1-9. (canceled)
10. An information processing apparatus comprising:
acquiring means for acquiring information contents over a network;
holding means for holding said information contents acquired by said acquiring means;
reproducing means for reproducing said information contents held by said holding means; and
transmitting means for transmitting a notification over said network to another information processing apparatus counting the number of times said information contents have been reproduced, said notification saying that said information contents have been reproduced by said reproducing means.
11. An information processing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said holding means further holds supplementary information attached to said information contents; and
wherein said transmitting means further transmits said supplementary information.
12. An information processing method comprising the steps of:
acquiring information contents over a network;
holding said information contents acquired in said acquiring step;
reproducing said information contents held in said holding step; and
transmitting a notification over said network to an information processing apparatus counting the number of times said information contents have been reproduced, said notification saying that said information contents have been reproduced in said reproducing step.
13. A storage medium which stores a program in a manner readable by a computer, said program comprising the steps of:
acquiring information contents over a network;
holding said information contents acquired in said acquiring step;
reproducing said information contents held in said holding step; and
transmitting a notification over said network to an information processing apparatus counting the number of times said information contents have been reproduced, said notification saying that said information contents have been reproduced in said reproducing step.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A composition suitable for the delivery of biologically active substances comprising:
(a) at least one sublimable matrix material; and
(b) a biologically active agent.
2. The composition of claim 1 wherein the sublimable matrix material has a sublimation enthalpy from about 20 kjmole to about 100 kjmole.
3. The composition of claim 2, wherein said sublimable matrix material has a melting point of about 37\xb0 C. or higher.
4. The composition of claim 1 wherein said sublimable matrix material is selected from the group consisting of globular alkanes, perfluorinated alkanes, globular perfluorinated alkanes, adamantane, perfluoroadamantane, 1-methyladamantane, perfluoro 1-methyladamantane, tetraisopropylmethane, perfluorotetraisopropylmethane, 2,2,3,3-tetramethylbutane (hexamethylethane), perfluoro-2,2,3,3-tetramethylbutane, perfluoroneopentane, perfluoro-C60 fullerene, cubane, perfluorocubane, octamethylcubane, perfluorooctamethylcubane, perfluoromethyladamantanes, perfluorotri-tert-butylmethane, perfluorodimethyladamantane, perfluorohexamethylethane, perfluoro-1,3-dimethyladamantane, isocamphane, tricyclene, 1-ethyladamantane, 1-methyldimantane, perfluorodimethylbicyclo3.3.1nonane, diadamantane, perfluorodiadamantane, tri-tert-butylmethane, norbornane, perfluoronorbornane, cyclododecane, perfluorocyclododecane, hexamethylcyclotrisiloxane, perfluoroundecane, perfluorododecane, bicyclo3.3.1nonane, tetracycloheptane, tricyclohexane, dimethyl-isopropyl-perhydrophenanthrene, hexamethylprismane, prismane, tetracyclododecane, bicyclo3.3.3undecane, 2-methyladamantane, 1-methyladamantane, pentacycloundecane, tricyclodecane, bicyclodecane, bicyclo3.3.1nonane, bicyclo2.2.2octane, bicyclo2.2.1heptane, perfluorotri-tert-butylmethane, perfluoro-1,3,5-trimethyladamantane, perfluoro2,2-dimethyladamantane, perfluorotetracycloheptane, perfluorotricyclohexane, perfluorohexamethylprismane, perfluoroprismane, perfluorotetracyclododecane, perfluorobicyclo3.3.3undecane, perfluoro2-methyladamantane, perfluoropentacycloundecane, perfluorotricyclodecane, perfluorobicyclodecane, perfluorobicyclo3.3.1nonane, perfluorobicyclo2.2.2octane, perfluorobicyclo2.2.1heptane, and mixtures thereof.
5. The composition of claim 1 wherein the sublimable matrix material is selected from the group consisting of adamantine, hexamethylethane, perfluoroneopentane, norborane, hexamethylcyclotrisiloxane, cyclododecane or mixtures thereof.
6. The composition of claim 1 wherein said sublimable matrix material is present in an amount of at least about 10% by weight based on the weight of the composition.
7. The composition of claim 1 wherein said sublimable matrix material is present in an amount of at least about 60% by weight based on the weight of the composition.
8. The composition of claim 1 wherein said sublimable matrix material is present in an amount of at least about 80% by weight based on the weight of the composition.
9. The composition of claim 1 further containing a sublimation rate modifier.
10. The composition of claim 9 wherein said sublimation rate modifier is effective to alter a sublimation rate of said composition.
11. The composition of claim 9 wherein said sublimation rate modifier is effective to alter a surface area of said composition over time.
12. The composition of claim 9 wherein said sublimation rate modifier is selected from the group consisting of trimethylacetamide, 2,2-dimethyl-1,3-propanediol, neopentylpivalate, perfluorodecalin, perfluoroalkanes, tri-tert-butylmethanol, perfluorocycloalkanes, camphor, camphene, neo-pentyl alcohol, hexachloroethane, chlorobutanol, menthol, terpin hydrate, vanillin, ethyl vanillin, 1,3,5-trioxane, naphthalene, phenol, tristearin, dextran, glycogen, tert-butanol, biodegradable polymers comprised of polylactic acid or copolymers of lactic and glycolic acids, polyorthoesters, or polyanhydrides, microparticles comprised of said bioerodable polymers, fatty acids, polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyethyleneglycol, polyvinyl alcohol, polyacrylic acid, cholesterol and microparticles thereof, caprostane, triglycerides having a melting point above 37\xb0 C., collagen and microparticles thereof, gelatin and microparticles thereof, ethanol, propylene glycol, PEG 400, glycerol, polyglycerol, polysorbates, sucralose, sucralose pentahydrate, and mixtures thereof.
13. The composition of claim 9 wherein said sublimation rate modifier is present in an amount of from about 0.1 to about 30% by weight based on the weight of said composition.
14. The composition of claim 9 wherein said sublimation rate modifier is present in an amount of from about 0.5 to about 10% by weight based on the weight of said composition.
15. The composition of claim 1 wherein said composition is in the form of an implantable disk, cylinder or pellet.
16. A method of delivering a biologically active agent to a host organism via sublimation comprising administering to said host organism a composition according to claim 1.
17. The method of claim 16 wherein said host organism is a mammal.
18. The method of claim 16 wherein said composition further comprises a sublimation rate modifier.
19. The method of claim 17 wherein said composition further comprises a sublimation rate modifier.
20. A method of protecting a biologically active agent from physical or chemical degradation or from loss of activity comprising disposing said active agent in a solid or semi-solid matrix of sublimable matrix material.
21. The method of claim 20 wherein said sublimable matrix material has a sublimation enthalpy from about 20 kjmole to about 100 kjmole and a melting point of about 37\xb0 C. or higher.
22. The method of claim 20 wherein said matrix further comprises a sublimation rate modifier.
23. The method of claim 20 wherein said matrix is disposed in a host organism.
24. The method of claim 20 wherein said matrix is disposed in a mammal.
25. The composition of claim 1 adapted to release said active agent for a period of at least about 7 days.
26. The composition of claim 1 adapted to release said active agent for a period of at least about 30 days.
27. The composition of claim 1 adapted to release said active agent for a period of at least about 3 months.
28. The method of claim 16 wherein said composition is adapted to release said active agent for a period of at least about 7 days,
29. The method of claim 16 wherein said composition is adapted to release said active agent for a period of at least about 30 days.
30. The method of claim 16 wherein said composition is adapted to release said active agent for a period of at least about 3 months.
31. A method for preparing composition suitable for the delivery of biologically active substances comprising:
a. combining at least one sublimable matrix material and a biologically active agent to form a mixture;
b. blending the mixture; and
c. compressing the mixture to form a solid or semi-solid mass of defined weight and shape.
32. The method of claim 31 further comprising combining at least one sublimation rate modifier with said sublimable matrix material and said biologically active agent.
33. The method of claim 31 wherein as mixture is compressed to form a disc, cylinder or substantially spherical pellet.
34. A method for the treatment of a disease or illness comprising the administration of a therapeutically effective amount of the composition of claim 1 to a subject in need thereof.
35. The composition of claim 1 comprising at least two different sublimable matrix materials.
36. The composition of claim 35 further comprising a sublimation rate modifier.