Low Serum IGF-1 in Boys with Recent Onset of Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis.

Background: Liver-derived insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) contributes bone formation. Decreased IGF-1 levels are common in juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), but whether IGF-1 is related to sex and differ during the pathogenic progress of JIA is unknown.

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine IGF-1 levels in boys and girls with newly diagnosed JIA, with established JIA and in controls.

Respiratory symptoms, asthma and levels of fractional exhaled nitric oxide in schoolchildren in the industrial areas of Estonia.

Objectives: Exposure to air pollutants in the ambient environment has been associated with various respiratory symptoms, and with increased asthma diagnosis, in both children and adults. Most research to date has focussed on core pollutants, such as PM, PM, SO and NO, and less attention has been given to the effects of industry-specific contamination. The current study aimed to examine the associations between respiratory symptoms, asthma, increased levels of fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) (as a marker of eosinophilic airway inflammation) and ambient levels of industrial pollutants (such as benzene, phenol, formaldehyde and non-methane hydrocarbons) for schoolchildren living near oil shale industries in Ida-Viru County, Estonia.

Differential expression profile of growth hormone/chorionic somatomammotropin genes in placenta of small- and large-for-gestational-age newborns.

Context: The human growth hormone/chorionic somatomammotropin (hGH/CSH) locus at 17q22-24, consisting of one pituitary-expressed postnatal (GH1) and four placenta-expressed genes (GH2, CSH1, CSH2, and CSHL1), is implicated in regulation of postnatal and intrauterine growth. A positive correlation has been reported between the offspring's birth weight and serum placental GH (coded by GH2) and placental lactogen (coded by CSH1, CSH2) levels in pregnant women.

Objective: The objective of the study was the investigation of the hypothesis that the mRNA expression profile of placental hGH/CSH genes contributes to the determination of birth weight.

Genome-wide scan identifies CDH13 as a novel susceptibility locus contributing to blood pressure determination in two European populations.

Hypertension is a complex disease that affects a large proportion of adult population. Although approximately half of the inter-individual variance in blood pressure (BP) level is heritable, identification of genes responsible for its regulation has remained challenging. Genome-wide association study (GWAS) is a novel approach to search for genetic variants contributing to complex diseases.

[Repeat percutaneous transluminal angioplasty in coronary artery restenosis].

Early experience with repeat transcutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (TTCA) in 9 coronary patients is reviewed. The interval between the first and the repeat TTCA varied between 1 and 12 months averaging 4.9 +/- 4.