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.

Context: Cells of the myeloid lineage comprise a very heterogeneous population with many phenotypes and functional activities including macrophages and dendritic cells. To investigate the status, differentiative potential and lineage commitment of monocytic cells in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients, this study isolated and cultured peripheral blood monocytes from patients and healthy donors.', 'Monocytes were isolated by gradient centrifugation and adherence to plastic dishes. The cells were then cultured for three days, partially supplemented with GM-CSF and interleukin 4 (IL4) to obtain dendritic cells. The differentiation status was monitored by the expression of surface markers using flow cytometry and cytokine secretion.', 'Monocytes from SLE patients expressed significantly lower numbers of the monocytic marker CD14 and HLA-DR while secreting significantly more tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha) than monocytes from healthy donors. The addition of GM-CSF and IL4 resulted in an inhibition of TNFalpha secretion, but was not sufficient to generate monocytederived dendritic cells.
Answer: Monocytes from SLE patients are severely altered in phenotype and function and have a limited differentiation flexibility towards the accessory type of monocytic cells.
Are monocytes from systemic lupus erythematous patients severely altered in phenotype and lineage flexibility?

Context: It is well established that African Americans (AA) experience greater pain associated with a variety of clinical conditions, and greater pain sensitivity to experimental pain tasks relative to non-Hispanic Whites (W). Notably, African Americans do not show the same relationships involving endogenous pain regulatory mechanisms and pain sensitivity documented in Caucasians, including positive associations between blood pressure, norepinephrine, cortisol and greater pain tolerance.', 'The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between plasma oxytocin (OT) and pain sensitivity and to explore the relation of OT to other factors known to influence pain perception.', 'OT concentration and sensitivity to ischemic, cold pressor, and thermal pain tasks were assessed in African American (n=25) and non-Hispanic White (n=23) pre-menopausal women.', 'African American women demonstrated significantly lower pain tolerance across tasks compared with Whites (F(1,46)=6.31, p=0.0156) and also exhibited lower plasma OT levels (AA: 3.90, W: 7.05 pg/mL; p=0.0014). Greater OT levels were correlated with greater tolerance to ischemic pain (r=0.36, p=0.013) and accounted for a marginally significant portion of the ethnic difference in ischemic pain tolerance (B=+0.29, p=0.06). Greater OT was also correlated with greater tolerance of cold pressor pain (r=0.31, p=0.03); however, this association was no longer seen after the variance due to ethnicity was accounted for.
Answer: These data suggest that reduced oxytocinergic function may be one of multiple biological factors contributing to the greater sensitivity to experimental ischemic pain, and to the greater burden of some types of clinical pain experienced by African Americans compared with Whites.
Is ethnicity associated with alterations in oxytocin relationships to pain sensitivity in women?

Context: We conducted this pooled analysis to assess the prognostic value of pretreatment Quality of Life (QOL) assessments on overall survival (OS) in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).', 'Four hundred twenty patients with advanced NSCLC (stages IIIB with pleural effusion and IV) from six North Central Cancer Treatment Group trials were included in this study. QOL assessments included the single-item Uniscale (355 patients), Lung Cancer Symptom Scale (217 patients), and Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Lung (197 patients). QOL scores were transformed to a 0 to 100 scale with higher scores representing better status and categorized using the sample median or clinically deficient score (CDS, <or=50 versus >50). Cox proportional hazards models stratified by study were used to evaluate the prognostic importance of QOL on OS alone and in the presence of other prognostic factors such as performance status, age, gender, body mass index, and laboratory parameters.', 'Pretreatment QOL accessed by Uniscale was significantly associated with OS univariately (p < 0.0001). Uniscale (p < 0.0001; hazard ratio = 1.6 for the sample median and 2.0 for the CDS categorization) and body mass index were the only significant predictors of OS multivariately. The median survival of patients who had a Uniscale score less than or equal to the CDS (<or=50) was 5.7 versus 11.1 months for the >50 group; and 7.8 versus 13 months for the less than or equal to sample median (<or=83) group and >83 group, respectively. The Lung Cancer Symptom Scale and the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Lung total scores were not significant predictors of OS.
Answer: Pretreatment QOL measured by Uniscale is a significant and an independent prognostic factor for OS, and QOL should be routinely integrated as a stratification factor in advanced NSCLC trials.
Is pretreatment quality of life an independent prognostic factor for overall survival in patients with advanced stage non-small cell lung cancer?