Abstract: Cellulose is modified by the provision of up to 5% by weight of fluorinated ester groups. This material is substantially indistinguishable from cellulose by termites seeking food but is sufficiently toxic to them to be utilizeable as a highly efficient termiticide while being relatively harmless to mammals.

Abstract: Methods for the production of steroids (sapogenins) and steroidal glycosides (saponins) from cell, root-cell and shoot tissue cultures of the Yucca plant. The cultures were established and maintained in a suitable nutrient plant cell medium supplemented with growth regulators. The desired products are extracted from the cultures using conventional extraction techniques. Greater total production of steroidal glycosides occurred in root-cell, cell, and shoot tissue cultures in that order. Although the cultures may be grown under conditions ranging from total darkness to total light, steroidal glycoside production was highest in root-cell cultures grown continuously in the light as compared to those grown in the dark. Root-cell culture senescence also enhanced the yield of total steroidal glycosides. Steroids are obtained from the steroidal glycosides by acid hydrolysis to remove the sugar moieties. The production of radio-labeled steroids and steroidal glycosides is disclosed.

Abstract: Absorbent, coherent, flexible structures in the form of fibrous webs and porous sponges comprising water-insoluble, ring oxidized cellulosic bases consisting of water-insoluble cellulose ethers, cellulose mixed ethers ring oxidized forms of these cellulose, cellulose ether mixed esters and mixtures of the bases. The cellulose bases have a DS of between about 0.05 and about 0.35. Upon application of the structures to the body and wet with aqueous body liquids, sharp edges and protruding fibers and fibrils or hairs become highly swollen or may dissolve thereby eliminating irritation. The ring oxidized forms of the cellulose bases contain between about 2% and about 52% added carboxyl groups. The structures may have hemostatic properties and the structure may include uniformly dispersed therein chitin and/or starch derivatives or contain starch or gelatin compounds to enhance the hemostatic efficacy.

Abstract: A process for preparing a graft polymer by subjecting a cyclic ester to ring-opening polymerization in the presence of a cellulose derivative in the presence of a ring-opening polymerization catalyst for the cyclic ester. The resulting graft polymer has high transparency, good film-formability and high solubility and can be suitably used as a novel polymer material.

Abstract: An endotoxin binding material affixed to a support is disclosed. One embodiment is a matrix material capable of binding endotoxins and comprising a polar, water-insoluble, high molecular weight polymer support to which is attached groups which adsorb endotoxin molecules. The groups comprise bifunctional aliphatic molecules, one end of which is bound to the support, the other end of which is bound to an aryl molecule. The invention has utility in the removal of endotoxins from biological fluids and other solutions and for concentrating endotoxins so that they may be subsequently detected and quantified.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of preparing lower fatty acid esters of cellulose which comprises esterifying at a temperature of between about 75.degree. C. and about 110.degree. C. a cellulose compound having esterifiable hydroxyl groups with an esterifying bath comprising an organic acid anhydride, a diluent, and a catalyst comprising from 0.2 to 2.0 parts phosphoric acid, from 0.1 to 1.2 parts sulfuric acid, and from 0.05 to 0.6 parts of a hindered aliphatic alcohol by weight per 100 parts of the cellulose to be esterified.

Abstract: Pleasant-tasting, non-greasy, edible compositions, preferably in liquid form, comprising edible oil or oil-like materials, a high potency, lipid soluble sweetener, such as saccharin, and a lipid soluble flavorant, are disclosed. These compositions are particularly useful as an oral dosage form for vitamins or pharmaceutical materials; in such embodiments the edible oil-like material may consist, in whole or in part, of an oily pharmaceutical agent, such as polyol fatty acid esters having at least four fatty acid ester groups, each fatty acid having from about 8 to about 22 carbon atoms.

Abstract: A process for recovering polyol fatty acid polyesters from the crude reaction product in which it is produced by contacting with an aqueous washing medium in the presence of an emulsion decreasing organic solvent so that the alkali metal fatty acid soaps and the color-forming bodies are taken into the aqueous phase, and upon settling the phases are separated from each other.

Abstract: Disclosed is a catalyst and a method of preparing lower fatty acid esters of cellulose which comprises esterifying at a temperature of between about 75.degree. C. and about 110.degree. C. a cellulose compound having esterifiable hydroxyl groups with an esterifying bath comprising an organic acid anhydride, a diluent, and a catalyst comprising (a) from about 0.3 to about 3.0% by weight, based on the weight of cellulose, of an acid selected from the group consisting of sulfuric acid, p-toluene sulfonic acid, methane sulfonic acid, methane disulfonic acid and m-benzene disulfonic acid, and (b) from about 0.05 to about 0.3% by weight, based on the weight of cellulose, of a dialkyl phosphite, the alkyl groups of which contain from 2 to 4 carbon atoms, the weight ratio of said bath to the cellulose being between about 5:1 and about 10:1.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of preparing lower fatty acid esters of cellulose which comprises esterifying at a temperature of between about 75.degree. C. and about 110.degree. C. a cellulose compound having esterifiable hydroxyl groups with an esterifying bath comprising an organic acid anhydride, a diluent, and from about 0.3% to about 3.0% by weight, based on the weight of cellulose, of a catalyst selected from p-toluene sulfonic acid, methane sulfonic acid, methane disulfonic acid or m-benzene disulfonic acid.

Abstract: A contact lens solution is provided for wetting, soaking and lubricating of hard contact lenses, particularly those carrying an ionic charge. The solution contains an ionic polymer of cationic or anionic charge that interacts with an oppositely charged surface of a contact lens forming an interfacial polyelectrolyte complex. This polyelectrolyte complex provides increased, long lasting lens wettability leading to a cushioning and lubricating effect with the eyelid and the cornea.

Abstract: Disclosed is a catalyst composition and a method of preparing lower fatty acid esters of cellulose which comprises esterifying at a temperature of between about 75.degree. C. and about 110.degree. C. a cellulose compound having esterifiable hydroxyl groups with an esterifying bath comprising an organic acid anhydride, a diluent, and a catalyst comprising from about 25 to about 75% by weight sulfuric acid and about 75 to about 25% by weight phosphoric acid, the catalyst being used in amounts of from about 0.3 to about 0.8% by weight based on the weight of cellulose.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a chloral derivative having the general formula ##STR1## in which Y' is a polysaccharide consisting of a chain of anhydroglucose, modified anhydroglucose or uronic acid units as substituent group and in which R is selected from --H, --COCH.sub.2 OH, --[(CH.sub.2).sub.n 0].sub..chi. --H in which n is 2 to 5 and .chi. is 1 to 7; --CH.sub.2 OSO.sub.2 X' or --CH.sub.2 COOX' in which X' is NH.sub.4 or a single equivalent of a non-toxic metallic cation, --(CH.sub.2).sub.n H where n is 1 to 7, --(CH.sub.2).sub.n (OH).sub..chi. Y where Y is --H or --CH.sub.3 n is 1 to 7, .chi. is 1 to 12 and the --OH groups are attached to any or all of the carbon atoms by substitution and wherein when Y.sup.1 is a chain of unmodified anhydroglucose units, these units have the following configurations:.alpha.-D-glucopyranosyl units having a predominantly 1-4 linkage.beta.-D-glucopyranosyl units having a predominantly 1-4 linkage and/or.beta.

Abstract: A process for preparing a carboxylated cellulose ion exchange material which comprises heating a mixture of cellulose and citric, isocitric or aconitic acid at a temperature of from about 100.degree. to 160.degree. C. while removing water, and then treating the product with aqueous alkali at a pH of 8 to 11 to hydrolyze cross-linked acid residues; carboxylated cellulose ion exchange materials prepared by the process and their use in removing heavy-metal ions from aqueous solutions such as in industrial effluent treatment and precious metal recovery.

Abstract: Water repellancy is imparted to fibrous cellulosic textile material by applying to it, for a very short period of time, an isopropenyl ester containing a catalytic amount of an acid catalyst and then heat curing the treated material. Excellent water repellancy is obtained at a very low degree of substitution and a high degree of retention of tensile strength.

Abstract: Production of cellulose derivatives substituted by groups having functional moieties by reaction of a hydroxyl group(s) of the cellulose with an at least bifunctional reagent. The reagent is reacted with cellulose dissolved in dimethylsulfoxide containing polyhydroxymethylene.

Abstract: There is disclosed the preparation of a gradable polymeric composition by the chemical modification of a polymeric material such as a polymer or copolymer. The preparation comprises reacting in the presence of free radicals the polymeric material with a non-polymeric organic reagent having a structure which contains both a hydrocarbon residue and a polymeric material-degradation-sensitizing group.

Abstract: The aqueous dispersibility of a water-absorbent composition of matter is improved by a surface treatment which ionically complexes the surface thereof to a moderate degree. A dispersion is formed comprising a water-absorbent composition of matter based on an anionic poly-electrolyte, at least one polyvalent metal cation, and a dispersing medium in which the composition of matter is substantially insoluble. The dispersion is maintained within a given temperature range for a period of time sufficient to ionically complex the exposed surface of the composition of matter, and the dispersing medium is then removed. The product is characterized by a linkage density which is greater at the surface thereof than in the interior thereof and by the presence of ionic linkages at the surface thereof.

Abstract: An improved smoking material is provided by the treatment of a film-forming carbohydrate material with ozone. In accordance with the present disclosure, a film-forming carbohydrate material, for example, polysaccharide is contacted, under controlled conditions, with gaseous ozone and is formed into a smoking product. During the ozone treatment, the carbohydrate material may be in particulate or other solid form or may be dissolved or dispersed in a suitable liquid medium, such as water. The ozone-treated film-forming carbohydrate material may be cast, by known methods, on a drying surface to form a solid film. The resulting film may then be cut or comminuted for use as a tobacco substitute or as a tobacco supplement in a smoking article. Such films may also be used as wrappers for smoking compositions.

Abstract: Alkenyl halolactone esters of monools and polyols are described. These materials are useful as lubricating oil detergency and/or dispersancy additives.