Abstract: A pipe wrench is provided with an extendable handle that fits within a cavity of the head. A lever locks the extended length of the extendable handle along a continuous spectrum between a maximum and a minimum extension of the handle. The lever includes cam surfaces. In an unlocked position, the thickness of the lever between the pivot and a friction plate is less than the thickness between the pivot and the friction plate in the locked position. The friction plate is a composite comprising a top lever plate, a midsection, and a concave surface. The lever plate and concave surface include hard, durable materials, and the midsection is a soft elastic material that redistributes frictional forces across the frictional block. The channel-lock prevents inadvertent overextension and/or accidental removal of the extendable handle.

Abstract: A bone fastener driver assembly with a bone fastener retention feature has an outer sleeve, a handle fixed to said outer sleeve and an inner shaft. The inner shaft has a distal end with a torque driving tip. The inner shaft is coupled to the handle and axially movable relative to the outer sleeve from a proximal disengaged position to a distal engaged position. The outer sleeve has a bone fastener retaining distal end configured to lock into an internal groove or undercut of a bone fastener screw head when the inner shaft is axially moved from the proximal disengaged position to the distal engaged position to lock the bone fastener to the driver and upon a return movement of the inner shaft to the proximal disengaged position to unlock and release the driver from the bone fastener screw head.

Abstract: There is provided a process for enhancing the activity of a phenol oxidizing enzyme, comprising adding to the enzyme, as an enhancer for the activity of the enzyme, one or more compounds having the formula: wherein: A is an optionally substituted electron-withdrawing group, chosen from the group consisting of nitrile, carboxyl, and esters and salts thereof, amides, aldehydes, ketones, sulfoxides, sulfones, or sulphonates, and B is an optionally substituted electron-donating group, chosen from the group consisting of the oxide anion, sulfide anion, oxides, amines, imines, hydroxides, sulfides, ethers, carboxylic acids, and halogen substituents, and R1-R5 may each independently represent hydrogen, hydroxy, halogen, nitroso, formyl, carboxyl, and esters and salts thereof, carbamoyl, sulfo, and esters and salts hereof, sulfamoyl, nitro, amino, phenyl, C1-C20 alkyl, C1-C8 alkoxy, carbonyl-C1-C6-alkoxy, aryl-C1-C6-alkyl, and R2 and R5 together may form an alkylene group or an alkenylene group.

Abstract: A pipe wrench that is readily fitted to a desired size by engagement of rack-like teeth on a stem portion with a movable jaw with co-engaging rack-like teeth, the pipe wrench being of a modern type and including means for retrofitting conventional modern pipe wrenches.