We identified a 5-fluoro-benzothiazole-containing small molecule, TKB272, through fluorine-scanning of the benzothiazole moiety, which more potently inhibits the enzymatic activity of SARS-CoV-2's main protease (M) and more effectively blocks the infectivity and replication of all SARS-CoV-2 strains examined including Omicron variants such as SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV-2 than two M inhibitors: nirmatrelvir and ensitrelvir. Notably, the administration of ritonavir-boosted nirmatrelvir and ensitrelvir causes drug-drug interactions warranting cautions due to their CYP3A4 inhibition, thereby limiting their clinical utility. When orally administered, TKB272 blocked SARS-CoV-2 replication without ritonavir in B6.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground There are many reports of anatomical and physiological studies on trigeminal ganglion neurons, but few studies have analyzed temporal changes in the excitation of the trigeminal ganglion. This study aimed to establish an experimental system for spatial and temporal imaging analysis of the excitatory dynamics of trigeminal ganglion cells evoked by stimulation of a peripheral branch of the trigeminal nerve. Methods After excision of the trigeminal ganglion with the inferior alveolar nerve (IAN) from Sprague Dawley rats (seven to nine weeks old), 400-µm-thick slices of the trigeminal ganglion with the IAN were prepared.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: Uterine carcinosarcoma (UCS) and uterine sarcomas (US) are rare but aggressive cancer with poor prognoses. The prognostic value of systemic inflammatory response (SIR) indicators, including the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio (MLR), in predicting outcomes of UCS and US remains unclear. This study investigated the prognostic significance of SIR indicators for UCS and US.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFA new approach for hydrogen isotope separation using an unsaturated organometallic complex was proposed. Adsorption measurements of [Mn(dppe)(CO)(N)](BArF) (Mn-dppe) (dppe = 1,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)ethane, BArF = B[CH(3,5-CF)]) using H and D revealed a significant difference in the adsorption enthalpy of H/D at much higher room temperatures than in previous studies, with D molecules being more strongly adsorbed on unsaturated metal sites. Mixed gas adsorption isotherms were calculated at each temperature using IAST, and it was predicted that D uptake was much larger than H uptake.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTo investigate the cross-sectional association between skeletal muscle mass and lifestyles including exercise, mealtime, and sleep habits in adult men aged under 64. A total of 101 Japanese men aged under 64 who underwent "Anti-aging Health Checkups" were enrolled in the study. Cross-sectional analyses were conducted using the subjects' data such as body mass index, skeletal muscle mass index (SMI), and self-reported lifestyle information.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHemangiomas in the head and neck region, especially those that may impact the airway, require special attention perioperatively because of the potential for difficulties with airway management and bleeding control. This case report describes the management of a 31-year-old male with a large hemangioma of the tongue and pharynx undergoing surgical extraction of mandibular third molars under intubated general anesthesia. Despite taking precautions and avoiding traumatizing the hemangioma while securing the airway, massive bleeding occurred during the surgical extractions, which prompted emergent transfer for angiographic embolization and a stay in the intensive care unit until extubation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThis study aims to explore the role of sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) in peripheral nerve regeneration after injury. S1P is a crucial metabolite involved in cell migration, inflammation, and nerve regeneration. In this research, six-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats (total n=18) underwent transection of the inferior alveolar nerve (IAN) and were divided into three groups: S1PR agonist (FTY720) (n=6), saline control (n=6), and S1P1R antagonist (n=6).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNiobocene hydride-silyl complexes exhibit intriguing structural characteristics with the potential for direct hydride/silyl exchange, where hydride migration plays a crucial role during conformational interconversion. In this study, quantum chemical calculations were utilized to investigate the transformation pathways involved in hydride/silyl exchange in niobocene trihydride complexes with various dichlorosilanes, including SiClMe, SiClPr, and SiClMePh ligands. The conformational changes and hydride shifts within these niobocene hydride-silyl complexes were examined, and key intermediates were identified.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThere is no doubt that when solid surfaces are modified, the functional groups and atoms directly bonded to solid atoms play a major role in adsorption interactions with molecules or resins. In this study, the adhesion and dissociation between epoxy resin and molecules containing Si atoms were analyzed. The analysis, conducted in contact with the solid surface of silicon, utilized quantum chemical calculations based on a molecular model.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSurface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is a powerful tool for label-free chemical analysis. The emergence of nonmetallic materials as SERS substrates, offering chemical signal enhancements, presents an exciting direction for achieving reproducible and biocompatible SERS, a challenge with traditional metallic substrates. Despite the potential, the realm of nonmetallic SERS substrates, particularly nanoparticles, remains largely untapped.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPlant tendrils are specialized organs that can twine around other structures to facilitate climbing. They occur in a variety of plant families and have diverse ontogenic origins. In cucurbits, tendrils originate from lateral shoots.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe rational design of artificial supramolecular structures with specific properties and functions hinges the comprehensive understanding of the coordination and noncovalent interactions driving self-assembly. Herein, the self-assembly of supramolecular systems through octahedral coordination between Ni(II) ions and a flexible tripeptide was theoretically investigated using quantum chemical calculations. These calculations utilized the B3LYP functional with the polarizable continuum model.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjectives: This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of preoperative computed tomography in assessing mitral annulus anatomy and the posterior annular plication rate in mitral valve repair with annuloplasty.
Methods: From July 2018 to August 2023, we performed robotic mitral valve repair with ring annuloplasty using a semi-rigid ring in 100 patients. Preoperative anatomical assessment of the mitral annulus was conducted by three-dimensional computed tomography.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A
September 2024
We generated SARS-CoV-2 variants resistant to three SARS-CoV-2 main protease (M) inhibitors (nirmatrelvir, TKB245, and 5h), by propagating the ancestral SARS-CoV-2 in VeroE6 cells with increasing concentrations of each inhibitor and examined their structural and virologic profiles. A predominant E166V-carrying variant (SARS-CoV-2), which emerged when passaged with nirmatrelvir and TKB245, proved to be resistant to the two inhibitors. A recombinant SARS-CoV-2 was resistant to nirmatrelvir and TKB245, but sensitive to 5h.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEpoxy resin has been extensively used in the field of advanced electronic materials as an adhesive and encapsulant owing to its excellent material properties. However, recently, there has been a demand for further improvement in heat resistance, high transparency, environmental resistance, and enhanced handling properties for high-brightness light-emitting diodes. Conventional aromatic epoxy resins lack light resistance; therefore, a colorless and transparent epoxy resin without aromatic rings is desirable.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFA theoretical investigation utilizing density functional theory (DFT) calculations was conducted to explore the coordination complexes formed between histidine (His) ligands and various divalent transition metal ions (Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, and Zn). Conformational exploration of the His ligand was initially performed to assess its stability upon coordination. Both 1:1 and 1:2 of metal-to-ligand complexes were scrutinized to elucidate their structural features and the relative stability of the complexes.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThis study presents a quantum chemical investigation into the structural analysis and calculated Raman spectra of modeled amylose with varying units of linked glucose molecules. We systematically examined the rotation of hydroxymethyl groups and intramolecular hydrogen bonds within these amylose models. Our study found that as the number of linked glucose units increases, the linear structure becomes more complex, resulting in curled, cyclic, or helical structures facilitated by establishing various intramolecular interactions.
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