Newsletter No. 273

Support for 10 Projects T he following 10 research projects undertaken by faculty members of the University have succeeded in attracting funding suppor t from different quarters: • Structural Optimization for High Dynamic Performance in Electronics Manufacturing Equipment (HK$2,047,000) Sponsors: Innovation and Technology Commission, and ASM Assembly Automation Ltd. Principal investigator: Prof. Michael Yu Wang (Department of Automation and Computer- Aided Engineering) Investigator: Prof. Yao Zhiyang • Whole-person Development Strategies for Youth in Macau, Pilot Study (HK$229,770) Sponsor: Direc ç g ä o dos Servicos de Educa çä o e Juventude, Governo da Regi ä o Administrativa Especial de Macau Principal investigator: Prof. Ngai Ngan Pun (Department o f Social Work) • Develop Technologies and Facilities to Design and Build Mechanical Watch Movements (HK$54,000,000) Sponsor: Innovation and Technology Fund Principal investigator: Prof. Du Ruxu (Department of Automation and Computer-Aided Engineering) Investigators: Prof. Le o Lau, Prof. Xu Y angshang, and Prof. Yam Yeung • Pre-clinical Study of New Drug Candidate LC978 for the Therapy of Human Leukemia, Sickle Cell Anemia and Beta-thalassemia (HK2,600,000) Sponsors: Innovation and Technology Fund, an d CK Life Sciences Development Ltd. Principal investigator: Prof. Fung Ming Chiu (Department of Biology) CUHK investigators: Prof. Leung Ping Chung, Prof. Chik Ki Wai, and Prof. Gregory Cheng • Ion Beam Synthesis and Modification of Metal Nanoclusters in Dielectric Substrates (HK$26,600) Sponsor: German/Hong Kong Joint Research Scheme Principal investigator: Prof. Wong Sai-peng (Department of Electronic Engineering) • Influenza-like Illness in Residential Care Homes: A Study of the Incidence, Aetiological Agents, Natural History, and Health Resource Utilization (HK$826,111) Sponsor: Research Fund for the Control of Infectious Diseases Principal investigator: Prof. Jea n Woo (School of Public Health) • The Epidemiology, Disease Spectrum and Genetic Diversity of Human Coronavirus NL63 in Children (HK$662,680) Sponsor: Research Fund for the Control of Infectious Diseases Principal investigator: Dr. Leung Ting-fan (Department of Paediatrics) • Whole Genome Scan of Genetic Susceptibility for Hepatitis B Carriers (HK$798,600) Sponsor: Research Fund for the Control of Infectious Diseases Principal investigator: Prof. Lam Ching-wan (Department of Chemical Pathology) • Identification of Liver Cirrhosis-specific Glycoforms of Serum Proteins from Patients with Chronic Hepatitis B infection by Differential Lectin Affinity Chromatography and Quantitative Proteomic Profiling (HK$694,680) Sponsor: Researc h Fund for the Control of Infectious Diseases Principal investigator: Prof. Terence Poon Chuen-wai (Department of Medicine and Therapeutics) • Development of an In Vitro Cell Culture Model for Human Noroviruses and Its Clinical Application (HK$768,840) Sponsor: Research Fund for the Control of infectious Diseases Principal investigator: Dr. Leung Wai-keung (Department of Medicine and Therapeutics) POSTSTROKE DEMENT IA IN THE L IMELIGH T B oth dementia an d stroke are ma j o r hea l th p r o b l ems in Chinese societies and poststroke dementia (PSD) is more common among Chinese stroke patients than Caucasian. The Department of Med i c i ne a n d T h e r a p e u t i c s a n d t h e Department of Psychiatry j o i n t ly c o n d u c t ed a s t u dy to e x a m i ne t he prevalence and clinical correlates of PSD in Chinese stroke patients in Hong Kong . Two hundred and eighty stroke patients who were consecutively admitted to the Prince of Wales Hospital were interviewed by a psychiatrist three months after their stroke. The presence of dementia and vascular dementia were diagnosed and a range of demographic and clinical variables were examined. It was found that 20 per cent of the participants had PSD. The risk factors of PSD were poor cognitive function prior to stroke, severe stroke, cerebral atrophy, middle cerebral artery involvement, and white matter changes. With an ageing population, the burden of stroke and PSD will continue to escalate. The presence of dementia further increases the disability and dependence in stroke patients w h o a l r eady have mo t or i mp a i r me n t. Measures to prevent stroke is thus of paramount importance. Apart from treating the stroke, specific agents are also available to treat and prevent dementia after stroke. Carers and relatives of stroke patients should be aware of the problem and inform doctors if dementia is suspected to have occurred after stroke. (From left) Prof. Lawrence Wong, Prof. Tang Wai-kwong, and Dr. Vincent Mok announcing the results of the study at a press conference held on 18th January 2006 at the Postgraduate Education Centre, Prince of Wales Hospital Suicide I dea t i on i n Adolescents R esearchers at the Department of Psychology have demonstrated that adolescents' perceptions of academic and family climates are s i g n i f i c a n t ly a s s o c i a t ed w i t h reports of depression and suicide ideation. The research consisted of two parts. The first focused on how three academic-related factors : academic self-concept, tes t anxiety a n d p e r c e i v e d p a r e n t s ' dissatisfaction, are associated with depression and suicide ideation among Hong Kong adolescents. A n a l y s i s o f a n s w e r s t o questionnaires from 327 female students aged 13-18 found 47 per c e n t r e p o r t ed s ome s u i c i de ideation. Higher test anxiety, lower a c a d e m i c s e l f - c o n c e pt a nd p e r c e i v i n g t hat pa r en ts we r e dissatisfied w i th their academic performance are related to higher levels of depression and suicide ideation. In particular, there was a h i gh c o r r e l a t i on b e t we en test anxiety and depression. The second part explored the i m p o r t a n c e o f p a r e n t s in adolescents' psychological health. Amo ng 189 boys and 18 2 girls aged 14-20, 52.6 per cent reported some suicide ideation. Significantly more females than males were identified as suicide ideators. Low levels of f am i ly c o h e s i on and support and high levels of parent- adolescent conflict were found to be related to h i gher levels of depression and suicide ideation in both genders. Perceiving that one's f a m i l y is e m o t i o n a l ly c l o s e, i n s t r ume n t a l l y s u p p o r t i ve and relatively low in conflicts are all i n d e p e n d e n t ly associated w i t h lower distress levels in both male and female students. These t wo studies p r o v i de i n s i g h t i n t o H o n g K o n g a d o l e s c e n t s' d e p r e s s i on and suicide ideation. They show that there are independent, measurable aspects of both academic pressure and family environment that are associated with depression and, in turn, suicide ideation. Both school- and family-related anxieties are very important in understanding adolescent depression and suicide ideation, particularly in Hong Kong with strong traditions of striving for academic excellence and family harmony. The research was led by Prof. Catherine McBride-Chang of the Department of Psychology and the results are published in the journal of Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior in February 2006. Experts Meet at Theoretical Translation Symposium T he Department of Translation held th e wo r l d 's first-ever International Symposium on ' New Horizon in Theoretical Translation Studies' on 19th and 20th January at the Cho Yiu Conference Hall. The event offered different perspectives, including linguistics, culture and social sciences, of developin g translation studies into an interdisciplinary discipline, as well as opportunities for exchange of ideas and cooperation. Inaugurated by Prof. Kenneth Young, pro-vice-chancellor, and Prof. Gilbert Fong, chairman of the Department of Translation, the event featured 23 renowned translation studies scholars from Europe, North and South America, Mainland China and Hong Kong. The papers delivered at the conference included 'Translation without Translators' by Theo Hermans, 'Communicative Purposes across Cultural Boundaries: A Skopos-oriented App r oach to T r an s l a t i on ' by Ch r i s t i ane No r d, and ' T r ans l a t i on Theo r y: Monolingual, Bilingual, or Multilingual' by Edwi n Gentzler. The conference was co-sponsored by Chung Chi College, New Asia College, Shaw College, United College and the Faculty of Arts. 2 No. 273 19th February 2006