Osaka University

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

Common genetic variants influence human subcortical brain structures.

Abstract: The highly complex structure of the human brain is strongly shaped by genetic influences. Subcortical brain regions form circuits with cortical areas to coordinate movement, learning, memory and motivation, and altered circuits can lead to abnormal behaviour and disease. To investigate how common genetic variants affect the structure of these brain regions, here we conduct genome-wide association studies of the volumes of seven subcortical regions and the intracranial volume derived from magnetic resonance images of 30,717 individuals from 50 cohorts. We identify five novel genetic variants influencing the volumes of the putamen and caudate nucleus. We also find stronger evidence for three loci with previously established influences on hippocampal volume and intracranial volume. These variants show specific volumetric effects on brain structures rather than global effects across structures. The strongest effects were found for the putamen, where a novel intergenic locus with replicable influence on volume (rs945270; P = 1.08 × 10(-33); 0.52% variance explained) showed evidence of altering the expression of the KTN1 gene in both brain and blood tissue. Variants influencing putamen volume clustered near developmental genes that regulate apoptosis, axon guidance and vesicle transport. Identification of these genetic variants provides insight into the causes of variability in human brain development, and may help to determine mechanisms of neuropsychiatric dysfunction.

Regulation of humoral and cellular gut immunity by lamina propria dendritic cells expressing Toll-like receptor 5

Abstract: The intestinal cell types responsible for defense against pathogenic organisms remain incompletely characterized. Here we identify a subset of CD11c(hi)CD11b(hi) lamina propria dendritic cells (LPDCs) that expressed Toll-like receptor 5 (TLR5) in the small intestine. When stimulated by the TLR5 ligand flagellin, TLR5(+) LPDCs induced the differentiation of naive B cells into immunoglobulin A-producing plasma cells by a mechanism independent of gut-associated lymphoid tissue. In addition, by a mechanism dependent on TLR5 stimulation, these LPDCs promoted the differentiation of antigen-specific interleukin 17-producing T helper cells and type 1 T helper cells. Unlike spleen DCs, the LPDCs specifically produced retinoic acid, which, in a dose-dependent way, supported the generation and retention of immunoglobulin A-producing cells in the lamina propria and positively regulated the differentiation interleukin 17-producing T helper cells. Our findings demonstrate unique properties of LPDCs and the importance of TLR5 for adaptive immunity in the intestine.

Gamma-Ray Burst Formation Rate Inferred from the Spectral Peak Energy-Peak Luminosity Relation

Abstract: We estimate a gamma-ray burst (GRB) formation rate based on the new relation between the spectral peak energy (Ep) and the peak luminosity. The new relation is derived by combining the data of Ep and the peak luminosities by BeppoSAX and BATSE, and it looks considerably tighter and more reliable than the relations suggested by the previous works. Using the new Ep-luminosity relation, we estimate redshifts of the 689 GRBs without known distances in the BATSE catalog and derive a GRB formation rate as a function of the redshift. For the redshift range of 0 ≤ z ≤ 2, the GRB formation rate increases and is well correlated with the star formation rate, while it keeps constant toward z ~ 12. We also discuss the luminosity function and the redshift dependence of the intrinsic luminosity (luminosity evolution).

Crystal Structures of Three Crystalline Forms of Poly(vinylidene fluoride)

Abstract: The crystal structures of three forms of poly(vinylidene fluoride) were studied by X-ray diffraction method. Although the structure of form I has been determined to be a fully extended planar zigzag by Lando, et al. [orthorhombic; a=8.58 A, b=4.91 A, and c(fiber axis)=2.56 A; space group Cm2m(C2v14)], an alternately-deflected molecular structure was postulated in order to release the steric hindrance between the fluorine atoms along the chain. A satistically disordered packing of such deflected chains satisfies the observed fiber period and improves appreciably the structure factor agreement. Form II is monoclinic [pseudo-orthorhombic; a=4.96 A, b=9.64 A, c(fiber axis)=4.62 A, and β=90°; space group P21/c(C2h5)], and its cell contains two molecular chains. The molecular conformation is essentially the TGTG type (internal rotation angles, 179° and 45°), and the glide plane of the molecular chain coincides with the c glide plane of the lattice. It is suggested that form III is monoclinic [a=8.66 A, b=4.93 A, c(fiber axis)=2.58 A, and β=97°; space group C121(C23)], and the structural features similar to that of form I.