Variations of Lower Thermospheric FUV Emissions Based on GOLD Observations and GLOW Modeling.

Here we compare the global-scale morphology of Earth's the Far-Ultraviolet (FUV) emissions observed by NASA's Global-scale Observations of Limb and Disk (GOLD) mission to those modeled using the Global Airglow (GLOW) code with atmospheric parameters provided by Thermosphere-Ionosphere-Electrodynamics General Circulation Model (TIEGCM). The O 5S oxygen (135.6 nm) and N2 Lyman-Birge-Hopfield (LBH) emissions are observed over the Western hemisphere every 30 min by the GOLD instrument. The FUV brightness of the thermosphere-ionosphere is expected to vary in systemic ways with respect to geophysical parameters, solar energy input from above, and terrestrial weather input from below. In this paper we examine the O 5S oxygen emission and the N2 LBH emission brightnesses with local time, latitude, season, tides, geomagnetic activity, and solar activity based on GOLD observations and GLOW modeling. Early GOLD observations indicate that the model effectively reproduces the brightness variations with local time and latitude but is biased low in magnitude. However, the TIEGCM is unable to accurately represent the extraordinary nighttime equatorial ionization anomaly observed by GOLD. It is also expected from these results that the signal from geomagnetic storms may obscure tidal signals.

Pancreatic beta-cells express a low affinity glucose transporter: functional consequences in normal and diabetic states.

The application of molecular biology to the study of membrane transport proteins has led to a rapid advance in our understanding of the mechanisms behind the regulation of blood glucose levels. Moreover the demonstration of lesions in the expression of GLUT2 in the islets from diabetic models has provided a focus for research efforts aimed at addressing the defects responsible for the development and onset of both type I and perhaps type II diabetes. The recent demonstration that an 'artificial beta-cell' can be engineered from anterior pituitary-derived cell lines by transfection with both the insulin cDNA and the cDNA encoding GLUT2 represents a significant advance in the development of potential therapies for type I diabetes [24].

Pain: theory, anatomy, and physiology.

Pain is a common experience of the ICU patient, with a diverse clinical manifestation. To manage pain we must understand its anatomic pathways and physiology. This article reviews the development of our understanding of the theory of pain from Descartes to the gate theory of Melzack and Wall. We will review the anatomy of the pathways of pain and the interrelationship of "A" and "C" fibers and the unique nature of the opiate receptor.