BEIJING, Oct. 23 (Xinhua) — The following is a summary of published science and technology news of China.

BEIDOU POSITIONING

A dam deformation monitoring system based on BeiDou Navigation Satellite System has been put into operation in Usoi Dam in Tajikistan, according to China’s National Time Service Center under the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Usoi Dam is the tallest dam in the world, either natural or man-made. Another hit in this active earthquake zone will bring immeasurable losses to millions of people in the area of Sarez Lake and disaster to the ecological environment of Central Asia.

The system is a real-time monitoring system customized for the Usoi Dam in Sarez Lake. It uses the high-precision positioning and communication technology of the BeiDou system to detect millimeter-scale changes in the dam. It also connects, transmits, and analyzes data in real time.

RARE IBIS

A rare glossy ibis, once considered extinct in China, has been spotted in a nature reserve in northwest China’s Gansu Province for the first time, according to the reserve administration.

The ibis was seen at the Heihe Wetland National Nature Reserve in Zhangye City. The staff of the nature reserve has monitored the bird’s activities for a week.

The glossy ibis, a close relative of the endangered crested ibis, is currently under China’s top-level state protection. Experts once thought the species to be extinct in the country due to pollution and shrinking habitats.

RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS

China has brought out a report on rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in the country, aiming to improve diagnosis and treatment of the disease. It was initiated by the National Clinical Research Center for Dermatologic and Immunologic Diseases.

RA is a chronic autoimmune disease that can cause disability and threaten multiple organs and systems. There are about 5 million RA patients in China, with an average onset age of 45 years and a peak onset age of 50, according to the report.

The report provides a comprehensive understanding of the characteristics, diagnosis and treatment status of RA in China, which provides the scientific basis for national health authorities to formulate health policies and resource allocation, and is expected to promote standardized treatment of RA and improve the quality of life of patients.