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The increasing interest of miRNAs in clinical practice has led to an unmet need for assays that can rapidly and accurately measure miRNAs at the point of care. This review discusses the clinical feasibility of different miRNA amplification-based assays, from conventional methods to alternative technologies such as isothermal amplification, paper-based, oligonucleotide-templated reaction, nanobead-based, electrochemical signaling-based, and microfluidic chip-based strategies.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a common, destructive and pre-malignant airway disease often seen in smokers. We know remarkably little about the underlying driving mechanisms. Scientists have recently made important observations indicating that epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) is central to these pathologies, with heparin-binding EGF-like growth factor as an emerging novel therapeutic target to ameliorate EMT in smokers and patients with COPD.