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: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common solid tumors and ranks the third leading cause of cancer mortality worldwide. The purpose of this study was to examine the expression dynamics of GOLPH3 in HCC tissue samples, and explore the correlation between GOLPH3 expression and prognosis in patients with HCC.', 'The levels of Golgi phosphoprotein 3 (GOLPH3) mRNA and protein in liver cancer cell lines and fresh tissues were determined by qRT-PCR and Western blotting. Additionally, the protein expression of GOLPH3 was detected by immunohistochemistry.', 'High GOLPH3 expression was positively correlated with serum AFP level (P=0.015) and tumor recurrence or metastasis (P=0.010). In addition, liver cancer patients with high GOLPH3 expression had significantly poorer overall survival (HR, 1.87; 95% CI, 1.19-2.94; P=0.006) and poorer disease-free survival (HR, 1.90; 95% CI, 1.21-2.98; P=0.005) than those with low GOLPH3 expression. The cumulative 5-year survival rate was only 35.19% (95% CI, 26.18%-44.20%) in the high GOLPH3 expression group, whereas it was 55.93% (95% CI, 43.26%-68.60%) in the low GOLPH3 expression group. Furthermore, multivariate Cox regression analysis demonstrated that the expression of GOLPH3, tumor size and tumor multiplicity were independent prognostic predictors for HCC patients.

SOLUTION: 1

PROBLEM: The aim of this study was to investigate the suppressive capacity of CD25(+) regulatory T cells on birch allergen-induced T-cell responses during the first birch pollen season after initiation of specific immunotherapy (SIT).', 'CD25(pos) and CD25(neg) T cells were purified from blood of birch-allergic SIT patients and birch-allergic controls, stimulated with birch pollen extract, and analyzed for T-cell proliferation and production of interferon gamma (IFN-gamma), interleukin (IL)-5 and IL-10.', 'We show that allergen-induced proliferation and IFN-gamma production were suppressed equally well by CD25(pos) T cells from SIT patients and controls, while the IL-5 production was not suppressed by either of the groups. IL-10 levels were higher in SIT patients relative to controls only when CD25(neg) and CD25(pos) were cultured together. Furthermore, neither FOXP3 levels nor proportions of CD25(high) T cells were enhanced in SIT patients compared to allergic controls.

SOLUTION: 0

PROBLEM: We have previously shown that the grape bioactive compound resveratrol (RSV) potentiates grape seed extract (GSE)-induced colon cancer cell apoptosis at physiologically relevant concentrations. However, RSV-GSE combination efficacy against colon cancer stem cells (CSCs), which play a key role in chemotherapy and radiation resistance, is not known.', 'We tested the anti-cancer efficacy of the RSV-GSE against colon CSCs using isolated human colon CSCs in vitro and an azoxymethane-induced mouse model of colon carcinogenesis in vivo.', 'RSV-GSE suppressed tumor incidence similar to sulindac, without any gastrointestinal toxicity. Additionally, RSV-GSE treatment reduced the number of crypts containing cells with nuclear β-catenin (an indicator of colon CSCs) via induction of apoptosis. In vitro, RSV-GSE suppressed - proliferation, sphere formation, nuclear translocation of β-catenin (a critical regulator of CSC proliferation) similar to sulindac in isolated human colon CSCs. RSV-GSE, but not sulindac, suppressed downstream protein levels of Wnt/β-catenin pathway, c-Myc and cyclin D1. RSV-GSE also induced mitochondrial-mediated apoptosis in colon CSCs characterized by elevated p53, Bax/Bcl-2 ratio and cleaved PARP. Furthermore, shRNA-mediated knockdown of p53, a tumor suppressor gene, in colon CSCs did not alter efficacy of RSV-GSE.

SOLUTION:
0