Can we reduce injury risk during the adolescent growth spurt? An iterative sequence of prevention in male academy footballers.

The adolescent growth spurt is associated with an increased risk of injury in young athletes. This study aimed to use an interdisciplinary collaboration between technical coaches, sports scientists, and medical staff to mitigate this risk. 77 male academy footballers were followed across two seasons.

Glycogen-fuelled metabolism supports rapid mucosal-associated invariant T cell responses.

Mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells are a subset of unconventional T cells which recognize a limited repertoire of ligands presented by the MHC class-I like molecule MR1. In addition to their key role in host protection against bacterial and viral pathogens, MAIT cells are emerging as potent anti-cancer effectors. With their abundance in human, unrestricted properties, and rapid effector functions MAIT cells are emerging as attractive candidates for immunotherapy.

Natural selection according to Darwin: cause or effect?

In the 1940s, the 'modern synthesis' (MS) of Darwinism and genetics cast genetic mutation and recombination as the source of variability from which environmental events naturally select the fittest, such 'natural selection' constituting the cause of evolution. Recent biology increasingly challenges this view by casting genes as followers and awarding the leading role in the genesis of adaptations to the agency and plasticity of developing phenotypes-making natural selection a consequence of other causal processes. Both views of natural selection claim to capture the core of Darwin's arguments in On the Origin of Species.

IL-13 is a driver of COVID-19 severity.

Immune dysregulation is characteristic of the more severe stages of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Understanding the mechanisms by which the immune system contributes to COVID-19 severity may open new avenues to treatment. Here we report that elevated interleukin-13 (IL-13) was associated with the need for mechanical ventilation in two independent patient cohorts.

Mechanical, Physiological, and Perceptual Demands of Repeated Power Ability Lower-Body and Upper-Body Tests in Youth Athletes: Somatic Maturation as a Factor on the Performance.

This study aims (a) to assess and compare the acute mechanical, physiological, and perceptual demands induced by a lower and upper body repeated power ability (RPA) protocols, and (b) to examine how the somatic maturation could predict training response in RPA. Thirteen young male basketball players (chronological age = 15.2 ± 1.

Bio-banding in academy football: player's perceptions of a maturity matched tournament.

Individual differences in biological maturation impact player selection and development in youth football. To evaluate players perceptions of competing in a football tournament where they were matched by maturity rather than chronological age. Participants included male junior footballers from three professional academies ( 115).

BABY EMPATHY: INFANT DISTRESS AND PEER PROSOCIAL RESPONSES.

Empathy is an important competence in our social world, a motivator of prosocial behavior, and thought to develop throughout the second year of life. The current study examined infants' responses to naturalistic peer distress to explore markers of empathy and prosocial behavior in young babies. Seventeen 8-month-old infants participated in a repeated measures design using the "babies-in-groups" paradigm, with maternal presence as the independent variable.

Cobblestone area-forming cells in human cord blood are heterogeneous and differ from long-term culture-initiating cells.

The long-term culture-initiating cell (LTC-IC) assay is a physiological approach to the quantitation of primitive human hematopoietic cells. The readout using identification of cobblestone area-forming cells (CAFC) has gained popularity over the LTC-IC readout where cells are subcultured in a colony-forming cell assay. However, comparing the two assays, cord blood (CB) mononuclear cell (MNC) samples were found to contain a higher frequency of CAFC than LTC-IC (126 +/- 83 versus 40 +/- 31 per 10(5) cells, p = 0.

Adult bone marrow is a rich source of human mesenchymal 'stem' cells but umbilical cord and mobilized adult blood are not.

In postnatal life, mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) self-replicate, proliferate and differentiate into mesenchymal tissues, including bone, fat, tendon, muscle and bone marrow (BM) stroma. Possible clinical applications for MSC in stem cell transplantation have been proposed. We have evaluated the frequency, phenotype and differentiation potential of MSC in adult BM, cord blood (CB) and peripheral blood stem cell collections (PBSC).

Estimation of individual sensitivity to cyclosporin in children awaiting renal transplantation.

Background: Optimal immunosuppressive drug therapy requires that efficacy be balanced against toxicity. We have performed in vitro assays of cyclosporin (CsA) efficacy in children awaiting renal transplantation.

Methods: Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from 13 children awaiting renal transplantation and 10 healthy paediatric controls ("responders") were incubated in the presence of CsA (0-250 ng/ml).