Endocrinology News and Research

Latest Endocrinology News and Research

International researchers make crucial discovery on formation, growth of blood vessels

As blood vessels grow, the cells that compose them must make a choice between forming side-branches or expanding the vessel surface and increasing its diameter. Now Prof. Holger Gerhardt at the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC) in the Helmholtz Association and his international research teams have made a crucial disovery about this process: the cells can behave as a collective, moving in the same direction together.

27 Apr 2016

ATR-FTIR spectroscopy could be effective for detecting ulcerative colitis

A minimally invasive screening for ulcerative colitis, a debilitating gastrointestinal tract disorder, using emerging infrared technology could be a rapid and cost-effective method for detecting disease that eliminates the need for biopsies and intrusive testing of the human body, according to researchers at Georgia State University.

27 Apr 2016

Endocrine Society urges physicians to increase screening for primary aldosteronism

The Endocrine Society today issued a Clinical Practice Guideline calling on physicians to ramp up screening for primary aldosteronism, a common cause of high blood pressure.

27 Apr 2016

New national database could help identify major influences on miscarriage

A new national database could help relieve the misery of miscarriage for thousands of women.

26 Apr 2016

Clinical inertia puts Type 2 diabetes patients at further risk of preventable complications

People with Type 2 diabetes are being 'let down' because they are being forced to wait for further treatment when needed.

26 Apr 2016

Salk scientists reveal how cellular fuel gauge plays unexpected role in development

Salk scientists have revealed how a cellular "fuel gauge" responsible for monitoring and managing cells' energy processes also has an unexpected role in development. This critical link could help researchers better understand cancer and diabetes pathways.

26 Apr 2016

Administering flu vaccinations in the morning could induce greater antibody responses

New research from the University of Birmingham has shown that flu vaccinations are more effective when administered in the morning.

26 Apr 2016

Criminology theory to combat counterfeit, sub-standard medicines

Around the world, especially in developing nations, counterfeit medicines are a real problem. Until now, in many countries there hasn't been a standard protocol to conduct investigations and pursue prosecution.

26 Apr 2016

Transforming MR images into body composition measurements: an interview with Olof Leinhard

Today's medical science utilizes relatively simple anthropometric measures that describe the body, such as body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference. All of these measures are approximations of the body with the intention to characterize what's inside reflecting underlying phenomena that underpin the risk for different diseases.

26 Apr 2016

GLP-1 receptor agonist may benefit high-risk diabetes

Research shows that using a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist instead of a rapid-acting insulin analogue at mealtimes can reduce glycaemic variability in high-risk patients with Type 2 diabetes.

26 Apr 2016

Nocturnal hypoxemia closely linked to diabetic microvascular complications

Examining the poorly understood link between obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and type 2 diabetes complications, researchers identified specific measures of low blood oxygenation that are associated with impaired kidney function and diabetic nephropathy.

25 Apr 2016

Scientists uncover molecular identity of previously unknown Glima molecule in Type 1 diabetes

Scientists have solved a decades-old medical mystery by finally identifying a previously unknown molecule which is attacked by the immune system in people with Type 1 diabetes.

25 Apr 2016

Type 2 diabetes can lead to hearing impairment

A review of studies of possible linkages between type 2 diabetes and hearing impairment concludes there is compelling evidence that diabetes can damage the auditory system, and that clinicians should include hearing testing in managing type 2 diabetes. The survey results were published in an article titled, "Type 2 Diabetes and Hearing Impairment" in the journal, Current Diabetes Reports.

25 Apr 2016

Fructose common in western diet can damage brain genes

A range of diseases -- from diabetes to cardiovascular disease, and from Alzheimer's disease to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder -- are linked to changes to genes in the brain. A new study by UCLA life scientists has found that hundreds of those genes can be damaged by fructose, a sugar that's common in the Western diet, in a way that could lead to those diseases.

25 Apr 2016

Sleep loss influences cholesterol metabolism, study finds

Lack of sleep has previously been found to impact the activation of the immune system, inflammation, carbohydrate metabolism and the hormones that regulate appetite. Now University of Helsinki researchers have found that sleep loss also influences cholesterol metabolism.

22 Apr 2016

Infant BMI better predicts early childhood obesity

Babies with a high body mass index (BMI) at age two months are at risk for obesity at age two years, say pediatric researchers. The authors, in an online study published today in Pediatrics, say that BMI better predicts early childhood obesity than weight-for-length, the current standard measurement.

22 Apr 2016

Novel function of PLK1 gene in prostate cancer metastasis

Researchers at VCU Massey Cancer Center have uncovered a novel function of the gene PLK1 (polo-like kinase 1) that helps prostate cancer cells metastasize (spread) to other parts of the body. This mechanism highlights new potential targets for cancer therapies and challenges the previous understanding of PLK1's role in cancer growth and progression.

22 Apr 2016

Wellderly study finds link between cognitive decline genes and healthy aging

An eight-year-long accrual and analysis of the whole genome sequences of healthy elderly people, or "Wellderly," has revealed a higher-than-normal presence of genetic variants offering protection from cognitive decline, researchers from the Scripps Translational Science Institute (STSI) reported today in the journal Cell.

22 Apr 2016

Higher levels of neighborhood greenness linked to lower chronic disease risk

A new study of a quarter-million Miami-Dade County Medicare beneficiaries showed that higher levels of neighborhood greenness, including trees, grass and other vegetation, were linked to a significant reduction in the rate of chronic illnesses, particularly in low-to-middle income neighborhoods.

22 Apr 2016

Assessing body composition may help predict cardiovascular and total mortality

Researchers from the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA found that cardiovascular disease patients who have high muscle mass and low fat mass have a lower mortality risk than those with other body compositions. The findings also suggest that regardless of a person's level of fat mass, a higher level of muscle mass helps reduce the risk of death.

22 Apr 2016