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: Chronic pancreatitis is characterized by inflammation, atrophy, fibrosis with progressive ductal changes, and functional changes that include variable exocrine and endocrine insufficiency and multiple patterns of pain. We investigated whether abdominal imaging features accurately predict patterns of pain.', 'We collected data from participants in the North American Pancreatitis Study 2 Continuation and Validation, a prospective multicenter study of patients with chronic pancreatitis performed at 13 expert centers in the United States from July 2008 through March 2012. Chronic pancreatitis was defined based on the detection of characteristic changes by cross-sectional abdominal imaging, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, endoscopic ultrasonography, or histology analyses. Patients were asked by a physician or trained clinical research coordinator if they had any abdominal pain during the year before enrollment, those who responded "yes" were asked to select from a list of 5 pain patterns. By using these patterns, we\xa0classified patients\' pain based on timing and severity. Abnormal pancreatitis-associated features on abdominal imaging were recorded using standardized case report forms.', 'Data were collected from 518 patients (mean age, 52 ± 14.6 y; 55% male; and 87.6% white). The most common physician-identified etiologies were alcohol (45.8%) and idiopathic (24.3%); 15.6% of patients reported no abdominal pain in the year before enrollment. The most common individual pain pattern was described as constant mild pain with episodes of severe pain and was reported in 45% of patients. The most common imaging findings included pancreatic ductal dilatation (68%), atrophy (57%), and calcifications (55%). Imaging findings were categorized as obstructive for 20% and as inflammatory for 25% of cases. The distribution of individual imaging findings was similar among patients with different patterns of pain. The distribution of pain patterns did not differ among clinically relevant groups of imaging findings.

SOLUTION: 1

PROBLEM: To assess the impact of an audiovisual (AV) biofeedback on intra- and interfraction tumor motion for lung cancer patients.', 'Lung tumor motion was investigated in 9 lung cancer patients who underwent a breathing training session with AV biofeedback before 2 3T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) sessions. The breathing training session was performed to allow patients to become familiar with AV biofeedback, which uses a guiding wave customized for each patient according to a reference breathing pattern. In the first MRI session (pretreatment), 2-dimensional cine-MR images with (1) free breathing (FB) and (2) AV biofeedback were obtained, and the second MRI session was repeated within 3-6 weeks (mid-treatment). Lung tumors were directly measured from cine-MR images using an auto-segmentation technique; the centroid and outlier motions of the lung tumors were measured from the segmented tumors. Free breathing and AV biofeedback were compared using several metrics: intra- and interfraction tumor motion consistency in displacement and period, and the outlier motion ratio.', 'Compared with FB, AV biofeedback improved intrafraction tumor motion consistency by 34% in displacement (P=.019) and by 73% in period (P<.001). Compared with FB, AV biofeedback improved interfraction tumor motion consistency by 42% in displacement (P<.046) and by 74% in period (P=.005). Compared with FB, AV biofeedback reduced the outlier motion ratio by 21% (P<.001).

SOLUTION: 1

PROBLEM: The angiopoietin-1 (Ang1)/Tie-2 signaling system not only plays a pivotal role in vessel growth, remodeling, and maturation, but also reduces apoptosis of endothelial cells, neurons, and cardiomyocytes. However, relatively little is known as to whether Ang1 has a protective effect on mesenchymal stem cells (MSC). The aim of the present study was to investigate the protective effect of Ang1/Tie-2 signaling on MSC against serum deprivation and hypoxia-induced apoptosis, and to determine the possible mechanisms.', 'Hoechst 33342 and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated digoxigenin-dUTP nick-end labeling staining were used to assess the apoptosis of MSC. The expression of Tie-2, Akt, Bcl-2, Bax, and cleaved caspase-9 and -3 was detected by Western blot analysis.', 'This study showed that MSC expressed Tie-2 receptor, and Ang1 induced Tie-2 receptor phosphorylation. The protective effect of Ang1 on MSC was dose-dependent and peaked at 50 microg/L; however, the soluble Tie-2/Fc fusion protein, which acts as an inhibitor by sequestering Ang1, abrogated the anti-apoptotic effect. Ang1 induced Akt phosphorylation, increased the Bcl-2/Bax ratio, and decreased the activation of caspase-9 and -3. All these effects were attenuated by Tie-2/Fc and a phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase (PI3K) inhibitor, wortmannin.

SOLUTION:
1