PWS

PWS is an acronym that can refer to several different concepts depending on the context. Notable meanings include a medical genetic disorder, a home weather-monitoring system, and a public safety alert concept.

Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) is a genetic neurodevelopmental disorder caused by the loss of function of paternal genes on chromosome 15q11-q13, typically due to paternal deletion, maternal uniparental disomy, or imprinting defects. It is characterized in infancy by hypotonia and feeding difficulties, followed by hyperphagia in childhood, which can lead to obesity. Other features include short stature, developmental and cognitive delays, behavioral problems, and hypogonadism. Management requires a multidisciplinary team and may include growth hormone therapy in childhood, structured dietary and activity plans, education and behavioral support, and regular monitoring for associated medical issues such as sleep apnea and scoliosis.

Personal Weather Station (PWS) refers to a consumer-scale meteorological data-collection system that measures temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, rainfall, wind, and sometimes solar radiation. Data are often uploaded to online networks and shared with the public through weather platforms. PWS networks enable local condition tracking and can contribute to citizen science and community forecasting efforts.

Public Warning System (PWS) denotes systems used by governments to broadcast urgent alerts to the public during emergencies. These systems use multiple channels, including sirens, radio, television, mobile alerts, and the internet. Variants and names vary by country, with examples such as emergency alert protocols and wireless alert services.

Other less common uses exist, including organizational or industry-specific acronyms, but the above represent the principal meanings in public and professional discourse.