Screening for diabetic peripheral neuropathy at community pharmacies in Slovakia.

AIM: To identify diabetic patients with a potential risk of developing diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) in community pharmacies in Slovakia using a modified Michigan Neuropathy Screening Instrument questionnaire (MNSIq-12). METHODS: This cross-sectional study enrolled 703 patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus who had not been diagnosed with DPN. The study took place in selected community pharmacies across Slovakia in October 2019. The MNSIq-12 was administered by pharmacy students, and a Michigan score <1.5 was considered risky. The groups divided based on the Michigan score were compared in terms of duration of diabetes, age, body mass index (BMI), sex, weekly physical activity, level of education, and smoking. RESULTS: The risk of developing DPN was detected in 6.6% of respondents with type 1 diabetes and 13.4% with type 2 diabetes. Patients with both types of diabetes (38.2%; 67.0%) reported fatigue and heaviness in the legs as the most common clinical symptoms that may indicate the development of DPN. Those with a Michigan score <1.5 were older (P<0.0001), had a higher BMI (P<0.0001), a lower level of education (P=0.0020), and were less physically active (P<0.0001). Conclusion Approximately one-eighth of patients with diabetes who visited community pharmacies were potentially at risk for developing DPN. The modified MNSIq-12 was shown to be a simple, time-effective, and non-invasive indicative screening tool that can be applied in the environment of community pharmacies.

Nutritional Treatment of Patients with Colorectal Cancer.

Colorectal cancer is one of the most common cancers in Europe and the world. Cancer treatments have side effects and cause significant deterioration of the patient's nutritional status. Patient malnutrition may worsen the health condition and prevent the deliberate effects of the therapy. The aim of this review was to describe the available data about clinical nutrition in colorectal cancer patients. A large proportion of colorectal cancer patients suffer from malnutrition, which negatively affects the survival prognosis, quality of life, and oncological therapy. Therefore, monitoring nutritional status during the treatment is essential and can be used to arrange proper nutritional therapy to enhance patient responses, prevent side effects, and shorten recovery time. The principles of nutrition during anticancer therapy should mainly consider light and low-fat foods, the exclusion of lactose and gluten-containing foods in certain cases, or the introduction of special dietary products such as oral nutrition supplements and it should be tailored to patients' individual needs.

Soluble Cripto-1 Induces Accumulation of Supernumerary Centrosomes and Formation of Aberrant Mitoses in Human Embryonic Stem Cells.

Chromosomal instability evoked by abnormalities in centrosome numbers has been traditionally considered as a hallmark of aberrant, typically cancerous or senescent cells. We have reported previously that pristine human embryonic stem cells (hESC) suffer from high frequency of supernumerary centrosomes and hence may be prone to undergo abnormal mitotic divisions. We have also unraveled that this phenomenon of multicentrosomal mitoses vanishes with prolonged time in culture and with initiation of differentiation, and it is strongly affected by the culture substratum. In this study, we report for the first time that Cripto-1 protein (teratocarcinoma-derived growth factor 1, epidermal growth factor-Cripto/FRL-1/Cryptic) produced by hESC represents a factor capable of inducing formation of supernumerary centrosomes in cultured hESC. Elimination of Cripto-1 signaling on the other hand restores the normal number of centrosomes in hESC. Linking the secretory phenotype of hESC to the centrosomal metabolism may help to develop better strategies for propagation of stable and safe bioindustrial and clinical grade cultures of hESC. From a broader point of view, it may lead to unravelling Cripto-1 as a micro-environmental factor contributing to adverse cell behaviors in vivo.