Add BrightSurf on Google Email

Why kids breathe easier in summer

Researchers at Tel Aviv University found that viral respiratory infections may be behind the seasonal spike in sleep-disordered breathing among children. The study, published in Sleep Medicine, suggests that winter months are when pediatric sleep-disordered breathing worsens, contrary to previous assumptions about asthma and allergies.

SourceAmerican Friends of Tel Aviv University·JournalSleep Medicine·DateSep 17, 2013

Melody modulates choir members' heart rate

Researchers found that choir members' heart rates synchronize when singing in unison, with a direct link between melody and cardiac activity. This effect is similar to controlled breathing exercises, which regulate vagus nerve activity.

SourceFrontiers·JournalFrontiers in Neuroscience·DateJul 8, 2013

Obstructive sleep apnea raises risk of sudden cardiac death, Mayo Clinic finds

A recent study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found that obstructive sleep apnea is associated with a significantly higher risk of sudden cardiac death. The study, which followed over 10,700 participants for an average of 5.3 years, revealed that people with sleep apnea were almost twice as likely to exp...

SourceMayo Clinic·JournalJournal of the American College of Cardiology·DateJun 12, 2013

Baby's life saved with groundbreaking 3-D printed device that restored his breathing

A new, bioresorbable tracheal splint created using 3D printing technology successfully treated a baby with severe tracheobronchomalacia, saving his life. The device was designed and fabricated at the University of Michigan, where it was used to treat Kaiba, a 20-month-old boy who stopped breathing regularly.

SourceMichigan Medicine - University of Michigan·JournalNew England Journal of Medicine·DateMay 22, 2013

Study: Why hot, humid air triggers symptoms in patients with mild asthma

A study published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine found that hot, humid air triggers an increase in airway resistance in patients with mild asthma, leading to coughing and airway constriction. Inhaling an asthma drug before exposure to hot, humid air prevented this reaction.

SourceNationwide Children's Hospital·JournalAmerican Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine·DateJun 6, 2012

New analysis of premature infants' heartbeats, breathing could be cues for leaving NICU

Researchers developed an analytical method that measures cardiorespiratory interaction using individual breaths and heartbeats, showing that postnatal age is an indicator of maturity in premature infants. The study found no correlation between cardiorespiratory interaction and birth weight or gestational age at birth.

SourceAmerican Physiological Society·JournalJournal of Applied Physiology·DateMar 26, 2012

Cold air chills heart's oxygen supply

Research by Penn State found that breathing cold air during exercise causes uneven oxygen distribution throughout the heart, particularly in those with coronary artery disease. Healthy individuals can redistribute blood flow, but those with heart problems may not be able to compensate, making activities like shoveling snow dangerous.

Hardy bacteria help make case for life in the extreme

Researchers have discovered two types of bacteria that can survive at extremely cold temperatures, including the bottom of Arctic and Antarctic glaciers. The bacteria, Chryseobacterium and Paenisporosarcina, respire in ice at temperatures ranging from -27 to 24 degrees Fahrenheit, using acetate as an energy source.

SourcePenn State·JournalEnvironmental Microbiology Reports·DateJan 19, 2012

Catching a breath -- wirelessly

Researchers developed a noninvasive wireless system to measure breathing rates, alerting caregivers if breathing stops. The technique could increase surgery patient safety and reduce infant mortality by detecting sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) without invasive monitoring.