The pathogen Clostridioides difficile (C. diff) — a leading cause of hospital-acquired infections — must contend with a variety of threats inside the harsh environment of the gut to survive and grow. Researchers at Vanderbilt Health have now discovered a unique system C. diff uses to simultaneously sense and respond to two different threats: host-mediated nutrient deprivation and a microbiota-produced antibiotic compound. Their findings, published Sept. 8 in Science Signaling, suggest new therapeutic options for preventing and treating C. diff infections.

People in Vancouver experienced an increase in police drug seizures during the first year of British Columbia's drug decriminalization pilot project, according to a Simon Fraser University study.

During the pilot, police in B.C. were not meant to arrest or charge people for possessing drugs for personal consumption, a threshold defined as 2.5 grams. One of the goals of decriminalization was to reduce interaction between the police and people who use drugs, says Kanna Hayashi, co-author of the study. 

The Gerontological Society of America (GSA) is partnering with Plans4Care, Inc., to offer clinicians, care managers, and health and human service professionals a certificate in engaging family caregivers through The Confident Caregiver online course. It is an innovative, brief, self-paced training experience that provides the skills and tools necessary for participants to confidently engage with family caregivers of individuals with complex conditions as part of their workflows.