Compositions or an assembly of a series of biomimetic compounds include chemical structures that mimic or structurally resemble a nucleic acid base pair. Complexes of nanotubes and agents are useful to deliver agents into the cells or bodily tissues of individuals for therapeutic and diagnostic purposes. Exemplary compounds include those of Formula (I), (III), (V) or (VII), or of Formula (II), (IV), (VI) or (VIII).

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In one aspect, a method includes providing support material within which the structure is fabricated, depositing, into the support material, structure material to form the fabricated structure, and removing the support material to release the fabricated structure from the support material. The provided support material is stationary at an applied stress level below a threshold stress level and flows at an applied stress level at or above the threshold stress level during fabrication of the structure. The provided support material is configured to mechanically support at least a portion of the structure and to prevent deformation of the structure during the fabrication of the structure. The deposited structure material is suspended in the support material at a location where the structure material is deposited. The structure material comprises a fluid that transitions to a solid or semi-solid state after deposition of the structure material.

Compounds comprising R-G-Cysteic Acid (i.e., R-G-NH—CH(CH.sub.2—SO.sub.3H)COOH or Arg-Gly-NH—CH(CH.sub.2—SO.sub.3H)COOH) and derivatives thereof, including pharmaceutically acceptable salts, hydrates, stereoisomers, multimers, cyclic forms, linear forms, drug-conjugates, pro-drugs and their derivatives. Also disclosed are methods for making and using such compounds including methods for inhibiting integrins including but not necessarily limited to α.sub.5β.sub.1-Integrin, α.sub.vβ.sub.3-Integrin and α.sub.vβ.sub.5-Integrin, inhibiting cellular adhesion to RGD binding sites, preventing or treating viral or other microbial infections, inhibiting angiogenesis in tumors, retinal tissue or other tissues or delivering other diagnostic or therapeutic agents to RGD binding sites in human or animal subjects.

Described herewith are compositions comprising placental growth factors and methods for non-surgical, localized delivery thereof. The composition is delivered to a diseased or injured organ and/or body part and is formulated in a manner which allows for localized retention of the composition at the site of delivery.

Meshes for use to control the movement of bodily fluids, such as blood, are described herein. The mesh can be partially or completely biodegradable or non-biodegradable. In one embodiment, the mesh is formed from one or more self-assembling peptides. The peptides can be in the form of fibers, such as nanofibers. The peptides can be assembled prior to formation of the mesh or after the mesh has been formed but before it is applied. Alternatively, the mesh can be prepared from unassembled peptides, which assemble at the time of application. The peptides can assemble upon contact with bodily fluids (e.g., blood) or can be contacted with an ionic solution to initiate assembly.

A method and kit for stopping cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leaks, comprising penetrating and passing through a dural tissue an applicator to access an interior dural space, injecting from the applicator a fibrinogen-containing solution into said dural space, applying a sealing member containing a fibrinogen polymerizing agent onto an exterior surface of the dural tissue, and forming a polymerized fibrinogen or polymerized fibrin clot by contacting the injected fibrinogen-containing solution and the fibrinogen polymerizing agent.

The present invention provides a deformable body (2), wherein the deformable body comprises a force application surface (12) opposite a bone contact surface (52) to be pressed against periosteum of a bone surface (52) of a bone such that the bone contact surface adapts its shape to the shape of the bone surface, wherein the deformable body comprises one or more through-going openings (3) and/or one or more fixation locations (34) arranged to receive a fixation element such as as screw (20), and wherein the deformable body comprises an anaesthetic that is released from or through the bone contact surface. The anaesthetic can be bupivicaine, liposome bupivacaine, lidocaine or levobupivacaine. The anaestethic can be arranged in one or more compartments (6, 7) which have ifferent release rates. The screw can comprise a detent or rim to mate with the deformable body. A sleeve (80) can be arranged in the opening (3) to receive the screw. A pusher element (81) can push the deformable body from the sleeve into position on the screw.

Compositions and methods of transplanting cells by grafting strategies into solid organs (especially internal organs) are provided. These methods and compositions can be used to repair diseased organs or to establish models of disease states in experimental hosts. The method involves attachment onto the surface of a tissue or organ, a patch graft, a “bandaid-like” covering, containing epithelial cells with supporting early lineage stage mesenchymal cells. The cells are incorporated into soft gel-forming biomaterials prepared under serum-free, defined conditions comprised of nutrients, lipids, vitamins, and regulatory signals that collectively support stemness of the donor cells. The graft is covered with a biodegradable, biocompatible, bioresorbable backing used to affix the graft to the target site. The cells in the graft migrate into and throughout the tissue such that within a couple of weeks they are uniformly dispersed within the recipient (host) tissue. The mechanisms by which engraftment and integration of donor cells into the organ or tissue involve multiple membrane-associated and secreted forms of MMPs.

Compositions of the invention for regenerating defective or absent myocardium comprise an emulsified or injectable extracellular matrix composition. The composition may also include an extracellular matrix scaffold component of any formulation, and further include added cells, proteins, or other components to optimize the regenerative process and restore cardiac function.

A method is described for the production of hybrid structures formed by the coupling of nanofibrous parts and microfibrous parts made with silk fibroin, possibly hierarchically organized into complex structures comprising more than two of said parts; these hybrid structures are used as implantable biomedical devices with tailored biological, geometrical and structural features, such that they can be adapted to different application requirements in the field of regenerative medicine.