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: Various techniques and devices have been proposed for tricuspid valve (TV) repair in patients with tricuspid regurgitation (TR). However, residual or recurrent TR is not uncommon occurring in 20% to 30% of patients. This study reports first experiences with a new three-dimensional annuloplasty ring.', 'We retrospectively reviewed 200 consecutive patients who underwent TV repair for functional TR with the Contour 3D annuloplasty ring (Medtronic, Minneapolis, MN) from December 2010 to February 2013 at our institution. The follow-up is 98% complete (mean 1.0 ±\xa00.7 years; cumulative total 189 patient-years).', 'Mean age was 70.4 ± 9.1 years and the median logistic European system for cardiac operative risk was 7%. Sixty-nine percent of the patients were in New York Heart Association class III/IV. Echocardiography documented moderate or severe TR in 97.5% of the patients, with a mean annulus diameter of 45.1 ± 4.9 mm; 93.5% of the patients underwent a combined procedure, and 20.5% an urgent or emergent operation. The 30-day mortality was 6%. The preoperative TR grade was reduced from 2.45 ± 0.53 to 0.77 ± 0.54 (p < 0.001). At hospital discharge residual II TR or greater was present in 4.3% of the patients. Freedom from recurrent II TR or greater at 2\xa0years was 90.9% ± 4.2% and freedom from TV-related reoperations at 2 years was 98.5% ± 1.0%. No case of\xa0ring dehiscence occurred. Fourteen patients (7%) required a permanent pacemaker implantation for atrioventricular block.

SOLUTION: Does early experience with a new three-dimensional annuloplasty ring for the treatment of functional tricuspid regurgitation?

PROBLEM: The purpose of this study is to determine whether chiropractic manipulation is associated with any measurable changes in the difference between the arterial blood pressures on the left and right before and after treatment in normotensive subjects.', 'A nonrandomized, matched pair, controlled clinical trial, with the treatment (manipulation) group and control (resting) group matched for age and sex, was performed in chiropractic student clinics in London, UK. The treatment group consisted of 35 new patients presenting to a single student chiropractor between the start of April 2003 and the end of August 2003. The control group consisted of 35 nonpatients matched for sex and age. The intervention was chiropractic manipulation. Preintervention and postintervention systolic and diastolic blood pressures were recorded in both arms through the use of a digital oscillometric sphygmomanometer.', "A significant difference was found between the pre- and posttreatment blood pressure differences for systolic pressures (P = .01), but no significant difference was found in either set of control data or the treatment diastolic values. A significant difference was also found between the treatment and control group's preintervention systolic differences (P = .002), but not between the groups at any other time.

SOLUTION: Does chiropractic manipulation affect the difference between arterial systolic blood pressures on the left and right in normotensive subjects?

PROBLEM: Individuals with histories of smoking in first-degree relatives are significantly more likely to be persistent smokers themselves. The mechanisms underlying this relationship are unknown. Considerable research has demonstrated that smokers display heightened levels of cigarette craving after being exposed to stressful situations, and the magnitude of these craving responses is thought to be predictive of later cessation failure. Based on this research, we tested experimentally the hypothesis that smokers with two or more first-degree relatives who smoked (FH+) would exhibit stronger craving reactions following stressful stimuli than smokers without such family histories (FH-).', 'We recruited 83 smokers by advertisement (mean age = 41.2 years, 57% female, 41% completed some college, 59% African American).', 'The study was conducted in an interview room in an urban medical center.', 'Participants were exposed to a neutral situation (changing a lightbulb) and a stressful situation (dental work) using script-guided imagery.', 'Participants completed background measures of demographics, distress and smoking behavior. In addition, participants completed cigarette craving and anxiety questionnaires immediately before and after each condition.', 'Supporting the study hypothesis, FH+ smokers (n = 39) selectively displayed stronger craving reactions to dental imagery (P < 0.03) than did FH- smokers (n = 44).

SOLUTION:
Does a family history of smoking predict heightened levels of stress-induced cigarette craving?