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: No previous study has examined the comorbidity of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) in a general population using standardized diagnostic methods.', 'To examine the prevalence, comorbidity and risk correlates of IBS and GAD in a general population.', 'A random community-based telephone survey was conducted. The questionnaire covered symptoms of IBS, GAD, core depressive symptoms, help-seeking behaviour and functional impairment on the Sheehan Disability Scale.', 'A total of 2005 participants completed the interview. The current prevalence of IBS was 5.4% and the 12-month prevalence of GAD was 4%. GAD was five times more common among IBS respondents than non-IBS respondents (OR: 5.84, P < 0.001), whereas IBS was 4.7 times more common among GAD respondents than among non-GAD respondents (OR: 6.32, P < 0.001). Core depressive symptoms (OR: 6.25, P < 0.01) and education level (OR: 5.918, P = 0.021) were risk correlates of GAD among IBS respondents. Comorbid respondents were more impaired than respondents having either disorder alone, but were not more likely to seek professional help than IBS-only respondents.\Question: Is irritable bowel syndrome strongly associated with generalized anxiety disorder : a community study?

SOLUTION: Irritable Bowel Syndrome and GAD comorbidity was common and added to impairment in the community. The strong association between psychiatric morbidity and IBS observed in referral centres was not a consequence of increased help-seeking behaviour.

PROBLEM: Context: To test whether extension of the C-terminus of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) alpha-subunit (halpha) alters the bioactivity of the recombined alphabeta heterodimer.', 'The stop codon of halpha was mutated to produce a 24 amino acid extension.', 'The extended halpha (alpha(+24)) was co-expressed with hCGbeta in COS-7 cells and the receptor binding and in vivo bioactivity of the secreted hormone was compared with its wild-type counterpart.', 'This extension did not impair the binding of hCG to rat LH/CG receptors and provoked a sixfold reduction in its stimulatory activity of testosterone secretion in rat Leydig cells.\Question: Does human chorionic gonadotropin with C-elongated alpha-subunit retain full receptor binding and partial agonist activity?

SOLUTION: The extension of alpha by itself does not lead to inhibition of the alphabeta heterodimer to LH receptors but the structure of the extension appears to play an important role. It is thus possible that one-chain hCG chimeras with the beta N-terminus fused to the alpha C-terminus might be active.

PROBLEM: Context: Chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) results when the veins in the legs no longer pump blood back to the heart effectively. Microparticles (MPs) are small membrane vesicles released by several circulating and vascular cells upon activation or apoptosis.', 'The purpose of this study was to assess the subpopulations of circulating endothelial (EMPs) and platelet microparticles (PMPs) in CVI, and to disclose their contribution in mediating dysfunction of human peripheral venules.', 'Human peripheral venules were explanted during leg surgery on patients with CVI and on control subjects (C); concurrently, blood samples were collected and circulating MPs isolated. The techniques used were: flow cytometry, fluorescence and electron microscopy, myograph technique and western-blotting technique.', 'The results showed that compared with controls, patients with CVI had: (i) a marked elevation of circulating EMPs and PMPs; (ii) a structural modification of the venous wall consisting of activation of endothelial and smooth muscle cells, an abundance of intermediary filaments and synthesis of hyperplasic-multilayered basal lamina; (iii) a significantly altered reactivity of the venous wall, closely associated with EMPs and PMPs adherence; (iv) altered contractile response to noradrenaline, acetylcholine, 5-hydroxytryptamine and KCl, and an impeded relaxation in response to sodium nitroprusside; and (iv) a substantially increased protein expression of tissue factor (TF) and of P-Selectin both in the venular vascular wall and on the surface of EMPs and PMPs.\Question: Is chronic venous insufficiency associated with elevated level of circulating microparticles?

SOLUTION:
The findings indicate that CVI is accompanied by an enhanced release of EMPs and PMPs that contribute to altered dysfunctional response of the venous wall.