Insulin News and Research

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Insulin is a hormone that is needed to convert glucose, starches and other food into energy needed for daily life. Insulin allows cells to use glucose for fuel and is secreted by beta cells in the islets of Langerhans. The release of insulin from the pancreas is stimulated by increased blood glucose, vagal nerve stimulation, and other factors. Insulin is obtained from various animals and available in a variety of preparations. Commercial insulin preparations differ in a number of ways, including differences in the animal species from which they are obtained; their purity, concentration, and solubility; and the time of onset and duration of their biologic action. An oral hypoglycemic agent is not a form of insulin therapy.

Leptin plays a major role in islet cell growth and insulin secretion

A new Joslin-led study has shown that leptin, a hormone known mainly for regulating appetite control and energy metabolism, plays a major role in islet cell growth and insulin secretion.

2 Oct 2007

Botched production of insulin molecule may lead to diabetes

Picture a pretzel factory production line, with conveyer belts carrying the dough, formed into unbaked pretzels, down to the oven to be cooked.

2 Oct 2007

Ostructive sleep apnea and continuous positive airway pressure

Researchers in Brazil have found that treating patients who suffer from obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) dramatically reduces early indications of atherosclerosis in just months, linking OSA directly to the hardening or narrowing of the arteries.

29 Sep 2007

Effects of good and bad carbohydrates

The latest common wisdom on carbohydrates claims that eating so-called "bad" carbohydrates will make you fat, but University of Virginia professor Glenn Gaesser says, "that's just nonsense."

29 Sep 2007

Unmasked enzyme may lead to new drugs for type II diabetes

Scientists at the Medical Research Council have made a discovery that could pave the way for better treatments of type II diabetes.

27 Sep 2007

Many patients with diabetes say burden of care rivals complications of disease

Many patients with diabetes say that the inconvenience and discomfort of constant therapeutic vigilance, particularly multiple daily insulin injections, has as much impact on their quality of life as the burden of intermediate complications, researchers from the University of Chicago report in the October 2007 issue of Diabetes Care.

27 Sep 2007

Dietary fatty acids may help prevent diabetes

Omega-3 fatty acids have long been touted for their heart-healthy and brain-boosting benefits. Consider cod liver oil, fortified infant formula and enriched eggs.

27 Sep 2007

Biodel issued U.S. patent for VIAject and VIAtab

Biodel Inc. has announced the receipt of a notice of issuance from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for the Company's patent encompassing VIAject(TM) and VIAtab(TM), Biodel's two product candidates in clinical trials.

27 Sep 2007

New molecular target in blood clot formation

Researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine have identified a new molecular target in blood clot formation, which seems to reduce clotting without excessive bleeding, the common side-effect of anti-clotting agents.

27 Sep 2007

Discovery supports theory of Alzheimer's disease as form of diabetes

Insulin, it turns out, may be as important for the mind as it is for the body.

27 Sep 2007

Omega-3 fatty acids may reduce type 1 diabetes risk in children

According to a new study by researchers in the United States children at risk of developing type 1 diabetes may be able to lessen that risk by consuming omega-3 fatty acids in their diet.

26 Sep 2007

Omega-3 fatty acids linked to decreased risk of type 1 diabetes

Preliminary research suggests that in children at increased risk for type 1 diabetes, dietary intake of omega-3 fatty acids was associated with a reduced risk of pancreatic islet autoimmunity, which is linked to the development of diabetes, according to an article in the Sept. 26 issue of JAMA.

25 Sep 2007

Diet and medications may assist prevention of prostate cancer

Recent investigations of medications, diet and the molecular understanding of prostate cancer are defining potential prevention strategies for the disease, and herald a new stage in the management of this cancer, according to a new review.

25 Sep 2007

Breath-analysis testing offers potential for blood sugar monitoring in diabetes

Breath-analysis testing may prove to be an effective, non-invasive method for monitoring blood sugar levels in diabetes, according to a University of California, Irvine study.

25 Sep 2007

Diets rich in rapidly-digested carbohydrates may cause fatty liver

Diets rich in rapidly-digested carbohydrates not only expand waistlines, but may also cause fatty liver, a condition that can lead to liver failure and death, finds a new study in mice.

21 Sep 2007

ACTOS associated with reduced risk of heart attack and stroke in patients with type 2 diabetes

Results presented at the 43rd Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes demonstrate the ability of ACTOS (pioglitazone HCl) to reduce the risk of ischemic cardiovascular disease in patients with type 2 diabetes.

20 Sep 2007

Secrets of protein folding revealed

A team led by biophysicist Jeremy Smith of the University of Tennessee and Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) has taken a significant step toward unraveling the mystery of how proteins fold into unique, three-dimensional shapes.

18 Sep 2007

Cellular spelunking

The surface of fat cells contains many small pockets called caveolae (because they look like caves in an electron microscope).

18 Sep 2007

Genetic lab test for Warfarin sensitivity approved by FDA

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today cleared for marketing a new genetic test that will help physicians assess whether a patient may be especially sensitive to the blood-thinning drug warfarin (Coumadin), which is used to prevent potentially fatal clots in blood vessels.

18 Sep 2007