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Sample records for celebrity patients vips

  1. Celebrity Patients, VIPs, and Potentates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Groves, James E.; Dunderdale, Barbara A.; Stern, Theodore A.

    2002-12-01

    BACKGROUND: During the second half of the 20th century, the literature on the doctor-patient relationship mainly dealt with the management of "difficult" (personality-disordered) patients. Similar problems, however, surround other types of "special" patients. METHOD: An overview and analysis of the literature were conducted. As a result, such patients can be subcategorized by their main presentations; each requires a specific management strategy. RESULTS: Three types of "special" patients stir up irrational feelings in their caregivers. Sick celebrities threaten to focus public scrutiny on the private world of medical caregivers. VIPs generate awe in caregivers, with loss of the objectivity essential to the practice of scientific medicine. Potentates unearth narcissism in the caregiver-patient relationship, which triggers a struggle between power and shame. Pride, privacy, and the staff's need to be in control are all threatened by introduction of the special patient into medicine's closed culture. CONCLUSION: The privacy that is owed to sick celebrities should be extended to protect overexposed staff. The awe and loss of medical objectivity that VIPs generate are counteracted by team leadership dedicated to avoiding any deviation from standard clinical procedure. Moreover, the collective ill will surrounding potentates can be neutralized by reassuring them that they are "special"-and by caregivers mending their own vulnerable self-esteem.

  2. Comparative biodistribution profile of [131I]VIP and [131I]VIP10-28

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maria Tereza Colturato

    2005-10-01

    Full Text Available Various tumor cells express significantly higher amounts of VIP receptors (VIPR that provided the basis for the clinical use of radiolabeled VIP for the in vivo localization of tumors. This work studied the labeling of VIP and VIP10-28 with iodine-131 to compare the biological distribution of the labeled compounds in Nuce mice and the affinity for tumor cells. Both VIP and VIP10-28 peptides contain two tyrosine residues, in positions 10 and 22, that are theoretically equally susceptible to radioiodination employing oxidative electrophilic substitution using oxidizing agents like Chloramine T. Radiochemical purity of the reaction mixture was determined by electrophoresis and HPLC. The VIP peptide and the fragment were labeled with radioiodine with good radiochemical yield (above 96%. Suitable, but important differences can be observed in biological distribution studies. Comparatively, blood clearance was faster for labeled VIP and perhaps because of this, the uptake in tumor was lower, especially during the first hour. These differences observed in the biological distribution of the compounds can be related to the lipophilicity of the labeled compounds.Várias células tumorais expressam significantemente uma alta quantidade de receptores VIP (VIPR que determinam a base para o uso clínico de VIP radiomarcado para localização de tumores in vivo. Foi estudado neste trabalho a marcação do VIP e do fragmento VIP10-28 com iodo-131 comparando a distribuição biológica dos compostos marcados em camundongos Nude e sua afinidade pelas células tumorais. Ambos os peptídeos, VIP e VIP10-28. contém dois resíduos de tirosina nas posições 10 e 22, que teoricamente são igualmente susceptíveis pela substituição eletrofílica oxidativa do radioiodo utilizando Cloramina T como agente oxidante. A pureza radioquímica da mistura de reação foi determinada por eletroforese e cromatografia líquida de alta eficiência (CLAE. O VIP e fragmento foram

  3. Fundamental and clinical evaluation of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) in pancreatitis by radioimmunoassay kit

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Uehara, Soichiro; Nakamura, Takayuki; Ihara, Kenichi; Isogawa, Shin; Hirayama, Akio

    1987-01-01

    Plasma vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) concentrations of normal individuals and patients with pancreatitis were studied using a VIP RIA kit. The inter-assay and intra-assay variation of this kit were between 2.1 and 9.4 %. The VIP levels increased in the acute phase of acute pancreatitis and patients with chronic pancreatitis. The VIP concentration increased during the first 30 min of glucose tolerance test, but this increase was much smaller than that in insulin. These results suggest that this kit is useful for physiologic and pathologic changes in the VIP level. (author)

  4. Clinical significance of changes of plasma CGRP and VIP levels in infants with bronchiolitis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yang Chun; Gu Ling; Zhang Yanjun; Xin Haiyan

    2005-01-01

    Objective: To explore the clinical significance of changes of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) levels in infants (2-24months) with bronchiolitis. Methods: Plasma levels of CGRP and VIP were determined with RIA in 31 infants with bronchiolitis both during acute infection and convalescence as well as in 35 controls. Results: Plasma CGRP levels in patients during acute infection were significantly higher than those in patients during convalescence and in controls (P<0.05). Levels of CGRP dropped during convalescence, but still remained significantly higher than those in controls (P<0.05). The reverse was true for the plasma VIP levels. The plasma VIP levels in patients during acute infection were significantly lower than those in patients during convalescence and in controls (P<0.05). During convalescence, the plasma VIP levels rose but remained significantly lower than those in controls (P<0.05). Conclusion: There were dynamic changes of plasma CGRP and VIP levels in the course of infant bronchiolitis and the two peptides played opposite roles. (authors)

  5. NFATc3 and VIP in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anthony M Szema

    Full Text Available Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD are both debilitating lung diseases which can lead to hypoxemia and pulmonary hypertension (PH. Nuclear Factor of Activated T-cells (NFAT is a transcription factor implicated in the etiology of vascular remodeling in hypoxic PH. We have previously shown that mice lacking the ability to generate Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide (VIP develop spontaneous PH, pulmonary arterial remodeling and lung inflammation. Inhibition of NFAT attenuated PH in these mice suggesting a connection between NFAT and VIP. To test the hypotheses that: 1 VIP inhibits NFAT isoform c3 (NFATc3 activity in pulmonary vascular smooth muscle cells; 2 lung NFATc3 activation is associated with disease severity in IPF and COPD patients, and 3 VIP and NFATc3 expression correlate in lung tissue from IPF and COPD patients. NFAT activity was determined in isolated pulmonary arteries from NFAT-luciferase reporter mice. The % of nuclei with NFAT nuclear accumulation was determined in primary human pulmonary artery smooth muscle cell (PASMC cultures; in lung airway epithelia and smooth muscle and pulmonary endothelia and smooth muscle from IPF and COPD patients; and in PASMC from mouse lung sections by fluorescence microscopy. Both NFAT and VIP mRNA levels were measured in lungs from IPF and COPD patients. Empirical strategies applied to test hypotheses regarding VIP, NFATc3 expression and activity, and disease type and severity. This study shows a significant negative correlation between NFAT isoform c3 protein expression levels in PASMC, activity of NFATc3 in pulmonary endothelial cells, expression and activity of NFATc3 in bronchial epithelial cells and lung function in IPF patients, supporting the concept that NFATc3 is activated in the early stages of IPF. We further show that there is a significant positive correlation between NFATc3 mRNA expression and VIP RNA expression only in lungs from IPF patients

  6. Activity of vegetative insecticidal proteins Vip3Aa58 and Vip3Aa59 of Bacillus thuringiensis against lepidopteran pests.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baranek, Jakub; Kaznowski, Adam; Konecka, Edyta; Naimov, Samir

    2015-09-01

    Vegetative insecticidal proteins (Vips) secreted by some isolates of Bacillus thuringiensis show activity against insects and are regarded as insecticides against pests. A number of B. thuringiensis strains harbouring vip3A genes were isolated from different sources and identified by using a PCR based approach. The isolates with the highest insecticidal activity were indicated in screening tests, and their vip genes were cloned and sequenced. The analysis revealed two polymorphic Vip protein forms, which were classified as Vip3Aa58 and Vip3Aa59. After expression of the vip genes, the proteins were isolated and characterized. The activity of both toxins was estimated against economically important lepidopteran pests of woodlands (Dendrolimus pini), orchards (Cydia pomonella) and field crops (Spodoptera exigua). Vip3Aa58 and Vip3Aa59 were highly toxic and their potency surpassed those of many Cry proteins used in commercial bioinsecticides. Vip3Aa59 revealed similar larvicidal activity as Vip3Aa58 against S. exigua and C. pomonella. Despite 98% similarity of amino acid sequences of both proteins, Vip3Aa59 was significantly more active against D. pini. Additionally the effect of proteolytic activation of Vip58Aa and Vip3Aa59 on toxicity of D. pini and S. exigua was studied. Both Vip3Aa proteins did not show any activity against Tenebrio molitor (Coleoptera) larvae. The results suggest that the Vip3Aa58 and Vip3Aa59 toxins might be useful for controlling populations of insect pests of crops and forests. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. Caring for 'Very Important Patients'--Ethical Dilemmas and Suggestions for Practical Management.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alfandre, David; Clever, Sarah; Farber, Neil J; Hughes, Mark T; Redstone, Paul; Lehmann, Lisa Soleymani

    2016-02-01

    The care of Very Important Patients (VIPs) is different from other patients because they may receive greater access, attention, and resources from health care staff. Although the term VIP is used regularly in the medical literature and is implicitly understood, in practice it constitutes a wide and heterogeneous group of patients that have a strong effect on health care providers. We define a VIP as a very influential patient whose individual attributes and characteristics (eg, social status, occupation, position), coupled with their behavior, have the potential to significantly influence a clinician's judgment or behavior. Physicians, celebrities, the politically powerful, and philanthropists, may all become VIPs in the appropriate context. The quality of care may be inferior because health care professionals may deviate from standard practices when caring for them. Understanding the common features among what may otherwise be very different groups of patients can help health care providers manage ethical concerns when they arise. We use a series of vignettes to demonstrate how VIPs behavior and status can influence a clinician's judgment or actions. Appreciating the ethical principles in these varied circumstances provides health care professionals with the tools to manage ethical conflicts that arise in the care of VIPs. We conclude each vignette with guidance for how health care providers and administrators can manage the ethical concern. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  8. VIP Gene Deletion in Mice Causes Cardiomyopathy Associated with Upregulation of Heart Failure Genes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Szema, Anthony M.; Hamidi, Sayyed A.; Smith, S. David; Benveniste, Helene; Katare, Rajesh Gopalrao

    2013-05-20

    Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide (VIP), a pulmonary vasodilator and inhibitor of vascular smooth muscle proliferation, is absent in pulmonary arteries of patients with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). We previously determined that targeted deletion of the VIP gene in mice leads to PAH with pulmonary vascular remodeling and right ventricular (RV) dilatation. Whether the left ventricle is also affected by VIP gene deletion is unknown. In the current study, we examined if VIP knockout mice (VIP-/-) develop both right (RV) and left ventricular (LV) cardiomyopathy, manifested by LV dilatation and systolic dysfunction, as well as overexpression of genes conducive to heart failure.

  9. The VIP Experiment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sirghi, D.L.; Sirghi, F.

    2005-01-01

    The Pauli Exclusion Principle (PEP) is a basic principle of Quantum Mechanics, and its validity has never been seriously challenged. However, given its importance, it is very important to check it as thoroughly as possible. The recently approved VIP (VIolation of Pep) experiment, represents an improved version of the Ramberg and Snow experiment (Ramberg and Snow, Phys. Lett. B238 (1990) 438). VIP shall be performed at the Gran Sasso underground laboratories, and aims to test the Pauli Exclusion Principle for electrons with unprecedented accuracy. VIP is a Collaboration among four Institutions out of three countries (LNF-INFN, and INFN Trieste Italy; SMI-Vienna, Austria; IFIN-HH, Bucharest, Romania). It uses an apparatus with CCDs (Charge Coupled Device) as detectors of X rays - looking for PEP violating transitions in Copper: transitions from the 2p level to 1s with the 1s already occupied by 2 electrons. The characteristic of such transition is the energy - displaced with respect to the normal 2p → 1s one by about 300 eV. VIP will bring the limit on the probability that PEP is violated by electrons to 10 -30 , exploring so a region where new theories allow for a possible PEP violation. (authors)

  10. Experimental research for tumor VIP receptor imaging

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li Qianwei; Tan Tianzhi

    1998-01-01

    To study the possibility of radioactive labelled vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) for tumor VIP receptor imaging. 125 I-VIP was prepared by chloramine-T method, and purified by Sephadex G-50 column chromatography. The bioactivity and stability of 125 I-VIP were measured by silica 60 F 254 TLC and competition test to SGC7901 cell in vitro. The biodistribution of 125 I-VIP was studied in the nude mice bearing tumor. The results showed that labelled rate of 125 I was 73.8%, the specific activity was 18.2 PBq/mol, the radiochemical purity (RCP) was over 98% and remained 96.3% after 48 days stored at -80 degree C. The specific binding of 125 I-VIP to the SGC7901 cell was inhibited by VIP in dose dependence in the competition experiment. The radioactivity of tumor was higher than that of muscles in all phases (P<0.05-0.01), the peak activity of tumor occurred at 30 min (3.58 +- 0.48ID%/g) and the peak ratio of T/N occurred at 60 min after the injection. The activity of lungs was obviously higher than that of blood, the intestine was always in low level. Most of the activity in the body was mainly eliminated from kidney. The present study demonstrated that the radioactive labelled VIP is a promising agent for tumor VIP receptor scintigraphy

  11. VIP and VIP gene silencing modulation of differentiation marker N-cadherin and cell shape of corneal endothelium in human corneas ex vivo.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koh, Shay-Whey M; Chandrasekara, Krish; Abbondandolo, Cara J; Coll, Timothy J; Rutzen, Allan R

    2008-08-01

    Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) is expressed by corneal endothelial (CE) cells and is present in the aqueous humor, which bathes CE cells in vivo. This study demonstrated the role of CE cell VIP in maintaining the expression level of a CE differentiation marker, N-cadherin, and the hexagonal cell shape. To determine the most effective VIP concentration, bovine corneoscleral explants were treated with 0 (control) and 10(-12) to 10(-6) M VIP. Paired human corneas (nine donors) from an eye bank were used as control; the other corneas were treated with VIP. To silence endogenous VIP, paired fresh human donor corneas (from seven cadavers) were transduced with VIP shRNA or the control lentiviral particles and then bisected/quartered for quantitative analysis by semiquantitative RT-PCR (for mRNA) and Western blot analysis/immunocytochemistry (for protein), whereas alizarin red S staining revealed CE cell shape. VIP concentration dependently increased bovine CE cell N-cadherin mRNA levels, with the maximal effect observed between 10(-10) (1.47 +/- 0.06-fold; P = 0.002) and 10(-8) M VIP (1.48 +/- 0.18-fold; P = 0.012). VIP (10(-8) M) treatment increased N-cadherin protein levels in bovine and human CE cells to 1.98 +/- 0.28-fold (P = 0.005) and 1.17 +/- 0.10 (range, 0.91-1.87)-fold (P = 0.050) of their respective controls. VIP antagonist (SN)VIPhyb diminished the VIP effect. VIP silencing resulted in deterioration of the hexagonal cell shape and decreased levels of VIP protein and mRNA, N-cadherin (but not connexin-43) mRNA and protein, and the antiapoptotic Bcl-2 protein. Through its autocrine VIP, CE cells play an active role in maintaining the differentiated state and suppressing apoptosis in the corneal endothelium in situ.

  12. Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) in cirrhosis: arteriovenous extraction in different vascular beds

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Henriksen, Jens Henrik Sahl; Staun-Olsen, P; Fahrenkrug, J

    1980-01-01

    The concentration of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) was determined in peripheral venous plasma from 136 patients with liver cirrhosis without gastrointestinal bleeding or coma and from 112 controls. In eight patients (cirrhosis, six; fibrosis, one; steatosis, one) arteriovenous extraction...... is significantly elevated in peripheral plasma from patients with cirrhosis, probably due to porto-systemic shunting and/or compromised hepatic elimination. Hepatic elimination is still likely to account for the inactivation of most of the VIP escaping from the neurosynapses throughout the body in patients...

  13. Radioiodination of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, Y.; Wang, L.; Yin, D.

    2002-01-01

    In recent years, increasing biochemical and radiochemical research has been performed to develop radiolabelled peptides as specific ligands for tumour associated receptors. VIP, a 28-amino acid peptide containing two tyrosines and three lysines, has demonstrated that various tumour cells express significantly higher amounts of VIP-receptors and could be applied to the clinic diagnosis. For these purposes, radiohalogenation of VIP by direct and indirect method was studied. Direct labelling works well for radioiodine but is limited to dehalogenation of labelling products in vivo. Conjugate labelling methods including Boltonhunter and wood reagents were developed but introduction of such a molecule to peptides may lead to the decrease of biological activity in vivo. In order to resolve these problems, N-Succinimidyl-3-(tri-nbutylstannyl) benzoate (ATE) was elected for the radioiodination of VIP and already employed to radioiodination of IgG successfully. The in vitro stability and biological activity would be compared in these two methods. Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) and human immunoglobulin (IgG) were radioiodinated by direct and indirect methods. Iodogen was employed in direct method and N-Succinimidyl-3-(tri-n-butylstannyl) benzoate (ATE) was applied as a prosthetic group in the conjugation labelling. The subject of our study was optimizing the radiohalogenation of IgG and VIP followed by separation and analysis of reaction products. The advantages and disadvantages were illustrated by comparing the in vitro stability and biological activity in these two methods. Na 123 I was prepared by nuclear reaction of 124 Te(p, 2n) 123 I using cyclone-30. More than 95% of radiochemical purity, more than 95% of radionuclide purity and about 100 mCi/mL of radioactivity concentration were obtained. ATE was supplied by Dr. Pozzi and radioiodinated with iodogen and 96% of labelling efficiency was obtained. The stability of radioactive S 125 IB kept well in dark at 4

  14. Biological, psychological and social processes that explain celebrities' influence on patients' health-related behaviors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hoffman, Steven J; Tan, Charlie

    2015-01-01

    Celebrities can have substantial influence as medical advisors. However, their impact on public health is equivocal: depending on the advice's validity and applicability, celebrity engagements can benefit or hinder efforts to educate patients on evidence-based practices and improve their health literacy. This meta-narrative analysis synthesizes multiple disciplinary insights explaining the influence celebrities have on people's health-related behaviors. Systematic searches of electronic databases BusinessSource Complete, Communication & Mass Media Complete, Humanities Abstracts, ProQuest Political Science, PsycINFO, PubMed, and Sociology Abstracts were conducted. Retrieved articles were used to inform a conceptual analysis of the possible processes accounting for the substantial influence celebrities may have as medical advisors. Fourteen mechanisms of celebrity influence were identified. According to the economics literature, celebrities distinguish endorsed items from competitors and can catalyze herd behavior. Marketing studies tell us that celebrities' characteristics are transferred to endorsed products, and that the most successful celebrity advisors are those viewed as credible, a perception they can create with their success. Neuroscience research supports these explanations, finding that celebrity endorsements activate brain regions involved in making positive associations, building trust and encoding memories. The psychology literature tells us that celebrity advice conditions people to react positively toward it. People are also inclined to follow celebrities if the advice matches their self-conceptions or if not following it would generate cognitive dissonance. Sociology explains how celebrities' advice spreads through social networks, how their influence is a manifestation of people's desire to acquire celebrities' social capital, and how they affect the ways people acquire and interpret health information. There are clear and deeply rooted biological

  15. Atypical nuclear localization of VIP receptors in glioma cell lines and patients

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Barbarin, Alice; Séité, Paule [Equipe Récepteurs, Régulations et Cellules Tumorales, Université de Poitiers, PBS bât 36, 1 rue Georges Bonnet, TSA 51106, 86073 Poitiers Cedex 9 (France); Godet, Julie [Laboratoire d’anatomie et de cytologie pathologiques, CHU de Poitiers, 2 rue de la Milétrie, 86000 Poitiers (France); Bensalma, Souheyla; Muller, Jean-Marc [Equipe Récepteurs, Régulations et Cellules Tumorales, Université de Poitiers, PBS bât 36, 1 rue Georges Bonnet, TSA 51106, 86073 Poitiers Cedex 9 (France); Chadéneau, Corinne, E-mail: corinne.chadeneau@univ-poitiers.fr [Equipe Récepteurs, Régulations et Cellules Tumorales, Université de Poitiers, PBS bât 36, 1 rue Georges Bonnet, TSA 51106, 86073 Poitiers Cedex 9 (France)

    2014-11-28

    Highlights: • The VIP receptor VPAC1 contains a putative NLS signal. • VPAC1 is predominantly nuclear in GBM cell lines but not VPAC2. • Non-nuclear VPAC1/2 protein expression is correlated with glioma grade. • Nuclear VPAC1 is observed in 50% of stage IV glioma (GBM). - Abstract: An increasing number of G protein-coupled receptors, like receptors for vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), are found in cell nucleus. As VIP receptors are involved in the regulation of glioma cell proliferation and migration, we investigated the expression and the nuclear localization of the VIP receptors VPAC1 and VPAC2 in this cancer. First, by applying Western blot and immunofluorescence detection in three human glioblastoma (GBM) cell lines, we observed a strong nuclear staining for the VPAC1 receptor and a weak nuclear VPAC2 receptor staining. Second, immunohistochemical staining of VPAC1 and VPAC2 on tissue microarrays (TMA) showed that the two receptors were expressed in normal brain and glioma tissues. Expression in the non-nuclear compartment of the two receptors significantly increased with the grade of the tumors. Analysis of nuclear staining revealed a significant increase of VPAC1 staining with glioma grade, with up to 50% of GBM displaying strong VPAC1 nuclear staining, whereas nuclear VPAC2 staining remained marginal. The increase in VPAC receptor expression with glioma grades and the enhanced nuclear localization of the VPAC1 receptors in GBM might be of importance for glioma progression.

  16. VIP secreting tumours in infancy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Davies, R.P.; Slavotinek, J.P.; Dorney, S.F.A.

    1990-01-01

    Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) secreting neural crest tumours are an uncommon but important treatable cause of intractable childhood diarrhoea. The radiological appearances of two cases are presented with a review of radiological findings in childhood VIP secreting neural crest tumours. Twenty eight cases of childhood VIP secreting neural crest tumours were reviewed. Nineteen (68%) were ganglioneuroblastomas and nine (32%) were ganglioneuromas. The majority of tumours (66%) were in a paravertebral location in the abdomen indicating that a search for such a tumour should be initiated at this site. Eighteen of the twenty eight cases reviewed discussed relevant radiological investigations. Calcification was detected in 50% of abdominal radiographs. Gut dilatation was often a prominent feature. A mass was detected in 5 of 5 cases where ultrasound findings were reported, and seven of seven cases with CT findings reported. Prior to the availability of CT and ultrasound the most useful investigation was IVU which demonstrated evidence of a mass in 5 of 9 cases. The presence of paravertebral calcification and gut dilatation on the plain radiograph of a child with intractable diarrhoea suggests the presence of a VIP secreting neural crest tumour. If an abdominal tumour is not found in the appropriate clinical setting and VIP levels are elevated, a widespread search of the paravertebral region is indicated. (orig.)

  17. Biological, psychological and social processes that explain celebrities? influence on patients? health-related behaviors

    OpenAIRE

    Hoffman, Steven J; Tan, Charlie

    2015-01-01

    Background: Celebrities can have substantial influence as medical advisors. However, their impact on public health is equivocal: depending on the advice’s validity and applicability, celebrity engagements can benefit or hinder efforts to educate patients on evidence-based practices and improve their health literacy. This meta-narrative analysis synthesizes multiple disciplinary insights explaining the influence celebrities have on people’s health-related behaviors. Methods: Systematic searche...

  18. Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) in the pig pancreas

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Poulsen, Steen Seier

    1984-01-01

    Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) in the pig pancreas is localized to nerves, many of which travel along the pancreatic ducts. VIP stimulates pancreatic fluid and bicarbonate secretion like secretin. Electrical vagal stimulation in the pig causes an atropine-resistant profuse secretion...... of bicarbonate-rich pancreatic juice. In an isolated perfused preparation of the pig pancreas with intact vagal nerve supply, electrical vagal stimulation caused an atropine-resistant release of VIP, which accurately parallelled the exocrine secretion of juice and bicarbonate. Perfusion of the pancreas...... with a potent VIP-antiserum inhibited the effect of vagal stimulation on the exocrine secretion. It is concluded, that VIP is responsible for (at least part of) the neurally controlled fluid and bicarbonate secretion from the pig pancreas....

  19. Labeling of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) and VIP 10-28 fragment with radioiodine by direct method. Comparative study of the kinetics biodistribution and affinity for neuroendocrine tumor cells; Marcacao do peptideo intestinal vasoativo (VIP) e do fragmento VIP10-28 com radioiodo por metodo direto. Estudo comparativo da cinetica de biodistribuicao e da afinidade por celulas de tumor neuroendocrino

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Colturato, Maria Tereza

    2005-07-01

    In the progress of the Nuclear Medicine, many protein based radiopharmaceuticals have been developed in the last years using antibodies and, more recently, biologically active natural peptides or similar synthetic peptides. In the search for agents with specificity for the target tissue in tumors detection, it was verified that small sequences of amino acids may interact with selective sites, with homogenous distribution, fast accumulation in tissues and fast blood clearance when compared to the antibodies. Among the peptides used in the diagnosis of tumors, Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide (VIP) has been studied. VIP labeled with iodine-123 is applied in the images of intestinal adenocarcinoma and endocrine tumors. The molecule of VIP contains two tyrosine residues, in the positions 10 and 22 that are, theoretically, equally susceptible to radioiodination for direct method. The objective of this work was to produce VIP labeled with radioiodine (iodine-123), in order to introduce to the brazilian medical class this radiopharmaceutical of interest for the diagnosis and recurrence of tumors that express specific receptors. In an unpublished way, the work studied the labeling and the kinetic distribution of the VIP fragment (VIP 10-28) and verified its potential as radiopharmaceutical applied in the identification of tumors that express VIP receptors. After the choice of the appropriated technique for labeling VIP and VIP 10-28 with radioiodine, using Ceremonial T as oxidant agent and sodium metabisulfite as reducing agent, the quality control procedures were accomplished (electrophoresis and high performance liquid chromatography, HPLC) for radiochemical purity determination as well as the separation of the radiochemical species obtained. Labeling and quality control procedures applied were efficient and accurate. [{sup 131}I]VIP and [{sup 131}l]VIP 10-28 were obtained with high radiochemical purity (> 95%). The purification studies to remove free radioiodine in the

  20. Labeling of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) and VIP 10-28 fragment with radioiodine by direct method. Comparative study of the kinetics biodistribution and affinity for neuroendocrine tumor cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Colturato, Maria Tereza

    2005-01-01

    In the progress of the Nuclear Medicine, many protein based radiopharmaceuticals have been developed in the last years using antibodies and, more recently, biologically active natural peptides or similar synthetic peptides. In the search for agents with specificity for the target tissue in tumors detection, it was verified that small sequences of amino acids may interact with selective sites, with homogenous distribution, fast accumulation in tissues and fast blood clearance when compared to the antibodies. Among the peptides used in the diagnosis of tumors, Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide (VIP) has been studied. VIP labeled with iodine-123 is applied in the images of intestinal adenocarcinoma and endocrine tumors. The molecule of VIP contains two tyrosine residues, in the positions 10 and 22 that are, theoretically, equally susceptible to radioiodination for direct method. The objective of this work was to produce VIP labeled with radioiodine (iodine-123), in order to introduce to the brazilian medical class this radiopharmaceutical of interest for the diagnosis and recurrence of tumors that express specific receptors. In an unpublished way, the work studied the labeling and the kinetic distribution of the VIP fragment (VIP 10-28) and verified its potential as radiopharmaceutical applied in the identification of tumors that express VIP receptors. After the choice of the appropriated technique for labeling VIP and VIP 10-28 with radioiodine, using Ceremonial T as oxidant agent and sodium metabisulfite as reducing agent, the quality control procedures were accomplished (electrophoresis and high performance liquid chromatography, HPLC) for radiochemical purity determination as well as the separation of the radiochemical species obtained. Labeling and quality control procedures applied were efficient and accurate. [ 131 I]VIP and [ 131 l]VIP 10-28 were obtained with high radiochemical purity (> 95%). The purification studies to remove free radioiodine in the labeling

  1. 48 CFR 804.1102 - Vendor Information Pages (VIP) Database.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... (VIP) Database. 804.1102 Section 804.1102 Federal Acquisition Regulations System DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS GENERAL ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS Contract Execution 804.1102 Vendor Information Pages (VIP) Database. Prior to January 1, 2012, all VOSBs and SDVOSBs must be listed in the VIP database, available at http...

  2. VIP in human neonates and infants as measured by radioimmunoassay and radioreceptorassay

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dupont, C.; Besson, J.; Laburthe, M.; Bataille, D.; Rosselin, G.

    1977-01-01

    The Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide (VIP) was assayed in the gut of human neonates and premature infants immediately after death or surgery. In these conditions, values ranged between 150 and 740ng/g of boiled tissue. The implication of VIP in Vermer-Morrison syndrome is further assessed by the correlation between clinical symptomatology and plasma VIP levels. The immunoassayable VIP (IA-VIP) extracted from normal gut or tumor is shown to fully interact with specific receptor for VIP in liver. This fact suggests the biological potency of IA-VIP [fr

  3. Is VIP1 important for Agrobacterium-mediated transformation?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shi, Yong; Lee, Lan-Ying; Gelvin, Stanton B

    2014-09-01

    Agrobacterium genetically transforms plants by transferring and integrating T-(transferred) DNA into the host genome. This process requires both Agrobacterium and host proteins. VirE2 interacting protein 1 (VIP1), an Arabidopsis bZIP protein, has been suggested to mediate transformation through interaction with and targeting of VirE2 to nuclei. We examined the susceptibility of Arabidopsis vip1 mutant and VIP1 overexpressing plants to transformation by numerous Agrobacterium strains. In no instance could we detect altered transformation susceptibility. We also used confocal microscopy to examine the subcellular localization of Venus-tagged VirE2 or Venus-tagged VIP1, in the presence or absence of the other untagged protein, in different plant cell systems. We found that VIP1-Venus localized in both the cytoplasm and the nucleus of Arabidopsis roots, agroinfiltrated Nicotiana benthamiana leaves, Arabidopsis mesophyll protoplasts and tobacco BY-2 protoplasts, regardless of whether VirE2 was co-expressed. VirE2 localized exclusively to the cytoplasm of tobacco and Arabidopsis protoplasts, whether in the absence or presence of VIP1 overexpression. In transgenic Arabidopsis plants and agroinfiltrated N. benthamina leaves we could occasionally detect small aggregates of the Venus signal in nuclei, but these were likely to be imagining artifacts. The vast majority of VirE2 remained in the cytoplasm. We conclude that VIP1 is not important for Agrobacterium-mediated transformation or VirE2 subcellular localization. © 2014 The Authors The Plant Journal © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  4. Behavioural actions of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP)

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kloet, E.R.; Cottrell, G.A.; Veldhuis, H.D.; Rostene, W.H.

    1984-01-01

    The effect of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) was studied on fear-motivated behaviours, exploration of a novel environment and on novelty and ACTH-induced grooming. VIP was administered via a plastic cannula into the lateral ventricle. Retention of a step-through passive avoidance task was

  5. Parasympathetic denervation increases responses to VIP in isolated rat parotid acini

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    McMillian, M.K.; Talamo, B.R.

    1989-01-01

    Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) is a putative neurotransmitter found in the salivary glands of many species, including the rat parotid gland. Parasympathetic denervation has been reported to deplete VIP in the rat parotid gland and to lead to supersensitivity to this peptide in vivo. We have compared the effects of VIP on acini isolated from parasympathetically denervated and unoperated parotid glands to examine possible supersensitivity to the peptide in vitro. VIP normally produced responses similar to those obtained with a low concentration of the beta adrenergic agonist isoproterenol (ISO), but strikingly different from the effects obtained with the muscarinic agonist carbachol (CARB). In parotid membrane preparations, VIP stimulated adenylate cyclase activity. Dissociated acini treated with VIP showed increases in cAMP accumulation and amylase release which were potentiated by forskolin and also by inhibition of phosphodiesterase. After parasympathetic denervation, maximal effects of VIP on adenylate cyclase, cAMP accumulation and amylase release in intact cells were increased two- to five-fold over contralateral control (or unoperated) parotid responses. The increase in adenylate cyclase-mediated responses after denervation was specific to VIP; there was no increased response nor increased sensitivity of any of these responses to ISO. Specific [125I]VIP binding to parotid acini increased two-fold per gland and three-fold per mg of protein after denervation; this probably explains the observed increases in the response to VIP

  6. Morphological and functional correlates of VIP neurons in cerebral cortex

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Magistretti, P.J.; Morrison, J.H.; Shoemaker, W.J.; Bloom, F.E.

    1984-01-01

    Vasoactive Intestinal Polypeptide (VIP) promotes the hydrolysis of 3H-glycogen newly synthesized from 3H-glucose by mouse cortical slices. This effect occurs rapidly, approximately 50% of the maximal effect being reached within one minute. The maximal effect is achieved after 5 minutes and maintained for at least 25 minutes. Furthermore the glycogenolytic effect of VIP is reversible, and pharmacologically specific. Thus several neuropeptides present in cerebral cortex such as cholecystokinin-8, somatostatin-28, somatostatin-14, met-enkephalin, leu-enkephalin, do not affect 3H-glycogen levels. VIP fragments 6-28, 16-28 and 21-28 are similarly inactive. Furthermore, among the peptides which share structural homologies with VIP, such as glucagon, secretin, PHI-27 and Gastric Inhibitory Peptide, only secretin and PHI-27 promote 3H-glycogen hydrolysis, with EC50 of 500 and 300 nM respectively, compared to an EC50 of 25 nM for VIP. Immunohistochemical observations indicate that each VIP-containing bipolar cell is identified with a unique radical cortical volume, which is generally between 15-60 micrograms in diameter and overlaps with the contiguous domains of neighbouring VIP-containing bipolar cells. Thus this set of biochemical and morphological observations support the notion that VIP neurons have the capacity to regulate the availability of energy substrates in cerebral cortex locally, within circumscribed, contiguous, radial domains

  7. VIP receptors from porcine liver: High yield solubilization in a GTP-insensitive form

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Voisin, T.; Couvineau, A.; Guijarro, L.; Laburthe, M.

    1990-01-01

    Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) receptors were solubilized from porcine liver membranes using CHAPS. The binding of 125 I-VIP to solubilized receptors was reversible, saturable and specific. Scatchard analysis indicated the presence of one binding site with a Kd of 6.5 ± 0.3 nM and a Bmax of 1.20 ± 0.15 pmol/mg protein. Solubilized and membrane-bound receptors displayed the same pharmacological profile since VIP and VIP-related peptides inhibited 125 I-VIP binding to both receptor preparations with the same rank order of potency e.g. VIP>helodermin>rat GRF>rat PHI>secretin>human GRF. GTP inhibited 125 I-VIP binding to membrane-bound receptors but not to solubilized receptors supporting functional uncoupling of VIP receptor and G protein during solubilization. Affinity labeling of solubilized and membrane-bound VIP receptors with 125 I-VIP revealed the presence of a single molecular component with Mr 55,000 in both cases. It is concluded that VIP receptors from porcine liver can be solubilized with a good yield, in a GTP-insensitive, G protein-free form. This represents a major advance towards the purification of VIP receptors

  8. Improving the frequency of visual infusion phlebitis (VIP) scoring on an oncology ward

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tzolos, Evangelos; Salawu, Abdulazeez

    2014-01-01

    Phlebitis from peripheral intravenous infusions is an important potential source of oncology patient morbidity. Important factors found to determine phlebitis incidence include the kind of infusion and dwell time of intravenous cannula. Early studies showed incidence rates of between 25–70% worldwide, and association with up to 10% of S. aureus bacteraemia. The introduction of the visual infusion phlebitis (VIP) score tool for assessment of the early signs of phlebitis, along with prompt removal of peripheral intravenous cannulas, has been very successful in reducing the incidence below the acceptable rate of 5%. However, achieving this goal depends on strict compliance with guidelines for cannula insertion, documentation, and assessment using the VIP tool. This study aimed to increase the use of VIP scoring tool to 100% on an oncology ward during a four to six month period in order to maximise its utility in phlebitis prevention. Three plan-do-study-act (PDSA) cycles were carried out, during which two major interventions were introduced. The first cycle aimed to improve junior doctors’ awareness of VIP scoring using presentations in induction meetings and posters. The second cycle ensured that ready access to the VIP tool was provided in the form of bedside intentional rounding charts. Proportions of intravenous cannulas with proper documentation and VIP assessment were measured before intervention and at nine subsequent bi-weekly time points. Pre-intervention, under 30% of cannulas were properly documented and assessed. This proportion rose to around 80% by the end of the second PDSA cycle and achieved 100% by the end of the third cycle. PMID:26734282

  9. VIP: Vortex Image Processing Package for High-contrast Direct Imaging

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gomez Gonzalez, Carlos Alberto; Wertz, Olivier; Absil, Olivier; Christiaens, Valentin; Defrère, Denis; Mawet, Dimitri; Milli, Julien; Absil, Pierre-Antoine; Van Droogenbroeck, Marc; Cantalloube, Faustine; Hinz, Philip M.; Skemer, Andrew J.; Karlsson, Mikael; Surdej, Jean

    2017-07-01

    We present the Vortex Image Processing (VIP) library, a python package dedicated to astronomical high-contrast imaging. Our package relies on the extensive python stack of scientific libraries and aims to provide a flexible framework for high-contrast data and image processing. In this paper, we describe the capabilities of VIP related to processing image sequences acquired using the angular differential imaging (ADI) observing technique. VIP implements functionalities for building high-contrast data processing pipelines, encompassing pre- and post-processing algorithms, potential source position and flux estimation, and sensitivity curve generation. Among the reference point-spread function subtraction techniques for ADI post-processing, VIP includes several flavors of principal component analysis (PCA) based algorithms, such as annular PCA and incremental PCA algorithms capable of processing big datacubes (of several gigabytes) on a computer with limited memory. Also, we present a novel ADI algorithm based on non-negative matrix factorization, which comes from the same family of low-rank matrix approximations as PCA and provides fairly similar results. We showcase the ADI capabilities of the VIP library using a deep sequence on HR 8799 taken with the LBTI/LMIRCam and its recently commissioned L-band vortex coronagraph. Using VIP, we investigated the presence of additional companions around HR 8799 and did not find any significant additional point source beyond the four known planets. VIP is available at http://github.com/vortex-exoplanet/VIP and is accompanied with Jupyter notebook tutorials illustrating the main functionalities of the library.

  10. VIP and PACAP

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Fahrenkrug, Jan

    2010-01-01

    amounts. Carboxyamidation of VIP and PHI is not critical and glycine-extended forms of both peptides have been demonstrated. Pituitary adenylate cyclase activating polypeptide (PACAP) is derived from a 170 amino acid long precursor, which gives rise to PACAP 38, PACAP 27 and PACAP related peptide (PRP...

  11. Enhancing emotion recognition in VIPs with haptic feedback

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Buimer, Hendrik; Bittner, Marian; Kostelijk, Tjerk; van der Geest, Thea; van Wezel, Richard Jack Anton; Zhao, Yan; Stephanidis, Constantine

    2016-01-01

    The rise of smart technologies has created new opportunities to support blind and visually impaired persons (VIPs). One of the biggest problems we identified in our previous research on problems VIPs face during activities of daily life concerned the recognition of persons and their facial

  12. VIP : A Visual Editor and Compiler for v-Promela

    OpenAIRE

    Kamel, Moataz; Leue, Stefan

    2001-01-01

    We describe the Visual Interface to Promela (VIP) tool that we have recently implemented. VIP supports the visual editing and maintenance of v-Promela models. v-Promela is a visual, object-oriented extension to Promela, the input language to the Spin model checker. We introduce the v-Promela notation as supported by the VIP editor, discuss Promela code generation, and describe the process of property validation for the resulting models. Our discussion centers around two case studies, a call p...

  13. PreproVIP-derived peptides in the human female genital tract: expression and biological function

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bredkjoer, H E; Palle, C; Ekblad, E

    1997-01-01

    The aim of the study was to elucidate the localization, distribution, colocalization and biological effect of preproVIP-derived peptides in the human female genital tract. Radioimmunoassays applying antisera against the five functional domains of the VIP precursor in combination with immunohistoc......The aim of the study was to elucidate the localization, distribution, colocalization and biological effect of preproVIP-derived peptides in the human female genital tract. Radioimmunoassays applying antisera against the five functional domains of the VIP precursor in combination...... with immunohistochemistry were used. The effect of preproVIP 22-79, preproVIP 111-122 and preproVIP 156-170 on genital smooth muscle activity in the Fallopian tube was investigated in vitro and compared to that of VIP. All the preproVIP-derived peptides were expressed throughout the genital tract in neuronal elements...

  14. Antitumor effects of radioiodinated antisense oligonucleotide mediated by VIP receptor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ou Xiaohong; Tan Tianzhi; Li Yunchun; Kuang Anren

    2004-01-01

    Purpose: we had constructed a targeting delivery system based on intestinal peptide (VIP) for antisense oligonucleotide (ASON) transfer into VIP receptor-positive cells in previous study. The aims of present studies are to observe the antitumor effect of VIP-131I-ASON in HT29 human colon adenocarcinoma xenografts. Methods: A 15-met phosphorothioate ASON, which was complementary to the translation start region of the C-myc oncogene mRNA, was labeled with 131I and the labelled compound was linked to the VIP bound covalently 'to a polylysine chain so as to deliver oligonucleotide into tumor cells. Distribution experiments for evaluating the radiolabeled antisense complexe uptake in tumor tissue were performed in BALB/c nude mice bearing with HT29 tumor xenografts. Nude mice beating HT29 tumor xenografts were adminstered VIP-131I-ASON (3.7,7.4 MBq) or 131I-ASON (3.7 MBq), 131I labeled control sense and nosense DNA (3.7 MBq), or saline. Antitumor effects were assessed using endpoints of tumor growth delay. C-myc-encoded protein expression of tumor was measured by immunocytohistochemical staining. Results: Distribution experiment performed with athymic mice bearing human colon tumor xenografts revealed maximal accumulation of conjugated ASON in the tumor tissue 2 h after administration and significantly higher than that in nude mice injected unconjngated ASON [(5.89±1.03)%ID/g and(1.56±0.31)%ID/g, respectively; t=7.7954 P<0.001]. The radioratio of tumor to muscle was peaked 4h after administration. VIP-131I-ASON exhibited strong antitumor effects against HT29 xenografts, decreasing their growth rate 7-fold compare with that in saline-treated mice(tumor growth delay, 25.4±0.89 day). The antitumor effects of unconjugated 131I-ASON were much less profound than VIP-131I-ASON (tumor growth delay, 3.2±1.3 and 25.4±0.89 day, respectively; q=51.4126 P<0.01). Sense, nosense control ON with VIP carder caused no therapeutic effect. There was no progressive weight loss or

  15. Signaling pathways in PACAP regulation of VIP gene expression in human neuroblastoma cells

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Falktoft, B.; Georg, B.; Fahrenkrug, J.

    2009-01-01

    Ganglia expressing the neuropeptide pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) innervate vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) containing neurons suggesting a role of PACAP in regulating VIP expression. Human NB-1 neuroblastoma cells were applied to study PACAP regulated VIP gene...... in PACAP regulation of the FOS and VIP gene expressions suggest for the first time a role of FOS in PACAP-induced VIP gene expression in human NB-1 neuroblastoma cells. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved Udgivelsesdato: 2009/10...

  16. Caracterização do gene vip3A e toxicidade da proteína Vip3Aa50 à lagarta-do-cartucho e à lagarta-da-soja

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Camila Soares Figueiredo

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available O objetivo deste trabalho foi caracterizar o gene vip3A de Bacillus thuringiensis e verificar a toxicidade da proteína Vip3Aa50 a larvas da lagarta-do-cartucho (Spodoptera frugiperda e da lagarta-da-soja (Anticarsia gemmatalis. O gene vip3A foi amplificado por PCR, com iniciadores específicos, e gerou um fragmento de 2.370 pb. Esse fragmento foi clonado em vetor pGEM-T Easy e, em seguida, sequenciado, subclonado em vetor de expressão pET-28a (+ e inserido em células de Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3. A expressão da proteína Vip3Aa50 foi induzida por isopropil-β-D-1-tiogalactopiranosídeo (IPTG, visualizada em SDS-PAGE e detectada por "Western blot". Os ensaios de toxicidade revelaram alta atividade da proteína Vip3Aa50 contra as larvas neonatas da lagarta-da-soja e da lagarta-do-cartucho, com CL50 de 20,3 e 79,6 ng cm-2, respectivamente. O gene vip3Aa50 é um novo gene da classe vip3A.

  17. Variation in VIP latrine sludge contents | Bakare | Water SA

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    This study investigated variations in the characteristics of the sludge content from different ventilated improved pit (VIP) latrines and variation in these characteristics at specific depths within each pit. Faecal sludge from 16 VIP latrines within the eThekwini Municipality was collected and laboratory characterisation including ...

  18. Expression and characterization of preproVIP derived peptides in the human male urogenital tract

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ottesen, B; Bredkjaer, H E; Ekblad, E

    1995-01-01

    Expression of the gene sequence encoding vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) leads to the synthesis of a 170 amino acid precursor molecule which can be processed to five fragments: preproVIP 22-79, peptide histidine methionine (PHM), or peptide histidine valine (PHV), preproVIP 111-122, VIP...

  19. Vip3Aa induces apoptosis in cultured Spodoptera frugiperda (Sf9) cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiang, Kun; Mei, Si-Qi; Wang, Ting-Ting; Pan, Jin-Hua; Chen, Yue-Hua; Cai, Jun

    2016-09-15

    The vegetative insecticidal proteins (Vip) secreted by many Bacillus thuringiensis strains during their vegetative growth stage are regarded as second generation insecticidal proteins, as they share no sequence or structural homology with known crystal insecticidal proteins (Cry) and have a broad insecticidal spectrum. Compared with insecticidal crystal proteins (ICPs), the insecticidal mechanisms of Vips have been little studied. Here we investigated the mechanism responsible for Vip3Aa toxicity in cultured insect cells. Using, flow cytometry analyzes, TUNEL staining and DNA fragmentation assays, we show that Vip3Aa can induce apoptosis in Spodoptera frugiperda (Sf9) cells and cause cells to arrest at the G2/M phase. We also show that Vip3Aa can disrupt mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm), leading to the activation of Sf-caspase-1, suggesting that a mitochondrial mediated and caspase dependent pathway may be involved in Vip3Aa-induced apoptosis in Sf9 cells. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Structure-activity studies of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP): cyclic disulfide analogs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bolin, D R; Cottrell, J; Garippa, R; O'Neill, N; Simko, B; O'Donnell, M

    1993-02-01

    Analogs of vasoactive intestinal peptide with cysteine residues incorporated at selected sites within the sequence were prepared by solid phase methods, oxidized to the corresponding cyclic disulfides and purified to homogeneity by preparative HPLC. The cyclic compounds were assayed as smooth muscle relaxants on isolated guinea pig trachea, as bronchodilators in vivo in guinea pigs, and for binding to VIP receptors in guinea pig lung membranes. Of the analogs prepared at the N-terminus, one compound, Ac-[D-Cys6,D-Cys11,Lys12,Nle17,Val26,Th r28]-VIP, was found to be a full agonist with slightly more than one tenth the potency of native VIP. Most other cyclic analogs in the N-terminal region were found to be inactive. A second analog, Ac-[Lys12,Cys17,Val26,Cys28]-VIP, was also found to be a full agonist with potency about one third that of native VIP. Furthermore, this compound was active as a bronchodilator in vivo in guinea pig, but with somewhat diminished potency as compared to native VIP. Strikingly, this cyclic compound was found to have significantly longer duration of action (> 40 min) when compared to an analogous acyclic compound (5 min). The conformational restrictions imposed by formation of the cyclic ring structures may have stabilized the molecule to degradation, thus enhancing the effective duration of action. Analysis of this series of cyclic analogs has also yielded information about the requirements for the receptor-active conformation of VIP.

  1. Visualization of the inferoposterior thoracic wall (VIP) and boomerang signs-novel sonographic signs of right pleural effusion.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lau, James Siu Ki; Yuen, Chi Kit; Mok, Ka Leung; Yan, Wing Wa; Kan, Pui Gay

    2017-11-15

    This study is to present the diagnostic values of the novel sonographic visualization of the inferoposterior thoracic wall (VIP) and boomerang signs in detecting right pleural effusion by sonologists with little to no experience in ultrasound. A prospective analysis of a convenience sample of patients who were assessed by junior intensive care physicians was performed. The patients all underwent computed tomography (CT) of the chest or abdomen with lung bases as part of their care regardless of indication; the results were interpreted by radiologists and were considered the gold standard. Sonography was performed to assess for the presence of the VIP and boomerang signs. Sonographic and chest radiographic findings were compared against CT results. 73 patients were enrolled. The sensitivity and specificity for the VIP sign were 0.85 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.67-0.94) and 0.86 (95% CI, 0.70-0.95). The sensitivity and specificity for the boomerang sign were 0.78 (95% CI, 0.60-0.90) and 0.87 (95% CI, 0.71-0.95). However, the sensitivity and specificity for the traditional approach of detecting an anechoic collection above the diaphragm to indicate pleural effusion were only 0.54 (95% CI, 0.37-0.71) and 0.86 (95% CI, 0.80-0.99). Despite inexperience in sonography, the novel VIP and boomerang signs show high diagnostic values in detecting right pleural effusion compared to the traditional methods. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. CELEBRITY ENDORSEMENT STRATEGY

    OpenAIRE

    CHIOSA ANA RALUCA

    2012-01-01

    Brands ofen use celebrities to get impact, because they are seen by the public as credible source of information about product or company. People aspire to the values and lifestyles of celebrities. Consumers selectively integrate perceived values and behavior of celebrities they admire, to build and communicate their own identity. Celebrity endorser is a person who enjoys high reputation and prestige, beeing known to most people. Celebrity endorsement is a relevant strategy for the product ca...

  3. High sensitivity tests of the Pauli Exclusion Principle with VIP2

    CERN Document Server

    Marton, J; Bertolucci, S; Berucci, C; Bragadireanu, M; Cargnelli, M; Curceanu, C; Clozza, A; Di Matteo, S; Egger, J-P; Guaraldo, C; Iliescu, M; Ishiwatari, T; Laubenstein, M; Milotti, E; Pichler, A; Pietreanu, D; Piscicchia, K; Ponta, T; Scordo, A; Shi, H; Sirghi, D L; Sirghi, F; Sperandio, L; Doce, O Vazquez; Widmann, E; Zmeskal, J

    2015-01-01

    The Pauli Exclusion Principle is one of the most fundamental rules of nature and represents a pillar of modern physics. According to many observations the Pauli Exclusion Principle must be extremely well fulfilled. Nevertheless, numerous experimental investigations were performed to search for a small violation of this principle. The VIP experiment at the Gran Sasso underground laboratory searched for Pauli-forbidden X-ray transitions in copper atoms using the Ramberg-Snow method and obtained the best limit so far. The follow-up experiment VIP2 is designed to reach even higher sensitivity. It aims to improve the limit by VIP by orders of magnitude. The experimental method, comparison of different PEP tests based on different assumptions and the developments for VIP2 are presented.

  4. Radioimmunoassay of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) in plasma. [/sup 125/I tracer techniques

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fahrenkrug, J.; Schaffalitzky de Muckadell, O.B.

    1977-06-01

    A sensitive and specific radioimmunoassay for vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) has been developed, which can detect 3.3 pmol x L/sup -1/ of the peptide in plasma. Antisera to highly purified porcine VIP coupled to albumin were raised in eight rabbits. The final dilution, the avidity, and the specificity of each antiserum were determined. /sup 125/I-VIP served as label, and highly purified porcine VIP was used as standard. Separation of antibody-bound and free VIP was achieved by plasma-coated charcoal. Nonspecific interference with the assay system was excluded by extraction of plasm samples with ethanol. The reliability of the assay was investigated by recovery experiments, by serial dilution of plasma samples with high concentration of endogenous VIP, and by immunosorption. The within-and between assay reproducibility at a concentration of 18.3 pmol x L/sup -1/ was 1.6 and 2.3 pmol x L/sup -1/ (1 S.D.), respectively. Median fasting concentration of VIP in plasma from 74 normal subjects was 7.3 pmol x L/sup -1/ (range: 0 to 20.0 pmol x L/sup -1/).

  5. VIP/PACAP receptors in cerebral arteries of rat

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Erdling, André; Sheykhzade, Majid; Maddahi, Aida

    2013-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) and pituitary adenylate cyclase activating peptide (PACAP)-containing nerves surround cerebral blood vessels. The peptides have potent vasodilator properties via smooth muscle cell receptors and activation of adenylate cyclase. The purpose of this s......BACKGROUND: Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) and pituitary adenylate cyclase activating peptide (PACAP)-containing nerves surround cerebral blood vessels. The peptides have potent vasodilator properties via smooth muscle cell receptors and activation of adenylate cyclase. The purpose...

  6. The VIP/VPACR system in the reproductive cycle of male lizard Podarcis sicula.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Agnese, Marisa; Rosati, Luigi; Prisco, Marina; Coraggio, Francesca; Valiante, Salvatore; Scudiero, Rosaria; Laforgia, Vincenza; Andreuccetti, Piero

    2014-09-01

    Starting from the knowledge that in the reproductive period the Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide (VIP) is widely distributed in Podarcis sicula testis, we studied VIP expression and the localization of the neuropeptide and its receptors in the testis of the Italian wall lizard P. sicula in the other phases of its reproductive cycle (summer stasis, autumnal resumption, winter stasis, spring resumption). By Real Time-PCR, we demonstrated that testicular VIP mRNA levels change during the reproductive cycle, showing a cyclic trend with two peaks, one in the mid-autumnal resumption and the other in the reproductive period. By in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry, we demonstrated that both VIP mRNA and protein were widely distributed in the testis in almost all the phases of the cycle, except in the early autumnal resumption. As regards the receptors, the VPAC1R was localized mainly in Leydig cells, while the VPAC2R showed the same distribution of VIP. Our results demonstrate that, differently from mammals, where VIP is present only in nerve fibres innerving the testis, an endotesticular synthesis takes place in the lizard and the VIP synthesis changes throughout the reproductive cycle. Moreover, the VIP/VPAC receptor system distribution observed in germ and somatic cells in various phases of the cycle, and particularly in the autumnal resumption and the reproductive period, strongly suggests its involvement in both spermatogenesis and steroidogenesis. Finally, the wider distribution of VIP in lizards with respect to mammals leads us to hypothesize that during the evolution the synthesis sites have been transferred from the testis to other districts, such as the brain. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. VIP and its homologous increase vascular conductance in certain endocrine and exocrine glands

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Huffman, L.J.; Connors, J.M.; Hedge, G.A.

    1988-01-01

    The effects of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) and related structural homologues on tissue vascular conductances were investigated in anesthetized male rats. VIP, peptide histidine isoleucine (PHI), secretin, growth hormone-releasing factor (GHRF), gastric inhibitory peptide (GIP), or saline was infused intravenously over 4 min. Tissue blood flows were measured during this time by use of 141 Ce-labeled microspheres. Circulating thyrotropin (TSH), triiodothyronine (T 3 ), and thyroxine (T 4 ) levels were determined before and at 20 min and 2 h after treatment. Marked increases in thyroid, pancreatic, and salivary gland vascular Cs occurred during peptide infusion with the order of potency correlating with the degree of structural homology to VIP. PHI and secretin produced maximal increases in vascular Cs, which were the same as those obtained with VIP. Circulating TSH, T 3 , and T 4 levels were not different from values in saline-infused rats after peptide treatments that caused striking increases in thyroid vascular C. These observations indicate that the vascular beds of certain endocrine and exocrine glands are responsive to the vasodilatory action of VIP and related homologues with the order of potency corresponding to the degree of structural homology to VIP. These results are also consistent with the proposal that structural homologues of VIP act at the same vascular receptor as VIP. Alternative, the involvement of different vascular receptors, acting through the same mechanism at a level beyond the receptor site, cannot be excluded

  8. Iodinated derivatives of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), PHI and PHM: purification, chemical characterization and biological activity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    McMaster, D.; Suzuki, Y.; Rorstad, O.; Lederis, K.

    1987-01-01

    The iodination of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) was studied, using a variety of enzymatic and chemical iodination methods. Reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used to purify the reaction products. The lactoperoxidase-glucose oxidase method gave excellent results in terms of reproducibility, iodine incorporation, and yield of the non-oxidized products [Tyr(I)10]VIP and [Tyr(I)22]VIP, and was used to prepare both 125 I and 127 I labelled derivatives. In both cases, direct application to HPLC and a single column system were used. Although the oxidized peptides [Tyr(I)10,Met(O)17]VIP and [Tyr(I)22,Met(O)17]VIP could be generated to varying degrees directly by iodination of VIP, these were most conveniently prepared by iodination of [Met(O)17]VIP. Iodinated derivatives of the homologous peptides PHI and PHM were likewise prepared by rapid, one-step HPLC procedures. The site and degree of iodination were determined by HPLC peptide mapping of tryptic digests and amino acid analyses, and in the case of [Tyr(I)10]VIP also by sequencing. The vasorelaxant activities of the iodinated peptides in bovine cerebral artery preparations did not differ significantly from those of the corresponding noniodinated peptides, with the exception of [Tyr(I)10,Met(O)17]VIP and [Tyr(I)22,Met(O)17]VIP which, unlike [Met(O)17]VIP itself, had slightly lower potency than VIP

  9. Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) labelling with iodine-131 by direct method; Marcacao do peptideo intestinal vasoativo (VIP) com iodo-131 por metodo direto

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Colturato, M.T.; Silva, C.P.G. da; Araujo, E.B. [Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares (IPEN), Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil). Centro de Radiofarmacia

    2002-07-01

    The Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide (VIP) is a 28-amino acid polypeptide with a great numbers of receptors in tumoral cells, including adenocarcinomas and pancreatic and colon carcinomas. The VIP molecule contains two tyrosine residues, in positions 10 and 22, that are theoretically equally susceptible to iodination, The VIP was labeled with 131-iodine by direct method using Iodogen as oxidant agent: 15.03 mmol VIP + 0.10 nmol KI + [{sup 131} I]NaI + 13.9 mmol Iodogen; the final volume was adjust to 100 {mu}L using 0.2 M phosphate buffer, pH 7.5 and the reaction proceed with stirring for 30 minutes at room temperature. The radiochemical purity was determined by electrophoresis (Whatman 1MM paper; 0.05 M barbital buffer; pH 8.6; 150 V; 40 minutes) that indicates low percent of free 131-iodine. The high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) system using RPC{sup 18}, 10 {mu}m, 4 x 250mm column, was able to separate the different radiochemical species, only when an isocratic mixture of acetonitrile: 0.1% trifluoroacetic acid (27:73) was used, with 0.5 mL/min. flux. (author)

  10. When celebrations go wrong: a case series of injuries after celebrating in sports.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Momaya, Amit; Read, Connor; Estes, Reed

    2017-03-01

    Athletes often engage in various celebration maneuvers during sports events. These celebrations can result in acute injuries. Our objective was to document publicized injuries in collegiate and professional athletes resulting from celebrations and examine associated variables. A retrospective case series study was performed based on internet searches performed using the following major sporting news websites: espn.com, SI.com, bleacherreport.com, totalprosports.com, cbssports.com, larrybrownspots.com, nfl.com, and mlb.com and PubMed. Keywords used during these searches included "celebration injury", "score celebration", and "surgery after celebration". These same sources were used to document the sport, athlete's age at time of injury, celebration action, type of injury, previous play, and whether surgery was required. A total of 62 athletes sustained 62 injuries resulting from various types of celebrations. All but two athletes were males, and the average age was 26.5 years old. The injuries occurred between 1993 and 2015. Sixteen (25.8%) of these injuries required surgery. Professional soccer players accounted for the greatest number of these injuries with a total of 22 injuries. One celebration in a professional soccer player resulted in a cervical spinal cord injury and subsequent death. Common celebration maneuvers included leaping into the air, pile ups, sliding, and somersaults. Serious injuries occur in a diversity of sports after celebrations. The most prevalent celebration maneuvers resulting in injuries included sliding and pile ups. The most common injuries were ACL ruptures and ankle sprains. The most serious injuries were a spinal cord injury and ankle fractures. Sixteen (25.8%) of the injuries required surgery. By encouraging athletes to temper excessive celebrations and prohibiting certain types of celebrations, many injuries may be prevented.

  11. Radiolabeling and in vitro and in vivo characterization of [18F]FB-[R(8,15,21), L17]-VIP as a PET imaging agent for tumor overexpressed VIP receptors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheng, Dengfeng; Yin, Duanzhi; Li, Gucai; Wang, Mingwei; Li, Shiqiang; Zheng, Mingqiang; Cai, Hancheng; Wang, Yongxian

    2006-12-01

    In an effort to develop a peptide-based radiopharmaceutical for the detection of tumors overexpressed vasoactive intestinal peptide receptors with positron emission tomography, we have prepared a novel [R(8,15,21), L17]-VIP peptide for 18F-labeling. This peptide inhibited 125I-VIP binding to rats lung membranes with high affinity [half-maximal inhibitory concentrations (IC50) of 0.12 nm]. Additionally, [R(8,15,21), L17]-VIP showed higher stability than native vasoactive intestinal peptide in vivo of mice. With N-succinimidyl 4-[18F] fluorobenzoate as labeling prosthetic group, [18F]FB-[R(8,15,21), L17]-VIP was obtained in >99% radiochemical purity within 100 min in decay-for-corrected radiochemical yield of 33.6 +/- 3% (n = 5) and a specific radioactivity 255 GBq/micromol at the end of synthesis. Stability of [18F]FB-[R(8,15,21), L17]-VIP in vitro and in vivo were investigated. Biodistribution of this trace was carried out in mice with induced C26 colorectal tumor. Fast clearance of [18F]FB-[R(8,15,21), L17]-VIP from non-target tissues and specific uptakes by tumors realized higher tumor-to-muscle ratio (3.55) and tumor-to-blood ratio (2.37) 60 min postinjection. Clear difference was observed between the blocking and unblocking experiments in biodistribution and whole body radioautography. [18F]FB-[R(8,15,21), L17]-VIP has demonstrated its potential for diagnosing tumors overexpressed vasoactive intestinal peptide receptors both in vitro and in vivo.

  12. Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) innervation of the human eyelid glands.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seifert, P; Spitznas, M

    1999-06-01

    This study was conducted to obtain morphological proof of innervating nerve fibres in the glands of the human eyelid (accessory lacrimal glands of Wolfring, meibomian glands, goblet cells, glands of Zeis, glands of Moll, sweat glands, glands of lanugo hair follicles) and identification of the secretomotorically active neuropeptide vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) as a common transmitter. Epoxy-embedded ultrathin sections of tissue samples from human eyelids were studied using electron microscopy. Paraffin sections fixed in Bouin-Hollande solution were immunostained with rabbit antiserum against VIP. With the electron microscope we were able to identify nerves in the glandular stroma of all the glands examined with the exception of goblet cells. Intraepithelial single axons were only seen in the parenchyma of Wolfring glands. The morphological findings corresponded with the immunological finding of VIP-positive, nerve-like structures in the same locations, with the exception of lanugo hair follicle glands, and goblet cells. Our findings indicate that the glands of the eyelids and main lacrimal gland represent a functional unit with VIP as a possible common stimulating factor. Copyright 1999 Academic Press.

  13. Celebrate Women's History.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leonard, Carolyn M.; Baradar, Mariam

    This teachers' guide to activities celebrating Women's History Month focuses on women whose important contributions have been omitted from history textbooks. Women's History Month grew from a 1977 celebration of Women's History Week and is intended to bring women's history into the school curriculum. International Women's Day, celebrated on March…

  14. Vacuum Insulation Panels (VIPs) for building construction industry - A review of the contemporary developments and future directions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Alam, M.; Singh, H.; Limbachiya, M.C.

    2011-01-01

    Highlights: → Vacuum Insulation Panels (VIP), a high thermal resistance building insulation. → Review of research into VIPs for building applications. → High cost and uncertainty of service life are two barriers for VIP use in buildings. → SiO 2 /SiN x coated PET laminate- candidate for high barrier VIP envelope. → The optimum combination of VIP core and envelope yet to be determined. -- Abstract: Demand for energy efficient buildings has increased drastically in recent years and this trend will continue in the future. Insulating building elements will play a key role in meeting this demand by reducing heat losses through the building fabric. Due to their higher thermal resistance, Vacuum Insulation Panels (VIPs) would be a more energy efficient alternative to conventional building insulation materials. Thus, efforts to develop VIPs with characteristics suitable for applications to new and existing buildings are underway. This paper provides a review of important contemporary developments towards producing VIPs using various materials such as glass fibre, foams, perlite and fibre/powder composites. The limitations of the materials currently used to fabricate VIPs have not been emphasised in detail in previous review papers published. Selection criteria, methods to measure important properties of VIPs and analytical and numerical models presented in the past have been detailed. Limitations of currently employed design tools along with potential future materials such as Nano/microcellular foams and SiO x /SiN x coatings for use in VIPs are also described.

  15. CELEBRITY ENDORSEMENT STRATEGY

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    CHIOSA ANA RALUCA

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available Brands ofen use celebrities to get impact, because they are seen by the public as credible source of informationabout product or company. People aspire to the values and lifestyles of celebrities. Consumers selectively integrateperceived values and behavior of celebrities they admire, to build and communicate their own identity.Celebrity endorser is a person who enjoys high reputation and prestige, beeing known to most people. Celebrityendorsement is a relevant strategy for the product categories which improve the image (such as fashion, perfumes orcosmetics.This paper presents types, techniques and models of analysing celebrities’ efficiency in endorsingbrands/products. Celebrity endorsement has become one of the communication strategies used in marketing to buildcongruence between brand image and consumers. Famous persons exert their influence on consumer throughperceived attributes such as expertise, trustworthiness, attractiveness, familiarty and likeability.

  16. Sensory experience regulates cortical inhibition by inducing IGF1 in VIP neurons.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mardinly, A R; Spiegel, I; Patrizi, A; Centofante, E; Bazinet, J E; Tzeng, C P; Mandel-Brehm, C; Harmin, D A; Adesnik, H; Fagiolini, M; Greenberg, M E

    2016-03-17

    Inhibitory neurons regulate the adaptation of neural circuits to sensory experience, but the molecular mechanisms by which experience controls the connectivity between different types of inhibitory neuron to regulate cortical plasticity are largely unknown. Here we show that exposure of dark-housed mice to light induces a gene program in cortical vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP)-expressing neurons that is markedly distinct from that induced in excitatory neurons and other subtypes of inhibitory neuron. We identify Igf1 as one of several activity-regulated genes that are specific to VIP neurons, and demonstrate that IGF1 functions cell-autonomously in VIP neurons to increase inhibitory synaptic input onto these neurons. Our findings further suggest that in cortical VIP neurons, experience-dependent gene transcription regulates visual acuity by activating the expression of IGF1, thus promoting the inhibition of disinhibitory neurons and affecting inhibition onto cortical pyramidal neurons.

  17. Increase of prolactin mRNA in the rat hypothalamus after intracerebroventricular injection of VIP or PACAP.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bredow, S; Kacsóh, B; Obál, F; Fang, J; Krueger, J M

    1994-10-17

    Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), the structurally homologous pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating peptide (PACAP) and the pituitary hormone, prolactin (PRL) enhance rapid eye movement sleep (REMS). VIP and PACAP are both inducers of PRL gene expression and release in the pituitary gland. Little is known about PRL regulation in the brain although it is hypothesized that the REMS-promoting activity of i.c.v. administered VIP may be mediated via the activation of cerebral PRL. To test whether VIP or PACAP in fact increase intracerebral mRNA, the peptides (VIP: 30 or 300 pmol; PACAP: 220 pmol) were injected i.c.v. into rats at dark onset. 1 h later, cDNA was synthesized from purified hypothalamic mRNA. Standardized amounts were analysed for PRL using the polymerase chain reaction followed by Southern blotting and hybridization. Compared with beta-actin mRNA levels, both VIP and PACAP increased PRL mRNA levels in a dose-dependent fashion though VIP was more effective on a molar basis. The previously reported alternatively spliced PRL mRNA (lacking exon 4) was not detected. The data support the hypothesis that the REMS-promoting activity of central VIP and PACAP might be mediated by cerebral PRL.

  18. Fasting and prolonged exercise increase vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) in plasma

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Galbo, H; Hilsted, J; Fahrenkrug, J

    1979-01-01

    and maximal exercise. During 59 h of fasting, VIP increased from 3.6 (0.6--6.6) to 10.2 (6.6--13.8) pmol.1(-1) (p less than 0.05). The concentration of glucose in plasma decreased significantly during the prolonged exercise as well as during fasting. The known metabolic actions of VIP and the demonstrated...

  19. Celebrity-black

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Christiansen, Lene Bull; Richey, Lisa Ann

    2015-01-01

    This article studies the intersection between race, culture and celebrity in the context of Danish ‘aid celebrities’ by analysing the radicalised ‘celebrity persona’ of the Gambian-Danish A-list actress, singer, director and comedian Hella Joof. The analysis pays particular attention to her perfo...

  20. Virtual phantom magnetic resonance imaging (ViP MRI) on a clinical MRI platform.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saint-Jalmes, Hervé; Bordelois, Alejandro; Gambarota, Giulio

    2018-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to implement Virtual Phantom Magnetic Resonance Imaging (ViP MRI), a technique that allows for generating reference signals in MR images using radiofrequency (RF) signals, on a clinical MR system and to test newly designed virtual phantoms. MRI experiments were conducted on a 1.5 T MRI scanner. Electromagnetic modelling of the ViP system was done using the principle of reciprocity. The ViP RF signals were generated using a compact waveform generator (dimensions of 26 cm × 18 cm × 16 cm), connected to a homebuilt 25 mm-diameter RF coil. The ViP RF signals were transmitted to the MRI scanner bore, simultaneously with the acquisition of the signal from the object of interest. Different types of MRI data acquisition (2D and 3D gradient-echo) as well as different phantoms, including the Shepp-Logan phantom, were tested. Furthermore, a uniquely designed virtual phantom - in the shape of a grid - was generated; this newly proposed phantom allows for the investigations of the vendor distortion correction field. High quality MR images of virtual phantoms were obtained. An excellent agreement was found between the experimental data and the inverse cube law, which was the expected functional dependence obtained from the electromagnetic modelling of the ViP system. Short-term time stability measurements yielded a coefficient of variation in the signal intensity over time equal to 0.23% and 0.13% for virtual and physical phantom, respectively. MR images of the virtual grid-shaped phantom were reconstructed with the vendor distortion correction; this allowed for a direct visualization of the vendor distortion correction field. Furthermore, as expected from the electromagnetic modelling of the ViP system, a very compact coil (diameter ~ cm) and very small currents (intensity ~ mA) were sufficient to generate a signal comparable to that of physical phantoms in MRI experiments. The ViP MRI technique was successfully implemented on a clinical MR

  1. Celebrity witnessing

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Christiansen, Lene Bull; Frello, Birgitta

    2016-01-01

    This article deals with emotional address in the narrative modality of celebrity witnessing in the marketing of development aid. We analyse Danish celebrity narratives of global caring, drawing on Luc Boltanski’s work on a ‘politics of pity’, Lilie Chouliaraki’s notion of the ‘aspirational discou...

  2. Searches for the Violation of Pauli Exclusion Principle at LNGS in VIP(-2) experiment

    CERN Document Server

    Shi, H; Bertolucci, S; Berucci, C; Bragadireanu, A M; Cargnelli, M; Clozza, A; Curceanu, C; De Paolis, L; Di Matteo, S; d'Uffizi, A; Egger, J P; Guaraldo, C; Iliescu, M; Ishiwatari, T; Marton, J; Laubenstein, M; Milotti, E; Pietreanu, D; Piscicchia, K; Ponta, T; Vidal, A.Romero; Sbardella, E; Scordo, A; Sirghi, D L; Sirghi, F; Sperandio, L; Vazquez Doce, O; Widmann, E; Zmeskal, J

    2016-01-01

    The VIP (Violation of Pauli exclusion principle) experiment and its follow-up experiment VIP-2 at the Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso (LNGS) search for X-rays from Cu atomic states that are prohibited by the Pauli Exclusion Principle (PEP). The candidate events, if they exist, will originate from the transition of a $2p$ orbit electron to the ground state which is already occupied by two electrons. The present limit on the probability for PEP violation for electron is 4.7 $\\times10^{-29}$ set by the VIP experiment. With upgraded detectors for high precision X-ray spectroscopy, the VIP-2 experiment will improve the sensitivity by two orders of magnitude.

  3. VIP visit of LHC Computing Grid Project

    CERN Multimedia

    Krajewski, Yann Tadeusz

    2015-01-01

    VIP visit of LHC Computing Grid Project with Dr -.Ing. Tarek Kamel [Senior Advisor to the President for Government Engagement, ICANN Geneva Office] and Dr Nigel Hickson [VP, IGO Engagement, ICANN Geneva Office

  4. Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) labelling with iodine-131 by direct method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Colturato, M.T.; Silva, C.P.G. da; Araujo, E.B.

    2002-01-01

    The Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide (VIP) is a 28-amino acid polypeptide with a great numbers of receptors in tumoral cells, including adenocarcinomas and pancreatic and colon carcinomas. The VIP molecule contains two tyrosine residues, in positions 10 and 22, that are theoretically equally susceptible to iodination, The VIP was labeled with 131-iodine by direct method using Iodogen as oxidant agent: 15.03 mmol VIP + 0.10 nmol KI + [ 131 I]NaI + 13.9 mmol Iodogen; the final volume was adjust to 100 μL using 0.2 M phosphate buffer, pH 7.5 and the reaction proceed with stirring for 30 minutes at room temperature. The radiochemical purity was determined by electrophoresis (Whatman 1MM paper; 0.05 M barbital buffer; pH 8.6; 150 V; 40 minutes) that indicates low percent of free 131-iodine. The high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) system using RPC 18 , 10 μm, 4 x 250mm column, was able to separate the different radiochemical species, only when an isocratic mixture of acetonitrile: 0.1% trifluoroacetic acid (27:73) was used, with 0.5 mL/min. flux. (author)

  5. MENTOR-VIP: Piloting a global mentoring program for injury and violence prevention.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hyder, Adnan A; Meddings, David; Bachani, Abdulgafoor M

    2009-06-01

    Injuries occur as the result of a confluence of factors: environmental, social, biological, economic, and behavioral. To effectively address the burden of injuries, especially in low- and middle-income countries, a focus is needed on developing the human resource capacity for injury prevention. MENTOR-VIP is a global mentoring program that the authors developed with this need in mind. MENTOR-VIP approaches developing human resources in injury prevention by providing mentoring opportunities for junior professionals involved in its practice, research, and/or programs. MENTOR-VIP entails a 12-month working relationship between junior injury prevention practitioners (mentees) and more experienced individuals in the field (mentors). Its general objective is to improve global human resource capacity to effectively prevent and control injury and violence through the enhanced development of relevant skills. The program is currently in its pilot phase and is nearing the end of its second formal mentoring cycle, which began on September 1, 2008. This article discusses mentoring professionals as a key strategy to developing the human resource component of capacity, and one which complements existing approaches to capacity development. The authors also provide an overview of the rationale, modalities, objectives, and evaluation of MENTOR-VIP. This article highlights the importance of capacity building in the injury prevention field and situates MENTOR-VIP within the larger context of capacity building for global public health.

  6. Selection and characterization of resistance to the Vip3Aa20 protein from Bacillus thuringiensis in Spodoptera frugiperda.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bernardi, Oderlei; Bernardi, Daniel; Horikoshi, Renato J; Okuma, Daniela M; Miraldo, Leonardo L; Fatoretto, Julio; Medeiros, Fernanda Cl; Burd, Tony; Omoto, Celso

    2016-09-01

    Spodoptera frugiperda is one the main target pests of maize events expressing Vip3Aa20 protein from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) in Brazil. In this study, we selected a resistant strain of S. frugiperda on Bt maize expressing Vip3Aa20 protein and characterized the inheritance and fitness costs of the resistance. The resistance ratio of the Vip3Aa20-resistant strain of S. frugiperda was >3200-fold. Neonates of the Vip3Aa20-resistant strain were able to survive and emerge as fertile adults on Vip3Aa20 maize, while larvae from susceptible and heterozygous strains did not survive. The inheritance of Vip3Aa20 resistance was autosomal recessive and monogenic. Life history studies to investigate fitness cost revealed an 11% reduction in the survival rate until adult stage and a ∼50% lower reproductive rate of the Vip3Aa20-resistant strain compared with susceptible and heterozygous strains. This is the first characterization of S. frugiperda resistance to Vip3Aa protein. Our results provide useful information for resistance management programs designed to prevent or delay resistance evolution to Vip3Aa proteins in S. frugiperda. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

  7. Intracerebroventricular Infusion of Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide (VIP Rescues the Luteinizing Hormone Surge in Middle-Aged Female Rats

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yan eSun

    2012-02-01

    Full Text Available Reproductive aging is characterized by delayed and attenuated luteinizing hormone (LH surges apparent in middle-aged rats. The suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN contains the circadian clock that is responsible for the timing of diverse neuroendocrine rhythms. Electrophysiological studies suggest vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP originating from the SCN excites gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH neurons and affects daily patterns of GnRH-LH release. Age-related LH surge dysfunction correlates with reduced VIP mRNA expression in the SCN and fewer GnRH neurons with VIP contacts expressing c-fos, a marker of neuronal activation, on the day of the LH surge. To determine if age-related LH surge dysfunction reflects reduced VIP availability or altered VIP responsiveness under estradiol positive feedback conditions, we assessed the effect of intracerebroventricular (icv VIP infusion on c-fos expression in GnRH neurons and on LH release in ovariohysterectomized, hormone-primed young and middle-aged rats. Icv infusion of VIP between 1300 and 1600 h significantly advanced the time of peak LH release, increased total and peak LH release, and increased the number of GnRH neurons expressing c-fos on the day of the LH surge in middle-aged rats. Surprisingly, icv infusion of VIP in young females significantly reduced the number of GnRH neurons expressing c-fos and delayed and reduced the LH surge. These observations suggest that a critical balance of VIP signaling is required to activate GnRH neurons for an appropriately timed and robust LH surge in young and middle-aged females. Age-related LH surge changes may, in part, result from decreased availability and reduced VIP-mediated neurotransmission under estradiol positive feedback conditions.

  8. The influence of media reporting of a celebrity suicide on suicidal behavior in patients with a history of depressive disorder.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheng, Andrew T A; Hawton, Keith; Chen, Tony H H; Yen, Amy M F; Chang, Jung-Chen; Chong, Mian-Yoon; Liu, Chia-Yih; Lee, Yu; Teng, Po-Ren; Chen, Lin-Chen

    2007-11-01

    Few studies have directly assessed the impact of a specific media report in vulnerable people. This study investigates possible influences of media reporting of a celebrity suicide on subsequent suicidal behaviors and associated risk factors among depressive patients. Depressive patients (N=461) were assessed through a structured interview soon after extensive media reporting of a celebrity suicide. Among 438 depressive patients exposed to the media report, 38.8% reported an influence on subsequent suicidal behaviors, including 24 (5.5%) with a suicide attempt. The risk of such influence was highest among patients in a severe depressive state just prior to the media report (adjusted OR 7.81, 95% CI 3.28-18.59). Such influence on a subsequent suicide attempt was highest in patients with a most recent suicide attempt within one month prior to the media reports (adjusted hazard ratio 11.91, 95% CI 3.76-37.72). Our finding of the significant media influence may reflect adverse thoughts among more suicidal and depressed individuals. The possible influence of other factors on the findings cannot be ruled out. This study has provided more convincing evidence suggesting negative influences of media reporting of a celebrity suicide on subsequent suicidal behaviors among depressive patients. Particular attention in terms of potential negative media influences should be paid to patients who are younger and currently depressed and have made a recent suicide attempt.

  9. Drug-related celebrity deaths: A cross-sectional study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Just, Johannes M; Bleckwenn, Markus; Schnakenberg, Rieke; Skatulla, Philipp; Weckbecker, Klaus

    2016-12-09

    Celebrities are at risk for premature mortality as well as drug-related death. Despite being a vulnerable patient group, celebrities influence people's health behaviours through biological, psychological and social processes. Therefore, celebrity endorsement of the topic could be one way to challenge the current "opioid endemic". Our aim was to better understand the factors surrounding drug-related celebrity deaths by investigating the incidence as well as substances used between 1970 and 2015 using a cross-sectional study design. We searched public databases for drug-related celebrity deaths between 1970 and 2015. They were categorized for sex, profession, age at death, year of death and substances involved. The main outcome measures are descriptive values including number of drug deaths per year and substances involved. Secondary outcome measures are analytical questions to examine whether and which factors influence age at death and year of death (e.g. type of substance use disorder). We identified 220 celebrities who died a drug-related death with a clear indication of involved substances between 1970 and 2015. The average age at death was 38.6 years; 75% were male. Most celebrities died between the age of 25 and 40. The number of drug-related deaths increased in the 21st century, with a significant increase in the use of prescription opioids. Deaths involving prescription opioids and heroin were associated with a significantly lower mean age at death compared to deaths where these substances were not involved. Compared to the 20th century, the total number of celebrities who died from a drug-related death in the 21st century increased, possibly due to an increased involvement of prescription opioids. Negative effects on individual health decisions of celebrity's followers could be the result.

  10. Celebrity endorsement in fashion print advertising

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Raluca Chiosa

    2013-05-01

    Full Text Available Brands ofen use celebrities to get impact. Celebrity endorsement has become a marketing communication strategy used to build a congruence between brand image and consumers. Objectives. Research attempts to analyse celebrity endorser-product congruency and to measure the effectiveness of celebrity endorsement compared with a non-celebrity endorsement (fashion models. Prior Work. Research conducted to date have reached topics as: the effectiveness of celebrity endorsement; celebrity endorsers and purchase intention, added-value of the endorsement; positive or negative effects of celebrity endorsement, congruence between product/brand and endorser, consumer association with the endorser, attractiveness, credibility and trust in celebrities. Approach. A marketing experiment was used in order to mesure the impactul of endorser type and endorser-product match on Aad, Ab, and Pi. Results. Research has confirmed that attractive endorsers fit clothing products, whether they are celebrities or models. Also, the more consumer likes advertising, the more likely it creates a favorable attitude towards the brand. Results suggest ads using celebrities increase the likelihood of consumers to buy an endorsed product. Value. Study shows what celebrities are considered credible and perceived fit to promote classical suit. A fashion brand can select a celebrity for advertising campaign, due to it’s influence on consumers’ purchase intention.

  11. Encoding of movement in near extrapersonal space in primate area VIP

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Frank eBremmer

    2013-02-01

    Full Text Available Many neurons in the macaque ventral intraparietal area (VIP are multimodal, i.e., they respond not only to visual but also to tactile, auditory and vestibular stimulation. Anatomical studies have shown distinct projections between area VIP and a region of premotor cortex controlling head movements. A specific function of area VIP could be to guide movements in order to head for and/or to avoid objects in near extra-personal space. This behavioral role would require a consistent representation of visual motion within 3-D space and enhanced activity for nearby motion signals. Accordingly, in our present study we investigated whether neurons in area VIP are sensitive to moving visual stimuli containing depth signals from horizontal disparity. We recorded single unit activity from area VIP of two awake behaving monkeys (M. mulatta fixating a central target on a projection screen. Sensitivity of neurons to horizontal disparity was assessed by presenting large field moving images (random dot fields stereoscopically to the two eyes by means of LCD shutter goggles synchronized with the stimulus computer. During an individual trial, stimuli had one of seven different disparity values ranging from 3 degrees uncrossed- (far to 3 degrees crossed- (near disparity in 1 degree steps. Stimuli moved at constant speed in all simulated depth planes. Different disparity values were presented across trials in pseudo-randomized order. 61% percent of the motion sensitive cells had a statistically significant selectivity for the horizontal disparity of the stimulus (p<0.05, distribution free ANOVA. 75% of them preferred crossed-disparity values, i.e. moving stimuli in near space, with the highest mean activity for the nearest stimulus. At the population level, preferred direction of visual stimulus motion was not affected by horizontal disparity. Thus, our findings are in agreement with the behavioral role of area VIP in the representation of movement in near extra

  12. Celebrity Politics: Correlates of Voting for Celebrities in Philippine Presidential Elections

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Clarissa C. David

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available It is common in the Philippines for celebrities in entertainment, news, and sports to run for public office and win, even with little experience in political life and limited education. The preponderance of celebrities in politics is often identif ied in the public discourse as a problem with important implications on national policy. This paper examines empirical correlates of voter preference for celebrity Presidential candidates with data from a nationally-representative survey. It finds support for the hypotheses that the likelihood of voting for celebrity candidates for President and Vice President is associated with education, television exposure, and residence in the capital city. The findings are discussed in the context of political knowledge and its role in shaping voter preferences.

  13. Comparison of Performance of the VIP and WMT in a Criminal Forensic Sample.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fazio, Rachel L; Denney, Robert L

    2018-01-24

    To compare the efficacy of the Validity Indicator Profile (VIP) and Word Memory Test (WMT) in a criminal forensic population. Potential participants included 225 male evaluees from a maximum-security Federal prison referred for neuropsychological evaluation for either forensic purposes or for suspected neurocognitive dysfunction as part of a medical evaluation. Examinees were included in the analysis if administered the VIP (Verbal, Nonverbal, or both tests) and WMT along with at least two other freestanding PVTs; 74 satisfied these criteria. Participants were then categorized as having probable Malingered Neurocognitive Dysfunction (+MND) if they failed at least two freestanding validity indicators, negative for MND (-MND) if they passed all indicators, and Possible MND (pMND) if they failed one indicator. Groups were very demographically similar. There were significant differences in WMT scores and distribution of VIP profiles across groups. Whether using traditional or investigative cut scores, and whether using the WMT with or without consideration of a GMIP profile, the WMT demonstrated superior sensitivity and specificity on nearly every comparison. The VIP, when interpreted in the traditional fashion, and the WMT with GMIP, both had more than adequate psychometric properties when used with criminal forensic evaluees, strengthening the body of literature supporting their use for these types of evaluations. Counting a positive on either of the VIP subtests as an indication of +MND improves the psychometric properties of the VIP slightly, although the WMT had the better overall classification accuracy. © The Author(s) 2018. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  14. VIP: A knowledge-based design aid for the engineering of space systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lewis, Steven M.; Bellman, Kirstie L.

    1990-01-01

    The Vehicles Implementation Project (VIP), a knowledge-based design aid for the engineering of space systems is described. VIP combines qualitative knowledge in the form of rules, quantitative knowledge in the form of equations, and other mathematical modeling tools. The system allows users rapidly to develop and experiment with models of spacecraft system designs. As information becomes available to the system, appropriate equations are solved symbolically and the results are displayed. Users may browse through the system, observing dependencies and the effects of altering specific parameters. The system can also suggest approaches to the derivation of specific parameter values. In addition to providing a tool for the development of specific designs, VIP aims at increasing the user's understanding of the design process. Users may rapidly examine the sensitivity of a given parameter to others in the system and perform tradeoffs or optimizations of specific parameters. A second major goal of VIP is to integrate the existing corporate knowledge base of models and rules into a central, symbolic form.

  15. Vacuum maintenance in vacuum insulation panels exemplified with a staggered beam VIP

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kwon, Jae-Sung; Jang, Choong Hyo; Jung, Haeyong; Song, Tae-Ho [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Guseong-dong 373-1, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

    2010-05-15

    Thermal insulation performance of a vacuum insulation panel (VIP) is highly dependent on the inner pressure of the VIP. Long-term vacuum maintenance characteristics are investigated in this study for a VIP with an example of polymer staggered beam structure as the core material. Various gas sources deteriorating the vacuum level in the VIP are investigated based on theoretical models and experiments. Gas permeation occurring through heat-sealed flanges and pinholes in the barrier envelope is the largest gas leakage source. The calculated gas permeation rate is in accordance with the experimental result. To reduce these permeations, a three-side sealing envelope and double enveloping are proposed. Outgassing from the core material and inner surface of the envelope is also critical. It is significantly reduced by a baking pre-treatment in vacuum. When the estimated total gas load exceeds the allowable limit within a few years, a getter material may be applied. Double enveloping structure with a getter is promising as it ensures a lifetime of more than 20 years. (author)

  16. Interaction of PHM, PHI and 24-glutamine PHI with human VIP receptors from colonic epithelium: comparison with rat intestinal receptors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Laburthe, M.; Couvineau, A.; Rouyer-Fessard, C.; Moroder, L.

    1985-01-01

    PHM, the human counterpart of porcine Peptide Histidine Isoleucine amide (PHI), is shown to be a VIP agonist with low potency on human VIP receptors located in colonic epithelial cell membranes. Its potency is identical to that of PHI but by 3 orders of magnitude lower than that of VIP itself in inhibiting 125 I-VIP binding and in stimulating adenylate cyclase activity. This contrasts markedly with the behavior of PHI on rat VIP receptors located in intestinal epithelial cell membranes where PHI is a potent agonist with a potency that is 1/5 that of VIP. In another connection, the authors show that 24-glutamine PHI has the same affinity as 24-glutamic acid PHI (the natural peptide) for rat or human VIP receptors. These results indicate that while PHI may exert some physiological function through its interaction with VIP receptors in rodents, its human counterpart PHM is a very poor agonist of VIP in human. Furthermore, they show that the drastic change in position 24 of PHI (neutral versus acid residue) does not affect the activity of PHI, at least on VIP receptors. 21 references, 1 figure

  17. expVIP: a Customizable RNA-seq Data Analysis and Visualization Platform.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Borrill, Philippa; Ramirez-Gonzalez, Ricardo; Uauy, Cristobal

    2016-04-01

    The majority of transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq) expression studies in plants remain underutilized and inaccessible due to the use of disparate transcriptome references and the lack of skills and resources to analyze and visualize these data. We have developed expVIP, an expression visualization and integration platform, which allows easy analysis of RNA-seq data combined with an intuitive and interactive interface. Users can analyze public and user-specified data sets with minimal bioinformatics knowledge using the expVIP virtual machine. This generates a custom Web browser to visualize, sort, and filter the RNA-seq data and provides outputs for differential gene expression analysis. We demonstrate expVIP's suitability for polyploid crops and evaluate its performance across a range of biologically relevant scenarios. To exemplify its use in crop research, we developed a flexible wheat (Triticum aestivum) expression browser (www.wheat-expression.com) that can be expanded with user-generated data in a local virtual machine environment. The open-access expVIP platform will facilitate the analysis of gene expression data from a wide variety of species by enabling the easy integration, visualization, and comparison of RNA-seq data across experiments. © 2016 American Society of Plant Biologists. All Rights Reserved.

  18. Detection and characterization of recombinant DNA expressing vip3A-type insecticidal gene in GMOs--standard single, multiplex and construct-specific PCR assays.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singh, Chandra K; Ojha, Abhishek; Bhatanagar, Raj K; Kachru, Devendra N

    2008-01-01

    Vegetative insecticidal protein (Vip), a unique class of insecticidal protein, is now part of transgenic plants for conferring resistance against lepidopteron pests. In order to address the imminent regulatory need for detection and labeling of vip3A carrying genetically modified (GM) products, we have developed a standard single PCR and a multiplex PCR assay. As far as we are aware, this is the first report on PCR-based detection of a vip3A-type gene (vip-s) in transgenic cotton and tobacco. Our assay involves amplification of a 284-bp region of the vip-s gene. This assay can possibly detect as many as 20 natural wild-type isolates bearing a vip3A-like gene and two synthetic genes of vip3A in transgenic plants. The limit of detection as established by our assay for GM trait (vip-s) is 0.1%. Spiking with nontarget DNA originating from diverse plant sources had no inhibitory effect on vip-s detection. Since autoclaving of vip-s bearing GM leaf samples showed no deterioration/interference in detection efficacy, the assay seems to be suitable for processed food products as well. The vip-s amplicon identity was reconfirmed by restriction endonuclease assay. The primer set for vip-s was equally effective in a multiplex PCR assay format (duplex, triplex and quadruplex), used in conjunction with the primer sets for the npt-II selectable marker gene, Cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter and nopaline synthetase terminator, enabling concurrent detection of the transgene, regulatory sequences and marker gene. Further, the entire transgene construct was amplified using the forward primer of the promoter and the reverse primer of the terminator. The resultant amplicon served as a template for nested PCR to confirm the construct integrity. The method is suitable for screening any vip3A-carrying GM plant and food. The availability of a reliable PCR assay method prior to commercial release of vip3A-based transgenic crops and food would facilitate rapid and efficient regulatory

  19. The Fermi LAT Very Important Project (VIP) List of Active Galactic Nuclei

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thompson, David J.; Fermi Large Area Telescope Collaboration

    2018-01-01

    Using nine years of Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope Large Area Telescope (LAT) observations, we have identified 30 projects for Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) that appear to provide strong prospects for significant scientific advances. This Very Important Project (VIP) AGN list includes AGNs that have good multiwavelength coverage, are regularly detected by the Fermi LAT, and offer scientifically interesting timing or spectral properties. Each project has one or more LAT scientists identified who are actively monitoring the source. They will be regularly updating the LAT results for these VIP AGNs, working together with multiwavelength observers and theorists to maximize the scientific return during the coming years of the Fermi mission. See https://confluence.slac.stanford.edu/display/GLAMCOG/VIP+List+of+AGNs+for+Continued+Study

  20. VIP A B C. Vacuum Insulation Panels Applied in Building Constructions

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tenpierik, M.J.

    2010-02-01

    Due to sustainability and due to international treaties, it is desired and required to reduce greenhouse gas emissions drastically. One contributor to these emissions is the burning of fossil fuels for generating power and electricity to be used in and for buildings. Buildings and building-related processes are responsible for about 40% of the primary energy consumption in the European Union. More than half of this energy is applied for heating systems in dwellings and commercial buildings. The European Union therefore has laid down new energy performance requirements for buildings in the European Directive on the Energy Performance of Buildings. Moreover, a reduction of energy losses of buildings during their occupational phase is important for facilitating the implementation of sustainable energy sources in the built environment. Increasing the insulation value of the envelope of buildings may contribute to this reduction of primary energy use. Two strategies can be followed. The first strategy is to increase the thickness of the thermal insulation layer. Until recently, this strategy has primarily been adopted. If, however, German or Swiss Passivhaus standard is applied, the thickness of this insulation layer would increase to beyond 30 cm, resulting in very thick building enclosures. The second, more innovative, strategy for reducing energy losses through the building skin would be the application of more effective thermal insulators. One such more effective thermal insulator is a vacuum insulation panel, abbreviated as VIP. A VIP consists of an open-celled core material which is evacuated and then tightly sealed into a barrier envelope to maintain this vacuum. The vacuum inside the pores of the core material reduces the thermal conductivity of the product significantly, as a result of which the thickness of the insulation layer can be reduced to obtain a certain performance. This reduction of thickness is among the most promising features for large

  1. Celebrity Humanitarianism and North-South Relations

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    as a place where celebrities intervene into existing politics and social processes, or as the generator of Southern celebrities engaged in ‘do-gooding’. This book examines what the diverse roster of celebrity humanitarians are actually doing in and across North and South contexts. Celebrity humanitarianism......Discussion over celebrity engagement is often limited to theoretical critique or normative name-calling, without much grounded research into what it is that celebrities are doing, the same or differently throughout the world. Crucially, little attention has been paid to the Global South, either...

  2. A historical review of head and neck cancer in celebrities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Folz, B J; Ferlito, A; Weir, N; Pratt, L W; Rinaldo, A; Werner, J A

    2007-06-01

    The illnesses of celebrity patients always receive more attention from the general public than those of ordinary patients. With regard to cancer, this fact has helped to spread information about the four major malignancies: breast cancer, prostatic cancer, lung cancer and colorectal cancer. Head and neck cancer, on the other hand, is still not well recognised by the lay public, although the risk factors are similar to those of lung cancer. It was the objective of this analysis to identify cases of celebrity patients, the description of which could help to increase awareness of head and neck cancer, its symptoms and risk factors. The Internet and medical literature databases were searched for celebrity patients who had suffered from head and neck cancer. The search revealed numerous famous head and neck cancer patients. However, only seven cases were documented well in the medical literature. Among the identified persons were one emperor, two United States presidents, a legendary composer, a world-renowned medical doctor, an outstanding athlete and an extraordinary entertainer. In spite of their exclusive position in society, these patients did not have a better prognosis compared with ordinary patients of their time. Only two of the group experienced long term survival and only one was cured. None of these influential figures used their influence to fund research or to promote knowledge about their respective diseases. The identified cases could help increase public awareness of head and neck cancer. Similar to activities in other oncologic fields, current celebrity head and neck cancer patients should be encouraged to discuss their diseases openly, which could have a positive effect on public health.

  3. VIP as a potential therapeutic agent in gram negative sepsis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ibrahim, Hiba; Barrow, Paul; Foster, Neil

    2012-12-01

    Gram negative sepsis remains a high cause of mortality and places a great burden on public health finance in both the developed and developing world. Treatment of sepsis, using antibiotics, is often ineffective since pathology associated with the disease occurs due to dysregulation of the immune system (failure to return to steady state conditions) which continues after the bacteria, which induced the immune response, have been cleared. Immune modulation is therefore a rational approach to the treatment of sepsis but to date no drug has been developed which is highly effective, cheap and completely safe to use. One potential therapeutic agent is VIP, which is a natural peptide and is highly homologous in all vertebrates. In this review we will discuss the effect of VIP on components of the immune system, relevant to gram negative sepsis, and present data from animal models. Furthermore we will hypothesise on how these studies could be improved in future and speculate on the possible different ways in which VIP could be used in clinical medicine.

  4. Celebrities: From Teachers to Friends : A Test of Two Hypotheses on the Adaptiveness of Celebrity Gossip.

    Science.gov (United States)

    De Backer, Charlotte J S; Nelissen, Mark; Vyncke, Patrick; Braeckman, Johan; McAndrew, Francis T

    2007-12-01

    In this paper we present two compatible hypotheses to explain interest in celebrity gossip. The Learning Hypothesis explains interest in celebrity gossip as a by-product of an evolved mechanism useful for acquiring fitness-relevant survival information. The Parasocial Hypothesis sees celebrity gossip as a diversion of this mechanism, which leads individuals to misperceive celebrities as people who are part of their social network. Using two preliminary studies, we tested our predictions. In a survey with 838 respondents and in-depth interviews with 103 individuals, we investigated how interest in celebrity gossip was related to several dimensions of the participants' social lives. In support of the Learning Hypothesis, age proved to be a strong predictor of interest in celebrities. In partial support of the Parasocial Hypothesis, media exposure, but not social isolation, was a strong predictor of interest in celebrities. The preliminary results support both theories, indicate that across our life span celebrities move from being teachers to being friends, and open up a list of future research opportunities.

  5. Macrophage Resistance to HIV-1 Infection Is Enhanced by the Neuropeptides VIP and PACAP

    Science.gov (United States)

    Temerozo, Jairo R.; Joaquim, Rafael; Regis, Eduardo G.; Savino, Wilson; Bou-Habib, Dumith Chequer

    2013-01-01

    It is well established that host factors can modulate HIV-1 replication in macrophages, critical cells in the pathogenesis of HIV-1 infection due to their ability to continuously produce virus. The neuropeptides VIP and PACAP induce well-characterized effects on macrophages through binding to the G protein-coupled receptors VPAC1, VPAC2 and PAC1, but their influence on HIV-1 production by these cells has not been established. Here, we describe that VIP and PACAP reduce macrophage production of HIV-1, acting in a synergistic or additive manner to decrease viral growth. Using receptor antagonists, we detected that the HIV-1 inhibition promoted by VIP is dependent on its ligation to VPAC1/2, whereas PACAP decreases HIV-1 growth via activation of the VPAC1/2 and PAC1 receptors. Specific agonists of VPAC2 or PAC1 decrease macrophage production of HIV-1, whereas sole activation of VPAC1 enhances viral growth. However, the combination of specific agonists mimicking the receptor preference of the natural neuropeptides reproduces the ability of VIP and PACAP to increase macrophage resistance to HIV-1 replication. VIP and PACAP up-regulated macrophage secretion of the β-chemokines CCL3 and CCL5 and the cytokine IL-10, whose neutralization reversed the neuropeptide-induced inhibition of HIV-1 replication. Our results suggest that VIP and PACAP and the receptors VPAC2 and PAC1 could be used as targets for developing alternative therapeutic strategies for HIV-1 infection. PMID:23818986

  6. Distinct roles of SOM and VIP interneurons during cortical Up states

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Garrett T. Neske

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available During cortical network activity, recurrent synaptic excitation among pyramidal neurons is approximately balanced by synaptic inhibition, which is provided by a vast diversity of inhibitory interneurons. The relative contributions of different interneuron subtypes to inhibitory tone during cortical network activity is not well understood. We previously showed that many of the major interneuron subtypes in mouse barrel cortex are highly active during Up states (Neske et al., 2015; while fast-spiking (FS, parvalbumin (PV-positive cells were the most active interneuron subtype, many non-fast-spiking (NFS, PV-negative interneurons were as active or more active than neighboring pyramidal cells. This suggests that the NFS cells could play a role in maintaining or modulating Up states. Here, using optogenetic techniques, we further dissected the functional roles during Up states of two major NFS, PV-negative interneuron subtypes: somatostatin (SOM-positive cells and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP-positive cells. We found that while pyramidal cell excitability during Up states significantly increased when SOM cells were optogenetically silenced, VIP cells did not influence pyramidal cell excitability either upon optogenetic silencing or activation. VIP cells failed to contribute to Up states despite their ability to inhibit SOM cells strongly. We suggest that the contribution of VIP cells to the excitability of pyramidal cells may vary with cortical state.

  7. Atrial natriuretic peptide stimulates salt secretion by shark rectal gland by releasing VIP

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Silva, P.; Stoff, J.S.; Solomon, R.J.; Lear, S.; Kniaz, D.; Greger, R.; Epstein, F.H.

    1987-01-01

    Salt secretion by the isolated perfused rectal gland of the spiny dogfish shark, Squalus acanthias, is stimulated by synthetic rat atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP II) as well as extracts of shark heart, but not by 8-bromo-cyclic guanosine 5'-monophosphate. Cardiac peptides have no effect on isolated rectal gland cells or perfused tubules, suggesting that stimulation requires an intact gland. The stimulation of secretion by ANP II is eliminated by maneuvers that block neurotransmitter release. Cardiac peptides stimulate the release of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), known to be present in rectal glands nerves, into the venous effluent of perfused glands in parallel with their stimulation of salt secretion, but the release of VIP induced by ANP II is prevented by perfusion with procaine. VIP was measured by radioimmunoassay. Cardiac peptides thus appear to regulate rectal gland secretion by releasing VIP from neural stores within the gland. It is possible that other physiological effects of these hormones might be explained by an action to enhanced local release of neurotransmitters.

  8. Atrial natriuretic peptide stimulates salt secretion by shark rectal gland by releasing VIP

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Silva, P.; Stoff, J.S.; Solomon, R.J.; Lear, S.; Kniaz, D.; Greger, R.; Epstein, F.H.

    1987-01-01

    Salt secretion by the isolated perfused rectal gland of the spiny dogfish shark, Squalus acanthias, is stimulated by synthetic rat atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP II) as well as extracts of shark heart, but not by 8-bromo-cyclic guanosine 5'-monophosphate. Cardiac peptides have no effect on isolated rectal gland cells or perfused tubules, suggesting that stimulation requires an intact gland. The stimulation of secretion by ANP II is eliminated by maneuvers that block neurotransmitter release. Cardiac peptides stimulate the release of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), known to be present in rectal glands nerves, into the venous effluent of perfused glands in parallel with their stimulation of salt secretion, but the release of VIP induced by ANP II is prevented by perfusion with procaine. VIP was measured by radioimmunoassay. Cardiac peptides thus appear to regulate rectal gland secretion by releasing VIP from neural stores within the gland. It is possible that other physiological effects of these hormones might be explained by an action to enhanced local release of neurotransmitters

  9. Performing Belonging, celebrating invisibility?

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Juul, Kristine

    2014-01-01

    Serbian migrants living transnational lives consciously or unconsciously move between visibility and invisibility in their performance of migrant success stories. A case in point are public festivals, performed to make visible migrants’ successful inclusion in Danish society, i.e. celebrating...... invisibility. Meanwhile, other celebrations are consciously relegated to the invisible confines of the Serbian homeland. This article analyses celebrations in Denmark and in Serbia and shows how visible displays of ethnicity and difference tend to turn into easily palatable heritage versions of Serbian culture...... when performed in a Danish context. In turn, the visibility acquired through celebrations of migrants’ belonging in their homeland is inclined to render invisible those who did not take part in the migration experience....

  10. Trends in Media Reports of Celebrities' Breast Cancer Treatment Decisions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sabel, Michael S; Dal Cin, Sonya

    2016-09-01

    Although the increasing use of bilateral mastectomies is multifaceted, one source of influence may be the media, including coverage of celebrity breast cancer treatment. We examined trends in media reporting that might impact decision making among women with breast cancer. We performed searches of two comprehensive online databases for articles from major U.S. print publications mentioning celebrities and terms related to the word "breast" and terms related to cancer treatment. Automated analysis using custom-created dictionaries was used to determine word frequencies over time. An analysis of net media tone was conducted using Lexicoder Sentiment Dictionaries. Celebrity breast cancer media reports significantly increased since 2004 (p celebrity had bilateral mastectomies than unilateral mastectomy or breast conservation (44.8 vs 26.1 %, p celebrities undergoing bilateral mastectomy for cancer had no mention of genetics, family history, or risk. Media reports of celebrity breast cancer present a bias toward bilateral mastectomies in both frequency and tone. This may sway public opinion, particularly when factors such as risk and genetics are excluded. Surgeons need to work with the media to improve cancer reporting and identify methods to better educate patients prior to surgical consultations.

  11. Underground test of quantum mechanics - the VIP2 experiment arXiv

    CERN Document Server

    Marton, Johann; Bassi, A.; Bazzi, M.; Bertolucci, S.; Berucci, C.; Bragadireanu, M.; Cargnelli, M.; Clozza, A.; Curceanu, C.; De Paolis, L.; Di Matteo, S.; Donadi, S.; Egger, J.-P.; Guaraldo, C.; Iliescu, M.; Laubenstein, M.; Milotti, E.; Pichler, A.; Pietreanu, D.; Piscicchia, K.; Scordo, A.; Shi, H.; Sirghi, D.; Sirghi, F.; Sperandio, L.; Vazquez-Doce, O.; Widmann, E.; Zmeskal, J.

    We are experimentally investigating possible violations of standard quantum mechanics predictions in the Gran Sasso underground laboratory in Italy. We test with high precision the Pauli Exclusion Principle and the collapse of the wave function (collapse models). We present our method of searching for possible small violations of the Pauli Exclusion Principle (PEP) for electrons, through the search for anomalous X-ray transitions in copper atoms, produced by fresh electrons (brought inside the copper bar by circulating current) which can have the probability to undergo Pauli-forbidden transition to the 1 s level already occupied by two electrons and we describe the VIP2 (VIolation of PEP) experiment under data taking at the Gran Sasso underground laboratories. In this paper the new VIP2 setup installed in the Gran Sasso underground laboratory will be presented. The goal of VIP2 is to test the PEP for electrons with unprecedented accuracy, down to a limit in the probability that PEP is violated at the level of...

  12. Students Perceptions about Celebrity Endorsement

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mersid Poturak

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available The instrument of celebrity endorsement has nowadays become a pervasive element in advertising and communication management. It is unanimously accepted that celebrity endorsement can grant extraordinary characteristics to a product or service that may have lacked otherwise. The great number of celebrities endorsing brands has been increasing over the past decades. The purpose of this study is to examine perceptions of the student population in Bosnia and Herzegovina (hereafter named BiH about the celebrity endorsement. Questionnaire is designed and used to survey a randomly selected sample of university students and 125 usable responses were obtained. During the research, five hypotheses have been tested. Data were analyzed by performing descriptive statistics and Chi-Square test. Chi-Square test was used to analyze relationship between nationality of respondents and factors that influence decision of choosing celebrity endorser by firm. Findings show that students perceive celebrities as a very important factor in advertisements.

  13. Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) tissue distribution in the rat as measured by radioimmunoassay and by radioreceptorassay

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Besson, J.; Dupont, C.; Laburthe, M.; Bataille, D.; Rosselin, G.

    1977-01-01

    A new radioimmunoassay which allows the measurement of the rat vasoactive intestinal polypeptide, was performed. VIP is present in the whole digestive tract of rat, mainly between the duodenum and the colon. 1.5% of the total VIP is present in brain. The VIP-like immunoreactivity appears to correspond to biologically active molecule since a radioreceptorassay using liver plasma membranes as the target tissue, gives the same results as the radioimmunoassay [fr

  14. In Vivo and In Vitro Binding of Vip3Aa to Spodoptera frugiperda Midgut and Characterization of Binding Sites by 125I Radiolabeling

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chakroun, Maissa

    2014-01-01

    Bacillus thuringiensis vegetative insecticidal proteins (Vip3A) have been recently introduced in important crops as a strategy to delay the emerging resistance to the existing Cry toxins. The mode of action of Vip3A proteins has been studied in Spodoptera frugiperda with the aim of characterizing their binding to the insect midgut. Immunofluorescence histological localization of Vip3Aa in the midgut of intoxicated larvae showed that Vip3Aa bound to the brush border membrane along the entire apical surface. The presence of fluorescence in the cytoplasm of epithelial cells seems to suggest internalization of Vip3Aa or a fragment of it. Successful radiolabeling and optimization of the binding protocol for the 125I-Vip3Aa to S. frugiperda brush border membrane vesicles (BBMV) allowed the determination of binding parameters of Vip3A proteins for the first time. Heterologous competition using Vip3Ad, Vip3Ae, and Vip3Af as competitor proteins showed that they share the same binding site with Vip3Aa. In contrast, when using Cry1Ab and Cry1Ac as competitors, no competitive binding was observed, which makes them appropriate candidates to be used in combination with Vip3A proteins in transgenic crops. PMID:25002420

  15. Imaging process and VIP engagement

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Starčević Slađana

    2007-01-01

    Full Text Available It's often quoted that celebrity endorsement advertising has been recognized as "an ubiquitous feature of the modern marketing". The researches have shown that this kind of engagement has been producing significantly more favorable reactions of consumers, that is, a higher level of an attention for the advertising messages, a better recall of the message and a brand name, more favorable evaluation and purchasing intentions of the brand, in regard to engagement of the non-celebrity endorsers. A positive influence on a firm's profitability and prices of stocks has also been shown. Therefore marketers leaded by the belief that celebrities represent the effective ambassadors in building of positive brand image or company image and influence an improvement of the competitive position, invest enormous amounts of money for signing the contracts with them. However, this strategy doesn't guarantee success in any case, because it's necessary to take into account many factors. This paper summarizes the results of previous researches in this field and also the recommendations for a more effective use of this kind of advertising.

  16. In vitro autoradiographic localization of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) binding sites in the rat central nervous system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Besson, J.; Dussaillant, M.; Marie, J.C.; Rostene, W.; Rosselin, G.

    1984-01-01

    This paper describes the autoradiographic distribution of VIP binding sites in the rat central nervous system using monoiodinated 125I-labeled VIP. High densities of VIP binding sites are observed in the granular layer of the dorsal dentate gyrus of the hippocampus, the basolateral amygdaloid nucleus, the dorsolateral and median geniculate nuclei of the thalamus as well as in the ventral part of the hypothalamic dorsomedial nucleus

  17. Transgenic cotton coexpressing Vip3A and Cry1Ac has a broad insecticidal spectrum against lepidopteran pests.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Wen-Bo; Lu, Guo-Qing; Cheng, Hong-Mei; Liu, Chen-Xi; Xiao, Yu-Tao; Xu, Chao; Shen, Zhi-Cheng; Wu, Kong-Ming

    2017-10-01

    Although farmers in China have grown transgenic Bt-Cry1Ac cotton to resist the major pest Helicoverpa armigera since 1997 with great success, many secondary lepidopteran pests that are tolerant to Cry1Ac are now reported to cause considerable economic damage. Vip3AcAa, a chimeric protein with the N-terminal part of Vip3Ac and the C-terminal part of Vip3Aa, has a broad insecticidal spectrum against lepidopteran pests and has no cross resistance to Cry1Ac. In the present study, we tested insecticidal activities of Vip3AcAa against Spodoptera litura, Spodoptera exigua, and Agrotis ipsilon, which are relatively tolerant to Cry1Ac proteins. The bioassay results showed that insecticidal activities of Vip3AcAa against these three pests are superior to Cry1Ac, and after an activation pretreatment, Vip3AcAa retained insecticidal activity against S. litura, S. exigua and A. ipsilon that was similar to the unprocessed protein. The putative receptor for this chimeric protein in the brush border membrane vesicle (BBMV) in the three pests was also identified using biotinylated Vip3AcAa toxin. To broaden Bt cotton activity against a wider spectrum of pests, we introduced the vip3AcAa and cry1Ac genes into cotton. Larval mortality rates for S. litura, A. ipsilon and S. exigua that had fed on this new cotton increased significantly compared with larvae fed on non-Bt cotton and Bt-Cry1Ac cotton in a laboratory experiment. These results suggested that the Vip3AcAa protein is an excellent option for a "pyramid" strategy for integrated pest management in China. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Celebrating Einstein

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shapiro Key, Joey; Yunes, Nicolas

    2013-04-01

    The Gravity Group at Montana State University (MSU) hosted Celebrating Einstein, a free public arts and multimedia event celebrating Einstein and his ideas in Bozeman, Montana April 2-6, 2013. The products of our efforts are now available to any party interested in hosting a similar event. Celebrating Einstein is a truly interdisciplinary effort including art, film, dance, music, physics, history, and education. Events included a black hole immersive art installation, a series of public talks by physicists, and Einstein lessons in the public schools leading up to a live free public multimedia performance including a professional dance company, a live interview with a renowned physicist, and an original score composed for the MSU student symphony to be performed with an original film produced by the Science and Natural History film program at MSU. This project is funded by the Montana Space Grant Consortium, Montana State University, and the National Science Foundation.

  19. Celebrities in International Affairs

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Richey, Lisa Ann; Budabin, Alexandra Cosima

    2016-01-01

    Celebrity engagement in global “helping” is not a simple matter of highly photogenic caring for needy others across borders; it is a complex relationship of power that often produces contradictory functions in relation to the goals of humanitarianism, development, and advocacy. This article argues...... that celebrities are acting as other elite actors in international affairs: investing considerable capital into processes that are highly political. It traces the emergence and practices of the elite politics of celebrities in North-South relations, an evolution made possible by recent changes in aid practices......, media, and NGOs, then considers exemplary cases of Angelina Jolie in Burma, Ben Affleck in the Democractic Republic of Congo, and Madonna in Malawi. These celebrity practices as diplomats, experts, and humanitarians in international affairs illustrate the diverse and contradictory forms of engagement...

  20. Examination of the gastrointestinal tract using the tussian X-ray contrast substance BAR-VIPS based on barium sulfate

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ratobyl'skij, G.V.; Kaluzhskij, A.A.

    1997-01-01

    Results of X-ray studies of gastrointestinal tract using domestic X-ray contrast preparation based on barium sulfate BAR-VIPS developed by VIPS-MED company (t. Fryazino, Moscow region). Testing of the preparation has shown that BAR-VIPS permits to diagnose every pathological changes in esophagus, stomach, rectum, small intestine as well as to diagnose successfully large intestine diseases

  1. Marketing plan of Vips Jeans

    OpenAIRE

    Marzá Mallol, Adrià

    2015-01-01

    Treball Final de Grau en Administració d'Empreses. Codi: AE1049. Curs: 2014/2015 The following work shows the Marketing Plan of Vips Jeans, this company is specialized in the commercialization of fashion-forward. His shop in the street ‘En medio’ in Castellón sells clothing, shoes and accessories of the best current brands. This company has been operating since 1988 and their main Competitive Advantage is the social prestige among Castellón consumers, acquired during these 26 ...

  2. Amélioration des activités insecticides des protéines Vip3 de Bacillus thuringiensis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sameh SELLAMI

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available Vip3 proteins were considered as a second generation of biopesticides. They are synthesized and secreted by Bacillus thuringiensis during the vegetative growth phase. Vip3 proteins, which are discovered in 1990, are of great interest for the control of Lepidopteran insects pests such as Agrotis ipsilon, Spodoptera littoralis, Spodoptera exigua and Spodoptera frugiperda. Many researches were conducted on the Vip3 proteins in order to enlarge their spectrum, improve their insecticidal activities and resolve the problems of resistance that appeared recently after the massive use of δ-endotoxins, considered as first generation of biopesticides. In this review, we tried to summarize research studies interested in the improvement of the insecticidal activities of Vip3 proteins.

  3. The effectiveness of celebrities in conservation marketing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Duthie, Elizabeth; Veríssimo, Diogo; Keane, Aidan; Knight, Andrew T

    2017-01-01

    Celebrities are frequently used in conservation marketing as a tool to raise awareness, generate funding and effect behaviour change. The importance of evaluating effectiveness is widely recognised in both marketing and conservation but, to date, little research into the effectiveness of celebrity endorsement as a tool for conservation marketing has been published. Using a combination of interviews and an online choice survey instrument, we investigated the extent to which a sample of UK-based conservation organisations, and other charities, evaluate their own usage of celebrity endorsement, and then carried out an experimental evaluation of a hypothetical marketing campaign. This experiment compared participants' willingness-to-engage (WTE) with, and recall of, a conservation message presented in versions of an advert featuring one of three prominent UK celebrities (David Beckham, Chris Packham or HRH Prince William) or a non-celebrity control treatment (featuring Crawford Allan, a director of TRAFFIC USA). We find that the organisations we interviewed did not routinely evaluate their marketing campaigns featuring celebrities. Furthermore, our experiment provides evidence that celebrity endorsement can produce both positive and negative effects. Participants were more willing to engage when presented with an advert featuring one of the three celebrities than the non-celebrity control, and WTE varied according to the characteristics of the celebrity and the respondent. However, celebrities were less effective at generating campaign message recall than non-celebrities. These findings suggest that celebrity endorsement should be used carefully. Further work is required to fully understand the role celebrity endorsers can play in conservation but, drawing on best practice from the field of marketing, this study introduces an approach to evaluation which could be applied more widely to improve the effectiveness of conservation marketing.

  4. The effectiveness of celebrities in conservation marketing.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elizabeth Duthie

    Full Text Available Celebrities are frequently used in conservation marketing as a tool to raise awareness, generate funding and effect behaviour change. The importance of evaluating effectiveness is widely recognised in both marketing and conservation but, to date, little research into the effectiveness of celebrity endorsement as a tool for conservation marketing has been published. Using a combination of interviews and an online choice survey instrument, we investigated the extent to which a sample of UK-based conservation organisations, and other charities, evaluate their own usage of celebrity endorsement, and then carried out an experimental evaluation of a hypothetical marketing campaign. This experiment compared participants' willingness-to-engage (WTE with, and recall of, a conservation message presented in versions of an advert featuring one of three prominent UK celebrities (David Beckham, Chris Packham or HRH Prince William or a non-celebrity control treatment (featuring Crawford Allan, a director of TRAFFIC USA. We find that the organisations we interviewed did not routinely evaluate their marketing campaigns featuring celebrities. Furthermore, our experiment provides evidence that celebrity endorsement can produce both positive and negative effects. Participants were more willing to engage when presented with an advert featuring one of the three celebrities than the non-celebrity control, and WTE varied according to the characteristics of the celebrity and the respondent. However, celebrities were less effective at generating campaign message recall than non-celebrities. These findings suggest that celebrity endorsement should be used carefully. Further work is required to fully understand the role celebrity endorsers can play in conservation but, drawing on best practice from the field of marketing, this study introduces an approach to evaluation which could be applied more widely to improve the effectiveness of conservation marketing.

  5. Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) binds to guinea pig peritoneal eosinophils: A single class of binding sites with low affinity and high capacity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sakakibara, H.; Shima, K.; Takamatsu, J.; Said, S.I.

    1990-01-01

    VIP binds to specific receptors on lymphocytes and mononuclear cells and exhibits antiinflammatory properties. Eosinophils (Eos) contribute to inflammatory reactions but the regulation of Eos function is incompletely understood. The authors examined the binding of monoradioiodinated VIP, [Tyr( 125 I) 10 ] VIP ( 125 I-VIP), to Eos in guinea pigs. The interaction of 125 i-VIP with Eos was rapid, reversible, saturable and linearly dependent on the number of cells. At equilibrium the binding was competitively inhibited by native peptide or by the related peptide helodermin. Scatchard analysis suggested the presence of a single class of VIP binding sites with a low affinity and a high capacity. In the presence of isobutyl-methylxanthine, VIP, PHI or helodermin did not stimulate cyclic AMP accumulation in intact Eos, while PGE 2 or 1-isoproterenol did. VIP also did not inhibit superoxide anion generation from Eos stimulated by phorbol myristate acetate. The authors conclude that: (1) VIP binds to low-affinity, specific sites on guinea pig peritoneal eosinophils; (2) this binding is not coupled to stimulation of adenylate cyclase; and (3) the possible function of these binding sites is at present unknown

  6. Structural basis for the recruitment and activation of the Legionella phospholipase VipD by the host GTPase Rab5

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lucas, María; Gaspar, Andrew H.; Pallara, Chiara; Rojas, Adriana Lucely; Fernández-Recio, Juan; Machner, Matthias P.; Hierro, Aitor

    2014-01-01

    A challenge for microbial pathogens is to assure that their translocated effector proteins target only the correct host cell compartment during infection. The Legionella pneumophila effector vacuolar protein sorting inhibitor protein D (VipD) localizes to early endosomal membranes and alters their lipid and protein composition, thereby protecting the pathogen from endosomal fusion. This process requires the phospholipase A1 (PLA1) activity of VipD that is triggered specifically on VipD binding to the host cell GTPase Rab5, a key regulator of endosomes. Here, we present the crystal structure of VipD in complex with constitutively active Rab5 and reveal the molecular mechanism underlying PLA1 activation. An active site-obstructing loop that originates from the C-terminal domain of VipD is repositioned on Rab5 binding, thereby exposing the catalytic pocket within the N-terminal PLA1 domain. Substitution of amino acid residues located within the VipD–Rab5 interface prevented Rab5 binding and PLA1 activation and caused a failure of VipD mutant proteins to target to Rab5-enriched endosomal structures within cells. Experimental and computational analyses confirmed an extended VipD-binding interface on Rab5, explaining why this L. pneumophila effector can compete with cellular ligands for Rab5 binding. Together, our data explain how the catalytic activity of a microbial effector can be precisely linked to its subcellular localization. PMID:25114243

  7. Significant Decline in Celebrity Usage in Advertising

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Schimmelpfennig, Christian; Hollensen, Svend

    2016-01-01

    Over the decades, the use of celebrities in advertising has increased. Research suggests that in western countries between 20% and 30% of all advertising used celebrities in the late 1990s. During the past 10 years, however, the use of celebrities in advertising has plunged. This paper discusses...... why advertisers are turning away from using major celebrities in their campaigns, and what alternative individuals may be used instead of the celebrities....

  8. The effect of active immunization against vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) and inhibin on reproductive performance of aging White Leghorn roosters.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Avital-Cohen, N; Heiblum, R; Argov, N; Rosenstrauch, A; Chaiseha, Y; Mobarkey, N; Rozenboim, I

    2012-01-01

    Decreasing fertility in aging domestic roosters is a well-known phenomenon. Aging is manifested by a decrease in plasma testosterone level, testis function, and spermatogenesis, resulting in a low level of fertility. The roles of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) and testicular inhibin in this aging process are not clear. The effects of active immunization against VIP, inhibin, or the combination of both hormones on the reproduction of aging White Leghorn (WL) roosters were assayed. In experiment 1a, 60 White Leghorn roosters (67 wk of age) were divided into 4 groups (n = 15/group). The first group was actively immunized against VIP, the second against inhibin, the third against VIP and inhibin, and the fourth served as a control. Active immunization against VIP decreased semen quality parameters, plasma steroid levels, and gene expression of gonadotropin-releasing hormone-I (GnRH-I), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), LH receptor, VIP, and prolactin (Prl). Immunization against inhibin increased some of the semen quality parameters and FSH mRNA gene expression but decreased inhibin gene expression. In experiment 1b, at 94 wk of age, we took the actively immunized against VIP group and the control group and divided them into 2 subgroups (n = 7 or 8): the first group was injected with 1 mg of ovine Prl (oPrl) daily for 7 d, and the second group served as a control. Administration of oPrl to previously VIP-immunized birds significantly elevated semen quality parameters. We suggest that VIP, Prl, and inhibin have an important effect on the reproductive axis in aging roosters. Active immunization against VIP-depressed reproductive activity and Prl administration restored their reproduction, indicating that both VIP and Prl are essential for reproduction in aging roosters. Immunization against inhibin improved FSH mRNA gene expression, suggesting a negative role of inhibin on FSH secretion in aging roosters. Not all semen quality parameters

  9. Insights into the Structure of the Vip3Aa Insecticidal Protein by Protease Digestion Analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yolanda Bel

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available Vip3 proteins are secretable proteins from Bacillus thuringiensis whose mode of action is still poorly understood. In this study, the activation process for Vip3 proteins was closely examined in order to better understand the Vip3Aa protein stability and to shed light on its structure. The Vip3Aa protoxin (of 89 kDa was treated with trypsin at concentrations from 1:100 to 120:100 (trypsin:Vip3A, w:w. If the action of trypsin was not properly neutralized, the results of SDS-PAGE analysis (as well as those with Agrotis ipsilon midgut juice equivocally indicated that the protoxin could be completely processed. However, when the proteolytic reaction was efficiently stopped, it was revealed that the protoxin was only cleaved at a primary cleavage site, regardless of the amount of trypsin used. The 66 kDa and the 19 kDa peptides generated by the proteases co-eluted after gel filtration chromatography, indicating that they remain together after cleavage. The 66 kDa fragment was found to be extremely resistant to proteases. The trypsin treatment of the protoxin in the presence of SDS revealed the presence of secondary cleavage sites at S-509, and presumably at T-466 and V-372, rendering C-terminal fragments of approximately 29, 32, and 42 kDa, respectively. The fact that the predicted secondary structure of the Vip3Aa protein shows a cluster of beta sheets in the C-terminal region of the protein might be the reason behind the higher stability to proteases compared to the rest of the protein, which is mainly composed of alpha helices.

  10. Ontogeny of the VIP system in the gastro-intestinal tract of the Axolotl, Ambystoma mexicanum: successive appearance of co-existing PACAP and NOS.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Badawy, Gamal; Reinecke, Manfred

    2003-03-01

    Evidence for the presence and potential co-existence of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP), pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) and nitric oxide synthase (NOS) in gastro-intestinal endocrine cells and/or nerve fibers is conflicting and very few results exist on development. This immunofluorescence study aims to clarify the appearance and localization of VIP, PACAP and NOS in the gastro-intestinal tract of the Axolotl, Ambystoma mexicanum, during ontogeny. VIP-immunoreactivity appeared in nerve fibers as early as on day 3 after hatching likely indicating a particular role, such as a trophic action, of VIP in very early development. PACAP-immunoreactivity was observed 3 days later within the VIP-immunoreactive (-IR) fibers. From this time on, VIP- and PACAP-immunoreactivity exhibited complete co-existence. VIP/PACAP-IR fibers were found throughout the gastro-intestinal tract. They were most prominent in the myenteric plexus and the muscle layers and less frequent in the submucosa. NOS-immunoreactivity appeared as late as at the 1st (64 days) juvenile stage in a subpopulation of the VIP/PACAP-IR fibers that contacted submucosal arteries. We found only very few VIP/PACAP-IR perikarya, indicating that part of the VIP/PACAP-IR fibers is of extrinsic origin. On day 12 and in the 1st and 2nd (104 days) juvenile stage, infrequent PACAP-IR entero-endocrine cells were noted, while neither VIP- nor NOS-immunoreactivity occurred in endocrine cells at any stage of development. The complete coexistence of neuronal PACAP- and VIP-immunoreactivities and their very early appearance in ontogeny may suggest important and coordinated roles of both peptides in the control of Axolotl gastro-intestinal activity, while the VIP/ PACAP/NOS-IR fibers may be involved in the regulation of submucosal blood flow.

  11. Antecedents of Taiwanese adolescents' purchase intention toward the merchandise of a celebrity: the moderating effect of celebrity adoration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chiou, Jyh-Shen; Huang, Chien-Yi; Chuang, Min-Chieh

    2005-06-01

    The purpose of the present study was to investigate the relative importance of adolescents' attitude toward an act (the degree to which the person had a favorable or unfavorable evaluation or appraisal of the act's behavior in question), perceived norm, and perceived behavioral control in predicting Taiwanese adolescents' intention to purchase the merchandise of a celebrity when they had different levels of celebrity adoration. The present results showed that the relative strengths of attitude toward the act and the perception of behavioral control in predicting purchase intention toward the merchandise of a celebrity were stronger for adolescents in the celebrity adoration group than for adolescents in the celebrity nonadoration group. On the other hand, the relative importance of the perceived norm in predicting the attitude toward the act and the purchase intention was stronger for adolescents in the celebrity nonadoration group than for adolescents in the celebrity adoration group.

  12. Celebrity Endorsement : Hidden factors to success

    OpenAIRE

    Saouma, Joulyana; Chabo, Dimed

    2005-01-01

    Abstract The use of celebrity endorsement strategy is nowadays more frequently used by marketers in order to increase their sales and thereby extend their market shares. Many celebrities are used in various marketing campaigns and in most cases; the use of celebrities as endorsers is seen from mainly positive aspects. This made the authors curious whether the negative aspects, that also exists when using celebrities as endorsers, affects consumers in their purchasing decisions when a celebrit...

  13. The Celebrity Scientists

    OpenAIRE

    Fahy, Declan

    2010-01-01

    This collective case study examines how four contemporary British scientists and popular science writers, Stephen Hawking, Richard Dawkins, Susan Greenfield and James Lovelock, are portrayed in mass media as celebrities. It finds that the scientists’ private and public lives merge in their representations, their images commodified and marketed by the cultural industries, their mediated personae embodying abstract ideas of truth and reason. The celebrity scientists base their authority on thei...

  14. Kids Sell: Celebrity Kids’ Right to Privacy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Seong Choul Hong

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available The lives of celebrities are often spotlighted in the media because of their newsworthiness; however, many celebrities argue that their right to privacy is often infringed upon. Concerns about celebrity privacy are not limited to the celebrities themselves and often expand to their children. As a result of their popularity, public interest has pushed paparazzi and journalists to pursue trivial and private details about the lives of both celebrities and their children. This paper investigates conflicting areas where the right to privacy and the right to know collide when dealing with the children of celebrities. In general, the courts have been unsympathetic to celebrity privacy claims, noting their newsworthiness and self-promoted characteristic. Unless the press violates news-gathering ethics or torts, the courts will often rule in favor of the media. However, the story becomes quite different when related to an infringement on the privacy of celebrities’ children. This paper argues that all children have a right to protect their privacy regardless of their parents’ social status. Children of celebrities should not be exempt to principles of privacy just because their parents are a celebrity. Furthermore, they should not be exposed by the media without the voluntary consent of their legal patrons. That is, the right of the media to publish and the newsworthiness of children of celebrities must be restrictedly acknowledged.

  15. Celebrity-led development organisations

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Budabin, Alexandra Cosima; Rasmussen, Louise Mubanda; Richey, Lisa Ann

    2017-01-01

    The past decade has seen a frontier open up in international development engagement with the entrance of new actors such as celebrity-led organisations. We explore how such organisations earn legitimacy with a focus on Madonna’s Raising Malawi and Ben Affleck’s Eastern Congo Initiative. The study...... for funding, endorsements, and expertise. We argue that the ways in which celebrity-led organisations establish themselves as legitimate development actors illustrate broader dynamics of the machinery of development.......The past decade has seen a frontier open up in international development engagement with the entrance of new actors such as celebrity-led organisations. We explore how such organisations earn legitimacy with a focus on Madonna’s Raising Malawi and Ben Affleck’s Eastern Congo Initiative. The study...... draws from organisational materials, interviews, mainstream news coverage, and the texts of the celebrities themselves to investigate the construction of authenticity, credibility, and accountability. We find these organisations earn legitimacy and flourish rapidly amid supportive elite networks...

  16. [The expression and significance of VIP and its receptor in the cochlea of different degrees of chronic alcoholism rats].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Feng, Jing; Liu, Haibing

    2015-07-01

    To determine whether chronic alcoholism alters the expression levels of Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) and its receptor (VIPR1) in the cochlea of chronic alcoholism rats. We measured their expression levels in 30 SD rats, in which we created models of different degrees of chronic alcoholism. We investigated the presence of the mRNA of VIP in the cochlea of chronic alcoholism rats and controls by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) method. We investigated the presence of proteins of VIPR1 in poisoned rats and controls by western blot. We also evaluated the local distribution of VIP cells by immunohistochemistry. We found that the levels of VIP and VIPR1 were downregulated in the chronic alcoholism groups compared to the controls group. The differences in some expression levels were significant different between chronic alcoholism rats and control rats. Moreover, at different degrees of alcohol poisoning in rats, the contents of VIP and VIPR1 differed. Decreased levels of VIP and VIPR1 were detected in the deep chronic alcoholism group compared to the group with low-degree poisoning (P 0.05). These results suggest that VIP and VIPR1 play an important role in the auditory function in rats with chronic alcoholism. Chronic alcoholism may cause a peptide hormone secretion imbalance in the auditory system, eventually leading to hearing loss.

  17. Peptides PHI and VIP: comparison between vascular and nonvascular smooth muscle effect in rabbit uterus

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bardrum, B.; Ottesen, B.; Fahrenkrug, J.

    1986-01-01

    The distribution and effects of the two neuropeptides, vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) and peptide histidine isoleucine amide (PHI), on vascular and nonvascular smooth muscle in the urogenital tract of nonpregnant rabbit female, were investigated. Immunoreactive VIP and PHI were present in all regions except the ovary with the highest concentration in the uterin cervix. By using in vitro tension recordings of myometrial specimens, it was demonstrated that both peptides displayed a dose-dependent inhibition of the mechanical activity. The dose-response curves of VIP and PHI were superimposable with and ID 50 of 3 x 10 -8 mol/l, and their combined effect was additive. In addition, the influence of the two peptides on myometrial blood flow (MBF) was investigated by the xenon-133 washout technique. Both peptides were found to increase MBF with the same potency and efficacy. Their combined effect was additive. In conclusion VIP and PHI are present in the rabbit urogenital tract, and the two peptides are equipotent inhibitors of mechanical nonvascular and vascular smooth muscle activity in the uterus

  18. Impact of Celebrity Credibility on Advertising Effectiveness

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sadia Aziz

    2013-05-01

    Full Text Available Advertisers often make use of endorsers or representatives as trustworthy sources of persuasion for consumers' attitudes. Promotion of products through celebrities is a trendy advertising practice around the world. The present study judged the impact of celebrity credibility on advertising effectiveness in terms of consumer’s attitude towards the advertisement, attitude towards the brand and their purchase intention. This study also explored the differences of respondent’s responses towards the advertisements of brand through famous celebrities as well as unknown celebrities. Different TV advertisements were used for the experiment. Several statistical tools were applied to test the hypotheses and identify significant differences & the proposed relationships among the variables. Overall findings suggests that the respondents considered the famous celebrities of the brand as the most credible celebrities, having positive impact on consumers attitude towards the advertisement, attitude to the brand and their favorable purchase intentions as compare to the unknown celebrity with less credibility.

  19. Utilization and acceptance of virtual patients in veterinary basic sciences - the vetVIP-project.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kleinsorgen, Christin; Kankofer, Marta; Gradzki, Zbigniew; Mandoki, Mira; Bartha, Tibor; von Köckritz-Blickwede, Maren; Naim, Hassan Y; Beyerbach, Martin; Tipold, Andrea; Ehlers, Jan P

    2017-01-01

    Context: In medical and veterinary medical education the use of problem-based and cased-based learning has steadily increased over time. At veterinary faculties, this development has mainly been evident in the clinical phase of the veterinary education. Therefore, a consortium of teachers of biochemistry and physiology together with technical and didactical experts launched the EU-funded project "vetVIP", to create and implement veterinary virtual patients and problems for basic science instruction. In this study the implementation and utilization of virtual patients occurred at the veterinary faculties in Budapest, Hannover and Lublin. Methods: This report describes the investigation of the utilization and acceptance of students studying veterinary basic sciences using optional online learning material concurrently to regular biochemistry and physiology didactic instruction. The reaction of students towards this offer of clinical case-based learning in basic sciences was analysed using quantitative and qualitative data. Quantitative data were collected automatically within the chosen software-system CASUS as user-log-files. Responses regarding the quality of the virtual patients were obtained using an online questionnaire. Furthermore, subjective evaluation by authors was performed using a focus group discussion and an online questionnaire. Results: Implementation as well as usage and acceptance varied between the three participating locations. High approval was documented in Hannover and Lublin based upon the high proportion of voluntary students (>70%) using optional virtual patients. However, in Budapest the participation rate was below 1%. Due to utilization, students seem to prefer virtual patients and problems created in their native language and developed at their own university. In addition, the statement that assessment drives learning was supported by the observation that peak utilization was just prior to summative examinations. Conclusion: Veterinary

  20. High performance thermal insulation systems (HiPTI). Vacuum insulated products (VIP). Proceedings of the international conference and workshop

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zimmermann, M.; Bertschinger, H.

    2001-07-01

    These are the proceedings of the International Conference and Workshop held at EMPA Duebendorf, Switzerland, in January 2001. The papers presented at the conference's first day included contributions on the role of high-performance insulation in energy efficiency - providing an overview of available technologies and reviewing physical aspects of heat transfer and the development of thermal insulation as well as the state of the art of glazing technologies such as high-performance and vacuum glazing. Also, vacuum-insulated products (VIP) with fumed silica, applications of VIP systems in technical building systems, nanogels, VIP packaging materials and technologies, measurement of physical properties, VIP for advanced retrofit solutions for buildings and existing and future applications for advanced low energy building are discussed. Finally, research and development concerning VIP for buildings are reported on. The workshops held on the second day covered a preliminary study on high-performance thermal insulation materials with gastight porosity, flexible pipes with high performance thermal insulation, evaluation of modern insulation systems by simulation methods as well as the development of vacuum insulation panels with a stainless steel envelope.

  1. A theoretical reflection of celebrity endorsement in Nigeria

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Milford I Udo

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available The use of celebrities such as movie stars, sports heroes, entertainers, music experts and all the likes as endorsers by marketers in promoting brand awareness, recognition, and preferences, has become the order of the day in advertising practices both in developed and developing economies. It therefore behooves on marketing professionals to design possible techniques to enhance its effective use by companies. This instigated the researchers to theoretically examine what celebrity endorsement is all about, celebrity-worship relationship and endorser effects, risks associated with the use of celebrity endorsement and celebrity endorsement selection criteria. A critical review of extant literature revealed that celebrity endorsement makes advertisement more memorable and the company in the short-run generates high brand awareness as well as an increase in market share. There are certain risks associated with celebrity endorsement such as negative publicity, overshadowing, multiple endorsement, over-endorsement, extinction and cost implications. The study indicated that, successful celebrity endorsement is a combination of attributes such as trustworthiness, expertise, similarity, familiarity, likeability, and a match between the celebrity and the message (brand,. To ensure the effective use of celebrity endorsement, the paper highlighted some strategic options.

  2. Vital area identification software VIP for the physical protection of nuclear power plants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jung, Woo Sik; Park, Chang Kue; Yang, Joon Eon

    2004-01-01

    There are two major factors to be considered for the physical protection of nuclear power plants. They are a design basis threat (DBT) and the vital area identification (VAI). The DBT has been considered as 'the maximum credible threat.' The vital area is defined as 'an area inside a protected area containing equipment, systems or devices, or nuclear materials, the sabotage of which could directly or indirectly lead to unacceptable radiological consequences.' For the VAI of nuclear power plants, a software VIP (Vital area Identification Package based on PSA method) is being developed. The VIP is based on the current probabilistic safety assessment (PSA) techniques. The PSA method, including internal as well as external events, is known as the most complete and consistent method for identifying various accident sequences that might result in a core melt and radioactive material release to the environment. Thus, the VIP employs a fault tree analysis method in the PSA and utilizes the PSA results

  3. F2 screen, inheritance and cross-resistance of field-derived Vip3A resistance in Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) collected from Louisiana, USA.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Fei; Morsello, Shannon; Head, Graham P; Sansone, Chris; Huang, Fangneng; Gilreath, Ryan T; Kerns, David L

    2017-11-28

    Fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda, is a target pest of the Vip3A protein used in pyramided Bt corn and cotton in the USA. In this study, we provide the first documentation of a resistance allele conferring Vip3A resistance in a field-derived population of S. frugiperda from the USA, and characterize its inheritance and cross-resistance. An F 2 screen with 104 two-parent families generated from a field collection of S. frugiperda in Louisiana, USA, resulted in one family carrying a Vip3A resistance allele. The Vip3A-resistant strain (RR) derived from the two-parent family showed a high level of resistance to Vip3A in both diet and whole-plant bioassays, with a resistance ratio of >632.0-fold relative to a susceptible population (SS) based on diet-overlay bioassays. The inheritance of Vip3A resistance was monogenic, autosomal and recessive. Furthermore, the Vip3A resistance conferred no cross-resistance to Cry1F, Cry2Ab2 or Cry2Ae purified proteins, with resistance ratios of 3.5, 5.0 and 1.1, respectively. These findings provide valuable information for characterizing Vip3A resistance, resistance monitoring, and developing effective resistance management strategies for the sustainable use of the Vip3A technology. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

  4. Sub-lethal effects of Vip3A toxin on survival, development and fecundity of Heliothis virescens and Plutella xylostella.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gulzar, Asim; Wright, Denis J

    2015-11-01

    The assessment of sub-lethal effects is important to interpret the overall insecticide efficacy in controlling insect pest populations. In addition to the lethal effect, sub-lethal effects may also occur in exposed insects. Vegetative insecticidal proteins (Vips) have shown a broad spectrum of insecticidal activity against many insect pest species. In this study the sub-lethal effects of the Bacillus thuringiensis vegetative insecticidal toxin Vip3A on the development and reproduction of Heliothis virescens F. and Plutella xylostella L. were evaluated in the laboratory. The results indicated that the sub-lethal concentration of Vip3A increased the duration of the larval and pupal stages as compared with the control treatment for both species. The percent pupation and percent adult emergence were significantly lower for Vip3A-treated insects. The proportion of pairs that produced eggs and the longevity of adults were not significantly different between treatments. H. virescens and P. xylostella treated with Vip3A showed an 11 and 17 % decrease in their intrinsic rate of increase (rm) respectively compared with untreated insects. The results from this study will be helpful to develop the strategy to incorporate Vip 3A containing crops in an integrated pest management programme.

  5. Chemical and thermal properties of VIP latrine sludge

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    2015-07-04

    Jul 4, 2015 ... This study investigated the chemical and thermal properties of faecal sludge from 10 dry VIP latrines in Bester's Camp in the eThekwini Municipality, Durban, ... emptying and treatment equipment. A manual sorting of the pit .... (LaDePa) plant (Harrison and Wilson, 2012). Figure 3 illustrates the depths of the ...

  6. Pharmacological characterization of VIP and PACAP receptors in the human meningeal and coronary artery

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Chan, Kayi Y; Baun, Michael; de Vries, René

    2011-01-01

    We pharmacologically characterized pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptides (PACAPs), vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) and the VPAC(1), VPAC(2) and PAC(1) receptors in human meningeal (for their role in migraine) and coronary (for potential side effects) arteries.......We pharmacologically characterized pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptides (PACAPs), vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) and the VPAC(1), VPAC(2) and PAC(1) receptors in human meningeal (for their role in migraine) and coronary (for potential side effects) arteries....

  7. VIP and PACAP display different vasodilatory effects in rabbit coronary and cerebral arteries

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Dalsgaard, Tórur; Hannibal, Jens; Fahrenkrug, Jan

    2003-01-01

    on the vasodilatory effects of these two peptides in cerebral and coronary vessels from female New Zealand White (NZW) rabbits.The localization and concentration of VIP and PACAP in cardiovascular tissue was evaluated using immunohistochemistry and radioimmunoassays. The vasodilatory effects of VIP and PACAP were...... investigated using myographs, allowing isometric tension recordings. In order to evaluate the influence of steroid hormones, the rabbits were ovariectomized and randomized to treatment for 4 weeks with 17beta-estradiol (E(2)), Norethindrone Acetate (NETA), E(2)+NETA or placebo. Ring segments of the posterior...

  8. Celebration of Scientific Anniversaries

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Berg, Rolf W.

    1997-01-01

    The discovery of the Electron 100 years ago by J.J.Thompson is celebrated. Details about the discovery is reviewed. A longer nonpublished article on the subject is available from the author.......The discovery of the Electron 100 years ago by J.J.Thompson is celebrated. Details about the discovery is reviewed. A longer nonpublished article on the subject is available from the author....

  9. Materialities of Law: Celebrity Production and the Public Domain

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Esther Milne

    2009-12-01

    Full Text Available Celebrity production and consumption are powerful socio-economic forces. The celebrity functions as a significant economic resource for the commercial sector and plays a fundamental symbolic role within culture by providing a shared ‘vocabulary’ through which to understand contemporary social relations. A pivotal element of this allure is the process by which the celebrity figure is able to forge an intimate link with its audience, often producing public expressions of profound compassion, respect or revulsion. This process, however, is complicated by emerging participatory media forms whose impact is experienced as new conditions of possibility for celebrity production and consumption. As Marshall argues, video mash-ups of celebrity interviews, such as those of Christian Bale or Tom Cruise, are dramatically changing the relation between celebrity and audience (Marshall, 2006: 640. Meanings produced by these audience remixes challenge the extent to which a celebrity might control her image. So is the celebrity personality, therefore, a public or private commodity? Who owns the celebrity image within remix culture? Although the celebrity figure has been thoroughly researched in relation to its patterns of consumption; semiotic power; and industry construction; less attention has been focused on the forms of celebrity governance enabled by legislative and case law settings. How might the law deal with the significant economic and cultural power exercised within celebrity culture?

  10. 22 CFR 52.1 - Celebration of marriage.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 22 Foreign Relations 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Celebration of marriage. 52.1 Section 52.1 Foreign Relations DEPARTMENT OF STATE NATIONALITY AND PASSPORTS MARRIAGES § 52.1 Celebration of marriage. Foreign Service officers are forbidden to celebrate marriages. [31 FR 13546, Oct. 20, 1966] ...

  11. A worthy celebration

    CERN Multimedia

    2014-01-01

    What a couple of weeks this has been, with events ranging from cinema through music to TEDxCERN and the culminating celebration on Monday, the day that CERN turned 60. It has been a remarkable 60 years for CERN and the countries that support it. I think it is fair to say that we marked the milestone with dignity, passing the message of science as a driving force for peace.   Now that the anniversary month is over, the first thing I would like to do is say thank you. Thank you to all the people in the CERN community who contributed, and are still contributing, to marking the anniversary with events at CERN and around our Member States. We formally kicked off the celebrations in July with an event at UNESCO in Paris. For those who missed it, you can still watch it here. And the celebrations reached a magnificent conclusion with a fitting ceremony here at CERN on Monday. There were speeches that touched our hearts and minds, and a fantastic performance from the European Union Youth Orchestra, s...

  12. Corpo e masculinidade na revista VIP Exame Body and masculinity in the magazine VIP Exame

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marko Monteiro

    2001-01-01

    Full Text Available Nesse artigo elaboro comentários teóricos acerca de novas formas de se vivenciar a corporalidade presentes contemporaneamente, a partir da análise da revista masculina VIP Exame. O texto baseia-se numa pesquisa que incluiu uma observação dentro da redação da revista e análise de materiais impressos, centrando-se na forma como a revista aborda o corpo masculino e coloca a preocupação com a aparência como importante para uma masculinidade bem sucedida. Com base nestes dados busco avaliar, a partir de perspectivas feministas e sobre o corpo, a influência do valor dado ao corpo e ao seu monitoramento reflexivo na constituição de identidades de gênero.In this article I elaborate theoretical comments on the subject of corporeality and the new forms of experiencing the body that are present in contemporary times. On the basis of a research with a Brazilian men's magazine, VIP Exame, which involved the analysis of issues of the magazine as well as an observation of the working process of the reporters and journalists, I focus my comments on the way the masculine body is treated by the magazine and how a discourse emerges on masculinity where attention to "good looks" becomes an important feature of a successful masculinity. On the basis of these observations I go on to discuss feminist and other theories of the subject, in order to understand how the reflexive monitoring of the body is increasingly important in the constitution of gender identities.

  13. 99mTc labeled VIP analog: evaluation for imaging colorectal cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rao, P.S.; Thakur, M.L.; Pallela, V.; Patti, R.; Reddy, K.; Li, H.; Sharma, S.; Pham, H.L.; Diggles, L.; Minami, C.; Marcus, C.S.

    2001-01-01

    Early and reliable diagnosis of colorectal cancer continues to be demanding and challenging. Colorectal cancer cells express Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide (VIP) receptors in high density. We have prepared a VIP analog (TP3654), labeled it with 99m Tc, and evaluated it in experimental animals as an agent for imaging colorectal cancer. The tissue distribution of 99m Tc-TP3654 has been compared with that of 111 In-DTPA-Octreotide and 99m Tc-anti-CEA scan in nude mice bearing human colorectal cancer LS174T. Finally, pharmacokinetic and tissue distribution studies of 99m Tc-TP3654 have been performed in four normal human volunteers. Data suggest that 99m Tc-TP3654 can be prepared efficiently without loss of its receptor specificity and biological activity. Although the 24 hr tumor uptake of 99m Tc-TP3654 in the animal model used was modest (0.21 ± 0.07% I.D./g), the tissue distribution profile was more favorable than that of 111 In-DTPA-Octreotide or 99m Tc-anti-CEA scan. Human studies indicated that 99m Tc-TP3654 had no adverse effect in any subject. Within 24 hours, approximately 70% of the injected dose cleared through the kidneys, and approximately 20% through the hepatobiliary system. In these non-fasting volunteers hepatobiliary clearance was slow and in cancer patients tumor uptake was rapid. Data suggest that 99m Tc-TP3654 is a promising agent for imaging colorectal cancer

  14. Celebrity chefs put their left cheek forward: Cover image orientation in celebrity cookbooks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lindell, Annukka K

    2017-09-01

    Portrait pose orientations influence perception: the left cheek is more emotionally expressive; females' right cheeks appear more attractive. Posing biases are established in paintings, photographs, and advertisements, however, book covers have not previously been examined. This paper assesses cover image orientation in a book genre that frequently features a cover portrait: the celebrity cookbook. If marketers intuitively choose to enhance chefs' emotional expressivity, left cheek poses should predominate; if attractiveness is more important, right cheek poses will be more frequent for females, with a left or no cheek bias for males. Celebrity cookbook covers (N = 493) were sourced online; identity, portrait orientation, photo type, and sex were coded. For celebrity cookbooks, left cheek covers (39.6%) were more frequent than right cheek (31.6%) or midline covers (28.8%); sex did not predict pose orientation. An interaction between photo type and sex bordered on significance: photo type did not influence females' pose orientation; for males, the left cheek bias present for head and torso images was absent for full body and head only photos. Overall, the left cheek bias for celebrity cookbook covers implies that marketers intuitively select images that make the chefs appear happier and/or more emotionally expressive, enhancing engagement with the audience.

  15. Mapping VIPS concepts for nursing interventions to the ISO reference terminology model for nursing actions: A collaborative Scandinavian analysis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ehnfors, Margareta; Angermo, Lilly Marit; Berring, Lene

    2006-01-01

    analyzed the VIPS model's concepts for nursing interventions using prototypical examples of nursing actions, involving 233 units of analyses, and collaborated in mapping the two models. All nursing interventions in the VIPS model comprise actions and targets, but a few lack explicit expressions of means......The aims of this study were to analyze the coherence between the concepts for nursing interventions in the Swedish VIPS model for nursing recording and the ISO Reference Terminology Model for Nursing Actions and to identify areas in the two models for further development. Seven Scandinavian experts....... In most cases, the recipient of care is implicit. Expressions for the aim of an action are absent from the ISO model. By this mapping we identified areas for future development of the VIPS model and the experience from nursing terminology work in Scandinavia can contribute to the international...

  16. A randomized phase III study comparing standard dose BEP with sequential high-dose cisplatin, etoposide, and ifosfamide (VIP) plus stem-cell support in males with poor-prognosis germ-cell cancer. An intergroup study of EORTC, GTCSG, and Grupo Germinal (EORTC 30974)

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Daugaard, G; Skoneczna, I; Aass, N

    2011-01-01

    To compare the efficacy of one cycle of standard dose cisplatin, etoposide, and ifosfamide (VIP) plus three cycles of high-dose VIP followed by stem-cell infusion [high-dose chemotherapy (HD-CT arm)] to four cycles of standard cisplatin, etoposide, and bleomycin (BEP) in patients with poor-progno...

  17. DIFFERENTIAL EFFECT OF NATIONAL VS. REGIONAL CELEBRITIES ON CONSUMER ATTITUDES

    OpenAIRE

    Varsha JAIN; Subhadip ROY; Abhishek KUMAR; Anusha KABRA

    2010-01-01

    The present study explores the differential effects of having a National/Regional celebrity in an advertisement/ endorsement. More specifically the study intends to find out whether a National celebrity would have a more favorable impact on consumer attitudes than a Regional celebrity when endorsing the same product. Experimental design was used as the research methodology. A 3 (National Celebrity/Regional Celebrity/No Celebrity) X 2 (High/Low Involvement Product) design was conducted on stud...

  18. A Voltage Instability Predictor Using Local Area Measurements. VIP++

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Warland, Leif

    2002-07-01

    There has been a pressure to operate power systems closer to their security limits. This has partially been due to financial imperatives following the deregulating of markets. Other practical difficulties have been obtaining authorization from regulatory bodies to build power plants and transmission lines. In this situation it is essential to monitor the system and to have tools that can predict the distance to the point of collapse (PoC). Much effort has been put into research of the phenomenon voltage collapse, and many approaches have been explored. Both dynamic and steady-state behavior have been studied thoroughly, though very few protection and control schemes have been implemented. In this dissertation the possibility of an index based on local area measurements have been explored. Voltage stability can be classified as either a transient or a long-term stability problem, and the index proposed in this dissertation is based on long-term dynamics. The VIP algorithm is a method that uses the maximum load ability of a transmission network as the PoC, thus by estimating a Thevenin equivalent the method can track the distance to the PoC as this occurs when the two impedances are equal in absolute value. The problem of the VIP algorithm is that it is based on a system with two equations and four unknowns, thus it is not observable. In order to make it observable the assumption of constant Thevenin equivalent between two sets of measurements is made. When this is not the case the method will estimate a Thevenin impedance of the same size as the measured load impedance, but with a negative sign. Changes in the Thevenin equivalent can be traced to both angle variation in a remote generator area or to variations in load impedances on nearby buses. The problem of angle variations can be mitigated by the selection of an appropriate reference bus. A method to solve the second problem, of variation in load admittances, has been proposed in this dissertation and given the

  19. Carbon beam dosimetry using VIP polymer gel and MRI

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kantemiris, I; Petrokokkinos, L; Angelopoulos, A

    2009-01-01

    VIP polymer gel dosimeter was used for Carbon ion beam dosimetry using a 150 MeV/n beam with 10 Gy plateau dose and a SOBP irradiation scheme with 5 Gy Bragg peak dose. The results show a decrease by 8 mm in the expected from Monte Carlo simulation range in water, suggesting that the dosimeter...

  20. PACAP and VIP inhibit the invasiveness of glioblastoma cells exposed to hypoxia through the regulation of HIFs and EGFR expression

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Grazia eMaugeri

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available Pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP through the binding of vasoactive intestinal peptide receptors (VIPRs, perform a wide variety of effects in human cancers, including glioblastoma multiforme (GBM. This tumor is characterized by extensive areas of hypoxia, which triggers the expression of hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs. HIFs not only mediate angiogenesis but also tumor cell migration and invasion. Furthermore, HIFs activation is linked to epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR overexpression. Previous studies have shown that VIP interferes with the invasive nature of gliomas by regulating cell migration. However, the role of VIP family members in GBM infiltration under low oxygen tension has not been clarified yet. Therefore, in the present study we have investigated, for the first time, the molecular mechanisms involved in the anti-invasive effect of PACAP or VIP in U87MG glioblastoma cells exposed to hypoxia induced by treatment with desferrioxamine (DFX. The results suggest that either PACAP or VIP exert an anti-infiltrative effect under low oxygen tension by modulating HIFs and EGFR expression, key elements involved in cell migration and angiogenesis. These peptides act through the inhibition of PI3K/Akt and MAPK/ERK signaling pathways, which are known to have a crucial role in HIFs regulation. In conclusion, the modulation of hypoxic event and the anti-invasive effect exerted by some VIP family members might open new insights in the therapeutic approach to GBM.

  1. The celebrity appeal questionnaire: sex, entertainment, or leadership.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stever, Gayle S

    2008-08-01

    The Celebrity Appeal Questionnaire was constructed to operationalize constructs related to why fans are attracted to their favorite celebrities and was developed for use with fan bases for specific celebrities. This revised version asked fans of a specific celebrity to rank order three roles they might see the target celebrity playing in society with an option to not rank them at all. Of 409 respondents attending Josh Groban fan club meetings, 75% said Groban's most important role in society was as a leader and role model in trying to make the world a better place. A factor analysis of correlations of Likert-type scale ratings and an analysis relating those factors back to the rank orderings support the internal reliability and validity of the questionnaire.

  2. The Volunteering-in-Place (VIP) Program: Providing meaningful volunteer activity to residents in assisted living with mild cognitive impairment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Klinedinst, N Jennifer; Resnick, Barbara

    2016-01-01

    The Volunteering-in-Place (VIP) Program was developed to provide individualized meaningful volunteer activities matched to interests and capabilities for older adults with MCI in assisted living. The purposes of this single-site pre-test/post-test pilot study were to (1) establish feasibility of the VIP Program based on treatment fidelity (design, treatment, delivery, enactment); and (2) evaluate preliminary efficacy via improvement in psychological health (depressive symptoms, usefulness, purpose, resilience, and life satisfaction) and decreased sedentary activity (survey and Fitbit) at 3 and 6 months. Ten residents participated. The majority was white, female and educated, and on average 88 years old. The VIP Program was feasible and most participants continued to volunteer at 6 months. There were non-significant improvements in depressive symptoms, usefulness, purpose, resilience and recreational physical activity. The results of this study provide support for the feasibility of the VIP Program. Further study is necessary to examine efficacy. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. Bosons & More: Celebrating CERN / Part 2

    CERN Multimedia

    Team, CERN

    2013-01-01

    The "Bosons & More" event for CERN people this evening celebrated the success of the Open Days, and the exceptional achievements of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). The British progressive rock band the Alan Parsons Live Project lead the celebrations until late in the night.

  4. Synergism and Antagonism between Bacillus thuringiensis Vip3A and Cry1 Proteins in Heliothis virescens, Diatraea saccharalis and Spodoptera frugiperda

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lemes, Ana Rita Nunes; Davolos, Camila Chiaradia; Legori, Paula Cristina Brunini Crialesi; Fernandes, Odair Aparecido; Ferré, Juan; Lemos, Manoel Victor Franco; Desiderio, Janete Apparecida

    2014-01-01

    Second generation Bt crops (insect resistant crops carrying Bacillus thuringiensis genes) combine more than one gene that codes for insecticidal proteins in the same plant to provide better control of agricultural pests. Some of the new combinations involve co-expression of cry and vip genes. Because Cry and Vip proteins have different midgut targets and possibly different mechanisms of toxicity, it is important to evaluate possible synergistic or antagonistic interactions between these two classes of toxins. Three members of the Cry1 class of proteins and three from the Vip3A class were tested against Heliothis virescens for possible interactions. At the level of LC50, Cry1Ac was the most active protein, whereas the rest of proteins tested were similarly active. However, at the level of LC90, Cry1Aa and Cry1Ca were the least active proteins, and Cry1Ac and Vip3A proteins were not significantly different. Under the experimental conditions used in this study, we found an antagonistic effect of Cry1Ca with the three Vip3A proteins. The interaction between Cry1Ca and Vip3Aa was also tested on two other species of Lepidoptera. Whereas antagonism was observed in Spodoptera frugiperda, synergism was found in Diatraea saccharalis. In all cases, the interaction between Vip3A and Cry1 proteins was more evident at the LC90 level than at the LC50 level. The fact that the same combination of proteins may result in a synergistic or an antagonistic interaction may be an indication that there are different types of interactions within the host, depending on the insect species tested. PMID:25275646

  5. Unpacking celebrity brands through unpaid market communications

    OpenAIRE

    Davies, Fiona; Slater, Stephanie

    2015-01-01

    This paper explores the role of unpaid communications (newspaper and online reporting, blogs, associated comments and tweets) in informing consumer decisions on celebrity brands. The research tests “the old model of celebrity endorsement” (Chahal, 2013) in a new context using new media. Despite the ample literature (Erdogan, 1999; Keller, 2008) on celebrity appeal, the impact of unpaid messages remains underexplored. The paper addresses this gap, confirming that unpaid messages in relation to...

  6. Disclosing celebrity endorsement in a television program to mitigate persuasion: how disclosure type and celebrity credibility interact

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Dekker, K.; van Reijmersdal, E.A.

    2013-01-01

    This experiment (N = 165) examined the effects of two aspects of in-program celebrity endorsement on brand attitudes and product claim acceptance: credibility of the celebrity and the effects of disclosure types. Although there is an increasing call for endorsement disclosures, the effects of these

  7. Celebrity smile esthetics assessment: Smile angulation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koidou, Vasiliki P; Rosenstiel, Stephen F; Rashid, Robert G

    2017-05-01

    Whether deviations in the angulation discrepancy between the intercanine and interpupillary line significantly affect attractiveness is unknown. The purpose of this prospective study was to quantify dental and facial esthetics to determine whether smile angulation discrepancies in individuals identified as having attractive smiles are smaller than those in the average population. An Internet search for "best smile" and "celebrity" identified 108 celebrities (Test group). Photographs showing smiles within 10 degrees of a frontal view were gathered. In mannequin testing, small head rotation (line was measured using computer software. Groups were compared using the Mann-Whitney U test (α=.05). Usable photographs were obtained for 94 celebrities (62 women, 32 men) and were compared with photographs of 97 dental students (54 women, 43 men). Significant (P.05). Celebrities identified as having "best smile" had significantly smaller mean angulation discrepancies than the control group. Copyright © 2016 Editorial Council for the Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. 38 CFR 74.2 - What are the eligibility requirements a concern must meet for VetBiz VIP Verification Program?

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... loans or other Federally assisted financing, is eligible for VetBiz VIP Verification. (e) U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Protest Decisions. Any firm registered in the VetBiz VIP database that is found to be ineligible due to an SBA protest decision or other negative finding will be immediately...

  9. Long-term estradiol treatment improves VIP-mediated vasodilation in atherosclerotic proximal coronary arteries

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Dalsgaard, T.; Mortensen, Alicja; Larsen, C. R.

    2003-01-01

    arteries. Female ovariectomized homozygous Watanabe heritable hyperlipidemic rabbits were randomized to 16 weeks treatment with 17beta-estradiol or placebo. The diet was semisynthetic, thereby avoiding the influence of phytoestrogens. Artery ring segments were mounted for isometric tension recordings...... in myographs. Following precontraction, the dose-response relationships for VIP and PACAP were evaluated. Treatment with 17beta-estradiol significantly improved the maximum VIP-mediated vasodilation (E-max, percentage of precontraction) in proximal coronary arteries (45.8 +/- 9.6% vs. 24.1 +/- 3.7%, p ....05). In the same artery segment, 17β-estradiol induced a significant decrease in the relative ratio between the repeated contractile response to potassium 30 and 120 mM (100 +/- 7% vs. 132 +/- 11%, p

  10. New experimental limit on Pauli exclusion principle violation by electrons (VIP experiment)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bartalucci, S [NFN, Laboratori Nazionali di Prascati, C.P. 13, Via E. Fermi 40, I-00044, Frascati (Italy); Bertolucci, S [NFN, Laboratori Nazionali di Prascati, C.P. 13, Via E. Fermi 40, I-00044, Frascati (Italy); Bragadireanu, M [NFN, Laboratori Nazionali di Prascati, C.P. 13, Via E. Fermi 40, I-00044, Frascati (Italy)] (and others)

    2007-05-15

    The Pauli exclusion principle (PEP) represents one of the basic principles of modern physics and, even if there are no compelling reasons to doubt its validity, it still spurs a lively debate, because an intuitive, elementary explanation is still missing, and because of its unique stand among the basic symmetries of physics. A new limit on the probability that PEP is violated by electrons was estabilished by the VIP (Violation of the Pauli exclusion principle) Collaboration, using the method of searching for PEP forbidden atomic transitions in copper. The preliminary value, 1/2{beta}{sup 2} < 4.5 x 10{sup -28}, represents an improvement of about two orders of magnitude of the previous limit. The goal of VIP is to push this limit at the level of 10{sup -30}.

  11. The Face Management Challenges of Sport Celebrity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Diana-Luiza DUMITRIU

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available While gaining centrality within the sport field, media accelerated its commodification process and facilitated sport actors becoming competitive on the celebrity market. The aim of this paper is to discuss the reconfiguration that the celebrity logic brought in terms of the mere condition of the sport actor and the face management challenges and remedial strategies that he has to cope with. I will thus focus on two main dimensions that I find to be constitutive for the celebrity status: one related to the augmented media exposure that sport stars are subject to and to the corollary symbolic reconfiguration of the boundaries between his public and his private life, and the second one related to the vulnerability that comes along with the new visibility of the complex repertoire of identities and social roles performed by the sport actors. Within this last dimension of the sport-related celebrity cycle of promotion, I will lay stress not only on the face threatening aspects for the sport stars, but also on the vulnerability transfer within the affinal branding network and the challenges it could bring for the brands that chose to associate their image with a sport celebrity. Thus, I argue that the kaleidoscopic public figures of sport celebrities requires high impression management involvement on their part, as well as more caution on the marketeers part.

  12. Celebrity endorsements of cancer screening.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Larson, Robin J; Woloshin, Steven; Schwartz, Lisa M; Welch, H Gilbert

    2005-05-04

    Celebrities often promote cancer screening by relating personal anecdotes about their own diagnosis or that of a loved one. We used data obtained from a random-digit dialing survey conducted in the United States from December 2001 through July 2002 to examine the extent to which adults of screening age without a history of cancer had seen or heard or been influenced by celebrity endorsements of screening mammography, prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing, or sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy. The survey response rate was 72% among those known to be eligible and 51% among potentially eligible people accounting for those who could not be contacted. A total of 360 women aged 40 years or older and 140 men aged 50 years or older participated in the survey. Most respondents reported they "had seen or heard a celebrity talk about" mammography (73% of women aged 40 years or older), PSA testing (63% of men aged 50 years or older), or sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy (52% of adults aged 50 years or older). At least one-fourth of respondents who had seen or heard a celebrity endorsement said that the endorsement made them more likely to undergo mammography (25%), PSA testing (31%), or sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy (37%).

  13. Peripheral axotomy of the rat mandibular trigeminal nerve leads to an increase in VIP and decrease of other primary afferent neuropeptides in the spinal trigeminal nucleus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Atkinson, M E; Shehab, S A

    1986-12-01

    In the vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP)-rich lumbosacral spinal cord, VIP increases at the expense of other neuropeptides after primary sensory nerve axotomy. This study was undertaken to ascertain whether similar changes occur in peripherally axotomised cranial sensory nerves. VIP immunoreactivity increased in the terminal region of the mandibular nerve in the trigeminal nucleus caudalis following unilateral section of the sensory root of the mandibular trigeminal nerve at the foramen orale. Other primary afferent neuropeptides (substance P, cholecystokinin and somatostatin) were depleted and fluoride-resistant acid phosphatase activity was abolished in the same circumscribed areas of the nucleus caudalis. The rise in VIP and depletion of other markers began 4 days postoperatively and was maximal by 10 days, these levels remaining unchanged up to 1 year postoperatively. VIP-immunoreactive cell bodies were absent from trigeminal ganglia from the unoperated side but small and medium cells stained intensely in the ganglia of the operated side after axotomy. These observations indicate that increase of VIP in sensory nerve terminals is a general phenomenon occurring in both cranial and spinal sensory terminal areas. The intense VIP immunoreactivity in axotomised trigeminal ganglia suggests that the increased levels of VIP in the nucleus caudalis are of peripheral origin, indicating a change in expression of neuropeptides within primary afferent neurons following peripheral axotomy.

  14. Celebrity Endorsements: Influence and Effectiveness on consumers’ purchase intentions.

    OpenAIRE

    Devidasani, Neha

    2010-01-01

    In today’s world, celebrity endorsements have become one of the most popular marketing techniques that advertisers opt for. Consumers today are fascinated and mesmerized by celebrities. Advertisers take advantage of this fascination and rope in celebrities such as movie stars, singers, athletes etc in endorsing their brand or product in order to influence the purchase decisions of consumers. Although celebrity endorsements have become a highly used advertising technique these days, adver...

  15. Celebrate Theatre!

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schlesinger, Sarah; Garrett, Sherrye Dee

    Developed in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Broadway theater, this guide provides activities that encourage middle, junior, and senior high school students to use newspapers to answer questions about 22 plays. Detailed lesson plans are included for three Broadway hits: "Cats,""Les Miserables," and "Jelly's…

  16. The Vip1 inositol polyphosphate kinase family regulates polarized growth and modulates the microtubule cytoskeleton in fungi.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jennifer Pöhlmann

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available Microtubules (MTs are pivotal for numerous eukaryotic processes ranging from cellular morphogenesis, chromosome segregation to intracellular transport. Execution of these tasks requires intricate regulation of MT dynamics. Here, we identify a new regulator of the Schizosaccharomyces pombe MT cytoskeleton: Asp1, a member of the highly conserved Vip1 inositol polyphosphate kinase family. Inositol pyrophosphates generated by Asp1 modulate MT dynamic parameters independent of the central +TIP EB1 and in a dose-dependent and cellular-context-dependent manner. Importantly, our analysis of the in vitro kinase activities of various S. pombe Asp1 variants demonstrated that the C-terminal phosphatase-like domain of the dual domain Vip1 protein negatively affects the inositol pyrophosphate output of the N-terminal kinase domain. These data suggest that the former domain has phosphatase activity. Remarkably, Vip1 regulation of the MT cytoskeleton is a conserved feature, as Vip1-like proteins of the filamentous ascomycete Aspergillus nidulans and the distantly related pathogenic basidiomycete Ustilago maydis also affect the MT cytoskeleton in these organisms. Consistent with the role of interphase MTs in growth zone selection/maintenance, all 3 fungal systems show aspects of aberrant cell morphogenesis. Thus, for the first time we have identified a conserved biological process for inositol pyrophosphates.

  17. Social Network Sites, Friends, and Celebrities: The Roles of Social Comparison and Celebrity Involvement in Adolescents’ Body Image Dissatisfaction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shirley S. Ho

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available This study applies the social comparison theory to examine the effects of adolescents’ engagement in comparison with friends and celebrities on social network sites (SNSs on (a their body image dissatisfaction (BID and (b their drive to be thin (DT or muscular (DM. The study also examines celebrity involvement as an antecedent of the outcome variables. Data were collected through a survey of 1,059 adolescents in Singapore. Regression analyses indicate that SNSs use was related to adolescents’ BID. Specifically, social comparison with friends on SNSs was significantly associated with adolescents’ BID, DT, and DM. Gender differences were also observed—social comparison with celebrities was significantly associated with BID and DT among female adolescents. Celebrity involvement was significantly associated with male BID. Theoretical and practical implications were discussed.

  18. The Construction of Consumers’ Self-esteem through Celebrity Culture

    OpenAIRE

    Xenophontos, Eleonora

    2011-01-01

    This thesis offers a new perspective to consumers and their connection to celebrities. Consumers’ inner psychology, their sense of self and more particularly their self-esteem is examined as to how it can relate to the world of celebrities. The central question to this was whether there is indeed an association between consumers and the luxurious lives of stars. According to this research, celebrity endorsements and negative celebrity images do not fully influence the decision making or the c...

  19. Celebrating Multiple Literacies with Harry Potter

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arter, Lisa

    2009-01-01

    The secret to a good celebration is to involve as many students as possible and to give them genuine responsibilities and encouragement to be creative. Literacy celebrations offer students, and teachers, the opportunity to have fun and show off what they have learned during their deeper exploration of various literacy studies. The author conjures…

  20. Susceptibility of Spodoptera frugiperda and S. exigua to Bacillus thuringiensis Vip3Aa insecticidal protein.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chakroun, Maissa; Bel, Yolanda; Caccia, Silvia; Abdelkefi-Mesrati, Lobna; Escriche, Baltasar; Ferré, Juan

    2012-07-01

    The Vip3Aa protein is an insecticidal protein secreted by Bacillus thuringiensis during the vegetative stage of growth. The activity of this protein has been tested after different steps/protocols of purification using Spodoptera frugiperda as a control insect. The results showed that the Vip3Aa protoxin was stable and retained full toxicity after being subjected to common biochemical steps used in protein purification. Bioassays with the protoxin in S. frugiperda and S. exigua showed pronounced differences in LC(50) values when mortality was measured at 7 vs. 10d. At 7d most live larvae were arrested in their development. LC(50) values of "functional mortality" (dead larvae plus larvae remaining in the first instar), measured at 7d, were similar or even lower than the LC(50) values of mortality at 10d. This strong growth inhibition was not observed when testing the trypsin-activated protein (62 kDa) in either species. S. exigua was less susceptible than S. frugiperda to the protoxin form, with LC(50) values around 10-fold higher. However, both species were equally susceptible to the trypsin-activated form. Processing of Vip3Aa protoxin to the activated form was faster with S. frugiperda midgut juice than with S. exigua midgut juice. The results strongly suggest that the differences in the rate of activation of the Vip3Aa protoxin between both species are the basis for the differences in susceptibility towards the protoxin form. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. Copycat Suicide Induced by Entertainment Celebrity Suicides in South Korea

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jang, Soo Ah; Sung, Ji Min; Park, Jin Young

    2016-01-01

    Objective Throughout the past several years, there have been a number of entertainment celebrity suicides in South Korea. The aim of this study was to investigate the clustering of suicides following celebrities' suicides in South Korea from 2005 to 2008, particularly according to certain characteristics. Methods Seven celebrity suicides were examined and defined using the Korean Integrated Newspaper Database System (KINDS) and from these, we considered four affected periods occurring 28 days after each celebrity's suicide. A Poisson time-series autoregression model was used to estimate the relative risk of the total suicide number for each affected period from 2005 to 2008. Logistic regression analysis was performed to investigate whether there were specific increases in the numbers of suicides in subgroups matching each celebrity. Results There were significant increases in the risk of suicide during the affected periods. Remarkable increases were found in the subgroups matching each celebrity, especially in the group in which all factors (sex, age, and method) were similar. Conclusion This study provides confirmation that a significant copycat effect was induced by these celebrities' suicides, especially among people who identified more with the celebrities. This implies that countermeasures for upright media coverage of celebrity suicides should be discussed and practiced properly in South Korea. PMID:26766949

  2. Extrinsic control of the release of galanin and VIP from intrinsic nerves of isolated, perfused, porcine ileum

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Messell, T; Harling, H; Poulsen, Steen Seier

    1992-01-01

    By immunohistochemistry galanin-like immunoreactivity and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP)-like immunoreactivity were found in nerve cell bodies mostly in the submucous plexus and in nerve fibres in the mucosa, submucosa and muscularis including the myenteric plexus of the porcine ileum an...... was not influenced by atropine. Our results suggest that the galanin- and VIP-producing intrinsic neurons receive inhibitory signals by noradrenergic nerve fibers and stimulatory signals mediated by cholinergic nerves, possibly via a cholinergic interneuron....

  3. Venus Interior Probe Using In-situ Power and Propulsion (VIP-INSPR), Phase I

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Aeronautics and Space Administration — We envision a novel architecture for Venus Interior Probes based on in-situ resources for power generation (VIP-INSPR). Proposed Venus probe is based on the...

  4. Fat ViP MRI: Virtual Phantom Magnetic Resonance Imaging of water-fat systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Salvati, Roberto; Hitti, Eric; Bellanger, Jean-Jacques; Saint-Jalmes, Hervé; Gambarota, Giulio

    2016-06-01

    Virtual Phantom Magnetic Resonance Imaging (ViP MRI) is a method to generate reference signals on MR images, using external radiofrequency (RF) signals. The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility of ViP MRI to generate complex-data images of phantoms mimicking water-fat systems. Various numerical phantoms with a given fat fraction, T2* and field map were designed. The k-space of numerical phantoms was converted into RF signals to generate virtual phantoms. MRI experiments were performed at 4.7T using a multi-gradient-echo sequence on virtual and physical phantoms. The data acquisition of virtual and physical phantoms was simultaneous. Decomposition of the water and fat signals was performed using a complex-based water-fat separation algorithm. Overall, a good agreement was observed between the fat fraction, T2* and phase map values of the virtual and numerical phantoms. In particular, fat fractions of 10.5±0.1 (vs 10% of the numerical phantom), 20.3±0.1 (vs 20%) and 30.4±0.1 (vs 30%) were obtained in virtual phantoms. The ViP MRI method allows for generating imaging phantoms that i) mimic water-fat systems and ii) can be analyzed with water-fat separation algorithms based on complex data. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. Building materials and systems with vacuum insulation panels for external walls; Bauelemente und Systeme mit VIP fuer Aussenwandkonstruktionen - Schlussbericht

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Binz, A; Steinke, G

    2007-07-01

    This final report for the Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE) takes a look at materials and systems using vacuum insulation panels (VIP) for the construction of external walls. The aim of this research project was the development, practical use and market introduction of VIP systems that take account of the special properties of VIP. Along with partners in industry, applications involving external and internal insulation were examined. The need for protecting the vacuum panels against mechanical damage is stressed. The specific needs for the protection of external and internal applications are discussed. The dynamic developments in this relatively new area are commented on. Various mounting systems are examined and commented on. The thermal properties of such insulation systems and applications are noted and commented on.

  6. A new model of how celebrity endorsements work: attitude toward the endorsement as a mediator of celebrity source and endorsement effects

    OpenAIRE

    Bergkvist, Lars; Hjalmarson, Hanna; Mägi, Anne W.

    2015-01-01

    This research introduces attitude towards the endorsement as a mediating variable in the relationships between celebrity source and endorsement factors and brand attitude. It also includes perceived celebrity motive, a variable rarely studied in the previous literature, as an endorsement factor. In a survey study, respondents evaluated four celebrity endorsement campaigns. Mediation analyses show that attitude towards the endorsement mediates the effects of three variables on brand attitude; ...

  7. Producing Reality Stardom: Constructing, Programming, and Branding Celebrity on Reality Television

    OpenAIRE

    Giggey, Lindsay Nicole

    2017-01-01

    The popular preoccupation with celebrity in American culture in the past decade has been bolstered by a corresponding increase in the amount of reality programming across cable and broadcast networks that centers either on established celebrities or on celebrities in the making. This dissertation examines the questions: How is celebrity constructed, scheduled, and branded by networks, production companies, and individual participants, and how do the constructions and mechanisms of celebrity i...

  8. Resistance Risk Assessment of Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) and Diatraea saccharalis (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) to Vip3Aa20 Insecticidal Protein Expressed in Corn.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bernardi, Oderlei; Bernardi, Daniel; Amado, Douglas; Sousa, Renan S; Fatoretto, Julio; Medeiros, Fernanda C L; Conville, Jared; Burd, Tony; Omoto, Celso

    2015-12-01

    Transgenic Agrisure Viptera 3 corn that expresses Cry1Ab, Vip3Aa20, and EPSPS proteins and Agrisure Viptera expressing Vip3Aa20 are used for control of Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) and Diatraea saccharalis (F.) in Brazil. To support a resistance management program, resistance risk assessment studies were conducted to characterize the dose expression of Vip3Aa20 protein and level of control against these species. The Vip3Aa20 expression in Agrisure Viptera 3 and Agrisure Viptera decreased from V6 to V10 stage of growth. However, Vip3Aa20 expression in Agrisure Viptera 3 at V6 and V10 stages was 13- and 16-fold greater than Cry1Ab, respectively. The Vip3Aa20 expression in lyophilized tissue of Agrisure Viptera 3 and Agrisure Viptera diluted 25-fold in an artificial diet caused complete larval mortality of S. frugiperda and D. saccharalis. In contrast, lyophilized tissue of Bt11 at the same dilution does not provide complete mortality of these species. Agrisure Viptera 3 and Agrisure Viptera also caused a high level of mortality against S. frugiperda and D. saccharalis. Moreover, 100% mortality was observed for S. frugiperda larvae (neonates through fifth-instar larvae) when fed in corn with the Vip trait technology. Viptera corn achieves a high level of control against S. frugiperda and D. saccharalis providing a high dose, which is an important determination to support the refuge strategy for an effective resistance management program. © The Authors 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  9. Differential roles of AVP and VIP signaling in the postnatal changes of neural networks for coherent circadian rhythms in the SCN

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ono, Daisuke; Honma, Sato; Honma, Ken-ichi

    2016-01-01

    The suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) is the site of the master circadian clock in mammals. The SCN neural network plays a critical role in expressing the tissue-level circadian rhythm. Previously, we demonstrated postnatal changes in the SCN network in mice, in which the clock gene products CRYPTOCHROMES (CRYs) are involved. Here, we show that vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) signaling is essential for the tissue-level circadian PER2::LUC rhythm in the neonatal SCN of CRY double-deficient mice (Cry1,2−/−). VIP and arginine vasopressin (AVP) signaling showed redundancy in expressing the tissue-level circadian rhythm in the SCN. AVP synthesis was significantly attenuated in the Cry1,2−/− SCN, which contributes to aperiodicity in the adult mice together with an attenuation of VIP signaling as a natural process of ontogeny. The SCN network consists of multiple clusters of cellular circadian rhythms that are differentially integrated by AVP and VIP signaling, depending on the postnatal period. PMID:27626074

  10. Celebrity politics: the politics of late modernity?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Marsh, D.; t Hart, P.; Tindall, K.

    2010-01-01

    The academic literature on celebrity politics is rarely systematic; more often it is superficial and anecdotal. In addition, most of the literature focuses either upon classifying different types/categories of celebrity politicians and their roles in politics, or upon the question of whether the

  11. First report of detection of the putative receptor of Bacillus thuringiensis toxin Vip3Aa from black cutworm (Agrotis ipsilon

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gamal H. Osman

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Black cutworm (BCW Agrotis ipsilon, an economically important lepidopteran insect, has attracted a great attention. Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt is spore forming soil bacteria and is an excellent environment-friendly approach for the control of phytophagous and disease-transmitting insects. In fact, bio-pesticide formulations and insect resistant transgenic plants based on the bacterium Bt delta-endotoxin have attracted worldwide attention as a safer alternative to harmful chemical pesticides. The major objective of the current study was to understand the mechanism of interaction of Bt toxin with its receptor molecule(s. The investigation involved the isolation, identification, and characterization of a putative receptor – vip3Aa. In addition, the kinetics of vip toxin binding to its receptor molecule was also studied. The present data suggest that Vip3Aa toxin bound specifically with high affinity to a 48-kDa protein present at the brush border membrane vesicles (BBMV prepared from the midgut epithelial cells of BCW larvae. Keywords: Receptor, vip3Aa, Bacillus thuringiensis, BBMV

  12. Girls make sense: girls, celebrities and identities

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Duits, L.; van Romondt Vis, P.

    2009-01-01

    Combining intertextual, audience and feminist perspectives, this article investigates how young girls make meaning from celebrities. Based on focus group interviews with Dutch girls aged 12—13, it argues that girls' talk about celebrities functions as an identity tool in the reflexive project of the

  13. Oil migration through unsaturated soils and its effect on the Vadose Zone Interactive Processes (VIP) model output

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Joseph, A.T.; Grenney, W.J.; Stevens, D.K.

    1994-01-01

    The VIP model, which simulates the concentration profiles of the hazardous compounds in the soil, water, and the air phases, assumes a fixed oily phase. The purpose of this study was to measure oil migration in soil systems and to determine its effect on the VIP model output. Experiments were conducted to demonstrate the mobility of an oil through the unsaturated zone of the soil. The studies were conducted in laboratory scale glass columns. A light petroleum oil and two types of soil were used. The experiments demonstrated that oil migrates down significantly through the soil columns. The extent of migration depended on the volume of oil applied and the type of soil. However, the applied oil was completely immobilized in the columns. The model was modified to incorporate oil migration. The modified model can be expected to produce more realistic contaminant concentration profiles during land treatment of oily wastes when compared to that produced by the present version of the VIP model. (Author)

  14. Study of Consumer Attitudes Toward Television Advertising Using Celebrity Endorser

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Asmirandi Noor Hudha

    2011-03-01

    Full Text Available This research analyzed how the attractiveness of a celebrity endorser is able to influ-ence customers’ brand choice behavior and how customers perceive celebrity-based television advertising. The study is based on an empirical research approach, which use a convenience sample of 150 students who lives in Yogyakarta. The respondents rate the attractiveness of ce-lebrity-based on television advertising and the influence of celebrity-based television advertis-ing on consumers’ brand choice behavior. The sample of advertisement in this research is XL television advertising which is featuring Raffi Ahmad, a famous celebrity. The data evaluated by using several statistical techniques, including Descriptive analysis, and Analysis of Variance (One Sample t-Test Based on the research findings and the analysis, it is proved that the ce-lebrity-based television advertising has positively attracted the consumers. As a consequence, this response significantly influences the consumers’ brand choice behavior. It can be con-cluded that the attractiveness of celebrity-based on television advertising is likely to have a positive relationship to consumers and celebrity-based television advertising is likely to have a positive influence toward consumers’ brand choice behavior.Keywords:    celebrity concept, power of celebrity endorsement, attitude towards the ad and brand, endorser selection criteria

  15. Multiple Brand Celebrity Endorsement: Případová studie David Beckham

    OpenAIRE

    Hiblerová, Adéla

    2017-01-01

    The Bachelor's Thesis on the topic of Multiple Brand Celebrity Endorsement: David Beckham Case Study focuses primarily on the issue of multiple endorsement of a number of brands by one celebrity. To be able to put this topic into perspective does this thesis begin with a description of celebrity endorsement as itself, defines 'celebrity', and also introduces various approaches towards cooperation of a celebrity and a brand in general. Consequently, reasons for and risks of such cooperation ar...

  16. Local Celebrity Endorsement : Can You Go Far by Staying Close?

    OpenAIRE

    Ekberg, Sara; Mellgård, Linn; Micko, Magdalena

    2010-01-01

    Celebrity endorsement consists of a written or spoken statement from a publicly known person, proclaiming the benefits of some product or service. Previous research on celebrity endorsement has proved it very successful in promoting brands or companies. Even though many marketing strategies exist, it can be especially effective for newly started ventures to apply celebrity endorsement in their approach. While celebrity endorsement may be a good way to overcome weaknesses, such as liability of...

  17. Celebrity and contemporary context

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Paula Guimarães Simões

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available This paper discusses the hermeneutic power of a celebrity (seen from the concept of event, seeking to understand what it reveals about the contemporary context. Based on this premise, we attempt to recognize some aspects of contemporary social life that emerge from the trajectory of a specific celebrity: the former soccer player Ronaldo Fenômeno. This analysis brings to light the hermeneutic power of Ronaldo, i.e., how his life story reveals characteristics of contemporary social life. Individualism, machismo, emphasis on a heteronormative ideal, shifts in the construction of romantic relationships, and the overlapping spheres of public and private life, are some important aspects of contemporary society revealed by this analysis.

  18. Commemorating Misadventures, Celebrating Collaborations

    Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Podcasts

    Byron Breedlove, Managing Editor of Emerging Infectious Diseases journal, reads his February 2018 cover essay, "Commemorating Misadventures, Celebrating Collaborations" and discusses a sketch by Picasso and zoonoses.

  19. Prolonged treatment with transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) modulates neuro-gastric motility and plasma levels of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), motilin and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in systemic sclerosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McNearney, Terry A; Sallam, Hanaa S; Hunnicutt, Sonya E; Doshi, Dipti; Chen, Jiande D Z

    2013-01-01

    We assessed the effects of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) on neurogastric functioning in scleroderma patients. Seventeen SSc patients underwent 30 min TENS treatment >10Hz at GI acupuncture points PC6 and ST36, once (acute TENS) and then after two weeks of TENS sessions for 30 min twice daily (prolonged TENS). Data collected at Visits 1 and 2 included gastric myoelectrical activity (GMA) by surface electrogastrography (EGG), heart rate variability (HRV) by surface electrocardiography (EKG), GI specific symptoms and health related SF-36 questionnaires. Plasma VIP, motilin and IL-6 levels were determined. Statistical analyses were performed by Student's t-test, Spearman Rank and p-values TENS, the percentages of normal slow waves and average slow wave coupling (especially channels 1, 2 reflecting gastric pacemaker and corpus regions) were significantly increased; 2. the percentage of normal slow waves was significantly correlated to sympathovagal balance; 3. Mean plasma VIP and motilin levels were significantly decreased after acute TENS, (vs. baseline), generally maintained in the prolonged TENS intervals. Compared to baseline, mean plasma IL-6 levels were significantly increased after acute TENS, but significantly decreased after prolonged TENS. 4. After prolonged TENS, the frequency of awakening due to abdominal pain and abdominal bloating were significantly and modestly decreased, respectively. In SSc patients, two weeks of daily TENS improved patient GMA scores, lowered plasma VIP, motilin and IL-6 levels and improved association between GMA and sympathovagal balance. This supports the therapeutic potential of prolonged TENS to enhance gastric myoelectrical functioning in SSc.

  20. Interação de proteínas Cry1 e Vip3A de Bacillus thuringiensis para controle de lepidópteros-praga

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Paula Cristina Brunini Crialesi-Legori

    2014-02-01

    Full Text Available O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a suscetibilidade das lagartas Anticarsia gemmatalis (Lepidoptera: Erebidae e Chrysodeixis includens (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae às proteínas Cry1 e Vip3A, bem como determinar se há a interação entre essas proteínas no controle das duas espécies. Bioensaios com as proteínas isoladas e em combinações foram realizados, e as concentrações letais CL50 e CL90 foram estimadas para cada condição. As proteínas Cry1Aa, Cry1Ac e Vip3Af foram as mais efetivas no controle de A. gemmatalis, enquanto Cry1Ac, Vip3Aa e Vip3Af foram mais efetivas no de C. includens. As proteínas Cry1Ac e Cry1Ca causaram maior inibição do desenvolvimento das larvas sobreviventes à CL50, em ambas as espécies. Combinações entre Vip3A e Cry1 apresentam efeito sinérgico no controle das espécies e a combinação Vip3Aa+Cry1Ea destaca-se no controle de A. gemmatalis e C. includens. Essas proteínas combinadas são promissoras na construção de plantas piramidadas, para o controle simultâneo das pragas.

  1. The New Transgenic cry1Ab/vip3H Rice Poses No Unexpected Ecological Risks to Arthropod Communities in Rice Agroecosystems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lu, Zengbin; Dang, Cong; Han, Naishun; Shen, Zhicheng; Peng, Yufa; Stanley, David; Ye, Gongyin

    2016-04-01

    The ecological risks to nontarget organisms should be rigorously assessed before Bt crops are released. Here, the impacts of a new Cry1Ab/Vip3H rice line on arthropod communities in rice agroecosystems were evaluated across 3 yr. Arthropods collected via vacuum were sorted into five guilds. The abundance and proportion of each guild as well as community-level parameters were determined in Cry1Ab/Vip3H and control rice fields. Changes in arthropod species assemblage over sampling dates were investigated by principal response curves (PRCs). Cry1Ab/Vip3H rice did not exert significant impacts on the seasonal density and proportion of each guild, except parasitoids. Detritivore seasonal density, but not its relative abundance, was significantly affected by Cry1Ab/Vip3H rice. Four community indices (species richness S, Shannon-Wiener index H', Simpson index D, and evenness index J') were similar between rice types. PRCs revealed a slight community difference between rice types in the past two tested years, with rice types accounting for 1.0-3.5% of the variance among arthropod communities. However, sampling dates explain 32.1-67.6% for these community differences. Of the 46 taxa with higher species weights, 26.1% of the taxa were significantly different, including seven taxa with higher abundance and five with lower density in Cry1Ab/Vip3H rice fields. These differences may be attributed to change in abundance of prey or hosts but not to direct effects of Bt proteins. We infer that this new Cry1Ab/Vip3H rice line poses no unintended ecological risks to the arthropod community. © The Authors 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  2. Popular Music Celebrity Endorsements in Food and Nonalcoholic Beverage Marketing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bragg, Marie A; Miller, Alysa N; Elizee, Juleen; Dighe, Shatabdi; Elbel, Brian D

    2016-07-01

    Food and beverage marketing has been associated with childhood obesity. We quantified the number and type of food or beverage brands promoted by music celebrities, assessed the nutritional quality of the products, and examined Teen Choice Award data to assess the celebrities' popularity among adolescents. This was a descriptive study. A list of music celebrities associated with the 2013 and 2014 Billboard Hot 100 Chart, which ranks songs according to sales and radio impressions, was compiled. Data on celebrity endorsements were gathered from official company Web sites, YouTube commercials, an advertising database, and media reports. Nutritional quality of foods was assessed according to the Nutrient Profile Index, whereas nonalcoholic beverages were evaluated based on calories from added sugar. Teen Choice Award nominations were used to measure the celebrities' popularity among adolescents. Of the 590 endorsements made by the 163 celebrities in the sample, consumer goods (eg, fragrances, makeup) represented the largest endorsement category (26%), followed by food and beverage (18%) and retail (11%). Sixty-five celebrities were collectively associated with 57 different food and beverage brands owned by 38 parent companies. Of these 65 celebrities, 53 (81.5%) had ≥1 Teen Choice Award nomination. Forty-nine (71%) of the 69 nonalcoholic beverage references promoted sugar-sweetened beverages. Twenty-one (80.8%) of the 26 endorsed foods were energy dense and nutrient poor. Baauer, will.i.am, Justin Timberlake, Maroon 5, and Britney Spears had the most food and beverage endorsements. This study demonstrates that music celebrities who are popular among adolescents endorse energy-dense, nutrient-poor products. Copyright © 2016 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

  3. CERN 60: celebrating with the UN

    CERN Multimedia

    CERN Bulletin

    2014-01-01

    A special event to celebrate CERN’s anniversary will be held Monday 20 October at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, US. High-profile speakers from the world of politics, diplomacy and science will celebrate their common values: inclusion, peaceful co-operation and universality.   CERN’s relations with intergovernmental organisations are part of CERN’s engagement with key stakeholders, which include, among others, the Member States, the scientific community, and the Host States. In recent years, the Laboratory has grown from European to global and it is actively engaged in several collaborations with other intergovernmental organisations, including the UN and some of its agencies (UNESCO, UNITAR, WHO, WIPO, WMO, etc.). “It seemed natural for us to organise an event to celebrate CERN's 60th anniversary with this international community,” explains Maurizio Bona, advisor to the Director-General in charge of relations with interna...

  4. Effect of acetyl-L-carnitine on Vip-ergic neurons in jejunum submucous plexus of diabetic rats Efeito da acetil-L-carnitina sobre neurônios Vip-érgicos do plexo submucoso do jejuno de ratos diabéticos

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marli Aparecida Defani

    2003-12-01

    Full Text Available The effect of the treatment with acetyl-L-carnitine (ALC on neurons releasing the vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP of the submucous plexus in the jejunum of diabetic rats was the purpose of our investigation. Diabetes (DM was induced by injecting streptozotocin endovenously (35mg/kg. After sacrificing the animals, the jejunum was collected and processed for VIP detection. Four groups were used: C (non-diabetic, CC (non-diabetic treated with ALC, D (diabetic, DC (diabetes treated with ALC. We analyzed the immunoreactivity and the cellular profile of 126 cell bodies. The treatment with ALC improved some aspects of DM. However, it promoted a small increase in the area of neurons from group CC, suggesting a possible neurotrophic effect. Neurons from groups D and DC showed a large increase in their cellular profile and immunoreactivity when compared to C and CC, suggesting a larger concentration of this neurotransmitter within the neurons that produce it. This observation constitutes a recurrent finding in diabetic animals, suggesting that ALC doesnot interfere in the pathophysiological mechanisms that unchain a higher production and/or neurotransmitter accumulation and increase the profile of the VIP-ergic neurons.Investigamos o efeito da acetil-L-carnitina (ALC sobre os neurônios que expressam o peptídeo intestinal vasoativo (VIP do plexo submucoso no jejuno de ratos diabéticos. O diabetes (DM foi induzido pela administração endovenosa de estreptozootocina (35mg/kg. Após o sacrifício dos animais, o jejuno foi coletado e processado para a detecção de VIP. Utilizou-se quatro grupos: C (não diabéticos, CC (não diabéticos suplementados com ALC, D (diabéticos e DC (diabéticos suplementados com ALC. Analisou-se a imunoreatividade e o perfil celular de 126 corpos celulares. O tratamento com ALC melhorou alguns aspectos do DM. Porém, promoveu pequeno aumento na área dos neurônios do grupo CC, indicando possível efeito neurotr

  5. Celebrity diplomacy

    OpenAIRE

    Wheeler, Mark

    2016-01-01

    This chapter - from The SAGE Handbook of Diplomacy edited by Costas M. Constantinou (University of Cyprus), Pauline Kerr (Australian National University) and Paul Sharp (University of Minnesota, Duluth - examines the rise of transnational forms of celebrity diplomacy - the employment of well-known or famous individuals to publicize international causes and to engage in foreign policy decision-making circles. International governmental organizations (IGOs) including the United Nations (UN) hav...

  6. CELEBRITY ENDORSEMENTS AND PRODUCT PERFORMANCE: A STUDY OF NIGERIAN CONSUMER MARKETS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Omotayo OYENIYI

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available The Nigerian economy has experienced increased launching of consumer products; this is occasioned by the level of competition in the country. As such consumers are exposed to large number of product-related communication messages in primetime television and newspaper content. One commonly strategy adopted by manufacturers of consumer products is the use of celebrity endorsement with it attendance cost and other risks. The main objective of this study is to establish if there is a relationship between brand positioning, purchasing decisions, brand equity and celebrity endorsement. A survey of 142 respondents was used and the data was analyzed with Structural Equation Model. The results indicate that trust, level of expertise and the fit between the celebrity and the product have positive impact on product performance. However, it was discovered that attractiveness of the celebrity and the similarities between the celebrity and the receiver has little effect on product performance. Therefore, organizations desirous of making use of celebrity in promoting their products should evaluate the attributes of the celebrities that will enhance product performance.

  7. BRAND POSITIONING THROUGH CELEBRITY ENDORSEMENT - A REVIEW CONTRIBUTION TO BRAND LITERATURE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Abdullah Malik

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available The use of celebrities in marketing communications has become the practice of the major companies in the emplacement of the brand in the mind of consumers. Firms are making vast investments in hiring celebrities for positioning of brands by making organizations with endorser qualities such as trustworthiness, attractiveness and expertise. In the backdrop, this paper seeks to explore the variables of brand positioning through sports celebrity endorsement. Secondly, to propose the model through merging the sport celebrity endorsement constructs with brand positioning constructs by drawing together and to develop the scale for measuring brand positioning through celebrity endorsement based on existing literature

  8. Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1Ia10 and Vip3Aa protein interactions and their toxicity in Spodoptera spp. (Lepidoptera).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bergamasco, V B; Mendes, D R P; Fernandes, O A; Desidério, J A; Lemos, M V F

    2013-02-01

    The polyphagous pests belonging to the genus Spodoptera are considered to be among the most important causes of damage and are widely distributed throughout the Americas'. Due to the extensive use of genetically modified plants containing Bacillus thuringiensis genes that code for insecticidal proteins, resistant insects may arise. To prevent the development of resistance, pyramided plants, which express multiple insecticidal proteins that act through distinct mode of actions, can be used. This study analyzed the mechanisms of action for the proteins Cry1Ia10 and Vip3Aa on neonatal Spodoptera frugiperda, Spodoptera albula, Spodoptera eridania and Spodoptera cosmioides larvae. The interactions of these toxins with receptors on the intestinal epithelial membrane were also analyzed by binding biotinylated toxins to brush border membrane vesicles (BBMVs) from the intestines of these insects. A putative receptor of approximately 65 kDa was found by ligand blotting in all of these species. In vitro competition assays using biotinylated proteins have indicated that Vip3Aa and Cry1Ia10 do not compete for the same receptor for S. frugiperda, S. albula and S. cosmioides and that Vip3Aa was more efficient than Cry1Ia10 when tested individually, by bioassays. A synergistic effect of the toxins in S. frugiperda, S. albula and S. cosmioides was observed when they were combined. However, in S. eridania, Cry1Ia10 and Vip3Aa might compete for the same receptor and through bioassays Cry1Ia10 was more efficient than Vip3Aa and showed an antagonistic effect when the proteins were combined. These results suggest that using these genes to develop pyramided plants may not prove effective in preventing the development of resistance in S. eridiana. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. The Temporal Stability of the Tendency to Worship Celebrities

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    James Griffith

    2013-06-01

    Full Text Available This study examined the test–retest and internal reliability of a scale used to measure celebrity worship. We administered the Celebrity Attitude Scale (CAS and several related items on two different occasions approximately 3 months apart to 248 participants from three universities and one college. We hypothesized that attitudes about celebrities would remain fairly stable over time. Results confirmed the hypothesis and were discussed in relation to previous research in which the CAS was used.

  10. Vegetation Index and Phenology (VIP) Vegetation Indices Monthly Global 0.05Deg CMG V004

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Aeronautics and Space Administration — The NASA Making Earth System Data Records for Use in Research Environments (MEaSUREs) Vegetation Index and Phenology (VIP) global datasets were created using...

  11. Data on customer perceptions on the role of celebrity endorsement on brand preference

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ayodotun Stephen Ibidunni

    2018-06-01

    Full Text Available This research presents data on the effect of celebrity endorsement on consumers’ brand preference. Copies of structured questionnaire were administered to 384 customers of telecommunication industry. Using descriptive, correlation and regression statistical analysis, the data revealed that celebrity image has an effect on consumer brand loyalty, celebrity trustworthiness has an influence on consumer brand association. More so, the relationship between celebrity expertise and perceived quality of the product was established. Keywords: Celebrity endorsement, Consumer brand preference, Brand association, Brand loyalty, Celebrity image

  12. Detector location selection based on VIP analysis in near-infrared detection of dural hematoma

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Qiuming Sun

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Detection of dural hematoma based on multi-channel near-infrared differential absorbance has the advantages of rapid and non-invasive detection. The location and number of detectors around the light source are critical for reducing the pathological characteristics of the prediction model on dural hematoma degree. Therefore, rational selection of detector numbers and their distances from the light source is very important. In this paper, a detector position screening method based on Variable Importance in the Projection (VIP analysis is proposed. A preliminary modeling based on Partial Least Squares method (PLS for the prediction of dural position μa was established using light absorbance information from 30 detectors located 2.0–5.0 cm from the light source with a 0.1 cm interval. The mean relative error (MRE of the dural position μa prediction model was 4.08%. After VIP analysis, the number of detectors was reduced from 30 to 4 and the MRE of the dural position μa prediction was reduced from 4.08% to 2.06% after the reduction in detector numbers. The prediction model after VIP detector screening still showed good prediction of the epidural position μa. This study provided a new approach and important reference on the selection of detector location in near-infrared dural hematoma detection. Keywords: Detector location screening, Epidural hematoma detection, Variable importance in the projection

  13. Celebrating Lady Liberty's Centennial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fowler, Charles B.

    1986-01-01

    The year 1986 marks the one hundredth birthday of the Statue of Liberty. The centennial provides an appropriate occasion for musical celebration. A list of musical compositions that teachers can use are provided. Difficulty level is indicated. (RM)

  14. Rwanda National Days Celebrations and Racist Propaganda (1962 ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    This article addresses the link between Rwanda national days celebrations and a racist propaganda between 1962 and 1982. It states a problem to know whether the political messages on the national days celebrations conveyed a democratic message or a racist propaganda. First, it explores a theoretical theory related to ...

  15. Impact of Celebrity Credibility on Advertising Effectiveness

    OpenAIRE

    Sadia Aziz; Usman Ghani; Abdullah Niazi

    2013-01-01

    Advertisers often make use of endorsers or representatives as trustworthy sources of persuasion for consumers' attitudes. Promotion of products through celebrities is a trendy advertising practice around the world. The present study judged the impact of celebrity credibility on advertising effectiveness in terms of consumer’s attitude towards the advertisement, attitude towards the brand and their purchase intention. This study also explored the differences of respondent’s responses towards t...

  16. Eku Otung : theatrical and transcendental celebration of death ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Among the Qua/Ejagham speaking people of Cross River State Nigeria, Death is celebrated and even more elaborate are the rites, rituals and celebrations especially when dignitaries and royalties are involved. Looking at the funeral rites of the kings of the Qua/Ejgham speaking people, this rite commonly known as the Eku ...

  17. Traditional Chinese Celebrations: Continuity and Change in Taiwan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wong, Wendy L.

    This teaching unit is designed to introduce elementary school students to traditional Chinese celebrations in Taiwan. An introductory activity asks students to distinguish between various kinds of celebrations (traditional or modern; religious or secular), and to identify U.S. and Chinese examples of each kind. The body of the unit concerns four…

  18. Intimate Relationships and Attitudes Toward Celebrities

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lynn E. McCutcheon

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Previous research indicates that persons who self-report a high level of preoccupation with celebrities tend to have lower levels of well-being. We administered the “Romantic Partner Conflict Scale”, the “Love Attitudes Scale”, the soulmate subscale from the “Relationship Theories Questionnaire”, and the anxiety subscale from the “Experiences in Close Relationships Scale” to 330 students from four universities to see how well scores on these measures would predict scores on each of the three subscales from the “Celebrity Attitude Scale” (CAS. We predicted that persons whose scores on these measures of intimate relationships indicated a troubled, anxious, or poor quality relationship would have higher scores on the CAS, especially on its two problematic subscales. In three multiple regressions, specific measures of behavior during conflict with a romantic partner and certain love styles significantly predicted scores on all three of the CAS subscales. We discuss the implications of being a celebrity worshiper on one’s relationship with an intimate partner.

  19. The applications of VIP 397/418 bulbs in free radical white pigmented coatings: UV curing evaluation for different free radical white pigmented formulations (I)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rong Bao; McCartney, R.

    1999-01-01

    White pigmented coatings have gained commercial success using a Gallium doped microwave F600-V bulb. A novel VIP 397/418 bulb has been made recently, by Fusion UV Systems, to increase UV curing efficiency of white pigmented coatings. Previous research work has shown that the VIP 397/418 bulb can cure cationic white pigmented coatings 40-60% faster than a F600-V bulb. Further evaluations of free radical white pigmented coatings have produced significant data indicating that better physical properties (40-50%) or higher cure speeds (50%) can be obtained by using the VIP 397/418 bulb than a F600-V bulb

  20. The Role of Gender on Consumer Attitudes toward Multiple Celebrity Advertisements

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Işık Özge YUMURTACI

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available Although its has been widely used in advertising, the impact of multiple celebrity endorsement on consumers has not been known. Therefore, the aim of this study is to examine whether consumers’ attitudes towards advertisement and brand, and their purchase intention differ regarding to the gender of consumers in multiple celebrity endorsement. Hence, survey study was conducted with 256 individuals. The findings of this study indicates that when two celebrities are used in an advertisement, based on the consumers’ attitudes towards the celebrities, the attitudes towards advertisement and brand, and purchase intentions may show discrepancies according to the gender of consumers. This study may shed light on how to use multiple celebrities in companies’ marketing strategies in a more accurate and effective way while considering consumer gender differences

  1. Study of Consumer Attitudes Toward Television Advertising Using Celebrity Endorser

    OpenAIRE

    Hudha, Asmirandi Noor; Hidayat, Anas

    2011-01-01

    This research analyzed how the attractiveness of a celebrity endorser is able to influ-ence customers’ brand choice behavior and how customers perceive celebrity-based television advertising. The study is based on an empirical research approach, which use a convenience sample of 150 students who lives in Yogyakarta. The respondents rate the attractiveness of ce-lebrity-based on television advertising and the influence of celebrity-based television advertis-ing on consumers’ brand choice behav...

  2. Positioning Through Celebrity Endorsement - A Review Contribution to Brand Literature

    OpenAIRE

    Abdullah Malik; Bushan D. Sudhakar

    2014-01-01

    The use of celebrities in marketing communications has become the practice of the major companies in the emplacement of the brand in the mind of consumers. Firms are making vast investments in hiring celebrities for positioning of brands by making organizations with endorser qualities such as trustworthiness, attractiveness and expertise. In the backdrop, this paper seeks to explore the variables of brand positioning through sports celebrity endorsement. Secondly, to propose the model through...

  3. Celebrity endorsed music videos: innovation to foster youth health promotion.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Macnab, A J; Mukisa, R

    2018-06-11

    There are calls for innovation in health promotion and for current issues to be presented in new and exciting ways; in addition to creating engaging messages, novel ways to deliver health messaging are needed, especially where youth are the key target audience. When pupils in WHO Health Promoting Schools were asked what health messages would resonate with them, they also identified celebrities as the 'messengers' they would be particularly likely to listen to. Expanding on these discussions, the pupils quoted celebrity-recorded music videos containing health and lifestyle messaging as an example of where they had learned from celebrities. Their ability to sing phrases from the songs and repeat key health messages they contained indicated the videos had commanded attention and provided knowledge and perspectives that had been retained. We located on YouTube the video titles the pupils identified and evaluated the content, messaging and production concepts these celebrity-recorded music videos incorporated. All are good examples of the health promotion genre known as education entertainment, where educational content is intentionally included in professionally produced entertainment media to impart knowledge, create favorable attitudes and impact future behaviors. The importance of this genre is growing in parallel with the burgeoning influence of social media. Music videos resonate with youth, and celebrity recordings combine young people's love of music with their fascination for the aura of celebrity. Hence, producing videos that combine an effective health message with celebrity endorsement offers potential as an innovative conduit for health promotion messaging among youth.

  4. Vegetation Index and Phenology (VIP) Vegetation Indices 7Days Global 0.05Deg CMG V004

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Aeronautics and Space Administration — The NASA Making Earth System Data Records for Use in Research Environments (MEaSUREs) Vegetation Index and Phenology (VIP) global datasets were created using...

  5. PENGARUH CELEBRITY ENDORSER DAN WOM TERHADAP KEPUTUSAN PEMBELIAN MOTOR YAMAHA

    OpenAIRE

    Shandy, Bobbi

    2018-01-01

    This research aim is to examine  the effect of selected purchase decision variables, i.e., celebrity endorser and WoM (Word of Mouth) on purchasing decision in Jambi city. Data analyzes  used multiple linier regression, where  independent variables  are  celebrity endorser and WoM,and  dependent variable is purchase decision. Primary data is gathering by questionaries delivery.  The  result showed  that  both celebrity endorser and WoM has sig...

  6. The Risk of Vampire Effect in Advertisements Using Celebrity Endorsement

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tetyana Kuvita

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available In the race to get the attention of the target audience, advertisers often use special attention-getting devices. This in turn exposes them to a higher risk of creating a vampire effect when the core message about the brand or a product is “eaten up” by such devices. The concept of a vampire effect in advertising appears to be under-researched in the current literature. Therefore, this paper provides deeper insights into the vampire effect occurrences in printed advertisements using celebrity endorsement. The paper is based on a qualitative study with an eye-tracking device with 12 participants and on the following experiment with 60 university students. The research found that a significantly higher risk of creating a vampire effect exists when using an unrelated celebrity as an attention-getting device than when using a related celebrity or no celebrity at all. Marketers are advised to use related celebrities if choosing to stick to this attention-getting approach. However, the concept of “relatedness” should be pre-tested prior to launching an advertising campaign.

  7. The Vip3Ag4 Insecticidal Protoxin from Bacillus thuringiensis Adopts A Tetrameric Configuration That Is Maintained on Proteolysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Leopoldo Palma

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available The Vip3 proteins produced during vegetative growth by strains of the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis show insecticidal activity against lepidopteran insects with a mechanism of action that may involve pore formation and apoptosis. These proteins are promising supplements to our arsenal of insecticidal proteins, but the molecular details of their activity are not understood. As a first step in the structural characterisation of these proteins, we have analysed their secondary structure and resolved the surface topology of a tetrameric complex of the Vip3Ag4 protein by transmission electron microscopy. Sites sensitive to proteolysis by trypsin are identified and the trypsin-cleaved protein appears to retain a similar structure as an octomeric complex comprising four copies each of the ~65 kDa and ~21 kDa products of proteolysis. This processed form of the toxin may represent the active toxin. The quality and monodispersity of the protein produced in this study make Vip3Ag4 a candidate for more detailed structural analysis using cryo-electron microscopy.

  8. ICTP celebrates 50 years

    CERN Multimedia

    2014-01-01

    CERN is not the only scientific organisation to be celebrating a significant anniversary in 2014. Earlier this year, ESA turned 50, and last week it was the turn of the Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics, ICTP, to blow out its 50 candles. I had the pleasure to be there for the occasion, and to take part in the first day of a four-day scientific celebration in which the true value of ICTP came to the fore.   Nobel Prize winning Pakistani physicist Abdus Salam established the ICTP in 1964, and went on to become its first director. The Centre’s mission was and remains to foster the development of international scientific cooperation and to promote scientific excellence with an emphasis on the developing world. Established outside Trieste, Italy, and operated under a tripartite agreement between the Italian government, the IAEA and UNESCO, the ICTP has proven itself true to that mandate and become a driving force for advancing scientific expertise around the globe....

  9. VIP/PACAP receptor mediation of cutaneous active vasodilation during heat stress in humans.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kellogg, Dean L; Zhao, Joan L; Wu, Yubo; Johnson, John M

    2010-07-01

    Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) is implicated in cutaneous active vasodilation in humans. VIP and the closely related pituitary adenylate cyclase activating peptide (PACAP) act through several receptor types: VIP through VPAC1 and VPAC2 receptors and PACAP through VPAC1, VPAC2, and PAC1 receptors. We examined participation of VPAC2 and/or PAC1 receptors in cutaneous vasodilation during heat stress by testing the effects of their specific blockade with PACAP6-38. PACAP6-38 dissolved in Ringer's was administered by intradermal microdialysis at one forearm site while a control site received Ringer's solution. Skin blood flow was monitored by laser-Doppler flowmetry (LDF). Blood pressure was monitored noninvasively and cutaneous vascular conductance (CVC) calculated. A 5- to 10-min baseline period was followed by approximately 70 min of PACAP6-38 (100 microM) perfusion at one site in normothermia and a 3-min period of body cooling. Whole body heating was then performed to engage cutaneous active vasodilation and was maintained until CVC had plateaued at an elevated level at all sites for 5-10 min. Finally, 58 mM sodium nitroprusside was perfused through both microdialysis sites to effect maximal vasodilation. No CVC differences were found between control and PACAP6-38-treated sites during normothermia (19 +/- 3%max untreated vs. 20 +/- 3%max, PACAP6-38 treated; P > 0.05 between sites) or cold stress (11 +/- 2%max untreated vs. 10 +/- 2%max, PACAP6-38 treated, P > 0.05 between sites). PACAP6-38 attenuated the increase in CVC during whole body heating when compared with untreated sites (59 +/- 3%max untreated vs. 46 +/- 3%max, PACAP6-38 treated, P < 0.05). We conclude that VPAC2 and/or PAC1 receptor activation is involved in cutaneous active vasodilation in humans.

  10. Comprehensive analysis of gene expression profiles of the beet armyworm Spodoptera exigua larvae challenged with Bacillus thuringiensis Vip3Aa toxin.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yolanda Bel

    Full Text Available Host-pathogen interactions result in complex relationship, many aspects of which are not completely understood. Vip proteins, which are Bacillus thuringensis (Bt insecticidal toxins produced during the vegetative stage, are selectively effective against specific insect pests. This new group of Bt proteins represents an interesting alternative to the classical Bt Cry toxins because current data suggests that they do not share the same mode of action. We have designed and developed a genome-wide microarray for the beet armyworm Spodoptera exigua, a serious lepidopteran pest of many agricultural crops, and used it to better understand how lepidopteran larvae respond to the treatment with the insecticidal protein Vip3Aa. With this approach, the goal of our study was to evaluate the changes in gene expression levels caused by treatment with sublethal doses of Vip3Aa (causing 99% growth inhibition at 8 and 24 h after feeding. Results indicated that the toxin provoked a wide transcriptional response, with 19% of the microarray unigenes responding significantly to treatment. The number of up- and down-regulated unigenes was very similar. The number of genes whose expression was regulated at 8 h was similar to the number of genes whose expression was regulated after 24 h of treatment. The up-regulated sequences were enriched for genes involved in innate immune response and in pathogen response such as antimicrobial peptides (AMPs and repat genes. The down-regulated sequences were mainly unigenes with homology to genes involved in metabolism. Genes related to the mode of action of Bt Cry proteins were found, in general, to be slightly overexpressed. The present study is the first genome-wide analysis of the response of lepidopteran insects to Vip3Aa intoxication. An insight into the molecular mechanisms and components related to Vip intoxication will allow designing of more effective management strategies for pest control.

  11. Classroom "Cupcake" Celebrations: Observations of Foods Offered and Consumed

    Science.gov (United States)

    Isoldi, Kathy K.; Dalton, Sharron; Rodriguez, Desiree P.; Nestle, Marion

    2012-01-01

    Objective: To describe food and beverage types offered and consumed during classroom celebrations at an elementary school in a low-income, urban community. In addition, to report student intake of fresh fruit provided alongside other party foods. Methods: Observations held during 4 classroom celebrations. Food and beverage items were measured and…

  12. Data on customer perceptions on the role of celebrity endorsement on brand preference.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ibidunni, Ayodotun Stephen; Olokundun, Maxwell Ayodele; Ibidunni, Oyebisi Mary; Borishade, Taiye Tairat; Falola, Hezekiah Olubusayo; Salau, Odunayo Paul; Amaihian, Augusta Bosede; Fred, Peter

    2018-06-01

    This research presents data on the effect of celebrity endorsement on consumers' brand preference. Copies of structured questionnaire were administered to 384 customers of telecommunication industry. Using descriptive, correlation and regression statistical analysis, the data revealed that celebrity image has an effect on consumer brand loyalty, celebrity trustworthiness has an influence on consumer brand association. More so, the relationship between celebrity expertise and perceived quality of the product was established.

  13. CERN celebrates another milestone

    CERN Multimedia

    2007-01-01

    "CERN (the European Organization for Nuclear Research) recently celebrated the lowering of the gigantic toroid magnet end-cap, using an EOT crane, onto the cavern floor. After a two-hour operation, the installation teams from ATLAS, PH-ATI and TS could finally breath a sigh of relief." (1/2 page)

  14. Admirer-Celebrity Relationships among Young Adults: Explaining Perceptions of Celebrity Influence on Identity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boon, Susan D.; Lomore, Christine D.

    2001-01-01

    Investigates undergraduate students' judgments regarding the degree to which relationships with celebrity idols influenced their sense of identity and feelings of self-worth. Discusses the characteristics of the sample of idols participants reported as well as descriptive data concerning the degree to which participants perceived these idols as…

  15. A theoretical reflection of celebrity endorsement in Nigeria

    OpenAIRE

    Milford I Udo; Nwulu, Chinyere Stella

    2015-01-01

    The use of celebrities such as movie stars, sports heroes, entertainers, music experts and all the likes as endorsers by marketers in promoting brand awareness, recognition, and preferences, has become the order of the day in advertising practices both in developed and developing economies. It therefore behooves on marketing professionals to design possible techniques to enhance its effective use by companies. This instigated the researchers to theoretically examine what celebrity endorsement...

  16. Celebrity marketing pražských muzikálů

    OpenAIRE

    Kuzmová, Tereza

    2017-01-01

    This Diploma Thesis deals with the issue of Prague musicals celebrity marketing, which is a significant characteristics of the contemporary Prague musical scene. The theoretical part of this thesis introduces the basic theories of celebrity studies and the specifics of marketing mix of musicals, in which celebrities play a significant role. On the margine, the thesis is also focused on current overproduction of musicals and related problems in marketing activities of musical productions. The ...

  17. Brand Positioning Through Celebrity Endorsement - A Review Contribution to Brand Literature

    OpenAIRE

    Malik, Abdullah; Sudhakar, Bushan D.

    2014-01-01

    The use of celebrities in marketing communications has become the practice of the major companies in the emplacement of the brand in the mind of consumers. Firms are making vast investments in hiring celebrities for positioning of brands by making organizations with endorser qualities such as trustworthiness, attractiveness and expertise. In the backdrop, this paper seeks to explore the variables of brand positioning through sports celebrity endorsement. Secondly, to propose the model through...

  18. LaserFest Celebration

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dr. Alan Chodos; Elizabeth A. Rogan

    2011-08-25

    LaserFest was the yearlong celebration, during 2010, of the 50th anniversary of the demonstration of the first working laser. The goals of LaserFest were: to highlight the impact of the laser in its manifold commercial, industrial and medical applications, and as a tool for ongoing scientific research; to use the laser as one example that illustrates, more generally, the route from scientific innovation to technological application; to use the laser as a vehicle for outreach, to stimulate interest among students and the public in aspects of physical science; to recognize and honor the pioneers who developed the laser and its many applications; to increase awareness among policymakers of the importance of R&D funding as evidenced by such technology as lasers. One way in which LaserFest sought to meet its goals was to encourage relevant activities at a local level all across the country -- and also abroad -- that would be identified with the larger purposes of the celebration and would carry the LaserFest name. Organizers were encouraged to record and advertise these events through a continually updated web-based calendar. Four projects were explicitly detailed in the proposals: 1) LaserFest on the Road; 2) Videos; 3) Educational material; and 4) Laser Days.

  19. Advocacy Narratives and Celebrity Engagement: the Case of Ben Affleck in Congo

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Budabin, Alexandra Cosima; Richey, Lisa Ann

    2018-01-01

    Global celebrities are increasingly important in human rights--promoting causes, raising awareness, and interacting with decision-makers—as communicators to mass and elite audiences. Deepening the literature on transnational advocacy and North-South relations, this article argues that celebrities...... Initiative. The study explains how the ability for celebrities to contend with narratives reflects elite practices in human rights advocacy....

  20. Detecting authorized and unauthorized genetically modified organisms containing vip3A by real-time PCR and next-generation sequencing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liang, Chanjuan; van Dijk, Jeroen P; Scholtens, Ingrid M J; Staats, Martijn; Prins, Theo W; Voorhuijzen, Marleen M; da Silva, Andrea M; Arisi, Ana Carolina Maisonnave; den Dunnen, Johan T; Kok, Esther J

    2014-04-01

    The growing number of biotech crops with novel genetic elements increasingly complicates the detection of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in food and feed samples using conventional screening methods. Unauthorized GMOs (UGMOs) in food and feed are currently identified through combining GMO element screening with sequencing the DNA flanking these elements. In this study, a specific and sensitive qPCR assay was developed for vip3A element detection based on the vip3Aa20 coding sequences of the recently marketed MIR162 maize and COT102 cotton. Furthermore, SiteFinding-PCR in combination with Sanger, Illumina or Pacific BioSciences (PacBio) sequencing was performed targeting the flanking DNA of the vip3Aa20 element in MIR162. De novo assembly and Basic Local Alignment Search Tool searches were used to mimic UGMO identification. PacBio data resulted in relatively long contigs in the upstream (1,326 nucleotides (nt); 95 % identity) and downstream (1,135 nt; 92 % identity) regions, whereas Illumina data resulted in two smaller contigs of 858 and 1,038 nt with higher sequence identity (>99 % identity). Both approaches outperformed Sanger sequencing, underlining the potential for next-generation sequencing in UGMO identification.

  1. Celebrating with our neighbours

    CERN Multimedia

    2014-01-01

    CERN’s 60th anniversary is all about celebrating 60 years of science for peace with people who matter to us. High on that list are our neighbours, and that’s why we’ve devoted two days just for them on 24 and 25 May. There will also be a special day of visits to CMS for local schools, and we’ll be taking part in the celebrations for the 200th anniversary of Geneva’s entry to the Swiss Confederation.   It is without doubt that over our 60 years, CERN has had a significant impact on the region. We are a vital part of international Geneva, our economic impact on the region is significant, and our people are involved in all walks of life in the French and Swiss communities where they live. Over recent years, we have stepped up our efforts to engage more strongly with our neighbours, and share with them the passion and excitement of our research. Our Open Days were originally conceived for the local community. Since 2009, we have invited represent...

  2. VIP visit to CERN P5 CMS of Pakistan Science Members

    CERN Multimedia

    Hoch, Michael

    2012-01-01

    VIP visit to CERN P5 CMS of PAEC & JCPC Science Members List of PAEC Visitors: Dr. Badar Suleman - Member Science PAEC & Member of JCPC Dr. Waqar M. Butt - Member Engineering (Head of HMC3) Dr. Maqsood Ahmad - Chief Scientist (Head of Accelerator Project) List of CMS participants: Prof. Joseph Incandela, CMS Spokesperson Dr. Austin Ball, CMS Technical Coordinator Mr Andrzej Charkiewicz, CMS Resources Manager Dr. Michael Hoch, CMS Outreach activities, CMS photographer and guide Dr. Achille Petrilli, CMS Team Leader

  3. mGluR1 receptors contribute to non-purinergic slow excitatory transmission to submucosal VIP neurons of guinea-pig ileum

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jaime Pei Pei Foong

    2009-05-01

    Full Text Available Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP immunoreactive secretomotor neurons in the submucous plexus are involved in mediating bacterial toxin-induced hypersecretion leading to diarrhoea. VIP neurons become hyperexcitable after the mucosa is exposed to cholera toxin, which suggests that the manipulation of the excitability of these neurons may be therapeutic. This study used standard intracellular recording methods to systematically characterize slow excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs evoked in submucosal VIP neurons by different stimulus regimes (1, 3 and 15 pulse 30 Hz stimulation, together with their associated input resistances and pharmacology. All slow EPSPs were associated with a significant increase in input resistance compared to baseline values. Slow EPSPs evoked by a single stimulus were confirmed to be purinergic, however, slow EPSPs evoked by 15 pulse trains were non-purinergic and those evoked by 3 pulse trains were mixed. NK1 or NK3 receptor antagonists did not affect slow EPSPs. The group I mGluR receptor antagonist, PHCCC reduced the amplitude of purinergic and non-purinergic slow EPSPs. Blocking mGluR1 receptors depressed the overall response to 3 and 15 pulse trains, but this effect was inconsistent, while blockade of mGluR5 receptors had no effect on the non-purinergic slow EPSPs. Thus, although other receptors are almost certainly involved, our data indicate that there are at least two pharmacologically distinct types of slow EPSPs in the VIP secretomotor neurons: one mediated by P2Y receptors and the other in part by mGluR1 receptors.

  4. Expression of phosphorylated cAMP response element binding protein (p-CREB) in bladder afferent pathways in VIP-/- mice with cyclophosphamide (CYP)-induced cystitis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jensen, Dorthe G; Studeny, Simon; May, Victor

    2008-01-01

    The expression of phosphorylated cAMP response element binding protein (p-CREB) in dorsal root ganglia (DRG) with and without cyclophosphamide (CYP)-induced cystitis (150 mg/kg, i.p; 48 h) was determined in VIP(-/-) and wild-type (WT) mice. p-CREB immunoreactivity (IR) was determined in bladder...... (Fast blue) afferent cells. Nerve growth factor (NGF) bladder content was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Basal expression of p-CREB-IR in DRG of VIP(-/-) mice was (p DRG compared to WT mice. CYP treatment in WT mice increased (p ...-CREB-IR in L1, L2, L5-S1 DRG. CYP treatment in VIP(-/-) mice (p DRG compared to WT with CYP. In WT mice, bladder afferent cells (20-38%) in DRG expressed p-CREB-IR under basal conditions. With CYP, p-CREB-IR increased in bladder afferent cells (60...

  5. Council celebrates CERN Control Centre

    CERN Multimedia

    2006-01-01

    With the unveiling of its new sign, the CERN Control Centre was officially inaugurated on Thursday 16 March. To celebrate its startup, CERN Council members visited the sleek centre, a futuristic-looking room filled with a multitude of monitoring screens.

  6. In-silico determination of insecticidal potential of Vip3Aa-Cry1Ac fusion protein against Lepidopteran targets using molecular docking

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aftab eAhmad

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Study and research of Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis transgenic plants have opened new ways to combat insect pests. Over the decades, however, insect pests, especially the Lepidopteran, have developed tolerance against Bt delta-endotoxins. Such issues can be addressed through the development of novel toxins with greater toxicity and affinity against a broad range of insect receptors. In this computational study, functional domains of Bacillus thuringiensis crystal delta-endotoxin (Cry1Ac insecticidal protein and vegetative insecticidal protein (Vip3Aa have been fused to develop a broad-range Vip3Aa-Cry1Ac fusion protein. Cry1Ac and Vip3Aa are non-homologous insecticidal proteins possessing receptors against different targets within the midgut of insects. The insecticidal proteins were fused to broaden the insecticidal activity. Molecular docking analysis of the fusion protein against aminopeptidase-N (APN and cadherin receptors of five Lepidopteran insects (Agrotis ipsilon, Helicoverpa armigera, Pectinophora gossypiella, Spodoptera exigua and Spodoptera litura revealed that the Ser290, Ser293, Leu337, Thr340 and Arg437 residues of the fusion protein are involved in the interaction with insect receptors. The Helicoverpa armigera cadherin receptor, however, showed no interaction, which might be due to either loss or burial of interactive residues inside the fusion protein. These findings revealed that the Vip3Aa-Cry1Ac fusion protein has a strong affinity against Lepidopteran insect receptors and hence has a potential to be an efficient broad-range insecticidal protein.

  7. Attractive celebrity and peer images on Instagram: Effect on women's mood and body image.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brown, Zoe; Tiggemann, Marika

    2016-12-01

    A large body of research has documented that exposure to images of thin fashion models contributes to women's body dissatisfaction. The present study aimed to experimentally investigate the impact of attractive celebrity and peer images on women's body image. Participants were 138 female undergraduate students who were randomly assigned to view either a set of celebrity images, a set of equally attractive unknown peer images, or a control set of travel images. All images were sourced from public Instagram profiles. Results showed that exposure to celebrity and peer images increased negative mood and body dissatisfaction relative to travel images, with no significant difference between celebrity and peer images. This effect was mediated by state appearance comparison. In addition, celebrity worship moderated an increased effect of celebrity images on body dissatisfaction. It was concluded that exposure to attractive celebrity and peer images can be detrimental to women's body image. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Psycholinguistic norms and face naming times for photographs of celebrities in French.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bonin, Patrick; Perret, Cyril; Méot, Alain; Ferrand, Ludovic; Mermillod, Martial

    2008-02-01

    A set of 105 photographs of celebrities has been standardized in French on distinctiveness, proper name agreement, face agreement, age of acquisition (AoA), and subjective frequency. Statistics on the collected variables for photographs are provided. The relationships between these variables have been analyzed. Face naming latencies have also been collected for the photographs of celebrities, and several multiple regression analyses have been carried out on naming latencies and percentages of tip-of-the-tongue (TOT) phenomena. Themain determinants of naming speed included AoA, face agreement, and name agreement. In addition, AoA, together with distinctiveness and face agreement, reliably predicted the percentages of TOTs. The norms, photographs of the celebrities, and spoken naming latencies corresponding to the celebrities are available on the Internet at norms.celebrities.googlepages.com and should be of great use to researchers interested in the processing of famous people.

  9. The Brand’s Effect on the Evaluation of Advertising Endorsed by Celebrities: an Experimental Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Leonardo Aureliano-Silva

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Celebrity endorsement aims to influence consumers to buy advertised products. In endorsing products, celebrities transfer their attributes to the objects, making them more desired by consumers. Celebrity endorsement is a promotional technique to better integrate brand, product and message, thus justifying the high investments by companies to engage celebrities. Although well established, the phenomenon lacks scientific studies that explain, based on the concept of celebrity congruence, the alignment between the celebrity’s profile and the product, also considering brand strength. After an extensive literature review, we performed three experiments, involving 713 respondents, to verify the effect of celebrity endorsement with different levels of congruence with the product, while manipulating the brands. The results of analysis of variance indicated a significant positive effect of celebrity endorsement with high congruence for unrecognized brands, but not for recognized brands.

  10. AGS 20th anniversary celebration

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Baggett, N.V. (ed.)

    1980-05-22

    On May 22, 1980, a symposium was held at Brookhaven to celebrate the 20th birthday of the AGS, to recall its beginnings, and to review major discoveries that have been made with its beams. The talks at the symposium are recorded in this volume.

  11. AGS 20th anniversary celebration

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Baggett, N.V.

    1980-01-01

    On May 22, 1980, a symposium was held at Brookhaven to celebrate the 20th birthday of the AGS, to recall its beginnings, and to review major discoveries that have been made with its beams. The talks at the symposium are recorded in this volume

  12. Celebrity endorsements versus created spokespersons in advertising: a survey among students

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Delarey Van der Waldt

    2011-08-01

    Full Text Available In this study the use of endorsements in advertising was investigated.  Endorsements can either be in the form of a celebrity acting as a spokesperson for an organisation or the organisation can create a spokesperson to act as an endorser.  The problem that faces marketers is that little scientific proof exists if students perceive celebrity endorsements and creative spokespersons differently with regard to their expertise and trustworthiness.  The aim of this study was to determine the attitudes of respondents with regard to expertise, trustworthiness and attractiveness of created spokesperson and celebrity endorsements in advertisements. This knowledge will provide marketing professionals with the strategic advantage of how and when to make use of an endorser. Ohanian’s (1990 measurement scale of perceived expertise, trustworthiness and attractiveness was adopted in a self-administrative questionnaire for this article.  Respondents (n=185 were exposed to six visual images of endorsers namely:  three celebrities and three created spokespersons.  It was found that attractiveness should not be used as a factor when comparing created endorsers with celebrity endorsers.  The respondents perceived both endorsement applications as highly credible and professionals need to consider each application’s advantages and disadvantages when deciding which application will be more effective for their advertising strategy.  In the long term the organisation might find it more cost effective to create its own spokesperson due to the risk of possible characteristics changes or negative associations of celebrity endorsers.  Revoking advertisements after celebrity endorsers have received negative publicity or changed character can lead to great financial losses.  Created endorsers, on the other hand, provide the organisation with greater control and the ability to change to adapt to the organisations market and advertising needs.

  13. VIP - A Framework-Based Approach to Robot Vision

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gerd Mayer

    2008-11-01

    Full Text Available For robot perception, video cameras are very valuable sensors, but the computer vision methods applied to extract information from camera images are usually computationally expensive. Integrating computer vision methods into a robot control architecture requires to balance exploitation of camera images with the need to preserve reactivity and robustness. We claim that better software support is needed in order to facilitate and simplify the application of computer vision and image processing methods on autonomous mobile robots. In particular, such support must address a simplified specification of image processing architectures, control and synchronization issues of image processing steps, and the integration of the image processing machinery into the overall robot control architecture. This paper introduces the video image processing (VIP framework, a software framework for multithreaded control flow modeling in robot vision.

  14. VIP - A Framework-Based Approach to Robot Vision

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hans Utz

    2006-03-01

    Full Text Available For robot perception, video cameras are very valuable sensors, but the computer vision methods applied to extract information from camera images are usually computationally expensive. Integrating computer vision methods into a robot control architecture requires to balance exploitation of camera images with the need to preserve reactivity and robustness. We claim that better software support is needed in order to facilitate and simplify the application of computer vision and image processing methods on autonomous mobile robots. In particular, such support must address a simplified specification of image processing architectures, control and synchronization issues of image processing steps, and the integration of the image processing machinery into the overall robot control architecture. This paper introduces the video image processing (VIP framework, a software framework for multithreaded control flow modeling in robot vision.

  15. Celebrating the Life and Legacy of Dr. John Hope Franklin

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harris, Robert L., Jr.; Levering-Lewis, David; French, John D.; Wharton, Clifton R., Jr.

    2009-01-01

    Dr. John Hope Franklin chronicled the experiences of African-Americans like no one before him, forcing America to recognize Black history as American history. His contributions were innumerable and his impact was abiding. In celebration of his life and legacy, the authors profile the celebrated scholar and activist, Dr. John Hope Franklin.

  16. Education in Disguise: Sanctioning Sexuality in Elementary School Halloween Celebrations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boas, Erica Misako

    2016-01-01

    Halloween as celebrated in US elementary schools provides a rare opportunity to explore the more tangible manifestations of sexuality. A time of celebration, Halloween is perceived as a festive event for children, being both "innocent" and fun. Yet, because it is the one school day where sexuality is on display, sexuality becomes a…

  17. Vacuum Insulation Panels - Study on VIP-components and panels for service life prediction of VIP in building applications (Subtask A)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Simmler, H.; Brunner, S. [Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Testing and Research (EMPA), Duebendorf (Switzerland); Heinemann, U.; Schwab, H. [Bavarian Centre for Applied Energy Research (ZAE Bayern), Garching (Germany); Kumaran, K.; Mukhopadhyaya, P. [National Research Council, Institute for Research in Construction (NRC-IRC), Ottawa (Canada); Quenard, D.; Sallee, H. [Scientific and Technical Centre for Construction (CSTB), Marne la Vallee (France); Noller, K.; Kuecuekpinar-Niarchos, E.; Stramm, C. [Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging (IVV), Freising (Germany); Tenpierik, M.; Cauberg, H. [Technical University of Delft, Delft (Netherlands); Erb, M. [Dr. Eicher und Pauli AG (Switzerland)

    2005-09-15

    This comprehensive paper takes a look at the properties of vacuum insulation panels (VIP) and was presented as a contribution to the IEA's ECBCS (Energy Conservation in Buildings and Community Systems) Annex 39. The various institutions in Switzerland, Germany, Canada, France, Sweden and the Netherlands participating in the task and their activities are listed. The paper describes the concept of vacuum insulation for buildings and examines the physics involved and core materials that can be used. The physical, mechanical and thermal properties of the core materials are examined and the requirements placed on the envelope of the panels are looked at. Tests made on materials as well as on the complete vacuum insulation panels are described in detail. The results obtained are presented and reviewed. Service-life and quality assurance aspects are also discussed. A comprehensive appendix completes the report.

  18. Enrico Fermi Symposium at CERN : opening celebration

    CERN Multimedia

    CERN. Geneva. Audiovisual Unit

    2002-01-01

    You are cordially invited to the opening celebration on Thursday 12 September at 16:00 (Main Building, Council Chamber), which will include speechs from: Luciano Maiani - Welcome and Introduction Antonino Zichichi - The New 'Centro Enrico Fermi' at Via Panisperna Ugo Amaldi - Fermi at Via Panisperna and the birth of Nuclear Medicine Jack Steinberger - Fermi in Chicago Valentin Telegdi - A Close-up of Fermi Arnaldo Stefanini - Celebrating Fermi's Centenary in Documents and Pictures and the screening of a documentary video about Fermi: Scienziati a Pisa: Enrico Fermi (Scientists at Pisa: Enrico Fermi) created by Francesco Andreotti for La Limonaia from early film, photographs and sound recordings (English version - c. 30 mins).

  19. Intense-personal celebrity worship and body image: evidence of a link among female adolescents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maltby, John; Giles, David C; Barber, Louise; McCutcheon, Lynn E

    2005-02-01

    The aim of the present study was to examine the relationship between celebrity worship and body image within the theoretical perspective of intense para-social relationships with celebrities. Correlation and multiple regression analyses were used to examine the relationships between celebrity worship and body image. Three samples, 229 (102 males and 127 females) adolescents, 183 (88 males and 95 females) full-time university undergraduate students, and 289 (126 males and 163 females) adults were administered an amended version of the Celebrity Attitude Scale, the Attention to Body Shape Scale, and the Body Shape Questionnaire-Revised. Significant relationships were found between attitudes toward celebrities and body image only among female adolescents. Multiple regression analyses suggested that Intense-personal celebrity worship accounted for unique variance in scores in body image. Findings suggest that in female adolescents, there is an interaction between Intense-personal celebrity worship and body image between the ages of 14 and 16 years, and some tentative evidence has been found to suggest that this relationship disappears at the onset of adulthood, 17 to 20 years. Results are consistent with those authors who stress the importance of the formation of para-social relationships with media figures, and suggest that para-social relationships with celebrities perceived as having a good body shape may lead to a poor body image in female adolescents.

  20. South African black generation Y students' perceptions of local black celebrity endorsers' credibility / Boitumelo Vincent Molelekeng

    OpenAIRE

    Molelekeng, Boitumelo Vincent

    2012-01-01

    The use of celebrity endorsers is a popular marketing strategy in many countries. Typically, many marketers believe that using celebrities is a viable marketing strategy for attracting customers, increasing market share and improving sales for their market offerings. The celebrity endorsement strategy using local celebrities is increasing in South Africa. Many South African marketers are now using popular local black celebrities in an attempt to attract the prosperous black emerging middle cl...

  1. Celebrity endorsement : The effects of social comparisons on women's self-esteem and purchase intensions

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hellen, K.; Saaksjarvi, M.C.

    2012-01-01

    In this research we investigated the interplay between celebrities holding positive vs. negative media images and women’s self-esteem and purchase intensions. Study 1 documents that “good” celebrities decrease consumers’ self-esteem while a “bad” celebrity increase self-esteem. Study 2 shows that

  2. Celebrity Endorsement And Attitude A Study To Assess The Impact Of Celebrity Endorsement On Attitude Of Consumers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Radhika Wadhera

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available The term Celebrity refers to an individual who is known to the public actor sports figure entertainer etc. for his or her achievements in areas other than that of the product class endorsed Friedman and Friedman 1979. The objective of this research paper was to examine the celebrity endorsements impact on companies and buying behaviour of customer. In order to achieve objective of the present research an empirical study was designed. A large sample on convenient basis of customer was selected. A questionnaire was circulated among the rural and urban respondents and total 50 valid responses were collected. Questionnaire was classified into four sections. The test the significant difference between overall opinion of respondents Z-test was applied and further analysis percentage average and standard deviation was also applied.

  3. Celebrities Gather to Fight Heart Disease

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Current Issue Past Issues Celebrities Gather to Fight Heart Disease Past Issues / Spring 2007 Table of Contents For ... Kit to offer community education programs on women's heart disease. Organize heart-health screening events and health fairs ...

  4. Application of photon detectors in the VIP2 experiment to test the Pauli Exclusion Principle

    CERN Document Server

    Pichler, A; Bazzi, M.; Bertolucci, S.; Berucci, C.; Bragadireanu, M.; Cargnelli, M.; Clozza, A.; Curceanu, C.; De Paolis, L.; Di Matteo, S.; D'Ufflzi, A.; Egger, J.P.; Guaraldo, C.; Iliescu, M.; Ishiwatari, T.; Laubenstein, M.; Marton, J.; Milotti, E.; Pietreanu, D.; Piscicchia, K.; Ponta, T.; Sbardella, E.; Scordo, A.; Shi, H.; Sirghi, D.; Sirghi, F.; Sperandio, L.; Vazquez-Doce, O.; Widmann, E.; Zmeskal, J.

    2016-01-01

    The Pauli Exclusion Principle (PEP) was introduced by the austrian physicist Wolfgang Pauli in 1925. Since then, several experiments have checked its validity. From 2006 until 2010, the VIP (VIolation of the Pauli Principle) experiment took data at the LNGS underground laboratory to test the PEP. This experiment looked for electronic 2p to 1s transitions in copper, where 2 electrons are in the 1s state before the transition happens. These transitions violate the PEP. The lack of detection of X-ray photons coming from these transitions resulted in a preliminary upper limit for the violation of the PEP of $4.7 \\times 10^{-29}$. Currently, the successor experiment VIP2 is under preparation. The main improvements are, on one side, the use of Silicon Drift Detectors (SDDs) as X-ray photon detectors. On the other side an active shielding is implemented, which consists of plastic scintillator bars read by Silicon Photomultipliers (SiPMs). The employment of these detectors will improve the upper limit for the violati...

  5. CERN is celebrating its anniversary - invite your neighbours!

    CERN Document Server

    Corinne Pralavorio

    2014-01-01

    On 24 and 25 May 2014, CERN will be organising a weekend of discovery to celebrate its 60th anniversary with its (our) neighbours. Come and help us to welcome them as a volunteer!   CERN is celebrating 60 years since its establishment - 60 years during which the region and the Laboratory have developed strong links. To celebrate this collaboration, two days of visits and activities for everyone living in the region are being organised. Underground visits to the CMS detector in Cessy, the LHCb detector in Ferney-Voltaire and the LHC machine in Échenevex will be held throughout the weekend. Some 6,000 visitors are expected to make the most of one of the last chances to visit the underground installations before the LHC is restarted next year. These visits are open only to people aged 12 years and over and are by reservation only. Members of the public are also invited to take part in fun activities at the site of the CMS experiment in Cessy. The programme includes demonstrations an...

  6. 'EU divertor celebration day'

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Merola, M.

    2002-01-01

    The meeting 'EU divertor celebration day' organized on 16 January 2002 at Plansee AG, Reutte, Austria was held on the occasion of the completion of manufacturing activities of a complete set of near full-scale prototypes of divertor components including the vertical target, the dome liner and the cassette body. About 30 participants attended the meeting including Dr. Robert Aymar, ITER Director, representatives from EFDA, CEA, ENEA, IPP and others

  7. Novel PCA-VIP scheme for ranking MRI protocols and identifying computer-extracted MRI measurements associated with central gland and peripheral zone prostate tumors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ginsburg, Shoshana B; Viswanath, Satish E; Bloch, B Nicolas; Rofsky, Neil M; Genega, Elizabeth M; Lenkinski, Robert E; Madabhushi, Anant

    2015-05-01

    To identify computer-extracted features for central gland and peripheral zone prostate cancer localization on multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Preoperative T2-weighted (T2w), diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI), and dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) MRI were acquired from 23 men with confirmed prostate cancer. Following radical prostatectomy, the cancer extent was delineated by a pathologist on ex vivo histology and mapped to MRI by nonlinear registration of histology and corresponding MRI slices. In all, 244 computer-extracted features were extracted from MRI, and principal component analysis (PCA) was employed to reduce the data dimensionality so that a generalizable classifier could be constructed. A novel variable importance on projection (VIP) measure for PCA (PCA-VIP) was leveraged to identify computer-extracted MRI features that discriminate between cancer and normal prostate, and these features were used to construct classifiers for cancer localization. Classifiers using features selected by PCA-VIP yielded an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.79 and 0.85 for peripheral zone and central gland tumors, respectively. For tumor localization in the central gland, T2w, DCE, and DWI MRI features contributed 71.6%, 18.1%, and 10.2%, respectively; for peripheral zone tumors T2w, DCE, and DWI MRI contributed 29.6%, 21.7%, and 48.7%, respectively. PCA-VIP identified relatively stable subsets of MRI features that performed well in localizing prostate cancer on MRI. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  8. Physical contact influences how much people pay at celebrity auctions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Newman, George E.; Bloom, Paul

    2014-01-01

    Contagion is a form of magical thinking in which people believe that a person’s immaterial qualities or essence can be transferred to an object through physical contact. Here we investigate how a belief in contagion influences the sale of celebrity memorabilia. Using data from three high-profile estate auctions, we find that people’s expectations about the amount of physical contact between the object and the celebrity positively predicts the final bids for items that belonged to well-liked individuals (e.g., John F. Kennedy) and negatively predicts final bids for items that belonged to disliked individuals (e.g., Bernard Madoff). A follow-up experiment further suggests that these effects are driven by contagion beliefs: when asked to bid on a sweater owned by a well-liked celebrity, participants report that they would pay substantially less if it was sterilized before they received it. However, sterilization increases the amount they would pay for a sweater owned by a disliked celebrity. These studies suggest that magical thinking may still have effects in contemporary Western societies and they provide some unique demonstrations of contagion effects on real-world purchase decisions. PMID:24567388

  9. Physical contact influences how much people pay at celebrity auctions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Newman, George E; Bloom, Paul

    2014-03-11

    Contagion is a form of magical thinking in which people believe that a person's immaterial qualities or essence can be transferred to an object through physical contact. Here we investigate how a belief in contagion influences the sale of celebrity memorabilia. Using data from three high-profile estate auctions, we find that people's expectations about the amount of physical contact between the object and the celebrity positively predicts the final bids for items that belonged to well-liked individuals (e.g., John F. Kennedy) and negatively predicts final bids for items that belonged to disliked individuals (e.g., Bernard Madoff). A follow-up experiment further suggests that these effects are driven by contagion beliefs: when asked to bid on a sweater owned by a well-liked celebrity, participants report that they would pay substantially less if it was sterilized before they received it. However, sterilization increases the amount they would pay for a sweater owned by a disliked celebrity. These studies suggest that magical thinking may still have effects in contemporary Western societies and they provide some unique demonstrations of contagion effects on real-world purchase decisions.

  10. The hot body issue: Weight and caption tone in celebrity gossip magazines.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McDonnell, Andrea; Lin, Linda

    2016-09-01

    While representations of bodies and weight have been studied in regards to fashion and fitness magazines, little research exists that examines such representations in celebrity gossip magazines. Using data collected through content analysis of 262 photo-caption units published in June 2015 issues of American celebrity gossip magazines, this study examines representations of bodies within the genre and the relationship between the gender, race, and body size of pictured celebrities and the tone of accompanying captions. Results indicate that celebrity gossip magazines critique the bodies of both female and male subjects, but that women are more likely to be the subject of negative comments than men. Underweight women and overweight men are especially targeted for criticism. Latinos are praised more often than other racial groups. The implications of these representations are discussed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. The Public, the Press, and Celebrities in The Return of Sherlock Holmes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Thomas Vranken

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available Arthur Conan Doyle and his consulting detective had been famous for more than ten years when Doyle came to write The Return of Sherlock Holmes. In the following essay, I argue that this experience of fame shaped the composition of the third series of Holmes stories, in which the detective is resurrected a decade after going over the Reichenbach Falls. The essay approaches celebrity as a competitive interaction in which the public, the press, and the celebrity vie for control. It is argued that the stories in The Return of Sherlock Holmes work to empower the various celebrities that they portray – including not just Holmes but also well-known aristocrats, statesmen, scholars, and female ‘beauties’ – and to disempower their rival co-participants in the celebrity dynamic: the public and the press.

  12. CEO Icon to GOP Hopeful: A Quantitative Analysis Exploring Politically Motivated Celebrity CEOs

    OpenAIRE

    Crighton, Lindsay

    2011-01-01

    This study examined the perceptions of celebrity CEOs potentially transitioning to political candidates. Using Carly Fiorina's campaign for Senator of California, this study identified how young voters perceive celebrity CEOs as politicians, their identification of celebrity CEOs, and the evaluations of CEOs and their companies. Results indicate a more favorable evaluation of Fiorina resulted in a more favorable reaction to Hewlett- Packard. Results also confirm the use of media messages to p...

  13. TMI-2 VIP Metallurgical Program

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Diercks, D.R.; Neimark, L.A.

    1991-01-01

    The objectives of the TMI-2 VIP Metallurgical Program are to conduct metallurgical examinations and mechanical-property tests on samples of material removed from the lower head of the TMI-2 nuclear reactor in order to deduce the temperatures, determine the mechanical properties, and assess the integrity of the TMI-2 lower head during the loss-of-coolant accident. The TMI-2 Vessel Investigation Project Metallurgical Program is a part of the international TMI-2 Vessel Investigation Project being conducted jointly by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development. Participants in the international project include the US, Japan, the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG), Finland, France, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom (UK). Fifteen samples have been removed from the lower head and are being examined. Mechanical tests will be conducted on specimens cut from these lower head samples. In addition, archive material from the lower head of the Midland nuclear reactor has been procured for conducting supplemental metallurgical evaluations and mechanical-property determinations. The information obtained from these examinations and tests, supplemented by results obtained from parallel examinations of instrument nozzles, guide tubes, and core debris at Argonne National Laboratory and the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory will be used to deduce a scenario for the loss-of-coolant accident and assess the integrity of the lower head during the accident

  14. CERN celebrates André Martin’s 80th birthday

    CERN Multimedia

    2009-01-01

    André Martin, pictured at the ceremony held in honour of his 80th birthday. On 27 August 2009 CERN’s Main Auditorium was the venue for a celebration in honour of André Martin’s 80th birthday. Regarded as one of the most important theoretical physicists of his generation, André Martin is one of CERN’s most distinguished figures. The celebration began with a conference, followed by a concert and a reception. After the conference, André Martin made an emotional speech looking back over his fifty-year career and paying tribute to all those who had made important contributions during his time at CERN. "I was extremely happy, and I am very touched by this marvellous celebration you have organised for me. It was a wonderful idea, and I very much enjoyed the concert of Blandine Eynaud and John Devore. My wife, Schu, and I love the music of Gabriel Fauré", he said at the end. André Martin j...

  15. StarPower: Elevating Prospective Student Interest through Expert and Celebrity Endorsements--Relevant Message, Relevant Media

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tucciarone, Kristy

    2016-01-01

    This study investigates how universities can increase the effectiveness of the search process by featuring in their advertisements expert and celebrity endorsers who attended the institution. How can universities gain the attention of prospective students using the star power of experts and celebrities? Experts and celebrities promoting a…

  16. Celebrity-endorsed e-cigarette brand Instagram advertisements: Effects on young adults' attitudes towards e-cigarettes and smoking intentions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Phua, Joe; Jin, Seunga Venus; Hahm, Jung Min

    2018-03-01

    Celebrities endorsing e-cigarette brands on social media may exert a strong influence on e-cigarette uptake. Using a between-subject experiment, this study examines the effects of endorser type (celebrities, non-celebrities and products only) in e-cigarette brand Instagram advertisements on e-cigarette attitudes and smoking intentions. Results showed that celebrity endorsers significantly increased positive attitudes towards e-cigarettes and smoking intentions, compared to non-celebrities or products only. Celebrity endorsers also rated significantly higher on trustworthiness, expertise, goodwill and attractiveness, compared to non-celebrities. Additionally, identification, social comparison, health consciousness and social networking site use moderated between endorser type and key dependent measures. Implications for e-cigarette marketing regulation are discussed.

  17. The werther effect of two celebrity suicides: an entertainer and a politician.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jae-Hyun Kim

    Full Text Available PURPOSE: Suicide is a major health problem in Korea. Extensive media exposure of celebrity suicide may induce imitative suicide, a phenomenon called the Werther effect. We examined the increased suicide risk following the suicides of an entertainer and a politician, and identified the relative suicide risks. METHODS: News articles about the celebrity suicides were obtained from three major newspapers and analysed for quantitative and qualitative features. Imitative suicide risk was investigated by applying a Poisson time series autoregression model with suicide mortality data from the National Statistics Office for 1.5 years before and 1.5 years after each celebrity's suicide. The period with a significantly increased number of suicides immediately after the celebrity's suicide determined the Werther effect band. The relative risk during this period was examined for different ages, genders, and suicide methods. RESULTS: News reports were more numerous and they contained more positive definitions about the entertainer's suicide. The risk of suicide deaths rose markedly after both celebrity suicides. However, the Werther effect band was longer for the entertainer (6 weeks than for the politician (4 weeks. The relative suicide risk was significant for almost all ages and both genders during that of both individuals. Use of the same suicide method was a prominent risk factor after both celebrity suicides. CONCLUSIONS: Our results confirm the existence of imitative suicide behaviours, suggesting a facilitation effect of media reports. Guidelines for responsible media reporting need to be implemented to enhance public mental health in Korea.

  18. Genetic polymorphisms of pharmacogenomic VIP variants in the Kyrgyz population from northwest China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yunus, Zulfiya; Liu, Lijun; Wang, Hong; Zhang, Le; Li, Xiaolan; Geng, Tingting; Kang, Longli; Jin, Tianbo; Chen, Chao

    2013-10-15

    Pharmacogenomic variant information is well known for major human populations; however, this information is less commonly studied in minorities. In the present study, we genotyped 85 very important pharmacogenetic (VIP) variants (selected from the PharmGKB database) in the Kyrgyz population and compared our data with other four major human populations including Han Chinese in Beijing, China (CHB), the Japanese in Tokyo, Japan (JPT), a northern and western Europe population (CEU), and the Yoruba in Ibadan, Nigeria (YRI). There were 13, 12 and 16 of the selected VIP variant genotype frequencies in the Kyrgyz which differed from those of the CHB, JPT and CEU, respectively (p<0.005). In the YRI, there were 32 different variants, compared to the Kyrgyz (p<0.005). Genotype frequencies of ADH1B, AHR, CYP3A5, PTGS2, VDR, and VKORC1 in the Kyrgyz differed widely from those in the four populations. Haplotype analyses also showed differences among the Kyrgyz and the other four populations. Our results complement the information provided by the database of pharmacogenomics on Kyrgyz. We provide a theoretical basis for safer drug administration and individualized treatment plans for the Kyrgyz. We also provide a template for the study of pharmacogenomics in various ethnic minority groups in China. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Drift Loss-Cone Distributions Electrons in the Jovian Synchrotron Zone from 06 and VIP4 Models

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, K.; Bolton, S. J.; Gulkis, S.; Levin, S. M.

    2000-01-01

    Relativistic electrons (10-50 MeV) play an important role to account for the observed synchrotron decimetric radiation in Jupiter's inner radiation belt (L loss cone for relativistic electrons using both the O6 and VIP4 magnetic field models. Model maps of the synchrotron emission for specific electron distributions are shown for comparison.

  20. Modern China’s Idols: Heroes, Role Models, Stars and Celebrities

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elaine M Jeffreys

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available This paper examines the diversity of China’s popular culture idols with reference to a commemorative website called ‘The Search for Modern China’, which was launched in late September 2009 to celebrate the sixtieth anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China (PRC under the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party on 1 October 1949. The website’s framing narrative suggests that the history of idol production and celebrity in the PRC can be viewed crudely as marked by disjuncture: the decline of heavy-handed Party-state involvement in the propagandistic manufacturing of socialist idols of production, followed by the grafted-on rise of western-style media-manufactured celebrities as idols of capitalist consumption. However, an analysis of the website’s pantheon of idols reveals that while some idols from the Maoist and early reform period have been relegated to the realm of fiction, revolutionary kitsch or are now simply passé, others remain very much alive in the popular imagination. A state-led project of promoting patriotic education has ensured the coexistence in commercial popular culture of revolutionary idols and contemporary celebrities, via memory sites associated with broadcast television, DVDs and the Internet, and the historical locations, museums and monuments of ‘red tourism.’

  1. When a Celebrity Endorser is Disgraced: A Twenty Five Year Event Study

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bratz, S.; Molchanov, A.E.; Stork, P.A.

    2013-01-01

    This paper investigates how the announcement of negative information about a celebrity endorser impacts firm value, as measured by abnormal stock returns. The unique data sample consists of 93 celebrity disgraces that occurred between 1986 and 2011, affecting firms listed on US stock exchanges. Some

  2. Impact of celebrity pitch in direct-to-consumer advertising of prescription drugs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bhutada, Nilesh S; Menon, Ajit M; Deshpande, Aparna D; Perri, Matthew

    2012-01-01

    Online surveys were conducted to determine the impact of endorser credibility, endorser effectiveness, and consumers' involvement in direct-to-consumer advertising. In a randomized posttest only study, using the elaboration likelihood model, survey participants (U.S. adults) were either exposed to a fictitious prescription drug ad with a celebrity or a noncelebrity endorser. There was no significant difference in credibility and effectiveness between the celebrity and the noncelebrity endorser. High involvement consumers viewed the ad more favorably and exhibited significantly stronger drug inquiry intentions during their next doctor visit. Further, consumers' involvement did not moderate the effect of celebrity endorser.

  3. Advocacy Narratives and Celebrity Engagement: the Case of Ben Affleck in Congo

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Budabin, Alexandra Cosima; Richey, Lisa Ann

    2018-01-01

    shape human rights narratives by selecting issues and interacting with dominant framings. This hypothesis is tested through a discourse analysis of professional entertainer Ben Affleck’s spoken and written texts along with organizational materials covering the establishment of the Eastern Congo...... Initiative. The study explains how the ability for celebrities to contend with narratives reflects elite practices in human rights advocacy.......Global celebrities are increasingly important in human rights--promoting causes, raising awareness, and interacting with decision-makers—as communicators to mass and elite audiences. Deepening the literature on transnational advocacy and North-South relations, this article argues that celebrities...

  4. Celebrating Leadership in Public Health and Medicine

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Navigation Bar Home Current Issue Past Issues Celebrating Leadership in Public Health and Medicine Friends of the ... a Distinguished Medical Science Award for his global leadership in cancer research and the development of combination ...

  5. Impact of Spodoptera frugiperda neonate pretreatment conditions on Vip3Aa19 insecticidal protein activity and laboratory bioassay variation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Da Silva, Karen F; Spencer, Terence A; Camargo Gil, Carolina; Siegfried, Blair D; Walters, Frederick S

    2016-04-01

    Variation in response to insecticidal proteins is common upon repetition of insect bioassays. Understanding this variation is a prerequisite to detecting biologically important differences. We tracked neonate Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) susceptibility to Vip3Aa19 over 17 generations using standardized bioassay methods. Five larval pretreatment conditions and one bioassay condition were tested to determine whether susceptibility was affected. These included: storage time; prefeeding; storage at reduced temperature; storage at reduced humidity; colony introgression of field-collected individuals. Extremes of photoperiod during the bioassay itself were also examined. LC50 values for two strains of S. frugiperda varied 6.6-fold or 8.8-fold over 17 generations. Storage time and humidity had no impact on Vip3Aa19 susceptibility, whereas prefeeding significantly reduced subsequent mortality (by 27%). Storage at reduced temperature increased mortality for one colony (from 45.6 to 73.0%) but not for the other. Introgression of field-collected individuals affected susceptibility at the first generation but not for subsequent generations. A 24 h bioassay photophase significantly reduced susceptibility (by 26%) for both colonies. Certain pretreatment and bioassay conditions were identified that can affect S. frugiperda Vip3Aa19 susceptibility, but innate larval heterogeneity was also present. Our observations should help to increase the consistency of insecticidal protein bioassay results. © 2015 Syngenta Crop Protection, LLC. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

  6. VIP Data Explorer: A Tool for Exploring 30 years of Vegetation Index and Phenology Observations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barreto-munoz, A.; Didan, K.; Rivera-Camacho, J.; Yitayew, M.; Miura, T.; Tsend-Ayush, J.

    2011-12-01

    Continuous acquisition of global satellite imagery over the years has contributed to the creation of long term data records from AVHRR, MODIS, TM, SPOT-VGT and other sensors. These records account for 30+ years, as these archives grow, they become invaluable tools for environmental, resources management, and climate studies dealing with trends and changes from local, regional to global scale. In this project, the Vegetation Index and Phenology Lab (VIPLab) is processing 30 years of daily global surface reflectance data into an Earth Science Data Record of Vegetation Index and Phenology metrics. Data from AVHRR (N07,N09,N11 and N14) and MODIS (AQUA and TERRA collection 5) for the periods 1981-1999 and 2000-2010, at CMG resolution were processed into one seamless and sensor independent data record using various filtering, continuity and gap filling techniques (Tsend-Ayush et al., AGU 2011, Rivera-Camacho et al, AGU 2011). An interactive online tool (VIP Data Explorer) was developed to support the visualization, qualitative and quantitative exploration, distribution, and documentation of these records using a simple web 2.0 interface. The VIP Data explorer (http://vip.arizona.edu/viplab_data_explorer) can display any combination of multi temporal and multi source data, enable the quickly exploration and cross comparison of the various levels of processing of this data. It uses the Google Earth (GE) model and was developed using the GE API for images rendering, manipulation and geolocation. These ESDRs records can be quickly animated in this environment and explored for visual trends and anomalies detection. Additionally the tool enables extracting and visualizing any land pixel time series while showing the different levels of processing it went through. User can explore this ESDR database within this data explorer GUI environment, and any desired data can be placed into a dynamic "cart" to be ordered and downloaded later. More functionalities are planned and will be

  7. CERN's 60th anniversary celebrations: "Cook"ed to perfection

    CERN Multimedia

    CERN Bulletin

    2014-01-01

    On 29 September, CERN celebrated its 60th anniversary with a gala celebration. Hundreds of CERN staff members and users, dignitaries from CERN Member States and representatives of international organisations filled the marquee for a ceremony featuring speeches as well as music from the EU Youth Orchestra. CERN Recruitment Unit section leader Anna Cook was called in at the last minute to host the ceremony.   Anna had just got back from a run on her day off when she got the call. On the line CERN60 project leader Sascha Schmeling, Globe manager Bernard Pellequer and video editor Jacques Fichet had a problem. French-Swiss journalist Darius Rochebin, who had been pegged to host CERN's 60th anniversary ceremony, had been forced to cancel at the last minute, just three days before the event. Would Anna host the celebration – a ceremony to be attended by hundreds and broadcast around the world for all to see? After asking whether it was a joke, she said: “OK, I&rsquo...

  8. Media coverage of celebrity DUIs: teachable moments or problematic social modeling?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, Katherine Clegg; Twum, Denise; Gielen, Andrea Carlson

    2009-01-01

    Alcohol in the media influences norms around use, particularly for young people. A recent spate of celebrity arrests for drinking and driving (DUI) has received considerable media attention. We asked whether these newsworthy events serve as teachable moments or problematic social modeling for young women. Qualitative analysis of US media coverage of four female celebrities (Michelle Rodriguez, Paris Hilton, Nicole Richie and Lindsay Lohan) was conducted over the year following their DUI arrest (December 2005 through June 2008). The media sample included five television and three print sources and resulted in 150 print and 16 television stories. Stories were brief, episodic and focused around glamorous celebrity images. They included routine discussion of the consequences of the DUI for the individual celebrities without much evidence of a consideration of the public health dimensions of drinking and driving or possible prevention measures. Our analysis found little material in the media coverage that dealt with preventing injury or promoting individual and collective responsibility for ensuring such protection. Media attention to such newsworthy events is a missed opportunity that can and should be addressed through media advocacy efforts.

  9. VIP protection from CBRN hazards

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kaszeta, D.

    2009-01-01

    Protection of heads of state/government from CBRN threats requires flexibility and advanced planning. The best approach to CBRN countermeasures in a close protection context combine traditional close protection techniques, sound security practices, and a good understanding of the technical nature of the threat. Poor general security practices make for poor CBRN protection. This paper addresses a methodology for assessing the viability of threats to protected persons/VIPs and provides an overview of close protection in the CBRN environment. It is important to define the scope of CBRN response in the close protection context. Some threat agents are more applicable to a military environment than to the type of attack consistent with assassination. By focussing the scope of CBRN close protection more specifically on the more technically viable threats, appropriate concepts of operation can be developed. Concepts of operation, developed with an understanding of the threat, determine the requirement for advanced preparation and the training and equipping of protective details. Most of the responses required in CBRN incidents are well served by tactically sound close protection procedures. The fundamental principles are: rapid identification of hazard, speed, use of protective technology, and medical interventions, including rapid decontamination and basic and advanced life support measures. This paper does not contain confidential or classified information and represents only the opinion of its author. It does not represent any official policy or opinion of the authors present or previous employers.(author)

  10. The Impact of Celebrity Endorsement to Youth Consumer Purchase Decision on Adidas Apparel Product

    OpenAIRE

    Tielung, Maria V. J.; Lombo, Victor Eko Prasetyo

    2014-01-01

    Celebrity endorsements are commonly used strategies for promoting various types of products, services or brands. The main purpose of using celebrity endorser is to influence consumer behaviour, especially purchase intention that will lead to consumer purchase decision, which is directly linked to the revenue of the company. This research is conduct in Manado, North Sulawesi. The objectives of this research are to know the influence of celebrity endorsement to consumers€™ purchase decision of ...

  11. Brand Loyalty: A Study of the Prevalent Usage of Celebrity Endorsement in Cosmetics Advertising.

    OpenAIRE

    Löfgren, Emma; Li, Juan

    2010-01-01

    The usage of celebrity endorsements has been confirmed to result in more favorableadvertisement ratings and positive product evolutions (Dean and Biswas, 2001). It has evenbecome one of the most popular forms of retail advertising (Choi and Rifon, 2007). Marketershave heavily relied on celebrity endorsement, because they believe in its positive impact ofassisting in improvement of brand awareness, brand equity, and even financial returns.Celebrities are easily chosen by marketers to peddle th...

  12. HIE-ISOLDE Phase I celebration

    CERN Multimedia

    Ordan, Julien

    2016-01-01

    HIE-Isolde celebration hosted by Belgian State Secretary E. Sleurs for Combating Poverty, for Equal Opportunities, for Disabled People and for Science Policy, in charge of Larger Towns, attached to the Minister of Finance, Ms Elke Sleurs State Secretary for Combating Poverty, for Equal Opportunities, for Disabled People and for Science Policy, in charge of Larger Towns, attached to the Minister of Finance Kingdom of Belgium

  13. Celebrity suicides and their differential influence on suicides in the general population: a national population-based study in Korea.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Myung, Woojae; Won, Hong-Hee; Fava, Maurizio; Mischoulon, David; Yeung, Albert; Lee, Dongsoo; Kim, Doh Kwan; Jeon, Hong Jin

    2015-04-01

    Although evidence suggests that there is an increase in suicide rates in the general population following celebrity suicide, the rates are heterogeneous across celebrities and countries. It is unclear which is the more vulnerable population according to the effect sizes of celebrity suicides to general population. All suicide victims in the general population verified by the Korea National Statistical Office and suicides of celebrity in South Korea were included for 7 years from 2005 to 2011. Effect sizes were estimated by comparing rates of suicide in the population one month before and after each celebrity suicide. The associations between suicide victims and celebrities were examined. Among 94,845 suicide victims, 17,209 completed suicide within one month after 13 celebrity suicides. Multivariate logistic regression analyses revealed that suicide victims who died after celebrity suicide were significantly likely to be of age 20-39, female, and to die by hanging. These qualities were more strongly associated among those who followed celebrity suicide with intermediate and high effect sizes than lower. Younger suicide victims were significantly associated with higher effect size, female gender, white collar employment, unmarried status, higher education, death by hanging, and night-time death. Characteristics of celebrities were significantly associated with those of general population in hanging method and gender. Individuals who commit suicide after a celebrity suicide are likely to be younger, female, and prefer hanging as method of suicide, which are more strongly associated in higher effect sizes of celebrity suicide.

  14. The Rise of the YouTube Celebrity: The Migration of Young Audiences from TV to Independent Content Creators

    OpenAIRE

    Sedláček, Jakub

    2016-01-01

    This thesis aims to uncover the reasons behind the sudden rise of the YouTube celebrity and to test (by means of an experimental study of teenager interests) media claims that YouTubers have become more popular among teenagers than any traditional type of celebrity. The thesis integrates YouTubers into celebrity studies by first outlining the origins of celebrity and its general role in society and then drawing parallels between traditional types of celebrity and YouTubers via describing the ...

  15. Selebtwits: Micro-Celebrity Practitioners in Indonesian Twittersphere

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Detta Rahmawan

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available Drawn from the notion that Twitter is a suitable context for micro-celebrity practices (Marwick, 2010 this research examines interactions between Indonesian Twitter-celebrities called selebtwits and their followers. The results suggest that several strategies include: stimulated conversation, audience recognition, and various level of self-disclosure that have been conducted by the selebtwits to maintain the relationship with their followers. This research also found that from the follower viewpoint, interaction with selebtwits is often perceived as an “endorsement” and “achievement”. However, there are others who are not particularly fond of the idea of the selebtwits-follower’s engagement. Some selebtwits-followers’ interactions lead to “digital intimacy”, while others resemble parasocial interaction and one-way communication. Furthermore, this study suggests that in the broader context, selebtwits are perceived in both positive and negative ways.

  16. Celebrating 50 Years of Grounded Theory: Onward and Forward Editorial

    OpenAIRE

    Astrid Gynnild

    2017-01-01

    Welcome to this very special issue of the Grounded Theory Review. In this issue we celebrate 50 amazing years of grounded theory during which it has become one of the fastest growing methods in the global research world. Five decades after The Discovery of Grounded Theory was first published, the seminal work of founders Barney G. Glaser and Anselm Strauss is cited more than 94,000 times on Google Scholar alone. We celebrate that after 50 years of researching, teaching, defending, explic...

  17. Are Celebrities Criminally Responsible For Deceptive Advertising?

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    2010-01-01

    The State Administration for Industry and Commerce recently said it has suggested the addition of an article in the Advertising Law to make celebrities who represent fake products in deceptive advertising criminally responsible for their actions if it is confirmed

  18. 77 FR 30242 - Safety Zone; City of Tonawanda July 4th Celebration, Niagara River, Tonawanda, NY

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-05-22

    ...-AA00 Safety Zone; City of Tonawanda July 4th Celebration, Niagara River, Tonawanda, NY AGENCY: Coast... vessels from a portion of the Niagara River during the City of Tonawanda July 4th Celebration fireworks... read as follows: Sec. 165.T09-0352 Safety Zone; City of Tonawanda July 4th Celebration, Niagara River...

  19. Ceremony celebrates 50 years of rocket launches

    Science.gov (United States)

    2000-01-01

    Ceremony celebrates 50 years of rocket launches PL00C-10364.12 At the 50th anniversary ceremony celebrating the first rocket launch from pad 3 on what is now Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Norris Gray waves to the audience. Gray was part of the team who successfully launched the first rocket, known as Bumper 8. The ceremony was hosted by the Air Force Space & Missile Museum Foundation, Inc. , and included launch of a Bumper 8 model rocket, presentation of a Bumper Award to Florida Sen. George Kirkpatrick by the National Space Club; plus remarks by Sen. Kirkpatrick, KSC's Center Director Roy Bridges, and the Commander of the 45th Space Wing, Brig. Gen. Donald Pettit. Also attending the ceremony were other members of the original Bumper 8 team. A reception followed at Hangar C. Since 1950 there have been a total of 3,245 launches from Cape Canaveral.

  20. Praising as bodily practice: the neocharismatic culture of celebration

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tuija Hovi

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Rhythmic body movements and dancing, as well as singing, have been used as a means and inspiration for both individual and communal spiritual experience throughout the history of religions. This article takes a tentative look at the contemporary neocharismatic culture of celebration as a means of aiming at religious experience through collective bodily practice; namely praising, which is generally understood to take the form of singing but is, in fact, expressed also in bodily movements such as dancing. In the neocharismatic context, a celebration means a certain type of a meeting with a special focus on contemplative worship and prayer, accompanied with lively music of praise. First, the historical background of the neo­charismatic branch is outlined shortly. Secondly, the tradition of praise itself within this context is described – what are the insider definitions and what kinds of forms praise in the culture of celebration actually includes, especially in Finland. The description is basically based on internet material and the author's previous field experiences in the Word of Life congregational meetings and other charismatic Christian events. In conclusion, acts of praise as a source of religious experience are discussed.

  1. National Center for Biotechnology Information Celebrates 25th Anniversary | NIH MedlinePlus the Magazine

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... page please turn JavaScript on. National Center for Biotechnology Information Celebrates 25th Anniversary Past Issues / Winter 2014 ... Photo courtesy of NLM The National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), a component of NLM, celebrated its ...

  2. The Director-General’s speech to the personnel

    CERN Multimedia

    2008-01-01

    At the LHCFest the Director-General of CERN gave a speech to thank all the CERN personnel, users and contractors’ staff for their outstanding contributions to the LHC project. Good evening. A few hours ago, I was here on this stage to welcome 1500 VIPs to the official inauguration of the LHC. I am delighted to be back in the same hall now to welcome you, the VIPs of the LHC. Such an exceptional accelerator and such ground-breaking experiments and computing infrastructure could never have been built without the relentless efforts of people of courage and determination. From this point of view, you are the VIPs of the LHC project. It was important that CERN should involve you in the inauguration of the LHC by organising this celebration tonight. We have been obliged to restrict the number of participants to 3000 as the safety rules prevented us from inviting more. Nevertheless, many more thousands of people have been involved in the project, either directly or indirectly. ...

  3. College Women's Responses to a Celebrity Health Disclosure.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Drizin, Julia H; Malcarne, Vanessa L; Schiaffino, Melody K; Wells, Kristen J

    2017-08-18

    Celebrities can have a powerful influence on people's health-related attitudes and behaviors, often by publicly disclosing their own personal health decisions. In May 2013, Angelina Jolie, an internationally recognized actress, director, and author, wrote an op-ed for the New York Times disclosing her decision to undergo a prophylactic double mastectomy to reduce her risk of breast cancer after learning that she carried the BRCA1 gene mutation. This cross-sectional study examined whether exposure to Angelina Jolie and her mastectomy disclosure and parasocial involvement (PSI) with Angelina Jolie were related to female college students' perceived risk of breast cancer and breast cancer screening intentions. Participants were 198 female undergraduate college students. Data were collected anonymously via an online questionnaire and analyzed using bivariate correlations and hierarchical linear regression analyses. Neither exposure to Angelina and her disclosure nor PSI with Angelina Jolie was related to participants' attitudes or behaviors related to breast cancer. However, having a family history of cancer was associated with more exposure to Angelina Jolie and her disclosure. Findings suggest that exposure to and PSI with a celebrity who has disclosed a health-related message may not be sufficient to motivate young women to change their health-related attitudes and behaviors. Future studies should explore how celebrities disclosing different types of health issues might influence the attitudes and behaviors of young women.

  4. Selling safety: the use of celebrities in improving awareness of safety in commercial aviation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Molesworth, Brett R C; Seneviratne, Dimuth; Burgess, Marion

    2016-07-01

    The aim of this study was to investigate the influential power of a celebrity to convey key safety messages in commercial aviation using a pre-flight safety briefing video. In addition, the present research sought to examine the effectiveness of subtitles in aiding the recall of these important messages as well as how in-cabin aircraft noise affects recall of this information. A total of 101 participants were randomly divided into four groups (no noise without subtitles, no noise with subtitles, noise without subtitles and noise with subtitles) and following exposure to a pre-recorded pre-flight safety briefing video were tested for recall of key safety messages within that video. Participants who recognised and recalled the name of the celebrity in the safety briefing video recalled significantly more of the messages than participants who did not recognise the celebrity. Subtitles were also found to be effective, however, only in the presence of representative in-cabin aircraft noise. Practitioner Summary: Passenger attention to pre-flight safety briefings on commercial aircraft is poor. Utilising the celebrity status of a famous person may overcome this problem. Results suggest that celebrities do increase the recall of safety-related information.

  5. Mapping VIPS Concepts for Nursing Interventions to the ISO Reference Terminology Model for Nursing Actions: A Collaborative Scandinavian Analysis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lauge Berring, Lene; Ehnfors, Margareta; Angermo, Lilly

    2005-01-01

    The aims of this study were to analyze the coherence between the concepts for nursing interventions in the Swedish VIPS model for nursing recording and the ISO Reference Terminology Model for Nursing Actions and to identify areas in the two models for further development. Seven Scandinavian experts...

  6. Pengaruh Celebrity Endorser Raditya Dika Terhadap Keputusan Pembelian Mie Sedap Cup

    OpenAIRE

    Anggraini, Ni Putu Nita

    2015-01-01

    Promotion cannot be separated from the business world, many companies are promoting their products through advertising to attract the market. The message delivered by a well-known source of interest or may attract more attention and memory, because that advertiser is often use celebrities as spokespersons. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of celebrity endorser consisting of attractiveness (X1), trustworthiness (X2), and expertise (X3) on purchase decisions (Y) Sedap noodl...

  7. The Impact of Celebrity Suicide on Subsequent Suicide Rates in the General Population of Korea from 1990 to 2010.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, Juhyun; Choi, Nari; Kim, Seog Ju; Kim, Soohyun; An, Hyonggin; Lee, Heon-Jeong; Lee, Yu Jin

    2016-04-01

    The association between celebrity suicide and subsequent increase in suicide rates among the general population has been suggested. Previous studies primarily focused on celebrity suicides in the 2000s. To better understand the association, this study examined the impacts of celebrity suicides on subsequent suicide rates using the data of Korean celebrity suicides between 1990 and 2010. Nine celebrity suicides were selected by an investigation of media reports of suicide deaths published in three major newspapers in Korea between 1990 and 2010. Suicide mortality data were obtained from the National Statistical Office of Korea. Seasonal autoregressive integrated moving average models with intervention analysis were used to test the impacts of celebrity suicides, controlling for seasonality. Six of the 9 celebrity suicides had significant impacts on suicide rates both in the total population and in the same gender- or the same age-subgroups. The incident that occurred in the 1990s had no significant impact on the overall suicide rates, whereas the majority of the incidents in the 2000s had significant influences for 30 or 60 days following each incident. The influence of celebrity suicide was shown to reach its peak following the suicide death of a renowned actress in 2008. The findings may suggest a link between media coverage and the impact of celebrity suicide. Future studies should focus more on the underlying processes and confounding factors that may contribute to the impact of celebrity suicide on subsequent suicide rates.

  8. A STUDY ON EFFECTIVENESS OF MULTIPLE AND SINGLE CELEBRITY ENDORSEMENT ON CONSIDERABLE PRODUCT ADVERTISEMENTS IN CHENNAI PERCEPTIVE, INDIA

    OpenAIRE

    A. Pughazhendi; Dr. K. Antony Baskaran; M. R. Prakash; R. N. Balamurugan

    2012-01-01

    The instrument of celebrity endorsement has nowadays become a pervasive element in advertising and communication management. The advertisers see this as an opportunity to grab and work on so as to expand their operations and promote their product. The purpose of this study is to explore the perceptual difference of consumer towards single celebrity endorsement and multiple celebrity endorsement more than one celebrity in a single advertisement for high and low involvement products and service...

  9. Pioneering CERN lab celebrates 50 years

    CERN Multimedia

    2004-01-01

    In a bid to raise local awareness and to celebrate its 50-year anniversary, CERN, a publicly-funded laboratory grouping scientists from 85 different countries, will hold a one-off open day in October for the general public. "We have added a lot to mankind's knowledge of the universe and that is what we were founded for", said CERN's chief spokesman James Gillies

  10. “Ooh, where did that come from?”: celebrating systemic practice in services for adults with intellectual disability

    OpenAIRE

    Haydon-Laurelut, Mark

    2008-01-01

    What and whom we choose to celebrate says a lot about us. As I thought about celebrating systemic practice, I wondered about how and when those with whom I most often practice, men and women with intellectual disabilities, have been celebrated?

  11. The Impacts Of Celebrity Endorsement In Ads On Consumers Purchasing Intention A Case Of Facebook

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Truong Hai Huyen Thanh

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available The thesis will be focused on the study of celebrity endorsement and how it affects consumer purchase intention on Facebook. It is obvious that celebrity endorsement nowadays is considered as a powerful advertising instrument which does contribute to measure all elements of a marketing campaign. Also celebrity endorsement is one of the most effective strategies that make products to be different in the competitive market. The main goal of the study is identifying the influence of celebrity endorsement advertising on consumer purchase decision on social media like Facebook. The research is also conducted for the purpose of supporting organizations businesses and media to understand the importance of advertising as well as the best tool to use in developing messages for advertisements to reach their target audience through social media especially Facebook

  12. Imaginary media: a case study of the symbolic recycling of celebrities

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marcia Boroski

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available The present research has aimed to understand the recycling of olympian archetype by contemporary celebrities. To achieve this goal we decided to carry out an exploratory research, through the case study of mediatic trajectory of Geisy Arruda (former student of Uniban’s tourism science, known for being kicked out of college after cause a tumult by wearing a short dress at Uniban. The research is based on the theories of mass culture, proposed by Edgar Morin, and on the concepts of celebrity, described by Chris Rojek. Above all, we think this discussion from the contemporary symbols that feed the myths and archetypes, which underpin and composes the imaginary. For facts and patterns identified along the trajectory of Geisy, we can infer that the former does not reach the top of the fame, the Olympus. She survives through a relationship of symbiosis with celebrities already consolidated, a superficial representation (Meme and highlighting, midiaticamente, his private life, especially that which concerns the eroticism.

  13. The Werther Effect of Two Celebrity Suicides: an Entertainer and a Politician

    OpenAIRE

    Kim, Jae-Hyun; Park, Eun-Cheol; Nam, Jung-Mo; Park, SoHee; Cho, Jaelim; Kim, Sun-Jung; Choi, Jae-Woo; Cho, Eun

    2013-01-01

    PURPOSE: Suicide is a major health problem in Korea. Extensive media exposure of celebrity suicide may induce imitative suicide, a phenomenon called the Werther effect. We examined the increased suicide risk following the suicides of an entertainer and a politician, and identified the relative suicide risks. METHODS: News articles about the celebrity suicides were obtained from three major newspapers and analysed for quantitative and qualitative features. Imitative suicide risk was investigat...

  14. The Effect of Celebrity Endoser's Country of Origin on Consumers Purchase Intention-An Evidence from Consumer in Pakistan

    OpenAIRE

    Mudassir, Wardah

    2015-01-01

    The aim of the present research is to discover the impact that celebrity endorser has on consumers’ purchase intention through a cross-cultural exchange of celebrities in the field of marketing. The strategy of using celebrities to endorse a brand or product has been used by the marketers for decades now. The ultimate popularity of this method can be explained by witnessing the presence of an international celebrity face in every second advertisement seen on television or billboards. Many res...

  15. iSTEM: Celebrating Earth Day with Sustainability

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sibley, Amanda; Kurz, Terri L.

    2014-01-01

    Earth Day is celebrated annually on April 22. Teachers often commemorate Earth Day with their classes by planting trees, discussing important conservation topics (such as recycling or preventing pollution), and encouraging students to take care of planet Earth. To promote observance of Earth Day in an intermediate elementary school classroom, this…

  16. Food choice and overconsumption: effect of a premium sports celebrity endorser.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boyland, Emma J; Harrold, Joanne A; Dovey, Terence M; Allison, Maxine; Dobson, Sarah; Jacobs, Marie-Claire; Halford, Jason C G

    2013-08-01

    To determine whether exposure to celebrity endorsement in television (TV) food advertising and a nonfood context would affect ad libitum intake of the endorsed product and a perceived alternative brand. A total of 181 children from the UK aged 8-11 years viewed 1 of the following embedded within a cartoon: (1) a commercial for Walker's Crisps (potato chips), featuring a long-standing celebrity endorser; (2) a commercial for a savory food; (3) TV footage of the same endorser in his well-known role as a TV presenter; or (4) a commercial for a nonfood item. Children's ad libitum intake of potato chips labeled "Walker's" and "supermarket brand" was measured using ANOVA. Children who viewed the endorsed commercial or the TV footage of the endorser outside of a food context consumed significantly more of the Walker's chips compared with children in other groups. These children did not reduce their intake of the supermarket brand product to compensate; thus, the endorser effect contributed to overconsumption. The influence of a celebrity endorser on food intake in children extends beyond his or her role in the specific endorsed food commercial, prompting increased consumption of the endorsed brand even when the endorser has been viewed in a nonfood context. Our data suggest that the ubiquitous nature of celebrity media presence may reinforce unhealthy eating practices in children, although research with other endorsers is needed. Copyright © 2013 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Sports celebrities and public health: Diego Maradona's influence on drug use prevention.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brown, William J; de Matviuk, Marcela Alejandra Chavan

    2010-06-01

    Exposure to a sports celebrity through media and sporting events can have important influences on a public health issue associated with that celebrity. The battle against drug use by Argentinean soccer icon Diego Maradona has provoked concerns about drug abuse and prevention in Argentina, particularly among young people. The present study analyzes how two forms of involvement with Maradona affected the public's concern and perceptions of drug use after Maradona's drug-related health crisis in 2004. Results indicate that those who had a greater degree of parasocial interaction with Maradona were more likely to have an increased awareness of drug abuse, a greater personal concern about drug abuse, abstained from drug use, and more strongly support drug abuse prevention programs. In contrast, identification with Maradona had a mitigating effect on drug use prevention. Implications of these findings regarding the influence of sports celebrities on substance abuse are discussed.

  18. 3 CFR 8353 - Proclamation 8353 of March 24, 2009. Greek Independence Day: A National Day of Celebration of...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... Independence Day: A National Day of Celebration of Greek and American Democracy, 2009 8353 Proclamation 8353... National Day of Celebration of Greek and American Democracy, 2009By the President of the United States of... Celebration of Greek and American Democracy.” I call upon the people of the United States to observe this day...

  19. Four lives a celebration of Raymond Smullyan

    CERN Document Server

    Rosenhouse, Jason

    2014-01-01

    This ""best of"" collection of works by Raymond Smullyan features excerpts from his published writings, including logic puzzles, explorations of mathematical logic and paradoxes, retrograde analysis chess problems, jokes and anecdotes, and meditations on the philosophy of religion. In addition, numerous personal tributes salute this celebrated professor, author, and logic scholar who is also a magician and musician.

  20. Celebrities and Heroes as Models of Self-Perception

    Science.gov (United States)

    Szymanski, Gerald G.

    1977-01-01

    Who are today's models and what difference does it make? A secondary English teacher in Detroit who later became a university teacher examines the hero and the celebrity as seen by his secondary students and teachers and future teachers from 1959-1976. (Author/RK)

  1. Black generation Y students' perceptions of national sport celebrity ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    African Journal for Physical Activity and Health Sciences ... Black generation Y students' perceptions of national sport celebrity endorsers as role models ... at tertiary institutions constitute a particularly attractive target market to marketers given ...

  2. 40 CFR 174.501 - Bacillus thuringiensis Vip3Aa protein in corn and cotton; exemption from the requirement of a...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 23 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Bacillus thuringiensis Vip3Aa protein in corn and cotton; exemption from the requirement of a tolerance. 174.501 Section 174.501 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) PESTICIDE PROGRAMS PROCEDURES AND REQUIREMENTS FOR PLANT-INCORPORATED PROTECTANTS...

  3. Optimization, evaluation, and comparison of standard algorithms for image reconstruction with the VIP-PET.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mikhaylova, E; Kolstein, M; De Lorenzo, G; Chmeissani, M

    2014-07-01

    A novel positron emission tomography (PET) scanner design based on a room-temperature pixelated CdTe solid-state detector is being developed within the framework of the Voxel Imaging PET (VIP) Pathfinder project [1]. The simulation results show a great potential of the VIP to produce high-resolution images even in extremely challenging conditions such as the screening of a human head [2]. With unprecedented high channel density (450 channels/cm 3 ) image reconstruction is a challenge. Therefore optimization is needed to find the best algorithm in order to exploit correctly the promising detector potential. The following reconstruction algorithms are evaluated: 2-D Filtered Backprojection (FBP), Ordered Subset Expectation Maximization (OSEM), List-Mode OSEM (LM-OSEM), and the Origin Ensemble (OE) algorithm. The evaluation is based on the comparison of a true image phantom with a set of reconstructed images obtained by each algorithm. This is achieved by calculation of image quality merit parameters such as the bias, the variance and the mean square error (MSE). A systematic optimization of each algorithm is performed by varying the reconstruction parameters, such as the cutoff frequency of the noise filters and the number of iterations. The region of interest (ROI) analysis of the reconstructed phantom is also performed for each algorithm and the results are compared. Additionally, the performance of the image reconstruction methods is compared by calculating the modulation transfer function (MTF). The reconstruction time is also taken into account to choose the optimal algorithm. The analysis is based on GAMOS [3] simulation including the expected CdTe and electronic specifics.

  4. Oprah, celebrity and formations of self

    OpenAIRE

    Wilson, S.

    2003-01-01

    Examining the phenomenon of the Oprah Winfrey Show within the context of contemporary American culture, the book considers the reasons for the popularity of this television programme. It explores Winfrey's celebrity persona, the ways in which individuals construct selfhood, and the role of confession. Drawing on cultural criticism and a black feminist perspective, the book demonstrates the range of conflicting discourses that are manifest on the show and combine to produce something that is c...

  5. Examining the Effects of Celebrity Endorser’s Credibility, Congruency and Meaning transfer on Purchase Intention of Skincare Products: An Empirical Research in East China

    OpenAIRE

    peng, cheng

    2015-01-01

    Celebrity endorsement strategy is widely used by marketers for the purpose of increasing sales and extending the market shares. Celebrity endorsers have proved with positive impacts on purchase intention by many researchers. However, the current findings about the effects of celebrity endorsement on purchase intention are still equivocal, owing to several different dimensions of celebrity endorsement. For example, source credibility of celebrity, celebrity congruency and meaning transfer of c...

  6. Celebrities' impact on health-related knowledge, attitudes, behaviors, and status outcomes: protocol for a systematic review, meta-analysis, and meta-regression analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hoffman, Steven J; Mansoor, Yasmeen; Natt, Navneet; Sritharan, Lathika; Belluz, Julia; Caulfield, Timothy; Freedhoff, Yoni; Lavis, John N; Sharma, Arya M

    2017-01-21

    Celebrities are highly influential people whose actions and decisions are watched and often emulated by wide audiences. Many celebrities have used their prominent social standing to offer medical advice or endorse health products, a trend that is expected to increase. However, the extent of the impact that celebrities have in shaping the public's health-related knowledge, attitudes, behaviors, and status is unclear. This systematic review seeks to answer the following questions: (1) Which health-related outcomes are influenced by celebrities? (2) How large of an impact do celebrities actually have on these health-related outcomes? (3) Under what circumstances do celebrities produce either beneficial or harmful impacts? Ten databases were searched, including MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, PubMed, CINAHL, Communication Complete, Sociological Abstracts, Social Sciences Citation Index, Journals @ Scholars Portal, and ProQuest Dissertations & Theses A&I. Two reviewers conducted title and abstract screening and full-text screening to identify primary studies that employed empirical methods (either quantitative or qualitative) to examine celebrities' impact on health-related knowledge, attitudes, behaviors, or status outcomes. The results of this review will contribute to our understanding of celebrity influences and how to design positive evidence-based celebrity health promotion activities. In addition, these findings can help inform the development of media reporting guidelines pertaining to celebrity health news and provide guidance to public health authorities on whether and how to respond to or work with celebrities. PROSPERO CRD42015019268.

  7. Damaged corporate reputation: Can celebrity Tweets repair it?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Norel, Nienke; Kommers, Petrus A.M.; van Hoof, Joris Jasper; Verhoeven, Joost W.M.

    2014-01-01

    These days, many corporations engage in Twitter activities as a part of their communication strategy. Corporations can use this medium to share information with stakeholders, to answer customer questions, or to build on their image. In this study we examined the extent to which celebrity Tweet

  8. Golden Jubilee Photos: A tradition of anniversary celebrations

    CERN Multimedia

    2004-01-01

    http://www.cern.ch/cern50/ During the Staff Day organized for the 25th anniversary of CERN. CERN organised celebrations for its tenth, twenty-fifth, thirtieth and fortieth anniversaries. Over the years, as its educational and outreach activities expanded, the festivities placed more and more emphasis on the general public, who were invited to come and see science in the making. The tenth-anniversary celebrations were confined to an official ceremony in the presence of representatives of the thirteen Member States and to a party for the personnel. Those marking the Organization's twenty-fifth anniversary were more grand and included, in addition to the official ceremony, an exhibition of CERN technology, a concert by the Suisse Romande Orchestra at the Victoria Hall in Geneva, an exhibition at the Balexert shopping centre, an open day for the local population and a special day for the staff consisting of talks, competitions and numerous other attractions. In particular, a competition was held to find the mo...

  9. Dermatoses among Children from Celebration of "Holi," the Spring Festival, in India: A Cross-sectional Observational Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ghosh, Sudip Kumar; Bandyopadhyay, Debabrata; Agarwal, Megha; Rudra, Olympia

    2016-01-01

    "Holi" is a spring festival celebrated primarily in the Indian subcontinent and also abroad by expatriate Indians. It is a festival of colors, traditionally celebrated by mutual application of colors in different forms on a particular day of the year. These colors frequently comprise a range of synthetic dyes which have harmful effects on the skin and mucosae. Children take part in this colorful festival with much enthusiasm and vigor, making them prone to develop different "Holi"-related dermatoses. Our objective was to find out the different patterns of "Holi"-related dermatoses in a group of pediatric patients. This was a cross-sectional descriptive study carried out over a period of 6 years (2010-2015). Consecutive patients of pediatric age group who attended dermatology outpatient department (OPD) with different dermatoses following application of "Holi" color were included in this study. A total of 63 patients (mean age 11 years; range 1-16 years) were evaluated with a female to male ratio of 1.3:1. Itching is the predominant presenting symptom followed by burning sensation, dryness, scaling, oozing, and loss of hair. Examination revealed that eczematous lesion was the most common (69.8%) reaction pattern followed by xerosis, desquamation, excoriation, erythema, morbilliform eruption, erosion, alopecia, ulceration, acute paronychia, and hyperpigmentation. The face was the most common (76.4%) site of affection. A sizable number of patients of pediatric age group may be affected by "Holi"-related dermatoses necessitating precautionary measures.

  10. Estimating the risk for suicide following the suicide deaths of 3 Asian entertainment celebrities: a meta-analytic approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fu, King-Wa; Yip, Paul S F

    2009-06-01

    Evidence suggests that there is an increase in the suicide rate following incidents of celebrity suicide in different countries, but there are no data on the overall suicide risk across countries. The duration of increased suicide rates is usually assumed to be on a monthly basis, but the weekly increase remains uncertain. This study aims at estimating the risk for suicide after the suicide deaths of entertainment celebrities in Asia during the first 4 weeks after the celebrity suicides and on a weekly basis. An ecological, retrospective time-series analysis and a meta-analysis of the suicide deaths in 3 Asian regions: Hong Kong (from 2001 to 2003), Taiwan, and South Korea (both from 2003 to 2005). The combined risks for suicide were found to be 1.43 (95% CI = 1.23 to 1.66), 1.29 (95% CI = 1.12 to 1.50), and 1.25 (95% CI = 1.08 to 1.45) in the first, second, and third week, respectively, after suicides of entertainment celebrities, while adjusting for secular trends, seasonality, economic situation, and temporal autocorrelation. The same-gender and same-method specific increases suggest that as people identify more with the celebrity, their risk for suicide rises. A medium-term rise in suicides up to 24 weeks after the incidents of celebrity suicide is also evident. This study is the first to estimate risk for suicides following celebrity suicides across 3 Asian regions. The results provide important information for public health policy makers in assessing the elevated risk associated with excessive media coverage of celebrity suicide and developing timely evidence-based interventions. Copyright 2009 Physicians Postgraduate Press, Inc.

  11. Stennis Space Center celebrates Native American culture

    Science.gov (United States)

    2009-01-01

    Famie Willis (left), 2009-2010 Choctaw Indian Princess, displays artifacts during Native American Heritage Month activities at Stennis Space Center on Nov. 24. The celebration featured various Native American cultural displays for Stennis employees to view. Shown above are (l to r): Willis, Elaine Couchman of NASA Shared Services Center, John Cecconi of NSSC and Lakeisha Robertson of the Environmental Protection Agency.

  12. 65 Year Birthday Celebration's Prof. John Ellis.

    CERN Multimedia

    Benoit Jeannet

    2011-01-01

    On 13 September, physicists from around the world joined John Ellis at a colloquium to celebrate his 65th birthday, and as he ended his long career as a distinguished CERN staff member and joins King’s College London. Here he is in the audience with fellow theorists, Nobel laureate Gerard ’t Hooft and Chris Llewellyn Smith, former director-general of CERN.

  13. Relação entre toxicidade de proteínas Vip3Aa e sua capacidade de ligação a receptores intestinais de lepidópteros-praga

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Suzana Cristina Marucci

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available Resumo:O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a toxicidade de novas proteínas Vip3Aa e sua capacidade de ligação a vesículas de membrana da microvilosidade apical (VMMA do intestino de lagartas neonatas de Spodoptera frugiperda, Anticarsia gemmatalise Heliothis virescens. Proteínas expressas pelos genes vip3Aa42 e vip3Aa43 mostraram-se tóxicas a S. frugiperda (CL50 de 78,2 e 113 ng cm-2, respectivamente e A. gemmatalis(CL50 de 239,2 e 57,5 ng cm-2, respectivamente, e pouco tóxicas a H. virescens (CL50>5.000 ng cm-2. Os ensaios de ligação às VMMA mostraram que as proteínas unem-se de forma efetiva aos receptores nas vesículas das espécies avaliadas, mas essa capacidade de ligação somente é efetiva na ativação da toxicidade para as populações avaliadas de S. frugiperdae A. gemmatalis.

  14. Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) and pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) in the circulation after sumatriptan

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hansen, Jakob Møller; Fahrenkrug, Jan; Petersen, Jesper Troensegaard

    2013-01-01

    The origin of migraine pain is still elusive, but increasingly researchers focus on the neuropeptides in the perivascular space of cranial vessels as important mediators of nociceptive input during migraine attacks. The parasympathetic neurotransmitters, pituitary adenylate cyclase activating...... peptide-38 (PACAP38) and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) may be released from parasympathetic fibres and activate sensory nerve fibres during migraine attacks. Triptans are effective and well tolerated in acute migraine management but the exact mechanism of action is still debated. Triptans might...

  15. VIP-Man: An image-based whole-body adult male model constructed from color photographs of the visible human project for multi-particle Monte Carlo calculations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xu, X.G.; Chao, T.C.; Bozkurt, A.

    2000-01-01

    Human anatomical models have been indispensable to radiation protection dosimetry using Monte Carlo calculations. Existing MIRD-based mathematical models are easy to compute and standardize, but they are simplified and crude compared to human anatomy. This article describes the development of an image-based whole-body model, called VIP-Man, using transversal color photographic images obtained from the National Library of Medicine's Visible Human Project for Monte Carlo organ dose calculations involving photons, electron, neutrons, and protons. As the first of a series of papers on dose calculations based on VIP-Man, this article provides detailed information about how to construct an image-based model, as well as how to adopt it into well-tested Monte Carlo codes, EGS4, MCNP4B, and MCNPX

  16. First Lady Hillary Clinton waits for launch at VIP viewing site

    Science.gov (United States)

    1999-01-01

    Among those gathered at the VIP viewing site for the launch of STS-93 are First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton (center) and Donna Shalala, secretary , Department of Health and Human Services (far right). Also present is Chelsea Clinton. Much attention has been generated over the launch due to Commander Eileen M. Collins, the first woman to serve as commander of a Shuttle mission. The primary payload of the five-day mission is the Chandra X-ray Observatory, which will allow scientists from around the world to study some of the most distant, powerful and dynamic objects in the universe. The new telescope is 20 to 50 times more sensitive than any previous X-ray telescope and is expected to unlock the secrets of supernovae, quasars and black holes. Liftoff of Space Shuttle Columbia is scheduled for 12:36 a.m. EDT July 20.

  17. Pengaruh Celebrity Endorser Dan Word Of Mouth Terhadap Keputusan Pembelian Produk Sweater Online Shop Alco Di Media Sosial Instagram

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nur Amalina Fildzah

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Alco is a small and medium businesses producing knit sweaters. Alco admitted about an increase in sales after endorsement to celebrity endorser. But, there is a decline in sales in the mid 2016 even Alco been using celebrity endorser. From the initial survey results that the researcher conducted to prove recognition of Alco, these survey results showed that respondents knew Alco online shop and make a purchase decision from celebrity endorser, word of mouth, and explore Instagram. Inside Instagram, in addition to celebrity endorser that can affect a person's buying decision contained in a photo caption in the social media Instagram. And from the caption can be said as a word of mouth expressed by consumers an online shop on Instagram. explore Instagram is a feature from Instagram Thus, this study uses independent variable celebrity endorser and word of mouth.This study was conducted to know the influence of celebrity endorser and word of mouth partially and simultaneously on the purchase decision of sweater in an online shop Alco in social media Instagram.The type of research used is descriptive and causal research with the method used is quantitative. This study was involving 100 respondents of Alco consumers in social media Instagram. The sampling technique was using a non-probability sampling type of incidental sampling. This study uses multiple regression analysis technique. The results showed that simultaneously celebrity endorser and word of mouth are significantly influencing purchase decisions. Partially celebrity endorser and word of mouth are significantly influencing purchase decisions.

  18. The synergy in green persuasion: Green celebrity endorsers in green advertising: A study of brand-endorser congruence effects in green advertising

    OpenAIRE

    Blasche, J.; Ketelaar, P.E.

    2015-01-01

    This study examines celebrity endorser-brand congruence effects in green advertising on the ads' effectiveness. In an experimental survey, Dutch participants (197) saw ads with a congruent or incongruent celebrity endorser. Extending the match-up hypothesis to a novel match-up factor, greenness, the results show that pro-environmental celebrity endorsers yield more favourable attitudes towards the ad, the brand, and purchase intentions compared to non-green celebrity endorsers. Practitioners ...

  19. Representations of celebrities' weight and shape during pregnancy and postpartum: a content analysis of three entertainment magazine websites.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gow, Rachel W; Lydecker, Janet A; Lamanna, Jennifer D; Mazzeo, Suzanne E

    2012-01-01

    Entertainment magazine websites provide a continuous stream of celebrity news accessed by over 13 million unique viewers each month. Celebrities' experiences of pregnancy and new motherhood appear to be popular topics within these media outlets; however, little research has investigated the content of this coverage. In this study, investigators coded articles (N=387) published between August 1, 2007 and August 1, 2008 on three popular entertainment magazine websites. Relatively few articles about celebrities' pregnancies discussed weight (13%) or shape (30%), and an even smaller proportion (6.2%) included any discussion of postpartum body dissatisfaction. This suggests a gap between portrayal of celebrities' pregnancies and postpartum experiences and those of non-celebrity women. This disparity is concerning as it might lead to unrealistic expectations about pregnancy and postpartum for both pregnant readers and a more general audience. This study provides important initial information about the messages these media provide regarding pregnancy-related appearance. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. 50 years CERN Courier Celebration

    CERN Multimedia

    2009-01-01

    The 50th anniversary of the first publication of the CERN Courier provided the opportunity for a modest celebration on 2 September 2009. All six of the principal editors that the magazine has had over its 50-years history met together for the first time. After getting acquainted and reacquainted over lunch, they gathered in the library at CERN to answer questions about the production of the magazine over the years. From left to right, from the present editor to the first one: Christine Sutton, James Gillies, Gordon Fraser, Brian Southworth, Alec Hester and Roger Anthoine.

  1. 78 FR 18455 - Greek Independence Day: A National Day of Celebration of Greek and American Democracy, 2013

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-03-27

    ... celebrates Greek Independence Day to strengthen the bonds between the birthplace of democracy and the world's... National Day of Celebration of Greek and American Democracy. I call upon the people of the United States to...

  2. Pro-eating disorder search patterns: the possible influence of celebrity eating disorder stories in the media.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lewis, Stephen P; Klauninger, Laura; Marcincinova, Ivana

    2016-01-01

    Pro eating disorder websites often contain celebrity-focused content (e.g., images) used as thinspiration to engage in unhealthy eating disorder behaviours. The current study was conducted to examine whether news media stories covering eating disorder disclosures of celebrities corresponded with increases in Internet searches for pro eating disorder material. Results indicated that search volumes for pro eating disorder terms spiked in the month immediately following such news coverage but only for particularly high-profile celebrities. Hence, there may be utility in providing recovery-oriented resources within the search results for pro-eating disorder Internet searches and within news stories of this nature.

  3. Celebrating the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Celebrating the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education Curriculum ... Accordingly the thesis defended in this paper is that; contrary to public opinion, it is a ... from documentary analysis with special focus on Plato's Theory of Forms and ... By Country · List All Titles · Free To Read Titles This Journal is Open Access.

  4. 101 Wonderful Ways To Celebrate Women's History. Revised.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eisenberg, Bonnie; Ruthsdotter, Mary

    This guide offers activities for teachers as well as community program planners that enhance the awareness of women's history and women's contributions to history. Although National Women's History Month is celebrated in March, programs need not be limited to that time period. The programs have been organized into three sections. The first section…

  5. Festivals Together. A Guide to Multi-cultural Celebration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fitzjohn, Sue; Weston, Minda; Large, Judy

    This is a resource guide for observing and celebrating special days according to the traditions of many cultures. It brings together the experience and activities of persons from many religions--Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Judaism, Islam, and the Sikh religion--and draws on diverse backgrounds from many parts of the world. The context is…

  6. Genetic polymorphisms of pharmacogenomic VIP variants in the Yi population from China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yan, Mengdan; Li, Dianzhen; Zhao, Guige; Li, Jing; Niu, Fanglin; Li, Bin; Chen, Peng; Jin, Tianbo

    2018-03-30

    Drug response and target therapeutic dosage are different among individuals. The variability is largely genetically determined. With the development of pharmacogenetics and pharmacogenomics, widespread research have provided us a wealth of information on drug-related genetic polymorphisms, and the very important pharmacogenetic (VIP) variants have been identified for the major populations around the world whereas less is known regarding minorities in China, including the Yi ethnic group. Our research aims to screen the potential genetic variants in Yi population on pharmacogenomics and provide a theoretical basis for future medication guidance. In the present study, 80 VIP variants (selected from the PharmGKB database) were genotyped in 100 unrelated and healthy Yi adults recruited for our research. Through statistical analysis, we made a comparison between the Yi and other 11 populations listed in the HapMap database for significant SNPs detection. Two specific SNPs were subsequently enrolled in an observation on global allele distribution with the frequencies downloaded from ALlele FREquency Database. Moreover, F-statistics (Fst), genetic structure and phylogenetic tree analyses were conducted for determination of genetic similarity between the 12 ethnic groups. Using the χ2 tests, rs1128503 (ABCB1), rs7294 (VKORC1), rs9934438 (VKORC1), rs1540339 (VDR) and rs689466 (PTGS2) were identified as the significantly different loci for further analysis. The global allele distribution revealed that the allele "A" of rs1540339 and rs9934438 were more frequent in Yi people, which was consistent with the most populations in East Asia. F-statistics (Fst), genetic structure and phylogenetic tree analyses demonstrated that the Yi and CHD shared a closest relationship on their genetic backgrounds. Additionally, Yi was considered similar to the Han people from Shaanxi province among the domestic ethnic populations in China. Our results demonstrated significant differences on

  7. Centennial of general relativity a celebration

    CERN Document Server

    2017-01-01

    It has been over 100 years since the presentation of the Theory of General Relativity by Albert Einstein, in its final formulation, to the Royal Prussian Academy of Sciences. To celebrate 100 years of general relativity, World Scientific publishes this volume with a dual goal: to assess the current status of the field of general relativity in broad terms, and discuss future directions. The volume thus consists of broad overviews summarizing major developments over the past decades and their perspective contributions.

  8. The international year of biodiversity: a celebration and cogitation

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ghazoul, J.; Peña-Claros, M.

    2010-01-01

    To both celebrate and reflect upon this International Year of Biodiversity, Biotropica has invited opinion articles from a number of scientists across the globe. As lightly edited personal opinions, the commentaries reflect the diversity of passionate and often controversial views expressed across

  9. The Werther Effect of Two Celebrity Suicides: an Entertainer and a Politician

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Jae-Hyun; Park, Eun-Cheol; Nam, Jung-Mo; Park, SoHee; Cho, Jaelim; Kim, Sun-Jung; Choi, Jae-Woo; Cho, Eun

    2013-01-01

    Purpose Suicide is a major health problem in Korea. Extensive media exposure of celebrity suicide may induce imitative suicide, a phenomenon called the Werther effect. We examined the increased suicide risk following the suicides of an entertainer and a politician, and identified the relative suicide risks. Methods News articles about the celebrity suicides were obtained from three major newspapers and analysed for quantitative and qualitative features. Imitative suicide risk was investigated by applying a Poisson time series autoregression model with suicide mortality data from the National Statistics Office for 1.5 years before and 1.5 years after each celebrity’s suicide. The period with a significantly increased number of suicides immediately after the celebrity’s suicide determined the Werther effect band. The relative risk during this period was examined for different ages, genders, and suicide methods. Results News reports were more numerous and they contained more positive definitions about the entertainer’s suicide. The risk of suicide deaths rose markedly after both celebrity suicides. However, the Werther effect band was longer for the entertainer (6 weeks) than for the politician (4 weeks). The relative suicide risk was significant for almost all ages and both genders during that of both individuals. Use of the same suicide method was a prominent risk factor after both celebrity suicides. Conclusions Our results confirm the existence of imitative suicide behaviours, suggesting a facilitation effect of media reports. Guidelines for responsible media reporting need to be implemented to enhance public mental health in Korea. PMID:24386428

  10. Celebrities' Memorial Afterlives: Obituaries, Tributes, and Posthumous Gossip in the Romanian Media Deathscape.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rusu, Mihai S

    2017-01-01

    Cross-culturally, dead are protected from posthumous negative evaluations by the universal "nil nisi bonum" precept that governs the ethics within the community of mourners. In this study, we set out to test the observance of this injunction against posthumous gossiping in the Romanian public deathscape. Obituaries and other posthumous articles ( N = 1,148) were collected that covered the deaths of 63 celebrities who passed away between 2013 and 2016. Materials were gathered from the digital archives of three Romanian news sources (a news agency, a "quality" newspaper, and a tabloid), published one week after the moment of death. The findings show that 22% of the articles do contain negative evaluations of the deceased. The percentage rises to 36.4% if we restrict the sample to only those celebrities with a controversial anthumous reputation (19 of 63). These results indicate that celebrities are not spared from critical assessments after they pass away.

  11. Effect of Celebrity Endorsement in Advertising Activities by Product Type

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Karasiewicz Grzegorz

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available This article seeks to answer two related questions: are celebrity endorsements more likely to be result in a higher evaluation of the product being advertised than use of an anonymous individual (e.g. a typical consumer; and, if present, do these positive effects vary by product category? To answer these two questions research was conducted on a 237 student sample employing a quasi-experiment consisting of four groups (two product categories and two types of endorsers using data collected through an online survey. The results indicate that celebrity endorsements do have a positive impact on the evaluation of durable goods, but do not affect the evaluation of frequently purchased products. This finding largely confirms the assumptions of the match-up model, the meaning transfer model, and the ELM model.

  12. Viral and bacterial septicaemic infections modulate the expression of PACAP splicing variants and VIP/PACAP receptors in brown trout immune organs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gorgoglione, Bartolomeo; Carpio, Yamila; Secombes, Christopher J; Taylor, Nick G H; Lugo, Juana María; Estrada, Mario Pablo

    2015-12-01

    Pituitary Adenylate Cyclase-Activating Polypeptide (PACAP) and PACAP-Related Peptide (PRP) are structurally similar peptides encoded in the same transcripts. Their transcription has been detected not only in the brain but also in a wide range of peripheral tissues, even including organs of the immune system. PACAP exerts pleiotropic activities through G-protein coupled membrane receptors: the PACAP-specific PAC-1 and the VPAC-1 and VPAC-2 receptors that exhibit similar affinities for the Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide (VIP) and PACAP. Recent findings added PACAP and its receptors to the growing list of mediators that allow cross-talk between the nervous, endocrine and immune systems in fish. In this study the expression of genes encoding for PACAP and PRP, as well as VIP/PACAP receptors was studied in laboratory-reared brown trout (Salmo trutta) after septicaemic infections. Respectively Viral Haemorrhagic Septicaemia Virus (VHSV-Ia) or the Gram-negative bacterium Yersinia ruckeri (ser. O1 - biot. 2) were used in infection challenges. Kidney and spleen, the teleost main lymphopoietic organs, were sampled during the first two weeks post-infection. RT-qPCR analysis assessed specific pathogens burden and gene expression levels. PACAP and PRP transcription in each organ was positively correlated to the respective pathogen burden, assessed targeting the VHSV-glycoprotein or Y. ruckeri 16S rRNA. Results showed as the transcription of PACAP splicing variants and VIP/PACAP receptors is modulated in these organs during an acute viral and bacterial septicaemic infections in brown trout. These gene expression results provide clues as to how the PACAP system is modulated in fish, confirming an involvement during active immune responses elicited by both viral and bacterial aetiological agents. However, further experimental evidence is still required to fully elucidate and characterize the role of PACAP and PRP for an efficient immune response against pathogens. Copyright © 2015

  13. Media visibility on the formation of female celebrity: Catarina, a virgin for auction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lígia Campos de Cerqueira Lana

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available This article analyzes the role of media visibility in the rise of CatherineMigliorini’s celebrity, famous after putting her virginity up for auction oninternet. The history of the case and its main events, texts written by experts, images and statements of Catarina are investigated from the perspective of women’s visibility transformations. Although media critique, the celebrity Catarina displayed expected abilities of women in media visibility, as the possession of a sexy, young and assertive body, able to be used as capital.

  14. CELEBRATING 50 YEARS AT CERN

    CERN Multimedia

    2008-01-01

    To thank you all for your custom, for each "plat du jour" purchased on 18 June 2008 in CERN restaurants 1 and 2, Carlson Wagonlit Travel will be pleased to treat you to a dessert. Carlson Wagonlit Travel is celebrating the event with a grand prize draw open to all (personnel of CERN and its subcontractors): gift vouchers to a value of over 8,000 Swiss francs to be won. Entry forms can be obtained from our offices in the Main Building from 13 May to 17 June and should be placed in the box by 17 June. The draw will take place on 18 June. Good luck to you all !

  15. 77 FR 38486 - Safety Zone; City of Tonawanda July 4th Celebration, Niagara River, Tonawanda, NY

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-06-28

    ... 1625-AA00 Safety Zone; City of Tonawanda July 4th Celebration, Niagara River, Tonawanda, NY AGENCY... safety zone on the Niagara River, Tonawanda, New York. This safety zone is intended to restrict vessels from a portion of the Niagara River during the City of Tonawanda July 4th Celebration fireworks on July...

  16. Celebrity Authorship and Afterlives in English and American Literature

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Franssen, G.; Honings, R.

    2016-01-01

    This book maps the history of literary celebrity from the early nineteenth century to the present, paying special attention to the authors’ crafting of their writerly self as well as the afterlife of their public image. Case studies are John Keats, Edgar Allan Poe, Eliza Cook, Herman Melville, Oscar

  17. Sixty Years of Special Needs Education in Tanzania: Celebrating ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    This study traces the development of special needs education in Tanzania from 1950, and discusses the achievements and the persistent challenges that Tanzania is facing as we celebrate 60 years since the first special education school was started. Both documentation and interview methods were used to collect ...

  18. CGH Celebrates Take Your Child To Work Day 2015

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shady Grove celebrated Take Your Child To Work Day this year with a variety of activities and sessions aimed at inspiring school-aged children to explore career paths in science and public service. CGH hosted its inaugural Take Your Child To Work Day session: An Introduction to Global Health.

  19. London’s women historians: a celebration and a conversation

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van de Wal, Rozemarijn

    2017-01-01

    On March 13 2017 King’s College London (KCL) and the Institute of Historical Research (IHR) at the School of Advanced Study, hosted ‘London’s women historians: a celebration and a conversation’ – a conference to discuss important contemporary issues, and to draw attention to forgotten women

  20. The laureate as celebrity genius: How Scientific American's John Horgan profiled Nobel Prize winners.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fahy, Declan

    2018-05-01

    When scientists become Nobel laureates, they become famous in science and public life, but few studies have examined the nature of their scientific celebrity. This article examines how Scientific American portrayed laureates in order to identify and explain core features of Nobel fame. It examines the portrayals of seven laureates - Francis Crick, Linus Pauling, Hans Bethe, Murray Gell-Mann, Brian Josephson, Philip Anderson and Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar - in magazine profiles written between 1992 and 1995 by science writer John Horgan. Its textual analysis finds the scientists are portrayed as combining the sociological characteristics of genius, including enormous productivity and lasting impact, with the representational characteristics of celebrities, such as the merging of public and private lives. Their form of scientific celebrity is grounded in their field-changing research, which is presented as a product of their idiosyncratic personalities. Nobel science is presented as knowledge created by an ultra-elite of exceptional individuals.

  1. PACAP-38 but not VIP induces release of CGRP from trigeminal nucleus caudalis via a receptor distinct from the PAC1 receptor

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jansen-Olesen, Inger; Baun, Michael; Amrutkar, Dipak V

    2014-01-01

    nucleus caudalis (TNC) was quantified by EIA. Regulation of NOS-enzymes caused by VIP and PACAP was investigated in dura mater, TG and TNC by measuring the conversion of L-[3H]arginine to L-[3H]citrulline. Co-expression of PACAP, neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) and CGRP was explored...

  2. A biblical death-wish: Paul celebrating dying in Phil 1:21

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    J. Punt

    2009-07-01

    Full Text Available Death features as an important concept in the Pauline writings in the New Testament for a number of reasons. However, the intriguing way in which the apostle at times addressed death as positive notion in itself, was traditionally related to Paul�s theological convictions and his understanding of the death of Christ in particular. The remarkably pointed way in which Paul positively celebrated death in Philippians 1:21 borders on invoking a martyrological paradigm, and raises questions about his convictions regarding life, and bodily existence in particular. Interesting analogies emerge when Paul�s celebration of death is compared in a concluding section with contemporary, popular instances where death is � even if for different reasons � presented as �gain�.

  3. PACAP and VIP inhibit the invasiveness of glioblastoma cells exposed to hypoxia through the regulation of HIFs and EGFR expression

    OpenAIRE

    Grazia eMaugeri; Agata Grazia eD'Amico; Agata Grazia eD'Amico; Rita eReitano; Gaetano eMagro; Sebastiano eCavallaro; Salvatore eSalomone; Velia eD'Agata

    2016-01-01

    Pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) through the binding of vasoactive intestinal peptide receptors (VIPRs), perform a wide variety of effects in human cancers, including glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). This tumor is characterized by extensive areas of hypoxia, which triggers the expression of hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs). HIFs not only mediate angiogenesis but also tumor cell migration and invasion. Furthermore, HIFs activation...

  4. Angelina Jolie's faulty gene: newspaper coverage of a celebrity's preventive bilateral mastectomy in Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kamenova, Kalina; Reshef, Amir; Caulfield, Timothy

    2014-07-01

    This study investigates the portrayal of Angelina Jolie's preventive bilateral mastectomy in the news media. Content analysis of print news was conducted to identify major frames used in press coverage, the overall tone of discussions, how journalists report broader questions about BRCA1/2 testing and hereditary breast/ovarian cancer, and whether they raise concerns about the impact of celebrities on patients' choices and public opinion. The Factiva database was used to collect publications on Jolie's preventive mastectomy in elite newspapers in Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom. The data set consisted of 103 newspaper articles published in the first month of media coverage. The results show that although the press discussed key issues surrounding predictive genetic testing and preventive options for women at high risk of hereditary breast/ovarian cancer, important medical information about the rarity of Jolie's condition was not communicated to the public. The results highlight the media's overwhelmingly positive slant toward Jolie's mastectomy, while overlooking the relative rarity of her situation, the challenges of "celebrity medicine," and how celebrities influence people's medical decisions. Future research is required to investigate whether the media hype has influenced demand and use of BRCA1/2 testing and preventive mastectomies.

  5. The Influence of Celebrity Exemplars on College Students' Smoking

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yoo, Woohyun

    2016-01-01

    Objective: This study examined the effect of celebrity smoking exemplars in health news on college students' perceptions of smoking-related health risks and smoking intentions. Participants and Methods: The data were collected using a Web-based survey of 219 undergraduate students at a large midwestern university in March 2011. Separate analyses…

  6. TMI-2 Vessel Investigation Project (VIP) Metallurgical Program

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Diercks, D.R.; Neimark, L.A.

    1990-06-01

    The TMI-2 Vessel Investigation Project (VIP) Metallurgical Program is a part of the international TMI-2 Vessel Investigation Project being conducting jointly by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). The overall project consists of three phases, namely (1) recovery of material samples from the lower head of the TMI-2 reactor, (2) examination and analysis of the lower head samples and the preparation and testing of archive material subjected to a similar thermal history, and (3) procurement, examination, and analysis of companion core material located adjacent to or near the lower head material. The specific objectives of the ANL Metallurgical Program, which comprises a major portion of Phase 2, are to prepare metallographic and mechanical test specimen blanks from the TMI-2 lower head material, prepare similar test specimen blanks from suitable archive material subjected to the appropriate thermal processing, determine the mechanical properties of the lower vessel head and archive materials under the conditions of the core-melt accident, and assess the lower head integrity and margin-to-failure during the accident. The ANL work consists of three tasks: (1) archive materials program, (2) fabrication of metallurgical and mechanical test specimens from the TMI-2 pressure vessel samples, and (3) mechanical property characterization of TMI-2 lower pressure vessel head and archive material

  7. 'The Ethiopian famine' revisited: band aid and the antipolitics of celebrity humanitarian action.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Müller, Tanja R

    2013-01-01

    In many ways the Ethiopian famine of 1983-85 has served as a watershed with respect to humanitarian action. One of its lasting legacies has been the emergence of Band Aid and the subsequent increase in celebrity humanitarianism. A revisiting of the events of 1983-85 occurred in 2010 during a dispute in which it was alleged that a portion of the donations of Band Aid were spent on arms purchases. This paper takes this controversy as its starting point. It goes on to use the theoretical reflections of Giorgio Agamben to consider the dynamics that unfolded during the Ethiopian famine of 1983-85 and to analyse the underlying conceptualisation behind the emergence of Band Aid-type celebrity humanitarianism. The paper concludes with some wider thoughts on how the in essence antipolitical agenda of celebrity humanitarian action is transported into the everyday understanding of 'African disaster', resulting ultimately in the perpetuation of hegemonic control by the global North. © 2013 The Author(s). Journal compilation © Overseas Development Institute, 2013.

  8. Celebrities and Shoes on the Female Brain: The Neural Correlates of Product Evaluation in the Context of Fame

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    M. Stallen (Mirre); A. Smidts (Ale); M. Rijpkema (Mark); G. Smit (Gitty); V. Klucharev (Vasily); G. Fernandez (Guillén)

    2009-01-01

    textabstractCelebrity endorsement is omnipresent. However, despite its prevalence, it is unclear why celebrities are more persuasive than (equally attractive) non-famous endorsers. The present study investigates which processes underlie the effect of fame on product memory and purchase intention by

  9. Inhibitions and implications associated with celebrity participation in health-related social marketing: an exploratory research focused on HIV prevention in Portugal.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Casais, Beatriz; Proença, João F

    2012-01-01

    This article discusses motivations and inhibitions among celebrities to participate in health-related social marketing. The research identifies the implications that this involvement may have upon their lives. Results from in-depth interviews with 27 Portuguese celebrities show that they expect a fee for endorsements of commercial and government social marketing, despite the positive image they may gain from endorsing public health. The results demonstrate an absence of celebrity prejudice against HIV because of its serious nature and the social stigma attached to AIDS. This research suggests there is a positive bias and presents helpful information for negotiations between institutions and celebrities.

  10. CELEBRATING 50 YEARS AT CERN

    CERN Multimedia

    2008-01-01

    To thank you all for your custom, for each ‘plat du jour’ purchased on 18 June 2008 in CERN restaurants 1 and 2, Carlson Wagonlit Travel will be pleased to treat you to a dessert. Carlson Wagonlit Travel is celebrating the event with a grand prize draw open to all (personnel of CERN and its subcontractors): gift vouchers to a value of over 8,000 Swiss francs are to be won. Entry forms can be obtained from our offices in the Main Building from 13 May to 17 June and should be placed in the box by 17 June. The draw will take place on 18 June. Good luck to you all !

  11. Real body, fake person: Recontextualizing celebrity bodies in fandom and film

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Melanie Piper

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available Comparisons between real person fan fiction (RPF and film or television texts dramatizing real people have been made in debates over the ethics of RPF as a fan practice. In an effort to direct the scholarly focus on RPF from these ethical issues to the texts themselves, I propose examining the similarities between the textual process of adapting real people to fictional characters on both the cinema screen and the computer screen. This paper examines the work RPF writers do in appropriating the various bodies of their celebrity subjects: the fragmented intertextual body of the star image, and the celebrity's physical body as a signifier of star image and status as a real person in the world. I argue that the fannish textual process of adapting real public figures to fictional contexts shares a common element with adapting public figures to the screen in the biopic: both work to recontextualize the public self of a celebrity through the representation of a fictionalized or speculated private self. To illustrate this, I will be engaging with a case study of The Social Network (2010 fandom through works in its kink meme, and how the adaptations of textual bodies are at work in fictionalized fan writing about real actors performing in the Hollywood fictionalized film about real tech entrepreneurs.

  12. Selection of Celebrity Endorsers

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hollensen, Svend; Schimmelpfennig, Christian

    2013-01-01

    several candidates by means of subtle evaluation procedures. Design/methodology/approach – A case study research has been carried out among companies experienced in celebrity endorsements to learn more about the endorser selection process in practise. Based on these cases theory is inductively developed......Purpose - This research aims at shedding some light on the various avenues marketers can undertake until finally an endorsement contract is signed. The focus of the study lies on verifying the generally held assumption that endorser selection is usually taken care of by creative agencies, vetting....... Findings – Our research suggests that generally held assumption that endorsers being selected and thoroughly vetted by a creative agency may not be universally valid. A normative model to illustrate the continuum of the selection process in practise is suggested and the two polar case studies (Swiss brand...

  13. 78 FR 77359 - Eighth Coast Guard District Annual Safety Zones; New Year's Eve Celebration/City of Mobile...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-12-23

    ...-AA00 Eighth Coast Guard District Annual Safety Zones; New Year's Eve Celebration/City of Mobile; Mobile Channel; Mobile, AL AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS. ACTION: Temporary final rule. SUMMARY: The Coast Guard will enforce the City of Mobile New Year's Eve Celebration safety zone in the Mobile Channel, Mobile, AL from...

  14. Does celebrity endorsements have an impact or influence the purchase intention or buying behaviour of the youth in India

    OpenAIRE

    Khanna, Sneha

    2012-01-01

    The use of celebrity endorsement is becoming more and more popular these days and is used by marketers and companies in order to generate more sales, create or increase brand recognition and also to increase brand awareness. The main purpose of this research is to find out whether celebrity endorsements influence the purchase behavior or intentions of the Indian consumers. This research is aimed to get a better understanding of which factors of a celebrity influences the Indian consumers, att...

  15. Differentiation of PC12 Cells Results in Enhanced VIP Expression and Prolonged Rhythmic Expression of Clock Genes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pretzmann, C.P.; Fahrenkrug, J.; Georg, B.

    2008-01-01

    To examine for circadian rhythmicity, the messenger RNA (mRNA) amount of the clock genes Per1 and Per2 was measured in undifferentiated and nerve-growth-factor-differentiated PC12 cells harvested every fourth hour. Serum shock was needed to induce circadian oscillations, which in undifferentiated...... PC12 cultures lasted only one 24-h period, while in differentiated cultures, the rhythms continued for at least 3 days. Thus, neuronal differentiation provided PC12 cells the ability to maintain rhythmicity for an extended period. Both vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) and its receptor VPAC(2...

  16. [Substance P and vasoactive intestinal peptide in patients with progressive scleroderma. Determination of plasma level before and after autogenic training].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haustein, U F; Weber, B; Seikowski, K

    1995-02-01

    In 12 patients suffering from systemic sclerosis (SSc) the influence of autogenic training on the plasma level of the neuropeptides substance P and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) was studied. Compared with healthy controls the SSc patients exhibited significantly elevated levels of substance P (mean +/- SD: 7.1 +/- 3.2 pmol/l vs 1.6 +/- 1.6 pmol/l). Apart from variations the VIP plasma concentration did not significantly differ from that in healthy controls (mean +/- SD 10.7 +/- 7.1 pmol/l versus 12.0 +/- 5.3 pmol/l). Autogenic training did not bring about any significant changes in the plasma levels of neuropeptides.

  17. Dermatoses among children from celebration of “Holi,” the spring festival, in India: A cross-sectional observational study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sudip Kumar Ghosh

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: “Holi” is a spring festival celebrated primarily in the Indian subcontinent and also abroad by expatriate Indians. It is a festival of colors, traditionally celebrated by mutual application of colors in different forms on a particular day of the year. These colors frequently comprise a range of synthetic dyes which have harmful effects on the skin and mucosae. Children take part in this colorful festival with much enthusiasm and vigor, making them prone to develop different “Holi”-related dermatoses. Our objective was to find out the different patterns of “Holi”-related dermatoses in a group of pediatric patients. Methodology: This was a cross-sectional descriptive study carried out over a period of 6 years (2010–2015. Consecutive patients of pediatric age group who attended dermatology outpatient department (OPD with different dermatoses following application of “Holi” color were included in this study. Results: A total of 63 patients (mean age 11 years; range 1–16 years were evaluated with a female to male ratio of 1.3:1. Itching is the predominant presenting symptom followed by burning sensation, dryness, scaling, oozing, and loss of hair. Examination revealed that eczematous lesion was the most common (69.8% reaction pattern followed by xerosis, desquamation, excoriation, erythema, morbilliform eruption, erosion, alopecia, ulceration, acute paronychia, and hyperpigmentation. The face was the most common (76.4% site of affection. Conclusion: A sizable number of patients of pediatric age group may be affected by “Holi”-related dermatoses necessitating precautionary measures.

  18. Dermatoses among Children from Celebration of “Holi,” the Spring Festival, in India: A Cross-sectional Observational Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ghosh, Sudip Kumar; Bandyopadhyay, Debabrata; Agarwal, Megha; Rudra, Olympia

    2016-01-01

    Background: “Holi” is a spring festival celebrated primarily in the Indian subcontinent and also abroad by expatriate Indians. It is a festival of colors, traditionally celebrated by mutual application of colors in different forms on a particular day of the year. These colors frequently comprise a range of synthetic dyes which have harmful effects on the skin and mucosae. Children take part in this colorful festival with much enthusiasm and vigor, making them prone to develop different “Holi”-related dermatoses. Our objective was to find out the different patterns of “Holi”-related dermatoses in a group of pediatric patients. Methodology: This was a cross-sectional descriptive study carried out over a period of 6 years (2010–2015). Consecutive patients of pediatric age group who attended dermatology outpatient department (OPD) with different dermatoses following application of “Holi” color were included in this study. Results: A total of 63 patients (mean age 11 years; range 1–16 years) were evaluated with a female to male ratio of 1.3:1. Itching is the predominant presenting symptom followed by burning sensation, dryness, scaling, oozing, and loss of hair. Examination revealed that eczematous lesion was the most common (69.8%) reaction pattern followed by xerosis, desquamation, excoriation, erythema, morbilliform eruption, erosion, alopecia, ulceration, acute paronychia, and hyperpigmentation. The face was the most common (76.4%) site of affection. Conclusion: A sizable number of patients of pediatric age group may be affected by “Holi”-related dermatoses necessitating precautionary measures. PMID:27688442

  19. Fans and Followers: Marketing charisma, making religious celebrity in Ghana

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    de Witte, M.

    2011-01-01

    Presenting a case study of the Ghanaian charismatic-Pentecostal celebritypastor Mensa Otabil, this article explores processes of marketing and mass mediating charisma in the making of religious celebrity. In order to grasp the convincing force of this ‘Man of God’, it moves beyond classical Weberian

  20. UI researchers celebrate latest milestone in construction of atom smasher

    CERN Multimedia

    2007-01-01

    University of Iowa researchers joined their U.S. and international colleagues Dec. 19 in celebrating a major construction mile-stone that brings them one step closer to the completion of the most powerful device ever designed to search for the basic build-ing blocks of matter.

  1. David Stafford-Clark (1916-1999): Seeing through a celebrity psychiatrist.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miller, Gavin

    2017-04-26

    This article uses the mass-media career of the British psychiatrist David Stafford-Clark (1916-1999) as a case study in the exercise of cultural authority by celebrity medical professionals in post-war Britain. Stafford-Clark rose to prominence in the mass media, particularly through his presenting work on medical and related topics for BBC TV and Radio, and was in the vanguard of psychiatrists and physicians who eroded professional edicts on anonymity. At the height of his career, he traded upon his celebrity status, and consequent cultural authority, to deliver mass media sermons on a variety of social, cultural, and political topics. Stafford-Clark tried to preserve his sense of personal and intellectual integrity by clinging to a belief that his authority in the public sphere was ultimately to be vindicated by his literary, intellectual, and spiritual significance. But as his credibility dwindled, he came to distrust the cultural intermediaries, such as broadcasters and publishers, who had supported him.

  2. Impact of Virtual Patients as Optional Learning Material in Veterinary Biochemistry Education.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kleinsorgen, Christin; von Köckritz-Blickwede, Maren; Naim, Hassan Y; Branitzki-Heinemann, Katja; Kankofer, Marta; Mándoki, Míra; Adler, Martin; Tipold, Andrea; Ehlers, Jan P

    2018-01-01

    Biochemistry and physiology teachers from veterinary faculties in Hannover, Budapest, and Lublin prepared innovative, computer-based, integrative clinical case scenarios as optional learning materials for teaching and learning in basic sciences. These learning materials were designed to enhance attention and increase interest and intrinsic motivation for learning, thus strengthening autonomous, active, and self-directed learning. We investigated learning progress and success by administering a pre-test before exposure to the virtual patients (vetVIP) cases, offered vetVIP cases alongside regular biochemistry courses, and then administered a complementary post-test. We analyzed improvement in cohort performance and level of confidence in rating questions. Results of the performance in biochemistry examinations in 2014, 2015, and 2016 were correlated with the use of and performance in vetVIP cases throughout biochemistry courses in Hannover. Surveys of students reflected that interactive cases helped them understand the relevance of basic sciences in veterinary education. Differences between identical pre- and post-tests revealed knowledge improvement (correct answers: +28% in Hannover, +9% in Lublin) and enhanced confidence in decision making ("I don't know" answers: -20% in Hannover, -7.5% in Lublin). High case usage and voluntary participation (use of vetVIP cases in Hannover and Lublin >70%, Budapest learning could be extended and generated cases should be shared across veterinary faculties.

  3. UI researchers celebrate latest milestone in construction of atom smasher

    CERN Multimedia

    2007-01-01

    "University of Iowa researchers joined their U.S. and international colleagues De. 19 in celebrating a major construction mile-stone that brings them one step closer to the completion of the most powerful device ever designed to search for the basic build-ing blocks of matter." (1/2 page)

  4. The Cosmic Mandala: Celebrating Tibetan Cosmologies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Larsen, Kristine

    2008-05-01

    The past decade has seen an increased establishment of Tibetan cultural centers in North America and increased public interest in and media coverage of Tibetan culture. As a result, interest has grown in all aspects of this rich tradition. Astronomy has long played an important role in the lives of the Tibetan people, from their unique luni-solar calendar to their tradition of combining what they call "astro-science" and medicine. To this day, nomads in northern Tibet will ask the North Star - the "Stable Star of the North" - to protect a wayward animal for the night in the expectation that the star will aid in the animal's return in the morning. In Tibetan cosmology, our universe is symbolized as a series of parallel disks centered around Mount Meru, with the heavenly bodies orbiting around it. Central to this cosmology is the concept that time and space have no absolute beginning or end (paralleling the concept of eternal human reincarnation), but that at any given time there exist a billionfold impermanent universes, each one involved in its own independent 4-stage cycle of emptiness, becoming, unfolding, and dissolution. Two distinct symbolic cosmology systems, the Abhidharma ("Topics of special knowledge") and Kalachakra ("Wheel of time"), are recognized in Tibetan culture. These cosmologies also differ in their geographical description of Mount Meru and the "continents" as well as the specifics of the 4-stage cosmological cycle. This poster will celebrate the richness of Tibetan "astro-science", including the calendar, star names, traditional cosmological systems, and astronomical artwork, and demonstrate ways that this tradition can be directly utilized to celebrate and teach cultural cosmologies during the IYA.

  5. The colonization of a celebration: The transformations of Krsna Slava

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sabina Hadžibulić

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available The article discusses the Slava, or Krsna Slava – traditionally, a Serbian Orthodox celebration of a family’s patron saint. During Real Socialism, the custom was disapproved by the régime because of its religious content. After the collapse of Real Socialism and the disintegration of the Yugoslav federal state, the scale, context and meaning of the Slava have all changed. At the same time as the private celebrations have become larger, less secluded, and a target for marketing, a new type of Slavas has emerged as well. They are not related to a family, but to an organization. Both private and public organizations, including public schools and government offices, stage Slavas as public celebrations. The festivities display a mix of religious and nationalist elements. From a neo-institutionalist perspective, we interpret the change as an example of changing relationships between the state and civil society institutions. The Republic of Serbia has taken the course of re-building its citizenry’s national identity on the basis of Serbian ethnicity instead of the former, supra-ethnic Yugoslav identity. In its search for legitimacy, the new state seeks support both from the Serbian Orthodox Church and from traditions that can be understood as distinctly Serbian. During Real Socialism, the Slava contributed to the reproduction of a traditionalist, religious and family-centered identity, which was a competitor to that of the citizen of a Socialist state. Now, the state is instead promoting the Slava, at the same time using it as a means of representing the state as an expression of exclusively Serbian ethnicity.

  6. The influence of media reporting of the suicide of a celebrity on suicide rates: a population-based study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheng, Andrew T A; Hawton, Keith; Lee, Charles T C; Chen, Tony H H

    2007-12-01

    The impact of media reporting of suicides of entertainment celebrities may affect suicide rates due to an imitation effect. We investigated the impact on suicides of the media reporting of the suicide of a male television celebrity. All suicides during 2003-2005 in Taiwan (n = 10,945) were included in this study. A Poisson time series autoregression analysis was conducted to examine whether there was an increase in suicides during the 4-week period after extensive media reporting of the celebrity suicide. After controlling for seasonal variation, calendar year, temperature, humidity and unemployment rate, there was a marked increase in the number of suicides during the 4-week period after media reporting (relative risk = 1.17, 95% CI 1.04-1.31). The increase was in men (relative risk = 1.30, 95% CI 1.14-1.50) and for the individuals using the same highly lethal method (hanging) as the TV actor did (relative risk = 1.51, 95% CI 1.25-1.83). However, the age groups in which the increase occurred were younger than the age of the celebrity. The extensive media reporting of the celebrity suicide was followed by an increase in suicides with a strong implication of a modelling effect. The results provide further support for the need for more restrained reporting of suicides as part of suicide prevention strategies to decrease the imitation effect.

  7. Ion Transport in Human Pancreatic Duct Epithelium, Capan-1 Cells, Is Regulated by Secretin, VIP, Acetylcholine, and Purinergic Receptors

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Wang, Jing; Novak, Ivana

    2013-01-01

    OBJECTIVES: The objective of the study was to establish a solid model of polarized epithelium for human pancreatic ducts, where electrical parameters could be measured as indicators of ion transport. Further, we aimed to determine functional expression of several receptors, in particular, puriner...... transport in human pancreatic duct epithelium, Capan-1 cells, is regulated by secretin, VIP, acetylcholine, adenosine, and purinergic P2 receptors; and this human model has a good potential for studies of physiology and pathophysiology of pancreatic duct ion transport....

  8. Conservation is sexy! What makes this so, and what does this make? An engagement with Celebrity and the environment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sian Sullivan

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available This essay offers an engagement with Daniel Brockington′s (2009 recent book Celebrity and the environment. I highlight the book′s contribution to debate regarding processes of human displacement arising through biodiversity conservation under conditions of neoliberal capitalism. I first situate the book in relation to contemporary perspectives on displacement, justice, and human rights, using examples to illustrate complex and dynamic patterns of conservation inclusions and exclusions globally. This is followed by a summary of Brockington′s typology of conservation celebrities, and of the ways in which celebrities assist with the amassing of conservation finance. I proceed to consider the roles of a celebrity-saturated mass media (and mediated ′spectacle of conservation′ in structuring social and consumptive engagements with the ′non-human′ world globally. I draw attention to how diverse peoples in conservation landscapes might become part of the spectacle of conservation by reconfiguring themselves as cultural objects of touristic consumerism in a script not necessarily of their choosing. By way of acknowledging the significance of social networks and alliances in influencing conservation perspectives and practice, I close with a disclaimer regarding my own long-term collaborations with the author of Celebrity and the environment.

  9. The impact of celebrity endorsement on attracting customers in the ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    To break through the cluttered market environment and grab customer attention is one of the essential issue business sectors are faced with today. Brand endorsement has become a driving force for most business operations. The purpose of this study is to determine whether celebrity endorsement in the health and fitness ...

  10. A simple bedside approach to therapeutic goals achievement during the management of deceased organ donors--An adapted version of the "VIP" approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Westphal, Glauco Adrieno

    2016-02-01

    The disproportion between the supply and demand of transplant organs could be alleviated by improving the quality of clinical management of deceased potential donors. As a large number of donor losses by cardiac arrest occur due to hemodynamic instability, without instituting all essential maintenance measures, it is likely that the application of simplified potential donor maintenance protocols will help to decrease potential donor losses and increase the supply of organs for transplantation. The Ventilation, Infusion and Pumping (VIP) strategy is a mnemonic method that brings together key aspects of the restoration of oxygen delivery to tissues during hemodynamic instability: adequate mechanical Ventilation, volume Infusion and evaluation of heart Pump effectiveness. The inclusion of the additional initials, "P" and "S," refers to Pharmacological treatment and Specificities involved in the etiology of shock. The use of simplified care standards can assist in adhering to essential potential donor management measures. Therefore, using a simplified method as the adapted VIP approach can contribute to improving management standards of potential organ donors and increasing the supply of organs for transplantation. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  11. The influence of media coverage of a celebrity suicide on subsequent suicide attempts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheng, Andrew T A; Hawton, Keith; Chen, Tony H H; Yen, Amy M F; Chen, Chung-Ying; Chen, Lin-Chen; Teng, Po-Ren

    2007-06-01

    To investigate the impact of media reporting of a celebrity suicide on subsequent suicide attempts. A Poisson time series autoregression analysis was conducted to examine whether there was a significant increase in suicide attempts during the 3-week period after the start of extensive media reporting of a celebrity suicide. The reporting began on May 2, 2005, and lasted about 17 days. To investigate the influence of media reporting on suicide attempts, a structured interview was conducted with 124 suicide attempters identified from 2 counties in Mid Taiwan who had exposure to the media reporting. After controlling for seasonal variation, calendar year, temperature, and humidity, there was a marked increase in the number of suicide attempts during the 3-week period after media reporting began (adjusted relative risk = 1.55, 95% CI = 1.26 to 1.91). Among 124 suicide attempters exposed to the media reports, 23.4% reported an influence from them. There was no relationship between the attempters' ages and the age of the celebrity or the method, but male attempters had a significantly higher risk for such influence. A considerably higher risk for such influence was found among subjects with a history of suicide attempt(s) in the previous year (odds ratio = 52.3, 95% CI = 5.96 to 459.1). The extensive media reporting of the suicide of a celebrity was followed by an increase in suicide attempts. The effect was particularly marked in individuals with a recent history of a suicide attempt. The results provide further support for the need for more restrained reporting of suicides as part of suicide prevention strategies and for special vigilance for contagious effects of such reporting on people who have carried out recent suicidal acts.

  12. Weddings and war: marriage arrangements and celebrations in two Palestinian intifadas

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Johnson, P.; Abu Nahleh, L.; Moors, A.

    2009-01-01

    In our comparison of marriage arrangements and wedding celebrations during the first and the second intifada in Palestine, we focus on "political marriages" wherein the political activism and affiliation of the marital partners are of considerable importance. During the first intifada, political

  13. Comets, Charisma, and Celebrity: Reflections on Their Deep Impact

    Science.gov (United States)

    Olson, R. J. M.; Pasachoff, J. M.

    In celebration of the Deep Impact Mission, this essay explores the influence of comets on the arts and sciences since the beginning of recorded time. Through images, ranging from the sublime to the humorous, it probes the reasons why comets are among the most charismatic visual spectacles in the universe and why, even as scientific missions unmask their mysteries, they remain iconic symbols and harbingers of change.

  14. On cerebral celebrity and reality TV: subjectivity in times of brain scans and psychotainment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    De Vos, Jan

    2009-01-01

    The philosopher Daniel Dennett developed a theory of consciousness in which he replaces the so-called Cartesian theater with conceptions such as "fame in the brain" and "cerebral celebrity." The paradox of this is that Dennett unwittingly reintroduces the metaphors of the stage and the screen. The use of this trope is pursued in this essay in order to juxtapose Dennett's theory with reality TV and celebrity culture. This will allow us to sketch out late-modern subjectivity in times of brains scans and "psychotainment." Drawing on Walter Benjamin, Giorgi Agamben, Slavoj Žižek, and others, a plea is made for a materialism of the zero-level of subjectivity.

  15. Anniversary celebrations at the National Museum of History

    OpenAIRE

    Elena Ploşniţa

    2014-01-01

    December 21, 2013 we celebrated 30 years since the founding of the National Museum of History of Moldova. On this occasion the museum has organized several events. Program of the day began with a Round Table “Policies for conservation and restoration of the museum heritage in the Republic of Moldova”. Then, the general director of the museum Eugen Sava opened a solemn assembly in the museum’s Blue Room. During the meeting there were presented congratulatory words addressed to the participants...

  16. World Town Planning Day and GIS Day to be celebrated

    OpenAIRE

    Trulove, Susan

    2003-01-01

    On Wednesday, Nov. 19, Montgomery County will unveil the county's new comprehensive plan during a joint celebration of the fifth anniversary of Geographic Information Systems Day and the 30th anniversary of World Town Planning Day. The event will feature programs by the Virginia Tech Center for Geospatial Information Technology (CGIT) and Virginia's Geospatial Extension Program (GEP).

  17. Society News: GJI celebrates student authors; Celebrating 5000 years of astronomy at Stonehenge; New Fellows; Council nominations; NAM website opens; Going public;

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-02-01

    Geophysical Journal International has announced the winners of its 2009 Student Author Awards for the best papers in the field with young scientists as lead authors. The RAS and English Heritage celebrated the close of IYA2009 at Stonehenge from 16-19 December, with an event bringing archaeologists and astronomers together on the site to talk to the public. The following were elected to Fellowship of the Society on 11 December 2009:

  18. The Norm-Activating Power of Celebrity : The Dynamics of Success and Influence (Retracted article. See vol. 75, pg. 289, 2012)

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Lindenberg, Siegwart; Joly, Janneke F.; Stapel, Diederik A.

    On the basis of previous evidence, we reasoned that even if people do not identify with celebrities, these celebrities can influence their behavior by activating bundles of social norms. Activating a norm means making both content and ''oughtness'' of the norm more directly relevant for behavior. We

  19. ‘Justin Bieber Sounds Girlie’: Young People’s Celebrity Talk and Contemporary Masculinities

    OpenAIRE

    Kim Allen; Laura Harvey; Heather Mendick

    2015-01-01

    In this article, we explore the ways that contemporary young masculinities are performed and regulated through young people’s relationship with celebrity. We address the relative paucity of work on young men’s engagements with popular culture. Drawing on qualitative data from group interviews with 148 young people (aged 14-17) in England, we identify ‘celebrity talk’ as a site in which gender identities are governed, negotiated and resisted. Specifically we argue that celebrity as a s...

  20. First Lady Hillary Clinton gets ready to speak to group at VIP viewing site

    Science.gov (United States)

    1999-01-01

    In the VIP Lounge, Apollo/Saturn V Center, First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton gets ready to speak to the group gathered there before the launch of STS-93. At right is NASA Administrator Daniel Goldin. Liftoff of Space Shuttle Columbia is scheduled for 12:36 a.m. EDT July 20. Much attention has been generated over the launch due to Commander Eileen M. Collins, the first woman to serve as commander of a Shuttle mission. The primary payload of the five-day mission is the Chandra X-ray Observatory, which will allow scientists from around the world to study some of the most distant, powerful and dynamic objects in the universe. The new telescope is 20 to 50 times more sensitive than any previous X- ray telescope and is expected to unlock the secrets of supernovae, quasars and black holes.

  1. Celebrating women in physics

    CERN Multimedia

    Rolf Heuer

    2010-01-01

    Next Monday the 8th of March is International Women’s Day. In an ideal world, there would be no need for such an event – equality would be taken as read. But since the world is not there yet, let’s take the opportunity to celebrate women in physics, and indeed the full cultural diversity of our field. Perceived as a discipline dominated by men, reality has been diverging from that perception for a long time. Today at CERN, women play key roles in every aspect of the Organization’s activities.   On Women’s Day, we will be sending a clear message to all young women interested in science and engineering that this is also a field for them. In the CERN Control Centre, half of the Engineers-in-Charge who take responsibility for operating the world’s most powerful particle accelerator are women. In the experiments, in all CERN departments and in the management, women are increasingly represented. That’s because at CERN, and in particl...

  2. 60 years of celebrations

    CERN Multimedia

    Katarina Anthony

    2014-01-01

    The first celebration of CERN's anniversary featured in the CERN Bulletin, 1979. As CERN wraps up a month of events surrounding its 60th anniversary, the Bulletin looks back on September 29ths that have come and gone. What was hitting the CERN headlines when the Organization turned 15 - 30 - 45? Brace yourselves for a trip back in time with previous birthday editions of the CERN (a.k.a. "Weekly") Bulletin.      Bulletin Issue No.1/1965  - Bulletin Issue No. 40/1969 The very first edition of the Weekly Bulletin arrived on CERN desktops on 29 March 1965. The Organization was only just out of its first decade, but it was already a hub of activity, as demonstrated by the various seminars and training events that graced the cover of the first Bulletin. By the time CERN turned 15 in 1969, the Organization was preparing for its second Open Day. Discussion of the event made the cover of the Bulletin, announcing that sections of the ISR were to be ...

  3. Celebrating UNAM-Oshakati Campus health day/world health day: a community service: professional and personal life experiences

    OpenAIRE

    Lusia N. Ndahambelela Pinehas; NN. Shifiona; KKI. Shikongo

    2013-01-01

    Background: The University of Namibia-Oshakati Campus has a tradition to celebrate UNAM Health Day which coincided with the World Health Day annually. The day had always been celebrated within the Oshakati Campus premises. Nurse lecturers from the School of Nursing and Public Health always decide on the activities of the day and they volunteered themselves to take part in the event. The activities conducted were such as blood pressure monitoring, taking of weigh and giving general health edu...

  4. The synergy in green persuasion: Green celebrity endorsers in green advertising: A study of brand-endorser congruence effects in green advertising

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Blasche, J.; Ketelaar, P.E.

    2015-01-01

    This study examines celebrity endorser-brand congruence effects in green advertising on the ads' effectiveness. In an experimental survey, Dutch participants (197) saw ads with a congruent or incongruent celebrity endorser. Extending the match-up hypothesis to a novel match-up factor, greenness, the

  5. The ugly truth: negative gossip about celebrities and positive gossip about self entertain people in different ways.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peng, Xiaozhe; Li, You; Wang, Pengfei; Mo, Lei; Chen, Qi

    2015-01-01

    In contrast to abstract trait words which describe people's general personality, gossip is about personal affairs of others. Although neural correlates underlying processing self-related trait words have been well documented, it remains poorly understood how the human brain processes gossip. In the present fMRI study, participants were instructed to rate their online emotional states upon hearing positive and negative gossip about celebrities, themselves, and their best friends. Explicit behavioral ratings suggested that participants were happier to hear positive gossip and more annoyed to hear negative gossip about themselves than about celebrities and best friends. At the neural level, dissociated neural networks were involved in processing the positive gossip about self and the negative gossip about celebrities. On the one hand, the superior medial prefrontal cortex responded not only to self-related gossip but also to moral transgressions, and neural activity in the orbital prefrontal cortex increased linearly with pleasure ratings on positive gossip about self. On the other hand, although participants' ratings did not show they were particularly happy on hearing negative gossip about celebrities, the significantly enhanced neural activity in the reward system suggested that they were indeed amused. Moreover, via enhanced functional connectivity, the prefrontal executive control network was involved in regulating the reward system by giving explicit pleasure ratings according to social norm compliance, rather than natural true feelings.

  6. Celebrating 25 Years of Student Mentoring | Poster

    Science.gov (United States)

    Most employees of NCI at Frederick have heard of the Werner H. Kirsten Student Intern Program (WHK SIP). The reason is simple—it has been wildly successful. And on Friday, April 22, the program will celebrate 25 years of mentoring and learning at the WHK SIP 25th Anniversary Symposium and Awards Ceremony. During the morning session, several former interns will talk about the impact that the WHK program has had on their lives. The afternoon session will begin with a panel of current and former mentors who will answer questions from students interested in the program and staff members interested in becoming mentors. Read more...

  7. PERAN PERSEPSI NILAI DALAM MEMEDIASI PENGARUH KREDIBILITAS CELEBRITY ENDORSER TERHADAP NIAT BELI PRODUK KOSMETIK MAYBELLINE DI KOTA DENPASAR

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gusti Ayu Pangastuti Arsinta

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available The rapid growth and increasing competition in the business of cosmetic product and also the more selective consumer, makes cosmetic companies do efforts in providing information about the products and create a positive association to attract potential customers. The purpose of this study is to determine the role of perceived value in mediating the effect of celebrity endorser credibility on purchase intention of Maybelline cosmetics products in Denpasar. The sample size was 70 people, determined with non-probability sampling methods, especially incidental and purposive sampling. The analysis technique used was PLS (Partial Least Square. The results of this study indicate that the celebrity endorser credibility influence positively purchase intention and perceived value. Additionally, perceived value has positive impact on purchase intention. Perceived value emerges as variable which mediate partially the effect of celebrity endorser credibility on purchase intention.

  8. Perceived Efficacy and Intentions Regarding Seeking Mental Healthcare: Impact of Deepika Padukone, A Bollywood Celebrity's Public Announcement of Struggle with Depression.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jain, Parul; Pandey, Uma Shankar; Roy, Enakshi

    2017-08-01

    The current research examines the impact of Deepika Padukone's (one of the most popular Bollywood celebrities) public announcement of struggle with depression on people's perceived efficacy and intentions to seek help for mental healthcare. A survey conducted with 206 participants from India, the country with the highest depression rates in the world, revealed that parasocial interaction with the celebrity mediated the effect of exposure on intentions and efficacy perceptions regarding seeking mental healthcare. Our study expands the research on celebrity influence on health conditions in an international realm and in a mental health context. The findings have immense practical implications and may raise awareness about mental health in India given the popularity and reach of Bollywood among audiences in India and beyond, the level of stigmatization attached to mental health issues in India, and the lack of available resources for care. Theoretically, the study explores processes and effects of involvement with a celebrity and discusses potential implications for the behaviors related to health.

  9. Make Celebrations Fun, Healthy, and Active: 10 Tips to Creating Healthy, Active Events

    Science.gov (United States)

    United States Department of Agriculture 10 tips Nutrition Education Series MyPlate MyWins Based on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans Make celebrations fun, healthy, and active Eating healthy and being physically active can be a ...

  10. To what extent does the reporting behavior of the media regarding a celebrity suicide influence subsequent suicides in South Korea?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, JeSuk; Lee, Weon-Young; Hwang, Jang-Sun; Stack, Steven John

    2014-08-01

    This study investigated the nature of media coverage of a national entertainer's suicide and its impact on subsequent suicides. After the celebrity suicide, the number of suicide-related articles reported surged around 80 times in the week after the suicide compared with the week prior. Many articles (37.1%) violated several critical items on the World Health Organization suicide reporting guidelines, like containing a detailed suicide method. Most gender and age subgroups were at significantly higher risk of suicide during the 4 weeks after the celebrity suicide. Results imply that massive and noncompliant media coverage of a celebrity suicide can cause a large-scale copycat effect. © 2014 The American Association of Suicidology.

  11. SLAC to host symposium celebrating 10th anniversary of first website in America

    CERN Multimedia

    2001-01-01

    Many of the programmers, web designers and scientists who collaborated to create the world wide web will be in SLAC for a two-day symposium to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the first website in America.

  12. INVESTIGATINGTHE SOURCEATTRIBUTES INFLUENCINGCONSUMERS’ CREDIBILITY EVALUATIONS OF AN ATHLETE-CELEBRITY ENDORSED PRODUCT

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bafokeng Bafokeng Mahao

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The use of celebrity endorsement as an advertising strategy has been widelyembraced by numerousorganisations. Nonetheless, scholarly wisdom suggests theneed for cumulative research that seeks to identify the unique set of source factorsthat enhance the credibility of advertising communication messages delivered bycelebrities across countries.Inthis vein, the primary purpose of this research wasto apply the dimensions of thesource attributes theory (Ohanian, 1990 tounderstand the underlying factors that influence South African consumers to havepositive perceptions towards purchasingaproductthat hasbeen endorsed by alocal athlete celebrity-endorser. A quantitative research approach was applied,wherein a self-administered survey questionnaire comprising20scale items wasadapted for this research. Data were collected from a consumer sample of 456consumers based in Gauteng, South Africa. Upon applying exploratory factoranalysisand mean score rankings, source likeability, source trust, source authorityand source credibility were established as the underlying factors influencingconsumers’ credibility evaluations, in descending order of importance. Moreover,the inter-factor correlation matrix revealed positive relationships among theidentified factors. Insights gained from this study could assist practitioners todesign effectiveadvertisementstrategies that fosterpositivecredibility evaluationsthrough known product endorsers.

  13. Youth Gambling Prevention: Can Public Service Announcements Featuring Celebrity Spokespersons Be Effective?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shead, N. Will; Walsh, Kelly; Taylor, Amy; Derevensky, Jeffrey L.; Gupta, Rina

    2011-01-01

    Children and adolescents are at increased risk of developing gambling problems compared to adults. A review of successful prevention campaigns targeting drinking and driving, smoking, unprotected sex, and drug use suggests that public service announcements (PSAs) featuring celebrity spokespersons have strong potential for raising awareness of the…

  14. NIH's National Institute of General Medical Sciences celebrates 45 years of Discovery for Health

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Alison Davis NIH's National Institute of General Medical Sciences celebrates 45 years of Discovery for Health The National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) is the NIH institute that primarily supports ...

  15. Vasoactive intestinal peptide and somatostatin in the plasma and sigmoid mucosa in irritable bowel syndrome

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang Ru; Wang Fuxian

    2004-01-01

    To investigate the possible role and clinical significance of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) and somatostatin(SS) in the irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), the VIP and SS in the plasma and sigmoid mucosa were measured by radioimmunoassay in the control group and the IBS group. The VIP concentration in the plasma and sigmoid mucosa of the IBS patients with constipation was significantly higher than that of the control group (P<0.01), while that of the IBS patients with diarrhea was significantly lower than that of the control group (P<0.05). The SS concentration in two sites was significantly elevated in IBS patients of both types and was significantly higher in IBS with constipation than in IBS with diarrhea (P<0.05). Conclusion: The VIP and SS in IBS are abnormal, which might play a role in the pathogenesis of IBS. The plasma and mucosa concenration of VIP and SS in two kinds of IBS patients are significantly different, which indicates that there might be different pathophysiological basis involved in the pathogenesis of the two kinds of IBS patients. (authors)

  16. Bike2Work celebration in honour of the colleagues who registered most kilometers in 2013

    CERN Document Server

    Vigen, Jens

    2014-01-01

    Before the 2014 season was officially launched, the CERN bikers took time to celebrate the strong commitment of biking to work in 2013. The celebration took place in front of Restaurant 1. The president of the CERN Bike Club, Henrik Nissen, was the master of ceremonies and presented a set of prizes: The three first prizes, all corresponding to the so-called "Karma Level Sexy Bottom", went to Tim Smith (7182 km), Martial Dujardin (5109 km) and Gabriele Thiede (4326 km). For the remaining group of participants there were seven extra prizes, attributed from a prize draw - where each of their registered kilometers was used as lottery ticket. In addition all got a diploma stating their karma level .

  17. Pubface: Celebrity face identification based on deep learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ouanan, H.; Ouanan, M.; Aksasse, B.

    2018-05-01

    In this paper, we describe a new real time application called PubFace, which allows to recognize celebrities in public spaces by employs a new pose invariant face recognition deep neural network algorithm with an extremely low error rate. To build this application, we make the following contributions: firstly, we build a novel dataset with over five million faces labelled. Secondly, we fine tuning the deep convolutional neural network (CNN) VGG-16 architecture on our new dataset that we have built. Finally, we deploy this model on the Raspberry Pi 3 model B using the OpenCv dnn module (OpenCV 3.3).

  18. Saving lives and saving money: hospital-based violence intervention is cost-effective.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Juillard, Catherine; Smith, Randi; Anaya, Nancy; Garcia, Arturo; Kahn, James G; Dicker, Rochelle A

    2015-02-01

    Victims of violence are at significant risk for injury recidivism, including fatality. We previously demonstrated that our hospital-based violence intervention program (VIP) resulted in a fourfold reduction in injury recidivism, avoiding trauma care costs of $41,000 per injury. Given limited trauma center resources, assessing cost-effectiveness of interventions is fundamental to inform use of these programs in other institutions. This study examines the cost-effectiveness of hospital-based VIP. We used a decision tree and Markov disease state modeling to analyze cost utility for a hypothetical cohort of violently injured subjects, comparing VIP versus no VIP at a trauma center. Quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) were calculated using differences in mortality and published health state utilities. Costs of trauma care and VIP were obtained from institutional data, and risk of recidivism with and without VIP were obtained from our trial. Outcomes were QALYs gained and net costs over a 5-year horizon. Sensitivity analyses examined the impact of uncertainty in input values on results. VIP results in an estimated 25.58 QALYs and net costs (program plus trauma care) of $5,892 per patient. Without VIP, these values are 25.34 and $5,923, respectively, suggesting that VIP yields substantial health benefits (24 QALYs) and savings ($4,100) if implemented for 100 individuals. In the sensitivity analysis, net QALYs gained with VIP nearly triple when the injury recidivism rate without VIP is highest. Cost-effectiveness remained robust over a range of values; $6,000 net cost savings occur when 5-year recidivism rate without VIP is at 7%. VIP costs less than having no VIP with significant gains in QALYs especially at anticipated program scale. Across a range of plausible values at which VIP would be less cost-effective (lower injury recidivism, cost of injury, and program effectiveness), VIP still results in acceptable cost per health outcome gained. VIP is effective and cost

  19. Charles Darwin in modern epidemiology and public health: the celebration continues.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hanage, W P

    2011-01-01

    2009 was Darwin year; his familiar bearded face peered out from a great radiation of TV series, book covers and even a feature film. The reasons for this were his bicentennial and the 150th anniversary of the publication of the Origin of Species. However, there is no reason the celebrations should cease with the turn of the New Year.

  20. ICSU celebrates 75 years with a new Strategic Plan

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Thomas Rosswall; Carthage Smith

    2006-01-01

    @@ In 2006, ICSU celebrates 75 years of supporting international, interdisciplinary science. 2006 is a doubly significant year for ICSU as it also marks the start of the first ever ICSU Strategic Plan, 2006-2011, which signals both a new vision and a new mode of operation for the Council. This plan is the culmination of an extensive review and consultation exercise that involved the entire ICSU membership. It was unanimously endorsed by the ICSU General Assembly,including IUGS, which met in Suzhou, China in October 2005.

  1. The Pays de Gex celebrates science

    CERN Multimedia

    CERN Bulletin

    2010-01-01

    From 18 to 23 October, the Fête de la Science will be celebrated at various venues in the Pays de Gex and at CERN.   Physiscope will perform awe-inspiring demonstrations in the Globe. The Physiscope team will give demonstrations for schools and the general public in the Globe, performing awe-inspiring experiments to answer questions like "Can you drive a nail in with a banana?" or "Is it possible to survive a 100,000 volt shock?" The Esplanade du Lac in Divonne-les-Bains will host a Café des Sciences and performances by the children of the Lycée International in Ferney-Voltaire. The Physiscope is an educational venture of the Physics section of the University of Geneva and the research programme MaNEP. The programme of the Fête de la Science can be consulted here.      

  2. Celebrating Diversity in Early Care and Education Settings: Moving beyond the Margins

    Science.gov (United States)

    Durand, Tina M.

    2010-01-01

    As the USA continues to live up to its historical reputation as a nation of immigrants, early childhood professionals are increasingly faced with the challenge of supporting children and families from diverse cultural milieu. However, to truly celebrate diversity in early childhood settings, early childhood teachers and caregivers must engage in a…

  3. Calories in the classroom: celebration foods offered and consumed during classroom parties at an elementary school in a low-income, urban community.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Isoldi, Kathy K; Dalton, Sharron

    2012-08-01

    The school food environment is an important area of exploration in investigating the potential for schoolchildren to consume foods and beverages containing excess calories on school grounds. Several venues offer schoolchildren access to lownutrient, calorie-dense foods and beverages. Classroom celebrations offer such a venue; however, little is known about current practices during these events. Trained observers recorded foods and beverages offered, activities engaged in, and goody bag distribution during six separate classroom celebrations. Additionally, foods and beverages consumed by 24 individual students were recorded in detail for calorie estimation. The majority of food items offered during classroom celebrations were low-nutrient, calorie-dense items. The mean caloric contribution for all 24 students was 444 ± 221 calories, with a range of 130–905 calories, and a median intake of 386 calories. Mean total estimated calorie intake per grade level was 225 ± 90, 286 ± 105, and 550 ± 212 calories for students in prekindergarten, kindergarten, and 1st grade, respectively. Only one-third of all the parties observed included activities other than eating. Our observations reveal that food items offered during classroom celebrations offer children opportunities to consume low-nutrient, calorie-dense foods and beverages on the school campus. More research is needed to support these findings, and to identify the best practice to implement for effective school wellness policies aimed at regulating classroom celebrations.

  4. Improving Liquid Entry Pressure of Polyvinylidene Fluoride (PVDF Membranes by Exploiting the Role of Fabrication Parameters in Vapor-Induced Phase Separation VIPS and Non-Solvent-Induced Phase Separation (NIPS Processes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Faisal Abdulla AlMarzooqi

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF is a popular polymer material for making membranes for several applications, including membrane distillation (MD, via the phase inversion process. Non-solvent-induced phase separation (NIPS and vapor-induced phase separation (VIPS are applied to achieve a porous PVDF membrane with low mass-transfer resistance and high contact angle (hydrophobicity. In this work, firstly, the impacts of several preparation parameters on membrane properties using VIPS and NIPS were studied. Then, the performance of the selected membrane was assessed in a lab-scale direct-contact MD (DCMD unit. The parametric study shows that decreasing PVDF concentration while increasing both relative humidity (RH and exposure time increased the contact angle and bubble-point pore size (BP. Those trends were investigated further by varying the casting thickness. At higher casting thicknesses and longer exposure time (up to 7.5 min, contact angle (CA increased but BP significantly decreased. The latter showed a dominant trend leading to liquid entry pressure (LEP increase with thickness.

  5. 75 FR 51379 - Safety Zone; Celebrate Erie, Presque Isle Bay, Erie, PA

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-08-20

    ... display. DATES: This rule is effective from 9:30 p.m. until 10:30 p.m. on August 22, 2010. ADDRESSES...: Temporary final rule. SUMMARY: The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone on Presque Isle Bay... Presque Isle Bay in Erie, PA during the Celebrate Erie fireworks display, August 22, 2010. This temporary...

  6. A vintage celebration for CERN

    CERN Multimedia

    2004-01-01

    Maurice Dupraz, a winegrower from the Etat de Genève vineyards, explains the characteristics of the Vigne des Nations to Robert Aymar, CERN's Director-General, and Robert Cramer, Conseiller d'Etat. As part of the fiftieth anniversary celebrations, CERN was the guest of honour at the Vigne des Nations ceremony organised by the Etat de Genève on 7 May. My Organization is greatly honoured to have the Vigne des Nations dedicated to it, said Robert Aymar, CERN's Director-General, at the ceremony held on the slopes of the Lully vineyards at Bernex on 7 May. Invited by Robert Cramer, President of Geneva's Conseil d'Etat, he spoke of the special links that have been forged over the last fifty years between CERN and the Canton of Geneva, where the Organization has its headquarters. Both of them paid tribute to Maurice Bourquin, former rector of the University of Geneva and Swiss delegate to the CERN Council since 1994, who became the first Swiss President of the CERN Council in 2000. The Vigne des Nations ceremony,...

  7. The Effect of Product Placement in Movies and Celebrity Endorsement on Consumer Purchase Intention of Samsung Smartphone in Manado

    OpenAIRE

    Tangkuman, Ridsa Septiyan; Saerang, David P.E

    2016-01-01

    Information and communication technology has made great strides in recent years which also had an effect on advertising such as product placement and celebrity endorsement. Smartphone is one of products that is often to be found on advertising media. This study aims to analyze the effects of product placement in movies and celebrity on consumer purchase with Samsung smartphone as its case study. This is a causal type of research which uses primary data obtained from questionnaires and uses or...

  8. Celebrities and cyber crimes: An analysis of the victimization of female film stars on the internet

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Halder Debarati

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available With the advent of internet and digital communication technology, online crimes targeting celebrities have gained a momentum. This article argues that, among the celebrities, actresses of Hollywood and Bollywood are particularly targeted online mainly because of their sex appeal and easy availability of contents including their images, video clippings, their private geo-location information, etc. The perpetrators are mostly fans who may wish to view the actresses as sex symbols. This article suggests that production houses should take primary responsibilities to prevent such victimisation and the actors themselves may avail legal policies such as right to be forgotten to approach the internet companies including search engines like Google to prevent victimisation and remove the offensive contents.

  9. Transmissibility of the Ice Bucket Challenge among globally influential celebrities: retrospective cohort study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chan, Brandford H Y; Leung, Gabriel M; Lau, Eric H Y; Pang, Herbert

    2014-01-01

    Objectives To estimate the transmissibility of the Ice Bucket Challenge among globally influential celebrities and to identify associated risk factors. Design Retrospective cohort study. Setting Social media (YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram). Participants David Beckham, Cristiano Ronaldo, Benedict Cumberbatch, Stephen Hawking, Mark Zuckerberg, Oprah Winfrey, Homer Simpson, and Kermit the Frog were defined as index cases. We included contacts up to the fifth generation seeded from each index case and enrolled a total of 99 participants into the cohort. Main outcome measures Basic reproduction number R0, serial interval of accepting the challenge, and odds ratios of associated risk factors based on fully observed nomination chains; R0 is a measure of transmissibility and is defined as the number of secondary cases generated by a single index in a fully susceptible population. Serial interval is the duration between onset of a primary case and onset of its secondary cases. Results Based on the empirical data and assuming a branching process we estimated a mean R0 of 1.43 (95% confidence interval 1.23 to 1.65) and a mean serial interval for accepting the challenge of 2.1 days (median 1 day). Higher log (base 10) net worth of the participants was positively associated with transmission (odds ratio 1.63, 95% confidence interval 1.06 to 2.50), adjusting for age and sex. Conclusions The Ice Bucket Challenge was moderately transmissible among a group of globally influential celebrities, in the range of the pandemic A/H1N1 2009 influenza. The challenge was more likely to be spread by richer celebrities, perhaps in part reflecting greater social influence. PMID:25514905

  10. Transmissibility of the Ice Bucket Challenge among globally influential celebrities: retrospective cohort study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ni, Michael Y; Chan, Brandford H Y; Leung, Gabriel M; Lau, Eric H Y; Pang, Herbert

    2014-12-16

    To estimate the transmissibility of the Ice Bucket Challenge among globally influential celebrities and to identify associated risk factors. Retrospective cohort study. Social media (YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram). David Beckham, Cristiano Ronaldo, Benedict Cumberbatch, Stephen Hawking, Mark Zuckerberg, Oprah Winfrey, Homer Simpson, and Kermit the Frog were defined as index cases. We included contacts up to the fifth generation seeded from each index case and enrolled a total of 99 participants into the cohort. Basic reproduction number R0, serial interval of accepting the challenge, and odds ratios of associated risk factors based on fully observed nomination chains; R0 is a measure of transmissibility and is defined as the number of secondary cases generated by a single index in a fully susceptible population. Serial interval is the duration between onset of a primary case and onset of its secondary cases. Based on the empirical data and assuming a branching process we estimated a mean R0 of 1.43 (95% confidence interval 1.23 to 1.65) and a mean serial interval for accepting the challenge of 2.1 days (median 1 day). Higher log (base 10) net worth of the participants was positively associated with transmission (odds ratio 1.63, 95% confidence interval 1.06 to 2.50), adjusting for age and sex. The Ice Bucket Challenge was moderately transmissible among a group of globally influential celebrities, in the range of the pandemic A/H1N1 2009 influenza. The challenge was more likely to be spread by richer celebrities, perhaps in part reflecting greater social influence. © Ni et al 2014.

  11. The Influence of Sports Celebrity Credibility on Purchase Intention: The Moderating Effect of Gender and Consumer Sports-Involvement

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Natalie Bragança Düsenberg

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available This study investigates the effects of sport’s celebrity endorsement on purchase intention. More specifically, this study seeks to (1 identify the extent to which the sports celebrity’s credibility influences consumer purchase intention; (2 the extent to which gender moderates the effect of sports celebrity endorsement on purchase intention; and (3 to what extent consumer sports-involvement moderates the effect of a sports celebrity endorsement on purchase intention. One famous Brazilian soccer player and four product categories were used as stimuli. The research method used was a survey, which has included 1,025 respondents. Data analysis was performed using exploratory factor analysis (EFA and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA. Structural equation modeling (SEM, using the ADF technique, was applied to test the substantive hypotheses. To test the hypotheses of the moderating effect of gender and consumer sports-involvement, the research used the multigroup analysis technique. The empirical results support the relationship between a sport celebrity’s endorsement and purchase intention. The moderating effects of gender and sports-involvement were also empirically supported, but only partially.

  12. Celebrity Endorsement & Consumer Behavior : Gender Differences as a Marketing Strategy

    OpenAIRE

    Junhem, Sanna; Adolfsson, Sophie

    2017-01-01

    Background - Celebrity endorsement is not a new phenomenon and it can be seen in advertisements around the world. Since the content of an advertisement easily can be screened out, it is important to target the right consumer. There has to be a fit between the consumer, the endorser and the product. Since gender plays a crucial part when understanding consumer behavior, knowledge about gender differences needs to be taken into account when creating a marketing strategy.      Purpose - Consumer...

  13. Are we celebrating the right life? Your chance to contribute to our alternative jubilee

    CERN Multimedia

    Stephenson, Hugh

    2002-01-01

    "Next weeks, millions of Britons will celebrate the golden jubilee. [...] To mark the occasion, the Guardian will be paying tribute to a selection of 20th century figures who have done most to shape modern Britain - as judged by you" (6 pages)

  14. EISCAT observation on plasma drifts connected with the Aureld-VIP rocket and the Viking satellite

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pellinen-Wannberg, A.; Sandahl, I.; Wannberg, G.; Opgenoorth, H.; Soeraas, F.; Murphree, J.S.

    1990-01-01

    Coordinated simultaneous measurements with the EISCAT incoherent scatter radar, Aureld-VIP sounding rocket, and Viking satellite are described. Background measurements from EISCAT provide us with the development of global plasma convection during the rocket night. The observed convection pattern is very distorted, with the eveningside reversal occurring at unusually low latitudes. On the morningside it withdraws back poleward from the measurement area. Viking particle measurements over the oval indicate a very complicated auroral topology with two sectors of boundary plasma sheet (BPS) and central plasma sheet (CPS) particles. The situation is interpreted as an intrusion of the evening side BPS into the morningside, which is also consistent with the convection pattern measured by EISCAT. Local measurements with the sounding rocket and radar indicate that the rocket flew in the northern part of the evening BPS area, approaching the inner transition region from BPS to CPS in its northward motion, thus confirming the existence of such a boundary

  15. OntoVIP: an ontology for the annotation of object models used for medical image simulation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gibaud, Bernard; Forestier, Germain; Benoit-Cattin, Hugues; Cervenansky, Frédéric; Clarysse, Patrick; Friboulet, Denis; Gaignard, Alban; Hugonnard, Patrick; Lartizien, Carole; Liebgott, Hervé; Montagnat, Johan; Tabary, Joachim; Glatard, Tristan

    2014-12-01

    This paper describes the creation of a comprehensive conceptualization of object models used in medical image simulation, suitable for major imaging modalities and simulators. The goal is to create an application ontology that can be used to annotate the models in a repository integrated in the Virtual Imaging Platform (VIP), to facilitate their sharing and reuse. Annotations make the anatomical, physiological and pathophysiological content of the object models explicit. In such an interdisciplinary context we chose to rely on a common integration framework provided by a foundational ontology, that facilitates the consistent integration of the various modules extracted from several existing ontologies, i.e. FMA, PATO, MPATH, RadLex and ChEBI. Emphasis is put on methodology for achieving this extraction and integration. The most salient aspects of the ontology are presented, especially the organization in model layers, as well as its use to browse and query the model repository. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. IYL 2015 celebrations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adams, Aaron Morgan; Beasley, Gary

    2016-09-01

    The International Year of Light 2015 was designed to raise awareness of light sciences. In order to raise awareness, events were encouraged to get the public involved. Both Central Carolina Community College (CCCC) and Indian River State College (IRSC) held a total of three lectures in 2015 celebrating the IYL 2015. IRSC hosted lectures on March 6th and June 11th. CCCC hosted a lecture on November 17th. These lectures drew a total of over 400 attendees. Lectures revolved around their own unique themes relating to light sciences in industry and academia. With great support from Laser-Tec, SPIE, and NSF, these lectures were successful at exposing and advertising the optics field to the public, as well as promising up-and-coming students. These lectures hosted several keynote speakers on behalf of both industry and academia. The speakers were successful at keeping the audience engaged through presentations and question-and-answer sessions. In addition, lab tours allowed the attendees a chance to see the programs in action. Many takeaways will prove to be invaluable when pursuing such events in the future. This paper will not only speak to the tremendous success of these lectures, but will take an honest look at the areas for improvement. It is important to note that independent events can be held for the expansion of local programs leading to national, if not global, increase in communal awareness and participation. These events will serve as a continuation for what the IYL 2015 was designed.

  17. CERN Courier celebrates 50th anniversary

    CERN Multimedia

    2009-01-01

    "(…) An information paper intended to help every staff member to feel at home in the Organization and to maintain the ideal of European co-operation and the team spirit which are essential to the achievement of our final aim: scientific research on an international scale." This quote is taken from the preface of the first issue of the CERN Courier, published in August 1959. "In 50 years, the CERN Courier has changed a lot. It has broadened its scope to become an international magazine on high-energy physics and its readership has grown from a few thousand internal readers to more than 25 000 readers across the world", says Christine Sutton, the present editor of the magazine. The CERN Courier is commemorating its anniversary with a special July/August issue celebrating the past 50 years. "We’ve reproduced the original edition in its entirety", explains Sutton. "It’s amazing to me how much the first editor, Roger Anthoine, achieved in jus...

  18. Celebrating the first of a kind

    CERN Multimedia

    2014-01-01

    It was on 7 and 8 October 1954 that the first meeting of the CERN Council took place, opened by Frenchman Robert Valeur, retiring Chairman of the interim Council that had overseen the establishment of CERN. On the day we celebrate that first meeting with a special Council Symposium, it’s interesting to look back at the meeting’s minutes.    Penned in the dry official language that is the hallmark of such documents, the momentous nature of what had been achieved nevertheless shines through. “The retiring Chairman stressed the importance of the creation of the Organization which would be the first scientific organization of its kind in the world,” Valeur was reported as saying, before going on to introduce such luminaries as Swiss writer and federalist, Denis de Rougemont, and American Nobel Prize winner, Isidor Rabi, both of whom had played instrumental roles in the creation of CERN. CERN pioneer Pierre Auger would only be present the following ...

  19. Social Butterflies- How Social Media Influencers are the New Celebrity Endorsement

    OpenAIRE

    Burke, Kayleigh Elizabeth

    2017-01-01

    The rapid growth of visual microblogging platforms, such as Instagram, has created new opportunities for brands to communicate with stakeholders. As these platforms evolve, brands have had to adapt in order to use the available social media platforms to gain visibility in the millennial audience. Recently brands have turned to online 'celebrities' known as a social media influencer (SMI) to distribute information and influence consumers' product perceptions. This specifically has become a com...

  20. AFROPOLITANISM, CELEBRITY POLITICS, AND ICONIC IMAGINATIONS OF NORTH-SOUTH RELATIONS

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Richey, Lisa Ann; Christiansen, Lene Bull

    2018-01-01

    In discussions of African cultural politics, a new label of ‘Afropolitan’ refers to diverse engagements by Africans who are typically members of the cultural elite, and participate in diaspora politics, online activism, fashion and literature debates. Simultaneously, in discussions of development...... aid, celebrity has become a way of mediating between proximity and distance in imagining relationships between South and North. Afropolitanism can be usefully considered as an Africa-specific, post-colonial form of cosmopolitanism that spans discourses of elite pan-African culture to theories of elite...

  1. Watery diarrhea syndrome in an adult with ganglioneuroma-pheochromocytoma: identification of vasoactive intestinal peptide, calcitonin, and catecholamines and assessment of their biologic activity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Trump, D L; Livingston, J N; Baylin, S B

    1977-10-01

    A case of adult ganglioneuroma-pheochromocytoma with an associated watery diarrhea syndrome is reported. High levels of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) were found in preoperative serum and in tumor tissue. The serum VIP levels fell to normal, and the watery diarrhae syndrome completely ceased following removal of the tumor. In addition to containing VIP, the tumor was rich in catecholamines, and calcitonin. Peptide hormone-containing extracts and catecholamine extracts from the tumor both activated the adenyl cyclase system and increased lipolytic activity in a preparation of isolated rat fat cells. The findings in this patient further link VIP with neural crest tissues, and suggest the importance of determining catecholamine levels in patients with the watery diarrhea syndrome.

  2. A qualitative evaluation to explore the suitability, feasibility and acceptability of using a 'celebration card' intervention in primary care to improve the uptake of childhood vaccinations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lwembe, Saumu; Green, Stuart A; Tanna, Nuttan; Connor, Jane; Valler, Colin; Barnes, Ruth

    2016-07-30

    Childhood vaccination remains a primary mechanism for reducing the burden of infectious disease. In the United Kingdom, as in many countries, a sustained effort is required to ensure that vaccination targets are met to afford protection to the whole population from vaccine preventable disease. The Celebrate and Protect programme is a collaborative partnership developed to improve the uptake of childhood vaccination across a number of boroughs within London through the use of a celebration card to encourage attendance for vaccination and enhance relationships between general practices and the parents/carers of children. This study was undertaken to assess the suitability, feasibility and acceptability of the Celebrate and Protect programme across nine boroughs in London. Data were collected either from telephone interviews (n = 24) or from focus groups (n = 31). A total of 55 key informants were included in the study, representing strategic, commissioning or policy leads, healthcare professionals and primary care teams delivering vaccinations and parents/carers of children under five. The analysis of data identified that whilst parents/carers saw the celebration card positively this raised the issue of 'vaccine hesitancy' and the lack of information that parents/carers have to make informed decisions about vaccination. Similarly, healthcare professionals viewed the programme positively and felt that it was deliverable within existing resources although they raised wider questions about on-going sustainability and about quantitative data collection. In relation to the collaboration between primary care and a pharmaceutical company in developing the Celebrate and Protect programme, it was generally felt that, provided appropriate governance is in place, it was a pragmatic approach in which the benefits outweighed any perceived disadvantages. The Celebrate and Protect programme was seen as an innovative collaborative programme to engage with parents and carers

  3. Drunken sled dogs: Celebration, alcohol use and teamwork in nature tourism guiding

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Saara Koikkalainen

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Work in the tourism industry often suffers from the blending of leisure and work as front-line service sector employees are expected to partake in the tourists’ celebrations as a routine part of their job. This article focuses on the wilderness safari business where the celebratory culture of tourism influences employee relations at work and the social use of alcohol has become a part the of team-building and recruitment practices of the field. The article is based on thematic interviews of nature tourism guides working in Finnish Lapland. The safari guides use common celebrations and bonding at the pub at the end of the long working day as a way of becoming a tight-knit and efficient team. The article highlights the dual role of alcohol in the tourism business: while the tourist drinks as a part of the fun of being on holiday, the tourism worker drinks as a part of her job, of how employee roles are divided and new guides trained into the business during the winter high-season. The metaphor of drunken sled-dogs is used to illustrate this team-building process.

  4. The Influence of Koren€™s Celebrity Endorsement and Youth Buying Behavior on Youth Apparel Purchase Decision in Manado

    OpenAIRE

    Andries, Alfa Loudy

    2014-01-01

    Korean Pop culture was affecting many countries. Indonesia was shipped impact is mainly due to the deployment of Indonesian culture which is a developing country that is easily influenced by the developed countries. The change of how youth in Manado response to Korean€™s celebrity appearance need to investigate. This research designed to find out the influence of Korean€™s celebrity endorsement and youth buying behavior on youth apparel purchase decision in Manado. The method used to analyze...

  5. The Use of Celebrity Endorsement with the Help of Electronic Communication Channel (Instagram) : Case study of Magnum Ice Cream in Thailand

    OpenAIRE

    Kutthakaphan, Rangsima; Chokesamritpol, Wahloonluck

    2013-01-01

    TITLE The Use of Celebrity Endorsement with the Help of Electronic Communication Channel (Instagram): Case Study of Magnum Ice Cream Thailand RESEARCH QUESTION How does the use of celebrity endorsement with the help of electronic communication channel (Social media: Instagram) affect the buying behavior of generation Y consumers in Thailand? STRATEGIC QUESTION How can marketers use this marketing technique in an effective way to increase the number of consumers? PURPOSE OF THE STUDY The pu...

  6. Effect of PDCA model on nutritional status in patients after laparoscopic repair of perforated peptic ulcer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shu-Jing Hu

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available Objective: To explore the effect of PDCA model on the nutritional status in patients after laparoscopic repair of perforated peptic ulcer. Methods: A total of 83 patients with gastric perforation who were admitted in our hospital from October, 2014 to December, 2015 for laparoscopic repair of perforated peptic ulcer were included in the study and randomized into the observation group (n=42 and the control group (n=41. The patients in the two groups were given routine treatments after operation. On this basis, the patients in the observation group were given additional PCDA model nursing. The gastrointestinal hormone levels and nutritional indicators after operation in the two groups were compared. Results: The difference of VIP, CCK, and GAS levels before operation between the two groups was not statistically significant (P>0.05. VIP, CCK, and GAS levels 3 d after operation were significantly reduced when compared with before operation (P0.05. WBC 1 d after operation in the observation group was significantly reduced, while TP, Hb, Alb, TRF, and BMI were significantly elevated (P0.05. Conclusions: PDCA nursing intervention can effectively improve the early nutritional status in patients after laparoscopic repair of perforated peptic ulcer and contribute to the postoperative rehabilitation.

  7. German-Iowan Strategies in Celebrating the Centennial of Alexander von Humboldt’s Birth

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bill Roba

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available The two largest cities of Eastern Iowa on the shore of the Mississippi River are Dubuque and Davenport. In each city, an elite group of German-Iowan leaders emerged by the late 1850s. Bill Roba describes and examines their strategies in celebrating the Centennial of Alexander von Humboldt’s Birth.

  8. The fame as a passport to the attention: reflections on the use of celebrities in the communication of global marketing

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Josmar Andrade

    2008-03-01

    Full Text Available The main objective of the present essay is to explore the theme of the use of celebrities in marketing communications, with specific focus in the reception of messages of international standardized campaigns in local contexts. The difficulty to obtain the consumers’ attention is an important reason for the use of celebrities in marketing communication programs, strategy normally used to increase the attention levels and, as an effect of great importance, to transfer attributes associates to these personalities to brands, announced offers and companies. Offering subsidies to this discussion, the present work carries through literature revision enclosing and correlating the aspects of celebrities endorsement in marketing, attention allocation, the culture and the identity as references for elaborating marketing communication strategies. To its end, theoretical models are presented, integrating the diverse aspects of the quarrel and pointing to questions that deserve greater deepening of the academic research and that impact the practitioner world.

  9. Chocolate cake. Guilt or celebration? Associations with healthy eating attitudes, perceived behavioural control, intentions and weight-loss.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kuijer, Roeline G; Boyce, Jessica A

    2014-03-01

    Food and eating are often associated with ambivalent feelings: pleasure and enjoyment, but also worry and guilt. Guilt has the potential to motivate behaviour change, but may also lead to feelings of helplessness and loss of control. This study firstly examined whether a default association of either 'guilt' or 'celebration' with a prototypical forbidden food item (chocolate cake) was related to differences in attitudes, perceived behavioural control, and intentions in relation to healthy eating, and secondly whether the default association was related to weight change over an 18month period (and short term weight-loss in a subsample of participants with a weight-loss goal). This study did not find any evidence for adaptive or motivational properties of guilt. Participants associating chocolate cake with guilt did not report more positive attitudes or stronger intentions to eat healthy than did those associating chocolate cake with celebration. Instead, they reported lower levels of perceived behavioural control over eating and were less successful at maintaining their weight over an 18month period. Participants with a weight-loss goal who associated chocolate cake with guilt were less successful at losing weight over a 3month period compared to those associating chocolate cake with celebration. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  10. What the White "Squaws" Want from Black Hawk: Gendering the Fan-Celebrity Relationship

    Science.gov (United States)

    Helton, Tena L.

    2010-01-01

    Americans in the East were great fans of Black Hawk, whose popularity on tour overtook that of Andrew Jackson's parallel tour of the Northeast. Undoubtedly, then, Black Hawk was a celebrity. He remained popular even in 1837, when he attended Catlin's gallery opening in New York, which included his 1832 painting of Black Hawk. Black Hawk may also…

  11. "Beyond "BIO2010": Celebration and Opportunities" at the Intersection of Mathematics and Biology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jungck, John R.; Gaff, Holly D.; Fagen, Adam P.; Labov, Jay B.

    2010-01-01

    In this article, the authors report on an important symposium, Beyond BIO2010: Celebration and Opportunities, which was held at the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) in Washington, D.C. on May 21-22, 2010. This symposium was organized to assess what progress has been made in addressing the challenges and recommendations in the National Research…

  12. Celebrating Leadership in Public Health and Medicine Friends of the National Library of Medicine (FNLM) | NIH ...

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... of this page please turn Javascript on. Celebrating Leadership in Public Health and Medicine Friends of the ... Hospital Dr. Braunwald was honored for his outstanding leadership and contributions to the world of cardiology as ...

  13. Effect of Da-Cheng-Qi Decoction on Pancreatitis-Associated Intestinal Dysmotility in Patients and in Rat Models

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jianlei Zhao

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available The impairment of intestinal motility and related infectious complications are the predominant clinical phenomenon in patients with severe acute pancreatitis (SAP. We aimed to investigate the effects of Da-Cheng-Qi decoction (DCQD on the gastrointestinal injury in SAP patients and the potential mechanism involved in rats. DCQD was enema administered to 70 patients for 7 days in West China Hospital. Mortality and organ failure during admission were observed and blood samples for laboratory analysis were collected. We also experimentally examined plasma inflammatory cytokines in rat serum and carried the morphometric studies of the gut. Intestinal propulsion index and serum and tissue vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP were also detected. Though DCQD did not affect the overall incidence of organ failure, it shortened the average time of paralytic intestinal obstruction and decreased the morbidity of infectious complications in patients with SAP. Compared with untreated rats, the DCQD lowered the levels of proinflammatory cytokine and decreased the mean pathological intestinal lesion scores. The VIP level in intestinal tissue or serum in DCQD group was obviously lowered and intestinal propulsion index was significantly improved. In conclusion, DCQD has good effect on pancreatitis-associated intestinal dysmotility in patients and in rat models.

  14. Antarctica Day: An International Celebration

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pope, A.; Hambrook Berkman, J.; Berkman, P. A.

    2013-12-01

    For more than half a century, the 1959 Antarctic Treaty continues to shine as a rare beacon of international cooperation. To celebrate this milestone of peace in our civilization with hope and inspiration for future generations, Antarctica Day is celebrated each year on December 1st , the anniversary of the Antarctic Treaty signing. As an annual event - initiated by the Foundation for the Good Governance of International Spaces (www.internationalspaces.org/) in collaboration with the Association of Polar Early Carer Scientists (www.apecs.is) - Antarctica Day encourages participation from around the world. The Antarctic Treaty set aside 10% of the earth, 'forever to be used exclusively for peaceful purposes in the interest of mankind.' It was the first nuclear arms agreement and the first institution to govern all human activities in an international region beyond sovereign jurisdictions. In this spirit, Antarctica Day aims to: - Demonstrate how diverse nations can work together peacefully, using science as a global language of cooperation for decision making beyond national boundaries, - Provide strategies for students learning about Antarctica through art, science and history at all school levels, - Increase collaboration and communication between classrooms, communities, researchers and government officials around the world, and - Provide a focus for polar educators to build on each year. Through close collaboration with a number of partners. Antarctica Day activities have included: a Polar Film Festival convened by The Explorers Club; live sessions connecting classrooms with scientists in Antarctica thanks to PolarTREC and ARCUS; an international activity that involved children from 13 countries who created over 600 flags which exemplify Antarctica Day (these were actually flown in Antarctica with signed certificates then returned to the classes); a map where Antarctica Day participants all over the world could share what they were doing; an Antarctic bird count

  15. Inhabitants of the screen: celebrity and the production of religious authority in Bahian Candomblé

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van de Port, M.

    2011-01-01

    In Bahia, Brazil, the public articulation of religious authority comes to depend more and more on celebrity discourses. This article takes the Afro-Brazilian spirit possession cult Candomblé as an example to show how in media-saturated societies religious and media imaginaries become inextricably

  16. The ILOAT celebrated its 90th anniversary!

    CERN Multimedia

    Staff Association

    2018-01-01

    The beginning of a new year is an excellent opportunity to look back on the highlights of the previous year. The fast pace at which the CERN Staff Association has to handle current issues unfortunately left us with no time to present a jubilee that deserves to be brought to your attention, the 90th anniversary of the International Labour Organisation Administrative Tribunal (ILOAT), celebrated on 5 May 2017. [1]             Symposium in honour of the 90th anniversary of the Tribunal Image: Aung Lwin (International Labour Organization Photo Collection) https://www.flickr.com/photos/ilopictures/33828127984/in/album-72157683844343845/ On this occasion, two representatives of the CERN Staff Association participated in the symposium on the ”90 years of contribution to the creation of international civil service law”. Since 1947, the International Labour Organisation Administrative Tribunal (ILOAT) has heard complaints from serving and f...

  17. Celebrating international collaboration: reflections on the first Virtual International Practice Development Conference

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Moira Stephens

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available This article reports on the first Virtual International Practice Development Conference, held in May 2015 to celebrate International Nurses Day. The article describes key aspects of its planning, offers a flavour of the event itself and sets out an evaluation, including learning points and recommendations to assist with planning similar events in the future. Central to our learning are: The need for practice developers to grasp skills in technology associated with virtual space The need to embrace virtual space itself as another means by which creative and communicative spaces can be established for active learning and practice development activities The potential advantages that international virtual engagement has over face-to-face national or international engagement The delivery of this virtual event made a significant international contribution to global practice development activity within the International Practice Development Collaborative and to enabling practice developers to connect and celebrate on a more global basis. Implications for practice: Virtual space technology skills can assist with sharing and translating practice development research, innovations and critical commentary Virtual space can provide an adjunct to creative and communicative learning spaces Global networking opportunities can be developed and enhanced through the use of virtual space technology Practice developers need to role model the use of virtual technologies

  18. Students Across Texas Celebrate Astronomy Day

    Science.gov (United States)

    Preston, S.; Wetzel, M.; Hemenway, M. K.

    2010-08-01

    Over the past three years, McDonald Observatory has offered special Astronomy Day videoconference programs to students across Texas—the second largest state in the U.S. (Only Alaska is larger). Videoconferencing allows many students and teachers access to our Observatory, which is remotely located 180 miles (290 kilometers) from any major city. McDonald Observatory partners with Connect2Texas to advertise the Astronomy Day event. Connect2Texas provides the electronic bridge between schools and the Observatory. They also provide an online evaluation for teachers to complete. In 2009 the Astronomy Day videoconference celebrated the International Year of Astronomy and the historic observations made by Galileo Galilei. During the videoconference, the classes explore the Moon or Venus by making real-time telescopic observations. Students also receive an introduction to the Observatory, an opportunity to perform an activity relating to Galileo's observations, and an interview with an astronomer. A website provides teachers pre-and post-video conference materials, instructions, and a certificate of completion that can be customized for each student. The website also lists content alignment with state science education standards.

  19. Anniversary celebrations at the National Museum of History

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elena Ploşniţa

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available December 21, 2013 we celebrated 30 years since the founding of the National Museum of History of Moldova. On this occasion the museum has organized several events. Program of the day began with a Round Table “Policies for conservation and restoration of the museum heritage in the Republic of Moldova”. Then, the general director of the museum Eugen Sava opened a solemn assembly in the museum’s Blue Room. During the meeting there were presented congratulatory words addressed to the participants, public figures, university professors, researchers, and museum professionals. Among the activities celebrating the establishment of this prestigious museum on December 21, 1983, there was held the presentation of the second volume of “Studies on Museology” published in Chisinau in 2013. This volume on different aspects of museum work brings knowledge and encourages activities, and practical use of its publication is undeniable. Written in a clear and sober style, it will take an important place among the works devoted to this field of science. The proceedings were inspired by respect for the museum and museology and are a continuation of the tradition of museological research in the National Museum of History of Moldova. In honor of the anniversary there was organized a temporary exhibition “National Museum of History of Moldova: A Brief Illustrated History” aimed to reflect the history of the museum and some parts of its activities during the 30 years by means of photos and documents. The exhibition was divided into several compartments: “Establishment of the Museum”, “The Museum Building” “Exhibition Activities”, “Educational Activities”, “Promotion of the Museum”, “Scientific Development of Cultural and Historical Heritage”, “The Museum’s Publications”. All the events organized on the occasion of the anniversary were attended by a large audience that through its presence and laudatory responses recognized and

  20. Celebrating Two Centuries of Research in Selenium Chemistry: State of the Art and New Prospective

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Claudio Santi

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available In 2017, the 200th anniversary of the discovery of selenium was celebrated. In 1817, the Swedish chemists, Berzelius and Gahn, on roasting 200 kg of sulfur from a pyrite from the Falun mine, obtained about 3 g of a precipitate that they first wrongly identified as tellurium. Berzelius doubted this result and repeated the analysis some months later realizing that a new element was in his hands and he named this element Selenium (Greek: Selene, moon in consideration of its resemblance to Tellurium (Latin: Tellus, earth. Several events were organized in the year for this special celebration and this Special Issue would like to be an additional contribution to the success of a research that, especially during the last decades, rapidly grew in different fields: synthesis, medicinal chemistry, biology, material, and environment. These studies are strongly characterized by multi- and interdisciplinary connections, and, for this reason, we collected here contributions coming from different areas and disciplines, not exclusively synthetic organic chemistry.

  1. Preface to anthropogenic fluvial sedimentation: Centennial celebration of G.K. Gilbert's Hydraulic-Mining Débris in the Sierra Nevada

    Science.gov (United States)

    James, L. Allan; Phillips, Jonathan D.; Lecce, Scott A.

    2017-10-01

    This special issue celebrates the centennial of the publication of G.K. Gilbert's (1917) monograph, Hydraulic-Mining Débris in the Sierra Nevada, U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 105 (PP105). Reasons to celebrate PP105 are manifold. It was the last of four classic monographs that Gilbert wrote in a career that spanned five decades. The monograph, PP105, introduced several important concepts and provided an integrated view of watersheds that was uncommon in its day. It also provided an extreme, lucid example of anthropogenic changes and legacy sediment and how to approach such large-scale phenomena from an objective, quantitative basis.

  2. CURRICULUM VITAE: A DISCOURSE OF CELEBRATION WITH NARCISSISTIC ALLUSIONS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yazid Basthomi

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available The present study, a part of a larger project, deals with the under-researched (sub genre of curriculum vitae (CV of theses written in English by Indonesian students of English as a foreign language (EFL. The corpus was composed of CV of 40 theses obtainable from the Graduate Library, Graduate Program, Universitas Negeri Malang (State University of Malang, Indonesia. In a categorical structure, the CVs exhibit four main issues: personal information about age and familial origin, academic information pertaining to educational backgrounds, work information, and another piece of personal information, i.e., family. Central to the findings is that the CVs allude to the notion of celebration with narcissistic expressions.

  3. Celebrating Queer Lesbian Desires with Dorothy Allison: From moral monstrosity to the beautiful materiality of the body

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mélanie Grué

    2015-01-01

    Using social and queer theory on domination, sexuality and gender, this contribution explores how the queer American author Dorothy Allison celebrates the vilified transgressive lesbian body. As, in the 1970s, the mainstream american feminist movement crystallized around the definition of an acceptable sexuality in the name of femininity, female sexual practices were standardized according to strict identity frames, carnal desire was denied, and transgressive lesbians who play with gender roles were defined as abject. In response to this extreme taming of the body, Allison interrogates the notions of masculinity and femininity, domination and submission in her exploration of sexual pleasure and traumatized sexuality. She celebrates the aggressiveness and masculinity of queer lesbianism, promotes the fluidity of gender roles, and asserts the primacy of the flesh,sensuality, and materiality in sexuality.

  4. Temporal phasing of locomotor activity, heart rate rhythmicity, and core body temperature is disrupted in VIP receptor 2-deficient mice

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hannibal, Jens; Hsiung, Hansen M; Fahrenkrug, Jan

    2011-01-01

    Neurons of the brain's biological clock located in the hypothalamic suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) generate circadian rhythms of physiology (core body temperature, hormone secretion, locomotor activity, sleep/wake, and heart rate) with distinct temporal phasing when entrained by the light/dark (LD......) cycle. The neuropeptide vasoactive intestinal polypetide (VIP) and its receptor (VPAC2) are highly expressed in the SCN. Recent studies indicate that VIPergic signaling plays an essential role in the maintenance of ongoing circadian rhythmicity by synchronizing SCN cells and by maintaining rhythmicity...... within individual neurons. To further increase the understanding of the role of VPAC2 signaling in circadian regulation, we implanted telemetric devices and simultaneously measured core body temperature, spontaneous activity, and heart rate in a strain of VPAC2-deficient mice and compared...

  5. Celebration for the ATLAS Barrel Toroid magnet

    CERN Multimedia

    2007-01-01

    Representatives from Funding Agencies and Barrel Toroid Magnet Laboratories during the ceremony. From left to right: Jean Zinn-Justin (Head of DAPNIA/CEA/Saclay), CERN Director-General Robert Aymar, and Roberto Petronzio (President INFN).Allan Clark (DPNC University Geneva) and Enrique Fernandez (IFAE Barcelona) were among the guests visiting the ATLAS cavern. The barrel toroid is visible in the background. A celebration took place at Point 1 on 13 December to toast the recent powering-up of the ATLAS barrel toroid magnet to full field (Bulletin No. 47-48/06). About 70 guests were invited to attend, mainly composed of representatives from funding partners and key members of the laboratory management teams of the barrel toroid magnet, representing CEA France, INFN Italy, BMBF Germany, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Russia, JINR Dubna and CERN. An introductory speech by ATLAS spokesperson Peter Jenni the scene for evening. This was followed by the ATLAS magnet system project leader Herman Ten Kate's account of the...

  6. LHCb celebrates completion of its beam pipe

    CERN Multimedia

    2007-01-01

    Members of the LHCb collaboration and of the AT and TS Departments are ready to pop open the champagne bottles and celebrate the complete installation and commissioning of the LHCb experiment’s beam pipe. Members of the LHCb collaboration and of the AT and TS Departments gather near the newly completed beam pipe in the foreground. All four sections of LHCb’s beam pipe have been installed, interconnected, pumped down and baked out.. Three of the conical tubes are made of beryllium in order to minimize the level of background in the experiment, while the fourth and largest section is composed of stainless steel. The first of the beryllium sections, an important connection to the Vertex Locator vacuum vessel (VELO) was installed in August 2006 (see Bulletin No. 37/2006). One of the more challenging tasks was the installation of the longest (6 m) piece of beryllium beam pipe through the 2.4 m long RICH2 detector in January 2006. Deli...

  7. History, Politics and Ideology in the Centennial Celebration of Mexico’s Independence

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tomás Pérez Vejo

    2010-07-01

    Full Text Available In Mexico, the celebration of the independence’s hundredth anniversary was accompanied  by a complex historical-political-ideological  debate on the nature  of the nation,  the balance of a hundred years of independent life, and the problems and challenges for the future. This work analyzes, mainly through journalistic sources, this debate’s characteristics,  as well as its interpretative keys and its relevance within the process of Mexican national construction.

  8. Symposium Festschrift Hughes (Vernon W) to Celebrate his 70th birthday

    CERN Document Server

    1992-01-01

    The contents of this book are derived from a celebration of the 70th birthday of Vernon W Hughes. Professor Hughes' career has touched on several areas in modern physics ranging from precision measurements of the fundamental properties of atoms to measurements of spin structure functions of the proton via deep inelastic muon scattering at the world's highest energy fixed target machines. This observance of his 70th birthday brings together experimental and theoretical physicists who are leaders of the many fields in which he has made contributions.

  9. Vasoactive intestinal peptide and secretin: effects of combined and separate intravenous infusions on bile secretion in man

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nyberg, B.; Sonnenfeld, T.; Einarsson, K.

    1991-01-01

    The effects of intravenously administered vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) and secretin on bile secretion were studied in 12 patients with complete biliary fistulas. The two peptides were administered both simultaneously and separately. During VIP infusion, bile volume increased by 60%, and during the combined VIP and secretin infursion bile volume increased by another 70%. VIP increased bile bicarbonate concentration by some 30%. Although secretin did not increase the concentration, bicarbonate output increased threefold during secretin infusion but only twofold during VIP infusion. The outputs of bile acids were not significantly affected by the two peptides, whereas the concentration decreased by 40% and 70% after VIP and secretin, respectively. The canalicular bile flow, measured by [ 14 C]erythritol, was unaffected by VIP infusion, whereas secretin alone and the combination of the two peptides increased the canalicular clearance by 80%. The choleretic effect of VIP thus seems to occur only at the ductular level. Secretin exerts its effect at the ductular level and possibly also at the canalicular level. It is concluded that the two peptides have additive effects on the ductular bile flow.. 32 refs., 5 figs., 5 tabs

  10. Finding our roots and celebrating our shoots: Plant virology in Virology, 1955-1964.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scholthof, Karen-Beth G

    2015-05-01

    To celebrate the sixtieth anniversary of Virology a survey is made of the plant viruses, virologists and their institutions, and tools and technology described in the first decade of plant virus publications in Virology. This was a period when plant viruses increasingly became tools of discovery as epistemic objects and plant virology became a discipline discrete from plant pathology and other life sciences. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. Jean-Baptiste Charcot in Rio de Janeiro: glamorous trip and celebrity in 1908

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hélio A. G. Teive

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available The authors review the visit of Commander Charcot and the crew of his ship, the “Pourquoi Pas?”, to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 1908, where he stayed for eight days, while en-route as part of the second French expedition to the Antarctic. It was a glamorous stay as Commander Charcot was treated as a true star and international celebrity, befitting his position.

  12. Food safety behaviors observed in celebrity chefs across a variety of programs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maughan, Curtis; Chambers, Edgar; Godwin, Sandria

    2017-03-01

    Consumers obtain information about foodborne illness prevention from many sources, including television media. The purpose of this study was to evaluate a variety of cooking shows with celebrity chefs to understand their modeling of food safety behaviors. Cooking shows (100 episodes) were watched from 24 celebrity chefs preparing meat dishes. A tabulation of food safety behaviors was made for each show using a checklist. Proper modeling of food safety behaviors was limited, with many incidences of errors. For example, although all chefs washed their hands at the beginning of cooking at least one dish, 88% did not wash (or were not shown washing) their hands after handling uncooked meat. This was compounded with many chefs who added food with their hands (79%) or ate while cooking (50%). Other poor behaviors included not using a thermometer (75%), using the same cutting board to prepare ready-to-eat items and uncooked meat (25%), and other hygiene issues such as touching hair (21%) or licking fingers (21%). This study suggests that there is a need for improvement in demonstrated and communicated food safety behaviors among professional chefs. It also suggests that public health professionals must work to mitigate the impact of poorly modeled behaviors. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Faculty of Public Health. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  13. Using Celebrities in Abnormal Psychology as Teaching Tools to Decrease Stigma and Increase Help Seeking

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ferrari, Anne

    2016-01-01

    Research shows that a very small percentage of those who suffer from mental illness seek professional help and fear of stigma is a principal factor why individuals are reluctant to obtain assistance. This study evaluated whether using examples of celebrities' experiences with mental illness as a form of "contact" with a mentally ill…

  14. A Resource Guide for Celebrating the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, 1986. Bulletin 1783.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kerr, Myrtle; Cookston, James S.

    Compiled to help celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Statue of Liberty, this selection of books, periodicals, audiovisuals, and other educational resources was intended to help stimulate discussion, promote projects, and create awareness of the Statue of Liberty Centennial. Listed are 24 books, 18 magazine articles, and 3 films about the Statue…

  15. High-stakes conflicts and the link between theory and practice : celebrating the work of Ellen Giebels

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Oostinga, Miriam S.D.; Rispens, Sonja; Taylor, Paul J.; Ufkes, Elze G.

    2018-01-01

    In this tribute to the 2012 recipient of the IACM's Jeffrey Rubin's Theory-to-Practice Award, we celebrate the work of Ellen Giebels. We highlight her groundbreaking research on influence tactics in crisis negotiations and other high-stakes conflict situations, showing how her focus on theoretical

  16. High-Stakes Conflicts and the Link between Theory and Practice : Celebrating the Work of Ellen Giebels

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Oostinga, Miriam S.D.; Rispens, Sonja; Taylor, Paul J.; Ufkes, Elze G.

    2018-01-01

    In this tribute to the 2012 recipient of the IACM's Jeffrey Rubin's Theory-to-Practice Award, we celebrate the work of Ellen Giebels. We highlight her groundbreaking research on influence tactics in crisis negotiations and other high-stakes conflict situations, showing how her focus on theoretical

  17. The anti-inflammatory peptide stearyl-norleucine-VIP delays disease onset and extends survival in a rat model of inherited amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goursaud, Stéphanie; Schäfer, Sabrina; Dumont, Amélie O; Vergouts, Maxime; Gallo, Alessandro; Desmet, Nathalie; Deumens, Ronald; Hermans, Emmanuel

    2015-01-01

    Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) has potent immune modulatory actions that may influence the course of neurodegenerative disorders associated with chronic inflammation. Here, we show the therapeutic benefits of a modified peptide agonist stearyl-norleucine-VIP (SNV) in a transgenic rat model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (mutated superoxide dismutase 1, hSOD1(G93A)). When administered by systemic every-other-day intraperitoneal injections during a period of 80 days before disease, SNV delayed the onset of motor dysfunction by no less than three weeks, while survival was extended by nearly two months. SNV-treated rats showed reduced astro- and microgliosis in the lumbar ventral spinal cord and a significant degree of motor neuron preservation. Throughout the treatment, SNV promoted the expression of the anti-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-10 as well as neurotrophic factors commonly considered as beneficial in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis management (glial derived neuroptrophic factor, insulin like growth factor, brain derived neurotrophic factor). The peptide nearly totally suppressed the expression of tumor necrosis factor-α and repressed the production of the pro-inflammatory mediators interleukin-1β, nitric oxide and of the transcription factor nuclear factor kappa B. Inhibition of tumor necrosis factor-α likely accounted for the observed down-regulation of nuclear factor kappa B that modulates the transcription of genes specifically involved in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (sod1 and the glutamate transporter slc1a2). In line with this, levels of human superoxide dismutase 1 mRNA and protein were decreased by SNV treatment, while the expression and activity of the glutamate transporter-1 was promoted. Considering the large diversity of influences of this peptide on both clinical features of the disease and associated biochemical markers, we propose that SNV or related peptides may constitute promising candidates for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

  18. From creep damage mechanics to homogenization methods a liber amicorum to celebrate the birthday of Nobutada Ohno

    CERN Document Server

    Matsuda, Tetsuya; Okumura, Dai

    2015-01-01

    This volume presents a collection of contributions on materials modeling, which were written to celebrate the 65th birthday of Prof. Nobutada Ohno. The book follows Prof. Ohno’s scientific topics, starting with creep damage problems and ending with homogenization methods.

  19. The Biggest Aspidistra in the World; A Personal Celebration of Fifty Years of the BBC.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Black, Peter

    This book is a personal recollection of the history of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), written as a celebration of the BBC's fiftieth anniversary in 1972. The emphasis is on programs and people rather than policies. It is divided into roughly three periods: prewar, war, and postwar. The author writes, "The object is to remind…

  20. Introduction of an enhanced recovery protocol to reduce short-term complications following radical cystectomy and intestinal urinary diversion with vescica ileale Padovana neobladder.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cerruto, Maria Angela; De Marco, Vincenzo; D'Elia, Carolina; Bizzotto, Leonardo; Curti, Pierpaolo; Baldassarre, Roberto; Artibani, Walter

    2014-01-01

    To reduce short-term complications of radical cystectomy (RC) and intestinal urinary diversion with vescica ileale Padovana (VIP) neobladder, we described and assessed an enhanced recovery protocol (ERP) in a series of consecutive patients. An ERP was introduced focusing on reduced bowel preparation, standardized feeding and analgesic regimens. We analyzed the outcomes with all patients consecutively undergoing RC and VIP neobladder who met the following inclusion criteria: American Society of Anesthesiologists score Short Form criteria; absence of inflammatory bowel diseases. Thirty-one consecutive patients were recruited to undergo our ERP. Mean age of patients was 62.16 years. No patients died due to surgical complications. Nine of 31 patients experienced complications (29.03%), none requiring surgical intervention. According to Clavien grading, all complications were grade <2. The application of our ERP to our patients undergoing RC and VIP neobladder contributed to reduce postoperative morbidity. Copyright © 2013 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  1. Abraham Trembley's strategy of generosity and the scope of celebrity in the mid-eighteenth century.

    Science.gov (United States)

    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.

  2. Celebrating the 125th anniversary of the American Psychological Association: A quarter century of neuropsychology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brown, Gregory G; Anderson, Vicki; Bigler, Erin D; Chan, Agnes S; Fama, Rosemary; Grabowski, Thomas J; Zakzanis, Konstantine K

    2017-11-01

    The American Psychological Association (APA) celebrated its 125th anniversary in 2017. As part of this celebration, the APA journal Neuropsychology has published in its November 2017 issue 11 papers describing some of the advances in the field of neuropsychology over the past 25 years. The papers address three broad topics: assessment and intervention, brain imaging, and theory and methods. The papers describe the rise of new assessment and intervention technologies, the impact of evidence for neuroplasticity on neurorehabilitation. Examples of the use of mathematical models of cognition to investigate latent neurobehavioral processes, the development of the field of neuropsychology in select international countries, the increasing sophistication of brain imaging methods, the recent evidence for localizationist and connectionist accounts of neurobehavioral functioning, the advances in neurobehavioral genomics, and descriptions of newly developed statistical models of longitudinal change. Together the papers convey evidence of the vibrant growth in the field of neuropsychology over the quarter century since APA's 100th anniversary in 1992. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

  3. 'The secret shame': a content analysis of online news reporting of a celebrity admitting smoking while pregnant.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carroll, Beverley; Freeman, Becky

    2015-04-01

    Around one in 10 Australian women report that they smoke while pregnant, and this may be a significant underestimation. In 2013, Australian celebrity Chrissie Swan announced publicly that she had been smoking during her pregnancy, generating substantial media coverage. This study sought to identify the main themes in the reporting of the 'Swan pregnant and admitting smoking' story by online news media. Between 6 February 2013 and 18 February 2013 inclusively, a content analysis was conducted of Australian online news items using the keywords: 'Chrissie Swan smoking', and 'Chrissie Swan pregnant and smoking'. News items were coded for nine themes. A total of 124 items were identified. The most frequent themes were: 'celebrity story' (90.32%) and 'societal judgement of pregnant smokers' (69.35%). Less than one-half (45.97%) of the news items included 'quitting is hard' content and only 29.03% of the news items included 'smoking and health' content. Specific quit-referral content was found in only 13.71% of the news items. There was a missed opportunity to promote positive, non-judgemental smoking and pregnancy messages and health information that support pregnant women to quit smoking. SO WHAT?: Health promotion strategies are needed to build capacity in advocacy to promote positive health messages and counter societal judgement of pregnant smokers. Formative research into the use of celebrities and other influential women to promote positive empowering messages should be carried out and incorporated in future health promotion campaigns to improve pregnant women's ability to quit smoking.

  4. Public Reactions to Celebrity Cancer Disclosures via Social Media: Implications for Campaign Message Design and Strategy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pavelko, Rachelle L.; Myrick, Jessica Gall; Verghese, Roshni S.; Hester, Joe Bob

    2017-01-01

    Objective: The aim of this study was to analyse social media users' reactions to a celebrity's cancer announcement in order to inform future cancer-related campaigns. Design: A content analysis of Facebook users' written responses to the actor Hugh Jackman's 2013 post announcing his skin cancer diagnosis. Setting: Facebook's application…

  5. CineGlobe Film Festival presents Particle Fever in celebration of CERN's 60th anniversary | 20 September

    CERN Multimedia

    2014-01-01

    The film Particle Fever follows six brilliant scientists during the launch of the Large Hadron Collider, which marked the start-up of the biggest and most expensive experiment in the history of the planet, pushing the boundaries of human innovation.    Seeking to unravel the mysteries of the universe, 10,000 scientists from over 100 countries joined forces in pursuit of a single goal: to recreate the conditions that existed just moments after the Big Bang and find the Higgs boson, potentially explaining the origin of all matter. But our heroes face an even bigger challenge: have we reached the limit of our capacity to understand why we exist? Directed by Mark Levinson, a physicist turned filmmaker, and masterfully edited by Walter Murch (Apocalypse Now, The English Patient), Particle Fever is a celebration of discovery, revealing the very human stories behind this epic machine. The film will be followed by a panel discussion with director Mark Levinson, Academy Award-winning editor Walt...

  6. CineGlobe Film Festival presents Particle Fever in celebration of CERN's 60th anniversary | 20 September

    CERN Multimedia

    2014-01-01

    The film Particle Fever follows six brilliant scientists during the launch of the Large Hadron Collider, which marked the start-up of the biggest and most expensive experiment in the history of the planet, pushing the boundaries of human innovation.    Seeking to unravel the mysteries of the universe, 10,000 scientists from over 100 countries joined forces in pursuit of a single goal: to recreate the conditions that existed just moments after the Big Bang and find the Higgs boson, potentially explaining the origin of all matter. But our heroes face an even bigger challenge: have we reached the limit of our capacity to understand why we exist? Directed by Mark Levinson, a physicist turned filmmaker, and masterfully edited by Walter Murch (Apocalypse Now, The English Patient), Particle Fever is a celebration of discovery, revealing the very human stories behind this epic machine. The film will be followed by a panel discussion with director Mark Levinson, Academy Award-winning editor Wal...

  7. CERN celebrates science over and over again!

    CERN Multimedia

    Anaïs Schaeffer

    2013-01-01

    CERN is getting ready to open its doors for two days of science and entertainment, but the celebrations don’t stop here. From 9 October 2013, France’s Fête de la Science will take up the reins. With more than 1,000 events all over France on the theme “From the infinitely large to the infinitely small", one of them is bound to be taking place near you.   Part of the programme from the Fête de la science in 2013 in the Rhône-Alpes region. Download the full programme here. The nearest one to CERN will be in Divonne-les-Bains. Put Wednesday, 9 October in your diary, because CERN will be taking part! From 10.30 a.m., join the members of Divonnelectro, an association set up by a group of CERN retirees, for a visit to France's oldest hydroelectric factory. At 2.30 p.m., head to the Esplanade du Lac in Divonne-les-Bains, where members of the Université pour tous du Pays de Gex will be offering ...

  8. ‘Is every YouTuber going to make a coming out video eventually?’: YouTube celebrity video bloggers and lesbian and gay identity

    OpenAIRE

    Lovelock, Michael

    2017-01-01

    A significant number of YouTube celebrity video bloggers (vloggers) have used the platform to come out publicly as lesbian or gay. This article interrogates the cultural work of YouTube celebrity coming outs, through the case studies of two of the most prominent gay vloggers: Ingrid Nilsen and Connor Franta. This article explores how the coming out moments of these vloggers, as articulated in their coming out vlogs and the wider media discourses surrounding these, make legible a normative gay...

  9. Effects of nutrient content claims, sports celebrity endorsements and premium offers on pre-adolescent children's food preferences: experimental research.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dixon, H; Scully, M; Niven, P; Kelly, B; Chapman, K; Donovan, R; Martin, J; Baur, L A; Crawford, D; Wakefield, M

    2014-04-01

    To assess pre-adolescent children's responses to common child-oriented front-of-pack food promotions. Between-subjects, web-based experiment with four front-of-pack promotion conditions on energy-dense and nutrient-poor (EDNP) foods: no promotion [control]; nutrient content claims; sports celebrity endorsements (male athletes) and premium offers. Participants were 1302 grade 5 and 6 children (mean age 11 years) from Melbourne, Australia. Participants chose their preferred product from a randomly assigned EDNP food pack and comparable healthier food pack then completed detailed product ratings. Child-oriented pack designs with colourful, cartooned graphics, fonts and promotions were used. Compared to the control condition, children were more likely to choose EDNP products featuring nutrient content claims (both genders) and sports celebrity endorsements (boys only). Perceptions of nutritional content were enhanced by nutrient content claims. Effects of promotions on some product ratings (but not choice) were negated when children referred to the nutrition information panel. Premium offers did not enhance children's product ratings or choice. Nutrient content claims and sports celebrity endorsements influence pre-adolescent children's preferences towards EDNP food products displaying them. Policy interventions to reduce the impact of unhealthy food marketing to children should limit the use of these promotions. © 2013 The Authors. Pediatric Obesity © 2013 International Association for the Study of Obesity.

  10. A study on gallbladder empty of patients with functional dyspepsia by radionuclide imaging and on assessment of plasma levels of gastrointestinal hormones

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li Juan; Sun Xiaoning; Liu Baojun; Zhang Li

    2001-01-01

    Objective: To study the role of gallbladder kinetics and plasma levels of gastrointestinal hormones in the mechanism of functional dyspepsia. Methods: Gallbladder ejection fractions (GBEF) were determined with 99 Tc m radionuclide imaging, and plasma levels of motilin (MTL), cholecystokinin (CCK), vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) and somatostatin (SS) were measured with radioimmunoassay. Thirty-two patients with functional dyspepsia of dyskinetic type (FD group) and 20 normal volunteers in control group were studied. Results: The preprandial and postprandial gallbladder ejection fractions (GBEF) and MTL levels were both obviously lower in FD group (P preprandial = 0.82, P postprandial 0.94, P 0.05), while the levels of postprandial CCK were significantly decreased in FD group (P preprandial -0.81, P postprandial = - 0.47, P 0.05). Conclusions: Patients with FD of dyskinetic type might have a significant decrease of preprandial and postprandial gallbladder emptying. The decrease of plasma levels of gastrointestinal hormones. MTL, CCK and the elevation of VIP might be the cause of slow gallbladder emptying and part of the basic pathophysiology in FD

  11. Changing Cultural Spaces, Transformation of the Traditions: Hıdırellez Celebrations held in Ankara and Hamamönü Hıdırellez Festivals

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Selcan Gürçayır Teke

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Hıdırellez festival, one of the rituals that hails the start of summer, is celebrated widely across Anatolia. The belief thatwishes for the future will come true if certain actions are performed at Hıdırellez festival, may be seen as the basic motivation behind this ritual and the transmission of this tradition from generation to generation. Many practices at Hıdırellez are related to nature. The space to celebrate Hıdırellez is of the utmost importance due to the context of the ritual. There are many cultural spaces in Anatolia assigned for the celebration of Hıdırellez; these are selected based on the belief that they have been visited by Hızır. The cultural transmission of Hıdırellez celebrations is being hindered among an urbanizing population due to fewnew spaces being planned for them and a lack of protection for the existing spaces. This article focuses on the Hıdırellez festival spaces and the necessity of moving these spaces into cities in order to maintain the tradition. This article evaluates the basic importance of these spaces from the standpoint of sustainability and the formation of the tradition using the Hamamönü Hıdırellez festival, which is celebrated in Ankara. It discusses the variations of the participant profiles at the Sixth Hamamönü Hıdırellez festival, to be held in Ankara this year and the how their expectations have been shaped based on changing spaces. It concludes that besides the dimension of belief in the rituals, the dimension of entertainment is also prominent for participants at the Hamamönü Hıdırellez festival, and that various Hıdırellez traditions have found their way into popular culture.

  12. 99mTechnetium labelled vasoactive intestinal peptide analogue for rapid localization of tumours in humans

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Thakur, M.L.; Pallela, V.; Marcus, C.S.; Diggles, L.; Pham, H.L.; Ahdoot, R.; Kalinowski, E.A.; Saeed, S.; Minami, C.

    2001-01-01

    In recent years, imaging tumours with receptor specific biomolecules has been the focus of increasing interest. VIP has a high affinity for specific receptors that are expressed in high density on a large number of malignant tumours. VIP was modified (TP 3654) without compromising its biological activity, and labelled with 99m Tc. Pharmacokinetics and feasibility studies were performed in three normal volunteers and 11 patients with a history of cancer. Imaging was performed for up to two h post-injection. Within 24 h after injection of 99m Tc-TP 3654 (10-15 mCi/5 μg), approximately 70% of the tracer cleared through the kidneys, and 20% through the liver. Blood clearance was rapid. No adverse reaction was noted in any subjects. All known tumours were clearly delineated within 20 min. Findings were compared with the results of 99m Tc-MIBI, CT, MRI, or histology. There was concordance in nine patients. In the other two, only the VIP scan was positive for tumours known to express VIP receptors. The early results of imaging tumours with 99m Tc-VIP are promising and warrant further studies. (author)

  13. Attitudes and beliefs of Australian adults on reality television cooking programmes and celebrity chefs. Is there cause for concern? Descriptive analysis presented from a consumer survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Villani, A M; Egan, T; Keogh, J B; Clifton, P M

    2015-08-01

    There is evidence suggesting that the nutritional content of recipes promoted by celebrity chefs or television cooking programmes contradict healthy eating guidelines. This study aims to investigate people's attitudes and beliefs about popular television cooking programmes and celebrity chefs. Males and females who watch television cooking programmes were recruited to participate in a self-administered online questionnaire (22-items) which included multiple-choice and rank order questions. A total of n = 207 participants undertook the questionnaire with fully completed questionnaires available for n = 150 participants (Males, n = 22; Females, n = 128; aged 38.4 ± 14 years). The majority of respondents watch ≤30 minutes of television cooking programming per day (total responses, n = 153/207; 74%) with almost three-quarters (total responses, n = 130/175; 74%) having attempted a recipe. New cooking ideas (total responses, n = 81/175; 46%) and entertainment (total responses, n = 64/175; 36.5%) were the two main reasons participants gave for watching these programmes. Significantly more respondents believed recipes use excessive amounts of unhealthy fat, sugar or salt (unhealthy: 24%; healthy: 7%; P cooking programmes and celebrity chefs are unlikely to impact habitual dietary intake; rather, vicarious viewing and entertainment appear important factors relating to why people watch these programmes. However results generated from the present study are descriptive and subjective and further investigation into the impact of television cooking programmes and celebrity chefs on behavioural change requires attention. Further investigation including a systematic investigation into the dietary quality of recipes promoted by celebrity chefs against national healthy eating benchmarks is also warranted. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. ESO celebrates 50 years of “Euro-astronomy”

    CERN Multimedia

    Anaïs Schaeffer

    2012-01-01

    Today the European Southern Observatory is celebrating its 50th anniversary. This article retraces the story of one of Europe's greatest laboratories, which came into being with CERN's support and assistance.   La Silla, June 1968. The three telescopes in the background are (from left to right): the Grand Prism Objectif (GPO, first light in 1968), the ESO 1 metre telescope (1966), and the ESO 1.5 metre telescope (1968). They have been decommissioned. The white dome closest to the viewer is the ESO 1 metre Schmidt telescope, which began work in 1971. Image: ESO/E. Maurice. In the spring of 1953, in Leiden in the Netherlands, a group of astronomers including Walter Baade, Jan Oort, Adriaan Blaauw, Otto Heckmann and Jan Bannier (who was then President of CERN's Provisional Council) for the first time discussed the possibility of founding a European space observatory. The objective was to build it in the southern hemisphere where there were very few observatories with pow...

  15. Bloomsday: James Joyce's Ulysses Celebrated as Theatrical Event

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Willmar Sauter

    2009-12-01

    Full Text Available James Joyce had decided that 16 June 1904 should be the one day in the life of Leopold Bloom, about which he wrote his 800 page novel Ulysses. In his book, Joyce actually followed Mr Bloom that entire day, from his getting up and having the nowadays famous kidney breakfast, to the late evening, when he had to break into his own house on 7 Eccle Street to have a drink with Stephen Dedalus, the other main figure of the novel. The centenary of that very day took, accordingly, place in 2004. I have borrowed the identity of Mr Bloom to describe some street scenes from the centennial celebrations of Bloomsday in Dublin. After this intro-ductory presentation, part two of this article will attempt to analyse Bloomsday in terms of a Theatrical Event, embedded in an unusual and striking playing culture. In a third part, Mr Bloom will once more be allowed to make some concluding comments.

  16. Narrative Exemplars and the Celebrity Spokesperson in Lebanese Anti-Domestic Violence Public Service Announcements.

    Science.gov (United States)

    El-Khoury, Jessica R; Shafer, Autumn

    2016-08-01

    Domestic violence is a worldwide epidemic. This study examines the effects of narrative exemplars and a celebrity spokesperson in anti-domestic violence ads on Lebanese college students' attitudes and beliefs towards domestic violence and whether these effects are impacted by personal experience. The practical significance is derived from the high prevalence of domestic violence internationally, making it important to find ways to effectively use media to address this health-related issue that has huge consequences for the individual and society. This study adds to the theoretical understanding of narrative persuasion and media effects. Results indicated that narrative exemplars in anti-domestic violence ads promoting bystander awareness and intervention were more beneficial for people without relevant experience compared to people who know someone affected by domestic violence. Anti-domestic violence ads without narrative exemplars, but that also featured an emotional self-efficacy appeal targeting bystanders, were more effective for participants who know someone who had experienced domestic violence compared to participants without relevant experience. The presence of a celebrity spokesperson elicited more positive attitudes about the ad than a noncelebrity, but failed to directly affect relevant anti-domestic violence attitudes or beliefs. These results highlight the significance of formative audience research in health communication message design.

  17. Analisis Brand Equity dan Customer Loyality Celebrity Fitness Cabang Mall Puri Indah Jakarta Barat

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Robertus Tang Herman

    2010-05-01

    Full Text Available This study aims to determine the condition of the elements of brand equity Celebrity Fitness, namely knowing the brand awareness, brand association is formed, to know how the perception of performance and the interests of the brand, how consumers' brand loyalty, and what attributes of service quality a priority for improved performance to can meet consumers' desire to achieve satisfaction. The method used is descriptive method with the sampling technique using probability sampling (simple random sampling, with regional research area in West Jakarta. The results of this study indicate that the overall brand equity of the company is good enough to position the brand awareness top of mind, the brand associations that are formed from Celebrity Fitness is where fitness is comfortable and fun and has a diverse and interesting program, another association was formed team aggressive promotion. Performance level of perceived quality is also good enough. To Brand loyalty are in poor condition because of the high percentage of switchers. Overall customer satisfaction levels are good enough just need a little improvement in the performance of staff. The implication of this research is PT Exertainment should improve the performance of some quality attributes are prioritized so that the loyalty of the members has also increased.

  18. 75 FR 34362 - Safety Zone; Festivals & Fireworks Celebration, East Moran Bay, Lake Huron, St. Ignace, MI

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-06-17

    ...-AA00 Safety Zone; Festivals & Fireworks Celebration, East Moran Bay, Lake Huron, St. Ignace, MI AGENCY... safety zone on East Moran Bay, Lake Huron, St. Ignace, MI. This zone is intended to restrict vessels from... portion of East Moran Bay, Lake Huron, St. Ignace, MI between 9 p.m. and 11 p.m. on June 26, July 10, July...

  19. Celebrity Influence and Identification: A Test of the Angelina Effect.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kosenko, Kami A; Binder, Andrew R; Hurley, Ryan

    2016-01-01

    Angelina Jolie's announcement that she is a BRCA1 carrier and has had a prophylactic bilateral mastectomy was met with widespread support as well as speculation about its possible impact on the public. These speculations were the subject of a Time magazine cover story titled "The Angelina Effect" (Kluger et al., 2013 ). Although there is anecdotal evidence to support this hypothesized Angelina effect, empirical tests are lacking. To explore possible links between Angelina's announcement and public health, we surveyed 356 adults immediately after the announcement. Guided by a model of celebrity influence, the survey assessed participants' demographics and health history, identification and parasocial interaction with Jolie, and genetic testing intentions. Results supported the model's predictions and provided preliminary evidence of an Angelina effect.

  20. 76 FR 17329 - Greek Independence Day: A National Day of Celebration of Greek and American Democracy, 2011

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-03-29

    ... this milestone in the birthplace of democracy, we also celebrate our warm friendship with Greece and... strengthened by the profound influence of Greek culture on our national life. From the architecture of our... also look forward to our shared future and recommit to continuing our work as friends and allies. NOW...

  1. CELEBRATION OF DECEMBER 3RD, INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maja FILIPOVSKA

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available On December 2nd 2016 in the main amphitheater at the Faculty of Philosophy in Skopje, was held the celebration of December 3rd, the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, in organization of the Institute of Special Education and Rehabilitation. The official part of the program was started with a speech by Goran Ajdinski, PhD, the Dean of the Faculty of Philosophy in Skopje. The guests at the celebration were also greeted by the Rector of the University “Ss. Cyril and Methodius” – Skopje, Nikola Jankulovski, PhD and the Minister of Labor and Social Policy of Republic of Macedonia, Frosina Tashevska-Remenski, PhD. After the speeches, which highlighted the current efforts and future commitment to inclusion and accessibility of persons with disabilities, two awards were presented by the Humanitarian foundation “Prof. d-r Ljupco Ajdinski”. The first award was given to Simona Kostadinova as the student with achieved highest grade point average of 9.65 in the generation 2011/12 during the studies of Special education and rehabilitation. The second award was intended for the highest ranked student at the university admission in 2016/2017. This award belonged to Nadica Gjerasimova who had 97.70 points on the official rank list. Beside the awards, two acknowledgements for humanity were also given by the Foundation “Prof. d-r Ljupco Ajdinski”. For the longstanding human activity in preparation of special education and rehabilitation staff and education and rehabilitation of persons with disabilities, the first acknowledgement was given to the Institute of Special education and rehabilitation. The second acknowledgement was meant for Kiril Temkov, PhD, about his numerous initiated and organized human activities, especially for the published paper on the ethical dimensions of special education and rehabilitation and introduction of Ethics in the education system in Republic of Macedonia. The last part of the program was intended for

  2. Celebrating the 21st anniversary of empowerment evaluation with our critical friends.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fetterman, David; Wandersman, Abraham

    2017-08-01

    This special topic edition of E&PP presents the insights of luminaries in the field who have helped shape empowerment evaluation with their critiques, concerns, and congratulations. We celebrate their contributions to empowerment evaluation. This special topic edition of E&PP presents their comments about an evaluation approach that, according to president Stewart Donaldson, has "gone viral" across the globe (Donaldson, 2015). To set the stage for these critical friends' comments, additional context for their discussion is provided. In addition, this special topic edition concludes with a brief comment on their thoughts. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. RISK VIP: Evaluation of Flood Risk on the French Railway Network Using an Innovative GIS Approach

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cheetham Mark

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Flooding can have significant direct and indirect negative effects on a railway network affecting both infrastructure and rail operations. Such impacts include the delaying or cancelling of train services, damage to railway structures or the implementation of costly maintenance and monitoring programs to ensure the safety and performance of the railway system. Identifying sections of railway line at risk from flooding allows appropriate actions to be targeted at specific areas and contributes to an effective asset management plan. Flooding of railway infrastructure can have numerous sources including surface water run-off, insufficient capacity of hydraulic structures or the inundation of embankments located in floodplains. Consequences of flooding include the destabilisation of structures (surface erosion of embankments or the undermining of bridge foundations, differential settlement of structures and damage to the track structure. This paper details an innovative approach developed at the SNCF using a Geographic Information System (GIS model to identify zones of the railway network at risk of different types of flooding. The GIS model RiskVIP has been constructed through the assessment of three distinct components of risk: “Vulnerability” (assessment of the susceptibility of the railway infrastructure to flood conditions, Intensity’ (capacity of a catchment to generate a flood flow, Probability’ (probability of a rainfall event.Through the application of decision trees, the component ‘Intensity’ has been characterised in the model by the physical properties of the catchment intercepted by the railway line (surface area of the catchment, slope and land cover characteristics and “Vulnerability” by the infrastructure itself (type, geometry and the presence of hydraulic structures. In order to evaluate its efficiency at identifying sites at risk of flooding, the model has been tested in the region of Languedoc-Roussillon in France

  4. Muslim Education, Celebrating Islam and Having Fun As Counter-Radicalization Strategies in Indonesia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mark Woodward

    2010-11-01

    Full Text Available The paper refutes the linkage of Muslim education in Indonesia with radicalization, and addresses the commonly held, if incorrect, perception that theological conservatism has a causal relationship with violent extremism. Rather than a causal agent for extremism, Muslim education in Indonesia tends to operate as a protective mechanism against radicalization, as does participation in vibrant religious and cultural celebrations. Students attending the secular universities are most susceptible to extremist discourse, through the process of re-Islamization and the development of a stark and detached rational understanding of Islam. 

  5. CERN takes part in the GE200.CH celebrations | 30 May - 1 June

    CERN Multimedia

    2014-01-01

    Come and discover the universe of CERN at the Mont Blanc rotunda during a weekend of celebrations marking the 200th anniversary of the arrival of the confederate troops at Geneva’s Port Noir.   CERN will also be taking part in the procession through the city centre from 2.30 p.m. to 5.00 p.m. on Saturday 31 May. Starting at the Parc des Bastions, the procession will pass through the Rues Basses and along the lake to the Port Noir. More information on this event here.  

  6. An 80th birthday celebration for the Ericsons

    CERN Multimedia

    CERN Bulletin

    2010-01-01

    A Chinese proverb says that happiness is when friends coming from far and away meet and talk to each other. These wise words could very well be used to sum up the celebrations in honour of the 80th birthdays of Magda and Torleif Ericson, a couple in the normal sense of the word and often also in the field of physics. Torleif joined CERN's Theory Division in 1960, initially to work at the intersection of nuclear and particle physics at the Synchrocyclotron, and retired in 1995.   During the celebratory event on 17 September, speakers reviewed the depth and breadth of the contributions which both Torleif and Magda have made to theoretical physics in general and to nuclear physics in particular. José Bernabeu, Guy Chanfray, Wolfram Wiese, Achim Richter and Anthony Thomas all covered the considerable research that has been stimulated by the Ericson-Ericson correlation(s) over the past 50 years. A concert by the violinist Jean-Philippe Audoli and the pianist Blandine Eynaud and an informal...

  7. Disney urbaniste : la ville de Celebration en Floride

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sophie Didier

    1999-05-01

    Full Text Available L´inauguration de la ville de Célébration par la compagnie Disney a marqué en 1996 la première véritable incursion du groupe dans la planification d´une ville tout entière connue pour accueillir 20.000 habitants permanents. Du point de vue de saconception, Celebration se rattache au récent courant de la planification néo-traditionnelle et fonctionne à ce titre comme la Main Street des parcs d´attraction, ville-refuge faisant explicitement référencé à un passé idéalisé. Cet article s´attache essentiellement à montrer les influences qui ont présidé la création et à la vente de cette ville idéale promue comme une alternative aux banlieues dégradées des années cinquante de la Sun Belt, et analyse les réactions qui ont accueilli l´inauguration de la ville dans la presse américaine.

  8. The LHC inauguration in pictures - LHCfest

    CERN Multimedia

    2008-01-01

    After the VIPs had left, 3000 other ‘very important people’ turned up to celebrate at the LHCfest. The party for CERN personnel involved in the LHC was a huge success and very popular. At the mention of food the crowd moved into SM18 where the buffet was being served. Some of the equipment in SM18 served as useful tables. AlpineKat performed the now notorious LHC rap, with a little help from Lyn Evans who joined her on stage as a backing dancer. You can watch a video of the rap at http://www.cern.ch/project-tv/LHCFest.html Even when most people thought that the last shuttles had left, the party was still going strong with the Canettes blues band.

  9. Transgenic rice plants expressing a fused protein of Cry1Ab/Vip3H has resistance to rice stem borers under laboratory and field conditions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Yang; Tian, Jun-Ce; Shen, Zhi-Chen; Peng, Yu-Fa; Hu, Cui; Guo, Yu-Yuan; Ye, Gong-Yin

    2010-08-01

    Six transgenic rice, Oryza sativa L., lines (G6H1, G6H2, G6H3, G6H4, G6H5, and G6H6) expressing a fused Cry1Ab/Vip3H protein, were evaluated for resistance against the Asiatic rice borer, Chilo suppressalis (Walker) (Lepidoptera: Crambidae), and the stem borer Sesamia inferens (Walker) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in the laboratory and field. The bioassay results indicated that the mortality of Asiatic rice borer and S. inferens neonate larvae on six transgenic lines from seedling to filling stage was up to 100% at 168 h after infestation. The cumulative feeding area by Asiatic rice borer neonate larvae on all transgenic lines was significantly reduced compared with the untransformed parental 'Xiushui 110' rice. A 2-yr field evaluation showed that damage during the vegetative stage (deadheart) or during the reproductive stage (whitehead) caused by Asiatic rice borer and S. inferens for transgenic lines was much lower than the control. For three lines (G6H1, G6H2, and G6H6), no damage was found during the entire growing period. Estimation of fused Cry1Ab/Vip3H protein concentrations using PathoScreen kit for Bt-Cry1Ab/1Ac protein indicated that the expression levels of Cry1Ab protein both in main stems (within the average range of 0.006-0.073% of total soluble protein) and their flag leaves (within the average range of 0.001-0.038% of total soluble protein) were significantly different among six transgenic lines at different developmental stages. Both laboratory and field researches suggested that the transgenic rice lines have considerable potential for protecting rice from attack by both stem borers.

  10. 76 FR 31230 - Safety Zone; M.I.T.'s 150th Birthday Celebration Fireworks, Charles River, Boston, MA

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-05-31

    ...-AA00 Safety Zone; M.I.T.'s 150th Birthday Celebration Fireworks, Charles River, Boston, MA AGENCY... regulated area on the Charles River around the fireworks launch barge during the fireworks display... portions of the Charles River during a fireworks display. This rule will not have a significant economic...

  11. The Potential Social Benefits of Gifaataa Celebration of Wolaita

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Meshesha Make Jobo

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available This study was intended to explore the potential social benefits of 'Gifaataa' Celebration of Wolaita (GCW. The subjects used were 600 individuals selected by availability sampling and 12 elders selected by purposive sampling (by their deep knowledge of overall indigenous wisdom of Wolaita from six selected Woredas of Wolaita Zone. The descriptive survey research design was used having the quantitative and qualitative data collected through questionnaire, face-to-face interview and FGD. The analysis was made using the eclectic approach of data analysis. The result indicated that GCW has various potential social benefits: It creates and strengthens social ties by different events. It is a venture through which Wolaitas avoid bad and evil activities through elders’ counselling and it is a vehicle through which Wolaita’s indigenous language and culture are transferred to the next generation. Furthermore, Gifaataa is also a venture for promoting the social transformation of individuals.

  12. 100th International Women’s Day Celebrated at CERN

    CERN Multimedia

    Katarina Anthony

    2011-01-01

    In celebration of the 100th year of International Women’s Day on 8 March, a special colloquium looking at high energy physics from a gender studies perspective was held at CERN.   Addressing a packed conference room, Helene Goetschel, a visiting gender studies researcher from Uppsala University, gave a presentation on a subject unfamiliar to most physicists: sociology. And more specifically, on the findings of gender researchers examining the field of high energy physics. “It was heartening to see so many CERN physicists interested in hearing how sociologists and historians see their community,” said Helene. “Examining our personal issues with gender is difficult, and I applaud anyone who takes an interest in the subject.” Helene Goetschel began her academic career in high-energy physics, but encountered a 'glass ceiling' in her work. In 1990, she decided to change the focus of her studies to the history of science – specifically looking ...

  13. Celebrating 50 years of the CERN Computing Operations group

    CERN Multimedia

    Katarina Anthony

    2013-01-01

    Last week, former and current computing operations staff, managers and system engineers were reunited at CERN. They came together to celebrate a milestone not only for the IT Department but also for CERN: the 50th anniversary of the CERN Operations group and the 40th birthday of the Computer Centre.   The reunion was organised by former chief operator, Pierre Bénassi, and took place from 26 to 27 April. Among the 44 attendees were Neil Spoonley and Charles Symons, who together created the Operations group back in 1963. “At that time, working in the Operations group was a very physical job,” recalls former Operations Group Leader, David Underhill. “For that reason, many of the first operators were former firemen.” A few of the participants enjoyed a tour of CERN landmarks during their visit (see photo). The group toured the CERN Computing Centre (accompanied by IT Department Head, Frédéric Hemmer), as well as the ATLAS cav...

  14. Bridging the Past and the Future: How a Community Learned from and Celebrated with 21st-Century Learners

    Science.gov (United States)

    Delli, Dane A.; Silverman, Mathew A.

    2012-01-01

    River Trails School District 26--a K-8 public school district in Mount Prospect, Illinois, with 1,580 students--developed, implemented, and celebrated a student-centered public relations event that focused on reading and technology. The literacy and technology fair drew hundreds of parents, students, staff, and community members to the district…

  15. Industrial Informatics & Signal Processing Research Group (iisp) 1995 -2015 - celebrating 50 years of engineering at Sussex University

    OpenAIRE

    Chatwin, Chris; Young, Rupert; Birch, Philip; Yang, Tai

    2015-01-01

    The presentation gives a partial summary of some of the research conducted by the Industrial Informatics & Signal Processing Research Group over the last 20 years. This was to celebrate 50 years of Engineering at Sussex University; many of our past graduates attended. The conference was a great success and culminated in a very enjoyable dinner with all the delegates and presenters.

  16. An Experimental Test of the Roles of Audience Involvement and Message Frame in Shaping Public Reactions to Celebrity Illness Disclosures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Myrick, Jessica Gall

    2018-04-13

    Much research has investigated what happens when celebrities disclose an illness (via media) to the public. While audience involvement (i.e., identification and parasocial relationships) is often the proposed mechanism linking illness disclosures with audience behavior change, survey designs have prevented researchers from understanding if audience involvement prior to the illness disclosure actually predicts post-disclosure emotions, cognitions, and behaviors. Rooted in previous work on audience involvement as well as the Extended Parallel Process Model, the present study uses a national online experiment (N = 1,068) to test how pre-disclosure audience involvement may initiate post-disclosure effects for the message context of skin cancer. The data demonstrate that pre-disclosure audience involvement as well as the celebrity's framing of the disclosure can shape emotional responses (i.e., fear and hope), and that cognitive perceptions of the illness itself also influence behavioral intentions.

  17. Hails from the crypt: a terror management health model investigation of the effectiveness of health-oriented versus celebrity-oriented endorsements.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McCabe, Simon; Vail, Kenneth E; Arndt, Jamie; Goldenberg, Jamie L

    2014-03-01

    Interfacing the terror management health model with the meaning transfer model, we offer novel hypotheses concerning the effectiveness of celebrity and medical endorsements for consumer products and health behavior decisions. Studies 1 and 2 revealed that, compared with control topic primes, death thoughts in focal attention increased the effectiveness of health-oriented (doctor) endorsers but not culture-oriented (celebrity) endorsers, whereas death thoughts outside of focal attention increased the effectiveness of culture-oriented endorsers but not health-oriented endorsers. Studies 3 and 4 then focus more specifically on the valence and specificity of culture-oriented endorsements, revealing that death thoughts outside focal attention increase the effectiveness of culture-oriented endorsers only on the behaviors specifically endorsed and only when the endorser is characterized as possessing cultural value. Discussion focuses on everyday management of existential concerns and implications for persuasive communications in the health domain.

  18. Vasoactive intestinal peptide causes marked cephalic vasodilation, but does not induce migraine

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rahmann, A.; Wienecke, T.; Hansen, J.M.

    2008-01-01

    -blind crossover study. Headache was scored on a verbal rating scale (VRS), mean blood flow velocity in the middle cerebral artery (V-mean MCA) was measured by transcranial Doppler ultrasonography, and diameter of the superficial temporal artery (STA) by high-frequency ultrasound. None of the subjects reported...... a migraine attack after VIP infusion. VIP induced a mild immediate headache (maximum 2 on VRS) compared with placebo (P = 0.005). Three patients reported delayed headache (3-11 h after infusion) after VIP and two after placebo (P = 0.89). V-mean MCA decreased (16.3 +/- 5.9%) and diameter of STA increased...

  19. Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital annual report and accounts,1996: celebrating 100 years.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    1997-01-01

    The Dublin Eye and Ear Hospital Act, 1897 came in to force on 15th July 1897. The Act provided for the amalgamation of the National Eye and Ear Hospital in Molesworth Street (founded in 1814) and St Mark\\'s Ophthalmic Hospital in Lincoln Place founded in 1844 by Sir William R. Wilde) and established this Hospital. We are therefore celebrating this year the completion of one hundred year of service by the Hospital to the citizens of Dublin and indeed to people from all parts of Ireland.

  20. Reporting on What Jane Saw 2.0: Female Celebrity and Sensationalism in Boydell’s Shakespeare Gallery

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Janine Barchas

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available This essay reports on ongoing efforts to build an accurate digital model of John Boydell’s popular Shakespeare Gallery precisely as it looked in August 1796—when a 20-year-old Jane Austen visited London’s sites, staying within a ten-minute walk from the gallery. The essay argues for the substantial difference between studying Boydell’s pictures in a paper volume (whether as lists, illustrations in books, or engraved folio plates and viewing them as an exhibition of paintings on walls, albeit virtual ones. For example, the digital reconstruction illuminated commissions from several female participants in Boydell’s male-dominated gallery, especially Angelica Kauffman (1741-1807 and Anne Seymour Damer (1749-1828. In addition, the essay also recounts how the celebrity of model Emma Hart/Hamilton (1765-1815 safeguarded one Boydell painting from oblivion while The Shakespeare Gallery proved the site of a strange form of self-promotion practiced by actress Mary Wells (1762-1829. Our digital visualization of an historic exhibition in 1796 brought the controversial celebrity of a few women artists into focus. In sum, this essay shows DH methodology in action while sampling what might be gleaned when digital tools serve historical scholarship in the humanities.