NEW STUDY. A small group of patients with type 2 diabetes significantly improved their long-term blood sugar levels when treated with high-dose tadalafil, a medication used to treat erectile dysfunction. The result from the University of Gothenburg pilot study is striking, but repetition in a larger study and over a longer period is needed. Tadalafil is one of the active pharmaceutical substances known as PDE5 (phosphodiesterase type 5) inhibitors, a…
Increased exhaustion in maternal and neonatal care during pandemic
NEW STUDY. During the COVID-19 pandemic, 18% of maternal and neonatal care staff reported exhaustion, an early sign of burnout. This is shown in a University of Gothenburg study, based on questionnaire responses from both medical and administrative staff members. The pandemic has resulted in major challenges to the health care system in Sweden. Employees in maternal and neonatal care have been severely affected by changed work routines and staff…
Longer shelf life for insulin has major bearing on global health
NEW STUDY. An international study shows that it is likely that insulin can be stored at room temperature, and for considerably longer than drug companies have counted on to date. Access to this vital medicine can thereby be significantly improved for the world’s poorest inhabitants. Researchers at the University of Gothenburg are among the scientists presenting these results. In type 1 diabetes, the insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas are…
Genetics of preterm birth and pregnancy length clarified
NEW STUDY. New knowledge of the genetic factors behind premature delivery and gestational duration has now emerged. Findings presented by a major international study under the aegis of the University of Gothenburg include the ways in which, before birth, the woman’s and the unborn child’s genes have mutually antagonistic effects. These results, now published in the journal Nature Genetics, enhance the potential for long-term development of drugs to induce parturition…
Wastewater more potent breeding ground for antibiotic resistance than previously known
NEW STUDY. Wastewater is a more potent environment for antibiotic resistance to evolve than previously known. A study from the University of Gothenburg shows that wastewaters have unique characteristics, allowing resistance genes to start their journey from harmless bacteria to those that cause disease. Microorganisms have produced antibiotic molecules long before we started to use them as medicines. Accordingly, the ability of many environmental bacteria to defend themselves against antibiotics…