Annual Report 2014–15

For almost a decade, Professor Li and his collaborators have been collecting data from NGC 6334, which is a massive star forming site at a distance of about 5,500 light years from Earth. They focused on mapping B-field morphologies in the NGC 6334 region and with various gas densities. This has allowed them to study the process from cloud formation, cloud fragmentation to cloud core (stellar wombs) formation. They found that the B-field is dynamically important in determining process of cloud formation, cloud fragmentation and cloud core formation, contradicting the mainstream assumption that turbulence is the single major protagonist regulating star formation. The findings have been published recently in Nature in April 2015. NewMaterial for Osteoporosis-related Bone Fracture Led by Prof. Qin Ling ( centre ), professor (non-clinical), Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, a team developed an innovative bone implant for bone fixation in patients with osteoporotic fractures. The new implant was created by combining biodegradable magnesium (Mg) and conventional metals. 李教授及其團隊花了近十年時間，蒐 集與地球相距約五千五百光年、名為 NGC 6334巨型星雲的數據，並致力繪 製磁場的形態，以研究星雲的形成、 分裂及星雲核心（星體孕育之處）的 形成。 他們發現，磁場不論對星雲形成、 碎裂及核心形成都有關鍵影響。研究 結果在2015年4月獲著名國際科學 雜誌《自然》刊登，預計此發現將 顛覆天文學界一貫以來有關星體形成 之理論。 研發有助骨折手術的新物料 由矯形外科及創傷學系實驗室主任秦 嶺教授（中）領導的研究團隊，研發 出結合可生物分解鎂金屬與傳統材 料製成的骨內固定物，可應用於骨質 疏鬆性骨折固定手術。 該團隊發現鎂金屬製成的骨螺絲釘與 人體骨骼的力學特徵相似，並可在體 內分解，分解後形成的鎂離子，能刺 激骨膜神經末端分泌神經遞質釋放， 促進骨膜內的幹細胞進行成骨分化， 形成更多新骨。根據臨床前測試數 據，鎂金屬固定物可有效提高癒合的 骨骼強度和縮短復原時間各三成。 此外，鎂金屬價格低廉，預計相比現 有醫用金屬成本低百分之五十。 有關研究成果於2015年第四十三屆 「日內瓦國際發明展」上獲頒發銀 獎。 NGC 6334 圖片來源：Sarah Willis, 哈佛—史密松天體物理中心 Courtesy: Sarah Willis, Harvard-Smithsonian Centre for Astrophysics 香港中文大學年報 CUHK Annual Report 2014 – 2015 27