Endocrine Abstracts

Background and aims: DM2 has been associated with altered levels of trace elements and a prothrombotic state. We investigated the effect of a 28-day Greek mediterranean diet (rich in fiber, mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids and complex carbohydrates) on serum concentration of trace ele-ments and blood factors participating in coagulation and fibrinolysis in 58 patients with DM2.Materials and methods: Blood trace elements and blood coagulation fac-tor...

Within the pituitary, GnRH acts via type I GnRH receptors to cause a Gq/11 mediated activation of PLC and consequent acute stimulation of gonadotrophin secretion and chronic regulation of gonadotrophin and GnRHR synthesis. The therapeutic effects of GnRH analogues are primarily (if not entirely) dependent upon activation, desensitisation or blockade of this system. There is also abundant evidence for expression of GnRHRs in extra-pituitary sites including the CNS, t...

Biopharmaceuticals are complex molecules and can show variation between production batches. Physicochemical tests and biological activity measurements contribute complementary data to the characterisation of these products.As part of a project to correlate physicochemical and bioassay data, under the Department of Trade and Industry’s Measurements for Biotechnology programme, we have developed a simple, robust cellbased bioassay protocol for interfe...

High dose steroids are effective in treating active thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy (TAO), however the side effects are considerable. This study aimed to establish whether long term response to intravenous methylprednisolone can be predicted by a detailed ophthalmological assessment 1 to 2 weeks after the first dose of steroid.45 patients with moderate to severe, active TAO (including 31 with optic neuropathy), treated with intravenous methylprednisolo...

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a common and disabling problem; although most likely of biopsychosocial origin, the nature of the pathophysiological components remains unclear. Most studied has been the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis; although the quality of many studies is poor, the overall balance of evidence points to reduced cortisol output in at least some patients, with some evidence that this is linked to symptom production or persistence. However, there is...

A 45 year old male was referred in November 2001 to the endocrine clinic with the complaints of sudden onset marked thirst, polyuria with nocturia (six times) for two months. His past medical history includes a diagnosis of solitary sacral plasmacytoma diagnosed in 1998, based on bone marrow aspirate and trephine in the presence of the paraproteinaemia. He was successfully treated with radiotherapy. There has been no history of head injury and has not been on regular medicatio...

A 37 year old Afro-Caribbean woman, with panhypopituitarism secondary to a pituitary macroadenoma was referred from a DGH physician to the neurosurgeons. She complained of headaches and blurred vision. Initial presentation was with malaise, weight loss, vomiting, abdominal pain, and secondary amenorrhoea. She was found to have panhypopituitarism and was on thyroxine and hydrocortisone replacement therapy. Abdominal CT had showed widespread axillary para aortic and iliac lympha...

Case history: A 32 female was referred to a tertiary maternity unit due to hypercalcaemia and a diagnosis of primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT). She had learning difficulties, 2 previous C-sections and was a smoker. She presented 5 years earlier to her local hospital with abdominal and leg pains, nausea, constipation and fatigue. She had undergone 2 parathyroidectomies but remained hypercalcaemic and had been managed medically with Cinacalcet when she conceived an unplanned pr...

Activated brown adipose tissue (BAT) combusts high amounts of intracellular lipids into heat. In the past few years, we have investigated the consequences of BAT activation for lipid metabolism and cardiometabolic health. Initially, we showed that South Asians, a population characterized by dyslipidemia and prone to develop type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease compared to white Caucasians, have low BAT activity correlating with low energy expenditure (Lancet Diab Endocri...

An interest in art and antiques and a chance discovery in Hong Kong in 2000 led rapidly to an obsession with carvings from Northern China’s 5000 year old Hongshan Culture. The most controversial are in a unique silica glass (‘shui jing’), with a very high melting temperature (>1600 °C) and no additives or stabilisers, that could only have originated from a large unique meteorite impact. This paper will present results on the carvings of light microscopy...