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Religious belief and its association with life satisfaction of adolescents in Hong Kong
No full textThe present study seeks to understand the association of adolescents’ religious belief with life satisfaction in Hong Kong. Data of 5,812 adolescents’ key demographic information and life satisfaction were gathered through stratified sampling in order to reflect four distinctive adolescent groups in Hong Kong: Hong Kong Mainstream Chinese Students (HKMCS), Non-Chinese Speaking South and south-east Asian Students (NCS), Chinese Immigrant Students (CIS) and Cross-Boundary Students (CBS) from Mainland China. The Multidimensional Students’ Life Satisfaction Scale (MSLSS) was used to explore life satisfaction of the four student groups. Results indicate that there were significantly different levels of life satisfaction across the four groups. Key demographic variables were significantly but dissimilarly associated with different groups of students’ life satisfaction. Religious belief was substantially important for the life satisfaction of NCS in particular. Implications for research, policy and practice are discussed
Anti-biofilm activity of commercial toothpastes against staphylococcus aureus
No full textObjectives: To investigate the anti-biofilm activities of chlorhexidine digluconate (Against24 Deep Clean), herbal (Dentiste’ Plus White), Oxychlor (Therabreath Fresh Breath), sodium chlorite (Periotherapy Healthy Gums), and standard sodium fluoride (Colgate Anticavity) toothpastes against S. aureus biofilms.
Methods: Standardized inocula of S. aureus ATCC 25923 were prepared and transferred to Immuno MaxiSorp 96-peg plates (Nunc). Plates were incubated for 48 hours to establish mature biofilms. The pegs were rinsed to remove loosely adherent planktonic cells, and positioned into 96-well plates containing toothpaste preparations. Neutralizers were added after one minute and five minutes of exposure. Toothpaste-free biofilm cultures were used as controls. A standard 2,3-bis(2-methoxy-4-nitro-5-sulfo-phenyl) -2H-tetrazolium-5-carboxanilide reduction assay was used for quantitative determination of S. aureus biofilm metabolic activity.
Results: The herbal toothpaste (sage extract, chamomile extract, fennel extract, Glycyrrhiza extract, cinnamon bark extract, peppermint oil, clove oil, menthol, eucalyptus oil, vitamin C, silicone dioxide, xylitol) exhibited significantly greater anti-biofilm activity (\u3e60% reduction in biofilm metabolic activity; p≤0.001) than the other toothpastes at an exposure time of one minute, with the exception of the chlorhexidine digluconate toothpaste, for which there was no significant difference. Equivalent anti-biofilm effects (\u3e80% reduction in biofilm metabolic activity) between the herbal and chlorhexidine toothpaste were also observed at a five minute exposure time, and these were significantly greater than those observed for the sodium fluoride (p
Conclusions: Among the tested toothpastes, the herbal and chlorhexidine toothpastes exhibited the greatest anti-biofilm activities. Neither toothpaste, however, demonstrated complete eradication of mature S. aureus biofilms at an extended exposure time of five minutes
Medium-of-instruction policy and practices in CSL classrooms
No full textThis chapter provides a critical review of medium-of-instruction (MoI) policies and practices in CSL education in China. MoI is the language used in the process of teaching or learning a language, which may include the target language and students\u27 L1 and/or a common language shared by teachers and students. The purpose of this chapter is to examine language use and language choice in the CSL classroom, to offer pedagogical suggestions for CSL teachers and teacher educators, and to consider why, when, and how to effectively manage MoI for everyday teaching. The chapter also seeks to shed light on understanding the functional role and the sensible use of English in Chinese teaching and learning in the United States
Effects of Tai Chi exercise for community-dwelling Chinese adults with metabolic syndrome: a feasibility study
No full textA case study of the investment yields of high street banks
No full textPurpose: Sale-and-leaseback has become an increasingly common approach during the last two decades in the investment of high street banks (banking-halls) in the UK. One measure commonly used in making property investment decisions is the all risks yield (ARY) which is associated with the level of rental income. Investors and their advisors need to know which factors are likely to result in the highest ARY when assembling investment portfolios of such properties. The purpose of this paper is to identify those yield influences.
Design/Methodology/Approach: A qualitative multiple-case study was adopted. A literature review generated a hypothesis which was tested by a qualitative study, based upon semi-structured interviews and a questionnaire, to establish the influencing factors. Expert interviews were held with the heads of those three major auction-houses dealing with auctions of all retail bank premises in the Great Britain market, whilst the questionnaire survey involved investment professionals from within the auction-houses.
Findings: The study confirmed that the four factors influencing yields and investors’ decision-making when purchasing retail banking premises were tenant banking company (brand names), regional location (north and south super-regions), lot size (hammer price), and tenure (freehold or leasehold).
Research limitations/Implications: This investigation focuses on Great Britain’s geographical and political area which includes England, Scotland and Wales, but excludes Northern Ireland. This research focuses on banking-halls as a sub-class of retail property investment. The findings form a baseline upon which further research can be conducted on other sub-types of retail property such as high street shops and retail parks. The results will also underpin the development of a quantitative yield predictive model based on regression analysis.
Practical implications: To maximize the returns on property investments, investors and their professional advisors can use those factors having the greatest influence on yields to make informed investment decisions for the building of property portfolios.
Originality/value: As a sub-sector, bank premises do not necessarily correlate to the generic retail sector. This research consolidates the broad systematic drivers of retail yields into specific factors influencing the ARY of banking-halls. The findings provide better understanding of an active but sparsely analysed sub-market of banking hall investments, and by so-doing help investors to maximize their investment returns
Participatory action research and fashion education: theories, practices, and implications
No full textA study of learning styles of engineering students in vocational education in Hong Kong
Get PDFStudents have different learning preferences of receiving, processing and internalizing knowledge and skills. If the learning environment is advantageous to the learning styles of the students, there is a higher chance that the students can achieve the intended learning outcomes. Previous research on understanding the learning styles of students suggests that the use of learning style models helped teachers design effective instruction and could help students better understand their own learning preferences. Felder and Silverman (1988) proposed a learning style model, which was designed to capture the important learning style differences among engineering students. The model categorised learning preferences into four dimensions, namely, active/reflective, sensing/intuitive, visual/verbal, and sequential/global (Felder and Spurlin, 2005). After identifying the learning styles of the students, corresponding teaching strategies can then be developed for more effective learning. This research was an preliminary investigation of learning styles of engineering students studying vocationally oriented higher diploma programmes in Hong Kong. Data from over 140 students in two engineering programmes was collected and analysed to identify the learning characteristics of students. It was found that the sample students were marginally reflective, predominately sensing, visual, and sequential learners. Observations from the analysed data provided valuable information for teachers to design more effective teaching strategies
VIP Tour
No full textThe VTC booth had been selected by the ITC as one of the few stops in the VIP tour, during which the Officiating Guests visited the two VTC feature items: the “Smart Airer” co-developed by DE and IT Disciplines and the “3D Food Printing with Edible Ink” created by the AS Discipline. Officiating Guests who visited the VTC booth during the VIP Tour included: Hon Nicholas W. YANG, JP Secretary for Innovation and Technology, HKSAR Government Mr. CHEUK Wing-hing, JP Permanent Secretary for Innovation and Technology, HKSAR Government Dr. Rosanna WONG Yick-ming, DBE, JP Executive Director, The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups Mr. CHUA Hoi-wai Chief Executive, The Hong Kong Council of Social Service Ms. Annie CHOI, JP Commissioner of Innovation and Technology, HKSAR Government Mr Albert WONG Chief Executive, Hong Kong Science & Technology Parks Corporation Hon Charles Peter MOK, JP Member of the Legislative Council Dr Hon Elizabeth QUAT, JP Member of the Legislative Counci