Bioinformatics analysis of calcium-dependent protein kinase 4 (CDPK4) as Toxoplasma gondii vaccine target

Objectives Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii), an obligate intracellular apicomplexan parasite, could affect numerous warm-blooded animals, such as humans. Calcium-dependent protein kinases (CDPKs) are essential Ca2+ signaling mediators and participate in parasite host cell egress, outer membrane motility, invasion, and cell division. Results Several bioinformatics online servers were employed to analyze and predict the important properties of CDPK4 protein. The findings revealed that CDPK4 peptide has 1158 amino acid residues with average molecular weight (MW) of 126.331 KDa. The aliphatic index and GRAVY for this protein were estimated at 66.82 and - 0.650, respectively. The findings revealed that the CDPK4 protein comprised 30.14 and 34.97 alpha-helix, 59.84 and 53.54 random coils, and 10.02 and 11.49 extended strand with SOPMA and GOR4 tools, respectively. Ramachandran plot output showed 87.87, 8.40, and 3.73 of amino acid residues in the favored, allowed, and outlier regions, respectively. Also, several potential B and T-cell epitopes were predicted for CDPK4 protein through different bioinformatics tools. Also, antigenicity and allergenicity evaluation demonstrated that this protein has immunogenic and non-allergenic nature. This paper presents a basis for further studies, thereby provides a fundamental basis for the development of an effective vaccine against T. gondii infection

Confusion at the beginning of sexual intercourse, the challenge of patients after coronary artery bypass graft surgery in Iran: A qualitative study.

BackgroundMany patients suffer from sexual dysfunction after coronary artery bypass graft surgery, but they refuse to propose and follow up on the problem due to the cultural structures prevailing in Iranian society. Untreated sexual dysfunction will disturb the quality of life of these patients. This study was performed to explain the experiences of male patients from sexual problems after coronary artery bypass graft surgery.Materials and methodsThis qualitative study was performed with the approach of conventional content analysis in Tehran in 2020. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 12 men after coronary artery bypass graft surgery at the hospital's cardiac surgery clinic, as well as the surgeon's clinic. Participants were selected by the targeted sampling method. After obtaining informed consent, the collected data were written word by word, and the content analysis approach was used to name the data, create analytical codes, and determine subcategories and categories. The data were analyzed by MAXQDA 10 software.ResultsThe findings of this study show that the dimensions of confusion in patients' sexual intercourse after coronary artery bypass graft surgery in four subcategories of challenges of the first intercourse after surgery, ambiguity in how to obtain information, the ambiguity of sexual issues after surgery, and spouse are concerned about having sexual intercourse.ConclusionThe results of this study show that male patients who have undergone coronary artery bypass graft surgery have many ambiguities in the process of sexual intercourse, which passes the beginning of sexual intercourse with fear and avoidance of intercourse. Postoperative patients do not propose these problems with the medical staff when they suffer from sexual dysfunction or ambiguity due to the taboo of talking about sexual intercourse. Eventually, the patient and his or her partner become confused about sexual intercourse after surgery. Therefore, it is recommended that policymakers in the field of health create the culture and planning for solving the ambiguities created in the path of sexual intercourse of these patients

Developing a Questionnaire for Iranian Women's Attitude on Medical Ethics in Vaginal Childbirth

Background: Vaginal delivery is one of the challenging issues in medical ethics. It is important to use an appropriate instrument to assess medical ethics attitudes in normal delivery, but the lack of tool for this purpose is clear. Objectives: The aim of this study was to develop and validate a questionnaire for the assessment of women’s attitude on medical ethics application in normal vaginal delivery. Patients and Methods: This methodological study was carried out in Iran in 2013 - 2014. Medical ethics attitude in vaginal delivery questionnaire (MEAVDQ) was developed using the findings of a qualitative data obtained from a grounded theory research conducted on 20 women who had vaginal childbirth, in the first phase. Then, the validation criteria of this tool were tested by content and face validity in the second phase. Exploratory factor analysis was used for construct validity and reliability was also tested by Cronbach’s alpha coefficient in the third phase of this study. SPSS version 13 was used in this study. The sample size for construct validity was 250 females who had normal vaginal childbirth. Results: In the first phase of this study (tool development), by the use of four obtained categories and nine subcategories from grounded theory and literature review, three parts (98-items) of this tool were obtained (A, B and J). Part A explained the first principle of medical ethics, part B pointed to the second and third principles of medical ethics, and part J explained the fourth principle of medical ethics. After evaluating and confirming its face and content validity, 75 items remained in the questionnaire. In construct validity, by the employment of exploratory factor analysis, in parts A, B and J, 3, 7 and 3 factors were formed, respectively; and 62.8%, 64% and 51% of the total variances were explained by the obtained factors in parts A, B and J, respectively. The names of these factors in the three parts were achieved by consideration of the loading factor and medical ethics principles. The subscales of MEAVDQ showed significant reliability. In parts A, B and J, Cronbach’s alpha coefficients were 0.76, 0.72 and 0.68, respectively and for the total questionnaire, it was 0.72. The results of the test–retest were satisfactory for all the items (ICC = 0.60 - 0.95). Conclusions: The present study showed that the 59-item MEAVDQ was a valid and reliable questionnaire for the assessment of women’s attitudes toward medical ethics application in vaginal childbirth. This tool might assist specialists in making a judgment and plan appropriate for women in vaginal delivery management

The status of retinoblastoma gene expression in brain tumors

Objective: Malignant brain tumors, including Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM), are among the deadliest brain tumors. Given the fact that the expression of the retinoblastoma (RB) gene in malignant tumors can change the tumor behavior, we seek to investigate the alterations of RB expression in brain tumors. Materials and Methods: The archives of the Pathology Department of Yazd Hospitals were examined, and all the brain tumors diagnosed between 2013 and 2017 were extracted. All paraffin embedded blocks underwent immunohistochemical staining for RB gene expression. Based on a pre-set checklist, demographics data, tumor type, location, and survival status were entered into and analyzed by SPSS version 25. p-value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Out of 90 blocks studied, 64.4% belonged to male patients and 35.5% to female patients. The frequencies of brain tumors subtypes were non-glioma (45.6%), low grade astrocytoma (14.4%), anaplastic astrocytoma (18.9%) and GBM (21.1%), respectively. The intensity of RB expression was significantly different between men and women (p-value=0.008), and in different subtypes of the tumors (p=0.04). Multivariate analysis revealed that GBM (HR: 9.933, 95% CI 1.888-52.254, p-value=0.007), age >50 (HR: 8.648, 95% CI 5.116-16.406, p-value= 0.0001), female sex (HR:2.139, 95% CI 1.212-3. 775, p-value= 0.09), RB negative tumors (HR:2.502, 95% CI 1.061-5.896, p-value= 0.036) significantly affect patient survival. Conclusions: There was a significant difference between men and women, and among different subtypes of the brain tumors in terms of RB gene expression. RB expression had a significant effect on patient survival independent from patient’s age, sex, and tumor subtypes

Development of Sensitive Detection of Cryptosporidium and Giardia from Surface Water in Iran

Background: The protozoan parasites Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia are known to occur widely in both raw and drinking waters. They are two of the causative agents of waterborne out-breaks of gastroenteritis throughout the world. In the present study, a PCR assay and FA were developed for detection of Cryptosporidium oocysts and Giardia cyst in environmental samples. Methods: We have detected Cryptosporidium spp. oocysts and Giardia cysts in seeded and un-seeded environmental water samples by PCR method. Water samples were spiked with oocysts (50, 100,300,500) and filtrated with a 1.2-µm pore size cellulose nitrate and follow by DNA extrac¬tion and purification by QIAamp DNA mini kit. Nested-PCR assay amplified an 850 bp fragment of 18s rRNA gene specific for Cryptosporidium and 435 bp fragment of glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) target gene for Giardia. Also many river water from north of Iran, be checked by these methods. Results: Cryptosporidium and Giardia DNAs were detected in seeded water sample and Giardia was detected in all 5 water samples from river in north of Iran by nested- PCR and FA. Also in one river water sample, Cryptosporidium was detected.Conclusion: This protocol is effective for detection of these waterborne parasites in treated and untreated water samples. This study can also serve as a platform for further investigations and research water source in Iran

Assessment of AFT and Cox Models in Analysis of Factors Influencing the survival of Women with Breast Cancer in Yazd city

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers in women. The statistical methods in the survival analysis of these patients are accelerated time models and Cox model. The purpose of this study is to evaluate two models in determining the effective factors in the survival of breast cancer. METHODS: The study was an analytical and cohort study of survival analysis. The 538 of the patients referred to Ramezanzade Radiotherapy Center who had breast cancer and recorded survival status as a census from the April 2005 until March 2012 in Yazd. and survived by phone call. The Kaplan-Meier estimate was used to describe the survival of the patients. The research variables included clinical and demographic factors. The choice of final variables in the model was done by the methods of diminishing the dimension and all possible Cox regressions by the acaian criterion. Then, the best accelerated time model was considered Getting different distributions was also determined by the Akayake criteria. FINDINGS: The most effective Cox model among all Cox models was variables including Age, Her2 and Ki67 variables (AIC = 30270). The generalized gamma model was the most optimal accelerated time model (AIC 463.966). Her2 was significant in both accelerated and cox models(p0.05). CONCLUSION: In both accelerated time- Generalized Gamma- models and Cox Models, the Her2 variable was identified as a risk factor for breast cancer and There is a positive impact on the risk of death and reduced survival

An equivalent model of a nonlinear bolted flange joint

The dynamic response of individual components in an assembled structure shows high accuracy compared to experimental measurements of the system response. However, when it comes to assemblies, the conventional linear approaches fail to deliver good accuracy, due to the uncertain linear and nonlinear mechanisms in the contact interface of the joints. Therefore, the inherent dynamics of the contact interfaces needs to be considered in modeling assembled structures. In this paper the prediction of the nonlinear dynamic response in a bolted flange joint was obtained in two ways. First, a 3D detailed finite element model capable of representing the micro-slip mechanism was made using a quasi-static time stepping analysis. The linear characteristics and nonlinear mechanisms developing in the contact interface of a bolted joint are investigated by using the 3D detailed model. Moreover, the natural frequencies of the assembled structure (representing the linear response) and the micro-slip behavior in terms of hysteresis loops (representing the nonlinear response) are obtained using the detailed model. Second, an equivalent model composed of beam elements and an appropriate joint model is then constructed for the assembled structure. An identification approach is proposed, and the parameters of the joint model are identified using both linear and nonlinear characteristics, i.e. natural frequencies and hysteresis loops. Comparing the hysteresis loops obtained from the detailed and equivalent models verifies the accuracy of the joint model used to represent the contact interface and the identification approach proposed for parameter quantification