Respiratory infections are a leading cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide. Respiratory pathogenic bacteria, such as Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenza, are the main causes for chronic respiratory conditions, such as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). Advanced stages of these conditions lead to poor quality of life, limited flexibility in practicing daily physical activity, and an increased risk of death. Altogether, these disease conditions lead to considerable h...

The sticky residue left behind by tobacco smoke can do worse damage than stinking up furniture and discoloring walls. Exposure to thirdhand smoke leads to biological effects on weight and cell development that could be damaging to one’s health, according to new research led by scientists at the Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab). Researchers Pin Wang (left) and Antoine Snijders investigate blood cells collected from mice exposed to thirdhand smoke....