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molecular epidemiology and strain comparison between hepatitis e virus in human sera and pig livers during 2014-2016 in hong kong.hepatitis e virus (hev) causes substantial morbidity and mortality in developing countries and is considered an emerging food-borne pathogen in previously non-endemic developed countries. to investigate genetic association between human hev infection and hev-contaminated high-risk food in hong kong, we compared local virus strains obtained from hepatitis e patient sera with those surveyed from high-risk food items during 2014-2016. twenty-four cases of laboratory-confirmed human hev infections w ...201728202801
relative incidence and individual-level severity of seasonal influenza a h3n2 compared with 2009 pandemic h1n1.two subtypes of influenza a currently circulate in humans: seasonal h3n2 (sh3n2, emerged in 1968) and pandemic h1n1 (ph1n1, emerged in 2009). while the epidemiological characteristics of the initial wave of ph1n1 have been studied in detail, less is known about its infection dynamics during subsequent waves or its severity relative to sh3n2. even prior to 2009, few data was available to estimate the risk of severe outcomes following infection with one circulating influenza strain relative to ano ...201728494805
glucuronide and sulfate conjugates of bisphenol a: chemical synthesis and correlation between their urinary levels and plasma bisphenol a content in voluntary human donors.bisphenol a (bpa) glucuronide and sulfate conjugates are major products of phase ii metabolism of bpa in humans. in the past, their determination in body fluids usually involves tedious enzymatic hydrolysis and multiresidual analysis. the recent availability of authentic standards of these conjugates enables our better understand of the human metabolism of bpa and the distribution of their metabolites in body fluids. in this work, we report the chemical synthesis and purification of bpa mono- an ...201728770280
high prevalence of four novel astrovirus genotype species identified from rodents in china.astroviruses cause gastrointestinal and neurological infections in humans and animals. since astrovirus is genetically diverse and different astrovirus genotypes can be found in the same animal species, astrovirus is a potential zoonotic threat to humans. in this study, we screened for astroviruses in rodents from hong kong, hunan and guangxi. astrovirus was detected in 11.9 % (67/562) of rectal swab specimens. phylogenetic analysis of the orf1b region, which encodes the rdrp, showed that there ...201728537544
the association of air pollution with pubertal development: evidence from hong kong's "children of 1997" birth cohort.many pollutants are endocrine disruptors with impacts on reproduction and health in animals, but evidence in humans, of which sex-specific effects on pubertal development may be an indicator, is less clear. we examined the association of air pollution in utero and during early life with pubertal development in hong kong, china, an area with a high level of air pollution compared with other similarly developed cities. we assessed sex-specific associations of particulate matter less than or equal ...201728444106
comparison of green pit viper and agkistrodon halys antivenom in inhibition of coagulopathy due to trimeresurus albolabris venom: an in-vitro study using human plasma.there are two antivenoms that may be administered in hong kong following a bite by trimeresurus albolabris: the green pit viper antivenom from the thai red cross society in thailand and the agkistrodon halys antivenom from the shanghai institute of biological products in china. both are recommended by the central coordinating committee of accident and emergency services of the hospital authority for treating patients with a bite by trimeresurus albolabris. the choice of which antivenom to use is ...201727909267
2015 epidemic of severe streptococcus agalactiae sequence type 283 infections in singapore associated with the consumption of raw freshwater fish: a detailed analysis of clinical, epidemiological, and bacterial sequencing data.streptococcus agalactiae (group b streptococcus [gbs]) has not been described as a foodborne pathogen. however, in 2015, a large outbreak of severe invasive sequence type (st) 283 gbs infections in adults epidemiologically linked to the consumption of raw freshwater fish occurred in singapore. we attempted to determine the scale of the outbreak, define the clinical spectrum of disease, and link the outbreak to contaminated fish.201728475781
assessment of epidemiological evidence that exposure to solar ultraviolet radiation causes cataract.in this paper an assessment is made of the evidence that exposure to solar ultraviolet radiation is causally associated with cataract. the evidence is reviewed separately for cortical, nuclear and posterior subcapsular cataract. the assessment examines the consistency and magnitude of an association, the dose-response relationship, supporting ecological data, and data from animal studies. based on the assessment, it is concluded that there is sufficient experimental evidence that exposure to art ...20177635000
high diversity of picornaviruses in rats from different continents revealed by deep sequencing.outbreaks of zoonotic diseases in humans and livestock are not uncommon, and an important component in containment of such emerging viral diseases is rapid and reliable diagnostics. such methods are often pcr-based and hence require the availability of sequence data from the pathogen. rattus norvegicus (r. norvegicus) is a known reservoir for important zoonotic pathogens. transmission may be direct via contact with the animal, for example, through exposure to its faecal matter, or indirectly med ...201627530749
skin fungal community and its correlation with bacterial community of urban chinese individuals.high-throughput sequencing has led to increased insights into the human skin microbiome. currently, the majority of skin microbiome investigations are limited to characterizing prokaryotic communities, and our understanding of the skin fungal community (mycobiome) is limited, more so for cohorts outside of the western hemisphere. here, the skin mycobiome across healthy chinese individuals in hong kong are characterized.201627558504
source apportionment and health effect of nox over the pearl river delta region in southern china.as one of the most notorious atmospheric pollutants, nox not only promotes the formation of ozone but also has adverse health effects on humans. it is therefore of great importance to study the sources of nox and its effects on human health. the comprehensive air quality model (camx) modeling system and ozone source apportionment technology (osat) were used to study the contribution of nox from different emission sources over southern china. the results indicate that heavy duty diesel vehicles ( ...201626845361
serologic assays for the detection and strain identification of pteropine orthoreovirus.pteropine orthoreovirus (prv), potentially of bat origin, is reported to be a causative agent of emerging respiratory tract infections among humans in southeast asia. we evaluated the efficacy of serologic assays using the major outer capsid and cell attachment proteins (cap) of prv strains in the screening, confirmation and identification of three groups of human prv infections; indonesian/japanese, indonesian/hong kong and malaysian strains. the different serologic assays were tested using rab ...201627165561
isolation of h5n6, h7n9 and h9n2 avian influenza a viruses from air sampled at live poultry markets in china, 2014 and 2015.zoonotic infections by avian influenza viruses occur at the human-poultry interface, but the modes of transmission have not been fully investigated. we assessed the potential for airborne and fomite transmission at live poultry markets in guangzhou city and in hong kong special administrative region (sar), china, during 2014 and 2015. viral genome and infectious avian influenza a viruses of h5n6, h7n9, and h9n2 subtypes were detected predominantly from particles larger or equal to 1 μm in diamet ...201627608369
the dynamic relationship between clinical symptomatology and viral shedding in naturally acquired seasonal and pandemic influenza virus infections.although the pattern of viral shedding over time has been documented in volunteer challenge studies, understanding of the relationship between clinical symptomatology and viral shedding in naturally acquired influenza infections in humans remains limited.201626518469
indoor air bacterial communities in hong kong households assemble independently of occupant skin microbiomes.more than in any other habitat, humans exert a large influence on microbial communities indoors. frequent contact between occupant skin and indoor surfaces causes indoor surface microbial communities to be largely assembled from and thus closely resemble occupant skin microbiomes. while indoor air and dust are known to also contain many human-associated taxa, household air communities have not yet been directly compared with occupant skin microbiomes. we sampled microorganisms from air, surfaces ...201625923292
urinary bromophenol glucuronide and sulfate conjugates: potential human exposure molecular markers for polybrominated diphenyl ethers.one possible source of urinary bromophenol (bp) glucuronide and sulfate conjugates in mammalian animal models and humans is polybromodiphenyl ethers (pbdes), a group of additive flame-retardants found ubiquitously in the environment. in order to study the correlation between levels of pbdes in human blood plasma and those of the corresponding bp-conjugates in human urine, concentrations of 17 bde congeners, 22 oh-bde and 13 meo-bde metabolites, and 3 bps in plasma collected from 100 voluntary do ...201525817024
clonal diversity of ctx-m-producing, multidrug-resistant escherichia coli from rodents.this territory-wide study investigated the occurrence of faecal carriage of extended-spectrum β-lactamase (esbl)-producing escherichia coli among wild rodents from the 18 districts in hong kong. individual rectal swabs were obtained from the trapped animals and cultured in plain and selective media. a total of 965 wild rodents [148 chestnut spiny rats (niviventer fulvescens), 326 indo-chinese forest rats (rattus andamanensis), 452 brown rats (rattus norvegicus) and 39 black rats (rattus rattus)] ...201525627207
population behavior patterns in response to the risk of influenza a(h7n9) in hong kong, december 2013-february 2014.a novel avian influenza a(h7n9) virus, first identified in mainland china in february and march 2013, caused an outbreak in humans in april and may, 2013. closure of live poultry markets in some affected cities dramatically reduced numbers of cases during summer of 2013, but the epidemic resurged during the winter 2013-14, increasing reported cases to 393 in mainland china as of 30 march 2014.201525622816
strategic measures for the control of surging antimicrobial resistance in hong kong and mainland of china.antimicrobial-resistant bacteria are either highly prevalent or increasing rapidly in hong kong and china. treatment options for these bacteria are generally limited, less effective and more expensive. the emergence and dynamics of antimicrobial resistance genes in bacteria circulating between animals, the environment and humans are not entirely known. nonetheless, selective pressure by antibiotics on the microbiomes of animal and human, and their associated environments (especially farms and he ...201526038766
organotin contamination in seafood and its implication for human health risk in hong kong.organotins (ots) have caused widespread adverse effects on marine organisms, while they can also induce health problems to humans via consumption of contaminated seafood. this study aimed to quantify the tissue concentrations of ots in 11 seafood species in hong kong, and assess the human health risk for consuming these species. the tongue sole paraplagusia blochii had the highest concentration of total ots. triphenyltin (tpt) accounted for 56-97% of total ots. the highest hazard quotient (hq) f ...201424456855
the contribution of social behaviour to the transmission of influenza a in a human population.variability in the risk of transmission for respiratory pathogens can result from several factors, including the intrinsic properties of the pathogen, the immune state of the host and the host's behaviour. it has been proposed that self-reported social mixing patterns can explain the behavioural component of this variability, with simulated intervention studies based on these data used routinely to inform public health policy. however, in the absence of robust studies with biological endpoints f ...201424968312
oral bioaccessibility of toxic metals in contaminated oysters and relationships with metal internal sequestration.the hong kong oysters crassostrea hongkongensis are widely farmed in the estuarine waters of southern china, but they accumulate cu and zn to alarmingly high concentrations in the soft tissues. health risks of seafood consumption are related to contaminants such as toxic metals which are bioaccessible to humans. in the present study, we investigated the oral bioaccessibility of five toxic metals (ag, pb, cd, cu and zn) in contaminated oysters collected from different locations of a large estuary ...201425265028
a novel missense mutation in ccdc88c activates the jnk pathway and causes a dominant form of spinocerebellar ataxia.spinocerebellar ataxias (scas) are a group of clinically and genetically diverse and autosomal-dominant disorders characterised by neurological deficits in the cerebellum. at present, there is no cure for scas. of the different distinct subtypes of autosomal-dominant scas identified to date, causative genes for only a fraction of them are currently known. in this study, we investigated the cause of an autosomal-dominant sca phenotype in a family that exhibits cerebellar ataxia and pontocerebella ...201425062847
plasma mercury levels in hong kong residents: in relation to fish consumption.mercury exposure is of particular concern since mercury is a neurotoxin and the developing fetus is most sensitive to its adverse effect. human blood is routinely used as an indicator for the evaluation of human exposure to hg. to investigate hg species in human plasma for hong kong residents and the relationship between fish consumption and hg species in plasma, 151 plasma samples were analyzed for hg species. the mean values of total hg (thg) and methyl-mercury (mehg) concentration in plasma w ...201323680090
cancer risk assessments of hong kong soils contaminated by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.the aim of this study was to evaluate soils from 12 different land use types on human cancer risks, with the main focus being on human cancer risks related to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (pahs). fifty-five locations were selected to represent 12 different types of land use (electronic waste dismantling workshop (ew (dw)); open burning site (obs); car dismantling workshop (cdw) etc.). the total concentrations of 16 pahs in terms of total burden and their bioaccessibility were analysed using ...201323465409
one health: the hong kong experience with avian influenza.the occurrence of avian influenza a(h5n1) in hong kong in 1997 led to the development of a "one-health" approach to deal with emerging infectious diseases that has been applied to other emergent diseases such as sars and the pandemic h1n1 2009. evaluation of poultry marketing and production systems and investigations at the animal-human interface, led to defining the routes of human exposure to avian influenza and factors that allowed virus to multiply and persist. active and systematic surveill ...201322903569
emergence of a c-terminal seven-amino-acid elongation of ns1 in around 1950 conferred a minor growth advantage to former seasonal influenza a viruses.influenza a viruses circulating in humans from ∼1950 to ∼1987 featured a nonstructural (ns1) protein with a c-terminal extension of seven amino acids. the biological significance of this ns1 elongation remained elusive. we observed that replication kinetics of the wild-type virus a/hong kong/01/68 (h3n2) and a mutant encoding a truncated ns1 were indistinguishable in most experimental systems. however, wild-type virus outcompeted the mutant during mixed infections, suggesting that the ns1 extens ...201323926347
aerosol transmission is an important mode of influenza a virus spread.influenza a viruses are believed to spread between humans through contact, large respiratory droplets and small particle droplet nuclei (aerosols), but the relative importance of each of these modes of transmission is unclear. volunteer studies suggest that infections via aerosol transmission may have a higher risk of febrile illness. here we apply a mathematical model to data from randomized controlled trials of hand hygiene and surgical face masks in hong kong and bangkok households. in these ...201323736803
characterization of methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus isolates from pig carcasses in hong kong.this study describes the isolation and characterization of methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (mrsa) from slaughtered pigs sampled from local markets in hong kong. the nares of 400 slaughtered pigs were cultured and mrsa isolates characterized for the presence of antibiotic-resistance determinants, toxins and sccmec and spa types using pcr. clonality was investigated using pfge and mlst. the prevalence of mrsa colonization of slaughter pigs was 39.3%, the majority (92%) harbouring sccme ...201223057086
a novel dirofilaria species causing human and canine infections in hong kong.dirofilariasis is globally the commonest manifestation of zoonotic filariasis. we report the detection of a novel canine species causing human and canine dirofilariasis in hong kong. three human cases occurring over 10 months were identified, one presenting with cervical lymphadenopathy, one with an abdominal subcutaneous mass, and one with a subconjunctival nodule. transected worms recovered from the resected abdominal subcutaneous mass were morphologically compatible with dirofilaria. the cox1 ...201222915604
hydroxylated and methoxylated polybrominated diphenyl ethers in blood plasma of humans in hong kong.hydroxylated (oh-) and methoxylated (meo-) polybrominated diphenyl ethers (pbde) are suspected endocrine disruptors. little is known about the accumulation or sources of these chemicals in tissues of humans, particularly those residing in hong kong, which is one of the most densely populated cities in the world. seven meo-bdes, fifteen oh-bdes and three bromophenols (brps) were analyzed in blood plasma of 116 humans that had been collected by the hong kong red cross. total concentrations of meo- ...201222771521
families and family therapy in hong kong.family therapy views humans not as separate entities, but as embedded in a network of relationships, highlighting the reciprocal influences of one's behaviours on one another. this article gives an overview of family demographics and the implementation of family therapy in hong kong. we start with a review of the family demographics in hong kong and brief notes on families in mainland china. demographics show that the landscape has changed markedly in the past decade, with more cross-border marr ...201222515459
social network characteristics and salivary cortisol in healthy older people.psychobiological research on aging in humans has been confounded by individual differences that have not been adequately characterized in the literature. this paper is an attempt to shed light on this issue by examining the impact of social network characteristics predictive of successful aging on salivary cortisol among 78 older chinese people in hong kong. eight salivary cortisol samples were collected each day for two consecutive days from immediately after awakening to 12 hours later. two co ...201222489206
Prevalence and diversity of norovirus genogroups I and II in Hong Kong marine waters and detection by real-time PCR.Marine waters from six sites around Hong Kong with varying levels of sewage pollution were examined for noroviruses (NoVs) by PCR cloning and sequencing of a highly-variable N-terminal region of the VP1 capsid gene, at the ORF1-ORF2 junction of NoV. Phylogenetic analysis of genogroups GI- and GII-specific PCR clones obtained from different marine sites indicated that human NoV GI.1 and GII.4 strains are the most prevalent genotypes circulating in Hong Kong waters. GI- and GII-specific TaqMan-bas ...201222119412
Assessment of knowledge and stigmatizing attitudes related to human papillomavirus among Hong Kong Chinese healthcare providers.To assess knowledge and stigmatizing attitudes related to human papillomavirus (HPV) and HPV testing among Chinese healthcare providers in Hong Kong.201222036061
Role of genetic variants in the gene encoding lipocalin-2 in the development of elevated blood pressure.Lipocalin-2 is recently recognized as a biomarker of obesity and inflammation, which are both risk factors for hypertension. We therefore investigated the association of common single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the gene encoding lipocalin-2 (LCN2) with elevated blood pressure (BP) in Hong Kong Chinese. Five tagging SNPs were genotyped in 1936 subjects from the Hong Kong Cardiovascular Risk Factor Prevalence Study-2 (CRISPS-2) with a median follow-up time of 6.4 years. Elevated BP was def ...201121978028
Complete genome sequence of a coxsackievirus A22 strain in Hong Kong reveals a natural intratypic recombination event.Coxsackievirus A22 (CVA22) belongs to the species human enterovirus C in the Picornaviridae family. We report the first complete genome sequence of CVA22 with natural intratypic recombination between CVA22 prototype strain Chulman and CVA22 strain ban99-10427, identified in the stool of a patient in Hong Kong.201122021251
sonoanatomy relevant for ultrasound-guided central neuraxial blocks via the paramedian approach in the lumbar region.objectives: the use of ultrasound to guide peripheral nerve blocks is now a well-established technique in regional anaesthesia. however, despite reports of ultrasound guided epidural access via the paramedian approach, there are limited data on the use of ultrasound for central neuraxial blocks, which may be due to a poor understanding of spinal sonoanatomy. methods: this study was designed to define the sonoanatomy of the lumbar spine relevant for central neuraxial blocks via the paramedian app ...201122010025
A case-referent study of lung cancer and incense smoke, smoking, and residential radon in chinese men.Background: Burning incense generates large amounts of air pollutants, many of which are confirmed or suspected human lung carcinogens.Objectives: We conducted a population-based case-referent study to examine the effect of incense smoke exposure on lung cancer risk among Chinese males and explored the joint effect of cigarette smoking and exposure to residential radon.Methods: We recruited 1,208 male lung cancer incident cases and 1,069 community referents from 2004 to 2006 and estimated their ...201122067552
major human hepatitis a virus genotype in hong kong marine waters and detection by real-time pcr.marine waters from seven sites around hong kong with varying levels of sewage pollution were analyzed for hepatitis a virus (hav) by pcr cloning and dna sequencing of the highly variable vp1/2a junction of the hav genome. phylogenetic analysis of 10 pcr clones from each of the hav-positive marine sites indicated that human hav genotype ib is the most widely distributed type in hong kong waters. a sensitive and quantitative taqman-based pcr method targeting the 5'-noncoding region (5'-ncr) of hav ...201122001296
Thyrotoxic hypokalemic periodic paralysis is a rare but potentially fatal emergency: case report and literature review.We report a case of a 39 year-old Asian man in whom profound lower limb paralysis, along with severe hypokalemia and electrocardiographic changes, were the presenting features of Graves' disease (GD)-related thyrotoxicosis. Rapid recognition and management of the disorder were the key factors to avoid fatal hypokalemia-induced cardiac arrhythmias and promptly restore patient's capacity to ambulate.201122111475
stability of bovine coronavirus on lettuce surfaces under household refrigeration conditions.fecal suspensions with an aerosol route of transmission were responsible for a cluster of severe acute respiratory syndrome (sars) cases in 2003 in hong kong. based on that event, the world health organization recommended that research be implemented to define modes of transmission of sars coronavirus through sewage, feces, food and water. environmental studies have shown that animal coronaviruses remain infectious in water and sewage for up to a year depending on the temperature and humidity. i ...201122265299
an h9n2 influenza virus vaccine prepared from a non-pathogenic isolate from a migratory duck confers protective immunity in mice against challenge with an h9n2 virus isolated from a girl in hong kong.h9n2 influenza viruses circulate in wild birds and poultry in eurasian countries, and have been isolated from pigs and humans in china. h9n2 viruses isolated from birds, pigs and humans have been classified into three sublineages based on antigenic and genetic features. chicken antisera to h9n2 viruses of the korean sublineage reacted with viruses of different sublineages by the hemagglutination-inhibition test. a test vaccine prepared from a non-pathogenic a/duck/hokkaido/49/1998 (h9n2) strain ...201122123308
human papillomavirus vaccine: what are women most concerned about?aim:  this study aims to investigate the areas of concerns that women have regarding human papillomavirus (hpv) vaccination. material and methods:  a cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted in a convenience sample of 1450 women attending outpatient family planning clinics in hong kong to assess women's concerns regarding hpv vaccination. the associations between each demographic characteristics and the importance of various issues concerning the vaccine, such as short and long-term si ...201121917074
genogroup i and ii picobirnaviruses in respiratory tracts of pigs.sequence-independent amplification and specific reverse transcription pcrs identified genogroup i and ii picobirnaviruses in respiratory tracts of pigs. these data expand knowledge of picobirnavirus diversity and tropism. genetic relationships between porcine respiratory and human enteric picobirnaviruses suggest cross-species transmission of picobirnaviruses between pigs and humans.201122172405
changes in knowledge, perceptions, preventive behaviours and psychological responses in the pre-community outbreak phase of the h1n1 epidemic.to investigate the changes in community responsiveness during the pre-community-outbreak phase of the h1n1 epidemic in hong kong, a pooled sample of 999 adults was interviewed in three surveys (s1, s2, s3) from 7 may to 6 june 2009. over time, fewer people felt confident in staying free from h1n1 infection in the following year (s1, 63·3%; s3, 46%; p<0·001). the level of distress due to h1n1 remained modest throughout the study period. people's confidence in the government's ability to control a ...201120800008
relationships among diabetic retinopathy, antioxidants, and glycemic control.type 2 diabetes mellitus (dm) is increasing worldwide and affects ∼11% of the hong kong population. diabetic retinopathy (dr) is a common cause of vision loss in type 2 dm. risk of dr is increased by poor glycemic control, elevated lipids, and blood pressure, but it is not possible to predict the development or progression of dr at an individual level. increased oxidative stress is thought to play a role. the use of a wider biomarker profile incorporating biomarkers of antioxidant status and oxi ...201121217409
longitudinal data analyses using linear mixed models in spss: concepts, procedures and illustrations.although different methods are available for the analyses of longitudinal data, analyses based on generalized linear models (glm) are criticized as violating the assumption of independence of observations. alternatively, linear mixed models (lmm) are commonly used to understand changes in human behavior over time. in this paper, the basic concepts surrounding lmm (or hierarchical linear models) are outlined. although spss is a statistical analyses package commonly used by researchers, documentat ...201121218263
coxsackievirus b3-associated aseptic meningitis: an emerging infection in hong kong.enterovirus (ev) infection is a common disease of childhood and associated not uncommonly with aseptic meningitis. in the summer of 2008, laboratory surveillance has detected increased number of coxsackievirus b3 (cvb3) associated aseptic meningitis in hong kong, constituting 11.6% of those infected. this study analyzed the epidemiology, circulating pattern, and clinical presentations of cvb3 in hong kong over the last 10 years with reference to the circulation of ev in the locality. enterovirus ...201121264869
c-reactive protein as a predictor of hypertension in the hong kong cardiovascular risk factor prevalence study (crisps) cohort.inflammation contributes to the development of hypertension. whether c-reactive protein (crp) has a causal role in hypertension remains unknown. we studied the relationship between circulating crp levels and hypertension. the role of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (snps) in the crp gene as determinants of its plasma levels and the propensity to develop hypertension was investigated. plasma crp and genotypes of nine snps were determined in 1925 unrelated subjects from the hong kong cardiovascula ...201121270838
distribution, availability, and sources of trace metals in different particle size fractions of urban soils in hong kong: implications for assessing the risk to human health.the concentration and loading distribution of trace metals (cu, zn, pb, co, ni, cr, and mn) and major elements (al, ca, fe, and mg) in different particle size fractions (2000-280, 280-100, 100-50, 50-10, 10-2, and <2 µm) of surface soils from highly urbanized areas in hong kong were studied. the enrichment of pb, cu, and zn in the urban soils was strongly influenced by anthropogenic activities, and pb accumulated in fine particles was mainly derived from past vehicular emissions as shown by pb i ...201121296471
gene expression of tweak/fn14 and ip-10/cxcr3 in glomerulus and tubulointerstitium of patients with lupus nephritis.the role of the tumour necrosis factor-like weak inducer of apoptosis (tweak)/fn14 and interferon-inducible protein (ip-10)/cxcr3 axis in the pathogenesis of lupus nephritis were studied.201121303425
psychological burden of testing positive for high-risk human papillomavirus on women with atypical cervical cytology: a prospective study.to assess the psychological burden of testing positive for high-risk human papillomavirus (hpv) on chinese women with atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ascus).201121306349
two missense variants in uhrf1bp1 are independently associated with systemic lupus erythematosus in hong kong chinese.uhrf1bp1 encodes a highly conserved protein with unknown function. previously, a coding variant in this gene was found to be associated with systemic lupus erythematosus (sle) in populations of european ancestry (rs11755393, r454q, p=2.22 x 10?8, odds ratio=1.17). in this study, by a combination of genome-wide study and replication involving a total of 1230 patients and 3144 controls, we confirmed the association of this coding variant to sle in hong kong chinese. we also identified another codi ...201121326321
clinical and virological course of infection with haemagglutinin d222g mutant strain of 2009 pandemic influenza a (h1n1) virus.aspartic acid to glycine substitution (d222g) of haemagglutinin subunit (ha1) was associated with adverse outcomes in 2009 pandemic influenza a (h1n1) infections.201121330192
infection of immunocompromised patients by avian h9n2 influenza a virus.avian influenza a (h9n2) virus is transmitted sporadically from avian species to human causing mild diseases in immunocompetent person. we report two cases of human infection in immunocompromised patients in hong kong between 2008 and 2009. one patient had uneventful recovery with viral shedding at day 10 after symptom onset despite her underlying acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. the other patient with post-bone marrow transplant chronic graft-versus-host disease and bronhioltis obliterans went in ...201121356238
a 3-bp deletion in the hbs1l-myb intergenic region on chromosome 6q23 is associated with hbf expression.fetal hemoglobin (hbf) is regulated as a multigenic trait. by genome-wide association study, we confirmed that hbs1l-myb intergenic polymorphisms (hmip) and bcl11a polymorphisms are highly associated with hbf in chinese +¦-thalassemia heterozygotes. in this population, the variance in hbf resulting from the hmip is 13.5%; that resulting from the bcl11a polymorphism is 6.4%. to identify the functional variant in hmip, we used 1000 genomes project data, single nucleotide polymorphism imputation, c ...201121385855
evolution of the haemagglutinin gene of the influenza a(h1n1)2009 virus isolated in hong kong, 2009-2011.phylogenetic analysis of the haemagglutinin (ha) gene shows that the influenza a(h1n1)2009 viruses collected in hong kong clustered in two main branches characterised by the e391e and e391k amino acids. the main branch e391k evolved in two sub-branches with n142d and s202t mutations that first appeared in march and july 2010, respectively, with the latter becoming the predominant strain. these genetic variants that emerged display similar antigenic characteristics.concurrent with genetic surveil ...201121392488
extensive dissemination of ctx-m-producing escherichia coli with multidrug resistance to 'critically important' antibiotics among food animals in hong kong, 2008-10.to assess the occurrence of faecal carriage of escherichia coli with resistance to 'critically important' antibiotics in various animals.201121393133
factors affecting intention to receive and self-reported receipt of 2009 pandemic (h1n1) vaccine in hong kong: a longitudinal study.vaccination was a core component for mitigating the 2009 influenza pandemic (ph1n1). however, a vaccination program's efficacy largely depends on population compliance. we examined general population decision-making for ph1n1 vaccination using a modified theory of planned behaviour (tbp).201121412418
psychological factors in association with uptake of voluntary counselling and testing for hiv among men who have sex with men in hong kong.to investigate the prevalence and factors associated with uptake of voluntary counselling and testing (vct) for human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) among men who have sex with men (msm) in hong kong.201121419466
hiv-1 drug resistance mutations among antiretroviral-naive hiv-1-infected patients in asia: results from the treat asia studies to evaluate resistance-monitoring study.of 682 antiretroviral-naïve patients initiating antiretroviral therapy in a prospective, multicenter human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (hiv-1) drug resistance monitoring study involving 8 sites in hong kong, malaysia, and thailand, the prevalence of patients with =1 drug resistance mutation was 13.8%. primary hiv drug resistance is emerging after rapid scaling-up of antiretroviral therapy use in asia.201121460324
regional effects on the mental health of immigrant children: results from the new canadian children and youth study (nccys).children in immigrant families from hong kong, mainland china, and the philippines living in toronto and montreal are at higher risk of emotional problems than children in immigrant families in winnipeg, calgary, edmonton, and vancouver (beiser et al., 2010). the current publication explores human capital, social capital, institutional receptivity, and perceptions of welcome as explanations for regional disparities. parent's lack of linguistic fluency, and depressive symptoms provided the most l ...201121463966
clinical spectrum of human rhinovirus infections in hospitalized hong kong children.background:: human rhinovirus (hrv) is classified into a, b, and c genogroups. hrvs cause mild upper respiratory infections, but hrv-c was recently found to be a major cause of asthma exacerbation in whites. this study elucidated disease spectrum of hrv infections among hong kong children hospitalized with respiratory illnesses. methods:: this retrospective study recruited 128 children with asthma exacerbations and 192 inpatient controls without allergy and hospitalized for respiratory illnesses ...201121494174
seroprevalence of antibody to pandemic influenza a (h1n1) 2009 among healthcare workers after the first wave in hong kong.during the first wave of an influenza pandemic prior to the availability of an effective vaccine, healthcare workers (hcws) may be at particular risk of infection with the novel influenza strain. we conducted a cross-sectional study of the prevalence of antibody to pandemic influenza a (h1n1) 2009 (ph1n1) among hcws in hong kong in february-march 2010 following the first pandemic wave. sera collected from hcws were tested for antibody to ph1n1 influenza virus by viral neutralisation (vn). we ass ...201121501896
responses of aerobic and anaerobic ammonia/ammonium-oxidizing microorganisms to anthropogenic pollution in coastal marine environments.up to date, numerous studies have shown that the community structure of aerobic ammonia oxidizers including ammonia-oxidizing betaproteobacteria (beta-aob) and ammonia-oxidizing archaea (aoa) and, more recently, the anaerobic ammonium-oxidizing (anammox) bacteria is responsive to environmental conditions including salinity, ph, selected metal ions, concentrations of inorganic nitrogen, total phosphorus, the ratio of organic carbon and nitrogen, and sedimentological factors such as the sediment m ...201121514459
simvastatin-induced myopathy, the role of interaction with diltiazem and genetic predisposition.what is known and objective:  diltiazem shows a pharmacokinetic interaction with statins that are cyp3a substrates but this may not result in myopathy unless additional genetic or clinical factors are present. subsequent changes in treatment or underlying disease may result in a delayed onset of this adverse affect. our objective is to report on two cases of statin-induced myopathy associated with concomitant use of diltiazem and other contributing factors, and to briefly review the related lite ...201121545622
prevalence and risk factors of human papillomavirus (hpv) infection in southern chinese women - a population-based study.persistent high-risk type human papillomavirus (hpv) infection is recognized as a necessary cause of cervical cancer. this study aimed to compare the hpv prevalence and risk factors between women residing in hong kong (hk) and guangzhou (gz) region of china.201121559276
molecular analysis of congenital adrenal hyperplasia due to 21-hydroxylase deficiency in hong kong chinese patients.background: congenital adrenal hyperplasia (cah) caused by 21-hydroxylase deficiency (21ohd) is an autosomal recessive disorder due to mutation in the cyp21a2 gene. objective: to elucidate the genetic basis of 21-hydroxylase-deficient cah in hong kong chinese patients. patients and methods: mutational analysis of the cyp21a2 gene was performed on 35 hong kong chinese patients with 21ohd using direct dna sequencing and multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (mlpa). results: the genetic ...201121570420
development and validation of a surgical workload measure: the surgery task load index (surg-tlx).background: the purpose of the present study was to develop and validate a multidimensional, surgery-specific workload measure (the surg-tlx), and to determine its utility in providing diagnostic information about the impact of various sources of stress on the perceived demands of trained surgical operators. as a wide range of stressors have been identified for surgeons in the operating room, the current approach of considering stress as a unidimensional construct may not only limit the degree t ...201121597890
great hospitals of asia: neurosurgery at prince of wales hospital.prince of wales hospital, a 1400-bed regional referral center, was established in 1984 as the primary teaching hospital of the second medical school in hong kong at the chinese university of hong kong. the academic division of neurosurgery was given an autonomous status, the support of 40 acute beds, and a well-equipped and well-staffed intensive care unit (icu), in developing neurosurgery as a distinct surgical specialty. over this short 26-year history, we have gone through the difficult time ...201121600469
the clustering and transmission dynamics of pandemic influenza a (h1n1) 2009 cases in hong kong.objectives: human influenza a (h1n1) 2009 has caused severe epidemics in many countries, but its dynamics in spatial and temporal contexts have so far been poorly appreciated. methods: a total of 24,414 laboratory confirmed human influenza a (h1n1) 2009 cases reported from may to september 2009 in hong kong were evaluated, using a geographic information system (gis)-based approach. spatio-temporal clustering was assessed after dividing hong kong into 4 geographic sectors, 18 districts and 500 m  ...201121601284
circulating influenza virus, climatic factors, and acute myocardial infarction: a time series study in england and wales and hong kong.(see the editorial commentary by finelli and chaves, on pages 1701-4.) background. previous studies identifying associations between influenza and acute cardiac events may have been confounded by climatic factors. differing seasonal patterns of influenza activity in hong kong and england and wales provide a natural experiment to examine associations with myocardial infarction (mi) independent of cold weather effects. methods. weekly clinical and laboratory influenza surveillance data, environmen ...201121606529
prevalence of human papillomavirus, epstein-barr virus, p21, and p53 expression in sinonasal inverted papilloma, nasal polyp, and hypertrophied turbinate in hong kong patients.background: the purpose of this study of human papillomavirus (hpv), epstein-barr virus (ebv), p21, and p53 in sinonasal inverted papilloma (ip) was to help elucidate its pathogenesis. methods: seventy-three ips, 48 nasal polyps, and 85 hypertrophied turbinates were subjected to hpv polymerase chain reaction (pcr) study. seventy-three ips, 30 nasal polyps, and 32 hypertrophied turbinates were subjected to ebv in situ hybridization (ish), p21, and p53 immunohistochemical (ihc) studies. results: h ...201121608063
long-term evolution and transmission dynamics of swine influenza a virus.swine influenza a viruses (swiv) cause significant economic losses in animal husbandry as well as instances of human disease and occasionally give rise to human pandemics, including that caused by the h1n1/2009 virus. the lack of systematic and longitudinal influenza surveillance in pigs has hampered attempts to reconstruct the origins of this pandemic. most existing swine data were derived from opportunistic samples collected from diseased pigs in disparate geographical regions, not from prospe ...201121614079
a synopsis of current haemophilia care in hong kong.objective. to provide a synopsis of current haemophilia care in hong kong. design. retrospective survey. setting. all haematology units of the hospital authority in hong kong. patients. all patients with haemophilia a and haemophilia b. results. to date, there were 222 mild-to-severe haemophilia patients (192 type a, 30 type b) under regular public care in hong kong (43% were considered severe, 33% moderate, and 24% mild), which gave a crude prevalence of 6.8/100 000 male inhabitants. a total of ...201121636866
exposure of hong kong residents to pbdes and their structural analogues through market fish consumption.high concentrations of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (pbdes) and their structural analogues (such as methoxylated (meo) and hydroxylated (oh) pbdes) had been observed in environmental samples and human tissues. this study evaluated the occurrence, potential source and human exposure of these organobrominated compounds via market fish consumption in hong kong. the contamination of 22 pbdes, 7 meo-bdes, 15 oh-bdes and 3 bromophenols (brps) were analyzed in 20 fish species (279 samples). the estim ...201121658843
enzyme replacement therapy for mucopolysaccharidosis vi (maroteaux-lamy syndrome): experience in hong kong.mucopolysaccharidosis vi (maroteaux-lamy syndrome) is a very rare inherited lysosomal storage disease. we evaluated the efficacy and safety of weekly infusions of recombinant human arylsulfatase b as enzyme replacement therapy for two patients in whom this condition was advanced. the primary outcome variables were the distance walked in a 6-minute walk test, forced vital capacity, and ejection fraction. the secondary outcome variables were the number of stairs climbed in a 3-minute stair climbin ...201121813902
acute and 16 months outcomes of a new stent: the first-in-man evaluation of the medtronic s9 (integrity) stent.objective: a first-in-man evaluation of the safety, feasibility, deliverability, and efficacy of the new medtronic s9 (integrity) bare metal stent (bms) in complex coronary diseases. background: excellent deliverability remains an unmet clinical need among stents especially in complex lesions. the s9 (integrity) bms utilizes a new, continuous sinusoidal manufacturing technology to enhance stent flexibility and deliverability, without sacrificing radial strength. methods: this is a first-in-man, ...201121805593
viral genetic sequence variations in pandemic h1n1/2009 and seasonal h3n2 influenza viruses within an individual, a household and a community.background: there are few data in the literature on viral sequence variation between host generations/successive transmission events. relatively little is known about the sequence heterogeneity of the influenza viruses transmitted within families. objectives: to study the molecular epidemiology of influenza virus and to determine the sequence variation within an individual, a household and a community during the first wave of influenza pandemic in 2009. study design: a prospective study of house ...201121802983
incorporating individual health-protective decisions into disease transmission models: a mathematical framework.it is anticipated that the next generation of computational epidemic models will simulate both infectious disease transmission and dynamic human behaviour change. individual agents within a simulation will not only infect one another, but will also have situational awareness and a decision algorithm that enables them to modify their behaviour. this paper develops such a model of behavioural response, presenting a mathematical interpretation of a well-known psychological model of individual decis ...201121775324
salivary epstein-barr virus dna level in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma following radiotherapy.nasopharyngeal carcinoma (npc) is a solid tumor closely associated with epstein-barr virus (ebv) infection. the purpose of this investigation was to detect and quantify the ebv dna level in salivary samples of npc patients following treatment using real-time pcr. a total of 175 consecutive newly diagnosed npc patients' whole saliva samples were collected before treatment, and the ebv dna level was measured by real-time pcr, with the primers and probe targeting the bamhi-w region of the ebv genom ...201121767975
clinical and nonclinical health care workers faced a similar risk of acquiring 2009 pandemic h1n1 infection.(see the editorial commentary by drumright and holmes, on pages 284-286.) reporting of confirmed pandemic influenza a virus (ph1n1) 2009 infection was mandatory among health care workers in hong kong. among 1158 confirmed infections, there was no significant difference in incidence among clinical versus nonclinical staff (relative risk, 0.98; 95% confidence interval, 0.78-1.20). reported community exposure to ph1n1 was common and was similar in both groups.201121765076
a serial cross-sectional serologic survey of 2009 pandemic (h1n1) in hong kong: implications for future pandemic influenza surveillance. 201121761588
the role of animal surveillance in influenza preparedness: the consequence of inapparent infection in ducks and pigs. 201121751455
efficacy of dual vaccination of pandemic h1n1 2009 influenza and seasonal influenza on institutionalized elderly: a one-year prospective cohort study.background: the influenza a (h1n1) 2009 pandemic was declared by the who in april 2009. in hong kong, the vaccination program began in december 2009 in addition to the annual seasonal trivalent influenza vaccination program. the clinical efficacy of dual vaccination was unknown. method: from december 2009 to november 2010, a prospective 12-month cohort study on institutionalized elderly of nine nursing homes was conducted. elderly persons who were followed up by the hong kong west community geri ...201121821084
night-sky brightness monitoring in hong kong : a city-wide light pollution assessment.results of the first comprehensive light pollution survey in hong kong are presented. the night-sky brightness was measured and monitored around the city using a portable light-sensing device called the sky quality meter over a 15-month period beginning in march 2008. a total of 1,957 data sets were taken at 199 distinct locations, including urban and rural sites covering all 18 administrative districts of hong kong. the survey shows that the environmental light pollution problem in hong kong is ...201121713499
health risk assessment of organochlorine pesticides with emphasis on ddts and hchs in abandoned agricultural soils.the aim of this study was to evaluate the consequence of changing land use from agriculture land to other use purposes with respect to ocps non-cancer and cancer risk on human health, based on concentrations of ddts and hchs in soils collected from 55 locations representing 12 different land use types. there were no non-cancer risks of ddts and +¦-hchs on adults and children, and there were very low cancer risks of ddd, o,p'-dde, ddt, +¦-hch, +¦-hch, +¦-hch based on their total concentrations in ...201121677982
review of vector-borne diseases in hong kong.the epidemiology of vector-borne diseases in hong kong has changed over the past decade but still poses a significant public health risk. we provided a comprehensive review of the epidemiological information and analysed the trends of major vector-borne diseases, including the vector situation in hong kong. the incidence of malaria has dropped dramatically in the past few decades and is now mainly an imported disease acquired from malaria endemic countries. locally acquired dengue fever occurred ...201121679886
overexpression of matrix metalloproteinase-12 (mmp-12) correlates with poor prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma.tumour recurrence and metastasis are pressing issues of hepatocellular carcinoma (hcc) patients who receive surgical treatments. matrix metalloproteinase-12 (mmp-12), previously identified from our animal model, is involved in tumour invasiveness of rat hepatoma. we aimed to investigate the significance and prognostic value of mmp-12 expression in human hcc. mmp-12 mrna level of 139 pairs of tumour and non-tumour liver tissues of hcc patients after hepatectomy were investigated by quantitative r ...201121683576
analysis of genetic polymorphisms in skeletal class i crowding.dental crowding is a problem for both adolescents and adults in modern society. the purpose of this research was to identify single nucleotide polymorphisms (snps) responsible for crowding in subjects with skeletal class i relationships.201121724072
epidemiological characteristics of 2009 (h1n1) pandemic influenza based on paired sera from a longitudinal community cohort study.while patterns of incidence of clinical influenza have been well described, much uncertainty remains over patterns of incidence of infection. the 2009 pandemic provided both the motivation and opportunity to investigate patterns of mild and asymptomatic infection using serological techniques. however, to date, only broad epidemiological patterns have been defined, based on largely cross-sectional study designs with convenience sampling frameworks.201121713000
risk assessment for human consumption of perfluorinated compound-contaminated freshwater and marine fish from hong kong and xiamen.perfluorinated compounds (pfcs) are man-made fluoro-surfactants that are identified as global pollutants and can pose health risks to humans and wildlife. two aspects of risk assessment were conducted in this study, including exposure and response. exposure was estimated by using the concentrations of pfcs in fish and applying standard exposure factors. among different pfcs, pfos, pfoa, pfna, pfda, pfuda and pftrda were detected. total concentrations of pfc in fish ranged from 0.27-8.4 ng g(-1) ...201121705041
caveolin-1 overexpression is associated with hepatocellular carcinoma tumorigenesis and metastasis.caveolin-1 (cav1) has been implicated in diverse human cancers; yet its role in hepatocellular carcinoma (hcc) tumorigenesis and metastasis remain elusive. in the current study, we aim to provide a comprehensive understanding regarding the functional role of cav1 in hcc tumorigenesis and metastasis. cav1 expression was examined in a panel of human hcc cell lines using western blotting analysis and quantitative rt-pcr and human tissues by immunohistochemistry. cav1 was not detected in normal live ...201122072235
An investigation of predictors of successful aging in the workplace among Hong Kong Chinese older workers.ABSTRACTBackground: We examined associations between successful aging in the workplace (adaptability and health, positive relationship, occupational growth, personal security, and continuous focus on goals) and two major factors of work stressors (work family conflict and discrimination against older workers) and coping resources (perceived organizational support, supportive human resource policies, and social support from friends and family) among Chinese older workers in Hong Kong. Furthermore ...201121996077
Clinicopathological and prognostic significance of serum and tissue Dickkopf-1 levels in human hepatocellular carcinoma.Although Dickkopf-1 (DKK1) is known to be a negative regulator of the Wnt/ß-catenin pathway, it has been recently found to be upregulated in cancers.201121955977
urine nitrification and sewer discharge to realize in-sewer denitrification to simplify sewage treatment in hong kong.the chemically enhanced primary treatment works in hong kong will be upgraded for biological nitrogen removal. this study proposed a novel approach to waive the upgrading by urine source-separation, onsite nitrification and discharge of nitrified urine into sewers to achieve in-sewer denitrification. human urine was collected and a lab-scale experiment for full urine nitrification was conducted. the results showed that full nitrification was achieved with alkaline addition. simulation of nitrifi ...201122097039
low rate of methicillin-resistant coagulase-positive staphylococcal colonization of veterinary personnel in hong kong.elevated rates of methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (mrsa) carriage have been reported in veterinary personnel, suggesting an occupational colonization risk. hong kong veterinary personnel (n = 150) were sampled for coagulase-positive staphylococci (cps) nasal colonization. risk factors for colonization were assessed by questionnaire. isolates were identified and antibiotic susceptibility determined. all cps isolates were investigated for meca carriage, sccmec type and pvl genes. two s ...201119968853
a school outbreak of pandemic (h1n1) 2009 infection: assessment of secondary household transmission and the protective role of oseltamivir.in mid-june 2009, an outbreak of pandemic (h1n1) 2009 (ph1n1) infection occurred in a secondary school in hong kong. we carried out an epidemiological investigation to delineate the characteristics of the outbreak, gauge the extent of secondary household transmission, and assess the protective role of oseltamivir in household contacts. we interviewed ph1n1-confirmed cases using a standardized questionnaire. sixty-five of 511 students in the school were affected. of the 205 household contacts ide ...201120561390
warfarin dosing algorithm using clinical, demographic and pharmacogenetic data from chinese patients.cyp2c9 and vkorc1 genotypes could be used to predict warfarin requirement. the objective was to develop and validate a warfarin dosing algorithm using genetic, clinical and demographic data of chinese patients from an anticoagulation clinic in hong kong. blood samples were collected from 100 patients on stable maintenance dose of warfarin, recruited from an anticoagulation clinic, for genotyping cyp2c9 and vkorc1. clinical and demographic data were obtained by face-to-face interview and medical ...201120585834
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