The present invention relates to a hydrogel comprising an oxidized alginate containing aldehyde groups, wherein the oxidized alginate is crosslinked with an imine type crosslinker. The hydrogel is particularly suitable as a bioink, i.e. for 3D printing of cell structures. The gels provide good printability and exhibit excellent viscoelasticity, shear thinning and self-healing characteristics.

A composition includes a target pharmaceutical or biological agent, a solution containing the target pharmaceutical or biological agent, and substrate that is soluble in the solution. The substrate is capable of being solidified via a solidification process and the solidification process causes the substrate to become physically or chemically cross-linked, vitrified, or crystallized. As a result of the solidification process, particles are formed. The target pharmaceutical or biological agent within the solution retains proper conformation to ultimately produce a desired effect.

The described invention is directed to hydrogel-based transparent soils that can provide heterogeneous, aeration, and porous condition for plant growth. The hydrogel beads are highly tailorable in size and porosity providing an environment that is closer to natural soil. Index-matching allows the beads to appear transparent, facilitating the use of imaging and microscopy of the plant root system in vivo.

The present document describes a process for the preparation of a low functionalization polysaccharide having carboxyl groups, comprising a) swelling of a polysaccharide granule in boiling water or a water/polyol mixture, to obtain a swollen polysaccharide; b) partial gelatinization of said swollen polysaccharide in an alkaline solvent mixture of water and alcohol and/or polyol, to obtain a partially gelatinized polysaccharide; and c) partial functionalization of said partially gelatinized polysaccharide with a functionalizing agent, to obtain the low functionalization polysaccharide.

The present invention provides: an alginic acid derivative having a photocrosslinking group represented by general formula (1) for a portion of a carboxyl group of alginic acids, and a photocrosslinking alginic acid structure which is produced using this alginic acid. Due to this configuration, a novel alginic acid derivative is provided.

##STR00001##

The present disclosure pertains to iodinated polysaccharide compounds that comprise a polysaccharide backbone that comprises a plurality of carboxyl groups and a plurality of iodinated side groups. The present disclosure also pertains iodinated polysaccharide compounds in which at least a portion of carboxyl groups that are present in a carboxyl-containing polysaccharide chain are functionalized with a plurality of iodinated side groups. Other aspects of the present disclosure pertain to methods of forming iodinated polysaccharide compounds, medical compositions comprising iodinated polysaccharide compounds, medical procedures comprising introducing such medical compositions into or between tissue of a patient, and medical kits that comprise such medical compositions.

Through sourcing net-primary productivity additive algae-based biomass feedstock, the exclusive use of renewable energy in processing, and the appropriate formulation and processing, a novel algae-derived bio-based plastic is both carbon-negative and provides some performance advantages over existing algae-based film plastics especially with regard to optical clarity. A system may be provided that produces a carbon-negative bioplastic. The production of the bioplastic in a process chamber may be controlled by an electronic controller. The electronic controller may be controlled by a host system, such a server. The electronic controller may be configured to direct production of the bioplastic in the process chamber using hydrocolloid, which is derived from algae.

Cyclooctene conjugates of therapeutic or diagnostic agents have improved aqueous solubility and can release the agents upon contact with a tetrazine-containing biomaterial. The cyclooctene conjugates provide site-selective delivery of agents at the location of the tetrazine-containing biomaterial in a subject. The compositions and methods have applications in the treatment of various diseases or conditions including cancer, tumor growths, and bacterial infections.

Covalently modified alginate polymers, possessing enhanced biocompatibility and tailored physiochemical properties, as well as methods of making and use thereof, are disclosed herein. The covalently modified alginates are useful as a matrix for the encapsulation and transplantation of cells. Also disclosed are high throughput methods for the characterizing the biocompatibility and physiochemical properties of modified alginate polymers.

A water-soluble and/or water-swellable hybrid polymer comprising: (i) from 5 wt.-% to 95 wt.-% water-soluble and/or water-swellable polysaccharide polymer; (ii) from 5 wt.-% to 95 wt.-% synthetic polymer comprising: (a) from 90 mol-% to 99.9 mol-%, preferably 95 mol-% to 99.5 mol-% of repeating units according to Formula (1) ##STR00001## (b) from 0.01 mol-% to 10 mol-%, preferably to 5 mol-%, more preferably to 3 mol-% of crosslinking or branching units, wherein the crosslinking or branching units result from the incorporation of a monomer comprising at least two olefinically unsaturated double bonds;
wherein components (i) and (ii) are polymerized by radical precipitation polymerization in a polar solvent.