Chinese to clone gene-edited monkeys

On 24 January, scientists at the Institute of Neuroscience (ION) in Shanghai reported that they had used gene-editing to disable a gene in macaque monkeys (Macaca fascicularis) that is crucial to their sleep–wake cycle. The scientists then cloned one of those monkeys to produce five primates with almost identical genes.

It is the first time that researchers have cloned a gene-edited monkey and proof of principle for the researchers’ plan to create populations of genetically identical primates that they say will revolutionize biomedical research. Some of the researchers are part of the new International Centre for Primate Brain Research, which has the goal of creating such populations and received government funding in November.

In Europe and the US, non-human-primate research increasingly faces regulatory hurdles, costs and bioethical opposition. This stands in contrast to China; the country’s 2011 five-year plan set primate disease models as a national goal. The science ministry followed up by investing 25 million yuan (US$3.9 million) into the endeavour in 2014.

Chinese subway tunnel 288 feet under the SEA

Chinese workers have built a subway tunnel reaching as deep as 88 metres (288 feet) under the surface of the sea.

The tunnel connects the eastern and western parts of Qingdao separated by the Jiaozhou Bay

The passage measures 8.1 kilometres (five miles) long, with 3.49 kilometres (2.1 miles) submerged under the Yellow Sea. It is the longest and deepest undersea subway tunnel in China.

It is also about 100 feet deeper than the Bosphorus rail tunnel in Istanbul, which is said to be the world’s deepest underwater railway tunnel.

Construction of the impressive cross-sea link was finished on Wednesday after having started in 2015, reported China Central Television Station.

It is part of the No. 1 Metro Line in Qingdao, an eastern metropolis with around nine million people. A former German colony, the city is dubbed China’s ‘capital of beer’ because of its famous lager Tsingdao.

A rural boy in China painted more than 100,000 copies of Van Gogh paintings

https://youtu.be/rbaRmviTPds?t=925

http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1055900.shtml Van Gogh didn’t sell a single painting during his lifetime, and he spent his entire life scribbling away. One hundred years later, a rural boy in China painted more than 100,000 copies of Van Gogh paintings and supported his family. This young man is Zhao Xiaoyong 赵小勇, because he heard that he could earn 3,000 yuan a month for making oil paintings, he went from being a bricklayer to a painter in Dafen village 大芬村 that specialized in producing world famous paintings. In the village of Dafen many painters like Zhao, have formed an assembly line for copying famous paintings, some are painting the eyes, some are painting the mouth. A professional painter elsewhere copying a famous painting may take 2 days, but in Dafen village painters take only a few hours. In order to copy Van Gogh’s paintings better, Zhao would study Van Gogh’s books and films. He knew the paintings like the back of his hand as he got to know them better. Zhao always dreamed of seeing the master’s work in person.
In 2014, Zhao Xiaoyong finally went to the Van Gogh Museum of Art. In the souvenir shop outside the museum he also saw his own products for sale for 10 times his price. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/chinas-van-goghs-dafen-documentary-1315319

Day trip to Ho Pui Reservoir 3-6-18

河背水塘 3-6-18 Yuen Long 元朗八乡河背村河背水塘
河背水塘位於元朗八鄉附近,海拔250米高,被群山環抱。水塘是灌溉水塘,屬於大欖郊野公園的一部份,水塘容量有50萬立方米,其S字型水壩為該水塘的一大特色。河背水塘曾入選為漁農及自然護理署的郊野公園十大自然風景之一。

3-2-18 Kam Shan Country Park

金 山 郊 野 公 園 面 積 雖 小 , 但 園 內 共 有 四 個 水 塘 , 包 括 首 個 新 界 水 塘 - 九 龍 水 塘 ( 1910 年 建 成 ) , 石 梨 貝 水 塘 ( 1925 年 建 成 ) 、 九 龍 接 收 水 塘 ( 1926 年 建 成 ) 及 九 龍 副 水 塘 ( 1931 年 建 成 ) 。
石梨貝水塘
西九龙
西环
华景山庄位于香港新界西葵涌华景山路9号
金山樹木研習徑位於金山郊野公園內,入口設於九龍水塘,與金山路麥理浩徑第六段連接,臨近九龍副水塘
Hooked oakblue (Arhopala paramuta) 小娆灰蝶
Wild monkeys 3-2-18 Sha Tin 沙田金山郊野公园
White rumped Munia (Lonchura striata) 白腰文鸟 3-2-18 Sha Tin 沙田金山郊野公园
Chinese peacock (Papilio bianor) 碧凤蝶 3-2-18 Sha Tin 沙田金山郊野公园
金山郊野公园 3-2-18 Sha Tin 沙田金山郊野公园
Chinese peacock (Papilio bianor) 碧凤蝶 3-2-18 Sha Tin 沙田金山郊野公园
Chinese peacock (Papilio bianor )碧凤蝶 3-2-18 Sha Tin 沙田金山郊野公园
Grey Wagtail 3-2-18 Sha Tin 沙田金山郊野公园
Red Base Jezebel (Delias pasithoe) 报喜斑粉蝶 3-2-18 Sha Tin 沙田金山郊野公园
Eagle’s nest nature trail 3-2-18 Sha Tin Lion Rock Country Park

2-26-18 Ping Shan Heritage Trail

位於新界元朗的屏山文物徑是香港首條文物徑,於1993年12月12日開幕,長約1.6公里,蜿蜒於坑尾村、坑頭村和上璋圍之間。文物徑貫連多幢典型的中國傳統建築。
屏山文物徑地圖
聚星樓
聚星樓
聚星樓
上璋圍由居於坑頭村的鄧氏族人分支所建立,位於坑頭村西面,至今已有二百多年歷史,為屏山文物徑沿線唯一的圍村。
這口井由坑頭村村民所建,在二百多年前上璋圍立村前已存在,曾一度是坑頭及上璋圍兩村食水的主要來源。
楊侯古廟坐落於坑頭村,為元朗區六間供奉侯王的廟宇之一。相傳該廟已有數百年歷史,但確實修建日期已不可考。據廟內匾額顯示,廟宇曾分別於1963年及1991年進行大事重修,其後於2002年亦進行修繕工程。有關侯王的來歷說法頗多,村民認為侯王即宋末忠臣楊亮節,他因保護宋帝而捐軀,深受後人景仰而加以供奉,每年農曆六月十六日為侯王誕。楊侯古廟結構簡單,只有一進,三開間,分別供奉侯王、土地和金花娘娘。
楊侯古廟
楊侯古廟
華嫂冰室的招牌菜是番茄蛋菠蘿油
鄧氏宗祠位於坑頭和坑尾兩村之間,是屏山鄧族的祖祠,由屏山三圍六村所環抱。據鄧氏族譜所載,宗祠由五世祖鄧馮遜興建,至今已有七百多年歷史。1990至1991年間,鄧氏宗祠曾大事重修,費用由屏山鄧萬里祖祖嘗撥付。宗祠現仍用作祭祖、 慶祝節日、 舉行各種儀式及父老子孫聚會等用途。鄧氏宗祠於2001年12月列為法定古蹟。
鄧氏宗祠是三進兩院式的恢弘建築,為香港同類古建築的表表者。正門前兩旁是鼓台,各有兩柱支撐瓦頂,內柱為花崗石,外柱則為紅砂岩。前院鋪有紅砂岩甬道,顯示鄧氏族人中曾有身居朝廷要職者。建築物各進的樑架均雕刻精美的動植物和吉祥圖案,屋脊則飾有石灣陶塑鰲魚和獅子。後進祖龕供奉著鄧族先祖神位。
鄧氏宗祠
鄧氏宗祠
覲廷書室坐落於坑尾村,乃屏山鄧族廿二世祖鄧香泉為紀念其父鄧覲廷而興建,於1870年落成,兼具教育及祭祀祖先的雙重作用。1899年英軍進佔新界時,書室更曾用作臨時警署及田土辦公室。科舉制度雖於二十世紀初廢除,但覲廷書室仍負起教育族中子弟的功能。直至第二次大戰後初期,覲廷書室仍是坑尾及鄰近村落青年讀書學習的場所。覲廷書室曾於1991年進行修繕,費用由香港賽馬會捐助,書室得以回復昔日的光采。
覲廷書室是兩進式建築,中為庭院,以青磚建造,柱子為花崗石。書室內的祖龕、斗栱、屏板、壁畫、屋脊裝飾、簷板和灰塑等別具特色,為當時工匠的精湛傑作。
屏山跑車餐廳
在上璋圍西面不遠處有一座神壇,供奉土地公(村民稱之為社公,亦稱伯公、福德公等),建築日期已不可考。傳統中國村落皆建置社壇,以祈求福澤,保佑闔村平安,亦作為村落的界線。社壇多為簡單的磚砌建築,多不設神像,以石頭代表社公,規格較高的兩側會有「鑊耳」山牆。
社壇
社壇

2-24-18 Hung Shui Hang Irrigation Reservoir

洪水坑灌既水塘 洪水坑水塘亦称丹桂坑水塘,位于香港屯门九径山北面,位于大榄郊野公园西北部边缘,位于蓝地水塘东面不足一公里处。洪水坑水塘属灌溉水塘,即非食水用塘,主要用作灌溉农田。水塘的水会流经丹桂村、锺屋村一带再流经洪水桥,经过天水围西侧,成为该区著名的“臭河”,最后汇入后海湾。
洪福邨 , 天水圍