Unraveling the role of VLDL in the relationship between type 2 diabetes and coronary atherosclerosis: a Mendelian randomization analysis

BackgroundThe causal link between Type 2 diabetes (T2D) and coronary atherosclerosis has been established through wet lab experiments; however, its analysis with Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) data remains unexplored. This study aims to validate this relationship using Mendelian randomization analysis and explore the potential mediation of VLDL in this mechanism.MethodsEmploying Mendelian randomization analysis, we investigated the causal connection between T2D and coronary atherosclerosis. We utilized GWAS summary statistics from European ancestry cohorts, comprising 23,363 coronary atherosclerosis patients and 195,429 controls, along with 32,469 T2D patients and 183,185 controls. VLDL levels, linked to SNPs, were considered as a potential mediating causal factor that might contribute to coronary atherosclerosis in the presence of T2D. We employed the inverse variance weighted (IVW), Egger regression (MR-Egger), weighted median, and weighted model methods for causal effect estimation. A leave-one-out sensitivity analysis was conducted to ensure robustness.ResultsOur Mendelian randomization analysis demonstrated a genetic association between T2D and an increased coronary atherosclerosis risk, with the IVW estimate at 1.13 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.07–1.20]. Additionally, we observed a suggestive causal link between T2D and VLDL levels, as evidenced by the IVW estimate of 1.02 (95% CI: 0.98–1.07). Further supporting lipid involvement in coronary atherosclerosis pathogenesis, the IVW-Egger estimate was 1.30 (95% CI: 1.06–1.58).ConclusionIn conclusion, this study highlights the autonomous contributions of T2D and VLDL levels to coronary atherosclerosis development. T2D is linked to a 13.35% elevated risk of coronary atherosclerosis, and within T2D patients, VLDL concentration rises by 2.49%. Notably, each standard deviation increase in VLDL raises the likelihood of heart disease by 29.6%. This underscores the significant role of lipid regulation, particularly VLDL, as a mediating pathway in coronary atherosclerosis progression

Effect of Elevated Temperature Annealing on Nafion/SiO2 Composite Membranes for the All-Vanadium Redox Flow Battery

Conducting Nafion/SiO2 composite membranes were successfully prepared using a simple electrostatic self-assembly method, followed by annealing at elevated temperatures of 240, 270, and 300 °C. Membrane performance was then investigated in vanadium redox flow batteries (VRB). These annealed composite membranes demonstrated lower vanadium permeability and a better selectivity coefficient than pure Nafion membranes. The annealing temperature of 270 °C created the highest proton conductivity in the Nafion/SiO2 composite membranes. The microstructures of these membranes were analyzed using transmission electron microscopy, small-angle X-ray scattering, and positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy. This study revealed that exposure to high temperatures resulted in an increase in the free volumes of the composite membranes, resulting in improved mechanical and chemical behavior, with the single cell system containing composite membranes performing better than systems containing pure Nafion membranes

Constipation in DM are associated with both poor glycemic control and diabetic complications: Current status and future directions

Constipation is a major complications of diabetes mellitus. With the accelerating prevalence of diabetes worldwide and an aging population, there is considerable research interest regarding the altered function and structure of the gastrointestinal tract in diabetic patients. Despite current advances in hyperglycemic treatment strategies, the specific pathogenesis of diabetic constipation remains unknown. Patients with constipation, may be reluctant to eat regularly, which may worsen glycemic control and thus worsen symptoms associated with underlying diabetic bowel disease. This paper presents a review of the complex relationship between diabetes and constipation, exploring the morphological alterations and biomechanical remodeling associated with intestinal motility dysfunction, as well as alterations in intestinal neurons, cellular signaling pathways, and oxidative stress. Further studies focusing on new targets that may play a role in the pathogenesis of diabetic constipation may, provide new ideas for the development of novel therapies to treat or even prevent diabetic constipation

Multifunctional Polypropylene Separator via Cooperative Modification and Its Application in the Lithium–Sulfur Battery

The continuous shuttling of dissolved polysulfides between the electrodes is the primary cause for the rapid decay of lithium–sulfur batteries. Modulation of the separator–electrolyte interface through separator modification is a promising strategy to inhibit polysulfide shuttling. In this work, we develop a graphene oxide and ferrocene comodified polypropylene separator with multifunctionality at the separator–electrolyte interface. The graphene oxide on the functionalized separator could physically adsorb the polysulfide while the ferrocene component could effectively facilitate the conversion of the adsorbed polysulfide. Due to the combination of these beneficial functionalities, the separator exhibits an excellent battery performance, with a high reversible capacity of 409 mAh g–1 after 500 cycles at 0.2 C. We anticipate that the combinatorial separator functionalization proposed herein is an effective approach for improving the performance of lithium–sulfur batteries