Immunology

Natural, Still Science: Killer Fungus Takes Out Poison Ivy

One of the hazards of summer is picking up an itchy poison ivy rash but researchers say they have found a natural and effective way to kill it- a fungus named olletotrichum fioriniae that grows on the fleshy tissue surrounding the plant's seed.  For ...

Article - News Staff - Jun 12 2014 - 8:14am

Enzyme ALV003 Treatment May Protect Celiac Patients From Gluten-Induced Injury

The gluten-specific enzyme ALV003 reduces a patient's exposure to gluten and its potential harm, according to a new phase 2 study appearing in Gastroenterology. It's the first time a non-dietary intervention has been shown to potentially benefit ...

Article - News Staff - Jun 15 2014 - 1:15pm

OASL: Naturally Occurring Protein Could Inhibit Viral Infections, Like Flu

By boosting a protein called oligoadenylate synthetases-like (OASL) that naturally exists in our cells, researchers may have found a way to enhance our ability to inhibit viral infections like the flu.  OASL appears in increased quantities in people with ...

Article - News Staff - Jun 15 2014 - 1:31am

One Shot Could Reduce Heart Attacks By Up To 90 Percent

Heart attack is the leading natural killer worldwide, with up to one in two men and one in three women past the age of 40 having heart attacks in their lifetimes. What if one shot, similar to a vaccine, could prevent that? Writing in Circulation Research, ...

Article - News Staff - Jun 13 2014 - 8:50am

Fecal Transplants Found To Restore Healthy Bacteria In Intestinal Infections

While probiotics don't do much of anything except make companies rich, fecal microbiota transplantation--- the process of delivering stool bacteria from a healthy donor to a patient suffering from intestinal infection with the bacterium Clostridium d ...

Article - News Staff - Jun 17 2014 - 8:02am

Cushing Disease Case Study: A Disease Of Mistaken Identity

Pictured is Sydney Kandell with MSU and Sparrow Hospital residents Tiffany Burns and Lee Murphy just after surgery to remove the aggressive tumor that was causing her rare form of Cushing disease. Credit: Sydney Kandell The symptoms of Cushing disease are ...

Article - News Staff - Jun 23 2014 - 5:30pm

Genes That Increase Schizophrenia Also Implicated In Cannabis Use

Some studies have suggested a link between cannabis use and schizophrenia, but it has remained unclear whether this association is due to cannabis directly increasing the risk of the disorder.  Cannabis is the most widely used illicit drug in the world, a ...

Article - News Staff - Jun 24 2014 - 10:00am

Child With A Persistent Cough? 20 Percent Could Have Whooping Cough

Elites in California and Washington and New York like to claim they are showing leadership with every fad they embrace- they should be showing leadership by telling their citizens to stop promoting anti-vaccine nonsense.  Otherwise, the US could end up li ...

Article - News Staff - Jun 24 2014 - 8:04pm

This Fungus Is A Weapon Of Mass Destruction Against Antibiotic Resistance

A fungus living in the soils of Nova Scotia may be a secret weapon in the battle against drug-resistant germs that kill tens of thousands of people every year, including one considered a serious global threat. A team of researchers has discovered a fungus ...

Article - News Staff - Jun 25 2014 - 5:33pm

Worried About Bees? Blame Blood-Sucking Parasites

Honeybees are a key pollinating insect, associated with around $40 billion in crops. In recent years, there were higher than normal colony losses (colony collapse disorder) has been a concern. Environmentalist have focused on neonicotinoid pesticides whil ...

Article - News Staff - Jun 26 2014 - 5:41pm