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Background To assess the safety and efficacy of laparoscopic retroperitoneal resection for retroperitoneal lymphatic cysts. Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted based on clinical data from eight patients with hydronephrosis caused by retroperitoneal lymphatic cysts. All patients underwent laparoscopic retroperitoneal lymphatic cyst resection and received postoperative follow-up. A follow-up ultrasound was performed postoperatively every 6–12 months to evaluate the recovery of the hydronephrosis. Results All operations were successful, and their postoperative pathological results revealed lymphatic cyst walls. The operation time ranged from 43 to 88 min (mean: 62 min), with a blood loss of 20 to 130 mL (mean: 76 mL), and the length of hospital stay was 3 to 6 days (mean: 4.5 days). Within the follow-up of 12 to 36 months (mean: 28.5 months), great relief was detected in all eight cases, and no recurrence was found. Moreover, complications such as renal pedicle or renal pelvis injury were not observed. Conclusions Laparoscopic retroperitoneal lymphatic cyst resection is an effective treatment for retroperitoneal lymphatic cysts and has the advantages of being minimally invasive, producing less intraoperative blood loss and leading to a quick recovery. This treatment thus deserves further studies.

PurposeThe paper aims to investigate the determinants of China’s daily intervention in the foreign exchange market since the 2005 reform aimed at moving the Renminbi (RMB) exchange rate regime towards greater flexibility.Design/methodology/approachThe paper uses bivariate probit models to test whether China’s intervention decision is driven by three sets of factors, comprising Model I (basic model), Model II and Model III.FindingsEvidence from the models suggests that medium-term Chinese interventions tend to be leaning-against-the-wind, whereas long-term interventions are leaning-with-the-wind. Furthermore, by analyzing exchange rate volatility, this paper finds that intervention is used by the Chinese central bank to ensure that there are no big swings in the RMB exchange rate.Originality/valueThe paper will be of value to other researchers attempting to understand the policy of the central bank and, in particular, the factors that can lead to interventions during periods of financial crisis.

The chitosan-microparticles reinforced cellulose biocomposite sponges regenerated from ionic liquid were prepared and characterized. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy confirmed that the cellulose dissolved in 1-allyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride without derivatization. Chitosan particles as reinforcement were incorporated into the cellulose matrix. FTIR spectra indicated hydrogen bonding between hydroxyl groups of cellulose and chitosan. The biocomposite sponges showed uniform three-dimensional interconnected porous structures. The breaking strength of the sponges increased significantly, from 0.09 to 0.32 MPa with the addition of 1.0 wt% chitosan. The sponges also demonstrated excellent antibacterial activity against S. aureus and E. coli with the average inhibition zone diameters >2 mm and the inhibition rate higher than 80 %. Furthermore, the biocomposite sponges exhibited good moisture penetrability and high porosity. The water uptake ability of the sponge was >25 times of its weight in water with a fast swelling. The chitosan/cellulose composite sponge is expected to be a promising material for potential applications as wound dressing.

The coordination structure, flame retardancy, thermal stabilities, and degradation mechanism of zinc alginate films were studied by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), limiting oxygen index (LOI), vertical burning (UL-94), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) tests. The FTIR results showed that the structure of zinc alginate was correlated to its bidentate bridging coordination. The LOI (49.3) and UL-94 (V-0 rating) results indicated that zinc alginate was an inherent flame retardant material. The TG results showed that zinc alginate had better thermal stabilities than sodium alginate in the lower temperature zones; however, the thermal stabilities of zinc alginate were worse than those of sodium alginate at higher temperatures because of the decomposition of zinc oxalate formed in the degradation process of zinc alginate. Based on the TG results and FTIR of the residues at different temperatures, the effect of zinc ions on the degradation process of alginate was different from that of sodium ...

Alternative splicing of precursors messenger RNA (pre-mRNA) is commonly used to increase the diversity of messenger RNAs expressed by the genome in normal multicellular organisms. Dysregulation of alternative splicing underlies a number of human diseases, including cancers. Increasing evidence supports the important role of this expansive layer of gene regulation in hepatocarcinogenesis. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most lethal malignancies worldwide because of its aggressive property and limited therapeutic options. Studies suggest that aberrant alternative splicing promotes generation of oncogenic variants in HCC, whereas tumor suppressors are self-inactivated by aberrant alternative splicing in HCC. Moreover, different spliced variants of the same gene can display distinct and even antagonistic biological functions in HCC. As a result, inhibiting the splicing of oncogenic variants and the self-inactivation of tumor suppressors are likely to be new therapy strategies. This review provides a perspective of the emerging evidence of both alternative splicing as a critical mechanism for the development of HCC and that potential cross-talk through signaling pathways among different variants might aid in the development of novel molecular targets of HCC.

Alginate, one of the most abundant biodegradable and sustainable natural resources in the world, is an alternative to petroleum-based polymers (traditional plastics). The coordination structure, flame retardancy, thermal stabilities and degradation mechanism of aluminum alginate and iron alginate films were studied by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), limited oxygen index (LOI), vertical burning (UL-94) and thermogravimetric analysis tests. The FTIR results showed that the coordination structures of aluminum alginate and iron alginate were correlated to the monodentate geometry and the bidentate chelating mode, respectively. The LOI values were 35·1 and 42·0 for aluminum alginate and iron alginate, respectively, and UL-94 of them achieved V-0 rating without any addition of other flame retardants, while the LOI value of sodium alginate was 24·5 with no UL-94 rating. The TG results showed that the addition of aluminum and iron cations catalyzed the decomposition of alginates in the lower-temperature zones, which exhibited the amounts of residues for aluminum alginate and iron alginate were less than that of sodium alginate. Compared thermal oxidative decomposition behaviors in air with those in N2, the oxygen in air did not take part in the thermal decomposition process in the lower temperatures.

Background: We aimed to explore potential gene biomarkers of renal interstitial fibrosis (RIF) due to a lack of effective and non-invasive methods for diagnosis. Methods: Three data sets (GSE22459, GSE76882 and GSE57731) including 350 samples were acquired from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. We used bioconductor limma package to perform background adjustment. Cluster analysis was conducted by ‘edgeR’ package to identify the differentially expressed genes (DEGs). We generated heat maps with using heatmap package in R software. Function annotation of genes was performed by Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis. STRING (Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes) database was employed to construct the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network and the results were visualized by Cytoscape 3.6.1. At last, we applied Graphpad Prism 7.0. to explore the correlation between three hub genes and pathological degrees of RIF. Results: By applying the “edgeR” package in R, we detected 116 DEGs with three data sets. These genes were enriched in 19 GO biological process categories. Three main hub genes ( CD2, CCL5 and CCR5 ) were identified after construction of PPI network. In Pearson correlation coefficient, CD2, CCL5 and CCR5 was found to hold higher expression patterns in RIF samples based on independent data set GSE57731. Besides, their gene expression levels were found significantly positive correlation with the degree of RIF (CD2: P Conclusions: CD2, CCL5 and CCR5 might serve as potential early biomarkers of RIF. The mechanism between these genes and RIF remains to be further studied.

Background: The papillary renal cell carcinoma (pRCC) is a rare subtype of renal cell carcinoma with limited investigation. Our study aimed to explore a robust signature to predict the prognosis of pRCC from the perspective of mutation profiles. Methods: In this study, we downloaded the simple nucleotide variation data of 288 pRCC samples from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. “GenVisR” package was utilized to visualize gene mutation profiles in pRCC. The PPI network was conducted based on the STRING database and the modification was performed via Cytoscape software (Version 3.7.1). Top 50 mutant genes were selected and Cox regression method was conducted to identify the hub prognostic mutant signature in pRCC using “survival” package. Mutation Related Signature (MRS) risk score was established by multivariate Cox regression method. Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve drawn by “timeROC” was conducted to assess the predictive accuracy of overall survival (OS) and Kaplan-Meier analysis was then performed. Relationships between mutants and expression levels were compared by Wilcox rank-sum test. Function enrichment pathway analysis for mutated genes was performed by “org.Hs.eg.db”, “clusterProfiler”, “ggplot2” and “enrichplot” packages. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis was exploited using the MRS as the phenotypes, which worked based on the JAVA platform. All statistical analyses were achieved by R software (version 3.5.2). P value

This paper analyses China's oral intervention and the efficacy of exchange rate communications by the Chinese monetary authorities. Applying the event study approach, we find that exchange rate communication could help the authorities to impact the Chinese exchange rate level moving in the desired direction. Also, China is responsive to international calls, particularly those from the US calling for the appreciation of the RMB exchange rate. But the response is moderately reluctant as the appreciation would occur after a delay of around two weeks. Finally, using the range-based variance model, confirmative evidence is found that successive, rather than solo, exchange rate communications can calm the exchange rate movement in terms of excess volatility.

Glutaraldehyde is chosen as a novel non-formaldehyde durable press finish for cotton fabrics in this investigation. The optimum technique conditions and influences of glutaraldehyde concentration and catalysts, pH value, and curing conditions for the properties of the finished fabric have been investigated in detail. The finished fabric achieves the best performance with a pH value in the range of 4 to 4.5 for the glutaraldehyde finishing bath, magnesium chloride as the catalyst, and curing conditions of 160oC for 3 minutes. In addition, in contrast to low formaldehyde resin and non-formaldehyde finishers sold in the market, the wrinkle recovery angle of the fabric finished with glutaraldehyde is better than that finished with FREEREZ NFR (DHDMI), but not as satisfactory as that finished with FREEREZ 880 (low formaldehyde 2D). However, its strength is greater than the fabric finished with FREEREZ 880, but less so than that finished with FREEREZ NFR.

Carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) hydrogel fibers were prepared via a solution spinning method with aluminum sulfate as the crosslinking agent. The preparation process of the CMC hydrogel fibers was optimized via orthogonal experiments. FTIR, POM, SEM and TGA were used to characterize the structure and properties of the hydrogel fibers. The mechanical properties and absorption ability of the hydrogel fibers were also investigated. The results indicated that an even structure was formed in the hydrogel. The mechanical properties of the hydrogel fibers were improved with increasing CMC degree of substitution. The hydrogel fibers had excellent moisture absorption performance, and are well-suited for biomedical applications such as wound dressings.

To probe into the industrialization possibility of microwave-assisted ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of ɛ-caprolactone (ɛ-CL), it was performed with monomer mass from 750 to 2450 g using a self-designed industrial microwave oven (6000 W) catalyzed by stannous octanoate (Sn(Oct)2) (M/Cat = 1000). The large-scale ROP of ɛ-CL proceeded smoothly at various microwave power levels (850, 1700, and 2550 W) and produced poly(ɛ-caprolactone) (PCL) with weight-average molar mass (Mw) from 66,000 to 12,2000 g/mol within 40 min in a yield over 93%. The structure of PCL was characterized by 1H and 13C NMR, FT-IR, DSC and WAXD. We propose that the microwave ROP of ɛ-CL is a potential technology to prepare PCL commercially.

We aimed to summarize and clarify the association between cytochrome P450 17α-hydrolase (CYP17A1) polymorphisms and outcomes of patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) treated with abiraterone. The databases of PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science were searched for relevant studies. Overall survival (OS) and/or progression-free survival (PFS) were calculated. Odds ratios (ORs) and/or hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence interval (CI) were utilized to evaluate the strength of the association. A total of 3 studies including 204 patients were analyzed in this systematic review. It was shown that CYP17A1 copy number variations were related to the prognosis of mCRPC patients treated with abiraterone. In addition, rs2486758, a common single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in CYP17A1, was significantly associated with a poor biochemical response and a faster biochemical progression. Our systematic review showed that CYP17A1 polymorphisms are associated with response to abiraterone in mCRPC patients. Further research is needed to translate these findings into clinical decisive parameters.

Alginate fiber with a breaking tenacity of up to 2.32 cN/dtex is prepared by spinning a sodium alginate solution in a coagulating solution of CaCl2 aqueous solution followed by multi-roller drawing. Preparation parameters such as sodium alginate concentration, coagulant concentration and coagulation temperature, which affect the fiber tenacity, are investigated with an orthogonal test design, and the best spinning process is found with a coagulating 5% sodium alginate solution in 4% CaCl2 at 40°C. The morphology, degree of crystallinity, thermal stability and the combustion performance of this alginate fiber are investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), infrared (IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Thermo gravimetric Analysis (TGA) and Cone Calorimeter. Using the centrifugal dewatering method, the absorption capacity of this alginate fiber is determined, and has a capacity of 13.01 grams of man-made blood per gram. The test results show that fibers have an irregular cross-section without a thicker cortex and uniform longitudinal surface with grooves. The combustion property results demonstrate that the fiber has a self-flameretarding property.

Background C3H10T1/2 cells, from a mouse embryonic fibroblast cell line, were used to investigate the improvement of alginate-based microencapsulated cells for cellular therapy. Methods Purified sodium alginate (PSA) and non-purified sodium alginate (SA) were used to prepare alginate-based microcapsules, and their biocompatibility and membrane strength were then compared for the purposes of analyzing the advantages of purifying SA. In addition, poly-l-lysine (PLL) was replaced by chitosan for alginate–chitosan microcapsule preparation. The process of optimization and chemical modification of alginate–chitosan microcapsules using polyethylene glycol was also reviewed. Results The results showed improved biocompatibility and membrane strength of PSA-based microcapsules. Under optimal conditions, mesenchymal stromal cell (MSC)-loaded alginate–chitosan microcapsules with good morphology could be obtained using PSA and chitosans of medium molecular weight (1.0–2.5 × 10 5 ). A chitosan solution of 0.1% (w/v) and a reaction time of 7 min between alginate and chitosan were determined as optimal preparation parameters. Discussion It could be concluded that the chemical modification of alginate-based microcapsules can improve their biocompatibility.

A 6-node co-rotational triangular elasto-plastic shell element is developed. The local coordinate system of the element is defined by the vectors directing from one vertex to the other two vertices and their cross product. Based on such a co-rotational framework, the element rigid-body rotations are excluded in calculating the local nodal variables from the global nodal variables. The two smallest components of each nodal orientation vector are defined as rotational variables, resulting in the desired additive property for all nodal variables in a nonlinear incremental solution procedure. Different from other existing co-rotational finite element formulations, both the element tangent stiffness matrices in the local and in the global coordinate systems are symmetric owing to the commutativity of the nodal variables in calculating the second derivatives of the strain energy with respect to the local nodal variables and, through chain differentiation, with respect to the global nodal variables. For elasto-plastic analysis, the Maxwell---Huber---Hencky---von Mises yield criterion is employed together with the backward-Euler return-mapping method for the evaluation of the elasto-plastic stress state, where a consistent tangent modulus matrix is employed. To overcome locking problems, the assumed linear membrane strains and shear strains are obtained by using the line integration method proposed by MacNeal, and the assumed higher-order membrane strains are obtained by enforcing the stationarity of the mixed displacement-strain canonical functional, these assumed strains are then employed to replace the corresponding conforming strains. The reliability and convergence of the present 6-node triangular shell element formulation are verified through two elastic plate patch tests as well as two elastic and five elasto-plastic plate/shell problems undergoing large displacements and large rotations.

Range distributions for fluorine ions implanted in AgGaS2 in an energy range of 80–350 keV were measured by using the 19 F ( p , αγ ) 16 O resonant nuclear reaction at ER=872.1 keV, with width Γ=4.2 keV. A proper convolution calculation method was used to extract the true distributions of fluorine from the experimental excitation yield curves. The range distribution parameters, Rp and ΔRp, were obtained and compared with those obtained from different Monte Carlo simulation computer codes.

Background: To summarize and clarify the association between ATP-binding cassette sub-family G member 2 (ABCG2) rs2231142 polymorphism and sunitinib-induced toxicity in metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC). Methods: A total of 6 studies including 698 patients were analyzed in this systematic review after screening the databases of PubMed, EMBASE and Web of Science. We used odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence interval (CI) to evaluate the strength of the association. Results: It was suggested that rs2231142 was related with the sunitinib-induced toxicity of thrombocytopenia (n=2), neutropenia (n=2), hand-foot syndrome (n=2), fever (n=1) and any hematologic toxicity > grade 2 (n=1). However, such connection was not observed in some articles about thrombocytopenia (n=1), neutropenia (n=1) or hand-foot syndrome (n=1). Furthermore, the associations between rs2231142 and diarrhea (n=1), hypertension (n=1), hypothyroidism (n=1), leucopenia (n=1) and proteinuria (n=1) were not detected. Conclusions: Our systematic review suggested that rs2231142 is associated with sunitinib-induced toxicity in metastatic renal cell carcinoma.

Background: Previous studies have investigated the relationship between let-7 microRNA-binding site polymorphism rs712 and cancer susceptibility. However, the available conclusions remained inconsistent. The present meta-analysis was thus performed to clarify such associations. Methods: A meta-analysis including 11 studies was performed with 3,572 cases and 4,749 controls. Relevant studies were searched in the databases EMBASE, PubMed and Web of Science, covering relevant papers published until September 1st, 2016. We pooled data with odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) to assess the strength of the associations. Besides, Begg’s funnel plots and Egger’s regression test were utilized to evaluate publication bias. Furthermore, we took advantage of trial sequential analysis to evaluate whether the evidence of the results was sufficient. Results: Overall, the results showed that significant cancer risk was associated with rs712 for heterozygote model OR =1.10 (95% CI: 1.002–1.22), homozygote model OR =1.71 (95% CI: 1.18–2.49), dominant model OR =1.19 (95% CI: 1.04–1.35), recessive model OR=1.64 (95% CI: 1.17–2.31) and allele model OR =1.21 (95% CI: 1.06–1.39). Moreover, trial sequential analyses for the first time were performed to confirm such associations, demonstrating that the results of our study were based on sufficient evidence. Conclusions: This results of the meta-analysis suggested that rs712 polymorphism was associated with cancer susceptibility, which might act as a potential biomarker for evaluating cancer risk.

This paper numerically and experimentally investigated the effect of weak crossflow on the heat transfer characteristics of a short-distance impinging jet. The Reynolds number of the impinging jet ranged from 6000 to 15,000, and the mass velocity ratio (M) between the crossflow and the jet varied from 0 to 0.15. The separation distance (H) between the exit of the jet nozzle and the impingement surface equals to the exit diameter (D) of the impinging jet. In the experiments, the temperature distribution on the impingement target surface was measured using a transient liquid crystal method. In the numerical simulation, a multiblock hexahedral mesh was applied to discrete the computational domain, and a commercial CFD package (Ansys cfx-12.0) with a standard k-ɛ turbulence model was used for computation. It was found that compared to the impinging cooling without crossflow, the heat transfer characteristics near the impinging stagnation point remained almost constant. At the same time, the presence of crossflow decreased the heat transfer rate in the upstream region of the impinging stagnation point, while increased that in the downstream of the impinging stagnation point. Taken together, crossflow has a complex influence on the impinging cooling, which is highly dependent on the mass velocity ratio between the crossflow and the jet.

Development of a simple process for separating cellulose and nylon 6 from their blended fabrics is indispensable for recycling of waste mixed fabrics. An efficient procedure of dissolution of the fabrics in an ionic liquid 1-allyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ([AMIM]Cl) and subsequent filtration separation has been demonstrated. Effects of treatment temperature, time and waste fabrics ratio on the recovery rates were investigated. SEM images showed that the cotton cellulose dissolved in [AMIM]Cl while the nylon 6 fibers remained. The FTIR spectrum of regenerated cellulose (RC) was similar with that of virgin cotton fibers, which verified that no other chemical reaction occurred besides breakage of hydrogen bonds during the processes of dissolution and separation. TGA curves indicated that the regenerated cellulose possessed a reduced thermal stability and was effectively removed from waste nylon/cotton blended fabrics (WNCFs). WNCFs were sufficiently reclaimed with high recovery rate of both regenerated cellulose films and nylon 6 fibers.

Objective: This study evaluated the influence of different urination methods on the urinary systems of patients with spinal cord injury. Methods: Patients with spinal cord injury were grouped according to their usual voiding method: clean intermittent catheterization (CIC); Credé manoeuvre/reflex voiding; indwelling catheterization; normal voiding. Urinary tract infections (UTIs) were monitored and type B-ultra -sonography (B-USG) scans, renal function tests and urodynamic studies were performed in all patients over a 2-year period. Results: Compared with the normal voiding group ( n = 14), incidence rates of UTIs were significantly different in the Credé manoeuvre/reflex voiding ( n = 26) and indwelling catheterization ( n = 12) groups but not in the CIC group ( n = 15). All intervention groups had a significantly higher rate of positive findings on B-USG scan and a significantly increased residual urine volume, compared with the normal voiding group. In addition, residual urine volume was significantly lower in the CIC group compared with the Credé manoeuvre/reflex voiding and indwelling catheterization groups. Conclusion: CIC was shown to be the optimal method for assisted bladder voiding after spinal cord injury.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most lethal malignancies in the world. Several signaling pathways, including the wingless/int-1 (Wnt) signaling pathway, have been shown to be commonly activated in HCC. The Wnt signaling pathway can be triggered via both catenin β1 (CTNNB1)-dependent (also known as "canonical") and CTNNB1-independent (often referred to as "non-canonical") pathways. Specifically, the canonical Wnt pathway is one of those most frequently reported in HCC. Aberrant regulation from three complexes (the cell-surface receptor complex, the cytoplasmic destruction complex and the nuclear CTNNB1/T-cell-specific transcription factor/lymphoid enhancer binding factor transcriptional complex) are all involved in HCC. Although the non-canonical Wnt pathway is rarely reported, two main non-canonical pathways, Wnt/planar cell polarity pathway and Wnt/Ca(2+) pathway, participate in the regulation of hepatocarcinogenesis. Interestingly, the canonical Wnt pathway is antagonized by non-canonical Wnt signaling in HCC. Moreover, other signaling cascades have also been demonstrated to regulate the Wnt pathway through crosstalk in HCC pathogenesis. This review provides a perspective on the emerging evidence that the aberrant regulation of Wnt signaling is a critical mechanism for the development of HCC. Furthermore, crosstalk between different signaling pathways might be conducive to the development of novel molecular targets of HCC.

This prospective study compared the extent of surgical trauma following dynamic hip screw (DHS) or Gamma nail (GN) implantation in 60 patients (≥ 60 years old) with stable intertrochanteric fracture. Levels of the biochemical markers creatinine kinase (CK) and C-reactive protein (CRP) were measured pre- and postoperatively. CRP levels were statistically significantly lower on postoperative days 1 and 2 in patients in the DHS versus the GN group; no other differences were observed. Surgical procedures for DHS implantation were considered less invasive than those for GN implantation, although the degree of muscle damage was similar in both groups. The degree of bone and bone marrow damage, rather than muscle tissue damage, may be crucial for determining the CRP response during the operative period. It is concluded that DHS implantation may be described as a more ‘systemically’ minimally invasive procedure than GN implantation.

Dislocation cell structures in CdZnTe substrates and its behavior of threading into HgCdTe LPE epilayers were studied. A kind of dislocation cell structure of which dislocations linearly pile up to three orientations on the (1 1 1) B face of CdZnTe crystal was found. The formation of this cell structure can be demonstrated by the enrichment of the dislocations through slip during the growth or cooling process. By comparing the dislocation densities and distributions of HgCdTe LPE epilayers with it of CdZnTe substrates at the constant region using an optical microscopy system, the behavior of cell structures of CdZnTe substrates threading into HgCdTe LPE epilayers were also discussed. The results show that the stored dislocation densities at the dislocation walls can significantly affect the behavior of dislocation cell structures threading into HgCdTe LPE epilayers. Dislocation cell structures of which dislocation walls have higher stored dislocation densities can appear in constant region of HgCdTe epilayers. But the dislocations of HgCdTe epilayers growth on CdZnTe substrate with lower stored dislocation densities at the dislocation walls are almost uniformly distributed.

The Hall Effect and resistivity of arsenic-doped HgCdTe epilayers grown by Te-rich liquid phase epitaxy (Te-rich LPE) have been measured in the temperature range between 20 and 300 K at a magnetic field of 2 kG. Some arsenic-doped HgCdTe layers show anomalous n-type characteristic after activation annealing. A simplified two-layer model is applied to describe the anomalous Hall Effect of the arsenic-doped HgCdTe layers. The results show that the anomalous characteristic of the epilayers is due to the n-type layer in the surface, which may be caused by the surface oxidation. Based on the model, a computer program is applied to fit the experimental curves of Hall parameters. The results show that the Hall parameters primarily depend on the charge density of the n-type surface layer. The theoretical curves based on the model are consistent well with the experimental data.

The molecular aetiology of steroid-induced osteonecrosis (ON) is unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate changes in the femoral head blood supply and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) protein levels following steroid-induced ON of rabbit femoral heads in the early stage of the disease, and to investigate a possible mechanism for ON. Using a classic protocol, ON was induced in 30 male 28-week old New Zealand white rabbits. An additional 15 untreated rabbits served as controls. Change of blood supply in the proximal femur was assessed by dynamic magnetic resonance imaging and microangiography. The VEGF protein and mRNA levels were assessed by immunohistochemistry and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, respectively. After 6 weeks, the results indicated that VEGF protein and mRNA levels were significantly lower and femoral head blood supply had also decreased significantly in ON+ rabbits compared with controls. The down-regulation of VEGF may play a critical role in the disease process of ON.