Resolving the attitude–achievement paradox based on anchoring vignettes: evidences from the PISA 2012 mathematics study

Cheung Kwok-cheung,Mak Soi-kei,Sit Pou-seong 서울대학교 교육연구소 2018 Asia Pacific Education Review Vol.19 No.3

Secondary data analyses of large-scale international student assessment at the country level often reveal that educational systems which are high in academic achievement are found low in attitudinal outcomes of schooling, and vice versa. This is contrary to the non-negative attitude–achievement relationship frequently found at the student within-country level. Using attitudinal outcome mathematics self-concept, the afore-mentioned attitude–achievement paradox is hypothesized to stem from the incomparable student responses to Likert-type response scale of the attitude items. In this study, anchoring vignettes are used to examine whether it is feasible to tackle the effect of response style so as to improve the comparability of the self-concept measures across cultures and societies. Empirical evidences from PISA 2012 demonstrate that the paradox can be resolved satisfactorily, so that the attitude–achievement relationships at both student within-country and country levels are now in line with that predicted by contemporary self-concept theories in the literature. Using the anchored self-concept measure, Singapore’s and Shanghai-China’s 15-year-olds are found to perform pretty well cognitively and affectively in PISA 2012.

Performance of a Submerged Wave Focusing Structure in a Current

Cheung,Kwok Fai,Lee,Joong Woo 韓國海洋大學校 附設 海洋科學技術硏究所 1997 硏究論文集 Vol.5 No.-

A time-domain numerical model is developed to examine the performance of a wave energy focusing structure in combined waves and a current. With the current assumed to be slow and the structure fully submerged, the wave-current interaction problem can be reduced to a linear wave diffraction problem in a uniform surface current. The diffraction of regular incident waves around a submerged narrow structure of the shape of a parabola is considered. The energy focus is achieved by reflecting the incident waves through a predetermined focal point. Through numerical simulations, the numerical model is shown to be effective in modeling the wave-current interaction problem, and the current speed and direction are shown to affect significantly the location, amplitude and sharpness of the focus.

PHIL and Squid Embolization of Cerebral Arteriovenous Malformation: A Retrospective Case Series of 23 Patients

Cheung Eric Yuk Hong,Ng Rebecca Yuen Ting,Yu Simon Chun Ho,Zhuang James Tin Fong,Wong George Kwok Chu 대한신경중재치료의학회 2022 Neurointervention Vol.17 No.3

Precipitating hydrophobic injectable liquid (PHIL; MicroVention, Aliso Viejo, CA, USA) and Squid (Balt, Irvine, CA, USA) are 2 newer liquid embolic agents used in endovascular embolization of cerebral arteriovenous malformation (AVM). This study aims to investigate and compare the effectiveness and safety profile of the 2 newer liquid embolic agents in the embolization of cerebral AVM. This is a retrospective study on all patients diagnosed with cerebral AVM undergoing endovascular embolization with liquid embolic agents PHIL and Squid admitted to the Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery in Prince of Wales Hospital from January 2014 to June 2021. Twenty-three patients with cerebral AVM were treated with 34 sessions of endovascular embolization with either PHIL or Squid (17 sessions each) liquid embolic agents with a male to female ratio of 2.3:1 (male 16; female 7) and mean age of 44.6 (range, 12 to 67). The mean total nidus obliteration rate per session was 57% (range, 5% to 100%). Twenty-one patients (91.3%) received further embolization, stereotactic radiosurgery, or surgical excision after initial endovascular embolization. There were 2 morbidities (1 neurological and 1 non-neurological, 6%) and no mortalities (0%). All patients had static or improvement in modified Rankin Scale at 3 to 6 months at discharge. PHIL and Squid are effective and safe liquid embolic agents for endovascular embolization of cerebral AVM, achieving satisfactory nidal obliteration rates and patient functional outcomes.

Herbs and Rehabilitation after Stroke Study: A Multi-center, Double-blinded, Randomized Trial in Hong Kong

Raymond Cheung,Li Xiong,Shek Kwan Chang,Choi Ting Tse,Yin Yu Pang,Vincent Mok,Thomas Leung,Tak Hong Tsoi,Richard Li,May Mok,Chee My Chang,Kwok Kwong Lau,Bun Sheng,Terrence Li,Jonas Yeung,Ping Chung Le 대한뇌졸중학회 2016 Journal of stroke Vol.18 No.3

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Effect of moderate-to-severe hepatic steatosis on neutralising antibody response among BNT162b2 and CoronaVac recipients

Ka Shing Cheung,Lok Ka Lam,Rex Wan Hin Hui,Xianhua Mao,Ruiqi R Zhang,Kwok Hung Chan,Ivan FN Hung,Wai Kay Seto,Man-Fung Yuen 대한간학회 2022 Clinical and Molecular Hepatology(대한간학회지) Vol.28 No.3

Background/Aims: Studies of hepatic steatosis (HS) effect on COVID-19 vaccine immunogenicity are lacking. We aimed to compare immunogenicity of BNT162b2 and CoronaVac among moderate/severe HS and control subjects. Methods: Two hundred ninety-five subjects who received BNT162b2 or CoronaVac vaccines from five vaccination centers were categorized into moderate/severe HS (controlled attenuation parameter ≥268 dB/m on transient elastography) (n=74) or control (n=221) groups. Primary outcomes were seroconversion rates of neutralising antibody by live virus Microneutralization (vMN) assay (titer ≥10) at day21 (BNT162b2) or day28 (CoronaVac) and day56 (both). Secondary outcome was highest-tier titer response (top 25% of vMN titer; cutoff: 160 [BNT162b2] and 20 [CoronaVac]) at day 56. Results: For BNT162b2 (n=228, 77.3%), there was no statistical differences in seroconversion rates (day21: 71.7% vs. 76.6%; day56: 100% vs. 100%) or vMN geometric mean titer (GMT) (day21: 13.2 vs. 13.3; day56: 91.9 vs. 101.4) among moderate/severe HS and control groups respectively. However, lower proportion of moderate/severe HS patients had highest-tier response (day56: 5.0% vs. 15.5%; P=0.037). For CoronaVac (n=67, 22.7%), there was no statistical differences in seroconversion rates (day21: 7.1% vs. 15.1%; day56: 64.3% vs. 83.0%) or vMN GMT (5.3 vs. 5.8,) at day28. However, moderate/severe HS patients had lower vMN GMT (9.1 vs. 14.8, P=0.021) at day 56 with lower proportion having highesttier response (21.4% vs. 52.8%, P=0.036). Conclusions: While there was no difference in seroconversion rate between moderate/severe HS and control groups after two doses of vaccine, a lower proportion of moderate/severe HS patients achieved highest-tier response for either BNT162b2 or CoronaVac.

Prospective randomized trial comparing efficacy and safety of intravenous and intra-articular tranexamic acid in total knee arthroplasty

Li Moses Man-Lung,Kwok Jojo Yan-Yan,Chung Kwong-Yin,Cheung Kin-Wing,Chiu Kwok-Hing,Chau Wai-Wang,Ho Kevin Ki Wai 대한슬관절학회 2020 대한슬관절학회지 Vol.32 No.-

Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is associated with significant perioperative blood loss and postoperative allogenic blood transfusion. Tranexamic acid (TXA) reversibly blocks lysine binding sites on plasminogen molecules and inhibits plasmin formation. Comparisons of the efficacy and safety of intra-articular and intravenous TXA in primary TKA have not previously been reported.A prospective randomized trial was conducted in 150 patients who underwent TKA, and these patients were randomized into three groups. Patients in Group A were injected by intra-articular TXA according to body weight (20 mg/kg). Patients in Group B received a standard dose of intra-articular TXA (2000 mg), and those in Group C were infused with TXA according to body weight (20 mg/kg) before tourniquet deflation and again 3 h later. Baseline characteristics and data collected at blood transfusion were compared. Differences among four time points (baseline, day 0, day 2, and day 5) were carried out using ANOVA. The hemoglobin levels at postoperative day 5 were 10.6 g/dL for Group A, 10.6 g/dL for Group B, and 10.7 g/dL for Group C. The drain output was 399 ml for Group A, 314 ml for Group B, and 305 ml for Group C ( p = 0.03). Group C had significantly less drain output than Group A after post hoc comparisons ( p = 0.05), whereas no significant difference was observed between Group A and B ( p = 0.09) or between Group B and C. The weight-adjusted dose of TXA administered intravenously significantly reduced the drain output but not the total blood loss when compared with the weight-adjusted dose of TXA administered intra-articularly. No significant difference was observed in the other parameters among the three groups. The Joint CUHK-NTEC CREC, CRE-2013.644-T . Registered 1 March 2014.

Computed tomography-based radiomic model predicts radiological response following stereotactic body radiation therapy in early-stage non-small-cell lung cancer and pulmonary oligo-metastases

Ben Man Fei Cheung,Kin Sang Lau,Victor Ho Fun Lee,To Wai Leung,Feng-Ming Spring Kong,Mai Yee Luk,Kwok Keung Yuen 대한방사선종양학회 2021 Radiation Oncology Journal Vol.39 No.4

Purpose: Radiomic models elaborate geometric and texture features of tumors extracted from imaging to develop predictors for clinical outcomes. Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) has been increasingly applied in the ablative treatment of thoracic tumors. This study aims to identify predictors of treatment responses in patients affected by early stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) or pulmonary oligo-metastases treated with SBRT and to develop an accurate machine learning model to predict radiological response to SBRT.Materials and Methods: Computed tomography (CT) images of 85 tumors (stage I–II NSCLC and pulmonary oligo-metastases) from 69 patients treated with SBRT were analyzed. Gross tumor volumes (GTV) were contoured on CT images. Patients that achieved complete response (CR) or partial response (PR) were defined as responders. One hundred ten radiomic features were extracted using PyRadiomics module based on the GTV. The association of features with response to SBRT was evaluated. A model using support vector machine (SVM) was then trained to predict response based solely on the extracted radiomics features. Receiver operating characteristic curves were constructed to evaluate model performance of the identified radiomic predictors.Results: Sixty-nine patients receiving thoracic SBRT from 2008 to 2018 were retrospectively enrolled. Skewness and root mean squared were identified as radiomic predictors of response to SBRT. The SVM machine learning model developed had an accuracy of 74.8%. The area under curves for CR, PR, and non-responder prediction were 0.86 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.794–0.921), 0.946 (95% CI, 0.873–0.978), and 0.857 (95% CI, 0.789–0.915), respectively.Conclusion: Radiomic analysis of pre-treatment CT scan is a promising tool that can predict tumor response to SBRT.

What studying problems are faced by the adolescent grade repeaters in Macao: uncovering underlying mechanisms based on evidences from the PISA 2012 Study

Pou-seong Sit,Kwok-cheung Cheung,Wai-cheong Cheong,Soi-kei Mak,Kay-cheng Soh,Man-kai Ieong 서울대학교 교육연구소 2015 Asia Pacific Education Review Vol.16 No.3

Most schools in Macao are private schools, and there is a variety of grade repetition policy practiced in the 45 secondary schools. The policies are translated into school-based accountability of some kind of minimum competency standards. The objective of this study is to uncover the mediation mechanisms accounting for the influences of grade repetition on student performance. Three mechanisms are postulated to explain the performance of the adolescent grade repeaters: (1) insufficient opportunity to learn, (2) inadequate self-regulation of students, and (3) inappropriate teacher guidance and management. Based on the Programme for International Student Assessment 2012 Study, the three identified mechanisms (involving eight mediation variables) together explain 0.7 grade level worth of schooling. The implication is that unless remedial programs and courses of action for the grade repeaters can be shown empirically to be effective, it is not a good idea for Macao schools to maintain their grade repetition policies without teachers’ proper guidance and instruction.

The Efficacy of Herbal Supplement Danggui Buxue Tang for Relieving Menopausal Symptoms

( Eliza L. Y. Wong ),( Annie W. L. Cheung ),( C. J. Haines ),( C. C. Wang ),( Chun-kwok Wong ),( Karl W. K. Tsim ),( William K. F. Cheng ),( Ping-chung Leung ) 대한폐경학회 2022 대한폐경학회지 Vol.28 No.1

Objectives: This study aimed to further explore the efficacy and safety of Danggui Buxue Tang (DBT), a simple herbal formula, for improving the quality of life of women suffering from menopausal symptoms. Methods: A third clinical trial to determine the clinical efficacy of high-dose DBT for a period of 12 weeks was carried out. The standard Menopause-Specific Quality of Life (MENQOL) assessment chart was used for the evaluation. Safety was defined as an absence of direct estrogenic effects, serum inflammatory cytokines. Notably, interleukin IL-6, IL-8 and tumor necrosis factor TNF-α, known to be directly related to estrogenic reactions in menopause studies, were monitored. Results: The third clinical trial indicated an overall improvement in the four domains of MENQOL, offering further proof of the efficacy of DBT demonstrated in the two previous trials. The serial checks of the three cytokines related to estrogen activities did not show either upward or downward trends. The haphazard behavior reactions of the three cytokines offered indirect indications that DBT improved the MENQOL independently from estrogen activities. Conclusions: The three clinical trials using DBT to relieve menopausal syndrome have offered solid evidence for its efficacy. The uncertainty regarding whether the “phytoestrogen” contained in DBT had bioactivities similar to estrogen was alleviated through the confirmation that no strict estrogenic bioactivities were observed. The issue of safety was further clarified via laboratory platform studies on DBT, which not only showed the lack of similarity with estrogen actions but also confirmed the value of combining the two herbs in the classic formula.

What is the pancreatic duct size limit for a safe duct-to-mucosa pancreaticojejunostomy after pancreaticoduodenectomy? A retrospective study

Kit-Fai Lee,Kandy Kam Cheung Wong,Eugene Yee Juen Lo,Janet Wui Cheung Kung,Hon-Ting Lok,Charing Ching Ning Chong,John Wong,Paul Bo San Lai,Kelvin Kwok Chai Ng 한국간담췌외과학회 2022 Annals of hepato-biliary-pancreatic surgery Vol.26 No.1

Backgrounds/Aims: Postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF) after pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) remains a dreadful complication. Duct-to-mucosa pancreaticojejunostomy (DTMPJ) is a commonly performed anastomosis after PD. This study aims to evaluate whether there is a size limit of pancreatic duct below which POPF rate increases significantly after DTMPJ. Methods: A retrospective study was performed from a database with prospectively collected data on consecutive patients undergoing DTMPJ. Results: Between the years 2003 and 2019, a total of 288 patients with DTMPJ were recruited. POPF occurred in 56.3% of the patients, of which 43.8% were biochemical leak, 8.7% were grade B, and 1.4% were grade C. Overall operative morbidity was 51.4%, of which 19.1% were major complications. Five patients (1.7%) died within 90 days of operation. Patients with grade B/C POPF had significantly soft pancreas (p < 0.001), smaller duct size (p = 0.031), and a diagnosis of carcinoma of the pancreas (p = 0.027). When a clinically significant POPF rate was analysed based on the pancreatic duct diameter, pancreatic duct size ≤ 1 mm had the highest POPF rate (35.7%). There was a significant difference in POPF rate between adjacent ductal diameter ≤ 1 mm and > 1 mm to 2 mm (35.7% vs 13.3%; p = 0.040). Multivariable analysis showed that for the soft pancreas, pancreatic duct diameter ≤ 1 mm was the only significant predictive factor for POPF (p = 0.027). Conclusions: DTMPJ can be safely performed for pancreatic duct > 1 mm without significantly increased POPF risk.