bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Association of Vegetable Nitrate Intake With Carotid Atherosclerosis and Ischemic Cerebrovascular Disease in Older Women
Authors: Bondonno Catherine P. , Blekkenhorst Lauren C. , Prince Richard L. , Ivey Kerry L. , Lewis Joshua R. , Devine Amanda , Woodman Richard J. , Lundberg Jon O. , Croft Kevin D. , Thompson Peter L. , Hodgson Jonathan M. 
Published: June 2017

Background and Purpose—

A short-term increase in dietary nitrate (NO
3
−
) improves markers of vascular health via formation of nitric oxide and other bioactive nitrogen oxides. Whether this translates into long-term vascular disease risk reduction has yet to be examined. We investigated the association of vegetable-derived nitrate intake with common carotid artery intima-media thickness (CCA-IMT), plaque severity, and ischemic cerebrovascular disease events in elderly women (n=1226).

Methods—
Vegetable nitrate intake, lifestyle factors, and cardiovascular disease risk factors were determined at baseline (1998). CCA-IMT and plaque severity were measured using B-mode carotid ultrasound (2001). Complete ischemic cerebrovascular disease hospitalizations or deaths (events) over 14.5 years (15 032 person-years of follow-up) were obtained from the West Australian Data Linkage System.

Results—

Higher vegetable nitrate intake was associated with a lower maximum CCA-IMT (B=−0.015,
P
=0.002) and lower mean CCA-IMT (B=−0.012,
P
=0.006). This relationship remained significant after adjustment for lifestyle and cardiovascular risk factors (
P
≤0.01). Vegetable nitrate intake was not a predictor of plaque severity. In total 186 (15%) women experienced an ischemic cerebrovascular disease event. For every 1 SD (29 mg/d) higher intake of vegetable nitrate, there was an associated 17% lower risk of 14.5-year ischemic cerebrovascular disease events in both unadjusted and fully adjusted models (
P
=0.02).

Conclusions—
Independent of other risk factors, higher vegetable nitrate was associated with a lower CCA-IMT and a lower risk of an ischemic cerebrovascular disease event.
Effect of Long-Term Vascular Care on Progression of Cerebrovascular Lesions
Authors: van Dalen Jan Willem , Moll van Charante Eric P. , Caan Matthan W.A. , Scheltens Philip , Majoie Charles B.L.M. , Nederveen Aart J. , van Gool Willem A. , Richard Edo 
Published: June 2017

Background and Purpose—
This study aimed to evaluate the effect of a nurse-led multidomain cardiovascular intervention on white matter hyperintensity (WMH) progression and incident lacunar infarcts in community-dwelling elderly with hypertension.

Methods—
The preDIVA trial (Prevention of Dementia by Intensive Vascular Care) was an open-label, cluster-randomized controlled trial in community-dwelling individuals aged 70 to 78 years. General practices were assigned by computer-generated randomization to 6-year nurse-led, multidomain intensive vascular care or standard care. Of 3526 preDIVA participants, 195 nondemented participants with a systolic blood pressure ≥140 mm Hg were consecutively recruited to undergo magnetic resonance imaging at 2 to 3 and 5 to 6 years after baseline. WMH volumes were measured automatically, lacunar infarcts assessed visually, blinded to treatment allocation.

Results—

One hundred and twenty-six participants were available for longitudinal analysis (64 intervention and 62 control). Annual WMH volume increase in milliliter was similar for intervention (mean=0.73, SD=0.84) and control (mean=0.70, SD=0.59) participants (adjusted mean difference, −0.08 mL; 95% confidence interval, −0.30 to 0.15;
P
=0.50). Analyses suggested greater intervention effects with increasing baseline WMH volumes (
P
for interaction=0.03). New lacunar infarcts developed in 6 (9%) intervention and 2 (3%) control participants (odds ratio, 2.2; 95% confidence interval, 0.4–12.1;
P
=0.36).

Conclusions—
Nurse-led vascular care in hypertensive community-dwelling older persons did not diminish WMH accumulation over 3 years. However, our results do suggest this type of intervention could be effective in persons with high WMH volumes. There was no effect on lacunar infarcts incidence but numbers were low.

Clinical Trial Information—

URL:
http://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN29711771
. Unique identifier: ISRCTN29711771.
Does Psychosocial Stress Impact Cognitive Reappraisal? Behavioral and Neural Evidence
Authors: Shermohammed Maheen , Mehta Pranjal H. , Zhang Joan , Brandes Cassandra M. , Chang Luke J. , Somerville Leah H. 
Published: June 2017

Abstract
Cognitive reappraisal (CR) is regarded as an effective emotion regulation strategy. Acute stress, however, is believed to impair the functioning of prefrontal-based neural systems, which could result in lessened effectiveness of CR under stress. This study tested the behavioral and neurobiological impact of acute stress on CR. While undergoing fMRI, adult participants (n = 54) passively viewed or used CR to regulate their response to negative and neutral pictures and provided ratings of their negative affect in response to each picture. Half of the participants experienced an fMRI-adapted acute psychosocial stress manipulation similar to the Trier Social Stress Test, and a control group received parallel manipulations without the stressful components. Relative to the control group, the stress group exhibited heightened stress as indexed by self-report, heart rate, and salivary cortisol throughout the scan. Contrary to our hypothesis, we found that reappraisal success was equivalent in the control and stress groups, as was electrodermal response to the pictures. Heart rate deceleration, a physiological response typically evoked by aversive pictures, was blunted in response to negative pictures and heightened in response to neutral pictures in the stress group. In the brain, we found weak evidence of stress-induced increases of reappraisal-related activity in parts of the PFC and left amygdala, but these relationships were statistically fragile. Together, these findings suggest that both the self-reported and neural effects of CR may be robust to at least moderate levels of stress, informing theoretical models of stress effects on cognition and emotion.
Voluntary Additional Health Insurance in the European Union: Free Market or Regulation?
Authors: Calcoen Piet , van de Ven Wynand P.M.M. 
Published: June 2017

Abstract
Recent European Court of Justice (ecj) case law has highlighted apparent inconsistencies in ecj rulings on the regulation of voluntary additional health insurance. In 2013, the ecj upheld Belgian regulations limiting the operation of the free market by restricting increases in premium rates of additional health insurance contracts. By contrast, in 2012, an ecj ruling required Slovenia to repeal such restrictive legislation and not to hinder the operation of the free market. The objective of this article is to feed the discussion on the question whether and under what conditions free-market-driven additional health insurance in the European Union might be acceptable. We conclude that, provided that basic health insurance effectively covers all essential healthcare (essential healthcare services being broadly defined), additional health insurance could be regulated in the same way as all other non-life insurance.
Using a narrative to spark safer sex communication
Authors: Donné Lennie , Hoeks John , Jansen Carel 
Published: June 2017

Objective: College students are a group at risk for contracting sexually transmitted infections (STIs). While they are generally well informed about STIs, they do not consistently use condoms. An important element in preventing STIs is safer sex communication, especially with a sexual partner. This may be difficult, however, because of a lack of experience in talking about safer sex or because of the absence of suitable role models. In this study, a narrative intervention was tested that was developed to provide receivers with a social script for safer sex communication. Design: An experiment was conducted among college students ( N = 225) who were exposed to either a narrative intervention or a non-narrative (brochure) intervention, followed by a post-test questionnaire. In the narrative condition, part of the participants completed a pre-test questionnaire before being exposed to the intervention. Results: Compared to pre-test scores, the narrative positively influenced safer sex communication intentions. The results show no significant differences between post-test scores of the narrative and the non-narrative condition. Mediation analyses showed that narrative processes (identification and transportation) were positively related to safer sex communication. Conclusion: In this study, we investigated both the effects of a narrative intervention on safer sex communication intentions, and the mechanisms of narrative processing underlying these effects. The narrative turned out to be as effective as a brochure version with the same information. Our mediation analyses suggest that narratives can be made more persuasive by increasing the reader’s involvement with the story as a whole, and with one of the characters in particular.
Wound complications after common femoral vein endophlebectomy: Influence on outcome
Authors: Gombert Alexander , Barbati Mohammad E , Grommes Jochen , Kurstjens Ralph LM , deWolf Mark AF , Wittens Cees HA , Jalaie Houman 
Published: June 2017

Introduction Venous recanalization of obstructed femoral and iliac veins is associated with good results regarding the feasibility and patency rate. If the common femoral vein with its inflow vessels is involved, open surgical desobliteration or endophlebectomy has been described as a crucial part of the intervention. However, when performing the hybrid procedure, a number of specific complications have been described. We present our results after venous recanalization including an endophlebectomy, focussing on wound complications and its impact on outcome. Material and methods A retrospective analysis of prospective recorded data of all patients who underwent a hybrid procedure for chronic obstruction of iliofemoral veins between 2010 and 2015 was performed. The patients were treated by recanalization of the affected veins combined with endophlebectomy of the common femoral vein and arteriovenous fistula implantation. Data assessment focussed on complications and patency rates. Results This study includes 96 patients, thereof 58 females with a mean age of 44.1 years. The mean procedure time was 344 ± 140 min (range 124–663). Median follow-up time was 12.5 months (2–33 months). Primary patency was 62.5% and secondary patency was 90%. Re-intervention due to early occlusion within the first 30 post-intervention days was necessary in 37.5% of all cases. Besides bleeding complications, wound complications, mainly classified as Szilagyi I, occurred in 33% of all patients. A multivariate analysis showed a significant impact of wound complications on primary as well as secondary patency rate ( p = 0.032, respectively 0.015). Conclusion Recanalization of obstructed iliac veins and/or the inferior vena cava combined with endophlebectomy of the common femoral vein and arteriovenous fistula implantation is a safe and feasible treatment option in the post-thrombotic syndrome. As wound complications are a common and associated with a significant impact on patency rate, further attempts to improve the procedure are crucial.
Postmortem Whole Exome Sequencing Identifies Novel EIF2B3 Mutation With Prenatal Phenotype in 2 Siblings
Authors: Song Hannah , Haeri Sina , Vogel Hannes , van der Knaap Marjo , Van Haren Keith 
Published: June 2017

Objective: We describe 2 male siblings with a severe, prenatal phenotype of vanishing white matter disease and the impact of whole exome sequencing on their diagnosis and clinical care. Methods: The 2 children underwent detailed clinical characterization, through clinical and laboratory testing, as well as prenatal and postnatal imaging. Biobanked blood from the 2 siblings was submitted for whole exome sequencing at Baylor Laboratories. Results: Both male children had abnormal prenatal neuroimaging and suffered precipitous, fatal neurologic decline. Neuropathologic findings included subependymal pseudocysts, microcalcifications, and profound lack of brain myelin and sparing of peripheral nerve myelin. A novel homozygous mutation in the EIF2B3 gene (c.97A>G [p.Lys33Glu]) was found in both children; both parents were heterozygous carriers. The family subsequently conceived a healthy child via in vitro fertilization with preimplantation mutation screening. Conclusion: These histories expand the prenatal phenotype of eIF2b-related disorders and poignantly illustrate the impact that unbiased genomic sequencing can have on the diagnosis and medical decision making for families affected by childhood neurodegenerative disorders.
Dependent Erythema of the Legs Associated With Mild Autonomic Nervous System Dysfunction
Authors: Bahrani Bahar , Sladden Christopher S. 
Published: June 2017

Introduction: Dependent erythema or rubor is an erythematous discoloration of the limbs, most commonly associated with peripheral artery disease. We present a case of florid dependent erythema, associated with additional autonomic symptoms. Methods: Examination and full workup of a 16-year-old healthy girl with an 8-year history of dependent erythema, chronic diarrhea, and mild hyperhidrosis. A literature search was performed to review any similar cases and generate a differential diagnosis. Results: Examination of our patient showed symmetrical, asymptomatic fiery to dusky erythematous patches of the lower legs and feet, with intermittent areas of pallor. These florid changes occurred with erect posture. Resolution to near normal occurred within minutes when the patient was in the supine position. Full physical examination revealed mild erythema and hyperhidrosis of the hands. Conclusions: To our knowledge, there have been no reports of painless dependent rubor associated with sympathetic dysfunction. Literature search reports a few cases of gravitational erythema and angiodyskinesia. This case presentation is most likely part of the spectrum of dependent erythema and may shed light on the underlying aetiology.
A Scholar-Practitioner Perspective on a Leadership Development Program in Health Care: Integrating Connectivism Theory
Authors: Natt och Dag Kristina 
Published: June 2017

The Problem The U.S. health care system is currently undergoing reform, shifting from a volume to a value-based model. This transformation calls for strong leadership among physicians; however, they are often not prepared for leading changes for multiple reasons. Furthermore, physicians can be a challenging group to train when it comes to nonmedical disciplines. Therefore, identifying what will engage physicians in learning nonclinical topics is crucial for effective leadership development. The Solution I attempt to discuss this aspect by utilizing a year-long leadership development program, which yielded great response from physicians in terms of perceived value of learning. Exploring a more recent learning theory (connectivism) that considers the role of building personal learning networks (PLNs), I describe how the program unfolded and how the slow but steady emergence of PLNs became the basis for the learning. I also illustrate how theory has been used to guide program development, leading to successful outcomes. The Stakeholders Scholar-practitioners within human resource development (HRD), and leadership development professionals can be inspired to apply connectivism as a lens to further understand adult learning theories in the era of information and technology as well as apply to the development of leadership programs aimed at highly skilled professional groups.
Efficacy of sequential three-step empirical therapy for chronic cough
Authors: Yu Li , Xu Xianghuai , Hang Jingqing , Cheng Kewen , Jin Xiaoyan , Chen Qiang , Lv Hanjing , Qiu Zhongmin 
Published: June 2017

Background: Empirical three-step therapy has been proved in just one hospital. This study aimed to demonstrate applicability of the sequential empirical three-step therapy for chronic cough in different clinical settings. Methods: Sequential empirical three-step therapy was given to patients with chronic cough in one tertiary and three secondary care respiratory clinics. Recruiters were initially treated with methoxyphenamine compound as the first-step therapy, followed by corticosteroids as the second-step therapy and the combination of a proton-pump inhibitor and a prokinetic agent as the third-step therapy. The efficacy of the therapy was verified according to the changes in cough symptom score between pre- and post-treatment, and compared among the different clinics. Results: In total 155 patients in one tertiary clinic and 193 patients in secondary care clinics were recruited. The total dropout ratio is significantly higher in the secondary care clinics than that in the tertiary clinic (9.3% versus 3.2%, p = 0.023). The therapeutic success rate for cough was 38.7% at first-step therapy, 32.3% at second-step therapy and 20.0% at third-step therapy in the tertiary clinic, and comparable to corresponding 49.7%, 31.1% and 4.1% in secondary care clinics. Furthermore, the overall cough resolution rate was not significantly different (91.0% versus 85.0%, p = 0.091). However, the efficacy of the third-step therapy is much higher (20.0% versus 4.1%, p = 0.001) in the tertiary clinic than in the secondary care clinics. Conclusions: Sequential empirical three-step therapy is universally efficacious and useful for management of chronic cough in different clinical settings.
The Goddess Kāmākhyā: Religio-political Implications in the Tribalisation Process
Authors: Rosati Paolo Eugenio 
Published: June 2017

This article examines the cross-cultural influence that worked on the absorption process of the goddess Kāmākhyā (Assam) within the Brahmanic pantheon, through a correlation of textual and historical-religious pieces of evidence. 2 2 This article is an enlarged and revised version of a paper that I presented on 18 September 2015 during the sixth Coffee Break Conference (17–19 September) held at the Italian Institute of Oriental Studies of ‘Sapienza’ University of Rome. In Assam, the cross-cultural interaction, between local tribes and Indo-Aryan speakers, began around 200 BCE–100 CE—when the Vedic culture had already changed from its earlier theological pattern. Therefore, after had been influenced by a long cross-cultural negotiation, the early medieval north-eastern purāṇas transformed the dakṣayajña myth, legitimising the temple of Kāmākhyā on Nīlācala as the greatest śākta pīṭha (seat of power), where the yoni (vulva) of Sat ī was preserved. In this way, the Purāṇas reconnected Nīlācala–Kāmākhyā not only to the sexual symbolism, but also to an ancient cremation ground and its death imaginary–a fact that the systematisation of the yoginī cult (ninth–eleventh century) into the Yoginī Kaula school corroborated. In this cross-cultural context, the early medieval Assamese dynasties emerged tied to the danger of liminal powers—linked to both the heterodox śākta-tantra sects and tribal traditions that were harnessed by the kings through the exoteric and esoteric rituals practised at Kāmākhyā.
Jobless Recovery and Structural Change: A VAR Approach
Authors: Chen Li-Hsueh , Cui Zhen 
Published: June 2017

This study uses a vector autoregression approach to examine the link between jobless recoveries and the fast employment expansion in finance, health and education (FHE) sectors. Both reduced-form estimates and impulse responses indicate a negative effect of the expansion on aggregate employment. While the expansion Granger causes aggregate employment fluctuations, up to 40 per cent of the error variance of those fluctuations can be explained by innovations in the expansion. Moreover, movements in aggregate employment are reduced by 25 per cent when the expansion is accounted for. Therefore, the fast expansion of the FHE sectors is shown to have notably contributed to the onset of jobless recoveries. JEL Classification: E24, E32, C32
Empirical Regularities of Inflation Volatility: Evidence from Advanced and Developing Countries
Authors: Banerjee Shesadri 
Published: June 2017

How does volatility of inflation differ across the economies? Addressing this research question, the article undertakes an empirical exercise on monthly consumer price inflation over the sample period of M01, 1958 to M02, 2016 for 41 countries using the generalized autoregressive conditional heteroscedasticity (GARCH) (1, 1) model. The country-level analysis shows a modest difference of conditional volatility of inflation between the advanced and developing economies. However, this difference increases after controlling the country-specific traits by fixed effect panel estimation using generalized methods of moments on the estimated GARCH series. It is observed that, in the long run, the conditional variability of inflation is nearly three and half times greater in developing countries compared to advanced countries. JEL Classification: E10, E30, E31
Role of Repeat Muscle Compartment Pressure Measurements in Chronic Exertional Compartment Syndrome of the Lower Leg
Authors: van Zantvoort Aniek P. M. , de Bruijn Johan A. , Winkes Michiel B. , Hoogeveen Adwin R. , Teijink Joep A. W. , Scheltinga Marc R. 
Published: June 2017

Background: The diagnostic gold standard for diagnosing chronic exertional compartment syndrome (CECS) is a dynamic intracompartmental pressure (ICP) measurement of the muscle. The potential role of a repeat ICP (re-ICP) measurement in patients with persistent lower leg symptoms after surgical decompression or with ongoing symptoms after an earlier normal ICP is unknown. Purpose: To study whether re-ICP measurements in patients with persistent CECS-like symptoms of the lower leg may contribute to the diagnosis of CECS after both surgical decompression and a previously normal ICP measurement. Study Design: Case series; Level of evidence, 4. Methods: Charts of patients who underwent re-ICP measurement of lower leg compartments (anterior [ant], deep posterior [dp], and/or lateral [lat] compartments) between 2001 and 2013 were retrospectively studied. CECS was diagnosed on the basis of generally accepted cutoff pressures for newly onset CECS (Pedowitz criteria: ICP at rest ≥15 mmHg, ≥30 mmHg after 1 minute, or ≥20 mmHg 5 minutes after a provocative test). Factors predicting recurrent CECS after surgery or after a previously normal ICP measurement were analyzed. Results: A total of 1714 ICP measurements were taken in 1513 patients with suspected CECS over a 13-year observation period. In all, 201 (12%) tests were re-ICP measurements for persistent lower leg symptoms. Based on the proposed ICP cutoff values, CECS recurrence was diagnosed in 16 of 62 previously operated compartments (recurrence rate, 26%; 53 patients [64% female]; median age, 24 years; age range, 15-78 years). Recurrence rates were not different among the 3 lower leg CECS compartments (ant-CECS, 17%; dp-CECS, 33%; lat-CECS, 30%; χ2 = 1.928, P = .381). Sex (χ2 = 0.058, P = .810), age ( U = 378, z = 1.840, P = .066), bilaterality (χ2 = 0.019, P = .889), and prefasciotomy ICP did not predict recurrence. Re-ICP measurements evaluating 20 compartments with previously normal ICP measurements (15 patients [53% female]; mean age, 31 ± 10 years) detected CECS in 3 compartments (15%, all ant-CECS). Conclusion: Previous fasciotomy for lower leg CECS or previously normal muscle pressure (ICP) do not rule out CECS as a cause of persisting lower leg symptoms. Repeat ICP measurement may have a potential role in the evaluation of patients with persistent lower leg complaints. However, other reasons for lower leg exertional pain must always be considered prior to secondary surgery.