Three essays in risky behaviors

A PhD Dissertation, presented as part of the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy from the NOVA - School of Business and Economics

Novel insights into the action of antimicrobial agents against human pathogens

Dissertation presented to obtain the Ph.D degree in Biochemistry

A Natural Protective Mechanism Against Malaria

Malaria is an infectious disease of humans and other animals including birds, reptiles and most mammals. It is transmitted via the inoculation of Plasmodium sporozoites into the skin through the bite of an infected female Anopheles mosquito. Although every year, around 700.000 lives are perished, mainly children under the age of 3-5 years old, to Plasmodium infection this deadly parasite has a relatively low efficiency of transmission from mosquitoes into humans.(...)