bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Impact of a short early therapeutic education program on the quality of life of asthmatic children and their families
Authors: Julian Valérie , Amat Flore , Petit Isabelle , Pereira Bruno , Fauquert Jean‐Luc , Heraud Marie‐Christine , Labbé Guillaume , Labbé André 
Published: February 2014

SummaryObjectivesFew studies have been made on the impact of therapeutic education (TE) on the quality of life (QOL) of asthmatic primary‐school aged children. We attempted to assess the beneficial effects on the QOL of children and their parents of a short TE program initiated immediately after the first consultation with a pediatric pulmonologist.MethodsThe QOL of 31 families of asthmatic children (aged 5–11) was measured before and 3 months after a short and early programme of TE by the French version of the Pictured Child's Quality of Life Self Questionnaire (AUQUEI, AUtoquestionnaire QUalité de vie Enfant Imagé) for the children, and by the Paediatric Asthma Caregiver's Quality of Life Questionnaire (PACQLQ) for the parents. The other criteria studied were asthma management, school and workplace absenteeism and functional respiratory parameters.ResultsTE did not significantly alter the AUQUEI score (P = 0.67). No change was observed in the different areas studied: autonomy (P = 0.97), leisure activities (P = 0.64), functions (P = 0.88), and social relations (P = 0.51). In contrast, the PACQLQ score considerably improved after TE (P < 0.001), as evidenced by reduced activity limitations (P < 0.001) and improved emotional functioning of parents (P < 0.001). These results were accompanied by a significant improvement in asthma management, with, in particular, a major decrease in the use of medication (P < 0.001) and the number of unscheduled medical consultations (P < 0.001) and visits to the emergency department (P = 0.02); a decrease in school absenteeism (P = 0.009); and an improvement in forced expiratory volume in 1 sec (FEV1) (P = 0.05).ConclusionsOur TE program had rapid and beneficial effects on numerous objective and subjective parameters, thereby contributing to the well‐being of the families and probably to a subsequent decrease in the overall cost of asthma management. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2015; 50:213–221. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Biased games on random boards
Authors: Ferber Asaf , Glebov Roman , Krivelevich Michael , Naor Alon 
Published: February 2014

ABSTRACTIn this paper we analyze biased Maker‐Breaker games and Avoider‐Enforcer games, both played on the edge set of a random board . In Maker‐Breaker games there are two players, denoted by Maker and Breaker. In each round, Maker claims one previously unclaimed edge of G and Breaker responds by claiming b previously unclaimed edges. We consider the Hamiltonicity game, the perfect matching game and the k‐vertex‐connectivity game, where Maker's goal is to build a graph which possesses the relevant property. Avoider‐Enforcer games are the reverse analogue of Maker‐Breaker games with a slight modification, where the two players claim at least 1 and at least b previously unclaimed edges per move, respectively, and Avoider aims to avoid building a graph which possesses the relevant property.Maker‐Breaker games are known to be “bias‐monotone”, that is, if Maker wins the (1,b) game, he also wins the game. Therefore, it makes sense to define the critical bias of a game, b
*, to be the “breaking point” of the game. That is, Maker wins the (1,b) game whenever and loses otherwise. An analogous definition of the critical bias exists for Avoider‐Enforcer games: here, the critical bias of a game b
* is such that Avoider wins the (1,b) game for every , and loses otherwise.We prove that, for every is typically such that the critical bias for all the aforementioned Maker‐Breaker games is asymptotically . We also prove that in the case , the critical bias is . These results settle a conjecture of Stojaković and Szabó. For Avoider‐Enforcer games, we prove that for , the critical bias for all the aforementioned games is . © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Random Struct. Alg., 46,651–676, 2015
Hazardous effects of sanguinarine on maturation of mouse oocytes, fertilization, and fetal development through apoptotic processes
Authors: Chan Wen‐Hsiung 
Published: February 2014

ABSTRACTPreviously, we reported that sanguinarine, a phytoalexin with antimicrobial, anti‐oxidant, anti‐inflammatory and pro‐apoptotic effects, is a risk factor for normal embryonic development that triggers apoptotic processes in the inner cell mass of mouse blastocysts, causing decreased embryonic development and cell viability. In the current study, we investigated the deleterious effects of sanguinarine on mouse oocyte maturation, in vitro fertilization (IVF), and subsequent pre‐ and postimplantation development both in vitro and in vivo. Notably, sanguinarine significantly impaired mouse oocyte maturation, decreased IVF rates, and inhibited subsequent embryonic development in vitro. Preincubation of oocytes with sanguinarine during in vitro maturation induced an increase in postimplantation embryo resorption and a decrease in mouse fetal weight. In an in vivo animal model, 1 to 5 μM sanguinarine, provided in drinking water, caused a decrease in oocyte maturation and IVF, and led to deleterious effects on early embryonic development. Importantly, preincubation of oocytes with a caspase‐3‐specific inhibitor effectively blocked sanguinarine‐triggered deleterious effects, clearly implying that embryonic injury induced by sanguinarine is mediated by a caspase‐dependent apoptotic mechanism. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol 30: 946–955, 2015.
First‐trimester maternal ophthalmic artery Doppler analysis for prediction of pre‐eclampsia
Authors: Gurgel Alves J. A. , Praciano de Sousa P. C. , Bezerra Maia e Holanda Moura S. , Kane S. C. , da Silva Costa F. 
Published: February 2014

ABSTRACTObjectiveTo determine the performance of a multiparametric test comprising maternal risk factors, uterine artery Doppler and ophthalmic artery Doppler in the first trimester of pregnancy for the prediction of pre‐eclampsia (PE).MethodsThis prospective observational cohort study recruited patients in the first trimester of pregnancy. Maternal uterine artery and ophthalmic artery Doppler assessments were performed in 440 singleton pregnancies at 11–14 weeks of gestation. Additional history was obtained through participant questionnaires, and follow‐up occurred to discharge postdelivery. The normotensive and pre‐eclamptic groups were compared using parametric (Student's t‐test) and non‐parametric (Mann–Whitney U‐test) tests. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to determine which biophysical factors, and which of the factors among the maternal characteristics and medical and obstetric history, had a significant contribution to the prediction of PE in a multiparametric model.ResultsThirty‐one (7%) patients developed PE, including nine (2%) who required delivery before 34 weeks (early PE) and 22 (5%) with late PE. There were statistically significant differences in uterine artery pulsatility index (UtA‐PI) and ophthalmic artery first diastolic peak (PD1) mean values between the PE and control groups. In a multiparametric model, both UtA‐PI and PD1 achieved a 67% detection rate for early PE, although when combined, the detection rate only increased to 68%.ConclusionsThe efficiency of ophthalmic artery PD1 in the first trimester as a predictive marker for the later development of PE was approximately equal to that described for uterine artery Doppler. Although these findings do not support the replacement of uterine artery Doppler analysis in multiparametric predictive models for PE, they do provide novel insights into first‐trimester maternal systemic vascular changes that precede the clinical development of this condition. Copyright © 2014 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Uterine artery Doppler evaluation in twin pregnancies at 11 + 0 to 13 + 6 weeks of gestation
Authors: Rizzo G. , Pietrolucci M. E. , Aiello E. , Capponi A. , Arduini D. 
Published: February 2014

ABSTRACTObjectivesTo compare uterine artery pulsatility index (PI) obtained at 11 + 0 to 13 + 6 weeks of gestation in singleton and twin pregnancies and to evaluate changes in PI values of twin pregnancies developing pre‐eclampsia (PE) or small‐for‐gestational age (SGA) of either one or both fetuses.MethodsUterine artery PI was measured in 421 twin pregnancies (384 dichorionic and 37 monochorionic) and in 500 singleton pregnancies. The measured mean and lowest uterine artery PI values were converted to multiples of the expected normal median (MoM) after correction for maternal body mass index, ethnicity and gestational age. The median PI‐MoM values of twins were compared with those of singleton pregnancies. In twin pregnancies, PI‐MoM values were analyzed according to chorionicity, development of early‐onset (< 34 weeks) or late‐onset (≥ 34 weeks) PE and SGA of one or both twins.ResultsUterine artery PI‐MoM was significantly lower in twin compared with singleton pregnancies (mean K = 174.31, P < 0.0001, lowest K = 139.27, P < 0.0001). However, there were no significant differences in the uterine artery PI‐MoM values between monochorionic and dichorionic twins. The uterine artery PI in twin pregnancies that developed early‐onset PE (P < 0.001) and SGA of both twins (P < 0.05) was higher than the uterine artery PI in uncomplicated twin pregnancies, whereas no differences were found for late PE or SGA of one twin.ConclusionsFirst‐trimester placental impedance to flow, as assessed by uterine artery Doppler examination, is reduced in twin pregnancies, with no differences related to chorionicity. The relative increase of uterine artery PI found in twin pregnancies that developed early PE and SGA of both twins suggests that first‐trimester uterine artery assessment may be useful in identifying such complications. Copyright © 2014 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Doppler echocardiographic isovolumetric time intervals in diagnosis of fetal blocked atrial bigeminy and 2:1 atrioventricular block
Authors: Sonesson S.‐E. , Eliasson H. , Conner P. , Wahren‐Herlenius M. 
Published: February 2014

ABSTRACTObjectiveTo distinguish between blocked atrial bigeminy (BB) and incomplete atrioventricular block with 2:1 conduction (2:1 AVB) can be very difficult, especially in the mid‐term fetus. Making a correct diagnosis has important clinical implications, as their prognosis and management differ markedly. Our objective was to investigate whether analysis of isovolumetric time intervals could improve Doppler echocardiography in differentiating these conditions.MethodsSixteen fetuses with sustained BB or isolated 2:1 AVB, diagnosed at our tertiary center from 2002 to 2012, were reviewed retrospectively. Doppler recordings of left ventricular in‐ and outflow, including mitral and aortic valve movements, were used to measure isovolumetric contraction (ICT) and relaxation (IRT) time intervals. ICT reference values obtained from 104 normal pregnancies were used for comparison.ResultsTen fetuses had BB and six 2:1 AVB. Five of the AVB cases were anti‐Ro antibody positive and one had long QT syndrome (LQTS). ICT was systematically shorter in BB than in antibody‐mediated 2:1 AVB. Nine of 10 cases with BB had an ICT below −2 SD and the five with antibody‐mediated 2:1 AVB had values at or above +2 SD. All 15 fetuses with either BB or antibody‐mediated AVB had an IRT of < 70 ms, as opposed to a markedly prolonged IRT (105 ms) in the LQTS case.ConclusionMeasurement of ICT can improve the differential diagnosis between BB and antibody‐mediated 2:1 AVB. Fetuses with BB or antibody‐mediated AVB are unlikely to have IRT measurements exceeding 70 ms and, when this is observed, LQTS should be considered a more likely diagnosis. Copyright © 2014 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd
The potential of large woody debris to alter biogeochemical processes and ecosystem services in lowland rivers
Authors: Krause S. , Klaar M. J. , Hannah D. M. , Mant J. , Bridgeman J. , Trimmer M. , Manning‐Jones S. 
Published: February 2014

River restoration and management practice promotes the (re)introduction of large woody debris (LWD) to support ecosystem services in lowland streams, such as the buffering of thermal extremes or enhanced nutrient attenuation. However, influences ofLWDon spatial patterns and temporal dynamics of groundwater–surface water exchange fluxes, sediment transport and deposition, biogeochemical cycling, thermal patterns, and ecohydrological process dynamics are not yet fully understood.This study reviews research on the implications of interacting hydrodynamic and hydrostatic forcings on different types ofLWDstructures and their consequences for streambed residence time distributions, thermal conditions, and biogeochemical cycling. It analyzes the implications ofLWDon structural heterogeneity in physical and chemical properties of lowland river streambed and provides an outlook of how enhanced nutrient loading of agricultural lowland rivers can be ameliorated byLWD‐induced increase of biogeochemical turnover. Based on the analysis of the potential implications of differentLWDstructures, this study highlights how imminent research gaps can be overcome by integrating novel experimental and modeling technologies across traditional subject boundaries in order to provide robust scientific evidence of the efficiency ofLWDin river restoration and management.This article is categorized under:Science of Water > Water and Environmental Change
The changing nature of river restoration
Authors: Smith Benjamin , Clifford Nicholas J. , Mant Jenny 
Published: February 2014

River restoration is a rapidly maturing focus of scientific and practitioner activity, which draws on a long history of intervention in watercourses for varied economic and social reasons, and which reflects a changing dynamic in the wider relationship between nature and society. This review provides a brief analysis of international literature to assess changes in the drivers of river restoration and the effect of legislative drivers on the nature of river restoration projects. In the UK and Europe, the period after the implementation of the Water Framework Directive is marked by a clear shift to a more ecological framing of river restoration. The increasing ecological focus of stated goals for restoration, and its use as a tool to fulfill legislative requirements, places a greater emphasis on the need for appropriate restoration design, monitoring, and appraisal to clearly demonstrate the ecological benefits of restoration projects. The role of restoration as a community‐based activity is increasingly important, and citizen science monitoring frameworks, together with reanalysis of existing datasets provide an opportunity to increase the knowledge‐base supporting river restoration, and to integrate restoration motives and drivers with project design and evaluation. Blended participatory approaches and an ecosystem goods and services approach encourage this kind of integration, but will be effective only if conflicts between stakeholders with differing worldviews and objectives can be identified and managed.This article is categorized under:

Water and Life > Conservation, Management, and Awareness
Psychology of knowledge representation
Authors: Grimm Lisa R. 
Published: February 2014

AbstractEvery cognitive enterprise involves some form of knowledge representation. Humans represent information about the external world and internal mental states, like beliefs and desires, and use this information to meet goals (e.g., classification or problem solving). Unfortunately, researchers do not have direct access to mental representations. Instead, cognitive scientists design experiments and implement computational models to develop theories about the mental representations present during task performance. There are several main types of mental representation and corresponding processes that have been posited: spatial, feature, network, and structured. Each type has a particular structure and a set of processes that are capable of accessing and manipulating information within the representation. The structure and processes determine what information can be used during task performance and what information has not been represented at all. As such, the different types of representation are likely used to solve different kinds of tasks. For example, structured representations are more complex and computationally demanding, but are good at representing relational information. Researchers interested in human psychology would benefit from considering how knowledge is represented in their domain of inquiry.This article is categorized under:

Psychology > Memory
Wind turbine boundary layer arrays for Cartesian and staggered configurations: Part II, low‐dimensional representations via the proper orthogonal decomposition
Authors: Hamilton Nicholas , Tutkun Murat , Cal Raúl Bayoán 
Published: February 2014

AbstractCartesian and row‐offset wind turbine array configurations were tested investigating the wake interaction and recovery dynamics. The snapshot proper orthogonal decomposition is applied to velocity measurements. Resulting modes are used in constructing low‐dimensional descriptions of turbulence statistics including the turbulence kinetic energy production and the flux of turbulence kinetic energy. Descriptions of the turbulent behavior are made on the basis of the span of the streamwise average profile of the Reynolds shear stress, , with the addition of orthogonal modes. The Reynolds stress criterion was selected for the convergence of the model as it is a good representation of the range of turbulent dynamics in the wake of a wind turbine. The description demonstrates that the turbulence kinetic energy production and the flux of turbulence kinetic energy are accurately rebuilt with approximately 1% of the total resultant orthogonal modes. Structures associated with the top‐tip of the rotor blade reconstruct with fewer modes than those associated with the bottom‐tip of the rotor or the nacelle. This confirms that the greatest part of the turbulence kinetic energy is located high in the turbine canopy as described by the turbulent stresses. Overall, behavior of individual turbines in recovered positions within the arrays requires fewer modes to converge than those in locations with less recovered inflows. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Linear individual pitch control design for two‐bladed wind turbines
Authors: van Solingen E. , van Wingerden J.W. 
Published: February 2014

AbstractIn this article, the conventional individual pitch control (IPC) strategy for wind turbines is reviewed, and a linear IPC strategy for two‐bladed wind turbines is proposed. The typical approach of IPC for three‐bladed rotors involves a multi‐blade coordinate (MBC) transformation, which transforms measured blade load signals, i.e., signals measured in a rotating frame of reference, to signals in a fixed non‐rotating frame of reference. The fixed non‐rotating signals, in the so‐called yaw and tilt direction, are decoupled by the MBC transformation, such that single‐input single‐output (SISO) control design is possible. Then, SISO controllers designed for the yaw and tilt directions provide pitch signals in the non‐rotating frame of reference, which are then reverse transformed to the rotating frame of reference so as to obtain the desired pitch actuator signals. For three‐bladed rotors, the aforementioned method is a proven strategy to significantly reduce fatigue loadings on pitch controlled wind turbines. The same MBC transformation and approach can be applied to two‐bladed rotors, which also results in significant load reductions. However, for two‐bladed rotors, this MBC transformation is singular and therefore, not uniquely defined. For that reason, a linear non‐singular coordinate transformation is proposed for IPC of two‐bladed wind turbines. This transformation only requires a single control loop to reduce the once‐per‐revolution rotating blade loads (‘1P’ loads). Moreover, all harmonics (2P, 3P, etc.) in the rotating blade loads can be accounted for with only two control loops. As in the case of the MBC transformation, also the linear coordinate transformation decouples the control loops to allow for SISO control design. High fidelity simulation studies on a two‐bladed wind turbine without a teetering hub prove the effectiveness of the concept. The simulation study indicates that IPC based on the linear coordinate transformation provides similar load reductions and requires similar pitch actuation compared with the conventional IPC approach. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Evaluation of techniques to reduce deer and Elk damage to agricultural crops
Authors: Johnson Heather E. , Fischer Justin W. , Hammond Matthew , Dorsey Patricia D. , Walter W. David , Anderson Charles , VERcauteren Kurt C. 
Published: February 2014

ABSTRACTMule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) and Rocky Mountain elk (Cervus elaphus nelsoni) provide important recreational, ecological, and economic benefits, but can also cause substantial damage to agricultural crops. Cervid damage to agriculture creates challenges for wildlife agencies responsible for minimizing crop depredation while maintaining healthy deer and elk populations. Sunflower producers in southwestern Colorado, USA, have experienced high deer and elk damage and were interested in temporary methods to reduce damage that were cost‐effective for rotational crops. To address this challenge, we investigated 3 temporary, non‐lethal exclusion and repellent techniques for reducing deer and elk damage to sunflowers: 1) a polyrope electric fence, 2) the chemical repellent Plantskydd™, and 3) a winged fence. During July through October 2011 and 2012, we used a randomized block design to test the efficacy of these techniques by quantifying cervid damage to sunflowers and the number of deer and elk tracks traversing treatment and control plot boundaries. Using generalized linear mixed models we found that polyrope electric fences reduced deer and elk damage and presence within plots, while the repellent and winged fences did not reduce ungulate activity. Polyrope electric fences may be a suitable tool in areas where wildlife management agencies want to maintain deer and elk populations but reduce seasonal damage by cervids to high‐value crops. In Colorado, use of an effective exclusion technique such as polyrope electric fence could also decrease the need for lethal depredation permits and damage compensation payments, and increase satisfaction among producers and the public. Published 2014. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.