Maternal factors increase risk of orofacial cleft: a meta-analysis.

Orofacial clefts are among the most prevalent birth defects, with severe medical and psychosocial consequences. Cleft lip with or without cleft palate (CL ± P) and cleft palate only (CPO) affect on average nearly 1/700 births worldwide. The cause of most non-syndromic cases is unknown.

Imiquimod Is Effective in Reducing Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Introduction: Topical Imiquimod is an immune response modifier approved for the off-label use of vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia. We conducted this systematic review and meta-analysis to investigate the efficacy and safety of Imiquimod in treating cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) and human papillomavirus (HPV)-positive patients.

Methods: The study was prospectively registered (CRD420222870) and involved a comprehensive systematic search of five medical databases on 10 October 2022.

Evaluation of the Virulence of Low Pathogenic H9N2 Avian Influenza Virus Strains in Broiler Chickens.

Our study aimed to investigate the virulence of three recent H9N2 LPAIV strains belonging to the G1 lineage, isolated from field infections in North Africa and the Middle East. Three-week-old commercial broiler chickens (in total 62) were included and randomly allocated into three infected test groups and one control group. Each test group was inoculated intranasally/intratracheally with one of the three H9N2 isolates at a dose of 10 EID virus.

Extended infusion of β-lactams significantly reduces mortality and enhances microbiological eradication in paediatric patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Paediatric patients are often exposed to subtherapeutic levels or treatment failure of β-lactams, and prolonged infusion may be beneficial. We aimed to investigate the efficacy and safety of extended infusion (EI; defined as ≥3 h) or continuous infusion vs. short, intermittent infusion (SI; defined as ≤60 min) of β-lactams in patients <21 years of age.

Safety and Efficacy of Vaginal Implants in Pelvic Organ Prolapse Surgery: A Meta-analysis of 161 536 Patients.

Context: Among the many surgical treatments for pelvic organ prolapse (POP), better results can be achieved with the use of vaginal implants. However, owing to perceived complications, vaginal implant surgeries have been restricted or banned in many countries.

Objective: To assess the real value of vaginal implants in POP surgery and compare the safety and efficacy of operations with and without implants.

The Effect of Additional Whole-Body Vibration on Musculoskeletal System in Children with Cerebral Palsy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials.

Nowadays, whole-body vibration (WBV) has become increasingly popular as an additional therapy in the intervention of patients with cerebral palsy (CP). However, the impact of WBV remains a subject of debate. Consequently, a systematic review and meta-analysis were undertaken to evaluate the effects of WBV on the musculoskeletal system in children with CP.

Procalcitonin-guided antibiotic therapy may shorten length of treatment and may improve survival-a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Appropriate antibiotic (AB) therapy remains a challenge in the intensive care unit (ICU). Procalcitonin (PCT)-guided AB stewardship could help optimize AB treatment and decrease AB-related adverse effects, but firm evidence is still lacking. Our aim was to compare the effects of PCT-guided AB therapy with standard of care (SOC) in critically ill patients.

Maternal age is highly associated with non-chromosomal congenital anomalies: Analysis of a population-based case-control database.

Objective: The role of maternal age in the development of non-chromosomal congenital anomalies (NCAs) is under debate. Therefore, the primary aim of this study was to identify the age groups at risk for NCAs. The secondary aim was to perform a detailed analysis of the relative frequency of various anomalies.

Reading and spelling skills of prematurely born children in light of the underlying cognitive factors.

Prematurity is a serious risk factor for learning difficulties. Within the academic skills reading has the greatest impact on the prospects of the students; therefore, studying the reading skills in the risk populations is very important. The aim of our study was to investigate reading and spelling skills of prematurely born children.

Sex interacts with age-dependent change in the abundance of lice-infesting Amur Falcons (Falco amurensis).

Sex-biassed and age-biassed parasite infections are common in nature, including ectoparasites-vertebrate host systems. We investigated the effect of Amur Falcons' sex, age and body size on the abundance of their lice at a migratory stopover site, where the falcons' habitat use and behaviour are more homogeneous across sex and age categories than during the breeding season. We sampled Amur Falcons in Nagaland, India at major roosting sites in 2016.

Sex-dependent changes in the louse abundance of red-footed falcons (Falco vespertinus).

Permanent ectoparasites live in stable environments; thus, their population dynamics are mostly adapted to changes in the host life cycle. We aimed to investigate how static and dynamic traits of red-footed falcons interplay with the dynamics of their louse subpopulations during breeding and how they affect the colonisation of new hosts by lice. We sampled red-footed falcon (Falco vespertinus) nestlings (two breeding seasons) and adults (one breeding season) in southern Hungary.

Rensch's rule in avian lice: contradictory allometric trends for sexual size dimorphism.

Rensch's rule (RR) postulates that in comparisons across closely related species, male body size relative to female size increases with the average size of the species. This holds true in several vertebrate and also in certain free-living invertebrate taxa. Here, we document the validity of RR in avian lice using three families (Philopteridae, Menoponidae, and Ricinidae).

Correction: Anticipatory response before competition in Standardbred racehorses.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.

Anticipatory response before competition in Standardbred racehorses.

It is generally accepted that besides cortisol concentrations, parameters of heart rate variability (HRV) are appropriate indicators of stress in horses. The aim of this study was to determine anticipatory stress in eight Standardbred stallions participating in harness race. Cortisol and HRV responses to a mild exercise performed in training circumstances were compared to a maximal effort exercise performed in real trotting race conditions.

Investigation of hydrostatic pressure-induced stress preconditioning of boar semen using modified cryopreservation.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of varying hydrostatic pressure treatments (HP) on the boar semen quality during the modified cryopreservation. In Experiment I, combinations of pressure level (20/40/80 MPa) and duration of application (40/80/120 min) were used. Before freezing, only the magnitude but not the duration influenced the total (TM%) and progressive motilities (PM%).

Evaluation of Pgp (MDR1) immunohistochemistry in canine lymphoma - prognostic and clinical aspects.

Permeability glycoprotein (P-glycoprotein, Pgp) immunohistochemistry (IHC) was evaluated in dogs with multicentric lymphoma treated with cyclophosphamide- doxorubicin-vincristine-prednisolone with or without L-Asparaginase. Lymph nodes of 33 untreated dogs were immunophenotyped: Ki67% and Pgp analyses (with anti-Pgp, monoclonal mouse C494 clone) were performed. Pgp positivity rate and intensity were determined microscopically (by manual counting done by two blinded authors in two parallel specimens).

Effect of temperament on cortisol response to a single exercise bout in Thoroughbred racehorses - short communication.

Temperament has not been taken into account in previous studies evaluating the stress response to exercise in horses. The aim of the present study was to investigate the cortisol response in Thoroughbred racehorses to a single exercise bout, and to analyse the results based on the basic personality of the horse examined. Twenty healthy Thoroughbred horses were selected for the study based on a 25-item rating questionnaire survey used for characterising equine temperament.

West Nile virus host-vector-pathogen interactions in a colonial raptor.

Background: Avian host species have different roles in the amplification and maintenance of West Nile virus (WNV), therefore identifying key taxa is vital in understanding WNV epidemics. Here, we present a comprehensive case study conducted on red-footed falcons, where host-vector, vector-virus and host-virus interactions were simultaneously studied to evaluate host species contribution to WNV circulation qualitatively.

Results: Mosquitoes were trapped inside red-footed falcon nest-boxes by a method originally developed for the capture of blackflies and midges.

Size matters for lice on birds: Coevolutionary allometry of host and parasite body size.

Body size is one of the most fundamental characteristics of all organisms. It influences physiology, morphology, behavior, and even interspecific interactions such as those between parasites and their hosts. Host body size influences the magnitude and variability of parasite size according to Harrison's rule (HR: positive relationship between host and parasite body sizes) and Poulin's Increasing Variance Hypothesis (PIVH: positive relationship between host body size and the variability of parasite body size).

[ACOUSTIC CR®-NEUROMODULATION -- FIRST EXPERIENCIES IN HUNGARY WITH A NOVEL METHOD IN THE THERAPY OF CHRONIC SUBJECTIVE TINNITUS].

Objective: Acoustic CR®-neuromodulation is a novel patented method for the therapy of chronic subjective tinnitus and has been tested in Hungary, as one of the first European countries introducing this procedure. It can be used for the treatment of monaural or binaural tonal tinnitus. Suitability of patients for this therapy was assessed by the help of an appropriate set of criteria.