Bulletin No. 1, 2019

New Pattern-forming Paradigm Found Low-Dose Antidepressant Proved Effective in Treating Refractory Functional Dyspepsia A recent study conducted by the Faculty of Medicine proved low-dose imipramine, a tricyclic antidepressant, is efficacious for patients with refractory functional dyspepsia and showing resistance to first-line treatment. The patients’ level of anxiety was lowered too. Sixty-four percent of the recruited subjects were satisfied with the outcome. ‘IoT-Augmented Airfield Service System’ Piloted at Hong Kong International Airport The Centre of Cyber Logistics under the Asian Institute of Supply Chains & Logistics at CUHK was commissioned to develop the ‘Internet of Things (IoT)-Augmented Airfield Service System’ (AS2), which has been piloted at the Hong Kong International Airport to assist in the best use of apron facilities. AS2 actively delivers a view of the overall real-time situation on the apron to those using it so that their work could be coordinated and the performance of baggage delivery would be improved. A multi- dimensional dashboard service, combining the data of flights and facilities on the ground, is available to manage aircrafts turnaround. Automatic Manufacturing of Products that Fit Perfectly Prof. Charlie Wang from the Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering and his team pioneered a Shape Driven Technology with fast scanning, big-data driven artificial intelligence and digital knitting technology. The users only need a smartphone with the relevant pre-installed apps to capture the front and the side photos of a human body, which can serve as an alternative to the complicated 3D scanning procedure. 3D human models can be built with a list of dimensional measurements based on the photos taken by the smartphone. As the system is equipped with the surface flattening technique, the 3D human model will be converted into 2D pattern information, followed by the preparation of the pattern and raw materials by the machines. The personalised clothes, footwear, beauty, dental and medical appliances could then be produced to accurate measurements. Prof. Xu Lei (right) and Dr. Shen Hongchuan (left), post-doctoral fellow, from the Department of Physics collaborated with scientists from mainland China and Japan to reveal a fundamentally new pattern- forming paradigm, in which particle shape plays little role in the static structure but determines the relaxation dynamics. Their findings shed new light on diverse problems involving structure formation, self-assembly and packing and also provide a strong basis for designing new materials and regulating their rigidity and plasticity in the future. R esearch 39 News in Brief