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In this paper, we generalize the unified approach proposed in Zhang et al. [J. Zhang, Z. Xu, and X. Wu, Phys. Rev. E 78,026709 (2008)] to design the nonlinear local absorbing boundary conditions (LABCs) for the nonlinear Schrodinger equation with wave operator on unbounded domains. In fact, based on the methodology underlying the unified approach, we first split the original equation into two parts--the linear equation and the nonlinear equation--then achieve a one-way operator to approximate the linear equation to make the wave outgoing, and finally combine the one-way operator with the nonlinear equation to achieve the nonlinear LABCs. The stability of the equation with the nonlinear LABCs is also analyzed by introducing some auxiliary variables, and some numerical examples are presented to verify the accuracy and effectiveness of our proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The numerical solution of the nonlinear wave equation on unbounded spatial domain is considered. The artificial boundary method is introduced to reduce the nonlinear problem on unbounded spatial domain to an initial boundary value problem on a bounded domain. Using the unified approach, which is based on the operator splitting method, we construct the efficient nonlinear local absorbing boundary conditions for the nonlinear wave equation, and give the stability analysis of the resulting boundary conditions. Finally, several numerical examples are given to demonstrate the effectiveness of our method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The self-assembly property of ursolic acid (UA) without any modification was reported here for the first time. The results showed that ursolic acid could aggregate into organogels in bromobenzene and some alcoholic solvents. It was proved that the driving forces for gel formation were intermolecular hydrogen bonding and packing interaction between the rigid backbones of ursolic acid through Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectra. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is concerned with the numerical solution of semilinear parabolic PDEs on unbounded spatial domains whose solutions blow up in finite time. The focus of the presentation is on the derivation of the nonlinear absorbing boundary conditions for one-dimensional and two-dimensional computational domains and on a simple but efficient adaptive time-stepping scheme. The theoretical results are illustrated by a broad range of numerical examples, including problems with multiple blow-up points. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was aimed at assessing physicians' and physician assistants' knowledge and attitudes toward HIV/AIDS and identifying determinants of willingness to care for infected individuals in Southeast China. From May to June 2004, 454 physicians and physician assistants from 5 different medical facility levels in Fujian Province, China, undertook a survey on knowledge, attitude, behavior, and practice (KABP). Only 40.4% (95% confidence intervals: 35.9, 44.9) were willing to provide healthcare services for people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHAs). Knowledge ( p < 0.001) and attitude scores ( p = 0.01) as well as the proportion of those willing to provide care ( p < 0.001) significantly differed by facility level. Multivariate analysis identified supportive attitudes toward PLWHAs ( p < 0.001), self-confidence in providing care ( p < 0.001), and facility level as significant predictors of willingness to care for infected individuals. Village medical stations showed the most unfavorable outcomes. Enhanced education as well as specific programs promoting supportive attitudes and willingness to care is therefore required, especially among those working at lower facility levels in remote areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Diabetes mellitus is a global public health issue. Cross sectional studies have found that visceral fat is closely related to the prevalence of diabetes mellites, while prospective cohort studies on the trend of onset time of diabetes mellitus and its correlation with Chinese visceral adiposity index (CVAI) are scant. Objective To analyze the trend of onset time of diabetes mellitus and its correlation with CVAI in Pudong New Area, Shanghai, residents by the prospective cohort study, thus providing evidence for the scientific prevention and treatment of diabetes mellitus. Methods This was a prospective cohort study involving 5 236 residents from 12 townships and 35 village committees who participated in the chronic disease risk factor monitoring project in Pudong New Area, from January to July, 2013. Baseline data were collected, including CVAI, visceral adiposity index (VAI), body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), a body shape index (ABSI), and body adiposity index (BAI). Follow-up was conducted in 2016 and 2019. By the end of follow-up in October 2019, the incidence of new onset of diabetes mellitus in this cohort was calculated through questionnaire survey, laboratory testing, medical system visit information and vital statistics information system. According to the baseline quartile, the CVAI, VAI, BMI, WC, WHR, WHtR, ABSI, and BAI of the included population were divided into Q1 to Q4 quartiles. The number of cases in CVAI Q1-Q4 groups was 1 306, 1 307, 1 307, and 1 307, respectively. The number of cases in VAI Q1-Q4 groups was 1 300, 1 316, 1 306, and 1 306, respectively. The number of cases in BMI Q1-Q4 groups was 1 305, 1 302, 1 312, and 1 311, respectively. The number of cases in WC Q1-Q4 groups was 1 302, 1 273, 1 287, and 1 367, respectively. The number of cases in WHR Q1-Q4 groups was 1 180, 1 203, 1 332, and 1 514, respectively. The number of cases in WHtR Q1-Q4 groups was 1 199, 1 393, 1 400, and 1 237, respectively. The number of cases in ABSI Q1-Q4 groups was 1 316, 1 302, 1 302, and 1 308 respectively. The number of cases in BAI Q1-Q4 groups was 1 310, 1 304, 1 308, and 1 307, respectively. The multivariable Cox regression analysis was used to analyze the correlation of CVAI and other obesity indicators with the onset of diabetes mellitus. The predictive potential of CVAI and other obesity indicators in diabetes mellitus was assessed using receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curves. Results The incidence density of diabetes mellitus in Pudong New Area was 33.55/1 000 person-years from 2013 to 2016, and 23.25/ 1 000 person-years from 2017 to 2019. With aging, the total incidence density of diabetes mellitus showed an increasing trend (2013-2016: χ2=28.503, Ptrend

For three-dimensional simulations of the vortex phenomena in superconductors based on the Ginzburg­Landau (GL) theory, the physical variables must be solved in the whole space in general. Exact boundary conditions on an artificial boundary are discussed to reformulate the problem in a finite domain. Approximations of these boundary conditions with high accuracy are given, and their convergence properties are examined. Error estimates are derived for the finite element approximations with the approximate boundary conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MIL77-3 is one component of antibody cocktail that is produced in our lab and represents an effective regimen for animals suffering from Zaire Ebolavirus (EBOV) infection. MIL77-3 is engineered to increase its affinity for the FcγRIIIa (CD16a) by deleting the fucose in the framework region. The potential effects of this modification on host immune responses, however, remain largely unknown. Herein, we demonstrated that MIL77-3 recognized secreted glycoproptein (sGP), produced by EBOV, and formed the immunocomplex to potently augment antibody-dependent cytotoxicity of human peripheral blood-derived natural killer cells (pNKs), including CD56dim and CD56bright subpopulations, in contrast to the counterparts (Mab114, rEBOV548, fucosylated MIL77-3). Intriguingly, this effect was not observed when NK92-CD16a cell line was utilized and restored by the addition of beads-coupled or membrane-anchored sGP in combination with MIL77-3. Furthermore, sGP bound to unrecognized receptors on T cells contaminated in pNKs rather than NK92-CD16a cells. Administration of beads-coupled sGP/MIL77-3 complex in mice elicited NK activation. Overall, this work reveals an immune-stimulating function of sGP/MIL77-3 complex by triggering cytotoxic activity of NK cells, highlighting the necessity to evaluate the potential impact of MIL77-3 on host immune reaction in clinical trials. IMPORTANCE Zaire Ebolavirus (EBOV) is highly lethal and causes sporadic outbreaks. The passive administration of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) represents a promising treatment regimen against EBOV. Mounting evidence has shown that the efficacy of a subset of therapeutic mAbs in vivo is intimately associated with its capacity to trigger NK activity, supporting glycomodification of Fc region of anti-EBOV mAbs as a putative strategy to enhance Fc-mediated immune effector function as well as protection in vivo. Our work here uncovers the potential harmful influence of this modification on host immune responses, especially for mAbs with cross-reactivity to secreted glycoproptein (sGP) (e.g., MIL77-3), and highlights it is necessary to evaluate the NK-stimulating activity of a fucosylated mAb engaged with sGP when a new candidate is developed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study the generalized q-dimension of measures supported by Heisenberg self-affine sets in the Heisenberg group, and we obtain bounds for it which are valid for ‘almost all’ classes of affine contractions. In particular, when 1 < q ⩽ 2, exact values are established for Heisenberg self-affine measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: The nephrotoxic side effects of cyclosporine A (CsA) are partly due to induction of the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), possibly through upregulation of connective tissue growth factor (CTGF). Bone morphogenetic protein (BMP-7) has been reported to protect against and reverse renal injury via its renotropic and antifibrotic effects. We therefore designed a method to investigate the mechanism by which BMP-7 inhibits CSA-induced EMT in cultured human renal proximal tubular epithelial (HK-2) cells and whether BMP-7 can antagonize CsA-induced profibrogenic effects. Methods: Cultured HK-2 cells were treated with CsA or a combination of CsA and BMP-7 for 72 h. Morphological changes were assessed by phase-contrast microscopy. The expression of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), E-cadherin, collagen type I and CTGF was analyzed by immunofluorescence, RT-PCR, and Western blot. Additionally, the effect of CTGF silencing on CsA-mediated gene expression was assessed. Results: CsA-induced EMT was associated with decreased expression of E-cadherin, increased expression of α-SMA, collagen type I and CTGF, and loss of epithelial morphology. BMP-7 inhibited these effects in a dose-dependent manner. Using siRNA, CTGF knock-down also attenuated EMT-associated phenotypic changes induced by CsA. Conclusion: These data suggest that BMP-7 can block CsA-induced EMT by downregulating the expression of CTGF, a downstream mediator of EMT. Copyright © 2009 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to construct highly accurate local absorbing boundary conditions for a linearized Korteweg-de Vries equation on unbounded domain. The local absorbing boundary conditions are derived by Padé approximation with high accuracy, and a sequence of auxiliary variables are utilized to avoid the high-order derivatives in the absorbing boundary conditions. Then the original problem on unbounded domain is replaced by an equivalent initial boundary value problem defined on a finite domain. The finite difference method is applied to solve the reduced problem on the finite computational domain. Finally, numerical results are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness and accuracy of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pulmonary large cell carcinoma (LCC) is an infrequent neoplasm with a poor prognosis. This study explored the clinical characteristics and survival prognostic factors of LCC patients. Methods: Patient data were extracted from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. Chi‐square tests or rank‐sum tests were used to compare differences in clinical characteristics. Log‐rank tests, univariate, and multivariate analyses were performed to investigate the independent factors of survival. Analyses of stage I–IV patients were performed to further explore the optimal treatment. Results: In total, 3197 LCC patients were included in this analysis. Compared with other non‐small cell lung cancers (NSCLCs), there was a worse overall survival (OS) from LCC. LCC was more common in males, over age 60 and in the upper lobe. A total of 73.6% of patients were stage III/IV. The median OS of stage I–IV patients was 42 months, 22 months, 11 months, and three months, respectively. The elderly, males, later stage, and main bronchus location, or overlapping lesions were risk factors for survival prognosis. In stage I–III patients, treatment including surgery could significantly reduce the risk of death by 60% at least compared with no therapy. Surgery was still beneficial for stage IV patients, and the hazard ratio (HR) compared with no therapy was 0.462 (P = 0.001). Conclusions: Our study concluded that LCC has unique clinical features, and that age, sex, primary site, stage, and treatment are significantly related to OS. Surgery based comprehensive treatments are effective for LCC. Key points: Significant findings of the study In stage IV patients, chemotherapy or radiotherapy combined with surgery could further improve survival. When surgical resection involved more than one lobe, it may be beneficial for survival prognosis. What this study adds LCC patients were principally male and over age 60, with later stages and poor survival prognosis. Age, sex, stage, primary site and therapy are closely related to survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]