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The present study is to (1) investigate the correlations in physical activity (PA), body mass index (BMI), anxiety and depression, and quality of life (QOL) in Hong Kong Chinese adolescents; (2) identify the contributions of PA and BMI to participant's anxiety and depression. A cross-sectional survey of Chinese adolescents who completed questionnaires related to PA, weight status, mood status and personal wellbeing was conducted. 509 participants (aged 12-18 years) were recruited from four secondary schools in Hong Kong. Data were collected by a set of validated self-report questionnaires. A total of 509 questionnaires were collected, with 506 (99%) completed. Correlation analysis demonstrated a mild correlation between PA and anxiety (r=-.22), PA and depression (r=-.21), and QOL and BMI (r=-.10). A moderate correlation was found between PA and QOL (r=.30), and anxiety and QOL (r=-.43). High correlations were shown between depression and anxiety (r=.57), and depression and QOL (r=-.51). Hierarchical regression analysis demonstrated PA was a significant but weak contributor to anxiety and depression whereas BMI contributes sparingly. To conclude, the finding has indicated the significant but weak contribution of PA to anxiety and depression, and PA is a plausible measure to achieve better QOL and hence treat anxiety and depressive disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study explores the relationship between sport identity and sport participation in Chinese children. Body weight and gender are also examined regarding their influence on sport identity and sport participation of overweight and normal weight children. 267 school children (10-12 years) were surveyed in Hong Kong; 67 of which (33.5%) were classified as overweight and the rest as normal weight according to the age- and gender-specific cut-off points for children's Body Mass Index. Sport identity was measured using the Athletic Identity Measurement Scale and sport participation was measured using the Physical Activity Questioimaire for Children. Results demonstrated that when all children were combined, a positive relationship between sport identity and sport participation was established. When the children were separated by body weight groups, the relationship between sport identity and sport participation was attenuated moderately and significantly in overweight children. With regards to the gender difference, boys were found to have a significantly higher identity with sports than girls. A positive relationship between sport identity and sport participation was established in the Chinese children. Chinese children in this study did not have different sport identity or levels of sport participation based on body weight. This is in contrast to findings with Western children which suggest that overweight children have lower sport identity and sport participation compared to their normal weight counterparts. Regarding gender difference, a significant difference is found only in sport identity between boys and girls. Further investigation is needed to discern whether these differences are related to culture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reactive ion etching (RIE) is a process in the fabrication of semiconductor devices. The ability to predict the influence of the process parameters of RIE is crucial in terms of machine performance as they may have a serious impact on product quality as well as on the probability of machine failure. To address this issue, this correspondence paper presents a novel performance tradeoff function for evaluating the overall suitability of adopting the predicted control parameters suggested by domain experts, taking into full consideration their impact on the performance of the machine involved. An experiment using the RIE machine is provided to validate the practicability of the proposed approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our objective was to investigate the serum levels of interferon-inducible protein-10 (IP-10) in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and their correlation with disease activity and organ manifestations. Serum IP-10 levels were assessed in 464 SLE patients and 50 healthy donors. Disease activity was assessed by the revised SLE Activity Measure, and the concomitant active organ manifestations, anti-ds DNA antibody titres, complement levels and erythrocyte sedimentation rates recorded. Peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) synthesis of IP-10 in SLE patients and controls was determined by in vitro cultures stimulated with mitogen or lipopolysaccharide. Elevated serum IP-10 levels were observed in SLE patients, which were significantly higher in the presence of active haematological and mucocutaneous manifestations. SLE PBMCs exhibited enhanced spontaneous IP-10 production in vitro. Serial IP-10 levels correlated with longitudinal change in SLE activity, even at low levels where anti-dsDNA antibody and complement levels remain unchanged. These data demonstrate that IP-10 levels are increased in SLE and serum IP-10 may represent a more sensitive marker for monitoring disease activity than standard serological tests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To examine the adverse effects of a range of aspirin, ibuprofen, and paracetamol doses on mouse embryo development and the association of prenatal exposure to these drugs with neural tube defects (NTDs) using an in vitro whole embryo culture (WEC) system. Conclusions This study has demonstrated no safety concern of the recommended human doses of aspirin, ibuprofen, and paracetamol on mice's embryonic development. [Extracted from the article]

This cross-sectional study assessed the sociodemographic characteristics of families whose children used naturopathic medicine, the reasons for use, and whether naturopathic and conventional medicine were combined in treating children's conditions. Data were collected in British Columbia, Alberta and Ontario, Canada. Ninety-eight completed questionnaires were analyzed. The results showed that participants (parents) were most likely to be females, university educated, had household income >$60,000, and also saw a naturopathic doctor for themselves. The most common conditions for which children saw a naturopathic doctor included allergies, digestive problems and skin problems, and the most important reasons for use included using all possible options and having a more holistic approach to care. Most parents reported combining naturopathic and conventional care for their children. Study limitations, in particular, selection bias, were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Solid organ transplant has been steadily increasing in number both nationally and internationally. Caring for the transplant patients in the hospital setting, right after the patient is moved from the intensive care unit to the ward, is one of the most challenging tasks in nursing. It involves many procedures, rigid protocols, tight monitoring, and intensive data gathering for use by the other coordinating healthcare professionals. The complexity is further increased when a nurse has to take care of several transplant patients in a single shift. Of late, there has been a growth of computer applications in nursing and clinical information systems. Their acceptability and usability determine the ultimate success of computer support for this complex task. In this paper, we present a case study in which we combine two well-known software engineering techniques—namely, agile programming and user centered design—toward the goal of developing an interactive system for supporting the activities of transplant nurses in a hospital setting. This has resulted in a usable end-product and the user centered approach has motivated the nurses to move towards the use of computers in their jobs for better productivity. The product’s usability was formally evaluated and is reported herein. The strengths and limitations of this approach are also discussed. The software product developed has been well accepted and is currently being planned to replace the manual methods followed in the transplant ward of a large metropolitan hospital. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This study developed a dispositional path model of life satisfaction for community dwelling Chinese elderly living in Hong Kong. A sample of 117 elderly completed scales measuring life satisfaction, optimism, self-esteem, relationship harmony, self-construals, and perceived/expected health and financial status. Modeling revealed that life satisfaction was predicted by self-esteem and relationship harmony, which in turn were predicted by independent and interdependent self-construals, respectively. In addition, optimism predicted life satisfaction directly and indirectly through self-esteem and relationship harmony. Financial status mediated entirely the effect of optimism on life satisfaction. Health status was predicted by optimism but did not predict life satisfaction. Optimism is a key contributor to subjective well being because it fosters self-esteem, relationship harmony, and positive perceptions of financial conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Various DNA double-strand break repair mechanisms, in which DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK) has a major role, are involved both in the development and treatment of glioblastoma. The aim of the present study was to investigate how glioblastoma cells responded to hydrogen peroxide and staurosporine (STS) and how such a response is related to DNA-PK. Two human glioblastoma cell lines, M059J cells that lack DNA-PK activity, and M059K cells that express a normal level of DNA-PK, were exposed to hydrogen peroxide or STS. The response of the cells to hydrogen peroxide or STS was recorded by measuring cell death, which was detected by three different methods-MTT, annexin-V and propidium iodide staining, and JC-1 mitochondrial probe. The result showed that both hydrogen peroxide and STS were able to induce cell death of the glioblastoma cells and that the former was mainly associated with necrosis and the latter with apoptosis. Glioblastoma cells lacking DNA-PK were less sensitive to STS treatment than those containing DNA-PK. However, DNA-PK had no significant influence on hydrogen peroxide treatment. We further found that catalase, an antioxidant enzyme, could prevent cell death induced by hydrogen peroxide but not by STS, suggesting that the pathways leading to cell death by hydrogen peroxide and STS are different. We conclude that hydrogen peroxide and STS have differential effects on cell death of glioblastoma cells lacking DNA-dependent protein kinase. Such differential roles in the induction of glioblastoma cell death can be of significant value in selecting and/or optimizing the treatment for this malignant brain tumor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low-frequency excess noise was measured on laser-debonded HVPE-grown GaN films. While the Schottky MSM devices, fabricated on 5 μm-thick films, demonstrated reduction in the noise level, the ohmic MSM devices showed significant increase in the low-frequency noise. To account for the data we conducted two-dimensional simulation of the temperature of the GaN layer as a function of time and distance from the GaN/sapphire interface. The simulation results show that the temperature at the GaN/sapphire interface may rise up to 1400 K, whereas the maximum temperature at the GaN surface was about 400 K at the. Based on the experimental data and the simulation results, it is postulated that the illumination of the GaN sample by high-power excimer laser led to the decomposition of GaN at the GaN/sapphire interface resulting in the generation of localized states at the interface. The same process may have led to some thermal annealing effect at the GaN surface. To provide experimental proof of the hypothesis, detailed low-frequency noise measurement on ohmic MSM devices fabricated on 20 μm-thick GaN films were performed. The results indicate similar noise level for both the debonded and the control devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ent-11α-hydroxy-15-oxo-kaur-16-en-19-oic-acid (5F), an antitumor component, is a chemical compound isolated from Pteris semipinnata L (PsL), a Chinese traditional herb. We examined whether 5F could affect apoptosis in human colon cancer HT-29 cells, and test whether and how the over-expression of Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL could offset the effect of 5F on cell growth. The result demonstrated that 5F significantly induced apoptosis of HT-29, as shown by MTT assay and DNA fragmentation measurement. Treatment of HT-29 with 5F increased both p38 and iNOS levels, suggesting these two molecules may contribute to the apoptotic effect of 5F. Over-expression of Bcl-2 or Bcl-xL attenuated the increase of p38 and iNOS induced by 5F. The cells with Bcl-2 or Bcl-xL over-expression showed an elevation of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kappa B) activity, accompanying a significant reduction of 5F-induced apoptosis. Furthermore, inhibition of NF-kappa B by IkBαSR, which is a powerful inhibitor of NF-kappa B, restored the ability of 5F to induce apoptosis in the cells transfected with Bcl-2. These data strongly indicated that the apoptotic effect of 5F on HT-29 was closely associated with the activity of NF-kappa B, which was up-regulated by Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL. In conclusion, 5F induced apoptosis in HT-29 cells and this apoptotic effect was associated with the high level of p38 and iNOS expression. The apoptotic effect of 5F could be significantly offset by over-expression of either Bcl-2 or Bcl-xL. Bcl-2, and to the less extent, Bcl-xL, were able to increase the activity of NF-kappa B, which was a known anti-apoptotic molecule in human colon cancer cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To assess the potential value of chromosome in situ hybridisation (CISH), Ki-67, and telomerase immunocytochemistry in liquid based cervical cytology to help detect carcinoma cells and precursors. Method: Sixty ThinPrep processed cervical cytology samples were studied: 23 cases within the normal limit, 1 3 low grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (LSILs), 10 high grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSILs), six squamous cell carcinomas, three endocervical adenocarcinomas, two cervical adenosquamous cell carcinomas, and three endometrial adenocorcinomas. CISH was performed with DNA probes specific for the pericentromeric re9ions of chromosome 11 and 16. Hybridisation signals were visualised with the streptavidin-biotin peroxidase technique. The monoclonal MIB1 and polyclonal TRT-H231 antibodies were used to detect Ki-67 and telomerase immunoreactivity, respectively. Results: Non-specific background staining was almost absent in CISH slides. Normal squamous and glandular cells showed a diploid chromosomal pattern. A relative gain in chromosomes 11 and 16 (aneusomy) was seen in HSIL and the carcinomas (p<0.0001). In MIB1 stained smears, normal cells and koilocytes showed inconspicuous immunoreactivity, whereas strongly immunoreactive nuclei were found in cancer cells and HSIL (p<0.0001). Not only carcinoma and HSIL cells, but also some normal cells, showed cytoplasmic staining for telomerase. Conclusions: These preliminary results indicate that ThinPrep processed cervical smears are suitable for CISH and immunocytochemical studies. The neoplastic squamous and glandular cells were easily identified based on nuclear aneusomy and strong Ki-67 immuoreactivity in the context of abnormal nuclear morphology. This is the first study to apply CISH in cervical cytology using an immunoenzymatic approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parking accumulation profiles at car parks are time-dependent quantities that require data from lengthy observation surveys. However, it is found that car parks can be clustered into groups based on the similarity in the shape of their accumulation profiles. This procedure increases the efficiency of the survey data collected for this purpose. This paper describes a method developed to estimate aggregate parking accumulation profiles at different districts in a city. The planning of the survey conducted in Hong Kong in the year 2000 and the results of the data analysis are also described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines the nutritional stress and behavioural immunity of damselflies. Factors affecting allocation of host energy and resources to parasites and pathogens; Importance of stress for the damselflies immune function; Relation between damselfly condition and intensity of mite parasitism.

This article reviews the principal modes of dental composite material degradation and relates them to the specific components of the composites themselves. Particular emphasis is placed on the selection of the monomer resins, the filler content, and the degree of monomer conversion after the clinical materials are cured. Loss of mechanical function and leaching of components from the composites are briefly described, while a more detailed description is provided of studies that have considered the chemical breakdown of materials by agents that are present in the oral cavity, or model the latter. Specific attention will be given to the hydrolysis process of monomer and composite components, i.e., the scission of condensation-type bonds (esters, ethers, amides, etc.) that make up the monomer resins, following reaction of the resins with water and salivary enzymes. A synopsis of enzyme types and their sources is outlined, along with a description of the work that supports their ability to attack and degrade specific types of monomer systems. The methods for the study of biodegradation effects are compared in terms of sensitivity and the information that they provide. The impact of biodegradation on the ultimate biocompatibility of current materials is discussed from the perspective of what is known to date and what remains to be studied. The findings of the past decade clearly indicate that there are many reasons to probe the issue of biochemical stability of composite resins in the oral cavity. The challenge will now be to have both industry and government agencies take a pro-active approach to fund research in this area, with the expectation that these studies will lead to a more concise definition of biocompatibility issues related to dental composites. In addition, the acquired information from such studies will generate the development of alternate polymeric chemistries and composite formulations that will require further investigation for use as the next generation of restorative materials with enhanced biostability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fluctuating asymmetry (or FA) refers to directionally random deviations from bilateral symmetry for a character pair of an organism. Character FA has been related to stress imposed during development of organisms and quality or fitness of individuals. However, FA-stress and FA-quality relations often are absent or variable depending on the characters assessed. Some researchers have hypothesized that FA of sexually selected traits may relate to stress and fitness more reliably than other traits, and that genetic predispositions towards asymmetry may confound relations between asymmetry and either stress or quality. Others have suggested that because character FA is generated randomly, it may not relate to fitness or to FAs of other characters withinsamples of individuals. In this paper, we modelled development of character FA in relation to random developmental noise or perturbations, stress, developmental stability, and individual quality. We concluded that FA of sexually selected traits need not relate to stress or individual quality more than FA of other characters. We also determined that, in the absence of confounding factors such as genetic predispositions toward asymmetry, measurement error, and character FA-size relations, FA of some characters need not relate to stress or quality.Interestingly, leptokurtic asymmetry distributions could be generated using models expected to generate true FA; thus, leptokurtic asymmetry distributions should be assayed for relations with stress and fitness. We also found that unsigned FA could reliably relate to organism-wide developmental stability and quality, even in the absence of organism-wide FA relations among traits. Finally, conclusions about theutility of FA measures will depend strongly on representation of high FA individuals in samples, because FA-quality relations were typically triangular in distribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The entire nucleotide sequence (7057 nucleotides) of cDNA clones of potato aucuba mosaic virus (PAMV) was determined. The genome contains five major putative open reading frames (ORFs), designated from the 5′ terminus as encoding putative proteins with M of 187 379 (187 K), 26 326 (26 K), 12 101 (12 K), 8 183 (8 K) and 27 114 (27 K). The genomic organization of PAMV is essentially the same as that of several other potexviruses. The sizes and composition of the proteins encoded by the ORFs are generally similar to those found in other potexviruses. The genome and the capsid protein gene of PAMV, are the largest among the potexviruses sequenced to date. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Jun Pei Lim,1,2 Bernard P Leung,3 Yew Yoong Ding,1,2 Laura Tay,1,2 Noor Hafizah Ismail,2,4 Audrey Yeo,2 Suzanne Yew,2 Mei Sian Chong1,2 1Department of Geriatric Medicine, 2Institute of Geriatrics and Active Ageing, 3Department of Rheumatology, Allergy and Immunology, 4Department of Community and Continuing Care, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore Objective: Sarcopenic obesity (SO) is associated with poorer physical outcomes and functional status in the older adult. A proinflammatory milieu associated with central obesity is postulated to enhance muscle catabolism. We set out to examine associations of the chemokine monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) in groups of older adults, with sarcopenia, obesity, and the SO phenotypes.Methods: A total of 143 community dwelling, well, older adults were recruited. Cross-sectional clinical data, physical performance, and muscle mass measurements were collected. Obesity and sarcopenia were defined using revised National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) obesity guidelines and those of the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia. Serum levels of MCP-1 were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).Results: In all, 25.2% of subjects were normal, 15.4% sarcopenic, 48.3% obese, and 11.2% were SO. The SO groups had the lowest appendicular lean mass, highest percentage body fat, and lowest performance scores on the Short Physical Performance Battery and grip strength. The MCP-1 levels were significantly different, with the highest levels found in SO participants (P

The article focuses on the review of lung cancer services with greater emphasis on a multidisciplinary care in Great Britain. Lung cancer has been known as the most fatal disease in the whole world that causes deaths to more than 37,000 people in the country annually. In this connection, a multidisciplinary working group was created to review the patient's diagnostic journey in attending rapid access lung cancer clinics.