Marie Ann Osaki passed away peacefully on February 2 she carried a warmth and kindness that touched the lives of many Marie was a devoted mother to James Osaki and Wesley Osaki (Yumiko) She was preceded in death by her husband Seiro Osaki and her son She found immense joy in her grandchildren Elizabeth Miller (Donald) and Janet Le Blanc She was preceded in death by her siblings Mildred Araujo Marie was the daughter of the late Seraphine Jacintho and Mary Gomes Marie devoted twenty years of service to Hale Kau Kau at St Her dedication and commitment to doing what she loved most made her a pillar in the success of the organization today followed by a luncheon in her honor on Tuesday The Rosary will begin at 9:15am followed by a Eulogy at 9:45am Marie’s memory will live on in the hearts of those who knew and loved her Copyright © 2025 Maui News Publishing Company LTD | https://www.mauinews.com | 100 Mahalani Street Dean Willow Bay has appointed USC senior communications leader Glenn Osaki to succeed Clayton Dube, who is retiring as director of the USC U.S.-China Institute (USCI) the institute advances mutual understanding between the U.S professional and cultural exchange that is student-centered and industry-engaged USCI provides: research and collaboration opportunities for students and scholars; tailored training career services and supportive networks for diverse student groups and alumni; and partnership for industries of practice.  “This era of transformational change requires cross-cultural collaboration,” Bay said “Leveraging the breadth and depth of USC Annenberg’s expertise and networks USCI is the ideal platform to help global journalists communicators and creators navigate the dynamics of new media and culture that are shaping the U.S and China We support our students and alumni around the globe with programs that build meaningful bridges across academe Osaki served as senior vice president and chief communications officer international communications and marketing He spearheaded the university’s approach to global branding and international thought leadership elevating USC’s visibility and reputation throughout Asia Osaki was based in Shanghai for 15 years prior to joining USC the flagship strategic communications and public affairs consultancy of Publicis Groupe.  Osaki serves on a number of industry and community boards, including the USC Annenberg Center for Public Relations and the USC Asian Pacific Islander Faculty and Staff Association He received his MA in public relations from the USC School of Journalism in 1987.  “The critical role that the USC U.S.-China Institute plays in advancing mutual understanding between these two nations has never been more important,” Osaki said “I am honored to take on leadership of the institute from such a respected expert as Clayton Dube Building upon the institute’s strengths in academic research and educational programs I will strive to deepen its service to students and engagement with industry.” USCI became an authoritative resource for scholars and journalists seeking information on research trends and issues related to China and its relationship to the U.S Dube will continue to be involved with USCI as a member of its Executive Committee and as a senior fellow “Glenn Osaki has vital experience working between the U.S “He’s a collaborative and innovative leader No bilateral relationship is as complex or as important as the U.S.-China relationship USCI has worked to foster deeper understanding of the many ways the U.S We’ve done this through student and faculty research our student-driven magazine (US-China Today) our documentaries such as Assignment: China and our training programs for K-12 educators and others It’s been a privilege to be a part of these efforts and I look forward to the initiatives to come.” USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism | 3502 Watt Way | Los Angeles © 2025 University of Southern California Northwest Asian Weekly November 4, 2024 By Filmmakers generally start with a sense of who inspires them filmwise In the case of activist filmmaker Jon Osaki “I never thought about making movies growing up,” remembered Osaki whose documentary film “Reparations: Building Solidarity & Community,” on the Black reparations movement “The whole idea seemed way too large and unattainable my oldest brother created a slideshow that was synced to music and I thought it was one of the coolest things I had ever seen Seeing a story told with images in combination with perfectly-paired music was extremely intriguing.” Asked about professional filmmakers that inspire him “There aren’t any particular filmmakers that come to mind I have been a child and youth development activist for over 30 years I saw filmmaking as an extension of my advocacy work that could reach an unlimited audience I am entirely self-taught with the help of some very generous filmmaker friends I am fortunate to be a natural storyteller and it was just a matter of learning how to use film to share an idea or cause in a way that is compelling and insightful.” Osaki grew up near San Francisco’s Twin Peaks but spent a lot of his childhood visiting the city’s Japantown and my father had his architectural office there as well so a lot of our family’s activities centered around the neighborhood I was really fortunate to grow up in an area with a thriving Japanese American community “I was also very aware of the connection between Japantown and the larger Western Addition of San Francisco There is a long history of allyship between the two communities from the time that both were targeted for eviction during the urban renewal movement of the 1960s and 1970s.”  Osaki’s first professionally-produced feature documentary was “Alternative Facts: The Lies of Executive Order 9066.” to draw attention to the parallels between the false information that led to the incarceration of my parents and 120,000 other Japanese Americans during WWII I was also determined to screen that film widely before the 2020 Presidential election I was approached by a national health organization the Asian Pacific Islander American Health Forum to produce a short documentary [“Not Your Model Minority”] on the model minority myth for their virtual conference That film was helpful in understanding the ways that systemic racism in this country thrives by communities of color being pitted against each other.” “Through my advocacy work during the pandemic I was approached by a national coalition of civil rights organizations to produce a short documentary on the Black reparations movement This happened shortly after the George Floyd murder and it seemed like the right moment to reintroduce this effort through my work with local Black leaders in San Francisco I had relationships with knowledgeable individuals who trusted me to represent the issue I was able to identify others who could speak to the issue of Black reparations and from there the film took off “I have had the privilege of screening ‘Reparations’ all over the country and the goal is always the same I’d like attendees to gain an understanding of how the Black community has been systemically prevented from accumulating wealth I would like audiences to get more comfortable talking about this issue and understanding how everyone benefits from leveling the playing field.” Soothe sore muscles and sink into top-tier comfort She has experience writing shopping content and is passionate about home The chair has impressive lumbar support and a super comfortable recline It may not be as intuitive for shorter people to use this massage chair is a force to be reckoned with We were amazed by how relaxed we felt after using it (especially when reclined) reclined | Material: Polypropylene | Massage Areas: Full body We appreciated this chair's variety of advanced yet intuitive features especially at $1,200 less than our top pick It left us feeling more relaxed and limber but you are getting what you pay for: The pressure isn’t quite as intense reclined | Material: Faux leather | Massage Areas: Full body It has five massage techniques and good compression for the hands and feet and the control panel on the armrest is hard to use while lying down this is the most advanced model on our list—and the most expensive | Material: Faux leather | Massage Areas: Full body If you don’t have space for a full-size massage chair or just want something more portable this gives you all the relaxation of a traditional massage chair without the large footprint or steep price It’s surprisingly effective for its size and convenient for on-the-go use The authors write "The first two months of the Trump Administration have brought deep and widespread changes to the Department of Justice (DOJ) Those changes will likely affect most aspects of the DOJ’s operations but will have perhaps their greatest impact on the department’s role in investigating and prosecuting white collar crime." By Richard Weber and Seth Farber and Samantha Osaki Masataka Osaki is the Japan Country Manager and VP of World Wide Field Operations at NVIDIA Masataka has extensive experience managing various teams and leading marketing efforts He holds an MBA from Tokyo Metropolitan University and is based in Tokyo From call centers to factories to hospitals, AI is sweeping Japan. Undergirding it all: the exceptional resources of the island nation’s world-class universities and global technology leaders such as Fujitsu,… Read Article NVIDIA and SoftBank Group CEOs to describe advancements in AI ecosystem, including generative AI, both in Japan and globally, at an exclusive event…. Read Article Following an announcement by Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, NVIDIA will play a central role in developing the nation’s generative AI infrastructure as Japan seeks to capitalize on… Read Article 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 Today's print edition Home Delivery East Japan Railway will suspend portions of Tokyo’s busy Yamanote and Keihin-Tohoku lines over the weekend as it carries out track-switching work for the planned access line to Haneda Airport Sections of the outer loop of the Yamanote Line and the Keihin-Tohoku Line will be shut down all day Saturday and from the start of service through around noon on Sunday.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); }); the Yamanote Line will not operate between Ueno Tokyo and Osaki stations on the outer loop The Keihin-Tohoku Line will also be suspended between Higashi-Jujo and Shinagawa stations In a time of both misinformation and too much information quality journalism is more crucial than ever.By subscribing Your subscription plan doesn't allow commenting. To learn more see our FAQ Sponsored contents planned and edited by JT Media Enterprise Division Investigative stories and local news updates Coverage of the Hawaiʻi State legislature in 2025 Award winning in-depth reports and featured on-going series Get the week’s news delivered straight to your inbox The case was unsuccessful in criminal court but civil cases have a lower standard of proof After a criminal jury declined to convict Honolulu’s former prosecutor and employees of Mitsunaga & Associates for conspiring to violate an ex-employee’s civil rights the former employee is taking the case to civil court Mau’s attorney Carl Osaki is using the facts from the criminal case and presenting them in a civil rights lawsuit District Court on Friday names Kaneshiro; the City and County of Honolulu; former deputy prosecutor Jacob Delaplane; former prosecutor’s office investigator Vernon Branco; former CEO Dennis Mitsunaga; his associates Aaron Fujii Terri Ann Otani and Sheri Tanaka; and Mitsunaga friend and client Rudy Alivado The suit alleges the defendants deprived Mau of her rights that Kaneshiro and Delaplane engaged in a malicious prosecution and that Mitsunaga’s team fraudulently concealed its communications with Kaneshiro’s office It seeks compensatory and punitive damages attorney’s fees and other relief deemed appropriate by the court Unfortunately, being named a finalist for a Pulitzer prize doesn’t make us immune to financial pressures. The fact is, our revenue hasn’t kept pace with our need to grow, and we need your help Civil Beat is a nonprofit, reader-supported newsroom based in Hawaiʻi. We’re looking to build a more resilient, diverse and deeply impactful media landscape, and we hope you’ll help by supporting our essential journalism. Civil Beat has been named the best overall news site in Hawaii for the 14th year in a row by the Society of Professional Journalists Hawaii Chapter. Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker He incorporates testing into everyday tasks like showering with swim goggles and jumping rope while doing laundry Let’s come right out and say it: No one absolutely needs a massage chair They’re expensive devices that take up a lot of room and they are no substitute for physical therapy or real pain management a great massage chair can melt away stress and provide a sense of relaxation in a matter of minutes offers the closest thing you can get to a real massage this chair—which has 12 massage programs—hit targeted areas better than any model we tested This chair’s touchscreen lets you quickly scan through 15 massage programs and this model particularly excels at lower-back and foot massages Health conditionsPeople with circulation issues or who experience a lack of sensation should check with a doctor before using a massage chair Intensity settingsA good massage chair should allow you to customize the strength of the massage Reclining featuresMany massage chairs recline at least partially and we preferred those with the option to lie fully supine WarrantyBuying a massage chair is an investment We picked chairs with at least a three-year warranty from sore feet to achy glutes to tight shoulders Its zero-gravity reclining feature is easy to control with a button that slowly elevates the chair and its LCD screen remote allows for quick and easy navigation through the 12 massage programs This model has a four-year warranty and is recommended for users up to 6-foot-2 and 300 pounds this chair has more control options—voice control; a colorful user-friendly touch screen; and a set of knobs on the right armrest (though some testers thought the knobs took up unnecessary space) The chair has a three-year warranty and can accommodate users up to 6-foot-1 and 300 pounds But some testers said they felt cramped in it and they noted that the 15 pre-programmed massages didn’t target all muscle areas as well as our top pick If you like the sensation of a deep-tissue massage “But it will help sort of tonify the whole system.” Every expert we spoke with said that getting a massage from a licensed therapist is better than the experience you get in a massage chair or with a massage gun. Those devices may release tension, but “if a true injury is causing pain, it will likely need further evaluation and attention,” said Emily Rosati, a physical therapist at Ohio State Medical Center All of the experts we spoke with agreed that it’s important to consult a physician before using a massage chair particularly if you have a preexisting health condition massage chairs are often touted for their ability to help circulate blood but they shouldn’t be relied on as a treatment according to Queensborough Community College’s Isabella Lizzul and Ronald Kornfeld Walking is often a better way to help circulation anyway and simply raising your arms overhead can increase heart rate someone may benefit from using a massage chair after intense physical training or if they have a medical condition that takes a toll on the body People who have busy schedules or live far away from massage therapists may also want to de-stress in the comfort of their own home Most massage chairs come with a hefty price tag it’s worth considering how the chair will be delivered and whether you’re able to carry and assemble it without the assistance of outside help we’ve determined that a good massage chair should be sturdy accommodate people who weigh up to at least 260 pounds But the industry is also flooded with models from unfamiliar brands Some offer features like “air ionization” or “chromotherapy,” the benefits of which are dubious we read numerous editorial and customer reviews online And to identify the most widely available brands we scanned the websites of major retailers we further culled our list based on the following criteria: almost two-dozen Wirecutter and New York Times staff members tested six massage-chair options These testers ranged in size from about 100 pounds to 300 pounds and up to 6 feet tall as well as how easy it was to get in and out of the device which helps the chair cater to individuals of different sizes It has five different massage techniques and 12 programs (from full-body to targeted neck and shoulder massages) And this chair has a voice assistant and can create and store three custom massage programs It comes with a four-year warranty and can accommodate people up to 6-foot-2 and 300 pounds (among the best warranties and weight capacities we’ve seen) Testers were impressed with the body-scanning feature’s accuracy: One noted that the massage quality felt “deep without being uncomfortable.” That distinction is important according to physical therapist Emily Rosati “There are safety recommendations regarding the amount of pressure that is recommended for various health conditions,” she said “There is such a thing of moving fluid too quickly that can be overloading for the body to process.” Clearly labeled buttons on the Kyota Genki M380’s remote enable a zero-gravity mode which mimics a feeling of weightlessness while you’re suspended in a supine position One tester noted that this chair’s zero-gravity feature was not only comfortable but also felt secure “Some of the other chairs made me anxious,” they said it did improve my overall massage experience.” Kyota chairs have a four-year warranty on structure A company representative (Kyota’s customer service is based in New Hampshire) said replacement parts are available for purchase noting that “simple part replacement by mail may be $50 but in home parts and service could easily be several hundred dollars.” Extended service plans are available for additional fees Testers were mixed on the Kyota Genki M380’s warming capabilities Some of our testers thought the warming options were just right; others found them to be too hot or they had difficulty adjusting the temperature of the massage The Kyota Genki M380 usually retails for $7,000 though we often found it on sale for $4,000 it doesn’t have features like a touchscreen for easy access to a chair’s various modes Because the chair is controlled by a handheld remote you may have to disrupt your massage (by pulling your arms out of the massage slots in the chair’s arms) to manually change programs or settings which gives you more control over the rhythm of your massage But the chair particularly excels at lower-back and foot massages The Massamax MT339 also has good reclining features but some testers thought the abundance of programs and controls was overkill (Taller users also thought that the chair felt cramped.) This massage chair comes with a three-year warranty and a weight capacity of 300 pounds The touchscreen makes it easy to customize a massage The Massamax MT339 has a touchscreen on the left armrest allowing you to pinpoint where you’d like the massage rollers to go and with what level of intensity or motion “The touchscreen was wonderful,” one tester said so it was easy to adjust as needed.” Another tester noted “It also enables me to see what part of my body the chair is supposed to target at a given moment.” The chair also enables voice control for a hands-free option to change settings so you don’t have to interrupt your massage session It gives exceptional back and foot massages Once our testers became familiar with cycling through the Massamax MT339’s various massage programs they particularly loved the chair’s massages on the lower back and feet “It was the best I’ve tested on my lower back,” one tester said Another tester remarked that the chair had “excellent variety and power on the intensity settings.” And yet another tester said “The feet were nice and subtle instead of painful roller balls It did not squeeze too hard.” Compared with other machines the Massamax MT330 had more-spacious leg and foot areas whereas other chairs made testers’ legs feel trapped this was a hard chair to leave!” the tester noted It comes with solid warranty and service options. Although the Massamax MT339’s warranty is one year shorter than that of our top pick there are several options for service after the warranty period Customers can contact Massamax customer service and the company will provide the necessary parts for purchase It also offers troubleshooting solutions and assists customers in finding a technician The touchscreen and voice control are helpful features that turns on the chair and lets you change its positioning Some testers said they would have preferred a simpler layout Although the Massamax MT339 advertises itself as accommodating users up to 300 pounds and a height of 6-foot-1 some of our taller testers did not seem as comfortable in it like the torso of the chair wasn’t high enough.” Another tester noticed the body scan set their shoulder height “at a weird position.” This made some of the programmed massages feel like they weren’t exactly hitting targeted areas It doesn’t heat as well as our top pick. A majority of our testers did not find the heating feature to be satisfactory, with three testers specifically saying it “should have been warmer.” Our top pick offers very intense—yet not overwhelming—heat massages muscles with a variety of movements This machine costs a lot less than our current picks But ultimately it lacks the extensive program options and intuitive controls found on pricier options The OS-Champ also has a lower weight capacity (260 pounds) than those of our current picks the manual warns that this chair “may make more noise and the fabric cover may wear out faster.” In our most recent round of testing many testers did not like the fabric texture of the arm-massage area The OS-Champ is backed by a three-year warranty and it’s a solid option if our picks aren’t on sale HoMedics backs this model with a two-year warranty With the proper care, including regular cleaning, a massage chair can potentially last a decade or more Our picks are both made of synthetic leather which manufacturers recommend wiping down with a damp cloth or a mild cleaner users should keep the chair out of direct sunlight to prevent aging And users should regularly inspect the power cord for wear or damage Mechanical massage chairs are primarily made of materials that can sit in a landfill for years and leach harmful substances into local ecosystems. Also, the motor and other electronic components can get gummed up over periods of prolonged disuse so try and use your chair at least once a week to keep its internals lubricated minimalist aesthetic that appealed to us initially Our testers said its heating feature wasn’t warm enough while the ottoman rotates for a calf massage there’s not really a foot-massage option—unless you’re short enough to rest your feet on the calf massager But if you’re looking for a multi-sensorial massage experience you might enjoy having these built-in features but many of our testers found that it went into sleep mode far too frequently Testers would have to interrupt an arm massage to reach the screen and “wake” the chair up Others noted the chair had a strong fake leather or “off-gassy smell.” It has some nice perks including a wireless charger and one of the best foot massagers among chairs we tested But it couldn’t match our picks in automation: One tester had to continually adjust the leg rests manually while in zero-gravity mode so their legs wouldn’t fold in on themselves Several testers thought the Osaki massaged one specific area well (like the neck or the back) including the “medium” intensity being too strong But others thought targeted pre-programmed massages on areas like the neck and shoulders were not intense enough Those disparities ultimately took this model out of the running “They say it’s impossible not to smile while riding a Jet Ski and you’d think the same would be true of a massage chair but this was a comfortably mid experience that didn’t do much for me,” one tester said and it offers a wide range of features and settings Its performance was on a par with that of the Osaki OS-Champ Measuring 4 feet 8 inches along its longest edge Sarah Witman and Naomi Birnbaum contributed reporting This article was edited by Christina Colizza and Courtney Schley Alan Hedge, professor emeritus in the department of human centered design at Cornell University David Weintraub, licensed massage therapist and owner, Bodyworks Massage Therapy Emily Rosati, physical therapist, Ohio State Medical Center Isabella Lizzul, assistant professor and program coordinator of the Massage Therapy Program I’m particularly interested in gear designed for people trying new physical activities Therabody’s $200 smart goggles offer relaxing kneading sensations and vibrations to help you wind down A massage gun pummels muscles in the name of rejuvenation and recovery We tried 24 of them to determine which ones give the best at-home massages From outdoor lounge chairs to musical instruments to puzzles to plants these are the things we rely on to help us relax Compression-massage boots can help speed up recovery time and improve circulation Wirecutter is the product recommendation service from The New York Times Our journalists combine independent research with (occasionally) over-the-top testing so you can make quick and confident buying decisions Whether it’s finding great products or discovering helpful advice we’ll help you get it right (the first time) a tech-savvy elderly woman who lived alone in Nerima Ward When Osaki died this past July at the age of 91 please disable the ad blocking feature and reload the page This website uses cookies to collect information about your visit for purposes such as showing you personalized ads and content By clicking “Accept all,” you will allow the use of these cookies Users accessing this site from EEA countries and UK are unable to view this site without your consent By Akiko Morikawa / Yomiuri Shimbun Senior Writer She was connected to many people not just online I learned about her from her daughter Yuko The Yomiuri Shimbun: Your mother called herself “technologically challenged.” But she started using a computer in 2011 at the age of 78 got married there and currently live in London so I suggested that she use a computer to make online video calls She thought she wasn’t good with technology and even found it difficult to use a DVR But she tried her best by attending a computer class every week in order to interact with me and her grandchildren One of her life mottos was: “It’s fine to quit easily Just start anyway.” If a family member tried to teach her there were times it’d be frustrating all around no matter how many times she asked the same question She posted photos of her cooking paired with alcohol The number of her followers grew to more than 200,000 after she was featured in an online news article Osaki: My mother received a lot of support from her followers When she posted “Good morning” in the morning Yomiuri: She also made connections with people in real life she joined a tai chi group that practiced every morning in the park and made many friends She also liked playing mahjong and regularly went to two different clubs you’ll be hated.” About a week before she died she was very happy that my son had been accepted into college a friend of hers called me on LINE and said I saw no light on in her apartment.” I was connected on LINE with three of her neighbors A resident on an upper floor of the same apartment complex to whom my mother had given a spare key to her apartment went to her apartment and found the door latched I arrived in Japan on the morning of July 25 If I’m absent for three days in a row without notice I hope someone in the group will realize something is wrong.” But they noticed much sooner Osaki: Apparently her cause of death was a cerebral hemorrhage As she was wearing earrings and a bracelet I think she got up once to get ready to go out but she felt sick and went back to bed Yomiuri: Was it your mother’s wish that her death be reported on X Yomiuri: I heard that she also made an end-of-life file She had also already obtained copies of the family register needed to inherit her assets her portrait for her funeral and an estimate for the funeral cost I think she was so meticulous partly because she knew I wouldn’t be able to stay in Japan very long When my mother had stomach cancer surgery years ago my children were still small and I had to leave Japan before she was released from the hospital so I was planning to visit her for a while in around September I’m sorry I didn’t have a chance to say goodbye to her her worries about her twilight years started to fade They helped me prepare for her funeral and brought food to me “You should eat well.” I feel like I’m harvesting the fruits of the seeds my mother planted Hiroko Osaki was born in Ibaraki Prefecture in 1932 She divorced in her 30s and raised her only child titled “Living alone at age 89: How to make a happy life even without money,” about her life at 89 and how to live happily alone frugally Meals for one,” which includes her recipes that were popular when she posted them on X Osaki had been working on it while she was still alive and Yuko completed it Some people are interested in using digital technology but hesitate to get started an associate professor at Nagoya University specializing in social informatics and who studies digitization support for the elderly Urata says that the most frequently asked questions at consultation events for the elderly are how to use LINE and how to send photos on the internet “I recommend starting with what you want to do such as getting in touch with family members more easily or showing photos to friends,” Urata said She also says that local governments are holding an increasing number of classes and consultations while mobile phone companies also give classes on how to use smartphones.“Some people are afraid of using smartphones I advise them to install and use safe apps suggested by knowledgeable people,” she said “The octogenarian grandmother of a graduate student in my lab wanted to post videos on YouTube by herself and learned how to do so by calling various places,” Urata said “I think it’s important to be curious when you are doing something new.” I have no idea what the last days of my life will be like I probably won’t be able to keep up with the new technology listening to her daughter’s account of how Osaki positively started doing various new things and enjoyed life based on her motto that it’s fine to quit easily it makes me feel that I can manage to live while seeking what is within my reach at the time As a woman who is younger than Osaki and lives alone like her I would thank her from the bottom of my heart Our weekly ePaper presents the most noteworthy recent topics in an exciting © 2025 The Japan News - by The Yomiuri Shimbun This fight card featured multiple kickboxing bouts and title matches Volume 12 - 2024 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fbioe.2024.1259138 Motor nerve organoids could be generated by culturing a spheroid of motor neurons differentiated from human induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells within a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) chip which guides direction and fasciculation of axons extended from the spheroid To isolate axon bundles from motor nerve organoids we developed a rapid laser dissection method based on localized photothermal combustion By illuminating a blue laser on a black mark on the culture device using a dry-erase marker we induced highly localized heating near the axon bundles Moving the laser enabled spatial control over the local heating and severing of axon bundles This laser dissection requires a black mark as other colors did not produce the same localized heating effect A CO2 laser destroyed the tissue and the device and could not be used we could rapidly collect abundant pure axon samples from motor nerve organoids for biochemical analysis Extracted axonal proteins and RNA were indistinguishable from manual dissection This method facilitates efficient axon isolation for further analyses biochemical analysis of axons is essential for understanding physiology and dysregulation of axons obtaining highly purified axons in large quantities is technically challenging nerves and axon tracts dissected from in vivo tissues contain a substantial amount of non-neuronal cells which interfere with isolation of axons Neurons are aggregated into a ball-like structure and then plated on a surface where neurons can extend axons radially By physically removing the neural aggregates the axons attached and left on the culture surface can be obtained These techniques are well-established and widely used they are difficult to scale up to consistently obtain large quantities of axons with reasonable labor and time then they grow into the channel due to physical restriction of their growth in the device The axons in the channel spontaneously assemble into a bundle within which axons align unidirectionally Since the bundle structure of axons mimics the motor nerves bridging the spinal cord and the skeletal muscles we named the tissues motor nerve organoids (MNOs) The cell bodies and dendrites stay aggregated in the three-dimensional tissue while axons grow away from them The axon bundle is long (can be over a centimeter) and thick (over 100 μm in diameter) which makes it a good source of abundant axons for biochemical analyses Affordable CO2 laser systems are sold for cutting and engraving materials in a few thousands U.S blue lasers are gaining popularity in material processing and are even less expensive than CO2 laser systems that are commercially available Compared to the 10.6 μm wavelength of CO2 lasers blue lasers use substantially shorter wavelength of around 400 nm This allows the blue light to be tightly focused and to cut target materials more accurately without substantial heat and damage a blue light laser has higher selectivity of target materials based on absorption spectrum which could give it specificity but also restrict its applications we developed a simple and inexpensive method for cutting axonal bundles using a blue light laser to improve reproducibility Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) culture chips were fabricated at Fukoku Bussan, Japan by a standard transfer molding process (Figures 1A, B) with each unit containing 2 holes that are connected by a 150 µm thick microchannel Center-to-center distance between the two holes is 9 mm and inner diameter of each hole is 1.5 mm The PDMS chip was placed on a glass slide (S2112 Japan) for culturing motor nerve organoids (MNOs) Effects of laser cutters on PDMS culture devices (B) A PDMS culture chip and a schematic of PDMS chip cross section and experimental procedure of motor nerve organoid generation (C) A CO2 laser-induced damage on a culture device (D) A marked line next to the PDMS chip induced a dark trace upon blue laser exposure (E) Laser-exposed spot on a colorless surface (e.g. it continues to generate the orange spot at the exposure site (3) moving the orange spot (laser exposed local combustion site) into the PDMS device 30HU-002 human induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells were purchased from iXCells (California, United States). The iPS cells were maintained on a Matrigel-coated dish with mTeSR Plus (#05825, STEMCELL Technologies, British Columbia, Canada). MNOs were generated using the previously described protocol (Osaki et al., 2020) iPS cells dissociated with TrypLE were seeded into a low-adhesion 96-well U bottom plate at 40,000 cells/well in 100 µL of mTeSR Plus supplemented with 10 µM Y-27632 (Rock inhibitor The differentiation was initiated in DMEM/F12 medium (Sigma-Aldrich United States) supplemented with 15% Knockout Serum Replacement (Thermo Fisher Scientific and 100 nM LDN-193189 (Wako) for the initial 2 days of culture The medium was gradually switched to N2 medium (Neurobasal medium supplemented with 1% N2 supplement and 1% NEAA) for the following 8 days of culture cells were treated with 1 μM retinoic acid (RA) 1 μM Smoothened agonist (SAG the resultant motor neuron spheroid was transferred into the microfluidic device with maturation medium (Neurobasal medium supplemented with 2% B27 supplement (with vitamin A) and 1% Penicillin/Streptomycin) containing 20 ng/mL BDNF the PDMS chips were placed on glass slides The internal surface of microchannel in PDMS chip and glass slide were coated with Matrigel in DMEM/F12 (1:50) for 1 h at room temperature The coating solution was replaced with 150 uL of maturation medium then the spheroid was placed into the culture device using a wide-bore tip PDMS chip was placed inside a OmniTray Single-Well plate (Thermo Scientific Thermo Fisher Scientific United States) and cultured in an incubator (5% CO2 37 °C) for up to 4 weeks (a total culture period of 40 days) axons extend from the spheroid into the microchannel and spontaneously assemble into an axon bundle which results in the formation of a motor nerve organoid (MNO) Half of the culture medium was replaced with fresh maturation medium every 2–3 days The slide holder was covered to eliminate light leakage A small segment of the bottom surface of the culture devices was painted with a marker (Dry Erase Marker The absorbance spectra of the markers were measured with UV-VIS-NIR absorption spectrometer (V-670 The PDMS device was placed into slide holder and exposed to the blue light laser (λ: 445 nm To check local temperature of the irradiated samples We collected axon bundles and spheroids separately for biochemical analysis after dissecting MNOs using the blue light laser After peeling off the PDMS chip from the glass slide axon bundles and spheroids were separately collected into tubes the collected tissues were rinsed with PBS and dissolved in a lysis buffer (TNE buffer (10 mM Tris-HCl (pH 7.5) 1 mM EDTA) supplemented with 5 mM sodium fluoride Proteins were separated on SDS–PAGE gels and transferred to nitrocellulose membranes (Perkin Elmer Subsequent Western blotting analysis was performed with a standard chemiluminescence procedure using ECL substrate (Western Lightning Plus Following antibodies were used: anti-TUBB3 (Beta Tubulin III RNA was isolated with TriPure isolation reagent (#11667157001 and cDNA was synthesized using SuperScript IV (#18090050 Quantitative PCR was performed with KOD SYBR qPCR Mix (#QKD-201 Japan) on CFX connect (Bio-Rad Laboratories MNOs were fixed in 4% paraformaldehyde for 1 h then permeabilized with 0.1% Triton X-100 in PBS for 15 min After blocking for 1 h in PBS containing 2% normal goat serum tissues were incubated with primary antibody over night at 4°C Primary antibodies used were rabbit anti-TUBB3 (Beta Tubulin III Cell Signaling Technologies) and mouse anti-Homeobox protein Hb9 (HB9 Tissues were rinsed three times in PBS and then incubated with secondary antibodies (Alexa Fluor 488 goat anti-rabbit IgG and Alexa Fluor 647 goat anti-mouse IgG) for 2 h nuclei were labeled with Hoechst dye for 10 min and observed using a confocal laser scanning microscope (Nikon) This suggests the blue laser initiates a combustion-like phenomenon at the black marked site and the combustion continued within PDMS device and created the dark trace We realized the followings from the attempts: i) the blue laser generally does not visibly damage PDMS or neuronal tissues; ii) the blue laser could locally damage PDMS chip if a combustion spot could be generated (e.g. with the help of black marking); iii) once the combustion spot is generated a streak of laser-induced burn can be moved along the path of the laser Laser-induced damage on PDMS with various color markers and cutting speeds The broken line indicates the absorbance spectrum of the glass on which markers were painted (B) Success rate of laser-induced damage on the culture devices *p < 0.05 (t-test with Bonferroni correction) and statistically significant (C) Success rate of laser induced damage with different cutting speeds (D) Trace thickness of laser-induced damage on the culture devices at different cutting speeds Inverted laser cutter and thermography of the laser dissection (A) An inverted blue laser cutter (B) A sample slide holder installed on the inverted laser cutter Note that the sample area is completely covered with a safety cover during operations to minimize laser hazard (C) A schematic drawing of the culture device on the laser cutter The thermography camera (not depicted) was placed on the same side (bottom) of the glass with the laser (D–F) Thermography during laser operations Please note that the represented temperature could be underestimating the local temperature of light-induced combustion due to the heat diffusion in the glass (D) A glass with a PDMS chip and marked line but it did not significantly damage the PDMS chip and can hold the culture media within the device resulting in an easy operation after the laser-induced cleavage Axons were not damaged by the blue laser when no black marking near the tissues were applied (Data not shown) the axon bundles and spheroids were collected for further analysis as they could be differently affected by the manual and laser cleavage operations Dissection of motor nerve organoids with a blue laser (A) Immunostaining of motor nerve organoid after 48 days in culture (B) An intact motor nerve organoid before and after removal from device (C) A motor nerve organoid after manual dissection (D) A motor nerve organoid after laser dissection before and after removal from device Organoids were dissected manually by three experimenters (A–C) and with the blue laser *p < 0.05 (Paired t-test with Bonferroni correction; manual cutting V.S laser cutting) and statistically significant No significant difference was observed in the amount and quality of the detected proteins indicating that the laser cutting does not induce biochemical damage of axon bundles and compatible for biochemical assays Western blotting and RT-PCR analysis of spheroids and axon bundles isolated from motor nerve organoids (A) Protein lysates were analyzed with antibodies against L1CAM (B) Collected total RNA amount from spheroids and axons (C,D) Relative mRNA abundance of (C) ACTB and (D) L1CAM ns: p > 0.05 (Paired t-test with Bonferroni correction) and not significant statistically Next, we obtained RNA from the spheroids and the axon bundles after cutting the MNOs manually or with the blue laser. The dissection methods did not make significant difference on the RNA yield for both spheroids and axon bundles (Figure 5B). With RT-PCR, we quantified the relative abundance of mRNAs in spheroids and axon bundles dissected with hands or a laser (Figures 5C, D; Table 1) The relative amount of mRNAs was comparable in manually cut and laser-cut axon bundles and spheroids indicating that the laser dissection method does not degrade RNAs in the axons RT-PCR Ct values were comparable between manual and laser-dissected axon bundles and spheroids for all three tested genes the dissection with a blue light laser has the capability to isolate the axon bundles and spheroids from MNO without disturbing biochemical molecules in axons we present a method for rapid harvesting of axon bundles from nerve organoids The radiation of blue visible light laser on the black marker enables easy dissection of neural tissues in the culture device through a combustion-like phenomenon Using this method, axon bundles can be rapidly isolated with less effort than manual dissection without hindering the yield or quality for biochemical analyses. While other methods such as microfluidic devices using microgrooves (Nijssen et al., 2019) reported RNA amounts per device comparable to that of a single cell nerve organoids can give much larger amounts (approx 200 ng per organoid) of axonal RNA The RNA and proteins obtained by the laser dissection was not impaired in quality as far as we could examine with RT-PCR and Western blotting we can gain axons quickly and consistently which is important for the outcome of biochemical assays in general The speed could contribute to scaling up the assay as processing time is critical for quality of the biological specimen for downstream analyses The cost of the blue laser system used in the study was around 1000 USD which is normally used for cutting and engraving papers The laser unit includes a XY positioning system (scanning stage) and a control software The CO2 laser compared to the blue laser was around 3000 USD They are much more affordable than a UV laser that we tested (about 40,000 USD and professional laser systems do not include XY stages We flipped the blue laser upside down to cut the axons in liquid which is still marginal to costs of professional systems this method is resource-efficient since it only requires a laser cutting machine and markers We applied black ink to our culture device with a dry-erase pen the shape of the black markings could be altered as the local combustion could be initiated as long as the blue laser is exposed on the markings before exposed to a PDMS chip The shape of the markings could be altered depending on the application The use of this technique may not be limited to nerve models but could also be useful to cut other multicellular tissues we focused our attention on obtaining axons more physiological axon bundle tissues could be obtained by co-culturing the tissue with other cell types including glial cells it would be even more beneficial to use the laser dissection on the axon bundles cocultured with other cells to facilitate biochemical and cellular analysis of more physiological models of axons and nerves in vitro The method could potentially be used for other thin biological tissues cultured within a PDMS chip Limitations of the methods include relatively low resolution of the laser dissection Faster speed (2000 mm/min) of the laser operation could reduce the width of the laser-induced combustion to around 100 microns It would be necessary to make the heat induced spot or streak smaller to cut finer structures although the method is suitable for cutting the axon bundles We did not examine the structure of the cut surface of the axons processed with the presented method Since we did not observe any defects of proteins or RNAs we believe that little damage is caused on the biological molecules in axons It would be interesting how well the axons are quickly “sealed” at the dissected ends which could be beneficial to capture biological molecules within the axoplasm We have not tested if the method could be applied to larger structures (e.g. It will expand the usage of the method if it could be applied to a bigger structure axon bundles can be rapidly isolated with less effort than manual dissection without hindering the yield or quality for biochemical analyses This simple method provides an efficient alternative to manual dissection for biochemical assessment of axons The raw data supporting the conclusion of this article will be made available by the authors The use of human iPS cells was approved by the Institute of Industrial Science The human iPS cells were handled in accordance with approved protocols The author(s) declare financial support was received for the research This work was supported in part by a Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Pioneering) from the JSPS (20K20643); a Grant-in-Aid for Transformative Research Areas (B) (20H05786); AMED-CREST; JSPS Core-to-Core Program (JPJSCCA 20190006); AMED (JP20gm1410001); The University of Tokyo GAP fund program; and the Institute for AI and Beyond (YoI) The study was also supported by Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists from JSPS (22K18167) (YaI) JST SPRING (JPMJSP2108) and the ANRI fellowship (TD) The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher Molecular mechanisms in the formation of the medial longitudinal fascicle PubMed Abstract | CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar Axonal transport of TDP-43 mRNA granules is impaired by ALS-causing mutations PubMed Abstract | CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar Deficits in axonal transport precede ALS symptoms in vivo PubMed Abstract | CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar Laser cutting of different polymeric plastics (PE CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar Compartmentalized devices as tools for investigation of human brain network dynamics PubMed Abstract | CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar Microanatomy of axon/glial signaling during wallerian degeneration PubMed Abstract | CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar RIPK1 mediates axonal degeneration by promoting inflammation and necroptosis in ALS PubMed Abstract | CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar Axonal mRNA localization and local protein synthesis in nervous system assembly PubMed Abstract | CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar Generation of a motor nerve organoid with human stem cell-derived neurons PubMed Abstract | CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar Local mRNA translation in long-term maintenance of axon health and function PubMed Abstract | CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar A human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived tissue model of a cerebral tract connecting two cortical regions PubMed Abstract | CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar Disruption of dynein/dynactin inhibits axonal transport in motor neurons causing late-onset progressive degeneration PubMed Abstract | CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar Development of an axon-guiding aligned nanofiber-integrated compartmentalized microfluidic neuron culture system PubMed Abstract | CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar Axonal transport defects in neurodegenerative diseases PubMed Abstract | CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar Axon-seq for in depth analysis of the RNA content of neuronal processes PubMed Abstract | CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar Three-dimensional motor nerve organoid generation CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar Presynapse Formation assay using presynapse organizer beads and "neuron ball" culture PubMed Abstract | CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar The role of cell adhesion molecules for navigating axons: density matters PubMed Abstract | CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar Engineering a 3D functional human peripheral nerve in vitro using the Nerve-on-a-Chip platform PubMed Abstract | CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar Monolithic digital patterning of polydimethylsiloxane with successive laser pyrolysis PubMed Abstract | CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar L1CAM/Neuroglian controls the axon–axon interactions establishing layered and lobular mushroom body architecture PubMed Abstract | CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar A directional 3D neurite outgrowth model for studying motor axon biology and disease PubMed Abstract | CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar Peripheral nerve fascicles: anatomy and clinical relevance PubMed Abstract | CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar A microfluidic culture platform for CNS axonal injury PubMed Abstract | CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar Microfluidic local perfusion chambers for the visualization and manipulation of synapses PubMed Abstract | CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar Production and isolation of axons from sensory neurons for biochemical analysis using porous filters PubMed Abstract | CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar Furushima T and Ikeuchi Y (2024) A simple and inexpensive laser dissection of fasciculated axons from motor nerve organoids Received: 15 July 2023; Accepted: 15 January 2024;Published: 29 January 2024 Copyright © 2024 Ikegami, Duenki, Arakaki, Sakai, Osaki, Ashihara, Furushima and Ikeuchi. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited in accordance with accepted academic practice distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms *Correspondence: Yoshiho Ikeuchi, eWlrZXVjaGlAaWlzLnUtdG9reW8uYWMuanA= †These authors have contributed equally to this work Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher 94% of researchers rate our articles as excellent or goodLearn more about the work of our research integrity team to safeguard the quality of each article we publish When the landfill in Osaki, in the southwest of Japan, reached capacity, an incinerator was the logical next step. Instead, the town decided to get serious about recycling. Ahead of International Day of Zero Waste a town councillor committed to Osaki’s low waste policies Fujita moved to Osaki in 2021 to work with the municipality business sector and local community to help prepare the town for a more sustainable future recycles a remarkable 80 per cent of its waste and was able to avoid building an incineration plant “I have always wanted to work for something related to the climate crisis waste is sorted into 27 different categories only blue bags go directly to the landfill without getting incinerated whilst the other 26 categories are sorted and recycled properly plastics will be separated into different types and then compressed The compressed waste will then be taken to recycling factories all over the country Food waste is collected three times a week with a blue bucket Pruned plants will also be brought in here and they are mixed together with the food waste The pruned plants contain many native microorganisms almost all which is used as on Osaki’s farms.  I think the process is very simple and can be practiced anywhere in the world our process has been introduced to Indonesia: Osaki Town officials and the recycling centre staff went there to demonstrate our techniques for separating and composting food waste This may become a solution to a problem that many developing nations face right now I really feel people should learn more about the process of what happens to products after we use them they will realize that we can reduce waste Businesses and local governments also need to understand the situation We have to mobilize everyone to make a difference.” output in response to Trump tariffs: CEOAutomaker exports half of its American sales from Japan Subaru can add holiday and weekend shifts to boost production at its American site TOKYO -- Subaru sees potential to increase U.S production in response to President-elect Donald Trump's threats to impose a uniform 10% tariff on all imports the Japanese automaker's president and CEO told Nikkei and other media on Wednesday "There is room to expand production in the U.S.," Atsushi Osaki said during the interview in Tokyo Subaru exports many of its vehicles for the U.S Miyagi — The opening ceremony for the public Japanese language school was held in Osaki Osaki City Japanese Language School is the only public school accredited as an institution of Japanese language education by the Education The system for certifying such schools was established by the ministry this fiscal year The school is expected to work in partnership with the prefecture and local businesses to develop foreign human resources who will play an active role in the local community after their graduation A total of 28 initial students from Taiwan Vietnam and Indonesia will study at the school They will seek to acquire Japanese language abilities equivalent to level N2 on the Japanese Language Proficiency Test meaning they can understand news reports and other such content The entrance ceremony will be held on April 10 The school is located in a renovated elementary school building and includes a place of worship for Muslims The opening of the school was prompted by concerns that agriculture and other local industries will be unsustainable due to the declining birthrate and aging population Elderly residents accounted for 32.1% of the population of the city located in the northwestern part of the prefecture This was above the prefectural average at 29.5% The city and the prefecture have worked to open the school as part of efforts to revitalize the region as the population decline shows no signs of stopping Please view the main text area of the page by skipping the main menu. The page may not be displayed properly if the JavaScript is deactivated on your browser Japanese version other Asian nationsExecutive says autonomous driving and robotics are the next core businesses Japan country manager and vice president of worldwide field operations of NVIDIA speaks to Nikkei Asia during an interview on Oct chip giant Nvidia sees massive potential in Asian countries' artificial intelligence-related businesses Vice President of Worldwide Field Operations Masataka Osaki told Nikkei Asia on Monday "There are various languages and cultures [in Asian countries] The huge amount of data generated from them can be converted to AI in each country," Osaki said in an interview held on the sideline of the Global Management Dialogue a forum organized by Nikkei and Swiss business school IMD adding that the data analytics with AI will bring greater efficiency in industries Brave Kings Kariya defeated Osaki Osor Saitama to regain the lead in Japan's men's handball league H Brave Kings defeated Osaki Osor 34-24 in the 19th round of the 2024-25 Japanese Men's Handball League H at Isle Arena Wing Hat Kasukabe in Japan on the 5th 1 draw and 1 loss (35 points) in the season beating Ziegster Tokyo (34 points) to the top of the league fell three places to 11th place with six wins Brave Kings took the center stage of the team's attack with Ituki Yoshino scoring seven goals while Naoki Sugioka and Shoma Okamoto scored four goals each Goalkeeper Daisuke Okamoto also showed stability in defense with seven saves and goalkeeper Miki Sakai also made seven saves but it was not enough to prevent the opponent's firepower Osaki Osor's Yukiya Suzuki scored the first goal but the Brave Kings immediately scored three consecutive goals who have widened the gap due to Sugioka's consecutive scores have taken full control of the lead from the first half making a 12-6 double score around the 17th minute who scored another three goals in three minutes then went on a 15-7 run and added two goals at the end of the first half to finish the first half 20-11 and the game was virtually in a mood of victory Osaki Osor also followed 28-20 with consecutive points by Sueoka and Yuma Yamazaki in the middle of the second half but the Brave Kings added points with an unshakable game operation afterwards finishing the game with a 34-24 and 10-goal victory ※ This service is provided by machine translation tool A Millcreek Township restaurant has been cited for 14 violations of the Pennsylvania Food Code and was ordered closed for a day by the Erie County Department of Health Health officials filed citations Friday morning with District Judge Susan Strohmeyer against Osaki Japanese Steakhouse They are based on a Wednesday inspection that resulted in 14 violations including eight that posed an immediate risk to the public's health The facility was ordered to close after the initial inspection director of environmental health services for the County Health Department "Many of the violations were things they could fix in a short period of time but the main concern was rodents in the building," Adams said An exterminator was contacted and traps were set around the facility The facility was permitted to reopen Thursday afternoon following two more inspections "We just did the usual cleaning up," Osaski manager Henry Sujaini said in a brief conversation faces a fine of between $100 and $300 per citation Citations are filed with a local district judge when county health inspectors find numerous violations during one inspection or they find a significant number of violations at a facility with a history of violations Adams said she believes this is the first time a county facility has been cited for food code violations since 2019 "We will continue to do follow-up inspections and will provide training to the entire staff," Adams said David Bruce can be reached at 870-1736 or by email Follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ETNbruce Glenn Osaki is senior advisor to the President International Communications and Marketing where he is focused on USC’s global strategy branding and thought leadership. Working with a robust team in Los Angeles and nine international USC offices around the world Osaki is tasked with elevating the university’s reputation and standing among international constituencies.  Osaki returned to the university in 2019, bringing than 30 years of experience in strategic communications, most recently serving as president of Asia-Pacific for MSL the public relations network of Publicis Groupe Osaki managed issues and strategic communications for a wide range of clients across industries and geographies He has been a key adviser to major international clients such as Procter & Gamble While leading MSL’s Asia-Pacific operations he oversaw a development strategy that grew a 15-member team into a regional powerhouse with more than 40 offices and 1,500 consultants Osaki has been recognized for his achievements with numerous honors including being named Asia-Pacific PR Agency Head of the Year by Campaign Asia being honored for Outstanding Individual Achievement by The Holmes Report and guiding MSL to six selections as Asia-Pacific PR Consultancy of the Year he was managing director of MSL’s Los Angeles office which he helped develop into a leading public relations firm in the region Osaki has strong connections to USC, having earned his master’s degree in public relations from USC Annenberg. He currently serves on the Board of Advisors of the USC Center for Public Relations at USC Annenberg The activist’s work often focuses on his family history his Seattle upbringing and creating ‘a country to come home to.’ Seattle-born and -raised writer Troy Osaki brings his complex family history into his poems while actively working for social justice in the Philippines Troy Osaki believes poetry can change the world — and not just in a “peace “I think it can contribute to helping create cultural shifts or creating impact on people’s hearts and minds that can then lead to material change,” says the Seattle poet Though the country has been officially independent since 1946 Osaki and others argue it’s not truly free due to corrupt local governance and the continued economic influence of the United States.  This interview is part of our Summer Artist Talks. Read more artist Q&As in the series Upon first meeting Osaki, you might not know he’s a passionate activist. He has an easygoing, kind demeanor; he loves boba tea and Bad Bunny. But in his poems, a call for justice jumps from the pages, woven in with glimpses of family history and his Seattle upbringing, such as in “& Somehow, My Grandpa Finds Places to Sleep after Japan Invades”:  Osaki started out writing spoken-word poetry, and won championships in several grand slams. He has earned fellowships from Hugo House and the Poetry Foundation and is a critic-at-large for the long-running journal Poetry Northwest. Most recently, he was selected as a community liaison for 4Culture’s Poetry in Public project (formerly Poetry on Buses) At the moment Osaki is working on “A Country to Come Home To,” a workshop series in which he helps Filipino college and high school students examine their families’ migration histories through poetry.  with each person contributing lines — such as in this excerpt of a piece by members of the Northwest Filipino American Student Alliance:  Born and raised in Seattle’s Montlake neighborhood Osaki says he was politicized during his childhood due largely to his family’s complex history his grandmother and her family were unjustly incarcerated during World War II his grandfather left the Philippines as a teenager during the Japanese occupation his first real introduction to poetry was at Garfield High School during a spoken-word unit in his English class When he discovered performance videos from the Brave New Voices poetry slam (He later competed in the national competition himself As a student at the University of Washington, he became more involved in Philippines advocacy by joining Anakbayan-USA anti-capitalist group fighting for Philippine independence.  He later attended the Seattle University School of Law and planned to continue his advocacy through the legal system but decided after graduating not to practice “Law school doesn’t teach you how to change the law It teaches you how to enforce the law,” Osaki says but it’s actually to transform the whole system.” With his first poetry collection in the works Osaki talked to Crosscut about the intersection of poetry and politics and his deep love for the Pacific Northwest.  This interview has been edited for length and clarity.  can you point to moments that sparked your interest in poetry?  Osaki: It must have been fourth or fifth grade I was writing what I wanted to be songs and lyrics and I would just keep them all in this little folder that had [Blink-182] stickers on it.  Why did you decide to make your Japanese and Filipino heritage a central theme in your work I was first politicized when I was pretty young through hearing the stories of my different families both my grandparents were teachers in Oregon During my grandpa’s first interview to become a teacher “The school board chairman doesn’t like Japs,” and rather than be intimidated he replied my grandfather left the Philippines in 1945 when he was 18 He became a crew member of an American cargo ship and sailed for New Guinea to load barrels of petroleum for the invasion of Japan The invasion was canceled and his ship eventually sailed for America After several years working as a teletype operator at Merrill Lynch, [my Filipino grandfather] aimed for a higher position in the company. In response, a branch manager offered him a job washing the windows of his house for $2 an hour. My grandpa eventually brought a case to federal court and won Learning about those stories made me feel like I wanted to make some kind of change in the world My goal is to move people beyond the page — to create but then to have it arouse them to get involved.  What are you advocating for in the Philippines semi-feudal — meaning it’s not truly independent My family left the Philippines because they were forced out that has all come out of the last few years of organizing and trying to put down on paper these experiences Hopefully [the poems] translate into moments for people to see what’s going on and want to do something about it and I would love to contribute to making that happen That ties into your workshop “A Country to Come Home To.” Where did the idea originate?  and part of it was about how Filipinos in the Philippines lack economic opportunity so many of them look for work outside of the Philippines It’s to the point where there’s a specific term: OFW That’s why we see Filipinos across the world but also really sad — the reason they’re there is because they’re looking for work they can’t find at home One person at the conference said something that really stuck with me: “Every Filipino belongs to the Philippine nation.” People who are overseas are still part of the Philippines Every Filipino has the opportunity to participate in this struggle to create a country to come home to where all Filipinos can someday come back and have opportunity.  What made you want to work with youth on this project?  In high school I was a teaching assistant for another poet who was [working at] a transitional housing center for youth — so every month I would do writing workshops with young people who were picked up for running away or were being exploited on the streets.  A little later I did an internship during law school for Creative Justice which provides arts programming for young people who are in the justice system I also worked with King County Juvenile Detention Center so I was representing young people in juvie.  Growing up in youth programming really helped form who I am and my hope has always been to provide guidance to other young folks — and also to learn from them Youth have always been at the front of revolutionary movements — they tend to be quite a force to be reckoned with.  What has the response to the series been like Some people have said they never thought they could write There are always a few folks who share that the writing exercise was actually difficult for them because they don’t know much about their migration history that says a lot of young people aren’t learning about or aren’t being taught their history.  It wasn’t until 2016-ish that I started reading more poems and wanting to understand what it means to have a poem on the page You can have a line break in a written poem that you might not be able to see if you were saying it it might make two different images in the lines or one whole completed image with the two lines things that can really only happen when written I know it has a lot of problems and it’s always changing My family has been here for a few generations and I feel very fortunate to have roots in that way.  I grew up in Montlake near the Montlake cut My school bus would drive through every curve in the Arboretum I also spent quite a bit of time in the Central District at Washington Middle School and Garfield High School Baker or Seward Park with friends or on the Ave at Cafe Allegro’s open mic My favorite road is Lake Washington Boulevard — when I think about growing up I think about just going through that very tree-hugged road right by the water.  it is where my family’s from and it’s also here Seattle can be a tough place to be an artist these days I feel fortunate that I’ve been able to find my people That’s come through being here for a while and getting to develop relationships early on — but I think in general people want to see each other succeed.  This season, when Osaki isn’t drinking boba tea in the Chinatown-International District or hanging out at Lake Washington, he’ll be hosting more poetry workshops. (The next one will be with Kabataan Alliance in August.) He’s also hard at work on his first manuscript a compilation of new poems and published work Here’s what Osaki says to expect from the collection:  “It’s a travelogue of my first trip back to the Philippines but then I also get to learn why my grandpa left.” We rely on donations from readers like you to sustain Cascade PBS's in-depth reporting on issues crticial to the PNW “Ballard Opera Man” sings his swan song in Tosca at Seattle’s McCaw Hall there are just 12 reefnetting licenses in the state and Tah-Mahs Ellie Kinley carries on generations of tradition as the only tribal fisher avant-garde performance takes local stages from Cherdonna dancing through absurdity to Eddie Izzard doing Shakespeare Nimra Ahmad is an on-call engagement producer and former emerging journalist fellow for arts and culture at Cascade PBS. You can find her on Twitter at @nimra_ahmad22 or email her at nimra.ahmad@crosscut.com As Republican legislators opt for ballot harvesting Democrats lean into town halls in predominantly red districts to engage new or reluctant voters Glenn Osaki is the director of the USC U.S.-China Institute He was appointed to the role by Dean Willow Bay in July 2024 USCI provides research and collaboration opportunities for students and scholars; tailored training Osaki returned to the university in 2019, bringing more than 30 years of experience in strategic communications, most recently serving as president of Asia-Pacific for MSL having earned his master’s degree in public relations from USC Annenberg He currently serves on the Board of Advisors of the USC Center for Public Relations at USC Annenberg Samantha Tañafranca Osaki is an Equal Justice Works Fellow at the ACLU Voting Rights Project, generously funded to support efforts across the nation to end the practice of prison-based malapportionment Mason in her appeal of her sentence for allegedly improperly casting a provisional ballot) Samantha was a Fulbright Scholar based in Abidjan a nonprofit providing holistic family and financial coaching services where she was a Root-Tilden-Kern Public Interest Scholar Editor-in-Chief of The Review of Law and Social Change and recipient of the school’s Dean John Sexton and Ann Petluck Poses Memorial Prizes and with a Civic Scholar distinction from the University of Pennsylvania she is set to clerk for the Honorable Harry T The Governor of Louisiana Must Veto the Proposed Redistricting Maps New Census Bureau Data Offers a Chance to Dismantle Prison Gerrymandering Subaru is the latest Japanese automaker to get a new boss Atsushi Osaki is the automaker's new president and chief executive officer He is currently an executive vice president who acts as chief general manager of the company's manufacturing division Tomomi Nakamura who currently leads the automaker becomes chairman of the board of directors A shareholder vote in June 2023 gives full authorization to this change in leadership he graduated from the school of engineering at the Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology he primarily held roles in quality assurance he has experienced the manufacturing department and a wide variety of departments and has produced solid results in each of them I believe that he is a person who can feel the qualities in all elements even in light of the image of a CEO that our company should be," Nakamura said according to Car Watch Impress in a translation is the only EV the brand currently offers there However, Subaru doesn't plan to build EVs in the US anytime soon. A report claimed this was because the company thought wages were too high in the country it planned to have an EV-only factory in Japan in 2027 Both of them are launching exclusively with combustion engines Subaru Flat-Six Engine Teardown Shows No Damage at 200,000 Miles Lotus Emira With Yellow Exhaust Tips Pays Tribute to an F1 GOAT The Cadillac Celestiq Will Be as Rare as a Bugatti Subaru's STI Plans Ditch Gas Engines Altogether Metrics details An inter-regional cortical tract is one of the most fundamental architectural motifs that integrates neural circuits to orchestrate and generate complex functions of the human brain To understand the mechanistic significance of inter-regional projections on development of neural circuits we investigated an in vitro neural tissue model for inter-regional connections in which two cerebral organoids are connected with a bundle of reciprocally extended axons The connected organoids produced more complex and intense oscillatory activity than conventional or directly fused cerebral organoids suggesting the inter-organoid axonal connections enhance and support the complex network activity optogenetic stimulation of the inter-organoid axon bundles could entrain the activity of the organoids and induce robust short-term plasticity of the macroscopic circuit These results demonstrated that the projection axons could serve as a structural hub that boosts functionality of the organoid-circuits This model could contribute to further investigation on development and functions of macroscopic neuronal circuits in vitro Although it is evident that macroscopic inter-regional connections are essential for brain functions the developmental and functional mechanisms of the connections are not yet fully defined due to the complexity of the circuits in the intact brain A loop circuit comprised of two cerebral regions can be established by bidirectional connections between two brain regions which are observed and characterized as bidirectional axonal tracts in many parts of white matter in the brain development and functions of the reciprocal loop circuits have not been studied in detail in vitro due to lack of appropriate models which illustrated that neural organoids hold great potential to mimic human brain activities The organoids successfully interact and mutually innervate; however they lack white matter tracts between regions as observed in vivo fusion of organoids does not allow axons to assemble bundles a prominent feature underlying inter-regional functional connectivity in the human brain To understand how the inter-regional axonal tracts contribute to neuronal activity patterns we analyzed neuronal activity of an organoid-based model system in which two cerebral organoids are bidirectionally connected by axons This model exhibited intense and complex neuronal activity demonstrating functional significance of the inter-organoid axonal connections Optogenetic manipulations on the connecting axons demonstrated that oscillatory activity of the connected organoids could be entrained through synchronization with periodic stimulation Induction of entrainment could be achieved with less stimulation after a repeated session indicating that the first train of stimulations caused sustained changes on their later response to stimulations These findings suggest that bidirectional axonal connections should be implemented in assembled models to enhance their functional resemblance to human brains A Preparation of the connected cerebral organoids Relative abundance of mRNAs was normalized to GAPDH D Axons extended from one organoid to another organoid and formed axon bundles E GFP-labeled and mCherry-labeled cerebral organoids were connected F A time-course plot of axon bundle thickness n = 7 (week 10) or 9 connected organoids (weeks 4–9) H Immunohistochemical analyses revealed layers of different cell types within the connected organoids after 8 weeks of culture I Whole-cell patch-clamp recording in neurons in connected organoids after 8.5 weeks from differentiation when hyperpolarizing and depolarizing square wave current pulses were injected Action potential frequency responded with the different injected current (0 ± 30 pA J (i) Representative images of connected organoids after 5 weeks of culture (ii) Filtered signals from four representative electrodes under each organoid (iii) Wavelet coherence between signals from electrodes of each organoid in the connected organoid and wavelet coherence of the connected organoids after 5.5 weeks of culture (ii) Black arrowheads represent synchronized burst activities associated with dense spikes (iii) The wavelet coherence indicated a strong correlation between the two connected organoids L Synchronicity of activity in the two connected organoids increased during the culture period M Burst frequency increased significantly with culture time n = 12 organoids (week 5.5) or 18 organoids (week 6 P = 2.4e−4; 7.7e−6 (6.7 weeks and 7 weeks relative to 5.5 weeks) N Magnified view of the plot of neuronal activity of the two connected organoids Synchronized burst activity was observed with a delay O Burst delay after different culture periods *p < 0.05; one-way ANOVA with Tukey’s multiple comparison suggesting that propagation velocity is similar between both directions The directionality of the burst propagation may represent a slight temporal shift (e.g intrinsic variability) of the two connected organoids the bursts could also occur almost at the same time in the two organoids without or with a little delay (<50 msec) This suggests that the activity of the two organoids sometimes could be in “harmonic” synchronization These suggest that the connected organoids might be generating complex activity patterns through both mutual propagation and synchronization of burst activity A LFP signals were extracted from the 0.2–0.5 Hz and 30–300 Hz (gamma) bands by inverse continuous wavelet transformation the connected organoids generated slow-wave oscillations in the 0.5–4 Hz (delta) band C Representative neuronal activity of the single P = 0.0123 (single/connected); 0.0171 (fused/connected) E Inverse continuous wavelet transformation in the 0.2–0.5 Hz Delta band oscillations were observed in the connected organoids but not in the single or fused organoids single/connected); 0.0208 (fused/connected) F Inter-event interval coefficient of variation among the three types of organoids fused/connected); 4.4e−5 (9 week single/connected); 3.8e−5 (9 week *p < 0.05; One-way ANOVA with Tukey’s multiple comparison test The signal propagation speed between the connected organoids was faster than that within an organoid the inter-organoid signal propagation velocity in the fused organoids was significantly less than that within a single organoid inter-organoid signal propagation lag was significantly bigger in the fused organoids than in the connected organoids suggesting that the axon bundle provides faster and stronger communication between organoids than the interface of the directly fused organoids These results suggest that the reciprocal connections induced complex activity in the connected cerebral organoids suggesting that the connected organoids might possess neurons that are more developed than single or fused organoids A Plasmid construct expressing photo-convertible fluorescent protein Kaede under CAG promotor in pAAV backbone plasmid Kaede green fluorescent protein can be converted to Kaede red fluorescent protein by UV exposure B AAV-CAG-Kaede was infected one week after introducing cerebral organoid into microfluidic device UV light (405 nm laser equipped with a confocal microscope) was irradiated to the axon bundle the cells were sorted by cell sorter to identify axon bundle-associated neurons (Kaede-red positive) and non-associated neurons (Kaede-red negative) C Kaede photo-conversion in connected organoids before and after UV light-irradiation UV exposure rapidly converted Kaede-green to Kaede-red Kaede-red was quickly diffused in the axon bundle to both anterograde and retrograde direction resulting in the gradation of Kaede-green and Kaede-red in axon bundle D The ratio of axon bundle-associated neurons and non-associated neurons from two independent samples The average percentage of axon bundle-associated neurons was 32% whereas that of non-associated neurons was 68% E Relative fold change of gene expressions in axon bundle-associated neurons to non-associated neurons TBR1 and VGLUT1 were highly expressed in axon bundle-associated neurons P = 0.0004 (TBR1 relative to GAPDH); 0.0168 (VGLUT1); 8.5 e–10 (DLX5); 0.0117 (SATB1) This indicates that the intense activity of the connected organoids could be generated through robust synaptic connections between the organoids A Optogenetic setup for inhibiting the synaptic interaction between left and right organoids through axon bundle (i) A microfluidic device for optogenetic control consisting of fiber guides (thin channels) for optical fiber insertion (ii) ArchT was expressed in the connected organoid by AAV The light at 565 nm waveband illuminated the axon bundle in microfluidic device (iii) An optical fiber was connected to 565 nm LED and a pulse generator (Arduino) An optical fiber was positioned perpendicular to the axon bundle with a 100 μm gap Light exposure timing and a representative channel from MEA amplifier were recorded in TTL logger to synchronize TTL signal and recording Curved structure serves as a PDMS lens which helps the light to be focused on the axon bundle C LFP and raster plot from left (pink) and right (blue) organoids of a connected organoid with or without light illumination (orange bar: TTL) D Synchronized burst frequency was around 0.65 Hz in the absence of light illumination and decreased to zero during light on synchronized burst frequency immediately increased and recovered after stopping the light E Wavelet coherence by wavelet transformation revealed that slow wave oscillation disappeared during light illumination indicating the vanishment of any correlative activity during light exposure F Light illumination completely suppressed these synchronized burst activities G Inter-regional synchronicity measured by delta phase-delta phase coupling showed significant decrease during light illumination P = 0.0008 (first light off/light on); 0.0001 (second light off/light on) H Total numbers of single spikes were calculated in a 5 min time slot Light-on significantly induced the increase in number of spikes *p < 0.05; Paired-test (two-sided) for F and one-way ANOVA with Tukey’s multiple comparison for G A Raw LFP plot from four electrodes of each of the connected organoids at 9 weeks B Wavelet coherence between the two organoids exhibited synchronous activity in the theta band frequency C Modulation index of PAC in delta-phase/gamma-power and theta-phase/gamma-power of the connected organoids cultured for 5 D Delta-phase/gamma-power and theta-phase/gamma-power PAC modulation index of single single/connected); 9e−7 (fused/connected); 7.35e−5 (theta single/connected); 0.0002 (fused/connected) E Intra- or inter-organoid PAC modulation index in the connected organoids F Schematic illustration of analyses of neuronal avalanches including the extraction of neuronal avalanche cascades Neuronal avalanches were calculated from 8 electrodes The cascade of single spikes was characterized at 3 msec scale size G The log plot of neuronal avalanche size and probability at 5 suggesting that evaluating activity dynamics of individual neurons could provide more information of the network in future studies the connected organoids exhibited patterns of complex activity which suggest the enriched network structure and function in the tissue A Optogenetic setup for stimulation of the axon bundle B Optogenetic stimulation drove synchronized burst activity C Burst frequency was modulated by optical stimulation The burst frequency followed the stimulation frequency after a significant delay D Log plot of neuronal avalanche size and probability before E Time course of burst frequency with 1 Hz stimulation for (i) 20 min or (ii) 5 min every hour F Duration until the burst frequency decreased to 75% of the maximum burst frequency after cessation of light stimulation G The delay from the start of light stimulation to the induction of burst frequency was significantly reduced during the second and third attempts when the connected organoids were stimulated for 20 min H Time series of burst frequency in the presence of K252a or anisomycin J Duration of sustained activity (I) (n = 3 organoids P = 0.0123; 0.0096 (2nd and 3rd respectively in comparison with 1st within control); 0.0435; 0.0019 (2nd and 3rd respectively in comparison with 1st within K252a); 0.0153 (3rd in comparison with 1st within anisomycin)) and the delay of burst frequency induction (J) of the connected organoids in the presence of K252a or anisomycin K Probability slope of neuronal avalanches led to a decreased probability of neuronal avalanches P = 2.8e−17 (control/K252a before); 3.9e−6 (control/K252a 2nd off); 6.2e−7 (K252a/anisomycin before); 3.7e−5 (K252a/anisomycin 2nd on); 2.1e−8 (K252a/anisomycin 2nd off); P = 0.0025 (control/K252a 1st off); 0.002 (control/K252a 2nd on); 0.0144 (control/K252a 3rd on); 0.0031 (control/K252a 3rd off); 0.0315 (K252a/anisomycin 3rd on); 0.0025 (K252a/anisomycin 3rd off) *p < 0.05; one-way ANOVA with Tukey’s multiple comparison test suggesting that the neurons in the connected organoids slowly adapted to the stimuli and are gradually recruited to the potentiated and readily excitable subcircuits before the connected organoids fully followed the temporal patterns of external stimulation Stimulation of connected organoids at 1 Hz for 20 min induced burst activity (Fig. 6E, F) The burst frequency was higher than the baseline for about 20 min after the stimulations (“decay time”) shorter stimulation (5 min) did not induce sustained burst activity although burst frequency was elevated during the stimulation This suggests that the circuit-level potentiation depends on the stimulation dosage After the burst frequency was returned to normal from the stimulation-induced elevated levels, we stimulated the connected organoids again. Interestingly, the induction delay for adaptation to the stimulus was significantly shorter on the second and third stimulation sessions than on the first stimulation for 20 min (Fig. 6G) The induction delay did not alter when the connected organoids were repeatedly stimulated for 5 min These indicated that the connected organoids exhibit network-level potentiation upon stimulation which can be maintained internally even after their activity apparently returned to the baseline we did not observe the sustained activation after stopping the stimulations indicating that the cell line-to-cell line variability has profound effect on the post-stimulation behavior of neurons in the organoids These results indicated that calcium-dependent signaling pathways underpin the short-term potentiation observed in our experiments The strength of stimulation did not alter the burst propagation delay although the initial induction of a burst in the stimulated organoid was faster with stronger stimulation A Representative image of sorted bursts evoked by optogenetic stimulation and the burst responses persisted after light stimulation Secondary and tertiary responses were also observed Repeated light stimulation (at second and third attempts) significantly decreased evoked burst latency in control and anisomycin-treated conditions whereas K252a treatment did not influence the latency C (i) Overlayed power histograms of evoked bursts and kernel density estimation (line) in the presence of K252a and anisomycin Repeated light stimulation increased burst response complexity (ii) Percentage of evoked bursts with and without secondary peaks D Violin plots of burst response peak times E Representative crosstalk between the two connected organoids in self-evoked bursts Color-coded maps (bottom circles) depict the voltage distribution from neurons in left and right cerebral organoids *p < 0.05; one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey’s multiple-comparison test we demonstrated that connected cerebral organoids generate spontaneous oscillations that are more intense and complex than the single or fused organoids The connected organoids responded to external stimuli and exhibited short-term plasticity These demonstrated that the axonal connections could induce critical functionality of neuronal circuit tissue The intensity of neuronal activity was assessed as frequency of bursts and amplitude of LFP in various frequencies They were both significantly increased by the inter-organoid connections with bundled axons The spontaneous burst activity could be observed first in one organoid and followed by another with a slight delay indicating that the two organoids can share activity through the axon bundle still with a small yet significant degree of functional separation as a neuronal circuit inhibition of activity at the axon bundles greatly reduced the burst frequency increased uncoordinated and unsynchronized isolated spike activity These indicated that the connection could critically determine behavior of the whole neural circuit The connected organoids spontaneously produce complex activity patterns We characterized the complexity of neuronal activity patterns with various methods all of which indicated that the connected organoids exhibit more complex activity than single or fused organoids The complexity of neuronal activity patterns of the connected organoids demonstrates that the connection between organoids can change the network characteristics we also observed alteration of a population of cells in the connected organoids The retrograde photo-labeling revealed that the neurons extending their axons into the inter-organoid bundle express higher levels of marker genes for neuronal activity and maturation This highlights the relationship between the connection and the maturation which occurs in certain populations of the cells in the connected organoids This might be explained by the induction of cellular maturation through the action potentials transmitted more in the inter-organoid axons It could also be possible that the relatively mature neurons extend their axons into the bundle and activate and further mature themselves through neuronal activity Another potential reason for this is that pruning or cell death could be altered in the absence of neuronal input (from another organoid) in the single organoids This implies that the structural organization of the human brain could influence the property of neurons potentially through activation and maturation of neurons that are connecting distant local circuits the connected organoids can be used as a model to further investigate the mechanisms underlying the structure-induced alteration of the neuronal properties This simplified organoids-on-a-chip approach could provide a way to understand the greater detail of the development and importance of the cerebral tracts in the human brain This study also provides evidence that the connected cerebral organoids have the capability to respond to external optical stimulation with short-term potentiation The potentiation was observed in two ways: the sustained elevated frequency of burst activity and the shortened induction time to respond to the stimuli The first potentiation behavior was observed when the tissues generated from the 409B2 iPS line were stimulated extensively enough the neurons did not exhibit potentiation and returned to the original activity pattern immediately This indicates that the connected organoids changed their synaptic properties and adopted their frequency of burst during the extensive stimulation and changed their frequency of bursts we did not observe sustained elevation of burst frequency we observed that the train of stimulations led to depression of activity of the connected organoids when we stimulated one of the two organoids instead of the axon bundle The response of the organoids to the axonal stimulations was less suppressive indicating that the difference in location of stimulation altered the response of the organoids We speculate that metaplasticity for the short-term plasticity (synaptic augmentation and/or potentiation) is enhanced by the entraining stimulation in the first session such that a few stimulations could induce the plastic changes before triggering entrained bursts through activation and recruitment of many neurons in the second and third sessions This needs to be further analyzed and verified by a more detailed approach (e.g the major limitations of the connected organoids are insufficient maturation and lack of long-term potentiation develop and mature with longer time than neurons from other model animals which limits the maturation of the neurons within reasonable time of culture and limits the capability of neurons to exhibit long-term potentiation We also observed variable response and plasticity to external stimuli between the two iPS cell lines we tested in this study although overall they show similar response Optimization of the cells and tissues would be necessary to control variability to obtain more consistent response of the organoid and to evaluate small alterations of different types of plasticity (e.g with which local network dynamics and circuitry within connected organoids can be further analyzed in future studies The results of such experiments would not only allow us to utilize this tissue model in biology but also provide insight into the methods and principal mechanisms in information processing of the brain in the future SU-8 (2100 or 2075) was poured onto a silicon wafer (4 inches) and spin-coated (1200–1500 rpm The wafer was baked for 9 min at 65 °C and for 40 min at 95 °C on a hotplate 2.5–3.0 mWcm2) was irradiated with a photomask for 60–75 s The wafer was baked for 7 min at 65 °C and for 13 min at 95 °C on a hotplate SU-8 was developed by using SU-8 developer for 15 min then washed with isopropyl alcohol (IPA) for three times The wafer was baked for 3 min at 150 °C in the oven The thickness of the SU-8 was approximately 150 µm Microfluidic device was made with a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) silicone elastomer kit Sylgard184 (Dow Corning) Silicone elastomer and a curing agent were mixed at a weight ratio of 10:1 The holes for organoids and reference electrode were created with biopsy punches (1.5 mm and 2 mm outer diameter: 25 mm) as the medium reservoir was glued to the PDMS device Human iPS cells were obtained from the Riken Cell Bank (409B2, HPS0076)45 or purchased (30HU-002 The cells were maintained on ESC-qualified Matrigel-coated 6-well plates in mTeSR plus medium (STEMCELL Technologies) and subcultured every 5–7 days using ReLeSR reagent (STEMCELL Technologies) iPS cells were dissociated into single cells with TrypLE express 000 cells were plated to each well of U-bottom ultra-low attachment 96 well plate (Prime surface Sumitomo bakelite) in mTeSR plus with 10 μM of Y-23632 culture medium was replaced with neural induction medium (DMEM-F12 and 10 μM SB431542) and the medium was changed every 2 days the culture medium was replaced with 1:1 mixture of DMEM/F12 and Neurobasal medium supplemented with 0.5% (v/v) N2 supplement and 1% (v/v) Penicillin/Streptomycin and the medium was changed every 2 days until 18 days the culture medium was replaced with maintenance medium (Neurobasal medium supplemented with 0.5% (v/v) N2 supplement Cerebral organoids were cultured for four weeks and subjected to the connected organoid formation the PDMS devices were bonded to MEA probes (MED-R5004A-NR) We aligned the PDMS device with the electrodes during the bonding The PDMS chip was applied on the MEA probe with residual 70% ethanol used for disinfection The microchannel was coated with Matrigel (Corning) in DMEM/F12 (1:30) for 1 h at RT The coating solution was replaced with maintenance medium (Neurobasal medium supplemented with 2% (v/v) B27 supplement with vitamin A Cerebral organoids were then placed into the holes and settled down to the bottom by gravity The maintenance medium was replaced every 2 days To capture neuronal activity with multi-electrode array maintenance medium was replaced with Brainphys without phenol red supplemented with 2% (v/v) B27 supplement with vitamin A and 1% (v/v) Penicillin/Streptomycin before measurement The PDMS-MEA chip was set to the MED64 system (Alpha MED Scientific) and electrical signals from all 64 electrodes were recorded for 5–30 min at 37 °C at 20,000 Hz sampling rate The recording noise was eliminated by band-pass filter between 0.1–10000 Hz during the measurement The raw signal was further fileted by a bandpass filter (300–3000 Hz) for spike analysis A spike was counted when the extracellularly recorded signal exceeded a threshold of ±5σ where σ represents the standard deviation of the baseline noise during quiescent periods A burst was counted when five spikes were observed within 100 msec window on the electrode Low pass filter (<1000 Hz) was applied to the raw data for local field potential (LFP) analysis All the analysis and calculation including wavelet transformation and neuronal avalanches were conducted using MATLAB software Wavelet coherence is a measure of correlation between two signals at specific frequency To decompose the neural signals into distinct frequency bands we employed Continuous Wavelet Transform (CWT) f(t) was calculated using function cwt() and icwt() in package “Wavelet Toolbox” of MATLAB Cross-correlation was calculated with xcorr() function in MATLAB We used scaleopt option to normalize the cross-correlation as 1 when two signals had no time lag The analysis was performed on low-pass filtered neural signals obtained from specific electrodes we employed Continuous Wavelet Transform (CWT) which allowed us to obtain time-frequency representations of the signals preserving both temporal and spectral information yielding wavelet coefficients across a range of frequencies we isolated specific frequency bands pertinent to our study: delta (0.5–4 Hz) We then applied the Hilbert transform to the reconstructed signals of each frequency band This transformation provided us with the analytic signal from which we extracted the instantaneous phase and amplitude We calculated the modulation index (MI) to quantify the degree of coupling between the phase of one frequency band and the amplitude of another The phase data was divided into bins spanning from -π to π Amplitudes were binned according to their corresponding phase values The mean amplitude was calculated for each bin and normalized We computed the Kullback-Leibler (KL) distance which measures the divergence of the observed amplitude distribution from a uniform distribution normalized by the logarithm of the number of bins providing a measure of phase-amplitude coupling strength Neuronal avalanches were characterized by the continuous activity patterns within the organoids The calculating time bin (Δt) was set as 3 msec We combined signals detected from all electrodes and grouped multiple consecutive signals that were separated no more than 3 msec from at least another signal The length of the train of signals were measured for each avalanche The probability of avalanches was calculated by the following equation to obtain α P(S) is the probability of observing an avalanche of size S giving the slope of relationship in a log-log coordinates To manipulate the activities of the connected organoids, we employed optogenetic tools (Supplementary Fig. S2) AAV-CAG-hChR2H134R-tdTomato was a gift from Karel Svoboda (Addgene plasmid # 28017) pAAV-CAG-ArchT-GFP was a gift from Edward Boyden (Addgene plasmid # 29777) 5 µL of AAV virus prep were mixed with 500 µL of maintenance medium and then the mixture was replaced with the medium in the microfluidic device before at least 72 h prior to the MEA measurement Fiber-coupled LED of 470 nm (M470F3 − 470 nm Thorlabs) for hChR2H134R and 565 nm LED (M565F3 Thorlabs) for Arch-T were controlled by T-cube LED driver (LEDD1B Light was delivered to microfluidic device through multimode fiber (0.22 NA TTL pulse was generated by Arduino to control the LED driver For drug treatments in potentiation experiments K252a (abcam) and Anisomycin (Wako) was administered to the cell culture at least 1 h before measurement at a final concentration of 25 nM and 5 µM To identify axon-bundle associated neurons in the connected organoids, photo-convertible fluorescent Kaede were transfected to connected organoid. First, AAV-CAG-Kaede plasmid was constructed (Fig. 3A) AAV was produced in AAVpro 293T (Takara) and purified with AAVpro Purification kit midi (Takara) according to the manufacturer’s protocol The connected organoids were infected with the AAV at 4–6 weeks then subjected to photo-conversion experiment at 7 weeks of culture To visualize axon-bundle associated neurons in the connected organoids 405 nm light was irradiated to the region of axon bundles with a Nikon confocal microscope (1.5 mm ×0.5 mm ×0.2 mm we waited for three hours in total to allow the photo-converted Kaede-red to trafficked to the cell bodies The organoids were dissociated by Accumax for 10–30 min at 37 °C and centrifuged at 200 × g for 5 min the dissociated cells were resuspended with PBS containing 1% BSA Kaede red-positive/Kaede green-negative populations and Kaede red-negative/Kaede green-positive populations were collected as axon-bundle-associated neurons and non-axon-bundle-associated neurons total RNA was collected for RT-PCR analysis Organoids were fixed in 4% paraformaldehyde (PFA) and 4% sucrose at 4 °C for 24 h washed 3 times with PBS (10 min incubation at RT for each wash) and transferred to 30% sucrose solution for incubation overnight at 4 °C Organoids were then embedded in O.C.T compound and frozen on a liquid nitrogen-cooled metal box Organoids were then subjected to cryosectioning to obtain 20-µm-thick slices Cells were fixed with 4% paraformaldehyde for 20 min and then permeabilized with 0.2% Triton X-100 for 5 min After blocking with 1% bovine serum albumin (BSA) for 2 h the cells were incubated for 2 h at room temperature or 4 degrees overnight with a primary antibody A secondary antibody was then administered for up to 2 h at room temperature The primary antibodies were mouse anti-neuron-specific βIII tubulin (Biolegend rabbit anti-neuron-specific βIII tubulin (Sigma ZooMAb The secondary antibodies were Alexa Fluor 568 goat anti-rabbit IgG (H + L) (Thermo Fisher Scientific Alexa Fluor 488 goat anti-mouse IgG (H + L) (Thermo Fisher Scientific and Alexa Fluor 488 goat anti-rat IgG H&L (Abcam Nuclei were stained with Hoechst dye for 20 min at room temperature All cells and samples were observed using a fluorescent microscope (Axio Observer Zeiss) or a confocal laser scanning microscope (BioPipeline LIVE To measure the biological activity of the cerebral organoids, total RNA was isolated from tissues with TriPure (Sigma) from the tissues. Reverse transcription was performed using a KOD One (Toyobo). The primer sequences are shown in Supplementary Table S1 RT-PCR was performed with CFX Connect (BioRad) using KAPA SYBR FAST qPCR Master Mix (KAPA Biosystems) The mRNA level of glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) was used as the internal standard in all experiments The RT-PCR experiments were repeated at least three times with cDNAs prepared from separate tissues The reported values are the means of a minimum of three independent experiments Comparisons were performed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) with post hoc pairwise comparisons carried out using the Tukey–Kramer method unless otherwise stated Statistical tests were performed using GraphPad Prism We excluded organoids that had no electrical activity recorded Further information on research design is available in the Nature Portfolio Reporting Summary linked to this article Dynamic representations in networked neural systems Development of coherent neuronal activity patterns in mammalian cortical networks: common principles and local hetereogeneity Atypical functional connectome hierarchy in autism Functional connectome-wide associations of schizophrenia polygenic risk Hirano, Y. & Uhlhaas, P. J. Current findings and perspectives on aberrant neural oscillations in schizophrenia. Psychiatry Clin. Neurosci. https://doi.org/10.1111/pcn.13300 (2021) Reentry: a key mechanism for integration of brain function Human organoids: model systems for human biology and medicine Disease Modeling in Stem Cell-Derived 3D Organoid Systems Progress and potential in organoid research Song, E. et al. Neuroinvasion of SARS-CoV-2 in human and mouse brain. J. Exp. Med. 218, https://doi.org/10.1084/jem.20202135 (2021) Krenn, V. et al. Organoid modeling of Zika and herpes simplex virus 1 infections reveals virus-specific responses leading to microcephaly. Cell Stem Cell. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.stem.2021.03.004 (2021) Cerebral organoids model human brain development and microcephaly Transcriptomic Landscape and Functional Characterization of Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Cerebral Organoids in Schizophrenia Transcriptome analysis and functional characterization of cerebral organoids in bipolar disorder The use of brain organoids to investigate neural development and disease Modeling Neurological Diseases With Human Brain Organoids Organoid and Assembloid Technologies for Investigating Cellular Crosstalk in Human Brain Development and Disease Regional specification and complementation with non-neuroectodermal cells in human brain organoids Complex Oscillatory Waves Emerging from Cortical Organoids Model Early Human Brain Network Development Fused cerebral organoids model interactions between brain regions Fusion of Regionally Specified hPSC-Derived Organoids Models Human Brain Development and Interneuron Migration hESC-Derived Thalamic Organoids Form Reciprocal Projections When Fused with Cortical Organoids Assembly of functionally integrated human forebrain spheroids Generation of Functional Human 3D Cortico-Motor Assembloids Pathfinding of corticothalamic axons relies on a rendezvous with thalamic projections A Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Tissue Model of a Cerebral Tract Connecting Two Cortical Regions The origin of extracellular fields and currents–EEG An optical marker based on the UV-induced green-to-red photoconversion of a fluorescent protein A high-light sensitivity optical neural silencer: development and application to optogenetic control of non-human primate cortex The role of phase synchronization in memory processes The functional role of cross-frequency coupling Neuronal Avalanches in Neocortical Circuits Being critical of criticality in the brain Bowen, Z., Winkowski, D. E., Seshadri, S., Plenz, D. & Kanold, P. O. Neuronal Avalanches in Input and Associative Layers of Auditory Cortex. Front. Syst. Neurosci. 13, https://doi.org/10.3389/fnsys.2019.00045 (2019) mTOR complexes in neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric disorders Synaptic tagging and long-term potentiation Cortical networks of the mouse brain elaborate within the gray matter Functional neuronal circuitry and oscillatory dynamics in human brain organoids and Testing of a Microfluidic Device for Thermotaxis and Chemotaxis Assays of Sperm Osaki, T. et al. Three-Dimensional Motor Nerve Organoid Generation. J. Vis. Exp. https://doi.org/10.3791/61544 (2020) A more efficient method to generate integration-free human iPS cells Download references This work was supported in part by a Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) (20K20178) and a Takeda Science Foundation grant (T.O.) JST SPRING (JPMJSP2108) and the ANRI fellowship (T.D.) a Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up from JSPS (22K20501) (S.Y.A.C.) a Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists from JSPS (22K18167) (Y.Ikegami) Idex International of University of Bordeaux and INSIS CNRS in the frame of BIOMEG project at UMI LIMMS (T.L.) Grant in Aid for Scientific Research (B) from JSPS (21H02851) (Y.H) JSPS KAKENHI (22K06446 and 22H05094 to NN-T) and a grant from the Ministry of Education Science and Technology (MEXT); a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research on Innovative Areas in the ‘Nascent Chain Biology’ category (17H05661); a Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Pioneering) from the JSPS (20K20643); a Grant-in-Aid for Transformative Research Areas (B) (20H05786); JSPS Core-to-Core Program (JPJSCCA20190006) AMED-CREST; AMED (JP20gm1410001); the Institute for AI and Beyond; and the Casio Science Promotion Foundation (Y.Ikeuchi.) and Kazuyuki Aihara and the members of the Ikeuchi laboratory for discussion and critical comments and Marie Shinohara for their generous support related to microfabrications Yoshiaki Tanaka for generous advice on scRNA-seq data analyses These authors contributed equally: Tatsuya Osaki Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences and Y.Ikeuchi conceived and designed the experiments Ikegami performed the experiments and analyzed the data provided intellectual input into the analytical methods of neuronal activity designed the framework of in silico model under supervision of T.L Ikegami and Y.Ikeuchi wrote the manuscript The authors declare no competing interests Nature Communications thanks the anonymous reviewers for their contribution to the peer review of this work 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/s41467-024-46787-7 Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content: a shareable link is not currently available for this article Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology (2025) Sign up for the Nature Briefing: Translational Research newsletter — top stories in biotechnology KUOW is highlighting the work of Seattle-based poets for National Poetry Month In this series curated by Seattle Civic Poet and Ten Thousand Things host Shin Yu Pai you'll find a selection of poems for the mind poken word poet Troy Osaki writes eloquently and tenderly of Filipino workers on the frontlines to bring visibility to their labor throughout the Seattle and the Pacific Northwest Reflecting on the global economy that creates the circumstances for human trafficking and the labor diaspora Osaki's poem speaks deeply to identity and the longing for home The grandson of Filipino immigrants and the great-grandson of Japanese immigrants Osaki is a three-time grand slam poetry champion and has earned fellowships from Kundiman He was awarded a Ruth Lilly and Dorothy Sargent Rosenberg Poetry fellowship from the Poetry Foundation in 2022 He holds a Juris Doctor degree from the Seattle University School of Law where he interned at Creative Justice an arts-based alternative to incarceration for youth in King County Shin Yu Pai is the current Civic Poet for The City of Seattle (2023-24) and host of KUOW's podcast Ten Thousand Things (formerly The Blue Suit) She is an award-winning writer and visual artist based in Seattle nonprofit news organization that produces award-winning journalism The 32-year agency veteran will oversee the university’s communications strategy as its new senior vice president and chief communications officer Glenn Osaki has 32 years of experience in public relations and is coming to USC from Shanghai USC has named strategic communications professional Glenn Osaki as the university’s new senior vice president and chief communications officer Osaki has more than 30 years of experience in strategic communications, most recently serving as president of Asia-Pacific for MSL He will report directly to the USC president in his new role Osaki has built a career on high ethical standards and solid relationships with stakeholders as well as innovative team-building,” Austin said “We are delighted to have such a talented leader to promote the excellent work of our Trojan Family and to ensure that USC’s many remarkable stories are told His responsibilities will include shaping the university’s overall communications strategy serving as principal spokesperson for USC and collaborating with communications officers across the University Park and Health Sciences campuses to highlight achievements in research scholarship and other facets of university life He will also oversee USC’s Cultural Relations and University Events office and all internal communications activities “The opportunity to help guide USC into a new era as part of President-elect Carol Folt’s senior leadership team is truly the chance of a lifetime,” Osaki said “I am thrilled to apply my international brand-building and reputation management experience from outside of academia to provide an innovative perspective on digital storytelling and data-driven influence to shape USC’s communications.” While leading MSL’s Asia-Pacific operations he was managing director of MSL’s Los Angeles office Osaki has strong connections to USC, having earned his master’s degree in public relations from the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism. He currently serves on the Board of Advisors of the USC Center for Public Relations at USC Annenberg MSL has provided public relations services to USC in the Asia-Pacific region and Osaki has personally advised university leaders — including several deans — regarding outreach and crisis response Copyright © 2025 University of Southern California Products are chosen independently by our editors Purchases made through our links may earn us a commission Reviewed's mission is to help you buy the best stuff and get the most out of what you already own Our team of product experts thoroughly vet every product we recommend to help you cut through the clutter and find what you need If you’re dealing with consistent neck pain or you simply want to relax your muscles after a long day or workout and not a replacement for the health benefits of a professional massage or physical therapist you can get a great massage experience by enjoying the right chair daily Buying a massage chair is a big investment but we’ve dug into hundreds of massage chair reviews from users and massage therapists to uncover the most reliable chairs from the best brands These offer a variety of massage techniques and recline so you can hit those hard-to-reach spots with minimal issues Though we haven’t had the chance to try all of them ourselves these are the best massage chairs we’ve found in our research A few things to note about shopping for a massage chair: They’re big and heavy which means they’re typically shipped by freight (which may take a few weeks) and you’ll need some help getting them into place but reviewers often cite poor instructions and iffy customer service Here are our top picks for massage chairs right now The Human Touch iJoy Total Massage is a midrange massage chair that offers a full recline air cells for providing compression on the calf and foot area and an S-track design to massage the neck and back while following the curvature of the spine (without extending into the glutes and hamstring area) Reviewers have pointed out some occasional and is lighter and more compact than the other spaceship-style chairs on this list Its biggest drawback is that its size makes it a poor fit for taller folks—especially those over six feet tall This extra affordable massage chair boasts some decent features for its price We love that you can choose between receiving a deep-tissue massage or one that targets specific sore areas or knots it comes with a heating function to soothe your muscles though some reviewers say it can get too hot after a few minutes Once you choose the best massage mode for your needs or neck height for your body for maximum comfort stylish massage chair that features a full L-track massage Reviewers are consistently impressed by its quality and particularly the rollers’ ability to hit trick spots in your lower back zero-gravity recline position and rollers to cover your neck and shoulders this features adjustable shoulder airbag massages along with 24 airbags spread throughout to provide compression and support for your back The Osaki Titan TI-Pro Omega 3D Massage Chair is a slightly higher-end chair with a wide range of features and a body-scanning feature for 3D massage It’s rare to get that combination for under $2,500 but this chair is usually on sale for $2,000 or less Reviewers rave about the chair’s abilities including the full SL-track massage’s power to hit certain lower-back areas and people aren’t fond of the confusing instruction manual The Human Touch WholeBody 7.1 foregoes traditional tracks and rollers in favor of a 3D FlexGlide orbital massage The brand claims its massagers offer a smoother application of pressure without the pinching or friction that other chairs have it may offer fewer settings than some other chairs But the WholeBody’s BodyMap Pro system lets you target problem areas by touching buttons on a map of a human back on the remote The attached ottoman acts as a foot and calf massager with the calf massage meant to improve blood flow from the feet to the core and back this Human Touch massage chair may have some longevity issues Critical reviewers cite problems with the chair’s fabric not standing up to the massagers and heat for long and the permanently reclined angle of the chair itself are also an issue for some users As one of the more expensive chairs on this list or just want to loosen up your leg muscles starting from the top of your neck and working its way down to your calves (though a few reviewers say the foot-massage feature can feel a bit rough) it’s a two-stage massage chair with a zero-gravity position which lets you raise your feet above your heart and stretch out your knees for even better blood flow during your massage You can specify where on your body you want the massage to focus and control each feature with a remote It’s available in multiple color combinations Because a massage chair is such a big investment, it’s important to be sure you’re making a decision that suits your needs. If you just function ga4_link100() { window.dataLayer.push(JSON.parse('{"event":"click_inarticle"}')) }want a good cushion a chair this pricey might not be worth your while Make sure you've got enough space cleared out in your home before you invest These different tracks refer to the path that the massaging rollers travel as they give you a relaxing massage Different chairs offer different types of massage Most have rollers in the back of the chair that work your neck But you may also see full-body massage chairs that include rollers for your legs and feet There are also “3D” and “4D massages” that add an element of depth These massage chairs can push harder to apply more pressure to different parts of your body You can even find people claiming to make a shiatsu massage chair You can find all kinds of features in the world of massage chairs Some of these are common sense and provide basic benefits but you may find one chair that is much more expensive than another and the only difference is a few extra conveniences Consider whether you care about having a separate remote control whether you need your chair to fully recline and whether you care about a heat therapy option Look at how many massage programs the chair offers Some features may be extravagant bells and whistles that would be fun to have but may not make this massage chair worth the cost You may already have Bluetooth speakers in your living room which means you don’t need a massage chair that comes with built-in speakers Some chairs will even save personalized massage programs for members of your household but that may not be necessary if your family just remembers their preferred settings The massage chairs in this guide offer a mix of the best recline capabilities Our product experts conduct extensive product research and other factors to make the best recommendations Prices were accurate at the time this article was published but may change over time TJ is the former Director of Content Development at Reviewed He is a Massachusetts native and has covered electronics He is from the self-styled "Cranberry Capitol of the World," which is Lily Hartman is a staff writer who also enjoys writing magazine articles about health and outdoor recreation are sorted into blue bins at designated sites across Osaki town later to be used as materials to form new products and wood are broken down through a machine The material is then mixed with collected food waste to form compost Osaki Town Office Resident and Environment Division assistant section chief and Environmental Measures Section manager Shizuto Takehara shows fermenting compost at the town's composting facility The final composting product is sold at an affordable price with local farmers only paying 25% of market value K is a Gates Millennium Scholar who earned her bachelor of arts degree in political science from St OSAKI — Leading the rest of the global community in its recycling efforts is Osaki a quaint rural town in southern Japan with an extensive and efficient recycling system built upon collective responsibility It used to have a landfill that was nearing its capacity well ahead of schedule Speaking to a group of visiting journalists from the Caribbean and the Pacific Islands Osaki Town Office Resident and Environment Division assistant section chief and Environmental Measures Section manager Shizuto Takehara said the town was adamant about extending the life of the existing landfill site Through the formulation and implementation of rules after multiple conversations between the local government The government held 450 meetings with residents over the span of three months to directly address the issue placing great emphasis on the short-term and long-term effects of inaction It presented three strategy plans: building a new incinerator facility or extending the life of the existing landfill site the government informed residents that building a new incinerator facility would be costly to the community as a whole The residents opposed the building of a new landfill disposal site which ultimately led to the adoption of the third strategy plan: extending the life of the existing landfill site The government developed the recycling system secured a final disposal site for waste collection It then decided what items to separate; appointed and guided regional leaders; and held environmental study sessions annual trainings continue to be held for every regional leader The residents’ role in the system is perhaps the most crucial a system can only be effective if implemented holistically The town teaches its residents and visitors that if they mix the waste Residents must sort and separate waste from their homes Recyclables must also be cleaned prior to being placed in designated bags with the household’s name written on them All households have a guide that teaches them how to properly sort and dispose their household garbage The waste collection company commissioned by the government  receives the waste transforming food waste into affordable compost and inspecting recyclables to be processed and sent around the country as a resource The company’s staff and community leaders are trained to identify whether or not a household has properly sorted its garbage and recyclables including directly contacting the household to address the matter Recent data from the waste collection shows that a majority of the town’s waste derives from grass The town also transforms collected cooking oil into biodiesel to power their waste collection vehicles All food waste is collected and sent to the town’s organic composting facility and businesses can then avail themselves of the compost to grow crops or to use as soil for other purposes the town’s waste disposal cost per person is 2/3 the national average This saves about 90 million yen or $600,000 annually compared to the national average funds that can be allocated to other industries The Osaki town recycling system can also handle recyclable waste from neighboring municipalities yet another contribution to the local economy It has also expanded its efforts with neighboring countries With its landfill life extended to at least another 50 years and its recycling system continuing to expand Osaki town in Kagoshima is now among the leading global partners in meeting the Sustainable Development Goals set by the United Nations Email notifications are only sent once a day Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: