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.

Ex Input:
To investigate whether leukocyte count, fibrinogen, von Willebrand factor (vWF) and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 activity (PAI-1) are increased in subjects with the metabolic syndrome as defined by the National Cholesterol Education Program-Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP-ATPIII) and the World Health Organisation (WHO).', 'Cross-sectional study.', 'A total of 520 overweight and obese subjects: 379 women and 141 men, visiting the weight management clinic of a University Hospital.', 'Waist circumference, triglycerides, HDL cholesterol, blood pressure and fasting glucose were determined, and the presence or absence of the metabolic syndrome according to the NCEP-ATPIII criteria was assessed. In 349 subjects, data on the waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) and albumin excretion rate were available and the WHO criteria were applied. Insulin resistance was defined using the HOMA-IR index.', 'Subjects with the metabolic syndrome according to the NCEP-ATPIII criteria had significantly higher levels of leukocyte count (P < 0.001) and PAI-1 (P < 0.001), while no significant differences were found for fibrinogen or vWF (P > 0.05). Using the WHO criteria, similar results were found except for vWF, where higher levels were found in subjects with the metabolic syndrome. When subjects were classified according to the number of components of the metabolic syndrome, levels of leukocyte count, vWF and PAI-1 activity were significantly different (P < 0.05). In logistic regression analysis PAI-1, gender and leukocyte count were independent determinants of the metabolic syndrome (P < 0.001).

Ex Output:
Is among inflammation and coagulation markers , PAI-1 a true component of the metabolic syndrome?


Ex Input:
Although N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) has a strong relationship with incident cardiovascular disease (CVD), few studies have examined whether NT-proBNP adds to risk prediction algorithms, particularly in women.', 'This study sought to evaluate the relationship between NT-proBNP and incident CVD in women.', "Using a prospective case-cohort within the WHI (Women's Health Initiative) observational study, we selected 1,821 incident cases of CVD (746 myocardial infarctions, 754 ischemic strokes, 160 hemorrhagic strokes, and 161 other cardiovascular [CV] deaths) and a randomly selected reference cohort of 1,992 women without CVD at baseline.", 'Median levels of NT-proBNP were higher at study entry among incident cases (120.3 ng/l [interquartile range (IQR): 68.1 to 219.5 ng/l]) than among control subjects (100.4 ng/l [IQR: 59.7 to 172.6 ng/l]; p\xa0< 0.0001). Women in the highest quartile of NT-proBNP (≥140.8 ng/l) were at 53% increased risk of CVD versus those in the lowest quartile after adjusting for traditional risk factors (1.53 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.21 to 1.94]; p for trend\xa0<0.0001). Similar associations were observed after adjustment for Reynolds Risk Score covariables (1.53 [95% CI: 1.20 to 1.95]; p for trend\xa0<0.0001); the association remained in separate analyses of CV death (2.66 [95% CI: 1.48 to 4.81]; p for trend\xa0<0.0001), myocardial infarction (1.39\xa0[95% CI: 1.02 to 1.88]; p for trend\xa0= 0.008), and stroke (1.60 [95% CI: 1.22 to 2.11]; p for trend\xa0<0.0001). When added to traditional risk covariables, NT-proBNP improved the c-statistic (0.765 to 0.774; p\xa0= 0.0003), categorical net reclassification (0.08; p\xa0< 0.0001), and integrated discrimination (0.0105; p\xa0<\xa00.0001). Similar results were observed when NT-proBNP was added to the Reynolds Risk Score.

Ex Output:
Do b-type natriuretic peptides improve cardiovascular disease risk prediction in a cohort of women?


Ex Input:
One of the factors leading to an invasive phenotype is the nm23 family of metastases-associated genes. Of the six known members, nm23-H1 is the most frequently studied potential anti-metastatic gene in cervical cancer. However, the possible molecular links to oncogenic human papillomavirus (HPV) are completely unexplored as yet.', 'As a part of the HPV-Pathogen Istituto Superiore di Sanità study, a series of 150 squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) and 152 cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) lesions were examined by immunohistochemical staining for nm23-H1, and tested for HPV by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with three sets of primers (MY09/11, GP5(+)/GP6(+) and short PCR fragment). Follow-up data were available on all patients with SCC, and 67 CIN lesions were monitored by serial PCR for clearance or persistence of HPV after cone treatment.', 'A linear decrease (p = 0.001) was observed in nm23-H1 expression, starting from CIN1 (85% with normal expression), with the most dramatic down regulation on transition from CIN2 (70% normal) to CIN3 (39%) and further to SCC (25%). Reduced expression was associated with CIN3 or cancer at an odds ratio 8.72 (95% confidence interval 4.13 to 18.41). Nm23-H1 was of no use as a marker of the high-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) type, and it did not predict clearance or persistence of HR-HPV after treatment of CIN. Importantly, nm23-H1 expression was a significant prognostic factor in cervical cancer, reduced expression being associated with lower survival (p = 0.022) in univariate analysis. In the multivariate (Cox) regression model, however, only the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage (p = 0.001) and age (p = 0.011) remained independent prognostic predictors.

Ex Output:

Is down-regulated nucleoside diphosphate kinase nm23-H1 expression unrelated to high-risk human papillomavirus but associated with progression of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia and unfavourable prognosis in cervical cancer?