Not another book on Verb Raising

This thesis provides a novel analysis of the word order variation in three-verb clusters reported in the Syntactic Atlas of the Dutch Dialects (SAND). On the basis of distributional correlations between order variation in verb clusters and interruption of the verb cluster by non-verbal constituents, it is argued that only 1-2-3 and its mirror image 3-2-1 are truly verbal clusters. All other orders attested in SAND are argued to involve non-verbal elements: adjectival participles and nominal infinitives. This analysis dispenses with movement in the derivation of verb clusters, an improvement over many previous accounts, as movement in this domain is unmotivated and, in certain cases, makes wrong predictions. It is argued that speakers possess knowledge of word orders that do not occur in their own language varieties. This is shown to follow from properties of human grammar. Neither familiarity nor properties of language processing can account for these results. Verb clusters are base-generated in a low structural position in the clause. There is a cut-off point for cluster interruption, which is parameterized. In West-Flemish, it lies at vP, only elements that are merged below vP can interrupt the verb cluster.Theoretical and Experimental Linguistic

Oral Health and Frailty in Community-Dwelling Older Adults in the Northern Netherlands:A Cross-Sectional Study

The aim of this study was to explore the association between oral health and frailty in community-dwelling Dutch adults aged 55 years and older. Included were 170 participants (n = 95 female [56%]; median age 64 years [IQR: 59-69 years]). Frailty was assessed by the Groningen Frailty Indicator. Oral health was assessed by the Oral Health Impact Profile-14-NL (OHIP-NL14). OHIP-NL14 item scores were analyzed for differences between frail and non-frail participants. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to assess the association between oral health and presence of frailty. The multivariate analysis included age, gender, and depressive symptoms as co-variables. After adjustment, 1 point increase on the OHIP-NL14 scale was associated with 21% higher odds of being frail (p = 0.000). In addition, significantly more frail participants reported presence of problems on each OHIP-NL14 item, compared to non-frail participants (p &lt; 0.003). Contrast in prevalence of different oral health problems between frail and non-frail was most prominent in 'younger' older adults aged 55-64 years. In conclusion: decreased oral health was associated with frailty in older adults aged &gt;= 55 years. Since oral health problems are not included in most frailty assessments, tackling oral health problems may not be sufficiently emphasized in frailty policies.</p

Healthcare utilization patterns for knee and hip osteoarthritis before and after changes in national health insurance coverage:A data linkage study from the Netherlands

Introduction: Medical guidelines aim to stimulate stepped care for knee and hip osteoarthritis, redirecting treatments from hospitals to primary care. In the Netherlands, this development was supported by changing health insurance coverage for physio/exercise therapy. The aim of this study was to evaluate healthcare utilization patterns before and after health changes in health insurance coverage. Method: We analyzed electronic health records and claims data from patients with osteoarthritis in the knee (N =32,091) and hip (N = 16,313). Changes between 2013 and 2019 in the proportion of patients treated by the general practitioner, physio/exercise therapist or orthopedic surgeon within 6 months after onset were assessed. Results: Joint replacement surgeries decreased for knee (OR 0.47 [0.41–0.54]) and hip (OR 0.81 [0.71–0.93]) osteoarthritis between 2013–2019. The use of physio/exercise therapy increased (knee: OR 1.38 [1.24–1.53], hip: OR 1.26 [1.08–1.47]). However, the proportion treated by a physio/exercise therapist decreased for patients that had not depleted their annual deductibles (knee: OR 0.86 [0.79 – 0.94], hip: OR 0.90 [0.79 – 1.02]). This might be affected by the inclusion of physio/exercise therapy in basic health insurance in 2018. Conclusion:We have found a shift from hospitals to primary care in knee and hip osteoarthritis care. However, the use of physio/exercise therapy declined after changes in insurance coverage for patients that had not depleted their deductibles