Temporality in Phenomenology: Utilizing the Principles in Practice for Significance of a Sex Research

This article aims to demonstrate how the researcher can utilize the principle of temporality in phenomenology as a method to explore and to reveal the human experience through its application in sex research. Although phenomenological studies have been increasingly adopted for qualitative inquiry in the field of social science, the idea of the horizon of temporality and its practical utilization is rarely demonstrated explicitly. In this study, the researcher has investigated the interpretation of marital experience of Chinese spouses in Hong Kong who have been assessed with sexual dysfunctions with attention to the couples’ perspectives. Having adopted a synthetic qualitative research orientation in line with an interpretive research paradigm and with an emphasis on phenomenological principles, this article elicits the research paradigm, its philosophical orientation and the related research principles for a framework of utilizing temporality and its application for research

An exploratory study on the elders\u27 needs and attitudes towards radio programmes

Not many studies in the literature were to investigate the positive impacts of radio on health of the elderly in Hong Kong. If listening to radio has a positive impact on older people’s health, there would be important implications to the social services in Hong Kong, with regard to further studies on an in-depth understanding of this issue and policy recommendations for the Hong Kong government to improve social services of the elderly population. In light of the above rationale, the present study was designed to explore the qualitative impacts of listening radio on the well-being of elderly people in Hong Kong. The specific aims of the study were: 1. to explore the profile and the listening patterns of elderly audiences; 2. to explore the preference and needs of the elderly audience on radio programme in HK; 3. to explore impacts of the radio programmes on elderly’s life satisfaction and the quality of life. 4. to explore the notions of lifelong learning through the medium, which Radio 5 is serving such a function

An evaluation study on the elderly housing initiative in Hong Kong

The Hong Kong Housing Society (HKHS) of the Hong Kong Government launched the Senior Citizen Residence Scheme (SEN) in 2001 to provide housing units for the middle-class elders aged 60 and above, who have pre-set limits of asset and guaranteed income (Hong Kong Housing Society, n.d.). As a result, two public estates came into operation one year after in 2002. At present, a total of about 800 elders live in these two estates. The present study is under the auspices of the HKHS to evaluate the satisfaction of the residents in the two estates, to make recommendations on the improvement of the residence services and the living conditions in the two estates, and to make recommendations on future development of the SEN project. Both qualitative and quantitative approaches were adopted in the present study. First of all, a total of seven focus-group sessions, within each having 8-10 elders led by an experienced facilitator, were conducted to collect information on residents’ satisfaction on their living environment and the provision rendered in the housing estates. The members of the focus group consisted of males and females, younger and older elderly persons, and were selected from the healthy and active residents in the two housing estates. Secondly, three independent observers were appointed to sit in the focus-group discussion and daily routine activities and meetings taken part by the residents of the housing estates. The observers submitted their observation reports of residents’ views on their living environment and the provision rendered in the housing estates as well as the interaction in their communication. Thirdly, an accessible sample was drawn from all target residents through a face-to-face questionnaire survey. Since some residents were either reluctant to be interviewed or having difficulties to answer questions due to poor health, all other residents were interviewed by trained staff. The findings of the study are as follows: 1. In general, the majority of the residents living in the two Housing Estates are satisfied with the management, the facilities and the services provided. 2. There are differences in the domains of satisfaction between the residents in the two Housing Estates. Specifically, the Cheerful Court (one of the two Housing Estates) residents are more satisfied with their living environment whereas the Jolly Place (another one of the two Housing Estates) residents are happier with the basic optional services provided for them. 3. Improvement on the particulars of the facilities and services provided in the two Housing Estates, as shown in the analysis results, should be made in order to raise the satisfaction level of the residents

An Exploratory Study on the Impact of Trust on Different E-Payment Gateways: Octopus Card Vs. Credit Card

The study of trust of consumer on Business-to-Consumer (B2C) E-commerce is one of the key research interests of Information Systems (IS) researchers. In this research, we investigate the impact of trust on two different E-payment gateways, viz. online credit card payment system and the hypothetical online Octopus card (a stored-value smart card) payment system. Based on the model developed by Gefen et al. (2003) and McKnight et al. (2002a), we synthesize our own research model by incorporating disposition to trust, and trust and its antecedents with the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). An online survey was conducted on the Government-to-Citizen (G2C) E-commerce portal of the Hong Kong Government and 2,481 usable responses were collected. The empirical result shows that consumers in Hong Kong are using different trust building processes to consider their adoption for E-payment gateways

Improving the measurement and detection of serious adverse drug reactions in databases of stored electronic health records

Background: Adverse drug reactions are responsible for a significant proportion of hospitalisations. This PhD aimed to develop and optimise methods for detecting serious adverse drug reactions in databases of electronic health records for use in pharmacoepidemiology and genetic epidemiology, with a focus on cholestatic liver injury. Methods: A systematic review was performed before developing a multiple database source (“multisource”) algorithm for identifying cholestatic liver injury. Multisource algorithm case status was used to guide the development of another algorithm using data from a standard UK Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD) record only (the CPRD algorithm). Testing of the CPRD algorithm was performed within a cohort analysis of an established cause of the injury (flucloxacillin), before carrying out a casecontrol study investigating a number of putative associations (drug exposures carbamazepine, celecoxib, duloxetine, ramipril and risperidone). Results: The majority of reviewed studies lacked a reproducible case definition, and case assignment generally required information external to database records. Secondary care (HES) data provided little additional information than that found in primary care (CPRD), meaning that the CPRD algorithm had a very good ability to discriminate between multisource algorithm cases statuses (ROC area under the curve 0.95). The flucloxacillin 45-day risk estimate obtained from the cohort study using the highest specificity CPRD algorithm (6.15 per 100 000 users, 95% CI 4.61 – 8.04) was very similar to previous studies. Celecoxib and risperidone were associated with cholestatic liver injury (celecoxib multivariablemultivariable RR recent vs. current users low specificity CPRD algorithm 1.89, 95% CI 1.11 – 3.22, risperidone multivariablemultivariable RR high specificity CPRD algorithm 2.59, 95% CI 1.41 – 4.75). Conclusions: The CPRD algorithm detected similar flucloxacillin effects as (1) the multisource algorithm and (2) previous studies. Associations with risperidone and celecoxib were also detected. Algorithm characteristics that could facilitate (1) pharmacovigilance and (2) recruitment to genetic association studies include the ability to (a) detect cases without using information external to the EHR and (b) apply varying levels of specificity and sensitivity

Prospectus, November 29, 1995

https://spark.parkland.edu/prospectus_1995/1031/thumbnail.jp

An exploratory study of pet raising and health of the elderly people in Hong Kong

Introduction: Pets such as dogs, cats and fish were popular in many other countries (Marx et al., 1988; Gammonley, 1991; Brodie & Biley, 1999; PIAS, 2002). In Hong Kong, pet owners increased to 0.26 million (Census and Statistics Department, 2006). Dating back to 1980s, a research study reported the association between pet ownerships and health benefits for humans (McNicholas et al., 2005). According to the report, domesticated pets brought a sense of companionship and provided pet owners with pleasure. These pets could be tools for enhancing human social relationship and could also provide their owners with emotional comfort. Recent studies also revealed that the influence of the complex and rich relationship between pets and owners might far surpass daily pleasure in terms of improving physical, psychological and mental health of the elderly (Serpell, 1991; Garrity et al., 1989; Murrell et al., 1983). 1.2. Objectives : Not many studies in the literature were to investigate the positive impacts of pet raising on health of the elderly in Hong Kong. If pet raising had a positive impact on older people’s health, there would be important implications to the health services in Hong Kong, with regard to further studies on an in-depth understanding of this issue and policy recommendations for the Hong Kong government to improve the health services of the elderly population. In light of the above rationale, the present study was designed to explore the qualitative impacts of pet raising on well-being of the elderly people in Hong Kong. The specific aims of the study were: To explore the value of pet raising as perceived by the elderly people in Hong Kong; To explore the impacts of pet raising on the physical, psychological and overall life satisfaction of the elderly people in Hong Kong; To identify the critical factors influencing the physical, psychological and overall life satisfaction of the elderly people in Hong Kong; and To make suggestions to policy makers regarding effective health services for the elderly people in Hong Kong

Physiological responses of cultured bovine granulosa cells to elevated temperatures under low and high oxygen in the presence of different concentrations of melatonin

Our understanding of the effects of temperature on granulosa cell (GC) physiology is primarily limited to in vitro studies conducted under atmospheric (approx 20% O2) conditions. In the current series of factorial experiments we identify important effects of O2 level (i.e. 5% vs 20% O2) on GC viability and steroidogenesis, and go onto report effects of standard (37.5°C) vs high (40.0°C) temperatures under more physiologically representative (i.e. 5%) O2 levels in the presence of different levels of melatonin (0, 20, 200 and 2000 pg/mL); a potent free-radical scavenger and abundant molecule within the ovarian follicle. Cells aspirated from antral (4 to 6 mm) follicles were cultured in fibronectin-coated wells using serum-free M199 for up to 144 h. At 37.5 C viable cell number was enhanced and luteinization reduced under 5 vs 20% O2. Oxygen level interacted (P<0.001) with time in culture to affect aromatase activity and cell estradiol (E2) production (pg/mL/105 cells). These decreased between 48 and 96 h for both O2 levels but increased again by 144 h for cells cultured under 5% but not 20% O2. Progesterone (P4) concentration (ng/mL/105 cells) was greater (P<0.001) under 20 vs 5% O2 at 96 and 144 h. Cell number increased (P<0.01) with time in culture under 5% O2 irrespective of temperature. However, higher doses of melatonin increased viable cell number at 40.0°C but reduced viable cell number at 37.5°C (P=0.004). Melatonin also reduced (P<0.001) ROS generation at both O2 levels across all concentrations. E2 increased with time in culture at both temperatures under 5% O2, however P4 declined between 96 to 144 h at 40.0 but not 37.5°C. Furthermore, melatonin interacted (P<0.001) with temperature in a dose dependent manner to increase P4 at 37.5°C but to reduce P4 at 40.0°C. Transcript expression for HSD3B1 paralleled temporal changes in P4 production, and those for HBA were greater at 5% than 20% O2, suggesting that hemoglobin synthesis is responsive to changes in O2 level. In conclusion, 5% O2 enhances GC proliferation and reduces luteinization. Elevated temperatures under 5% O2 reduce GC proliferation and P4 production. Melatonin reduces ROS generation irrespective of O2 level and temperature, but interacts with temperature in a dose dependent manner to influence GC proliferation and luteinization