Newsletter No. 259

Institute Aimsto Alleviate Hearing Problems of Hong Kong Seniors T he Ear and Hearing Assessment Project for the Elderly was launched by the Institute of Human Communicative Research of the Chinese University from June to October 2004. Its aim was to better understand the problem of hearing impairment in Hong Kong's elderly population. Funded by the CUHK Convocation, the project provided over 1,000 seniors aged 60 or above in Hong Kong with a one-stop free hearing screening and ear examination service. Participants could also acquire information on ear health from on-site panel displays and health talks conducted by ear, nose and throat specialists. The survey found that one in five seniors with hearing loss has depressive symptoms and that, besides depression, hearing loss may cause sadness, paranoia, anxiety and decrease in social activity. The researchers suggest that attention to the problem would significantly improve the well-being and mental health of the elderly. And timely diagnosis and rehabilitation can prevent the deterioration of hearing abilities and lead to better communication skills. The institute will proceed to investigate if the provision of hearing aid leads to better mental health in seniors. Press conferences were held on 22nd November 2004 and 20th March 2005 to raise public awareness of ear health. Study Illuminates Emotional Side of Stroke Prof. Lawrence Wong (left) and Prof. W.K. Tang announcing the findings of their research S troke may cause emotional problems in surviving patients besides physical disability. Overseas studies have shown that post-stroke depression (PSD) has an adverse effect on the speed of recovery, length of hospital stay, functional outcome, quality of life, suicide rate, and mortality of patients. The Department of Psychiatry and the Department of Medicine and Therapeutics of the Chinese University have conducted a series of studies to examine mood disorders in post-stroke patients in Hong Kong. In 1999, the researchers examined the frequency of PSD in 157 first- time Chinese stroke patients in the territory and it was found that the frequency of all depressive disorders was 17.2 per cent. In 2002, another study was conducted to evaluate the psychosocial, clinical, and radiological predictors of PSD in 189 Chinese patients. Three months after stroke, 16.4 per cent of the subjects were found to suffer from PSD which included major depression, minor depression or dysthymia. Risk factors for PSD were the female gender, lower educational level, subcortical infarcts, high number of life events in the previous 12 months, and lesions in the anterior cerebral artery territory. Social support was found to be a protective factor. Another common mood disorder inflicting post-stroke patients is emotional incontinence, a distressin g and socially disabling problem involving episodes of uncontrollable laughter, crying or both. In 2002 the CUHK researchers explored the frequency and the clinical and radiological correlates of emotional incontinence in 127 Chinese stroke patients in Hong Kong. The frequency was found to be 17.9 per cent according to one criteria and 6.3 per cent according to another. Forty per cent of all patients with emotional incontinence also had concurrent PSD. Risk factors for emotional incontinence were young age, previous history of depression, a higher total score on the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale, and cortical infarcts. The researchers concluded that although mood disorders affect many post-stroke patients, treatment has been effective. Patients and their carers should, therefore, have a greater awareness of the problems and seek professional help. CUHK Music Graduate Wins Top DissertationPrize A t the annual conference of the Society for Western Music held in Shanghai, Zheng Zhong ( r i gh t ) , former Ph.D. student at the Chinese University was awarded first prize for his dissertation 'A Study of Messiaen's Solo Piano Works' by 12 eminent scholars in the field. The event was held from 27th to 30th March 2005 under the auspices of the Chinese Musicians' Association, the Shanghai Conservatory of Mu s i c, the Central Conservatory of Music, and the Conservatory of Hangzhou Teachers' College. The largest of its kind ever held in China, the conference attracted an unprecedented number of delegates from over 20 institutions in China and overseas. At the conference, a large number of Ph.D. dissertations completed after January 2000 were also vetted anonymously. Mr. Zheng Zhong's dissertation was ranked above submissions from such top-tiered music schools as the Central Conservatory of Music and the Shanghai Conservatory of Music. Se r v i c e t o t h e C o m m u n i t y a n d I n t e r n a t i o n a l O r g a n i z a t i o ns • Dr. Anthony Edward James, director of the Laboratory Animal Services Centre, has been re-appointed by the Chief Executive of the HKSAR as a member of the Advisory Council on Food and Environmental Hygiene for two years from 1st April 2005. • Prof. Liu Pak Wai, pro-vice-chancellor, has been re-appointed by the Chief Executive of the HKSAR as a member of the Independent Commission on Remuneration for members of the Executive Council and the Legislature of the HKSAR for three years from 1st April 2005. • Prof. Suzanne Ho Chan Sut Ying, professor of community and family medicine, has been re-appointed by the Hospital Authority Board as a member of the Hospital Governing Committee of Cheshire Home (Shatin) for two years from 1st April 2005. She has also been appointed as a visiting professor of the School of Public Health of Sun Yat-sen University from January 2005 to December 2007. • Prof. Joseph Lau Tak Fai, director of the Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, has been invited to join the editorial board of Child Abuse Neglect: The International Journal from April 2005. He has also been appointed as a member of the Ethic Committee, Shenzhen Municipal Centres for Chronic Disease Control and Prevention for four years from 7th April 2005. • Prof. Helen Meng , professor in the Department of Systems Engineering and Engineering Management, has been invited by Tsinghua University, Beijing to be adjunct professor in the Chair Professor Project, Department of Computer Science and Technology. Award Prof. Leung Ho Fung, associate professor in the Department of Computer Science and Eng i nee r i ng, has bee n awarded the designation of Chartered Scientist by the Science Council, United Kingdom. (Information in this section is provided by the Information and Public Relations Office. Contributions should be sent direct to that office for registration and verification before publication.) 中大通訊 CUHK NEWSLETTER 網址 website http://www.cuhk.edu.hk/puo/ 1. 本刊逢四日及十九日出版。 2. 來函或投稿請寄沙田香港中文大學秘書處出版事務處《中大通訊》 編輯部（電話 2609 8584 ，傳真 2603 6864 ，電郵 pub2@uab.msmail. cuhk.edu.hk )。 3. 投稿者須附真實姓名、地址及聯絡電話，文章則可用筆名發表。 4. 編輯有權刪改及決定是否刊登來稿，不欲稿件被刪者請預先聲明。 5. 本刊所載文章只反映作者之觀點和意見，並不代表校方或本刊立場。 6. 所有內容未經編者書面准許，不得轉載。 7. 本刊每期發行三千九百份，免費供校內教職員索閱，部分郵寄本地 教育機構及與大學有關人士。私人索閱，請致函本刊查詢。 1. The Newsletter is published on the 4th and 19th of each month. 2. A ll contributions and suggestions should be sent to the Editor, CUHK Newsletter, Publication Office, University Secretariat, The Chinese University of Hong Kong (tel. 2609 8584; fax. 2603 6864; e-mail pub2@uab.msmail.cuhk.edu.hk). 3. Contributions should bear the writer's name and contact telephone number, and may be published under pseudonyms. No anonymous letters will be published. 4. The Editor reserves the right to reject contributions and to edit all articles without notice for reasons of clarity, length or grammar. Those who do not want to have their articles amended should indicate clearly in writing. 5. The views expressed in the CUHK Newsletter are those of the authors, and are not necessarily those of the University or the Editor. 6. No part of this newsletter may be reproduced without the written consent of the Editor. 7. This publication has a circulation of 3,900 and is primarily intended for staff members of CUHK. Copies are also sent to local educational institutions and individuals associated with the University. Those who wish to be included on the mailing list please contact the Newsletter direct. 截稿日期 Deadlines for Contributions 期數 Issue no. 出版日期 Issue date 截稿日期 Deadline for contributions 260 19.5.2005 4.5.2005 261 4.6.2005 19.5.2005 262 19.6.2005 6.6.2005 暑期特刊 Summer Supplement 19.8.2005 8.8,2005 263 4.9,2005 22.8.2005 264 19.9.2005 5.9.2005 265 4.10.2005 20.9.2005 266 19.10.2005 5.10.2005 267 4.11.2005 21.10.2005 香港中文大學出版事務處出版 編輯：左冠輝 助理編輯：李琪 陳思祥 陳偉珠 蔡世彬(執行）製作：梁淑嫻 Published by the Publication Office, The Chinese University of Hong Kong Editor: Chor Koon Fai Assistant Editors: Florence Chan, Piera Chen, Lawrence Choi (Executive), Lee Kei Graphic Designer: Pony Leung 印刷：鮑思高印刷有限公司 Printing: Don Bosco Printing Co. Ltd. 2 No. 259 4th May 2005