Influenza a H5N1 detection

We developed a sensitive and rapid real-time reverse transcription- polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay to detect influenza A H5N1 virus in clinical samples. This assay was evaluated with samples from H5N1-infected patients and demonstrated greater sensitivity and faster turnaround time than nested RT-PCR.published_or_final_versio

How to enhance the effects of the green supply chain management strategy in the organization: A diffusion process perspective

Although green supply chain management strategy (GSCMS) plays an important role in the development of firms, there is still uncertainty about how to achieve a win–win between environmental and financial performance during the GSCMS diffusion process (e.g., the preparation stage and development stage). Thus, this study firstly examines whether the effects of the GSCMS on firm profits in different diffusion stages vary. Then, we test the moderating effect of the green initiatives (i.e., internal green certification, green cooperation improvement with the suppliers, green recovery with governments and green improvement with customers), operational process and business strategy on the effectiveness of GSCMS during the diffusion process. Based on 140 event samples over a time span of 19 years (i.e., 2001–2018), this study finds that the firms’ financial benefits decreased in GSCMS preparation stage and then increased in the development stage. Two green initiatives (i.e., green recovery with governments and green cooperation with suppliers), the differentiation strategy and process standardization, have positive influence on GSCMS diffusing in preparation stage. So, wisely using appropriate green initiatives, operational process and business strategy can mitigate the dark side of GSCMS in short-term and achieve a win–win between environmental and financial performance in the long term. These findings enrich the green supply chain literature and diffusion theory, and provide practical implications for firms to adopt environmental management strategies and offer some guidelines for governments to formulate environment management policies

A Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of “Test” versus “Treat” Patients Hospitalized with Suspected Influenza in Hong Kong

BACKGROUND: Seasonal and 2009 H1N1 influenza viruses may cause severe diseases and result in excess hospitalization and mortality in the older and younger adults, respectively. Early antiviral treatment may improve clinical outcomes. We examined potential outcomes and costs of test-guided versus empirical treatment in patients hospitalized for suspected influenza in Hong Kong. METHODS: We designed a decision tree to simulate potential outcomes of four management strategies in adults hospitalized for severe respiratory infection suspected of influenza: "immunofluorescence-assay" (IFA) or "polymerase-chain-reaction" (PCR)-guided oseltamivir treatment, "empirical treatment plus PCR" and "empirical treatment alone". Model inputs were derived from literature. The average prevalence (11%) of influenza in 2010-2011 (58% being 2009 H1N1) among cases of respiratory infections was used in the base-case analysis. Primary outcome simulated was cost per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) expected (ICER) from the Hong Kong healthcare providers' perspective. RESULTS: In base-case analysis, "empirical treatment alone" was shown to be the most cost-effective strategy and dominated the other three options. Sensitivity analyses showed that "PCR-guided treatment" would dominate "empirical treatment alone" when the daily cost of oseltamivir exceeded USD18, or when influenza prevalence was <2.5% and the predominant circulating viruses were not 2009 H1N1. Using USD50,000 as the threshold of willingness-to-pay, "empirical treatment alone" and "PCR-guided treatment" were cost-effective 97% and 3% of time, respectively, in 10,000 Monte-Carlo simulations. CONCLUSIONS: During influenza epidemics, empirical antiviral treatment appears to be a cost-effective strategy in managing patients hospitalized with severe respiratory infection suspected of influenza, from the perspective of healthcare providers in Hong Kong

Institutional risk factors for norovirus outbreaks in Hong Kong elderly homes: a retrospective cohort study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Most of the institutional outbreaks of norovirus in Hong Kong occur in elderly homes, the proportion being 69% in 2006. Residents in elderly homes are a special population seriously affected by norovirus infections, it is necessary to investigate the risk factors of the norovirus outbreaks in Hong Kong elderly homes at the facility level.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A cohort of 748 elderly homes was followed up from January 2005 to December 2007; each elderly home was treated as one observation unit and the outcome event was the norovirus outbreak. Cox regression models were fitted to estimate the rate ratio (RR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for the potential risk factors.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A total of 276 norovirus outbreaks were confirmed during the study period; the outbreak rate was 12.2 (95% CI: 9.9-14.6) per 100 home-years; elderly homes with a larger capacity (RR = 1.4, 95% CI: 1.3-1.5 (per 30-resident increment)), a higher staff-to-resident ratio (RR = 1.2, 95% CI: 1.1-1.3 (per 1/30 increment) and better wheelchair accessibility (RR = 2.0, 95% CI: 1.3-3.2) were found to have an elevated norovirus outbreak rate in Hong Kong elderly homes; Elderly homes with partitions between beds had a lower rate of norovirus outbreaks (RR = 0.6, 95% CI: 0.4-0.8).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Elderly home capacity, staff-to-resident ratio and wheelchair accessibility were risk factors for norovirus outbreaks in Hong Kong elderly homes. Partitions between beds were a protective factor of norovirus outbreaks. These results should be considered in the infection control in Hong Kong elderly homes.</p

An empirical taxonomy of corporate social responsibility in China's manufacturing industries

202304 bckwAccepted ManuscriptSelf-fundedPublishe

The performance implication of corporate social responsibility in matched Chinese small and medium-sized buyers and suppliers

202105 bchyAccepted ManuscriptOthersThe Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (Grant No.: 2020JBW002) and Beijing Social Science Foundation of China (Grant No.: 18GLC081)Publishe

Market competitiveness and quality performance in high-contact service industries

2012-2013 > Academic research: refereed > Publication in refereed journalAccepted ManuscriptRGCPolyU 551410Publishe

Supplier partnership and cost performance : the moderating roles of specific investments and environmental uncertainty

2013-2014 > Academic research: refereed > Publication in refereed journalAccepted ManuscriptRGCPolyU 5441/12HPublishe

The relationships among leadership, goal orientation, and service quality in high-contact service industries : an empirical study

2012-2013 > Academic research: refereed > Publication in refereed journalAccepted ManuscriptOthersThis research was supported in part by The Hong Kong Polytechnic University under Grant no.1-ZV6DPublishe

Improving the effectiveness of social media-based crowdsourcing innovations : roles of assurance mechanism and innovator's behaviour

202105 bchyAccepted ManuscriptOthersBeijing Social Science Foundation of China (grant number: 18GLC081), the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (grant number: 2020JBW002), the National Science Foundation of China (grant number: 71971215, 71601187), and “the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities” in Zhongnan University of Economics and Law (2722020JCT019)Publishe