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: Human inflammatory bowel disease (e.g., Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis), is associated with leukocyte accumulation in the inflamed intestinal tissue. Recent studies strongly suggest a role of beta1 integrin receptors in regulating tissue damage and disease symptoms related to inflammatory bowel disease. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of the collagen-binding alpha2beta1 integrin (CD49b/CD29) in dextran sodium sulfate-induced colitis in mice.", 'Colitis was induced in mice through oral administration of 2% dextran sodium sulfate in drinking water. Rectal administration of anti-alpha2-monoclonal antibody (mAb) in 1 group was compared with oral treatment with betamethasone in another group and rectal administration of a control antibody in a third group. Clinical and histological signs of colitis, neutrophil infiltration into the colon mucosa, and gene expression of metalloproteinases were assessed.', 'Rectal administration of anti-alpha2-mAb was found to significantly reduce weight loss from 13.5% +/- 6.5% to 2.2% +/- 0.2% (P = 0.013 versus control mAb) and mucosal neutrophil infiltration from 47.2 +/- 10.0 to 6.6 +/- 8.0 neutrophils per counted area (P < 0.05 versus control mAb). Metalloproteinase gene expression was suppressed through anti-alpha2-mAb treatment. The protective effect against colitis seen after anti-alpha2beta1 integrin treatment was found to be favorable to the effect seen after high-dose oral betamethasone.

SOLUTION: 0

PROBLEM: Endothelial Microparticles (EMP) are small fragments of endothelial cell membrane shed during apoptosis or activation. Our group has previously reported elevations of EMP in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD), thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP), pre-eclampsia, multiple sclerosis (MS), and severe hypertension (HTN). In the present study, we evaluate the possible relationship between EMP levels and the angiographic severity and characteristics of coronary obstructive lesions.', 'We studied a total of 43 patients undergoing coronary angiography. Fifteen had presented with acute myocardial infarction (MI), 20 with unstable anginas (UA), 5 with stable angina (SA) and 3 with congestive heart failure. Coronary angiography was reviewed and coronary lesions were classified using the Ambrose classification. Coronary stenoses were classified as high and low risk. High-risk included lesions with eccentric appearance (type II), presence of thrombi, or multiple irregularities. Low-risk lesions were defined as concentric or type I. Lesions were also analyzed by degree of stenosis and history of acute coronary syndrome (ACS). EMP in plasma was assayed by flow cytometry.', 'EMP in eccentric type II or multiple irregular lesions (high-risk) were 2.5-fold higher than in type I or concentric (low-risk) lesions, p<0.05. Lesions with thrombi had three-fold higher EMP than those without (p=0.05). Mild stenosis (>20%-<45%) had three-fold higher EMP than more severe (>45%), and five-fold higher than those without stenosis (p<0.01). Among patients with type II lesions, those with first ACS episode had four-fold higher EMP levels than those with recurrent ACS (p<0.01).

SOLUTION: 0

PROBLEM: To compare quantitative T2 relaxometry of cerebral white matter (WM) with qualitative assessment of conventional T2-weighted magnetic resonance (MR) images, to assess the relationship between cerebral WM T2 and region-specific apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), and to examine WM T2 regional variation in preterm infants at term.', 'The local ethical committee granted ethical permission for this study; informed parental consent was obtained for each infant. Sixty-two preterm infants born at less than 32 weeks gestation and nine control infants were examined at 1.5 T; T2-weighted fast spin-echo MR images, T2 relaxometry data, and diffusion-weighted MR images were acquired. Conventional T2-weighted MR images were assessed by a pediatric neuroradiologist for diffuse excessive high signal intensity (DEHSI) in WM. Regions of interest were positioned in frontal WM, central WM, and posterior WM at the level of the centrum semiovale.', 'In preterm infants at term, T2 was longer in all WM regions than in control infants; in infants with DEHSI, T2 was longer than in infants without DEHSI and control infants, with posterior WM T2 being longer than central or frontal WM T2. In control infants, T2 was similar in all WM regions. Frontal and posterior WM ADCs were higher in preterm infants at term than in control infants.

SOLUTION:
1