The University of Tokyo

Targeting the Zinc Metalloproteinase Superfamily in the CNS: Medicinal Chemistry Strategies To Optimize Selectivity, Pharmacokinetics, and Blood–Brain Barrier Permeability

Abstract The zinc metalloproteinase superfamily [matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), a disintegrin and metalloproteinases (ADAMs), and ADAMs with thrombospondin motifs (ADAMTSs)] represents a high-value yet elusive therapeutic target for peripheral disorders and central nervous sys...

Development of a YOLOv9 model with angle loss for automatic detection of landmarks and cephalometric analysis

Abstract Artificial intelligence has been widely applied to identify anatomical landmarks on lateral cephalometric radiographs, reducing localization errors and improving the efficiency of cephalometric analysis. This study aimed to develop and evaluate an automated cephalometric...

Discovery of a Compact Hub-Filament System in G286.21+0.17 with JWST and ALMA: Insights into Protocluster Formation and Competitive Accretion

Abstract We present a multi-wavelength study of the massive protocluster G286.21+0.17 (G286) using JWST near-infrared (NIR) imaging and ALMA H13CO+(1–0) observations. The JWST images uncover a compact (∼0.5 pc) hub-filament system (HFS), comprising a dense central hub connected b...

uniSynK: a ratio-optimized bicistronic chemically induced dimerization tool for robust induction of dendritic spine enlargement

Synaptic plasticity is widely implicated in learning and brain-state regulation. Although correlations between synaptic modifications and diverse brain functions have been extensively reported, establishing causality requires tools that can directly and selectively perturb synaps...

YAP1 induces hepatocellular carcinoma via DNA demethylation rather than by canonical driver gene mutations

Abstract Large-scale genome sequencing analyses have identified driver gene mutations (DGMs) in most cancers as well as their associated tumorigenic mechanisms. However, a small fraction of cancers are not positive for these canonical DGMs, leaving the mechanisms underpinning the...

Impact of Precision Sequence on Microphase Separation of Graft Copolymers Bearing Immiscible Polymer Chains: Alternating versus Random Architectures

Abstract Graft alternating copolymers bearing polystyrene (PS) and polylactide (PLA) graft chains were precisely synthesized via selective cyclopolymerization of a pendant-transformable divinyl monomer followed by postpolymerization modification for chain incorporation via a graf...

PREOPERATIVE PAIN SENSITIVITY HAS A GREATER IMPACT ON CLINICAL OUTCOMES THAN CORONAL ALIGNMENT STRATEGY IN ROBOTIC-ASSISTED TOTAL KNEE ARTHROPLASTY: IMPLICATIONS FOR TRIAL DESIGN

Introduction Both pre-operative pain sensitivity and coronal alignment philosophy may influence patient-reported outcomes (PROMs) after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). This study investigated whether pain sensitivity predicts function in robotic-assisted TKAs 19andomized to functi...

Time-Dependent UV/Ozone Treatment Modulates Platelet Adhesion on Polystyrene and Cyclo-Olefin Polymer through Fibrinogen Orientation

Abstract UV/ozone (UVO) treatment is a versatile, solvent-free approach for modifying polymer surfaces in biomedical applications. Although its effects on RGD-dependent cell adhesion have been extensively studied, the mechanisms underlying non-RGD-dependent interactions, specific...

Integrated geophysical and hydrogeochemical characterization of a fractured limestone aquifer in new Tuna El Gabel village, West El-Minia, Egypt

Abstract Groundwater is a vital component of water supply in arid regions, such as West El-Minia Governorate, Egypt, where water scarcity is projected to worsen, with per capita water supply expected to drop below 500 m 3 by 2025. In response, Egypt’s One and a Half Million Fedda...

The Belousov-Zhabotinsky reaction using polymeric organic acid

Abstract We synthesized polymeric organic acids and confirmed they induce the BZ reaction for the first time. The polymer systems altered the BZ reaction dynamics, unlike low-molecular-weight organic acids, indicating polymer effects. This study will contribute to the development...

Sparse Bayesian Joint Modal Estimation for Exploratory Item Factor Analysis

This study presents a scalable Bayesian estimation algorithm for sparse estimation in exploratory item factor analysis based on a classical Bayesian estimation method, namely Bayesian joint modal estimation (BJME). BJME jointly estimates the model parameters and factor scores by...

Forced oscillation experiments on time-averaged drag and lift forces of two closely spaced circular cylinders in steady flow

Forced oscillation experiments were conducted to systematically investigate the time-averaged drag and lift forces acting on two closely spaced circular cylinders in steady flow. The rigid cylinders were driven by an external actuation mechanism according to prescribed motions an...

Outer Retinal Volume on Macular OCT Predicts Two-Year Diabetic Retinopathy Progression

Purpose: To evaluate whether baseline retinal volume from macular optical coherence tomography (OCT) is associated with diabetic retinopathy (DR) progression over two years. Methods: In this longitudinal observational study, 190 eyes from 121 patients, across the DR severity spec...

Predicting facial impressions using guided Grad-CAM and a large language model

Facial impressions are central to social interaction, shaping judgments of attractiveness, dominance, and trustworthiness. Although psychophysical research has identified factors that contribute to these impressions, computational methods, particularly deep learning, offer a comp...

Can Chemoradiotherapy Expand Immune Checkpoint Blockade Responsiveness in Mismatch Repair‐Proficient Rectal Cancer?

ABSTRACT Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) has transformed the treatment of mismatch repair‐deficient (dMMR) colorectal cancer but produces no meaningful benefit in advanced mismatch repair‐proficient (pMMR) disease. In the neoadjuvant setting, however, pathological responses have...

Impact of Inhibitor Size and Flexibility on the Binding Pathways to c-Src Kinase

Abstract The conformational plasticity of protein kinases poses a challenge for inhibitor design, motivating the use of molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to study their dynamic binding processes. While conformational changes are increasingly discussed, the impact of drug compou...

Systemic administration of the mGluR2/3 antagonist LY341495 disrupts reward-related behaviors across ingestive and social domains in mice

Metabotropic glutamate 2/3 receptors (mGluR2/3) have been implicated in depression, anxiety, learning, and memory, yet their role in reward-related behavior remains poorly understood. Here, we examined the effects of the selective mGluR2/3 antagonist LY341495 on reward-related be...

A Capsid Tyrosine Residue Governs the Proteolytic Inactivation of Echovirus 11 in Lakewater

Abstract Enteroviruses are environmentally transmissible human pathogens whose stability in natural waters varies widely, yet the molecular determinants underlying this variability remain largely unknown. Echovirus 11 (E11), a reemerging cause of severe neonatal infections, is ef...

Reinforcement Learning With a Low‐Cost Parallel Linkage Gripper for Static and Dynamic Planar In‐Hand Manipulation

Parallel linkage grippers provide a low‐cost and compact alternative to anthropomorphic hands for planar manipulation tasks. However, their closed‐chain kinematics introduce actuator coupling, singularity‐related constraints, and position‐dependent manipulation capability, making...

LUIDA: Large-scale Unified Infrastructure for Digital Assessments based on commercial metaverse platform

Introduction Online experiments using metaverse platforms have gained significant traction in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) and Virtual Reality (VR) research. However, current research workflows are highly fragmented, as researchers must use separate tools for system implement...