The present disclosure relates to a non-silane polymeric coupler. The non-silane polymeric coupler may include a dendritic polymer core having at least one reactive end group. The at least one reactive end-group may be selected from the group consisting of thiol, thioester, thioether, sulfanyl, mercapto, sulfide, and disulfide.

An ethoxylated pentaerythritol core hyperbranched polymer with dithiocarboxylate as side group and terminal group and its applications as a heavy metal chelating agent are disclosed, which relates to the field of chemical and environmental protection technology. The hyperbranched polymer has a chemical formula of C[CH.sub.2OCH.sub.2CH.sub.2OCOCH.sub.2CH.sub.2N(CSSM)CH.sub.2CH.sub.2NHCSSM].sub.4, wherein M is Na.sup.+, K.sup.+ or NH.sub.4.sup.+. A preparation method of the hyperbranched polymer is simple, the raw materials are easily available, and it is easy to be industrialized. The hyperbranched polymer is able to be used as a heavy metal chelating agent. Its special three-dimensional space structure is able to alternately chelate with heavy metals to form a large three-dimensional molecular conjugate with low solubility, strong stability, and compactness, which is able to effectively treat wastewater and waste containing heavy metals.

A fabrication method and application of topological elastomers with highly branched structures, low modulus and high elasticity. The topological elastomers comprise dendritic macromolecules. The fabrication method includes direct crosslinking, post-crosslinking, grafting, and copolymerization. The performance of the elastomer can be easily tuned via changing the topology of the polymer network. The breakthrough of this invention lies in that these topological elastomers with highly branched structures are having low modulus and high elasticity, which would expand its application in the field of elastomer. Notably, the variety of topological elastomers, the versatility of curing chemistries, the availability of a wide variety of monomers, and the various polymerization methods are enabling the fabrication of topological elastomers with feasibility and efficiency.

Enteric elastomers and related methods are generally provided. In some embodiments, the enteric elastomer is a polymer composite. Certain embodiments comprise a polymer composite in which hydrogen bonds within two carboxyl group-containing polymers cross-link the polymer networks into an elastic and pH-responsive polymer composite. Advantageously, this polymer composite has the capacity of being stable and elastic in an acidic environment such as that of the stomach but can be dissolved in a neutral pH environment such as that of the small and large intestines. In some embodiments, the polymer composites described herein comprise a mixture of two or more polymers with carboxyl functionality such that the two or more polymers form hydrogen bonds. In certain embodiments, the polymer composite has both enteric and elastic properties.

Residence structures, systems, and related methods are generally provided. Certain embodiments comprise administering (e.g., orally) a residence structure to a subject (e.g., a patient) such that the residence structure is retained at a location internal to the subject for a particular amount of time (e.g., at least about 24 hours) before being released. The residence structure may be, in some cases, a gastric residence structure. In some embodiments, the structures and systems described herein comprise one or more materials configured for high levels of active substances (e.g., a therapeutic agent) loading, high active substance and/or structure stability in acidic environments, mechanical flexibility and strength in an internal orifice (e.g., gastric cavity), easy passage through the GI tract until delivery to at a desired internal orifice (e.g., gastric cavity), and/or rapid dissolution/degradation in a physiological environment (e.g., intestinal environment) and/or in response to a chemical stimulant (e.g., ingestion of a solution that induces rapid dissolution/degradation). In certain embodiments, the structure has a modular design, combining a material configured for controlled release of therapeutic, diagnostic, and/or enhancement agents with a structural material necessary for gastric residence but configured for controlled and/or tunable degradation/dissolution to determine the time at which retention shape integrity is lost and the structure passes out of the gastric cavity. For example, in certain embodiments, the residence structure comprises a first elastic component, a second component configured to release an active substance (e.g., a therapeutic agent), and, optionally, a linker. In some such embodiments, the linker may be configured to degrade such that the residence structure breaks apart and is released from the location internally of the subject after a predetermined amount of time.

Disclosed are compositions comprising polymeric nanoparticles and methods of using the same. The polymeric nanoparticles can be conjugated with a targeting ligand that is a substrate for a solid tumor-specific cell protein. The polymeric nanoparticles can also comprises an imaging compound and/or a therapeutic agent encapsulated in the hydrophobic interior of the nanoparticle. A cancer therapeutic composition comprising the nanoparticle is also disclosed. The disclosed nanoparticles can be used to target and deliver imaging and/or therapeutic compounds to cancer cells, thereby identifying and/or treating a solid tumor cell target. Methods for treating cancer, such as lung cancer, using the polymeric nanoparticles are also disclosed.

A delivery system using materials that form a liquogel or nanocarrier are described. The delivery system comprises hyperbranched polyglycerols (HPGs). The delivery system can include a drug or therapeutic agent and this system can be used to administer the drug or therapeutic agent locally. The delivery system provides for controlled release of the drug or therapeutic agent.

Residence structures, systems, and related methods are generally provided. Certain embodiments comprise administering (e.g., orally) a residence structure to a subject (e.g., a patient) such that the residence structure is retained at a location internal to the subject for a particular amount of time (e.g., at least about 24 hours) before being released. The residence structure may be, in some cases, a gastric residence structure. In some embodiments, the structures and systems described herein comprise one or more materials configured for high levels of active substances (e.g., a therapeutic agent) loading, high active substance and/or structure stability in acidic environments, mechanical flexibility and strength in an internal orifice (e.g., gastric cavity), easy passage through the GI tract until delivery to at a desired internal orifice (e.g., gastric cavity), and/or rapid dissolution/degradation in a physiological environment (e.g., intestinal environment) and/or in response to a chemical stimulant (e.g., ingestion of a solution that induces rapid dissolution/degradation). In certain embodiments, the structure has a modular design, combining a material configured for controlled release of therapeutic, diagnostic, and/or enhancement agents with a structural material necessary for gastric residence but configured for controlled and/or tunable degradation/dissolution to determine the time at which retention shape integrity is lost and the structure passes out of the gastric cavity. For example, in certain embodiments, the residence structure comprises a first elastic component, a second component configured to release an active substance (e.g., a therapeutic agent), and, optionally, a linker. In some such embodiments, the linker may be configured to degrade such that the residence structure breaks apart and is released from the location internally of the subject after a predetermined amount of time.

Residence structures, systems, and related methods are generally provided. Certain embodiments comprise administering (e.g., orally) a residence structure to a subject (e.g., a patient) such that the residence structure is retained at a location internal to the subject for a particular amount of time (e.g., at least about 24 hours) before being released. The residence structure may be, in some cases, a gastric residence structure. In some embodiments, the structures and systems described herein comprise one or more materials configured for high levels of active substances (e.g., a therapeutic agent) loading, high active substance and/or structure stability in acidic environments, mechanical flexibility and strength in an internal orifice (e.g., gastric cavity), easy passage through the GI tract until delivery to at a desired internal orifice (e.g., gastric cavity), and/or rapid dissolution/degradation in a physiological environment (e.g., intestinal environment) and/or in response to a chemical stimulant (e.g., ingestion of a solution that induces rapid dissolution/degradation). In certain embodiments, the structure has a modular design, combining a material configured for controlled release of therapeutic, diagnostic, and/or enhancement agents with a structural material necessary for gastric residence but configured for controlled and/or tunable degradation/dissolution to determine the time at which retention shape integrity is lost and the structure passes out of the gastric cavity. For example, in certain embodiments, the residence structure comprises a first elastic component, a second component configured to release an active substance (e.g., a therapeutic agent), and, optionally, a linker. In some such embodiments, the linker may be configured to degrade such that the residence structure breaks apart and is released from the location internally of the subject after a predetermined amount of time.

Residence structures, systems, and related methods are generally provided. Certain embodiments comprise administering (e.g., orally) a residence structure to a subject (e.g., a patient) such that the residence structure is retained at a location internal to the subject for a particular amount of time (e.g., at least about 24 hours) before being released. The residence structure may be, in some cases, a gastric residence structure. In some embodiments, the structures and systems described herein comprise one or more materials configured for high levels of active substances (e.g., a therapeutic agent) loading, high active substance and/or structure stability in acidic environments, mechanical flexibility and strength in an internal orifice (e.g., gastric cavity), easy passage through the GI tract until delivery to at a desired internal orifice (e.g., gastric cavity), and/or rapid dissolution/degradation in a physiological environment (e.g., intestinal environment) and/or in response to a chemical stimulant (e.g., ingestion of a solution that induces rapid dissolution/degradation). In certain embodiments, the structure has a modular design, combining a material configured for controlled release of therapeutic, diagnostic, and/or enhancement agents with a structural material necessary for gastric residence but configured for controlled and/or tunable degradation/dissolution to determine the time at which retention shape integrity is lost and the structure passes out of the gastric cavity. For example, in certain embodiments, the residence structure comprises a first elastic component, a second component configured to release an active substance (e.g., a therapeutic agent), and, optionally, a linker. In some such embodiments, the linker may be configured to degrade such that the residence structure breaks apart and is released from the location internally of the subject after a predetermined amount of time.