New survey shows link between comprehensive antibiotic stewardship programs and infection preventionist certification

Nearly half of all nursing homes do not have adequately trained infection prevention staff and their efforts to combat the over prescription of antibiotics are suffering as a result, according to a new study in the American Journal of Infection Control (AJIC), the journal of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology. Elderly nursing home residents are more […]

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Bad behavior between moms driven by stereotypes, judgment

Mothers are often their own toughest critics, but new research shows they judge other mothers just as harshly. The results, published in the Journal of Family Communication, are concerning to Kelly Odenweller, lead author and assistant teaching professor of communication studies at Iowa State University. She says support networks are critical and negative experiences with other mothers may be detrimental […]

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Dietary fats entering the brain may explain link between obesity and depression

Obesity and depression have long been linked, with previous clinical studies finding an association between these two conditions. However, until now, the mechanisms of how obesity affects depression and vice versa have not been fully understood. Now, in a new study led by the University of Glasgow in collaboration with the Gladstone Institutes, and published today in Translational Psychiatry, scientists […]

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Lines blurring between human herpes simplex viruses

The line between the human herpes simplex viruses—HSV-1 and HSV-2—is blurrier than previously thought, according to a new study published this week in the Journal of Infectious Diseases. Researchers found that HSV-1 and HSV-2 are mixing together to result in several new, different recombinant versions of herpes. “The main implication is that HSV-1 and HSV-2 are continuing to recombine,” said […]

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Interaction between immune factors triggers cancer-promoting chronic inflammation

A Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) research team has identified interaction between two elements of the immune system as critical for the transformation of a protective immune response into chronic, cancer-promoting inflammation. In their report published in PNAS, the investigators demonstrate that elevated levels of the immune factor IL-33 and regulatory T cells (Tregs), which suppress the action of tumor-fighting immune […]

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Interaction between two immune cell types could be key to better dengue vaccines, study shows

Researchers at Duke-NUS Medical School have demonstrated for the first time a physical interaction between two types of immune cells that plays an important role in the early fight against dengue virus infection. Dengue virus is widespread in the tropics and is transmitted by mosquitos. Dengue virus infection incidence has grown dramatically in recent years, with estimates suggesting 390 million […]

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How brains distinguish between self-touch and touch by others

The brain seems to reduce sensory perception from an area of skin when we touch it ourselves, according to a new study from Linköping University published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The finding increases the understanding of how the brain distinguishes between being touched by another person and self-touch. The ability to distinguish between self […]

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Breast cancer screening: New emphasis on shared decision-making between women and their doctors

An updated guideline on screening for breast cancer emphasizes shared decision-making between women and their doctors, supporting women to make an informed decision based on personal preferences when the balance between benefits and harms is uncertain. The guideline, released by the Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care, is published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal). Based on the latest […]

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Study identifies link between DNA-protein binding, cancer onset

Researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine and their collaborators at other institutions have identified a link between how proteins bind to our DNA and how cancer develops. This finding may allow researchers to predict cancer pathways and long-term patient outcomes. The research focuses on chromatin, the DNA-protein complex where all genes reside. Specifically, it evaluates chromatin’s relationship to […]

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