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: MRI of tissues with rapid transverse relaxation can be performed efficiently using the zero echo time (ZTE) technique. At high bandwidths leading to large relative initial radiofrequency (RF) dead times, the method becomes increasingly sensitive to artifacts related to signal stemming from outside the field of view, particularly from the RF coils. Therefore, in this work, a birdcage coil was designed that is virtually free of 1H signal.', 'A transmit-receive birdcage RF coil for MRI of joints at 7T was designed by rigorously avoiding materials containing 1H nuclei, by using purely mechanical connections without glue, and by spoiling of unwanted signal by application of ferromagnetic materials. The coil was tested for residual 1H signal using ZTE phantom and in vivo joint imaging.', 'In standard ZTE imaging, no 1H signal was detected above noise level. Only at extreme averaging, residual signal was observed close to conductors associated with 1H-containing molecules at adjacent glass surfaces. Phantom images with dead times up to 3.8 Nyquist dwells were obtained with only negligible background artifacts. Furthermore, high-quality ZTE images of human joints were acquired.

SOLUTION: 1

PROBLEM: Most patients are admitted to the hospital through the emergency department (ED), and ED waiting times partly reflect the availability of inpatient beds. We test whether the balance between daily hospital admissions and discharges affects next-day ED length of stay.', 'We conducted a cross-sectional study of hospitals in metropolitan Toronto, served by a single emergency medical services provider in a publicly funded system. During a 3-year period, we evaluated the daily ratio of admissions to discharges at each hospital and the next-day median ED length of stay in the same hospital by using linear regression.', 'Across hospitals, the daily mean (SD) 50th percentile ED length of stay averaged 218 (51) minutes. As the inpatient admission-discharge ratio increased or decreased, next-day ED length of stay changed accordingly. Compared with ratios of 1.0, those less than 0.6 were associated with an 11-minute (95% confidence interval [CI] 5 to 16 minutes) shorter next-day median ED length of stay; at admission-discharge ratios of 1.3 to 1.4, ED length of stay was significantly prolonged by 5 minutes (95% CI 3 to 6 minutes). Admission-discharge ratios on weekends and among medical inpatients had a stronger influence on next-day ED length of stay; effects were also greater among higher-acuity and admitted ED patients.

SOLUTION: 1

PROBLEM: Nicotine causes ischemia and necrosis of skin flaps. Phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE-5) inhibition enhances blood flow and vasculogenesis. This study examines skin flap survival in rats exposed to nicotine that are treated with and without PDE-5 inhibition.', 'Eighty six rats were divided into five groups. Group 1 received saline subcutaneous (SC) once per day. Group 2 received nicotine SC 2 mg/kg day. Group 3 received sildenafil intraperitoneal (IP) 10 mg/kg day. Group 4 received nicotine SC 2 mg/kg and sildenafil IP 10 mg/kg day. Group 5 received nicotine SC 2 mg/kg day and sildenafil IP 10 mg/kg two times daily. After 28 days of treatment, modified McFarlane flaps were created, silicone sheets were interposed, and flaps were sutured. Photographs were taken on postoperative days 1, 3, and 7 and fluorescence angiography was used on day 7, both to evaluate for skin flap necrosis. Rats were euthanized and flaps were harvested for Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) Western blot analysis. Images were analyzed by three blinded observers using ImageJ, and necrotic indices were calculated.', 'The nicotine and PDE-5 inhibition twice-daily group showed a 46% reduction in flap necrosis when compared to saline only (P<0.05) and a 54% reduction when compared to nicotine only (P<0.01). Fluorescence angiographic image analysis revealed reductions in flap necrosis (P<0.01). VEGF analysis trended toward increased VEGF for all sildenafil-treated groups (P>0.05).

SOLUTION:
0