Anthropometry and vascular measurements at baseline and five-year follow-up in obese/overweight and lean controls.

*<p> = p<0.05, † = p<0.01, ‡ = p<0.001 represents differences between baseline and follow-up within groups, p-values presented as numbers in the last column represents difference in change from baseline to follow-up between groups.</p><p>Wilcoxon signed ranks test was used for related samples, Independent samples median test was used for between – groups comparison. Values are presented as median (min–max). BMI: body mass index, SBP: systolic blood pressure, DBP: diastolic blood pressure, IMT: intima media thickness.</p

Association between body mass index z score at baseline and five-year change in pulse wave velocity (upper panel) and diastolic blood pressure (lower panel).

<p>Association between body mass index z score at baseline and five-year change in pulse wave velocity (upper panel) and diastolic blood pressure (lower panel).</p

Conjugation with VCAM-1 binding peptide specifically increases the QD fluorescence signal in the VCAM-1 expressing endothelial cells.

<p>Confocal images of mouse endothelial cells: (a) Control cells incubated with VCAM-1 binding peptide functionalized QDs (VQDs) for 24 h; (b) TNF- treated cells incubated with VQDs for 24 h; (c) Control cells incubated with pre-incubated mixture of VQDs and recombinant VCAM-1 (1∶1) for 24 h; (d) TNF- treated cells incubated with pre-incubated mixture of VQDs and recombinant VCAM-1 (1∶1) for 24 h. Blue signal comes from DAPI nuclei staining and red signal from QDs. (e) Quantification of fluorescence intensity. Values are meansSD. vs QD within the same treatment group and time point; vs control VQD within the same time point; vs VQD within the same treatment and time point.</p

Gel electrophoresis results of different QDs.

<p>(a) QD samples in tubes after incubation and washing steps; (b) QD samples in gel after 1.5 h electrophoresis under UV light. The start line is shown as the white dash line and the positive electrode (+) is on the left side and negative electrode (−) on the right side.</p

(a–b) Three-dimensional projection image of the aorta from one LPS-treated mouse.

<p>The aorta was labeled <i>ex vivo</i> with VQDs for 5 hours. The image was rotated so that the endothelial layer is shown in (a) and the adventitia is shown in (b). Blue signals come from DAPI nuclei staining and red from QDs. (c) Transversal distribution of fluorescence signals in mouse aorta. The scanning started from aortic lumen. The insets show confocal images in four different locations across the aorta. (d) Quantification of the QD signals in the endothelium of aorta from control and LPS-treated mice. Aortas were labeled <i>ex vivo</i> with amino QDs or VQDs for 5 hours, respectively. Values are meansSD. , .</p

Blue-shift observed after incubation in tube.

<p>Fluorescence spectra of amino QDs, VQDs, VQDs + 10% FBS, VQDs + VCAM-1 (10∶1) (black dash line) and VQDs + VCAM-1 (1∶1) (red dash line) are shown.</p

Conjugation reactions of amino QD with VCAM-1 binding peptide.

<p>(a) The first step, amino QDs are maleinated with sulfo-SMCC; (b) The second step, VCAM-1 binding peptide is attached to the QD-maleimide with thioether group.</p