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Understanding citizens' evaluation of public urban green space (UGS) attributes and plant species features can inform greenspace design to meet public expectations. This study evaluated the public's responses to UGS attributes and plant species in Hong Kong using a questionnaire survey of 827 adult respondents. Principal component analysis followed by cluster analysis were applied to analyze the data. The respondents were differentiated into three groups (ecological, eclectic, and pragmatic users) based on the evaluations of UGS attributes. Additionally, three clusters (conservation supporters, all-round perfectionists, and safety defenders) were classified based on evaluating plant species features. Plant knowledge and gender were the main factors associated with respondents' evaluation profiles. Respondents with different expectations of UGS attributes harbored different evaluations of plant species features. The respondent groups agreed unanimously that similar plant species composition was deployed across UGS sites in Hong Kong. Respondents attaching importance to the conservation value of plant species (i.e., "conservation supporters") were more concerned about plant species selection. The conservation supporters were dissatisfied with the current plant selection strategy. A zonation strategy for large UGS could cater to a broad range of user demands and create a socially-inclusive venue for residents. Alternatively, a collection of small UGS in a given district can cover a range of functions. The findings could inform a modified approach to UGS design and plant selection to satisfy the residents' disparate expectations and needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Quantitative information regarding tree species-specific size is an essential tool for landscape planning. It reflects tree-environment and human–environment interactions in the urban landscape. The effects of habitat types on tree allometry have seldom been evaluated. Objectives: Firstly, to derive size-related information of common urban tree species in Hong Kong. Secondly, to evaluate the effects of habitat types on tree allometry. Methods: A database of 28,622 trees was established by a field assessment. The allometric relationships (DBH-height and DBH-crown width relationships), by both OLS regression and quantile regression, and maximum size of 30 common urban tree species, and the effects of five main habitat types on tree allometry were determined. Species were assigned to groups according to dimensional traits by cluster analysis. Results: In general, the allometric relationships of height and crown width to DBH were significant and varied among species. The wide prediction intervals of the OLS regression indicated the high uncertainty of allometric relationships in our region. The 99th percentile crown width of most species reached 10 m, hinting the general failure of most habitats to meet the planting space requirement. Only two large-stature species have narrow crowns. Habitat types posed significant but small species-specific effects on tree allometry. Roadside tree pit was a particularly stressful environment. Conclusions: Our findings can act as a reference for landscape planning and management in Hong Kong and nearby cities, including species growth space requirement and habitat limitations. However, prediction of height or crown width from DBH must be carefully interpreted in our city. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The predictive-adaptive response paradigm postulates that slow fetal growth advances puberty as a life-history strategy for reproductive success, when constraints on postnatal growth are minimal. The authors examined the association of birth weight for gestational age and small for gestational age (SGA) status (birth weight for gestational age <10th percentile, 6.9%) with clinically assessed age at onset of Tanner stage II in a non-Western developed population using interval-censored regression in 7,366 children (89% follow-up) from a population-representative Chinese birth cohort, “Children of 1997” in Hong Kong. Neither SGA status nor birth weight z score for gestational age was associated with age at onset of puberty, adjusted for sex, mother's place of birth, parental height, income, and parental education. Greater childhood height and linear growth were associated with younger age at onset of puberty. SGA status was associated with earlier puberty after adjustment for childhood height (time ratio = 0.984, 95% confidence interval: 0.972, 0.995) but later puberty after adjustment for linear growth (time ratio = 1.017, 95% confidence interval: 1.005, 1.030). In this developed city of China, SGA status was not associated with timing of puberty. However, the observation may be contextually specific depending on how other attributes, such as childhood growth, differ between SGA and other children. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Objectives: To examine the relationship between diabetes and impairments in functional and cognitive status as well as depression in older people. Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: Elderly Health Centres (EHC) in Hong Kong. Participants: 66,813 older people receiving baseline assessment at EHC in 1998 to 2001. Measurements: Diabetes status was defined by self-report and blood glucose tests. Functional status was assessed by 5 items of instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) and 7 items of activities of daily living (ADL). Cognitive status was screened by the Abbreviated Mental Test-Hong Kong version (AMT). Depressive symptoms were screened by the Geriatric Depression Scale-Chinese version (GDS). Results: Among the subjects, 10.4% reported having regular treatment for diabetes, 3.4% had diabetes but were not receiving regular treatment, and 86.2% did not have diabetes. After controlling for age, sex and education level, those having regular treatment for diabetes were 1.7 times more likely (OR=1.65, 95% CI: 1.51-1.80) to have functional impairment, 1.3 times more likely (OR=1.28, 95% CI: 1.11-1.48) to have cognitive impairment and 1.3 times more likely (OR=1.35, 95% CI: 1.25-1.46) to have depression, than older people without diabetes. Conclusion: Older people with diabetes may be less capable of managing the disease than the younger ones as a result of increased risk of both physical and cognitive impairment. This study provided further evidence for the need of an international consensus statement regarding care of diabetes in older people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: In 2006 the World Health Organization (WHO) published new optimal growth standards for all healthy infants worldwide. To assess their general applicability to a recently transitioned Chinese population, we compared them with infant growth patterns in a representative sample of Hong Kong infants. Design and settings: Weight at birth and at 1, 3, 9, 12, 18 and 36 months, length at 3 and 9 months and height at 36 months were obtained for over 80% of all infants born in April and May 1997 (3880 boys and 3536 girls). Age and sex specific z scores were calculated relative to the WHO growth standards for term singletons. Results: Weight for age was close to the 50th percentile of the WHO growth standards for both boys (mean z score: 0.00) and girls (0.04) at most time points before 3 years of age. However, our participants were shorter at 3 years, where the z scores in height were -0.34 and -0.38 for boys and girls, respectively. Restricting the analysis to a subset matching the WHO criteria for healthy infants without restrictions on growth gave similar results. Conclusions: Although the WHO study group concluded there was a striking similarity in length/height among different populations, Hong Kong Chinese toddlers are, on average, shorter. Epigenetic constraints on growth coupled with the rapid epidemiological transition in Hong Kong may not have allowed sufficient generations for infants and children to reach their full genetic height potential, and with it the WHO standards. A universal infant growth standard may not be appropriate across all populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maternal exposure to dioxins and related compounds before conception may affect the health of the fetus. To identify factors affecting dioxin body load in Hong Kong, in 2002, total dioxin-like activity was estimated in 250 individual milk samples at 2–6 weeks postpartum, from a representative group of primiparous mothers, aged 18–42 years (mean 29 ± 5 years), by a chemically activated luciferase expression (CALUX) bioassay. Associations between the CALUX—TEG and 20 socio-demographic and dietary variables were examined separately in mothers younger than 30 years (n = 114) and 30 years or older (n = 119), by multiple linear regression analysis. CALUX—TEQ (mean 14.5 ± 5.8 pg/g fat) significantly increased by 0.4–0.5 pg/g fat for every year of the mother's age. Mothers born in Guangdong province of China had a significantly higher CALUX—TEG. Higher seafood consumption (older mothers; p = 0.07) and having a female baby (younger mothers; p = 0.002) were associated with a higher maternal CALUX—TEG level. Age was the strongest factor affecting human dioxin levels in Hong Kong. Birthplace and residence are important indicators of variations in exposure to environmental pollution in the Asia Pacific region. Temporal trends in body loads of dioxins remain to be established and continuous monitoring of dioxins in humans and foods is necessary as a precautionary approach to guide environmental control measures and prevent exposure to infants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective:To describe the pattern of meal glycaemic load of children in Hong Kong and to determine whether the meal glycaemic load is associated with childhood overweight.Method:Dietary records (3-day) of 316 Hong Kong children aged 6–7 years were collected. Glycaemic load was calculated from the estimated weight (WT), carbohydrate content (%CHO) and glycaemic index (GI) of each food taken using the equation: (% CHO × GI × WT/100). The meal glycaemic load was then the sum of the glycaemic loads of all food taken in each meal. Logistic regression analyses were used to compare the average meal glycaemic load (of breakfast, lunch and dinner) and other dietary parameters between overweight children and normal-weight children.Results:Breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks provided, respectively, 17, 29, 29 and 25% of the total glycaemic load in a day. White rice (excluding congee (rice porridge) and glutinous rice) contributed almost half of the total glycaemic load. Adjusted logistic regression showed that the meal glycaemic load was not significantly associated with childhood overweight after adjusting for parental obesity, birth weight, sleeping duration, mean energy intake and paternal smoking.Conclusion:Meal glycaemic load calculated from current diet was not an independent factor associated with childhood overweight in children aged 6–7 years. Our data suggested that modifying the type of rice/staple consumed and choosing low-GI snacks could have a major influence on the total meal glycaemic load of young Hong Kong children.European Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2006) 60, 220–227. doi:10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602305; published online 9 November 2005 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Impairment in insight is an important feature in psychotic disorder. It is recognized that poor insight is prevalent in patients with early psychosis. The current study aimed to examined clinical and psychosocial correlates of insight in a representative cohort of Chinese adult patients who had completed 3-year specialized early intervention service for first-episode psychosis (FEP) in Hong Kong. Methods One hundred and one Chinese patients aged 26–55 years who completed a 3-year territory-wide specialized early intervention service for FEP in Hong Kong were recruited. Assessments encompassing premorbid adjustment, illness onset, clinical, psychosocial and treatment variables were conducted. Patients were categorized into good (n=45) versus poor (n=56) insight based on the ratings on the Scale to Assess Unawareness of Mental Disorder (SUMD). Results Univariate analyses showed that gender, positive, negative, disorganization and depressive symptoms, self-stigma and general self-efficacy were related to insight (threshold set at p<0.1). Multiple binary logistic regression analysis further revealed that female gender (p=0.004), lower levels of positive (p=0.001) and disorganization (p=0.033) symptoms, more severe depressive symptoms (p=0.007), and greater degrees of self-stigma (p=0.005) were independently associated with good insight status in early psychosis patients. Discussion Our results highlighted the significant relationships among insight, depression and self-stigma. Prospective research is warranted to clarify the complex longitudinal inter-relationships among these variables in the early stage of illness so as to facilitate development of effective intervention for further outcome improvement in patients with early psychosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Self-stigma obstructs recovery from psychotic disorders yet factors contributing to self-stigma among these patients, especially those with early psychosis have been understudied. Accumulating evidence has also indicated that high self-stigma is already prevalent in the early course of illness. This study aimed to examine correlates of self-stigma in adult patients who had completed 3-year specialized early intervention service for first-episode psychosis (FEP) in Hong Kong. Methods One hundred and one Chinese patients aged 26–55 years who completed 3-year specialized early intervention service for FEP in Hong Kong were recruited. Assessments encompassing illness onset, clinical, functional and self-stigma variables were conducted. Results Univariate analyses showed that gender, educational level, age of onset, duration of untreated psychosis (DUP), higher scores on the Scale to Assess Unawareness of Mental Disorder (SUMD) and Apathy Evaluation Scale (AES) were related to self-stigma (measured by Self-Stigma Scale-Short form) (threshold set at p<0.1). Multiple linear regression analysis further revealed that female gender (p=0.03), older age at onset of psychosis (p=0.02), longer DUP (p=0.03), and better insight (measured by SUMD, p=0.04) were independently associated with higher levels of self-stigma in early psychosis patients. Discussion Our results indicated that greater self-stigma is linked to female gender, older age of illness onset, treatment delay and better insight in the early stage of psychotic disorder. In particular, patients who have good insight and / or prolonged DUP may represent a vulnerable subgroup in early psychosis who requires more specific interventions to minimize risk of increased self-stigma. Further research is warranted to clarify longitudinal changes of self-stigma and the associated predictors to facilitate development of effective interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An abstract of the article "Development of an integrative service model for dysthymia patients with body-mindspirit approach in Chinese medicine clinics in Hong Kong," by M. Li, C. Chan, and H. Chan is presented.