Novel Non-Invasive Quantification and Imaging of Eumelanin and DHICA Subunit in Skin Lesions by Raman Spectroscopy and MCR Algorithm: Improving Dysplastic Nevi Diagnosis.

Malignant melanoma (MM) is the most aggressive form of skin cancer, and around 30% of them may develop from pre-existing dysplastic nevi (DN). Diagnosis of DN is a relevant clinical challenge, as these are intermediate lesions between benign and malignant tumors, and, up to date, few studies have focused on their diagnosis. In this study, the accuracy of Raman spectroscopy (RS) is assessed, together with multivariate analysis (MA), to classify 44 biopsies of MM, DN and compound nevus (CN) tumors. For this, we implement a novel methodology to non-invasively quantify and localize the eumelanin pigment, considered as a tumoral biomarker, by means of RS imaging coupled with the Multivariate Curve Resolution-Alternative Least Squares (MCR-ALS) algorithm. This represents a step forward with respect to the currently established technique for melanin analysis, High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), which is invasive and cannot provide information about the spatial distribution of molecules. For the first time, we show that the 5, 6-dihydroxyindole (DHI) to 5,6-dihydroxyindole-2-carboxylic acid (DHICA) ratio is higher in DN than in MM and CN lesions. These differences in chemical composition are used by the Partial Least Squares-Discriminant Analysis (PLS-DA) algorithm to identify DN lesions in an efficient, non-invasive, fast, objective and cost-effective method, with sensitivity and specificity of 100% and 94.1%, respectively.

SeDREno study - prevalence of hospital malnutrition according to GLIM criteria, ten years after the PREDyCES study.

INTRODUCTION: Background & aims: the last large multicenter study on disease-related malnutrition (DRM) in Spain (the PREDyCES study) showed a 23.7 % prevalence of malnutrition, according to the Nutritional Risk Screening (NRS-2002) tool. The main objective of the SeDREno study was to assess the prevalence of hospital malnutrition upon admission, according to GLIM criteria, ten years later. Methods: a cross-sectional, observational, multicenter study in standard clinical practice, conducted in 17 hospitals during a period of five to seven days. Patients were initially screened using the Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (MUST), and then assessed using the GLIM criteria for diagnosis and severity grading. Results: a total of 2,185 patients, 54.8 % males, mean age 67.1 (17.0) years (50.2 % aged ≥ 70 years), were evaluated. Malnutrition was observed in 29.7 % of patients according to GLIM criteria (12.5 % severe, 17.2 % moderate). In patients ≥ 70 years malnutrition was observed in 34.8 %. The clinical conditions significantly associated with a higher prevalence of malnutrition were dysphagia (47.6 %), cognitive impairment (43.4 %), cancer (39.1 %), gastrointestinal disease (37.7 %), diabetes (34.8 %), and cardiovascular disease (33.4 %). The multivariate analysis revealed that gender, BMI, diabetes, cancer, gastrointestinal disorders, and polypharmacy were the main independent factors associated with DRM. Malnutrition was associated with an increase in length of hospital stay and death (p < 0.001). Conclusions: DRM in admitted patients has increased in Spain in the last 10 years paralleling ageing of the population. In the SeDREno study almost one in three patients are malnourished. A systematic assessment of nutritional status allows early detection and implementation of nutritional interventions to achieve a better clinical outcome.

INTRODUCCIÓN: Antecedentes y objetivos: el último gran estudio multicéntrico sobre desnutrición relacionada con la enfermedad (DRE) en España (el estudio PREDyCES) mostró una prevalencia de desnutrición del 23,7 % según la herramienta Nutritional Risk Screening (NRS-2002). El principal objetivo del estudio SeDREno fue evaluar la prevalencia de la desnutrición hospitalaria al ingreso según los criterios GLIM diez años después. Métodos: estudio transversal, observacional, multicéntrico, según la práctica clínica estándar, realizado en 17 hospitales durante un período de cinco a siete días. Los pacientes fueron evaluados inicialmente con la herramienta de detección universal de desnutrición (MUST) y luego con los criterios GLIM para el diagnóstico de DRE y la clasificación de la gravedad. Resultados: se evaluaron 2185 pacientes, con un 54,8 % de varones una edad media de 67,1 (17,0) años (50,2 % ≥ 70 años). Se observó desnutrición en el 29,7 % de los pacientes según los criterios GLIM (12,5 % grave, 17,2 % moderada). Entre los pacientes ≥ 70 años se observó desnutrición en el 34,8 %. Las condiciones clínicas asociadas significativamente con una mayor prevalencia de desnutrición fueron la disfagia (47,6 %), el deterioro cognitivo (43,4 %), el cáncer (39,1 %), las enfermedades gastrointestinales (37,7 %), la diabetes (34,8 %) y la patología cardiovascular (33,4 %). El análisis multivariante reveló que el sexo, el IMC, la diabetes, el cáncer, los trastornos gastrointestinales y la polimedicación eran los principales factores independientes asociados a la DRE. La desnutrición se asoció a un aumento de la duración de la estancia hospitalaria y la muerte (p < 0,001). Conclusiones: la DRE en pacientes ingresados ha aumentado en España en los últimos 10 años en paralelo con el aumento del envejecimiento de la población. En el estudio SeDREno, casi uno de cada tres pacientes está desnutrido. La evaluación sistemática del estado nutricional permite la detección e implementación precoces de intervenciones nutricionales para lograr un mejor resultado clínico.

Cannabinoid CB1 receptors are expressed by parietal cells of the human gastric mucosa.

Experimental data suggest that the endogenous cannabinoid system is involved in gastric function in different animal species. In most of them, CB(1) receptors have been localized on vagal terminals innervating the external wall of the stomach. We aimed at studying the putative presence and distribution of these receptors in the human gastric mucosa. To this end, we first performed Western blotting, RT-PCR, in situ hybridization, and immunohistochemical analysis of CB(1) protein distribution in biopsy samples of healthy individuals. To determine the precise cell populations expressing CB(1) receptors, we performed double immunofluorescence plus confocal microscopy analysis of the same samples. Our results show that CB(1) receptors are present in the gastric epithelium of the mucosa. Specifically, they are expressed by a subpopulation of mucosal cells, the acid-secreting parietal cells, as shown by double immunohistochemical staining and by their differential abundance in subregions of the gastric mucosa. These results reinforce the notion of a prominent role for the endocannabinoid system in the gastric function in humans and postulate the use of cannabinoid CB(1) receptors in parietal cells as new therapeutic targets for the regulation of gastric acid production.