Cold, Flu & Cough News and Research

Latest Cold, Flu & Cough News and Research

New diagnostic system describes symptoms using the image of patient's tongue

Physicians often ask their patients to "Please stick out your tongue". The tongue can betray signs of illness, which combined with other symptoms such as a cough, fever, presence of jaundice, headache or bowel habits, can help the physician offer a diagnosis. For people in remote areas who do not have ready access to a physician, a new diagnostic system is reported in the International Journal of Biomedical Engineering and Technology that works to combine the soft inputs of described symptoms with a digital analysis of an image of the patient's tongue.

7 Dec 2014

Scientists devise powerful algorithm to improve effectiveness of research technology harnessing RNAi

Scientists at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory have devised a powerful algorithm that improves the effectiveness of an important research technology harnessing RNA interference, or RNAi.

7 Dec 2014

Novel treatments show safe responses in patients with relapsed, treatment-resistant blood cancers

Novel treatments that harness the body's own immune cells to attack cancer cells demonstrate safe and durable responses in patients with relapsed and treatment-resistant blood cancers, according to data presented today at the 56th American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting and Exposition.

7 Dec 2014

ACSM unveils strategic plan to improve health, fitness outcomes in Cincinnati

The American College of Sports Medicine, with support from the Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation, is expanding the ACSM American Fitness Index Technical Assistance Program to Cincinnati. Working with the Cincinnati Health Department's Creating Healthy Communities Coalition, ACSM unveiled a comprehensive strategic plan today that will guide the Cincinnati metro area toward improved health and fitness outcomes.

6 Dec 2014

FDA Advisory Committee votes in favor of Actavis' ceftazidime-avibactam

Actavis plc today announced that the Anti-Infective Drugs Advisory Committee convened by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has voted to recommend approval of Actavis' New Drug Application (NDA) for ceftazidime-avibactam, an investigational antibiotic being developed to treat hospitalized patients when limited or no treatment options are available for complicated intra-abdominal infections (cIAI) (in combination with metronidazole) and complicated urinary tract infections (cUTI) (including acute pyelonephritis) caused by Gram-negative pathogens.

5 Dec 2014

Empathic partnership: A health care model for marginalized populations

Sitting on an exam table in a flimsy gown can intimidate anyone. If you also happen to be lesbian, gay or bisexual, the experience can be even worse.

5 Dec 2014

TSRI scientists identify 'mechanoreceptor' protein that mediates sense of touch in mammals

A team led by biologists at The Scripps Research Institute has solved a long-standing mystery in neuroscience by identifying the "mechanoreceptor" protein that mediates the sense of touch in mammals.

5 Dec 2014

Mylan gets tentative approval from FDA for two pediatric dosages of abacavir/lamivudine tablets

Mylan Inc. today announced that its subsidiary Mylan Laboratories Limited has received tentative approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for its New Drug Applications (NDAs) for two dosages of abacavir/lamivudine tablets for oral suspension for the treatment of HIV-1 infection in pediatric patients.

4 Dec 2014

Massage therapy: A natural way to strengthen the immune system this flu season

As seasons change our bodies become more susceptible to cold and flu. Massage therapy is a natural way to strengthen the immune system at this vulnerable time, especially if it is already weakened by stress, fatigue or poor nutrition.

4 Dec 2014

Scientists report new approach to defeating asthma by targeting allergen

Current asthma treatments can alleviate wheezing, coughing and other symptoms felt by millions of Americans every year, but they don't get to the root cause of the condition. Now, for the first time, scientists are reporting a new approach to defeating asthma by targeting the trigger -- the allergen -- before it can spark an attack. They describe their new compound, which they tested on rats, in ACS' Journal of Medicinal Chemistry.

3 Dec 2014

Many pediatric chest X-rays unnecessary, offer no clinical benefit

Researchers at Mayo Clinic found that some children are receiving chest X-rays that may be unnecessary and offer no clinical benefit to the patient, according to a study presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America.

3 Dec 2014

Scientists reveal how bacterial nanodrills enter into our cells to kill them

A team of scientists has revealed how certain harmful bacteria drill into our cells to kill them. Their study shows how bacterial 'nanodrills' assemble themselves on the outer surfaces of our cells, and includes the first movie of how they then punch holes in the cells' outer membranes.

3 Dec 2014

EU-designed forecasting model developed to predict spread of Ebola

Forecasters predicting the spread of Ebola are using one of the most sophisticated modeling systems in the world - the result of an EU research project.

2 Dec 2014

Restrooms are no more healthy, unhealthy than your home

Microbial succession in a sterilized restroom begins with bacteria from the gut and the vagina, and is followed shortly by microbes from the skin. Restrooms are dominated by a stable community structure of skin and outdoor associated bacteria, with few pathogenic bacteria making them similar to other built environments such as your home.

2 Dec 2014

New blood test could help detect cold-related asthma risk

People who have asthma generally suffer worse with colds caused by rhinoviruses than other people do. There are also asthmatics and patients with the severe lung condition COPD in whom the cold virus can trigger serious flare-ups of their condition. A team of researchers from the Institute of Pathophysiology and Allergy Research at the MedUni Vienna has now discovered how this risk group can be filtered out using a blood test.

2 Dec 2014

Antibiotic resistance: Theme for next Uppsala Health Summit

The theme for the next Uppsala Health Summit, to be held in Uppsala on 2-3 June 2015, is antibiotic resistance -- one of the biggest global health challenges of our day.

2 Dec 2014

Baxter seeks FDA approval of BAX 855 for treatment of people with hemophilia A

Nektar Therapeutics reported that partner Baxter International Inc. today announced that the company has submitted a biologics license application (BLA) to the United States Food and Drug Administration for the approval of BAX 855, an investigational, extended half-life recombinant factor VIII (rFVIII) treatment for hemophilia A based on ADVATE [Antihemophilic Factor (Recombinant)].

From Baxter International Inc. 1 Dec 2014

Clementia's palovarotene receives FDA Fast Track designation for FOP treatment

Clementia Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted Fast Track designation to palovarotene, which is being developed for the treatment of fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP).

1 Dec 2014

Cepheid gets FDA clearance to market Xpert Norovirus

Cepheid today announced it has received clearance from the U.S. Food & Drug Administration to market Xpert Norovirus, a qualitative in vitro diagnostic test for expeditious identification and differentiation of Noroviruses genogroup I (GI) and genogroup II (GII).

1 Dec 2014