Respiratory News and Research

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Coronavirus outbreak now a global health emergency says WHO

The Wuhan coronavirus or 2019-nCoV outbreak continues to spread in mainland China and in more than a dozen countries. In the last 24 hours, 42 had succumbed to the infection, making the death toll hit 213, with 9,692 confirmed cases, prompting the World Health Organization (WHO) to declare the coronavirus outbreak a global health emergency.

30 Jan 2020

Researchers use new technique to improve the ability to model lung diseases

Using a combination of pluripotent stem cells (cells that can potentially produce any cell or tissue type) and machine learning (artificial intelligence that allows computers to learn automatically), researchers have improved how they generate lung cells.

30 Jan 2020

Do masks protect from Coronavirus?

As the new Wuhan coronavirus, designated 2019-nCoV, spreads around the world, people are increasingly turning to face masks for protection. The question is, are masks really needed?

30 Jan 2020

Quitting smoking reverses lung cell damage even for decade-long smokers

It’s never too late to quit smoking, as a new study shows the lung’s ability to heal and regrow damaged cells caused by cigarette smoking, even if they smoked for decades.

30 Jan 2020

Scientists reveal clinical features of Wuhan coronavirus patients

The Wuhan coronavirus, or the 2019-nCoV, which originated in Wuhan City in Hubei province infected more than 7,700 people with the death toll topping more than 170. China reports 38 deaths in just 24 hours, making the outbreak one of the deadliest ones the country has faced.

30 Jan 2020

Wuhan coronavirus is genetically different from human SARS, MERS-CoV, study found

The Wuhan coronavirus or the 2019-nCoV or novel coronavirus is a new human-infecting coronavirus genetically different from human SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome), and MERS-CoV (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome), a team of scientists has found.

30 Jan 2020

Researchers identify potential target in the fight against MERS

First identified in 2012, the MERS-coronavirus is capable of causing severe and often fatal pneumonia. There are no effective treatments for MERS.

29 Jan 2020

Finer particulate matter (PM1) and risk of cardiovascular disease

A new study published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology Letters reports that particulate matter smaller than a single micron in diameter, called PM1, is strongly linked to the occurrence of cardiovascular disease (CVD). This is thought to be due to its higher surface area to volume ratio.

29 Jan 2020

One-quarter of hospitalized children are prescribed antibiotics incorrectly

The overuse of antibiotics poses an increasing threat to children who develop -- or already have -- drug-resistant infections that are difficult or impossible to treat, and can cause extended hospitalization, disability and even death.

29 Jan 2020

High carbon dioxide levels due to respiratory diseases may aggravate pancreatic cancer

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or COPD is associated with higher rates of many cancers, including lung, esophagus, colon, bladder and breast cancer.

29 Jan 2020

Travel data reveals top 20 cities at risk of Wuhan coronavirus spread

The Wuhan coronavirus or 2019-N-CoV has spread across the globe, including Australia, United States, Cambodia, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, Malaysia, Nepal, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam.

28 Jan 2020

Weight loss surgery helps reverse respiratory issues in obese patients

Obesity is now considered a global health epidemic, affecting millions of people worldwide. In morbidly obese patients, the extra weight has taken a toll on their overall health, including predisposing them to cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, certain cancers, and respiratory issues. However, breathing issues in obese people may be reversed and relieved, thanks to weight loss surgery.

28 Jan 2020

Pulmonary imaging key to diagnosing vaping-related lung damage

In 2019, the emergence of mysterious lung disease in the United States has sparked global health attention. Now named as the e-cigarette, or vaping, product use–associated lung injury (EVALI), the disease causes lung damage, which is a serious and sometimes fatal complication of vaping.

28 Jan 2020

Response to nation’s 1st coronavirus case draws on lessons from measles outbreak

When the first U.S. case of a new coronavirus spreading throughout China was confirmed last week in Washington state, public health workers were well prepared to respond, building on lessons learned during the outbreak of measles that sickened 87 people in the state in 2019.

28 Jan 2020

Key insights on how to prevent novel coronavirus

The 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) is a new respiratory virus that was first identified in Wuhan, China.

27 Jan 2020

Deadly infection in cystic fibrosis could be curbed with combination medication

Researchers from Aston University and Birmingham Children’s Hospital have developed a new medication regimen that could successfully treat a bacterial infection that could prove fatal to patients with cystic fibrosis or bronchiectasis. The results of the new study were published in the latest issue of the journal Scientific Reports.

27 Jan 2020

New gene correction therapy for hereditary muscular disease among children

Duchenne type muscular dystrophy is the most common hereditary muscular disease among children, leaving them wheelchair-bound before the age of twelve and reducing life expectancy.

27 Jan 2020

Preterm survival rate up by 25 percent thanks to the quality improvement program

Preterm birth occurs before 37 weeks of gestation and has been tied to many complications in the infant. In Canada, the rate of survival of very preterm infants born between 28 to 32 weeks, improved by 25 percent, thanks to the national Evidence-based Practice for Improving Quality (EPIQ) program in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) across the country.

27 Jan 2020

Climate change inflicts catastrophic effects on children’s health

The grim effects that climate change will have on pediatric health outcomes was the focus of a "Viewpoint" article published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation by Susan E. Pacheco, MD, an expert at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston.

27 Jan 2020

Weak evidence found on added benefit of asfotase alfa treatment for infants with hypophosphatasia

Hypophosphatasia (HPP) is a rare congenital metabolic disorder. The frequency of severe courses of disease is estimated at 1:100 000: A deficiency of the enzyme phosphatase results in insufficient mineralization of the bones and thus in severe skeletal malformations.

27 Jan 2020