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High-intensity training (HIT) has commonly been the most effective training method for improvement in maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) and work economy, alongside a substantial volume of low-intensity training (LIT). The polarized training model combines both low- and high-intensity training into a specific training intensity distribution and has gained attention as a comprehensive approach. The objective of this review was to systematically search the literature in order to identify the effects of polarized training intensity distribution on VO2max, peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak), and work economy among endurance athletes. A literature search was performed using PubMed and SPORTDiscus. A total of 1836 articles were identified, and, after the selection process, 14 relevant studies were included in this review. The findings indicate that a polarized training approach seems to be effective for enhancing VO2max, VO2peak, and work economy over a short-term period for endurance athletes. Specifically, a training intensity distribution involving a moderate to high volume of HIT (15–20%) combined with a substantial volume of LIT (75–80%) appears to be the most beneficial for these improvements. It was concluded that polarized training is a beneficial approach for enhancing VO2max, VO2peak, and work economy in endurance athletes. However, the limited number of studies restricts the generalizability of these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-destructive electrical fault isolation (FI) techniques such as emission- and laser-based techniques have been utilized widely for chip-level failure analysis (FA). However, these techniques by themselves can sometimes be inadequate for certain failure modes. In this paper, we present six FA case studies using Time-domain Reflectometry (Electro-optical terahertz pulse reflectometry, EOTPR) in combination with the traditional FI techniques. We also present continuing development in making EOTPR accessible to the semiconductor process and packaging communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To compare self-selected speeds and corresponding physiological responses and perceived training stress between 1 long session versus 2 shorter sessions of low-intensity training (LIT) in 1 day among cross-country skiers. Methods: Thirteen national-level skiers performed 2 different LIT types during classical roller-skiing matched for the same distance in a counterbalanced order. The training consisted of either 1 long (approximately 3 h) session (1LIT) or 2 shorter (approximately 1.5 h each) sessions (2LIT) with 7 hours of recovery in between. Speed, heart rate, rating of perceived exertion, and blood lactate concentrations were measured, and perceived training stress (1–10) was assessed after sessions. Results: 2LIT was performed at mean (SD) 1.9% (2.0%) higher speeds versus 1LIT (P ≤.01). Higher speeds were also found in the second versus first session of 2LIT and the second versus first part of 1LIT (1.9% [3.2%] and 3.2% [3.6%], respectively, both P ≤.01). There were no significant differences between LIT types in heart rate, although rating of perceived exertion increased in the second versus first part of 1LIT (0.9 [0.8] point, P ≤.01). Blood lactate concentration was reduced in the second versus first session/part of both LIT types (approximately 0.16 [0.20] mmol·L−1, P ≤.05). There were no differences in perceived training stress between LIT types 7 and 23 hours after training, although higher perceived muscular exertion (2.0 [1.1] points, P ≤.01) was found directly after 1LIT. Conclusions: Compared with a distance-matched long session, skiers perform 2LIT at slightly higher self-selected speeds with the same physiological responses elicited, although minor differences in perceived training stress were observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kemampuan pemecahan masalah merupakan salah satu tujuan yang penting dipelajari dalam proses pembelajaran. Banyaknya penggunaan rumus dan tidak terlibatnya peserta didik dalam penemuan konsep matematis menyebabkan rendahnya kemampuan pemecahan masalah matematis. Untuk itu, dirancang suatu alur pembelajaran untuk memfasilitasi kemampuan pemecahan masalah dengan pendekatan yang tepat dan sesuai berbasis Realistic Mathematics Education (RME) untuk menghasilkan Local Instructional Theory (LIT) khususnya topik aritmetika sosial yang valid, praktis dan efektif. Penelitian pengembangan ini menggunakan gabungan design research model Plomp dan Gravemeijer & Cobb. Subyek penelitian terdiri dari peserta didik kelas VII sebanyak 3 orang (evaluasi perorangan), 6 orang (kelompok kecil) dan 32 orang (kelompok besar) di sebuah SMP di Kota Padang. Data penelitian dikumpulkan menggunakan lembar observasi, lembar validasi ahli, lembar angket, dan soal tes kemampuan pemecahan masalah. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa LIT topik aritmetika sosial yang dikembangkan sudah valid dilihat dari aspek didaktik (penyajian), materi (isi), kebahasaan dan kegrafikaan (tampilan. Praktis karena alur belajar dapat digunakan oleh peserta didik dalam menemukan sendiri konsep matematika menggunakan tahap informal menuju tahap formal dengan uji kelayakan oleh peserta didik (kelompok kecil) 86,67% dengan kriteria “sangat praktis” dan peserta didik (kelompok besar) 78,27% dengan kriteria “praktis”. Selanjutnya dikatakan efektif karena memberikan dampak positif terhadap kemampuan pemecahan masalah matematis peserta didik dan rata-rata tes 79,11% dengan kriteria “berhasil” pada tahap field test. Problem solving ability is one of the important goals studied in the learning process. The large use of formulas and the lack of involvement of students in discovering mathematical concepts causes low mathematical problem solving abilities. For this reason, a learning pathway was designed to facilitate problem solving abilities with an appropriate and appropriate approach based on Realistic Mathematics Education (RME) to produce Local Teaching Theory (LIT), especially social arithmetic topics that are valid, practical and effective. This development research uses the Plomp and Gravemeijer & Cobb combined design research model. The research subjects consisted of 3 class VII students (individual evaluation), 6 people (small group) and 32 people (large group) at a junior high school in Padang City. Research data was collected using observation sheets, expert validation sheets, questionnaires, and problem solving ability test questions. The results of the research show that the LIT topic of social arithmetic that was developed is valid from the didactic (presentation), material (content), linguistic and graphic (display) aspects. It is practical because the learning flow can be used by students in discovering their own mathematical concepts using the informal stage towards the formal with a feasibility test by students (small groups) 86.67% with the criteria "very practical" and students (large groups) 78.27% with the criteria "practical". Furthermore, it is said to be effective because it has a positive impact on mathematical problem solving abilities students and the test average was 79.11% with the criteria "successful" at the field test stage.

High-intensity training (HIT) has commonly been the most effective training method for improvement in maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) and work economy, alongside a substantial volume of low-intensity training (LIT). The polarized training model combines both low- and high-intensity training into a specific training intensity distribution and has gained attention as a comprehensive approach. The objective of this review was to systematically search the literature in order to identify the effects of polarized training intensity distribution on VO2max, peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak), and work economy among endurance athletes. A literature search was performed using PubMed and SPORTDiscus. A total of 1836 articles were identified, and, after the selection process, 14 relevant studies were included in this review. The findings indicate that a polarized training approach seems to be effective for enhancing VO2max, VO2peak, and work economy over a short-term period for endurance athletes. Specifically, a training intensity distribution involving a moderate to high volume of HIT (15–20%) combined with a substantial volume of LIT (75–80%) appears to be the most beneficial for these improvements. It was concluded that polarized training is a beneficial approach for enhancing VO2max, VO2peak, and work economy in endurance athletes. However, the limited number of studies restricts the generalizability of these findings.

Abstract Background Performing multiple high-intensity interval training (HIIT) sessions in a compressed period of time (approximately 7–14 days) is called a HIIT shock microcycle (SM) and promises a rapid increase in endurance performance. However, the efficacy of HIIT-SM, as well as knowledge about optimal training volumes during a SM in the endurance-trained population have not been adequately investigated. This study aims to examine the effects of two different types of HIIT-SM (with or without additional low-intensity training (LIT)) compared to a control group (CG) on key endurance performance variables. Moreover, participants are closely monitored for stress, fatigue, recovery, and sleep before, during and after the intervention using innovative biomarkers, questionnaires, and wearable devices. Methods This is a study protocol of a randomized controlled trial that includes the results of a pilot participant. Thirty-six endurance trained athletes will be recruited and randomly assigned to either a HIIT-SM (HSM) group, HIIT-SM with additional LIT (HSM + LIT) group or a CG. All participants will be monitored before (9 days), during (7 days), and after (14 days) a 7-day intervention, for a total of 30 days. Participants in both intervention groups will complete 10 HIIT sessions over 7 consecutive days, with an additional 30 min of LIT in the HSM + LIT group. HIIT sessions consist of aerobic HIIT, i.e., 5 × 4 min at 90–95% of maximal heart rate interspersed by recovery periods of 2.5 min. To determine the effects of the intervention, physiological exercise testing, and a 5 km time trial will be conducted before and after the intervention. Results The feasibility study indicates good adherence and performance improvement of the pilot participant. Load monitoring tools, i.e., biomarkers and questionnaires showed increased values during the intervention period, indicating sensitive variables. Conclusion This study will be the first to examine the effects of different total training volumes of HIIT-SM, especially the combination of LIT and HIIT in the HSM + LIT group. In addition, different assessments to monitor the athletes' load during such an exhaustive training period will allow the identification of load monitoring tools such as innovative biomarkers, questionnaires, and wearable technology. Trial Registration: clinicaltrials.gov, NCT05067426. Registered 05 October 2021—Retrospectively registered, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05067426 . Protocol Version Issue date: 1 Dec 2021. Original protocol. Authors: TLS, NH.

To further evaluate the effects of lymphocyte immunotherapy (LIT) for the treatment of RPL patients this study aimed to utilize this type of treatment in RPL patients with positive antinuclear antibodies (ANA) in comparison to ANA-negative RPL women. To this aim, 84 ANA-positive, 114 ANA negative, and 50 healthy pregnant women were recruited. To examine the frequency of cells before and after LIT, flowcytometry technique was employed. The levels of cytokines gene expression were also measured using real-time PCR. The ELISA technique was employed to assess the level of secreted cytokines in serum. Initial evaluation before LIT showed significantly lower NK cells and Th1/Th2 ratio in healthy pregnant women compared to both ANA-negative, and positive patients. Moreover, healthy pregnant women had significantly lower pro-inflammatory cytokine (IFN-γ) and higher anti-inflammatory cytokines (TGF-β and IL-4) compared to RPL patients. After LIT, NK cells frequency significantly decreased in both ANA-negative and -positive groups, however, reduced Th1/Th2 ratio was only significant in ANA-negative group. Significantly increased and decreased IL-4 and IFN-γ were only observed in ANA-negative patients. Furthermore, patients receiving routine treatment did not experience any remarkable changes in terms of cell frequency and cytokine levels. This study showed a significant improvement in pregnancy outcomes including increased pregnancy rate and live birth, and decreased miscarriages in both ANA-negative and positive RPL patients, which were notably higher in ANA-negative group., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper. The authors have no conflict of interest to declare relevant to this article., (Copyright © 2025 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Aim: Unexplained infertility is a major burden for couples who want to have children. Lymphocyte immunotherapy (LIT) could be a therapeutic help for these couples. Although LIT has been carried out for decades, the data on the success of therapy are still controversial and there is hardly information on possible adverse drug reactions. Methods: In this study, we used a questionnaire to determine the frequency of local and systemic adverse drug reactions in our patients who were treated with LIT between 2017 and 2020 (n = 302). In addition, we asked about pregnancies and/or live births after LIT in a 2‐year follow‐up (n = 140). Results: Most of the patients reported the occurrence of mild local adverse drug reactions in a period of less than 4 weeks: Over 75% reported moderate erythema, itching or swelling, over 10% erythema, itching or swelling as more pronounced adverse drug reaction. Blistering was specified in 10% of the cases. Serious adverse drug reactions or adverse events were not described. In the follow‐up, 69% of our patients stated a pregnancy after LIT, and 50% a life birth. Conclusions: Overall, LIT represents a well‐tolerated therapy for couples with unexplained infertility, however, more evidence is needed on the benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Point Intercept Transect (PIT) method has commonly been used in recent decades for estimating the status of coral reef benthic communities. It is a simple method that is efficiently performed underwater, as benthic components are recorded only as presence or absence at specific interval points along transects. Therefore, PIT is also popular in citizen science activities such as Reef Check programs. Longer intervals are commonly associated with longer transects, yet sampling interval length can significantly influence benthic coverage calculations. Despite this, the relative accuracy of longer or shorter intervals related to transect length has not been tested for PIT. In this study, we tested the optimum intervals of PIT for several commonly used transect lengths using the bootstrap method on empirical data collected on tropical coral reefs and non-reefal coral communities. Our results recommend fine intervals of 10 cm or shorter, depending on the length of the transect, to increase the accuracy of estimating benthic community status on coral reefs. Permanent transects should also be considered in long-term monitoring programs to improve data quality.

Coral reefs are very important ecosystems and have a direct economic impact on coastal communities. In addition, coral reef ecosystems also play a role in providing habitat for various kinds of marine organisms such as Echinoderms, Crustaceans, Polychaeta, Chordata, Molluscs, Annelids and free-living marine biota such as plankton and fish. Over-exploitation of coral reefs and their resources, changes in top land that cause sedimentation and other anthropogenic activities will cause damage to coral reefs. Increasing pressure can threaten the existence and sustainability of coral reef ecosystems and the biota that live in them. In 2018 there was an earthquake 7.4 Richter scale accompanied by tsunami, the impact was large of destruction of the aquatic biota habitat of coral reef ecosystem. The aims of this study were (1) to examine the condition of coral reefs in Palu Bay, (2) to examine the composition of coral reefs in Palu Bay. Coral reef data was collected using the Line Intercept Transect (LIT) method. For coral reef observations using a transect with a length of 25 m, with every 50 cm observations or 50 points/transect. Each location were carried out 2 times. The results obtained shown the growth conditions of live coral were poor, but coral growth has started to improve. For water quality, it shown that the water quality in Palu Bay was suitable for coral reefs growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Performing multiple high-intensity interval training (HIIT) sessions in a compressed period of time (approximately 7–14 days) is called a HIIT shock microcycle (SM) and promises a rapid increase in endurance performance. However, the efficacy of HIIT-SM, as well as knowledge about optimal training volumes during a SM in the endurance-trained population have not been adequately investigated. This study aims to examine the effects of two different types of HIIT-SM (with or without additional low-intensity training (LIT)) compared to a control group (CG) on key endurance performance variables. Moreover, participants are closely monitored for stress, fatigue, recovery, and sleep before, during and after the intervention using innovative biomarkers, questionnaires, and wearable devices. Methods: This is a study protocol of a randomized controlled trial that includes the results of a pilot participant. Thirty-six endurance trained athletes will be recruited and randomly assigned to either a HIIT-SM (HSM) group, HIIT-SM with additional LIT (HSM + LIT) group or a CG. All participants will be monitored before (9 days), during (7 days), and after (14 days) a 7-day intervention, for a total of 30 days. Participants in both intervention groups will complete 10 HIIT sessions over 7 consecutive days, with an additional 30 min of LIT in the HSM + LIT group. HIIT sessions consist of aerobic HIIT, i.e., 5 × 4 min at 90–95% of maximal heart rate interspersed by recovery periods of 2.5 min. To determine the effects of the intervention, physiological exercise testing, and a 5 km time trial will be conducted before and after the intervention. Results: The feasibility study indicates good adherence and performance improvement of the pilot participant. Load monitoring tools, i.e., biomarkers and questionnaires showed increased values during the intervention period, indicating sensitive variables. Conclusion: This study will be the first to examine the effects of different total training volumes of HIIT-SM, especially the combination of LIT and HIIT in the HSM + LIT group. In addition, different assessments to monitor the athletes' load during such an exhaustive training period will allow the identification of load monitoring tools such as innovative biomarkers, questionnaires, and wearable technology. Trial Registration: clinicaltrials.gov, NCT05067426. Registered 05 October 2021—Retrospectively registered, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05067426. Protocol Version Issue date: 1 Dec 2021. Original protocol. Authors: TLS, NH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Este trabajo surge en el marco de nuestra práctica docente en un espacio curricular del Profesorado Universitario en Letras de la Facultad de Ciencias Humanas de la Universidad Nacional de San Luis, Argentina. Entre las problemáticas que abordamos en el seminario: Estudio de la Realidad Latinoamericana y Argentina están los conflictos socioambientales, que son aquellos que conciernen al acceso y control de los bienes naturales y el territorio. Teniendo en cuenta que la literatura infantil reciente se ha vuelto un escenario más de representación de problemáticas vinculadas a lo socioambiental, nos ha interesado indagar qué conflictos socioambientales son abordados en la literatura infantil que está disponible para el público de nuestra ciudad (San Luis, Argentina); y, una vez definidos dichos conflictos, ver cómo son tratados por los diferentes autores, cómo se representa la tensión, qué problemáticas aparecen asociadas, etcétera. Aunque nuestra muestra es pequeña aún (59 cuentos), establecimos algunas categorías y arribamos a algunas conclusiones que pueden ser significativas para futuros trabajos. Construimos once categorías —conflictos en torno al modelo de minería extractivo; conflictos en torno a la extracción de oro y las energías alternativas; conflictos en torno al modelo de producción de hidrocarburos por fractura hidráulica; conflictos en torno a la deforestación; conflictos en torno al modelo de agricultura y la producción de alimentos; conflictos en torno al modelo de pesca a gran escala; conflictos en torno a los animales en peligro de extinción; conflictos en torno al cambio climático: se derriten los polos, hay sequías y emergencia hídrica; conflictos en torno a la contaminación ambiental; conflictos en torno al consumo; y conflictos en torno a la conciencia ambiental y ecológica— e identificamos algunos aspectos significativos respecto a esa particular mirada del mundo que se vuelve situación a atravesar, que implica al deseo del lector en una actividad que no es contemplativa —esto es, no lo informa, instruye o ilustra—, sino polémica, controversial, incómoda, preocupante, y que lleva, sí o sí, a imaginar soluciones, muchas veces a contramano de lo establecido o naturalizado.

Purpose: Bipolar disorder (BD) is a mental disorder that affects approximately 2-3% of the population. The mainstay of treatment in bipolar disorder is lithium, which has also found an important application in the potentiation of antidepressants in drug-resistant depression, in the course of both bipolar disorder and recurrent depressive disorders. Views: The narrow therapeutic range of lithium and the frequent side effects it causes necessitates the monitoring of its concentration in the blood, which requires the periodic presence of the patient in a clinical laboratory. This is costly and inconvenient for patients, and is a common obstacle for psychiatrists who are reluctant to prescribe this effective drug precisely because of the inconvenience of having to monitor blood levels. If regular monitoring of lithium levels could be carried out without the need to puncture the vein and visit a clinic it would save time for both patients and healthcare professionals, avoid discomfort, and make difficult-to-reach patients easier to manage. Conclusions: Saliva in the monitoring of the lithium level is a promising biological material and offers the possibility to quickly estimate the individual lithium dosage for a specific patient which will provide the required therapeutic level. Saliva can be collected at home without the involvement of qualified personnel. Providing a more convenient and effective means of monitoring lithium therapy (e.g. the proposed non-invasive saliva level test) would enable safer, more effective therapy (more likely to maintain therapeutic blood levels) and an individualized therapeutic approach to a patient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The choice of ecological monitoring methods and descriptors determines the effectiveness of a program designed to assess the state of coral reef ecosystems. Here, we comparer the relative performance of the traditional Line Intercept Transect (LIT) method with three methods derived from underwater photogrammetry: LIT on orthomosaics, photoquadrats from orthomosaics, and surface analyses on orthomosaics. The data were acquired at Reunion Island on five outer reef slopes and two coral communities on underwater lava-flows. Coral cover was estimated in situ using the LIT method and with LITs and photoquadrats digitized on orthomosaic. Surface analyses were done on the same orthomosaics. Structural complexity of the surveyed sites was calculated from digital elevation models using three physical descriptors (fractal dimension, slope, surface complexity), and used to explore their possible influence in coral cover estimates. We also compared the methods in terms of scientific outputs, the human expertise and time required. Coral cover estimates obtained with in situ LITs were higher than those obtained with digitized LITs and photoquadrats. Surfaces analyses on orthomosaics yielded the lowest but most the precise cover estimates (i.e., lowest sample dispersion). Sites with the highest coral cover also had the highest structural complexity. Finally, when we added scientific outputs, and requirements for human expertise and time to our comparisons between methods, we found that surface analysis on the orthomosaics was the most efficient method. Photoquadrats were more time-consuming than both in situ and digitized LITs, even though they provided coral cover estimates similar to those of digitized LITs and yielded more than one descriptor. The LIT in situ method remains the least time-consuming and most effective for species-level taxonomic identifications but is the most limited method in terms of data outputs and representativeness of the ecosystem.

A common assumption in choice response time (RT) modeling is that after evidence accumulation reaches a certain decision threshold, the choice is categorically communicated to the motor system that then executes the response. However, neurophysiological findings suggest that motor preparation partly overlaps with evidence accumulation, and is not independent from stimulus difficulty level. We propose to model this entanglement by changing the nature of the decision criterion from a simple threshold to an actual process. More specifically, we propose a secondary, motor preparation related, leaky accumulation process that takes the accumulated evidence of the original decision process as a continuous input, and triggers the actual response when it reaches its own threshold. We analytically develop this Leaky Integrating Threshold (LIT), applying it to a simple constant drift diffusion model, and show how its parameters can be estimated with the D*M method. Reanalyzing 3 different data sets, the LIT extension is shown to outperform a standard drift diffusion model using multiple statistical approaches. Further, the LIT leak parameter is shown to be better at explaining the speed/accuracy trade-off manipulation than the commonly used boundary separation parameter. These improvements can also be verified using traditional diffusion model analyses, for which the LIT predicts the violation of several common selective parameter influence assumptions. These predictions are consistent with what is found in the data and with what is reported experimentally in the literature. Crucially, this work offers a new benchmark against which to compare neural data to offer neurobiological validation for the proposed processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Kosmos is the property of Polish Copernicus Society of Naturalists and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Inzynieria Mineralna is the property of Polskie Towarzystwo Przerobki Kopalin and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Dans l’étiquette palatine espagnole, le lit royal est un meuble important qui sert au repos du monarque mais remplit aussi une fonction publique, notamment lors des obsèques royales. Sa prééminence repose sur la richesse des matériaux utilisés, en particulier les tentures, que l’on changeait selon la mode du moment et la présence d’un ciel. Les lits plus remarquables de la riche collection du Patrimonio Nacional datent du xvie au xixe siècle et sont actuellement répartis dans les divers palais où vécurent les rois d’Espagne. Ils révèlent des influences chinoises, indiennes, françaises ou italiennes. Quiconque veut rêver du sommeil des princes et des rois peut maintenant contempler cet héritage raffiné.

Entomopathogenic fungi, such as Metarhizium anisopliae, for the control of arthropods, have been studied for more than 20 years. The aim of this study was to determine the best methodology to evaluate the in vitro effect of the fungus M. anisopliae on Rhipicephalus microplus tick larvae. We compared a modified Larval Packet Test (LPT) and a Larval Immersion Test (LIT). For the LPT filter papers were impregnated with 1 mL of M. anisopliae suspension in Triton X-100 at 0.02%, in concentrations of 106, 107 and 108 conidia/mL and subsequently folded to include the larval ticks. LIT was performed by immersing the larvae in M. anisopliae suspensions for 5 min using the same three concentrations, then the larvae were placed on filter paper clips. For LPT, the LT50 values obtained were 134.6, 27.2 and 24.8 days for concentrations of 106, 107 and 108 conidia/mL; and the mortality after 21 days was 17.3, 17.6 and 38%, respectively. The LT50 values of LIT were 24.5, 20 and 9.2 days with mortality after 21 days of 50.5, 64.7 and 98% for 106, 107 and 108 conidia/mL, respectively. For the same conidia concentration, LIT showed a higher mortality in a shorter time interval when compared with LPT. These differences between the methods tested must be taking into account in further screening and effect studies with M. anisopliae. The set of results shown here could optimize the protocol used to identify M. anisopliae strains pathogenic against R. microplus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Inzynieria Mineralna is the property of Polskie Towarzystwo Przerobki Kopalin and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

• Recurrent pregnancy loss, also known as RPL, happens to 2–5% of women of reproductive age. • Immune system between the mother and the fetus plays an important role in the acceptance of the fetus and maintaining the pregnancy. • Modulation of the immune system by lymphocyte immunotherapy (LIT) is a reasonable way to prevent embryo rejection. • Pro-Inflammatory cytokines decline following subcutaneous LIT of women with RPL. In order to prevent miscarriage in RPL patients, the goal of this study was to determine how well lymphocyte immunotherapy (LIT) works in modifying immunological responses produced by cells, cytokines, transcription factors, and microRNAs. 200 RPL patients and 200 healthy controls were included in the study. Using flow cytometry, it was possible to compare the frequency of cells before and after lymphocyte treatment. Real-time PCR was used to assess the gene expression levels of transcription factors, cytokines, and microRNAs. ELISA method was used to evaluate the level of secretion of cytokines in the serum. Primary evaluation of the immune profile between healthy controls and RPL cases showed a higher frequency of Th17, NK, B cells and a lower frequency of Treg cells in RPL cases. Also, pro-inflammatory cytokines showed increased expression at mRNA and protein levels in the RPL group in comparison with the control group. Whereas, anti-inflammatory cytokines showed decreased expression in RPL patients. Decreased and increased frequency of Th17 and Treg lymphocytes observed in RPL cases following LIT, respectively. The same results obtained for RORγt and FoxP3 mRNA expression as transcription factor of Th17 and Treg cells, respectively. NK cell cytotoxicity decreased after LIT in RPL patients. miR-326a and miR-155 expression after LIT reduced, but miR-146a and miR-10a expression increased in RPL instances. LIT in RPL cases causes to elevation and modulation of anti-inflammatory and pro-inflammatory cytokines. Our data showed that lymphocyte therapy can be proposed as an effective therapeutic agent in RPL patients with immunological background by a modulating inflammatory condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There has been limited study on the impact of PBMC therapy in RSA patients with immunological disorders such as Th17 and Treg cell dysregulation, as well as their associated factors. This study aimed to assess the efficacy of PBMC therapy in modulating immune cell frequency, cytokine production, transcription factors, and miRNAs implicated in the regulation of their function, as well as their potential superiority to routine treatments. Fifty RSA women who had received PBMCs and 50 matched-paired control RSA women who had received the routine treatments were recruited and followed for three months. The frequencies of Th17, Treg, NK, and B cells were assessed using flow cytometry. Thereafter, the gene expression level of the transcription factors and related miRNAs of Treg cell and Th17 cell was quantified using RT-PCR. Then ELISA was employed to assess the cytokine production of Th17 and Treg cells. Finally, the live birth rate and miscarriage rate were evaluated as clinical outcomes in this study. Flow cytometry analysis revealed that PBMC therapy significantly reduces the frequencies of Th17 and NK cells while enhancing the frequency of Treg cells. RT-PCR analysis confirmed that PBMC therapy significantly downregulates RORγt and upregulates FoxP3. Likewise, RT-PCR analysis showed that PBMC therapy reduces the expression of miR-25, miR-155, and miR-326 while increasing the expression of miR-10a. ELISA results demonstrated that PBMC therapy considerably decreases the concentration of inflammatory cytokines IL-1β, IL-17, and TNF-α and enhances the concentration of anti-inflammatory cytokines IL-10 and TGF-β. Following PBMC therapy live birth rate raised while miscarriage rate reduced. Our findings suggested that, in contrast to routine treatments, PBMC therapy can significantly modulate the maternal immune system by enhancing the Treg/Th17 paradigm and regulating the expression of Treg and Th17 cell-associated cytokines, transcription factors, and miRNAs. This treatment also can increase the live birth rate in RSA patients. • LIT had superior immunomodulatory effects in RSA patients as compared to routine treatments. • LIT can effectively target the Treg/Th17 paradigm by directing the expression of cytokines, transcription factors, and miRNAs toward Treg cell immunodominance. • Many studies are still warranted to corroborate our findings and establish LIT as a viable therapeutic approach for RSA women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]