Cold and Flu – PossibleThreat Articles

Alcohol’s hidden shortcut lets gut bacteria wreck the liver

September 22, 2025 0 Comments Cold and Flu, Diseases and Conditions, Human Biology, Immune System, Mental Health Research, Nervous System, Pharmaceuticals, Pharmacology

Alcohol-associated liver disease is becoming a massive health and economic burden, but researchers at UC San Diego may have uncovered a new way forward. They discovered that chronic alcohol use blocks a crucial protein that normally helps keep gut bacteria from leaking into the liver, worsening damage. Restoring this protein’s function, using drugs already in development, could not only reduce liver disease but also have implications for treating alcohol addiction itself.

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Biomedical sciences researchers demonstrate that new antiviral drug effectively treats influenza

October 24, 2019 0 Comments Biology, Bird Flu, Bird Flu Research, Cold and Flu, Infectious Diseases, Influenza, Microbes and More, Virology

A new antiviral drug that induces mutations in the genetic material of influenza virus is highly effective in treating influenza infection in animals and human airway tissue and could be a groundbreaking advance in influenza therapy.

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Immune response to influenza

October 23, 2019 0 Comments Biology, Bird Flu, Bird Flu Research, Cold and Flu, Immune System, Influenza, Microbiology, Virology

New research provides insights into how the body can protect itself from immunopathology during flu.

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Wind turbine design and placement can mitigate negative effect on birds

October 19, 2019 0 Comments Bird Flu, Cold and Flu, Disability, Diseases and Conditions, Infectious Diseases, Influenza, Medical Topics

Wind energy is increasingly seen as a sustainable alternative to fossil fuels, as it contributes to a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. However, the rapid expansion of wind farms has raised concerns about the impact of wind turbines on wildlife. A new study provides comprehensive data on how turbines affect bird populations. The study suggests ways to mitigate negative effects through wind turbine design and placement, recommending taller turbines, shorter blades, and placement away from bird habitats.

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Vaccine against RSV could be in sight, researchers say

October 9, 2019 0 Comments Cold and Flu, Herpes, HIV and AIDS, Infectious Diseases, Influenza, Mumps, Measles, Rubella, Vaccines, Viruses

A vaccine for the common and sometimes deadly RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) has been elusive, but scientists say a new discovery puts them much closer to success.

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Towards better hand hygiene for flu prevention

September 18, 2019 0 Comments Bird Flu, Cold and Flu, Cystic Fibrosis, Ebola, HIV and AIDS, Infectious Diseases, Influenza, Viruses

Rubbing hands with ethanol-based sanitizers should provide a formidable defense against infection from flu viruses, which can thrive and spread in saliva and mucus. But new findings challenge that notion — and suggest that there's room for improvement in this approach to hand hygiene.

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Needle-free flu vaccine patch effective in early study

September 18, 2019 0 Comments Bird Flu, Cold and Flu, Diseases and Conditions, Influenza, Psoriasis, Skin Cancer, Skin Care, Vaccines

A new needle-free flu vaccine patch revved up the immune system much like a traditional flu shot without any negative side effects. The research represents an important step toward a technology that could replace needle-based vaccination methods that are difficult to deploy in developing countries.