Walking on snow-covered Arctic sea ice to infer ice thickness.

The ice-covered Arctic Ocean constitutes a unique underwater acoustic waveguide; it is a half-channel, upward refracting environment possessing a rough upper boundary consisting of sea ice of varying thickness. The sea ice itself is an acoustic waveguide, capable of supporting the propagation of compressional and shear waves. In particular, the ice supports compressional wave resonances created by impulsive forces on the upper surface of the ice.

Prescription coverage in indigent patients affects the use of long-acting opioids in the management of cancer pain.

Purpose: We tested the hypothesis that prescription coverage affects the prescribing of long-acting opiates to indigent inner city minority patients with cancer pain.

Materials And Methods: We conducted a chart review of 360 patients treated in the Oncology Practice at University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey University Hospital, who were prescribed opiate pain medications. Half the patients were charity care or self-pay (CC/SP), without the benefit of prescription coverage, and half had Medicaid, with unlimited prescription coverage.

Seed grants as a means of stimulating cancer research funding.

Objectives: Seed grant programs have been suggested as an innovative way to launch new initiatives. We evaluated one such program designed to stimulate cancer research in a state with little to moderate cancer research activity. Success was defined as the ability of seed grant recipients to develop proposals, obtain external funding and publish the results of cancer-related research.

Influence of prescription benefits on reported pain in cancer patients.

Objective: To identify associations between prescription coverage and cancer pain and its sequelae in indigent patients.

Design And Setting: A retrospective chart review at UMDNJ-University Hospital.

Patients And Outcome Measures: Charts from 20 patients with Medicaid and 20 patients categorized as Self-pay/Charity Care were analyzed for the influence of insurance coverage on reported pain at the time of a hospital discharge and at three subsequent clinic visits.

Improving enrollment in cancer clinical trials.

Purpose/objectives: To identify successful strategies for clinical trial recruitment.

Design: Survey research.

Setting: New Jersey institutions actively recruiting patients for clinical trials.