Properties, Extraction Methods, and Delivery Systems for Curcumin as a Natural Source of Beneficial Health Effects.

This review discusses the impact of curcumin-an aromatic phytoextract from the turmeric (Curcuma longa) rhizome-as an effective therapeutic agent. Despite all of the beneficial health properties ensured by curcumin application, its pharmacological efficacy is compromised in vivo due to poor aqueous solubility, high metabolism, and rapid excretion that may result in poor systemic bioavailability. To overcome these problems, novel nanosystems have been proposed to enhance its bioavailability and bioactivity by reducing the particle size, the modification of surfaces, and the encapsulation efficiency of curcumin with different nanocarriers. The solutions based on nanotechnology can improve the perspective for medical patients with serious illnesses. In this review, we discuss commonly used curcumin-loaded bio-based nanoparticles that should be implemented for overcoming the innate constraints of this natural ingredient. Furthermore, the associated challenges regarding the potential applications in combination therapies are discussed as well.

Molecular detection of haemotropic Mycoplasma species in urban and rural cats from Portugal.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the prevalence of haemoplasma infection in cats in Portugal and to assess risk factors for infection. METHODS: Real-time polymerase chain reaction techniques were used to assess 236 urban and rural cats from central and southern Portugal. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of haemoplasma in the target population was 27.1% (64/236), with individual species' prevalences as follows: 17.8% (42/236) 'Candidatus Mycoplasma haemominutum' (CMhm), 14.4% (34/236) Mycoplasma haemofelis (Mhf) and only 5.9% (14/236) 'Candidatus Mycoplasma turicensis' (CMt). Multiple infections were detected in 8.1% (19/236) of the samples, with triple and double infections with Mhf and CMhm being most commonly detected (5.9% [14/236] of cats). Haemoplasma infection was significantly higher in shelter cats (P = 0.015) than in cats with other lifestyles (eg, free-roaming/house pet/blood donors). Haemoplasma prevalence was also higher in cats with feline immunodeficiency virus infection (FIV; P = 0.011). Although sex was not significantly associated with haemoplasma infection (P = 0.050), CMt was predominantly found in males (P = 0.032). Also, the presence of haemoplasma multiple infections was statistically associated with being in a shelter (P = 0.021), male (P = 0.057) and with FIV co-infection (P = 0.004). No evidence of an association between haemoplasma infection and geographical location, age or feline leukaemia virus co-infection was found. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: The results obtained in our study are consistent with the documented worldwide prevalence of feline haemoplasma infections, suggesting that the three main feline haemoplasma species are common in Portugal.

Adaptação do Inventário de Ciúme Romântico (ICR) para a população Portuguesa / Adaptation of the Romantic Jealousy Inventory for Portuguese people / Adaptación del Inventario de los Celos Románticos (ICR) para la población portuguesa

O objetivo deste estudo foi adaptar um instrumento brasileiro para a avaliação do ciúme romântico no contexto cultural português e avaliar as suas propriedades psicométricas. O instrumento adaptado foi respondido por 808 participantes, divididos em duas amostras equivalentes quanto ao número e ao sexo. Análises fatoriais exploratórias revelaram grande similaridade entre as estruturas fatoriais obtidas com as amostras portuguesas e destas com a estrutura encontrada em um estudo prévio com participantes brasileiros. Todos os fatores apresentaram índices de fidedignidade superiores a 0,8. Análises com base na Teoria de Resposta ao Item evidenciaram um bom uso das categorias de resposta empregadas e mostraram que a maioria das escalas é mais discriminativa para características relacionadas com a manifestação patológica do ciúme. Concluiu-se que a escala apresenta validade baseada na estrutura interna e boa fidedignidade, podendo ser recomendada para utilização em investigações.

The objective of this study was to adapt a Brazilian instrument for romantic jealousy assessment to the Portuguese cultural context, and to evaluate its psychometric properties. The adapted instrument was answered by 808 participants, divided in two equivalent samples regarding number and gender. Simultaneous factor analysis with those samples showed high similarity both with each other and with previous results obtained with a Brazilian sample. All factors showed reliability indices above 0.8. IRT based analysis revealed a good use of the response categories and showed that the majority of the scales are more discriminative for pathologic jealousy manifestation. It was concluded that the scale shows validity based on internal structure and good reliability, and can be recommended for research purposes.

El objetivo de este estudio fue adaptar un instrumento brasileño para la evaluación de los celos románticos en el contexto cultural portugués y evaluar sus propiedades psicométricas. El instrumento adaptado fue respondido por 808 participantes, divididos en dos muestras equivalentes en cuanto al número y al sexo. Análisis factoriales exploratorias revelaron gran similitud entre las estructuras factoriales obtenidas con las muestras portuguesas y de estas con la estructura encontrada en un estudio preliminar con participantes brasileños. Todos los factores presentaron índices de fiabilidad superiores a 0.8. Análisis basadas en la Teoría de Respuesta al Ítem evidenciaron un buen uso de las categorías de respuesta empleadas y mostraron que la mayoría de las escalas es más discriminativa para características relacionadas con la manifestación patológica de los celos. Se concluye que la escala presenta validez basada en la estructura interna y buena fiabilidad, siendo recomendada para utilización en investigaciones.