Newsletter No. 254

Service to the Community and International Organizations • Prof. Liu Pak Wai, pro-vice-chancellor, has been re-appointed by the Chief Executive of the HKSAR as a member of the Manpower Development Committee for two years from 1st January 2005. He has also been appointed by the Financial Secretary as a non- executive director of the Securities and Futures Commission for two years from 1st January 2005. • Prof. Daniel Shek Tan Lei, professor in the Department of Social Work, has been re-appointed by the Chief Executive of the HKSAR as a member of the Independent Police Complaints Council for two years from 1st January 2005. • Prof. Fanny Cheung Miu Ching, professor of psychology, has been re-appointed by the Chief Executive of the HKSAR as a non- official member of the Women's Commission up to 14th January 2006. • Prof. Bernard Lim Wan Fung, professor in the Department of Architecture, has been appointed by the Chief Executive of the HKSAR as a member of the Antiquities Advisory Board for two years from 1st January 2005. • Prof. Kwok Siu Tong, professor in the Department of History, has been re-appointed by the Chief Executive of the HKSAR as a member of the Antiquities Advisory Board for two years from 1st January 2005. • Prof. Chan Wing Wall, professor of music, has been re-appointed by the Chief Executive of the HKSAR as a member of the general committee of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Society for one year from 1st November 2004. • Prof. Leung Ho Fung, associate professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, has been elevated to the grade of senior member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). Awards • Prof. Lau Wan Yee Joseph, professor of surgery, has been awarded the first annual Endoscopies Award jointly presented by endoscopic medical academic institutions in China, the Central South University, academic groups and research institutions, and the academic committee of the Endoscopic Medicine Academic Seminar in September 2004. • Prof. S.T. Chang, emeritus professor of biology and director of the Centre for International Services to Mushroom Biotechnology, was awarded the Magnolia Silver Award by the Shanghai Municipal People's Government on 10th September 2004 for his support for Shanghai's development. (Information in this section is provided by the Information andPublic Relations Office. Contributions should be sent direct to that office for registration and verification before publication.) New Si t -Out Terrace and Student Un i on Of f i ce Open at Shaw Col lege T he o f f i c i a l open i n g an d n am i n g ceremony o f Dr. Tan Siu-lin Terrace o f Shaw Colleg e too k plac e o n 7t h January , Founder's Da y o f th e college . Th e ne w facility, situate d on the podium behind Ku o Mou Hal l wit h a n outdoor caf e overlookin g the sceni c Tol o Harbour , was opened by th e Honourable Bernar d Chan , JP , and Dr . Ta n Siu-lin. I t was built in celebration of the 19t h anniversary o f Sha w Colleg e an d name d after it s sponso r Dr . Ta n Siu-lin , colleg e trustee an d chairman o f th e Association o f Hong Kon g Quanzho u Charit y Promotion . Over 25 0 guest s attende d the ceremony . On 21st January, the new Sha w Colleg e Student Unio n Office, located on the groun d level o f Kuo Mo u Hall , wa s opened . Guest s an d student s i n attendanc e wer e give n a tour o f the ne w location whic h ha d been selected fo r it s convenience . Th e servic e hour s o f the new offic e ar e 7.0 0 t o 10.00 p.m., Monda y t o Friday . (From left) Prof. Ma Lin, chairman of the Board of Trustees of Shaw College, Dr.Ta n Siu-lin, Mr. Bernard Chan, and Prof. Ching Pak-chung, head of Shaw College Medical Faculty Walk Their Talk for Tsumani Victims O n 9t h January , ove r 30 0 staff , students , friends , an d famil y members o f th e Facult y o f Medicin e too k par t i n a charit y walk a t the Peak t o raise fund s fo r tsunam i an d earthquake victim s in Sout h Asia . Th e even t wa s organize d b y seve n healthcar e organizations an d Legislative Counci l member s representin g th e health car e sectors , Dr. K.K . Kwo k an d Dr . Josep h Lee . The HK $ 1 millio n raise d w i l l b e given t o th e disaste r victim s by Oxfa m Hon g Kong an d World Vision Hon g Kong fo r relie f an d rehabilitation purposes . Management Briefing Session far Staff T he Management Briefing Session was held on 21st January at the Chung Chi Staff Club. Around 160 senior non-teaching staff members attended the gathering during which the University management shared with them the progress and future of the University's development. A one-minute silence was observed before the session in memory of the victims of the South Asia tsunami, and Prof. Dennis Lo of the Department of Physics and his family who have been reported missing. The session was followed by a fellowship dinner in which participants enjoyed games and a singing performance put up by colleagues. RevisiontoUS Guidelines for Coronary Heart Patients Proven Necessary A spirin prevents cloggin g o f blood vessels and reduces the ris k of heart attac k an d stroke. Yet i t als o doubles the risk o f ulce r bleeding. Adding a proton-pump inhibitor , a potent acid suppressing drug, t o aspiri n effectivel y reduce s th e ris k o f bleeding . Th e Ame r i c an Colleg e o f Ca r d i o l og y an d th e Ame r i c a n Hear t Association strongl y recommen d the use of Plavix , a n anti-platele t drug tha t prevent s cloggin g o f bloo d vessel s i n plac e o f aspirin . However i t is unknown whether, for patients with a history o f ulcer, Plavix i s bette r tha n a combination o f aspiri n an d proton-pum p inhibitor. The Departmen t o f Medicine an d Therapeutics performe d th e first double-blin d randomize d tria l t o compar e Plavi x w i t h a combination o f aspirin and proton-pump inhibito r fo r patient s wh o had had ulcer bleeding . A tota l o f 32 0 patient s wh o ha d coronar y heart disease or stroke were randomly assigne d to eithe r regime fo r a year. I t wa s foun d that , within a year, the ris k o f recurren t ulce r bleeding was over 1 0 times highe r i n patients receiving Plavix tha n those receiving aspiri n plus a proton-pump inhibitor . Prof. Franci s K.L. Chan , leade r o f the project, conclude d tha t contrary t o curren t U S guidelines , Plavi x i s contraindicate d i n patients wh o canno t tolerat e aspirin . Th e result s wer e published i n the 20t h January issu e o f The New England Journal of Medicine. UCToastmasters Programme PolishStudents' Speaking Skills Over 50 student s o f Unite d College participate d i n a toastmaster d emo n s t r a t i o n meeting o n 8t h January . Th e meeting i s part o f the Buddin g To a s t ma s t e rs P r o g r amm e l a u n c h ed b y th e Dea n o f Students' O f f i c e o f Un i t e d College t o improv e th e publi c speaking skill s o f it s students . The meetin g wa s organize d with th e advic e an d assistanc e of Ms. Irene Chen and Mr. Tali s Wong, experienced toastmasters and representatives o f the Hon g Kong branc h o f Toastmaster s International, an d adviser s o f the programme includin g Prof . Alaster Lau , Dr . Josep h Hung , Mr. Jeremia h Wong , Ms . Tess a Stewart, an d Ms. Susa n Ng . The colleg e ha s schedule d a serie s o f eigh t speechcraf t workshops startin g o n 13t h January fo r it s students . Th e college als o has plans t o se t up and formally charte r the Unite d College Toastmaster s Clu b b y the summe r o f 2005 . Corrigendum In th e new s articl e entitle d 'Celebration fo r Socia l Wor k Graduates' carrie d i n the las t issue of the Newsletter (Ho. 253 ), the studen t representative s attending the celebration should have come from the Ph.D. and M.Phil. Programmes, the Master of Social Work Programme, the Master of Social Science and the Master o f Arts i n Social Wor k Programmes, the Master of Arts in Family Counselling and Family Education Programme , and the Postgraduate Diploma in Social Work Programme. 2 No. 254 4th February 2005