Elections for President and Executive Committee Members now open

The European Society of Endocrinology would like to remind members that voting is now open in the elections for President and Executive Committee Members. The ESE would like to take this opportunity to advise you of the following points regarding the voting process: a) The opening and closing of the vote is fully automated. b) The results will only be available to the ESE's auditor, Chantrey Vellacott DFK. No one else will have access to this information. c) The results will be passed from Chantrey Vellacott DFK to the current ESE President and to the Chair of the Nominations Committee once the vote has closed. d) The ESE Secretariat will have access to the voters list only. This is required in case of any questions regarding a members vote. The voting is anonymous and the ESE Secretariat will not know who has been voted for. All eligible voters have received full voting instructions by email. The vote is now open and will be closed on Sunday 12 August 2007 at midnight (00:00) Greenwich Mean Time. Thank you for your participation in this important election process. If you have any questions then please email info@euro-endo.org.

New impact factors for ESE journals

The new impact factors for ESE's official journals have now been announced. The European Journal of Endocrinology has increased dramatically to 3.145, its highest ever. The Journal of Endocrinology has risen slightly to 3.072, consolidating its strong position. It has now been consistently over 3 for the last four years. The Journal of Molecular Endocrinology has increased to 2.988, a welcome recovery. The previous figure had been depressed by the fact that the journal published 50% more papers in 2004 than in 2003. Endocrine-Related Cancer comes in at 4.763. Even though this is a slight decrease on the previous figure, ERC has held its ground remarkably well given that it published 45% more articles in 2005 than in 2004. All else being equal, this dramatic growth should have depressed this latest impact factor. ESE journals are available online at the link below.

ESE journals

New Chief Editor of the European Journal of Endocrinology

We would like to welcome Professor Christian Strasburger as the new chief editor of the European Journal of Endocrinology. He takes over on 1 July 2007 from Professor Paolo Beck-Peccoz. We would like to thank Professor Beck-Peccoz for all his hard work.

Prize Lectures of the 9th European Congress of Endocrinology are now available as online virtual presentations

The ESE are pleased to announce that audio material of the Geoffrey Harris Prize and European Journal of Endocrinology Prize lectures are now available on the website. The Geoffrey Harris Prize for 2007 was awarded to Professor Hubert Vaudry (France). Professor Vaudry's lecture at the ECE 2007 was entitled "Neuroendocrine control of steroid biosynthesis within the hypothalamus". The European Journal of Endocrinology Prize for 2007 was awarded to Professor Brian Walker (UK). Professor Walker's lecture at the ECE 2007 was entitled "Cortisol and cardiovascular disease". Both lectures are now available to view at the link below. We would like to thank the sponsors of this initiative, Ipsen and the Society of the European Journal of Endocrinology (SEJE), for their generosity.

Prize winning lectures from ECE 2007

ECE 2008

The 10th European Congress of Endocrinology will be hosted by the German Endocrine Society and will be held at the ICC in Berlin, 3 - 7 May 2008. Further details will be available at the link below.

ECE 2008

Radioiodine in the management of benign thyroid disease

The Royal College of Physicians in the UK has recently published updated guidelines on radioiodine in the management of benign thyroid disease. These new guidelines update those first published in 1995. They include developments in the past 10 years in legislation relating to radioiodine treatment, as well as advances in our understanding. For more information, please click on the link below.

RCP website

Low testosterone may risk heart (BBC News Online, 10 July 2007)

Research published in the European Journal of Endocrinology shows that post-menopausal women with low levels of testosterone are more likely to suffer from heart disease.

Full article

Health scares take their toll on HRT (BBC News Online, 3 July 2007)

Figures out this month indicate that fewer women are using hormone replacement therapy (HRT), after a series of negative headlines over the past five years.

Full article

Insulin pill promises an end to the needle for diabetics (The Times, 22 June 2007)

Diabetics may soon be able to take a pill to control their condition instead of having several daily insulin injections.

Full article

Dog contraceptive signals end to castration (New Scientist, 11 July 2007)

A contraceptive implant has been developed that stops testosterone and sperm production in male dogs. It is expected to gain European approval within weeks.

Full article

EC White Paper on Nutrition, Overweight and Obesity related health issues

Below is a link to the White Paper from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions on: A strategy for Europe on nutrition, overweight and obesity related health issues

White Paper

'New tests needed' for chemicals (BBC News Online, 13 July 2007)

A new study recommends that thousands of chemicals should be re-evaluated for possible toxicity to human and environmental health.

Full article

Second Revised Draft of the World Anti-Doping Code

The World Anti-Doping Agency has released the second revised draft of the World Anti-Doping Code for review and comment. For more information, please click on the link below. All feedback should be sent to code@wada-ama.org by Tuesday 31 July 2007.

World Anti-Doping Agency

Psychological implications of Graves' orbitpathy

Graves' orbitopathy (GO) can cause inflammation of the orbital tissue with or without thyroid diease. It often results in visual dysfunction, discomfort and significant changes in facial appearance. Such symptoms can cause considerable distress to the patients, and can be detrimental to their subjective quality of life. In this paper, the authors review the aspects of GO that can cause problems, and treatment of the psychological implications of Graves' orbitopathy is suggested as an appropriate strategy when treating patients. Coulter et al review the literature in relation to the treatment of GO, firstly considering the overall psychological impact, and then further explore how the different features of GO affect the perceived quality of life, in terms of mood and health. Impaired vision, as a common risk and therefore fear for GO patients, has a strongly negative effect on the patients' mood profile, though this is unlikely to be disease specific. Discomfort primarily affected the physical scales. Disfigurement is heavily reliant upon the individual and their ability to cope. The concomitant effect of these is also reviewed. The group suggest that a biopsychosocial treatment may do well to be incorporated into the therapeutic strategy for GO. Coulter I, Frewin S, Krassas GE and Perros P. Psychological implications of Grave's orbitpathy. European Journal of Endocrinology 2007 157 127-131.

FEBS/EMBO Women in Science Award 2008

The European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO) and the Federation of European Biochemical Societies (FEBS) are pleased to announce the first call for nominations for the FEBS/EMBO Women in Science Award. The deadline for nominations is 15 August 2007. For more information, please click on the link below.

FEBS/EMBO website

UNESCO-L'Oréal International Fellowships for Young Women in Life Sciences - Call for applications

The UNESCO-L'Oréal International Fellowships for Young Women in Life Sciences are awarded to 15 young women researchers in the life sciences at doctoral or postdoctoral level, whose promising projects have been accepted by a reputable institution outside their country of origin. The Fellowships, worth up to $40,000 for a period of up to two years, are awarded to three Fellows from each of the following five regions: Africa, Arab States, Asia & the Pacific, Europe & North America, and Latin America & the Caribbean. Deadline for 2008 International Fellowship applications: 17 August 2007. For more information, visit the links below.

For Women in Science

UNESCO UK

ESF Call for Proposals - 2009 Conferences

The European Science Foundation Conferences Unit's 2007 call for proposals invites proposals for conferences to take place in 2009. The deadline for online submission is Monday 1 October 2007. For more information, please click on the link below.

ESF website

IOF-Servier Young Investigator Research Grant

The International Osteoporosis Foundation Servier Young Investigator Research Grant aims to encourage young scientists to carry out high quality research on osteoporosis. The grant is generously supported by the Servier Research group in partnership with IOF, and awards 40,000 Euros towards original research of significant value and international relevance in the field of osteoporosis. Deadline for applications is 3 March 2008. More information is available at the link below.

Grant website

European Society for Paediatric Endocrinology Visiting Fellowship

The ESPE Visiting Scholarship offers financial support to members of the Society or to their collaborators with the aim of gathering information and experience on a specific research issue OR on a laboratory technique in the field of paediatric endocrinology. The ESPE Visiting Scholarship is awarded on the basis of nominations made by an ESPE member. Priority will be given to applicants who demonstrate how they intend to bring important knowledge and/or techniques back to their home institution. Closing date: 31 July 2007.

ESPE Grants

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