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: To investigate whether tafluprost, which is a prostaglandin-related compound and an anti-glaucoma drug, has a direct anti-apoptotic effect in cultured retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) and rat RGCs in retinas with optic nerve crush (ONC).', 'RGC-5 cells were induced to undergo apoptosis by a serum deprivation and by exogenous glutamate. The level of cell death with or without tafluprost was monitored by an XTT assay and by immunocytochemistry with activated caspase-3. Changes in intracellular calcium ([Ca(2+)]i) levels were measured with fluo-4 fluorescence. Rat RGCs were degenerated by ONC. After topical instillation of tafluprost for 7 and 14 days, the numbers of retrograde-labeled RGCs were counted. Retinal flatmounts were subjected to terminal dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) staining to detect apoptotic cells.', 'Tafluprost dose-dependently promoted RGC-5 cell viability with an optimum concentration of 3 microM (p = 0.006). Tafluprost significantly reduced caspase-3-positive cells and suppressed [Ca(+2)]i evoked by exogenous glutamate. The cGMP-dependent protein kinase inhibitor and KT-5823 partially blocked the rescue effect of tafluprost (p = 0.002). The survival rate of RGCs significantly increased in eyes treated with tafluprost (p = 0.01), and the prevalence of TUNEL-positive cells was significantly decreased 14 days after ONC (p < 0.001).

SOLUTION: 0

PROBLEM: The aim of the current study was to characterize β-cell function, insulin sensitivity and line of inheritance in patients with recent-onset type 2 diabetes of Yemenite and non-Yemenite Jewish origin.', 'A cohort study including 121 GAD negative diabetic patients, 59 of Yemenite and 62 of non-Yemenite origin, treated by diet\xa0±\xa0oral antihyperglycemic monotherapy who underwent 180-min meal tolerance test (MMT). Based on MMT, indexes of insulin resistance and secretion were calculated.', 'There were no significant differences in age, sex, diabetes duration, BMI, HbA1c and lipid profile. A significant difference was found in family history of diabetes: 63\xa0% of patients of Yemenite origin had maternal inheritance versus 35\xa0% in the non-Yemenite origin (p\xa0<\xa00.001). Both indexes of β-cell function, the insulinogenic and the disposition indexes were significantly lower in patients of Yemenite origin compared with non-Yemenite origin (0.66\xa0±\xa00.4 vs. 0.93\xa0±\xa00.8, p\xa0=\xa00.04; 2.3\xa0±\xa01.8 vs. 3.3\xa0±\xa03.3, p\xa0=\xa00.04, respectively) with no difference in insulin sensitivity. When females and males were analyzed separately, the difference in maternal inheritance remained significant in both, but the difference in β-cell function indexes was observed only in males (p\xa0=\xa00.03, p\xa0=\xa00.01, respectively).

SOLUTION: 1

PROBLEM: Uveal melanoma (UM) is the most common primary intraocular tumor in adults and the presence of infiltrating leucocytes is associated with a poor prognosis. Little is known how infiltrating leucocytes influence the tumor cells. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of activated T cells on the expression of chemotactic cytokines in UM cells. Furthermore, we examined the ability of stimulated UM cells to attract monocytes.', 'We used an in vitro coculture system in which UM cell lines and T cells were cultured together, but separated by a membrane. Uveal melanoma gene expression was quantified using a microarray. Protein expression in the supernatant was quantified with ELISA or cytometric bead array. For the monocyte migration assay, a transwell plate was used.', 'Gene-expression analysis of UM cell lines showed that coculture with activated T cells resulted in an upregulation of chemokines such as CXCL8, CXCL9, CXCL10, CXCL11, CCL2, CCL5, VEGF, intracellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM1), and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF). The upregulation of these molecules was confirmed at the protein level. This increase of chemokines coincided with an increased chemotactic capacity of the supernatant toward monocytes.

SOLUTION:
1