MicroRNAs as Biomarkers and Therapeutic Targets in Heart Failure

Heart failure still represents a real challenge both in everyday practice and research, due to the complex issues related to its pathogenesis and management. Humoral biomarkers have emerged in the last decades as useful tools in the diagnosis, risk stratification and guiding the treatment of heart failure. These molecules are related to different pathological and adaptive processes, like myocardial injury, neurohormonal activation and cardiac remodeling, their most widespread representatives being the natriuretic peptides (e.g. NT-proBNP). The role of altered gene expression and transcription as the basis of myocardial structural and functional changes in heart failure is largely recognized. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are non-coding RNAs which have a major role in post-transcriptional gene expression by interfering with messenger RNA molecules. Our short review summarizes the molecular biology of miRNAs and their possible role as biomarkers in the diagnosis and prognosis of heart failure. Furthermore, the therapeutical perspectives conferred by these molecules are also presented

Population preferences for sources that offers information about dietary fibres health effects - an international cross-sectional survey

Objective: To investigate the perceived importance of information about dietary fibre with regard to population socio -demographic characteristics and consumption patterns. Methods: The cross-sectional study was conducted from September to November, 2016, in six different counties and 57 cities across Romania, and was part of a larger project that had nine other countries as well. Data of the Romanian subjects was collected using a validated questionnaire that was disseminated across the 10 countries at the same time. Knowledge about dietary fibre was explored through 10 questions, and the respondents were asked to answer on a 5-point Likert scale varying from 1 (totally disagree) to 5 (totally agree). SPSS 22 was used for data anaylsis. Results: Of the 670 subjects, 358 (53.4%) were females, and the overall mean age was 35.81±15.61 years (range: 18-89 years). There were 298 (44.5%) subjects with a university degree, 314(46.9%) had completed high school and 57 (8.5%) had done primary school. Besides, 568 (84.8%) participants lived in an urban environment. Internet was the main source of getting information for 368(54.9%) subjects, while the lowest was hospitals 122 (18.2%). The percentage of correct answers regarding knowledge about health effects of dietary fibre was 23.12%. Most accurate answers were related to deficiency of vitamins and minerals 370 (55.5%), breast cancer 202(30.3%), vision problems 202(30.3%) and diabetes 168 (25.2%). The question with least accurate answer was the one about general preventive characteristics of dietary fibres 65 (9.7%). Conclusions: A proper and friendly way to transmit information about the importance of dietary fibre consumption is critical in promoting healthy diet patterns and in preventing non-transmissible diseases.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio