Abstract:
Curcumin, a polyphenol extracted from the rhizome turmeric, has been polymerized to produce a polymer material having a backbone of one or more repeating structural units, at least one of which comprises a curcumin monomer residue. These curcumin-containing polymers have a wide range of pharmacological activities, including, among others antitumor, antioxidant, antiinflammatory, antithrombotic and antibacterial activities. Certain species of these polymers have exhibited remarkable antitumor activity. Water-soluble curcumin derivatives and their use as prodrugs and prodrug carriers are also disclosed.
Abstract:
A nano-sized hydrogel is made of a water-soluble chain containing carboxylic acid moieties and polyethylene side chains. Such a nanogel is applicable as a cancer-drug delivery agent or an imagining agent, where either a cancer drug, such as cisplatin, or an imaging agent, such as Gd3+. The complexation of the cancer drug or the imaging agent with the carboxyl moieties leads to the hydrogel formation.
Abstract:
A bundle assembly for vertical, gravity flow driven polymerization reactors for combinations of high viscosity, high throughput, and thin polymer films is provided. The bundle assembly includes static internal components that provide large areas of free liquid surfaces in contact with the atmosphere of the reactor while still attaining sufficient liquid holdup times for polymerization to take place. The bundle assembly includes one or more stationary film generators. The bundle assembly further includes one or more stationary arrays of film support structures. Each of the film support structures has a first side and a second side. Both sides of the film support structure are coated with flowing polymer. The vertical arrangement of components in the bundle assembly cause the polymeric melt to cascade down the vertical length of a reaction vessel interior that incorporates the bundle assembly. The present invention also provides a polymerization reactor that incorporates the assembly of the invention and a method of increasing the degree of polymerization of a polymer melt by using the assembly of the invention.