Bachelor of Arts

Life history traits of Fossaria cubensis were compared between isolated and paired snails after infection with three miracidia of Fasciola hepatica. Four experimental groups were tested: isolated-unexposed, paired-unexposed, isolated-infected, and paired-infected. A repeated-measures ANOVA showed statistically significant interactions among isolation, infection, and age effects for shell size, number of egg masses per snail, number of eggs per snail, and number of viable eggs per snail. Isolated-unexposed snails exhibited the higher values of these variables and those of survival and finite and intrinsic rates of natural increase. Infection stimulated shell growth during the prepatent period, but differences were present only in paired snails since isolation causes a similar effect. Reproduction, in terms of the number of egg masses per snail and the number of eggs per mass per snail, decreases in the presence of parasitic infection, whereas isolation stimulates it. These effects were observed from early stages of infection.

Life history traits of Fossaria cubensis were compared between isolated and paired snails after infection with three miracidia of Fasciola hepatica. Four experimental groups were tested: isolated-unexposed, paired-unexposed, isolated-infected, and paired-infected. A repeated-measures ANOVA showed statistically significant interactions among isolation, infection, and age effects for shell size, number of egg masses per snail, number of eggs per snail, and number of viable eggs per snail. Isolated-unexposed snails exhibited the higher values of these variables and those of survival and finite and intrinsic rates of natural increase. Infection stimulated shell growth during the prepatent period, but differences were present only in paired snails since isolation causes a similar effect. Reproduction, in terms of the number of egg masses per snail and the number of eggs per mass per snail, decreases in the presence of parasitic infection, whereas isolation stimulates it. These effects were observed from early stages of infection.

Life history traits of Fossaria cubensis were compared between isolated and paired snails after infection with three miracidia of Fasciola hepatica. Four experimental groups were tested: isolated-unexposed, paired-unexposed, isolated-infected, and paired-infected. A repeated-measures ANOVA showed statistically significant interactions among isolation, infection, and age effects for shell size, number of egg masses per snail, number of eggs per snail, and number of viable eggs per snail. Isolated-unexposed snails exhibited the higher values of these variables and those of survival and finite and intrinsic rates of natural increase. Infection stimulated shell growth during the prepatent period, but differences were present only in paired snails since isolation causes a similar effect. Reproduction, in terms of the number of egg masses per snail and the number of eggs per mass per snail, decreases in the presence of parasitic infection, whereas isolation stimulates it. These effects were observed from early stages of infection.

Air pollution is an important and popular topic in Hong Kong as concerns have been raised about the health impacts caused by vehicle exhausts in recent years. In Hong Kong, sulphur dioxide SO 2 , nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ), nitric oxide (NO), carbon monoxide (CO), and respirable suspended particulates (RSP) are major air pollutants caused by the dominant usage of diesel fuel by goods vehicles and buses. These major pollutants and the related secondary pollutant, e.g., ozone (O 3 ), become and impose harmful impact on human health in Hong Kong area after the northern shifting of major industries to Mainland China. The air pollution index (API), a referential parameter describing air pollution levels, provides information to enhance the public awareness of air pollutions in time series since 1995. In this study, the varying trends of API and the levels of related air pollutants are analyzed based on the database monitored at a selected roadside air quality monitoring station, i.e., Causeway Bay, during 1999-2003. Firstly, the original measured pollutant data and the resultant APIs are analyzed statistically in different time series including daily, monthly, seasonal patterns. It is found that the daily mean APIs in seasonal period can be regarded as stationary time series. Secondly, the autoregressive moving average (ARMA) method, implemented by Box-Jenkins model, is used to forecast the API time series in different seasonal specifications. The performance evaluations of the adopted models are also carried out and discussed according to Bayesian information criteria (BIC) and root mean square error (RMSE). The results indicate that the ARMA model can provide reliable, satisfactory predictions for the problem interested and is expecting to be an alternative tool for practical assessment and justification.

Identity recognition is always an exciting topic within the field of cultural studies. It is handy and exciting for one to study the society, culture and people of a specific place, with the combination of examination of the history of that locale.

Provided in the topic of research, it is ever known that 1997 was a crucial point in Hong Kong History. Signed in 1984, the Sino-British Joint Declaration on the Question of Hong Kong (hereafter known as the Joint Declaration) marked the future event of the 1997 Handover of the Sovereignty of Hong Kong to China (henceforth known as 1997 Handover). Since then, Hong Kong entered the transitional period, which lasted for 13 years. In the transitional period, the prominent historical event was the mass migration of HongKongers. Shortly after the signature of Joint Declaration in 1984, the uncertainty of future in their homeland, including the social and institutional changes and, most importantly, the incoming of the Chinese regime under the communist rule began hand in hands among HongKongers. This kind of fear, together with the June 4th Incident that intensified fear towards communist government after 1997, triggered the mass migration of HongKongers which reached its climax in the 1990s.

After the 1997 Handover, Hong Kong marched into another stage of rapid development. At that time, the Hong Kong economy went on another boosting. The society went on the trend of vibrancy under the implementation of the “one country two systems”. This posture, at a certain extent, changed the attitude towards the future of the city of a notable proportion of HongKongers abroad. Apart from that, migrated to foreign countries, a significant number of HongKongers found out life abroad was difficult. Albeit the character of flexible and adaptable possessed by HongKongers, some migrants could fit themselves into neither the local social systems nor the living modes there. They also found the economic environment hard to make them remain overseas. Therefore, because of the social development in Hong Kong after handover, together with the dilemma encountered in lives abroad, they began to have the idea for moving back to Hong Kong for life and developments after 1997 handover, which commenced the trend of a mass return of Hong Kong immigrants.

The abovementioned maybe relates to the population flow of society. However, this hides the actual issue of the identity recognition of Hong Kong citizens, which is the key topic that this thesis aims to discuss. Hence, provided by this exciting time background, this thesis wishes to examine the changes in the formation of identity recognition of HongKongers between the transitional period and post-1997 Handover Hong Kong. It is because this period consists of a new form of migrating mentality based on the uncertainty of their future, together with gradually forming hope towards their homeland.