Newsletter No. 244

HK's Fi rst Frozen-Egg- and Frozen-Sperm Ba by A healthy baby was bom on 29th April 2004 following the transfer of blastocysts derived from frozen-thawed eggs fertilized with frozen-thawed sperm. The good news was announced by the Assisted Reproduction Technology team of the Faculty of Medicine. To the best of the team's knowledge, this is the first report in Hong Kong of a live birth using this method. The patient was a 37-year-old woman who had a five-year history of tubal occlusion. A total of 23 eggs were collected from the woman and frozen. Fourteen were thawed and 10 survived. These were inseminated with her husband's frozen-thawed sperm using the intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) technique. Eight eggs were fertilized and developed into early embryos on the third day. Two embryos developed into blastocysts on day 5 and were transferred back to the woman's uterus. On the 35th week of gestation, a healthy baby boy weighing 3.14 kg was bom. Successful pregnancies using frozen-thawed human eggs are difficult to achieve. According to a recent survey, fewer than 70 live births have been reported throughout the world in the past 15 years. The potential applications of the ICSI technique i n assisted reproduction include problematic sperm production at the time of egg collection, egg donation programmes, and i n countries prohibiting embryo freezing, preservation of fertility for young women with malignancy prior to radiotherapy or chemotherapy. 2003 CUHK Graduates Register Encouraging Employability A graduate employment survey shows that the employment rate and salary level of the 2003 graduates of The Chinese University are highly satisfactory despite unfavourable economic conditions. A graduate employment survey conducted by the Career Planning and Development Centre of the Office of Student Affairs of the University shows that as at end of 2003, about 97 per cent of CUHK graduates were either employed or pursuing further studies and the average monthly salary for those employed was HK$ 13,831. The highest monthly salary received by a graduate was HK$85,000. The average number of offers received by a graduate is two. These figures are encouraging in view of the unfavourable economic conditions brought about by the SARS outbreak in 2003. The survey, conducted by means of questionnaires and telephone interviews from November to December 2003, covered all full-time, first-degree CUHK graduates of 2003. Of the 2,502 respondents, some 70 per cent hadjoined the commerce and industry sector, followed by education (13 per cent), social and public organizations (12.2 per cent), and government (2.3 per cent). The top six career fields for CUHK graduates were, i n descending order, computer and information technology/e-business, accounting/auditing, administration/management, teaching, marketing, and medical and health care. In terms of job satisfaction, over 90 per cent indicated satisfaction with their current jobs. New Asia-Yale-China : Th e Firs t 5 0 Year s Celebratio n and Reunio n I n 1954, a formal co-operation between Asia College and the Yale- China Association began. This flourished into a long, fruitful, and mutually beneficial relationship between the two parties. To celebrate the 50th anniversary of cooperation, the t wo institutions held various academic, cultural and reunion activities i n Hong Kong from 17th to 19th June. These included a 50th Anniversary Symposium held on 17th June i n the Mong Man Wai Building, a school visit, student presentations, a cultural boat tour, a brunch talk on modem architecture, and a gala closing banquet. A l l were warmly received by the over 80 overseas guests of the Yale-China Association, New Asia alumni and trustees, Hong Kong Yale Club members, as well as University and college members, and students. Panel discussion of the 50th Anniversary Symposium Recognition for 34 Years of Dedicated Service A Dinner in Honour of Prof. Ambrose Y.C. Ki ng T he fifth Vice-Chancellor of The Chinese University of Hong Kong Prof. Ambrose Y.C. King retired from University service on 30th June 2004 after 34 years of dedicated service. Friends and former colleagues threw a dinner at Hotel Conrad on 26th June to bid him farewell. In attendance were close to 600 University Council members, University staff, alumni, students, and guests, including former Vice- Chancellors Prof. Ma Lin, Prof. Charles K. Kao, and Prof. Arthur K.C. Li, Vice-Chancellor designate Prof. Lawrence J. Lau, Chief Justice Andrew Li, and chairperson of the University Grants Committee Dr. Alice Lam. Speeches were delivered by chairman of the University Council Dr. Edgar W.K. Cheng and chairman of the CUHK Convocation Ms. Lina Yan. A short video featuring Prof. King's contributions to CUHK and the academic world at different stages of his career was shown. Prof. Rance Lee and Prof. Henry Wong also delivered valedictory speeches on behalf of the Department of Sociology and New Asia College. To thank Prof. King for three decades of contribution, the University presented him with a gilded replica of the University crest. Prof. Jao Tsung-I, Wei Lun Honorary Professor, personally delivered a painting w i th his calligraphy. Other souvenirs included a painting of the Pavilion of Harmony of New Asia College, a pagodite sculpture from members of the Department of Sociology, and an auspicious crystal decoration from the CUHK Federation of Alumni Associations. In his farewell address, Prof. King said that the University had given him a 'wonderful 32 years of teaching, research, and writing. The experience couldn't have been better.' But he also admitted he had been yearning to 'read at leisure, write for pleasure, and roam the world without commitment to alarm clocks' after his retirement. Dr. Edgar Cheng (left) presenting a gilded replica of the University crest to Prof. Ambrose King Wrap-up of 40th Anniversary Celebrations Conference on Internet Communication Close to 30 outstanding local and overseas scholars shared research experience in Internet communication at the International Conference on Internet Communication in Intelligent Societies held from 8th to 10th July at Cho Yiu Conference Hall. The event, organized by the School of Journalism and Communication, was held in celebration of the University's 40th anniversary. Its aim was to examine the usage and impact of the Internet in the modem world from various perspectives. Engineering Summer Camp Over 70 senior formers f r om different secondary schools in Hong Kong had a taste of modem technology and university life simultaneously at the Engineering Summer Camp organized by the Faculty of Engineering and the Hong Kong Joint School Electronics and Computer Society at the end of July. The camp, entitled 'Technology in Modem Life', was held in celebration of the 40th anniversary of the University. Its aim was to boost local students' interest in engineering studies. During the three-day camp, the students had a chance to learn and apply new technology in 3-D games, robocon, microprocessors, home networking, and web technology. Prof. Kenneth Young (right 3, front row), pro-vice-chancellor, officiating at the opening ceremony New Treatment for Diabetic Macular Edema D iabetes Mellitus is increasingly a major health problem in Hong Kong and the world. It affects the retina i n two major ways: hypoxia can lead to abnormal new blood vessel formation (neovascularization) and leakage can cause swelling of the central retina (macular edema). While hypoxia can be satisfactorily treated most of the time by timely laser, macular edema is the main cause of poor vision in diabetic patients. Currently the only proven treatment for diabetic retinopathy is laser. While laser treatment can treat hypoxia and neovascularization satisfactorily and prevent complications, its effect on macular edema is less promising. And although macular laser has been proven to reduce the risk of moderate to severe visual loss, few patients have visual gain after laser in the long term. Moreover laser treatment may bring side-effects such as macular scar formation. In 2000, researchers in Germany pioneered the injection of triamcinolone acetonide, a steroid, into the vitreous cavity of the eyeball to treat diabetic macular edema. There have been many reports of success in improving the vision of patients with such injections, even for those who did not respond to laser. There are various clinical trials using intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide injection to treat diabetic macular edema at the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences of the University. Prof. Dennis S.C. Lam, chairman of the department, explained that the procedure only takes a few minutes and can be performed in an eye clinic. It can also be administered at the end of cataract surgery to patients with both cataracts and mucular edema. The results have so far been encouraging. 2 No. 244 4th September 2004

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