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: Coinfection with hepatitis C virus (HCV) is present in one-third of all human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected individuals in the United States and is associated with rapid progression of liver fibrosis and poor response to pegylated interferon (IFN) and ribavirin. In this study we examined gene expression profiles in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from different groups of individuals who are monoinfected or coinfected with HIV and HCV. Data showed that HIV and HCV viremia up-regulate genes associated with immune activation and immunoregulatory pathways. HCV viremia is also associated with abnormalities in all peripheral immune cells, suggesting a global effect of HCV on the immune system. Interferon-alpha-induced genes were expressed at a higher level in PBMCs from HIV-infected individuals. HCV and HIV infections leave distinct profiles or gene expression of immune activation in PBMCs. HIV viremia induces an immune activated state; by comparison, HCV infection induces immunoregulatory and proinflammatory pathways that may contribute to progression of liver fibrosis.\Question: Do human immunodeficiency virus and hepatitis C infections induce distinct immunologic imprints in peripheral mononuclear cells?
answer:
An aberrant type-I IFN response seen exclusively in HIV-infected individuals could be responsible for the poor therapeutic response experienced by HIV/HCV coinfected individuals receiving interferon-alpha-based current standard of care.


question:
Context: Epidemiological prospective data on cardiovascular (CV) events in elderly subjects from Mediterranean populations are lacking. We aimed to investigate 15-year incidence of CV events and to evaluate the association with CV risk factors in an elderly Mediterranean population.', 'The population of a small Sicilian village were enrolled, visited and a blood sample was drawn at baseline. CV events were recorded in the 15 years of follow-up. From 1351 subjects (75% of the resident population); 315 were in the age range 65-85 years; 266 subjects free from CV disease were analysed. Seventy-seven CV events were recorded in 73 out of 266 subjects, with a 19.7% rate (in 10 years). Hypertension (HTN) (hazards ratio=2.1) and diabetes mellitus (DM) (hazards ratio=1.8) were independently associated with CV events. Subjects with both DM and HTN showed a lower survival free of CV events compared to those with DM or HTN.\Question: Are hypertension and diabetes mellitus associated with cardiovascular events in the elderly without cardiovascular disease . Results of a 15-year follow-up in a Mediterranean population?
answer:
In a 15-year follow-up of an elderly Mediterranean population free from CV disease, diabetes mellitus and hypertension were related to CV events. The control of risk factors in the elderly needs to be reinforced to achieve better results in terms of CV prevention.


question:
Context: Pre-operative restaging CT scans are often performed routinely following neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy for locally advanced rectal cancer. There is a paucity of data on the utility of this common practice. We sought to determine how often restaging CTs identified disease progression or regression that altered management.', 'We performed a single-institution retrospective study. From 2007 to 2011, 182 patients had newly-diagnosed, non-metastatic rectal adenocarcinoma, of which 96 were surgical candidates with clinical stage II/III disease. Ninety-one of these patients (95%) completed neoadjuvant chemoradiation.', 'Eighty-three out of 91 patients (91%) had restaging CTs. Four patients (5%) had new lesions suspicious for distant metastasis (2 lung, 2 liver) on restaging CT scan reports (1 of these was present on initial staging CT but not reported). All 4 patients had node-positive disease. In no case did restaging CT result in a change in surgical management.\Question: Are routine preoperative restaging CTs after neoadjuvant chemoradiation for locally advanced rectal cancer low yield : a retrospective case study?
answer:

Because of the financial costs and established risks of intravenous contrast and cumulative radiation exposure, it may be advisable to take a more selective approach to preoperative imaging. Larger, prospective studies may enable identification of an at-risk cohort who would benefit most from restaging CT.