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Keryx Biopharmaceuticals receives orphan-drug designation for a multiple myeloma drug

AEterna Zentaris Inc., ("the Company") a global biopharmaceutical company focused on endocrine therapy and oncology, today announced that Keryx Biopharmaceuticals, Inc., its partner and licensee for perifosine in the North American market, has received orphan-drug designation for this compound from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of multiple myeloma.

16 Sep 2009

Phthalates & Parabens Profile helps identify exposure levels to chemicals

Personal care products that we use everyday contain chemicals that act as endocrine disruptors, which hinder the normal functions of our hormone systems. Phthalates, also known as plasticizers, are added to plastics to make them flexible to mold into shapes for product packaging and as fragrance for perfumes and air fresheners. Parabens are added to personal care products, such as cosmetics, to extend shelf-life and eliminate fungi and bacteria.

16 Sep 2009

American International Pathology Laboratories provides jobs to Walter Reed AFIP pathologists

American International Pathology Laboratories (AIPL), a division of Bostwick Laboratories, opens its doors today, providing positions to more than 40 civilian pathologists and staff formerly of the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. The 150-year-old Institute will cease operations when Walter Reed closes under the Federal Base Realignment and Closure program.

9 Sep 2009

Dr. Terry Collins offers public lecture on the growing field of green chemistry

Consumer concerns over hazardous chemicals in the air and water have led scientists to find solutions in the new field of green chemistry. "The most troubling health effects are associated with endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) that may interfere with cellular development in humans and animals," says Dr. Terry Collins, a champion in the field.

9 Sep 2009

Study identifies key compound that quickens recovery from life-threatening blood cell shortages

A key compound resupplies bone marrow with fast-acting stem cells that can more quickly rekindle blood cell production, according to a study published online today in the journal Blood. While the study was in mice, in the study authors say it has the potential to increase survival among patients with life-threatening blood cell shortages.

3 Sep 2009

Researchers discover why smoking increases the risk of heart disease and stroke

Researchers have discovered a reason why smoking greatly increases the risk of heart disease and stroke. Nicotine promotes insulin resistance, also called prediabetes, which is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, according to the new study, which was presented at The Endocrine Society's 91st Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C.

2 Sep 2009

Research reveals that dramatic maternal weight loss prevents obesity in their children

Adolescent and young children of obese mothers who underwent weight-loss surgery prior to pregnancy have been found to have a lower prevalence of obesity and significantly improved cardio-metabolic markers when compared to siblings born before the same obese mothers had weight-loss surgery. This new study has been accepted for publication in The Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM).

2 Sep 2009

Weight-loss surgery prior to pregnancy results in lower prevalence of obesity in children

1 Sep 2009

New study reveals that moderate aerobic exercise improves insulin sensitivity in obese adolescents

A moderate aerobic exercise program, without weight loss, can improve insulin sensitivity in both lean and obese sedentary adolescents, according to a new study accepted for publication in The Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM). Insulin is a hormone produced in the pancreas that permits glucose to enter cells to be used for energy or stored for future use by the body.

1 Sep 2009

Merck undergoes restructuring after Schering-Plough merger

Richard T. Clark, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE: MRK) today announced a new organizational structure and named top management and senior leaders for the new Merck effective upon completion of the merger of Merck & Co., Inc. and Schering-Plough Corporation. Mr. Clark was named CEO of the combined company when the merger agreement was signed in March.

31 Aug 2009

Springer signs agreement with The Endocrine Society to co-publish a new journal

Springer, one of the leading publishers in the fields of science, technology and medicine, has signed an agreement with The Endocrine Society to co-publish a new journal, Hormones & Cancer, starting in January 2010.

28 Aug 2009

Rutgers University Professor receives $3.5 million MERIT Award from NIH

Rutgers University Professor Dipak Sarkar has received a $3.5 million MERIT Award from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to continue researching the damaging effects of alcohol on the nervous systems of the unborn.

27 Aug 2009

Discovery of mutation in AIP gene associated with acromegaly

An indigenous family living in a mountainous area of Malaysian Borneo helped Van Andel Research Institute (VARI) researchers to discover information about genetic mutations associated with acromegaly, a form of gigantism that often results in enlarged hands, feet, and facial features.

24 Aug 2009

Survey aims to better understand daily needs of unpaid caregivers of people with diabetes

Chevy Chase, MD-The Hormone Foundation, the public education affiliate of The Endocrine Society, in collaboration with the National Alliance for Caregiving, today released key findings from a first-of-its-kind survey (http://www.hormone.org/Public/diabetes_caregiver.cfm) aimed at better understanding the daily needs and struggles of unpaid caregivers of people with diabetes.

19 Aug 2009

Discovery of first gene involved in regulating the optimal length of human sleep

Scientists have discovered the first gene involved in regulating the optimal length of human sleep, offering a window into a key aspect of slumber, an enigmatic phenomenon that is critical to human physical and mental health.

13 Aug 2009

Giant pituitary adenoma can be safely removed through nasal route

It’s even worse than being told you have a brain tumor: having a tumor so large, it’s in a category all its own. Giant pituitary adenoma is a so-called “benign” tumor that can cause visual loss and impair many of the body’s most basic functions. But fortunately, even the largest of these giant tumors—which can grow to the size of an egg and invade nearby structures--can be treated effectively using a multimodality approach starting with minimally invasive surgery through the nose, according to a new study at the John Wayne Cancer Institute at Saint John’s Health Center.

12 Aug 2009

Childhood cancer survivors treated with radiation may have an increased risk of diabetes

Childhood cancer survivors treated with total body or abdominal radiation may have an increased risk of diabetes, according to a report in the August 10/24 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. This correlation does not appear to be related to patients’ body mass index or physical inactivity.

11 Aug 2009

Short sleep times linked to increased diabetes risk

Short sleep times, experienced by many individuals in Westernized societies, may contribute to the development of insulin resistance and reduced glucose tolerance, which in turn may increase the long-term risk of diabetes, according to a new study accepted for publication in The Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM).

10 Aug 2009

Secretary Sebelius announces Senate confirmation of Dr. Francis Collins as Director of NIH

HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced today that the United States Senate unanimously confirmed Dr. Francis Collins as the next Director of the National Institutes of Health.