Abstract: The present invention is directed to arginine deiminase modified with polyethylene glycol, to methods of treating cancer, and to methods of treating and/or inhibiting metastasis.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods for determining which cancer patients are susceptible to arginine depletion therapy and methods for treating cancer. The present invention also provides methods for predicting the appropriateness of arginine deprivation therapy for a cancer patient. The methods generally comprise obtaining a tumor sample from the cancer patient and detecting the presence or absence of evidence of urea cycle enzyme expression in the tumor sample. The absence of evidence of urea cycle enzyme expression in the tumor sample is indicative of a cancer patient who is a candidate for arginine deprivation therapy, and the presence of evidence of urea cycle enzyme expression in said tumor sample is indicative of a cancer patient who is not a candidate for arginine deprivation therapy.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to methods of modulating viral replication in vivo comprising administering to an individual a therapeutically or prophylactically effective amount of a composition comprising arginine deiminase modified with polyethylene glycol, to methods of concurrently modulating viral replication and treating cancer, and to methods of modulating nitric oxide levels in a patient, among others.

Abstract: A coupling for a transition between a plastic pipe and a metal piping system. In one embodiment, the transition coupling includes an adapter nut having a first end for connection with the metal piping system. A stiffener tube, affixed in the adapter nut, has an external diameter less than an internal diameter of the plastic pipe. An adapter coupling is connected to a second end of the adapter nut. A hollow gripper is positioned within the adapter coupling having an internal circumferential surface configured to grippingly engage the plastic pipe after axial insertion. At least one toroidal elastomeric seal is received over a groove in the stiffener tube to engage the plastic pipe.

Abstract: A pop-up rotor type irrigation sprinkler has a pivotable butterfly valve body located in its riser just below the nozzle. The valve body is selectively pivotable between fully open and fully closed positions by manually turning a drive member mounted in the upper end of the riser with a hand tool. The drive member is connected to the valve body with a linkage that extends within the riser outside of the water flow path to avoid adversely affecting the water stream ejected from the nozzle. The valve body has an elliptical shape and is curved in section and downwardly concave when in its closed position. Due to its curved shape, the valve body can pivot to its vertical open position in which it rests parallel with the curved cylindrical interior wall of an internal flow tube to minimize flow resistance.

Abstract: A pop-up sprinkler includes an outer cylindrical fixed housing for subsurface mounting and a riser reciprocally mounted in a central bore of the housing. Pressurized water causes the riser to extend and place a nozzle at its top end above the surface of the ground. A radially retractable and expandable containment ring is mounted at an outlet end of the housing and engages an annular inner shoulder of the housing for retaining a coil spring. The spring retracts the riser when the pressurized water is turned OFF. The containment ring includes a substantially rigid support ring and an elastomeric sealing ring co-molded thereto. The support ring is split to enable radial expansion and retraction due to its resiliency. The elastomeric sealing ring spans the gap between the opposite ends of the support ring. The elastomeric sealing ring has a tapered edge that extends radially inwardly to engage the riser.

Abstract: A pop-up rotary sprinkler with adjustable arc limits has a memory arc mechanism separate from its arc adjustment and head reversing mechanisms for automatically returning the head to oscillation between its pre-set sector limits should its head be twisted or held against normal rotation by a vandal. The sprinkler may optionally include a throttling valve for substantially reducing the flow of water from the nozzle in the head until the head has rotated back within its pre-set arc limits. The amount of water that would otherwise be sprayed onto walkways and highways, for example, is greatly reduced, thereby eliminating safety hazards.

Abstract: A pop-up rotary sprinkler with adjustable arc limits has an arc adjustment tool engaging member slideably mouted in a guide sleeve in the head of the sprinkler that has a progressively narrowing diameter. The member includes a radially expandable and contrastable collet at the upper end thereof and a pinion gear at a lower end thereof for engaging the teeth of a bull gear for setting at least one of the end limits of the desired arc. When the tool is inserted into the member, it moves downwardly, and a pair of flanges of the tool are locked into slots in the collet. The tool cannot be removed until it is pulled upwardly to permit the collet to expand radially to allow the flanges of the tool to be pulled past a ring at the upper end of the collet.

Abstract: A sprinkler unit comprises a housing having an inlet for connecting to a source of water, a rotating head mounted in an upper end of the housing and including an outlet for distributing a stream of water outward from the housing, a passage connecting the inlet to the outlet, and a pressure responsive inlet valve including a damper mounted in the passage at the inlet, the damper controlling the rate of opening of the valve for controlling flow of fluid through the valve to the nozzle.

Abstract: A pop-up sprinkler unit for mounting beneath the surface of a soil formation includes an outer cylindrical housing for subsurface mounting, with an inner housing carrying a nozzle and drive turbine reciprocally mounted in the outer housing for extending up through a portion of the soil and pressure responsive seals disposed between the inner and outer housings for sealing at predetermined pressures.