RESUMO
The design, development, and successful implementation of pop-up Langmuir probes installed in the water-cooled divertor of W7-X are described. The probes are controlled by drive coils (actuators) installed behind the divertor plates. These drive coils make use of the magnetic field in W7-X to move the probe tips into and out of the plasma. The drive coils were installed in the vacuum vessel after extensively testing the durability of the coils and analyzing the criteria for safe operation. The probe design is carefully tailored for each of the 36 probe tips in order to be suitable for the different magnetic field configurations used in W7-X and ensure that the probes do not present leading edges to the magnetic flux tubes. An electronic bridge circuit is used for measurement to compensate for the effects of signal propagation time on the long cable lengths used. The diagnostic is integrated with the segment control of W7-X for automated operation and control of the diagnostic. The evaluation of the results from the plasma operation is presented after accounting for appropriate sheath expansion for negative bias voltage on the probes.
RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Vaccination against SARS CoV-2 results in excellent personal protection against a severe course of COVID19. In People with Multiple Sclerosis (PwMS) vaccination efficacy may be reduced by immunomodulatory medications. OBJECTIVE: To assess the vaccination induced cellular and humoral immune response in PwMS receiving disease modifying therapies. METHODS: In a monocentric observational study on PwMS and patients with Neuromyelitis optica we quantified the cellular and humoral immune responses to SARS CoV-2. RESULTS: PwMS receiving glatiramer acetate, Interferon-ß, Dimethylfumarate, Cladribine or Natalizumab had intact humoral and cellular immune responses following vaccination against SARS CoV-2. B-cell depleting therapies reduced B-cell responses but did not affect T cell responses. Sphingosin-1-Phospate (S1P) inhibitors strongly reduced humoral and cellular immune responses. There was a good agreement between the Interferon gamma release assay and the T-SPOT assay used to measure viral antigen induced T-cell responses. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that S1P inhibitors impair the cellular and humoral immune response in SARS CoV-2 vaccination, whereas patients receiving B-cell depleting therapies mount an intact cellular immune response. These data can support clinicians in counselling their PwMS and NMOSD patients during the COVID 19 pandemic.
