Why do women want to be beautiful? A qualitative study proposing a new “human beauty values” concept

<div><p>This study investigated the underlying reasons women desire to be beautiful in South Korean, Chinese, and Japanese cultures by proposing a new concept called human beauty value (HBV). This exploratory qualitative study includes a literature review in related disciplines and the results from ten focus group interviews. Based on the interviews, this study proposes four dimensions of HBV (i.e., superiority, self-development, individuality, and authenticity) and a hierarchical process among the antecedents (i.e., social comparison, social competition, and social norms), the pursuit of HBV, and the consequences (i.e., emotional, attitudinal, and behavioral aspects). Participants from each culture revealed a unique hierarchical process of HBV that reflects both cultural universality and specificity. The results of this study lead to new knowledge about East Asian women’s identities and perceptions of beauty. In addition, the proposed concept, HBV, can broaden the academic lens for beauty-related disciplines.</p></div

Qualitative construct, category, and frequency.

<p>Qualitative construct, category, and frequency.</p

Interview questions.

<p>Interview questions.</p

Information on the stimuli of cultural beauty and personal beauty.

<p>Information on the stimuli of cultural beauty and personal beauty.</p

Demographic information on participants.

<p>Demographic information on participants.</p

Structural framework and dimensions of HBV.

<p>Structural framework and dimensions of HBV.</p

Synthesis, Characterization, and Reactivity of a Highly Oxidative Mononuclear Manganese(IV)–Bis(Fluoro) Complex

Recently, transition-metal terminal nonoxo complexes have shown a remarkable ability to activate and functionalize C–H bonds via proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET). Here we report the first example of a mononuclear manganese(IV) bis(fluoro) complex bearing a tetradentate pyridinophane ligand, [MnIV(TBDAP)(F)2]2+ (3), with an X-ray single crystal structure and physicochemical characterization. The manganese(IV) bis(fluoro) complex has a very high reduction potential of 1.61 V vs SCE, thereby enabling the four-electron oxidation of mesitylene to 3,5-dimethylbenzaldehyde. Kinetic studies, including the kinetic isotope effect and employment of other toluene derivatives, reveal the electron transfer (ET)-driven PCET in the C–H bond activation of mesitylene by 3. This novel metal halide intermediate would be prominently valuable for expanding transition-metal halide chemistry

Nonhemolytic Cell-Penetrating Peptides: Site Specific Introduction of Glutamine and Lysine Residues into the α‑Helical Peptide Causes Deletion of Its Direct Membrane Disrupting Ability but Retention of Its Cell Penetrating Ability

Cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) often have cationic and amphipathic characteristics that are commonly associated with α-helical peptides. These features give CPPs both membrane demolishing and penetrating abilities. To make CPPs safe for biomedical applications, their toxicities resulting from their membrane demolishing abilities must be removed while their cell penetrating abilities must be retained. In this study, we systematically constructed mutants of the amphipathic α-helical model peptide (LKK­L­L­K­L­L­K­K­L­L­K­LAG, LK peptide). The hydrophobic amino acid leucine in the LK peptide was replaced with hydrophilic amino acids to reduce hemolytic or cell toxicity. Most of the mutants were found to have weakened membrane disrupting abilities, but their cell penetrating abilities were also weakened. However, the L8Q and L8K mutants were found to have low micromolar range cell penetrating ability and almost no membrane disrupting ability. These selected mutants utilize energy-dependent endocytosis mechanisms instead of an energy-independent direct cell penetrating mechanism to enter cells. In addition, the mutants can be used to deliver the anticancer drug methotrexate (MTX) to cells, thereby overcoming resistance to this drug. To determine if the effect of these mutations on the membrane disrupting and cell penetrating abilities is general, Q and K mutations of the natural amphipathic α-helical antimicrobial peptide (AMP), LL37, were introduced. Specific positional Q and K mutants of LL37 were found to have lower hemolytic toxicities and preserved the ability to penetrate eukaryotic cells such as MDA-MB-231 cells. Taken together, observations made in this work suggest that interrupting the global hydrophobicity of amphipathic α-helical CPPs and AMPs, by replacing hydrophobic residues with mildly hydrophilic amino acids such as Q and K, might be an ideal strategy for constructing peptides that have strong cell penetrating abilities and weak cell membrane disrupting abilities

Isolation, Synthesis, and Antisepsis Effects of a <i>C</i>‑Methylcoumarinochromone Isolated from <i>Abronia nana</i> Cell Culture

Only a few isoflavones have been isolated from plants of the genus <i>Abronia</i>. The biological properties of compounds isolated from <i>Abronia</i> species have not been well established, and their antisepsis effects have not been reported yet. In the present study, a new <i>C</i>-methylcoumarinochromone, was isolated from <i>Abronia nana</i> suspension cultures. Its structure was deduced as 9,11-dihydroxy-10-methylcoumarinochromone (boeravinone Y, <b>1</b>) by spectroscopic data analysis and verified by chemical synthesis. The potential inhibitory effects of <b>1</b> against high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1)-mediated septic responses were investigated. Results showed that <b>1</b> effectively inhibited lipopolysaccharide-induced release of HMGB1 and suppressed HMGB1-mediated septic responses, in terms of reduction of hyperpermeability, leukocyte adhesion and migration, and cell adhesion molecule expression. In addition, <b>1</b> increased the phagocytic activity of macrophages and exhibited bacterial clearance effects in the peritoneal fluid and blood of mice with cecal ligation and puncture-induced sepsis. Collectively, these results suggested that <b>1</b> might have potential therapeutic activity against various severe vascular inflammatory diseases <i>via</i> inhibition of the HMGB1 signaling pathway