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A wound dressing providing sustained release of a therapeutic agent was prepared using chitosan nanofibers prepared by the water jet method. Lysozyme chloride was adsorbed onto the chitosan nanofiber film, and inunersion of the film in PBS (phosphate buffer solution) resulted in gradual release of the lysozyme chloride at a constant rate. The nanofiber suspension can be sprayed to form a medical gauze which enhances cell growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have prepared micro-patterned surfaces on poly(butylene succinate adipate) (PBSA) and immobilized the benign fungus A. oryzae on the polymer surface as a means to purify formaldehyde solutions. It is found that A. oryzae survives up to 500 ppm of formaldehyde in solution. A. oryzae immobilized on PBSA reduced the concentration of 200 ppm formaldehyde solution to 0 ppm within three weeks. SDS-PAGE and TOF-MS analyses showed that A. oryzae produced a oxidation-reduction enzyme during the degradation process of formaldehyde. Formic acid was detected by HPLC. Moreover, A. oryzae immobilized on PBSA showed high degradation activity even for formic acid as an oxidation product of formaldehyde. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have investigated the fading behavior of biodegradable polymers colored with natural pigments from plants and the inhibition of the discoloring by adding UV absorbers derived from onion find. The absorber was extracted from onion rind with 1,4-dioxan. The extract contained a quercetin derivative with a similar structure similar to commonly-marketed UV absorbers. Biodegradable polymers without added onion pigments rapidly discolored under UV radiation. On the other hand, the samples with onion extract maintain their color. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]