Microparticles that have a multimodal pore size distribution are provided, Notably, the pore structure of the present invention can be formed without the need for complex techniques and solvent chemistries traditionally employed to form porous microparticles. Instead, the microparticles contain a polymeric material that is formed from a thermoplastic composition, which is simply strained to a certain degree to achieve the desired porous network structure.

There is provided a spherical organic-inorganic composite particle having good biodegradability. The organic-inorganic composite particle according to the present invention includes 1 to 79% by weight of a silica component and 21 to 99% by weight of a biodegradable plastic. The organic-inorganic composite particle has an average particle diameter d.sub.1 of 0.5 to 25 m, a true density of 1.03 to 2.00 g/cm.sup.3, and a sphericity of 0.80 or more. A cosmetic product including the organic-inorganic composite particle having such properties has excellent texture properties.

A container that dissolves. A shell defining the container sized to accommodate a volume of a consumable. The shell is water soluble. The shell defines walls extending upward from a closed bottom. The container includes a first water insoluble layer coating an exterior surface of the walls of the shell. One or more portions of the exterior surface are not coated with the first water insoluble layer promoting the dissolution of the container. The container includes a second water insoluble layer coating an interior of the shell.

Composite particles that are biodegradable and easy to handle while maintaining the characteristics of cellulose nanofibers, a method of producing composite particles, a dry powder containing the composite particles, and a skin application composition and a method of producing the skin application composition. A composite particle contains at least one type of particle and fine cellulose with which at least part of a surface of the particle is coated, wherein the particle and the fine cellulose are inseparable.

Multilayer thin film devices that include a bioactive agent for elution to the surrounding tissue upon administration to a subject are provided. The multilayer thin film devices are useful as medical devices, such as ocular devices. Also provided are methods and kits for localized delivery of a bioactive agent to a tissue of a subject, and methods of preparing the subject devices. The multilayer thin film medical device includes a first layer, a bioactive agent and a second layer. The first and the second layers may be porous or non-porous. The devices have a furled structure, suitable for administration to a subject.

A method for preparing a rooting plug is disclosed. The method calls for mixing a composition comprising (i) 0.2%-10% w/w bio-degradable polymer and (ii) an organic non-hydroxylic solvent with a plug mix. The resulting method prepares a rooting plug.

A molded article contains an aliphatic polyester-based resin composition. The aliphatic polyester-based resin composition contains an aliphatic polyester-based resin (A) containing a repeat unit derived from an aliphatic diol and a repeat unit derived from an aliphatic dicarboxylic acid as main structural units, a polyhydroxyalkanoate (B), and an inorganic filler (C). The polyhydroxyalkanoate (B) contains a 3-hydroxybutyrate unit and a 3-hydroxyhexanoate unit as main structural units. The mass ratio of the aliphatic polyester-based resin (A) to the polyhydroxyalkanoate (B) is 40/60 to 10/90. The amount of the inorganic filler (C) relative to the total amount of the aliphatic polyester-based resin (A), the polyhydroxyalkanoate (B), and the inorganic filler (C) is 15 to 50% by mass.

Provided are poly(3-hydroxyalkanoate) foam particles, which can give a foam molded article having good surface aspects and a low shrinkage ratio of a molding, and the foam molded article. The poly(3-hydroxyalkanoate) foam particles have at least two melting peaks on a DSC curve obtained by differential scanning calorimetry and in which a melting calorie (X) on a high temperature side is 0.1 to 20 J/g, a gel fraction (Y) is 20 to 75% by weight, and the melting calorie (X) and the gel fraction (Y) satisfy Formula: X+Y30.

The invention relates to a composition comprising: at least one aliphatic polyester (A) comprising diols containing at least ethylene glycol, 1,4-butanediol or mixtures thereof and diacids containing at least succinic acid, adipic acid or mixtures thereof; at least one starch (B); at least one organic plasticiser (C) for starch; optionally, an additional polyester or a mixture of additional polyesters (D) different from polyester (A). The composition is characterised in that it also comprises citric acid (E), the amount by weight of citric acid varying between 0.01 and 0.45 parts per 100 parts of the total dry weight of (A), (B), (C) and (D).

A biodegradable and dissolvable container may include a biodegradable and water soluble shell defining the container sized to accommodate a volume of a liquid, the shell having walls extending upward from a closed bottom; an exterior water insoluble layer coating an exterior surface of the walls of the shell; and an inner water insoluble layer coating an interior of the shell, wherein the container may completely dissolve in water over a predetermined period of time.