai.Sapo corridor in southeastern Liberia and southwestern Cote d'lvoire, and the Nimba Mountains in northern Liberia, southeastern Guinea, and northwestern Cote d'lvoire.Future climate.driven projections anticipated minimal range shifts in response to climate change. Conclusions: By combining remotely sensed data and climatic data, our results suggest that forest cover, rather than climate is the major driver of the species' current distribution. Thus, conservation efforts should prioritize forest protection and mitigation of other anthropogenic threats (e.g.hunting pressure) affecting the species.

可再生燃料的光催化和光电催化合成专栏

A renewable energy supply is an integral part of a sustainable society.The most abundant and widespread renewable energy source available on the earth,i.e.,sunlight,is intermittent and has a low energy density.This makes an economical and efficient technology to convert and store the solar energy necessary in order to utilise it on our path towards a low carbon economy.Photocatalysis and photo‐electrocatalysis can in principle store renewable solar energy into chemical bonds by diverse chemical processes,including water splitting to H_(2),nitrogen reduction to ammonia,CO_(2) reduction to chemicals and others.These chemical processes physically involve charge generation,charge separation and transfer,chemically include two half reactions and generally share the very sluggish water oxidation half reaction.The persistent kinetic challenges of these complex photophysical and photochemical processes have kept solar to fuel conversion efficiency as very moderate.

How and why chemicals from tobacco smoke can induce a rise in blood pressure

The primary objective of this article is to analyze the role of tobacco smoke compounds able to damage the cardiovascular system and, in particular, to interfere with blood pressure. They are products of tobacco plant leaves, like nicotine, thiocyanate and aromatic amines, and a chemical derived from cigarette combustion, carbon monoxide. Of the other thousands of chemicals, there is no clear evidence of cardiovascular damage. Nicotine and its major metabolite, cotinine, usually increase blood pressure by a direct action and an action stimulating neuro-humoral metabolites of the body as well as sympathetic stimulation. An indirect mechanism of damage exerted by elevated carboxyhemoglobin concentrations is mediated by carbon monoxide, which, mainly induces arterial wall damage and, consequently, late rising in blood pressure by a toxic direct action on endothelial and blood cells. Thiocyanate, in turn, reinforces the hypoxic effects determined by carbon monoxide. Aromatic amines, depending on their chemical structure, may exert toxic effects on the cardiovascular system although they have little effect on blood pressure. A rise in blood pressure determined by smoking compounds is a consequence of both their direct toxicity and the characteristics of their chemical chains that are strongly reactive with a large numberof molecules for their spatial shape. In addition, a rise in blood pressure has been documented in individuals smoking a cigarette, acutely and chronically, with irreversible artery wall alterations several years after beginning smoking. Since cigarette smoking has a worldwide diffusion, the evidence of this topic meets the interest of both the scientific community and those individuals aiming to control smoking.

中国新疆地区黄颊麦鸡的繁殖历史(英文)

由于种群数量的急剧下降和分布区缩小,黄颊麦鸡(Vanellus gregarius)近期被 IUCN 提升为极危物种。该物种至今在中国唯一一个发表的记录是1998年见到的迷鸟。我们查阅了一个德国鸟类考察队1876年的报告和历史文献。该报告认为黄颊麦鸡在19世纪下半叶在中国西部的新疆为繁殖鸟。根据当地专家推测,该物种已在新疆绝灭。本文建议开展调查以阐明其现状。

From Pyramids to Olives:The Pursuit of Common Prosperity

TIME is reputed to pass more quickly with increasing age.With the People’s Republic of China(PRC)in its eighth decade,it seems only yesterday that the 19th National Con­gress of the Communist Party of China(CPC)held in 2017 was looking forward to 2020,2035 and beyond.So much has happened and so much has been achieved since then.Milestones have been accom­plished:the 14th Five-Year Plan;the introduction of the first ever Civil Code;the pledge to achieve carbon neutrality before 2060;the eradication of rural poverty,and the focus on common prosperity.

COP27:In Need of Vision and Stubborn Optimism

EGYPT,where the 27th session of the Conference of the Parties(COP27)to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change was held in November,is itself a product of climate change.Six thousand years ago the Sahara was not a desert but covered in grass and scrub with areas of open forest.There­after,increasing aridity caused populations to concentrate in the Nile valley where annual floods replenished the soil.Urban civilization followed.

切尔西:花的天堂

富人云集的美丽天堂 英国气候宜人，冬无严寒、夏无酷暑，湿润多雨的气候使这里一年四季绿地成茵、鲜花盛开，因此花卉成为整个民族的最爱。园艺产品及植物，每年的零售额高达50亿英镑。官方称切尔西花展为春季花展，由英国皇家园艺协会（Royal Horticultural Society）举办。虽说是花展，但却涵盖插花、园艺设计、水果蔬菜装饰、绘画、雕塑等林林总总的内容。

Aiming Far Beyond the Moon

Understanding the importance that the third plenary session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China(CPC)attached to science and technological development.CHANG’E is the Chinese moon goddess.Named after her,the Chang’e-6 lunar mod­ule returned to earth this June carrying 1,935.3 grams of rocks and dust from the far side of the moon.