A MicroRNA Perspective on Cardiovascular Development and Diseases: An Update.

In this review, we summarize the latest research pertaining to MicroRNAs (miRs) related to cardiovascular diseases. In today's molecular age, the key clinical aspects of diagnosing and treating these type of diseases are crucial, and miRs play an important role. Therefore, we have made a thorough analysis discussing the most important candidate protagonists of many pathways relating to such conditions as atherosclerosis, heart failure, myocardial infarction, and congenital heart disorders.

Internal ribosome entry site (IRES) from Encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV) as a tool for shuttle expression plasmids.

In eukaryotes, IRES sequences aid the recruitment of factors needed for translation to occur, enabling protein production independent of 5' capped mRNA. Many patents and commercially available plasmids exploit their properties for polycistronic expression of recombinant proteins. However, these applications have been restricted to eukaryotic organisms, since it was thought that elements of this origin were essential for their activity.

Diagnostic accuracy of buffy coat culture compared to total blood culture in late-onset sepsis of the newborn.

Objectives: To study the potential of buffy coat culture as a diagnostic tool for neonatal late-onset sepsis.

Methods: This was a study of diagnostic accuracy in newborn infants born at 28-41 weeks of gestation, weighing >800g, with ≥8 points on the NOSEP-1 scale. Paired samples for total blood culture (TBC) and buffy coat culture were drawn.