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A novel tungsten carbide (WC)-reinforced nickel (Ni)-based laser cladding layer was prepared through an in-situ synthesis process. The influence of different concentrations of CeO2/Y2O3 on the microstructure, wear, and corrosion resistance of the in-situ synthesized WC-reinforced Ni-based cladding layer was analyzed. The results revealed that the coatings doped with rare-earth oxides exhibited good micro-hardness (660 HV0.2) and wear resistance when the rare-earth oxide content reached 0.75% CeO2 and 1.50% Y2O3. Additionally, the minimum corrosion rates of the coating were measured at 0.002770 mm/a and 0.0022548 mm/a at 1.5% CeO2 and 1.5 Y2O3 doping, with noble Ecorr values ranging from -0.12549 V to -0.49924 V and lower Icorr values ranging from 2.3550×10-7 A·cm2 to 1.9170×10-7 A·cm2. Furthermore, the wear resistance of the cladding layer was significantly higher than that of the substrate. Both the cladding layer and the substrate exhibited a mixed-wear mode, and they exhibit adhesive wear in wet friction environments.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expression of miR-182 in patients with fracture of tibial plateau (FTP) and its effects on osteoblasts and fracture healing. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The patients with fracture of tibial plateau treated in our hospital and healthy subjects who received physical examination from January 2017 to January 2018 were collected. The expression of miR-182 in the serum was detected. The osteoblasts from SD rats were cultured and transfected with miR-182, anti-miR-182, miR-NC or anti-miR-NC using transfection reagent LipofectamineTM 2000. The proliferation, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, calcification and osteogenic gene expression of osteoblasts were detected. The rat models with fracture of tibial plateau were divided into control group, fracture group, fracture+ miR-182 group, and fracture+anti-miR-182 group. The levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), epidermal growth factor (EGF) and transforming growth factor β (TGFβ) in serum were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). RESULTS: Compared with the controls, the expression of miR-182 in serum was significantly elevated in patients with fracture of tibial plateau. Overexpression of miR-182 inhibited the proliferation of osteoblasts, while the knockdown of miR-182 increased the proliferation. MiR-182 could decrease the ALP activity of osteoblasts, while anti-miR-182 increased the ALP activity. Osteoblast calcification ability was significantly decreased by overexpression of miR-182. Knockdown of miR-182 increased the calcification ability of osteoblasts and the expression of osteogenic genes. MiR-182 could inhibit the expression of osteogenic genes. The levels of VEGF, EGF and TGFβ in the fracture group were higher than those in the control group, while the levels in the fracture+miR-182 group were higher than those in the fracture group. The levels of VEGF, EGF and TGFβ in the anti-miR-182 group were lower than those in the fracture group. CONCLUSIONS: MiR-182 is elevated in patients with fracture of tibial plateau, which can inhibit the proliferation and differentiation of osteoblasts and affect the fracture healing. The knockdown of miR-182 might be a new method for treating fracture healing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In arid regions, vegetation growth relies on water availability. Climate change can alter water cycling with subsequent effects on vegetation growth. This study examined the effects of projected climate change on vegetation greenness in the middle-reaches region of the Heihe River Basin, the second largest inland basin in China. The relationship between the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), an indicator of vegetation greenness derived from remote sensing data, and meteorological factors of precipitation and temperature was simulated using a modified statistical vegetation index simulation model. The model predicted that along with increases in precipitation and temperature, spring and autumn NDVI will rise about 3.8% and 7.9% by the 2050s, respectively. NDVI in summer increases about 3.9%, as increased precipitation may be superior to higher rates of soil water evaporation due to rising temperature. Hydrological processes in the Heihe River Basin are highly influenced by both climate change and human activities. The findings of this study are valuable for the development of water resource management policies that balance the water demands of both human society and the natural ecosystem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To explore the correlation between electrical impedance indicators and commonly used nutritional indicators in neurocritical care patients. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted to collect 58 neurocritical care patients in neurosurgery Department of Shuguang Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine from June to September 2022. Bioelectrical impedance tests were performed after surgery or one week after injury, and nutrition-related biochemical indicators of the patients were collected on the same day, including nutritional status related indicators, inflammation related indicators, anemia related indicators and blood lipid related indicators. The patients were assessed with acute physiology and chronic health evaluation (APACHE) Ⅱ score and sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score. Based on the results obtained, the patients were assessed with nutritional score and spearman correlation analysis. The correlations of electrical impedance with nutrition related indicators and nutrition risk related indicators were analyzed. The prediction model of nutritional status was constructed by multi-factor binary logistic regression. Stepwise regression was used to screen electrical impedance indicators related to nutritional status. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was plotted and the area under the curve (AUC) was calculated to evaluate the predictive ability of the nutritional status prediction model. Results: A total of 58 patients were collected, including 33 males and 25 females, and aged 72.0 (59.0, 81.8) years. Extracellular water (ECW) was positively correlated with interleukin 6 ( r =0.529, P <0.001). The edema index [ECW/total body water (TBW)] was negatively correlated with albumin ( r =-0.700, P <0.001), hematocrit ( r =-0.641, P <0.001) and hemoglobin ( r =-0.667, P <0.001). The phase angle was positively correlated with albumin ( r RA =0.667, r LA =0.649, r RL =0.669, r LL =0.685, all P <0.001), hematocrit ( r RA =0.600, r LA =0.604, r TR =0.565, r RL =0.529, r LL =0.602, all P <0.001) and hemoglobin ( r RA =0.626, r LA =0.635, r TR =0.594, r RL =0.624, r LL =0.631, all P <0.001). By stepwise regression screening of predictive factors for nutritional status and incorporating age, gender and white blood cells as confounding factors into the model, the final model was obtained as follows: nutritional status=-0.01×age+1.22×gender-0.12×white blood cells+202.20×ECW/TBW+0.5 torso phase angle -82.16 [The OR value of ECW/TBW: 20.8 (95% CI : 3.7-117.1), P <0.001], with the AUC of 0.921. Conclusion: Bioelectrical impedance indicators have good correlations with commonly used clinical nutritional indicators, and can provide a new method for nutritional evaluation of neurocritical care patients.