Design of an epitope-based peptide vaccine against Cryptococcus neoformans.

Cryptococcus neoformans is the highest-ranked fungal pathogen in the Fungal Priority Pathogens List (FPPL) released by the World Health Organization (WHO). In this study, through in silico simulations, a multi-epitope vaccine against Cryptococcus neoformans was developed using the mannoprotein antigen (MP88) as a vaccine candidate. Following the retrieval of the MP88 protein sequences, these were used to predict antigenic B-cell and T-cell epitopes via the bepipred tool and the artificial neural network, respectively. Conserved B-cell epitopes AYSTPA, AYSTPAS, PASSNCK, and DSAYPP were identified as the most promising B-cell epitopes. While YMAADQFCL, VSYEEWMNY, and FQQRYTGTF were identified as the best candidates for CD8+ T-cell epitopes; and YARLLSLNA, ISYGTAMAV, and INQTSYARL were identified as the most promising CD4+ T-cell epitopes. The vaccine construct was modeled along with adjuvant and peptide linkers and the expasy protparam tool was used to predict the physiochemical properties. According to this, the construct vaccine was predicted to be antigenic, nontoxic, nonallergenic, soluble, stable, hydrophilic, and thermostable. Furthermore, the three-dimensional structure was also used in docking analyses with Toll-like receptor (TLR4). Finally, the cDNA of vaccine was successfully cloned into the E. coli pET-28a (+) expression vector. The results presented here could contribute towards the design of an effective vaccine against Cryptococcus neoformans.

Public Awareness and Knowledge of Sleeve Gastrectomy in the Southwest Region of Saudi Arabia.

Background Obesity is a major global health concern, causing significant health dilemmas. Large groups of Saudi individuals are considered obese, with significant implications for medical practice. Bariatric surgery, including sleeve gastrectomy, is a crucial intervention for severe obesity, although it is associated with potential complications. This study aims to investigate the public knowledge about the indications and consequences of sleeve gastrectomy in the Southwest region of Saudi Arabia and assess their general awareness of sleeve gastrectomy. Methodology This descriptive, cross-sectional, online-based study included 347 individuals from the Southwest region of Saudi Arabia. Data were collected via an online questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS version 27 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA). Results This study included 347 participants, with a majority being females (88.5%, n = 307) and Saudis (98.6%, n = 342). The most common age group was 21-25 years (34%, n = 118), followed by those over 40 years of age (26.5%, n = 92). Most participants resided in Al-Qunfudhah (66.3%, n = 230) and held a bachelor's degree (75.8%, n = 263). Nearly half were students (48.7%, n = 169), and 56.2% (n = 195) earned less than 5,000 per month. The prevalent weight range was 40-60 kg (46.1%, n = 160), and most participants' height was 150-160 cm (58.5%, n = 203). Overall, 61% (x̄ = 211.6) of the respondents had good knowledge about sleeve gastrectomy, with 70.3% (x̄ = 244) understanding its general aspects, 56.1% (x̄ = 194.5) knowing the indications, and 60.1% (x̄ = 208.7) aware of the complications. Conclusions The majority of residents of the Southwest region of Saudi Arabia have moderate levels of knowledge regarding sleeve gastrectomy. However, the study demonstrated substantial gaps in knowledge and awareness regarding sleeve gastrectomy, mainly about its indications and potential.

Prevalence and Assessment of Habits Related to Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease Among the Residents of Southwest Region in Saudi Arabia.

Introduction Digestive disorders, affecting 70 million people globally, have gained attention. Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) causes heartburn and acid regurgitation. Factors like obesity, poor diet, and lifestyle influence its prevalence. GERD rates are higher in Saudi Arabia than in Western and East Asian countries, highlighting the need for local awareness, our study aims To assess the prevalence of local habits and risk factors of patients with GERD in the Southwest region of Saudi Arabia. Method This prospective descriptive cross-sectional online-based study included 372 individuals from the Southwest Region, Saudi Arabia. The study was conducted using a self-administrated online questionnaire to collect the data for the targeted participants. After obtaining consent to carry out the study, the data were collected and computerized using Microsoft Excel, to form a database using all the items from the data collecting sheets. Data was then encoded and analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software, version 27 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY). Data was displayed and presented in the form of tables and charts Results This study included 372 individuals, predominantly Saudi 98.7%, n=367. The most common age group was 21-25 years (32.5%, n=121), followed by those over 40 (18.5%, n=69). Participants were mainly from Al-Qunfudhah and Haly 27.2%, n=101. Most were single (49.5%, n=184) or married (48.4%, n=180), with a bachelor's degree 66.7%, n=248. Employees comprised (36.3%, n=135), and students 30.9%, n=115. Only 2.7%, n=10 were pregnant. Nearly half (48.4%, n=180) had a monthly income below 5,000 SAR. Most participants weighed 40-60 kg (41.4%, n=154) and were 150-160 cm tall (47%, n=175). The prevalence of GERD was 16.1%, n=60. Significant associations were found between GERD diagnosis and meal type, smoking, family history, and high pickle and salt intake (P-values: 0.002073, 0.000607, <0.00001, and 0.008557, respectively). Conclusion This study can conclude that the prevalence of GERD is not high in the Southwest region of Saudi Arabia. Significant risk factors regarding patients' habits should be taken into consideration and diminishing them in order to decrease the incidence of the disease and improve the quality of life of already diagnosed patients.