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: Observational studies suggest that dietary isoflavones reduce breast cancer risk, and this may be caused in part by effects on endogenous hormone concentrations. Because intestinal bacteria metabolize isoflavones, it was hypothesized that consumption of probiotic bacteria would enhance the biologic effects of isoflavones, including effects on endogenous hormones.', 'Twenty (20) postmenopausal breast cancer survivors and 20 healthy postmenopausal women completed four 42-day diet periods in a randomized, crossover design. They received one of the following: isolated soy protein; isolated milk protein; soy + probiotic capsules; or milk + probiotic capsules. Each protein supplement provided 0.38 g protein/(kg body weight/day) (26.6 +/- 4.5 g protein/day) and soy protein provided 0.64 mg isoflavones/(kg body weight/day) (44.4 +/- 7.5 mg isoflavones/day). Probiotic capsules provided 10(9) colony-forming units Lactobacillus acidophilus (strain DDS-1), Bifidobacterium longum, and 15-20 mg fructo-oligosaccharide.', 'Plasma samples were collected at baseline and after each diet for analysis of estrogens, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), androgens, and sex hormone?binding globulin (SHBG).', 'Hormone levels were not affected by soy, probiotic supplements, or equol producer status, and neither cancer status nor equol producer status altered the effects of soy or probiotics. Furthermore probiotics did not alter the effects of soy consumption. Soy protein tended to decrease SHBG compared to milk protein diets (p = 0.05), although both proteins significantly decreased SHBG relative to baseline (p = 0.0001 and p = 0.03).

SOLUTION: 0

PROBLEM: SUMO-specific protease 1 (SENP1) removes SUMO from proteins and plays important roles in the regulation of multiple cellular signalling pathways. However, little is known about the role of SENP1 in coronary heart disease. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that SENP1 protects against myocardial ischaemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury and investigated the underlying molecular mechanisms involved.', 'First, we found that SENP1 levels increased after I/R in human and mouse myocardium in vivo and in rat cardiomyocytes in vitro. We then performed coronary artery ligation to induce I/R injury in wild-type (WT) and heterozygous SENP1-knockdown (SENP1(+/-)) mice. Compared with WT mice, SENP1(+/-) mice had normal cardiac function at baseline but lower systolic function after I/R. Post-I/R myocardial infarction sizes were larger in SENP1(+/-) mice. Furthermore, we demonstrated that SENP1 regulates the expression of hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF1), a critical protective factor during I/R, in vivo and in vitro. Overexpression of HIF1 reversed the deteriorating effect of SENP1 knockdown on cellular death.

SOLUTION: 1

PROBLEM: Dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa pruriginosa (DEB-Pr; OMIM 604129) is a rare manifestation of dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (DEB), characterized by pruritus, nodular prurigo-like lesions and fragility of the skin mainly in the extremities. Fewer than 40 patients with autosomal dominant or recessive inheritance, or sporadic DEB-Pr, have been described in the literature.', 'To disclose mutations in DEB-Pr and to elucidate the role of other pathogenic factors which may influence the pruriginous phenotype.', 'Seven patients with typical clinical features of DEB-Pr were studied.', 'In all patients, mutations in the gene encoding collagen VII (COL7A1) were disclosed, two of them novel (p.G2623V, p.E2736K). Three mutations were dominant, three recessive and one de novo. In the families with dominant DEB there were one or more members with DEB-Pr, but also at least one affected sibling who did not develop DEB-Pr. In six of seven patients, the clinical history revealed factors that initially induced pruritus, such as atopy, pregnancy, thyroid hormone imbalance, diabetes, infections and contact sensitization. Common filaggrin mutations were ruled out in all patients and normal filaggrin staining was found in the skin samples.

SOLUTION:
1