Traces of desire and fantasy : the government-generated discourse on technology in post-handover Hong Kong

Information technology almost became the savior for Hong Kong in the process of recovering from the Asian financial crisis immediately after the Handover. The claims to establish and further the development of information technology were made against a certain perception of Hong Kong, in which the place in past decades had indulged in the wrong direction of labour-intensive, cut-throat production in the manufacturing industries and bubble-like speculation in the real-estate sector, and against a certain vision of the future, with more and more competition in the age of globalization, neo-liberal economies, and so on. This thesis demonstrates, firstly, how the governance of Hong Kong can be seen from the perspective of contingent articulations of dissimilar elements rather than any step-by-step progression along any necessary, objective historical path. Secondly through analyses of the governmental discourses and the business trajectory of Pacific-Century CyberWorks, the flagship group for Hong Kong’s “new-economy”, the thesis depicts the complexity and nexus of knowledge, governance, bureaucratic and financial considerations of and within the project of information technology in Hong Kong, and the mechanism by which this particular discourse is produced and circulated. Finally, comparing the discourse of Hong Kong’s early industralisation in the early 1950s, the thesis identifies the desire-creating workings of ideology in this particular discourse of information technology in Hong Kong. Also, through theoretical prisms, the thesis provides examples of how the government’s trumpeted notions of (and, probably, people’s faith in) laissez-faire, positive non-intervention are able to coexist in apparent harmony with the highly active participation of the Hong Kong SAR government in society and industry

漫長的八十年代 : 蔬菜、菜農與香港構成

流行說法與學術文獻裡，香港戰後農業發展得益於始自1946年的蔬菜統營系統，八十年代逐漸被國内進口菜打擊。無論同情與否，菜農都被描繪為受害／被動者，本研究嘗試超越這視角，提出殖民管治大計既無法馴化菜農，後者亦不能被簡化為内地進口菜的受害者。 借助文化研究的歷史知識論（historical epistemology，見Hall, 2003）、歷史資本主義（historical capitalism，見 Polanyi 1957 ; Braudel 1982）、社會史／庶民研究（social history/ subaltern studies，見 Guha 1997 ; Scott 2009）、行動者網絡理論（actor-network theory，見Latour 2005）等理論視野，本研究試圖開展以本地農業軌跡為本的批判進路，反思農業不斷重組的過程。 研究結果顯示：蔬菜業於殖民地年代並非馴服、被妥貼規管對象，業界積極在内地開設菜場，甚至一度可視為「中港融合」的「典範」，同時曝露出其限制。蔬菜業與市場競爭／發展並不矛盾，特大地理範圍裡的激進商品化，卻改寫了蔬菜、香港的性質與意義。 研究貢獻有三：首先為菜農及蔬菜提供了一種超越國族框架、發展主義的動態理解，補充香港研究、單一學科的狹隘視野；第二，文化研究、歷史資本主義、社會史／庶民研究、行動者網絡的交錯引用，與香港農業史對照和對話，亦豐富了這些潛藏互補可能性的理論傳統；第三，從庶民及蔬菜的角度，補充現存香港故事的某些空白。一方面鬆縛了關於農民及廣義香港人在論述上的被動性，另一方面攞脫人類中心的觀點，考察蔬菜的生產、消費、呈現、身份、規管等環節，如何局部地形構香港社會，及在更廣闊的尺度裡定位「香港」與其他地區的關係，提供一種將狹獈、簡化「本土」觀問題化的視角。 論文主要部份有五章，第一章介紹本研究所採用的方法，並闡釋有關的理論視野與本研究的相關之處及限制。第二章嘗試將新界「問題化」，指出「新界」與「内地」的區分，並非如官式文件般清晰和理所當然。第三章指出在政府統計數據裡「隱形」的農業部門，並不服務殖民地的國民經濟體系，有其自身邏輯與規律。第四章透過八十年代「毒菜心j的兩宗事件，重組所謂「香港農業式微」的社會及制度脈絡，並問題化「香港」和「内地」的對立。第五章分析近年成為本港「菜籃子」寧夏的供港菜場。筆者認為，與其說是「北進」，供港菜場自八十年代其實不斷向「北退」，是一個前境未見樂觀的「中港融合」故事

Occurrence of Highly Conjugative IncX3 Epidemic Plasmid Carrying blaNDM in Enterobacteriaceae Isolates in Geographically Widespread Areas

The emergence of New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase (NDM) in common enterobacterial species is a major concern for healthcare. Early reports have revealed that the spread of NDM involved diverse and heterogeneous plasmids. Recently, the involvement of a rare, IncX3 subtype plasmid has been increasingly recognized. Here, we studied the prevalence of IncX plasmid subtypes in 198 carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae, originating from a territory-wide active surveillance in Hong Kong in 2016. The complete sequences and biological features of the blaNDM-carrying plasmids were investigated. A total of 62 NDM-type, 21 OXA-48 type, 14 IMP-type, 8 KPC-type, 4 IMI-type producers, and 89 non-carbapenemase-producers were tested for presence of IncX subtypes. IncX3 (n = 60) was the most common subtype, followed by IncX4 (n = 6) and IncX1 (n = 2). The prevalence of IncX3 subtype in isolates producing NDM, other carbapenemase types and non-carbapenemase producers were 75.8, 21.3, and 3.4%, respectively (P < 0.001). An IncX3 plasmid (size ∼50 kb) was confirmed to carry blaNDM in 47 isolates of different enterobacterial species. Thirteen IncX3 plasmids originating from six healthcare regions in Hong Kong were completely sequenced. The results showed that the IncX3 plasmids carrying blaNDM share a high degree of sequence identity with a previously reported plasmid, pNDM-HN380 (GenBank accession JX104760), over the backbone and genetic load regions. A blast search further revealed the occurrence of identical or nearly identical IncX3 plasmids carrying blaNDM in other part of China, Korea, Myanmar, India, Oman, Kuwait, Italy, and Canada. Two IncX3 carrying blaNDM were investigated further. Conjugation experiments demonstrated that the IncX3 plasmids could be efficiently transferred to multiple enterobacterial species at frequencies that are comparable or higher than the epidemic IncFII plasmid carrying blaCTX-M (pHK01). In addition, efficient transfer of the NDM plasmids occurred over a range of temperatures. In conclusion, this study demonstrated the important role played by IncX3 in the dissemination of NDM and the occurrence of pNDM-HN380-like plasmids in geographically widespread areas. The high mobility of IncX3 plasmid across different enterobacterial species highlights the ability of this plasmid replicon to be an important vehicle in worldwide dissemination of NDM

從農場到餐桌、從餐桌到農場 : 社區廚餘回收推廣及永續種植 = Community food waste recycling and farming

你每天丟棄的廚餘可以如何支持本地永續農業發展？聽聽生活館的周思中博士、零剩研究所的阿樂及Timmy分享，一起探討社區廚餘回收及永續種植的關係

Spirit and philosophy in permaculture and community building in Asia

Moderator: LEUNG Yuk Ming Lisa (Lingnan University, Hong Kong, China) Speakers: Jon JANDAI (Pun Pun Farm, Thailand) Iskandar WAWORUNTU (Bumi Langit Institute, Indonesia) Pallavi VARMA PATIL (Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and Environment, India) Ananeza ABAN (University of the Philippines, the Philippines) CHOW Sze Chung (Sangwoodgoon, Hong Kong, China

Ecological justice through social transformation (II) = 生態正義必由之路 : 社會變革 (II)

SIT Tsui Jade Margaret (Southwest University, China) moderated the session of Ecological Justice through Social Transformation (II). Speakers: Rebecca JOHNSON (ICAN, 2017 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, UK) Jayati GHOSH (Jawaharlal Nehru University, India) Mithika MWENDA (University of Witwatersrand, South Africa) Discussants: Gustave MASSIAH (Attac France) Ashish KOTHARI (Global Tapestry of Alternatives, India) ZHOU Li (Renmin University of China, China) Rita PADAWANGI (Singapore University of Social Science, Singapore) CHOW Sze Chung (Sangwoodgoon, Hong Kong, China

Evaluation of Two Tests for the Rapid Detection of CTX-M Producers Directly in Urine Samples

Infections caused by extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Enterobacterales have increased rapidly and are mainly attributed to the production of CTX-M enzymes. This study evaluated the NG-Test® CTX-M MULTI lateral flow assay (CTX-M LFA) and the Rapid ESBL NP® test (ESBL NP test) for rapid detection of CTX-M-producing Enterobacterales directly in midstream urine (MSU) samples. Testing was performed on 277 clinical MSU samples in a hospital microbiology laboratory from November 2022 to January 2023; 60 of these samples (30 positive for ESBL producers and 30 positive for non-ESBL producers) were tested retrospectively after the identification and susceptibility results were obtained, and 217 samples were tested prospectively immediately after a Gram stain showing the presence of Gram-negative bacilli. The results were compared against phenotypic detection of ESBL and molecular testing as the reference methods. Overall, 67 of the 277 samples were culture-positive for ESBL-producing Enterobacterales. PCR for the blaCTX-M gene was positive for all ESBL-producing Enterobacterales isolates. All CTX-M LFA results were interpretable, while three of the ESBL NP test results were noninterpretable. The sensitivity of the CTX-M LFA (100%, 95% CI 94.6–100%) was higher than that of the ESBL NP test (86.6%, 95% CI 76.0–93.7%). Both tests had high specificities (CTX-M LFA, 99.1%, 95% CI 96.6–99.9% and ESBL NP test, 100%, 95% CI 98.2–100%). In conclusion, both the CTX-M LFA and the ESBL NP test can deliver rapid results that could improve antimicrobial stewardship for urinary tract infections

Fluctuation of Serum Sodium and Its Impact on Short and Long-Term Mortality following Acute Pulmonary Embolism

<div><p>Background</p><p>Baseline hyponatremia predicts acute mortality following pulmonary embolism (PE). The natural history of serum sodium levels after PE and the relevance to acute and long-term mortality after the PE is unknown.</p><p>Methods</p><p>Clinical details of all patients (n = 1023) admitted to a tertiary institution from 2000–2007 with acute PE were retrieved retrospectively. Serum sodium results from days 1, 3–4, 5–6, and 7 of admission were pre-specified and recorded. We excluded 250 patients without day-1 sodium or had <1 subsequent sodium assessment, leaving 773 patients as the studied cohort. There were 605 patients with normonatremia (sodium≥135 mmol/L throughout admission), 57 with corrected hyponatremia (day-1 sodium<135 mmol/L, then normalized), 54 with acquired hyponatremia and 57 with persistent hyponatremia. Patients’ outcomes were tracked from a state-wide death registry and analyses performed using multivariate-regression modelling.</p><p>Results</p><p>Mean (±standard deviation) day-1 sodium was 138.2±4.3 mmol/L. Total mortality (mean follow-up 3.6±2.5 years) was 38.8% (in-hospital mortality 3.2%). There was no survival difference between studied (n = 773) and excluded (n = 250) patients. Day-1 sodium (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 0.89, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.83–0.95, <i>p</i> = 0.001) predicted in-hospital death. Relative to normonatremia, corrected hyponatremia increased the risk of in-hospital death 3.6-fold (95% CI 1.20–10.9, <i>p</i> = 0.02) and persistent hyponatremia increased the risk 5.6-fold (95% CI 2.08–15.0, <i>p</i> = 0.001). Patients with either persisting or acquired hyponatremia had worse long-term survival than those who had corrected hyponatremia or had been normonatremic throughout (aHR 1.47, 95% CI 1.06–2.03, <i>p</i> = 0.02).</p><p>Conclusion</p><p>Sodium fluctuations after acute PE predict acute and long-term outcome. Factors mediating the correction of hyponatremia following acute PE warrant further investigation.</p></div