The January 2010 issue of Nature features the results of the giant panda sequencing. More than 120 researchers scattered across the world are credited with the first reported de novo assembly of a large mammalian genome achieved using next-generation sequencing methods.

The research was conducted on Jinging — the female Beijing Olympics mascot. The genome consists of some 2.4 billion DNA base pairs. The high genomic diversity found in the sequence offers encouraging signs for keeping the species from extinction - only 2500 giants panda survive. The research has also uncovered that the panda has all the genes needed for a carnivorous digestive system but lacks digestive cellulase genes. Taste may also be a diet-limiting factor - pandas may not experience the umami taste associated with high-protein foods. In other words, the bamboo diet might be more dependent on its gut microbiome than its own genetic composition.

The researchers hope that, beside having now a better understanding of the Panda, their work will promote the construction of reference sequences for other animal and plant genomes in an efficient and cost-effective way.

1. Money is not a problem
2. What brother is smoking is not a cigarette, but loneliness!
3. Jia Junpeng - your mother wants you to go home to have some food
4. Life is like a tea table - with bitter cups placed all over it
5. Don’t be obsessed with brother - He is only a legend
6. My debts of gratitude have been repaid with my body
7. What makes you unhappy - Tell us to make us happy
8. You are left behind the times
9. Lei Feng does good without seeking recognition, but he records everything in his diary
10. This matter cannot be explained in detail

Explanations for these phrases can be found at: http://www.zonaeuropa.com/20091230_1.htm

Internet censorship may reach new levels in China! According to the Wall Street Journal the government plans to require that all personal computers sold in the country as of July 1 2009 be shipped with software that blocks access to certain Web sites. The usual argument is put forard: protecting young people from “harmful” content.

It seems that for now some uncertainty remains as whether the software has to be pre-installed or whether it can be shipped by CD afterwards - making enforcement of the plan rather difficult since tracking sales of PCs isn’t that easy.

The software is called “Green Dam Youth Escort” - green means free of pornography and other illegal content.

An interesting report about online communities in China, Asia and the world has been released by +8* (commissioned by the EU-China Information Society Project).

We learn that Chinese second generation virtual worlds have taken a particular approach:

• connection with social networks
• in-browser 3D chat
• interest from online gaming companies

The report also identifies several technology trends:

• use of web browser rather than softwre client
• integration of social features
• 3D spread
• potential challenge from open-source virtual world platforms
• content interoperability

A painting entitled “Discussing the Divine Comedy with Dante” by Dai Dudu, Li Tiezi, and Zhang An (2006, oil on canvas) has been spreading across the Internet for quite some time.

By clicking on the image, you can now put a name on all the faces.

The combined revenue from China telecommunication operators passed the USD 100 billion bar in 2008, representing a year-on-year growth of 7%. Revenue from mobile services increased 15.1% (to USD 65 billion) while fixed local and long-distance dropped by 8.5% and 15.8% respectively.

Now that China Telecom acquired a mobile licence, one can expect the switch-or-leapfrog to mobile to happen even faster!

While the 3G licences have finally been announced by the State Council, attention is already turning to the next generation of mobile telephony. China Mobile has publicly announced a development strategy for 4G TD-LTE networks - 60% of its capital investment will be put into 4G over the next few years.

So is the operator “blessed” with the locally-developed 3G standard (TD-SCDMA) trying to leapfrog technology? Not quite. While TD-SCDMA keeps receiving wide criticism the sandards for LTE still have to be finalized. China Mobile will also have to defend its current market share (more than 60%) against a poweful newcome (China Telecom). That said it is always useful to start occupying the landscape with early announcement sending competition into strategic discussions. The company may also be trying to put pressure on the manufacturers to get lower costs.

P.S.: On a recent tour of the China Mobile headquarter in Beijing, I noticed that the LTE corner was already set up but the guide was unable to answer any question related to LTE…

China Unicom, the Nr. 2 mobile operator, recently aunched a new personal-computer (PC) insurance with PICC and Kingsoft (respectively an insurance and software company) against virus threats. They will offer up to RMB 5,000 (USD 731) coverage against debilitating virus attack on PCs for a premium of RMB15 per month (USD 2).

The new insurance service is available only to China Unicom mobile-phone subscribers.