Publications by authors named "An Qi Li"
Non-nutritive sweeteners (NNSs) are used to reduce caloric intake by replacing sugar with compounds that are sweet but contain little or no calories. In this study, we investigate how non-nutritive sweetener sucralose to promote acute food intake in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. Our results showed that acute exposure to NNSs sweetness induces a robust hyperphagic response in flies.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMicrobial communities exert a profound influence on various facets of animal behavior and physiology, making the comprehension of their interactions with hosts or the environment essential. , a widely recognized model organism, has been pivotal in elucidating host-microbe interactions. Despite the existence of several protocols for generating germ-free (GF) , their reproducibility has been constrained by the technical difficulty of maintaining airtight conditions in centrifuge tubes.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBartonella spp. are gram-negative bacteria recognized as zoonotic pathogens of wide spectrum mammals. Rodents are recognized as a natural reservoir of pathogens, and many Bartonella species transmitted by various blood-sucking arthropods have been detected in various rodents populations.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe global incidence of metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) has risen sharply. This condition is strongly associated with the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), but how MAFLD affects the development and progression of CVD, particularly concerning vascular calcification, remains unclear. Herein, extracellular vesicles (EVs) are identified from steatotic hepatocytes as a trigger that accelerated the progression of both vascular intimal and medial calcification.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- Type I interferon (IFN-I) and its gene IFI27 are crucial in controlling HIV-1 infection by effectively suppressing viral replication and degrading its proteins, p24 and p55.
- The study found that the IFI27 variant from northern pig-tailed macaques (NPM-IFI27) is particularly effective against HIV-1, utilizing the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway to target and degrade viral proteins.
- These results highlight the potential of NPM-IFI27 as a promising candidate for new antiviral therapies against HIV-1, emphasizing the need for ongoing research in host antiviral agents.
Article Synopsis
- DIV1 is a highly dangerous virus for crustaceans, leading to high death rates and threatening the aquaculture industry worldwide.
- This study improved the nested PCR method for detecting the DIV1 ATPase gene by redesigning internal primers to create a more distinct amplification product.
- The refined PCR method is highly specific and sensitive, capable of detecting very low levels of the virus, thus aiding in more accurate detection in crustacean farming.
Article Synopsis
- The membranes were created using an electrospinning technique, and their properties were analyzed regarding surface topography, mechanical strength, and degradation rate.
- Results showed that these membranes significantly enhanced bone regeneration in rat skull defects, promoting mature bone formation and expression of osteogenic markers, indicating their potential for guided bone regeneration applications.
sp. nov. sp. nov. and sp. nov., three psychrophilic bacteria isolated from deep-sea sediment.
Int J Syst Evol Microbiol
May 2024
Article Synopsis
- Three psychrophilic bacteria strains (SQ149, SQ345, and S1-1) were isolated from deep-sea sediments in the South China Sea and showed high similarity to strain RZG4-3-1 based on 16S rRNA gene sequences (96.45 to 96.67%).
- Phylogenetic and genetic analyses indicated that these strains form a distinct cluster and represent novel species, as their genetic markers fall below the species delimitation thresholds.
- All strains are Gram-negative, rod-shaped, and contain specific fatty acids, respiratory quinones, and polar lipids, leading to their classification as new species within the genus, with proposed names for each strain.
Article Synopsis
- Antibiotic residues from aquaculture are a significant environmental problem, especially in the Beibu Gulf, which is influenced by China and Vietnam.
- A systematic review found average concentrations of 5.90 ng/L in seawater and 8.03 ng/g in sediments, with fluoroquinolones, tetracyclines, and macrolides being the most common antibiotics detected.
- The western and northeastern areas of the Beibu Gulf, particularly near mangroves, showed the highest residue levels, highlighting the need for regular monitoring and collaborative efforts between China and Vietnam.
Article Synopsis
- Ginkgo biloba L. preparations (GBLPs) are used in Chinese herbal medicine for treating ischemic stroke (IS), and recent systematic reviews (SRs) and meta-analyses (MAs) have evaluated their effectiveness.
- This overview assesses the quality of these SRs and MAs, focusing on studies from various databases that meet specific criteria, such as including randomized controlled trials (RCTs).
- The findings indicate that while the reporting of the included studies was relatively complete, their overall methodological quality was critically low, with 28 showing a high risk of bias, and most outcomes rated as low to very low quality, although GBLPs in conjunction with standard treatment were found to improve neurological function compared to standard
Article Synopsis
- The study investigates how amino acids, specifically glutamine (Gln), impact sweet taste perception using fruit flies as a model organism.
- Male Drosophila were fed diets supplemented with individual amino acids, and the proboscis extension response assay was performed to measure their sensitivity to sucrose.
- Results showed that Gln enhances sucrose taste sensitivity through a mechanism that involves gut microbiota, particularly the bacterium Acetobacter tropicalis, and a gut-brain communication pathway.
[PK/PD model of Chuanxiong gel plaster in treatment of rheumatoid arthritis].
Zhongguo Zhong Yao Za Zhi
December 2023
Article Synopsis
- This study established a PK/PD model for Chuanxiong (Chuanxiong Rhizoma) used in treating rheumatoid arthritis through a combination of acupoint therapy and an external gel application.
- It analyzed the pharmacokinetics by extracting articular fluid from ovalbumin-induced rabbit models and measured drug concentration using UPLC-MS/MS.
- The results indicated varying drug concentrations at different acupoints and a lag effect on inflammatory factors, leading to distinct pharmacodynamic models based on target inflammatory markers IL-1β, TNF-α, and IL-6.
Article Synopsis
- Pravastatin, a common lipid-lowering drug for diabetes patients, is linked to increased vascular calcification (VC), but its mechanisms remain unclear.
- This study used various methods like 16S rRNA sequencing and flow cytometry to investigate gut bacteria and metabolites, revealing a significant rise in Bacteroides fragilis (BF) among pravastatin users and T2D mice treated with the drug.
- The research concluded that pravastatin enhances the secretion of 3,4,5-trimethoxycinnamic acid (TMCA) from BF, which subsequently promotes macrophage M1 polarization, a factor believed to contribute to VC in type 2 diabetes cases.
Article Synopsis
- People who got sick after getting an inactivated vaccine had very low protection against a newer virus called XBB.
- If they were infected with the Omicron BA.1 or BA.5 versions, they also had weak protection against XBB.
- However, getting sick from BA.5 gave a little bit better protection against XBB than getting sick from BA.1.
sp. nov., a psychrophilic bacterium isolated from deep-sea sediment.
Int J Syst Evol Microbiol
September 2023
Article Synopsis
- A new bacterium strain QS115 was discovered in deep-sea sediment from the South China Sea, showing strong genetic similarities to another strain, W43, but enough differences to classify it as a new species.
- Strain QS115 is characterized as a Gram-negative, rod-shaped bacterium that thrives at low temperatures (10°C) and specific conditions (pH 7.5, 2% NaCl).
- Key components of QS115 include unique fatty acids, a specific respiratory quinone, and distinct polar lipids, leading to its classification as a novel species in its genus with the proposed name sp. nov.
Article Synopsis
- Researchers used fluorescence endoscopic laser confocal microscopy to inject sinomenine solid lipid nanoparticles (Sin-SLN) into the joints of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) models, finding its effectiveness in treatment.
- Sin-SLN showed promising characteristics, such as a high encapsulation efficiency of 64.79% and good stability over 30 days, indicating it was well-prepared and reliable.
- The treatment led to reduced knee joint diameter and local skin temperature compared to the model group, with improvements in cartilage structure and lower levels of inflammatory markers IL-1 and TNF-α.
Article Synopsis
- Bioluminescence in deep-sea bacteria plays a key role in protecting against oxidative and UV stresses, but its impact on adaptation to high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) is not well understood.
- A study compared a non-luminescent mutant strain of the bacterium ANT-2200 with its luminescent counterpart to assess pressure tolerance and oxidative stress response.
- Findings indicated that bioluminescence acts as a crucial antioxidant system, helping bacteria adapt to the extreme deep-sea environment by managing oxidative stress from HHP.
Article Synopsis
- Deep-sea microorganisms adapt to high hydrostatic pressure through modifications in their respiratory components, but their ATP production strategies are less understood.
- The study focused on the deep-sea bacterium SS9, revealing that it shows better growth and ATP production in minimal glucose medium compared to a complex medium under varying pressure conditions.
- Researchers discovered that SS9 has two ATPase systems, with ATPase-I dominating in complex medium and ATPase-II being more prominent in minimal medium, indicating a functional relationship between these systems when under pressure.
Article Synopsis
- Anti-obesity medications, like Metformin (Met) and mirabegron (Mir), can lower body weight by reducing energy intake or increasing energy expenditure, but their combined effects were not previously studied.* -
- This study showed that using Met and Mir together led to greater weight loss in both prevention and treatment models, with significant reductions in body weight gain and enhanced fat loss in obese mice.* -
- The combination therapy improved metabolic health markers like glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity, while also avoiding any negative effects on cardiovascular health, suggesting it could be a valuable obesity treatment strategy.*
Article Synopsis
- Dietary protein and carbohydrate influence sweet taste sensation, but their specific balance's effect on sensitivity was not well understood.
- Using Drosophila (fruit flies) as a model, the study finds that high-protein, low-carbohydrate diets enhance sweet taste sensitivity while low-protein, high-carbohydrate diets decrease it.
- RNA sequencing revealed that amino acids like glycine, serine, and threonine are linked to these changes in sweet taste perception, with further confirmation that adding serine and threonine to low-protein diets can restore sweet sensitivity.
Article Synopsis
- In China, many SARS-CoV-2-infected individuals were vaccinated with inactivated vaccines, but their immunity to past variants and the current Omicron sublineages was unclear.
- Serum samples from individuals infected during the ancestral, Delta, and Omicron BA.1 waves showed that while some cross-neutralizing antibodies (nAbs) were present for earlier variants, there were very few for Omicron sublineages.
- Those who received three doses of the inactivated vaccine showed slightly improved nAbs against other Omicron sublineages post-infection, emphasizing the need for booster shots to enhance immunity in previously infected individuals.
Article Synopsis
- * While some genes have been identified, most lack functional validation, making their precise roles unclear, particularly in energy regulation.
- * This research utilizes RNA interference (RNAi) to investigate the role of a specific gene in energy metabolism, revealing that its inhibition increases food intake and triglyceride levels, highlighting its importance in controlling energy balance in obesity.
Article Synopsis
- Sleep is crucial for all animals and can be influenced by the balance of dietary macronutrients, specifically protein and carbohydrates, although previous research on this has been limited.
- Using a framework called nutritional geometry, researchers studied the effects of varying protein-to-carbohydrate ratios on sleep in fruit flies over a period of five days, utilizing an activity monitoring system.
- Findings indicated that a diet low in protein and high in carbohydrates significantly improved sleep duration and quality, while the gene expression related to metabolism was also affected, suggesting that specific amino acids may play a role in sleep regulation.
Mathematical processing of trading strategy based on long short-term memory neural network model.
Front Comput Neurosci
November 2022
Article Synopsis
- * The goal of the article is to create a trading strategy aimed at maximizing returns when trading these volatile assets.
- * The research emphasizes the relationship between gold and bitcoin, contributing to theoretical discussions and offering practical insights for investors looking to develop effective investment strategies.