Diabetes research for developing countries

EAGLES investigations into the specific needs for diabetes research in developing countries, and Europe's potential to support that research [European Union and Diabetes http://ec.europa.eu/health/ph_information/dissemination/diseases/diabetes_en.htm, EU Research on Diabetes http://ec.europa.eu/research/leaflets/diabetes/index_en.html] reach nine major conclusions. In each case, they involve tuning European research to have the greatest impact in the shortest possible time, by understanding and respecting developing countries' conditions of health, politics and economics. Major recommendations arise from the lack of national population-based epidemiology to enable planning and convince political powers of the need for action; from countries' low healthcare budgets, entailing needs for the cheapest possible interventions; from the need to investigate interventions specifically tuned to national circumstances; and finally from the needs for specific local biomedical research, such as studies into the several unique African phenotypes of the disease. The details of our nine recommendations can be seen at the end of the report.     

Vitamin D metabolite-binding proteins in human tissue

Serum and post-microsomal supernatants of human lymphocyte, erythrocyte, skeletal muscle and parathyroid adenoma homogenates were examined for specific binding of 25-hydroxycholecalciferol (25-OHD₃) and 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol (1,25-(OH)₂D₃). Muscle, lymphocytes and parathyroid adenomata extracts contained a 6-S 25-OHD₃-binding protein which was not found in erythrocyte extracts, and which was distinct from the smaller serum transport α-globulin. A cathodal, 1,25-(OH)₂D₃-binding protein, which sedimented at 3–4 S was also detected in parathyroid tissue. These observations suggest the possibility of direct physiologic interaction between vitamin D metabolites and nucleated human tissues other than intestine and bone.     

UK risks 'losing science data'

A report on the EMBO meeting 'Functional Genomics; The Future of Biology', Heidelberg, Germany, 13-16 October 2002.