TASK DEFINITION: Given a passage with a context and an answer, 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: Context: After ingestion of phosphatidylcholine, l-carnitine or betaine, trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO) is formed by gut microbiota and liver enzymes. Elevated TMAO plasma levels were associated with increased cardiovascular risk and other diseases. Also betaine and choline itself were recently associated with increased cardiovascular risk.', 'A newly developed LC-HRMS method was applied to measure the plasma concentrations of TMAO, betaine and choline in a cohort of 339 patients undergoing coronary angiography for the evaluation of suspected coronary artery disease.', "Betaine concentrations in males were significantly higher than in females (42.0 vs. 35.9\xa0μmol/L; p\xa0<\xa00.001). Plasma concentrations of TMAO but not of betaine or choline were higher in patients with diabetes compared to euglycemic patients (2.39 vs. 0.980\xa0μmol/L; p\xa0=\xa00.001) as well as in patients with metabolic syndrome as compared to patients without metabolic syndrome (2.37 vs. 1.43\xa0μmol/L; p\xa0=\xa00.002). Plasma concentrations of TMAO or choline increased significantly with decreasing renal function (Spearman's rho:\xa0-0.281; p\xa0<\xa00.001). However, plasma levels of TMAO or betaine were associated with neither a history of myocardial infarction nor the angiographically assessed presence of coronary heart disease, nor incident cardiovascular events during 8 years of follow-up. Plasma levels of choline were significantly lower in patients with a history of acute myocardial infarction as compared to those without such history (10.0 vs. 10.8\xa0μmol/L; p\xa0=\xa00.045).
Answer: Plasma levels of TMAO are confounded by impaired kidney function and poor metabolic control but are not associated with the history, presence or incidence of symptoms or events of coronary heart disease.

SOLUTION: Are plasma levels of trimethylamine-N-oxide confounded by impaired kidney function and poor metabolic control?

PROBLEM: Context: Magnetic fields have been shown to affect cell proliferation and growth factor expression in cultured cells. Although the activation of endorphin systems is a recurring motif among the biological events elicited by magnetic fields, compelling evidence indicating that magnetic fields may modulate opioid gene expression is still lacking. We therefore investigated whether extremely low frequency (ELF) pulsed magnetic fields (PMF) may affect opioid peptide gene expression and the signaling pathways controlling opioid peptide gene transcription in the adult ventricular myocyte, a cell type behaving both as a target and as a source for opioid peptides.', 'Prodynorphin gene expression was investigated in adult rat myocytes exposed to PMF by the aid of RNase protection and nuclear run-off transcription assays. In PMF-exposed nuclei, nuclear protein kinase C (PKC) activity was followed by measuring the phosphorylation rate of the acrylodan-labeled MARCKS peptide. The effect of PMF on the subcellular distribution of different PKC isozymes was assessed by immunoblotting. A radioimmunoassay procedure coupled to reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography was used to monitor the expression of dynorphin B.', 'Here, we show that PMF enhanced myocardial opioid gene expression and that a direct exposure of isolated myocyte nuclei to PMF markedly enhanced prodynorphin gene transcription, as in the intact cell. The PMF action was mediated by nuclear PKC activation but occurred independently from changes in PKC isozyme expression and enzyme translocation. PMF also led to a marked increase in the synthesis and secretion of dynorphin B.
Answer: The present findings demonstrate that an opioid gene is activated by myocyte exposure to PMF and that the cell nucleus and nuclear embedded PKC are a crucial target for the PMF action. Due to the wide ranging importance of opioid peptides in myocardial cell homeostasis, the current data may suggest consideration for potential biological effects of PMF in the cardiovascular system.

SOLUTION: Do elf-pulsed magnetic fields modulate opioid peptide gene expression in myocardial cells?

PROBLEM: Context: To test the hypothesis that core and suggestive features in possible dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) would vary in their ability to predict an abnormal dopamine transporter scan and therefore a follow-up diagnosis of probable DLB. A further objective was to assess the evolution of core and suggestive features in patients with possible DLB over time depending on the (123)I-FP-CIT SPECT scan result.', 'A total of 187 patients with possible DLB (dementia plus one core or one suggestive feature) were randomized to have dopamine transporter imaging or to follow-up without scan. DLB features were compared at baseline and at 6-month follow-up according to imaging results and follow-up diagnosis.', "For the whole cohort, the baseline frequency of parkinsonism was 30%, fluctuations 29%, visual hallucinations 24%, and REM sleep behavior disorder 17%. Clinician-rated presence of parkinsonism at baseline was significantly (p = 0.001) more frequent and Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) score at baseline was significantly higher (p = 0.02) in patients with abnormal imaging. There was a significant increase in UPDRS score in the abnormal scan group over time (p < 0.01). There was relatively little evolution of the rest of the DLB features regardless of the imaging result.
Answer: In patients with possible DLB, apart from UPDRS score, there was no difference in the evolution of DLB clinical features over 6 months between cases with normal and abnormal imaging. Only parkinsonism and dopamine transporter imaging helped to differentiate DLB from non-DLB dementia.

SOLUTION:
Do evolution of clinical features in possible DLB depending on FP-CIT SPECT result?