Publications by authors named "MeiJie Li"

A comprehensive understanding of microalgal Rubiscos offers opportunities to enhance photosynthetic efficiency of crops. As food production fails to meet the needs of the expanding population, there is increasing concern about Ribulose-1, 5-diphosphate (RuBP) carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco), the enzyme that catalyzes CO fixation in photosynthesis. There have been many attempts to optimize Rubisco in crops, but the complex multicellular structure of higher plants makes optimization more difficult.

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Observational studies and meta-analyses have indicated a notable correlation between obesity and vitamin D deficiency, yet the causal relationship between the 2 remains contentious. This study employed a bidirectional Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis to explore the interrelation between obesity-associated body metrics: specifically body mass index (BMI), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), body fat percentage (BFP), whole-body fat percentage (WHF), and 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) levels. Instrumental variables for BMI, WHR, BFP, whole body fat mass (WFM), and 25(OH)D were carefully selected based on predefined thresholds.

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Background And Aim: Our aim was to explore the potential relationship between SII and obesity, as well as abdominal obesity.

Methods And Results: We utilized a weighted multivariable logistic regression model to investigate the relationship between SII and obesity, as well as abdominal obesity. Generalized additive models were employed to test for non-linear associations.

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Antituberculosis drugs induce pharmacologic cholestatic liver injury with long-term administration. Liver injury resulting from rifampicin is potentially related to the bile acid nuclear receptor Farnesoid X Receptor (FXR). To investigate this, cholestasis was induced in both wild-type (C57BL/6N) mice and FXR knockout (FXR-null) mice through administration of rifampicin (200 mg/kg) via gavage for 7 consecutive days.

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Background: Metabolic dysregulation represents a defining characteristic of Type 2 diabetes (T2DM). Nevertheless, there remains an absence of substantial evidence establishing a direct causal link between circulating blood metabolites and the promotion or prevention of T2DM. In addressing this gap, we employed Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis to investigate the potential causal association between 1,091 blood metabolites, 309 metabolite ratios, and the occurrence of T2DM.

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Type 2 diabetes(T2DM) is a metabolic disorder marked by glucose toxicity, lipotoxicity, insulin resistance, and other pathological manifestations, representing a pressing global health concern. Obesity stands out as a pivotal risk factor for T2DM development. When combined with T2DM, obesity exacerbates insulin resistance and metabolic abnormalities.

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Objectives: The aim of our study was to assess the association between muscle mass and strength and depression through a cross-sectional study of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2011 to 2014.

Methods: Muscle mass was calculated by summing the lean body mass of the limbs and muscle strength was assessed by grip strength. Depression was determined by The 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire.

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()-3-Hydroxybutyric acid (-3HB) is an important chiral chemical with extensive applications in the agricultural, food, and chemical industries. The synthesis of -3HB by microbial fermentation is of interest due to its remarkable stereoselectivity and economy. However, the low production of -3HB failed to meet the needs of large-scale industrial production.

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Background: Despite abundant evidence on the epidemiological risk factors of metabolic diseases related to hyperuricemia, there is still insufficient evidence regarding the nonlinear relationship between triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index and hyperuricemia. Thus, the purpose of this research is to clarify the nonlinear connection between TyG and hyperuricemia.

Methods: From 2011 to 2018, a cross-sectional study was carried out using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).

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Background: There is a correlation between obesity and 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) that tends to be negative. However, this relationship varies among different races. In this study, Asian adults with and without obesity were compared in terms of their levels of 25OHD.

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Background: In observational studies, there exists an association between obesity and epigenetic age as well as telomere length. However, varying and partially conflicting outcomes have notably arisen from distinct studies on this topic. In the present study, two-way Mendelian randomization was used to identify potential causal associations between obesity and epigenetic age and telomeres.

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Iron is an essential micronutrient for plant growth and development. In Arabidopsis thaliana, an intricate regulatory network involving several basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factors controls the homeostasis of iron. Among these transcription factors, bHLH121 plays a crucial role.

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Article Synopsis
  • * Understanding how brain networks reorganize after a stroke is crucial for developing new neurotechnologies and treatments, highlighting changes in brain region connections and functions.
  • * Future research should emphasize collaboration between different brain areas to enhance rehabilitation strategies for stroke survivors.
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Article Synopsis
  • The brain-computer interface (BCI) technology allows direct communication with the brain and is increasingly used in clinical settings, such as rehabilitation for stroke patients.
  • Researchers collected a unique dataset from 50 acute stroke patients using wireless saline EEG devices, focusing on motor imagery for right- and left-handed movements.
  • This dataset includes motor imagery instructions, raw and pre-processed EEG recordings, and patient characteristics, aimed at improving analysis of brain activation and developing better decoding methods for BCIs in stroke rehabilitation.
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Obesity has been identified as a chronic low-grade systemic inflammation and a key risk factor for diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, and malignancies, and has become an urgent global health burden. Adipose tissue macrophages play a significant role in adipose immune homeostasis and inflammatory responses. Under different conditions, they can be polarized into pro-inflammatory M1 phenotype or anti-inflammatory M2 phenotype.

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CGA009 is a Gram-negative, purple non-sulfur, metabolically diverse bacterium with wide-ranging habitats. The extraordinary ability of to decompose a variety of raw materials and convert them into high-value products makes it an attractive host for biotechnology and industrial applications. However, being a freshwater bacterium has limited application in highly-saline environments.

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Residual explosives in conflicting zones have caused irreversible damage to human safety and the environment. Whole-cell biosensors can to detect remnants of buried explosives, such as 2,4-dinitrotoluene (DNT), a stable and highly volatile compound in explosives. However, all the reported whole-cell biosensors utilize fluorescence or luminescence as the biological markers, making their detection difficult in real minefields.

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Enzyme stability is often a limiting factor in the microbial production of high-value-added chemicals and commercial enzymes. A previous study by our research group revealed that the unstable isoprene synthase from (IspS) critically limits isoprene production in engineered . Directed evolution was, therefore, performed in the present study to improve the thermostability of IspS.

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Background: Genetic variation in the TCF4 (transcription factor 4) gene is associated with risk for a variety of developmental and psychiatric conditions, which includes a syndromic form of autism spectrum disorder called Pitt-Hopkins syndrome (PTHS). TCF4 encodes an activity-dependent transcription factor that is highly expressed during cortical development and in animal models has been shown to regulate various aspects of neuronal development and function. However, our understanding of how disease-causing mutations in TCF4 confer pathophysiology in a human context is lacking.

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The expression of defensive responses to alerting sensory cues requires both general arousal and a specific arousal state associated with defensive emotions. However, it remains unclear whether these two forms of arousal can be regulated by common brain regions. We discovered that the medial sector of the auditory thalamus (ATm) in mice is a thalamic hub controlling both general and defensive arousal.

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Objective: The aim was to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis for assessing the effectiveness and safety of dietary polyphenol curcumin supplement on metabolic, inflammatory, and oxidative stress indices in patients with metabolic syndrome (MetS).

Methods: A comprehensive search for clinical trials was conducted in the following scientific databases: PubMed, SCOPUS, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, Web of Science, and China Biological Medicine. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating the efficacy and safety of curcumin supplement for MetS were identified.

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Article Synopsis
  • Genetic variation in the TCF4 gene contributes to the risk of several developmental and psychiatric disorders, including Pitt Hopkins Syndrome (PTHS), a syndromic form of autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
  • Research shows that cortical neurons from individuals with TCF4 mutations exhibit issues in spontaneous synaptic transmission, network excitability, and overall neural adaptability, linked to disrupted gene expression related to neurotransmission.
  • Increasing the expression of RIMBP2, a key presynaptic binding protein, can reverse the deficits caused by TCF4 mutations, establishing TCF4 as a vital regulator in human synaptic development and highlighting presynaptic dysfunction in PTHS.
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Iron (Fe) is an essential micronutrient for plant growth and development. Fe availability affects crops' productivity and the quality of their derived products and thus human nutrition. Fe is poorly available for plant use since it is mostly present in soils in the form of insoluble oxides/hydroxides, especially at neutral to alkaline pH.

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β-Elemene is the major component of a traditional Chinese medicine (Rhizoma Curcumae) for cancer treatment, and plant extraction is the major methods currently. Biosynthesis of β-elemene is a promising and attractive route due to its advantages, including environmentally friendly processes, renewable resources, and sustainable development. In this research, biosynthesis of germacrene A, direct precursor of β-elemene, in Escherichia coli was successfully performed and 11.

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Phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome 10 (PTEN) is a negative regulator of AKT/mTOR signaling pathway. Mutations in PTEN are found in patients with autism, epilepsy, or macrocephaly. In mouse models, Pten loss results in neuronal hypertrophy, hyperexcitability, seizures, and ASD-like behaviors.

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