Avaliação microbiológica de sanduíches naturais artesanais

Natural sandwiches are considered practical snacks, fast and susceptible to contamination by pathogenic microrganisms. Handmade production is worrisome due to direct contact in handling food by the hand of the manipulator, selection of ingredients with quality and wide distribution of sale. Thus, it is essential that producers and commercialization sites follow the standards proposed by ANVISA. The objective of this study was to evaluate the microbiological quality of artisanal natural sandwiches marketed in snack bars at UFPB, in order to verify if they met the microbiological standards required by Brazilian legislation. Three artisanal natural sandwiches were collected from three different snack bars (P-1, P-2 and P-3). The following microbiological analyzes were carried out on the samples of handmade natural sandwiches: standard plate count, total and thermotolerant coliforms by the NMP/g method and Salmonella detection. The mesophilic bacteria counts in all samples varied from 7.2x103 to 2.5x108 UFC/g, with the product P-3 having the lowest variation between replicates and a maximum value of 3.6x105 CFU/g. In the evaluation of total coliforms, all the products presented counts above 10³ NMP/g, except for a sample of product P-3, that obtained 2.4x10² NMP/g. Regarding the presence of thermotolerant coliforms, the three evaluated products presented at least one sample with a count above the required maximum limit (102 NMP/g) in the RDC nº 12/01 of ANVISA. In the detection of Salmonella spp., the presence was observed only in a sample of the product P-3, in which, it showed sensitivity in vitro to the antibiotics commonly used in clinical practice. Therefore, all the artisanal natural sandwiches obtained samples with high numbers of fecal coliforms, with presence of Salmonella spp. one of the artisanal products and the majority, contaminated with mesophilic bacteria and total coliforms in high numbers, demonstrating deficiencies in the production process.Os sanduíches naturais são considerados lanches práticos, rápidos e susceptíveis a contaminações por microrganismos patogênicos. A produção artesanal é preocupante devido ao contato direto na manipulação dos alimentos pela mão do manipulador, seleção de ingredientes com qualidade e ampla distribuição de venda. Assim, torna-se essencial que produtores e locais de comercialização sigam as normas propostas pela ANVISA. O objetivo desse trabalho foi avaliar a qualidade microbiológica de sanduíches naturais artesanais comercializados em lanchonetes na UFPB, a fim de verificar se os mesmos atendiam aos padrões microbiológicos exigidos na legislação brasileira. Foram coletados três sanduiches naturais artesanais de três diferentes lanchonetes (P-1, P-2 e P-3). Em seguida, as amostras de sanduiches naturais artesanais foram submetidas as seguintes análises microbiológicas: contagem padrão em placa, contagem de coliformes totais e termotolerantes pelo método do NMP e detecção de Salmonella. As contagens de bactérias totais em todas as amostras variaram de 7,2x103 a 2,5x108 UFC/g, tendo o produto P-3 apresentado a menor variação entre repetições e valor máximo de 3,6x105 UFC/g. Na avaliação de coliformes totais, todos os produtos apresentaram contagens acima de 10³ NMP/g, exceto para uma amostra do produto P-3, que obteve 2,4x10² NMP/g. Com relação a presença de coliformes termotolerantes, os três produtos avaliados apresentaram pelo menos uma amostra com contagem acima do limite máximo exigido (102 NMP/g) na RDC nº 12/01 da ANVISA. Na detecção de Salmonella spp., a presença foi observada somente em uma amostra do produto P-3, na qual, apresentou sensibilidade in vitro aos antibióticos usados comumente em prática clínica. Portanto, todos os sanduiches naturais artesanais obtiveram amostras com elevados números de coliformes termotolerantes, com presença de Salmonella spp. em um dos produtos artesanais e a maioria, contaminadas com bactérias mesófilas e coliformes totais em números elevados, demonstrando deficiências no processo de produção

In silico analysis of molecular interactions between HIV-1 glycoprotein gp120 and TNF receptors

Proinflammatory microenvironmental is crucial for the Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 (HIV-1) pathogenesis. The viral glycoprotein 120 (gp120) must interact with the CD4+ T cell chemokine receptor (CCR5) and a co-receptor C-X-C chemokine receptor type 4 (CXCR4) to let the virus entry into the host cells. However, the interaction of the viral particle with other cell surface receptors is mandatory for its attachment and subsequently entry. Tumor Necrosis Factor receptor type I (TNFR1), type II (TNFR2) and Fas are a superfamily of transmembrane proteins involved in canonical inflammatory pathway and cell death by apoptosis as responses against viral pathogens. In our study, we performed an in silico evaluation of the molecular interactions between viral protein gp120 and TNF receptors (TNFR1, TNFR2 and Fas). Protein structures were retrieved from Protein Databank (PDB), and Molecular Docking and dynamics were performed using ClusPro 2.0 server and GROMACS software, respectively. We observed that gp120 is able to bind TNFR1, TNFR2 and Fas receptors, although only the TNFR2-gp120 complex demonstrated to produce a stable and durable binding. Our findings suggest that gp120 may act as an agonist to TNF-α and also function as an attachment factor in HIV-1 entry process. These molecular interaction by gp120 may be the key to HIV-1 immunopathogenesis. In conclusion, gp120 may stimulate pro-inflammatory and apoptotic signaling transduction pathways mediated by TNFR2 and may act as an attachment factor retaining HIV-1 viral particles on the host cell surface.We acknowledge the financial support by the National Council for the Improvement of Higher Education – Brazil (CAPES) and the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development – Brazil (CNPq)

An overview of Zika virus genotypes and their infectivity

Zika virus (ZIKV) is an enveloped, single-stranded RNA arbovirus belonging to the genus Flavivirus. It was first isolated from a sentinel monkey in Uganda in 1947. More recently, ZIKV has undergone rapid geographic expansion and has been responsible for outbreaks in Southeast Asia, the Pacific Islands, and America. In this review, we have highlighted the influence of viral genetic variants on ZIKV pathogenesis. Two major ZIKV genotypes (African and Asian) have been identified. The Asian genotype is subdivided into Southwest Asia, Pacific Island, and American strains, and is responsible for most outbreaks. Non-synonymous mutations in ZIKV proteins C, prM, E, NS1, NS2A, NS2B, NS3, and NS4B were found to have a higher prevalence and association with virulent strains of the Asian genotype. Consequently, the Asian genotype appears to have acquired higher cellular permissiveness, tissue persistence, and viral tropism in human neural cells. Therefore, mutations in specific coding regions of the Asian genotype may enhance ZIKV infectivity. Considering that mutations in the genomes of emerging viruses may lead to new virulent variants in humans, there is a potential for the re-emergence of new ZIKV cases in the future.This study was financed by the National Council for the Improvement of Higher Education – Brazil (CAPES) – Finance Code 001, National Council for Scientific and Technological Development – Brazil (CNPq) and the Department of Science and Technology of the Ministry of Health – Brazil (Decit/SCTIE/MS)

O tutor como agente facilitador no processo de ensino e aprendizagem: uma experiência na disciplina de Bioquímica Metabólica

The tutoring is part of the academic programs offered by the Federal University of Paraíba (UFPB), aiming to help students from the implementation of strategies that facilitate the students' journey through the disciplines with the highest rates of retention and dropout. This work aimed to evaluate the role of the tutor as an agent in the teaching and learning process in the discipline of Metabolic Biochemistry, at UFPB. To that end, the tutors of this discipline applied four directed studies and a didactic game in the classes of 2016.2 (Group 1/n= 27) and 2017.1 (Group 2/n= 23) periods. The performance of the students who were benefited from the didactic resources was satisfactory and significantly higher than the group that did not participate. From the evaluation of the tutoring by the students through an online questionnaire, it was unanimous that the discipline of Metabolic Biochemistry must provide tutors, stating that they are important supporters in the teaching and learning process.A tutoria faz parte dos programas acadêmicos oferecidos pela Universidade Federal da Paraíba (UFPB), com objetivo de auxiliar os discentes a partir da implementação de estratégias que facilitem o percurso dos estudantes pelas disciplinas com maiores índices de reprovação e evasão. Este trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar o papel do tutor como agente no processo de ensino e aprendizagem na disciplina de Bioquímica Metabólica, na UFPB. Para tanto, os tutores dessa disciplina aplicaram quatro estudos dirigidos e um jogo didático nas turmas dos períodos letivos 2016.2 (Grupo 1/n= 27) e 2017.1 (Grupo 2/n= 23). O desempenho dos discentes que usufruíram dos recursos didáticos foi satisfatório e significativamente maior do que o grupo que não participou. A partir da avaliação da tutoria pelos discentes por meio de um questionário online, respondeu-se unanimemente que a disciplina de Bioquímica Metabólica precisa ofertar tutores, declarando que os mesmos são facilitadores importantes no processo de ensino e aprendizagem