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Experiments on the National Ignition Facility (NIF) will require bright, short duration, near-monochromatic x-ray backlighters for radiographic diagnosis of many high-energy density systems. This paper details a vanadium pinhole backlighter producing (1.8±0.5)×1015 x-ray photons into 4π sr near the vanadium He-like characteristic x-ray energy of 5.18 keV. The x-ray yield was quantified from a set of Ross filters imaged to a calibrated image plate, with the Dante diagnostic used to confirm the quasimonochromatic nature of the spectrum produced. Additionally, an x-ray film image shows a source-limited image resolution of 26 μm from a 20 μm diameter pinhole. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between educational level and time of decline to AIDS mortality. A total of 1578 death certificates were matched and processed with reported Louisiana male AIDS cases to assess the relation between decline to AIDS mortality with educational background, age, race, and transmission group. A 2 (race) x 4 (age group) x 2 (transmission group) x 3 (educational background) ANOVA was performed. In addition, descriptive statistics were utilized to show patterns of the association. A significant (P < 0.05) main effect of educational background on decline to death was found. However, inconsistent educational level effect on mortality was found across different subgroups regarding race and AIDS transmission group. Those with higher educational levels demonstrated least severity of decline to death. Furthermore, a significant 3-way interaction in the well-educated black intravenous drug user (IDU) population suggests a call to expand current models of counselling for this clientele. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurately assessing and optimizing the implosion performance of inertial confinement fusion capsules is a crucial step to achieving ignition on the NIF. We have applied differential filtering (matched Ross filter pairs) to provide broadband time-integrated absolute x-ray self-emission images of the imploded core of cryogenic layered implosions. This diagnostic measures the temperature- and density-sensitive bremsstrahlung emission and provides estimates of hot spot mass, mix mass, and pressure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between religiousness and alcohol use of adolescents. A sample of high school seniors was drawn based on the second follow-up National Educational Longitudinal Study of 1988 (NELS:88). Multiple regression was employed using a hierarchical strategy to determine the impact of religiousness on alcohol use when accounting for other factors that have been shown to affect alcohol use. The results provide support for examining religiousness variables as predictors of alcohol use patterns for adolescents. Also, inconsistent patterns between Asian-American, Hispanic, African-American, and Caucasian students were detected. Implications of the study and suggestions for future research are offered.