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.

Input: Consider Input: Context: The etiology of idiopathic scoliosis remains unknown, but growth is a risk factor for progression. Growth pattern differs in children with and without scoliosis. Cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) may be associated with scoliosis and growth. We, therefore, studied COMP in children with and without idiopathic scoliosis.', 'We included 105 children, with mean age 14.4 years (range 10-16), under observation or treatment for idiopathic scoliosis, and 103 children from an age-matched population-based cohort. COMP was measured in serum at the time of inclusion. Growth velocity was estimated from repeated height measurements. T tests, analysis of covariance or linear regression were used for statistical comparisons.', 'COMP was mean (SD) 11 (5) units/liter (U/L) in children with scoliosis and 13 (5) U/L in the control cohort (p = 0.005, adjusted for sex and sampling time of the day). When patients and controls were analyzed together, high COMP was correlated with high growth velocity (β = 0.19, p = 0.003). When patients and controls were analyzed separately, COMP was correlated with growth velocity in children with scoliosis (β = 0.27, p = 0.007), but not in children without scoliosis (β = 0.02, p = 0.83) (all analyses adjusted for age, sex and sampling time). Low COMP was significantly correlated with large curve size in children with scoliosis (β = -0.29, p = 0.003), but not after adjustment for age, sex and sampling time (β = -0.16; p = 0.14).\Question: Is serum level of cartilage oligomeric matrix protein lower in children with idiopathic scoliosis than in non-scoliotic controls?

Output: COMP was lower in children with idiopathic scoliosis than in a control cohort. In children with scoliosis, high COMP was modestly correlated with high growth velocity, but not with curve severity.


Input: Consider Input: Context: Circulation on blood extracorporeally through plastic tubing activates several pathways including systemic inflammation and oxidative stress. These phenomena are suspected to participate to neurological and cardiovascular side effects observed in the patients under cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). A direct relationship, in diabetic patients, between hyperglycemia and morbidity and mortality has been established. However, it is still unclear whether perioperative hyperglycemia has a direct effect on adverse events in cardiac surgery. The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of hyperglycemia on inflammation and oxidative stress in patients under CPB during cardiac surgery.', 'Control patients (n=17) and diabetic (type 2) patients (n=13) were included in this study. Blood samples were drawn before, during and after the CPB. Oxidative stress was evaluated in the plasma by direct and indirect approaches. Direct detection of ascorbyl radicals was assessed by electron spin resonance spectroscopy. An index: ascorbyl radical/vitamin C ratio is an indicator of the degree of oxidative stress taking place in the plasma. Oxygen radical absorbing capacity (ORAC) values were used as measurement of antioxidant capacity of the plasma. To determine inflammation profile of patients, we measure the evolution of plasma concentration of interleukin 8 (IL-8).', 'During cross clamping and post-CPB, the index ascorbyl radical/vitamin C is increased; the value of the index is more significant in diabetic patients. Concomitantly, ORAC values decreased in all the patients during cross clamping (p<0.05). Results concerning inflammatory index showed that IL-8 levels increased during the CPB.\Question: Is [ Oxidative stress exacerbated in diabetic patients during cardiopulmonary bypass ]?

Output: In conclusion, the current study indicates that a systemic oxidative stress occurs during CPB and post-CPB periods and that in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, the systemic oxidative stress was increased.


Input: Consider Input: Context: From our previous clinical trials, intracoronary infusion of granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF)-mobilized peripheral blood mononuclear cells ((mob)PBMCs) proved to be effective in improving myocardial contractility and reducing infarct volume in acute myocardial infarction. We tested the effect of priming (mob)PBMCs with erythropoietin (EPO) to augment its therapeutic efficacy.', '(mob)PBMCs were obtained from healthy volunteers after a 3-day subcutaneous injection of G-CSF (10 μg/kg). About 40% of (mob)PBMCs were EPO receptor (EPOR) (+) and responded to 6 h EPO-priming (10 IU/mL) by increasing the expression of vasculogenic factors (i.e. IL8, IL10, bFGF, PDGF, MMP9) and adhesion molecules (i.e. integrin αV, β1, β2, β8) through the JAK2 and Akt pathway. These responses were also observed in PBMCs from elderly patients with coronary disease. The conditioned media from EPO-primed (mob)PBMCs contained various cytokines such as IL8, IL10, TNFα, and PDGF, which enhanced the migration and tube formation capability of endothelial cells. EPO-primed (mob)PBMCs also showed increased adhesion on endothelial cells or fibronectin. Augmented vasculogenic potential of EPO-primed (mob)PBMCs was confirmed in a Matrigel plug assay, ischaemic hindlimb, and myocardial infarction models of athymic nude mice. There were two action mechanisms: (i) cellular effects confirmed by direct incorporation of human (mob)PBSCs into mouse vasculature and (ii) indirect humoral effects confirmed by the therapeutic effect of the supernatant of EPO-primed (mob)PBMCs.\Question: Does erythropoietin priming improve the vasculogenic potential of G-CSF mobilized human peripheral blood mononuclear cells?


Output: Brief ex vivo EPO-priming is a novel method to augment the vasculogenic potential of human (mob)PBMCs, which would help to achieve better results after intracoronary infusion in myocardial infarction patients.


