32 research outputs found
A research framework for developing a "Pay for Safety Scheme for Subcontractors (P[sub f]SS[sub f]S)" for better safety performance
Author name used in this publication: Michael C. H. YamRefereed conference paper2011-2012 > Academic research: refereed > Refereed conference paperVersion of RecordPublishe
Research on cost ratio of open bid for construction projects——a case study of Chongqing bid market
2009-2010 > Academic research: refereed > Publication in refereed journalVersion of RecordPublishe
Design and Synthesis of a New Class of Alkynylplatinum(II) Complexes for Solution-Processable Organic Light-Emitting Devices
Symposium S15: Metal Complexes for Optics: from fundamental to applicationspublished_or_final_versio
Prenatal Tobacco Exposure Shortens Telomere Length in Children
Introduction: Preliminary evidence suggests a possible association between prenatal tobacco exposure and telomere length in children. This study was conducted to investigate whether maternal smoking during pregnancy was associated with telomere shortening in their children and whether prenatal and childhood exposure to environmental tobacco had any impact on this association. Methods: This is a population-representative study on the association between prenatal tobacco exposure and telomere length in children. Ninety-eight Hong Kong Chinese children aged under 15 years with prenatal tobacco exposure and 98 age- and gender-matched controls were recruited from a population health study with stratified random sampling. Results: Telomere length in children with prenatal tobacco exposure was significantly shorter than in those with no exposure (mean T/S ratio = 24.9 [SD = 8.58] in exposed vs. 28.97 [14.15] in control groups; P = 0.02). A negative dose-response relationship was observed between the T/S ratio and tobacco exposure duration: the longer the duration of maternal smoking in pregnancy, the shorter the child's telomere length. The association between the child's telomere length and prenatal tobacco exposure remained significant after considering the influence of family socioeconomic status and exposure to environmental tobacco smoke during pregnancy and childhood. Conclusions: Prenatal tobacco exposure was associated with telomere shortening in children. As this may impose significant health impacts through fetal genetic programming, more efforts should be made to reduce fetal tobacco exposure by educating pregnant women to not smoke and motivating smokers to quit in early pregnancy. Implications: As reflected by telomere shortening, prenatal tobacco exposure in children can cause premature aging and increased health risks, which we suggest is entirely preventable. Not smoking during pregnancy or quitting smoking is critical to improving the health outcome of our future generations as prenatal tobacco exposure may affect children's biological programming. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco. All rights reserved.postprin
Early-life activities mediate the association between family socioeconomic status in early childhood and physical fitness in early adolescence
The graded association between family socioeconomic status (SES) and physical fitness is evident, but little is known about the mechanism underlying this association. This study investigated the role of early-life activities as mediators of the longitudinal relationship between early-life SES and health-related physical fitness in 168 adolescents (51.2% boys; final mean age: 12.4 years old). In Wave 1 (2011–12), their parents completed questionnaires about family socioeconomic status (SES), parent–child activities, and child screen time. In Wave 2 (2014–15), participants’ physical activity levels were assessed through parent proxy-reports. In Wave 3 (2018–19), a direct assessment of handgrip strength, standing long-jump, and 6-min walk test (6MWT) performance was conducted. After controlling for demographic factors, results of mediation analyses revealed that (a) Wave 1 SES predicted Wave 3 long-jump and 6MWT performance; (b) child physical activity level in Wave 2 mediated the relation between Wave 1 SES and standing long-jump performance in Wave 3; and (c) recreational parent–child activities and child screen time in wave 1 mediated the relation between Wave 1 SES and 6MWT performance in Wave 3. Our findings suggest that the type and frequency of early-life activities play a role in the graded association between childhood SES and physical fitness in adolescence
From innovation to application of personal cooling vest
202210 bcwwAccepted ManuscriptRGCPublishe
A Bayesian Network Model for reducing accident rates of Electrical and Mechanical (E&M) work
201902 bcmaVersion of RecordPublishe
Accidents of electrical and mechanical works for public sector projects in Hong Kong
2017-2018 > Academic research: refereed > Publication in refereed journal201812 bcrcVersion of RecordPublishe