40 documents found, page 1 of 4
Development of new phytochemical-based disinfectant formulations for the contro...
Sousa, Mariana; Borges, Anabela; Simões, ManuelBackground: Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) remain a critical public health challenge due to the persistence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria and the inefficacy of conventional disinfectants [1]. Biofilms further enhance bacterial resistance and limit the effectiveness of biocides [2]. Phytochemicals have emerged as natural alternatives due to their antimicrobial and antibiofilm properties [3]. Thi...
The potential of selected natural products as biofilm control agents and antibi...
Massano, Francisca; Sousa, Mariana; Borges, Anabela; Simões, ManuelBackground: The emergence of multidrug-resistant bacteria, especially within biofilms, poses a serious public health threat and represents a major challenge for effective infection management. Traditional antibiotics often fail to effectively treat bacteria and biofilm-associated infections, prompting the need for novel strategies to combat bacterial resistance and biofilm formation. Natural compounds, such as ...
Biocides as drivers of antibiotic resistance: A critical review of environmenta...
Sousa, Mariana; Machado, Idalina; Simões, Lúcia Chaves; Simões, ManuelThe widespread and indiscriminate use of biocides poses significant threats to global health, socioeconomic development, and environmental sustainability by accelerating antibiotic resistance. Bacterial resistance development is highly complex and influenced significantly by environmental factors. Increased biocide usage in households, agriculture, livestock farming, industrial settings, and hospitals produces ...
Cellulose-based colorimetric test strips for SARS-CoV-2 antibody detection
Sousa, Mariana; Pereira, Ana Cláudia; Correia, Bárbara; Carmo, Anália do; Matos, Ana Miguel; Cruz, Maria Teresa; Moreira, FelisminaThe COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need for rapid, cost-effective tools to monitor transmission and immune response. We developed two novel paper-based colorimetric biosensors using glutaraldehyde as a protein dyeits first use in this context. Glutaraldehyde reacts with amino groups to generate a brown color, enabling detection of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. Wathman filter paper was functionalized with (3-aminopr...
Innovative pedagogical tools for parasitology based on interactive learning
Sequeira, Susie; Sousa, Mariana; Fernandes, Sara; Barreiros, Luísa; Cunha, Agostinho; Cruz, Agostinho; Fernandes, Sara; Barreiros, LuisaParasitic infections in children, in particular ectoparasitoses, remain a public health challenge within the school context in Portugal. As part of the curricular unit “Agentes e Vectores de Doença I” included in the first year of the Bachelor of Pharmacy, pedagogical tools have been developed to raise awareness on this issue among the various stakeholders involved in primary education. The developed activities...
Pedagogia XXI: boas práticas de inovação e de formação na educação superior
Gonçalves, Daniela; Cruz, Joana; Orvalho, Luísa; Sousa, MarianaA Educação Superior vive um momento de transformação profunda, impulsionado pela necessidade de responder a desafios sociais, tecnológicos e pedagógicos cada vez mais complexos. Tendo em conta este espaço-tempo contemporâneos, o presente e-book reúne um conjunto de reflexões, experiências e boas práticas de inovação pedagógica e de formação docente, no âmbito do Pedagogia XXI.
Exploring methodologies from Isolation to excystation for Giardia lamblia: A sy...
Sequeira, Susie; Sousa, Mariana; Cruz, Agostinho; Cruz, AgostinhoGiardia lamblia is a flagellated protozoan and the etiological agent of giardiasis, a leading cause of epidemic and sporadic diarrhoea globally. The clinical and public health relevance of giardiasis underscores the need for robust methodologies to investigate and manage this pathogen. This study reviews the main methodologies described in the literature for studying the life cycle of G. lamblia, focusing on is...
Use of Medicinal Plants for Treatment and Prophylaxis of Canine Parasitic Infec...
Santos, Patrícia; Sousa, Mariana; Cruz, Agostinho; Cruz, AgostinhoDogs have been perceived as providing companionship to all members of the family, yet they can act as a vector for the transmission of parasitic agents to humans, particularly those who own or care for them. Traditional medicine seem to demonstrate effects in the treatment of diseases in animals; however, it is necessary to prove their effectiveness using more recent scientific evidence.
In the quest for reliable tools to explore the virulence potential of Listeria ...
Sousa, Mariana; Magalhães, Rui; Ferreira, Vânia; Teixeira, PaulaIntroduction and objective: Listeria monocytogenes is a foodborne pathogen that causes human listeriosis. This pathogen is characterized by an intra-species heterogeneity so its strains can be grouped into clonal complexes (CCs) that are defined either as hypervirulent – mainly associated with clinical cases or hypovirulent – associated with food or food processing environments and with infections in susceptibl...
Assessing the persister state in Listeria monocytogenes in response to gentamic...
Sousa, Mariana; Azevedo, Mónica; Magalhães, Rui; Almeida, Gonçalo; Teixeira, PaulaIntroduction: In the context of food safety, persister cells are a public health concern since these may contribute to the persistence and survival of bacteria in food processing environments. Listeria monocytogenes persisters are described as a subpopulation of growth-arrested cells that possess non-heritable, temporary tolerance to lethal doses of antibiotics (e.g., gentamicin) and can revert to an active sta...