Abstract: Methods of promoting would healing and the growth and proliferation of keratinocytes, fibroblasts and endothelial cells are disclosed. These methods comprise contacting a wound with an effective wound healing amount of a composition comprising a pseudopterosin or pseudopterosin derivative.

Abstract: Human fibroblast cells that comprise a gene construct that comprises a duplication mutated fibrillin 1 gene operably linked to functional regulatory elements and compositions comprising such cells are disclosed. Methods of treating wounds and kits for practicing such methods are disclosed. Transgenic animals comprising a duplication mutated fibrillin 1 gene operably linked to a tissue specific and/or inducible promoter are disclosed. Methods of identifying individuals with a duplication mutated fibrillin 1 gene are disclosed. The methods comprises detecting a duplication of exons 17-40 of a fibrillin 1 gene or a gene product produced by expression of a duplication mutated fibrillin 1 gene. Methods of preventing expression of a duplication mutated fibrillin 1 gene are disclosed.

Abstract: Methods of promoting wound healing and the growth and proliferation of keratinocytes, fibroblasts and endothelial cells are disclosed. These methods comprise contacting a wound with an effective wound healing amount of a composition comprising a pseudopterosin or pseudopterosin derivative.

Abstract: A snag-proof safety fishing lure includes a J-shaped hook having a barb at a curved end and an eyelet at the other end. A shield is pivotally connected to a shank of the hook below the eyelet to cover the lure when it is not submerged. When the hook sinks, submersion of the shield is limited to effectively lift the shield from the sinking barb. When the lure is lifted from the water, the weight of the shield causes it to be lowered onto the barb, effectively covering it to prevent snagging.

Abstract: An electrically operable garage door lock system that employs a block with a bolt to resiliently engage a latch. The block contains a bore to slidably support the bolt. The bolt is connected through a linkage to and is actuated electrically by a solenoid. The door lock has a provision for operation in case of power outages or solenoid failure.

Abstract: Apparatus including a mixing chamber is installed between a standard carburetor base and the intake manifold of a gasoline engine. The mixing chamber includes an air inlet port for admitting a controlled amount of outside air into the mixing chamber and a gasoline vapor port for admitting gasoline vaporized externally of the carburetor into the mixing chamber, a carburetor inlet port for receiving a mixture of air and partially vaporized gasoline from the carburetor throat, and an outlet port through which a mixture of all the gases exhausts into the intake manifold. The carburetor includes a first throttle valve for controlling the air amount and partially vaporized gasoline passing into the mixing chamber. A second throttle valve controls the amount of mixed gas drawn through the mixing chamber outlet port into the intake manifold. A linkage connected to the automobile accelerator cable opens the second throttle in response to initial accelerator displacement.

Abstract: An apparatus including a mixing chamber is installed between the base of a standard carburator and the intake manifold of a gasoline engine. The mixing chamber includes an air inlet port for admitting a controlled amount of outside air into the mixing chamber and a gasoline vapor port for admitting gasoline vaporized externally of the carburator into the mixing chamber, a carburator inlet port for receiving a mixture of air and partially vaporized gasoline from the throat of the carburator, and an outlet port through which a mixture of all the gases is exhausted into the intake manifold. The carburator includes a first throttle valve for controlling the amount of air and partially vaporized gasoline that passes into the mixing chamber. A second throttle valve is disposed to control the amount of mixed gas drawn through the outlet port of the mixing chamber into the intake manifold.

Abstract: An apparatus for cooking large quantities of a food product such as corn. To ensure that the individual particles of the food product being prepared will not stick together and will be uniformly cooked, each particle is surrounded by water at a controlled elevated temperature during the cooking cycle. Mechanical agitation of the product during cooking is not necessary and steeping can be accomplished within the cooking vessel.

Abstract: A seed singulator uses two opposing surfaces, one of which has a groove extending across it dimensioned to receive seeds in a single file. The two surfaces are moved relative to each other, with the groove having an angled relationship of less than 90.degree. with the relative direction motion of the two surfaces. Variation of the angle controls spacing between seeds independently of the velocity of relative movement between the surfaces. The surfaces are preferably flat with a centrally disposed seed containing area and the groove extending from that area to the periphery of the surfaces for discharge of the seed. In this form, the relative motion between the surfaces is preferably rotary to provide continuous operation.

Abstract: A tape storage cabinet which can be detachably mounted under the dash of a vehicle and which has a pair of cover members that can be opened so that tapes can be removed or stored. An insert member adapts the cabinet to cassettes and can be removed completely or partially to adapt the cabinet to cartridges.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for cooking corn is disclosed whereby corn particles are immersed in water in a cooking vessel to form a mass of corn particles, and the water is circulated throughout said mass. The temperature of the mass is raised and the corn particles agitated by directing steam, from a steam chamber, into said mass by deflecting said steam radially outwardly through perforated side walls in the steam chamber. The steam flow is then stopped whereafter the water circulation is stopped and cooked particles of corn are obtained.

Abstract: An improved apparatus for preparing taco shells from uncooked tortillas comprising a vessel having shaped side walls for containing cooking oil, a conveyor assembly including a deformable endless wire mesh belt for moving the tortillas through the cooking oil and a plurality of mold members cooperatively associated with the conveyor assembly for forming the tortillas into taco shells.In operation of the apparatus, the wire mesh belt slides along, and is controllably deformed by the shaped side walls of the vessel thereby minimizing the amount of cooking oil which is used. An additional novel feature of the apparatus resides in the unique arrangement for removing the formed taco shell directly from the rearward end of the apparatus after it has been cooked and depositing it onto an auxillary conveyor for transport to a packaging station.

Abstract: An apparatus for continuously extruding pliant material into thin sheets. Rather than following the standard approach of using cooperating rollers to extrude the material, in the apparatus of the present invention, the material is extruded through the cooperative interaction of a multi-sided rotor mechanism and a reciprocating barrier member. This arrangement overcomes many of the drawbacks inherent in extrusion devices of standard design including the undesirable tendancy of the material being extruded to tenaciously adhere to the rollers after extrusion.

Abstract: An automatic seed planter which includes an elongate, upwardly-opening V-shaped trough with front and rear ends defining a longitudinally extending, upwardly opening seed-conducting channel, a seed receiving chamber at the front end of the trough, elongate guide means in the chamber overlying the channel to pass seed from the chamber downwardly and longitudinally rearwardly into the rear end portion of the channel, means to vibrate the trough and cause seed in the chamber to migrate past the guide and into the channel at a predetermined rate, and a seed discharge opening at the rear end of the channel.

Abstract: An apparatus for grinding hard grains and similar materials having a unique force feed arrangement which insures uniform material feed to the grinding members and a resulting uniform output of ground material from the apparatus.

Abstract: A method of stacking articles and an automatically controlled apparatus for successively receiving articles formed of rigid or semirigid sheet material such as cooked or partially cooked tortillas or similar food products, automatically formed orderly stacks of a predetermined number of articles, and then automatically carrying away for packaging each stack when completed.