The Review 2002

The Review 2002 Research 19 PROJECTS The research outputs of the Uni versi ty’s academic staff are substantial. More than 6,500 research output items were produced during 2001–02. Many of them were published in international journals and two-thirds were refereed. A sampling of research projects undertaken in 2001–02 is below, showcasing the excellent range of outputs produced each year. As in other years, our research covered everything f rom medicine, law and engineer ing to education, business and the humanities. A full description of all of our outputs is recorded annual ly in the Research and Scholarship section of our website and on a special ly- produced CD-Rom. ANCIENT FOOTSTEPS UNCOVERED Evidence that humans were in Tibet 20,000 years ago – almost 16,000 years earlier than previously thought – has been unearthed by University scientists. They have dated fossilised hand and foot impressions and a fireplace to those ancient times. Previously, it was thought glaciers gripped the region 20,000 years ago and humans appeared in Tibet only 4,600 years ago. The discovery by researchers in the Department of Geography and the Department of Earth Sciences has implications for geology, geography and archaeology. The f indings have been publ ished in several inf luent ial international scientific journals. THE HONG KONG BUG A potent ial l y lethal bacter ium has been identified by a 10-person team of University scient ists. Lar ibacter hongkongensis was discovered after the team was called in to trace the source of infection in a patient, who was in a l ife-threatening condition at Queen Mary Hospital. Using the resources of the Gene Bank in the United States, the scientists found no match and realised they had discovered a new, medical l y-signi f icant bacter ium. A discovery like this usually comes along only about once a decade. The team has also been in contact with scientists in Switzerland, where the same bacterium was subsequently identified in a patient. They are now trying to assess what kind of danger Lar ibacter hongkongensis poses to public health. PREVENTING SUICIDES The Faculty of Social Sciences opened the Hong Kong Jockey Club Centre for Suicide Research and Prevent ion in 2001– 02 to address the growing problem of suicides. Suicides in Hong Kong increased by more than 25 per cent in the three years before 2001, despite a drop in the elderly suicide rate. The Centre is support ing a three-year programme to conduct research into suicide prevention, train workers and the public, and produce resource materials. Additionally, the Cent re is invol ved in the Internat ional Association of Suicide Prevention and has undertaken a joint project to support Hong Kong and Mainland scholars pursuing suicide research. The project par tners are the University of Rochester in the United States and The Chinese University of Hong Kong, with funding from the National Institute of Health on Suicide in China. WAVES AND THE HUMAN PULSE The mathematical rhythm of waves has been applied to the human pulse, resulting in a new moni tor that can help diagnose hear t problems. The monitor, cal led a “pressure transducer”, picks up signals at three points on the wr ist used for diagnosis in Chinese medicine. A trial of the device began in the spring of 2002 and has already been tested on more than 200 patients. Common patterns have been identified in patients with cardiovascular condi t ions. Dramat ical l y, one man who volunteered to be part of the control group unknowingly had a heart irregularity that was picked up by the pulse moni tor. He was whisked to hospital for surgery. The two-year project involves the Department of Mechanical Engineering and the Department of Medicine. ENHANCING HONG KONG’S COMPETITIVENESS The Centre for E-commerce Infrastructure Development has been set up to enhance Hong Kong’s technology base and keep it competitive in the global marketplace. One project , begun in January 2002, aims to establish the internationally-standard ebXML software infrastructure in Hong Kong. This faci l itates participation in global trade and logistics over the Internet. The ebXML inf rast ructure def ines the format and vocabulary used for exchanging e-commerce informat ion, par t icular l y in Business-to-Business exchanges. Significantly, the Centre is already bringing the benefits of this system to local users. It has used ebXML applications to help the MTR Corporation and the Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals enhance their procurement processes electronically. It is also helping the Government’s Information Technology Services Department to identify suitable projects for Business-to-Government e-business initiatives. ADDING UP THE COSTS OF POLLUTION More than 17,000 Hong Kong people are hospitalised each year with pollution-related heart and lung illnesses, a problem that is costing $220 million annually, according to an internat ional report by the Department of Community Medicine. The researchers stripped out variables, such as temperature, seasonal differences and David Zhang (left) and Li Sheng Hua uncovered evidence of ancient life in Tibet. Patrick Woo led the discovery of the Hong Kong bug. Paul Yip is Director of the new Hong Kong Jockey Club Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention. Allen Chwang devised a new pulse monitor.