Abstract: Provided is a method for efficiently and continuously producing a cellulose ether containing a reduced amount of indissoluble component. Specifically, the method includes a contact step of bringing pulp into contact with an alkali metal hydroxide solution in the presence of a heat removal solvent to obtain alkali cellulose; a reaction step of subjecting the alkali cellulose to a reaction with an etherifying agent; a partial condensation step, after completion of the reaction, of partially condensing a gas present in a reaction vessel used for the reaction to separate the gas into gas and liquid components for returning some or all of the gas component to the contact step for reuse as some or all of the heat removal solvent; and a step of incinerating the liquid component and, when all of the gas component is not returned to the contact step, the remainder of the gas component.

Abstract: Provided is a novel cellulose derivative having excellent water resistance. This is a cellulose acylate oxoalkanoate which is a cellulose derivative corresponding to cellulose, except with substituents replacing part or all of hydrogen atoms in the hydroxy groups of the cellulose. The substituents includes a group represented by General Formula (1) and a group represented by General Formula (2). The cellulose acylate oxoalkanoate has a degree x of substitution with the group represented by General Formula (1), a degree y of substitution with the group represented by General Formula (2), and a degree z of unsubstitution, where x, y, and z meet conditions specified by Expressions (A), (B), and (C): 0.1?x?2.99??(A) 0.01?y?2.

Abstract: A surfactant treated bleached softwood kraft pulp fiber, useful as a starting material in the production of cellulose derivatives including cellulose ether, cellulose esters and viscose, is disclosed. Methods for making the kraft pulp fiber and products made from it are also described.

Abstract: A method for forming an embolism within a blood vessel is disclosed. The method includes including: implanting a plurality of oxidized cellulose microspheres into a lumen of a blood vessel to at least partially block the lumen.

Abstract: The application of a highly controlled, micron-sized, branched, porous architecture to enhance the handling properties and degradation rate of hydrogels is described in the instant invention. A previously described pattern created through one-step nucleated crystallization in a hydrogel film creates tunable mechanical properties and/or chemical stability for use in tissue engineering applications. The bulk mechanical properties and the degradation rate of the material can be tuned easily by the addition or subtraction of crystalline structure or by the addition and subtraction of backfill material, making this useful for a variety of applications. Relevant mechanical properties that can be tuned through the application of this unique porosity are moduli, elasticity, tensile strength, and compression strength. The method of the present invention can be applied to biopolymers and natural materials as well as synthetic materials.

Abstract: The method of making nanocrystalline cellulose is a flash lyophilized-acidic hydrolysis method for converting cellulosic fibers into nanocrystalline cellulose. Cellulosic fibers are initially ground in a high-speed, rotary grinder to produce ground cellulose fiber. The ground cellulose fiber is then dried to produce dried, ground cellulose, which is then freeze-dried to yield lyophilized cellulose. Pure concentrated sulfuric acid is then added to the lyophilized cellulose at a liquid/solid ratio of 1:1 (vol/wt) to form a cellulosic paste. The cellulosic paste is diluted in either water or absolute ethanol at a liquid/solid ratio of 1:1 (vol/wt) to form a cellulosic solution, which is then filtered under cooling by liquid nitrogen-vapor. The nanocrystalline cellulose precipitate is then washed until neutralization and dried to yield nanocrystalline cellulose.

Abstract: The presently disclosed and claimed inventive concept(s) relates to a polymer for enhancing drug performance and improving processability. Specifically, the polymer comprises hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose acetate succinate (HPMC-AS). On the HPMC-AS, the percentage of total succinoyl degree of substitution is less than 12% at C6-OH position and greater than 53% at C3-OH, and the percentage of total acetyl degree of substitution is greater than 32% at C6-OH position.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to the field of nutrition. In particular the present invention relates to infant nutrition in the post natal period and in early life, more particular during the age period of 6-36 months or during a part thereof. One embodiment of the present invention is a kit of diet compositions for children during the age period of 6-36 months or during a part thereof, wherein the macronutrient content of the compositions is gradually changing in the form of a straight line from a composition that comprises about 40-50% energy from fat and about 40-49% energy from carbohydrates for children at the age of 6 months to a composition that comprises about 30-35% energy from fat and about 50-55% energy from carbohydrates for children at the age of 36 months, and its use to prevent obesity later in life.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a mercapto-modified biocompatible macromolecule derivative with a low degree of modification. The mercapto-modified biocompatible macromolecule derivative not only maintains the initial structure, physiological function and biocompatibility as much as possible, but also allows the preparation of the biocompatible macromolecule cross-linked material with a low degree of cross-linking through the effectively chemical cross-linking with the introduced mercapto group. The present invention further discloses a disulfide-bond cross-linked biocompatible macromolecule material with a very low degree of cross-linking.

Abstract: The method of fabricating biocompatible cellulose nanofibrils produces cellulose nanofibrils from used agro-waste Borassus flabellifer leaf stalks. The method uses a three-step process, including alkali treatment, bleaching, and acid hydrolysis to produce cellulose nanofibrils, which may be converted to pellets for storage. The pellets may be converted to a transparent film for cell attachment by dispersion in water and heating in a hot air oven. Testing shows that cellulose nanofibrils made by the method easily attract human mesenchymal stem cells and will be applicable for skin tissue engineering applications.

Abstract: A process for manufacturing a cross-linked hyaluronic acid (HA) containing a functionalizing group including the step of reacting HA with a mixture of: (i) a first cross-linking agent selected from the group of bifunctional epoxides and polyfunctional epoxides, and (ii) a functionalized agent of a functionalizing group coupled via a 1,2,3-triazole linkage to a second cross-linking agent selected from the group of bifunctional epoxides and polyfunctional epoxides, to obtain a cross-linked HA containing the functionalizing group. The process provides a cross-linked hyaluronic acid (HA) containing a functionalizing group. The process utilizes a functionalized agent of a functionalizing group coupled via a 1,2,3-triazole linkage to a cross-linking agent.

Abstract: A process for producing a cellulose derivative, comprising: a first step including reacting a cellulose and a first reactant comprising a long-chain reactant for reacting with a hydroxy group of the cellulose to introduce a long-chain organic group having 5 or more carbon atoms, in a solid-liquid heterogeneous system, to form a cellulose derivative in a swollen state, the cellulose derivative having the long-chain organic group having 5 or more carbon atoms introduced therein and having a part of hydroxy groups of the cellulose remained, and performing solid-liquid separation to obtain the cellulose derivative as an intermediate; and a second step including reacting the intermediate cellulose derivative and a second reactant comprising a short-chain reactant for reacting with a remaining hydroxy group of the intermediate cellulose derivative to introduce a short-chain organic group having 4 or less carbon atoms to form a final cellulose derivative having the short-chain organic group having 4 or less carbon a

Abstract: Inclusion complexes of pinocembrin with cyclodextrin or its derivatives and their preparation are provided. The inclusion complexes can be used to make drugs.

Abstract: The present invention provides compositions suitable for topical administration to a mammalian subject including sodium hyaluronate and a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient. The present invention also provides methods for making and using the same.

Abstract: This invention relates a cellulose solution comprising cellulose and at least one tetraalkylammonium alkylphosphate and processes to produce the cellulose solution. Another aspect of this invention relates to shaped articles prepared from a cellulose solution comprising cellulose and at least one tetraalkylammonium alkylphosphate. Another embodiment of this invention relates to compositions comprising derivatives of cellulose prepared from a cellulose solution comprising at least one tetraalkylammonium alkylphosphate. Another embodiment of this invention relates to compositions comprising regioselectively substituted cellulose esters prepared from a cellulose solution comprising cellulose and at least one tetraalkylammonium alkylphosphate. In another embodiment of the invention, the cellulose esters of the present invention are used as protective and compensation films for liquid crystalline displays.

Abstract: The invention relates to a dry or slurry process to prepare phosphate-crosslinked cellulose ethers from a cellulose starting material comprising the steps of adding an alkalizing agent to the cellulose starting material to achieve mercerization, adding an ethehfying agent to the reaction mixture to achieve etherification of the cellulose, and adding a crosslinking agent to the reaction mixture to achieve crosslinking of the cellulose, wherein at least part of the alkalizing agent is added to the cellulose starting material before the etherification and/or crosslinking reactions take place to obtain alkalized cellulose; the crosslinking agent and the etherifying agent are added one after the other in random order or simultaneously; the crosslinking agent is an alkali metal thmetaphosphate; and the crosslinking and etherification steps are performed at an elevated temperature.

Abstract: Described herein are methods for chemical modification of nitrocellulose to generate lyophobic properties which are useful in propellant compositions. Such methods include the steps of: a) dissolving neat nitrocellulose in an organic solvent; b) adding a silyl based isocyanate and a catalyst to the solution; (d) stirring the solution in a moisture free environment; e) hydrolyzing the solution by exposing said solution to moisture; and (e) adding fluorinated oxysilane. The modified nitrocellulose retains its energetic properties while exhibiting high water and organic solvent phobicity, effectively functioning as a barrier to migration or diffusion of liquid components in propellant compositions.

Abstract: A process for preparing an aqueous solution of a methylcellulose having anhydroglucose units joined by 1-4 linkages wherein hydroxy groups of anhydroglucose units are substituted with methyl groups such that s23/s26 is 0.36 or less, wherein s23 is the molar fraction of anhydroglucose units wherein only the two hydroxy groups in the 2- and 3-positions of the anhydroglucose unit are substituted with methyl groups and wherein s26 is the molar fraction of anhydroglucose units wherein only the two hydroxy groups in the 2- and 6-positions of the anhydroglucose unit are substituted with methyl groups, comprises the step of mixing the methylcellulose with an aqueous liquid at a temperature of not higher than 10° C. at a shear rate of at least 1000 s?1.

Abstract: An aqueous solution comprising (a) one or more mono-, di- and/or oligosaccharides and (b) a methylcellulose, wherein the methylcellulose has anhydroglucose units joined by 1-4 linkages wherein hydroxy groups of anhydroglucose units are substituted with methyl groups such that s23/s26 is 0.36 or less, is produced by i) mixing the methylcellulose with an aqueous liquid comprising one or more mono-, di- and/or oligosaccharides at a shear rate of at least 1000 s?1 or ii) mixing one or more mono-, di- and/or oligosaccharides with the methylcellulose and/or an aqueous liquid before, simultaneously with or after mixing the methylcellulose with the aqueous liquid at a shear rate of at least 1000 s?1.

Abstract: The present invention is a multilayered composite comprising porous metal oxide particles that are covalently bonded by way of inorganic ether groups to one or more sites of a first polyhydroxyl-functionalized polymer. This first polymer is in turn covalently bonded by way of inorganic ether groups to one or more sites of a second polyhydroxyl-functionalized polymer. The multilayered composites can be prepared by contacting porous inorganic-oxide particles with a sufficient amount of OH-reactive crosslinking agent to form metal oxide particles imbibed with the crosslinking agent, and then contacting the inorganic-oxide particles with a solution of polyhydroxyl-functionalized polymer under reactive conditions.