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.
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Question: Context: Carotid stiffening is considered a key element in the pathogenesis of stroke. However, results of studies evaluating the association between carotid stiffness and incident stroke have been inconsistent.', 'This study investigated whether carotid stiffness (as determined by ultrasonography) is associated with incident stroke and whether this association is independent of aortic stiffness as estimated by carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV). Additionally, we evaluated the incremental value of carotid stiffness for stroke risk prediction beyond Framingham risk factors and cfPWV.', 'This study included a systematic review and meta-analyses of aggregate and individual participant data (IPD), the latter of which was obtained by requesting individual-level data of all cohort studies with available data on carotid stiffness and cfPWV.', 'Ten studies (n\xa0= 22,472) were included in the aggregate data meta-analysis and 4 (n\xa0= 4,540) in the IPD meta-analysis. After adjusting for cardiovascular (CV) factors, the aggregate data meta-analysis showed that greater carotid stiffness (per SD) was associated with stroke (hazard ratio: 1.18; 95% confidence interval: 1.05 to 1.33). In addition, carotid stiffness was associated with total CV events and CV and all-cause mortality, but not with coronary heart disease events. In the IPD meta-analysis, additional adjustment for cfPWV did not materially change these associations. Carotid stiffness did improve stroke risk prediction beyond Framingham and cfPWV (integrative discrimination improvement: 0.4 percentage point [95% confidence interval: 0.1 to 0.6 percentage point] and continuous net reclassification improvement: 18.6% [95% confidence interval: 5.8% to 31.3%]).\Question: Is carotid stiffness associated with incident stroke : a systematic review and individual participant data meta-analysis?

Answer: Carotid stiffness is associated with incident stroke independently of CV factors and aortic stiffness. In addition, carotid stiffness improves stroke risk prediction beyond Framingham and aortic stiffness.


Question: Context: To find permanent prostate implant (PPI) pre-plan dosimetric parameters that predict post-implant D90 ≥ 140 Gy.', 'Pre-plans were evaluated for 504 patients undergoing PPI with (125)I seeds for low or intermediate risk prostate cancer. Baseline patient and disease factors, numbers of seeds, ratios of number of seeds to available positions (occupancy proportion), and distances between the 100% isodose line and edge of the prostate (margin) planned for the whole prostate (WP), superior (S), inferior (I), anterior (A), and posterior (P) halves, SA, SP, IA, and IP quarters, and superior (ST), inferior (IT), and middle (MT) thirds, and anterior (AT) and posterior (PT) middle one-sixth segments were analyzed by post-implant D90 subset (≥ 140 Gy vs. < 140 Gy).', '20% had post-implant D90 < 140 Gy (mean: 128.0 Gy, range: 97.5-139.2) vs. ≥ 140 Gy (mean: 154.4 Gy, range: 140.0-193.5). The D90 ≥ 140 Gy subset had larger AT and IA segment mean numbers of seeds (p = 0.01, 0.046), larger WP, S, A, SA, ST, AT, and MT segment mean margins (p = 0.01, 0.01, 0.001, 0.0001, 0.03, 0.005, 0.02), and lower PT segment occupancy proportion (p = 0.004). On multivariate analysis, independent predictors of post-implant D90 ≥ 140 Gy were increased SA mean margin, no pre-implant 5-α-reductase inhibitor, higher pre-plan D90, decreased P occupancy proportion, no pre-implant hormone therapy, and decreased SP mean margin.\Question: Do pre-plan parameters predict post-implant D90 ≥ 140 Gy for ( 125 ) I permanent prostate implants?

Answer: Higher occupancy proportion and larger margins anteriorly and reduced occupancy proportion, and smaller margins posteriorly on PPI pre-plans predict post-implant D90 ≥ 140 Gy.


Question: Context: Plasma high density lipoproteins (HDL) are involved in reverse cholesterol transport mediated by the scavenger receptor class B type I (SR-BI). Nicotinic acid increases HDL cholesterol levels, even though its specific impact on SR-BI dependent-cellular cholesterol transport remains unknown.', 'To determine the effect of nicotinic acid on HDL particle functionality in cholesterol efflux and uptake mediated by SR-BI in cultured cells in hypoalphalipoproteinemic patients.', 'In a pilot study, eight patients with low HDL (≤ 40 mg/dL) were treated with extended release nicotinic acid. HDL cholesterol and phospholipid levels, HDL2 and HDL3 fractions and HDL particle sizes were measured at baseline and post-therapy. Before and after nicotinic acid treatment, HDL particles were used for cholesterol transport studies in cells transfected with SR-BI.', 'Nicotinic acid treatment raised total HDL cholesterol and phospholipids, HDL2 levels as well as HDL particle size. Nicotinic acid significantly increased HDL cholesterol efflux and uptake capacity mediated by SR-BI in cultured cells.\Question: Does [ Nicotinic acid increase cellular transport of high density lipoprotein cholesterol in patients with hypoalphalipoproteinemia ]?

Answer:
Nicotinic acid therapy increases SR-BI-dependent HDL cholesterol transport in cultured cells, establishing a new cellular mechanism by which this lipid-lowering drug appears to modulate HDL metabolism in patients with hypoalphalipoproteinemia.