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We present experimental studies of inverted-corona targets as neutron sources at the OMEGA Laser Facility and the National Ignition Facility (NIF). Laser beams are directed onto the inner walls of a capsule via laser-entrance holes (LEHs), heating the target interior to fusion conditions. The fusion fuel is provided either as a wall liner, e.g., deuterated plastic (CD), or as a gas fill, e.g., D 2 gas. Such targets are robust to low-mode drive asymmetries, allowing for single-sided laser drive. On OMEGA, 1.8-mm-diameter targets with either a 10-μm CD liner or up to 2 atm of D 2 -gas fill were driven with up to 18 kJ of laser energy in a 1-ns square pulse. Neutron yields of up to 1.5 × 10 10 generally followed expected trends with fill pressure or laser energy, although the data imply some mix of the CH wall into the fusion fuel for either design. Comparable performance was observed with single-sided (1x LEH) or double-sided (2x LEH) drive. NIF experiments tested the platform at scaled up dimensions and energies, combining a 15-μm CD liner and a 3-atm D 2 -gas fill in a 4.5-mm diameter target, laser-driven with up to 330 kJ. Neutron yields up to 2.6 × 10 12 were measured, exceeding the scaled yield expectation from the OMEGA data. The observed energy scaling on the NIF implies that the neutron production is gas dominated, suggesting a performance boost from using deuterium-tritium (DT) gas. We estimate that neutron yields exceeding 10 14 should be readily achievable using a modest laser drive of ∼300 kJ with a DT fill.

The lymphocyte response to antigen of Staphylococcus aureus was examined in 67 uninfected diabetic subjects and in 71 age-matched subjects who were not diabetic. Peripheral blood lymphocytes were exposed to phytohemagglutinin and to antigen of S. aureus in triplicate cultures in the lymphocyte transformation assay. Diabetic subjects including those who were in good metabolic control had significantly decreased responses to staphylococcal antigen (P less than 0.05) but not to phytohemagglutinin. The use of fetal calf serum in place of autologous plasma in the nutrient medium did not correct the defect. Lymphocytes from normal subjects were cultured in diabetic plasma as well as in autologous plasma; the differences were not significant. These findings indicate that diabetic persons have an impaired response to staphylococcal antigen, a defect which appears to be in the lymphocyte itself and not in the serum factor.