The Role of NLRP3 Inflammasome Activation and Oxidative Stress in Varicocele-Mediated Male Hypofertility

Varicocele (VC) is the most common abnormality identified in men evaluated for hypofertility. Increased levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reduced antioxidants concentrations are key contributors in varicocele-mediated hypofertility. Moreover, inflammation and alterations in testicular immunity negatively impact male fertility. In particular, NLRP3 inflammasome activation was hypothesized to lead to seminal inflammation, in which the levels of specific cytokines, such as IL-1β and IL-18, are overexpressed. In this review, we described the role played by oxidative stress (OS), inflammation, and NLRP3 inflammasome activation in VC disease. The consequences of ROS overproduction in testis, including inflammation, lipid peroxidation, mitochondrial dysfunction, chromatin damage, and sperm DNA fragmentation, leading to abnormal testicular function and failed spermatogenesis, were highlighted. Finally, we described some therapeutic antioxidant strategies, with recognized beneficial effects in counteracting OS and inflammation in testes, as possible therapeutic drugs against varicocele-mediated hypofertility.     

Focused Design of Novel Cyclic Peptides Endowed with GABARAP-Inhibiting Activity

(1) Background: Disfunctions in autophagy machinery have been identified in various conditions, including neurodegenerative diseases, cancer, and inflammation. Among mammalian autophagy proteins, the Atg8 family member GABARAP has been shown to be greatly involved in the autophagy process of prostate cancer cells, supporting the idea that GABARAP inhibitors could be valuable tools to fight the progression of tumors. (2) Methods: In this paper, starting from the X-ray crystal structure of GABARAP in a complex with an AnkirinB-LIR domain, we identify two new peptides by applying in silico drug design techniques. The two ligands are synthesized, biophysically assayed, and biologically evaluated to ascertain their potential anticancer profile. (3) Results: Two cyclic peptides (WC8 and WC10) displayed promising biological activity, high conformational stability (due to the presence of disulfide bridges), and K_d values in the low micromolar range. The anticancer assays, performed on PC-3 cells, proved that both peptides exhibit antiproliferative effects comparable to those of peptide K1, a known GABARAP inhibitor. (4) Conclusions: WC8 and WC10 can be considered new GABARAP inhibitors to be employed as pharmacological tools or even templates for the rational design of new small molecules.     

A real time FFT-based impedance meter with bias compensation

A real time FFT-based impedance meter is here presented. It is realized simply by a standard PC in addition to a low cost two channels hardware device, and is based on a cost-effective algorithm to meaningfully reduce the known problem of the bias introduced by the relative phase and amplitude error between channels. The impedance meter exploits the implementation of an ad hoc cost-effective algorithm and a synchronous sampling allows eliminating the leakage error. The aliasing and the spectral interference are eliminated by means of an anti-aliasing filter and the use of very low distortion sinusoidal signals. Automatic measurements can be managed too, capturing different measures at different test frequencies and displaying them graphically on the PC screen. To validate the measured results comparative test were performed with respect to certified and calibrated commercially available multimeters known with good accuracies.Finally, this novel impedance meter integrates a home-made software, previously reported [1] capable to implement real time virtual instruments.     

Measurement involving human perception and interpretation

The measurement of features related to human perception and interpretation is discussed. After a brief review of the historical framework, the state of the art is presented on the basis of the authors’ experience in the field and their participation in related European projects, with development of experiments, and co-ordination activities. Future research needs and challenges are then addressed.     

Constrained scheduling of the inspection activities on semiconductor wafers grouped in families with sequence-dependent set-up times

The scheduling of families of semiconductor wafers within the inspection department of a company producing electronic devices is considered in this paper. Changing the family of wafers to be inspected by an inspection machine requires a sequence-dependent set-up time; furthermore, due to the limited space availability of the inspection area, the available interoperational buffer capacity between the inspection machines is finite. The objective of the scheduling is the maximization of inspection department productivity, measured through the sequence makespan. A permutational flowshop group-scheduling problem (GSP) with sequence-dependent set-up times and limited interoperational buffer capacity has been taken into account. A benchmark of process scenarios considering different numbers of inspection machines wafers codes and families to be inspected has been generated. A Genetic Algorithm is here proposed as an efficient tool to solve the investigated problem. A comparison with a tabu search and a Nawaz, Enscore, and Ham procedure improving the currently available scheduler tool within the inspection department has been performed on the benchmark of problems. Finally, the influence on line productivity due to the finite interoperational buffer capacity is investigated.     

Integration of InGaP/GaAs/Ge triple‐junction solar cells on deeply patterned silicon substrates

We report preliminary results on InGaP/InGaAs/Ge photovoltaic cells for concentrated terrestrial applications, monolithically integrated on engineered Si(001) substrates. Cells deposited on planar Ge/Si(001) epilayers, grown by plasma‐enhanced chemical vapor deposition, provide good efficiency and spectral response, despite the small thickness of the Ge epilayers and a threading dislocation density as large as 10⁷/cm². The presence of microcracks generated by the thermal misfit is compensated by a dense collection grid that avoids insulated areas. In order to avoid the excessive shadowing introduced by the use of a dense grid, the crack density needs to be lowered. Here, we show that deep patterning of the Si substrate in blocks can be an option, provided that a continuous Ge layer is formed at the top, and it is suitably planarized before the metalorganic chemical vapor deposition. The crack density is effectively decreased, despite that the efficiency is also lowered with respect to unpatterned devices. The reasons of this efficiency reduction are discussed, and a strategy for improvement is proposed and explored. Full morphological analysis of the coalesced Ge blocks is reported, and the final devices are tested under concentrated AM1.5D spectrum. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A Neuro-Fuzzy Network for the Design of Circular and Triangular Equilateral Microstrip Antennas

A fast method for the design of circular and equilateral triangular microstrip antennas, based on a Neuro-Fuzzy Network, is presented. Numerical results obtained by using this technique agree quite well with the Moment Method results. The proposed technique can be fruitfully used in microwave and millimeter wave CAD applications.     

Synergistic Roll‐to‐Roll Transfer and Doping of CVD‐Graphene Using Parylene for Ambient‐Stable and Ultra‐Lightweight Photovoltaics

A roll‐to‐roll (R2R) transfer technique is employed to improve the electrical properties of transferred graphene on flexible substrates using parylene as an interfacial layer. A layer of parylene is deposited on graphene/copper (Cu) foils grown by chemical vapor deposition and are laminated onto ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA)/poly(ethylene terephthalate). Then, the samples are delaminated from the Cu using an electrochemical transfer process, resulting in flexible and conductive substrates with sheet resistances of below 300 Ω sq^?1, which is significantly better (fourfold) than the sample transferred by R2R without parylene (1200 Ω sq^?1). The characterization results indicate that parylene C and D dope graphene due to the presence of chlorine atoms in their structure, resulting in higher carrier density and thus lower sheet resistance. Density functional theory calculations reveal that the binding energy between parylene and graphene is stronger than that of EVA and graphene, which may lead to less tear in graphene during the R2R transfer. Finally, organic solar cells are fabricated on the ultrathin and flexible parylene/graphene substrates and an ultra‐lightweight device is achieved with a power conversion efficiency of 5.86%. Additionally, the device shows a high power per weight of 6.46 W g^?1 with superior air stability.     

BIPV: merging the photovoltaic with the construction industry

BIPV (Building Integrated Photovoltaics) is a multifunctional technology that unifies the photovoltaic module with the overall building outer surface providing the building with several new functions while producing a portion or total building electricity usage. Increasing the aesthetic, functional and environmental value of a building at a much lower cost than in the recent past, new PV technologies will soon originate a market growth as intense as the growth of traditional PV market has been in the last 5 years. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.