Newsletter No. 463

6 463 • 19.9.2015 字裏高科 Tech Talks 寶健保健 Wealth In Health 一葉知秋，三價知冬 Flu Shot, the Harbinger of Winter 當我們聽到政府呼籲市民接種季節性流感疫苗—或三價， 或四價，便知道冬天已經不遠了。 流感為甚麼多肆虐在冬季？科學家至今還未有定論。有說是 因為病毒在乾燥及低溫的大氣流播最廣，也有說冬天人群 多聚在室內，有利病毒傳播。 Marta L. Wayne 與 Benjamin M. Bolker 兩位研究者，以不 斷更換外衣避過人類免疫系統的監察來形容流感病毒變種 之快。如果我們體內從未遇上病原體，我們的免疫系統便抵 禦不了入侵的病毒。病毒不斷變，我們也只有跟着變，透過 注射疫苗，可以得到適當的保護。 流感季節接種流感疫苗，能安全和有效地預防流感及其併 發症。接種疫苗後約兩星期，體內便會產生足夠抗體。三價 疫苗可以預防大多數的流感個案，四價疫苗則可能提供對 抗乙型流感的額外保護。 由於流感病毒會不時變種而衍生新病毒株，因而世界衞生組 織會因應實際情況改變每年的流感疫苗組合。香港衞生防 護中心建議所有九歲以上至成年人士需注射一針，此後每年 一次，應可得到最大保護。六個月至九歲小孩，若從未患過 流感或從未接受季節性流感疫苗注射的，需注射兩針，每針 相隔最少四星期。 除疫苗注射外，其他預防方法包括保持良好的個人及環境衛 生、睡眠充足、飲食均衡、恆常運動、保持心境開朗，以增強 自己的抵抗力。 在冬天裝備好自己，不用走多遠。大學保健處定期舉行預防 疾病疫苗注射運動，提供疫苗注射、講座、展覽，以及護士 諮詢。詳情請參考保健處網頁： www.cuhk.edu.hk/uhs/ 或 致電健康教育組3943 6428查詢。 When we hear the authorities calling for the public to take flu shots, we know that winter is not far away. Why does the flu virus seem to prevail in winter? The scientists are inconclusive about this. Some said that the flu virus thrives under dry and cold weather conditions. Others said that it’s because people stay indoor in winter and thus infect each other more easily. Viruses evolve rapidly. Marta L. Wayne and Benjamin M. Bolker have likened the rapid evolution of the flu virus to its constantly changing the outer garment to elude the human immune system. If the host’s immune system has not encountered the pathogen before, it would not be able to block the viral diseases. As the virus evolves, we have to evolve too. Taking flu shots is one way of keeping up with the bug. Taking flu shots during the flu season has proved to be effective in preventing the flu and controlling its complications. Our body will generate enough antibodies in about two weeks after vaccination. The trivalent influenza vaccine can prevent the majority of the influenza burden, while the quadrivalent influenza vaccine may offer additional protection against Influenza B. The flu virus metamorphoses constantly into new strains. Depending on data collected from across the globe, the World Health Organization will adjust the composition of the influenza vaccine every year. The Centre for Health Protection of Hong Kong recommends that every citizen upwards of nine years should get vaccinated every year for maximum protection. Six-month-olds to nine-year-olds who have never been exposed to the virus or received the shot should receive two shots separated by at least four weeks. In addition to vaccination, keeping good personal hygiene, enough sleep, a balanced diet, regular exercise and a relaxed mind will also help to keep the bug away. The University Health Service provides regular vaccination campaigns and holds various health talks, exhibitions and nurse consultation. Health tips are at your fingertips: www. cuhk.edu.hk/uhs/ or their enquiry hotline: 3943 6428. 萬物聯網 一劍雙刃 A Completely Connected World: A Double-edged Sword 今天，電腦連接到互聯網已成常態。可是，走在尖端的工程 人員把目光放得更遠，把任何具有經濟潛值的東西都連到一 個更大的網路上—物聯網。如果說互聯網主要是環繞着獲 取、管理和傳遞資訊的數碼虛擬世界，則物聯網便屬於跟人 類有更貼身接觸的物理真實世界。 物聯網通過裝設在各種器物上的感應器和促動器，再利用 無線網路，讓伺服器不斷分析感應器收集得來的數據，或向 人類提示，或適時向一些系統發出自動執行工作的指令。體 系的設計和應用，完全視乎人們的想像力和智慧。例如，安 裝在智慧路燈上的系統，可以因應天色調節亮度達到節能； 安裝在汽車和道路的，可以避免交通意外和方便導航；而佩 戴在人身上的，則可負責監察健康狀況，發出警示。 未來學家憧憬，隨着物聯網的領域不斷擴大和深入，資料和 應用愈趨整合，便可實現新型的智慧城市，提供人們更方 便、安全、健康、節能的生活空間。 然而，物聯網面對的安全風險可以比互聯網來得更直接更 致命。不少保安專家已發出警告，物聯網為罪犯開闢了新的 平台。試想行駛中的汽車、正在指揮交通的交通燈、監測病 人健康狀況的儀器，以及任何收集和分析數據並自動執行 程序的系統，一旦被黑客襲擊而癱瘓或遭操控，其後果將難 以估計。 此外，從各種系統的感應器收集得來的龐大數據，可能會被 政府和企業長期儲存。哪些機構有權管有這些數據？處理這 些數據的人應具備甚麽操守？企業間是否有權把數據轉移 和整合？數據可以被儲存多久？當中有多少涉及個人隱私？ 又有多少會危及個人安全？被收集對象又是否有權要求收 集者刪除數據？這些都是我們在構築未來世界時不容忽視 的問題。 Today, Internet connectivity is the norm for computers. But engineers at the frontline of research are striving to go even further by linking everything with economic potential to an even bigger network—the Internet of Things (IoT). If the Internet is a virtual world that mainly involves the acquisition, management and dissemination of data, the IoT belongs to a physical world that is closely related to every aspect of human life. The IoT can send alerts to people or commands to systems to automatically perform tasks through sensors and actuators embedded in physical objects that constantly flow data via wireless communication to servers for analysis. The design and application of a system depend entirely on people’s imagination and wisdom. For example, systems embedded in intelligent street lights can reduce energy consumption by adjusting brightness according to the amount of natural daylight; systems embedded in cars and roads can prevent traffic accidents and facilitate navigation, and those in wearables can monitor health data and issue warnings. Futurologists envisage an ever-expanding IoT that will make inroads into more aspects of our lives. With the seamless integration of data and application, new ‘smart cities’ can be created, providing people with a safer, healthier, more convenient and more energy-efficient living environment. However, compared to the security risks of the Internet, those of the IoT may be more deadly. Many IT security experts have warned that the IoT represents a new opportunity for criminals. Imagine that a hacker paralyzes or seizes control of a moving car, a traffic light, a vital signs monitor in a hospital, or any device that collects and analyses data and automatically performs tasks. The consequences can be unimaginable. Moreover, the massive data collected from system sensors can be kept for a long time by governments and businesses. Which organizations have the right to keep the data? What ethics should those in possession of them follow? Should businesses have the right to integrate separately- collected data to construct individual personal profiles? How long should data be kept? What is the risk of privacy infringement, and of personal safety? Can a person request to have his or her collected data deleted? These are but some of the issues we need to address when building a new world. 梁光漢 Philip Leung