TASK DEFINITION: Given a passage classify if the passage has a definite objective/aim/goal or not. Output '1' if the passage has a defininte objective/aim/goal and output '0' if the passage does not have a definite objective/aim/goal.
PROBLEM: The treatment of choice for aortic valve insufficiency due to root dilatation has become root replacement with aortic valve sparing. However, root replacement with a synthetic graft may result in altered valve stresses. The purpose of this study was to compare the stress/strain patterns in the spared aortic valve in different root replacement procedures by means of finite element modeling.', 'Our finite element model of the normal human root and valve was modified to simulate and evaluate three surgical techniques: (1) "cylindrical" graft sutured below the valve at the anulus, (2) "tailored" graft sutured just above the valve, and (3) "pseudosinus" graft, tailored and sutured below the valve at the anulus. Simulated diastolic pressures were applied, and stresses and strains were calculated for the valve, root, and graft. Leaflet coaptation was also quantified.', 'All three root replacement models demonstrated significantly altered leaflet stress patterns as compared with normal patterns. The cylindrical model showed the greatest increases in stress (16%-173%) and strain (10%-98%), followed by the tailored model (stress +10%-157%, strain +9%-36%). The pseudosinus model showed the smallest increase in stress (9%-28%) and strain (2%-31%), and leaflet coaptation was closest to normal.

SOLUTION: 1

PROBLEM: Immunosuppressant agents modulate the activity of the immune system and control adipose tissue inflammatory responses associated with obesity. Controlling adipose tissue inflammation represents an interesting option for inhibiting the low-grade inflammatory state in obese subjects and for preventing obesity-associated pathologies. In this work, we assessed the effects of thalidomide on the inflammatory response in adipose tissue as well as on systemic inflammatory marker expression in the well-established high-fat diet-induced obesity mouse model.', 'Swiss male mice were fed a high-fat diet (60% kcal from fat) for 12 weeks and received thalidomide for the last 10 days (100 mg.kg-1). Adipokine levels were measured in serum and adipose tissue by EIA and real-time quantitative PCR, respectively. Adipose tissue infiltrating macrophages were identified by immunohistochemistry and western blot analysis of F4/80 marker expression. Other inflammatory markers, such as c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) phosphorylation and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) production, were also evaluated by western blot analysis. In vitro assays using 3T3-L1 adipocytes were also conducted to evaluated adipokine release.', 'In obese mice, thalidomide administration induced a reduction in adiposity accompanied by a reduction of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), leptin and MCP-1 adipose tissue production, macrophage infiltration and JNK activation. TNF-α and leptin serum levels were also reduced by thalidomide treatment in obese mice. In vitro, the release of basal TNF-α and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced MCP-1 was inhibited in 3T3-L1 cells.

SOLUTION: 0

PROBLEM: Early prognostication after successful cardiopulmonary resuscitation is difficult, and there is a need for novel methods to estimate the extent of brain injury and predict outcome. In this study, we evaluated the impact of the cardiac arrest syndrome on the plasma levels of selected tissue-specific microRNAs (miRNAs) and assessed their ability to prognosticate death and neurological disability.', 'We included 65 patients treated with hypothermia after cardiac arrest in the study. Blood samples were obtained at 24 hours and at 48 hours. For miRNA-screening purposes, custom quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) panels were first used. Thereafter individual miRNAs were assessed at 48 hours with qPCR. miRNAs that successfully predicted prognosis at 48 hours were further analysed at 24 hours. Outcomes were measured according to the Cerebral Performance Category (CPC) score at 6 months after cardiac arrest and stratified into good (CPC score 1 or 2) or poor (CPC scores 3 to 5).', 'At 48 hours, miR-146a, miR-122, miR-208b, miR-21, miR-9 and miR-128 did not differ between the good and poor neurological outcome groups. In contrast, miR-124 was significantly elevated in patients with poor outcomes compared with those with favourable outcomes (P\u2009<\u20090.0001) at 24 hours and 48 hours after cardiac arrest. Analysis of receiver operating characteristic curves at 24 and 48 hours after cardiac arrest showed areas under the curve of 0.87 (95% confidence interval (CI)\u2009=\u20090.79 to 0.96) and 0.89 (95% CI\u2009=\u20090.80 to 0.97), respectively.

SOLUTION:
0