[Leo Sternbach, an inventor of benzodiazepines].

A biography of Leo Sternbach, an inventor of benzodiazepine tranquillizers, is presented. It consists of (1) a societal desire for lifestyle pills, (2) Leo's birth in 1908 and youth, (3) education, (4) in Vienna, (5) in Zurich, (6) at Hoffmann-La Roche, Basel, (7) to the New World, (8) at Roche, Nutley NJ, (9) invention of the new drugs, (10) revolution of people's lifestyle, and (11) reward, retirement and obituary in 2005. This paper may be the first comprehensive biography of this remarkable chemist written in Japanese.

[Sweet potato in pre-Columbian Polynesia--an overview].

An overview is presented on the reports available so far on sweet potato, Ipomoea batatas, cultivated widely in Polynesia in the pre-Columbian era, with reference to possible ways and presumptive dates of transfer from the Americas to Polynesia, such as (1) Polynesian navigators' travel to Peru, (2) Peruvian fishermen's drift westward, (3) vessel drift, (4) seed drift, (5) root-tuber drift, and (6) transport by birds. The author supports the case (1) as most plausible. Ganshu or Ganchu described in the old Chinese herbal books is identified as Dioscorea esculenta.

[Presence of pre-Columbian maize in the Old World--an overview].

An overview is presented on the reports available so far on pre-Columbian maize covering the regions of India, Mideast, Africa and Iberia. Frequent observations of maize recorded in the past on the East and the West Coast of Africa and at the ports in the Mideast show that maize was one of the staples of the natives well before 1492. It is also evident that maize in the West Africa was disseminated to Iberia and Lombardy in the pre-Columbian time.

[Maize in pre-columbian China found in Bencao Pinhui Jingyao].

Bencao Pinhui Jingyao complied in 1505 shows a drawing of maize under the caption of Yiyi-ren (Job's Tear). Also, a Chinese poem written around 1368 contains a term yumi, which indicates maize. These new findings offer clear evidence that maize existed in China in the pre-Columbian era.

Introduction of grapes and alfalfa into China: a reflection on the role of Zhang Qian.

There is a prevailing legend that grapes and alfalfa were introduced to China from West Asia by Zhang Qian in 126 BC. This paper intends to show the legend to be a misconception. The three crucial documents were thoroughly examined, and the author believes he can demonstrate that it was a later traveler who actually brought these two plants to China following the trade route pioneered by Zhang Qian.