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.

Cross-talk between calcium and reactive oxygen species originated from NADPH oxidase in abscisic acid-induced antioxidant defence in leaves of maize seedlings

Abstract: The signal interactions between calcium (Ca2+) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) originated from plasma membrane NADPH oxidase in abscisic acid (ABA)-induced antioxidant defence were investigated in leaves of maize (Zea mays L.) seedlings. Treatment with ABA led to significant increases in the activity of plasma membrane NADPH oxidase, the production of leaf O2-, and the activities of several antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and glutathione reductase (GR). However, such increases were blocked by the pretreatment with Ca2+ chelator EGTA or Ca2+ channel blockers La3+ and verapamil, and NADPH oxidase inhibitors such as diphenylene iodonium (DPI), imidazole and pyridine. Treatment with Ca2+ also significantly induced the increases in NADPH oxidase activity, O2- production and the activities of antioxidant enzymes, and the increases were arrested by pretreatment with the NADPH oxidase inhibitors. Treatment with oxidative stress induced by paraquat, which generates O2-, led to the induction of antioxidant defence enzymes, and the up-regulation was suppressed by the pretreatment of Ca2+ chelator and Ca2+ channel blockers. Our data suggest that a cross-talk between Ca2+ and ROS originated from plasma membrane-bound NADPH oxidase is involved in the ABA signal transduction pathway leading to the induction of antioxidant enzyme activity, and Ca2+ functions upstream as well as downstream of ROS production in the signal transduction event in plants.

Facets of the Fundamental Content Dimensions: Agency with Competence and Assertiveness-Communion with Warmth and Morality.

Abstract: Agency (A) and communion (C) are fundamental content dimensions. We propose a facet-model that differentiates A into assertiveness (AA) and competence (AC) and C into warmth (CW) and morality (CM). We tested the model in a cross-cultural study by comparing data from Asia, Australia, Europe, and the USA (overall N = 1.808). Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses supported our model. Both the two-factor model and the four-factor model showed good fit indices across countries. Participants answered additional measures intended to demonstrate the fruitfulness of distinguishing the facets. The findings support the model's construct validity by positioning the fundamental dimensions and their facets within a network of self-construal, values, impression management, and the Big Five personality factors: In all countries, A was related to independent self-construal and to agentic values, C was related to interdependent self-construal and to communal values. Regarding the facets, AA was always related to A values, but the association of AC with A values fell below our effect size criterion in four of the five countries. A (both AA and AC) was related to agentic impression management. However, C (both CW and CM) was neither related to communal nor to agentic impression management. Regarding the Big Five personality factors, A was related to emotional stability, to extraversion, and to conscientiousness. C was related to agreeableness and to extraversion. AA was more strongly related to emotional stability and extraversion than AC. CW was more strongly related to extraversion and agreeableness than CM. We could also show that self-esteem was more related to AA than AC; and that it was related to CM, but not to CW. Our research shows that (a) the fundamental dimensions of A and C are stable across cultures; and (b) that the here proposed distinction of facets of A and C is fruitful in analyzing self-perception. The here proposed measure, the AC-IN, may be a useful tool in this research area. Applications of the facet model in social perception research are discussed.

Simultaneous optimization of charge-carrier balance and luminous efficacy in highly efficient white polymer light-emitting devices.

Abstract: The use of white organic light-emitting devices (WOLEDs) for solid-state lighting applications is becoming increasingly attractive, [ 1 − 5 ] given that legislation in more countries is banning the use of ineffi cient incandescent lamps. Moreover, since fl uorescent lamps involve the use of mercury and its disposal represents a great challenge, many scientists have been working aggressively to make the replacement of the fl uorescent light sources by WOLEDs a reality. Indeed, the effi ciency of multilayer vacuum-evaporated WOLEDs based on small molecules has been greatly improved in the past several years [ 6 − 10 ] and has already exceeded that of fl uorescent lamps. [ 11 ] In contrast, despite many unique advantages, such as low-cost manufacturing using solution-processing techniques, easy processability over large-areas by spin-coating or ink-jet printing, compatibility with fl exible substrates, a relatively small amount of wasted material, and precise control of the doping level, the application of white polymer light-emitting diodes (WPLEDs) is still severely hindered by the relatively low device effi ciency. [ 3 , 12 − 16 ]

Towards a phonology of Hong Kong English

Abstract: Whether or not Hong Kong English (HKE) has acquired the status of a ‘new variety of English’, there is no doubt that there exists an identifiable ‘HKE accent’, and therefore a HKE phonology. The paper embodies the author's findings in the first part of his research project on HKE phonology, which covered segmental phonology—in particular the underlying phonemic system of HKE speakers, and the phonetic realisations of its phonemes in different phonological environments. The subjects comprised 15 undergraduates at the Hong Kong Baptist University. The initial batch of data consisted of a number of key words designed to capture all potential vowel and consonant contrasts in a variety of phonological environments. With the help of spectrographic analysis, it was found that the typical HKE speaker operates with a considerably smaller set of vowel and consonant contrasts than in native varieties of English. In particular, there is no length/tenseness contrast in vowels, and no voicing contrast in fricatives. HKE also exhibits a number of interesting and possibly unique phonological properties. An underlying phonemic system is postulated for HKE, and a number of allophonic variations are described.