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CDC researchers have developed a Madin-Darby Canine Kidney (MDCK) reporter cell line that is exceptionally permissive for influenza virus replication and provides a highly specific, sensitive approach for the simultaneous detection and isolation of influenza viruses. Simplified antibody neutralization assays and high-throughput antiviral drug screening can also be easily and efficiently implemented using this reporter system.

This invention concerns "knockout" animals, including mice, which have a deficit of functional steroid hormone receptors, DNA constructs containing the mutations, and methods for producing the animals. The mutation is introduced into the animal or its ancestors at an embryonic stage. These knockout animals provide a model system for studying the biological role of hormones, including steroid hormones and sex steroids, in growth, development, morphological differentiation, and sexual and reproductive behavior and cycles, etc.

There is evidence that the metabolic effects of endocannabinoids are mediated by CB1 receptors in peripheral tissues. While prior attempts at generating CB1 receptor blockers have had serious neuropsychiatric side effects, inventors at NIH have discovered compounds that block CB1 receptors with reduced brain penetrance. In addition, some of these compounds also have a direct inhibitory effect on inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), whereas another group of the compounds directly activates AMP kinas.

This technology is a highly sensitive tethered-bead immune sandwich assay. Analyte molecules are captured between two antibodies, a capture antibody and a detection antibody. The capture antibody on a micron-size bead binds analyte from a sample fluid. The bead-captured analyte is then exposed to a “detection” antibody that binds to the bead-captured analyte, forming a “sandwich”. The sandwiched analyte-bead complex then connects to a flexible polymer (such as DNA) anchored on a solid surface to form tethered particles.

Available for licensing are methods to generate T cells responsive to multiple polyomaviruses. The resulting T cell populations could be useful in treating immunosuppressed individuals with polyomavirus infections or polyomavirus-associated pathologies such as Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC), polyomavirus-associated nephropathy (PVAN), hemorrhagic cystitis, progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), and trichodysplasia spinulosa (TS). The methods could also be used to restore polyomavirus-specific immunity in immunocompromised individuals.

Upon intranasal vaccination, live attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV) viruses may replicate within the nose for several days. Current clinical diagnostic tests cannot distinguish between LAIV viruses and multiple influenza viruses in recently inoculated patients that present with respiratory symptoms. This poses a problem for the diagnosis and treatment of patients with respiratory symptoms, as these symptoms may not be caused by influenza. CDC researchers have developed a real-time RT-PCR assay to detect the presence of LAIV viruses.

Biological radicals resulted from oxidative stress has been implicated in human diseases, such as cancer and aging. There is, however, a paucity of reliable methods for in vivo or ex vivo detection of either radical formation, the end-products of radical formation or susceptibility for radical formation. The chicken polyclonal anti-DMPO can be used to detect the stable nitrone end-product of protein and DNA radicals in ELISA assays, blot analyses and confocal microscopy.

Biological radicals resulted from oxidative stress has been implicated in human diseases, such as cancer and aging. There is, however, a paucity of reliable methods for in vivo or ex vivo detection of either radical formation, the end-products of radical formation or susceptibility for radical formation. The Rabbit polyclonal anti-DMPO can be used to detect the stable nitrone end-product of protein and DNA radicals in ELISA assays, blot analyses and confocal microscopy.

The estrogen-related receptor alpha (ERRalpha) and proliferator-activated-receptor-gamma coactivator-1alpha (PGC-1alpha) play major roles in transcriptional control of cellular energy metabolism. In particular ERRs are required for the response to various environmental challenges that require high energy levels by the organism. As central regulators of energy homeostasis, ERRs may also implicate in the etiology of metabolic disorders, such as type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome.

Leucine rich repeats and calponin homology containing protein 4 (Lrch4) is a gene that encodes a protein predicted to have a C-terminal transmembrane domain, a calponin homology domain, and 5-8 leucine rich repeats (LRRs). We silenced Lrch4 in RAW 264.7 macrophages as well as CD14-MD2-TLR4-HEK293 cells and found that Lrch4 knockdown attenuates responsiveness of cells to LPS and other pathogen-associated molecules. These findings suggest that Lrch4 is a regulator of the innate immune response.