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: L-Carnosine inhibits senescence of somatic cells and displays anticancer activity. Here we analyzed if L-carnosine (20 mM) retards senescence of human peritoneal mesothelial cells (HPMCs) and inhibits progression of ovarian cancer cells.', 'Experiments were performed with primary HPMCs established from patients undergoing abdominal surgery and with three ovarian cancer cell lines: A2780, OVCAR-3 and SKOV-3.', 'L-Carnosine retards senescence of HPMCs plausibly via inhibition of mitochondria-related oxidative stress. Prolonged exposure of HPMCs to L-carnosine prevented senescent HPMC-dependent exacerbation of cancer cell adhesion, migration, invasion and proliferation, which may be linked with decreased secretion of various pro-cancerogenic agents by HPMCs. Cancer cells exposed directly to L-carnosine displayed reduced viability, increased frequency of apoptosis and unaltered proliferation.\Question: Does l-Carnosine prevent the Pro-cancerogenic Activity of Senescent Peritoneal Mesothelium Towards Ovarian Cancer Cells?

SOLUTION: L-carnosine may be a valuable anticancer drug, especially in the context of prevention and therapy of intraperitoneal ovarian cancer metastasis.

PROBLEM: Context: Apicomplexan parasites actively release transmembrane (TM) adhesive proteins involved in host cell attachment and invasion. Rhomboids, a family of intramembrane serine proteases, cleave these secreted adhesive proteins within their TM domains as an essential step in completing the invasion process. In Cryptosporidium parvum, the activity of rhomboids in cleaving microneme proteins (MICs) has not been reported. In the present study, the interaction between C. parvum rhomboids (CpROM1 and CpROM4) and C. parvum microneme proteins (CpGP900 and CpTRAP-C1) was investigated using yeast two-hybrid assay and co-immunoprecipitation assays.', 'Our study demonstrated that CpROM1 protein could interact with CpGP900 protein in co-transformed AH109 yeasts. Analysis of these proteins in co-transfected mammalian cells showed that the cleavage product of the CpGP900 protein was detected in the co-transfected cells. As control, CpGP900 only was transfected into cells and no cleavage was observed. The results suggested that CpGP900 protein was the substrate of CpROM1. Moreover, CpROM1 and CpROM4 could not cleave CpTRAP-C1 protein, which is the substrate of T. gondii rhomboid 2.\Question: Does cryptosporidium parvum rhomboid1 have an activity in microneme protein CpGP900 cleavage?

SOLUTION: Our results showed that CpROM1 is an active protease that is involved in microneme protein CpGP900 cleavage, which lay the foundation for further research on the mechanisms of C. parvum invasion.

PROBLEM: Context: To determine, for the WHO algorithm for point-of-care diagnosis of HIV infection, the agreement levels between paediatricians and non-physician clinicians, and to compare sensitivity and specificity profiles of the WHO algorithm and different CD4 thresholds against HIV PCR testing in hospitalised Malawian infants.', 'In 2011, hospitalised HIV-exposed infants <12 months in Lilongwe, Malawi, were evaluated independently with the WHO algorithm by both a paediatrician and clinical officer. Blood was collected for CD4 and molecular HIV testing (DNA or RNA PCR). Using molecular testing as the reference, sensitivity, specificity and positive predictive value (PPV) were determined for the WHO algorithm and CD4 count thresholds of 1500 and 2000 cells/mm(3) by paediatricians and clinical officers.', 'We enrolled 166 infants (50% female, 34% <2 months, 37% HIV infected). Sensitivity was higher using CD4 thresholds (<1500, 80%; <2000, 95%) than with the algorithm (physicians, 57%; clinical officers, 71%). Specificity was comparable for CD4 thresholds (<1500, 68%, <2000, 50%) and the algorithm (paediatricians, 55%, clinical officers, 50%). The positive predictive values were slightly better using CD4 thresholds (<1500, 59%, <2000, 52%) than the algorithm (paediatricians, 43%, clinical officers 45%) at this prevalence.\Question: Does cD4 count outperform World Health Organization clinical algorithm for point-of-care HIV diagnosis among hospitalised HIV-exposed Malawian infants?

SOLUTION:
Performance by the WHO algorithm and CD4 thresholds resulted in many misclassifications. Point-of-care CD4 thresholds of <1500 cells/mm(3) or <2000 cells/mm(3) could identify more HIV-infected infants with fewer false positives than the algorithm. However, a point-of-care option with better performance characteristics is needed for accurate, timely HIV diagnosis.