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This invention relates to assays for the detection and species-specific identification of Aspergillus fungi. Accurate clinical diagnosis of Aspergillus species has become increasingly important as certain species, such as A. terreus and A. fumigatus, are resistant to specific commonly employed antifungal compounds. Most contemporary fungal diagnostic methods are time-consuming and inaccurate.

This invention pertains to the development of oligonucleotides for the rapid nucleic acid-based identification of Candida or Aspergillus fungi species in biological samples. This identification is accomplished by the targeting the internally transcribed spacer-2 (ITS2) region that are unique to various Candida species. The assay is sensitive, specific and rapid. Implementation of the technology will facilitate earlier specific diagnoses, and lead to better antifungal therapy implementation for infected patients.

This invention pertains to the development of oligonucleotides for the rapid nucleic acid-based identification of the Candida fungi species C. haemulonii, C. kefyr, C. lambica, C. lusitaniae, C. norvegensis, C. norvegica, C. rugosa, C. utilis, C. viswanathii, C. zeylanoides, C. dubliniensis, and C. pelliculosa within biological samples. This identification is accomplished by the targeting the internally transcribed spacer-2 (ITS2) region that are specific for each species.

This CDC invention relates to primers and probes that specifically hybridize with Heartland virus (HRTLDV), a unique member of the genus Phlebovirus. It further relates to polyclonal antibodies specific for HRTLDV proteins. Serological detection assays using HRTLDV nucleic acid molecules, proteins, probes, primers, and antibodies are provided. Importantly, the HRTLDV genome can be engineered using reverse genetics to be attenuated, allowing development of a vaccine for other viruses within the Phlebovirus genus or Bunyaviridae family.

CDC researchers have developed recombinant lyssaviruses that can be used for the development of an improved, broad-spectrum vaccine against several rabies genotypes. Lyssaviruses are single-stranded RNA viruses that cause rabies and rabies-like diseases in mammals. Currently, there are commercially available vaccines that are considered to be effective against infections from a single viral phylogroup; however, these vaccines confer little or no protection against viruses outside of the phylogroup.

Biological materials are important research tools that can be used for diagnostic as well as therapeutic purposes. Antibodies have become viable drugs in the market today and there is a general market need for systems that may facilitate production of efficient and effective antibodies. In recent years, monoclonal antibodies have gained significant importance in their use, both as diagnostics and therapeutics, to intervene and combat diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and infections.

This technology is directed to the discovery of specific microRNAs that target and downregulate enzymes within the cholesterol biosynthetic pathway and is currently being tested in vivo.

A method of detecting DNase I hypersensitive sites ((DHS) in a single cell or very small number of cells, including cells recovered from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue slides of patient samples. DHS has revealed a large number of potential regulatory elements for transcriptional regulation in various cell types. The application of DNase-Seq techniques to patient samples can elucidate pathophysiological mechanisms of gene function in a variety of diseases as well as provide potentially important diagnostic and prognostic information.

Sirtuin 2 (SIRT2) inhibitors to reduce necrosis and, thereby, as novel therapeutics to treat ischemic stroke and myocardial infarction. Accumulating evidence indicates that programmed necrosis plays a critical role in cell death during ischemia-reperfusion. NIH investigators have shown that the NAD-dependent deacetylase SIRT2 binds constitutively to receptor-interacting protein 3 (RIP3) and that deletion or knockdown of SIRT2 prevents formation of the RIP1-RIP3 complex in mice.

Smad4 knockout: Smad4 is essential for epiblast proliferation, egg cylinder formation and mesoderm induction in early embryogenesis.