Theoretical Study on Binary Monolayer PS-I for Photocatalytic Overall Water Plitting.

The utilization of visible light to split water into H₂ and O₂ offers a promising solution to address the escalating global energy crisis and environmental pollution. Compared to conventional three-dimensional (3D) photocatalysts, anisotropic two-dimensional (2D) materials exhibit enhanced photocatalytic activity due to their ultrahigh surface area, reduced charge migration distance, and improved efficiency. In this study, we employ a swarm-intelligence search combined with density functional theory (DFT) calculations to propose a novel series of stable 2D phosphorus sulfides, PS (x, y=1-6), as promising candidates for photocatalytic water splitting.

Novel steroidal β-carboline derivatives as promising antibacterial candidates against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

A novel series of steroidal β-carboline quaternary ammonium derivatives (SCQADs) derived from natural cholic acid and its derivatives was designed, synthesized and biologically evaluated against four Gram-positive bacteria for the first time. Most of these derivatives exhibited promising antibacterial activity against the tested strains, particularly, compound 21g displayed strong antibacterial activity against MRSA (MIC = 0.5-1 μg/mL) with low cytotoxicity.

Design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of steroidal indole derivatives as membrane-targeting antibacterial candidates.

Rational modification of natural products plays a key role in drug discovery. Herein, a series of steroidal indole derivatives containing various substituents and steroidal skeletons were designed and synthesized with classical Fischer indole synthesis as a key step in an efficient synthetic route for the first time. The in vitro antibacterial activity of all the synthesized derivatives was evaluated against four Gram-positive strains including three Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

Bioinformatics analysis to identify breast cancer-related potential targets and candidate small molecule drugs.

Objective: The purpose of this study is to identify potential targets associated with breast cancer and screen potential small molecule drugs using bioinformatics analysis.

Methods: DEGs analysis of breast cancer tissues and normal breast tissues was performed using R language limma analysis on the GSE42568 and GSE205185 datasets. Functional enrichment analysis was conducted on the intersecting DEGs.

Recent advances on synthesis and biological activities of C-17 aza-heterocycle derived steroids.

Steroids modification for improving their biological activities is one of the most efficient and fruitful methods to develop novel medicines. Steroids with aza-heterocycles attaching to the C-17 owing various biological activities have received great attentions and some of the compounds are developed successfully as drugs. In this review, the research of the syntheses and biological activities of steroids bearing various aza-heterocycles published in the last 8 years is assembled, and some important structure-activity relationships (SARs) of active compounds are presented.

Rhizobial HmuS as a heme-binding factor is required for optimal symbiosis between Mesorhizobium amorphae CCNWGS0123 and Robinia pseudoacacia.

Nitrogen-fixing root nodules are formed by symbiotic association of legume hosts with rhizobia in nitrogen-deprived soils. Successful symbiosis is regulated by signals from both legume hosts and their rhizobial partners. HmuS is a heme degrading factor widely distributed in bacteria, but little is known about the role of rhizobial hmuS in symbiosis with legumes.

Temperature Gradient Control of the Solid Oxide Fuel Cell under Variable Load.

Nowadays, the temperature gradient is considered as one of the most important parameters which impact the performance of the solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC). In this paper, a control strategy based on an input-output feedback linearization technology is derived for controlling the maximum temperature gradient within the anode fuel flow channel at the desired value. For the controller design, the temperature dynamic model is proposed and simplified to a control-oriented multi-input and multioutput nonlinear dynamic model.

Synthesis and biological evaluation of novel steroidal pyrazole amides as highly potent anticancer agents.

A series of thirty-six steroidal pyrazole amides, divided into two categories based on their main skeletons were designed and synthesized via a five-step synthetic route. The final product is obtained through Pinnick oxidation of pyrazole aldehydes to yield the corresponding acids, which then underwent amidation to afford the target products efficiently under mild reaction conditions. Structures of the desired compounds were confirmed by H NMR, C NMR, high resolution mass spectrometry; X-ray structural characterization of compound 16n was also obtained.

A Nod factor- and type III secretion system-dependent manner for Robinia pseudoacacia to establish symbiosis with Mesorhizobium amorphae CCNWGS0123.

Under nitrogen-limiting conditions, symbiotic nodulation promotes the growth of legume plants via the fixation of atmospheric nitrogen to ammonia by rhizobia in root nodules. The rhizobial Nod factor (NF) and type III secretion system (T3SS) are two key signaling pathways for establishing the legume-rhizobium symbiosis. However, whether NF signaling is involved in the nodulation of Robinia pseudoacacia and Mesorhizobium amorphae CCNWGS0123, and its symbiotic differences compared with T3SS signaling remain unclear.

Type III secretion systems impact Mesorhizobium amorphae CCNWGS0123 compatibility with Robinia pseudoacacia.

Rhizobia and legume plants are famous mutualistic symbiosis partners who provide nitrogen nutrition to the natural environment. Rhizobial type III secretion systems (T3SSs) deliver effectors that manipulate the metabolism of eukaryotic host cells. Mesorhizobium amorphae CCNWGS0123 (GS0123) contains two T3SS gene clusters, T3SS-I and T3SS-II.

Facile and efficient access to Androsten-17-(1',3',4')-pyrazoles and Androst-17β-(1',3',4')-pyrazoles via Vilsmeier reagents, and their antiproliferative activity evaluation in vitro.

In this work, twenty-seven novel steroidal pyrazole derivatives were designed and effectively synthesized with two different commercially available staring material, Isopregnanolone 1 and 5,16-Pregnadienolone 7, via the key intermediates, 17β-(4'-formyl)pyrazolylandrost-3β-yl formate and 17-(4'-formyl)pyrazolylandrost- 5,16-dienes-3β-yl formate, which were obtained from the cyclization of steroidal phenylhydrazone with Vilsmeier reagent catalyzed by phosphorous oxychloride followed by hydrolysis, then Borch reduction to afford the target derivatives under mild conditions. Structures of these compounds were identified by H NMR, C NMR and high resolution mass spectrometry. Based on our previous work, the cytotoxicity of these derivatives were evaluated by the SRB method against 293T cell lines and three cancer cell lines: A549, Hela and MCF-7.

Phylogenetic Diversity of Ammopiptanthus Rhizobia and Distribution of Rhizobia Associated with Ammopiptanthus mongolicus in Diverse Regions of Northwest China.

Aiming to investigate the diversity and distribution of rhizobia associated with Ammopiptanthus, an endangered evergreen legume widely distributed in deserts, we characterized a total of 219 nodule isolates from nine sampling sites in Northwest China with different soil characteristics based upon restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis of 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) and symbiotic genes (nodC and nifH). Ten isolates representing different 16S rRNA-RFLP types were selected for further sequence analyses of 16S rRNA and four housekeeping genes. As results, nine genospecies belonging to the genera Ensifer, Neorhizobium, Agrobacterium, Pararhizobium, and Rhizobium could be defined among the isolates.

Microbial communities in riparian soils of a settling pond for mine drainage treatment.

Mine drainage leads to serious contamination of soil. To assess the effects of mine drainage on microbial communities in riparian soils, we used an Illumina MiSeq platform to explore the soil microbial composition and diversity along a settling pond used for mine drainage treatment. Non-metric multidimensional scaling analysis showed that the microbial communities differed significantly among the four sampling zones (influent, upstream, downstream and effluent), but not seasonally.