Volume 7 - 2019 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fbioe.2019.00239 This article is part of the Research TopicAdvanced Theranostic Nanomedicine in OncologyView all 14 articles Biogenic nanoparticles are the smartest weapons to deal with the multidrug-resistant “superbugs” because of their broad-spectrum antibacterial propensity as well as excellent biocompatibility The aqueous biogenic silver nanoparticles (Aq-bAgNPs) and ethanolic biogenic silver nanoparticles (Et-bAgNPs) were synthesized using aqueous and ethanolic extracts of Andrographis paniculata stem Electron microscopic images confirmed the synthesis of almost spherical shaped biogenic silver nanoparticles (bAgNPs) The zeta potentials of the nanoparticles were negative and were −22 and −26 mV for Aq-bAgNPs and Et-bAgNPs The antibacterial activity of bAgNPs was investigated against seven pathogenic (i.e. Acinetobacter baumannii) and three nonpathogenic (i.e. and Bacillus subtilis) bacteria at different time points (i.e. and 24 h) in a dose-dependent manner (i.e. and 60 μg) through broth dilution assay The lowest minimum inhibitory concentration value for both the bAgNPs was 0.125 μg Et-bAgNPs showed the highest antibacterial activity against S aureus at 60 μg after 16 h and the diameter of inhibited zone was 28 mm Lipid peroxidation assay using all the bacterial strains revealed the formation of malondialdehyde–thiobarbituric acid adduct due to the oxidation of cell membrane fatty acids by bAgNPs The bAgNPs showed excellent hemocompatibility against human as well as rat red blood cells there was no significant toxicity observed when the levels of rat serum ALT kidney function biomarker) were determined it is crucial to develop new antibacterial agents with the ability to kill any pathogenic bacteria and superbugs and with prolonged and broad-spectrum antibacterial activity the pathogenic bacterial strains were used to investigate the antibacterial propensity of our as-synthesized bAgNPs three nonpathogenic bacterial strains such as E and Bacillus subtilis RBW were also used in the experiment The antibacterial potential of bAgNPs was investigated through determination of the diameter (in millimeter) of the zone of inhibition (ZOI) through disk diffusion assay determination of minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) value through broth dilution method Lipid peroxidation (LPO) assay was performed to investigate the mechanism of antibacterial propensity of bAgNPs we have investigated the hemocompatibility of bAgNPs against human as well as rat red blood cells (RBCs) The biocompatibility of bAgNPs was investigated in vivo using Wister rat model The effect of bAgNPs on liver and kidneys was investigated through determining the level of serum ALT and γ-GT as liver function biomarkers and serum creatinine as kidney function biomarker and absolute ethanol were purchased from Sigma-Aldrich (USA) CellToxTM Green dye was purchased from Promega (USA) Trypan blue dye was collected from Alfa Aesar (United Kingdom) Agar powder was purchased from Titan Biotech Ltd and sodium chloride were collected from Unichem (China) Trichloroacetic acid (TCA) and thiobarbituric acid (TBA) were purchased from Merck (Germany) and JT Baker (USA) The biochemical analysis kits for serum AST and γ-GT analysis were purchased from Vitro Scient (Egypt) and the serum creatinine determination kit was purchased from Crescent Diagnostics (The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia) enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (ATCC 43887) baumannii (ATCC 17978)] and three nonpathogenic [i.e. subtilis RBW (ATCC 6051)] strains were obtained from the Department of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering Thirty Wistar male rats (weighing between 170 and 180 g) were obtained from the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology The reaction mixture was then centrifuged at 16,873 g for 1 h at room temperature to remove the unconjugated plant extract and AgNO3 The supernatant was aspirated and the bAgNPs generated by aqueous as well as ethanolic extracts were deposited as pellet at the bottom of the tube the bAgNPs were washed twice with distilled water and redispersed in distilled water The as-synthesized biogenic silver nanoparticles (bAgNPs) were characterized using a UV-Vis spectrophotometer (Specord® 205 Germany) and FTIR spectroscopy (IRPrestige-21 The hydrodynamic size and zeta potential of bAgNPs were determined with a zeta size analyzer (Nano-ZS90; Spectris PLC England) after sonicating for 30 min in a bath-type sonicator and composition of biogenic nanoparticles were analyzed with TEM with a field emission gun (HF-2200; Hitachi Japan) coupled with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDAX Genesis; AMETEK A scanning TEM unit with a HAADF detector and secondary electron (SE) detector were also equipped The nanoparticles were neither stained with any conventional staining agent nor coated with any conductive metal before observing them under electron microscopy The powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns of bAgNPs were obtained using a powder X-ray diffractometer (GNR X-Ray Explorer Italy) equipped with Cu Kα (0.154 nm) at 25 mA without Ni filter The XRD spectrum was obtained by scanning the diffraction angle (2θ) region at 30 kV The diffraction angle was varied in the range of 10–50° and the scanning rate was 5°/s The antimicrobial activity of the bAgNPs was investigated against seven pathogenic (i.e. and Acinetobacter) and three nonpathogenic (i.e. and the remaining bacterial strains are gram negative The antibacterial activity of bAgNPs was determined in terms of their MIC value The MIC value was determined to identify the minimum amount of bAgNPs (i.e., Aq-bAgNPs and Et-bAgNPs) required to inhibit the growth of a particular bacterial strain. The MIC value of the as-synthesized bAgNPs was determined according to the broth dilution method (Mondal et al., 2017) 990 μl of fresh LB broth was inoculated with 10 μl of overnight grown bacterial culture and incubated at 37°C and 120 rpm for 4 h and 6 μg) of either Aq-bAgNPs or Et-bAgNPs was added to the bacterial culture and incubated at 37°C and 120 rpm overnight The optical density (OD) of the respective bacterial culture was then measured at 600 nm using UV-Vis spectrophotometer (Optizen Korea) to determine the MIC values of bAgNPs The antimicrobial activity of the as-synthesized Aq-bAgNPs and Et-bAgNPs was determined by disk diffusion method (Polash et al., 2017) all the tested bacterial strains were cultured in Luria Bertani (LB) medium at 37°C and 120 rpm overnight 100 μl was spreaded consistently on LB agar plates Metrical filter paper disks containing different amounts of bAgNPs (i.e. and 20 μg) were placed on the LB agar plates containing uniformly spreaded bacteria The LB agar plates were then incubated overnight at 37°C for optimum growth of bacteria The antibacterial activity of Aq-bAgNPs and Et-bAgNPs was determined by the presence of clear zones surrounding the disks that were different with different amounts of bAgNPs (i.e. Aq-bAgNPs and Et-bAgNPs) and confirm the inhibition of the growth of bacteria the diameter of the clear zones was measured using slide calipers at different time points such as 12 20 μl (1 μg/μl) of Aq-bAgNPs and Et-bAgNPs was mixed separately with 80 μl of overnight grown culture (1 × 106 CFU/ml) of the respective bacterial strains (i.e. seven pathogenic and three nonpathogenic bacterial strains) and incubated at 37°C and 120 rpm for 1.5 h The bacterial cultures treated with bAgNPs were mixed with 0.4% trypan blue solution at a ratio of 1:1 and incubated at room temperature for 15 min before taking images of live and dead bacterial cells using a phase contrast microscope (Olympus BX50 Fluorescence Microscope CellToxTM Green is a fluorescent dye that penetrates through the disrupted cell membrane and emits green fluorescence upon binding with the DNA (Zhang et al., 1999) Overnight grown bacterial culture was diluted with LB broth and the concentration was set to 1 × 107 CFU/ml Either Aq-bAgNPs or Et-bAgNPs (20 μl; 1 μg/μl) were mixed with 80 μl (1 × 107 CFU/ml) of the respective bacterial strains 900 μl of fresh LB broth was added to bAgNPs containing bacterial culture before incubating at 37°C and 120 rpm for 2 h 1 μl of CellToxTM Green reagent (2 ×) was mixed properly with bAgNPs containing bacterial culture and incubated at room temperature for another 30 min in the dark Twenty microliters of the CellToxTM-treated bacterial culture was kept aside to observe the dead cells under fluorescence microscope (Olympus BX50 Fluorescence Microscope The remaining bacterial suspension was used to measure the fluorescence intensity of the green fluorescent dye treated bacterial cultures using a spectrofluorophotometer (SHIMADZU RF-6000 cells and media) were run without CellToxTM Green alongside the treatment groups All experiments were carried out in triplicate The LPO potential of bAgNPs was investigated according to previously established protocol (Singh et al., 2009; Ranjan Sarker et al., 2019) 1 ml of each of the bacterial cultures was mixed separately with 200 μl (i.e. 200 μg) of each of the bAgNPs and incubated for 30 min at room temperature 2 ml of 10% TCA was mixed with the bAgNP-treated bacterial culture and centrifuged at 10,416 g for 35 min at room temperature to separate the insoluble cellular components The supernatant was taken out and centrifuged again in the same relative centrifugal force (g) for 20 min to remove any protein precipitates as well as dead cells the supernatant containing malondialdehyde was collected in a fresh tube and mixed with freshly prepared 4 ml of 0.67% TBA solution and incubated in a hot water bath for 10 min to facilitate the formation of malondialdehyde-TBA adduct before cooling down to room temperature The absorbance of the malondialdehyde-TBA adduct was measured by UV-Vis spectrophotometer (Specord® 205 The percentage of hemolysis was calculated using the following formula: Since the size of our as-synthesized Aq-bAgNPs and Et-bAgNPs are 24.90 and 25.24 we fixed the highest dose as 5 mg/kg of rat body weight All the rats were anesthetized with 0.3 ml/250 g ketamine/xylazine (100 mg/ml ketamine + 20 mg/ml xylazine) before intravenous delivery of bAgNPs 2 and 5 mg/kg of rat body weight) of both Aq-bAgNPs and Et-bAgNPs were delivered through intravenous route via tail's vein the rats were kept in the cage under the same condition for 7 days blood (~3 ml) was drawn from all the rats and centrifuged at 538 g for 10 min at room temperature to separate the serum The serum samples were stored at −20°C for further biochemical analysis The experiments in this study were approved by the Biosafety Biosecurity & Ethical Committee of Jahangirnagar University (BBEC To determine whether bAgNPs have any toxic effects to rat tissues we measured the concentration of several enzymes whose level usually get hiked once there is any damage in the liver and kidneys We measured the level of serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and creatinine of the experimental rats and compared them with that of control rats and γ-GT are known as the liver function biomarkers and creatinine is known as the kidney function biomarker The concentrations of all the biomarkers were measured according to the manual provided with the reagent kits and the detailed protocol has been added in the supplementary section All the data were presented as the mean ± SEM. Data were subjected to statistical analysis using one-way ANOVA with GraphPad Prism 5.0 (GraphPad Software Inc., San Diego, CA). Post hoc test was performed using the Dunnett test. The mean values were considered to be statistically significant at P < 0.05 (Adeyemi and Adewumi, 2014) and the results presented are the average measurements of the runs with standard deviation a slight red shift was observed in case of Et-bAgNPs UV-Vis spectra of biogenic silver nanoparticles (bAgNPs) The characteristic Ag peak was observed at ~3 keV are artifacts used during the analysis by TEM grid and silicon oil for a vacuum pump Considering these results in EM observation and EDS analysis we judged that Ag nanoparticles were coated with bioactive polymers present in A and size of biogenic Ag nanoparticles (bAgNPs) with scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) SE images show the formation of Aq-bAgNPs (A) high-angle annular dark-field (HAADF) images (Z-contrast images) (C) and histogram for particle size distribution (D) show the formation and histogram for particle size distribution (H) show the formation spherical shape and size of Et-bAgNPs Energy dispersive X-ray (EDS) spectra of Aq-bAgNPs (A) Peaks at ~3 keV indicate the presence of Ag in the biogenic nanoparticles Powder XRD analysis of as-synthesized Aq-bAgNPs (C) Zone of inhibition and MIC value for bAgNPs against bacteria The fluorescence images confirm the damage of bacterial cell membrane after treating them with bAgNPs and the dead bacteria appeared green The fluorescence intensity of bacteria treated with Aq-bAgNPs and Et-bAgNPs was measured at 490 nm using a spectrofluorometer The values presented are mean ± SE of multiple samples (n = 3) Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey's multiple comparison test The fluorescence intensity of both bAgNP-treated bacteria was significantly higher than that of the plant extract treated as well as untreated bacteria and *P < 0.05 subtilis was first treated with Aq-bAgNPs (i) and Et-bAgNPs (ii) The treated bacteria were then incubated with CellToxTM green to stain the cell wall compromised bacterial DNA and green fluorescence was observed under a fluorescence microscope The same experiment was also performed for E faecalis after treating them with Aq-bAgNPs (iii) and Et-bAgNPs (iv) The amount of MDA adduct is different for different bacterial strains and it is due to the differences in the interaction of bAgNPs with bacteria The cell wall composition of bacteria differs from species to species The generation of lipid peroxide (LPO) took place due to the oxidation of bacterial cell membrane fatty acids by bAgNPs The cell membrane fatty acid oxidation potential of biogenic silver nanoparticles was measured through MDA–TBA adduct assay The absorbance of MDA–TBA pink adduct was measured at 532 nm (i.e. The absorbance of MDA–TBA adduct of bAgNPs treated bacteria were significantly higher than that of the untreated bacteria (i.e. Hemocompatibility of bAgNPs to human (A) and rat (B) red blood cells (RBCs) The HC50 values of Aq-bAgNPs and Et-bAgNPs to human RBCs were 700 and 800 μg the HC50 values of Aq-bAgNPs and Et-bAgNPs to rat RBCs were 600 and 800 μg The hemocompatibility assay was performed three times on three different days The values presented are mean ± SE of multiple samples (n = 3) and paired t-test was performed for analyzing significant difference between Aq-bAgNPs and Et-bAgNPs The hemocompatibility of bAgNPs was significantly different from each other and *P ≤ 0.05 Intravenous administration of different doses (up to 5 mg/kg) of bAgNPs for 7 days showed no statistically significant difference in the level of serum creatinine bAgNPs did not show any toxic effect to kidneys besides their compatibility to liver The effect of bAgNPs on liver function was investigated by measuring the levels of ALT (A) The effect of bAgNPs on kidney function was also investigated by measuring the level of serum creatinine (D) The values presented are mean ± SE of multiple samples (six animals per group) Data were analyzed by GraphPad Prism 5.0 (GraphPad software) using one-way ANOVA test Dunnett test was used for post hoc comparison No significant difference was observed when treatment groups were compared with control and P > 0.05 We synthesized biogenic silver nanoparticles (bAgNPs) in a cost-effective and ecofriendly manner The aqueous as well as ethanolic extracts of A paniculata stem were used to synthesize Aq-bAgNPs and Et-bAgNPs The synthesis of bAgNPs was confirmed through UV-Vis The as-synthesized bAgNPs were characterized in terms of their size The antimicrobial activity of bAgNPs was investigated against seven pathogenic and three nonpathogenic bacterial strains Both Et-bAgNPs and Aq-bAgNPs showed the highest antimicrobial activity against pathogenic S They showed the antibacterial activity through damaging the bacterial cell wall which was confirmed through CellToxTM Green assay and trypan blue dye exclusion assay bAgNPs oxidize the cell membrane fatty acids to produce lipid peroxides that facilitate the interaction bAgNPs with DNA and other cellular macromolecules to bring about bacterial death our as-synthesized bAgNPs showed excellent hemocompatibility and did not show any significant toxicity to liver and kidneys at a high dose it can be concluded that our as-synthesized bAgNPs are cost effective have broad-spectrum antibacterial propensity and excellent biocompatibility and can be recommended for future therapeutic applications All datasets generated for this study are included in the manuscript/Supplementary Material The animal study was reviewed and approved by Biosafety and Ethical Committee of Jahangirnagar University All authors listed have made a substantial direct and intellectual contribution to the work This research project was partially supported by Jahangirnagar University Research Grant 2018 and University Grants Commission (UGC)–Jahangirnagar University Joint Research Grant 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 The authors acknowledge Waseda University Central Instrument Facility School of Advanced Science and Engineering and Wazed Miah Science Research Center of Jahangirnagar University for allowing the use of their comprehensive facilities and services The Supplementary Material for this article can be found online at: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbioe.2019.00239/full#supplementary-material Biochemical evaluation of silver nanoparticles in wistar rats Pitfalls and challenges in nanotoxicology: a case of cobalt ferrite (CoFe2O4) nanocomposites Green synthesis of silver nanoparticles using Azadirachta indica aqueous leaf extract CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar Characterization of biogenic silver nanoparticles by Salvadora persica leaves extract and its application against some MDR pathogens E Antimicrobial activity of iron oxide nanoparticle upon modulation of nanoparticle–bacteria interface Antibiotic resistance: a rundown of a global crisis Leaf extract 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Silver Nanoparticles as Potent Therapeutics Received: 30 June 2019; Accepted: 11 September 2019; Published: 09 October 2019 Copyright © 2019 Hossain, Polash, Takikawa, Shubhra, Saha, Islam, Hossain, Hasan, Takeoka and Sarker. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY) 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: Satya Ranjan Sarker, c2F0eWEuc2Fya2VyQGJnZWp1LmVkdS5iZA== †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 Sightseeing and excursions festival Takikawa City Gourmet Festival & Rapeseed Flower Field Special Venue: Saturdays and Sundays only 10:00-16:00 Summary citation element： たきかわ観光協会 The content may change without prior notice Please be sure to check the organizer's official website for the latest information on the event Seasonal “news” of Hokkaido can be checked by category You can check the information of your “town” in one place Events” held throughout the province are easy to find and can be saved This page has been automatically translated by Google Translate service New City Solicitor Attorney Stephen Buoniconti sat down with Mayor Domenic J Chief Administrative and Financial Officer (CAFO) and Human Resource and Labor Relations Director Attorney Bill Mahoney today Solicitor Buoniconti is looking forward to taking the helm of the City of Springfield’s Law Department and joining the Sarno Administration “As we begin the transition for Attorney Buoniconti to take over as City Solicitor it is important for him to sit down and continue to meet with our Law Department staff HR and Labor Relations Director Attorney Bill Mahoney and my Chief of Staff Bill Baker.  I am looking forward to bringing Attorney Buoniconti on board and working with him in this new role.  Again his legal acumen and public service experience make him an ideal fit to serve in this important position - he is ready to hit the ground running.” A recent spate of bear attacks in Japan has prompted one city to invest in an unusual scare tactic: robotic wolves The Monster Wolf is mounted on a stationary pole and comes equipped with motion sensors When those sensors are triggered it swivels its head flashes lights in its eyes and on its tail including wolf-like howls and the clanking of machinery Japan has experienced an unusually high number of black-bear attacks this year Local media attributes this to an acorn shortage that has driven the bears to seek food in more populated areas Real wolves have been extinct in Japan for more than 100 years The Monster Wolf may not be the most sophisticated bit of tech but Takikawa city officials said there had been no incidents of bears wandering into town since the wolves were installed Takikawa doesn't appear to be the only customer either — Reuters reports the manufacturer Ohta Seiki has sold 70 units of the Monster Wolf over the past two years Depopulation also has the potential to threaten urban productivity and future Audio NewsThis article has been translated using AI. See original Japan's Depopulation and the Challenge of Designing the Future of Cities 00:0000:0010101.00xBy Tatang Mulyana Sinaga 09 Feb 2025 12:44 WIB · English Depopulation has ensnared Japan in recent years This issue poses a challenge in designing a more livable future city by improving various public services Snow piles over one meter thick covered the entire length of the road several elderly workers are arranging goods in a minimarket many residents over the age of 65 are still actively working Takikawa has become one of the cities in Japan facing depopulation This issue is not merely a decline in population but it has the potential to threaten the city's economy This is because there are fewer productive-age residents who can be employed in various sectors that support the economy Based on data from the Takikawa City Government the population in the city peaked in 1985 with 52,004 people the population is only around 36,000 people the population is predicted to continue shrinking to 25,300 people in the next two decades stated that there are various factors causing depopulation in the city One of them is the low birth rate due to an increasing number of residents who are not getting married and do not want to have children Young people are delaying marriage because they are worried that their salaries will not be sufficient if they start a family," he said while receiving a visit from participants of the Japan-East Asia Network of Exchange for Students and Youth (Jenesys) 2025 program Jenesys is a program of the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs implemented by the Japan International Cooperation Center (JICE) the program was attended by several journalists employees of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and representatives of Islamic organizations from Indonesia Another factor in Takikawa's declining population is the migration of residents to larger cities the average age of Takikawa residents is 49.5 years old while residents aged 65 and over make up 36.5 percent of the total population More than 17 percent of the elderly population is still actively working in various sectors the elderly population contributes significantly to driving the economy in the city Depopulation in Takikawa has an impact on many sectors The low birth rate has also reduced the number of school-age children the number of school-age children (elementary-high school) has now decreased by more than 50 percent This problem also has an impact on the availability of productive age workers "There are also schools that have been closed both in rural and urban areas (due to the decreasing number of students)," said Makoto Makoto said that his party is doing various ways to overcome the problem of depopulation In addition to encouraging the younger generation to get married and have children his party is also minimizing residents moving to other areas citizen-based urban planning has been implemented The city government collects citizen aspirations through various means “We aim to further enhance the city’s appeal through the collective power of its citizens and design a city where citizens want to live forever,” he said Makoto added that his party routinely meets residents in various forums They discuss various aspects of public services that must be fulfilled to reduce residents' concerns about having children and staying in the city JICE Coordinator Takagi Hitoshi said that depopulation is not only experienced by Takikawa This problem also has an impact on the availability of productive age workers who play a very important role in driving the economy of cities and countries "Perhaps the main factor is the ever-increasing cost of living the city government is preparing various plans to make the city more attractive to live in the relationship between the government and the residents continues to be improved to absorb what the community wants," he said LONGMEADOW - The ties that bind America and Japan begin in Washington less formal relationships far outside the Beltway One of those relationships exists between Longmeadow and Takikawa a city of 60,000 people on the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido Longmeadow and Takikawa established a friendship agreement in 2006 The two sister communities renewed that pact with a formal signing ceremony this fall at Town Hall The agreement paves the way student exchange programs along with annual visits to Longmeadow by Japanese government officials and business leaders "We keep hearing a lot about globalization in the 21st century and I think we have a lot to learn from other countries around the world in particular what their governments are doing," said Lori Snyder a history teacher and East Asia advisor at Longmeadow High School Snyder also coordinates the Takikawa-Longmeadow exchange program Takikawa's economy is based on agricultural production with a focus on canola flower and oil along with the chairman of the city assembly and the president of a junior college alumni association spent a day touring the Richard Salter Storrs Library the town's police and fire departments and the construction site of the new high school Japanese officials also received a civics lesson from Paul Pasterczyk and took a lunch break for American burgers "The Town Meeting (form of government) is very interesting We have a city council and they decide what to do Each citizen doesn't vote for the issues A representative decides and that's very different," said Yasuhiro Yamauchi director of the Takikawa Internal Affairs Division Members of the Japanese delegation wanted to know how America structures its federal The Japanese were especially intrigued by the notion of raising property taxes to fund government programs Delegates will use the information to consider and debate potential changes to their own system of government and economy Several students from Longmeadow have traveled to Takikawa and lived with host families there Local families have likewise hosted Japanese students Whether it's students returning home or government officials gathering information the sister city program has strengthened the global connection between Takikawa and Longmeadow and international relations between Washington and Tokyo "Learning about the world and having an opportunity to live with a family in another country creates a lot of potential for our students," Snyder said Yamauchi has a long-standing relationship with Western Massachusetts He was an English teacher in Japan before entering government service He spent a year living and teaching in the Springfield Public School system He's been back to the area every year since 2006 serving as interpreter for his fellow delegates and enjoying his annual trip to Longmeadow "This year we learned about how town government is organized We can bring that information back to our people," said Yamauchi "Every time a group comes back from Longmeadow they say what a nice place it is This has been a really interesting meeting." 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All rights reserved (About Us) The material on this site may not be reproduced except with the prior written permission of Advance Local Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site YouTube's privacy policy is available here and YouTube's terms of service is available here Ad Choices Event 1 The Rape Blossom Walk in Anping Town 2024 (Anping Town) During the "Rape Blossom Walk 2024" held in Anping Town from May 18 to June 9 100 hectares of rape fields will be covered in a carpet of yellow including the "Rape Blossom Field Drive," in which visitors can tour the rape fields on a covered wagon pulled by a tractor and the "Rape Blossom Walk" and "Rape Blossom Footpath," which allow visitors to stroll through fields that are normally inaccessible a "Rape Blossom Information Center" will be set up at the main venue and a "Rape Blossom Kafu" will open where visitors can enjoy menus related to rape blossoms a free shuttle bus will operate between the Abira D51 Station and the surrounding rape blossom fields on Saturdays and Sundays only Enjoy the beautiful scenery and special experiences awaiting you in "Nanohana Sampo 2024" and make the most of spring in the town of Adaira Dates: Saturday, May 18 - Sunday, June 9, 2024 Venue: Roadside Station Abira D51 Station (49-1 Oibu Kashiwagaoka, Abira-cho, Yufutsu-gun), etc. For more information about the "Rape Blossom Walk 2024 in Abira Town," click here. 2 2024 Takikawa Rape Blossom Festival: Rape Blossoms Blooming in the Hills (Takikawa City ) Takikawa City's "Takikawa Rape Blossom Festival" is a spectacular event with one of Japan's largest rape field crops spreading all over the city you can enjoy a gourmet fair using local ingredients and stage events along with golden fields of rape blossoms which is open only on Saturdays and Sundays you can see a yellow carpet covering the hills of Ebeotsu a gourmet festival featuring local restaurants and kitchen cars will be held at Michi no Eki Takikawa Please come and enjoy the spectacular view which has been selected as one of the "100 most moving moments in Hokkaido Date: Saturday, May 18 - Sunday, May 26, 2024, 10:00-16:00 Venue: Roadside Station Takikawa (11-13-3 Higashi, Ebeotomachi, Takikawa City and other locations)For more information about the "2024 Takikawa Rape Blossom Festival: Rape Blossoms Blooming in the Hills," click here. Expanding the circle of exchange in Minami-ku, Sapporo! What is "Yaoyo Cafe", a community market created by students together with the local community? [Updated for 2025] A complete guide to accessing Daiwa House Premist Dome (Sapporo Dome) and nearby hotels! Convenient for trips and concerts Enjoy seasonal spring gourmet food and Golden Week! 10 recommended events in Hokkaido [May 2025] Check out these Golden Week outings! 5 recommended events in Sapporo [May 2nd - 6th, 2025] Let's do something good! 5 easy-to-participate social good events in Hokkaido [May 2025] [2025 Edition] 16 Flower Events in Hokkaido: Cherry blossoms, rape blossoms, azaleas, and tulips in full bloom Seasonal “news” of Hokkaido can be checked by category! You can check the information of your “town” in one place! Events” held throughout the province are easy to find and can be saved! This page has been automatically translated by Google Translate service. Print Special to the Los Angeles Times SANTA YNEZ there’s been a new farm in town with the enigmatic name the Garden of .... and an almost mystical reputation for superb quality have offered at the Altadena and Mar Vista markets has more than lived up to the buzz who has the radiant smile and fierce purity of a Zen master emigrated from Japan in 1983 when he was 26 and apprenticed at several farms before marrying Debby and starting his own farm They now grow 16 certified organic acres in Santa Ynez and until recently sold only at their local markets in Santa Barbara and Solvang where Shu is as revered for mentoring young farmers as for growing pristine produce “Our approach is to grow food that people normally eat but to grow it in a way that makes it extraordinary,” says Debby which is as crisp and succulent as any I’ve tasted sweetness and clean flavor of just-dug spuds have won the taste contest at the very competitive Santa Barbara market Shu prides himself on his old-fashioned yellow corn which is sweet rather than super-sweet (the modern industrial kind) meaning that the kernels are tender and have real corn flavor rather than being pumped up with sugar for shipping and shelf life A visit last Friday to their farm revealed many explanations for the excellence of their produce close to the Pacific but separated from it by mountains It is hot in summer but cools off at night giving plants time to respire and develop full flavor; this makes it as ideal for vegetables as it is for the celebrated local wines Shu has experimented with hundreds of varieties before selecting the ones best adapted to individual seasons at his location He carefully regulates irrigation to maximize flavor and says he can detect by a slight bluish tinge on the backside of leaves when lettuces are stressed and won’t taste good; these he insists on plowing under Everything that he and his wife bring to market is ultrafresh and beautifully displayed who has considerably improved the quality of Fairview’s offerings since he took over as farm manager says that Shu is “a master farmer who believes that quality and artisanship are essential What makes him so special to me is his willingness to share ideas and give assistance so readily.” a theatrical producer on Broadway and in California planted most of the property with wine grapes which are leased to the Qupé winery; the Takikawas currently cultivate 4 acres at home and 12 at two nearby sites is now focused on doubling their farm’s production and sales in order to pay the tuition for their own baby who will study guitar at Berklee College of Music in Boston starting in August who looks a bit like Sean Lennon and has his father’s sly The Takikawas chose their farm’s intriguingly elliptical name so as to let their customers complete it according to their own desires At a soon-to-be-set date in midsummer they will fulfill another wish by holding a special dinner at their farm for their new Los Angeles clientele Blenheim apricots from Michael Cirone (See Canyon) of San Luis Obispo at Santa Monica Wednesday (for several weeks starting June 20) Cot-N-Candy white Apriums from Frog Hollow of Brentwood Snow Queen white nectarines from Ron Cornelsen and Art Lange (Honey Crisp) of Reedley at Santa Monica on Wednesdays (June 20 and 27) and Beverly Hills (June 24); from John Hurley and Truman Kennedy next weekend (June 23-24) Persian mulberries from John Tenerelli of Littlerock have just started at Hollywood and Beverly Hills on Sundays and Santa Monica on Wednesdays Circle C of Lake Hughes should have them at Hollywood soon; this Sunday (June 17) they will also bring their very small harvest of Montmorency tart cherries food@latimes.com Food World & Nation Food Subscribe for unlimited accessSite Map but sometimes breaking out is even harder — Rina Takikawa a former professional dancer who dedicated her life to the art form though still at the beginning of her adult career Takikawa decided to make a drastic life change from ballerina to UX designer she began rebuilding her online presence through YouTube when hiring managers search "Rina Takikawa," they find a story about a woman who took her love for ballet and art and translated it into the technology industry as the founding product designer at Mooch While Takikawa does not have a design degree she did complete intensive workshops and boot camps to learn the technical elements of the craft all report valuing candidates who can use the company's products to show off their personality experts say job seekers face an uphill battle in the competitive job market we live a lot of our lives there," said Tracey Wallace a hiring platform for marketing professionals Starting your personal brand can be the hardest part which is why Takikawa delivers a "Personal Branding 101 Presentation" to high school and university students across the country Her first piece of advice is meant to be disarming: "You might be overthinking it," she said "You don't have to be a social media manager or a content strategist to put content out there because nobody knows your story better than you do." Over at Duolingo, for instance, Jocelyn Lai, global head of talent acquisition, says she wants employees who don't "fit in" but bring a new perspective to the table Takikawa asks students to brainstorm their life experiences and answer a set of questions; What is your dream career or your dream life She also has them list any accomplishment they are proud of All of this factors into answering the age-old interview question finding her answer to this question was the first step to building her personal brand She realized that being a former professional ballerina in the Ballet de Catalunya and being a "third culture kid" (in her case a child born in Singapore and raised in America by Japanese parents) were all parts of an identity and story that make her standout "I think branding is common in products and companies so you've been exposed to the topic of branding your whole life," she said I just want to say that it's the same thing Takikawa started her Youtube channel in 2019 when she was still in college and on track to work as a professional ballerina When she decided to change careers she had a choice to make: Would she delete her old content and build her new self and she recommends other job seekers do as well.  "And the fact that you have already something out there from your previous self just shows people that you've grown."  And while Takikawa's first employer in the technology industry found her through her LinkedIn she said all of her platforms are connected — sharing the same message Even if your personal brand isn't the right fit for every company Just as you are constantly evolving and growing she said it can do so much for your career," Wallace said "But I want people to know that it's not gonna happen overnight That doesn't mean you're not successful."  Rina Takikawa has wanted to be a ballerina since she was 5 years old She was a quiet child who came alive when she danced — growing more expressive joining the company of the Ballet de Catalunya in Spain she quit ballet and made a drastic career change.  "Ballet was something that I dreamt about since I was a little kid," Takikawa said "And it's just very ironic that once I landed my dream job — what I thought was my dream job — it was actually something that I did not want."  Takikawa attended every free online webinar she could find on user-experience design After growing her skills and building up her résumé landed a job as the founding product designer at Mooch.  Takikawa embodies the passion of her generation and not being afraid to make drastic changes.  many companies ditched in-person labor for more flexible remote work.  While Gen Z is the latest generation to enter the workforce — many are starting their first jobs from home — they don't seem to miss the office life that's familiar to their parents Gen Z workers push for changes that could benefit workers of all ages Insider spoke with over 20 Gen Zers for their takes on the future of work and their perception of their older counterparts (millennials One key finding: The generational wars between Gen Z and the rest of the workforce may be a one-way battle as the Gen Z workers largely said they liked learning from their older peers.  "I don't think I'm in conflict with anyone at my work," said Sophia Donskoi I think people value my perspective more because of where I'm coming from."  Similarly, Jason Nissopoulos, 24, a software engineer at Restless said he enjoyed working on a multigenerational team because people at such different stages of their lives don't see each other as competition And while members of the other generations aren't always excited to deal with Gen Z's workplace demands such as their calls for greater empathy and flexibility a senior director of global content strategy at LinkedIn thought more employers should be excited about what Gen Z brings to the table "There's a lot of data that supports the idea that Gen Z in particular really prioritizes working with a company that aligns with their values," Brodnitz said "And I think that's positive because that makes it a business imperative for companies to take these kinds of values seriously."  who witnessed the birth of the internet and came of age just as social networking gained steam Gen Z is the first digitally native generation Raised with technology at their fingertips they have an intrinsic understanding of how to operate in this new digital world But this doesn't mean remote work is without its challenges for these new workers.  "It's a generation whose been through campus closures and had to do a terribly difficult thing starting your career when you can't actually be in an office with people who've had that career for a long time," said Peter Watkins the director of university relations at CFA Institute "I think there's two conflicting feelings about the feeling that you'd like to be remote and flexible career progression will always matter," Watkins said "But let's listen to what seems to matter most to young people "We're living through a big change in people's expectations around work," Grossman said "And it's likely that change is permanent."  with the future of work leaning toward remote settings not all Gen Zers reap the benefits of working in office environments believed that the idea of interacting in person to develop a family-style culture at work was outdated.  and they're willing to make bold career changes — Takikawa serves as just one example of a Gen Zer who left an industry she no longer loved.  "There probably is still generational conflict I think there might always be," Donskoi said there's more of a shift to open-mindedness in the sense that it's a necessity for people to start listening to Gen Z and what we want and need from employers 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 Your browser does not support JavaScript, or it is disabled．Please check the site policy for more information National Report snarling werewolf here has attracted international attention from farmers whose scarecrows are just not doing the job “Monster Wolf,” a robot with a werewolf head can emit a variety of loud sounds and strong flashes that are scary enough to drive away deer wild boars and even bears from farmers’ crops has been flooded with inquiries from around Japan and overseas since a video of the robot was posted online by a foreign media outlet “We will further improve the Monster Wolf’s performance so it will serve as a guardian for agricultural fields,” said Yuji Ota quickly installed the robot after brown bears were reported at two locations near residential zones in September and October But it used waterproof fake fur to cover Monster Wolf’s 120-centimeter-long body and created the head from an image of a werewolf mask so considerable parts of the design are based on my imagination,” Ota said Wolves (and likely lycanthropes) are believed to have gone extinct in Japan long ago Perhaps the unfamiliarity of wolves in the wild led to the success of Monster Wolf No sightings of brown bears have been confirmed since the robot was introduced at the two sites in Takikawa “Although we do not have scientific evidence the fact is that bears have not shown up in surrounding areas,” said an official of the municipality’s life support division “Residents tell us they want Monster Wolf to continue operating permanently.” Monster Wolf’s “weapons” are its glittering red eyes incorporating LEDs a whitish blue light from around its legs and tail If the robot’s infrared sensor detects movement within a 20-meter range and 120 degrees in front the speaker and the motor to swing the head start operating The speaker can produce at least 62 sounds Ota explained why so many noises were included “Animals soon get accustomed to the sounds if they hear only a few patterns,” he said equivalent to the noise beneath the track of a passing train “One Monster Wolf can cover 4 to 5 hectares,” Ota said The price ranges from 450,000 yen ($4,350) to 550,000 yen Seventy of the robots have been sold since its release in 2016 mainly to farmers from Hokkaido to Okinawa Prefecture struggling with pests After Reuters reported on Takikawa’s endeavor with a Monster Wolf video taken elsewhere in Hokkaido in November other correspondents from overseas media outlets filed their own reports about the robot Hindi and Korean.Ota recently made a remote appearance on a TV show in Brazil Ohta Seiki has received emails from an individual having a hard time with grizzly bears in Alaska and a European trying to drive away wild boars that raid grape fields “I have become aware that anti-vermin measures are seen as a problem not only in Japan but also in other parts of the world,” Ota said He said he will apply for an international patent with an eye on expanding the sales network outside Japan Wild bear mauls female camper and gorges on her instant curry Black bear shot and killed in mall 13 hours after sneaking in VOX POPULI: More sightings of bears expected amid poor acorn crops this fall Traumatized workers seek humane way to kill raccoons Information on the latest cherry blossom conditions Please right click to use your browser’s translation function.) A series based on diplomatic documents declassified by Japan’s Foreign Ministry Here is a collection of first-hand accounts by “hibakusha” atomic bomb survivors chefs and others involved in the field of food introduce their special recipes intertwined with their paths in life A series about Japanese-Americans and their memories of World War II In-house News and Messages No reproduction or republication without written permission Today's print edition Home Delivery bears and trains were just some of the major news topics in Hokkaido this past year and are expected to continue to dominate local news coverage in 2025 Rapidus moved forward this year with what will be the world’s first foundry producing 2-nanometer semiconductor chips. Pilot production is expected to start in April 2025 and the latter half of 2024 saw preparations accelerate.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); }); the largest nonprofit semiconductor research and development facility of its kind in the U.S 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 Event various flowers begin to bloom beautifully and the season for outdoor activities and leisure begins Here are 10 recommended events to be held in Hokkaido in the refreshing month of May Image source: Hokkaido Matsumae Tourism and Products Association Image source: Tanaka Memorial Theatre Foundation Image source: Takikawa Tourism Association Image source: Hiroo Town Tourism Association Image source: NPO Okhotsk Ozora Town Tourism Association Would you like to share the wonderful activities of those of you who are active in Hokkaido with more people Posting an event on Domingo takes just 5 minutes and is free and easy for anyone to do Not only can you widely disseminate your activities and ideas but you also have the chance to be selected by Domingo to be featured in articles and on street visions in Sapporo If you're a beginner, you can easily get started here Expanding the circle of exchange in Minami-ku a community market created by students together with the local community [Updated for 2025] A complete guide to accessing Daiwa House Premist Dome (Sapporo Dome) and nearby hotels Enjoy seasonal spring gourmet food and Golden Week 10 recommended events in Hokkaido [May 2025] 5 recommended events in Sapporo [May 2nd - 6th 5 easy-to-participate social good events in Hokkaido [May 2025] [2025 Edition] 16 Flower Events in Hokkaido: Cherry blossoms Japanese version Japanese version Japanese version Japanese version Japanese version Japanese version Japanese version Japanese version Japanese version Japanese version Japanese version Japanese version Japanese version Japanese version singaporeSingaporean in Hokkaido helps translate information on quake after the shockPUBLISHED ONSeptember 07, 2018 2:35 AMByGilaine NgSINGAPORE - Mere seconds after the earthquake alert sounded Ms Regina Hong felt the whole house starting to shake violently who works as a translator in Takikawa city about 90km from Hokkaido's largest city of Sapporo said: "We were woken up at around 3am and had to shield our heads as the whole house was shaking." She has been living in Takikawa for about a year with her Singaporean husband "My dish-drying rack fell off and some of my plates shattered We had to use torchlights to navigate our way through the house," she told The Straits Times But Ms Hong recovered from the shock quickly and swung into action she was helping the Takikawa authorities translate information on the earthquake to English and Chinese so that those who do not understand Japanese know what to do She was among the Singaporeans who experienced a 6.7-magnitude earthquake which struck Japan's northernmost prefecture of Hokkaido on Thursday morning (Sept 6) The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said there are no reports of injuries or casualties involving Singaporeans who has been living in Hokkaido for the past eight years said it was the first time she had experienced an earthquake there because I know the buildings are earthquake-proof," said Madam Long who is the chief executive of Niseko Village which is a two-hour drive from Chitose Airport There are two hotels with a total of about 700 rooms at Niseko Village basic needs such as water and the mobile Internet are not affected and we are still able to provide food for guests for now." Tour agencies here said they were in touch with customers affected by the quake Chan Brothers said it has several groups of tourists in Hokkaido who experienced power and water supply disruption But all of them are safe and have contacted their families back home Said Chan Brothers spokesman Justine Koh: "For two of the groups we have also made necessary changes to the programme.. which includes replacing some of the affected attractions with alternatives due to the local conditions." Chan Brothers has not received any requests from its travellers for an earlier return to Singapore Dynasty Travel said it did not have any tour groups in Hokkaido about 300 travellers are set to depart for Hokkaido from late September to December Dynasty Travel said it will monitor the situation This article was first published in The Straits Times For all its reputation as a hub of neon glitz and hi-tech savvy, a lot of people don't realize that in many ways, Japan is surprisingly low-tech. The new Administrative Reform Minister, per the Japan Times they're still common and overused in offices and debit cards are relatively new to the public News shows don't use CG to display infographics; they use their economical cousin: cardboard on paper Take a recent solution to a very old problem. In the Japanese countryside, people are often plagued by denizens of the natural world, especially bears Hiking trails always have "mind the bears" signs to warn folks So what better way to approach this issue than through a feat of low-tech hilarity masquerading as hi-tech ingeniousness 20 robot monster wolves have been installed to protect home and hearth as the Japan Broadcasting Corporation (NHK) reports Takikawa is precisely the kind of far-flung location susceptible to intrusion by local animals which pose a modest threat not just to people simply can't monitor their land at all times Enter "Monster Wolf," which looks like a dollar store Halloween costume draped over a rotating tripod that flashes red and blue lights. It growls, barks, makes human voice noises, gunshot sounds: you name it. Every 30 minutes it rotates its head, and in between it selects from a battery of 60 sounds to terrify animals. And amazingly enough, as footage on YouTube shows and monkeys can be seen racing away from it and into the underbrush As The Mainichi reports the devices were developed in 2016 by Ohta Seiki a machine-making company in the nearby town of Naie in conjunction with Hokkaido University and Tokyo University of Agriculture They were subsequently installed in September 2020 by the Takikawa Municipal Government to "avoid friction between residents and bears." Since then have at least been absolutely zero sightings of bears near the robots.