Abstract: Peptides are provided that ameliorate one or more symptoms of scleroderma. In various embodiments, the peptides range in length from about 10 to about 30 amino acids, comprise a class A amphipathic helix, and bear at least one protecting group. The peptides are highly stable and readily administered via an oral route.

Abstract: The invention describes compositions of peptide analogs exemplified by peptides derived from vasopressin, terlipressin, and GLP1 and others that are active in blood or cleavable in blood to release an active peptide. The peptide analogs have a general formula: A-(Cm)x-Peptide, wherein A is a hydrophobic moiety or a metal binding moiety, and Cm is a cleavable moiety consisting of glycine or alanine or lysine or arginine or N-Arginine or N-lysine, wherein x is an integer between 0-6 and N may be any amino acid or none. A may be linked to Cm by a linker group. The peptide analogs are complexed with polymeric carrier to provide enhanced half-life.

Abstract: Fluorine or fluorine compounds dissolved at low concentrations in water are efficiently separated by use of hydrated rare earth oxides or insoluble hydrated rare earth salts, particularly hydrous rare earth fluorides or hydrous rare earth phosphates, as the adsorbent. By bringing fluorine dissolved water of pH 2-7 into contact with said adsorbent, fluorine is adsorbed on the adsorbent, and the adsorbed fluorine can be desorbed by contact with an alkali solution of pH 10 to 14 to regenrate said adsorbent. Also, by addition of a precipitating agent for fluorine to the desorbed solution, fluorine compounds can be separated by precipitation and the filtrate can be reused as the regenerating solution for the adsorbent.