Studies of impurity behavior in TFTR

Central medium- and low-Z impurity concentrations and Z/sub eff/ have been measured by x-ray spectrometry in Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor discharges during three periods of operation. These were the (1) start-up period, (2) ohmic heating, and (3) ohmic heating portion of the two neutral beam periods, distinguished mainly by different vacuum vessel internal hardware and increasing plasma current and toroidal field capability. Plasma parameters spanned minor radius a = 0.41 - 0.83 m, major radius R = 2.1 - 3.1 m, current I/sub p = 0.25 - 2.0 MA, line-averaged electron density n-bar/sub e/ = 0.9 - 4.0 x 10/sup 19/ m/sup -3/, and toroidal magnetic field B/sub T/ = 1.8 - 4.0 T. The metal impurities came mostly from the limiter. At low densities titanium or nickel approached 1% of n/sub e/ during operation on a TiC-coated graphite or Inconel limiter, respectively. Lower levels of Cr, Fe, and Ni (less than or equal to0.1%) were observed with a graphite limiter at similarly low densities; these elements were removed mainly from stainless steel or Inconel hardware within the vacuum vessel during pulse discharge cleaning or plasma operation on an Inconel limiter and then deposited on the graphite limiter. Hardware closest to the graphite limiter contributed most to the deposits

Plasmid coding sequence-five influences infectivity and virulence in a mouse model of Chlamydia trachomatis urogenital infection

The native plasmid of both Chlamydia muridarum and C. trachomatis has been shown to control virulence and infectivity in mice and in lower primates. We have recently described the development of a plasmid-based genetic transformation protocol for Chlamydia trachomatis that for the first time provides a platform for the molecular dissection of the function of the chlamydial plasmid and its individual genes or coding sequences (CDS). In the present study, we transformed a plasmid-free lymphogranuloma venereum isolate of C. trachomatis, serovar L2, with either the original shuttle vector (pGFP::SW2) or a derivative of pGFP::SW2 carrying a deletion of the plasmid CDS5 gene (pCDS5KO). Female mice were inoculated with these strains either intravaginally or transcervically. We found that transformation of the plasmid-free isolate with the intact pGFP::SW2 vector significantly enhanced infectivity and induction of host inflammatory responses when compared to the plasmid-free parental isolate. Transformation with pCDS5KO resulted in infection courses and inflammatory responses not significantly different from those observed in mice infected with the plasmid-free isolate. These results indicate a critical role of plasmid CDS5 in in vivo fitness and in induction of inflammatory responses. To our knowledge, these are the first in vivo observations ascribing infectivity and virulence to a specific plasmid gen

238 x 238 Micromechanical optical cross connect

This letter describes a 238x238 beam-steering optical cross connect constructed using surface micromachined mirrors. Its innovative optical configuration resulted in superior optical performance, achieving a mean fiber-to- fiber insertion loss of 1.33 dB and a maximum insertion loss for all 56 644 connections of 2 dB

Critical Factors Underpinning the e-CRM Activities of SMEs

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are vital components of our economies, but many struggle to perform the marketing prescribed theoretically for large organisations. In practice, marketing is performed in SMEs through an intrinsic customer orientation, which exhibits striking resemblances to customer relationship management (CRM) theory. A quantitative approach was adopted to provide broad understanding and classification to the under-researched area of e-CRM in SMEs. Exploratory factor analysis uncovered eight distinct yet inter-related factors underpinning the practices and processes of e-CRM in SMEs. Findings show that SMEs are performing e-CRM to varying extents, reaping a range of performance benefits and facing a range of challenges. It is true that SMEs are not adopting e-CRM per se, as described in the large organisation-biased literature, but they are adopting relatively simple IBTs to improve their customer communication and information management capabilities and thus to create competitive advantage in their own strategic way. From a theoretical perspective, this study has shed significant light on what is driving SMEs’ e-CRM activities, thus providing long-awaited theoretical support for a practical reality. From a managerial perspective, the study has delineated eight principal issues that require attention if e-CRM is to be implemented successfully in SME