Spin-phonon dispersion in magnetic materials.

Microscopic coupling between the electron spin and the lattice vibration is responsible for an array of exotic properties from morphic effects in simple non magnets to magnetodielectric coupling in multiferroic spinels and hematites. Traditionally, a single spin-phonon coupling constant is used to characterize how effectively the lattice can affect the spin, but it is hardly enough to capture novel electromagnetic behaviors to the full extent. Here, we introduce a concept of spin-phonon dispersion to project the spin moment change along the phonon crystal momentum direction, so the entire spin change can be mapped out. Different from the phonon dispersion, the spin-phonon dispersion has both positive and negative frequency branches even in the equilibrium ground state, which correspond to the spin enhancement and spin reduction, respectively. Our study of bcc Fe and hcp Co reveals that the spin force matrix, that is, the second-order spatial derivative of spin moment, is similar to the vibrational force matrix, but its diagonal elements are smaller than the off-diagonal ones. This leads to the distinctive spin-phonon dispersion. The concept of spin-phonon dispersion expands the traditional Elliott-Yafet theory in nonmagnetic materials to the entire Brillouin zone in magnetic materials, thus opening the door to excited states in systems such as CoF2and NiO, where a strong spin-lattice coupling is detected in the THz regime.

[Impact of co-infection of streptococcus pneumoniae and pneumococcal vaccination on the clinical outcomes of coronavirus disease 19].

Coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 has spread all over the world. Streptococcus pneumoniae as a common pathogen of community-acquired pneumonia shares similar high-risk susceptible populations with COVID-19. Streptococcus pneumoniae co-infection is a key risk factor for severe COVID-19 and death. Pneumococcal vaccination has a beneficial impact on reducing the incidence and mortality of COVID-19. The vaccination rate of streptococcus pneumoniae is still low in China. Streptococcus pneumoniae vaccination may be one of effective strategies in the management of COVID-19 for high-risk population such as the elderly and those who have underlying chronic diseases.

[Safety analysis of 12 241 infants inoculated in three sites of diphtheria, tetanus, acellular pertussis and haemophilus influenzae type b combined vaccine in Chaoyang District of Beijing].

Objective: To observe the adverse reactions of Diphtheria, Tetanus, Acellular Pertussis and Haemophilus Influenzae Type b Combined Vaccine conjugate vaccine at the anterolateral thigh muscle, upper arm deltoid muscle and upper gluteal region. Methods: A total of 12 241 infants who were voluntarily vaccinated DTaP-Hib from April 2015 to April 2019 in Beijing were selected for the study. DTaP-Hib vaccine is recommended for 3, 4, 5 months of age for basic immunization and 18 to 24 months of age to strengthen immunization. Subjects were divided into the groups of lateral thigh muscle, the upper arm deltoid and upper gluteal region according to the actual inoculation sites. Adverse reactions were collected within 30 minutes and 7 days after each does of vaccination at different sites and compared between three groups. The incidence of adverse reactions at the three different inoculation sites was compared by Chi-square test. Results: A total of 12 241 infants and toddlers received combined DTaP-Hib and 35 027 doses of DTaP-Hib were investigated. The number and of lateral thigh muscles, upper arm deltoids and gluteal muscles were 3 461 infants and 11 129 doses, 2 659 infants and 7 957 doses, 6 121 infants and 15 941 doses respectively. A total of 2 489 adverse reactions occurred. The incidence of adverse reactions was 7.11%. The incidence of adverse reactions in deltoid muscle of upper arm was 9.69%（771 doses）, which was higher than that in gluteal muscle (7.58%, 1 211 doses) and anterolateral muscle of thigh (4.56%, 507 doses). The incidence of mild, moderate and severe adverse reactions in the upper arm deltoid group were higher than those in the other two groups. The incidence rates were 4.85% (386 doses), 3.77% (300 doses) and 1.07% (85 doses) respectively. The differences between groups were statistically significant（P<0.001）. The total adverse reactions of the three doses of basic immunization and the fourth dose of enhanced immunization had the same trend in different parts. The incidence of adverse reactions was in the order of the upper arm deltoid injection, upper gluteal injection and lateral thigh muscle injection from high to low. The differences were statistically significant (P<0.001). Conclusion: The incidence of adverse reactions of DTaP-Hib vaccination in three different sites was low, which confirmed that the DTaP-Hib vaccination got expected safety regardless of the sites of inoculation. The lateral femoral muscle group had the lowest incidence of adverse reactions, hence it should be preferred as the inoculation site of DTaP-Hib vaccination.

GLI-1 facilitates the EMT induced by TGF-ß1 in gastric cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To explore how GLI-1 affects the EMT induced by TGF-ß1 in gastric cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Following 24 hours of culture of SGC-7901 cells in presence of TGF-ß1, we observed the changes in morphology as well as mRNA and protein expressions of GLI-1, E-cadherin and Vimentin by RT-PCR and Western blot. Transwell assay was conducted to evaluate the changes in invasion ability of SGC-7901 cells. Then, SGC-7901 cells were co-treated with TGF-ß1 and GANT 61, and changes of the above indexes were also detected using the corresponding methods. RESULTS: In presence of TGF-ß1, EMT was initiated in SGC-7901 cells EMT with increased cell invasion ability, and the mRNA and protein expressions of E-cadherin were downregulated, while those of the GLI-1 and Vimentin were upregulated. Conversely, the co-treatment of TGF-ß1 and GANT 61 suppressed the increased cell invasion ability induced only by TGF-ß1, and the changes in mRNA and protein expressions of these factors were abolished. CONCLUSIONS: We found that GLI-1 facilitates the EMT induced by TGF-ß1 in SGC-7901 cells, which may serve as a potential target in developing the clinical treatment of gastric cancer.

Laser-induced ultrafast transport and demagnetization at the earliest time: first-principles and real-time investigation.

It is generally believed that there are at least two ways to use an ultrafast laser pulse to demagnetize a magnetic sample. One is to directly photo-demagnetize the system through spin-orbit coupling (SOC), and the other is to utilize ultrafast hot electron transport without SOC. The challenge is that these two processes are entangled on the same time scale. While the experimental results have been inconclusive, theoretical investigations are even scarcer, beyond those earlier studies based on spin superdiffusion. For instance, we do not even know how fast electrons move under laser excitation and how far they move. Here we carry out a first-principles time-dependent calculation to investigate how fast electrons actually move under laser excitation and how large the electron transport affects demagnetization on the shortest time scale. To take into account the transport effect, we implement the intraband transition in our theory. In the bulk fcc Ni, we find the effect of the spin transport on the demagnetization is extremely small, no more than 1%. The collective electron velocity in Ni is 0.4 Å fs-1, much smaller than the Fermi velocity, and the collective displacement is no more than 0.1 Å. But this does not mean that electrons do not travel fast; instead we find that electron velocities at two opposite crystal momenta cancel each other. We follow the Γ-X line and find a huge dispersion in the velocities in the crystal momentum space. In the Fe/W(1 1 0) thin film, the overall demagnetization is larger than Ni, and the Fermi velocity is higher than Ni. However, the effect of the spin transport is still small in the Fe/W(1 1 0) thin film. Based on our numerical results and existing experimental findings, we propose a different mechanism that can explain two latest experimental results. Our finding sheds new light on the effect of ballistic transport on demagnetization.

Generating high-order optical and spin harmonics from ferromagnetic monolayers.

High-order harmonic generation (HHG) in solids has entered a new phase of intensive research, with envisioned band-structure mapping on an ultrashort time scale. This partly benefits from a flurry of new HHG materials discovered, but so far has missed an important group. HHG in magnetic materials should have profound impact on future magnetic storage technology advances. Here we introduce and demonstrate HHG in ferromagnetic monolayers. We find that HHG carries spin information and sensitively depends on the relativistic spin-orbit coupling; and if they are dispersed into the crystal momentum k space, harmonics originating from real transitions can be k-resolved and carry the band structure information. Geometrically, the HHG signal is sensitive to spatial orientations of monolayers. Different from the optical counterpart, the spin HHG, though probably weak, only appears at even orders, a consequence of SU(2) symmetry. Our findings open an unexplored frontier-magneto-high-order harmonic generation.

Preliminary study of Bim on the early diagnosis and prognosis of the elderly uremia with gastrointestinal nutrition combined with dialysis.

OBJECTIVE: Elderly uremia frequently refers to the end stage of various chronic kidney diseases that threats the patients' health seriously. Enteral nutrition can reduce complications, while the molecular mechanism is still unclear. Mitochondrial protein Bim plays an essential role in regulating inflammation, restraining oxidative stress, and maintaining the balance of the mitochondrial membrane potential and energy production. This study aims to investigate the effect of Bim on the early diagnosis and prognosis of the elderly uremia with gastrointestinal nutrition combined with dialysis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Elderly patients with uremia in our hospital were selected and divided into parenteral nutrition group, enteral nutrition group, and regular treatment group. Healthy volunteers were chosen as the control group. Blood oxygen free radicals were tested by flow cytometry. Blood immune function parameter C-reactive protein and IL-6 levels were determined by Western blot. Bim expression in blood was evaluated by RT-PCR and Western blot. Correlation analysis was performed between Bim level and the prognosis of elderly patients with uremia who received gastrointestinal nutrition therapy. RESULTS: Blood oxygen free radical level was significantly higher in parenteral nutrition group and regular treatment group compared with enteral nutrition group (p< 0.05). C-reactive protein and IL-6 contents were significantly reduced in parenteral nutrition group and regular treatment group compared to those in enteral nutrition group (p< 0.05). The expression of Bim at both mRNA and protein levels was declined in elderly patients with uremia after enteral nutrition combined with dialysis therapy to the normal level. The level of Bim was positively correlated with the severity of elderly uremia. CONCLUSIONS: Bim is positively correlated with the severity of elderly uremia, which can be set as a potential specific biomarker, along with reactive oxygen radicals, CRP, IL-6, for the prognosis of elderly uremia.

[Glide path management of rotary nickel-titanium instruments in simulated root canals].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the shaping ability of ProGlider, HyFlex EDM Glidepath File and RaCe ISO 10 with that of PathFile and stainless steel K-file hand instruments in simulated root canals. METHODS: A total of 60 simulated resin blocks were divided randomly into five groups (n=12), each group prepared with each instrument, respectively. Preparation time was recorded. Pre- and post-operative images were obtained using a scanner and superimposed using Photoshop. The material removal from the inner and outer canal walls beginning from 0 mm at the end point of the canal were measured using ImageJ. Centering ability was determined, accordingly. The data were analyzed using the One-Way ANOVA at a significance level of P<0.05. RESULTS: Preparation time for ProGlider was (61.018±5.020) s, significantly the fastest (P < 0.05), that for SS K-file (111.100±6.987) s, the slowest (P<0.05), and the differences among the other 3 groups were not significant (P>0.05). The removal of resin from the outer wall at the apical portion was significantly lower for HyFlex EDM Glidepath File than for ProGlider (P<0.05), both of them were significantly lower than the other 3 groups (P<0.05). For the removal from the inner wall at the curvature portion, ProGlider was the least whilst SS K-file the most (P<0.05). At the straight portion, RaCe ISO 10 removed the most not only from the inner but also the outer wall (P<0.05), HyFlex EDM Glidepath File the second most, and the other 3 groups among the same levels. As far as the centering ability was concerned, at the apical portion, HyFlex EDM Glidepath File was the best, ProGlider the second best, no significant difference identified among the other 3 groups. At the curvature portion, ProGlider and HyFlex EDM Glidepath File were the best, PathFile the second, RaCe ISO 10 the third, the worst was the SS K-file. At the straight portion, the difference amongt the 5 groups was not significant. CONCLUSION: The shaping abilities of ProGlider, HyFlex EDM Glidepath File and RaCe ISO 10 were better or comparable to that of PathFile, while the preparation time for ProGlider reduced significantly, and HyFlex EDM Glidepath File and RaCe ISO 10 removed significantly more resin at the straight portion of the canal.

Manifestation of intra-atomic 5d6s-4f exchange coupling in photoexcited gadolinium.

Intra-atomic exchange couplings (IECs) between 5d6s and 4f electrons are ubiquitous in rare-earth metals and play a critical role in spin dynamics. However, detecting them in real time domain has been difficult. Here we show the direct evidence of IEC between 5d6s and 4f electrons in gadolinium. Upon femtosecond laser excitation, 5d6s electrons are directly excited; their majority bands shift toward the Fermi level while their minority bands do the opposite. For the first time, our first-principles minority shift now agrees with the experiment quantitatively. Excited 5d6s electrons lower the exchange potential barrier for 4f electrons, so the 4f states are also shifted in energy, a prediction that can be tested experimentally. Although a significant number of 5d6s electrons, some several eV below the Fermi level, are excited out of the Fermi sea, there is no change in the 4f states, a clear manifestation of intra-atomic exchange coupling.

Is perpendicular magnetic anisotropy essential to all-optical ultrafast spin reversal in ferromagnets?

All-optical spin reversal presents a new opportunity for spin manipulations, free of a magnetic field. Most of all-optical-spin-reversal ferromagnets are found to have a perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA), but it has been unknown whether PMA is necessary for spin reversal. Here we theoretically investigate magnetic thin films with either PMA or in-plane magnetic anisotropy (IMA). Our results show that spin reversal in IMA systems is possible, but only with a longer laser pulse and within a narrow laser parameter region. Spin reversal does not show a strong helicity dependence where the left- and right-circularly polarized light lead to the identical results. By contrast, the spin reversal in PMA systems is robust, provided both the spin angular momentum and laser field are strong enough while the magnetic anisotropy itself is not too strong. This explains why experimentally the majority of all-optical spin-reversal samples are found to have strong PMA and why spins in Fe nanoparticles only cant out of plane. It is the laser-induced spin-orbit torque that plays a key role in the spin reversal. Surprisingly, the same spin-orbit torque results in laser-induced spin rectification in spin-mixed configuration, a prediction that can be tested experimentally. Our results clearly point out that PMA is essential to spin reversal, though there is an opportunity for in-plane spin reversal.

[Effects of different techniques on removal of vapor lock in the apical region of curved canals: a cone-beam computed tomography study].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effect of four different techniques on removal of vapor lock in the apical region of curved root canals. METHODS: Forty simulated resin root canals with 45° curvature were prepared using WaveOne Primary, then the apical foramen were sealed with soft wax. The teeth were divided randomly into 4 groups thereafter (n=10). Contract solution was injected into the canals using a 30 G side-vented needle and scanned with cone-beam CT (CBCT) to identify the volume of the vapor lock. Four different techniques including photon-induced photoacoustic streaming (PIPS) laser-activated irrigation, gutta-percha cone technique, ultrasonic irrigation, and sonic irrigation were used to remove the vapor locks in the root canals. The residual volume of the vapor lock was identified again using CBCT scanning data. Accordingly, the reduction rates of the vapor lock were calculated. Furthermore, the initial and residual vapor lock length was calculated. The data were analyzed by using the One-way ANOVA analysis and Kruskal-Wallis H test at a significance level of P<0.05. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in the initial vapor lock volume (P>0.05). Residual volume of the vapor lock for PIPS laser-activated irrigation was 0 mm(3), and that for gutta-percha cone technique was (0.02±0.07) mm3, significantly lower than those of ultrasonic and sonic irrigation, the values being (0.20±0.09) mm(3) and (0.23±0.06) mm(3) (P<0.001), respectively. The reduction rates of the vapor lock of PIPS laser-activated irrigation and gutta-percha cone technique were 100.00% (100.00%, 100.00%) and 100.00% (77.66%, 100.00%), respectively, significantly higher than those of ultrasonic irrigation [70.37% (56.41%, 91.43%)] and sonic irrigation [63.54% (51.47%, 74.00%), P<0.001]. The length of the residual vapor lock for PIPS laser-activated irrigation was 0 mm, and that for gutta-percha cone technique was (0.15±0.47) mm, significantly lower than those of ultrasonic and sonic irrigation, values being (2.21±0.09) mm and (2.34±0.08) mm (P<0.001), respectively. The length of the residual vapor locks in the ultrasonic and sonic group remained approximately the same as the distance between the working tip and the apical foramen. CONCLUSION: PIPS laser activated irrigation and gutta-percha cone technique could remove the vapor lock from the apical region of curved canals effectively.

SNP at miR-483-5p-binding site in the 3'-untranslated region of the BSG gene is associated with susceptibility to esophageal cancer in a Chinese population.

The aim of this study was to investigate the association between a functional variant of the basigin (BSG) gene, caused by a polymorphism (rs11473) at the miR-483-5p binding site, and the risk of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) in the Chinese population. The rs11473 polymorphism was genotyped in 624 esophageal cancer patients and 636 cancer-free age- and gender-matched controls using polymerase chain reaction restriction and direct sequencing. The functional variants resulting from the BSG rs11473 SNP were investigated using a luciferase activity assay and validated by immunoblotting. We discovered that ESCC patients carrying the rs11473 AA genotype or A allele were at a significantly higher risk of esophageal cancer [odds ratio (OR) = 1.560, 95% confidence interval  (CI) = 1.031-2.358, P = 0.037; OR = 1.231, 95%CI = 1.038-1.459, P = 0.017, respectively] than those carrying the GG genotype and G allele. Moreover, the rs11473 polymorphism modifies the binding of miR-483- 5p to basigin, as well as the basigin protein levels in esophageal cancer patients. Our data suggested that the rs11473 polymorphism at the miR- 483-5p binding site in the 3'-UTR of basigin gene may play a key role in the development of esophageal cancer in a Chinese population.

The relation of calcium-phosphorus metabolism-related indexes with cardiac damages.

OBJECTIVE: To observe and analyze the relation of calcium-phosphorus metabolism-related indexes with cardiac damage-related indexes in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and to explore the roles of calcic and phosphor metabolization in cardiac damage and provide references for prevention of cardiovascular events in CKD patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 98 inpatients, from Urology Department, who were not undergoing dialysis treatment and diagnosed with stages 3, 4, and 5 CKD according to K/DOQI guide were recruited. We measured the calcium-phosphorus metabolism-related indexes (including serum calcium (Ca), the serum phosphate (Pi), the intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH), the ß-collagen-specific sequences (ß-CTX), the total N-terminal propeptide of type I procollagen (TPINP), the N-terminal-mid fragment of osteocalcin (N-MID), the cardiac damage-related indexes (including left ventricular end diastolic diameter (LVEDD), the interventricular septal thickness (IVST), the left ventricular posterior wall thickness (LVPWT), the ejection fraction (EF), the blood flow velocity at mitral diastolic late phase (A) and mitral diastolic early phase (E) via echocardiography. Then, we conducted a correlation analysis employing these two types of indexes. RESULTS: We found an escalating trend in the level of calcium-phosphorus metabolism-related indexes from stage 3 to stage 5 CKD. The difference between stage 3 and 5 is statistically significant (p < 0.05) while that between stage 3 and 4 is not (p > 0.05). Among 98 CKD patients, the myocardial hypertrophy accounted for 35.9% (n = 36), the diastolic dysfunction accounted for 72.1% (n = 70), and systolic dysfunction accounted for 27.5% (n = 27). Levels of ß-CTX, N-MID, TP1NP, Pi, and iPTH are positively associated with the myocardial hypertrophy and yet negatively associated with cardiac systolic (EF) and diastolic function (A/E value). CONCLUSIONS: Calcium-phosphorus metabolism disorder in the context of kidney dysfunction may contribute to the damages of cardiac structure and functions.

Ultrafast reduction of exchange splitting in ferromagnetic nickel.

A decade ago Rhie et al (2003 Phys. Rev. Lett. 90 247201) reported that when ferromagnetic nickel is subject to an intense ultrashort laser pulse, its exchange splitting is reduced quickly. But to simulate such reduction remains a big challenge. The popular rigid band approximation (RBA), where both the band structure and the exchange splitting are held fixed before and after laser excitation, is unsuitable for this purpose, while the time-dependent density functional theory could be time-consuming. To overcome these difficulties, we propose a time-dependent Liouville and density functional theory (TDLDFT) that integrates the time-dependent Liouville equation into the density functional theory. As a result, the excited charge density is reiterated back into the Kohn-Sham equation, and the band structure is allowed to change dynamically. Even with the ground-state density functional, a larger demagnetization than RBA is found; after we expand Ortenzi's spin scaling method into an excited-state (laser) density functional, we find that the exchange splitting is indeed strongly reduced, as seen in the experiment. Both the majority and minority bands are shifted toward the Fermi level, but the majority shifts a lot more. The ultrafast reduction in exchange splitting occurs concomitantly with demagnetization. While our current theory is still unable to yield the same percentage loss in the spin moment as observed in the experiment, it predicts a correct trend that agrees with the experiments. With a better functional, we believe that our results can be further improved.

Single nucleotide polymorphisms of TNFAIP3 are associated with systemic lupus erythematosus in Han Chinese population.

The polymorphisms of tumour necrosis factor alpha-induced protein 3 (TNFAIP3) have been found to associate with several autoimmune diseases. This study aimed to explore the association of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of TNFAIP3 gene with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in Han Chinese. Thirty-two SNPs were genotyped in 284 patients with SLE and 630 controls using the ligation detection reaction (LDR) method. The quality control steps and statistical analyses were performed using the PLINK 1.07 package and HAPLOVIEW software. We found that 13 SNPs in TNFAIP3 showed significant association with SLE (P < 1.85 × 10(-3)), and all of them were in high linkage disequilibrium (LD). After conditioning on the SNP rs2230926, other 12 SNPs did not show association (P > 0.27). All 13 SNPs showed most significant association in the dominant model. In haplotype analysis, a long risk SNP haplotype (GCCCGTGTCATGG) showed most significant association (P = 1.00 × 10(-4)). In conclusion, our data suggest that TNFAIP3 is a susceptible gene for SLE in the Han Chinese population.

Magnetic spin moment reduction in photoexcited ferromagnets through exchange interaction quenching: beyond the rigid band approximation.

The exchange interaction among electrons is one of the most fundamental quantum mechanical interactions in nature and underlies any magnetic phenomena from ferromagnetic ordering to magnetic storage. The current technology is built upon a thermal or magnetic field, but a frontier is emerging to directly control magnetism using ultrashort laser pulses. However, little is known about the fate of the exchange interaction. Here we report unambiguously that photoexcitation is capable of quenching the exchange interaction in all three 3d ferromagnetic metals. The entire process starts with a small number of photoexcited electrons which build up a new and self-destructive potential that collapses the system into a new state with a reduced exchange splitting. The spin moment reduction follows a Bloch-like law as M(z)(ΔE) = M(z)(0)(1 - ΔE/ΔE0)(1/ß), where ΔE is the absorbed photon energy and ß is a scaling exponent. A good agreement is found between the experimental and our theoretical results. Our findings may have a broader implication for dynamic electron correlation effects in laser-excited iron-based superconductors, iron borate, rare-earth orthoferrites, hematites and rare-earth transition metal alloys.

Prevalence of androgenetic alopecia in China: a community-based study in six cities.

BACKGROUND: There are racial differences in the prevalence and types of androgenetic alopecia (AGA). The prevalence of AGA has been studied in Caucasians and in some Asian people. In China, although there have been some epidemiological studies carried out in single cities or regions, no multicentre population-based study has been reported. OBJECTIVES: To study the prevalence and types of AGA in China and to compare the results with those previously reported in Caucasians and in other Asian people. METHODS: A community-based study was carried out in six cities of China. Subjects were interviewed face-to-face and completed questionnaires. The degree of AGA was classified according to the Norwood and Ludwig classifications. RESULTS: In total 17 886 subjects were interviewed and 15 257 completed the questionnaires. In men, the overall prevalence of AGA was 21.3%, with 2.8% in men aged 18-29 years, 13.3% in those aged 30-39 years, 21.4% in those aged 40-49 years, 31.9% in those aged 50-59 years, 36.2% in those aged 60-69 years and 41.4% in those aged 70 years and over. The most common type was frontal and vertex hair loss. A small number of subjects (3.7%) showed 'female pattern' hair loss. In women, the prevalence of AGA was 6.0%, with 1.3% in women aged 18-29 years, 2.3% in those aged 30-39 years, 5.4% in those aged 40-49 years, 7.5% in those aged 50-59 years, 10.3% in those aged 60-69 years and 11.8% in those aged 70 years and over. Ludwig grade I was the most common type. The prevalence of AGA varied between cities. A positive family history was present in 29.7% of men and 19.2% of women with AGA. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of AGA in Chinese men and women was lower than in Caucasians and similar to that in Koreans.

Chronic lumbar paraspinal compartment syndrome: a case report and review of the literature.

A 25-year-old male weightlifter felt increasing intractable low back pain during training but denied any acute injury. The physical examination, blood parameters, radiographs and MRI were unremarkable. He had been treated non-operatively by various means, with only temporary relief. The pressures in the lumbar paraspinal compartment were abnormally high and he was treated by surgical decompression. This gave rapid relief, he returned to training, and one year later the pain had not recurred.

Research on antioxidant effects and estrogenic effect of formononetin from Trifolium pratense (red clover).

Antioxidant and estrogenic effects of formononetin on ovariectomized mice have been investigated in the present study. The adult female Kunming mice were divided into 5 groups: sham-operated group, ovariectomized group, stilbestrol replacement therapy group (0.20 mg/kg day), low-dose formononetin group (0.05 g/kg day) and high-dose formononetin group (0.5 g/kg day). The mice in the latter 4 groups were ovariectomized. The drug was given by oral administration for 6 months. Estrogenic effect was determined by the change of uterine weight, and oxidant effects were determined by the content of SOD, GSH-Px, CAT and MDA. The intake of formononetin increased the uterine weight of the mice significantly as well as the content of SOD, GSH-Px, CAT, and reduced MDA in body. Formononetin had obvious antioxidant effects and estrogenic effect, and the estrogenic effect was not dosage-related.