Endocrinology News and Research

Latest Endocrinology News and Research

Researchers use gene therapy to restore sight in mice

University of Florida researchers used gene therapy to restore sight in mice with a form of hereditary blindness, a finding that has bearing on many of the most common blinding diseases.

22 May 2007

Red wine protects men from prostate cancer

Researchers have found that men who drink an average of four to seven glasses of red wine per week are only 52% as likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer as those who do not drink red wine, reports the June 2007 issue of Harvard Men's Health Watch .

22 May 2007

Child obesity boom in China

Childhood obesity is widely recognised as a major contributor towards cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, sleep disorders, and psychological and social problems.

22 May 2007

New data on natural probiotic bacterial strain of Bifantis shows anti-inflammatory properties

The biotechnology company Alimentary Health today announced results from two studies that demonstrate the anti-inflammatory activity of a natural probiotic bacterial strain of human origin, Bifantis (Bifidobacterium infantis 35624), in models of arthritis and Salmonella infection.

22 May 2007

Healthy body weight throughout life prevents onset of physical disability later in life

Maintaining a healthy body weight throughout adulthood may help prevent or delay the onset of physical disability as we age, according to researchers from Wake Forest University School of Medicine and colleagues.

22 May 2007

GSK strongly disagrees with conclusions reached in NEJM article on Avandia

GlaxoSmithKline has issued the following response to an article in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) on Avandia (rosiglitazone maleate), a widely used and highly effective treatment for type 2 diabetes.

22 May 2007

Genes add up risk of autoimmune disease

Geneticists have identified a link between the number of copies of a specific gene an individual has and their susceptibility to autoimmune diseases like lupus.

22 May 2007

FDA in trouble over widely used diabetic drug Avandia

A diabetes pill which has been widely used since 1999 is now suspected of increasing the risk of heart attacks for those taking it.

22 May 2007

Hormone treatment could cut need for chemo in some younger breast cancer patients

Around 5,500 pre-menopausal breast cancer patients could be offered a hormone drug that is shown to be as effective as traditional chemotherapy - and so avoid potential infertility and long-term menopausal side effects - according to a Cancer Research UK report published in The Lancet.

20 May 2007

Quality improvement effort pays off in diabetes care

Spending money to improve diabetes care at federally qualified community health centers is a sound investment, according to one of the first studies to examine the clinical and economic impact of quality improvement on diabetes care.

18 May 2007

Long-term treatment with anti-clotting drug clopidogrel improves stenting outcomes in diabetic patients

A study showing that diabetic patients who are treated with long-term anti-clotting therapy are less likely to have a heart attack or die more than a year after stenting has been named among the best research papers presented at the 30th Annual Scientific Sessions of the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI).

18 May 2007

Lipoic acid appears to slow down the process of aging

Researchers have identified the mechanism of action of lipoic acid, a remarkable compound that in animal experiments appears to slow down the process of aging, improve blood flow, enhance immune function and perform many other functions.

18 May 2007

Glucose plays a key role in enabling healthy beta cells

A key aspect of how embryos create the cells which secrete insulin is revealed in a new study published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry.

18 May 2007

Teaching decision-making skills

People who do well on a series of decision-making tasks involving hypothetical situations tend to have more positive decision outcomes in their lives, according to a study by decision scientists at Carnegie Mellon University and the RAND Corp.

18 May 2007

Stroke prevalence varies across U.S.

Stroke prevalence varies widely from state to state, with some states and U.S. territories having more than double the stroke prevalence of others, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

18 May 2007

New findings on microRNAs

Over 30% of our genes are under the control of small molecules called microRNAs.

17 May 2007

Merits and risks of postmenopausal hormone therapy

The study was categorized as a primary prevention trial for coronary heart disease, although the fact that mean age at recruitment was 63 years was not given enough importance at that time. WHI investigators concluded that hormone therapy (HT) was not cardioprotective, and, in fact, its riskbenefit ratio did not favor the use of postmenopausal hormones for prevention of chronic diseases.

17 May 2007