Asthma News and Research

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Asthma is a common inflammatory disease affecting the airways that leads to shortness of breath, coughing and wheezing. Symptoms range from mild to severe but are generally manageable with appropriate treatment.

U.S. HHS orders for an additional 29 million doses of MedImmune's influenza vaccine

MedImmune announced today that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has placed an order for an additional 29 million doses of its live attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV) against the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus. This brings HHS orders to date to more than 40 million vaccine doses, with a total cumulative contract value of approximately $453 million.

22 Sep 2009

QualityMetric announces new tool to measure pain accurately

According to the National Centers for Health Statistics, 76.2 million Americans report problems with chronic pain; more than diabetes, heart disease, and cancer combined. The same report notes that the annual cost of chronic pain in the United States, including healthcare expenses, lost income, and productivity, is estimated to be $100 billion.

21 Sep 2009

King Pharmaceuticals achieves milestone: Announces commercial availability of EMBEDA

King Pharmaceuticals(R), Inc. (NYSE: KG) today announced a true milestone as it marks the first commercial availability for EMBEDA(TM) (morphine sulfate and naltrexone hydrochloride) Extended Release Capsules, a long-acting Schedule II opioid analgesic for the management of moderate to severe pain when a continuous, around-the-clock opioid analgesic is needed for an extended period of time.

21 Sep 2009

March of Dimes to re-launch Healthy Baby program for military families

Military moms whose babies were born too soon or too sick were treated to a very special baby shower today at the Portsmouth Naval Medical Center Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) courtesy of the March of Dimes and Operation Shower.

21 Sep 2009

Identification of nitric oxide using lasers and sensors

Nitric oxide, a gas well known to scientists for its myriad functions, has proven challenging to measure accurately outside the laboratory. A team of Princeton and Rice University researchers has demonstrated a new method of identifying the gas using lasers and sensors that are inexpensive, compact and highly sensitive. Such a portable device, suitable for large-scale deployment, could be of great value to atmospheric science, pollution control, biology and medicine.

21 Sep 2009

Study reveals that allergies are a major health issue in Sweden

Asthma, nasal symptoms and eczema is a major public health problem in Sweden, not least among young people. Half of all teenagers are affected in Västra Götaland County in West Sweden.

21 Sep 2009

Chronic asthma can be controlled with better breathing techniques

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21 Sep 2009

Tips for preventing mold exposure

In recognition of Mold Awareness Month this month, cleanup and restoration professionals are explaining how mold can affect anyone who is exposed to it.

19 Sep 2009

Resolvyx Pharmaceuticals receives U.S. patent for RX-10045

Resolvyx Pharmaceuticals, Inc., the leading Resolvin therapeutics company, today announced that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has granted a patent (U.S. Patent 7,582,785) covering composition of matter for RX-10045, the first Resolvin therapeutic to enter clinical trials.

19 Sep 2009

Researchers to focus on abnormal fetal growth and chronic kidney disease

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has awarded Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University two grants totaling $3.5 million to study epigenetic changes - chemical modifications of genes caused by stress, diet or other environmental influences - and how they contribute to human diseases and biological processes.

18 Sep 2009

Vitamin K prevents age-related conditions

An important analysis conducted by Children's Hospital Oakland Research Institute scientists suggests the importance of ensuring optimal dietary intakes of vitamin K to prevent age-related conditions such as bone fragility, arterial and kidney calcification, cardiovascular disease, and possibly cancer. Vitamin K is concentrated in dark green plants such as spinach or Swiss chard, and is either not present or present in only small amounts in most multivitamin pills.

18 Sep 2009

American Lung Association applauds EPA’s decision to reduce threat from dangerous air pollutant

Today the Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Lisa Jackson, announced that the Agency will embark on a formal review of the national air quality standard for ozone, a decision that offers the opportunity to finally protect the health of millions of Americans from the most widespread and one of the most dangerous air pollutants.

17 Sep 2009

NIH to fund grants for epigenetic research

The National Institutes of Health announced today that it will fund 22 grants on genome-wide studies of how epigenetic changes -- chemical modifications to genes that result from diet, aging, stress, or environmental exposures -- define and contribute to specific human diseases and biological processes.

17 Sep 2009

Guide reveals that non-smokers require different treatment for lung cancer

A committee of scientists led by Johns Hopkins investigators has published a new guide to the biology, diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer in never-smokers, fortifying measures for what physicians have long known is a very different disease than in smokers.

17 Sep 2009

Phthalates & Parabens Profile helps identify exposure levels to chemicals

Personal care products that we use everyday contain chemicals that act as endocrine disruptors, which hinder the normal functions of our hormone systems. Phthalates, also known as plasticizers, are added to plastics to make them flexible to mold into shapes for product packaging and as fragrance for perfumes and air fresheners. Parabens are added to personal care products, such as cosmetics, to extend shelf-life and eliminate fungi and bacteria.

16 Sep 2009

Aviva Select series of Disease Management and Wellness programs launched

Avivia Health announces Avivia Select, a new series of affordable Disease Management and Wellness programs specifically designed to help companies provide important new benefits to their employees. Avivia Health is the only national provider of Disease Management and Wellness Solutions based on 60 years of evidence-based care by parent organization Kaiser Permanente.

16 Sep 2009

American Lung Association urges families to get immunized against seasonal influenza

The American Lung Association is intensifying its seasonal influenza public education initiative to urge families to get vaccinated as soon as possible. The Faces of Influenza campaign aims to ensure Americans get immunized against seasonal influenza, which each year causes an estimated 36,000 deaths and over 226,000 hospitalizations from the virus and its related complications.

15 Sep 2009

New program educates parents on fun, healthy mealtime ideas

How did the simple act of eating become so difficult? Between basic nutrition, the obesity epidemic, allergies, food recalls, and chemical contaminants, feeding children a healthy diet has never been so complicated. Eat Healthy, a new program from Healthy Child Healthy World, makes it easy.

15 Sep 2009

Gentic circuits that cause mucous hyper-production identified

Scientists have identified the main genetic switch that causes excessive mucous in the lungs, a discovery that one day could ease suffering for people with chronic lung diseases like asthma and cystic fibrosis, or just those fighting the common cold.

15 Sep 2009

Genetic switch that causes excessive mucus in the lungs identified

Scientists have identified the main genetic switch that causes excessive mucus in the lungs, a discovery that one day could ease suffering for people with chronic lung diseases like asthma and cystic fibrosis, or just those fighting the common cold.

15 Sep 2009