TASK DEFINITION: In this task, you are given a passage which has a question and the context. You have to generate an answer to the question based on the information present in the context.
PROBLEM: Context: Intraflagellar transport (IFT) is a motility process operating between the ciliary/flagellar (interchangeable terms) membrane and the microtubular axoneme of motile and sensory cilia. Multipolypeptide IFT particles, composed of complexes A and B, carry flagellar precursors to their assembly site at the flagellar tip (anterograde) powered by kinesin, and turnover products from the tip back to the cytoplasm (retrograde) driven by cytoplasmic dynein. IFT is essential for the assembly and maintenance of almost all eukaryotic cilia and flagella, and mutations affecting either the IFT motors or the IFT particle polypeptides result in the inability to assemble normal flagella or in defects in the sensory functions of cilia.', 'We found that the IFT complex B polypeptide, IFT27, is a Rab-like small G protein. Reduction of the level of IFT27 by RNA interference reduces the levels of other complex A and B proteins, suggesting that this protein is instrumental in maintaining the stability of both IFT complexes. Furthermore, in addition to its role in flagellar assembly, IFT27 is unique among IFT polypeptides in that its partial knockdown results in defects in cytokinesis and elongation of the cell cycle and a more complete knockdown is lethal.\Question: Is intraflagellar transport protein 27 a small G protein involved in cell-cycle control?

SOLUTION: IFT27, a small G protein, is one of a growing number of flagellar proteins that are now known to have a role in cell-cycle control.

PROBLEM: Context: Recently, extract of Ginkgo biloba leaves (GbE) have become widely known phytomedicines and have shown various pharmacological activities, including improvement of blood circulation, protection of oxidative cell damage, prevention of Alzheimer's disease, treatment of cardiovascular disease and diabetes complications. This study was designed to investigate the effects of an ethanolic GbE on renal fibrosis in diabetic nephropathy (DN) and to clarify the possible mechanism by which GbE prevents renal fibrosis.", 'We investigated the protective effects of GbE on renal fibrosis in STZ-induced diabetic rats. Rats were randomized into six groups termed normal control, diabetes mellitus, low dose of GbE (50mg/kg/d), intermediate dose of GbE (100mg/kg/d), high dose of GbE (200mg/kg/d) and rapamycin (1mg/kg/d).', 'After 12 weeks, the rats were sacrificed and then fasting blood glucose (FBG), creatinine (Cr), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), urine protein, relative kidney weight, glycogen and collagen accumulation, and collagen IV and laminin expression were measured by different methods. The amounts of E-cadherin, -SMA and snail, as well as the phosphorylation of Akt, mTOR and p70S6K in the renal cortex of rats, were examined by western blotting.', 'Compared with diabetic rats, the levels of Cr, BUN, urine protein, relative kidney weight, accumulation of glycogen and collagen, and expression of collagen IV and laminin in the renal cortex were all decreased in GbE treated rats. In addition, GbE reduced the expression of E-cadherin, -SMA, snail and the phosphorylation of Akt, mTOR and p70S6K in diabetic renal cortex.\Question: Does ethanolic Ginkgo biloba leaf extract prevent renal fibrosis through Akt/mTOR signaling in diabetic nephropathy?

SOLUTION: GbE can prevent renal fibrosis in rats with diabetic nephropathy, which is most likely to be associated with its abilities to inhibit the Akt/mTOR signaling pathway.

PROBLEM: Context: The aims of the present study were to explore pre-treatment predictors of weight loss during radiation treatment only in head and neck cancer (HNSCC) patients and investigate the weight loss in patients with or without a feeding tube.', 'Retrospectively, weight change during curative radiotherapy was investigated in 476 consecutive HNSCC patients. Independent predictors were identified using multivariate regression analysis with weight loss below or above 5 % as the primary dependent variable.', 'Baseline BMI, tumor site, and stage predicted weight loss above 5 %. The odds of weight loss above 5 % in patients with BMI >25 were 3.000.64 times higher compared with patients with BMI <25 (p<0.0001). Patients with pharyngeal, oral cavity, or supraglottic tumors had 3.120.80 times higher odds of weight loss above 5 % compared with glottic cancer patients (p<0.0001), and the odds were 1.680.40 times higher in stage III-IV patients compared with stage I-II patients (p=0.03). Seperate analyses revealed that tumor site and stage only predicted weight loss in patients with BMI >25 but not in patients with BMI <25. Patients receiving a feeding tube weighed less than patients without (73.8 vs 78.3 kg) and feeding tube reduced, but did not prevent, weight loss which averaged 6.74.7 kg (7.44.7 %) compared with 4.75.9 kg (5.56.0 %) in patients without a feeding tube (P<0.0001).\Question: Is prediction of critical weight loss during radiation treatment in head and neck cancer patients dependent on BMI?

SOLUTION:
Pre-treatment BMI, tumor site and stage predicted weight loss above 5 % in HNSCC patients during radiotherapy. BMI should be considered when analyzing weight loss in HNSCC patients receiving curative radiotherapy.