bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Impact of Lifelong Exercise Training Dose on Ventricular-Arterial Coupling
Authors: Hieda Michinari , Howden Erin , Shibata Shigeki , Fujimoto Naoki , Bhella Paul S. , Hastings Jeffrey L. , Tarumi Takashi , Sarma Satyam , Fu Qi , Zhang Rong , Levine Benjamin D. 
Published: December 2018

Background:
The dynamic Starling mechanism, as assessed by beat-by-beat changes in stroke volume and left ventricular end-diastolic pressure, reflects ventricular-arterial coupling. It deteriorates with age, and is preserved in highly trained masters athletes. Currently, it remains unclear how much exercise over a lifetime is necessary to preserve efficient ventricular-arterial coupling. The purpose of this study was to assess the dose-dependent relationship between lifelong exercise training and the dynamic Starling mechanism in healthy seniors.

Methods:
One hundred two seniors were recruited and stratified into 4 groups based on 25 years of exercise training history: sedentary subjects (n=27, <2 sessions/week), casual exercisers (n=25, 2–3 sessions/week), committed exercisers (n=25, 4–5 sessions/week), and competitive Masters Athletes (n=25, 6–7 sessions/week). The dynamic Starling mechanism was estimated by transfer function gain between beat-by-beat changes in diastolic pulmonary artery pressure, a surrogate for left ventricular end-diastolic pressure, and stroke volume index.

Results:

The transfer function gain of pulmonary artery pressure–stroke volume index was markedly enhanced in committed and competitive exercisers compared with more sedentary seniors and correlated with higher peak oxygen uptake (V
o
2
) and lower left ventricular stiffness. The power spectral density of pulmonary artery pressure was greater in sedentary adults than in committed and competitive exercisers, whereas the power spectral density of stroke volume index was greater in competitive exercisers than in the other groups.

Conclusions:
There is a graded, dose-dependent improvement in ventricular-arterial coupling with increasing amounts of lifelong regular exercise in healthy older individuals. Our data suggest that the optimal dose of lifelong endurance exercise to preserve ventricular-arterial coupling with age appears to be at least 4 to 5 sessions per week.
The Impact of Tropospheric and Stratospheric Tropical Variability on the Location, Frequency, and Duration of Cool-Season Extratropical Synoptic Events
Authors: Attard Hannah E. , Lang Andrea L. 
Published: December 2018

Abstract
Cool-season occurrences of blocks, extratropical cyclones that undergo explosive cyclogenesis, and tropical cyclones (TCs) that undergo extratropical transition (ET) from 1980 to 2015 are analyzed using the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s Modern-Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications, version 2, dataset. These synoptic events are first examined in a climatological analysis that includes identifying consecutive synoptic events, namely, blocks that follow bombs or ET events as well as extratropical cyclones that follow ET events. These synoptic events are then analyzed with respect to three tropical modes of variability: the Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO), El Niño–Southern Oscillation, and the stratospheric quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO). The QBO was considered from both a momentum and thermal point of view, using the equatorial 30-hPa zonal-mean wind and the equatorial zonal wind shear between 30 and 50 hPa, respectively. The results show that in the seven days prior to cool-season blocks and ET events, there is a statistically significant frequency minimum in MJO phases 7 and 3, respectively. With respect to the QBO, there is a statistically significant frequency maximum in neutral QBO conditions during bomb onset and a frequency minimum during ET onset. When stratifying bombs by latitude, there is a significant reduction in Arctic (i.e., poleward of 55°N) bomb onset during easterly QBO conditions. The results show that both tropospheric and stratospheric tropical modes of variability can modulate the frequency of extratropical synoptic events to a similar degree.
Evacuee Perception of Geophysical Hazards for Hurricane Irma
Authors: Senkbeil Jason , Collins Jennifer , Reed Jacob 
Published: December 2018

AbstractHurricane Irma was one of the strongest Atlantic hurricanes in history before landfall and caused a large evacuation. A total of 155 evacuees at interstate rest areas were asked to rank their concern about damage at their residence for six different geophysical hurricane hazards. Additionally, they were asked about their perceived maximum wind speeds (PMWS) and the wind speeds at which they thought damage would occur (DW) at their residence. These wind speeds were then compared to the actual peak wind gusts (APG) nearest to each resident’s location. Results show a significantly greater concern for wind and storm size, compared to other hazards (tornadoes, rainfall/flooding, storm surge, falling trees). The mean PMWS of evacuees was greater than the mean APG, suggesting widespread misperception of wind speeds. Furthermore, the mean APG was less than the mean DW, and the mean PMWS was also higher than the DW. Additional tests found no significant differences in wind perception between residents with previous storm experiences and no experience, and no significant differences between those who resided in mandatory evacuation zip codes and those who did not. These results suggest that wind speed risk is poorly understood, even though it is a high concern for evacuees from hurricanes. The communication of wind speed risk in forecasts should possibly be modified by placing greater emphasis on postlandfall impacts, wind speed decay after landfall, and wind speeds that cause damage to different types of residences.
Economic Effects of Climate Change in Alaska
Authors: Berman Matthew , Schmidt Jennifer I. 
Published: December 2018

AbstractWe summarize the potential nature and scope of economic effects of climate change in Alaska that have already occurred and are likely to become manifest over the next 30–50 years. We classified potential effects discussed in the literature into categories according to climate driver, type of environmental service affected, certainty and timing of the effects, and potential magnitude of economic consequences. We then described the nature of important economic effects and provided estimates of larger, more certain effects for which data were available. Largest economic effects were associated with costs to prevent damage, relocate, and replace infrastructure threatened by permafrost thaw, sea level rise, and coastal erosion. The costs to infrastructure were offset by a large projected reduction in space heating costs attributable to milder winters. Overall, we estimated that five relatively certain, large effects that could be readily quantified would impose an annual net cost of $340–$700 million, or 0.6%–1.3% of Alaska’s GDP. This significant, but relatively modest, net economic effect for Alaska as a whole obscures large regional disparities, as rural communities face large projected costs while more southerly urban residents experience net gains.
Honey as a Treatment in Otorhinolaryngology: A Review by Subspecialty
Authors: Tharakan Theresa , Bent John , Tavaluc Raluca 
Published: December 2018

Objectives: To provide an up-to-date review of honey’s effectiveness and potential applications in otorhinolaryngology. Methods: A literature search of the online databases PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials was conducted. Results: Sixty-three studies were identified within head and neck surgery (n = 23, 36%); pediatric otolaryngology (n = 18, 29%); rhinology, sinus, and skull base surgery (n = 11, 17%); otology (n = 6, 10%), facial plastic and reconstructive surgery (n = 3, 5%); and laryngology (n = 2, 3%). Studies included 6 meta-analyses, 44 randomized control trials, 5 case reports, and 8 animal models or in vitro studies. Of 55 clinical studies, 50 reported Level 1 evidence (prospective randomized control trials), and 5 reported Level 4 evidence (case series). The evidence level by subspecialty was: head and neck surgery (Level 1 n = 23), pediatrics (Level 1 n = 18), rhinology (Level 1 n = 7, level 4 n = 1), otology (Level 1 n = 1, Level 4 n = 3), facial plastics and reconstructive surgery (Level 4 n = 1), and laryngology (Level 1 n = 2). Conclusions: Honey can be used for a variety of otolaryngology conditions. The highest quality meta-analyses support oral honey for prevention and treatment of oral mucositis in cancer patients, cough associated with upper respiratory infection in children, and pain control after tonsillectomy. Further research will likely justify broader applications.
Colorectal, cervical and prostate cancer screening in Australians with severe mental illness: Retrospective nation-wide cohort study
Authors: Tuesley Karen M , Jordan Susan J , Siskind Dan J , Kendall Bradley J , Kisely Steve 
Published: December 2018

Objective: People with severe mental illness have similar cancer incidence, but higher mortality than the general population. Participation in cancer screening may be a contributing factor but existing studies are conflicting. The aim of this study was to investigate the frequency of colorectal, prostate and cervical cancer screening among people with and without severe mental illness in Australia, who have access to universal health care. Methods: We followed three cohorts using de-identified data from a random 10% sample of people registered for Australia’s universal health care system: those aged 50–69 years ( n = 760,058) for colorectal cancer screening; women aged 18–69 years ( n = 918,140) for cervical cancer screening and men aged 50–69 years ( n = 380,238) for prostate cancer screening. We used Poisson regression to estimate incidence rate ratios and 95% confidence intervals for the association between severe mental illness and rates of faecal occult blood testing, pap smears and prostate-specific antigen testing. Results: Having severe mental illness was associated with a 17% reduction in rates of pap smear (incidence rate ratio = 0.83, 95% confidence interval: 0.82–0.84) and prostate-specific antigen testing (incidence rate ratio = 0.83, 95% confidence interval: 0.81–0.85), compared to the general population. By contrast, incidence rates of faecal occult blood testing were only lower in people with severe mental illness among the participants who visited their general practitioner less than an average of five times per year (incidence rate ratio = 0.83, 95% confidence interval = [0.73, 0.94]). Conclusion: Our results suggest that differences in screening frequency may explain some of the mismatch between cancer incidence and mortality in people with severe mental illness and indicate that action is required to improve preventive screening in this very disadvantaged group.
Shared associations between histories of victimisation among people with eating disorder symptoms and higher weight
Authors: Mitchison Deborah , Bussey Kay , Touyz Stephen , Gonzalez-Chica David , Musker Michael , Stocks Nigel , Licinio Julio , Hay Phillipa 
Published: December 2018

Background: The success of integrated prevention initiatives for eating disorders and obesity is hampered by a lack of shared risk factor research. Bullying and sexual abuse are potentially potent shared risk factors for the spectrum of eating and weight disorders. Methods: A representative sample of N = 3005 South Australian males and females ≥15 years was interviewed about their height, weight, eating disorder symptoms, lifetime experiences of bullying and sexual abuse and mental and physical health-related quality of life. Results: Participants who were currently obese (25.2%) or underweight (2.7%) or who reported current eating disorder symptoms (32.7%) were between 10% and 27% more likely to have experienced bullying, and obese and eating disordered participants were also 47% and 56% more likely to have experienced sexual abuse, respectively. In regard to specific symptoms, a lifetime history of bullying was associated with increased risk of obesity, extreme dieting, purging and overvaluation of body weight and/or shape, whereas a lifetime history of sexual abuse was associated with increased risk of obesity, binge eating and extreme dieting and decreased risk of underweight. Lifetime histories of bullying and sexual abuse were associated with health-related quality of life impairment; however, lifetime bullying was associated with a greater adverse impact among participants with current eating disorder symptoms. Conclusion: Self-reported bullying and sexual abuse victimisation have shared associations with eating and weight spectrum problems. Differences in the symptoms associated with bullying versus sexual abuse are discussed, as well as the clinical and public health implications.
A randomized controlled study of whether setting specific goals improves the effectiveness of therapy in people with Parkinson’s disease
Authors: Cabrera-Martos Irene , Ortiz-Rubio Araceli , Torres-Sánchez Irene , Rodríguez-Torres Janet , López-López Laura , Valenza Marie Carmen 
Published: December 2018

Objective: To evaluate the effects of an intervention based on a specific set of goals on goal attainment, manual dexterity, hand grip strength and finger prehension force compared to a standardized approach in patients with Parkinson’s disease. Design: Randomized controlled trial. Setting: Home-based. Participants: Fifty patients with a clinical diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease acknowledging impaired manual ability were randomized into two groups. Interventions: Patients in the experimental group ( n = 25) were included in an intervention focused on task components that involved goals proposed by participants. Patients in the control group ( n = 25) received a standard intervention focused on impairments in range of motion, grasp and manipulation. Home condition and duration (four weeks, twice a week) were similar in both groups. Main outcome measures: The primary outcome measure was goal achievement assessed with the Goal Attainment Scaling. Secondary outcomes were manual dexterity evaluated with the Purdue Pegboard Test and hand grip strength and finger prehension force assessed using a dynamometer. Results: After four weeks, significant between-group improvement in goal attainment was observed in the experimental group (change 17.36 ± 7.48 vs. 4.03 ± 6.43, P < 0.001). Compared to the control group, the experimental group also showed a significant improvement ( P < 0.05) in manual dexterity (postintervention values in the most affected arm 10.55 ± 1.95 vs. 7.33 ± 3.63 pins, P < 0.001) and finger prehension force (postintervention values in the most affected arm 8.03 ± 1.93 vs. 6.31 ± 1.85 kg, P = 0.010). Conclusions: Targeting therapy toward specific goals leads to greater changes in arm function than a standardized approach in people with Parkinson’s disease.
Procognitive effects of varenicline in the animal model of schizophrenia depend on α4β2- and α7-nicotinic acetylcholine receptors
Authors: Potasiewicz Agnieszka , Golebiowska Joanna , Popik Piotr , Nikiforuk Agnieszka 
Published: December 2018

Background: Varenicline, a partial agonist of the α4β2 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α4β2-nAChR), is currently used to facilitate smoking cessation. Preclinical and clinical studies have suggested that this compound may also be effective in treating cognitive impairments in schizophrenia. However, it is unclear which nicotinic acetylcholine receptor subtypes may be involved because varenicline is not only a partial agonist for α4β2-nAChRs but also a full agonist for α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (α7-nAChRs). Aim: We investigated the effects of varenicline, compared to the α4β2-nAChR partial agonist TC-2403 and the α7-nAChR full agonist PNU-282987, in a ketamine-based model of schizophrenia-like cognitive deficits on the attentional set-shifting task in rats. The second goal was to elucidate whether the procognitive efficacy of varenicline was due to the compound’s action on α4β2-nAChRs or α7-nAChRs. Methods: Ketamine was administered to rats for 10 consecutive days and the test was performed 14 days following the last injection. The tested compounds were administered 30 min prior to the attentional set-shifting task. Results: Varenicline, TC-2403 and PNU-282987 ameliorated ketamine-evoked set-shifting deficits. While the α4β2-nAChR antagonist dihydro-β-erythroidine and the α7-nAChR antagonist methyllycaconitine completely prevented the procognitive actions of TC-2403 and PNU-282987, respectively, varenicline’s effect was only partially blocked by any given antagonist. Moreover, the combined treatment with TC-2403 and PNU-282987 more effectively facilitated rats’ set-shifting ability than activation of either type of nicotinic acetylcholine receptor alone. Conclusion: The present findings demonstrated that varenicline’s actions on both α7-nAChRs and α4β2-nAChRs may be necessary to produce its full procognitive effect in the present experimental setting.
Association of Dynamic Balance With Sports-Related Concussion: A Prospective Cohort Study
Authors: Johnston William , O’Reilly Martin , Duignan Ciara , Liston Mairead , McLoughlin Rod , Coughlan Garrett F. , Caulfield Brian 
Published: December 2018

Background: Concussion is one of the most common sports-related injuries, with little understood about the modifiable and nonmodifiable risk factors. Researchers have yet to evaluate the association between modifiable sensorimotor function variables and concussive injury. Purpose: To investigate the association between dynamic balance performance, a discrete measure of sensorimotor function, and concussive injuries. Study Design: Cohort study (diagnosis); Level of evidence, 3. Methods: A total of 109 elite male rugby union players were baseline tested in dynamic balance performance while wearing an inertial sensor and prospectively followed during the 2016-2017 rugby union season. The sample entropy of the inertial sensor gyroscope magnitude signal was derived to provide a discrete measure of dynamic balance performance. Logistic regression modeling was then used to investigate the association among the novel digital biomarker of balance performance, known risk factors of concussion (concussion history, age, and playing position), and subsequent concussive injury. Results: Participant demographic data (mean ± SD) were as follows: age, 22.6 ± 3.6 years; height, 185 ± 6.5 cm; weight, 98.9 ± 12.5 kg; body mass index, 28.9 ± 2.9 kg/m2; and leg length, 98.8 ± 5.5 cm. Of the 109 players, 44 (40.3%) had a history of concussion, while 21 (19.3%) sustained a concussion during the follow-up period. The receiver operating characteristic analysis for the anterior sample entropy demonstrated a statistically significant area under the curve (0.64; 95% CI, 0.52-0.76; P < .05), with the cutoff score of anterior sample entropy ≥1.2, which maximized the sensitivity (76.2%) and specificity (53.4%) for identifying individuals who subsequently sustained a concussion. Players with suboptimal balance performance at baseline were at a 2.81-greater odds (95% CI, 1.02-7.74) of sustaining a concussion during the rugby union season than were those with optimal balance performance, even when controlling for concussion history. Conclusion: Rugby union players who possess poorer dynamic balance performance, as measured by a wearable inertial sensor during the Y balance test, have a 3-times-higher relative risk of sustaining a sports-related concussion, even when controlling for history of concussion. These findings have important implications for research and clinical practice, as it identifies a potential modifiable risk factor. Further research is required to investigate this association in a large cohort consisting of males and females across a range of sports.
Le rôle de la contagion physique négative dans l’achat d’un produit d’occasion vendu en ligne
Authors: Bezançon Marjolaine , Guiot Denis , Le Nagard Emmanuelle 
Published: December 2018

Résumé La perception d’une contagion physique négative a été identifiée dans la littérature comme un frein à l’achat de produits d’occasion dans un contexte hors ligne. Compte tenu du développement de l’achat d’occasion sur Internet, cet article étudie l’effet de la saillance du contact entre le propriétaire précédent et le produit sur l’achat de produits d’occasion en ligne. Une première expérimentation montre un effet de contagion physique négative sur l’intention d’achat, effet médiatisé par le risque perçu physique. Or, de nombreux acteurs de l’occasion sur Internet adoptent des stratégies de présentation visant à accentuer la similitude avec le neuf. Une deuxième expérimentation montre que la similitude avec un produit neuf permet de réduire ce risque perçu physique pour les individus non-experts de la catégorie de produits, tandis qu’elle dégrade la qualité perçue pour les experts. Dans les deux expérimentations menées, l’effet du dégoût, qui joue un rôle important dans les circuits de distribution physiques, s’avère non significatif.
Nothing to sneeze at – uptake of protective measures against an influenza pandemic by people with schizophrenia: willingness and perceived barriers
Authors: Maguire Paul A , Reay Rebecca E , Looi Jeffrey CL 
Published: December 2018

Objectives: To examine willingness to adopt protective behaviours, and perceived barriers, during a pandemic influenza, in people with schizophrenia. Methods: A cross-sectional study using a questionnaire was conducted exploring the responses of 71 adults with schizophrenia and 238 adults without schizophrenia attending a general practice setting, regarding willingness and perceived barriers to adopting protective measures against the 2009 swine influenza pandemic in Australia. Results: The majority of participants with schizophrenia reported that they would be at least moderately willing to be vaccinated (74.2%), isolate themselves (73.2%), wear a face mask (54.9%) and increase hand washing (88.6%). However, 71.8% were concerned about “catching” flu from vaccination. Predictors of willingness to adopt protective actions included self-efficacy (vaccination, face mask, isolation), perceived likelihood of contracting swine flu (vaccination), educational status (face mask) and perceived overall risk from swine flu (face mask). Key modifiable perceived barriers to adopting protective measures were identified, including cost and need for transport assistance for vaccination. Conclusions: People with schizophrenia report being generally willing to adopt protective measures, especially increased hand washing, during a pandemic influenza. Understanding perceived barriers may enable development of effective interventions to increase uptake of protective measures.