症例の予後改善のための,電子ビームCT,4列～320列CTを用いた循環器領域の新しい臨床診断学の開発への貢献

I went to the Stanford University Department of Radiology\u27s three-dimensional (3D) imaging laboratory from 1996 to 1999 to study a novel 3D image processing technique using electron beam computed tomography (CT). When I returned to Japan, I found that multi-slice CT had been available in daily practice since 1998. We have published a total of 152 peer-reviewed papers on diagnostic images in the field of cardiovascular disease. In 2003, when 16-slice CT was available for use in general hospitals, we successfully developed a prototype 256-slice cone-beam CT at the National Institute of Radiological Sciences. We produced several papers discussing the utilities of this prototype CT in both animal and phantom experiments, the concepts and ideas that were currently used for cardiac perfusion and myocardium characteristic study. In 2010, our paper was used as a reference in the American College of Cardiology Foundation Expert Consensus Guideline. The our current topics presented include coronary artery stenosis, coronary arterial plaques, the characteristics of the myocardium, the anatomy of structural and congenital heart disease, and the cardiac function, all using 16-320 slice CT with reduced radiation exposure in CT acquisition. Furthermore, we are now performing novel clinical CT studies combined magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography, and echocardiography. Using previous image data, we analyzed an epidemiology study using CT findings to predict the occurrence of major cardiovascular adverse events over long-term follow-up periods of more than 100 months (median), one of the longest follow-up periods documented in the literature. We also need to obtain accurate diagnoses for subjects with cardiac failure or fatal arrhythmia of unknown origin, allowing them to receive specific effective therapy for their possible cardiac amyloidosis, cardiac sarcoidosis, or Fabry\u27s disease. Of course, in all CT imaging techniques used for evaluation and monitoring of cardiovascular risk

Three Highly Fluorescent Iridium(III) Unit Based Coordination Polymers: Coordinated Solvent-Dependent Photoluminescence

Three highly luminescent coordination polymers were solvothermally synthesized in three different solvents, i.e., H₂O, DMF (DMF = <i>N</i>,<i>N</i>-dimethylformamide), and DEF (DEF = <i>N</i>,<i>N</i>-diethylformamide) based on a superiorly luminescent Ir­(III) unit (L, L = Ir­(ppy)₂(Hdcbpy)⁻, ppy = 2-phenylpyridine, dcbpy = 2,2′-bipyridine-4,4′-dicarboxylate). The three CPs, [MgL₂(H₂O)₂]­·3.5H₂O [<b>1</b>], [MgL₂(DMF)₂]­·3.5H₂O [<b>2</b>], and [MgL₂(DEF)­(H₂O)]­·3H₂O [<b>3</b>], exhibit intense emissions, long fluorescence lifetimes, and high quantum yields. In particular, compound <b>2</b> shows a very long fluorescence lifetime up to 11.3 μs and high quantum yield up to 18.1%. Attractively, it was found that the luminescence of <b>1</b>–<b>3</b> varied from yellow to orange under the irradiation of UV light. The distinct luminescence of <b>1</b>–<b>3</b> probably is due to different coordinated solvents in the three compounds

Construction of Interpenetrated Ruthenium Metal–Organic Frameworks as Stable Photocatalysts for CO₂ Reduction

Poor stability has long been a major obstacle to the practical applications of metal–organic framework (MOF) photocatalysts. This problem can be overcome by the use of structural interpenetration. In this work, by modifying Ru metalloligands, we have rationally designed two Ru–polypyridine based MOFs (with non-interpenetrated and interpenetrated structures, respectively), both of which exhibit similar photocatalytic activities for CO₂ photoreduction. Remarkably, the interpenetrated Ru-MOF possesses good photocatalytic durability and recyclability, and shows much higher thermal and photic stability in comparison with its non-interpenetrated counterpart. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that the stability of MOF photocatalysts was improved by using structural interpenetration

Dynamic Entangled Framework Based on an Iridium–Organic Unit Showing Reversible Luminescence Turn-On Sensing

A new entangled metal–organic framework shows reversible structural dynamics and luminescence changing in response to the loss of guest H₂O molecules. Furthermore, an intense and sensitive luminescence turn-on sensing was observed by the naked eye for <b>1</b> upon detection of the volatile organic solvent molecule CH₃CN, accompanied by reversible structural transformation

A Highly Symmetric Metal–Organic Framework Based on a Propeller-Like Ru-Organic Metalloligand for Photocatalysis and Explosives Detection

Ru­(H₂dcbpy)₃²⁺, one of the Ru­(bpy)₃²⁺ (dcbpy = 2,2′-bipyridine-4,4′-dicarboxylic acid, bpy = 2,2′-bipyridine) derivatves, has been used as a propeller-like photoactive metalloligand to coordinate with indium­(III) ions to form a highly symmetric metal–organic framework [InRu­(dcbpy)₃]­[(CH₃)₂NH₂]·6H₂O (<b>1</b>), and the cubic microcrystals of <b>1</b> have been acquired through modified procedures. Compound <b>1</b> manifests broad visible light absorption band and strong red light emission with long decay lifetime, both of which are originated from the metal-to-ligand charge transfer of the Ru­(dcbpy)₃^4– metalloligands. Because of the highly light-harvesting and strong redox nature of the Ru­(dcbpy)₃²⁺ units in <b>1</b>, its photocatalysis activities were determined by visible light-induced photodegradation of methyl orange experiments. The results indicate that <b>1</b> can be a stable and good visible-light driving heterogeneous photocatalyst. Meanwhile, the sensing properties of <b>1</b> were also evaluated, and the result shows that <b>1</b> can selectively detect the nitro explosives molecules

A Non-Centrosymmetric Dual-Emissive Metal–Organic Framework with Distinct Nonlinear Optical and Tunable Photoluminescence Properties

A novel dual-emissive metal–organic framework [Pb₃(BPT)₂(phen)₂]·phen (<b>1</b>) has been obtained by hydrothermal reactions of biphenyl-3,4′,5-tricarboxylic acid (H₃BPT), phen, and lead nitrate in aqueous solution. It consists of a main right-handed helix and three left-handed helical chains with the three left-handed helical chains sharing the same helical axis and further enwinding the main right-handed helical chain alternately. The BPT^3– ligands join the 1D helical chains into 2D layers with the terminal phen liands extending upward and downward, which are further interdigitated into a 3D packing supramolecular architecture through π–π interactions between the phen molecules of neighbor layers. The second harmonic generation (SHG) measurement reveals that <b>1</b> is nonlinear optical active with SHG efficiency approximately equivalent to that of the standard potassium dihydrogen phosphate (KDP), and photoluminescent investigation displays that complex <b>1</b> exhibits distinct tunable yellow-to-violet photoluminescence by varying the excitation light

A Highly Symmetric Metal–Organic Framework Based on a Propeller-Like Ru-Organic Metalloligand for Photocatalysis and Explosives Detection

Ru­(H₂dcbpy)₃²⁺, one of the Ru­(bpy)₃²⁺ (dcbpy = 2,2′-bipyridine-4,4′-dicarboxylic acid, bpy = 2,2′-bipyridine) derivatves, has been used as a propeller-like photoactive metalloligand to coordinate with indium­(III) ions to form a highly symmetric metal–organic framework [InRu­(dcbpy)₃]­[(CH₃)₂NH₂]·6H₂O (<b>1</b>), and the cubic microcrystals of <b>1</b> have been acquired through modified procedures. Compound <b>1</b> manifests broad visible light absorption band and strong red light emission with long decay lifetime, both of which are originated from the metal-to-ligand charge transfer of the Ru­(dcbpy)₃^4– metalloligands. Because of the highly light-harvesting and strong redox nature of the Ru­(dcbpy)₃²⁺ units in <b>1</b>, its photocatalysis activities were determined by visible light-induced photodegradation of methyl orange experiments. The results indicate that <b>1</b> can be a stable and good visible-light driving heterogeneous photocatalyst. Meanwhile, the sensing properties of <b>1</b> were also evaluated, and the result shows that <b>1</b> can selectively detect the nitro explosives molecules

An Intensely Luminescent Metal–Organic Framework Based on a Highly Light-Harvesting Dyclo-Metalated Iridium(III) Unit Showing Effective Detection of Explosives

An intense visible yellow-orange emission with long lifetime and enhanced quantum yield has been achieved for a metal–organic framework based on a highly light-harvesting dyclo-metalated iridium­(III) unit, which shows effective detection of nitroaromatic explosives on the ppm scale

A Non-Centrosymmetric Dual-Emissive Metal–Organic Framework with Distinct Nonlinear Optical and Tunable Photoluminescence Properties

A novel dual-emissive metal–organic framework [Pb₃(BPT)₂(phen)₂]·phen (<b>1</b>) has been obtained by hydrothermal reactions of biphenyl-3,4′,5-tricarboxylic acid (H₃BPT), phen, and lead nitrate in aqueous solution. It consists of a main right-handed helix and three left-handed helical chains with the three left-handed helical chains sharing the same helical axis and further enwinding the main right-handed helical chain alternately. The BPT^3– ligands join the 1D helical chains into 2D layers with the terminal phen liands extending upward and downward, which are further interdigitated into a 3D packing supramolecular architecture through π–π interactions between the phen molecules of neighbor layers. The second harmonic generation (SHG) measurement reveals that <b>1</b> is nonlinear optical active with SHG efficiency approximately equivalent to that of the standard potassium dihydrogen phosphate (KDP), and photoluminescent investigation displays that complex <b>1</b> exhibits distinct tunable yellow-to-violet photoluminescence by varying the excitation light

Hydrogen-Bonded Displacive-Type Ferroelastic Phase Transition in a New Entangled Supramolecular Compound

The framework entanglements show structural transitions by the removal and incorporation of guest molecules, but rarely generate phase transitions by themselves. In this study, we report a new entangled hydrogen-bonded supramolecular compound, [(<i>n</i>-C₄H₉)₂NH₂]₂­H₂C₄O₄·​H₄C₄O₄ (<b>1</b>, H₄C₄O₄ = fumaric acid), which undergoes a reversible ferroelastic phase transition with the Aizu notation of 2/<i>mF</i>1̅. Differential scanning calorimetry and specific heat measurements confirm its typical second-order phase transition at around 228.8 K (<i>T</i>_c), while the results of the deuterated analogue (<b>2</b>) are different with those of <b>1</b>, indicating that proton dynamic motions in hydrogen bonds contribute to the phase transition. Variable-temperature single-crystal X-ray diffraction analyses reveal that the cooperative displacements of hydrogen bonds induce the structural phase transition, which arise from the twisting motions of the fumaric acid molecules. Simultaneously, two types of independent hydrogen bonding layers in the entanglement are altered in response to the transformation of hydrogen bonds aggregates at the low temperature phase, causing the symmetry breaking. These findings will open up a new avenue for the design of ferroic materials with an entangled framework