TASK DEFINITION: Given a passage, 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: One variant of multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN1) is defined by sporadic tumors of both the parathyroids and pituitary. The prevalence of identified MEN1 mutations in this variant is lower than in familial MEN1 (7% vs. 90%), suggesting different causes. Recently, one case of this variant had a germline mutation of p27(Kip1)/CDKN1B.', 'The objective was to test p27 in germline DNA from cases with tumors of both the parathyroids and pituitary.', 'Medical record review and sequence analysis in DNA were performed.', 'This study involved an inpatient and outpatient referral program for cases of endocrine tumors.', 'Sixteen index cases had sporadic tumors of two organs, both the parathyroids and the pituitary. There were 18 additional index cases with related features of familial tumors. Five subjects were normal controls. No case had an identified MEN1 mutation.', 'Clinical status of endocrine tumors was tabulated. Sequencing of germline DNA from index cases and control cases for the p27 gene was performed by PCR.', 'Endocrine tumor types and their expressions were measured, as were sequence changes in the p27 gene.', 'Tumor features were documented in index cases and families. One p27 germline single nucleotide change was identified. This predicted a silent substitution of Thr142Thr. Furthermore, there was a normal prevalence of heterozygosity for a common p27 polymorphism, making a large p27 deletion unlikely in all or most of these cases.

SOLUTION: Does the parathyroid/pituitary variant of multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 usually have causes other than p27Kip1 mutations?

PROBLEM: Expression of CINCs was regulated differentially in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated rat macrophages. We examined whether the expression of CINCs in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated rat macrophages is similarly inhibited by anti-inflammatory drugs.', 'Rat peritoneal macrophages were stimulated by lipopolysaccharide in the presence of anti-inflammatory steroids (dexamethasone, prednisolone and hydrocortisone) or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (indomethacin and piroxicam). The production and mRNA expression of three types of CINCs were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and northern hybridization.', 'Anti-inflammatory steroids; dexamethasone, prednisolone and hydrocortisone, dose-dependently inhibited the production of CINC-1, -2 and -3, whose inhibitory patterns were similar to each other. Furthermore mRNA expression of each CINC was inhibited by dexamethasone in a dose-dependent manner. In contrast, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, indomethacin and piroxicam were without effect. Expression of each CINC was regulated differently; the production of CINC-1 reached a maximum at 12 h and then slightly decreased after lipopolysaccharide stimulation, whereas that of CINC-2 and CINC-3 increased up to 24 h. Dexamethasone inhibited the CINCs production and mRNA expression at 9 h after lipopolysaccharide stimulation.

SOLUTION: Is the expression of three types of CINCs by lipopolysaccharide-stimulated rat macrophages inhibited similarly by anti-inflammatory steroids?

PROBLEM: The present study tested the hypothesis that the anesthetic technique will influence the changes in regional blood flow (RBF) during intraoperative cardiac tamponade.', 'Twenty-four dogs were divided into three equal groups: Group I, anesthesia was maintained with ketamine (25 mg.kg(-1).hr(-1)); Group II, with fentanyl and midazolam (F-M; 10 mug.kg(-1).hr(-1) and 0.5 mg.kg(-1).hr(-1), respectively); Group III with 1 minimum alveolar concentration (MAC; 1.4%) isoflurane. Radioactive microspheres were used to measure RBF in myocardium, brain, spinal cord, abdominal viscera, skeletal muscle and skin. Cardiac output (CO) was measured by thermodilution and arterial pressure with a catheter situated in the thoracic aorta. Catheters were introduced into the pericardial cavity to infuse isotonic saline and to measure intrapericardial pressure (IPP). Measurements were obtained under control conditions and during tamponade, as defined by an increase in IPP sufficient to reduce mean arterial pressure by 40%.', 'Tamponade caused decreases in CO and RBF that were comparable under the three anesthetics, except that RBF in subcortical regions of the brain and in the spinal cord were maintained under isoflurane but decreased under ketamine or F-M.

SOLUTION:
Does isoflurane preserve central nervous system blood flow during intraoperative cardiac tamponade in dogs?