Abstract: An assembly for the production of conical paper sleeves for floral groupings comprises a system configured to continuously feed sheets of paper stock along an elongated surface of a folding table, wherein a first fold and a second fold are applied to a single sheet of paper stock with an amount of adhesive disposed there between using an assembly of belts, rollers, electrical motors, sensors, and fold guides, all of which may be electronically monitored and controlled by a processor disposed in connection with an operator console. Alternatively, the production of conical paper sleeves may instead comprise a semi-automated assembly configured to allow for the movement of an adhesive applicator along a predetermined route while an operator thereof manually applies a first fold and second fold to a single sheet of paper stock. Such predetermined route may be fully configurable and customizable by an operator of such semi-automated assembly.

Abstract: An assembly for the automated production of conical paper sleeves for plants uses paper stock precut in a trapezoid configuration which is continuously fed to the assembly. The precut sheets are folded diagonally twice to form a conical sleeve. The folding process includes application of an adhesive on the overlap of the folded sides to securely seal the sleeve. The precut sheets are transported along the assembly via a series of belts, rollers and electrical motors. The synchronization of the folding process and the application of adhesive is electronically monitored and controlled.

Abstract: A novel mixture composition comprising various aliphatic dicarboxylic acids is provided. Further, a composition comprising the aliphatic dicarboxylic acid mixture composition, water and at least one water-soluble organic amine is provided. Further, a method for inhibiting corrosion of metal surfaces comprising contacting the metal with the composition comprising the aliphatic dicarboxylic acid mixture composition as above, water and at least one water-soluble organic amine is provided.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a ligand and its use in a catalyst for the oligomerization of olefinic monomers, the ligand having the general formula (IV); (R8)(R1)P—N(R3)—P(R4)??(IV).

Abstract: A thickened grease composition is provided by process of heating a mineral oil and 12-hydroxystearic acid with lithium hydroxide and forming a simple lithium grease to which at least one component selected from the group comprising succinic acid, glutaric acid, adipic acid, 6-hydroxycaproic acid, dimethyl succinate, dimethyl glutarate, dimethyl adipate, methyl hydroxycaproate, cyclohexanediols, methyl 5-hydroxyvalerate, methyl valerate, gamma butyrolactone, and methyl levulinate or mixtures thereof.

Abstract: A thickened grease composition is provided by process of heating a mineral oil and 12-hydroxystearic acid with lithium hydroxide and forming a simple lithium grease to which at least one component selected from the group comprising succinic acid, glutaric acid, adipic acid, 6-hydroxycaproic acid, dimethyl succinate, dimethyl glutarate, dimethyl adipate, methyl hydroxycaproate, cyclohexanediols, methyl 5-hydroxyvalerate, methyl valerate, gamma butyrolactone, and methyl levulinate or mixtures thereof.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a ligand and its use in a catalyst for the oligomerization of olefinic monomers, the ligand having the general formula (IV); (R8)(R1)P—N(R3)—P(R4)??(IV).

Abstract: A system and method for removing a portion of a tattoo using multi-photon ablation is described. A localized, multi-photon processing event is initiated within a vicinity of a pigment in order to remove it. The multi-photon event requires a relatively low energy, but very intense, pulse of light. The low amount of energy per pulse allows ablation of the material to be highly localized, with negligible thermal damage to surrounding material. The multi-photon event may be initiated by focusing a suitable electromagnetic pulse, such as a 2 mJ laser pulse having a pulse duration of 100-300 femtoseconds, into a focal volume small enough that the intensity exceeds 1011 Watts/cm2. A suitably configured Ti:Sapphire solid state laser provides such pulses at 1-10 kHz. By repeating the multi-photon event along the location of a tattoo, the tattoo may be removed with minimal damage to the surrounding tissue.

Abstract: Caulobacter optimized for use in expression of heterologous peptides as part of a hybrid Caulobacter S-layer protein are provided as well as methods for producing such Caulobacter. Caulobacter of this invention are deficient in a native Caulobacter protease that cleaves hybrid S-layer proteins. Also provided are Caulobacter libraries and methods for sorting such libraries using cell sorting technology such as FACS.

Abstract: The present invention has identified the Caulobacter RsaFa and RsaFb proteins as the OMP components of the S-layer protein secretion machinery. The present invention has also identified that an enhanced production of a heterologous protein from Caulobacter can be achieved by increased production of RsaFa and/or RsaFb. Expression vectors, genetically engineered Caulobacter strains, as well as methods are provided that are useful for producing a heterologous protein in Caulobacter.

Abstract: A method is provided for screening Caulobacter suitable for use as host organisms for secretion of heterologous polypeptides. Such Caulobacter have a transport protein homologous to one of the type I transport proteins known in C. crescentus. DNA constructs are also provided which code for a chimeric protein of which the C-terminus is a secretion signal of a Caulobacter surface layer protein, other than from C. crescentus. Bacterial cells containing, or which express such DNA constructs and which may secrete the resulting protein, are also provided.

Abstract: Caulobacter optimized for use in expression of heterologous peptides as part of a hybrid Caulobacter S-layer protein are provided as well as methods for producing such Caulobacter. Caulobacter of this invention are deficient in a native Caulobacter protease that cleaves hybrid S-layer proteins. Also provided are Caulobacter libraries and methods for sorting such libraries using cell sorting technoloey such as FACS.

Abstract: DNA constructs are provided which code for at least the extreme C-terminal amino acids of the rsaA protein of Caulobacter crescentus fused with heterologous polypeptides. Baterial cells containing, or which express the DNA constructs and secrete the resulting protein are also provided. Chimeric proteins including the C-terminal amino acids of the rsaA protein are provided, including chimeric proteins comprising antigenic epitopes of the Infectious Hematopoietic Necrosis Virus.

Abstract: The present invention provides immunogenic compositions and methods for inducing enhanced immune responses using an antigen by use of an adjuvant comprising a member selected from a Caulobacter (in particular, C. crescentus) LPS or a fragment or derivative thereof.

Abstract: DNA constructs are provided which code for at least the extreme C-terminal amino acids of the rsaA protein of Caulobacter crescentus fused with heterologous polypeptides. Baterial cells containing, or which express the DNA constructs and secrete the resulting protein are also provided. Chimeric proteins including the C-terminal amino acids of the rsaA protein are provided, including chimeric proteins comprising antigenic epitopes of the Infectious Hematopoietic Necrosis Virus.

Abstract: DNA constructs are provided which code for a chimeric protein in which the C-terminal region corresponds to the extreme C-terminal amino acids of a Caulobacter S-layer protein, fused with a heterologous polypeptide. Bacterial cells containing the DNA constructs, or which express the DNA constructs and secrete the resulting protein, are provided. Chimeric proteins including the C-terminal amino acids of a Caulobacter S-layer protein are provided, including proteins which include antigenic epitopes of the Infectious Hematopoietic Necrosis Virus.

Abstract: DNA constructs are provided which code for at least the extreme C-terminal amino acids of the rsaA protein of Caulobacter crescentus fused with heterologous polypeptides. Baterial cells containing, or which express the DNA constructs and secrete the resulting protein are also provided. Chimeric proteins including the C-terminal amino acids of the rsaA protein are provided, including chimeric proteins comprising antigenic epitopes of the Infectious Hematopoietic Necrosis Virus.

Abstract: This invention provides a bacterium having an S-layer modified such that the bacterium S-layer protein gene contains one or more in-frame sequences coding for one or more heterologous polypeptides and, the S-layer is a fusion product of the S-layer protein and the heterologous polypeptide. The bacterium is preferably a Caulobacter which may be cultured as a film in a bioreactor or may be used to present an antigenic epitope to the environment of the bacterium. This invention also provides a method of expressing and presenting to the environment of a Caulobacter, a polypeptide that is heterologous to the S-layer of Caulobacter which comprises cloning a coding sequence for the polypeptide in-frame into an S-layer protein gene of Caulobacter whereby the polypeptide is expressed and presented on the surface of the Caulobacter as a fusion product of the S-layer protein and the polypeptide in the S-layer of the Caulobacter.