Androgenic alopecia; the risk–benefit ratio of Finasteride

Finasteride is currently approved and largely used as a therapeutic option for androgenetic alopecia. Apparently a safe drug and effective at the onset of its application, several concerns have since appeared over the years regarding the frequency and magnitude of finasteride adverse effects, which in some cases appear irreversible even after drug termination. This paper discusses the use of finasteride for androgenic alopecia from two distinct perspectives. On the one hand, androgenic alopecia is a condition that especially affects a person’s self-image and esteem, aspects that are subjectively-constructed and thus relative and changeable. On the other hand, this condition involves a multifactorial etiology, with androgens being only partly responsible. Because androgens have important and unique physiological roles within the body, any procedure that results in androgenic suppression should be advised with caution. Furthermore, adverse effects induced by finasteride are neither fully documented nor easily treated. Finally, as alternative therapeutic approaches (such as topical finasteride) become available, the oral administration of finasteride for androgenic alopecia should, in our opinion, be reevaluated. Due to such concerns, a detailed and informed discussion should take place with patients considering therapy with finasteride for androgenic alopecia

Groupoids and an index theorem for conical pseudo-manifolds

We define an analytical index map and a topological index map for conical pseudomanifolds. These constructions generalize the analogous constructions used by Atiyah and Singer in the proof of their topological index theorem for a smooth, compact manifold $M$. A main ingredient is a non-commutative algebra that plays in our setting the role of $C_0(T^*M)$. We prove a Thom isomorphism between non-commutative algebras which gives a new example of wrong way functoriality in $K$-theory. We then give a new proof of the Atiyah-Singer index theorem using deformation groupoids and show how it generalizes to conical pseudomanifolds. We thus prove a topological index theorem for conical pseudomanifolds

Spin injection in Silicon at zero magnetic field

In this letter, we show efficient electrical spin injection into a SiGe based \textit{p-i-n} light emitting diode from the remanent state of a perpendicularly magnetized ferromagnetic contact. Electron spin injection is carried out through an alumina tunnel barrier from a Co/Pt thin film exhibiting a strong out-of-plane anisotropy. The electrons spin polarization is then analysed through the circular polarization of emitted light. All the light polarization measurements are performed without an external applied magnetic field \textit{i.e.} in remanent magnetic states. The light polarization as a function of the magnetic field closely traces the out-of-plane magnetization of the Co/Pt injector. We could achieve a circular polarization degree of the emitted light of 3 % at 5 K. Moreover this light polarization remains almost constant at least up to 200 K.Comment: accepted in AP

Self-trapped states and the related luminescence in PbCl2_2 crystals

We have comprehensively investigated localized states of photoinduced electron-hole pairs with electron-spin-resonance technique and photoluminescence (PL) in a wide temperature range of 5-200 K. At low temperatures below 70 K, holes localize on Pb$^{2+}$ ions and form self-trapping hole centers of Pb$^{3+}$. The holes transfer to other trapping centers above 70 K. On the other hand, electrons localize on two Pb$^{2+}$ ions at higher than 50 K and form self-trapping electron centers of Pb$_2$$^{3+}$. From the thermal stability of the localized states and PL, we clarify that blue-green PL band at 2.50 eV is closely related to the self-trapped holes.Comment: 8 pages (10 figures), ReVTEX; removal of one figure, Fig. 3 in the version

Meat Product Reformulation: Nutritional Benefits and Effects on Human Health

This chapter aims to present the current state of the art in the field of meat product reformulation with respect to issues concerning the nutritional improvement and overall health benefits of such products. Our research team has recently finalised a national research project concerning this topic, and we feel that other food scientists could benefit from the theoretical and practical knowledge gathered during this time. The chapter will be divided into four subchapters. The first subsection will present the main targets of meat reformulation, such as lipid or protein profile modification, the use of bioactive compounds as additives, etc. The second subsection will discuss the bioavailability and bioaccessibility of carotenoids, phenolic compounds and other bioactive compounds, presenting these parameters from a nutraceutical perspective. The last subsections will include reported consumer attitudes. In this work, we will present data that could aid scientists in the field of food science to better grasp notions concerning consumer benefit, such as bioavailability, not only of a specific bioactive compound but also as part of a complex food matrix

Self-trapped electrons and holes in PbBr2_2 crystals

We have directly observed self-trapped electrons and holes in PbBr$_{2}$ crystals with electron-spin-resonance (ESR) technique. The self-trapped states are induced below 8 K by two-photon interband excitation with pulsed 120-fs-width laser light at 3.10 eV. Spin-Hamiltonian analyses of the ESR signals have revealed that the self-trapping electron centers are the dimer molecules of Pb$_2$$^{3+}$ along the crystallographic a axis and the self-trapping hole centers are those of Br$_2$$^-$ with two possible configurations in the unit cell of the crystal. Thermal stability of the self-trapped electrons and holes suggests that both of them are related to the blue-green luminescence band at 2.55 eV coming from recombination of spatially separated electron-hole pairs.Comment: 8 pages (7 figures, 2 tables), ReVTEX; revised the text and figures 1, 4, and

Muon capture on light nuclei

This work investigates the muon capture reactions 2H(\mu^-,\nu_\mu)nn and 3He(\mu^-,\nu_\mu)3H and the contribution to their total capture rates arising from the axial two-body currents obtained imposing the partially-conserved-axial-current (PCAC) hypothesis. The initial and final A=2 and 3 nuclear wave functions are obtained from the Argonne v_{18} two-nucleon potential, in combination with the Urbana IX three-nucleon potential in the case of A=3. The weak current consists of vector and axial components derived in chiral effective field theory. The low-energy constant entering the vector (axial) component is determined by reproducting the isovector combination of the trinucleon magnetic moment (Gamow-Teller matrix element of tritium beta-decay). The total capture rates are 393.1(8) s^{-1} for A=2 and 1488(9) s^{-1} for A=3, where the uncertainties arise from the adopted fitting procedure.Comment: 6 pages, submitted to Few-Body Sys