Abstract: A novel interleukin-18 (IL-18) variant and a pharmaceutical composition using the same, which relates to a human IL-18 variant including (i) mutations of cysteine at positions 38, 68, 76, and 127 into serine and (ii) mutations of glutamic acid at position 6 and lysine at position 53 into alanine relative to an amino acid sequence of wild-type human IL-18, where the variant further includes (iii) at least one additional mutation, and a pharmaceutical composition containing the human IL-18 variant.

Abstract: The present invention provides a therapeutic and/or preventive agent for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) comprising 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) or its derivative or a salt thereof and provides a method for treating and/or preventing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) using the therapeutic and/or preventive agent.

Abstract: A cover 20 for covering a circumferential portion of an outer circumferential surface of a rigid endoscope 10 having an observation window portion 14 provided at a tip thereof includes a flexible outer cover member 22 covering the circumferential portion of the circumferential surface of the rigid endoscope 10 and a tubular member 26, provided inside the outer cover member 22, through which a cleaning fluid to be supplied from a base end of the rigid endoscope 10 to the observation window portion 14 of the rigid endoscope 10 flows inside, and the outer cover member 22 is attached to the outer circumference surface of the rigid endoscope 10 by flexing the outer cover member 22.

Abstract: A bioadhesive sheet-shaped material configured to be attached onto a surface of an organ, a method for producing the bioadhesive sheet-shaped material, and a method for treating a disease by using the bioadhesive sheet-shaped material. The bioadhesive sheet-shaped material includes an extracellular matrix layer, a sheet-shaped cell culture, and a biodegradable gel layer, where the sheet-shaped cell culture is interposed between the extracellular matrix layer and the biodegradable gel layer, and the bioadhesive sheet-shaped material is by attaching the extracellular matrix layer onto a surface of an organ.

Abstract: Provided is a storage container for storing a cornea specimen in which an endothelium and an epithelium of a cornea can be immersed and stored in different storage solutions.

Abstract: One embodiment according to the present invention relates to a primer set for detecting SARS-CoV-2, the set comprising a plurality of LAMP primers targeting one or more open reading frame (ORF) regions in a SARS-CoV-2 genome, wherein the one or more ORF regions are selected from the group consisting of Orf1b, OrfM, OrfN, and OrfS; and a technique relating to use of this primer set.

Abstract: The present invention provides a recombinant Vaccinia virus as a dengue virus vaccine that can be used as a therapeutic or prophylactic agent in the clinic. This recombinant Vaccinia virus is characterized by including: all or part of a cDNA that encodes a non-structural protein from a dengue virus; and an expression promoter.

Abstract: The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a method of producing isoprenoids including ascofuranone, ilicicolin A, and ascochlorin and derivatives thereof in a high yield as compared to the conventional art, which method enables industrial-scale production of isoprenoids. The problem can be solved by a method of producing isoprenoids such as ascofuranone, ilicicolin A, and ascochlorin, including using a transformant obtained by transformation with biosynthetic genes for ascofuranone, ilicicolin A, or ascochlorin or a knockout organism for these genes to obtain isoprenoids such as ascofuranone, ilicicolin A, and ascochlorin.

Abstract: Provided is a compound having a tyrosine kinase inhibitory activity specific to C797S resistant mutant EGFR (particularly C797S tertiary-resistant mutant EGFR) and is useful as a C797S resistant mutant EGFR (particularly C797S mutant tertiary-resistant EGFR) specific tyrosine kinase inhibitor, an agent for preventing and/or treating non-small cell lung cancer with resistance mutant EGFR and the like, and the like.

Abstract: A method may predict risk of onset of severe interstitial pneumonia caused by an immune checkpoint inhibitor to achieve a safe and highly effective cancer immunotherapy. Any one or more selected from: (a) cell count or proportion of V?2+?? T cells in peripheral blood mononuclear cells isolated from a subject; (b) cell count or proportion of V?2+?? T cells after antigenic stimulation in peripheral blood mononuclear cells isolated from a subject; (c) cell count or proportion of V?2+?? T cells in peripheral blood T cells isolated from a subject; and (d) cell count or proportion of V?2+?? T cells after antigenic stimulation in peripheral blood T cells isolated from a subject are measured, and the risk of onset of severe interstitial pneumonia is predicted by using the cell count or proportion as an index.

Abstract: A device for efficiently attaching a sheet-shaped object to a target site includes a support body for supporting a sheet-shaped object, and a protective member having a low coefficient of friction for protecting one surface of the support, in which the support body supporting the sheet-shaped object is rolled while being protected by the protective member and can be inserted into a tubular body.

Abstract: The present invention provides a therapeutic agent for a muscle weakness symptom (sarcopenia) or a metabolic disease, containing a ?-crystallin (CRYM) inhibitory substance as an active ingredient. The inhibitory substance is selected from the group consisting of an antisense nucleic acid against CRYM, an RNAi-inducing nucleic acid against CRYM and a ribozyme against CRYM, expression vectors of these, an antagonist antibody against CRYM, and a low molecular weight compound that inhibits activity of CRYM.

Abstract: Disclosed are embodiments of a sheet-shaped cell culture for promoting healing of a lumen organ having a damaged part, particularly tissue of a duodenum, a method for producing a sheet-shaped cell culture. Also disclosed are embodiments of a method for regenerating a damaged part in a lumen organ using a sheet-shaped cell culture described herein.

Abstract: A cover (220, 320, 420) for covering a part in a circumferential direction of an outer circumferential surface of a rigid endoscope 10 includes an outer cover portion (222, 322, 422) having flexibility and an inner cover portion (223, 323, 423) provided on an inner surface of the outer cover portion (222, 322, 422) and configured to define a flow passage for a washing fluid to be supplied to an observation window portion 14 of the rigid endoscope 10, and the outer cover portion(222, 322, 422) is mounted onto the outer circumferential surface of the rigid endoscope 10 by the outer cover portion (222, 322, 422) bending.

Abstract: A planar antenna includes a patch conductor formed on a front surface of a dielectric substrate 20 so to be obliquely arranged in relation to an orthogonal axis of the dielectric substrate, the patch conductor having an elliptic shape; a microstrip line 40 for feeding power to a bottom part of the patch conductor; and a ground conductor plate 50 formed on a back surface of the dielectric substrate at a position thereof that is not overlapped with the patch conductor. By forming the patch conductor to be inclined only by ?, circular polarization characteristics in which axial ratio is 3 dB or less are given and the wideband such that the frequency bandwidth in which VSWR characteristics are 2 or less is 2 through 5 GHz and the wideband in UWB High band can be attained. The antenna characteristics in which any radiation directivity on the zenith direction does not depend on the frequency are obtained.

Abstract: The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a method of producing isoprenoids including ascofuranone, ilicicolin A, and ascochlorin and derivatives thereof in a high yield as compared to the conventional art, which method enables industrial-scale production of isoprenoids. The problem can be solved by a method of producing isoprenoids such as ascofuranone, ilicicolin A, and ascochlorin, including using a transformant obtained by transformation with biosynthetic genes for ascofuranone, ilicicolin A, or ascochlorin or a knockout organism for these genes to obtain isoprenoids such as ascofuranone, ilicicolin A, and ascochlorin.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, there is provided a nucleic acid primer set that amplifies a ZEBOV gene. An F1 sequence includes at least 13 consecutive bases included in SEQ ID NO: 31 or 64. An F2 sequence includes at least 13 bases included in SEQ ID NO: 62 or 63. An F3 sequence includes at least 13 bases included in SEQ ID NO: 29, 36, 38, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61 or 61. A B1c sequence includes at least 13 bases included in SEQ ID NO: 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74 or 75. A B2c sequence includes at least 13 bases included in SEQ ID NO: 65 or 66. A B3c sequence includes at least 13 bases included in SEQ ID NO: 34, 67, 82 or 83.

Abstract: The novel bisphosphonic acid ester derivatives represented by the following formula (1): Y—Cy—(NH)m—(CH2)n—C(X)(PO(OR1)(OR2))2??(1) wherein each symbol is as defined in the DESCRIPTION, which has an amino group substituted by a heterocyclic group or a heterocyclic group containing a nitrogen atom, and the acid moiety is esterified with a POM group, an n-butanoyloxymethyl (BuOM) group and the like, exhibit a superior direct or indirect cytotoxicity effect on tumor cells and virus infected cells.

Abstract: A series of fluorine-containing bisphosphonic acids in which an alkylamine side chain is added, a series of fluorine-containing bisphosphonic acids in which an amino group substituted by a heterocyclic group or a heterocyclic group containing a nitrogen atom is added, to the carbon atom of P—C(F)—P, and a series of fluorine-containing bisphosphonate derivatives in which the acid moiety thereof is esterified by an alkoxymethyl group such as POM group, n-butanoyloxymethyl (BuOM) group and the like, that is, the fluorine-containing bisphosphonic acid and fluorine-containing bisphosphonate derivative represented by the following formula (I): wherein each symbol is as defined in the DESCRIPTION, can efficiently induce proliferation of peripheral blood ?? T cells that express V?2V?2 T cell receptor having superior cytotoxicity against tumor cells and virus infected cells, immunize tumor cells and virus infected cells, and can induce cytotoxicity by ?? T cells.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a composition containing as its main component proanthocyanidin oligomer to which a substance having a phloroglucinol ring structure or resorcinol ring structure has been bonded and reduced in the molecular weight, which is obtained by heating plant materials containing proanthocyanidin polymer or extract thereof with a substance having a phloroglucinol ring structure or resorcinol ring structure in an acidic aqueous solution, production method thereof, and uses of the composition in health products and pharmaceutical products. According to the invention, proanthocyanidin oligomer having physiological activity, to which a substance having a phloroglucinol ring structure or resorcinol ring structure has been bonded and reduced in the molecular weight to such a level that the oligomer can be absorbed into living body, which has been conventionally difficult to obtain at high yield from plant raw materials, can be produced efficiently and easily.