Infection control link nurse program: an interdisciplinary approach in targeting health care-acquired infection.

Background: We describe a successful interdisciplinary liaison program that effectively reduced health care-acquired (HCA), methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in a university hospital setting.

Methods: Baseline was from January 2006 to March 2008, and intervention period was April 2008 to September 2009. Staff nurses were trained to be liaisons (link nurses) to infection prevention (IP) personnel with clearly defined goals assigned and with ongoing monthly education.

Beyond the bundle--journey of a tertiary care medical intensive care unit to zero central line-associated bloodstream infections.

Introduction: We set a goal to reduce the incidence rate of catheter-related bloodstream infections to rate of <1 per 1,000 central line days in a two-year period.

Methods: This is an observational cohort study with historical controls in a 25-bed intensive care unit at a tertiary academic hospital. All patients admitted to the unit from January 2008 to December 2011 (31,931 patient days) were included.

Induction of CD4(+)CD25(+) T regulatory cells with CD103 depletion.

Background: M290SAP, a murine CD103 antibody conjugated with the immunotoxin saporin, has been found to induce the indefinite acceptance of transplanted pancreatic islets in mice. We sought to understand the underlying mechanism of this alloacceptance, particularly with respect to the CD4 CD25 T regulatory phenotype.

Methods: In this study, we established the kinetics of M290SAP and evaluated the requirement of alloantigen for the induction and maintenance of CD4 CD25 T regulatory cells (Tregs).

Black raspberry components inhibit proliferation, induce apoptosis, and modulate gene expression in rat esophageal epithelial cells.

We have shown that a diet containing freeze-dried black raspberries (BRB) inhibits the development of chemically induced cancer in the rat esophagus. To provide insights into possible mechanisms by which BRB inhibit esophageal carcinogenesis, we evaluated an ethanol (EtOH) extract of BRB, and two component anthocyanins (cyanidin-3-O-glucoside and cyanidin-3-O-rutinoside) in BRB, for their effects on growth, apoptosis, and gene expression in rat esophageal epithelial cell lines. The EtOH extract and both anthocyanins selectively caused significant growth inhibition and induction of apoptosis in a highly tumorigenic cell line (RE-149 DHD) but not in a weakly tumorigenic line (RE-149).

Cancer prevention with freeze-dried berries and berry components.

Our laboratory is developing a food-based approach to the prevention of esophageal and colon cancer utilizing freeze-dried berries and berry extracts. Dietary freeze-dried berries were shown to inhibit chemically induced cancer of the rodent esophagus by 30-60% and of the colon by up to 80%. The berries are effective at both the initiation and promotion/progression stages of tumor development.