Can computer-naive Language Teachers build flexible and interactive components for Language courses: a case study

With the excessive use of ICT and other IT components in language courses for every levels in the past few decades, design and development of teaching and learning activities in language courses seem to be dominated by computer experts. Language teachers or instructors are either become coworkers of computer programmers, IT designers and content developers or needed to be trained as experts of IT. However, we cannot conclude that teachers are of little contribution on building and development processes of language courses in the IT world. This paper reports on the process of design and development of how a comprehensive and complicated web-based listening component for university students to enhance their language learning can be built by computer-naive language teachers. In 2008, we launched the Professional Presentation Supporting Project. The objective of this project is to provide extra self-training materials for university students to enhance their verbal presentation skills in Chinese language. We designed, developed and delivered teaching materials, learning tasks, multimedia clips, ebooks etc. with WebCT. Further to that, ICT components like text-to-speech engine are ready on an independent server to build a content-independent listening environment. By 2011, these components are ready to run on mobile devices such as tablets and smartphones. The conclusion of this paper is that although many language teachers are not experts in computer technology, a right choice of server, software and learning platform can mitigate anxiety of IT and also deminish the design and development time, and students can still have a flexible and interactive learning environment. It can also elevate cost effectiveness of university language courses. Last but not the least, it can help language teachers to regain control over the development of the couse and build ready-to-use ICT components that will better suit for teaching and learning.postprin

The Chinese fonts of tablet devices and its impact on learning Chinese Characters

Parallel SessionsThe Conference program's website is located at http://cacler.hku.hk/conference/programme_e.htm繼ipod touch 和 iphone後，蘋果公司於今年年初推出ipad，平板式流動裝置突然超越tablet PC而成為熱點。除了ipad之外，其他廠商也相繼推出林林總總的類似產品。這些裝置各自配置作業系統，同時可供通訊以外的其他活動使用。例如可以充當電玩遊戲，或者用於學習上。香港的中小學，早已使用桌上電腦或手提電腦作學習工具，而近年，一些學校也開始使用ipod touch或iphone來學習知識，相信不久將來，平板式流動裝置將成為另一不可或缺的電子學習工具。 由於不同裝置使用不同的作業系統，包括傳統的電腦作業系統如Windows和Linux，也有專門為手提電話或流動裝置開發的，如Nokia 的symbian和Maemo、Apple的iOS、Intel的Moblin和近時大行其道的Google旗下的Android。至於RIM生產的Blackberry，也開始進軍平板式流動裝置市場。使用平板式流動裝置來學習知識的勢頭，將以銳不可擋的姿態 ...postprin

Lowered Immune Cell Function in Liver Recipients Recovered From Posttransplant Lymphoproliferative Disease Who Developed Graft Tolerance

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Hereditary spastic paraplegia: Identification of an SPG3A gene mutation in a Chinese family

Hereditary spastic paraplegias are a heterogeneous group of chronic central motor system disorders, characterised by progressive lower limb spasticity. Hereditary spastic paraplegia is clinically classified into pure and complicated forms, by the absence or presence of additional neurological or extra-neurological features. Hereditary spastic paraplegias follow all modes of inheritance and the pure-form autosomal dominant type is the one most commonly reported. Spastic paraplegia 4, autosomal dominant (SPG4, MIM#182601) and spastic paraplegia 3, autosomal dominant (SPG3A, MIM#182600), account for most autosomal dominant hereditary spastic paraplegias. Using DNA mutation analysis, the authors identified an SPG3A missense mutation (p.R239C) in a Chinese family where three members have early-onset pure spastic paraplegia. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a gene mutation in hereditary spastic paraplegias in our locality. DNA-based diagnosis plays a key role in the early diagnosis of familial hereditary spastic paraplegias.published_or_final_versio

Media coverage of liver transplant events promotes donations from the deceased

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Dioxiranes generated in situ from pyruvates and oxone as environmentally friendly oxidizing agents for disinfection

Dioxiranes generated in situ from pyruvates (α-keto esters) and Oxone have been found to be environmentally friendly oxidizing agents for disinfection. These oxidizing agents were highly effective for destruction of various strains of bacteria, fungi, and bacterial endospores in a wide temperature range with exceptional stability. Notably, by using an aqueous solution of methyl pyruvate (1a) and Oxone/NaHCO3, complete destruction of bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureusand fungus Penicillium corylophilum was achieved within 5 min at 20 °C at neutral pH. Highly chemical-resistant bacterial endospores of Bacillus cereus could also be destroyed. The high antibacterial activity of 1a could be attributed to its strong electron-withdrawing α-ester group. © 2006 American Chemical Society.postprin

香港結核病患者的特徵與治療結果

OBJECTIVES: To identify the general characteristics of patients with tuberculosis, and to evaluate their treatment outcomes. DESIGN: Retrospective study. SETTING: Tuberculosis and Chest Service, Department of Health, Hong Kong. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: All patients with tuberculosis registered for treatment from 1 January 1996 to 31 December 1996 were included in the study. Information was extracted from their medical records at treatment commencement and at 12 and 24 months after treatment was instigated. Data gathered included demographic data, past treatment, site of disease, case category, treatment regimen, bacteriological status, and treatment outcome. RESULTS: There were 5757 patients for analysis. Approximately one third of patients were aged 60 years or older, and 69.1% were male. Pulmonary disease alone occurred in 77.7% of patients, while both pulmonary and extrapulmonary diseases occurred in 8.6%. New patients comprised 84.6% of cases, and 16.3% had concomitant illnesses. There was excess risk of disease among patients who were male, elderly, or who had silicosis. Only 0.1% of patients were co-infected with human immunodeficiency virus infection. Among the 5757 cases evaluated, 1324 (23.0%) were new patients with a positive sputum smear, 299 (5.2%) were patients who were retreated with a positive sputum smear, and 4134 (71.8%) were new or retreatment patients with a negative sputum smear. The overall treatment completion rates at 12 and 24 months were 80.4% and 84.8%, respectively. Males and patients aged 60 years or older had lower treatment completion rates. Non-adherence, transfer to other services, and mortality among the elderly were key factors influencing treatment outcomes. Co-morbidity was associated with better case-holding, and this more than compensated for its effect on prolongation of treatment and mortality. CONCLUSIONS: There was an excess risk of tuberculosis among male and elderly patients, who also had a less favourable outcome. Active screening of clearly identified risk groups may be appropriate but requires the completion of more in-depth studies and careful cost-effectiveness analyses. Further efforts with respect to case-holding are indicated to address treatment defaulting and transfer rates.published_or_final_versio

Prevalence and predictors of default from tuberculosis treatment in Hong Kong

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence and risk factors of default from tuberculosis treatment in Hong Kong. DESIGN: Retrospective study. SETTING: Data were obtained from programme forms completed by physicians in the Hong Kong Government Tuberculosis and Chest Service and from medical records from Hong Kong chest clinics. PATIENTS: In all, 5917 patients registered for antituberculous drug therapy in 1996; medical records of 5757 patients were reviewed. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Patients who defaulted treatment were defined as those who had failed to collect medication for more than 2 consecutive months after the date of the last attendance during the course of treatment. Demographic and clinical characteristics, including history, treatment, and outcome, were compared between defaulters and non-defaulters, both among the whole group and among those with pulmonary disease. RESULTS: There were 442 (8%) patients who defaulted from treatment. Forty-five percent of those who defaulted did so in the first 2 months of treatment. Key risk factors associated with non-compliance were a history of default, male sex, and a history of concomitant liver disease or lung cancer. Among patients with pulmonary tuberculosis (381 defaulters and 1537 non-defaulters), multiple drug resistance was also associated with default from treatment. Among defaulters with pulmonary disease, 39% were still bacteriologically positive at the time of default. CONCLUSION: Default from treatment may be partially responsible for the persistent high rates of tuberculosis in Hong Kong in the past decade. Health professionals should ensure that all barriers to treatment be removed and that incentives be used to encourage treatment compliance.published_or_final_versio

Resection of T4 hepatocellular carcinomas with adjacent structures, is it justified?

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Influenza-associated hospitalisation.

The disease burden associated with influenza includes not only acute respiratory diseases but also cerebrovascular disease, ischaemic heart disease and diabetes mellitus.published_or_final_versio