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CDC researchers have developed technology that consists of a simple and inexpensive technique for creating fluorescent labeled primers for nucleic acid amplification. Fluorescent chemical-labeled probes and primers are extensively used in clinical and research laboratories for rapid, real-time detection and identification of microbes and genetic sequences. During nucleic acid amplification, the "UniFluor" primer is incorporated into newly synthesized double stranded DNA.

CDC scientists have developed a rapid and cost-efficient method for generating fluorescently labeled primers for PCR and real-time PCR. At present, fluorescent primers are useful for detecting and identifying microbes and specific nucleic acid sequences, amplifying nucleic acids for pyro-sequencing, determining the levels of gene expression, and many other uses. However, problems exist with current techniques used to create fluorescent primers. For one, labeling is not one hundred percent efficient, leading to inaccurate results.

This novel assay features real-time PCR reagents and methods for detecting drug-resistance related mutations in HIV, for newly diagnosed patients and those individuals currently receiving antiretroviral therapies. As the use of antiretroviral compounds to treat HIV infection proliferates, viruses adapt and evolve mutations limiting the efficacy of these drugs and disrupting the success of treatment.

Micro-Screen is a CDC developed software program designed to capture images and archive and display a compiled image(s) from a portion of a microscope slide in real time. This program allows for the re-creation of larger images that are constructed from individual microscopic fields captured in up to five focal planes and two magnifications. This program may be especially useful for the creation of data archives for diagnostic and teaching purposes and for tracking histological changes during disease progression.

CDC researchers have developed a novel method that generates globally amplified DNA copies retaining parental methylation information; making accurate DNA-archiving for methylation studies much more feasible and cost-effective than undertaking such an endeavor with alternate technologies. This unique approach eliminates a significant bottleneck in the collection of methylation information in the genome(s) of an individual organism, hosts and pathogens.

This CDC developed auscultatory training apparatus includes a database of prerecorded physiological sounds (e.g., lung, bowel, or heart sounds) stored on a computer for playback. Current teaching tools, which utilize previously recorded sounds, suffer from the disadvantage that playback environments cause considerable distortion and errors in sound reproduction. For example, to those trainees using such systems, the reproduced respiratory sounds do not “sound” as if they are being generated by a live patient.

This invention pertains to a CDC developed sonic aerosol generator that provides a controllable, stable concentration of particulate aerosol over a long period of time for aerosol exposure studies. Specifically, in situ testing data indicate uniform aerosol stability can be maintainable for greater than 30 hours at concentrations of 15 mg/m³ or more. Additionally, the technology was specifically developed for, and validated in, animal studies assessing exposure to airborne multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT).

This software invention pertains to Joint Richardson-Lucy (RL) deconvolution methods used to combine multiple images of an object into a single image for improving resolution in modern fluorescence microscopy. RL deconvolution merges images with very different point spread functions, such as in multi-view light-sheet microscopes, while preserving the best resolution information present in each image.

The invention pertains to a system for reconstructing images acquired from MR and CT scanners in a robust Gadgetron based cloud computing system. A hardware interface connects clinical imaging instruments (e.g., MR or CT scanners) with a cloud computing environment that includes image data reconstruction and processing software not limited by the computational constraints typical of static hardware with finite processor power.

This CDC-developed technology describes an automated system for monitoring worker hazard exposures by recording data about where and when hazards occur in a workplace or other environment. This allows the hazards to be avoided and harmful exposures and risks reduced. This field-tested technology consists of an integrated, hand-held electronics instrument and software system that will precisely correlate multiple exposure levels with position coordinates of the user and features real-time data acquisition.