Early change of plasma Epstein-Barr virus DNA load and the viral lytic genome level could positively predict clinical outcome in recurrent or metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma receiving anti-programmed cell death 1 monotherapy.

PURPOSE: Patients with recurrent or metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma (RM-NPC) have proven benefit from anti-programmed cell death 1 (anti-PD-1) monotherapy. Here, we retrospectively analyze the association of plasma Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) DNA load and tumor viral lytic genome with clinical outcome from 2 registered phase I trials. METHODS: Patients with RM-NPC from Checkmate 077 (nivolumab phase I trial in China) and Camrelizumab phase I trial between March 2016 and January 2018 were enrolled. Baseline EBV DNA titers were tested in 68 patients and EBV assessment was performed in 60 patients who had at least 3 post-baseline timepoints of EBV data and at least 1 post-baseline timepoint of radiographic assessment. We defined "EBV response" as 3 consecutive timepoints of load below 50% of baseline, and "EBV progression" as 3 consecutive timepoints of load above 150% of baseline. Whole-exome sequencing was performed in 60 patients with available tumor samples. RESULTS: We found that the baseline EBV DNA load was positively correlated with tumor size (spearman p < 0.001). Both partial response (PR) and stable disease (SD) patients had significantly lower EBV load than progression disease (PD) patients. EBV assessment was highly consistent with radiographic evaluation. Patients with EBV response had significantly improved overall survival (OS) than patients with EBV progression (log-rank p = 0.004, HR = 0.351 [95% CI: 0.171-0.720], median 22.5 vs. 11.9 months). The median time to initial EBV response and progression were 25 and 36 days prior to initial radiographic response and progression, respectively. Patients with high levels of EBV lytic genomes at baseline, including BKRF2, BKRF3 and BKRF4, had better progression-free survival (PFS) and OS. CONCLUSION: In summary, early clearance of plasma EBV DNA load and high levels of lytic EBV genes were associated with better clinical outcome in patients with RM-NPC receiving anti-PD-1 monotherapy.

Bifunctional materials based on poly(3-aminocarbazole) for efficient and highly selective detection and adsorption of Hg2+ in water.

Herein, two poly(3-aminocarbazole) derivatives containing imidazole N-type acceptor were synthesized and reported, which are named PCPI and PCBI respectively. The fluorescence spectrum shows that PCPI (Em=498 nm) and PCBI (Em=398 nm) both have a strong fluorescence emission. It is worth noting that PCPI has a larger stokes shift of 153 nm, which is beneficial for improving the sensitivity of the sensor and enhancing its anti-interference ability. As expected, our experimental results indicate that both PCPI and PCBI can cause a specific response of "fluorescence OFF" to Hg2+ compared with other ions. And PCPI and PCBI both have excellent detection capabilities for Hg2+, with detection limits of 69.8 nM and 11.4 nM respectively. Moreover, PCBI exhibits excellent absorption of Hg2+ with a maximum absorption capacity of 477.8 mg/g at 20°C. It indicates that PCBI can be used as a functional material for the detection and removal of Hg2+ in water.

Impact of dietary inflammatory index on gestational diabetes mellitus in normal and overweight women: a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: To systematically investigate the association between the dietary inflammatory index (DII) and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), with a focus on the role of BMI in this relationship. METHODS AND STUDY DESIGN: A comprehensive search was conducted in PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, The Cochrane Library, Medline, CINAHL Complete, Chinese Periodical Full-text Database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, and China Wanfang Database for rele-vant observational studies published up to August 2023. The quality of the included studies was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. The pooled effect size was calculated using a random-effects model. Sub-group and meta-regression analyses were performed to explore potential sources of heterogeneity. RESULTS: The study included 54,058 participants from 10 studies. Pregnant women with a higher DII, indicating a pro-inflammatory diet, had a significantly increased risk of GDM compared to those with a lower DII, indicating an anti-inflammatory diet (pooled OR: 1.17, 95% CI: 1.01-1.36; I²=70%, p <0.001). Subgroup analyses revealed a stronger association in normal weight stratification (OR: 1.25, 95%CI: 1.04-1.51), case-control studies (OR: 1.45, 95%CI: 1.03-2.05), Asia (OR: 1.26, 95%CI: 1.10-1.43), Europe (OR: 1.27, 95%CI: 1.09-1.48), 3-day dietary record as a dietary assessment tool (OR: 1.30, 95%CI: 1.16-1.46), physical activity adjustment (OR: 1.28, 95%CI: 1.13-1.46), and energy intake adjustment (OR: 1.33, 95%CI: 1.19-1.48). Meta-regression analysis confirmed that geographical region significantly influenced heterogeneity between studies (p <0.05). CONCLUSIONS: An elevated DII is independently linked to a higher risk of GDM, especially in women of normal weight.

Role of sRNAs protein molecules in extracellular vesicles derived from Lactobacillus plantarum rejuvenate against ultraviolet B-induced photoaging in human keratinocytes.

Ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation accelerates the aging process of skin cells by triggering oxidative stress and inflammatory responses. The aim of this study was to investigate the mechanism of action of sRNAs and protein molecules in the regenerative extracellular vesicles of Lactobacillus plantarum against the UVB-induced photoaging process of human keratinocytes. The extracellular vesicles regenerated by Lactobacillus plantarum were isolated and purified to identify sRNAs and protein components. Human keratinocytes were treated with UVB radiation to simulate the photoaging model. The effects of different concentrations of vesicle extract on cell survival rate, oxidative stress index and inflammatory marker expression were evaluated in control group and treatment group. The results showed that the regenerated extracellular vesicles of L. plantarum significantly improved the survival rate of keratinocytes after UVB radiation, and delayed the aging process of skin cells by reducing oxidative stress and inhibiting inflammatory response.

Safety, tolerability, and immunogenicity of an adult pneumococcal conjugate vaccine, V116 (STRIDE-3): a randomised, double-blind, active comparator controlled, international phase 3 trial.

BACKGROUND: The same pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs) have been used in adults and children in many settings. Differences in the epidemiology of pneumococcal disease between populations necessitates an adult-specific PCV. We aimed to assess the safety, tolerability, and immunogenicity of V116, an investigational 21-valent PCV designed for adults. METHODS: This randomised, double-blind, active comparator controlled, international phase 3 trial enrolled adults with or without stable chronic medical conditions at 112 clinical sites in 11 countries or territories. Random assignment was performed using a central electronic interactive response technology system. Cohort 1 (≥50 years) was stratified by age (50-64, 65-74, 75-84, and ≥85 years) and randomised 1:1 to receive one intramuscular dose of V116, or the active comparator, PCV20. Cohort 2 (18-49 years) was randomised 2:1 to receive one intramuscular dose of V116 or PCV20. Pneumococcal serotype-specific opsonophagocytic activity (OPA) and IgG responses were measured before (day 1) and after vaccination (day 30). Four primary immunogenicity outcomes were assessed per-protocol. First, in cohort 1, non-inferiority of V116 to PCV20 was tested using serotype-specific OPA geometric mean titres (GMT) ratios for serotypes common to both vaccines; the lower bound of the 95% CI had to be greater than 0·5 for non-inferiority. Second, superiority of V116 to PCV20 was tested for OPA GMT ratios for the serotypes unique to V116; the lower bound of the 95% CI had to be greater than 2·0 for superiority. Third, superiority of V116 to PCV20 was evaluated by the proportions of participants with a four-fold or greater rise from day 1 to day 30 for serotypes unique to V116; the lower bound of the 95% CI of the differences in proportions (V116 - PCV20) had to be greater than 10% for superiority. Finally, in cohort 2, immunobridging was assessed for all 21 serotypes in V116 for adults aged 18-49 years to 50-64 years; the lower bound of the 95% CI for the OPA GMTs had to be greater than 0·5 for non-inferiority. The safety analysis included all randomly assigned participants who received study vaccine. The primary safety outcome was the proportion of participants with solicited injection site and solicited systemic adverse events until day 5 and vaccine-related serious adverse events up to 6 months after vaccination. This trial is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT05425732). FINDINGS: Between July 13, and Nov 22, 2022, 2754 individuals were screened and 2663 participants were randomly assigned. 2656 individuals were vaccinated (1179 in V116 cohort 1; 1177 in PCV20 cohort 1; 200 in V116 cohort 2; and 100 in PCV20 cohort 2). V116 met non-inferiority criteria compared with PCV20 for the ten serotypes common to both vaccines at day 30 in cohort 1 (p<0·0001 for each common serotype). V116 met superiority criteria compared with PCV20 in cohort 1 for ten of the 11 serotypes unique to V116 at day 30 (OPA GMT ratio: p<0·0001 for all unique serotypes except 15C, which was p=0·41; four-fold or greater rise in OPA from day 1-30: p<0·0001 for all serotypes except 15C, which was p=0·67). Immune responses in V116 participants aged 18-49 years were non-inferior compared with V116 participants aged 50-64 years for all V116 serotypes (p<0·0001 for all V116 serotypes). In cohort 1, 685 (58·2%) of participants in V116, and 778 (66·2%) of participants in PCV20 reported one or more adverse event. In cohort 2, 164 (82·0%) participants in V116 and 79 participants (79·0%) in PCV20 reported one or more adverse event. Six deaths were reported, all in cohort 1, none of which were considered vaccine-related (in V116: one due to sepsis, one due to cerebrovascular accident, one due to myocardial infarction, and one due to hepatic cirrhosis and hepatic encephalopathy; in PCV20: one due to cardiac arrest and one due to abdominal abscess). There were no vaccine-related serious adverse events. INTERPRETATION: V116 was non-inferior to PCV20 for the ten serotypes common to both vaccines and superior to PCV20 for all serotypes unique to V116, except for 15C. Immune responses successfully immunobridged between younger and older adults for all serotypes in V116. V116 was generally well tolerated with safety profile similar to PCV20. FUNDING: Merck Sharp & Dohme, subsidiary of Merck & Co, Rahway, NJ, USA (MSD).

The controllable synthesis of multi-color carbon quantum dots modified by polythiophene and their application in fluorescence detection of Au3+ and Hg2.

Herein, hydrothermal method was used to prepare a series of multi-color polythiophene modified carbon quantum dots. Under UV excitation, fluorescence their maximum emission wavelengths appear at 612 nm, 570 nm, and 540 nm respectively. The prepared CD-BTH and CD-BN can have specific detection of Au3+ and Hg2+ through fluorescence quenching effect. The detection limits for Au3+ are 3 nM and 5.4 nM respectively, and for Hg2+ are 23 nM and 90 nM respectively. CD-KN detects Au3+ specifically through fluorescence resonance, with a detection limit of 33 nM. Under the interference of other metal ions, three types of polythiophene modified quantum carbon dots exhibit excellent selectivity for the responsive ions. Meanwhile, this article also elucidates the law that as the electron withdrawing ability of the side chains of polythiophene derivatives increasing, the fluorescence emission peaks of the prepared polythiophene modified carbon dots shifts red and the fluorescence quantum yield is higher.

Tadpole-Like Carbon Nanotube with Fe Nanoparticle Encapsulated at the Head and Zn Single-Atom Anchored on the Body: One-Pot Carbonization for Tetramodal Synergistic Cancer Therapy.

Precise integration of diverse therapeutic approaches into nanomaterials is the key to the development of multimodal synergistic cancer therapy. In this work, tadpole-like carbon nanotubes with Fe nanoparticle encapsulated at the head and Zn single-atom anchored on the body (Fe@CNT-Zn) is precisely designed and facilely prepared via one-pot carbonization. In vitro studies revealed the integration of chemotherapy (CT), chemodynamic therapy (CDT), photothermal therapy (PTT), and photodynamic therapy (PDT) in Fe@CNT-Zn as well as the near-infrared light (NIR)-responsive cascade therapeutic efficacy. Furthermore, in vivo studies demonstrated the NIR-triggered cascade-amplifying synergistic cancer therapy in a B16 tumor-bearing mouse model. The results not only showcased the Fe@CNT-Zn as a potential tetramodal therapeutic platform, but also demonstrated a proof-of-concept on metal-organic framework-based "one stone for multiple birds" strategy for in situ functionalization of carbon materials.

Development of Fluorenyl-Based Copolyimines with Adjustable Mechanical Properties, Recyclability and Friction Resistance.

Dynamic polyimines are a class of fascinating dynamic polymers with recyclability and reparability owing to their reversible Schiff-base reactions. However, balancing the dynamic properties and mechanical strength of dynamic polyimines presents a major challenge due to the dissociative and associative nature of the imine bonds. Herein, we introduced bulky fluorene groups and polyether amine into the skeleton of polyimine networks to achieve a tradeoff in comprehensive properties. The resulting dynamic polyimines with fluorene groups (Cardo-DPIs) were successfully synthesized by combining the rigid diamine 9,9-bis(4-aminophenyl)fluorene and the flexible polyether amine, demonstrating a high tensile strength of 64.7 MPa. Additionally, Cardo-DPIs films with more content of rigid fluorene groups exhibited higher water resistance, glass transition temperature and wear-resisting ability. Moreover, the Cardo-DPIs films not only efficiently underwent thermal reshaping, but also exhibited excellent self-healing capabilities and chemical degradation in acidic solutions. Furthermore, the resulting films can achieve fully closed-loop recovery by free amine solution for 2 h at room temperature. This study broadens the scope of dynamic polyimine materials and promotes the balanced development of their functional and mechanical properties.

Terpene synthases GhTPS6 and GhTPS47 participate in resistance to Verticillium dahliae in upland cotton.

Terpene synthases (TPSs) are enzymes responsible for catalyzing the production of diverse terpenes, the largest class of secondary metabolites in plants. Here, we identified 107 TPS gene loci encompassing 92 full-length TPS genes in upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.). Phylogenetic analysis showed they were divided into six subfamilies. Segmental duplication and tandem duplication events contributed greatly to the expansion of TPS gene family, particularly the TPS-a and TPS-b subfamilies. Expression profile analysis screened out that GhTPSs may mediate the interaction between cotton and Verticillium dahliae. Three-dimensional structures and subcellular localizations of the two selected GhTPSs, GhTPS6 and GhTPS47, which belong to the TPS-a subfamily, demonstrated similarity in protein structures and nucleus and cytoplasm localization. Virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) of the two GhTPSs yielded plants characterized by increased wilting and chlorosis, more severe vascular browning, and higher disease index than control plants. Additionally, knockdown of GhTPS6 and GhTPS47 led to the down-regulation of cotton terpene synthesis following V. dahliae infection, indicating that these two genes may positively regulate resistance to V. dahliae through the modulation of disease-resistant terpene biosynthesis. Overall, our study represents a comprehensive analysis of the G. hirsutum TPS gene family, revealing their potential roles in defense responses against Verticillium wilt.

Suppression of plant immunity by Verticillium dahliae effector Vd6317 through AtNAC53 association.

Verticillium dahliae, a soil-borne fungal pathogen, compromises host innate immunity by secreting a plethora of effectors, thereby facilitating host colonization and causing substantial yield and quality losses. The mechanisms underlying the modulation of cotton immunity by V. dahliae effectors are predominantly unexplored. In this study, we identified that the V. dahliae effector Vd6317 inhibits plant cell death triggered by Vd424Y and enhances PVX viral infection in Nicotiana benthamiana. Attenuation of Vd6317 significantly decreased the virulence of V. dahliae, whereas ectopic expression of Vd6317 in Arabidopsis and cotton enhanced susceptibility to V. dahliae infection, underscoring Vd6317's critical role in pathogenicity. We observed that Vd6317 targeted the Arabidopsis immune regulator AtNAC53, thereby impeding its transcriptional activity on the defense-associated gene AtUGT74E2. Arabidopsis nac53 and ugt74e2 mutants exhibited heightened sensitivity to V. dahliae compared to wild-type plants. A mutation at the conserved residue 193L of Vd6317 abrogated its interaction with AtNAC53 and reduced the virulence of V. dahliae, which was partially attributable to a reduction in Vd6317 protein stability. Our findings unveil a hitherto unrecognized regulatory mechanism by which the V. dahliae effector Vd6317 directly inhibits the plant transcription factor AtNAC53 activity to suppress the expression of AtUGT74E2 and plant defense.

Heat-activated growth of metastable and length-defined DNA fibers expands traditional polymer assembly.

Biopolymers such as nucleic acids and proteins exhibit dynamic backbone folding, wherein site-specific intramolecular interactions determine overall structure. Proteins then hierarchically assemble into supramolecular polymers such as microtubules, that are robust yet dynamic, constantly growing or shortening to adjust to cellular needs. The combination of dynamic, energy-driven folding and growth with structural stiffness and length control is difficult to achieve in synthetic polymer self-assembly. Here we show that highly charged, monodisperse DNA-oligomers assemble via seeded growth into length-controlled supramolecular fibers during heating; when the temperature is lowered, these metastable fibers slowly disassemble. Furthermore, the specific molecular structures of oligomers that promote fiber formation contradict the typical theory of block copolymer self-assembly. Efficient curling and packing of the oligomers - or 'curlamers' - determine morphology, rather than hydrophobic to hydrophilic ratio. Addition of a small molecule stabilises the DNA fibers, enabling temporal control of polymer lifetime and underscoring their potential use in nucleic-acid delivery, stimuli-responsive biomaterials, and soft robotics.

GhCLCc-1, a Chloride Channel Gene from Upland Cotton, Positively Regulates Salt Tolerance by Modulating the Accumulation of Chloride Ions.

The ionic toxicity induced by salinization has adverse effects on the growth and development of crops. However, researches on ionic toxicity and salt tolerance in plants have focused primarily on cations such as sodium ions (Na+), with very limited studies on chloride ions (Cl-). Here, we cloned the homologous genes of Arabidopsis thaliana AtCLCc, GhCLCc-1A/D, from upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum), which were significantly induced by NaCl or KCl treatments. Subcellular localization showed that GhCLCc-1A/D were both localized to the tonoplast. Complementation of Arabidopsis atclcc mutant with GhCLCc-1 rescued its salt-sensitive phenotype. In addition, the silencing of the GhCLCc-1 gene led to an increased accumulation of Cl- in the roots, stems, and leaves of cotton seedlings under salt treatments, resulting in compromised salt tolerance. And ectopic expression of the GhCLCc-1 gene in Arabidopsis reduced the accumulation of Cl- in transgenic lines under salt treatments, thereby enhancing salt tolerance. These findings elucidate that GhCLCc-1 positively regulates salt tolerance by modulating Cl- accumulation and could be a potential target gene for improving salt tolerance in plants.

Innervation of nociceptor neurons in the spleen promotes germinal center responses and humoral immunity.

Peripheral sensory neurons widely innervate various tissues to continuously monitor and respond to environmental stimuli. Whether peripheral sensory neurons innervate the spleen and modulate splenic immune response remains poorly defined. Here, we demonstrate that nociceptive sensory nerve fibers extensively innervate the spleen along blood vessels and reach B cell zones. The spleen-innervating nociceptors predominantly originate from left T8-T13 dorsal root ganglia (DRGs), promoting the splenic germinal center (GC) response and humoral immunity. Nociceptors can be activated by antigen-induced accumulation of splenic prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and then release calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), which further promotes the splenic GC response at the early stage. Mechanistically, CGRP directly acts on B cells through its receptor CALCRL-RAMP1 via the cyclic AMP (cAMP) signaling pathway. Activating nociceptors by ingesting capsaicin enhances the splenic GC response and anti-influenza immunity. Collectively, our study establishes a specific DRG-spleen sensory neural connection that promotes humoral immunity, suggesting a promising approach for improving host defense by targeting the nociceptive nervous system.

Prevalence and bidirectional association of sleep quality and gut health among Chinese midwives: a large population, multi-center cross-sectional study.

Background: Shift work can disrupt sleep quality and gut health. Nurses and midwives constitute approximately half of the global healthcare shift-working workforce. Our previous study revealed that most midwives were experiencing suboptimal health conditions, characterized by poor sleep quality and a high prevalence of gastrointestinal diseases. The gut-brain axis theory highlights the potential interplay between sleep quality and gut health. However, limited research focuses on this relationship among midwives. Methods: A cross-sectional survey included 2041 midwives from 87 Chinese hospitals between March and October 2023. Participants completed standardized questionnaires assessing sleep quality, gut health, depression, anxiety, and work stress. Binary logistic regression analyzed factors associated with poor sleep, and multiple linear regression examined the influence of sleep quality on gut health. Results: Over 60% of midwives reported poor sleep, with many experiencing gastrointestinal disorders. We observed a bidirectional relationship between sleep quality and gut health among midwives. After multivariable adjustments, midwives with higher gut health scores were more likely to experience poor sleep quality (odds ratio = 1.042, 95% confidence interval = 1.03-1.054). Conversely, midwives with higher sleep quality scores were also more likely to have poor gut health (ß = 0.222, 95% confidence interval = 0.529-0.797). These associations remained robust across sensitivity analyses. Furthermore, depression, anxiety, and work stress significantly affected both sleep quality and gut health among midwives. Conclusion: This study enhances our understanding of the intricate relationship between sleep quality and gut health among midwives. Poor gut health was associated with a higher risk of poor sleep, and vice versa. To improve the overall wellbeing of midwives, the findings emphasize the importance of addressing poor sleep quality and promoting gut health through maintaining a healthy diet, lifestyle, and good mental health. Further studies are needed to confirm our findings and clarify the underlying mechanisms.

Recognition of cyanobacteria promoters via Siamese network-based contrastive learning under novel non-promoter generation.

It is a vital step to recognize cyanobacteria promoters on a genome-wide scale. Computational methods are promising to assist in difficult biological identification. When building recognition models, these methods rely on non-promoter generation to cope with the lack of real non-promoters. Nevertheless, the factitious significant difference between promoters and non-promoters causes over-optimistic prediction. Moreover, designed for E. coli or B. subtilis, existing methods cannot uncover novel, distinct motifs among cyanobacterial promoters. To address these issues, this work first proposes a novel non-promoter generation strategy called phantom sampling, which can eliminate the factitious difference between promoters and generated non-promoters. Furthermore, it elaborates a novel promoter prediction model based on the Siamese network (SiamProm), which can amplify the hidden difference between promoters and non-promoters through a joint characterization of global associations, upstream and downstream contexts, and neighboring associations w.r.t. k-mer tokens. The comparison with state-of-the-art methods demonstrates the superiority of our phantom sampling and SiamProm. Both comprehensive ablation studies and feature space illustrations also validate the effectiveness of the Siamese network and its components. More importantly, SiamProm, upon our phantom sampling, finds a novel cyanobacterial promoter motif ('GCGATCGC'), which is palindrome-patterned, content-conserved, but position-shifted.

Amorphous conversion in pyrolytic symmetric trinuclear nickel clusters trigger trifunctional electrocatalysts.

The pursuit of multifunctional electrocatalysts holds significant importance due to their comprehension of material chemistry. Amorphous materials are particularly appealing, yet they pose challenges in terms of rational design due to their structural disorder and thermal instability. Herein, we propose a strategy that entails the tandem (low-temperature/250-350 °C) pyrolysis of molecular clusters, enabling preservation of the local short-range structures of the precursor Schiff base nickel (Ni3[2(C21H24N3Ni1.5O6)]). The temperature-dependent residuals demonstrate exceptional activity and stability for at least three distinct electrocatalytic processes, including the oxygen evolution reaction (η10 = 197 mV), urea oxidation reaction (η10 = 1.339 V), and methanol oxidation reaction (1358 mA cm-2 at 0.56 V). Three distinct nickel atom motifs are discovered for three efficient electrocatalytic reactions (Ni1 and Ni1' are preferred for UOR/MOR, while Ni2 is preferred for OER). Our discoveries pave the way for the potential development of multifunctional electrocatalysts through disordered engineering in molecular clusters under tandem pyrolysis.

Flexible Self-Powered Low-Decibel Voice Recognition Mask.

In environments where silent communication is essential, such as libraries and conference rooms, the need for a discreet means of interaction is paramount. Here, we present a single-electrode, contact-separated triboelectric nanogenerator (CS-TENG) characterized by robust high-frequency sensing capabilities and long-term stability. Integrating this TENG onto the inner surface of a mask allows for the capture of conversational speech signals through airflow vibrations, generating a comprehensive dataset. Employing advanced signal processing techniques, including short-time Fourier transform (STFT), Mel-frequency cepstral coefficients (MFCC), and deep learning neural networks, facilitates the accurate identification of speaker content and verification of their identity. The accuracy rates for each category of vocabulary and identity recognition exceed 92% and 90%, respectively. This system represents a pivotal advancement in facilitating secure and efficient unobtrusive communication in quiet settings, with promising implications for smart home applications, virtual assistant technology, and potential deployment in security and confidentiality-sensitive contexts.

Evaluation of Essential Dynamics and Fixed-Length Coarse Graining for Multidomain Proteins.

For multiscale modeling of biomolecules, reliable coarse-grained (CG) models can offer great potential to simulate larger temporal and spatial scales than traditional all-atom (AA) models. In this study, we explore the essential dynamics coarse graining (EDCG) and fixed-length coarse graining (FLCG) approaches for constructing highly coarse-grained models for multidomain proteins (MDPs), with 1 to 10 amino acid residues per CG site. In the studies of 13 MDPs, our data indicate that both EDCG and FLCG can preserve the protein dynamics of MDPs. FLCG, which restricts an equal number of residues in each CG site, represents an excellent approximation to EDCG and a straightforward approach for coarse-graining MDPs. Furthermore, FLCG is tested with a class B G-protein-coupled receptor protein, and the agreement with prior experiments suggests its general application to various MDPs in different environments or conditions. Finally, we demonstrate another application of FLCG through progressive backmapping, showcasing the ability to recover from lower-resolution CG models (6 residues/CG site) to higher-resolution ones (1 residue/CG site). These promising outcomes underscore the broad applicability of FLCG to construct highly or ultra-coarse-grained models of complex biomolecules for multiscale simulations.