bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Pterostilbene Protects Cochlea from Ototoxicity in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats by Inhibiting the Apoptosis
Authors: Özdaş Sibel , Taştekin Bora , Gürgen Seren G. , Özdaş Talih , Pelit Aykut , Erkan Sanem O. , Tuhanioğlu Birgül , Görgülü Orhan 
Published: January 2020

AbstractObjectives/HypothesisDiabetes mellitus (DM) causes ototoxicity by inducing oxidative stress, microangiopathy, and apoptosis in the cochlear sensory hair cells. The natural anti-oxidant pterostilbene (PTS) (trans-3,5-dimethoxy-4-hydroxystylbene) has been reported to relieve oxidative stress and apoptosis in DM, but its role in diabetic-induced ototoxicity is unclear. This study aimed to investigate the effects of dose-dependent PTS on the cochlear cells of streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats.MethodsThe study included 30 albino male Wistar rats that were randomized into five groups: non-diabetic control (Control), diabetic control (DM), and diabetic rats treated with intraperitoneal PTS at 10, 20, or 40 mg/kg/day during the four-week experimental period (DM+ PTS10, DM + PTS20, and DM + PTS40). Distortion product otoacoustic emission (DPOAE) tests were performed at the beginning and end of the study. At the end of the experimental period, apoptosis in the rat cochlea was investigated using caspase-8, cytochrome-c, and terminal deoxyribonucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-biotin end labeling (TUNEL). Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction was used to assess the mRNA expression levels of the following genes:CASP-3, BCL-associated X protein (BAX), andBCL-2. Body weight, blood glucose, serum insulin, and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in the rat groups were evaluated.ResultsThe mean DPOAE amplitude in the DM group was significantly lower than the means of the other groups (0.9–8 kHz; P < 0.001 for all). A dose-dependent increase of the mean DPOAE amplitudes was observed with PTS treatment (P < 0.05 for all). The caspase-8 and cytochrome-c protein expressions and the number of TUNEL-positive cells in the hair cells of the Corti organs of the DM rat group were significantly higher than those of the PTS treatment and control groups (DM > DM + PTS10 > DM + PTS20 > DM + PTS40 > Control; P < 0.05 for all). PTS treatment also reduced cell apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner by increasing the mRNA expression of the anti-apoptosisBCL2gene and by decreasing the mRNA expressions of both the pro-apoptosisBAXgene and its effectorCASP-3in a dose-dependent manner (P < 0.05 compared to DM for all). PTS treatment significantly improved the metabolic parameters of the diabetic rats, such as body weight, blood glucose, serum insulin, and MDA levels, consistent with our other findings (P < 0.05 compared to DM for all).ConclusionPTS decreased the cochlear damage caused by diabetes, as confirmed by DPOAE, biochemical, histopathological, immunohistochemical, and molecular findings. This study reports the first in vivo findings to suggest that PTS may be a protective therapeutic agent against diabetes-induced ototoxicity.
Human MAIT cell cytolytic effector proteins synergize to overcome carbapenem resistance inEscherichia coli
Authors: Boulouis Caroline , Sia Wan Rong , Gulam Muhammad Yaaseen , Teo Jocelyn Qi Min , Phan Thanh Kha , Mak Jeffrey Y. W. , Fairlie David P. , Poon Ivan K. H. , Koh Tse Hsien , Bergman Peter , Wang Lin-Fa , Kwa Andrea Lay Hoon , Sandberg Johan K. , Leeansyah Edwin 
Published: January 2020

AbstractMucosa-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells are abundant antimicrobial T cells in humans, and recognize antigens derived from the microbial riboflavin biosynthetic pathway presented by the MHC-Ib-related protein (MR1). However, the mechanisms responsible for MAIT cell antimicrobial activity are not fully understood, and the efficacy of these mechanisms against antibiotic resistant bacteria has not been explored. Here, we show that MAIT cells mediate MR1-restricted antimicrobial activity againstE. coliclinical strains in a manner dependent on the activity of cytolytic proteins, but independent of production of pro-inflammatory cytokines or induction of apoptosis in infected cells. The combined action of the pore-forming antimicrobial protein granulysin and the serine protease granzyme B released in response to TCR-mediated recognition of MR1-presented antigen is essential to mediate control against both cell-associated and free-livingE. coli. Furthermore, MAIT cell-mediated bacterial control extend to multidrug-resistantE. coliprimary clinical isolates additionally resistant to carbapenems, a class of last resort antibiotics. Notably, high levels of granulysin and granzyme B in the MAIT cell secretomes directly damage bacterial cells by increasing their permeability, rendering initially resistantE. colisusceptible to the bactericidal activity of carbapenems. These findings define the role of cytolytic effector proteins in MAIT cell-mediated antimicrobial activity, and indicate that granulysin and granzyme B synergize to restore carbapenem bactericidal activity and overcome carbapenem resistance inE. coli.One Sentence SummaryPotent antimicrobial activity of human MAIT cells overcomes carbapenem-resistance in control ofEscherichia coli
Coalescence of rhizobial communities in soil interacts with fertilization and determines the assembly of rhizobia in root nodules
Authors: Ramoneda Josep , Le Roux Johannes , Stadelmann Stefanie , Frossard Emmanuel , Frey Beat , Gamper Hannes Andres 
Published: January 2020

AbstractSoil microbial community coalescence, whereby entire microbial communities mix and compete in a new environmental setting, is a widespread phenomenon whose applicability for targeted root microbiome assembly has not been studied. Using a legume shrub adapted to nutrient poor soil, we tested for the first time how the assembly of communities of rhizobial root nodule symbionts is affected by the interaction of coalescence and fertilization. Seedlings of the rooibos [Aspalathus linearis(Burm.f.) Dahlg.], were raised in pairwise mixtures of soil from cultivated and uncultivated land of five farms, as well as the individual mixture components. A fragment of the symbiosis maker gene,nodA, was sequenced to characterize the taxonomic turnover of the rhizobia associated with all root nodules at the age of eight month. Soil mixing promoted taxonomic turnover in the rhizobial communities, while fertilization amplified such turnover by increasing the number of rhizobia that became more abundant after soil mixing. Soil mixing and fertilization had a synergistic effect on the abundance of a particular taxon, which was rare in the component soils but became highly abundant in fertilized plants raised in soil mixtures. These findings provide the first evidence that fertilizer addition can interact with soil microbial community coalescence, probably through increasing the chances for rare strains to prioritize root nodule colonization. The combination of soil mixing and fertilizer addition may be a still unexplored measure to (re)introduce root microbial mutualists in arable land.
Fusion Pore Formation Observed During SNARE-Mediated Vesicle Fusion with Pore-Spanning Membranes
Authors: Mühlenbrock P. , Herwig K. , Vuong L. , Mey I. , Steinem C. 
Published: January 2020

ABSTRACTPlanar pore-spanning membranes (PSMs) have been shown to be a versatile tool to resolve docking and elementary steps of the fusion process with single large unilamellar vesicles (LUVs). However, in previous studies, we monitored only lipid mixing and did not gather information about the formation of fusion pores. To address this important step of the fusion process, we entrapped sulforhodamine B at self-quenching concentrations into LUVs containing the v-SNARE synaptobrevin 2, which were docked and fused with lipid-labeled PSMs containing the t-SNARE acceptor complex ΔN49 prepared on porous silicon substrates. By dual color spinning disc fluorescence microcopy with a time resolution of 20 ms, we could unambiguously distinguish between bursting vesicles and fusion pore formation. Owing to the aqueous compartment underneath the PSMs, vesicle bursting turned out to be an extremely rare event (< 0.01 %). From the time-resolved dual color fluorescence time traces, we were able to identify different fusion pathways including remaining three-dimensional postfusion structures with released content and flickering fusion pores. Our results on fusion pore formation and lipid diffusion from the PSM into the fusing vesicle let us conclude that the content release, i.e., fusion pore formation follows the merger of the two lipid membranes by only about 40 ms.STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCEDespite great efforts to developin vitrofusion assays to understand the process of neuronal fusion, there is still a huge demand to provide single vesicle fusion assays that simultaneously report on all intermediate states including three-dimensional postfusion structures and fusion pore formation including flickering pores without the underlying artifact of vesicle bursting. Here, we show that pore-spanning membranes (PSMs) are ideal candidates to fulfill these demands. Owing to their planarity and the second aqueous compartments, they are readily accessible by fluorescence microscopy and provide sufficient space so that vesicle bursting becomes negligible. Dual color fluorescence microscopy allows distinguishing between different fusion intermediates and fusion pathways such as “kiss and run” fusion as well as flickering fusion pores.
Loss of Caveolin-1 and caveolae leads to increased cardiac cell stiffness and functional decline of the adult zebrafish heart
Authors: Grivas Dimitrios , González-Rajal Álvaro , Rodríguez Carlos Guerrero , Garcia Ricardo , de la Pompa José Luis 
Published: January 2020

ABSTRACTCaveolin-1 is the main structural protein of caveolae, small membrane invaginations involved in signal transduction and mechanoprotection. Here, we generatedcav1-KOzebrafish lacking Cav1 and caveolae, and investigated the impact of this loss on adult heart function and response to cryoinjury. We found that cardiac function was impaired in adultcav1-KOfish, which showed a significantly decreased ejection fraction and heart rate. Using atomic force microscopy, we detected an increase in the stiffness of epicardial cells and cortical myocardium lacking Cav1/caveolae. This loss of cardiac elasticity might explain the decreased cardiac contraction and function. Surprisingly,cav1-KOmutants were able to regenerate their heart after a cryoinjury but showed a transient decrease in cardiomyocyte proliferation.
Golgi SM protein Sly1 promotes productivetrans-SNARE complex assembly through multiple mechanisms
Authors: Duan M. , Gao G. , Banfield D.K. , Merz A.J. 
Published: January 2020

SUMMARYSNARE chaperones of the Sec1/mammalian Unc-18 (SM) family have critical roles in SNARE-mediated membrane fusion. Using SNARE and Sly1 mutants, and a newin vitroassay of fusion, we separate and assess proposed mechanisms through which Sly1 augments fusion: (i) opening the closed conformation of the Qa-SNARE Sed5; (ii) close-range tethering of vesicles to target organelles, mediated by the Sly1-specific regulatory loop; and (iii) preferential nucleation of productivetrans-SNARE complexes. We show that all three mechanisms are important and operate in parallel, and we present evidence that close-range tethering is particularly important fortrans-complex assembly whencis-SNARE assembly is a competing process. In addition, the autoinhibitory N-terminal Habc domain of Sed5 has at least two positive activities: the Habc domain is needed for correct Sed5 localization, and it directly promotes Sly1-dependent fusion. Remarkably, “split Sed5,” with the Habc domain present only as a soluble fragment, is functional bothin vitroandin vivo.
Cognitive dissonance revisited
Authors: Brooksbank Roger , Fullerton Sam 
Published: January 2020

PurposeIn revisiting Festinger's theory of cognitive dissonance, this paper seeks to go beyond traditional business-to-consumer (B2C) research parameters and explore the full extent of its potential application within a New Zealand business-to-business (B2B) purchasing context.Design/methodology/approachThe study's core findings are based on four separate focus group discussions with B2B salespeople. Responses were recorded and analysed according to the manifest content of the discussions. These focus groups were preceded by, and followed up with, two other enquiries that sought the perspectives of B2B buyers.FindingsIntended for use as a learning tool for aspiring B2B salespeople and their instructors, a new typology of four generic potential post-decision ‘cognitive states’ is proposed, which, depending on the scenario at hand, will likely reflect the buyer's mindset.Research limitations/implicationsThe generalisation of findings may be somewhat limited because the focus groups were drawn from a convenience sample totalling just 20 practitioners. Some participants might also have felt slightly constrained, leading to opinions that are subject to bias.Practical implicationsExamples of differing buying scenarios are profiled and explained from the perspective of their implications for salespeople. Suggestions as to how sellers can best accommodate the post-decision cognitive states experienced by their buyers are delineated.Originality/valueConventional wisdom suggests that post-purchase cognitive dissonance is the sole ‘cognitive state’ towards which a B2B salesperson needs to be attuned to for the purpose of taking some form of accommodating action. However, this study indicates that three other states relating to the aftermath of a buyer's decision, whether a purchase is made or not, also merit attention.
Carroll’s dimensions and CSR disclosure: empirical evidence from Pakistan
Authors: Hamid Samreen , Riaz Zahid , Azeem Syed Muhammad Waqar 
Published: January 2020

Purpose
This study aims to ascertain the relevance of Carroll’s four dimensions of corporate social responsibility (CSR), namely, economic, legal, ethical and discretionary in a dynamic regulatory context of a developing economy – Pakistan.

Design/methodology/approach
This study has operationalized these dimensions as four categories of CSR disclosure index. This disclosure index measured the relevance of CSR dimensions by examining CSR disclosure practices of Pakistan Stock Exchange-100 index firms.

Findings
The authors have found that the firms of Pakistan disclose more information pertaining to discretionary dimension of CSR than economic, legal and ethical dimensions. Interestingly, the authors have observed that after the enactment of state regulation, there is an increasing trend of the overall CSR disclosure level at a decreasing rate.

Practical implications
For policymakers, these findings imply that firms tend to perceive law as a box-ticking exercise and refrain to involve in those CSR activities that can have both strategic and societal benefits over the long run. These finding imply for business managers that if they will not undertake CSR notion seriously then the policymakers will take statutory initiatives to curtail the greenwashing effect and these initiatives can lead to higher transaction costs.

Originality/value
This study presents evidence about the relevance of Carroll’s four dimensions of CSR in a developing economy. The evidence shows that the CSR disclosure in developing economy continues to take a largely philanthropic form thereby dominating other CSR dimensions namely ethical, legal and economic. These findings also confirm that CSR practices are context-dependent and these cannot be isolated from their unique social context.
Sustainability evaluation of additive manufacturing processes using grey-based approach
Authors: Agrawal Rohit , S. Vinodh 
Published: January 2020

Purpose
Sustainable manufacturing facilitates the development of products with lower environmental impact. Additive manufacturing (AM) processes are incorporated with sustainable characteristics such as minimum material consumption, energy efficiency and minimum transportation. The purpose of this paper is to report a study on sustainability evaluation of AM process using a grey-based approach.

Design/methodology/approach
Sustainable AM process is gaining importance. From this viewpoint, this paper presents the evaluation of sustainability of AM process. The evaluation model includes 3 enablers, 18 criteria and 54 attributes. Grey-based approach is used for sustainability evaluation. Expert inputs are used for computing the grey index. Expert inputs are obtained and they are aggregated at three levels to calculate the overall grey performance index, which indicates sustainability level of AM processes. Furthermore, weaker areas are identified through determination of grey performance importance index (GPII) values.

Findings
The calculated grey index is (3.510, 16.177), which implies that AM process is sustainable. Weaker attributes are determined on the basis of the computation of GPII values.

Practical implications
The study has been executed on the basis of the opinion from experts with practical experience. Hence, the inferences are found to be practically feasible. The identified weaker attributes from the study would enable the manufacturers and practitioners to focus more on weaker areas for enhancing the sustainability of AM processes. The study has made an evaluation from sustainability perspective of AM processes, which would enable practitioners to assess AM processes from TBL sustainability orientation.

Originality/value
The development of sustainability evaluation model and application of a grey-based approach for assessment of AM process are the original contributions of this study.
A hybrid model for energy efficient spectrum sensing in cognitive radio
Authors: Bhowmik Mahua , P. Malathi P. Malathi 
Published: January 2020

PurposeCognitive radio (CR) plays a very important role in enabling spectral efficiency in wireless communication networks, where the secondary user (SU) allows the licensed primary users (PUs). The purpose of this paper is to develop a prediction model for spectrum sensing in CR.Design/methodology/approachThis paper proposes a hybrid prediction model, called krill-herd whale optimization-based actor critic neural network and hidden Markov model (KHWO-ACNN-HMM). The spectral bands are determined optimally using the proposed hybrid prediction model for allocating the spectrum bands to the PUs. For better sensing, the eigenvalue based on cooperative sensing used in CR. Finally, a hybrid model is designed by hybridizing KHWO-ACNN and HMM to enhance the accuracy of sensing. The predicted results of KHWO-ACNN and HMM are combined by a fusion model, for which a weighted entropy fusion is employed to determine the free spectrum available in CRs.FindingsThe performance of the prediction model is evaluated based on metrics, such as probability of detection, probability of false alarm, throughput and sensing time. The proposed spectrum sensing method achieves maximum probability of detection of 0.9696, minimum probability of false alarm rate as 0.78, minimum throughput of 0.0303 and the maximum sensing time of 650.08 s.Research implicationsThe proposed method is useful in various applications, including authentication applications, wireless medical networks and so on.Originality/valueA hybrid prediction model is introduced for energy efficient spectrum sensing in CR and the performance of the proposed model is evaluated with the existing models. The proposed hybrid model outperformed the other techniques.
New configurations in Brazilian agribusiness: rural warehouse condominiums
Authors: Filippi Amanda Cristina Gaban , Guarnieri Patricia , Carvalho José Márcio , Reis Silvia Araújo , da Cunha Cleyzer Adrian 
Published: January 2020

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to analyze the development of rural warehouses condominiums (or “condos”) as new rural configurations in the Brazilian agribusiness from the perspective of the theory of collective action.Design/methodology/approachA systematic literature review was complemented with multiple case studies based on interviews and direct observation. Content analysis was used to interpret the secondary and primary data.FindingsRural warehouse condos can be characterized as a collective action which is a new business model in Brazilian agribusiness. This new initiative has several advantages: reduction of the warehouse deficit and other logistical bottlenecks; strategic commercialization of production; reduction of logistical costs; inclusion of smallholders in the economy and, consequently, the generation of income for smallholders and their participation in the market.Research limitations/implicationsThe study used a qualitative approach and findings and discussion are inherently interpretative.Social implicationsUnderstanding the organization of rural warehouse condos supports the inclusion of smallholding farmers and income generation. This creates a social benefit through rural growth and economic development. Some constraints related to the lack of public policies, specific credit lines in financial institutions, the problem of non-regularized rural areas, lack of transparency and conflicts among the members can limit expansion.Originality/valueRural warehouse condos are expanding mainly in the south region of Brazil, where smallholders are concentrated. In this new configuration, they can engage in an association to obtain several benefits, such as reduced logistics costs, better access to financing and increased bargaining power with suppliers. As this research dealt with a relatively new and poorly studied topic, it contributes to the development of new studies to map innovative warehousing practices.
Exploring entrepreneurial-group formation by smallholder Burundian farmers
Authors: Mupfasoni Bélyse , Kessler Aad , Lans Thomas , Ngenzebuke Rama Lionel 
Published: January 2020

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to analyze the role of specific internal states (i.e. the set of sustainable values and motivations) that underlie group formation and joint business idea identification of farmer groups in the context of Burundi.Design/methodology/approachQuantitative and qualitative data were combined in this study. Quantitative data were analyzed using basic statistics. Qualitative data were collected in focus group discussions with farmer groups.FindingsFindings revealed that groups are not just formed on the basis of homophily (same level of internal states) but also on “compensation” and “committed leadership.” Moreover, prior sustainable behavior of members influences sustainability of new group business ideas and the nature (e.g. focus on farming) of that business idea.Research limitations/implicationsAs this study was done at an early stage of group formation and does not include group dynamics over a longer period of time, further monitoring of the groups is needed to examine if the observed motivation persists.Originality/valueAlthough there is a vast amount of literature on entrepreneurial and top management teams, literature on the (early) mechanisms of entrepreneurial group formation in an emerging economy and rural context is relatively scarce.