Growth factor concentrations and their placental mRNA expression are modulated in gestational diabetes mellitus: possible interactions with macrosomia.

Background: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a form of diabetes that occurs during pregnancy. GDM is a well known risk factor for foetal overgrowth, termed macrosomia which is influenced by maternal hypergycemia and endocrine status through placental circulation. The study was undertaken to investigate the implication of growth factors and their receptors in GDM and macrosomia, and to discuss the role of the materno-foeto-placental axis in the in-utero regulation of foetal growth.

Tibiofemoral joint kinetics during squatting with increasing external load.

Context: There is limited information about the effects of increasing load while squatting.

Objective: To quantify tibiofemoral joint kinetics during squatting with variable loads.

Setting: Research laboratory.

Correlations between high-resolution computed tomography of the chest and clinical function in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Prospective study in 75 patients.

Introduction: The contribution of computed tomography (CT) to the assessment of rheumatoid lung disease is universally recognized. Our objective was to define the usefulness of high-resolution CT (HRCT) in evaluating lung abnormalities in unselected patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and to determine whether HRCT findings were correlated with clinical and lung function test (LFT) abnormalities.

Patients And Methods: We prospectively investigated HRCT findings in 75 consecutive RA patients and looked for correlations with clinical, radiological, blood gas, and LFT variables.