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This paper examines a new first-year EAP course in a Hong Kong university. It utilizes teacher and student reflections to understand the course's strengths and weaknesses, aiming to enhance its design and delivery. The study employed a qualitative approach whereby textual analysis was used to interpret the data collected in the form of written teacher reflections, written student reflections, and notes of teacher reflective dialogue. The thematic categories for coding the data were established based on the course's main learning outcomes: Effective Learning, Spoken Language, and Written Language. Findings reveal that teachers were more critical of the course compared to learners. Teachers expressed dissatisfaction with the pedagogical approach to Effective Learning unit, insufficient time provided in the course to teach solo speaking, and the inability to cover too many organizational and linguistic features in the writing unit. Students, however, did not have much to reflect on about Effective Learning, had mixed views about Spoken Language with some worried about reading from notes, and wrote extremely positively about their learning of Written Language. Nonetheless, their views provide valuable insights for course improvement. Consequently, the paper advocates for a reflective pedagogy approach to EAP that considers both teacher and student reflections to enhance teaching and learning outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Chinese national legislature has enacted a national security law (NSL) for Hong Kong. This paper applies the theory of national security constitution as developed by Professor Koh to examine the impact of the NSL upon four core constitutional principles in Hong Kong's mini-constitution which underly its national security constitution and to evaluate the nature of the impact. The paper argues that the NSL has, instead of applying and supplementing the existing underlying constitutional principles in the mini-constitution, changed them to various degrees, and the pre-NSL bifurcated national security system for Hong Kong and mainland China has been replaced by an integrated national security system under the NSL. The impact caused by the NSL is so significant as to amount to a permanent paradigm shift to a new post-NSL national security constitution. The paper also argues that the theory of national security constitution has its limitation in its application to subnational Hong Kong because its mini-constitution and the underlying principles therein can be modified by national legislation, such as the NSL, of its sovereign, China. Through a comparative study with the USA, the paper proposes that the theory of national security constitution needs to be modified by adding that different effects may occur to a sub-national national security constitution depending on the source of the framework national security legislation. Hong Kong's failure in its constitutional duty to enact national security legislation under Article 23 of the Basic Law has led to the enactment of the NSL by China. Such legislation from the sovereign has changed the underlying constitutional principles and is fundamentally different from sub-national framework legislation that only implements and supplements those principles. However, a comparative study with Macau indicates that the theory of national security constitution is still applicable to a sub-national entity such as Macau so long as China as sovereign exercises self-restraint and any framework national security legislation is enacted at the sub-national level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Given students' lack of self‐directed learning skills and the growing concern about implementing massive online open courses (MOOCs) in K12 education, learning strategies are needed to facilitate MOOC learning. Many studies have provided different strategies for effective learning in MOOCs. However, there is still limited research to confirm whether these strategies effectively support MOOC learning when deployed by secondary schools, which are not MOOC developers. Objectives: This mixed‐method study examines the provision of different learning strategies, including a learning guide, an academic mentoring programme, a training workshop, and a reimbursement scheme, and investigates the impact of these strategies on student learning in MOOCs. Methods: The study uses two data sources: (1) surveys with 40 participants and (2) semi‐structured interviews with 12 participants. The quantitative data were analysed with descriptive statistics and Fisher's exact test, and the qualitative data were analysed with thematic analysis. Results and Conclusion: The findings indicate that MOOC learners had positive attitudes towards the overall school support, with mentoring enjoying great popularity amongst the students. In terms of the effectiveness of the school support, the mentoring programme and reimbursement scheme were more effective than the university training and learning guide. The paper discusses the implications for researchers and educators. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: There are a large number of K12 MOOC implementations, which are (i) STEM‐related and computer science courses, and (ii) from Europe and the USA.Limited studies provided different learning strategies for MOOC learning from the perspective of K12 schools, which are not MOOC developers.There is a need to explore MOOC initiatives encompassing a wide variety of subjects, including computer science MOOCs and non‐computer science MOOCs, in regions beyond Europe and the USA.There is also a need for further scrutiny of the effectiveness of learning strategies provided by the K12 school. What this paper adds: Our study launched the first MOOC implementation in K12, encompassing several subject areas beyond computer science in the region of Asia.Our study provided different learning strategies adopted by the K12 school, and the analysis revealed that MOOC learners took positive attitudes towards overall school support with mentoring enjoying great popularity with these students.Our study examined the effectiveness of school support and identified that mentoring and reimbursement are more effective than university training and the learning guide. Implications for practitioners: The insights gained from the study enable other K12 schools and educators to implement MOOC into existing school infrastructures successfully.These strategies provided in the MOOC implementation program can be helpful in many different online learning contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food classification is an important part of food safety standards. In this paper, we propose a novel visual comparative analysis method for food classification trees (FCTs) in pesticide maximum residue limit (MRL) standards, called TreeMerge, to lay the foundation for a comprehensive comparison of pesticide MRL standards. First, a union tree is constructed by combining the two FCTs to be compared. Then, sunburst with an embedded chordal graph (SECG) and overlapping circular treemap (OCT), which are two new visualization solutions designed in this paper, are used to show the similarities and differences in a union tree. SECG can express the hierarchical structure and the similarity between corresponding nodes in the union tree at the same time. OCT uses an improved nested Venn diagram (overlapping circle) to express the attribute values in each layer of the union tree and uses a circle-filling layout algorithm based on the testing circle to improve the readability and space utilization of the view. Finally, a visual analysis system for comparing FCT, named FCTvis, is designed and implemented to support the exploration of the structural difference pattern of food classification in the two MRL standards and the quantity or scale of residue limits in various foods. The effectiveness of TreeMerge was verified by case studies on pesticide MRL standards in the Chinese Mainland and Chinese Hong Kong. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Vocabulary learning in a second language (L2) encompasses crucial aspects, including single words and collocations. Research indicates that L2 learners can incidentally learn single words from captioned videos, but less is known about the incidental learning outcomes of collocations, let alone the differences in learning gains for single words and collocations under different captioned conditions, as well as individual differences that may account for such differences. Objectives: This study aimed to fill this gap by comparing the learning gains of single words and collocations while investigating the influence of vocabulary knowledge (VK) and working memory (WM) on the learning results within diverse forms of captioning conditions: full captions, keyword captions, and no captions. Methods: The study involved 129 young Chinese ESL learners who completed vocabulary tests assessing their meaning recall before, immediately after, and 2 weeks after the study, as well as tests for VK and WM. Results and Conclusions: The results showed that full captions are the most efficacious condition for enhancing both single word and collocation learning. The depth of VK, as well as phonological and complex WM, were significant factors in the learning of new language items. Takeaways: Different types of captioning (full or keyword) contribute differently to the learning of various language items. Individual differences in WM and depth of VK among learners should be considered when utilizing captioned videos for language learning. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: The type of captions employed does influence incidental single word learning.Incidental collocation learning from captioned videos is worth to be investigated due to the essential role of collocation knowledge in L2 development and the limited classroom time.The breadth of prior vocabulary knowledge (VK) does impact the incidental learning of single words across different captioned conditions. However, the findings remain inconclusive.Working memory (WM) plays a vital role in single word learning. However, limited emphasis has been placed on the examination of how WM affects the incidental learning of collocations across various captioning conditions. What this paper adds: Different captioned conditions play different roles in the incidental learning of different language units: single word learning benefits most from full captioning, whereas both full and keyword captioning lead to significant improvements in incidental collocation learning.The depth of VK is a key determinant of both single word and collocation learning from captioned videos, but its impact is greater for collocations.The breadth of VK is more relevant to collocation learning than single word learning.Both phonological and complex WM play an important role in learning both single words and collocations, but their contribution is greater for collocations. Implications for practice and/or policy: L2 policymakers can incorporate short storytelling videos into the EFL curriculum to facilitate vocabulary learning among young learners and ultimately enhance their L2 proficiency.Teachers can strategically design and implement various types of captioned videos (full or keyword) as out‐of‐class extensive viewing activities, targeting different language components such as single words and collocations.Teachers should be mindful of individual differences (e.g., VK and WM) among learners when utilizing captioned videos for language learning, particularly when it comes to incidental collocation learning.Parents are encouraged to include short storytelling videos with captions as part of their children's home entertainment activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Health literacy (HL) refers to individuals' abilities to process and use health information to promote health. This study aimed to develop the first HL measurement tool for the Chinese Hong Kong population. Methods: A two‐phase methodology was adopted. In Phase I, evidence synthesis with a deductive method was conducted to formulate the item list from the literature. In Phase II, a modified e‐Delphi survey was conducted among stakeholders (i.e., healthcare providers and healthcare consumers) to confirm the content validity of the item list. The stakeholders were invited to rate the relevance of each draft item on a 4‐point scale and provide suggestions for revisions, removal or adding new items. Results: In Phase I, a total of 34 items covering functional, interactive and critical HL were generated. In Phase II, to obtain a balanced view from experts and laypeople, healthcare professionals (n = 12) and consumers (n = 12) were invited to participate in the Delphi panel. The response rates of the three rounds were 100%. After the third round, the consensus was reached for 31 items, and no further comments for adding or revising items were received. All items exhibited excellent content validity (item content validity index: 0.79–1.00; K*: 0.74–1.00). Conclusions: A Health Literacy Scale for Hong Kong was developed. Compared with existing HL scales, the scale fully operationalized the skills involved in functional, interactive and critical HL. The Delphi study shows evidence supporting the high content validity of all items in the scale. In future studies, these items should undergo rigorous testing to examine their psychometric properties in our target population groups. By illuminating the details in the development process, this paper provides a deeper understanding of the scale's scope and limitations for others who are interested in using this tool. Patient or Public Contribution: Public as healthcare consumers, in addition to healthcare providers, were involved in developing a new HL scale for this study. The input from the public contributed to examining the scale's content validity by judging whether all items reflected the skills that they need to find and use health‐related information in their daily life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Studies have highlighted the impacts of temperature variability (TV) on mortality from respiratory diseases and cardiovascular diseases, with inconsistent results specifically in subtropical urban areas than temperate ones. We aimed to fully determine TV-associated health risks over a spectrum of diseases and various subgroups in a subtropical setting. Methods Using inpatient data from all public hospitals in Hong Kong from 1999 to 2019, we examined the TV-hospitalisation associations by causes, ages, and seasons by fitting a quasi-Poisson regression. We presented the results as estimated percentage changes of hospitalisations per interquartile range (IQR) of TV. Results: TVs in exposure days from 0-5 days (TV0-5) to 0-7 days (TV0-7) had detrimental effects on hospitalisation risks in Hong Kong. The overall population was significantly affected over TV0-5 to TV0-7 in endocrine, nutritional and metabolic (from 0.53% to 0.58%), respiratory system (from 0.38% to 0.53%), and circulatory systems diseases (from 0.47% to 0.56%). While we found no association with seasonal disparities, we did observe notable disparities by age, highlighting older adults' vulnerability to TVs. For example, people aged =65 years experienced the highest change of 0.88% (95% CI = 0.34%, 1.41%) in hospitalizations for injury and poisoning per IQR increase in TV0-4. Conclusions: Our population-based study highlighted that TV-related health burden, usually regarded as minimal compared to other environmental factors, should receive more attention and be addressed in future relevant health policies, especially for vulnerable populations during the cold seasons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Depression is one of the most prevalent mental disorders worldwide. This study examined the effect of a spiritual connectivity intervention on individuals with depression in a randomized waitlist-controlled trial. Fifty-seven participants with mild or moderate depressive symptoms were randomly assigned to either the intervention group (n = 28) or the waitlist control group (n = 29). The intervention comprised eight weekly sessions focusing on divine connection, forgiveness and freedom, suffering and transcendence, hope, gratitude, and relapse prevention. The outcome measures included depressive symptoms, anxiety, hope, meaning in life, self-esteem, and social support. Participants completed self-administered questionnaires at baseline (week 0), post-intervention (week 8), and 3-month follow-up (week 20). Repeated-measures ANOVA and one-way ANCOVA were used to compare the within-group and between-group differences in the changes in outcome variables. Participants in the intervention group showed significant improvements in depression, anxiety, spiritual experience, hope, self-esteem, and perceived social support after the intervention. Effect size statistics showed small to large differences (Cohen's d, 0.308 to −1.452). Moreover, 85.71% of participants in the intervention group also experienced clinically significant reductions in PHQ-9 scores from baseline to immediate post-intervention. This study highlights the effectiveness of a low-cost, accessible intervention suitable for community implementation by clergy and faith-based organizations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the cross-sectional relationships between reading-related affective and cognitive factors and reading skills among adolescents with and without dyslexia. Participants were 120 Chinese-speaking eighth graders, including 60 adolescents with dyslexia and 60 typically developing adolescents from Hong Kong, China. Adolescents completed questionnaires on general anxiety, reading anxiety, and reading self-concept. They were also assessed on measures of rapid digit naming, verbal working memory, word reading, reading fluency, and reading comprehension. The results showed that readers with dyslexia reported higher levels of general anxiety and reading anxiety and lower levels of reading self-concept than typical readers. They also showed difficulties in rapid digit naming and verbal working memory. Importantly, controlling for rapid digit naming and verbal working memory, reading self-concept was uniquely associated with word reading and reading fluency for readers with and without dyslexia. Furthermore, reading anxiety and reading self-concept were uniquely associated with reading comprehension for the two groups of readers. The findings point to the importance of considering affective factors when examining the reading skills of Chinese readers and the utility of targeting these factors when supporting the learning of adolescents with and without dyslexia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Older adults in residential care homes in Hong Kong usually have multiple co-morbidities and need end-of-life (EOL) care. Repeated hospitalisations before death are common. The Hospital Admission Risk Reduction Program for the Elderly (HARRPE) score is correlated with mortality. We compared older adults identified by clinical referral with older adults identified by HARRPE score ≥0.4 in terms of EOL programme enrolment rate and mortality rates at 180 and 365 days. Methods. This retrospective cohort study included older adults aged ≥80 years residing in care homes from 1 July 2018 to 30 June 2019. We compared older adults identified by clinical referral with older adults identified by HARRPE score ≥0.4 in terms of EOL programme enrolment rate and mortality rates at 180 and 365 days. Results. Of 113 clinical referral patients and 735 patients with HARRPE score ≥0.4, 102 and 96, respectively, fulfilled EOL programme criteria. Their mean age was 92 years, with female predominance (71%). Enrolment rates were similar (57% and 51%, respectively). Survival probability was higher among enrolled patients than among nonenrolled patients (p<0.001). The two groups were comparable in terms of the 180-day mortality rate and 365-day mortality rate. In both groups, survival probabilities were higher in patients who enrolled in the EOL programme, compared with patients who did not enrol (p<0.001). The median survival was longer in the HARRPE group (191 vs 155 days). Conclusions. Older adults in residential care homes requiring EOL care according to HARRPE score ≥0.4 have similar enrolment and mortality rates, compared with clinical referral. The HARRPE score is a feasible tool to supplement clinical referral for timely EOL care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies documented inconsistent findings of cohort differences in attitudes toward migrants. Some research has shown that younger people tend to be more welcoming toward migrants compared to older people; however, other research has shown the opposite. This suggests that the way different generations perceive migrants may depend on the specific local contexts in which they live. In this paper, we compared attitudes toward migrants in Hong Kong and Shanghai under the "one country, two systems" framework, using comparable data from the Hong Kong Panel Study of Social Dynamics and Shanghai Urban Neighborhood Survey. We found a sharp contrast in the attitudes toward migrants between Hong Kong and Shanghai. Compared to older people, young people in Shanghai were more friendly to migrants, yet young people in Hong Kong were more resistant to migrants. Our study identified disparities of generational gaps in attitudes toward migrants of the same ethnicity within one country. The relatively more positive attitudes toward migrants of younger cohorts (compared to people born before 1960) in Shanghai could be explained by educational level and life satisfaction. The relatively more negative attitudes toward migrants in Hong Kong could be explained by identity. Our empirical analyses suggest that local contexts matter in explaining generational gaps in attitudes toward migrants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is evidence showing that the triarchic model of grit and its dimensions (i.e., perseverance of effort, consistency of interests, and adaptability to situations) predict engagement and well-being outcomes in high school and undergraduate students during the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak. However, there has been limited research on how this model of grit relates to engagement and optimal psychological outcomes in primary school students. This research investigates the association of grit's dimensions with academic engagement in math and science as well as well-being outcomes (i.e., positive emotions, negative emotions, and flourishing) in primary school students. Participants were primary school students (Mage = 10.42; SDage = 1.26) from Hong Kong (n = 279) and Macau (n = 124). Results showed that perseverance of effort positively predicted cognitive and behavioral engagement in math as well as positive emotions even after controlling for demographic covariates (i.e., age, gender, setting, and year level), conscientiousness, and achievement goal orientations. Adaptability to situations positively predicted cognitive and social engagement in math and flourishing. Consistency of interests negatively predicted both cognitive engagement in science and negative emotions. Indeed, this study indicates that perseverance and adaptability may facilitate children's positive academic and psychological functioning during the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on dementia literacy in Chinese societies is still emerging, and this is especially the case among racially minoritized groups. The present study explored the knowledge, causal beliefs, and help-seeking behaviors of South Asian migrants in Hong Kong about dementia. It also investigated existing community barriers related to dementia knowledge and help-seeking. We conducted a qualitative study from a purposive sample of 38 older people and family caregivers from India, Pakistan, and Nepal who lived in Hong Kong. Focus groups and individual in-depth interviews were used to gather information, while thematic analysis was employed to analyze the data. Five main themes were identified: normalization with stigmatization of dementia; spiritual and psychosocial attributions of dementia; familial responsibility despite potential caregiving burden; uncertainties versus openness to professional care; and barriers and opportunities in dementia literacy. Ethnic minorities recognized dementia as a disease of normal aging or a mental disorder. They also perceived spiritual and psychosocial factors as their main causes. While participants recognized the potential burden of dementia caregiving, families were their first point of help-seeking, as many of them expressed contrasting feelings of confidence or doubt toward professional services. Utilization of health education strategies, together with collaboration with community leaders, could address the barriers to dementia literacy. This is the first study to explore how ethnic minorities in Asia perceive dementia and its related help-seeking behaviors in their communities. South Asian migrants in Hong Kong have a limited understanding of dementia and may experience delays in obtaining relevant community services. While culture influenced their knowledge, health education may address their misperceptions and help-seeking behaviors toward dementia. Culture- and language-specific programs could also improve dementia knowledge and health service access. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We conduct a bank efficiency comparison among three Chinese regions: Mainland China (CN), Hong Kong (HK), and Macao (MO). Specifically, we investigate the reasons for efficiency differences observed in the three regions from within‐region and cross‐region perspectives. We show that HK and MO maintain stable bank performance over time that lies within the developed‐economy range of efficiency levels. CN used to be well below this range but has been catching up so quickly that efficiency convergence in the three regions seems to be underway. We find that the determinants of bank efficiencies in the three Chinese jurisdictions are similar in some aspects but different in others. Most significant are their similarities in the effects of interest rate differentials, forex reserve accumulations, bank capital positions, interbank financing opportunities, and liquidity mismatch problems. Also important are their differences in the effects of bank size, revenue diversification, government ownership, property, and stock market development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Childhood apraxia of speech (CAS) is a paediatric motor speech disorder. We investigated the lexical tone perception and production abilities of children with CAS and the relationships between the two. Three children with CAS, aged between 3;7 and 5;8, were given the Cantonese Tone Identification Test (CANTIT) and the Hong Kong Cantonese Articulation Test (HKCAT) for assessment of tone perception and production, respectively. Accuracy and error patterns were investigated based on their performance on the two tests. Correlation analysis was performed on children's perception and production scores. Two children scored at the lowest rank on the CANTIT, while one child obtained a Z score of 0. All children scored three standard deviations below the mean on the HKCAT. No statistical differences were found among the six tones with respect to perception accuracy, H(5) = 3.731, p = 0.589. Error analysis showed that children with CAS demonstrated more confusion on perceiving tones compared with TD peers. There were no main effects for task (F(1,2) = 0.040, p = 0.859) or tone (F(5,10 = 0.997, p = 0.467); nor were there task or tone interaction effects on perception versus production accuracy (F(5,10) = 1.772, p = 0.206). Tone perception and production accuracy were not significantly correlated (r2 = 0.181, p = 0.078). Tone perception deficits were evident in two out of three children with CAS, while all children had lexical tone production difficulties. In this small sample, tone production was more universally affected than tone perception. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the popularity of mobile and digital technologies, physical collections still have high user demand in academic libraries and grow continuously. With renovation projects providing more studying and collaboration space, efforts to relocate materials to storage facilities are necessary for major libraries. With the change in student information needs and preferences, it is essential to reinvestigate their behavior and preferences for the use of physical resources and remote storage items. An online survey was conducted in a major international comprehensive university in Hong Kong, China, to explore these questions. Statistical tests were also performed to compare the difference between undergraduate and postgraduate students, as well as those with versus those without experience requesting items from storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article investigates the nuanced and disaggregated role of state and civil society in the fight against COVID-19 in Hong Kong and Singapore through a comparative policy study. Hong Kong and Singapore provide two contrasting cases of state-society interaction under the framework of Political Nexus Triads (PNT). Hong Kong combats COVID-19 with greater dependence on its civil society and bureaucrats, while Singapore relies more on a state-centred approach. They represent the diversity of state-society relations and multiple configurational causality in the COVID-19 responses and question the efficacy of any single and contextless model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims and Objectives: The aim of this study was to examine and compare decision‐making preferences on end‐of‐life care for older people in Japan, the Hong Kong SAR and South Korea. Background: Cultural values and beliefs influence decision‐making on end‐of‐life care. Design: A cross‐sectional design was adopted. Methods: Community‐dwelling people aged ≥65 with additional requirements were recruited in 2016–2017 in the three regions. Their decision‐making preferences on end‐of‐life care were assessed using Pang et al.'s questionnaire. These preferences and their sociodemographic and personal experience variables were compared and analysed using univariate and multiple logistic regressions. The STROBE checklist was followed. Results: This study involved 415 participants. In all three regions, the most preferred decision maker and person with whom to discuss end‐of‐life care issues was a family member. Participants in the Hong Kong SAR were less likely to select a family member as their preferred decision maker than those in Japan (adjusted odds ratio = 0.129). Koreans were less likely to discuss end‐of‐life care issues with medical professionals than people in Japan (adjusted odds ratio = 0.278). More than 70% of the participants in each region indicated that they would not prefer to leave an advance directive to decide their end‐of‐life care. Conclusion: Older Asians prefer to make their own decisions after consulting others. Family members play an important role in helping older people plan their preferred end‐of‐life care arrangements, even acting as decision makers when older people become incapable of deciding for themselves. Relevance to clinical practice: Sufficient information should be provided to older people and their families for the older people to determine their preferred care. Helping families to understand and support the planned care and advance directives is a strategy for maximising family compliance with the care. Continuous efforts should be made to promote advance care planning and advance directives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study analyzes the compositions of Hong Kong English as a second language (ESL) learners and English as a foreign language (EFL) learners in Mainland China in terms of lexical and syntactic features. A program based on the CoreNLP was developed and used to analyze written language texts, and differences in tags of parts of speech and syntactic dependencies between the two groups of texts were compared statistically to examine differences in the lexical and syntactic features of the learners’ written language. The results show significant differences in the lexical and syntactic features of learners’ writing. Specifically, in EFL learners’ writing, there is a salient group pattern of higher lexical diversity, whereas ESL compositions are more flexible in vocabulary use with higher information density, in that they use more syntactic phrases and content words. In terms of syntax, Hong Kong ESL students use more adverbials and adverbial clauses, which is advantageous in syntactic simplicity and readability over their counterparts, whereas Mainland China EFL students prefer using more specific expressions to demonstrate syntactic relations. Compared to EFL compositions, ESL compositions are more informative, coherent, and grammatical in lexical features and more readable in syntactic features, which require more attention and further improvements in terms of EFL teaching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. We compared the clinico-radio-pathological characteristics of breast cancer detected through mammogram (MMG) and ultrasound (USG) and discuss the implication of the choice of imaging as the future direction of our recently launched local screening program. Methods. Retrospective study of 14613 Hong Kong Chinese female patients with histologically confirmed breast cancer registered in the Hong Kong Breast Cancer Registry between January 2006 and February 2020. Patients were classified into four groups based on the mode of breast cancer detection (detectable by both mammogram and ultrasound (MMG+/USG+), mammogram only (MMG+/USG−), ultrasound only (MMG−/USG+), or not detectable by either (MMG−/USG−). Characteristics of breast cancer detected were compared, including patient demographics, breast density on MMG, mode of presentation, tumour size, histological type, and staging. Types of mammographic abnormalities were also evaluated for MMG+ subgroups. Results. 85% of the cancers were detectable by MMG, while USG detected an additional 9%. MMG+/USG+ cancers were larger, more advanced in stage, often of symptomatic presentation, and commonly manifested as mammographic mass. MMG+/USG− cancers were more likely of asymptomatic presentation, manifested as microcalcifications, and of earlier stage and to be ductal carcinoma in situ. MMG−/USG+ cancers were more likely seen in young patients and those with denser breasts and more likely of symptomatic presentation. MMG−/USG− cancers were often smaller and found in denser breasts. Conclusion. Mammogram has a good detection rate of cancers in our local population. It has superiority in detecting early cancers by detecting microcalcifications. Our current study agrees that ultrasound is one of the key adjunct tools of breast cancer detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

What is the effect of declaring a pandemic? This research assesses behavioral and psychological responses to the WHO declaration of the COVID-19 pandemic, in Hong Kong, Singapore, and the U.S. We surveyed 3,032 members of the general public in these three regions about the preventative actions they were taking and their worries related to COVID-19. The WHO announcement on March 11th, 2020 created a quasi-experimental test of responses immediately before versus after the announcement. The declaration of the pandemic increased worries about the capacity of the local healthcare system in each region, as well as the proportion of people engaging in preventative actions, including actions not recommended by medical professionals. The number of actions taken correlates positively with anxiety and worries. Declaring the COVID-19 crisis as a pandemic had tangible effects–positive (increased community engagement) and negative (increased generalized anxiety)–which manifested differently across regions in line with expectancy disconfirmation theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

What motivates people in the peripheries to risk their safety and even their lives to resist a centralising centre? In literature, a thesis of peripheral resistance movements was long constructed to postulate that under centre‐periphery conflicts, rising peripheral identity will contribute to resistance movements against a centralising centre. Over the years, this thesis has been developed into a body of historical and contemporary qualitative case studies to account for centre–periphery conflicts worldwide. Yet, quantitative studies that empirically test the mechanism through which peripheral identity influences peripheral resistance movements remain rare. This study endeavours to make a modest contribution to the field by exploring a triangulated approach that combines both quantitative and qualitative analyses of peripheral resistance movements, using the 2019–2020 Hong Kong Anti‐Extradition Bill Movement as the research testing site. Both the quantitative and qualitative findings of this study validate the thesis of peripheral resistance movements in the context of Hong Kong, with 'peripheral identity' found to be the most significant variable in predicting people's level of 'support' and 'participation' in the movement. By fostering a triangulated approach for investigating peripheral resistance movements, this study provides opportunities for conducting future comparative studies of contemporary centre–periphery conflicts worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. The Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL™) 4.0 is a health-related quality of life (HRQOL) measure designed for clinical practice and research, health policy evaluation, and general population surveys. There is a dearth of instruments measuring quality of life in children which are available in Chinese and validated for Chinese populations. Therefore, this study attempted to establish the Hong Kong populations' norms for the Chinese version of PedsQL™ and examined the psychometric properties of the measure for this population. Methods. Sixty-nine children (aged 7 to 12 years) and their parents completed the child self-report and the parent proxy report, respectively, of the PedsQL™ 4.0 Generic Module. To evaluate construct validity, a group comparison of children with special educational needs (SEN) (n = 21) and those with typical development (TD) (n = 48) was conducted. Differences based on age group and gender and parent–child agreement on the perception of the child's HRQOL were also examined. Results. Children with SEN had a lower quality of life perception than those with TD in the physical, social, and schooling domains. No significant differences in emotional health were found between the two groups. The differences between the children with SEN and with TD varied based on age group and gender. The differences between the parents' and children's perceptions of the children's HRQOL were insignificant in this sample. Conclusion. Norms for the Chinese version of the PedsQL™ 4.0 Generic Module for the Hong Kong population were established in the study, and both the child self-report and parent proxy report were found to be reliable and valid for this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. The present study examined the effects of Tai Chi exercise on the executive functions (EFs) and physical fitness of middle-aged adults with depression. Methods. A total of 39 middle-aged adults with depression (Mage = 50.59, SD = 7.38) were randomly assigned to the Tai Chi group (n = 20) or the waiting-list control group (n = 19). The Tai Chi group engaged in two 90 min sessions of Tai Chi exercise per week for 12 weeks; the waiting-list control group was asked to maintain their usual daily routines for 12 weeks. Depression symptoms, EFs (i.e., inhibitory control, planning, working memory, and cognitive flexibility), and physical fitness (i.e., cardiovascular fitness, muscular strength, muscular endurance, power, and flexibility) were evaluated at the baseline (pretest), 6-week (mid-test), and 12-week (post-test) marks. Results. Both groups showed decreased depression symptoms over time. Compared with the control group, the Tai Chi group showed decreased reaction times for incongruent conditions in the Stroop test from pretest to mid- and post-test, and shorter reaction time for incongruent conditions in the Stroop test than the control group at post-test; the Tai Chi group performed significantly better than the control group in overall total move score of Tower of London (TOL). The Tai Chi group also showed increased total correct scores of TOL from pretest to mid- and post-test, and greater total correct scores of TOL than the control group at post-test. Additionally, results indicated that Tai Chi exercise comprehensively improved physical fitness from pretest to mid- and post-test. Greater performance in terms of cardiovascular fitness, muscular strength, and power was also found in the Tai Chi group at post-test than in the control group. Conclusions. These findings suggest that the 12-week Tai Chi exercise improved inhibitory control, planning and working memory aspects of executive functions, and physical fitness in middle-aged adults with depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study compares the findings of two qualitative research studies on meanings of divorce endorsed by Chinese divorced women in Hong Kong conducted in 1998–2002 and 2016–2018, respectively. It is clearly shown that ideas about divorce have changed enormously in the past two decades. While the ideas that divorce is not acceptable and divorced women are failures were still prevalent, particularly in the divorce decision-making process, there has been a move towards a more dominant modern stance on divorce, although two powerful obstacles, the welfare of children and social stigmatisation, have persisted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: As no gold‐standard diagnostic test exists for neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus (NPSLE), we undertook this study to execute a broad screen of NPSLE cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) using an aptamer‐based platform. Methods: CSF was obtained from NPSLE patients and subjected to proteomic assay using the aptamer‐based screen. Potential biomarkers were identified and validated in independent NPSLE cohorts in comparison to other neurologic diseases. Results: Forty proteins out of the 1,129 screened were found to be elevated in NPSLE CSF. Based on enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay validation, CSF levels of angiostatin, α2‐macroglobulin, DAN, fibronectin, hepatocellular carcinoma clone 1, IgM, lipocalin 2, macrophage colony‐stimulating factor (M‐CSF), and serine protease inhibitor G1 were significantly elevated in a predominantly White NPSLE cohort (n = 24), compared to patients with other neurologic diseases (n = 54), with CSF IgM (area under the curve [AUC] 0.95) and M‐CSF (AUC 0.91) being the most discriminatory proteins. In a second Hong Kong–based NPSLE cohort, CSF IgM (AUC 0.78) and lipocalin 2 (AUC 0.85) were the most discriminatory proteins. Several CSF proteins exhibited high diagnostic specificity for NPSLE in both cohorts. Elevated CSF complement C3 was associated with an acute confusional state. Eleven molecules elevated in NPSLE CSF exhibited concordant elevation in the choroid plexus, suggesting shared origins. Conclusion: Lipocalin 2, M‐CSF, IgM, and complement C3 emerge as promising CSF biomarkers of NPSLE with diagnostic potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sexual self-concept (SSC) is an important component of health that is closely associated with the well-being of survivors of child sexual abuse (CSA). Compared with non-CSA respondents, SSC of CSA survivors was deleteriously affected, resulting in ineffective psychological functioning (negative self-evaluation, psychological ill-health, and difficulties in interpersonal relationships). Negative SSC (sexual anxiety, sexual depression, and sexual fear) played a significant role in mediating the adverse effects of CSA on psychological functioning. Future studies may recruit a sample with greater variation in CSA characteristics and use externalizing problems as outcome measures to cross-validate findings of this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: It remains unknown what the impacts of multiple dimensions of contact (e.g. level, quantity and quality) are on the stigma of mental illness. Aims: To explore the relationship between the multiple dimensions of contact and stigma of mental illness among family members (FM), mental health workers (MHW) and community residents (CR) in Hong Kong. Methods: The stigma, contact and knowledge were measured in FM, MHW and CR in Hong Kong. Multiple regression analyses were used. Results: MHW (n = 141) had higher knowledge, more contact and lower stigma of mental illness than CR (n = 95) or FM (n = 62). Knowledge and contact quality were significantly associated with lower stigma of mental illness in the three groups. However, contact level and contact quantity were not significantly associated with most stigma components. The contact level was positively associated with stigma of mental illness among FM and CR. Conclusions: The results of this study highlight the differences in knowledge, contact and stigma of mental illness among different stakeholder groups. This study suggests that positive contact (e.g. equal, supportive, voluntary and pleasant contact) reduces stigma of mental illness, while negative contact (e.g. unfriendly, unsupportive, unpleasant contact) may increase stigma. The Enhancing Contact Model (ECM) should be tested in future anti-stigma interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Combining documentary analysis with hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA), we conduct a comparative study of innovation policies in two municipalities included in the Greater Bay Area (GBA) initiative—the Chinese government's plan to link eleven cities into an economic and business hub. After identifying innovation policies/agencies in Hong Kong and Shenzhen, we apply the HCA to compare similarities and differences between their innovation policies and assess how these policies align with the 'cross-border regional innovation system' (CBRIS) conceptual approach. We find that Hong Kong's innovation policies are multitudinous, fragmented, and overlapping, whereas Shenzhen's innovation policies are more targeted and more clearly differentiated, with a strong focus on strategic emerging industries. The two cities could strengthen their developing but weakly integrated CBRIS by collaborating in four areas of innovation policy: talent recruitment, joint R&D activities, enterprise competitiveness, and support for start-ups. The GBA initiative can succeed by driving innovation from a CBRIS perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Recent literature has pointed out the seriously unmet treatment needs of delinquent youth with mental health problems in Hong Kong. This study pioneers to systematically develop and evaluate the effectiveness of a structured low-intensity cognitive behavioral intervention (LICBI) to concurrently address mental health issues and delinquent behaviors among Hong Kong Chinese youth. Method: A quasi-experimental controlled design was adopted with three assessments at baseline, postintervention, and 6-week follow-up. One hundred and eighty participants were recruited to the LICBI and 123 to the control group. Results: Multilevel modeling analyses showed that the LICBI might be effective in improving mental health–related factors (impulsivity, self-esteem, negative emotions, and loneliness) and delinquent behaviors. A mediation analysis suggested that LICBI might reduce participants' delinquent behaviors through reducing their impulsivity and enhancing their self-esteem. Discussion: The results provide preliminary evidence for the effectiveness of LICBI for Chinese delinquent youth in a community social service setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This pilot study developed an adventure-based cognitive behavioral intervention (aCBI) program and tests its effectiveness in improving the mental health of Chinese university students in Hong Kong. Method: A total of 217 undergraduate students participated in an aCBI program in the form of an interdisciplinary general education course in a university in Hong Kong. A battery of standardized online questionnaires was administered to the students before joining and upon completion of the course, and at a 3-month follow-up test. Results: The participants showed a significant reduction of psychological distress, perceived stress, depressive symptoms, and negative thoughts and emotions and a significant increase of positive thoughts upon immediate completion of the program. The positive effects maintained at the 3-month follow-up test. Conclusion: The integration of cognitive behavioral intervention and adventure training in a class setting might be an effective and feasible approach for the mental health counseling of university students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on Appraisal Theory and critical discourse analysis, this corpus-assisted study examines how China Daily (CD) and South China Morning Post (SCMP) used appraisal resources to express their respective stances towards the anti-extradition bill movement. The results show that both newspapers employed negative resources of Judgement and the predication strategy to convey their stance, but SCMP seemed more refrained in the use of appraisal resources. CD openly stated that any illegal actions should be punished, and SCMP also criticised these actions. Besides, CD emphasized the consequences brought by violence and attributed the breakout of the protests to the opposition camp's political intention for their own benefit, whereas SCMP highlighted Hong Kongers' widespread opposition to the bill. These differences in language use and stance might be explained by the different press systems they respectively belong to and related to their respective historical and socio-political contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Productive approaches to studying (deep and strategic learning) are associated with a variety of favourable academic outcomes, and may be of particular importance for students in multifaceted and complex disciplines such as occupational therapy. To explore associations between student characteristics and their dominant approaches to studying in two samples of occupational therapy students: a national sample of Norwegian first-year students, and an international sample of students in different year cohorts (Australia, Hong Kong, Singapore and Norway). A total of 180 (national sample) and 665 (international sample) students were included in the study. Approaches to studying were measured with the Approaches to Study Skills Inventory for Students (ASSIST). Data were analyzed with adjusted multinomial regression analyses. Age, gender and prior higher education were not associated with the dominant study approach. More time spent on independent study (international sample: OR = 1.07/1.08, p < 0.01/<0.001) and having current study program as the top priority line of education at enrolment (national sample: OR = 2.89, p < 0.05) predicted productive study approaches. Factors such as age, gender and prior higher education seem to be of limited importance for understanding students' dominant approaches to studying. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Positioned in the Hong Kong education context, this article evaluates the effects of teaching science through home and second languages (i.e. Chinese and English) in Secondary 2 (or eighth grade) science classrooms. A total of 479 students, divided into two language instruction groups, participated in a teaching intervention comprising 16 lessons on the topic of 'Making Use of Electricity'. Informed by the results of a mixed-methods study with a quasi-experimental design, with data collected from science diagnostic tests, inquiry questions and focus group interviews, this article reports that Chinese is the most advantageous language of instruction for low- and middle-ability science students, whereas English is more favourable for their high-achieving peers. Whilst Hong Kong students who learnt the focal topic in English were able to rid themselves of certain naive ideas generated from the translation of science terms into Chinese (e.g. pencil '鉛筆' is translated as 'lead pen' in Chinese), they were also found to have misconceptions about certain scientific concepts. For example, they were confused about 'open' and 'closed' circuits because they mixed up the words 'open' ('開放') and 'switch on' ('開啟') in English. The study's broad implications for language support and a mixed-code approach in science teaching worldwide are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to establish a new COVID‐19 Fear (Higher Education) scale to investigate the relationship between fear and generalised anxiety symptoms among Chinese students in mainland China, Hong Kong, and other countries. 219 Chinese university students studying in universities in mainland China (n = 76, 34.7%), Hong Kong (n = 66, 30.1%), and overseas (i.e., outside of China as international students, n = 77, 35.2%) participated in an online study from March 31, 2020 to April 4. Participants completed a newly developed COVID‐19 Fear (Higher Education) scale to measure three domains of fear including fear of infection, fear of instability and fear of insecurity related to the COVID‐19 pandemic. They also completed the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7‐item scale (GAD‐7) on the severity of anxiety symptoms. About 9.6% of the participants could be classified as exhibiting high anxiety level according to the GAD‐7. More students studying overseas (about 15%) were classified into the high GAD group when compared to students studying in both mainland China (6.6%) and Hong Kong (6.1%). MANOVA results showed that students studying in Hong Kong and overseas had more concerns related to preventive measures related to COVID‐19 than their mainland counterparts did. We concluded that international students studying away from their home country would have higher risk to develop anxiety problems during a collective trauma such as the COVID‐19 pandemic. Education institutions should provide support services including online support groups, social media groups for mutual support to alleviate the fear and anxiety of international students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most stalking studies are conducted in the West. Limited information is available on victims of stalking from the Asian continent. This study specifically explored the victimization experiences of young male and female adults in Hong Kong. Using a large sample of university students (N = 2,496) aged between 18 and 40 years, the gender distribution of stalking incident characteristics was examined, along with prevalence of various stalking behaviors, and victim–offender relationships by types of stalking behaviors. The differential role of demographic and psychosocial characteristics in stalking victimization experience was also explored. The lifetime prevalence rate of stalking victimization was 8.2%, with a higher estimate in females than males (11.6% vs. 3.8%). The sample analyzed in this study was 196 stalking victims. Although surveillance-oriented behaviors were most frequently reported by both males and females, significant gender differences in types of stalking behaviors were noted. Multivariate analyses indicated that increases in age and levels of self-esteem were correlated with an increased probability of experiencing stalking victimization, while being a male and higher levels of life satisfaction were related to a lower likelihood of falling prey to stalking victimization. This study concludes with a call for anti-stalking legislation in Hong Kong given the devastating nature and consequences of stalking victimization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study intended to (1) investigate the pedestrian injury severity involved in traffic crashes; and (2) address the heterogeneity issue at signalized intersections. To achieve the objectives, Bayesian binary and ordinal quantile regression models were proposed to address the pedestrian injury severity at signalized intersections. The suitability of the proposed method was illustrated with the Hong Kong dataset from 2008 to 2012 and 376 signalized intersections involving 2090 pedestrian-related crashes are selected. It's found that age, injury location, pedestrian special circumstance, pedestrian contributory and the presence of Tram/LRT stops and right turning pocket are significant variables. The results indicated that both Bayesian binary and ordinal quantile regression models not only provide a more comprehensive and in-depth understanding of the relationship between pedestrian injury severity and the explanatory variables, but also highlight the heterogeneity issue for the data collected at different locations and different times without many assumptions. The goodness-of-fit of the proposed models outperforms existing mean models, while the Bayesian binary quantile model provides a better fit than the Bayesian quantile regression for ordinal model. The results can benefit the pedestrian facilities improvement/management and guide a much safer pedestrian environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the growing popularity of Assessment for Learning in higher education, self- feedback and peer feedback are often highlighted for their role in improving writing performance. In order to provide appropriate support for students' effective implementation of the feedback, teachers must comprehend the differential characteristics of self- and peer feedback. However, empirical research comparing the two remains scarce, particularly when they are used in combination. In this study, 116 Hong Kong undergraduate students participated in an abstract writing task and engaged in self- and peer feedback processes. The amount, types, and implementation of self- and peer feedback and their effects on writing improvement were analyzed and compared. Hierarchical regression analyses indicated that about 25% of the variance in the students' writing improvement was collectively accounted for by the two feedback processes. One form of feedback contributed about 15% of the variance while the other form explained 10%. Feedback types and the amount of implemented feedback were found to be positive predictors of writing improvement, whereas the overall feedback amount negatively affected the improvement. Moreover, the implementation of peer feedback was found to have a greater effect on the improvement than those of self-feedback. Several pedagogical implications of these findings are addressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Many neuropsychiatric symptoms in persons of MCI cause negative impacts on their HRQOL. There is limited HRQOL research investigating the effect of Tai Chi on older people with MCI. Objective: To determine the effectiveness of a Tai Chi program in enhancing health‐related quality of life (HRQOL) among community‐dwelling older people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in Hong Kong. Methods: This was a quasi‐experimental study using a nonequivalent control group (CG) design. Four social centres for older people participated in the study, of which two centres were randomised for Tai Chi intervention and the other two were treated as control. Participants in the intervention group (IG) were arranged for a 1‐hour Tai Chi class twice weekly for 16 weeks, whereas participants in the CG were advised to join various recreational activities in the social centres as usual. For outcome evaluation, the Chinese version of the Short Form‐12 Health Survey‐Standard 1 (SF‐12) was employed to assess participants' perceived HRQOL. Results: One hundred and sixty participants were recruited (IG = 80, CG = 80). Data were collected at baseline (T0) and 16‐week post‐intervention (T1).The IG reported significant improvement in the physical health component (PCS) (p =.036), the mental health component (MCS) (p =.014), as well as several subscales of SF‐12, namely, the role‐physical (RP) (p =.044), the bodily pain (BP) (p <.001) and the vitality (VT) (p =.004) subscales, in comparison with the CG. Conclusion: The current study results extended our knowledge about Tai Chi of which the mind‐body exercise could enhance the physical and psychosocial well‐being in older people with MCI. Implications for practice: The findings have the potential to inform health and social care professionals to promote Tai Chi in community settings, as it may represent a non‐intensive and age‐fitting strategy to promote HRQOL in older people with MCI. Trial registration: NCT03404765 (Retrospectively registered January 19, 2018). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]