Immunology

Invading worms cause the body to shut down defenses

When parasitic worms invade muscle tissue, white blood cells called eosinophils rush to the scene. A study published in the Journal of Immunology this month reveals that these cells actually start a chain reaction that stops ...

Neuroscience

Surprising new role for calcium in sensing pain

When you accidentally touch a hot oven, you rapidly pull your hand away. Although scientists know the basic neural circuits involved in sensing and responding to such painful stimuli, they are still sorting out the molecular ...

Immunology

'Worm pill' could ease autoimmune disease symptoms

(Medical Xpress)—Experts believe a molecule in parasitic worms could help explain why worm infections can effectively treat a range of autoimmune diseases, including multiple sclerosis, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis and ...

Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes

How some parasites can end up in your eye and turn you blind

In sub-Saharan Africa and parts of Latin America, there is a parasitic worm that infects about 25m people, causing serious skin diseases, epilepsy and blindness. Known as Onchocerca volvulus, it can live for more than a ...

Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes

Exploring a parasitic tunnel boring machine

Researchers have deduced essential biological and genetic information from the genome sequence of the whipworm, an intestinal parasitic worm that infects hundreds of millions of people in developing countries.

Medical research

Glucosamine promotes longevity by mimicking a low-carb diet

The widely used food supplement glucosamine promotes longevity in aging mice by approximately 10 percent due to improved glucose metabolism. Michael Ristow, M.D., a professor at ETH Zurich, and his team find that the compound ...

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