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: In diabetics with end-stage renal disease (ESRD), risk of death has been reported to be non-constant after the first dialysis, and different outcomes have been observed between genders. We assessed the impact of type 2 diabetes (T2DM) on mortality in dialysis regarding its differential effect by gender using time-dependent analyses.', 'All T2DM and non-diabetic (no-DM) patients who started dialysis in two renal units in Lyon, France, between January 1, 1995, and December 31, 2007, were included. In multivariate analyses, the Cox model and Shoenfeld residual approach were used to assess the effect of T2DM on dialysis mortality by gender.', 'We included 235 T2DM (males: 57.9%) and 480 no-DM (males: 65.6%) patients. In males, the adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) for death in T2DM versus no-DM was 0.83 (p = 0.20) and was constant over time after the first renal replacement therapy (RRT) (p = 0.88). In females, aHR for death in T2DM versus no-DM patients was not constant over time (p = 0.002). It was 0.64 (p = 0.13) within the first year after the first RRT and 2.10 (p = 0.002) after the first year. Evolutions with time of these aHR by gender were significantly different (p = 0.009).\Question: Does the Impact of type 2 diabetes on mortality in end-stage renal disease patients differ between genders?

SOLUTION: T2DM was associated with death only in females. This association was not constant over time after the first dialysis.

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: Surgical debridement is often required to treat spinal infections. Successful surgery requires accurate localization of the active infections, however, current imaging technique still requires surgeons' experience to narrow the surgical fields to achieve less invasive procedures.", 'To investigate the use of F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) for successful surgical planning.', 'Nine patients with suspected spinal infection underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and FDG-PET/CT before surgery to locate active foci of infections. The spinal structures were divided into seven compartments at each intervertebral disc level for a total of 315 compartments investigated. The same classification system was used to design operating fields for histological correlation.', 'FDG-PET/CT diagnosed fewer compartments as active infection (34 compartments, 10.8%) than MRI (62 compartments, 19.7%, P=0.002). Surgical exploration was performed in 49 compartments, and demonstrated active infection in 25 compartments. The sensitivity / specificity of FDG-PET/CT was 100% / 79%, respectively, which was superior to those of MRI, 76% / 42%. Foci of active infection showed hypermetabolic activity with a SUVmax of 7.12.6 (range, 3.0-12.7). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis indicated an optimal threshold for active spinal infection at a SUVmax of 4.2, corresponding to a sensitivity of 90.3% and specificity of 91.2%.\Question: Does 18F-FDG-PET/CT better localize active spinal infection than MRI for successful minimally invasive surgery?

SOLUTION:
FDG-PET/CT demonstrated limited areas of abnormality allowing accurate delineation, and is thus useful to narrow the surgical fields. Since overall diagnostic accuracy of FDG-PET/CT was superior to that of MRI, FDG-PET/CT is a useful technique to narrow the surgical field for successful less invasive surgery.