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: It has been shown that the circulating Renin-Angiotensin System (RAS) is activated during normal pregnancy, but little is known about RAS in pregnancies complicated by gestational diabetes (GDM). GDM is considered not merely a temporary condition, but a harbinger of hypertension and type 2 diabetes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the circulating RAS profile in normotensive women with GDM at the third trimester of pregnancy and to compare the results with healthy pregnant and non-pregnant age-matched women.', 'The diagnostic criteria for GDM followed the recommendations of the American Diabetes Association. Angiotensin I (Ang I), Angiotensin II (Ang II) and Angiotensin 1-7 [Ang-(1-7)] were determined in 24 pregnant patients with GDM; 12 healthy pregnant women and 12 non-pregnant women by radioimmunoassay.', 'Levels of Ang I, Ang II and Ang-(1-7) were higher in pregnant women (p<0.05), but showed a different pattern in the GDM group, in which reduced Ang-(1-7) circulating levels were found (p<0.05). This observation was confirmed by the significantly lower Ang-(1-7)/Ang I ratio (p<0.05).

SOLUTION: Does the pregnancy-induced increase of plasma angiotensin- ( 1-7 ) is blunt in gestational diabetes?

PROBLEM: Changes of volume status can be readily inferred from variations in diameter of the inferior vena cava (IVC) measured by ultrasound. However the effect of IVC changes following acute blood loss are not fully established. In this study, three different approaches to measuring IVC variables were compared in healthy blood donors, as a model of acute volume depletion, in order to establish their relative ability to detect acute blood loss.', 'Inspiratory and expiratory IVC diameters were measured before and after blood donation in hepatic long axis, hepatic short axis and renal short axis views using a 2-5MHz curvilinear probe. All measurements were recorded and examined in real-time and post-processing sessions.', 'All windows performed satisfactorily but the renal window approach was feasible in only 30 out of 47 subjects. After blood donation, IVC diameters decreased in hepatic long axis, hepatic short axis and renal short axis (expiratory: -19.9, -18.0, -26.5%; CI 95%: 14.5-24.1; 13.1-22.9; 16.0-35.9, respectively) (inspiratory: -31.1, -31.6, -36.5%; CI 95%: 21.3-40.1; 18.8-45.2; 23.4-46.0, respectively), whereas the IVC collapsibility index increased by 21.6, 22.6 and 19.3% (CI 95%: 11.6-42.9; 18.5-39.5; 7.7-30.0). IVC diameters appeared to return to pre-donation values within 20min but this was only detected by the hepatic long axis view.

SOLUTION: Do inferior vena cava diameters and collapsibility index reveal early volume depletion in a blood donor model?

PROBLEM: Previous magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies have demonstrated increased iron deposition in the basal ganglia of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. However, it is not clear whether these alterations are associated with changes of iron metabolism in body fluids.', 'The purpose of this study was to investigate if iron metabolism markers in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum of clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) and MS patients differ from controls and how they relate to clinical and imaging parameters.', 'We analysed serum ferritin, transferrin and soluble transferrin-receptor and CSF ferritin and transferrin by nephelometry in non-anaemic CIS (n=60) or early MS (n=14) patients and 68 controls. In CIS/MS we additionally assessed the T2 lesion load.', 'CSF transferrin was significantly decreased in CIS/MS compared to controls (p<0.001), while no significant differences were seen in serum. Higher CSF transferrin levels correlated with lower physical disability scores (r= -0.3, p<0.05). CSF transferrin levels did not correlate with other clinical data and the T2 lesion load.

SOLUTION:
Are cerebrospinal fluid transferrin levels reduced in patients with early multiple sclerosis?