Antigen Presentation by MHC Class I and CD1 Molecules

Antigen presentation is the “sine qua non” of the mammalian adaptive immune system. The assembly of MHC class I/peptide complexes in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) relies on the orchestrated interplay between different chaperonins, which assist MHC class I folding, and the peptide loading complex (PLC). Mutant lymphoblastoid cell lines with defective MHC class I surface expression have greatly helped the functional analysis of the PLC. The TAP transporter associated with antigen processing translocates MHC class I peptide ligands from the cytosol into the ER and is critical for successful MHC class I assembly and maturation. In the first two results chapters of this thesis I will describe the identification, clinical description and molecular and genetic analysis of a new clinical syndrome in a group of patients with dramatically reduced MHC class I surface expression. The disease in these patients could be identified as primary TAP-deficiency. Mycobacterial infections were conspicuously absent in these TAP-deficient patients whereas TAP-deficient mice are known to be highly susceptible to mycobacteria. The focus of the third and fourth chapter of this thesis lies on lipid antigen presentation via CD1 molecules, which are known to present mycobacterial lipids to T lymphocytes. The first objective of this thesis was to generate recombinant mycobacterial lipid loaded CD1 molecules as tools to measure mycobacterial lipid specific T cell responses in the TAP-deficient patients. Chapters three and four describe novel protocols for the generation of recombinant human CD 1b and CD 1d molecules with loaded single lipid species

DESIGN OF A NEW HIGH-END STREET BIKE

This paper deals with an ???atypical??? bike design. It can be considered atypical due to the materials used and the peculiar engine ??? chassis combination. The project was born as a consequence of the manufacturing company desire to access a niche motorcycle market. The project is about a new bike with an adequate family feeling with the factory style, totally customizable; it will be a large capacity, naked sporty two-seater, with innovative design and a very good handling. In the paper the entire design process leading to the presentation will be briefly explained

A Benchmarking Framework for Sensitivity and Comparative Analysis of Energy Harvesting Strategies via Retractable Wind Energy Harvesters

Wind power is well known for being variable. Our main insight is that one can take advantage of variability by appropriately building wind-energy harvesters that may be stowed/retracted when winds are calm. We refer to harvesters that can be deployed and retracted on command as retractable wind-energy harvesters (RWEHs). Among other advantages, stowed harvesters do not block views, do not constrain avian life, and do not make noise, and thus can increase the neighborliness of harvesting wind near or within a residential community. RWEH control algorithms help owners to achieve the neighborliness that might be required by an RWEH hosting community while helping RWEHs' efficiency. The stowing requirements, or operation limitation agreements (OLAs), specify conditions when the retractable harvesters should be stowed (e.g., when it is not windy). In this work, we contribute a suite of benchmarks to compare RWEH control algorithms, three families of control algorithms, and a simulator with which to run the algorithms. The benchmark suite provides workloads formed from the following workload components: 1. specifications of a harvester to be controlled, 2. a set of historical windspeeds from 30 weather stations, and 3. a variety of stowing requirements. We derived OLAs from a survey of 304 respondents in which survey-takers were asked whether they would support RWEHs viewable from where they live and when the RWEHs should be hidden or stowed

On the passive limited slip differential for high performance vehicle applications

The paper is aimed at a comprehensive revision of the working principles and limitations of the mechanical limited slip differential, the traditional, passive device used to improve traction capabilities and to extend the performance envelope of high performance road cars, racing and rally cars. Its impact on vehicle handling through a yaw moment generated with passive torque distribution across the drive axle is investigated by means of vehicle dynamics simulations

Model of a Hybrid Electric Vehicle Equipped with Solid Oxide Fuel Cells Powered by Biomethane

To promote the development of new technologies that allow an intensive use of renewable green energies and to overcome the problem of the lack of range of full electric vehicles, an interesting energy source is biomethane. The Fuel Cells (FCs) systems benefit from high efficiency and zero emissions, and they are generally powered by hydrogen. One of the main problems related to hydrogen FCs is the current weak network of infrastructure’s need to supply the hydrogen itself. An alternative may be the development of FC vehicles powered by methane, or biomethane, to exploit a renewable energy source. The type of Fuel Cells that lends itself to a methane (or biomethane) power supply is the Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC). Considering the limitations of the SOFCs, a vehicle model powered by Fuel Cells fueled by methane (or biomethane) is created. This work concerns the creation of a vehicle model, and the sizing of the SOFC system (generator delivering a constant 3 kW) and battery pack (30 Ah), for a door-to-door waste collection vehicle, whose mission is known. The latter is a fundamental requirement due to the limitations found for Solid Oxide Fuel Cells: slow transient and long ignition times