Abstract: The invention relates to a microbattery made of bioelectroactive components based on biomimetic processes. Bio-derived electron donors and electron acceptors are separately encapsulated in at least one pair of polymerized phospholipid vesicles. Embedded within the vesicle walls are lipophilic electron mediators that facilitate the transfer of electrons across the vesicle walls. Each pair of vesicles is immobilized on a conducting surface. The pair of vesicles are isolated from each other to create a galvanic cell, in which electrons flow from high to low electrochemical potential. A high energy density battery can be achieved if the vesicles are immobilized on highly porous conducting substrates.

Abstract: This invention pertains to a process for preparing diacetylenics, to diacetylenic compounds and to reduced diacetylenic compounds. The process includes the steps of reacting coupling an acetylenic acid in presence of cupric chloride in Ethylamine and hydroxylamine hydrochloride to form a diacetylenic diacid; reacting the diacetylenic diacid with a lithium compound, trimethylsilyl chloride and hydrochloric acid to form a diacetylenic compound; and reducing the diacetylenic compound to a reduced diacetylenic compound.

Abstract: A method and an system are provided for servicing a plurality of agents requesting access to a bus. The agents are arranged in a hierarchical order of groups, each having first and second pairs of the agents. Within each group, flags are set to indicate which pair was last serviced and which agent in each pair was last serviced.

Abstract: Self-organized polymolecular structures, including structures having a helical, tubular or needle-like morphology, are formed by the association of molecules of an amphiphilic 2,3 di-O-substituted tartaric acid compound and molecules of a bipyridyl compound. If the tartaric compound includes a polymerizable functional group, the polymolecular structures may be stabilized by polymerization.

Abstract: Selective, crosslinked chelating polymers are produced by substituting an acyclic chelating agent with a polymerizable functional group. The resulting substituted acyclic chelating agent is then complexed with the target metal ion. A crosslinkable monomer is then added and the complexed material is crosslinked. The complexed metal is then removed, providing a crosslinked polymeric chelating agent that has been templated for the target metal ion.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a powder of unagglomerated metallic particles. More particularly, the present invention relates to a powder of unagglomerated metallic particles having an average diameter of about 1-100 nm and the process for making the same. Additionally, the powder of unagglomerated metallic particles can be formed into a lyophilized form which upon reconstitution maintains the average diameter of between about 1-100 nm wherein the particles remain unagglomerated.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a powder of unagglomerated metallic particles. More particularly, the present invention relates to a powder of unagglomerated metallic particles having an average diameter of about 1-100 nm and the process for making the same. Additionally, the powder of unagglomerated metallic particles can be formed into a lyophilized form which upon reconstitution maintains the average diameter of between about 1-100 nm wherein the particles remain unagglomerated.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for storing additional information, such as HOLE information, within a buffer while minimizing the overhead.A method according to the present invention for efficiently storing additional information in a memory, the memory including at least one address, the memory for storing at least a portion of a packet to be transferred by a network system, the method comprising the steps of determining whether the at least a portion of a packet ends at a boundary of the at least one address; encoding a portion of the packet to indicate that the packet ends at the address boundary if the packet ends at the address boundary; and encoding a portion of the at least one address to indicate that the packet does not end at the address boundary, if the packet does not end at the address boundary.

Abstract: An ethernet controller for controlling the transmission of data between a station and an ethernet having four FIFOs for managing the transmission of data between the station CPU, a memory buffer, and the ethernet. The four FIFOs each have a selected size to maximize performance of the controller. The controller includes a arbiter to arbitrate which pending requests from each of the FIFOs will have priority. The controller limits the transmission of data by each FIFO to 32 bytes per grant. Each FIFO includes logic to convert data in a first bit size format to a second bit size format. The controller also includes logic to convert a 16 bit address to two 8 bit portions for transmission over an 8 bit address bus and logic to reformat the two 8 bit portions to the 16 bit address.

Abstract: A method of precisely identifying the end of packet location in a memory device. A first and second memory location in the memory device are reserved and a sequence of data is written into the memory device in sequential memory locations. When the last of the sequence of data is written into memory the memory location is written into the first reserved memory location. The second memory location is written to show that the end of packet has been written into memory.

Abstract: The present invention is a method for releasing an active agent into a use nvironment, by disposing this active agent within the lumen of a population of tubules, and disposing the tubules into a use environment, either directly or in some matrix such as a paint in contact with the use environment. The tubules have a preselected release profile to provide a preselected release rate curve. The preselected release profile may be achieved by controlling the length or length distribution of the tubules, or by placing degradable endcaps over some or all of the tubules in the population, or by combinations of these methods. The invention is also a population of tubules having a preselected release profile to provide a preselected release rate curve.

Abstract: The lipids of this invention are derivatives of phosphatidyl choline having the general chemical formula: ##STR1## wherein at least one of R and R' is a polymerizable unsaturated alkyl group, acid or ester, wherein X includes an iminodiacetic acid in the polymerizable metal chelating lipid (2) and wherein z is an integer from 1-20 including 1 and 20. Lipid microstructures are formed by mixing the polymerizable metal chelating lipid monomers (2) with polymerizable non-chelating lipid monomers wherein X includes a non-chelating group, for example, --N.sup.+ (CH.sub.3).sub.3.

Abstract: Nanoparticle metal powder having a controllable and narrow size distribution are by electrolessly plating a metal on the interior of a vesicle made of at least one polymerized phospholipid. Electroless plating may be accomplished by catalytic reduction of the metal ion or u.v. reduction of the metal ion.

Abstract: Phospholipase D enzyme is used to mediate the synthesis of a phosphatidylhydroxyalkanol in a first step. This phosphatidylhydroxyalkanol is reacted to produce a headgroup modified phospholipid in a subsequent step. In the first step, phospholipase D enzyme extract mediates transphosphatidylation of a phospholipid with an alcohol containing at least two hydroxyl groups per molecule, producing reproducible and nearly quantitative yields of a phosphatidylhydroxyalkanol. In the subsequent step, the hydroxyl head group of the phosphatidylhydroxyalkanol is further reacted with amino, carboxylic, halogen or thiol containing molecules to produce a headgroup modified phospholipid.

Abstract: The lipids of this invention are derivatives of phosphatidyl choline having the general chemical formula: ##STR1## wherein at least one of R and R' is a polymerizable unsaturated alkyl group, acid or ester, wherein X includes an iminodiacetic acid in the polymerizable metal chelating lipid (2) and wherein z is an integer from 1-20 including 1 and 20. Lipid microstructures are formed by mixing the polymerizable metal chelating lipid monomers (2) with polymerizable non-chelating lipid monomers wherein X includes a non-chelating group, for example, --N.sup.+ (CH.sub.3).sub.3.

Abstract: Phospholipase D enzyme is used to mediate the synthesis of a phosphatidylhydroxyalkanol in a first step. This phosphatidylhydroxyalkanol is reacted to produce a headgroup modified phospholipid in a subsequent step. In the first step, phospholipase D enzyme extract mediates transphosphatidylation of a phospholipid with an alcohol containing at least two hydroxyl groups per molecule, producing reproducible and nearly quantitative yields of a phosphatidylhydroxyalkanol. In the subsequent step, the hydroxyl head group of the phosphatidylhydroxyalkanol is further reacted with amino, carboxylic, halogen or thiol containing molecules to produce a headgroup modified phospholipid.

Abstract: The present invention provides novel polymerizable lipids and mixtures thof with non-polymerizable lipids and methods for the controlled release of encapsulated materials using stabilized or polymerized vesicles. Release is induced by pH, ions, temperature, light or other changes in the environment. Time release mechanisms are also employed. Applications of the present invention especially include encapsulation of enzymes and their subsequent sustained release for degradation of environmental pollutants, encapsulation of fluorescent markers for use in sensor systems, and encapsulation and release of fragrant molecules in detergents.

Abstract: Novel diacetylenic phospholipids having the diacetylenic moieties chemically decoupled from the rest of the acyl chains by the inclusion of one or more heteroatom, preferably oxygen, spacers on the acyl chains have the chemical formula: ##STR1## where m is 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, or 13, where n is 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, or 13, where W is --O(CO)-- or --OCH.sub.2 --, where X is --CH.sub.2 --, --OCH.sub.2 --, --SCH.sub.2 --, --NHCH.sub.2 --, or --SiMe.sub.2 CH.sub.2 --, where Y is --CH.sub.2 --, --CH.sub.2 O--, --CH.sub.2 S--, --CH.sub.2 NH--, or --CH.sub.2 SiMe.sub.2 --, where Z is --N(CH.sub.3).sub.3, saccharide, or --ROH where R is --(CH.sub.2).sub.p -- and p is 0, 1, 2 or 3, and where X and Y are not both --CH.sub.2 --. Novel tubules made from these diacetylenic phospholipids have high flexibility and variable morphology.

Abstract: Method and process for forming selected microstructures having predetermined shape and dimension from surfactants comprising the steps of: selecting a lipid which self aggregates into a predetermined microstructure selected from the group of helices and tubules; selecting a lipid solvating organic solvent; dissolving the selected lipid in the selected organic solvent; adding a predetermined amount of non-solvent to the selected organic solvent; and allowing the solution to sit for a predetermined period of time at a predetermined temperature.

Abstract: A method for synthesizing a diynoic acid having the formula CH.sub.3 (CH.sub.2).sub.n --C.tbd.C--C.tbd.C--(CH.sub.2).sub.m CO.sub.2 H comprising the steps of: selecting a one-halo alkyne from the group consisting of CH.sub.3 (CH.sub.2).sub.n C.tbd.CX, where X is a selected halogen; selecting an omega-alkynoic acid having the formula, HC.tbd.C(CH.sub.2).sub.m CO.sub.2 H; dissolving the alkynoic acid in an aqueous solution of base; adding a catalytic amount of cuprous halide dissolved in an aqueous solution of alkylamine to the aqueous solution of alkynoic acid; adding a reducing agent to the solution of alkynoic acid and cuprous halide; adding the one-halo alkyne to the solution; adding as much more of the reducing agent to the solution as is necessary to maintain the cuprous ion in the cuprous state; wherein m is selected from the group of 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11, and n is selected from the group of 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16.