Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
What Motivates Successful Marathon Runners? The Role of Sex, Age, Education, and Training Experience in Polish Runners

The aim of this study was to compare the motivations of successful marathon finishers (n = 1,243) and inexperienced runners (control group, n = 296). A total of 1,537 runners with 380 women (24.7%) and 1,157 men (75.3%) completed the motivations of marathoners scales (MOMS) questionnaire and the relationships between general motivation categories and selected demographic (e.g., gender, age, and education) and training characteristics were analyzed. Successful marathon finishers did not differ significantly in motivations from the control group (p > 0.05). Trivial to small correlations with age, educational level, and training characteristics were observed. Female marathon finishers exceeded men on the motivational scales for weight concern, affiliation, psychological coping, life meaning, and self-esteem and they scored lower on competitive motivation (p < 0.05). There was also a significant relationship of some motivational aspects with level of education, experience and training frequency. These findings confirmed that age and gender differentiate motivations in both successful female and male marathon finishers and controls.
Increased Plasma Dipeptidyl Peptidase-4 (DPP4) Activity Is an Obesity-Independent Parameter for Glycemic Deregulation in Type 2 Diabetes Patients

Background: Increase in circulating dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP4) activity and levels has been reported to associate both with hyperglycemia and obesity. Here we aim to decipher the role of enhanced plasma DPP4 activity in obese type 2 diabetes (T2DM) patients. Materials and methods: Plasma DPP4 levels and activity were measured in obese and non-obese newly diagnosed T2DM patients (n = 123). Visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue DPP4 expression and activity were determined in 43 obese subjects (T2DM = 21 and non-T2DM = 22). 20 subjects undergoing Mini-Gastric Bypass (MGB) surgery were followed up over 4–6 weeks for plasma DPP4. Results: Plasma DPP4 levels and activity both were increased in T2DM patients compared to control group. However, DPP4 levels and not DPP4 activity were increased in obese T2DM patients compared to non-obese T2DM (62.49 ± 26.27 μg/ml vs. 48.4 ± 30.98 μg/ml, respectively, p = 0.028). DPP4 activity in visceral adipose tissue (VAT) from obese T2DM and obese non-T2DM groups were similar (5.05 ± 3.96 nmol/min/ml vs. 5.83 ± 4.13 nmol/min/ml respectively, p = 0.548) in spite of having increased DPP4 expression in the obese T2DM group. Moreover, in obese patients, plasma DPP4 levels and activity did not show any significant change after weight reduction and glycemic control following MGB surgery. Conclusion: Enhanced plasma DPP4 activity in T2DM occurs independently of obesity. Thus, adipose derived DPP4 may not be playing any significant role in glycemic deregulation in obese T2DM patients.
Higher Levels of ANGPTL5 in the Circulation of Subjects With Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes Are Associated With Insulin Resistance

Objective: The family of angiopoietin-like proteins (ANGPTLs) is composed of eight ANGPTLs members that are involved in regulating various metabolic processes and have been implicated in type 2 diabetes (T2D) and obesity. ANGPTL5 is an understudied member of this family that has been suggested to regulate triglyceride metabolism with a potential role in obesity. This study was designed to investigate the expression levels of ANGPTL5 protein in the circulation of subjects with obesity and T2D. Methods: A total of 204 subjects were enrolled in this cross-sectional study, of which 95 had diagnosed T2D and 109 did not (non-T2D). Within the non-T2D group, 39 subjects were obese (BMI ≥ 30 Kg/m2) and 70 were not (BMI < 30 Kg/m2). Among subjects with T2D, 61 were obese and 34 were non-obese. Circulating ANGPTL5 plasma levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results: In this study, we showed that ANGPTL5 levels were higher in the plasma of subjects with T2D [mean ± standard error of the mean (SEM): 5.78 ± 2.70 ng/mL] compared with individuals without T2D (mean ± SEM: 4.42 ± 2.22 ng/mL; P < 0.001). Obese and non-T2D subjects had significantly higher levels of ANGPTL5 (mean ± SEM: 5.115 ± 0.366 ng/mL) compared with non-obese, non-T2D subjects (mean ± SEM: 4.02 ± 0.271 ng/mL; P = 0.003). Similarly, among subjects with diagnosed T2D, those who were obese had higher ANGPTL5 plasma levels than non-obese subjects, although this difference did not reach statistical significance (P = 0.088). Correlation analyses revealed that ANGPTL5 levels positively associated with fasting plasma glucose (FPG), glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), triglycerides (TGL), and insulin resistance as measured by HOMA-IR. Conclusion: our data shows for the first time that circulating ANGPTL5 levels were higher in obese individuals and those with T2D. Further analysis will be required to better understand the interaction between ANGPTL5 and other metabolic related biomarkers to shed more light on its role in diabetes and obesity.
Comparison of CD8+ T Cell Accumulation in the Brain During Human and Murine Cerebral Malaria

CD8+ T cells have been shown to play a critical role in the pathogenesis of experimental cerebral malaria (ECM) in mice, but their role in development of human cerebral malaria (HCM) remains unclear. Thus, in this study we have provided the first direct contrast of the accumulation of CD8+ T cells in the brain during HCM and ECM. HCM cases were from children who died of Plasmodium falciparum cerebral malaria at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital (Malawi) between 2003 and 2010. ECM was induced by infecting C57BL/6J mice with P. berghei ANKA. We demonstrate similarities in the intracerebral CD8+ T cell responses in ECM and HCM, in particular an apparent shared choroid plexus—meningeal route of CD8+ T cell accumulation in the brain. Nevertheless, we also reveal some potentially important differences in compartmentalization of CD8+ T cells within the cerebrovascular bed in HCM and ECM.
Neural Correlates of Public Apology Effectiveness

Apologizing is an effective interpersonal conflict resolution strategy, but whether, and if so how, organizations should issue public apologies after crises remains less clear. To assuage the fear of possible crisis reoccurrence, public apologies may be effective when they provide a comprehensive account of what happened and clarify actions taken by the company to address the problems. If this is so, public apologies may be most effective when the crisis source resides within the organization itself, suggesting that the company has control over it. In the current study, we first tested this hypothesis by presenting participants with multiple crisis scenarios (e.g., ignition failures in a new car model) followed by one of two written apologies: one stating that the crisis source was internal to and controllable by the organization, and the other external and uncontrollable. The internal-controllable (IC) public apology proved most effective. We then examined the neural basis of this public apology assessment and found that the frontal polar cortex appears to mediate the assessment of organizational control, and the angular gyrus uses the information for the apology assessment. Examination of complex social interactions, such as the public’s reaction to corporate crises, helps to elucidate high-level brain function.
From Experience to Memory: On the Robustness of the Peak-and-End-Rule for Complex, Heterogeneous Experiences

Memory forms the input for future behavior. Therefore, how individuals remember a certain experience may be just as important as the experience itself. The peak-and-end-rule (PE-rule) postulates that remembered experiences are best predicted by the peak emotional valence and the emotional valence at the end of an experience in the here and now. The PE-rule, however, has mostly been assessed in experimental paradigms that induce relatively simple, one-dimensional experiences (e.g., experienced pain in a clinical setting). This hampers generalizations of the PE-rule to the experiences in everyday life. This paper evaluates the generalizability of the PE-rule to more complex and heterogeneous experiences by examining the PE-rule in a virtual reality (VR) experience, as VR combines improved ecological validity with rigorous experimental control. Findings indicate that for more complex and heterogeneous experiences, peak and end emotional valence are inferior to other measures (such as averaged valence and arousal ratings over the entire experiential episode) in predicting remembered experience. These findings suggest that the PE-rule cannot be generalized to ecologically more valid experiential episodes.
Akt3-Mediated Protection Against Inflammatory Demyelinating Disease

Akt is a serine/threonine protein kinase that plays a major role in regulating multiple cellular processes. While the isoforms Akt1 and Akt2 are involved in apoptosis and insulin signaling, respectively, the role for Akt3 remains uncertain. Akt3 is predominantly expressed in the brain, and total deletion of Akt3 in mice results in a reduction in brain size and neurodegeneration following injury. Previously, we found that Akt3−/− mice have a significantly worse clinical course during myelin-oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG)-induced experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), an animal model in which autoreactive immune cells enter the CNS, resulting in inflammation, demyelination, and axonal injury. Spinal cords of Akt3−/− mice are severely demyelinated and have increased inflammation compared to WT, suggesting a neuroprotective role for Akt3 during EAE. To specifically address the role of Akt3 in neuroinflammation and maintaining neuronal integrity, we used several mouse strains with different manipulations to Akt3. During EAE, Akt3Nmf350 mice (with enhanced Akt3 kinase activity) had lower clinical scores, a lag in disease onset, a delay in the influx of inflammatory cells into the CNS, and less axonal damage compared to WT mice. A significant increased efficiency of differentiation toward FOXP3 expressing iTregs was also observed in Akt3Nmf350 mice relative to WT. Mice with a conditional deletion of Akt3 in CD4+ T-cells had an earlier onset of EAE symptoms, increased inflammation in the spinal cord and brain, and had fewer FOXP3+ cells and FOXP3 mRNA expression. No difference in EAE outcome was observed when Akt3 expression was deleted in neurons (Syn1-CKO). These results indicate that Akt3 signaling in T-cells and not neurons is necessary for maintaining CNS integrity during an inflammatory demyelinating disease.
The Reliability and Validity of Short Form-12 Health Survey Version 2 for Chinese Older Adults

Background: We assessed the information regarding the psychometric properties of the Short Form-12 Health Survey Version 2 (SF-12v2) among older adults in China Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on a stratified representative sample of older adults (≥60 years) residing in community and nursing home settings in 2017–18. Reliability was estimated using the internal consistency method. Validity was assessed using convergent and discriminant validity checks, factor analyses (including both exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses [EFA and CFA]), and “known groups” construct validity. Results: The final sample comprised 1000 older adults (451 community-dwelling and 549 institutional). Cronbach’s α was 0.81 for the Physical Component Summary (PCS) and 0.83 for the Mental Component Summary (MCS), showing satisfactory internal consistency for both. Most items were strongly correlated with their represented component (Spearman’s correlation coefficient: 0.62–0.87), although the correlation of SF items with PCS was a bit stronger than that with MCS. A two-factor structure (physical and mental health) indicated by EFA jointly accounted for 68.50% of the variance and presented adequate goodness-of-fit indices (GFI=0.98, AGFI=0.92, RMSEA=0.08, 90% Cl RMSEA=0.06 to 0.11, NFI=0.98, and CFI=0.98) in CFA. Known-groups comparison showed that SF-12v2 summary scores did well in differentiating subgroups of older adults by age, marital status, and self-reported health problems (P≤0.05). Conclusion: SF-12v2 is a reliable and valid health-related quality of life instrument for Chinese older adults that works equally well with older adults under institutional care and community-based home care models.
A revised annotated checklist of louse flies (Diptera, Hippoboscidae) from Slovakia

Abstract The list of all known locality and host records from the literature on louse flies from Slovakia are summarized, with the addition of new collection data. New locality data are provided for five species. Three species are added to the Slovakian list: Icostaminor (Bigot in Thomson, 1858), which was erroneously cited for Moravia instead of Slovakia in the previous checklist, and Ornithophilametallica (Schiner, 1864) and Ornithomyachloropus (Bergroth, 1901), which were overlooked from the last checklist. As a result, the louse fly fauna of Slovakia increases to 19 species: 12 autochtonous species and seven rare, non-native species only occasionally imported to Slovakia or migrating to the country with their hosts. This is by far the largest regional fauna of Hippoboscidae in Central Europe, and matches the richest southern European faunas. In total, 78 host-parasite associations concerning 46 bird-host species from eight orders and nine species of mammals, including humans, have been found from a literature review in Slovakia. Two host-parasite associations are reported from Slovakia for the first time: Ornithomyaavicularia (Linnaeus, 1758) on Prunellamodularis (Linnaeus, 1758) (Aves: Prunellidae) and Lipoptenafortisetosa Maa, 1965 on Homosapiens Linnaeus, 1758 (Mammalia: Hominidae).
VDR Variants rather than Early Pregnancy Vitamin D Concentrations Are Associated with the Risk of Gestational Diabetes: The Ma'anshan Birth Cohort (MABC) Study

Aim This study investigated the associations among early pregnancy vitamin D concentrations, seasonality, and vitamin D metabolic gene variants and how these variables related alone and in interaction with the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Methods Research participants were women from the Ma'anshan birth cohort study in China. The overall study included 3110 women to explore the association between early pregnancy vitamin D concentrations and the risk of GDM. In the current analysis, a nested case-control study of 274 GDM cases and 380 controls was conducted to investigate seven vitamin D metabolic gene variants and the risk of GDM. Vitamin D concentrations were measured by radioimmunoassay. Genotypes were determined by improved multiple ligase detection reaction. Interactions between genetic variants and vitamin D as predictors of the risk of GDM were evaluated by a pair-wise analysis under a multiplicative interaction model. Results Vitamin D concentrations were not significantly associated with the risk of GDM (OR = 0.79, 95% CI = 0.55-1.13) after adjusting for seasonality. Fall-winter conceptions had a 37% decreased risk of GDM compared with spring-summer conceptions (OR = 0.63, 95% CI = 0.49-0.81), independent of vitamin D concentrations. Two VDR gene variants rs1544410 (OR = 2.03, 95% CI = 1.17-3.51 for CT versus CC) and rs731236 (OR = 2.42, 95% CI = 1.29-4.55 for GA versus AA) were significantly associated with the risk of GDM. No interactions among genetic variants and vitamin D concentrations were detected. Conclusion Early pregnancy vitamin D insufficiency or deficiency was not significantly associated with the risk of GDM. The results of this study emphasize the importance of genetic variants in VDR and conception season as factors that affect the risk of GDM.
Selection of reliable reference genes for quantitative RT-PCR in garlic under salt stress

Quantitative real-time reverse-transcriptase PCR (qRT-PCR) has been frequently used for detecting gene expression. To obtain reliable results, selection of suitable reference genes is a fundamental and necessary step. Garlic (Allium sativum), a member from Alliaceae family, has been used both as a food flavoring and as a traditional medicine. In the present study, garlic plants were exposed to salt stress (200 mM NaCl) for 0, 1, 4 and 12 h, and garlic roots, bulbs, and leaves were harvested for subsequent analysis. The expression stability of eight candidate reference genes, eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4α (eIF-4α), actin (ACTIN), tubulin β-7 (TUB7), TAP42-interacting protein of 41 kDa (TIP41), glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), SAND family protein (SAND), elongation factor 1 alpha (EF-1α), and protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) were evaluated by geNorm, NormFinder, and BestKeeper. All genes tested displayed variable expression profiles under salt stress. In the leaf and root group, ACTIN was the best reference gene for normalizing gene expression. In garlic clove, ACTIN and SAND were the least variable, and were suitable for gene expression studies under salt stress; these two genes also performed well in all samples tested. Based on our results, we recommend that it is essential to use specific reference genes in different situations to obtain accurate results. Using a combination of multiple stable reference genes, such as ACTIN and SAND, to normalize gene expression is encouraged. The results from the study will be beneficial for accurate determination of gene expression in garlic and other plants.
The Underlying Stroke Etiology: A Comparison of Two Classifications in a Rural Setup

Introduction This study compares the Trial of Org 10172 in Acute Stroke Treatment (TOAST) and the atherothrombosis, small vessel disease, cardiac pathology, other causes, and dissection (ASCOD) classification performed in a rural hospital setup. Stroke is the second leading cause of death after ischemic heart disease with over 9.5 million new cases of ischemic stroke in 2016. Stroke is a complex disease with numerous contributing factors. India needs a standardized stroke classification system, as without one it becomes difficult to collect data on stroke patients, perform follow-ups, and provide appropriate secondary prevention. A standardized stroke classification system would also help in building a nationwide database in order to note epidemiological trends of ischemic stroke. This would also create greater awareness regarding stroke in rural parts of India where healthcare is difficult to access. Aims and objectives Our aim was to review all admitted stroke patients’ data and classify their etiology and mechanism based on the TOAST and ASCOD classification systems. The ASCOD classification has yet to be utilized in the Indian population. The two classifications are then compared in order to gain a better insight into which classification is a better fit for the Indian population. Both are based on the etiology of ischemic stroke but the ASCOD classification differs because it gives suitable secondary prevention measures based on the diseases linked to stroke. ASCOD also gives a proper indication of the patient’s present causative factor (similar to TOAST) and other factors that can possibly lead to further recurrences. This is different from TOAST, which denotes only a single cause for stroke and eliminates the possibility of other involved contributing factors. Materials and methods All patients involved in the study were admitted to a rural Indian hospital from January 2014 to July 2016. All the relevant clinical details of each patient were then retrieved from the hospital’s electronic medical record system for the study. We then classified all the patients based on the TOAST and ASCOD classification criteria. Results Using the ASCOD classification, we found that 179 (86%) patients out of 209 had either atherothrombosis or small vessel disease. The ASCOD classification also showed substantial evidence that the determined stroke mechanism/etiology is interconnected to multiple causal factors in over 50% of patients. In contrast, the TOAST classification had identified a larger number of ischemic stroke patients as having an etiology of other and undetermined causes as compared to the ASCOD classification. Conclusion The ASCOD classification is better to use in patients and helps decide the secondary prevention appropriately.
Unexpected palaeodiversity of omaliine rove beetles in Eocene Baltic amber (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Omaliinae)

Abstract Fossil records of the subfamily Omaliinae are fragmentary and most of them are less informative compression fossils. Baltic amber from the mid-Eocene of northern Europe is one of the most important sources of insect fossils, but only two reliably placed omaliines have been described. Here, we provide a general overview of this subfamily in Baltic amber. In total, five new extinct species of four genera in three tribes are described and illustrated: Geodromicusbalticussp. nov. (Anthophagini), Eusphalerumkantisp. nov. (Eusphalerini), Paraphloeostibamorosasp. nov., Phyllodrepadaedalisp. nov., and Ph.icarisp. nov. (Omaliini). Additionally, we report on four species belonging to Eusphalerum, which remain unnamed, from the same amber deposit. The records of Eusphalerum include the first fossils of the tribe Eusphalerini, while that of Geodromicus may represent the second and the first definitive fossil record of the genus and tribe Anthophagini. Our discoveries highlight the unexpected palaeodiversity of Omaliinae in Baltic amber, further reinforcing the coexistence of thermophilous and temperate-loving beetles in Baltic amber and potentially indicating wetland and riparian habitats of amber-producing forests.
Comparative and Interactive Biochemical Effects of Sub-Lethal Concentrations of Cadmium and Lead on Some Tissues of the African Catfish (Clarias gariepinus)

Cadmium is a strong toxic heavy metal which presents in paints and liquid wastes and causes oxidative stress in fish. On the other hand, lead is widely used for different purposes, e.g. lead pipes, it targets vital organs such as liver and kidney causing biochemical alterations. The present study evaluates the effects of 60 days exposure to Cd and Pb either single or combined together in African catfish. Sixty-four fishes were divided into 3 groups and exposed to CdCl_2 (7.02 mg/L) or PbCl_2 (69.3 mg/L) or a combination of them along with control group. Activities of acid phosphatase (ACP), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G-6-PDH) were estimated. Moreover, gill, liver and kidney were assayed for activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and levels of glutathione (GSH) and malondialdehyde (MDA). Individual exposure showed that both Cd and Pb significantly decreased LDH activity and SOD activity in the kidney. Pb significantly increased G-6-PDH activity and decreased GSH level in the gill. CAT activity in liver and kidney elevated significantly on Cd exposure while lead caused a significant depletion in the liver and significant elevation in the kidney. Both Cd and Pb significantly increased MDA levels in liver and kidney while Pb increased its level in gills. The combined exposure resulted in normalization of LDH, G-6-PDH activity, and CAT activity in liver and kidney as well as GSH level in both tissues and MDA in gill and kidney. The combination increased SOD activity and MDA level in liver and decreased SOD activity in kidney and GSH level in gills. In conclusion, the antioxidant system of African catfish was adversely affected by prolonged exposure to Cd and Pb. The combined exposure caused less damage than individual exposure and returned most parameters to those of controls.