Merck + Co., Inc.

Other

The State University of New York

Joseph P Arena

Ken K Liu

Doris F Cully

Jeffrey W Warmke

Leonardus H Van Der Ploeg

Linda M Hall

Guoping Feng

Peiyi Wang

Leonardus H T Van Der Ploeg

Andrew D Howard

Paul A Liberator

Scott D Feighner

Philip S Paress

James M Schaeffer

Demetrios Vassilatis

Human, swine and rat growth hormone secretagogue receptors have been isolated, cloned and sequenced. Growth hormone secretagogue receptors are new members of the G-protein family of receptors. The growth hormone secretagogue receptors may be used to screen and identify compounds which bind to the growth hormone secretagogue receptor. Such compounds may be used in the treatment of conditions which occur when there is a shortage of growth hormone, such as observed in growth hormone deficient children, elderly patients with musculoskeletal impairment and recovering from hip fracture and osteoporosis.

Growth hormone secretagogue receptor family

DNA encoding glutamate and avermectin-sensitive chloride channels have been cloned and characterized. The protein is capable of forming channels selectively opened with either avermectin or glutamate. The cDNA has been expressed in recombinant host cells which produce active recombinant protein. The recombinant protein is also purified from the recombinant host cells. In addition, the recombinant host cells are utilized to establish a method for identifying modulators of the receptor activity, and receptor modulators are identified. Receptor modulators active in the method disclosed herein are useful as ectoparasiticides, antiparasitic, anthelmenthic, acaracidal and insecticide agents.

DNA encoding glutamate gated chloride channels

DNAs encoding voltage-activated cation channels have been cloned and characterized. The cDNA's have been expressed in recombinant host cells which produce active recombinant protein. The recombinant protein is also purified from the recombinant host cells.

Process for functional expression of the para cation channel

DNAs encoding glutamate and avermectin-sensitive chloride channels have been cloned and characterized. The individual alpha and beta subunits are capable of forming homomeric and heteromeric channels selectively opened with either avermectin or glutamate. The cDNA's have been expressed in recombinant host cells which produce active recombinant protein. The recombinant protein is also purified from the recombinant host cells. In addition, the recombinant host cells are utilized to establish a method for identifying modulators of the receptor activity, and receptor modulators are identified. Receptor modulators are useful as insecticides and anthelminthic agents.

Vertical blinds having commonly housed and traversely movable controls for controlling the traverse and rotation of the vanes are disclosed. In a disclosed embodiment, the vanes are supported by carrier members, and a rotation rod extends through the carrier members. The carrier members are slideable along the rotation rod. A control assembly is mounted to slide along and also rotate the rotation rod. Sliding of the control assembly along the rotation rod slides the carrier members to thereby traverse the vanes, and actuation of the control assembly rotates the rotation rod and the vanes. The control assembly includes meshing bevel gears, one of which is coupled to an actuating rod or wand and the other to the rotation rod whereby rotation of the wand causes rotation of the vanes. The control assembly is slid by means of the wand which is universally connected to the control assembly. The wand is thus a unitary control for actuating both traverse and rotation of the vanes.

Vertical blind controls

A support member for horizontal members or elements in a traversable opening covering device is disclosed. In the preferred embodiment, the opening covering device is a vertical blind for a window opening. The vertical blind includes a plurality of vanes and carriers supporting the vanes, and a track structure for traversably supporting the carriers. The rod controls movement of the vanes, i.e. traversing or rotating of the vanes. In the preferred embodiment, the carriers are traversed by a cord arrangement and the support member also supports the cord. The support member comprises a body having an opening therein adapted to slidably receive the horizontally extending rod, shoulders or rollers disposed on opposed sides of the body adapted to be traversably received in the track structure, and another opening or a spring arrangement associated with the body adapted to receive a cord therein which is used to traverse the carriers and which is releasably and frictionally engaged with the opening or spring arrangement. Movement of the cord traverses the carriers and also traverses the support member from one end of the track structure to a predetermined supporting location at the central part of track structure. The support member is retained at the predetermined location at the central part of the track structure when the frictional engagement between the cord and support body is overcome so that further movement of the cord traverses the carriers but not the support member.

Support for traversing window covering device

A unitary, one-piece vane carrier for vertical blinds is disclosed. The unitary carrier includes a carrier body and an elongated spacer link extending from one end of the body, the spacer link and body forming a single, unitary piece. In a disclosed embodiment, a tab is disposed at the distal end of the spacer link and a slotted opening is located in the end of the carrier body opposed to the end from which the spacer link extends. In that embodiment, the tab of one carrier cooperates with the slotted opening of an adjacently positioned carrier to limit the maximum spacing between the two carriers. The spacer link extends from the top of one end of the carrier body while the slotted opening is oppositely located at the top of the other end such that the spacer link of one carrier is slidable through the slotted opening of the adjacent carrier. Also in that disclosed embodiment, the spacer link includes a section of reduced width to facilitate insertion and removal of the spacer link into and from the slotted opening of an adjacent carrier and a section of reduced thickness to permit flexing of the spacer link thereat to facilitate stacking of the spacer links when the carriers are bunched.

Growing community of inventors

West Orange, NJ, United States of America

Joseph P Arena