In silico design of a novel peptide-based vaccine against the ubiquitous apicomplexan Toxoplasma gondii using surface antigens.

Human toxoplasmosis is a global public health concern and a commercial vaccine is still lacking. The present in silico study was done to design a novel vaccine candidate using tachyzoite-specific SAG1-realted sequence (SRS) proteins. Overlapping B-cell and strictly-chosen human MHC-I binding epitopes were predicted and connected together using appropriate spacers. Moreover, a TLR4 agonist, human high mobility group box protein 1 (HMGB1), and His-tag were added to the N- and C-terminus of the vaccine sequence. The final vaccine had 442 residues and a molecular weight of 47.71 kDa. Physico-chemical evaluation showed a soluble, highly antigenic and non-allergen protein, with coils and helices as secondary structures. The vaccine 3D model was predicted by ITASSER server, subsequently refined and was shown to possess significant interactions with human TLR4. As well, potent stimulation of cellular and humoral immunity was demonstrated upon chimeric vaccine injection. Finally, the outputs showed that this vaccine model possesses top antigenicity, which could provoke significant cell-mediated immune profile including IFN-γ, and can be utilized towards prophylactic purposes. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40203-023-00140-w.

The normal electrocardiogram of conscious golden eagles (Aquila chrysaetos).

The aim of this study was to describe the normal electrocardiographic patterns and values in conscious golden eagles (Aquila chrysaetos). The standard bipolar and augmented unipolar limb leads' electrocardiograms were recorded in the golden eagles. The waveforms were analyzed in all leads at 50 mm/sec and at 10 mm = 1 mV to determine P, PR (segment and interval), QRS, ST, and QT durations and P, net QRS complex, and T amplitudes. The polarity of each waveform was tabulated in all leads. The mean electrical axis for the frontal plane was calculated using standard bipolar leads II and III. The mean heart rate was 346.7 +/- 14.29 beats/min. The P wave was predominantly positive in standard bipolar leads I and II and augmented unipolar limb leads aVL and aVF. The dominant pattern ofwaveforms of the QRS complexes were QS in leads I, II, III, and aVF, whereas in leads aVR and aVL, the pattern was always R. The T wave was slightly positive in leads I, II, and aVF. The average value of the heart mean electrical axis was -85.9 +/- 7.50 degrees. Establishment of normal electrocardiogram values will facilitate a better understanding of electrocardiographic changes seen in many avian diseases.