Experiments on hot and dense laser-produced plasmas

Plasmas generated by irradiating targets with {approx}20 kJ of laser energy are routinely created in inertial confinement fusion research. X-ray spectroscopy provides one of the few methods for diagnosing the electron temperature and electron density. For example, electron densities approaching 10{sup 24} cm{sup -3} have been diagnosed by spectral linewidths. However, the accuracy of the spectroscopic diagnostics depends on the population kinetics, the radiative transfer, and the line shape calculations. Analysis for the complex line transitions has recently been improved and accelerated by the use of a database where detailed calculations can be accessed rapidly and interactively. Examples of data from Xe and Ar doped targets demonstrate the current analytic methods. First we will illustrate complications that arise from the presence of a multitude of underlying spectral lines. Then, we will consider the Ar He-like 1s{sup 2}({sup 1}S{sub 0}) - 1s3p({sup 1}P{sub 0}) transition where ion dynamic effects may affect the profile. Here, the plasma conditions are such that the static ion microfield approximation is no longer valid; therefore in addition to the width, the details of the line shape can be used to provide additional information. We will compare the data to simulations and discuss the possible pitfalls involved in demonstrating the effect of ion dynamics on lineshapes

The cadherin–catenin complex in nasopharyngeal carcinoma

Abnormal Wnt signaling and impaired cell–cell adhesion due to abnormal E-cadherin and β-catenin function have been implicated in many cancers, but have not been fully explored in nasopharyngeal carcinoma. The aim of this study was to analyze β-Catenin cellular location and E-cadherin expression levels in nasopharyngeal carcinoma. E-cadherin expression levels were also correlated with clinical data and underlying pathology. β-Catenin and E-cadherin expression were examined in 18 nasopharyngeal carcinoma and 7 non-tumoral inflammatory pharynx tissues using immunohistochemical methods. Patient clinical data were collected, and histological evaluation was performed by hematoxylin/eosin staining. β-catenin was detected in membrane and cytoplasm in all cases of nasopharyngeal carcinoma, regardless of histological type; in non-tumoral tissues, however, β-catenin was observed only in the membrane. As for E-cadherin expression levels, strong staining was observed in most non-tumoral tissues, but staining was only moderate in nasopharyngeal carcinoma tissues. E-cadherin expression was associated with β-catenin localization, study group, metastatic disease, and patient outcomes. Reduced levels of E-cadherin protein observed in nasopharyngeal carinoma may play an important role in invasion and metastasis. Cytoplasmic β-catenin in nasopharyngeal carcinoma may impair cell–cell adhesion, promoting invasive behavior and a metastatic tumor phenotype

The cadherin–catenin complex in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma

Abnormal Wnt signaling and impaired cell–cell adhesion due to abnormal E-cadherin and β-catenin function have been implicated in many cancers, but have not been fully explored in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma. In this study, β-catenin cellular location and E-cadherin expression levels were analyzed in 16 laryngeal squamous cell carcinomas (LSCCs) (9 glottic and 7 supraglottic) and 11 samples of non-tumoral inflammatory larynx tissue, using immunohistochemical methods. All non-tumoral tissues showed equally strong membranous expression of β-catenin, while cytoplasmic expression was found in only 3 of the 11 samples. By contrast, whereas 8/9 glottic LSCCs exhibited only membranous expression of β-catenin, 6/7 supraglottic LSCCs displayed both membranous and cytoplasmic expression (p = 0.003). Strong E-cadherin staining was observed in 9/11 non-tumoral tissues and 7/9 glottic LSCCs, whereas 4/7 supraglottic LSCCs exhibited weak expression. Reduced membrane expression of E-cadherin and cytoplasmic retention of β-catenin in supraglottic LSCC seems to be related with more aggressive biological behavior which has been described in clinical studies. Further research is required to clarify the involvement of β-catenin in the mechanism associated with malignant transformation in laryngeal tissues

Frequent loss of the AXIN1 locus but absence of AXIN1 gene mutations in adenocarcinomas of the gastro-oesophageal junction with nuclear β-catenin expression

Up to 60% of gastro-oesophageal junction (GEJ) adenocarcinomas show nuclear β-catenin expression, pointing to activated T-cell factor (TCF)/β-catenin-driven gene transcription. We demonstrate in five human GEJ adenocarcinoma cell lines that nuclear β-catenin expression indeed correlates with enhanced TCF-mediated transcription of a reporter gene. In several tumour types, TCF/β-catenin activation is caused by mutations in either adenomatous polyposis coli (APC), β-catenin exon 3, AXIN1, AXIN2 or β-transducin repeat-containing protein (β-TrCP). In GEJ adenocarcinomas, very few APC and β-catenin mutations have been found. Therefore, the mechanism of Wnt pathway activation remains unclear. In the present study, we did not find AXIN1 gene mutations in 17 GEJ tumours with nuclear β-catenin expression (without β-catenin exon 3 mutations). Six intragenic single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were identified. One of these, the AXIN1 gene T1942C SNP, has a frequency of 21% but is only very recently described despite numerous AXIN1 gene mutational studies. We provide evidence why this SNP was missed in single strand conformation polymorphism analyses. The AXIN1 gene G2063A variation was previously described as a gene mutation but we demonstrate that this is a polymorphism. With these six SNPs loss of heterozygosity (LOH) was found in 11 of 15 (73%) informative tumours. To investigate a possible AXIN1 gene dosage effect in GEJ tumours expressing nuclear β-catenin, AXIN1 locus LOH was determined in 20 tumours expressing membranous and no nuclear β-catenin. LOH was found in 10 of 13 (77%) informative cases. AXIN1 protein immunohistochemistry revealed cytoplasmic expression in all tumours irrespective of the presence of AXIN1 locus LOH. These data indicate that nuclear β-catenin expression is indicative for activated Wnt signalling and that neither AXIN1 gene mutations nor AXIN1 locus LOH are involved in Wnt pathway activation in GEJ adenocarcinomas

Prenatal diagnosis of congenital lung malformations.

Prenatal diagnosis of congenital lung anomalies has increased in recent years as imaging methods have benefitted from technical improvements. The purpose of this pictorial essay is to illustrate typical imaging findings of a wide spectrum of congenital lung anomalies on prenatal US and MRI. Moreover, we propose an algorithm based on imaging findings to facilitate the differential diagnosis, and suggest a follow-up algorithm during pregnancy and in the immediate postnatal period

High-Resolution Measurements of the K-Shell Spectral Lines of Hydrogenlike and Heliumlike Xenon

With the implementation of a transmission-type curved crystal spectrometer at the Livermore high-energy electron beam ion trap (SuperEBIT) the window on sub-eV level measurements of the ground-state quantum electrodynamics and the two-electron quantum electrodynamics of high-Z ions has been opened. High-resolution spectroscopic measurements of the K{alpha} spectra of hydrogenlike Xe{sup 53+} and heliumlike Xe{sup 52+} are presented. The electron-impact excitation cross sections have been determined relative to the radiative recombination cross sections. The electron-impact energy was 112 keV which is about 3.7 times the excitation threshold for the n = 2 {yields} 1 transitions. Although the relative uncertainties of the measured electron-impact excitation cross sections range from about 20% to 50%, significant disagreement between the measured and calculated cross section values has been found for one of the heliumlike xenon lines. Overall, the comparison between experiment and theory shows that already for xenon (Z=54) the Breit interaction plays a significant part in the collisional excitation process. The measured cross sections for the hydrogenlike transitions are in good agreement with theoretical predictions. Additionally, the Xe{sup 53+} Ly-{alpha}{sub 1} transition energy has been measured utilizing the K{alpha} emission of neutral cesium and barium for calibration. Surprisingly, the experimental result, (31279.2 {+-} 1.5) eV, disagrees with the widely accepted theoretically predicted value of (31283.77 {+-} 0.09) eV. However, this disagreement does not (yet) call for any correction in respect to the theoretical values for the transition energies of the hydrogenlike isoelectronic sequence. It rather emphasizes the need for a reevaluation of the commonly used x-ray wavelengths table for atomic inner-shell transitions, in particular, for the cesium K{alpha} lines

Spectroscopy and atomic physics in EBIT and SuperEBIT

An overview is given of x-ray measurements in progress on the Livermore electron beam ion trap facilities. The measurements include detailed investigations of the satellite spectrum of heliumlike krypton Kr{sup 34+} for diagnostic applications in future tokamak fusion reactors, precise measurements of the 2-2 transition energies in neonlike U{sup 82+} through lithiumlike U{sup 89+} to test the predictions of QED theory, and investigations of line formation by innershell ionization and non-resonant electron capture for the development of line diagnostics applicable to non-equilibrium plasmas

Tabletop Transient Collisional Excitation X-Ray Lasers

Recent transient collisional excitation x-ray laser experiments are reported using the COMET tabletop laser driver at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). Ne-like and Ni-like ion x-ray laser schemes have been investigated with a combination of long 600 ps and short {approximately}1 ps high power laser pulses with 5-10 J total energy. We show small signal gain saturation for x-ray lasers when a reflection echelon traveling wave geometry is utilized. A gain length product of 18 has been achieved for the Ni-like Pd 4d{r_arrow}4p J=0-1 line at 147 {angstrom}, with an estimated output of {approximately}10{micro}J. Strong lasing on the 119 {angstrom} Ni-like Sn line has also been observed. To our knowledge this is the first time gain saturation has been achieved on a tabletop laser driven scheme and is the shortest wavelength tabletop x-ray laser demonstrated to date. In addition, we present preliminary results of the characterization of the line focus uniformity for a Ne-like ion scheme using L-shell spectroscopy

Simultaneously time- and space-resolved spectroscopic characterization of laser-produced plasmas

The CHROMA laser facility at KMS Fusion has been used to irradiate a variety of microdot targets. These include aluminum dots and mixed bromine dots doped with K-shell (magnesium) emitters. Simultaneously time- and space-resolved K-shell and L-shell spectra have been measured and compared to dynamic model predictions. The electron density profiles are measured using holographic interferometry. Temperatures, densities, and ionization distributions are determined using K-shell and L-shell spectral techniques. Time and spatial gradients are resolved simultaneously using three diagnostics: a framing crystal x-ray spectrometer, an x-ray streaked crystal spectrometer with a spatial imaging slit, and a 4-frame holographic interferometer. Significant differences have been found between the interferometric and the model-dependent spectral measurements of plasma density. Predictions by new non-stationary L-shell models currently being developed are also presented. 14 refs., 10 figs