Experiences and attitudes toward aesthetic procedures in East Asia: a cross-sectional survey of five geographical regions.

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.

Identification of a fluorescent compound in the cuticle of the train millipede Parafontaria laminata armigera.

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.

Pholasin luminescence is enhanced by addition of dehydrocoelenterazine.

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.

Accumulation of 4- and 5-ene steroid sulfates in human breast cyst fluids.

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 simple, accurate, and sensitive assay method of dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate: application for quantitative determination in human breast cyst and duct fluids.

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).