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: Chronic marijuana use has been associated with impairments of learning, memory, and executive functions. Little is known, however, about the effects of marijuana use on other cognitive domains, such as decision-making, which are thought to play an important role in addiction and drug abuse.', 'The purpose of the present study was to determine if long-term heavy marijuana users employ different decision-making strategies than individuals with minimal marijuana exposure.', 'Volunteers were assigned to a cannabis (n = 10) or control group (n = 10) based upon history of prior marijuana use. Demographic and neuropsychological variables were evaluated, and a decision-making task--the gambling task (GT) was administered.', 'Although few demographic and neuropsychological differences were noted between groups, marijuana users made more decisions that led to larger immediate gains despite more costly losses than controls.\Question: Do long-term heavy marijuana users make costly decisions on a gambling task?

SOLUTION: These data suggest that long-term heavy marijuana users may have specific deficits in the ability to balance rewards and punishments that may contribute to continued drug-taking behavior. It is unknown, however, whether the basis for such deficits might be attributed directly to marijuana exposure or pre-existing genetic or behavioral differences.

PROBLEM: Context: The etiology of idiopathic scoliosis remains unknown, but growth is a risk factor for progression. Growth pattern differs in children with and without scoliosis. Cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) may be associated with scoliosis and growth. We, therefore, studied COMP in children with and without idiopathic scoliosis.', 'We included 105 children, with mean age 14.4 years (range 10-16), under observation or treatment for idiopathic scoliosis, and 103 children from an age-matched population-based cohort. COMP was measured in serum at the time of inclusion. Growth velocity was estimated from repeated height measurements. T tests, analysis of covariance or linear regression were used for statistical comparisons.', 'COMP was mean (SD) 11 (5) units/liter (U/L) in children with scoliosis and 13 (5) U/L in the control cohort (p = 0.005, adjusted for sex and sampling time of the day). When patients and controls were analyzed together, high COMP was correlated with high growth velocity ( = 0.19, p = 0.003). When patients and controls were analyzed separately, COMP was correlated with growth velocity in children with scoliosis ( = 0.27, p = 0.007), but not in children without scoliosis ( = 0.02, p = 0.83) (all analyses adjusted for age, sex and sampling time). Low COMP was significantly correlated with large curve size in children with scoliosis ( = -0.29, p = 0.003), but not after adjustment for age, sex and sampling time ( = -0.16; p = 0.14).\Question: Is serum level of cartilage oligomeric matrix protein lower in children with idiopathic scoliosis than in non-scoliotic controls?

SOLUTION: COMP was lower in children with idiopathic scoliosis than in a control cohort. In children with scoliosis, high COMP was modestly correlated with high growth velocity, but not with curve severity.

PROBLEM: Context: To determine whether or not serum adiponectin concentrations are influenced by ovarian hyperstimulation during in vitro fertilization (IVF).', 'This study involved 52 women who were participating in IVF-ET cycles. Adiponectin levels in serum were determined by radioimmunoassay and compared.', 'Serum adiponectin levels fell from Day-basal to Day-hCG (p = 0.047), and then rose on Day-OR and again on Day-7ET (p < 0.001; p < 0.001). Estradiol levels on Day-hCG were significantly and positively correlated with serum adiponectin levels on Day-OR and Day-7ET (r = 0.325, p = 0.019; r = 0.372, p = 0.007). Progesterone levels on Day-OR positively correlated with serum adiponectin levels on Day-basal (r = 0.278, p = 0.046). There was also a positive correlation between progesterone levels on Day-7ET and serum adiponectin levels on Day-OR (r = 0.289, p = 0.038). Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that adiponectin levels on Day-OR and Day-7ET were negatively correlated with age and body mass index after adjustment was made for concomitant diseases.\Question: Do serum adiponectin levels increase after human chorionic gonadotropin treatment during in vitro fertilization?

SOLUTION:
To sum up, following gonadotropin treatment, serum adiponectin levels decrease as a result of the negative effect of high estradiol levels on adiponectin production. Conversely, serum adiponectin levels increase following human chorionic gonadotropin treatment.