Development of ITER relevant ICRF wall conditioning technique on European tokamaks

In future reactor-scale superconducting fusion devices such as ITER, the presence of a permanent high magnetic field will prevent the use of conventional Glow Discharge Conditioning in between shots. Therefore, only discharges fully compatible with the presence of high magnetic field can be used for the conditioning procedure. ICRF discharge has a high potential to solve this problem. The paper presents a review of the new ICRF wall conditioning technique developed on limiter tokamaks TEXTOR and TORE SUPRA and the results of the first tests on the divertor tokamaks ASDEX Upgrade and JET.У майбутніх термоядерних установках зі надпровідними магнітними системами масштабу ИТЕРа присутність постійного сильного магнітного поля буде перешкоджати використанню звичайних тліючих розрядів для підготовки вакуумних стінок між розрядами. Тому тільки розряди, що працюють при сильному магнітному полі, можуть бути використані для цих цілей. ВЧ розряди в області частот ІЦР мають великий потенціал для рішення цієї проблеми. У даній роботі представлений огляд нових ВЧ ІЦРтехнік підготовки стінок, розвитих на токамаках з лімітером TEXTOR і TORE SUPRA і результати перших іспитів на токамаках з дивертором ASDEX UPGRADE іJET.В будущих термоядерных установках с сверхпроводящими магнитными системами масштаба ИТЕРа присутствие постоянного сильного магнитного поля будет препятствовать использованию обычных тлеющих разрядов для подготовки вакуумных стенок между разрядами. Поэтому только разряды, работающие при сильном магнитном поле, могут быть использованы для этих целей. ВЧ разряды в области частот ИЦР обладают большим потенциалом для решения этой проблемы. В настоящей работе представлен обзор новых ВЧ ИЦР техник подготовки стенок , развитых на токамаках с лимитером TEXTOR и TORE SUPRA и результаты первых испытаний на токамаках с дивертором ASDEX UPGRADE и JET

An Outer Membrane Receptor of Neisseria meningitidis Involved in Zinc Acquisition with Vaccine Potential

Since the concentration of free iron in the human host is low, efficient iron-acquisition mechanisms constitute important virulence factors for pathogenic bacteria. In Gram-negative bacteria, TonB-dependent outer membrane receptors are implicated in iron acquisition. It is far less clear how other metals that are also scarce in the human host are transported across the bacterial outer membrane. With the aim of identifying novel vaccine candidates, we characterized in this study a hitherto unknown receptor in Neisseria meningitidis. We demonstrate that this receptor, designated ZnuD, is produced under zinc limitation and that it is involved in the uptake of zinc. Upon immunization of mice, it was capable of inducing bactericidal antibodies and we could detect ZnuD-specific antibodies in human convalescent patient sera. ZnuD is highly conserved among N. meningitidis isolates and homologues of the protein are found in many other Gram-negative pathogens, particularly in those residing in the respiratory tract. We conclude that ZnuD constitutes a promising candidate for the development of a vaccine against meningococcal disease for which no effective universal vaccine is available. Furthermore, the results suggest that receptor-mediated zinc uptake represents a novel virulence mechanism that is particularly important for bacterial survival in the respiratory tract

New developments in ICRF antennas and non-traditional applications of HF power on TEXTOR

This paper reviews the present status of new developments in ICRF antennas, recent results on more realistic modeling of ICRF antennas using the 3-D full electromagnetic code ICANT and, finally, the latest development in the scenarios of non-traditional applications of HF power for wall conditioning

The Duration of Antigen-Stimulation Significantly Alters the Diversity of Multifunctional CD4 T Cells Measured by Intracellular Cytokine Staining

The assessment of antigen-specific T cell responses by intracellular cytokine staining (ICS) has become a routine technique in studies of vaccination and immunity. Here, we highlight how the duration of in vitro antigen pre-stimulation, combined with the cytokine accumulation period, are critical parameters of these methods. The effect of varying these parameters upon the diversity and frequency of multifunctional CD4 T cell subsets has been investigated using a murine model of TB vaccination and in cattle naturally infected with Mycobacterium bovis. We demonstrate a substantial influence of the duration of the antigen pre-stimulation period on the repertoire of the antigen-specific CD4 T cell responses. Increasing pre-stimulation from 2 to 6 hours amplified the diversity of the seven potential multifunctional CD4 T cell subsets that secreted any combination of IFN-γ, IL-2 and TNF-α. However, increasing pre-stimulation from 6 to 16 hours markedly altered the multifunctional CD4 T cell repertoire to a dominant IFN-γ+ only response. This was observed in both murine and cattle models

Comparison of a Flow Assay for Brucellosis Antibodies with the Reference cELISA Test in West African Bos indicus

Brucellosis is considered by the Food and Agricultural Organisation and the World Health Organisation as one of the most widespread zoonoses in the world. It is a major veterinary public health challenge as animals are almost exclusively the source of infection for people. It is often undiagnosed in both human patients and the animal sources and it is widely acknowledged that the epidemiology of brucellosis in humans and animals is poorly understood, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. It is therefore important to develop better diagnostic tools in order to improve our understanding of the epidemiology and also for use in the field for disease control and eradication. As with any new diagnostic test, it is essential that it is validated in as many populations as possible in order to characterise its performance and improve the interpretation of its results. This paper describes a comparison between a new lateral flow assasy (LFA) for bovine brucellosis and the widely used cELISA in a no gold standard analysis to estimate test performance in this West African cattle population. A Bayesian formulation of the Hui-Walter latent class model incorporated previous studies' data on sensitivity and specificity of the cELISA. The results indicate that the new LFA is very sensitive (∼87%) and highly specific (∼97%). The analysis also suggests that the current cut-off of the cELSIA may not be optimal for this cattle population but alternative cut-offs did not significantly change the estimates of the LFA. This study demonstrates the potential usefulness of this simple to use test in field based surveillance and control which could be easily adopted for use in developing countries with only basic laboratory facilities

Palliative chemotherapy beyond three courses conveys no survival or consistent quality-of-life benefits in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer

This randomised multicentre trial was conducted to establish the optimal duration of palliative chemotherapy in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We compared a policy of three vs six courses of new-generation platinum-based combination chemotherapy with regard to effects on quality of life (QoL) and survival. Patients with stage IIIB or IV NSCLC and WHO performance status (PS) 0–2 were randomised to receive three (C3) or six (C6) courses of carboplatin (area under the curve (AUC) 4, Chatelut's formula, equivalent to Calvert's AUC 5) on day 1 and vinorelbine 25 mg m−2 on days 1 and 8 of a 3-week cycle. Key end points were QoL at 18 weeks, measured with EORTC Quality of Life Questionnaire (QLQ)-C30 and QLQ-LC13, and overall survival. Secondary end points were progression-free survival and need of palliative radiotherapy. Two hundred and ninety-seven patients were randomised (C3 150, C6 147). Their median age was 65 years, 30% had PS 2 and 76% stage IV disease. Seventy-eight and 54% of C3 and C6 patients, respectively, completed all scheduled chemotherapy courses. Compliance with QoL questionnaires was 88%. There were no significant group differences in global QoL, pain or fatigue up to 26 weeks. The dyspnoea palliation rate was lower in the C3 arm at 18 and 26 weeks (P<0.05), but this finding was inconsistent across different methods of analysis. Median survival in the C3 group was 28 vs 32 weeks in the C6 group (P=0.75, HR 1.04, 95% CI 0.82–1.31). One- and 2-year survival rates were 25 and 9% vs 25 and 5% in the C3 and C6 arm, respectively. Median progression-free survival was 16 and 21 weeks in the C3 and C6 groups, respectively (P=0.21, HR 0.86, 95% CI 0.68–1.08). In conclusion, palliative chemotherapy with carboplatin and vinorelbine beyond three courses conveys no survival or consistent QoL benefits in advanced NSCLC

Morphological analysis of the sheathed flagellum of Brucella melitensis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>It was recently shown that <it>B. melitensis </it>is flagellated. However, the flagellar structure remains poorly described.</p> <p>Findings</p> <p>We analyzed the structure of the polar sheathed flagellum of <it>B. melitensis </it>by TEM analysis and demonstrated that the Ryu staining is a good method to quickly visualize the flagellum by optical microscopy. The TEM analysis demonstrated that an extension of the outer membrane surrounds a filament ending by a club-like structure. The Δ<it>ftcR</it>, Δ<it>fliF</it>, Δ<it>flgE </it>and Δ<it>fliC </it>flagellar mutants still produce an empty sheath.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Our results demonstrate that the flagellum of <it>B. melitensis </it>has the characteristics of the sheathed flagella. Our results also suggest that the flagellar sheath production is not directly linked to the flagellar structure assembly and is not regulated by the FtcR master regulator.</p

ICRF plasmas for fusion reactor applications

The ICRF plasma production technique is considered as a promising alternative tool for the following applications in the present and next generation superconducting fusion devices: (i) Wall conditioning in the presence of permanent high magnetic field; (ii) Assistance for the tokamak start-up at low inductive electric field (E₀ ~ 0.3 V/m in ITER); (iii) Target dense plasma production (ne ≥ 10¹⁹ m⁻³) in stellarators. The paper presents a review of the ICRF plasma production technique and its applications in the present-day tokamaks and stellarators. The perspective of the alternative technique applications in ITER is analyzed in the frame of 0-D plasma modeling.ВЧ-метод утворення плазми (ICRF) розглядається як перспективний альтернативний інструмент для таких застосувань у сучасних й майбутніх надпровідних термоядерних установках: (i) ВЧ-чистка стінок в присутності постійного сильного магнітного поля; (ii) Aсистування старту токамака у режимі слабого вихрового електричного поля (E₀~ 0.3 В/м в ITERі); (iii) Створення густої вихідної плазми (ne ≥ 10¹⁹ м⁻³) в стелараторах. Зроблено огляд ВЧ-метода створення плазми та його застосування у сучасних токамаках й стелараторах. В рамках моделювання 0-D плазмовим кодом проведено аналіз перспективності використання даного метода в ITERі.ВЧ-метод создания плазмы (ICRF) рассматривается как перспективный альтернативный инструмент для следующих применений в современных и будущих сверхпроводящих термоядерных установках: (i) ВЧ-чистка стенок в присутствии постоянного сильного магнитного поля; (ii) Aссистирование старту токамака в режиме слабого вихревого электрического поля (E₀ ~ 0.3 В/м в ITERе); (iii) Создание плотной исходной плазмы (ne ≥ 10¹⁹ м⁻³) в стеллараторах. Сделан обзор ВЧ-метода создания плазмы и его применений в современных токамаках и стеллараторах. В рамках моделирования 0-D плазменным кодом проведен анализ перспективности использования данного метода в ITERе

The influence of different culture microenvironments on the generation of dendritic cells from non-small-cell lung cancer patients

This study extends the model developed in Williams and Seaman’s [Williams, J. J. and Seaman, A. E. (2010). Corporate Governance and Mindfulness: The Impact of Management Accounting Systems Change, The Journal of Applied Business Research, Vol. 26, No. 5, pp. 1-17] exploratory paper examining the moderating effects of management accounting systems (MAS) change on the corporate governance/mindfulness relationship for a Canadian sample of 124 top-level accounting professionals. Canonical correlation analysis was applied to the linkage of multiple cognitive processes of mindfulness (Weick and Sutcliffe, 2001; 2007) and the governance dimensions of performance and conformance specified by the International Federation of Accountants (2009), underpinned by the moderating effects of five different components of MAS change, which yielded 13 significant relationships. The latter were subsequently analyzed for important gestalts (i.e., patterns) in the overall relationship, and assessed within the context of aligning professional accounting practices involving systems changes to the IFAC (2009) governance framework. These findings appear to have implications for improved governance structures in practice as well as offering a rich foundation for future research