L-histidine decarboxylase as a probe in studies on histamine

Because the Falck-Hillarp formaldehyde fluorescence method, which was superbly applied to identify catecholaminergic and serotonergic neurons, is not applicable to histamine, the first author (T.W.) developed an antibody to L-histidine decarboxylase (HDC) for identification of the histaminergic neuron system in the brain. The anti-HDC antibody was of great use for mapping the location and distribution of this histaminergic neuron system. (S)-alpha-fluoromethylhistidine, a specific and potent irreversible inhibitor of HDC, was also very useful in studies on functions of the neuron system. The activity of HDC is increased by various agents, treatments, and physiological conditions. We found new compounds that increased HDC activity (i.e., tetradecanoylphobol acetate (TPA), other tumor promoters, and staphylococcal enterotoxin A); and using mast cell-deficient mutant (W/W(v)) mice, we obtained evidence that this increase occurred in macrophages. To further characterize the mechanism of increases in HDC activity, the second author (H.O.) cloned human HDC cDNA and a human HDC gene. In studies on the regulation mechanism of the HDC gene, which is expressed only in limited types of cells such as mast cells, enterochromaffin-like cells in the stomach, cells in the tuberomammillary nucleus of the brain, and macrophages, CpG islands in the promoter region of the HDC gene were found to be demethylated in cells expressing the gene, whereas they are methylated in other cells that do not express the HDC gene. In collaboration with many other researchers, we developed HDC knockout mice. The resulting research is producing a lot of interesting findings in our laboratory as well as in others. In summary, HDC has been and will be useful in studies on functions of histamine.     

Synthesis and characterization of polystyrene‐b‐poly (1,2‐isoprene‐ran‐3,4‐isoprene) block copolymers with azobenzene side groups

Polystyrene‐b‐poly(1,2‐isoprene‐ran‐3,4‐isoprene) block copolymers with azobenzene side groups were synthesized by the esterification of azobenzene acid chloride with polystyrene‐b‐hydroxylated poly(1,2‐isoprene‐ran‐3,4‐isopenre) block copolymers for creating new photochromic materials. The resulting block copolymers with azobenzene side groups were characterized for structural, thermal, and morphological properties. IR and NMR spectroscopies confirmed that the polymers obtained had the expected structures. Differential scanning calorimetric measurements by heating runs clearly showed the glass transitions of polystyrene and polyisoprene main chains and two distinct first‐order transitions at temperatures of azobenzene side groups around 48 and 83 °C. The microstructure of these block copolymer films was investigated using both transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and near‐field optical microscopy (NOM). TEM images revealed typical microphase‐separated morphologies such as sphere, cylinder, and lamellar structures. The domain spacing of microphase‐separated cylindrical morphology in the NOM image agreed with that of the TEM results. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 40: 2406–2414, 2002     

Electronic structural changes between nickel(II)-semiquinonato and nickel(III)-catecholato states driven by chemical and physical perturbation

The selective synthesis of tetracoordinate square-planar low-spin nickel(II)-semiquinonato (Ni(II)-SQ) and nickel(III)-catecholato (Ni(III)-Cat) complexes, 1 and 2, respectively, was achieved by using bidentate ligands with modulated nitrogen-donor ability to the nickel ion. The electronic structures of 1 and 2 were revealed by XPS and EPR measurements. The absorption spectra of 1 and 2 in a noncoordinating solvent, dichloromethane (CH2Cl2), are completely different from those in tetrahydrofuran (THF), being a coordinating solvent. As expected from this result, the gradual addition of N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF), which is also a coordinating solvent like THF, into a solution of 1 or 2 in CH2Cl2 leads to color changes from blue (for 1) and brown (for 2) to light green, which is the same color observed for solutions of 1 or 2 in THF. Furthermore, the same color changes are induced by varying the temperature. Such spectral changes are attributable to the transformation from square-planar low-spin Ni(II)-SQ and Ni(III)-Cat complexes to octahedral high-spin Ni(II)-SQ ones, caused by the coordination of two solvent molecules to the nickel ion.     

Thermodynamics of Solvation of 18-Crown-6 and Its Alkali-Metal Complexes in Various Solvents

Heats of solution of 1,4,7,10,13,16-hexaoxacyclooctadecane (18-crown-6) in acetonitrile, 1,2-dichloroethane, N,N-dimethylformamide, dimethyl sulfoxide, nitromethane, propylene carbonate, pyridine and water were measured at 25 °C and the enthalpies of the transfer of 18-crown-6 from waterto the aprotic solvents were derived. The thermodynamic quantities, G₁°, H₁° and T S₁°, for the formation of the[M(18-crown-6)]⁺ (M⁺ = Na⁺, K⁺, Rb⁺, Cs⁺, NH₄ ⁺) complexeswere determined by titration calorimetry in dimethyl sulfoxide containing0.1 mol dm^-3 (C₂H₅)₄NClO₄ as a constant ionic medium at 25 °C. These thermodynamic quantities suggest that the complexationof 18-crown-6 with the alkali-metal ions mainly reflects the different solvationof 18-crown-6 and also the different degree of solvent structure.     

Homojunction-structured ZnO light-emitting diodes fabricated by dressed-photon assisted annealing

We formed a p?Cn homojunction by implanting nitrogen ions, serving as a p-type dopant, into an n-type ZnO crystal. A forward bias current was injected into the crystal while irradiating it with light, bringing about Joule heating which annealed the crystal and changed the spatial distribution of the N-dopant concentration. This activated the N-dopant, causing its concentration distribution to be modified in a self-organized manner so as to be suitable for generating dressed photons. A light-emitting diode fabricated by this dressed-photon assisted annealing method showed electroluminescence at room temperature. In a device fabricated by annealing under irradiation with 407 nm-wavelength light, at a forward bias current of 20 mA, the peak wavelength of the electroluminescence was 436 nm, the optical output power was 6.2 ??W, and the external quantum efficiency was 1.1×10^?4. The emission spectral profile depended on transitions from intermediate phonon states.     

Tamper resistance in optical excitation transfer based on optical near-field interactions

We present tamper resistance in optical excitation transfer via optical near-field interactions based on the energy dissipation process occurring locally in nanometric devices such as quantum dots. A theoretical comparison with electrical systems is also shown, focusing on the required environmental conditions. Numerical simulations based on virtual photon models demonstrate high tamper resistance.     

Spectral analysis of Sr 3d XPS spectrum in Sr-containing hydroxyapatite

The Sr 3d X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) spectrum of Sr-containing hydroxyapatite (SHAp) overlaps completely with the P 2p spectrum. Thus, the chemical state identification of Sr in SHAp is a challenging task. In this work, the Sr 3d spectrum was isolated from the overlapping spectra for analyzing the chemical state of Sr using a generic peak-fitting method. The SHAp layers containing various Sr concentrations were produced on a Ti substrate using a chemical treatment process with a calcium phosphate slurry that included Sr (NO₃)₂. The distribution of the constituent elements changed according to the Sr concentration, implying that the chemical state of Sr varied with concentration. The isolation of the Sr 3d XPS spectrum was conducted via spectral deconvolution using the P 2p spectrum corresponding to HAp. The isolated Sr 3d spectrum revealed that the chemical state of Sr was in SrO and Sr-substituted HAp states, and their ratio varied with the Sr concentration in the layer. The SrO to Sr-substituted HAp ratios affected the Sr ion releasing behavior from the SHAp layer, supporting the validity of the obtained analytical results.     

Highly Mesoporous Metal‐Organic Frameworks as Synergistic Multimodal Catalytic Platforms for Divergent Cascade Reactions

Rational engineering and assimilation of diverse chemo‐ and biocatalytic functionalities in a single nanostructure is highly desired for efficient multistep chemical reactions but has so far remained elusive. Here, we design and synthesize multimodal catalytic nanoreactors (MCNRs) based on a mesoporous metal‐organic framework (MOF). The MCNRs consist of customizable metal nanocrystals and stably anchored enzymes in the mesopores, as well as coordinatively unsaturated cationic metal MOF nodes, all within a single nanoreactor space. The highly intimate and diverse catalytic mesoporous microenvironments and facile accessibility to the active site in the MCNR enables the cooperative and synergistic participation from different chemo‐ and biocatalytic components. This was shown by one‐pot multistep cascade reactions involving a heterogeneous catalytic nitroaldol reaction followed by a [Pd/lipase]‐catalyzed chemoenzymatic dynamic kinetic resolution to yield optically pure (>99 % ee) nitroalcohol derivatives in quantitative yields.