Showing papers by "The Chinese University of Hong Kong published in 1987"
TL;DR: Results show that kanban, when implemented in certain environmental settings, does indeed perform exceptionally well, but so do the more traditional systems used in the United States, and suggest that the selection of a production/inventory system can be of less importance than the improvement of the manufacturing environment itself.
Abstract: There has been a great deal of interest recently in the Japanese approach to manufacturing, growing out of a concern for finding ways to reduce inventories and increase productivity. At this project's inception, its objective was to assess whether the kanban system could perform well in the manufacturing environments found in this country. Based on observations from managers visiting Japan, the project was enlarged to also assess which factors in a production environment have the biggest impact on performance-regardless of the system in use.
Guided by a panel of production and inventory managers from diverse plant environments, a comprehensive list of factors thought most important to manufacturing effectiveness was constructed. The panel established low and high values for each one. These settings were considered representative of the range experienced in U.S. plant environments. The factor settings allowed a variety of representative plants to be tested with a large scale simulator. Results show that kanban, when implemented in certain environmental settings, does indeed perform exceptionally well. However, so do the more traditional systems used in the United States. Conversely, there are other plant environments in which all systems perform much worse. This suggests that the factors themselves are the keys to major improvement. Simultaneously reducing setup times and lot sizes is found to be the single most effective way to cut inventory levels and improve customer service. Shop factors of particular importance are yield rates and worker flexibility. Degree of product standardization and the product structure are also high impact factors. Less crucial than earlier believed, at least over the factor settings simulated, are inventory record inaccuracy, equipment failures, and vendor reliability. Such results suggest that the selection of a production/inventory system can be of less importance than the improvement of the manufacturing environment itself.
415 citations
183 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, a dual-frequency microstrip antenna consisting of two stacked annular rings of outer radii 5 cm and inner radii 2.5 cm was constructed on a Duroid substrate with relative permittivity 2.32 and thickness 0.159 cm.
Abstract: Experimental results of a dual-frequency microstrip antenna consisting of two stacked annular rings of outer radii 5 cm and inner radii 2.5 cm are presented. Fabricated on a Duroid substrate with relative permittivity 2.32 and thickness 0.159 cm, the separations of the two resonant frequencies range from 6.30-9.36 percent for the first three modes. The frequency separations can be altered by means of an adjustable air gap between the lower ring and the upper substrate.
155 citations
TL;DR: It is concluded that expression of NK markers occurs exclusively in a proportion of T-cell lymphomas, but not B-cell or null cell lymphomas.
149 citations
TL;DR: For instance, this article found that the females were superior in general language proficiency, but the males had higher mean scores in both tests of listening vocabulary, while the majority of evidence does favor the conclusion that girls are superior to boys in language ability.
Abstract: Not enough attention has been paid in the past to the variable of sex differences in language-learning research. This may be because it is taken as proven that girls are superior to boys in language ability. Although the majority of evidence does favor this conclusion, there is one area of language ability in which boys seem to be superior to girls, even in view of overall female superiority in language proficiency. This area is the comprehension of heard vocabulary.
Evidence from first-language studies prompted an experiment with second-language subjects: two sets of Chinese college students (n= 285 and 205). Ten tests were used to establish general language proficiency, and two tests of listening vocabulary were included in the battery. With both sets of subjects, the females were superior in general language proficiency, but the males had higher mean scores in both tests of listening vocabulary.
The difficulties of conducting such an experiment are discussed, notably the problem of constructing satisfactory listening vocabulary tests. Reasons for the phenomenon of male superiority in this select area of language ability are suggested, and similar experiments are encouraged.
143 citations
TL;DR: Ten patients with intracranial tuberculomata which developed during treatment for tuberculosis are described; five patients made a full recovery, three were left with mild neurological deficit and in two it is too early to assess the outcome.
Abstract: Ten patients with intracranial tuberculomata which developed during treatment for tuberculosis are described. The initial infection was meningeal in five, miliary in three and pulmonary in two and all improved after treatment was started. However 10 days to five months (mean two months) after the start of treatment, new neurological symptoms and/or signs occurred that led to the recognition of intracranial tuberculomata. CT brainscans suggested tuberculomata in all 10 patients; there were several lesions in five and histologicaf confirmation was obtained in three cases. Earlier CT brain scans (six weeks to five months before) were carried out in five patients and in none was a tuberculoma seen. After treatment with anti-tuberculous drugs and control of raised intracranial pressure when present, five patients made a full recovery, three were left with mild neurological deficit and in two it is too early to asses the outcome.
130 citations
TL;DR: Partial characterization of the EGF-like activity in terms of pI, molecular weight and its behavior on gel filtration column suggest that it bears similar physical properties to the E GFs isolated from the mouse and the shrew.
Abstract: 1. An epidermal growth factor (EGF)-like activity was detected and partially purified from swiftlet's nest extract. 2. The partially purified EGF-like activity was able to (a) generate competitive binding curves parallel to the standard curves in radioreceptor assay and (b) stimulate thymidine incorporation in quiescent culture of 3T3 fibroblasts and the latter activity can be suppressed by mouse EGF antibody. 3. Partial characterization of the EGF-like activity in terms of pI, molecular weight and its behavior on gel filtration column suggest that it bears similar physical properties to the EGFs isolated from the mouse and the shrew.
114 citations
TL;DR: In this article, a method for finding the maximum likelihood estimates of the parameters in a multivariate normal model with some of the component variables observable only in polytomous form is developed.
Abstract: The method of finding the maximum likelihood estimates of the parameters in a multivariate normal model with some of the component variables observable only in polytomous form is developed. The main stratagem used is a reparameterization which converts the corresponding log likelihood function to an easily handled one. The maximum likelihood estimates are found by a Fletcher-Powell algorithm, and their standard error estimates are obtained from the information matrix. When the dimension of the random vector observable only in polytomous form is large, obtaining the maximum likelihood estimates is computationally rather labor expensive. Therefore, a more efficient method, the partition maximum likelihood method, is proposed. These estimation methods are demonstrated by real and simulated data, and are compared by means of a simulation study.
111 citations
TL;DR: It is suggested that these functionally distinct transport routes participate in the osmotic regulation of intracellular taurine levels and hence contribute to the homeostatic regulation of cell volume.
Abstract: Taurine plays an important role in cell volume regulation in both vertebrates and invertebrates. Erythrocytes from two euryhaline fish species, the eel (Anguilla japonica) and the starry flounder (Platichthys stellatus) were found to contain high intracellular concentrations of this amino acid (approximately equal to 30 mmol per liter of cell water). Kinetic studies established that the cells possessed a saturable high-affinity Na+-dependent beta-amino-acid transport system which also required Cl- for activity (apparent Km (taurine) 75 and 80 microM; Vmax 0.85 and 0.29 mumol/g Hb per hr for eel (20 degrees C) and flounder cells (10 degrees C), respectively. This beta-system operated with an apparent Na+/Cl-/taurine coupling ratio of 2:1:1. A reduction in extracellular osmolarity, leading to an increase in cell volume, reversibly decreased the activity of the transporter. In contrast, low medium osmolarity stimulated the activity of a Na+-independent nonsaturable transport route selective for taurine, gamma-amino-n-butyric acid and small neutral amino acids, producing a net efflux of taurine from the cells. Neither component of taurine transport was detected in human erythrocytes. It is suggested that these functionally distinct transport routes participate in the osmotic regulation of intracellular taurine levels and hence contribute to the homeostatic regulation of cell volume. Volume-induced increases in Na+-independent taurine transport activity were suppressed by noradrenaline and 8-bromoadenosine-3', 5'-cyclic monophosphate, but unaffected by the anticalmodulin drug, pimozide.
104 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the thermal spectrum and density of states of dielectric microspheres were evaluated as a first step toward quantizing the electromagnetic field, and it was shown that they obey an asymptotic sum rule.
Abstract: Many recently observed optical properties of dielectric microspheres arise from the fact that they behave as optical cavities with little leakage. The thermal spectrum and the density of states are evaluated for such cavitites as a first step toward quantizing the electromagnetic field. The density of states is shown to obey an asymptotic sum rule. The formalism resolves the apparent contradiction between dissipation (from leakage) and quantization.
97 citations
TL;DR: The Chinese version of the General Health Questionnaire was found to have high internal consistency as a scale and high item-total correlations for most of the items, and factor analysis showed that five factors were abstracted from the scale, namely, anxiety, depression, inadequate coping, interpersonal dysfunctioning, and sleep disturbances.
Abstract: The Chinese version of the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) was administered to 2,150 Chinese secondary school students. The GHQ was found to have high internal consistency as a scale and high item-total correlations for most of the items. Factor analysis with a five-factor solution showed that five factors were abstracted from the scale, namely, anxiety, depression, inadequate coping, interpersonal dysfunctioning, and sleep disturbances. By randomly splitting the total sample into two subsamples, these five factors could be reproduced reliably, and high coefficients of congruence were found. The psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the GHQ and the implications of the findings were discussed.
TL;DR: In serial CSF samples from patients with tuberculous meningitis tuberculostearic acid was still present after 8 months of continuous supervised chemotherapy, and can be used for retrospective diagnosis in patients who have been started on therapy.
TL;DR: This study suggests that hepatitis B virus antigenaemia may play a significant role in the development of specific forms of glomerulonephritis and that these hepatitis Birus-associated glomerULonephritides can run an indolent but relentless progressive clinical course.
Abstract: The frequency of hepatitis B Surface antigen (HBsAg) was studied in the sera of 311 patients with various forms of primary glomerulonephritis and 43 patients with lupus nephritis. HBs antigenaemia was detected in 69 of the 311 patients (22 per cent) with primary glomerulonephritis and this prevalence of HBaAg carrier was significantly higher than that in the general population (p<0. 001). These patients had no clinical or biochemical findings to suggest acute or chronical liver disease. A higher HBs antigenaemia carrier rate was not observed in patients with lupus nephritis. Three glomerulopathological entities, membranous nephropathy. IgA nephropathy, and mesangial proliferative glomerulonephrities, were found to be associated with a higher prevalence of HBs antigenaemia compared with the general population (p<0. 001). Glomerular deposits of HBsAg and/or hepatitics core antigen (HBcAg) were detected in 41, 61, and 60 per cent of renal biopsy specimens from patients with membranous nephropathy, Iga nephropathy, and mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis associated with persistent HBs antigenaemia respectively. During the mean study period of 40 months (range 12–180), 14 per cent of these patients with hepatitis-associated glomerulonephrities developed progressive renal failure, althrough none required maintenanece dialysis. Our study suggests that hepatitis B virus antigenaemia may play a significant role in the developement of specific forms of glomerulonephritis and that these hepatities B virus-associated glomerulonephritides can run an indolent but relentless progressive clinical course.
TL;DR: In this paper, the rates of spontaneous emission and stimulated emission and absorption for a two-level atom in a dielectric microsphere are calculated for weak E1 coupling.
Abstract: The rates of spontaneous emission and stimulated emission and absorption for a two-level atom in a dielectric microsphere are calculated for weak E1 coupling. The A coefficient for spontaneous emission is proportional to the zero-point fluctuation of the electric field ℰij evaluated in the previous paper [ J. Opt. Soc. Am. B4, 1995 ( 1987)], which shows sharp resonances in frequency (Q > 104). It is verified that the ratio of the A and B coefficients is determined by the spectral density of thermal radiation. The level shift tends to repel the transition line away from the cavity resonance.
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TL;DR: In this paper, a review of 20 past survey procedures shows that the surveys can be categorized into four types: random sampling, sampling by land-use category, receptor-oriented sampling, and sourceoriented sampling.
TL;DR: As transient renal impairment was seen, despite cyclosporin concentrations being maintained within a narrow therapeutic range, indiscriminate use of cyclosporain in glomerulonephritis should be discouraged.
Abstract: Cyclosporin's known regulatory effects on the immune system suggest that it may be useful in treating patients with IgA nephropathy. A randomised prospective single blind study of 19 patients with IgA nephropathy and proteinuria (greater than 1.5 g/day) was conducted to determine the therapeutic value of cyclosporin. The patients were divided into two groups: nine patients were given oral cyclosporin (5 mg/kg/day) for 12 weeks and 10 patients a placebo. The two groups were comparable in age of presentation, ratio of men to women, plasma creatinine and serum IgA concentrations, creatinine clearance, daily urinary protein excretion, severity of renal histopathological changes, and prevalence of hypertension. A significant reduction of proteinuria and an increase of plasma albumin concentration was observed with treatment with cyclosporin. Nevertheless, a significant rise of plasma creatinine concentration and a fall in creatinine clearance was found in patients after six weeks' treatment with cyclosporin, although the plasma cyclosporin concentrations were maintained within a narrow therapeutic range. Serum IgA concentrations were reduced in seven patients. Renal function improved within eight weeks after treatment was stopped. Three months after treatment was stopped proteinuria remained less than half of the pretreatment values in three patients. No similar biochemical changes were observed in the controls. Short term cyclosporin therapy may be beneficial in reducing proteinuria in some patients with IgA nephropathy. As transient renal impairment was seen, despite cyclosporin concentrations being maintained within a narrow therapeutic range, indiscriminate use of cyclosporin in glomerulonephritis should be discouraged.
TL;DR: The results show conclusively that human fetal Olfactory neurons synthesize olfactory marker protein during the later half of gestation.
TL;DR: In this article, the coordination geometry at tin is a skew-trapezoidal bipyramid, with the oxygen atoms of the chelating groups occupying the trapezoidal plane and the methyl groups [SnC 2.536(1), 2.128(7) A] occupying the apical positions.
TL;DR: Washing of leaf samples reduced the levels of Cu, Mn, Zn and Fe contamination and suggested that the source of heavy metal pollution was mainly due to aerial deposition from motor vehicles.
TL;DR: In this article, the methode de radiometrie flash is described and verification experimentale for le polycarbonate, le fluorure de polyvinylidene, le polyethylene terephtalate and le polyimide.
Abstract: Description de la methode de radiometrie flash. Etude theorique et verification experimentale pour le polycarbonate, le fluorure de polyvinylidene, le polyethylene terephtalate et le polyimide
TL;DR: A Hong-Kong on observe une variation saisonniere possible because of the high level of tourism in the region.
Abstract: Peu d'etudes ont ete rapportees d'Asie. A Hong-Kong on observe une variation saisonniere possible
TL;DR: Tribenzyl(2-pyridinethiolato-Noxide)tin(IV) as mentioned in this paper adopts a configuration displaced 91% from a trigonal bipyramid to a square pyramid along the Berry pseudorotation pathway.
TL;DR: The data suggests that the observed potent immunosuppressive effect of alpha- and beta-momorcharin is unlikely to be due to direct lymphocytotoxicity or due to a shift in the kinetic parameter of the immune response.
TL;DR: For screening of sputa from individuals with suspected pulmonary tuberculosis, the detection of TBSA by GC-MS/SIM is highly specific and moresensitive than conventional microscopy and more rapid but slightly less sensitive than conventional culture methods.
Abstract: Tuberculostearic acid [(R)-10-methyloctadecanoic acid (TBSA)] is a structural component of mycobacteria, and its detection in appropriate clinical specimens has potential application as a rapid screening method for the presence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and other mycobacteria. We used the highly sensitive technique of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) combined with selected ion monitoring (SIM) of m/e 312 and m/e 167 for detecting TBSA in 405 clinical sputum specimens collected in Hong Kong, where tuberculosis is still common. TBSA was detected in 39 M. tuberculosis smear-positive, culture-positive specimens; 63 of 66 smear-negative, culture-positive specimens; and 1 of 300 smear-negative, culture-negative specimens. Thus, for screening of sputa from individuals with suspected pulmonary tuberculosis, the detection of TBSA by GC-MS/SIM is highly specific and more sensitive than conventional microscopy and more rapid but slightly less sensitive than conventional culture methods.
TL;DR: The long-term benefit of plasma exchange in crescentic IgA nephropathy was unsatisfactory as the renal function continued to deteriorate in the following 12 months despite an initial stabilization.
TL;DR: Refuse compost and sewage sludge were mixed with a loamy sand at various rates in pots and sown with Brassica chinensis, Daucus carota and Lycopersicon esculentum in a glasshouse as mentioned in this paper.
Abstract: Refuse compost and sewage sludge were mixed with a loamy sand at various rates in pots and sown withBrassica chinensis, Daucus carota andLycopersicon esculentum in a glasshouse. A commercial fertilizer was also applied to the same soil for comparison. Dry matter production of the three crops and contents of Cd, Cu, Mn, Pb and Zn in the harvested tissues were determined at the end of the experiment. In general, crop yield in refuse compost treatment was improved over that in sandy soil alone, but was less than that in the sludge and fertilizer treatments. Despite the relatively high heavy metal contents of refuse compost, crops grown on compost-treated soils accumulated lower levels of metal than those grown on sludge-treated soils. This is probably due to the high pH and organic matter content of the composted refuse. Higher levels of heavy metals were found in the roots than in the aerial parts ofB. chinensis andL. esculentum, but the reverse was found inD. carota. In the edible tissue of the three crops,L. esculentum accumulated metals to a lesser extent than the other two.
TL;DR: HbA1 is more sensitive than random glucose, glycosuria or fructosamine in detecting impaired glucose tolerance, and a higher reference range for glycosylated haemoglobin for the elderly alone is suggested.
Abstract: This study provides information on the prevalence of diabetes mellitus in a group of elderly Chinese subjects aged 60 and above living in the community in Hong Kong, and investigates the sensitivity of the urine sugar, random blood glucose, glycosylated haemoglobin, and fructosamine measurements compared to a glucose tolerance test in screening for diabetes mellitus in this population. Four hundred twenty-seven subjects aged 60 and above were studied. The National Diabetes Data Group Criteria were used for the diagnosis of diabetes. Those with a random blood glucose exceeding 12.5 mmol/l were considered diabetic, and all of these patients had glycosuria together with elevated total glycosylated haemoglobin and fractosamine concentrations. A diagnostic 75 g oral glucose tolerance test was performed on patients with one or more of the following abnormalities: glycosuria, random plasma blood glucose 7.8 mmol/l to 12.5 mmol/l, glycosylated haemoglobin 8.5%, and fructosamine 2.20 mmol/l. By these criteria, the prevalence of diabetes in this community was found to be 9.8%. An elevated random glucose greater than 11.1 mmol/l proved to be the only specific method of screening and glycosuria was found to be at least as good as fractosamine and HbA1. However, HbA1 is more sensitive than random glucose, glycosuria or fructosamine in detecting impaired glucose tolerance. On the basis of this study, a higher reference range for glycosylated haemoglobin for the elderly alone is also suggested (5.74–9.34%).
TL;DR: It is concluded that a major component of dermatomal block during intercostal catheterisations may be secondary to paravertebral spread during thoracotomy or median sternotomy.
Abstract: Twenty-one patients scheduled to undergo thoracotomy or median sternotomy had intercostal catheters inserted pre-operatively. During thoracotomy, under direct vision, the spread of 20 ml of a solution containing bupivacaine and methylene blue was followed. In most cases the spread involved one or two intercostal spaces. However, in all but one patient, dye spread medially to the paravertebral space where it then spread in both caudad and cephalad directions to reach between two and five vertebrae. In three cases, dye was seen crossing the anterior surface of the vertebrae to reach the contralateral aspect. It is concluded that a major component of dermatomal block during intercostal catheterisations may be secondary to paravertebral spread.
TL;DR: It is shown that it is not always possible to embed a real‐valued discrete parameter Gaussian AR(1) model in a real-valued continuous parameter Gaussian AR(2) model.
Abstract: . We have shown that it is not always possible to embed a real-valued discrete parameter Gaussian AR(1) model in a real-valued continuous parameter Gaussian AR(1). The problem with general ARMA models is also discussed.
TL;DR: This in vivo study of the mechanical properties of hypertrophic scar tissue lasted 2 yr on fifteen Chinese patients of ages ranging from 18 to 44 with burn injuries of superficial to whole skin thickness burns which necessitated surgical graft procedures.