Hong Kong Baptist University

About: Hong Kong Baptist University is a education organization based out in Hong Kong, China. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & China. The organization has 7811 authors who have published 18919 publications receiving 555274 citations. The organization is also known as: Hong Kong Baptist College & HKBU.

Superluminal pulse propagation through one-dimensional photonic crystals with a dispersive defect

Abstract: The propagation of a pulse through one-dimensional photonic crystals that contain a dispersive and absorptive defect layer doped with two-level atoms is discussed. The dynamical evolution of the pulse inside the photonic crystal is presented. Superluminal negative group velocity (the peak appears at the exit end before it reaches the input end) is discovered. Although the group velocity is larger than c and even negative, the velocity of energy propagation never exceeds the vacuum light speed. The appearance of the superluminal advance or subluminal delay of the pulse peak inside the photonic crystal or at the exit end is due to the wave interference from Bragg reflections.

A Critical Review on Health Promoting Benefits of Edible Mushrooms through Gut Microbiota

Abstract: Mushrooms have long been used for medicinal and food purposes for over a thousand years, but a complete elucidation of the health-promoting properties of mushrooms through regulating gut microbiota has not yet been fully exploited. Mushrooms comprise a vast, and yet largely untapped, source of powerful new pharmaceutical substances. Mushrooms have been used in health care for treating simple and common diseases, like skin diseases and pandemic diseases like AIDS. This review is aimed at accumulating the health-promoting benefits of edible mushrooms through gut microbiota. Mushrooms are proven to possess anti-allergic, anti-cholesterol, anti-tumor, and anti-cancer properties. Mushrooms are rich in carbohydrates, like chitin, hemicellulose, β and α-glucans, mannans, xylans, and galactans, which make them the right choice for prebiotics. Mushrooms act as a prebiotics to stimulate the growth of gut microbiota, conferring health benefits to the host. In the present review, we have summarized the beneficial activities of various mushrooms on gut microbiota via the inhibition of exogenous pathogens and, thus, improving the host health.

Factors affecting members' trust belief and behaviour intention in virtual communities

Abstract: In this research we investigate whether antecedent factors of participant trust and institutional trust significantly influence members' trust belief towards virtual communities. Further, we investigate how members' trust levels affect their behaviour intention. A model of factors that affect members' trust in virtual communities is constructed. We analysed 625 valid online questionnaires obtained from virtual communities related to travel, games, and computer information. The findings suggest that benefit attraction and shared value have significant positive effects on building participant trust, and monitoring has a significant positive effect on building institutional trust. Trust building influences both members' stickiness in virtual communities and their willingness to share information. This research suggests that the extent to which members trust community-based website environments significantly influences their practical behaviour in such environments.

Porous Co3O4 nanowires and nanorods: Highly active catalysts for the combustion of toluene

Abstract: Porous Co 3 O 4 nanowires and nanorods (Co 3 O 4 -HT, Co 3 O 4 -HT-PEG, Co 3 O 4 -HT-CTAB, and Co 3 O 4 -ME-CTAB, respectively) have been fabricated via the hydrothermal or microemulsion route in the absence and presence of polyethylene glycol (PEG) or cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), respectively. Physicochemical properties of the materials were characterized by means of numerous techniques, and their catalytic activities for toluene combustion were evaluated. It is shown that Co 3 O 4 -HT-PEG and Co 3 O 4 -HT-CTAB displayed a porous nanowire-like morphology, whereas Co 3 O 4 -ME-CTAB exhibited a porous nanorod-like shape. The porous Co 3 O 4 samples (surface area = 47–52 m 2 /g) possessed much higher surface oxygen adspecies concentrations and much better low-temperature reducibility than the nonporous counterpart. The Co 3 O 4 -HT-CTAB sample showed the highest catalytic performance ( T 50% = 195 and T 90% = 215 °C at a space velocity of 20,000 mL/(g h)). It is concluded that the excellent catalytic performance of Co 3 O 4 -HT-CTAB was associated with its higher surface area and surface oxygen species concentration, and better low-temperature reducibility.