INTROduCTION An increasing number of studies suggest that the use of probiotics may have a beneficial effect in patients with type 2 diabetes.ObjECTIvEs The aim of the study was to assess the ability of probiotics to modify selected cardiometabolic risk factors in subjects with type 2 diabetes.METhOds PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Scopus databases were thoroughly reviewed up to January 2015 to search for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that examined the effect of probiotics on selected modifiable cardiometabolic parameters in patients with type 2 diabetes. The following endpoints were considered: fasting plasma glucose (FPG), insulin concentration, insulin resistance, hemoglobin A 1c (HbA 1c ), as well as the levels of total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density and high-density lipoprotein cholesterols, and C-reactive protein (CRP). A total of 571 RCTs were initially identified, of which 8 trials with 438 individuals were selected for meta-analysis. The effects of probiotics were calculated for each parameter. REsuLTsThe meta-analysis showed a significant effect of probiotics on reducing HbA 1c levels (standardized mean difference [SMD], -0.81; confidence interval [CI], -1.33 to -0.29, P = 0.0023; I 2 = 68.44%; P = 0.0421 for heterogeneity) and HOMA-IR (SMD, -2.10; CI -3.00 to -1.20, P <0.001; I 2 = 82.91%; P = 0.0029 for heterogeneity). Supplementation with probiotics did not have a significant effect on FPG, insulin, and CRP levels as well as the lipid profile.CONCLusIONs Our meta-analysis suggests that probiotic supplementation might improve, at least to some extent, metabolic control in subjects with type 2 diabetes. However, larger well-designed, longterm RCTs are needed to confirm any potentially beneficial relationship between the use of probiotics and modifiable cardiometabolic risk factors in patients with type 2 diabetes.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs, miRs) are short, non-coding molecules engaged in normal functioning of eukaryotic cells, as negative regulators of gene expression. Since the first discovery of miRNA in the early 1990s, hundreds of different miRNAs and their targets have been identified. A growing number of studies have aimed to search for microRNAs which have a key role in the regulation of insulin signaling and metabolic homeostasis. Recent evidence indicates that dysregulation of miRNA expression is involved in the development of various diseases, including type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), obesity and cardiovascular diseases. This review summarizes the biogenesis of miRNAs and their role in pancreatic β cell biology, insulin signaling and metabolism. We also discuss recent findings of miRNAs associated with metabolic disorders and vascular diabetic complications, their diagnosis and therapeutic value. The PubMed database and published reference lists were searched for articles published between 1990 and 2016 using the following keywords: miRNA, miRNA and pancreas; miRNA and insulin; miRNA and type 2 diabetes mellitus, miRNA and obesity, and miRNA and microvascular or macrovascular diabetic complication. This review indicates that miRNA functioning is significantly different in metabolic diseases than in the normal condition.

The growing number of people suffering from obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a global health problem that results in increased mortality from their complications, mainly cardiovascular diseases. Although the relationship between obesity and T2DM is well established, the common molecular pathomechanisms are still under investigation. Recently, it has been suggested that epigenetic modifications may be involved in both obesity and T2DM development. Epigenetics plays a pivotal role in the regulation of gene expression by the reversible modifications of chromatin structure without any changes in DNA sequence. Epigenetic modifications include DNA methylation, posttranslational histone modifications and miRNA interference. Therefore, the aim of this article is to discuss the current knowledge on epigenetic modifications in adipose tissue and their association with obesity and T2DM.

Abstract. This paper presents the results of the analysis of slump test parameters and rheological properties of cement pastes prepared with use of cement CEM II/B-V 32.5R. Slump parameters were determined with use of a special marked plate, while the rheological parameters were determined with use of the rotational viscometer Viscotester VT 550, manufactured by Haake, with coaxial cylinders, equipped with the MV2 system. Cement pastes consisted of a mixture of cement and water. The mixture concentration, described with use of the water to cement ratio W/C, fell into the range 0.65-0.33. In this study the dependence of the slump parameters on the water to cement ratio W/c was determined. The pseudo-curves of flow of cement pastes, obtained as a result of viscometric tests, were then adjusted to actual curves of flow and approximated with use of the tri-parametric, generalised Herschel-Bulkley model. The dependence of the rheological parameters of the model τ o , k, n, as a function of the water to cement ratio W/C was calculated. The existing correlation between rheological parameters and slump parameters was determined for the analysed cement pastes.

This paper presents the results of the analysis of slump test parameters and rheological properties of cement pastes prepared with use of cement CEM II/B-V 32.5R. Slump parameters were determined with use of a special marked plate, while the rheological parameters were determined with use of the rotational viscometer Viscotester VT 550, manufactured by Haake, with coaxial cylinders, equipped with the MV2 system. Cement pastes consisted of a mixture of cement and water. The mixture concentration, described with use of the water to cement ratio W/C, fell into the range 0.65-0.33. In this study the dependence of the slump parameters on the water to cement ratio W/c was determined. The pseudo-curves of flow of cement pastes, obtained as a result of viscometric tests, were then adjusted to actual curves of flow and approximated with use of the tri-parametric, generalised Herschel-Bulkley model. The dependence of the rheological parameters of the model τ o , k, n, as a function of the water to cement ratio W/C was calculated. The existing correlation between rheological parameters and slump parameters was determined for the analysed cement pastes.