Salud Para Su Corazon-NCLR: a comprehensive Promotora outreach program to promote heart-healthy behaviors among hispanics

This article describes results of year-1 implementation of the Salud Para Su Corazón (Health For Your Heart)-National Council of la Raza (NCLR) promotora (lay health worker) program for promoting heart-healthy behaviors among Latinos. Findings of this community outreach initiative include data from promotora pledges and self-skill behaviors, cardiovascular disease risk factors of Latino families, family heart-health education delivery, and program costs associated with promotora time. Participation included 29 trained promotoras serving 188 families from three NCLR affiliates in Escondido, California; Chicago, Illinois; and Ojo Caliente, New Mexico. Using several evaluation tools, the results showed that the promotora approach worked based on evidence obtained from the following indicators: changes in promotora's pre-post knowledge and performance skills, progress toward their pledge goals following training, recruiting and teaching families, providing follow-up, and organizing or participating in community events. Strengths and limitations of the promotora model approach are also discussed.     

Monocyte‐derived dendritic cells enhance protection against secondary influenza challenge by controlling the switch in CD8+ T‐cell immunodominance

Influenza virus infection triggers an increase in the number of monocyte‐derived dendritic cells (moDCs) in the respiratory tract, but the role of these cells during antiviral immunity is still unclear. Here we show that during influenza infection, moDCs dominate the late activation of CD8⁺ T cells and trigger the switch in immunodominance of the CD8⁺ T‐cell response from acidic polymerase specificity to nucleoprotein specificity. Abrogation of monocyte recruitment or depletion of moDCs strongly compromised host resistance to secondary influenza challenge. These findings underscore a novel function of moDCs in the antiviral response to influenza virus, and have important implications for vaccine design.