Yale scientists propose explanation for baffling form of childhood OCD

Yale scientists may have found a cause for the sudden onset of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) in some children, they report. Pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders, or PANDAS, were first proposed in the 1990s. Thought to be triggered by streptococcal infections, they account for an unknown portion of youth OCD cases. But the biology underpinning this disorder…

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Adding lean beef to a healthy diet does not adversely affect heart health or diabetes risk

Bloomington, Ind. and Chicago, Ill. — Results from a new study show that risk factors for cardiovascular disease and diabetes were similar when participants consumed a healthy US-style eating pattern with and without an additional 5.3 ounces of lean beef. The added beef replaced carbohydrates, primarily refined starches. All participants were considered at risk for…

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Exercise offers ‘profound’ benefits for Friedreich’s ataxia, research suggests

A top exercise researcher at the University of Virginia School of Medicine is urging clinical trials of exercise in patients with Friedreich’s ataxia after finding that physical activity has a “profound” protective effect in mouse models of the debilitating genetic disease. Friedreich’s ataxia typically limits patients’ ability to exercise. But the new findings from UVA’s…

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New mechanism underlying colorectal cancer reveals a crucial role for intestinal microbes

A collaborative study by research groups from the VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research and Ghent University uncovered a new mechanism causing colorectal cancer. The researchers found that abnormal expression of the protein Zeb2 affects the integrity of the intestinal wall or ‘epithelium’. This epithelium normally functions as a barrier to prevent infiltration by intestinal microbes.…

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Including patients in hospital discharge communication would improve outcomes of care

Study by University of Warwick researchers shows UK patients are keen to receive discharge letters when they leave hospital UK hospitals send discharge letters to GPs as part of care handover, but practice of copying in patients is inconsistent Better information for patients following discharge from hospital could improve the outcomes of care, including avoiding…

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Ireland establishes first National Preclinical Imaging Centre to enhance medical research

Tuesday, 16 June 2020: A new National Preclinical Imaging Centre (NPIC) which will provide enhanced research data to inform new clinical trials that aim to improve patient outcomes, has been awarded funding of €3.4 million under the Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) Research Infrastructure Programme. The Centre, which is the first of its kind in Ireland,…

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