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Background The demand for aesthetic procedures continues to grow globally, particularly in East Asian countries. The popularity of specific aesthetic procedures varies, however, depending on the particular East Asian geographical region being studied. This study aimed to evaluate the experiences of and attitudes toward aesthetic procedures in five East Asian countries/regions, including China, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. Methods To recruit participants, an online questionnaire was designed and distributed on social media networks between May 2015 and March 2016. The statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS software, version 22.0. Results A total of 3,088 people responded (approximately 600 in each country/region). Of these, 940 participants (47.8%) responded that they had experienced at least one aesthetic procedure in the past. Taiwan had the highest number of participants who had experienced at least one procedure (264/940, 41%), with primarily non-surgical experiences. Only in South Korea did surgical cosmetic experiences exceed non-surgical cosmetic experiences (55.9% vs. 44.1%). The popularity of particular procedures and the motivation for undergoing aesthetic procedures varied by country. Conclusions The popularity of aesthetic procedures continues to evolve. Similar trends were observed across the East Asian regions; however, each country had its unique demands and preferences. The information provided by this study can help aesthetic plastic surgeons further understand the patients in their corresponding region, customize their practice, and develop the requisite skills.

Gross cystic disease of the breast is one of the most common diseases of adult females. Breast cyst fluid contains various steroid hormones. In order to obtain more information about the concentrations of 4- and 5-ene steroids in human breast cyst fluids, levels of pregnenolone sulfate (PREGS), pregnenolone (PREG), dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). A total of 35 human breast cyst fluid samples, obtained from 35 patients (28-54 years old) were analyzed. Cyst fluid electrolytes were simultaneously determined. Levels of PREGS (mean+/-S.D.) were 26.9+/-20.0 micromol/l (N=35) and of PREG were0.1 micromol/l. Levels of DHEAS and DHEA were 89.1+/-111.7 micromol/l (N=35) and 0.3+/-0.2 micromol/l (N=35), respectively. Cyst fluids were divided into two groups (types I and II) according to their electrolyte ratio (K(+)/Na(+)). The cysts of the type I group (K(+)/Na(+)1.5) contained significantly higher levels of PREGS (39.9+/-21.1 micromol/l) and DHEAS (133.2+/-87.9 micromol/l) than those of the type II group (K(+)/Na(+)1.5), the mean levels of which were 19.8+/-16.2 micromol/dl for PREGS, and 36.3+/-29.0 micromol/dl for DHEAS (P0.05). PREGS and DHEAS levels in the cysts were significantly correlated (r=0.49; P0.01). Human breast cyst fluids contain high concentration of DHEAS and PREGS, especially in the cyst fluids containing high K(+)/Na(+) ratios.

Radioimmunoassay (RIA) is the most prevalent method for measuring small amounts of hormones, peptides, and other compounds in human body fluids. The method, however, has several problems, such as cross reactions or non-specific reactions of the antibody used. In order to establish an improved method for assaying dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) and cholesterol, which are the largest components of human breast cyst and duct fluids, we describe a simple, accurate, and sensitive method using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The samples were treated with cholesterol oxidase for quantitation of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and free cholesterol, and the respective oxidized substances, 4-androstene-3,17-dione and 4-cholesten-3-one, were extracted with n-hexane. The extracts were analyzed by straight phase HPLC. Effluents were monitored by measuring absorption at 240 nm, where a newly introduced chromophoric group, an alpha,beta-unsaturated ketone, showed intense absorption (epsilon = 16,000). When the total amount of DHEA (DHEAS plus DHEA) was measured, the sample had been solvolyzed by sulfatase beforehand. The amounts of DHEAS were quantified by comparing the amounts of DHEA before and after solvolysis. Levels of free cholesterol, DHEAS, and DHEA in human breast cyst fluids (n = 30) were 1.77 +/- 1.12 mmol/dl, 8.27 +/- 10.24 micromol/dl, and 0.02 +/- 0.02 micromol/dl (means +/- SD), respectively. The levels of sterol and steroid measured in breast duct fluids that were turbid, brown, dark green, or milky in color (n = 9) (mean levels, 3.20 +/- 2.97 mmol/dl for free cholesterol and 14.77 +/- 13.75 micromol/dl for DHEAS) were significantly (P0.01) higher than the levels in clear or serous breast fluids (n = 21) (mean levels, 0.14 +/- 0.13 mmol/dl for free cholesterol and 0.04 +/- 0.07 micromol/dl for DHEAS).

Cross-linked modifications of Taka-amylase A (TAA) with various dialdehyde derivatives including starch- and dextran-dialdehyde were examined. A rapid and significant decrease in the amount of free amino groups and enzyme activity of TAA was attained by starch-dialdehyde, whereas dextran dialdehyde caused much lower loss in activity of TAA in spite of a similar extent of amino group modification. The molecular weight of the dextran-modified TAA increased by about 10, 000-20, 000 Da, which was measured by SDS-gel electrophoresis. A comparison of the activity of modified TAA on various substrates indicated a slight but definite increase in susceptibility to maltose and phenyl α-glucoside according to the increase in the extent of modification of TAA. In contrast, the activity of the modified TAA on maltotriose, maltotetraose, and γ-cyclodextrin decreased upon modification. Here, again, TAA modified with dextran-dialdehyde retained higher activity to those oligosaccharides than that modified with starch-dialdehyde. Moreover, inactivation caused by the fluorescent reagent, o-phthalaldehyde, was retarded by previous modification with dextran-dialdehyde, indicating that reaction between TAAand dialdehyde derivatives occurred through non-critical amino groups for enzyme activity.

In the list processing language, dynamic memory management is indispensable, and hence various methods have been proposed. In one such method, the object is discriminated according to its life, time and garbage collection (GC) is applied efficiently to the unnecessary object, based on a preset “threshold.” A problem is how the threshold should be set in order to realize the most efficient GC. This paper points out that the threshold that realizes the highest efficiency depends on the application to be executed, and proposes the technique of adaptive garbage collection (AGC). An experiment toward its implementation is reported. AGC is a kind of GC which adjusts the threshold dynamically according to memory use, so that efficient operation is realized for a variety of applications. Experiments aiming at the realization of AGC show that applications have their own pace in consuming the memory, and the optimal value of the threshold is related to that pace. It is seen also that the memory-consuming pace of the application is related closely to the data in the interpreter, leading to the definition of the useful parameter for realizing the efficient AGC.

Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF) markedly stimulates the synthesis and secretion of immunoreactive nerve growth factor (NGF) in quiescent mouse fibroblasts, which is a result of increase in the NGF mRNA level. NGF produced by TNF-treated fibroblasts has a molecular mass of 13 kDa on SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, which is consistent in size with the subunit of mouse beta-NGF, and induces neurite outgrowth in paravertebral sympathetic neurons. Several peptide growth factors such as basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and epidermal growth factor also stimulate NGF production in the cells, but not platelet-derived growth factor. The dose responses of TNF and bFGF to stimulate NGF production in the cells are, respectively, similar to those to induce cell proliferation. However, no correlation is observed between the ability of these growth factors to stimulate NGF production and that to induce cell proliferation. Thus, the stimulation of NGF production in the cells seems to be a specific activity of TNF and some other growth factors. TNF stimulates the synthesis and secretion of NGF also in other cells such as human glioblastoma cells. These findings suggest that TNF plays a role in regulating neuronal cell function through an indirect mechanism by which it stimulates NGF production in glial cells and fibroblasts.

The train millipede (Parafontaria laminata armigera) emits a blue fluorescence (λ(max)=455 nm) under black light (350 nm). The isolated fluorescent compound from the cuticle of P. laminata armigera was identified as pterin-6-carboxylic acid. The structure of this compound was identified by fluorescent, HPLC, and mass spectrometric (ESI-ion trap MS) analyses, and then compared with an authentic sample.

Pholasin is a bioluminescent photoprotein of Pholas dactylus. Pholasin is a commercially available photoprotein used to measure intracellular reactive oxygen species. Although extensive efforts have been carried out to determine the chemical structure of the prosthetic (chromophore) group, it still remains unclear to date. Herein, we report the enhancement of pholasin luminescence by the addition of dehydrocoelenterazine, which is organic substance of luminous squids' photoprotein.

We have examined the possible involvements of pertussis toxin (PT)-sensitive guanosine triphosphate (GTP)-binding protein (Gp) and protein kinase C (PKC) in the mitogenic signaling pathways of various growth factors by the use of PT-pretreated and/or 12-O-tetradecanoyl phorbol-13-acetate (TPA)-pretreated mouse fibroblasts. Effects of PT pretreatment (inactivation of PT-sensitive Gp) and TPA pretreatment (depletion of PKC) on mitogen-induced DNA synthesis varied significantly and systematically in response to growth factors: mitogenic responses of cells to thrombin, bombesin, and bradykinin were almost completely abolished both in PT- and TPA-pretreated cells; responses to epidermal growth factor (EGF), platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), and vanadate were reduced to approximately 50% both in PT- and TPA-pretreated cells compared with native cells; response to basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) was not affected in PT-pretreated cells but was inhibited to some extent in TPA-pretreated cells. Thus, growth factors examined have been classified into three groups with regard to the involvements of PT-sensitive Gp and PKC in their signal transduction pathways. Binding of each growth factor to its receptor was not affected significantly by pretreatment of cells with PT or TPA. Inhibitory effects of PT and TPA pretreatment on each mitogen-induced DNA synthesis were not additive, suggesting that the functions of PT-sensitive Gp and PKC lie on an identical signal transduction pathway. Although all three groups of mitogens activated PKC, signaling of each growth factor depends to a varying extent on the function of PKC. Our results indicate that a single peptide growth factor such as EGF, PDGF, or bFGF acts through multiple signaling pathways to induce cell proliferation.

The thermooptic constants of AgGaSe2 have been measured at 2.052, 3.3913, 5.2955, and 10.5910 micrometers . These results combined with the literature values were used to construct the thermooptic dispersion formula which correctly reproduces the temperature dependent phase-matching conditions for second-harmonic generation and sum-frequency generation of a CO2 laser as well as the thermally induced lensing effects for the 2.05 micrometers pumped parametric oscillators.© (1998) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.

CdGeAs2 has been found to be phase-matchable for type-2 SHG down to 2.833 μ m and type-2(b) SFG between the fundamental and second harmonic of a CO2 laser down to 10.4406 μ m at 20.0°C. The Sellmeier's equations and the thermo-optic dispersion formula which reproduce well the phasematching properties of SHG and direct FHG of the CO2 lasers at 77K are presented together with the absolute value of the nonlinear optical constant.

To elucidate the role of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) in the wound healing process, we investigated the ability of the factor to modulate an inflammatory reaction at the wound site and to influence endothelial cells and fibroblasts in vitro. A single, topical application of bFGF to a full-thickness wound of genetically diabetic mice caused an increase in the volume of wound exudate in a dose-dependent manner. bFGF induced the infiltration of a large number of leukocytes in the wound exudate. Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) positive cells, such as macrophages, monocytes and fibroblasts, appeared in the granulation tissue in bFGF-treated diabetic mice. These phenomena were comparable to those in normal animals, suggesting that the treatment with bFGF restored the inflammatory response in wound healing of diabetic mice. The effects of bFGF on cell proliferation, migration and angiogenesis were histologically recognized as shown in enhanced granulation tissue formation and neovascularization. It is suggested that bFGF promotes the recruitment of inflammatory cells into the wound site to induce a cascade reaction of growth factors including TGF-beta in a wound healing process, and so would accelerate wound healing.

N-Isopropyl-p-iodoamphetamine (IMP) receptors in normal human lung tissue were characterized using a radioligand binding assay with iodine-125 IMP as the ligand. Saturation binding studies revealed the presence of two binding sites with dissociation constant (Kd) values of 53 +/- 2 and 4687 +/- 124 nM and maximum binding capacity (Bmax) values of 7 +/- 1 and 133 +/- 27 pmol/mg protein (n = 5) respectively. The IC50 values of various amines were as follows: IMP, 9 x 10(-5) M; propranolol, 5 x 10(-4) M; haloperidol, 6 x 10(-4) M; ketamine, 9 x 10(-3) M; dopamine, 1 x 10(-2) M. The IMP receptors of cancerous tissue obtained from human lung also had two binding sites with Kd values of 54 +/- 2 and 5277 +/- 652 nM and Bmax values of 7 +/- 1 and 103 +/- 21 pmol/mg protein (n = 3) respectively. There was no significant difference in binding parameters between normal and cancerous lung tissue. These results demonstrate the existence of IMP receptors and suggest that cancer does not affect the nature of IMP receptors in human lung tissue.

We have examined the possible involvement of pertussis toxin (PT)-sensitive GTP-binding protein and protein kinase C (PKC) in mitogen-induced tyrosine phosphorylation of the 41 kDa and 43 kDa cytosol proteins using PT-pretreated (inactivation of PT-sensitive GTP-binding protein) or phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA)-pretreated (depletion of PKC) mouse fibroblasts. The effects of the inactivation of PT-sensitive GTP-binding protein and the depletion of PKC on mitogen-stimulated tyrosine phosphorylation of the proteins were similar and varied significantly and systematically in response to growth factors. The important finding was that such inhibitory effects of PT-sensitive GTP-binding protein inactivation and PKC depletion on protein tyrosine phosphorylation induced by each mitogen always correlated well with their inhibitory effects on each mitogen-stimulated DNA synthesis. Although the extent of platelet-derived-growth-factor-induced phosphorylation of the proteins was decreased to approx. 50% in PT- and PMA-pretreated cells compared with native cells, protein phosphorylation itself was not affected and occurred at identical sites on each protein in native, PT- and PMA-pretreated cells. These results suggest that: (1) 41 kDa and 43 kDa proteins are located downstream of PT-sensitive GTP-binding protein and PKC in the mitogenic signalling pathways of growth factors, (2) protein phosphorylation occurs via a cascade of events which includes the activation of the receptor tyrosine kinases, PKC and other unidentified kinase(s) which directly participate(s) in the phosphorylation of the 41 kDa and 43 kDa proteins, and (3) their phosphorylation may play an important role in integrating multiple mitogenic signalling pathways.

We have examined the hepatocyte growth factor (HGF)-mediated changes in protein-tyrosine phosphorylation in mouse keratinocytes (PAM-212) and canine kidney epithelial cells (MDCK). In PAM-212 cells HGF and epidermal growth factor, both of which stimulated the DNA synthesis, rapidly induced the tyrosine phosphorylation of two 41-kDa and two 43-kDa proteins: increased tyrosine phosphorylation of those proteins has been commonly observed when quiescent fibroblasts are stimulated with a variety of mitogenic agents. In contrast, HGF did not stimulate the DNA synthesis but induced cell dissociation in MDCK cells; under this condition, increased tyrosine phosphorylation of the 41-kDa and 43-kDa protein was not observed. A possible role of the increased tyrosine phosphorylation of 41-kDa and 43-kDa protein in the signaling pathway of HGF is discussed.

Two antipeptide antibodies, one against the peptide corresponding to residues 307-327 (alpha Y91) and one against the peptide corresponding to the C-terminal portion (alpha C92) of the deduced amino acid sequence of the extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1 (ERK1), precipitated two 41-kDa and/or two 43-kDa phospho-proteins from mitogen-stimulated Swiss 3T3 cells. Electrophoretic mobilities on two-dimensional gels of the immunoprecipitated 41- and 43-kDa phosphoproteins were similar to those of the 41- and 43-kDa cytosol proteins, whose increased tyrosine phosphorylation we and others had originally identified in various mitogen-stimulated cells (Cooper, J. A., Sefton, B. M., and Hunter, T. (1984) Mol. Cell. Biol. 4, 30-37; Kohno, M. (1985) J. Biol. Chem. 260, 1771-1779); phosphopeptide map analysis revealed that they were respectively identical molecules. All those phosphoproteins contained phosphotyrosine, and the more acidic forms contained additional phosphothreonine. Immunoprecipitated 41- and 43-kDa phosphoproteins had serine/threonine kinase activity toward myelin basic protein (MBP) and microtuble-associated protein 2 (MAP2). With the combination of two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and the kinase assay in MBP-containing polyacrylamide gels of the alpha Y91 immunoprecipitates, with or without phosphatase 2A treatment, we showed that only their acidic forms were active. These results clearly indicate that 41- and 43-kDa proteins, the increased tyrosine phosphorylation of which is rapidly and commonly induced by mitogen stimulation of fibroblasts, are family members of ERKs/MAP2 kinases and that phosphorylation both on tyrosine and threonine residues is necessary for their activation.

The thermo-optic constants of AgGaSe(2) have been measured at 2.052, 3.3913, 5.2955, and 10.5910 mum. These results combined with values reported in the literature were used to construct the thermo-optic dispersion formula that correctly reproduces the temperature-dependent phase-matching conditions for second-harmonic generation and sum-frequency generation of a CO(2) laser as well as the thermally induced lensing effects for the 2.05-mum pumped parametric oscillators.

90° phase-matched parametric oscillation up to 4.3 µ m was obtained in the undoped KTiOAsO4 (KTA) crystal by pumping with the 1.928 µ m output of a KTiOPO4 (KTP) parametric oscillator pumped by an Nd:YAG laser at 1.064 µ m. The oscillator is continuously tunable from 3.4 to 4.3 µ m. The improved Sellmeier's equations are presented.

外陰Paget病3例(男子2例, 女子1例)のPaget細胞を電顕的に検討した。2例の外陰Paget細胞は細胞質が明るく, トノフィラメントは認められず, グリコーゲン顆粒が散在性, 集簇性に存在し, 小胞体が豊富で, 電子密度中等度の分泌様顆粒が認められた。また細胞間細管が存在し, 外陰Paget細胞間にも小型のデスモゾームが少数存在した。1例は変形したミトコンドリアないし分泌性空胞様構造, リボゾームが細胞質に顕著に認められたが, グリコーゲン顆粒, 電子密度のある分泌様顆粒はほとんど認められなかつた。ただ隣接するkeratinocyteにデスモゾームの集塊, トノフィラメントの凝集などの異型性を認めた。3例のうち2例の外陰Paget細胞はエックリン腺起源ないしエックリン器官への分化を持つ細胞と推定されたが, 1例においてはその起源ないし分化への傾向を窺うことは出来なかつた。

A tailor-made catalyst design was attempted for a required substrate specificity by the authors’ footprint imprinting method. Two silica(alumina) footprint catalysts were prepared by imprinting with N-benzoylbenzenesulfonamide (1) and N-(p-toluoyl)-p-toluenesulfonamide (2) from the same aluminum ion-doped silica gel. Their catalytic effects upon 2,4-dinitrophenolysis of benzoic anhydride, p-, m-, and o-toluic anhydrides were compared in order to find any difference in substrate specificities. The catalyst prepared by imprinting with 1 showed the largest specificity(kcat⁄Km) toward benzoic anhydride, whereas the catalyst prepared with 2 showed the largest specificity toward p-toluic anhydride. This finding evidently demonstrated that the substrate specificities of footprint catalytic sites are alterable, as required through selecting appropriate transition state analogs as template molecules for footprint marking.

A characteristic kidney disorder is commonly seen in Itai-itai disease in addition to the severe bone damage. Hence, urinary proteins of Itai-itai disease patients were analyzed by disc electrophoresis in order to diagnose this disease early and to distinguish it from other kidney diseases.The results are summarized as follows.1) Five different bands, designated as B-1 to 5 according to the decreasing order of the anodic mobility, were commonly detected in urinary proteins of Itai-itai disease. This pattern was specific for the disease and was provisionally named as I (Itai-itai disease) type.2) Three different bands, one corresponding in mobility to serum albumin and two other slower migrating bands, were seen in urinary proteins in other kidney diseases, while the urinary protein from healthy adults was composed solely of albumin. These patterns were provisionally named as K (kidney disease) and N (normal) type respectively.3) Among the five bands seen in the I-type pattern, B-3 and 4 specifically appeared in Itai-itai disease and seemed to be important in distinguishing I-type from K or N-type.4) Six protein fractions, prealbumin, albumin, α1, α2, β, and γ-globulins were prepared by cellulose acetate electrophoresis from a Itai-itai disease patient's urine and were utilized in disc electrophoresis to identify the above described five bands. It was revealed that B-1 was composed of α1-globulin, B-2 of albumin, B-3 of α1 and α2-globulins, and B-4 and B-5 of α2 and β-globulins, respectively.These results indicate that the disc electrophoretic analysis of urinary proteins is a useful screening test in the early diagnosis of Itai-itai disease. It also provides a clear distinction of this disease from other kidney diseases.