Compounding the impact of teaching development programs in China and Hong Kong SAR: using the Professional Standards Framework to deepen learning and improve teaching self-efficacy

ABSTRACT In 2014, the Centre for Health Protection in Hong Kong introduced screening for influenza C virus (ICV) as part of its routine surveillance for infectious agents in specimens collected from patients presenting with symptoms of respiratory viral infection, including influenza-like illness (ILI). A retrospective analysis of ICV detections up to week 26 of 2019 revealed persistent low-level circulation, with two outbreaks having occurred in the winters of 2015 to 2016 and 2017 to 2018. These outbreaks occurred at the same time as, and were dwarfed by, seasonal epidemics of influenza types A and B. Gene sequencing studies on stored ICV-positive clinical specimens from the two outbreaks have shown that the hemagglutinin-esterase (HE) genes of the viruses fall into two of the six recognized genetic lineages (represented by C/Kanagawa/1/76 and C/São Paulo/378/82), with there being significant genetic drift compared to earlier circulating viruses within both lineages. The location of a number of encoded amino acid substitutions in hemagglutinin-esterase fusion (HEF) glycoproteins suggests that antigenic drift may also have occurred. Observations of ICV outbreaks in other countries, with some of the infections being associated with severe disease, indicates that ICV infection has the potential to have significant clinical and health care impacts in humans. IMPORTANCE Influenza C virus infection of humans is common, and reinfection can occur throughout life. While symptoms are generally mild, severe disease cases have been reported, but knowledge of the virus is limited, as little systematic surveillance for influenza C virus is conducted and the virus cannot be studied by classical virologic methods because it cannot be readily isolated in laboratories. A combination of systematic surveillance in Hong Kong SAR, China, and new gene sequencing methods has been used in this study to assess influenza C virus evolution and provides evidence for a 2-year cycle of disease outbreaks. The results of studies like that reported here are key to developing an understanding of the impact of influenza C virus infection in humans and how virus evolution might be associated with epidemics.

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Temporal and gene reassortment analysis of influenza C outbreaks in Hong Kong SAR, China

Journal of Virology ◽

10.1128/jvi.01928-21 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Rodney S. Daniels ◽

Monica Galiano ◽

Burcu Ermetal ◽

Jasmine Kwong ◽

Chi S. Lau ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hong Kong ◽

Severe Disease ◽

Disease Outbreaks ◽

Great Majority ◽

Antigenic Drift ◽

Similar Time ◽

Hong Kong Sar ◽

Influenza C Virus ◽

Time Frames ◽

The Impact

From 2014 to week 07/2020 the Centre for Health Protection in Hong Kong conducted screening for influenza C virus (ICV). A retrospective analysis of ICV detections to week 26/2019 revealed persistent low-level circulation with outbreaks occurring biennially in the winters of 2015-16 and 2017-18 (1). Here we report on an outbreak occurring in 2019-20, reinforcing the observation of biennial seasonality in Hong Kong. All three outbreaks occurred in similar time-frames, were subsequently dwarfed by seasonal epidemics of influenza types A and B, and were caused by similar proportions of C/Kanagawa/1/76 (K-)lineage and C/São Paulo/378/82 S1- and S2-sublineage viruses. Ongoing genetic drift was observed in all genes, with some evidence of amino acid substitution in the HEF glycoprotein possibly associated with antigenic drift. A total of 61 ICV genomes covering the three outbreaks were analysed for reassortment and nine different reassortant constellations were identified, one K-lineage, four S1-sublineage and four S2-sublineage, with six of these being identified first in the 2019-20 outbreak (two S2-lineage and four S1-lineage). The roles that virus interference/enhancement, ICV persistent infection, genome evolution and reassortment might play in the observed seasonality of ICV in Hong Kong are discussed. Importance Influenza C virus (ICV) infection of humans is common with the great majority of people being infected during childhood, though re-infection can occur throughout life. While infection normally results in ‘cold-like’ symptoms, severe disease cases have been reported in recent years. However, knowledge of ICV is limited due to poor systematic surveillance and an inability to propagate the virus in large amounts in the laboratory. Following recent systematic surveillance in Hong Kong SAR, China and direct ICV gene sequencing from clinical specimens a two-year cycle of disease outbreaks (epidemics) has been identified with gene mixing playing a significant role in ICV evolution. Studies like those reported here are key to developing an understanding of the impact of influenza C virus infection in humans, notably where comorbidities exist and severe respiratory disease can develop.

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A Comparison of Brunei and Hong Kong - SAR Student Teachers’ Self-efficacy in Implementing Inclusive Education Practices: Implications for Teacher Education

Asian Social Science ◽

10.5539/ass.v10n1p51 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 10 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Kathleen Tait ◽

Lawrence Mundia

Keyword(s):

Teacher Education ◽

Hong Kong ◽

Student Teachers ◽

Inclusive Education ◽

Self Efficacy ◽

Hong Kong Sar

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Correlates of identity statuses among Chinese adolescents in Hong Kong

International Journal of Adolescent Medicine and Health ◽

10.1515/ijamh.2011.009 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 23 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Rebecca S.Y. Lam ◽

Vicky C.W. Tam

Keyword(s):

Hong Kong ◽

Identity Development ◽

Psychosocial Development ◽

Self Efficacy ◽

Psychological Control ◽

Self Esteem ◽

Chinese Adolescents ◽

Identity Statuses ◽

Identity Achievement ◽

The Impact

Abstract This study investigates correlates of Hong Kong Chinese adolescents’ identity statuses with (i) parental and school contexts and (ii) major psychosocial developmental outcomes. Data were collected from 1260 Secondary 2–4 (equivalent to Grades 8–10 in the US school system) students through a questionnaire survey. Results of hierarchical regression analysis indicated that parental attributes of acceptance, values and goals, and psychological control, and school contextual factor of task orientations predicted identity achievement, whereas parents’ acceptance, psychological and firm control, and teacher's support predicted identity foreclosure. Regarding the impact on psychosocial development, another series of regression analyses revealed that (i) identity achievement predicted low depression, high self-esteem, and high self-efficacy; (ii) moratorium predicted low self-esteem; and (iii) foreclosure predicted high self-efficacy. Overall, the findings shed light on adolescent identity development in Hong Kong, facilitating discussions on identity-related issues.

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Enforcement of Hong Kong Sar Court Judgments in the People's Republic of China

International and Comparative Law Quarterly ◽

10.1017/s0020589300064691 ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 49 (4) ◽

pp. 867-875

Author(s):

Qingjiang Kong

Keyword(s):

Hong Kong ◽

People’S Republic Of China ◽

Special Administrative Region ◽

People's Republic Of China ◽

New Era ◽

Republic Of China ◽

Administrative Region ◽

British Colony ◽

Hong Kong Sar ◽

The Impact

On 1 July 1997 Hong Kong entered a new era when it was transformed from a British colony into a Special Administrative Region (SAR) of the People's Republic of China (PRC). The impact of the handover of Hong Kong cannot be overstated but, for the time being perhaps, may lie more in the sphere of ideology than in institutions.

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Developing the Intercultural Competence of Graduate Students

Canadian Journal of Higher Education ◽

10.47678/cjhe.v44i3.186040 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 44 (3) ◽

pp. 86-103 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Nanda Dimitrov ◽

Debra L. Dawson ◽

Karyn C. Olsen ◽

Ken N. Meadows

Keyword(s):

Graduate Students ◽

Intercultural Communication ◽

Intercultural Competence ◽

Culturally Diverse ◽

Communication Style ◽

Development Programs ◽

Teaching Development ◽

Teaching Competence ◽

The Impact ◽

Different Levels

This study explores how teaching development programs may facilitate the development of intercultural competence in graduate students and prepare them for communicating effectively in the global workplace after graduation. First, we describe the concept of intercultural teaching competence and examine the skills that graduate students may need to cultivate in order to communicate effectively in culturally diverse settings. Then, we discuss the findings of our qualitative study on the impact of teaching development programs enhanced with intercultural communication components. As a result of training, participants became more aware of cultural and disciplinary differences in communication, were able to adapt their communication style to audiences with different levels of background knowledge, and felt more prepared for interpersonal interactions across cultures with undergraduates. Finally, participants were able to transfer the skills learned to other areas of graduate study and used effective intercultural communication strategies when interacting with globally diverse peers and faculty supervisors.

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