The Future of the Uyghur Musical Past: Reconstructing Uyghur Muqam in Chinese Central Asia

Wong Chuen-Fung 아시아음악학회 2006 Asian Musicology Vol.9 No.-

The Future of the Uyghur Musical Past: Reconstructing Uyghur Muqam in Chinese Central Asia

Wong Chuen-Fung 아시아음악학회 2006 Asian Musicology Vol.9 No.-

The most famous Uyghur traditional music today is the Twelve Muqam, a set of musical suites for vocals, dance, and instruments from the far northwest of China. Over the last fifty years, State-sponsored research, performance, and reconstruction projects have recreated muqam as a canonized minority musical tradition, often used by the State to musically exhibit its joyful and subservient minorities, and in the process, downplaying the pronounced contemporary ethnic conflicts between the Uyghur and Han Chinese. Drawing on recent ethnographic research, this essay looks at how contemporary sociopolitical issues are implicated in the narration of music history and the muqam revival project. I am concerned with the multifaceted representations of Uyghur muqam, and shall examine the local, national, and transnational dimensions of cultural representation as traditional music encounter modernity. In particular, I investigate how the State-sponsored revival project brings about a canonized muqam tradition, which is in turn used to symbolize the modern notion of a pan-Uyghur identity and ethnic nationalism. I suggest that, far from simply being vehicles for State oppression or nationalistic opposition, traditional music works towards a redefinition of modern Uyghur identities and attain new meanings in the process. Muqam gives the Uyghur a renewed way of understanding themselves and their relations with the past, exploring unprecedented horizons for asserting political and cultural identity.

Improvement of the Thermal Latency for Epoxy-Phenolic Resins by Novel Amphiphatic Imidazole Catalysts

Fung Fuh Wong,Chun Min Lin,Kun-Lung Chen,Yun-Hwei Shen,Jiann-Jyh Huang 한국고분자학회 2010 Macromolecular Research Vol.18 No.4

Novel amphiphatic imidazole compounds were evaluated as thermal latent catalysts for the polymerization of diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA). Amphiphatic compounds 5-9, two commercially available catalysts 1 and 2, and compounds 3 and 4 were used to cure epoxy resin systems for an investigation of their thermal latency and storage stability. The results from the cure activation energy and viscosity-storage time of the catalysts, the order of thermally latent activity was 3-phenylpropanoic acid (4) > 2-amino-3-phenylpropinoic acid (5) > 2-amino-3-(imidazole-4-yl)-propionic acid (H-His-OH, 8) > N-tert-butoxycarbonyl-histidine (9) > imidazole-4-acrylic acid (6) >3-(imidazole-4-yl)propionic acid (7) > 1-cyanoethyl-2-ethyl-4-methyl-imidazole (2) > 2-ethyl-4-methylimidazole (1) > histamine (3). From the results, the amphiphatic imidazole catalysts 5-9 showed better thermal latency than commercialized catalysts 1 and 2, basic catalyst 3 and acidic catalyst 4. Concerning the glass transition temperature (Tg), the use of amphiphatic imidazole catalysts 5-9 provided complete or near complete curing systems at temperatures ranging from 152-163 oC, which were similar to two commercially available catalysts (151-152 oC, 1 and 2)and histamine (159 oC, 3). On the other hand, the Tg for compounds 4 and 5 could not be detected at 30-300 oC from the temperature scans because of their weak nucleophilicity and low cross-linking reactivity.

Non-invasive biomarkers for liver inflammation in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: present and future

Terry Cheuk-Fung Yip,Fei Lyu,Huapeng Lin,Guanlin Li,Pong-Chi Yuen,Vincent Wai-Sun Wong,Grace Lai-Hung Wong 대한간학회 2023 Clinical and Molecular Hepatology(대한간학회지) Vol.29 No.-

Inflammation is the key driver of liver fibrosis progression in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Unfortunately, it is often challenging to assess inflammation in NAFLD due to its dynamic nature and poor correlation with liver biochemical markers. Liver histology keeps its role as the standard tool, yet it is well-known for substantial sampling, intraobserver, and interobserver variability. Serum proinflammatory cytokines and apoptotic markers, namely cytokeratin-18, are well-studied with reasonable accuracy, whereas serum metabolomics and lipidomics have been adopted in some commercially available diagnostic models. Ultrasound and computed tomography imaging techniques are attractive due to their wide availability; yet their accuracies may not be comparable with magnetic resonance imaging-based tools. Machine learning and deep learning models, be they supervised or unsupervised learning, are promising tools to identify various subtypes of NAFLD, including those with dominating liver inflammation, contributing to sustainable care pathways for NAFLD.

Negligible risk of hepatocellular carcinoma in chronic hepatitis B patients in immune-tolerant phase: Myth or fact

( Terry Cheuk-fung Yip ),( Grace Lai-hung Wong ),( Vincent Wai-sun Wong ) 대한간학회 2021 Clinical and Molecular Hepatology(대한간학회지) Vol.27 No.2

Breast Cancer Screening Practice and Associated Factors in Menopausal and Postmenopausal Women

Florence Mei Fung Wong,Winnie Lai Sheung Cheng 대한폐경학회 2019 대한폐경학회지 Vol.25 No.1

Objectives: This study examined breast cancer screening (BCS) practices and its associated factors among menopausal and postmenopausal women. Methods: A cross-sectional design was conducted using convenience sampling at a community center. The modified Chinese BCS Belief questionnaire was used to understand BCS practice. Results: A total of 144 eligible women presented better knowledge and perceptions about breast cancer (mean, 11.46; standard deviation [SD], 3.65) and barriers to achieving mammographic screening (mean, 14.75; SD, 3.70). Participants aged ≥ 50 years had a negative association with the attitudes towards general health check-ups (B = –1.304, standard error [SE] = 0.65, P = 0.046). In this context, having regular physical exercise had a positive association with attitudes towards general health check ups (B = 1.458, SE = 0.06, P = 0.017), and knowledge and perceptions about breast cancer (B = 1.068, SE = 0.62, P = 0.086). Being employed had a positive associated with barriers to achieving mammographic screening (B = 1.823, SE = 0.51, P < 0.001). Conclusions: The women had better knowledge and perception about breast cancer and fewer barriers to mammographic screening. However, attitudes towards general health check-ups were relatively poor. It is noteworthy that women who aged ≥ 50 years and had insufficient physical exercise had poor attitudes. Those who were employed had fewer barriers, and those who had regular physical exercise had better knowledge on the benefits of the BCS practice. Importantly, women who aged ≥ 50 years and lack physical exercise need education about breast cancer to increase their awareness of breast wellness.

Smart Hanger Dynamic Modeling and Fuzzy Controller Design

Eric Hoi-Kwun Fung,Yiu-Kwong Wong,Yan Ma,Chun-Wah Marcus Yuen,Wai-Keung Wong 제어·로봇·시스템학회 2011 International Journal of Control, Automation, and Vol.9 No.4

The controlled smart hanger is an indispensable component in the automatic system for garment inspection. Fuzzy logic is chosen for the smart hanger manipulator since it can describe the human behavior remarkably well. In this paper, the dynamic model of the manipulator governing the contact force with garment fabric is first developed. An adaptive fuzzy logic PID control scheme is successfully formulated for the contact force control. Simulation results indicate that the fuzzy PID controller can yield a faster response without overshoot and a smaller error performance as compared to the traditional method based on PID. The stability of the fuzzy PID controller is also demonstrated by computer simulations.

Efficacy and Safety of Tenofovir DF (TDF) in Chronic Hepatitis B Patients (CHB) with Lamivudine Resistance (LAM-R): 5-year Results

( Florence Wong ),( Scott Fung ),( Hie-won Hann ),( Magdy Elkhashab ),( Thomas Berg ),( Milotka J. Fabri ),( Andrzej Horban ),( Mijomir Pelemis ),( Ioan Sporea ),( John F. Flaherty ),( Benedetta Masse 대한간학회 2016 춘·추계 학술대회 (KASL) Vol.2016 No.1

Aims: In CHB patients with LAM-R, TDF has shown efficacy comparableto FTC/TDF and no detectable TDF resistance at 2 years. The final5 year efficacy and safety results from this trial are presented.Methods: CHB patients on LAM with HBV DNA >3 log10 IU/mL andwith documented LAM-R were randomized (1:1) to TDF or FTC/TDFand followed for 5 years.Results: Two hundred eighty patients were randomized; 232 (83%)completed 5 years of treatment. At baseline, mean age was 47 years,most were male (75%) and non-Asian (66%); 53% were HBeAgnegative. Mean HBV DNA was 5.7 log10 IU/mL and 42% had ALT≤ULN at baseline. At Year 5, virologic, serologic, and biochemicalresponses were similar among groups, and remained stable. Ninepatients (4-TDF, 5-FTC/TDF) discontinued due to an adverse event,including increased serum creatinine in 1 patient. For both groupscombined, confirmed renal safety endpoints over 5 years were: CrCL<50 mL/min in 19 (6.8%) patients (12 requiring dose modification),increases in serum creatinine of ≥0.3 and ≥0.5 mg/dL from baselinein 21 (7.5%) and 2 (0.7%) patients, respectively, and serum phosphorus<2 mg/dL in 3 (1.1%) patients. Mean declines in BMD (g/cm2)from baseline for hip and spine BMD, respectively, were 1.7% and1.5% at Year 2, and 2.5%, and 1% at Year 5. Seven patientsexperienced fracture (all except 1 were trauma-related). No TDF resistancewas detected through 5 years by population sequencing.Conclusions: In LAM R patients with CHB treated for 5 years withTDF, a high rate of HBV DNA suppression was achieved and maintainedwith no detectable TDF resistance. There is no apparent ad advantageof combination FTC/TDF in this population. Renal eventsassociated with TDF occurred in up to 7.5% of patients, and averagelosses in bone mineral density of 1 2.5% were observed.

Caught-In or Breaking-Free from the Middle Income Trap: The Case of Malaysia

Chan-Yuan Wong,Hon-Ngen Fung 서울대학교 경제연구소 2019 Seoul journal of economics Vol.32 No.1

Malaysia is among the developing economies that has shown relative promise in breaking its middle income trap (MIT). However, the lack of sophistication of institutions for industrial upgrade and the attainment of productive routines means that many local firms remain self-organized and suffer from the absence of complementarities. This study seeks to understand Malaysia’s position on MIT and compare the country’s current trajectory against newly industrialized economies (e.g., South Korea and Taiwan). This study focuses on five explorations that depict Malaysia’s performance position in achieving developed status: (1) income and foreign direct investment, (2) economic structure, (3) upgrading, (4) social capital, and (5) education. This study argues that the key barriers that prevent Malaysia from exiting MIT stem from the lack of effective measures in terms of social capital to improve education and institutions. Thus, the development of productive routines with instituted inclusive measures to accelerate the upgrading process is crucial to break MIT.

Indium oxide, tin oxide and indium tin oxide nanostructure growth by vapor deposition

M.K. Fung,K.K. Wong,X.Y. Chen,Y.F. Chan,A.M.C. Ng,A.B. Djurišić,W.K. Chan 한국물리학회 2012 Current Applied Physics Vol.12 No.3

Indium oxide, tin oxide and indium tin oxide nanowires have been grown by vapor deposition on Si and quartz substrates. Under the growth conditions used, pure SiOx nanowires, a mixture of SiOx and indium oxide, tin oxide or indium tin oxide nanostructures, or pure indium oxide, tin oxide or indium tin oxide nanostructures could be obtained at different substrate temperatures. The growth mechanism of the obtained nanostructures at different substrate temperatures is discussed. Optical and electrical properties of the deposited pure indium oxide, tin oxide or indium tin oxide nanostructures have been measured, and low sheet resistances on quartz substrates have been obtained for indium oxide and indium tin oxide nanostructures.