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Aims: To investigate the key factors influencing glioma progression and the emergence of treatment resistance by examining the intrinsic connection between mutations in DNA damage and repair‐related genes and the development of chemoresistance in gliomas. Methods: We conducted a comprehensive analysis of deep‐targeted gene sequencing data from 228 glioma samples. This involved identifying differentially mutated genes across various glioma grades, assessing their functions, and employing I‐TASSER for homology modeling. We elucidated the functional changes induced by high‐frequency site mutations in these genes and investigated their impact on glioma progression. Results: The analysis of sequencing mutation results of deep targeted genes in integration revealed that ARID1A gene mutation occurs frequently in glioblastoma and alteration of ARID1A could affect the tolerance of glioma cells to temozolomide treatment. The deletion of proline at position 16 in the ARID1A protein affected the stability of binding of the SWI/SNF core subunit BRG1, which in turn affected the stability of the SWI/SNF complex and led to altered histone modifications in the CDKN1A promoter region, thereby affecting the biological activity of glioma cells, as inferred from modeling and protein interaction analysis. Conclusion: The ARID1A gene is a critical predictive biomarker for glioma. Mutations at the ARID1A locus alter the stability of the SWI/SNF complex, leading to changes in transcriptional regulation in glioma cells. This contributes to an increased malignant phenotype of GBM and plays a pivotal role in mediating chemoresistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aims to find the properties of three organic mulch varieties and their effects on soil moisture and crop growth. Three organic mulches: newspaper, grass, and bran were selected as the research objects, and were analyzed through double-ring infiltration and water loss tests so that water permeability and water-holding capacity of the three mulching materials could be figured out. The results showed the descending order of the three mulching treatments and non-treatment by the infiltration rate of the soil: newspaper > bare ground > grass > bran. In terms of the water-holding capacity, the three organic mulches can be ranked from high to low as newspaper, grass, and bran; by the cumulative water loss as newspaper, grass, and bran; and by water-retention capacity as bran, grass, and newspaper, respectively. By conducting regression analysis, it is found that the water-holding capacity of the mulches is related to water immersion time and the amount of water absorbed and that there is a significant logarithmic relationship between the amount of water loss and water losing time. The fitting results of the three mulches are good. Besides, a power-function relationship exists between water absorption rate and immersion time, and between water loss rate and water loss time. The water infiltration of the soil under the newspaper mulching treatment is the best, as the newspaper can help to improve soil moisture and weaken surface runoff under flood irrigation and heavy rain. Bran possesses the strongest capacity for water retention, which is beneficial to soil moisture retention in areas where sprinkler irrigation, drip irrigation, and light to moderate rain prevail. The research results can provide a basis for improving the moisture-utilization efficiency in farmlands by using organic mulches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The high crystallinity and sophisticated hierarchical architecture of native animal silk endow it with comprehensive mechanical properties that are superior to those of most synthetic fibers. However, these features also make the direct exfoliation of silk nanofibrils (SNFs) highly challenging. On the other hand, silk‐based materials prepared by conventional method (i.e., through silk fibroin aqueous solution) are usually weak, so the preparation methods based on SNFs have attracted much attention in recent years. Herein, a facile and environmentally friendly route is developed to directly exfoliate SNFs from natural Bombyx mori silkworm silk via ammonium persulfate oxidation followed by ultrasonication. The obtained SNFs have a high yield (nearly 40%) and are well dispersed in water in a wide pH range, so they can act as a good starting material to prepare subsequent silk‐based materials. The main application of the SNFs demonstrated in this article is a curcumin (Cur)/SNFs hydrogel as wound dressing. In vivo experimental results show that the Cur/SNFs hydrogel significantly enhanced the healing rate of wounds on diabetic mice. Therefore, the preparation method developed in this study provides an efficient way to produce SNFs, which have great potential for a wide range of applications, including as wound dressings for diabetics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the cold zone of China, winter is cold and long and has a short duration of sunshine. Unheated earthen‐wall solar greenhouses are used for tomato production in winter in this region. This was an experimental investigation of different organic mulching materials (newspaper, bran, and grass) on the soil temperature, soil moisture, tomato yield, fruit quality, and water use efficiency. Organic mulching variously improved soil temperature, soil moisture, water use efficiency, and tomato yield, which is very important for greenhouse winter cultivation in this cold zone. Organic mulching regulated the soil temperature, with daily soil temperature ranges of bran, newspaper, and grass treatments being 1.6, 1.9, and 2.1°C lower than for bare land, respectively. Compared to bare land, newspaper mulching had little effect on soil temperature and fruit quality, but increased soil moisture (14.1%) and water use efficiency (WUE: WUEb, 31.3%; WUEy, 30.6%), and greatly increased yield (81.8%) and biomass (82.7%); bran mulching greatly increased soil temperature, moisture (16%), and WUE (WUEb, 60.1%; WUEy, 44.3%) and increased biomass (30.2%) and yield (17.3%); grass mulching greatly increased soil temperature and moisture (20.9%) and increased biomass (17.9%), yield (11.2%), and WUE (WUEb, 20.5%; WUEy, 13.6%). In addition, organic mulching had a good water retention effect on soil layer above 30 cm. The total soil water consumption during tomato growth was in the following order: newspaper (103 mm) > bare (74 mm) > grass (73 mm) > bran (60 mm). Soil water consumption mainly occurred in the 0‐ to 10‐cm soil layers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A high-gravity method for preparation of protein-based microspheres. • High-gravity environment generated by a rotating packed bed reactor. • A simple and efficient method with ease for scale-up and industrialization. • Ethanol-induced precipitation of regenerated silk fibroin microspheres. • Silkworm silk fibroin microspheres with uniform size distributions. The possibility of preparing regenerated silk fibroin (RSF)-based microspheres by a high-gravity anti-solvent precipitation method was explored. The high-gravity environment was generated by a rotating packed bed (RPB) reactor. Aqueous RSF solutions and ethanol were used as solvent and anti-solvent, respectively. The effects of liquid flow rates and anti-solvent/solvent ratios, as well as centrifugation and freezing time, on the formation, size distribution and morphology of RSF microspheres were investigated. The results showed that RSF microspheres, with diameters of 0.1–1.6 μm, can be prepared under high-gravity field via self-assembly of RSF molecular chains induced by ethanol and quenched by freezing and lyophilization. The mechanism of RSF microsphere formation was also discussed. In addition, rhodamine B was used as a model drug for evaluation of drug delivery capability of the RSF microspheres. The merits of this study lie in a simple low-cost apparatus with ease for scale-up and thereby potential high volume continuous production capacity, which is of practical advantages and industrial significance in preparation of protein microspheres for commercial mass production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Iron oxide (Fe 3 O 4) magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) were prepared by co-precipitation. • The Fe 3 O 4 MNPs exhibit an intrinsic lytic activity in disruption of yeast cells. • The biocatalytic reaction kinetics was similar to that of natural zymolyase. • The activity of the Fe 3 O 4 MNPs remained stable against temperature and pH changes. Iron oxide (Fe 3 O 4) magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) were found to exhibit an intrinsic yeast lytic activity with enzyme kinetics similar to that of natural zymolyase. The Fe 3 O 4 MNPs were synthesized by a co-precipitation method and were then employed to catalyze the disruption of yeast cells. The Fe 3 O 4 MNPs accelerated the biocatalytic reaction to completion within 10 min. Compared to natural zymolyase, the newly discovered biocatalytic activity of Fe 3 O 4 was outstanding and remained stable against temperature and pH changes. More importantly, Fe 3 O 4 MNPs with excellent activity could be successfully synthesized using a high-gravity co-precipitation method promising for large scale production in industrial applications. Considering its cost-effectiveness and ease of preparation, Fe 3 O 4 was expected to show great potential for the digestion of yeast cell walls through serving as nanomaterial-based artificial enzymes or nanozymes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Guishan goats, a unique goat breed in Yunnan Province, have a long history and representation, but their whey protein and function remain unclear. In this study, we carried out a quantitative analysis of the Guishan and Saanen goat whey proteome using a label-free proteomic approach. A total of 500 proteins were quantified from the 2 kinds of goat whey proteins, including 463 common proteins, 37 uniquely expressed whey proteins (UEWP), and 12 differentially expressed whey proteins (DEWP). Bioinformatics analysis indicated that UEWP and DEWP were mainly involved in cellular and immune system processes, membrane, and binding. In addition, UEWP and DEWP in Guishan goats participated primarily in metabolism and immune-related pathways, whereas Saanen goat whey proteins were associated mostly with environmental information processing-related pathways. Guishan goat whey promoted the growth of RAW264.7 macrophages more than Saanen goat whey, and significantly reduced the production of nitric oxide in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. This study provides a reference for further understanding these 2 goat whey proteins and finding functional active substances from them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mechanism of goat milk (GM) flavor improvement based on lipid changes requires understanding. According to sensory evaluation results, the texture, taste, appearance, aroma, and overall acceptability score of Guishan fermented goat milk (GMF) were higher than those of GM. In total, 779 lipid molecules and 121 volatile compounds were formed from the metabolite–lipid level in the GM and GMF, as determined through lipidomics and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. The key volatile flavor compounds in the GMF were (E,E)-2,4-decadienal, ethyl acetate, acetoin, 2,3-pentanedione, acetic acid, and 2,3-butanedione. Of them, 60 lipids significantly contributed to the flavor profiles of the GMF, based on the correlation analysis. The triacylglycerides (TAGs) 12:0_14:0_16:0 and 13:0_13:0_18:2 contributed to aroma retention, while TAG and phosphatidylethanolamine were identified as key substrates for flavor compound formation during fermentation. Lipids associated with glycerophospholipid and linoleic acid metabolism pathways significantly affected volatile compound formation in the GMF. This study provides an in-depth understanding of the lipids and flavors of the GMF, and this information will be useful for the development of specific GMF products. • Lipid changes affect flavor formation in fermented goat milk (GMF). • Acetoin, 2,3-pentanedione, and 2,3-butanedione are abundant in GMF. • TAG (12:0/14:0/16:0) and TAG (13:0/13:0/18:2) contribute to aroma retention in GMF. • Flavor compounds are derived from glycerophospholipid and linoleic acid pathways. • Lipid markers are identified to improve the flavor of GMF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Immobilized laccase-catalyzed coupling of phenolic hydroxyl groups. • Diffusional limitations turned into advantages for constructing composite hydrogels. • A new type of composite hydrogels that combine silk and lignin. • A promising strategy to exploit enormous potential of natural sustainable resources. • A noteworthy green chemistry approach to enhance applicability of natural enzymes. Laccase (Lac) is an environmentally friendly commercially available low-cost biocatalyst that can act on phenolic groups at room temperature using ambient air. In this study, Lac immobilized silk fibroin (SF)-based hydrogels were employed to simultaneously absorb alkaline lignin (AL) and graft AL on SF to fabricate SF AL composite hydrogels. The immobilized Lac retained highly active, and mainly catalyzed inter- and intra-molecular covalent coupling between the phenolic groups of AL and the tyrosine residues of SF. Through imparting the unique structure of lignin, the SF AL composite hydrogels exhibited improved mechanical strength and anti-ultraviolet properties over the SF-based hydrogels. By making good use of Lac and turning diffusional limitations in Lac immobilization into advantages, this study developed a new efficient approach for production of sustainable value-added materials based on silk and lignin. This study offers a promising strategy to exploit the enormous potential of these natural biopolymers and enzymes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common primary central nervous system tumor and has a poor prognosis, with a median survival time of only 14 months from diagnosis. Abnormally expressed long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are important epigenetic regulators of chromatin modification and gene expression regulation in tumors, including GBM. We previously showed that the lncRNA HOTAIR is related to the cell cycle progression and can be used as an independent predictor in GBM. Lysine-specific demethylase 1 (LSD1), binding to 3' domain of HOTAIR, specifically removes mono- and di-methyl marks from H3 lysine 4 (H3K4) and plays key roles during carcinogenesis. In this study, we combined a HOTAIR-EZH2 disrupting agent and an LSD1 inhibitor, AC1Q3QWB (AQB) and GSK-LSD1, respectively, to block the two functional domains of HOTAIR and potentially provide therapeutic benefit in the treatment of GBM. Using an Agilent Human ceRNA Microarray, we identified tumor suppressor genes upregulated by AQB and GSK-LSD1, followed by Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays to explore the epigenetic mechanisms of genes activation. Microarray analysis showed that AQB and GSK-LSD1 regulate cell cycle processes and induces apoptosis in GBM cell lines. Furthermore, we found that the combination of AQB and GSK-LSD1 showed a powerful effect of inhibiting cell cycle processes by targeting CDKN1A , whereas apoptosis promoting effects of combination therapy were mediated by BBC3 in vitro. ChIP assays revealed that GSK-LSD1 and AQB regulate P21 and PUMA, respectively via upregulating H3K4me2 and downregulating H3K27me3. Combination therapy with AQB and GSK-LSD1 on tumor malignancy in vitro and GBM patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models shows enhanced anti-tumor efficacy and appears to be a promising new strategy for GBM treatment through its effects on epigenetic regulation. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human behavior has varying effects on the environment because of its way and intensity. The majority of the current studies on tourists' environmental behavior primarily considers the environmentally conservative behavior and the environmentally disturbing behavior, while the environmentally radical behavior (very strong sense of responsibility) has not been well-documented in the literature. This study aims to examine the dimensions of tourists' environmental behavior and the mechanism of different types of tourists' environmental behavior. Study results identify three dimensions of tourists' environmental behavior, including: 1) environmentally radical behavior, 2) environmentally conservative behavior, and 3) environmentally disturbing behavior. This paper uses the theory of planned behavior to develop three different interpretation models of tourists' environmental behavior, and test hypothesized relationships in the interpretation models by structural equation models. The results show that the hypothesized relationships between attitude, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, environmental behavioral intention and environmental behavior in the tourists' environmentally conservative behavior and environmentally disturbing behavior interpretation model were all supported. However, the hypothesis that subjective norms positively affect the environmental behavioral intention was not supported in the model of tourists' environmentally radical behavior. Study results provide suggestions and guidance for tourism management agencies to implement scientific and effective tourism environmental protection measures and policies. Note: ATT = Attitude; SN = Subjective Norms; PBC = Perceived Behavioral Control; ERBI = Environmentally Radical Behavioral Intention; ERB = Environmentally Radical Behavior; ECBI = Environmentally Conservative Behavioral Intention; ECB = Environmentally Conservative Behavior; EDBI = Environmentally Disturbing Behavioral Intention; EDB = Environmentally Disturbing Behavior.∗∗∗ p ＜0.001; ∗∗ p ＜0.01; ∗ p ＜0.05. Image 1 • Tourists' environmental behavior was classified into three dimensions. • Theory of planned behavior was applied to analyze tourists' environmental behaviors. • Factors affecting tourists' environmentally radical behavior were examined. • Mechanism of tourists' environmental behavior in three dimensions was established. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The chemical modification of RNA is a newly discovered epigenetic regulation mechanism in cells and plays a crucial role in a variety of biological processes. N6-methyladenine (m6A) mRNA modification is the most abundant form of posttranscriptional RNA modification in eukaryotes. Through the development of m6A RNA sequencing, the relevant molecular mechanism of m6A modification has gradually been revealed. It has been found that the effect of m6A modification on RNA metabolism involves processing, nuclear export, translation and even decay. As the most common malignant tumour of the central nervous system, gliomas (especially glioblastoma) have a very poor prognosis, and treatment efficacy is not ideal even with the application of high-intensity treatment measures of surgery combined with chemoradiotherapy. Exploring the origin and development mechanisms of tumour cells from the perspective of tumour biogenesis has always been a hotspot in the field of glioma research. Emerging evidence suggests that m6A modification can play a key role in gliomas through a variety of mechanisms, providing more possibilities for early diagnosis and targeted therapy of gliomas. The aim of the present review is to focus on the research progress regarding the association between m6A modification and gliomas. And to provide a theoretical basis according to the currently available literature for further exploring this association. This review may provide new insights for the molecular mechanism, early diagnosis, histologic grading, targeted therapy and prognostic evaluation of gliomas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]