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.
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Question: Neonatal therapy-resistant septic shock is a common problem in middle and low-income countries. We investigated whether newborn infants with infection and therapy-resistant hypotension showed evidence of abnormal levels of cortisol or cortisol precursors.', 'A total of 60 term or near term neonates with evidence of infection were enrolled after informed consent. Of these, 30 had an infection and refractory shock and 30 had an infection without shock. There were no detectable differences between the groups in the length of gestation, birth weight or gender distribution. Serum was obtained during days four and 14 after birth. Cortisol and cortisol precursor concentrations were analysed using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.', 'The cortisol concentrations were low considering the expected responses to stress and they did not differ between the groups. The infants with infection and shock had higher serum dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) levels than those without shock (319.0 ± 110.3 μg/dL, versus 22.3 ± 18.3 μg/dL; p < 0.0001) and they also had higher 17-hydroxy-pregnenolone, pregnenolone and progesterone concentrations. There were no detectable differences in the levels of 17-hydroxy-progesterone, 11-deoxy-cortisol, cortisol or cortisone.

Answer: 1


Question: To explore the effect of delta-opioid receptor (DOR) in electroacupuncture (EA) protecting the brain against acute ischemic injury.', 'Fifty-one rats were randomly divided into sham ischemia group, ischemia group, sham EA group, EA group, and EA+DOR antagonist (naltrindole) group. Transient focal cerebral ischemia (1 hour) was induced in rat brain by middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) method. EA was applied on Shuigou (GV 26) and Neiguan (PC 6) for 30 min, starting immediately after the onset of reperfusion. Neurological deficit scores and volume of cerebral infarction were detected after 24-hour reperfusion. Other 12 rats were randomly divided into sham ischemia group, ischemia group, EA group and EA + naltrindole group. DOR protein expressions were assessed by Western blotting after 24-hour reperfusion.', 'In comparison with the ischemia group and sham EA group, EA significantly reduced ischemic infarction and neurological deficits (P<0.05); EA significantly increased the expression of 60 kD DOR protein (P<0.05) and tended to increase that of 36 kD DOR protein (P>0.05). When naltrindole was combined with EA, the naltrindole completely abolished the EA-induced protection in ischemic infarction and neurological deficits, and also arrested the expression of DOR.

Answer: 1


Question: It has been demonstrated that tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF alpha) induces apoptosis in cardiac myocytes. However, its mechanism of action is still not well understood. In the present study, we hypothesized that TNF alpha induces myocardial apoptosis by induction of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS).', 'Neonatal cardiac myocytes were isolated from iNOS (-/-) mutant and C57BL6 wild type mice. Cells were cultured for 3 days before treatment with an NO donor or TNF alpha. Following treatment with S-nitroso-N-acetyl-penicillamine (SNAP) or TNF-alpha, cells were tested for apoptosis by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transfer-mediated end labeling (TUNEL) staining and cell death detection ELISA. NO production was measured by nitrite concentration in the culture medium. Cardiomyocyte expression of iNOS and TNF type 1 receptor (TNFR1) mRNA was determined by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).', 'SNAP (0.01-100 microM) induced apoptosis of cardiac myocytes in a concentration-dependent manner in the wild type mice (n = 5, P < 0.01). TNFR1 mRNA was expressed in neonatal cardiomyocytes from both wild type and iNOS (-/-) mutant mice. TNF alpha induced a concentration-dependent increase in iNOS mRNA expression and nitrite production as well as significant apoptosis of cardiomyocytes in the wild type mice (n = 4, P < 0.01). However, without iNOS expression, the apoptotic effects of TNF-alpha were significantly attenuated in cardiomyocytes from iNOS (-/-) mutant mice (n = 4, P < 0.05).

Answer:
1