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Antibiotic treatment more effective than placebo in patients with mild-to-moderate COPD

Antibiotic treatment with amoxicillin/clavulanate improves moderate exacerbations in patients with mild-to-moderate chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and significantly prolongs the time between exacerbations, according to a new study from researchers in Spain.

10 Sep 2012

Phthalates may be asthma trigger

Research suggests that exposure to two phthalates may be a trigger for asthma-related airway inflammation.

7 Sep 2012

RSV virus selectively kills cancer cells

RSV, a virus that causes respiratory infections in infants and young children, selectively kills cancer cells while leaving healthy cells alone, researchers from the School of Medicine at The University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio said.

7 Sep 2012

Lack of Atoh1 master gene can lead to sudden infant death syndrome

When mice are born lacking the master gene Atoh1, none breathe well and all die in the newborn period. Why and how this occurs could provide new answers about sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), but the solution has remained elusive until now.

7 Sep 2012

Hebrew University researcher develops anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic family of drugs

A synthetic, anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic family of drugs to combat a variety of illnesses while avoiding detrimental side effects has been developed by a Hebrew University of Jerusalem researcher.

7 Sep 2012

Midwest pollen count hits new high

The Midwest's pollen count today hit a new high for the season. "Mold, weeds and ragweed are all high and also grass is high, which may surprise many people. The grass is corn grass and the high levels are caused by the seasonal harvesting of the corn as corn is a member of the botanical grass family," said Dr. Joseph Leija, who performs the Gottlieb Allergy Count, the official allergy count for the Midwest.

7 Sep 2012

Untreated severe OSA may increase risk of cardiovascular death in the elderly

Untreated severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular mortality in the elderly, and adequate treatment with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) may significantly reduce this risk, according to a new study from researchers in Spain.

7 Sep 2012

WOEST: Dual antiplatelet therapy more effective than triple

Dual antiplatelet therapy with clopidogrel and an oral anticoagulant reduces bleeding and mortality more effectively than triple therapy including aspirin, researchers say.

6 Sep 2012

Early results of transcatheter valve registry data unveiled

The 1-month follow-up results of the Transcatheter Valve Treatment Sentinel Pilot Registry have provided data on factors associated with transcatheter aortic valve implantation, as well as short-term outcomes, in Europe.

6 Sep 2012

Inflammatory hindfoot arthrodesis outcomes compared

Choice of arthrodesis for patients with rheumatoid arthritis or spondyloarthritis hindfoot disease should be guided by the extent of damage present, research indicates.

6 Sep 2012

Postop complications are greatest risk for 30-day readmission

Postoperative complications, particularly gastrointestinal, are the greatest driver behind 30-day hospital readmissions, show study results involving data for over 1000 general surgery patients.

6 Sep 2012

Expenditures for treatment of back and neck problems have nearly doubled since late 1990s

Expenditures for treatment of back and neck problems have nearly doubled since the late 1990s—mainly from increased spending for care provided by medical specialists, according to a report in the September 1 issue of Spine.

6 Sep 2012

Exposure to phthalates increases risk of asthma-related airway inflammation in children

Children exposed to diethyl phthalate (DEP) and butylbenzyl phthalate (BBzP)-phthalate chemicals commonly found in personal care and plastic products-have elevated risk of asthma-related airway inflammation, according to researchers at Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health (CCCEH) at the Mailman School of Public Health.

6 Sep 2012

Prenatal exposure to piperonyl butoxide increases risk of noninfectious cough in children

Children exposed in the womb to the widely used pesticide additive piperonyl butoxide (PBO) have heightened risk of noninfectious cough at ages 5 and 6, according to researchers at the Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health (CCCEH) at the Mailman School of Public Health and of Columbia University Medical Center.

6 Sep 2012

Antibiotics: facts and fictions: an interview with Dr Philippa Binns, clinical adviser at NPS MedicineWise

Antibiotics are medicines used to treat infections or diseases caused by bacteria, such as some respiratory tract infections (including pneumonia and whooping cough), urinary tract infections, skin infections and infected wounds.

6 Sep 2012

Akonni receives NSF's Phase 2 SBIR Grant to develop Lab-on-a-Film microarray

Akonni Biosystems, a life science tools / molecular diagnostics company that develops, manufactures, and plans to market molecular testing devices for diagnosing infectious diseases and human genetic disorders, announced today the receipt of a $498,780 Phase 2 SBIR Grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF).

6 Sep 2012