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This technology provides a novel method of treating or preventing pruritis (itch) using natriuretic polypeptide b (Nppb) blocking agents. Itch (also known as pruritis) is a sensation that may be perceived as an unpleasant skin irritation and may drive an urge to scratch. Conditions such as, for example, psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, renal failure, liver cirrhosis and some cancers may cause persistent itch. Itch is triggered by somatosensory neurons expressing the ion channel TRPV1 (transient receptor potential cation channel subfamily V member 1).

CDC researchers have developed methods of producing unlimited quantities of Group-C (GpC) rotavirus antigens. GpC rotaviruses are a major, worldwide cause of acute gastroenteritis in children and adults that is distinct from Group-A rotavirus. However, GpC rotaviruses cannot be grown in culture, resulting in a lack of tools for detection and treatment of GpC rotavirus disease.

CDC researchers have developed specific Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) immunogens for use in the development of RSV-directed vaccines and therapeutics. RSV is the most common cause of serious respiratory disease in infants and young children and an important cause of disease in the elderly. To date, efforts to make a mutually safe and effective vaccine have been largely unsuccessful.

CDC researchers have developed algorithmic methods for determining sigmoid curve optimums and calculating component concentrations. Sigmoid curves are commonly generated in bioassays and used to calculate results. Various techniques have been used to define the curve, analyze the observations, and calculate a concentration. This technology is an algorithmic approach to identifying the usable portion of a sigmoid curve.

CDC researchers have developed a multiplexed diagnostic assay for sensitive detection and distinction between viral group members based on the presence/absence of infection-generated antibodies within a clinical serum sample. For example, this assay can be used for rapid discrimination of a clinical unknown as specifically a West Nile or St. Louis encephalitis viral infection. This is particularly beneficial as these two viruses are typically difficult to distinguish by standard serological assays.

This new technique uses microsphere/microbead-based flow-analysis as a platform.

CDC researchers have isolated and characterized the novel primate T-lymphotropic viruses denoted human T-lymphotropic viruses 3 and 4 (HTLV-3 and HTLV4), that are believed to have resulted from cross-species transmission at some point in the past. It has been previously established that HTLV-1 causes adult T cell leukemia and other inflammatory diseases; HTLV-2 is considered less pathogenic than HTLV-1 and has been associated with a neurologic disease similar to HTLV-1-associated myelopathy.

This CDC developed invention is a novel device for a miniature, nonradioactive bipolar charger to electrically charge aerosol particles for use in personal and portable aerosol instrumentation. Such devices are an integral component of aerosol instruments employing electrical mobility-based techniques. Current, commercial state-of-the-art mobility instruments employ aerosol chargers using radioactivity to achieve bipolar particle charging and, therefore, are not suitable for field-portable instruments.

One of the problems with the development of current therapies for HIV infection is that the virus rapidly develops resistance to drugs such as reverse transcriptase (RT) inhibitors.

This CDC developed optimization technology allows one to characterize the behavior of the coefficient of variation (CV) for a range of mass spectrometer machine settings. Surface-enhanced laser desorption/ionization (SELDI) and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) are used for the early detection of numerous diseases, for example cervical cancer . A critical step in the analytical process is the optimization of experiment and machine settings to ensure the best possible reproducibility of results, as measured by the CV.

This CDC assay aims to lessen the anti-malarial drug counterfeiting epidemic by testing for the artemisinin-type drugs (the active compound), through the use of a simple, inexpensive colorimetric test. Poor quality and counterfeit drugs pose an immediate threat to public health and undermine malaria control efforts, resulting in resistant-parasites and invalidates effective compounds, i.e.