Reconstruction of high temporal resolution Thomson scattering data during a modulated electron cyclotron resonance heating using conditional averaging

This paper provides a software application of the sampling scope concept for fusion research. The time evolution of Thomson scattering data is reconstructed with a high temporal resolution during a modulated electron cyclotron resonance heating (MECH) phase. The amplitude profile and the delay time profile of the heat pulse propagation are obtained from the reconstructed signal for discharges having on-axis and off-axis MECH depositions. The results are found to be consistent with the MECH deposition.

Design of polarizers for a mega-watt long-pulse millimeter-wave transmission line on the large helical device

The polarizer is one of the critical components in a high-power millimeter-wave transmission line. It requires full and highly efficient coverage of any polarization states, high-power tolerance, and low-loss feature. Polarizers with rounded shape at the edge of the periodic groove surface are designed and fabricated by the machining process for a mega-watt long-pulse millimeter-wave transmission line of the electron cyclotron resonance heating system in the large helical device. The groove shape of λ/8- and λ/4-type polarizers for an 82.7 GHz transmission line is optimally designed in an integral method developed in the vector theories of diffraction gratings so that the efficiency to realize any polarization state can be maximized. The dependence of the polarization states on the combination of the two polarizer rotation angles (Φλ/8, Φλ/4) is examined experimentally in a low-power test with the newly developed polarization monitor. The results show that the measured polarization characteristics are in good agreement with the calculated ones.

Power and polarization monitor development for high power millimeter-wave

A new type monitor of power and polarization states of millimeter-waves has been developed to be installed at a miter-bend, which is a part of transmission lines of millimeter-waves, for electron cyclotron resonance heating on the Large Helical Device. The monitor measures amplitudes and phase difference of the electric field of the two orthogonal polarizations which are needed for calculation of the power and polarization states of waves. The power and phase differences of two orthogonal polarizations were successfully detected simultaneously.

Electron cyclotron beam measurement system in the Large Helical Device

In order to evaluate the electron cyclotron (EC) heating power inside the Large Helical Device vacuum vessel and to investigate the physics of the interaction between the EC beam and the plasma, a direct measurement system for the EC beam transmitted through the plasma column was developed. The system consists of an EC beam target plate, which is made of isotropic graphite and faces against the EC beam through the plasma, and an IR camera for measuring the target plate temperature increase by the transmitted EC beam. This system is applicable to the high magnetic field (up to 2.75 T) and plasma density (up to 0.8 × 10(19) m(-3)). This system successfully evaluated the transmitted EC beam profile and the refraction.

Development of fast steering mirror control system for plasma heating and diagnostics

A control system for a fast steering mirror has been newly developed for the electron cyclotron heating (ECH) launchers in the large helical device. This system enables two-dimensional scan during a plasma discharge and provides a simple feedback control function. A board mounted with a field programmable gate array chip has been designed to realize feedback control of the ECH beam position to maintain higher electron temperature by ECH. The heating position is determined by a plasma diagnostic signal related to the electron temperature such as electron cyclotron emission and Thomson scattering.

Highly efficient tumor transduction and antitumor efficacy in experimental human malignant mesothelioma using replicating gibbon ape leukemia virus

Retroviral replicating vectors (RRVs) have been shown to achieve efficient tumor transduction and enhanced therapeutic benefit in a wide variety of cancer models. Here we evaluated two different RRVs derived from amphotropic murine leukemia virus (AMLV) and gibbon ape leukemia virus (GALV), in human malignant mesothelioma cells. In vitro, both RRVs expressing the green fluorescent protein gene efficiently replicated in most mesothelioma cell lines tested, but not in normal mesothelial cells. Notably, in ACC-MESO-1 mesothelioma cells that were not permissive for AMLV-RRV, the GALV-RRV could spread efficiently in culture and in mice with subcutaneous xenografts by in vivo fluorescence imaging. Next, GALV-RRV expressing the cytosine deaminase prodrug activator gene showed efficient killing of ACC-MESO-1 cells in a prodrug 5-fluorocytosine dose-dependent manner, compared with AMLV-RRV. GALV-RRV-mediated prodrug activator gene therapy achieved significant inhibition of subcutaneous ACC-MESO-1 tumor growth in nude mice. Quantitative reverse transcription PCR demonstrated that ACC-MESO-1 cells express higher PiT-1 (GALV receptor) and lower PiT-2 (AMLV receptor) compared with normal mesothelial cells and other mesothelioma cells, presumably accounting for the distinctive finding that GALV-RRV replicates much more robustly than AMLV-RRV in these cells. These data indicate the potential utility of GALV-RRV-mediated prodrug activator gene therapy in the treatment of mesothelioma.

102 REPEATED OVARIAN STIMULATIONS BY EXOGENOUS GONADOTROPIN COULD ALTER ATP CONTENT AND MITOCHONDRIAL DISTRIBUTION IN MOUSE OOCYTES

Ovarian stimulation (OS) by exogenous gonadotropin enhances the availability of mammalian oocytes but compromises their developmental competence (Combelles and Albertini 2003 Biol. Reprod. 68, 812–821). Recently, several studies have reported mitochondrial function-related abnormalities in oocytes after single and repeated OSs. Because mitochondria can directly influence fertilization outcomes (El Shourbagy et al. 2006 Reproduction 131, 233–245), this study aimed to determine the relationship between mitochondria-related parameters and developmental competence on the basis of ATP content, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) copy number, mitochondrial distribution, and IVF results for oocytes after repeated OSs. Ovulated oocytes were recovered from ICR female mice treated with 7.5 IU of eCG and 5 IU of hCG at an interval of 48 h in 1 (control) to 3 stimulation cycles, which were performed at intervals of either 5 or 10 d (n = 15–25 in each treatment group). The ATP content in oocytes was determined using a luminometer and commercial kits (BacTiter-Glo; Promega, WI, USA; n = 15–29 in each treatment group). The mtDNA copy number in oocytes was quantified by performing absolute quantification with real-time PCR (n = 4–8 in each treatment group). Mitochondrial distribution in oocytes stained by rhodamine123 was observed under a confocal microscope (n = 12–26 in each treatment group). These analyses were performed only for morphologically normal oocytes. The data were analyzed by one-way ANOVA, followed by Fisher’s least significant difference, or by the chi-square test. Some mice did not ovulate in the third stimulation cycle for both intervals (5-d interval, 32%; 10-d interval, 80%). The mean numbers of ovulated oocytes gradually decreased with progression of the stimulation cycles. The ATP content of the oocytes significantly decreased both in the second and third stimulation cycles, performed with a 5-d interval (control, 1.038 ± 0.117 pmol; second cycle, 0.852 ± 0.189 pmol; third cycle, 0.932 ± 0.272 pmol). The mean mtDNA copy number in oocytes did not change significantly but varied widely in the third stimulation cycle (control, 146 000 ± 21 000; 5-d interval, 135 000 ± 35 000; 10-d interval: 148 000 ± 50 000; mean ± SD). The mitochondrial staining patterns were classified into homogeneous, aggregation, and perinuclear accumulation. The rates of aggregation and perinuclear accumulation increased after repeated stimulation cycles. The blastocyst rates did not significantly differ among the treatment groups after IVF (75–82%). Repeated OSs not only decreased the number of ovulated oocytes but also caused changes related with mitochondrial function, even in the morphologically normal ovulated oocytes. Translocation of active mitochondria, which are associated with energy production, has some functional correlation with successful pre-implantation development (Suzuki et al. 2006 J. Mamm. Ova. Res. 23, 128–134). Changes in mitochondrial distribution might compensate for the negative effect of the decrease in ATP content and low mtDNA copy number after repeated OSs to help reach the blastocyst stage.