Measurements of an ablator-gas atomic mix in indirectly driven implosions at the National Ignition Facility.

We present the first results from an experimental campaign to measure the atomic ablator-gas mix in the deceleration phase of gas-filled capsule implosions on the National Ignition Facility. Plastic capsules containing CD layers were filled with tritium gas; as the reactants are initially separated, DT fusion yield provides a direct measure of the atomic mix of ablator into the hot spot gas. Capsules were imploded with x rays generated in hohlraums with peak radiation temperatures of ∼294 eV. While the TT fusion reaction probes conditions in the central part (core) of the implosion hot spot, the DT reaction probes a mixed region on the outer part of the hot spot near the ablator-hot-spot interface. Experimental data were used to develop and validate the atomic-mix model used in two-dimensional simulations.

[Transfer of skills: implementing post-transplant follow-up care status for transplant nurses: a report by the SFGM-TC]. / Transfert de compétence : la mise en place d'un statut infirmier(ère) de greffe pour le suivi post-greffe : un rapport par la SFGM-TC.

The number of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantations has globally taken off in the past decade. However, this increase in transplantation activity has put in the spotlight the need to create a special transplantation-skilled population of nurses. This type of specialisation allocated solely to this activity has not existed within the French nursing community until now. In the attempt to harmonize clinical practices between different French transplantation centers, the French Society of Bone Marrow Transplantation and Cell Therapy (SFGM-TC) sets up its forth annual series of workshops which brought together practitioners from all member centers and took place in September 2013 in Lille. Here we report our results and recommendations regarding the implementation of a transplant nurse status for post-transplant follow-up care.

Measurement of the T + T neutron spectrum using the national ignition facility.

Neutron time-of-flight spectra from inertial confinement fusion experiments with tritium-filled targets have been measured at the National Ignition Facility. These spectra represent a significant improvement in energy resolution and statistics over previous measurements, and afford the first definitive observation of a peak resulting from sequential decay through the ground state of (5)He at low reaction energies E(c.m.) 100

Alterations in intravascular volume affect the relation between right ventricular diastolic collapse and the hemodynamic severity of cardiac tamponade.

Right ventricular diastolic collapse has been demonstrated to be a sensitive and specific sign of cardiac tamponade. Because the shape and position of the right ventricular wall are related to the relative pressures within the pericardial space and the right ventricular chamber, the usefulness of right ventricular diastolic collapse as a marker of cardiac tamponade may be influenced by intravascular volume and right heart filling pressures. This study was undertaken to determine the effects of volume loading and hemorrhage on the point within the hemodynamic progression of cardiac tamponade at which right ventricular diastolic collapse first appears. Five unanesthetized, chronically instrumented dogs were studied with two-dimensional echocardiography during 41 episodes of cardiac tamponade induced by the intrapericardial infusion of warm saline solution. Intravascular volume was adjusted before cardiac tamponade to a hypovolemic, euvolemic or hypervolemic state using saline solution and dextran infusion or hemorrhaging to achieve the prescribed mean right atrial blood pressure. The measurements recorded during each episode of cardiac tamponade were right atrial blood pressure, aortic blood pressure, cardiac output (by electromagnetic flow meter), heart rate and intrapericardial pressure. When compared with the euvolemic state, the onset of right ventricular diastolic collapse in volume contraction occurred at a lower intrapericardial pressure (with a lower aortic blood pressure and cardiac output), whereas in volume expansion it occurred at a higher intrapericardial pressure (with a higher aortic blood pressure and cardiac output). Volume expansion delayed the decrease in hemodynamic variables during cardiac tamponade in this canine model.

Hyperpipecolic acidemia. Occurrence in an infant with clinical findings of the cerebrohepatorenal (Zellweger) syndrome.

An infant with clinical presentation of the cerebrohepatorenal syndrome (CHRS) of Zellweger was found to have increased plasma and urinary concentrations of pipecolic acid. When given a loading dose of DL-pipecolic acid hydrochloride, she showed a reduced clearance rate for that acid. Piperidine, delta 6-piperidine-2-carboxylic acid, and alpha-aminoadipic acid were not detected in plasma or urine. Her response to a lysine load was comparable to that of controls. These data provide further evidence of the connection between hyperpipecolic acidemia and CHRS.

Growth retardation, alopecia, pseudo-anodontia, and optic atrophy--the GAPO syndrome: report of a patient and review of the literature.

The GAPO syndrome is a rare but distinct autosomal-recessive disorder. The term GAPO is an acronym for the manifestations of Growth retardation. Alopecia, Pseudo- anodontia (failure of tooth eruption), and progressive Optic atrophy. We are aware of five other published patients. All have a strikingly similar appearance. This, along with other distinct manifestations, should allow clear differentiation from other causes of growth retardation. The hypothesis of autosomal-recessive inheritance is based on parental consanguinity and affected sibs in several cases.

The Dubowitz syndrome.

The Dubowitz syndrome is an autosomal recessive condition of intrauterine growth retardation, postnatal growth retardation, microcephaly, characteristic facial appearance, high-pitched hoarse voice, and borderline intelligence or mild mental retardation. Cleft palate may occur as well as hypospadias, cryptorchidism in affected males, and mild limb defects. The 13 cases reported in the European literature and eight personally examined patients are reviewed.

Duplication 6q syndrome.

Duplication (partial trisomy) of the long arm of chromosome 6 has been described in 5 children [Robertson et al, 1975, Chen et al, 1976, Clark, 1977]. We wish to report here an additional case due to a familial translocation in which the proband's karyotype is 46,XX,der(3),rcp(3;6)(p25;q21)mat. The phenotypes of the 6 children with duplication 6q are strikingly similar. Each child has duplication involving approximately the distal 1/3 to 1/2 of the long arm of chromosome 6. Distinctive features present in all 6 children include microcephaly, acrocephaly, prominent forehead, flat facial profile, depressed nasal bridge, flat malar areas, "carp" mouth, micrognathia and mental retardation. The phenotype of the duplication 6q syndrome is distinctive enough to be clinically recognizable.

Steroid excretion and metabolism by gonadal tissue from a subject with testicular feminization syndrome.

The initial clinical, pathological, and hormonal investigation of a patient with testicular feminization syndrome is described. Incubation of gonadal tissue with various radioactive substrates, together with the isolation and identification of the resulting metabolites, was demonstrated a high capacity to synthesize testosterone. Two biosynthetic pathways were demonstrated, originating from progesterone and pregnenolone. These are essentially similar to those of the normal adult testes. Low levels of activity were found in the phenolic fractions and no measurable production of oestrone, oestradiol, or oestriol was found.

The effects of mandatory seat belt legislation on self-reported seat belt use among male and female college students.

The effect of seat belt legislation on self-reported seat belt use among male and female college students was investigated. Questionnaires inquiring about seat belt use were administered to college students on three separate occasions: (i) two months prior to the time a mandatory seat belt law went into effect, (ii) two months after the law went into effect, and (iii) 16 months after the law went into effect. Reported seat belt use increased significantly for male and female college students two months after the law took effect. At 16 months postlaw, reported seat belt use remained high for female students but declined almost to the prelaw level for males. Possible reasons offered for these findings are that male college students may be more resistant to having their behavior regulated and, therefore, less likely to internalize changes forced on them, and college-age males may be more inclined to engage in risk-taking behavior than college-age females. The importance of considering males and females separately with respect to seat belt use and interventions designed to increase seat belt use is discussed.

Beliefs about smoking and health: their measurement and relationship to smoking behavior.

A scale was constructed to measure four types of beliefs about smoking and health. According to Krietler and Krietler's (Cognitive Orientation and Behavior, New York, Springer, 1976) cognitive orientation model these four types of beliefs--general beliefs, goal beliefs, self beliefs, and norm beliefs--direct an individual's molar behavior. Four subscales, representing each of the four belief types were found to have moderately high levels of internal consistency and test-retest reliability. Factor analysis indicated a relatively high independence for the two subscales measuring self and goal beliefs, but found some overlap between the two subscales measuring norm and general beliefs. Smokers, former smokers, and nonsmokers were found to differ in predictable ways on the four subscales and the combined scale. Also the length of time that former smokers had been abstinent as well as length of smoking habit and number of cigarettes smoked per day by smokers were found to be related to some of these beliefs. Implications of these findings for smoking cessation intervention programs are discussed.

Ga-67 cardiac uptake.

A case of positive Ga-67 image due to tuberculous pericarditis is presented. The pattern and distribution of the uptake suggested that the concentration of the activity was mainly in the inflamed pericardium. The known causes of Ga-67 cardiac uptake were reviewed, and a differential diagnosis is given.

The relationship between static occlusion and functional occlusion in a dental school population.

The relationship between static occlusion and functional occlusion was evaluated in 101 dental and dental hygiene students. The sample was selected from a population of 467 students who were enrolled at one dental school during the 1987-1988 academic year based upon the following criteria: age range 18 to 32 years; caucasian race; no prior orthodontic treatment; at least 28 natural teeth present; no occlusal adjustments; and no large restorations, crowns or bridges. Fifty-two (52) of the subjects possessed "normal" static occlusion, 26 had a Class I malocclusion, 16 were found to have a Class II malocclusion, and 7 had a Class III malocclusion. The majority (i.e., 75%) of the 101 subjects possessed non-working (balancing) functional contacts. Seventy-five (75) of the subjects possessed balanced occlusion, nine had canine-protected occlusion, nine possessed group function occlusion, and eight had mixed canine-protected/group functional occlusion. This study found no statistically significant relationship between static occlusion and functional occlusion, however, there was a trend for balanced occlusion to be more often associated with "normal" (ideal) static occlusion.

The effects of beliefs about smoking and health on smoking cessation.

The purpose of this study was to examine whether beliefs of an American sample about smoking and health, as defined by cognitive orientation theory, would determine those smoking cessation program participants who would become abstainers and those who would not. Although the smoking cessation program was not designed to influence the specific kinds of beliefs studied, subscales measuring two of the four types of beliefs differentiated participants who would become abstainers from those who would not. Abstainers tended to have stronger goal beliefs about their desire to quit smoking, and stronger beliefs about the health-related implications of smoking. Participants' beliefs that they could resist an urge to smoke, which implied the use of coping skills, were more important in determining who would abstain from smoking than was their confidence that they could quit smoking, which implied the use of willpower.

Behavioral adjustment of psychiatric hospital patients and helping behavior.

This study investigated the relationship between behavioral adjustment of mental hospital patients and helping behavior in two distinctly different controlled situations. Forty hospitalized male patients between the ages of 20 and 45 were assigned to two groups of equal size according to ratings they received on the MACC Behavioral Adjustment Scale. Each subject was exposed to two separate and independent experimental situations calling for helping behavior. Helping in the first situation was defined as offering a confederate the use of an extra pencil, while in the second it was defined as offering to help a confederate in the hallway to pick up a box of pencils that had just been dropped. The results of both experiments confirmed the hypothesis that persons suffering more severe levels of disturbance and maladjustment perform significantly fewer helpful acts. Results were discussed in terms of empathy, self-concern, and response cost. Also some implications for treatment were discussed.

Hohlraum-driven ignitionlike double-shell implosions on the omega laser facility.

High-convergence ignitionlike double-shell implosion experiments have been performed on the Omega laser facility [T. R. Boehly, Opt. Commun. 133, 495 (1997)] using cylindrical gold hohlraums with 40 drive beams. Repeatable, dominant primary (2.45 MeV) neutron production from the mix-susceptible compressional phase of a double-shell implosion, using fall-line design optimization and exacting fabrication standards, is experimentally inferred from time-resolved core x-ray imaging. Effective control of fuel-pusher mix during final compression is essential for achieving noncryogenic ignition with double-shell targets on the National Ignition Facility [Paisner, Laser Focus World 30, 75 (1994)].

Early postpartum tubal ligation under epidural analgesia.

Tubal ligation under epidural analgesia in the early puerperium (within 10 hours of delivery) was attempted in 51 patients who had an epidural block established during labour. The results are described. No major difficulties were encountered.