Applications of surface electromyography in the assessment of hyperfunctional dysphonia

Thesis (B.Sc)--University of Hong Kong, 2007.A dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Bachelor of Science (Speech and Hearing Sciences), The University of Hong Kong, June 30, 2007.Also available in print.published_or_final_versionSpeech and Hearing SciencesBachelorBachelor of Science in Speech and Hearing Science

User Adoption Behaviors of Mobile Commerce: China VS Taiwan

This study aims to further test the technology acceptance model for mobile commerce (m-commerce) in China and Taiwan. Data was collected from 156 college students in Macau (China) and 173 college students in Kaohsiung (Taiwan). Exploration factor analysis is performed to examine the reliability and validity of the model; regression analysis is performed to access the relationship between behavior intention and each factor in these two markets; and t-tests are performed to compare the difference in the means from Chinese and Taiwan college students. This study finds out that even there is not significant culture difference between China and Taiwan, there is a significant difference in the means of social influence between these two markets

Examining ERP Committee Beliefs: A Comparison of Alternative Models

Various models have been proposed to explain information technology (IT) adoption behavior. However, these models are based primarily on logical deliberation. In reality, it is impossible to obtain perfect information for a rational evaluation of new or emerging IT. In this situation, sometimes the “best alternative” is imitation. We believe that two opposing forces influence the beliefs of enterprise resource planning (ERP) committee members: rational and imitative. We propose here an integrated model and examine it together with diffusion of innovation (DOI) and imitation models. The study findings indicate that our integrated model has better explanatory power. In addition, imitative forces are shown to have a consistent direct effect and significant indirect effect on beliefs. Hence, imitative forces play a crucial role in the decision-making process, which opens up a new avenue for research into technology adoption

A Proposed Model for the Investigation of Imitation Behavior on ERP Adoption

In the proposed project, we will investigate the imitation effect on technology adoption using Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems as an example. This approach will offer a completely new perspective on IT adoption as a less rational behavior, even for critical ERP investment at the organizational level. Along with this investigation of the imitation-adoption relationship, our research will evaluate the moderating effect of experience on imitation behavior. We believe that imitation behavior will be strongest when an organization is considering ERP for initial adoption. However, when an organization has accumulated „experience‟ of ERP over time, its adoption of subsequent ERP modules will probably follow a more rational decision process, as explained by traditional adoption theories

A Cocktail of Thermally Stable, Chemically Synthesized Capture Agents for the Efficient Detection of Anti-Gp41 Antibodies from Human Sera

We report on a method to improve in vitro diagnostic assays that detect immune response, with specific application to HIV-1. The inherent polyclonal diversity of the humoral immune response was addressed by using sequential in situ click chemistry to develop a cocktail of peptide-based capture agents, the components of which were raised against different, representative anti-HIV antibodies that bind to a conserved epitope of the HIV-1 envelope protein gp41. The cocktail was used to detect anti-HIV-1 antibodies from a panel of sera collected from HIV-positive patients, with improved signal-to-noise ratio relative to the gold standard commercial recombinant protein antigen. The capture agents were stable when stored as a powder for two months at temperatures close to 60°C

Rapid DNA mapping by fluorescent single molecule detection

DNA mapping is an important analytical tool in genomic sequencing, medical diagnostics and pathogen identification. Here we report an optical DNA mapping strategy based on direct imaging of individual DNA molecules and localization of multiple sequence motifs on the molecules. Individual genomic DNA molecules were labeled with fluorescent dyes at specific sequence motifs by the action of nicking endonuclease followed by the incorporation of dye terminators with DNA polymerase. The labeled DNA molecules were then stretched into linear form on a modified glass surface and imaged using total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) microscopy. By determining the positions of the fluorescent labels with respect to the DNA backbone, the distribution of the sequence motif recognized by the nicking endonuclease can be established with good accuracy, in a manner similar to reading a barcode. With this approach, we constructed a specific sequence motif map of lambda-DNA. We further demonstrated the capability of this approach to rapidly type a human adenovirus and several strains of human rhinovirus

PURA syndrome : clinical delineation and genotype-phenotype study in 32 individuals with review of published literature

Background De novo mutations in PURA have recently been described to cause PURA syndrome, a neurodevelopmental disorder characterised by severe intellectual disability (ID), epilepsy, feeding difficulties and neonatal hypotonia. Objectives T o delineate the clinical spectrum of PURA syndrome and study genotype-phenotype correlations. Methods Diagnostic or research-based exome or Sanger sequencing was performed in individuals with ID. We systematically collected clinical and mutation data on newly ascertained PURA syndrome individuals, evaluated data of previously reported individuals and performed a computational analysis of photographs. We classified mutations based on predicted effect using 3D in silico models of crystal structures of Drosophila-derived Pur-alpha homologues. Finally, we explored genotypephenotype correlations by analysis of both recurrent mutations as well as mutation classes. Results We report mutations in PURA (purine-rich element binding protein A) in 32 individuals, the largest cohort described so far. Evaluation of clinical data, including 22 previously published cases, revealed that all have moderate to severe ID and neonatal-onset symptoms, including hypotonia (96%), respiratory problems (57%), feeding difficulties (77%), exaggerated startle response (44%), hypersomnolence (66%) and hypothermia (35%). Epilepsy (54%) and gastrointestinal (69%), ophthalmological (51%) and endocrine problems (42%) were observed frequently. Computational analysis of facial photographs showed subtle facial dysmorphism. No strong genotype-phenotype correlation was identified by subgrouping mutations into functional classes. Conclusion We delineate the clinical spectrum of PURA syndrome with the identification of 32 additional individuals. The identification of one individual through targeted Sanger sequencing points towards the clinical recognisability of the syndrome. Genotype-phenotype analysis showed no significant correlation between mutation classes and disease severity.Peer reviewe

Targeting Primitive Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Cells by Effective Inhibition of a New AHI-1BCR-ABL-JAK2 Complex

This is a pre-copyedited, author-produced version of an article accepted for publication in JNCI: Journal of the National Cancer Institute following peer review. The version of record Chen, M., et al. (2013). "Targeting Primitive Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Cells by Effective Inhibition of a New AHI-1–BCR-ABL–JAK2 Complex." JNCI: Journal of the National Cancer Institute 105(6): 405-423. is available online at: https://doi.org/10.1093/jnci/djt006This work was funded by the Canadian Cancer Society (grant 700289), in part by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Canada, and the Cancer Research Society (XJ), the Canadian Cancer Society Research Institute (AE, XJ, CE), Cancer Research UK Programme grant C11074/A11008 (TLH), the Glasgow Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre, which is funded by Cancer Research UK and by the Chief Scientist’s Office (Scotland), and Cancer Research UK grant C973/A9894 (JP, JS). M. Chen was supported by a fellowship from Lymphoma Foundation Canada, and P. Gallipoli was supported by Medical Research Council grant G1000288. X. Jiang was a Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research Scholar