Metabolic Disease News and Research

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Air pollution accounts for premature deaths from cardiovascular disease

In a current opinion article "Reduction of environmental pollutants for prevention of cardiovascular disease: it's time to act", published in the European Heart Journal this week.

9 Nov 2020

Improved diet and more physical activity during pregnancy modifies infants’ DNA

A new study has shown pregnant women with obesity could reduce the health risks for their infants through improved diet and more physical activity.

6 Nov 2020

Dietary supplement helps prevent fatty liver disease in rats

A recent study by researchers at the University of Jyväskylä was successful in partially preventing fatty liver disease in rats.

4 Nov 2020

Lung biomarkers may predict severe COVID-19

Two University of New Mexico researchers postulate certain specific biomarkers' relevance in predicting the potential for progression to severe COVID-19 in a paper published on the preprint server bioRxiv*

27 Oct 2020

Study may lead to new therapies to improve survival in septic patients

Each year, some 270,000 Americans die from sepsis, in which the release of normally helpful infection-fighting chemicals in the body triggers an unusually extreme immune response - powerful enough to cause life-threatening damage to blood vessels and organs.

15 Oct 2020

Small for gestational age babies more likely to experience asymmetric growth

Carrying a fetus that is small for gestational age is associated with increased rates of stillbirth and neonatal death as well as metabolic disease in later life.

30 Sep 2020

Vitamin D deficiency during early development can influence metabolic health

Using a zebrafish model, researchers from North Carolina State University have found that vitamin D deficiency during early development can disrupt the metabolic balance between growth and fat accumulation.

29 Sep 2020

University of Minnesota receives funding to initiate research on diabetes drug as a COVID-19 treatment

University of Minnesota Medical School researchers received funding from the Parsemus Foundation to initiate research on the widely-used diabetes medication, metformin, available globally as an inexpensive generic drug for prevention and treatment for COVID-19.

25 Sep 2020

Respiratory specimens testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 decrease in the U.S., CDC report

In the report, published on Sept. 18, the CDC shows that indicators tracking COVID-19 activity continued to decline or remain stable. Still, two regions say a slight increase in the percentage of specimens testing positive for SARS-CoV-2. Meanwhile, four regions reported a slight increase in the percent of outpatient or emergency department visits for influenza-like illness (ILI).

22 Sep 2020

Study uncovers new markers present on melanoma tumors

A collaborative study led by Monash University's Biomedicine Discovery Institute and the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute has uncovered new markers (HLA-associated peptides) that are uniquely present on melanoma tumours and could pave the way for therapeutic vaccines to be developed in the fight against melanoma.

16 Sep 2020

Researchers receive $2.5 million grant to develop and analyze breast tumor organoids

Breast cancer is the second most common cancer diagnosed in women in the United States after skin cancer, and women with comorbidities (the presence of more than one condition/disease) often fare worse in terms of their breast cancer.

14 Sep 2020

Early epigenetic changes can be detected in patients before the diagnosis of diabetes

Epigenetic changes in the islets of Langerhans of the pancreas can be detected in patients several years before the diagnosis of type 2 diabetes (T2D).

10 Sep 2020

Study shows fatty liver disease is a significant risk factor for COVID-19 hospitalization

A recent observational study by US researchers reveals that individuals with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and steatohepatitis have increased odds of hospitalization due to coronavirus disease (COVID-19); conversely, metabolic surgery was found to be protective against the admission of infected individuals. The study is currently available on the medRxiv* preprint server.

3 Sep 2020

New discovery could help protect the liver from fructose-induced diseases

A team of international researchers including Monash University academics has discovered that, contrary to previous belief, fructose causes liver toxicity by changing the barrier function of the intestine.

27 Aug 2020

Genomic sequencing falls short as a standalone screening tool for newborns

With the rise of genomic sequencing, health technology companies are promising parents they can detect rare metabolic disorders in newborns who, despite a healthy appearance, may need immediate treatment.

10 Aug 2020

Scientists explore mechanisms involved in the development of liver disease

Metabolic fatty liver disease, known as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, is one of the most common causes of liver disease in Western countries and covers a spectrum of disorders.

6 Aug 2020

Keeping out COVID-19 in Newfoundland

When is it the right time to reopen borders? Is it when there are no more local cases? A new study published on the preprint server medRxiv in July 2020 shows that travel restrictions are highly effective in preventing future outbreaks.

21 Jul 2020

Developing a Better Understanding of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)

In this interview, Dr. Andrea Dunaif talks to News-Medical about their genetic analysis study which suggests there are different subtypes of PCOS.

20 Jul 2020

Long-term endurance training alters the activity of genes involved in metabolic health

Decades-long endurance training alters the activity of genes in human skeletal muscle that are important for metabolic health.

23 Jun 2020

Metabolic diseases alter ACE2 expression and increase COVID-19 severity

A new study published on the preprint server medRxiv in June 2020 reports that one mechanism for this variable severity is the differential expression of the ACE2 receptor in various metabolic conditions, thereby facilitating viral entry into the host cells.

9 Jun 2020