What is claimed is:
1. A ski for a vehicle comprising:
an upturned leading portion;
a reinforcing member fixed to the front of the leading portion at a forward mounting portion and to the rear of the leading portion at a rear mounting portion;
wherein the reinforcing member comprises a first stopper configured to partially conform to the surface of the leading portion in front of the forward mounting portion.
2. The ski of claim 1 further comprising a second stopper configured to partially conform to the surface of the leading portion in front of the rear mounting portion.
3. The ski of claim 1 wherein the first stopper provided in the reinforcing member extends behind the forward mounting portion.
4. The ski of claim 2 wherein the second stopper provided in the reinforcing member extends behind the forward mounting portion.
5. The ski of claim 2 wherein the first and second stopper provided in the reinforcing member extends behind the forward and rear mounting portions.
6. A ski for a snowmobile comprising:
an upturned leading portion;
a reinforcing member fixed to the front of the leading portion at a forward mounting portion and to the rear of the leading portion at a rear mounting portion; and
a stopper being connected to at least one of said ski and said reinforcing member.
7. A ski of claim 6 further comprising a first stopper configured to partially conform to the surface of the leading portion in front of the forward mounting portion.
8. The ski of claim 7 wherein the first stopper at least partially conforms to the surface of the leading portion behind the forward mounting portion.
9. The ski of claim 6 further comprising a second stopper configured to partially conform to the surface of the leading portion in front of the rearward mounting portion.
10. The ski of claim 9 wherein the second stopper at least partially conforms to the surface of the leading portion behind the rearward mounting portion.
11. The ski of claim 7 further comprising a second stopper configured to partially conform to the surface of the leading portion in front of the rearward mounting portion.
12. The ski of claim 11 wherein the second stopper section at least partially conforms to the surface of the leading portion behind the rearward mounting portion.
13. The ski of claim 8 further comprising a second stopper section configured to partially conform to the surface of the leading portion in front of the rearward mounting portion.
14. The ski of claim 13 wherein the second stopper section at least partially conforms to the surface of the leading portion behind the rearward mounting portion.
15. The ski of claim 6 further comprising a first stopper portion comprising a first projection integrally formed on the leading portion behind the front mounting portion, a second projection extending from the rearmost portion of the front end of the reinforcing member, the first and second projections arranged to contact each other at least when the upturned leading portion flexes.
16. The ski of claim 6 further comprising a first projection integrally formed on the leading portion behind the rear mounting portion, a second projection extending from the back end of the reinforcing member, the first and second projections arranged to contact each other at least when the upturned leading portion flexes.
17. The ski of claim 14 further comprising a second stopper portion comprising a third projection integrally formed on said leading portion behind the rear mounting portion, a fourth projection extending from the back end of the reinforcing member, the third and fourth projections arranged to contact each other at least when the upturned leading portion flexes.
18. The ski of claim 6 further comprising a first stopper portion configured to partially conform to the surface of the leading portion in front of the forward mounting portion, a first projection integrally formed on the leading portion behind the front mounting portion, a second projection extending from the rearmost portion of the front end of the reinforcing member, the first and second projections arranged to contact each other at least when the upturned leading portion flexes.
19. The ski of claim 6 further comprising a first stopper portion configured to partially conform to the surface of said leading portion in front of the rear mounting portion, and a second stopper portion comprising a first projection integrally formed on the leading portion behind the rear mounting portion, a second projection extending from the back end of the reinforcing member, the first and second projections arranged to contact each other at least when the upturned leading portion flexes.
20. The ski of claim 18 further comprising a third stopper portion configured to partially conform to the surface of said leading portion in front of the rear mounting portion, and a fourth stopper portion comprising a first projection integrally formed on said leading portion behind the rear mounting portion, a second projection extending from the back end of the reinforcing member, the first and second projections arranged to contact each other at least when the upturned leading portion flexes.
21. A snowmobile comprising a body, a pair of skis disposed generally below a forward portion of said body, a drive arrangement disposed generally below a rearward portion of said body, said snowmobile sliding on said pair of skis and said snowmobile being powered in at least a forward direction by said drive arrangement, at least one of said skis comprising an upturned leading portion, a reinforcing member fixed to the front of the leading portion at a forward mounting portion and to the rear of the leading portion at a rear mounting portion, and a stopper.
22. The snowmobile of claim 21 further comprising a first stopper configured to partially conform to the surface of the leading portion in front of and behind the forward mounting portion.
23. The snowmobile of claim 21 further comprising a first stopper portion configured to partially conform to the surface of the leading portion in front of the forward mounting portion, a first projection integrally formed on the leading portion behind the front mounting portion, a second projection extending from the rearmost portion of the front end of the reinforcing member, the first and second projections arranged to contact each other at least when the upturned leading portion flexes.
24. A snowmobile ski comprising a ski body, said ski body comprising a sole and an upturned forward portion, a reinforcing member connected at a forward end of said forward portion and at a second portion of said ski, said ski further comprising means for limiting relative movement between said forward portion and said ski body.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. An isolated polypeptide selected from the group consisting of:
a) a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:1-18,
b) a polypeptide comprising a naturally occurring amino acid sequence at least 90% identical to an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:1-18,
c) a biologically active fragment of a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:1-18, and
d) an immunogenic fragment of a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:1-18.
2. An isolated polypeptide of claim 1 comprising an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:1-18.
3. An isolated polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide of claim 1.
4. An isolated polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide of claim 2.
5. An isolated polynucleotide of claim 4 comprising a polynucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:19-36.
6. A recombinant polynucleotide comprising a promoter sequence operably linked to a polynucleotide of claim 3.
7. A cell transformed with a recombinant polynucleotide of claim 6.
8. (canceled)
9. A method of producing a polypeptide of claim 1, the method comprising:
a) culturing a cell under conditions suitable for expression of the polypeptide, wherein said cell is transformed with a recombinant polynucleotide, and said recombinant polynucleotide comprises a promoter sequence operably linked to a polynucleotide encoding the polypeptide of claim 1, and
b) recovering the polypeptide so expressed.
10. A method of claim 9, wherein the polypeptide comprises an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:1-18.
11. An isolated antibody which specifically binds to a polypeptide of claim 1.
12. An isolated polynucleotide selected from the group consisting of:
a) a polynucleotide comprising a polynucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:19-36,
b) a polynucleotide comprising a naturally occurring polynucleotide sequence at least 90% identical to a polynucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:19-36,
c) a polynucleotide complementary to a polynucleotide of a),
d) a polynucleotide complementary to a polynucleotide of b), and
e) an RNA equivalent of a)-d).
13. (canceled)
14. A method of detecting a target polynucleotide in a sample, said target polynucleotide having a sequence of a polynucleotide of claim 12, the method comprising:
a) hybridizing the sample with a probe comprising at least 20 contiguous nucleotides comprising a sequence complementary to said target polynucleotide in the sample, and which probe specifically hybridizes to said target polynucleotide, under conditions whereby a hybridization complex is formed between said probe and said target polynucleotide or fragments thereof, and
b) detecting the presence or absence of said hybridization complex, and, optionally, if present, the amount thereof.
15. (canceled)
16. A method of detecting a target polynucleotide in a sample, said target polynucleotide having a sequence of a polynucleotide of claim 12, the method comprising:
a) amplifying said target polynucleotide or fragment thereof using polymerase chain reaction amplification, and
b) detecting the presence or absence of said amplified target polynucleotide or fragment thereof, and, optionally, if present, the amount thereof.
17. A composition comprising a polypeptide of claim 1 and a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient.
18. A composition of claim 17, wherein the polypeptide comprises an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:1-18.
19. (canceled)
20. A method of screening a compound for effectiveness as an agonist of a polypeptide of claim 1, the method comprising:
a) exposing a sample comprising a polypeptide of claim 1 to a compound, and
b) detecting agonist activity in the sample.
21-22. (canceled)
23. A method of screening a compound for effectiveness as an antagonist of a polypeptide of claim 1, the method comprising:
a) exposing a sample comprising a polypeptide of claim 1 to a compound, and
b) detecting antagonist activity in the sample.
24-25. (canceled)
26. A method of screening for a compound that specifically binds to the polypeptide of claim 1, the method comprising:
a) combining the polypeptide of claim 1 with at least one test compound under suitable conditions, and
b) detecting binding of the polypeptide of claim 1 to the test compound, thereby identifying a compound that specifically binds to the polypeptide of claim 1.
27. (canceled)
28. A method of screening a compound for effectiveness in altering expression of a target polynucleotide, wherein said target polynucleotide comprises a sequence of claim 5, the method comprising:
a) exposing a sample comprising the target polynucleotide to a compound, under conditions suitable for the expression of the target polynucleotide,
b) detecting altered expression of the target polynucleotide, and
c) comparing the expression of the target polynucleotide in the presence of varying amounts of the compound and in the absence of the compound.
29. A method of assessing toxicity of a test compound, the method comprising:
a) treating a biological sample containing nucleic acids with the test compound,
b) hybridizing the nucleic acids of the treated biological sample with a probe comprising at least 20 contiguous nucleotides of a polynucleotide of claim 12 under conditions whereby a specific hybridization complex is formed between said probe and a target polynucleotide in the biological sample, said target polynucleotide comprising a polynucleotide sequence of a polynucleotide of claim 12 or fragment thereof,
c) quantifying the amount of hybridization complex, and
d) comparing the amount of hybridization complex in the treated biological sample with the amount of hybridization complex in an untreated biological sample, wherein a difference in the amount of hybridization complex in the treated biological sample is indicative of toxicity of the test compound.
30-91. (canceled)