U. of Iowa scientists say they've discovered a molecular mechanism regulates specialized pancreatic cells and insulin secretion in a form of diabetes. The study that also involved researchers at WUSTL is reported in the early online edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

References:

1. Sept. 9, 2009 — Protein found to control form of diabetes in the United Press International

and 4 others.

A single episode of low blood sugar severe enough to require prompt medical attention increases a person's risk of developing dementia in old age, a study in people with diabetes suggests. "This is a worrisome association," says WUSTL endocrinologist Philip Cryer. But he cautions that an association doesn't prove that one factor causes the other.

References:

1. April 14, 2009 — Hypoglycemia linked to dementia in the Science News Web edition

WUSTL endocrinologist Clay Semenkovich comments on Apple CEO Steve Jobs' cryptic statements regarding his health.

References:

1. Jan. 15, 2009 — Steve Jobs' Illness Offers Complex Mystery in the npr.org

WUSTL endocrinologist Clay Semenkovich is one of the specialists asked to comment on the diagnosis of Steve Jobs.

References:

1. Jan. 6, 2009 — Apple's Jobs Under Treatment to Gain Weight in the The Wall Street Journal online

When Apple CEO Steve Jobs put out a cryptic statement this week about his widely discussed weight loss, he practically guaranteed a new round of speculation about its cause. Includes comments by WUSTL endocrinologist Clay Semenkovich.

References:

1. Jan. 6, 2009 — Decoding The Health Statement Of Apple's Jobs in the NPR.org

Katy Marquardt blogs about what endocrinologists are saying about the diagnosis of Steve Jobs. Includes comments by WUSTL endocrinology chief Clay Semenkovich.

References:

1. Jan. 6, 2009 — Endocrinologists Weigh in on Steve Jobs' Hormonal Imbalance in the U.S. News & World Report blogs

A WUSTL study of kidney dialysis patients found nearly 70 percent had metabolic syndrome, considered a predictor of cardiovascular disease.
Study leader and WUSTL postdoctoral fellow Daniel Young comments.
The study was published in Hemodialysis International.

References:

1. March 9, 2007 — Kidney ills linked to metabolic syndrome in the United Press International

Can a chocolate-chip cookie lower cholesterol? In a junk-food addict's possible dream come true, a number of companies are selling processed foods that aim to lower cholesterol.
WUSTL endocrinology and metabolism researcher Anne Goldberg says the evidence is convincing that the products can have a moderate effect on cholesterol, but you must constantly consider calories.

References:

1. Jan. 23, 2007 — Cutting Cholesterol By Eating a Cookie in the The Wall Street Journal

A small study on an experimantal drug released today may have a big effect on people with so much cholesterol in their blood that they can die of heart attacks in their teens and early 20s.
WUSTL metabolism researcher Anne Goldberg, who was not involved in the study, comments.

References:

1. Jan. 11, 2007 — Experimental drug cuts rare, lethal cholesterol levels in patients in the USA Today

Article on two studies surveying pediatricians and their effectiveness in treating overweight children. Many doctors find obesity difficult to treat because it is a complicated problem. The doctor's own weight could affect his comfort level in counseling an overweight child. WUSTL pediatric endocrinologist Neil White comments.

References:

1. Aug. 15, 2005 — Pediatricians' Weight Could Be Obstacle in the Associated Press

and 102 others.

Two international research teams have uncovered genetic variations that predispose people to develop type 2 diabetes. The School of Medicine team, led by Alan Permutt, professor of medicine at the School of Medicine, studied Ashkenazi Jews from Israel. A team from the National Institutes of Health examined the genetic roots of the disease in people from Finland. Both groups came up with the same results. The researchers discovered that type 2 diabetics are more likely than nondiabetics to inherit a group of common genetic variations in the control region of the hepatocyte nuclear factor 4 alpha gene. The gene encodes a protein that regulates production of hundreds of other proteins important for the development and function of the liver and pancreas.

References:

1. March 11, 2004 — Gene may increase risk for type 2 diabetes in the Newsday

and 15 others.