The invention provides a class of polymeric materials being ABA tri-block or AB di-block, comprised of biodegradable segments and poly(propylene oxide) (PPO) segment and uses thereof.

The present invention relates to novel polymer compositions, to a process for their manufacturing, to the use of said polymer compositions for modifying the viscosity of aqueous compositions, and to water-borne coating compositions containing the novel polymer compositions as thickeners. The polymer compositions comprise a polymer material which is obtainable by reacting: a) a polymer P1 having at least one functional group of the formula (I), where k is an integer from 0 to 4; n is 0 or 1 p is an integer from 1 to 10, the number average of p being from 1.5 to 10; Q is a divalent moiety selected from the group consisting of —O— and —NH—; P is a p-valent hydrophilic neutral polymer radical; and R.sup.1 is as defined in the claims; with b) a succinic anhydride of the formula (II) where R is C.sub.4-C.sub.24-alkyl or C.sub.4-C.sub.24-alkenyl.

##STR00001##

Provided herein are bioactivated polymer/extracellular matrix (ECM) composites and methods of preparation and use thereof. In particular, heparinized cysteine-polymer/ECM composites, and methods of preparation and use thereof, are provided. In some embodiments, provided herein are compositions comprising a composite of: (a) extracellular matrix (ECM), and (b) a polyester covalently linked to a bioactive agent. In some embodiments, the composite is a homogeneous composite. In some embodiments, the ECM is decellularized ECM. In some embodiments, the ECM is not substantially crosslinked.

In various exemplary embodiments, a system and an associated method to retrieve information related to marketplace items within an electronic environment are disclosed. A network architecture comprises a listing module to store the information related to the marketplace items. The related information includes one or more user-created items such as an image of a model with one or more tagged items worn by the model. Each of the one or more tagged items has associated descriptive metadata. A communications module is arranged to receive a query including search terms related to social fashion items from an end-user. A query engine is coupled to the communications module to match the search terms contained within the query to the associated descriptive metadata of the tagged items in the listing module. A processing module then displays to the end-user the model and the one or more tagged items.

Poly(amine-co-ester-co-ortho ester) polymers, methods of forming active agent-load nanoparticles therefrom, and methods of using the nanoparticles for drug delivery are disclosed. The nanoparticles can be coated with an agent that reduces surface charge, an agent that increases cell-specific targeting, or a combination thereof. Typically, the loaded nanoparticles are less toxic, more efficient at drug delivery, or a combination thereof compared to a control or other transfection reagents.

Poly(amine-co-ester-co-ortho ester) polymers, methods of forming active agent-load nanoparticles therefrom, and methods of using the nanoparticles for drug delivery are disclosed. The nanoparticles can be coated with an agent that reduces surface charge, an agent that increases cell-specific targeting, or a combination thereof. Typically, the loaded nanoparticles are less toxic, more efficient at drug delivery, or a combination thereof compared to a control or other transfection reagents.

A semi-crystalline biaxially oriented film comprising a copolyester which comprises repeating units derived from an aliphatic glycol, an aromatic dicarboxylic acid, and the monomer of formula (I): (I) wherein n=2, 3 or 4, Z is C═O, and wherein comonomer (I) constitutes a proportion of the glycol fraction of the copolyester and is present in an amount of at least about 4 mol % of the glycol fraction of the copolyester. ##STR00001##

In one aspect, block copolymers are described herein. A block copolymer described herein, in some embodiments, comprises a first block comprising a polymer or oligomer formed from the reaction product of (i) a polycarboxylic acid or a polycarboxylic acid equivalent, (ii) a polyol, and (iii) an amino acid; and a second block comprising a polymer or oligomer that differs from the polymer or oligomer of the first block. In some cases, the polycarboxylic acid or polycarboxylic acid equivalent comprises citric acid, a citrate, or an ester of citric acid. The polyol can comprise an α,ω-n-alkane diol, poly(ethylene glycol), or poly(propylene glycol). In some embodiments, the amino acid forms a pendant group of the polymer or oligomer of the first block and/or forms a luminescent 6-membered ring with the polycarboxylic acid or polycarboxylic acid equivalent. The second block of a block copolymer described herein, in some embodiments, comprises a polylactone.

A polymer composition, obtainable by reacting a) a polymer P1 having at least one functional group of the formula (I) and a polymer backbone B, and b) a polymer P2 which is a polyolefine succinic anhydride:

##STR00001##

A method of producing copolyester material with peptide and is disclosed. The method includes: putting ethylene glycol, collagen peptide and Benzenedicarboxylic acid into a container, and mixing them to form a mixture; heating the mixture for executing an esterification reaction, to product esters and water; heating the esters to a first temperature, and stirring the esters via a mixer; in a specific period, decreasing the pressure in the container to a first pressure for executing a polycondensation reaction; decreasing the pressure in the container to a second pressure, and stirring the esters via the mixer, to produce a copolyester material with peptide.