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Contemporary football demands exceptional cognitive abilities alongside physical prowess, yet current training methodologies lack precision for optimizing cognitive performance through objective neural monitoring. This computational study develops and validates a theoretical multimodal neural feedback collaborative training system that simultaneously enhances executive function and tactical cognition in football contexts. The proposed system integrates electroencephalography (EEG), eye-tracking, and physiological monitoring to provide real-time feedback during cognitive training protocols. Through computational validation utilizing synthetic neural signal datasets and algorithmic performance modeling, we evaluated the theoretical system’s efficacy across executive function components (working memory, inhibitory control, cognitive flexibility) and tactical cognition domains (pattern recognition, strategic planning, decision-making). Computational results demonstrated significant theoretical improvements in executive function capabilities averaging 23.7% and tactical cognition enhancements reaching 27.8% compared to baseline algorithmic performance. The collaborative training approach consistently outperformed isolated training modalities in simulations, with large effect sizes (Cohen’s d = 0.96 to d = 1.24, representing substantial theoretical effects) across cognitive domains. Neurophysiological simulations revealed enhanced theta-gamma coupling, increased alpha synchronization, and strengthened fronto-parietal connectivity patterns supporting improved cognitive performance. The mathematical frameworks and algorithmic validation establish theoretical foundations for understanding executive function-tactical cognition interactions while demonstrating the computational potential for neurotechnology-enhanced cognitive training. Future empirical studies with actual athletes are needed to validate these theoretical findings in practical settings.

Only circulating tumor cells (CTCs) that successfully evade immune surveillance upon entering the bloodstream can lead to clonal expansion and metastasis. Cancer progression is accompanied by pathophysiological processes such as platelet activation and thrombosis. Platelets secrete a variety of growth factors to stimulate cancer cell proliferation, regulate tumor angiogenesis, and subsequently mediate surface changes in cancer cells to promote invasion and progression. As part of a dangerous alliance, CTCs and platelets induce mutual activation. Activated platelets aggregate and encapsulate tumor cells, forming microtumor thrombi containing fibrin clots that act as protective barriers. These platelets interact with immune cells, including NK cells, macrophages, neutrophils, and T cells, to facilitate cancer metastasis and progression through various mechanisms. The formation of a favorable tumor microenvironment (TME) and pre-metastatic niche aids cancer cells in evading immune surveillance. Multiple signaling pathways and immune checkpoints are also involved in this process. Given the significant role of platelets in tumor immune evasion, anti-cancer strategies targeting platelets and their potential use as “bionic drug delivery systems” for anti-tumor drugs hold broad prospects in emerging tumor therapies.

Revealing the effects of drought stress on the photosynthetic characteristics and yield of naked oats ( Avena nuda L.) is significant for enhancing the productivity of oats. In this study, a potted experiment consisting of four water levels was conducted in the Bashang area of Hebei Province, China. The drought stress period was established as the continual 8 days during the jointing-heading stage. The aims were to reveal the impacts of drought stress on the photosynthetic characteristics and yield of naked oats during the critical stage. The results showed that the photosynthetic rate ( P n ), transpiration rate ( T r ), and stomatal conductance ( G s ) decreased under all conditions of drought stress. The intercellular CO 2 concentration ( C i ) decreased under light drought stress, while it increased under moderate and severe drought stress. The initial chlorophyll fluorescence rate ( F o ) increased by 9.03–50.92% under drought stress, and the maximum fluorescence rate ( F m ) decreased by 8.49–19.73% under drought stress. The photochemical efficiency ( F v / F m ) increased by 10.37–24.12% under drought stress. The yields decreased by 9.5–12.7%, 16.8–27.0% and 44.1–47.7% under light, moderate and severe drought stress during the critical stage, respectively. The grains per panicle decreased by 1.7–12.5%, 8.3–24.3% and 32.7–34.2% under light, moderate and severe drought stress conditions, respectively. The 1000-grain weight decreased by 5.7–8.6%, 12.7–14.5% and 16.8–19.1% under light, moderate and severe drought stress conditions, respectively. The panicle numbers did not vary significantly among the different drought stress treatments. The photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance and transpiration all had significant positive relationships with the yield of naked oat ( P  < 0.01). Parameters of PS II except for F o all had significant positive relationships with the yield of naked oats ( P  < 0.05). This study is significant for enhancing the production efficiency of naked oat under drought stress.

Clostridium difficile toxin B (TcdB) is a critical virulence factor that causes diseases associated with C. difficile infection. Here we carried out CRISPR–Cas9-mediated genome-wide screens and identified the members of the Wnt receptor frizzled family (FZDs) as TcdB receptors. TcdB binds to the conserved Wnt-binding site known as the cysteine-rich domain (CRD), with the highest affinity towards FZD1, 2 and 7. TcdB competes with Wnt for binding to FZDs, and its binding blocks Wnt signalling. FZD1/2/7 triple-knockout cells are highly resistant to TcdB, and recombinant FZD2-CRD prevented TcdB binding to the colonic epithelium. Colonic organoids cultured from FZD7-knockout mice, combined with knockdown of FZD1 and 2, showed increased resistance to TcdB. The colonic epithelium in FZD7-knockout mice was less susceptible to TcdB-induced tissue damage in vivo . These findings establish FZDs as physiologically relevant receptors for TcdB in the colonic epithelium. Here, a genome-wide CRISPR–Cas9 screen is used to identify the Wnt receptors frizzled as physiologically relevant Clostridium difficile toxin B receptors, providing new therapeutic targets for treating C. difficile infections. Frizzled drug targets in C. difficile Clostridium difficile infection is the most common cause for antibiotic-associated diarrhea and the leading cause of gastroenteritis-associated death in developed countries. Two homologous toxins, toxin A (TcdA) and toxin B (TcdB), enter host cells through receptor-mediated endocytosis and are the causal agents of C. difficile pathology. How TcdB targets the colonic epithelium has been unclear. In this study, Min Dong et al . use a genome-wide CRISPR screen to identify members of the Wnt receptor frizzled family (FZDs) as physiologically relevant TcdB receptors in the murine colonic epithelium and in colonic organoids, with highest affinity toward FZD1, 2 and 7. In so doing, this work provides new therapeutic targets for treating C. difficile infections.

The Da Vinci Robot is the most advanced micro-control system in endoscopic surgical instruments and has gained a lot of valuable experience today. However, the technical feasibility and oncological safety of the robot over open surgery are still uncertain. This work is to systematically evaluate the efficacy of the unilateral axillary approach for robotic surgery compared to open surgery for differentiated thyroid carcinoma. PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science databases were utilized to search for relevant literatures of robotic thyroid surgery using unilateral axillary approach compared to open thyroid surgery, and a meta-analysis was performed using RevMan software version 5.3. Statistical analysis was performed through Mantle-Haenszel and inverse variance methods. Twelve studies with a total of 2660 patients were included in the meta-analysis. The results showed that compared with the open group, the robotic group had a longer total thyroidectomy time, shorter hospital stay, less intraoperative bleeding, more postoperative drainage, fewer retrieved central lymph nodes, and higher cosmetic satisfaction (all P < 0.05). In contrast, temporary and permanent laryngeal recurrent nerve injury, temporary and permanent hypoparathyroidism or hypocalcemia, brachial plexus nerve injury, number of retrieved central lymph nodes, number of retrieved lymph nodes in the lateral cervical region, number of lymph node metastases in the lateral cervical region, hematoma, seroma, lymphatic leak, stimulated thyroglobulin (sTg) and unstimulated thyroglobulin (uTg), and the number and recurrence rate of patients with sTg <1ng/ml were not statistically different between the two groups (P > 0.05). The unilateral axillary approach for robotic thyroid surgery may achieve outcomes similar to those of open surgery. Further validation is required in a prospective randomized controlled trial.

Several recent papers have reported strong signals of selection on European polygenic height scores. These analyses used height effect estimates from the GIANT consortium and replication studies. Here, we describe a new analysis based on the the UK Biobank (UKB), a large, independent dataset. We find that the signals of selection using UKB effect estimates are strongly attenuated or absent. We also provide evidence that previous analyses were confounded by population stratification. Therefore, the conclusion of strong polygenic adaptation now lacks support. Moreover, these discrepancies highlight (1) that methods for correcting for population stratification in GWAS may not always be sufficient for polygenic trait analyses, and (2) that claims of differences in polygenic scores between populations should be treated with caution until these issues are better understood. Editorial note: This article has been through an editorial process in which the authors decide how to respond to the issues raised during peer review. The Reviewing Editor's assessment is that all the issues have been addressed (see decision letter ).

PANoptosis induces programmed cell death (PCD) through extensive crosstalk and is associated with development of cancer. However, the functional mechanisms, clinical significance, and potential applications of PANoptosis-related genes (PRGs) in colorectal cancer (CRC) have not been fully elucidated. Functional enrichment of key PRGs was analyzed based on databases, and relationships between key PRGs and the immune microenvironment, immune cell infiltration, chemotherapy drug sensitivity, tumor progression genes, single-cell cellular subgroups, signal transduction pathways, transcription factor regulation, and miRNA regulatory networks were systematically explored. This study identified 5 key PRGs associated with CRC: BCL10 , CDKN2A , DAPK1 , PYGM and TIMP1 . Then, RT-PCR was used to verify expression of these genes in CRC cells and tissues. Clinical significance and prognostic value of key genes were further verified by multiple datasets. Analyses of the immune microenvironment, immune cell infiltration, chemotherapy drug sensitivity, tumor progression genes, single-cell cellular subgroups, and signal transduction pathways suggest a close relationship between these key genes and development of CRC. In addition, a novel prognostic nomogram model for CRC was successfully constructed by combining important clinical indicators and the key genes. In conclusion, our findings offer new insights for understanding the pathogenesis of CRC, predicting CRC prognosis, and identifying multiple therapeutic targets for future CRC therapy.

Aims Ectomycorrhizal fungi are pivotal drivers in storing carbon (C) in soil. Yet, whether and how ectomycorrhizal hyphae turnover controls soil organic carbon (SOC) accumulation under nitrogen (N) deposition remains unknown. Methods We quantified the responses of SOC and its physical fractions (particulate organic carbon, POC and mineral-associated organic carbon, MAOC) regulated by ectomycorrhizal hyphae decomposition to chronic N addition (25 kg N ha −1 yr −1 , 50 kg N ha −1 yr −1 ). We also explored the microbial necromass C (i.e. amino sugar) contributions SOC accumulation mediated by ectomycorrhizal hyphae decomposition under N addition. Results Our results showed that the ectomycorrhizal hyphae decomposition promoted the SOC sequestration dominated by MAOC accrual, and this positive effect was enhanced under N addition. Furthermore, the effects of N addition on stable SOC fraction accumulation during ectomycorrhizal hyphae decomposition was mainly attributed to the increase of microbial necromass C and the enhancement of mineral protection for SOC. Conclusions Our results highlight the importance of ectomycorrhizal hyphae decomposition in regulating stable SOC accumulation under N deposition. Collectively, our findings provide direct evidence for the significant role of ectomycorrhizal hyphae turnover on soil C dynamics, and contribute valuable insights into ectomycorrhizal hyphae turnover and associated soil C feedback under atmospheric N deposition.

This study investigates the ion cyclotron emission (ICE) excited by tritium ions generated through deuterium‒deuterium fusion reactions in the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST). ICE is an electromagnetic instability driven by fast ions, and its excitation mechanism is primarily explained by magnetoacoustic cyclotron instability (MCI) theory, which describes energy transfer between fast ions and Alfvénic waves. Since ICE is closely related to the distribution of fast ions, the MCI growth rate is computed using linear theory based on the fast ion distribution calculated by TRANSP. Based on experimental parameters from EAST, we apply MCI theory to analyze the ICE growth rate and investigate the effects of key factors such as the propagation angle and the ratio of fast tritium ions to bulk deuterium plasma density. Experimental findings indicate that ICE excitation is at the fundamental frequency, simulations support that the propagation angle is approximately between 80° and 85°. At the fundamental frequency, the MCI growth rate increases with the propagation angle but decreases as the fast tritium ion density decreases. These results provide insights into the physics of ICE excitation and highlight its potential as the diagnostic tool for fast ions in future fusion reactors, including CFETR, DEMO, and ITER. Understanding ICE can help optimize fusion plasma performance and improve fast-ion confinement in next-generation magnetically confined fusion devices.

The global coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has led to a health crisis. It remains unclear how anxiety affects blood pressure (BP) and cardiovascular risk among older patients with hypertension. In this study, we extracted longitudinal data on home BP monitored via a smartphone-based application in 3724 elderly patients with hypertension from a clinical trial (60–80 years; 240 in Wuhan and 3484 in non-Wuhan areas) to examine changes in morning BP during the COVID-19 outbreak in China. Anxiety was evaluated using Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 item scores. Changes in morning systolic BP (SBP) were analyzed for five 30-day periods during the pandemic (October 21, 2019 to March 21, 2020), including the pre-epidemic, incubation, developing, outbreak, and plateau periods. Data on cardiovascular events were prospectively collected for one year. A total of 262 individuals (7.0%) reported an increased level of anxiety, and 3462 individuals (93.0%) did not. Patients with anxiety showed higher morning SBP than patients without anxiety, and the between-group differences in SBP change were +1.2 mmHg and +1.7 mmHg during the outbreak and plateau periods ( P  < 0.05), respectively. The seasonal BP variation in winter among patients with anxiety was suppressed during the pandemic. Anxious patients had higher rates of uncontrolled BP. During the 1-year follow-up period, patients with anxiety had an increased risk of cardiovascular events with a hazard ratio of 2.47 (95% confidence interval, 1.10–5.58; P  = 0.03). In summary, COVID-19-related anxiety was associated with a short-term increase in morning SBP among older patients and led to a greater risk of cardiovascular events. (ClinicalTrials. gov number, NCT03015311).