Head shot of Junko Photo by Carlos Rodriguez-Picazo Originally from Tokyo, Japan, Clackamas Community College instructor Junko Iijima welds her culture into her work Iijima teaches jewelry technique and metalsmithing classes on campus and has her Master of Fine Arts degree in metalsmithing The Clackamas Print recently had the opportunity to talk to her about her history and the classes she teaches The Clackamas Print: When you were going to college how did you decide to do metalsmithing for your MFA at University of Oregon I was high school exchange student and I decided to stay here because I liked it so much I went to State University of New York at New Paltz and I was interested in art but I was also interested in journalism because both my grandparents are journalists in Japan they wanted me to do some back prop for some talent show or some kind of show So I organized and did a big mural and everyone was like “Wow “This is what I want to do.”  So I decided to do art and I took all the courses I like the metalsmithing because it was the most challenging I felt like I was one of the pioneers of the field And students are more interesting here to me more students are coming straight from high school and you get to only work with certain age group of students But here you have people who are retired or took a couple years off people who have interesting experience in their life and coming to kind of share TCP: What is the class structure of the jewelry making classes I know at community college some people work and have a busy life So I wanted to try to make sure that everybody can finish their work within class time Four-credit courses most likely focus on fabrication of sheet metal and wire I have one credit course so if you don’t have the time to do four credit classes you can do one credit for the taste TCP: What would be something you would want to tell somebody about jewelry making or metalsmithing that they might not already know Iijima: It’s easy to say jewelry making because when you say jewelry making people think you’re going to be stringing beads or just slapping some stuff together Metalsmithing is an ancient technique and it could have been done with very minimal tools A lot of people think you need a big studio with all different tools People can make handmade beautiful objects to decorate their body rather than purchasing from already made or manufactured mass produced pieces I want people to think you can do anything if you want to do it TCP: I was taken by how it seems you use toys in some of your art and I was put in West Virginia in this exchange student program their motto was “You’re a little ambassador of Japan.” And I was 17 and I have to go into a place where nobody has ever seen Japanese person before “Shogun” the show was just airing in 1987 and everybody thought Japanese people still live like that But also a lot of people knew Hello Kitty so I was like ‘“Oh It’s not like those kimono wearing characters that you see in “Shogun.” I started collecting those little toys and samples of the pop culture of my time That (faculty art) show I made Mickey Mouse ears I had like six different sets of ears just to mix up the pop culture with very Asian ornamentation to kind of challenge people’s perception TCP: Were there any artists that you’ve seen or met that have influenced a lot of your work so I was more interested in pop culture than old traditional work Archives (1976-2011) The Clackamas Print aims to report the news in an honest, unbiased and professional manner. Content published in The Print is not screened or subject to censorship. We welcome tips, comments, concerns, story ideas, letters to the editor and guest contributions. Contact us here. © 2025 The Clackamas Print. All Rights Reserved. Site Map Site design by Consistent Image Web Design As one of the materials that support nanotechnology carbon nanotubes have been gathering global attention to take an active role in research activities since his discovery of this material Iijima about his most recent research and future prospects Senior Research FellowSumio Iijima After engaging in research at Tohoku University and Research Development Corporation of Japan (now Japan Science and Technology Agency) a fourth-allotrope carbon solid (*1) that became a focus of international attention Iijima is currently a University Professor of Meijo University Honorary AIST Fellow of National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) and a Distinguished Invited University Professor of Nagoya University.  2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- During the 47th session of the King Faisal Prize on April 14 exceptional accomplishments in the fields of cellular engineering and nanotechnology were honored Professor Michel Sadelain was awarded the Medicine Prize for his groundbreaking contributions to Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy a revolutionary cancer treatment that has transformed immunotherapy and inspired advancements in regenerative medicine Professor Sumio Iijima received the Science Prize for his pioneering discovery of carbon nanotubes which has redefined nanotechnology and enabled innovations across materials science the founding director of the Center for Cell Engineering at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center has spearheaded the development of CAR T-cell therapy a breakthrough that has revolutionized cancer treatment His research has led to the first FDA-approved CAR T-cell therapies offering new hope to cancer patients worldwide and equipped them with the ability to recognize and eliminate cancer cells," Professor Sadelain stated underscores the power of innovation in medicine." Professor Sadelain’s impact extends beyond CAR T-cell therapy as he continues to lead groundbreaking research in cellular therapies With over 280 peer-reviewed papers and more than 60 patents his work has earned him numerous prestigious awards including the Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences and the Clarivate Citation Laureate in Physiology or Medicine His research has played a pivotal role in transforming how the medical community perceives and approaches cancer treatment CAR T-cell therapy works by genetically modifying a patient’s own T cells to express synthetic receptors that allow them to recognize and destroy cancer cells more effectively This innovative approach has provided unprecedented success in treating hematologic malignancies such as acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and large B-cell lymphomas (LBCL) where conventional treatments had previously been insufficient The development of this therapy required decades of persistence and refinement Early experiments in CAR T-cell therapy faced significant hurdles the limited persistence of modified T cells in the body Professor Sadelain and his team overcame these obstacles by refining receptor designs The results led to the second-generation CAR T-cell therapy Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first CAR T-cell therapy in 2017 the technology has been further developed to target additional blood cancers and is now being explored as a potential treatment for solid tumors Professor Sadelain's work has inspired a new wave of research into cellular immunotherapies leading to innovations in gene-editing technologies such as CRISPR-based modifications and next-generation CAR T-cell designs that could further improve treatment outcomes Professor Sadelain has been instrumental in translating CAR T-cell technology into clinical applications As the founding director of the Center for Cell Engineering at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center he has mentored a new generation of researchers and fostered collaborations between academia and the biopharmaceutical industry These partnerships have accelerated the development and commercialization of CAR T-cell therapies bringing life-saving treatments to thousands of patients worldwide Professor Sadelain’s leadership extends to advocating for broader access to cellular therapies As CAR T-cell treatments remain expensive and logistically complex he has worked closely with policymakers and healthcare institutions to develop strategies for making these therapies more widely available His commitment to ensuring equitable access underscores his belief that medical innovation should benefit all patients regardless of financial or geographic barriers an honorary fellow of the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) in Japan has revolutionized materials science with his discovery of carbon nanotubes “My contribution was the discovery of carbon nanotubes and the elucidation of their atomic structure They have triggered flourishing nanoscience and nanotechnology” Professor Iijima remarked These cylindrical nanostructures exhibit extraordinary mechanical making them foundational to modern nanotechnology His pioneering research has influenced fields ranging from electronics to medicine The discovery of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in 1991 marked a turning point in nanotechnology offering materials with exceptional strength have diameters as small as one nanometer but possess tensile strengths over 100 times greater than steel while being significantly lighter This extraordinary combination of properties has opened the door to innovations across multiple disciplines One of the most transformative applications of CNTs has been in the electronics industry Due to their remarkable electrical conductivity CNTs have been explored as potential replacements for traditional silicon-based semiconductors paving the way for faster and more energy-efficient transistors Their use in flexible electronics has led to the development of bendable displays and advanced sensors that can detect changes in the human body at the molecular level CNTs have proven to be a game-changer in drug delivery and cancer treatment Their nanoscale dimensions allow them to penetrate cell membranes and deliver targeted therapies directly to diseased cells reducing side effects associated with conventional chemotherapy Researchers have also investigated their potential for use in biosensors that detect diseases at earlier stages offering new hope for patients with conditions such as cancer Another groundbreaking application of CNTs is in energy storage Scientists have developed high-capacity lithium-ion batteries using CNTs as electrodes significantly improving battery life and charging speeds These advancements have fueled the rise of electric vehicles enabling longer driving ranges and more efficient energy consumption CNT-based supercapacitors have shown promise in storing renewable energy from solar and wind power contributing to a greener and more sustainable future Environmental sustainability has also benefited from CNT technology Their exceptional filtration capabilities have been harnessed in water purification systems and even bacteria from contaminated water sources This innovation has the potential to address global water scarcity issues and improve access to clean drinking water in developing regions Professor Iijima’s discovery has not only reshaped scientific understanding but has also driven industrial advancements Industries such as aerospace and automotive manufacturing have adopted CNT-reinforced materials to create lighter and more fuel-efficient vehicles reducing carbon emissions and improving performance the construction sector has explored CNT-infused concrete to enhance structural durability and resistance to environmental damage Professor Iijima’s contributions have been recognized globally with accolades including the Franklin Medal in Physics and the Order of Culture Merits from Japan At the King Faisal Prize ceremony Professor Iijima remarked “I received this prestigious prize as a representative of the international scientific community working on nanoscale phenomena in physics and chemistry.” His seminal paper on carbon nanotubes has been cited over 58,000 times underscoring its transformative impact on scientific research as he has mentored numerous scientists who continue to push the boundaries of nanotechnology In addition to honoring advancements in medicine and science King Faisal Prize recognized the achievements of outstanding figures in Islamic Studies and Service to Islam Professor Said Al-Said and Professor Saad Al-Rashed were jointly awarded the Islamic Studies Prize for their pioneering research in archaeology and the preservation of cultural heritage in Saudi Arabia Professor Al-Said’s extensive work in uncovering the Arabian Peninsula's historical significance and Professor Al-Rashed’s groundbreaking studies on Islamic pilgrimage routes and early Islamic cities have significantly enriched our understanding of the region’s history The Service to Islam Prize was awarded to the Tebyan Quran Project from the Liajlehum Association for Serving People with Disabilities in recognition of its significant contributions to making the Holy Quran accessible to the deaf and hearing-impaired community the Tebyan Quran Project provides a complete Quranic interpretation in sign language allowing individuals who are deaf or have hearing impairments to understand and reflect upon the meanings of the Holy Quran The project utilizes an advanced electronic application featuring interactive visuals and sign language translations King Faisal Prize for Arabic Language & Literature for 2025 focused on "Studies of Identity in Arabic Literature," was withheld due to nominated works not meeting the prize criteria The prize ceremony was held in Riyadh under the auspices of His Majesty King Salman bin Abdulaziz represented by the Governor of Riyadh HRH Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Abdulaziz The event celebrated the spirit of discovery and innovation reinforcing the Prize’s legacy as one of the most prestigious global awards recognizing excellence in intellectual and humanitarian contributions the King Faisal Prize has honored 299 laureates who have made distinguished contributions to different sciences and causes and a certificate inscribed with their name and a summary of their work that qualified them for the prize « Back RIYADH: King Salman Science Oasis in Riyadh hosted a scientific discussion featuring Japanese professor Sumio Iijima the discoverer of carbon nanotubes and recipient of the 2025 King Faisal Prize in Science The session included participation from several high school students along with various scientists and specialists The event was part of the center’s initiatives aimed at enhancing communication between scientists and younger generations and inspiring students to engage in scientific research and innovation Iijima shared his academic journey and the early challenges he faced discussing the motivations that led him to discover carbon nanotubes using an electron microscope his 1991 discovery revolutionized the field of nanotechnology His efforts established a new field in solid-state physics and materials science The discussion also addressed the importance of nanomaterials for future applications and their use in diverse fields such as electronics His discovery laid the foundation for countless technological innovations in the 21st century Iijima answered numerous questions related to scientific research and offered advice and encouragement to those interested in science and technology King Salman Science Oasis is a leading national initiative dedicated to promoting scientific culture and stimulating creativity and innovation across all segments of society is awarded GSPN’s Athlete of the Year from Patrick Lujan Manami Iijima-Martin begins her run after finishing the biking portion in first-place Pro triathlete Manami Iijima-Martin is the first two-time winner of the prestigious GSPN Athlete of the Year Award easily winning the 2023 edition with a phenomenal year Iijima-Martin won the award in 2017 before she married cycling stud Jon Martin Her main focus this year was to participate and gather points towards qualifying for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris as Manami took to the international skies to represent Guam in New Zealand finishing the year strong in 2nd place in her last two triathlons Manami won every event she entered: Koko Road Race 10k Bank of Guam 5k and Community First Plumeria 5k To say she’s on a whole different level is truly an understatement And despite not having ‘world class’ facilities to train on island you won’t hear a complaint coming out of her Manami is in good position to reach her goal of qualifying for the Paris Games as she currently sits in the 161st world ranking As long as she remains in the top 180 in the world by May 27 2024 she should take the Oceania representation slot She plans to do between 4-8 events before that so the outlook is good to live her dream of competing in the Olympic Games July-August 2024 in Paris Now 31 and in her sixth year as a professional Manami seems to just be entering the peak of her athletic career a career that spans almost 20 years since her swimming prowess at the 2006 Micronesian Games and multiple championships and medals since then leading up to 2024 Congratulations Manami Iijima-Martin for becoming GSPN’s first ever two-time winner of the Athlete of the Year The award and recognition came as a surprise and it reminded me of how hard we worked this year Thank you and also to my team who support me every single day.” Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: "The reason why I am so thorough is because I want to protect the future creators." The developer of a Japanese visual novel by the name of Apathy Murder Club has decided to pursue legal action after a streamer broadcast the game against a requested embargo date on its Steam page Iijima quickly noted that a streamer had streamed it "for several hours from the first day of release As for Apathy Murder Club, the Steam page asks that players don't distribute or stream it until August 3, with a request for copyright. Iijima took to Twitter to vent their frustration (the following quotes are machine-translated): "If we come into contact with people who are happy ignoring the feelings of game creators like this we will have no choice but to raise the price of games and ban gameplay commentary semi-permanently What should we do about gameplay commentary "I don't make games for people to create derivative works or play them live It's a fascinating conundrum—we're all used to YouTubers and streamers being a secondary way to enjoy games Twitch is pretty much a free advertising platform Keep up to date with the most important stories and the best deals straddles the line between game and more traditional media like books and films in the same way watching a movie in a cinema is different to squinting at your laptop I think it's a fair argument to say that streaming a visual novel could lose its creators money in the same way streaming a movie or sharing a PDF of a book might are much smaller—though it should be noted that Apathy Murder Club a limited-time project released "as a thank you" meeting with enough success on the Nintendo Switch to prompt its existence they'd still be seeking legal action: "Since we are a company we decided to consult with our legal counsel The person who uploaded a gameplay video … seems to have deleted it immediately fearing that it had become such a hot topic you know that very well … The reason why I am so thorough is because I want to protect the future creators Even if this person never does this to me again they will look for other small and weak prey Newborn creators who cannot resist should not be caught in the poisonous fangs of such unscrupulous people." that's a machine translation—so take the emotions there with a pinch of salt—but if the original Japanese passes muster for native speakers Mind, in later posts Iijima also seems to have calmed down: "I thought I'd thought it through overnight so I wrote it on impulse." They then explain that they're probably not going to go to war with all streamers adding "I reread what I wrote and regretted it I have no intention of fighting with game commentators and it's true that there are some very good game commentators out there." intend to take the offending streamer "to court [so] that other creators don't get caught up in this kind of situation I don't think it would be good for the game industry to forgive the people in question who are running away without even a single apology." Harvey RandallSocial Links NavigationStaff WriterHarvey's history with games started when he first begged his parents for a World of Warcraft subscription aged 12 though he's since been cursed with Final Fantasy 14-brain and a huge crush on G'raha Tia He'll sink his teeth into anything that looks interesting He also plays a shelf load of TTRPGs in his offline time Don't ask him what his favourite system is GUAM'S GOLDEN GIRL: Manami Iijima-Martin won the Tour of Guam women's open elite division Sunday HIGH-FIVE: Mark Galedo won the Tour of Guam men's open elite division Sunday Mark Galedo hadn’t won the Guam Cycling Federation Tour of Guam since 2019 but the professional cyclist from the Philippines survived the scorching conditions and outlasted his competitors to win Guam’s premier road race Sunday in Hagåtña Guam’s Manami Iijima-Martin crossed the finish line in 3:28:12 winning the 2024 TOG avenged his loss in 2023 to Jaebin Yun Yun finished a mere 10 seconds faster than Galedo as Galedo and Yun entered onto Cross Island Road and with Yun leading by less than one second and with only 30 minutes remaining to the finish line a mechanical breakdown gave Galedo sole possession of first place After stopping for a minute to make sure Yun was going to be OK and his flat tire was going to get addressed by the race crew in a pickup truck Galedo continued and raced to the finish line “I waited for a minute to make sure he recovered because I didn’t want to take the time to beat him in that kind of pressure,” said the sportsman Galedo but I was still pushing 100%,” Galedo said which occurred at the most inopportune time Splitting the distance between the two champions because I had to beat the youngest (Yun) from Korea,” the 39-year-old Galedo said of the 23-year-old cyclist “I know he's getting stronger and stronger every year because he's still young so I did not expect to be getting 100% good shape for this race.” the island’s sole professional triathlete and Olympian she was pleased that she finished the race because I haven't done a cycling race in a couple of years Iijima-Martin told The Guam Daily Post that she had registered for the 2023 Tour of Guam but didn’t show up “Last year I signed up and I chickened out,” she said stuck together and pushed each other to perform Iijima-Martin found herself among a group of international riders Iijima-Martin distanced herself and began to climb a hill alone “There was a Korean lady and her boyfriend As Iijima-Martin pushed herself and pounded the pedals Just two weeks into training for the upcoming triathlon season because you can make it to the finish line.” Email notifications are only sent once a day Poll results are published every Monday in The Guam Daily Post was announced the 2025 laureate for King Faisal Prize in Medicine for his groundbreaking contributions to Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy was named the 2025 laureate for King Faisal Prize in Science in the field of physics for his pioneering discovery of carbon nanotubes the 2025 King Faisal Prize honored remarkable individuals in the field of Islamic Studies These laureates were celebrated for their exceptional scholarly contributions and enduring impact on enriching cultural and intellectual heritage further advancing humanity's understanding and appreciation of these fields Medicine Prize in “Cellular Therapy” and the Early Research and Development of CAR T-Cell Therapy by Professor Michel Sadelain Professor Sadelain's research into CAR T-cell therapy began in the early 1990s driven by his vision to engineer the immune system to precisely target cancer cells CAR T cell therapy is a type of cellular immunotherapy that aims to transform T cells which are immune system cells that have a role in the body’s fight against diseases to enable them to particularly recognize and attack cancer cells in patients with cancer his foundational work introduced the concept of genetically modifying T lymphocytes to express Chimeric Antigen Receptors (CARs) Professor Sadelain’s team created the first functional CAR T cells in 2002 capable of recognizing and attacking cancer-specific antigens The innovation concluded in the second-generation CARs which incorporated costimulatory domains like CD28 and 4-1BB These enhancements not only amplified T-cell activation and persistence but also improved their efficacy in eradicating tumor cells these landmark studies provided conclusive evidence that CAR T cells could eliminate CD19-positive leukemias and lymphomas in animal models demonstrating the potential of this therapy to achieve complete remission in hematologic cancers and offering curative possibilities for patients with refractory malignancies This discovery translated into the clinical application of CAR T-cell therapy Food and Drug Administration approved the therapy in 2017 for treating Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) and Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma (DLBCL) This marked a breakthrough in cancer therapy Professor Sadelain has fostered a dynamic and collaborative environment that seamlessly integrates science and medicine His leadership has been instrumental in bridging the gap between fundamental research and clinical application driving innovations that directly improve patient care Sadelain was appointed the inaugural director of the Columbia Initiative for Cell Engineering and Therapy further solidifying his position as a trailblazer in the field he continues to lead groundbreaking research aimed at advancing cellular therapies and translating them into life-saving treatments Sadelain’s pioneering research has also resulted in the creation of more than 60 patents underscoring his significant contributions to the field of gene and cell therapy having served on the NIH Recombinant DNA Advisory Committee and as President of the American Society for Gene and Cell Therapy He is also an elected Fellow of the American Association of Cancer Research a testament to his enduring impact on oncology and immunology Professor Sadelain’s groundbreaking work has earned him numerous prestigious honors including the Cancer Research Institute’s Coley Award for Distinguished Research in Tumor Immunology the Sultan Bin Khalifa International Award for Innovative Medical Research on Thalassemia Among his many honors are the Passano Award and the ARC Foundation Léopold Griffuel Award he has been recognized with the Outstanding Achievement Award from the American Society for Gene and Cell Therapy and the Clarivate Citation Laureate in Physiology or Medicine Sadelain was awarded the prestigious Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences and the Canada Gairdner Award further cementing his legacy as a transformative figure in cellular therapy and medicine Science Prize in the field of “Physics” and The Discovery of Carbon Nanotubes by Professor Sumio Iijima Sumio Iijima revolutionized materials science and nanotechnology with his discovery of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in 1991 composed of graphene—a single layer of carbon atoms arranged in a hexagonal lattice—exhibit extraordinary mechanical making them one of the most studied nanomaterials in modern science detailed the observation of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) consisting of concentric graphene cylinders possess diameters ranging from a few nanometers to tens of nanometers Iijima and his collaborators identified single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) which consist of a single graphene cylinder with a diameter as small as one nanometer as SWCNTs exhibit unique quantum mechanical properties due to their reduced dimensionality The discovery of CNTs has catalyzed advancements in numerous fields CNTs are being developed for high-capacity lithium-ion batteries and hydrogen storage systems due to their large surface area and conductive properties CNTs are studied for their potential in targeted drug delivery and bioimaging where their nanoscale dimensions enable precision targeting of diseased cells CNT-based membranes are being used for water purification and desalination offering an efficient and scalable solution to global water shortages Their ability to adsorb pollutants while maintaining high flow rates exemplifies their potential in addressing critical sustainability challenges Iijima is an honorary fellow of the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) and a member of prestigious academies worldwide National Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Sciences His seminal paper on carbon nanotubes has garnered over 58,000 citations underlining its monumental influence in scientific literature He gained global recognition and invitations to prestigious international conferences where his work was celebrated as foundational to nanotechnology research His contributions were honored with numerous prestigious awards such as the Franklin Medal in Physics (2001) he received Japan's Order of Culture Merits reflecting the national significance of his work his impact was acknowledged with the Aminoff Prize from Sweden and the Balzan Prize from Italy in 2007 His influence extends beyond academia into global scientific communities; he was elected as a member of the Japan Academy and honored as a foreign member of the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters Honoring Pioneers in Archaeology and Cultural Heritage in  King Faisal Prize King Faisal Prize recognized this year the achievements of an outstanding thinker and scholar in the field of Islamic Studies Professor Said Al-Said and Professor Saad Al-Rashed have been jointly awarded the King Faisal Prize in Islamic Studies for 2025 for their exceptional contributions to archaeology and the preservation of cultural heritage in Saudi Arabia a distinguished Saudi professor at King Saud University has significantly advanced the understanding of the Arabian Peninsula's archaeological history His extensive research includes the publication of 91 scientific papers in multiple languages focusing on the region's rich archaeological heritage he co-chaired the Saudi-German excavation project in Tayma uncovering insights into ancient civilizations has dedicated over five decades to unearthing and preserving the hidden treasures of Arabia's heritage His groundbreaking studies on Islamic pilgrimage routes and early Islamic cities have provided invaluable insights into the region's historical and civilizational evolution His work at Al-Rabadha has been pivotal in understanding early Islamic urban planning and culture King Faisal Prize for Arabic Language & Literature for 2025 on the topic of “Studies of Identity in Arabic Literature” was withheld due to nominated works not elevating to the criteria of the prize King Faisal Prize laureates’ names for 2025 were announced today in Riyadh by HH Prince Bandar Bin Saud Bin Khalid and the Prize's Secretary General Dr King Faisal Prize in its 5 different categories has awarded 299 laureates who have made distinguished contributions to different sciences and causes Each prize laureate is endowed with USD 200 thousand; a 24-carat gold medal weighing 200 grams and a Certificate inscribed with the Laureate’s name and a summary of their work which qualified them for the prize A Japanese game developer's stance on the harmful effects of unauthorized streaming and gameplay uploads has reverberated in the community Story-driven games like visual novels and adventure games have a complicated relationship with streaming – watching a full stream or walkthrough video often means consuming the content of the game in its entirety which can lead to a loss of opportunity for the developer These guidelines often define what parts of a game can and cannot be streamed and sometimes prohibit streaming on day one.  However, enforcing these guidelines in a sea of YouTube and Twitch creators is not an easy task. Japanese game creator and novelist Takiya Iijima recently took to X to voice their frustration with the unauthorized streaming of their game and talk about the legal action they intend to take Iijima’s dev circle released a brand-new visual novel-style adventure game on July 25 and they asked content creators to wait until August 3 to secure a 10-day window for initial sales Despite the guidelines being very reasonable it seems users ignored them and streamed hours of the game 「アパシー殺人クラブ」ゲーム配信・実況に関しては当初の予定通り8/3以降OKとなります。魅力的な鳴神学園の世界とキャラクターに、1人でも多くの方が触れてくれたら嬉しいです！鳴神学園へようこそ🏫https://t.co/jMggtt2N1i emphasizing that they make games to earn a living and support their family The developer was at a loss as to what action to take noting that YouTube videos can be taken down with relative ease the creator decided to take legal action against the individual(s) Due to the post gaining significant traction in the gaming community but the developer received no apology nor explanation.  when a man was accused of violating copyright laws for uploading video game and anime footage to YouTube.  She grew up playing Duke Nukem and Wolfenstein with her dad and is now enamored with obscure Japanese video games and internet culture Currently devoted to growing Automaton West to the size of its Japanese sister-site while making sure to keep news concise and developer stories deep and stimulating Dynasty Warriors Origins focused on balanced sex-appeal that doesn’t compromise female characters’ roles and backgrounds, says series producer  Japanese NFT game company’s currency crashes after users discover infinite money glitch Shin Megami Tensei artist Kazuma Kaneko says teaching AI to draw like him was more time-consuming than making art from scratch  and website in this browser for the next time I comment The reason why this kind of thing is never taken seriously here is due to the fact these let’s players twitch streamers give attention to games that otherwise would not have them in the first place We are used to endings being spoiled and plot points being in YouTube videos it is annoying but usually everyone just ignores it and plays the game or decides to play the game watching a scene or two to avoid any further spoilers I do think a compromise can be made over there for the ending to wait 10 days after release for the ending as usually that is the least worst route to take vs say Atlus of a year But also arresting users for uploading footage is kind of just overdoing it as well as that wastes law enforcement time AUTOMATON WEST is operated by Active Gaming Media Inc.Reproduction in any form or medium without acknowledgment of Active Gaming Media Inc Copyright © 2025 - AUTOMATON WEST / Theme by Creative Themes Manami Iijima-Martin finishes in the Top 10 in the Osaka Triathlon She qualified for the Paris Olympics to represent Guam representing Guam at the Paris 2024 Olympics and competing against the world’s best in the Women’s Individual Triathlon withdrew from the race after the second bike lap The NBC broadcast of the event shows that around the 30-minute mark She fell to her right and slid on the wet road until stopped by the barrier Iijima was seen trying to fix her bike chain while the male announcer said At least that tells you she wants to continue.” Her competition at the Paris Olympics marks Guam’s first Olympic presence in the sport On the World Triathlon Olympic Qualification Ranking but she is one of seven published on the Ranking list after the No The women’s individual triathlon consists of a 1,500-meter swim The first-place competitor finished the event in 1 hour 55 seconds while the last finisher logged a time of 2:10:46 Iijima was one of four triathletes that did not finish in the 54-woman field Guam has eight athletes competing in Paris the largest Guam contingent since Atlanta 1996 Judoka Maria Escano was the first to compete for Guam on Monday She lost to Mariana Esteves from Guinea in the Women -57 kg elimination round of 32 The Olympics is being aired across NBCUniversal properties, including NBC, Peacock, NBCOlympics.com, NBC.com and the NBC/NBC Sports apps for streaming Below are the upcoming competition schedule Pacific Daily News reporter Jojo Santo Tomas covers all interesting topics, including sports. Email him at jsantotoma@guampdn.com MANAMI IIJIMA-MARTIN: In this September 2023 file photo Manami Iijima-Martin competes in the 2023 Community First Guam Triathlon Federation women’s national championship Guam’s participation in the 2024 Paris Olympic Summer Games is well underway With eight Guamanians competing in the Paris Games judoka Maria Escano was the first from Guam to compete in the quadrennial Escano lost to Guinea’s Mariana Esteves 10-0 which took place in the elimination round of 32 Guam professional triathlete Manami Iijima-Martin did not finish the race I wanted to catch up and took a slippery corner too fast on the cobbles and came off my bike but it wasn't my day,” Iijima-Martin wrote on her Instagram account “I'm proud to have come as far as I did in the past two years and I'm excited to put in more time to get better at triathlon It's an honor to represent Guam in the biggest stage." Next up for Team Guam are sprinters Joe Green and Regine Tugade Both athletes are scheduled to compete Friday in their respective 100-meter sprint heats Mark Galedo and Manami Iijima-Martin took first place during the annual Tour of Guam race on Dec Cyclists compete in the Tour of Guam on Dec Hundreds of cyclists and cycling enthusiasts from across the Pacific region gathered on Sunday took first place in the 105-kilometer race Galedo came in at 2:47:57 and Iijima-Martin came in at 3:28:12 renowned for its stunning coastal views and challenging terrain once again proved to be an unforgettable event for participants and spectators alike which has become a premier cycling competition in the Pacific featured courses designed to challenge riders of all skill levels Participants competed in two primary categories: the grueling 105-kilometer race for elite and seasoned cyclists and the shorter The event started at Skinner Plaza and wound its way through some of Guam’s most scenic yet tough “The Tour of Guam is not just a race; it’s a celebration of the cycling community and Guam’s natural beauty,” said Alicia Aguon “We’re thrilled to see such enthusiastic participation and extend our gratitude to everyone who made this event a success from the riders to the volunteers and sponsors.” The Tour of Guam serves as an important platform for promoting active lifestyles Many international participants lauded the event’s organization and the warm hospitality they received during their stay The Guam Cycling Federation extends their thanks for the support of the village mayors of Hagåtña Guam Cycling Federation also extends their thanks to the JFK ROTC student volunteers and the medics from Andersen Air Force Base and Naval Hospital Guam All results can be found at tourofguam.com/results 138 female professional Manami Iijima Martin receives a $7,000 check to help support her journey to the Paris Summer Games from Community First Federal Credit Union President and CEO Gerard Cruz on Thursday Community First Guam Federal Credit Union announced Thursday as part of the Community First Acts of Community Program a community outreach and support program to benefit local nonprofit organizations it renewed its sponsorship of Guam professional triathlete Manami Iijima-Martin Community First has been a proud sponsor of Iijima-Martin a Community First Member and standout athlete “Manami approached us to help support her goal of training and competing full-time to qualify for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris France,” said Community First President and CEO Gerard Cruz "We saw her determination and wanted to help her reach her dreams of making it to the Olympics and we are so proud of what she has accomplished on the world stage We can’t wait to cheer her on when she represents Guam at the Olympics this July.” Iijima-Martin noted that with Community First’s sponsorship support she was able to focus on training and competing at different international competitions that would earn her qualifying points for the Olympic games “I’m so grateful for my community who have supported my journey,” said Iijima-Martin “Community First’s support helped to take financial worries off my shoulders so I could focus full-time on my training This sponsorship has allowed me to train and compete full-time to represent Guam around the world.” Iijima-Martin recollected the years of training that went into reaching her goal “This moment reminds me about all the hard work that went into improving as an athlete and traveling to competitions around the world that helped me qualify for the Olympics,” she said “I am very proud to represent Guam at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris It’s a dream to show the world what a Guam athlete can accomplish.” Iijima-Martin will also kick off Community First’s new Success Stories campaign The campaign features pro athlete training – swimming The campaign highlights the value of community support in reaching one’s goals “I want to thank Community First and the people of Guam for their support because I wouldn’t be able to successfully compete in triathlons,” she said “I will represent our island with great pride this summer at the Olympic Games The new campaign sums up what I’ve been doing for the past three years to get here.” Community First invites our island community to join in supporting Manami and fellow Guam athletes as they realize their success stories this summer and beyond A wide variety of products created with an innovative approach will be on display including tote bags and knapsacks with bold German-made reflectors for design and function sling bags that combine Dyneema and reflectors The exhibition will run for four days from February 8 (Sat.) to 11 (Tue.). During this period, the glass-walled 1st floor is said to be a black box, so enjoy shopping in a special space. Video Game News 30th Jul 2024 / 10:09 am Posted by A Japanese visual novel creator has decided to take legal action after their latest game was streamed in its entirety on the day of release Game creator and novelist Takiya Iijima wrote a lengthy thread on X (as reported by Automaton) explaining that their latest visual novel was streamed on day one despite requests that content creators refrain from streaming the game until a week after release “But this is the result,” Iijima said “Someone made a live stream of our newly released novel-style adventure game playing it for several hours from the first day of release through to several different endings.” The streaming of visual novels has been the subject of debate for some time While most other game genres play out differently every time the fact that most visual novels are driven mainly by linear dialogue means that – branching storylines aside – it’s generally a near-identical experience every time it’s played many argue that the streaming of a visual novel often results in the entirety of the game’s content being revealed making it similar in principle to streaming a copyrighted movie or music “spoilers can be fatal” for the success of the game because the narrative is the entire point of it Visual novels in Japan often come with requests to delay streaming until the game has been out for some time and the Steam page for Apathy Murder Club has a message informing players that live streams and YouTube gameplay videos are allowed after August 3 the player in question seemingly ignored this rule and streamed the game and its endings on the day of release “I’m really sad that there are people who don’t follow the rules of gameplay,” Iijima said in their X thread “If we encounter people who are happy ignoring the wishes of game creators like this we will have no choice but to raise the price of games or ban streaming indefinitely then there’s nothing we can do about it “I don’t create games so that people can create derivative works or play them live Iijima noted that the player has since removed their videos but hasn’t reached out to Iijima to apologise Iijima plans to take legal action against the streamer less experienced visual novel developers don’t have their livelihoods taken away from them by streamers revealing all their game’s narrative content “The reason why I am so thorough is because I want to protect future creators,” they wrote “Even if this person never does this to me again Nascent creators who are powerless to fight back shouldn’t fall prey to the venom of these unscrupulous people So I’m going to crush it completely.” Iijima threatened to remove all existing gameplay videos for games they hold the copyright for it’s likely they’ve been viewed tens of millions of times and it will take an enormous amount of time to request their removal but there’s nothing that can be done about it.” the following day Iijima added to their thread and that they wouldn’t request takedowns of all previous videos because they appreciated that content creation takes hard work too ゲーム実況のルールを守らない方がいるので僕は本当に悲しいです。こうやって作り手の気持ちを無視して喜んでいる方々に触れると、ゲームの価格を上げたり半永久的にゲーム実況を禁止せざるを得なくなります。それでゲームが売れないというのであれば仕方ないことですね。ゲーム実況、どうしよう？ they still plan to pursue legal action against the person who streamed Apathy Murder Club saying: “I think that game commentators should understand the rules set for each game and provide enjoyable game commentary so that other creators don’t get caught up in this situation I don’t think it would be in the best interest of the gaming industry to forgive the people in question who have run away without even offering a single apology.” One of Iijima’s followers replied to their thread the global mindset of not following the rules has spread to Japan and it is unfortunate that more and more people have no qualms about infringing on others.” Iijima replied: “Such people do not show any remorse and will continue to prey on other vulnerable people I think most of them are the kind of people who would rather make excuses than apologise I’ll give those who look down on the world a bitter candy to lick.” Already a patron? Click the button below to log in with Patreon. Not a member yet? Visit our Patreon page to become a patron and get access to community discussions and other exclusive benefits. Great, enjoy having less sales on launch then and less sales overall. You know that guy is in the wrong when even Nintendo stopped issuing DMCAs over streaming. Wait, when did this happen? Last I checked, streaming Nintendo was still akin to walking in a minefield? Possibly in Nintendo's case, they simply bullied individuals with legal action, rather than actually proving their case in court. He's being a little extreme, but I sympathize and mostly think that he's in the right. Visual novels are barely interactive and watching one streamed is almost the same as the experience of playing it. If his demands were more outrageous, like that his games never be steamed at all, I wouldn't agree, but all he asked for here was that folks not stream the game in the first week so that he could bring in some launch sales. That's a pretty modest request. If the streamer knew about it, while I don't know if it's legally actionable, it was definitely a s***ty thing to do. They essentially kneecapped this guy's income on a project he likely worked on for a very long time (A year? Years? How long it takes to make a visual novel?), and they did it just so they could have a marginally more popular stream than they'd have had a week later. It seems awfully selfish and deeply short-sighted to gut the people who make the kind of media that your channel uses as content. If your game is so uninteractive that it is just text and it has no other value, then that developer should just release an e-book. You can't have it both. Either you release on a gaming platform, which allows for the content to be streamed. Or you release an e-book where content is not allowed to be streamed. Pick either one, this developer wants both, that doesn't fly. If Japan forbids streaming, then he should do a Japan release on a Japanese platform. I don't know, dude, visual novels are called "visual novels" for a good reason, and the developer didn't say he'd ban streaming of his game outright, he just said the game shouldn't be streamed until a later date (August 3, which is literally just a few days after today). he just said the game shouldn't be streamed until a later date He has no right to demand this. Since when are random Japanese developers making the legal rules for the rest of the world? he definitely does have the right to demand people not review his stuff until a certain date, just like big American corporations (e.g Intel, AMD, NVIDIA) applying a review embargo in order to restrict reviewers from revealing/reviewing their products until a certain date. Whether he has the right to sue a reviewer for violating that right might be another matter, though. Review embargoes are a legally distinct thing entirely, which is why the reviewer might not have the same legal protection against their work being streamed, especially if the streamer isn't in Japan. I don't think you seem to understand that prior to release yea that can happen hence why they cherry pick streamers to showcase up until release. Once public has their hands on it it's all fair game unless every player legally signed something or agreed in game not to stream they hold no weight also, don't some bigger gaming companies (like Bethesda) provide reviewers/content creators with game keys before everyone else can purchase their games (e.g DOOM Eternal) but make them sign NDAs where they have to agree not to reveal the story, later parts of the games, etc… before a certain date? the guy definitely does have the right to do the same. Except that he didn't do this. He released his game normally and set up a "gentlemen's agreement" that it shouldn't be streamed, nothing more. That's all prerelease. They cannot stop anyone after it is publicly available unless they could somehow prove it was acquired illegally. Unless there's a legal precedent for that, rightly or wrongly, the owner has no legal rights to dictate. However, Nintendo (who, for me, represent the very worst of Japanese corporate, anti-consumer behaviour) are very happy to sue or bully YouTubers into submission. Most "japanese novels" are just straight rips from Western books. This Japanese studio planning to sue some random 14-year-old kid who streamed the stupid thing, will be lucky if they don't get countersued for harassing a minor. The kid should flat out ignore this developer, he has every right to stream whatever he wants. …okay? prove that most of the novels are "rips" from Western books, then. And we're talking about visual novels, not just normal novels. Imagine -planning legal action- against people who bought your game. Someone should tell Japan that Streaming is legal in the rest of the world, and that we no longer use fax machines. If you want to forbid Streaming, release on a Japanese platform. But don't release on a Western platform, where Streaming your games is perfectly legal, and then whine we have freedom to do what we want with things we buy. That developer has 0 legal grounds to sue. The game wasn't released on a western platform, it's only available in Japanese. We still consider it newsworthy because it's an interesting twist on the usual discourse about day one streaming ethics. Er, releasing something "in Japanese" doesn't make it "not a Western platform". If it's on Steam and not region-locked then it's arguably on a Western (or international) platform, regardless of the target language-users or cultural/ethnic/national demographic it's aimed at. "The game wasn't released on a western platform" Yes it is. It's on STEAM and he's selling in world markets. World markets where streaming games you bought, is 101% LEGAL, regardless of what the game genre is. A Japanese game developer does not get to set the legal rules for the rest of the world. Thank God. "it's only available in Japanese" Completely irrelevant. You don't get a different ruleset because your product is in Japanese. You are selling in a Western market, you follow the rules. If he wants to release strictly in Japan on a Japanese platform, that's his business, but that's not what he is doing. He's using Steam and releasing in a world market, and that requires following the rules, he does not get to make up his own rules. THIS. It seems VGC is misinformed on this one. The game isn't available for western players either. Steam actually does have region-locking on several games, most notably of which is Japan and China Unless he had this person agree to some legally binding contract he has no grounds to sue. After a game is publicly available the genie is out of the bottle. If he wants similar protections other media receives then he needs to classify and sell his products as such. I can understand his frustrations however his unreasonable and aggressive response only makes me want to stream it myself 😂🤷🏽‍♂️ This isn't really helping the argument that VNs are games. Like, we already know it's basically just a choose your own adventure ebook. These should've been a new category on digital book platforms, not game ones, but that ship has long sailed and the genre just has to sort of deal with it. If you want the story to be accessible to paying customers only, reinvent the genre and make it happen in a different kind of ecosystem. Choosing to make a thing that the world calls a game and selling it next to other games means this outcome. Maybe this changes in the future, but I can't picture a scenario where laws cut out a niche for just one genre. Your comment and others like it in this section are so narrow minded and disrespectful I had to come leave my first comment on this site The amount of game that can be experienced from a stream has no bearing over a game's right to exist. Visual Novels are games, and they have been some of my favorites I have played since I was introduced to them 10 years ago. Video Games are my medium of choice, the hobby I love. So experiencing a story with visuals, animations, music, and often times agency is to me an elevated experience over reading a book. To the other commenter who in particular seems hostile to their existence, I ask what VNs did to you? What a limp d*** little b****. Time to go give the game a negative review. © 1981 Media Ltd No part of this site or its content may be reproduced without the permission of the copyright holder Website by 44 Bytes Your browser does not support JavaScript, or it is disabled．Please check the site policy for more information National Report Gunma Prefecture--A surge in school closures exacerbated by Japan’s declining birthrate amounts to a lot of unused real estate over the years local government officials are left scratching their heads over how to make the best use of the vacant buildings Many of the approximately 450 public schools that shut down each year are eventually repurposed as sports facilities But in the town of Minakami in Gunma Prefecture stands an old school building that is being seen as a model for maximizing the potential of abandoned schools Located in a mountainous area known for its spa resort a former elementary school that closed in 2008 is surrounded by lush forest and boasts a playground bearing the sign “Sarugakyo Elementary School,” evokes a sense of more carefree days The elementary school I went to was made of concrete,” said Kenji Iijima Iijima moved to Minakami with his family and has served as the “principal" of Saru-sho for 12 years Iijima first visited the small town in search of a more fulfilling existence prompted by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami disaster Iijima was immediately captivated by the building and its potential when a local inn owner showed around the abandoned school “I felt a sense of nostalgia and excitement I figured I could do something interesting here,” he recalled These familiar environments from childhood often provide a special and nostalgic experience for adults the facility has hosted a variety of events from corporate training sessions and club retreats to weddings and cosplay photo shoots attended his company’s training session at Saru-sho several years ago Sasagawa and his colleagues goofed around in the playground went on a spooky midnight adventure in the school building and slept in an old classroom “It was an unforgettable experience where I could do all the things I wanted to do in school when I was a kid,” he said A 2021 survey by the education ministry showed that 8,580 schools closed between fiscal 2002 and 2020 Ibaraki Prefecture had the highest number of school closures with 246 followed by Tochigi Prefecture with 152 and Gunma Prefecture with 113 Given the significant investment in building these schools local governments are hesitant to demolish them “To ensure that these facilities are used for a long time we need new ideas and the vitality of the private sector,” a Minakami official said Saru-sho continues to welcome 4,500 or so “students” each year even if they evoke not only happy memories “We should look at abandoned schools as opportunities to create new excitement rather than focusing on the negative aspects of a shrinking population,” he said Residents aghast over ‘sexual’ photoshoot event at former school Closed Osaka school offers cool barbecue venue in outdoor pool Closed schools in Osaka’s Ikuno Ward become international PARALYMPICS/ ‘Queen of Water’ graces the pool at 51 in final race of storied career Many school buildings lacking any insulation as heat worsens Information on the latest cherry blossom conditions Please right click to use your browser’s translation function.) A series based on diplomatic documents declassified by Japan’s Foreign Ministry Here is a collection of first-hand accounts by “hibakusha” atomic bomb survivors chefs and others involved in the field of food introduce their special recipes intertwined with their paths in life A series about Japanese-Americans and their memories of World War II In-house News and Messages No reproduction or republication without written permission Be one of the first to try our new activity feed what does the exciting racing this past weekend mean for next year You can also listen to past episodes with Holly Lawrence This week we’ve got a quick chat with one of Guam’s few pro triathletes Manami was first out of the water at Oceanside a couple weekends ago and finished 8th in the competitive field—and she talks to us about what it’s like training in and racing from Guam (Hint: It involves a lot of bike loops of the island and flights to race.) And she talks to us about how she’s still trying to figure everything about being a pro out and all the questions she has Sumio Iijima (b. 1939) is a Japanese physicist and one of the inventors of carbon nanotubes, which have practical uses in nanotechnology, electronics, optics, and other fields of materials science and technology. He has been awarded the Kavli Prize for Nanoscience, the Benjamin Franklin Medal of Physics, and is a member of both the National Academy of Sciences (foreign associate) and the Japan Academy Iijima currently teaches at both Nagoya University in Japan and Sungkyunkwan University in South Korea “Research can be undertaken in any kind of environment I believe that true education means fostering the ability to be interested in something.” Source:About myself, To the younger generation (h/t WikiQuote) Metrics details Extracellular matrix stiffening is a quintessential feature of cartilage aging the downstream molecular and cellular consequences of age-related biophysical alterations are poorly understood we show that epigenetic regulation of α-Klotho represents a novel mechanosensitive mechanism by which the aged extracellular matrix influences chondrocyte physiology Using mass spectrometry proteomics followed by a series of genetic and pharmacological manipulations we discovered that increased matrix stiffness drove Klotho promoter methylation and accelerated chondrocyte senescence in vitro exposing aged chondrocytes to a soft matrix restored a more youthful phenotype in vitro and enhanced cartilage integrity in vivo Our findings demonstrate that age-related alterations in extracellular matrix biophysical properties initiate pathogenic mechanotransductive signaling that promotes Klotho promoter methylation and compromises cellular health These findings are likely to have broad implications even beyond cartilage for the field of aging research Although we have known of the poor healing capacity of cartilage for over 250 years this limited capacity is both poorly understood and inadequately treated in the clinic it is not surprising that the majority of pre-clinical findings in KOA have failed to translate to effective treatment for a population consisting largely of aged individuals with no joint trauma we first thoroughly characterized the trajectory of structural and proteomic changes associated with KOA in mice across the lifespan and according to sex We directly compared these findings to our current understanding of KOA in humans We next examined mechanistic drivers of KOA via a series of genetic and pharmacologic manipulations Our findings identified the longevity protein as a regulator of chondrocyte health in both murine and human cartilage Further interrogation using in vitro engineered models revealed that an age-related increase in matrix stiffness compromises chondrocyte integrity and declines α-Klotho expression this inhibition of α-Klotho was attributed to Klotho promoter methylation that was concomitant with increased binding of DNA methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1) pharmacological reduction of cartilage stiffness in aged mice increased α-Klotho levels and restored cartilage integrity these findings suggest that age-related alterations in matrix stiffness initiate pathogenic mechanotransductive signaling cascades leading to epigenetic repression of the Klotho promoter and compromised chondrocyte health A Aging induced progressive cartilage degeneration in murine medial tibial plateaus in a sex-dependent manner Representative histological sections stained with Safranin O/Fast Green are provided for each group Black arrow heads indicate loss of cartilage matrix The Osteoarthritis Research Society International (OARSI) score is provided (0–24 points; higher value indicates more severe cartilage degeneration) Statistical analyses were performed using linear regression Data are presented as means ± 95% confidence intervals B Schematic showing the experimental protocol for mass spectrometry Knee cartilage was microdissected from young and aged male and female mice (n = 5/sex/age) Individual proteins were identified and used for KEGG pathways analysis Proteins from PI3K/Akt signaling were then grouped based on GO terms pAcc: the Boolean value of total bootstrap permutations accumulation; pORA: the Boolean value of over-representation p value E Molecular hallmarks of upregulated and downregulated genes associated with PI3K/Akt signaling F Schematic pathway of PI3K/Akt signaling and linking to α-Klotho Portions of the figures were created with biorender.com Source data are provided as a Source Data file KEGG enrichment analysis for the overlapping genes revealed that the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway was among the top five differential pathways We next probed for candidate proteins that may regulate the observed proteomic changes whether α-Klotho plays a role in age-related KOA model has not been definitively established A Aging induced a progressive decline of α-Klotho in the murine medial tibia (n = 5/sex/age) White arrows indicate α-Klotho-positive chondrocytes White dashed lines indicate cartilage surface α-Klotho expression per cell was quantified by immunofluorescence (50–100 cells per mouse) B Cartilage in older adults (≥65 years old; 71.9 ± 2.91 years; n = 7 [1 female]) displayed reduced α-Klotho expression compared to young adults (<40 years old; 27.6 ± 6.85 years; n = 7 [2 females]) α-Klotho expression per cell was quantified by immunofluorescence (30–70 cells per cartilage sample) C Loss-of function in Klotho (Klotho+/−) triggered murine cartilage degeneration in a sex-dependent manner (young n = 10 for Klotho+/− [5 females]; middle-aged Black arrows indicate cartilage surface disruption Statistical analyses were performed using linear regression (A) Age-sex interaction was not significant for  α-Klotho expression in mice (A A Age-related changes in nuclear envelope proteins in male mice quantified by mass spectrometry-based proteomics The heat map represents log10 (p value) of each protein B Aging increased lamin A/C and lamin B2 protein expression (n = 5/age) C Analytical flow of the nuclear morphological analysis (53 variables) using CellProfiler software D Representative nuclear images in murine medial tibia generated by CellProfiler which was reproducible in another set of images Dashed white lines indicate the cartilage surface E Principal component analysis (PCA) of nuclear morphology characteristics showing separation of clusters between young and aged animals (n = 5/age; 30–60 nuclei per individual mice) F Heat map of the top 10 nuclear morphological variables contributing principal component 1 G Murine (n = 5/age) and human cartilage (n = 7/age) share changes in nuclear eccentricity with higher age associated with increased nuclear eccentricity (i.e. H Age-related increased nuclear eccentricity is associated with decreased α-Klotho expression in murine (n = 5/age) and human cartilage (n = 7/age) I Schematic showing the relationship between chronological age Linear regression model shows the substantial and independent contribution of nuclear morphology (Nuclearhuman) in the prediction of α-Klotho expression level in human cartilage beyond the effect of chronological age (Agehuman) Coefficient of determinations are provided for mouse (R2m) and human cartilage (R2h) Statistical analysis was performed using linear regression (B Data are presented as means ±95% confidence intervals Portions of the figure were created with biorender.com and aggrecan in chondrocytes quantified by immunofluorescence (n = 3/group; 30–60 cells per individual sample) Statistical analyses were performed using linear mixed effect model (B) or two-tailed paired t test (C our 2D and 3D models suggest that soft substrates promote a more youthful phenotype in aged chondrocytes but that stiff substrates accelerate the effects of time in young chondrocytes A Stiff substrates downregulated Klotho expression and increased Klotho promoter methylation as well as global DNA methylation in young chondrocytes (n = 3/group) B Stiff substrates increased DNMT1 expression in young chondrocytes as quantified by immunofluorescence (n = 5/group; 30–50 cells per individual sample) C Stiff substrates increased binding of DNMT1 at Klotho promoter in young chondrocytes quantified by chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) analyses (n = 4/group) D Stiff substrates increased binding of RNA Polymerase II (Pol II) at the Dnmt1 promoter in young chondrocytes as quantified by ChIP analyses (n = 4/group) F siRNA Dnmt1 treatment inhibited the deleterious effect of a stiff microenvironment on α-Klotho as quantified by immunofluorescence (n = 4/group; 40–50 cells per individual sample) H 5-Aza-2’-deoxycytidine (5 Aza) treatment inhibits the deleterious effect of a stiff microenvironment on α-Klotho The effects of 5 Aza treatment were blocked when combined with siRNA Klotho (siRNA KL) treatment Data were quantified by immunofluorescence (n = 4/group; 30–45 cells per individual sample) Statistical analyses were performed using a linear mixed effect model (A–D) two-tailed paired t test (E–G) or analysis of variance with post-hoc Tukey–Kramer test (H) suggesting that age-related nuclear deformation is either independent or upstream of DNMT1 rescued stiff matrix-induced increases in DNMT1 and reduction of α-Klotho as quantified by immunofluorescence (n = 3/group except for Col2 [n = 4/group]; 30–60 cells per individual sample) B Inhibition of actin polymerization blocked the stiff substrate-driven increased Klotho promoter and global DNA methylation in aged chondrocytes (n = 3/group) C Inhibition of actin polymerization blocked the stiff substrate-driven increased binding of RNA Polymerase II (Pol II) at Dnmt1 promoter in aged chondrocytes as quantified by chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) analyses (n = 4/group) D Inhibition of actin polymerization blocked the stiff substrate-driven increased binding of DNMT1 at Klotho promoter in aged chondrocytes as quantified by ChIP analyses (n = 4/group) Statistical analyses were performed using a linear mixed effect model (A) or two-tailed paired t test (B–D) A Principal component analysis (PCA) showing the separate clusters in ECM proteins from young and aged cartilage (n = 5/group) B Principal component 2 (PC2) in ECM protein expression is positively correlated with lamin A/C expression C Heat map of the top 20 ECM proteins contributing to PC2 an enzyme that induces collagen cross-linking was in the top 20 proteins contributing to PC2 and was positively correlated with lamin A/C supporting a connection between LOX-mediated increased collagen cross-linking and nuclear stiffness D Schematic showing the experimental protocol for 4 weeks of daily BAPN injections in aged mice (n = 8 for saline E Schematic showing the atomic force microscopy measurement of murine medial tibial cartilage with 10 × 10 µm region of interest F BAPN treatment significantly reduced Young’s modulus of medial tibial cartilage (n = 5/group) Young’s modulus data were transformed into Log MPa and normalized by Young’s modulus value in naive young group Representative CellProfiler-generated nuclear images in murine medial tibial plateaus after 4-week injection of saline or BAPN BAPN injection in aged mice decreases nuclear eccentricity towards young level (n = 8 for saline n = 9 for BAPN; 30–40 nuclei per individual mouse) H PCA showing the same cluster of young and aged+BAPN injection BAPN injection in aged mice improves α-Klotho expression in articular cartilage quantified by immunofluorescence (n = 8 for saline n = 9 for BAPN; 30–65 cells per individual sample) J BAPN injection in aged mice improves cartilage integrity (n = 8 for saline Representative histological sections stained with Safranin O/Fast Green are provided Black arrows indicate loss of cartilage matrix OARSI score (0–24 points; higher value indicates more severe cartilage degeneration) assessed by blinded assessor is provided OARSI score in young cartilage is provided as a reference K Beneficial effect of BAPN injection was blocked in Klotho+/− mice (n = 5 each for saline and BAPN) Statistical analyses were performed using linear regression analysis (B Age-related matrix stiffening in articular cartilage initiates pathogenic mechanotransductive signaling driving chondrocyte dysfunction as well as disrupted cartilage integrity through Klotho promoter hypermethylation Our results suggest that the interaction of α-Klotho and FoxO expression to mitigate oxidative stress is an area worthy of future studies we showed that inhibition of actin polymerization rescued the stiff matrix-induced increases in binding of DNMT1 at the Klotho promoter suggesting that an age-related increase in matrix stiffness increases DNMT1 recruitment at the Klotho promoter to cytoskeleton-mediated mechanotransduction whether mechanotransductive force directly drives the recruitment of DNMT1/transcription factors to the α-Klotho gene promoter region was not directly evaluated in this work and remains an interesting area for future investigation we showed that BAPN administration did not alter α-Klotho levels in aged chondrocytes in vitro suggesting that the chondroprotective effects of BAPN administration in vivo is not likely to be attributed to direct effects of BAPN on α-Klotho our data suggest that the beneficial effect of BAPN on α-Klotho expression in vivo is likely attributed to modification of matrix biophysical properties the mechanisms provoking these declines over time remain unknown we anticipate that these studies may have broader implications in the field of aging research For in vivo experiments utilizing BAPN injection animals were randomly allocated to treatment or control groups using computer-generated randomization using the random command in Microsoft Excel The treatments of BAPN were conducted under the same conditions as the control group and the order of the treatments was performed randomly We additionally randomly altered the cage location to prevent any bias from the environment All histological outcome assessments were conducted in a blinded manner Experiments were performed using young (4–6 months) and aged (18–24 months) male and female C57/BL6 mice as well as young (4–6 months) and middle-aged (10–14 months) male and female Klotho heterozygote mice (Klotho+/−; B6; 129S5-Kltm1-Lex C57/BL6 mice were obtained from the NIA Rodent Colony and Jackson Laboratories animals with visible health abnormalities were excluded Mice were housed in cages holding an average of 3–4 mice per cage with a temperature-controlled environment and 12-h light/dark cycles The animals had access to food and water ad libitum All animal experiments were approved by the University of Pittsburgh’s Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee Healthy human articular cartilage tissue in knee joints from young (<40 years old; 27.6 ± 6.85 years; n = 7 [2 females]) and older (≥65 years old; 71.9 ± 2.91 years; n = 7 [1 female]) donors were obtained through the National Disease Research Interchange (Philadelphia PA) with approval from the University of Pittsburgh Committee for Oversight of Research and Clinical Training Involving Decedents (CORID #878) There was no patients’ consent or compensation involved Aged male C57/BL6 mice were randomized into one of two groups receiving daily subcutaneous injections of either saline as a vehicle control or BAPN (290 µg/µl in saline) for 4 weeks (aged + saline Middle-aged male Klotho+/− mice were also randomized into one of two groups receiving either saline or BAPN injections for 4 weeks (Klotho+/−+saline The volume of the injection (40–80 µl) was determined according to the mouse’s body mass (m) with following protocol: 40 µl (18.45 g ≤ m < 23.73 g) Mice were weighed every other day beginning on day 0 and ending on day 28 to ensure proper dosing of BAPN All injections were performed at the same time during the light period (8–9 am) One animal in the aged+BAPN group was excluded from the analysis because of severe inflammation of the knee joint We collected serum from animals under anesthesia by isoflurane in accordance with an established protocol71 the animals were euthanized via cervical dislocation The collected blood was allowed to clot in a 2 mL tube at room temperature for one hour the blood was centrifuged for 30 minutes at 13,000 rpm at 4 °C in a microcentrifuge The serum was collected and aliquoted into 50 µl tubes and stored at −20 °C until used Any samples displaying hemolysis (as evidenced by pink/red coloration) were not included in the analysis or controls were added in duplicate to a 96 well plate 200 µl of the 17 beta Estradiol-HRP Conjugate were added to each well followed by incubation at 37 °C for two hours and wells were washed three times with 300 µl of diluted washing solution (soak time >5 seconds) using an automated plate washer (BioTek 50TS) 100 µl tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) Substrate Solution was added to each well and the plate was incubated for 30 minutes in the dark at room temperature 100 µl of Stop Solution was added into all wells in the same order and at the same rate as the substrate solution Absorbance was measured at 450 nm with Spectramax M3 plate reader (Molecular Devices) within 30 minutes of adding the Stop Solution Construction of standard curve and subsequent analyses were performed in Microsoft Excel Paraffin sections from human cartilage specimen (6 µm thickness) were also prepared following fixation in 10% buffered formalin phosphate solution overnight at 4 °C A trained examiner (ACB) performed grading in each histological section in a blinded manner with excellent inter-rater reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient [2,1] 0.814–0.925) with another trained examiner (HI) Histologic sections stained with Safranin O/Fast Green/Hematoxylin were imaged at ×10 magnification We detected the contour line of the cartilage surface on medial tibia and converted it into an X-Y coordinate pixel data using Image J software a deviation between the 4th order fitted curve and actual surface shape using MATLAB version R2020a (MathWorks Inc. The computed error thus was an index of the mean discrepancy between the cartilage surface and the expected curve Since the error value is a function of medial tibia size the cartilage surface roughness was calculated as the error value divided by length of cartilage in medial tibia (i.e. distance between the edges of medial tibia) Primary mouse chondrocytes were isolated in accordance with an established protocol84 cartilage tissue was harvested from the femoral head and tibia using small scissors and tweezers while ensuring that minimal synovium and tendons were included in the tissue harvest cartilage pieces were digested with 0.1% (w/w) type II collagenase (cat no Hyclone) and 1% (vol/vol) Pen/Strep at 37 °C for overnight at 5% CO2 in a petri dish the filtrate was passed through a 50-μm strainer and cells were cultured in growth media containing DMEM supplemented with 10% FBS and 1% Pen/Strep until the cells reached confluence First-passage cells were used for all experiments The isolated cells were characterized by type II collagen immunofluorescence with over 95% cells positive for type II collagen expression the surfaces of prepared hydrogels were further conjugated with fibronectin (100 μg/mL gels were UV-sterilized in a cell culture hood for 30 minutes Gels were kept hydrated in HEPES or PBS during all preparation steps and seeded pAAm gels were fixed in 2% PFA for 10 minutes To further evaluate the impact of matrix stiffness on the ability of chondrocytes to secrete matrix proteins soluble type II collagen and α-Klotho were quantified from conditioned medium collected at day 5 of culture on pAAm gels after concentration (Amicon® Ultra-4 Centrifugal Filter Devices) ELISA was used to quantify type II collagen (cat no Multiple freeze-thaw cycles were avoided before the experiment Isolated primary chondrocytes from aged mice were plated (5000 cells per cm2) on 100 kPa pAAm gels and cultured in low-glucose DMEM supplemented with 10% FBS and 1% Pen/Strep at 37 °C at 5% CO2 chondrocytes were treated with latrunculin A (0.01 The chondrocytes were washed with media two times and cultured for additional two days and constructs were fixed with 2% PFA for 10 minutes cells were kept in PBS at 4 °C until analysis the cytotoxic effect of latrunculin A was determined using the live/dead reduced biohazard viability/cytotoxicity kit (cat no OR) in accordance with manufacturer’s protocol isolated primary chondrocytes from aged mice were plated (1000 cells per cm2) on chamber slides after which they were cultured and treated by latrunculin A (0.01 and 1.0 µM) with the same protocol as above After washing with HEPES-buffered saline solution chondrocytes were incubated in live/dead viability/cytotoxicity solution for 15 min after which they were fixed with 4% glutaraldehyde for 1 hour A positive control for dead cells was generated by fixing the chondrocytes by 4% PFA for 15 minutes prior to incubation with the live/dead viability/cytotoxicity solution Cells were imaged using a Zeiss Observer Z1 semi-confocal microscope with ZEN 2.3 software (Zeiss Positive control slide was used to set the threshold for the signal intensity and the exposure time for individual channels Isolated primary chondrocytes from young mice were plated (5000 cells per cm2) on 5 kPa pAAM gel and cultured in low-glucose DMEM supplemented with 10% FBS and 1% Pen/Strep at 37 °C at 5% CO2 the chondrocytes were treated with 25nmol of siRNA to Klotho or a non-targeting scramble control (GE healthcare Dharmacon) in antibiotic-free chondrocyte growth media for 6 hours The chondrocytes were then washed twice with media and cultured for an additional 48 hours and cells were fixed with 2% PFA for 10 minutes cells were kept in PBS at 4 °C until further analysis the same protocol described above (25 nmol of siRNA to Dnmt1) was used To pharmacologically inhibit DNMT activity US) was used in a separate experimental cohort After 3 days chondrocytes culture on 5 kPa pAAM gel in low-glucose DMEM supplemented with 10% FBS and 1% Pen/Strep at 37 °C at 5% CO2 (5000 cells per cm2) 5-Aza-2’-deoxycytidine was supplemented in the growth medium and cultured for additional 48 hours To inhibit DNMT1 activity and Klotho expression simultaneously chondrocytes were treated by 5-Aza-2’-deoxycytidine (10 µM) and siRNA Klotho (25nmol) together on day 3 and the protocol described above to analyze 5 Aza was repeated Gelatin-based hydrogels (GelMA) were fabricated by photo-cross-linking86 MA) was diluted to 8% by adding reconstitution buffer (Agent P Cellink) and equal proportion of photoinitiator (LAP Cellink) in accordance with manufacturer’s protocol male mouse chondrocytes were suspended in the GelMA solution at a concentration of 2.0 × 107 cells/ml The suspension was pipetted into cylindrical silicon molds 2 mm in height and 5 mm in diameter The GelMA was then crosslinked with 395 nm UV light for 2 minutes Constructs were cultured for 5 days in growth media containing DMEM supplemented with 10% FBS and 1% Pen/Strep GelMA (8% and 20% w/v) was added into glass bottom dishes (D110300 Japan) and maintained at 4 °C for 10 minutes We use these procedures to keep surface structure stable and ensure reliable AFM measurement GelMA was then crosslinked with 395 nm UV light for 2 minutes and maintained overnight at room temperature before further measurement The elasticity of GelMA hydrogel were evaluated using atomic force microscopy (NanoWizard® 3 NanoOptics a cantilever with 5 μm diameter spherical beads attached to the tip (CP-CONT-BSG-A CA) and Hertzian contact model were used to obtain force and displacement values and Young’s modulus was calculated using JPK DP Data Processing Software (JPK Instruments) At least three specimens were used for each testing condition Excised knee joints were mounted onto steel sample disks using Loctite 454 instant adhesive gel Samples were immersed in PBS buffer and fluid mode AFM measurements were collected Peak Force Tapping Quantitative Nanomechanical maps were generated using a Bruker Dimension Icon Atomic Force Microscope and NanoScope 6 Controller MikroMasch HQ:NSC18 AFM probes with nominal cantilever spring constants of 2.8 N/m for the aged Bruker MLCT-BIO AFM probes with nominal 0.6 N/m spring constants were used for the young group Cantilever spring constants were determined using the thermal tunning method and Peak Force Tapping amplitude sensitivities were determined by analysis of force curves collected on a sapphire surface submerged in PBS buffer Probe radii and tip shapes were estimated by tip qualification analyses of titanium roughness standard micrographs the force setpoint was adjusted to maintain between 10–20 nm of nominal sample indentation a 10 × 10 µm field (512 scan lines by 512 points) was scanned To avoid high-frequency noise in the Young’s modulus data All data analyses were performed using NanoScope Analysis 2.0 (Bruker Co. One negative control slide per staining set was generated by omitting the primary antibody in the antibody solution We also validated the same α-Klotho antibody using the decalcified paraffin section from a wild-type and a KL−/− mouse knee joint We observed minimal staining in the Kl−/− compared to the wild-type counterparts Slides were imaged using a Zeiss Observer Z1 semi-confocal microscope with ZEN 2.3 software (Zeiss All images were collected at ×20 or ×63 magnification Negative control slides were used to the threshold for the signal intensity and to set the exposure time for individual channels All images for quantitative analysis in a given experiment were taken under the same imaging conditions with the same threshold for the signal intensity and the same exposure time Fluorescence intensity was quantified using Image J integrated density for each channel was divided by number of cells in each image (i.e. In each immunofluorescence-based quantification we used 5 or 10 randomly selected images for ×20 and ×63 images Data for the random images were then averaged in each independent sample and used for statistical analysis (e.g. if we analyzed five independent samples in total One µg of total RNA from chondrocytes cultured on pAAm gels was reverse transcribed using iScript™ Advanced cDNA Synthesis Kit (BIO-RAD The mRNA levels of the Klotho gene were quantified by SYBR Green-based real-time PCR (qPCR) using SsoAdvanced™ Universal SYBR® Green Supermix (BIO-RAD Klotho gene expression levels were normalized to the expression level of Rpl44 and the fold change of Klotho relative to universal mouse reference RNA was calculated using 2−ΔΔCt method Fully methylated control DNA (Zymo Research CA) was used as a reference to calculate the percentage methylation of DNA samples Levels of 5 methylcytosine (5mC) in DNA were measured using the 5mC DNA ELISA Kit (Zymo Research A total of 200 ng of DNA was used and the percent of 5mC in the samples was quantified and compared to the standard curve provided in the kit cells were fixed with 1% formaldehyde followed by quenching with glycine solution Crosslinked cells were pelleted and subject for chromatin isolation and immunoprecipitation using ChIP-IT High Sensitivity kit (Active Motif One to two μg of ChIP-validated antibodies against RNA Polymerase II (A2032 TX) or nonspecific negative control IgG (Active Motif CA) were used for immunoprecipitation of each sample Non-immunoprecipitated chromatin was used as input Following reverse cross-linking and elution of chromatin DNA from each sample was purified with QIAquick PCR purification kit (Qiagen Purified DNA sample concentrations were quantified by Qubit DNA HS assay kit (Thermo Fisher Scientific Ten ng of purified DNA was used for PCR of Dnmt1 or Klotho promoters The percent enrichment of immunoprecipitated DNA relative to the input was calculated Fifty-three shape features of cells and nuclei were determined using the “identify primary objects” followed by the “measure object size shape” and “export to spreadsheet” modules Samples were lyophilized overnight and stored at −80 °C until shipment to the Proteome Exploratory Laboratory at Cal Tech Cartilage samples from each knee were lysed in 8 M urea/100 mM TEAB by grinding for 1 min with size tissue grinder pestles (cat tip sonication with a Fisher Scientific 550 Sonic Dismembrator on ice at 20% power using cycles of 20 sec on/20 sec off for 4 minutes total followed by another grinding step for 1 min Samples were then clarified by centrifugation at 16,000 × g for 5 minutes at room temperature Each lysate was then reduced with 500 mM TCEP for 20 min at 37 °C and alkylated with 500 mM 2-Chloroacetamide for 15 min at 37 °C in the dark Samples were then digested with a 1:200 ratio of LysC to lysate for 4 hr at 37 °C and digestion overnight with 1:30 Trypsin at 37 °C Digestions were stopped by acidifying with 20% TFA Fisher Scientific) according to manufacturer instructions Peptides were then resuspended in 0.1% formic acid and peptide amounts measured with the Pierce Quantitative Colorimetric Peptide Assay 15 µg peptides from each sample were lyophilized labeled with TMTpro reagents dissolved in anhydrous acetonitrile for 1 hr at room temperature and quenched with 5% hydroxylamine for 15 min at room temperature All 15 male samples were then combined into one sample and all 15 female samples were combined into a second sample 100 μg of each sample was then fractionated with the Pierce High pH Reversed-Phase Peptide Fractionation Kit (Thermo #84868) according to manufacturer instructions and the resulting 8 fractions were lyophilized Each fraction was resuspended in 20 µl 0.2% formic acid and peptide quantitation was performed with the Pierce Quantitative Colorimetric Peptide Assay Fractions 7 and 8 from both samples had very low peptide amounts and were thus combined with that sample’s fraction #6 for a total of 6 fractions per sample Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) analysis of peptide fractions was carried out on an EASY-nLC 1000 coupled to an Orbitrap Eclipse Tribrid mass spectrometer (Thermo Fisher Scientific) Each fraction was loaded onto an Aurora 25 cm × 75 µm ID 1.6 µm C18 reversed-phase column (Ion Opticks Australia) and separated over 136 min at a flow rate of 350 nL/min with the following gradient: 2–6% Solvent B (7.5 min) MS1 spectra were acquired in the Orbitrap at 120 K resolution with a scan range from 350–1800 m/z and a maximum injection time of 50 ms in Profile mode MS2 scans were then acquired in the Orbitrap at 50 K resolution in Centroid mode with the first mass fixed at 110 Analysis of LC-MS proteomic data was performed in Proteome Discoverer 2.5 (Thermo Scientific) utilizing the Sequest HT search algorithm with the mouse proteome (UniProt UP000000589; 55,485 proteins covering 21,989 genes with a BUSCO assessment of 99.8% genetic coverage) Search parameters were as follows: fully tryptic protease rules with 2 allowed missed cleavages fragment mass tolerance set to 0.05 Da with only b and y ions accounted for Percolator was used as the validation method GO Biological Process terms were generated via Proteome Discoverer Sequest HT algorithm and were used for sorting proteins associated with PI3K/Akt signaling Quantitative analysis is based on TMT MS2 reporter ions generated from HCD fragmentation with an average reporter S/N threshold of 10 used a co-isolation threshold of 50 with SPS mass matches set at 65% Normalization was performed at the peptide level and protein ratios were calculated from the grouped ion abundances the protein name from mass spectroscopy data was translated into its gene symbol as in the RNA-seq data we used fold change value of protein abundance and p-values of young versus aged male mice This study included following molecule types as upstream regulators: cytokines where a higher score indicates activation of the identified upstream regulators We used the PI3K/Akt signaling involved in KEGG pathways (KEGG_2019_Mouse) as a gene set downloaded from Enrichr PCA was performed for data reduction to identify the principal components that represent differences in the cellular and nuclear morphology To determine variables of cellular and nuclear shape contributing to PCs a correlation between the original variables and principal components PCA was used to visualize the separation of (1) nuclear morphology in young (2) young and aged ECM protein abundance assessed by mass spectrometry-based proteomics (3) the OARSI score in BAPN-injected and saline-injected knees and (4) nuclear morphology in chondrocytes cultured on stiff pAAm gel with and without siRNA to Dnmt1 All statistical analyses were performed using JMP Pro 14 software (SAS Institute with uncertainty expressed as 95% confidence intervals (mean ± 95% CI) two-tailed paired t-test or linear mixed effect models were utilized We checked the features of the regression model by comparing the residuals vs the residuals had to be normally distributed around zero) and independence between observations No correction was applied for multiple comparison because outcomes were determined a priori and were highly correlated No statistical analyses included confounders (e.g. body mass in each animal) due to the small sample size We conducted a complete-case analysis in the case of missing data p values <0.05 were considered statistically significant “n” represents the number of independent observations of knees or cells from different animals Specific data representation details and statistical procedures are also indicated in the figure legends The raw data that support the experimental findings are included as Source Data. The mass spectrometry proteomics data have been deposited to the CalTech Proteomics repository (https://doi.org/10.22002/ee2yc-fg857). Source data are provided with this paper Of the structure and diseases of articulating cartilages Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Division of Population Health, accessed 22 Nov 2022, https://www.cdc.gov/arthritis/basics/osteoarthritis.htm Incidence and risk factors for clinically diagnosed knee hip and hand osteoarthritis: influences of age gender and osteoarthritis affecting other joints Post-traumatic osteoarthritis: from mouse models to clinical trials What constitutes an “animal model of osteoarthritis”–the need for consensus The impact of rodent age on study outcomes Pre-radiographic osteoarthritic changes are highly prevalent in the medial patella and medial posterior femur in older persons: Framingham OA study Human articular cartilage: influence of aging and early symptomatic degeneration on the spatial variation of T2–preliminary findings at 3 T Structural abnormalities detected by knee magnetic resonance imaging are common in middle-aged subjects with and without risk factors for osteoarthritis Ovarian and steroidal influences on neuroendocrine aging processes in female rodents A meta-analysis of sex differences prevalence Identifying significantly impacted pathways: a comprehensive review and assessment KEGG as a reference resource for gene and protein annotation The PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway in osteoarthritis: a narrative review Global gene expression analysis identifies age-related differences in knee joint transcriptome during the development of post-traumatic osteoarthritis in mice Causal analysis approaches in ingenuity pathway analysis Suppression of aging in mice by the hormone Klotho Meta-analysis integrated with multi-omics data analysis to elucidate pathogenic mechanisms of age-related knee osteoarthritis in mice Klotho enhances FoxO3-mediated manganese superoxide dismutase expression by negatively regulating PI3K/AKT pathway during tacrolimus-induced oxidative stress Klotho as potential autophagy regulator and therapeutic target Klotho as a regulator of oxidative stress and senescence Klotho suppresses the inflammatory responses and ameliorates cardiac dysfunction in aging endotoxemic mice Secreted α-Klotho maintains cartilage tissue homeostasis by repressing NOS2 and ZIP8-MMP13 catabolic axis Nuclear envelope dysfunction and its contribution to the aging process Lamin A/C deficiency causes defective nuclear mechanics and mechanotransduction Lamins A and C but not lamin B1 regulate nuclear mechanics CellProfiler: image analysis software for identifying and quantifying cell phenotypes Nuclear lamin-A scales with tissue stiffness and enhances matrix-directed differentiation Matrix elasticity regulates lamin-A,C phosphorylation and turnover with feedback to actomyosin Fibroageing: an ageing pathological feature driven by dysregulated extracellular matrix-cell mechanobiology Early detection of aging cartilage and osteoarthritis in mice and patient samples using atomic force microscopy Substrate stiffness-dependent carbon nanotube-induced lung fibrogenesis Coordinated increase of nuclear tension and lamin-A with matrix stiffness outcompetes lamin-B receptor that favors soft tissue phenotypes Nuclear mechanosensing controls MSC osteogenic potential through HDAC epigenetic remodeling Regulation of collagen biosynthesis by ascorbic acid: a review Material cues as potent regulators of epigenetics and stem cell function Matrix stiffness epigenetically regulates the oncogenic activation of the Yes-associated protein in gastric cancer Regenerative rehabilitation: applied biophysics meets stem cell therapeutics DNA methyltransferases get connected to chromatin Nuclear mechanosensing drives chromatin remodelling in persistently activated fibroblasts and biological roles inside and outside of the cell Matrix cross-linking-mediated mechanotransduction promotes posttraumatic osteoarthritis diminishes the metastatic colonization potential of circulating breast cancer cells Osteoarthritis associated with estrogen deficiency Estrogen regulates Hippo signaling via GPER in breast cancer Regulation of cartilage damage caused by lack of Klotho with thioredoxin/peroxiredoxin (Trx/Prx) system and succedent NLRP3 activation in osteoarthritis mice αKLOTHO and sTGFβR2 treatment counteract the osteoarthritic phenotype developed in a rat model Regulation of oxidative stress by the anti-aging hormone klotho FoxO transcription factors support oxidative stress resistance in human chondrocytes FoxO transcription factors modulate autophagy and proteoglycan 4 in cartilage homeostasis and osteoarthritis Dysregulated FOXO transcription factors in articular cartilage in aging and osteoarthritis Crosslinking by advanced glycation end products increases the stiffness of the collagen network in human articular cartilage: a possible mechanism through which age is a risk factor for osteoarthritis YAP-mediated regulation of the chondrogenic phenotype in response to matrix elasticity Extracellular matrix stiffness dictates Wnt expression through integrin pathway Loss of lamin A function increases chromatin dynamics in the nuclear interior Matrix stiffness induces a tumorigenic phenotype in mammary epithelium through changes in chromatin accessibility Mechanotransduction at a distance: mechanically coupling the extracellular matrix with the nucleus ZNF416 is a pivotal transcriptional regulator of fibroblast mechanoactivation PPARγ preservation via promoter demethylation alleviates osteoarthritis in mice histones: a new enzyme is nipping at your tails A Klotho-derived peptide protects against kidney fibrosis by targeting TGF-β signaling Effects of Klotho on fibrosis and cancer: a renal focus on mechanisms and therapeutic strategies How does the extracellular matrix direct gene expression Age-related declines in α-Klotho drive progenitor cell mitochondrial dysfunction and impaired muscle regeneration Regulation of aged skeletal muscle regeneration by circulating extracellular vesicles Klotho overexpression protects against renal aging along with suppression of transforming growth factor-β1 signaling pathways Aging of the skeletal muscle extracellular matrix drives a stem cell fibrogenic conversion Intrinsic stiffness of extracellular matrix increases with age in skeletal muscles of mice Connective tissue changes and physical properties of developing and ageing skeletal muscle The ARRIVE guidelines 2.0: updated guidelines for reporting animal research Power and sample size calculations for studies involving linear regression The role of statistical power analysis in quantitative proteomics Activin-βC modulates cachexia by repressing the ubiquitin-proteasome and autophagic degradation pathways The OARSI histopathology initiative - recommendations for histological assessments of osteoarthritis in the mouse Optimization of histologic grading schemes in spontaneous and surgically-induced murine models of osteoarthritis Osteoarthritis cartilage histopathology: grading and staging Primary culture and phenotyping of murine chondrocytes Vitamin C effects on 5-hydroxymethylcytosine and gene expression in osteoblasts and chondrocytes: potential involvement of PHD2 Injectable polymeric hydrogels for the delivery of therapeutic agents: a review Biomechanical properties of murine meniscus surface via AFM-based nanoindentation Klotho gene silencing promotes pathology in the mdx mouse model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy Mitochondria are a substrate of cellular memory Transcriptional analysis of micro-dissected articular cartilage in post-traumatic murine osteoarthritis The PRIDE database and related tools and resources in 2019: improving support for quantification data Voichita, C. Ansari, S. & Draghici S. ROntoTools: R Onto-Tools suite. R package version 2.18.0. (2020) https://www.bioconductor.org/packages/release/bioc/html/ROntoTools.html Gene set enrichment analysis: a knowledge-based approach for interpreting genome-wide expression profiles Download references This study was supported in part by (1) a Grant-in-Aid from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science for Overseas Research Fellowships for H.I. (2) research grants from the Uehara Memorial Foundation for H.I. (4) the National Institute of General Medical Sciences of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number T32GM008208 for G.G (5) JSPS KAKENHI Grant Number JP21H03302 for A.I. (6) Kyoto University Nano Technology Hub in “Nanotechnology Platform Project” and (7) the John and Posy Krehbiel Professorship in Orthopedics for C.E Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Cellular and Molecular Pathology Graduate Program Discovery Center for Musculoskeletal Recovery Schoen Adams Research Institute at Spaulding Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine Department of Environmental and Occupational Health University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health Petersen Institute of Nanoscience and Engineering All authors made substantial contributions in the following areas: (1) conception and design of the study drafting of the article; (2) final approval of the article version to be submitted; and (3) agreement to be personally accountable for the author’s own contributions and to ensure that questions related to the accuracy are appropriately investigated and the resolution documented in the literature The specific contributions of the authors are as follows: H.I. interpretation and review of the manuscript All authors declare no competing interests Nature Communications thanks Danny Chan, Makoto Kuro-o and the other, anonymous, reviewer(s) for their contribution to the peer review of this work. Peer reviewer reports are available Publisher’s note Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations Download citation DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-35359-2 Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content: a shareable link is not currently available for this article Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan met with the Ambassador of Japan, DKnews.kz reports Deputy Prime Minister – Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan Murat Nurtleu received the newly appointed Ambassador of Japan to Kazakhstan Yasumasa Iijima the parties discussed in detail the state and prospects of bilateral and multilateral cooperation paying special attention to the schedule of mutual visits and events at the highest and high levels planned for this year Given the significant volumes of bilateral trade and direct Japanese investments in Kazakhstan particular emphasis was placed on the importance of further deepening trade and economic cooperation The importance of the Joint Commission of the governmental and private sectors of Kazakhstan and Japan on economic cooperation which promotes mutually beneficial partnerships Yasumasa Iijima expressed full readiness for active interaction to develop bilateral relations Kazakh Foreign Minister M.Nurtleu wished the Ambassador of Japan success in his work in Kazakhstan DKNews International News Agency is registered with the Ministry of Culture and Information of the Republic of Kazakhstan HÅFA ADAI/BONJOUR: Guam's Manami Iijima-Martin is seen near the finish line at the 2024 Asia Triathlon Cup Osaka on May 26 Iijima-Martin finished the race in 1:01:34 and achieved a ninth-place finish she learned she had earned a spot at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris With one final race before the May 27 cutoff date to see if she earned a spot at the 2024 Paris Olympics under the New Flag qualification program Guam’s Manami Iijima-Martin delivered a ninth-place performance at the 2024 Asia Triathlon Cup Osaka on May 26 in Osaka After starting the season with two abysmal results where she didn’t finish one race and finished second to last in another which led to a devastating drop in her world ranking Iijima-Martin’s last three races included second-place her world ranking catapulted from 183 – three spots below the Olympics cutoff ranking – to 137 more than high enough to solidify her spot in Paris and her place in history after the rocky start and seeing my ranking slip I was not hopeful,” Iijima-Martin told The Guam Daily Post She said she was convinced she would have to start anew and switch her focus to the 2028 Los Angeles Games “But then I switched my thoughts and beliefs to working hard and earning the Olympic slot,” she said After Osaka and as Iijima-Martin lay in bed waking up from a nap when I saw the ranking refreshed and the Olympic simulation updated,” said Iijima-Martin who had just become Guam’s first triathlete to earn a spot in the Olympics under the New Flag qualification program “I'm still processing what's happened but grateful for it all,” she said With her Olympic debut scheduled for July 31 Iijima-Martin will be spending the next several weeks abroad seeing if she and her coach can discover ways to shave off precious seconds or minutes from her already impressive time “I will be just ticking along like I have but being more international,” said Iijima-Martin adding that she is focused on “getting good sleep listening to my body (and) keeping happy.” and that will take a lot of work,” she said “(My) goals for Paris is: race well and give my all,” she added so I want to enjoy it and not pressure myself.” Eduardo Dávila, Stavroula Hatzios Bottom row from left, Junliang Shen and Zhou Fan.  Sloan Foundation has named five Yale scholars as recipients of a 2024 Sloan Research Fellowship an honor that recognizes early-career scientists and scholars all members of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences assistant professor of economics; Zhou Fan assistant professor of statistics and data science; Stavroula Hatzios and developmental biology and of chemistry; Ryota Iijima associate professor of economics; and Junliang Shen Each new Sloan Research Fellow will receive a two-year This year’s cohort of Sloan Research Fellows include 126 researchers from 53 institutions in the United States and Canada The fellowships are open to scholars in seven fields: chemistry whose research focuses on how financial and macroeconomic policies affect individuals His work has included analysis of an array of topics from monetary policy and housing to insurance and taxation He joined the Yale faculty in 2018 and is also a faculty research fellow at the National Bureau of Economic Research Fan’s research interests straddle the intersection of mathematical statistics He received a fellowship in mathematics who has been a member of Yale’s faculty since 2018 was awarded a Greer Memorial Prize for Outstanding Scholarly Publication or Research in 2023 he is particularly interested in inferential problems that arise in statistical genetics whose research focuses on host-microbe interactions in the gastrointestinal tract Her lab endeavors to understand how infection-associated oxidative stress influences host signaling and microbial adaptation to the host environment and aims to develop new probes and antimicrobials for the detection and inhibition of disease-causing bacteria in the gut Hatzios joined the Yale faculty in 2017 and was named an ACS Infectious Diseases Young Investigator in 2023 His research interests include microeconomic theory His work has examined how biased or incorrect information can significantly affect the predictions of traditional economic models of individual and social learning whose research explores algebraic geometry and related fields He uses tools from algebraic geometry to solve questions and conjectures rooted in topology He was awarded the SwissMAP Innovator Prize in 2018 Since the first Sloan fellowships were awarded in 1955 139 faculty from Yale have received a fellowship Other scientists nominate candidates for the fellowships Winners are selected by an independent panel of senior scholars on the basis of the candidates’ research accomplishments and potential to become leaders in their field Access our patent databases and search tools Go to overview  Technology insight report on plastic waste management Practical information on filing and grant procedures Go to overview  Find out how the Unitary Patent can enhance your IP strategy the Official Journal and other legal texts Go to overview  Keep up with key aspects of selected BoA decisions with our monthly "Abstracts of decisions” Go to overview  From ideas to inventions: tune into our podcast for the latest in tech and IP The European Patent Academy – the point of access to your learning Go to overview  Have a look at the extensive range of learning opportunities in the European Patent Academy training catalogue Go to overview  Track the latest tech trends with our Patent Index Iijima’s discovery shook the foundations of his field. Until he identified nanotubes, pure carbon was believed to only exist in three forms: diamonds, graphite and the hollow, ball-shaped fullerenes. The identification of carbon nanotubes sparked newfound attention in Iijima’s field and since then, a myriad of uses have been found for these super-thin yet highly conductive molecules. Carbon nanotubes have formerly unknown electrical and thermal properties. They are much more conductive than copper, and they have found a variety of chemical, mechanical and optical applications. Many materials, including polymers and metals, can be significantly improved by using carbon nanotubes as filler: They render solar panels more effective and automotive and airplane parts more robust, for example. The commercialisation and market introduction of carbon nanotubes is in full swing, but currently limited to the use of bulk nanotubes – that is to say, a mass of unorganised nanotubes used as composite fibres in polymers to bolster their mechanical, thermal and electrical properties. European Inventor Award and Young Inventors Prize queries: 2020 7 p.m.Portland artist Junko Iijima’s studio looks like a mixture of a metal shop and a toy store In the back are the machines she uses to practice her metalsmithing art Stacked neatly around the room are various sculptures and models of Mickey Mouse and Hello Kitty references for the iron sculptures she made a few years ago At the front of her studio are two small vending machines Inside are little plastic balls containing small toys Junko will use those little pieces in her latest sculpture placing them in resin and molding them until they form a lava lamp She’ll create two: one filled with icons of western culture and the other with icons of eastern culture “I wanted to use the little pieces that I accumulated from the vending machines from Japan and also from America.” One lamp has easily identifiable icons of Japanese pop culture like Totoro and Hello Kitty The other has their American counterparts like Superman The idea is to showcase the two sculptures as one piece of artwork Junko Iijima sits next to her cast iron art pieces you'll notice the pieces are from easily identifiable icons of pop culture like Mickey Mouse and Hello Kitty She loved icons of eastern and western pop culture just like everyone else When she came to the United States as an exchange student things were a little different I didn’t feel like I was any different but people saw me differently But soon she discovered that she could make friends through their shared love of all things pop culture related “If someone I knew had a Hello Kitty pen or something You know Hello Kitty!’ and then we can start a conversation,” she said The deep affection she has for pop culture shows in her artwork She earned a degree in metalsmithing and in graduate school she explored the idea of cultural commonality using Mickey Mouse and Hello Kitty as the representatives of east and west “I started cutting them up and literally started putting them together because I was interested in culture coming together or making a hybrid through the exchange of commodity.” What she discovered was that both icons influenced the other’s culture in some way and I'll see a smoothie figure with hands and legs and the hands have four fingers and the feet are like Mickey Mouse And I start seeing little cartoons with Hello Kitty oval-shaped face with ears Once you start localizing each individual parts of those two characters she created a series of 200 cast iron sculptures at the John Michael Kohler Arts Center in Sheboygan Junko used different pieces of western icons as reference but she added a twist: she cast the iron sculptures to resemble Japanese nanbu iron tea kettles “I wanted to refer to the iron teakettle and also add the pop culture elements I wanted to add a little bit of my cultural influence and combine old and new and make something that is familiar but you have to question where those ears come from.” but the influences of both eastern and western cultures are prominent the pieces show the best of both worlds and that’s the message Junko wants to send through her art “If you don't understand each other's languages that's Mickey Mouse.’ That's commonality,” she said “It's something that I feel brings people together.” Editor's note: This article has been updated to reflect the correct name and location of the John Michael Kohler Arts Center Tags: Oregon Art Beat, Arts, Local, Nw Life Stand with OPB and protect independent journalism for everyone Listen to the OPB News live stream (opens new window)Streaming Now ShareSaveBETAThis is a BETA experience. opt-out hereInnovationGamingMari Iijima On Music, 'Macross' And MinmayByOllie Barder The musician and voice actress Mari Iijima While Minmay tends to come up a lot in Iijima’s work she is actually a classically trained and highly prolific musician in her own right her musical background acted as a unique foundation for her character that has anchored the whole musical aspect of Macross since Iijima had to start somewhere and her musical origins are really quite fascinating “I grew up with a family that was very musical Although my parents aren’t professional musicians it was a natural process for me to get into music I started to play the piano when I was 3 or 4 “The first song I ever wrote was for my 5th-grade class I wrote about all kinds of my daily life matters; our family dog a high school baseball player I had a crush on “One day while I was riding a swing in my elemental school yard all alone I received a message that I was going to be a composer but I always had this quiet knowing that I was going to be a musician so maybe I wanted to be a ballerina at some point I take classes every other day and I dance in front of my audience every year in Tokyo “I’m sure my classical music background has some affect on my music I love writing pieces for string quartet and the piano “I also wanted to be a radio DJ when I was a child I had several weekly radio shows (Miss DJ Request Parade etc) when I was based & active in Japan I have a radio program called LA NOW that I record & produce for FM Nishi-Tokyo that anyone can listen to on the web What with this musical foundation behind her I was curious how the shift into becoming a voice actress in Macross worked and it turns out that it was quite an easy transition “It really wasn’t like moving from one field to another Both happened to take place in my life at the same time Macross took only a few months of my time total so I never felt or believed that I’ve become a voice actor I’ve always been a musician first and foremost The only anime character I voiced was and still is Minmay Lynn Minmay is a pivotal character in the movie 'Macross: Do You Remember Love?' “As for the original musical score for Macross, when I recorded my vocals for the songs in the series, Kentaro Haneda wasn’t present in the studio I remember I met him once at one of the Macross events in Tokyo and he was very nice He is a brilliant composer and I respect his work “In any case, when I was in the studio voicing Minmay, I was a college student. Shoji Kawamori also was a college student I found that out when we spoke a few years ago so it wasn’t like we were hanging out outside the studio He would sit in the studio booth rather quietly So there was no chance for us to get to know each other he mentioned that I was the bravest one in the studio while we created the Macross TV series I was pretty fearless because I wasn’t aiming anything other than doing my best work for each episode “Sometimes, Noriko Ohara took me to dinner after the studio sessions so we usually had okonomiyaki at the restaurant in front of my dome building but I don’t know if Kawamori-san will bring us back he told me he wasn’t thinking about it at all I remember I felt a little sad about it but at the same time His passing is something that Iijima still ponders “Hase-kun always came to the studio in his school uniform He was in high school and I was in college he always supported my music and live concerts He always gave me beautiful flowers after the shows The news of his passing came too suddenly for me but I happened to be in Japan at the time and I think he knew that but I’m sure he is all right no matter where he is in this moment.” As we finished off, I wanted to talk about her favorite anime and what plans she had for this year’s Anime Expo “When I was a child, I watched a TV show called Himitsu no Akko-chan My parents still have a tape of me singing those songs when I was a baby.” my music tends to get more content and still but it is important for me to keep an edge too So I want to create another energetic and powerful full album next “When it comes to this year’s Anime Expo I will try my best to perform well for the audience!” Read my Forbes blog here A post shared by Nozomi iijima (@nozo0806) on Sep 13 As a means of enforcing its iconic brand image Chanel makes a point of choosing models that reflect its aesthetic The label’s latest muse is none other than Nozomi Iijima She was chosen for their last campaign ‘Code Coco’ Nozomi Ijima started ballet at the age of 6 She moved to the United States at the age of 15 to pursue her dream and to great success; she became the first ballet soloist at the Houston Ballet in Texas after nearly a decade with the company institution (save from a one-year detour to Zurich) took office as a beauty ambassador in January The Heritage of Issey Miyake’s Itajime Shirt Traditional tattoos were strong signifiers; murderers had head tattoos The series 'Hysteric Ten' by photographer Sawatari Hajime revisits one of the most sulphurous relationships in Japanese art Nagisa Oshima made Sada Abe the heroine of his film defying the codes of 'pinku eiga' that make men the focus of attention This rice soup seasoned with miso is served by a monk to Ashitaka one of the heroes in Hayao Miyazaki's film we interviewed its founder and chief representative has competed across the globe to earn points on the pro circuit in order to qualify for the Olympic Games in Paris this summer triathlete Manami Iijima-Martin has accomplished her goal of qualifying for the Olympic Games in Paris The only two-time GSPN Athlete of the Year recipient (2017,2023) Iijima-Martin traveled the globe representing Guam against the world’s best in the gruesome sport of triathlon sacrificing time away from family to pursue her dream Iijima-Martin continued to improve on her times and earn valuable points to surge up the rankings The goal was to be in the top 180 in rankings by the cutoff date The Guam Triathlon Federation announced on their Facebook page that Iijima-Martin moved up 10 spots in the world rankings and now sits at number 137 more than enough to qualify for the Olympics Her last race before the cutoff date was over the weekend in Osaka Her 9th place finishing performance in Japan was just icing on the cake for Iijima-Martin I’d say I’m very lucky to focus on something I’m passionate about but I wouldn’t change a thing,” Iijima-Martin said “The team I have around me understands what I need to do Now that Iijima-Martin is qualified for the Olympic Games There is little time to celebrate as she makes her way back to Guam after enjoying a few days in Japan with her husband and I’ll have a solid training block,” Iijima-Martin said “Then it’s off to Europe to race a couple races before the Olympics and be in the time zone.” the Oceania Flag will be used for the Games Iijima-Martin will be a representative under the Oceania region which includes Island nations in the Pacific Team Guam now has three athletes who have earned their spot in the Olympics Iijima-Martin joins sisters Mia and R’kaela Aquino representing the Guam Amatuer Wrestling Federation Iijima-Martin is also a national triathlon champion and recently won two gold medals at the Mini Pacific Games last year in Saipan The road to Paris was not a solo journey with too many people to mention that has helped her along the way Ultra Q and Ultraman‘s director and writer Toshihiro Iijima passed away over the weekend at age 89 it was reported that Toshihiro Iijima passed away at age 89 The cause of death was aspiration pneumonia a form of pneumonia caused by breathing in substances such as saliva or vomit which leads to infection in the lungs Iijima passed on October 17th at 8:59 pm JST in a Yokohama hospital he also produced and directed 1983’s Kinyobi no Tsumatachi e drama series IMDb also credits Iijima with directing 1972’s Daigoro vs Iijima worked on the Ultra Series well past TBS’s age of retirement which he reached in 1992 It’s thanks to Toshihiro Iijima’s contributions that Ultraman and many kaiju Sources: Mainichi Shinbun via Twitter, Anime News Network A Game Design and Production graduate of the Class of 2019 He enjoys reverse engineering and analyzing the deeper meaning of video games This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed. Enter your email address to subscribe to the Tokusatsu Network and receive notifications of new posts by email History is often fragmented into national or regional frameworks Professor Mariko Iijima of the Faculty of Foreign Studies observes the migration histories of migrants and agricultural commodities from a global historical perspective I have long been engaged in the historical research of Japanese migrants to Hawai‘i from the late 19th century to the first half of the 20th century and am particularly interested in those who worked on coffee farms in Kona which occurred to me when I visited Kona during my college years: why is coffee being cultivated on the Hawaiian Islands by Japanese migrants I learned that the transportation of coffee trees and Japanese migrants to Hawai‘i shared a fascinating intertwined history This discovery prompted me to apply a global historical approach in my research to examine Hawai‘i from the perspective of human and material networks and the relationships that formed through global translational movements I have investigated the history of sugar cultivation and production which became the main industry of Hawai‘i since the late 19th century sugar could not be produced without African slave labor until the mid-19th century by the time the sugar industry the islands This led to the international migration of Asians and the Philippines to plantations in Hawai‘i and the introduction of agricultural commodities to the Pacific Islands followed by migrations of various ethnic groups brought significant transformations including certain damaging effects and the extinction of species I attempt to uncover these multifaceted impacts on global migration at a local level in the Asia-Pacific region my visit to a coffee plantation during a trip to Hawai‘i when I was a university sophomore was the starting point for my research I had the opportunity to meet a Japanese American coffee farmer and remember being astounded by the fact that he only spoke English which sparked my interest in researching the history of Japanese migrants in the context of US history I wrote a senior thesis on this topic at Sophia University over the course of my graduate research in the UK I began wondering why Japanese migration history had hardly been examined in the fields of Japanese and US history I realized that as long as history was viewed within geographical and national frameworks Approaching history from a global perspective was key to addressing this I started to investigate how people arriving from Europe and Asia envisioned the Pacific World in the early 18th century By collecting and examining a wide variety of archival documents I try to grasp how such globetrotters as explorers This is the time one of the coffee varieties was transplanted by a British gardener in Hawai‘i which later became the most influential one in Kona Behind this story is the plant imperialism of the British Empire where the transfer of plants via the empire was an essential means of establishing its influence in “unknown” worlds I believe this research will enable me to clarify how the traffic of people and ideas involving the Hawaiian Islands and other Pacific regions at the time not only identifies the Pacific as a hub of global history but also contributes to an in-depth understanding of its current situation There is a tendency to believe that history is not directly connected to solving the issues faced by modern society if we extract social and class issues related to ethnicity we find clues to the roots of how such impartial power dynamics became justified and institutionalized I often tell my students that questioning what they perceive as norms is essential when teaching Japanese immigration history and the global history of food I want them to think critically about everything from the foods they eat to the commodities they use daily they will identify the imbalanced power dynamics between producer and consumer countries which are strongly connected to issues of race I would like them to pursue answers to these questions through independent thinking from multifaceted viewpoints untethered to preconceived ideas even in relation to mundane aspects of our everyday lives unlocks the enormous potential of learning from history “Teikoku no Furontyia wo Motomete” (In Search of Our Frontier: Japanese America and Settler Colonialism in the Construction of Japan’s Borderless Empire) by Eiichiro Azuma I translated this book in 2022 from English to Japanese Based on extensive archival examinations of the experiences of Japanese migrants to the US and Hawai‘i this book reveals that their knowledge of US-style agriculture was vital in expanding the Japanese empire across Asia The Knot- Nexus of Knowledge by Sophia Professors Observing the world through global history: transcending regional frameworks and borders BC Law Professor Alfred C. Yen will receive the 2016-2017 Professor Chris Kando Iijima Teacher and Mentor Award Established by the Conference of Asian Pacific American Law Faculty (CAPALF) it honors the life and achievements of Chris Iijima who was a CAPALF member and a beloved and distinguished teacher and scholar at the NYU School of Law and the University of Hawai’i Richardson School of Law The award recognizes an outstanding law teacher has achieved excellence in the areas of public service and teaching It is particularly aimed at law teachers who have provided support and tenth conferences were held at BC Law Professor Yen is a graduate of Stanford University and Harvard Law School. Before joining the faculty in 1987, he practiced law in Los Angeles for four years at the firm of Sheppard, Mullin, Richter, and Hampton. Play Duration: 9 minutes 2 seconds9m Presented by Guamanian triathlete and Olympian-to-be, Manami Iijima, says she wants to inspire young athletes in Guam and the Pacific. Iijima became the first athlete from the Pacific Islands to qualify for the Olympics when she finished in 9th place at triathlon event in Japan last month.The gruelling event involves a 1500km swim, 10km run and 40km cycle. "It's kind of surreal and I'm super excited, I've never been to the Olympic games...one of the world triathlon leaders told me that I'm doing more than I think, inspiring young children in other islands." FooterABCABC PacificABC Pacific is the trusted voice in the Pacific Stream PBS SoCal and your favorite PBS programs to your TV and devices wherever Celebrate AAPI Month on PBS SoCal all May with exclusive programs Find full episodes and educational games from Curious George Support PBS SoCal and watch full seasons of your favorite shows Nobuko Miyamoto realized that the only way to hear songs that spoke of her life's struggles was to write them herself It was the summer of 1970 when the words and music came together for "We Are the Children," a song that would galvanize her and her fellow Asian Americans Nina Simone or Victor Jara to sing to them where the answers may be blowing a young Japanese American musician and activist working with Asian Americans for Action "We Are the Children" was their first "intentionally written song," an homage to their immigrant grandparents and the struggles they faced: We are the children of the migrant workerWe are the offspring of the concentration campSons and daughters of the railroad workerWho leave their stamp on America.. Miyamoto and Iijima had paired up as a folk duo in Chicago where they were meeting with members of JACL (Japanese American Citizens League) for what was the first congregation of Japanese American activists from both coasts The city was still reeling from the FBI's murder of young Black Panther leader Fred Hampton When Iijima brought out his guitar one night and began singing Miyamoto didn't miss a beat in realizing the power of what she was hearing She began harmonizing and their voices quickly coalesced as one united by their shared commitment to right the injustices suffered by their people Watching war movies with the next-door neighborSecretly rooting for the other side and now you're saying we can't sing this song!" Even a powerful executive and a global pop culture icon couldn't ignore her anguish and convictions "Usually people know very little about Asians," Miyamoto said on camera as Iijima began plucking the intro on the guitar Miyamoto also emphasizes the need for people to know more stories about Asian women especially in light of the recent massacre of six Asian women in Atlanta-area spas and how the victims were portrayed by the media after all these many years of being in America have such a limited image of what Asian women are," she said "We need to show the many faces of who we are the many sides and the many lives that we've lived." The title is a reference to "Madame Butterfly," the Puccini opera often criticized for its racist stereotypes namely its portrayal of Asian and Japanese women as docile and submissive toward white men "Not Yo' Butterfly" is also the title of a song from "120,000 Stories," her solo album released on Smithsonian Folkways in January 2021 I've had to walk my own path — and it's made me stronger." "I was born where I didn't belong." So begins Miyamoto's book and her life's constant struggle to come to terms with her identity as an American-born Japanese with mixed heritage She was born JoAnne Nobuko Miyamoto in Los Angeles in 1939 In December 1941 Japan attacked Pearl Harbor and the trajectory of her and her family's life was forever changed The ensuing war planted inside her a seed from which her powerful work as an activist musician Miyamoto's earliest memory takes place at The Santa Anita Park racetrack in Arcadia but couldn't see any jockeys riding horses around Instead all she saw were row after row of Japanese families waiting in line for a meager meal of rationed canned food There were 18,000 Japanese from the Southland being held at the horse stables there until they could be shipped off to one of ten concentration camps expressly built following FDR's signing of Executive Order 9066 on February 19 the majority of whom were American citizens were incarcerated at the concentration camps or "relocation centers" as they were officially called uncles and grandparents were sent away to Gila River in Arizona and Heart Mountain in Wyoming where her father volunteered to go harvest sugar beets Grandpa Tokumatsu "Harry" Miyamoto was a first generation Japanese immigrant who came to work on the railroads there where against all odds he met and married Grandma Lucy It was a time when state laws and religious rules prohibited interracial marriage stayed put in Idaho until the end of the war After the war Miyamoto and her family moved back to L.A First in the Jefferson Park neighborhood in South L.A. Where they ended up in their constant "relocations" were determined in large part by the presence Japanese and other people of color from owning houses Nobuko's neighborhood interactions were with kids of diverse backgrounds — not necessarily in a good way "You dirty Jap!" She remembers hearing from a white boy "We don't want to play with someone like you!" Those words came from a Japanese girl They were painful reminders that a sense of belonging wasn't going to come easy for her So she turned to devoting herself to dance Through dance Nobuko began finding her place But she also saw firsthand the inequities within the world of show business She had to be twice as good as everyone else just to have the same opportunities her instructor told her — and she knew exactly what he meant by that "I knew I was pushing into a world not made for me," she writes A workshop with Sister Corita Kent showed her the power of art-activism and reminded her to question everything and break all the rules "The King and I," "Les Girls," "The Flower Drum Song" and "West Side Story" were some of the more notable films and productions in which Miyamoto appeared as a dancer "I knew a part of me was missing," she writes Some film and TV work she would rather forget included parts in "Laramie," "The Doris Day Show," "Confessions of an Opium Eater," "I Spy" and "Women of the Prehistoric Planet." Her roles included a geisha and "a Martian who kills her brother to help White earthlings." "They were horrible," she writes "Asians are looked at as pushovers at everything just because we haven't been as vocal and insistent as other groups have referring to the lack of understanding and representation of Asians within American media Recent critical successes of films like "Minari" and "Parasite" notwithstanding she stresses the need to keep pressing forward who have really paved and shown the way of using their talents to create a voice that shows a spectrum of who they are as a people — we have a ways to go for that," she said "And that's going to take a lot of determination." "A Grain of Sand" also includes "Yellow Pearl" as well as "Free the Land," featuring backing vocals from Mutulu Shakur Black liberation activist and stepfather of Tupac and Attallah Ayyubi a fellow "citizen" of the Republic of New Africa (RNA) — which "saw Black people as an oppressed colony within the United States" — and the father of Miyamoto's son Kamau Miyamoto and Ayyubi had been introduced by Yuri Kochiyama the revolutionary activist and a friend of Malcolm X working alongside the RNA to "free the land," which was their mantra Kochiyama and Miyamoto had initially met at a party for the Young Lords a political activist organization mainly comprising Puerto Ricans and other Latinos in America and was the "third of four chapters in his short book of names," following Peter Jeffreys and Peter X she was urged by Mfalme to begin using her Japanese name my life and values as JoAnne shattered," she writes As the mother and grandmother of Black children "There's a trauma that all Black people carry," she said and it's something that she believes is intergenerational wasn't just an isolated incident that affected Black individuals It had the effect of triggering "echoes of incidents that had happened to their families Father." Her son's father Ayyubi was shot and killed in an ambush at a mosque in Brooklyn when the child was just ten weeks old For "120,000 Stories," Miyamoto recorded new versions of songs from "A Grain of Rice." "Those lyrics still have meaning today," she said "We Are The Children" was redone in a more deliberate and reflective style "Somos Asiaticos (We Are Asians)," a song written in Spanish a scrappy community coffeehouse in Manhattan that became the cultural center for Latin American and Indigenous activists and musicians "The song opened their hearts and drew our communities closer," she writes in the book The new recording gives "reason for people of color to stand up for themselves," Miyamoto said "and force the system to do the right thing." a project of the community arts organization Great Leap that Miyamoto founded in 1978 is yet another example of how she brings different communities together through music A collaboration with award-winning Chicano musician Quetzal Flores Fandangobon is a participatory music and dance event a fusion of Latin American- and Japanese-style traditions the name itself a portmanteau of fandango and obon from Veracruz It's "one of these rare moments that hundreds of people come together and just dance," Miyamoto said participants walked across the First Street Bridge from Self-Help Graphics in Boyle Heights to Zenshuji temple in Little Tokyo — a literal bridging of the two historic communities of color "To do it and connect with culture and who you are and what you believe in and to feel oneness with other people — it's powerful." Some have questioned her use of "brothers" and "sisters" as a non-Black person She encourages all of us to acknowledge and embrace the reality that we are all a part of many worlds I want to open the lens so that we can see each other more deeply and more fully." When asked where she would place herself in the history of Asian American activism Miyamoto said she feels a part of a movement tradition that has long tried to build community and politics through art "I'm one of those connector roots that has wound up connecting with the Black community and now connecting with the Latino community," she said I'm really a part of that weaving of roots to create something bigger than ourselves." PBS SoCal is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.Tax ID: 95-2211661 The expected tariff cost is significantly lower than the $4 billion to $5 billion crosstown rival General Motors estimates which Ford attributes to its higher mix of U.S.-built vehicles The story of Fitzroy’s Ramen Ako’s feels like it was lifted straight from a Japanese drama Owner Sho Iijima moved from Kanagawa Prefecture in Japan to Melbourne in 2008 for university he found himself missing the comfort of the traditional chicken soup his mother would make when he was a kid – especially when he was sick started making her chicken soup and shared it with uni friends who he says he was working at the Melbourne office of a Japanese trading house Lockdowns prompted him to rethink his career after a while you don’t feel there’s any purpose,” Sho told Broadsheet But making ramen made him feel grounded and connected after 10 years at his desk job and “a few years of deep consideration” travel spots and more – curated by those who know After briefly working part-time at a CBD ramen shop to learn the ropes Sho is now living a Japanese salaryman’s dream – working solo in the kitchen of his own 31-seat shop and serving a limited 80 to 100 bowls a day with a few snacks and just three types of ramen There’s the signature chintan (clear) chicken broth and paitan (thickened chicken) broth Both use a salt-based seasoning and are served topped with nori crunchy bamboo shoots and a touch of chicken oil “While [pork-based] tonkotsu ramen once dominated the mainstream I believe that chicken is now taking centre stage with many of the top ramen restaurants in Japan serving chicken-based ramen,” Sho says The vegan bowl (also adapted from Ako’s recipe) uses a shiitake and brown mushroom broth and is topped with mushroom paste and torched fried tofu “chashu” an off-menu spicy fourth bowl can be created by mixing in the house-made chilli oil paste – a combination of Sichuan pepper Sho uses an imported machine to make all the noodles for the shop The 1.25-millimetre-thick low-hydration noodles are made from Australian wheat and single-serve bottles of saké from Niigata round out the drinks list You’ll see it most prominently when you polish off the bowl of ramen and see Ako’s calligraphy with a heart drawn at the bottom @ramenakosfitzroy Bakeries and Restaurants That Opened or Closed in April 32 of the Hottest Dishes and Drinks in Melbourne Right Now Menu Reveal: Five Things To Order at Junda Khoo’s Ho Liao First Look: Filipino Pop-Up Palay Moves to Fitzroy for Good has announced that on August 4th Iijima tested positive for COVID-19 he came down with a fever of 37.5 degrees Celcius (98 degrees Fahrenheit) on August 2nd and took a PCR test he is only experiencing minor symptoms and his fever has since come down His agency released the following message: In accordance with the Health Department and the Ministry of Health we are taking the right precautions to ensure his (Iijima) health Source: Natalie Metrics details THE synthesis of molecular carbon structures in the form of C60 and other fullerenes1 has stimulated intense interest in the structures accessible to graphitic carbon sheets Here I report the preparation of a new type of finite carbon structure consisting of needle-like tubes Produced using an arc-discharge evaporation method similar to that used for fullerene synthesis the needles grow at the negative end of the electrode used for the arc discharge Electron microscopy reveals that each needle comprises coaxial tubes of graphitic sheets On each tube the carbon-atom hexagons are arranged in a helical fashion about the needle axis The helical pitch varies from needle to needle and from tube to tube within a single needle It appears that this helical structure may aid the growth process ranging from a few to a few tens of nanometres in diameter suggests that engineering of carbon structures should be possible on scales considerably greater than those relevant to the fullerenes Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout Download references NEC Corporation, Fundamental Research Laboratories, 34 Miyukigaoka, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305, Japan https://www.nature.com/nature Reprints and permissions Download citation Sumio Iijima announced in Nature the preparation of nanometre-size needle-like tubes of carbon — now familiar as 'nanotubes' Used in microelectronic circuitry and microscopy and as a tool to test quantum mechanics and model biological systems nanotubes seem to have unlimited potential Kamen Rider Ex-Aid’s Hiroki Iijima has been discharged from the hospital after testing positive for COVID-19 Actor Hiroki Iijima has been discharged from the hospital following his COVID-19 diagnosis known for his portrayal of Emu Hojo in Kamen Rider Ex-Aid was recently hospitalized after testing positive for the coronavirus on August 5 Iijima posted on his social media to assure his fans that he has made a safe recovery following his hospitalization He also expressed his gratitude towards the medical professionals who took care of him he advised his friends and fans to take extra safety precautions as the number of coronavirus cases are currently growing Time has passed since I’ve undergone medical treatment at my designated Healthcare Center I am so sorry for making everyone worry about me I want to show my deep gratitude for the medical professionals who took care of me but the reality is that the number of infected is increasing I will continue to be careful in the future Source: Instagram Hardcore Kamen Rider Dragon Knight enthusiast