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: Whether moderate to severe obesity (body mass index (BMI)≥30 to <40kg/m(2)) contributes to breast cancer recurrence and mortality remains uncertain.', '1199 women, recruited within 12 months of their diagnosis of hormone receptor positive (HR+), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 negative (HER2-) invasive breast cancer completed an enrolment questionnaire and an annual follow-up questionnaire every 12 months for another 5 years. The impact of obesity on time to either local or distant recurrence or new breast cancer, or death due to breast cancer was determined by Cox regression. Women in the most extreme categories of BMI (<18.5 and ≥40) were excluded from the analysis.', 'Of the 1155 included women, mean age, 58.4±11.6 years, 53.8% had Stage 1 disease and 88.9% received oral adjuvant endocrine therapy (OAET) within 2 years of diagnosis. The likelihood of an event was significantly associated with moderate to severe obesity (HR=1.71, 95%CI, 1.12-2.62, p=0.014), disease beyond Stage 1 (HR=2.87, 95% CI 1.73-4.75, p<0.001), OAET (HR=0.26, 95%CI 0.14-0.46, p<0.001), mastectomy (HR=3.28, 95%CI 1.98-5.44, p<0.001) and radiotherapy (HR=2.12, 95%CI 1.24-3.63, p=0.006). For Stage 1 disease, only moderate to severe obesity (HR 3.23, 95%CI 1.48-7.03, p=0.003) and OAET use (HR 0.41, 95%CI 0.17-0.98, p=0.046) were significantly associated with an event.

SOLUTION: 1

PROBLEM: To determine whether sympathetic nerves regulate expression of known angiogenic growth factors.', 'Surgical sympathectomy (SNX) was used to remove sympathetic innervation to the eye. Real-time PCR was used to measure steady state mRNA expression of VEGF, VEGFR-2, angiopoietin-1, and Tie2. Western blot analysis was performed to assess protein expression. Blood-retinal barrier (BRB) permeability surface area product (PS) was measured using enhanced MRI on a separate group of control and SNX rats.', 'mRNA of both VEGF and VEGFR-2 decreased significantly at 6 weeks after SNX. VEGF protein expression also decreased significantly. VEGFR-2 protein was unchanged. Both angiopoietin-1 and Tie2 mRNA expression increased significantly after SNX. Immunoblot analysis showed that angiopoietin-1 protein expression coincided with its mRNA expression. Tie2 protein expression was unaffected. Sympathetic denervation did not significantly increase BRB PS.

SOLUTION: 1

PROBLEM: Nitric oxide is now recognized to regulate immune responses and cell viability in various organs. The present study was designed to clarify whether NO released from Kupffer cells modulates the lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) activity of interleukin 2 (IL-2)-treated splenocytes.', 'Splenocytes and Kupffer cells were isolated from male Wistar rats and cocultured for 48 hours in the presence of lipopolysaccharide (1 microgram/mL). The splenocyte LAK activity and expression of IL-2 receptor were determined.', "Kupffer cells with lipopolysaccharide reduced the IL-2 receptor expression and LAK activity of splenocytes. The addition of either NG-monomethyl-L-arginine, an inhibitor of NO synthesis, or aminoguanidine, an inhibitor of inducible NO synthase, to the medium reversed the suppression of IL-2 receptor expression and LAK activity by lipopolysaccharide-stimulated Kupffer cells. 8-bromoguanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate and NO donors decreased the splenocyte LAK activity and IL-2 receptor expression. Treatment with lipopolysaccharide increased the inducible NO synthase activity as well as the nitrite and nitrate levels in the culture medium of Kupffer cells but not in splenocytes.

SOLUTION:
1