Abstract: A damper device for a mechanical seal includes support means arranged relative to a seal face assembly or a gland plate of the mechanical seal such that a predetermined gap is formed between the support means and the seal face assembly/gland plate and also includes damping means disposed in the predetermined gap in order to reduce the transmission of noise produced by the mechanical seal.

Abstract: The present invention is a drag-type drill bit for drilling a borehole in the earth. The bit is designed to rotate about a central axis of rotation and has a bit body having a leading face, an end face, a gauge region, and a shank for connection to a drill string, a plurality of nozzles in the bit body for delivering drilling fluid to the end face, a plurality of blades upstanding from the leading face of the bit body and extending outwardly away from the central axis of rotation of the bit. Each blade terminates in a gauge pad with a surface which faces a wall of the borehole. A first plurality of cutters are mounted on the blades at the end face of the bit body and a second plurality of cutters are mounted the gauge pads and arranged such that in operation, they cut the wall of the borehole. Each one of the second plurality of cutters has a backrake less than or equal to about 20 degrees.

Abstract: A chimeric protein having an (a) IRE1 or analog cytoplasmic kinase domain, (b) a transmembrane domain, and (c) a ligand binding domain of a transmembrane protein other than IRE1 is described. This protein can be used to identify and/or screen for ligands and other molecules that interact with the ligand binding domain.