Community prevalence of blood-borne viruses (hepatitis B and HIV) in Ireland.

Background: Chronic infection with hepatitis B virus and HIV causes significant morbidity and mortality. Effective antiviral treatment is available for both. Ireland has historically been considered a low prevalence country.

Effectiveness, safety, and cost of combination advanced therapies in inflammatory bowel disease.

Background: A significant proportion of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients fail to respond to advanced therapies. Combining advanced therapies may improve treatment outcome. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness, adverse events, and costs associated with combining advanced therapies in IBD patients.

Metabolic dysfunction mediated by HIF-1α contributes to epithelial differentiation defects in eosinophilic esophagitis.

Background: Investigating the contributory role that epithelial cell metabolism plays in allergic inflammation is a key factor to understanding what influences dysfunction and the pathogenesis of the allergic disease eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE). We previously highlighted that the absence of hypoxia signaling through hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α in EoE contributes to esophageal epithelial dysfunction. However, metabolic regulation by HIF-1α has not been explored in esophageal allergy.

Hepatitis C community prevalence is over-estimated: a prospective, birth cohort study.

Background: Hepatitis C virus infection is often asymptomatic, and many patients may be unaware they are infected. Community-based, birth cohort screening has been advocated to identify these patients. It has been estimated that 0.

Distinguishing Distinct Neural Systems for Proximal vs Distal Upper Extremity Motor Control After Acute Stroke.

Background And Objectives: The classic and singular pattern of distal greater than proximal upper extremity motor deficits after acute stroke does not account for the distinct structural and functional organization of circuits for proximal and distal motor control in the healthy CNS. We hypothesized that separate proximal and distal upper extremity clinical syndromes after acute stroke could be distinguished and that patterns of neuroanatomical injury leading to these 2 syndromes would reflect their distinct organization in the intact CNS.

Methods: Proximal and distal components of motor impairment (upper extremity Fugl-Meyer score) and strength (Shoulder Abduction Finger Extension score) were assessed in consecutively recruited patients within 7 days of acute stroke.