Polymer compositions comprising stiff and tough star shaped styrene butadiene block-copolymers A1 and A2 can be used for making shrink films. Block copolymer A2 preferably has the structure

##STR00001##

with hard blocks S.sub.e and S.sub.i, hard random copolymer blocks (B/S).sub.Ae, soft random copolymer blocks (B/S).sub.B coupled by a coupling agent X.

Methods and hydrogels for preventing or reducing cellular adhesion and protein adsorption to a tissue (e.g. cardiac tissue) are disclosed. The hydrogels generally include at least two component polymers, a first polymer including an aminooxy group and a second polymer including a reactive oxo group, that are cross-linked by oxime bonds. The hydrogels are suitable for binding to and coating a tissue or cell. The hydrogels operate to reduce cellular adhesions and protein adsorption to the tissue or cell.

The invention encompasses hydrogels, monomer precursors of the hydrogels, methods for the preparation thereof, and methods of use therefor. The linking of monomers can take place using non-radical, bioorthogonal reactions such as copper-free click-chemistry.

A water-absorbing resin having a high swollen gel elastic modulus, a high swelling capacity and a method for producing the same are provided where the water-absorbing resin includes a water soluble unsaturated monomer having a dissociable group, an internal crosslinked structure index expressed by the following numerical formula of 14 or more, a weight average molecular weight (Mw) after a hydrolysis treatment of 220,000 or less, and a molecular weight distribution (Mw/Mn) after a hydrolysis treatment of 3.40 or less: Crosslinked structure index=(Equilibrium swelling capacity with respect to 0.9 wt % physiological saline solution.sup.1/3/(Weight average molecular weight (Mw) after hydrolysis treatment)1000000; where the hydrolysis treatment leaves 50 mg of the water-absorbing resin as a solids content to stand still in 10 g of a 0.1 mol/l aqueous sodium hydroxide solution for 3 weeks at 80 C., and the weight average molecular weight (Mw) is measured after the treatment.

Compositions for use as a tissue glue or sealant are disclosed. The compositions include first and second precursor molecules, wherein the first precursor molecule is a polyoxyethylene-polyoxypropylene block copolymer having at least two nucleophilic groups and the second precursor molecule is a polyoxyethylene-polyoxypropylene block copolymer having at least two electrophilic groups. Biomaterials for use as a tissue glue or sealant, methods of making such biomaterials, devices for applying a biomaterial to a tissue of a patient, methods of sealing a tissue of a patient, and kits also are disclosed.

The invention encompasses hydrogels, monomer precursors of the hydrogels, methods for the preparation thereof, and methods of use therefor. The linking of monomers can take place using non-radical, bioorthogonal reactions such as copper-free click-chemistry.

The invention encompasses hydrogels, monomer precursors of the hydrogels, methods for the preparation thereof, and methods of use therefor. The linking of monomers can take place using non-radical, bioorthogonal reactions such as copper-free click-chemistry.

Provided is a water-absorbing resin capable of having a high swollen gel elastic modulus while maintaining a high swelling capacity and a method for producing the same.

The problem described above is solved by a water-absorbing resin including a water soluble unsaturated monomer having a dissociable group as a main component of a repeating unit of a main chain, wherein the water-absorbing resin has an internal crosslinked structure, a crosslinked structure index expressed by the following numerical formula 1 is 14 or more, a weight average molecular weight (Mw) of the water-absorbing resin after a hydrolysis treatment is 220,000 or less, and a molecular weight distribution (Mw/Mn) of the water-absorbing resin after a hydrolysis treatment is 3.40 or less:

Crosslinked structure index=(Equilibrium swelling capacity with respect to 0.9 wt % physiological saline solution).sup.1/3/(Weight average molecular weight (Mw) after hydrolysis treatment)1000000[Numerical formula 1]

where the hydrolysis treatment is a treatment to leave 50 mg of the water-absorbing resin as a solids content to stand still in 10 g of a 0.1 mol/l aqueous sodium hydroxide solution for 3 weeks at 80 C., and the weight average molecular weight (Mw) is a value measured after the treatment.

In addition, the water-absorbing resin is produced, for example, by a production method including a reaction step for reacting a first star-shaped polymer containing the water soluble unsaturated monomer as a main component of a repeating unit of each branched chain and having a first reactive functional group at a terminal of each branched chain with a second star-shaped polymer containing the water soluble unsaturated monomer as a main component of a repeating unit of each branched chain and having a second reactive functional group capable of forming a chemical bond with the first reactive functional group by reacting with each other at a terminal of each branched chain.

The invention encompasses hydrogels, monomer precursors of the hydrogels, methods for the preparation thereof, and methods of use therefor. The linking of monomers can take place using non-radical, bioorthogonal reactions such as copper-free click-chemistry.