A molded contact lens comprising a stiffer optic zone relative to the peripheral zone of the contact lens provides an optical element for correcting astigmatism without the need for or substantially minimizing the need for the correction of rotational misalignment. The higher elastic modulus optic zone vaults over the cornea thereby allowing a tear lens to form. The tear lens follows or assumes the shape of the back surface of the contact lens. The combination of the tear lens and the optical zone provide an optical element for correction of refractive error.

A disintegrable film is disclosed, including at least one water-soluble polymer having a molecular weight greater than about 700 kDa, and at least one water-soluble plasticizer having a molecular weight less than about 0.8 kDa. A further disintegrable film is disclosed wherein the disintegrable film is a tacky adhesive film, includes a storage modulus of about 310.sup.6 dyn/cm.sup.2 or less at 1 rad/s and 25 C., includes a disintegration resistance factor sufficient to resist disintegration for a disintegration time after contact with a disintegrating fluid, includes a tan evaluated at an angular frequency of 0.01 rad/s and 25 C. of less than about 1, the at least one water-soluble polymer constitutes between about 3 wt % to about 70 wt % of the disintegrable film, and the at least one water-soluble plasticizer constitutes between about 30 wt % to about 60 wt % of the disintegrable film.

The invention relates to novel a high-volume swelling hydrogel which comprises a plurality of pores which are defined by an interpenetrating network, and/or a semi-interpenetrating network and/or simple cross-linked arrangement of a plurality of one or more species of hydrophilic polymers, optionally together with one or more biocompatible polymers and optionally together with one or more plasticising agents, characterised in that at least some of the pores are at least partially collapsed and/or flattened, and further characterised in that the interpenetrating network and/or semi-interpenetrating network and/or cross-linked arrangement which defines the collapsed and/or flattened pores is substantially unbroken. The invention also relates to a process for preparing such hydrogels, and to their use as an appetite suppressant.

The invention is directed to methods of modifying metal oxide or hydroxylated polymer surfaces using compositions of water soluble polymers that adsorb onto such surfaces and that contain functional groups which directly modify such surfaces without further processing. In some embodiments, compositions used in such methods include water-soluble oxide-adsorbing polymers having water solubility in an indicated temperature range, an indicated concentration in the aqueous solution, and a molecular weight range, wherein each of the water-soluble oxide-adsorbing polymers comprises a linear copolymer comprising a first monomer having at least one hydrophilic moiety and a second monomer having at least one lipophilic moiety and wherein a first monomer: second monomer molecular ratio is at least 3:1.

A porous membrane includes a modacrylic copolymer. The modacrylic copolymer includes, with respect to 100 parts by mass of all structural units constituting the modacrylic copolymer, 15 to 85 parts by mass of a structural unit derived from acrylonitrile, 15 to 85 parts by mass of a structural unit derived from at least one halogen-containing monomer selected from the group consisting of vinyl halide and vinylidene halide, and 0 to 10 parts by mass of a structural unit derived from a vinyl monomer having an ionic substituent. The porous membrane can be produced by preparing a modacrylic copolymer solution by dissolving the modacrylic copolymer in a solvent, and bringing the modacrylic copolymer solution into contact with a non-solvent for the modacrylic copolymer such that the modacrylic copolymer solution is solidified.

Hydrophilic coatings including a base coat layer and a top coat layer wherein at least one of the base coat and top coat compositions that form the hydrophilic coatings comprises a diacrylate compound have a number average molecular weight less than 1000.

A molded contact lens comprising a stiffer optic zone relative to the peripheral zone of the contact lens provides an optical element for correcting astigmatism without the need for or substantially minimizing the need for the correction of rotational misalignment. The higher elastic modulus optic zone vaults over the cornea thereby allowing a tear lens to form. The tear lens follows or assumes the shape of the back surface of the contact lens. The combination of the tear lens and the optical zone provide an optical element for correction of refractive error.

A method for treating a surface of a microporous membrane includes: (1) contacting at least one surface of the membrane with a treatment composition including: (a) an acrylic polymer prepared from a mixture of vinyl monomers including: (i) a (meth)acrylic acid monomer and (ii) a silane-functional acrylic monomer; and (b) a base, where the acrylic polymer is in contact with the filler present in the matrix; and (2) subjecting the membrane of (1) to conditions sufficient to effect a condensation reaction between the filler and the acrylic polymer. A treated microporous membrane and an aqueous treatment composition are also disclosed.

A heat sealed substrate, the substrate being heat sealed with an aqueous polyolefin dispersion including an aqueous dispersion A including: A1, a copolymer of polyethylene and (meth)acrylic acid [E(M)AA] or a mixture of different copolymers of polyethylene and (meth)acrylic acid, A2, another polymer, not being a copolymer of polyethylene and (meth)acrylic acid, or a mixture of other polymers, and an optional additive; and an optional compound B, where compound B is a material dispersable or soluble in water and different from any of the ingredients of dispersion A.

The present invention pertains to a resin composition which includes component: a membrane-forming polymer, component: a polymer obtained by polymerizing a monomer composition which includes a (meth)acrylic ester macromonomer represented by general formula and another monomer, and component: a polymer including a vinylpyrrolidone unit, a membrane-forming stock solution which includes the resin composition, a porous membrane obtained by forming with the membrane-forming stock solution, and a hollow fiber membrane, a water treatment device, an electrolyte support, and a separator which use the porous membrane. According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a porous membrane which has pores with high uniformity wherein the formation of large pores with a diameter of 1 m or higher is suppressed and which has excellent fractionation performance and high water permeability, and a hollow fiber membrane, water treatment device, electrolyte support, and separator which use the porous membrane.