Abstract: The invention relates to medical aids, in particular compression products, such as compression stockings or bandages. Specifically, the invention provides a compression product comprising an elastic component or material that comprises polyurethane polymers and shows a delayed continuous relaxation behaviour. The invention furthermore provides polyurethane polymers containing N-diol having a delayed continuous relaxation behavior and corresponding quaternized polyurethane polymers, a process for producing the polyurethane polymers, a blend with elastane, as well as uses thereof.

Abstract: The invention relates to medical aids, in particular compression products, such as compression stockings or bandages. More specifically, the invention relates to compression products comprising fibre forming polyurethane polymers showing a delayed continuous relaxation behaviour. The invention furthermore relates to polyurethane polymers containing N-diol and corresponding quaternised polyurethane polymers, to a process of producing the polyurethane polymers, to blends with elastane, as well as to uses.

Abstract: Methods of generating a population of tumor cells, such as circulating tumor cells (CTCs) isolated from fluid from a subject. The methods involve collecting a fluid sample containing the tumor cells from the subject, and culturing the tumor cells in the fluid sample in a three-dimensional cell culture, wherein the three-dimensional cell culture comprises at least one inhibitor of Rho-kinase to generate the population of CTCs. If the fluid is whole blood or contains blood, the method may also involve subjecting the fluid sample to density gradient separation to separate the tumor cells from the fluid prior to culturing. In addition, methods of identifying a candidate treatment for a subject having a condition marked by the presence of tumor cells, methods of monitoring in a subject the persistence, regression, or progression of a disease or condition marked by the presence of tumor cells, and methods of generating a cell line of tumor cells.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of preparing poly(acrylonitrile) fibers comprising: (i) providing a solution of poly(acrylonitrile) and a polyazide compound; and (ii) electrospinning the solution of poly(acrylonitrile) and a polyazide compound to provide fibers. The poly(acrylonitrile) fibers which are obtainable by the method are also claimed.

Abstract: The invention relates to medical aids, in particular compression products, such as compression stockings or bandages. More specifically, the invention relates to compression products comprising fibre forming polyurethane polymers showing a delayed continuous relaxation behaviour. The invention furthermore relates to polyurethane polymers containing N-diol and corresponding quaternised polyurethane polymers, to a process of producing the polyurethane polymers, to blends with elastane, as well as to uses.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method for producing a superhydrophobic membrane or surface coating of a substrate from an aqueous phase comprising the following steps: a) Preparing an aqueous dispersion by dispersing particles of hydrophobic polymer(s) in an aqueous solution of protic polymer(s), wherein the protic polymer(s) and the hydrophobic polymer(s) are present in a weight ratio of protic polymer(s):hydrophobic polymer(s) in a range of 5:95 to 22:78, b) electrospinning the dispersion of step a) onto a carrier for producing the membrane or onto the surface for producing the surface coating thereby producing at least one fiber and a nonwoven fabric from the fiber, c) subjecting the nonwoven fabric to a sol-gel process, wherein a precursor/precursors of the sol-gel comprise(s) an alkoxysilane, and d) curing the nonwoven fabric obtained by step c) at a temperature in a range of 50° C. to 150° C.

Abstract: The invention concerns an electrically conductive non-woven fabric which fabric comprises or consists of a three-dimensional network of non-woven non-electrically conductive synthetic nanofibers and electrically conductive metal nanowires distributed therein, wherein the synthetic nanofibers comprise or consist of fibers having a diameter in the range of 10 nm to 2000 nm and a maximal length of 6 mm, wherein the electrically conductive metal nanowires comprise or consist of strands having a diameter in the range of 10 nm to 800 nm and a length in the range of 1 ?m to 500 ?m, wherein the electrically conductive metal nanowires occupy between 0.5% by volume to 5% by volume of said fabric, wherein the electrically conductive metal nanowires and the synthetic nanofibers are homogenously distributed within the electrically conductive non-woven fabric.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for preparing a metallized open-cell foam or fibrous substrate, wherein the method comprises: (A) providing an open-cell foam or fibrous substrate, wherein the open-cell foam or fibrous substrate contains a polymer comprising heteroatom-containing moieties within the bulk of the open-cell foam or fibrous substrate or as a coating on the open-cell foam or fibrous substrate, wherein the polymer comprising heteroatom-containing moieties is selected from polyvinylpyridine, polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyvinyl alcohol, polyallylamine, polyethylene oxide, polyethylene imine, polyethylene sulfide and copolymers or blends thereof; (B) contacting the open-cell foam or fibrous substrate with nanoparticles of a first metal to provide a nanoparticle coated open-cell foam or fibrous substrate; and (C) contacting the nanoparticle coated open-cell foam or fibrous substrate with a solution comprising a salt of a second metal and a reducing agent to provide the metallized open-cell foam or

Abstract: The invention concerns a powder of fragments of at least one polymeric nanofiber which fragments have a maximal average length of 0.12 mm.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method for producing a superhydrophobic membrane or surface coating of a substrate from an aqueous phase comprising the following steps: a) Preparing an aqueous dispersion by dispersing particles of hydrophobic polymer(s) in an aqueous solution of protic polymer(s), wherein the protic polymer(s) and the hydrophobic polymer(s) are present in a weight ratio of protic polymer(s):hydrophobic polymer(s) in a range of 5:95 to 22:78, b) electrospinning the dispersion of step a) onto a carrier for producing the membrane or onto the surface for producing the surface coating thereby producing at least one fiber and a nonwoven fabric from the fiber, c) subjecting the nonwoven fabric to a sol-gel process, wherein a precursor/precursors of the sol-gel comprise(s) an alkoxysilane, and d) curing the nonwoven fabric obtained by step c) at a temperature in a range of 50° C. to 150° C.

Abstract: The invention at hand provides hydrolytically degradable ionic copolymers. These ionic copolymerizates are composed of one cyclic ketene acetal A, one anionic or cationic methacrylic acid derivative B, selected from 2-methyl-methacrylate, [2-(2-methyl-1-methylene-allyloxy)]ethanesulfonate, [2-(2-methyl-1-methylene-allyloxy)ethyl]phosphonate or a quaternary amine of the N,N-dimethylaminoethylmethacrylic acid (DMAEMA) and, optionally, a neutral methacrylic acid derivative C. The hydrolytically degradable anionic copolymers according to the present invention are produced by polymerizing the components A, B and C in the presence of a radical initiator under inert gas atmosphere and subsequent purification. All copolymers according to the present invention are hydrolytically degradable. Copolymers comprising a maximum of 40 mol-% of ester groups in the backbone are additionally biodegradable, wherein in the case of cationic copolymers a maximum of 20 mol-% of quaternized DMAEMA is allowed to be available.

Abstract: The invention at hand concerns hydrophobic polymer surfaces, in particular superhydrophobic polymer surfaces, comprising at least one homo- or copolymer, which comprises at least one side chain with at least one fluoro-substituted aryl group. Furthermore, the invention at hand concerns a method for the production of polymer surfaces of this type, their use and polymers of the general formula I: wherein n is an integer between 10 and 4,500, preferably between 20 and 2,200 and particularly preferably between 100 and 670.

Abstract: The present invention provides aqueous stable suspensions of biodegradable diblock copolyesters and a method for their production. The diblock copolyesters comprise one block of an aliphatic polyester and one block of a polyethylene oxide. Suspensions according to the present invention are suitable to be used as biodegradable viscosity modifiers, compatibilizers in blends, as glues, varnishes, paper additives, flame retardants, impact modifiers and hazers of transparent plastics, and for the production of biodegradable sheets, films, fibers, plates, vessels, tubes and capillaries for transport or packaging purposes. Furthermore, the suspensions according to the present invention are suitable to be used for the production of nano- and microfibers and nano- and microfiber nonwovens with non-oriented or oriented fibers by means of electrospinning.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method to produce metal-containing nanoparticles enveloped with polymers, as well as particles obtainable therefrom. In the method according to the present invention, at least one anionic polymerizable monomer is polymerized in the presence of an anionic macroinitiator at room temperature. Subsequently, an aliphatic or aromatic sulfide is firstly added, followed by a solution of at least one organosoluble metal salt in an aprotic organic solvent and finally a homogeneous reducing agent. The metal cation is hereby reduced to the metal. Metal-containing nanoparticles are formed which are covalently bonded to the growing anionic polymerizates. The metal salts are preferably salts of silver, copper, gold, tin, lead, chrome or zinc, or mixtures thereof.

Abstract: The invention provides new polymeric or oligomeric active agents with a biocidal effect. Such particularly advantageous polymeric or oligomeric active agents with a biocidal effect are obtainable via polycondensation of a guanidine acid addition salt with an amine mixture comprising at least one diamine and/or one triamine, wherein at least one amine is selected from the group comprising i) diamine, comprising at least one cycloaliphatic residue, and ii) dialkylenetriamine. At least one amine is hereby preferably selected from 4,4?-methylenebis(cyclohexylamine) and diethylenetriamine. Furthermore, it is favorable if the guanidine acid addition salt is guanidinehydrochloride.

Abstract: The present invention provides electrospun polymer fibers comprising bacteria-containing hydrogel particles. Bacteria-containing hydrogel particles are produced by crosslinking water-soluble polymers to form hydrogels and mixing them with a bacteria suspension. The crosslinking is suitable to be carried out either chemically before the addition of the bacteria suspension or physically before or after this addition. Subsequently, these hydrogel particles are electrospun together with an electrospinnable polymer solution to form fibers or fibre non-wovens. The bacteria which are located in these hydrogel particles or in the electrospun polymer fibers comprising these particles, respectively, are capable of surviving for a long period (several months) without the supply of water or cell-culture media and are simultaneously protected against the effect of solvents, for example alcohols, acetone, chlorinated hydrocarbons, ethers and toluene, which would otherwise kill said bacteria.

Abstract: The invention at hand provides hydrolytically degradable ionic copolymers. These ionic copolymerizates are composed of one cyclic ketene acetal A, one anionic or cationic methacrylic acid derivative B, selected from 2-methyl-methacrylate, [2-(2-methyl-1-methylene-allyloxy)]ethanesulfonate, [2-(2-methyl-1-methylene-allyloxy)ethyl]phosphonate or a quaternary amine of the N,N-dimethylaminoethylmethacrylic acid (DMAEMA) and, optionally, a neutral methacrylic acid derivative C. The hydrolytically degradable anionic copolymers according to the present invention are produced by polymerizing the components A, B and C in the presence of a radical initiator under inert gas atmosphere and subsequent purification. All copolymers according to the present invention are hydrolytically degradable. Copolymers comprising a maximum of 40 mol-% of ester groups in the backbone are additionally biodegradable, wherein in the case of cationic copolymers a maximum of 20 mol-% of quaternized DMAEMA is allowed to be available.

Abstract: The invention at hand concerns hydrophobic polymer surfaces, in particular superhydrophobic polymer surfaces, comprising at least one homo- or copolymer, which comprises at least one side chain with at least one fluoro-substituted aryl group. Furthermore, the invention at hand concerns a method for the production of polymer surfaces of this type, their use and polymers of the general formula I: wherein n is an integer between 10 and 4,500, preferably between 20 and 2,200 and particularly preferably between 100 and 670.