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The transition metal‐catalyzed multi‐component cross‐electrophile sulfonylation, which incorporates SO2 as a linker within organic frameworks, has proven to be a powerful, efficient, and cost‐effective means of synthesizing challenging alkyl–alkyl sulfones. Transition metal catalysts play a crucial role in this method by transferring electrons from reductants to electrophilic organohalides, thereby causing undesirable side reactions such as homocoupling, protodehalogenation, β‐hydride elimination, etc. It is worth noting that tertiary alkyl halides have rarely been demonstrated to be compatible with current methods owing to various undesired side reactions. In this work, a zinc‐promoted cross‐electrophile sulfonylation is developed through a radical‐polar crossover pathway. This approach enables the synthesis of various alkyl–alkyl sulfones, including 1°‐1°, 2°‐1°, 3°‐1°, 2°‐2°, and 3°‐2° types, from inexpensive and readily available alkyl halides. Various functional groups are well tolerated in the work, resulting in yields of up to 93%. Additionally, this protocol has been successfully applied to intramolecular sulfonylation and homo‐sulfonylation reactions. The insights gained from this work shall be useful for the further development of cross‐electrophile sulfonylation to access alkyl–alkyl sulfones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Application of exogenous carbon (C) and nitrification inhibitors are common measures to regulate soil nitrogen cycling and mitigate greenhouse gas emissions. However, we lack knowledge on their direct effects on denitrification processes. Methods: A 15 N anaerobic microcosm experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of exogenous C and/or nitrification inhibitors on denitrification rate, N2O/(N2O + N2) product stoichiometry ratio, and nirS- and nirK-type denitrifiers in a calcareous soil. Exogenous C were wheat straw and wheat straw–derived biochar, and nitrification inhibitors were chemical nitrification inhibitor 3,4-dimethylpyrazole phosphate (DMPP) and biological nitrification inhibitor methyl 3-(4-hydroxyphenyl) propionate (MHPP). Results: Wheat straw, composite with much of liable C, significantly increased denitrification rate (3.96–4.19 times higher than control), N2O emission, and N2O/(N2O + N2) ratio (p < 0.05) by upregulating nirK and nirS genes of denitrifiers, and changing the community structure of nirS-type denitrifiers. By contrast, biochar, composite with much of recalcitrant organic C, increased the N2O/(N2O + N2) ratio but did not stimulate the denitrification rate (P > 0.05). One percent (w/w applied-N) DMPP, 1% MHPP, and 5% MHPP exhibited minor effects on denitrification rate, while 10% MHPP increased the denitrification rate by 1.32 times relative to control (p < 0.05). Wheat straw biochar applied with two nitrification inhibitors reshaped the community structure of nirK- and nirS-type denitrifiers, decreasing the denitrification rate compared with control, and the N2O/(N2O + N2) ratio compared with application of biochar alone (p < 0.05). Conclusions: The direct effects of exogenous C on denitrification and denitrification processes were dependent on the type of exogenous C applied. High dosage of MHPP (> 10% w/w) increased both denitrification rate and N2O/(N2O + N2) ratio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electroreductive cross-electrophile coupling which has emerged as a powerful, green and efficient method for constructing challenging C–C bonds has attracted increasing attention from organic chemists. Most of the previous works focus on direct two-electrophile cross-coupling. In this work, the nickel-catalyzed three-electrophile electroreductive cross-electrophile coupling which offers direct convergent synthesis to target molecules from easily-available and cheap substrates has been developed. A wide range of alkyl aryl ketones are accessed from alkyl halides, aryl iodides and propyl chloroformate under mild conditions, avoiding the use of over-stoichiometric reductants, excess quantities of additives and activators, and superstoichiometric CO gas or metal carbonyl complexes which are toxic, environmentally unfriendly and can be inconvenient to handle. The scale-up experiment indicates the good scalability of electrosynthesis compared to traditional synthesis. High chemo-selectivity can be achieved through an increase in the current. Mechanistic investigation suggests that the electron transfer rate from the cathode to Ni catalysts plays a vital role in this protocol. Our approach demonstrates a novel electrochemical selectivity-controlled strategy in cross-electrophile coupling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silanes are important in chemistry and material science. The self‐redistribution of HSiCl3 is an industrial process to prepare SiH4, which is widely used in electronics and automobile industries. However, selective silane cross‐redistribution to prepare advanced silanes is challenging. We now report an enthalpy‐driven silane cross‐redistribution to access bis‐silanes that contain two different types of Si−H bonds in the same molecule. Compared with entropy‐driven reactions, the enthalpy‐driven reaction shows high regioselectivity, broad substrate scope (62 examples) and high atom economy. Our combined experimental and computational study indicates that the reaction proceeds through a Ni0‐NiII‐NiIV catalytic cycle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background : Lung cancer has the highest morbidity and mortality rate among types of malignant tumors, and as such, research into prolonging the survival time of patients is vital. The emergence of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) has greatly improved the survival of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), however, the lack of effective biomarkers to predict the prognosis of immunotherapy has made it difficult to maximize the benefits. T cell receptor (TCR) is one of the most important components for recognizing tumor cells, and with this study we aim to clarify the relationship between TCR coexpression and the prognosis of NSCLC patients receiving immunotherapy. Methods : Univariate COX regression, logistics regression, and KM survival analysis were used to evaluate the relationship between TCR coexpression and the prognosis of immunotherapy. Additionally, CIBERSORT, Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA), and single-sample GSEA (ssGSEA) algorithms were used to evaluate the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) of NSCLC patients. Results : Univariate Cox regression analysis showed that the TCR coexpression signature can be used as a clinical prognostic indicator for NSCLC patients receiving immunotherapy (p = 0.0205). In addition, those in the NSCLC group with a high TCR coexpression signature had significantly improved progression-free survival (PFS) (p = 0.014). In the ICI treatment cohort (GSE35640). In addition, there was a high infiltration of CD8+T cells, activated memory CD4+T cells, and M1 macrophages in the TIME of those with a high TCR coexpression signature. The results of pathway enrichment analysis showed that patients with a high TCR coexpression signature had significantly activated signal pathways such as lymphocyte proliferation and activation, chemokine binding, and inflammatory cytokine production. Also, we found that patients with a high TCR coexpression signature had an elevated T cell inflammation gene expression profile (GEP). Conclusion : We show that the TCR coexpression signature may be useful as a new biomarker for the prognosis of NSCLC patients undergoing immunotherapy, with high signatures indicating better treatment response. Additionally, we found that patients with a high TCR coexpression signature had tumor immune microenvironments with beneficial anti-tumor characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pulsatile flow protects vital organ function and improves microcirculatory perfusion during extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). Studies revealed that pulsatile shear stress plays a vital role in microcirculatory function and integrity. The objective of this study was to investigate how pulsatility affects wall shear stress and endothelial glycocalyx components during ECMO. Methods: Using the i‐Cor system, sixteen canine ECMO models were randomly allocated into the pulsatile or the non‐pulsatile group (eight canines for each). Hemodynamic parameters, peak wall shear stress (PWSS), serum concentration of syndecan‐1, and heparan sulfate were measured at different time points during ECMO. Pulsatile shear stress experiments were also performed in endothelial cells exposed to different magnitudes of pulsatility (five plates for each condition), with cell viability, the expressions of syndecan‐1, and endothelial‐to‐mesenchymal transformation (EndMT) markers analyzed. Results: The pulsatile flow generated more surplus hemodynamic energy and preserved higher PWSS during ECMO. Serum concentrations of both syndecan‐1 and heparan sulfate were negatively correlated with PWSS, and significantly lower levels were observed in the pulsatile group. Besides, non‐pulsatility triggered EndMT and endothelial cells exposed to low pulsatility had the lowest possibility of EndMT. Conclusion: The maintenance of the PWSS by pulsatility during ECMO possesses beneficial effects on glycocalyx integrity. Moreover, pulsatility prevents EndMT in endothelial cells, and low pulsatility exhibits the best protective effects. The augmentation of pulsatility may be a plausible future direction to improve the clinical outcome in ECMO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enynones are powerful synthons for constructing furan derivatives in the presence of transition metal catalysts. Unlike the conventional intramolecular nucleophilic attack with the activation of coinage metals, we propose that enynones undergo an oxidative cyclization process with a Pd(0) species. The full catalytic cycle involves oxidative cyclization, isocyanide insertion, and reductive elimination, which was supported by DFT calculations. Geometric and electronic analyses confirmed the oxidative cyclization process, which proceeds VIA a Pd(II) intermediate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein a semi-aliphatic diamine 4,4′-(cyclohexylmethylene)bis(2-methylaniline) (CHMBMA) with a pendant cyclohexyl and two ortho-substituted methyl groups is synthesized from o-toluidine and cyclohexanecarbaldehyde by Mannich and rearrangement reactions. Then CHMBMA is polycondensed with five commercial aromatic dianhydrides by the high-temperature one-step method with the thermal imidization to produce a series of polyimides (PIs, PI-H(1–5)). The weight-averaged molecular weights (M ws) of PI-H(1–5) are in the range from 9.08 × 104 to 27.48 × 104 g mol−1 with the polydispersity indices (PDI) from 3.29 to 6.13 by gel permeation chromatography (GPC) measurement. They are soluble in common organic solvents (such as THF, CHCl3 etc.) and can form transparent, tough films with light-color (Thickness: 20–26 μm) by the solution-casting method. The light transmittance of them is above 80% in the visible range from 400 to 760 nm. They exhibit excellent mechanical properties with tensile strength from 72.2 to 97.06 MPa and tensile modulus from 0.9 to 1.9 GPa. Furthermore, they also display low water absorption rates (<2.5%), good thermal stability (5% weight loss temperatures (T 5%) in the range from 466 to 480°C under N2 atmosphere and high glass transition temperatures (T gs ≥ 319°C). As comparison, we also synthesize these PIs (PI-L(1–5)) by the low-temperature two-step method with the chemical imidization. The M ws of PI-L(1–5) are lower than those of PI-H(1–5), but the film color of PI-L(1–5) is relatively lighter than the corresponding one of PI-H(1–5). In summary, the introduction of cyclohexyl and ortho-substituted methyl groups into the backbone can improve the solubility of PIs and the transparency of their corresponding films without reducing their T gs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel semi‐aliphatic diamine with bulky cyclohexyl and ortho‐substituted tertiary butyl groups (4,4'‐(cyclohexylmethylene)bis(2‐(tert‐butyl)aniline), CHMBTBA) is synthesized via Mannich and rearrangement reactions of cyclohexanecarboxaldehyde and 2‐tert‐butylaniline. Afterward, several semi‐aliphatic polyimides are prepared by the high‐temperature one‐pot polymerization of CHMBTBA with various aromatic dianhydrides respectively. The resulting PIs exhibit outstanding solubility in common organic solvents (i.e., trichloromethane, etc.) and are easily processed into light color or colorless transparent films (thickness: 25 ± 1 µm) by the blade coating of polymer solution. The transmittance of all resulting films is above 86% in the visible light region (400–760 nm). Their glass transition temperatures exceed 310 °C and reach even to 374 °C (by differential scanning calorimetry). They also display low water absorption (0.29–0.87%) and good mechanical properties (tensile strength: 50.9–87.7 MPa, Young's modulus: 2.0‐2.5 GPa, elongation at break: 3.8–7.6%). Thus, they are promising potential candidates for flexible display substrates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: The high mortality and poor prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have raised the public attention. Gene therapy is considered as a promising treatment option for cancer; thus, finding a new therapeutic target for HCC is urgently needed. GATA4 is a tumor suppressor gene in multiple cancers, but its role in HCC is unclear. In this study, we explored the function of GATA4 in HCC. Methods: Reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction and quantitative polymerase chain reaction were used to detect the mRNA expression of GATA4 in HCC cells and tissues. Cell viability, transwell, colony formation, and flow cytometry assays were applied to examine different aspects of biological effects of GATA4 in vitro. Xenografts, immunohistochemistry, and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase‐mediated digoxigenin‐dUTP nick‐end labeling assays were performed to evaluate the effect of GATA4 on tumorigenicity in vivo. Western blotting, immunofluorescence, and β‐galactosidase staining were used to investigate the mechanism underlying the function of GATA4. Results: We found that GATA4 was silenced in 15/19 (79%) HCC tissues. Restoring the expression of GATA4 induced G0/G1 phase arrest, promoted apoptosis, suppressed HCC proliferation in vitro, and inhibited HCC tumor growth in vivo. Our data further showed that the ectopic expression of GATA4 induced cellular senescence through regulating nuclear factor‐κB and inducing mesenchymal‐to‐epithelial transition. Conclusions: Our data demonstrated that by inducing cellular senescence and mesenchymal‐to‐epithelial transition, GATA4 plays a crucial role as a tumor suppressor in HCC. It may thus be a potential cancer therapeutic target for HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we found that the phospholipase C delta1 (PLCD1) protein expression is reduced in colorectal tumor tissues compared with paired surgical margin tissues. PLCD1‐promoted CpG methylation was detected in 29/64 (45%) primary colorectal tumors, but not in nontumor tissues. The PLCD1 RNA expression was also reduced in three out of six cell lines, due to PLCD1 methylation. The ectopic expression of PLCD1 resulted in inhibited proliferation and attenuated migration of colorectal tumor cells, yet promoted colorectal tumor cell apoptosis in vitro. We also observed that PLCD1 suppressed proliferation and promoted apoptosis in vivo. In addition, PLCD1 induced G1/S phase cell cycle arrest. Furthermore, we found that PLCD1 led to the downregulation of several factors downstream of β‐catenin, including c‐Myc and cyclin D1, which are generally known to be promoters of tumorigenesis. This downregulation was caused by an upregulation of E‐cadherin in colorectal tumor cells. Our findings provide insights into the role of PLCD1 as a tumor suppressor gene in colorectal cancer (CRC), and demonstrate that it plays significant roles in proliferation, migration, invasion, cell cycle progression, and epithelial‐mesenchymal transition. On the basis of these results, tumor‐specific methylation of PLCD1 could be used as a novel biomarker for early detection and prognostic prediction in CRC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lung cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer worldwide. Epigenetic regulation contributes to lung cancer pathogenesis. The ADAMTS18 tumor suppressor gene is inactivated in some cancers, but its involvement in lung cancer has not been shown. Immunohistochemistry, quantitative reverse‐transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT‐PCR), and methylation‐specific PCR were used to assay ADAMTS18 expression and promoter methylation in lung tumor tissues and adjacent tissues. Cell viability, transwell, and wound‐healing assays, as well as flow cytometry were used to characterize the biological activity of ADAMTS18. The influence of ADAMTS18 on protein expression was assayed using western blots analysis, and its effect on chemosensitivity was assayed by the response to cisplatin. We found that ADAMTS18 was silenced in lung cancer cells by promoter methylation. Demethylation by the DNA methyltransferase inhibitor 5‐aza‐2′‐deoxycytidine, with or without the histone deacetylase inhibitor trichostatin A, restored ADAMTS18 expression. Compared with normal lung tissue, ADAMTS18 in lung tumors was frequently methylated. Overexpression of ADAMTS18 in lung cancer cells inhibited cell proliferation, migration, and invasiveness and induced G0/G1 cell cycle arrest. Furthermore, ADAMTS18 suppressed epidermal growth factor receptor/protein kinase B (EGFR/AKT) signaling, which sensitized lung cancer cells to cisplatin. Thus, our results demonstrated that the tumor suppressor gene ADAMTS18 was downregulated in lung cancer by promoter CpG methylation, and it promoted sensitivity to cisplatin via EGFR/AKT signaling. Our study suggests that ADAMTS18 promoter methylation is a potential epigenetic biomarker for early detection of lung cancer and warrants investigation as a therapeutic target for early‐stage lung cancer. Our results demonstrated that the tumor suppressor gene ADAMTS18 was downregulated in lung cancer by promoter CpG methylation, and it promoted sensitivity to cisplatin via epidermal growth factor receptor/protein kinase B signaling. Our study suggests that ADAMTS18 promoter methylation is a potential epigenetic biomarker for early detection of lung cancer and warrants investigation as therapeutic target for early‐stage lung cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aims: ADAMTS (disintegrin-like and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs) proteins are extracellular zinc metalloproteinases that play an important role in extracellular matrix assembly and degradation, connective tissue structuring, angiogenesis, and cell migration. Multiple studies suggest that ADAMTS proteins (e.g. ADAMTS9) can act as tumor suppressors. In gastric, esophageal, and nasopharyngeal carcinomas ADAMTS9 is frequently down-regulated by promoter methylation. Whether ADAMTS9 can function as a tumor suppressor gene (TSG) in colorectal cancer is still unclear. Methods: We performed immunohistochemistry, RT-PCR, and qRT-PCR, to examine the expression of ADAMTS9 in colorectal cancer cell lines and primary colorectal cancer tissues. Methylation-specific PCR was also carried out to investigate the promoter methylation status of ADAMTS9. We also explored the functions of ADAMTS9 in colorectal cancer cell lines through in vitro experiments. Results: ADAMTS9 expression was down-regulated or silenced in 83.3% (5/6) of colorectal cancer cell lines, and frequently repressed in 65.6% (21/32) of colorectal cancer tissues. Down-regulation of ADAMTS9 was partially due to promoter methylation. Exogenous expression of ADAMTS9 in colorectal cancer cell lines inhibited cell proliferation and migration through the regulation of cell cycle and apoptosis. In addition, ADAMTS9 prevented the activation of Akt, and its downstream targets in colorectal cancer cell lines. Conclusion: Our findings suggest ADAMTS9 is a TSG in colorectal cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study is to set up a protocol for identification of the adulteration in mutton based on mitochondrial16S rRNAgene. The multiplex polymerase chain reaction (multi-PCR) assay was carried out to trace the impure DNA in mutton. A universal primer pair yielded an approximate 610 bp fragment in mutton, pork, duck, chicken, horse and cat meats. The amplicons of multi-PCR assay represented the species-specific products, which could be discriminated by the size ranging from 106 bp to 532 bp. Subsequently, the authentication of each fragment was also confirmed by sequencing. Random analyses of adulterants with various meats yielded the identical results to their components, showing the suitability of the multi-PCR assay for tracing of adulterant meats with high-accuracy and precision. This assay was sensitive to detect the species-specific DNA in different proportional mixtures of mutton and duck/pork (9.1%–90.9%). In conclusion, this multi-PCR assay successfully discriminated the double-, triple-, quadruple-, and quintuple-mixtures containing variant counterparts. This method will be particularly useful in the detection of mutton adulteration in processed foods further. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urease inhibitors (UIs), chemical nitrification inhibitors (CNIs), and biochar (BC) are commonly applied nitrogen (N) management strategies in reducing soil N loss and increasing nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) in agriculture. Biological nitrification inhibitors (BNIs) are natural abilities of certain plant roots to suppress soil–nitrifier activity. They have some advantages over chemical nitrification inhibitors (CNIs), but their effects on N loss and NUE are not critically examined yet. In this study, the synergistic effects of BNI of methyl 3-(4-hydroxyphenyl) propionate (MHPP at dosage of 1000 mg kg−1), UI of N-(n -butyl), thiophosphoric triamide (NBPT, 2% of applied_urea_N), and BC (w heat straw biochar, 1% (w/w)) on NH 3 volatilization, inorganic N leaching, plant N uptake (N_yield), and NUE are explored through a wheat growth pot experiment. MHPP and BC can increase NH 3 volatilization, which increased by 18.5% in the BC treatment and 32.9% in the MHPP_BC treatment. Individual application or co-application of MHPP, NBPT, and BC significantly decreased N leaching by 25.4% to 42.6% (P < 0.05). The treatments of MHPP, BC, MHPP_NBPT, and MHPP_BC significantly increased the N _ yield in the range of 7.41%–10.3% and the NUE in the range of 9.94%–13.7% compared with the CF treatment (P < 0.05). The partial mechanism of those strategies in regulating N pathways was by causing niche differentiation between ammonia oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and ammonia oxidizing archaea (AOA), and changing community structure mainly of AOB. NBPT, MHPP, and BC were found mainly in the targeted Nitrosospira cluster 3a.2 and Nitrosospira cluster 3b. In general, the application of MHPP_NBPT is a promising strategy for simultaneously reducing NH 3 and increasing NUE. [Display omitted] • NH 3 volatilization was increased by 18.5% with biochar and 32.9% with biochar plus MHPP. • N leaching was decreased by 25.4%–42.6% with MHPP, NBPT and biochar. • MHPP_NBPT yields synergistic effects on reducing N loss and increasing NUE by 13.7%. • MHPP, NBPT and biochar regulating N pathways by changing the abundance of AOA and AOB and community structure of AOB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Synergistic adsorption and oxidative degradation (via persulfate activation) on metal-free carbonaceous materials are expected to be environmentally friendly and highly efficient approach toward contaminants removal. Herein, nitrogen and sulfur codoped mesoporous carbon (NSDMC) were firstly synthesized via co-carbonization of calcium citrate and thiourea without any templates. NSDMC samples exhibit remarkably enhanced adsorption capacity and oxidative degradation (by activating PDS) for chlorophenols elimination. Increased S BET and introduced N-containing functional groups are beneficial for chlorophenols adsorption, PDS accessibility and successive activation. Doped sulfur species (especially for thiophenic S) can enhance the electron-transport performance of NSDMC, further promoting PDS activation and chlorophenols degradation. It can be ascribed to the synergistic effect of N and S codoping. NSDMC-30 (containing 5.83 at.% nitrogen and 2.15 at.% sulfur, and possessing S BET of 1935.9 m2 g−1) exhibits the optimal adsorption and catalytic oxidation capability for 4-CP removal. Degradation rate constant of NSDMC-30 is 0.125 min−1, which is 3.0 times and 7.8 times higher than nitrogen-doped MC and pristine MC, respectively. Radicals quenching experiments and EPR tests demonstrate that non-radical pathways play dominant role for PDS activation and chlorophenols degradation. Based on the influences of catalyst loading, initial 4-CP concentration, and PDS dosage on degradation kinetics of 4-CP, the pre-adsorption is unveiled to be the critical step determining oxidation rate of chlorophenols. More importantly, the results of in-situ Raman and electrochemical tests show that the surface-confined and activated PDS complex (carbon-PDS*) and continuous electron transfer from co-adsorbed 4-CP are mainly responsible for the oxidative degradation of chlorophenols. The intermediate products and TOC removal indicate that chlorophenols can be efficiently degraded and mineralized by as-synthesized NSDMC via activating PDS. Besides, the present NSDMC/PDS system is also applicable for purification of actual polluted water samples. This work provides in-depth knowledge of carbon-driven nonradical process for PDS activation and contaminants remediation. • N, S codoped MC were fabricated via one-pot pyrolysis of calcium citrate and thiourea. • Increased S BET and N-containing groups facilitate CPs adsorption and PDS activation. • Thiophenic S enhances electron-transport capacity of NSDMC, promoting PDS activation. • Pre-adsorption is the critical step determining oxidation rate of chlorophenols. • PDS activation pathway based on carbon-PDS complex and electron transfer is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The burden of public health challenges associated with the western dietary and living style is growing. Nutraceuticals have been paid increasing attentions due to their effects in promotion of health. However, in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, the nutraceuticals suffer from not only the harsh acidic environment of the stomach and a variety of digestive enzymes, but also the antibacterial activity of intestinal bile salts and the action of protease from the gut microbiota. The amount of the nutraceuticals arriving at the sites in GI tract for absorption or exerting the bioactivities is always unfortunately limited, which puts forward high requirements for protection of nutraceuticals in a certain high contents during oral consumption. Hydrogels are three-dimensional polymeric porous networks formed by the cross-linking of polymer chains, which can hold huge amounts of water. Compared with other carries with the size in microscopic scale such as nanoparticle and microcapsules, hydrogels could be considered to be more suitable delivery systems in food due to their macroscopic bulk properties, adjustable viscoelasticity and large spatial structure for embedding nutraceuticals. Regarding to the applications in food, natural polymer-based hydrogels are commonly safe and popular due to their source with the appealing characteristics of affordability, biodegradability and biocompatibility. Although chemical crosslinking has been widely utilized in preparation of hydrogels, it prefers the physical crosslinking in the researches in food. The reasonable design for the structure of natural polymeric hydrogels is essential for seeking the favorable functionalities to apply in the delivery system, and it could be possible to obtain the enhanced adhesive property, acid stability, resistant to bile salt, and the controlled release behavior. The hydrogels prepared with proteins, polysaccharides or the mix of them to deliver the functional ingredients, mainly the phenolic components, vitamins, probiotics are discussed to obtain inspiration for the wide applications in delivery systems. Further efforts might be made in the in situ formation of hydrogels in GI tract through the interaction among food polymers and small-molecular ingredients, elevation of the loading contents of nutraceuticals in hydrogels, development of stomach adhesive hydrogels as well as targeting modification of gut microbiota by the hydrogels., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Li, He, Zhao, Shi, Nian and Hu.)

Our previous studies found that Zinc-finger protein 382 (ZNF382) played as a tumor suppressor gene in esophageal and gastric cancers, and a positive correlation between the high expression of ZNF382 and better outcome in breast cancer patients. However, the biological roles and mechanisms of ZNF382 in breast cancer remains unclear. We detected ZNF382 expression by reverse-transcription PCR (RT-PCR) and real-time quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR) in breast cancer cells and tissues, and explored the impacts and mechanisms of ectopic ZNF382 expression in breast cancer cells in vitro and in vivo , respectively. Our results revealed that ZNF382 was significantly down-regulated in breast cancer tissues compared with adjacent non-cancer tissues. Restoration of ZNF382 expression in silenced breast cancer cells not only inhibited tumor cell colony formation, viability, migration and invasion, and epithelial-mesenchymal-transition (EMT), but also induced apoptosis and G0/G1 arrest. In conclusion, ZNF382 could induce G0/G1 cell cycle arrest through inhibiting CDC25A signaling, and, inhibit cell migration, invasion and EMT by antagonizing ZEB1 signaling in breast cancer cells., (© 2022 The Authors. Publishing services by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of KeAi Communications Co., Ltd.)