Schwartz Method Research Articles

Glomerular Hyperfiltration and Albuminuria in Adolescents with Sickle Cell Disease: Retrospective Cross-Sectional Study

Background:Renal abnormalities in sickle cell disease commence early in childhood. Glomerular hyperfiltration and albuminuria are the most prevalent renal abnormalities in sickle cell disease. However, these renal abnormalities of SCD have not been considered exclusively in the adolescent age group. Objective:To determine the prevalence of glomerular hyperfiltration and albuminuria as well as identify the determinants for glomerular hyperfiltration in adolescents with SCD. Patients and Methods:Ethical permission was through the Trust audit and service evaluation governance review board to implement quality assessment of clinical service. Electronic patient records (charts) of 153 adolescents with SCD aged 10->19 years, attending the Paediatrics Haematology Clinic at Evelina children Hospital, London, United Kingdom. Clinical information obtained included demographics age, gender sickle cell type, as well as history of acute event, treatment history, anthropometric indices and blood pressure. The laboratory parameters obtained were urine albumin-creatinine ratio or protein-creatinine ratio, haemoglobin level, white blood cell count, red blood cell count, platelet count, reticulocyte count, foetal haemoglobin level, lactate dehydrogenase level, serum creatinine and serum ferritin level. The glomerular filtration rate was derived using the Bedside Schwartz's method. Grouping of the adolescents was based on present and absence of glomerular hyperfiltration, which was defined as glomerular filtration rate > 140ml/min/m2. The presence of albuminuria was defined as urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio >3mg/mmol or protein- to- creatinine ratio of > 15mg/mmol. Investigated were the clinical and laboratory determinants of glomerular hyperfiltration in the total study population. Result:Prevalence of glomerular hyperfiltration was 33.3% in the adolescents studied (age bracket please) , and that of albuminuria was 15.7% amongst the adolescents with SCD studies (microalbuminuria 14.4%, and 1.3% overt proteinuria) of which 13.7% of those with glomerular hyperfiltration also had albuminuria. The mean eGFR of the adolescents with SCD who had glomerular hyperfiltration was 160.2 ± 20.0 ml/min/1.73m2, and that of those with no glomerular hyperfiltration was 109.9 ± 19.3ml/min/m2. A significantly higher proportion of the adolescents with SCD who had glomerular hyperfiltration had the haemoglobin SS disease (47 (92.2%) versus 68 (66.7%);P=0.007). On univariable analysis, the adolescent with glomerular hyperfiltration had significantly lower weight (48.0 ± 18.0 versus 54.8 ± 17.0 kg;p= 0.02), height (155.1 ± 13.1 versus 160.6 ± 13.1 cm;p= 0.01), body mass index (19.4 ± 5.0 versus 21.0 ± 4.3 ;p= 0.04), haemoglobin level (88.7 ± 13.3 versus 98.1 ± 21.7 g/L;p= 0.001), and serum creatinine level (0.4 ± 0.1 versus 0.6 ± 0.2mg/dl;p= 0.0001) as compared to those with no glomerular hyperfiltration. The adolescents with glomerular hyperfiltration also had significantly higher lactate dehydrogenase level (525.9 ± 180.3 versus 449.6 ± 170.3 IU/L;p= 0.01) as compared to those with no glomerular hyperfiltration. However, no association was found on multivariable analysis. Conclusion:This study revealed that the prevalence of glomerular hyperfiltration in the adolescent age group was high, and the high glomerular filtration rates begin to decline toward normal values in middle adolescent age not before. Figure Disclosures Inusa: AstraZeneca:Honoraria, Other: Steering committee participation, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau;Vertex:Research Funding;Global Blood Therapeutics:Honoraria, Other: Steering committee participation, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau;Bluebird bio:Research Funding;Novartis:Honoraria, Other: Steering committee participation, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau.

Детерминанты дискриминационных установок по внешним признакам и проявлениям

External signs and manifestations of the Other are the most important source of information on the basis of which social and cognitive processes are launched, as a result of which their place in the system of representations of the world is established. Despite the efforts made by the society to eliminate discriminatory attitudes, their number does not decrease. Therefore, the study of the determinants of discriminatory attitudes based on the external manifestations of another does not lose its relevance. The purpose of the study is to identify the role of values and focus on authoritarianism and social dominance in variations of discriminatory attitudes based on external signs and manifestations of Another. The study involved 217 people, average age M = 28.9; SD = 11.2 (men-36%).We used a questionnaire for fixing socio-demographic characteristics, and original scales for evaluating discriminatory attitudes. The expression of values was determined using the Schwartz method (2012). To assess right-wing authoritarianism, which reflects the motivation and attitudes to maintain social cohesion, order, stability, and collective security, a short version of the Dakkit’s questioner developed by D. S. Grigoriev (2017) was used. It is shown that the person’s manifestation that causes the strongest rejection is unusual behavior, as well as emotional manifestations, and the sign of skin color was the least irritating factor. The values of tradition, social security, and reputation contribute to the manifestation of discriminatory attitudes on external grounds, and the values of independence-thoughts, independence-actions, universalism-tolerance, and universalism-concern for nature-undermine them. On the basis of structural modeling, the directions of relations from values to discriminatory attitudes are established directly and indirectly, through an assessment of the rejection of representatives of discriminated groups in various spheres of life and the ideological installation of right-wing authoritarianism.

Individual Values and Ideological Attitudes as Predictors of Prejudice against Others

The growth of social competition and modern trends of economic and social integration in the world encourage the study of the discriminatory attitudes of individuals and groups as a significant barrier in the implementation of these processes. Despite the search for various grounds and factors for the development of discriminatory attitudes, studies of specific attitudes and values towards specific and generalized discriminated groups remain relevant. The aim of this research is to study the role of individual values and ideological attitudes in predicting the prejudice against Others. The study involved 217 people (men - 36 %), mean age M = 28.9; SD = 11.2.Aquestionnaire aimed at assessing the severity of the discriminatory attitude towards the representatives of a number of groups was used. The expression of values is determined by the Sh. Schwartz method. To assess the ideological attitudes of the right-wing authoritarianism, social domination, and belief in a dangerous and competitive world, we used a short version of J. Duckitt’s methodology by D.S. Grigoriev. As a result of the confirmatory factor analysis, four generalized discriminated groups were identified: socially unprotected, dissident, outsider groups and social status groups. The data characterizing the ratio of ideological attitudes and the severity of discrimination of individual groups, as well as generalized groups was obtained. Based on structural modeling the common and specific values for each generalized discriminated group were identified.

The analysis of smart governance scenarios of the urban culture in multicultural cities based on two concepts of “cultural intelligence” and “smart governance”

As a new approach to city management and the most important axis of the smart city, smart governance covers providing desirable citizen services through smart infrastructures. Smart management of the modern cities with high number of cultural diversities and differences wouldn’t happen except through focusing on the important concepts and infrastructures as a necessary factor. In this context, cultural intelligence is one of the most important skills we can apply in multicultural situations. Acquiring this skill, urban managers understand various cultural components quickly and correctly and behave appropriately in all situations. Therefore, this research aims to recognize the effects of cultural intelligence and smart governance in multicultural cities and, finally, provide appropriate scenarios for the smart management of urban culture. In this regards, the indexes and main variables of the research were identified by the Delphi method through a questionnaire; then, the data were analyzed using the Micmac software and scenario building based on the Schwartz method. The results show that in the first scenario, smart governance and management of urban culture are not realized; in the second scenario, this is somehow realized; and eventually in the third scenario, smart governance and management of urban culture is achieved appropriately.

Mathematical modeling of nonlinear displacement processes in oil LEF-layer by methods of complex analysis and summary representations

The approach to the modeling of nonlinear displacement processes (one and two-phase filtration) in heterogeneous oil deformable layers is developed, taking into account the inverse effect of the potential of the velocity field and the flow function on the conductivity of the medium. We constructed a method and computational technology for solving the corresponding boundary value problems for nonlinear-layered triple-connected curvilinear domains, bounded by equipotential lines and flow lines, on the basis of the synthesis of numerical methods of quasiconformal mappings and summary representations for differential equations with discontinuous coefficients in combination with domain decomposition by Schwartz method. Quasi-ideal processes in nonlinearly double-layered horizontal LEF-layers, whose geometry of heterogeneity zones is unknown in advance, is described by the corresponding boundary value problems obtained on the basis of the Darcy law and the continuity equation with the coefficient of layer permeability, which is given by a piecewise-constant function with ruptures along the searched equipotentials and lines of flow. The coefficient of conductivity the medium is given as a piecewise-constant function, that is dependent on the searched quasipotential and function of flow, with unknown line dividing layers (lines gap conductance coefficient) that is along the searched equipotential lines and flow lines and that is finding in the process of solving the problem. The proposed algorithms automatically solve the problem of choice of nodes and building a dynamic grid, finding of the unknown dividing lines of areas constancy coefficient of conductivity the medium, the calculation of the velocity field and calculate other characteristic parameters of the process. The decomposition of the domain on the layers of the constancy of permeability coefficient allows us to solve problems in more «comfortable» subdomain than the original problem the whole domain, and allows make in parallel the computational process, since calculations in the subdomain at each iterative step are independent of each other and can be done in parallel with the use of modern computer technology.

An integral equation technique for the analysis of phased array antenna with matching step discontinuities

Applying the integral equation method of overlapping partial domains and the Schwartz alternating method to solving an electromagnetic wave diffraction problem is considered in this paper. The infinite rectangular waveguide phased array antenna scanning in H plane which waveguides have step matching discontinuities is represented. The whole field definition domain is sliced into three overlapping partial domains. The system of integral representations for unknown Ey components of the electrical field vector in each domain is set up using Greenʼs functions. Unknown functions in each domain are presented as orthogonal eigenfunction series. Using Galerkinʼs procedure, the system of integral representations is reduced to the system of linear equations for unknown expansion coefficients. For Schwartz method the system of integral representation is solved using iterative methods. The dependences of the reflection coefficient magnitude and phase on the value of scan angle are obtained. The comparison of obtained results for particular cases with known ones is performed.

Serum creatinine levels to estimate kidney function in small-for-gestational age and appropriate-for-gestational age newborns

Background The main parameter used to determine renal function in newborns is serum creatinine. Fetal growth restriction during pregnancy can cause the baby to be born small-for-gestational age. Serum creatinine levels in newborns are affected by muscle mass, gestational age, as well as the number of nephrons and kidney development.
 Objective To determine the usefulness of serum creatinine levels as an estimate of glomerular filtration rate in small-for-gestational age and appropriate-for-gestational age newborns.
 Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted in May-June 2018. The subjects were full term newborn infants consisting of small-for-gestational age and appropriate-for-gestational age groups (16 subjects each), born in Bandung City Regional Public Hospital. Serum creatinine level was tested by the Jaffe method. The estimated glomerular filtration rate was calculated based on serum creatinine, infant height, and a proportionality constant using the original Schwartz method, eGFR = [k * height]/SCr.
 Results Of 32 subjects, there were 17 spontaneous deliveries, 14 males, and 18 females. Mean serum creatinine levels in the small-for-gestational age and appropriate-for-gestational age groups were 0.94 (SD 0.36; 95%CI 0.75 to 1.14) mg/dL and 0.69 (SD 0.18; 95%CI 0.60 to 0.79) mg/dL (mean difference 0.25; 95%CI 0.05 to 0.46; P=0.009), respectively. The median estimated glomerular filtration rates (eGFR) in the small-for-gestational age and appropriate-for-gestational age groups were 25.69 mL/min/1.73m2 and 30.10 mL/min/1.73m2 (median difference 4.42; 95%CI 2.04 to 15.8; P=0.008), respectively. There was a weak negative correlation between serum creatinine and birth weight (r=–0.344; P=0.027).
 Conclusion Serum creatinine levels in small-for-gestational age newborns are significantly higher than in appropriate-for-gestational age newborns.

Влияние социальных перемен на индивидуальные ценности студентов

The aim of the study is to identify the specifics of social changes and their impact on the values of students. Methods . Questionnaire, M. Rokich scale of values, Sh. Schwartz method of studying the personality’s values, Ch. E. Spirman criterion, statistical analysis. Result . Influence of social changes on individual values of Dagestan youth, through the example of students of Dagestan State Pedagogical University (DSPU) is established. Upon required conditions the dynamics will contribute to the improvement and harmonization of society. Conclusion . Results reached show that such values as family, friends are on the first stage of value-based orientations for the students, on the second one are such values as interesting work, career progress, material values.

Correlation between three-dimensional and cross-sectional characteristics of ideal grain growth: large-scale phase-field simulation study

Grain growth is one of the most fundamental phenomena affecting the microstructure of polycrystalline materials. In experimental studies, three-dimensional (3D) grain growth is usually investigated by examining two-dimensional (2D) cross sections. However, the extent to which the 3D microstructural characteristics can be obtained from cross-sectional observations remains unclear. Additionally, there is some disagreement as to whether a cross-sectional view of 3D grain growth can be fully approximated by 2D growth. In this study, by employing the multi-phase-field method and parallel graphics processing unit computing on a supercomputer, we perform large-scale simulations of 3D and 2D ideal grain growth with approximately three million initial grains. This computational scale supports the detailed comparison of 3D, cross-sectional, and 2D grain structures with good statistical reliability. Our simulations reveal that grain growth behavior in a cross section is very different from those in 3D and fully 2D spaces, in terms of the average and distribution of the grain sizes, as well as the growth kinetics of individual grains. On the other hand, we find that the average grain size in 3D can be estimated as being around 1.2 times that observed in a cross section, which is in good agreement with classical theory in the stereology. Furthermore, based on the Saltykov–Schwartz method, we propose a predictive model that can estimate the 3D grain size distribution from the cross-sectional size distribution.

An asymptotic behavior and a posteriori error estimates for the generalized Schwartz method of advection-diffusion equation

In this paper, a posteriori error estimates for the generalized Schwartz method with Dirichlet boundary conditions on the interfaces for advection-diffusion equation with second order boundary value problems are proved by using the Euler time scheme combined with Galerkin spatial method. Furthermore, an asymptotic behavior in Sobolev norm is deduced using Benssoussan-Lions' algorithm. Finally, the results of some numerical experiments are presented to support the theory.

On Aspects of Inflation in the Context of Commodity and Futures Market

This thesis has developed alternative approaches for inflation forecasting and analysed the inflation risk premium in the context of commodity futures and options markets. Chapter 1 proposes an approach to tackle the non-availability of exchange-traded inflation futures price data. The composition of the consumer price index enables us to recognise the commodities which correspond to the consumption goods in the CPI. By averaging the commodity futures prices in the same way as the CPI is composed, we construct a synthetic futures contract written on the consumer price index, i.e. a futures on the CPI proxy, based on which we derive a ‘point’ forecast of inflation rate. Chapter 2 analyses the term structures of futures on the CPI proxy using the Schwartz (1997) method. Inspired by the Schwartz (1997)’s framework, we develop a two-factor valuation model filtering the spot consumer price index and the instantaneous real interest rate. The Kalman filter is applied to estimate the two-factor valuation model parameters. The filtered spot consumer price index may help alleviate the publication lag in the U.S. CPI-U index. What’s more, the two-factor valuation model is capable of forecasting the downward trend in the U.S. CPI inflation rate during May 2014 to December 2014. Chapter 3 forecasts the inflation rate from the perspective of commodity futures option market. We construct a synthetic option contract written on the futures on the CPI proxy. Based on a synthetic option implied volatility surface, we derive an interval estimate for the one-year ahead expected inflation rate. Moreover, the fact that commodity futures option market data is high-frequency enables our method of inflation forecasting to theoretically capture the market expectation of price level evolution in the real time. Chapter 4 estimates the inflation risk premium using commodity market data. We derive a link between the inflation risk premium and the risk premium associated with the futures on the CPI proxy. The negative inflation risk premium estimates in our result are consistent with the recent inflation risk premium estimates in the macroeconomic inflation risk premium literature.

Localised sequential state estimation for advection dominated flows with non-Gaussian uncertainty description

This paper presents a new iterative state estimation algorithm for advection dominated flows with non-Gaussian uncertainty description of $L^\infty$-type: uncertain initial condition and model error are assumed to be pointvise bounded in space and time, and the observation noise has uncertain but bounded second moments. The algorithm approximates this $L^\infty$-type bounding set by a union of possibly overlapping ellipsoids, which are localized (in space) on a number of sub-domains. On each sub-domain the state of the original system is estimated by the standard $L^2$-type filter (e.g. Kalman/minimax filter) which uses Gaussian/ellipsoidal uncertainty description and observations (if any) which correspond to this sub-domain. The resulting local state estimates are stitched together by the iterative d-ADN Schwartz method to reconstruct the state of the original system. The efficacy of the proposed method is demonstrated with a set of numerical examples.

Application of the Schwartz method to the calculation of waveguide PAA in the presence of die-lectric inserts and coatings

The application of the Schwarz method for solving the problem of diffraction of an electromagnetic wave on a linear phased array antenna scanning in the H-plane is considered. The diffraction problem is reduced to the solution of the Fredholm integral equation of the second kind by the method of successive approximations. Expressions are obtained for the reflection coefficient of the incident wave in the i-order approximation.

An improved least squares Monte Carlo valuation method based on heteroscedasticity

Longstaff–Schwartz’s least squares Monte Carlo method is one of the most applied numerical methods for pricing American-style derivatives. We examine the algorithms regression step, demonstrating that the OLS regression is not the best linear unbiased estimator because of heteroscedasticity. We prove the existence of heteroscedasticity for single-asset and multi-asset payoffs numerically and theoretically, and propose weighted-least squares MC valuation method to correct for it. An extensive numerical study shows that the proposed method produces significantly smaller pricing bias than the Longstaff–Schwartz method under several well-known price dynamics. An empirical pricing exercise using market data confirms the advantages of the improved method.

Pression Agrofonciere Et Mutations Agraires Sur Le Plateau Adja Au Sud Ouest Du Benin

History shows that the evolution of agrarian systems has generally been towards more intensive systems under the pressure of demographic pressure. The agrofoncial pressure experienced by the Adja Plateau and the resulting agrarian mutations have been studied by this research. The methodology used includes data collection, processing and analysis. The socio-economic surveys were carried out in selected villages on the basis of well-defined criteria. The 1995 Schwartz method was used to establish the sample. Also, seven (7) focus groups were carried out in 7 different villages. The proportions of arable land per farm and land tenure were calculated and analyzed. Agricultural practices were identified and then characterized. The determination of the level of pressure on the land was carried out by calculating the coefficients of Rutemberg R (1980), Allan L (1965) and the agro-demographic index (IAT). The results show that, in addition to traditional modes of access to arable land, such as inheritance and donation, new modes such as sharecropping, leasing and purchase have emerged and developed on the Adja Plateau. This situation can be explained by the gradual reduction of land available for agricultural assets, with an average of 0.34 ha for the whole of the Plateau. The result is a very long period of land use (9 years) before set-aside. For the whole Plateau, the average values of R, L and AIT are respectively 78.39; 1.28 and 0.12 ha / hbt. These figures indicate that the environment is characterized by a system of permanent crops in an area subject to high human pressure.

An overlapping Domain Decomposition preconditioning method for monolithic solution of shear bands

Metals subjected to high strain rate impact often exhibit a sudden and profound drop in the material’s load bearing capability, a ductile failure phenomenon known as shear banding. Shear bands, characterized as material instabilities, are driven by shear heating and described as narrow regions that have sustained intense plastic deformation and high temperature rise. This coupled thermo-mechanical localization problem can be formulated as a nonlinear system with two balance equations, momentum and energy, and two constitutive laws for elasticity and plasticity.In our formulation, mixed finite elements are used to discretize the equations in space and an implicit finite difference scheme is used to advance the system in time, where at every time step, a Newton type method is used to solve the system monolithically. To that end, a block Jacobian matrix is formed analytically using Gâteaux derivatives. The resulting Jacobian is sparse, nonsymmetric and its sparsity pattern and eigenvalue content vary with the different stages of shear bands formation, consequently posing a significant challenge to iterative solvers.To address this issue, an overlapping Domain Decomposition preconditioner that takes into account the physics of shear bands and the domain in which it forms, is proposed. The key idea is to resolve the shear band domain accurately while only solving the remaining domain approximately, with selective updates when necessary. The preconditioner is formed on the basis of an additive Schwartz method that is applied to a Schur complement partition of the system.The proposed preconditioner is implemented in parallel and tested on three different benchmark problems as compared against off-the-shelf solvers. We study the effect of h- and k-refinement that are obtained from Isogeometric discretizations of the system, the overlapping strategy and its parallel performance. Excellent performance is demonstrated in serial and parallel on all benchmark examples.

Решение задачи контакта двух упругих тел методом Шварца при использовании сеток с существенно отличающимися шагами

Решение задачи контакта двух упругих тел методом Шварца при использовании сеток с существенно отличающимися шагами

Domain decomposition algorithms for the two dimensional nonlinear Schrödinger equation and simulation of Bose–Einstein condensates

In this paper, we apply the optimized Schwarz method to the two dimensional nonlinear Schrodinger equation and extend this method to the simulation of Bose-Einstein condensates (Gross-Pitaevskii equation). We propose an extended version of the Schwartz method by introducing a preconditioned algorithm. The two algorithms are studied numerically. The experiments show that the preconditioned algorithm improves the convergence rate and reduces the computation time. In addition, the classical Robin condition and a newly constructed absorbing condition are used as transmission conditions.

Problems of Identification of the Parameters of Quasiideal Filtration Processes in Nonlinear Layered Porous Media

On the basis of synthesis of the numerical methods of quasiconformal mappings and summary representations in combination with the domain decomposition by the Schwartz method, we develop a constructive approach to the numerical solution of nonlinear model problems of the theory of complex quasipotential for nonlinear layered curvilinear domains under the conditions of identification of the parameters (conductivity coefficient and the characteristic values of the potential on the equipotential lines of separation of layers).

Dynamic modeling and simulation of 3D manipulation on rough surfaces based on developed adhesion models

Since surface roughness greatly influences the force of adhesion between two bodies, the dynamic behavior of different biological micro/nanoparticles on rough surfaces during 3D manipulation operations has been studied in this paper by employing the atomic force microscope (AFM). In this regard, the force of adhesion between two surfaces has been simultaneously investigated on the basis of two important approaches. First, the interactions between two surfaces have been evaluated based on the available contact mechanics theories, and depending on the type of biological nanoparticle studied in this research, an appropriate model has been presented. Then, the common adhesion models of Rumpf and Rabinovich have been modified based on the Van der Waals force and with regard to the cylindrical geometry of the nanoparticles. Finally, based on the Schwartz method, by developing the adhesion model based on the two approaches mentioned above, the adhesion force between cylindrical biological nanoparticles and rough surfaces has been extracted for the first time. The dynamic behavior of nanoparticles in 3D manipulation on a rough substrate has been modeled and then simulated and analyzed. The simulation results indicate that, by increasing the asperity radius, the critical force needed to manipulate a nanoparticle increases. Also, in contrast to the sliding mode, the critical force of movement in the rolling mode diminishes with the increase of nanoparticle radius. The experimental results obtained from the topography of glass and silica substrates indicate that the Rumpf model underestimates the adhesion force relative to the Rabinovich model.