Probiotic Modulation of Mucosal Immune Responses in an In Vitro Co-Culture Model

Probiotics confer health benefits through many mechanisms including modulation of the gut immune system. Gut mucosal macrophages play a pivotal role in driving mucosal immune responses. The local environment and macrophage subset determine immune response: tolerance, associated with an M2-like, regulatory macrophage phenotype and inflammatory activation with an M1-like phenotype. The aims of this study were firstly to investigate the immunomodulatory effects of a panel of heat-killed (HK) probiotic bacteria and their secreted proteins (SP) of Bifidobacterium breve (BB), Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LR), L. salivarius (LS), L. plantarum (LP), L. ferrmentum (LF), and L. casei strain Shirota (LcS) on cytokine production and TLR expression in monocultures of monocytes, macrophage subsets, and intestinal epithelial cells. Normally, mucosal gut macrophages resemble the M2 subset and fail to express CD14, a co-receptor for LPS signalling. Therefore, probiotic modulation of LPS-induced NF-kB activity and cytokine expression was investigated using a THP-1 monocyte-derived reporter cell line, model of CD14 hi / lo M1 and M2 macrophages. Secondly, a transwell co-culture system was developed to investigate probiotic modulation of macrophage-influenced epithelial barrier function. Parameters investigated included cytokine, TLR and hBD-2 expression, TEER and IHC staining of the tight junction protein, ZO-1. Probiotics selectively modulated monocyte and macrophage subset cytokine expression. Probiotics (HK and SP) suppress CD14 lo , augment CD14 hi M1, and differentially regulated TNF-α production in M2s. M2 macrophage IL-6 production was suppressed by both HK and SPs, and differentially regulated in CD14 lo and CD14 hi M1s. NF-κB activation failed to parallel probiotic regulation of TNF-α and IL-6. Probiotics (HK-LF and HK-LcS) selectively modulated both endogenous and exogenous TNF-α and IL-10, as well as their induction of epithelial cell expression of TLR and hBD-2. Epithelial expression of TEER, ZO-1 and the endogenous TLR signal regulator, Tollip, were suppressed upon co-culture with pro-inflammatory M1 macrophages paralleled by a suppression of IL-10 and up-regulation of TNF-α and IL-8. In the presence of LPS, HK-LF enhanced TEER, ZO-1 and partially rescued Tollip expression, whereas HK-LcS had no effect on TEER and ZO-1 and displayed a weaker rescue effect on Tollip compared with LF. In the M2/epithelial cell co-culture, both probiotics enhanced TEER and ZO-1 in the presence of LPS, whilst displaying a differential modulation of Tollip, dependant on the format of probiotic (HK or SP). In conclusion, probiotic strains can differentially exert immune activatory or suppressive functions and immunomodulation is determined by strain, inflammatory environment, and mucosal macrophage effector phenotype. Future probiotic development must consider prophylactic use in healthy individuals or therapeutic treatment of defined pathological conditions, strain-specific effects, gut mucosal integrity, and immune phenotype of mucosal macrophages.Ministry of Higher Education Baghdad, Ira

Investigation of head covering and thermal comfort in radiant cooling Malaysian offices

This study investigated the head covering in a radiant cooling Malaysian office building. We studied the Energy Commission’s Diamond Building in Putrajaya, which is equipped with radiant slab cooling. The objective was to determine the effectiveness of head covering on thermal comfort. We adopted the assessment procedure from the ASHRAE 55 and the ISO 7730 standards and applied to the building’s second and sixth floors and analysed the data through cross tabulation. We collected 132 data sets completed by 49 participants continuously for four days (two days for each floor) during working hours. The survey was the results of two online questionnaires (a background survey and a daily survey). In the dissatisfaction with overall thermal environment and actual mean vote, the analysis showed a strong correlation between head covering and discomfort (warmer feel) (V = .5, p<.01). We correlated the head covering with all of the independent variables in the background and daily surveys. Females outnumbered male in wearing a head covering (V = .8, p<.001). Wearing a head covering was not affected by age(V = .3, p > .05). Wearing a head covering does not affect subjects’ dissatisfaction with floor temperature (V = .3, p> .5). Person who wore a head covering preferred increased air speed (V = .4, p< .05). Wearing a head covering increased the sweating (V = .3, p< .05).In conclusion, wearing a head covering affects thermal comfort in radiant cooling office buildin

Protect the Planet through Sustainability Rating Systems with Local Environmental Criteria - LEED in the Middle East

AbstractSustainable design becomes a mandatory as a result of environmental requirements. Furthermore, LEED as a rating system has started to be a tool in many countries in the world. The research objective is to push all architects to protect the environment through their architectural designs and concepts by applying the most effective sustainable criteria. The methodology will be focused on evaluating LEED in the Middle East region compared with a local rating system in the Middle East. The outcome will be focused on the importance of creating a rating system for each region, which considers local environmental challenges

The Effect of Computerized Instructional Program in the Intermediate First Grade Students Achievement in Arabic language Grammar in Iraq

The aim of this study was to find out the amount of influence of a Computerized Instructional Program on the achievement for intermediate first grad students in the Arabic language grammar in Iraq. The study focused on students from the first intermediate grade, in the education directorate in the Diqar governorate in Iraq.  While the study sample was intentional, that was selected by the researcher from the governorate’s schools that have computers and relevant Instructional means for education. This was represented in four branches in two groups, experimental and control group (60) male and female students in the experimental group and (60) male and female students in the control group. The researcher has utilized the Computerized Instructional Program as he study instrument for the experimental group, while the control group utilized the educational program in the usual way. The achievement test to the two groups, the experimental and the control groups, and the study reached the following results. There are no differences, with statistical significance at significance level (0.5 ≥ α), between the group’s grades average achievement in the Arabic language grammar subject. These two groups are the experimental group students who were taught by using (the Computerized Program) and students of the control group who were taught by the using the (normal) way in education. There are no differences with statistically significance at significance level(0.5 ≥ α) between the grades mean of the experimental group students who were taught by using (the computerized program) and the grades mean of the control group students who were taught by the (normal) way attribute to the gender variable (males, females). Keywords: effectiveness, computerized instructional program, achievement, arabic language, and grammar

Flat plate solar air heater with helical integrated fins for drying processe

[EN] In this study, an experimental investigation was carried out on solar system consists of many main components; solar air collector, drying chamber and air blower. Manufacturing and an analysis of two active double-pass solar air collector integrated with unfinned and helical finned absorbers have been carried out. The helical fins increased the standers solar collector (unfinned) efficiency by about 6%. In five hours for 2 kg of apple slices drying, the final weight of the dried product is 1.237 kg using an unfinned solar collector, while 1.039 kg using helical finned solar collector.Al-Neama, M.; Farkas, I. (2018). Flat plate solar air heater with helical integrated fins for drying processe. En IDS 2018. 21st International Drying Symposium Proceedings. Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. 489-496. https://doi.org/10.4995/IDS2018.2018.7767OCS48949