Preliminary vegetation map of the Espenberg Peninsula, Alaska, based on an Earth Resources Technology Satellite image

There are no author-identified significant results in this report

Hands-On Universe: A Global Program for Education and Public Outreach in Astronomy

Hands-On Universe (HOU) is an educational program that enables students to investigate the Universe while applying tools and concepts from science, math, and technology. Using the Internet, HOU participants around the world request observations from an automated telescope, download images from a large image archive, and analyze them with the aid of user-friendly image processing software. This program is developing now in many countries, including the USA, France, Germany, Sweden, Japan, Australia, and others. A network of telescopes has been established among these countries, many of them remotely operated, as shown in the accompanying demo. Using this feature, students in the classroom are able to make night observations during the day, using a telescope placed in another country. An archive of images taken on large telescopes is also accessible, as well as resources for teachers. Students are also dealing with real research projects, e.g. the search for asteroids, which resulted in the discovery of a Kuiper Belt object by high-school students. Not only Hands-On Universe gives the general public an access to professional astronomy, but it is also a more general tool to demonstrate the use of a complex automated system, the techniques of data processing and automation. Last but not least, through the use of telescopes located in many countries over the globe, a form of powerful and genuine cooperation between teachers and children from various countries is promoted, with a clear educational goal.Comment: 4 pages, 1 figure, to appear in the proceedings of the ADASS X conference, Boston, October 2000, ASP conf. pro

Weight loss surgery in adolescents corrects high-density lipoprotein subspecies and their function.

Background/objectiveYouth with obesity have an altered high-density lipoprotein (HDL) subspecies profile characterized by depletion of large apoE-rich HDL particles and an enrichment of small HDL particles. The goal of this study was to test the hypothesis that this atherogenic HDL profile is reversible and that HDL function would improve with metabolic surgery.MethodsSerum samples from adolescent males with severe obesity mean±s.d. age of 17.4±1.6 years were studied at baseline and 1 year following vertical sleeve gastrectomy (VSG). HDL subspecies and HDL function were evaluated pre and post VSG using paired t-tests. A lean group of adolescents was included as a reference group.ResultsAfter VSG, body mass index decreased by 32% and insulin resistance as estimated by homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance decreased by 75% (both P<0.01). Large apoE-rich HDL subspecies increased following VSG (P<0.01) and approached that of lean adolescents despite participants with considerable residual obesity. In addition, HDL function improved compared with baseline (cholesterol efflux capacity increased by 12%, HDL lipid peroxidation potential decreased by 30% and HDL anti-oxidative capacity improved by 25%, all P<0.01).ConclusionsMetabolic surgery results in a significant improvement in the quantity of large HDL subspecies and HDL function. Our data suggest metabolic surgery may improve cardiovascular risk in adolescents and young adults

Simple technologies for fabrication of low-loss silica waveguides

A simple and reproducible technology is developed for the fabrication of low-loss silica waveguides on silicon substrates. The guiding layer is formed by changing the Si-O ratio composition of the SiO/sub 2/ layer. The waveguides can be made to have a good match to either optical fibres or guided-wave devices in III-V compound semiconductor

Effective Product Placement

Mit der zunehmenden Verbreitung gezielter Produktplatzierungen in amerikanischen Unterhaltungsprogrammen wächst auch das Interesse der deutschen Werbeindustrie an einer Nutzung dieses Instruments zur werblichen Kommunikation. Bis dato mangelt es jedoch an wissenschaftlichen Untersuchungen, welche die in der Marketingpraxis bestehenden Unsicherheiten hinsichtlich eines effektiven Einsatzes von Product Placements beseitigen. In der Forschungsliteratur existiert bislang noch keine umfassende wissenschaftliche Betrachtung potentieller Determinanten und Konsequenzen der Werbewirkung von Product Placements. Das Erkenntnisziel dieser Studie liegt darin, einen wesentlichen Beitrag zur Schließung dieser Forschungslücke beizusteuern. Zunächst erfolgt eine ausführliche Darstellung des Forschungsstands zur Werbeeffektivität von Product Placements. Auf dieser Basis werden die Determinanten der Einstellungswirkung zur platzierten Marke und der damit verbundenen Kaufabsicht identifiziert. Die erarbeiteten Wirkungszusammenhänge werden in ein komplexes Hypothesensystem integriert und anhand der Analyse von empirisch erhobenen Daten (n= 309) unter Verwendung eines linearen Strukturgleichungsmodells überprüft. Die Ergebnisse der Untersuchung belegen, dass die Einstellung zur platzierten Marke und die daraus resultierende Kaufabsicht in hohem Maße durch die Gestaltung der Produktplatzierung beeinflusst werden. Darunter erweisen sich mehrere vom Marketing-Management direkt beeinflussbare Gestaltungsdeterminanten der Werbeeffektivität als signifikant. Die Werbewirkung ist umso effektiver, je höher die wahrgenommene Kongruenz zwischen Marke und Film sowie zwischen Marke und Hauptfigur ausfällt. Weiterhin übt die wahrgenommene Attraktivität der Hauptfigur einen positiven Effekt auf die Einstellung zur platzierten Marke aus. Schließlich kann auch ein positiver Einfluss der durch den Film induzierten Stimmung auf die Werbeeffektivität von Product Placements nachgewiesen werden