The tremendous tidal force that is linked to the supermassive black hole (SMBH) at the center of our galaxy is expected to strongly subdue star formation in its vicinity. Stars within 1'' from the SMBH thus likely formed further from the SMBH and migrated to their current positions. In this study, spectroscopic observations of the star S0-6/S10, one of the closest (projected distance from the SMBH of ≈0''.3) late-type stars were conducted. Using metal absorption lines in the spectra of S0-6, the radial velocity of S0-6 from 2014 to 2021 was measured, and a marginal acceleration was detected, which indicated that S0-6 is close to the SMBH. The S0-6 spectra were employed to determine its stellar parameters including temperature, chemical abundances ([M/H], [Fe/H], [α/Fe], [Ca/Fe], [Mg/Fe], [Ti/Fe]), and age. As suggested by the results of this study, S0-6 is very old (≳10 Gyr) and has an origin different from that of stars born in the central pc region.

In the late 1970s, crude interferon samples were found to exhibit anti-tumour activity. This discovery led to the interferon as a “magic drug” for cancer patients. Many groups, including those in Tokyo, Zürich, and San Francisco, attempted to identify human interferon cDNAs. Tadatsugu Taniguchi was the first to announce the cloning of human interferon-β cDNA in the December 1979 issue of Proc. Jpn. Acad. Ser. B. This was followed by the cloning of human interferon-α by a Zürich group and interferon-γ by a group in Genentech in San Francisco. Recombinant interferon proteins were produced on a large scale, and interferon-α was widely used to treat C-type hepatitis patients. The biological functions of interferons were quickly elucidated with the purified recombinant interferons. The molecular mechanisms underlying virus-induced interferon gene expression were also examined using cloned chromosomal genes. The background that led to interferon gene cloning and its impact on cytokine gene hunting is described herein.

This review mainly highlights our studies on the synthesis of one-handed helical polymers with a static memory of helicity based on the noncovalent helicity induction with a helical-sense bias and subsequent memory of the helicity approach that we developed during the past decade. Apart from the previous approaches, an excess one-handed helical conformation, once induced by nonracemic molecules, is immediately retained (“memorized”) after the complete removal of the nonracemic molecules, accompanied by a significant amplification of the asymmetry, providing novel switchable chiral materials for chromatographic enantioseparation and asymmetric catalysis as well as a highly sensitive colorimetric and fluorescence chiral sensor. A conceptually new one-handed helix formation in a racemic helical polymer composed of racemic repeating units through the deracemization of the pendants is described.

A paper titled “On the Synthesis of Hinokitiol” appeared in this journal in 1950 and marked the beginning of a new research field of novel aromatics.