Abstract: The present invention is directed to a cryoprotective system that comprises an aqueous solution containing polymeric nano- and micro-particles that exhibit a reversible temperature-dependent volume change. It is also directed to a method for providing cryoprotection to an organism or parts of an organism by pumping the cryoprotective system into the vasculature of the organism prior to exposing the organism to a lower, preferably below 0° C., temperature.

Abstract: Synthetic polymer complements (SPCs) are provided, as well as methods for their synthesis and use. The SPCs may have surfaces that include functional groups that are complementary to surface sites of targets such as nanostructures or macromolecular targets, and may be capable of specifically interacting with such targets. The positions of the functional groups in one embodiment are stabilized by a polymer network. The SPCs are formed by contacting the target with a set of monomers which self-assemble on the target, and then are polymerized into a network to form the synthetic polymer complement. At least a portion of the surface of the resulting SPC thus may include an imprint of the target. The complex of the SPC and the target may be the desired product. Alternatively, the target is released, for example, by controllably expanding and contracting the crosslinked network. The SPC is isolated and used in many applications.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to polymeric nanoparticles functionalized with two or more peptide moieties that possess high affinity to biomolecular targets, the peptide moieties being covalently linked to the nanoparticle polymeric core structure, either directly or via a linker molecule. The invention is further directed to methods of synthesizing these polymeric nanoparticles and to the various applications for which they may be used.

Abstract: High affinity nanoparticles are provided, as well as methods for their synthesis and use. The nanoparticles of the invention comprise high affinity molecules incorporated in a polymeric nanoparticle. The high affinity nanoparticles range in size from about 1 to about 1000 nm. The high affinity molecules of the nanoparticle have moieties that have high affinity for target molecules, resulting in the ability of the high affinity nanoparticle to selectively non-covalently bind to molecular targets. The molecular recognition capability of these particles enables their use in research, diagnostic, therapeutic, and separation applications. The nanoparticles of the invention may be formed by contacting target template molecules with a set of building blocks (which includes the high affinity molecule as one subset of the building block set), which are then polymerized into a network.

Abstract: Synthetic polymer complements (SPCs) are provided, as well as methods for their synthesis and use. The SPCs may have surfaces that include functional groups that are complementary to surface sites of targets such as nanostructures or macromolecular targets, and may be capable of specifically interacting with such targets. The positions of the functional groups in one embodiment are stabilized by a polymer network. The SPCs are formed by contacting the target with a set of monomers which self-assemble on the target, and then are polymerized into a network to form the synthetic polymer complement. At least a portion of the surface of the resulting SPC thus may include an imprint of the target. The complex of the SPC and the target may be the desired product. Alternatively, the target is released, for example, by controllably expanding and contracting the crosslinked network. The SPC is isolated and used in many applications.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a cryoprotective system that comprises an aqueous solution containing polymeric nano- and micro-particles that exhibit a reversible temperature-dependent volume change. It is also directed to a method for providing cryoprotection to an organism or parts of an organism by pumping the cryoprotective system into the vasculature of the organism prior to exposing the organism to a lower, preferably below 0° C., temperature.

Abstract: Synthetic polymer complements (SPCs) are provided, as well as methods for their synthesis and use. The SPCs range in size from about 20 to about 1000 nm. The SPCs have surfaces that are complementary to surface sites of target molecules, resulting in the ability of the SPCs to selectively bind to molecular targets. The molecular recognition capability of these particles enables their use in diagnostic, therapeutic, and separation applications. The SPC is formed by contacting a target template molecule with a set of building blocks solubilized in the interior of a liposome, which building blocks are then polymerized into a network to form the synthetic polymer complement in the interior of the liposome. The target templates are removed to produce complementary sites in a SPC that map the surface of the target, resulting in a water-soluble SPC nanoparticle of similar dimensions as the interior of the liposome that originally supported it and capable of molecular recognition.

Abstract: Articles exhibiting non-linear optical properties useful as electrooptic devices are prepared where the dopant moieties are aligned at relatively low temperatures. An intermediate article is formed by swelling with a diluent including a pressurized gas, such as carbon dioxide. The dopant moieties dispersed in the polymer are aligned by applying an electric field while maintaining the polymer in the swollen state caused by diluent sorption. Substantially all the diluent can then be removed without the necessity of a temperature elevation above about room temperature since the pressurized gas of the diluent can be removed by lowering the pressure to about atmospheric conditions. Polymers with high glass transition temperatures, preferably at or above about 150.degree. C., can thus be used in preparing electrooptic devices.