Enhancing emotion recognition in young autistic children with or without attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in Hong Kong using a Chinese App version of .

Trial Registration: This study was registered with the German Clinical Trials Register - Deutschen Register Klinischer Studien (DRKS) on 23 December 2018. The Trial Registration Number (TRN) is DRKS00016506.

Lay Abstract: App is an intervention programme with 15 animated episodes that teach emotion recognition skills to autistic children between 4 and 6 years of age.

Accumulated Hard Tissue Debris and Root Canal Shaping Profiles Following Instrumentation with Gentlefile, One Curve, and Reciproc Blue.

Introduction: This laboratory study aimed to evaluate the accumulated hard tissue debris (AHTD) and shaping performance following root canal instrumentation with a novel stainless steel rotary system (Gentlefile; MedicNRG, Kibbutz Afikim, Israel) compared with two single-file nickel-titanium instruments of different kinematics through micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) analysis.

Methods: Thirty isthmus-containing mesial roots of human mandibular molars with a curvature of 15°-35° were scanned with micro-CT at an isotropic resolution of 12 μm and randomly assigned to three groups (n = 10) according to the instruments used for canal preparation: Gentlefile (GF; #23/.04), One Curve (OC; #25/.

Elastic-plastic properties of titanium and its alloys modified by fibre laser surface nitriding for orthopaedic implant applications.

Laser nitriding is one of the most promising approaches to improve wear resistance of Ti alloy surfaces and may extend the use in orthopaedic implants. In this study, three types of Ti alloys, namely alpha commercially pure Ti ("TiG2"), alpha-beta Ti-6Al-4V ("TiG5"), and beta Ti-35.5Nb-7.

Titanium for Orthopedic Applications: An Overview of Surface Modification to Improve Biocompatibility and Prevent Bacterial Biofilm Formation.

Titanium and its alloys have emerged as excellent candidates for use as orthopedic biomaterials. Nevertheless, there are often complications arising after implantation of orthopedic devices, most notably prosthetic joint infection and aseptic loosening. To ensure that implanted devices remain functional , innovation in surface modification has attracted much attention in the effort to develop orthopedic materials with optimal characteristics at the biomaterial-tissue interface.

Optimization of anti-wear and anti-bacterial properties of beta TiNb alloy via controlling duty cycle in open-air laser nitriding.

A multifunctional beta TiNb surface, featuring wear-resistant and antibacterial properties, was successfully created by means of open-air fibre laser nitriding. Beta TiNb alloy was selected in this study as it has low Young's modulus, is highly biocompatible, and thus can be a promising prosthetic joint material. It is, however, necessary to overcome intrinsically weak mechanical properties and poor wear resistance of beta TiNb in order to cover the range of applications to load-bearing and/or shearing parts.

Epidemiology of Legionnaires' Disease, Hong Kong, China, 2005-2015.

We reviewed findings of clinical, epidemiologic, and environmental investigations for 288 confirmed case-patients with Legionnaires' disease reported in Hong Kong, China, during January 2005-December 2015. We found that chronic renal failure/impairment (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 4.09), chronic pulmonary diseases (aOR 3.

Translating evidence-based protocol of wound drain management for total joint arthroplasty into practice: A quasi-experimental study.

Background: Although various drains have long been used in total joint replacement, evidence suggests inconsistent practice exists in the use of drainage systems including intermittently applying suction or free of drainage suction, and variations in the optimal timing for wound drain removal. A comprehensive systematic review of available evidence up to 2013 was conducted in a previous study and a protocol was adapted for clinical application according to the summary of the retrieved information (Tsang, 2015).

Aims: To determine if the protocol could reduce blood loss and blood transfusion after operation and to develop a record form so as to enhance communication of drainage record amongst surgeons and nurses.

Oral health of foreign domestic workers: exploring the social determinants.

Foreign domestic helpers constitute a significant proportion of migrant workers worldwide. This population subgroup provides an opportunity for understanding social determinants of oral health in immigrant community. A random sample of 122 Indonesian domestic helpers in Hong Kong completed a questionnaire on their demographic background, social characteristics (competency in local languages, immigration history, living condition, social connections, and leisure activities) and oral health behaviours (knowledge, attitudes, practice and self-efficacy).

A pharmacist care program: positive impact on cardiac risk in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Objective: To investigate the effect of a pharmacist care program on cardiovascular risks in type 2 diabetic patients.

Methods: A 9-month, prospective, randomized, controlled study was conducted in a public hospital in Hong Kong. Patients in the intervention group had regular drug-counseling sessions with pharmacists in addition to routine medical care, whereas patients in the control group received only routine medical care.

Comparative epidemiology of pandemic and seasonal influenza A in households.

Background: There are few data on the comparative epidemiology and virology of the pandemic 2009 influenza A (H1N1) virus and cocirculating seasonal influenza A viruses in community settings.

Methods: We recruited 348 index patients with acute respiratory illness from 14 outpatient clinics in Hong Kong in July and August 2009. We then prospectively followed household members of 99 patients who tested positive for influenza A virus on rapid diagnostic testing.

Highly active antiretroviral therapy per se decreased mortality and morbidity of advanced human immunodeficiency virus disease in Hong Kong.

Background: Morbidity and mortality of advanced human immunodeficiency virus infection (HIV) have declined in Western industrialized countries since the availability of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). It is unclear if this has also happened in Hong Kong.

Methods: We studied a retrospective cohort of patients with advanced HIV disease in Hong Kong, China.

Effect of pituitary downregulation on antral follicle count, ovarian volume and stromal blood flow measured by three-dimensional ultrasound with power Doppler prior to ovarian stimulation.

Background: Despite the extensive use of gonadotrophin releasing hormone agonists (GnRH ag) for pituitary downregulation, the literature regarding their effect on ultrasound parameters for predicting ovarian responses are few and conflicting. The aim of this prospective study was to compare antral follicle count (AFC), ovarian volume and ovarian stromal blood flow measured by three-dimensional (3D) power Doppler ultrasound before and after pituitary downregulation.

Methods: All patients received a long protocol of intranasal Buserelin from the mid-luteal phase of the cycle.

A study of the efficacy of cervical ripening with nitric oxide donor versus placebo for cervical priming before second-trimester termination of pregnancy.

This was a double-blind randomized control study to evaluate the efficacy of cervical priming by nitric oxide donor before second-trimester induced abortion. One-hundred healthy women with a singleton pregnancy between 14 and 20 weeks of gestation were randomized into either 40 mg isosorbide mononitrate or placebo, given intravaginally 12 h before induction. This was followed by intravaginal misoprostol induction.

Human epidermal growth factor enhances healing of diabetic foot ulcers.

Objective: To study the healing effect of recombinant human epidermal growth factor (hEGF) on diabetic foot ulcers.

Research Design And Methods: A total of 127 consecutive patients were screened and 61 diabetic subjects were recruited into this double-blind randomized controlled study. Predetermined criteria were used for diagnosis and classification of the diabetic wound.