Health News

Adding cognitive-behavioral therapy to SRIs may be beneficial for patients with OCD

Date: Sep-12-2013
Among patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) adding cognitive-behavioral therapy to serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SRIs) was associated with greater reduction in symptoms and improvement in functioning and quality of life compared with adding an antipsychotic or placebo, according to a report published by JAMA Psychiatry, a JAMA Network publication.  SRIs are the only medications approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat OCD...

Irritability in major depressive episode associated with more severe illness

Date: Sep-12-2013
Irritability and anger during a major depressive episode (MDE) were associated with increased depressive severity, longer durations of the index episode, poorer impulse control and a more chronic and severe long-term course of the illness, according to a study by Lewis L. Judd, M.D., of the University of California, San Diego, and colleagues.  Researchers sought to determine the prevalence of overtly expressed irritability/anger in MDE and its association with illness presentation and long-term course among 536 patients followed for up to 31 years...

New system uses nanodiamonds to deliver chemotherapy directly to brain tumors

Date: Sep-12-2013
Researchers at UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center have developed a new drug delivery system using nanodiamonds (NDs) that allows for direct application of chemotherapy to brain tumors with fewer harmful side effects and better cancer-killing efficiency than existing treatments...

Warts prevalent among Dutch school children, half of cases resolve within one year despite any treatment

Date: Sep-12-2013
Examining the natural course of cutaneous warts and treatment decisions among primary school children, researchers found a high prevalence of warts, half of which resolved within one year despite any treatment. In the study of 1,099 Dutch children aged 4 to 12 years, researchers found 33 percent of children had cutaneous warts at baseline. One-half of the children found to have warts were free of warts one year later, despite any treatment. Resolution rates were higher among younger children and children with non-Caucasian skin type...

Artificial lung to remove carbon dioxide from smokestacks and other highlights from the American Chemical Society

Date: Sep-12-2013
The amazingly efficient lungs of birds and the swim bladders of fish have become the inspiration for a new filtering system to remove carbon dioxide from electric power station smokestacks before the main greenhouse gas can billow into the atmosphere and contribute to global climate change. A report on the new technology, more efficient than some alternatives, is on the agenda today at the 246th National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS), the world's largest scientific society...

Scientific symposium on healthful antioxidants in plant-based foods

Date: Sep-12-2013
With millions of people tailoring their diets to include more healthful antioxidants - and these "polyphenols" getting tremendous attention among nutritionists, food scientists and physicians - the world's largest scientific society held a symposium on that topic. The symposium, called "Polyphenolic Chemistry in Food Science: Flavor, Color, and Biofunctional Properties," is part of the 246th National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS). The meeting continues through Thursday in the Indiana Convention Center and downtown hotels...

Electronic shrink wrap for the heart and other topics from the American Chemical Society meeting

Date: Sep-12-2013
Electronic sutures that monitor surgical incisions for healing and infection. Electronic films that cling to the heart like shrink wrap, monitoring and regulating the heartbeat and alerting the patient and cardiologist when medical attention is needed. Flexible plastic electronic appliques that stick to the skin like temporary tattoos and monitor hydration in athletes...

Toward making people invisible to mosquitoes

Date: Sep-12-2013
In an advance toward providing mosquito-plagued people, pets and livestock with an invisibility cloak against these blood-sucking insects, scientists today described discovery of substances that occur naturally on human skin and block mosquitoes' ability to smell and target their victims. The presentation was among almost 7,000 scheduled here this week at the 246th National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society, the world's largest scientific society...

Mindful physicians have more satisfied patients, may have better job satisfaction and improved well-being

Date: Sep-12-2013
Physicians rating themselves as more mindful - nonjudgmentally attentive to their own experience, thoughts and feelings - have more patient-centered communication and more satisfied patients. Measuring the mindfulness of 45 clinicians and later assessing the quality of their interactions with patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus, researchers found mindful clinicians were more likely to be patient-centered in their communications, more positive in their emotional tone with patients and more likely to be rated highly on communication and overall satisfaction by patients...

University nonprofit poised to bridge 'Valley of Death' and spur drug development

Date: Sep-12-2013
With the "Valley of Death" looming as an increasingly serious obstacle to introducing better ways of preventing, diagnosing and treating diseases, a noted scientist today described a new approach for moving promising discoveries out of laboratories and into the hands of patients and physicians. He spoke at the 246th National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society, the world's largest scientific society, being held here this week. Dennis Liotta, Ph.D...