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Malnutrition is prevalent (>50%) in maintenance hemodialysis (HD) and continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) patients in Malaysia. The priority is to identify a suitable nutritional screening tool for use in dialysis units. We conducted a study between June to November 2011 testing simplified nutritional screening tools on 155 HD and 90 CAPD patients to validate their potential application. Routine nutritional screening tools commonly used for hospitalized patients (NRS–2002, MST, MUST) were compared against tools specific to dialysis such as the malnutrition-inflammation score (MIS), modified Subjective Global Assessment (mSGA) and geriatric nutritional risk index (GNRI) with diagnostic values inclusive of anthropometry, biochemistry and dietary itnake. The mSGA compared to MIS indicated greater specificity for BMI

Introduction: Early childhood is a period during which many factors influence the development of lifelong eating habits. This study aimed to assess the nutritional status of young children and to determine factors related to eating habits. Methods: A total of 992 children aged 5-6 years attending kindergartens that participated in the Bright Start Nutrition programme in the Klang Valley were included in the study. Anthropometric measurements were taken and body mass index (BMI) calculated. A questionnaire to assess the children's nutrition knowledge was administered through interviews, while their mothers selfadministered another set of questionnaires regarding knowledge, attitude and practice on nutrition. Results: The mean BMI was 15.7±2.7kg/m2 in boys and 15.4±2.4kg/m2 in girls. Based on the WHO 2007 growth reference, the prevalence of overweight and obesity were 9.1% and 9.3%, respectively; while the prevalence of thinness and stunting were 5.8% and 3.9%, respectively. Most of the children consumed breakfast (86.4%), lunch (94.1%) and dinner (93.4%) daily. The majority liked fruits (95.1%), snacks (93.8%), Western fast food (93.3%) and milk (90.8%), while less than two-thirds (65.1%) liked vegetables. The mean nutrition knowledge scores for the children and mothers were 73.2±9.8% and 60.2±18.8%, respectively. Maternal nutrition knowledge was correlated positively with children's vegetable intake (r=0.111, p<0.05) and negatively with snack intake (r=-0.134, p<0.05). Conclusion: These results showed a higher prevalence of overweight and obesity than underweight and thinness among the urban young children studied. As mother's nutrition knowledge was found to exert a positive influence on children's eating habits, it is important to provide nutrition education to both mothers and children when conducting intervention programmes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Creating a high-frequency electron system demands a high saturation velocity (υ sat ). Herein, we report the high-field transport properties of multilayer van der Waals (vdW) indium selenide (InSe). The InSe is on a hexagonal boron nitride substrate and encapsulated by a thin, noncontinuous In layer, resulting in an impressive electron mobility reaching 2600 cm 2 /(V s) at room temperature. The high-mobility InSe achieves υ sat exceeding 2 × 10 7 cm/s, which is superior to those of other gapped vdW semiconductors, and exhibits a 50-60% improvement in υ sat when cooled to 80 K. The temperature dependence of υ sat suggests an optical phonon energy ( ℏ ω op ) for InSe in the range of 23-27 meV, previously reported values for InSe. It is also notable that the measured υ sat values exceed what is expected according to the optical phonon emission model due to weak electron-phonon scattering. The superior υ sat of our InSe, despite its relatively small ℏ ω op , reveals its potential for high-frequency electronics, including applications to control cryogenic quantum computers in close proximity.

Objective: In pediatric patients, middle cranial fossa (MCF) arachnoid cysts are often discovered incidentally on imaging in asymptomatic patients during workup for other indications. This study aims to describe current management gestalt and threshold for surgical intervention by surveying an international cohort of neurosurgeons., Methods: A web-based survey was circulated via email list of attendants of the 2019 Canadian Pediatric Neurosurgery Study Group (CPNSG) and International Society of Pediatric Neurosurgery (ISPN) mailing list. The survey consisted of 8 clinical scenarios involving patients with MCF arachnoid cysts. Demographic variables of respondents and their decisions regarding management for each scenario were analyzed using R computing software., Results: A total of 107 respondents were included. Cysts in asymptomatic patients (92%), younger age at diagnosis (81%), and presence of a mild learning delay were predominantly managed non-surgically (80.7 ± 9.4%). Patients with cyst enlargement, headaches, new seizures, or hemorrhage were divided between non-surgical (55.8 ± 3.3%) and surgical (44.2 ± 2.9%) management. Patients with contralateral hemiparesis were treated predominantly surgically (67%). For both Galassi I and II, papilledema was favored as the primary indication for surgical intervention in 54% of patients. Those inclined to surgery (n = 17) were more likely to practice and train outside North America compared to those not pro-surgical (adjusted P = 0.092)., Conclusion: Incidental MCF arachnoid cysts in asymptomatic patients and younger age of diagnosis are predominantly managed non-surgically. Mild learning delay was not considered an indication to intervene. In contrast, radiological progression, hemorrhagic evolution, or non-focal neurological deficits lead to uncertainty in management, while focal neurological deficits and papilledema with MCF cysts were favored to be intervened surgically. Among the provider level factors, only location of training and practice trended towards a pro-surgery approach., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

A two-dimensional (2D) van der Waals material composed only of tellurium (Te) atoms-tellurene-is drawing attention because of its high intrinsic electrical conductivity and strong interaction with gas molecules, which could allow the development of high-performance chemiresistive sensors. However, the correlation between the morphologies and gas detection properties of tellurene has not yet been studied in depth, and few reports exist on tellurene-based hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S) chemiresistive sensors in spite of their strong interaction with H 2 S molecules. Here, we investigate the morphology-dependent H 2 S gas detection properties of tellurene synthesized using a hydrothermal method. To tailor the morphologies of tellurene, the molecular weight of the surfactant was controlled, revealing that a 1D or 2D form was synthesized and also accompanied with the high crystallinity. The 1D tellurene-based chemiresistive sensor presented superior H 2 S detection properties compared to the 2D form, achieving a gas response (R g /R a ) of ~38, even at room temperature. This outstanding performance was attributed to the high intrinsic electrical conductivity and high specific surface area of the resultant 1D tellurene.

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has influenced antimicrobial consumption and incidence of multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs). We aimed to study the epidemiology of MDROs before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong., Methods: With the maintenance of infection control measures, we described the trend of MDRO infections, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter species (CRA), and extended-spectrum-beta-lactamase-(ESBL)-producing Enterobacterales, in a healthcare region with 3100-bed before (1 January 2016 to 31 December 2019, period 1) and during COVID-19 (1 January 2020 to 30 September 2022, period 2), together with the antimicrobial consumption using piecewise Poisson regression. The epidemiological characteristics of newly diagnosed COVID-19 patients with or without MDRO infections were analyzed., Results: Between period 1 and 2, we observed a significant increase in the trend of CRA infections ( P <0.001), while there was no significant increase in the trend of MRSA ( P =0.742) and ESBL-producing Enterobacterales ( P =0.061) infections. Meanwhile, a significant increase in the trend of carbapenems ( P <0.001), extended-spectrum beta-lactam-beta-lactamase inhibitor combinations (BLBI) ( P =0.045), and fluoroquinolones ( P =0.009) consumption was observed. The observed opportunity (23,540 ± 3703 vs 26,145 ± 2838, p =0.359) and compliance (81.6% ± 0.5% vs 80.1% ± 0.8%, P =0.209) of hand hygiene per year was maintained. In a multivariable model, older age, male sex, referral from residential care home for the elderly, presence of indwelling device, presence of endotracheal tube, and use of carbapenems, use of BLBI, use of proton pump inhibitors and history of hospitalization in the past 3 months were associated with higher risks of infections by MDROs among COVID-19 patients., Conclusion: Infection control measures may control the surge of MDROs despite an increasing trend of antimicrobial consumption., (© 2023 The Authors.)

Two-dimensional (2D) molybdenum disulfide (MoS 2 ) is a promising material for constructing high-performance visible photosensor arrays because of its high mobility and scale-up process. These distinct properties enable the construction of practical optoelectrical sensor arrays. However, contact engineering for MoS 2 films is not still optimized. In this work, we inserted a graphene interlayer between the MoS 2 films and Au contacts (graphene/Au) via the wet-transfer method to boost the device performance. Using graphene/Au contacts, outstanding electrical properties, namely field-effect mobility of 12.06 cm 2 /V∙s, on/off current ratio of 1.0 × 10 7 , and responsivity of 610 A/W under illumination at 640 nm, were achieved. These favorable results were from the Fermi-level depinning effect induced by the graphene interlayer. Our results may help to construct large-area photonic sensor arrays based on 2D materials.

Background: Neurosurgical indications and interventions provided in the management of spasticity have evolved significantly over time. Selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR) and intrathecal baclofen (ITB) pumps have been used to improve mobility, reduce lower extremity spasticity, and increase quality of life in patients with various diagnoses., Methods: Studies describing ITB and SDR outcomes in adult and pediatric patients were identified from Medline and Embase databases. Only publications between January 1990 to January 2021 were included. Combinations of search terms 'Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy', 'Selective Posterior Rhizotomy', 'functional posterior rhizotomy', 'intrathecal baclofen pump', and 'spasticity' were used. Only studies in English language and those that included parameters for lower extremity outcome (i.e., spasticity, ambulation) were included. Only studies describing follow-up 12 months or greater were included. Case reports, reviews without primary data, or inaccessible publications were excluded., Results: Two hundred and ninety publications between January 1990 to January 2021 were identified. Of these, 62 fit inclusion and exclusion criteria for a total of 1291 adult and 2263 patients. Etiologies in adult and pediatric populations varied substantially with multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, and trauma comprising the majority of causes for spasticity in adult patients. In pediatric patients, cerebral palsy was the predominant etiology of spasticity. While outcomes after SDR and ITB varied, both are effective for long-term tone reduction. SDR appeared to have a greater effect on function compared to baseline when comparing relatively similar subgroups. The complication rates for either intervention were significant; ITB had a much greater incidence of wound and hardware adverse events, whereas SDR was associated with a not insignificant incidence of new bladder or sensory deficit., Conclusion: ITB and SDR have demonstrated efficacy and utility for tone reduction in a variety of conditions. The selection of a specific intervention may have a variety of determining features including the etiology of spasticity, age of patient, as well as balancing benefit and complication profiles of each technique. Appropriate patient selection is essential for providing optimal patient outcomes., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.)

Two-dimensional (2D) molybdenum disulfide (MoS 2 ) is the most mature material in 2D material fields owing to its relatively high mobility and scalability. Such noticeable properties enable it to realize practical electronic and optoelectronic applications. However, contact engineering for large-area MoS 2 films has not yet been established, although contact property is directly associated to the device performance. Herein, we introduce graphene-interlayered Ti contacts (graphene/Ti) into large-area MoS 2 device arrays using a wet-transfer method. We achieve MoS 2 devices with superior electrical and photoelectrical properties using graphene/Ti contacts, with a field-effect mobility of 18.3 cm 2 /V∙s, on/off current ratio of 3 × 10 7 , responsivity of 850 A/W, and detectivity of 2 × 10 12 Jones. This outstanding performance is attributable to a reduction in the Schottky barrier height of the resultant devices, which arises from the decreased work function of graphene induced by the charge transfer from Ti. Our research offers a direction toward large-scale electronic and optoelectronic applications based on 2D materials.

HgTe nanocrystals (NCs) enable broadly tunable infrared absorption, now commonly used to design light sensors. This material tends to grow under multipodic shapes and does not present well-defined size distributions. Such point generates traps and reduces the particle packing, leading to a reduced mobility. It is thus highly desirable to comprehensively explore the effect of the shape on their performance. Here, we show, using a combination of electron tomography and tight binding simulations, that the charge dissociation is strong within HgTe NCs, but poorly shape dependent. Then, we design a dual-gate field-effect-transistor made of tripod HgTe NCs and use it to generate a planar p-n junction, offering more tunability than its vertical geometry counterpart. Interestingly, the performance of the tripods is higher than sphere ones, and this can be correlated with a stronger Te excess in the case of sphere shapes which is responsible for a higher hole trap density.

Background: Inequalities in health information seeking behaviors (HISBs) using mass media and internet websites (web 1.0) are well documented. Little is known about web 2.0 such as social networking sites (SNS) and instant messaging (IM) and experiences of HISBs., Methods: We surveyed representative Hong Kong Chinese adults (N = 10143, 54.9% female; 72.3% aged 25-64 years) on frequency of HISBs using traditional sources, internet websites, SNS (e.g., Facebook, Twitter), and IM (e.g., WhatsApp, WeChat) and experiences measured using Information Seeking Experience Scale. Adjusted prevalence ratios (aPRs) for HISBs and experiences by sociodemographic and health-related characteristics were yielded using multivariable Poisson regression with robust variance estimators. aPRs for experiences by HISBs using internet websites, SNS, and IM adjusting for sociodemographic and health-related characteristics were also yielded., Results: Being female, higher educational attainment, not smoking, and being physically active were associated with HISBs using any source (all P<0.05). Older age had decreased aPRs for HISBs using traditional sources (P for trend = 0.03), internet websites (P for trend<0.001), and SNS (P for trend<0.001) but not for IM (aged 45-64 years: aPR = 1.48, 95% CI 1.07, 2.03). Lower educational attainment and income were associated with negative experiences including feelings of effort and difficulties in understanding the information (all P for trend<0.05). Older age had increased aPRs for difficulties in understanding the information (P for trend = 0.003). Compared with internet websites, HISBs using IM was associated with feelings of frustration (aPR = 1.39, 95% CI 1.08, 1.79), difficulties in understanding the information (aPR = 1.36, 95% CI 1.12, 1.65), and quality concern (aPR = 1.20, 95% CI 1.08, 1.32)., Conclusions: We identified correlates of web-based health information seeking and experiences in Hong Kong Chinese adults. Providing greater access to and improved information environment of web 2.0 to the target groups may help address digital inequalities., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Current work aims to study the mechanical and dynamical mechanical properties of non-woven bamboo (B)/woven kenaf (K)/epoxy (E) hybrid composites filled with nanoclay. The nanoclay-filled BK/E hybrid composites were prepared by dispersing 1 wt.% nanoclay (organically-modified montmorillonite (MMT; OMMT), montmorillonite (MMT), and halloysite nanotube (HNT)) with high shear speed homogenizer followed by hand lay-up fabrication technique. The effect of adding nanoclay on the tensile, flexural, and impact properties of the hybrid nanocomposites were studied. Fractography of tensile-fractured sample of hybrid composites was studied by field emission scanning electron microscope. The dynamic mechanical analyzer was used to study the viscoelastic properties of the hybrid nanocomposites. BK/E-OMMT exhibit enhanced mechanical properties compared to the other hybrid nanocomposites, with tensile, flexural, and impact strength values of 55.82 MPa, 105 MPa, and 65.68 J/m, respectively. Statistical analysis and grouping information were performed by one-way ANOVA (analysis of variance) and Tukey method, and it corroborates that the mechanical properties of the nanoclay-filled hybrid nanocomposites are statistically significant. The storage modulus of the hybrid nanocomposites was improved by 98.4%, 41.5%, and 21.7% with the addition of OMMT, MMT, and HNT, respectively. Morphology of the tensile fracture BK/E-OMMT composites shows that lesser voids, microcracks and fibers pull out due to strong fiber-matrix adhesion compared to other hybrid composites. Hence, the OMMT-filled BK/E hybrid nanocomposites can be utilized for load-bearing structure applications, such as floor panels and seatbacks, whereby lightweight and high strength are the main requirements.

Background: Problematic smartphone use (PSU) has been associated with screen time in general, but little is known about the effect of different screen-based activities. We examined the associations of self-reported time spent on overall and specific screen-based activities with PSU and its addictive symptoms in Hong Kong Chinese adults. Methods: We analyzed data from 562 smartphone owners (56.5% female; 82.1% aged 25-64 years) in a population-based telephone survey in 2017. PSU was measured using Smartphone Addiction Scale-Short Version (range 10-60) which includes symptoms of daily-life disturbance, withdrawal, cyberspace-oriented relationship, overuse, and tolerance. Screen time was self-reported as average hours per day spent on the internet, online book/newspaper/magazine, online video, and social networking sites (SNS). Multivariable linear regression analyzed the associations of self-reported screen time with PSU severity and symptoms. Interaction effects of sex, age group, educational attainment, and monthly household income were examined. Results: Self-reported time spent on overall screen-based activities was associated with PSU severity (β = 1.35, 95% CI 0.15, 2.55) and withdrawal and overuse symptoms, after adjusting for sociodemographic and health-related variables. Independent association was observed for self-reported SNS time with PSU severity (β = 1.42, 95% CI 0.35, 2.49) and symptoms of withdrawal and cyberspace-oriented relationship, after mutually adjusting for time on other activities. The strongest association between self-reported SNS time and PSU severity was observed in younger than older adults (β = 4.36, 95% CI 2.58, 6.13; P for interaction = 0.004). Conclusions: The independent association of self-reported SNS time with PSU and core addictive symptoms highlighted the addiction potential of SNS use, particularly in younger users., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Guo, Luk, Wang, Ho, Fong, Wan, Chan and Lam.)

Background: Electronic devices (eDevices) may have positive or negative influences on family communication and well-being depending on how they are used., Objective: We examined eDevice use during family time and its association with the quality of family communication and well-being in Hong Kong Chinese adults., Methods: In 2017, a probability-based 2-stage random sampling landline telephone survey collected data on eDevice use in daily life and during family time (eg, family dinner) and the presence of rules banning eDevice use during family dinner. Family communication quality was rated from 0 to 10 with higher scores being favorable. Family well-being was calculated as a composite mean score of 3 items each using the same scale from 0 to 10. The associations of family communication quality and well-being with eDevice use in daily life and during family time were estimated using beta-coefficient (β) adjusting for sociodemographics. The mediating role of family communication quality in the association between eDevice use and family well-being was analyzed., Results: Of the 2064 respondents (mean age 56.4 [SD 19.2] years, 1269/2064 [61.48%] female), 1579/2059 (76.69%) used an eDevice daily for a mean of 3.6 hours (SD 0.1) and 257/686 (37.5%) used it for 30+ minutes before sleep. As much as 794/2046 (38.81%) often or sometimes used an eDevice during family time including dinner (311/2017, 15.42%); 713/2012 (35.44%) reported use of an eDevice by family members during dinner. Lower family communication quality was associated with hours of eDevice use before sleep (adjusted β=-.25; 95% CI -0.44 to -0.05), and often use (vs never use) of eDevice during family dinner by oneself (adjusted β=-.51; 95% CI -0.91 to -0.10) and family members (adjusted β=-.54; 95% CI -0.79 to -0.29). Similarly, lower family well-being was associated with eDevice use before sleep (adjusted β=-.26; 95% CI -0.42 to -0.09), and often use during family dinner by oneself (adjusted β=-.48; 95% CI -0.83 to -0.12) and family members (adjusted β=-.50; 95% CI -0.72 to -0.28). Total ban of eDevice use during family dinner was negatively associated with often use by oneself (adjusted odds ratio 0.49; 95% CI 0.29 to 0.85) and family members (adjusted odds ratio 0.41; 95% CI 0.28, 0.60) but not with family communication and well-being. Lower family communication quality substantially mediated the total effect of the association of eDevice use time before sleep (61.2%) and often use at family dinner by oneself (87.0%) and by family members (67.8%) with family well-being., Conclusions: eDevice use before sleep and during family dinner was associated with lower family well-being, and the association was substantially mediated by family communication quality. Our results suggest that interventions on smart use of eDevice may improve family communication and well-being., (©Sheng Zhi Zhao, Ningyuan Guo, Man Ping Wang, Daniel Yee Tak Fong, Agnes Yuen Kwan Lai, Sophia Siu-Chee Chan, Tai Hing Lam, Daniel Sai Yin Ho. Originally published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (http://www.jmir.org), 14.10.2020.)

Reliable and controllable doping of transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) is a mandatory requirement for practical large-scale electronic applications. However, most of the literature on the doping methodologies of TMDCs has focused on n -type doping and multilayer TMDC rather than a monolayer one enabling large-scale growth. Herein, we report substitutional fluorine doping of a chemical vapor deposition (CVD)-grown molybdenum disulfide (MoS 2 ) monolayer film using a delicate SF 6 plasma treatment. Our SF 6 -treated MoS 2 monolayer shows a p -type doping effect with fluorine substitution. The doping concentration is controlled by the plasma treatment time (2-4.9 atom %) while maintaining the structural integrity of the MoS 2 monolayer. Such reliable and tunable substitutional doping is attributed to preventing direct ion bombardment to the MoS 2 monolayer by our gentle plasma treatment system. Finally, we fabricated MoS 2 homojunction flexible inverter device arrays based on the pristine and SF 6 -treated MoS 2 monolayer. A clear switching behavior is observed, and the voltage gain is approximately 8 at an applied V DD of 2 V, which is comparable to that of CVD-grown MoS 2 -based inverter devices reported previously. Obtained voltage gain is also stable even after 500 bending cycles at an applied strain of 0.5%.

Background: Hong Kong has a high rate of electronic device (e-device; computer, smartphone, and tablet) use. However, little is known about the associations of the duration of e-device use before and after sleep with psychological symptoms., Objective: This study aimed to investigate the associations of the duration of e-device use before and after sleep with psychological distress., Methods: A probability-based telephone survey was conducted on 3162 Hong Kong adults (54.6% female; mean age 47.4 years, SD 18.3 years) in 2016. Multivariate linear and Poisson regressions were used to calculate adjusted regression coefficients (aBs) and prevalence ratios (aPRs) of anxiety and depressive symptoms (measured by Patient Health Questionnaire-4) for the duration from waking to the first e-device use (≥61, 31-60, 6-30, and ≤5 minutes) and the duration of e-device use before sleeping (≤5, 6-30, 31-60, and ≥61 minutes)., Results: The first e-device use in ≤5 (vs ≥61) minutes after waking was associated with anxiety (aB 0.35, 95% CI 0.24-0.46; aPR 1.74, 95% CI 1.34-2.25) and depressive symptoms (aB 0.27, 95% CI 0.18-0.37; aPR 1.84, 95% CI 1.33-2.54). Using e-devices for ≥61 (vs ≤5) minutes before sleeping was also associated with anxiety (aB 0.17, 95% CI 0.04-0.31; aPR 1.32, 95% CI 1.01-1.73) and depressive symptoms (aB 0.17, 95% CI 0.05-0.28; aPR 1.47, 95% CI 1.07-2.02). E-device use both ≤5 minutes after waking and for ≥61 minutes before sleeping was strongly associated with anxiety (aB 0.68, 95% CI 0.47-0.90; aPR 2.64, 95% CI 1.90-3.67) and depressive symptoms (aB 0.55, 95% CI 0.36-0.74; aPR 2.56, 95% CI 1.69-3.88)., Conclusions: E-device use immediately (≤5 minutes) after waking and use for a long duration (≥61 minutes) before sleeping were associated with anxiety and depressive symptoms among Chinese adults in Hong Kong., (©Jung Jae Lee, Man Ping Wang, Tzu Tsun Luk, Ningyuan Guo, Sophia Siu-Chee Chan, Tai Hing Lam. Originally published in JMIR Mental Health (http://mental.jmir.org), 11.06.2020.)

In this study, three types of nanoclay [halloysite nanotube (HNT), montmorillonite (MMT) and organically modified MMT (OMMT)] were incorporated into bamboo/kenaf (B/K) reinforced epoxy hybrid composites to compare their thermo-oxidative (TOD) stability and flammability properties. B/K (50 : 50) hybrid nanocomposites were fabricated by adding 1% loading (by weight) nanoclay through a hand lay-up technique. Wide angle X-ray scattering (WAXS) and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) were used to study the morphology of the nanoclay-epoxy mixture. The TOD stability of the hybrid nanocomposites was studied with a thermogravimetry analyzer (TGA) under oxygen atmosphere. The flammability properties were evaluated using the Underwriters Laboratories 94 horizontal burning test (UL-94HB), limiting oxygen index (LOI), cone calorimetry and smoke density test. The morphological study reveals that MMT/epoxy and HNT/epoxy are highly agglomerated while OMMT/epoxy reveals a more uniform distribution morphology. The obtained results reveal that B/K/HNT shows better TOD stability below 300 °C, but B/K/MMT and B/K/OMMT show high residue content and decomposition temperatures above 300 °C. The flame retardancy of the hybrid nanocomposites improved with the loading of all types of nanoclay, but B/K/OMMT shows higher flame retardancy than B/K/MMT and B/K/HNT hybrid nanocomposites. Hybrid nanocomposites show improvement in flame properties in terms of peak heat release rate (pHRR), total heat release, fire growth rate index (FIGRA) and maximum average rate of heat emission (MARHE) and smoke growth rate index (SMOGRA) indicators. The findings from this work can be utilized to prepare high-performance fire retardant natural fiber reinforced epoxy hybrid composites for automotive and construction applications to save human lives., Competing Interests: There are no interests to declare., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

To date, defect-tolerance electronic structure of lead halide perovskite nanocrystals is limited to an optical feature in the visible range. Here, we demonstrate that IR sensitization of formamidinium lead iodine (FAPI) nanocrystal array can be obtained by its doping with PbS nanocrystals. In this hybrid array, absorption comes from the PbS nanocrystals while transport is driven by the perovskite which reduces the dark current compared to pristine PbS. In addition, we fabricate a field-effect transistor using a high capacitance ionic glass made of hybrid FAPI/PbS nanocrystal arrays. We show that the hybrid material has an n - type nature with an electron mobility of 2 × 10 -3 cm 2 V -1 s -1 . However, the dark current reduction is mostly balanced by a loss of absorption. To overcome this limitation, we couple the FAPI/PbS hybrid to a guided mode resonator that can enhance the infrared light absorption.

Now that colloidal nanocrystals (NCs) have been integrated as green and red sources for liquid crystal displays, the next challenge for quantum dots is their use in electrically driven light-emitting diodes (LEDs). Among various colloidal NCs, nanoplatelets (NPLs) have appeared as promising candidates for light-emitting devices because their two-dimensional shape allows a narrow luminescence spectrum, directional emission, and high light extraction. To reach high quantum efficiency, it is critical to grow core/shell structures. High temperature growth of the shells seems to be a better strategy than previously reported low-temperature approaches to obtain bright NPLs. Here, we synthesize CdSe/CdZnS core/shell NPLs whose shell alloy content is tuned to optimize the charge injection in the LED structure. The obtained LED has exceptionally low turn-on voltage, long-term stability (>3100 h at 100 cd m -2 ), external quantum efficiency above 5%, and luminance up to 35,000 cd m -2 . We study the low-temperature performance of the LED and find that there is a delay of droop in terms of current density as temperature decreases. In the last part of the paper, we design a large LED (56 mm 2 emitting area) and test its potential for LiFi-like communication. In such an approach, the LED is not only a lightning source but also used to transmit a communication signal to a PbS quantum dot solar cell used as a broadband photodetector. Operating conditions compatible with both lighting and information transfer have been identified. This work paves the way toward an all NC-based communication setup.

Problematic smartphone use (PSU) has been associated with anxiety and depression, but few explored its mental well-being correlates that could co-occur with or be independent of mental symptoms. We studied the associations of PSU with anxiety, depression, and mental well-being in Hong Kong Chinese adults in a probability-based survey ( N = 4054; 55.0% females; mean age ± SD 48.3 ± 18.3 years). PSU was measured using Smartphone Addiction Scale-Short Version. Anxiety and depression symptoms were evaluated using General Anxiety Disorder screener-2 (GAD-2) and Patient Health Questionnaire-2 (PHQ-2). Mental well-being was measured using Subjective Happiness Scale (SHS) and Short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale (SWEMWBS). Multivariable regression analyzed associations adjusting for sociodemographic and lifestyle-related variables. Associations of PSU with mental well-being were stratified by symptom severity of anxiety (GAD-2 cutoff of 3) and depression (PHQ-2 cutoff of 3). We found that PSU was associated with higher odds of anxiety and depression symptom severity and lower scores of SHS and SWEMWBS. Associations of PSU with lower SHS and SWEMWBS scores remained in respondents who screened negative for anxiety or depression symptoms. To conclude, PSU was associated with anxiety, depression, and impaired mental well-being. Associations of PSU with impaired mental well-being could be independent of anxiety or depression symptoms.

Two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) have emerged as promising materials for next-generation electronics due to their excellent semiconducting properties. However, high contact resistance at the metal-TMDC interface plagues the realization of high-performance devices. Here, an effective metal-interlayer-semiconductor (MIS) contact is demonstrated, wherein an ultrathin ZnO interlayer is inserted between the metal electrode and MoS 2 , providing damage-free and clean interfaces at electrical contacts. Using TEM imaging, we show that the contact interfaces were atomically clean without any apparent damages. Compared to conventional Ti/MoS 2 contacts, the MoS 2 devices with a Ti/ZnO/MoS 2 contact exhibit a very low contact resistance of 0.9 kΩ μm. These improvements are attributed to the following mechanisms: (a) Fermi-level depinning at the metal/MoS 2 interface by reducing interface disorder and (b) presence of interface dipole at the metal/ZnO interface, consequently reducing the Schottky barrier and contact resistance. Further, the contact resistivity of a Ti/ZnO/MoS 2 contact is insensitive to the variation of ZnO thickness, which facilitates large-scale production. Our work not only elucidates the underlying mechanisms for the operation of the MIS contact but also provides a simple and damage-free strategy for conventional aggressive metal deposition that is potentially useful for the realization of large-scale 2D electronics with low-resistance contacts.

Contact engineering for two-dimensional (2D) transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) is crucial for realizing high-performance 2D TMDC devices, and most studies on contact properties of 2D TMDCs have mainly focused on Fermi level unpinning. Here, we investigated electrical and photoelectrical properties of chemical vapor deposition (CVD)-grown molybdenum disulfide (MoS 2 ) monolayer devices depending on metal contacts, Ti/Pt, Ti/Au, Ti, and Ag, and particularly demonstrated the essential role of defects in MoS 2 in contact properties. Remarkably, MoS 2 devices with Ag contacts show a field-effect mobility of 12.2 cm 2 V -1 s -1 , an on/off current ratio of 7 × 10 7 , and a photoresponsivity of 1020 A W -1 , which are outstanding compared to similar devices with other metal contacts. These improvements are attributed to a reduced Schottky barrier height, thanks to the small work function of Ag and Ag-MoS 2 orbital hybridization at the interface, which facilitates efficient charge transfer between MoS 2 and Ag. Interestingly, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic analysis reveals that Ag 2 S was formed in our defect-containing CVD-grown MoS 2 monolayer, but such orbital hybridization is not observed in a nearly defect-free exfoliated MoS 2 . This distinction shows that defects existing in MoS 2 enable Ag to effectively couple to MoS 2 and correspondingly enhance multiple electrical and photoelectrical properties.

Background and Aims: Few studies have investigated the effects of problematic smartphone use (PSU) in the family context. We studied the association of PSU as a predictor with family well-being and the potential mediating role of family communication in Hong Kong Chinese adults., Methods: We analyzed data of 5,063 randomly selected adults [mean age ( SD ) = 48.1 (18.2) years; 45.0% men] from a dual landline and mobile telephone survey in 2017. PSU was assessed by the Smartphone Addiction Scale-Short Version with higher scores indicating higher levels. Family well-being was assessed by three questions on perceived family health, harmony, and happiness (3Hs) with higher scores indicating greater well-being. Perceived sufficiency and quality of family communication were rated. Multivariable regression analyses examined (a) associations of PSU with family 3Hs and well-being and (b) mediating role of family communication, adjusting for sociodemographic variables., Results: PSU was negatively associated with perceived family health (adjusted β = -0.008, 95% CI = -0.016, -0.0004), harmony (adjusted β = -0.009, 95% CI = -0.017, -0.002), happiness (adjusted β = -0.015, 95% CI = -0.022, -0.007), and well-being (adjusted β = -0.011, 95% CI = -0.018, -0.004). Perceived family communication sufficiency (adjusted β = -0.007, 95% CI = -0.010, -0.005) and quality (adjusted β = -0.009, 95% CI = -0.014, -0.005) mediated the association of PSU with family well-being, with 75% and 94% of total effects having mediated, respectively., Discussion and Conclusions: PSU was negatively associated with family well-being, which was partially mediated by family communication. Such findings provide insights for health programs to prevent PSU and improve family well-being.

Study objective : To examine the association of sleep duration and insomnia symptoms with happiness. Methods : A random sample of 1691 Chinese adult (mean age 54 ± 20.1, male 51%) were interviewed in a population-based telephone survey. Happiness was measured by the subjective happiness scale (SHS) and the one-item global happiness index (GHI). Information on sleep included mean past seven-day sleep duration (<6 h, ≥6 to <8 h and ≥8 h) and insomnia symptoms: Difficulty in initiating sleep (DIS), difficulty in maintaining sleep (DMS), and early morning awakening (EMA). Adjusted beta-coefficient (β) of SHS and adjusted odds ratio (aOR) of GHI in relation to sleep problems were calculated. Interaction effects by age (18-65 vs. ≥65) and by sex were assessed. Results : Compared to ≥8 h of sleep, having <6 h of sleep had lower SHS (adjusted β -0.32, 95% CI -0.46 to -0.17) and GHI (aOR 0.54, 95% CI 0.38 to 0.78). The associations were stronger in younger adults and in women ( p < 0.05). DIS, DMS, and EMA were associated with lower SHS (adjusted β ranged from -0.20 to -0.06) and GHI (aOR ranged from 0.57 to 0.89). Dose-response association between the number of insomnia symptoms and lower SHS was observed ( p < 0.001). These associations were generally stronger in older adults and among women. Conclusions : Lower levels of happiness were observed, particularly in younger adults and females with short sleep duration and older adults and females with insomnia symptoms. Prospective studies are needed to confirm the findings and understand the mechanisms between sleep and happiness.

Pearl powder has been used to treat many diseases like palpitations, insomnia, and epilepsy for thousands of years in Chinese medicine. It has demonstrated antioxidant, antiaging, antiradiative, and tonic activities. Pearl powder contains multiple active proteins, which are nutritious for skin cells and might be advantageous for wound repair and regeneration. However, its healing effect in vivo was not reported yet. This study aims to investigate the effects and the underlying mechanism of the pearl powders with different particle sizes in wound treatment. Briefly, the pearl powder with different sizes was characterized for their particle sizes and morphology. The protein release profiles of these powders were also studied. The influence of the different size of pearl powder in the proliferation, migration of skin cells was evaluated. Then, with the rat skin excision model, the effect of pearl powder on wound repair and regeneration was investigated. It was demonstrated that, all the micro and nanosized pearl powders could both increase the proliferation and migration of skin cells and accelerate the wound closure, as well as significantly enhanced the biomechanic strength of the healed skins. Moreover, the pearl powder treatment could improve the formation and regular deposition of collagen, and enhance the skin angiogenesis. Among all these in vitro and in vivo investigations, nanoscale pearl powder expressed the highest efficiency for healing. The mechanism might be contributed to the increased release of active proteins, enhanced tissue attachment, and the increased cellular uptake for the nano powder at the topical site.

Background: Novel approaches to engage community smokers in smoking cessation are needed as smokers typically lack motivation to quit or use evidence-based tobacco dependence treatment. Mobile instant messaging apps (e.g., WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger) are widely used but under-studied as a mobile health modality for delivering smoking cessation support. This paper presents the rationale and study design of a trial which aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a chat-based intervention using mobile instant messaging combined with brief interventions for community smokers., Methods: This is a two-arm, parallel, accessor-blinded, pragmatic cluster-randomized controlled trial on an estimated 1172 daily cigarette smokers aged ≥18 years proactively recruited from 68 community sites (cluster) throughout Hong Kong. Subjects in intervention group received three months of chat-based, instant messaging support guided by acceptance and commitment therapy and other behavioural change techniques, integrated with brief advice and active referral to a smoking cessation service using the AWARD (Ask, Warn, Advise, Refer, Do-it-again) intervention model. Control group received brief advice to quit plus a self-help booklet at baseline. Outcomes were assessed at 1-, 2-, 3- and 6-month after baseline. The primary outcome is abstinence validated by exhaled carbon monoxide (<4 ppm) and salivary cotinine (<10 ng/mL) at 6-month after baseline. Primary analyses will be based on intention-to-treat., Comments: This is the first trial examining the effectiveness of a chat-based cessation support programme combined with brief interventions in promoting abstinence. The intervention model can be adapted for other behavioural change treatments and more advanced digital smoking cessation intervention., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Advances in mobile communication technologies provide a promising avenue for the delivery of tobacco dependence treatment. Although mobile instant messaging (IM) apps (eg, WhatsApp, Facebook messenger, and WeChat) are an inexpensive and widely used communication tool, evidence on its use for promoting health behavior, including smoking cessation, is scarce., Objective: This study aims to explore the perception of using mobile IM as a modality to deliver a proposed chat intervention for smoking cessation in community smokers in Hong Kong, where the proportion of smartphone use is among the highest in the world., Methods: We conducted 5 focus group, semistructured qualitative interviews on a purposive sample of 15 male and 6 female current cigarette smokers (age 23-68 years) recruited from the community in Hong Kong. All interviews were audiotaped and transcribed. Two investigators independently analyzed the transcripts using thematic analyses., Results: Participants considered mobile IM as a feasible and acceptable platform for the delivery of a supportive smoking cessation intervention. The ability to provide more personalized and adaptive behavioral support was regarded as the most valued utility of the IM-based intervention. Other perceived utilities included improved perceived psychosocial support and identification of motivator to quit. In addition, participants provided suggestions on the content and design of the intervention, which may improve the acceptability and usability of the IM-based intervention. These include avoiding health warning information, positive messaging, using former smokers as counselors, and adjusting the language style (spoken vs written) according to the recipients' preference., Conclusions: This qualitative study provides the first evidence that mobile IM may be an alternative mobile health platform for the delivery of a smoking cessation intervention. Furthermore, the findings inform the development of a chat-based, IM smoking cessation program being evaluated in a community trial., (©Tzu Tsun Luk, Sze Wing Wong, Jung Jae Lee, Sophia Siu-Chee Chan, Tai Hing Lam, Man Ping Wang. Originally published in JMIR Mhealth and Uhealth (http://mhealth.jmir.org), 31.01.2019.)

2D transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) have emerged as promising candidates for post-silicon nanoelectronics owing to their unique and outstanding semiconducting properties. However, contact engineering for these materials to create high-performance devices while adapting for large-area fabrication is still in its nascent stages. In this study, graphene/Ag contacts are introduced into MoS 2 devices, for which a graphene film synthesized by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) is inserted between a CVD-grown MoS 2 film and a Ag electrode as an interfacial layer. The MoS 2 field-effect transistors with graphene/Ag contacts show improved electrical and photoelectrical properties, achieving a field-effect mobility of 35 cm 2 V -1 s -1 , an on/off current ratio of 4 × 10 8 , and a photoresponsivity of 2160 A W -1 , compared to those of devices with conventional Ti/Au contacts. These improvements are attributed to the low work function of Ag and the tunability of graphene Fermi level; the n-doping of Ag in graphene decreases its Fermi level, thereby reducing the Schottky barrier height and contact resistance between the MoS 2 and electrodes. This demonstration of contact interface engineering with CVD-grown MoS 2 and graphene is a key step toward the practical application of atomically thin TMDC-based devices with low-resistance contacts for high-performance large-area electronics and optoelectronics., (© 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Background and Aims: Problematic smartphone use (PSU) is an emerging but understudied public health issue. Little is known about the epidemiology of PSU at the population level. We evaluated the psychometric properties of the Smartphone Addiction Scale - Short Version (SAS-SV) and examined its associated sociodemographic factors and health behaviors in Chinese adults in Hong Kong., Methods: A random sample of 3,211 adults aged ≥18 years (mean ± SD: 43.3 ± 15.7, 45.3% men) participated in a population-based telephone survey in Hong Kong and completed the Chinese SAS-SV. Multivariable linear regressions examined the associations of sociodemographic factors, health behaviors, and chronic disease status with SAS-SV score. Data were weighted by age, sex, and education attainment distributions of the Hong Kong general population., Results: The Chinese SAS-SV is internally consistent (Cronbach's α = .844) and stable over 1 week (intraclass correlation coefficient = .76, p < .001). Confirmatory factor analysis supported a unidimensional structure established by previous studies. The weighted prevalence of PSU was 38.5% (95% confidence interval: 36.9%, 40.2%). Female sex, younger age, being married/cohabitated or divorced/separated (vs. unmarried), and lower education level were associated with a higher SAS-SV score (all ps <.05). Current smoking, weekly to daily alcohol drinking, and physical inactivity predict greater PSU after controlling for sociodemographic factors and mutual adjustment., Discussion and Conclusions: The Chinese SAS-SV was found valid and reliable for assessing PSU in Hong Kong adults. Several sociodemographic and health behavioral factors were associated with PSU at the population level, which may have implication for prevention of PSU and future research.

Evidence on behavioural abnormalities in children exposed to secondhand smoke is limited. This study examined the relation between infant/ toddler cotinine concentration, a biomarker of secondhand smoke exposure, and behavioural problems in preschoolers who were unexposed to maternal smoking during gestation. A prospective cohort of 301 non-smoking mothers with their young children aged ≤18 months visiting postnatal primary care clinics in Hong Kong was enrolled in 2012 and followed by telephone survey 3 years afterwards. Saliva was collected at baseline for cotinine assay. Child behavioural health at 3-year follow-up was assessed by the parent-reported Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). We conducted multivariable linear regressions to compute regression coefficients (b) of SDQ scores in relation to salivary cotinine level. Mean ± SD age of children at follow-up was 3.7 ± 0.5 years and 50.8% were boys. After adjusting for age, sex, birthweight, household income, housing type, maternal education and depressive symptoms, greater cotinine concentrations during early childhood were associated with greater conduct problems (b = 0.90, 95% CI 0.03-1.76) and hyperactivity/ inattention (b = 1.12, 95% CI 0.07-2.17) at preschool age. This study corroborates previous findings on the potential role of secondhand smoke in development of child behavioural problems.

BackgroundWe investigated the association between paternal smoking, avoidance behaviors and maternal protective actions and smoke-free home rules with infant's saliva cotinine in Hong Kong.MethodsSix hundred and seventy-five non-smoking mothers (mean age 32.6 years) who attended the maternal-child health clinics with their newborns aged ≤18 months completed a questionnaire about paternal smoking and avoidance behaviors, maternal protective actions, smoke-free rules at home, and infant's second-hand smoke (SHS) exposure. Three hundred and eighty-nine infants provided saliva sample and its cotinine was tested.ResultsThe geometric mean of infant's saliva cotinine was 1.07 ng/ml (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.98, 1.16). Infants living in smoking families with SHS exposure had significantly higher cotinine level than in non-smoking families (adjusted β=0.25, 95% CI: 0.16, 0.33). Paternal smoking near infants (within 1.5 m) was associated with higher cotinine level (adjusted β=0.60, 95% CI: 0.22, 0.98), which was not reduced by avoidance behaviors (e.g., smoking in kitchen or balcony). Even fathers smoking ≥3 m away from infants was associated with higher cotinine level than non-smoking families (adjusted β=0. 09, 95% CI: 0.01, 0.16). Maternal protective actions and smoke-free home rules were not significantly associated with reduced cotinine level.ConclusionPaternal smoking avoidance, maternal protective actions, and smoke-free policy at home did not reduce infant's saliva cotinine.

There has been growing interest in developing nanoelectronic devices based on graphene because of its superior electrical properties. In particular, patterning graphene into a nanoribbon can open a bandgap that can be tuned by changing the ribbon width, imparting semiconducting properties. In this study, we report the effect of ribbon width on electrical transport properties of graphene nanoribbons (GNRs). Monolayer graphene sheets and Si nanowires (NWs) were prepared by chemical vapor deposition and a combination of nanosphere lithography and metal-assisted electroless etching from a Si wafer, respectively. Back-gated GNR field-effect transistors were fabricated on a heavily p-doped Si substrate coated with a 300 nm-thick SiO 2 layer, by O 2 reactive ion etching of graphene sheets using etch masks based on Si NWs aligned on the graphene between the two electrodes by a dielectrophoresis method. This resulted in GNRs with various widths in a highly controllable manner, where the on/off current ratio was inversely proportional to ribbon width. The field-effect mobility decreased with decreasing GNR widths due to carrier scattering at the GNR edges. These results demonstrate the formation of a bandgap in GNRs due to enhanced carrier confinement in the transverse direction and edge effects when the GNR width is reduced.

Chemical doping of transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) has drawn significant interest because of its applicability to the modification of electrical and optical properties of TMDCs. This is of fundamental and technological importance for high-efficiency electronic and optoelectronic devices. Here, we present a simple and facile route to reversible and controllable modulation of the electrical and optical properties of WS 2 and MoS 2 via hydrazine doping and sulfur annealing. Hydrazine treatment of WS 2 improves the field-effect mobilities, on/off current ratios, and photoresponsivities of the devices. This is due to the surface charge transfer doping of WS 2 and the sulfur vacancies formed by its reduction, which result in an n-type doping effect. The changes in the electrical and optical properties are fully recovered when the WS 2 is annealed in an atmosphere of sulfur. This method for reversible modulation can be applied to other transition metal disulfides including MoS 2 , which may enable the fabrication of two-dimensional electronic and optoelectronic devices with tunable properties and improved performance.

Background: Large amount of financial incentive was effective to increase tobacco abstinence, but the effect of small amount is unknown., Purpose: We evaluated if a small amount of cash incentive (HK$500/US$64) increased abstinence, quit attempt, and use of cessation aids., Methods: A three-armed, block randomized controlled trial recruited 1143 adult daily smokers who participated in the Hong Kong "Quit to Win" Contest. Biochemically validated quitters of the early-informed (n=379, notified about the incentive at 1-week and 1-month follow-up) and the late-informed incentive group (n=385, notified at 3-month follow-up) received the incentive at 3months. The validated quitters of the control group (n=379) received the incentive at 6months without prior notification. All subjects received brief advice, a self-help education card and a 12-page booklet. The outcomes were self-reported 7-day point prevalence of abstinence, quit attempt (intentional abstinence for at least 24h) and use of cessation aids at 3-month follow-up., Results: By intention-to-treat, the early-informed group at 3-month follow-up reported a higher rate of quit attempt (no smoking for at least 24h) than the other 2 groups (44.1% vs. 37.4%, Odds ratio (OR)=1.32, 95% CI 1.03-1.69, p=0.03), but they had similar abstinence (9.2% vs. 9.7%, OR=0.95, 95% CI 0.62, 1.45). The early- and late-informed group showed similar quitting outcomes. The early-informed group reported more quit attempts by reading self-help materials than the other 2 groups (31.4% vs. 25.3%, OR=1.56, 95% CI 1.12-2.18, p<0.01)., Conclusions: The small cash incentive with early notification increased quit attempt by "self-directed help" but not abstinence. Future financial incentive-based programmes with a larger incentive, accessible quitting resources and encouragement of using existing smoking cessation services are needed., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Capacity building approaches are useful in large-scale community-based health promotion interventions. However, models to guide and evaluate capacity building among social service agency staff in community settings are rare in the literature. This paper describes the development and evaluation of a 1-day (7 h) train-the-trainer (TTT) workshop for the "Enhancing Family Well-Being Project". The workshop aimed at equipping staff from different community agencies with the knowledge and skills to design, implement, and evaluate positive psychology-based interventions for their clients in Sham Shui Po, an over-crowded and low-income district in Hong Kong., Methods: The current TTT extended and improved on our previous successful model by adding research and evaluation methods (including the Logic Model, process evaluation, and randomized controlled trial), which are important to plan and evaluate the community interventions. Evaluation of the TTT was guided by the Integrated Model of Training Evaluation and Effectiveness (IMTEE), with quantitative and qualitative methods. Quantitative data were collected from pretraining (T1), post-training (T2), and 6-month (T3) and 12-month (T4) follow-up surveys. Qualitative data were collected from four focus groups of agency staff after the intervention., Results: Ninety-three staff from 30 community agencies attended the training, and 90 completed the baseline survey. Eighty-eight, 63, and 57 staff performed the evaluations at T2, T3, and T4, respectively. Agency staff were satisfied with the TTT. Immediate enhancement of knowledge, self-efficacy, and positive attitudes toward the training content was found at T2 (Cohen's d ranged from 0.24 to 1.22, all p  < 0.05). Enhancement of knowledge of all training contents persisted at T3 and T4 (Cohen's d ranged from 0.34 to 0.63, all p  < 0.05). Enhancement of self-efficacy in the use of positive psychology in intervention design persisted at T3 (Cohen's d  = 0.22, p  = 0.04). The skills learned were utilized to plan and develop subsequent interventions. Twenty-nine interventions were successfully designed and implemented by the agency staff, and delivered to 1,586 participants. The agency staff indicated their intention to utilize the skills they had learned for other interventions (score ≥4 out of 6) and to share these skills with their colleagues. Qualitative feedbacks from 23 agency staff supported the quantitative results., Conclusion: Our brief TTT was effectively delivered to a large number of agency staff and showed effects that persisted up to 12 months. Our training and evaluation models may offer a template for capacity building among social service agency staff for community brief, universal family health promotion interventions in diverse settings.

Background: Most smokers do not use smoking cessation (SC) services although it increases successful quits. Passive referral providing SC information to smokers is commonly used in SC studies. Little was known about active referral in the community setting. This study aims to motivate community smokers to quit by brief SC advice using a validated AWARD model (Ask, Warn, Advise, Refer and Do-it-again) that adjunct with active referral of smokers to various SC services in Hong Kong., Methods/design: This is a single-blinded, parallel three-armed cluster randomized controlled trial (RCT) with two treatment groups of (1) brief SC advice using the AWARD model, active referral to SC services plus a referral card and a health warning leaflet (active referral group) and (2) brief SC advice using AWARD model and health warning leaflet (brief advice group) and a control group receives general very brief advice with a self-help booklet. A total of 1291 smokers will be recruited from 66 clusters (recruitment sessions) with 22 will be allocated to each of the two intervention and one control groups. SC ambassadors will be trained for delivering the interventions and conducting telephone follow-up. The primary outcomes are self-reported 7-days point prevalence (PP) abstinence at 3 and 6 months follow-up. Intention-to-treat principle and multi-level regressions will be used for data analysis., Discussion: This is the first RCT on assessing a model combining brief advice and active referral to SC services among community smokers. The results will inform the practices of SC services and intervention studies., Trial Registration: NCT02539875 (ClinicalTrials.gov registry; registered retrospectively on 22 July 2015).

Surface-functionalized carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are introduced into lithium-doped ZnO thin-film transistors (TFTs) as an alternative to the conventional incorporation of an expensive element, indium. The crucial role of surface functionalization of CNTs is clarified with the demonstration of indium-free ZnO-based TFTs with a field-effect mobility of 28.6 cm(2) V(-1) s(-1) and an on/off current ratio of 9 × 10(6) for low-cost, high-performance electronics., (© 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

A Sn-3.5Ag eutectic alloy powder has been developed by chemically synthesizing sub-micrometer Sn@Ag powder at room temperature. This synthesis was achieved by first obtaining a sub-micrometer Sn powder for the core using a modified variant of the polyol method, and then coating this with a uniformly thin and continuous Ag layer through immersion plating in 5.20 mM citric acid. The citric acid was found to play multiple roles in the Ag coating process, acting as a chelating agent, a reducing agent and a stabilizer to ensure coating uniformity; and as such, the amount used has an immense influence on the coating quality of the Ag shells. It was later verified by transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction analysis that the coated Ag layer transfers to the Sn core via diffusion to form an Ag3Sn phase at room temperature. Differential scanning calorimetry also revealed that the synthesized Sn@Ag powder is nearly transformed into Sn-3.5Ag eutectic alloy powder upon annealing three times at a temperature of up to 250 degrees C, as evidenced by a single melting peak at 220.5 degrees C. It was inferred from this that Sn-3.5Ag eutectic alloy powder can be successfully prepared through the synthesis of core Sn powders by a modified polyol method, immersion plating using citric acid, and annealing, in that order.

Background: Quit attempters often have episodes of smoking relapse before they eventually quit. Interactive text messaging through mobile phones has been shown to increase abstinence. This service can be potentially applied on the platform of a social networking service to help quitters maintain abstinence., Objective: Our aim was to determine if the group discussion and reminders via the WhatsApp or Facebook social group were effective to prevent smoking relapse in quitters who had stopped smoking recently., Methods: This was a single-blinded, parallel, 3-arm pilot cluster randomized controlled trial allocating recent quitters, who had completed an 8-week treatment and reported abstinence for at least 7 days, to WhatsApp (n=42), Facebook (n=40), and a control group (n=54). The 2 intervention groups participated in a 2-month online group discussion with either WhatsApp or Facebook moderated by a trained smoking cessation counselor and received a self-help booklet on smoking cessation. The control group only received the booklet. The primary outcome was the 2- and 6-month relapse rates, defined as the proportion of participants who smoked at least 5 cigarettes in 3 consecutive days., Results: Fewer participants in the WhatsApp group (17%, 7/42) reported relapse than the control group (42.6%, 23/54) at 2-month (OR 0.27, 95% CI 0.10-0.71) and 6-month (40.5%, 17/42 vs 61.1%, 33/54; OR 0.43, 95% CI 0.19-0.99) follow-ups. The Facebook group (30.0%, 12/40) had an insignificantly lower relapse rate than the control group (42.6%, 23/54) at 2-month (OR 0.58, 95% CI 0.24-1.37) and 6-month (52.5%, 13/40 vs 61.1%, 33/54; OR 0.70, 95% CI 0.31-1.61) follow-ups. The WhatsApp social groups had more moderators' posts (median 60, IQR 25 vs median 32, IQR 7; P=.05) and participants' posts (median 35, IQR 50 vs median 6, IQR 9; P=.07) than their Facebook counterparts, but the difference was insignificant., Conclusions: The intervention via the WhatsApp social group was effective in reducing relapse probably because of enhanced discussion and social support. Inactive discussion in the Facebook social group might have attributed to the lower effectiveness., Clinicaltrial: Clinicaltrials.gov NCT02007369; https://clinicaltrials.gov/show/NCT02007369 (Archived by WebCite® at http://www.webcitation.org/6c3RbltQG).

Background: Sunflower oil is prone to oxidation during storage time, leading to production of toxic compounds that might affect human health. Synthetic antioxidants are used to prevent lipid oxidation. Spreading interest in the replacement of synthetic food antioxidants by natural ones has fostered research on fruit and vegetables for new antioxidants., Methods: In this study, the efficacy of unripe banana peel extracts (100, 200 and 300 ppm)  in stabilizing sunflower oil was tested under accelerated storage (65°C) for a period of 24 days. BHA and α-tocopherol served as comparative standards besides the control. Established parameters such as peroxide value (PV), iodine value (IV), p-anisidine value (p-AnV), total oxidation value (TOTOX), thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and free fatty acid (FFA) content were used to assess the extent of oil deterioration., Results: After 24 days storage at 65°C, sunflower oil containing 200 and 300 ppm extract of unripe banana peel showed significantly lower PV and TOTOX compared to BHA and α-tocopherol. TBARS, p-AnV and FFA values of sunflower oil containing 200 and 300 ppm of unripe banana peel extract exhibited comparable inhibitory effects with BHA. Unripe banana peel extract at 200 and 300 ppm demonstrated inhibitory effect against both primary and secondary oxidation up to 24 days under accelerated storage conditions., Conclusions: Unripe banana peel extract may be used as a potential source of natural antioxidants in the application of food industry to suppress lipid oxidation.

Background: There is a lack of population-based smoking cessation interventions targeting woman smokers in Hong Kong, and in Asia generally. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a gender-specific smoking cessation program for female smokers in Hong Kong., Methods: To evaluate the effectiveness of the service, a total of 457 eligible smokers were recruited. After the baseline questionnaire had been completed, a cessation counseling intervention was given by a trained counselor according to the stage of readiness to quit. Self-reported seven-day point prevalence of abstinence and reduction of cigarette consumption (≥50 %) and self-efficacy in rejecting tobacco were documented at one week and at two, three and six months., Results: The 7-day point prevalence quit rate was 28.4 % (130/457), and 21.9 % (100/457) had reduced their cigarette consumption by at least 50 % at the six-month follow-up. The average daily cigarette consumption was reduced from 8.3 at baseline to 6.3 at six months. Moreover, both internal and external stimuli of anti-smoking self-efficacy increased from baseline to six months., Conclusions: The study provides some evidence for the effectiveness of the gender-specific smoking cessation program for female smokers. Furthermore, helping smokers to improve their self-efficacy in resisting both internal and external stimuli of tobacco use can be a way of enhancing the effectiveness of a smoking cessation intervention.

Aims and Objectives: To investigate the smoking behaviours, perceptions about quitting smoking and factors associated with intention to quit in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus., Background: Smoking causes type 2 diabetes mellitus. There has been limited research on the needs and concerns of smokers with type 2 diabetes mellitus about quitting smoking., Design: The study used a qualitative design., Methods: Patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus who had a history of smoking were recruited at the outpatient diabetic clinics of two major local hospitals in Hong Kong for a semi-structured interview (n = 42), guided by the theory of planned behaviour., Results: At data saturation, 22 current smokers and 20 ex-smokers with type 2 diabetes mellitus were recruited. The current smokers reported they had not quit smoking because of satisfaction with present health status, and misconceptions about the association between diabetes and smoking, and the perceived hazards of quitting. In contrast, ex-smokers had a positive opinion about quitting smoking, accepted advice about quitting from health professionals and received more family support than current smokers. Psychological addiction and weight gain after cessation made quitting challenging., Conclusions: Satisfaction with health status, inadequate knowledge about the relationship between type 2 diabetes mellitus and smoking, and misconceptions about quitting smoking resulted in negative attitudes toward quitting by type 2 diabetes mellitus smokers. Smoking peers, psychological addiction and post-cessation weight gain hindered the quitting process., Relevance to Clinical Practice: Education on the causal link between smoking, type 2 diabetes mellitus and its complications is important to raise health awareness and counter misconceptions about quitting smoking. Behavioural counselling with weight control strategies should be part of a comprehensive smoking cessation intervention for type 2 diabetes mellitus smokers., (© 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

In the past decade, hybrid materials for highly stretchable, conductive electrodes have received tremendous attention in the fields of emerging wearable electronic, optoelectronic, and sensing devices. Here, we present a previously unrecognized aqueous route to producing stretchable conductors composed of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) embedded in a polyurethane (PU) matrix, in contrast to ones dispersed in toxic organic solvents reported to date. The intact chemical interaction between one-dimensional SWNTs, for endowing the capability of establishing conductive pathways even in stretching conditions, and AgNPs, for enabling high conductivity of the composites, is achieved in an aqueous medium with an anionic polyelectrolyte, poly(acrylic acid), that undergoes pH-dependent conformational evolution. With this aqueous approach, we demonstrate that AgNP-SWNT-PU composites supported on PDMS substrates have the conductivities of 620 and 120 S cm -1 in unstrained and 90% elongated conditions, respectively, and display repeatable reversibility at a strain of 60%.

Background: The prevalence and correlates of hardcore smokers, who have high daily cigarette consumption, no quitting history and no intention to quit, have been studied in several western developed countries, but no previous trials of smoking cessation have tested intervention effectiveness for these smokers. The current study examined if hardcore smokers can benefit from smoking reduction intervention to achieve cessation, and explored the underlying reasons., Methods: A posteriori analysis was conducted on data from a randomized controlled trial of smoking reduction intervention on 1,154 smokers who did not want to quit. Odds ratios of 7-day point prevalence of abstinence, smoking reduction by at least 50% and quit attempt at the 6-month follow-up comparing subgroups of smokers were analyzed., Results: In hardcore smokers, the odds ratio comparing the quit rate between the intervention and control group was 4.18 (95% CI: 0.51-34.65), which was greater than non-hardcore smokers (OR = 1.58, 95% CI: 0.98-2.54). The number needed to treat for hardcore and non-hardcore smokers was 8.33 (95% CI: 5.56-16.67) and 16.67 (95% CI: 8.33-233.64), respectively. In smokers who did not have quit attempt experience and those who smoked more than 15 cigarettes daily, the odds ratio comparing intervention and control group was 3.29 (95% CI: 0.72-14.98) and 1.36 (95% CI: 0.78-2.36), respectively., Conclusions: The a posteriori analysis provided pilot results that smoking reduction intervention may be effective to help hardcore smokers to quit and reduce smoking. Having no previous quit attempt was identified as more important than having large cigarette consumption in explaining the greater effectiveness of the intervention.

Hippocampal theta oscillations are linked to various processes, including locomotion, learning and memory, and defense and affect. The lateral septum (LS) has been implicated in the generation of the hippocampal theta rhythm, but its precise role in this process is not well understood. Here, we investigated the effects of direct pharmacological inhibition or disinhibition of the dorsal LS (dLS) on the frequency of hippocampal theta activity elicited by stimulation of the reticular formation in urethane-anesthetized rats. We found that bilateral infusions of the GABAA receptor agonist muscimol into the dLS significantly increased theta frequency. Strikingly, intra-dLS infusions of the GABAA receptor antagonist GABAzine largely abolished reticularly elicited theta activity. We also locally injected these same compounds into the medial septum (MS) to test for neuroanatomical specificity. In contrast to the effects seen in the dLS, intra-MS infusions of muscimol had no effect on theta frequency, whereas intra-MS infusions of GABAzine increased theta frequency. Given the hypothesized role of hippocampal theta in behavioral defense, we also examined the effects of intra-dLS application of muscimol in two models of anxiety, the elevated plus maze and the novelty-induced suppression of feeding paradigm; both tests revealed clear, anxiolytic-like effects following muscimol infusions. The fact that dLS-muscimol increased theta frequency while also reducing anxiety-like behaviors challenges the influential theta suppression model of anxiolysis, which predicts a slowing of theta with anxiolytic compounds. More importantly, the experiments reveal a novel role of the LS, especially its dorsal aspects, as an important gating mechanism for the expression of theta oscillations in the rodent hippocampus., (Copyright © 2015 the American Physiological Society.)

Objective: We examined how quantity and trajectory of smoking reduction influence later abstinence in smokers without intention to quit and being prescribed free nicotine replacement therapy (NRT)., Method: We conducted an a posteriori analysis from a data archive of adult smokers in a randomized controlled trial of smoking reduction using counseling and free NRT (n = 928). Reduction was analyzed as the absolute and percentage decrease in self-reported daily cigarette consumption at three follow-ups (1 week, 1 and 3 months) compared with the baseline. Logistic regression model and multiple imputation were used to examine the association between early reduction and abstinence at 6 months., Results: Reducing 10% of cigarette consumption at the three follow-ups was associated with 16% (95% CI 5-28%), 23% (95%CI 11-36%) and 27% (95% CI 13-42%) increase in abstinence, respectively. Greater reduction predicted abstinence when the percentage reduction was more than one-third (above 31.4%). Progressive increase in the percentage reduction predicted more abstinence (OR = 1.90, 95%CI 1.01-3.58)., Conclusions: Greater percentage reduction by at least one-third and progressive reduction predicted abstinence in those who reduced smoking. Such new evidence can guide the improvement of clinical service for tobacco dependency treatment and support further studies on smoking reduction and cessation.

The lateral septum (LS) is implicated in behavioral defense. We tested whether bilateral infusions of the GABAA receptor agonist muscimol into the LS suppress rats' defensive responses to cat odor. Rats received intra-LS infusions of either saline or muscimol (40 ng/rat) and were exposed to either a piece of a cat collar that had been previously worn by a cat or to a control (cat odor free) collar. Rats exposed to the cat odor collar displayed more head-out postures, while intra-LS application of muscimol reduced the number of head-out postures. However, this reduction was also present in rats exposed to a control (cat odor free) collar. This latter finding suggests that despite its involvement in other defensive behaviors (e.g., open arm avoidance in the elevated plus maze), the LS does not selectively regulate rats' receptor defensive responding to the olfactory cues present in our cat odor stimulus., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Smokefree legislation may protect children from secondhand smoke (SHS) in the home from smoking parent(s). We examined the effect of the 2007 smokefree legislation on children's exposure to SHS in the home and maternal action to protect children from SHS exposure in Hong Kong., Methods: Families with a smoking father and a non-smoking mother were recruited from public clinics before (2005-2006, n = 333) and after the legislation (2007-2008, n = 742) which led to a major extension of smokefree places in Hong Kong. Main outcomes included children's SHS exposure in the home, nicotine level in mothers' and children's hair and home environment, mothers' action to protect children from SHS, and their support to the fathers to quit., Results: Fewer mothers post-legislation reported children's SHS exposure in the home (87.2% versus 29.3%, p<0.01), which was consistent with their hair nicotine levels (0.36 ng/mg versus 0.04 ng/mg, p<0.01). More mothers post-legislation in the last month took their children away from cigarette smoke (6.3% versus 92.2%; p<0.01) and advised fathers to quit over 3 times (8.3% versus 33.8%; p<0.01). No significant change was found in the content of smoking cessation advice and the proportion of mothers who took specific action to support the fathers to quit., Conclusions: SHS exposure in the home decreased and maternal action to protect children from SHS increased after the 2007 smokefree legislation. Maternal support to fathers to quit showed moderate improvement. Cessation services for smokers and specific interventions for smoking families should be expanded together with smokefree legislation.