TASK DEFINITION: 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.
PROBLEM: Context: We hypothesised that short-term application of bi-level nasal continuous positive airway pressure CPAP (SiPAP) compared with conventional nasal CPAP (nCPAP) at the same mean airway pressure in infants with persistent oxygen need recovering from respiratory distress syndrome would improve CO2 removal with no change in oxygen requirement.', 'Non-blinded, randomised, observational four-period crossover study.', 'Level III NICU; low-birthweight infants requiring CPAP and oxygen while recovering from respiratory distress syndrome.', 'Infants requiring nasal CPAP for >24h prior to study enrolment, and fraction of inspired oxygen requirement (FiO2) of 0.25-0.5, were randomised to either nCPAP or SiPAP. A crossover design with four 1 h treatment periods was used such that each infant received both treatments twice. Oxygen saturations (SaO2), transcutaneous CO2 (tcCO2) and vital signs were monitored continuously. Polysomnographic recordings were analysed for apnoea, bradycardia and oxygen desaturation.', 'Twenty low-birthweight infants receiving 0.30.04% supplemental oxygen on CPAP of 6 cm H2O were studied at an average of 33days of age (23days, SD). There were no differences in tcCO2 or other physiological parameters except mean blood pressure, which was lower during nCPAP (52.38.3 vs 54.49.1mmHg; SD; p<0.01). No differences in short or prolonged apnoea, bradycardia or significant desaturation events were observed.
Answer: At similar mean airway pressures, SiPAP does not improve CO2 removal, oxygenation or other studied physiological parameters with the exception of mean blood pressure, which was not clinically significant.

SOLUTION: Does bi-level CPAP improve gas exchange when compared with conventional CPAP for the treatment of neonates recovering from respiratory distress syndrome?

PROBLEM: Context: Hair loss is related to follicular density, programmed regrowth and hair productivity.', 'The dissatisfaction with hair growth in patients experiencing hair loss might be due to slower linear hair growth rate (LHGR).', 'LHGR and hair diameter was evaluated in Caucasian controls and patients with patterned hair loss employing the validated non-invasive, contrast-enhanced-phototrichogram with exogen collection.', 'We evaluated 59,765 anagen hairs (controls 24,609, patients 35,156) and found thinner hairs grew slower than thicker hairs. LHGR in normal women was generally higher than in normal men. LHGR correlates with hair diameter (P < 0.006) and global thinning is associated with slower growth rates. Compared with hair of equal thickness in controls, subjects affected with patterned hair loss showed reduced hair growth rates, an observation found in both male and female patients. Males with pattern hair loss showed further reduction in growth rates as clinical severity worsened. However, sample size limitations prevented statistical evaluation of LHGR in severely affected females.
Answer: Caucasian ethnicity.

SOLUTION: Are gender differences in scalp hair growth rates maintained but reduced in pattern hair loss compared to controls?

PROBLEM: Context: Lymphocyte alterations have been associated with an increased prevalence of acute respiratory infections in COPD patients. AM3 is an oral immunomodulator that normalizes the defective functions of peripheral blood natural killer and phagocytic cells in COPD patients and improves their health-related quality of life.', 'To characterize putative systemic abnormalities of the T-cell compartment in COPD patients, and to investigate whether AM3 can restore such abnormalities.', 'The study was a randomized, prospective, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in a cohort of COPD patients. The results were also compared to those of nonsmoker and ex-smoker healthy control subjects.', 'Outpatient departments of four hospitals.', 'Seventy COPD patients were randomized to receive either AM3 or a placebo orally for 90 consecutive days. Populations of 36 healthy nonsmokers and 36 healthy ex-smokers were used as control subjects.', 'Peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) proliferation and production of interleukin (IL)-2, IL-4, IL-12p40, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and interferon (IFN)-gamma proteins in response to the T-cell polyclonal mitogens were assessed at baseline and at the end of treatment.', 'The proliferative response was significantly decreased in COPD patients. Decreased production of IFN-gamma was the only defect in the profiles of the cytokine measures, and was selectively observed in COPD patients, but not in nonsmoker and ex-smoker healthy control subjects. Treatment with AM3 significantly restored the PBMC proliferative response to polyclonal mitogens and significantly promoted stimulated IFN-gamma production in these patients. The normalization of these proliferative responses was not related to significant variations in the numbers of peripheral blood monocytes, CD3+, CD4+, CD8+ cells or of any major naive/memory/activated T-cell subset. The increased IFN-gamma production in the AM3 study arm was associated with an increase in the mean of number of IFN-gamma molecules produced per CD8+ T cells.
Answer: PBMCs of COPD patients showed clear functional T-lymphocyte abnormalities that are rescued by AM3 treatment.

SOLUTION:
Does treatment with AM3 restore defective T-cell function in COPD patients?