Zahedan University of Medical Sciences

Protein secondary structure prediction represents an important intermediate step between a protein’s linear amino acid sequence and its three-dimensional structure, with broad implications for synthetic biology, drug development, and disease research. Although experimental techniques such as X-ray crystallography provide highly accurate structural information, they are labor-intensive, time-consuming, and costly, which has motivated the development of computational alternatives. Early machine-learning approaches to this problem were limited in their ability to capture complex sequence–structure relationships. The introduction of convolutional and recurrent neural networks improved hierarchical feature extraction, and predictive performance advanced further with transformer-based architectures such as AlphaFold2. This review outlines recent advances in hybrid model design, benchmark datasets, and evaluation metrics for protein secondary structure prediction. We also discuss current methodological limitations, including data dependency and dataset bias, and outline future directions such as cross-species validation, uncertainty-aware modeling, and the still-emerging potential of incorporating heterogeneous biological data into next-generation PSSP frameworks.

Psychiatric comorbidities, especially depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation, are highly prevalent among patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). Nevertheless, the ways in which psychological factors are associated with suicide risk in this population remain insufficiently understood. This study examined whether depression statistically mediates the association between anxiety and suicidal ideation among adults with IBS, within a gut–brain axis framework. A cross‑sectional study was conducted among 280 adults with IBS diagnosed according to the Rome IV criteria. Depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation were assessed using validated Persian versions of the Beck Depression Inventory‑II (BDI‑II), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), and Beck Scale for Suicide Ideation (BSS). Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS‑SEM) was used to estimate direct and indirect associations, with 5,000 bootstrap resamples. Model quality was evaluated using factor loadings, composite reliability, average variance extracted (AVE), heterotrait–monotrait ratio (HTMT), variance inflation factors (VIF), and standardized root mean square residual (SRMR). In additional sensitivity analyses, age, sex, IBS subtype, and previous psychiatric diagnosis were included as covariates predicting depression and suicidal ideation to assess the robustness of the main structural paths. Clinically significant depression, anxiety, and high suicide risk were observed in 41.1

Abstract Objectives Impacted wisdom teeth are a common dental issue, often associated with pain and complications requiring surgical intervention. Genetic factors contributing to this condition remain poorly understood. This study investigates the association of the Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2 (BMP2) rs3178250 genetic variant with impacted wisdom teeth. Methods We conducted a case-control study involving 140 participants, including 70 people with impacted wisdom teeth and 70 healthy controls. Genotyping of the BMP2 rs3178250 variant was performed via polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in combination with restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP). Statistical analyses were employed to assess the association between the variant and impacted teeth. Results Our findings indicate a significant correlation between the BMP2 rs3178250 variant and the risk of impacted wisdom teeth. The codominant 1 TC vs. TT (OR = 0.41; 95% CI 0.25–0.89; p = 0.011) and dominant TC + CC vs. TT (OR = 0.39; 95% CI 0.20–0.75; p = 0.006) models of inheritance reduced impacted wisdom teeth risk by 59 and 61%, respectively. Additionally, the C allele of rs3178250 (OR = 0.52; 95% CI 0.33–0.89; p = 0.009) decreased the risk of impacted wisdom teeth by 48%. Conclusion Suggesting that this genetic factor may contribute to the condition’s pathophysiology. These insights enhance our understanding of the genetic predisposition to dental impaction and pave the way for further research into targeted therapeutic strategies and preventive measures. BMP2 rs3178250 variant were associated with Impacted wisdom teeth risk in our population. Larger sample sizes will be necessary to confirm these findings and investigate other potential causal factors involved in Impacted wisdom teeth etiology.

This study aimed to evaluate the impact of prior pregnancy on hippocampal brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels and behavioral recovery following focal cerebral ischemia in female Wistar rats, exploring pregnancy-induced neuroplasticity as a potential neuroprotective mechanism against stroke. The experiment involved 48 female Wistar rats divided into four groups: Sham, Sham/Pregnant, Stroke, and Stroke/Pregnant. Focal cerebral ischemia was induced by 60-minute middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) followed by 14 days of reperfusion. Behavioral recovery was assessed over 14 days using the open-field test (OFT) for motor and anxiety-like behaviors, and the shuttle box test for memory. Hippocampal BDNF concentrations were measured on day 14 via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The Stroke/Pregnant group exhibited significantly higher hippocampal BDNF levels compared to Sham (p < 0.0001) and Stroke (p < 0.001) groups, alongside improved motor, anxiety-like, and memory performance compared to the Stroke group. The Sham/Pregnant group also showed elevated BDNF and enhanced baseline behaviors compared to Sham controls. Pregnancy was associated with higher hippocampal BDNF expression and improved behavioral recovery following ischemic injury. These findings suggest a potential link between pregnancy-related hormonal milieu, BDNF regulation, and neuroprotection, although further mechanistic studies are required to establish causality.

Dobutamine (Dobu) is a widely utilized therapeutic agent for heart failure with emerging potential in oncology. However, its clinical application is constrained by rapid release, short half-life and associated toxicity. This study introduces a dual-polymer nanomicelle system employing Pluronic F127 and lignin to encapsulate Dobu, aiming to enhance its release profile, minimize cytotoxicity and improve therapeutic efficacy. Nanomicelles were synthesized using an oil-in-water emulsion method, achieving encapsulation efficiencies of 99% for F127 and 80% for lignin, along with a controlled drug release profile. This novel dual-polymer nanomicelle system achieves high encapsulation efficiency (99% for F127 versus 80% for lignin) and controlled release, significantly reducing the burst release observed with free Dobutamine. Release studies demonstrated that F127 and lignin nanomicelles significantly reduced burst release compared to free Dobu, extending release durations up to 7 h. Cytotoxicity assays using NIH/3T3 fibroblast cells revealed increased cell viability for encapsulated Dobu, with F127 nanomicelles showing superior biocompatibility. Additionally, in vitro antibacterial evaluations confirmed that the nanomicelles did not inhibit microbial growth, highlighting their suitability for sterile applications. These findings suggest that F127 and lignin-based nanomicelles provide a promising platform for safer, controlled Dobu delivery in cardiovascular and oncological therapies.