Environmental education in the initial teacher training: a mapping of the Brazilian researches in theses and dissertations

This article proposes as study object the relationship between the Environmental Education (EE) and the initial teacher training. In that sense, this state of the art’s study aims to analyze the main characteristics of the EE researches in the initial teacher training, starting from the scenery of the scientific productions (theses and dissertations), among the years of 2006 and 2016, involving EE in the higher education. For so much, it opted for the qualitative approach with base in theoretical-reflexive presupposed, with data collection from the Brazilian Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations. This research type is important to evidence the themes, methodological approaches and procedures more employed, such as to indicate possible gaps that still need to be explored. Its theoretical basis includes legislations that orientate EE in Brazil (Lei n. 9.795, 1999; MEC, 2012) and authors that approach subjects about the initial training.The main results point that the methodological focus described in the researches is essentially qualitative and the instruments are varied, with prominence for the interviews and questionnaires. In spite of the significant increase in the width of courses researched in relation to EE, there are challenges, suitable for the productions, as the fragmentation of the contents, the formation that still doesn’t promote the criticality that is necessary to the society, and the continuity of the anthropocentric, traditional, naturalist, conservationist and preservationist vision inside of the universities

Formação docente em educação ambiental: elementos sob a luz da complexidade

O campo da formação inicial docente no Brasil está em constante discussão sobre os desafios e caminhos que podem ser trilhados para formar profissionais cada vez mais preparados para atuar na educação básica. Uma das questões que surgem envolve a abordagem da Educação Ambiental (EA) voltada à sustentabilidade e cidadania na formação inicial, considerando que os sujeitos são potencializadores da transformação social por meio da escola. Assim, esta pesquisa busca evidenciar elementos para uma formação inicial de professores no país que potencialize a EA crítica e promova reflexões necessárias ao contexto atual. Para tanto, foram analisadas produções científicas, com foco nas concepções de EA no campo da formação referida, no período de 2012 a 2016, investigando a presença da complexidade. O aporte teórico inclui a teoria da complexidade e a EA crítica. Os resultados mostraram que a maioria dos trabalhos tende ao conservacionismo e protecionismo, sendo evidente a importância da inclusão de elementos da complexidade na formação inicial de professores, seguindo os princípios da reforma de pensamento proposta por Morin (1990, 1999, 2000a). Em relação à EA, essa reforma de pensamento gera a capacidade de responsabilização pelos seus atos e consequências com relação ao ambiente

Yersinia pestis Antigen F1 but Not LcrV Induced Humoral and Cellular Immune Responses in Humans Immunized with Live Plague Vaccine—Comparison of Immunoinformatic and Immunological Approaches

The recent progress in immunoinformatics provided the basis for an accelerated development of target-specific peptide vaccines as an alternative to the traditional vaccine concept. However, there is still limited information on whether the in silico predicted immunoreactive epitopes correspond to those obtained from the actual experiments. Here, humoral and cellular immune responses to two major Yersinia pestis protective antigens, F1 and LcrV, were studied in human donors immunized with the live plague vaccine (LPV) based on the attenuated Y. pestis strain EV line NIIEG. The F1 antigen provided modest specific cellular (mixed T helper 1 (Th1)/Th2 type) and humoral immune responses in vaccinees irrespective of the amount of annual vaccinations and duration of the post-vaccination period. The probing of the F1 overlapping peptide library with the F1-positive sera revealed the presence of seven linear B cell epitopes, which were all also predicted by in silico assay. The immunoinformatics study evaluated their antigenicity, toxicity, and allergenic properties. The epitope TSQDGNNH was mostly recognized by the sera from recently vaccinated donors rather than antibodies from those immunized decades ago, suggesting the usefulness of this peptide for differentiation between recent and long-term vaccinations. The in silico analysis predicted nine linear LcrV-specific B-cell epitopes; however, weak antibody and cellular immune responses prevented their experimental evaluation, indicating that LcrV is a poor marker of successful vaccination. No specific Th17 immune response to either F1 or LcrV was detected, and there were no detectable serum levels of F1-specific immunoglobulin A (IgA) in vaccinees. Overall, the general approach validated in the LPV model could be valuable for the rational design of vaccines against other neglected and novel emerging infections with high pandemic potency

New Promising Targets for Synthetic Omptin-Based Peptide Vaccine against Gram-Negative Pathogens

Omptins represent a family of proteases commonly found in various Gram-negative pathogens. These proteins play an important role in host–pathogen interaction and have been recognized as key virulence factors, highlighting the possibility of developing an omptin-based broad-spectrum vaccine. The prototypical omptin, His-tagged recombinant Pla, was used as a model target antigen. In total, 46 linear and 24 conformational epitopes for the omptin family were predicted by the use of ElliPro service. Among these we selected highly conserved, antigenic, non-allergenic, and immunogenic B-cell epitopes. Five epitopes (2, 6, 8, 10, and 11 corresponding to Pla regions 52–60, 146–150, 231–234, 286–295, and 306–311, respectively) could be the first choice for the development of the new generation of target-peptide-based vaccine against plague. The partial residues of omptin epitopes 6, 8, and 10 (regions 136–145, 227–230, and 274–285) could be promising targets for the multi-pathogen vaccine against a group of enterobacterial infections. The comparative analysis and 3D modeling of amino acid sequences of several omptin family proteases, such as Pla (Yersinia pestis), PgtE (Salmonella enterica), SopA (Shigella flexneri), OmpT, and OmpP (Escherichia coli), confirmed their high cross-homology with respect to the identified epitope clusters and possible involvement of individual epitopes in host–pathogen interaction

Measurement of cytokines in supernatants of human PBMCs of immunized (group A) and naïve (group B) donors stimulated with recombinant Pla [5 μg/ml] or F1 [2 μg/ml].

<p>Group A was further divided into subgroups A-RV (recently vaccinated, n = 13) and A-EV (earlier vaccinated, n = 21) with post vaccination time less and more than one year, respectively. The SI was calculated against unstimulated cells (PBS). Concanavalin A (Con A) [1 mg/ml] served as positive control stimulus. The concentration of cytokines IL-10, and IL-17A (panel <b>A</b>) and IFN-γ, TNF-α, and IL-4 (panel <b>B</b>) is given in picograms per milliliter (pg/ml). The bars represent the median ± interquartile range calculated from quadruplicates. The statistical analysis was done by Mann-Whitney test. Statistically significant differences between the groups are indicated by * (<i>p</i><0.05), ** (<i>p</i><0.01), and *** <i>(p</i><0.0001).</p

Percent distribution of Pla-specific immunoglobulin classes and IgG subclasses among LPV vaccinated donors which were positive (A-Res) and negative (A-Non) in IgG ELISA with recombinant Pla as coating antigen.

<p>A-Total is combined group A, and naïve donors formed the group B. (A) IgG subclasses IgG1, IgG2, IgG3, and IgG4. (B) Antibody classes IgM, IgG, IgA, and IgE. Differences between the groups were statistically compared by the Chi-square test or the Fisher’s exact test when the number of samples was small. Statistically significant differences are indicated by * (<i>p</i><0.05) or by ** (<i>p</i><0.01).</p

Humoral and cellular immune responses to <i>Yersinia pestis</i> Pla antigen in humans immunized with live plague vaccine

<div><p>Background</p><p>To establish correlates of human immunity to the live plague vaccine (LPV), we analyzed parameters of cellular and antibody response to the plasminogen activator Pla of <i>Y</i>. <i>pestis</i>. This outer membrane protease is an essential virulence factor that is steadily expressed by <i>Y</i>. <i>pestis</i>.</p><p>Methodology/Principal findings</p><p>PBMCs and sera were obtained from a cohort of naïve (n = 17) and LPV-vaccinated (n = 34) donors. Anti-Pla antibodies of different classes and IgG subclasses were determined by ELISA and immunoblotting. The analysis of antibody response was complicated with a strong reactivity of Pla with normal human sera. The linear Pla B-cell epitopes were mapped using a library of 15-mer overlapping peptides. Twelve peptides that reacted specifically with sera of vaccinated donors were found together with a major cross-reacting peptide IPNISPDSFTVAAST located at the N-terminus. PBMCs were stimulated with recombinant Pla followed by proliferative analysis and cytokine profiling. The T-cell recall response was pronounced in vaccinees less than a year post-immunization, and became Th17-polarized over time after many rounds of vaccination.</p><p>Conclusions/Significance</p><p>The Pla protein can serve as a biomarker of successful vaccination with LPV. The diagnostic use of Pla will require elimination of cross-reactive parts of the antigen.</p></div