TASK DEFINITION: Given a passage classify if the passage has a definite objective/aim/goal or not. Output '1' if the passage has a defininte objective/aim/goal and output '0' if the passage does not have a definite objective/aim/goal.
PROBLEM: Immunologic abnormalities have been found in bipolar disorder but pentraxin 3, a marker of innate immunity, has not been studied in this population.', 'Levels of pentraxin 3 were measured in individuals with bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and non-psychiatric controls. Linear regression models were used to compare the pentraxin 3 levels in each of the psychiatric groups to that in the control group, adjusting for demographic and clinical variables. Logistic regression models were used to calculate the odds ratios associated with levels of pentraxin 3 which differed from specified levels of the control group.', 'The sample consisted of 831 individuals: 256 with bipolar disorder, 309 with schizophrenia, and 266 without a psychiatric disorder. The levels of pentraxin 3 in the bipolar disorder, but not in the schizophrenia, group were significantly lower than those of controls, adjusting for age, gender, race, maternal education, smoking status, and body mass index (t = -3.78, p < 0.001). The individuals with bipolar disorder also had significantly increased odds of having low levels of pentraxin 3 relative to both the 10th and 25th percentile level of the controls and significantly decreased odds of having a level greater than the 75th and the 90th percentile level of the controls, adjusting for the same covariates.

SOLUTION: 1

PROBLEM: Vein bypass is an essential therapy for patients with advanced peripheral and coronary artery disease despite development of neointimal hyperplasia. We have shown that stimulation of the receptor tyrosine kinase ephrin type-B receptor 4 (Eph-B4) with its ligand ephrin-B2 prevents neointimal hyperplasia in murine vein grafts. This study determines whether Eph-B4 in adult human veins is capable of phosphorylation and activation of downstream signaling pathways, as well as functional to release nitric oxide (NO) and prevent neointimal hyperplasia in vitro.', 'Discarded human saphenous veins were taken from the operating room and placed in organ culture without or with ephrin-B2/Fc (2 μg/mL) for 14 days, and the neointima/media ratio was measured in matched veins. Primary human umbilical vein endothelial cells were treated with ephrin-B2/Fc (2 μg/mL) and examined with quantitative polymerase chain reaction, Western blot, immunoassays, and for release of NO. Ephrin-B2/Fc (2 μg/mL) was placed on the adventitia of saphenous veins treated with arterial shear stress for 24 hours in a bioreactor and activated Eph-B4 examined with immunofluorescence.', 'The baseline intima/media ratio in saphenous vein rings was 0.456 ± 0.097, which increased to 0.726 ± 0.142 in untreated veins after 14 days in organ culture but only to 0.630 ± 0.132 in veins treated with ephrin-B2/Fc (n = 19, P = .017). Ephrin-B2/Fc stimulated Akt, endothelial NO synthase and caveolin-1 phosphorylation, and NO release (P = .007) from human umbilical vein endothelial cells (n = 6). Ephrin-B2/Fc delivered to the adventitia stimulated endothelial Eph-B4 phosphorylation after 24 hours of arterial stress in a bioreactor (n = 3).

SOLUTION: 0

PROBLEM: SOX2 and SOX9 are commonly overexpressed in glioblastoma, and regulate the activity of glioma stem cells (GSCs). Their specific and overlapping roles in GSCs and glioma treatment remain unclear.', 'SOX2 and SOX9 levels were examined in human biopsies. Gain and loss of function determined the impact of altering SOX2 and SOX9 on cell proliferation, senescence, stem cell activity, tumorigenesis and chemoresistance.', 'SOX2 and SOX9 expression correlates positively in glioma cells and glioblastoma biopsies. High levels of SOX2 bypass cellular senescence and promote resistance to temozolomide. Mechanistic investigations revealed that SOX2 acts upstream of SOX9. mTOR genetic and pharmacologic (rapamycin) inhibition decreased SOX2 and SOX9 expression, and reversed chemoresistance.

SOLUTION:
0

