TASK DEFINITION: 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.
PROBLEM: Cocaine and alcohol are frequently used simultaneously and this combination is associated with enhanced toxicity. We recently showed that active cocaine abusers have a markedly enhanced sensitivity to benzodiazepines. Because both benzodiazepines and alcohol facilitate GABAergic neurotransmission we questioned whether cocaine abusers would also have an enhanced sensitivity to alcohol that could contribute to the toxicity. In this study we compared the effects of alcohol (0.75 g/kg) on regional brain glucose metabolism between cocaine abusers (n = 9) and controls (n = 10) using PET and FDG. Alcohol significantly decreased whole brain metabolism and this effect was greater in controls (26+/-6%) than in abusers (17+/-10%) even though they had equivalent levels of alcohol in plasma. Analysis of the regional measures showed that cocaine abusers had a blunted response to alcohol in limbic regions, cingulate gyrus, medial frontal and orbitofrontal cortices.

SOLUTION: Do cocaine abusers show a blunted response to alcohol intoxication in limbic brain regions?

PROBLEM: Although moderate (conscious) sedation is intended during elective gastrointestinal endoscopy, unintended levels of deep sedation occur. The aims of this study were to prospectively evaluate the incidence and risk factors of deep sedation during elective endoscopy with meperidine and midazolam intended to maintain a level of moderate sedation.', "Eighty American Society of Anesthesiology class 1-2, outpatients presenting for elective esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD), colonoscopy, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), and endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) were offered enrollment. Intravenous meperidine and midazolam were administered according to a standardized protocol. Hemodynamic parameters and levels of sedation were assessed and recorded by a single observer at 3-min intervals. The Modified Observer's Assessment of Alertness/Sedation (MOAA/S) scale (ranging 1-5) is a subjective sedation assessment scale used to assess sedation levels. Occurrence of deep sedation, defined by MOAA/S 1-2, was recorded. Univariable and multivariable analyses were used to assess predictors of deep sedation.", 'Deep sedation occurred in 54/80 (68%) patients for a total of 204/785 (26%) of total sedation assessments. The percentage of deep sedation episodes of all sedation-level observations by procedure was 26% for EGD, 11% for colonoscopy, 35% for ERCP, and 29% for EUS. Deep sedation occurred at least once in 60% of EGD, 45% of colonoscopy, 85% of ERCP, and 80% of EUS. Multivariable analysis showed that only ERCP and EUS were independent risk factors of deep sedation.

SOLUTION: Does deep sedation occur frequently during elective endoscopy with meperidine and midazolam?

PROBLEM: RpfB is a key factor in resuscitation from dormancy of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. This protein is a cell-wall glycosidase, which cleaves cell-wall peptidoglycan. RpfB is structurally complex and is composed of three types of domains, including a catalytic, a G5 and three DUF348 domains. Structural information is currently limited to a portion of the protein including only the catalytic and G5 domains. To gain insights into the structure and function of all domains we have undertaken structural investigations on a large protein fragment containing all three types of domains that constitute RpfB (RpfB3D).', 'The structural features of RpfB3D have been investigated combining x-ray crystallography and biophysical studies.

SOLUTION:
Does the structure of Resuscitation promoting factor B from M. tuberculosis reveal unexpected ubiquitin-like domains?