Newsletter No. 213

Cardiac Surgery Giant Delivers Inaugural David P.W. Chan Professorial Lecture P rof. Denton A. Cooley of the Denton Cooley Texas Heart Institute in Houston, Texas was invited by the Department of Surgery to give the inaugural David P.W. Chan Professorial Lecture on 24th October 2002 at the Postgraduate Education Centre, Prince of Wales Hospital. Prof. Cooley, who created the Texas Heart Institute, is known for his contribution to the techniques for repair and replacement of diseased heart valves and his pioneering surgical treatment of cardiac anomalies in infants and children. He described his role in the early development of heart surgery in the lecture. Prof. Cooley is a member or honorary member of over 50 professional societies around the world. Among his more than 120 honours and awards are the Grand Hamdan International Award for Med i c al Science, the Na t i onal Medal o f Technology, the Medal of Freedom 一 the highest civilian award in the US, and the Rene Leriche Prize — t h e highest honour of the International Surgical Society for cardiovascular contributions. The David P.W. Chan Visiting Professorship in Cardiothoracic Surgery was set up in 2002 with a generous donation of HK$ 1 mi l l i on f r om Mr. Dav id P.W. Chan to aid surgical education and stimulate sc i en t i f ic exchange i n the f i e ld o f cardiothoracic surgery at the University. Prof. Denton Cooley and Prof. Anthony P.C. Yim, chief in cardiothoracic surgery of the Department of Surgery Engineering Student Wins Best Final Year Project M r. Chris Y.K. Lau ( l e f t ) , Prof. W. H. Liao's ( r i g h t ) student from the Department ofAutomation and Computer- Aided Engineering, was selected winner of the Best Final Year Project 2001—2 by the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers (Mechanical, Marine, Naval Architectural, and Chemical D i v i s i on ), the A SME International ( HK Section), and the Institute of Mechanical Engineers ( HK Branch). Hon g Kon g in Nee d o f More Entrepreneurial Activity , Stud y Indi cates H ong Kong's total entrepreneurial activity in 2002 is among the lowest in the world wi th only a very low percentage of its adult population initiating new ventures, according to a study conducted by the Faculty of Business Administration. The study is part of the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor, a 37-country research project to measure, on an annual basis, entrepreneurship around the world. This is the first time Hong Kong, mainland China, Taiwan, and Thailand have participated in the project. Other Asian participants include Australia, India, Japan, Korea, New Zealand, and Singapore. The study is supported by funding from the SME Development Fund, the Hong Kong Management Association's Chinese Executive Club, and the CUHK Asia-Pacific Institute of Business. The report was released at a forum held on 4th December at the Pacific Place Conference Centre in Queensway. Government, financial, and business leaders were in attendance to explore ways of revitalizing entrepreneurship in Hong Kong. Workshop Probes Timely Issue of G ender Roles and Religion R eligion has played an important part in shaping the roles of women in different cultures. It has also been at the heart of debates in the women's movement in various parts in Asia. Scholars from India, Taiwan, Australia, and Hong Kong presented their latest research and views at the Gender and Religion Workshop organized j o i n t ly by the CUHK Gender Research Centre and the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences at the City University of Hong Kong, and co-sponsored by Chung Chi College. The workshop, which took place on 2nd and 3rd December in the Esther Lee Building, consisted of three panels on topics related to gender and religion, including politics, society, and female religious specialists. News from the Faculty of Medicine • Local Children Among the World's Most Myopic A large-scale study on primary school myopia in Hong Kong by the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences found that the prevalence and incidence of myopia among primary school children are among the highest in the world. The prevalence is double that of Canada and the US and is comparable to that of Asian countries such as Taiwan and Singapore. A total of 7,560 primary school children between the ages of 5 and 16 participated in the Health Services Research Fund-supported study. The findings show that 36.7 per cent of primary school children were myopic and 144 per 1,000 children developed myopia over the one-year study period. A rising prevalence of myopia with age was also detected. The study confirmed that parental history of myopia, high visual activity index, and astigmatism are important risk factors of short-sightedness in school children in Hong Kong. The findings of the study were announced on 25th November at the Prince of Wales Hospital. •Tackling Morbid Obesity Obesity is associated with diseases including high blood pressure, high blood lipid, diabetes, obstructive sleep apnoea, coronary heart disease, degenerative arthritis, and psychosocial disability. Patients with morbid obesity have a mortality rate that is twice that of healthy people. For the morbidly obese, the only effective long-term treatment is surgical therapy. Advancement in laparoscopic surgery and the invention of the adjustable gastric band have meant rapid developments in obesity surgery. The Faculty o f Medicine has applied obesity surgery to patients w i th very encouraging results. The medical team responsible explained the necessary postoperative care for these patients on 6th November at the Postgraduate Education Centre of the Prince of Wales Hospital. Patients who had undergone the surgery were also present to share their experience. • New Centre for Diabetics The state-of-the-art Qualigenic Centre for Diabetes and Endocrine Disorders opened on 19th November at the Prince of Wales Hospital. The centre capitalizes on medical expertise from the University and the service-oriented management o f a healthcare company to provide alternative, affordable, and convenient health care plans to both diabetic patients and high risk i nd i v i dua l s. The centre i s a project facilitated by the Research and Technology Administration Office. Researchers at the Faculty of Medicine have proven, based on results of enduring research and clinical experience, that early diagnosis, risk stratification, targeted treatment, and patient education can minimize the risks o f developing major complications and save lives. • Lack of Public Awareness of Breast Cancer A population survey conducted by the Faculty of Medicine on 1,000 female subjects aged between 18 and 69 reveals that public knowledge of early detection of breast cancer is minimal. Even among subjects who know about mammographic screening, few actually agreed to undergo screening every year. The study also found many misconceptions about breast cancer treatment, with many subjects believing that mastectomy is the only surgical option. The results of the survey were released on 27th November at the Prince of Wales Hospital. • Studies Cast Doubt on Acupuncture's Stroke-related Benefit In Western countries, stroke survivors undergo physical, occupational, and speech therapy and conventional stroke rehabilitation. Most stroke patients in China do not have access to these therapies. They are often provided with acupuncture and routine medical and nursing care. The number of stroke patients who are left wi th severe disability ranges from a third to two-thirds of the survivors according to studies. Dr. Frank Sze Kai-hoi of the Department of Medicine and Therapeutics studied 1,213 patients, both in China and overseas, and compared patient motor impairment and disability outcomes among patients receiving Western-style stroke rehabilitation therapy or Chinese-style conventional medical and nursing care wi th and without acupuncture therapy within the first six months of a stroke. He found that acupuncture adds little to conventional stroke rehabilitation in terms of motor recovery. The findings of the study were published in the November issue of Stroke. Prof. Ambrose King, vice-chancellor, and Dr. C.H. Leong, chairman of the Hospital Authority, officiating at the opening ceremony of the centre 3 No. 213 19th December 2002