Part 1. 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.
Part 2. Example
Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is a heterogeneous disease with an uncertain pathogenesis. Group 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s) represent a recently discovered cell population which has been implicated in driving Th2 inflammation in CRS; however, their relationship with clinical disease characteristics has yet to be investigated. The aim of this study was to identify ILC2s in sinus mucosa in patients with CRS and controls and compare ILC2s across characteristics of disease. A cross-sectional study of patients with CRS undergoing endoscopic sinus surgery was conducted. Sinus mucosal biopsies were obtained during surgery and control tissue from patients undergoing pituitary tumour resection through transphenoidal approach. ILC2s were identified as CD45(+) Lin(-) CD127(+) CD4(-) CD8(-) CRTH2(CD294)(+) CD161(+) cells in single cell suspensions through flow cytometry. ILC2 frequencies, measured as a percentage of CD45(+) cells, were compared across CRS phenotype, endotype, inflammatory CRS subtype and other disease characteristics including blood eosinophils, serum IgE, asthma status and nasal symptom score. 35 patients (40% female, age 48 17 years) including 13 with eosinophilic CRS (eCRS), 13 with non-eCRS and 9 controls were recruited. ILC2 frequencies were associated with the presence of nasal polyps (P = 0.002) as well as high tissue eosinophilia (P = 0.004) and eosinophil-dominant CRS (P = 0.001) (Mann-Whitney U). They were also associated with increased blood eosinophilia (P = 0.005). There were no significant associations found between ILC2s and serum total IgE and allergic disease. In the CRS with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) population, ILC2s were increased in patients with co-existing asthma (P = 0.03). ILC2s were also correlated with worsening nasal symptom score in CRS (P = 0.04).
Answer: 1
Explanation: There is a line in the passage which say 'The aim of this study was...' which suggests that it is talking about a specific aim. Hence, the output should be 1 as this passage has a definite aim.
Part 3. Exercise
Type 2 diabetes is known to be associated with elevated cardiovascular mortality. Pioglitazone improves blood pressure (BP) and pulse wave velocity (PWV), which is an arterial stiffness parameter. Arterial stiffness is closely associated with cardiovascular disease. However, PWV is correlated with BP. The cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI) reflects arterial stiffness independent of BP. Pioglitazone improves PWV but reduces blood pressure. The aim of this study was to re-evaluate the effect of pioglitazone on arterial stiffness with CAVI.', 'Sixty patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and already on 500 mg/day of metformin received add-on therapy of pioglitazone 15 mg/day or glimepiride 1 mg/day for 6 months, during which time changes in their metabolic parameters and CAVI were observed.', 'After 6 months of treatment, both pioglitazone (n=30) and glimepiride (n=30) improved fasting blood glucose and glycated hemoglobin. The changes in fasting blood glucose and glycated hemoglobin between the two groups were greater in the pioglitazone group. Systolic and diastolic BP was decreased in both groups, with no significant between-group differences. Only pioglitazone increased serum adiponectin levels, and the change in adiponectin between the pioglitazone and glimepiride groups was significantly different. CAVI was decreased significantly by pioglitazone but remained unchanged after treatment with glimepiride. The change in CAVI between the two groups was significantly different.
Answer:
0