The Molecular Recognition Section of NIDDK announces the availability of a novel triazole-based probes, structures which act as antagonists at human P2Y₁₄ receptors. Although the physiologic functions of this receptor remain undefined, recently it has been strongly implicated in immune and inflammatory responses. Prior work with a 4,7-disubstituted 2 naphthoic acid derivative (PPTN) established the ability to inhibit chemotaxis of human neutrophils in the lung and kidney.

How much does a mouse eat per day? If a researcher is conducting dietary studies, the answer is very important. For instance, obesity studies require accurate measures of feeding. Existing automated methods for taking feeding measurements are expensive and use specialized caging that is not compatible with typical vivarium colony racks. As a result, many researchers simply weigh food each day or two to determine how much food the mice ate. This is time-consuming, can be error prone, and provides a low temporal resolution view of feeding.

The invention is directed to treatment of chronic kidney disease by administering a synthetic, amphipathic helical peptide known as 5A-37pA, and novel derivatives thereof. Scientists at NIDDK have demonstrated that invention peptides antagonize activity of a particular scavenger receptor known as CD36. Using an in vivo model, NIDDK scientists have shown that invention peptides slowed progression of chronic kidney disease and can potentially be utilized as a therapeutic treatment.

This invention involves ApoA-1 mimetic peptides with multiple amphipathic alpha-helical domains that promote lipid efflux from cells and are useful in the treatment and prevention of dyslipidemic, inflammatory and vascular disorders. IND-enabling studies for one of the peptides, named Fx-5A, are completed in preparation for an IND filing at the FDA, to be followed by a Phase I clinical trial planned for 2017.

This invention is directed to use of certain peptide analogs comprising multiple amphipathic helical domains that are able to promote cellular lipid efflux and stimulate lipoprotein lipase activity. As a result, administration of invention peptides lead to reduced incidences of hypertriglyceridemia without inducing toxicity. Existing peptides that stimulate efflux of lipids from cells exhibit unacceptably high toxicity. Invention peptides are superior to existing peptides and can also be used to treat or prevent a vast range of vascular diseases, and their dyslipidemic precursors.

Cryopreservation using liquid nitrogen frozen polyvinyl bags allows for storing cellular materials for extended periods while maintaining their activity and viability. Such bags are commonly used in the clinic to store blood products including blood cells, plasma, hematopoietic stem cells, umbilical cord blood for future uses including transplantation. These materials, typically obtained in limited quantities, may be of great therapeutic value, as is the case of stem cells or cord blood derived cells which can be used to potentially treat a number of diseases.

This technology relates to a method of generating artificial compositions that can be used as positive controls in a genetic testing assay, such as a diagnostic assay for a particular genetic disease. Such controls can be used to confirm the presence or absence of a particular genetic mutation. The lack of easily accessible, validated mutant controls has proven to be a major obstacle to the advancement of clinical molecular genetic testing, validation, quality control (QC), quality assurance (QA), and required proficiency testing.

Intranasal delivery is a simple, inexpensive and needle-free route for administration of vaccines and therapeutics. This intranasal delivery technology, developed with Creare LLC., includes low-cost, disposable drug cartridges (DDCs) that mate with a durable hand-held device. The rechargeable-battery-powered device transmits ultrasonic energy to the DDC to aerosolize the drug and is capable of performing for eight hours at 120 vaccinations per hour. Potential applications for this platform technology include intranasal vaccination (e.g.

This invention pertains to nucleic acid-based assays for the detection of Aspergillus and other filamentous fungi. Assays cover the species-specific detection and diagnosis of infection by Aspergillus, Fusarium, Mucor, Penecillium, Rhizomucor, Absidia, Cunninghamella, Pseudallescheria or Sporthrix in a subject. This can reduce identification time from several days by conventional culture methods to a matter of hours.

This invention relates to detecting Histoplasma capsulatum by PCR using oligonucleotide probes specific for the fungus. Histoplasmosis is a mycotic infection of varying severity, usually localized in the lungs. Caused by H. capsulatum, infections are usually symptomatic but can develop into chronic disease, especially in immunocompromised individuals.