Sample records for abraham pais prize

  1. Abraham Pais Prize Lecture: Shifting Problems and Boundaries in the History of Modern Physics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nye, Mary-Jo

    A long established category of study in the history of science is the ``history of physical sciences.'' It is a category that immediately begs the question of disciplinary boundaries for the problems and subjects addressed in historical inquiry. As a historian of the physical sciences, I often have puzzled over disciplinary boundaries and the means used to create or justify them. Scientists most often have been professionally identified with specific institutionalized fields since the late 19th century, but the questions they ask and the problems they solve are not neatly carved up by disciplinary perimeters. Like institutional departments or professorships, the Nobel Prizes in the 20th century often have delineated the scope of ``Physics'' or ``Chemistry'' (and ``Physiology or Medicine''), but the Prizes do not reflect disciplinary rigidity, despite some standard core subjects. In this paper I examine trends in Nobel Prize awards that indicate shifts in problem solving and in boundaries in twentieth century physics, tying those developments to changing themes in the history of physics and physical science in recent decades.

  2. Abraham Pais Prize Talk: The Joy of History

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Stuewer, Roger H.

    2013-04-01

    Physicists and historians of physics share a common goal, the quest for understanding, but their objects are different: Physicists attempt to understand Nature, while historians attempt to understand the past, finding both the challenge and joy of history in exploring the contingencies of historical events, their dependence on scientific, biographical, sociopolitical, cultural, and other factors, and shaping them into a coherent narrative. My first example will focus on the history of the photon concept, in particular on the work of Arthur Holly Compton between 1916 and 1922 that led to his discovery of the Compton effect, whose understanding ultimately rested on a close examination of his laboratory notebooks. I will then turn to two episodes in the history of nuclear physics. The first deals with a controversy between 1922 and 1927 between Ernest Rutherford and James Chadwick at the Cavendish Laboratory in Cambridge and Hans Pettersson and Gerhard Kirsch at the Institute for Radium Research in Vienna that involved their fundamentally different experimental observations and theoretical interpretations of the artificial disintegration of nuclei whose resolution could only be understood after uncovering crucial correspondence between the protagonists. The second episode traces George Gamow's creation and development of the liquid-drop model of the nucleus in 1928 and 1929 and its subsequent development in two stages, first by Werner Heisenberg and Carl Friedrich von Weizsäcker from 1933 to 1936, and second by Niels Bohr and Fritz Kalckar in 1936 and 1937, both of which merged in the minds of Lise Meitner and Otto Robert Frisch at the end of 1938 to yield the correct interpretation of nuclear fission, an act of creation whose understanding rested on a detailed analysis of the published literature.

  3. Book Review: The genius of science: a portrait gallery of twentieth-century physicists. Abraham Pais, Oxford University Press, New York, 2000, 365 pp., UK £26.50, ISBN 0-19-850614-7

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kragh, Helge

    Abraham Pais made important contributions to the physics of elementary particles and other areas of theoretical physics before he turned, in the 1970s, to the history of modern physics, a field he cultivated energetically and successfully until his death in 2000. Among the best works of the prolific physicist-historian (a better term, in this case, than historian of physics) is the acclaimed Einstein biography Subtle is the Lord (1982) and Inward Bound (1986), a comprehensive chronicle of elementary particle physics. More recently his autobiography, A Tale of Two Continents (1997), appeared, a book to a large extent based on Pais's friendship and acquaintance with many of the greatest physicists of the twentieth century. In the present book, the physicists who appeared as supporting cast in his autobiography are presented in their own right, chapter by chapter. Yet Pais himself is present throughout the book and the reader is constantly reminded of his friendship with the physicists portrayed.

  4. Premonitory Awareness in Stuttering Scale (PAiS).

    PubMed

    Cholin, Joana; Heiler, Sabrina; Whillier, Alexander; Sommer, Martin

    2016-09-01

    Anticipation of stuttering events in persistent developmental stuttering is a frequent but inadequately measured phenomenon that is of both theoretical and clinical importance. Here, we describe the development and preliminary testing of a German version of the Premonitory Awareness in Stuttering Scale (PAiS): a 12-item questionnaire assessing immediate and prospective anticipation of stuttering that was translated and adapted from the Premonitory Urge for Tics Scale (PUTS) (Woods, Piacentini, Himle, & Chang, 2005). After refining the preliminary PAiS scale in a pilot study, we administered a revised version to 21 adults who stutter (AWS) and 21 age, gender and education-matched control participants. Results demonstrated that the PAiS had good internal consistency and discriminated the two speaker groups very effectively, with AWS reporting anticipation of speech disruptions significantly more often than adults with typical speech. Correlations between the PAiS total score and both the objective and subjective measures of stuttering severity revealed that AWS with high PAiS scores produced fewer stuttered syllables. This is possibly because these individuals are better able to adaptively use these anticipatory sensations to modulate their speech. These results suggest that, with continued refinement, the PAiS has the potential to provide clinicians and researchers with a practical and psychometrically sound tool that can quantify how a given AWS anticipates upcoming stuttering events. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. [Salzburg 1908. Karl Abraham caught between Freud and Jung].

    PubMed

    van Schoonheten, Anna Bentinck

    2010-01-01

    The first psychoanalytic congress in Salzburg has often been described as a great success with one blemish: a conflict between Jung and Abraham, mainly caused by the rivalry in Abraham's behaviour. A new study of the material, and taking Abraham's perspective, provides a different view. Abraham, still a beginner in psychoanalysis, got in the way of Freud and Jung who at that time had a deep theoretical disagreement. In the end they both blamed Abraham.

  6. The Abraham Pais Prize Lecture: The historical Development of the Physical Concept of Time

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jammer, Max

    2007-04-01

    The Irish physicist and mathematician John Lighton Synge once (1959) proclaimed that of all physical measurements that of time is the most fundamental and its theory ``the most basic theory of all.'' Twenty years later the Belgian physicist and chemist Ilya Prigogine declared that ``the concept of time is much more complex than we thought.'' Indeed, having studied the basic notions in physics like space, mass, force, simultaneity and written on each of them a detailed monograph, I always postponed a similar treatment of the concept of time because I realized that just by being the ``most basic'' it is also the most ``complex'' of all notions in physics and therefore a rather complicated subject of research. In fact, time, as perceived by us, is both ``flowing'' and ``enduring'' and its ``passing'' always ``lasts.'' If I venture nevertheless to offer herewith a survey of the conceptual development of the notion of time, I do so because I delimit myself to the role of time only in physics and ignore as far as possible general metaphysical, psychological or biological issues. The presentation thus ignores the history of the notion of time as conceived in the myths and religions of ancient civilizations and begins, after some brief remarks about the Pythagoreans, with the theories of time as proposed by the Pre-Socratics, Plato and Aristotle. After a critical discourse on the early proponents of an idealistic interpretation of the notion of time, like that of St. Augustine, medieval theories of time, like those which proposed the atomicity of time, are discussed. After a presentation of sixteenth century discussions of time, like that by Bruno or Gassendi, Isaac Barrow's and Isaac Newton's theories of physical time are critically analyzed. This is followed by a brief study of the conceptions of time by Locke and Berkeley and subsequently by Leibniz, who is often regarded as the first proponent of a relational or causal theory of time. Following some brief remarks about Hume's conception of time Kant's critical investigation of the notion of time is analyzed and followed by the theories of an ``arrow if time'' as a result of the existence of irreversible thermodynamic processes. After a brief discussion of Poincar'e's thesis of the conventional status of temporal metric, Einstein's interpretation of distant simultaneity and consequently his definition of time via simultaneity, as presented in his famous 1905 paper on relativity, are discussed. This is followed by some remarks on the concept of time in the general theory of relativity. A brief outline of the role of the concept of time in modern cosmology and, in particular, Hawking's notion of ``imaginary time'' conclude this essay.

  7. Abraham Pais Prize for History of Physics Talk: Henry Cavendish, John Michell, Weighing the Stars

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    McCormmach, Russell

    2010-03-01

    This talk is about an interaction between two 18th-century natural philosophers (physical scientists), Henry Cavendish and John Michell, and its most important outcome, the experiment of weighing the world (their name for it) using a torsion balance (our name for it). Michell was the most inventive of the 18th century English natural philosophers, and Cavendish was the first of his countrymen to possess abilities at all comparable with Newton's. By their interests and skills, they were drawn to one another. Both were universal natural philosophers, equally adept at building scientific instruments, performing experiments, constructing theory, and using mathematics; both had a penchant for exacting, quantitative work. Both also had fitful habits of publication, which did not begin to reveal the range of their work, to the mystification of later scientists and historians. Late in life, Cavendish and Michell turned their attention to the force that Newton had examined most completely, a singular triumph of his natural philosophy, the force of universal gravitation. Over the course of the 18th century, abundant evidence of attraction had been gathered from the motions of the earth, moon, planets, and comets, phenomena which span the intermediate range of masses, sizes, and distances. But in three domains of experience, involving the extreme upper and lower limits of masses and dimensions, the universality of gravitation remained an article of faith. These were the gravity of the ``fixed'' stars, the mutual attraction of terrestrial bodies, and the gravitation of light and other special substances. Michell took on himself the task of deducing observable consequences from each of these prospective instances of universal gravitation. Cavendish encouraged Michell, and he followed up the resulting observational and experimental questions. The experiment of weighing the world was the last experiment Mitchell planned and the last experiment Cavendish published. The capstone of two distinguished careers, the experiment outlived the world in which it was conceived and carried out. Today gravitation is at the center of the physics of the very small and the very large, and experiments that followed in Michell and Cavendish's footsteps find a place in it. The ``most important advance in experiments on gravitation,'' to quote an authority, ``was the introduction of the torsion balance'' by Michell and Cavendish and independently by Coulomb; ``it has been the basis of all the most significant experiments on gravitation ever since.'' Another authority traces the ``noble tradition of precision measurement to which we are heirs'' to Cavendish's experiment, which he calls the ``first modern physics experiment.''

  8. Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine

    MedlinePlus

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  9. Ponderomotive forces in electrodynamics of moving media: The Minkowski and Abraham approaches

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nesterenko, V. V.; Nesterenko, A. V.

    2016-09-01

    In the general setting of the problem, the explicit compact formulae are derived for the ponderomotive forces in the macroscopic electrodynamics of moving media in the Minkowski and Abraham approaches. Taking account of the Minkowski constitutive relations and making use of a special representation for the Abraham energy-momentum tensor enable one to obtain a compact expression for the Abraham force in the case of arbitrary dependence of the medium velocity on spatial coordinates and the time and for nonstationary external electromagnetic field. We term the difference between the ponderomotive forces in the Abraham and Minkowski approaches as the Abraham force not only under consideration of media at rest but also in the case of moving media. The Lorentz force is found which is exerted by external electromagnetic field on the conduction current in a medium, the covariant Ohm law, and the constitutive Minkowski relations being taken into account. The physical argumentation is traced for the definition of the 4-vector of the ponderomotive force as the 4-divergence of the energy-momentum tensor of electromagnetic field in a medium.

  10. Reexamination of the Abraham-Minkowski dilemma

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Silveirinha, Mário G.

    2017-09-01

    Here the Abraham-Minkowski controversy on the correct definition of the light momentum in a macroscopic medium is revisited with the purpose to highlight that an effective medium formalism necessarily restricts the available information on the internal state of a system, and that this is ultimately the reason why the dilemma has no universal solution. Despite these difficulties, it is demonstrated that in the limit of no material absorption and under steady-state conditions, the time-averaged light (kinetic) momentum may be unambiguously determined by the Abraham result, both for bodies at rest and for circulatory flows of matter. The implications of these findings are discussed in the context of quantum optics of moving media, and we examine in detail the fundamental role of the Minkowski momentum in such a context.

  11. Abraham Maslow's Legacy for Counseling.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hoffman, Edward

    1990-01-01

    Reviews the life of Abraham Maslow, a key founder of the humanistic approach to counseling, and his contributions to the counseling field. Maintains that Maslow's innovative work was often misinterpreted by both his admirers and his critics, yet remains highly relevant to current concerns in counseling. (Author/PVV)

  12. Hidden momentum and the Abraham-Minkowski debate

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Saldanha, Pablo L.; Filho, J. S. Oliveira

    2017-04-01

    We use an extended version of electrodynamics, which admits the existence of magnetic charges and currents, to discuss how different models for electric and magnetic dipoles do or do not carry hidden momentum under the influence of external electromagnetic fields. Based on that, we discuss how the models adopted for the electric and magnetic dipoles from the particles that compose a material medium influence the expression for the electromagnetic part of the light momentum in the medium. We show that Abraham expression is compatible with electric dipoles formed by electric charges and magnetic dipoles formed by magnetic charges, while Minkowski expression is compatible with electric dipoles formed by magnetic currents and magnetic dipoles formed by electric currents. The expression ɛ0E ×B , on the other hand, is shown to be compatible with electric dipoles formed by electric charges and magnetic dipoles formed by electric currents, which are much more natural models. So this expression has an interesting interpretation in the Abraham-Minkowski debate about the momentum of light in a medium: It is the expression compatible with the nonexistence of magnetic charges. We also provide a simple justification of why Abraham and Minkowski momenta can be associated with the kinetic and canonical momentum of light, respectively.

  13. Abraham Lincoln: American Lawyer-President

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dirck, Brian

    2009-01-01

    Abraham Lincoln was the most experienced trial lawyer Americans have ever placed in the White House. While more than half of the United State's presidents have been attorneys, none possessed Lincoln's extensive courtroom experience: approximately 3,800 known cases, litigated during a quarter century at the Illinois bar. However, the law's…

  14. Non-polynomial extensions of solvable potentials à la Abraham-Moses

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Odake, Satoru; Sasaki, Ryu; Center for Theoretical Sciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan

    2013-10-15

    Abraham-Moses transformations, besides Darboux transformations, are well-known procedures to generate extensions of solvable potentials in one-dimensional quantum mechanics. Here we present the explicit forms of infinitely many seed solutions for adding eigenstates at arbitrary real energy through the Abraham-Moses transformations for typical solvable potentials, e.g., the radial oscillator, the Darboux-Pöschl-Teller, and some others. These seed solutions are simple generalisations of the virtual state wavefunctions, which are obtained from the eigenfunctions by discrete symmetries of the potentials. The virtual state wavefunctions have been an essential ingredient for constructing multi-indexed Laguerre and Jacobi polynomials through multiple Darboux-Crum transformations. In contrast to themore » Darboux transformations, the virtual state wavefunctions generate non-polynomial extensions of solvable potentials through the Abraham-Moses transformations.« less

  15. PAI-1 mRNA expression and plasma level in rheumatoid arthritis: relationship with 4G/5G PAI-1 polymorphism.

    PubMed

    Muñoz-Valle, José Francisco; Ruiz-Quezada, Sandra Luz; Oregón-Romero, Edith; Navarro-Hernández, Rosa Elena; Castañeda-Saucedo, Eduardo; De la Cruz-Mosso, Ulises; Illades-Aguiar, Berenice; Leyva-Vázquez, Marco Antonio; Castro-Alarcón, Natividad; Parra-Rojas, Isela

    2012-12-01

    Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease affecting the synovial membrane, cartilage and bone. PAI-1 is a key regulator of the fibrinolytic system through which plasminogen is converted to plasmin. The plasmin activates the matrix metalloproteinase system, which is closely related with the joint damage and bone destruction in RA. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between 4G/5G PAI-1 polymorphism with mRNA expression and PAI-1 plasma protein levels in RA patients. 113 RA patients and 123 healthy subjects (HS) were included in the study. The 4G/5G PAI-1 polymorphism was determined by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism method; the PAI-1 mRNA expression was determined by real-time PCR; and the soluble PAI-1 (sPAI-1) levels were quantified using an ELISA kit. No significant differences in the genotype and allele frequencies of 4G/5G PAI-1 polymorphism were found between RA patients and HS. However, the 5G/5G genotype was the most frequent in both studied groups: RA (42%) and HS (44%). PAI-1 mRNA expression was slightly increased (0.67 fold) in RA patients with respect to HS (P = 0.0001). In addition, in RA patients, the 4G/4G genotype carriers showed increased PAI-1 mRNA expression (3.82 fold) versus 4G/5G and 5G/5G genotypes (P = 0.0001), whereas the sPAI-1 plasma levels did not show significant differences. Our results indicate that the 4G/5G PAI-1 polymorphism is not a marker of susceptibility in the Western Mexico. However, the 4G/4G genotype is associated with high PAI-1 mRNA expression but not with the sPAI-1 levels in RA patients.

  16. Abraham Maslow: On the Potential of Women

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Podeschi, Ronald L.; Podeschi, Phyllis J.

    1973-01-01

    Authors presented some principal perspectives by the psychologist, Abraham Maslow, who died in 1970, and who was writing about the potential of women long before it became popular to do so. (Author/RK)

  17. Citations Prize 2013

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cherry, Simon; Ruffle, Jon

    2014-06-01

    Physics in Medicine and Biology (PMB) awards its 'Citations Prize' to the authors of the original research paper that has received the most citations in the preceding five years (according to the Institute for Scientific Information (ISI)). The lead author of the winning paper is presented with the Rotblat Medal (named in honour of Professor Sir Joseph Rotblat, a Nobel Prize winner who also was the second—and longest serving—Editor of PMB, from 1961-1972). The winner of the 2013 Citations Prize for the paper which has received the most citations in the previous five years (2008-2012) is Figure. Figure. Four of the prize winning authors. From left to right: Thomas Istel (Philips), Jens-Peter Schlomka (with medal, MorphoDetection), Ewald Roessl (Philips), and Gerhard Martens (Philips). Title: Experimental feasibility of multi-energy photon-counting K-edge imaging in pre-clinical computed tomography Authors: Jens Peter Schlomka1, Ewald Roessl1, Ralf Dorscheid2, Stefan Dill2, Gerhard Martens1, Thomas Istel1, Christian Bäumer3, Christoph Herrmann3, Roger Steadman3, Günter Zeitler3, Amir Livne4 and Roland Proksa1 Institutions: 1 Philips Research Europe, Sector Medical Imaging Systems, Hamburg, Germany 2 Philips Research Europe, Engineering & Technology, Aachen, Germany 3 Philips Research Europe, Sector Medical Imaging Systems, Aachen, Germany 4 Philips Healthcare, Global Research and Advanced Development, Haifa, Israel Reference: Schlomka et al 2008 Phys. Med. Biol. 53 4031-47 This paper becomes the first to win both this citations prize and also the PMB best paper prize (The Roberts Prize), which it won for the year 2008. Discussion of the significance of the winning paper can be found in this medicalphysicsweb article from the time of the Roberts Prize win (http://medicalphysicsweb.org/cws/article/research/39907). The author's enthusiasm for their prototype spectral CT system has certainly been reflected in the large number of citations the paper subsequently has

  18. Possibility of measuring the Abraham force using whispering gallery modes

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Brevik, I.; Ellingsen, S. A.

    2010-06-15

    Critical experimental tests of the time-dependent Abraham force in phenomenological electrodynamics are scarce. In this paper, we analyze the possibility of making use of intensity-modulated whispering gallery modes in a microresonator for this purpose. Systems of this kind appear attractive, as the strong concentration of electromagnetic fields near the rim of the resonator serves to enhance the Abraham torque exerted by the field. We analyze mainly spherical resonators, although as an introductory step we consider also the cylinder geometry. The orders of magnitude of the Abraham torques are estimated by inserting reasonable and common values for the various input parameters.more » As expected, the predicted torques turn out to be very small, although probably not beyond reach experimentally. Our main idea is essentially a generalization of the method used by G. B. Walker et al.[Can. J. Phys. 53, 2577 (1975)] for low-frequency fields, to the optical case.« less

  19. Nobel prizes: contributions to cardiology.

    PubMed

    Mesquita, Evandro Tinoco; Marchese, Luana de Decco; Dias, Danielle Warol; Barbeito, Andressa Brasil; Gomes, Jonathan Costa; Muradas, Maria Clara Soares; Lanzieri, Pedro Gemal; Gismondi, Ronaldo Altenburg

    2015-08-01

    The Nobel Prize was created by Alfred Nobel. The first prize was awarded in 1901 and Emil Adolf von Behring was the first laureate in medicine due to his research in diphtheria serum. Regarding cardiology, Nobel Prize's history permits a global comprehension of progress in pathophysiology, diagnosis and therapeutics of various cardiac diseases in last 120 years. The objective of this study was to review the major scientific discoveries contemplated by Nobel Prizes that contributed to cardiology. In addition, we also hypothesized why Carlos Chagas, one of our most important scientists, did not win the prize in two occasions. We carried out a non-systematic review of Nobel Prize winners, selecting the main studies relevant to heart diseaseamong the laureates. In the period between 1901 and 2013, 204 researches and 104 prizes were awarded in Nobel Prize, of which 16 (15%) studies were important for cardiovascular area. There were 33 (16%) laureates, and two (6%) were women. Fourteen (42%) were American, 15 (45%) Europeans and four (13%) were from other countries. There was only one winner born in Brazil, Peter Medawar, whose career was all in England. Reviewing the history of the Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine area made possible to identify which researchers and studies had contributed to advances in the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases. Most winners were North Americans and Europeans, and male.

  20. Citations Prize 2010 Citations Prize 2010

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Webb, Steve; Harris, Simon

    2010-12-01

    Physics in Medicine & Biology (PMB) awards its 'Citations Prize' to the authors of the original research paper that has received the most citations in the preceding five years (according to the Institute for Scientific Information (ISI)). The lead author of the winning paper is presented with the Rotblat Medal (named in honour of Professor Sir Joseph Rotblat who was the second—and longest serving—Editor of PMB, from 1961-1972). The winning co-authors each receive a certificate. Photograph of the 2010 Citations Prize winners The winning authors Fernando Rannou (left), George Alexandrakis (holding the Rotblat Medal) and Arion Chatziioannou (right). The winner of the 2010 Citations Prize for the paper which has received the most citations in the previous 5 years (2005-2009) is Tomographic bioluminescence imaging by use of a combined optical-PET (OPET) system: a computer simulation feasibility study Authors: George Alexandrakis, Fernando R Rannou and Arion F Chatziioannou Reference: George Alexandrakis et al 2005 Phys. Med. Biol. 50 4225-41 Discussion of the significance of the winning paper can be found on medicalphysicsweb (medicalphysicsweb.org/cws/article/research/44334). Our congratulations go to the winning authors. Steve Webb Editor-in-Chief Simon Harris Publisher

  1. Famous Americans: George Washington & Abraham Lincoln.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fleming, Maria

    Introducing students in grade 1-3 to George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, this book presents thematic units that present biographical information, and literature links such as poems, songs, stories, cross-curricular activities, and hands-on reproducibles. Chapters in the book are: (1) Getting to Know George; (2) The Father and His Country; (3)…

  2. J. Robert Oppenheimer - A Life

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pais, Abraham; Crease, Robert P.

    2006-04-01

    The late Abraham Pais wrote the definitive biography of Albert Einstein, "Subtle is the Lord," which won an American Book Award. As a distinguished physicist and Einstein's colleague, Pais combined a sophisticated understanding of physics with first-hand knowledge of this notoriously private individual, offering rare insights into both. It is his unique double perspective that makes his work so valuable. Now Abraham Pais offers an illuminating portrait of another eminent colleague, J. Robert Oppenheimer, one of the most charismatic and enigmatic figures of modern physics. Pais introduces us to a precocious youth who sped through Harvard in three years, made signal contributions to quantum mechanics while in his twenties, and was instrumental in the growth of American physics in the decade before the Second World War, almost single-handedly putting American physics on the map. Pais paints a revealing portrait of Oppenheimer's life in Los Alamos, where in twenty remarkable, feverish months, under his inspired leadership, the first atomic bomb was designed and built, a success that made Oppenheimer America's most famous scientist. Pais, who was his next-door neighbor for many years, describes Oppenheimer's long tenure as Director of the Institute of Advanced Study at Princeton, but also shows how Oppenheimer's intensity and arrogance won him powerful enemies, who would ultimately make him one of the principal victims of the Red Scare of the 1950s. Told with compassion and deep insight, J. Robert Oppenheimer is the most comprehensive biography of the great physicist available. It is Abraham Pais's final work, completed after his death by Robert P. Crease, an acclaimed historian of science in his own right.

  3. Vision and the Nobel Prize.

    PubMed

    Morais, Fábio Barreto

    2018-04-01

    The Nobel Prize is the world's foremost honor for scientific advances in medicine and other areas. Founded by Alfred Nobel, the prizes have been awarded annually since 1901. We reviewed the literature on persons who have won or competed for this prize in subjects related to vision and ophthalmology. The topics were divided into vision physiology, diagnostic and therapeutic methods, disease mechanism, and miscellaneous categories. Allvar Gullstrand is the only ophthalmologist to win a Nobel Prize; he is also the only one to receive it for work in ophthalmology. Other ophthalmologists that have been nominated were Hjalmar Schiötz (tonometer), Karl Koller (topical anesthesia), and Jules Gonin (retinal detachment). Other scientists have won the prize for eye-related research: Ragnar Granit, Haldan Hartline and George Wald (chemistry and physiology of vision), and David Hubel and Torsten Wiesel (processing in the visual system). Peter Medawar is the only person born in Brazil to have won the Nobel Prize.

  4. In Brief: Trieste Prize nominations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Showstack, Randy

    2007-12-01

    Nominations for the 2008 Trieste Science Prize in Earth, space, ocean, and atmospheric sciences and in engineering sciences are being accepted through 31 January 2008. The prize has been established to give international recognition and visibility to outstanding scientific achievements made by scientists from developing countries. Candidates must be nationals of developing countries, and the prizes will only be awarded to individuals for scientific research of outstanding international merit carried out at institutions in developing countries. The prizes, each of which carries a US$50,000 monetary award, are administered by the Academy of Sciences for the Developing World (TWAS) and funded by Illycaffè in collaboration with the Trieste (Italy) Town Council and the Trieste International Foundation for Scientific Progress and Freedom. For more information, contact the TWAS Secretariat at prizes@twas.org.

  5. Wave Energy Prize - General Information

    DOE Data Explorer

    Scharmen, Wesley

    2016-12-01

    All the informational files, templates, rules and guidelines for Wave Energy Prize (WEP), including the Wave Energy Prize Rules, Participant Terms and Conditions Template, WEC Prize Name, Logo, Branding, WEC Publicity, Technical Submission Template , Numerical Modeling Template, SSTF Submission Template, 1/20th Scale Model Design and Construction Plan Template, Final Report template, and Webinars.

  6. PAI-1 gain-of-function genotype, factors increasing PAI-1 levels, and airway obstruction: The GALA II Cohort.

    PubMed

    Sherenian, M G; Cho, S H; Levin, A; Min, J-Y; Oh, S S; Hu, D; Galanter, J; Sen, S; Huntsman, S; Eng, C; Rodriguez-Santana, J R; Serebrisky, D; Avila, P C; Kalhan, R; Smith, L J; Borrell, L N; Seibold, M A; Keoki Williams, L; Burchard, E G; Kumar, R

    2017-09-01

    PAI-1 gain-of-function variants promote airway fibrosis and are associated with asthma and with worse lung function in subjects with asthma. We sought to determine whether the association of a gain-of-function polymorphism in plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) with airway obstruction is modified by asthma status, and whether any genotype effect persists after accounting for common exposures that increase PAI-1 level. We studied 2070 Latino children (8-21y) with genotypic and pulmonary function data from the GALA II cohort. We estimated the relationship of the PAI-1 risk allele with FEV1/FVC by multivariate linear regression, stratified by asthma status. We examined the association of the polymorphism with asthma and airway obstruction within asthmatics via multivariate logistic regression. We replicated associations in the SAPPHIRE cohort of African Americans (n=1056). Secondary analysis included the effect of the at-risk polymorphism on postbronchodilator lung function. There was an interaction between asthma status and the PAI-1 polymorphism on FEV 1 /FVC (P=.03). The gain-of-function variants, genotypes (AA/AG), were associated with lower FEV 1 /FVC in subjects with asthma (β=-1.25, CI: -2.14,-0.35, P=.006), but not in controls. Subjects with asthma and the AA/AG genotypes had a 5% decrease in FEV 1 /FVC (P<.001). In asthmatics, the risk genotype (AA/AG) was associated with a 39% increase in risk of clinically relevant airway obstruction (OR=1.39, CI: 1.01, 1.92, P=.04). These associations persisted after exclusion of factors that increase PAI-1 including tobacco exposure and obesity. The decrease in the FEV 1 /FVC ratio associated with the risk genotype was modified by asthma status. The genotype increased the odds of airway obstruction by 75% within asthmatics only. As exposures known to increase PAI-1 levels did not mitigate this association, PAI-1 may contribute to airway obstruction in the context of chronic asthmatic airway inflammation. © 2017

  7. 2016 Lush Science Prize.

    PubMed

    McCann, Jenny; McCann, Terry

    2017-11-01

    The Lush Prize supports animal-free testing by awarding monetary prizes totalling £250,000 to the most effective projects and individuals who have been working toward the goal of replacing animals in product or ingredient safety testing. Prizes are awarded for developments in five strategic areas: Science; Lobbying; Training; Public Awareness; and Young Researchers. In the event of a major breakthrough leading to the replacement of animal tests in the area of 21st Century Toxicology, a Black Box Prize (equivalent to the entire annual fund of £250,000) is awarded. The Science Prize is awarded to the researchers whose work the judging panel believe has made the most significant contribution to the replacement of animal testing in the preceding year. This Background Paper outlines the research projects that were shortlisted and presented to the judging panel as potential candidates for the 2016 Lush Science Prize. This process involved reviewing recent work of the relevant scientific institutions and projects in this area, such as the OECD, CAAT, The Hamner Institutes, ECVAM, UK NC3Rs, and the US Tox21 Programme. Recent developments in toxicity testing research were also identified by searching for relevant published papers in the literature, and analysing abstracts from conferences focusing on animal replacement in toxicity testing that had been held in the preceding 12 months - for example the EUSAAT-Linz, Society of Toxicology, and SEURAT-1 conferences. 2017 FRAME.

  8. Abraham Lincoln, psychotherapist to the nation: the use of metaphors.

    PubMed

    Leetz, K L

    1997-01-01

    Metaphors are widely utilized in psychotherapy to effect change in patients. Psychotherapeutic metaphors, in their various versions, may offer new choices and ways of viewing oneself to the patient which are more palatable than straight discussions or sterile insights. By addressing resistances indirectly, metaphors can be an effective tool for the therapist to use, regardless of theoretical orientation. Abraham Lincoln, a master of metaphor, utilized this tool effectively in dealing with crises and the ultimate fragmentation, disunion of the national identity. The author argues that Lincoln was able to address complex issues (such as slavery, liberty, nationhood, union, and conduct of the war) with metaphors, much as a skilled psychotherapist addresses complex issues within his or her purview. Abraham Lincoln effectively disarmed his critics, established a means of communication with the people, and sought to make his points in an understandable nonconfrontational fashion. These are skills highly valued by psychotherapists. One might say that Abraham Lincoln conducted psychotherapy on a national scale. Without formal training, he was ultimately able to create a new and more stable sense of national self using a metaphorical approach.

  9. Abraham Szöke [Abraham Szoke - Physics Today Obituary

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Libby, Stephen B.; Rosen, Mordecai D.

    Abraham Szöke, who did groundbreaking work in quantum optics, laser fusion, high-energy-density (HED) physics, and x-ray crystallography, died from complications of lymphoma on 26 January 2017. Born in Budapest, Hungary, on 1 December 1929, Szöke was an excellent student in mathematics and science who placed near the top of the famous Eötvös mathematics competition. He survived the Holocaust, and in 1949 he escaped from Communist Hungary and emigrated to Israel. He earned his doctorate in physics, with Saul Meiboom and William Low as his advisers, in 1962 from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. As part of his thesis, he mademore » the first measurement demonstrating the effect of radiation damping on nuclear magnetic resonance and its relation to transient maser action; that effect had been predicted a few years earlier by Nicolaas Bloembergen and Robert Pound.« less

  10. Abraham Szöke [Abraham Szoke - Physics Today Obituary

    DOE PAGES

    Libby, Stephen B.; Rosen, Mordecai D.

    2017-10-01

    Abraham Szöke, who did groundbreaking work in quantum optics, laser fusion, high-energy-density (HED) physics, and x-ray crystallography, died from complications of lymphoma on 26 January 2017. Born in Budapest, Hungary, on 1 December 1929, Szöke was an excellent student in mathematics and science who placed near the top of the famous Eötvös mathematics competition. He survived the Holocaust, and in 1949 he escaped from Communist Hungary and emigrated to Israel. He earned his doctorate in physics, with Saul Meiboom and William Low as his advisers, in 1962 from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. As part of his thesis, he mademore » the first measurement demonstrating the effect of radiation damping on nuclear magnetic resonance and its relation to transient maser action; that effect had been predicted a few years earlier by Nicolaas Bloembergen and Robert Pound.« less

  11. Famous Americans: George Washington and Abraham Lincoln.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fleming, Maria

    This book provides background information and ideas for teaching about George Washington and Abraham Lincoln at the primary grade level. Cross-curricular activities include work in music, writing, art, research, plays, and games. A pull-out poster with a poem on "President's Day" is stapled in the center of the book. Chapters in the book…

  12. U.S. Medical Education Reformers Abraham Flexner (1866-1959) and Simon Flexner (1863-1946).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Parker, Franklin; Parker, Betty J.

    This paper (in the form of a dialogue) tells the stories of two members of a remarkable family of nine children, the Flexners of Louisville, Kentucky. The paper focuses on Abraham and Simon, who were reformers in the field of medical education in the United States. The dialogue takes Abraham Flexner through his undergraduate education at Johns…

  13. Tyler Prize nominations sought

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Showstack, Randy

    2012-08-01

    Nominations for the 2013 Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement are being accepted until 21 September. The prize is considered the top international award that honors achievements and contributions in environmental science, protection, energy, and medicine. Among previous recipients are a number of AGU members, including 2012 awardee John Seinfeld, the Louis E. Nohl Professor and professor of chemical engineering at the California Institute of Technology, who was recognized for his contributions to the understanding of the origin, chemistry, and evolution of aerosols in the atmosphere. For more information about the prize, prior honorees, and nomination requirements, see http://www.tylerprize.usc.edu

  14. Solvation thermodynamics and the physical-chemical meaning of the constant in Abraham solvation equations.

    PubMed

    van Noort, Paul C M

    2012-04-01

    Abraham solvation equations find widespread use in environmental chemistry. Until now, the intercept in these equations was determined by fitting experimental data. To simplify the determination of the coefficients in Abraham solvation equations, this study derives theoretical expressions for the value of the intercept for various partition processes. To that end, a modification of the description of the Ben-Naim standard state into the van der Waals volume is proposed. Differences between predicted and fitted values of the Abraham solvation equation intercept for the enthalpy of solvation, the entropy of solvation, solvent-water partitioning, air-solvent partitioning, partitioning into micelles, partitioning into lipid membranes and lipids, and chromatographic retention indices are comparable to experimental uncertainties in these values. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Serum PAI-1 and PAI-1 4G/5G Polymorphism in Hepatitis C Virus-Induced Cirrhosis and Hepatitis C Virus-Induced Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients.

    PubMed

    El Edel, Rawhia H; Essa, Enas Said; Essa, Abdallah S; Hegazy, Sara A; El Rowedy, Dalia I

    2016-11-01

    Association between variable agent-induced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and both PAI-1 4G/5G polymorphism and plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI-1) levels compared to healthy controls have been reported in earlier studies. We aimed to assess serum PAI-1 and PAI-1 4G/5G polymorphism in hepatitis C virus (HCV)-induced HCC, HCV-induced liver cirrhosis, and viral infection-free apparently healthy control subjects. Forty nine HCC, 52 cirrhosis, and 105 controls were genotyped for PAI-1 4G/5G using an allele-specific polymerase chain reaction analysis. In addition, for 31 HCC, 24 cirrhosis, and 28 controls, serum PAI-1 level was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). There was no significant difference in PAI-1 4G/5G genotype distribution between cirrhosis and controls (p = 0.33, p = 0.15, and p = 0.38 for the codominant, dominant, and recessive models, respectively) or between HCC and cirrhosis (p = 0.5, p = 0.24, and p = 0.69 for the codominant, dominant, and recessive models, respectively). Serum PAI-1 was significantly higher in cirrhosis than controls and significantly lower in HCC than cirrhosis (p < 0.001 for both). Serum PAI-1 did not differ significantly among the three PAI-1 4G/5G genotypes in controls, cirrhosis, and HCC (p = 0.29, p = 0.28, and p = 0.73 respectively). We documented higher serum PAI-1 in HCV-induced HCC than viral infection-free controls, but interestingly, lower than HCV-induced liver cirrhosis patients. This was not genotype related. Further studies will be needed to clearly elucidate the underlying mechanism.

  16. Is the Nobel Prize good for science?

    PubMed

    Casadevall, Arturo; Fang, Ferric C

    2013-12-01

    The Nobel Prize is arguably the best known and most prestigious award in science. Here we review the effect of the Nobel Prize and acknowledge that it has had many beneficial effects on science. However, ever since its inaugural year in 1901, the Nobel Prize has also been beset by controversy, mostly involving the selection of certain individuals and the exclusion of others. In this regard, the Nobel Prize epitomizes the winner-takes-all economics of credit allocation and distorts the history of science by personalizing discoveries that are truly made by groups of individuals. The limitation of the prize to only 3 individuals at a time when most scientific discovery is the result of collaborative and cooperative research is arguably the major cause of Nobel Prize controversies. A simple solution to this problem would be to eliminate the restriction on the number of individuals who could be awarded the prize, a measure that would recognize all who contribute, from students to senior investigators. There is precedent for such a change in the Nobel Peace Prize, which has often gone to organizations. Changing the Nobel Prize to more fairly allocate credit would reduce the potential for controversy and directly benefit the scientific enterprise by promoting cooperation and collaboration of scientists within a field to reduce the negative consequences of competition between individual scientists.

  17. The Bohr paradox

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Crease, Robert P.

    2008-05-01

    In his book Niels Bohr's Times, the physicist Abraham Pais captures a paradox in his subject's legacy by quoting three conflicting assessments. Pais cites Max Born, of the first generation of quantum physics, and Werner Heisenberg, of the second, as saying that Bohr had a greater influence on physics and physicists than any other scientist. Yet Pais also reports a distinguished younger colleague asking with puzzlement and scepticism "What did Bohr really do?".

  18. Inhibition of PAI-1 Antiproteolytic Activity Against tPA by RNA Aptamers

    PubMed Central

    Damare, Jared; Brandal, Stephanie

    2014-01-01

    Plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1; SERPINE1) inhibits the plasminogen activators: tissue-type plasminogen activator (tPA) and urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA). Elevated levels of PAI-1 have been correlated with an increased risk for cardiovascular disease. Pharmacologically suppressing PAI-1 might prevent, or successfully treat PAI-1 related vascular diseases. This can potentially be accomplished by using small RNA molecules (aptamers). This study's goal is to develop RNA aptamers to a region of PAI-1 that will prevent the ability of PAI-1 to interact with the plasminogen activators. The aptamers were generated through a systematic evolution of ligands via exponential enrichment approach that ensures the creation of RNA molecules that bind to our target protein, PAI-1. In vitro assays were used to determine the effect of these aptamers on PAI-1's inhibitory activity. Three aptamers that bind to PAI-1 with affinities in the nanomolar range were isolated. The aptamer clones R10-4 and R10-2 inhibited PAI-1's antiproteolytic activity against tPA and disrupted PAI-1's ability to form a stable covalent complex with tPA. Increasing aptamer concentrations correlated positively with an increase in cleaved PAI-1. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of RNA molecules that inhibit the antiproteolytic activity of PAI-1. PMID:24922319

  19. Special issue: Culham Thesis Prize winners

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ham, C. J.

    2015-01-01

    The Culham Thesis Prize is awarded annually to the nominee who has displayed an excellence in the execution of the scientific method as witnessed by the award of Doctor of Philosophy in Plasma Science from a UK or Irish university. The thesis content should exhibit significant new work and originality, clearly driven by the nominee, be well explained and demonstrate a good understanding of the subject. The prize is awarded at the Institute of Physics Plasma Physics Group Spring Conference and the prize winner gives an invited talk about their thesis work. The prize is sponsored by Culham Centre for Fusion Energy.

  20. "Convivencia," Abrahamic Religions and Study Abroad in Spain

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McCoy, Mitchell A.; Holt, Sally

    2018-01-01

    As a point of departure for understanding the complexities of Spanish national and individual identities, it is incumbent that a student begin by investigating Spanish iterations of the three Abrahamic religions. This presupposition of religion's centrality in the pursuit of better informed understandings of the Spanish nation, people, history and…

  1. Radiation forces and the Abraham-Minkowski problem

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Brevik, Iver

    2018-04-01

    Recent years have witnessed a number of beautiful experiments in radiation optics. Our purpose with this paper is to highlight some developments of radiation pressure physics in general, and thereafter to focus on the importance of the mentioned experiments in regard to the classic Abraham-Minkowski problem. That means, what is the “correct” expression for electromagnetic momentum density in continuous matter. In our opinion, one often sees that authors over-interpret the importance of their experimental findings with respect to the momentum problem. Most of these experiments are actually unable to discriminate between these energy-momentum tensors at all, since they can be easily described in terms of force expressions that are common for Abraham and Minkowski. Moreover, we emphasize the inherent ambiguity in applying the formal conservation principles to the radiation field in a dielectric, the reason being that the electromagnetic field in matter is only a subsystem which has to be supplemented by the mechanical subsystem to be closed. Finally, we make some suggestions regarding the connection between macroscopic electrodynamics and the Casimir effect, suggesting that there is a limit for the magnitudes of the cutoff parameters in QFT related to surface tension in ordinary hydromechanics.

  2. Quantum Chemically Estimated Abraham Solute Parameters Using Multiple Solvent-Water Partition Coefficients and Molecular Polarizability.

    PubMed

    Liang, Yuzhen; Xiong, Ruichang; Sandler, Stanley I; Di Toro, Dominic M

    2017-09-05

    Polyparameter Linear Free Energy Relationships (pp-LFERs), also called Linear Solvation Energy Relationships (LSERs), are used to predict many environmentally significant properties of chemicals. A method is presented for computing the necessary chemical parameters, the Abraham parameters (AP), used by many pp-LFERs. It employs quantum chemical calculations and uses only the chemical's molecular structure. The method computes the Abraham E parameter using density functional theory computed molecular polarizability and the Clausius-Mossotti equation relating the index refraction to the molecular polarizability, estimates the Abraham V as the COSMO calculated molecular volume, and computes the remaining AP S, A, and B jointly with a multiple linear regression using sixty-five solvent-water partition coefficients computed using the quantum mechanical COSMO-SAC solvation model. These solute parameters, referred to as Quantum Chemically estimated Abraham Parameters (QCAP), are further adjusted by fitting to experimentally based APs using QCAP parameters as the independent variables so that they are compatible with existing Abraham pp-LFERs. QCAP and adjusted QCAP for 1827 neutral chemicals are included. For 24 solvent-water systems including octanol-water, predicted log solvent-water partition coefficients using adjusted QCAP have the smallest root-mean-square errors (RMSEs, 0.314-0.602) compared to predictions made using APs estimated using the molecular fragment based method ABSOLV (0.45-0.716). For munition and munition-like compounds, adjusted QCAP has much lower RMSE (0.860) than does ABSOLV (4.45) which essentially fails for these compounds.

  3. The image of the Nobel Prize.

    PubMed

    Källstrand, Gustav

    2018-05-01

    This article traces the origins of the Nobel Prize as a ubiquitous symbol of excellence in science. The public image of the Nobel Prize was created and became established quickly, which can be explained by it being such a useful phenomenon for the co-production of other values and ideas such as national prestige. Through being an easily recognizable symbol for excellence, the Nobel Prize is an important factor for the public image of science. And the image of the Nobel Prize is co-produced with several other sets of values and images that range from the large and thematic to the local and specific.

  4. Feasibility of the Participation and Activity Inventory for Children and Youth (PAI-CY) and Young Adults (PAI-YA) with a visual impairment: a pilot study.

    PubMed

    Elsman, Ellen Bernadette Maria; van Nispen, Ruth Marie Antoinette; van Rens, Gerardus Hermanus Maria Bartholomeus

    2017-05-11

    Having a visual impairment affects quality of life, daily functioning and participation. To assess rehabilitation needs of visually impaired children and young adults, the Participation and Activity Inventory for Children and Youth (PAI-CY) and Young Adults (PAI-YA) were developed. The PAI-CY comprises four questionnaires for different age categories: 0-2 years, 3-6 years, 7-12 years and 13-17 years. This pilot study assesses the feasibility and acceptability of the PAI-CY and PAI-YA, and the relevance of the content of the questionnaires. In addition to the regular admission procedure, the PAI-CY and PAI-YA were completed by 30 participants (six per questionnaire). For the PAI-CY, parents completed the questionnaire online prior to admission. From age 7 years onwards, children completed the questionnaire face-to-face with a rehabilitation professional during the admission procedure. Young adults completed the PAI-YA online. Subsequently, participants and professionals administered an evaluation form. Overall, 85% of the parents rated all aspects of the PAI-CY neutral to positive, whereas 100% of all children and young adults were neutral to positive on all aspects, except for the duration to complete. The main criticism of professionals was that they were unable to identify actual rehabilitation needs using the questionnaires. Minor adjustments were recommended for the content of questions. Parents, children and young adults were mostly satisfied with the questionnaires, however, professionals suggested some changes. The adaptations made should improve satisfaction with content, clarification of questions, and satisfaction with the questionnaires in compiling a rehabilitation plan. Although face and content validity has been optimized, a larger field study is taking place to further develop and evaluate the questionnaires.

  5. The Enigmatic Savior of the Union: Abraham Lincoln.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Diamond, Ronald L.; Diamond, Linda W.

    Abraham Lincoln rose from the depths of obscurity to guide the United States successfully through the turbulent and menacing years of the Civil War. Laborer, businessman, postmaster, politician, and lawyer were some of the vocations, not all successful, that Lincoln tried during the years leading to his ascent to the Presidency. This review of the…

  6. Resolving distinct molecular origins for copper effects on PAI-1.

    PubMed

    Bucci, Joel C; McClintock, Carlee S; Chu, Yuzhuo; Ware, Gregory L; McConnell, Kayla D; Emerson, Joseph P; Peterson, Cynthia B

    2017-10-01

    Components of the fibrinolytic system are subjected to stringent control to maintain proper hemostasis. Central to this regulation is the serpin plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), which is responsible for specific and rapid inhibition of fibrinolytic proteases. Active PAI-1 is inherently unstable and readily converts to a latent, inactive form. The binding of vitronectin and other ligands influences stability of active PAI-1. Our laboratory recently observed reciprocal effects on the stability of active PAI-1 in the presence of transition metals, such as copper, depending on the whether vitronectin was also present (Thompson et al. Protein Sci 20:353-365, 2011). To better understand the molecular basis for these copper effects on PAI-1, we have developed a gel-based copper sensitivity assay that can be used to assess the copper concentrations that accelerate the conversion of active PAI-1 to a latent form. The copper sensitivity of wild-type PAI-1 was compared with variants lacking N-terminal histidine residues hypothesized to be involved in copper binding. In these PAI-1 variants, we observed significant differences in copper sensitivity, and these data were corroborated by latency conversion kinetics and thermodynamics of copper binding by isothermal titration calorimetry. These studies identified a copper-binding site involving histidines at positions 2 and 3 that confers a remarkable stabilization of PAI-1 beyond what is observed with vitronectin alone. A second site, independent from the two histidines, binds metal and increases the rate of the latency conversion.

  7. The association between plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 (PAI-1) levels, PAI-1 4G/5G polymorphism, and myocardial infarction: a Mendelian randomization meta-analysis.

    PubMed

    Nikolopoulos, Georgios K; Bagos, Pantelis G; Tsangaris, Iraklis; Tsiara, Chrissa G; Kopterides, Petros; Vaiopoulos, Aristides; Kapsimali, Violetta; Bonovas, Stefanos; Tsantes, Argirios E

    2014-07-01

    The circulating levels of plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 (PAI-1) are increased in individuals carrying the 4G allele at position -675 of the PAI-1 gene. In turn, overexpression of PAI-1 has been found to affect both atheroma and thrombosis. However, the association between PAI-1 levels and the incidence of myocardial infarction (MI) is complicated by the potentially confounding effects of well-known cardiovascular risk factors. The current study tried to investigate in parallel the association of PAI-1 activity with the PAI-1 4G/5G polymorphism, with MI, and some components of metabolic syndrome (MetS). Using meta-analytical Mendelian randomization approaches, genotype-disease and genotype-phenotype associations were modeled simultaneously. According to an additive model of inheritance and the Mendelian randomization approach, the MI-related odd ratio for individuals carrying the 4G allele was 1.088 with 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.007, 1.175. Moreover, the 4G carriers had, on average, higher PAI-1 activity than 5G carriers by 1.136 units (95% CI 0.738, 1.533). The meta-regression analyses showed that the levels of triglycerides (p=0.005), cholesterol (p=0.037) and PAI-1 (p=0.021) in controls were associated with the MI risk conferred by the 4G carriers. The Mendelian randomization meta-analysis confirmed previous knowledge that the PAI-1 4G allele slightly increases the risk for MI. In addition, it supports the notion that PAI-1 activity and established cardiovascular determinants, such as cholesterol and triglyceride levels, could lie in the etiological pathway from PAI-1 4G allele to the occurrence of MI. Further research is warranted to elucidate these interactions.

  8. In Black South Africans from Rural and Urban Communities, the 4G/5G PAI-1 Polymorphism Influences PAI-1 Activity, but Not Plasma Clot Lysis Time

    PubMed Central

    de Lange, Zelda; Rijken, Dingeman C.; Hoekstra, Tiny; Conradie, Karin R.; Jerling, Johann C.; Pieters, Marlien

    2013-01-01

    Data on genetic and environmental factors influencing PAI-1 levels and their consequent effect on clot lysis in black African populations are limited. We identified polymorphisms in the promoter area of the PAI-1 gene and determined their influence on PAI-1act levels and plasma clot lysis time (CLT). We also describe gene-environment interactions and the effect of urbanisation. Data from 2010 apparently healthy urban and rural black participants from the South African arm of the PURE study were cross-sectionally analysed. The 5G allele frequency of the 4G/5G polymorphism was 0.85. PAI-1act increased across genotypes in the urban subgroup (p = 0.009) but not significantly in the rural subgroup, while CLT did not differ across genotypes. Significant interaction terms were found between the 4G/5G polymorphism and BMI, waist circumference and triglycerides in determining PAI-1act, and between the 4G/5G polymorphism and fibrinogen and fibrinogen gamma prime in determining CLT. The C428T and G429A polymorphisms did not show direct relationships with PAI-1act or CLT but they did influence the association of other environmental factors with PAI-1act and CLT. Several of these interactions differed significantly between rural and urban subgroups, particularly in individuals harbouring the mutant alleles. In conclusion, although the 4G/5G polymorphism significantly affected PAI-1act, it contributed less than 1% to the PAI-1act variance. (Central) obesity was the biggest contributor to PAI-1act variance (12.5%). Urbanisation significantly influenced the effect of the 4G/5G polymorphism on PAI-1act as well as gene-environment interactions for the C428T and G429A genotypes in determining PAI-1act and CLT. PMID:24386152

  9. In black South Africans from rural and urban communities, the 4G/5G PAI-1 polymorphism influences PAI-1 activity, but not plasma clot lysis time.

    PubMed

    de Lange, Zelda; Rijken, Dingeman C; Hoekstra, Tiny; Conradie, Karin R; Jerling, Johann C; Pieters, Marlien

    2013-01-01

    Data on genetic and environmental factors influencing PAI-1 levels and their consequent effect on clot lysis in black African populations are limited. We identified polymorphisms in the promoter area of the PAI-1 gene and determined their influence on PAI-1act levels and plasma clot lysis time (CLT). We also describe gene-environment interactions and the effect of urbanisation. Data from 2010 apparently healthy urban and rural black participants from the South African arm of the PURE study were cross-sectionally analysed. The 5G allele frequency of the 4G/5G polymorphism was 0.85. PAI-1act increased across genotypes in the urban subgroup (p = 0.009) but not significantly in the rural subgroup, while CLT did not differ across genotypes. Significant interaction terms were found between the 4G/5G polymorphism and BMI, waist circumference and triglycerides in determining PAI-1act, and between the 4G/5G polymorphism and fibrinogen and fibrinogen gamma prime in determining CLT. The C428T and G429A polymorphisms did not show direct relationships with PAI-1act or CLT but they did influence the association of other environmental factors with PAI-1act and CLT. Several of these interactions differed significantly between rural and urban subgroups, particularly in individuals harbouring the mutant alleles. In conclusion, although the 4G/5G polymorphism significantly affected PAI-1act, it contributed less than 1% to the PAI-1act variance. (Central) obesity was the biggest contributor to PAI-1act variance (12.5%). Urbanisation significantly influenced the effect of the 4G/5G polymorphism on PAI-1act as well as gene-environment interactions for the C428T and G429A genotypes in determining PAI-1act and CLT.

  10. Haagen-Smit Prize 2014

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    2015-02-01

    The Executive Editors and the Publisher of Atmospheric Environment take great pleasure in announcing the 2014 ''Haagen-Smit Prize", designed to recognize outstanding papers published in Atmospheric Environment. The Prize is named in honor of Prof. Arie Jan Haagen-Smit, a pioneer in the field of air pollution and one of the first editors of the International Journal of Air Pollution, a predecessor to Atmospheric Environment.

  11. Haagen-Smit Prize 2015

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    2016-01-01

    The Executive Editors and the Publisher of Atmospheric Environment take great pleasure in announcing the 2015 ''Haagen-Smit Prize;, designed to recognize outstanding papers published in Atmospheric Environment. The Prize is named in honor of Prof. Arie Jan Haagen-Smit, a pioneer in the field of air pollution and one of the first editors of the International Journal of Air Pollution, a predecessor to Atmospheric Environment.

  12. Haagen-Smit Prize 2016

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Singh, Hanwant

    2017-03-01

    The Executive Editors and the Publisher of Atmospheric Environment take great pleasure in announcing the 2016 "Haagen-Smit Prize", designed to recognize outstanding papers published in Atmospheric Environment. The Prize is named in honor of Prof. Arie Jan Haagen-Smit, a pioneer in the field of air pollution and one of the first editors of the International Journal of Air Pollution, a predecessor to Atmospheric Environment.

  13. Optics pioneers scoop Nobel prize

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Banks, Michael

    2009-11-01

    Three physicists who carried out pioneering work in former industrial research labs have picked up this year's Nobel Prize for Physics. One half of the SEK 10m prize has been awarded to Charles Kao, 75, for his work at the UK-based Standard Telephones and Cables (STC) on the transmission of light in optical fibres, which underpinned the telecommunications revolution. The other half of the prize is shared between Willard Boyle, 85, and George Smith, 79, of Bell Laboratories in New Jersey, US, for inventing the charge-coupled device (CCD) - an imaging semiconductor circuit that forms the basis of most digital cameras.

  14. [Tumor-associated prognostic factors of the plasminogen activator family: determination and clinical value of u-PA, t-PA, PAI-1, and PAI-2].

    PubMed

    Mengele, K; Harbeck, N; Reuning, U; Magdolen, V; Schmitt, M

    2005-08-01

    Proteolytic factors belonging t the plasminogen activator family (plasmin, u-PA, t-PA, u-PAR, PAI-1, and PAI-2), which usually are involved in blood clotting and degradation of blood clots, are also present in healthy and diseased tissue of the kidney, lung, liver, gastro-intestinal tract, breast, prostate, ovary, and brain. These factors are engaged in brain development, angiogenesis and vascular invasion, wound healing as well as in placenta development and embryogenesis. Plasminogen activators u-PA and t-PA, their inhibitors PAI-1 and PAI-2, and the u-PA-receptor (u-PAR, CD87) are often elevated in solid malignant tumour tissues compared to their normal counterparts. In breast cancer patients, an elevated tumour tissue extract antigen content of u-PA, PAI-1, and u-PAR is associated with increased tumour aggressiveness and poor prognosis; in contrary, an elevated content of t-PA and PAI-2 indicates a favourable prognosis. For clinical relevant determination of these proteolytic factors in tumour tissue extracts, only enzymo-immunometric tests (ELISA) are recommended. Enzymometric and enzymographic tests are actually conducted only in an experimental, preclinical context.

  15. The Association of Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor Type 1 (PAI-1) Level and PAI-1 4G/5G Gene Polymorphism with the Formation and the Grade of Endometrial Cancer.

    PubMed

    Yıldırım, Malik Ejder; Karakuş, Savas; Kurtulgan, Hande Küçük; Kılıçgün, Hasan; Erşan, Serpil; Bakır, Sevtap

    2017-08-01

    Plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 (PAI-1) is a serine protease inhibitor (Serpine 1), and it inhibits both tissue plasminogen activator and urokinase plasminogen activator which are important in fibrinolysis. We aimed to find whether there is a possible association between PAI-1 level, PAI-1 4G/5G polymorphism, and endometrial cancer. PAI-1 levels in peripheral blood were determined in 82 patients with endometrial carcinoma and 76 female healthy controls using an enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA). Then, the genomic DNA was extracted and screened by reverse hybridization procedure (Strip assay) to detect PAI 1 4G/5G polymorphism. The levels of PAI-1 in the patients were higher statistically in comparison to controls (P < 0.001). The distribution of PAI-1 4G/5G polymorphism was quite different between patients and controls (P = 0.008), and 4G allelic frequency was significantly higher in the patients of endometrial cancer than in controls (P = 0.026). We found significant difference between Grade 1 and Grade 2+3 patients in terms of the PAI-1 levels (P = 0.047). There was no association between PAI-1 4G/5G polymorphism and the grades of endometrial cancer (P = 0.993). Our data suggest that the level of PAI-1 and PAI-1 4G/5G gene polymorphism are effective in the formation of endometrial cancer. PAI-1 levels are also associated with the grades of endometrial cancer.

  16. Karl Abraham's revolution of 1916: from sensual sucking to the oral-aggressive wish of destruction.

    PubMed

    May, Ulrike

    2012-01-01

    The author argues that "The First Pregenital Stage of the Libido" (Abraham 1916-1917) expounds a new conception of orality, i.e., of purposeful oral aggression directed against an object during the first stage of psychic development. This conception is shown to be contrary to Freud's view of orality as elaborated in Three Essays on the Theory of Sexuality (1905), as well as in other writings of late 1914 and 1915. Abraham's conception ignores fundamental dimensions of Freud's thinking during these years, namely, the difference between autoerotism/narcissism and object love, on the one hand, and also between the leading role of sexuality and the secondary role of aggression, on the other. Thus, Abraham's thinking represents a basic theoretical change that had far-reaching consequences for psychoanalytic practice.

  17. Prize Recipients

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    2007-09-01

    The John Bardeen Prize is awarded for theoretical work that has provided significant insights on the nature of superconductivity and has led to verifiable predictions. It is sponsored by the Dresdner Bank.

  18. Abraham Pais Prize for History of Physics Lecture: Big, Bigger, Too Big? From Los Alamos to Fermilab and the SSC

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hoddeson, Lillian

    2012-03-01

    The modern era of big science emerged during World War II. Oppenheimer's Los Alamos laboratory offered the quintessential model of a government-funded, mission-oriented facility directed by a strong charismatic leader. The postwar beneficiaries of this model included the increasingly ambitious large laboratories that participated in particle physics--in particular, Brookhaven, SLAC, and Fermilab. They carried the big science they practiced into a new realm where experiments eventually became as large and costly as entire laboratories had been. Meanwhile the available funding grew more limited causing the physics research to be concentrated into fewer and bigger experiments that appeared never to end. The next phase in American high-energy physics was the Superconducting Super Collider, the most costly pure physics project ever attempted. The SSC's termination was a tragedy for American science, but for historians it offers an opportunity to understand what made the success of earlier large high-energy physics laboratories possible, and what made the continuation of the SSC impossible. The most obvious reason for the SSC's failure was its enormous and escalating budget, which Congress would no longer support. Other factors need to be recognized however: no leader could be found with directing skills as strong as those of Wilson, Panofsky, Lederman, or Richter; the scale of the project subjected it to uncomfortable public and Congressional scrutiny; and the DOE's enforcement of management procedures of the military-industrial complex that clashed with those typical of the scientific community led to the alienation and withdrawal of many of the most creative scientists, and to the perception and the reality of poor management. These factors, exacerbated by negative pressure from scientists in other fields and a post-Cold War climate in which physicists had little of their earlier cultural prestige, discouraged efforts to gain international support. They made the SSC crucially different from its predecessors and sealed its doom.

  19. Challenges & Prizes

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    Prize competitions are open innovation tools championed by the America COMPETES ACT that EPA and other federal agencies use to attract fresh thinkers and creative problem solvers from across the country and the world.

  20. Shaping Solutions from Learnings in PAIs: A Blueprint

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dosanjh, Nawtej; Jha, Pushkar P.

    2016-01-01

    Purpose: The paper outlines a portal that facilitates learning through sharing of experiences. This flow is between experience sharers and solution seekers in the domain of poverty alleviation interventions (PAIs). Practitioners working on PAIs are often confined to searching from within "lessons learned" repositories and also from…

  1. Ocular dermoid in Pai Syndrome: A review.

    PubMed

    Tormey, Peter; Bilic Cace, Iva; Boyle, Michael A

    2017-04-01

    Pai Syndrome is a rare congenital malformation syndrome of unknown cause with hypertelorism, midline cleft lip, nasal and facial polyps, ocular anomalies and the presence of distinctive lipomas adjacent to the corpus callosum. Herein, we present an infant girl with Pai Syndrome diagnosed in the first week of life with typical facial findings and associated pericallosal lipoma identified on cranial ultrasound and brain MRI. These typical features identified included median cleft of the upper lip (in her case as a forme fruste) with a cleft alveolus and a mid-anterior alveolar process congenital polyp. In addition to these findings there was mild hypertelorism and an ocular abnormality on the right eye. An ophthalmology assessment on day 5 identified the ocular lesion as a limbal dermoid. Several ocular anomalies have been reported in association with Pai Syndrome, however, dermoids have not been frequently described in this Syndrome and not before in a limbal location. Increasing identification of previously unreported ocular abnormalities in Pai Syndrome may improve diagnosis and may prove useful in future work attempting to elucidate the aetiology of this rare syndrome. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.

  2. [Surgeons and Neurosurgeons as Nobel Prize Winners].

    PubMed

    Chrastina, Jan; Jančálek, Radim; Hrabovský, Dušan; Novák, Zdeněk

    Since 1901 Nobel Prize is awarded for exceptional achievements in physics, chemistry, literature, peace, economy (since 1968) and medicine or physiology. The first aim of the paper is to provide an overview of surgeons - winners of Nobel Prize for medicine or physiology. Although the prominent neurosurgeons were frequently nominated as Nobel Prize candidates, surprisingly no neurosurgeon received this prestigious award so far despite that the results of their research transgressed the relatively narrow limits of neurosurgical speciality.The most prominent leaders in the field of neurosurgery, such as Victor Horsley, Otfrid Foerster, Walter Dandy and Harvey Cushing are discussed from the point of their nominations. The overview of the activity of the Portuguese neurologists and Nobel Prize Winter in 1949 Egas Moniz (occasionally erroneously reported as neurosurgeon) is also provided. Although his work on brain angiography has fundamentally changed the diagnostic possibilities in neurology and neurosurgery, he was eventually awarded Nobel Prize for the introduction of the currently outdated frontal lobotomy.The fact that none of the above mentioned prominent neurosurgeons has not been recognised by Nobel Prize, may be attributed to the fact that their extensive work cannot be captured in a short summary pinpointing its groundbreaking character.

  3. Prizes for innovation of new medicines and vaccines.

    PubMed

    Love, James; Hubbard, Tim

    2009-01-01

    This article argues that prizes can help stimulate medical innovation, control costs and ensure greater access to new medicines and vaccines. The authors explore four increasingly ambitious prize options to reward medical innovation, each addressing flaws in the current patent system. The first option promotes innovation through a large prize fund linked to the impact on health outcomes; the second option rewards the sharing of knowledge, data, and technology with open source dividends; the third option awards prizes for interim benchmarks and discrete technical problems; and the final option removes the exclusive right to use patented inventions in upstream research in favor of prizes. The authors conclude that a system of prizes to reward drug development would break the link between R&D incentives and product prices, and that such a reform is needed to improve innovation and access to new medicines and vaccines.

  4. The prevalence of 4G/5G polymorphism of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) gene in central serous chorioretinopathy and its association with plasma PAI-1 levels.

    PubMed

    Sogutlu Sari, Esin; Yazici, Alper; Eser, Betül; Erol, Muhammet Kazim; Kilic, Adil; Ermis, Sitki Samet; Koytak, Arif; Akşit, Hasan; Yakut, Tahsin

    2014-12-01

    Central serous chorioretinopathy (CSCR) is a poorly understood disease and the choroidal circulation abnormality induced by the plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 (PAI-1) seems to be associated with the pathogenesis. There are many reports indicating that 4 G/5 G polymorphism of the PAI-1 gene is a risk factor for several diseases related to the elevated serum levels of PAI-1. To evaluate the 4 G/5 G polymorphism of the PAI-1 gene and its association with serum levels of PAI-1 in acute CSCR patients. Sixty CSCR patients and 50 healthy control patients were included. The PAI-1 4 G/5 G was genotyped using the polymerase chain reaction-restriction technique. Serum PAI-1 level was measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Demographic data consisting of age, sex, body mass index (BMI) as well as genotype disturbances and serum PAI-1 levels were compared between the groups. Statistical significance for differences in the serum PAI-1 levels of each group with different genotypes was also analyzed. The CSCR group consisted of 40 male (66.7%) and 20 female (33.3%) patients with a mean age of 46.7 ± 8.39 years. The control group consisted of 32 male (64%) and 18 female (36%) healthy subjects with a mean age of 45.8 ± 8.39 years. There was no statistically significant difference between the groups in terms of age, sex and BMI. In the CSCR group the genotype frequencies were 4 G/4G: 30% (n = 18), 4G/5 G: 50% (n = 30), 5 G/5G: 20% (n = 12) and in the control group genotype frequencies were 34% (n = 17), 42% (n = 21) and 24% (n = 12), respectively. There was no statistically significant difference in the distribution of genotypes among the groups (chi-squared, p = 0.70). The CSCR group had a significantly higher serum PAI-1 concentration than the control group (p = 0.001). In both groups the mean plasma PAI-1 concentration did not vary significantly among the different genotypes (p > 0.05). Although our results demonstrated that the patients with acute CSCR have

  5. 2017 ISCB Overton Prize: Christoph Bock.

    PubMed

    Fogg, Christiana N; Kovats, Diane E; Berger, Bonnie

    2017-01-01

    The International Society for Computational Biology (ISCB) each year recognizes the achievements of an early to mid-career scientist with the Overton Prize. This prize honors the untimely death of Dr. G. Christian Overton, an admired computational biologist and founding ISCB Board member. Winners of the Overton Prize are independent investigators who are in the early to middle phases of their careers and are selected because of their significant contributions to computational biology through research, teaching, and service. ISCB is pleased to recognize Dr. Christoph Bock, Principal Investigator at the CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences in Vienna, Austria, as the 2017 winner of the Overton Prize. Bock will be presenting a keynote presentation at the 2017 International Conference on Intelligent Systems for Molecular Biology/European Conference on Computational Biology (ISMB/ECCB) in Prague, Czech Republic being held during July 21-25, 2017.

  6. Atypical findings in three patients with Pai syndrome and literature review.

    PubMed

    Lederer, Damien; Wilson, Brian; Lefesvre, Pierre; Poorten, Vincent Vander; Kirkham, Nigel; Mitra, Dipayan; Verellen-Dumoulin, Christine; Devriendt, Koenraad

    2012-11-01

    Pai syndrome is a rare disorder characterized by congenital nasal or facial polyp, midline cleft lip, pericallosal lipoma, ocular anomalies, and normal neuropsychological development. Here, we report on three patients with Pai syndrome and atypical findings: temporal triangular alopecia, posterior lenticonus, bilateral palatal pits, bifid uvula, hypospadias, sacral dimple, true tracheal bronchus, and epilepsy. Thirty-three cases of Pai syndrome have been described so far. We present a review of the previously reported cases and suggest modified diagnostic criteria for Pai syndrome. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  7. NASA Ames Hosts 2017 Breakthrough Prize

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2016-12-08

    NASA's Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley was the location of the 5th annual Breakthrough Prize ceremony, honoring scientific achievement. Researchers and engineers rubbed shoulders with Hollywood actors, Top-40 musicians, astronauts, sports heroes and Silicon Valley luminaries on the red carpet. Winners were honored with $3 million dollar prizes in the categories of physics, life sciences and mathematics with more than $25 million dollars awarded during the ceremony. The prizes were created by Sergey Brin, co-founder of Google and Anne Wojcicki, founder of 23 and Me; Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan of Facebook, and Yuri and Julia Milner.

  8. Abraham's discovery of the 'bad mother'. A contribution to the history of the theory of depression.

    PubMed

    May, U

    2001-04-01

    The author shows how, after Freud struggled in vain from the 1890s to develop a theory of depression, Abraham succeeded for the first time in finding an approach to the understanding of depression a few years before the publication of Freud's 'Mourning and melancholia'. It is contained in his study of the painter Giovanni Segantini (1911), which also includes a description, imbued with a new atmospheric quality, of the mother-son relationship that centres on the concept of the 'bad mother'. The author points out that Abraham's 'good/bad' dimension is effectively absent from Freud's published work up to 1911 and is also at variance with his view of the relationship between son and mother. In later contributions, too, Abraham maintained that unconscious hate directed at the mother, who is experienced as 'bad' but longed for as 'good', was a central factor in the aetiology of depression, a view he had to defend vis-à-vis Freud. The author contends that in the Segantini paper Abraham was describing an inner world similar to that evinced by the work of Melanie Klein and significantly different from Freud's. It is characterised by hate, revenge, death wishes and guilt feelings on the one hand and tranquillity and inner peace on the other.

  9. 2017 ISCB Overton Prize: Christoph Bock

    PubMed Central

    Fogg, Christiana N.; Kovats, Diane E.; Berger, Bonnie

    2017-01-01

    The International Society for Computational Biology (ISCB) each year recognizes the achievements of an early to mid-career scientist with the Overton Prize. This prize honors the untimely death of Dr. G. Christian Overton, an admired computational biologist and founding ISCB Board member. Winners of the Overton Prize are independent investigators who are in the early to middle phases of their careers and are selected because of their significant contributions to computational biology through research, teaching, and service. ISCB is pleased to recognize Dr. Christoph Bock, Principal Investigator at the CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences in Vienna, Austria, as the 2017 winner of the Overton Prize. Bock will be presenting a keynote presentation at the 2017 International Conference on Intelligent Systems for Molecular Biology/European Conference on Computational Biology (ISMB/ECCB) in Prague, Czech Republic being held during July 21-25, 2017. PMID:28713546

  10. Europlanet Prize for Public Engagement

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fouchet, Thierry

    2016-10-01

    The Europlanet Prize for Public Engagement with Planetary Science is awarded annually. Through the Prize, Europlanet aims to recognise achievements in engaging European citizens with planetary science and to raise the profile of outreach within the scientific community. It is awarded to individuals or groups who have developed innovative practices in planetary science communication and whose efforts have significantly contributed to a wider public engagement with planetary science.

  11. PUBLISHER'S ANNOUNCEMENT: Journal of Physics A Best Paper Prize Journal of Physics A Best Paper Prize

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bender, Carl M.; Scriven, Neil

    2008-10-01

    We are delighted to announce the launch of the Journal of Physics A Best Paper Prize. There will be three prizes worth £250 each awarded annually for well written papers that make an outstanding contribution to the field. All articles published during the two years prior to the award, including Fast Track Communications, regular papers, topical reviews and special issue papers, can be considered for a prize. The papers will be judged in May each year using the criteria of novelty, achievement, impact and presentation. We would now like to welcome nominations for prizes to be awarded in 2009. Eligible articles must have been published in volume 40 (2007) or 41 (2008). Papers can be nominated by our Editorial Board members (who are exempt from the competition) or by readers of the journal. Please send an email to the journal editorial office (jphysa@iop.org) giving the publication details of the paper and stating (in no more than 1000 words) how it meets the criteria listed above. Authors cannot nominate their own papers. The closing date for nominations is 31 January 2009. The first set of awards will be announced following the 2009 Editorial Board meeting and winners will receive their prizes shortly thereafter. The winners' articles will be featured on the journal homepage and showcased in IOPSelect (http://www.iop.org/Select/). For further information please contact the editorial office (jphysa@iop.org). Carl M Bender Editor-in-Chief Neil Scriven Publisher

  12. 1993 Gordon Bell Prize Winners

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Karp, Alan H.; Simon, Horst; Heller, Don; Cooper, D. M. (Technical Monitor)

    1994-01-01

    The Gordon Bell Prize recognizes significant achievements in the application of supercomputers to scientific and engineering problems. In 1993, finalists were named for work in three categories: (1) Performance, which recognizes those who solved a real problem in the quickest elapsed time. (2) Price/performance, which encourages the development of cost-effective supercomputing. (3) Compiler-generated speedup, which measures how well compiler writers are facilitating the programming of parallel processors. The winners were announced November 17 at the Supercomputing 93 conference in Portland, Oregon. Gordon Bell, an independent consultant in Los Altos, California, is sponsoring $2,000 in prizes each year for 10 years to promote practical parallel processing research. This is the sixth year of the prize, which Computer administers. Something unprecedented in Gordon Bell Prize competition occurred this year: A computer manufacturer was singled out for recognition. Nine entries reporting results obtained on the Cray C90 were received, seven of the submissions orchestrated by Cray Research. Although none of these entries showed sufficiently high performance to win outright, the judges were impressed by the breadth of applications that ran well on this machine, all nine running at more than a third of the peak performance of the machine.

  13. Broad Prize: Do the Successes Spread?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Samuels, Christina A.

    2011-01-01

    When the Broad Prize for Urban Education was created in 2002, billionaire philanthropist Eli Broad said he hoped the awards, in addition to rewarding high-performing school districts, would foster healthy competition; boost the prestige of urban education, long viewed as dysfunctional; and showcase best practices. Over the 10 years the prize has…

  14. pS2 and PAI-1 in ovarian cancer: correlation to pathohistological parameters.

    PubMed

    Speiser, P; Mayerhofer, K; Kucera, E; Roch, G; Mittelböck, M; Gitsch, G; Zeillinger, R

    1997-01-01

    The estrogen regulated pS2 protein and the Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor type 1 (PAI-1) have been reported as important tumor parameters both in breast and in ovarian cancer. We analysed the cytosolic concentrations of pS2 in 111 ovarian carcinoma and the cytosolic concentrations of PAI-1 in 104 ovarian cancers by RIA and ELISA. Using a cut-off level of 2 ng/mg protein we found 27% pS2+ tumors. We observed 42% PAI-1+ tumors using a out-off level of 1 ng/mg. We found a statistically significant decline in the pS2 status corresponding with an increase in the PAI-1 status from well to poor differentiation grade. The highest levels of pS2 and the lowest levels of PAI-1 were measured in borderline carcinoma. Significantly higher concentrations of pS2 were measured in mucinous over serous carcinoma. We found no significant correlation between PAI-1 and histologic subtypes, or between pS2 or PAI-1 and estrogen receptor status, progesterone receptor status, age and tumor stage. To conclude, we found pS2 and PAI-1 concentrations to be correlated with the grade of differentiation. A correlation between protein status and histologic subtypes could be observed for pS2 but not for PAI-1.

  15. Citations Prize 2009 Citations Prize 2009

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Webb, Steve; Harris, Simon

    2009-12-01

    Physics in Medicine & Biology (PMB) awards its 'Citations Prize' to the authors of the original research paper that has received the most citations in the preceding five years (according to the Institute for Scientific Information (ISI)). The lead author of the winning paper is presented with the Rotblat Medal (named in honour of Professor Sir Joseph Rotblat who was the second—and longest serving—Editor of PMB, from 1961-1972). The winning co-authors each receive a certificate. Photograph of the 2009 Citations Prize winners Some of the winning authors with their certificates, and Christian Morel with the Rotblat Medal, at the award ceremony in Orsay, near Paris. From left to right are Corinne Groiselle, Lydia Maigne, David Brasse, Irène Buvat, Dimitris Visvikis, Giovanni Santin, Uwe Pietrzyk, Pierre-François Honore, Christian Morel, Sébastien Jan and Arion Chatziioannou. The winner of the 2009 Citations Prize for the paper which has received the most citations in the previous 5 years (2004-2008) is GATE: a simulation toolkit for PET and SPECT Authors: S Jan, G Santin, D Strul, S Staelens, K Assié, D Autret, S Avner, R Barbier, M Bardiès, P M Bloomfield, D Brasse, V Breton, P Bruyndonckx, I Buvat, A F Chatziioannou, Y Choi, Y H Chung, C Comtat, D Donnarieix, L Ferrer, S J Glick, C J Groiselle, D Guez, P-F Honore, S Kerhoas-Cavata, A S Kirov, V Kohli, M Koole, M Krieguer, D J van der Laan, F Lamare, G Largeron, C Lartizien, D Lazaro, M C Maas, L Maigne, F Mayet, F Melot, C Merheb, E Pennacchio, J Perez, U Pietrzyk, F R Rannou, M Rey, D R Schaart, C R Schmidtlein, L~Simon, T Y Song, J-M Vieira, D Visvikis, R Van de Walle, E Wieörs and C Morel Reference: S Jan et al 2004 Phys. Med. Biol. 49 4543-61 Since its publication in 2004 this article has received over 200 citations. This extremely high figure is a testament to the great influence and usefulness of the work to the nuclear medicine community. More discussion of the winning paper can be found on

  16. Abraham Lincoln--His Words and His World: a Unit Plan.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Diamond, Ronald L.; Diamond, Linda W.

    Planned for an eighth-grade classroom, this unit plan, consisting of 19 lesson plans on the topic of Abraham Lincoln, is based upon the fulfillment of 17 unit objectives. Each daily lesson plan specifies the following: lesson theme, learner objective, needed prerequisites, new vocabulary or terms, learning set/motivation, presentation of new…

  17. "Happy Birthday, Mr. President!" New Books for Abraham Lincoln's Bicentennial

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Young, Terrell A.; Ward, Barbara A.; Day, Deanna

    2009-01-01

    Stories about Abraham Lincoln have captivated children for generations. The Lincoln story has taken on almost mythic proportions, making it difficult to separate fact from fiction or exaggeration. Young readers never tire of talking about Lincoln's early days--from his birth in a log cabin in Hardin County, Kentucky to his childhood in…

  18. Effect of Reinforcement Probability and Prize Size on Cocaine and Heroin Abstinence in Prize-Based Contingency Management

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ghitza, Udi E.; Epstein, David H.; Schmittner, John; Vahabzadeh, Massoud; Lin, Jia-Ling; Preston, Kenzie L.

    2008-01-01

    Although treatment outcome in prize-based contingency management has been shown to depend on reinforcement schedule, the optimal schedule is still unknown. Therefore, we conducted a retrospective analysis of data from a randomized clinical trial (Ghitza et al., 2007) to determine the effects of the probability of winning a prize (low vs. high) and…

  19. Electromagnetic Momentum in Magnetic Media and the Abraham-Minkowski Controversy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jimenez, J. L.; Campos, I.; Lopez-Marino, M. A.

    2011-01-01

    We explore the consequences of a force density, [image omitted], studied by some authors, for the device designed by Lai (1980 "Am. J. Phys. 48" 658) to analyse which definition of electromagnetic momentum density, either Minkowski's or Abraham's, is consistent with mechanical torques that arise from the change in time of a magnetic field, which…

  20. Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg illness.

    PubMed

    Goldman, Armond S; Schmalstieg, Frank C

    2007-05-01

    When Abraham Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address, he was weak and dizzy; his face had a ghastly colour. That evening on the train to Washington, DC, he was febrile and weak, and suffered severe headaches. The symptoms continued; back pains developed. On the fourth day of the illness, a widespread scarlet rash appeared that soon became vesicular. By the tenth day, the lesions itched and peeled. The illness lasted three weeks. The final diagnosis, a touch of varioloid, was an old name for smallpox that was later used in the 20th century to denote mild smallpox in a partially immune individual. It was unclear whether Lincoln had been immunized against smallpox. Indeed, this review suggests that Lincoln had unmodified smallpox and that Lincoln's physicians tried to reassure the public that Lincoln was not seriously ill. Indeed, the successful conclusion of the Civil War and reunification of the country were dependent upon Lincoln's presidency.

  1. Citations Prize 2011 Citations Prize 2011

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Webb, Steve; Harris, Simon

    2011-12-01

    Physics in Medicine & Biology (PMB) awards its 'Citations Prize' to the authors of the original research paper that has received the most citations in the preceding five years (according to the Institute for Scientific Information (ISI)). The lead author of the winning paper is presented with the Rotblat Medal (named in honour of Professor Sir Joseph Rotblat who was the second—and longest serving—Editor of PMB, from 1961-1972). The winning co-authors each receive a certificate. Susan Hagness (left) receiving the Rotblat Medal from Robert Jeraj of PMB's Editorial Board (right) on behalf of Mariya Lazebnik. The winner of the 2011 Citations Prize for the paper which has received the most citations in the previous 5 years (2006-2010) is A large-scale study of the ultrawideband microwave dielectric properties of normal, benign and malignant breast tissues obtained from cancer surgeries Authors: Mariya Lazebnik, Dijana Popovic, Leah McCartney, Cynthia B Watkins, Mary J Lindstrom, Josephine Harter, Sarah Sewall, Travis Ogilvie, Anthony Magliocco, Tara M Breslin, Walley Temple, Daphne Mew, John H Booske, Michal Okoniewski and Susan C Hagness Reference: Mariya Lazebnik et al 2007 Phys. Med. Biol. 52 6093-115 Discussion of the significance of the winning paper can be found on medicalphysicsweb (medicalphysicsweb.org/cws/article/research/47814). Our congratulations go to the winning authors. Steve Webb Editor-in-Chief Simon Harris Publisher

  2. Paul Dirac

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pais, Abraham; Jacob, Maurice; Olive, David I.; Atiyah, Michael F.

    1998-02-01

    Preface Peter Goddard; Dirac memorial address Stephen Hawking; 1. Paul Dirac: aspects of his life and work Abraham Pais; 2. Antimatter Maurice Jacob; 3. The monopole David Olive; 4. The Dirac equation and geometry Michael F. Atiyah.

  3. Paul Dirac

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pais, Abraham; Jacob, Maurice; Olive, David I.; Atiyah, Michael F.

    2005-09-01

    Preface Peter Goddard; Dirac memorial address Stephen Hawking; 1. Paul Dirac: aspects of his life and work Abraham Pais; 2. Antimatter Maurice Jacob; 3. The monopole David Olive; 4. The Dirac equation and geometry Michael F. Atiyah.

  4. Synthesis and the Nobel Prize in Chemistry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Seeman, Jeffrey I.

    2017-10-01

    The question often arises as to who may have deserved a Nobel Prize but was not awarded one. Rarely is this discussion extended to who should have received more than one Nobel Prize, but in the field of organic synthesis there are some compelling candidates.

  5. 29 CFR 778.330 - Prizes or contest awards generally.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 29 Labor 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Prizes or contest awards generally. 778.330 Section 778.330 Labor Regulations Relating to Labor (Continued) WAGE AND HOUR DIVISION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR STATEMENTS OF GENERAL POLICY OR INTERPRETATION NOT DIRECTLY RELATED TO REGULATIONS OVERTIME COMPENSATION Special Problems Prizes As Bonuses § 778.330 Prizes...

  6. Volatility, house edge and prize structure of gambling games.

    PubMed

    Turner, Nigel E

    2011-12-01

    This study used simulations to examine the effect of prize structure on the outcome volatility and the number of winners of various game configurations. The two most common prize structures found in gambling games are even money payoff games (bet $1; win $2) found on most table games and multilevel prizes structures found in gambling machine games. Simulations were set up to examine the effect of prize structure on the long-term outcomes of these games. Eight different prize structures were compared in terms of the number of winners and volatility. It was found that the standard table game and commercial gambling machines produced fairly high numbers of short term winners (1 h), but few long term winners (50 h). It was found that the typical even money game set up produced the lowest level of volatility. Of the multilevel prize structures examined, the three simulations based on commercial gambling machines were the least volatile. The results are examined in terms of the pragmatics of game design.

  7. EPA Challenges & Prizes

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    EPA is a government leader in tapping the power of contributions from the public to help solve difficult problems that affect the environment and public health. Prize competitions allow federal agencies to pay only for successful solutions.

  8. The plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) gene -844 A/G and -675 4G/5G promoter polymorphism significantly influences plasma PAI-1 levels in women with polycystic ovary syndrome.

    PubMed

    Lin, Sun; Huiya, Zhang; Bo, Liu; Wei, Wei; Yongmei, Guan

    2009-12-01

    Mutations in the plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) gene, along with increased PAI-1 levels, have been implicated in the pathogenesis of polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). We investigated a possible influence of the promoter polymorphism (-844 A/G and -675 4G/5G) in the PAI-1 gene on plasma PAI-1 levels in 126 PCOS patients and 97 healthy controls. Levels of total testosterone, luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), fasting plasma glucose (FPG), fasting insulin, and PAI-1 were measured, and body mass index (BMI), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), LH/FSH ratio, and homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) were calculated. PAI-1 -675 4G/5G and -844 A/G gene polymorphisms were also performed. Total testosterone, fasting insulin, and PAI-1 levels; BMI, LH/FSH, and HOMA-IR were significantly higher in PCOS patients than controls (P < 0.05). The odds ratio of 4G/4G genotype, 4G allele, and the combination genotype of 4G/4G and -844 A/A were 2.49 (95% confidence interval (CI), 1.4-4.44), 2.1 (95% CI, 1.43-3.08), and 2.9 (95% CI, 1.41-5.98), respectively, (P < 0.001). In the PCOS group, the PAI-1 level of the A/A was significantly higher than that of the A/G or G/G genotype, similarly was 4G/4G genotype compared with 4G/5G or 5G/5G genotype. The plasma PAI-1 levels of the combination of the PAI-1 -844 A/A and -675 4G/4G or 4G/5G genotypes, or the coadunation of 4G/4G and -844 non-G/G (A/A + A/G) genotypes were significantly high in PCOS women compared with controls. A trend to a positive interaction between PAI-1 -675 4G/5G and -844 A/G gene polymorphism may elevate plasma PAI-1 levels and hypofibrinolysis, which is probably an important hereditary risk factor in PCOS.

  9. 2016 ISCB Overton Prize awarded to Debora Marks

    PubMed Central

    Fogg, Christiana N.; Kovats, Diane E.

    2016-01-01

    The International Society for Computational Biology (ISCB) recognizes the achievements of an early- to mid-career scientist with the Overton Prize each year. The Overton Prize was established to honor the untimely loss of Dr. G. Christian Overton, a respected computational biologist and founding ISCB Board member. Winners of the Overton Prize are independent investigators in the early to middle phases of their careers who are selected because of their significant contributions to computational biology through research, teaching, and service. 2016 will mark the fifteenth bestowment of the ISCB Overton Prize.  ISCB is pleased to confer this award the to Debora Marks, Assistant Professor of Systems Biology and director of the Raymond and Beverly Sackler Laboratory for Computational Biology at Harvard Medical School. PMID:27429747

  10. 2016 ISCB Overton Prize awarded to Debora Marks.

    PubMed

    Fogg, Christiana N; Kovats, Diane E

    2016-01-01

    The International Society for Computational Biology (ISCB) recognizes the achievements of an early- to mid-career scientist with the Overton Prize each year. The Overton Prize was established to honor the untimely loss of Dr. G. Christian Overton, a respected computational biologist and founding ISCB Board member. Winners of the Overton Prize are independent investigators in the early to middle phases of their careers who are selected because of their significant contributions to computational biology through research, teaching, and service. 2016 will mark the fifteenth bestowment of the ISCB Overton Prize.  ISCB is pleased to confer this award the to Debora Marks, Assistant Professor of Systems Biology and director of the Raymond and Beverly Sackler Laboratory for Computational Biology at Harvard Medical School.

  11. Stephen Hawking bags big new 3m physics prize

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Johnston, Hamish

    2013-01-01

    A massive 3m in prize money has gone to the British cosmologist Stephen Hawking for his work on black holes, quantum gravity and the early universe. The award is one of two "special fundamental physics prizes" from the Fundamental Physics Prize Foundation, which was set up earlier this year by the Russian physicist-turned-entrepreneur Yuri Milner.

  12. The Nobel Peace Prizes as Teaching Tools. Educational Resources.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Abrams, Irwin

    1994-01-01

    Asserts that the Nobel Peace Prize provides a gateway for teaching the critical issue of peace in history courses. Presents an overview of the origin, development, and history of the Nobel Peace Prize, with special focus on U.S. winners. Includes six suggested student projects and a list of U.S. Nobel Peace Prize winners. (CFR)

  13. 4G/5G polymorphism modulates PAI-1 circulating levels in obese women.

    PubMed

    Fernandes, Karla S; Sandrim, Valéria C

    2012-05-01

    The increase in plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 (PAI-1) has been described as a risk factor to thrombosis-related diseases. In addition, it has been demonstrated that the variant 4G of polymorphism 4G/5G located in promoter region of PAI-1 gene is associated with higher PAI-1 levels. We investigate the role of this polymorphism on circulating PAI-1 concentration in a population of 57 obese women (23%, 4G/4G; 49%, 4G/5G and 28%, 5G/5G genotypes). Our results demonstrate a genotype-specific modulation on PAI-1 levels in obese women, thus 5G/5G genotype presented significantly lower levels of plasma PAI-1 when compared to 4G/4G group (46 ± 19 ng/mL vs. 63 ± 13 ng/mL, respectively). Our findings indicate that obese carriers of 4G/4G genotype may have increased risk to develop thrombotic diseases.

  14. Relationships between coping style and PAI profiles in a community sample.

    PubMed

    Deisinger, J A; Cassisi, J E; Whitaker, S L

    1996-05-01

    Relationships between coping style and psychological functioning were examined in a heterogeneous community sample (N = 168). Psychological functioning was categorized with the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI; Morey, 1991). Subjects were assigned to PAI configural profile clusters, using T-scores from PAI clinical scales. Three PAI clusters were prominent in this sample: normal, anxious, and eccentric. Multivariate analysis of covariance revealed that these clusters differed significantly in coping style, as measured by the dispositional format of the COPE Inventory (Carver, Scheier, & Weintraub, 1989). Normals coped through avoidance significantly less than anxious or eccentric subjects. Also, normals engaged in seeking social support and venting more than eccentric but less than anxious subjects. Gender differences also were noted, with women more likely to cope by seeking social support and men more likely to cope through hedonistic escapism.

  15. Innovation Inducement Prizes: Connecting Research to Policy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Besharov, Douglas J.; Williams, Heidi

    2012-01-01

    Innovation inducement prizes have been used for centuries. In the United States, a recent federal policy change--the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010--clarified and simplified a path by which all federal agencies can offer innovation inducement prizes, thus intensifying interest in how government agencies can most effectively design…

  16. Gastric Expression of Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor (PAI)-1 Is Associated with Hyperphagia and Obesity in Mice

    PubMed Central

    Kenny, Susan; Gamble, Joanne; Lyons, Suzanne; Vlatković, Nikolina; Dimaline, Rod; Varro, Andrea

    2013-01-01

    The adipokine plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI)-1 is increased in plasma of obese individuals and exhibits increased expression in the stomachs of individuals infected with Helicobacter. To investigate the relevance of gastric PAI-1, we used 1.1 kb of the H+/K+β subunit promoter to overexpress PAI-1 specifically in mouse gastric parietal cells (PAI-1-H/Kβ mice). We studied the physiological, biochemical, and behavioral characteristics of these and mice null for PAI-1 or a putative receptor, urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR). PAI-1-H/Kβ mice had increased plasma concentrations of PAI-1 and increased body mass, adiposity, and hyperphagia compared with wild-type mice. In the latter, food intake was inhibited by cholecystokinin (CCK)8s, but PAI-1-H/Kβ mice were insensitive to the satiating effects of CCK8s. PAI-1-H/Kβ mice also had significantly reduced expression of c-fos in the nucleus tractus solitarius in response to CCK8s and refeeding compared with wild-type mice. Exogenous PAI-1 reversed the effects of CCK8s on food intake and c-fos levels in the nucleus tractus solitarius of wild-type mice, but not uPAR-null mice. Infection of C57BL/6 mice with Helicobacter felis increased gastric abundance of PAI-1 and reduced the satiating effects of CCK8s, whereas the response to CCK8s was maintained in infected PAI-1–null mice. In cultured vagal afferent neurons, PAI-1 inhibited stimulation of neuropeptide Y type 2 receptor (Y2R) expression by CCK8s. Thus, gastric expression of PAI-1 is associated with hyperphagia, moderate obesity, and resistance to the satiating effects of CCK indicating a new role in suppressing signals from the upper gut that inhibit food intake. PMID:23254194

  17. Gastric expression of plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI)-1 is associated with hyperphagia and obesity in mice.

    PubMed

    Kenny, Susan; Gamble, Joanne; Lyons, Suzanne; Vlatkovic, Nikolina; Dimaline, Rod; Varro, Andrea; Dockray, Graham J

    2013-02-01

    The adipokine plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI)-1 is increased in plasma of obese individuals and exhibits increased expression in the stomachs of individuals infected with Helicobacter. To investigate the relevance of gastric PAI-1, we used 1.1 kb of the H(+)/K(+)β subunit promoter to overexpress PAI-1 specifically in mouse gastric parietal cells (PAI-1-H/Kβ mice). We studied the physiological, biochemical, and behavioral characteristics of these and mice null for PAI-1 or a putative receptor, urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR). PAI-1-H/Kβ mice had increased plasma concentrations of PAI-1 and increased body mass, adiposity, and hyperphagia compared with wild-type mice. In the latter, food intake was inhibited by cholecystokinin (CCK)8s, but PAI-1-H/Kβ mice were insensitive to the satiating effects of CCK8s. PAI-1-H/Kβ mice also had significantly reduced expression of c-fos in the nucleus tractus solitarius in response to CCK8s and refeeding compared with wild-type mice. Exogenous PAI-1 reversed the effects of CCK8s on food intake and c-fos levels in the nucleus tractus solitarius of wild-type mice, but not uPAR-null mice. Infection of C57BL/6 mice with Helicobacter felis increased gastric abundance of PAI-1 and reduced the satiating effects of CCK8s, whereas the response to CCK8s was maintained in infected PAI-1-null mice. In cultured vagal afferent neurons, PAI-1 inhibited stimulation of neuropeptide Y type 2 receptor (Y2R) expression by CCK8s. Thus, gastric expression of PAI-1 is associated with hyperphagia, moderate obesity, and resistance to the satiating effects of CCK indicating a new role in suppressing signals from the upper gut that inhibit food intake.

  18. 77 FR 58114 - SunShot Prize: Race to the Rooftop

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-09-19

    ... who can lower the non-hardware installation cost of rooftop solar energy systems. DATES: Registration....energy.gov/solar/sunshot/prize.html . Teams that wish to enter the competition can register at eere.energy.gov/solar/sunshot/prize.html . Questions about the prize competition can be sent to: Email: Sun...

  19. Polio and Nobel prizes: looking back 50 years.

    PubMed

    Norrby, Erling; Prusiner, Stanley B

    2007-05-01

    In 1954, John Enders, Thomas Weller, and Frederick Robbins were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine "for their discovery of the ability of poliomyelitis viruses to grow in cultures of various types of tissue."5370 This discovery provided for the first time opportunities to produce both inactivated and live polio vaccines. By searching previously sealed Nobel Committee archives, we were able to review the deliberations that led to the award. It appears that Sven Gard, who was Professor of Virus Research at the Karolinska Institute and an adjunct member of the Nobel Committee at the time, played a major role in the events leading to the awarding of the Prize. It appears that Gard persuaded the College of Teachers at the Institute to decide not to follow the recommendation by their Nobel Committee to give the Prize to Vincent du Vigneaud. Another peculiar feature of the 1954 Prize is that Weller and Robbins were included based on only two nominations submitted for the first time that year. In his speech at the Nobel Prize ceremony, Gard mentioned the importance of the discovery for the future production of vaccines, but emphasized the implications of this work for growing many different, medically important viruses. We can only speculate on why later nominations highlighting the contributions of scientists such as Jonas Salk, Hilary Koprowski, and Albert Sabin in the development of poliovirus vaccines have not been recognized by a Nobel Prize.

  20. Wave Energy Prize - 1/20th Testing - SEWEC

    DOE Data Explorer

    Wesley Scharmen

    2016-10-07

    Data from the 1/20th scale testing data completed on the Wave Energy Prize for the SEWEC team, including the 1/20th scale test plan, raw test data, video, photos, and data analysis results. The top level objective of the 1/20th scale device testing is to obtain the necessary measurements required for determining Average Climate Capture Width per Characteristic Capital Expenditure (ACE) and the Hydrodynamic Performance Quality (HPQ), key metrics for determining the Wave Energy Prize (WEP) winners. * Note: During the TG4 judging meeting, the Wave Energy Prize judges reviewed the data collected during the testing of SEWEC's device at Carderock and determined that the data were inconclusive and did not allow an ACE value to be calculated for the device. Consequently, the SEWEC device was deemed ineligible to be considered for the Wave Energy Prize.

  1. Determination of Abraham model solute descriptors for the monomeric and dimeric forms of trans-cinnamic acid using measured solubilities from the Open Notebook Science Challenge.

    PubMed

    Bradley, Jean-Claude; Abraham, Michael H; Acree, William E; Lang, Andrew Sid; Beck, Samantha N; Bulger, David A; Clark, Elizabeth A; Condron, Lacey N; Costa, Stephanie T; Curtin, Evan M; Kurtu, Sozit B; Mangir, Mark I; McBride, Matthew J

    2015-01-01

    Calculating Abraham descriptors from solubility values requires that the solute have the same form when dissolved in all solvents. However, carboxylic acids can form dimers when dissolved in non-polar solvents. For such compounds Abraham descriptors can be calculated for both the monomeric and dimeric forms by treating the polar and non-polar systems separately. We illustrate the method of how this can be done by calculating the Abraham descriptors for both the monomeric and dimeric forms of trans-cinnamic acid, the first time that descriptors for a carboxylic acid dimer have been obtained. Abraham descriptors were calculated for the monomeric form of trans-cinnamic acid using experimental solubility measurements in polar solvents from the Open Notebook Science Challenge together with a number of water-solvent partition coefficients from the literature. Similarly, experimental solubility measurements in non-polar solvents were used to determine Abraham descriptors for the trans-cinnamic acid dimer. Abraham descriptors were calculated for both the monomeric and dimeric forms of trans-cinnamic acid. This allows for the prediction of further solubilities of trans-cinnamic acid in both polar and non-polar solvents with an error of about 0.10 log units. Graphical abstractMolar concentration of trans-cinnamic acid in various polar and non-polar solvents.

  2. Technology Staff-Development and Support Programs: Applying Abraham Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bailey, Gerald D.; Pownell, David

    1998-01-01

    Presents Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of needs (physiological, safety, belonging, esteem, self-actualization) as a model for developing technology training and support for teachers, identifies basic technology-related needs that must be met before higher levels of technology integration can be achieved, and offers seven implications to help…

  3. First Calderón Prize

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rundell, William; Somersalo, Erkki

    2008-07-01

    The Inverse Problems International Association (IPIA) awarded the first Calderón Prize to Matti Lassas for his outstanding contributions to the field of inverse problems, especially in geometric inverse problems. The Calderón Prize is given to a researcher under the age of 40 who has made distinguished contributions to the field of inverse problems broadly defined. The first Calderón Prize Committee consisted of Professors Adrian Nachman, Lassi Päivärinta, William Rundell (chair), and Michael Vogelius. William Rundell For the Calderón Prize Committee Prize ceremony The ceremony awarding the Calderón Prize. Matti Lassas is on the left. He and William Rundell are on the right. Photos by P Stefanov. Brief Biography of Matti Lassas Matti Lassas was born in 1969 in Helsinki, Finland, and studied at the University of Helsinki. He finished his Master's studies in 1992 in three years and earned his PhD in 1996. His PhD thesis, written under the supervision of Professor Erkki Somersalo was entitled `Non-selfadjoint inverse spectral problems and their applications to random bodies'. Already in his thesis, Matti demonstrated a remarkable command of different fields of mathematics, bringing together the spectral theory of operators, geometry of Riemannian surfaces, Maxwell's equations and stochastic analysis. He has continued to develop all of these branches in the framework of inverse problems, the most remarkable results perhaps being in the field of differential geometry and inverse problems. Matti has always been a very generous researcher, sharing his ideas with his numerous collaborators. He has authored over sixty scientific articles, among which a monograph on inverse boundary spectral problems with Alexander Kachalov and Yaroslav Kurylev and over forty articles in peer reviewed journals of the highest standards. To get an idea of the wide range of Matti's interests, it is enough to say that he also has three US patents on medical imaging applications. Matti is

  4. Status of Helicobacter pylori cag pathogenicity island (cagPAI) integrity and significance of its individual genes.

    PubMed

    Markovska, Rumyana; Boyanova, Lyudmila; Yordanov, Daniel; Stankova, Petya; Gergova, Galina; Mitov, Ivan

    2018-04-01

    One of the most important virulence factors of H. pylori is the intact cagPAI. The aim of the present study is to investigate cagPAI intactness among Bulgarian H. pylori isolates, its associations with clinical outcomes and vacA alleles, and to evaluate the significance of individual cagPAI genes. Totally, 156 isolates from 156 patients with endoscopic findings for duodenal or gastric ulcer (33 subjects), non-ulcer disease (121) and other diseases, such as Crohn's disease and hepatitis (2) were tested. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to detect 14 essential cagPAI genes, including cagA, as well as vacA s, i and m alleles. CagA positive were 81.4% of all H. pylori isolates. Intact cagPAI was found in 64.1% of the all isolates, 16.7% and 19.2% showed complete and partial cagPAI absence, respectively. The prevalence of all cagPAI genes and intact cagPAI was significantly higher in isolates from ulcer patients compared with those from non-ulcer patients (p = 0.001). The most frequently missing genes among the isolates with partially deleted cagPAIs were cagE or/and cagY (28 of 30 isolates). Overall prevalence of vacA s1a allele was 80.1% and that of vacA i1 was 64.1%. The vacA s1a, m1 and i1 alleles were more prevalent in H. pylori isolates from ulcer patients (p = 0.03, p = 0.009, and p = 0.0003, respectively) and were associated with isolates with intact cagPAI. In Bulgaria the prevalence of intact cagPAI was high. cagE or/and cagY absence was the most important predictor of cagPAI status. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. 1990 Hydrology Prize awarded

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    The International Association of Hydrological Sciences awarded its 1990 International Hydrology Prize to Z. Kaczmarek of Warsaw, Poland. The award was presented on March 16 in Paris, France, during Unesco's Commemorative Symposium on 25 Years of the International Hydrological Decade/International Hydrological Program.The IAHS International Hydrology Prize, a silver medal, was first approved in 1979 as an annual award to a person who has made an outstanding contribution to hydrology and gives the candidate universal recognition of his international stature. The IAHS national committees give nominations to the IAHS Secretary General for consideration by a nominating committee, which consists of the IAHS president, the first and second vice presidents and representatives of Unesco and the World Meteorological Organization. The citation for the award to Kaczmarek, which was given by IAHS president Vit Klemes, follows.

  6. Amount of earnings during prize contingency management treatment is associated with posttreatment abstinence outcomes.

    PubMed

    Petry, Nancy M; Roll, John M

    2011-12-01

    Contingency management (CM) treatments that provide patients with the opportunity to earn chances of winning prizes of varying magnitudes are becoming increasingly popular. In the CM literature, magnitude of reinforcement is linked with effect sizes, such that CM treatments that provide larger magnitude reinforcement are more efficacious than those that provide lower magnitude reinforcement. With prize CM, even when magnitudes of overall expected prize earnings are constant, some patients win more prizes than others. Thus, patients who win larger overall amounts of prizes during treatment may have better outcomes than those who win fewer prizes. This study evaluated the impact of overall amounts of prizes won on long-term abstinence outcomes. The dollar amount of prizes won during prize CM treatments was determined from 78 cocaine-abusing methadone-maintenance patients who were randomized to prize CM treatments in three clinical trials. Abstinence three months following the end of the CM intervention was the primary dependent variable. The dollar amount of prizes won during CM treatment was a significant predictor of submission of cocaine-negative urine samples and self-reports of cocaine abstinence at the follow-up evaluation, even after controlling for other variables associated with long-term abstinence, such as pretreatment urinalysis results and longest duration of abstinence achieved during treatment. These results suggest that magnitudes of earnings during prize CM may impact outcomes and call for further experimentation of parameters related to the efficacy of prize CM.

  7. PAI-1 4G/5G polymorphism and plasma levels association in patients with coronary artery disease.

    PubMed

    Lima, Luciana Moreira; Carvalho, Maria das Graças; Fonseca Neto, Cirilo Pereira; Garcia, José Carlos Faria; Sousa, Marinez Oliveira

    2011-12-01

    Type-1 plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI-1) 4G/5G polymorphism may influence the PAI-1 expression. High plasma levels of PAI-1 are associated with coronary artery disease (CAD). This study investigated the influence of PAI-1 4G/5G polymorphism on plasma PAI-1 levels and its association with CAD assessed by coronary angiography. Blood sample of 35 individuals with angiographically normal coronary arteries, 31 individuals presenting mild/moderate atheromatosis, 57 individuals presenting severe atheromatosis and 38 healthy individuals (controls) were evaluated. In patients and controls, the PAI-1 4G/5G polymorphism was determined by PCR amplification using allele-specific primers. Plasma PAI-1 levels were quantified by ELISA assay (American Diagnostica). No difference was found between groups regarding age, gender and body mass index. Plasma PAI-1 levels and 4G/4G genotype frequency were significantly higher in the severe atheromatosis group compared to the other groups (p<0.001). Furthermore, patients with 4G/4G genotype (r=0.28, p<0.001) had significantly higher plasma PAI-1 levels than those with 5G/5G genotype (r=0.02, p=0.4511). In addition, in a multiple logistic regression model, adjusted for all the other variables, PAI-1 was observed to be independently associated with CAD > 70% (p<0.001). The most important finding of this study was the association between 4G/4G genotype, high plasma PAI-1 levels and coronary stenosis higher than 70% in Brazilian individuals. Whether high plasma PAI-1 levels are a decisive factor for atherosclerosis worsening or it is a consequence remains to be established.

  8. The Hermann Weyl Prize - Laudatio for Guilio Chiribella

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    del Olmo, M. A.

    2011-03-01

    The Hermann Weyl Prize was created in 2000 by the Standing Committee of the International Group Theory Colloquium. The purpose of the Weyl Prize is to provide recognition for young scientists (younger than 35) who have performed original work of significant scientific quality in the area of understanding physics through symmetries. The Hermann Weyl Prize consists of a certificate citing the accomplishments of the recipient, prize money of $500 and an allowance towards the attendance of the bi-annual International Group Theory Colloquium at which the award is presented. The previous winners of the award were: Edward Frenkel (2002), Nikita A Nekrasov (2004), Boyko Bakalov (2006) and Mohammad M Sheikh-Jabbari (2008). The Selection Committee of the Weyl Prize 2010 consisted of S T Ali (Concordia University), E Corrigan (Durham Univeristy), P Kulish (St Petersburg Mathematical Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences), R Mosseri (CNRS Paris) and M A del Olmo (University of Valladolid, chairman). This committee has made the following announcement: The Weyl Prize for the year 2010 was awarded to Dr Giulio Chiribella, in recognition of his pioneering work on the application of group theoretical methods in Quantum Information Theory. In particular, for providing a general solution to the problem of optimal estimation of symmertry transformations based on the notion of quantum entanglement between representation and multiplicity spaces, for the derivation of optimal protocols for the alignment of quantum reference frames, for the characterization of extreme quantum measurements in finite dimensions, for the proof of equivalence between asymptotic cloning and state estimation and for the proof of the optimality of measure-and-reprepare for quantum learning of unitary transformations. The Laudatio of Guilio Chiribella, delivered by M A del Olmo, is included in the PDF.

  9. How to get the Nobel Prize in physics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nordling, Carl

    1995-01-01

    Every year, on the 10th of December, one piece is added to the history of science. This is the day when the Nobel Prizes are awarded to those scientists who "during the preceding year have conferred the greatest benefit on mankind". The Nobel Prize carries the highest prestige and fame of all distinctions in the world of science. There have been many speculations regarding the prize: What effect does it have on its recipients? Does it boost their research activities or does it kill them? Is it merely an after-the-fact recognition of important steps in the history of science, or does it also create history by changing the directions along which science develops? What role does it play in the sociology of science? Is it a prize for leaders of big research teams or is there a preference for the genius working completely on his own? Are there equal opportunities for men and women, for Swedes and Russians, for black and white? Where does one find the track that leads to Stockholm?

  10. Influence of PAI-1 on adipose tissue growth and metabolic parameters in a murine model of diet-induced obesity.

    PubMed

    Morange, P E; Lijnen, H R; Alessi, M C; Kopp, F; Collen, D; Juhan-Vague, I

    2000-04-01

    An increased plasma plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) level is a risk factor for myocardial infarction, particularly when associated with visceral obesity. Although the link between PAI-1 and obesity is well documented, little is known about the physiological relevance of PAI-1 production by adipose tissue. Therefore, we have compared adipose tissue development and insulin resistance plasma parameters in PAI-1-deficient mice (PAI-1(-/-)) and wild-type littermates (PAI-1(+/+)) in a model of nutritionally induced obesity. After 17 weeks of consuming a high-fat diet (HFD), PAI-1(+/+) mice showed marked obesity, with a 52% increase in body weight compared with mice that were kept on a standard fat diet (P<0.0001). This weight gain was accompanied by adipocyte hypertrophy and an increase in the number of stroma cells in the gonadal fat pad, expressed as stroma cells/adipocytes (0.67+/-0.05 versus 0.43+/-0. 02; P<0.001). In plasma, the HFD induced a marked increase in PAI-1 antigen (5.1+/-0.56 versus 2+/-0.22 ng/mL; P<0.001), fasting insulinemia (1.1+/-0.21 versus 0.21+/-0.04 ng/mL; P<0.001), and glycemia (7.4+/-0.5 versus 5+/-0.3 mmol/L; P<0.001), whereas plasma triglyceride levels were not affected. When we compared PAI-1(-/-) and PAI-1(+/+) mice on the HFD, PAI-1(-/-) mice gained weight faster than did PAI-1(+/+) mice, with a significant difference in body weight between 3 and 8 weeks of the diet (32+/-1.7 versus 26+/-1.6 g at 6 weeks; P<0.05). After 17 weeks of the HFD, its effect on weight gain and the number and size of adipocytes was similar in PAI-1(+/+) and PAI-1(-/-) mice. By contrast, the increase in the number of stroma cells presented by PAI-1(+/+) mice was not observed in PAI-1(-/-) mice. In obese PAI-1(-/-) mice, tissue-type PA activity and antigen levels in the gonadal fat pad were significantly higher than in obese PAI-1(+/+) mice (230+/-50 versus 47+/-20 arbitrary units/g, P<0.01; 40+/-13 versus 17+/-13 ng/g, P<0.05, respectively), whereas

  11. Unilateral coronal craniosynostosis in Abraham Lincoln and his family.

    PubMed

    Fishman, Ronald S

    2010-09-01

    Premature closure of one coronal skull suture produces a characteristic arching or relative elevation of the superior orbital rim on the involved side. This sign is associated with facial asymmetry, and both signs are usually the most conspicuous features in patients with mild unilateral coronal craniosynostosis. Photographs suggest that at least 9 individuals over 5 generations of the Abraham Lincoln family had premature closure of 1 coronal suture. In 8 males, there was involvement of the left side; in 1 female, there was involvement of the right side.

  12. Serum bilirubin levels are inversely associated with PAI-1 and fibrinogen in Korean subjects.

    PubMed

    Cho, Hyun Sun; Lee, Sung Won; Kim, Eun Sook; Shin, Juyoung; Moon, Sung Dae; Han, Je Ho; Cha, Bong Yun

    2016-01-01

    Oxidative stress may contribute to atherosclerosis and increased activation of the coagulation pathway. Bilirubin may reduce activation of the hemostatic system to inhibit oxidative stress, which would explain its cardioprotective properties shown in many epidemiological studies. This study investigated the association of serum bilirubin with fibrinogen and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), respectively. A cross-sectional analysis was performed on 968 subjects (mean age, 56.0 ± 11.2 years; 61.1% men) undergoing a general health checkup. Serum biochemistry was analyzed including bilirubin subtypes, insulin resistance (using homeostasis model of assessment [HOMA]), C-reactive protein (CRP), fibrinogen, and PAI-1. Compared with subjects with a total bilirubin (TB) concentration of <10.0 μmol/L, those with a TB concentration of >17.1 μmol/L had a smaller waist circumference, a lower triglyceride level, a lower prevalence of metabolic syndrome, and decreased HOMA-IR and CRP levels. Correlation analysis revealed linear relationships of fibrinogen with TB and direct bilirubin (DB), whereas PAI-1 was correlated with DB. After adjustment for confounding factors, bilirubin levels were inversely associated with fibrinogen and PAI-1 levels, respectively. Multivariate regression models showed a negative linear relationship between all types of bilirubin and fibrinogen, whereas there was a significant linear relationship between PAI-1 and DB. High bilirubin concentrations were independently associated with low levels of fibrinogen and PAI-1, respectively. The association between TB and PAI-1 was confined to the highest TB concentration category whereas DB showed a linear association with PAI-1. Bilirubin may protect against the development of atherothrombosis by reducing the hemostatic response. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Association of CagPAI integrity with severeness of Helicobacter pylori infection in patients with gastritis.

    PubMed

    Ahmadzadeh, A; Ghalehnoei, H; Farzi, N; Yadegar, A; Alebouyeh, M; Aghdaei, H A; Molaei, M; Zali, M R; Pour Hossein Gholi, M A

    2015-12-01

    The Helicobacter pylori cag pathogenicity island (cagPAI) is involved in delivery of CagA effector protein and peptidoglycan into host cells and also in IL-8 induction in the human gastric tissue. Diversity of cagPAI may affect disease status and clinical outcome of the infected patients. Our study was aimed to investigate diversity of this island and its intactness in Iranian patients to investigate possible associations between cagPAI integrity and pathological changes of the infected tissue. Out of the 75 patients, H. pylori strains were obtained from 30 patients with severe active gastritis (SAG) (n=11), moderate chronic gastritis (CG) (n=14) and intestinal metaplasia/dysplasia (IM) (n=5). Intactness of the cagPAI was determined using 12 sets of primer pairs specific for functionally important loci of cagPAI by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The cagPAI positive strains were significantly observed in patients with SAG (52.4%) in comparison to those presenting CG (33.3%) and IM (14.3%). In addition, the presence of intact cagPAI was 87.5% in H. pylori strains isolated from patients with SAG, which was higher than those obtained from patients with CG (12.5%) or IM (0%). A significant increase in the frequency of cagα-cagY and cagW-cagT segments, as exterior proteins of the CagPAI, was illustrated in strains from SAG patients compared with those from patients with CG. Overall, these results strongly proposed an association between the severity of histopathological changes and intactness of cagPAI in the gastric tissue of patients infected with H. pylori. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  14. 26 CFR 1.74-1 - Prizes and awards.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 26 Internal Revenue 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Prizes and awards. 1.74-1 Section 1.74-1 Internal Revenue INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY (CONTINUED) INCOME TAX (CONTINUED) INCOME TAXES (CONTINUED) Items Specifically Included in Gross Income § 1.74-1 Prizes and awards. (a) Inclusion in gross income. (1) Section 74(a)...

  15. Alfred Nobel and His Prizes: From Dynamite to DNA

    PubMed Central

    Lichtman, Marshall A.

    2017-01-01

    Alfred Nobel was one of the most successful chemists, inventors, entrepreneurs, and businessmen of the late nineteenth century. In a decision later in life, he rewrote his will to leave virtually all his fortune to establish prizes for persons of any nationality who made the most compelling achievement for the benefit of mankind in the fields of chemistry, physics, physiology or medicine, literature, and peace among nations. The prizes were first awarded in 1901, five years after his death. In considering his choice of prizes, it may be pertinent that he used the principles of chemistry and physics in his inventions and he had a lifelong devotion to science, he suffered and died from severe coronary and cerebral atherosclerosis, and he was a bibliophile, an author, and mingled with the literati of Paris. His interest in harmony among nations may have derived from the effects of the applications of his inventions in warfare (“merchant of death”) and his friendship with a leader in the movement to bring peace to nations of Europe. After some controversy, including Nobel’s citizenship, the mechanisms to choose the laureates and make four of the awards were developed by a foundation established in Stockholm; the choice of the laureate for promoting harmony among nations was assigned to the Norwegian Storting, another controversy. The Nobel Prizes after 115 years remain the most prestigious of awards. This review describes the man, his foundation, and the prizes with a special commentary on the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. PMID:28786809

  16. Alfred Nobel and His Prizes: From Dynamite to DNA.

    PubMed

    Lichtman, Marshall A

    2017-07-01

    Alfred Nobel was one of the most successful chemists, inventors, entrepreneurs, and businessmen of the late nineteenth century. In a decision later in life, he rewrote his will to leave virtually all his fortune to establish prizes for persons of any nationality who made the most compelling achievement for the benefit of mankind in the fields of chemistry, physics, physiology or medicine, literature, and peace among nations. The prizes were first awarded in 1901, five years after his death. In considering his choice of prizes, it may be pertinent that he used the principles of chemistry and physics in his inventions and he had a lifelong devotion to science, he suffered and died from severe coronary and cerebral atherosclerosis, and he was a bibliophile, an author, and mingled with the literati of Paris. His interest in harmony among nations may have derived from the effects of the applications of his inventions in warfare ("merchant of death") and his friendship with a leader in the movement to bring peace to nations of Europe. After some controversy, including Nobel's citizenship, the mechanisms to choose the laureates and make four of the awards were developed by a foundation established in Stockholm; the choice of the laureate for promoting harmony among nations was assigned to the Norwegian Storting, another controversy. The Nobel Prizes after 115 years remain the most prestigious of awards. This review describes the man, his foundation, and the prizes with a special commentary on the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.

  17. 78 FR 40132 - Wave Energy Converter Prize Administration Webinar

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-07-03

    ... any potential FOA to seek input from the public regarding possible approaches to structuring a prize... encourages commenters to provide alternative strategies and approaches for the prize administration. A multi stage-gate challenge structure requires competitors to pass through a series of stage gates based on...

  18. Air Prize Final

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2017-10-26

    NASA is working with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) to sponsor the Earth and Space Air Prize competition for a solution that could improve air quality and health in space and on Earth. This project is a technology innovation challenge to promote the development of robust, durable, inexpensive, efficient, lightweight, and easy-to-use aerosol sensors for space and Earth environments.

  19. A Non-Lethal Traumatic/Hemorrhagic Insult Strongly Modulates the Compartment-Specific PAI-1 Response in the Subsequent Polymicrobial Sepsis

    PubMed Central

    Raeven, Pierre; Salibasic, Alma; Drechsler, Susanne; Weixelbaumer, Katrin Maria; Jafarmadar, Mohammad; van Griensven, Martijn; Bahrami, Soheyl; Osuchowski, Marcin Filip

    2013-01-01

    Introduction Plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1) is a key factor in trauma- and sepsis-induced coagulopathy. We examined how trauma-hemorrhage (TH) modulates PAI-1 responses in subsequent cecal ligation and puncture (CLP)-induced sepsis, and the association of PAI-1 with septic outcomes. Methods Mice underwent TH and CLP 48 h later in three separate experiments. In experiment 1, mice were sacrificed pre- and post-CLP to characterize the trajectory of PAI-1 in plasma (protein) and tissues (mRNA). Post-CLP dynamics in TH-CLP (this study) and CLP-Only mice (prior study) were then compared for modulatory effects of TH. In experiment 2, to relate PAI-1 changes to outcome, mice underwent TH-CLP and were sampled daily and followed for 14 days to compare non-survivors (DEAD) and survivors (SUR). In experiment 3, plasma and tissue PAI-1 expression were compared between mice predicted to die (P-DIE) and to live (P-LIVE). Results In experiment 1, an early post-TH rise of circulating PAI-1 was contrasted by a delayed (post-TH) decrease of PAI-1 mRNA in organs. In the post-CLP phase, profiles of circulating PAI-1 were similar between TH-CLP and CLP-Only mice. Conversely, PAI-1 mRNA declined in the liver and heart of TH-CLP mice versus CLP-Only. In experiment 2, there were no DEAD/SUR differences in circulating PAI-1 prior to CLP. Post-CLP, circulating PAI-1 in DEAD was 2–4-fold higher than in SUR. PAI-1 increase heralded septic deaths up to 48 h prior but DEAD/SUR thrombomodulin (endothelial injury marker) levels were identical. In experiment 3, levels of circulating PAI-1 and its hepatic gene expression were higher in P-DIE versus P-LIVE mice and those increases closely correlated with liver dysfunction. Conclusions Trauma modulated septic PAI-1 responses in a compartment-specific fashion. Only post-CLP increases in circulating PAI-1 predicted septic outcomes. In posttraumatic sepsis, pre-lethal release of PAI-1 was mostly of hepatic origin and was independent of

  20. Abraham Lincoln and Harry Potter: Children's Differentiation between Historical and Fantasy Characters

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Corriveau, Kathleen H.; Kim, Angie L.; Schwalen, Courtney E.; Harris, Paul L.

    2009-01-01

    Based on the testimony of others, children learn about a variety of figures that they never meet. We ask when and how they are able to differentiate between the historical figures that they learn about (e.g., Abraham Lincoln) and fantasy characters (e.g., Harry Potter). Experiment 1 showed that both younger (3- and 4-year-olds) and older children…

  1. Hereditary premature closure of a coronal suture in the Abraham Lincoln family.

    PubMed

    Fishman, Ronald S

    2013-10-01

    The most easily recognized facial features of unilateral premature closure of a coronal suture in the skull are an upward arching of the superior orbital rim and a smaller face on the involved side. Photographs indicate that at least 9 individuals over 5 generations of the Abraham Lincoln family showed this anomaly. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. Chronic allograft nephropathy: expression and localization of PAI-1 and PPAR-gamma.

    PubMed

    Revelo, Monica P; Federspiel, Charles; Helderman, Harold; Fogo, Agnes B

    2005-12-01

    Chronic allograft nephropathy (CAN) is a major cause of loss of renal allografts. Mechanisms postulated to be involved include sequelae of rejection, warm ischaemia time, drug toxicity, ongoing hypertension and dyslipidaemia. Plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) is implicated not only in thrombosis, but also in fibrosis, by inhibiting matrix degradation, and is expressed in renal parenchymal cells as well as in macrophages. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPAR-gamma) is a member of the steroid receptor superfamily, and plays a major beneficial role in lipid regulation, insulin sensitivity and macrophage function, factors that may play a role in CAN. We therefore studied the expression of these molecules in CAN. All renal biopsy/nephrectomy files from Vanderbilt and Nashville VAMC from a 6 year period were reviewed to identify all renal transplant biopsies or nephrectomies more than 6 months after transplant with CAN. CAN was defined as fibrosis in the graft, vascular, interstitial or glomerular. All cases were scored for severity of fibrosis in vasculature (0-3 scale), glomeruli (% affected with either segmental and/or global sclerosis) and interstitial fibrosis (% of sample affected). PAI-1 and PPAR-gamma immunostaining was assessed on a 0-3 scale in glomeruli, vessels and tubules. Eighty-two patients with a total of 106 samples met entry criteria. The population consisted of 59 Caucasians and 23 African-Americans; 49 males, 33 females with average age 37.9+/-1.7 years. Average time after transplant at time of biopsy was 60.5+/-4.9 months (range 7-229). Glomerulosclerosis extent in CAN was on average 26.5+/-2.4% compared with 3.6+/-1.2% in normal control kidneys from native kidney cancer nephrectomies and 0% in transplanted kidney biopsies from patients obtained > or =6 months after transplantation without CAN. Native control kidneys showed mild interstitial fibrosis (8.0+/-1.2%), whereas transplant controls showed very minimal fibrosis (2

  3. Anatomy of a Masterpiece: A Close Textual Analysis of Abraham Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Slagell, Amy R.

    1991-01-01

    States that Abraham Lincoln's second inaugural address is a recognized rhetorical masterpiece. Accounts for this recognition by examining the text microscopically. Uses the method of close textual analysis that explores the inner workings of the text to discover the complexity of Lincoln's masterwork. (PRA)

  4. College portraits, surgeons and the Archibald Prize.

    PubMed

    Royle, John Peterson

    2005-06-01

    The Royal Australasian College of Surgeons is fortunate to have a wonderful collection of portraits, which date from William Cheselden's portrait in the mid 18th century to the latest of immediate past president, Kingsley Faulkner. Many of the portraits are of former College presidents. The presidents have often been painted by the leading artist of the day, many of whom won the Archibald Prize. There are many connections between surgeons and the Archibald Prize, the most prestigious award in Australian art.

  5. Estimating system parameters for solvent-water and plant cuticle-water using quantum chemically estimated Abraham solute parameters.

    PubMed

    Liang, Yuzhen; Torralba-Sanchez, Tifany L; Di Toro, Dominic M

    2018-04-18

    Polyparameter Linear Free Energy Relationships (pp-LFERs) using Abraham system parameters have many useful applications. However, developing the Abraham system parameters depends on the availability and quality of the Abraham solute parameters. Using Quantum Chemically estimated Abraham solute Parameters (QCAP) is shown to produce pp-LFERs that have lower root mean square errors (RMSEs) of predictions for solvent-water partition coefficients than parameters that are estimated using other presently available methods. pp-LFERs system parameters are estimated for solvent-water, plant cuticle-water systems, and for novel compounds using QCAP solute parameters and experimental partition coefficients. Refitting the system parameter improves the calculation accuracy and eliminates the bias. Refitted models for solvent-water partition coefficients using QCAP solute parameters give better results (RMSE = 0.278 to 0.506 log units for 24 systems) than those based on ABSOLV (0.326 to 0.618) and QSPR (0.294 to 0.700) solute parameters. For munition constituents and munition-like compounds not included in the calibration of the refitted model, QCAP solute parameters produce pp-LFER models with much lower RMSEs for solvent-water partition coefficients (RMSE = 0.734 and 0.664 for original and refitted model, respectively) than ABSOLV (4.46 and 5.98) and QSPR (2.838 and 2.723). Refitting plant cuticle-water pp-LFER including munition constituents using QCAP solute parameters also results in lower RMSE (RMSE = 0.386) than that using ABSOLV (0.778) and QSPR (0.512) solute parameters. Therefore, for fitting a model in situations for which experimental data exist and system parameters can be re-estimated, or for which system parameters do not exist and need to be developed, QCAP is the quantum chemical method of choice.

  6. Unclaimed Prize Information Biases Perceptions of Winning in Scratch Card Gambling.

    PubMed

    Walker, Alexander C; Stange, Madison; Fugelsang, Jonathan A; Koehler, Derek J; Dixon, Mike J

    2018-03-29

    Unclaimed prize information (i.e., the number of prizes still available to be won) is information commonly provided to scratch card gamblers. However, unless the number of tickets remaining to be purchased is also provided, this information is uninformative. Despite its lack of utility in assisting gamblers in choosing the most favourable type of scratch card to play, we hypothesized that unclaimed prize information would bias participants' judgments within a scratch card gambling context. In Experiment 1 (N = 201), we showed that participants are influenced by this information such that they felt more likely to win, were more excited to play, and preferred to hypothetically purchase more of the scratch card with the greatest number of unclaimed prizes. In Experiment 2 (N = 201), we attempted to ameliorate this bias by providing participants with the number of tickets remaining to be purchased and equating the payback percentages of all three games. The bias, although attenuated, still persisted in these conditions. Finally, in Experiment 3 (N = 200), we manipulated the hypothetical scratch cards such that games with the highest number of unclaimed prizes were the least favourable, and vice versa. As in Experiment 2, participants still favoured cards with greater numbers of unclaimed prizes. Possible mechanisms underlying this bias are discussed. In conclusion, across three experiments, we demonstrate that salient unclaimed prize information is capable of exerting a strong effect over judgments related to scratch card games.

  7. First AGU Climate Communication Prize awarded

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    McEntee, Christine

    2012-02-01

    Gavin Schmidt, a climate scientist at the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies and cofounder of the RealClimate blog (http://www.realclimate.org/), received the first AGU Climate Communication Prize at the honors ceremony. The prize recognizes excellence in climate communication as well as the promotion of scientific literacy, clarity of messaging, and efforts to foster respect and understanding for science-based values related to climate change. Sponsored by Nature's Own—a Boulder, Colo.-based company specializing in the sale of minerals, fossils, and decorative stone specimens—the prize comes with a $25,000 cash award. "AGU created this award to raise the visibility of climate change as a critical issue facing the world today, to demonstrate our support for scientists who commit themselves to the effective communication of climate change science, and to encourage more scientists to engage with the public and policy makers on how climate research can contribute to the sustainability of our planet," said AGU president Michael Mc Phaden. "That's why we are so pleased to recognize Gavin for his dedicated leadership and outstanding scientific achievements. We hope that his work will serve as an inspiration for others."

  8. Department of Energy - Nobel Prize in Chemistry News Release 10/5/2005

    Science.gov Websites

    -Supported Researchers Are Co-Winners of 2005 Nobel Prize in Chemistry Secretary of Energy Samuel W. Bodman . Grubbs of the California Institute of Technology for co-winning the 2005 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. " . Schrock and Yves Chauvin of France for winning the 2005 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for their discoveries

  9. Personalized Activity Intelligence (PAI) for Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease and Promotion of Physical Activity.

    PubMed

    Nes, Bjarne M; Gutvik, Christian R; Lavie, Carl J; Nauman, Javaid; Wisløff, Ulrik

    2017-03-01

    To derive and validate a single metric of activity tracking that associates with lower risk of cardiovascular disease mortality. We derived an algorithm, Personalized Activity Intelligence (PAI), using the HUNT Fitness Study (n = 4631), and validated it in the general HUNT population (n = 39,298) aged 20-74 years. The PAI was divided into three sex-specific groups (≤50, 51-99, and ≥100), and the inactive group (0 PAI) was used as the referent. Hazard ratios for all-cause and cardiovascular disease mortality were estimated using Cox proportional hazard regressions. After >1 million person-years of observations during a mean follow-up time of 26.2 (SD 5.9) years, there were 10,062 deaths, including 3867 deaths (2207 men and 1660 women) from cardiovascular disease. Men and women with a PAI level ≥100 had 17% (95% confidence interval [CI], 7%-27%) and 23% (95% CI, 4%-38%) reduced risk of cardiovascular disease mortality, respectively, compared with the inactive groups. Obtaining ≥100 PAI was associated with significantly lower risk for cardiovascular disease mortality in all prespecified age groups, and in participants with known cardiovascular disease risk factors (all P-trends <.01). Participants who did not obtain ≥100 PAI had increased risk of dying regardless of meeting the physical activity recommendations. PAI may have a huge potential to motivate people to become and stay physically active, as it is an easily understandable and scientifically proven metric that could inform potential users of how much physical activity is needed to reduce the risk of premature cardiovascular disease death. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Abraham Lincoln and the insanity plea.

    PubMed

    Spiegel, A D

    1994-06-01

    A confederate civilian physician shot and killed a white Union officer who was drilling Negro troops in Norfolk, Virginia. With no question as to guilt, President Abraham Lincoln decided to have a medical expert conduct a professional sanity/insanity examination. Documentation indicates that legal and political factors may have influenced Lincoln's decision. As a lawyer, Lincoln prosecuted a case where the insanity plea was used as a defense. Two influential Cabinet members, William H. Seward and Edwin M. Stanton, also had legal experience involving the insanity plea. Politically, Lincoln faced serious issues such as the draft riots, the military necessity to recruit slaves into the army, the impact of Union Negro soldiers upon the border states, the morale and discipline of the army and the upcoming presidential election. Upon Seward's recommendation, Lincoln chose a physician who had a reputation for finding the accused sane and who did so in this case. As the southern physician was hanged, Lincoln's means achieved the desired legal and political ends.

  11. Paul Abraham: A Forgotten Scholar of the Prussian Academy of Sciences and Humanities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Thiel, Jens

    2004-01-01

    Paul Abraham, one of the Berlin Academy's most experienced researchers, was deported to Auschwitz in 1943. The fate of this Jewish scholar reveals much about the inner life of the Academy, and its treatment of Jewish staff, during the World War II. This paper describes his life, against a backdrop of war, revolution, and dictatorship, and in the…

  12. Overwhelming tPA Release, not PAI-1 Degradation, is Responsible for Hyperfibrinolysis in Severely Injured Trauma Patients

    PubMed Central

    Chapman, Michael P.; Moore, Ernest E.; Moore, Hunter B.; Gonzalez, Eduardo; Gamboni, Fabia; Chandler, James G.; Mitra, Sanchayita; Ghasabyan, Arsen; Chin, Theresa L.; Sauaia, Angela; Banerjee, Anirban; Silliman, Christopher C.

    2015-01-01

    Background Trauma induced coagulopathy (TIC) is associated with a four-fold increased risk of mortality. Hyperfibrinolysis is a component of TIC, but its mechanism is poorly understood. PAI-1 degradation by activated protein C has been proposed as mechanism for deregulation of the plasmin system in hemorrhagic shock, but in other settings of ischemia, tPA has been shown to be elevated. We hypothesized that the hyperfibrinolysis in TIC is not the result of PAI-1 degradation, but is driven by an increase in tPA, with resultant loss of PAI-1 activity through complexation with tPA. Methods 86 consecutive trauma activation patients had blood collected at the earliest time after injury, and were screened for hyperfibrinolysis using thrombelastography (TEG). Twenty-five hyperfibrinolytic patients were compared to 14 healthy controls using ELISAs for active tPA, active PAI-1 and PAI-1/tPA complex. Blood was also subjected to TEG with exogenous tPA-challenge as a functional assay for PAI-1 reserve. Results Total levels of PAI-1 (the sum of the active PAI-1 species and its covalent complex with tPA) are not significantly different between hyperfibrinolytic trauma patients and healthy controls: median 104 pM (IQR 48—201 pM) versus 115 pM (IQR 54—202 pM). The ratio of active to complexed PAI-1, however, was two orders of magnitude lower in hyperfibrinolysis than controls. Conversely, total tPA levels (active plus complex) were significantly higher in hyperfibrinolysis than controls: 139 pM (IQR 68—237 pM) versus 32 pM (IQR 16—37 pM). Hyperfibrinolytic trauma patients displayed increased sensitivity to exogenous challenge with tPA: median LY30 of 66.8% compared to 9.6% for controls. Conclusions Depletion of PAI-1 in TIC is driven by an increase in tPA, not PAI-1 degradation. The tPA-challenged TEG, based on this principle, is a functional test for PAI-1 reserves. Exploration of the mechanism of upregulation of tPA is critical to an understanding of hyperfibrinolysis in

  13. Plasminogen activator inhibitor links obesity and thrombotic cerebrovascular diseases: The roles of PAI-1 and obesity on stroke.

    PubMed

    Chen, Rui; Yan, Jinchuan; Liu, Peijing; Wang, Zhongqun; Wang, Cuiping

    2017-06-01

    One of the global socioeconomic phenomena occurred during the last decades is the increased prevalence of obesity, with direct consequence on the risk of developing thrombotic disorders. As the physiological inhibitor of tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) and urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA), plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) is well known for its role in fibrinolysis. More and more evidences have shown that PAI-1 involves in physiopathologic mechanisms of many diseases and metabolic disorder. Increased serum level of PAI-1 has been observed in obesity and it also contributes to the development of adipose tissue and then has effects on obesity. Meantime, obesity affects also the PAI-1 levels. These evidences indicate the complicated interaction between PAI-1 and obesity. Many clinic studies have confirmed that obesity relates to the stroke outcome although there are many contradictory results. Simultaneously, correlation is found between plasma PAI-1 and thrombotic cerebrovascular diseases. This article reviews contemporary knowledge regarding the complex interplay of obesity, PAI-1 and stroke.

  14. Structural and Functional Evidence for Bacillus subtilis PaiA as a Novel N1-spermidine/spermine acetyltransferase (SSAT)

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Forouhar,F.; Lee, I.; Vujcic, J.

    2005-01-01

    Bacillus subtilis PaiA has been implicated in the negative control of sporulation as well as production of degradative enzymes. PaiA shares recognizable sequence homology with N-acetyltransferases, including those that can acetylate spermidine/spermine substrates (SSATs). We have determined the crystal structure of PaiA in complex with CoA at 1.9 Angstrom resolution and found that PaiA is a member of the N-acetyltransferase superfamily of enzymes. Unexpectedly, we observed the binding of an oxidized CoA dimer in the active site of PaiA, and the structural information suggests the substrates of the enzyme could be linear, positively charged compounds. Our biochemical characterization is alsomore » consistent with this possibility since purified PaiA possesses N1-acetyltransferase activity towards polyamine substrates including spermidine and spermine. Further, conditional over-expression of PaiA in bacteria results in increased acetylation of endogenous spermidine pools. Thus, our structural and biochemical analyses indicate that PaiA is a novel N-acetyltransferase capable of acetylating both spermidine and spermine. In this way, the pai operon may function in regulating intracellular polyamine concentrations and/or binding capabilities. In addition to preventing toxicity due to polyamine excess, this function may also serve to regulate expression of certain bacterial gene products such as those involved in sporulation.« less

  15. PUBLISHER'S ANNOUNCEMENT: Journal of Physics A Best Paper Prize

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    2008-10-01

    We are delighted to announce the launch of the Journal of Physics A Best Paper Prize. There will be three prizes worth £250 each awarded annually for well written papers that make an outstanding contribution to the field. All articles published during the two years prior to the award, including Fast Track Communications, regular papers, topical reviews and special issue papers, can be considered for a prize. The papers will be judged in May each year using the criteria of novelty, achievement, impact and presentation. We would now like to welcome nominations for prizes to be awarded in 2009. Eligible articles must have been published in volume 40 (2007) or 41 (2008). Papers can be nominated by our Editorial Board members (who are exempt from the competition) or by readers of the journal. Please send an email to the journal editorial office (jphysa@iop.org) giving the publication details of the paper and stating (in no more than 1000 words) how it meets the criteria listed above. Authors cannot nominate their own papers. The closing date for nominations is 31 January 2009. The first set of awards will be announced following the 2009 Editorial Board meeting and winners will receive their prizes shortly thereafter. The winners' articles will be featured on the journal homepage and showcased in IOPSelect (http://www.iop.org/Select/). For further information please contact the editorial office (jphysa@iop.org). Carl M Bender Editor-in-Chief Neil Scriven Publisher

  16. PUBLISHER'S ANNOUNCEMENT: Journal of Physics A Best Paper Prize

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    2008-11-01

    We are delighted to announce the launch of the Journal of Physics A Best Paper Prize. There will be three prizes worth £250 each awarded annually for well written papers that make an outstanding contribution to the field. All articles published during the two years prior to the award, including Fast Track Communications, regular papers, topical reviews and special issue papers, can be considered for a prize. The papers will be judged in late Spring each year using the criteria of novelty, achievement, impact and presentation. We would now like to welcome nominations for prizes to be awarded in 2009. Eligible articles must have been published in volume 39 (2007) or 40 (2008). Papers can be nominated by our Editorial Board members (who are exempt from the competition) or by readers of the journal. Please send an email to the journal editorial office (jphysa@iop.org) giving the publication details of the paper and stating (in no more than 1000 words) how it meets the criteria listed above. Authors cannot nominate their own papers. The closing date for nominations is 31 January 2009. The first set of awards will be announced following the 2009 Editorial Board meeting and winners will receive their prizes shortly thereafter. The winners' articles will be featured on the journal homepage and showcased in IOPSelect (http://www.iop.org/Select/). For further information please contact the editorial office (jphysa@iop.org). Carl M Bender Editor-in-Chief Neil Scriven Publisher

  17. PUBLISHER'S ANNOUNCEMENT: Journal of Physics A Best Paper Prize

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    2008-10-01

    We are delighted to announce the launch of the Journal of Physics A Best Paper Prize. There will be three prizes worth £250 each awarded annually for well written papers that make an outstanding contribution to the field. All articles published during the two years prior to the award, including Fast Track Communications, regular papers, topical reviews and special issue papers, can be considered for a prize. The papers will be judged in late Spring each year using the criteria of novelty, achievement, impact and presentation. We would now like to welcome nominations for prizes to be awarded in 2009. Eligible articles must have been published in volume 39 (2007) or 40 (2008). Papers can be nominated by our Editorial Board members (who are exempt from the competition) or by readers of the journal. Please send an email to the journal editorial office (jphysa@iop.org) giving the publication details of the paper and stating (in no more than 1000 words) how it meets the criteria listed above. Authors cannot nominate their own papers. The closing date for nominations is 31 January 2009. The first set of awards will be announced following the 2009 Editorial Board meeting and winners will receive their prizes shortly thereafter. The winners' articles will be featured on the journal homepage and showcased in IOPSelect (http://www.iop.org/Select/). For further information please contact the editorial office (jphysa@iop.org). Carl M Bender Editor-in-Chief Neil Scriven Publisher

  18. [The PAI-1 swing: microenvironment and cancer cell migration].

    PubMed

    Malo, Michel; Charrière-Bertrand, Cécile; Chettaoui, Chafika; Fabre-Guillevin, Elizabeth; Maquerlot, François; Lackmy, Alexandra; Vallée, Benoît; Delaplace, Franck; Barlovatz-Meimon, Georgia

    2006-12-01

    Cancer is a complex and dynamic process caused by a cellular dysfunction leading to a whole organ or even organism vital perturbation. To better understand this process, we need to study each one of the levels involved, which allows the scale change, and to integrate this knowledge. A matricellular protein, PAI-1, is able to induce in vitro cell behaviour modifications, morphological changes, and to promote cell migration. PAI-1 influences the mesenchymo-amaeboid transition. This matricellular protein should be considered as a potential 'launcher' of the metastatic process acting at the molecular, cellular, tissular levels and, as a consequence, at the organism's level.

  19. Maria Goeppert Mayer and the Nobel Prize

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Johnson, Karen E.

    2013-04-01

    When Maria Goeppert Mayer was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1963, she was only the second woman to receive that award and there have been no additional female physics laureates since. Mayer was uniquely prepared to carry out her prize-winning work on the nuclear shell model. Furthermore, she worked with some of the most well-known figures in mid-twentieth century physics, and her award came at a time when American science was in ascendance. Why, then, is her name so little known beyond the physics community? There are several possible answers to this question, ranging from the personal (her modest reaction to public acclaim) and the scientific (the mathematically abstract nature of her prize-winning work), to the national (the nature of the issues commanding public attention in the 1960s). In this talk I will present an overview of the circumstances that enabled Mayer to make exceptional contributions to nuclear physics, and then examine some of the possible reasons why her exceptional status is not more widely known.

  20. PAI-1 (Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor-1) Expression Renders Alternatively Activated Human Macrophages Proteolytically Quiescent

    PubMed Central

    Hohensinner, Philipp J.; Baumgartner, Johanna; Kral-Pointner, Julia B.; Uhrin, Pavel; Ebenbauer, Benjamin; Thaler, Barbara; Doberer, Konstantin; Stojkovic, Stefan; Demyanets, Svitlana; Fischer, Michael B.; Huber, Kurt; Schabbauer, Gernot; Speidl, Walter S.

    2017-01-01

    Objective— Macrophages are versatile immune cells capable of polarizing into functional subsets depending on environmental stimulation. In atherosclerotic lesions, proinflammatory polarized macrophages are associated with symptomatic plaques, whereas Th2 (T-helper cell type 2) cytokine–polarized macrophages are inversely related with disease progression. To establish a functional cause for these observations, we analyzed extracellular matrix degradation phenotypes in polarized macrophages. Approach and Results— We provide evidence that proinflammatory polarized macrophages rely on membrane-bound proteases including MMP-14 (matrix metalloproteinase-14) and the serine protease uPA (urokinase plasminogen activator) together with its receptor uPAR for extracellular matrix degradation. In contrast, Th2 cytokine alternatively primed macrophages do not show different proteolytic activity in comparison to unpolarized macrophages and lack increased localization of MMP-14 and uPA receptor to the cell membrane. Nonetheless, they express the highest amount of the serine protease uPA. However, uPA activity is blocked by similarly increased expression of its inhibitor PAI-1 (plasminogen activator inhibitor 1). When inhibiting PAI-1 or when analyzing macrophages deficient in PAI-1, Th2 cytokine–polarized macrophages display the same matrix degradation capability as proinflammatory-primed macrophages. Within atherosclerotic lesions, macrophages positive for the alternative activation marker CD206 express high levels of PAI-1. In addition, to test changed tissue remodeling capacities of alternatively activated macrophages, we used a bleomycin lung injury model in mice reconstituted with PAI-1−/− bone marrow. These results supported an enhanced remodeling phenotype displayed by increased fibrosis and elevated MMP activity in the lung after PAI-1 loss. Conclusions— We were able to demonstrate matrix degradation dependent on membrane-bound proteases in proinflammatory

  1. PAI-1 expression and its regulation by promoter 4G/5G polymorphism in clear cell renal cell carcinoma.

    PubMed

    Choi, Jung-Woo; Lee, Ju-Han; Park, Hong Seok; Kim, Young-Sik

    2011-10-01

    To characterise patients with high plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) expression as oral PAI-1 antagonists are currently in preclinical trials, and to determine whether the PAI-1 promoter 4G/5G polymorphism regulates PAI-1 expression in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (CCRCC). PAI-1 expression was examined by immunohistochemistry in 69 CCRCC specimens. In addition, the promoter 4G/5G polymorphism was investigated by both allele-specific PCR and direct DNA sequencing. PAI-1 was overexpressed in 25/69 (36.2%) patients with CCRCC. PAI-1 staining was intense in tumour cells with a high Fuhrman nuclear grade and in spindle-shaped tumour cells. PAI-1 expression was significantly associated with older age at diagnosis (p=0.027), high nuclear grade (p<0.001), advanced clinical stage (p=0.030) and distant metastasis (p=0.009). In survival analyses, PAI-1 expression was correlated with disease-free survival in Kaplan-Meier curves (p=0.015) but was not significant in the Cox hazards model (p=0.527). The frequencies of the promoter polymorphism were 24.6% (17/69) 4G/4G, 43.5% (30/69) 4G/5G and 31.9% (22/69) 5G/5G. The homozygous 4G/4G or 5G/5G group showed a tendency for a high nuclear grade (p=0.05) but the 4G/5G polymorphism was not related to other prognostic parameters. PAI-1 expression was poorly correlated with its promoter 4G/5G polymorphism (Spearman ρ=0.088). CCRCC with high PAI-1 expression is characterised by older age, high nuclear grade, advanced stage, distant metastasis and/or shortened disease-free survival. PAI-1 expression is not affected by the promoter 4G/5G polymorphism.

  2. 77 FR 36272 - SunShot Prize: America's Most Affordable Rooftop

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-06-18

    ... Most Affordable Rooftop Solar for public comment. Interested persons are encouraged to learn about the SunShot Prize: America's Most Affordable Rooftop rules at eere.energy.gov/solar/sunshot/prize.html.... Department of Energy, Office of Solar, 1000 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20585 FOR FURTHER...

  3. The 2010 Broad Prize

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Education Digest: Essential Readings Condensed for Quick Review, 2011

    2011-01-01

    A new data analysis, based on data collected as part of The Broad Prize process, provides insights into which large urban school districts in the United States are doing the best job of educating traditionally disadvantaged groups: African-American, Hispanics, and low-income students. Since 2002, The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation has awarded The…

  4. Pennies from heaven? Conceptions and earmarking of lottery prize money.

    PubMed

    Hedenus, Anna

    2014-06-01

    The source of money has been shown to be important for how money is spent. In addition, sudden wealth is often associated with social and psychological risks. This article investigates if conceptions of lottery prize money--as a special kind of money--imply restrictions on how it can be spent. Analysis of interviews with lottery winners shows that interviewees use earmarking of the prize money as a strategy for avoiding the pitfalls associated with a lottery win. Conceptions of lottery prize money as 'a lot' or as 'a little', as shared or personal, and as an opportunity or a risk, influences the ends for which it is earmarked: for self-serving spending, a 'normal' living standard, paying off loans, saving for designated purposes, or for economic security and independence. Clearly defining and earmarking lottery prize money thus helps lottery winners construe their sudden wealth, not as a risk, but as 'pennies from heaven.' © London School of Economics and Political Science 2014.

  5. EDITORIAL: Annual prizes for best papers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    2007-07-01

    2006 Roberts Prize The publishers of Physics in Medicine and Biology (PMB) in association with the Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine (IPEM) jointly award an annual prize for an article published in PMB during the previous year. The following ten articles, listed below in chronological order, were rated the best of 2006 based on the (two or three) referees' assessments: D W Mundy et al 2006 Radiation binary targeted therapy for HER-2 positive breast cancers: assumptions, theoretical assessment and future directions Phys. Med. Biol. 51 1377-91 Y Yang et al 2006 Investigation of optical coherence tomography as an imaging modality in tissue engineering Phys. Med. Biol. 51 1649-59 M Krämer and M Scholz 2006 Rapid calculation of biological effects in ion radiotherapy Phys. Med. Biol. 51 1959-70 P Crespo et al 2006 On the detector arrangement for in-beam PET for hadron therapy monitoring Phys. Med. Biol. 51 2143-63 R J Senden et al 2006 Polymer gel dosimeters with reduced toxicity: a preliminary investigation of the NMR and optical dose-response using different monomers Phys. Med. Biol. 51 3301-14 J Wang et al 2006 FDTD calculation of whole-body average SAR in adult and child models for frequencies from 30 MHz to 3 GHz Phys. Med. Biol. 51 4119-27 C A T Van den Berg et al 2006 The use of MR B+1 imaging for validation of FDTD electromagnetic simulations of human anatomies Phys. Med. Biol. 51 4735-46 S Qin and K W Ferrara 2006 Acoustic response of compliable microvessels containing ultrasound contrast agents Phys. Med. Biol. 51 5065-88 R Kramer et al 2006 Skeletal dosimetry in the MAX06 and the FAX06 phantoms for external exposure to photons based on vertebral 3D-microCT images Phys. Med. Biol. 51 6265-89 R Leiderman et al 2006 Coupling between elastic strain and interstitial fluid flow: ramifications for poroelastic imaging Phys. Med. Biol. 51 6291-313 An IPEM college of jurors then assessed and rated these papers in order to choose a winner. We have much

  6. HIF-2alpha-dependent PAI-1 induction contributes to angiogenesis in hepatocellular carcinoma

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Geis, Theresa, E-mail: geis@biochem.uni-frankfurt.de; Döring, Claudia, E-mail: C.Doering@em.uni-frankfurt.de; Popp, Rüdiger, E-mail: popp@vrc.uni-frankfurt.de

    Hypoxia promotes progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), not only affecting tumor cell proliferation and invasion, but also angiogenesis and thus, increasing the risk of metastasis. Hypoxia inducible factors (HIF)-1α and -2α cause adaptation of tumors to hypoxia, still with uncertainties towards the angiogenic switch. We created a stable knockdown of HIF-1α and HIF-2α in HepG2 cells and generated cocultures of HepG2 spheroids with embryonic bodies as an in vitro tumor model mimicking the cancer microenvironment. The naturally occuring oxygen and nutrient gradients within the cocultures allow us to question the role of distinct HIF isoforms in regulating HCC angiogenesis. Inmore » cocultures with a HIF-2α knockdown, angiogenesis was attenuated, while the knockdown of HIF-1α was without effect. Microarray analysis identified plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1) as a HIF-2α target gene in HepG2 cells. The knockdown of PAI-1 in HepG2 cells also lowered angiogenesis. Blocking plasmin, the downstream target of PAI-1, with aprotinin in HIF-2α knockdown (k/d) cells proved a cause–effect relation and restored angiogenesis, with no effect on control cocultures. Suggestively, HIF-2α increases PAI-1 to lower concentrations of active plasmin, thereby supporting angiogenesis. We conclude that the HIF-2α target gene PAI-1 favors the angiogenic switch in HCC. - Highlights: • HepG2 were cocultured with stem cells to mimic a cancer microenvironment in vitro. • A knockdown of HIF-2α reduces angiogenesis. • PAI-1 was identified as a HIF-2α target gene in HCC by microarray analysis. • HIF-2α induces the angiogenic switch via inhibition of plasmin.« less

  7. Students' participation in Hult Prize and their decision for entrepreneurship: Data gathered from Hult Prize 2018 regional finals in Nigeria.

    PubMed

    Oluwatobi, Stephen; Oshokoya, Damilare; Atayero, Aderemi; Oludayo, Olumuyiwa; Nsofor, Colette; Oyebode, Adeola

    2018-08-01

    This data article is an expression of data that reflects how students' participation in the Hult Prize 2018 regional finals affects their decision to become entrepreneurs. The primary data was sourced using a questionnaire developed with Google doc form. Out of 120 students that participated in the Hult Prize 2018 regional finals in Nigeria, 103 of them responded. Their responses are as presented in this article. Such will be relevant to researchers who want to find out why students desire to become entrepreneurs and the best approach and timing to enable them.

  8. Experimental determination of solvent-water partition coefficients and Abraham parameters for munition constituents.

    PubMed

    Liang, Yuzhen; Kuo, Dave T F; Allen, Herbert E; Di Toro, Dominic M

    2016-10-01

    There is concern about the environmental fate and effects of munition constituents (MCs). Polyparameter linear free energy relationships (pp-LFERs) that employ Abraham solute parameters can aid in evaluating the risk of MCs to the environment. However, poor predictions using pp-LFERs and ABSOLV estimated Abraham solute parameters are found for some key physico-chemical properties. In this work, the Abraham solute parameters are determined using experimental partition coefficients in various solvent-water systems. The compounds investigated include hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazacyclohexane (RDX), octahydro-1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetraazacyclooctane (HMX), hexahydro-1-nitroso-3,5-dinitro-1,3,5-triazine (MNX), hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitroso-1,3,5-triazine (TNX), hexahydro-1,3-dinitroso-5- nitro-1,3,5-triazine (DNX), 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT), 1,3,5-trinitrobenzene (TNB), and 4-nitroanisole. The solvents in the solvent-water systems are hexane, dichloromethane, trichloromethane, octanol, and toluene. The only available reported solvent-water partition coefficients are for octanol-water for some of the investigated compounds and they are in good agreement with the experimental measurements from this study. Solvent-water partition coefficients fitted using experimentally derived solute parameters from this study have significantly smaller root mean square errors (RMSE = 0.38) than predictions using ABSOLV estimated solute parameters (RMSE = 3.56) for the investigated compounds. Additionally, the predictions for various physico-chemical properties using the experimentally derived solute parameters agree with available literature reported values with prediction errors within 0.79 log units except for water solubility of RDX and HMX with errors of 1.48 and 2.16 log units respectively. However, predictions using ABSOLV estimated solute parameters have larger prediction errors of up to 7.68 log units. This large discrepancy is probably due to the missing R2NNO2

  9. [The 69th Congress-urologists nominated for the Nobel Prize : Not everyone got a prize: four biographical sketches].

    PubMed

    Moll, F H; Halling, T; Krischel, M; Hansson, N; Fangerau, H

    2017-09-01

    Our research group has reconstructed why the board certified urologists Werner Forssmann (1904-1979) and Charles Huggins (1901-1997) received the Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine (1956, and 1966, respectively). But the history of "Urology and the Nobel Prize" is in fact more multifaceted than the success stories of these two laureates suggest. James Israel (1848-1926), Berlin, Félix Guyon (1831-1920), Paris, Peter J. Freyer (1852-1921), London and Edwin Beer (1876-1938), New York were nominated for the award during the first three decades of the 20th century. Their candidacies mirror trends among leading urologists during the time when urology became a specialty in its own right.

  10. Increased PAI-1 plasma levels and risk of death from dengue: no association with the 4G/5G promoter polymorphism

    PubMed Central

    Mairuhu, ATA; Setiati, TE; Koraka, P; Hack, CE; Leyte, A; Faradz, SMH; ten Cate, H; Brandjes, DPM; Osterhaus, ADME; Reitsma, PH; van Gorp, ECM

    2005-01-01

    Background Dengue virus infected patients have high plasminogen activator inhibitor type I (PAI-1) plasma concentrations. Whether the insertion/deletion (4G/5G) polymorphism in the promotor region of the PAI-1 gene is associated with increased PAI-1 plasma concentrations and with death from dengue is unknown. We, therefore, investigated the relationship between the 4G/5G polymorphism and PAI-1 plasma concentrations in dengue patients and risk of death from dengue. Methods A total of 194 patients admitted to the Dr. Kariadi Hospital in Semarang, Indonesia, with clinical suspected severe dengue virus infection were enrolled. Blood samples were obtained on day of admission, days 1, 2 and 7 after admission and at a 1-month follow-up visit. Plasma concentrations of PAI-1 were measured using a sandwich ELISA kit. The PAI-1 4G/5G polymorphism was typed by allele-specific PCR analysis. Results Concentrations of PAI-1 on admission and peak values of PAI-1 during admission were higher than the values measured in healthy controls. Survival was significantly worse in patients with PAI-1 concentrations in the highest tertile (at admission: OR 4.7 [95% CI 0.9–23.8], peak value during admission: OR 6.3 [95%CI 1.3–30.8]). No association was found between the PAI-1 4G/5G polymorphism, and PAI-1 plasma concentrations, dengue disease severity and mortality from dengue. Conclusion These data suggest that the 4G/5G polymorphism has no significant influence on PAI-1 concentrations in dengue virus infected patients and is not associated with the risk of death from dengue. Other factors contributing to the variability of PAI-1 plasma concentrations in patients with dengue need to be explored. PMID:16274483

  11. Physics GRE Scores of Prize Postdoctoral Fellows in Astronomy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Levesque, Emily M.; Bezanson, Rachel; Tremblay, Grant

    2017-01-01

    The Physics GRE has long been a required element of the graduate admissions process in many U.S. astronomy programs; however, its predictive power and utility as a means of selection "successful" applicants had not been quantitatively examined until recently. In the fall of 2015 we circulated a short questionnaire to 271 people who have held U.S. prize postdoctoral fellowships in astrophysics between 2010-2015, asking them to report their Physics GRE scores. The response rate was 64%, and the responding sample was unbiased with respect to the overall gender distribution of prize fellows. The responses revealed that the Physics GRE scores of prize fellows do not adhere to any minimum percentile score and show no statistically significant correlation with the number of first author papers published. As an example, a Physics GRE percentile cutoff of 60% would have eliminated 44% of 2010-2015 U.S. prize postdoctoral fellows, including 60% of the female fellows. From these data, we found no evidence that the Physics GRE could be used as an effective predictor of "success" either in or beyond graduate school. Following this work and last year's official recommendation from the AAS, several astronomy departments have recently decided to eliminate the Physics GRE as a requirement for graduate applicants.

  12. Diagnosing paratonia in the demented elderly: reliability and validity of the Paratonia Assessment Instrument (PAI).

    PubMed

    Hobbelen, Johannes S M; Koopmans, Raymond T C M; Verhey, Frans R J; Habraken, Kitty M; de Bie, Rob A

    2008-08-01

    Paratonia is one of the associated movement disorders characteristic of dementia. The aim of this study was to develop an assessment tool (the Paratonia Assessment Instrument, PAI), based on the new consensus definition of paratonia. An additional aim was to investigate the reliability and validity of the PAI. A three-phase cross-sectional survey was conducted. In the first two phases, the PAI was developed and validated. In the third phase, the inter-observer reliability and feasibility of the instrument was tested. The original PAI consisted of five criteria that all needed to be met in order to make the diagnosis. On the basis of a qualitative analysis, one criterion was reformulated and another was removed. Following this, inter-observer reliability between the two assessors resulted in an improvement of Cohen's kappa from 0.532 in the initial phase to 0.677 in the second phase. This improvement was substantiated in the third phase by two independent assessors with Cohen's kappa ranging from 0.625 to 1. The PAI is a reliable and valid assessment tool for diagnosing paratonia in elderly people with dementia that can be applied easily in daily practice.

  13. Relationship between post-SARS osteonecrosis and PAI-1 4G/5G gene polymorphisms.

    PubMed

    Sun, Wei; Li, Zirong; Shi, Zhengcai; Wang, Bailiang; Gao, Fuqiang; Yang, Yurun; Guo, Wanshou

    2014-05-01

    To explore the correlation between post-severe acute respiratory symptom (SARS) patients with osteonecrosis, investigate the etiology of post-SARS osteonecrosis and select the sensitive molecular symbols for early diagnosis and distinguish the high-risk population. The studied subjects were divided into two groups. Sixty-two post-SARS patients with osteonecrosis were one group, and 52 age- and sex-matched healthy people were as normal controlled group. Empty stomach blood samples from cubital veins were collected from both groups. Plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI) by means of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and PAI-1 4G/5G polymorphism was detected by polymerase chain reaction and solid phase oligonucleotide assay. The blood agents of post-SARS patients changed obviously with 15.64 ± 13.85 U/ml while the control group 7.96 ± 4.27 U/ml; 4G/4G genotype for the PAI-1 polymorphism detected in post-SARS group was more than that of the control group, but had no statistical significance. The plasma PAI activity was related to homozygote 4G/4G genotype. This reveals that homozygote 4G/4G genotype may be a susceptible gene mark to Chinese osteonecrosis patients. Plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 is sensitive blood symbol for screening high-risk susceptible population; 4G/4G PAI-1 genotype may be an etiological factor in osteonecrosis.

  14. Conditioned media from (pre)adipocytes stimulate fibrinogen and PAI-1 production by HepG2 hepatoma cells

    PubMed Central

    Faber, D R; Kalkhoven, E; Westerink, J; Bouwman, J J; Monajemi, H M; Visseren, F L J

    2012-01-01

    Background: Obesity is associated with a prothrombotic state, which may contribute to the increased risk of thrombotic events. Objective: To assess the effects of (pre)adipocyte-derived adipokines on fibrinogen, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) and tissue factor (TF) production by hepatocytes. Methods: HepG2 hepatocytes were incubated with conditioned media (CM) derived from preadipocytes and adipocytes, which had been untreated or prestimulated with tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-1β or IL-6. After 24 h, supernatants and cell lysates were harvested for measurement of fibrinogen, PAI-1 and TF. Results: (Pre)adipocyte CM significantly enhanced the production of PAI-1 by HepG2 cells 2.5- to 4.4-fold. CM from cytokine-stimulated (pre)adipocytes significantly induced fibrinogen secretion 1.5- to 4.2-fold. TF production was not affected by the CM. After specific depletion of TNF-α, IL-1β or IL-6 from the CM, IL-6 was shown to be the most prominent stimulus of fibrinogen secretion and IL-1β of PAI-1 secretion. In addition, fibrinogen, PAI-1 and tissue factor production was evaluated by direct stimulation of HepG2 cells with TNF-α, IL-1β or IL-6. IL-6 enhanced fibrinogen synthesis 4.3-fold (P<0.01), whereas IL-1β induced PAI-1 production 5.0-fold (P<0.01). Gene expression analyses showed that TNF-α and IL-1β stimulate the adipocyte expression of TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6. Cytokine stimulation of adipocytes may thus have induced an inflammatory response, which may have stimulated fibrinogen and PAI-1 production by HepG2 cells more potently. Conclusions: SGBS (pre)adipocytes release cytokines that increase the production of fibrinogen and PAI-1 by HepG2 cells. IL-6 and IL-1β produced by (pre)adipocytes were the strongest inducers of fibrinogen and PAI-1 secretion, respectively. PMID:23208413

  15. Global fibrinolytic activity, PAI-1 level, and 4G/5G polymorphism in Thai children with arterial ischemic stroke.

    PubMed

    Natesirinilkul, Rungrote; Sasanakul, Werasak; Chuansumrit, Ampaiwan; Kadegasem, Praguywan; Visudtibhan, Anannit; Wongwerawattanakoon, Pakawan; Sirachainan, Nongnuch

    2014-01-01

    Prolonged euglobulin clot lysis time (ECLT) and increased level of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) were reported to be risk factors of arterial ischemic stroke (AIS) by some studies; however, these findings were not supported by other studies. The objective of this study was to determine the association of ECLT, PAI-1 level, and polymorphisms of 4G and 5G of PAI-1 gene to the development of AIS in Thai children. This study included patients aged 1-18 years old. Diagnosis of AIS was confirmed by imaging study. The control group was age- and sex-matched healthy subjects. Demographic data were recorded, and blood was tested for ECLT, PAI-1 level, lipid profiles, fasting blood sugar (FBS), and 4G and 5G polymorphisms of PAI-1 gene. There were 70 subjects participating in this study, consisting of 30 patients and 40 controls. Demographic data, lipid profiles, and FBS were similar between the 2 groups. Furthermore, ECLT and PAI-1 level did not differ between patient and control groups; however, both showed significant correlation (r = .352, P = .006). The 4G/5G polymorphism was the most common genotype in both patient and control groups (69.0% vs. 80.0%). However, 4G and 5G polymorphisms of PAI-1 gene did not correlate with PAI-1 level in this study (P = .797). The PAI-1 level and 4G/5G polymorphism may not be a risk factor of AIS in this population. It was also found that the 4G/5G polymorphism was the most common PAI-1 genotype in this study. Copyright © 2014 National Stroke Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Introducing the Benson Prize for Discovery Methods of Near Earth Objects by Amateurs

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Benson, J. W.

    1997-05-01

    The Benson Prize Sponsored by Space Development Corporation The Benson Prize for Discovery Methods of Near Earth Objects by Amateurs is an annual competition which awards prizes to the best proposed methods by which amateur astronomers may discover such near earth objects as asteroids and comet cores. The purpose of the Benson Prize is to encourage the discovery of near earth objects by amateur astronomers. The utilization of valuable near earth resources can provide many new jobs and economic activities on earth, while also creating many new opportunities for opening up the space frontier. The utilization of near earth resources will significantly contribute to the lessening of environmental degradation on the Earth caused by mining and chemical leaching operations required to exploit the low grade ores now remaining on Earth. In addition, near earth objects pose grave dangers for life on earth. Discovering and plotting the orbits of all potentially dangerous near earth objects is the first and necessary step in protecting ourselves against the enormous potential damage possible from near earth objects. With the high quality, large size and low cost of todays consumer telescopes, the rapid development of powerful, high resolution and inexpensive CCD cameras, and the proliferation of inexpensive software for todays powerful home computers, the discovery of near earth objects by amateur astronomers is more attainable than ever. The Benson Prize is sponsored by the Space Development Corporation, a space resource exploration and utilization company. In 1997 one prize of \\500 will be awarded to the best proposed method for the amateur discovery of NEOs, and in each of the four following years, Prizes of \\500, \\250 and \\100 will be awarded. Prizes for the actual discovery of Near Earth Asteroids will be added in later years.

  17. Randomized Trial of Prize-Based Reinforcement Density for Simultaneous Abstinence from Cocaine and Heroin

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ghitza, Udi E.; Epstein, David H.; Schmittner, John; Vahabzadeh, Massoud; Lin, Jia-Ling; Preston, Kenzie L.

    2007-01-01

    To examine the effect of reinforcer density in prize-based abstinence reinforcement, heroin/cocaine users (N = 116) in methadone maintenance (100 mg/day) were randomly assigned to a noncontingent control group (NonC) or to 1 of 3 groups that earned prize draws for abstinence: manual drawing with standard prize density (MS) or computerized drawing…

  18. Muller's Nobel Prize Lecture: when ideology prevailed over science.

    PubMed

    Calabrese, Edward J

    2012-03-01

    This paper extends and confirms the report of Calabrese (Calabrese, E. J. (2011b). Muller's Nobel Lecture on dose-response for ionizing radiation: Ideology or science? Arch. Toxicol. 85, 1495-1498) that Hermann J. Muller knowingly made deceptive comments in his 1946 Nobel Prize Lecture (Muller, H. J. (1946). Nobel Prize Lecture. Stockholm, Sweden. Available at http://www.nobelprize.org/. Accessed December 12) concerning the dose-response. Supporting a linearity perspective, Muller stated there is "no escape from the conclusion that there is no threshold" while knowing the results of a recent study by Ernst Caspari and Curt Stern contradicted these comments. Recently uncovered private correspondence between Muller and Stern reveals Muller's scientific assessment of the Caspari and Stern manuscript in a letter from Muller to Stern 5 weeks (14 January 1947) after his Nobel Prize Lecture of 12 December 1946. Muller indicated that the manuscript was of acceptable scientific quality; he indicated the manuscript should be published, but the findings needed replication because it significantly challenged the linearity hypothesis. These findings complement the previous letter (12 November 1946 letter from Muller to Stern), which revealed that Muller received the Caspari and Stern manuscript, recognized it as significant, and recommended its replication 5 weeks before his Nobel Prize Lecture. Muller therefore supported this position immediately before and after his Nobel Prize Lecture. Muller's opinions on the Caspari and Stern manuscript therefore had not changed during the time leading up to his Lecture, supporting the premise that his Lecture comments were deceptive. These findings are of historical and practical significance because Muller's comments were a notable contributory factor, changing how risks would be assessed for carcinogens (i.e., changing from a threshold to a linear model) throughout the 20th century to the present.

  19. ["If Berger had survived the second world war - he certainly would have been a candidate for the Nobel Prize". Hans Berger and the legend of the Nobel Prize].

    PubMed

    Gerhard, U-J; Schönberg, A; Blanz, B

    2005-03-01

    The public opinion pays much attention to the Nobel Prize as an indicator for the scientific efficiency of a university or a country in connection with foundation of so-called elite universities. The former holder of the psychiatric chair in Jena and discoverer of the electroencephalogram Hans Berger (1873 - 1941) came into discussion as candidate for the Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine. The current medical-historical publications maintain the view that Berger should have received the Nobel Prize in 1936 as well as in 1949. This was prevented in 1936 by an enactment from Hitler, which forbid him to accept the prize, and later in 1949 by Berger's own death. According to documents of the Nobel archives these statements can be disproved. Berger was only nominated three times out of 65 nominations in 1940. Because of his death the other two recommendations in 1942 and 1947 were never evaluated.

  20. Abraham Lincoln did not have type 5 spinocerebellar ataxia.

    PubMed

    Sotos, John G

    2009-10-20

    An autosomal dominant genetic disorder, type 5 spinocerebellar ataxia (SCA5), occurs in multiple descendants of one paternal uncle and one paternal aunt of President Abraham Lincoln. It has been suggested that Lincoln himself had the disease and that his DNA should be tested for an SCA5-conferring gene. Herein, I review the pertinent phenotypes of Lincoln, his father, and his paternal grandmother, and conclude that 1) Lincoln's father did not have SCA5, and, therefore, that Lincoln was not at special risk of the disease; 2) Lincoln had neither subclinical nor visible manifestations of SCA5; 3) little evidence suggests SCA5 is a "Lincolnian" disorder; and 4) without additional evidence, Lincoln's DNA should not be tested for SCA5.

  1. Wave Energy Prize - 1/20th Testing - AquaHarmonics

    DOE Data Explorer

    Scharmen, Wesley

    2016-09-02

    Data from the 1/20th scale testing data completed on the Wave Energy Prize for the AquaHarmonics team, including the 1/20th scale test plan, raw test data, video, photos, and data analysis results. The top level objective of the 1/20th scale device testing is to obtain the necessary measurements required for determining Average Climate Capture Width per Characteristic Capital Expenditure (ACE) and the Hydrodynamic Performance Quality (HPQ), key metrics for determining the Wave Energy Prize (WEP) winners.

  2. Wave Energy Prize - 1/20th Testing - Waveswing America

    DOE Data Explorer

    Scharmen, Wesley

    2016-08-19

    Data from the 1/20th scale testing data completed on the Wave Energy Prize for the Waveswing America team, including the 1/20th scale test plan, raw test data, video, photos, and data analysis results. The top level objective of the 1/20th scale device testing is to obtain the necessary measurements required for determining Average Climate Capture Width per Characteristic Capital Expenditure (ACE) and the Hydrodynamic Performance Quality (HPQ), key metrics for determining the Wave Energy Prize (WEP) winners.

  3. Wave Energy Prize - 1/20th Testing - Sea Potential

    DOE Data Explorer

    Scharmen, Wesley

    2016-09-23

    Data from the 1/20th scale testing data completed on the Wave Energy Prize for the Sea Potential team, including the 1/20th scale test plan, raw test data, video, photos, and data analysis results. The top level objective of the 1/20th scale device testing is to obtain the necessary measurements required for determining Average Climate Capture Width per Characteristic Capital Expenditure (ACE) and the Hydrodynamic Performance Quality (HPQ), key metrics for determining the Wave Energy Prize (WEP) winners.

  4. EDITORIAL: Annual prizes for best papers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    2006-09-01

    2005 Roberts Prize The publishers of Physics in Medicine and Biology (PMB) in association with the Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine (IPEM) jointly award an annual prize for an article published in PMB during the previous year. The following 14 articles, listed below in chronological order, were rated the best of 2005 based on the (two or three) referees' assessments: P Kundrát et al 2005 Probabilistic two-stage model of cell inactivation by ionizing particles Phys. Med. Biol. 50 1433-47 D Arora et al 2005 Direct thermal dose control of constrained focused ultrasound treatments: phantom and in vivo evaluation Phys. Med. Biol. 50 1919-35 J S Dysart et al 2005 Characterization of Photofrin photobleaching for singlet oxygen dose estimation during photodynamic therapy of MLL cells in vitro Phys. Med. Biol. 50 2597-616 M Defrise et al 2005 Fourier rebinning of time-of-flight PET data Phys. Med. Biol. 50 2749-63 Z Su et al 2005 Systematic investigation of the signal properties of polycrystalline HgI2 detectors under mammographic, radiographic, fluoroscopic and radiotherapy irradiation conditions Phys. Med. Biol. 50 2907-28 E Bräuer-Krisch et al 2005 New irradiation geometry for microbeam radiation therapy Phys. Med. Biol. 50 3103-11 H C Pyo et al 2005 Identification of current density distribution in electrically conducting subject with anisotropic conductivity distribution Phys. Med. Biol. 50 3183-96 R P Findlay et al 2005 Effects of posture on FDTD calculations of specific absorption rate in a voxel model of the human body Phys. Med. Biol. 50 3825-35 G Alexandrakis et al 2005 Tomographic bioluminescence imaging by use of a combined optical-PET (OPET) system: a computer simulation feasibility study Phys. Med. Biol. 50 4225-41 J Keshvari et al 2005 Comparison of radio frequency energy absorption in ear and eye region of children and adults at 900, 1800 and 2450 MHz Phys. Med. Biol. 50 4355-69 J Laufer et al 2005 In vitro measurements of absolute blood

  5. PPAR{alpha} deficiency augments a ketogenic diet-induced circadian PAI-1 expression possibly through PPAR{gamma} activation in the liver

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Oishi, Katsutaka, E-mail: k-ooishi@aist.go.jp; Uchida, Daisuke; Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki

    Research highlights: {yields} PPAR{alpha} deficiency augments a ketogenic diet-induced circadian PAI-1 expression. {yields} Hepatic expressions of PPAR{gamma} and PCG-1{alpha} are induced by a ketogenic diet. {yields} PPAR{gamma} antagonist attenuates a ketogenic diet-induced PAI-1 expression. {yields} Ketogenic diet advances the phase of circadian clock in a PPAR{alpha}-independent manner. -- Abstract: An increased level of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) is considered a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, and PAI-1 gene expression is under the control of molecular circadian clocks in mammals. We recently showed that PAI-1 expression is augmented in a phase-advanced circadian manner in mice fed with a ketogenic diet (KD).more » To determine whether peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor {alpha} (PPAR{alpha}) is involved in hypofibrinolytic status induced by a KD, we examined the expression profiles of PAI-1 and circadian clock genes in PPAR{alpha}-null KD mice. Chronic administration of bezafibrate induced the PAI-1 gene expression in a PPAR{alpha}-dependent manner. Feeding with a KD augmented the circadian expression of PAI-1 mRNA in the hearts and livers of wild-type (WT) mice as previously described. The KD-induced mRNA expression of typical PPAR{alpha} target genes such as Cyp4A10 and FGF21 was damped in PPAR{alpha}-null mice. However, plasma PAI-1 concentrations were significantly more elevated in PPAR{alpha}-null KD mice in accordance with hepatic mRNA levels. These observations suggest that PPAR{alpha} activation is dispensable for KD-induced PAI-1 expression. We also found that hyperlipidemia, fatty liver, and the hepatic expressions of PPAR{gamma} and its coactivator PCG-1{alpha} were more effectively induced in PPAR{alpha}-null, than in WT mice on a KD. Furthermore, KD-induced hepatic PAI-1 expression was significantly suppressed by supplementation with bisphenol A diglycidyl ether, a PPAR{gamma} antagonist, in both WT and PPAR

  6. PAI1 mediates fibroblast-mast cell interactions in skin fibrosis.

    PubMed

    Pincha, Neha; Hajam, Edries Yousaf; Badarinath, Krithika; Batta, Surya Prakash Rao; Masudi, Tafheem; Dey, Rakesh; Andreasen, Peter; Kawakami, Toshiaki; Samuel, Rekha; George, Renu; Danda, Debashish; Jacob, Paul Mazhuvanchary; Jamora, Colin

    2018-05-01

    Fibrosis is a prevalent pathological condition arising from the chronic activation of fibroblasts. This activation results from the extensive intercellular crosstalk mediated by both soluble factors and direct cell-cell connections. Prominent among these are the interactions of fibroblasts with immune cells, in which the fibroblast-mast cell connection, although acknowledged, is relatively unexplored. We have used a Tg mouse model of skin fibrosis, based on expression of the transcription factor Snail in the epidermis, to probe the mechanisms regulating mast cell activity and the contribution of these cells to this pathology. We have discovered that Snail-expressing keratinocytes secrete plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 (PAI1), which functions as a chemotactic factor to increase mast cell infiltration into the skin. Moreover, we have determined that PAI1 upregulates intercellular adhesion molecule type 1 (ICAM1) expression on dermal fibroblasts, rendering them competent to bind to mast cells. This heterotypic cell-cell adhesion, also observed in the skin fibrotic disorder scleroderma, culminates in the reciprocal activation of both mast cells and fibroblasts, leading to the cascade of events that promote fibrogenesis. Thus, we have identified roles for PAI1 in the multifactorial program of fibrogenesis that expand its functional repertoire beyond its canonical role in plasmin-dependent processes.

  7. Nominee and nominator, but never Nobel Laureate: Vincenz Czerny and the Nobel Prize.

    PubMed

    Hansson, Nils; Tuffs, Annette

    2016-12-01

    The Heidelberg surgeon Vincenz Czerny (1842-1916) is remembered as pioneer of innovative operations as well as entrepreneur of interdisciplinary cancer therapy. The purpose of this paper is to describe his role during the early history of the Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine. Based on documents from the Nobel Archive, this paper investigates how Czerny contributed, both as nominee and nominator, in shaping the early years of Nobel Prize history. Vincenz Czerny was nominated at least three times for the Nobel Prize, but he was never selected. Czerny's own nomination letters pinpoint important trends in medicine around the turn of the century. At least seven of the candidates he put forward, became Nobel Laureates. Czerny-like many other internationally renowned surgeons during the first decades of the twentieth century-missed out on the Nobel Prize, partly because it is not a lifetime award and his work would have to have been more recent. However, with his nominations, Czerny helped to shape the Nobel Prize to become the most important scientific award worldwide.

  8. Induction of plasminogen activator inhibitor type-1 (PAI-1) by hypoxia and irradiation in human head and neck carcinoma cell lines

    PubMed Central

    Schilling, Daniela; Bayer, Christine; Geurts-Moespot, Anneke; Sweep, Fred CGJ; Pruschy, Martin; Mengele, Karin; Sprague, Lisa D; Molls, Michael

    2007-01-01

    Background Squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) often contain highly radioresistant hypoxic regions, nonetheless, radiotherapy is a common treatment modality for these tumours. Reoxygenation during fractionated radiotherapy is desired to render these hypoxic tumour regions more radiosensitive. Hypoxia additionally leads to up-regulation of PAI-1, a protein involved in tumour progression and an established prognostic marker for poor outcome. However, the impact of reoxygenation and radiation on PAI-1 levels is not yet clear. Therefore, we investigated the kinetics of PAI-1 expression and secretion after hypoxia and reoxygenation, and determined the influence of ionizing radiation on PAI-1 levels in the two human SCCHN cell lines, BHY and FaDu. Methods HIF-1α immunoblot was used to visualize the degree of hypoxia in the two cell lines. Cellular PAI-1 expression was investigated by immunofluorescence microscopy. ELISA was used to quantify relative changes in PAI-1 expression (cell lysates) and secretion (cell culture supernatants) in response to various lengths (2 – 4 h) of hypoxic exposure (< 0.66 % O2), reoxygenation (24 h, 20 % O2), and radiation (0, 2, 5 and 10 Gy). Results HIF-1α expression was induced between 2 and 24 h of hypoxic exposure. Intracellular PAI-1 expression was significantly increased in BHY and FaDu cells as early as 4 h after hypoxic exposure. A significant induction in secreted PAI-1 was seen after 12 to 24 h (BHY) and 8 to 24 h (FaDu) hypoxia, as compared to the normoxic control. A 24 h reoxygenation period caused significantly less PAI-1 secretion than a 24 h hypoxia period in FaDu cells. Irradiation led to an up-regulation of PAI-1 expression and secretion in both, BHY and FaDu cells. Conclusion Our data suggest that both, short-term (~4 – 8 h) and long-term (~20 – 24 h) hypoxic exposure could increase PAI-1 levels in SCCHN in vivo. Importantly, radiation itself could lead to PAI-1 up-regulation in head and neck

  9. Induction of plasminogen activator inhibitor type-1 (PAI-1) by hypoxia and irradiation in human head and neck carcinoma cell lines.

    PubMed

    Schilling, Daniela; Bayer, Christine; Geurts-Moespot, Anneke; Sweep, Fred C G J; Pruschy, Martin; Mengele, Karin; Sprague, Lisa D; Molls, Michael

    2007-07-30

    Squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) often contain highly radioresistant hypoxic regions, nonetheless, radiotherapy is a common treatment modality for these tumours. Reoxygenation during fractionated radiotherapy is desired to render these hypoxic tumour regions more radiosensitive. Hypoxia additionally leads to up-regulation of PAI-1, a protein involved in tumour progression and an established prognostic marker for poor outcome. However, the impact of reoxygenation and radiation on PAI-1 levels is not yet clear. Therefore, we investigated the kinetics of PAI-1 expression and secretion after hypoxia and reoxygenation, and determined the influence of ionizing radiation on PAI-1 levels in the two human SCCHN cell lines, BHY and FaDu. HIF-1alpha immunoblot was used to visualize the degree of hypoxia in the two cell lines. Cellular PAI-1 expression was investigated by immunofluorescence microscopy. ELISA was used to quantify relative changes in PAI-1 expression (cell lysates) and secretion (cell culture supernatants) in response to various lengths (2-4 h) of hypoxic exposure (< 0.66% O2), reoxygenation (24 h, 20% O2), and radiation (0, 2, 5 and 10 Gy). HIF-1alpha expression was induced between 2 and 24 h of hypoxic exposure. Intracellular PAI-1 expression was significantly increased in BHY and FaDu cells as early as 4 h after hypoxic exposure. A significant induction in secreted PAI-1 was seen after 12 to 24 h (BHY) and 8 to 24 h (FaDu) hypoxia, as compared to the normoxic control. A 24 h reoxygenation period caused significantly less PAI-1 secretion than a 24 h hypoxia period in FaDu cells. Irradiation led to an up-regulation of PAI-1 expression and secretion in both, BHY and FaDu cells. Our data suggest that both, short-term (approximately 4-8 h) and long-term (approximately 20-24 h) hypoxic exposure could increase PAI-1 levels in SCCHN in vivo. Importantly, radiation itself could lead to PAI-1 up-regulation in head and neck tumours, whereas

  10. Berkeley Lab's Saul Perlmutter wins Nobel Prize in Physics | Berkeley Lab

    Science.gov Websites

    astrophysics, dark energy, physics Connect twitter instagram LinkedIn facebook youtube This form needs Berkeley Lab's Saul Perlmutter wins Nobel Prize in Physics News Release Paul Preuss 510-486-6249 * October professor of physics at the University of California at Berkeley, has won the 2011 Nobel Prize in Physics

  11. [Opinions of the participants of 'Quit and Win' competition concerning prizes motivating to refrain from smoking].

    PubMed

    Kowalska, Alina; Stelmach, Włodzimierz; Rzeźnicki, Adam

    2009-01-01

    Big antinicotine campaigns both in Poland and worldwide, are finished with a competition with prizes of different value. Psychologists say that a prize significantly motivates a person to certain kinds of behaviour. During educational activities carried out in the time of campaign, it is recommended to use techniques of psychological interaction that would release motives most beneficial to health. The aim of the work was to recognize frequency of being influenced mostly by the possibility of winning a prize before making a decision about quitting smoking and joining the competition, and learning the opinions of prize laureates concerning efficiency of 'Quit and Win' competitions. Empirical material comes from two sources. The first one is the selected fragments of a survey study carried out at Social and Preventive Medicine Department among 1700 participants of 'Quit and Win' competition that finished the 2nd International Antinicotine Campaign in Poland. The correctly filled survey was sent by 1285 people, that is 75.6%. The second source is a fragment of a survey study carried out in 2003 among 54 laureates of 'Quit and Win' competition in Poland. The completed survey was sent by majority of the laureates, that is 34 people (f = 0.63). Possibility of winning a prize as the most important reason for taking up the attempt to stop smoking and joining the competition was pointed to by 56 respondents (4.4%), whereas the remaining people chose other reasons as the most important ones. In the group of 34 respondents who were the laureates of competitions, majority, that is 22 people (f = 0.65) claimed the competition with prizes as a very effective method of reducing smoking. Half of the surveyed (17 people) claimed the possibility of winning a few prizes of high value would be more motivating than winning one of many prizes of smaller value. As the least attractive, prize gifts were pointed to. A prize in the form of a trip or holiday was considered very popular, as

  12. 𝒩 = 2 supersymmetric Pais-Uhlenbeck oscillator

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Masterov, Ivan

    2015-06-01

    We construct an 𝒩 = 2 supersymmetric extension of the Pais-Uhlenbeck oscillator for distinct frequencies of oscillation. A link to a set of decoupled 𝒩 = 2 supersymmetric harmonic oscillators with alternating sign in the Hamiltonian is introduced. Symmetries of the model are discussed in detail. The investigation of a quantum counterpart of the constructed model shows that the corresponding Fock space contains negative norm states and the energy spectrum of the system is unbounded from below.

  13. Differential Regulation of PAI-1 in Hantavirus Cardiopulmonary Syndrome and Hemorrhagic Fever With Renal Syndrome.

    PubMed

    Bellomo, Carla; Korva, Miša; Papa, Anna; Mäkelä, Satu; Mustonen, Jukka; Avšič-Županc, Tatjana; Vaheri, Antti; Martinez, Valeria P; Strandin, Tomas

    2018-02-01

    We analyzed the levels of circulating tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) and plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI)-1 in acute hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS) and hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS). The levels of tPA commonly increased in both diseases, whereas PAI-1 correlated with disease severity in HCPS but not in HFRS.

  14. Night-time restricted feeding normalises clock genes and Pai-1 gene expression in the db/db mouse liver.

    PubMed

    Kudo, T; Akiyama, M; Kuriyama, K; Sudo, M; Moriya, T; Shibata, S

    2004-08-01

    An increase in PAI-1 activity is thought to be a key factor underlying myocardial infarction. Mouse Pai-1 (mPai-1) activity shows a daily rhythm in vivo, and its transcription seems to be controlled not only by clock genes but also by humoral factors such as insulin and triglycerides. Thus, we investigated daily clock genes and mPai-1 mRNA expression in the liver of db/db mice exhibiting high levels of glucose, insulin and triglycerides. Locomotor activity was measured using an infrared detection system. RT-PCR or in situ hybridisation methods were applied to measure gene expression. Humoral factors were measured using measurement kits. The db/ db mice showed attenuated locomotor activity rhythms. The rhythmic expression of mPer2 mRNA was severely diminished and the phase of mBmal1 oscillation was advanced in the db/db mouse liver, whereas mPai-1 mRNA was highly and constitutively expressed. Night-time restricted feeding led to a recovery not only from the diminished locomotor activity, but also from the diminished Per2 and advanced mBmal1 mRNA rhythms. Expression of mPai-1 mRNA in db/db mice was reduced to levels far below normal. Pioglitazone treatment slightly normalised glucose and insulin levels, with a slight reduction in mPai-1 gene expression. We demonstrated that Type 2 diabetes impairs the oscillation of the peripheral oscillator. Night-time restricted feeding rather than pioglitazone injection led to a recovery from the diminished locomotor activity, and altered oscillation of the peripheral clock and mPai-1 mRNA rhythm. Thus, we conclude that scheduled restricted food intake may be a useful form of treatment for diabetes.

  15. Revisiting the crisis in Freud's libido theory and Abraham's concept of the oral-sadistic phase as a way out of it.

    PubMed

    Dahl, Gerhard

    2016-10-01

    The now available unabridged correspondence between Freud and Abraham leads to a re-evaluation of the significance of Abraham's work. The author proposes the thesis that clinical observations by Karl Abraham of the ambivalence of object relations and the destructive-sadistic aspects of orality have an important influence on the advancement of psychoanalytical theory. The phantasy problem of the Wolf Man and the question of the pathogenic relevance of early actual, or merely imagined traumata led Freud to doubt the validity of his theory. He attempted repeatedly to solve this problem using libido theory, but failed because of his problematic conception of oral erotics. The pathogenic effect of presymbolic traumatizations cannot be demonstrated scientifically because of the still underdeveloped brain in the early stage of the child's development. Consequently, the important empirical evidence of a scientific neurosis theory could not be provided. A revision of the theory of the instincts thus became necessary. With Abraham's clinical contributions and other pathologic evidence, Freud was, with some reservation, forced to modify his idea of oral erotics by ascribing to it a status of a merely constructed and fictive phase of oral organization. A solution was eventually facilitated via recognition of non-erotic aggression and destruction, thereby opening libido theory to fundamental revisions. Driven by the desire to develop a scientific theory, Freud initially had, in his first theory of the instincts, assumed a strongly causal-deterministic view on Psychic Function. His third revision of theory of the instincts, Beyond the Pleasure Principle including the death instinct hypothesis, considered the hermeneutic aspect of psychoanalytic theory, which had previously existed only implicitly in his theory. Further development of the death instinct hypothesis by Melanie Klein and her successors abandoned quantitative-economic and causal-deterministic principles, and instead

  16. Induction of CD69 expression by cagPAI-positive Helicobacter pylori infection

    PubMed Central

    Mori, Naoki; Ishikawa, Chie; Senba, Masachika

    2011-01-01

    AIM: To investigate and elucidate the molecular mechanism that regulates inducible expression of CD69 by Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection. METHODS: The expression levels of CD69 in a T-cell line, Jurkat, primary human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), and CD4+ T cells, were assessed by immunohistochemistry, reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, and flow cytometry. Activation of CD69 promoter was detected by reporter gene. Nuclear factor (NF)-κB activation in Jurkat cells infected with H. pylori was evaluated by electrophoretic mobility shift assay. The role of NF-κB signaling in H. pylori-induced CD69 expression was analyzed using inhibitors of NF-κB and dominant-negative mutants. The isogenic mutants with disrupted cag pathogenicity island (cagPAI) and virD4 were used to elucidate the role of cagPAI-encoding type IV secretion system and CagA in CD69 expression. RESULTS: CD69 staining was detected in mucosal lymphocytes and macrophages in specimens of patients with H. pylori-positive gastritis. Although cagPAI-positive H. pylori and an isogenic mutant of virD4 induced CD69 expression, an isogenic mutant of cagPAI failed to induce this in Jurkat cells. H. pylori also induced CD69 expression in PBMCs and CD4+ T cells. The activation of the CD69 promoter by H. pylori was mediated through NF-κB. Transfection of dominant-negative mutants of IκBs, IκB kinases, and NF-κB-inducing kinase inhibited H. pylori-induced CD69 activation. Inhibitors of NF-κB suppressed H. pylori-induced CD69 mRNA expression. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that H. pylori induces CD69 expression through the activation of NF-κB. cagPAI might be relevant in the induction of CD69 expression in T cells. CD69 in T cells may play a role in H. pylori-induced gastritis. PMID:21990950

  17. When a misperception favors a tragedy: Carlos Chagas and the Nobel Prize of 1921.

    PubMed

    Bestetti, Reinaldo B; Couto, Lucélio B; Cardinalli-Neto, Augusto

    2013-11-20

    Carlos Chagas, the discoverer of Chagas' disease was nominated to the Nobel Prize in 1921, but none did win the prize in that year. As a leader of a young scientist team, he discovered all aspects of the new disease from 1909 to 1920. It is still obscure why he did not win the Nobel Prize in 1921. Chagas was discarded by Gunnar Hedrèn on April 16, 1921. Hedrèn should have made a written report about the details of his evaluation to the Nobel Committee. However, such a document has not been found in the Nobel Committee Archives. No evidence of detractions made by Brazilian scientists on Chagas was found. Since Chagas nomination was consistent with the Nobel Committee requirements, as seen in the presentation letter by until now unknown Cypriano de Freitas, it become clear that Chagas did not win the Nobel Prize exclusively because the Nobel Committee did not perceive the importance of his discovery. Thus, it would be fair a posthumous Nobel Prize of 1921 to Carlos Chagas. A diploma of the Nobel Prize, as precedent with Dogmack in 1947, would recognize the merit of the scientist who made the most complete medical discovery of all times. © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. A new prize system for drug innovation.

    PubMed

    Gandjour, Afschin; Chernyak, Nadja

    2011-10-01

    We propose a new prize (reward) system for drug innovation which pays a price based on the value of health benefits accrued over time. Willingness to pay for a unit of health benefit is determined based on the cost-effectiveness ratio of palliative/nursing care. We solve the problem of limited information on the value of health benefits by mathematically relating reward size to the uncertainty of information including information on potential drug overuse. The proposed prize system offers optimal incentives to invest in research and development because it rewards the innovator for the social value of drug innovation. The proposal is envisaged as a non-voluntary alternative to the current patent system and reduces excessive marketing of innovators and generic drug producers. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Nobel Prize Honors Autophagy Discovery.

    PubMed

    2016-12-01

    Japanese cell biologist Yoshinori Ohsumi, PhD, was awarded this year's Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his discovery of autophagy. His groundbreaking studies in yeast cells illuminated how cells break down and recycle damaged material, a process that is critical to the survival of both normal cells and some cancer cells. ©2016 American Association for Cancer Research.

  20. Vouchers Versus Prizes: Contingency Management Treatment of Substance Abusers in Community Settings

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Petry, Nancy M.; Alessi, Sheila M.; Marx, Jacqueline; Austin, Mark; Tardif, Michelle

    2005-01-01

    Contingency management (CM) interventions usually use vouchers as reinforcers, but a new technique awards chances of winning prizes. This study compares these approaches. In community treatment centers, 142 cocaine- or heroin-dependent outpatients were randomly assigned to standard treatment (ST), ST with vouchers, or ST with prizes for 12 weeks.…

  1. Yellow fever and Max Theiler: the only Nobel Prize for a virus vaccine

    PubMed Central

    Norrby, Erling

    2007-01-01

    In 1951, Max Theiler of the Rockefeller Foundation received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his discovery of an effective vaccine against yellow fever—a discovery first reported in the JEM 70 years ago. This was the first, and so far the only, Nobel Prize given for the development of a virus vaccine. Recently released Nobel archives now reveal how the advances in the yellow fever vaccine field were evaluated more than 50 years ago, and how this led to a prize for Max Theiler. PMID:18039952

  2. Influence of PAI-1 gene promoter-675 (4G/5G) polymorphism on fibrinolytic activity after cardiac surgery employing cardiopulmonary bypass.

    PubMed

    Ozolina, Agnese; Strike, Eva; Jaunalksne, Inta; Serova, Jelena; Romanova, Tatjana; Zake, Liene Nikitina; Sabelnikovs, Olegs; Vanags, Indulis

    2012-01-01

    The plasminogen activator inhibitor type-1 (PAI-1) gene promoter contains 675 (4G/5G) polymorphism. The aim of this study was evaluate the effect of the PAI-1 promoter-675 (4G/5G) polymorphism on the concentrations of PAI-1 and tissue plasminogen activator/PAI-1 (t-PA/PAI-1) complex and bleeding volume after on-pump cardiac surgery. A total of 90 patients were included in the study at Pauls Stradins Clinical University Hospital. Seven patients were excluded due to surgical bleeding. Eighty-three patients were classified according to the PAI-1 genotype: 21 patients had the 4G/4G genotype; 42, the 4G/5G genotype; and 20, the 5G/5G genotype. The following fibrinolysis parameters were recorded: the PAI-1 level preoperatively, D-dimer level at 0, 6, and 24 hours after surgery, and t-PA/PAI-1 complex level 24 hours postoperatively. A postoperative bleeding volume was registered in mL 24 hours after surgery. The patients with the 5G/5G genotype had significantly lower preoperative PAI-1 levels (17 [SD, 10.8] vs. 24 ng/mL [SD, 9.6], P=0.04), higher D-dimer levels at 6 hours (371 [SD, 226] vs. 232 ng/mL [SD, 185], P=0.03) and 24 hours (326 [SD, 207] vs. 209 ng/mL [SD, 160], P=0.04), and greater postoperative blood loss (568 [SD, 192] vs. 432 mL [168], P=0.02) compared with the 4G/4G carriers. There were no significant differences in the levels of the t-PA/PAI-1 complex comparing different genotype groups. The carriers of the 5G/5G genotype showed the lower preoperative PAI-1 levels, greater chest tube blood loss, and higher D-dimer levels indicating that the 5G/5G carriers may have enhanced fibrinolysis.

  3. The association between PAI-1 -675 4G/5G polymorphism and type 2 diabetes mellitus.

    PubMed

    Chen, L; Li, S-Y; Liu, M

    2017-08-15

    In this study, we aimed to analyze the association between plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1) -675 4G/5G polymorphism and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) risk. We included in 187 T2DM patients and 186 heathy controls between 2014 and 2017 from Tianjin Gong An Hospital, China. All patients and controls were ethnically Chinese Han population. The primers and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) conditions were performed. Results from this case-control study suggested that PAI-1 -675 4G/5G polymorphism was not associated with T2DM risk in four genetic models. Additionally, PAI-1 -675 4G/5G polymorphism was not associated with clinical and laboratory characteristics, such as age, gender, body mass index, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, total cholesterol, triglycerides, and HbA1c. In conclusion, this case-control study suggested that PAI-1 -675 4G/5G polymorphism was not associated with T2DM risk in this population.

  4. Elevated plasma levels of PAI-1 predict cardiovascular events and cardiovascular mortality in prevalent peritoneal dialysis patients.

    PubMed

    Arikan, Hakki; Koc, Mehmet; Tuglular, Serhan; Ozener, Cetin; Akoglu, Emel

    2009-01-01

    Elevated plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) levels are associated with increased cardiovascular (CV) risk in the general population. It has been shown that peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients have increased plasma levels of PAI-1. The aim of this study was to investigate whether PAI-1 independently predicted CV outcome in PD patients. Seventy-two PD patients (53% females, mean age 49.9 +/- 16.1 years) were studied. Twelve patients who underwent kidney transplantation and 14 patients who transferred to hemodialysis during follow-up were excluded from the analysis. The remaining 46 patients (54% female, mean age 54 +/- 16 years, dialytic age 42 +/- 30 months) were followed a mean time of 45.4 +/- 19.4 months (range 8-71 months). Baseline PAI-1, clinical, and laboratory parameters were assessed in all patients. Survival analyses were made with Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analysis, with all-cause mortality and CV mortality and CV events (CVEs) as clinical end points. During the follow-up, 29 patients died (17 from CV causes), and 28 fatal and non-fatal CVEs were recorded. The patients were divided according to plasma PAI-1 levels (i.e., 41 ng/mL). The significant independent predictors of all-cause of mortality were age (60 years; p = 0.018), CRP (5 mg/L; p = 0.015), and serum albumin (<3.5 g/L; p = 0.011). Multivariable Cox regression analysis showed that plasma PAI-1 41 ng/mL was independently predictive of higher CV mortality (p = 0.021) and CVEs (p = 0.001). The only other independent predictor of CV mortality was only CRP (5 mg/L; p = 0.008). Plasma levels of PAI-1 41 ng/mL is a significant predictor of CV mortality and CVEs in PD patients.

  5. A Brief Analysis of Abraham Maslow's Original Writing of "Self-Actualizing People: A Study of Psychological Health"

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Francis, Nedra H.; Kritsonis, William Allan

    2006-01-01

    This article analyzes Abraham Maslow's original writing of "Self-Actualizing People: A Study of Psychological Health." The review of literature in this article reveals that Maslow's hierarchy of needs have had profound effects in the area of psychology. In addition, the authors present information regarding self-actualized people, theorists of…

  6. Wave Energy Prize - 1/20th Testing - RTI Wave Power

    DOE Data Explorer

    Scharmen, Wesley

    2016-09-30

    Data from the 1/20th scale testing data completed on the Wave Energy Prize for the RTI Wave Power team, including the 1/20th Test Plan, raw test data, video, photos, and data analysis results. The top level objective of the 1/20th scale device testing is to obtain the necessary measurements required for determining Average Climate Capture Width per Characteristic Capital Expenditure (ACE) and the Hydrodynamic Performance Quality (HPQ), key metrics for determining the Wave Energy Prize (WEP) winners.

  7. [Posthumous nomination for Medicine Nobel Prizes II. The positivism era (1849-1899)].

    PubMed

    Cruz-Coke, R

    1997-06-01

    The author proposes the nomination of great physicians of the second half of the XIX century for a posthumous Medicine Nobel Prize. The valorization given by medical historians Garrison, Lavastine, Castiglioni, Lain Entralgo and Guerra, is used to select the better candidates. One to three names are assigned by year from 1849 to 1899. Four categories of Nobel prizes are assigned: a) Basic biological disciplines, b) Clinical and surgical medicine, pathology and specialties, c) Discoverers of transcendental diseases that are eponyms and d) New medical technologies. A total of 84 nominees for the Nobel Prize are presented. These lists are presented as preliminary and tentative to allow an extensive debate about the history of medicine during the nineteenth century.

  8. Mega-prizes in medicine: big cash awards may stimulate useful and rapid therapeutic innovation.

    PubMed

    Charlton, Bruce G

    2007-01-01

    Following Horrobin's suggestion of 1986, I argue that offering very large prizes (tens of millions of US dollars, or more) for solving specific therapeutic problems, would be an excellent strategy for promoting the rapid development of effective new treatments. The two mainstream ways of paying for medical research are funding the process with grants or funding the outcome via patent protection. When grants are used to fund the process of research the result tends to be 'pure' science, guided by intrinsic scientific objectives. Practical results, such as useful therapeutic advances, are a by-product. Patent-seeking research, by contrast, is more focused on technology than science. It seeks practical results; and aims to pay for itself (and make a profit) in the long term by generating a patentable product or procedure. Prize-seeking research is subject to different incentives and applicable to different situations than either process-funded or patent-seeking research. Prize seeking researchers have a strong incentive to solve the specified problem as rapidly as possible, but the problem may be solved using old ideas that are scientifically mundane or unpatentable technologies and methods. Prizes therefore seem to generate solutions which are incremental extensions, new applications or novel combinations of already-existing technologies. The main use of mega-prizes in medicine would be to accelerate therapeutic progress in stagnant fields of research and to address urgent problems. For example, medical charities focused on specific diseases should consider accumulating their resources until they can offer a mega-prize for solving a clinical problem of special concern to their patients. Prize money should be big enough to pay for the research and development, the evaluation of the new treatment in a clinical trial, and with a large profit left-over to compensate for the intrinsic risk of competing. Sufficiently large amounts of money, and the prestige and publicity

  9. Global and local "teachable moments": The role of Nobel Prize and national pride.

    PubMed

    Baram-Tsabari, Ayelet; Segev, Elad

    2018-05-01

    This study examined to what extent Nobel Prize announcements and awards trigger global and local searches or "teachable moments" related to the laureates and their discoveries. We examined the longitudinal trends in Google searches for the names and discoveries of Nobel laureates from 2012 to 2017. The findings show that Nobel Prize events clearly trigger more searches for laureates, but also for their respective discoveries. We suggest that fascination with the Nobel prize creates a teachable moment not only for the underlying science, but also about the nature of science. Locality also emerged as playing a significant role in intensifying interest.

  10. Prize-based contingency management for the treatment of substance abusers: a meta-analysis.

    PubMed

    Benishek, Lois A; Dugosh, Karen L; Kirby, Kim C; Matejkowski, Jason; Clements, Nicolle T; Seymour, Brittany L; Festinger, David S

    2014-09-01

    To review randomized controlled trials to assess efficacy of a prize-based contingency management procedure in reducing substance use (where a drug-free breath or urine sample provides a chance of winning a prize). A meta-analysis was conducted on papers published from January 2000 to February 2013 to determine the effect size of studies comparing prize-based contingency management to a treatment-as-usual control condition (k = 19 studies). Parallel analyses evaluated the efficacy of both short- (k = nine studies) and long-term outcomes (k = six studies) of prize-based contingency management. The average end-of-treatment effect size (Cohen's d) was 0.46 [95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.37, 0.54]. This effect size decreased at the short-term (≤3-month) post-intervention follow-up to 0.33 (95% CI = 0.12, 0.54) and at the 6-month follow-up time-point there was no detectable effect [d = -0.09 (95% CI = -0.28, 0.10)]. Adding prize-based contingency management to behavioral support for substance use disorders can increase short-term abstinence, but the effect does not appear to persist to 6 months. © 2014 Society for the Study of Addiction.

  11. More than Prize Lists: Head Teachers, Student Prize Winners, School Ceremonies and Educational Promotion in Colonial South Australia

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Young, Marisa

    2007-01-01

    Australian educators now operate in environments that frequently stress marketing activities. This article highlights the ways that colonial school prize ceremonies were deliberately developed to promote teaching activities. These ceremonies were part of carefully considered strategies that helped to boost the status of entrepreneurial teachers…

  12. Borderline pathology and the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI): an evaluation of criterion and concurrent validity.

    PubMed

    Stein, Michelle B; Pinsker-Aspen, Janet H; Hilsenroth, Mark J

    2007-02-01

    In this study, we examined how patients diagnosed with borderline pathology (BP) would respond on the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI; Morey, 1991) Borderline (BOR) scales in relation to patients without BP pathology. In addition, we examined whether the PAI BOR scales would be related to variables on the Social Cognition and Object Relations Scale (SCORS; Hilsenroth, Stein, & Pinsker, 2004; Westen, 1995) derived from early memory narratives. Results indicate that outpatients with a Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed. [DSM-IV]; American Psychiatric Association, 1994) diagnosis of BP scored significantly higher on the PAI BOR Total (BOR-Total) score, Identity Problems, and Self- Harm scales in comparison to a Non-BP clinical sample. The overall correct classification rate for the presence or absence of BP using the BOR Total scale (T >or= 70) was 73%. In addition, there were several significant relationships between dimensional PAI BOR scales and the presence versus absence of DSM-IV BP. Moreover, both the BOR-Total and Affect Instability scales were significantly related to the SCORS variable Complexity of Representations. We provide clinical examples to illustrate these research findings in an applied manner.

  13. Wave Energy Prize - 1/20th Testing - M3 Wave

    DOE Data Explorer

    Wesley Scharmen

    2016-08-12

    Data from the 1/20th scale testing data completed on the Wave Energy Prize for the M3 Wave team, including the 1/20th scale test plan, raw test data, video, photos, and data analysis results. The top level objective of the 1/20th scale device testing is to obtain the necessary measurements required for determining Average Climate Capture Width per Characteristic Capital Expenditure (ACE) and the Hydrodynamic Performance Quality (HPQ), key metrics for determining the Wave Energy Prize (WEP) winners.

  14. Wave Energy Prize - 1/20th Testing - Harvest Wave Energy

    DOE Data Explorer

    Wesley Scharmen

    2016-08-26

    Data from the 1/20th scale testing data completed on the Wave Energy Prize for the Harvest Wave Energy team, including the 1/20th scale test plan, raw test data, video, photos, and data analysis results. The top level objective of the 1/20th scale device testing is to obtain the necessary measurements required for determining Average Climate Capture Width per Characteristic Capital Expenditure (ACE) and the Hydrodynamic Performance Quality (HPQ), key metrics for determining the Wave Energy Prize (WEP) winners.

  15. MIT Clean Energy Prize: Final Technical Report May 12, 2010 - May 11, 2011

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Snyder, Chris; Campbell, Georgina; Salony, Jason

    2011-08-09

    The MIT Clean Energy Prize (MIT CEP) is a venture creation and innovation competition to encourage innovation in the energy space, specifically with regard to clean energy. The Competition invited student teams from any US university to submit student-led ventures that demonstrate a high potential of successfully making clean energy more affordable, with a positive impact on the environment. By focusing on student ventures, the MIT CEP aims to educate the next generation of clean energy entrepreneurs. Teams receive valuable mentoring and hard deadlines that complement the cash prize to accelerate development of ventures. The competition is a year-long educationalmore » process that culminates in the selection of five category finalists and a Grand Prize winner and the distribution of cash prizes to each of those teams. Each entry was submitted in one of five clean energy categories: Renewables, Clean Non-Renewables, Energy Efficiency, Transportation, and Deployment.« less

  16. Prognostic value of tissue-type plasminogen activator (tPA) and its complex with the type-1 inhibitor (PAI-1) in breast cancer

    PubMed Central

    Witte, J H de; Sweep, C G J; Klijn, J G M; Grebenschikov, N; Peters, H A; Look, M P; Tienoven, ThH van; Heuvel, J J T M; Vries, J Bolt-De; Benraad, ThJ; Foekens, J A

    1999-01-01

    The prognostic value of tissue-type plasminogen activator (tPA) measured in samples derived from 865 patients with primary breast cancer using a recently developed enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was evaluated. Since the assay could easily be adapted to the assessment of the complex of tPA with its type-1 inhibitor (PAI-1), it was investigated whether the tPA:PAI-1 complex also provides prognostic information. To this end, cytosolic extracts and corresponding detergent extracts of 100 000 g pellets obtained after ultracentrifugation when preparing the cytosolic fractions for routine steroid hormone receptor determination were assayed. Statistically significant correlations were found between the cytosolic levels and those determined in the pellet extracts (Spearman correlation coefficient rs = 0.75, P < 0.001 for tPA and r = 0.50, P < 0.001 for tPA:PAI-1 complex). In both Cox univariate and multivariate analysis elevated levels of (total) tPA determined in the pellet extracts, but not in cytosols, were associated with prolonged relapse-free (RFS) and overall survival (OS). In contrast, high levels of the tPA:PAI-1 complex measured in cytosols, but not in the pellet extracts, were associated with a poor RFS and OS. The prognostic information provided by the cytosolic tPA:PAI-1 complex was comparable to that provided by cytosolic (total) PAI-1. Furthermore, the estimated levels of free, uncomplexed tPA and PAI-1, in cytosols and in pellet extracts, were related to patient prognosis in a similar way as the (total) levels of tPA and PAI-1 respectively. Determination of specific forms of components of the plasminogen activation system, i.e. tPA:PAI-1 complex and free, uncomplexed tPA and/or PAI-1, may be considered a useful adjunct to the analyses of the separate components (tPA and/or PAI-1) and provide valuable additional prognostic information with respect to survival of breast cancer patients. © 1999 Cancer Research Campaign PMID:10390010

  17. Nuclear Fusion prize laudation Nuclear Fusion prize laudation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Burkart, W.

    2011-01-01

    Clean energy in abundance will be of critical importance to the pursuit of world peace and development. As part of the IAEA's activities to facilitate the dissemination of fusion related science and technology, the journal Nuclear Fusion is intended to contribute to the realization of such energy from fusion. In 2010, we celebrated the 50th anniversary of the IAEA journal. The excellence of research published in the journal is attested to by its high citation index. The IAEA recognizes excellence by means of an annual prize awarded to the authors of papers judged to have made the greatest impact. On the occasion of the 2010 IAEA Fusion Energy Conference in Daejeon, Republic of Korea at the welcome dinner hosted by the city of Daejeon, we celebrated the achievements of the 2009 and 2010 Nuclear Fusion prize winners. Steve Sabbagh, from the Department of Applied Physics and Applied Mathematics, Columbia University, New York is the winner of the 2009 award for his paper: 'Resistive wall stabilized operation in rotating high beta NSTX plasmas' [1]. This is a landmark paper which reports record parameters of beta in a large spherical torus plasma and presents a thorough investigation of the physics of resistive wall mode (RWM) instability. The paper makes a significant contribution to the critical topic of RWM stabilization. John Rice, from the Plasma Science and Fusion Center, MIT, Cambridge is the winner of the 2010 award for his paper: 'Inter-machine comparison of intrinsic toroidal rotation in tokamaks' [2]. The 2010 award is for a seminal paper that analyzes results across a range of machines in order to develop a universal scaling that can be used to predict intrinsic rotation. This paper has already triggered a wealth of experimental and theoretical work. I congratulate both authors and their colleagues on these exceptional papers. W. Burkart Deputy Director General Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna

  18. PAI-1, a target gene of miR-143, regulates invasion and metastasis by upregulating MMP-13 expression of human osteosarcoma.

    PubMed

    Hirahata, Mio; Osaki, Mitsuhiko; Kanda, Yusuke; Sugimoto, Yui; Yoshioka, Yusuke; Kosaka, Nobuyoshi; Takeshita, Fumitaka; Fujiwara, Tomohiro; Kawai, Akira; Ito, Hisao; Ochiya, Takahiro; Okada, Futoshi

    2016-05-01

    Despite recent improvements in the therapy for osteosarcoma, 30-40% of osteosarcoma patients die of this disease, mainly due to its lung metastasis. We have previously reported that intravenous injection of miR-143 significantly suppresses lung metastasis of human osteosarcoma cells (143B) in a mouse model. In this study, we examined the biological role and mechanism of miR-143 in the metastasis of human osteosarcoma cells. We identified plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) as a direct target gene of miR-143. To determine the role of PAI-1 in human osteosarcoma cells, siRNA was transfected into 143B cells for knockdown of PAI-1 expression. An in vitro study showed that downregulation of PAI-1 suppressed cell invasion activity, but not proliferation. Moreover, injection of PAI-1 siRNA into a primary lesion in the osteosarcoma mouse model inhibited lung metastasis compared to control siRNA-injected mice, without influencing the proliferative activity of the tumor cells. Subsequent examination using 143B cells revealed that knockdown of PAI-1 expression resulted in downregulation of the expression and secretion of matrix metalloproteinase-13 (MMP-13), which is also a target gene of miR-143 and a proteolytic enzyme that regulates tumor-induced osteolysis. Immunohistochemical analysis using clinical samples showed that higher miR-143 expressing cases showed poor expression of PAI-1 in the primary tumor cells. All such cases belonged to the lung metastasis-negative group. Moreover, the frequency of lung metastasis-positive cases was significantly higher in PAI-1 and MMP-13 double-positive cases than in PAI-1 or MMP-13 single-positive or double-negative cases (P < 0.05). These results indicated that PAI-1, a target gene of miR-143, regulates invasion and lung metastasis via enhancement of MMP-13 expression and secretion in human osteosarcoma cells, suggesting that these molecules could be potential therapeutic target genes for preventing lung metastasis in

  19. PAI-1, CAIX and VEGFA expressions as prognosis markers in oral squamous cell carcinoma.

    PubMed

    Peterle, Gabriela Tonini; Maia, Lucas Lima; Trivilin, Leonardo Oliveira; de Oliveira, Mayara Mota; Dos Santos, Joaquim Gasparini; Mendes, Suzanny Oliveira; Stur, Elaine; Agostini, Lidiane Pignaton; Rocha, Lília Alves; Moysés, Raquel Ajub; Cury, Patrícia Maluf; Nunes, Fábio Daumas; Louro, Iúri Drumond; Dos Santos, Marcelo; da Silva, Adriana Madeira Álvares

    2018-04-25

    In oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), the HIF-1 complex promotes the expression of genes involved in specific mechanisms of cell survival under hypoxic conditions, such as plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), carbonic anhydrase 9 (CAIX) and vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA). The study aimed to investigate the presence and prognostic value of PAI-1, CAIX, and VEGFA in OSCC. Immunohistochemistry was used to analyze the expressions of these proteins in 52 tumoral tissue samples of patients with OSCC, surgically treated and followed by a minimum of 24 months after surgery. The correlations between proteins expressions and clinicopathological parameters and prognosis were analyzed. Positive PAI-1 membrane expression was significantly associated with local disease relapse (p=0.027). Multivariate analysis revealed that the positive PAI-1 membrane expression is an independent marker for local disease relapse, with approximately 14-fold increased risk when compared to negative expression (OR=14.49; CI=1.40-150.01, p=0.025). Strong PAI-1 cytoplasmic expression was significantly associated with the less differentiation grade (p=0.027). Strong CAIX membrane expression was significantly associated with local disease-free survival (p=0.038). Positive CAIX cytoplasmic expression was significantly associated with lymph node affected (p=0.025) and with disease-specific survival (p=0.022). Multivariate analysis revealed that the positive CAIX cytoplasmic expression is an independent risk factor for disease-related death, increasing their risk approximately 3-fold when compared to negative expression (HR=2.84; CI=1.02-7.87, p=0.045). Positive VEGFA cytoplasmic expression was significantly associated with less differentiation grade (p=0.035). Our results suggest a potential role for these expressions profiles as tumor prognostic markers in OSCC patients. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights

  20. 3 CFR 8636 - Proclamation 8636 of March 4, 2011. 150th Anniversary of the Inauguration of Abraham Lincoln

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    ... President of the United States of America A Proclamation President Abraham Lincoln is revered in American history as the leader who held together a fractured country and liberated millions from slavery. His words are memorized by America’s schoolchildren, and his name is synonymous with freedom and unity. One...

  1. A novel polymorphism in the PAI-1 gene promoter enhances gene expression. A novel pro-thrombotic risk factor?

    PubMed

    Liguori, Renato; Quaranta, Sandro; Di Fiore, Rosanna; Elce, Ausilia; Castaldo, Giuseppe; Amato, Felice

    2014-12-01

    Plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) is the major physiological inhibitor of tissue-type plasminogen activator in plasma and the most important regulator of the fibrinolytic pathway. The 4G/5G polymorphism (rs1799889) in the PAI-1 promoter is associated with altered PAI-1 transcription. We have identified a new 4G/5G allele, in which a T is inserted near the 4G tract or replaces a G in the 5G tract, forming a T plus 4G (T4G) region. This new variant was first identified in two women, one had experienced juvenile myocardial infarction, the other repeated miscarriage; both had increased PAI-1 plasma activity. In view of the important influence of this promoter region on PAI-1 protein plasma level, we performed in vitro evaluation of the effects of the T4G variant on the transcription activity of the PAI-1 gene promoter. In silico prediction analysis showed that presence of the T4G allele disrupts the E-Box region upstream of the T4G variant, altering the affinity of the target sequence for E-Box binding factors like upstream stimulatory factor-1 (USF-1). Basal T4G promoter activity was 50% higher compared to 4G and 5G variants, but it was less stimulated by USF-1 overexpression. We also analyzed the effects of IL-1β and IL-6 on the PAI-1 promoter activity of our three constructs and showed that the T4G variant was less affected by IL-1β than the other variants. These findings indicate that the T4G variant may be a novel risk factor for thrombotic events. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Fiber Intake and PAI-1 in type 2 diabetes: Look AHEAD Trial Findings at Baseline and Year 1

    PubMed Central

    Belalcazar, L. Maria; Anderson, Andrea M.; Lang, Wei; Schwenke, Dawn C.; Haffner, Steven M.; Yatsuya, Hiroshi; Rushing, Julia; Vitolins, Mara Z.; Reeves, Rebecca; Pi-Sunyer, F. Xavier; Tracy, Russell P.; Ballantyne, Christie M.

    2014-01-01

    Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1 (PAI-1) is elevated in obese individuals with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and may contribute, independently of traditional factors, to increased cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. Fiber intake may decrease PAI-1 levels. We examined the associations of fiber intake and its changes with PAI-1, before and during an intensive lifestyle intervention for weight loss (ILI) in 1,701 Look AHEAD participants with dietary, fitness and PAI-1 data at baseline and 1-year. Look AHEAD was a randomized CVD trial in 5,145 overweight/obese subjects with T2DM, comparing ILI (goal of ≥7% reduction in baseline weight) with a control arm of diabetes support and education (DSE). ILI participants were encouraged to consume vegetables, fruits and grain products low in sugar and fat. At baseline, median fiber intake was 17.9 g/d. Each 8.3 g/day higher fiber intake was associated with a 9.2% lower PAI-1 level (p=0.008); this association persisted after weight and fitness adjustments (p=0.03). Higher baseline intake of fruit (p=0.019) and high-fiber grain and cereal (p=0.029) were related to lower PAI-1 levels. Although successful in improving weight and physical fitness at 1-year, ILI in Look AHEAD resulted in small increases in fiber intake (4.1g/day, compared with -2.35 g/day with DSE), which were not related to PAI-1 change (p=0.34). Only 31.3% of ILI participants (39.8% of women; 19.1% of men) met daily fiber intake recommendations. Increasing fiber intake in overweight/obese individuals with diabetes interested in weight loss is challenging. Future studies evaluating changes in fiber consumption during weight loss interventions are warranted. PMID:25131348

  3. The Role of PAI-1 4G/5G Promoter Polymorphism and Its Levels in the Development of Ischemic Stroke in Young Indian Population.

    PubMed

    Akhter, Mohammad Suhail; Biswas, Arijit; Abdullah, Saleh Mohammed; Behari, Madhuri; Saxena, Renu

    2017-11-01

    The plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) gene has been found to be associated with the pathogenesis and progression of vascular diseases including stroke. A 4G/5G, PAI-1 gene polymorphism has been found to be associated with the plasma PAI-1 levels in different ethnic populations but results are still controversial. The aim of this study was to determine the potential association of 4G/5G polymorphism and plasma PAI-1 levels in the development of ischemic stroke (IS) in young Asian Indians. One hundred patients with IS and an equal number of age- and sex-matched controls were studied. The 4G/5G polymorphism was genotyped in the study population through allele-specific polymerase chain reaction. Plasma PAI-1 levels were evaluated using a commercial kit. The PAI-1 levels were significantly higher in patients when compared to the controls ( P = .03). The variant 4G allele for the PAI-I 4G/5G polymorphism showed both genotypic ( P = .0013, χ 2 = 10.303; odds ratio [OR] = 3.75) as well as allelic association ( P = .0004, χ 2 = 12.273; OR = 1.99) with IS. The homozygous variant 4G/4G also was found to be associated with the higher PAI-1 levels (0.005). The variant allele 4G of PAI-1 4G/5G polymorphism and higher plasma PAI-1 levels were found to be significantly associated with IS in young Asian Indians.

  4. Nocturnal Light Exposure Alters Hepatic Pai-1 Expression by Stimulating the Adrenal Pathway in C3H Mice

    PubMed Central

    Aoshima, Yoshiki; Sakakibara, Hiroyuki; Suzuki, Taka-aki; Yamazaki, Shunsuke; Shimoi, Kayoko

    2014-01-01

    Recent studies have suggested the possibility that nocturnal light exposure affects many biological processes in rodents, especially the circadian rhythm, an endogenous oscillation of approximately 24 h. However, there is still insufficient information about the physiological effects of nocturnal light exposure. In this study, we examined the changes in gene expression and serum levels of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), a major component of the fibrinolytic system that shows typical circadian rhythmicity, in C3H/He mice. Zeitgeber time (ZT) was assessed with reference to the onset of light period (ZT0). Exposure to fluorescent light (70 lux) for 1 h in the dark period (ZT14) caused a significant increase in hepatic Pai-1 gene expression at ZT16. Serum PAI-1 levels also tended to increase, albeit not significantly. Expression levels of the typical clock genes Bmal1, Clock, and Per1 were significantly increased at ZT21, ZT16, and ZT18, respectively. Exposure to nocturnal light significantly increased plasma adrenalin levels. The effects of nocturnal light exposure on Pai-1 expression disappeared in adrenalectomized mice, although the changes in clock genes were still apparent. In conclusion, our results suggest that nocturnal light exposure, even for 1 h, alters hepatic Pai-1 gene expression by stimulating the adrenal pathway. Adrenalin secreted from the adrenal gland may be an important signaling mediator of the change in Pai-1 expression in response to nocturnal light exposure. PMID:25077763

  5. Wave Energy Prize - 1/50th Testing - Float Inc

    DOE Data Explorer

    Wesley Scharmen

    2016-01-15

    This submission of data includes all the 1/50th scale testing data completed on the Wave Energy Prize for Float Inc. During the testing of its 1/50th-scale device, Float Inc. Berger ABAM was deemed ineligible due to the fact that they brought a device with them to test and did not ship the device by the deadline stipulated in the Wave Energy Prize Rules. Because of this, analysis, results, and judging were not completed for this team/device. This submission included files such as: 1/50th test data (raw & processed) 1/50th test data video and pictures 1/50th Test plans and testing documents

  6. T-regulatory cells-Triumph of perseverance: The Crafoord Prize for Polyarthritis in 2017.

    PubMed

    Wollheim, Frank A

    2018-02-01

    The Crafoord Prize in Polyarthritis ranks as one of the most prestigious prizes and can be awarded only if the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences decides the likelihood of prize worthy progress in the field, and at most every 4th year. This has happened only four times since 1982. This year the 5th Laureates were Shimon Sakaguchi, Fred Ramsdell, and Alexander Rudensky with the motivation "for their discoveries relating to regulatory T cells, which counteract harmful immune reactions in arthritis and other autoimmune diseases". Here I review the history of their contributions and its impact in rheumatology. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  7. Axiomatic Geometrical Optics, Abraham-Minkowski Controversy, and Photon Properties Derived Classically

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    L.Y. Dodin and N.J. Fisch

    2012-06-18

    By restating geometrical optics within the eld-theoretical approach, the classical concept of a photon in arbitrary dispersive medium is introduced, and photon properties are calculated unambiguously. In particular, the canonical and kinetic momenta carried by a photon, as well as the two corresponding energy-momentum tensors of a wave, are derived straightforwardly from rst principles of Lagrangian mechanics. The Abraham-Minkowski controversy pertaining to the de nitions of these quantities is thereby resolved for linear waves of arbitrary nature, and corrections to the traditional formulas for the photon kinetic quantities are found. An application of axiomatic geometrical optics to electromagnetic waves ismore » also presented as an example.« less

  8. Stellar students win fantastic prizes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    2008-05-01

    School students and teachers across Europe and around the world are discovering today who has won fantastic prizes in "Catch a Star", the international astronomical competition run by ESO and the European Association for Astronomy Education (EAAE). CAS2008 artwork ESO PR Photo 14/08 One of the winning artworks "We were extremely impressed by the high quality of the entries, and the number of participants was even higher than last year. We wish to congratulate everybody who took part," said Douglas Pierce-Price, Education Officer at ESO. "'Catch a Star' clearly shows astronomy's power to inspire and excite students of all ages," added Fernand Wagner, President of the EAAE. The top prize, of a week-long trip to Chile to visit the ESO Very Large Telescope (VLT) on Paranal, was won by students Roeland Heerema, Liesbeth Schenkels, and Gerben Van Ranst from the Instituut Spijker in Hoogstraten, Belgium, together with their teacher Ann Verstralen. With their "story of aged binary stars... Live and Let Die", they take us on a vivid tour of the amazing zoo of binary stars, and the life and death of stars like our Sun. The students show how state-of-the-art telescopes, particularly those at ESO's sites of La Silla and Paranal, help us understand these stars. They take as an illustrative example the binary star system V390 Velorum. In the last phases of its life, V390 Velorum will shed its outer shell of gas and dust, turning from a celestial chrysalis into a beautiful cosmic butterfly. The students also involved other pupils from their school, showing them how to test their eyesight by observing the binary star system of Alcor and Mizar. But perhaps the most important discovery they made is that, as they write in their report, "Astronomy lives! Discoveries are being made each day and there is still very much to be found and learned by astronomers!" The team will travel to Chile and visit the ESO VLT - the world's most advanced optical/infrared telescope. At Paranal, they

  9. Stress Testing of the Philips 60W Replacement Lamp L Prize Entry

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Poplawski, Michael E.; Ledbetter, Marc R.; Smith, Mark

    2012-04-24

    The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, operated by Battelle for the U.S. Department of Energy, worked with Intertek to develop a procedure for stress testing medium screw-base light sources. This procedure, composed of alternating stress cycles and performance evaluation, was used to qualitatively compare and contrast the durability and reliability of the Philips 60W replacement lamp L Prize entry with market-proven compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) with comparable light output and functionality. The stress cycles applied simultaneous combinations of electrical, thermal, vibration, and humidity stresses of increasing magnitude. Performance evaluations measured relative illuminance, x chromaticity and y chromaticity shifts after each stressmore » cycle. The Philips L Prize entry lamps appear to be appreciably more durable than the incumbent energy-efficient technology, as represented by the evaluated CFLs, and with respect to the applied stresses. Through the course of testing, all 15 CFL samples permanently ceased to function as a result of the applied stresses, while only 1 Philips L Prize entry lamp exhibited a failure, the nature of which was minor, non-destructive, and a consequence of a known (and resolved) subcontractor issue. Given that current CFL technology appears to be moderately mature and no Philips L Prize entry failures could be produced within the stress envelope causing 100 percent failure of the benchmark CFLs, it seems that, in this particular implementation, light-emitting diode (LED) technology would be much more durable in the field than current CFL technology. However, the Philips L Prize entry lamps used for testing were carefully designed and built for the competition, while the benchmark CFLs were mass produced for retail sale—a distinction that should be taken into consideration. Further reliability testing on final production samples would be necessary to judge the extent to which the results of this analysis apply to production

  10. L Prize Drives Technology Innovation, Energy Savings

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    None

    2014-04-30

    Fact sheet that provides an overview of DOE's L Prize competition, which challenges industry to develop high-quality, high-efficiency SSL products to replace 60W incandescent and PAR38 halogen light bulbs, and highlights the competition's first 60W winner from Philips Lighting North America.

  11. Introducing Taiwanese undergraduate students to the nature of science through Nobel Prize stories

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Eshach, Haim; Hwang, Fu-Kwun; Wu, Hsin-Kai; Hsu, Ying-Shao

    2013-06-01

    Although there is a broad agreement among scientists and science educators that students should not only learn science, but also acquire some sense of its nature, it has been reported that undergraduate students possess an inadequate grasp of the nature of science (NOS). The study presented here examined the potential and effectiveness of Nobel Prize stories as a vehicle for teaching NOS. For this purpose, a 36-hour course, “Albert Einstein’s Nobel Prize and the Nature of Science,” was developed and conducted in Taiwan Normal University. Ten undergraduate physics students participated in the course. Analysis of the Views of Nature of Science questionnaires completed by the students before and after the course, as well as the students’ own presentations of Nobel Prize stories (with an emphasis on how NOS characteristics are reflected in the story), showed that the students who participated in the course enriched their views concerning all aspects of NOS. The paper concludes with some suggestions for applying the novel idea of using Nobel Prize stories in physics classrooms.

  12. Correlation between PAI-1, leptin and ferritin with HOMA in HIV/AIDS patients.

    PubMed

    Dragović, Gordana; Sumarac-Dumanovic, Mirjana; Khawla, Al Musalhi; Soldatović, Ivan; Andjić, Mladen; Jevtović, Djordje; Nair, Devaki

    2018-06-22

    Data about correlation of interleukins (IL-1 α, IL-1 β, IFN γ, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10), adipocytokines (leptin, adiponectin, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), resistin, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα), ferritin, C reactive protein (CRP) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) with homeostasis model assessment (HOMA) in HIV/AIDS patients are still limited. Therefore the aim of this study was to evaluate the possible correlations of serum levels of PAI-1, leptin and ferritin with HOMA in HIV/AIDS patients treated with combined antiretroviral therapy (cART). This cross-sectional study included 64 HIV/AIDS patients, all Caucasians, receiving cART at the HIV/AIDS Centre, Belgrade, Serbia. PAI-1, leptin, ferritin and insulin levels were measured using the Metabolic Syndrome Array I (Randox Laboratories Ltd., London, UK), while adiponectin and resistin levels were measured using Metabolic Syndrome Array II (Randox Laboratories Ltd., London, UK), interleukins (IL-1 α, IL-1 β, IFN γ, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10), MCP-1, TNF-α as well as VEGF was measured using Cytokine Array I (Randox Laboratories Ltd., London, UK). Insulin resistance was determined using the homeostasis model assessment index (HOMA). Multicollinearity of independent variables in multivariate model was analyzed using Variance Inflation Factor. Correlation analysis revealed significant correlations between HOMA and waist circumference, body mass index, patients' age, number of cART combinations and triglycerides (p = 0.001, p = 0.001, p = 0.050, p = 0.044, p = 0.002, respectively). HOMA negatively correlated with levels of high density lipoprotein (HDL) (Rho = -0.282; p = 0.025). PAI-1 (Rho = 0.334; p = 0.007) and leptin (Rho = 0.492; p = 0.001) together with ferritin (Rho = 0.396, p = 0.001) positively and significantly correlated with HOMA. Levels of IL-1 α, IL-1 β, IFN

  13. NASA and X PRIZE Announce Winners of Lunar Lander Challenge

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2009-11-05

    NASA and the X PRIZE Foundation announced the winners of the Northrop Grumman Lunar Lander Challenge at an awards ceremony at the Rayburn House Office Building, Thursday, Nov. 5, 2009 in Washington, DC. From left to right, George Nield, Associate Administrator of Commercial Space Transportation, FAA; Charles Bolden, NASA Administrator; Doug Comstock, Director, Innovative Partnerships Program, NASA; David Masten, CEO, Masten Space Systems; Phil Eaton, VP, Operations, Armadillo Aerospace; U.S. Rep. Ralph Hall (R-TX); Peter Diamandis, Chairman and CEO, X PRIZE Foundation and Mitch Waldman, VP, Advanced Programs & Technology, Northrop Grumman. Photo Credit: (NASA/Carla Cioffi)

  14. Kevin E. Trenberth Receives 2013 Climate Communication Prize: Response

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Trenberth, Kevin E.

    2014-01-01

    I am delighted to be recognized with this prize. I want to first thank AGU and the prize committee and, especially, Nature's Own for establishing this prize in a field that has become contentious and highly political. It did not used to be this way. Following the media frenzy with the 2007 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report, there was hope at the 2009 Conference of Parties meeting in Copenhagen that an international framework agreement on climate change might be achieved. It was not to be. Planned actions to address issues of climate change were undermined by huge funding of misinformation by vested interests. It was not helped by so-called "climategate" in which many emails illegally hacked from a computer server at the University of East Anglia in the United Kingdom were released, cherry picked, distorted, and misused by climate change deniers. Minor errors in the IPCC report were blown out of all proportion and ineffectively addressed. I was caught up in all this, and one of my many emails went viral: the "travesty" quote in which I bemoaned the inability to close the global energy balance associated with short-term climate variability but which was misinterpreted as saying there was no global warming. These examples highlight failures of communication.

  15. Cognitive status and profile validity on the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI) in offenders with serious mental illness.

    PubMed

    Matlasz, Tatiana M; Brylski, Jamie L; Leidenfrost, Corey M; Scalco, Matt; Sinclair, Samuel J; Schoelerman, Ronald M; Tsang, Valerie; Antonius, Daniel

    Cognitive impairment among seriously mentally ill offenders has implications for legal matters (e.g., competency to stand trial), as well as clinical treatment and care. Thus, being able to identify potential cognitive concerns early in the adjudication process can be important when deciding on further interventions. In this study, we examined the validity scales of the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI), scores on the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-IV (WAIS-IV), and competency findings in male inmates (n=61) diagnosed with a serious mental illness. Lower scores on the WAIS-IV significantly (p=0.001) predicted invalid, versus valid, PAI profiles, with working memory impairment being the most significant (p=0.004) predictor of an invalid profile. Ancillary analyses on a smaller sample (n=18) indicate that those with invalid PAI profiles were more likely to be deemed legally incompetent (p=0.03). These findings suggest that the PAI validity scales may be informative in detecting cognitive concerns and help clinicians make determinations about competency restoration and treatment. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Therapeutic use of "prizing" and its effect on self-concept of elderly clients in nursing homes and group homes.

    PubMed

    Williams-Barnard, C L; Lindell, A R

    1992-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to ascertain the effect of nurse high prizing and nurse low prizing during group therapy in changing the self-concept of institutionalized aged persons. The hypothesis tested was that institutionalized aged clients participating in group therapy who receive nurse high prizing will show an increase in self-concept as measured by the Tennessee Self-Concept Scale (TSCS) when compared with those aged clients in the same settings participating in group therapy who receive nurse low prizing or those aged clients constituting the matched control groups. The study used an existing data source generated from the research of Williams and Lindell to conduct a secondary analysis of a variable not previously investigated. Mean difference scores from the posttest total self-concept score and subscales of the TSCS were analyzed in conjunction with the levels of prizing within the experimental and control groups. Using the Scale for Rating Prizing, two nurse raters judged the degree of prizing on 40 randomly extracted video segments. The findings indicated that 47.1% of those subjects who received low prizing decreased in self-concept; 68.4% of those who received high prizing increased in self-concept. No change in self-concept was noted in the control group. Findings were significant at the .0001 level. Investigating the effect of nurse high and low levels of prizing on client self-concept completes the Rogerian trilogy of therapist-offered conditions with this same sample of subjects. Extension of previous studies adds to the ever-growing body of nursing knowledge and increases the certitude, casualty, and generalizability of such investigations.

  17. Global Gene Expression Profiling in PAI-1 Knockout Murine Heart and Kidney: Molecular Basis of Cardiac-Selective Fibrosis

    PubMed Central

    Ghosh, Asish K.; Murphy, Sheila B.; Kishore, Raj; Vaughan, Douglas E.

    2013-01-01

    Fibrosis is defined as an abnormal matrix remodeling due to excessive synthesis and accumulation of extracellular matrix proteins in tissues during wound healing or in response to chemical, mechanical and immunological stresses. At present, there is no effective therapy for organ fibrosis. Previous studies demonstrated that aged plasminogen activator inhibitor-1(PAI-1) knockout mice develop spontaneously cardiac-selective fibrosis without affecting any other organs. We hypothesized that differential expressions of profibrotic and antifibrotic genes in PAI-1 knockout hearts and unaffected organs lead to cardiac selective fibrosis. In order to address this prediction, we have used a genome-wide gene expression profiling of transcripts derived from aged PAI-1 knockout hearts and kidneys. The variations of global gene expression profiling were compared within four groups: wildtype heart vs. knockout heart; wildtype kidney vs. knockout kidney; knockout heart vs. knockout kidney and wildtype heart vs. wildtype kidney. Analysis of illumina-based microarray data revealed that several genes involved in different biological processes such as immune system processing, response to stress, cytokine signaling, cell proliferation, adhesion, migration, matrix organization and transcriptional regulation were affected in hearts and kidneys by the absence of PAI-1, a potent inhibitor of urokinase and tissue-type plasminogen activator. Importantly, the expressions of a number of genes, involved in profibrotic pathways including Ankrd1, Pi16, Egr1, Scx, Timp1, Timp2, Klf6, Loxl1 and Klotho, were deregulated in PAI-1 knockout hearts compared to wildtype hearts and PAI-1 knockout kidneys. While the levels of Ankrd1, Pi16 and Timp1 proteins were elevated during EndMT, the level of Timp4 protein was decreased. To our knowledge, this is the first comprehensive report on the influence of PAI-1 on global gene expression profiling in the heart and kidney and its implication in fibrogenesis and

  18. Wave Energy Prize - 1/20th Testing - CalWave Power Technologies

    DOE Data Explorer

    Scharmen, Wesley

    2016-09-09

    Data from the 1/20th scale testing data completed on the Wave Energy Prize for the CalWave Power Technologies team, including the 1/20th scale test plan, raw test data, video, photos, and data analysis results. The top level objective of the 1/20th scale device testing is to obtain the necessary measurements required for determining Average Climate Capture Width per Characteristic Capital Expenditure (ACE) and the Hydrodynamic Performance Quality (HPQ), key metrics for determining the Wave Energy Prize (WEP) winners.

  19. It's No Secret: Progress Prized in Brownsville

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zehr, Mary Ann

    2008-01-01

    This article features Brownsville Independent School District which was awarded the prestigious 2008 Broad Prize for Urban Education for being the nation's most improved urban school district. The Texas border district sees teacher training and data-based instruction as paths to learning gains--and the $1 million Broad award adds validation. In…

  20. Society News: PhD theses could win prizes; Last chance for IYA2009 grants; New Fellows; RAS Fellows win prizes; Need a job? Need staff? RAS Library Saturdays

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    2009-08-01

    Fellows who are PhD student supervisors should be on the lookout for exceptionally good work from research students submitting their theses this year, for nomination for the RAS Michael Penston Astronomy Prize and the RAS Keith Runcorn Prize. The RAS is offering one last chance to apply for grants towards International Year of Astronomy activities, but you'll have to apply soon. The Society sends congratulations to Fellows of the RAS who have recently received prestigious awards for their work.

  1. [The Nobel Prize for nitric oxide. The unjust exclusion of Dr. Salvador Moncada].

    PubMed

    de Berrazueta, J R

    1999-04-01

    The 1998 Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine has been awarded jointly to North-American scientists, Dr Robert F. Furchgott, Louis J. Ignarro and Ferid Murad, for their discoveries in relation to "nitric oxide as a signalling molecule in the cardiovascular system". This has raised an important polemic because of the exclusion the South-American scientist, now nationalized British, Dr. Salvador Moncada. This short historical review examines some of the fundamental contributions to the knowledge in this field. It shows the sequence of the discoveries and the communication of them to the scientific community by the rewarded scientists and by Dr. Moncada. It is based on some fundamental publications in order to better understand this story, which does not coincide with the writing in 1996 by the Lasker Prize Committee, and which in 1998 was re-written again by the Nobel Committee of the Swedish Academy. More than 90 universities, academies and societies have acknowledged Dr. Moncada up to now with priority in the discovery of the fact that nitric oxide is released by endothelial cells, and the revealing of its metabolic way. More than 20,000 citations of their fundamental papers endorse in the scientific community his primacy in this field. Even Robert Furchgott, author of the brilliant discovery of the endothelium derived relaxing factor, that opened this field to the science, declared about the award of the 1998 Nobel Prize: "I feel that the Nobel Prize Committee could have made an exception this year and chosen a fourth person, Salvador Moncada (to share the prize)".

  2. The concept of identification in the work of Freud, Ferenczi, and Abraham: a review and commentary.

    PubMed

    Compton, A

    1985-04-01

    The development of the concept of identification in the work of Freud, Ferenczi, and Abraham is reviewed and analyzed from the standpoint of the development of the psychoanalytic object concept in general. Problems in the theory are seen to be related to ambiguity of the terms, ego and object, especially as reflected in the idea of introjection. The concept of identification, on the other hand, is shown to have undergone consistent evolution and expansion.

  3. [Commentary on the Nobel Prize that has been granted in Medicine-Physiology, Chemistry and Physics to noteable investigators].

    PubMed

    Zárate, Arturo; Apolinar, Leticia Manuel; Saucedo, Renata; Basurto, Lourdes

    2015-01-01

    The Nobel Prize was established by Alfred Nobel in 1901 to award people who have made outstanding achievements in physics, chemistry and medicine. So far, from 852 laureates, 45 have been female. Marie Curie was the first woman to receive the Nobel Prize in 1903 for physics and eight years later also for chemistry It is remarkable that her daughter Irene and her husband also received the Nobel Prize for chemistry in 1935. Other two married couples, Cori and Moser, have also been awarded the Nobel Prize. The present commentary attempts to show the female participation in the progress of scientific activities.

  4. Collecting Poetry for the Academic Library: An Evaluation of Poetry Prizes as Selection Tools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Golomb, Liorah

    2011-01-01

    This paper examines the usefulness of poetry book prizes as a selection tool by evaluating their fairness, meaningfulness, and reliability as an indication of quality. The results of two surveys, one collecting data on poetry book prizes and the other asking librarians about their collecting practices, suggest that selecting on the basis of prizes…

  5. 2015 Nuclear Fusion Prize acceptance speech

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Goldston, R. J.

    This is the 2015 Nuclear Fusion Prize acceptance speech of R.J. Goldston: It is a great pleasure to receive the 2015 Nuclear Fusion award for my work developing a heuristic drift-based model for the power scrape-off width in tokamaks. I was particularly pleased to receive the award from IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano, whose thoughtful leadership has advanced the cause of nuclear non-proliferation mightily.

  6. 2015 Nuclear Fusion Prize acceptance speech

    DOE PAGES

    Goldston, R. J.

    2016-12-19

    This is the 2015 Nuclear Fusion Prize acceptance speech of R.J. Goldston: It is a great pleasure to receive the 2015 Nuclear Fusion award for my work developing a heuristic drift-based model for the power scrape-off width in tokamaks. I was particularly pleased to receive the award from IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano, whose thoughtful leadership has advanced the cause of nuclear non-proliferation mightily.

  7. The Europlanet Prize for Public Engagement with Planetary Science: three years of honouring outstanding achievements

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Heward Fouchet, T.

    2012-09-01

    Europlanet launched an annual Prize for Public Engagement with Planetary Sciences at the European Planetary Science Congress (EPSC) in 2009. At EPSC 2012, the prize will be presented for the third time. To date, the prize has been awarded to: • 2010 - Dr Jean Lilensten of the Laboratoire de Planétologie de Grenoble for his development and dissemination of his 'planeterrella' experiment; • 2011 - The Austrian Space Forum for their coordinated programme of outreach activities, which range from simple classroom presentations to space exhibitions reaching 15 000 visitors; • 2012 - Yaël Nazé, for the diverse outreach programme she has individually initiated over the years, carefully tailored to audiences across the spectrum of society, including children, artists and elderly people. These three prizes cover a spectrum of different approaches to outreach and provide inspiration for anyone wishing to become engaged in public engagement, whether at an individual and institutional level.

  8. Scientometric identification of elite 'revolutionary science' research institutions by analysis of trends in Nobel prizes 1947-2006.

    PubMed

    Charlton, Bruce G

    2007-01-01

    Most research is 'normal science' using Thomas Kuhn's term: checking, trial-and-error improvement and incremental extrapolation of already existing paradigms. By contrast, 'revolutionary science' changes the fundamental structures of science by making new theories, discoveries or technologies. Science Nobel prizes (in Physics, Chemistry, Physiology/Medicine and Economics) have the potential to be used as a new metric for measuring revolutionary science. Nobel laureates' nations and research institutions were measured between 1947 and 2006 in 20 year segments. The minimum threshold for inclusion was 3 Nobel prizes. Credit was allocated to each laureate's institution and nation of residence at the time of award. Over 60 years, the USA has 19 institutions which won three-plus Nobel prizes in 20 years, the UK has 4, France has 2 and Sweden and USSR 1 each. Four US institutions won 3 or more prizes in all 20 year segments: Harvard, Stanford, Berkeley and CalTech. The most successful institution in the past 20 years was MIT, with 11 prizes followed by Stanford (9), Columbia and Chicago (7). But the Western United States has recently become the world dominant region for revolutionary science, generating a new generation of elite public universities: University of Colorado at Boulder; University of Washington at Seattle; and the University of California institutions of Santa Barbara, Irvine, UCSF, and UCLA; also the Fred Hutchinson CRC in Seattle. Since 1986 the USA has 16 institutions which have won 3 plus prizes, but elsewhere in the world only the College de France has achieved this. In the UK Cambridge University, Cambridge MRC unit, Oxford and Imperial College have declined from 17 prizes in 1967-86 to only 3 since then. Harvard has also declined as a revolutionary science university from being the top Nobel-prize-winning institution for 40 years, to currently joint sixth position. Although Nobel science prizes are sporadically won by numerous nations and institutions

  9. BOS MOrth cases prize 2011.

    PubMed

    Patel, Jigar Vipinchandra

    2013-12-01

    This paper describes the orthodontic treatment of two cases awarded the prize by the British Orthodontic Society for best treated cases submitted for the Membership in Orthodontics. The first case reports on the treatment of a class III malocclusion with increased vertical lower anterior facial proportions and dentoalveolar compensation that was treated with orthodontic camouflage. The second case reports on the treatment of a class II division II malocclusion with reduced vertical lower anterior facial proportions and an overbite complete to the palate, which was treated with orthodontic camouflage.

  10. Epistatic Effects of Polymorphisms in Genes from the Renin-Angiotensin, Bradykinin, and Fibrinolytic Systems on Plasma t-PA and PAI-1 Levels

    PubMed Central

    Asselbergs, Folkert W.; Williams, Scott M.; Hebert, Patricia R.; Coffey, Christopher S.; Hillege, Hans L.; Navis, Gerjan; Vaughan, Douglas E.; van Gilst, Wiek H.; Moore, Jason H.

    2007-01-01

    Tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) and plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1) directly influence thrombus formation and degradation and thereby risk for arterial thrombosis. Activation of the renin-angiotensin system has been linked to the production of PAI-1 expression via the angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1R). In addition, bradykinin can induce the release of t-PA through a B2 receptor mechanism. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the epistatic effects of polymorphisms in genes from the renin-angiotensin, bradykinin and fibrinolytic systems on plasma t-PA and PAI-1 levels in a large population-based sample (n=2,527). We demonstrated a strong significant interaction within genetic variations of the bradykinin B2 gene (p=0.002) and between ACE and bradykinin B2 (p=0.003) polymorphisms on t-PA levels in females. In males, polymorphisms in the bradykinin B2 and AT1R gene showed the most strong effect on t-PA levels (p=0.006). In both females as well as males, the bradykinin B2 gene interacted with AT1R gene on plasma PAI-1 levels (p=0.026 and p=0.039, respectively). In addition, the current study found a borderline significant interaction between PAI 4G5G and ACE I/D on plasma t-PA and PAI-1 levels. These results support the idea that the interplay between the renin-angiotensin, bradykinin, and fibrinolytic systems might play an important role in t-PA and PAI-1 biology. PMID:17207964

  11. Postage Stamps and Peace Education: The Nobel Peace Prize. Peace Education Miniprints No. 79.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Abrams, Irwin

    This paper suggests how peace stamps can be used to further understanding of the movement for world peace. In this effort the Nobel Peace Prize, the most prestigious award in the world for peacemaking, is used as a focus. In the prizes from 1901 to the present, the Norwegian Nobel committees have recognized the major paths to peace. This variety…

  12. PAI-OFF: A new proposal for online flood forecasting in flash flood prone catchments

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Schmitz, G. H.; Cullmann, J.

    2008-10-01

    SummaryThe Process Modelling and Artificial Intelligence for Online Flood Forecasting (PAI-OFF) methodology combines the reliability of physically based, hydrologic/hydraulic modelling with the operational advantages of artificial intelligence. These operational advantages are extremely low computation times and straightforward operation. The basic principle of the methodology is to portray process models by means of ANN. We propose to train ANN flood forecasting models with synthetic data that reflects the possible range of storm events. To this end, establishing PAI-OFF requires first setting up a physically based hydrologic model of the considered catchment and - optionally, if backwater effects have a significant impact on the flow regime - a hydrodynamic flood routing model of the river reach in question. Both models are subsequently used for simulating all meaningful and flood relevant storm scenarios which are obtained from a catchment specific meteorological data analysis. This provides a database of corresponding input/output vectors which is then completed by generally available hydrological and meteorological data for characterizing the catchment state prior to each storm event. This database subsequently serves for training both a polynomial neural network (PoNN) - portraying the rainfall-runoff process - and a multilayer neural network (MLFN), which mirrors the hydrodynamic flood wave propagation in the river. These two ANN models replace the hydrological and hydrodynamic model in the operational mode. After presenting the theory, we apply PAI-OFF - essentially consisting of the coupled "hydrologic" PoNN and "hydrodynamic" MLFN - to the Freiberger Mulde catchment in the Erzgebirge (Ore-mountains) in East Germany (3000 km 2). Both the demonstrated computational efficiency and the prediction reliability underline the potential of the new PAI-OFF methodology for online flood forecasting.

  13. The association of clot lysis time with total obesity is partly independent from the association of PAI-1 with central obesity in African adults.

    PubMed

    Eksteen, Philna; Pieters, Marlien; de Lange, Zelda; Kruger, Herculina S

    2015-08-01

    Preliminary evidence indicates that the association of fibrinolytic potential, measured as clot lysis time (CLT), with body composition may differ from that of plasminogen activator inhibitor type-1 (PAI-1). We therefore investigated the association between fibrinolytic markers (plasminogen activator inhibitor type-1 activity (PAI-1act) and CLT) and body composition using detailed body composition analyses. Data from 1288 Africans were cross-sectionally analyzed. Body composition analysis included BMI, waist circumference (WC); waist to height ratio (WHtR), skinfolds and body fat percentage measured with air-displacement plethysmography and bioelectrical impedance analysis. PAI-1act and CLT were significantly higher in women than in men, despite adjustment for differences in body composition. PAI-1act and CLT showed similar linear positive relationships with body composition (BMI, WC, WHtR, skinfolds) in men. In women CLT also showed a linear relationship with body composition, while PAI-1act levels plateaued at higher BMI and did not differ across skinfold categories. PAI-1act showed stronger correlations with body composition markers in men than it did in women, while no sex differences existed for CLT. PAI-1act associated more strongly with central obesity, while CLT associated with total body fat. Observed differences may be related to differences in adipose tissue type, distribution and sequence of accumulation between sexes. PAI-1act is strongly influenced by accumulation of visceral adipose tissue, whereas CLT is associated with obesity independent of type and sequence of body fat accumulation in this African adult study population. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Science Underlying 2008 Nobel Prizes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Caldwell, Bernadette A.

    2009-01-01

    JCE offers a wealth of materials for teaching and learning chemistry that you can explore online. In the list below, Bernadette Caldwell of the Editorial Staff suggests additional resources that are available through JCE for teaching the science behind some of the 2008 Nobel Prizes . Discovering and Applying the Chemistry of GFP The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences awarded the 2008 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for the discovery and development of the green fluorescent protein, GFP to three scientists: Osamu Shimomura, Martin Chalfie, and Roger Y. Tsien. These scientists led the field in discovering and introducing a fluorescing protein from jellyfish into cells and genes under study, which allows researchers to witness biochemistry in action. Now tags are available that emit light in different colors, revealing myriad biological processes and their interactions simultaneously. Identifying HPV and HIV, HIV's Replication Cycle, and HIV Virus-Host Interactions The Nobel Assembly at Karolinska Institutet awarded the 2008 Nobel Prize in Medicine or Physiology for their discovery of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) to two scientists: Françoise Barré-Sinoussi and Luc Montagnier; and for his discovery of human papilloma viruses [HPV] causing cervical cancer to one scientist, Harald zur Hausen. Diseases caused by these infectious agents significantly affect global health. While isolating and studying the virus, researchers discovered HIV is an uncommon retrovirus that infects humans and relies on the host to make its viral DNA, infecting and killing the host's white blood cells, ultimately destroying the immune systems of infected humans. Related Resources at JCE Online The Journal has published articles relating to GFP specifically, and more generally to fluorescing compounds applied to biochemistry. The Journal has also published an article and a video on protease inhibition—a strategy to suppress HIV's biological processes. With the video clips, an accompanying guide

  15. The Effect of PAI-1 4G/5G Polymorphism and Clinical Factors on Coronary Artery Occlusion in Myocardial Infarction.

    PubMed

    Parpugga, Tajinder Kumar; Tatarunas, Vacis; Skipskis, Vilius; Kupstyte, Nora; Zaliaduonyte-Peksiene, Diana; Lesauskaite, Vaiva

    2015-01-01

    Data on the impact of PAI-1-675 4G/5G genotype for fibrinolysis during myocardial infarction are inconsistent. The aim of our study was to evaluate the association of clinical and genetic (PAI-1-675 4G/5G polymorphism) factors with coronary artery occlusion in patients with myocardial infarction. PAI-1-675 4G/5G detection was achieved by using Sanger sequencing in a sample of patients hospitalized for stent implantation due to myocardial infarction. We categorized the patients into two groups: patients with coronary artery occlusion and patients without coronary artery occlusion according to angiographic evaluation. We identified n = 122 (32.4%) 4G/4G, n = 186 (49.5%) 4G/5G, and n = 68 (18.1%) 5G/5G PAI-1 genotype carriers. Univariate and multivariate analysis showed that only the 4G/5G genotype was associated with coronary artery occlusion (OR: 1.656 and 95% CI: 1.009-2.718, p = 0.046). Our results showed that carriers of PAI-1 4G/5G genotype with myocardial infarction have increased odds of coronary artery occlusion more than 1.6 times in comparison to the carriers of homozygous genotypes.

  16. The Effect of PAI-1 4G/5G Polymorphism and Clinical Factors on Coronary Artery Occlusion in Myocardial Infarction

    PubMed Central

    Parpugga, Tajinder Kumar; Tatarunas, Vacis; Skipskis, Vilius; Kupstyte, Nora; Zaliaduonyte-Peksiene, Diana; Lesauskaite, Vaiva

    2015-01-01

    Objective. Data on the impact of PAI-1-675 4G/5G genotype for fibrinolysis during myocardial infarction are inconsistent. The aim of our study was to evaluate the association of clinical and genetic (PAI-1-675 4G/5G polymorphism) factors with coronary artery occlusion in patients with myocardial infarction. Materials and Methods. PAI-1-675 4G/5G detection was achieved by using Sanger sequencing in a sample of patients hospitalized for stent implantation due to myocardial infarction. We categorized the patients into two groups: patients with coronary artery occlusion and patients without coronary artery occlusion according to angiographic evaluation. Results. We identified n = 122 (32.4%) 4G/4G, n = 186 (49.5%) 4G/5G, and n = 68 (18.1%) 5G/5G PAI-1 genotype carriers. Univariate and multivariate analysis showed that only the 4G/5G genotype was associated with coronary artery occlusion (OR: 1.656 and 95% CI: 1.009–2.718, p = 0.046). Conclusions. Our results showed that carriers of PAI-1 4G/5G genotype with myocardial infarction have increased odds of coronary artery occlusion more than 1.6 times in comparison to the carriers of homozygous genotypes. PMID:26273123

  17. "Bird in the hand" cash was more effective than prize draws in increasing physician questionnaire response.

    PubMed

    Drummond, Frances J; O'Leary, Eamonn; O'Neill, Ciaran; Burns, Richeal; Sharp, Linda

    2014-02-01

    To investigate the effects of two monetary incentives on response rates to postal questionnaires from primary care physicians (PCPs). The PCPs were randomized into three arms (n=550 per arm), namely (1) €5 sent with the questionnaire (cash); (2) entry into a draw on return of completed questionnaire (prize); or (3) no incentive. Effects of incentives on response rates and item nonresponse were examined, as was cost-effectiveness. Response rates were significantly higher in the cash (66.1%; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 61.9, 70.4%) and prize arms (44.8%; 95% CI: 40.1, 49.3%) compared with the no-incentive arm (39.9%; 95% CI: 35.4, 44.3%). Adjusted relative risk of response was 1.17 (95% CI: 1.02, 1.35) and 1.68 (95% CI: 1.48, 1.91) in the prize and cash arms, respectively, compared with the no-incentive group. Costs per completed questionnaire were €9.85, €11.15, and €6.31 for the cash, prize, and no-incentive arms, respectively. Compared with the no-incentive arm, costs per additional questionnaire returned in the cash and prize arms were €14.72 and €37.20, respectively. Both a modest cash incentive and entry into a prize draw were effective in increasing response rates. The cash incentive was most effective and the most cost-effective. Where it is important to maximize response, a modest cash incentive may be cost-effective. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. The Lincoln Legal Papers Curriculum: Understanding Illinois Social History through Documents from the Law Practice of Abraham Lincoln, 1836-1861.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McBride, Lawrence W., Ed.; Drake, Frederick D., Ed.

    This curriculum considers the social history of Illinois during the years of 1836-1861 by studying Abraham Lincoln's legal papers from his time as a lawyer. Nearly 100,000 documents have been discovered in the archives of local, county, state, federal courts, libraries, and other repositories. The documents include detailed information about the…

  19. Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) gene 4G/5G alleles frequency distribution in the Lebanese population.

    PubMed

    Shammaa, Dina M R; Sabbagh, Amira S; Taher, Ali T; Zaatari, Ghazi S; Mahfouz, Rami A R

    2008-09-01

    Plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) is an inhibitor of fibrinolysis. Increased plasma PAI-1 levels play an essential role in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular risk and other diseases associated with thrombosis. The 4G/5G polymorphism of the PAI-1 promoter region has been extensively studied in different populations. We studied 160 healthy unrelated Lebanese individuals using a reverse hybridization PCR assay to detect the 5G/5G, 4G/5G and, 4G/4G genotypes of the PAI-1 gene and the frequencies of the 4G and 5G alleles. We found that 4G/5G genotype was the most prevalent (45.6%) followed by 5G/5G (36.9%) and 4G/4G (17.5%). The frequencies of the 4G and 5G alleles were calculated to be 0.403 and 0.597, respectively. Compared to other ethnic communities, the Lebanese population was found to harbour a relatively high prevalence of the rare 4G allele. This, in turn, may predispose this population to develop cardiovascular diseases and other thrombotic clinical conditions. This study aids to enhance our understanding of the genetic features of the Lebanese population.

  20. European cost-effectiveness study of uPA/PAI-1 biomarkers to guide adjuvant chemotherapy decisions in breast cancer.

    PubMed

    Marguet, Sophie; Mazouni, Chafika; Ramaekers, Bram L T; Dunant, Ariane; Kates, Ronald; Jacobs, Volker R; Joore, Manuela A; Harbeck, Nadia; Bonastre, Julia

    2016-08-01

    This study investigated the cost effectiveness of guideline-recommended (American Society of Clinical Oncology, European Society of Medical Oncology) urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA)/plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) biomarkers to guide adjuvant chemotherapy decisions for hormone receptor-positive, node-negative early breast cancer patients at intermediate risk of relapse, in France, Germany, and The Netherlands. uPA/PAI-1 testing was compared to chemotherapy for all patients and to no chemotherapy in two age-related subgroups (35-49 and 50-75 years). A partitioned survival analysis was performed using patient-level data for survival outcomes and secondary sources. Mean quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) and costs were estimated over a lifetime horizon to calculate the incremental net monetary benefit (INMB) at a willingness-to-pay of €50,000/QALY. Uncertainty was explored through bootstrap and probabilistic sensitivity analysis using 5000 replicates. In the 35-49 year age group, INMBs were negative when uPA/PAI-1 testing was compared to chemotherapy for all patients but positive when it was compared to no chemotherapy for the three countries. In the 50-75 year age group, INMBs of uPA/PAI-1 testing compared to both reference strategies were positive in the three countries, with cost-effectiveness probabilities for the uPA/PAI-1 strategy of 65%, 70%, and 59% for France, Germany, and the Netherlands, respectively, compared with chemotherapy for all patients, and 64%, 58%, and 65%, respectively, compared with no chemotherapy. uPA/PAI-1 testing could allow the selection of patients older than 50 years requiring chemotherapy in this population, but the cost effectiveness of this strategy is uncertain. Chemotherapy for all patients is the most cost-effective strategy for patients younger than 50 years. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. The History of Molecular Structure Determination Viewed through the Nobel Prizes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jensen, William P.; Palenik, Gus J.; Suh, Il-Hwan

    2003-07-01

    For the past 100 years, with only a few exceptions during war times, Nobel Prizes have been awarded annually to men and women who have made exceptionally important discoveries in science. In thirteen of those years, prizes were awarded to individuals whose contributions helped explain the molecular world of matter through interactions of waves or particles with atoms. From William C. Röntgen, who received the very first Nobel Prize in Physics in 1901 for his work with X-rays, to von Laue and the father-and-son Bragg team in the second decade of the century, who used X-rays to understand atomic arrangements, much progress had been made revealing secrets at the molecular level of matter. In the 1930s Debye, Davisson, and Thomson revealed further information using, among other techniques, diffraction of electrons by matter. In the 1960s Crick, Watson, Wilkins, Perutz, Kendrew, and Hodgkin received Nobel Prizes for revealing structures of significantly more complex molecules including the DNA double helix, myoglobin, hemoglobin, and vitamin B12. In the 1970s and 1980s Lipscomb would be recognized for organizing our picture of boron hydrides, Klug would use electron diffraction to determine structures of important nucleic acid protein complexes, Hauptman and Karle would bring us a powerful new way to solve structures, and Deisenhofer, Huber, and Michel would determine the three-dimensional structure of a photosynthetic reaction center. Finally, in 1994 Brockhouse and Shull were recognized for their work with neutrons. Crystallography has been used to answer increasingly complex questions in the past, and will certainly remain an important tool in the future.

  2. Relation between osteonecrosis of the femoral head and PAI-1 4G/5G gene polymorphism: a meta-analysis.

    PubMed

    Zeng, Zheng; Wang, Bing; Pan, Haitao

    2015-01-01

    The aim of this study was to investigate the association of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) 4G/5G gene polymorphism and osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH). The pooled relative risk ratio (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were calculated using the the RevMan 5.0 software. The present study included 969 patients with ONFH and 419 healthy controls. The Meta analysis results showed: There is association between PAI-1 gene 4G/5G polymorphism and the increasing risk of ONFH (allele model: RR = 1.24, 95% CI = 1.16 ~ 1.33; dominant genetic model: RR = 1.12, 95% CI = 1.05 ~ 1.18). It was found that the association between PAI-1 gene 4 G/5 G polymorphism and the susceptibility of ONFH (P < 0.05) through the comparison of Caucasian population and Asian people according to the analysis of different races. There is association between PAI-1 gene 4 G/5 G polymorphism and the increasing of the susceptibility of ONFH.

  3. Multiscale modeling of nerve agent hydrolysis mechanisms: a tale of two Nobel Prizes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Field, Martin J.; Wymore, Troy W.

    2014-10-01

    The 2013 Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded for the development of multiscale models for complex chemical systems, whereas the 2013 Peace Prize was given to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons for their efforts to eliminate chemical warfare agents. This review relates the two by introducing the field of multiscale modeling and highlighting its application to the study of the biological mechanisms by which selected chemical weapon agents exert their effects at an atomic level.

  4. Children’s spontaneous emotional expressions while receiving (un)wanted prizes in the presence of peers

    PubMed Central

    Visser, Mandy; Krahmer, Emiel; Swerts, Marc

    2015-01-01

    Although current emotion theories emphasize the importance of contextual factors for emotional expressive behavior, developmental studies that examine such factors are currently thin on the ground. In this research, we studied the course of emotional expressions of 8- and 11-year-old children after winning a (large) first prize or a (substantially smaller) consolation prize, while playing a game competing against the computer or a physically co-present peer. We analyzed their emotional reactions by conducting two perception tests in which participants rated children’s level of happiness. Results showed that co-presence positively affected children’s happiness only when receiving the first prize. Moreover, for children who were in the presence of a peer, we found that eye contact affected children’s expressions of happiness, but that the effect was different for different age groups: 8-year-old children were negatively affected, and 11-year-old children positively. Overall, we can conclude that as children grow older and their social awareness increases, the presence of a peer affects their non-verbal expressions, regardless of their appreciation of their prize. PMID:26441776

  5. Prizes in Cereal Boxes: An Application of Probability.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Litwiller, Bonnie H.; Duncan, David R.

    1992-01-01

    Presents four cases of real-world probabilistic situations to promote more effective teaching of probability. Calculates the probability of obtaining six of six different prizes successively in six, seven, eight, and nine boxes of cereal, generalizes the problem to n boxes of cereal, and offers suggestions to extend the problem. (MDH)

  6. The 2013 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Perlstein, Linda

    2013-01-01

    For millions of Americans, community colleges provide an essential pathway to well-paying jobs and continuing higher education. The Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence honors those institutions that strive for and achieve exceptional levels of success for all students, while they are in college and after they graduate. Community colleges…

  7. "Not Censorship but Selection": Censorship and/as Prizing

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kidd, Kenneth

    2009-01-01

    This essay calls for a fresh critical approach to the topic of censorship, suggesting that anticensorship efforts, while important and necessary, function much like literary prizing. The analysis draws especially on James English's recent study "The Economy of Prestige." There are two central arguments: first, that the librarian ethic of…

  8. Lowy, Schiller win 2018 Szent-Györgyi Prize

    Cancer.gov

    A press release announcing that NCI scientists Douglas R. Lowy and John T. Schiller will receive the 2018 Szent-Györgyi Prize for Progress in Cancer Research from the National Foundation for Cancer Research for their work on HPV vaccines.

  9. [On the Awarding of the First Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine to Emil von Behring].

    PubMed

    Hansson, Nils; Enke, Ulrike

    2015-12-01

    In his will of 1895, the Swedish inventor Alfred Nobel laid the foundation for prizes in physics, chemistry, physiology or medicine, literature, and peace to those who had "conferred the greatest benefit on mankind" during the last year. The Nobel Prize is today widely considered as the most prestigious international symbol of scientific excellence, but it still is an exciting research question how it gained such prestige. Drawing on files from the Emil von Behring Archive in Marburg, Germany, and the Archive of the Nobel Assembly for Physiology or Medicine in Stockholm this essay aims at shedding light on why the first Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine in 1901 was awarded the German immunologist Emil von Behring, and how this decision was viewed at that time. This study is part of a research project that explores mechanisms leading to scientific recognition by using the example of the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

  10. Association of the plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) Gene -675 4G/5G and -844 A/G promoter polymorphism with risk of keloid in a Chinese Han population.

    PubMed

    Wang, Yongjie; Long, Jianhong; Wang, Xiaoyan; Sun, Yang

    2014-10-28

    A keloid is pathological scar caused by aberrant response to skin injuries, characterized by excessive accumulation of histological extracellular matrix, and occurs in genetically susceptible individuals. Plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of keloid. We investigated the association between PAI-1 polymorphisms and plasma PAI-1 level with keloid risk. A total of 242 Chinese keloid patients and 207 controls were enrolled in this study. Polymerase chain reaction-restriction technique was used to determine PAI-1 promoter polymorphism (-675 4G/5G and -844 A/G) distribution. Plasma PAI-1 levels were detected using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). There was a statistically significant difference in the distribution of PAI-1 -675 4G/5G polymorphism between keloid patients and healthy controls. 4G/4G carriers were more likely to develop keloid. In contrast, the -844 A/G polymorphism distribution did not vary significantly between keloid patients and controls. The keloid patients group had a significantly higher plasma PAI-1 level than the control group. In the -675 4G/4G carrier population, the plasma PAI-1 levels were significant higher in keloid patients compared with controls. Our study provides evidence that PAI-1 promoter polymorphism -675 4G/5G and plasma PAI-1 level are associated with keloid risk. PAI-1 -675 4G/5G polymorphism may be an important hereditary factor responsible for keloid development in the Chinese Han population.

  11. Perspectives on the 2010 Nobel Prize in physics for graphene.

    PubMed

    Dresselhaus, Mildred S; Araujo, Paulo T

    2010-11-23

    The 2010 Nobel Prize in physics was awarded to Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov for their groundbreaking experiments regarding the two-dimensional material graphene. Some personal perspectives about this award are presented.

  12. Wave Energy Prize - 1/50th Testing - Iowec

    DOE Data Explorer

    Wesley Scharmen

    2015-12-18

    This submission of data includes all the 1/50th scale testing data completed on the Wave Energy Prize for the Iowec team, and includes: 1/50th test data (raw & processed) 1/50th test data video and pictures 1/50th Test plans and testing documents SSTF_Submission (summarized results)

  13. Wave Energy Prize - 1/50th Testing - SEWEC

    DOE Data Explorer

    Wesley Scharmen

    2015-12-11

    This submission of data includes all the 1/50th scale testing data completed on the Wave Energy Prize for the SEWEC team, and includes: 1/50th test data (raw & processed) 1/50th test data video and pictures 1/50th Test plans and testing documents SSTF_Submission (summarized results)

  14. Wave Energy Prize - 1/50th Testing - WECCA

    DOE Data Explorer

    Wesley Scharmen

    2016-01-15

    This submission of data includes all the 1/50th scale testing data completed on the Wave Energy Prize for the WECCA team, and includes: 1/50th test data (raw & processed) 1/50th test data video and pictures 1/50th Test plans and testing documents SSTF_Submission (summarized results)

  15. Association of the Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) Gene -675 4G/5G and -844 A/G Promoter Polymorphism with Risk of Keloid in a Chinese Han Population

    PubMed Central

    Wang, Yongjie; Long, Jianhong; Wang, Xiaoyan; Sun, Yang

    2014-01-01

    Background A keloid is pathological scar caused by aberrant response to skin injuries, characterized by excessive accumulation of histological extracellular matrix, and occurs in genetically susceptible individuals. Plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of keloid. We investigated the association between PAI-1 polymorphisms and plasma PAI-1 level with keloid risk. Material/Methods A total of 242 Chinese keloid patients and 207 controls were enrolled in this study. Polymerase chain reaction-restriction technique was used to determine PAI-1 promoter polymorphism (-675 4G/5G and -844 A/G) distribution. Plasma PAI-1 levels were detected using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results There was a statistically significant difference in the distribution of PAI-1 -675 4G/5G polymorphism between keloid patients and healthy controls. 4G/4G carriers were more likely to develop keloid. In contrast, the -844 A/G polymorphism distribution did not vary significantly between keloid patients and controls. The keloid patients group had a significantly higher plasma PAI-1 level than the control group. In the -675 4G/4G carrier population, the plasma PAI-1 levels were significant higher in keloid patients compared with controls. Conclusions Our study provides evidence that PAI-1 promoter polymorphism -675 4G/5G and plasma PAI-1 level are associated with keloid risk. PAI-1 -675 4G/5G polymorphism may be an important hereditary factor responsible for keloid development in the Chinese Han population. PMID:25350781

  16. Sources of Financial Support for Research Prize Winners.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    National Science Foundation, Washington, DC.

    The principal objective of this study was to determine the organizational sources of support for the scientists and engineers who have received the Nobel and other major scientific prizes. A secondary objective was to determine what role the National Science Foundation (NSF) may have played in the recipients' research careers. The results of the…

  17. Methodology to Calculate the ACE and HPQ Metrics Used in the Wave Energy Prize

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Driscoll, Frederick R; Weber, Jochem W; Jenne, Dale S

    The U.S. Department of Energy's Wave Energy Prize Competition encouraged the development of innovative deep-water wave energy conversion technologies that at least doubled device performance above the 2014 state of the art. Because levelized cost of energy (LCOE) metrics are challenging to apply equitably to new technologies where significant uncertainty exists in design and operation, the prize technical team developed a reduced metric as proxy for LCOE, which provides an equitable comparison of low technology readiness level wave energy converter (WEC) concepts. The metric is called 'ACE' which is short for the ratio of the average climate capture width tomore » the characteristic capital expenditure. The methodology and application of the ACE metric used to evaluate the performance of the technologies that competed in the Wave Energy Prize are explained in this report.« less

  18. Leon Van Speybroeck Wins Astrophysics Bruno Rossi Prize

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    2002-01-01

    Leon Van Speybroeck of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics in Cambridge Massachusetts was awarded the 2002 Bruno Rossi Prize of the High-Energy Astrophysics Division of the American Astronomy Society. The Rossi Prize is an arnual recognition of significant contributions in high-energy astrophysics in honor of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's late Professor Bruno Rossi, an authority on cosmic ray physics and a pioneer in the field of x-ray astronomy. Van Speybroeck, who led the effort to design and make the x-ray mirrors for NASA's premier Chandra X-Ray Observatory, was recognized for a career of stellar achievements in designing precision x-ray optics. As Telescope Scientist for Chandra, he has worked for more than 20 years with a team that includes scientists and engineers from the Harvard-Smithsonian, NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, TRW, Inc., Huhes-Danbury (now B.F. Goodrich Aerospace), Optical Coating Laboratories, Inc., and Eastman-Kodak on all aspects of the x-ray mirror assembly that is the heart of the observatory.

  19. Training Quality: Before and after Winning the Deming Prize.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Magennis, Jo P.

    1995-01-01

    Describes the Quality Improvement Program developed by Florida Power and Light's Nuclear Training organization that was awarded the Deming Application Prize for quality control. Training quality, team activities, training's role in business planning, customer involvement and evaluation, and continuous improvement of training are discussed. (LRW)

  20. The role of Abraham Lincoln in securing a charter for a homeopathic medical college.

    PubMed

    Spiegel, Allen D; Kavaler, Florence

    2002-10-01

    In 1854, Abraham Lincoln was retained to prepare a state legislative proposal to charter a homeopathic medical college in Chicago. This was a complex task in view of the deep-seated animosity between allopathic or orthodox medical practitioners and irregular healers. Homeopathy was regarded as a cult by the nascent American Medical Association. In addition, the poor reputation of medical education in the United States in general, further complicated the project. Lincoln and influential individuals in Illinois lobbied legislators and succeeded in securing the charter. Subsequently, the Hahnemann Homeopathic Medical College accepted its first class in 1860 and with its successors remained in existence for almost sixty-five years.

  1. Chemistry in the News: 1998 Nobel Prizes in Chemistry and Medicine

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Miller, Jennifer B.

    1999-01-01

    The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has awarded the 1998 Nobel Prize in Chemistry to Walter Kohn (University of California at Santa Barbara) for his development of the density-functional theory and to John A. Pople (Northwestern University at Evanston, Illinois) for his development of computational methods in quantum chemistry. The Nobel Assembly at the Karolinska Institute has awarded the 1998 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine jointly to Robert F. Fuchgott (State University of New York Health Science Center at Brooklyn), Louis J. Ignarro (University of California at Los Angeles), and Ferid Murad (University of Texas Medical School at Houston) for identifying nitric oxide as a key biological signaling molecule in the cardiovascular system.

  2. Clinical utility of level-of-evidence-1 disease forecast cancer biomarkers uPA and its inhibitor PAI-1.

    PubMed

    Schmitt, Manfred; Mengele, Karin; Napieralski, Rudolf; Magdolen, Viktor; Reuning, Ute; Gkazepis, Apostolos; Sweep, Fred; Brünner, Nils; Foekens, John; Harbeck, Nadia

    2010-11-01

    The prognostic and/or predictive value of the cancer biomarkers, urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) and its inhibitor (plasminogen activator inhibitor [PAI]-1), determined by ELISA in tumor-tissue extracts, was demonstrated for several cancer types in numerous clinically relevant retrospective or prospective studies, including a multicenter breast cancer therapy trial (Chemo-N0). Consequently, for the first time ever for any cancer biomarker for breast cancer, uPA and PAI-1 have reached the highest level of evidence, level-of-evidence-1. At present, two other breast cancer therapy trials, NNBC-3 and Plan B, also incorporating uPA and PAI-1 as treatment-assignment tools are in effect. Furthermore, small synthetic molecules targeting uPA are currently in Phase II clinical trials in patients afflicted with advanced cancer of the ovary, breast or pancreas.

  3. Investigation of Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) 4G/5G promoter polymorphism in Indian venous thrombosis patients: A case-control study.

    PubMed

    Prabhudesai, Aniket; Shetty, Shrimati; Ghosh, Kanjaksha; Kulkarni, Bipin

    2017-09-01

    The role of PAI-1 4G/5G polymorphism in venous thrombosis has been contradictory. PAI-1 4G/4G genotype is associated with elevated levels of PAI-1 resulting in a hypofibrinolytic state and a higher thrombotic risk. In this study, the distribution of genotypes and frequency of alleles of the 4G/5G polymorphism of PAI-1 gene in Indian patients with different types of venous thrombosis was investigated for its role in development of thrombosis. A total of 87 portal vein thrombosis (PVT), 71 Budd-Chiari syndrome (BCS), 156 cerebral vein thrombosis (CVT), and 163 deep vein thrombosis (DVT) patients were studied alongside 251 healthy controls for the PAI-1 4G/5G polymorphism by allele-specific PCR. Frequency of 4G/4G genotype was higher in all groups in comparison with controls. 4G/4G was associated with PVT risk (OR=2.51, 95% CI=1.29-4.96, P=.0075), BCS risk (OR=5.98, 95% CI=2.68-13.42, P<.0001), and DVT risk (OR=1.75, 95% CI=0.98-3.02, P=.0225). This is the first case-control study from India establishing PAI-1 4G/4G as a strong risk factor for abdominal thrombosis (PVT and BCS). Statistically significant association was not found between 4G/4G genotype and CVT risk. PAI-1 4G/4G is a strong risk factor for venous thrombosis in Indian patients and should be included in laboratory testing panel of thrombophilia. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  4. Tight Focus on Instruction Wins Texas District Prize

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Maxwell, Lesli A.

    2009-01-01

    It took a while for four-time finalist Aldine, Texas, to win the Broad Prize for Urban Education. But it took even longer to craft the system that ultimately put the district over the top. Educators in Aldine district have been working for more than a decade to refine their "managed instruction" system. Reviewers examined how the school…

  5. The Competition "First Step to Nobel Prize in Physics"

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gorzkowski, W.; Surya, Y; Zuberek, R

    2011-01-01

    This paper presents the history of the competition First Step to Nobel Prize in Physics organized by Poland, its development from a national workshop in 1991/92 to an international competition nowadays and its organization, as well as the results obtained by the participants. (Contains 1 table.)

  6. The utility of the PAI and the MMPI-2 for discriminating PTSD, depression, and social phobia in trauma-exposed college students.

    PubMed

    McDevitt-Murphy, Meghan E; Weathers, Frank W; Flood, Amanda M; Eakin, David E; Benson, Trisha A

    2007-06-01

    This study investigated the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-Revised (MMPI-2; Butcher, Dahlstrom, Graham, Tellegen, & Kaemmer, 1989) and the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI; Morey, 1991) with regard to each instrument's utility for discriminating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) from depression and social phobia in a sample of college students with mixed civilian trauma exposure. Participants were 90 trauma-exposed undergraduates (16 male, 74 female) classified into one of four groups: PTSD, depressive disorders, social phobia, and well-adjusted. For both the PAI and the MMPI-2, profile analysis revealed that the groups differed in the elevation and shape of their profiles. The PAI Traumatic Stress subscale demonstrated good discriminant validity.

  7. ["In Stockholm they apparently had some kind of countermovement" - Ferdinand Sauerbruch (1875-1951) and the Nobel prize].

    PubMed

    Hansson, Nils; Schagen, Udo

    2014-01-01

    The archive of the Nobel Assembly for Physiology or Medicine in Solna, Sweden, is a remarkable repository that contains reports and dossiers of the Nobel Prize nominations of senior and junior physicians from around the world. Although this archive has begun to be used more by scholars, it has been insufficiently examined by historians of surgery. No other German surgeon was nominated as often as Ferdinand Sauerbruch for the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine in the first half of the 20th century. This contribution reconstructs why and by whom Sauerbruch was nominated, and discusses the Nobel committee evaluations of his work. Political factors did not play an obvious role in the Nobel committee discussions, in spite of the fact that Adolf Hitler in 1937 had prohibited all German citizens to accept the Nobel Prize. The main reasons why Sauerbruch ultimately was not considered prize- worthy were that Sauerbruch's achievements were marked by scientific priority disputes, and that his work was not seen as original enough.

  8. The Brain Prize 2014: complex human functions.

    PubMed

    Grigaityte, Kristina; Iacoboni, Marco

    2014-11-01

    Giacomo Rizzolatti, Stanislas Dehaene, and Trevor Robbins were recently awarded the 2014 Grete Lundbeck European Brain Research Prize for their 'pioneering research on higher brain mechanisms underpinning such complex human functions as literacy, numeracy, motivated behavior and social cognition, and for their effort to understand cognitive and behavioral disorders'. Why was their work highlighted? Is there anything that links together these seemingly disparate lines of research? Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. The role of TPA I/D and PAI-1 4G/5G polymorphisms in multiple sclerosis.

    PubMed

    Zivković, Maja; Starčević Čizmarević, Nada; Lovrečić, Luca; Klupka-Sarić, Inge; Stanković, Aleksandra; Gašparović, Iva; Lavtar, Polona; Dinčić, Evica; Stojković, Ljiljana; Rudolf, Gorazd; Jazbec, Saša Sega; Perković, Olivio; Sinanović, Osman; Sepčić, Juraj; Kapović, Miljenko; Peterlin, Borut; Ristić, Smiljana

    2014-01-01

    Previous studies have shown impaired fibrinolysis in multiple sclerosis (MS) and implicated extracellular proteolytic enzymes as important factors in demyelinating neuroinflammatory disorders. Tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA) and its inhibitor (PAI-1) are key molecules in both fibrinolysis and extracellular proteolysis. In the present study, an association of the TPA Alu I/D and PAI-1 4G/5G polymorphisms with MS was analyzed within the Genomic Network for Multiple Sclerosis (GENoMS). The GENoMS includes four populations (Croatian, Slovenian, Serbian, and Bosnian and Herzegovinian) sharing the same geographic location and a similar ethnic background. A total of 885 patients and 656 ethnically matched healthy blood donors with no history of MS in their families were genotyped using PCR-RFLP. TPA DD homozygosity was protective (OR = 0.79, 95% CI 0.63-0.99, P = 0.037) and PAI 5G5G was a risk factor for MS (OR = 1.30, 95% CI 1.01-1.66, P = 0.038). A significant effect of the genotype/carrier combination was detected in 5G5G/I carriers (OR = 1.39 95% CI 1.06-1.82, P = 0.017). We found a significantly harmful effect of the combination of the PAI-1 5G/5G genotype and TPA I allele on MS susceptibility, which indicates the importance of gene-gene interactions in complex diseases such as MS.

  10. The Role of TPA I/D and PAI-1 4G/5G Polymorphisms in Multiple Sclerosis

    PubMed Central

    Živković, Maja; Starčević Čizmarević, Nada; Lovrečić, Luca; Klupka-Sarić, Inge; Stanković, Aleksandra; Gašparović, Iva; Dinčić, Evica; Stojković, Ljiljana; Rudolf, Gorazd; Šega Jazbec, Saša; Perković, Olivio; Sinanović, Osman; Sepčić, Juraj; Kapović, Miljenko; Peterlin, Borut

    2014-01-01

    Background. Previous studies have shown impaired fibrinolysis in multiple sclerosis (MS) and implicated extracellular proteolytic enzymes as important factors in demyelinating neuroinflammatory disorders. Tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA) and its inhibitor (PAI-1) are key molecules in both fibrinolysis and extracellular proteolysis. In the present study, an association of the TPA Alu I/D and PAI-1 4G/5G polymorphisms with MS was analyzed within the Genomic Network for Multiple Sclerosis (GENoMS). Methods. The GENoMS includes four populations (Croatian, Slovenian, Serbian, and Bosnian and Herzegovinian) sharing the same geographic location and a similar ethnic background. A total of 885 patients and 656 ethnically matched healthy blood donors with no history of MS in their families were genotyped using PCR-RFLP. Results. TPA DD homozygosity was protective (OR = 0.79, 95% CI 0.63–0.99, P = 0.037) and PAI 5G5G was a risk factor for MS (OR = 1.30, 95% CI 1.01–1.66, P = 0.038). A significant effect of the genotype/carrier combination was detected in 5G5G/I carriers (OR = 1.39 95% CI 1.06–1.82, P = 0.017). Conclusions. We found a significantly harmful effect of the combination of the PAI-1 5G/5G genotype and TPA I allele on MS susceptibility, which indicates the importance of gene-gene interactions in complex diseases such as MS. PMID:24825926

  11. From the Big Bang to the Nobel Prize and the JWST

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Mather, John C.

    2007-01-01

    I will describe the history of the universe, from the Big Bang to 2013, when the JWST is to be launched to look back towards our beginnings. I will discuss how the COBE results led to the Nobel Prize, how the COBE results have been confirmed and extended, and their implications for future observations. The James Webb Space Telescope will be used to examine every part of our history from the first stars and galaxies to the formation of individual stars and planets and the delivery of life-supporting materials to the Earth. I will describe the plans for the JWST and how observers may use it. With luck, the JWST may produce a Nobel Prize for some discovery we can only guess today.

  12. Arthroscopy Journal Prizes Are Major Decisions.

    PubMed

    Lubowitz, James H; Brand, Jefferson C; Provencher, Matthew T; Rossi, Michael J

    2016-01-01

    According to the Harvard Business Review, the optimal number of people in a decision-making group is no more than 8. Thus, it is no surprise that 18 Arthroscopy journal associate editors had difficulty making a major decision. In the end, 18 editors did successfully select the 2015 winner of the Best Comparative Study Prize. All studies have limitations, but from a statistical standpoint, the editors believe that the conclusions of the winning study are likely correct. Copyright © 2016 Arthroscopy Association of North America. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Wave Energy Prize - 1/50th Testing - Waveswing America

    DOE Data Explorer

    Wesley Scharmen

    2016-01-22

    This submission of data includes all the 1/50th scale testing data completed on the Wave Energy Prize for the Waveswing America team, and includes: 1/50th test data (raw & processed) 1/50th test data video and pictures 1/50th Test plans and testing documents Results

  14. Cracker Jacks: "Finding the Prize" inside Each Adolescent Learner

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ellerbrock, Cheryl; DiCicco, Michael; Denmon, Jennifer M.; Parke, Erin; Mead, Sarah

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of this manuscript is to highlight several practical classroom examples of asset-driven acts of reciprocal care and content-driven community builders and icebreakers that highlight ways to "find the prize" inside each student by fostering an adolescent-centered community of care that is committed to both relationships and…

  15. Editorial: The Sackler International Prize in Biophysical Sciences

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Frydman, Lucio

    2018-02-01

    The Raymond and Beverly Sackler International Prize is awarded alternatively in the fields of Biophysics, Chemistry and Physics on a yearly basis, by Tel Aviv University. The price is intended to encourage dedication to science, originality and excellence, by rewarding outstanding scientists under 45 years of age, with a total purse of 100,000. The 2016 Raymond and Beverly Sackler Prize was awarded in the field of Magnetic Resonance last February in a festive symposium, to three excellent researchers: Professor John Morton (University College London), Professor Guido Pintacuda (Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon and CNRS), and Professor Charalampos Kalodimos (at the time at the University of Minnesota). John was recognized for his novel contributions to quantum information processing, by means of a range of highly elegant physical phenomena involving both NMR and EPR. Guido was recognized for his methodological advances in solid state NMR spectroscopy, including advances in proton detection under ultrafast MAS at ultrahigh magnetic field, and for his insightful applications to challenging biological systems. While Charalampos (Babis) was recognized for beautifully detailed characterizations of structure, function, and dynamics in challenging and important biological systems through solution NMR spectroscopy.

  16. Abraham Lincoln and the global economy.

    PubMed

    Hormats, Robert D

    2003-08-01

    Abraham Lincoln would have well understood the challenges facing many modern emerging nations. In Lincoln's America, as in many developing nations today, sweeping economic change threatened older industries, traditional ways of living, and social and national cohesion by exposing economies and societies to new and powerful competitive forces. Yet even in the midst of the brutal and expensive American Civil war--and in part because of it--Lincoln and the Republican Congress enacted bold legislation that helped create a huge national market, a strong and unified economy governed by national institutions, and a rising middle class of businessmen and property owners. Figuring out how to maximize the benefits of globalization while minimizing its disruptions is a formidable challenge for policy makers. How do you expand opportunities for the talented and the lucky while making sure the rest of society doesn't fall behind? It may be helpful to look at the principles that informed the policies that Lincoln and the Republican Congress instituted after they came to power in 1861: Facilitate the upward mobility of low- and middle-income groups to give them a significant stake in the country. Emphasize the good of the national economy over regional interests. Affirm the need for sound government institutions to temper the dynamics of the free enterprise system. Tailor policies to the national situation. Realize that a period of turmoil may present a unique opportunity for reform. These principles drove the reforms that helped Americans cope with and benefit from rapid technological advances and the fast integration of the American economy in the nineteenth century. They may be instructive to today's policy makers who are struggling to help their own citizens integrate into the fast-changing global economy of the twenty-first century.

  17. Harry Smith — recipient of the 2008 Molecular Ecology Prize

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Harry Smith is a scholar, mentor, internationally renowned researcher, eloquent speaker and author, pioneering journal editor and highly valued colleague who has contributed greatly in multiple ways to plant science and the community. He richly deserves the honour of the Molecular Ecology Prize....

  18. Modular Curriculum: English, American Nobel Prize Winners in Literature.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Phillips, James A.

    This independent study module treats those Americans who have been awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature. They include Sinclair Lewis, Eugene O'Neill, T. S. Eliot, William Faulkner, Ernest Hemingway, John Steinbeck, and Pearl Buck. Selections from the writings of these authors are included. Their works represent many literary genres and also…

  19. Reclaiming "Lost Prizes": An Interview with Ken McCluskey

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Van Bockern, Steve

    2012-01-01

    This article presents an interview with Dr. Ken McCluskey, Dean and Professor of Education at the University of Winnipeg. He is known internationally for his work in several areas including: (1) mentoring; (2) attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder; (3) at-risk children and youth (where his "Lost Prizes" and related projects serve as…

  20. Wave Energy Prize - 1/50th Testing - Oscilla Power

    DOE Data Explorer

    Wesley Scharmen

    2016-01-08

    This submission of data includes all the 1/50th scale testing data completed on the Wave Energy Prize for the Oscilla Power team, and includes: 1/50th test data (raw & processed) 1/50th test data video and pictures 1/50th Test plans and testing documents SSTF_Submission (summarized results)

  1. Wave Energy Prize - 1/50th Testing - Principle Power

    DOE Data Explorer

    Wesley Scharmen

    2016-01-08

    This submission of data includes all the 1/50th scale testing data completed on the Wave Energy Prize for the Principle Power team, and includes: 1/50th test data (raw & processed) 1/50th test data video and pictures 1/50th Test plans and testing documents SSTF_Submission (summarized results)

  2. Wave Energy Prize - 1/50th Testing - Sea Potential

    DOE Data Explorer

    Wesley Scharmen

    2015-12-04

    This submission of data includes all the 1/50th scale testing data completed on the Wave Energy Prize for the Sea Potential team, and includes: 1/50th test data (raw & processed) 1/50th test data video and pictures 1/50th Test plans and testing documents SSTF_Submission (summarized results)

  3. Wave Energy Prize - 1/50th Testing - Mocean Energy

    DOE Data Explorer

    Wesley Scharmen

    2016-01-08

    This submission of data includes all the 1/50th scale testing data completed on the Wave Energy Prize for the Mocean Energy team, and includes: 1/50th test data (raw & processed) 1/50th test data video and pictures 1/50th Test plans and testing documents SSTF_Submission (summarized results)

  4. Wave Energy Prize - 1/50th Testing - CalWave

    DOE Data Explorer

    Wesley Scharmen

    2016-01-15

    This submission of data includes all the 1/50th scale testing data completed on the Wave Energy Prize for the CalWave team, and includes: 1/50th test data (raw & processed) 1/50th test data video and pictures 1/50th Test plans and testing documents SSTF_Submission (summarized results)

  5. Wave Energy Prize - 1/50th Testing - AquaHarmonics

    DOE Data Explorer

    Wesley Scharmen

    2016-01-15

    This submission of data includes all the 1/50th scale testing data completed on the Wave Energy Prize for the AquaHarmonics team, and includes: 1/50th test data (raw & processed) 1/50th test data video and pictures 1/50th Test plans and testing documents SSTF_Submission (summarized results)

  6. The 1973 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine: recognition for behavioral science?

    PubMed

    Dewsbury, Donald A

    2003-09-01

    The Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine for 1973 was awarded to 3 ethologists: Karl von Frisch, Konrad Lorenz, and Nikolaas Tinbergen. This was a landmark event in the history of the field of ethology and potentially for the behavioral sciences more broadly. For the first time, the prize was awarded for research of a purely behavioral nature. The language used in making the award emphasized the implications of ethological work for human health and appeared to suggest that more such awards might be forthcoming; few were. The author provides an overview of the 3 men, their work, the events surrounding the award, the controversy that arose, and the significance of the award as viewed in contemporary perspective.

  7. Nobel Prize In Physics Awarded To Astronomer For NASA-Funded Research

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    2002-10-01

    Riccardo Giacconi, the "father of X-ray astronomy," has received the Nobel Prize in physics for "pioneering contributions to astrophysics," which have led to the discovery of cosmic X-ray sources. Giaconni, president of the Associated Universities Inc., in Washington, and Research Professor of Physics and Astronomy at Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, discovered the first X-ray stars and the X-ray background in the 1960s and conceived of and led the implementation of the Uhuru and High Energy Astronomy Observatory-2 (HEAO-2) X-ray observatories in the 1970s. With funding from NASA, he also detected sources of X-rays that most astronomers now consider to contain black holes. Giacconi said that receiving the award confirms the importance of X-ray astronomy. "I think I'm one of the first to get the Nobel prize for work with NASA, so that's good for NASA and I think it's also good for the field," he said. "It's also nice for all the other people who've worked in this field. I recognize that I was never alone. I'm happy for me personally, I'm happy for my family, and I'm happy for the field and for NASA," Giacconi added. In 1976, Giacconi along with Harvey Tananbaum of the Harvard- Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, Cambridge, Mass., submitted a proposal letter to NASA to initiate the study and design of a large X-ray telescope. In 1977 work began on the program, which was then known as the Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility and in 1998 renamed the Chandra X-ray Observatory. "Partnerships with universities and scientists are essential in our quest to answer the fundamental questions of the universe," said Dr. Ed Weiler, NASA Associate Administrator for Space Science, Headquarters, Washington. "Dr. Giacconi's achievements are a brilliant example of this synergy among NASA, universities and their community of scientists and students," he said. Giacconi is Principal Investigator for the ultradeep survey with Chandra - the "Chandra Deep Field South" - that has

  8. Randomized Trial Comparing Two Treatment Strategies Using Prize-Based Reinforcement of Abstinence in Cocaine and Opiate Users

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Preston, Kenzie L.; Ghitza, Udi E.; Schmittner, John P.; Schroeder, Jennifer R.; Epstein, David H.

    2008-01-01

    We compared two strategies of prize-based contingency management (CM) in methadone-maintained outpatients. Urine was tested thrice weekly for 5 weeks pre-CM, 12 weeks CM, and 8 weeks post-CM. Participants were randomly assigned to a cocaine contingency (four prize draws for each cocaine-negative urine, N = 29) or an opiate-cocaine contingency (one…

  9. Activity Report: "Escola de Cultura de Pau", the Laureate of the First Evens Prize for Peace Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Delvou, Marjolein

    2011-01-01

    On March 18th 2011 an independent jury of experts convened in Antwerp, Belgium, to select the laureate of the first Evens Prize for Peace Education from a shortlist of eleven organizations from all over Europe. After a long day of intense discussions, the jury agreed unanimously to award the prize to the "Escola de Cultura de Pau"…

  10. The Nobel Prize in Medicine for Magnetic Resonance Imaging

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fry, Charles G.

    2004-01-01

    Nobel Prize in Medicine awarded in December 2003 to chemist Paul C. Lauterbur and physicist Peter Mansfield for the development of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), a long overdue recognition of the huge impact MRI has had in medical diagnostics and research is mentioned. MRI was derived, and remains an extension of nuclear magnetic resonance…

  11. Defining Excellence: Lessons from the 2013 Aspen Prize Finalists

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Aspen Institute, 2013

    2013-01-01

    In many respects, one couldn't find a group of 10 schools more diverse than the finalists for the 2013 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence. One community college serves 1,500 students, another 56,000. There are institutions devoted primarily--even solely--to technical degrees, and ones devoted mainly to preparing students for further…

  12. Abraham Lincoln's blue pills. Did our 16th president suffer from mercury poisoning?

    PubMed

    Hirschhorn, N; Feldman, R G; Greaves, I A

    2001-01-01

    It is well known that Abraham Lincoln took a medicine called "blue mass" or "blue pill," commonly prescribed in the 19th century. What is now hardly known is that the main ingredient of blue mass was finely dispersed elemental mercury. As his friends understood, mercury was often prescribed for melancholy or "hypochondriasis," a condition Lincoln famously endured. Mercury in the form of the blue pill is a potential neurotoxin, which we have demonstrated by recreating and testing the recipe. We present the testimony of many of Lincoln's contemporaries to suggest that Lincoln suffered the neurobehavioural consequences of mercury intoxication but, perhaps crucial to history, before the main years of his presidency; he was astute enough to recognize the effects and stop the medication soon after his inauguration.

  13. Keeping an Eye on the Prize

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Hazi, A U

    2007-02-06

    Setting performance goals is part of the business plan for almost every company. The same is true in the world of supercomputers. Ten years ago, the Department of Energy (DOE) launched the Accelerated Strategic Computing Initiative (ASCI) to help ensure the safety and reliability of the nation's nuclear weapons stockpile without nuclear testing. ASCI, which is now called the Advanced Simulation and Computing (ASC) Program and is managed by DOE's National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), set an initial 10-year goal to obtain computers that could process up to 100 trillion floating-point operations per second (teraflops). Many computer experts thought themore » goal was overly ambitious, but the program's results have proved them wrong. Last November, a Livermore-IBM team received the 2005 Gordon Bell Prize for achieving more than 100 teraflops while modeling the pressure-induced solidification of molten metal. The prestigious prize, which is named for a founding father of supercomputing, is awarded each year at the Supercomputing Conference to innovators who advance high-performance computing. Recipients for the 2005 prize included six Livermore scientists--physicists Fred Streitz, James Glosli, and Mehul Patel and computer scientists Bor Chan, Robert Yates, and Bronis de Supinski--as well as IBM researchers James Sexton and John Gunnels. This team produced the first atomic-scale model of metal solidification from the liquid phase with results that were independent of system size. The record-setting calculation used Livermore's domain decomposition molecular-dynamics (ddcMD) code running on BlueGene/L, a supercomputer developed by IBM in partnership with the ASC Program. BlueGene/L reached 280.6 teraflops on the Linpack benchmark, the industry standard used to measure computing speed. As a result, it ranks first on the list of Top500 Supercomputer Sites released in November 2005. To evaluate the performance of nuclear weapons systems, scientists must

  14. An Elusive Honor: Psychology, Behavior, and the Nobel Prize

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pickren, Wade E.

    2003-01-01

    Apart from economics, the human sciences have not generally been rewarded with high honors from the world community. Psychology has been awarded the distinction of a Nobel Prize only when it has served a role in explicating human behavior in relation to economics. Yet psychological science has played no small part in the work of a number of Nobel…

  15. Eppur Si Muove! The 2013 Nobel Prize in Chemistry

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Smith, Jeremy C.; Roux, Benoit

    2013-12-03

    The 2013 Nobel Prize in Chemistry has been awarded to Martin Karplus, Michael Levitt, and Arieh Warshel for their work on developing computational methods to study complex chemical systems. Hence, their work has led to mechanistic critical insights into chemical systems both large and small and has enabled progress in a number of different fields, including structural biology.

  16. How Robert A. Millikan Got the Physics Nobel Prize

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Panusch, Martin; Heering, Peter; Singh, Rajinder

    2010-01-01

    In 1923, R.A. Millikan was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for his work on the elementary charge of electricity and on the photoelectric effect. Recently, historical research had a focus on Millikan's publication practice, as well as on the role of his assistant, Harvey Fletcher. Several studies have raised doubts on whether Millikan can…

  17. Prospective multi-center study for quantification of chemotherapies and CTX-related direct medication costs avoided by use of biomarkers uPA and PAI-1 in primary breast cancer.

    PubMed

    Jacobs, Volker R; Augustin, Doris; Wischnik, Arthur; Kiechle, Marion; Höss, Cornelia; Steinkohl, Oliver; Rack, Brigitte; Kapitza, Thomas; Krase, Peter

    2013-08-01

    Biomarkers uPA/PAI-1 as recommended by ASCO and AGO are used in primary breast cancer to avoid unnecessary CTX in medium risk-recurrence patients. This study verified how many CTX cycles and CTX-related direct medication costs can be avoided by uPA/PAI-1 testing. A prospective, non-interventional, multi-center study was performed among six Certified Breast Centers to analyze application of uPA/PAI-1 and consecutive decision-making. CTX avoided were identified and direct costs for CTX, CTX-related concomitant medication and febrile neutropenia (FN) prophylaxis with G-CSF calculated. In n = 93 breast cancers n = 35 CTX (37.6%) with 210 CTX cycles were avoided according to uPA/PAI-1 test result. uPA/PAI-1 testing saved direct medication costs for CTX of 177,453 €, CTX-related concomitant medication of 27,482 € and FN prophylaxis of 20,599 €, overall 225,534 €. At test costs at 287.50 € uPA/PAI-1 testing resulted in additional costs of 26,737.50 €. uPA/PAI-1 has proven to be cost-effective at a return-on-investment ratio of 8.4:1. Indirect cost savings further increase this ROI. These results support decision-making for cost-effective diagnostics and therapy in breast cancer. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Differential control of MMP and t-PA/PAI-1 expressions by sympathetic and renin-angiotensin systems in rat left ventricle.

    PubMed

    Dab, Houcine; Hachani, Rafik; Hodroj, Wassim; Sakly, Mohsen; Bricca, Giampiero; Kacem, Kamel

    2009-10-05

    In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that angiotensin II (Ang II) has both direct (via AT1 receptors) and indirect (via sympathostimulator pathway) actions on the synthesis and activity of the enzymes involved in the extracellular matrix degradation in vivo. For this purpose, sympathectomy and blockade of the Ang II receptor AT1 were performed alone or in combination in normotensive rats. The mRNA of the plasminogen activator (t-PA) and its inhibitor (PAI-1), the mRNA, protein and activity of the matrix metalloproteinases MMP-2 and MMP-9 were examined by Q-RT-PCR, immunoblotting and zymographic methods in the left ventricle. t-PA and PAI-1 mRNA were decreased after sympathectomy and remained unchanged after AT1 receptors blockade. mRNA was increased for t-PA and decreased by similar degree for PAI-1 after double treatment. MMPs mRNA and protein levels were decreased either after sympathectomy or AT1 receptors blockade and an additive effect was acquired after double treatment. MMPs activity was decreased by similar degree in the three treated groups. Deducted interpretations from our experimental approach suggest that Ang II inhibits directly (via AT1 receptors) and indirectly (via sympathostimulator pathway) t-PA mRNA synthesis. It seems unable to influence directly PAI-1 mRNA, but stimulates indirectly PAI-1 mRNA synthesis. Ang II stimulates directly (via AT1 receptors) and indirectly (via sympathostimulator pathway) MMPs synthesis at both transcriptional and protein levels. The enzymatic activity of MMPs does not seem to be influenced directly by Ang II but it could be stimulated indirectly (via sympathostimulator pathway).

  19. 40 CFR Table 2 to Subpart Mmm of... - Standards for New and Existing PAI Sources

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... a HAP Particulate matter concentration not to exceed 0.01 gr/dscf. Heat exchange systems Each heat exchange system used to cool process equipment in PAI manufacturing operations Monitoring and leak repair...

  20. 40 CFR Table 2 to Subpart Mmm of... - Standards for New and Existing PAI Sources

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... a HAP Particulate matter concentration not to exceed 0.01 gr/dscf. Heat exchange systems Each heat exchange system used to cool process equipment in PAI manufacturing operations Monitoring and leak repair...

  1. The -675 4G/5G polymorphism at the Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1 (PAI-1) gene modulates plasma Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1 concentrations in response to dietary fat consumption.

    PubMed

    Pérez-Martínez, P; Adarraga-Cansino, M D; Fernández de la Puebla, R A; Blanco-Molina, A; Delgado-Lista, J; Marín, C; Ordovás, J M; López-Miranda, J; Pérez-Jiménez, F

    2008-04-01

    The objective of the study was to determine whether Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor Type 1 (PAI-1) -675 4G/5G polymorphism is associated with the response of functional plasma PAI-1 concentrations to changes in the amount and quality of dietary fat in healthy subjects. PAI-1 is the major inhibitor of fibrinolysis, and a lower level of fibrinolytic activity could be implicated in an increased risk of IHD. Fifty-nine healthy Spanish volunteers (ten 4G/4G homozygotes, twenty-eight heterozygotes 4G/5G and twenty-one 5G/5G homozygotes) consumed three diets for periods of 4 weeks each: a SFA-rich diet (38 % fat, 20 % SFA), followed by a carbohydrate-rich diet (30 % fat, 55 % carbohydrate) and a MUFA-rich diet (38 % fat, 22 % MUFA) according to a randomized crossover design. At the end of each dietary period plasma lipid and functional plasma PAI-1 concentrations were determined. Subjects carrying the 4G allele (4G/4G and 4G/5G) showed a significant decrease in PAI-1 concentrations after the MUFA diet, compared with the SFA-rich and carbohydrate-rich diets (genotype x diet interaction: P = 0.028). 5G/5G homozygotes had the lowest plasma PAI-1 concentrations compared with 4G/4G and 4G/5G subjects (genotype: P = 0.002), without any changes as a result of the amount and the quality of the dietary fat. In summary, no differences in plasma PAI-1 concentration response were found after changes in dietary fat intake in 5G/5G homozygotes, although these subjects displayed the lowest concentrations of PAI-1. On the other hand, carriers of the 4G allele are more likely to hyper-respond to the presence of MUFA in the diet because of a greater decrease in PAI-1 concentrations.

  2. Cross-validation of the PAI Negative Distortion Scale for feigned mental disorders: a research report.

    PubMed

    Rogers, Richard; Gillard, Nathan D; Wooley, Chelsea N; Kelsey, Katherine R

    2013-02-01

    A major strength of the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI) is its systematic assessment of response styles, including feigned mental disorders. Recently, Mogge, Lepage, Bell, and Ragatz developed and provided the initial validation for the Negative Distortion Scale (NDS). Using rare symptoms as its detection strategy for feigning, the usefulness of NDS was examined via a known-groups comparison. The current study sought to cross-validate the NDS by implementing a between-subjects simulation design. Simulators were asked to feign total disability in an effort to secure unwarranted compensation from their insurance company. Even in an inpatient sample with severe Axis I disorders and concomitant impairment, the NDS proved effective as a rare-symptom strategy with low levels of item endorsement that remained mostly stable across genders. For construct validity, the NDS was moderately correlated with the Structured Interview of Reported Symptoms-Second Edition and other PAI feigning scales. For discriminant validity, it yielded a very large effect size (d = 1.81), surpassing the standard PAI feigning indicators. Utility estimates appeared to be promising for both ruling-out (low probability of feigning) and ruling-in (high probability of feigning) determinations at different base rates. Like earlier research, the data supported the creation of well-defined groups with indeterminate scores (i.e., the cut score ± 1 SEM) removed to avoid high rates of misclassifications for this narrow band.

  3. Role of ACE and PAI-1 Polymorphisms in the Development and Progression of Diabetic Retinopathy

    PubMed Central

    Saleem, Saba; Azam, Aisha; Maqsood, Sundus Ijaz; Muslim, Irfan; Bashir, Shaheena; Fazal, Nosheen; Riaz, Moeen; Ali, Syeda Hafiza Benish; Niazi, Muhammad Khizar; Ishaq, Mazhar; Waheed, Nadia Khalida; Qamar, Raheel; Azam, Maleeha

    2015-01-01

    In the present study we determined the association of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) gene polymorphisms with diabetic retinopathy (DR) and its sub-clinical classes in Pakistani type 2 diabetic patients. A total of 353 diabetic subjects including 160 DR and 193 diabetic non retinopathy (DNR) as well as 198 healthy controls were genotyped by allele specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for ACE Insertion/Deletion (ID) polymorphism, rs4646994 in intron 16 and PAI-1 4G/5G (deletion/insertion) polymorphism, rs1799768 in promoter region of the gene. To statistically assess the genotype-phenotype association, multivariate logistic regression analysis was applied to the genotype data of DR, DNR and control individuals as well as the subtypes of DR. The ACE genotype ID was found to be significantly associated with DR (p = 0.009, odds ratio (OR) 1.870 [95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.04–3.36]) and its sub-clinical class non-proliferative DR (NPDR) (p = 0.006, OR 2.250 [95% CI = 1.098–4.620]), while PAI polymorphism did not show any association with DR in the current cohort. In conclusion in Pakistani population the ACE ID polymorphism was observed to be significantly associated with DR and NPDR, but not with the severe form of the disease i.e. proliferative DR (PDR). PMID:26658948

  4. Award of EC Television Prize for Broadcasts on Vocational Training.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training, Berlin (West Germany).

    The European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (CEDEFOP) is endeavoring to encourage television to provide more and better information on vocational and continuing education in the European Community (EC). Therefore, it held its first competition to award prizes for broadcasts presenting information on vocational training,…

  5. 45 CFR 73.735-505 - Acceptance of awards and prizes.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ...) Employees may accept awards, including cash awards, given in recognition of a meritorious public... employee in the performance of his or her offical duties, advice about the acceptance of it should be... trophies, entertainment, rewards, and prizes given to competitors in contests or events which are open to...

  6. 45 CFR 73.735-505 - Acceptance of awards and prizes.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ...) Employees may accept awards, including cash awards, given in recognition of a meritorious public... employee in the performance of his or her offical duties, advice about the acceptance of it should be... trophies, entertainment, rewards, and prizes given to competitors in contests or events which are open to...

  7. It Is My Desire to Be Free: Annie Davis's Letter to Abraham Lincoln and Winslow Homer's Painting "A Visit from the Old Mistress"

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hussey, Michael; Eder, Elizabeth K.

    2010-01-01

    "Mr. President, It is my Desire to be free," wrote Annie Davis to Abraham Lincoln, 20 months after he issued the Emancipation Proclamation. The Emancipation Proclamation affected only those parts of the country that were in rebellion against the United States on the date it was issued, January 1, 1863. The slaveholding border states of…

  8. Fullerene discoverers win nobel prize

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Rotman, D.

    1996-10-16

    Two Rice University (Houston) chemists, Robert F. Curl and Richard E. Smalley, and a scientist at the University of Sussex (Brighton, U.K.), Harold W. Kroto, have won the 1996 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for the joint discovery of buckminsterfullerenes - soccer ball-shaped carbon molecules. The novel form of carbon, which was initially synthesized by the scientists in 1985 as C{sub 60} and C{sub 70} has led to the development of {open_quotes}an entirely new branch of chemistry... with consequences in such diverse areas as astrochemistry, superconductivity, and material chemistry/physics,{close_quotes} according to the Swedish Academy of Sciences (Stockholm). For chemists, the structuremore » is {open_quotes}uniquely beautiful and satisfying,{close_quotes} the academy says.« less

  9. PAI-1 4G/5G polymorphism contributes to cancer susceptibility: evidence from meta-analysis.

    PubMed

    Wang, Shangqian; Cao, Qiang; Wang, Xiaoxiang; Li, Bingjie; Tang, Min; Yuan, Wanqing; Fang, Jianzheng; Qian, Jian; Qin, Chao; Zhang, Wei

    2013-01-01

    The plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) is expressed in many cancer cell types and allows the modulation of cancer growth, invasion and angiogenesis. To date, studies investigated the association between a functional polymorphism in PAI-1 (4G/5G) and risk of cancer have shown inclusive results. A meta-analysis based on 25 case-control studies was performed to address this issue. Odds ratios (OR) with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to assess the association. The statistical heterogeneity across studies was examined with I(2) test. Overall, a significant increased risk of cancer was associated with the PAI-1 4G/4G polymorphism for the allele contrast (4G vs. 5G: OR = 1.10, CI = 1.03-1.18, I(2) = 49.5%), the additive genetic model (4G/4G vs. 5G/5G: OR = 1.21, CI = 1.06-1.39, I(2) = 51.9%), the recessive genetic model (4G/4G vs. 4G/5G+5G/5G: OR = 1.11, CI = 1.04-1.18, I(2) = 20.8%). In the subgroup analysis by ethnicity, the results indicated that individuals with 4G/4G genotype had a significantly higher cancer risk among Caucasians (4G/4G vs. 5G/5G: OR = 1.31, 95%CI = 1.09-1.59, I(2) = 59.6%; 4G/4G vs. 4G/5G: OR = 1.12, 95%CI = 1.04-1.21, I(2) = 3.6%; recessive model: OR = 1.12, 95%CI = 1.05-1.21, I(2) = 25.3%). The results of the present meta-analysis support an association between the PAI-1 4G/5G polymorphism and increasing cancer risk, especially among Caucasians, and those with 4G allele have a high risk to develop colorectal cancer and endometrial cancer.

  10. 40 CFR Table 2 to Subpart Mmm of... - Standards for New and Existing PAI Sources

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... feedstock that is a solid and a HAP Particulate matter concentration not to exceed 0.01 gr/dscf. Heat exchange systems Each heat exchange system used to cool process equipment in PAI manufacturing operations...

  11. 40 CFR Table 2 to Subpart Mmm of... - Standards for New and Existing PAI Sources

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... feedstock that is a solid and a HAP Particulate matter concentration not to exceed 0.01 gr/dscf. Heat exchange systems Each heat exchange system used to cool process equipment in PAI manufacturing operations...

  12. Achievement of Abraham Maslow's Needs Hierarchy Theory among Teachers: Implications for Human Resource Management in the Secondary School System in Rivers State

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Adiele, E.E.; Abraham, Nath. M.

    2013-01-01

    The study investigated the achievement of Abraham Maslow's need hierarchy theory among secondary school teachers in Rivers State. A 25-item questionnaire was designed, validated and administered on a sample of 500 teachers drawn from 245 secondary schools in Rivers State. The result revealed that secondary school teachers indicated insignificant…

  13. Why there should be more science Nobel prizes and laureates - And why proportionate credit should be awarded to institutions.

    PubMed

    Charlton, Bruce G

    2007-01-01

    The four science Nobel prizes (physics, chemistry, medicine/physiology and economics) have performed extremely well as a method of recognizing the highest level of achievement. The prizes exist primarily to honour individuals but also have a very important function in science generally. In particular, the institutions and nations which have educated, nurtured or supported many Nobel laureates can be identified as elite in world science. However, the limited range of subjects and a maximum of 12 laureates per year mean that many major scientific achievements remain un-recognized; and relatively few universities can gather sufficient Nobel-credits to enable a precise estimate of their different levels of quality. I advocate that the Nobel committee should expand the number of Nobel laureates and Prize categories as a service to world science. (1) There is a large surplus of high quality prize candidates deserving of recognition. (2) There has been a vast expansion of research with a proliferation of major sub-disciplines in the existing categories. (3) Especially, the massive growth of the bio-medical sciences has created a shortage of Nobel recognition in this area. (4) Whole new fields of major science have emerged. I therefore suggest that the maximum of three laureates per year should always be awarded in the categories of physics, chemistry and economics, even when these prizes are for diverse and un-related achievements; that the number of laureates in the 'biology' category of physiology or medicine should be increased to six or preferably nine per year; and that two new Prize categories should be introduced to recognize achievements in mathematics and computing science. Together, these measures could increase the science laureates from a maximum of 12 to a minimum of 24, and increase the range of scientific coverage. In future, the Nobel committee should also officially allocate proportionate credit to institutions for each laureate, and a historical task

  14. Values most extolled in Nobel Peace Prize speeches.

    PubMed

    Kinnier, Richard T; Kernes, Jerry L; Hayman, Jessie Wetherbe; Flynn, Patricia N; Simon, Elia; Kilian, Laura A

    2007-11-01

    The authors randomly selected 50 Nobel Peace Prize speeches and content analyzed them to determine which values the speakers extolled most frequently. The 10 most frequently mentioned values were peace (in 100% of the speeches), hope (92%), security (86%), justice (85%), responsibility (81%), liberty (80%), tolerance (79%), altruism (75%), God (49%), and truth (38%). The authors discuss the interplay of these values in the modern world and implications regarding the search for universal moral values.

  15. 45 CFR 73.735-505 - Acceptance of awards and prizes.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... 45 Public Welfare 1 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Acceptance of awards and prizes. 73.735-505 Section 73.735-505 Public Welfare DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES GENERAL ADMINISTRATION STANDARDS... sought from a deputy ethics counselor. Also, an employee may not accept an award from an organization...

  16. 45 CFR 73.735-505 - Acceptance of awards and prizes.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... 45 Public Welfare 1 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Acceptance of awards and prizes. 73.735-505 Section 73.735-505 Public Welfare DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES GENERAL ADMINISTRATION STANDARDS... sought from a deputy ethics counselor. Also, an employee may not accept an award from an organization...

  17. 45 CFR 73.735-505 - Acceptance of awards and prizes.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... 45 Public Welfare 1 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Acceptance of awards and prizes. 73.735-505 Section 73.735-505 Public Welfare Department of Health and Human Services GENERAL ADMINISTRATION STANDARDS... sought from a deputy ethics counselor. Also, an employee may not accept an award from an organization...

  18. PAI-1 4G/5G gene polymorphism is associated with angiographic patency in ST-elevation myocardial infarction patients treated with thrombolytic therapy.

    PubMed

    Ozkan, Bugra; Cagliyan, Caglar E; Elbasan, Zafer; Uysal, Onur K; Kalkan, Gulhan Y; Bozkurt, Mehmet; Tekin, Kamuran; Bozdogan, Sevcan T; Ozalp, Ozge; Duran, Mustafa; Sahin, Durmus Y; Cayli, Murat

    2012-09-01

    In this study, we examined the relationship between PAI-1 4G/5G polymorphism and patency of the infarct-related artery after thrombolysis in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Acute STEMI patients who received thrombolytic therapy within first 12 h were included in our study. The PAI-1 4G/5G promoter region insertion/deletion polymorphism was studied from venous blood samples. Patients with the PAI-1 4G/5G gene polymorphism were included in group 1 and the others were included in group 2. Coronary angiography was performed in all patients in the first 24 h after receiving thrombolytic therapy. Thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) 0-1 flow in the infarct-related artery was considered as 'no flow', TIMI 2 flow as 'slow flow', and TIMI 3 flow as 'normal flow'. A total of 61 patients were included in our study. Thirty patients (49.2%) were positive for the PAI-1 4G/5G gene polymorphism, whereas 31 of them (50.8%) were in the control group. There were significantly more patients with 'no flow' (14 vs. 6; P=0.02) and less patients with 'normal flow' (8 vs. 19; P=0.02) in group 1. In addition, time to thrombolytic therapy (TTT) was maximum in the 'no flow' group and minimum in the 'normal flow' group (P=0.005). In the logistic regression analysis, TTT (odds ratio: 0.9898; 95% confidence interval: 0.982-0.997; P=0.004) and the PAI-1 4G/5G gene polymorphism (odds ratio: 4.621; 95% confidence interval: 1.399-15.268; P<0.01) were found to be independently associated with post-thrombolytic 'no flow'. The PAI-1 4G/5G gene polymorphism and TTT are associated independently with 'no flow' after thrombolysis in patients with STEMI.

  19. On the Human Aspect of Nobel Prize

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Durand, G.

    1990-10-01

    One night, Nico invited for dinner all his postdoc and graduate students, in a German restaurant close to Harvard Square. Just before we were to pay for our meal, he told us: "Tomorrow, we shall know the Nobel prize winner. Can you people make a guess on his name?" All my colleagues nominated great physicists. In my turn, I suggested naively (and perhaps nationalistically) the name of Alfred Kastler who had been my thesis adviser. "Come on," joked Nico, "I know a lot of physicists who would deserve it much better.."

  20. Religion, Sexuality, and Internalized Homonegativity: Confronting Cognitive Dissonance in the Abrahamic Religions.

    PubMed

    Meladze, Pikria; Brown, Jac

    2015-10-01

    This research was aimed at investigating how religious beliefs and internalized shame predicted homonegativity. An online survey, which consisted of a self-report questionnaire assessing religious orientation, internalized shame, and internalized homonegativity, was completed by 133 Caucasian and Asian gay men. The respondents also were asked to write a short answer in which they had to explain how they integrated their religion and sexual practices. The quantitative analyses of data demonstrated no significant difference in internalized homonegativity among the two cultural groups. Internalized homonegativity was predicted by the main Abrahamic faiths (i.e. Christianity, Islam, and Judaism) and internalized shame. Qualitative analysis showed that gay men who adhere to a monotheistic religious faith follow a different path to reconciling their religion and homosexuality compared to gay men who adhere to Philosophical/New Age religions or to gay men who have no religious faith. The implications of these findings as well as directions for future research studies were discussed.

  1. Abraham Lincoln and Harry Potter: children's differentiation between historical and fantasy characters.

    PubMed

    Corriveau, Kathleen H; Kim, Angie L; Schwalen, Courtney E; Harris, Paul L

    2009-11-01

    Based on the testimony of others, children learn about a variety of figures that they never meet. We ask when and how they are able to differentiate between the historical figures that they learn about (e.g., Abraham Lincoln) and fantasy characters (e.g., Harry Potter). Experiment 1 showed that both younger (3- and 4-year-olds) and older children (5-, 6-, and 7-year-olds) understand the status of familiar figures, correctly judging historical figures to be real and fictional figures to be pretend. However, when presented with information about novel figures embedded in either a realistic narrative or a narrative with obvious fantasy elements, only older children used the narrative to make an appropriate assessment of the status of the protagonist. In Experiment 2, 3-, and 4-year-olds were prompted to judge whether the story events were really possible or not. Those who did so accurately were able to deploy that judgment to correctly assess the status of the protagonist.

  2. International Szent-Györgyi Prize for Progress in Cancer Research: basic and translational research recognition : Mary-Claire King received the 2016 Prize for her pioneering research that demonstrated the first evidence of genetic predisposition to breast cancer.

    PubMed

    Hartmann, Hali; Zhao, Jie; Ba, Sujuan

    2017-11-21

    The Szent-Györgyi Prize for Progress in Cancer Research is a prestigious scientific award sponsored by the National Foundation for Cancer Research (NFCR)-a leading cancer research charitable organization in the United States that supports innovative cancer research globally with the ultimate goal to cure cancer. The coveted Szent-Györgyi Prize annually honors a scientist whose seminal discovery or body of work has resulted in, or led toward, notable contributions to cancer prevention, diagnosis, or treatment; and the discovery has had a high direct impact of saving people's lives. In addition, the prize promotes public awareness of the importance of basic cancer research and encourages the sustained investment needed to accelerate the translation of these research discoveries into new cancer treatments. In 2016, NFCR's Szent-Györgyi Prize Selection Committee was unanimous in its decision to recognize an icon in human disease genetics, Dr. Mary-Claire King, for her pioneering research that demonstrated the first evidence of genetic predisposition to breast cancer. Her proof of existence of BRCA1 gene and its location has made genetic screening for breast and ovarian cancers possible, saving lives of many people who are at high risk with inherited BRCA1 mutations.

  3. Wave Energy Prize - 1/50th Testing - Team Flapper/Harvest

    DOE Data Explorer

    Wesley Scharmen

    2015-12-18

    This submission of data includes all the 1/50th scale testing data completed on the Wave Energy Prize for the Team Flapper/Harvest, and includes: 1/50th test data (raw & processed) 1/50th test data video and pictures 1/50th Test plans and testing documents SSTF_Submission (summarized results)

  4. Supporting Military Veteran Students: Early Lessons from Kohlberg Prize Recipients

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Karp, Melinda Mechur; Klempin, Serena

    2016-01-01

    Postsecondary education participation is critical for military-connected individuals as they transition back to civilian life. The Kisco Foundation's Kohlberg Prize, a competitive grant awarded in 2015 and 2016, is aimed at making community colleges more welcoming and better able to meet the needs of veteran students. This review details the early…

  5. A pilot study of the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI) in corrections: assessment of malingering, suicide risk, and aggression in male inmates.

    PubMed

    Wang, E W; Rogers, R; Giles, C L; Diamond, P M; Herrington-Wang, L E; Taylor, E R

    1997-01-01

    Provision of mental health services to correctional populations places considerable demands on clinical staff to provide efficient and effective means to screen patients for severe mental disorders and other emergent conditions that necessitate immediate interventions. Among the highly problematic behaviors found in correctional settings are forms of acting out (e.g., suicide and aggression towards others) and response style (e.g., motivations to malinger). The current study examined the usefulness of the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI) in assessing problematic behaviors in a corrections-based psychiatric hospital. As evidence of criterion related validity, selected PAI scales were compared to (a) evidence of malingering on the Structured Interview of Reported Symptoms (SIRS), (b) suicidal threats and gestures, and (c) ratings of aggression on the Overt Aggression Scale (OAS). In general, results supported the use of the PAI for the assessment of these problematic behaviors.

  6. Frederick W. Alt received the 2015 Szent-Györgi Prize for Progress in Cancer Research.

    PubMed

    Scully, Peter; Zhao, Jie; Ba, Sujuan

    2016-02-03

    The Szent-Györgyi Prize for Progress in Cancer Research is a prestigious scientific award established by the National Foundation for Cancer Research (NFCR)--a leading cancer research charitable organization in the United States that is committed to supporting scientific research and public education relating to the prevention, early diagnosis, better treatments, and ultimately, a cure for cancer. Each year, the Szent-Györgyi Prize honors an outstanding researcher, nominated by colleagues or peers, who has contributed outstanding, significant research to the fight against cancer, and whose accomplishments have helped improve treatment options for cancer patients. The Prize also promotes public awareness of the importance of basic cancer research and encourages the sustained investment needed to accelerate the translation of these research discoveries into new cancer treatments. This report highlights the pioneering work led by the 2015 Prize winner, Dr. Frederick Alt. Dr. Alt's work in the area of cancer genetics over four decades has helped to shape the very roots of modern cancer research. His work continues to profoundly impact the approaches that doctors around the globe use to diagnose and treat cancer. In particular, his seminal discoveries of gene amplification and his pioneering work on molecular mechanisms of DNA damage repair have helped to usher in the era of genetically targeted therapy and personalized medicine.

  7. Doctor James Young Simpson, Rabbi Abraham De Sola, and Genesis Chapter 3, verse 16.

    PubMed

    Cohen, J

    1996-11-01

    When Dr. James Simpson began to use anesthesia in child-birth in 1846, a religious furor arose against its use. For many people, including many physicians, Genesis chapter 3, verse 16, implied that childbirth had to be a painful process. In 1849, the editors of one of Canada's medical journals asked Abraham De Sola, Canada's first rabbi, to give his interpretation of Genesis 3:16 for the benefit of their readers, which he did in a three-part article. Using Hebrew biblical scholars as his source, he wrote that the correct interpretation of this passage was that with toil or labor shall women bring forth children, rather than with pain. Therefore, by using anesthesia in childbirth, physicians were not going against the scriptures or the word of God.

  8. Wave Energy Prize - 1/50th Testing - M3 Wave

    DOE Data Explorer

    Wesley Scharmen

    2016-01-08

    This submission of data includes all the 1/50th scale testing data completed on the Wave Energy Prize for the M3 Wave team, and includes: 1/50th test data (raw & processed) 1/50th test data video and pictures 1/50th Test plans and testing documents SSTF_Submission (summarized results)

  9. Wave Energy Prize - 1/50th Testing - RTI Wave Power

    DOE Data Explorer

    Wesley Scharmen

    2015-12-18

    This submission of data includes all the 1/50th scale testing data completed on the Wave Energy Prize for the RTI Wave Power team, and includes: 1/50th test data (raw & processed) 1/50th test data video and pictures 1/50th Test plans and testing documents SSTF_Submission (summarized results)

  10. Wave Energy Prize - 1/50th Testing - Atlas Ocean Systems

    DOE Data Explorer

    Wesley Scharmen

    2015-12-04

    This submission of data includes all the 1/50th scale testing data completed on the Wave Energy Prize for the Atlas Ocean Systems team, and includes: 1/50th test data (raw & processed) 1/50th test data video and pictures 1/50th Test plans and testing documents SSTF_Submission (summarized results)

  11. The 2014 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine: a spatial model for cognitive neuroscience.

    PubMed

    Burgess, Neil

    2014-12-17

    Understanding how the cognitive functions of the brain arise from its basic physiological components has been an enticing final frontier in science for thousands of years. The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2014 was awarded one half to John O'Keefe, the other half jointly to May-Britt Moser and Edvard I. Moser "for their discoveries of cells that constitute a positioning system in the brain." This prize recognizes both a paradigm shift in the study of cognitive neuroscience, and some of the amazing insights that have followed from it concerning how the world is represented within the brain. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Legends about Legends: Abraham Eleazar's Adaptation of Nicolas Flamel.

    PubMed

    Priesner, Claus

    2016-02-01

    This paper explores the relationship between three illustrated alchemical treatises, all of which are associated with Jewish adepts: the famous Le Livre des figures hieroglyphiques attributed to Nicolas Flamel, and two treatises published in 1735 in Erfurt-the Uraltes Chymisches Werckh and the Donum Dei. The Werckh is supposedly written by Rabbi Abraham Eleazar, while the Donum Dei is attributed to an ancient alchemist-cabalist, Rabbi Samuel Baruch. I argue that these authors are fictitious, and that both works were in fact written in the early eighteenth century by their supposed editor, the probably pseudonymous Julius Gervasius. Gervasius connects the Werckh with the legend of Nicolas Flamel by suggesting that it is based on the original, Jewish manuscript which helped Flamel to find the Stone of the Sages. Gervasius used various strategies to confer a sense of Jewish "authenticity" on these works, borrowing from contemporary (non-Jewish) perceptions of Jewish ritual, Hebrew language, and Christian Cabala. The Werckh also borrows and adapts a sequence of allegorical illustrations from those in pseudo-Flamel's Livre, and I compare the two sets of figures and, where possible, interpret them. I conclude that the later works in fact teach us far more about the state of alchemy in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries than they do about either medieval alchemy or Judaism.

  13. PAI-1 4G-4G and MTHFR 677TT in non-hepatitis C virus/hepatitis B virus-related liver cirrhosis

    PubMed Central

    Pasta, Linda; Pasta, Francesca

    2015-01-01

    AIM: To evaluate the different roles of thrombophilia in patients with and without viral etiology. The thrombophilic genetic factors (THRGFs), PAI-1 4G-4G, MTHFR 677TT, V Leiden 506Q and prothrombin 20210A, were studied as risk factors in 1079 patients with liver cirrhosis (LC), enrolled from January 2000 to January 2014. METHODS: All Caucasian LC patients consecutively observed in a fourteen-year period were included; the presence of portal vein thrombosis (PVT) and Budd Chiari syndrome (BCS) was registered. The differences between the proportions of each THRGF with regard to the presence or absence of viral etiology and the frequencies of the THRGF genotypes with those predicted in a population by the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium were registered. RESULTS: Four hundred and seventeen/one thousand and seventy-six patients (38.6%) showed thrombophilia: 217 PAI-1 4G-4G, 176 MTHFR C677TT, 71 V Leiden factor and 41 prothrombin G20210 A, 84 with more than 1 THRGF; 350 presented with no viral liver cirrhosis (NVLC) and 729 with, called viral liver cirrhosis (VLC), of whom 56 patients were hepatitis C virus + hepatitis B virus. PAI-1 4G-4G, MTHFR C677TT, the presence of at least one TRHGF and the presence of > 1 THRGF, were statistically more frequent in patients with NVLC vs patients with VLC: All χ2 > 3.85 and P < 0.05. Patients with PVT and/or BCS with at least one TRHGF were 189/352 (53.7%). The Hardy-Weinberg of PAI-1 and MTHFR 677 genotypes deviated from that expected from a population in equilibrium in patients with NVLC (respectively χ2 = 39.3; P < 0.000 and χ2 = 27.94; P < 0.05), whereas the equilibrium was respected in VLC. CONCLUSION: MTHFR 677TT was nearly twofold and PAI-1 4G-4G more than threefold more frequently found in NVLC vs patients with VLC; the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium of these two polymorphisms confirms this data in NVLC. We suggest that PAI-1 4G-4G and MTHFR 677TT could be considered as factors of fibrosis and thrombosis mechanisms, increasing

  14. PAI-1 4G-4G and MTHFR 677TT in non-hepatitis C virus/hepatitis B virus-related liver cirrhosis.

    PubMed

    Pasta, Linda; Pasta, Francesca

    2015-12-18

    To evaluate the different roles of thrombophilia in patients with and without viral etiology. The thrombophilic genetic factors (THRGFs), PAI-1 4G-4G, MTHFR 677TT, V Leiden 506Q and prothrombin 20210A, were studied as risk factors in 1079 patients with liver cirrhosis (LC), enrolled from January 2000 to January 2014. All Caucasian LC patients consecutively observed in a fourteen-year period were included; the presence of portal vein thrombosis (PVT) and Budd Chiari syndrome (BCS) was registered. The differences between the proportions of each THRGF with regard to the presence or absence of viral etiology and the frequencies of the THRGF genotypes with those predicted in a population by the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium were registered. Four hundred and seventeen/one thousand and seventy-six patients (38.6%) showed thrombophilia: 217 PAI-1 4G-4G, 176 MTHFR C677TT, 71 V Leiden factor and 41 prothrombin G20210 A, 84 with more than 1 THRGF; 350 presented with no viral liver cirrhosis (NVLC) and 729 with, called viral liver cirrhosis (VLC), of whom 56 patients were hepatitis C virus + hepatitis B virus. PAI-1 4G-4G, MTHFR C677TT, the presence of at least one TRHGF and the presence of > 1 THRGF, were statistically more frequent in patients with NVLC vs patients with VLC: All χ (2) > 3.85 and P < 0.05. Patients with PVT and/or BCS with at least one TRHGF were 189/352 (53.7%). The Hardy-Weinberg of PAI-1 and MTHFR 677 genotypes deviated from that expected from a population in equilibrium in patients with NVLC (respectively χ (2) = 39.3; P < 0.000 and χ (2) = 27.94; P < 0.05), whereas the equilibrium was respected in VLC. MTHFR 677TT was nearly twofold and PAI-1 4G-4G more than threefold more frequently found in NVLC vs patients with VLC; the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium of these two polymorphisms confirms this data in NVLC. We suggest that PAI-1 4G-4G and MTHFR 677TT could be considered as factors of fibrosis and thrombosis mechanisms, increasing the inflammation response

  15. PAI-1 promoter 4G/5G polymorphism (rs1799768) contributes to tumor susceptibility: Evidence from meta-analysis.

    PubMed

    Xu, Xin; Xie, Yanqi; Lin, Yiwei; Xu, Xianglai; Zhu, Yi; Mao, Yeqing; Hu, Zhenghui; Wu, Jian; Chen, Hong; Zheng, Xiangyi; Qin, Jie; Xie, Liping

    2012-12-01

    Plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), belonging to the urokinase plasminogen activation (uPA) system, is involved in cancer development and progression. The PAI-1 promoter 4G/5G polymorphism was shown to contribute to genetic susceptibility to cancer, although the results were inconsistent. To assess this relationship more precisely, a meta-analysis was performed. The electronic databases PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) were searched; data were extracted and analyzed independently by two reviewers. Ultimately, 21 eligible case-control studies with a total of 8,415 cancer cases and 9,208 controls were included. The overall odds ratio (OR) with its 95% confidence interval (CI) showed a statistically significant association between the PAI-1 promoter 4G/5G polymorphism and cancer risk (4G/4G vs. 5G/5G: OR=1.25, 95% CI=1.07-1.47, P(heterogeneity)=0.001; 4G/4G vs. 4G/5G+5G/5G: OR=1.10, 95% CI=1.03-1.17, P(heterogeneity)=0.194; 4G/4G+4G/5G vs. 5G/5G: OR=1.17, 95% CI=1.01-1.35, P(heterogeneity)=0.041). In further subgroup analyses, the increased risk of cancer was observed in a subgroup of Caucasians with regards to endometrial cancer. Our meta-analysis suggests that the PAI-1 4G/5G polymorphism most likely contributes to susceptibility to cancer, particularly in Caucasians. Furthermore, the 4G allele may be associated with an increased risk of endometrial cancer.

  16. PAI-1 promoter 4G/5G polymorphism (rs1799768) contributes to tumor susceptibility: Evidence from meta-analysis

    PubMed Central

    XU, XIN; XIE, YANQI; LIN, YIWEI; XU, XIANGLAI; ZHU, YI; MAO, YEQING; HU, ZHENGHUI; WU, JIAN; CHEN, HONG; ZHENG, XIANGYI; QIN, JIE; XIE, LIPING

    2012-01-01

    Plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), belonging to the urokinase plasminogen activation (uPA) system, is involved in cancer development and progression. The PAI-1 promoter 4G/5G polymorphism was shown to contribute to genetic susceptibility to cancer, although the results were inconsistent. To assess this relationship more precisely, a meta-analysis was performed. The electronic databases PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) were searched; data were extracted and analyzed independently by two reviewers. Ultimately, 21 eligible case-control studies with a total of 8,415 cancer cases and 9,208 controls were included. The overall odds ratio (OR) with its 95% confidence interval (CI) showed a statistically significant association between the PAI-1 promoter 4G/5G polymorphism and cancer risk (4G/4G vs. 5G/5G: OR=1.25, 95% CI=1.07–1.47, Pheterogeneity=0.001; 4G/4G vs. 4G/5G+5G/5G: OR=1.10, 95% CI=1.03–1.17, Pheterogeneity=0.194; 4G/4G+4G/5G vs. 5G/5G: OR=1.17, 95% CI=1.01–1.35, Pheterogeneity=0.041). In further subgroup analyses, the increased risk of cancer was observed in a subgroup of Caucasians with regards to endometrial cancer. Our meta-analysis suggests that the PAI-1 4G/5G polymorphism most likely contributes to susceptibility to cancer, particularly in Caucasians. Furthermore, the 4G allele may be associated with an increased risk of endometrial cancer. PMID:23226787

  17. Oral carcinogenesis is not achieved in different carcinogen-treated PAI-1 transgenic and wild-type mouse models.

    PubMed

    Avgoustidis, Dimitris; Nisyrios, Themistoklis; Nkenke, Emeka; Lijnen, Roger; Ragos, Vassilis; Perrea, Despina; Donta, Ismini; Vaena, Apostolia; Yapijakis, Christos; Vairaktaris, Eleftherios

    2012-01-01

    In an effort to assess the role of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) in oral squamous cancer development and progression, two different carcinogen treatment protocols were conducted. Protocol I included mice from a PAI-1 transgenic (Tg) breed (n=56) and their wild-type (WT) counterparts (n=56), divided into one control group and two main experimental groups, treated with 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA) for 8 and 16 weeks, respectively. Protocol II included the same number and types of animals and groups, which were similarly treated with 4-Nitroquinoline 1-oxide (4-NQO) in drinking water. Two drugs that affect plasma PAI-1 levels, enalapril and pravastatin, were administered to certain subgroups of animals in both protocols. None of the animals developed macroscopically-visible oral cancer lesions. Eleven animals under Protocol I and 52 animals under Protocol II died. Skin lesions were noted only in DMBA-treated animals (n=9). Almost all animals administered with 4-NQO developed alopecia and lost weight, while two of them developed stomach tumours, and one female mouse developed a large ovarian cyst. Transgenic mice may respond differently when used in well-established carcinogen models and oral carcinogenesis is hard to achieve in these rodents.

  18. Promoting public health research in BRICS through a multinational public health prize fund.

    PubMed

    Campbell, Michael

    2014-01-01

    This article proposes the establishment of a prize fund to incentivise public health research within the BRICS association, which comprises the five major emerging world economies: Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. This would stimulate cooperative healthcare research within the group and, on the proviso that the benefits of the research are made freely available within the association, would be rewarding for researchers. The results of the research stimulated by the prize would provide beneficial new healthcare technologies, targeting the most vulnerable and needy groups. The proposed fund is consistent with current international patent law and would not only avoid some of the problems associated with the "Health Impact Fund", but also create a new model for healthcare research.

  19. Student Intern Lands Top Prize in National Science Competition | Poster

    Cancer.gov

    By Ashley DeVine, Staff Writer Student intern Sam Pritt’s interest in improving geolocation led him to develop a project that won a top regional prize at the Siemens Competition in Math, Science, and Technology in November. Pritt was awarded a $3,000 college scholarship, and he competed in the national competition in early December.

  20. Pat Thiel talks about attending the Nobel Prize Award Ceremony

    ScienceCinema

    Thiel, Pat

    2018-05-07

    Pat Thiel, Ames Laboratory senior scientist and Iowa State University Distinguished Professor of Chemistry, was invited to be a guest at the ceremony on December 10th, in Stockholm, Sweden, where Danny Shechtman, Ames Laboratory scientist, received the 2011 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Following her return to the Lab, Thiel shared some of her recollections of the momentous event.

  1. Pat Thiel talks about attending the Nobel Prize Award Ceremony

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Thiel, Pat

    2012-01-01

    Pat Thiel, Ames Laboratory senior scientist and Iowa State University Distinguished Professor of Chemistry, was invited to be a guest at the ceremony on December 10th, in Stockholm, Sweden, where Danny Shechtman, Ames Laboratory scientist, received the 2011 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Following her return to the Lab, Thiel shared some of her recollections of the momentous event.

  2. NREL Solar Cell Wins Federal Technology Transfer Prize | News | NREL

    Science.gov Websites

    Solar Cell Wins Federal Technology Transfer Prize News Release: NREL Solar Cell Wins Federal ) Solar Cell was named a winner of the 2009 Award for Excellence in Technology Transfer by the Federal Laboratory Consortium for Technology Transfer. The original IMM cell was invented by Mark Wanlass of NREL's

  3. Robert Halliday Gunning and the Victoria Jubilee prizes.

    PubMed

    Baillie, T W

    2003-05-01

    More than a century after the death of Robert Halliday Gunning, a large number of lectureships and prizes bearing his name continue to be awarded by scientific bodies and learned institutions in Scotland. Most of these awards were endowed in HM Queen Victoria s Jubilee year (1887-88) and bear the additional qualification 'Victoria Jubilee'. An account of the life of Robert Gunning and his various endowments is complemented by an analysis of the factors which determined the nature of his benefactions.

  4. PAI-1 4G/5G Polymorphism Contributes to Cancer Susceptibility: Evidence from Meta-Analysis

    PubMed Central

    Li, Bingjie; Tang, Min; Yuan, Wanqing; Fang, Jianzheng; Qian, Jian; Qin, Chao; Zhang, Wei

    2013-01-01

    Background The plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) is expressed in many cancer cell types and allows the modulation of cancer growth, invasion and angiogenesis. To date, studies investigated the association between a functional polymorphism in PAI-1 (4G/5G) and risk of cancer have shown inclusive results. Methods A meta-analysis based on 25 case-control studies was performed to address this issue. Odds ratios (OR) with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to assess the association. The statistical heterogeneity across studies was examined with I2 test. Results Overall, a significant increased risk of cancer was associated with the PAI-1 4G/4G polymorphism for the allele contrast (4G vs. 5G: OR = 1.10, CI = 1.03–1.18, I2 = 49.5%), the additive genetic model (4G/4G vs. 5G/5G: OR = 1.21, CI = 1.06–1.39, I2 = 51.9%), the recessive genetic model (4G/4G vs. 4G/5G+5G/5G: OR = 1.11, CI = 1.04–1.18, I2 = 20.8%). In the subgroup analysis by ethnicity, the results indicated that individuals with 4G/4G genotype had a significantly higher cancer risk among Caucasians (4G/4G vs. 5G/5G: OR = 1.31, 95%CI = 1.09–1.59, I2 = 59.6%; 4G/4G vs. 4G/5G: OR = 1.12, 95%CI = 1.04–1.21, I2 = 3.6%; recessive model: OR = 1.12, 95%CI = 1.05–1.21, I2 = 25.3%). Conclusions The results of the present meta-analysis support an association between the PAI-1 4G/5G polymorphism and increasing cancer risk, especially among Caucasians, and those with 4G allele have a high risk to develop colorectal cancer and endometrial cancer. PMID:23437240

  5. Next X-Prize: L1 Base with Linked Asteroid Mining as Prime Catalyst for Space Enterprise

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Erickson, Ken R.

    2006-01-01

    We are at a cusp in our emergence as a space-faring race. Development of space resources offers unparalleled economic opportunities. Entrepreneurs with fortunes from the computer and internet revolutions are heavily investing in space. Their goal: to make space accessible to civilians at affordable prices, and build their next fortunes off-planet. The Ansari X-Prize showed that economic incentives can augment the pace and efficiency of this venture. Lunar and Martian missions are being touted as the top priorities by the US and other nations. However, serious and profitable expansion into space is best achieved by the establishment of an L1 base, its economic lifeblood based on processing asteroidal materials to provide the staples of all human space enterprise: oxygen, water, fuel and shielding. This paper outlines the components of an ``L1-prize'' modeled on the Ansari X-prize competition that led to the first private manned flight into space by Scaled Composites. The economic costs, crucial components and profit potential of a primary L1 base with asteroid mining technology intimately tied to it are detailed. The technical and economic benefits of the L1 location are contrasted to alternatives. The likely revenue sources are estimated, including contracting nations and industries; and orbital, lunar and Martian interplanetary enterprises. These are discussed as realistically and conservatively as possible in terms of the potential future profits for the winner of the prize.

  6. A physarum-inspired prize-collecting steiner tree approach to identify subnetworks for drug repositioning.

    PubMed

    Sun, Yahui; Hameed, Pathima Nusrath; Verspoor, Karin; Halgamuge, Saman

    2016-12-05

    Drug repositioning can reduce the time, costs and risks of drug development by identifying new therapeutic effects for known drugs. It is challenging to reposition drugs as pharmacological data is large and complex. Subnetwork identification has already been used to simplify the visualization and interpretation of biological data, but it has not been applied to drug repositioning so far. In this paper, we fill this gap by proposing a new Physarum-inspired Prize-Collecting Steiner Tree algorithm to identify subnetworks for drug repositioning. Drug Similarity Networks (DSN) are generated using the chemical, therapeutic, protein, and phenotype features of drugs. In DSNs, vertex prizes and edge costs represent the similarities and dissimilarities between drugs respectively, and terminals represent drugs in the cardiovascular class, as defined in the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical classification system. A new Physarum-inspired Prize-Collecting Steiner Tree algorithm is proposed in this paper to identify subnetworks. We apply both the proposed algorithm and the widely-used GW algorithm to identify subnetworks in our 18 generated DSNs. In these DSNs, our proposed algorithm identifies subnetworks with an average Rand Index of 81.1%, while the GW algorithm can only identify subnetworks with an average Rand Index of 64.1%. We select 9 subnetworks with high Rand Index to find drug repositioning opportunities. 10 frequently occurring drugs in these subnetworks are identified as candidates to be repositioned for cardiovascular diseases. We find evidence to support previous discoveries that nitroglycerin, theophylline and acarbose may be able to be repositioned for cardiovascular diseases. Moreover, we identify seven previously unknown drug candidates that also may interact with the biological cardiovascular system. These discoveries show our proposed Prize-Collecting Steiner Tree approach as a promising strategy for drug repositioning.

  7. X-ray Studies Key to Nobel Prize Winning Work on Protein Receptors

    ScienceCinema

    Janet Smith; Robert Fischetti

    2018-05-08

    It was the advent of the first micro X-ray beam for structural biology at the Advanced Photon Source at Argonne National Laboratory that enabled the research that earned the 2012 Nobel Prize in Chemistry and lays the groundwork for countless new pharmaceuticals.

  8. X-ray Studies Key to Nobel Prize Winning Work on Protein Receptors

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Janet Smith; Robert Fischetti

    2013-02-04

    It was the advent of the first micro X-ray beam for structural biology at the Advanced Photon Source at Argonne National Laboratory that enabled the research that earned the 2012 Nobel Prize in Chemistry and lays the groundwork for countless new pharmaceuticals.

  9. 2014 AGU Union Medalists, Awardees, and Prize Recipient Announced

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Finn, Carol; McKenzie, Judith Ann

    2014-07-01

    On behalf of the Honors and Recognition Committee and the Union award selection committees, we are very pleased to present the 2014 AGU Union medals, awards, and prize recipients. We honor these individuals, whose passion for scientific excellence and outstanding achievements in advancing and communicating science significantly contribute to a better future for us all. Their work truly embodies AGU's vision to "advance and communicate science and its power to ensure a sustainable future."

  10. NREL Validates $1-Million H-Prize Submission for DOE | News | NREL

    Science.gov Websites

    H2 Refuel H-Prize Competition to develop a home hydrogen fueling system. NREL acted as the independent validator for the competition by collecting and analyzing three months of system performance data per day, system availability, and cost. To ensure data integrity and impartial evaluation of the

  11. Lottery ticket was more effective than a prize draw in increasing questionnaire response among cancer survivors.

    PubMed

    Drummond, Frances J; O'Leary, Eamonn; Sharp, Linda

    2015-07-01

    Compare the effect of financial incentives on response to a cancer survivors' postal questionnaire. Prostate cancer survivors in Ireland, 1.5-18 years after diagnosis, were randomized to the (1) "lottery" arm [a € 1 lottery scratch card sent with the questionnaire (n = 2,413)] or (2) "prize" arm [entry into a draw on return of a completed questionnaire (n = 2,407)]. Impact of interventions on response overall and by survival period ("short term": < 5 years after diagnosis; "long term": ≥ 5 years after diagnosis) was compared as was cost-effectiveness. Adjusted response rate was 54.4%. Response was higher among younger men (P < 0.001) and those with earlier stage disease (P = 0.002). A modest 2.6% higher response rate was observed in the lottery compared with the prize arm [multivariate relative risk (RR) = 1.06; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.00, 1.11]. When stratified by survival period, higher response in the lottery arm was only observed among long-term survivors (multivariate RR = 1.10; 95% CI: 1.02, 1.19; short-term survivors: RR = 1.01; 95% CI: 0.94, 1.09). Costs per completed questionnaire were € 4.54 and € 3.57 for the lottery and prize arms, respectively. Compared with the prize arm, cost per additional questionnaire returned in the lottery arm was € 25.65. Although more expensive, to optimize response to postal questionnaires among cancer survivors, researchers might consider inclusion of a lottery scratch card. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Sex of rearing seems to exert a powerful influence on gender identity in the absence of strong hormonal influence: report of two siblings with PAIS assigned different sex of rearing.

    PubMed

    Joseph, Angela Ann; Kulshreshtha, Bindu; Mehta, Manju; Ammini, Ariachery C

    2011-01-01

    There is an ongoing debate regarding the relative contribution of nurture over nature in development of gender identity. Patients with partial androgen insensitivity syndrome (PAIS) have ambiguous genitalia and are known to be reared as male or female. Familial cases of PAIS sharing common hormonal defects are usually reared in the same sex. Here, we describe two siblings with PAIS, one reared as a male and the other as female. These two siblings presented at adolescence. Gender identity was concordant with the sex of rearing for both. The male sibling was distressed with gynecomastia that had disrupted his social life. The sex of rearing seems to have played a predominant role in the formation of gender identity in these two patients with PAIS.

  13. 100 years of elementary particles [Beam Line, vol. 27, issue 1, Spring 1997

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Pais, Abraham; Weinberg, Steven; Quigg, Chris

    1997-04-01

    This issue of Beam Line commemorates the 100th anniversary of the April 30, 1897 report of the discovery of the electron by J.J. Thomson and the ensuing discovery of other subatomic particles. In the first three articles, theorists Abraham Pais, Steven Weinberg, and Chris Quigg provide their perspectives on the discoveries of elementary particles as well as the implications and future directions resulting from these discoveries. In the following three articles, Michael Riordan, Wolfgang Panofsky, and Virginia Trimble apply our knowledge about elementary particles to high-energy research, electronics technology, and understanding the origin and evolution of our Universe.

  14. 100 years of Elementary Particles [Beam Line, vol. 27, issue 1, Spring 1997

    DOE R&D Accomplishments Database

    Pais, Abraham; Weinberg, Steven; Quigg, Chris; Riordan, Michael; Panofsky, Wolfgang K. H.; Trimble, Virginia

    1997-04-01

    This issue of Beam Line commemorates the 100th anniversary of the April 30, 1897 report of the discovery of the electron by J.J. Thomson and the ensuing discovery of other subatomic particles. In the first three articles, theorists Abraham Pais, Steven Weinberg, and Chris Quigg provide their perspectives on the discoveries of elementary particles as well as the implications and future directions resulting from these discoveries. In the following three articles, Michael Riordan, Wolfgang Panofsky, and Virginia Trimble apply our knowledge about elementary particles to high-energy research, electronics technology, and understanding the origin and evolution of our Universe.

  15. Fructose Rich Diet-Induced High Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) Production in the Adult Female Rat: Protective Effect of Progesterone

    PubMed Central

    Castrogiovanni, Daniel; Alzamendi, Ana; Ongaro, Luisina; Giovambattista, Andrés; Gaillard, Rolf C.; Spinedi, Eduardo

    2012-01-01

    The effect of progesterone (P4) on fructose rich diet (FRD) intake-induced metabolic, endocrine and parametrial adipose tissue (PMAT) dysfunctions was studied in the adult female rat. Sixty day-old rats were i.m. treated with oil alone (control, CT) or containing P4 (12 mg/kg). Rats ate Purina chow-diet ad libitum throughout the entire experiment and, between 100 and 120 days of age drank ad libitum tap water alone (normal diet; CT-ND and P4-ND) or containing fructose (10% w/v; CT-FRD and P4-FRD). At age 120 days, animals were subjected to a glucose tolerance test or decapitated. Plasma concentrations of various biomarkers and PMAT gene abundance were monitored. P4-ND (vs. CT-ND) rats showed elevated circulating levels of lipids. CT-FRD rats displayed high (vs. CT-ND) plasma concentrations of lipids, leptin, adiponectin and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1). Lipidemia and adiponectinemia were high (vs. P4-ND) in P4-FRD rats. Although P4 failed to prevent FRD-induced hyperleptinemia, it was fully protective on FRD-enhanced plasma PAI-1 levels. PMAT leptin and adiponectin mRNAs were high in CT-FRD and P4-FRD rats. While FRD enhanced PMAT PAI-1 mRNA abundance in CT rats, this effect was absent in P4 rats. Our study supports that a preceding P4-enriched milieu prevented the enhanced prothrombotic risk induced by FRD-elicited high PAI-1 production. PMID:23016136

  16. Fructose rich diet-induced high plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) production in the adult female rat: protective effect of progesterone.

    PubMed

    Castrogiovanni, Daniel; Alzamendi, Ana; Ongaro, Luisina; Giovambattista, Andrés; Gaillard, Rolf C; Spinedi, Eduardo

    2012-08-01

    The effect of progesterone (P4) on fructose rich diet (FRD) intake-induced metabolic, endocrine and parametrial adipose tissue (PMAT) dysfunctions was studied in the adult female rat. Sixty day-old rats were i.m. treated with oil alone (control, CT) or containing P4 (12 mg/kg). Rats ate Purina chow-diet ad libitum throughout the entire experiment and, between 100 and 120 days of age drank ad libitum tap water alone (normal diet; CT-ND and P4-ND) or containing fructose (10% w/v; CT-FRD and P4-FRD). At age 120 days, animals were subjected to a glucose tolerance test or decapitated. Plasma concentrations of various biomarkers and PMAT gene abundance were monitored. P4-ND (vs. CT-ND) rats showed elevated circulating levels of lipids. CT-FRD rats displayed high (vs. CT-ND) plasma concentrations of lipids, leptin, adiponectin and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1). Lipidemia and adiponectinemia were high (vs. P4-ND) in P4-FRD rats. Although P4 failed to prevent FRD-induced hyperleptinemia, it was fully protective on FRD-enhanced plasma PAI-1 levels. PMAT leptin and adiponectin mRNAs were high in CT-FRD and P4-FRD rats. While FRD enhanced PMAT PAI-1 mRNA abundance in CT rats, this effect was absent in P4 rats. Our study supports that a preceding P4-enriched milieu prevented the enhanced prothrombotic risk induced by FRD-elicited high PAI-1 production.

  17. 2012 AGU medal, award, and prize recipients

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    McPhaden, Mike; Fine, Rana

    2012-07-01

    The Honors and Recognition Committee is very pleased to present the 2012 AGU medalists, awardees, and prize recipients. These individuals are recognized for their outstanding contributions to the advancement of Earth and space science and for their service to the scientific community. They have distinguished themselves through their extraordinary achievements and are role models for future generations of scientists. We look forward to recognizing the accomplishments of these esteemed colleagues at an honors ceremony to be held on 5 December 2012 at the Fall Meeting in San Francisco, Calif. This year's honorees are also listed on AGU's Web site at http://sites.agu.org/honors.

  18. NASA and X PRIZE Announce Winners of Lunar Lander Challenge

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2009-11-05

    NASA Administrator Charles Bolden gives opening remarks at an awards ceremony for the Northrop Grumman Lunar Lander Challenge at the Rayburn House Office Building on Nov. 5, 2009, in Washington, DC. NASA's Centennial Challenges program gave $1.65 million in prize money to a pair of aerospace companies that successfully simulated landing a spacecraft on the moon and lifting off again. Photo Credit: (NASA/Carla Cioffi)

  19. The Nobel Prize in the Physics Class: Science, History, and Glamour

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Eshach, Haim

    2009-01-01

    This paper introduces a novel strategy for teaching physics: using the Nobel Physics Prize as an organizational theme for high school or even first year university physics, bringing together history, social contexts of science, and central themes in modern physics. The idea underlying the strategy is that the glamour and glitter of the Nobel Prize…

  20. Nanoscopy—imaging life at the nanoscale: a Nobel Prize achievement with a bright future

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Blom, Hans; Bates, Mark

    2015-10-01

    A grand scientific prize was awarded last year to three pioneering scientists, for their discovery and development of molecular ‘ON-OFF’ switching which, when combined with optical imaging, can be used to see the previously invisible with light microscopy. The Royal Swedish Academy of Science announced on October 8th their decision and explained that this achievement—rooted in physics and applied in biology and medicine—was awarded with the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for controlling fluorescent molecules to create images of specimens smaller than anything previously observed with light. The story of how this noble switch in optical microscopy was achieved and how it was engineered to visualize life at the nanoscale is highlighted in this invited comment.

  1. Wave Energy Prize - 1/20th Testing - Oscilla Power

    DOE Data Explorer

    Scharmen, Wesley

    2016-09-16

    Data from the 1/20th scale testing data completed on the Wave Energy Prize for the Oscilla Power team, including the 1/20th Test Plan, raw test data, video, photos, and data analysis results. The top level objective of the 1/20th scale device testing is to obtain the necessary measurements required for determining Average Climate Capture Width per Characteristic Capital Expenditure (ACE) and the Hydrodynamic Performance Quality (HPQ), key metrics for determining the WEPrize winners.

  2. Heike Kamerlingh Onnes and the Nobel Prize in Physics for 1913: The Highest Honor for the Lowest Temperatures

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Reif-Acherman, Simón

    2013-12-01

    One century ago this year the Dutch experimental physicist Heike Kamerlingh Onnes (1853-1926) was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for his work in low-temperature physics, in particular for his production of liquid helium. I trace the route to his Nobel Prize within the context of his and his colleagues' research in his laboratory at the University of Leiden, and in light of his nominators and the nominations he received in the five years 1909-1913.

  3. Cross-Validation of the PAI Negative Distortion Scale for Feigned Mental Disorders: A Research Report

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rogers, Richard; Gillard, Nathan D.; Wooley, Chelsea N.; Kelsey, Katherine R.

    2013-01-01

    A major strength of the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI) is its systematic assessment of response styles, including feigned mental disorders. Recently, Mogge, Lepage, Bell, and Ragatz developed and provided the initial validation for the Negative Distortion Scale (NDS). Using rare symptoms as its detection strategy for feigning, the…

  4. Wave Energy Prize - 1/50th Testing - Advanced Ocean Energy @ VT

    DOE Data Explorer

    Wesley Scharmen

    2016-01-29

    This submission of data includes all the 1/50th scale testing data completed on the Wave Energy Prize for the for the Advanced Ocean Energy @VT team, and includes: 1/50th test data (raw & processed) 1/50th test data video and pictures 1/50th Test plans and testing documents SSTF_Submission (summarized results)

  5. News and Views: Diamond is new head of SKA; Did you read our `A&G' mobile issue? BBC writer wins astro journalism prize; Kavli prize recognizes work on Kuiper Belt objects

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    2012-10-01

    Philip Diamond will become director general of the Square Kilometre Array this month, moving from Australia to the new SKA headquarters at Jodrell Bank Radio Observatory. Technology writer Katia Moskvitch has won the first European Astronomy Journalism Prize for her series of articles on the Very Large Telescope at Paranal, Chile. Moskvitch will be the guest of the ESO at the inauguration of the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) in the Atacama desert in March 2013. The 2012 Kavli Prize in Astrophysics is shared between David C Jewitt (University of California, USA), Jane X Luu (Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Lincoln Laboratory, USA), and Michael E Brown (California Institute of Technology, USA) “for discovering and characterizing the Kuiper Belt and its largest members, work that led to a major advance in the understanding of the history of our planetary system”.

  6. Relationship of metabolic syndrome and its components with -844 G/A and HindIII C/G PAI-1 gene polymorphisms in Mexican children.

    PubMed

    De la Cruz-Mosso, Ulises; Muñoz-Valle, José F; Salgado-Goytia, Lorenzo; García-Carreón, Adrián; Illades-Aguiar, Berenice; Castañeda-Saucedo, Eduardo; Parra-Rojas, Isela

    2012-03-29

    Several association studies have shown that -844 G/A and HindIII C/G PAI-1 polymorphisms are related with increase of PAI-1 levels, obesity, insulin resistance, glucose intolerance, hypertension and dyslipidemia, which are components of metabolic syndrome. The aim of this study was to analyze the allele and genotype frequencies of these polymorphisms in PAI-1 gene and its association with metabolic syndrome and its components in a sample of Mexican mestizo children. This study included 100 children with an age range between 6-11 years divided in two groups: a) 48 children diagnosed with metabolic syndrome and b) 52 children metabolically healthy without any clinical and biochemical alteration. Metabolic syndrome was defined as the presence of three or more of the following criteria: fasting glucose levels ≥ 100 mg/dL, triglycerides ≥ 150 mg/dL, HDL-cholesterol < 40 mg/dL, obesity BMI ≥ 95th percentile, systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) ≥ 95th percentile and insulin resistance HOMA-IR ≥ 2.4. The -844 G/A and HindIII C/G PAI-1 polymorphisms were analyzed by PCR-RFLP. For the -844 G/A polymorphism, the G/A genotype (OR = 2.79; 95% CI, 1.11-7.08; p = 0.015) and the A allele (OR = 2.2; 95% CI, 1.10-4.43; p = 0.015) were associated with metabolic syndrome. The -844 G/A and A/A genotypes were associated with increase in plasma triglycerides levels (OR = 2.6; 95% CI, 1.16 to 6.04; p = 0.02), decrease in plasma HDL-cholesterol levels (OR = 2.4; 95% CI, 1.06 to 5.42; p = 0.03) and obesity (OR = 2.6; 95% CI, 1.17-5.92; p = 0.01). The C/G and G/G genotypes of the HindIII C/G polymorphism contributed to a significant increase in plasma total cholesterol levels (179 vs. 165 mg/dL; p = 0.02) in comparison with C/C genotype. The -844 G/A PAI-1 polymorphism is related with the risk of developing metabolic syndrome, obesity and atherogenic dyslipidemia, and the HindIII C/G PAI-1 polymorphism was associated with the increase of total

  7. Cost-effectiveness of prize-based incentives for stimulant abusers in outpatient psychosocial treatment programs.

    PubMed

    Olmstead, Todd A; Sindelar, Jody L; Petry, Nancy M

    2007-03-16

    To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of a prize-based intervention as an addition to usual care for stimulant abusers. This cost-effectiveness analysis is based on a randomized clinical trial implemented within the National Drug Abuse Treatment Clinical Trials Network. The trial was conducted at eight community-based outpatient psychosocial drug abuse treatment clinics. Four hundred and fifteen stimulant abusers were assigned to usual care (N=206) or usual care plus abstinence-based incentives (N=209) for 12 weeks. Participants randomized to the incentive condition earned the chance to draw for prizes for submitting substance negative samples; the number of draws earned increased with continuous abstinence time. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios were estimated to compare prize-based incentives relative to usual care. The primary patient outcome was longest duration of confirmed stimulant abstinence (LDA). Unit costs were obtained via surveys administered at the eight participating clinics. Resource utilizations and patient outcomes were obtained from the clinical trial. Acceptability curves are presented to illustrate the uncertainty due to the sample and to provide policy relevant information. The incremental cost to lengthen the LDA by 1 week was 258 US dollars (95% confidence interval, 191-401 US dollars). Sensitivity analyses on several key parameters show that this value ranges from 163 to 269 US dollars. Compared with the usual care group, the incentive group had significantly longer LDAs and significantly higher costs.

  8. Randomized Trial of Contingent Prizes versus Vouchers in Cocaine-Using Methadone Patients

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Petry, Nancy M.; Alessi, Sheila M.; Hanson, Tressa; Sierra, Sean

    2007-01-01

    Contingency management (CM) interventions frequently utilize vouchers as reinforcers, but a prize-based system is also efficacious. This study compared these approaches. Seventy-four cocaine-dependent methadone outpatients were randomly assigned to standard treatment (ST), ST plus a maximum of $585 in contingent vouchers, or ST plus an expected…

  9. Nobel Prize Literature; A Selection of the Works of Forty-Four Nobel Prize Winning Authors in the Library of Dutchess Community College, with Biographical and Critical Sketches.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hubbard, Terry E., Comp.

    This bibliography is a compilation of works by 44 Nobel Prize winning authors presently available at the Dutchess Community College library. Each entry describes the piece of literature for which the author received an award, provides a brief sketch of the writer, includes a commentary on the themes of major works, and lists the writer's works. An…

  10. Call for Nominations The Nusselt Reynolds Prize Sponsored by Assembly of World Conferences on Experimental Heat Transfer, Fluid Mechanics, and Thermodynamics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kasagi, Nobuhide

    2000-01-01

    The Nusselt Reynolds Prize has been established by the Assembly of World Conferences to commemorate outstanding contributions by Wilhelm Nusselt and Osborne Reynolds as experimentalists, researchers, educators, and authors. As many as three prizes may be bestowed at every World Conference, one in each of the areas of heat transfer, fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, or any combination of these.

  11. Endotoxin-induced intravascular coagulation in rabbits: effect of tissue plasminogen activator vs urokinase of PAI generation, fibrin deposits and mortality.

    PubMed

    Paloma, M J; Páramo, J A; Rocha, E

    1995-12-01

    We have evaluated the effect of plasminogen activators (t-PA and urokinase) on an experimental model of disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) in rabbits by injection of 20 micrograms/kg/h of E. coli lipopolysaccharide during 6 h t-PA (0.2 mg/kg and 0.7 mg/kg), urokinase (3000 U/kg/h) and saline (control) were given simultaneously with endotoxin. Results indicated that urokinase and low dose of t-PA significantly reduced the increase of plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI) activity observed 2 h after endotoxin (p < 0.001). High t-PA dose also diminished the PAI levels at 6 h (p < 0.001). A significant reduction of fibrin deposits in kidneys was observed din both t-PA treated groups as compared with findings in the group of rabbits infused with saline solution (p < 0.005), whereas urokinase had no significant effect on the extent of fibrin deposition. Finally, the mortality rate in the control group (70%) was reduced to 50% in rabbits receiving high doses of t-PA. In conclusion, treatment with t-PA resulted in reduced PAI generation, fibrin deposits and mortality in endotoxin-treated rabbits.

  12. Bernard Lerer: recipient of the 2014 inaugural Werner Kalow Responsible Innovation Prize in Global Omics and Personalized Medicine (Pacific Rim Association for Clinical Pharmacogenetics).

    PubMed

    Ozdemir, Vural; Endrenyi, Laszlo; Aynacıoğlu, Sükrü; Bragazzi, Nicola Luigi; Dandara, Collet; Dove, Edward S; Ferguson, Lynnette R; Geraci, Christy Jo; Hafen, Ernst; Kesim, Belgin Eroğlu; Kolker, Eugene; Lee, Edmund J D; Llerena, Adrian; Nacak, Muradiye; Shimoda, Kazutaka; Someya, Toshiyuki; Srivastava, Sanjeeva; Tomlinson, Brian; Vayena, Effy; Warnich, Louise; Yaşar, Umit

    2014-04-01

    This article announces the recipient of the 2014 inaugural Werner Kalow Responsible Innovation Prize in Global Omics and Personalized Medicine by the Pacific Rim Association for Clinical Pharmacogenetics (PRACP): Bernard Lerer, professor of psychiatry and director of the Biological Psychiatry Laboratory, Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel. The Werner Kalow Responsible Innovation Prize is given to an exceptional interdisciplinary scholar who has made highly innovative and enduring contributions to global omics science and personalized medicine, with both vertical and horizontal (transdisciplinary) impacts. The prize is established in memory of a beloved colleague, mentor, and friend, the late Professor Werner Kalow, who cultivated the idea and practice of pharmacogenetics in modern therapeutics commencing in the 1950s. PRACP, the prize's sponsor, is one of the longest standing learned societies in the Asia-Pacific region, and was founded by Kalow and colleagues more than two decades ago in the then-emerging field of pharmacogenetics. In announcing this inaugural prize and its winner, we seek to highlight the works of prize winner, Professor Lerer. Additionally, we contextualize the significance of the prize by recalling the life and works of Professor Kalow and providing a brief socio-technical history of the rise of pharmacogenetics and personalized medicine as a veritable form of 21(st) century scientific practice. The article also fills a void in previous social science analyses of pharmacogenetics, by bringing to the fore the works of Kalow from 1995 to 2008, when he presciently noted the rise of yet another field of postgenomics inquiry--pharmacoepigenetics--that railed against genetic determinism and underscored the temporal and spatial plasticity of genetic components of drug response, with invention of the repeated drug administration (RDA) method that estimates the dynamic heritabilities of drug response. The prize goes a long way

  13. EDITORIAL: The FDR Prize The FDR Prize

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Funakoshi, Mitsuaki

    2011-08-01

    From the 56 papers published in 2010 in Fluid Dynamics Research the following paper has been selected for the fourth FDR prize: 'Baroclinic multipole formation from heton interaction' by M A Sokolovskiy and X J Carton, published in volume 42 (August 2010) 045501. Coherent vortices are a universal feature of fluids at moderate and large Reynolds number, and have particular relevance to the quasi-two-dimensional flows used to model phenomena in the atmosphere and ocean. The structure and interaction of such vortices have proved a fascinating area for the researchers of fluid dynamics, including thoreticians, observers and experimentalists, together with related problems of how they mix fluids and how they transport scalars such as temperature and salinity. In this paper 'hetons' are considered; they are vortices of dipolar structures in a multilayer rotating fluid, carry thermal anomalies, and are relevant to transport in flows such as the Gulf Stream. The paper is a comprehensive study of the structure, invariants and interactions of two opposite-signed hetons in a two-layer fluid for several initial configurations and for several values of the Rossby radius of deformation, using models based on point vortex dynamics and contour dynamics of finite-area vortex regions. Different types of coupling and interactions are isolated and discussed. Depending on the initial configuration and the value of the radius of deformation, the time evolutions toward horizonal dipoles, vertically tilted dipoles, L-shaped dipoles, and Z-shaped tripoles are observed in the case of finite-area vortices. Using point vortex dynamics a rigorous analysis based on trilinear coordinates is performed, and the appearance of similar structures is shown analytically, except for the L-shaped dipoles. The contribution of this paper to the important problem of heton interaction is both profound and substantial. The study will be of great interest to a wide variety of readers and is likely to inspire

  14. Prizing Children's Science Information Books: The Text, Reading and the Reader

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Alexander, Joy; Jarman, Ruth

    2015-01-01

    The Royal Society Young People's Book Prize is awarded annually in the United Kingdom for the best science information book, and the winning book is chosen by panels of young people. This article discusses the findings of a study of the responses to the books and to their judging experience of young people who participated on panels in the 2011…

  15. In vitro fertilization, the Nobel Prize, and human embryonic stem cells.

    PubMed

    Gearhart, John; Coutifaris, Christos

    2011-01-07

    Robert Edwards was awarded the 2010 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for the development of human in vitro fertilization. His work not only provided the means to overcome many forms of infertility, but it also enabled research on early stages of human embryos and the derivation of human embryonic stem cells. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Lorentz Atom Revisited by Solving the Abraham-Lorentz Equation of Motion

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bosse, Jürgen

    2017-08-01

    By solving the non-relativistic Abraham-Lorentz (AL) equation, I demonstrate that the AL equation of motion is not suited for treating the Lorentz atom, because a steady-state solution does not exist. The AL equation serves as a tool, however, for deducing the appropriate parameters Ω and Γ to be used with the equation of forced oscillations in modelling the Lorentz atom. The electric polarisability, which many authors "derived" from the AL equation in recent years, is shown to violate Kramers-Kronig relations rendering obsolete the extracted photon-absorption rate, for example. Fortunately, errors turn out to be small quantitatively, as long as the light frequency ω is neither too close to nor too far from the resonance frequency Ω. The polarisability and absorption cross section are derived for the Lorentz atom by purely classical reasoning and are shown to agree with the quantum mechanical calculations of the same quantities. In particular, oscillator parameters Ω and Γ deduced by treating the atom as a quantum oscillator are found to be equivalent to those derived from the classical AL equation. The instructive comparison provides a deep insight into understanding the great success of Lorentz's model that was suggested long before the advent of quantum theory.

  17. Pyroelectricity Assisted Infrared-Laser Desorption Ionization (PAI-LDI) for Atmospheric Pressure Mass Spectrometry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Yanyan; Ma, Xiaoxiao; Wei, Zhenwei; Gong, Xiaoyun; Yang, Chengdui; Zhang, Sichun; Zhang, Xinrong

    2015-08-01

    A new atmospheric pressure ionization method termed pyroelectricity-assisted infrared laser desorption ionization (PAI-LDI) was developed in this study. The pyroelectric material served as both sample target plate and enhancing ionization substrate, and an IR laser with wavelength of 1064 nm was employed to realize direct desorption and ionization of the analytes. The mass spectra of various compounds obtained on pyroelectric material were compared with those of other substrates. For the five standard substances tested in this work, LiNbO3 substrate produced the highest ion yield and the signal intensity was about 10 times higher than that when copper was used as substrate. For 1-adamantylamine, as low as 20 pg (132.2 fmol) was successfully detected. The active ingredient in (Compound Paracetamol and 1-Adamantylamine Hydrochloride Capsules), 1-adamantylamine, can be sensitively detected at an amount as low as 150 pg, when the medicine stock solution was diluted with urine. Monosaccharide and oligosaccharides in Allium Cepa L. juice was also successfully identified with PAI-LDI. The method did not require matrix-assisted external high voltage or other extra facility-assisted set-ups for desorption/ionization. This study suggested exciting application prospect of pyroelectric materials in matrix- and electricity-free atmospheric pressure mass spectrometry research.

  18. Ex vivo evaluation of antifibrotic compounds in skin scarring: EGCG and silencing of PAI-1 independently inhibit growth and induce keloid shrinkage.

    PubMed

    Syed, Farhatullah; Bagabir, Rania A; Paus, Ralf; Bayat, Ardeshir

    2013-08-01

    Keloid disease (KD) is a common fibroproliferative disorder of unknown etiopathogenesis. Its unique occurrence in human skin and lack of animal models pose challenges for KD research. The lack of a suitable model in KD and over-reliance on cell culture has hampered the progress in developing new treatments. Therefore, we evaluated the effect of two promising candidate antifibrotic therapies: (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) silencing in a long-term human keloid organ culture (OC). Four millimeters of air-liquid interface (ALI) keloid explants on collagen gel matrix in serum-free medium (n=8 cases) were treated with different modalities (EGCG treatment; PAI-1 knockdown by short interfering RNA (siRNA) and application of dexamethasone (DEX) as control). Normal skin (n=6) was used as control (only for D0 keloid-untreated comparison). Besides routine histology and quantitative (immuno-) histomorphometry, the key phenotypic and growth parameters of KD were assessed. Results demonstrated that EGCG reduced keloid volume significantly (40% by week 4), increased apoptosis (≥40% from weeks 1 to 4), and decreased proliferation (≤17% in week 2). EGCG induced epidermal shrinkage, reduced collagen-I and -III at mRNA and protein levels, depleted 98% of keloid-associated mast cells, and reduced the percentage of both cellularity and blood vessel count by week 4. Knockdown of PAI-1 significantly reduced keloid volume by 28% in week 4, respectively, and reduced collagen-I and -III at both mRNA and protein levels. As expected, DEX increased keloid apoptosis, decreased keloid proliferation, and collagen synthesis, but induced connective tissue growth factor overexpression. In conclusion, using keloid OC model, we provide the first functional evidence for testing candidate antifibrotic compounds in KD. We show that EGCG and PAI-1 silencing effectively inhibits growth and induces shrinkage of human keloid tissue in situ. Therefore

  19. The PAI-1 4G/5G and ACE I/D polymorphisms and risk of recurrent pregnancy loss: a case-control study.

    PubMed

    Kim, Jin Ju; Choi, Young Min; Lee, Sung Ki; Yang, Kwang Moon; Paik, Eun Chan; Jeong, Hyeon Jeong; Jun, Jong Kwan; Han, Ae Ra; Hong, Min A

    2014-12-01

    Thrombophilia has been postulated to be a contributor to the pathophysiology of recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL). We investigated the role of the plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 (PAI-1) 4G/5G and angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) I/D polymorphisms in Korean patients with RPL. Genotyping was performed using the TaqMan assay in 227 RPL patients and 304 controls. The genotype distributions of both polymorphisms in the RPL group did not differ from those of controls. Because the frequency of being homozygous for ACE D/D and the PAI-I 4G/4G combination has been reported to be significantly higher in RPL patients, this was also analyzed. However, no significant difference was noted; 3.1% of RPL patients had both ACE D/D and PAI-I 4G/4G, as did 4.9% of controls (P = 0.791). The current study suggests that both polymorphisms, either alone or in combination, are not major determinants of the development of RPL in Korean women. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  20. DOE-Supported Physicists are Co-Winners of 2004 Nobel Prize in Physics

    Science.gov Websites

    in Physics WASHINGTON, DC -- "On behalf of the U.S. Department of Energy, I congratulate Frank Wilczek, H. David Politzer and David J. Gross for winning the 2004 Nobel Prize in Physics," said agencies, have been the leading Federal supporter of research in physics, enabling vital advances and

  1. Following Zahka: Using Nobel Prize Winners' Speeches and Ideas to Teach Economics

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shanahan, Martin P.; Wilson, John K.; Becker, William E.

    2012-01-01

    Over 20 years ago, the late William Zahka (1990, 1998) outlined how the acceptance speeches of those who received the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Science could be used to teach undergraduates. This article updates and expands Zahka's work, identifying some of the issues discussed by recent Nobel Laureates, classifying their speeches by topic…

  2. PAI-1 -675 4G/5G Polymorphism in Association with Diabetes and Diabetic Complications Susceptibility: a Meta-Analysis Study

    PubMed Central

    Yang, Fan; Cui, Dai; Shi, Yun; Shen, Chong; Tang, Wei; Yang, Tao

    2013-01-01

    A meta-analysis was performed to assess the association between the PAI-1 -675 4G/5G polymorphism and susceptibility to diabetes mellitus (DM), diabetic nephropathy (DN), diabetic retinopathy (DR) and diabetic coronary artery disease (CAD). A literature-based search was conducted to identify all relevant studies. The fixed or random effect pooled measure was calculated mainly at the allele level to determine heterogeneity bias among studies. Further stratified analyses and sensitivity analyses were also performed. Publication bias was examined by the modified Begg’s and Egger’s test. Twenty published articles with twenty-seven outcomes were included in the meta-analysis: 6 studies with a total of 1,333 cases and 3,011 controls were analyzed for the PAI-1 -675 4G/5G polymorphism with diabetes risk, 7 studies with 1,060 cases and 1,139 controls for DN risk, 10 studies with 1,327 cases and 1,557 controls for DR and 4 studies with 610 cases and 1,042 controls for diabetic CAD risk respectively. Using allelic comparison (4G vs. 5G), the PAI-1 -675 4G/5G polymorphism was observed to have no significant association with diabetes (REM OR 1.07, 95% CI 0.96, 1.20), DN (REM OR 1.10, 95% CI 0.98, 1.25), DR (REM OR 1.09, 95% CI 0.97, 1.22) or diabetic CAD risk (REM OR 1.07, 95% CI 0.81, 1.42), and similar results were obtained in the dominant, recessive and co-dominant models. Our meta-analyses suggest that the PAI-1 -675 4G/5G polymorphism might not be a risk factor for DM, DN, DR or diabetic CAD risk in the populations investigated. This conclusion warrants confirmation by further studies. PMID:24223897

  3. PAI-1 -675 4G/5G polymorphism in association with diabetes and diabetic complications susceptibility: a meta-analysis study.

    PubMed

    Xu, Kuanfeng; Liu, Xiaoyun; Yang, Fan; Cui, Dai; Shi, Yun; Shen, Chong; Tang, Wei; Yang, Tao

    2013-01-01

    A meta-analysis was performed to assess the association between the PAI-1 -675 4G/5G polymorphism and susceptibility to diabetes mellitus (DM), diabetic nephropathy (DN), diabetic retinopathy (DR) and diabetic coronary artery disease (CAD). A literature-based search was conducted to identify all relevant studies. The fixed or random effect pooled measure was calculated mainly at the allele level to determine heterogeneity bias among studies. Further stratified analyses and sensitivity analyses were also performed. Publication bias was examined by the modified Begg's and Egger's test. Twenty published articles with twenty-seven outcomes were included in the meta-analysis: 6 studies with a total of 1,333 cases and 3,011 controls were analyzed for the PAI-1 -675 4G/5G polymorphism with diabetes risk, 7 studies with 1,060 cases and 1,139 controls for DN risk, 10 studies with 1,327 cases and 1,557 controls for DR and 4 studies with 610 cases and 1,042 controls for diabetic CAD risk respectively. Using allelic comparison (4G vs. 5G), the PAI-1 -675 4G/5G polymorphism was observed to have no significant association with diabetes (REM OR 1.07, 95% CI 0.96, 1.20), DN (REM OR 1.10, 95% CI 0.98, 1.25), DR (REM OR 1.09, 95% CI 0.97, 1.22) or diabetic CAD risk (REM OR 1.07, 95% CI 0.81, 1.42), and similar results were obtained in the dominant, recessive and co-dominant models. Our meta-analyses suggest that the PAI-1 -675 4G/5G polymorphism might not be a risk factor for DM, DN, DR or diabetic CAD risk in the populations investigated. This conclusion warrants confirmation by further studies.

  4. Preliminary efficacy of prize-based contingency management to increase activity levels in healthy adults.

    PubMed

    Washington, Wendy Donlin; Banna, Kelly M; Gibson, Amanda L

    2014-01-01

    An estimated 30% of Americans meet the criteria for obesity. Effective, low-cost interventions to increase physical activity are needed to prevent and treat obesity. In this study, 11 healthy adults wore Fitbit accelerometers for 3 weeks. During the initial baseline, subjects earned prize draws for wearing the Fitbit. During intervention, percentile schedules were used to calculate individual prize-draw criteria. The final week was a return to baseline. Four subjects increased step counts as a result of the intervention. A bout analysis of interresponse times revealed that subjects increased overall step counts by increasing daily minutes active and within-bout response rates and decreasing pauses between bouts of activity. Strategies to improve effectiveness are suggested, such as modification of reinforcement probability and amount and identification of the function of periods of inactivity. © Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior.

  5. The 2017 Nobel Prize in Chemistry: cryo-EM comes of age.

    PubMed

    Shen, Peter S

    2018-03-01

    The 2017 Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded to Jacques Dubochet, Joachim Frank, and Richard Henderson for "developing cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) for the high-resolution structure determination of biomolecules in solution." This feature article summarizes some of the major achievements leading to the development of cryo-EM and recent technological breakthroughs that have transformed the method into a mainstream tool for structure determination.

  6. Expressing gambling-related cognitive biases in motor behaviour: rolling dice to win prizes.

    PubMed

    Lim, Matthew S M; Bowden-Jones, Henrietta; Rogers, Robert D

    2014-09-01

    Cognitive perspectives on gambling propose that biased thinking plays a significant role in sustaining gambling participation and, in vulnerable individuals, gambling problems. One prominent set of cognitive biases include illusions of control involving beliefs that it is possible to influence random gaming events. Sociologists have reported that (some) gamblers believe that it is possible to throw dice in different ways to achieve gaming outcomes (e.g., 'dice-setting' in craps). However, experimental demonstrations of these phenomena are lacking. Here, we asked regular gamblers to roll a computer-simulated, but fair, 6 sided die for monetary prizes. Gamblers allowed the die to roll for longer when attempting to win higher value bets, and when attempting to hit high winning numbers. This behaviour was exaggerated in gamblers motivated to keep gambling following the experience of almost-winning in gambling games. These results suggest that gambling cognitive biases find expression in the motor behaviour of rolling dice for monetary prizes, possibly reflecting embodied substrates.

  7. Relationship of metabolic syndrome and its components with -844 G/A and HindIII C/G PAI-1 gene polymorphisms in Mexican children

    PubMed Central

    2012-01-01

    Background Several association studies have shown that -844 G/A and HindIII C/G PAI-1 polymorphisms are related with increase of PAI-1 levels, obesity, insulin resistance, glucose intolerance, hypertension and dyslipidemia, which are components of metabolic syndrome. The aim of this study was to analyze the allele and genotype frequencies of these polymorphisms in PAI-1 gene and its association with metabolic syndrome and its components in a sample of Mexican mestizo children. Methods This study included 100 children with an age range between 6-11 years divided in two groups: a) 48 children diagnosed with metabolic syndrome and b) 52 children metabolically healthy without any clinical and biochemical alteration. Metabolic syndrome was defined as the presence of three or more of the following criteria: fasting glucose levels ≥ 100 mg/dL, triglycerides ≥ 150 mg/dL, HDL-cholesterol < 40 mg/dL, obesity BMI ≥ 95th percentile, systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) ≥ 95th percentile and insulin resistance HOMA-IR ≥ 2.4. The -844 G/A and HindIII C/G PAI-1 polymorphisms were analyzed by PCR-RFLP. Results For the -844 G/A polymorphism, the G/A genotype (OR = 2.79; 95% CI, 1.11-7.08; p = 0.015) and the A allele (OR = 2.2; 95% CI, 1.10-4.43; p = 0.015) were associated with metabolic syndrome. The -844 G/A and A/A genotypes were associated with increase in plasma triglycerides levels (OR = 2.6; 95% CI, 1.16 to 6.04; p = 0.02), decrease in plasma HDL-cholesterol levels (OR = 2.4; 95% CI, 1.06 to 5.42; p = 0.03) and obesity (OR = 2.6; 95% CI, 1.17-5.92; p = 0.01). The C/G and G/G genotypes of the HindIII C/G polymorphism contributed to a significant increase in plasma total cholesterol levels (179 vs. 165 mg/dL; p = 0.02) in comparison with C/C genotype. Conclusions The -844 G/A PAI-1 polymorphism is related with the risk of developing metabolic syndrome, obesity and atherogenic dyslipidemia, and the HindIII C/G PAI-1 polymorphism was

  8. Expression of the plasminogen activator system and the inhibitors PAI-1 and PAI-2 in posttraumatic lesions of the CNS and brain injuries following dramatic circulatory arrests: an immunohistochemical study.

    PubMed

    Dietzmann, K; von Bossanyi, P; Krause, D; Wittig, H; Mawrin, C; Kirches, E

    2000-01-01

    Plasminogen activators as inducible extracellular serine proteases are involved in a variety of processes, such as the degradation of brain structures. In regions of brain degradation, an increase in the expression of genes encoding cytokines and proteinases has recently been demonstrated. We tested the hypothesis, whether the plasminogen activator system as well as the plasminogen activator inhibitors are expressed and possibly involved in a proteolytic cascade that breaks down the extracellular matrix as a result of ischemic or posttraumatic brain destructions. To study this supposition, we investigated immunohistochemically the expression of tPA, uPA and its receptor, the plasminogen activator inhibitors PAI-1 and PAI-2, tetranectin as well as the laminin breakdown as an event of secondary brain injury. Brain tissue from 21 autopsy cases with severe brain injuries, material from 14 ischemic infarcts and 11 controls with acute hypoxia were used. All components of the plasminogen activator system studied were over-expressed immunohistochemically in reactive astrocytes, microglia and endothelial cells around the lesion zone. Tetranectin showed an analogous distribution to the plasminogen activator system. A reduced immunoreactivity of laminin within the identical region of destruction was detected concomitant with laminin remnants in perivascular macrophages, so that a remarkable role of the plasmin cascade in the degradation of extracellular matrix proteins in the brain is taken into consideration.

  9. Losartan reduces liver expression of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) in a high fat-induced rat nonalcoholic fatty liver disease model.

    PubMed

    Rosselli, Maria Soledad; Burgueño, Adriana L; Carabelli, Julieta; Schuman, Mariano; Pirola, Carlos J; Sookoian, Silvia

    2009-09-01

    To evaluate the effect of losartan-an angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1R) antagonist- and telmisartan-an AT1R blocker with insulin-sensitizing properties-, on the hepatic expression of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) in a rat model of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Rats were given a high-fat diet (HFD) for 8 weeks and after this period were randomly divided into 3 groups. For 12 weeks along with the same access to HFD, one group (9 rats) received losartan and another group received telmisartan (10 rats), both at 10mg/kg intraperitoneally (ip) every 24h. The third group (8 rats) received saline ip along with the HFD. Finally, a control group (6 rats) was fed with standard chow diet for 20 weeks. Fatty liver was reverted by both losartan and telmisartan. Both drugs had beneficial effects on insulin resistance, reaching statistical significance in telmisartan group. Expression of hepatic mRNA of PAI-1 showed a 42% decrease in losartan-treated rats in comparison with both HFD group and telmisartan-treated rats. To further evaluate this differential effect on PAI-1 expression, we explored the effect of the drugs on liver expression of TNFalpha, PEPCK-C and PPARalpha, and no significant differences were observed. These results indicate that AT1R blockers could be eligible drugs for reducing hepatic lipid accumulation in patients with NAFLD. However, only 12 weeks of losartan treatment strongly reduced hepatic PAI-1 gene expression. These differences could provide even more effective options for preventing fatty liver disease and its cardiovascular complications.

  10. John Bardeen: The Only Person to Win Two Nobel Prizes in Physics

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hoddeson, L.

    2011-01-01

    John Bardeen worked on the theory of solids throughout his physics career, winning two Nobel Prizes: the first in 1956 for the invention of the transistor with Walter Brattain and William Shockley; and the second in 1972 for the development with Leon Cooper and J Robert Schrieffer of the Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer (BCS) theory of superconductivity.…

  11. Understanding Fear of Opportunism in Global Prize-Based Science Contests: Evidence for Gender and Age Differences

    PubMed Central

    Acar, Oguz Ali; van den Ende, Jan

    2015-01-01

    Global prize-based science contests have great potential for tapping into diverse knowledge on a global scale and overcoming important scientific challenges. A necessary step for knowledge to be utilized in these contests is for that knowledge to be disclosed. Knowledge disclosure, however, is paradoxical in nature: in order for the value of knowledge to be assessed, inventors must disclose their knowledge, but then the person who receives that knowledge does so at no cost and may use it opportunistically. This risk of potential opportunistic behavior in turn makes the inventor fearful of disclosing knowledge, and this is a major psychological barrier to knowledge disclosure. In this project, we investigated this fear of opportunism in global prize-based science contests by surveying 630 contest participants in the InnoCentive online platform for science contests. We found that participants in these science contests experience fear of opportunism to varying degrees, and that women and older participants have significantly less fear of disclosing their scientific knowledge. Our findings highlight the importance of taking differences in such fears into account when designing global prize-based contests so that the potential of the contests for reaching solutions to important and challenging problems can be used more effectively. PMID:26230086

  12. Understanding Fear of Opportunism in Global Prize-Based Science Contests: Evidence for Gender and Age Differences.

    PubMed

    Acar, Oguz Ali; van den Ende, Jan

    2015-01-01

    Global prize-based science contests have great potential for tapping into diverse knowledge on a global scale and overcoming important scientific challenges. A necessary step for knowledge to be utilized in these contests is for that knowledge to be disclosed. Knowledge disclosure, however, is paradoxical in nature: in order for the value of knowledge to be assessed, inventors must disclose their knowledge, but then the person who receives that knowledge does so at no cost and may use it opportunistically. This risk of potential opportunistic behavior in turn makes the inventor fearful of disclosing knowledge, and this is a major psychological barrier to knowledge disclosure. In this project, we investigated this fear of opportunism in global prize-based science contests by surveying 630 contest participants in the InnoCentive online platform for science contests. We found that participants in these science contests experience fear of opportunism to varying degrees, and that women and older participants have significantly less fear of disclosing their scientific knowledge. Our findings highlight the importance of taking differences in such fears into account when designing global prize-based contests so that the potential of the contests for reaching solutions to important and challenging problems can be used more effectively.

  13. Chronobiology --2017 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.

    PubMed

    Yuan, Li; Li, Yi-Rou; Xu, Xiao-Dong

    2018-01-20

    Chronobiology is a field of biology that examines the generation of biological rhythms in various creatures and in many parts of body, and their adaptive fitness to solar- and lunar-related periodic phenomena. The synchronization of internal circadian clocks with external timing signals confers accurate phase response and tissue homeostasis. Herein we state a series of studies on circadian rhythms and introduce the brief history of chronobiology. We also present a detailed timeline of the discoveries on molecular mechanisms controlling circadian rhythm in Drosophila, which was awarded the 2017 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. The latest findings and new perspectives are further summarized to indicate the significance of circadian research.

  14. Revisiting the 1981 Nobel Prize to Roger Sperry, David Hubel, and Torsten Wiesel on the occasion of the centennial of the Prize to Golgi and Cajal.

    PubMed

    Berlucchi, Giovanni

    2006-12-01

    In 1981 the Nobel Prize for Medicine or Physiology was awarded to Roger Sperry for his work on the functional specialization of the cerebral hemispheres, and to David Hubel and Torsten Wiesel for their work on information processing in the visual system. The present paper points to some important links between the work of Sperry and that of Hubel and Wiesel and to their influences on neuroscience in the best tradition going back to Cajal.

  15. Thrombophilic genetic factors PAI-1 4G-4G and MTHFR 677TT as risk factors of alcohol, cryptogenic liver cirrhosis and portal vein thrombosis, in a Caucasian population.

    PubMed

    D'Amico, Mario; Pasta, Francesca; Pasta, Linda

    2015-08-15

    The thrombophilic genetic factors (THRGFs), PAI-1 4G-4G, MTHFR 677TT, V Leiden 506Q and Prothrombin 20210A, were studied as risk factors in 865 Caucasian patients with liver cirrhosis, consecutively enrolled from June 2008 to January 2014. A total of 582 HCV, 80 HBV, 94 alcohol, (82 with more than one etiologic factor) and 191 cryptogenic patients with liver cirrhosis had been consecutively enrolled; 243 patients showed portal vein thrombosis (PVT). At least one of the above THRGFs was present in 339/865 patients (39.2%). PAI-1 4G-4G and MTHFR 677TT were the most frequent THRGFs, statistically significant in patients with alcohol, cryptogenic liver cirrhosis, and PVT: respectively 24 and 28, 50 and 73, and 65 and 83 (all chi-square tests>3.84, and p values<0.05). Two logistic regression analysis, using PAI-1 4G-4G and MTHFR 677TT, as dependent variable, confirmed the independent significant relationship of these THRGFs with alcohol, cryptogenic liver cirrhosis and PVT. PAI 1 and MTHFR 677 genotypes, deviated from those expected in populations in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (all p values<0.05), in the subgroups of patients with alcohol, cryptogenic liver cirrhosis and presence of PVT. Our study shows the pivotal role of PAI-1 4G-4G and MTHFR 677TT in patients with alcohol, cryptogenic liver cirrhosis, and PVT, in a Caucasian population. In conclusion, thrombo and fibro-genetic mechanisms of PAI-1 4G-4G and MTHFR 677TT, could have a role in the development of liver cirrhosis, mainly in patients without HCV and HBV, and PVT. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. Dissecting slander and crying for justice: Carlos Chagas and the Nobel Prize of 1921.

    PubMed

    Bestetti, Reinaldo B; Cardinalli-Neto, Augusto

    2013-10-03

    Chagas disease was discovered by Carlos Chagas in 1909. Chagas worked at Oswaldo Cruz Institute, where the bases of experimental medicine were settled in Brazil, and that had no connection with the Faculty of Medicine of Rio de Janeiro. Chagas had several enemies at Oswaldo Cruz Institute mainly because of his election to Head of Service in 1910, and for the position of Oswaldo Cruz Directorship in 1917. Furthermore, Chagas gained enemies at Faculty of Medicine of Rio de Janeiro, which did not like to see the economical political autonomy of Oswaldo Cruz Institute. This allowed the Institute not only to perform top experimental research, but also to take the leadership of research in the country. Chagas was nominated to the Nobel Prize of 1921 in December, 1920. None was awarded the Nobel Prize in that year. He seems to have been evaluated by the Noble Committee of Karolinska Institute from March to May of 1921. At that time, his enemies were denying his discovery of Trypanosoma cruzi, a key point in Chagas' nomination by Karolinska Institute, and giving no epidemiological importance for the disease. By the same way, the obligation of small pox vaccination was tarnishing his public image. Having taken into account the epidemiologic importance of Chagas disease, the strong historical mistake in the process of Chagas evaluation, and the inequity behind all these facts, we insist on a posthumous Nobel Prize for the man who made the most complete medical-scientist discovery of all time. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. 77 FR 64851 - Announcement Date Postponed for the Grand Prize Winner Announcement for the America COMPETES...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-10-23

    ...On March 22, 2012, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) published a notice in the Federal Register (77 FR 16895) to announce the launch of VA's Project REACH Homelessness Mobile App Contest, authorized under section 105 of the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2011. Project REACH leadership has decided to postpone announcement of the Grand Prize Winner until no later than 11 p.m. on December 31, 2012. Postponing the announcement will provide participants with a greater opportunity to receive recognition for their dedication and efforts to end Veteran homelessness. This notice serves as an update to the original notice affecting only the announcement date for the Grand Prize Winner. All rules and requirements outlined in the March 22, 2012, Federal Register notice will remain in effect.

  18. Abraham Lincoln's marfanoid mother: the earliest known case of multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2B?

    PubMed

    Sotos, John G

    2012-07-01

    The nature and cause of President Abraham Lincoln's unusual physical features have long been debated, with the greatest attention directed at two monogenic disorders of the transforming growth factor β system: Marfan syndrome and multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2B. The present report examines newly discovered phenotypic information about Lincoln's biological mother, Nancy Hanks Lincoln, and concludes that (a) Lincoln's mother was skeletally marfanoid, (b) the President and his mother were highly concordant for the presence of numerous facial features found in various transforming growth factor β disorders, and (c) Lincoln's mother, like her son, had hypotonic skeletal muscles, resulting in myopathic facies and 'pseudodepression'. These conclusions establish that mother and son had the same monogenic autosomal dominant marfanoid disorder. A description of Nancy Hanks Lincoln as coarse-featured, and a little-known statement that a wasting disease contributed to her death at age 34, lends support to the multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2B hypothesis.

  19. Lorentz-Abraham-Dirac versus Landau-Lifshitz radiation friction force in the ultrarelativistic electron interaction with electromagnetic wave (exact solutions).

    PubMed

    Bulanov, Sergei V; Esirkepov, Timur Zh; Kando, Masaki; Koga, James K; Bulanov, Stepan S

    2011-11-01

    When the parameters of electron-extreme power laser interaction enter the regime of dominated radiation reaction, the electron dynamics changes qualitatively. The adequate theoretical description of this regime becomes crucially important with the use of the radiation friction force either in the Lorentz-Abraham-Dirac form, which possesses unphysical runaway solutions, or in the Landau-Lifshitz form, which is a perturbation valid for relatively low electromagnetic wave amplitude. The goal of the present paper is to find the limits of the Landau-Lifshitz radiation force applicability in terms of the electromagnetic wave amplitude and frequency. For this, a class of the exact solutions to the nonlinear problems of charged particle motion in the time-varying electromagnetic field is used.

  20. [The Nobel Prize database as an indicator of the internationalization of Brazilian science from 1901 to 1966].

    PubMed

    Pittella, José Eymard Homem

    2018-01-01

    Working with the Nobel Prize database, covering 1901-1966, the article examines the analytical potential of the participation of Brazilians both as nominees for the world's most prestigious award in science, the Nobel Prize, and also as invited nominators. Of the 18 Brazilians nominated for the Nobel, nine were in the category Peace, four in Literature, four in Physiology or Medicine, and one in Physics. The article comments on the nominations of Brazilian scientists in the categories of Physics and Physiology or Medicine, as well as on nominations by Brazilian nominators in these same two categories. It also discusses the process of science evaluation, based on the information attained through analysis of these data on the Nobel award.

  1. Prognostic value of the PAI-1 4G/5G polymorphism in invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast.

    PubMed

    Yagmurdur, M C; Atac, F B; Tutar, N U; Verdi, H; Isiklar, I; Ozdemir, B H; Ozbek, N; Karakayali, H; Haberal, M

    2008-01-01

    The study group was derived from the archive materials of 55 invasive ductal breast cancer (IDC) patients who had undergone breast-preserving surgery (partial mastectomy/ axillary dissection). All patients included in the study had clinically T(1)-2, N0-M0 invasive ductal carcinoma. Genomic DNA species were extracted from paraffin-embedded blocks, and plasminogen activator inhibitor type-1 (PAI-1) gene 4G/5G genotyping was done by polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP). Patient demographics, axillary metastasis status, metastatic lymph nodi/total dissected lymph nodes from axilla, histopathologic characteristics of tumors, local recurrences, and survival ratio were assessed. PAI-1 4G/5G genotype frequencies were 4G/4G (64%), 4G/5G (31%), and 5G/5G (5%) in the patient group. According to the results based on frequencies, the demographics were not different. Five-year local recurrence rate of 4G/5G patients was the lowest (2/17, 12%) (P = 0.02). Also five-year distant metastases ratio of 4G/5G patients was the highest (18%) (P = 0.01). Five- and 10-year disease-free survival rates for the 4G/4G, 4G/5G, and 5G/5G groups were 97% and 94%, 82% and 77%, and 100% and 94%, respectively (P = 0.004). The results of this study indicate that the 4G allele in the PAI 1 gene had a negative impact on local recurrence and disease-free survival of patients with clinical T(1)-2N0M0 IDC.

  2. From Tomato King to World Food Prize laureate.

    PubMed

    Nelson, Philip E

    2014-01-01

    This autobiographical article describes my early years, education, and career at Purdue University. Helping form and expand the Department of Food Science at Purdue was exciting and gratifying, and working with students in the classroom and on research projects was rewarding and kept me feeling young. My research on bulk aseptic processing allowed me to help solve problems relevant to the tomato industry, but I learned later that it had much broader relevance. I certainly never expected the impact and visibility of the work to result in my being awarded the World Food Prize. Being the first food scientist to win this award has enabled me to focus increased attention on the need to reduce food losses.

  3. Languages for Learning: Granting All Students Access to New Skills. Fishman Prize Series

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sanders, Steven; Zunkiewicz, Kelly; Strait, Laura; Towne, Michael

    2014-01-01

    A single great teacher can change a life by introducing a new language, helping you master a new skill or opening a door you never knew was there. That's why every year, TNTP awards the Fishman Prize for Superlative Classroom Practice: to celebrate a select cohort of public school teachers who demonstrate exceptionally effective teaching with…

  4. Wave Energy Prize - 1/50th Testing - Super Watt Wave Catcher Barge Team

    DOE Data Explorer

    Wesley Scharmen

    2015-12-04

    This submission of data includes all the 1/50th scale testing data completed on the Wave Energy Prize for the Super Watt Wave Catcher Barge team, and includes: 1/50th test data (raw & processed) 1/50th test data video and pictures 1/50th Test plans and testing documents SSTF_Submission (summarized results)

  5. Bernard Lerer: Recipient of the 2014 Inaugural Werner Kalow Responsible Innovation Prize in Global Omics and Personalized Medicine (Pacific Rim Association for Clinical Pharmacogenetics)

    PubMed Central

    Aynacıoğlu, Şükrü; Bragazzi, Nicola Luigi; Dandara, Collet; Dove, Edward S.; Ferguson, Lynnette R.; Geraci, Christy Jo; Hafen, Ernst; Kesim, Belgin Eroğlu; Kolker, Eugene; Lee, Edmund J.D.; LLerena, Adrian; Nacak, Muradiye; Shimoda, Kazutaka; Someya, Toshiyuki; Srivastava, Sanjeeva; Tomlinson, Brian; Vayena, Effy; Warnich, Louise; Yaşar, Ümit

    2014-01-01

    Abstract This article announces the recipient of the 2014 inaugural Werner Kalow Responsible Innovation Prize in Global Omics and Personalized Medicine by the Pacific Rim Association for Clinical Pharmacogenetics (PRACP): Bernard Lerer, professor of psychiatry and director of the Biological Psychiatry Laboratory, Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel. The Werner Kalow Responsible Innovation Prize is given to an exceptional interdisciplinary scholar who has made highly innovative and enduring contributions to global omics science and personalized medicine, with both vertical and horizontal (transdisciplinary) impacts. The prize is established in memory of a beloved colleague, mentor, and friend, the late Professor Werner Kalow, who cultivated the idea and practice of pharmacogenetics in modern therapeutics commencing in the 1950s. PRACP, the prize's sponsor, is one of the longest standing learned societies in the Asia-Pacific region, and was founded by Kalow and colleagues more than two decades ago in the then-emerging field of pharmacogenetics. In announcing this inaugural prize and its winner, we seek to highlight the works of prize winner, Professor Lerer. Additionally, we contextualize the significance of the prize by recalling the life and works of Professor Kalow and providing a brief socio-technical history of the rise of pharmacogenetics and personalized medicine as a veritable form of 21st century scientific practice. The article also fills a void in previous social science analyses of pharmacogenetics, by bringing to the fore the works of Kalow from 1995 to 2008, when he presciently noted the rise of yet another field of postgenomics inquiry—pharmacoepigenetics—that railed against genetic determinism and underscored the temporal and spatial plasticity of genetic components of drug response, with invention of the repeated drug administration (RDA) method that estimates the dynamic heritabilities of drug response. The prize goes a

  6. The Nobel Prize as a Reward Mechanism in the Genomics Era: Anonymous Researchers, Visible Managers and the Ethics of Excellence

    PubMed Central

    2010-01-01

    The Human Genome Project (HGP) is regarded by many as one of the major scientific achievements in recent science history, a large-scale endeavour that is changing the way in which biomedical research is done and expected, moreover, to yield considerable benefit for society. Thus, since the completion of the human genome sequencing effort, a debate has emerged over the question whether this effort merits to be awarded a Nobel Prize and if so, who should be the one(s) to receive it, as (according to current procedures) no more than three individuals can be selected. In this article, the HGP is taken as a case study to consider the ethical question to what extent it is still possible, in an era of big science, of large-scale consortia and global team work, to acknowledge and reward individual contributions to important breakthroughs in biomedical fields. Is it still viable to single out individuals for their decisive contributions in order to reward them in a fair and convincing way? Whereas the concept of the Nobel prize as such seems to reflect an archetypical view of scientists as solitary researchers who, at a certain point in their careers, make their one decisive discovery, this vision has proven to be problematic from the very outset. Already during the first decade of the Nobel era, Ivan Pavlov was denied the Prize several times before finally receiving it, on the basis of the argument that he had been active as a research manager (a designer and supervisor of research projects) rather than as a researcher himself. The question then is whether, in the case of the HGP, a research effort that involved the contributions of hundreds or even thousands of researchers worldwide, it is still possible to “individualise” the Prize? The “HGP Nobel Prize problem” is regarded as an exemplary issue in current research ethics, highlighting a number of quandaries and trends involved in contemporary life science research practices more broadly. PMID:20730106

  7. Creative Problem Solving with Marginalized Populations: Reclaiming Lost Prizes through In-the-Trenches Interventions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McCluskey, Ken W.; Baker, Philip A.; McCluskey, Andrea L. A.

    2005-01-01

    This article describes several initiatives in which Creative Problem Solving, in combination with career exploration and mentoring, has been used successfully to identify and develop the talents of "at-risk" populations. During the past decade, the Lost Prizes project helped turn around the lives of talented but troubled high-school…

  8. Superintendent Leadership: A Phenomenological Study of Texas Superintendents from Broad Prize Eligible School Districts

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Moreno, Jose H.

    2014-01-01

    The identification of leadership qualities and reform strategies implemented to increase student achievement in urban school districts is vital to closing the achievement gap. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to identify a leadership profile of the Broad Prize superintendent and reform strategies used to leverage systemic change that…

  9. Thrombophilic Genetic Factors PAI-1, MTHFRC677T, V Leiden 506Q, and Prothrombin 20210A in Noncirrhotic Portal Vein Thrombosis and Budd-Chiari Syndrome in a Caucasian Population

    PubMed Central

    D'Amico, Mario; Sammarco, Pietro; Pasta, Linda

    2013-01-01

    Thrombophilic genetic factors PAI-1, MTHFRC677T, V Leiden 506Q, and Prothrombin 20210A were studied as risk factors in 235 Caucasian subjects: 85 patients with abdominal thrombosis (54 with portal vein thrombosis (PVT) and 31 with Budd-Chiari syndrome (BCS) without liver cirrhosis or hepatocellular carcinoma) and 150 blood bank donors. Seventy-five patients with PVT/BCS showed associated disease or particular clinical status (46 PVT/29 BCS): 37 myeloproliferative neoplasm (20 PVT/17 BCS), 12 abdominal surgery (10 PVT/2 BCS), 10 contraception or pregnancy (6 PVT/4 BCS), 7 abdominal acute disease (6 PVT/1 BCS), and 9 chronic disease (4 PVT/5 BCS); ten patients did not present any association (8 PVT/2 BCS). PAI-14G-4G, MTHFR677TT, and V Leiden 506Q were significantly frequent (OR 95% CI and χ 2 test with P value) in abdominal thrombosis; in these patients PAI-14G-4G and MTHFR677TT distributions deviated from that expected from a population in the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (PAI-1: χ 2 = 13.8, P < 0.001; MTHFR677: χ 2 = 7.1, P < 0.01), whereas the equilibrium was respected in healthy controls. V Leiden Q506 and Prothrombin 20210A were in the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium both in patients with abdominal thrombosis and healthy controls. Our study shows an important role of PAI-14G-4G and MTHFR677TT in abdominal thrombosis without liver cirrhosis or hepatocellular carcinoma. PMID:24455271

  10. Association between PAI-1 4G/5G polymorphism and diabetic nephropathy: a meta-analysis in the Chinese population.

    PubMed

    Gao, Wen-Feng; Guo, Ying-Bo; Bai, Yu; Ding, Xin-Yu; Yan, Yong-Ji; Wu, Zhen-Qi

    2016-09-01

    Although a number of studies have been conducted on the association between plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) 4G/5G polymorphism and diabetic nephropathy (DN) in Chinese population, this association remains elusive and controversial. To further assess the effects of PAI-1 4G/5G polymorphism on the risk of DN, a meta-analysis was performed in the Chinese population. Relevant studies were identified using PubMed, Springer Link, Ovid, Chinese Wanfang Data Knowledge Service Platform, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure, and Chinese Biology Medicine through November, 2015. Pooled odds ratios (ORs) and 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) were used to assess the strength of the associations. This meta-analysis identified nine studies, including 777 DN cases, 413 healthy controls, and 523 DM controls. In the total analyses, a significantly elevated risk of DN was associated with variants of PAI-1 4G/5G when compared with the healthy group (4G vs. 5G, OR 2.46, 95 % CI 1.45-4.16; 4G/4G vs. 5G/5G, OR 4.32, 95 % CI 1.79-10.39; 4G/4G vs. 4G/5G +5G/5G, OR 2.96, 95 % CI 1.59-5.53; 4G/4G +4G/5G vs. 5G/5G, OR 2.78, 95 % CI 1.34-5.75) and DM group (4G vs. 5G, OR 1.93, 95 % CI 1.28-2.92; 4G/4G vs. 5G/5G, OR 2.99, 95 % CI 1.44-6.21; 4G/4G vs. 4G/5G +5G/5G, OR 2.84, 95 % CI 1.77-4.54). In the subgroup analyses stratified by ethnicity and geographic areas, it revealed the significant results in Chinese Han, in North and South China. This meta-analysis showed that the PAI-1 4G/4G variant, 4G allele might be risk alleles for DN susceptibility in the Chinese population, and further studies in other ethic groups are required for definite conclusions.

  11. EDITORIAL: The FDR Prize The FDR Prize

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kida, Shigeo

    2009-06-01

    From the 45 papers published in the year 2008 in Fluid Dynamics Research the following paper has been selected for the second FDR prize: 'Propagation of very long water waves, with vorticity, over variable depth, with applications to tsunamis' by Adrian Constantin and Robin S Johnson, published in volume 40 (March 2008) pp 175-211. This paper takes, as its main theme, the analysis of the propagation of very long gravity waves in the ocean environment, with the possibility of applying the results to tsunamis. Both variable depth and some pre-existing vorticity are allowed in the model, but under the over-arching assumption of long waves; indeed, it is argued, the waves are so long that it is impossible for classical soliton theory to be the appropriate description of a developing tsunami. This aspect is supported by some simple scaling arguments, together with some observations associated with the tsunami of Boxing Day 2004. The formulation is based on two small scales: the slow scale on which the depth varies and the small amplitude of the wave (as initially generated in deep water). The technique adopted is that of matched asymptotic expansions. The solution, constructed for deep water, is not valid in suitably reduced depth of water; the solution in this shallow region (close inshore) is then matched to the deep-water solution. A novel feature of this work is the inclusion of a general distribution of vorticity in the absence of waves—intended to model the realistic ocean—which is based on the slow evolution scale for the bottom topography. Some general properties of such background flows are proved, and two specific examples have been obtained: constant vorticity everywhere (as far as the shoreline), and regions of isolated vorticity (for appropriate bottom profiles). The way in which the wave properties are modified in the presence of vorticity is described. The significant overall proposal in this theory, specifically applicable to tsunamis, is that it is

  12. Therapeutic effects of calcium dobesilate on diabetic nephropathy mediated through reduction of expression of PAI-1

    PubMed Central

    ZHANG, XIAOQIAN

    2013-01-01

    The aim of this study was to investigate whether calcium dobesilate (calcium dihydroxy-2,5-benzenesulfonate) may be used to treat diabetic nephropathy. A total of 121 patients with type 2 diabetic nephropathy received calcium dobesilate (500 mg, 3 times a day) for 3 months. The levels of glycated hemoglobin, fasting serum C peptide, triglyceride, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, alanine aminotransferase, γ-glutamyl transferase, urea nitrogen, creatinine, hematocrit, plasma viscosity, whole blood reduced viscosity, high, medium and low shear rate whole blood viscosity, fibrinogen, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) and endothelin were determined. The urinary albumin excretion rate (UAER) was also determined once a month during the study. The UAER and medium and low shear rate whole blood viscosity were significantly lower in the treated patients. The rate of microalbuminuria normalization was 90%. During the treatment, the UAERs decreased. The results revealed that calcium dobesilate has therapeutic effects on type 2 diabetes patients with microalbuminuria. In addition, the benefit was positively correlated with the calcium dobesilate treatment time. The therapeutic effect may be due to decreases in the levels of PAI-1. PMID:23251286

  13. Lorentz-Abraham-Dirac versus Landau-Lifshitz radiation friction force in the ultrarelativistic electron interaction with electromagnetic wave (exact solutions)

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Bulanov, Sergei V.; Esirkepov, Timur Zh.; Kando, Masaki

    2011-11-15

    When the parameters of electron-extreme power laser interaction enter the regime of dominated radiation reaction, the electron dynamics changes qualitatively. The adequate theoretical description of this regime becomes crucially important with the use of the radiation friction force either in the Lorentz-Abraham-Dirac form, which possesses unphysical runaway solutions, or in the Landau-Lifshitz form, which is a perturbation valid for relatively low electromagnetic wave amplitude. The goal of the present paper is to find the limits of the Landau-Lifshitz radiation force applicability in terms of the electromagnetic wave amplitude and frequency. For this, a class of the exact solutions to themore » nonlinear problems of charged particle motion in the time-varying electromagnetic field is used.« less

  14. Development and preliminary validation of the Level of Care Index (LOCI) from the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI) in a psychiatric sample.

    PubMed

    Sinclair, Samuel Justin; Slavin-Mulford, Jenelle; Antonius, Daniel; Stein, Michelle B; Siefert, Caleb J; Haggerty, Greg; Malone, Johanna C; O'Keefe, Sheila; Blais, Mark A

    2013-06-01

    Research over the last decade has been promising in terms of the incremental utility of psychometric tools in predicting important clinical outcomes, such as mental health service utilization and inpatient psychiatric hospitalization. The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a new Level of Care Index (LOCI) from the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI). Logistic regression was initially used in a development sample (n = 253) of psychiatric patients to identify unique PAI indicators associated with inpatient (n = 75) as opposed to outpatient (n = 178) status. Five PAI variables were ultimately retained (Suicidal Ideation, Antisocial Personality-Stimulus Seeking, Paranoia-Persecution, Negative Impression Management, and Depression-Affective) and were then aggregated into a single LOCI and independently evaluated in a second validation sample (n = 252). Results indicated the LOCI effectively differentiated inpatients from outpatients after controlling for demographic variables and was significantly associated with both internalizing and externalizing risk factors for psychiatric admission (range of ds = 0.46 for history of arrests to 0.88 for history of suicidal ideation). The LOCI was additionally found to be meaningfully associated with measures of normal personality, performance-based tests of psychological functioning, and measures of neurocognitive (executive) functioning. The clinical implications of these findings and potential utility of the LOCI are discussed. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved.

  15. Wave Energy Prize -- Carderock Test Design and Rigging to Accommodate Diversity of Device Types

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Driscoll, Frederick R

    Wave Energy Prize Carderock Test Design and Rigging to Accommodate Diversity of Device Types presentation from the Water Power Technologies Office Peer Review, FY14-FY16. The challenge was to determine testing conditions, develop processing algorithms, and execute tests for equitable and consistent evaluation of different wave energy converter (WEC) technologies.

  16. The cag PAI is intact and functional but HP0521 varies significantly in Helicobacter pylori isolates from Malaysia and Singapore.

    PubMed

    Schmidt, H-M A; Andres, S; Nilsson, C; Kovach, Z; Kaakoush, N O; Engstrand, L; Goh, K-L; Fock, K M; Forman, D; Mitchell, H

    2010-04-01

    Helicobacter pylori-related disease is at least partially attributable to the genotype of the infecting strain, particularly the presence of specific virulence factors. We investigated the prevalence of a novel combination of H. pylori virulence factors, including the cag pathogenicity island (PAI), and their association with severe disease in isolates from the three major ethnicities in Malaysia and Singapore, and evaluated whether the cag PAI was intact and functional in vitro. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to detect dupA, cagA, cagE, cagT, cagL and babA, and to type vacA, the EPIYA motifs, HP0521 alleles and oipA ON status in 159 H. pylori clinical isolates. Twenty-two strains were investigated for IL-8 induction and CagA translocation in vitro. The prevalence of cagA, cagE, cagL, cagT, babA, oipA ON and vacA s1 and i1 was >85%, irrespective of the disease state or ethnicity. The prevalence of dupA and the predominant HP0521 allele and EPIYA motif varied significantly with ethnicity (p < 0.05). A high prevalence of an intact cag PAI was found in all ethnic groups; however, no association was observed between any virulence factor and disease state. The novel association between the HP0521 alleles, EPIYA motifs and host ethnicity indicates that further studies to determine the function of this gene are important.

  17. Massachusetts Institute of Technology Clean Energy Entrepreneurship Prize 2008 Final Report DOE Award # DE-FG36-07GO17110

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    None

    2008-08-09

    The MIT Clean Energy Prize was established to accelerate the pace of innovation in the energy space, specifically with regard to clean energy and to reduce our dependence on foreign oil. Through a prize structure designed to incent new ideas to be brought forward coupled with a supporting infrastructure to educate, mentor, network and provide a platform for visibility, it was believed we could achieve this goal in a very efficient and effective manner. The grand prize of $200K was meant to be the highly visible and attractive carrot to achieve this and through a public-private partnership of sponsors whomore » held a long term view (i.e., they were not Venture Capitalists or law firms looking for short term business through advantaged deal flow). It was also designed to achieve this in a highly inclusive manner. Towards this end, while MIT was the platform on which the competition was run, and this brought some instant cache and differentiation, the competition was open to all teams which had at least one US citizen. Both professional teams and student teams were eligible.« less

  18. 2014 Nuclear Fusion Prize Acceptance Speech 2014 Nuclear Fusion Prize Acceptance Speech

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Snyder, P. B.

    2015-01-01

    It is a great honor to receive the 2014 Nuclear Fusion Prize, here at the 25th IAEA Fusion Energy Conference. On behalf of everyone involved in this work, I would like to thank the IAEA, the Nuclear Fusion journal team, the IOP, and specifically Mitsuru Kikuchi, for their support of this important award. I would also like to acknowledge the many important contributions made by the other ten papers nominated for this prize. Our paper investigates the physics of the H-mode pedestal in tokamaks, specifically the development of a predictive understanding of the pedestal structure based on electromagnetic instabilities which constrain it, and the testing of the resulting theoretical model (EPED) against detailed observations on multiple devices. In addition to making pedestal predictions for existing devices, the paper also presents predictions for ITER, including methods for optimizing its pedestal height and fusion performance. What made this work possible, and indeed a pleasure to be involved with, was an extensive set of collaborations, including theory-experiment, multi-institutional, and international collaborations. Many of these collaborations have gone on for over a decade, and have been fostered in part by the ITPA Pedestal Group. The eight authors of this paper, from five institutions, all made important contributions. Rich Groebner, Tom Osborne and Tony Leonard carried out dedicated experiments and data analysis on the DIII-D tokamak, testing the EPED model over a very wide range of parameters. Jerry Hughes led dedicated experiments on Alcator C-Mod which tested the model at high magnetic field and pedestal pressure. Marc Beurskens carried out experiments and data analysis on the JET tokamak, testing the model at large scale. Xueqiao Xu conducted two-fluid studies of diamagnetic stabilization, which enabled a more accurate treatment of this important effect. Finally, Howard Wilson and I have been working together for many years to develop analytic formalism

  19. EDITORIAL: Roberts Prize for the best paper published in 2009 Roberts Prize for the best paper published in 2009

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Webb, Steve; Harris, Simon

    2010-07-01

    The publishers of Physics in Medicine and Biology (PMB), IOP Publishing, in association with the journal owners, the Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine (IPEM), jointly award an annual prize for the best paper published in PMB during the previous year. The procedure for deciding the winner has been made as thorough as possible, to try to ensure that an outstanding paper wins the prize. We started off with a shortlist of the 10 research papers published in 2009 which were rated the best based on the referees' quality assessments. Following the submission of a short 'case for winning' document by each of the shortlisted authors, an IPEM college of jurors of the status of FIPEM assessed and rated these 10 papers in order to choose a winner, which was then endorsed by the Editorial Board. We have a clear, and very worthy, winner this year. We have much pleasure in advising readers that the 2009 Roberts Prize is awarded to E Z Zhang et al from University College London for their paper on photoacoustic tomography. In vivo high resolution 3D photoacoustic imaging of superficial vascular anatomy E Z Zhang, J G Laufer, R B Pedley and P C Beard 2009 Phys. Med. Biol. 54 1035-46 Our congratulations go to these authors. Of course all of the shortlisted papers were of great merit, and the full top-10 is listed below (in alphabetical order). Steve Webb Editor-in-Chief Simon Harris Publisher References Cheng Y-C N , Neelavalli J and Haacke E M 2009 Limitations of calculating field distributions and magnetic susceptibilities in MRI using a Fourier based method Phys. Med. Biol. 54 1169-89 Cho S, Ahn S, Li Q and Leahy R M 2009 Exact and approximate Fourier rebinning of PET data from time-of-flight to non time-of-flight 2009 Phys. Med. Biol. 54 467-84 Davidson S R H, Weersink R A, Haider M A, Gertner M R, Bogaards A, Giewercer D, Scherz A, Sherar M D, Elhilali M, Chin J L, Trachtenberg J and Wilson B C 2009 Treatment planning and dose analysis for interstitial

  20. Werner Heisenberg (1901-1976)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yang, Chen Ning

    2013-05-01

    Werner Heisenberg was one of the greatest physicists of all times. When he started out as a young research worker, the world of physics was in a very confused and frustrating state, which Abraham Pais has described1 as: It was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair using Charles Dickens' words in A Tale of Two Cities. People were playing a guessing game: There were from time to time great triumphs in proposing, through sheer intuition, make-shift schemes that amazingly explained some regularities in spectral physics, leading to joy. But invariably such successes would be followed by further work which reveal the inconsistency or inadequacy of the new scheme, leading to despair...

  1. How Citation Boosts Promote Scientific Paradigm Shifts and Nobel Prizes

    PubMed Central

    Mazloumian, Amin; Eom, Young-Ho; Helbing, Dirk; Lozano, Sergi; Fortunato, Santo

    2011-01-01

    Nobel Prizes are commonly seen to be among the most prestigious achievements of our times. Based on mining several million citations, we quantitatively analyze the processes driving paradigm shifts in science. We find that groundbreaking discoveries of Nobel Prize Laureates and other famous scientists are not only acknowledged by many citations of their landmark papers. Surprisingly, they also boost the citation rates of their previous publications. Given that innovations must outcompete the rich-gets-richer effect for scientific citations, it turns out that they can make their way only through citation cascades. A quantitative analysis reveals how and why they happen. Science appears to behave like a self-organized critical system, in which citation cascades of all sizes occur, from continuous scientific progress all the way up to scientific revolutions, which change the way we see our world. Measuring the “boosting effect” of landmark papers, our analysis reveals how new ideas and new players can make their way and finally triumph in a world dominated by established paradigms. The underlying “boost factor” is also useful to discover scientific breakthroughs and talents much earlier than through classical citation analysis, which by now has become a widespread method to measure scientific excellence, influencing scientific careers and the distribution of research funds. Our findings reveal patterns of collective social behavior, which are also interesting from an attention economics perspective. Understanding the origin of scientific authority may therefore ultimately help to explain how social influence comes about and why the value of goods depends so strongly on the attention they attract. PMID:21573229

  2. How citation boosts promote scientific paradigm shifts and nobel prizes.

    PubMed

    Mazloumian, Amin; Eom, Young-Ho; Helbing, Dirk; Lozano, Sergi; Fortunato, Santo

    2011-05-04

    Nobel Prizes are commonly seen to be among the most prestigious achievements of our times. Based on mining several million citations, we quantitatively analyze the processes driving paradigm shifts in science. We find that groundbreaking discoveries of Nobel Prize Laureates and other famous scientists are not only acknowledged by many citations of their landmark papers. Surprisingly, they also boost the citation rates of their previous publications. Given that innovations must outcompete the rich-gets-richer effect for scientific citations, it turns out that they can make their way only through citation cascades. A quantitative analysis reveals how and why they happen. Science appears to behave like a self-organized critical system, in which citation cascades of all sizes occur, from continuous scientific progress all the way up to scientific revolutions, which change the way we see our world. Measuring the "boosting effect" of landmark papers, our analysis reveals how new ideas and new players can make their way and finally triumph in a world dominated by established paradigms. The underlying "boost factor" is also useful to discover scientific breakthroughs and talents much earlier than through classical citation analysis, which by now has become a widespread method to measure scientific excellence, influencing scientific careers and the distribution of research funds. Our findings reveal patterns of collective social behavior, which are also interesting from an attention economics perspective. Understanding the origin of scientific authority may therefore ultimately help to explain how social influence comes about and why the value of goods depends so strongly on the attention they attract.

  3. PASTIS 57: Autonomous light sensors for PAI continuous monitoring. Principles, calibration and application to vegetation phenology

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lecerf, R.; Baret, F.; Hanocq, J.; Marloie, O.; Rautiainen, M.; Mottus, M.; Heiskanen, J.; Stenberg, P.

    2010-12-01

    The LAI (Leaf Area Index) is a key variable to analyze and model vegetation and its interactions with atmosphere and soils. The LAI maps derived from remote sensing images are often validated with non-destructive LAI measures obtained from digital hemispherical photography, LAI-2000 or ceptometer instruments. These methods are expensive and time consuming particularly when human intervention is needed. Consequently it is difficult to acquire overlapping field data and remotely sensed LAI. There is a need of a cheap, autonomous, easy to use ground system to measure foliage development and senescence at least with a daily frequency in order to increase the number of validation sites where vegetation phenology is continuously monitored. A system called PASTIS-57 (PAI Autonomous System from Transmittance Instantaneous Sensors oriented at 57°) devoted to PAI (Plant Area Index) ground measurements was developed to answer this need. PASTIS-57 consists in 6 sensors plugged on one logger that record data with a sampling rate of 1 to few minutes (tunable) with up to 3 months autonomy (energy and data storage). The sensors are plugged to the logger with 2x10m wires, 2x6m wires and 2x2m wires. The distance between each sensor was determined to obtain a representative spatial sampling over a 20m pixel corresponding to an Elementary Sampling Unit (ESU). The PASTIS-57 sensors are made of photodiodes that measure the incoming light in the blue wavelength to maximize the contrast between vegetation and sky and limit multiple scattering effects in the canopy. The diodes are oriented to the north to avoid direct sun light and point to a zenithal angle of 57° to minimize leaf angle distribution and plant clumping effects. The field of view of the diodes was set to ± 20° to take into consideration vegetation cover heterogeneity and to minimize environmental effects. The sensors were calibrated after recording data on a clear view site during a week. After calibration, the sensors

  4. Abraham Trembley's strategy of generosity and the scope of celebrity in the mid-eighteenth century.

    PubMed

    Ratcliff, Marc J

    2004-12-01

    Historians of science have long believed that Abraham Trembley's celebrity and impact were attributable chiefly to the incredible regenerative phenomena demonstrated by the polyp, which he discovered in 1744, and to the new experimental method he devised to investigate them. This essay shows that experimental method alone cannot account for Trembley's success and influence; nor are the marvels of the polyp sufficient to explain its scientific and cultural impact. Experimental method was but one element in a new conception of the laboratory that called for both experimental and para-experimental skills whose public availability depended on a new style of communication. The strategy of generosity that led Trembley to dispatch polyps everywhere enabled experimental naturalist laboratories to spread throughout Europe, and the free circulation of living objects for scientific research led practitioners to establish an experimental field distinct from mechanical physics. Scholars reacted to the marvels of the polyp by strengthening the boundaries between the public and academic spheres and, in consequence, opened a space for new standards in both scientific work and the production of celebrity.

  5. Paul Ehrlich: the Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine 1908.

    PubMed

    Piro, Anna; Tagarelli, Antonio; Tagarelli, Giuseppe; Lagonia, Paolo; Quattrone, Aldo

    2008-01-01

    We wish to commemorate Paul Ehrlich on the centennial of his being awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1908. His studies are now considered as milestones in immunology: the morphology of leukocytes; his side-chain theory where he defined the cellular receptor for first time; and his clarification of the difference between serum therapy and chemotherapy. Ehrlich also invented the first chemotherapeutic drug: compound 606, or Salvarsan. We have used some original documents from the Royal Society of London, where Ehrlich was a fellow, and from Leipzig University, where he took a degree in medicine.

  6. Quality in Higher Education: Lessons Learned from the Baldrige Award, Deming Prize, and ISO 9000 Registration.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Izadi, Mahyar; And Others

    1996-01-01

    Compares the Baldrige Award, Deming Prize, and ISO 9000 registration in terms of purpose, focus, eligibility, time frame, information sharing, number of recipients, and assessment. Suggests that vocational-technical programs in higher education could be improved using the criteria for these awards. (SK)

  7. "I am the Author and Must Take Full Responsibility": Abraham Verghese, Physicians as the Storytellers of the Body, and the Renewal of Medicine.

    PubMed

    Nussbaum, Abraham M

    2016-12-01

    Abraham Verghese proposes to renew medicine by training physicians to read the right texts-literary fiction and patients' bodies-with skilled attention. Analyzing Verghese's proposal with reference to Foucault's idea of the "clinical gaze," I find that Verghese conceives of patients as texts that only physicians can read, meaning that physicians become the storytellers of the bodies, lives, and deaths of the people they meet as patients. I conclude that Verghese's project is unsustainable and alternatively propose thinking analogically of physicians as ship captains who maintain therapeutic distance to reopen interpretative spaces for communities outside of medicine.

  8. Supernovae, Dark Energy and the Accelerating Universe: How DOE Helped to Win (yet another) Nobel Prize

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Perlmutter, Saul

    2012-01-13

    The Department of Energy (DOE) hosted an event Friday, January 13, with 2011 Physics Nobel Laureate Saul Perlmutter. Dr. Perlmutter, a physicist at the Department’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and a professor of physics at the University of California at Berkeley, won the 2011 Nobel Prize in Physics “for the discovery of the accelerating expansion of the Universe through observations of distant supernovae.” DOE’s Office of Science has supported Dr. Perlmutter’s research at Berkeley Lab since 1983. After the introduction from Secretary of Energy Steven Chu, Dr. Perlmutter delivered a presentation entitled "Supernovae, Dark Energy and the Accelerating Universe: Howmore » DOE Helped to Win (yet another) Nobel Prize." [Copied with editing from DOE Media Advisory issued January 10th, found at http://energy.gov/articles/energy-department-host-event-2011-physics-nobel-laureate-saul-perlmutter]« less

  9. Does the disorder matter? Investigating a moderating effect on coached noncredible overreporting using the MMPI-2 and PAI.

    PubMed

    Veltri, Carlo O C; Williams, John E

    2013-04-01

    The use of psychological tests to help identify the noncredible overreporting of psychiatric disorders is a long-standing practice that has received considerable attention from researchers. The purpose of this study was to experimentally determine whether feigning specific psychiatric disorders moderated the influence of coaching on the detection of noncredible overreporting using the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2) and the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI). Using a 2 × 3 experimental analogue design, 265 undergraduates were asked to feign schizophrenia, posttraumatic stress disorder, or generalized anxiety disorder and were either coached about validity scales and disorders or not. The results of this study indicated that the specific psychiatric disorder being feigned did moderate the impact coaching had on the detection of overreported psychopathology using several scales on the MMPI-2 and PAI. Future research examining noncredible overreporting should take into account the impact caused by the interaction of psychiatric disorder with coaching on the detection of symptom overreporting and also identify other important moderating/mediating variables in order to develop more effective means of identifying response bias.

  10. Developing international open science collaborations: Funder reflections on the Open Science Prize.

    PubMed

    Kittrie, Elizabeth; Atienza, Audie A; Kiley, Robert; Carr, David; MacFarlane, Aki; Pai, Vinay; Couch, Jennifer; Bajkowski, Jared; Bonner, Joseph F; Mietchen, Daniel; Bourne, Philip E

    2017-08-01

    The Open Science Prize was established with the following objectives: first, to encourage the crowdsourcing of open data to make breakthroughs that are of biomedical significance; second, to illustrate that funders can indeed work together when scientific interests are aligned; and finally, to encourage international collaboration between investigators with the intent of achieving important innovations that would not be possible otherwise. The process for running the competition and the successes and challenges that arose are presented.

  11. Developing international open science collaborations: Funder reflections on the Open Science Prize

    PubMed Central

    Kittrie, Elizabeth; Atienza, Audie A.; Kiley, Robert; Carr, David; MacFarlane, Aki; Pai, Vinay; Couch, Jennifer; Bajkowski, Jared; Bonner, Joseph F.; Mietchen, Daniel

    2017-01-01

    The Open Science Prize was established with the following objectives: first, to encourage the crowdsourcing of open data to make breakthroughs that are of biomedical significance; second, to illustrate that funders can indeed work together when scientific interests are aligned; and finally, to encourage international collaboration between investigators with the intent of achieving important innovations that would not be possible otherwise. The process for running the competition and the successes and challenges that arose are presented. PMID:28763440

  12. Effect of reoxygenation on the hypoxia-induced up-regulation of serine protease inhibitor PAI-1 in head and neck cancer cells.

    PubMed

    Sprague, Lisa D; Mengele, Karin; Schilling, Daniela; Geurts-Moespot, Anneke; Sweep, Fred C G J; Stadler, Peter; Schmitt, Manfred; Molls, Michael

    2006-01-01

    In squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN), hypoxia is considered a crucial physiological modulator for malignant progression, wherebythe plasminogen activation system is involved in overlapping functions such as moulding of the extracellular matrix, cell proliferation and signal transduction. Little is known about the effects of reoxygenation on the plasminogen activation system in SCCHN cells. Three human SCCHN cell lines (BHY, CAL27, FaDu) and a non-transformed human fibroblast cell line (VH7) were exposed to hypoxic (<0.5% O(2)) conditions for up to 72 h and subsequently reoxygenated at normoxic conditions for 24 h. Urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) protein concentration and former protein activity were determined by ELISA and complex ELISA, respectively. Reoxygenation induced significant changes in cell-associated and secreted PAI-1 protein compared to the normoxic control. Significant increase in cell-associated and secreted uPA protein after reoxygenation was only observed for some of the cell lines. Determination of uPA-PAI-1 complex formation revealed the release of active protein into the cell supernatant. The beneficial role of reoxygenation during radiation therapy is widely accepted. However, reoxygenation does not seem to counteract the effects induced by hypoxia on the plasminogen activation system. Fatally irradiated reoxygenat- ed tumour cells might still produce sufficient amounts of 'harmful' protein and thus initiate a path for invasion and metastasis for surviving tumour cells.

  13. Coexistence of ACE (I/D) and PAI-1 (4G/5G) gene variants in recurrent miscarriage in Polish population.

    PubMed

    Kurzawińska, Grażyna; Barlik, Magdalena; Drews, Krzysztof; Różycka, Agata; Seremak-Mrozikiewicz, Agnieszka; Ożarowski, Marcin; Klejewski, Andrzej; Czerny, Bogusław; Wolski, Hubert

    2016-01-01

    Recurrent miscarriage (RM) is one of the most common obstetric complications. Numerous studies have suggested that genetic variants leading to an impaired balance between coagulation and fibrinolysis may contribute to elevated risk of pregnancy loss. The aim of the study was to investigate a possible association between angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE, rs1799752) I/D and plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 (PAI-1, rs1799768) 4G/5G polymorphisms with RM among Polish women. DNA was extracted from peripheral blood samples of 152 women with a history of ≥ 2 consecutive pregnancy losses before 22 weeks of gestation, and 180 healthy controls with at least 1 live birth at term and no history of pregnancy loss. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) were used to identify the polymorphisms. No statistically significant differences were found in genotype and allele frequencies of the studied polymorphisms. The most relevant difference between the study group and controls was found for the ID genotype distribution of the ACE gene (52.6 vs. 46.7%, OR = 1.27, p = 0.28). The analysis of genotype coexistence revealed a higher incidence of the combination of the ACE II and the PAI-1 4G/4G genotypes in the control group (10.0 vs.5.9% in control group; p = 0.17). The obtained results suggest no apparent association between the ACE I/D, PAI-1 4G/5G polymorphisms and increased RM susceptibility in the analyzed Polish population.

  14. The Beatles, the Nobel Prize, and CT scanning of the chest.

    PubMed

    Goodman, Lawrence R

    2010-01-01

    From its first test scan on a mouse, in 1967, to current medical practice, the CT scanner has become a core imaging tool in thoracic diagnosis. Initially financed by money from Beatles' record sales, the first patient scan was performed in 1971. Only 8 years later, a Nobel Prize in Physics and Medicine was awarded to Hounsfield and Cormack for their discovery. This article traces the history of CT scanner development and how each technical advance expanded chest diagnostic frontiers. Chest imaging now accounts for 30% of all CT scanning.

  15. [Effects of Fukang oral liquid on the prevention of intrauterine adhesion and expressions of TGF-beta1, PAI-1 and MMP-9 in endometrium of rats].

    PubMed

    Hu, Sha; Li, Ya; Meng, Wei-Jie; Tan, Shi-Qiao

    2013-07-01

    To investigate the preventing effect of Fukang oral liquid (fuk) in intrauterine adhesions and its effects on the expression of TGFbeta-1, PAI-1 and MMP-9 in endometrium of rats with intrauterine adhesions. 50 female wistar rats were divided into high, medium, low dose of Fukang oral liquid group (Hfuk, Mfuk, Lfuk), blank control group (Bcon), and model control group (Mcon) (n = 10 in each group). The rats in Hfuk, Mfuk and Lfuk groups were treated with intragastric administration of 4 mL, 2 mL and 1 mL Fukang Oral Liquid per day, while the rats in Mcon group and Bcon group received 2 mL physiological saline intragastric administration per day. All of rats were executed on 10th day and the sample of endometrium was harvested for the study of histology and morphology and the expression of TGFbeta-1, PAI-1 and MMP-9. Under the light microscope, the organizational structure of the uterine cavity and uterine wall was clear in Bcon group, the uterine cavity disappeared in Mcon group, and the layers structure remained normal arrangement in three fuk treated groups. TGFbeta-1 and PAI-1 protein expressions in Hfuk, Mfuk, Lfuk groups were less than those in Mcon group (P < 0.001), but MMP-9 protein expressions were higher. (P < 0.001). Fukang oral liquid show preventing effect on IUA, the mechanism may be related to its effects on the expressions of TGF-beta1, PAI-1, and MMP-9 in the endometrium.

  16. PEOPLE IN PHYSICS: Nobel prize winners in physics from 1901 to 1990: simple statistics for physics teachers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Weijia; Fuller, Robert G.

    1998-05-01

    A demographic database for the 139 Nobel prize winners in physics from 1901 to 1990 has been created from a variety of sources. The results of our statistical study are discussed in the light of the implications for physics teaching.

  17. Supernovae, Dark Energy and the Accelerating Universe: How DOE Helped to Win (yet another) Nobel Prize

    ScienceCinema

    Perlmutter, Saul; Chu, Steven

    2018-05-31

    The Department of Energy (DOE) hosted an event Friday, January 13, with 2011 Physics Nobel Laureate Saul Perlmutter. Dr. Perlmutter, a physicist at the Department’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and a professor of physics at the University of California at Berkeley, won the 2011 Nobel Prize in Physics “for the discovery of the accelerating expansion of the Universe through observations of distant supernovae.” DOE’s Office of Science has supported Dr. Perlmutter’s research at Berkeley Lab since 1983. After the introduction from Secretary of Energy Steven Chu, Dr. Perlmutter delivered a presentation entitled "Supernovae, Dark Energy and the Accelerating Universe: How DOE Helped to Win (yet another) Nobel Prize." [Copied with editing from DOE Media Advisory issued January 10th, found at http://energy.gov/articles/energy-department-host-event-2011-physics-nobel-laureate-saul-perlmutter

  18. Selman A. Waksman, winner of the 1952 Nobel Prize for physiology or medicine.

    PubMed

    Woodruff, H Boyd

    2014-01-01

    The history of the discovery and development of streptomycin is reviewed here from the personal standpoint of a member of Dr. Selman Waksman's antibiotic screening research team. The team approach of eight individuals illustrates how the gradual enhancement of the screening methodology was developed. I illustrate three study periods with key aspects in the development of streptomycin which led to a Nobel Prize being granted to Professor Waksman. One item not previously emphasized is the employment of a submerged culture technique for large-scale production of streptomycin, thus enabling rapid animal testing and human clinical trials with Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Another is that purified streptomycin was shown by Dr. Waksman to be distinctly different from the substances called natural products, which are no longer patentable in the United States; therefore, streptomycin was found to be patentable. A third item not previously emphasized is his emphasis on the screening of actinomycetes, including the newly named Streptomyces genus. All of these factors contributed to the success of streptomycin in the treatment of tuberculosis. In combination, their successes led to Dr. Waksman's department becoming a new pharmacological research area, specializing in drug discovery. These unique accomplishments all burnish the prior rationales used by the Karolinska Institute in granting Dr. Waksman alone the 1952 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine.

  19. Charting the Course: Four Years of the Thomas W. Payzant School on the Move Prize

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    d'Entremont, Chad; Norton, Jill; Bennett, Michael; Piazza, Peter

    2012-01-01

    Since 2006, the Thomas W. Payzant School on the Move (SOM) Prize has been awarded annually to a Boston public school that has made significant progress in improving student achievement. This case study identifies the structures and strategies that best serve students in prizewinning schools, provides a profile of each of the four winning schools…

  20. Gruber Prize in Cosmology Awarded for the Discovery of the Accelerated Expansion of the Universe

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    2007-09-01

    Nearly a decade ago astronomers from two competing teams announced that they had found evidence for an accelerated cosmic expansion. The Gruber Prize in Cosmology 2007 honours this achievement and has been awarded to two groups: the Supernova Cosmology Project team, led by Saul Perlmutter (Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory), and the High-z Supernova Search Team, led by Brian Schmidt (Australian National University). Their results were based on the observations of distant Type Ia supernovae and were obtained with the major telescopes at the time (Riess et al. 1998, AJ 116, 1009; Perlmutter et al. 1999, ApJ 517, 565). Both teams used the 3.6-m telescope and the NTT to contribute photometry and spectroscopic classifications of the supernovae. Four people at ESO were directly involved in the two teams and are recognised as co-recipients of the Gruber Prize. Isobel Hook (now at Oxford University) and Chris Lidman (ESO Chile) were ESO Fellows when they contributed to the work of the Super- nova Cosmology Project, while Jason Spyromilio and Bruno Leibundgut (both ESO Garching) participated in the High-z Supernova Search Team.

  1. Herbert A. Simon: Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences, 1978.

    PubMed

    Leahey, Thomas H

    2003-09-01

    In 1978, Herbert A. Simon won the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences, the same Nobel won by Daniel Kahneman in 2002. Simon's work in fact paved the way for Kahneman's Nobel. Although trained in political science and economics rather than psychology, Simon applied psychological ideas to economic theorizing. Classical and neoclassical economic theories assume that people are perfectly rational and strive to optimize economic outcomes. Simon argued that human rationality is constrained, not perfect, and that people seek satisfactory rather than ideal outcomes. Despite his Nobel, Simon felt isolated in economics and ultimately moved into psychology. Nevertheless, his ideas percolated through the economic community, so that Kahneman, whose research advanced Simon's broad perspective, could be the psychologist who won the Nobel in economics.

  2. PAI-1 4G-4G, MTHFR 677TT, V Leiden 506Q, and Prothrombin 20210A in Splanchnic Vein Thrombosis: Analysis of Individual Patient Data From Three Prospective Studies

    PubMed Central

    Pasta, Linda; Pasta, Francesca; D’Amico, Mario

    2016-01-01

    Background There are no univocal opinions on the role of genetic thrombophilia on splanchnic vein thrombosis (SVT). We defined genetic thrombophilia the presence of one of these thrombophilic genetic factors (THRGFs): PAI-1 4G-4G, MTHFR 677TT, V Leiden 506Q, and prothrombin 20210A. Objectives To evaluate the frequencies of these THRGFs in SVT patients, we analyzed individual data of 482 Caucasian patients, recruited from 2000 to 2014 in three prospective studies. SVT was defined as the presence of thrombosis of portal (PVT), mesenteric (MVT), splenic (SPVT), cava (CT), and hepatic vein (Budd Chiari syndrome, BCS). Pre-hepatic SVT (pre-HSVT) was defined as PVT with or without MVT/SPVT, without BCS. Post-hepatic SVT (post-HSVT) was BCS with or without PVT/MVT/SPVT. Methods We compared 350 patients with liver cirrhosis (LC), 47 hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), 37 myeloproliferative neoplasm (MPN), 38 associated disease (AD), 10 without any associated disease (WAD), vs 150 healthy controls (HC); 437 patients showed pre-HSVT and 45 post-HSVT. Results Thrombophilia was present in 294/482 (60.9%) patients: 189/350 LC (54.0%), 31/47 (66.0%) HCC, 29/39 (74.4%) MPN, 35/38 AD (92.1%), and 10/10 (100%) WAD, and 54/150 (36.0%) in HC. In the total group, we found 175 PAI-1 4G-4G, 130 MTHFR 677TT, 42V Leiden 506Q, and 27 prothrombin 20210A; 75 patients showed presence of >1 TRHGF; the more frequent association was PAI-1 4G-4G/MTHFR 677TT, in 36 patients. PAI-1 4G-4G and MTHFR 677TT were significantly more frequent in patients with SVT (P values <0.005), whereas V Leiden Q506 and prothrombin G20210A were not. PAI-1 4G-4G and MTHFR 677TT distributions deviated significantly from that expected from a population in Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium. Thrombophilia was significantly less frequent in patients with pre-HSVT (250/437, 57.2%) than in patients with post-HSVT (44/45, 97.8%). Conclusions Our study shows the significant prevalence of PAI-1 4G-4G and MTHFR 677TT in SVT, mainly in

  3. The Journal of Pathology 2008 Jeremy Jass Prize for Research Excellence in Pathology.

    PubMed

    Hall, Peter A; Poulsom, Richard; Coates, Philip J; Du, Ming-Qing; Hogendoorn, Pancras Cw; Jones, Louise J; Ladanyi, Marc; Murray, Graeme I; Niedobitek, Gerald

    2009-12-01

    The first Jass Prize for Research Excellence has been awarded to a group from Hannover in Germany. These authors discovered the epigenetic inactivation of microRNA gene hsa-mir-9-1 in human breast cancer and characterized its biological and clinical relevance. This frequent epigenetic silencing was found to occur early in the development of breast cancer, and illustrates another mechanism by which tumour development is influenced by genes that operate without expression as proteins.

  4. Abraham Lincoln loses a medical malpractice case, debates Stephen A. Douglas, and secures two murder acquittals.

    PubMed

    Spiegel, Allen D; Kavaler, Florence

    2004-02-01

    An improperly healed fracture was the most common reason for the medical malpractice crisis between the 1830s and 1860s in the United States. As a practicing lawyer in Illinois, Abraham Lincoln defended physicians in medical malpractice law suits. One of these was Dr. Powers Ritchey, who was sued for malpractice in 1855. Lincoln agreed to represent Dr. Ritchey in 1858 as the case was appealed to the supreme court of Illinois. In the interim, Lincoln defended two indicted murderers and won acquittals for both. Between the two murder trials, Lincoln debated Stephen A. Douglas while running for U.S. Senator from Illinois. Lincoln believed that Ritchey's case was poorly represented in the lower court. Ritchey's prior attorneys did not file a bill of exceptions to the testimony of the plaintiff's expert medical witnesses. Lincoln attempted to rebut the allegation of a lack of reasonable medical care and diligence by Ritchey, and he sought to secure a new trial for his client. In its decision, the supreme court of Illinois did not find any error and affirmed the lower court's judgment.

  5. Nobel Prize Recipient Eric Betzig Presents Lecture on Efforts to Improve High-Resolution Microscopy | Poster

    Cancer.gov

    Eric Betzig, Ph.D., a 2014 recipient of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry and a scientist at Janelia Research Campus (JRC), Howard Hughes Medical Institute, in Ashburn, Va., visited NCI at Frederick on Sept. 10 to present a Distinguished Scientist lecture and discuss the latest high-resolution microscopy techniques. Betzig co-invented photoactivation localization microscopy (PALM)

  6. FETTU Wins International Year of Astronomy 2009 Prize

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    2010-02-01

    The "From Earth to the Universe" (FETTU) project -- a worldwide series of exhibitions featuring striking astronomical imagery -- has won the first Mani Bhaumik prize for excellence in astronomy education and public outreach. This award was given for the best of the tens of thousands of activities conducted during the International Year of Astronomy (IYA) 2009. NASA was a major sponsor of the project, which was led by the Chandra X-ray Center, that placed these images into public parks, metro stations, libraries, and other non-traditional locations around the world. The exhibit showcases some of the best astronomical images taken from telescopes both on the ground and in space, representing the wide variety of wavelengths and objects observed. While FETTU has been a worldwide effort, a NASA grant provided the primary funding for the FETTU exhibits in the US. NASA funds also supplied the project's infrastructure as well as educational and other materials that helped the FETTU international efforts to thrive. "We are truly thrilled to see how many people FETTU has reached both in the US and around the world," said Hashima Hasan, NASA's Single Point of Contact for IYA2009. "It's an investment we feel has been well spent." In the US, FETTU has been placed on semi-permanent display at Chicago's O'Hare and Atlanta's Hartsfield airports. In addition, a traveling version of the exhibit has visited over a dozen US cities such as Washington, DC, Anchorage, AK, Memphis, TN, and New York City. Three tactile and Braille versions of the FETTU exhibit were also made possible by the NASA funds, each of which has traveled to multiple locations around the country. "It's been so rewarding to see how people - many of whom had never seen these images - have embraced the wonders of astronomy through these exhibits," said Kimberly Kowal Arcand, co-chair of the FETTU project at the Chandra X-ray Center, which is located at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory in Cambridge, Mass. "The

  7. Long distance telementoring. A novel tool for laparoscopy aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln.

    PubMed

    Cubano, M; Poulose, B K; Talamini, M A; Stewart, R; Antosek, L E; Lentz, R; Nibe, R; Kutka, M F; Mendoza-Sagaon, M

    1999-07-01

    As general surgeons perform a growing number of laparoscopic operations in increasingly specialized environments, the ability to obtain expert advice during procedures becomes more important. Technological advances in video and computer communications are enabling surgeons to procure expertise quickly and efficiently. In this article, we present laparoscopic procedures completed through an intercontinental telementoring system and the first telementored laparoscopic procedures performed aboard a naval vessel. Video, voice, and data streams were linked between the USS Abraham Lincoln Aircraft Carrier Battlegroup cruising the Pacific Ocean and locations in Maryland and California, creating the Battlegroup Telemedicine (BGTM) system. Three modes of BGTM communication were used: intraship, ship to ship, and ship to shore. Five laparoscopic inguinal hernia repairs were completed aboard the Lincoln under telementoring guidance from land-based surgeons thousands of miles away. In addition, the BGTM system proved invaluable in obtaining timely expertise on a wide variety of surgical and medical problems that would otherwise have required a shore visit. Successful intercontinental laparoscopic telementoring aboard a naval vessel was accomplished using "off-the-shelf" components. In many instances, the high risk and cost of transporting patients to land-based facilities was averted because of the BGTM system. Also, the relationship between the on-site and telementoring surgeon was critical to the success of this experiment. Long-distance telementoring is an invaluable tool in providing instantly available expertise during laparoscopic procedures.

  8. Topical dihydrotestosterone to treat micropenis secondary to partial androgen insensitivity syndrome (PAIS) before, during, and after puberty - a case series.

    PubMed

    Becker, David; Wain, Lisa M; Chong, Yih Harng; Gosai, Sonal J; Henderson, Nina K; Milburn, Jacqui; Stott, Victoria; Wheeler, Benjamin J

    2016-02-01

    X-linked partial androgen insensitivity syndrome (PAIS) causes under-virilization at all stages of development. In two thirds of males, this results in micropenis. Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) is a potent androgen that is critical for male genital development, which when applied topically, has been shown to increase penile length with micropenis of varying etiologies. We present the first case series using topical DHT gel to treat micropenis in 46,XY males with PAIS, before, during, and after puberty. Three related 46,XY males with confirmed p.L712F androgen receptor mutations exhibited varying degrees of micropenis post-surgical correction. They were of pre-pubertal, peri-pubertal and adult ages, respectively. Following baseline clinical and laboratory assessments all completed a 4-month course of daily DHT gel 2.5% (androstanolone) topically to penis (0.3 mg/kg body weight), with monitoring for adverse effects. Primary outcome was change in stretched penile length (SPL) following treatment. Mixed results were obtained following topical DHT therapy. In the pre- and peri- pubertal patients, SPL changed from 2.5 cm to 3.5 cm (+40%), and 3.5 cm to 5.7 cm (+63%), respectively. In the adult patient with 1 year of prior high-dose weekly testosterone therapy, no additional change in SPL was seen. No adverse effects of topical DHT were reported or observed throughout the 4 months of treatment. Topical DHT treatment appears to be a safe and well-tolerated method of virilising micropenis both prior to and during puberty in children with PAIS. Questions remain about long-term outcomes into adulthood, and efficacy in adults with prior lengthy exposure to high-dose testosterone.

  9. Assessing the heterogeneity of aggressive behavior traits: exploratory and confirmatory analyses of the reactive and instrumental aggression Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI) scales.

    PubMed

    Antonius, Daniel; Sinclair, Samuel Justin; Shiva, Andrew A; Messinger, Julie W; Maile, Jordan; Siefert, Caleb J; Belfi, Brian; Malaspina, Dolores; Blais, Mark A

    2013-01-01

    The heterogeneity of violent behavior is often overlooked in risk assessment despite its importance in the management and treatment of psychiatric and forensic patients. In this study, items from the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI) were first evaluated and rated by experts in terms of how well they assessed personality features associated with reactive and instrumental aggression. Exploratory principal component analyses (PCA) were then conducted on select items using a sample of psychiatric and forensic inpatients (n = 479) to examine the latent structure and construct validity of these reactive and instrumental aggression factors. Finally, a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted on a separate sample of psychiatric inpatients (n = 503) to evaluate whether these factors yielded acceptable model fit. Overall, the exploratory and confirmatory analyses supported the existence of two latent PAI factor structures, which delineate personality traits related to reactive and instrumental aggression.

  10. 4G/5G polymorphism of PAI-1 gene is associated with multiple organ dysfunction and septic shock in pneumonia induced severe sepsis: prospective, observational, genetic study

    PubMed Central

    2010-01-01

    Introduction Activation of inflammation and coagulation are closely related and mutually interdependent in sepsis. The acute-phase protein, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) is a key element in the inhibition of fibrinolysis. Elevated levels of PAI-1 have been related to worse outcome in pneumonia. We aimed to evaluate the effect of functionally relevant 4G/5G polymorphism of PAI-1 gene in pneumonia induced sepsis. Methods We enrolled 208 Caucasian patients with severe sepsis due to pneumonia admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU). Patients were followed up until ICU discharge or death. Clinical data were collected prospectively and the PAI-1 4G/5G polymorphism was genotyped by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism technique. Patients were stratified according to the occurrence of multiple organ dysfunction syndrome, septic shock or death. Results We found that carriers of the PAI-1 4G/4G and 4G/5G genotypes have a 2.74-fold higher risk for multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (odds ratio [OR] 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.335 - 5.604; p = 0.006) and a 2.57-fold higher risk for septic shock (OR 95%CI = 1.180 - 5.615; p = 0.018) than 5G/5G carriers. The multivariate logistic regression analysis adjusted for independent predictors, such as age, nosocomial pneumonia and positive microbiological culture also supported that carriers of the 4G allele have a higher prevalence of multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 2.957; 95%CI = 1.306 -6.698; p = 0.009) and septic shock (aOR = 2.603; 95%CI = 1.137 - 5.959; p = 0.024). However, genotype and allele analyses have not shown any significant difference regarding mortality in models non-adjusted or adjusted for acute physiology and chronic health evaluation (APACHE) II. Patients bearing the 4G allele had higher disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) score at admission (p = 0.007) than 5G/5G carriers. Moreover, in 4G allele carriers the length of ICU stay

  11. 4G/5G polymorphism of PAI-1 gene is associated with multiple organ dysfunction and septic shock in pneumonia induced severe sepsis: prospective, observational, genetic study.

    PubMed

    Madách, Krisztina; Aladzsity, István; Szilágyi, Agnes; Fust, George; Gál, János; Pénzes, István; Prohászka, Zoltán

    2010-01-01

    Activation of inflammation and coagulation are closely related and mutually interdependent in sepsis. The acute-phase protein, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) is a key element in the inhibition of fibrinolysis. Elevated levels of PAI-1 have been related to worse outcome in pneumonia. We aimed to evaluate the effect of functionally relevant 4G/5G polymorphism of PAI-1 gene in pneumonia induced sepsis. We enrolled 208 Caucasian patients with severe sepsis due to pneumonia admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU). Patients were followed up until ICU discharge or death. Clinical data were collected prospectively and the PAI-1 4G/5G polymorphism was genotyped by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism technique. Patients were stratified according to the occurrence of multiple organ dysfunction syndrome, septic shock or death. We found that carriers of the PAI-1 4G/4G and 4G/5G genotypes have a 2.74-fold higher risk for multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (odds ratio [OR] 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.335 - 5.604; p = 0.006) and a 2.57-fold higher risk for septic shock (OR 95%CI = 1.180 - 5.615; p = 0.018) than 5G/5G carriers. The multivariate logistic regression analysis adjusted for independent predictors, such as age, nosocomial pneumonia and positive microbiological culture also supported that carriers of the 4G allele have a higher prevalence of multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 2.957; 95%CI = 1.306 -6.698; p = 0.009) and septic shock (aOR = 2.603; 95%CI = 1.137 - 5.959; p = 0.024). However, genotype and allele analyses have not shown any significant difference regarding mortality in models non-adjusted or adjusted for acute physiology and chronic health evaluation (APACHE) II. Patients bearing the 4G allele had higher disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) score at admission (p = 0.007) than 5G/5G carriers. Moreover, in 4G allele carriers the length of ICU stay of non-survivors was longer

  12. The Utility of the PAI and the MMPI-2 for Discriminating PTSD, Depression, and Social Phobia in Trauma-Exposed College Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McDevitt-Murphy, Meghan E.; Weathers, Frank W.; Flood, Amanda M.; Eakin, David E.; Benson, Trisha A.

    2007-01-01

    This study investigated the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-Revised (MMPI-2; Butcher, Dahlstrom, Graham, Tellegen, & Kaemmer, 1989) and the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI; Morey, 1991) with regard to each instrument's utility for discriminating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) from depression and social phobia in a…

  13. Stimulating Innovation and Accelerating the Development of Complex and Slowly Maturing Technologies Through Advanced Technology Prize Competitions

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2007-06-15

    technology prize competitions have been used since the 18th century to spur innovation and advance the development of complex and slowly maturing disruptive ... technologies The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has used advanced technology competitions in 2004 and 2005 to rapidly accelerate the

  14. EDITORIAL: Roberts Prize for the best paper published in 2010 Roberts Prize for the best paper published in 2010

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Webb, Steve; Harris, Simon

    2011-08-01

    The publishers of Physics in Medicine and Biology (PMB), IOP Publishing, in association with the journal owners, the Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine (IPEM), jointly award an annual prize for the best paper published in PMB during the previous year. The procedure for deciding the winner has been made as thorough as possible, to try to ensure that an outstanding paper wins the prize. We started off with a shortlist of the 10 research papers published in 2010 which were rated the best based on the referees' quality assessments. Following the submission of a short 'case for winning' document by each of the shortlisted authors, an IPEM college of jurors of the status of FIPEM assessed and rated these 10 papers in order to choose a winner, which was then endorsed by the Editorial Board. We have much pleasure in advising readers that the Roberts Prize for the best paper published in 2010 is awarded to M M Paulides et al from Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, for their paper on hyperthermia treatment: The clinical feasibility of deep hyperthermia treatment in the head and neck: new challenges for positioning and temperature measurement M M Paulides, J F Bakker, M Linthorst, J van der Zee, Z Rijnen, E Neufeld, P M T Pattynama, P P Jansen, P C Levendag and G C van Rhoon 2010 Phys. Med. Biol. 55 2465 Our congratulations go to these authors. Of course all of the shortlisted papers were of great merit, and the full top-10 is listed below (in alphabetical order). Steve Webb Editor-in-Chief Simon Harris Publisher References Alonzo-Proulx O, Packard N, Boone J M, Al-Mayah A, Brock K K, Shen S Z and Yaffe M J 2010 Validation of a method for measuring the volumetric breast density from digital mammograms Phys. Med. Biol. 55 3027 Bian J, Siewerdsen J H, Han X, Sidky E Y, Prince J L, Pelizzari C A and Pan X 2010 Evaluation of sparse-view reconstruction from flat-panel-detector cone-beam CT Phys. Med. Biol. 55 6575 Brun M-A, Formanek F, Yasuda A, Sekine M, Ando N

  15. [From apprenticeship to Nobel Prize: Henri Moissan's fabulous destiny].

    PubMed

    Lafont, O

    2008-01-01

    Born in Paris on September 28, 1852, son of an eastern railways' employee and of a dressmaker, Henri Moissan's secondary schooling in Meaux did not allow him to get access to the sesame diploma "baccalauréat" (GCE). In 1869, he did obtain a special certificate of secondary schooling so that he could become an apprentice in watch making. That could have been the end of the story, but dreadful event for France appeared to have beneficial effects for Moissan. Under the threat of the Prussian army, Moissan's family took refuge near Paris. This gave the young Henri the opportunity to register as a student for the second-class pharmacy diploma, which did not need, at the time, the GCE. Moissan became then a trainee in pharmacy in 1871. Meanwhile, he followed the special schooling of "Ecole de chimie" founded by E. Frémy, and then joined the laboratory of Dehérain at the Museum, where he worked in plant physiology. He finally obtained the famous "baccalauréat" (GCE) and could register as a student in first-class pharmacy. He became a pharmacist as well as a doctor in sciences. In 1883, Moissan was named professor at the school of pharmacy in Paris. In 1886, he isolated fluorine by electrolysis of fluorhydric acid, in the presence of potassium fluoride, at a low temperature. He then studied diamond synthesis and gave a start to high temperature chemistry, designing his famous furnace. These findings and many others allowed Moissan to rise to membership in many learned academies around the world. Crowning achievement, Moissan won the Nobel Prize in 1906. A man of culture, collector of autographs and paintings, he died in 1907. Nothing of that would have been possible if there had not been a second-class pharmacist diploma. The history of Henri Moissan is one of a rise from apprenticeship to the Nobel Prize.

  16. Wave Energy Prize MASK wave calibration data for the 1:20 scale testing at MASK

    DOE Data Explorer

    Driscoll, Rick

    2017-05-08

    Time series data, sensor layout, and wave calibration summaries for the wave height measurements for the 10 calibration sea states for the 1:20 scale testing of the Wave Energy Prize (WEP) at the US Navy's Maneuvering and Seakeeping (MASK) Basin at the Naval Surface Warfare Center in Carderock, Maryland. Measurements were made in the test area and upstream of the test area.

  17. Do serum angiopoietin-1, angiopoietin-2, and their receptor Tie-2 and 4G/5G variant of PAI-1 gene have a role in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia?

    PubMed

    Kamal, Manal; El-Khayat, Waleed

    2011-10-01

    To evaluate whether serum angiogenesis markers such as angiopoietins (Ang-1, Ang-2) and their receptor (Tie-2) are altered in women with preeclampsia. We also performed genotyping to determine if the 4G/5G genotypes of -675 PAI-1 gene may play a role in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia. Sixty-eight pregnant women with preeclampsia were compared to 35 normotensive pregnant women and 24 normotensive nonpregnant women in a cross-sectional study. Using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, levels of serum Ang-1 and Ang-2, and Tie-2 were measured. A single base pair insertion/deletion 4G/5G polymorphism of the PAI-1 gene was determined by polymerase chain reaction. Serum levels of Ang-1 and Tie-2 were significantly different among the study groups (P = 0.001 and P = 0.025, respectively) being lower in the preeclamptic group. Positive significant correlation was found between Ang-2 and Tie-2, (r = 0.26, P = 0.024). The frequency of the genotypes (4G/5G, 4G/4G, and 5G/5G) differed among the groups (P = 0.001). Also, the mean of systolic and diastolic blood pressures differed significantly according to the PAI-1 genotype being higher in those bearing the 4G allele; P = 0.04 and P = 0.023, respectively. Sera Ang-1 and Ang-2, and Tie-2 as well as variants of 4G/5G of PAI-1 polymorphism have positive implications in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia.

  18. PAI-1 4G/5G polymorphism and coronary artery disease risk: a meta-analysis.

    PubMed

    Liang, Zhongshu; Jiang, Weihong; Ouyang, Mao; Yang, Kan

    2015-01-01

    Many epidemiologic studies have investigated the plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) gene 4G/5G polymorphism and this association with coronary artery disease (CAD). But definite conclusions can not be drawn. Related studies were identified from PubMed, Springer Link, Ovid, Chinese Wanfang Data Knowledge Service Platform, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and Chinese Biology Medicine (CBM) till 10 August 2014. Pooled ORs and 95% CIs were used to assess the strength of the associations. A total of 53 studies including 20921 CAD cases and 18434 controls were included. Significantly elevated CAD risk was found in overall analysis (OR = 1.13, 95% CI: 1.05-1.21, P = 0.0009). In the subgroup analysis by races, significantly increased risk was found in Caucasians (OR = 1.11, 95% CI: 1.03-1.20, P = 0.005) and Asians (OR = 1.20, 95% CI: 1.01-1.42, P = 0.04). In the subgroup analysis by gender, significant association was found in males (OR = 1.15, 95% CI: 1.06-1.25, P = 0.0008), but was not found in females (OR = 1.05, 95% CI: 0.92-1.20, P = 0.47). In the subgroup analysis by age, young populations showed increased CAD risk (OR = 1.19, 95% CI: 1.02-1.37, P = 0.02), but old populations did not show this association (OR = 1.01, 95% CI: 0.82-1.24, P = 0.93). This meta-analysis provides the evidence that PAI-1 4G/5G polymorphism may contribute to the CAD development.

  19. PAI-1 4G/5G polymorphism and coronary artery disease risk: a meta-analysis

    PubMed Central

    Liang, Zhongshu; Jiang, Weihong; Ouyang, Mao; Yang, Kan

    2015-01-01

    Many epidemiologic studies have investigated the plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) gene 4G/5G polymorphism and this association with coronary artery disease (CAD). But definite conclusions can not be drawn. Related studies were identified from PubMed, Springer Link, Ovid, Chinese Wanfang Data Knowledge Service Platform, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and Chinese Biology Medicine (CBM) till 10 August 2014. Pooled ORs and 95% CIs were used to assess the strength of the associations. A total of 53 studies including 20921 CAD cases and 18434 controls were included. Significantly elevated CAD risk was found in overall analysis (OR = 1.13, 95% CI: 1.05-1.21, P = 0.0009). In the subgroup analysis by races, significantly increased risk was found in Caucasians (OR = 1.11, 95% CI: 1.03-1.20, P = 0.005) and Asians (OR = 1.20, 95% CI: 1.01-1.42, P = 0.04). In the subgroup analysis by gender, significant association was found in males (OR = 1.15, 95% CI: 1.06-1.25, P = 0.0008), but was not found in females (OR = 1.05, 95% CI: 0.92-1.20, P = 0.47). In the subgroup analysis by age, young populations showed increased CAD risk (OR = 1.19, 95% CI: 1.02-1.37, P = 0.02), but old populations did not show this association (OR = 1.01, 95% CI: 0.82-1.24, P = 0.93). This meta-analysis provides the evidence that PAI-1 4G/5G polymorphism may contribute to the CAD development. PMID:25932140

  20. Society News: RAS Fellows are honoured with awards; Patrick Moore Medal; Best theses win prizes; New Fellows

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    2011-08-01

    Congratulations to several Fellows of the RAS who have received prestigious awards this year. Congratulations to the winners of the annual prizes for the best PhD theses in astronomy and geophysics, awarded by the RAS and sponsored by Wiley-Blackwell. Winners receive a cheque for £1000, runners-up £50.

  1. George E. Pake Prize Talk: A Peaceful and Free World Through Technology

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Robinson, C. Paul

    2003-03-01

    The award of the George E. Pake Prize honors not just me, but the many men and women who have devoted themselves to ``helping our nation secure a peaceful and free world through technology." These words comprise the core purpose of Sandia National Laboratories, and are also an apt description of Los Alamos, where I spent my early career, and of the US delegation to the Nuclear Testing Talks, where I served as the Ambassador and Chief Negotiator. In this talk, I will reflect on the opportunities to benefit the nation's and mankind's future through service in such endeavors.

  2. Another Nobel Prize linked to synchrotron radiation work

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Hasnain, S.

    The 2008 Nobel Prize in Chemistry went to Osamu Shimomura, Martin Chalfie and Roger Tsien 'for the discovery and development of the green fluorescent protein, GFP'. This year's Nobel Prize in Chemistry rewards the initial discovery of GFP and a series of important developments which have led to its use as a tagging tool in bioscience. By using DNA technology, researchers can now connect GFP to other interesting, but otherwise invisible, proteins. This glowing marker allows the movements, positions and interactions of the tagged proteins to be monitored. Osamu Shimomura was the first to isolate GFP from the jellyfish Aequoreamore » victoria, found off the west coast of North America, and discovered the protein's green glow [Shimomura et al. (1962). J. Cell. Comp. Physiol. 59, 223-240]. Martin Chalfie demonstrated the value of GFP as a luminous genetic tag. In one of his first experiments he coloured six individual cells in the transparent roundworm Caenorhabditis elegans with the aid of GFP. He had obtained the GFP gene (gfp) clone from Prasher [Prasher et al. (1992). Gene, 111, 229-233] and expressed it in E. coli. The GFP protein displayed a bright green fluorescence in this heterologous organism, suggesting that it could indeed serve as a versatile genetic marker in virtually all organisms. Chalfie transformed C. elegans with gfp under the control of a promoter regulating the expression of {beta}-tubulin, abundant in six touch receptor neurons in C. elegans. The organism subsequently expressed GFP from distinct positions in its body and at distinct times in its development [Chalfie et al. (1994). Science, 263, 802-805]. Roger Tsien contributed to the general understanding of how GFP glows by determining the formation of the GFP chromophore, a chemical group that absorbs and emits light. Tsien is best known for extending the colour palette of GFP beyond green, allowing researchers to follow several different biological processes at the same time. According to

  3. Overexpression of MMP-3 and uPA with Diminished PAI-1 Related to Metastasis in Ductal Breast Cancer Patients Attending a Public Hospital in Mexico City

    PubMed Central

    Barajas-Castañeda, Luis Miguel; Cortés-Gutiérrez, Evelin; García-Rodríguez, Francisco Mario; Campos-Rodríguez, Rafael; Lara-Padilla, Eleazar; Enríquez-Rincón, Fernando; Figueroa-Arredondo, Paula

    2016-01-01

    Extracellular matrix metalloproteases and the fibrinolytic system are important protease systems interacting with each other in charge of remodeling and recycling of tissues. Their role in tumor invasion and metastasis is often discussed. In this study several metalloproteases such as MMP-1, MMP-3, MMP-9, and TIMP-1 together with molecules from the fibrinolytic system like uPA, its receptor uPAR, and its inhibitor, PAI-1, were studied by immune-histochemistry to establish a comparison with and without metastasis. From the (118) primary tumors of Mexican patients with ductal breast cancer studied, 56% were grade II and 69% were size T2; the group with metastatic ganglia included 64 samples (54.3%). In patients with metastasis the estimated expression of MMP-3 and uPA (resp., 28% and 45%) was higher than that from no metastatic tumors; it means there is higher expression of both markers in metastatic tumors (p < 0.05). At the same time, metastatic tumors showed statistically significant lower signal of PAI-1 (24%) than tumors without metastasis (p < 0.05). We concluded that overexpression of MMP-3 and uPA, altogether with diminished expression of PAI-1 from metastatic tumors, might be a crucial step towards metastasis in ductal breast cancer. Nevertheless, additional studies in different populations are necessary to establish a pattern. PMID:27975070

  4. Overexpression of MMP-3 and uPA with Diminished PAI-1 Related to Metastasis in Ductal Breast Cancer Patients Attending a Public Hospital in Mexico City.

    PubMed

    Barajas-Castañeda, Luis Miguel; Cortés-Gutiérrez, Evelin; García-Rodríguez, Francisco Mario; Campos-Rodríguez, Rafael; Lara-Padilla, Eleazar; Enríquez-Rincón, Fernando; Castro-Mussot, María Eugenia; Figueroa-Arredondo, Paula

    2016-01-01

    Extracellular matrix metalloproteases and the fibrinolytic system are important protease systems interacting with each other in charge of remodeling and recycling of tissues. Their role in tumor invasion and metastasis is often discussed. In this study several metalloproteases such as MMP-1, MMP-3, MMP-9, and TIMP-1 together with molecules from the fibrinolytic system like uPA, its receptor uPAR, and its inhibitor, PAI-1, were studied by immune-histochemistry to establish a comparison with and without metastasis. From the (118) primary tumors of Mexican patients with ductal breast cancer studied, 56% were grade II and 69% were size T2; the group with metastatic ganglia included 64 samples (54.3%). In patients with metastasis the estimated expression of MMP-3 and uPA (resp., 28% and 45%) was higher than that from no metastatic tumors; it means there is higher expression of both markers in metastatic tumors ( p < 0.05). At the same time, metastatic tumors showed statistically significant lower signal of PAI-1 (24%) than tumors without metastasis ( p < 0.05). We concluded that overexpression of MMP-3 and uPA, altogether with diminished expression of PAI-1 from metastatic tumors, might be a crucial step towards metastasis in ductal breast cancer. Nevertheless, additional studies in different populations are necessary to establish a pattern.

  5. Body adiposity but not insulin resistance is associated with -675 4G/5G polymorphism in the PAI-1 gene in a sample of Mexican children.

    PubMed

    de la Cruz-Mosso, Ulises; Muñoz-Valle, José Francisco; Salgado-Bernabé, Aralia Berenice; Castro-Alarcón, Natividad; Salgado-Goytia, Lorenzo; Sánchez-Corona, José; Flores-Martínez, Silvia Esperanza; Parra-Rojas, Isela

    2013-01-01

    To assess whether the -675 4G/5G polymorphism in the plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 gene is associated with obesity and insulin resistance in Mexican children. A cross-sectional study was performed in 174 children, 89 with normal-weight and 85 with obesity, aged from 6 to 13 years. All children were from state of Guerrero, and recruited from three primary schools in the city of Chilpancingo, state of Guerrero, Mexico. Insulin levels were determined by immunoenzymatic assay. The homeostasis model assessment was used to determine insulin resistance. The -675 4G/5G polymorphism in PAI-1 gene was analyzed by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism. The prevalence of insulin resistance in the obese group was higher (49.41%) than in the normal-weight group (16.85%). The 4G/5G PAI-1 polymorphism was found in Hardy Weinberg equilibrium. The 4G/5G genotype contributed to a significant increase in waist-hip ratio (β=0.02, p=0.006), waist circumference (β=4.42, p=0.009), and subscapular skinfold thickness (β=1.79, p=0.04); however, it was not related with insulin resistance. The -675 4G/5G genotype of PAI-1 gene was associated with increase of body adiposity in Mexican children. Copyright © 2013 Sociedade Brasileira de Pediatria. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

  6. Unlocking Student Effort: How Five Irreplaceable Teachers Engage, Challenge and Inspire Students to Excellence. Fishman Prize Series

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fishman, Shira; Henderson, Whitney; Irish, Jamie; Lyons, Katie; Ross, Leslie

    2012-01-01

    Founded by TNTP, the Fishman Prize for Superlative Classroom Practice is an annual award for the nation's best teachers in high-poverty public schools. The goal is to shine a spotlight on great teaching and amplify the voices of some of the nation's best educators so that others can gain insight into their remarkable classrooms. No more than five…

  7. A Psychometric Evaluation of the STAI-Y, BDI-II, and PAI Using Single and Multifactorial Models in Young Adults Seeking Psychoeducational Evaluation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hill, Benjamin D.; Musso, Mandi; Jones, Glenn N.; Pella, Russell D.; Gouvier, Wm. Drew

    2013-01-01

    A psychometric evaluation on the measurement of self-report anxiety and depression using the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II), State Trait Anxiety Inventory, Form-Y (STAI-Y), and the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI) was performed using a sample of 534 generally young adults seeking psychoeducational evaluation at a university-based clinic.…

  8. Radiation risk and nuclear medicine: An interview with a Nobel Prize winner

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Yalow, R.S.

    1995-12-01

    In a speech given years ago at the Veterans Administration Medical Center, Bronx, NY, Rosalyn S. Yalow, 1977 Nobel Prize recipient for her invention of radioimmunoassay, made several salient points on the perception of fear or hazards from exposure to low-level radiation and low-level radioactive wastes. For the past three years, Yalow has been concerned with the general fear of radiation. In this interview, Newsline solicited Yalow`s views on public perceptions on radiation risk and what the nuclear medicine community can do to emphasize the fact that, if properly managed, the use of isotopes in medicine and other cases ismore » not dangerous.« less

  9. John C. Lincoln Health Network recognized for community service. Phoenix institution wins prestigious Foster G. Mcgaw Prize.

    PubMed

    Rees, Tom

    2003-01-01

    John C. Lincoln Health Network, Phoenix, was awarded the Foster G. McGaw Prize for excellence in community service, one of the healthcare field's most prestigious honors. The network serves a broad geographic area and nearly a dozen communities. Those communities most challenged by poverty, hunger, poor housing and crime are the focus of most of the health network's efforts.

  10. [The 2009 Nobel Prize in Medicine and its surprising message: lifestyle is associated with telomerase activity].

    PubMed

    Falus, András; Marton, István; Borbényi, Erika; Tahy, Adám; Karádi, Pál; Aradi, János; Stauder, Adrienne; Kopp, Mária

    2010-06-13

    The 2009 Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine was awarded to three scientists for their pioneer research on telomeres - and the enzyme that forms them - telomerase. Their work highlighted the considerable connection between the length of telomeres and intensive changes in lifestyle and nutrition (Ornish method) as well as behavioral and psychological factors. In this review the various elements of molecular, cell biological, nutritional and lifestyle changes are introduced and discussed.

  11. Nobel prize winner trading card (CIRCA 1952). Elie Metchnikoff.

    PubMed

    Hammerschmidt, Dale E

    2003-03-01

    Russian doctor and bacteriologist, born in Ivanowca in 1845. He began his studies in Kharkov, continuing them at the Universities of Giessen, Gothingen, and Munich, later being named Professor of Zoology in Odessa in 1870. In the Canary Islands, he completed some anthropological works, but dedicated himself especially to studies of marine fauna. In 1887, much taken by the work of Pasteur, he wrote to him asking for a position in his laboratories; in a short time he became one of the principal collaborators with the master, especially in works concerning bacteriology. These were an inspiration to him, and led him to his famous theory of phagocytosis, the defensive act whereby white blood cells protect an organism against pathogenic microbes. Metchnikoff supposed that old age was avoidable, and subscribed to the materialistic school of thought. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1908. (With the complements of the Jose Lopez Luis Cigarillo Factory, Tenerife).

  12. Youyou Tu: significance of winning the 2015 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.

    PubMed

    Liu, Wenxiu; Liu, Yue

    2016-02-01

    Youyou Tu, a female scientist at the China Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Beijing, is the first Chinese winner of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. Based on the study of recipes which had been used for thousands of years to treat fever, Tu's group discovered that the plant artemesia annua, sweet wormwood, showed substantial inhibition of rodent malaria parasites. Her achievement and experience have inspired other researchers and emphasized the development of traditional Chinese medicine. Her award has led to a heated discussion about scientific research investment, fair treatment of research staff, and intellectual property right (IPR) protection in China.

  13. Pavlov and Cajal: Two different pathways to a Nobel Prize.

    PubMed

    Rozo, Jairo A; Andrade-Talavera, Yuniesky; Rodríguez-Moreno, Antonio

    2017-01-01

    Ivan Pavlov (1849-1936) and Santiago Ramón y Cajal (1852-1934) were two contemporary scientists who not only had a great impact on Russian and Spanish science but also on the international stage. Both shared several common features in their life and work, yet they followed fundamentally different paths during their training as scientists. While Pavlov received his laboratory training under the guidance of Ilya Tsion (1843-1912), Cajal did not receive any formal training within a particular laboratory nor did he have a mentor in the traditional sense, rather he was mainly self-taught, although he was supported by key figures like Maestre de San Juan (1828-1890) and Luis Simarro (1851-1921). In this article, we compare the scientific training of these two Nobel Prize laureates and the influences they received during their scientific lives.

  14. "The developmental and functional logic of neuronal circuits": commentary on the Kavli Prize in Neuroscience.

    PubMed

    Glover, J C

    2009-11-10

    The first Kavli Prize in Neuroscience recognizes a confluence of career achievements that together provide a fundamental understanding of how brain and spinal cord circuits are assembled during development and function in the adult. The members of the Kavli Neuroscience Prize Committee have decided to reward three scientists (Sten Grillner, Thomas Jessell, and Pasko Rakic) jointly "for discoveries on the developmental and functional logic of neuronal circuits". Pasko Rakic performed groundbreaking studies of the developing cerebral cortex, including the discovery of how radial glia guide the neuronal migration that establishes cortical layers and for the radial unit hypothesis and its implications for cortical connectivity and evolution. Thomas Jessell discovered molecular principles governing the specification and patterning of different neuron types and the development of their synaptic interconnection into sensorimotor circuits. Sten Grillner elucidated principles of network organization in the vertebrate locomotor central pattern generator, along with its command systems and sensory and higher order control. The discoveries of Rakic, Jessell and Grillner provide a framework for how neurons obtain their identities and ultimate locations, establish appropriate connections with each other, and how the resultant neuronal networks operate. Their work has significantly advanced our understanding of brain development and function and created new opportunities for the treatment of neurological disorders. Each has pioneered an important area of neuroscience research and left a legacy of exceptional scientific achievement, insight, communication, mentoring and leadership.

  15. Special Issue on "Neutrino Oscillations: Celebrating the Nobel Prize in Physics 2015" in Nuclear Physics B

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ohlsson, Tommy

    2016-07-01

    In 2015, the Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded jointly to Takaaki Kajita from the Super-Kamiokande Collaboration and Arthur B. McDonald from the SNO Collaboration ;for the discovery of neutrino oscillations, which shows that neutrinos have mass;. Furthermore, the Daya Bay, K2K and T2K, KamLAND, SNO, and Super-Kamiokande Collaborations shared the Fundamental Physics Breakthrough Prize the same year. In order to celebrate this successful and fruitful year for neutrino oscillations, the editors and the publisher of Nuclear Physics B decided to publish a Special Issue on neutrino oscillations. We invited prominent scientists in the area of neutrino physics that relates to neutrino oscillations to write contributions for this Special Issue, which was open to both original research articles as well as review articles. The authors of this Special Issue consist of e.g. the two Nobel Laureates, International Participants of the Nobel Symposium 129 on Neutrino Physics at Haga Slott in Enköping, Sweden (August 19-24, 2004), selected active researchers, and members from large experimental collaborations with major results in the last ten years. In total, this Special Issue consists of 28 contributions. Please note that the cover of this Special Issue contains a figure from each of the 26 contributions that have figures included.

  16. Genome-wide association study for circulating levels of PAI-1 provides novel insights into its regulation

    PubMed Central

    Huang, Jie; Sabater-Lleal, Maria; Asselbergs, Folkert W.; Tregouet, David; Shin, So-Youn; Ding, Jingzhong; Baumert, Jens; Oudot-Mellakh, Tiphaine; Folkersen, Lasse; Johnson, Andrew D.; Smith, Nicholas L.; Williams, Scott M.; Ikram, Mohammad A.; Kleber, Marcus E.; Becker, Diane M.; Truong, Vinh; Mychaleckyj, Josyf C.; Tang, Weihong; Yang, Qiong; Sennblad, Bengt; Moore, Jason H.; Williams, Frances M. K.; Dehghan, Abbas; Silbernagel, Günther; Schrijvers, Elisabeth M. C.; Smith, Shelly; Karakas, Mahir; Tofler, Geoffrey H.; Silveira, Angela; Navis, Gerjan J.; Lohman, Kurt; Chen, Ming-Huei; Peters, Annette; Goel, Anuj; Hopewell, Jemma C.; Chambers, John C.; Saleheen, Danish; Lundmark, Per; Psaty, Bruce M.; Strawbridge, Rona J.; Boehm, Bernhard O.; Carter, Angela M.; Meisinger, Christa; Peden, John F.; Bis, Joshua C.; McKnight, Barbara; Öhrvik, John; Taylor, Kent; Franzosi, Maria Grazia; Seedorf, Udo; Collins, Rory; Franco-Cereceda, Anders; Syvänen, Ann-Christine; Goodall, Alison H.; Yanek, Lisa R.; Cushman, Mary; Müller-Nurasyid, Martina; Folsom, Aaron R.; Basu, Saonli; Matijevic, Nena; van Gilst, Wiek H.; Kooner, Jaspal S.; Hofman, Albert; Danesh, John; Clarke, Robert; Meigs, James B.; Kathiresan, Sekar; Reilly, Muredach P.; Klopp, Norman; Harris, Tamara B.; Winkelmann, Bernhard R.; Grant, Peter J.; Hillege, Hans L.; Watkins, Hugh; Spector, Timothy D.; Becker, Lewis C.; Tracy, Russell P.; März, Winfried; Uitterlinden, Andre G.; Eriksson, Per; Cambien, Francois; Morange, Pierre-Emmanuel; Koenig, Wolfgang; Soranzo, Nicole; van der Harst, Pim; Liu, Yongmei

    2012-01-01

    We conducted a genome-wide association study to identify novel associations between genetic variants and circulating plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) concentration, and examined functional implications of variants and genes that were discovered. A discovery meta-analysis was performed in 19 599 subjects, followed by replication analysis of genome-wide significant (P < 5 × 10−8) single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 10 796 independent samples. We further examined associations with type 2 diabetes and coronary artery disease, assessed the functional significance of the SNPs for gene expression in human tissues, and conducted RNA-silencing experiments for one novel association. We confirmed the association of the 4G/5G proxy SNP rs2227631 in the promoter region of SERPINE1 (7q22.1) and discovered genome-wide significant associations at 3 additional loci: chromosome 7q22.1 close to SERPINE1 (rs6976053, discovery P = 3.4 × 10−10); chromosome 11p15.2 within ARNTL (rs6486122, discovery P = 3.0 × 10−8); and chromosome 3p25.2 within PPARG (rs11128603, discovery P = 2.9 × 10−8). Replication was achieved for the 7q22.1 and 11p15.2 loci. There was nominal association with type 2 diabetes and coronary artery disease at ARNTL (P < .05). Functional studies identified MUC3 as a candidate gene for the second association signal on 7q22.1. In summary, SNPs in SERPINE1 and ARNTL and an SNP associated with the expression of MUC3 were robustly associated with circulating levels of PAI-1. PMID:22990020

  17. On the energy-momentum tensor of light in strong fields: an all optical view of the Abraham-Minkowski controversy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Macleod, Alexander J.; Noble, Adam; Jaroszynski, Dino A.

    2017-05-01

    The Abraham-Minkowski controversy is the debate surrounding the "correct" form of the energy-momentum tensor of light in a medium. Over a century of theoretical and experimental studies have consistently produced conflicting results, with no consensus being found on how best to describe the influence of a material on the propagation of light. It has been argued that the total energy-momentum tensor for each of the theories, which includes both wave and material components, are equal. The difficulty in separating the full energy-momentum tensor is generally attributed to the fact that one cannot obtain the energy-momentum tensor of the medium for real materials. Non-linear electrodynamics provides an opportunity to approach the debate from an all optical set up, where the role of the medium is replaced by the vacuum under the influence of a strong background field. We derive, from first principles, the general form of the energy-momentum tensor in such theories, and use our results to shed some light on this long standing issue.

  18. Irish Team Wins SEA & SPACE Super Prize

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    1998-09-01

    A secondary school team from Ireland has won a trip to Europe's Spaceport in Kourou, French Guyana, and to ESO's Very Large Telescope (VLT) at Cerro Paranal, Chile. The trip is the Super-Prize for the Sea & Space Newspaper Competition , organised within the framework of the European Week for Scientific and Technological Culture. ESO PR Photo 33/98 ESO PR Photo 33/98 [Preview - JPEG: 800 x 434 pix - 568k] [High-Res - JPEG: 3000 x 1627 pix - 6.7Mb] The presentation of prize certificates to the winning Irish team (right) in Lisbon, on August 31, 1998, by ESO, ESA and EAAE representatives. Stephen Kearney, Cian Wilson (both aged 16 years), Eamonn McKeogh (aged 17 years) together with their teacher, John Daly of Blackrock College in Dublin, prepared their newspaper, Infinitus , on marine and space themes, and came first in the national round of the competition. Together with other students from all over Europe, they were invited to present their winning newspaper to a jury consisting of representatives of the organisers, during a special programme of events at the Gulbenkian Planetarium and EXPO '98 in Lisbon, from 28-31 August, 1998. The Irish team scored highly in all categories of the judging, which included scientific content and originality and creativity of the articles. Their look at Irish contributions to sea and space research also proved popular in a ballot by fellow student competitors. This vote was also taken into account by the judges. The jury was very impressed by the high quality of the national entries and there were several close runners-up. The width and depth was amazing and the variety of ideas and formats presented by the sixteen teams was enormous. A poster competition was organised for younger students, aged 10 to 13 and winning entries at national level are on display at the Oceanophilia Pavilion at EXPO '98. The SEA & SPACE project is a joint initiative of the European Space Agency (ESA) , the European Southern Observatory (ESO) , and the

  19. [Changes of focal and brainstem neurologic signs in patients with traumatic brain injury and their dependence on the -675 4G/5G polymorphism in the PAI-1 gene].

    PubMed

    Potapov, O; Kmyta, O

    2014-09-01

    Regressive course of neurological signs and symptoms is an important factor of evaluating the clinical course and treatment efficacy of traumatic brain injury. This article presents changes evaluation of focal and brainstem symptoms in 200 patients with traumatic brain injury, and determines the association between these changes and the -675 4G/5G polymorphism in the PAI-1 gene. We have found a connection between 4G/4G and 4G/5G genotypes for the studied polymorphism and the changes of focal and brainstem symptoms in patients with traumatic brain injury. Thus, we have demonstrated that the clinical course of traumatic brain injury is influenced by the -675 4G/5G polymorphism in the PAI-1 gene.

  20. Reforming medical education in ethics and humanities by finding common ground with Abraham Flexner.

    PubMed

    Doukas, David J; McCullough, Laurence B; Wear, Stephen

    2010-02-01

    Abraham Flexner was commissioned by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching to conduct the 1910 survey of all U.S. and Canadian medical schools because medical education was perceived to lack rigor and strong learning environments. Existing proprietary schools were shown to have inadequate student scholarship and substandard faculty and teaching venues. Flexner's efforts and those of the American Medical Association resulted in scores of inadequate medical schools being closed and the curricula of the survivors being radically changed. Flexner presumed that medical students would already be schooled in the humanities in college. He viewed the humanities as essential to physician development but did not explicitly incorporate this position into his 1910 report, although he emphasized this point in later writings. Medical ethics and humanities education since 1970 has sought integration with the sciences in medical school. Most programs, however, are not well integrated with the scientific/clinical curriculum, comprehensive across four years of training, or cohesive with nationally formulated goals and objectives. The authors propose a reformation of medical humanities teaching in medical schools inspired by Flexner's writings on premedical education in the context of contemporary educational requirements. College and university education in the humanities is committed to a broad education, consistent with long-standing tenets of liberal arts education. As a consequence, premedical students do not study clinically oriented science or humanities. The medical school curriculum already provides teaching of clinically relevant sciences. The proposed four-year curriculum should likewise provide clinically relevant humanities teaching to train medical students and residents comprehensively in humane, professional patient care.

  1. Santiago Ramón y Cajal and Ivan Petrovic Pavlov: their parallel scientific lives, schools and nobel prizes.

    PubMed

    Rozo, Jairo A; Rodríguez-Moreno, Antonio

    2015-01-01

    Santiago Ramón y Cajal was not only a great scientist but he was also a dedicated teacher who managed to create his own School in Spain. Cajal was active at the end of the XIX and the beginning of the XX century, a period in which Ivan Petrovich Pavlov, another great contemporary scientist, also established a strong School in Russia. While these two acclaimed scientists shared a similar vision on science, a view they also conveyed to their disciples, they applied quite distinct criteria in the way they dealt with their followers. Interestingly, despite the geographic and idiomatic barriers that had to be overcome, the paths of these two great figures of XX century science crossed at least three times. First when they competed for the City of Moscow Prize, second when they both attended the "Congreso Internacional de Medicina de Madrid" (Medicine International Congress in Madrid) in 1903 and finally, they competed on four consecutive occasions for the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. Here we discuss their scientific vision, their different attitudes in the interaction with disciples and the distinct circumstances in which their paths crossed.

  2. Werner Forssmann, Eberswalde, the 1956 Nobel Prize for medicine.

    PubMed

    Hollmann, Wildor

    2006-10-27

    Since October 1949 Werner Forssmann was a regular guest of Prof. Dr. Hugo Wilhelm Knipping in the Medical University Clinic of Cologne. Established himself as urologist in Bad Kreuznach, Werner Forssmann had read about the American further development of heart catherization, which was invented by himself. Prof. Wilhelm Bolt, who was one of the medical station doctors of the Cologne Clinic, had already learned the technique of heart catherization in 1947. Thus, it was routinely performed in patients at the Cologne University Hospital. A close collaboration between Werner Forssmann and our research group (Hugo Wilhelm Knipping, Wilhelm Bolt, Helmut Valentin, Helmut Venrath, Hans Rink, Wildor Hollmann) was established. After the notification that Werner Forssmann had been awarded the Nobel Prize for Medicine in 1956, Hugo Wilhelm Knipping instructed me to help Werner Forssmann with the preparation of his lecture. Details of events in the year 1956 are illustrated. One of the important developments in which Werner Forssmann participated with the Medical University Clinic of Cologne was the selective pulmonary angiography.

  3. Ecosystems Vulnerability Challenge and Prize Competition

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Smith, J. H.; Frame, M. T.; Ferriter, O.; Recker, J.

    2014-12-01

    Stimulating innovation and private sector entrepreneurship is an important way to advance the preparedness of communities, businesses and individuals for the impacts of climate change on certain aspects of ecosystems, such as: fire regimes; water availability; carbon sequestration; biodiversity conservation; weather-related hazards, and the spread of invasive species. The creation of tools is critical to help communities and natural resource managers better understand the impacts of climate change on ecosystems and the potential resulting implications for ecosystem services and conservation efforts. The Department of the Interior is leading an interagency effort to develop the Ecosystems Vulnerability theme as part of the President's Climate Action Plan. This effort will provide seamless access to relevant datasets that can help address such issues as: risk of wildfires to local communities and federal lands; water sensitivity to climate change; and understanding the role of ecosystems in a changing climate. This session will provide an overview of the proposed Ecosystem Vulnerability Challenge and Prize Competition, outlining the intended audience, scope, goals, and overall timeline. The session will provide an opportunity for participants to offer new ideas. Through the Challenge, access will be made available to critical datasets for software developers, engineers, scientists, students, and researchers to develop and submit applications addressing critical science issues facing our Nation today. Application submission criteria and guidelines will also be discussed. The Challenge will be open to all sectors and organizations (i.e. federal, non-federal, private sector, non-profits, and universities) within the United States. It is anticipated the Challenge will run from early January 2015 until spring of 2015.

  4. The mantle of the heavens: Reflections on the 2014 Nobel Prize for medicine or physiology.

    PubMed

    Morris, Richard G M

    2015-06-01

    The award of the Nobel Prize in Medicine or Physiology in 2014 for the discovery of place and grid cells was both a personal award to three great scientists and also a mark of the maturity of systems neuroscience as a discipline. This article offers both personal and scientific reflections on these discoveries, detailing both how getting to know all three winners had an impact on my life and the research questions that we shared in common work together. It ends with brief reflections on three important outstanding questions. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  5. Physiological regulation of MMPs and tPA/PAI in the arterial wall of rats by noradrenergic tone and angiotensin II.

    PubMed

    Dab, Houcine; Hachani, Rafik; Dhaouadi, Nedra; Hodroj, Wassim; Sakly, Mohsen; Randon, Jacques; Bricca, Giampiero; Kacem, Kamel

    2012-03-01

    The interactions between the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) and angiotensin II (ANG II), and their direct effects in vitro on the enzymes involved in vascular extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation, were examined. Rats were treated with guanethidine, losartan or the combined treatments. mRNA, protein and activity of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and MMP-9 and mRNA of tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) and plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1) were quantified in abdominal aorta (AA) and femoral artery (FA). Norepinephrine (NE) or ANG II with adrenergic (β, α1 and α2) or losartan antagonists was tested for MMP mRNA response in cultured vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). Combined treatment enhances the inhibition of MMP-2 mRNA and protein level induced by simple treatment in AA. However MMP-9 in AA and MMP mRNA in FA were reduced in the same order by treatments. MMP activities were not affected by treatments. The t-PA/PAI-1 ratio, which reflects the fibrinolytic balance, remained higher after treatments. In cultured VSMCs, NE induced stimulation of MMP mRNA via α2 and β adrenergic receptors and MMP-2 activity via β adrenergic receptors, while ANG II-induced stimulation was abrogated by losartan. Overall, there is a synergic inhibition of both systems on the level of MMP-2 in AA.

  6. Increasing response rates to follow-up questionnaires in health intervention research: Randomized controlled trial of a gift card prize incentive.

    PubMed

    Morgan, Amy J; Rapee, Ronald M; Bayer, Jordana K

    2017-08-01

    Background/aims Achieving a high response rate to follow-up questionnaires in randomized controlled trials of interventions is important for study validity. Few studies have tested the value of incentives in increasing response rates to online questionnaires in clinical trials of health interventions. This study evaluated the effect of a gift card prize-draw incentive on response rates to follow-up questionnaires within a trial of an online health intervention. Method The study was embedded in a host randomized controlled trial of an online parenting program for child anxiety. A total of 433 participants were randomly allocated to one of two groups: (1) being informed that they would enter a gift card prize-draw if they completed the final study questionnaire (24-week follow-up) and (2) not informed about the prize-draw. All participants had a 1 in 20 chance of winning an AUD50 gift card after they completed the online questionnaire. Results The odds of the informed group completing the follow-up questionnaire were significantly higher than the uninformed group, (79.6% vs 68.5%, odds ratio = 1.79, 95% confidence interval = 1.15-2.79). This response rate increase of 11.1% (95% confidence interval = 2.8-19.1) occurred in both intervention and control groups in the host randomized controlled trial. The incentive was also effective in increasing questionnaire commencement (84.6% vs 75.9%, odds ratio = 1.74, 95% confidence interval = 1.07-2.84) and reducing the delay in completing the questionnaire (19.9 vs 22.6 days, hazard ratio = 1.34, 95% confidence interval = 1.07-1.67). Conclusion This study adds to evidence for the effectiveness of incentives to increase response rates to follow-up questionnaires in health intervention trials.

  7. Educational Practices in an Age of Information Innovation: Audiovisual Education Prize Winning Papers in 1998. AVE in Japan No. 38.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Japan Audiovisual Information Center for International Service, Tokyo.

    This booklet contains two papers that won the 1998 Audiovisual Education Prize of the Japan Audio-Visual Education Association. "Nurturing the Ability To Live in an Advanced Information Network Society: Making the Most Effective Use of Networking" reports on a study of 7th grade students in Okazaki City (Japan). The focus was on an…

  8. A Valentine's Day bouquet for Temperature readers: pleasing with prizes, searching for the right words, and keeping things mysterious.

    PubMed

    Romanovsky, Andrej A

    2015-01-01

    This editorial tells its readers that the journal Temperature awards its first prizes for best papers to Boris Kingma and Assaf Yacobi. It also discusses the use of several thermoregulation-related terms and expressions, including "cold temperature," "thermoneutral temperature," and "warm-sensitive" and offers, arguably, better alternatives. The editorial also contains a new puzzle: how can color affect temperature perception?

  9. Giving Prizes and Awards: A New Way to Recognize and Encourage Activities That Promote Equity for Women in Academe.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lambert, Bonny; Sandler, Bernice

    The use of awards to stimulate activities designed to help women in education is considered. Using the American Assembly of Collegiate Schools of Business award as a model, attention is directed to why awards are important, who can give them and to whom, and how to develop an awards program. An award or prize is defined as any form of recognition…

  10. News and Views: A VISTA of the Orion Nebula; Grote Reber Award; Leverhulme Prize; GNSS workshop; Farming in space; Space messages

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    2010-04-01

    The recipient of the 2010 Grote Reber Award is Dr Alan Rogers, a Research Affiliate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Haystack Observatory. Matt King, a Reader in Polar Geodesy in the School of Civil Engineering and Geosciences at the University of Newcastle, was awarded a Philip Leverhulme Prize in 2009.

  11. Written on the Writer's Face: Facial Width-to-Height Ratio among Nominees and Laureates of the Nobel Prize in Literature

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lebuda, Izabela; Karwowski, Maciej

    2016-01-01

    This study examined the relationship between facial width-to-height ratio (fWHR), an established marker of testosterone level and dominance, and eminent writers' achievement. The fWHR of laureates (N = 39) and nominees (N = 247) of the Nobel Prize in Literature 1901-1950 was measured together with historiometric data. It was demonstrated that…

  12. A Valentine's Day bouquet for Temperature readers: pleasing with prizes, searching for the right words, and keeping things mysterious

    PubMed Central

    Romanovsky, Andrej A

    2015-01-01

    This editorial tells its readers that the journal Temperature awards its first prizes for best papers to Boris Kingma and Assaf Yacobi. It also discusses the use of several thermoregulation-related terms and expressions, including “cold temperature,” “thermoneutral temperature,” and “warm-sensitive” and offers, arguably, better alternatives. The editorial also contains a new puzzle: how can color affect temperature perception? PMID:27226997

  13. Asteroid Named for Nobel Prize Winner Joins Historic Lineup

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2015-04-15

    An asteroid discovered by NASA NEOWISE spacecraft has been given the formal designation 316201 Malala, in honor of Malala Yousafzai of Pakistan, who received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014. The asteroid previous appellation was 2010 ML48. The International Astronomical Union (IAU) renamed the asteroid as the request of Amy Mainzer of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California. Mainzer is the principal investigator of NASA's NEOWISE space telescope. The IAU is the sole worldwide organization recognized by astronomers everywhere to designate names for astronomical bodies. So far, Mainzer and the NEOWISE team have focused on pioneers in civil rights, science and the arts for the astronomical honor. Among the strong women of history who have already had NEOWISE-discovered asteroids named for them are civil rights activist Rosa Parks, conservationist Wangari Maathai, abolitionists Sojourner Truth and Harriet Tubman, and singer Aretha Franklin. Asteroid Malala is in the main belt between Mars and Jupiter and orbits the sun every five-and-a-half years. It is about two-and-a-half miles (four kilometers) in diameter, and its surface is very dark, the color of printer toner. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA19362

  14. Cerebral infarction and femoral venous thrombosis detected in a patient with diabetic ketoacidosis and heterozygous factor V Leiden G1691A and PAI-1 4G/5G mutations.

    PubMed

    Yaroglu Kazanci, Selcen; Yesilbas, Osman; Ersoy, Melike; Kihtir, Hasan Serdar; Yildirim, Hamdi Murat; Sevketoglu, Esra

    2015-09-01

    Cerebral infarction is one of the serious neurological complications of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). Especially in patients who are genetically prone to thrombosis, cerebral infarction may develop due to inflammation, dehydration, and hyperviscocity secondary to DKA. A 6-year-old child with DKA is diagnosed with cerebral infarction after respiratory insufficiency, convulsion, and altered level of consciousness. Femoral and external iliac venous thrombosis also developed in a few hours after central femoral catheter had been inserted. Heterozygous type of factor V Leiden and PAI-14G/5G mutation were detected. In patients with DKA, cerebral infarction may be suspected other than cerebral edema when altered level of consciousness, convulsion, and respiratory insufficiency develop and once cerebral infarction occurs the patients should also be evaluated for factor V Leiden and PAI-14G/5G mutation analysis in addition to the other prothrombotic risk factors.

  15. The presence of PAI-1 4G/5G and ACE DD genotypes increases the risk of early-stage AVF thrombosis in hemodialysis patients.

    PubMed

    Güngör, Yahya; Kayataş, Mansur; Yıldız, Gürsel; Özdemir, Öztürk; Candan, Ferhan

    2011-01-01

    In this study, we investigated the relationship between early arteriovenous fistula (AVF) thrombosis with angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) gene and thrombophilic factor gene polymorphisms. Thirty-five patients who suffered from three or more fistula thrombosis episodes in the early period after AVF operation and 33 control patients with no history of thrombosis for at least 3 years were enrolled in this study. Factor V G1691A Leiden, factor V H1299R (R2), prothrombin G20210A, factor XIIIV34L, β-fibrinogen-455 G-A, glycoprotein IIIa L33P human platelet antigens (HPA-1), methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase C677T, and methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase A1298C gene polymorphisms were similar in both groups (p > 0.05). Plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1) 4G/5G genotype in the study group and 4G/4G genotype in the control group were significantly higher (p = 0.014). No significant difference was detected in terms of the 5G/5G genotype. With regard to the ACE gene polymorphism, the control group showed more ID genotype (19/33, 57.6%), whereas the study group showed more DD genotype (17/35, 48.6%). II genotype was similar in both groups (x(2) = 7.40, p = 0.025). The rate of ACE inhibitor-angiotensin II receptor blockers use was 5/35 in the study group (14.3%) and 5/33 in the control group (15.2%). Individuals with PAI-1 4G/5G genotype showed 5.03 times more risk of thrombosis when compared with 4G/4G and 5G/5G genotypes [p = 0.008, OR = 5.03, 95% confidence interval (1.44:17.64)]. Individuals with ACE DD genotype showed 4.25 times more risk of thrombosis when compared with II and ID [p = 0.008, OR = 4.25, 95% confidence interval (1.404:12.83)]. PAI-1 4G/5G and ACE DD genotypes are associated with increased risk for early AVF thrombosis.

  16. The association of factor V G1961A (factor V Leiden), prothrombin G20210A, MTHFR C677T and PAI-1 4G/5G polymorphisms with recurrent pregnancy loss in Bosnian women.

    PubMed

    Jusić, Amela; Balić, Devleta; Avdić, Aldijana; Pođanin, Maja; Balić, Adem

    2018-08-01

    Aim To investigate association of factor V Leiden, prothrombin G20210A, MTHFR C677T and PAI-1 4G/5G polymorphisms with recurrent pregnancy loss in Bosnian women. Methods A total of 60 women with two or more consecutive miscarriages before 20 weeks of gestation with the same partners and without history of known causes or recurrent pregnancy loss were included. A control group included 80 healthy women who had one or more successful pregnancies without history of any complication which could be associated with miscarriages. Genotyping of factor V Leiden, prothrombin G20210A, MTHFR C677T and PAI-1 4G/5G polymorphisms were performed by polymerase chain reaction/restriction fragments length polymorphism method (PCR/RFLP). Results Both factor V Leiden and MTHFR C677T polymorphisms were significantly associated with recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) in Bosnian women while prothrombin G20210A and PAI-1 4G/5G polymorphisms did not show strongly significant association. Conclusion The presence of thrombophilic polymorphisms may predispose women to recurrent pregnancy loss. Future investigation should be addressed in order to find when carriers of those mutations, polymorphisms should be treated with anticoagulant therapy. Copyright© by the Medical Assotiation of Zenica-Doboj Canton.

  17. From engaged citizen to lone hero: Nobel Prize laureates on British television, 1962-2004.

    PubMed

    Gouyon, Jean-Baptiste

    2018-05-01

    Between 1962 and 2004, Nobel Prize laureates appear in the British television science programme Horizon in various roles, denoting differing understandings of science in relation to society and culture. These representations are the outcome of an interplay of cultural and institutional factors. They vary with the broadcasting environment. Notably, the article establishes that the choice of presenting scientists as heroic characters in strongly determined storylines from the late-1990s onwards originates in a reaction to institutional imperatives as a means to preserve the existence of the Horizon series. The article shows that exigencies of the institutional context in which media professionals operate are major factors influencing the representation of science in public.

  18. Colliding worlds: A journey in time and space through the solar system (Farinella Prize Lecture)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Marchi, S.

    2017-09-01

    The evolution of the interiors, surfaces, and atmospheres of solid bodies in the solar system is affected by interplanetary collisions. From Mercury to the outskirts of the solar system, collisions with leftover planetesimals -asteroids, comets and their debris- provide a primary evolutionary process. Impact craters mark this evolution and provide a diagnostic tool, which coupled with modeling and, when possible, sample analysis, allow us to unravel the ancient history of the solar system. In this prize talk, I will present a few selected cutting-edge research topics at the frontier between modeling and space exploration that without any doubt would have deeply interested the curious mind of Paolo Farinella.

  19. The Google High Power Density Inverter Prize: Innovation in PV Inverter Power Density: Cooperative Research and Development Final Report, CRADA Number: CRD-14-568

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Lundstrom, Blake

    Google is encouraging development of advanced photovoltaic inverters with high power density by holding a public competition and offering a prize for the best performing high power developed. NREL will perform the performance and validation for all inverters entered into the competition and provide results to Google.

  20. The Nobel Prize in Medicine for Magnetic Resonance Imaging

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fry, Charles G.

    2004-07-01

    A review is given of the crucial work performed by Paul C. Lauterbur and Peter Mansfield that lead to their being awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 2003. Lauterbur first expounded the idea of mapping spatial information from spectral data in nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) through the application of magnetic field gradients (P. C. Lauterbur, Nature 1973 , 242, 190-191). One year later Mansfield and co-workers introduced the idea of selective excitation to NMR imaging (A. N. Garroway, P. K. Grannell, and P. Mansfield. J. Phys. C: Solid State Physics 1974 , 7, L457-L462). A major step in making the technique useful for clinical imaging came with Mansfield's publication of the method known as echo planar imaging (P. Mansfield, J. Phys. C: Solid State Physics 1977, 10 (3) , L55-L58). Lauterbur's and Mansfield's work captured the essence of scientific discovery, collaboration, and concerted effort to overcome significant technical issues, and were key to the development of the technique of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Examples of how MRI technology can be extended to chemical research are given, and limitations of the technique in this regard are discussed. Discussion of how to use commonly available NMR spectrometers for chemical imaging is also provided.