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This invention relates to methods of rapidly detecting influenza, including differentiating between type and subtype. CDC researchers have developed a rapid, accurate, real-time RT-PCR assay that has several advantages over culture and serological tests, which require 5 to 14 days for completion; this assay can also be easily implemented in kit form. To date, hundreds of human cases of infection with the H3N2 variant virus have been confirmed.

Cells, cell culture methods, and cell culture media compositions useful for producing and maintaining iPSC-derived cell lines that are of higher purity and maintain cell type integrity better than current iPSC-derived cell lines are disclosed. Human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) can be generated by reprogramming somatic cells by the expression of four transcription factors. The hiPSCs exhibit similar properties to human embryonic stem cells, including the ability to self-renew and differentiate into all three embryonic germ layers: ectoderm, endoderm, or mesoderm.

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is mosquito-borne alphavirus endemic in Africa, India, and Southeast Asia. In 2013 CHIKV infection has also emerged in the Caribbean and a pandemic of CHIKV has re-emerged in the Philippines following Typhoon Haiyan. Currently, there is no vaccine available for the prevention of CHIKV infection and no specific therapy exists to treat the illness.

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.

The invention pertains to methods of increasing the density of carboxylic acids on the surface of a carbon nanoparticle that can be functionalized with biologically relevant molecules, such as antibodies or peptides, for biomedical applications. Advantageously, the method could increase functionalization of a nanoparticle by at least about 1x107 functional groups/g of nanoparticle.

One of four deaths in the United States is due to cancer despite an emphasis on prevention, early detection, and treatment that has lowered cancer death rates by 20% in the past two decades. Further improvements in survival rates are likely to come from improving the limits of detection sensitivity at earlier stages of cancer. New approaches that rely heavily on genomic information, however, may change future testing strategies.

This application claims live attenuated Zika viruses and vaccines, attenuated chimeric Zika viruses and vaccines, and multivalent immunogenic compositions comprising Zika vaccines and vaccines for other flaviviruses. The chimeric Zika viruses claimed include a first nucleotide sequence encoding at least one structural protein from a Zika virus (ZIKV), a second nucleotide sequence encoding at least one nonstructural protein from a first flavivirus, and a third nucleotide sequence of a 3' untranslated region from a second flavivirus.

The invention relates to a combination hybrid computer tomography (CT) system that is particularly suited for elucidating stages in pulmonary diseases, notably cystic fibrosis and lung cancer. Improved visualization of lung parenchyma and the margins of lung cysts (non-invasive “virtual biopsy”) may provide sufficient detail to distinguish the types of cystic lesions such that the typical lung tissue pathologic biopsy would not be needed to make a diagnosis.

Inhibiting the ability of HIV-1, the virus that causes AIDS, to infect cells is one approach to both prevention and treatment of HIV. Scientists at the NIAID Vaccine Research Center have isolated and characterized neutralizing antibodies (VRC01, 02, 03, and 07) that bind to the CD4 binding site of HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein gp120. These human monoclonal antibodies can potentially be used as a therapeutic to: (1) treat an HIV infection, (2) decrease and prevent HIV-transmission from mother to infant, and (3) be effectively combined with anti-retroviral drug therapy.

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases has invented three chlamydial vaccine technologies, which have shown promising preclinical efficacy. Chlamydia trachomatis infection is the most common sexually transmitted bacterial infection. If left untreated, chlamydia infection can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease and infertility. Chlamydia is also the leading cause of preventable blindness in the world. Despite increased surveillance, prevalence continues to increase, and the need to develop an effective chlamydial vaccine remains.

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