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An Optical Thomson Scattering (OTS) diagnostic is currently being developed for the National Ignition Facility (NIF) at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. This diagnostic is designed to make measurements of the hohlraum plasma parameters, such as the electron temperature and the density, during inertial confinement fusion (ICF) experiments. NIF ICF experiments present a very challenging environment for optical measurements; by their very nature, hohlraums produce intense soft x-ray emission, which can cause "blanking" (radiation induced opacity) of the radiation facing optical components. The soft x-ray fluence at the surface of the OTS blast shield, 60 cm from the hohlraum, is estimated to be ~8 J cm-2. This is significantly above the expected threshold for the onset of "blanking" effects. A novel xenon plasma x-ray shield is proposed to protect the blast shield from x-rays and mitigate "blanking." Estimates suggest that an areal density of 1019 cm-2 Xe atoms will be sufficient to absorb 99.5% of the soft x-ray flux. Two potential designs for this shield are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The inherent costs of sophisticated molecular-based diagnostic tests are of significant importance to managed care organizations. Providers of molecular diagnostic services have emphasized that these tests can provide a reduced length of stay for hospitalized patients resulting from earlier definitive diagnosis, a reduction in the use of less expensive nondefinitive tests, a reduction in expensive ancillary diagnostic services such as radiologic imaging and endoscopies, an enhanced ability to predict disease outcome and responses to various expensive therapies, and new programs in detecting disease risk and maintaining patient wellness. In order for these newer molecular-based tests to be included in the list of covered services by the health maintenance organizations (HMOs), the clinical value and potential cost-benefit ratios must be articulated to the medical directors, administrative officials, and subscribers of the HMOs by the molecular diagnostic test providers.

Hypoglycemia is a frequent paraneoplastic complication of hepatocellular carcinoma occurring in up to 30% of cases of this neoplasm. The clear cell carcinoma, a notable histological subtype of hepatocellular carcinoma, however, has been associated with hypoglycemia in only two previously reported patients from Japan. We report herein the first American case of clear cell hepatocellular carcinoma with severe hypoglycemia. The patient also suffered from hypercholesterolemia and erythrocytosis. Fine needle aspiration cytology, conventional histopathology, and immunohistochemical studies of this neoplasm are described. Possible explanations for the clear cell appearance and a comparison of the clinical and morphological features of clear cell and nonclear cell hepatocellular carcinoma is made. Potential pathophysiological mechanisms for the paraneoplastic complications of hypoglycemia, hypercholesterolemia, and erythrocytosis are discussed.