An absorbent composition containing cellulose nanofibers and a cellulose derivative and a method for making the same are disclosed. The cellulose derivative has a viscosity of 1000 mPa.Math.s or higher in a 1 mass % aqueous solution at 25 C. and a degree of etherification of less than 0.9. The cellulose derivative is preferably at least one member selected from the group consisting of carboxymethyl cellulose, carboxyethyl cellulose, a carboxymethyl cellulose salt, and a carboxyethyl cellulose salt, more preferably a carboxymethyl cellulose salt, even more preferably sodium carboxymethyl cellulose.

A preparation method for a nanocomposite fiber membrane material based on a bio-based liquefied formaldehyde resin is provided. A bio-based raw material is processed through a phenol/polyethylene glycol complex liquefaction process, followed by divalent alkali metal hydroxide high ortho-position induction synthesis resinification and modification with the polymer polyvinyl alcohol to create a spinnable precursor as PVA-BLF. Subsequently, a coaxial electrospinning device is utilized, where PVA-BLF serves as a core layer and a titanium dioxide dispersion is used as a shell layer, to fabricate a PVA-BLF/TiO.sub.2 nanocomposite fiber membrane material. The average diameter of the nanocomposite fiber membrane is 150-450 nm, and the specific surface area is 500-700 m.sup.2/g. The porosity exceeds 60%, and the fracture elongation ranges from 5.5% to 6.5%, demonstrating excellent filtration performance and excellent regeneration performance, which can be developed as adsorption materials for water and air purification.

Novel electrospun nanofibers and nanofibrous membranes, methods of manufacturing the same, and methods of using the same are provided. The nanofibers include a cactus mucilage, such as mucilage from Opuntia ficus-indica. An organic polymer can be added to the cactus mucilage before electrospinning. The nanofibrous membranes can be used in water filtration.

The invention relates to a desiccant suitable for being used with an organic EL element having a solid sealing structure. The desiccant is provided for suppressing any effect on an organic layer, and guaranteeing flowability while being filled. An organic EL element has a container, which includes an element substrate on which a laminate of a pair of electrodes and an organic layer located between the pair of electrodes is disposed, a sealing substrate spaced apart from the element substrate, a sealing agent disposed between the element substrate and the sealing substrate thereby hermetically sealing the container, and the desiccant disposed inside the container. In this configuration, the container is filled with the desiccant, and the laminate is thus surrounded by the desiccant. The desiccant is obtained by mixing a water-trapping agent with silicone. The water-trapping agent is present in an amount of 50-95% by weight and the silicone is present in an amount of 5-50% by weight based on the total weight of the desiccant.

The present invention relates to compositions containing stabilized and/or activated urease inhibitors, as well as methods of making and using the same.

The present invention relates to an immunoglobulin-binding protein, wherein at least one asparagine residue has been mutated to an amino acid other than glutamine or aspartic acid, which mutation confers an increased chemical stability at pH-values of up to about 13-14 compared to the parental molecule. The protein can for example be derived from a protein capable of binding to other regions of the immunoglobulin molecule than the complementarity determining regions (CDR), such as protein A, and preferably the B-domain of Staphylococcal protein A. The invention also relates to a matrix for affinity separation, which comprises an immunoglobulin-binding protein as ligand coupled to a solid support, in which protein ligand at least one asparagine residue has been mutated to an amino acid other than glutamine.

Provided are: a water-absorbent resin that has excellent heat resistance, even in a water-absorbed state; and a water-blocking material comprising the water-absorbent resin. The water-absorbent resin according to the present invention includes a crosslinked polymer of a water-soluble ethylenically unsaturated monomer, and has a gel-viscosity retention S of 0.5 or more as calculated by the following formula (I): $\begin{array}{cc}\mathrm{Gel}\mathrm{viscosity}\mathrm{retention}\mathrm{at}\mathrm{high}\mathrm{temperature}S=B/A& \left(I\right)\end{array}$ (wherein A represents an initial gel viscosity (mPa.Math.s), and B represents a gel viscosity (mPa.Math.s) after 10 days).

Novel electrospun nanofibers and nanofibrous membranes, methods of manufacturing the same, and methods of using the same are provided. The nanofibers include a cactus mucilage, such as mucilage from Opuntia ficus-indica. An organic polymer can be added to the cactus mucilage before electrospinning. The nanofibrous membranes can be used in water filtration.

The present invention provides porous carbon-heteroatom-silicon inorganic/organic homogenous copolymeric hybrid materials, methods for their preparation, and uses thereof, e.g., as chromatographic separations materials.

The present invention relates to an immunoglobulin-binding protein, wherein at least one asparagine residue has been mutated to an amino acid other than glutamine or aspartic acid, which mutation confers an increased chemical stability at pH-values of up to about 13-14 compared to the parental molecule. The protein can for example be derived from a protein capable of binding to other regions of the immunoglobulin molecule than the complementarity determining regions (CDR), such as protein A, and preferably the B-domain of Staphylococcal protein A. The invention also relates to a matrix for affinity separation, which comprises an immunoglobulin-binding protein as ligand coupled to a solid support, in which protein ligand at least one asparagine residue has been mutated to an amino acid other than glutamine.