BACKGROUND Cough is one of the main symptoms of advanced lung disease. However, the efficacy of currently available treatment remains unsatisfactory. Research into the new antitussives requires an objective assessment of cough. METHODS The aim of the study was to test the feasibility of a new automatic portable cough analyser and assess the correlation between subjective and objective evaluat...

CONTEXT The emergence and spread of antibiotic-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae in US communities is due, in part, to the excessive use of antibiotics for acute respiratory tract infections. OBJECTIVE To decrease total antibiotic use for uncomplicated acute bronchitis in adults. DESIGN Prospective, nonrandomized controlled trial, including baseline (November 1996-February 1997) and study ...

We have previously found that antitussive drugs inhibit G protein-coupled inwardly rectifying potassium (GIRK) channel currents in brain neurons. Potassium efflux through GIRK channels causes membrane hyperpolarization, and thus plays an important role in the inhibitory regulation of neuronal excitability. Because GIRK channels are coupled to various G protein-coupled receptors including monoam...

BACKGROUND While self-medication is common, inappropriate self-medication has potential risks. This study assesses inappropriate self-medication among adolescents and examines the relationships among medication literacy, substance use, and inappropriate self-medication. METHOD In 2016, a national representative sample of 6,226 students from 99 primary, middle, and high schools completed an on...

Several therapeutic effects including diuretic, anti-pyretic and anti-scurvy have been reported for Portulaca oleracea. In previous studies the analgesic, anti-inflammatory, anti-hypertensive, anti-oxidant, muscle relaxant effects and neuropharmacological effects of the aqueous extract of Portulaca oleracea have been demonstrated on experimental animals. In the present study the antitussive eff...