The invention relates to the chitosan polymer derivatives of formula I: and pharmaceutically acceptable salts and esters thereof, wherein Y, X.sup.1, X.sup.4, R.sup.1, R.sup.2, and n are defined in the detailed description and claims. The chitosan polymer derivatives of formula I bind to or associate with alpha-4-beta-1 (α4β1) and alpha-V-beta-3 (α Vβ3) integrin dimers and can be used in delivery formulations to deliver drugs, nucleic acids, or other therapeutic compounds to tissues or cells expressing such integrins. ##STR00001##

The present disclosure relates to compounds comprising as β-hydroxybutyric acid, and a weakly basic polymer. The disclosure also includes methods for inducing nutritional ketosis comprising administering the compounds or compositions to a mammal in need thereof.

The present invention relates to the use of a methacrylate or acrylate modified polysaccharide; or a single-chain polysaccharide methacrylate or acrylate-based nanoparticle, having a surface tension measured by Du Noüy Ring method equal to or lower than 63 mN/m, as oil-in-water emulsion stabilizer; and an oil-in-water emulsion stabilizer composition, and an oil-in-water emulsion containing them. It also relates to processes for their preparation, and their uses.

The present invention is directed to a new cross-linked chitosan, preparations, compositions and uses thereof. In particular, the invention relates to nanoparticles and compositions thereof useful as active agents and delivery systems for at least one bioactive agent.

The invention discloses a thiolated chitosan and a preparation method thereof, which is chitosan co-modified by hydroxybutyl and sulfhydryl. The preparation method includes the following steps: firstly, hydroxybutyl is introduced into a chitosan molecular chain, and then sulfhydryl is introduced as a sulfhydryl moiety by a condensation reaction between free amino of hydroxybutyl chitosan and carboxyl of L-cysteine. An aqueous solution of the thiolated chitosan of the invention is in a solution state at low temperature, and can be flow-injected. When the temperature rises to around 37° C., a hydrogel can be formed. Due to the introduction of sulfhydryl, the antioxidant ability and tissue adhesion ability of the material are increased. The thiolated chitosan prepared according to the method may have wide application prospects in an aspect such as tissue engineering, drug delivery systems, cell culture, cosmetics, etc.

The present invention relates to a process for producing a low endotoxin alkali chitosan, and also to a process for producing low endotoxin neutral chitosan, chitosan salt and chitosan derivatives, and to the products of such processes. The process comprises contacting chitosan with an alkali solution to form a mixture and leaving the mixture for at least about 12 hours. The low endotoxin alkali chitosan may be used in the manufacture of other useful chitosan based products.

The present invention encompasses methods and compositions for generating a biomimetic proteoglycan. The invention includes methods of treating a disease, disorder, or condition of soft tissue using a biomimetic proteoglycan.

The present disclosure provides a biodegradable super absorbent polymer including a crosslinked polymer of a monomer including a modified polysaccharide having a maleic acid group (—OCOCH═CHCOOH) and a sulfosuccinic acid group (—OCOCH(SO.sub.3H)CH.sub.2COOH), which exhibits excellent biodegradability without deterioration in physical properties of the super absorbent polymer such as centrifuge retention capacity and absorbency under pressure, and a method for producing the same.

The present invention features a method for solubilizing chitin in an aqueous solution by dissolving a sample containing chitin in a basic solution and autoclaving the sample. The present invention also features a method for quantifying the amount of chitin in a sample. Chitin binding proteins are used to quantify the amount of chitin using a modified ELISA assay. Results of the assay may be compared to a control containing known amounts of chitin to quantify the chitin in the sample.

Disclosed herein is a compound of formula I:

##STR00001##

where m, n and R.sup.1 are as defined herein. Also disclosed herein are uses of the compound.