scholarly journals Fighting COVID-19: social capital and community mobilisation in Hong Kong

2020 ◽  
Vol 40 (9/10) ◽  
pp. 1059-1067 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pui Yan Flora Lau
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Hong Kong ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Political Orientation ◽  
Community Mobilisation ◽  
Discussion Paper ◽  
Conceptual Tool ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Adequate Knowledge ◽  
Hygiene Measures

PurposeFocussing on the early phase of the COVID-19 outbreak in Hong Kong, when the infection rate was relatively low, this paper aims to explore the role of social capital in fighting the novel coronavirus.Design/methodology/approachThis is a discussion paper that draws evidence from current scholarly literature and other commentaries, government policies and the personal observation of the author. The main conceptual tool used in the study is Szreter and Woolcock (2004) three-dimensional framework of social capital.FindingsThis paper suggests that whilst the experience of fighting SARS as early as 2003 equipped Hong Kong people with adequate knowledge of virus prevention, efforts to control COVID-19 also benefited from social capital developed during the prolonged social protest since 2019. People belonging to the pro-democracy camp took the initiative to deliver facemasks and advocate hygiene measures in Hong Kong, demonstrating strong community mobilisation. This led to the emergence of bonding and bridging social capital (but not linking social capital) in local society, based substantially on similarity in political orientation.Originality/valueThe use of Szreter and Woolcock (2004) three-dimensional framework for examining social capital provides a new perspective on the contribution of social network analysis to coronavirus protective measures.

Entrepreneurs’ network evolution – the relevance of cognitive social capital

2015 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 197-223 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara Jonsson
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Private Information ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Network Evolution ◽  
Fashion Industry ◽  
Cognitive Dimension ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Start Up ◽  
The Creation ◽  
Cognitive Social Capital

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate entrepreneurs’ network evolution in the start-up phase. Design/methodology/approach – Based on the case studies of six fashion start-up firms, this study uses a three-dimensional perspective on social capital (structural, relational, cognitive) to investigate entrepreneurs’ network evolution (i.e. initiation of new relationships) in the start-up phase so as to acquire resources and support for firms’ goals. The study focuses particularly on the understudied cognitive dimension of social capital. The fashion industry provides a relevant research setting because it is characterised by changes in demand, which generate opportunities for entrepreneurship. Findings – The findings show that the display of cognitive attributes is important for the creation of structural social capital (the establishment of new relationships). The findings also indicate that relationships initiated based on the cognitive dimension have a high probability of developing into embedded relationships, thereby becoming high in the relational dimension and providing access to private information containing referrals to other actors. Thus, these relationships also promote the continued development of the structural dimension. Originality/value – The findings imply that the entrepreneurs’ sets of cognitive attributes constitute an important asset in the creation of social capital. They also point to the importance of signalling these values to potential resource holders. Relationships initiated through the display of cognitive attributes can provide resources without requiring immediate economic remuneration.

Sharing towards cohesive community: the role of social capital in sharing economy

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Ka Wai Lai ◽  
Amy Po Ying Ho
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Hong Kong ◽  
Sharing Economy ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Content Type ◽  
For Profit ◽  
Study Approach ◽  
Business To Consumer

Purpose Whilst the majority of academic studies have focused on the for-profit business-to-consumer type of sharing economy, the community-based peer-to-peer sharing economy is under-studied, particularly the role of social capital, which is essential to sharing behaviours. This paper aims to unravel the role of social capital in developing sharing communities, particularly as to how sharing can establish social capital and community building in community-based sharing economy projects. Design/methodology/approach This paper adopted a case study approach by selecting a local project in Hong Kong, which aims at achieving sharing community. A total of 10 in-depth interviews of major stakeholders were conducted, including founders, active and inactive members to explore how social capital is developed and its impacts on sharing community. Findings The research finding showed that social capital plays an important role in structural dimensions, on social ties building, cognitive and relational dimension facilitates and motivates sharing behaviour and trust, which are essential in building up a sharing community and in developing a sharing economy in Hong Kong. Originality/value This paper contributes to the current theoretical and empirical discussion that supplements the current study of the community-based sharing economy, from the perspective of social capital, in exploring how a sharing community can be developed.

Stereotactic radiosurgery versus stereotactic radiotherapy for patients with vestibular schwannoma: a Leksell Gamma Knife Society 2000 debate

2000 ◽  
Vol 93 (supplement_3) ◽  
pp. 90-92 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark E. Linskey
Keyword(s):  
Gamma Knife ◽  
Stereotactic Radiotherapy ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Late Recurrence ◽  
Vestibular Schwannomas ◽  
Tumor Control ◽  
Complication Rates ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Single Fraction ◽  
Fine Print

✓ By definition, the term “radiosurgery” refers to the delivery of a therapeutic radiation dose in a single fraction, not simply the use of stereotaxy. Multiple-fraction delivery is better termed “stereotactic radiotherapy.” There are compelling radiobiological principles supporting the biological superiority of single-fraction radiation for achieving an optimal therapeutic response for the slowly proliferating, late-responding, tissue of a schwannoma. It is axiomatic that complication avoidance requires precise three-dimensional conformality between treatment and tumor volumes. This degree of conformality can only be achieved through complex multiisocenter planning. Alternative radiosurgery devices are generally limited to delivering one to four isocenters in a single treatment session. Although they can reproduce dose plans similar in conformality to early gamma knife dose plans by using a similar number of isocenters, they cannot reproduce the conformality of modern gamma knife plans based on magnetic resonance image—targeted localization and five to 30 isocenters. A disturbing trend is developing in which institutions without nongamma knife radiosurgery (GKS) centers are championing and/or shifting to hypofractionated stereotactic radiotherapy for vestibular schwannomas. This trend appears to be driven by a desire to reduce complication rates to compete with modern GKS results by using complex multiisocenter planning. Aggressive advertising and marketing from some of these centers even paradoxically suggests biological superiority of hypofractionation approaches over single-dose radiosurgery for vestibular schwannomas. At the same time these centers continue to use the term radiosurgery to describe their hypofractionated radiotherapy approach in an apparent effort to benefit from a GKS “halo effect.” It must be reemphasized that as neurosurgeons our primary duty is to achieve permanent tumor control for our patients and not to eliminate complications at the expense of potential late recurrence. The answer to minimizing complications while maintaining maximum tumor control is improved conformality of radiosurgery dose planning and not resorting to homeopathic radiosurgery doses or hypofractionation radiotherapy schemes.

scholarly journals Agent-Based Modeling Demonstrates How Local Chemotactic Behavior Can Shape Biofilm Architecture

mSphere ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily G. Sweeney ◽  
Andrew Nishida ◽  
Alexandra Weston ◽  
Maria S. Bañuelos ◽  
Kristin Potter ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Helicobacter Pylori ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Structural Features ◽  
Agent Based Modeling ◽  
Emergent Properties ◽  
Cellular Interactions ◽  
Biofilm Growth ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Agent Based ◽  
H Pylori

ABSTRACTBacteria are often found living in aggregated multicellular communities known as biofilms. Biofilms are three-dimensional structures that confer distinct physical and biological properties to the collective of cells living within them. We used agent-based modeling to explore whether local cellular interactions were sufficient to give rise to global structural features of biofilms. Specifically, we asked whether chemorepulsion from a self-produced quorum-sensing molecule, autoinducer-2 (AI-2), was sufficient to recapitulate biofilm growth and cellular organization observed for biofilms ofHelicobacter pylori, a common bacterial resident of human stomachs. To carry out this modeling, we modified an existing platform, Individual-based Dynamics of Microbial Communities Simulator (iDynoMiCS), to incorporate three-dimensional chemotaxis, planktonic cells that could join or leave the biofilm structure, and cellular production of AI-2. We simulated biofilm growth of previously characterizedH. pyloristrains with various AI-2 production and sensing capacities. Using biologically plausible parameters, we were able to recapitulate both the variation in biofilm mass and cellular distributions observed with these strains. Specifically, the strains that were competent to chemotax away from AI-2 produced smaller and more heterogeneously spaced biofilms, whereas the AI-2 chemotaxis-defective strains produced larger and more homogeneously spaced biofilms. The model also provided new insights into the cellular demographics contributing to the biofilm patterning of each strain. Our analysis supports the idea that cellular interactions at small spatial and temporal scales are sufficient to give rise to larger-scale emergent properties of biofilms.IMPORTANCEMost bacteria exist in aggregated, three-dimensional structures called biofilms. Although biofilms play important ecological roles in natural and engineered settings, they can also pose societal problems, for example, when they grow in plumbing systems or on medical implants. Understanding the processes that promote the growth and disassembly of biofilms could lead to better strategies to manage these structures. We had previously shown thatHelicobacter pyloribacteria are repulsed by high concentrations of a self-produced molecule, AI-2, and thatH. pylorimutants deficient in AI-2 sensing form larger and more homogeneously spaced biofilms. Here, we used computer simulations of biofilm formation to show that localH. pyloribehavior of repulsion from high AI-2 could explain the overall architecture ofH. pyloribiofilms. Our findings demonstrate that it is possible to change global biofilm organization by manipulating local cell behaviors, which suggests that simple strategies targeting cells at local scales could be useful for controlling biofilms in industrial and medical settings.

A biomimetic 3D airflow sensor made of an array of two piezoelectric metal-core fibers

Sensor Review ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 37 (3) ◽  
pp. 312-321 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yixiang Bian ◽  
Can He ◽  
Kaixuan Sun ◽  
Longchao Dai ◽  
Hui Shen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Spherical Surface ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Three Dimensions ◽  
Piezoceramic Cylinder ◽  
Metal Core ◽  
Content Type ◽  
3D Space ◽  
Highly Sensitive ◽  
Airflow Sensor

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to design and fabricate a three-dimensional (3D) bionic airflow sensing array made of two multi-electrode piezoelectric metal-core fibers (MPMFs), inspired by the structure of a cricket’s highly sensitive airflow receptor (consisting of two cerci). Design/methodology/approach A metal core was positioned at the center of an MPMF and surrounded by a hollow piezoceramic cylinder. Four thin metal films were spray-coated symmetrically on the surface of the fiber that could be used as two pairs of sensor electrodes. Findings In 3D space, four output signals of the two MPMFs arrays can form three “8”-shaped spheres. Similarly, the sensing signals for the same airflow are located on a spherical surface. Originality/value Two MPMF arrays are sufficient to detect the speed and direction of airflow in all three dimensions.

scholarly journals Complete Genome Sequences of Six Novel Macaca mulatta Papillomavirus Types Isolated from Genital Sites of Rhesus Monkeys in Hong Kong SAR, China

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (22) ◽  
Author(s):  
Teng Long ◽  
Po Yee Wong ◽  
Wendy C. S. Ho ◽  
Robert D. Burk ◽  
Paul K. S. Chan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hong Kong ◽  
Macaca Mulatta ◽  
Complete Genome ◽  
Rhesus Monkeys ◽  
Genome Sequences ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Complete Genomes ◽  
Hong Kong Sar

The complete genomes of six Macaca mulatta papillomavirus types isolated from genital sites of rhesus monkeys were characterized, and less than 72% identity with the complete L1 genes of known papillomaviruses was found. Macaca mulatta papillomavirus type 2 (MmPV2), MmPV3, and MmPV6 cluster into the genus Alphapapillomavirus, and MmPV4, MmPV5, and MmPV7 cluster into the genus Gammapapillomavirus.

Comparison of the reluctance laminated and solid rotor synchronous machine operating at high temperatures

2019 ◽  
Vol 38 (4) ◽  
pp. 1111-1119 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcin Lefik ◽  
Krzysztof Komeza ◽  
Ewa Napieralska-Juszczak ◽  
Daniel Roger ◽  
Piotr Andrzej Napieralski
Keyword(s):  
High Speed ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Synchronous Machine ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Heat Sources ◽  
Model Calculations ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Thermal Phenomenon ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to present a comparison between reluctance synchronous machine-enabling work at high internal temperature (HT° machine) with laminated and solid rotor. Design/methodology/approach To obtain heat sources for the thermal model, calculations of the electromagnetic field were made using the Opera 3D program including effect of rotation and the resulting eddy current losses. To analyse the thermal phenomenon, the 3D coupled thermal-fluid (CFD) model is used. Findings The presented results show clearly that laminated construction is much better from a point of view of efficiency and temperature. However, solid construction can be interesting for high speed machines due to their mechanical robustness. Research limitations/implications The main problem, despite the use of parallel calculations, is the long calculation time. Practical implications The obtained simulation and experimental results show the possibility of building a machine operating at a much higher ambient temperature than it was previously produced for example in the vicinity of the aircraft turbines. Originality/value The paper presents the application of fully three-dimensional coupled electromagnetic and thermal analysis of new machine constructions designed for elevated temperature.

Knowledge management strategies for sustaining Lesson Study

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 167-178
Author(s):  
Eric C.K. Cheng
Keyword(s):  
Information Technology ◽  
Knowledge Management ◽  
Hong Kong ◽  
Knowledge Sharing ◽  
Lesson Study ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Explicit Knowledge ◽  
Relative Effectiveness ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Content Type

Purpose The purpose of this paper is explore the relative effectiveness of people-based and information technology-based knowledge management (KM) strategies as implemented by principals in Hong Kong schools to facilitate and sustain Lesson Study for teachers’ knowledge sharing and internalization. Design/methodology/approach Data from 184 principals in Hong Kong were collected by a cross-sectional quantitative survey. Confirmatory factor analysis and reliability tests have been used to examine the constructed validity and reliability of the instrument. A structural equation model was applied to confirm the predictive effect of people-based and information technology-based KM strategies on teachers’ knowledge sharing and internalization through Lesson Study. Findings Results show that people-based KM strategy predicts knowledge sharing and internalization by and among teachers. However, while information technology-based knowledge management strategies predict teachers’ knowledge sharing, they do not predict how effectively they internalize knowledge. Practical implications Cultivating communities of practice, professional learning communities and mentoring schemes in schools can nurture a knowledge-sharing culture to facilitate and sustain Lesson Study for teacher learning. Institutionalizing an information technology system can help teachers to retrieve, share and store the school’s explicit knowledge. Originality/value The paper not only suggests school management strategies and practices for school leaders to facilitate and sustain Lesson Study, but also brings a new research dimension, KM, to the research area.

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