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Asthma is a chronic (long-term) lung disease that inflames and narrows the airways. Asthma causes recurring periods of wheezing (a whistling sound when you breathe), chest tightness, shortness of breath, and coughing. The coughing often occurs at night or early in the morning.
American Association for Respiratory Care names Jefferson a Quality Respiratory Care Institution

American Association for Respiratory Care names Jefferson a Quality Respiratory Care Institution

Thomas Jefferson University Hospital was recently bestowed the title of "Quality Respiratory Care Institution" for 2013 by the American Association for Respiratory Care. [More]

Community Catalyst study shows dental therapists expand access to people in remote areas

Lack of access to dental care in the United States has reached epic proportions. Dental disease is the number one chronic illness affecting children - more common than asthma. The Institute of Medicine clearly states that the current dental delivery system doesn't work for a third of the people in the U.S. [More]
Soligenix starts first clinical study for development of SGX203 for pediatric Crohn's disease

Soligenix starts first clinical study for development of SGX203 for pediatric Crohn's disease

Soligenix, Inc., a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing products to treat inflammatory diseases and biodefense countermeasures where there remains an unmet medical need, announced today that it has initiated the first clinical study for development of SGX203 (oral beclomethasone 17,21-dipropionate or oral BDP) for the treatment of pediatric Crohn's disease. [More]

ALK, AAFA partner to create unique online resource for people living with allergies

In the latest effort to educate and enable the allergic patient to take control of their disease, ALK, a leading company focusing on allergy treatment, and the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America have partnered to create a unique online resource for patients. [More]
Sanofi, Regeneron enroll patients in two sarilumab Phase 3 trials for treatment of RA

Sanofi, Regeneron enroll patients in two sarilumab Phase 3 trials for treatment of RA

Sanofi and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced that the COMPARE and ASCERTAIN trials of sarilumab, the first fully human monoclonal antibody directed against the IL-6 receptor, which is delivered by subcutaneous injection every other week, have enrolled their first patients. [More]
University of Utah receives $1.9M research award to study asthma in children

University of Utah receives $1.9M research award to study asthma in children

The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute has approved a $1.9 million research award to the University of Utah to study asthma in children and how better monitoring of the disease could improve health. [More]
Better understanding of cells' development has implications in study of inflammatory diseases

Better understanding of cells' development has implications in study of inflammatory diseases

Labs around the world, and a core group at Penn, have been studying recently described populations of immune cells called innate lymphoid cells. Some researchers liken them to foot soldiers that protect boundary tissues such as the skin, the lining of the lung, and the lining of the gut from microbial onslaught. They also have shown they play a role in inflammatory disease, when the body's immune system is too active. [More]
LDL cholesterol blood level declines found to have abruptly ended in 2008

LDL cholesterol blood level declines found to have abruptly ended in 2008

Decades of declines in LDL cholesterol blood levels, a key marker of death risk from heart disease, abruptly ended in 2008, and may have stalled since, according to a multi-year, national study published in PLOS ONE. [More]
More than 80% of parents, grandparents prefer hospital that does medical research about children: Study

More than 80% of parents, grandparents prefer hospital that does medical research about children: Study

Four out of five parents and grandparents in Michigan say they'd rather take children to a hospital that does medical research for children than one that does not, according to a new poll from the University of Michigan. [More]

Breo Ellipta gets FDA approval for treatment of airflow obstruction in patients with COPD

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Breo Ellipta (fluticasone furoate and vilanterol inhalation powder) for the long-term, once-daily, maintenance treatment of airflow obstruction in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, including chronic bronchitis and/or emphysema. [More]
COPD patients with allergic phenotype have increased risk of lower respiratory symptoms, exacerbations

COPD patients with allergic phenotype have increased risk of lower respiratory symptoms, exacerbations

Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) who also have allergic disease have higher levels of respiratory symptoms and are at higher risk for COPD exacerbations, according to a new study from researchers at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. [More]
Research finds sharp rise of dementia, other neurological deaths in people under 74

Research finds sharp rise of dementia, other neurological deaths in people under 74

Professor Colin Pritchard's latest research published in Public Health Journal has found that the sharp rise of dementia and other neurological deaths in people under 74 cannot be put down to the fact that we are living longer - the rise is because a higher proportion of old people are being affected by such conditions, and what is really alarming, it is starting earlier and affecting people under 55 years. [More]

Nearly 5 million asthmatics with ABPA could benefit from antifungal treatment, say researchers

An estimated 4,837,000 asthmatics with allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) could benefit substantially from antifungal treatment, say researchers from the University of Toronto and Manchester University. [More]
Rigel reports net loss of $25.6 million in first quarter 2013

Rigel reports net loss of $25.6 million in first quarter 2013

Rigel Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today reported financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2013. For the first quarter of 2013, Rigel reported a net loss of $25.6 million, or $0.29 per share, compared to a net loss of $23.2 million, or $0.32 per share, in the first quarter of 2012. Weighted average shares outstanding for the first quarters of 2013 and 2012 were 87.1 million and 71.4 million, respectively. [More]
Kinase inhibitors: an interview with Jan Hoflack, CSO of Oncodesign

Kinase inhibitors: an interview with Jan Hoflack, CSO of Oncodesign

Kinase inhibitors are molecules that block the activity of kinases. Kinases are a specific class of enzymes. They are extremely important in signal transduction processes in the human body meaning that they actually regulate most of the physiological processes that take place in the body. [More]
New report highlights factors that contribute to asthma

New report highlights factors that contribute to asthma

There is still no cure for asthma, so for 22 million people in the U.S., this chronic disease continues to be a daily burden no matter where they live. But it's not just air pollution they should be worried about. Factors such as pollen, secondhand smoke – even high rates of poverty, a large uninsured population or a high number of ER visits – can be critical signs that certain cities and states are worse for families with asthma. It is especially true for people with severe asthma. [More]

Oral drops provide a safe and effective alternative for allergy sufferers

Allergy shots are commonly used to treat children with severe environmental allergies and asthma, but under-the-tongue drops may offer yet another beneficial - and stick-free - option for pediatric allergy sufferers, according to a Johns Hopkins Children's Center review of existing scientific evidence. [More]

Experts gather to lay out agenda to end childhood poverty

Pediatricians, economists, social scientists and policy experts will come together on Saturday, May 4, to address one of the greatest threats to child health - poverty. [More]

Vitamin C may decrease impact of smoking during pregnancy on childhood respiratory health

Pregnant women are advised not to smoke during pregnancy because it can harm the baby's lungs and lead to wheezing and asthma, among other problems. If a woman absolutely can't kick the habit, taking vitamin C during pregnancy may improve her newborn's lung function and prevent wheezing in the first year of life, according to a study to be presented Saturday, May 4, at the Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) annual meeting in Washington, DC. [More]
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals expands ophthalmology portfolio

Regeneron Pharmaceuticals expands ophthalmology portfolio

Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced that it has expanded its ophthalmology portfolio by acquiring full exclusive rights to two families of novel antibodies invented at Regeneron and previously included in Regeneron's antibody collaboration with Sanofi. [More]