Ana Cecilia Lorenzo Leal

University of British Columbia | UBC · Division of Infectious Diseases

Ultraviolet (UV) light is an effective disinfection technology, able to inactivate a wide range of microorganisms, including bacteria and fungi. A safer UV wavelength of 222 nm, also known as far-UVC, has been proposed to minimize these harmful effects while retaining the light’s disinfection capability. This study is aimed at exploring the antimic...

Context The emergence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogens poses a significant challenge for global public health systems, increasing hospital morbidity and mortality and prolonged hospitalization. Objective We evaluated the antimicrobial activity of a thermosensitive hydrogel containing bio-synthesized silver nanoparticles (bio-AgNPs) based on...

Purpose of review This study summarized the current problems and potential solutions related to the rise of multidrug-resistant bacteria, the lack of antibiotics, and new avenues of research in developing new antimicrobial alternatives, such as using bacteriocins, bacteriophage therapy, antimicrobial peptides, and nanoparticles. Recent findings Ad...

In this work, bulb extracts of Tigridia vanhouttei were obtained by maceration with solvents of increasing polarity. The extracts were evaluated against a panel of pathogenic bacterial and fungal strains using the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) assay. The cytotoxicity of the extracts was tested against two cell lines (THP-1 and A549) using...

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is an enveloped respiratory β coronavirus that causes coronavirus disease (COVID-19), leading to a deadly pandemic that has claimed millions of lives worldwide. Like other coronaviruses, the SARS-CoV-2 genome also codes for non-structural proteins (NSPs). These NSPs are found within open...

The continuous increase of bacterial pathogen resistance to conventional antibiotics has challenged the research community to develop new antimicrobial strategies. Antimicrobial peptides (AMP) are a promising alternative to combat multidrug-resistant strains compared to conventional antibiotics because of their biocompatibility. In the present stud...

In this study, the leaves of Kalanchoe fedtschenkoi were consecutively macerated with hexane, chloroform, and methanol. These extracts were used to assess the bioactivities of the plant. The antimicrobial activity was tested against a panel of Gram-positive and-negative pathogenic bacterial and fungal strains using the microdilution method. The cyt...

Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is a type of kidney cancer that arises from the cells lining the tubes of the kidney. The tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) of ccRCC is a complex interplay of various immune cells, cytokines, and signaling pathways. One of the critical features of the ccRCC TIME is the presence of infiltrating immune cells...

The delivery of drugs in an encapsulated environment is designed to precisely target specific tissues, avoiding a systemic circulation of the drug. Lungs are organs exposed to the environment with multiple defense barriers. However, many pathogens can still colonize and infect the airways bypassing the hostile environment of the lungs. In more comp...

Apical periodontitis is an inflammation leading to the injury and destruction of periradicular tissues. It is a sequence of events that starts from root canal infection, endodontic treatment, caries, or other dental interventions. Enterococcus faecalis is a ubiquitous oral pathogen that is challenging to eradicate because of biofilm formation durin...

Mexico is a center of diversification for the Cactaceae family, with 69% of the species recorded as endemic. Certain members of the Cactaceae family have been chemically analyzed to relate their medicinal use with their phytochemistry. Here, the phytochemistry and bioactivity of ethanol extracts of Ferocactus echidne, F. latispinus, and Mammillaria...

Background Buddleja perfoliata Kunth is an endemic plant in Mexico. It has been used in traditional medicine as a topical antiseptic and diuretic against headaches, colds, tuberculosis, heart disease, dizziness, and nervousness. Aim of the study To investigate the bioactivities of B. perfoliata to support its use in traditional medicine as an anti...

Plain language summary The use of facial protection, including masks and respirators, has been adopted globally due to the COVID-19 pandemic. These products have been demonstrated to be effective in reducing the transmission of the virus. This study tested whether the virus can adhere to the different layers of respirators and a surgical mask. Thes...

Ethnopharmacological relevance A third part of the world population has been exposed to the pathogen Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the etiological agent of tuberculosis (TB). TB is a deadly disease, and its treatment has been hampered because of the lack of new antibiotics or the development of new antimycobacterial agents against this pathogen. The...

The use of facial protection, including masks and respirators, has been adopted globally due to the COVID-19 pandemic. These products have been demonstrated to be effective in reducing the transmission of the virus. To determine whether or not the virus adheres to masks and respirators, we dissected four respirators and one surgical mask into layer...

For many years, cow’s milk has been considered as an essential food because of its nutritional value. However, the demand for plant-based milk alternatives (PBMAs) increased over recent years due to lactose intolerance and allergies, as well as different lifestyles. This review aims to provide updated information on the main raw materials used in P...

Background: Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP), a member of the mycobacteriaceae family, causes Johne's disease in ruminants, which resembles Crohn's disease (CD) in humans. MAP was proposed to be one of the causes of human CD, but the evidence remains elusive. Macrophages were reported to be the only cell where MAP proliferates...

Essential oils (EOs) are natural products composed of a mixture of volatile and aromatic compounds extracted from different parts of plants that have shown antimicrobial activities against pathogens. In this study, EOs extracted from Pimenta dioica (Myrtaceae) and Rosmarinus officinalis (Lamiaceae) were assessed for their antimicrobial activities u...

The aim of this study was to extract and evaluate the composition and antibacterial effect of allspice (Pimenta dioica) essential oil applied in vapor phase against Salmonella Typhimurium, Listeria monocytogenes, and Pseudomonas fluorescens at selected levels of pH and temperature. Microwave assisted extraction (MAE) was tested at different conditi...

Seeds are usual source of contamination and their sprouts are commonly associated foodborne illness. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the antibacterial vapor phase efficiency of allspice, thyme and rosemary essential oils on two foodborne pathogens in in vitro and on alfalfa seeds, including the chemical profile of the tested EOs an...

Cumin (Cuminum cyminum L.) is a plant with multiple applications in food, beverages and medicinal products. Cumin essential oil (CEO) may be obtained by diverse extraction methods. Among them, microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) is considered as a green technology, with benefits such as reduction time and yield increase. The objective of this study...

La clara de huevo es un alimento alto en proteínas, dichas que le confieren propiedades que son importantes en la industria alimentaria. Este producto al ser sometido a tratamientos como el secado por aspersión, puede mejorar su conservación y algunas propiedades. Es por esto que el objetivo de este trabajo fue evaluar las propiedades físicas, quím...

Las opiniones expresadas en este documento no son necesariamente opiniones de la Revista ReCiTeIA, de sus órganos o de sus funcionarios. ReCiTeIA no se hace responsable de materiales con derecho de autor tomados sin autorización por los propios autores

Las opiniones expresadas en este documento no son necesariamente opiniones de la Revista ReCiTeIA, de sus órganos o de sus funcionarios. ReCiTeIA no se hace responsable de materiales con derecho de autor tomados sin autorización por los propios autores

Generally, the most important aspects to sensory analyse essential oils (EOs) are visual quality, colour, odour and taste. EOs proved to have antimicrobial or antioxidant properties against different microorganisms in culture media and model-food systems. Composition of EOs depends on what part of the plant is used, conditions of plant growth, dryi...

Los conservadores sintetizados químicamente se han empleado durante muchos años en la industria de alimentos. Sin embargo, ha aumentado la demanda de productos más naturales por parte de los consumidores, siendo una alternativa los aceites esenciales (AE) obtenidos de hierbas y especias. El objetivo de este trabajo fue recopilar información sobre l...