Endocrinology News and Research

Latest Endocrinology News and Research

Hunger influenced by leptin hormone

Researchers at UCLA have determined the brain circuits involved in hunger that are influenced by a hormone called leptin.

29 Oct 2007

Research identifies two genes that may play a role in insulin resistance

New research from UAB (University of Alabama at Birmingham) identifies two genes that may play a role in insulin resistance, opening a new avenue for researchers searching for treatments for type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome.

28 Oct 2007

Advancement in radiation oncology treatment called IMRT improves care, avoids healthy tissue

New advancements in a radiation oncology treatment called IMRT (intensity modulated radiation therapy) are proving far superior to standard radiation procedures used today in safeguarding the healthy tissues surrounding cancerous tumors, and thus improving patient care.

28 Oct 2007

A new source of islet cells

The shortage of islet cells limits the development of islet transplantation. One new approach was reported in the October 21 issue of the World Journal of Gastroenterology because of its great significance in enhancing the output of islet cells.

25 Oct 2007

Obesity risks increase after menopause

Postmenopausal women are at an age when the incidence and exacerbation of the chronic health conditions associated with obesity become more prevalent.

25 Oct 2007

Many medical disorders may be languishing in mountains of discarded gene data

Previously hidden obesity-related genes have been uncovered from old experiments by researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine and Lucile Packard Children's Hospital.

24 Oct 2007

The financial burdens of overweight and obesity among elderly Americans

What many Americans eat and how little they exercise could wind up costing them - and American taxpayers - some serious money. Moreover, the overweight and obese may lose months from their lifespans.

24 Oct 2007

New understanding of vagus nerve's role in regulating inflammation

It used to be dogma that the brain was shut away from the actions of the immune system, shielded from the outside forces of nature.

24 Oct 2007

Child health psychologists need to promote adult disease prevention

Many of the lifestyle habits that children and adolescents develop -- eating a diet high in fat and low in fruits and vegetables, being physically inactive or sedentary, and experimenting with tobacco and alcohol use -- can have a major impact on their health later in life.

24 Oct 2007

Charcot foot becoming more common

Charcot foot is a sudden softening of the foot's bones caused by severe neuropathy, or nerve damage, a common diabetic foot complication. It can trigger an avalanche of problems, including joint loss, fractures, collapse of the arch, massive deformity, ulcers, amputation, and even death. As the disorder progresses, the bottom of the foot can become convex, bulging like the hull of a ship.

24 Oct 2007

Obesity goes global

According to the experts obesity is becoming a global affair and over 60% of men and 50% of women are either overweight or obese.

24 Oct 2007

Low-dose aspirin for in vitro fertilisation

Although it is inexpensive, easy to obtain and poses little health risk, women undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) cannot rely upon aspirin to help them become pregnant, according to a systematic review of nine studies.

23 Oct 2007

Study explains why physical activity is beneficial in preventing heart attack and stroke

It is well known that physical activity can improve cardiovascular health. But it's the impact exercise has on specific known risk factors that accounts for about 60 percent of that improvement, researchers reported in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.

22 Oct 2007

Stem cells from a person's own umbilical cord effectively treat blood and immune disorders, juvenile diabetes

Two separate data abstracts displayed at the annual scientific meeting of the AABB - an international association of medical professionals and institutions focused on transfusion, transplantation and cellular therapy - highlight the increasing therapeutic use of autologous (one's own) cord blood stem cells for transplant and regenerative medicine, including treatments for blood and immune disorders, juvenile diabetes and neurological repair.

22 Oct 2007

New method of oral insulin delivery patented

Syracuse University researchers have designed, tested and patented a new method of oral insulin delivery that can potentially help reduce daily insulin injections for millions of people with diabetes who require therapy for optimal glycemic control.

22 Oct 2007

Hispanics and African Americans are less likely to use commercial weight loss programs

A new analysis of a landmark weight loss survey suggests that Hispanics and African Americans are more likely than whites to use unproven dietary supplements for weight loss.

22 Oct 2007

Improvements in survival after dialysis in the elderly

The majority of patients starting dialysis as a result of chronic kidney disease are 65 years or older at the time of their first treatment, and many are over 75 years.

22 Oct 2007

40 percent of men and 30 percent of women are overweight

A new global study revealed that 40 percent of men and 30 percent of women are overweight, while 24 percent of men and 27 percent of women are obese, researchers reported in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.

22 Oct 2007

Coronary heart disease and women

Women who eat a healthy diet, drink moderate amounts of alcohol, are physically active, maintain a healthy weight and do not smoke have a significantly reduced risk of heart attack, according to a report in the October 22 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

22 Oct 2007

Exercise improves thinking and reduces diabetes in overweight kids

Just three months of daily, vigorous physical activity in overweight children improves their thinking and reduces their diabetes risk, researchers say.

22 Oct 2007