Abstract: Substantially water-insoluble, crosslinked polypeptides containing 15 to 85 mole % of amino acid residues such as glutamic acid, aspartic acid, phosphoserine, phosphohomoserine, phosphotyrosine, phosphothreonine, phosphoasparagine, or phosphoglutamine, and 15 to 85 mole % of amino acid residues such as lysine, arginine, asparagine, glutamine, serine or tyrosine, in which the degree of crosslinking is sufficient to result in a substantially water-insoluble polypeptide with the ability to absorb a 1% aqueous NaCl solution in an amount of at least 20 times the weight of the polypeptide, are useful as superabsorbents in devices such as diapers, etc.

Abstract: A poly-amino acid compound capable of inhibiting mineral deposition, which has the structure:poly (X).sub.m (Y).sub.nwhereeach X independently is aspartate, glutamate, glutamine, asparagine, or anionic derivatives of these amino acids, or phosphoserine,each Y independently is a phosphorylated amino acid such as phosphoserine, phosphohomoserine, phosphotyrosine, phosphothreonine, phosphoglutamine, phosphoasparagine, or mixtures of these residues,m is 2 to 150,n is 1 to 3, andn+m is .gtoreq.5, andsalts of these peptides.

Abstract: A poly-amino acid compound capable of inhibiting mineral deposition, which has the structure:poly (X).sub.n poly (Y).sub.mwhereeach X is a residue independently selected from the group consisting of aspartic acid, glutamic acid, phosphoserine, phosphohomoserine, phosphotyrosine, and phosphothreonine,each Y is independently a residue selected from the group consisting of alanine, leucine, isoleucine, valine and glycine,n is 2 to 60,m is 2 to 60, andn+m.gtoreq.5,and wherein poly (X).sub.n may contain up to 10% of the Y residues and poly (Y).sub.m may contain up to 10% of the X residues, and salts thereof.

Abstract: A method of treating a tooth so as to inhibit deposition of a mineral thereon, which comprises contacting the tooth with a mineral deposition inhibitory effective amount of a poly-amino acid compound which has the structure:poly(X).sub.n poly(Y).sub.mwhere each X is a residue independently selected from the group consisting of aspartic acid, glutamic acid, phosphoserine, phosphohomoserine, phosphotyrosine, and phosphothreonine,each Y is independently a residue selected from the group consisting of alanine, leucine, isoleucine, valine and glycine,n is 2 to 60,m is 2 to 60, andn+m<5,and wherein poly (X).sub.n may contain up to 10% of the Y residues and poly (Y).sub.m may contain up to 10% of the X residues, and salts thereof,in combination with an orally acceptable vehicle compatible with said compound.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of inhibiting the formation of calcium carbonate-containing deposits on a surface by applying a composition comprising an anticalcification-effective amount of a polysaccharide or derivative thereof. The present method is useful for the prevention and/or retardation (inhibition) of inorganic scaling, as well as, for the inhibition of fouling by plant or animal organisms.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of inhibiting the formation of CaCO.sub.3 -containing deposits on a surface by applying a composition comprising an anti calcification-effective amount of the peptide-containing or the protein-containing fractions isolated from a CaCO.sub.3 -containing tissue obtained from a CaCO.sub.3 -forming organism. Said fractions can be isolated from many CaCO.sub.3 -containing tissues, including, but not limited to, molluscan shells, echinoderm skeletons, carbonate sands, crustacean exoskeletons, coral endoskeletons and the like. The present method is useful for the prevention and/or retardation of inorganic scaling, as well as, for the inhibition of fouling by plant or animal organisms.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of inhibiting the formation of CaCO.sub.3 -containing deposits on a surface, by applying a composition comprising an anti-calcification effective amount of the polysaccharide-containing fraction substantially devoid of proteinaceous material, isolated from a CaCO.sub.3 -containing tissue obtained from a CaCO.sub.3 -forming organism. The fractions can be isolated from a variety of CaCO.sub.3 -containing tissues, including but not limited to algae coccolith and the like. The present method is useful for the prevention and/or retardation of inorganic scaling, as well as, for the inhibition of fouling by plant or animal organisms.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of inhibiting the formation of CaCO.sub.3 -containing deposits on a surface by applying a composition comprising an anti calcification-effective amount of a poly amino acid, a poly amino acid amide or derivative thereof. The present method is useful for the prevention and/or retardation (inhibition) of inorganic scaling, as well as for the inhibition of fouling by plant or animal organisms.