Induction of IGHV3-53 public antibodies with broadly neutralising activity against SARS-CoV-2 including Omicron subvariants in a Delta breakthrough infection case.

Background: Emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants that escape neutralising antibodies hampers the development of vaccines and therapeutic antibodies against SARS-CoV-2. IGHV3-53/3-66-derived public antibodies, which are generally specific to the prototype virus and are frequently induced in infected or vaccinated individuals, show minimal affinity maturation and high potency against prototype SARS-CoV-2.

Methods: Monoclonal antibodies isolated from a Delta breakthrough infection case were analysed for cross-neutralising activities against SARS-CoV-2 variants.

Structure of the bile acid transporter and HBV receptor NTCP.

Chronic infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV) affects more than 290 million people worldwide, is a major cause of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, and results in an estimated 820,000 deaths annually. For HBV infection to be established, a molecular interaction is required between the large glycoproteins of the virus envelope (known as LHBs) and the host entry receptor sodium taurocholate co-transporting polypeptide (NTCP), a sodium-dependent bile acid transporter from the blood to hepatocytes. However, the molecular basis for the virus-transporter interaction is poorly understood.

Structure of the dopamine D receptor in complex with the antipsychotic drug spiperone.

In addition to the serotonin 5-HT receptor (5-HTR), the dopamine D receptor (DR) is a key therapeutic target of antipsychotics for the treatment of schizophrenia. The inactive state structures of DR have been described in complex with the inverse agonists risperidone (DR) and haloperidol (DR). Here we describe the structure of human DR in complex with spiperone (DR).

Cryo-EM Structure of the Prostaglandin E Receptor EP4 Coupled to G Protein.

Prostaglandin E receptor EP4, a class A G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR), is a common drug target in various disorders, such as acute decompensated heart failure and ulcerative colitis. Here, we report the cryoelectron microscopy (cryo-EM) structure of the EP4-heterotrimeric G protein (Gs) complex with the endogenous ligand at a global resolution of 3.3 Å.

Suppression of Oral Sweet Sensations during Consumption of Sweet Food in Humans: Effects on Gastric Emptying Rate, Glycemic Response, Appetite, Food Satisfaction and Desire for Basic Tastes.

Suppression of oral sweet sensation (OSS) acutely reduces intake of sweet-tasting food due to lower liking. However, little is known about other physiological responses during both the prandial and postprandial phase. Here, we explored the effects of (GS)-based suppression of OSS of several types of sweet-tasting food (muffin, sweet yogurt, banana) on gastric emptying, blood glucose (BG), plasma insulin (PI), appetite indices (hunger, fullness and prospective consumption), satisfaction and desire for tastes.

Proton Beam Therapy for Locally Recurrent Parotid Gland Cancer.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of proton beam therapy for patients with locally recurrent parotid cancer. Between 2009 and 2012, ten patients with locally recurrent parotid gland cancer were treated with proton beam therapy (70.2 Gy equivalents in 32 fractions) with or without intra-arterial infusion chemotherapy of cisplatin (50 mg/body/week, for a total of 5-8 weeks).

Structures of the 5-HT receptor in complex with the antipsychotics risperidone and zotepine.

Many drugs target the serotonin 2A receptor (5-HTR), including second-generation antipsychotics that also target the dopamine D receptor (DR). These drugs often produce severe side effects due to non-selective binding to other aminergic receptors. Here, we report the structures of human 5-HTR in complex with the second-generation antipsychotics risperidone and zotepine.

Crystal Structures of Human Orexin 2 Receptor Bound to the Subtype-Selective Antagonist EMPA.

Orexin peptides in the brain regulate physiological functions such as the sleep-wake cycle, and are thus drug targets for the treatment of insomnia. Using serial femtosecond crystallography and multi-crystal data collection with a synchrotron light source, we determined structures of human orexin 2 receptor in complex with the subtype-selective antagonist EMPA (N-ethyl-2-[(6-methoxy-pyridin-3-yl)-(toluene-2-sulfonyl)-amino]-N-pyridin-3-ylmethyl-acetamide) at 2.30-Å and 1.

High Dose Hypofractionated Proton Beam Therapy is a Safe and Feasible Treatment for Central Lung Cancer.

Background: There have been few reports about high total dose hypofractionated proton beam therapy for central lung cancer. The aim of this study was to examine retrospectively the safety and efficacy of high total dose hypofractionated proton beam therapy for central lung cancer.

Patients And Methods: Patients treated by proton beam therapy for central lung cancer located less than 2 cm from the trachea, mainstem bronchus, or lobe bronchus were included in this study.

Effect of DIR uncertainty on prostate passive-scattering proton therapy dose accumulation.

Deformable image registration (DIR) is important in dose accumulation. Currently, the impact of DIR-algorithm-associated uncertainties in proton therapy is unclear. Here, we quantify the effect of DIR uncertainties on prostate passive-scattering proton therapy (PSPT) dose accumulation.

Clinical results of proton beam therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma over 5 cm.

Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of proton beam therapy for large hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods: Twenty-four patients with a HCC larger than 5.0 cm were treated with proton beam therapy at our institution between 2008 and 2015.

Membrane protein structure determination by SAD, SIR, or SIRAS phasing in serial femtosecond crystallography using an iododetergent.

The 3D structure determination of biological macromolecules by X-ray crystallography suffers from a phase problem: to perform Fourier transformation to calculate real space density maps, both intensities and phases of structure factors are necessary; however, measured diffraction patterns give only intensities. Although serial femtosecond crystallography (SFX) using X-ray free electron lasers (XFELs) has been steadily developed since 2009, experimental phasing still remains challenging. Here, using 7.

The relationship between self-reported habitual exercise and visual field defect progression: a retrospective cohort study.

Background: Exercise reduces intraocular pressure (IOP) in the short term. However, it is not known whether exercise contributes to slower glaucomatous visual field defect progression.

Methods: Twenty-four primary open-angle glaucoma or exfoliation glaucoma patients who were evaluated by the Humphrey Field Analyzer (HFA) 24-2 program ≥ four times in 3 years were enrolled.

Re-irradiation using proton beam therapy combined with weekly intra-arterial chemotherapy for recurrent oral cancer.

Aim: The purpose of this study was to clarify the efficacy and toxicities of re-irradiation using proton beam therapy combined with weekly intra-arterial chemotherapy for recurrent oral cancer.

Methods: Between October 2009 and July 2014, 34 patients who had recurrent oral cancer were treated by proton beam therapy combined with intra-arterial infusion chemotherapy at the Southern Tohoku Proton Therapy Center, Japan.

Results: For all patients, the median follow-up was 25 months (range, 3-77 months).

The clinical results of proton beam therapy in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: a single center experience.

Background: The purpose of this study is to retrospectively evaluate the incidence of lung toxicities after proton beam therapy (PBT) in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF).

Methods: Patients diagnosed with primary lung cancer or lung metastasis who were treated with PBT between January 2009 and May 2015 were recruited from our database retrospectively. Cases of pneumonitis (excluding infection-related pneumonitis) were evaluated using the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events version 4.

Clinical Outcomes and Prognostic Factors of High-Dose Proton Beam Therapy for Peripheral Stage I Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer.

Background: The efficacy, toxicity, and prognostic factors of high-dose proton beam therapy (PBT) for peripheral stage I non-small-cell lung cancer were assessed in this retrospective study.

Materials And Methods: Fifty patients with peripheral stage I non-small-cell lung cancer, two of whom had heterochronic multiple lung cancers, underwent high-dose PBT between January 2009 and September 2014. The relative biological effectiveness of the proton beam was defined as 1.

Fluorinated diamond-like carbon as antithrombogenic coating for blood-contacting devices.

Diamond-like carbon (DLC) is being considered for widespread clinical use as a surface coating for cardiovascular devices. We synthesized fluorinated DLC (F-DLC) coatings in order to create a more hydrophobic surface with improved antithrombogenicity and flexibility when compared with conventional DLC coatings by combining the inertness of DLC films with the advantage of fluorination. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the in vitro hemocompatibility and in vivo biocompatibility of the F-DLC coating for medical devices.

A new method to prepare multicellular spheroids in cancer cell lines using a thermo-reversible gelation polymer.

The purpose of this study is to utilize the thermo-reversible gelation polymer in which the sol-gel transitting phase is reversibly changed by temperature in a three-dimensional culture system. Human cancer cells have been observed to form multicellular spheroids, whereas fibroblasts slowly develop into small spheroids with the culture medium including this polymer. This polymer has some advantages for use as a culture material, as follows: first, cancer cells grow three-dimensionally in the aqueous solution of this polymer; second, it is easy to harvest cells or spheroids in the aqueous solution of this polymer by simply cooling down the temperature; and third, the culture medium including this polymer is so translucent that the cells or spheroids can be observed through a phase-contrast microscope.