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: The 6-min walk test (6MWT) has prognostic value in various pulmonary disorders including idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). We determined the individual prognostic accuracy of distance walked and oxygen saturation during the 6MWT in patients with IPF. We defined a new composite index, the distance-saturation product (DSP), which is the product of distance walked and lowest oxygen saturation during the 6-min walk test. We compared the performance of the DSP to the individual 6MWT parameters in predicting mortality.', 'We evaluated pulmonary function tests, 6-min walk parameters and the DSP between survivors and non-survivors. The ability of each measure to discriminate outcomes was determined by receiver operator curves.', '81 patients (48 survivors, 33 non-survivors) were included. Pulmonary function tests were similar and did not correlate with survival. Desaturation was greater (89.4% versus 83.7%, P<0.001) and distance walked was lower (406.9 versus 181.3m, P = 0.005) in non-survivors. The DSP was significantly lower among non-survivors (364.8 versus 153.5m%, P < 0.001) and predicted mortality more accurately than either individual 6MWT component (P = 0.035 versus desaturation, P=0.040 versus distance). A DSP <200 m% was associated with a seven-fold greater risk of 12-month mortality and an 18.0% shorter median survival compared with a DSP > 200 m% (P < 0.001).

SOLUTION: Does the distance-saturation product predict mortality in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis?

PROBLEM: To investigate the significance of respiratory muscle weakness in chronic heart failure and its relation both to maximum oxygen consumption during cardiopulmonary exercise testing and to skeletal muscle (quadriceps) strength.', 'Seven healthy men aged 54.9 (SEM 4.3) years and 20 men with chronic heart failure aged 61.4 (1.6) years (P = 0.20) with radionuclide left ventricular ejection fraction of 25.4 (3.0)%.', 'Mouth pressures during maximum static inspiratory effort (PImax) at functional residual capacity (FRC) and residual volume (RV) were measured in all subjects and taken as indices of inspiratory muscle strength. Similarly, mouth pressures during maximum static expiratory effort (PEmax) at FRC and total lung capacity (TLC) were taken as indices of expiratory muscle strength. Cardiopulmonary exercise testing was performed in all subjects. All controls and 15 heart failure patients also had their right quadriceps muscle strength measured.', 'There was respiratory muscle weakness in heart failure patients, with reduction of PImax at FRC (59.7) (6.3) v 85.6 (9.6) cm H2O, P = 0.045), PEmax at FRC (94.8 (6.2) v 134.6 (9.1) cm H2O, P = 0.004), and PEmax at TLC (121.7 (8.5) v 160.7 (13) cm H2O, P = 0.028). PImax at RV was also reduced but this did not reach statistical significance (77.3 (6.6) v 89.3 (13) cm H2O, P = 0.44). There was also significant weakness of the right quadriceps muscle (308.5 (22) v 446.2 (28) N, P = 0.001). PImax at both FRC and RV correlated with maximum oxygen consumption (r = 0.59, P = 0.006, and r = 0.45, P = 0.048 respectively) but not PEmax. There was, however, no significant correlation between PImax and right quadriceps strength.

SOLUTION: Is inspiratory muscle strength a determinant of maximum oxygen consumption in chronic heart failure?

PROBLEM: Transplanted cell survival might greatly improve the therapeutic efficacy of cell therapy. Diazoxide (DZ), a highly selective mitochondrial ATP-sensitive potassium channel opener, is known to suppress cell apoptosis and protect cells in oxidative stressed ischemic environment. We explored the mechanisms involved in DZ pre-treatment-induced anti-apoptotic effect on L6 skeletal myoblast (SKM).', 'L6 SKMs were divided into control group, H2O2 group, DZ\xa0+\xa0H2O2 group and DZ\xa0+\xa0LY\xa0+\xa0H2O2 group. Treatments of 400\xa0μmol/L H2O2 for 24\xa0h alone, or after 200\xa0μmol/L DZ pre-treatment for 30\xa0min, or after DZ and 50\xa0μmol/L LY294002 co-administration for 30\xa0min were performed. The cell apoptosis rates were assessed by flow cytometric analysis. The changes of mitochondrial membrane potential were determined by JC-1 mitochondrial staining. The activation of phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase (PI3K)/Akt, caspase-9 and caspase-3 was detected by western blot.', 'Compared with the H2O2 group, DZ pre-treatment protected cells from H2O2-induced damage, increased Akt phosphorylation, prevented mitochondrial membrane depolarization as well as the activation of caspase-9 and caspase-3 and decreased the cell apoptosis rate. However, the DZ-induced cytoprotective and anti-apoptosis effects were partly inhibited by co-administration of a PI3K inhibitor, LY294002.

SOLUTION:
Does diazoxide protect L6 skeletal myoblasts from H2O2-induced apoptosis via the phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase/Akt pathway?