Drying of Heat Sensitive Materials of High Moisture Content in Mechanically Spouted Bed of Inert Particles

In drying operation the material characteristics such as heat sensitivity, moisture content and particle size are of great importance, which should be taken into account in selection of proper design and conditions for the process. Rigorous quality requirements, i.e. gentle drying of heat sensitive materials, stable, well-controlled and economic operation can be fulfilled by using Mechanically Spouted Bed (MSB) dryer with inert particles developed to eliminate some drawbacks of the conventional spouted bed dryers. In this paper the construction and the main features of MSB-dryer are presented. Different tasks with special quality demands, namely drying of bovine serum albumin and moisture removal from tomato pulp of thermoplastic behaviour, and a method to accomplish these requirements are shown

Az apoptótikus sejtek gyulladáscsökkentő hatásait létrehozó lehetséges mechanizmusok vizsgálata

Ismert, hogy az apoptótikus sejtfelvétel erős gyulladáscsökkentő választ vált ki makrofágokban. Korábban azt gondolták, hogy TGF-β az apoptótikus sejtfelvétel során a legfontosabb, sőt az egyetlen gyulladáscsökkentő citokin, mely közvetíti ezt a gátló hatást. Az elmúlt évek eredményei azonban cáfolják a TGF-β kizárólagos szerepét. Munkacsoportunk megállapította, hogy az apoptótikus sejteknek kitett makrofágok adenozint is termelnek, amely gátolja az apoptótikus sejt által indukált gyulladási választ citokin függő módon a makrofág adenozin A2A receptorok aktiválásán keresztül. Jelen vizsgálatunkban kimutattuk, hogy apoptótikus sejtfelvétel során az adenozin A3 receptorok expresssziója csökken a makrofágok sejtfelszínén. E receptor gyulladásos viselkedését megerősíti az a tény is, hogy hiánya neutrofil kemoattraktáns MIP-2 és KC csökkent termeléséhez vezet apoptótikus sejtek bekebelezése során. Az A3R hiányos makrofágok csökkent MIP-2 és KC termelése egy gyengített apoptótikus sejt által indukált NO termelés következménye, amely fordítottan szabályozódik adenozin A2/3 receptor/adenilát-cikláz/protein kináz A jelátviteli útvonal által. Ez nem egyszerűen azért történik, mert az apoptótikus sejtek nem nyújtanak gyulladási szignálokat, sokkal inkább aktívan beleszólnak a gyulladási programba. Erre jó példa, hogy a makrofágok apoptótikus sejtekkel történő előinkubálása képes lenyomni az LPS (lipopoliszacharid; a Gram-negatív baktériumok sejtfalának egy komponense) által Toll-like receptor 4-en keresztül indukált gyulladási választ. Az mTNF-α-ról korábban kimutatták, hogy ligandként kötődik a TNF-α receptorokhoz, valamint receptorként is működik, amely reverz jelátvitelre képes az mTNF-α-expresszáló sejtekben. Mivel a fordított mTNF-α jelátvitel, hasonlóan az apoptótikus sejtekhez, képes gátolni az LPS-indukált gyulladási citokin kifejeződést, ezért teszteltük a mTNF-α lehetséges szerepét az apoptótikus sejt-indukált immunszupresszióban. Azt találtuk, hogy a még nem aktivált makrofágok alapszintű mTNF-α-t termelnek. Az mTNF-α fokozása egy MKK4-függő jelátviteli útvonalat indukál, amely TGF-β termelődéshez vezet. A TGF-β1 termelése Jun kinázokon keresztül, míg más TGF-β-k termelése p38 MAP kinázokon keresztül szabályzott. LPS hatására tovább indukálódott az mTNF-α expressziója, valamint az mTNF-α fokozása erősen gátolta az LPS-indukált gyulladási választ TGF-β-függő módon. Az apoptótikus sejtek azonban az immunrendszer csendesítéséhez nem ezt a jelátviteli útvonalat használják, mert down-regulálják a TNF receptoraikat. A legfontosabb következtetéseink, hogy az apoptótikus sejtek fagocitózisa során a makrofágokban beinduló gyulladás gátló folyamatokban a TGF-β mellett az adenozinnak és receptorainak van szerepe, míg az mTNF-α-nak nincs. Ezzel szemben az LPS-sel indukált makrofág aktiváció lefékezésében az mTNF-α által indukált TGF-β részvétele figyelhető meg. Mindent összevetve eredményeink rámutatnak az adenozin A3 receptor és mTNF-α szerepére makrofágok által kiváltott gyulladási válaszok szabályozásában. Az ezeket a molekulákat megcélzó szerek - A3R antagonisták vagy mTNF-α induktorok - lehetséges terápiás eszközök lehetnek különböző gyulladásos betegségek kezelésében.It is well known that the apoptotic cell uptake induces a strong anti-inflammatory response in macrophages. Previously it has been thought that TGF-β released upon apoptotic cell uptake is the most important, moreover the only one anti-inflammatory cytokine mediating this inhibitory effect. However, results coming from the last few years contradict this obligate function of TGF-β. Our group has found that apoptotic cell-exposed macrophages produce also adenosine, which inhibits the apoptotic cell-induced pro-inflammatory response in a cytokine dependent manner by triggering macrophage adenosine A2A receptors (A2ARs). In the present study we showed that the expression of adenosine A3 receptors (A3R) is decreased on the cell surface of macrophages during engulfment of apoptotic cells. The pro-inflammatory behaviour of this receptor is confirmed by the fact that A3R deficiency is accompanied by decreased production of neutrophil chemoattractant MIP-2 and KC during engulfment of apoptotic cells. The decreased MIP-2 and KC production of A3R null macrophages is a consequence of an attenuated apoptotic cell-induced NO production, which is inversely regulated by the adenosine A2/3 receptor/adenylate cyclase/protein kinase A signaling pathway. Apoptotic cells do not simply fail to provide pro-inflammatory signals; rather, they actively interfere with the inflammatory program. For example, pre-incubation of macrophages with apoptotic cells strongly suppresses the inflammatory response induced via Toll-like receptor 4 by lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a component of the cell wall of Gram-negative bacteria. mTNF-α was shown to act both as a ligand by binding to TNF-α receptors, as well as a receptor that transmits outside-to-inside (reverse) signals back into the mTNF-α bearing cells. Since the reverse mTNF-α signaling, similar to apoptotic cells, was shown to suppress LPS-induced pro-inflammatory cytokine formation, we tested the potential involvement of mTNF-α in the apoptotic cell-induced immunosuppression. We found that even non-activated macrophages express basal levels of mTNF-α and triggering mTNF-α induces an MKK4-dependent signaling pathway, which leads to TGF-β production. The production of TGF-β1 is regulated via Jun kinases, while that of other TGF-βs via p38 MAP kinases. Exposure to LPS further induced the expression of mTNF-α, and triggering of mTNF-α strongly suppressed the LPS-induced pro-inflammatory response in a TGF-β–dependent manner. Apoptotic cells, however, do not use this signaling pathway to achieve immune silencing, because they downregulate their TNF receptors. Our main findings that in phagocytosis of apoptotic cells near TGF-β, also adenosine and its receptors play a role in the anti-inflammatory macrophage-activating processes, but mTNF-α doesn’t. In contrast, LPS-induced macrophage activation is delayed with the involvement of mTNF-α induced TGF-β. Taken together, our results highlight the involvement of adenosine A3 receptor and mTNF-α in the regulation of inflammatory responses exerted by macrophages. Agents, targeting these molecules – A3R antagonists or mTNF-α inducers – represent potential therapeutic tools for the treatment of various inflammatory diseases.d

Paving the Way Ahead: A Systematic Literature Analysis of Inclusive Teaching Practices in Inclusive Classrooms

Classroom deliberations in an inclusive environment is challenging yet rewarding. Teaching students with varied needs under the same roof provides the teachers with the opportunity to bring out their best and to help students to attain an optimum level of learning. The purpose set for this paper is to conduct a rigorous review of inclusive teaching-learning practices across countries to understand and present the best ways of conducting an inclusive classroom. To explore the stated objective the researchers opted for an extensive desk review method to review the available related literature in a systematic manner. As a result of conducting a systematic review analysis, certain themes have emerged under which plausible inclusive practices have been presented as a finding of the research. The study presented five categories of best teaching practices that emerged from the review. This paper presented a concise and accumulated version of the best practices and methods adopted by the practitioners in inclusive education across the world. Amalgamated findings present that using ICT, individualised learning and various classroom management techniques, collaboration and curriculum adaptations provide the best ways to promote inclusion

Effect of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria on canola (Brassica napus L) and lentil (Lens culinaris Medik) plants

Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) are free-living, soil-borne bacteria that colonize the rhizosphere and, when applied to crops, enhance the growth of plants. Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria may enhance plant growth either by direct or indirect mechanisms. The direct mechanisms of action include nitrogen fixation,production of phytohormones and lowering of ethylene concentrations. The objective of this study was to determine whether Pseudomonas putida strain 6-8 isolated from the rhizosphere of legume crops grown in Saskatchewan fields was able to promote the growth of canola cv. Smart and lentil cv. Milestone plants by direct mechanisms. Initial studies determined the effect of strain 6-8 and other known phytohormoneproducing PGPR strains on the growth of canola and lentil plants both in gnotobiotic and growth chamber conditions. Variations in the results were observed, as there were significant differences among trials. Strain 6-8 enhanced the growth of canola cv. Smart in growth pouches but not in pots in growth chamber studies. In the case of lentil cv.Milestone, strain 6-8 had no significant effect in growth pouches, but it significantly increased root dry weight, shoot dry weight and root surface area in pots in growth chamber studies. A similar effect was observed with wild-type strains GR12-2 and G20- 18. Strain GR12-2 was consistent in promoting the growth of lentil cv. Milestone both in growth pouches and in pots in growth chambers when compared to other strains and the control. The ability of the PGPR strains to produce auxin and cytokinin phytohomones in pure culture and in the canola rhizosphere was tested using the enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). All the PGPR strains produced indole compounds and the concentration of the indoles produced increased with increasing concentrations of the precursor tryptophan. There were no significant differences among PGPR strains in production of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) when assayed using ELISA. The concentrations of IAA secreted by PGPR strains were extremely low (0.19 µg/ml – 9.80 µg/ml). Strain 6-8 produced the cytokinins, isopentenyl adenosine (IPA), zeatin riboside (ZR) and dihydroxyzeatin riboside (DHZR) in pure culture. Indole-3-acetic acid was detected in supernatants obtained from canola growth pouches inoculated with PGPR strains, but there were no significant differences in the concentrations of IAA secreted among PGPR strains. Significantly higher concentrations of IPA and ZR were observed in the rhizosphere of canola inoculated with strain 6-8 than in the non-inoculated control. Strain 6-8 produced siderophores, solubilized inorganic phosphate and used 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC), the precursor of ethylene, as sole nitrogen source. These traits are considered to be alternative mechanisms for direct plant growth promotion. A qualitative and quantitative study of root colonization by strain 6-8 was conducted by tagging the strain with green fluorescent protein in conjunction with confocal laser scanning microscopy and by conventional plating. The populations of strain 6-8 were higher on canola roots than on lentil roots by conventional plating. Similar results were also observed in confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) studies after 5, 7 and 9 days for canola and 3, 6 and 9 days for lentil. Pseudomonas putida strain 6-8 produced cytokinins and also possessed other direct growth promoting characteristics. The ability of strain 6-8 to promote the growth of canola cv. Smart in growth pouches and lentil cv. Milestone in growth chamber studies may be related to these direct growth promoting characteristics. Strain 6-8 may have potential for development as a plant growth-promoting rhizobacterial inoculant

EFFECTIVE TEACHING PRACTICES IN HIGHER EDUCATION WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO THE 21ST CENTURY: A CASE OF TEZPUR UNIVERSITY, INDIA

This study explored the effective teaching practices in higher education with special reference to the 21st century. The study aimed to achieve the following objective: to explore the effective teaching practices of 21st-century teachers in higher education. The study employed a qualitative case study to understand the teachers’ views on the topic under investigation. In order to avoid the study from appearing out of a vacuum, the study adopted a theoretical framework. The theory of Constructivism was adopted in this study. The sample of the study constituted of 5 teachers who were selected based on convenience and purpose. These teachers were selected from 5 of 10 departments within the School of Humanities and Social Sciences. Semi-structured interview questions were also constructed and administered telephonically to the teachers. This is because it was impossible to conduct face-to-face interviews as part of restrictions brought by the Covid-19 pandemic. The data were analysed thematically. The findings of the study revealed that some of the practices of highly effective teachers in the 21st century were; the ability to integrate technology in the teaching-learning process, incorporation of a learner-centred approach, acknowledgement of individual differences and creation of a positive learning environment. The study, therefore, concluded that if all these teaching practices commended by teachers at Tezpur University can be emulated by other institutions, then the entire education system in India will improve.  Article visualizations