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.

[Q]: Allogeneic mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) exhibit therapeutic effects in human autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), but the underlying mechanisms remain largely unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate how allogeneic MSCs mediate immunosuppression in lupus patients.', 'The effects of allogeneic umbilical cord-derived MSCs (UC-MSCs) on inhibition of T cell proliferation were determined. MSC functional molecules were stimulated with peripheral blood mononuclear cells from healthy controls and SLE patients and examined by real-time polymerase chain reaction. CD4+ and CD8+ T cells were purified using microbeads to stimulate MSCs in order to determine cytokine expression by MSCs and to further determine which cell subset(s) or which molecule(s) is involved in inhibition of MSC-mediated T cell proliferation. The related signaling pathways were assessed. We determined levels of serum cytokines in lupus patients before and after UC-MSC transplantation.', 'Allogeneic UC-MSCs suppressed T cell proliferation in lupus patients by secreting large amounts of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO). We further found that interferon-γ (IFNγ), which is produced predominantly by lupus CD8+ T cells, is the key factor that enhances IDO activity in allogeneic MSCs and that it is associated with IFNGR1/JAK-2/STAT signaling pathways. Intriguingly, bone marrow-derived MSCs from patients with active lupus demonstrated defective IDO production in response to IFNγ and allogeneic CD8+ T cell stimulation. After allogeneic UC-MSC transplantation, serum IDO activity increased in lupus patients.
[A]: 1


[Q]: Follicular variant of papillary thyroid cancer (FVPTC) is the most common and fastest growing subtype of papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) with features of both PTC and follicular thyroid cancer (FTC). The purpose of this study was to determine the patient and tumor features associated with lymph node metastases (LNM) in FVPTC.', 'This was a retrospective review of adult (≥18) patients with histologically confirmed diagnoses of FVPTC within the SEER database between 1988 and 2009. LNM were defined by at least two lymph nodes with metastatic disease. To determine factors associated with LNM, we constructed a multivariate logistic regression model from significant variables (p < 0.05) identified on univariate analysis. Similarly, we used a Cox proportional hazards model to understand the relative importance of LNM in determining disease-specific mortality (DSM).', 'Of the 20,357 cases of FVPTC with lymph node data available, 1,761 (8.7%) had LNM; 61.1% of these LNM were located in the central neck and 38.9% were in the lateral neck. Extrathyroidal extension (odds ratio [OR] 2.6, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.2-3.0, p < 0.01) and multifocality (OR 3.0, 95% CI 2.5-3.6, p < 0.01) were the strongest predictors of LNM. Importantly, LNM did not independently predict DSM (p = 0.52). Tumor size >4 cm (hazards ratio [HR] 5.3, 95% CI 2.2-12.8, p < 0.01) and extrathyroidal extension (HR 8.2, 95% CI 3.0-22.0, p < 0.01) were the strongest predictors of DSM.
[A]: 0


[Q]: Recent studies have showed podoplanin expression in several tumors, which has been associated with lymph node metastasis and poor prognosis. Podoplanin expression in cancer-associated fibroblasts also correlates with tumor progression. However, the association of podoplanin expression with melanomas remains unclear.', 'To clarify the prognostic significance of podoplanin in melanoma, podoplanin expression in tumor cells and cancer-associated fibroblasts was examined by immunohistochemistry in tissue samples collected from 55 melanoma patients.', 'Podoplanin expression in tumor cells was identified in 38 patients (69.1%) but did not show correlation with characteristics of tumor progression such as tumor thickness (p\u2009=\u20090.52) and sentinel lymph node (SLN) metastasis (p\u2009=\u20090.79). Podoplanin expression in cancer-associated fibroblasts was observed in 25 patients (45.5%), 11 of whom (44.0%) had SLN metastasis. In contrast, only 4 of 30 patients (13.3%) with podoplanin-negative cancer-associated fibroblasts exhibited SLN metastasis. Podoplanin-positive cancer-associated fibroblasts were associated with increased tumor thickness and SLN metastasis. Furthermore, patients with podoplanin-positive cancer-associated fibroblasts had poorer survival than those with podoplanin-negative cancer-associated fibroblasts (p\u2009=\u20090.0148).
[A]:
0