A diblock polymer comprising a first component covalently bound via a linker to a second component; wherein said first component is an oligomer comprising at least 50 mol % L-guluronic acid residues and having a degree of polymerisation n where n is at least 3; said second component is a polymer having no more than 30 mol % L-guluronic acid residues and having a degree of polymerisation m; wherein 9n>=m>=n/2.

Provided herein are core-shell microcapsules useful for compartmentalizing biological molecules in solution. Also provided are processes for manufacturing core-shell microcapsules and methods for using core-shell microcapsules to compartmentalize and optionally process biological entities and molecules.

A self-integrating hydrogel includes a water-soluble polymer. The water-soluble polymer includes a repeating unit having at least one functional group that includes an oxygen atom, a sulfur atom, or a nitrogen atom, and a pendant chain covalently attached to the oxygen atom, the sulfur atom, or the nitrogen atom of the at least one functional group of the repeating unit. The pendant chain includes ureido-pyrimidinone.

The porous polymer compound has a three dimensional skeleton and pores and/or voids that are partitioned and formed by the three dimensional skeleton. The three dimensional skeleton comprises multiple sugar derivatives represented by formula (1) and multiple cations that interact with the hydroxyl groups and/or ether bonds of the sugar derivatives, and the three-dimensional skeleton is formed by each of the cations interacting with two or more sugar derivatives. Also provided are a method of separating a compound to be separated using the porous polymer compound; a single crystal of the porous polymer compound; a method of preparing a sample for crystal structure analysis using the single crystal; a method of determining a molecular structure of a compound to be analyzed using the sample for crystal structure analysis; and a method of determining an absolute configuration of a chiral compound using the sample for crystal structure analysis.

The invention in the various aspects provides nanogel compositions that are safe for topical, local, and/or systemic delivery, and which can be targeted to select tissues or cells, including pathogens. In some embodiments, conjugation of antibiotics to the nanogel surface, and in particular antibiotics that disrupt outer membranes of Gram negative bacteria or antibiotics that inhibit cell wall synthesis, provide for highly effective targeting and killing of bacterial pathogens, including drug-resistant bacteria.

Compositions are disclosed herein comprising a graft copolymer that comprises: (i) a backbone comprising dextran that has been modified with about 1%-25% alpha-1,2 branches, and (ii) one or more alpha-1,3-glucan side chains comprising at least about 50% alpha-1,3 glycosidic linkages. Further disclosed are reactions for producing such graft copolymers, as well as their use in derivatives, films and various other applications.

A hydrogel product including one or more cyclodextrin molecules grafted to hyaluronic acid and dextran, wherein the cyclodextrin-grafted hyaluronic acid is cross-linked to the dextran. The one or more cyclodextrin molecules are grafted, e.g. by amide bonds, to the hyaluronic acid prior to the cross-linking with dextran. The cyclodextrin-grafted hyaluronic acid may be cross-linked to the dextran by ether bonds.

Disclosure of methods and compositions related to chemical conjugations to nanoparticles of polysaccharides cross-linked to poloxamers as well as nano-sized colloids comprised of polysaccharides and poloxamers. The nanoparticles may be produced by various methods including inverse miniemulsion polymerization processes which create nanogels of desired size, shape, and stability for controlled therapeutic drug delivery, imaging, and theragnostic applications.

Methods and compositions for improving performance of flocculants in an industrial production process. Methods include pH triggered cross-linking reaction between a flocculating agent, such as dextran, and a composition comprising a boronic acid-containing polymer. The pH trigger can be provided by a fluid having a pH of 8 or more. The production process can be a Bayer Process and the fluid is caustic liquor or slurry in the fluid circuit of the Bayer, wherein the reaction time is reduced over conventional methods and the cross-linked dextran composition effectuates improved flocculation of the trihydrate particles.

The present invention relates to a method for preparing a porous scaffold for tissue engineering. It is another object of the present invention to provide a porous scaffold obtainable by the method as above described, and its use for tissue engineering, cell culture and cell delivery. The method of the invention comprises the steps consisting of: a) preparing an alkaline aqueous solution comprising an amount of at least one polysaccharide, an amount of a cross-linking agent and an amount of a porogen agent b) transforming the solution into a hydrogel by placing said solution at a temperature from about 4 C. to about 80 C. for a sufficient time to allow the cross-linking of said amount of polysaccharide and c) submerging said hydrogel into an aqueous solution d) washing the porous scaffold obtained at step c).