TASK 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.
PROBLEM: Oesophageal cancer is generally associated with late presentation and poor prognosis. Therefore palliative surgery has been largely superseded by less invasive non-surgical techniques. Once palliation is indicated, the aims of the management should be: the maintenance of oral intake, minimizing hospital stay, relief of pain, elimination of reflux and regurgitation and the prevention of aspiration.', 'This study was a review of all published English language data on the palliation of malignant dysphagia between 1994-1999. The Medline and Bids databases were searched and other references were derived from the material perused.

SOLUTION: 0

PROBLEM: In heart failure, a holistic approach incorporating the patient's perspective is vital for prognosis and treatment. Self-rated health has strong associations with adverse events and short-term mortality risk, but long-term data are limited. We investigated the predictive value of two consecutive self-rated health assessments with regard to long-term mortality in a large, well characterised sample of elderly patients with stable chronic heart failure.", "We measured self-rated health by asking 'In general, would you say your health is: 1, excellent; 2, very good; 3, good; 4, fair; 5, poor?' twice: at baseline and the end of a 12-week beta-blocker up-titration period in the CIBIS-ELD trial. Mortality was assessed in an observational follow-up after 2-4 years. A total of 720 patients (mean left ventricular ejection fraction 45±12%, mean age 73±5 years, 36% women) rated their health at both time points. During long-term follow-up, 144 patients died (all-cause mortality 20%). Fair/poor self-rated health in at least one of the two reports was associated with increased mortality (hazard ratio 1.42 per level; 95% confidence interval 1.16-1.75; P<0.001). It remained independently significant in multiple Cox regression analysis, adjusted for N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide (NTproBNP), heart rate and other risk prediction covariates. Self-rated health by one level worse was as predictive for mortality as a 1.9-fold increase in NTproBNP.

SOLUTION: 1

PROBLEM: The mechanisms through which transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta1 promotes intimal growth, and the pathways through which TGF-beta1 expression is regulated in the artery wall, are incompletely understood. We used a mouse model to investigate mechanisms of TGF-beta1-induced intimal growth.', 'Adenovirus-mediated overexpression of TGF-beta1 in uninjured carotid arteries of wild-type mice induced formation of a cellular and matrix-rich intima. Intimal growth appeared primarily due to cell migration and matrix accumulation, with only a negligible contribution from cell proliferation. Overexpression of TGF-beta1 also stimulated expression of plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 (plasminogen activator inhibitor [PAI]-1) in the artery wall. To test the hypothesis that PAI-1 is a critical downstream mediator of TGF-beta1-induced intimal growth, we transduced carotid arteries of PAI-1-deficient (Serpine1(-/-)) mice with the TGF-beta1-expressing vector. Overexpression of TGF-beta1 in Serpine1(-/-) arteries did not increase intimal growth, matrix accumulation, cell migration, or proliferation. Moreover, TGF-beta1-transduced arteries of Serpine1(-/-) mice secreted 6- to 10-fold more TGF-beta1 than did arteries of wild-type mice that were infused with the same concentration of the TGF-beta1-expressing vector.

SOLUTION:
1