TASK DEFINITION: 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.
PROBLEM: Context: Hepatic osteodystrophy has been reported in patients with various chronic liver diseases, including liver cirrhosis. However, it has not been well investigated in patients with hepatitis B virus infection. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) seropositivity and bone mineral density (BMD) in a population representative of normal Koreans.', 'Subjects with both HBsAg and BMD levels examined during the 2008-2010 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys were included. HBsAg-seropositive (+) subjects were compared with those who were HBsAg-seronegative (-). BMD was measured at the lumbar spine and femur by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Multivariable logistic regression was performed for BMD .', 'In total, 11,306 participants were included in this study, among which 423 (3.7\xa0%) were HBsAg(+): 153 premenopausal female (3.4\xa0%), 83 postmenopausal female (3.5\xa0%), and 187 male (4.2\xa0%). Multivariable logistic regression analysis adjusted for age and body mass index showed that HBsAg(+) male had significantly lower BMD of the femoral neck than HBsAg(-) male (0.810\xa0±\xa00.009 vs. 0.827\xa0±\xa00.002\xa0g/cm(2), p\xa0=\xa00.035). Further adjustment for waist circumference, smoking, drinking, exercise, income, occupation, and vitamin D levels showed that HBsAg(+) male had significantly lower BMD of the femur neck (0.810\xa0±\xa00.010 vs. 0.831\xa0±\xa00.002\xa0g/cm(2), p\xa0=\xa00.032) and lumbar spine (0.953\xa0±\xa00.011 vs. 0.974\xa0±\xa00.003\xa0g/cm(2), p\xa0=\xa00.049) than HBsAg(-) male.\Question: Are males seropositive for hepatitis B surface antigen at risk of lower bone mineral density : the 2008-2010 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys?

SOLUTION: HBsAg seropositivity was significantly associated with lower BMD in male. Future long-term prospective studies investigating bone turnover markers and hormones are needed to better understand the pathophysiology and clinical significance of chronic hepatitis B virus-related hepatic osteodystrophy.

PROBLEM: Context: To provide optimal treatment of heterogeneous triple negative breast cancer (TNBC), we need biomarkers that can predict the chemotherapy response.', 'We retrospectively investigated BRCAness in 73 patients with breast cancer who had been treated with taxane- and/or anthracycline-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC). Using multiplex, ligation-dependent probe amplification on formalin-fixed core needle biopsy (CNB) specimens before NAC and surgical specimens after NAC. BRCAness status was assessed with the assessor unaware of the clinical information.', 'We obtained 45 CNB and 60 surgical specimens from the 73\xa0patients. Of the 45 CNB specimens, 17 had BRCAness (38.6% of all subtypes). Of the 23 TNBC CNB specimens, 14\xa0had BRCAness (61% of TNBC cases). The clinical response rates were significantly lower for BRCAness than for non-BRCAness tumors, both for all tumors (58.8% vs. 89.3%, P\xa0= .03) and for TNBC (50% vs. 100%, P\xa0= .02). All tumors that progressed with taxane therapy had BRCAness. Of the patients with TNBC, those with non-BRCAness cancer had pathologic complete responses significantly more often than did those with BRCAness tumors (77.8%\xa0vs. 14.3%, P\xa0= .007). After NAC, the clinical response rates were significant lower for BRCAness than for non-BRCAness tumors in all subtypes (P\xa0= .002) and in TNBC cases (P\xa0= .008). After a median follow-up of 26.4 months, 6 patients-all with BRCAness-had developed recurrence. Patients with BRCAness had shorter progression-free survival than did those with non- BRCAness (P\xa0=\xa0.049).\Question: Does bRCAness predict resistance to taxane-containing regimens in triple negative breast cancer during neoadjuvant chemotherapy?

SOLUTION: Identifying BRCAness can help predict the response to taxane, and changing regimens for BRCAness TNBC might improve patient survival. A larger prospective study is needed to further clarify this issue.

PROBLEM: Context: Impairments of intestinal barrier function are discussed as risk factors for the development and progression of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Studies suggest an association between arginine/citrulline homeostasis and the development of liver damages. Here, the effect of an oral L-citrulline (Cit) supplement on the development of a Western-style diet (WSD)-induced NAFLD was determined in mice.', 'Female 6- to 8-week-old C57BL/6J mice were either pair-fed a liquid Western-style or control diet (C)\xa0±\xa02.5\xa0g/kg bodyweight Cit for 6\xa0weeks (C\xa0+\xa0Cit or WSD\xa0+\xa0Cit). Indices of liver damage, glucose metabolism, intestinal barrier function and NO synthesis were measured.', 'While bodyweight gain was similar between groups, markers of glucose metabolism like fasting blood glucose and HOMA index and markers of liver damage like hepatic triglyceride levels, number of neutrophils and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 protein levels were significantly lower in WSD\xa0+\xa0Cit-fed mice when compared to WSD-fed mice only. Protein levels of the tight junction proteins occludin and zonula occludens-1 in duodenum were significantly lower in mice fed a WSD when compared to those fed a WSD\xa0+\xa0Cit (-~70 and -~60\xa0%, respectively, P\xa0<\xa00.05), whereas portal endotoxin levels, concentration of 3-nitrotyrosine protein adducts in duodenum and toll-like receptor-4 mRNA expression in livers of WSD\xa0+\xa0Cit-fed mice were markedly lower than in WSD-fed mice (-~43\xa0%, P\xa0=\xa00.056; -~80 and -~48\xa0%, respectively, P\xa0<\xa00.05).\Question: Does oral citrulline supplementation protect female mice from the development of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease ( NAFLD )?

SOLUTION:
Our data suggest that the protective effects of supplementing Cit on the development of NAFLD in mice are associated with a decreased translocation of endotoxin into the portal vein.