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Chronic pain is a major public health problem and an economic burden worldwide. However, its underlying pathological mechanisms remain unclear. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of small noncoding RNAs that post-transcriptionally regulate gene expression and serve key roles in physiological and pathological processes. This review aims to synthesize the human studies examining miRNA expression in the pathogenesis of chronic primary pain and chronic secondary pain. Additionally, to understand the potential pathophysiological impact of miRNAs in these conditions, an in silico analysis was performed to reveal the target genes and pathways involved in primary and secondary pain and their differential regulation in the different types of chronic pain. The findings, methodological issues and challenges of miRNA research in the pathophysiology of chronic pain are discussed. The available evidence suggests the potential role of miRNA in disease pathogenesis and possibly the pain process, eventually enabling this role to be exploited for pain monitoring and management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reviews the book "Neuroscience," 4th edition, by Dale Purves, George J. Augustine, David Fitzpatrick, William C. Hall, Anthony-Samuel La Mantia, James O. McNamara, and Leonard E. White.

A review of the book "Thomas Tooke & the Monetary Thought of Classical Economics," by Matthew Smith, part of the Routledge Studies in the History of Economics book series, is presented.

We examined the associations of intake of vegetables, legumes and fruit with all-cause and cause-specific mortality in a population with prevalent diabetes in Europe. A cohort of 10,449 participants with self-reported diabetes within the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition study was followed for a mean of 9 y. Intakes of vegetables, legumes, and fruit were assessed at baseline between 1992 and 2000 using validated country-specific questionnaires. A total of 1346 deaths occurred. Multivariate relative risks (RR) for all-cause mortality were estimated in Cox regression models and AR for cause-specific mortality were derived in a competing risk model. An increment in intake of total vegetables, legumes, and fruit of 80 g/d was associated with a RR of death from all causes of 0.94 [95% Cl 0.90-0.98]. Analyzed separately, vegetables and legumes were associated with a significantly reduced risk, whereas nonsignificant inverse associations for fruit intake were observed. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality and mortality due to non-CVD/non-cancer causes were significantly inversely associated with intake of total vegetables, legumes, and fruit (RR 0.88 [95% Cl 0.81-0.95] and 0.90 [0.82-0.991, respectively] but not cancer mortality (1.08 [0.99-1.17]). Intake of vegetables, legumes, and fruit was associated with reduced risks of all-cause and CVD mortality in a diabetic population. The findings support the current state of evidence from general population studies that the protective potential of vegetable and fruit intake is larger for CVD than for cancer and suggest that diabetes patients may benefit from a diet high in vegetables and fruits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]