Effect of carbon material and surfactant on ink property and resulting surface cracks of fuel-cell microporous layers

Ensuring the consistency of electrode structure in proton-exchange-membrane fuel cells is highly desired yet challenging because of wide-existing and unguided cracks in the microporous layer(MPL). The first thing is to evaluate the homogeneity of MPL with cracks quantitatively. This paper proposes the homogeneity index of a full-scale MPL with an area of 50 cm~2, which is yet to be reported in the literature to our knowledge. Besides, the effects of the carbon material and surfactant on the ink and resulting MPL structure have been studied. The ink with a high network development degree produces an MPL with low crack density, but the ink with high PDI produces an MPL with low crack homogeneity. The polarity of the surfactant and the non-polarity of polytetrafluoroethylene(PTFE) are not mutually soluble,resulting in the heterogeneous PTFE distribution. The findings of this study provide guidelines for MPL fabrication.

Analytical solution for the effective elastic properties of rocks with the tilted penny-shaped cracks in the transversely isotropic background

Seismic prediction of cracks is of great significance in many disciplines,for which the rock physics model is indispensable.However,up to now,multitudinous analytical models focus primarily on the cracked rock with the isotropic background,while the explicit model for the cracked rock with the anisotropic background is rarely investigated in spite of such case being often encountered in the earth.Hence,we first studied dependences of the crack opening displacement tensors on the crack dip angle in the coordinate systems formed by symmetry planes of the crack and the background anisotropy,respectively,by forty groups of numerical experiments.Based on the conclusion from the experiments,the analytical solution was derived for the effective elastic properties of the rock with the inclined penny-shaped cracks in the transversely isotropic background.Further,we comprehensively analyzed,according to the developed model,effects of the crack dip angle,background anisotropy,filling fluid and crack density on the effective elastic properties of the cracked rock.The analysis results indicate that the dip angle and background anisotropy can significantly either enhance or weaken the anisotropy degrees of the P-and SH-wave velocities,whereas they have relatively small effects on the SV-wave velocity anisotropy.Moreover,the filling fluid can increase the stiffness coefficients related to the compressional modulus by reducing crack compliance parameters,while its effects on shear coefficients depend on the crack dip angle.The increasing crack density reduces velocities of the dry rock,and decreasing rates of the velocities are affected by the crack dip angle.By comparing with exact numerical results and experimental data,it was demonstrated that the proposed model can achieve high-precision estimations of stiffness coefficients.Moreover,the assumption of the weakly anisotropic background results in the consistency between the proposed model and Hudson's published theory for the orthorhombic rock.

A phase-field model for simulating the propagation behavior of mixed-mode cracks during the hydraulic fracturing process in fractured reservoirs

A novel phase-field model for the propagation of mixed-mode hydraulic fractures,characterized by the formation of mixed-mode fractures due to the interactions between fluids and solids,is proposed.In this model,the driving force for the phase field consists of both tensile and shear components,with the fluid contribution primarily manifesting in the tension driving force.The displacement and pressure are solved simultaneously by an implicit method.The numerical solution's iterative format is established by the finite element discretization and Newton-Raphson(NR)iterative methods.The correctness of the model is verified through the uniaxial compression physical experiments on fluid-pressurized rocks,and the limitations of the hydraulic fracture expansion phase-field model,which only considers mode I fractures,are revealed.In addition,the influence of matrix mode II fracture toughness value,natural fracture mode II toughness value,and fracturing fluid injection rate on the hydraulic fracture propagation in porous media with natural fractures is studied.

Experimental study of the damage characteristics of rocks containing non-penetrating cracks under cyclic loading

The damage evolution process of non-penetrating cracks often causes some unexpected engineering disasters.Gypsum specimens containing non-penetrating crack(s)are used to study the damage evolution and characteristics under cyclic loading.The results show that under cyclic loading,the relationship between the number of non-penetrating crack(s)and the characteristic parameters(cyclic number,peak stress,peak strain,failure stress,and failure strain)of the pre-cracked specimens can be represented by a decreasing linear function.The damage evolution equation is fitted by calibrating the accumulative plastic strain for each cycle,and the damage constitutive equation is proposed by the concept of effective stress.Additionally,non-penetrating cracks are more likely to cause uneven stress distribution,damage accumulation,and local failure of specimen.The local failure can change the stress distribution and relieve the inhibition of non-penetrating crack extension and eventually cause a dramatic destruction of the specimen.Therefore,the evolution process caused by non-penetrating cracks can be regarded as one of the important reasons for inducing rockburst.These results are expected to improve the understanding of the process of spalling formation and rockburst and can be used to analyze the stability of rocks or rock structures.

Evaluation of the injection and plugging ability of a novel epoxy resin in cement cracks

Sustained casing pressure(SCP)is a crucial issue in the oil and gas production lifecycle.Epoxy resins,exhibiting exceptional compressive strength,ductility,and shear bonding strength,have the potential to form reliable barriers.The injectivity and sealing capacity of the epoxy resin is crucial parameters for the success of shallow remediation operations.This study aimed to develop and assess a novel solid-free resin sealant as an alternative to Portland cement for mitigating fluid leakage.The investigation evaluated the viscosity,compressive strength,and brittleness index of the epoxy resin sealant,as well as its tangential and normal shear strengths in conjunction with casing steel.The flow characteristics and sealing abilities of conventional cement and epoxy resin were comparatively analyzed in cracks.The results showed that the application of a viscosity reducer facilitated control over the curing time of the epoxy resin,ranging from 1.5 to 6 h,and reduced the initial viscosity from 865.53 to 118.71 m Pa,s.The mechanical properties of the epoxy resin initially increased with a rise in curing agent content before experiencing a minor decrease.The epoxy resin containing 30%curing agent exhibited optimal mechanical properties.After a 14-day curing period,the epoxy resin's compressive strength reached81.37 MPa,2.12 times higher than that of cement,whereas the elastic modulus of cement was 2.99 times greater than that of the epoxy resin.The brittleness index of epoxy resin is only 3.42,demonstrating high flexibility and toughness.The tangential and normal shear strengths of the epoxy resin exceeded those of cement by 3.17 and 2.82 times,respectively.In a 0.5 mm-wide crack,the injection pressure of the epoxy resin remained below 0.075 MPa,indicating superior injection and flow capabilities.Conversely,the injection pressure of cement surged dramatically to 2.61 MPa within 5 min.The breakthrough pressure of0.5 PV epoxy resin reached 7.53 MPa,decreasing the crack's permeability to 0.02 D,a mere 9.49%of the permeability observed following cement plugging.Upon sealing a 2 mm-wide crack using epoxy resin,the maximum breakthrough pressure attained 5.47 MPa,3.48 times of cement.These results suggest that epoxy resin sealant can be employed safely and effectively to seal cracks in the cement.

Effect of drying cracks on swelling and self-healing of bentonite-sand blocks used as engineered barriers for radioactive waste disposal

Experiments were conducted to evaluate the healing of drying cracks in air-dried bentonite-sand blocks after hydration and swelling in groundwater,providing justifications to simplify the protection of blocks prior to installation in a high-level radioactive waste repository.Synthetic groundwater was prepared to represent the geochemistry of Beishan groundwater,and was used to hydrate the blocks during the swelling pressure and swelling strain measurements,as Beishan is the most promising site for China's repository.Healing of the surface cracks was recorded by photography,and healing of the internal cracks was visualized by CT images and hydraulic conductivity of air-dried blocks.The results indicate that the maximum swelling pressure and swelling strain are primarily affected by the geochemistry of Beishan groundwater,but not affected by the drying cracks.The maximum swelling pressure and swelling strain of air-dried blocks are comparable to or even higher than the pressure and strain of fresh blocks.The maximum swelling pressure measured in strong(i.e.high ion strength)Beishan groundwater was 44%of the pressure measured in deionized(DI)water,and the maximum swelling strain was reduced to 23%of the strain measured in DI water.Nevertheless,the remained swelling of the blocks hydrated in strong Beishan groundwater was sufficient to heal the surface and internal drying cracks,as demonstrated by the pictures of surface cracks and CT images.The hydraulic conductivity of the air-dried block permeated with strong groundwater was comparable(3.7×higher)to the hydraulic conductivity of the fresh block,indicating the self-healing of drying cracks after hydration and swelling in groundwater.A simplified method of protecting the block with plastic wraps before installation is recommended,since the remained swelling of the block hydrated in Beishan groundwater is sufficient to heal the drying cracks.

Elimination of cracks in stainless steel casings via 3D printed sand molds with an internal topology structure

The important supporting component in a gas turbine is the casing,which has the characteristics of large size,complex structure,and thin wall.In the context of existing 3DP sand casting processes,casting crack defects are prone to occur.This leads to an increase in the scrap rate of casings,causing significant resource wastage.Additionally,the presence of cracks poses a significant safety hazard after the casings are put into service.The generation of different types of crack defects in stainless steel casings is closely related to casting stress and the high-temperature concession of the sand mold.Therefore,the types and causes of cracks in stainless steel casing products,based on their structural characteristics,were systematically analyzed.Various sand molds with different internal topology designs were printed using the 3DP technology to investigate the impact of sand mold structures on high-temperature concession.The optimal sand mold structure was used to cast casings,and the crack suppression effect was verified by analyzing its eddy current testing results.The experimental results indicate that the skeleton structure has an excellent effect on suppressing cracks in the casing.This research holds important theoretical and engineering significance in improving the quality of casing castings and reducing production costs.

Assessing the range of blasting-induced cracks in the surrounding rock of deeply buried tunnels based on the unified strength theory

Blasting-induced cracks in the rock surrounding deeply buried tunnels can result in water gushing and rock mass collapse,posing significant safety risks.However,previous theoretical studies on the range of blasting-induced cracks often ignore the impact of the in-situ stress,especially that of the intermediate principal stress.The particle displacement−crack radius relationship was established in this paper by utilizing the blasthole cavity expansion equation,and theoretical analytical formulas of the stress−displacement relationship and the crack radius were derived with unified strength theory to accurately assess the range of cracks in deep surrounding rock under a blasting load.Parameter analysis showed that the crushing zone size was positively correlated with in-situ stress,intermediate principal stress,and detonation pressure,whereas negatively correlated with Poisson ratio and decoupling coefficient.The dilatancy angle-crushing zone size relationship exhibited nonmonotonic behavior.The relationships in the crushing zone and the fracture zone exhibited opposite trends under the influence of only in-situ stress or intermediate principal stress.As the in-situ stress increased from 0 to 70 MPa,the rate of change in the crack range and the attenuation rate of the peak vibration velocity gradually slowed.

Enhancing Hygrothermal Performance in Multi-Zone Constructions through Phase Change Material Integration

As buildings evolve to meet the challenges of energy efficiency and indoor comfort,phase change materials(PCM)emerge as a promising solution due to their ability to store and release latent heat.This paper explores the transformative impact of incorporating PCMon the hygrothermal dynamics of multi-zone constructions.The study focuses on analyzing heat transfer,particularly through thermal conduction,in a wall containing PCM.A novel approach was proposed,wherein the studied system(sensitive balance)interacts directly with a latent balance to realistically define the behavior of specific humidity and mass flow rates.In addition,a numerical model implemented in MATLAB software has been developed to investigate the effect of integrating PCM on the hygrothermal balances inside the building.The obtained results indicate a consistent response in internal temperatures,specific humidity,and mass flow rates,with temperature differences ranging from 5℃to 13℃and a maximum phase shift of 13 h.In addition,the findings provided valuable insights into optimizing the design and performance of multi-zone constructions,offering a sustainable pathway for enhancing building resilience and occupant well-being.

Eddy current quantitative evaluation of high-speed railway contact wire cracks based on neural network

Purpose–The purpose of this study is to study the quantitative evaluation method of contact wire cracks by analyzing the changing law of eddy current signal characteristics under different cracks of contact wire of high-speed railway so as to provide a new way of thinking and method for the detection of contact wire injuries of high-speed railway.Design/methodology/approach–Based on the principle of eddy current detection and the specification parameters of high-speed railway contact wires in China,a finite element model for eddy current testing of contact wires was established to explore the variation patterns of crack signal characteristics in numerical simulation.A crack detection system based on eddy current detection was built,and eddy current detection voltage data was obtained for cracks of different depths and widths.By analyzing the variation law of eddy current signals,characteristic parameters were obtained and a quantitative evaluation model for crack width and depth was established based on the back propagation(BP)neural network.Findings–Numerical simulation and experimental detection of eddy current signal change rule is basically consistent,based on the law of the selected characteristics of the parameters in the BP neural network crack quantitative evaluation model also has a certain degree of effectiveness and reliability.BP neural network training results show that the classification accuracy for different widths and depths of the classification is 100 and 85.71%,respectively,and can be effectively realized on the high-speed railway contact line cracks of the quantitative evaluation classification.Originality/value–This study establishes a new type of high-speed railway contact wire crack detection and identification method,which provides a new technical means for high-speed railway contact wire injury detection.The study of eddy current characteristic law and quantitative evaluation model for different cracks in contact line has important academic value and practical significance,and it has certain guiding significance for the detection technology of contact line in high-speed railway.

Measurement of the Level of Knowledge of the Sands Used in Constructions in Togo

Faced with the proliferation of quarries extracting silty sand and river sand used in the building and public works sector in Togo, recognition of the granular properties of these materials remains a major challenge for builders. This study aims to take stock of the use of sand in construction in Togo. One hundred and eighteen (118) sand quarries in operation, including thirty-eight (38) silty sand quarries and eighty (80) river sand quarries, were identified following surveys carried out among stakeholders involved in the chain of construction on 40% of the national territory. It appears from these surveys that river sands (59.43% to 84.68%) are prioritized over silty sands (15.32% to 40.57%). Three (3) main reasons are behind the choice of sand type;namely, proximity (28%), cleanliness (25%), good appearance (25%). These three (03) reasons partly explain the strong dependence of users on the sands located in their vicinity as well as the related expenses. Thus, making data available on the characteristics of sand, the materials most used in construction in Togo, would contribute to improving the housing conditions of the Togolese population. .

Ceramic Properties of Three Specimens of Alluvial Clays Used in Local Constructions from Mbouda Clay Deposit, West Cameroon

The Mbouda alluvial deposit is located at the foot of the Bamboutos mountains (West Cameroon) where three types of clayey materials are widespread. The populations collect these clays in their natural state in view of constructions using fired bricks or compressed blocks. Unfortunately, these buildings are not strong. This study investigates the causes of the strengthlessness of buildings and suggests solutions to overcome the difficulty. The research content includes field and laboratory studies. The methodology consists of sampling black (AN), white (AB) and red (AR) clays specimens identified in the study area and analysing them simultaneously at MIPROMALO (Cameroon) and at ACME LAB in Vancouver (Canada). The results obtained show a high sand content in the samples AN (64%), AB (55.2%), AR (30.9%). The compressive strength of the built specimens is low at 900˚C considered as the traditional firing temperature AN (0.94 MPa), AB (5.25 MPa), AR (2.18 MPa). The mineralogical series are identically made by kaolinite, chlorite, gibbsite, quartz, muscovite, biotite, goethite, magnetite and hematite. Silica (SiO2) presents higher contents AN (52.87%), AB (48.02%), AR (47.68%) followed by alumina (Al2O3) AN (29.96%), AB (28.13%), AR (24.72%). The other elements are poorly represented.

Intelligent extraction of road cracks based on vehicle laser point cloud and panoramic sequence images

In light of the limited efficacy of conventional methods for identifying pavement cracks and the absence of comprehensive depth and location data in two-dimensional photographs,this study presents an intelligent strategy for extracting road cracks.This methodology involves the integration of laser point cloud data obtained from a vehicle-mounted system and a panoramic sequence of images.The study employs a vehicle-mounted LiDAR measurement system to acquire laser point cloud and panoramic sequence image data simultaneously.A convolutional neural network is utilized to extract cracks from the panoramic sequence image.The extracted sequence image is then aligned with the laser point cloud,enabling the assignment of RGB information to the vehicle-mounted three dimensional(3D)point cloud and location information to the two dimensional(2D)panoramic image.Additionally,a threshold value is set based on the crack elevation change to extract the aligned roadway point cloud.The three-dimensional data pertaining to the cracks can be acquired.The experimental findings demonstrate that the use of convolutional neural networks has yielded noteworthy outcomes in the extraction of road cracks.The utilization of point cloud and image alignment techniques enables the extraction of precise location data pertaining to road cracks.This approach exhibits superior accuracy when compared to conventional methods.Moreover,it facilitates rapid and accurate identification and localization of road cracks,thereby playing a crucial role in ensuring road maintenance and traffic safety.Consequently,this technique finds extensive application in the domains of intelligent transportation and urbanization development.The technology exhibits significant promise for use in the domains of intelligent transportation and city development.

渗透树脂联合美白技术修复微裂氟斑牙

背景:微研磨、家庭美白联合渗透树脂治疗氟斑牙具有良好的效果,但该方法对氟斑牙微裂纹的影响尚不清楚。目的:探究微研磨、家庭美白联合渗透树脂修复微裂氟斑牙的效果。方法:①临床研究:选择2020年7月至2021年3月就诊于天津医科大学口腔医院修复科的23例微裂氟斑牙患者,包括255颗微裂氟斑牙,均接受牙齿微研磨术、家庭美白与渗透树脂联合治疗,对比治疗前及治疗结束后1周、1个月的牙齿颜色、牙齿敏感程度和牙齿疼痛阈值。②体外实验:收集牙齿表面至少存在一条裂纹的氟斑牙60颗,随机分3组处理:对照组不进行任何处理,美白组进行微研磨与家庭美白处理,联合组进行微研磨、家庭美白和渗透树脂联合处理,每组20颗,测量处理后3组牙齿样本的显微硬度。结果与结论:①临床研究:治疗结束后6个月,255颗微裂氟斑牙中牙齿美白治疗显效207颗、有效48颗,总体治疗有效率为100%。随着治疗时间的延长,中、重度牙齿度敏感程度占比呈下降趋势,治疗结束后6个月,255颗氟斑牙中无重度敏感、15颗为中度敏感、125颗为轻度敏感、115颗无敏感,与治疗前的氟斑牙敏感程度相比差异有显著性意义(P<0.05)。治疗前与治疗结束后1周、6个月的牙齿疼痛阈值比较差异无显著性意义(P>0.05)。②体外实验:美白组牙齿显微硬度值低于对照组、联合组(P<0.05),对照组与联合组牙齿显微硬度值比较差异无显著性意义(P>0.05)。③结果表明,微研磨、家庭美白联合渗透树脂治疗微裂氟斑牙具有较好的疗效。

Thermal Stresses and Cracks During the Growth of Large-sized Sapphire with SAPMAC Method

The finite-element method has been used to study the thermal stress distribution in large-sized sapphire crystals grown with the sapphire growth technique with micro-pulling and shoulder-expanding at cooled center （SAPMAC） method. A critical defect model has been established to explain the growth and propagation of cracks during the sapphire growing process. It is demonstrated that the stress field depends on the growth rate, the ambient temperature and the crystallizing direction. High stresses always exist near the growth interfaces, at the shoulder-expanding locations, the tailing locations and the sites where the diameters undergo sharp changes. The maximum stresses always occur at the interface of seeds and crystals. Cracks often form in the critical defect region and spread in the m-planes and a-planes under applied tensile stresses during crystal growth. The experimental results have verified that with the improved system of crystal growth and well-controlled techniques, the large-sized sapphire crystals of high quality can be grown due to absence of cracks.

Causes and control of welding cracks in electron-beam-welded superalloy GH4169 joints

Welding joint of GH4169 alloy with a good formation was obtained. No macroscopic defects occurred in the joint. The weld had mainly a dendritic structure; the base metal was a solid solution of Ni, Cr, and Fe, and the strengthening-phase particles such as Ni3Nb were dispersively distributed along the grain boundary. The average tensile strength of the joint reached 743.7 MPa, and the Vickers hardness of the weld exceeded HV 300. Because of the segregation of the low-melting compound Ni3Nb at the grain boundary of the fusion zone, liquid cracks tended to occur as a result of welding stress. The formation of liquid cracks was inhibited by adding an alloying element, Mn, to the welding bath, because Mn diffused to the fusion zone and the high-melting phase Mn2Nb formed, and thus the overall properties of the joint were improved.

New Formulation for Arbitrary Cracks Problem and Its Stress Intensity Factor of Plane Elasticity

Aim The general arbitrary cracked problem in an elastic plane was discussed. Methods For the purpose of acquiring the solution of the problem, a new formulation on the problem was proposed. Compared with the classical plane elastic crack model, only the known conditions were revised in the new formulation, which are greatly convenient to solve the problem, and no other new condition was given. Results and Conclusion The general exact analytic solution is given here based on the formulation though the problem is very complicated. Furthermore, the stress intensity factors K Ⅰ, K Ⅱ of the problem are also given.

岩石爆破基础理论研究进展与展望Ⅲ——波纹关系

岩石爆破“三大关系(本构、动静、波纹)”是爆破理论研究的重要内容,爆炸应力波与裂纹的相互作用是影响岩石破碎效果的关键因素.本文围绕“炸药爆炸能量释放与爆炸裂纹扩展的精细控制原理”这一关键科学问题,聚焦爆炸应力波与静止裂纹(岩体中既有缺陷)的相互作用、爆炸应力波与爆炸裂纹的相互作用、爆炸应力波作用下裂纹间的相互作用、地应力与爆炸应力波耦合作用下的裂纹扩展等四个方面,深入探讨了不同爆炸应力波的传播方向和强度对裂纹扩展行为(包括裂纹扩展方向、速度和长度)的影响规律.现有研究发现爆炸应力波在静止裂纹处发生反射和衍射,产生“双马赫锥”现象,致使爆炸能量较多地积聚在静止裂纹周围,诱导静止裂纹周围产生损伤和破坏;爆炸膨胀波对迎面爆炸裂纹的扩展有抑制作用,剪切波对其扩展有促进作用,而在爆炸应力波与同向爆炸裂纹的相互作用过程中,爆炸膨胀波和剪切波对裂纹扩展速度的影响则相反;爆炸荷载下相向扩展的两条裂纹互为自由面,产生“咬合效应”,形成相互勾连的形状;地应力场能够促进平行最大主应力方向的爆炸裂纹扩展,抑制垂直最大主应力方向的爆炸裂纹扩展,且地应力场的主应力差值越大,爆炸裂纹沿最大主应力方向的扩展长度越长.研究成果可为优化爆破炮孔间距、延期时间等参数,实现精细调控爆炸裂纹扩展提供理论依据.

针刀干预后颈椎病大鼠头夹肌成纤维细胞生长因子家族及其受体的表达

背景:针刀是治疗颈椎病的有效方法,临床疗效确切,但其关键分子机制尚不明晰。目的:观察针刀干预对颈椎病大鼠头夹肌成纤维细胞生长因子家族及其受体激酶插入域蛋白受体表达的影响,分析针刀治疗颈椎病的作用机制。方法:通过检索GEO数据库,获取符合该研究的芯片数据集GSE153761,采用生物信息学方法进行靶标初筛,然后进行动物实验。选取6月龄SPF级SD大鼠24只,随机均分为4组。模型组和针刀组大鼠采用动静力失衡性颈椎病造模方法制备颈椎病大鼠模型;假手术组不切断肌肉及韧带;针刀组造模成功后采用针刀干预,每周1次,共3次;并以正常大鼠作为对照。拍摄颈椎正侧位X射线片进行模型验证;旷场实验观察大鼠行为学变化;苏木精-伊红染色观察头夹肌病理结构;荧光定量PCR法和免疫组化法分别检测头夹肌成纤维细胞生长因子家族及其受体激酶插入域蛋白受体mRNA及蛋白的表达情况。结果与结论:①生物信息学结果表明成纤维细胞生长因子家族/激酶插入域蛋白受体是激活磷脂酰肌醇3-激酶/蛋白激酶B上游的重要信号轴。②造模后大鼠椎间隙变窄,椎体前后缘、关节突骨质增生。③旷场实验中,造模后大鼠总距离、平均速度降低(P<0.05),总休息时间延长(P<0.05);治疗后针刀组大鼠总距离、平均速度大于模型组(P<0.05),总休息时间短于模型组(P<0.05)。④头夹肌病理提示颈肌受损,而针刀可改善颈肌劳损。⑤与正常组比较,模型组大鼠头夹肌成纤维细胞生长因子7、成纤维细胞生长因子9、成纤维细胞生长因子10、成纤维细胞生长因子18和激酶插入域蛋白受体mRNA及蛋白表达均升高(P<0.05);与模型组比较,针刀组以上指标均降低(P<0.05)。⑥结果说明,针刀可能通过调节成纤维细胞生长因子7、成纤维细胞生长因子9、成纤维细胞生长因子10、成纤维细胞生长因子18及其受体激酶插入域蛋白受体的表达,修复劳损颈肌,从而改善椎间盘退变,这可能是针刀治疗颈椎病的关键靶点。

免疫细胞介导不同脂质与膝骨关节炎的相关性:欧洲个体全基因组关联分析

背景:观察性研究发现脂质与免疫细胞对于骨关节炎进展具有双重影响,但其具体作用机制尚不清楚。目的:探究脂质与膝骨关节炎的因果关系是否受免疫细胞调控。方法:179种脂质来源于Linda Ottensman数据库,从Open GWAS上获取到了731种免疫细胞相关的单核苷酸多态性作为工具变量,膝骨关节炎的全基因组关联研究数据来自于骨关节炎遗传学联盟。首先采用双样本孟德尔随机化方法从遗传学角度分别探讨脂质与膝骨关节炎、免疫细胞与膝骨关节炎、脂质与免疫细胞的因果关系。另外采用贝叶斯加权孟德尔随机化验证脂质与膝骨关节炎的因果关系,反向孟德尔随机化和Steiger方向性检验评估正向关系。随后进行敏感性分析,包括Cochran’s Q检验消除异质性,MR-PRESSO全局检验和MR-Egger截距排除水平多效性,留一法评估单个单核苷酸多态性驱动因素对随机估计的影响。最后,通过两步孟德尔随机化方法确定特定免疫细胞性状在脂质与膝骨关节炎因果关系中的中介效应。结果与结论:①逆方差加权法和贝叶斯加权算法共同确定8种与膝骨关节炎存在因果关系的脂质种类;②Cochran’s Q、MR-PRESSO和MR-Egger截距结果均无统计学意义(P<0.05);③同时共计算得出了3组中介关系,介导比例最低为11.85%,最高为45.48%;④提示免疫细胞水平在脂质与膝骨关节炎的调节进程中发挥潜在作用,这一发现能为深入探索膝骨关节炎的作用机制提供新的视角。