In our experience, university students enrolling in health science and forensic science degrees show difficulty in retaining and integrating basic scientific knowledge learned in their first academic year. Furthermore, in the forensic sciences case, many students have oversimplified and unrealistic expectations as a result of the exposure to crime TV shows, internet blogs, and other social media platforms. Our ...
The search for alternative and effective therapies to fight cancer is one of the main goals of the pharmaceutical industry. Recently, ionic liquids (ILs) have emerged as potential therapeutic agents with antitumor properties. The goal of this study was to synthesize and evaluate the bioactivity of different ILs coupled with the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) valproate (VPA) as an antitumor agent. The to...
As cianobactérias marinhas constituem uma fonte promissora de compostos com potencial antitumoral. Nos últimos anos, um arsenal de compostos tem sido revelado, alargando a gama de novos compostos ou estruturas de base ao desenvolvimento de novas drogas. Neste projeto tivemos como objetivo avaliar o potencial de cianobactérias da coleção LEGE-CC como fonte de compostos antitumorais. Foi também nosso objetivo ava...
Bisphosphonates are a class of drugs widely used for the treatment of several pathologies associated with increased bone resorption. Although displaying low oral bioavailability, these drugs have the ability to accumulate in bone matrix, where the biological effects are exerted. In the present work, four mono- and dianionic Etidronate-based Organic Salts and Ionic Liquids (Eti-OSILs) were developed by combinati...
Bisphosphonates (BPs) are stable analogues of the Inorganic Pyrophosphate (PPi), an endogenous regulator of bone mineralization, which can resist the hydrolysis in the gastrointestinal tract. Their conformation allows targeting the bone as a result of their three-dimensional structure, which makes them primary agents against osteoclast-mediated bone loss. They are used in many bone pathological conditions, like...
The present digital revolution that we are living is making dramatic changes not only in entertainment but especially in education. A few decades ago, entertainment/education was consumed passively, and was created by companies or experts that decided what people should see and learn. Nowadays, everyone can be both a consumer and a creator, and the created contents can virtually reach any people in any place. A...
In the last few years, we have been witnessing an increasing interest in ionic liquids (ILs) and organic salts, given their potential applications in biological and pharmaceutical sciences. We report the synthesis and in vitro evaluation of novel organic salts combining betulinate, known for its anticancer properties, with antimalarial drugs, primaquine, chloroquine, and mepacrine, and also with the trihexyltet...
Cigarette smoke is associated to pathological weakening of bone tissue, being considered an important playmaker in conditions such as osteoporosis and periodontal bone loss. In addition, it is also associated with an increased risk of failure in bone regeneration strategies. The present work aimed to characterize the effects of nicotine on human osteoclastogenesis over a hydroxyapatite substrate. Osteoclast pre...
The way people view eating has significantly changed in the last years. Food is now seen not only as a primary need to support the basic functions of human body, but also an important tool to promote a healthy life. In this context, growing attention has been paid to vegetarianism, which encompasses food patterns that avoid, restrict or abolish foods from animal origins. In fact, the amount of vegetarians is in...