The Alcohol Flush Response.

Nearly 540 million people world-wide have facial flushing and an increased heart rate after consuming alcohol. Known as the alcohol flushing response, this reaction to alcohol is a result of a genetic variant in an enzyme aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2), known as ALDH2*2. Mainly carried by those of East Asian descent, the genetic variant is likely the most common genetic variant carried in the world.

Formulation and Characterization of Bioactive Agent Containing Nanodisks.

The term nanodisk refers to a discrete type of nanoparticle comprised of a bilayer forming lipid, a scaffold protein, and an integrated bioactive agent. Nanodisks are organized as a disk-shaped lipid bilayer whose perimeter is circumscribed by the scaffold protein, usually a member of the exchangeable apolipoprotein family. Numerous hydrophobic bioactive agents have been efficiently solubilized in nanodisks by their integration into the hydrophobic milieu of the particle's lipid bilayer, yielding a largely homogenous population of particles in the range of 10-20 nm in diameter.