Curcumin has anti-inflammatory, antioxidative, anticarcinogenic, and cardiovascular protective effects. Our study is aimed at evaluating the effects of pretreatment with curcumin nanoparticles (CCNP) compared to conventional curcumin (CC) on isoproterenol (ISO) induced myocardial infarction (MI) in rats. Fifty-six Wistar-Bratislava white rats were randomly divided into eight groups of seven rats each. Curcumin and curcumin nanoparticles were given by gavage in three different doses (100 mg/kg body weight (bw), 150 mg/kg bw, and 200 mg/kg bw) for 15 days. The MI was induced on day 13 using 100 mg/kg bw ISO administered twice, with the second dose 24 h after the initial dose. The blood samples were taken 24 h after the last dose of ISO. The antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and cardioprotective effects were evaluated in all groups. All doses of CC and CCNP offered a cardioprotective effect by preventing creatine kinase-MB leakage from cardiomyocytes, with the best result for CCNP. All the oxidative stress parameters were significantly improved after CCNP compared to CC pretreatment. CCNP was more efficient than CC in limiting the increase in inflammatory cytokine levels (such as TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1α, IL-1β, MCP-1, and RANTES) after MI. MMP-2 and MMP-9 levels decreased more after pretreatment with CCNP than with CC. CCNP better prevented myocardial necrosis and reduced interstitial edema and neutrophil infiltration than CC, on histopathological examination. Therefore, improving the bioactivity of curcumin by nanotechnology may help limit cardiac injury after myocardial infarction.

The present research investigated tendencies related to the purchasing and consumption of honey and to how it is perceived by consumers. Although Romania is a traditional honeyproducing area, paradoxically, there is not a culture of consumption for this product, honey consumption being lower than in other European countries. The research objectives were achieved by investigating a representative sample of subjects from the North-West region of Romania. The research instrument used was a questionnaire, which included questions about honey consumption, questions related to perceptions of honey, together with sociodemographic questions. Honey is perceived to be a delicious product, delightful to consume and is considered beneficial for health by most of the respondents. A number of factors (education, occupation and age) significantly influence the perception that the respondent had of the value of honey. The most popular types of honey were acacia honey, polyfloral honey and linden honey. Respondents preferred to buy honey from a local producer, and had more confidence in domestic honey than in imported honey. Although the frequency of consumption is quite high, the quantity consumed per capita is low (on average 3 kg/year). Local honey producers should be aware that the revival of the beekeeping sector in Romania could be promoted by stimulating domestic consumption. Educating consumers to adopt a healthy lifestyle could significantly contribute to an increase in honey consumption. The paper emphasizes the need to conduct research that provides useful information about the quantitative and quality indicators of honey consumption, in order to improve marketing strategies.

The DAA can be transitioned from the LA safely, without higher complication rates while maintaining its muscle spearing advantages when performed by a low volume hip arthroplasty surgeon.

Abstract:The correct application of a statistical test is directly connected with information related to the distribution of data. Anderson-Darling is one alternative used to test if the distribution of experimental data follows a theoretical distribution. The conclusion of the Anderson-Darling test is usually drawn by comparing the obtained statistic with the available critical value, which did not give any weight to the same size. This study aimed to provide a formula for calculation of p-value associated with the Anderson-Darling statistic considering the size of the sample. A Monte Carlo simulation study was conducted for sample sizes starting from 2 to 61, and based on the obtained results, a formula able to give reliable probabilities associated to the Anderson-Darling statistic is reported.

Aim: To evaluate the morphostructural aspects and nail vascularity in the nail unit of patients with psoriasis, and to evaluate whether there are differences among psoriatic patients with and without nail involvement. Material and methods: Nail plates and nail bed changes, nailfold vessel resistance index (NVRI), power and color Doppler blood flow appearances were investigated in 23 patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis, with and without nail involvement, and compared to those of 11 healthy participants. Results: Ventral nail plate deposits were present only in psoriasis patients. Irregular or totally fused nail plates and increased nail plate thickness was frequently observed in psoriasis patients compared to controls. NVRI was increased in psoriatic patients' nails compared to controls (0.62 vs. 0.57, p<0.0001). In the psoriasis patient group there was significant statistical difference in NVRI in patients with nail involvement compared to those without (0.66 vs. 0.55, p<0.0001). Conclusions: High-frequency gray scale sonography provides valuable information regarding morphostructural changes in nail unit structure in patients with psoriasis. Power Doppler imaging enables blood flow assessment in psoriasis nail induced changes.

Curcumin (CC) is known to have anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative properties and has already been tested for its efficiency in different diseases including diabetes mellitus (DM). New formulations and route administration were designed to obtain products with higher bioavailability. Our study aimed to test the effect of intraperitoneal (i.p.) administration of liposomal curcumin (lCC) as pre-treatment in streptozotocin(STZ)-induced DM in rats on oxidative stress, liver, and pancreatic functional parameters. Forty-two Wistar-Bratislava rats were randomly divided into six groups (seven animals/group): control (no diabetes), control-STZ (STZ-induced DM —60 mg/100g body weight a single dose intraperitoneal administration, and no CC pre-treatment), two groups with DM and CC pre-treatment (1mg/100g bw—STZ + CC1, 2 mg/100g bw—STZ + CC2), and two groups with DM and lCC pre-treatment (1 mg/100g bw—STZ + lCC1, 2 mg/100g bw—STZ + lCC1). Intraperitoneal administration of Curcumin in diabetic rats showed a significant reduction of nitric oxide, malondialdehyde, total oxidative stress, and catalase for both evaluated formulations (CC and lCC) compared to control group (p < 0.005), with higher efficacy of lCC formulation compared to CC solution (p < 0.002, excepting catalase for STZ + CC2vs. STZ + lCC1when p = 0.0845). The CC and lCC showed hepatoprotective and hypoglycemic effects, a decrease in oxidative stress and improvement in anti-oxidative capacity status against STZ-induced DM in rats (p < 0.002). The lCC also proved better efficacy on MMP-2, and -9 plasma levels as compared to CC (p < 0.003, excepting STZ + CC2 vs. STZ + lCC1 comparison with p = 0.0553). The lCC demonstrated significantly better efficacy as compared to curcumin solution on all serum levels of the investigated markers, sustaining its possible use as adjuvant therapy in DM.

Abstract:The concentration of five soil heavy metals (Pb, Co, Cr, Cu, Hg) was measured in forty sampling sites in central Transylvania, Romania, regions known as centres of pollution due to the chemical and metallurgical activities. The soil samples were collected from locations where the ground is not sliding and the probability of alluvial deposits is small. The concentration of heavy metals was measured by using the Inductively Coupled Plasma Spectrometry method. Data were verified by using the Neutron Activation Analysis method. In some locations, the concentration for the investigated heavy metals exceeds the concentration admitted by the Romanian guideline. The highest concentration of lead (1521.8 ppm) and copper (1197.6 ppm) was found in Zlatna. The highest concentration of chromium was found in Târnăveni (1080 ppm). The maximum admitted concentrations in the sensitive areas revealed to be exceed from five to forty times.

BackgroundCurcumin has antioxidative properties that could be useful in various diseases due to its ability to act on multiple targets of various cellular pathways. We aimed to assess the efficacy of liposomal curcumin compared with curcumin solution, when in addition to sumatriptan (ST) treatment, in an experimental migraine model induced with nitroglycerin (NTG) in rats.MethodsSeven groups of 9 rats each were investigated: control group without migraine (1 mL saline solution intraperitoneal injection [ip]), control group with induced migraine, NTG+ST group (ST), NTG+ST+curcumin1 (CC1) group – 1 mg/100 g body weight (bw), NTG+ST+CC2 – 2 mg/100 g bw, NTG+ST+liposomal curcumin1 (lCC1) group – 1 mg/100 g bw, and NTG+ST+lCC2 (lCC2) group – 2 mg/100 g bw. NTG and ST were administered as 1 mL ip NTG | 1 mg/100 g bw and 1 mL ip ST | 1 mg/100 g bw, respectively. Plasma total oxidative stress (TOS), malondialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide (NOx), thiol levels, as well as total antioxidative capacity (TAC) were assessed. The nociception process was assessed by counting the number of flinches and shakes after the formalin test.ResultsThe plasma TOS, MDA, and NOx levels, as oxidative stress parameters, were significantly decreased in the curcumin-treated groups, especially where curcumin was in liposomal form. The thiol and TAC were also improved by the curcumin treatment, with the best results obtained for the liposomal curcumin. The closest number of flinches and shakes to the control group was obtained for the group treated with liposomal curcumin at a dose of 2 mg/100 g bw.ConclusionLiposomal curcumin in a dose of 2 mg/100 g bw when in addition to ST treatment could be an optimum therapeutic strategy for migraine attacks and could represent a base for future clinical research and application.