Aldosterone and related substances in hypertension

The satellite symposium “Aldosterone and related substances in hypertension” will be held in Sendai on March 23-24, just prior to the main meeting. The main theme is “aldosteronism”, and one of the goals of this symposium is to update our current knowledge on the prevalence, diagnosis and treatment of primary aldosteronism. In addition, vasoactive substances such as the renin-angiotensin system will be discussed. Sendai is called “the city of forest” and is close to one of the three most beautiful sceneries of Japan, Matsushima. I would like to invite everybody to attend and present your work in this stimulating symposium and also enjoy the city of Sendai. I look forward to seeing you in Sendai.

Invitation to the Satellite Symposium on Perinatal Endocrinology

Pregnancy is characterized by the decreased insulin sensitivity which is a beneficial adaptation for fetus to obtain glucose from mother but is a risk for pregnant women to become gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Approximately 3% of pregnant women develop GDM. However, regulatory mechanisms of insulin sensitivity during pregnancy have not been fully understood. Infants of diabetic mother (IDM) tend to become diabetic in their later life.

Studies on the effects of perinatal nutrition on both short and long term consequences of the offspring have been developing rapidly from various view points such as energy metabolism during pregnancy, intrauterine nutrition, maternal hyperglycemia, protein nutrition, molecular basis of fetal programming and so on.

This satellite symposium will discuss the endocrinology of maternal and fetal carbohydrate metabolism as well as the molecular basis of regulatory mechanism of these functions aimed at better understanding of the developmental origin of health and disease (DOHaD). The aim of the meeting is to stimulate mainly the research community to discussion and activity around the following two major topics:

1) Maternal and fetal carbohydrate metabolism during pregnancy
2) Developmental origins of health and disease (DOHaD)

Venue: Midland Hall

5th Floor of The Midland Square
4-7-1, Mei-eki, Nakamura-ku, Nagoya 450-6002, Japan
(Across JR Nagoya Station)

Organizer: Norimasa Sagawa, MD, PhD

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine, Tsu, Mie 514-8507, Japan

Dear Colleagues,
It is our great pleasure and honor to invite you to the official Satellite Symposium on Diabetes to be held in Tokyo on March 25th, 2010.

The symposium will be focused on both basic and clinical aspects of diabetes to update our current knowledge and understanding for treatment of type 2 diabetes.

The symposium site, Tokyo Conference Center Shinagawa, is located a 3 minutes walk form the Konan gate of JR Shinagawa station which is very convenience to take the JR Shinkansen (Bullet train) for Kyoto, Osaka. As one of the world’s exiting cities, and the largest city in Japan, Tokyo has much to offer visitors. We hope that you will have a chance to experience the Japan of today.

We very much look forward to seeing you in Tokyo.
Sincerely yours,

Masato Kasuga, M.D.
President of the Diabetes official satellite symposium of ICE2010

Kazuaki Yasuda, M.D.
Secretary-General of the Diabetes official satellite symposium of ICE2010

Announcement of The Thyroid Satellite Symposium

Dear Colleagues,

It is a special privilege and pleasure to invite you on behalf of the Program Organizing Committee of “The Thyroid Satellite Symposium of ICE 2010”, which will be held in Kyoto, Japan, in March 25 (Thurs), 2010.

The Japan Thyroid Association (JTA) was founded in 1959, and with more than 1,600 active members. The association has a close relationship with the Japan Endocrine Society. On the occasion of ICE 2010, we would like to hold a satellite meeting that covers recent progress on the important field of thyroidology. Particularly, the program will be related to following topics:

• Iodine, TSHR & autoimmunity (Clinical)
• AITD susceptibility genes (Basic)
• Dyshormonogenesis (Translational)
• Thyroid hormone metabolism & action (Basic)
• Thyroid cancer (Clinical)
• Main Clinical Subjects Sponsored by the JTA (Clinical)

We really hope that the Symposium will provide a great opportunity for endocrinologists from home and abroad to exchange views regarding the latest findings in the scientific field of thyroid. The registration fee of this symposium is free.

The venue, Shiran Kaikan, is located in Faculty of Medicine, Kyoto University. We look forward to seeing you in Kyoto.

Takashi Akamizu, M.D., Ph.D.
Professor, Faculty of Medicine, Kyoto University
Chief of Program Organizing Committee for the Thyroid Satellite Symposium of ICE 2010

Kisspeptin/metastin, a neuropeptide, has attracted researchers’ attention as a key molecule controlling gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) release in various species. The length of the peptide varies from species to species, but the amino-acid sequence of the C-terminal decapeptide, called kisspeptin-10, is highly conserved among animal species. Besides Kiss1 gene encoding kisspeptin in most animal species, Kiss2 gene has recently been discovered in several species including fish and suggested to be involved in reproduction. Thus, the evolutionary aspect of Kiss gene or peptide would give some answers to our question on the fundamental function of the peptide in the reproductive endocrine system.

The satellite symposium "Comparative Endocrinology of Kisspeptin" will discuss the role of kisspeptin in reproductive endocrinology of a variety of animals from fish to mammals.

Official Satellite Symposium: Obesity

Obesity is a multifactorial disorder that arises from a complex interaction between genetic and environmental factors. As a major player in the development of type 2 diabetes, atherogenic dyslipidemia, cardiovascular disease, and some cancers, obesity has emerged as a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Despite increased knowledge on the molecular pathways that lead to a state of energy balance that favors adiposity, much remains to be elucidated.

To facilitate our understanding of the pathophysiology of obesity and metabolic diseases, this symposium will focus upon cutting edge researches in this area. These may include central regulation of feeding and adiposity, genetic and epigenetic defects leading to obesity, adipogenesis and adipocyte differentiation, adipocytokines or adipokines that are derived from the adipose tissue, inflammation in the adipose tissue and other metabolic organs, and etiology of obesity-induced metabolic syndrome. This symposium will also emphasize translational researches that highlight some of new pharmacologic strategies to prevent or treat obesity. Collaborative efforts between basic and clinical investigators in this area are expected to result from this symposium.

Kazuwa Nakao, M.D., Ph.D.
Yoshihiro Ogawa, M.D., Ph.D.
Kiminori Hosoda, M.D., Ph.D.

Nuclear Receptor and its role in endocrine system

Nuclear receptor-mediated signaling pathway plays a pivotal role in endocrine system. Fat-soluble ligands like steroid/thyroid hormones exert biological actions through gene expression controlled by nuclear receptors. For such gene regulation, epigenetic regulations have emerged as essential processes. By mouse genetic approaches, unexpected biological roles of nuclear receptors have been recently uncovered. In this satellite symposium, such biological function of nuclear receptors and their co-regulatory factors as well as their application for medical science will be discussed.

Dear Colleagues:

It is with great pleasure and honor that we invite you to participate in the official Satellite Symposium on Bone to be held in Osaka, Japan on March 31st, 2010. The symposium is focused on bone and mineral metabolism and its relation to endocrine system. From endocrine aspects of skeleton, it has been established that bone is one of the endocrine organs which secrete various bioactive substances to maintain mineral homeostasis and regulate energy balance. For example, bone-kidney axis and bone-pancreas axis have been proposed. In addition, local crosstalk of bone with bone marrow and chondrocytes should be considered to understand the whole picture of biological roles of bone. The symposium will offer a high quality scientific program of interest to both clinical and basic scientists.

Osaka is the 3rd largest city in Japan located near Kyoto. Historically, Osaka was already known to be an active area for medical research in Edo-period, when Tekijuku School was founded by a medical scientist, Ogata Koan in order to introduce Rangaku, a study of Dutch or Western sciences including medicine. The school produced many distinguished people who pioneered Japan’s modern era. We hope all participants enjoy a “Bone day” in Osaka.
We are looking forward to seeing you in Osaka.
Sincerely,

Keiichi Ozono
Chair, Satellite symposium on Bone
Professor, Department of Pediatrics
Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine

Toshiyuki Yoneda
Co-chair, Satellite symposium on Bone
Professor, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry
Osaka University Graduate School of Dentistry

Hideki Yoshikawa
Co-chair, Satellite symposium on Bone
Professor, Department of Orthopedic Surgery
Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine

I am honored and delighted to welcome all of you members to the 4th International Symposium on Cardiovascular Endocrinology and Metabolism in 2010 (CVEM 2010) as a president. CVEM 2010 will be held on March 31 and April 1, 2010 at the Nara Prefectural New Public Hall, as an official satellite symposium of the 14th ICE in Kyoto.

CVEM is a field of academic study that originated in Japan. There is no doubt that the discovery in Japan of ANP, endothelin, adrenomedullin, and ghrelin has been its driving force. CVEM has extended its influence beyond the realm of endocrinology. Today, it is being widely applied to cardiology, nephrology, and further, to treatment of lifestyle diseases.

CVEM 2010 is tentatively programmed to have 4 special lectures and 6 symposiums. They will focus current progress and new understanding of cardiovascular endocrinology and metabolism and relating phenomenon (angiogenesis, regeneration) and diseases.

The year 2010 also marks the 1,300th anniversary of the relocation of the Japanese capital to Nara. You can enjoy social and cultural events around Nara city. I hope that you will take home warm memories of this Congress and the Symposium, not to mention this beautiful city.

Yoshihiko Saito MD
President of 4th international symposium on CVEM

ICE2010 Satellite Symposium: International Symposium on Pediatric Endocrinology

Japanese Society for Pediatric Endocrinology is very much pleased to announce ICE2010 Satellite International Symposium on Pediatric Endocrinology that will be held on the first of April in Tokyo with Get-Together on the 31st of March, 2010. This symposium will have four main sessions: (1) Molecular basis of growth disorders; (2) Genes for disorders of adrenal and/or gonad; (3) Childhood diabetes mellitus; and (4) Global pediatric endocrinology. Each session will consist of 3–5 speakers from a variety of countries. The first two sessions will primarily focus on the recent progress in the molecular genetics of these fields. The third session will deal with both clinical and basic aspects of childhood DM. The last session will be set up to compare the growth pattern, the disease prevalence, and their trends. This special session may also deal with the impact of environmental factors on child health. In addition, we will have an early morning session for the presentation of a few of very recent topics and a poster session over lunch.

One important purpose of this symposium is to provide opportunities for young investigators to present their works. Indeed, it is our great hope to encourage young investigators.

Sincerely,

Kenji Fujieda, M.D. Ph.D.
The President of Japanese Society for Pediatric Endocrinology
Professor and Chairman of Pediatrics
Asahikawa Medical College

Invitation to the Satellite Symposium on Recent Advances of Thyroid and Parathyroid Intervention

Dear Colleagues,
It is our great pleasure and honor to invite you to the official Satellite Symposium on Recent Advances of Thyroid and Parathyroid Intervention, which will be held in Kyoto on March 30th, 2010.
The symposium will be focused on clinical aspects of the treatment for thyroid and parathyroid disorders. This may include the new approach for the treatment of thyroid and parathyroid disorders, using new modalities in comparison with the conventional method. The symposium also highlights some of new pharmacologic strategies for the treatment.

We hope all participants enjoy the stimulating symposium.
Sincerely,

Yuji Hiromatsu, M.D., Ph.D.
Chair, Satellite symposium on RATPI
Professor, Department of Medicine,
Kurume University School of Medicine

Masafumi Kitaoka, M.D., Ph.D.
Co-chair, Satellite symposium on RATPI
Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism
Showa General Hospital