Given a passage, 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.

[Q]: Chronic systemic inflammation plays a pivotal role in the development of atherosclerosis in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In the present study, we investigated whether anti-TNF-alpha antagonist-monoclonal antibody-infliximab administration alters circulating levels of resistin, a proinflammatory adipokine. We further assessed associations of circulating resistin concentrations with CRP and ESR levels, platelet counts and metabolic syndrome and demographic characteristics in RA patients on periodical treatment with infliximab.', 'We investigated 33 patients with RA on periodical treatment with infliximab. Serum resistin levels were determined immediately prior to and after infliximab infusion.', 'Upon infliximab administration, mean (SD) serum resistin concentrations (ng/ml) decreased from 21.9 (9.9) to 17.4 (8.9) (p=0.005). Also, a significant association between the mean ESR (r=0.405; p=0.03) and CRP (r=0.571; p=0.0005) from disease diagnosis and ESR (r=0.486; p=0.004), CRP (r=0.599; p=0.0005) and platelet count (r=0.559; p=0.0007) at the time of the study and baseline resistin levels was found.
[A]: Does anti-TNF-alpha therapy modulate resistin in patients with rheumatoid arthritis?


[Q]: The role of Kdr (VEGFR-2/Flk-1) in vascular formation has been well described, but the role of Flt1 (VEGFR-1) is not well studied and is generally considered as a decoy receptor for trapping VEGF.', 'The effects of VEGFR1/2 kinase inhibitor (VRI) and calycosin on Flt1 tyrosine kinase (TK) activity were evaluated by molecular docking, enzymatic inhibition assay, protein co-immunoprecipitation and siRNA gene knock-down analysis in HUVECs. Toxicities of the chemicals were examined using HUVECs viability. Their effects on angiogenesis and vessel formation were furthered studied in HUVECs in vitro and Tg(fli-1:EGFP) zebrafish in vivo. The gene and protein expression of VEGF and VEGF receptors were investigated by quantitative RT-PCR and Western blot.', 'VRI strongly inhibited physiological functions of both VEGF receptors and suppressed endothelial cell survival. This resulted in blood vessel loss in zebrafish embryos. Interestingly, calycosin co-treatment impeded VRI-induced blood vessel loss. Docking and kinase inhibition assay revealed that calycosin competed with VRI for the tyrosine kinase domain of Flt1 without affecting ATP binding. On the contrary, calycosin did not affect the interaction between VRI and Kdr-TK. Consistent with these results, calycosin counteracted the inhibition of Flt1-TK and PI3K phosphorylation induced by VRI in HUVECs. Further studies in vitro and in vivo showed that the minimizing effect of calycosin on VRI-mediated endothelial cytotoxicity was blocked by wortmannin (a PI3K inhibitor). The impeding effect of calycosin on VRI-induced blood vessel loss was absent in zebrafish embryos injected with Flt1 MO.
[A]: Is basal Flt1 tyrosine kinase activity a positive regulator of endothelial survival and vascularization during zebrafish embryogenesis?


[Q]: Serum ferritin concentration >100\xa0ng/mL was associated with a higher risk of death in hemodialysis patients in Japan, whereas such an association was less clear in hemodialysis patients in Western countries. Since Japanese dialysis patients are generally less inflamed than those in Western countries, inflammation may modify the association between serum ferritin and the adverse outcomes.', 'We performed an observational cohort study using data from 2606 Japanese hemodialysis patients who participated in the Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (DOPPS) III (2005-2008) or DOPPS IV (2009-2012). The predictor was serum ferritin category (<50, 50-99.9, 100-199.9, and ≥200\xa0ng/mL), and the primary and secondary outcomes were all-cause mortality and cardiovascular hospitalization, respectively. C-reactive protein (CRP, cut-off by 0.3\xa0mg/dL) and serum albumin (cut-off by 3.8\xa0g/dL) were stratification factors related to systemic inflammation.', 'After adjustment for relevant confounding factors, a U-shaped association was observed between serum ferritin and all-cause mortality in the group with low CRP levels, whereas such relationship was not significant in the high CRP counterparts. In contrast, we found a linear association between serum ferritin and cardiovascular hospitalization in the low CRP and high CRP groups commonly. Similar results were obtained when the total cohort was stratified by serum albumin.
[A]:
Do both low and high serum ferritin levels predict mortality risk in hemodialysis patients without inflammation?