Abstract: A closure which permits the opening of a membrane seal of an enteral nutritional product container in a single-action motion while maintaining product sterility. This closure includes a general cylindrical side wall having threads along the inner surface thereof, a planar top surface having first and second upwardly extending projections. The first projection is associated with a filter means for allowing air to enter the container, while the second projection has a base which is a spikable membrane. A bottom surface having an annular raised portion is provided. The bottom surface has a downwardly projecting plow member as well abutting against gasket means positioned between the annular raised portion and the inner surface of the side wall.

Abstract: A unitary container for packaging multiple product samples has a front panel and two rear panels which are hingedly attached to the front panel. The two panels may be mechanically retained in a preferred relationship with respect to the front panel and one another by protrusions in one panel that extend through apertures in another panel. The panels are configured such that the container has several compartments for holding product samples.

Abstract: Improved medical devices for use between a feeding tube set and a catheter include a universal adaptor having a configuration permitting use of same with Y-connectors of various sizes, a Y-connector interlockable with the aforesaid adaptor, and an adaptor hood usable with the adaptor either as a protective shroud therefor or as a supplemental adaptor therewith.

Abstract: There is disclosed a closure which permits the opening of a membrane sealed nutritional or pharmaceutical product container in a single action motion which also maintains a hermetic seal under retort conditions. This closure includes a generally cylindrical side wall having threads along the inner surface thereof and retaining means for cooperative engagement with the lip of a plastic container, and a top having an annular rim portion and a center portion, with the top having a lower surface attached to a heat-sealable barrier able to be secured to the plastic container, with the top also having a center portion removal means. A method is also disclosed for providing a hermetic seal on plastic containers using the closure and plastic container of this invention.

Abstract: A novel liquid nutritional for use as an infant formula for use in the treatment of infantile colic is disclosed. The formula comprises protein, fat, carbohydrates and dietary fiber of a concentration of between 3.1 and 14.1 grams of fiber per liter of formula. Specific preferred protein, fat, carbohydrate and fiber sources are disclosed. Also disclosed is a method of treating infants with colic by feeding an infant the formula made in accordance with the invention. Also disclosed is a method for manufacturing the infant formula of the invention.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for sterilizing containers using hydrogen peroxide vapor is disclosed. The apparatus for aseptically filling a container comprises a housing, a source of liquid hydrogen peroxide, means for providing a flow of heated gas, means for causing the hydrogen peroxide to mix with the heated gas thereby vaporizing the hydrogen peroxide, means inside the housing for dispensing the vaporized hydrogen peroxide, the means for dispensing the vaporized hydrogen peroxide including means for dispensing the vaporized hydrogen peroxide into the container, fill tube means extending into the housing for dispensing product into the container, means within the housing for sealing the container, and means providing for the passage of the container between the interior and exterior of the housing.

Abstract: There is disclosed a closure which permits the opening of a membrane sealed nutritional or pharmaceutical product container in a single action motion which also maintains a hermetic seal under retort conditions. This closure includes a generally cylindrical side wall having threads along the inner surface thereof and retaining means for cooperative engagement with the lip of a plastic container, and a top having an annular rim portion and a center portion, with the top having a lower surface attached to a heat-sealable barrier able to be secured to the plastic container, with the top also having a center portion removal means. A method is also disclosed for providing a hermetic seal on plastic containers using the closure and plastic container of this invention.

Abstract: This invention is concerned with a closure which permits the sterile opening of a membrane sealed container in a single-action motion which also maintains a hermetic seal under retort conditions. This closure includes a generally cylindrical side wall having threads along the inner surface thereof, a top with an upper surface having a protective rim extending upwardly therefrom, with the top also having a dome assembly with the protective rim extending above such dome assembly. The dome has a top and bottom surface, with at least one plow member projecting downwardly from the bottom surface of the dome.

Abstract: This invention relates to a closure which permits the opening of a hermetically sealed plastic container in a single action motion, which also maintains the hermetic seal under retort conditions. This closure includes a generally cylindrical side wall having threads along the inner surface thereof and a top portion having a metallic disk with its lower surface coated with a fusible coating, such as polypropylene. An annular flange is provided along the inner surface of the side wall to retain the metallic disk between the annular flange and an inwardly inclined inner surface portion of the side wall. A method is also disclosed for providing a hermetic seal on plastic containers using the closure of this invention.

Abstract: A stoma measuring device is provided comprising a valve housing containing a valve, a lumen with a port located near its distal end, with the lumen having its proximal end secured to the valve housing, and an inflatable component member, with this member located near the distal end of the lumen, the member having a first end secured to the lumen intermediary the port and the valve housing. The lumen is relatively flexible and may be fabricated with a radiopaque filler. The method for using the device of this invention permits the measuring of the depth of a stoma by inserting the distal end of a lumen through the opening in the stomach, the lumen having a port near the distal end, the lumen also secured to the first end of an inflatable component member, the port being intermediary the first end and the distal end, the lumen also having indicia thereon, inflating the member and ascertaining the relative distance between the first end in the stomach and the outer layer of skin through the use of the indicia.

Abstract: The present invention provides novel methods for generating aqueous liquid encapsulating multi-lamellar lipid vesicles (liposomes) wherein one or more lipids, or lipid conjugates, and an aqueous liquid to be encapsulated, are agitated in a vessel in the presence of spherical contact masses having a mean diameter of less than 3,000 microns, the preferred size range being 50-100 microns in diameter, and resulting in a substantially homogeneous population of vesicles having diameters in the range of about 150 to about 3,000 nanometers. The methods allow for the use of small quantities of marker and lipid, leave no residual solvents, allow for contact only with glass surfaces, and involve no transfer of liposome preparations from lipid film drying vessels to sizing apparatus.

Abstract: In the immunoassay of antigens in liquids, a reaction mixture is formed containing the liquid under assay, labelled antigen, and a mixed binding reagent which contains an antigen-binding site and a label-binding site, the two sites being spaced apart in the reagent so that a single molecule of labelled antigen cannot bind to both sites. The label is one whose activity is changed upon binding to a label-binding site, and the amount of antigen in the original liquid sample is determined by measuring the activity of the label in the reaction mixture. A preferred label is a fluorophore. The mixed binding reagent preferably consists of two antibodies linked together.

Abstract: New phthalocyanin derivatives which can be used to differentiate basophils from other blood cells are disclosed. The compounds to which the present invention are quaternary salts of a substituted phthalocyanin structure wherein the substitutions are each independently hydrogen, sulfonate, or a C.sub.1 -C.sub.7 hydrocarbon, optionally containing at least one heteroatom, with the proviso that at least one of them is ##STR1## in which R.sub.1 -R.sub.3 are each independently lower alkyls, cycloalkyls or olefins of which at least one is C.sub.2 -C.sub.4 and two may join to form a ring; R.sub.4 is hydrogen or a C.sub.1 -C.sub.3 alkyl; n is an integer from 1 to 6; M is a polyvalent metal ion. It is preferred that at least two and especially at least three substitutions have the structure so set forth.

Abstract: In a particle agglutination assay for an antigen (Ag), there is included in the mixture a limited amount of a substance which binds univalently with a proportion of the Ag present, that Ag which is so bound being unable then to cause agglutination of the particles. In this way, unusually large concentrations of Ag can be assayed in that a proportion of the Ag is bound to the univalent substance and the particle agglutination assay is in effect conducted on the smaller amount of Ag still remaining free in solution.

Abstract: A method, device and test reagent for detecting free available chlorine in aqueous fluids which utilizes as an indicator substance azine compounds of the formula: ##STR1## where R and R' are hydroxy or amino substituents and X, X', Y and Y' are hydrogen, hydroxy, methyl or methoxy substituents and may be the same or different. Preferably such test reagents are incorporated with a carrier member or with a wicking device for concentrating the aqueous fluid being tested in the area of the test reagent.

Abstract: A test composition, device, and method for determining the presence of a peroxidatively active substance in a sample are disclosed. The composition comprisesA. an organic hydroperoxide,B. an indicator capable of producing a detectable response in the presence of a hydroperoxide and a peroxidatively active substance,C. a diluent compound having the structure ##STR1## or mixtures thereof, in which R.sub.1 and R.sub.2, same or different, are hydrogen, alkyl or alkoxy having 1 to about 6 carbon atoms, or aryl, andD. a borate ester having the structure ##STR2## in which m, n and p, same or different, are integers of 1 to about 4. The device comprises a carrier matrix incorporated with the composition, and the method comprises contacting a sample, suspected of containing a peroxidatively active substance, with said composition.

Abstract: A test composition and device are disclosed for determining the presence of peroxidatively active substances, such as hemoglobin, in a test sample. Also disclosed is a one-dip method for preparing the device.The test composition comprises:An organic hydroperoxide,An indicator capable of producing a detectable response in the presence of a hydroperoxide and a peroxidatively active substance, andA borate ester having the structure ##STR1## in which m, n and p, same or different, are integers of 1 to about 4. The test device comprises a carrier matrix incorporated with the test composition.

Abstract: A test device and method for determining the presence of a component in a sample are disclosed, as well as a method for making the device. The device utilizes a reactant system which produces a detectable response upon contact with the sample component, the reactant system being incorporated with a carrier matrix. The carrier matrix comprises separate filaments formed into a cloth. At least one ingredient of the reactant system is incorporated with some of the filaments prior to their being formed into the cloth. The method for making the device comprises interweaving the filaments bearing at least one reactant ingredient into a warp of other filaments, knitting the filaments into a cloth, forming a mat cloth of randomly oriented filaments or affixing the filaments to a matrix support member in a substantially parallel orientation.