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: Although the majority of evidence does not support association between Helicobacter pylori infection and ischaemic heart disease, the nature of this relationship may differ when virulence of the infecting strains are examined.', 'The prevalence of IgG antibody evidence of infection with CagA positive stains of H. pylori was investigated in stored plasma samples from 259 cases of myocardial infarction (aged 25-70 years, 74 males) and 259 population based controls from the same area in Northern Ireland. Two-hundred and seventy (52.1%) subjects were seropositive for anti-CagA IgG. CagA seropositivity was more common in cases than in controls: 56.4 vs 47.9%, odds ratio for seropositivity in cases (95% CI) 1.41 (1.00, 1.99). Substantial attenuation of this relationship occurred on adjustment for age, sex, number of siblings, smoking and measures of socio-economic status: odds ratio (95% CI) 1.16 (0.79, 1.70). A similar pattern was seen for seropositivity for all H. pylori strains.

SOLUTION: 0

PROBLEM: The aim of this study was to investigate copeptin levels in serum, and assess their associations with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and diabetic complications.', 'In this post hoc analysis, serum levels of copeptin were tested in 306 patients with T2DM. Clinical information including diabetic retinopathy (DR) and diabetic nephropathy (DN) were collected. The relation of serum copeptin with DR and DN were investigated with the use of logistic regression models according to equal quartiles of the distributions of serum copeptin.', 'We found that serum copeptin levels were significantly higher in diabetes as compared to normal controls [9.4(IQR, 7.4-12.5) pmol/L vs. 4.1(IQR, 2.5-6.2) pmol/L; P<0.0001]. In multivariate analysis, there was an increased risk of T2DM associated with copeptin levels (OR 1.312, 95% CI: 1.204-1.403; P<0.0001) after adjusting for possible confounders. After adjustment for possible confounders, serum copeptin levels were positively associated with the DR (odds ratio [OR], 1.117; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.072-1.241; P<0.001) and DN (OR, 1.259; 95% CI, 1.198-1.323; P<0.001). Compared with the first quartile of serum copeptin levels, the ORs for DR and DN were as follows: second quartile, 1.19 (95% CI, 0.94-1.51, P=0.12) and 1.37 (95% CI, 0.78-2.37, P=0.28); third quartile, 1.61 (95% CI, 1.18-2.43, P=0.005) and 2.12 (95% CI, 1.32-3.27, P=0.003); fourth quartile, 2.83 (95% CI, 2.04-4.93; P<0.001) and 3.48 (95% CI, 1.77-7.03; P<0.001), respectively.

SOLUTION: 1

PROBLEM: Sophorae radix (SR) has been used for various diseases including atherosclerosis and arrhythmias. Atherosclerosis induced by hyperglycemia is an important factor in the promotion of diabetic complications. An early event in atherosclerosis is the adhesion of monocytes to endothelium via adhesion molecules. Among them, vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) expression mediates the binding of monocytes and lymphocytes to vascular endothelial cells.', 'The study was performed on vascular endothelial cells (ECV304 cells) that were pretreated with various concentrations of SR extract for 3 h before exposure with high glucose (55.5 mmol/l) for 48 h. The protein expression of VCAM-1 was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and its mRNA expression was by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).', 'SR extract significantly inhibited high glucose-induced expression of VCAM-1 in a dose-dependent manner and reduced the level of VCAM-1 mRNA through interfering with translocation of nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB). Decreased VCAM-1 expression by SR extract was associated reduction of adherence between high glucose-stimulated ECV304 cells and human monocyte-like HL-60 cells.

SOLUTION:
0