TASK DEFINITION: Given a passage, construct a question on the basis of the information present in the passage. Construct the question in such a way that (i) it is unambiguous, (ii) it is answerable from the passage, (iii) its answer is unique (iv) it answer uses text phrases from the passage. Avoid creating questions that (i) can't be answered correctly without actually understanding the passage and (ii) uses the same words or phrases given in the passage.
PROBLEM: Chronic idiopathic urticaria is a common skin disorder characterized by recurrent, transitory, itchy weals for more than 6 weeks. An autoimmune origin has been suggested based on the findings of auto-antibodies (Abs) directed against either the alpha subunit of the high-affinity IgE receptor or the IgE molecule in nearly half of the patients.', 'To identify other autoantigen targets in patients with chronic idiopathic urticaria.', "We used pooled IgG derived from 133 patients with chronic idiopathic urticaria to screen a random peptide library to identify disease-relevant autoantigen peptides. Among the identified peptides, one was recognized by the vast majority of patients' sera. Abs against this peptide were affinity purified from the patients' sera and assayed for their ability to induce histamine release from basophils.", "We identified a peptide that showed similarity with the low-affinity IgE receptor (Fc epsilonRII/CD23) expressed on lymphomonocytes and eosinophils. Anti-peptide IgG Abs purified from the patients' sera bound cell surface CD23 and were able to induce histamine release from basophils. This effect appeared to be mediated by the release of major basic protein from eosinophils upon engagement of CD23. The same effects were obtained with the sera from mice immunized with the CD23 peptide.

SOLUTION: Do in chronic idiopathic urticaria autoantibodies against Fc epsilonRII/CD23 induce histamine release via eosinophil activation?

PROBLEM: The objective in lung transplantation is to prolong life, but the survival effect in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or alpha1-anti-trypsin deficiency emphysema is still unresolved. This study assesses the impact of diagnosis, single-lung transplantation (SLT) vs bilateral lung transplantation (BLT) and timing of transplantation on survival in a national cohort.', 'In 219 consecutive patients accepted onto the lung transplantation waiting list in Norway, 1990 to 2003, we assessed predictors of death: (1) on the waiting list; (2) <or=90 days after transplantation; and (3) >90 days after transplantation. For each period we used Cox regression, including age, gender, diagnosis, baseline pulmonary function tests, cardiac catheterization data, exercise capacity and transplant type, as potential predictors. Survival benefit was assessed graphically by combining adjusted survival curves after transplantation with the curve for those waiting, modeling transplantation after 6, 12 or 24 months.', 'Mean patient age was 49 years (SD 10), with 55% women. High forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV(1)) percentage predicted death on the waiting list. Diagnoses other than COPD/emphysema and receiving SLT were associated with death <or=90 days after transplantation. Only low forced vital capacity (FVC) percentage predicted death >90 days after transplantation. In COPD/emphysema, there was no clear survival benefit from BLT or SLT. For patients in the "Other" group, the data suggest a survival benefit from BLT.

SOLUTION: Is lung transplantation in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in a national cohort without obvious survival benefit?

PROBLEM: The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of moderate aerobic exercise on cardiac autonomic function in type 2 diabetic patients.', 'Heart rate variability of 20 patients with type 2 diabetes was assessed. Resting electrocardiogram for the heart rate variability analysis at spontaneous respiration was recorded for 5\xa0min in the supine position before and after 6\xa0months of supervised aerobic training given three times per week.', 'In time domain measures, the square root of the mean of the sum of the squares of differences between adjacent R-R intervals (RMSSD; 29.7 [26-34.5] vs 46.4 [29.8-52.2]\xa0ms, P\xa0=\xa00.023) and the percentage of consecutive RR intervals that differ by more than 50\xa0ms (pNN50; 10.7 [5.5-12.7] vs 26.1 [6.6-37.2]%, P\xa0=\xa00.025] were significantly increased after exercise. In frequency domain measures, low frequency (62.4 [59.1-79.2] vs 37 [31.3-43.3]\xa0nu, P\xa0=\xa00.003) and low frequency/high frequency (1.67 [1.44-3.8] vs 0.58 [0.46-0.59]%, P\xa0=\xa00.009) were significantly decreased, whereas high frequency (95 [67-149] vs 229 [98-427]\xa0ms(2), P\xa0=\xa00.006) and high frequency (37.6 [20.8-40.9] vs 63 [56.7-68.7]\xa0normalized units, P\xa0=\xa00.003) were significantly increased after exercise. In a Poincaré plot, standard deviation perpendicular to the line of the Poincaré plot (SD1; 21.3 [18.5-24.8]-33.1 [21.5-37.2]\xa0ms, P\xa0=\xa00.027) was significantly increased after exercise.

SOLUTION:
Does mild-to-moderate intensity exercise improve cardiac autonomic drive in type 2 diabetes?