Search

The flare-up of protests over Hong Kong's anti-extradition bill amendment in 2019 gave rise to a global wave of organising among the city's overseas diaspora of students and migrants, persisting after the city's protest movement declined due to COVID-19 and repression. Based on 85 in-depth interviews with overseas activists as well as journalistic and social media data on events in six cities, this article examines the diaspora's pro-democracy campaign. Easily surpassing the previous mobilisational waves of 1989 and 2014, the newer diaspora activism gave rise to more numerous and widespread organisations, which were mostly decentralised and loosely connected. Responding to the rise and fall of protests in the home city, campaigners shifted from supplying protest-related gear to sheltering fleeing refugees, with the diaspora activism evolving into a global resistance against China's authoritarian expansion. Counter-protests by pro-China supporters increased publicity for the campaign, but also brought threats to personal safety. With the exception of Taiwan, Hongkongers found it difficult to localise their agenda in host countries, and their efforts were frustrated by growing political polarisation in Western democracies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Context: For centuries, the notions of citizenship and citizenship education have been associated with the nation-state and civic elements. However, since the late 20th century, these traditional notions have been challenged by globalization. In the discourse of globalization, citizenship, and citizenship education, some scholars suggest a simplistic replacement or shift from national citizenship to global citizenship, regional citizenship, or local and group identities. Against these simplistic, single-leveled approaches is the argument for both the continuing importance of nation-specific characteristics of citizenship and the strong need to diversify the nation-state-oriented and civic-specific framework to form multileveled and multidimensional ones. They accommodate individuals' engagement in the various domains of human activities and their memberships at various levels, ranging from individual to community, local, national, and international or global ones. Some scholars have advocated a multidimensional model of citizenship education by regrouping human relationships and activities into four major dimensions--personal, social, spatial, and temporal--which can intersect with various levels in the multilevel polity. However, these general, static frameworks are not backed by strong empirical evidence and do not explain the complexity of interplay among different actors at the same level and/or between levels. Purpose/Objective/Research Question/Focus of Study: The purpose of the article is twofold. First, it aims to provide empirical evidence for the general framework of multileveled and multidimensional citizenship education by assessing students' views of citizenship in a multileveled polity with reference to Hong Kong and Shanghai in China. Second, with the help of the comparative study, the article is intended to supplement the general framework by proposing a theoretical framework that explains the complex interplay of different actors in their choices of citizenship elements from a multileveled polity. Setting: The study took place in three public junior secondary schools in Shanghai and three aided secondary schools in Hong Kong and assessed their students' views of the global, national, local, and personal-social domains of multiple identities in a multileveled polity. Research Design: The study adopted a mixed methodology of observations, questionnaires, and interview surveys to collect data. Data Collection and Analysis: Data are drawn from questionnaires completed by 1,402 students attending Grades 7-9, and 38 interviews with principals, teachers, and students from both societies between 2002 and 2003. Conclusions/Recommendations: The study shows that although students of Hong Kong and Shanghai were aware of having multiple citizenships, some of their views of the relative importance of, and the interrelationships among, four dimensions of citizenship differed. The patterns of their perceptions of multiple citizenships reflect similarities and differences in the organization of citizenship education between schools in Hong Kong and Shanghai, the nation-state's influences on local citizenship curricula, and local governments' development considerations in remaking collective identity. With the help of the comparative study, the article supplements the general framework by proposing a theoretical framework for interpreting citizenship and citizenship education as dynamic, context-bounded, and multileveled social constructions reinvented through the intertwined interactions of different actors in response to social changes, including globalization.

Describes benefits and problems of "Creation of Income" practices in selected public schools in Guangzhou, China. Concludes that while controversial and opposed by many Chinese educators, "Creation of Income" appears to be an effective short-term means of alleviating problems associated with inadequate funding of public schools. (Contains 28 references.) (PKP)

Objective: Attenuated psychosis syndrome (APS) has recently been included in the appendix of DSM-5 as a condition for further study. This study compared public stigma associated with four mental health conditions among study participants in Hong Kong.Methods: The cross-sectional study involved 204 participants (154 members of the general public general public and 50 health care professionals) recruited through a public awareness campaign and the e-mail network of the University of Hong Kong. Participants read four vignettes describing persons with schizophrenia, depression, APS, or psychosis-like experiences. For each vignette, they used a scale to rate their level of stigma in seven domains: social distance, traditional prejudice, exclusionary sentiments, negative affect, perceptions of dangerousness, treatment carryover, and disclosure carryover. Analyses compared ratings within and across vignettes.Results: Schizophrenia received the highest public stigma ratings, followed by APS, depression, and psychosis-like experiences. Total stigma scores were higher for the general public than for health care professionals. Public stigma associated with APS was similar to that associated with depression. Ratings of treatment carryover indicated that participants believed that being known to have received treatment for APS or depression would have lasting consequences.Conclusions: Stigma should be considered in the development of mental health services and research in China, particularly in regard to people with schizophrenia and those at risk of psychosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lifetime prevalence of psychotic disorders varies widely across studies. Epidemiological surveys have rarely examined prevalences of specific psychotic disorders other than schizophrenia, and the majority used a single-phase design without employing clinical reappraisal interview for diagnostic verification. The current study investigated lifetime prevalence, correlates and service utilization of schizophrenia-spectrum, affective, and other non-affective psychotic disorders in a representative sample of community-dwelling Chinese adult population aged 16-75 years (N = 5719) based on a territory- wide, population-based household survey for mental disorders in Hong Kong. The survey adopted a 2-phase design comprising first-phase psychosis screening and second-phase diagnostic verification incorporating clinical information from psychiatrist-administered semi-structured interview and medical record review to ascertain DSM-IV lifetime diagnosis for psychotic disorders. Data on sociodemographics, psychosocial characteristics and service utilization were collected. Our results showed that lifetime prevalence was 2.47% for psychotic disorder overall, 1.25% for schizophrenia, 0.15% for delusional disorder, 0.38% for psychotic disorder not otherwise specified, 0.31% for bipolar disorder with psychosis, and 0.33% for depressive disorder with psychosis. Schizophrenia-spectrum disorder was associated with family history of psychosis, cigarette smoking and variables indicating socioeconomic disadvantage. Victimization experiences were significantly related to affective psychoses and other non-affective psychoses. Around 80% of participants with any psychotic disorder sought some kind of professional help for mental health problems in the past year. Using comprehensive diagnostic assessment involving interview and record data, our results indicate that approximately 2.5% of Chinese adult population had lifetime psychotic disorder which represents a major public health concern. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Chromosomal microarray (CMA) is currently the first-tier genetic test for patients with idiopathic neuropsychiatric diseases in many countries. Its improved diagnostic yield over karyotyping and other molecular testing facilitates the identification of the underlying causes of neuropsychiatric diseases. In this study, we applied oligonucleotide array comparative genomic hybridization as the molecular genetic test in a Chinese cohort of children with DD/ID, autism or MCA. Results CMA identified 7 clinically significant microduplications and 17 microdeletions in 19.0% (20/105) patients, with size of aberrant regions ranging from 11 kb to 10.7 Mb. Fourteen of the pathogenic copy number variant (CNV) detected corresponded to well known microdeletion or microduplication syndromes. Four overlapped with critical regions of recently identified genomic syndromes. We also identified a rare de novo 2.3 Mb deletion at 8p21.3-21.2 as a pathogenic submicroscopic CNV. We also identified two novel CNVs, one at Xq28 and the other at 12q21.31-q21.33, in two patients (1.9%) with unclear clinical significance. Overall, the detection rate of CMA is comparable to figures previously reported for accurately detect submicroscopic chromosomal imbalances and pathogenic CNVs except mosaicism, balanced translocation and inversion. Conclusions This study provided further evidence of an increased diagnostic yield of CMA and supported its use as a first line diagnostic tool for Chinese individuals with DD/ID, ASD, and MCA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Medical professionalism is valued globally. However, Western frameworks of medical professionalism may not resonate with the cultural values of non-Western countries. Aims: This study aims to formulate a professionalism framework for healthcare providers at Peking Union Medical College (PUMC) in China. Methods: This study was conducted using nominal group technique (NGT) in a convenient sample of 97 participants at PUMC in November and December, 2011. Participants were sorted into 13 occupational groups, each discussing and ranking categories of medical professionalism. The authors compared the results of each group's ranked categories and analyzed meeting transcripts. Results: A pre-existing framework provided eight categories: clinical competence, communication, ethics, humanism, excellence, accountability, altruism, and integrity. Participants created four categories: teamwork, self-management, health promotion, and economic considerations. Clinical competence and communication ranked highly among most groups. Only hospital volunteers and resident physicians included self-management in their top-ranked items. Only public health experts prioritized health promotion. Standardized patients were unique in mentioning 'economic considerations.' Medical students and attending physicians both referenced Chinese traditional values. Conclusions: Our study was able to document effects of East Asian cultural influences and conflicts between Western ideologies and Asian traditions that led to divergent interpretations of medical professionalism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: The progression to type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) and other long-term cardiometabolic risks in Chinese women with prior history of gestational diabetes (GD) was studied at 15 years postpartum. Methods: 139 Chinese women (45 with GD and 94 with normal glucose tolerance (NGT) at the index pregnancy) who had their insulin sensitivity and β-cell functions examined at 8 years postpartum were again followed up at 15 years for the investigation of the rate of type 2 DM, hypertension and metabolic syndrome. Results: Women with prior history of GD had a significantly higher rate of hypertension (35.6% vs. 16.0%, p = 0.01), type 2 DM (24.4% vs. 5.3%, p < 0.001) and impaired glucose regulation (26.6% vs. 14.9%, p < 0.001) than women with NGT during the index pregnancy. The Matsuda insulin sensitivity index and the quantitative insulin sensitivity check index at 8 years postpartum were independent predictors of both DM and metabolic syndrome at 15 years postpartum. Conclusions: The conversion rate of type 2 DM increased at an average rate of 1.6% per year after a pregnancy affected by GD. Insulin resistance at 8 years postpartum could refine a future diabetic risk in women with prior history of GD. Copyright © 2011 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a multifactorial disease and influenced by genetics. We previously reported that a single nucleotide polymorphism (rs11066001) in the BRAP gene was related to the risk of myocardial infarction. However, it is unclear whether rs11066001 is associated with the extent of coronary atherosclerosis. Methods: We enrolled 732 patients scheduled for diagnostic coronary angiography. Angiographic presence of significant CAD (0 or 1), clinical vessel score (CVS, 0-3 vessels) and diffuse score (DS, 0-11.5) were used to evaluate the extent of coronary atherosclerosis. Genotyping was carried out by the TaqMan technology. Results: Of all patients, 558 (76.2%) had significant CAD. The odds ratio for the GG to the AA genotype was 2.45 (95% CI 1.13-5.34, p = 0.024) for the presence of significant CAD. The CVS was correlated with the frequency of genotypes in the recessive model (p = 0.001). Regression analysis showed a significant association between rs11066001 and the presence of significant CAD and DS (all p < 0.05). There was a synergistic effect between rs11066001 and diabetes on the occurrence of significant CAD (p < 0.001 for interaction). Conclusion: The BRAP rs11066001 gene is associated with the extent of coronary atherosclerosis and has a synergistic effect with diabetes on the occurrence of significant CAD in the Chinese population. Copyright © 2011 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the sex differences in prescribing patterns of psychotropic drugs and drug-induced side effects in schizophrenia patients in Asia using the data of the Research on Asian Psychotropic Prescription Pattern (REAP) surveys. Method: The prescription patterns of 6,441 schizophrenia inpatients in six Asian countries and regions were investigated during the 2001--2009 period. The patients' socio-demographic and clinical characteristics and their prescriptions for psychotropic drugs were recorded using a standardized protocol and data collection procedure. Results: Univariate analyses found the following factors to be significantly associated with the male sex: a younger age, higher doses of antipsychotics, less prominent delusions and hallucinations, more prominent negative symptoms, less likelihood of a prescription for second-generation antipsychotics (SGAs), greater use of antipsychotic polypharmacy, mood stabilizers and depot antipsychotics, more frequent tardive dyskinesia (TD), and less weight gain. In multivariate analyses, fewer prescriptions for SGAs, greater use of mood stabilizers, anticholinergics, antipsychotic polypharmacy and depot antipsychotics, extrapyramidal side effects (EPS) and TD, and less weight gain were independently associated with the male sex. Conclusions: Sex is one of the independent contributors to psychotropic prescription and side effects in Asian schizophrenia patients. Psychopharmacological treatment guidelines for schizophrenia should consider the sexes separately. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Context: For centuries, the notions of citizenship and citizenship education have been associated with the nation-state and civic elements. However, since the late 20th century, these traditional notions have been challenged by globalization. In the discourse of globalization, citizenship, and citizenship education, some scholars suggest a simplistic replacement or shift from national citizenship to global citizenship, regional citizenship, or local and group identities. Against these simplistic, single-leveled approaches is the argument for both the continuing importance of nation-specific characteristics of citizenship and the strong need to diversify the nation-state-oriented and civic-specific framework to form multileveled and multidimensional ones. They accommodate individuals' engagement in the various domains of human activities and their memberships at various levels, ranging from individual to community, local, national, and international or global ones. Some scholars have advocated a multidimensional model of citizenship education by regrouping human relationships and activities into four major dimensions--personal, social, spatial, and temporal--which can intersect with various levels in the multilevel polity. However, these general, static frameworks are not backed by strong empirical evidence and do not explain the complexity of interplay among different actors at the same level and/or between levels. Purpose: The purpose of the article is twofold. First, it aims to provide empirical evidence for the general framework of multileveled and multidimensional citizenship education by assessing students' views of citizenship in a multileveled polity with reference to Hong Kong and Shanghai in China. Second, with the help of the comparative study, the article is intended to supplement the general framework by proposing a theoretical framework that explains the complex interplay of different actors in their choices of citizenship elements from a multileveled polity. Setting: The study took place in three public junior secondary schools in Shanghai and three aided secondary schools in Hong Kong and assessed their students' views of the global, national, local, and personal-social domains of multiple identities in a multileveled polity. Research Design: The study adopted a mixed methodology of observations, questionnaires, and interview surveys to collect data. Data Collection and Analysis: Data are drawn from questionnaires completed by 1, 402 students attending Grades 7-9, and 38 interviews with principals, teachers, and students from both societies between 2002 and 2003. Conclusions/Recommendations: The study shows that although students of Hong Kong and Shanghai were aware of having multiple citizenships, some of their views of the relative importance of and the interrelationships among, four dimensions of citizenship differed. The patterns of their perceptions of multiple citizenships reflect similarities and differences in the organization of citizenship education between schools in Hong Kong and Shanghai, the nation-state's influences on local citizenship curricula, and local governments' development considerations in remaking collective identity. With the help of the comparative study, the article supplements the general framework by proposing a theoretical framework for interpreting citizenship and citizenship education as dynamic, context-bounded, and multileveled social constructions reinvented through the intertwined interactions of different actors in response to social changes, including globalization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVES: To test the association between angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) insertion or deletion (I/D) polymorphism and decline of renal function in people aged 60 and older. DESIGN: Population-based prospective study with 4-year follow-up. SETTING: Department of Internal Medicine and Family Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University (KMU) Hospital and Graduate Institute of Medicine and Public Health, KMU. PARTICIPANTS: Of 1,500 people screened, 193 subjects were enrolled, and 144 completed 4 years of follow-up, 112 non-diabetic normotensive elderly people were analyzed. MEASUREMENTS: Subjects received biochemistry examination at baseline and at 2- and 4-year follow-ups. Serum creatinine and calculated renal parameters, including the Cockroft-Gault (CG) formula, the Jelliffe formula, and the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD) Study equation, were used. Genetic polymorphism was analyzed according to the polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: The mean age±standard deviation of the subjects was 71.9±3.7 (range 60–81). Serum creatinine, CG creatinine clearance (CrCl), Jelliffe CrCl, and MDRD glomerular filtration rate (GFR) were significantly lower at the 2- and 4-year follow-ups (all P≤.001). At the 4-year follow-up, the magnitude of declines of the above four renal parameters was significantly higher in subjects with the ACE D allele than in the non-D-allele carriers ( P=.01, .01, .04, and .01 for creatinine, CG CrCl, Jelliffe CrCl, and MDRD GFR, respectively). This association was still significant in multivariate analyses ( P≤.02 for all parameters). CONCLUSION: This longitudinal study showed the ACE I/D gene polymorphism might modulate renal function decline in elderly Chinese. This provides further knowledge essential in the assessment of renal disease and determination of renal function in older Chinese. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Cross-sectional studies investigated the impact of renin-angiotensin system (RAS) gene polymorphism on left ventricular mass index (LVMI) with conflicting results. We conducted a longitudinal study to investigate the influence of the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) insertion/deletion (l/D) and angiotensinogen (AGT) M235T and angiotensin 11 type 1 receptor (ATI R) A1166C gene polymorphisms on the LVMI and geometry. Methods. Of 1500 people screened, 110 nondiabetic normotensive elderly Chinese persons were recruited and received echocardiography at baseline and at the 2nd and 4th year follow-up. No participants had a history of organic heart disease or chronic medication. The gene polymorphisms were analyzed by using polymerase chain reaction. Results. Participant age was 71.9 ± 3.9 years (range 60-81 years). The prevalence of concentric remodeling, eccentric hypertrophy, and concentric hypertrophy was significantly increased as well as LVMI after 4 years (all p < .05). These changes and the magnitude of LVMI increase were significantly higher in participants carrying the ACE D allele than non-D-allele carriers (all p < .05). This association was still significant in multivariate analyses (p < .02). A similar analysis showed a borderline significance in the ATI R but not in the AGT gene polymorphism. Conclusions. This longitudinal study showed that the aging process was associated with an increase of LVMI and changes of geometry. The RAS gene polymorphism, especially the ACE D allele, might modulale these changes in the Chinese population. This provides further knowledge that is essential in the assessment of cardiac disease and the determination of the left ventricular structure in older persons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Education in Hong Kong has developed rapidly since the 70s in parallel with the economic boom. To support such development, the government has invested heavily in initial teacher education and will soon impose professional training and graduate qualifications as prerequisites for entering the profession. Continuous teacher education (CTE), generally regarded as equally important as initial teacher education if not more so, is not given comparable emphasis. This paper aims to study CTE in Hong Kong, including its policy, practice and provision at the system level. Some special features of the system are identified and scrutinized, including ad hoc, policy led, and competence based. The centrally provided CTE is also closely examined in terms of its relevance to the profession, impact on schools, and cost-effectiveness. The paper ends with a close look at its latest developments, obstacles encountered and prospects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reveals about the making of secondary school principals in Hong Kong. Studies about principalship have been conducted in quantitative tradition. Such research was based largely on school climate and employed the organizational climate description questionnaire. This was intended to enable an understanding of school leadership as perceived by teachers. Report talks about profile of Hong Kong and its educational system. Education department required all senior teachers to undergo 30 hour training in management and related issues before they were appointed as deputy principals, this was to improve quality of schooling and principals. Implications for education and its management of the status of Hong Kong are explored in the last section. Issues of smallness and isolation are focused.

The article focuses on study conducted by the authors on antipsychotic treatment of young Chinese individuals which was population based study in Hong Kong, China. Topics discussed include emergence of troubles in young people in the U.S. regarding safety and indication due to excessive use of antipsychotic medications, an increase in use of antipsychotic in children and lower rates of antipsychotic use in children and adolescents of Hong Kong than the U.S.

Mindfulness meditation (MM) and its alignment with the mind-body perspective of health in Chinese cultures indicate its potential to benefit Chinese patients with psychosis. This is the first systematic review and meta-analysis to address the following questions: (1) Does MM improve clinical, well-being, and third-wave outcomes (i.e., mindfulness, acceptance, and compassion levels) among Chinese patients with psychosis? (2) What are the patient- and/or intervention-specific factors that moderate the efficacy of MM? (3) Are improvements on third-wave outcomes associated with improvements on clinical and well-being outcomes? (4) What are the mechanisms underlying the effects of MM? Evidence synthesized from 23 relevant articles (20 studies) involving 1749 patients showed that (1) MM improved a wide range of patients' outcomes, most consistently and sustainably for insight, rehospitalization duration, recovery rate, and social functioning; (2) age and duration of illness, but not the cumulated intervention hours, moderated the overall efficacy of MM; (3) post-MM improvements on mindfulness and on clinical and well-being outcomes were related, and (4) the effects of MM on patients' outcomes may be driven by its ability to promote positive changes in personal growth and enhance one's coping with the illness and its symptoms. Our data showed preliminary support for the benefits of MM in Chinese patients with psychosis. However, results should be considered in light of the varying quality of included studies and their heterogeneity in multiple aspects. Further research is needed to deduce the sustainability of MM's effects, its active ingredients, underlying mechanisms, and additional moderators of its efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]