Respiratory Disease News and Research

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Leafy green vegetables, folate and multivitamins can prevent lung cancer in smokers

Leafy green vegetables, folate, and some multivitamins could serve as protective factors against lung cancer in current and former smokers, according to a study that is a first step in understanding a complex association.

19 Jan 2010

WHO, CDC issue H1N1 updates

Though H1N1 (swine flu) activity worldwide has slowed, the potential of a new wave of infections in the northern hemisphere in late winter or early spring remains viable, Keiji Fukuda, the WHO's top flu expert, said Monday at the start of the WHO's weeklong executive board meeting, Reuters reports.

19 Jan 2010

OSA adversely affects glucose control in patients with type 2 diabetes

Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) adversely affects glucose control in patients with type 2 diabetes, according to a study conducted by researchers at the University of Chicago.

18 Jan 2010

Aid begins flowing into Haiti, up to 3m may be affected

"Aid started flowing into Haiti Wednesday in the wake of the earthquake that slammed the impoverished nation late Tuesday afternoon," CNN reports. "One of two [U.S] military cargo planes carrying a 30-man assessment team arrived at Port-au-Prince airport Wednesday evening to assess Haiti's needs."

17 Jan 2010

3D structure of PI3Kdelta: An important drug target for a wide range of diseases

Intellikine announced today the publication of an article entitled, "The p110delta structure: mechanisms for selectivity and potency of new PI(3)K inhibitors," now available as an advanced online publication at Nature Chemical Biology.

12 Jan 2010

Alnylam Pharmaceuticals receives payment from Roche to initiate pre-IND studies for RNAi therapeutics

Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a leading RNAi therapeutics company, announced today that it has received a milestone payment from its partner Roche related to initiation of pre-IND (investigational new drug application) studies for an RNAi therapeutics product candidate.

7 Jan 2010

Toxic chemicals make us susceptible to a wide range of diseases

From the Industrial Revolution and onward, the world has become an environment that is overflowing with dangerous toxins. Mass manufacturing has resulted in thousands of chemical pollutants being released in the atmosphere, water, and soil. As well, there has been a widespread increase of chemicals being added to almost every type of food and retail product.

6 Jan 2010

CDC and AAFP recommend whooping cough vaccine for adults and adolescents

Many people may think of whooping cough as a disease of the past -- something eradicated generations ago. However, the number of cases reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicate that whooping cough (pertussis) is still very much a public health concern; health experts estimate that up to 600,000 cases occur each year in adults alone. In fact, whooping cough cases are on the rise in San Diego

6 Jan 2010

January issue of Chest presents new studies on COPD

A new study shows that poor lung function during adolescence and through midlife may be influenced by several factors, including birth weight, height, and gender.

5 Jan 2010

CSL Behring awards four advocacy grants to patient organizations in the U.S.

CSL Behring, a global leader in the plasma-protein biotherapies industry and a subsidiary of CSL Limited, has awarded four advocacy grants totaling $87,000 to patient organizations in the United States through the Local Empowerment for Advocacy Development (LEAD) program.

29 Dec 2009

Gene's role in immune system may suggest new treatments for childhood asthma

Pediatric researchers have identified a novel gene involved in childhood asthma, in one of the largest gene studies to date of the common respiratory disease. Because the gene, called DENND1B, affects cells and signaling molecules thought to be instrumental in the immune system overreaction that occurs in asthma, the discovery may have singled out an important target for new treatments.

23 Dec 2009

H1N1 virus produces pulmonary damage similar to earlier flu pandemics

In fatal cases of 2009 H1N1 influenza, the virus can damage cells throughout the respiratory airway, much like the viruses that caused the 1918 and 1957 influenza pandemics, report researchers from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the New York City Office of Chief Medical Examiner.

8 Dec 2009

Early antisocial behaviours and parental factors affect various health outcomes 40 years later

Men who have a history of delinquency in childhood are more likely to die or become disabled by the time they are 48, and not just from the obvious consequences of antisocial behaviour, new research indicates.

7 Dec 2009

Roche ships additional quantities of Tamiflu oral suspension

Roche announced today that it has begun shipping additional quantities of Tamiflu® (oseltamivir phosphate) oral suspension (liquid).

3 Dec 2009

MicroDose Therapeutx acquires a portfolio of compounds from Epix Pharmaceuticals

MicroDose Therapeutx Inc. today announced that it has acquired a portfolio of compounds for the potential treatment of chronic constipation, irritable bowel syndrome with constipation (IBS-C) and other diseases, from Epix Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (EPIX) (Lexington, MA).

2 Dec 2009

Climate change to have a profound impact on global public health

An emerging body of evidence suggests that the changing global climate is already affecting infectious disease transmission patterns. As noted today in a symposium at the 58th annual meeting of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH), such changes are expected to have a profound impact on global public health.

21 Nov 2009

Scientists explore various imaging techniques to gain new insight into lung disease

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a respiratory disease commonly known as chronic bronchitis or emphysema, is the fourth leading cause of death worldwide. 600 million people live with COPD and while researchers have yet to find any real treatment or cure, Grace Parraga of Robarts Research Institute at The University of Western Ontario in London, Canada, is using various imaging techniques to gain new insight into the disease.

21 Nov 2009

Canadian comedian helps raise awareness about COPD

COPD is no joke to Canadian comedian Mary Walsh. "It's shocking that so few Canadians know about COPD considering it's the fourth leading cause of death in this country," says Mary Walsh, spokesperson for The Canadian Lung Association.

18 Nov 2009

MicroDose Therapeutx acquires potential compounds for treatment of respiratory syncytial virus

MicroDose Therapeutx Inc. (formerly MicroDose Technologies) today announced that it has acquired a portfolio of compounds for the potential treatment of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) from ViroPharma Incorporated (Exton, PA). The lead investigational compound in the portfolio is an inhalable small molecule fusion inhibitor, now called MDT-637.

10 Nov 2009

NIOSH funds the DUSTI project

In the construction industry, respiratory disease, often leading to disability or an increased risk of cancer, is a major public health concern. Studies led by Deborah Young-Corbett, a faculty member in Virginia Tech's School of Construction, have shown that specific types of sanding tools are highly effective in reducing the dust that causes these health hazards, yet the industry's usage of the available technology remains very low.