Abstract:
A tape measure includes a post with at least first and second arms spaced from one another to form a longitudinal slot having an end aperture for coupling with a tape blade retraction spring. The post distal end anchors to a housing sidewall via a fastener, and a fastener engagement region of the post extends from the aperture to the fastener's terminus. A distinct reinforcing collar is disposed about the post's distal portion and acts to limit movement of the arms away from one another. The collar may overly the post for at least half of the fastener engagement region and/or may abut a shoulder on the post. The fastener may have a first pullout resistance level without the collar present and a second higher pullout resistance level, advantageously double or more, with the collar present. Also, methods of assembly are described.
Abstract:
A hand operated file is provided with a thin ceramic coating of a transition metal nitride, such as vanadium nitride and/or zirconium nitride, on its teeth. The coating may be 20 um or less, thereby not altering the macro dimensions of the file. The coating may be applied using a vapor deposition process such as physical vapor deposition, and advantageously via a physical vapor deposition process where the file body does not exceed a temperature of about 300° F. The coating helps prevent galling, thereby increasing the useful life of the file.
Abstract:
The invention provides composition and methods for producing proteins of interest which comprise at least one disulfide bond, include proteins which in their mature form do not contain disulfide bonds, but whose precursor molecule contained at least one disulfide bond. The methods employ a host cell modified to more efficiently produce properly folded disulfide bond containing proteins. The host cells generally contain a mutation in one or more reductase genes, and can be further genetically modified to increase their growth rate, and are further optionally modified to increase the expression of a catalyst of disulfide bond formation. Host cells, methods for u sing such to produce proteins of interest, proteins of interest produced by these methods are within the scope of the invention.
Abstract:
The invention provides composition and methods for producing proteins of interest which comprise at least one disulfide bond, include proteins which in their mature form do not contain disulfide bonds, but whose precursor molecule contained at least one disulfide bond. The methods employ a host cell modified to more efficiently produce properly folded disulfide bond containing proteins. The host cells generally contain a mutation in one or more reductase genes, and can be further genetically modified to increase their growth rate, and are further optionally modified to increase the expression of a catalyst of disulfide bond formation. Host cells, methods for using such to produce proteins of interest, proteins of interest produced by these methods are within the scope of the invention.
Abstract:
Aspects of the invention relate to a method for inhibiting the growth of a microbe that expresses bacterial vitamin K epoxide reductase (bVKOR). The method involves contacting the bacterial cell with an effective amount of an agent that inhibits bVKOR. Agents include a drug, ligand or portion thereof, protein, polypeptide, small organic molecule, antisense nucleic acid, RNAi, or antibody. Examples of useful agents are a phenylpropanoid, a modified phenylpropanoid, a coumarin or modified coumarin. A particularly useful agents is warfarin or a variant thereof or ferulenol or a variant thereof. The microbe is any microbe carrying a bVKOR gene, such as Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
Abstract:
An export sequence of export DNA can be identified by transforming a population of cells with a vector having a transposon that includes a structural gene encoding a detectable compound, positioned between insertion sequences. The structural gene encodes a detectable compound that, in wild-type organisms, is translated with an export peptide effective to export the compound. Since the transposon lacks DNA coding for an export sequence capable of exporting the detectable gene product, transformants that export the gene product include a DNA fusion of the transposon to export DNA from the parent cell, in a position to allow expression of the fused DNA. The transformants are analyzed to locate the export DNA or a gene comprising it, and the position of the export DNA in the cell's genome is determined; the orientation of the insertion also is determined. Having identified cell genes that naturally contain export DNA, the export DNA is cloned and fused to a gene encoding a product whose production and export are desired. For example, a cell is engineered to produce and export a desired product, to enable easier substance recovery and to improve cell tolerance for high levels of the desired product.
Abstract:
The invention provides composition and methods for producing proteins of interest which comprise at least one disulfide bond, include proteins which in their mature form do not contain disulfide bonds, but whose precursor molecule contained at least one disulfide bond. The methods employ a host cell modified to more efficiently produce properly folded disulfide bond containing proteins. The host cells generally contain a mutation in one or more reductase genes, and can be further genetically modified to increase their growth rate, and are further optionally modified to increase the expression of a catalyst of disulfide bond formation. Host cells, methods for u sing such to produce proteins of interest, proteins of interest produced by these methods are within the scope of the invention.
Abstract:
An adjustable wrench includes: a head having a first fixed jaw; a handle extending away from the head; a selectively positionable second jaw; an adjustment mechanism that includes a rotatable shaft, an actuator, and a gear train operatively coupling the shaft to the second jaw; the shaft having an external spiral groove and disposed at least partially in the handle; the actuator slidable relative to the handle and engaging the groove; first and second flanges spaced from one another and each circumferentially surrounding the shaft; and a retainer disposed between the flanges and engaging the shaft so as to limit movement of the shaft parallel to the handle longitudinal axis in two directions via abutment with the first and second flanges. Such a wrench may have a proof torque of at least the minimum level set forth in ASME B107.8, 2003 revision. Other wrenches are also disclosed.
Abstract:
The invention provides composition and methods for producing proteins of interest which comprise at least one disulfide bond, include proteins which in their mature form do not contain disulfide bonds, but whose precursor molecule contained at least one disulfide bond. The methods employ a host cell modified to more efficiently produce properly folded disulfide bond containing proteins. The host cells generally contain a mutation in one or more reductase genes, and can be further genetically modified to increase their growth rate, and are further optionally modified to increase the expression of a catalyst of disulfide bond formation. Host cells, methods for using such to produce proteins of interest, proteins of interest produced by these methods are within the scope of the invention.
Abstract:
An adjustable wrench includes: a head having a first fixed jaw; a handle extending away from the head and having a longitudinal axis; a second jaw selectively positionable with respect the first jaw; an adjustment mechanism comprising a rotatable shaft, an actuator, and a gear train operatively coupling the shaft to the second jaw; the shaft having an external spiral groove and disposed at least partially in the handle; the actuator slidable relative to the handle and engaging the groove; first and second flanges spaced from one another; and a retainer disposed between the flanges and engaging the shaft so as to limit movement of the shaft parallel to the handle longitudinal axis in two directions via abutment with the first and second flanges. Such a wrench may have a proof torque of at least the minimum level set forth in ASME B107.8, 2003 revision.