instruction:
In this task, you are given a passage which has a question and the context. You have to generate an answer to the question based on the information present in the context.
question:
Context: In streptozotocin-injected rats (STZ-rats), we previously demonstrated a role for angiotensin II (AT-II) in cardiac remodelling and insulin resistance partially counteracted by in vivo treatment with losartan, an AT-II receptor antagonist.We now aimed to investigate the effect of treating diabetic STZ-rats with losartan on diabetes vascular response to vasoconstrictors.', 'Male Wistar rats were randomly divided in four groups, two of them were assigned to receive losartan in the drinking water (20 mg/kg/day) until the experiment ending (3 weeks afterward). After 1 week, two groups, one of which receiving losartan, were injected in the tail vein with citrate buffer (normoglycemic, N and normoglycemic, losartan-treated, NL). The remaining received a single injection of streptozotocin (50 mg/kg in citrate i.v.) thus becoming diabetic (D) and diabetic losartan-treated (DL). Plasma glycaemia and blood pressure were measured in all animals before the sacrifice (15 days after diabetes induction).In aortic strips isolated from N, NL, D and DL rats we evaluated i) the isometric concentration-dependent contractile response to phenylephrine (Phe) and to AT-II; ii) the RhoA-kinase (ROCK1) activity and expression by enzyme-immunoassay and Western blot respectively.', 'The concentration-dependent contractile effect of Phe was similar in aortas from all groups, whereas at all concentrations tested, AT-II contraction efficacy was 2 and half and 1 and half times higher in D and DL respectively in comparison with N and NL. AT-II contracture was similarly reduced in all groups by AT-II receptor antagonists, irbesartan or irbesartan plus PD123319. HA-1077 (10 microM), an inhibitor of ROCK1 activity, reduced AT-II efficacy (Deltamg/mg tissue w.w.) by -3.5 +/- 1.0, -4.6 +/- 1.9, -22.1 +/- 2.2 and -11.4 +/- 1.3 in N, NL, D and DL respectively). ROCK1 activity and expression were higher in D than in N/NL and DL aortas.\Question: Does losartan counteract the hyper-reactivity to angiotensin II and ROCK1 over-activation in aortas isolated from streptozotocin-injected diabetic rats?
answer:
Aortas isolated from STZ-rats present hyper-contracture to AT-II mainly dependent on the up-regulation of ROCK1 expression/activity. In vivo losartan treatment partially corrects AT-II hyper-contracture, limiting the increase in ROCK1 expression/activity. These data offer a new molecular mechanism supporting the rationale for using losartan in the prevention of diabetic vascular complications.


question:
Context: Chronic inflammation is hypothesized to influence prostate cancer development, although a definitive link has not been established.', 'Prostate cancer cases (N = 191) detected on a for-cause (clinically indicated) or end-of-study (protocol directed) biopsy, and frequency-matched controls (N = 209), defined as negative for cancer on an end-of-study biopsy, were sampled from the placebo arm of the Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial. Inflammation prevalence and extent in benign areas of biopsy cores were visually assessed using digital images of hematoxylin and eosin-stained sections. Logistic regression was used to estimate associations.', 'Of note, 86.2% of cases and 78.2% of controls had at least one biopsy core (of three assessed) with inflammation in benign areas, most of which was chronic. Men who had at least one biopsy core with inflammation had 1.78 [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.04-3.06] times the odds of prostate cancer compared with men who had zero cores with inflammation. The association was stronger for high-grade disease (Gleason sum 7-10, N = 94; OR, 2.24; 95% CI, 1.06-4.71). These patterns were present when restricting to cases and controls in whom intraprostatic inflammation was the least likely to have influenced biopsy recommendation because their prostate-specific antigen (PSA) was low (<2 ng/mL at biopsy).\Question: Is chronic inflammation in benign prostate tissue associated with high-grade prostate cancer in the placebo arm of the prostate cancer prevention trial?
answer:
Inflammation, most of which was chronic, was common in benign prostate tissue, and was positively associated with prostate cancer, especially high grade. The association did not seem to be due to detection bias.


question:
Context: Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), an agent that provides symptomatic relief in patients with interstitial cystitis (IC) works via an unknown mechanism. We investigated whether DMSO acts as a chemical stimulant of mast cell degranulation.', 'A radioimmunoassay (RIA) specific for histamine was used to test this hypothesis. Twelve women with strictly diagnosed IC were treated with intravesical instillations of DMSO. Treatments were repeated at varying intervals, and each patient received three to six treatments. Urine histamine levels were measured before and after each intravesical instillation of DMSO. Dilutional effects of DMSO were corrected for by conversion of urine histamine concentration to urine histamine:creatinine ratio.', 'The RIA was unaffected by the addition of DMSO to urine. No consistent change in the urine histamine:creatinine ratio following DMSO instillation was found. Trend analysis revealed no trend in the histamine:creatinine ratio with time.\Question: Does dimethyl sulfoxide trigger urine histamine release in interstitial cystitis?
answer:

The relief of symptoms reported in 50% to 77% of patients treated with intravesical DMSO is not related to detectable mast cell release of histamine. Other mechanisms of action must be investigated to explain the beneficial effect of this agent.


