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: Beta blockers and calcium antagonists are widely used in the management of angina pectoris in the belief that the combination is more efficacious than either drug alone.', 'This double blind randomised crossover placebo controlled study compares the effects of nicardipine, atenolol and their combination in 30 patients with chronic stable angina. Each treatment period lasted 6 weeks with dose titration after 3 weeks. Symptom limited treadmill exercise testing and radionuclide ventriculography at rest was carried out at the end of each treatment period.', 'Total exercise duration and time to 1-mm ST-segment depression was significantly prolonged by nicardipine and atenolol when compared to placebo, the combination offered no additional benefit. Time to onset of angina was significantly prolonged by nicardipine and the combination but not by atenolol. Indices of left ventricular function were not significantly affected by any treatment other than an increase in left ventricular end diastolic volume on atenolol and the combination.

SOLUTION: Is atenolol or nicardipine alone as efficacious in stable angina as their combination : a double blind randomised trial?

PROBLEM: Right ventricular pacing (RVP) has been associated with heart failure and increased mortality. His-bundle pacing (HBP) is more physiological but requires a mapping catheter or a backup right ventricular lead and is technically challenging.', 'We sought to assess the feasibility, safety, and clinical outcomes of permanent HBP in an unselected population as compared to RVP.', 'All patients requiring pacemaker implantation routinely underwent attempt at permanent HBP using the Select Secure (model 3830) pacing lead in the year 2011 delivered through a fixed-shaped catheter (C315 HIS) at one hospital and RVP at the second hospital. Patients were followed from implantation, 2 weeks, 2 months, 1 year, and 2 years. Fluoroscopy time (FT), pacing threshold (PTh), complications, heart failure hospitalization, and mortality were compared.', 'HBP was attempted in 94 consecutive patients, while 98 patients underwent RVP. HBP was successful in 75 patients (80%). FT was similar (12.7 ± 8 minutes vs 10 ± 14 minutes; median 9.1 vs 6.4 minutes; P = .14) and PTh was higher in the HBP group than in the RVP group (1.35 ± 0.9 V vs 0.6 ± 0.5 V at 0.5 ms; P < .001) and remained stable over a 2-year follow-up period. In patients with >40% ventricular pacing (>60% of patients), heart failure hospitalization was significantly reduced in the HBP group than in the RVP group (2% vs 15%; P = .02). There was no difference in mortality between the 2 groups (13% in the HBP group vs 18% in the RVP group; P = .45).

SOLUTION: Is permanent His-bundle pacing feasible , safe , and superior to right ventricular pacing in routine clinical practice?

PROBLEM: Tissue-plasminogen activator (tPA) demonstrated beneficial effects on peritoneal adhesion formation; however, its short half-life limits its continual fibrinolytic effect. Therefore, we delivered adenovirus encoding tPA to prevent adhesions.', 'Rats were subjected to peritoneal injury and assigned to two protocols. In de novo adhesion protocol, adenovirus encoding human tPA gene (Ad-htPA) was instilled after peritoneal injury in group 1 (n = 22), whereas group 2 received phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) (n = 24). In recurrent adhesion protocol, group 1 (n = 15) received the same Ad-htPA dose after adhesiolysis and group 2 (n = 13) received PBS. Adhesion severity was scored 1 week after ad-htPA instillation. Adhesions were analyzed for htPA mRNA by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and levels of htPA, and fibrinolytic inhibitors PAI-1, TIMP-1, and TGF-beta1 were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.', 'htPA mRNA and protein were only expressed in adhesions from treated groups. A reduction in adhesion scores (P < .01) and in fibrinolytic inhibitors (P < .001) occurred in the treatment groups. Also, negative correlation was found (r = -.69, P < .01) between adhesion scores and htPA protein, but a positive correlation was found (r = .90, P < .01) between adhesion score and fibrinolytic inhibitors. No bleeding or wound complications were encountered.

SOLUTION:
Does adenovirus-mediated overexpression of human tissue plasminogen activator prevent peritoneal adhesion formation/reformation in rats?