Abstract: Provided is a method for polymerizing a polymer precursor, comprising: contacting a polymer precursor with a lithium carborane catalyst and an initiator under polymerizing conditions. A reaction solvent may be used, but is not necessary. Also provided is a method of preparing lithium carborane polymers, comprising: contacting a lithium carborane polymer precursor having a terminal alkenyl or alkynyl group with an initiator and an optional reaction solvent under polymerizing conditions. Functionalized carborane anions are also provided.

Abstract: A method of treating ras-transformed and ras-related cancer, including: administering to a plurality cells, including ras-transformed cancer cells and normal cells, a peptide material having a membrane resident peptide and a ras-p21 component, the membrane resident peptide attached to the carboxyl or amino terminal end of the ras-p21 component.

Abstract: The present invention provides peptides (including analogs and derivatives thereof) corresponding to residues 96-110 and 35-47 of ras-p21, which peptides have attached thereto a membrane-penetrating leader sequence. The subject peptides, analogs and derivatives thereof are useful in treatment of cancers and have been shown to induce phenotypic reversion of pancreatic cancer cells to non-cancerous cells. Pharmaceutical compositions comprising one or more subject peptides are also provided by the present invention. The present invention further provides replication incompetent Adenovirus (AdV) vectors comprising a promoter sequence and a nucleotide sequence encoding a subject peptide. Methods of treating cancer by administering one or more subject peptides, pharmaceutical compositions, and/or AdV vectors are also provided.

Abstract: Bulk negative refractive index materials (NIM) or left-handed metamaterials (LHM) as an amorphous and isotropic solid material consisting of mutually electrically insulated synthetic rings or pucks smaller than the wavelength of visible light. Each ring or puck contains a nanometer sized metallized nucleic acid ring containing one or more non-metallized segments. The bulk material can be formed as a plurality of individual pucks randomly oriented, or as multiple rings stacked together in an axial direction whose axes may be randomly oriented.

Abstract: Certain copolymers formed from alkenes and one or more activated alkenes. In particular copolymers of isobutylene and one or more activated alkenes. Activated alkenes are, for example, selected from alkyl acrylates, alkyl methacrylates, maleic anhydride, or isobutenyl succinic anhydride.

Abstract: The present invention provides peptides (including analogs and derivatives thereof) corresponding to residues 96-110 and 35-47 of ras-p2 1, which peptides have attached thereto a membrane-penetrating leader sequence. The subject peptides, analogs and derivatives thereof are useful in treatment of cancers and have been shown to induce phenotypic reversion of pancreatic cancer cells to non-cancerous cells. Pharmaceutical compositions comprising one or more subject peptides are also provided by the present invention. The present invention further provides replication incompetent Adenovirus (AdV) vectors comprising a promoter sequence and a nucleotide sequence encoding a subject peptide. Methods of treating cancer by administering one or more subject peptides, pharmaceutical compositions, and/or AdV vectors are also provided.

Abstract: The present invention provides peptides corresponding to all or a portion of amino acid residues 12-26 of human p53 protein, which peptides are lethal to malignant or transformed cells when fused to a membrane-penetrating leader sequence. The subject peptides are thus useful in treating neoplastic disease in an animal, preferably a human. Also provided are pharmaceutical compositions comprising the subject peptides admixed with a pharmaceutical acceptable carrier. Methods of treating neoplastic disease in a patient by administering a subject peptide fused at its carboxy terminal end to a membrane penetrating leader sequence are also provided. The present invention also provides replication incompetent Adenovirus (AdV) vectors comprising a promoter sequence operably linked to a nucleotide sequence encoding a subject peptide. Methods of selectively killing cancer cells in a subject by administering a therapeutically effective amount of a subject AdV vector are also provided by the present invention.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods for directing the immune response of an animal towards immunologically weak or rare antigens such as tumor antigens. The methods combine subtractive immunization with hyperimmunization and result in the controlled or directed production of target-specific antibodies, helper T cells (CD4+-T lymphocytes) and cytotoxic T cells (CD8+-T lymphocytes). Also provided by the present invention are untransformed and transformed cell lines, and growth media necessary to grow the untransformed cell line in a differentiated state. Monoclonal antibodies which react with different neoplastic cell lines and hybridomas producing such antibodies are also provided.

Abstract: This invention relates to an improved method for making unsubstituted carborane anions and monosubstituted carborane anions of formula: (R—CBn—Hm?)? where n is an integer ranging from 5 to about 11 and m? is an integer ranging from 5 to 16 where the relative values of n and m? depend upon the exact structure of the carborane and the presence of a non-hydrogen substituent. m as used herein is an integer ranging from 5 to 16. When R is hydrogen the anion is unsubstituted. When R is a halogen, a phenyl, a substituted phenyl group, such as fluorophenyl group, or any other substituent, the carborane is substituted. The method is particularly useful for preparation of twelve-vertex carborane anions R—CB11H11?, where R is a defined above, and is specifically useful for preparation of the unsubstituted carborane CB11H12-??, where R is H.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an antigen found on the surface of rat and human pancreatic cancer cells and provides antibodies of high specificity and selectivity to this antigen as well as hybridomas secreting the subject antibodies. Methods for both the diagnosis and treatment of pancreatic cancer are also provided. This tissue marker of pancreatic adenocarcinoma, an approximately 43.5 kD surface membrane protein designated PaCa-Ag1, is completely unexpressed in normal pancreas but abundantly expressed in pancreatic carcinoma cells. Moreover, a soluble form of PaCa-Ag1 exists, having a molecular weight about 36 to about 38 kD, that is readily identified in sera and other body fluids of pancreatic cancer patients, using a subject antibody.

Abstract: The present invention provides peptides (including analogs and derivatives thereof) corresponding to residues 96-110 and 35-47 of ras-p21, which peptides have attached thereto a membrane-penetrating leader sequence. The subject peptides, analogs and derivatives thereof are useful in treatment of cancers and have been shown to induce phenotypic reversion of pancreatic cancer cells to non-cancerous cells. Pharmaceutical compositions comprising one or more subject peptides are also provided by the present invention. The present invention further provides replication incompetent Adenovirus (AdV) vectors comprising a promoter sequence and a nucleotide sequence encoding a subject peptide. Methods of treating cancer by administering one or more subject peptides, pharmaceutical compositions, and/or AdV vectors are also provided.

Abstract: This invention relates to an improved method for making unsubstituted carborane anions and monosubstituted carborane anions of to formula: (R—CBn—Hm′)− where n is an integer ranging from 5 to about 11 and m′ is an integer ranging from 5 to 16 where the relative values of n and m′ depend upon the exact structure of the carborane and the presence of a non-hydrogen substituent. m as used herein is an integer ranging from 5 to 16. When R is hydrogen the anion is unsubstituted. When R is a halogen, a phenyl, a substituted phenyl group, such as fluorophenyl group, or any other substituent, the carborane is substituted. The method is particularly useful for preparation of twelve-vertex carborane anions R—CB11H11−, where R is a defined above, and is specifically useful for preparation of the unsubstituted carborane CB11H12-??, where R is H.

Abstract: Molecular dipolar rotors comprising a base, an axle connected to said base and oriented substantially perpendicular to said base, and a rotor portion having an electric dipole moment are provided. The molecular dipolar rotors may be attached to a surface. Arrays of molecular dipolar rotors attached to surfaces are provided. Molecular dipolar rotors are useful in preparation of small devices.

Abstract: A photoresist composition which includes hydroxycarborane either incorporated as a monomeric dissolution modifier or as pendent groups on a polymer backbone. The photoresist composition is particularly useful in a bilayer thin film imaging lithographic process in which ultraviolet radiation-imaging in a wavelength range of between about 365 nm and about 13 nm is employed.

Abstract: Molecular dipolar rotors comprising a base, an axle connected to said base and oriented substantially perpendicular to said base, and a rotor portion having an electric dipole moment are provided. The molecular dipolar rotors may be attached to a surface. Arrays of molecular dipolar rotors attached to surfaces are provided. Molecular dipolar rotors are useful in preparation of small devices.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods and starting materials for forming molecular-sized grids or nets, or other structures based on such grids and nets, by creating molecular links between elementary molecular modules constrained to move in only two directions on an interface or surface by adhesion or bonding to that interface or surface. In the methods of this invention, monomers are employed as the building blocks of grids and more complex structures. Monomers are introduced onto and allowed to adhere or bond to an interface. The connector groups of adjacent adhered monomers are then polymerized with each other to form a regular grid in two dimensions above the interface. Modules that are not bound or adhered to the interface are removed prior to reaction of the connector groups to avoid undesired three-dimensional cross-linking and the formation of non-grid structures.

Abstract: Substituted borate and carborate anions having unusual properties of being exceptionally weakly nucleophilic and being soluble in non-polar solvents. One-electron oxidation of the anions yields the corresponding radicals. The compounds are useful, e.g., as electrolytes, catalysts, and electrochromic materials.

Abstract: Molecular bulding beams, liquid crystals, and surfactants in the form of compounds based on [1.1.1]propellane, including poly[1.1.1]propellanes. Molecular building beams having a telomeric or polymeric chain staff, and linking groups functionalized on one or both ends of the staff. A system for linking the beams to connecting units to construct molecular structures of various forms, such as whips, combs, scaffoldings, nets, or stars. Other broad aspects of the invention provide liquid crystals and surfactants. The liquid crystals include telomeric or polymeric compounds functionalized with flexible end groups, while the surfactant compounds are functionalized with surface active end groups. Methods of synthesizing the various compounds ar also provided.

Abstract: A polymer and dye combination suitable for use in optically recording information. The present invention includes a material which may exhibit the property of birefringence under selected conditions such as when stretched. This birefringence can be relaxed in localized areas by heating the localized areas. Incorporated within the material is a dye. The dye is selected so that it has a high optical density, or absorption maximum, in a specific range. This range may cover, for example, the wavelength of a gallium arsenide laser. Radiation with a wavelength within the selected range is the directed into the material at selected locations. This radiation is converted to heat, which in turn relaxes the birefringence in the localized areas or may cause other physical or chemical changes within the polymer. The localized relaxation of birefringence or other change can then be detected or "read." This allows information to be optically recorded on the polymer and subsequently detected and used.

Abstract: Methods and compositions for use in optically recording information. The present invention includes incorporating solute molecules within an extremely viscous medium. The solute molecules may be chemically bound within the medium or they may be held physically in place. In either case actual rotation of the solute molecules is prevented. The solute molecules are chosen such that they are capable of generalized pseudorotation. That is, the solute molecules or chromophores attached to a polymer chain may be converted from a first form to a second form which differs in orientation without a net chemical transformation into another chemical species and in the absence of actual rotation. In addition, the various forms of the solute molecules can be produced by passing selectively polarized light through the medium. The form of the solute molecules can then be "read" by passing light through the medium and detecting its characteristics as it exits the medium.