Bulletin Number Four 1983

Production has conducted two research projects with considerable success. One is the production of food proteins from treated sewage wastes and the other is the production of straw mushrooms from cotton wastes and used tea leaves. The former Hung On-To Research Centre for Machine Translation, in its on-going experimentation in machine translation of languages, successfully designed the Chinese University Language Translator. A Glossary of the Mathematical and Computing Sciences and later its expanded edition have also been compiled to facilitate output in machine translation. After reorganization, the above Centres are renamed Research Laboratories and placed under the respective Department of Biology and Computer Science. Another major research unit is the Marine Science Laboratory. Studies on the complete culture of the pair-prawn, Tenaeus orientalis; mass production of sand-shrimp fry, Metatenaeus ensis, water pollution of Tolo Harbour; marine life in Tolo Harbour, including induced spawning, rearing of young fish, growth rates and feeding, population densities in the cages and diseases are some of the important research projects undertaken by the Laboratory. The main objective of the Chinese Medicinal Material Research Centre is to undertake laboratory investigation of certain selected Chinese medicinal herbs in order to establish their true therapeutic value on a scientific basis. Research has been carried out on antifertility herbs, anti- hypertension herbs and herbs affecting hepatic function. Since 1980, a large amount of information on Chinese medicines has been computerized, facilitating cross reference, retrieval and link-up with western computerized medical and scientific data-base. The Centre has received generous local support for the establishment of a Chinese Medicine Research Fund and an interdisciplinary Research Laboratory. It is noteworthy that the University has been designated by the World Health Organization as one of the Collaborating Research Centres for research on indigenous plants for fertility regulation and the Hong Kong Centre ranks second to the Chicago Centre. As for research in the Faculty of Medicine, major projects carried out by the pre-clinical departments are as follows: Anatomy: Normal and pathological skin structure and function; culture and electron microscopy of cancer cells; development and function of the eye and spinal cord; primate locomotion. Pharmacology: Narcotic analgesics in hospital practice; role of certain hormones in drug and steroid metabolism; effects of opiates on the nervous system. Physiology: Physiology and pathophysiology of the skin senses; microcirculation and the effects of various agents; blood transport and renal secretion of certain ions; action of thyroid hormones and analogs. Business Management Studies A highly developed commercial city like Hong Kong provides ample research material for business studies. At the same time the commercial 51