Pharmacokinetics and biodistribution of a collagen-targeted peptide amphiphile for cardiovascular applications.

Atherosclerosis remains a leading cause of death and disability around the world and a major driver of health care spending. Nanomaterials have gained widespread attention due to their promising potential for clinical translation and use. We have developed a collagen-targeted peptide amphiphile (PA)-based nanofiber for the prevention of neointimal hyperplasia after arterial injury.

Development of Optimized Tissue-Factor-Targeted Peptide Amphiphile Nanofibers to Slow Noncompressible Torso Hemorrhage.

Noncompressible torso hemorrhage accounts for a significant portion of preventable trauma deaths. We report here on the development of injectable, targeted supramolecular nanotherapeutics based on peptide amphiphile (PA) molecules that are designed to target tissue factor (TF) and, therefore, selectively localize to sites of injury to slow hemorrhage. Eight TF-targeting sequences were identified, synthesized into PA molecules, coassembled with nontargeted backbone PA at various weight percentages, and characterized circular dichroism spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and X-ray scattering.

Development of Fractalkine-Targeted Nanofibers that Localize to Sites of Arterial Injury.

Atherosclerosis is the leading cause of death and disability around the world, with current treatments limited by neointimal hyperplasia. Our goal was to synthesize, characterize, and evaluate an injectable, targeted nanomaterial that will specifically bind to the site of arterial injury. Our target protein is fractalkine, a chemokine involved in both neointimal hyperplasia and atherosclerosis.

Targeted Nitric Oxide Delivery by Supramolecular Nanofibers for the Prevention of Restenosis After Arterial Injury.

Aims: Cardiovascular interventions continue to fail as a result of arterial restenosis secondary to neointimal hyperplasia. We sought to develop and evaluate a systemically delivered nanostructure targeted to the site of arterial injury to prevent neointimal hyperplasia. Nanostructures were based on self-assembling biodegradable molecules known as peptide amphiphiles.

Shape-Dependent Targeting of Injured Blood Vessels by Peptide Amphiphile Supramolecular Nanostructures.

Targeting of vascular intervention by systemically delivered supramolecular nanofibers after balloon angioplasty is described. Tracking of self-assembling peptide amphiphiles using fluorescence shows selective binding to the site of vascular intervention. Cylindrical nanostructures are observed to target the site of arterial injury, while spherical nanostructures with an equivalent diameter display no binding.

Pulmonary function of herdsmen.

Objective: To determine whether the pulmonary function deficit documented previously in Fulani children is also present in adult Fulani herdsmen in northern Nigeria.

Subjects And Methods: The subjects for this study consisted of adult Fulani men from the hamlet of Magama Gumau and adult non-Fulani men from the city of Jos. Age, height, weight, mid-arm circumference (MAC), triceps skin-fold thickness, forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), forced expiratory flow during the middle half of the FVC maneuver (FEF25-75%), and peak expiratory flow rate (PEF) were measured.

Serum lipid profiles and risk of cardiovascular disease in three different male populations in northern Nigeria.

The Fulani of northern Nigeria are indigenous semi-nomadic pastoralists whose diet consists largely of dairy products. Despite their consumption of relatively large amounts of saturated fats, an earlier study showed that their total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and serum triglyceride levels fall within the reference range of values for North Americans. Men in the cities of Jos and Abuja, two populations who also reside in northern Nigeria, differ from the Fulani with regard to diet and activity level.