Type I interferons play a critical role in both innate and adaptive immunity through the stimulation of the IFNAR1 which initiates interferon signaling in response to viral and bacterial infections. However, abnormal interferon signaling is associated with human diseases, such as lupus. The present invention discloses six hybridomas that produce mouse monoclonal antibodies specific for the extracellular domain of human IFNAR1. Two of the monoclonal antibodies are able to bind IFNAR1 and reduce interferon signaling.

Due to the disorganized nature of blood vessels that run through tumors, chemotherapeutic agents often fail to penetrate tumors and kill cancer cells at the tumor’s center. This can lead to ineffective chemotherapeutic treatments, because tumors can quickly grow back if the entire tumor is not destroyed. NIH researchers have developed a therapeutic agent that solves this problem facing current chemotherapy treatments.

The invention pertains to a device and method for transcatheter correction of cardiovascular abnormalities, such as the delivery of prosthetic valves to the heart. Featured is a device implant for closing a caval-aortic iatrogenic fistula created by the introduction of a transcatheter device from the inferior vena cava into the abdominal aorta. The occlusion device includes an expandable transvascular implant with an elastomeric surface capable of extending between a vein and artery which conforms to the boundaries of an arteriovenous fistula tract between the artery and vein.

Many potential nucleic acid therapeutics have not transitioned from the research laboratory to clinical application in large part because delivery technologies for these therapies are not effective. Most nucleic acid delivery technologies are lipid-based or positively charged and require chemical or physical conjugation with the nucleic acid. These delivery systems are often therapeutically unacceptable due to toxicity or immune system reactivity.

Vaccines and therapies to prevent and treat Norovirus infections do not exist, despite the worldwide prevalence of Norovirus infections. Outbreaks of human gastroenteritis attributable to Norovirus commonly occur in group setting, such as hospitals, nursing homes, schools, dormitories, cruise ships and military barracks.

CDC scientists have developed a real-time PCR assay for diagnosing pneumococcal disease using amplification of the bacterial gene encoding pneumococcal surface adhesin A (PsaA). Pneumococcal isolation and identification is often complicated by 1) antimicrobial suppression of growth in culture and 2) contamination by normal flora alpha-streptococci. Further, pneumococcal detection by culture and serological methods can be time-consuming, relatively expensive, laborious and, ultimately, indeterminate.

This invention describes materials and methods of detecting novel influenza virus in a sample. As highlighted by the recent H1N1 pandemic strain, influenza viruses are constantly evolving and novel reassortments can quickly spread around the world.

The CDC developed a real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) Taqman assay and an RT-semi nested PCR (RT-snPCR) assay for the detection of parechoviruses. Similar to enteroviruses, parechoviruses are responsible for gastrointestinal, respiratory and central nervous system infections. All tests target conserved regions in the 5'-nontranslated region (5-'NTR) of the parechovirus genome and share forward and reverse primers. The Taqman probe and RTsnPCR nested primer target the same conserved site but vary in length.

This invention aims to bolster the human body's own mechanisms to fight infection by enhancing an innate immune response, opsonophagocytosis. The specific 24 amino acid sequence (P4) acts as a polymorphonuclear cell activator. P4 can be administered in vivo along with a disease's specific antibody to enhance systemic bacterial clearance, thus leading to prolonged survival. This technology enhances the body's response to infections such as S. pneumoniae and S. aureus.

The invention is an enhanced vascular dilator that eliminates the vascular injury caused by the size mismatch between vascular introducer sheaths and vascular dilators, as the two are advanced into a blood vessel. The invention provides a “shoulder” to match the diameter of the introducer sheath so that there is a smooth transition, without size mismatch, between the dilator and the introducer sheath. The invention allows the dilator to be withdrawn in segments from the introducer sheath.