Demographic study on Occupational Therapy Work Rehabilitation Programs in Hong Kong Hospital Authority.

A survey was implemented to collect demographic data of Occupational Therapy Work Rehabilitation Programs in the Hong Kong Hospital Authority in order to reflect the patterns of services delivery within the largest health care organization in Hong Kong. The questionnaire covered types of settings, services provided, instruments/equipment used, sources and aims of referrals, types of patient, training programs attended by occupational therapists, staffing and research. The results of this survey demonstrated that there has been a significant development of the Occupational Therapy Work Rehabilitation Programs in Hong Kong Hospital Authority in the last decade. Future directions for further development are also identified.

Cytomegalovirus infection of adipose tissues induces steatitis in adult mice.

Young adult mice infected with MCMV were shown to develop inflammatory lesions in the peripancreatic and salivary gland adipose tissues. MCMV replication was detected by immunoperoxidase staining and electron microscopy in adipocytes, fibroblasts, endothelial cells and pericytes in brown and white adipose tissues. More infected cells were detected in C3H mice than in BALB/c, BALB.B, BALB.K or C57BL/6 mice. Peripancreatic steatitis consisted of a monocytic infiltrate surrounding focal necrosis of adipocytes, the severity of which was influenced by the route of inoculation, virus dose, and genetic susceptibility to disseminated MCMV-disease. C57BL/6 mice showed the greatest susceptibility with severe coalescing focal inflammation around areas of coagulative necrosis. Salivary gland adipose tissues exhibited lymphocytic steatitis, which was reduced in Nu/Nu mice.

Genetic determination of cytomegalovirus-induced and age-related cardiopathy in inbred mice. Characterization of infiltrating cells.

Carditis developed 7 days after the administration of murine cytomegalovirus to neonatal, young adult or aged mice of varying sensitivity to lethal infection with this virus. The inflammation persisted for up to 80 days, but infected myocardial cells were rare and were not seen after day 10. The inflammatory cells comprised macrophages (up to 30%) and T cells (up to 80%), with a high ratio of Lyt2+ to L3T4+ cells throughout. Although the H-2 genotype affects murine cytomegalovirus replication at the level of individual cells, and hence resistance to lethal infection, it did not determine resistance to cardiopathy per se. However BALB/c, BALB.B, and BALB.K mice developed persistent myocarditis regardless of age at infection, and age-related cardiopathy was frequent and severe in infected and uninfected mice. B10 and B10.BR mice also developed myocarditis after neonatal infection, but inflammation resolved rapidly after adult infection and age-related cardiopathy was correspondingly mild. C3H mice exhibited minimal carditis after neonatal or adult infection. However neonatal infection appears to accelerate age-related cardiopathy, which is severe in retired breeders of this strain.

Inflammatory and immunological responses to murine cytomegalovirus in resistant CBA mice.

The resistance of CBA mice to MCMV is associated with the resistance of H-2k cells to infection in vitro, high NK and virus-specific DTH responses, and minimal accumulation of cytostatic peritoneal macrophages. This study investigates the functional capacity of lymphoid cells from infected CBA mice, using this strain as a model for successful control of CMV. Splenic viral replication was high 1-3 days p.i. and cell numbers were depressed, but T and B cells frequencies were maintained. The remaining spleen cells were hyporesponsive in culture and accessory cell function was marginally deficient. By 7 days p.i., virus titres declined, responsiveness increased and the residual defect was associated with cytostatic macrophages. The lymph nodes did not atrophy, exhibited low levels of viral replication and proliferative capacity was retained. The beige mutation did not affect the local response to intraperitoneal infection, but spleen cell numbers and responsiveness declined progressively. The results suggest the spleen may contribute to CMV disease by the replication of virus in susceptible cells until the NK response reduces virus titres and hence limits acute virus-induced immunosuppression. Macrophage-mediated suppression persisted in the spleen during recovery so clonal expansion of protective virus-primed T cells may occur predominantly in the lymph nodes.

Validity of the Dictionary of Occupational Titles as applied to construction site workers in Hong Kong.

This study was designed to examine the content validity of the Dictionary of Occupational Titles (D.O.T.) as applied to construction site workers in Hong Kong. The study was divided into the First Expert Panel Review, the Second Expert Panel Review and the Field Study. The results indicated that (i) 15 out of the 55 items of the D.O.T. were identified as insignificant job requirements, and 14 items other than those suggested by the D.O.T. were identified as significant job requirements by the First Expert Panel; (ii) criteria of 20 out of the 40 items of the job requirements as suggested by the D.O.T. were identified as different from the ones suggested by the Second Expert Panel; and (iii) criteria of 4 items were found to be different among the D.O.T., the Second Expert Panel and the Field Study. The results of this study substantiate the claim that the validity of the D.O.T. is questionable, and research on a larger scale should be implemented to further examine the validity of the D.O.T.