289 results match your criteria: "Riken Institute[Affiliation]"

Bacterial cancer therapy (BCT) is a promising therapeutic for solid tumours. Salmonella enterica Typhimurium (STm) is well-studied amongst bacterial vectors due to advantages in genetic modification and metabolic adaptation. A longstanding paradox is the redundancy of T cells for treatment efficacy; instead, STm BCT depends on innate phagocytes for tumour control.

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Direct current stimulation modulates prefrontal cell activity and behaviour without inducing seizure-like firing.

Brain

November 2024

Department of Physiology and Neuroscience Program, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia.

Article Synopsis
  • Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) shows promise for improving cognitive functions and treating cognitive disorders, but variable outcomes raise concerns about its safety and effectiveness due to unclear neural mechanisms.
  • The study investigates tDCS effects on macaque monkeys' cognitive abilities and neuron activity, revealing that tDCS reduced practice-related response slowdowns and altered neuron firing patterns compared to sham stimulation.
  • After tDCS, changes in behavior and neuron activity were observed to persist, indicating potential lasting effects, but tDCS did not significantly alter baseline neuron firing rates across multiple applications.
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We developed a Mach-Zehnder type electron interferometer (MZ-EI) that enables simultaneous observation of interferograms created at multiple output locations on a 1.2-MV field-emission transmission electron microscope. This MZ-EI is composed of two single-crystal thin films, a lens located between the single-crystal thin films, and imaging lenses.

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Objective: Uncanniness plays a vital role in interactions with humans and artificial agents. Previous studies have shown that uncanniness is caused by a higher sensitivity to deviation or atypicality in specialized categories, such as faces or facial expressions, marked by configural processing. We hypothesized that asynchrony, understood as a temporal deviation in facial expression, could cause uncanniness in the facial expression.

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We need a culturally aware approach to AI.

Nat Hum Behav

November 2023

Centre for the Promotion of Interdisciplinary Education and Research, Kyoto University, Kyoto City, Japan.

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Enhancer target prediction: state-of-the-art approaches and future prospects.

Biochem Soc Trans

October 2023

RIKEN Centre for Integrative Medical Sciences, Yokohama RIKEN Institute, Yokohama, Japan.

Enhancers are genomic regions that regulate gene transcription and are located far away from the transcription start sites of their target genes. Enhancers are highly enriched in disease-associated variants and thus deciphering the interactions between enhancers and genes is crucial to understanding the molecular basis of genetic predispositions to diseases. Experimental validations of enhancer targets can be laborious.

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Objective: In this study, we propose a method for removing artifacts from superficial electromyography (sEMG) data, which have been widely proposed for health monitoring because they encompass the basic neuromuscular processes underlying human motion.

Methods: Our method is based on a spectral source decomposition from single-channel data using a non-negative matrix factorization. The algorithm is validated with two data sets: the first contained muscle activity coupled to artificially generated noises and the second comprised signals recorded under fully unsupervised conditions.

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Earliest evidence of primate captivity and translocation supports gift diplomacy between Teotihuacan and the Maya.

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A

November 2022

Department of Anthropology and Laboratories of Molecular Anthropology and Microbiome Research, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019.

A multimethod archaeometry study (zooarchaeological, isotopic, ancient DNA, paleobotanical, and radiocarbon dating) of a spider monkey sacrificed in the ceremonial center of Teotihuacan, Mexico (1 to 550 CE) is interpreted as a diplomatic gift exchange with neighboring Maya. Not only does this spider monkey provide the earliest known instance of primate translocation and captivity in Mesoamerica, it helps date incipient modes of interregional diplomacy between two major powers during Early Classic Mesoamerica: Teotihuacan and the Maya. Details of human-primate interaction include age at capture and transport (before ∼3 y of age), captive duration (over 2 y), anthropogenic diet (staple was maize, though secondary resources unique to anthropogenic diet including arrowroot and chili pepper were also found), context of sacrifice (tethered and associated with complete golden eagle and an array of other statecrafts), and general site context (including presence of Maya vessels and Maya-style murals).

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Electron holography for observing magnetic bubbles and stripe-shaped domains in magnetic fields.

Micron

September 2022

Research and Development Group, Hitachi, Ltd., Hatoyama, Saitama 350-0395, Japan.

An electron holography optical system was developed for relatively high magnetic fields up to 500 mT. The objective lens worked as a magnetic field generator for the specimen and the first intermediate lens worked for imaging as one of the pair lens composed of the objective lens. Specimen images were first formed on the object plane of the second intermediate lens.

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Heavy-Ion Collisions toward High-Density Nuclear Matter.

Entropy (Basel)

March 2022

KEK (High Energy Accelerator Research Organization), 1-1 Oho, Tsukuba-shi 305-0801, Japan.

In the present paper, the current efforts in heavy-ion collisions toward high-density nuclear matter will be discussed. First, the essential points learned from RHIC and LHC will be reviewed. Then, the present data from the STAR Beam Energy Scan are discussed.

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Objectives: Areas of increased school-entry vaccination exemptions play a key role in epidemics of vaccine-preventable diseases in the United States. California eliminated nonmedical exemptions in 2016, which increased overall vaccine coverage but also rates of medical exemptions. We examine how spatial clustering of exemptions contributed to measles outbreak potential pre- and postpolicy change.

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Lorentz scanning electron/ion microscopy.

Microscopy (Oxf)

April 2022

Research and Development Group, Hitachi, Ltd., Hatoyama, Saitama 350-0395, Japan.

We have developed an observation and measurement method for spatial electromagnetic fields by using scanning electron/ion microscopes, combined with electron holography reconstruction technique. A cross-grating was installed below the specimen, and the specimens were observed under the infocus condition, and the grating was simultaneously observed under the defocus condition. Electromagnetic fields around the specimen were estimated from grating-image distortions.

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Effects of Force Modulation on Large Muscles during Human Cycling.

Brain Sci

November 2021

Intelligent Behavior Control Unit, CBS-Toyota Collaboration Center, RIKEN Institute, Nagoya 463-0003, Japan.

Voluntary force modulation is defined as the ability to tune the application of force during motion. However, the mechanisms behind this modulation are not yet fully understood. In this study, we examine muscle activity under various resistance levels at a fixed cycling speed.

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Article Synopsis
  • - Bacterial cancer therapy (BCT) using a modified strain of Salmonella (STmΔaroA) shows effectiveness in treating solid tumors, particularly in mouse models of intestinal cancer, by significantly reducing tumor burden and load.
  • - The study found that STmΔaroA affects tumor biology by altering the expression of genes related to tumor stemness, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, and the cell cycle, indicating it targets the tumor epithelium actively.
  • - Metabolomic analysis revealed that STmΔaroA changes the metabolic environment of tumors, suggesting it competes with the tumor for resources and requires the presence of live bacteria to exert its effects.
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Heterogeneity among enhancer RNAs: origins, consequences and perspectives.

Essays Biochem

October 2021

RIKEN Centre for Integrative Medical Sciences, Yokohama RIKEN Institute, Yokohama, Japan.

Enhancer RNAs (eRNAs) are non-coding RNAs transcribed from distal cis-regulatory elements (i.e. enhancers), which are stereotyped as short, rarely spliced and unstable.

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Simple mapping-based quantification of a mock microbial community using total RNA-seq data.

PLoS One

July 2024

Environmental Metabolic Analysis Research Team, Center for Sustainable Resource Science, RIKEN Institute, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan.

Most microbes in the natural environment are difficult to cultivate. Thus, culture-independent analysis for microbial community structure is important for the understanding of its ecological functions. An immense ribosomal RNA sequence collection is available from phylogenetic research on organisms in all domains.

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Probing hole spin transport of disorder quantum dots via Pauli spin-blockade in standard silicon transistors.

Nanotechnology

April 2021

School of Electronics and Computer Science, University of Southampton, University Road, Southampton, SO17 1BJ, United Kingdom.

Single hole transport and spin detection is achievable in standard p-type silicon transistors owing to the strong orbital quantization of disorder based quantum dots. Through the use of the well acting as a pseudo-gate, we discover the formation of a double-quantum dot system exhibiting Pauli spin-blockade and investigate the magnetic field dependence of the leakage current. This enables attributes that are key to hole spin state control to be determined, where we calculate a tunnel couplingof 57eV and a short spin-orbit lengthof 250 nm.

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β-Glucosylation of cholesterol reduces sterol-sphingomyelin interactions.

Biochim Biophys Acta Biomembr

February 2021

RIKEN Cluster for Pioneering Research, RIKEN, Wako, Saitama 351-0198, Japan; Institute for Environmental and Gender-Specific Medicine, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Urayasu, Chiba 279-0021, Japan.

Article Synopsis
  • Cholesteryl-β-D-glucoside (ChoGlc), a glycolipid found in brain tissue, alters how cholesterol interacts with sphingomyelin (SSM) membranes, affecting the membrane's structure and fluidity.
  • Research methods like differential scanning calorimetry and solid-state NMR showed that ChoGlc is mixed similarly to cholesterol in SSM but reduces cholesterol's influence on the ordering of SSM chains due to its different orientation in membranes.
  • Molecular dynamics simulations indicate that the presence of the glucose moiety in ChoGlc disrupts interactions between sphingomyelin and sterols, potentially influencing the stability and distribution of lipid domains in biological membranes.
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The placenta acts as an interface between the fetus and the expecting mother. Various drugs and environmental pollutants can pass through the human placental barrier and may harm the developing fetus. Currently available placental barrier models are often inadequate, because they are lacking the functional trophoblast cells.

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A comparative study of key physiological stem cell parameters between three human trophoblast cell lines.

Biochem Biophys Res Commun

May 2020

The "Compass to Healthy Life" Research Complex Program, RIKEN Institute, Kobe, 650-0047, Japan; Research Promotion Institution for COI Site, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.

Human trophoblast stem cells (TSCs) play a key role in the placenta. These cells are proliferative, undifferentiated, and can differentiate into mature trophoblast cell types. However, primary human TSCs are difficult to obtain.

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Background: Trophoblasts as a specific cell lineage are crucial for the correct function of the placenta. Human trophoblast stem cells (hTSCs) are a proliferative population that can differentiate into syncytiotrophoblasts and extravillous cytotrophoblasts. Many studies have reported that chemical supplements induce the differentiation of trophoblasts from human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs).

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The hypogravity motor syndrome (HMS) is one of the deleterious impacts of weightlessness on the human body in orbital space missions. There is a hypothesis that disorders of musculoskeletal system as part of HMS arise in consequence of changes in spinal motor neurons. The study was aimed at bioinformatic analysis of transcriptome changes in lumbar spinal cords of mice after a 30-day spaceflight aboard biosatellite Bion-M1 (space group, S) and subsequent 7-day readaptation to the Earth's gravity (recovery group, R) when compared with control mice (C group) housed in simulated biosatellite conditions on the Earth.

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An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.

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