Newsletter No. 194

2 No. 194 19th December 2001 CUHK Newsletter Three Wei Lun Lectures by Experts in Physiology, Sociology, and Marketing T hree public lecture s were delivered by Wei Lun Visiting Professor s to the University i n November an d December 2001 . Prof. Louis J. I gna r r o, 199 8 Nobe l laureat e i n physiolog y o r medicine, delivere d a lecture entitled 'Nitri c Oxid e i n the Regulation o f Vascular Function : A Historica l Overview ' o n 23r d November i n th e Postgraduate Educatio n Centr e o f the Faculty o f Medicine . In his lecture, Prof. Ignarr o explaine d why th e study o f nitric oxid e allows fo r a n extensiv e opportunit y t o develo p nove l drug s fo r th e diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of different diseases, many of which are vascular i n origin . Prof. Ignarr o studie d pharmacology a t the University o f Columbi a and received his Ph.D. degree from the University o f Minnesota in 1966 . In 198 6 h e firs t reporte d tha t nitri c oxid e relaxe d blood vessels . Hi s findings, combine d w i t h contribution s fro m tw o othe r scientists, identifie d nitric oxid e a s a signalling molecul e in th e cardiovascula r system . Thi s discover y earne d th e three o f the m th e 199 8 Nobe l priz e fo r physiolog y o r medicine, and , mor e importantly , opene d door s fo r th e treatment o f many disease s i n the human cardiovascula r system, including hypertension, atherosclerosis, stroke, and coronary hear t disease . Prof. Ignarr o i s currentl y th e Jerome J . Belzer, M D Distinguished Professo r o f Pharmacolog y a t the UC L A School o f Medicine an d the founde r an d president o f th e Board o f Directors o f the Nitric Oxid e Society . Prof. J ohn W . Me y e r, professo r o f sociolog y a t Stanford University , delivere d a public lectur e entitle d 'Globalization, Nationa l Culture, and the Future of the World Polity' i n his capacity as Wei Lun Visiting Professor to the University. The lecture took place on 28th November in the Ho Ti m Building . Modern nationa l state s an d societie s aris e an d chang e i n a n activ e globa l environment. Thi s environmen t involve s much cultural and organizational material as well a s economic exchang e and political conflict. Globa l society is filled with cultura l material definin g ever y aspec t o f the 'proper ' nationa l stat e an d society , and with a dense network o f organizations promulgatin g th e appropriat e models. I n hi s lecture , Prof . Meye r outline d th e differen t kind s o f globalizing effect s generated by thi s system . Prof. Meye r i s wel l know n a s a founder o f an d contributo r t o th e institutional theor y i n moder n sociology . Thi s lin e o f wor k emphasize s the embeddednes s o f moder n socia l actors , f r o m i nd i v i dua l s t o organizations an d to national states, in wider external cultural models. Thus, in a much cited 1977 paper and in later books, Prof. Meyer depicted modem formal organization s a s ritualized celebrations o f externa l cultura l rules , more tha n as coherent actio n and policy systems . Throughou t hi s career , Prof. Meye r ha s emphasized empirical research along these lines . The t h i r d We i L u n Lecture , entitle d 'Th e Rac e t o Succee d i n Marketspace: Lesson s f r o m Do t - Co m Failures' , wa s delivered b y P r o f. V i j a y M a h a j a n, Joh n P . Ha r b i n Centennial Chai r i n Business o f the University o f Texas a t Austin, o n 7th December i n the Esther Lee Building . The lectur e examine d how , i n th e yea r 2000 , severa l dot-com retailer s file d fo r bankruptcy , shu t dow n thei r operations, o r faced the risk o f their stoc k being delisted o n the stoc k market . I t als o discusse d whether ther e wer e an y dot-com winner s an d if yes , who the y wer e an d what the y did righ t tha t th e other s didn't . Prof . Mahaja n base d hi s discussion o n a study conducte d i n Decembe r 200 0 an d repeated in November 2001 . Prof. Mahaja n receive d hi s B.Tech . fro m th e India n Institute o f Technology an d his MS i n chemical engineerin g and Ph.D. i n management fro m the University o f Texas at Austin. H e has researche d and written extensively on product diffusion, marketing strategy, and marketing research methodologies. H e receive d the American Marketin g Association Charle s Coolidg e Parlin Marketing Research Award in 1997 , and the A MA Marketin g Research Specia l Interest Grou p Gilber t Churchil l Award in 1999 , in recognition of his achievement s i n marketing research . Prof. Louis J. Ignarro Prof. John W. Meyer Prof. VijayMahajan Promoting Chinese Medicine and Its Collaboration wi th Western Medicine • Funde d by the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals and subsidized by the Hong Kong Jockey Club, the TWGH s Kwong Wa h Hospital—The Chines e Universit y o f Hong Kon g Chines e Medicina l Clinica l Researc h and Services Centr e (CRSC ) wa s officiall y opene d on 28th November 2001 . This newl y establishe d centre , coverin g som e 1,50 0 squar e metres , w i l l provid e no t onl y hig h quality treatment to those in need, but w i ll also serve as an important base for Chinese medicine research . The centr e houses three major units : Chines e medicine specialis t out-patien t clini c an d dispensary, da y services centr e for non-medical treatments suc h as acupuncture, and a Chinese medicine resource centr e for teaching and research. The centre is also working with the University's Institut e of Chinese Medicin e on a number o f research projects, includin g th e treatmen t o f diabeti c foo t ulcer , childhoo d perennia l allergic rhinitis , Parkinson' s disease , and facial palsy . Officiating a t the opening ceremony o f the centre were Prof. Huang Jie Fu, Vice-Minister o f Healt h of the PRC , Dr . Yeoh Eng Keong , Secretar y fo r Healt h an d Welfare o f the HKSAR Government , th e Hon. Tang Ying Yen, Steward of the Hong Kong Jockey Club, Mr. Stephe n Chow, chairman of TWGHs , and Prof. Arthur K.C . Li , vice-chancello r o f the University . • Expert s fro m mainlan d China , Taiwan , Hon g Kong , Europe , an d the U S gathere d a t th e 'Secon d TWGH s - CUHK Eddi e Wan g Symposiu m o n Complementar y Chines e an d Wester n Medicine— Integrated Approach' t o exchang e idea s o n cance r treatment , dementia , haematology , an d evidence - based research. The two-da y symposiu m wa s officiall y opene d on 30th November a t the Hong Kon g Convention an d Exhibition Centre . I t wa s organize d by th e Tun g Wa h Grou p o f Hospital s an d Th e Chinese University . • An d t o promot e educatio n i n Chines e medicine , th e Universit y w i l l launc h th e firs t tertiar y on-lin e course serie s in Chinese medicine i n the territory i n January 2002 . The course s w i ll includ e interactiv e features suc h as review question s an d forum, whic h ar e supplemente d by face-to-fac e tutorials . Tw o modules, 'Chines e Pharmacy' and 'Traditional Chines e Medicine Formulae' , w i ll be offered initially, t o be followe d b y othe r modules . Intereste d learner s ca n make us e o f th e on-lin e mod e o f learnin g t o acquire knowledg e i n Chines e medicine . Student s w i l l als o enjo y refund s o f monthl y broadban d connection fe e from the GreaterChina Technology Grou p Ltd . The on-line course series is coorganized by the Institute of Chinese Medicine, the School of Chinese Medicine, an d the Schoo l o f Continuin g Studies , an d is sponsore d by th e GreaterChin a Technolog y Group Ltd . Th e launc h ceremony , hosted by Prof . Kennet h Young, pro-vice-chancellor , too k place o n 5th Decembe r 2001 . Guest s o f honou r include d Prof . M a Lin , chairma n o f th e Boar d o f Trustee s o f Shaw College , Prof . P.C. Leun g o f th e Institut e o f Chines e Medicine , Prof . H u Shi u Ying, honorar y professor o f Chines e medicine , Mr . Le e Sz e Kuen, directo r o f the Schoo l o f Continuing Studies , an d Ms. Kitt y Cheng , chairperson and chief executive office r o f the GreaterChina Technolog y Grou p Ltd . Update on Latest in Cardiovascular Research O ver 20 0 delegate s fro m 1 4 countrie s i n fou r continent s attended a n internationa l symposiu m organize d b y th e Division o f Cardiothoracic Surger y o f the CUHK Departmen t of Surgery. The 'Firs t Symposium on Cardiovascular Science— From Bench to Bedside' too k place on 23rd and 24th November i n th e Postgraduat e Educatio n Centr e o f th e Facult y o f Medicine. The symposiu m covere d severa l importan t topic s a t th e frontier o f cardiovascular medicine , includin g nitri c oxid e an d other endotheliu m derive d factors , io n channel s an d vascula r control, hear t failure , aorti c roo t an d hear t dynamism , endothelium an d cellular protection, an d the prevention of vei n graft failure . Prof. A.S. Wechsler, edito r o f the Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, gav e a special lectur e o n the curren t roles o f a specialty medica l journal i n a time o f change . An d Prof. Loui s Ignarr o delivere d a Wei Lun Lecture . There were also poster and exhibition viewing sessions. The entire proceeding s o f this symposiu m w i l l b e published i n th e Journal of Cardiac Surgery.

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