Osaka University

About: Osaka University is a education organization based out in Osaka, Japan. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Laser & Population. The organization has 83778 authors who have published 185669 publications receiving 5158122 citations. The organization is also known as: Ōsaka daigaku.

Topological Insulator Materials

Abstract: Topological insulators represent a new quantum state of matter which is characterized by peculiar edge or surface states that show up due to a topological character of the bulk wave functions. This review presents a pedagogical account on topological insulator materials with an emphasis on basic theory and materials properties. After presenting a historical perspective and basic theories of topological insulators, it discusses all the topological insulator materials discovered as of May 2013, with some illustrative descriptions of the developments in materials discoveries in which the author was involved. A summary is given for possible ways to confirm the topological nature in a candidate material. Various synthesis techniques as well as the defect chemistry that are important for realizing bulk-insulating samples are discussed. Characteristic properties of topological insulators are discussed with an emphasis on transport properties. In particular, the Dirac fermion physics and the resulting peculiar quantum oscillation patterns are discussed in detail. It is emphasized that proper analyses of quantum oscillations make it possible to unambiguously identify surface Dirac fermions through transport measurements. The prospects of topological insulator materials for elucidating novel quantum phenomena that await discovery conclude the review.

Essential role for TIRAP in activation of the signalling cascade shared by TLR2 and TLR4

Abstract: Signal transduction through Toll-like receptors (TLRs) originates from their intracellular Toll/interleukin-1 receptor (TIR) domain, which binds to MyD88, a common adaptor protein containing a TIR domain. Although cytokine production is completely abolished in MyD88-deficient mice, some responses to lipopolysaccharide (LPS), including the induction of interferon-inducible genes and the maturation of dendritic cells, are still observed. Another adaptor, TIRAP (also known as Mal), has been cloned as a molecule that specifically associates with TLR4 and thus may be responsible for the MyD88-independent response. Here we report that LPS-induced splenocyte proliferation and cytokine production are abolished in mice lacking TIRAP. As in MyD88-deficient mice, LPS activation of the nuclear factor NF-kappaB and mitogen-activated protein kinases is induced with delayed kinetics in TIRAP-deficient mice. Expression of interferon-inducible genes and the maturation of dendritic cells is observed in these mice; they also show defective response to TLR2 ligands, but not to stimuli that activate TLR3, TLR7 or TLR9. In contrast to previous suggestions, our results show that TIRAP is not specific to TLR4 signalling and does not participate in the MyD88-independent pathway. Instead, TIRAP has a crucial role in the MyD88-dependent signalling pathway shared by TLR2 and TLR4.

The Japanese Society of Hypertension guidelines for the management of hypertension (JSH 2014)

Abstract: Kazuaki SHIMAMOTO, Katsuyuki ANDO, Toshiro FUJITA, Naoyuki HASEBE, Jitsuo HIGAKI, Masatsugu HORIUCHI, Yutaka IMAI, Tsutomu IMAIZUMI, Toshihiko ISHIMITSU, Masaaki ITO, Sadayoshi ITO, Hiroshi ITOH, Hiroshi IWAO, Hisashi KAI, Kazuomi KARIO, Naoki KASHIHARA, Yuhei KAWANO, Shokei KIM-MITSUYAMA, Genjiro KIMURA, Katsuhiko KOHARA, Issei KOMURO, Hiroo KUMAGAI, Hideo MATSUURA, Katsuyuki MIURA, Ryuichi MORISHITA, Mitsuhide NARUSE, Koichi NODE, Yusuke OHYA, Hiromi RAKUGI, Ikuo SAITO, Shigeyuki SAITOH, Kazuyuki SHIMADA, Tatsuo SHIMOSAWA, Hiromichi SUZUKI, Kouichi TAMURA, Norio TANAHASHI, Takuya TSUCHIHASHI, Makoto UCHIYAMA, Shinichiro UEDA, Satoshi UMEMURA, on behalf of The Japanese Society of Hypertension Committee for Guidelines for the Management of Hypertension