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Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) is a prominent cause of neonatal mortality and neurodevelopmental disorders; however, effective therapeutic interventions remain limited. During neonatal hypoxic-ischemic injury events, increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and decreased antioxidant levels lead to the induction of oxidative stress, which plays a pivotal role in the pathological process of neonatal HIE. Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) is a key endogenous antioxidant transcription factor that protects against oxidative stress by promoting the transcription of various antioxidant genes. It has been demonstrated that Nrf2 signaling pathway activation by different compounds may protect against neonatal HIE. This review outlines the role of oxidative stress in neonatal HIE and summarizes the impact of antioxidants on neonatal HIE via activation of the Nrf2 signaling pathway. In conclusion, Nrf2 signaling pathway potentially exerts antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiapoptotic and antiferroptotic effects, thereby emerging as a focal point for future neonatal HIE treatment strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reinterprets the Freidlin--Wentzell variational construction of the rate function in the large deviation principle for invariant measures from the weak KAM perspective. Through a one-dimensional irreversible diffusion process on a torus, we explicitly characterize essential concepts in the weak KAM theory, such as the Peierls barrier and the pro jected Mather/Aubry/ Man\~\'e sets. The weak KAM representation of the Freidlin--Wentzell variational construction of the rate function is discussed based on the global adjustment for the boundary data and the local trimming from the lifted Peierls barriers. This rate function gives the maximal Lipschitz continuous viscosity solution to the corresponding stationary Hamilton--Jacobi equation (HJE), satisfying the Freidlin--Wentzell variational formula for the boundary data on the Aubry set. Choosing meaningful self-consistent boundary data at each local attractor is essential to select a unique weak KAM solution to stationary HJE. This selected viscosity solution also serves as the global energy landscape of the original stochastic process. This selection for stationary HJEs can be described by first taking the long time limit and then taking the zero noise limit, which also provides a special construction of vanishing viscosity approximation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the existence of gravel, glutenite is heterogeneous and different from fine-grained rocks such as sandstone and shale in structure. To fully understand the effect of gravel on failure mode in glutenite, we performed triaxial compression tests on different glutenites. The results indicate that failure modes of glutenite are complex due to the existence of gravel. Under different confining pressures, three failure modes were observed. The first failure mode, a tensile failure under uniaxial compression, produces multiple tortuous longitudinal cracks. In this failure mode, the interaction between gravels provides the lateral tensile stress for rock splitting. The second failure mode occurs under low and medium confining pressure and produces a crack band composed of micro-cracks around gravels. This failure mode conforms to the Mohr-Coulomb criterion and is generated by shear failure. In this failure mode, shear dilatancy and shear compaction may occur under different confining pressures to produce different crack band types. In the second failure mode, gravel-induced stress concentration produces masses of initial micro-cracks for shear cracking, and gravels deflect the fracture surfaces. As a result, the fracture is characterized by crack bands that are far broader than in fine-grained rocks. The third failure mode requires high confining pressure and produces disconnected cracks around gravels without apparent crack bands. In this failure mode, the gravel rarely breaks, indicating that the formation of these fractures is related to the deformation of the matrix. The third failure mode requires lower confining pressure in glutenite with weak cement and matrix support. Generally, unlike fine-grained rocks, the failure mode of glutenite is not only controlled by confining pressure but also by the gravel. The failure of glutenite is characterized by producing cracks around gravels. These cracks are produced by different mechanisms and distributed in different manners under different confining pressures to form different fracture patterns. Therefore, understanding the rock microstructure and formation stress state is essential in guiding glutenite reservoir development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To investigate the effect of bi-level positive airway pressure (BIPAP) therapy on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) complicated with anxiety and depression. Methods: This is a retrospective study. One hundred patients with COPD complicated with anxiety and depression who were admitted to the Respiratory Department of The First Affiliated Hospital of Hebei North University from August 2021 to August 2022 were selected and randomly divided into two groups. Patients in the control group were given conventional symptomatic treatment, while those in the observation group were given BIPAP therapy in addition to the treatment in the control group. The two groups were compared and analyzed in terms of respiratory function indicators, the changes in the scores of St. George’s Hospital Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) and COPD assessment test (CAT), blood gas analysis indicators, the levels of serum neurokinin A (NKA), serum interleukin-6 (IL-6), and serum serotonin (5-HT), as well as the changes in the scores of Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA) and Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD). Results: After treatment, the levels of lung function indicators in both groups increased, SGRQ and CAT scores decreased, and pH levels remained unchanged. In addition, PaO2 levels increased, PCO2, 5-HT, NKA and IL-6 levels decreased, and HAMA and HAMD scores decreased. The improvement degree of each indicator in the observation group was superior to that in the control group. Conclusion: In the clinical treatment of COPD complicated with anxiety and depression, BIPAP boasts effective amelioration of lung function and relief of anxiety and depression symptoms, and its mechanism of action may have a close bearing on ameliorating the levels of 5-HT, NKA, and IL-6 in patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Lung cancer, the most common type of cancer, has a high mortality rate. Cucurbitacin B (CuB), a natural compound extracted from Cucurbitaceae plants, has antitumor effects. Objective: We investigated the role of CuB on lung cancer and its potential mechanisms. Materials and methods: A549 cells were treated with 0.1, 0.3, 0.6, and 0.9 lM CuB for 12, 24, and 48 h or untreated. Gene and protein levels were evaluated by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and western blotting. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) detected inflammatory factors levels (TNF-a and IL-10). 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT), flow cytometry, and colony formation assays measured cell viability, apoptosis, and proliferation. The interaction between miR-let-7c and long non-coding RNA X inactive-specific transcript (XIST) or interleukin-6 (IL-6) was verified by dual-luciferase reporter assays. Results: CuB treatment inhibited the proliferation of lung cancer cells and promoted cell apoptosis, and increased the expression of Bax and cleaved caspase3, decreased cyclin B1 and Bcl-2 expression. CuB suppressed XIST and IL-6 expression, and enhanced miR-let-7c expression. XIST silencing enhanced the inhibitory effect of CuB on cell proliferation and the promotion effect on apoptosis via upregulating miR-let-7c. Moreover, XIST targeted miR-let-7c to activate the IL-6/STAT axis. MiR-let-7c overexpression enhanced the regulatory effect of CuB on proliferation and apoptosis via suppressing the IL-6/STAT3 pathway. Discussion and conclusion: CuB regulated cell proliferation and apoptosis by inhibiting the XIST/miR-let-7c/IL-6/STAT3 axis in lung cancer. These findings indicate CuB may have the possibility of clinical application in lung cancer treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gomphus matijun, a new edible species, is described from southwestern China based on phylogenetic and morphological evidence. Phylogenetic analyses of the nrLSU and ITS datasets indicated that G. matijun is related to G. crassipes and G. ludovicianus with weak statistical support in maximum likelihood but strong statistical support in Bayesian analyses. Gomphus matijun is characterized by its gray-blue to blue or blue-purple pileus with a round or irregular outline, relatively smaller basidiospores [9-11(-13) × 6-7(-8) µm], mostly 2-spored basidia, and occurs in subtropical fagaceous forests. A key to the known species of Gomphus is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent gravitational wave detection efforts have yielded a variety of unexpected binary merger event types, revealing our ignorance regarding one of the more fundamental pillars of astrophysics–the binary evolution process. To make up for this shortfall, we have to not only rely on such rare transient events as binary mergers, but also other independent, more persistently observable inspirations. We introduce one such candidate in this review, namely the Thorne-Żytkow Objects (TŻO), that are hypothetical celestial bodies born when neutron stars sink into the centers of red giants and/or red supergiants, whose properties and inferred formation history would undoubtedly clue us in on the vitals of the progenitor binary. First, focus on the theoretical overview of the structure and evolution of massive TŻO; then focus on the observational findings of massive TŻO, especially HV2112 in the Small Magellanic Cloud; finally, summarize current related work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The geometric motion of small droplets placed on an impermeable textured substrate is mainly driven by the capillary effect, the competition among surface tensions of three phases at the moving contact lines, and the impermeable substrate obstacle. After introducing an infinite dimensional manifold with an admissible tangent space on the boundary of the manifold, by Onsager's principle for an obstacle problem, we derive the associated parabolic variational inequalities. These variational inequalities can be used to compute the contact line dynamics with unavoidable merging and splitting of droplets due to the impermeable obstacle. To efficiently solve the parabolic variational inequality, we propose an unconditional stable explicit boundary updating scheme coupled with a projection method. The explicit boundary updating efficiently decouples the computation of the motion by mean curvature of the capillary surface and the moving contact lines. Meanwhile, the projection step efficiently splits the difficulties brought by the obstacle and the motion by mean curvature of the capillary surface. Furthermore, we prove the unconditional stability of the scheme and present an accuracy check. Convergence of the proposed scheme is also proved using a nonlinear Trotter-Kato product formula under the pinning contact line assumption. After incorporating the phase transition information at splitting points, several challenging examples including splitting and merging of droplets are demonstrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, the primary goal is to establish a rigorous connection between the Fokker--Planck equation of neural networks and its microscopic model: the diffusion-jump stochastic process that captures the mean-field behavior of collections of neurons in the integrate-and-fire model. The proof is based on a novel iteration scheme: with an auxiliary random variable counting the firing events, both the density function of the stochastic process and the solution of the PDE problem admit series representations, and thus the difficulty in verifying the link between the density function and the PDE solution in each subproblem is greatly mitigated. The iteration approach provides a generic framework for integrating the probability approach with PDE techniques, with which we prove that the density function of the diffusion-jump stochastic process is indeed the classical solution of the Fokker--Planck equation with a unique flux-shift structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we study a cross-diffusion system whose coefficient matrix is non-symmetric and degenerate. The system arises in the study of tissue growth with autophagy. The existence of a weak solution is established. We also investigate the limiting behavior of solutions as the pressure gets stiff. The so-called incompressible limit is a free boundary problem of Hele-Shaw type. Our key new discovery is that the usual energy estimate still holds as long as the time variable stays away from 0. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses a non-traditional approach for the scaling-law fluid-flows described by fractal scaling-law vector calculus associated with the Mandelbrot scaling law. Their quantum equations were proposed to control the fluid-flows associated with the Mandelbrot scaling law. This gives a new insight into the descriptions for the scaling-law behaviors of the fluid-flows in the Mandelbrot scaling-law phenomena. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To better understand the origin and tectonic evolution of the Paleoproterozoic Jiao-Liao- Ji belt, North China craton, which have long been debated, we have conducted whole-rock geochemical and zircon U-Pb and Hf isotope analyses on Paleoproterozoic monzo(syeno) granitic gneisses and metamafic rocks from eastern Liaoning Province. The results indicate that these monzo(syeno)granitic gneisses and metamafic rocks formed concurrently at ca. 2.2-2.1 Ga. The monzo(syeno)granitic gneisses show geochemical features of A-type granites and were derived from dehydration melting of Archean tonalite-trondhjemitegranodiorite (TTG) with minor involvement of coeval mantle-derived magma in an extensional setting. The metamafic rocks are geochemically similar to mid-ocean-ridge basalt; they were generated by partial melting of isotope-depleted asthenospheric mantle in an intracontinental extensional setting and experienced crustal and continental lithospheric mantle contamination and fractional crystallization. Based on this study and published geological evidence, we propose the following tectonic model for the origin and geodynamic evolution of the Jiao-Liao-Ji belt: (1) Generation of high-density eclogitized lower crust accompanied by formation of voluminous Archean TTGs in the Eastern block; (2) intracontinental extension driven by upwelling of an asthenospheric hotspot along the Jiao-Liao-Ji belt in period of 2.20-2.0 Ga; (3) convergent orogenic processes between the Longgang block and Nangrim block governed by gravity-driven subduction of high-density eclogitized lower crust at ca. 1.95-1.85 Ga; and (4) postorogenic extension caused by delamination of the orogenic root and subsequent hot asthenospheric upwelling. This tectonic model can well explain the origin and geodynamic evolution of the Paleoproterozoic Jiao-Liao-Ji belt. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At the continuous level, we consider two types of tumor growth models: the cell density model, based on the uid mechanical construction, is more favorable for scientific interpretation and numerical simulations, and the free boundary model, as the incompressible limit of the former, is more tractable when investigating the boundary propagation. In this work, we aim to investigate the boundary propagation speeds in those models based on asymptotic analysis of the free boundary model and efficient numerical simulations of the cell density model. We derive, for the first time, some analytical solutions for the free boundary model with pressure jumps across the tumor boundary in multidimensions with finite tumor sizes. We further show that in the large radius limit, the analytical solutions to the free boundary model in one and multiple spatial dimensions converge to traveling wave solutions. The convergence rate in the propagation speeds are algebraic in multidimensions as opposed to the exponential convergence in one dimension. We also propose an accurate front capturing numerical scheme for the cell density model, and extensive numerical tests are provided to illustrate the analytical findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The systematic position of the enigmatically mycoparasitic genus Squamanita (Agaricales, Basidiomycota) together with Cystoderma, Phaeolepiota, Floccularia, and Leucopholiota is largely unknown. Recently they were recognized as Squamanitaceae, but previous studies used few DNA markers from a restricted sample of taxa from the family and lacked a formal taxonomic treatment. In this study, with newly generated sequences of the type of the genus Squamanita, S. schreieri, and several additional species of the family, the phylogeny is reinvestigated with a concatenated (18S-5.8S-nrLSU-RPB2-TEF1-α) dataset. This study reveals that Cystoderma, Phaeolepiota, Squamanita, Floccularia, and Leucopholiota are a monophyletic clade with strong statistical support in Bayesian analysis and form Squamanitaceae. Phaeolepiota nested within Cystoderma; Squamanita, Leucopholiota, and Floccularia clustered together as two monophyletic subclades; and Squamanita was present as a monophyletic clade with strong statistical support in both Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian analyses. The family name Squamanitaceae is formally emended and a detailed taxonomic treatment is presented to accommodate the five genera. Meanwhile, another concatenated (18S-ITS-nrLSU-RPB2-TEF1-α) dataset is used to investigate phylogenetic relationships and species delimitation in Squamanita. Our data indicates that "S. umbonata" from the Northern hemisphere forms two species complexes, one complex includes six specimens from North America, Europe, and East Asia, the other includes two specimens from Central America and North America respectively. Futhermore, species of Squamanita can parasitize species of Amanita, besides other fungal species. Squamanita mira parasitizes A. kitamagotake (A. sect. Caesareae), while S. orientalis and S. sororcula are parasites of species belonging to the A. sepiacea complex (A. sect. Validae). "Squamanita umbonata" from Italy occurs on A. excelsa (A. sect. Validae). Three new species of Squamanita from East Asia, viz. S. mira, S. orientalis and S. sororcula are documented with morphological, multi-gene phylogenetic, and ecological data, along with line drawings and photographs, and compared with similar species. A key for identification of the global Squamanita species is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study the dynamics of a droplet moving on an inclined rough surface in the absence of inertial and viscous stress effects. In this case, the dynamics of the droplet is a purely geometric motion in terms of the wetting domain and the capillary surface. Using a single graph representation, we interpret this geometric motion as a gradient flow on a manifold. We propose unconditionally stable first/second order numerical schemes to simulate this geometric motion of the droplet, which is described using motion by mean curvature coupled with moving contact lines. The schemes are based on (i) explicit moving boundaries, which decouple the dynamic updates of the contact lines and the capillary surface, (ii) an arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian method on moving grids and (iii) a predictor-corrector method with a nonlinear elliptic solver up to second order accuracy. For the case of quasi-static dynamics with continuous spatial variable in the numerical schemes, we prove the stability and convergence of the first/second order numerical schemes. To demonstrate the accuracy and long-time validation of the proposed schemes, several challenging computational examples - including breathing droplets, droplets on inhomogeneous rough surfaces and quasi-static Kelvin pendant droplets - are constructed and compared with exact solutions to quasi-static dynamics obtained by desingularized differential-algebraic system of equations (DAEs). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Karst formations represent a unique eco-environment. Research in the microfungi inhabiting this area is limited. During an ongoing survey of ascomycetous microfungi from karst terrains in Guizhou Province, China, we discovered four new species, which are introduced here as Hypoderma paralinderae, Terriera karsti, T. meitanensis and T. sigmoideospora placed in Rhytismataceae, based on phylogenetic analyses and morphological characters. Molecular analyses, based on concatenated LSU-ITS-mtSSU sequence data, were used to infer phylogenetic affinities. Detail descriptions and comprehensive illustrations of these new taxa are provided and relationships with the allied species are discussed, based on comparative morphology and molecular data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies the (3 + 1)-dimensional generalized Kadomtsev-Petviashvili-Boussinesq (KPB) equation via the Hirota's bilinear form and symbolic computation. Mixed type lump solutions are presented, which include rational function, trigonometric function and hyperbolic function. The propagation and the dynamical behaviors of these mixed type of lump solutions are shown by some three-dimensional and contour plots. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The clinical and molecular characteristics of hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae (hvKp) in various provinces of China have been reported, however, there have been few reports in Hebei Province, North China. Methodology: The hvKp was identified by PCR amplification of hypervirulence-related genes, the hypermucoviscous phenotype was determined by the "string test", the drug susceptibility analysis was performed using the VITEK® 2 Compact Bacterial Identification and Monitoring System. Logistic regression was used to identify risk factors for hvKp infection. The molecular epidemiological characteristics of the strains were analyzed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), and the capsular serotype of hvKp strain was detected by PCR. Results: Overall, 52.21% (59/113) of K. pneumoniae isolates were hvKp, and the ratios of patients with older ages or a higher PMN cell count among hvKp infection were higher than those among classical Klebsiella pneumoniae (cKp) infection. hvKp are more susceptible to antibacterial drugs than cKp, and one ESBLs-producing hvKp strain was detected. The main capsular serotype of hvKp were K2, K57 and K1. PFGE indicated that the 59 strains of hvKp could be classified into 51 PFGE band types, forming 6 PFGE clusters. Conclusions: In this study, the detection rate of hvKp was 52.21% (59/113) identified by virulence genes. People with older ages or a higher PMN cell count are more likely to gain hvKp infection. ESBLs-producing hvKp is emerging, indicating the importance of epidemiologic surveillance and clinical awareness of this pathogen in this region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Haptoglobin is an acute-phase reactant with pleiotropic functions. We aimed to study whether urine haptoglobin may predict risk of mortality in people with type 2 diabetes.Research Design and Methods: We employed a transethnic approach with a cohort of Asian origin (Singapore) (N = 2,061) and a cohort of European origin (France) (N = 1,438) included in the study. We used survival analyses to study the association of urine haptoglobin with risk of all-cause and cause-specific mortality.Results: A total of 365 and 525 deaths were registered in the Singapore cohort (median follow-up 7.5 years [interquartile range 3.5-12.8]) and French SURDIAGENE cohort (median follow-up 6.8 years [interquartile range 4.3-10.5], respectively. Singapore participants with urine haptoglobin in quartiles 2 to 4 had higher risk for all-cause mortality compared with quartile 1 (unadjusted hazard ratio [HR] 1.47 [95% CI 1.02-2.11], 2.28 [1.62-3.21], and 4.64 [3.39-6.35], respectively). The association remained significant in quartile 4 after multiple adjustments (1.68 [1.15-2.45]). Similarly, participants in the French cohort with haptoglobin in quartile 4 had significantly higher hazards for all-cause mortality compared with quartile 1 (unadjusted HR 2.67 [2.09-3.42] and adjusted HR 1.49 [1.14-1.96]). In both cohorts, participants in quartile 4 had a higher risk of mortality attributable to cardiovascular disease and infection but not malignant tumor.Conclusions: Urine haptoglobin predicts risk of mortality independent of traditional risk factors, suggesting that it may potentially be a novel biomarker for risk of mortality in patients with type 2 diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In nature, foliar variegation has varied origins, and can be ascribed to two major mechanisms: pigment-related variegation and structural variegation caused by the optical properties of leaf structure. However, understanding of these mechanisms is still lacking, and structural mechanisms are often misinterpreted. In this study, six variegated plants native to Taiwan and two ornamental plants, with novel and unusual foliar variegation patterns, are studied to reveal their mechanisms of variegation. Two newly understood variegation patterns, the silvery white leaf surface of Begonia aptera and the varnish on basal leaflets of Oxalis corymbosa, are reported here. White to light green patches on leaf surfaces characterize the foliar variegation in the other six study species, Nervilia nipponica, O. acetosella subsp. griffithii var. formosana, Paphiopedilum concolor, Selaginella picta, Smilax bracteata subsp. verruculosa and Valeriana hsuii. All six Taiwan native plants exhibit structural variegation, five of which have air space type variegation. Surprisingly the silvery white leaf surface of B. aptera results from numerous sand-like white spots caused by intercellular space. The varnish on leaves of O. corymbosa is the epidermis type of variegation comprised of two newly identified subtypes, larger epidermal cells and thicker outer cell walls. The two ornamental plants have variegation caused by pigments: the chloroplast type from fewer chloroplasts in P. concolor and the chlorophyll type, from absence of chloroplasts in S. picta. This study extends understanding of the mechanisms of natural foliar variegation, illustrating the diversity of mechanisms by which plants may change the appearance of their leaves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multirow film cooling is widely used in gas turbine airfoils cooling to cope with extremely high inlet temperature. The film cooling effectiveness of diffusion slot holes was measured in multirow arrays at a flat plate experimental facility using the pressure sensitive paints (PSP) technique. Emphasis was focused on the influence mechanism of mainstream turbulence intensity (Tu) and coolant-to-mainstream density ratio (DR) on film cooling effectiveness of multirow arrays with wide exit holes. The diffusion slot hole with exit width of 3.7D and 4.0D was, respectively, tested in three staggered arrays of P/D=6 and S/D=30, P/D=6 and S/D=20, and P/D=9 and S/D=20. Four blowing ratios varied from M=0.5 to 2.0. The baseline condition (Tu=3.5%, DR=1.38) was compared with an increased Tu condition (Tu=8.4%) and a decreased DR condition (DR=0.97). The results showed that in two P/D=6 arrays, increasing Tu decreased the multirow effectiveness considerably under all blowing ratios, but increasing Tu prominently restrained the film coalescence. The influences of Tu were more intense for the arrays with larger exit width holes and larger S/D. Decreasing DR increased multirow effectiveness obviously. The influences of DR tended to consistent for all arrays and the influences were relatively weak for high blowing ratios. In the P/D=9 array, the superiority of large exit width hole disappeared completely, regardless of Tu and DR variations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We consider a discretization of Caputo derivatives resulted from deconvolving a scheme for the corresponding Volterra integral. Properties of this discretization, including signs of the coefficients, comparison principles, and stability of the corresponding implicit schemes, are proved by its linkage to Volterra integrals with completely monotone kernels. We then apply the backward scheme corresponding to this discretization to two time fractional dissipative problems, and these implicit schemes are helpful for the analysis of the corresponding problems. In particular, we show that the overdamped generalized Langevin equation with fractional noise has a unique limiting measure for strongly convex potentials and we establish the convergence of numerical solutions to the strong solutions of time fractional gradient flows. The proposed scheme and schemes derived using the same philosophy can be useful for many other applications as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using the one-dimensional effective potential method, we theoretically study the properties of an exciton in vertically coupled quantum dots (VCQDs) under the influence of an applied magnetic field. The ground state transition energies of the heavy-hole exciton are calculated in a single quantum dot and in VCQDs, respectively. Our results are in good agreement with those of experiments. In symmetrical VCQDs, the entanglement of the exciton state monotonously increases with increasing barrier width, and can even attain the value of the maximally entangled state. When the symmetry of the VCQDs is broken, the entanglement of the exciton state almost entirely breaks down under the combined influences of tunneling and the Coulomb interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The properties of a hydrogenic impurity in a parabolic GaAs quantum-well wire in the presence of the magnetic field are investigated using the finite-difference method within the quasi-one-dimensional effective potential model. The magnetic effects on the energies and binding energies of the ground and lowest excited states of a hydrogenic impurity in a parabolic GaAs quantum-well wire are studied for various parabolic potentials. The calculated results indicate that the interplay of the spatial confinement and the magnetic confinement of electrons in the quantum-well wires leads to complicated binding energies of the hydrogenic impurity, and high magnetic fields significantly increase the binding energies of the hydrogenic impurity in the case of weak spatial confinement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The polarization of T helper (Th) cells plays an important role in the inflammatory response, pathogen removal, and tissue damage processes of infectious acute lung injury (ALI). However, Th cell polarization in viral- or bacterial-mediated ALI is not well defined. Herein, an influenza virus (A/FM/1/47, H1N1) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) were chosen to induce ALI in mice, and the resultant diversity of Th-cell polarization was explored. Methodology: BALB/c mice were challenged intranasally with the influenza virus or LPS. Edema of the lung, infiltration of inflammatory cells (macrophages, neutrophils, and lymphocytes), oxidative stress, and signature cytokines of Th1 and Th2 cells were detected at 2 days post virus or LPS challenge. Results: The mice exhibited increased capillary permeability accompanied by lung edema and protein-rich alveolar exudation after virus or LPS challenge. Additionally, excessive infiltration of inflammatory cells, robust oxidative stress, and cytokine production were observed in both mouse groups. However, there was conspicuous disparity in the inflammatory cell infiltration and cytokines between the virus- and LPSchallenged mice, where the infiltration in virus-challenged mice was mainly of macrophages and accompanied by robust Th1 cytokine elevation, whereas the infiltration in LPS-challenged mice was primarily of neutrophils and accompanied by robust Th2 cytokine elevation. Conclusions: The Th cell polarization was skewed depending on whether ALI was induced by the influenza virus or LPS. The polarization in the virus-challenged mice was primarily toward a Th1 response, whereas that in the LPS-challenged mice was mainly toward Th2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new method for testing the interfacial shear properties between early-aged shotcrete and rock was developed in the present study, which was proposed following a new test principle. A new set of mould was also designed and described in detail, as well as the test procedures. The main advantages of the new method were that, the shock and vibration could be eliminated compared with the traditional ones, and made the evaluation on the shear properties of the very early-aged rock-shotcrete interface possible. With the newly developed method, the time-dependent rock-shotcrete interfacial shear properties were addressed. It was found that, the time-dependent shear behaviors of the interface could be regressed by a 3-parameter exponential function with high accuracy. In general, the presented research focused on the description and verification of the new test method, which could provide a new way to evaluate the interfacial shear properties between very early-aged shotcrete and rock for numerical simulations and other uses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the accompanying paper, we described evolving a lipase to the point where variants were soluble, stable and capable of degrading C8 TAG and C8 esters. These variants were tested for their ability to survive in an environment that might be encountered in a washing machine. Unfortunately, they were inactivated both by treatment with a protease used in laundry detergents and by very low concentrations of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). In addition, all the variants had very low levels of activity with triglycerides with long aliphatic chains and with naturally occurring oils, like olive oil. Directed evolution was used to select variants with enhanced properties. In the first 10 rounds of evolution, the primary screen was selected for variants capable of hydrolyzing olive oil whereas the secondary screen was selected for enhanced tolerance towards a protease and SDS. In the final six rounds of evolution, the primary and secondary screens identified variants that retained activity after treatment with SDS. Sixteen cycles of evolution gave variants with greatly enhanced lipolytic activity on substrates that had both long (C16 and C18) as well as short (C3 and C8) chains. We found variants that were stable for more than 3 hours in protease concentrations that rapidly degrade the wild-type enzyme. Enhanced tolerance towards SDS was found in variants that could break down naturally occurring lipid and resist protease attack. The amino acid changes that gave enhanced properties were concentrated in the cap domain responsible for substrate binding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Under the influence of many factors, including complicated geological condition, high stress environment and strong disturbance by blasting, rock mass failure, and in some cases, dynamic failures would occur. Therefore, it is important to investigate and to understand rock mass stability during mining. In this study, Modified Omori Law (MOL) was applied to analyze the acoustic emission (AE) and microseismic (MS) sequence power-law attenuation characteristics in the laboratory and in situ. The MOL parameters, during the period of constant stress at lower stress level was much different with that at higher stress level, can reflect the stress level in rock. Before failure of the two rock specimens, the MOL is not applicable, indicating that the rock was close to the critical instability state. During the mining process, rock mass would be strongly disturbed by blasting. The AE sequence monitored from a ramp near the stope, and the MS sequence monitored from the whole rock mass near the stope all exhibited distinct power-law attenuation characteristics. The changes of MOL parameters, i.e. , p , c and A , are very complex and related to many factors and it should cooperative analyze the three parameters to evaluate rock mass stability during the mining process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insights into the mechanisms by which key factors stimulate cell growth under androgendepleted conditions is a premise to the development of effective treatments with clinically significant activity in patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). Herein, we report that, the expression of Krüppel-like factor 14 (KLF14), a master transcription factor in the regulation of lipid metabolism, was significantly induced in castrationinsensitive PCa cells and tumor tissues from a mouse xenograft model of CRPC. KLF14 upregulation in PCa cells, which was stimulated upstream by oxidative stress, was dependent on multiple pathways including PI3K/AKT, p42/p44 MAPK, AMPK and PKC pathways. By means of ectopic overexpression and genetic inactivation, we further show that KLF14 promoted cell growth via positive regulation of the antioxidant response under androgen-depleted conditions. Mechanistically, KLF14 coupled to p300 and CBP to enhance the transcriptional activation of HMOX1, the gene encoding the antioxidative enzyme heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) that is one of the most importan t mechanisms of cell adaptation to stress. Transient knockdown of HMOX1 is sufficient to overcome KLF14 overexpression-potentiated PCa cell growth under androgen-depleted conditions. From a pharmacological standpoint, in vivo administration of ZnPPIX (a specific inhibitor of HO-1) effectively attenuates castration-resistant progression in the mouse xenograft model, without changing KLF14 level. Together, these results provide comprehensive insight into the KLF14-dependent regulation of antioxidant response and subsequent pathogenesis of castration resistance and indicate that interventions targeting the KLF14/HO-1 adaptive mechanism should be further explored for CRPC treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we prove the global existence, uniqueness, optimal large time decay rates, and uniform gain of analyticity for the exponential PDE ht = Δe-Δh in the whole space Rdx. We assume the initial data is of medium size in the Wiener algebra A(Rd); we use the initial condition Δh0 ∊ A(Rd) which is scale-invariant with respect to the invariant scaling of the exponential PDE. This exponential PDE was derived in [18] and more recently in [22]. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Under the high in-situ stress environment in deep mines, stress and strain energy will be released after blasts. The ranges of rock mass deformation and fracture are closely related to the mining parameters. In this work, a high-precision MS technique and laser-scanning instrument were used to monitor the entire mining process in a typical deep stope. Each blasting process strongly disturbed the surrounding rock mass and induced a great of cracks. The stress and deformation calculated from the MS data offer useful information on stress and deformation for evaluating the rock mass stability and can reflect differences in the integrity and deterioration degree of different areas of the rock mass. MS parameters including the amount of MS events, energy released, volume of displacement and stress redistribution have a high linear dependence on the volume of ore mined out. Using qualitative analysis, mining sequences and blasting parameters optimization via the equivalent stress calculated from MS data can reduce the rock mass overbreak and underbreak, i.e., ore dilution and loss, and also reduce explosive consumption and blasting vibration, which are beneficial for maintaining rock mass stability. Highlights • Microseismic parameters are useful for evaluating the rockmass stability. • Microseismic parameters have a high linear relation with the ore mined out. • Mining parameters can be optimized according to the equivalent stress. • Mining parameters optimization is helpful for maintaining rockmass stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a numerical investigation of the film-cooling performance of a kind of diffusion hole with a fusiform cross section. Relative to the rectangular diffusion hole, the up- and/or downstream wall of the fusiform diffusion hole is outer convex. Under the same metering section area, six fusiform diffusion holes were divided into two groups with cross-sectional widths of W = 1.7D and W = 2.0D, respectively. Three fusiform cross section shapes in each group included only downstream wall outer convex, only upstream wall outer convex, or a combination of both. Simulations were performed in a flat plate model using a 3D steady computational fluid dynamics method under an engine-representative condition. The simulation results showed that the fusiform diffusion hole with only an outer convex upstream wall migrates the coolant laterally toward the hole centerline, and then forms or enhances a tripeak effectiveness pattern. Conversely, the fusiform diffusion hole with an outer convex downstream wall intensely expands the coolant to the hole two sides, and results in a bipeak effectiveness pattern, regardless of the upstream wall shape. Compared with the rectangular diffusion holes, the fusiform diffusion holes with only an upstream wall outer convex significantly increase the overall effectiveness at high blowing ratios. The increased magnitude is approximately 20% for the hole of W = 1.7D at M = 2.5. Besides, the fusiform diffusion holes with an outer convex upstream wall increase the discharge coefficient about 5%, within the moderate to high blowing ratio range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Aubin-Lions lemma and its variants play crucial roles for the existence of weak solutions of nonlinear evolutionary PDEs. In this paper, we aim to develop some compactness criteria that are analogies of the Aubin-Lions lemma for the existence of weak solutions to time fractional PDEs. We first define the weak Caputo derivatives of order γ∊ (0,1) for functions valued in general Banach spaces, consistent with the traditional definition if the space is Rd and functions are absolutely continuous. Based on a Volterra-type integral form, we establish some time regularity estimates of the functions provided that the weak Caputo derivatives are in certain spaces. The compactness criteria are then established using the time regularity estimates. The existence of weak solutions for a special case of time fractional compressible Navier-Stokes equations with constant density and time fractional Keller-Segel equations in R2 are then proved as model problems. This work provides a framework for studying weak solutions of nonlinear time fractional PDEs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A survey of freshwater fungi on submerged wood in China and Thailand resulted in the collection of three species in Dictyocheirospora and four species in Dictyosporium including two new species in the latter genus. Morphological characters and phylogenetic analyses based on ITS, LSU and TEF1α sequence data support their placement in Dictyocheirospora and Dictyosporium (Dictyosporiaceae). An updated backbone tree is provided for the family Dictyosporiaceae. Descriptions and illustrations of the new taxa and recollections are provided. Four new combinations are proposed for Dictyocheirospora. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We identified Candidatus Borrelia fainii, a human pathogenic bacterium causing New World relapsing fever in a Myotis bat in eastern China. This finding expands knowledge about the geographic distribution of Borrelia spp. and the potential for infection with New World relapsing fever in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose a generalized definition of Caputo derivatives from t = 0 of order γ∈in (0, 1) using a convolution group, and we build a convenient framework for studying initial value problems of general nonlinear time fractional differential equations. Our strategy is to define a modified Riemann-Liouville fractional calculus which agrees with the traditional Riemann-Liouville definition for t > 0 but includes some singularities at t = 0 so that the group property holds. Then, making use of this fractional calculus, we introduce the generalized definition of Caputo derivatives. The new definition is consistent with various definitions in the literature while revealing the underlying group structure. The underlying group property makes many properties of Caputo derivatives natural. In particular, it allows us to deconvolve the fractional differential equations to integral equations with completely monotone kernels, which then enables us to prove the general comparison principle with the most general conditions. This then allows for a priori energy estimates of fractional PDEs. Since the new definition is valid for locally integrable functions that can blow up in finite time, it provides a framework for solutions to fractional ODEs and fractional PDEs. Many fundamental results for fractional ODEs are revisited within this framework under very weak conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cyanuric acid is a metabolic intermediate of s-triazines, such as atrazine (a common herbicide) and melamine (used in resins and plastics). Cyanuric acid is mineralized to ammonia and carbon dioxide by the soil bacterium Pseudomonas sp. strain ADP via three hydrolytic enzymes (AtzD, AtzE, and AtzF). Here, we report the purification and biochemical and structural characterization of AtzE. Contrary to previous reports, we found that AtzE is not a biuret amidohydrolase, but instead it catalyzes the hydrolytic deamination of 1-carboxybiuret. X-ray crystal structures of apo AtzE and AtzE bound with the suicide inhibitor phenyl phosphorodiamidate revealed that the AtzE enzyme complex consists of two independent molecules in the asymmetric unit. We also show that AtzE forms an α2β2 heterotetramer with a previously unidentified 68-amino acid-long protein (AtzG) encoded in the cyanuric acid mineralization operon from Pseudomonas sp. strain ADP. Moreover, we observed that AtzG is essential for the production of soluble, active AtzE and that this obligate interaction is a vestige of their shared evolutionary origin. We propose that AtzEG was likely recruited into the cyanuric acid-mineralizing pathway from an ancestral glutamine transamidosome that required protein-protein interactions to enforce the exclusion of solvent from the transamidation reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new palladium-catalyzed domino approach for the synthesis of attractive spirocyclic indolines and dihydrobenzofurans was developed. The reaction proceeds through a sequential intramolecular Heck spirocyclization, remote C-H activation, and diazocarbonyl carbene insertion. Various spiroindolines and spirodihydrobenzofurans containing two quartenary carbon stereocenters were readily obtained in good to excellent yields. A preliminary study of asymmetric spirocyclization using chiral monophosphoramidite as a ligand was also conducted, enabling access to highly valuable chiral spiroindolines with up to 80% ee. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose a semi-discrete scheme for 2D Keller-Segel equations based on a symmetrization reformation, which is equivalent to the convex splitting method and is free of any nonlinear solver. We show that, this new scheme is stable as long as the initial condition does not exceed certain threshold, and it asymptotically preserves the quasi-static limit in the transient regime. Furthermore, we show that the fully discrete scheme is conservative and positivity preserving, which makes it ideal for simulations. The analogical schemes for the radial symmetric cases and the subcritical degenerate cases are also presented and analyzed. With extensive numerical tests, we verify the claimed properties of the methods and demonstrate their superiority in various challenging applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The introduction of a C═O, C═C, C═S, or C═N bond has emerged as an effective strategy for carbocycle synthesis. A computational mechanistic study of Rh(III)-catalyzed coupling of alkynes with enaminones, sulfoxonium ylides, or α-carbonyl-nitrones was carried out. Our results uncover the roles of dual directing groups in the three substrates and confirm that the ketone acts as the role of the directing group while the C═C, C═N, or C═S bond serves as the cyclization site. By comparing the coordination of the ketone versus the C═C, C═N, or C═S bond, as well as the chemoselectivity concerning the six-versus five-membered formation, a competition relationship is revealed within the dual directing groups. Furthermore, after the alkyne insertion, instead of the originally proposed direct reductive elimination mechanism, the ketone enolization is found to be essential prior to the reductive elimination. The following C(sp2)--C(sp2) reductive elimination is more favorable than the C(sp3)--C(sp2) formation, which can be explained by the aromaticity difference in the corresponding transition states. The substituent effect on controlling the selectivity was also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Transcriptome and proteome analyses on fruit pulp from the blood orange 'Zaohong' and the navel orange 'twenty-first century' were performed to study Citrus sinensis quality-related molecular changes during consecutive developmental periods, including young fruit, fruit-coloring onset and fruit delayed-harvest for two months, during which fruit remained on the trees. Results: The time-course analysis for the fruit developmental periods indicated a complex, dynamic gene expression pattern, with the numbers of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between the two cultivars being 119, 426 and 904 at the three continuous stages tested during fruit development and ripening. The continuous increase in total soluble solids over the course of fruit development was correlated with up-regulated sucrose phosphate synthase (SPS) transcription levels in both cultivars. Eleven differentially expressed genes between the two cultivars involved in the flavonoid pathway were significantly enriched at the onset of the fruit-coloring stage when anthocyanins were detected in blood orange alone. Among 5185 proteins, 65 up-regulated and 29 down-regulated proteins were co-expressed with their cognate mRNAs with significant transcription and protein expression levels when the fruits from the two cultivars were compared at the fruit delayed-harvest stage. Additionally, important genes participating in the γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) shunt were activated in blood orange at two significant expression levels in the fruit delayed-harvest stage. Thus, organic acids in fruit continuously decreased during this stage. Conclusions: This research was the first to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the differentially expressed genes involved in anthocyanin, sucrose and citrate metabolism at the transcriptome and proteome levels in C. sinensis, especially during the fruit delayed-harvest stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bronze-phase vanadium dioxide VO2(B) is notable as a promising cathode material for high-capacity Li ion batteries. While various forms of VO2(B) nanostructures have been experimentally investigated, a comprehensive theoretical understanding of the lithium storage mechanism is still lacking. In this research, we examine the redox mechanism, structural evolution, electronic characteristics, and the kinetics of Li ion diffusion in VO2(B) by first-principles calculations. The impact of the surface environment on the Li ion insertion properties is also investigated. Our study demonstrates that, although VO2(B) is capable of incorporating one Li per formula unit from a thermodynamic perspective, its actual capacity can be much less due to kinetic factors. Energy barrier calculations reveal a pronounced compositional dependence of Li diffusion in bulk VO2(B): the b axis tunnels, which account for the excellent Li diffusivity at low Li content, become blocked when Li concentration goes up. The equilibrium surfaces are predicted to be oxygen-rich in an oxidizing atmosphere, which would lead to a steep gradient of Li concentration near the surfaces and further impede Li intercalation into the bulk. Yet, these limitations can be circumvented by facilitating the diffusion of Li in the c direction that is still feasible at high Li content and stabilizing the stoichiometric terminations of (0 0 1) and (1 1 0) facets, which can alleviate the load of excess Li near the surfaces. Our theoretical insights can provide a rationale for the different experimental values of specific capacity in the literature and inspire new strategies to optimize the electrochemical performance of VO2(B). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is well known that the reactive oxygen species NO can trigger cell death in plants and other organisms, but the underlying molecular mechanisms are not well understood. Here we provide evidence that NO may trigger cell death in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) by inhibiting the activity of phosphoinositide-dependent kinase 1 (SlPDK1), a conserved negative regulator of cell death in yeasts, mammals, and plants, via S-nitrosylation. Biotin-switch assays indicated that SlPDK1 is a target of S-nitrosylation. Moreover, the kinase activity of SlPDK1 was inhibited by S-nitrosoglutathione in a concentration-dependent manner, indicating that SlPDK1 activity is abrogated by S-nitrosylation. The S-nitrosoglutathione-induced inhibition was reversible in the presence of a reducing agent but additively enhanced by hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Our LC-MS/MS analyses further indicated that SlPDK1 is primarily S-nitrosylated on a cysteine residue at position 128 (Cys128), and substitution of Cys128 with serine completely abolished SlPDK1 kinase activity, suggesting that S-nitrosylation of Cys128 is responsible for SlPDK1 inhibition. In summary, our results establish a potential link between NO-triggered cell death and inhibition of the kinase activity of tomato PDK1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We establish an optimal error estimate for a random particle blob method for the Keller-Segel equation in Rd (d ≥ 2). With a blob size ε = hκ (1/2 < κ < 1), we prove a rate h∣ ln h∣ of convergence in lph(p > d 1-κ) norm up to a probability 1 - hC ∣ln h∣ , where h is the initial grid size. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we aim to introduce a new form of the (3+1)-dimensional generalized Kadomtsev-Petviashvili equation for the long waves of small amplitude with slow dependence on the transverse coordinate. By using the Hirota’s bilinear form and the extended homoclinic test approach, new exact periodic solitary-wave solutions for the new (3+1)-dimensional generalized Kadomtsev-Petviashvili equation are presented. Moreover, the properties and characteristics for these new exact periodic solitary-wave solutions are discussed with some figures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To formulate trimethyl chitosan-functionalized retinoic acid-encapsulated solid lipid nanoparticles for the effective treatment of glioma. Methods: Retinoic acid-loaded solid lipid nanoparticles (R-SLNs) were prepared using homogenization followed by sonication. R-SLN surfaces were functionalized electrostatically with trimethyl chitosan as a nanocarrier (TR-SLNs) with enhanced anti-cancer activity. They were evaluated by dynamic light scattering (DLS), scanning electron microscopy, in vitro drug release, and cell cytotoxicity and apoptosis studies. Results: Morphological images showed spherical and uniformly dispersed nanoparticles. A sustained monophasic release pattern was observed throughout the study period. Furthermore, the anti-cancer effect of TR-SLNs was demonstrated by increased cell killing activity compared with the free drug (p < 0.01); negligible cytotoxicity was observed with blank carriers. Apoptosis assay showed increased cell populations in early/late apoptotic and necrotic phases. Conclusion: This study showed the potential application of surface-modified solid lipid nanoparticles for the effective treatment of brain cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we are concerned with the existence of a weak solution to the initial boundary value problem for the equation ∂u/ ∂t = Δ(Δu) -3. This problem arises in the mathematical modeling of the evolution of a crystal surface. Existence of a weak solution u with Δu ≥ 0 is obtained via a suitable substitution. Our investigations reveal the close connection between this problem and the equation ∂tρ+ρ2Δ2ρ3 = 0, another crystal surface model first proposed by H. Al Hajj Shehadeh, R. V. Kohn, and J. Weare [Phys. D, 240 (2011), pp. 1771-1784]. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study in this work a continuum model derived from a one-dimensional attachmentdetachment-limited type step ow on a vicinal surface, ut = -u2(u3)hhhh; where u, considered as a function of step height h, is the step slope of the surface. We formulate a notion of a weak solution to this continuum model and prove the existence of a global weak solution, which is positive almost everywhere. We also study the long time behavior of the weak solution and prove it converges to a constant solution as time goes to infinity. The space-time Hölder continuity of the weak solution is also discussed as a byproduct. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Begonia barosma, a new species in Begonia sect. Coelocentrum Irmscher (Begoniaceae) from limestone karsts across Sino-Vietnamese border is described in detail. It shows high similarities to the adjacently distributed B. lanternaria Irmscher, but differs from it in fleshy, relatively flat leaf blade with different pattern of variegation, sparsely pilose on abaxial surface of outer tepals. The molecular phylogenetic analysis based on ITS supports that the new species is a monophyletic lineage, separating from B. lanternaria Irmscher. Considering its small population size, narrow distribution, and disturbance by human activities, its conservation status is categorized as "Vulnerable (VU B1, B2 ab (iv, v), C2 a (i), D2)" according to the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two novel glucosylated zinc(ІІ) phthalocyanines 7a–7b, as well as the acetyl-protected counterparts 6a–6b, have been synthesized by the Cu(I)-catalyzed 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition between the propargylated phthalocyanine and azide-substituted glucoses. All of these phthalocyanines were characterized with various spectroscopic methods and studied for their photo-physical, photo-chemical, and photo-biological properties. With glucose as the targeting unit, phthalocyanines 7a–7b exhibit a specific affinity to MCF-7 breast cancer cells over human embryonic lung fibroblast (HELF) cells, showing higher cellular uptake. Upon illumination, both photosensitizers show high cytotoxicity with IC50 as low as 0.032 µM toward MCF-7 cells, which are attributed to their high cellular uptake and low aggregation tendency in the biological media, promoting the generation of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS). Confocal laser fluorescence microscopic studies have also revealed that they have high and selective affinities to the lysosomes, but not the mitochondria, of MCF-7 cells. The results show that these two glucosylated zinc(II) phthalocyanines are potential anticancer agents for targeting photodynamic therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]