researchers were independent of the sponsors, and neither sponsor had any influence over the study design; collection, analysis, or interpretation of the data; writing of the manuscript; or decision to submit it for publication.

Competing interests: PJP and CAG received grant support from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the National Patient Safety Agency, and the World Health Organization to study and improve quality of care, including catheter related bloodstream infections. They have received lecture fees from various healthcare organisations, and CAG has also received lecture fees from government agencies to speak on quality and patient safety. SC has grant support from Cubist and Astellas, has served as a consultant for Merck, and has been on the advisory boards for Astellas, Forrest, and`MNF' LIFTS ABC TO RATINGS WIN

Monday night football got its highest ratings of the season and made ABC No. 1 for the second time this fall.

The network grabbed a 27 average rating with the Dec. 3 "NFL Monday Night Football" game between the San Francisco 49ers and the New York Giants, the A.C. Nielsen Co. reported Tuesday. Each ratings point represents 931,000 homes.ABC won the week with a 12.7 average. The network's only other win this fall came last month when the game between the Raiders and the Dolphins helped ABC trounce its competitors with a 13.4 average.

Usually first-place NBC fell to second last week with an 11.9. CBS was in its usual third place with an 11.1.

"60 Minutes" on CBS got its highest ratings of the season