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Objectives: Circular RNAs (circRNAs) serve a crucial regulatory role in ovarian cancer (OC). Circular RNA ArfGAP with FG repeats 1 (circAGFG1) has been shown to be involved in promoting the progression of several cancers, containing triple-negative breast cancer, esophageal cancer and colorectal cancer. However, the function of circAGFG1 in OC is unclear. Methods: Quantitative real-time reverse transcription PCR (RT-qPCR) was conducted to determine the expression levels of circAGFG1 and miR-409-3p. The proliferation and metastasis of cells were determined by colony formation assays, EdU assays, transwell assays and wound healing assays. In addition, a dual-luciferase reporter assay was performed to validate the mechanism between circAGFG1, miR-409-3p, and ZEB1. Results: Our data suggested that circAGFG1 was significantly overexpressed in OC tissues compared to normal ovarian epithelial tissues. Overexpression of circAGFG1 was correlated with intraperitoneal metastasis, tumor recurrence and advanced stage. Additionally, circAGFG1 overexpression revealed a poor prognosis in OC patients. Knockdown of circAGFG1 suppressed the proliferation, invasion and migration of OC cells. Mechanistically, circAGFG1 acted as a sponge of miR-409-3p to enhance the expression level of zinc finger E-box binding homeobox 1 (ZEB1), thereby conferring OC cell proliferation, invasion and migration. Importantly, re-expression of ZEB1 effectively reversed the effects of circAGFG1 knockdown on OC cells. Conclusions: In summary, our study indicated that circAGFG1 may act as a prognostic biomarker and potential therapeutic target for patients with OC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multidrug resistance (MDR) bacteria pose a serious threat to human health. The development of alternative treatment modalities and therapeutic agents for treating MDR bacteria‐caused infections remains a global challenge. Herein, a series of near‐infrared (NIR) anion–π+ photosensitizers featuring aggregation‐induced emission (AIE‐PSs) are rationally designed and successfully developed for broad‐spectrum MDR bacteria eradication. Due to the strong intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) and enhanced highly efficient intersystem crossing (ISC), these electron‐rich anion–π+ AIE‐PSs show boosted type I reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation capability involving hydroxyl radicals and superoxide anion radicals, and up to 99% photodynamic killing efficacy is achieved for both Methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and multidrug resistant Escherichia coli (MDR E. coli) under a low dose white light irradiation (16 mW cm−2). In vivo experiments confirm that one of these AIE‐PSs exhibit excellent therapeutic performance in curing MRSA or MDR E. coli‐infected wounds with negligible side‐effects. The study would thus provide useful guidance for the rational design of high‐performance type I AIE‐PSs to overcome antibiotic resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Disilanes possessing a Si−Si bond are unique element–element species. Transition‐metal‐catalyzed activation of the Si−Si bond allows many useful transformations that generate diverse organosilanes. This Minireview highlights impressive developments in this field over the past decade, with an emphasis on the formation of vinyl‐, aryl‐, and acylsilanes by C(sp2)−Si bond formation as well as the formation of allyl‐ and alkylsilanes by C(sp3)−Si bond formation. Si‐gn of the times: Transition‐metal‐catalyzed activation of the Si−Si bond allows many useful transformations that generate diverse organosilanes. This Minireview highlights impressive developments in this field over the past decade, with an emphasis on the formation of vinyl‐, aryl‐, and acylsilanes by C(sp2)−Si bond formation as well as the formation of allyl‐ and alkylsilanes by C(sp3)−Si bond formation. NPhth=phthalimido, Q=8‐quinolinyl. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The air‐stable unsymmetrical disilane Me3Si−SiMe2[oCON(iPr)2C6H4] has been developed for bis‐silylation of alkynes. This reagent tolerates a range of functional groups, providing Z‐vinyl disilanes in high yields. It is proposed that the phenyl‐ring‐tethered amide group directs oxidative addition of Pd0 into the Si−Si bond, which might facilitate formation of a six‐membered Pd cycle, generating products with good to excellent regioselectivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The air-stable unsymmetrical disilane Me 3 Si-SiMe 2 [oCON(iPr) 2 C 6 H 4 ] has been developed for bis-silylation of alkynes. This reagent tolerates a range of functional groups, providing Z-vinyl disilanes in high yields. It is proposed that the phenyl-ring-tethered amide group directs oxidative addition of Pd 0 into the Si-Si bond, which might facilitate formation of a six-membered Pd cycle, generating products with good to excellent regioselectivity., (© 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

A sequential one-pot process for chemoselectively reducing sterically demanding N,N-diisopropylamides to aldehydes has been developed. In this reaction, amides are activated with EtOTf to form imidates, which are reduced with LiAlH(OR) 3 [R = t-Bu, Et] to give aldehydes by hydrolysis of the resulting hemiaminals. The non-nucleophilic base 2,6-DTBMP remarkably improves reaction efficiency. The combination of EtOTf/2,6-DTBMP and LiAlH(O-t-Bu) 3 was found to be optimal for reducing alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, and 2-monosubstituted aryl N,N-diisopropylamides. In contrast, EtOTf and LiAlH(OEt) 3 in the absence of base were found to be optimal for reducing extremely sterically demanding 2,6-disubstituted N,N-diisopropylbenzamides. The reaction tolerates various reducible functional groups, including aldehyde and ketone. 1 H NMR studies confirmed the formation of imidates stable in water. The synthetic usefulness of this methodology was demonstrated with N,N-diisopropylamide-directed ortho-metalation and C-H bond activation.