Endocrine Abstracts

Optical Projection Tomography (OPT) is a novel, unique and fast whole mount imaging technology which generates stunning 3D images plus virtual sections (in 3 orientations) of small biological specimens (1–15 mm). It is ideal for analysis of patterns of gene expression and protein distribution as it can be used with both visible (e.g. LacZ) and fluorescent stains. OPT can also be used on unstained tissue. The virtual sections give cellular levels of resolution, whilst the ...

The most important part of any research project is getting it published in the best way; this usually will include a peer reviewed journal paper. Choice of journal is an important decision, with international broad readership journals having much greater prestige than regional or subject-restricted publications. You will need to decide whether to put all your relevant research findings into a single large manuscript, or to split your work up into a series of smaller papers. If...

Described here is a series of 3 patients with psychiatric disorders and 4 patients with movement disorders associated with primary hypoparathyroidism. Patients of ages 18 through 55 years and were seen 1998–2004 in a general hospital. Institutional Ethical Committee approval was obtained for the study.On presentation, all patients had fasting plasma tested for calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, albumin and intact PTH. All had CT scans of the head. All ...

An audit examining self-management skills and pre hospital management of adrenal crisis. This audit was performed following a clinical incident involving an Addison’s patient who suffered and survived a cardiac arrest as a direct result of an adrenal crisis. The patient involved in the initial incident lived close to a major A&E.The paramedic arm of the audit came about after consideration of the geographical nature of this locality. Even if the...

Lymphocytic hypophysitis (LYH) is an unusual pituitary disorder in which an inflammatory process compromises normal anterior and posterior pituitary function, and produces a mass effect on adjacent structures....

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the commonest cause of anovulatory infertility, and menstrual disturbances. The mechanism of anovulation is complex but the characteristic ovarian feature is arrest of antral follicles at 5–8 mm in diameter. Follicle arrest probably reflects the abnormal endocrine environment in which elevated LH and or hyperinsulinaemia (together with a relative deficiency of FSH) are important elements. However, recent studies also point to abnormali...

Patients with diabetes are well aware that their risk of long-term complications is minimised by the maintenance of near-normoglycaemia. Intensive therapy regimens designed to achieve this in people with insulin deficient diabetes (Type 1 and late Type2) require detailed understanding of the actions of insulin preparations and their interaction with food and daily activities, multiple daily injections and frequent self monitoring of blood glucose concentrations. There is the e...

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Whereas it was previously accepted that patients needed between 20 and 30mg of hydrocortisone daily, current estimates are much lower at approximately 10mg per day. The next question - which appears uncontroversial - is the choice of drug. This is universally accepted as being hydrocortisone. But is it? The adrenal glands secrete both cortisol and cortisone and there is now increasing evidence that 11betaHSD-1 can, in a tissue-specific manner, convert cortisone to cortisol. Th...

Generalized Glucocorticoid Resistance (GR) is rare. Only about 30 patients and (asymptomatic) family members with GR have been described. The molecular basis of GR has been elucidated in nine patients and affected family members: mutations in the hormone binding domain of the glucocorticoid receptor gene were responsible for the clinical manifestations of GR, while in one individual a mutation in the DNA-binding domain was observed. Clinical presentation varied, including hypo...