Newsletter No. 50

CUHK NEWSLETTER services to organizations in developing countries throug h trainin g courses , workshops an d consultan t activities , and undertak e researc h int o man y a s pe c ts o f mu s h r o o m b i o l og y including cultivatio n technology , genetics an d molecula r biolog y o f mu s h r o oms, b i o c o n v e r s i o n o f agricultural an d industria l wastes , mushroom products , an d processin g and marketing . It wil l als o interac t wit h regiona l and nationa l resourc e centre s worldwide in th e provisio n o f necessar y technological back-u p suppor t fo r th e promotion o f regiona l an d nationa l development o f mushroom an d mushroom- related industries . Less Animal Protein, More Healthy The average blood-cholesterol leve l of Hong Kon g childre n rank s secon d highest i n th e world , highe r tha n tha t of American children . Recent studie s conducte d b y th e University's Paediatric s Departmen t reveal tha t th e amoun t o f dietar y fa t consumed b y Hon g Kon g childre n today i s doubl e tha t o f on e o r tw o generations ago , an d th e chang e i n eating habit s ha s le d t o hig h blood - cholesterol level s an d greate r vulnerability to coronar y hear t disease s a s these childre n gro w up . Researcher s call upo n parent s no t t o ove r emphasize the intak e o f anima l protei n an d milk bu t t o introduc e a balance d die t for their children. Nutritio n advic e for Caucasians ma y no t be valid fo r Hong Kong Chinese . The departmen t als o stage d a n exhibition entitle d 'Infan t an d Childhood Growth an d Nutrition ' a t th e Prince of Wales Hospital from 18t h t o 20th Decembe r 199 3 t o releas e thei r research findings and to alert the public of th e importanc e o f health y eatin g habits sinc e childhood . Children's Nutrition and Growth, a question-and-answe r handboo k based on the research findings for child health worker s an d parents , wa s als o published b y Th e Chines e Universit y Press t o complement th e exhibition . CUHK Help s Train Therapeutic Endoscopist s Over 30 0 gastroenterologist s fro m al l over th e worl d participate d i n th e Eighth Internationa l Worksho p o n Therapeutic Endoscop y organize d b y the University' s Facult y o f Medicin e from 30th November to 2nd Decembe r 1993. The worksho p wa s hel d a t th e Prince o f Wale s Hospita l (PWH) , an d world famou s endoscopist s wer e invited t o perfor m demonstration s o f therapeutic endoscopi c operations , th e process o f whic h wa s simultaneousl y transmitted vi a closed-circui t television to lectur e hall s an d semina r rooms. Therapeutic endoscop y i s on e o f the major advances in medicine and the PWH i s a worl d renowne d centr e o f excellence i n thi s field . Man y ne w endoscopic techniques have been pioneered here, an d man y disease s tha t required surger y in the past can now be managed withou t operation , thu s reducing bot h patien t pai n an d hospitalization costs. To mak e thes e ne w technique s more widel y availabl e i n Asia , th e University ha s establishe d a n Endoscopy Training Centr e a t th e PW H t o train youn g doctor s fro m th e region . The first batch of trainees from China, Korea an d Vietna m wil l star t trainin g in early 1994 . The First institute of Family Medicine in Hong Kon g The Hon g Kon g Institut e o f Famil y Medicine (HKIFM) , th e firs t institut e of famil y medicin e i n th e territory , was officiall y established b y th e University's Faculty o f Medicin e an d Union Hospita l las t month . The institut e i s locate d a t th e new Unio n Hospita l i n Ta i Wai , Sh a Tin, an d wil l becom e operationa l i n mid-1994. Opportunities fo r vocationa l training i n famil y medicin e ar e extremely limited i n Hong Kon g and the special missio n o f th e HKIF M i s t o provide a rang e o f advance d postgraduate training programme s i n family medicin e accordin g t o well - defined, internationall y establishe d NO.50JANUAR Y 1994 3