The invention discloses a method of manufacturing polysaccharide beads, comprising the steps of: i) providing a water phase comprising an aqueous solution of a polysaccharide; ii) providing an oil phase comprising at least one water-immiscible organic solvent and at least one oil-soluble emulsifier; iii) emulsifying the water phase in the oil phase to form a water-in-oil (w/o) emulsion; and iv) inducing solidification of the water phase in the w/o emulsion, wherein the organic solvent is an aliphatic or alicyclic ketone or ether.

The present invention provides a mammalian stem cell suspension containing mammalian stem cells and at least one polysaccharide such as trehalose, and the like; a mammalian stem cell aggregation inhibitor containing polysaccharide such as trehalose, and the like; a method of suppressing aggregation of mammalian stem cells, containing suspending the mammalian stem cells in an aqueous physiological solution containing polysaccharide; an inhibitor of a decrease in the survival rate of mammalian stem cells containing polysaccharide such as trehalose and the like; a method of suppressing a decrease in the survival rate of mammalian stem cells, containing suspending the mammalian stem cells in an aqueous physiological solution containing polysaccharides, and the like.

A composition contains a silylated polysaccharide, where the silylated polysaccharide is characterized by: (a) having linked fructose, galactose, anhydrogalactose, or glucose saccharide units provided that glycosidic linkages of glucose are alpha linkages and that the silylated polysaccharide is other than a silylated starch; and (b) on average 1 to 100 mole-percent of the hydroxyl groups on the polysaccharide have been silylated with a silyl group having the structure SiR.sub.3 linked to the polysaccharide through a COSi bond where each R is independently selected from hydrocarbyl radicals having from one to 12 carbon atoms, provided that on average at least one R per polysaccharide has a terminally unsaturated carbon-carbon double bond.

The present invention concerns a block copolymer having at least one oligo- or polysaccharide block and at least one elastin-like polypeptide block, wherein said block copolymer comprises at least one repetitive unit having the following formula (I): ##STR00001## wherein R is the side chain of a natural or synthetic amino acid other than proline and derivatives thereof.

The present invention provides amidic polymers, which exhibit shale swelling inhibitor activity having improved biodegradability. The amidic polymers of the invention may be employed in a wide variety of compositions, particularly in subterranean drilling operations. Non-limiting generic structures of the amidic polymers are set out below: formula (1) wherein R.sub.1-R.sub.3 and integers m and n are defined herein. ##STR00001##

The invention is directed to stabilizing functionalized polymers and compositions containing polysaccharides and polysaccharide derivatives functionalized with amine, alkyl and/or alkyl/amine moieties, and methods for reducing swelling of soils and especially clay-containing soils with stabilization functionalized polymers and compositions of the invention.

A hyaluronic acid product is comprising a cross-linked hyaluronic acid and one or more dextran molecules. The hyaluronic acid is cross-linked by ether bonds, and the one or more dextran molecules are covalently grafted to the cross-linked hyaluronic acid.

Compositions are disclosed herein comprising dextran that comprises (i) 87-93 wt % glucose linked at positions 1 and 6; (ii) 0.1-1.2 wt % glucose linked at positions 1 and 3; (iii) 0.1-0.7 wt % glucose linked at positions 1 and 4; (iv) 7.7-8.6 wt % glucose linked at positions 1, 3 and 6; and (v) about 0.4-1.7 wt % glucose linked at (a) positions 1, 2 and 6, or (b) positions 1, 4 and 6. Aqueous forms of this composition have enhanced viscosity profiles. Further disclosed are methods of using compositions comprising dextran, such as increasing the viscosity of an aqueous composition. Enzymatic reactions for producing dextran are also disclosed.

The present disclosure relates to a polymeric system for release of an active agent, comprising a first polymeric phase containing the active agent, the first polymeric phase forming discrete regions of a set size range and being dispersed within a second polymeric phase comprising a cross-linked polymer-phenol conjugate for release of the active agent therein. The present disclosure further provides an injectable hydrogel comprising the disclosed polymeric system, a carrier for delivering a biologically active substance or a drug comprising the injectable hydrogel, and a method for producing the disclosed polymeric system.

A liquid ink composition includes a liquid phase and particles suspended in the liquid phase, the particles containing a target pharmaceutical or biological agent. The biological activity of the target pharmaceutical or biological agent is preserved upon suspension of the particles in the liquid phase. The liquid phase is capable of solidifying via a solidification process.