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: Helicobater (H.) pylori eradication rates with standard first-line triple therapy have declined to unacceptable levels. To date, amoxicillin-resistant H. pylori strains have rarely been detected. Whether increasing the dosage of amoxicillin in a standard 7 days eradicating regimen may enhance its efficacy is not known. The aim of this paper is to compare the efficacy of a 7 days high-dose amoxicillin based first-line regimen with sequential therapy.', 'We have retrospectively analyzed data from 300 sex and age matched patients, who underwent 3 different therapeutic schemes: (1) standard LCA, lansoprazole 30 mg bid, clarithromycin 500 mg bid and amoxicillin 1000 mg bid for 7 days; (2) high dose LCA (HD-LCA), lansoprazole 30 mg bid, clarithromycin 500 mg bid and amoxicillin 1000 mg tid for 7 days; (3) sequential LACT, lansoprazole 30 mg bid plus amoxicillin 1000 mg bid for 5 days, followed by lansoprazole 30 mg bid, clarithromycin 500 mg bid and tinidazole 500 mg bid for 5 days. Eradication was confirmed by 13C-urea breath test. Compliance and occurrence of adverse effects were also assessed.', 'Eradication rates were: 55% for LCA, 75% for HD-LCA and 73% for LACT. Eradication rates were higher in HD-LCA group compared to LCA (p<0.01), while no significant differences were observed in HD-LCA group compared to LACT (p=ns). Compliance and occurrence of adverse effects were similar among groups.\Question: Is high dose amoxicillin-based first line regimen equivalent to sequential therapy in the eradication of H. pylori infection?

SOLUTION: High-dose amoxicillin based eradicating treatment is superior to standard triple therapy and equivalent to sequential therapy; compared to the latter, the shorter duration may represent an advantage.

PROBLEM: Context: Although meperidine is an effective treatment of postanesthetic shivering, its mechanism of action remains unknown. Investigation of other drugs might help clarify the mechanisms by which shivering can be controlled. Accordingly, we investigated the efficacy of clonidine, an alpha 2-adrenergic agonist, and ketanserin, a 5-hydroxytryptamine antagonist, in treating postanesthetic shivering.', 'First, 54 patients shivering after general anesthesia were allocated randomly to receive an intravenous bolus of saline, 150 micrograms clonidine, or 10 mg ketanserin. A second study explored the dose-dependence of clonidine. Forty shivering patients were given saline or clonidine, 37.5, 75, or 150 micrograms.', 'The duration of shivering was significantly shorter in those given clonidine (2.1 +/- 0.9 min) than in the other two groups and shorter in the ketanserin group (4.3 +/- 0.9 min) than in the saline group (12.0 +/- 1.6 min). Clonidine and ketanserin significantly decreased systolic arterial blood pressure when compared to saline. Core rewarming was significantly slower in the clonidine group. In the second study, 37.5 micrograms clonidine was no more effective than saline. Two minutes after treatment, 150 micrograms obliterated shivering in all patients. Five minutes after treatment, all patients given 75 micrograms had stopped shivering. Systolic arterial pressure and heart rate decreased significantly in patients given 75 and 150 micrograms clonidine.\Question: Are clonidine and ketanserin both effective treatment for postanesthetic shivering?

SOLUTION: Clonidine (150 micrograms) and ketanserin (10 mg) both are effective treatment for postanesthetic shivering. The effect of clonidine on shivering is dose-dependent: whereas 37.5 micrograms had no effect, 75 micrograms clonidine stopped shivering within 5 min.

PROBLEM: Context: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common malignancies worldwide, and it is still lacking effective prognostic biomarkers so far. Previous results of the iTRAQ-based quantitative proteomics study (iTRAQ-2DLC-MS/MS) have shown that α-methylacyl-CoA racemase (AMACR) might be a promising prognostic biomarker for the early recurrence/metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Here a large-scale cohort clinical study was performed to evaluate its prognostic potential.', 'HCC samples from patients (n=158) were used for the construction of tissue microarray. The expression level of AMACR was determined by immunohistochemical staining. A large-scale cohort clinical study between the expression of AMACR and some major clinical parameter has been performed to assess the prognostic potential of AMACR for the early recurrence/metastasis of HCC.', 'Some important clinical parameters such as α-fetoprotein, tumour numbers, dissemination to regional lymph nodes, tumour capsule and portal vein tumour thrombosis are significantly associated with the low expression of AMACR. The expression of AMACR was an independent factor for the survival of patients with HCC. The median survival time was 17 months in the low-expression group compared with 45 months in the high-expression group.\Question: Does α-Methylacyl-CoA racemase ( AMACR ) serve as a prognostic biomarker for the early recurrence/metastasis of HCC?

SOLUTION:
This study reveals that the AMACR might be a potential prognostic marker for predicting early recurrence/metastasis of HCC after hepatectomy.