TASK DEFINITION: In this task, you are given a passage which has a question and the context. You have to generate an answer to the question based on the information present in the context.
PROBLEM: Context: The incidence and predictors of spontaneous hepatitis B surface-antigen (HBsAg) seroclearance in patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) were evaluated.', 'A total of 1427 patients with chronic HBV infection, who were followed between 1994 and 2013, were investigated in this retrospective study. All data were extracted from patient files.', 'Spontaneous HBsAg seroclearance occurred in 84 patients during 8798 person-years of follow-up. The patients were categorized into 3 groups at follow-up based on HBV DNA features as continuously <100 copies/mL (Group A), 0-10,000 copies/mL (Group B), and 0 to >10,000 copies/mL (Group C). Alanine aminotransferase features in the 2 groups were categorized as continuously normal (<40 U/L) and 0 to >40 U/L. Spontaneous HBsAg seroclearance was seen primarily in patients with Group A HBV DNA features, and continuously low HBV DNA values were the main predictor of HBsAg seroclearance (P < 0.001).\Question: Is a persistently low HBV DNA level a predictor of spontaneous HBsAg clearance in patients with chronic hepatitis B?

SOLUTION: These results suggest that a continuously low viral load is the most important factor affecting spontaneous HBsAg seroclearance.

PROBLEM: Context: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) improves the prognosis of patients with esophageal cancer who respond, but it is not effective in nonresponders. Therefore, it is crucial to establish a reliable method of predicting response before initiation of chemotherapy. Hypercoagulability, which is thought to be because of upregulation of tissue factor (TF) in cancer cells, was reported to be associated with chemoresistance. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between TF expression and response to NACT in esophageal cancer.', 'In 67 patients with advanced esophageal cancer, TF expression in pretreatment biopsy samples was evaluated immunohistochemically and correlated with clinicopathologic factors and response to chemotherapy.', 'TF was expressed by 43.3% of the tumors, but there were no correlations observed with any clinicopathologic parameters examined. Clinical and histologic responses to chemotherapy were significantly worse in TF-positive patients compared with TF-negative patients. Multivariate analysis revealed that TF expression was significantly associated with a poor clinical response (P\xa0=\xa00.0431). TF expression was also independently associated with poor progression-free survival (P\xa0=\xa00.0353).\Question: Does tissue factor predict response to chemotherapy in esophageal cancer?

SOLUTION: TF expression levels in pretreatment biopsy samples are useful for predicting response to NACT in advanced esophageal cancer. Further studies of mechanisms underlying the relationship between TF expression and chemosensitivity are needed.

PROBLEM: Context: The aim of this study was to describe the revascularization process of autogenous bone block grafts placed with or without an expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (e-PTFE) membrane.', 'Thirty Wistar male rats had their mandibles augmented by either an autogenous bone block graft (group A) or an autogenous bone block graft covered with an e-PTFE membrane (group B). The animals were sacrificed by perfusion at baseline, 3, 7, 14, and 21 days after surgery.', 'After 3 days, the presence of vascular sprouts derived from the recipient bed was observed in group A; more discrete sprouts were also observed in group B. After 7 days, revascularization continued, with vessels derived from both the recipient bed and the surrounding connective tissue in group A but only from the recipient bed in group B. At 14 days, group A showed penetration of vessels at the periphery of the graft; the vessels reached varying distances inside it. In group B, revascularization of the graft occurred mainly near its perforation, its borders, and at the recipient bed-graft interface. After 21 days, graft vascular penetration could be observed throughout the extent of the graft in group A but only approximately halfway through the graft in group B.\Question: Does revascularization of autogenous block graft with or without an e-PTFE membrane?

SOLUTION:
The results emphasized the importance of the vascular network and of the revascularization process of the autogenous bone graft in new bone formation. Early vascular penetration and nutrition of the graft are key factors in its integration with the recipient bed.