THURSDAY, May 15 (HealthDay News) -- Researchers say they may be able to prevent the tissue damage that lung diseases, such as emphysema, cause by treating the patient with doxycycline, an antibiotic commonly used to treat acne.

In experiments on mice, doxycycline -- which is also used to treat common ailments such as sinusitis and urinary tract infections -- appears to counter low levels of VEGF, a protein that helps to maintain healthy lung tissue but is in unusually low levels in people with emphysema.

FRIDAY, April 18 (HealthDay News) -- A computer program may help people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) gain better control over their breathing and breathe more efficiently, according to U.S. researchers who are developing the program.