Explore the vast range of titles available.

The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of small-sided game-based compensatory strategies (CS) versus non-compensatory (NCS) strategies on the aerobic and repeated sprint ability development of non-starter soccer players. A controlled crossover experimental design was used, consisting of two 4-week phases separated by a 2-week washout period. Nineteen male non-starter soccer players (age: 18.1 ± 0.7 years) participated in the study. Each player experienced both an NCS and a specific CS, the latter involving six 3-minute bouts of 2v2 small-sided games performed the day after the match. CS indicates that additional training was introduced to compensate for the lack of playing time. This intervention was applied to players who either did not participate in the match or played less than 15 minutes. Physical fitness was assessed using the Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test Level 1 (YYIRT) and the Running-Based Anaerobic Sprint Test (RSAmean). Significant interactions were found for YYIRT (p < 0.001, ηp2 = 0.587, large effects) and RSAmean (p < 0.001, ηp2 = 0.739, large effects). CS presented better results than NCS in YYIRT at both mid (mean difference: 84.4m, p = 0.040) and post-assessment (mean difference: 64.7m, p = 0.042). RSAmean was smaller under CS at mid (mean difference: -0.078 s, p = 0.012) and post-assessment (mean difference: -0.058s, p = 0.045). In conclusion, the results suggest that the CS condition leads to better YYIRT performance and reduced RSAmean compared to NCS. Practically, incorporating CS into training protocols for players who do not regularly participate in matches - such as unselected players or non-starters with limited playing time - may help maintain physical capacities, particularly endurance and repeated sprint ability, as these players are often exposed to lower physical demands during matches.

The purpose of this study was to analyze the effects of compensatory training on later-born basketball players, who had less match time compared to their peers, focusing on their physical fitness and skill development. A prospective cohort study compared three groups of male youth basketball players (ages 12-14). One group consisted of later-born players with a high volume of match play in competitive scenarios (lbHPT), while the other two groups had match play below the median of the teams. Among these two groups, one received compensatory training (lbLPTcomp), and the other did not (lbLPTreg). Players were evaluated at three time points: baseline, 3 months, and 6 months. The assessments measured aerobic capacity (using the Yo-Yo intermittent recovery test), 10-meter sprint performance, 5-0-5 change of direction (COD deficit), and performance on the basketball technical test (LSPT). The compensatory training consisted of two weekly sessions in which, after regular training, the later-born players participated in 2v2 or 3v3 small-sided games lasting 15 minutes per session. The results revealed that lbLPTcomp was significantly effective in reducing the differences with lbHPT, as no significant differences were observed between the two cohorts over the 6 months for any of the outcomes (p > 0.05). Additionally, lbLPTcomp performed significantly better than lbLPTreg post-6 months in the LSPT (p = 0.033) and COD deficit (p = 0.003). The lbLPTreg group was also significantly worse than lbHPT in the YYIRT (p = 0.022), LSPT (p = 0.036), and COD deficit (p = 0.005). No significant between-group differences were found in 10-m sprint after 6 months (p = 0.241), though lbHPT and lbLPTcomp improved significantly (both p < 0.001). In conclusion, while compensatory training like twice-weekly small-sided games may help later-born youth athletes with limited playtime, further research is needed before broad implementation.

Small-sided games (SSGs) are frequently utilized in training settings to elicit specific stimuli that can promote physical fitness adaptations over time. However, various task constraints, such as pitch dimensions, can significantly influence both the acute external and internal load responses. Thus, understanding the impact of different pitch dimensions on physical fitness adaptations is crucial. This study sought to compare the physical adaptations induced by an SSG-based program utilizing more elongated pitches (SSGlw2; length-to-width ratio: 2.0) versus less elongated pitches (SSGwl1; length-to-width ratio: 1.0) on the Yo-Yo intermittent recovery test level 1 (YYIRT), and 30-meter sprint. This study employed a randomized controlled design. Forty-eight male soccer players (16.4 ± 0.6 years) participated. These players were randomly allocated to two experimental groups (N = 16, SSGlw1; N = 16, SSGlw2) and underwent two weekly additional training sessions over an 8-week period, while a group of 16 players continued with their regular in-field sessions as a control group. Evaluations were conducted before and after the intervention period. Significant interactions time u group were observed in regards YYIRT (F = 15.857; p < 0.001; = 0.413) and 30-m sprint test (p < 0.001). Between-group differences on YYIRT were found in post-intervention (p < 0.001), on which SSGlw2 (p < 0.001) and SSGlw1 (p < 0.001) were significantly greater in comparison to control group. Additionally, between-group differences on 30-m sprint were found in post-intervention (p < 0.001), on which SSGlw2 was significantly better than SSGlw1 (p < 0.001) and control group (p < 0.001). Coaches are advised to prioritize the use of more elongated pitch sizes to promote adaptations in sprint performance, while still acknowledging that aerobic capacity improvements remain significant compared to other pitch shapes.

Identifying strategies to mitigate the impact of the Relative Age Effect (RAE) on the development of youth basketball players is crucial. This study aimed to compare two methods of player grouping during competitive small-sided games and match scenarios in training sessions, focusing on their impact on physical performance and technical skill development: mixed birthdate quartiles (CON) versus structured grouping based on birthdate quartiles (BG) over a 6-month period. A randomized controlled trial was conducted with forty-one youth basketball players (age: 12.9 ± 0.7 years) at a trained/developmental level. Throughout the study, participants in the BG group (n = 20) were assigned to small-sided games or match competition scenarios based on their birthdate quartiles, while those in the CON group (n = 21) were grouped with players from mixed quartiles. Players were evaluated at baseline and after the 6-month period for physical performance using countermovement jump (CMJ), change-of-direction (COD), and aerobic capacity (YYIRT). Additionally, they were assessed for technical skills in shooting, passing, and dribbling tests. Comparisons were made based on both birthdate quartiles (quartiles q1-2 relatively older, and q3-4 relatively younger players) and group. After 6 months, the CONq3q4 covered a shorter YYIRT distance than the CONq1q2 group (p = 0.040), achieved a lower CMJ height than both the CONq1q2 (p = 0.024) and BGq1q2 groups (p = 0.019), and had a greater COD deficit than the CONq1q2 group (p = 0.046). Additionally, the CONq3q4 group had longer dribbling times than the CONq1q2 (p = 0.002), BGq1q2 (p = 0.004), and BGq3q4 (p = 0.009) groups. In skill assessments, the CONq3q4 group scored lower in passing than both the CONq1q2 (p = 0.015) and BGq1q2 groups (p = 0.025), and scored lower in shooting compared to the CONq1q2 (p = 0.019), BGq1q2 (p = 0.003), and BGq3q4 (p = 0.003) groups. Grouping youth basketball players based on birthdate quartiles during training can mitigate the relative age effect, promoting more equitable physical and technical development by reducing age-related biases. However, these conclusions are limited by the study's duration and require further research over the long term.

Assessment and characterization of gut microbiota has become a major research area in human disease, including type 2 diabetes, the most prevalent endocrine disease worldwide. To carry out analysis on gut microbial content in patients with type 2 diabetes, we developed a protocol for a metagenome-wide association study (MGWAS) and undertook a two-stage MGWAS based on deep shotgun sequencing of the gut microbial DNA from 345 Chinese individuals. We identified and validated approximately 60,000 type-2-diabetes-associated markers and established the concept of a metagenomic linkage group, enabling taxonomic species-level analyses. MGWAS analysis showed that patients with type 2 diabetes were characterized by a moderate degree of gut microbial dysbiosis, a decrease in the abundance of some universal butyrate-producing bacteria and an increase in various opportunistic pathogens, as well as an enrichment of other microbial functions conferring sulphate reduction and oxidative stress resistance. An analysis of 23 additional individuals demonstrated that these gut microbial markers might be useful for classifying type 2 diabetes. The authors have developed a new method, metagenome-wide association study (MGWAS), to compare the combined genetic content of the faecal microbiota of healthy people versus patients with type 2 diabetes; they identify multiple microbial species and metabolic pathways that are associated with either cohort and show that some of these may be used as biomarkers. Diabetes and the gut metagenome The incidence of type 2 diabetes is known to correlate with both genetic and environmental factors, and it has been suggested that alterations in the intestinal microbiota may also be involved. Jun Wang and colleagues have developed a novel approach, termed a metagenome-wide association study (MWAS), to compare the combined genetic content of the faecal microbiota between healthy people and those with diabetes. They identify multiple microbial species and metabolic pathways that are associated with either cohort and show that some of these may be used as biomarkers.

ObjectivesDiverse evidence including clinical, genetic and microbiome studies support a major role of the gut microbiome in the common immune-mediated arthropathy, ankylosing spondylitis (AS). We set out to (1) further define the key microbial characteristics driving disease, and (2) examine the effects of tumour necrosis factor-inhibitor (TNFi) therapy upon the microbiome.MethodsThe stools from a case–control cohort of 250 Han-Chinese subjects underwent shotgun metagenomic sequencing. All subjects were genotyped using the Illumina CoreExome SNP microarray.ResultsPrevious reports of gut dysbiosis in AS were reconfirmed and several notable bacterial species and functional categories were differentially abundant. TNFi therapy was correlated with a restoration the perturbed microbiome observed in untreated AS cases to that of healthy controls, including several important bacterial species that have been previously associated with AS and other related diseases. Enrichment of bacterial peptides homologous to HLA-B27-presented epitopes was observed in the stools of patients with AS, suggesting that either HLA-B27 fails to clear these or that they are involved in driving HLA-B27-associated immune reactions. TNFi therapy largely restored the perturbed microbiome observed in untreated AS cases to that of healthy controls, including several important bacterial species that have been previously associated with AS and other related diseases. TNFi therapy of patients with AS was also associated with a reduction of potentially arthritogenic bacterial peptides, relative to untreated patients.ConclusionThese findings emphasise the key role that the gut microbiome plays in driving the pathogenesis of AS and highlight potential therapeutic and/or preventative targets.

Polyethyleneimine-functionalized cellulose beads (PCB-PEI) with hierarchical multi-porous structures were fabricated via a novel strategy combining intermolecular pre-crosslinking with glutaraldehyde chemical crosslinking to improve the specific surface area and mechanical performances of PCB-PEI. The resultant PCB-PEI possessed unique hierarchical architecture consisting of surface interpenetrating porous networks, resulting in large specific surface area of 100.61 m2/g and high porosity of 94.27%. In particular, the robust double cross-linking networks endowed PCB-PEI with outstanding stiffness, toughness, and elasticity. The compressive strength was up to 202 kPa, and retained at 94.5 kPa with 84.1% of shape recovery after 10 loading–unloading cycles at 50% compressive strain. Benefiting from its hierarchical multi-porous structure, abundant functional sites, and excellent mechanical properties, PCB-PEI displayed excellent dye adsorption and reusability. The maximum adsorption capacities for methyl blue (MB) and rose bengal (RB) reached 1550.55 and 467.95 mg/g. After 8 cycles, the adsorption capacities of PCB-PEI for MB and RB still maintained more than 97% and 86%, respectively. Predominant electrostatic attraction and hydrogen bond interactions during adsorption process were proposed to improve the adsorption of dyes. Thus, PCB-PEI is a potential, sustainable adsorbent for highly efficient removal of dyes from wastewater.Graphic abstract

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating neurodegenerative disease. To identify additional genetic factors, we analyzed exome sequences in a large cohort of Chinese ALS patients and found a homozygous variant (p.L700P) in PCDHA9 in three unrelated patients. We generated Pcdhα9 mutant mice harboring either orthologous point mutation or deletion mutation. These mice develop progressive spinal motor loss, muscle atrophy, and structural/functional abnormalities of the neuromuscular junction, leading to paralysis and early lethality. TDP-43 pathology is detected in the spinal motor neurons of aged mutant mice. Mechanistically, we demonstrate that Pcdha9 mutation causes aberrant activation of FAK and PYK2 in aging spinal cord, and dramatically reduced NKA-α1 expression in motor neurons. Our single nucleus multi-omics analysis reveals disturbed signaling involved in cell adhesion, ion transport, synapse organization, and neuronal survival in aged mutant mice. Together, our results present PCDHA9 as a potential ALS gene and provide insights into its pathogenesis. Genetic mutations are found in only 15% of sporadic ALS. Here, authors identify PCDHA9 as a candidate ALS gene and elucidate detailed underlying pathogenesis using mice with Pcdhα9 mutations that develop typical ALS phenotype and hallmark pathology.

Recent evidence suggests that inflammation was participated in the pathogenesis of PD, thus, to understand the potential mechanism of gut microbiota in the pathogenesis of Parkinson’s disease (PD), we performed a metagenomic analysis of fecal samples from PD patient and controls. Using a two-stage metagenome-wide association strategy, fecal DNA samples from 69 PD patients and 244 controls in three groups (comprising 66 spouses, 97 age-matched, and 81 normal samples, respectively) were analyzed, and differences between candidate gut microbiota and microbiota-associated epitopes (MEs) were compared. In the study, 27 candidate bacterial biomarkers and twenty-eight candidate epitope peptides were significantly different between the PD patients and control groups. Further, enriched 4 and 13 MEs in PD were positively associated with abnormal inflammatory indicators [neutrophil percentage (NEUT.1), monocyte count/percentage (MONO/MONO.1), white blood cell count (WBC)] and five candidate bacterial biomarkers (c_Actinobacteria, f_Bifidobacteriaceae, g_Bifidobacterium , o_Bifidobacteriales, p_Actinobacteria) from Actinobacteria phylum, and they were also positively associated with histidine degradation and proline biosynthesis pathways, respectively. Additionally, enriched 2 MEs and 1 ME in PD were positively associated with above inflammatory indicators and two bacteria (f_Lactobacillaceae, g_Lactobacillus ) from Firmicutes phylum, and they were also positively associated with pyruvate fermentation to propanoate I and negatively associated with isopropanol biosynthesis, respectively. Of these MEs, two MEs from GROEL2, RPSC were derived from Mycobacterium tuberculosis , triggered the T cell immune response, as previously reported. Additionally, other candidate epitope peptides derived from Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Mycobacterium leprae may also have potential immune effects in PD. In all, the altered MEs in PD may relate to abnormalities in immunity and glutamate and propionate metabolism, which furthers our understanding of the pathogenesis of PD.

Increased Tas2r105 was detected in the inflamed colon of mice outside the tongue. Tas2r105 deletion aggravated mice colon colitis. Tas2r105 might alleviate mice colitis by downregulating the Proteobacteria and the Bacteroidota abundance in the colon. Lysophosphatidylethanolamine (LPE) might be the key metabolite that mediated the intestinal protection of Tas2r105.