FALL 2015 ISSUE 7

ISSUE 7 FALL 2015

SYSU WorldFALL 2015

CONTENTS

EDITOR’S NOTE

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campus update

SYSU Opening Ceremonies HeldPerforming Troupe Tours RussiaChen Chunsheng Takes OfficeCultural Exchange at Jiangkou H.S.Business School Ranked Best ValueBusiness School Welcomes Int’l StudentsPerforming Troupe Tours Confucius Institutes in the Americas

photo focus

da vinci: Robot surgeon

in focus: SYSU during the war of resistance

Research Department

Outdoor Play Benefits EyesightResearchers Deconstruct Darwin’s ConundrumCancer Center Study in New England Journal of Medicine

AROUND GUANGZHOU

Student Corner

Smiles, Selfies, and Culture in ZhaoqingSYSU World Chinese Corner

Cover Photo by Gu Jingli 辜景莉

Thank you for reading this edition of SYSU World, the official English language news-letter for Sun Yat-sen University. Autumn has arrived in full force at SYSU, bringing cool breezes and perfect weather. Having finished celebrating Mid-autumn Festival and National Day, students, staff, and teach-ers are now settling into their routines as the excitement of the new semester and the joy of the holidays give way to the familiar rythyms of campus life in full swing. In this issue of SYSU World, you can find a range of articles, images, and stories. In the Campus Update, you can read about events and activities on campus, including trips abroad by SYSU performing troupes and international student activities in Guangzhou and beyond. You can also read more about recent discoveries by SYSU researchers and a feature piece on the history of SYSU’s exodus to Yunnan Province seventy years ago during World War II. At the end of this issue, you can find our new Student Voices column, as well as some short news bulletins on happenings in Guangzhou. For this issue, we the editors have decided to move in a new stylistic direction, focusing on making SYSU World more attractive and accessible. We hope the changes are to your liking, and we hope that you contitnue to follow the latest developments at SYSU in the newsletter, on our website, and on our social media pages. If you have any feedback on the news you read here, don’t hesitate to contact us. Thank you, and happy reading!

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Office for Overseas Promotion, SYSU

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Wu JiawenIan J. Heuer

Ian J. HeuerChen Jiayu

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On August 21, Opening Ceremo-nies for the 2015 academic year at Sun Yat-sen University were held on all four SYSU campuses. Nearly 8,000 newly enrolled undergrad-uate students and over 6,400 new postgraduate students attended the ceremonies. SYSU President Luo Jun delivered an address at the opening ceremony. He stressed that SYSU students should follow the university motto written by Dr. Sun Yat-sen: “Study Extensively, En-quire Accurately, Reflect Carefully, Discriminate Clearly, Practice Ear-nestly”. SYSU students should have both ability and moral integrity, able to cultivate charisma and eager serve their country. He hoped that the students would cherish their time at university and become pillars of the society.

Prof. Li Shenglan encouraged the new students to take on new chal-lenges and pursue their life goals. Prof. Zhang Zhian said that the stu-dents should be modest, self-reflec-tive and enterprising in their pursuit of knowledge. Prof. Zhai Zhenming encouraged the new students to learn rational thinking. Prof. Wang Tinghuai hoped that the medical students would become honest, con-scientious and innovative medical scientists and doctors. On behalf of continuing students, Liang Yongye, Danzhen Ciwang, Fan Hang and Yang Le gave speeches to welcome the new students, and shared their own experiences studying at SYSU. On behalf of the new students, Dai Ziwei, Yang Jing, Parediguli Nueraihemaiti and Xu Bushu gave speeches expressing the joy they felt at becoming members of the SYSU community, and their determination to study hard.

At the ceremony, led by V ice President Yan Guangmei, the new

students took a solemn oath: “I will remember Dr. Sun Yat-sen’s motto and shoulder the mission of the times; I will observe academic ethics, advocating science and reason; I will respect my teachers, honor truth, abide by the law, study diligently, seek truth and innovate.” Led by Vice President Yu Minbin, the new medical students took the solemn oath: “Health related, life entrusted. The moment I step into the hal-lowed medical institution, I pledge solemnly -- I will volunteer myself to medicine with love for my moth-erland and loyalty to the people. I will scrupulously abide by medical ethics, respect my teachers and dis-cipline myself. I will strive diligently for the perfection of technology and for all-round development of myself. I am determined to strive diligently to eliminate human suffering, en-hance human health conditions and

uphold the chasteness and honor of medicine. I will heal the wounded and rescue the dying, regardless of the hardships. I will always be in earnest pursuit of better achieve-ment. I will work all my life for the development of the nation’s medical enterprise as well as mankind’s physical and mental health.”

The attendees also included the university leaders Luo Jun, Chen Chunsheng, Yan Guangmei, Li Ping, Li Mengfeng, Wei Minghai, Li Shanmin, Yu Minbin and Ma Jun; Academician Su Qiang; Assistant President Li Wenjun; and heads of schools, departments and affiliated hospitals. At the end of the ceremo-ny, all teachers and students sang the University Anthem together. The freshmen emerged eager to embark on their new journies at SYSU.♦

New School Year Inaguarated at SYSU

with Opening Ceremonies

On September 20-26, 2015, the students’ culture and arts exchange group of Sun Yat-sen University, together with the student art group of Jinan University, visited three universities in Russia. The SYSU student group, led by Zheng Li from SYSU Youth Association and Deng Jie from the School of Inter-national Studies, was made up of

14 postgraduate and undergraduate students from different schools and departments at SYSU.

The students staged shows at Mos-cow State University, Russian New University, and Saint Petersburg State University. SYSU students performed Guqin, Zither, Erhu, Peking Opera, Chinese Calligraphy

and Painting, while Jinan University students performed Chinese ethnic singing and dancing and martial arts, jointly presenting traditional Chinese culture and arts to the Rus-sian audiences. These performances promoted the communications and exchanges between Chinese and Russian university students and strengthened their friendship. The show was a great success, just as a professor from the Faculty of Med-icine of Saint Petersburg State Uni-

SYSU Performance Troupe Completes Three-

Stop Tour of Russian Universities

On the afternoon of September 18, 2015, at a meeting held in Sun Yat-sen University, Professor Chen Chunsheng was appointed Secretary of the SYSU Party Committee. Mr. Zhong Haidong, Inspector and Deputy Director of the Third Cadre Bureau of the Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee, announced the decision of the Committee. The meeting was chaired by SYSU President Luo Jun.

Chen Chunsheng, a native of Jiexi, Guangdong Province, was born in Chenghai, Guangdong Province in August 1959. He graduated from the Department of History at Sun Yat-sen University in 1982 and ob-tained his doctorate in history from Xiamen University in 1989. He is now a professor in the Department of History at SYSU, holding concur-rent positions as Deputy Director of the Ministry of Education Teaching Steering Committee for History, Deputy Director of the Ministry of Education Steering Committee for Liberal Arts Education in Col-leges and Universities, convenor of the Discipline (Chinese History) Appraisal Group of the Academic Degree Committee of the State Council, Vice President of China’s Institute of History and President of the Guangdong Institute of History.Professor Chen was appointed

Deputy Head of the Department of History in 1991, Vice Dean of the School of Humanities in 1994, and Dean of the School of Humanities in 2000. In 2001 he was made Di-rector of the Center for Historical Anthropology, a key research base of humanities and social sciences, supported directly by the Ministry of Education. In March 2008 he became Vice President of SYSU and a member of the Standing Commit-tee of the SYSU Party Committee. In March 2012 he was appointed Executive Deputy Secretary of the SYSU Party Committee and Vice President of SYSU. He was appoint-ed Secretary of SYSU Party Com-mittee in September 2015.

Professor Chen’s main research interests are in the teaching and research of Chi-nese social and economic history, h i s t o r i c a l a n -thropology and historiographical theories. He has made considerable accomplishments in the fields of c liometrics and historical anthro-pology, and won the first prize of t h e Aw a rd f o r

Achievements in Social Sciences by Guangdong Province twice and the first prize of the Award for Research Achievements in the Humanities and Social Sciences by the Ministry of Education. He was granted the title of “Cross-Century Excellent Talent” and the “Award for Young Teachers in Higher Education” by the Ministry of Education. He was selected as a “national candidate” of the New Century Top 100, 1,000 and 10,000 Talents Project by the Ministry of Personnel.

Professor Chen has lectured in uni-versities in the U.S., the U.K., Swe-den, Japan, Singapore, Russia, and Hong Kong and Taiwan, and collab-orated with researchers from these countries and regions. He completed his postdoctoral research at McGill University in Canada. He is a visit-ing professor or academic consultant in more than 10 universities at home and abroad.♦

Chen Chunsheng Takes Office as New

Committee Secretary at SYSU

CAMPUS UPDATE

SYSU WORLD \ FALL 2015 \ 4 3President Luo Jun addresses the Opening Ceremony.

Secretary Chen Chunsheng delivers remaks at a meeting.

On the weekend of September 12, 2015, 43 SYSU international stu-dents from 23 countries volunteered for a cultural exchange experience with J iangkou High School in Zhaoqing City, Guangdong. The aim of the event was to engage with high school students, giving international exposure to the high school students

and helping the SYSU students gain a better understanding of Chinese culture and education.The international student volunteers were divided into small groups to share their own culture, history, language, and food with the high school students from 38 classes. Leesiriroj Supranee, from Thailand,

used vivid examples to teach some basic Thai, encouraging the high school students to learn more about their neighboring country’s culture and language. Bui Duy Anh and Bui Thi Thu Trang, from Vietnam, intro-duced traditional Vietnamese Bam-boo dancing and women’s clothes, which garnered gasps of amazement from the students and a huge round of applause. The international students’ classroom activities were

highly praised by both the teachers and students of Jiangkou High School. On Sep. the 13th, the interna-tional student volunteers went to the National Geo-park of Fengkai County, Zhangqing City, famous for breathtaking natural scenery.

The cultural exchange gave international students new insights and understand-ing into Chinese culture and educ a t ion . Many even made new friends with whom they plan to see more of China. The international students look forward to taking part in upcoming activities.♦

SYSU International Students Conduct

Cultural Exchange with Jiangkou High School

Sun Yat-sen Business School’s Masters in Management ranked Number 1 in value worldwide by FT

CAMPUS UPDATE

The Business Page

SYSU WORLD \ FALL 2015 \ 6 5

Sun Yat-sen Business School (SYSBS) was ranked first overall in value for money by the FT 2015 Masters in Management (MiM) Rankings, released on September 15. It is the first time SYSBS’s MiM program has topped the list in the Value rankings since entering FT’s rankings two years ago. The program ranked 47th overall. The ranking is calculated using alumni salaries three years after graduation and course costs. The length of the course is also taken into consid-eration. In addition, SYSBS’s program reached 14th in the Placement Success ranking, which inidcates that SYSBS graduates are thriving after graduation. The rankings are considered among the most reputable and reliable assessments of postgraduate management education.

The school continues to be a leader in terms of facilitating career progress with 99% of gradu-ates securing employment within three months of graduation.♦

Sun Yat-sen Business School Welcomes 2015 International Students Sun Yat-sen Business School (SYSBS) welcomed its new international students with an inauguration ceremony on September 20, 2015 in the SYSBS MBA Building on SYSU’s South Campus. Seventy-two new exchange students from 22 partner universities as well as more than 20 student delegates attended the ceremony. First, on behalf of SYSBS, Professor Meiji Fong used his opening remakrs to warmly welcome all the new inter-national students. Ms. Justine Xu from the Office of Curriculum and Degree Affairs and Ms. Lenore Xu from the MBA Administration Office each gave informative presentations on course requirements and electives. Stu-dents then received an introduction provided by Ms. Cici Mou from the Office of International Affairs on cam-

pus services and urban life. Moreover, two dual-degree students from WFI shared their life experiences and tips for living in Guangzhou. Finally, “buddies” and student delegates introduced the activities of the Buddy Club for this semester.

The orientation meeting ended suc-cessfully and cheerfully with the aroma of moon cakes made especially for the new international students. All of them expressed their great expectations and excitement for their new lives in Guangzhou.♦

There was an air of excitement before the ceremony kicked off.SYSU Students and Jiangkou High School students taking group selfies.

versity said, “It’s the first group from Guangdong to give a performance in Saint Petersburg…every performer has acted remarkably well”. This event aimed to respond to the call by Chinese and Russian leaders for or-ganizing the China-Russia Youth Year of Friendship Exchanges. It received great support from the Guangdong provincial government and the De-partment of Education of Guangdong Province. It was well coordinated by SYSU’s partner university, Russian New University, and won great support from Moscow State University and Saint Petersburg State University as well.♦


Campus update

From September 22 to October 5, 2015, the Sun Yat-sen University Student Performing Troupe staged shows at seven Confucius Institutes in three countries in the Americas, including the Confucius Institute at Indiana University-Purdue Uni-versity Indianapolis (IUPUI), the Confucius Institute at the National Autonomous University of Mexico and Huaxia Confucius Institute in Mexico City, the Confucius Institute at the Autonomous University of New Leon, the Confucius Institute at Autonomous University of Chi-huahua, the Confucius Institute at Autonomous University of Yucatan, and the Confucius Institute at Uni-versity of Costa Rica. Among them, the Confucius Institute at IUPUI was jointly established by SYSU and IUPUI and the Confucius Institute at the Autonomous University of Yucatan was jointly established by SYSU and the Autonomous Uni-versity of Yucatan. The tour was organized by the Confucius Institute Headquarters (Hanban), and un-dertaken by the Office of Confucius Institutes of SYSU and the SYSU

Youth Association. It is part of the “three tours” (tour for performance, tour for lectures, and tour for exhi-bition) activities organized by Han-ban, which aims to promote Chinese traditional arts and culture. The 20-member troupe, led by Ms. Wu Dan, Deputy Secretary of SYSU Youth Association, consisted of one staff member from the Office of International Cooperation & Exchange, a teacher from the Arts Education Center, and 17 under-graduate and postgraduate students from Lingnan (University) College, International School of Business & Finance, School of Foreign Languages, School of International Studies, School of Chinese as a Second Language, School of Marine Sciences, School of Geography and Planning, and School of Engineer-ing. The program for the perfor-mances included folk music such as Descendants of the Dragon, The Spring in Xiang River, The Running War Horses and The Fern Leaf Bamboo in the Moonlight; dances such as The Song of Spring, Flowers, The Story of

the Lady Luofu, Walking in the Land-scape, and The Love of the Chinese People; the martial arts performance The Spirit of Chinese Martial Arts; and songs such as Good Luck, The Love Song in Kangding, and Love and Friendship Which Cannot be Separated by Mountains and Rivers. During the tour, the performances contributed to the celebrations of the Confucius Institute Day and the traditional Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival. The shows earned high praise from the audiences, with such comments as: “Chinese dance is so beautiful, and I want to learn it.” “The performance is wonderful, I like Chinese arts.” “I like Chinese musical instruments. Let me know when there is such a show next time.” “Guangzhou is a good place, I want to go there and study.” “I like Chinese arts, I like China.” The performing troupe not only demonstrated the unique features of traditional Chinese arts and promoted Chinese culture, but also demonstrated SYSU students’ demeanor and increased our inter-national influence.♦

SYSU Performing Troupe Tours

Confucius Institutes in the Americas

The Performing Troupe’s program included traditional Chinese musical pieces (above) and dance routines (below).

The Performing Troupe delivering a song and dance to their American hosts.


PHOTO FOCUS

SYSU’s North Gate Plaza on a recent calm evening.

Fresh mooncakes on Mid Autumn Festival SYSU President Luo Jun greets a student during registration.

Moving to campus is a family affair.

Students walking during the recent typhoon rains.

A student delegate speaks at SYSU’s opening ceremony.

Meet da Vinci:South China’s First Robot Surgeon

Four super-precise robotic

arms, capable of suturing,

clamping, and f ine tissue

manipulation

Surgeon’s console (reverse) including foot

pedals, precision controls, and HD vision

eye-piece

Rolling base, for maximum

stability and mobility

Earlier this year, a surgical robot named “da Vinci” operated on a sigmoid colon polyps resection surgery under the con-trol of doctors at Operating Theatre 30 in the Surgery Building at SYSU’s First Affiliated Hospital. The procedure was the first robotic surgery ever performed in South China.

From traditional open surgeries and laproscopic minimally invasive proce-dures to robotic surgery, surgical tech-nology has recently made great strides forward. The da Vinci system is well suited to conduct complicated surgeries in confined spaces. Especially in cardiac, hepatobiliary, gastrointensinal, urolog-ical, gynecological and other surgeries, the use of da Vinci can lower patients’ internal damage and blood loss, which leads to fewer complications, less pain, and smoother recoveries. Wounds are much smaller, meaning they heal cleanly and quickly. On average, the length of hospital stays can be cut in half.

Although da Vinci has freed surgeons from the operating table, it actually brings forward higher requirements for them: not only do they need to have traditional surgery experience, but also have to be familiar with the operation of complex robotic systems. The surgery on March 11 was performed by Professor He Yulong, Director of Surgery at the First Affiliated Hospital, together with Associate Professor Wu Hui.

The system is produced by the Ameican company Intuitive Surgical. According to the manufacturer, the system got its name in part because Leonardo da Vin-ci’s “study of human anatomy eventually led to the design of the first known robot in history.” The presence of the system on SYSU’s campus is another key expansion in the University’s med-ical research and technology capabili-ties. SYSU operates a network of eight affiliated hospitals in Guangzhou (four comprehensive and four specialized) and is a national leader in medical teaching, research, and practice.♦


After the July 7 Incident of 1937, Japan launched an all-out war of aggression against China. From August to Sep-tember of 1937 SYSU’s main campus in Guangzhou’s Shipai area was repeatedly bombarded by Japanese aircraft, destroy-ing multiple school buildings and count-less books and killing almost 20 people. In the face of this onslaught, the President of SYSU, Mr. Zou Lu urged perseverance and bravery from the SYSU community.

That December, rumors began spreading that Japan would invade South China. Meanwhile, SYSU received the order from the Ministry of Education to start preparing to relocate. Government funds were extremely limited; the University’s staff and faculty led the funding efforts for the costs of relocation, with one writ-ing that they must “sacrifice their personal interests for the benefit of others”.

In October, 1938, SYSU received the order to move, but it was hard to make a decision on the location. At first, SYSU decided to move to Luoding, in the western part of Guangdong. But after reaching present-day Shunde, they were bombed by enemy airplanes. The decision was made to leave Guangdong Province, which was under the heavy cloud of Japa-nese air power. The university board began exploring options in Yunnan and Guangxi Provinces. Professor Deng Xiaoci raised the matter with Associate Professor Wu Xinda, Director of School of Law, who came from Chengjiang in Yunnan Prov-ince. Wu suggested that the university

relocate to Chengjiang to resume classes. After many false starts, the University finally had a new target for relocation.

In January and February 1939, the University began organizing groups of students and faculty in preparation for making the exodus to Cheng-jiang. Their routes varied greatly, with some going through Hunan Province, and others going through Guangxi. By the end of February, 245 faculty members and 1736 students had arrived at Chengjiang.

On February 10, SYSU held the opening ceremony in Chengjiang, announcing that classes would begin on March 1.

Chengjiang, located in the south of Yunnan Province, was a small county, forcing the University to arrange itself in a scattershot manner, using local ancestral halls and temples as schoolhouses. The main campus was located in the Qing era Pufu Temple, near the South Gate of the county. Wing-rooms were used as offices and surrounding residence buildings were rented as the dwellings of department heads and administrative staff.

The Faculty of Arts was established at the Confucius Temple, one of the biggest Confucius Temples in Yunnan province and the largest ancient architectural com-plex in area. Taking advantage of the many spacious rooms, the Faculty of Arts was able to set up four teaching classrooms and a hall for conferences, performances, and lectures. Many of these events were open to the public, including Ma Sicong’s violin recital and a piano concert by Wang Muzhen. Teachers and students also drew wall newspapers and wall posters on the walls of the temple and other buildings, which were rich in content and helped local residents keep apprised of wartime developments. The School of Science was located at Wenchang Palace with its office at Cengqing Pavilion and the School of Engineering was located at the foot of Jinlian Mountain in Dongyue Temple, which dates back to the Ming Dynasty.

The Affiliated Hospital of SYSU was set in the Tuzhu Temple in the county town of Chengjiang, and Professor Ye Shaofu, worked as the president. Due to the poor housing conditions, the hospital made the best of existing facilities and set up four or five wards which could offer services for more than 20 patients. The hospital provided consulting and medical services not only for teachers, students and staff of SYSU, but also for the local residents in Chengjiang. They also actively helped local doctors with some difficult and com-plicated illnesses that they could not treat.

IN FOCUS

The legacy of World War II is being reflected upon around the world this year, the 70th anniver-sary of the conclusion of hostilities. In China, the history of the war usually focuses on places like Manchuria, the focal point of early Japanese colonial ambitions in China; Eastern China, the site of some of the heaviest fighting and most brutal wartime atrocities; and Chongqing, the wartime capital of the Republic of China.

To honor the memory of the war, known in China as the War of Resistance, the SYSU News Center has produced a story and photo suite that brings the narrative home, investigating the impact of the war on the SYSU community. Here, edited and amended for space and content, you can find the inside story of SYSU’s cultural inheritance during eight long years of war that changed the course of the country’s future.


The teachers and students took advantage of their misfortune, us-ing their new location to conduct important scientific and anthro-pological research, field work and internship programs. Delegations were sent to investigate the culture, history and education situation of citizens in Yunnan, Guizhou, Guangxi, and Guangdong. In the summer of 1939, 17 students from the Civil Engineering Department were assigned to help maintain the vital Xufu-Kunming and Yun-nan-Burma Railways. In November 1939, a postgraduate in the liberal arts, was dispatched to four towns near Kunming to investigate the languages of indigenous people.

On November 11th, 1939, SYSU launched celebrations of its 15th anniversary celebrations in Cheng-jiang, with each school holding a three day exhibition. The School of Agriculture displayed dozens of samples of the silk made by silk-worms bred successfully in Cheng-jiang. The Department of Forestry exhibited hundreds of varieties of wood specimens. The Department of Agricultural Chemistry displayed new agricultural products and the Institute for Soil Research exhibited dozens of soils specimens and charts collected in Chengjiang. Exhibits of the Department of Geography covered all kinds of maps, globes, slides, and photos and those of the Department of Mathematics and Astronomy ranged from geometric models to astronomical instruments.

Exhibits of the Faculty of Arts were displayed in two showrooms: Show-room #1 was the research laboratory of each department, which displayed the works of professors and students. Showroom #2 was the library of the Faculty of Arts, which collected a wide array of Chinese and foreign books. As for the Department of Chemistry, they exhibited medicines

for defense against gas poisoning. In addition to the exhibition, the University also marked the unique circumstances of the 15th anniver-sary by celebrating local heritage with a folk festival. Different schools and communities organized cultural activities, including drama, music, dance, martial arts, and art pro-grams. In Chengjiang, SYSU also held many school-level and depart-ment-level basketball and football games.

As exemplified in the anniversary exhibition, SYSU Agricultural re-searchers provided a vital reference point to the government, which wanted to improve cotton produc-tion to aid in the war effort. They started an experimental research

farm and also conducted extensive research into agricultural practices in the region which culminated in reports that were crucial to the gov-ernment’s understanding of these topics. As robbery was quite fre-quent during the war, teachers and students sometimes would encounter dangers while conducting investiga-tions. Two researchers were robbed of their money and clothes on their way to investigate the forestry of western Yunnan. Only with the help of the military police and the local government could they safely return to Chengjiang.

SYSU’s many academic journals were also influenced by the reloca-tion. When in Chengjiang, schools and depar tments resumed the

publication and distribution of ac-ademic journals in spite of arduous conditions. Some journals contin-ued, some resumed publication after interruptions, and some were newly founded during this time. Some journals, which were sponsored by the university but printed in other provinces, were mailed to Chengji-ang where they solicited contribu-tions from teachers and students. The Botanical Institute continued publishing the Journal of the Botan-ical Institute; the journal Language and Literature was resumed by the Institute of Liberal Arts; and Con-temporary Historiography was re-is-sued by the History Association. The Geological Society of the School of Science insisted on editing and publishing the monthly Earth by the

process of stencil printing.

In August, 1940, SYSU was moved back to Guangdong Province to set up schools in Pingshi in the north-ern part of the province. Before leaving Chengjiang, the University held a farewell gathering, and pub-lished a book of poems and essays entitled Li Ge. Temporary President Xu Chongqing composed the Fare-well Letter to People in Chengjiang by himself on behalf of teachers, stu-dents, and staff to express his grat-itude to the people there. The letter also reflected on the work for local cultural and social construction in Chengjiang conducted by teachers, students, and staff.

Some professors chose to stay in

Chengjiang， maintaining SYSU's legacy of providing education and services to the people.

The legacy of SYSU in Chengjiang has not been forgotten. At present, as an important teaching place of SYSU during the period of the War of Resistance, Pufu Temple is ac-credited as a protected cultural relic by the People’s Government of the county with a monument erected in the courtyard. The architectural complex of the Confucius Temple was listed as a key cultural relic unit at the county level in 1992 and was upgraded into the municipal level afterwards. In 2005, the Chengjiang government erected a monument inside the area to commemorate the relocation of SYSU’s campus

to Chengjiang during the War of Resistance. Cengqing Pavilion, the temporary home of the School of Science, was approved in February, 1992 by the People’s Government of the county as one of the first batch of key protected cultural rel-ics units at county level. The reno-vation of the Pavilion was funded partially by donations from SYSU alumni.

The most striking aspect of this trying period of time, exemplified by the 15th anniversary exhibi-tion, was the schools resilience in the face of difficulty. In a time of extreme hardship, SYSU not only survived, but thrived in its new home, taking advantage of the circumstances to contribute to the surrounding community and to the wider body of scientific knowledge. The spirit of academic courage is an unbroken thread that began with SYSU’s founding in 1924, carried through the 15th anniver-sary in Chengjiang and the 90th anniversary last year, and presses forward to the present day. ♦

IN FOCUS

Li from the College of Ecology and Evolution at Sun Yat-sen University, and Prof. Marc W Cadotte from the University of Toronto laid out a new framework to reconcile the conun-drum. By examining invasion dy-namics of 480 plots over 40 years in the Piedmont region of New Jersey, they found that exotic species more closely related to native species were more likely to enter, establish, and dominate the native communities, which provides strong support for pre-adaptation hypothesis. Further, for the first time, they found that native residents more closely related to the successful invaders were more likely to go locally extinct. These results present challenges to recent studies which used the co-occur-

rence of exotics with their distantly related natives as evidence for Dar-win’s naturalisation hypothesis, and highlight it is necessary to incorpo-rate native species displacement into Darwin’s phylogenetic framework. By deconstructing Darwin’s co-nundrum into invasion success and impact, this study could help to rec-oncile the 150-year-old conundrum.

This paper titled “The effects of phylogenetic relatedness on invasion success and impact: deconstructing Darwin’s naturalisation conundrum”, was published on Oct. 6, 2015 in Ecology Letters, a top journal in ecology and environmental sciences. This is the second publication in this journal by the group this year.♦

Recently, the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) published the results of a prospective inter-national multicenter clinical trial for patients with newly diagnosed mantle-cell lymphoma ineligible for autologous transplant (LYM 3002 trial), demonstrating that bortezo-mib-based chemotherapy improved outcomes of patients with man-tle-cell lymphoma compared with an R-CHOP regimen. Professor Huiqiang Huang (the second au-thor) is from Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center (SYSUCC), marking the first time that the Cancer Cen-ter’s research has been published in NEJM, the medical journal with the highest rating and most prestiege.

Mantle-cell lymphoma (MCL) is a unique subtype of malignant lymphoma with both aggressive and indolent clinical features, account-ing for 6% of all non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (about 2.5% in China). MCL is characterized by t(11; 14) and Cyclin D1 overexpression, high onset age, poor response to con-

ventional chemotherapy with high relapsed risk, and the prognosis is dismal for elderly cases. Bortezo-mib is a proteasome inhibitor that showed favorable efficacy in multiple myeloma and relapsed/refractory

mantle-cell lymphoma in previ-ous studies as a single agent. This phase 3 trial aimed to investigate whether bortezomib in frontline therapy could improve outcomes of R-CHOP for patients with newly diagnosed mantle-cell lymphoma. One hundred and twenty hospitals worldwide were involved in this global clinical trial, and Professor Franco Cavalli from Switzerland

was the Principal Investigator. The trial randomly assigned 487 adults with newly diagnosed mantle-cell lymphoma who were ineligible for stem-cell transplantation to receive six to eight cycles of R-CHOP-21 or VR-CAP (R-CHOP regimen, but replacing vincristine with bor-tezomib at a dose of 1.3 mg per square meter of body-surface area on days 1, 4, 8, and 11). After a median follow-up of 40 months, median progression-free survival was 14.4 months in the R-CHOP group versus 24.7 months in the VR-CAP group (P < 0.001), with a relative improvement of 59%. The results of the trial changed the treatment choice for elderly patients with mantle-cell lymphoma at the first time. In this trial, professor Huang’s team from SYSUCC won two gold medals rewarded for both of the highest incrollment in number and the best quality of recruitment.

The NEJM is regarded as the most prestigious academic medical jour-nal in the world. ♦

SYSU Cancer Center Has Lymphoma Findings

Published in New England Journal of Medicine

(Reuters Health) For primary school children in China, spending an extra 45 minutes per day outside in a school activity class may reduce the risk of my-opia, according to a new study. In some pa r t s of China, 90% of high school graduates have nearsightedness, and rates are low-er but increasing in Europe and the Middle East, the authors write. “ T h e r e w e r e s o m e s t u d i e s suggest ing the protective effect of outdoor time in the development of myopia, but most of this evidence is from cross-sectional studies (survey) data that suggest ‘association’ instead of causality,” said lead author Dr. Mingguang He of Sun Yat-sen Uni-versity in Guangzhou. “Our study, as a randomized trial, is able to prove causality and also provide the high level of evidence to inform public policy.” Intense levels of schooling and little time spent outdoors may have contributed to the epidemic rise of nearsightedness in China, he told Reuters Health by email.

The researchers divided 12 primary schools in China into two groups: six schools continued their existing class schedule, while six were assigned to include an additional 40 minutes of outdoor activity at the end of each school day. Parents of children in the second group were also encouraged to engage their children in outdoor activities on the weekends. In total, almost 2,000 first-graders, with an average age of almost seven years

old, were included. After three years, 30% of the outdoor activity group had developed myopia, compared

to almost 40% of kids in the control group, according to the results in JAMA September 15. That means kids who spent more time outside were 23% less likely to develop myopia, the authors write. The study doesn’t investigate why time outdoors might protect eyesight, but He said that some experimental work suggests brighter outside light affects eye growth in a way that inhibits myopia. To maximize the benefit, schools in China should in-crease outdoor time further, includ-

ing recesses, and encourage parents to bring children outdoors over the weekend, the researcher said.

“One issue that n e e d s t o b e addressed is the po ten t i a l sk in and eye damage from UV expo-sures, but these can be managed by standard UV protection mea-sures,” He added.

“Establishing the long-term effect o f a d d i t i o n a l outdoor activities on the develop-

ment and progression of myopia is particularly important because the intervention is essentially free and may have other health benefits,” but parents should understand that the magnitude of the effect may be small and may not be permanent, Repka writes. Spending time outside also involves focusing on more distant objects, one assumes, which may play a role in addition to sunlight exposure. [Kathryn Doyle, www.scientificamerican.com]♦

SYSU Researchers Find Link Between Childhood

Sunlight Exposure and Nearsightedness

RESEARCH DEPARTMENT


For more than 150 years, biologists focused on invasion biology have looked back to an idea first pro-posed by Charles Darwin in The Origin of Species, which now has been termed ‘Darwin’s naturalisa-tion conundrum’. Darwin proposed that exotics distantly related to na-tives are more likely to be successful, as they complete less with natives (Darwin’s naturalisation hypothesis).

However, Darwin also proposed that exotic species closely related to natives should be favored, as they adapt to similar environments as the natives (pre-adaptation hypothesis). This conundrum has been tested across numerous taxa and ecosys-tems, but the opposing hypotheses have been supported in roughly equal proportions. Recently, Prof. Wen-sheng Shu and Dr. Shao-peng

SYSU Researchers Deconstruct Darwin’s

Conundrum of Species Invasion

Outdoor play can greatly benefit childrens’ eyesight.

Darwin statue at SYSU’s School of Life Sciences.


AROUND GUANGZHOU

Guangzhou has entered into a “sister city” agreement with Harare, the capital and largest city of Zimbabwe. According to the Harare-based daily The Herald, a delegation of officials recently traveled to Zimbabwe to conclude talks on the twinning agree-ment. Harare mayor Bernard Manyenyeni said that Guangzhou’s developmental track record serves as a shining path for his own city to follow. “They are solid on infrastructure, waste management, housing, and construction; their financial center is an international hub. So for a city like ours in need of technical expertise and funding, This is a great opportunity for us.

Harare becomes the twenty-second city to partner with Guangzhou in a twinning arangement, and the second in Africa after the South African city Durban.

Guangzhou Enters Twinning Agreement

with Zimbabwe Capital

Guangzhou Evergrande Reaches

AFC Champion’s League Final

The 118th China Import and Export Fair, also known as the Canton Fair, is under-way in Guangzhou. The fair, which is held twice every year, has gained worldwide re-nown as the larget trade fair in all of Chi-na. Guangzhou is the urban anchor of the Pearl River Delta region, which is one of the most productive industrial areas in the world. Many of the products you use every day are produced in this region and the Canton Fair is the top venue for connect-ing local producers and international buy-ers. Products displayed at the Fair range from consumer goods to building materi-

als to automobile components. The Fair is held at the massive Canton Fair Complex in Guangzhou’s Pazhou area. Telltale signs of the Fair’s arrival include a sudden influx of bewildered, lanyard-wearing business people desparately trying to decipher sub-way maps, and a mass migration of SYSU students to the Fair Complex looking to pick up some part time work as translators for attendees from their home countries. Phase 1 of this iteration of the Fair opened on October 15 and the final phase wraps up on November 4th. Guangzhou was formerly known in English as Canton.

Canton Fair Kicks off in Guangzhou

Guangzhou Evergrande, one of two China Super League teams based in Guangzhou, has advanced to the AFC Champion’s League Final. The club earned the right to play in the final after a two game series win against the Japanese club Gamba Osaka. The series started in Guangzhou’s Tianhe Stadium on September 30, where Evergrande came back from an early 0-1 defecit to earn a 2-1 win. The second leg of the series was held in Osaka on October 21, where Evergrande played the hosts to a scoreless draw. As per tournament rules, the winner is chosen based on composite score, meaning Evergrande advanced to the final on a 2-1 advantage.

They will face the Emerati club Al-Ahli Dubai F.C. for the title. The first match will take place in Dubai in November 7 before the series shifts back to Guangzhou for the deciding match on November 21. During Evergrande’s home games, the area around Tianhe Stadium becomes a vast sea of red, as supporters from around the city descend on the district ’s bars,

restaurants, and shops en masse. Chinese football fans are growing in ranks, and Evergrande is perhaps the best supported club in the country.

Evergrande is in the midst of a period of dominance in the Super League, which represents the top level of association football in mainland China. Evergrane has won the last four Super League titles and has the lead in this year’s tables as well. Beyond the Super League, Evergrande achieved glory in 2013 by winning the AFC Champion’s League, the highest level of club competition in Asia. The club went on to place fourth in the FIFA Club World Cup, falling to eventual champion Bayern Munich in the semi-final.

21

STUDENT CORNER

Easily one of the most enjoyable weekends I’ve had in a long time was my trip to Jiangkou High School. Learning about what it ’s like in a Chinese high school, taking more selfies than I ever thought I’d be comfortable with, and being able to share some of my own culture was an experience I’ ll re-member for a long time to come.

It all started one Tuesday afternoon when I strolled into the International S tudents ’ Office (ISO). I had recent-ly quit my weekend job and was looking to help out around campus, preferably something that has to do with traveling a bit. Jia Jia, the event organizer at the ISO, mentioned that they were organizing a trip to a little city named Zhaoqing where we’d meet with high school students to share experiences and learn about what it’s like to go to high school in China. The trip seemed like a nice way to get to know some parts

of China I wouldn’t encounter in my normal life as a student, so I filled out my volunteer application and got started helping to prepare the event soon thereafter. I was in charge of around 15 students which was a fun

way to get to know more people and help out some first year students. I was genuinely moved by the level of participation and energy they showed and all the positive feedback I got from my group. During the prep-phase things were hectic, but our team members nevertheless gave it their all and came up with creative ways to interact with the students of

Jiangkou High School.

On the actual day of the presen-tations we were completely over-whelmed with excited students smil-ing from ear to ear, taking selfies and

showering us with gifts. My personal favorite was a gift by a 9th grade girl named Xiao Li who gave me a piece of calligraphy with the characters “态度决定一切 ” (Attitude D e c i d e s E ve r y -thing) on it.

Overall, reflecting on the weekend a month la ter, I would like to thank the ISO and the

Jiangkou High School for giving us an opportunity we would never have had if it weren’t for their initia-tive. I’m happy I got to see more of Guangdong, especially since there is so much to see outside the big city. I’ll be sure to sign up for the next volunteer trip and explore more of Guangdong soon.♦

SYSU World Chinese Corner#1: What’s your name?

English Mandarin Cantonese What’s your name? 你叫什么名字？你叫乜野名呀？ nǐ jiào shénme míngzì? néih giu mātyéh méng a?

My name is ____. 我叫 ___ 。我叫做 ____。 wǒ jiào ____ 。 ngóh giujouh ____ 。

Nice to meet you! 很高兴认识你！好开心认识你！ hěn gāoxìng rènshí nǐ! hóu hòisàm yihngsīk néih!

Smiles, Selfies, and Culture: A Trip to Jiangkou High Schoolby Kevin Martin Kurcz Seitz

Kevin (right) posing for one of many selfies with Jiankou High School students.

FALL 2015 ISSUE 7

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Transcript of FALL 2015 ISSUE 7