MDPI

User Collection Public
UNC logo

UNC-authored articles published by MDPI

Works (1066)

View results as:
List List Masonry Masonry Slideshow Slideshow
Sort the listing of items  

1001. Multi-Omics Analysis of Multiple Glucose-Sensing Receptor Systems in Yeast

Title Tesim:
Multi-Omics Analysis of Multiple Glucose-Sensing Receptor Systems in Yeast
Creator:
Li, Shuang, Dominguez, Daniel, Li, Yuanyuan, Dohlman, Henrik G., Harris, Sarah E., Rushing, Blake R., McRitchie, Susan L., and Sumner, Susan J.
Date of publication:
2022
Abstract Tesim:
The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae has long been used to produce alcohol from glucose and other sugars. While much is known about glucose metabolism, relatively little is known about the receptors and signaling pathways that indicate glucose availability. Here, we compare the two glucose receptor systems in S. cerevisiae. The first is a heterodimer of transporter-like proteins (transceptors), while the second is a seven-transmembrane receptor coupled to a large G protein (Gpa2) that acts in coordination with two small G proteins (Ras1 and Ras2). Through comprehensive measurements of glucose-dependent transcription and metabolism, we demonstrate that the two receptor systems have distinct roles in glucose signaling: the G-protein-coupled receptor directs carbohydrate and energy metabolism, while the transceptors regulate ancillary processes such as ribosome, amino acids, cofactor and vitamin metabolism. The large G-protein transmits the signal from its cognate receptor, while the small G-protein Ras2 (but not Ras1) integrates responses from both receptor pathways. Collectively, our analysis reveals the molecular basis for glucose detection and the earliest events of glucose-dependent signal transduction in yeast.
Resource type:
Article
Affiliation Label Tesim:
School of Medicine, Department of Pharmacology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, Department of Nutrition, and Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17615/nk3y-6137
Edition:
Publisher
Identifier:
https://dx.doi.org/10.3390/biom12020175
ISSN:
2218-273X
Journal Issue:
2
Journal Title:
Biomolecules
Journal Volume:
12
Keyword:
yeast, RAS, transceptor, glucose, metabolomics, transcriptomics, G-protein-coupled receptor, and G protein
Language Label:
English
License Label:
Attribution 3.0 United States
Page Start:
175
Person:
Li, Shuang, Dominguez, Daniel, Li, Yuanyuan, Dohlman, Henrik G., Harris, Sarah E., Rushing, Blake R., McRitchie, Susan L., and Sumner, Susan J.
Rights Statement Label:
In Copyright
Source:
mdpi_backfiles_21

1002. The Ancient and Evolved Mouse Sperm-Associated Antigen 6 Genes Have Different Biologic Functions In Vivo

Title Tesim:
The Ancient and Evolved Mouse Sperm-Associated Antigen 6 Genes Have Different Biologic Functions In Vivo
Creator:
Edwards, Brian F., Chowdhury, Dipanwita Dutta, Zhang, Zhibing, Harding, Pamela, Haj-Diab, Sarah, Strauss, Jerome F., Vaishnav, Asmita, Williams, David C., Yap, Yi Tian, Zhou, Qi, and Li, Wei
Date of publication:
2022
Abstract Tesim:
Sperm-associated antigen 6 (SPAG6) is the mammalian orthologue of Chlamydomonas PF16, an axonemal central pair protein involved in flagellar motility. In mice, two Spag6 genes have been identified. The ancestral gene, on mouse chromosome 2, is named Spag6. A related gene originally called Spag6, localized on mouse chromosome 16, evolved from the ancient Spag6 gene. It has been renamed Spag6-like (Spag6l). Spag6 encodes a 1.6 kb transcript consisting of 11 exons, while Spag6l encodes a 2.4 kb transcript which contains an additional non-coding exon in the 3′-end as well as the 11 exons found in Spag6. The two Spag6 genes share high similarities in their nucleotide and amino acid sequences. Unlike Spag6l mRNA, which is widely expressed, Spag6 mRNA expression is limited to a smaller number of tissues, including the testis and brain. In transfected mammalian cells, SPAG6/GFP is localized on microtubules, a similar localization as SPAG6L. A global Spag6l knockout mouse model was generated previously. In addition to a role in modulating the ciliary beat, SPAG6L has many unexpected functions, including roles in the regulation of ciliogenesis/spermatogenesis, hearing, and the immunological synapse, among others. To investigate the role of the ancient Spag6 gene, we phenotyped global Spag6 knockout mice. All homozygous mutant mice were grossly normal, and fertility was not affected in both males and females. The homozygous males had normal sperm parameters, including sperm number, motility, and morphology. Examination of testis histology revealed normal spermatogenesis. Testicular protein expression levels of selected SPAG6L binding partners, including SPAG16L, were not changed in the Spag6 knockout mice, even though the SPAG16L level was significantly reduced in the Spag6l knockout mice. Structural analysis of the two SPAG6 proteins shows that both adopt very similar folds, with differences in a few amino acids, many of which are solvent-exposed. These differences endow the two proteins with different functional characteristics, even though both have eight armadillo repeats that mediate protein–protein interaction. Our studies suggest that SPAG6 and SPAG6L have different functions in vivo, with the evolved SPAG6L protein being more important. Since the two proteins have some overlapping binding partners, SPAG6 could have functions that are yet to be identified.
Resource type:
Article
Affiliation Label Tesim:
School of Medicine and Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17615/40zw-k480
Edition:
Publisher
Identifier:
https://dx.doi.org/10.3390/cells11030336
ISSN:
2073-4409
Journal Issue:
3
Journal Title:
Cells
Journal Volume:
11
Keyword:
cilia, axoneme, spermatogenesis, central apparatus, Spag6l, Spag6, and flagella
Language Label:
English
License Label:
Attribution 3.0 United States
Other Affiliation:
Wayne State University, Henry Ford Health System, and University of Pennsylvania
Page Start:
336
Person:
Edwards, Brian F., Chowdhury, Dipanwita Dutta, Zhang, Zhibing, Harding, Pamela, Haj-Diab, Sarah, Strauss, Jerome F., Vaishnav, Asmita, Williams, David C., Yap, Yi Tian, Zhou, Qi, and Li, Wei
Rights Statement Label:
In Copyright
Source:
mdpi_backfiles_20

1003. Front-of-Pack Labeling in Chile: Effects on Employment, Real Wages, and Firms’ Profits after Three Years of Its Implementation

Title Tesim:
Front-of-Pack Labeling in Chile: Effects on Employment, Real Wages, and Firms’ Profits after Three Years of Its Implementation
Creator:
Paraje, Guillermo, Montes de Oca, Daniela, Canales, Mario, Wlasiuk, Juan Marcos, and Popkin, Barry M.
Date of publication:
2022
Abstract Tesim:
This study evaluates the impact of Chile’s innovative law on Food Labeling and Advertising, enacted in June 2016, on employment and real wages and profit margins for the food and beverage manufacturing sectors in the 2016–2019 period, using unique company-specific monthly data from Chile’s tax collection agency (measuring aggregate employment, real wages, average size of firms, and gross profit margins of the food and beverage manufacturing sector). Interrupted-time series analyses (ITSA) on administrative data from tax-paying firms was used and compared to synthetic control groups of sectors not affected by the regulations. ITSA results show no effect on aggregate employment nor on the average size of the firms, while they show negligible effects on real wages and gross margin of profits (as proportion of total sales), after the first two stages of the implementation (36 months), despite significant decreases in consumption in certain categories (sugar-sweetened beverages, breakfast cereals, etc.). Despite the large declines found in purchases of unhealthy foods, employment did not change and impacts on other economic outcomes were small. Though Chile’s law, is peculiar there is no reason to believe that if similar regulations were adopted elsewhere, they would have different results.
Resource type:
Article
Affiliation Label Tesim:
Gillings School of Global Public Health and Department of Nutrition
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17615/fr4b-1f86
Edition:
Publisher
Identifier:
https://dx.doi.org/10.3390/nu14020295
ISSN:
2072-6643
Journal Issue:
2
Journal Title:
Nutrients
Journal Volume:
14
Keyword:
wages, Chile, food and beverage labeling, profits, and employment
Language Label:
English
License Label:
Attribution 3.0 United States
Other Affiliation:
Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Universidad de Chile, and Central Bank of Chile
Page Start:
295
Person:
Paraje, Guillermo, Montes de Oca, Daniela, Canales, Mario, Wlasiuk, Juan Marcos, and Popkin, Barry M.
Rights Statement Label:
In Copyright
Source:
mdpi_backfiles_19

1004. Gracilaria parva sp. nov. (Gracilariales, Rhodophyta) a Diminutive Species from the Tropical Eastern Pacific

Title Tesim:
Gracilaria parva sp. nov. (Gracilariales, Rhodophyta) a Diminutive Species from the Tropical Eastern Pacific
Creator:
Gabrielson, Paul W., Williamson, Bo, Brandt, Margarita, and Freshwater, D. Wilson
Date of publication:
2022
Abstract Tesim:
DNA sequencing of the plastid encoded rbcL gene supported by morpho-anatomical features reveals Gracilaria parva sp. nov. from Panama and Ecuador in the tropical eastern Pacific Ocean. In the rbcL phylogram, G. parva occurs in a clade sister to the western Atlantic species G. galatensis. Morphologically and anatomically, G. parva is distinguished from two similar, described tropical eastern Pacific species, G. brevis and G. veleroae by its small size, to 2.5 cm tall with branch widths mostly <2 mm occasionally to 4 mm, and by its two to three cell layered cortex. Gracilaria brevis and G. veleroae are taller, have wider branches, and a one cell layered cortex. DNA sequencing is needed to resolve the many diminutive species in the tropical eastern Pacific, particularly those occurring in turf communities. DNA sequencing of historical type specimens from the 19th and 20th centuries is also needed to correctly apply names in this region.
Resource type:
Article
Affiliation Label Tesim:
College of Arts and Sciences and Department of Biology
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17615/d71h-pm28
Edition:
Publisher
Identifier:
https://dx.doi.org/10.3390/taxonomy2010004
ISSN:
2673-6500
Journal Issue:
1
Journal Title:
Taxonomy
Journal Volume:
2
Keyword:
Ecuador, rbcL, morpho-anatomy, Panama, DNA sequencing, and Gracilariaceae
Language Label:
English
License Label:
Attribution 3.0 United States
ORCID:
Other Affiliation:
, Universidad San Francisco de Quito, and University of North Carolina at Wilmington
Page End:
56
Page Start:
48
Person:
Gabrielson, Paul W., Williamson, Bo, Brandt, Margarita, and Freshwater, D. Wilson
Rights Statement Label:
In Copyright
Source:
mdpi_backfiles_18

1005. How Do Population Flows Promote Urban–Rural Integration? Addressing Migrants’ Farmland Arrangement and Social Integration in China’s Urban Agglomeration Regions

Title Tesim:
How Do Population Flows Promote Urban–Rural Integration? Addressing Migrants’ Farmland Arrangement and Social Integration in China’s Urban Agglomeration Regions
Creator:
Xiong, Chan, Song, Yan, and Li, Yanan
Date of publication:
2022
Abstract Tesim:
China’s urban–rural relationships have been changed dramatically by the intensifying population flows, especially in urban agglomeration regions. This study contributes to the interpretation of urban–rural integration mechanisms in urban agglomeration by constructing a conceptual framework of migration-related resource flows. Taking the Wuhan urban agglomeration as an example, migrants’ farmland arrangement, migration pattern, and social integration have been investigated to uncover the spatial and temporal characteristics of the urban–rural interaction, based on the data from the China Migrants Dynamic Survey in 2012–2017. The findings indicate that the farmland circulation in the Wuhan urban agglomeration was generally low, but slightly higher than that of the national average. The central city, Wuhan, had a high degree of family migration and social integration, indicating stronger resource flows in developed areas. However, its farmland circulation level was lower than that of non-central cities. The unsynchronized interaction of resources in urban and rural areas should be taken seriously, especially in areas with a relatively developed urban economy. The advantages of the central city in absorbing and settling migrants confirmed the positive impact of the urban agglomeration on promoting urban–rural integration.
Resource type:
Article
Affiliation Label Tesim:
College of Arts and Sciences and Department of City and Regional Planning
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17615/yg1d-t583
Edition:
Publisher
Identifier:
https://dx.doi.org/10.3390/land11010086
ISSN:
2073-445X
Journal Issue:
1
Journal Title:
Land
Journal Volume:
11
Keyword:
farmland arrangement, social integration, urban agglomeration region, population flows, and urban–rural integration
Language Label:
English
License Label:
Attribution 3.0 United States
Other Affiliation:
Wuhan Institute of Technology and University of Shanghai for Science and Technology
Page Start:
86
Person:
Xiong, Chan, Song, Yan, and Li, Yanan
Rights Statement Label:
In Copyright
Source:
mdpi_backfiles_17

1006. Ultrasound Echogenicity as an Indicator of Muscle Fatigue during Functional Electrical Stimulation

Title Tesim:
Ultrasound Echogenicity as an Indicator of Muscle Fatigue during Functional Electrical Stimulation
Creator:
Iyer, Ashwin, Kim, Kang, Sharma, Nitin, Zhang, Qiang, and Lambeth, Krysten
Date of publication:
2022
Abstract Tesim:
Functional electrical stimulation (FES) is a potential neurorehabilitative intervention to enable functional movements in persons with neurological conditions that cause mobility impairments. However, the quick onset of muscle fatigue during FES is a significant challenge for sustaining the desired functional movements for more extended periods. Therefore, a considerable interest still exists in the development of sensing techniques that reliably measure FES-induced muscle fatigue. This study proposes to use ultrasound (US) imaging-derived echogenicity signal as an indicator of FES-induced muscle fatigue. We hypothesized that the US-derived echogenicity signal is sensitive to FES-induced muscle fatigue under isometric and dynamic muscle contraction conditions. Eight non-disabled participants participated in the experiments, where FES electrodes were applied on their tibialis anterior (TA) muscles. During a fatigue protocol under either isometric and dynamic ankle dorsiflexion conditions, we synchronously collected the isometric dorsiflexion torque or dynamic dorsiflexion angle on the ankle joint, US echogenicity signals from TA muscle, and the applied stimulation intensity. The experimental results showed an exponential reduction in the US echogenicity relative change (ERC) as the fatigue progressed under the isometric (R2=0.891±0.081) and dynamic (R2=0.858±0.065) conditions. The experimental results also implied a strong linear relationship between US ERC and TA muscle fatigue benchmark (dorsiflexion torque or angle amplitude), with R2 values of 0.840±0.054 and 0.794±0.065 under isometric and dynamic conditions, respectively. The findings in this study indicate that the US echogenicity signal is a computationally efficient signal that strongly represents FES-induced muscle fatigue. Its potential real-time implementation to detect fatigue can facilitate an FES closed-loop controller design that considers the FES-induced muscle fatigue.
Resource type:
Article
Affiliation Label Tesim:
School of Medicine and UNC/NCSU Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17615/mnz3-ek15
Edition:
Publisher
Identifier:
https://dx.doi.org/10.3390/s22010335
ISSN:
1424-8220
Journal Issue:
1
Journal Title:
Sensors
Journal Volume:
22
Keyword:
electrical stimulation, ultrasonography, ankle joint, muscle fatigue, biomechanical phenomena, nonlinear dynamics, and linear models
Language Label:
English
License Label:
Attribution 3.0 United States
Other Affiliation:
University of Pittsburgh
Page Start:
335
Person:
Iyer, Ashwin, Kim, Kang, Sharma, Nitin, Zhang, Qiang, and Lambeth, Krysten
Rights Statement Label:
In Copyright
Source:
mdpi_backfiles_16

1007. Modeling Secondary Phenotypes Conditional on Genotypes in Case–Control Studies

Title Tesim:
Modeling Secondary Phenotypes Conditional on Genotypes in Case–Control Studies
Creator:
Slade, Gary D., Brownstein, Naomi C., Smith, Shad, Cai, Jianwen, Diatchenko, Luda, and Bair, Eric
Date of publication:
2022
Abstract Tesim:
Traditional case–control genetic association studies examine relationships between case–control status and one or more covariates. It is becoming increasingly common to study secondary phenotypes and their association with the original covariates. The Orofacial Pain: Prospective Evaluation and Risk Assessment (OPPERA) project, a study of temporomandibular disorders (TMD), motivates this work. Numerous measures of interest are collected at enrollment, such as the number of comorbid pain conditions from which a participant suffers. Examining the potential genetic basis of these measures is of secondary interest. Assessing these associations is statistically challenging, as participants do not form a random sample from the population of interest. Standard methods may be biased and lack coverage and power. We propose a general method for the analysis of arbitrary phenotypes utilizing inverse probability weighting and bootstrapping for standard error estimation. The method may be applied to the complicated association tests used in next-generation sequencing studies, such as analyses of haplotypes with ambiguous phase. Simulation studies show that our method performs as well as competing methods when they are applicable and yield promising results for outcome types, such as time-to-event, to which other methods may not apply. The method is applied to the OPPERA baseline case–control genetic study.
Resource type:
Article
Affiliation Label Tesim:
School of Dentistry, Gillings School of Global Public Health, and Department of Biostatistics
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17615/13pp-nc84
Edition:
Publisher
Identifier:
https://dx.doi.org/10.3390/stats5010014
ISSN:
2571-905X
Journal Issue:
1
Journal Title:
Stats
Journal Volume:
5
Keyword:
secondary analysis, inverse-probability weighting, bootstrap, and case–control studies
Language Label:
English
License Label:
Attribution 3.0 United States
Other Affiliation:
Moffitt Cancer Center, Duke University Medical Center, and McGill University
Page End:
214
Page Start:
203
Person:
Slade, Gary D., Brownstein, Naomi C., Smith, Shad, Cai, Jianwen, Diatchenko, Luda, and Bair, Eric
Rights Statement Label:
In Copyright
Source:
mdpi_backfiles_15

1008. Too Much Dietary Flexibility May Hinder, Not Help: Could More Specific Targets for Daily Food Intake Distribution Promote Glycemic Management among Youth with Type 1 Diabetes?

Title Tesim:
Too Much Dietary Flexibility May Hinder, Not Help: Could More Specific Targets for Daily Food Intake Distribution Promote Glycemic Management among Youth with Type 1 Diabetes?
Creator:
Mayer-Davis, Elizabeth and Cristello Sarteau, Angelica
Date of publication:
2022
Abstract Tesim:
Average glycemic levels among youth with type 1 diabetes (T1D) have worsened in some parts of the world over the past decade despite simultaneous increased uptake of diabetes technology, thereby highlighting the persistent need to identify effective behavioral strategies to manage glycemia during this life stage. Nutrition is fundamental to T1D management. We reviewed the evidence base of eating strategies tested to date to improve glycemic levels among youth with T1D in order to identify promising directions for future research. No eating strategy tested among youth with T1D since the advent of flexible insulin regimens—including widely promoted carbohydrate counting and low glycemic index strategies—is robustly supported by the existing evidence base, which is characterized by few prospective studies, small study sample sizes, and lack of replication of results due to marked differences in study design or eating strategy tested. Further, focus on macronutrients or food groups without consideration of food intake distribution throughout the day or day-to-day consistency may partially underlie the lack of glycemic benefits observed in studies to date. Increased attention paid to these factors by future observational and experimental studies may facilitate identification of behavioral targets that increase glycemic predictability and management among youth with T1D.
Resource type:
Article
Affiliation Label Tesim:
Gillings School of Global Public Health and Department of Nutrition
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17615/d7rg-ey36
Edition:
Publisher
Identifier:
https://dx.doi.org/10.3390/nu14040824
ISSN:
2072-6643
Journal Issue:
4
Journal Title:
Nutrients
Journal Volume:
14
Keyword:
child, glycemic control, food, adolescent, nutrition, diet, type 1 diabetes, and diabetes management
Language Label:
English
License Label:
Attribution 3.0 United States
Page Start:
824
Person:
Mayer-Davis, Elizabeth and Cristello Sarteau, Angelica
Rights Statement Label:
In Copyright
Source:
mdpi_backfiles_14

1009. Mechanisms of DNA Mobilization and Sequestration

Title Tesim:
Mechanisms of DNA Mobilization and Sequestration
Creator:
Kolbin, Daniel and Bloom, Kerry
Date of publication:
2022
Abstract Tesim:
The entire genome becomes mobilized following DNA damage. Understanding the mechanisms that act at the genome level requires that we embrace experimental and computational strategies to capture the behavior of the long-chain DNA polymer, which is the building block for the chromosome. Long-chain polymers exhibit constrained, sub-diffusive motion in the nucleus. Cross-linking proteins, including cohesin and condensin, have a disproportionate effect on genome organization in their ability to stabilize transient interactions. Cross-linking proteins can segregate the genome into sub-domains through polymer–polymer phase separation (PPPS) and can drive the formation of gene clusters through small changes in their binding kinetics. Principles from polymer physics provide a means to unravel the mysteries hidden in the chains of life.
Resource type:
Article
Affiliation Label Tesim:
College of Arts and Sciences and Department of Biology
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17615/cmnt-qa23
Edition:
Publisher
Identifier:
https://dx.doi.org/10.3390/genes13020352
ISSN:
2073-4425
Journal Issue:
2
Journal Title:
Genes
Journal Volume:
13
Keyword:
polymer networks, genome mobility, gene clustering, and transient cross-linking
Language Label:
English
License Label:
Attribution 3.0 United States
Page Start:
352
Person:
Kolbin, Daniel and Bloom, Kerry
Rights Statement Label:
In Copyright
Source:
mdpi_backfiles_13

1010. The Synthesis and Initial Evaluation of MerTK Targeted PET Agents

Title Tesim:
The Synthesis and Initial Evaluation of MerTK Targeted PET Agents
Creator:
Ma, Xinrui, Zhou, Yubai, Li, Bing, Ding, Ransheng, Wang, Xiaodong, Wang, Li, Li, Zibo, Wu, Xuedan, Wu, Zhanhong, and Stashko, Michael A.
Date of publication:
2022
Abstract Tesim:
MerTK (Mer tyrosine kinase), a receptor tyrosine kinase, is ectopically or aberrantly expressed in numerous human hematologic and solid malignancies. Although a variety of MerTK targeting therapies are being developed to enhance outcomes for patients with various cancers, the sensitivity of tumors to MerTK suppression may not be uniform due to the heterogeneity of solid tumors and different tumor stages. In this report, we develop a series of radiolabeled agents as potential MerTK PET (positron emission tomography) agents. In our initial in vivo evaluation, [18F]-MerTK-6 showed prominent uptake rate (4.79 ± 0.24%ID/g) in B16F10 tumor-bearing mice. The tumor to muscle ratio reached 1.86 and 3.09 at 0.5 and 2 h post-injection, respectively. In summary, [18F]-MerTK-6 is a promising PET agent for MerTK imaging and is worth further evaluation in future studies.
Resource type:
Article
Affiliation Label Tesim:
School of Medicine, Biomedical Research Imaging Center, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, and Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17615/15n1-4602
Edition:
Publisher
Identifier:
https://dx.doi.org/10.3390/molecules27051460
ISSN:
1420-3049
Journal Issue:
5
Journal Title:
Molecules
Journal Volume:
27
Keyword:
positron emission tomography, radiolabeling, cancer, fluorine-18, and MerTK
Language Label:
English
License Label:
Attribution 3.0 United States
Page Start:
1460
Person:
Ma, Xinrui, Zhou, Yubai, Li, Bing, Ding, Ransheng, Wang, Xiaodong, Wang, Li, Li, Zibo, Wu, Xuedan, Wu, Zhanhong, and Stashko, Michael A.
Rights Statement Label:
In Copyright
Source:
mdpi_backfiles_12