Abstract: A blood collection container is coated on its inside wall with a unitarily immobilized clotting activator. The activator may be applied to the surface by an adhesive or by rendering the inside wall surface sticky with a solvent and partially absorbing the activator into the sticky surface.

Abstract: A method to render a medical article antithrombogenic and/or anti-infective includes coextruding a base polymer with a hydrophilic laminating polymer having dispersed therein a quarternary salt complexing agent and steeping the extruded article in an aqueous solution of an antithrombogenic and/or anti-infective reagent whereby the reagent is absorbed along with water by the hydrophilic polymer and reacts with the complexing agent.

Abstract: An additive for a blood collection container is a polyelectrolyte complex having a surface charge which activates clotting of a blood sample in the container. A preferred additive is a crosslinked carboxylated cellulose having a negative charge. The invention includes a blood collection tube having a puncturable stopper in an open end and the additive of the invention deployed therein.

Abstract: In a method to modify the chemistry of a portion of the surface of an article, the surface is placed adjacent an electrode in a plasma chamber, the distance to the wall of the chamber being at least five times the size of the electrode. A plasma of very high power density is generated in a discharge volume surrounding the electrode so that the surface area closest to the electrode receives a very intense plasma which diminishes with increasing distance from the discharge volume thus forming a chemical gradient on the article surface. The preferred article is a tube having one closed end, and the gradient may be formed from either the closed end or the open end. The gradient may be of decreasing glass-like character or decreasing plastic like character.

Abstract: A polyurethane composition has particles of solid polyvinylpyrrolidone-iodine complex evenly distributed throughout the polyurethane matrix so that the complex does not associate with the polyurethane to any appreciable extent. In one embodiment of the composition, the polyurethane is thermoplastic for coating or molding applications. In another embodiment, the composition is a polyurethane foam particularly useful as a sponge for scrubbing which provides almost instantaneous release of the complex. The sponge may be provided in a package which includes other items useful for scrubbing.

Abstract: A copolymer having free hydroxyl groups is formed from N-vinyl pyrrolidone and allyl alcohol. A polyurethane is formed from a reaction mixture which includes the copolymer, a diisocyanate, a chain extender and a polyglycol. The polyurethane takes up iodine to give a complex useful as an antimicrobial coating on a medical article or as an antimicrobial foam sponge or wound dressing.

Abstract: Dibenzylidene xylonates are a new class of clarifiers for polyolefins. The invention includes polyolefin compositions having the new clarifiers therein.

Abstract: Dibenzylidene xylonates are a new class of clarifiers for polyolefins. The invention includes polyolefin compositions having the new clarifiers therein.

Abstract: A thermoplastic polyurethane chain extended with an alkylenediol is blended with a thermoplastic polyurethane chain extended with an oxyalkylene qlycol oligomer. The blend is extruded into a catheter tubing having sufficient initial stiffness for satisfactory insertion in a patient and a high degree of softening for safe positioning and long term catheterization procedures without the risk of vessel wall perforation.

Abstract: A lubricating composition includes an emulsion of a noncuring polysiloxane, a surfactant and water. Preferred polysiloxanes include a polar group, most preferably an aminoalkyl or carboxylalkyl terminating group. Preferred surfactants are copolymers of polysiloxane and polyoxyethylene. A metal article such as a needle, blade, cannula or quidewire includes a coating of the polysiloxane and the surfactant which renders the article surface lubricious. The article may be in a sliding relationship with a plastic article in an assembly such as a catheter-quidewire or a catheter-cannula assembly. The plastic portion of the assembly may also include a lubricant. The invention includes a method of making the lubricated article.

Abstract: A non-yellowing, elastomeric polyurethane is made from a non-aromatic diisocyanate, a diol chain extender, a polyglycol and an aminodiol chain extender. The polyurethane is stable to sterilizing radiation, is made without any processing aids or toxic catalysts, and softens without swelling up to 95% when contacted with an aqueous liquid.

Abstract: A glass or plastic article, preferably a blood collection tube, has two or more surface regions of different surface chemistry. One region is substantially glass-like and another region is substantially plastic-like. If the tube is glass, a region of the tube adjacent the tube bottom is plastic-like. If the tube is plastic, a region of the tube adjacent the mouth of the tube is be glass-like.

Abstract: Melt processable polyurethaneureas are prepared from a diisocyanate, a polyglycol, a diol chain extender and an amine terminated polyether. Water may be included as a reactant, and the polymer may contain an additive such as a radiopaque material and a coating of an antithrombogenic agent or an antimicrobial agent. The invention includes a one-pot bulk polymerization method for preparation of the polymers.

Abstract: A plastic article having a sharp point is made of a polymer of high impact strength and high hardness. The article may be a lancet or a needle for skin puncture, suturing or sewing. A method for preparing the article includes shear thinning a melt of a polymer and introducing the shear thinned melt into a mold which includes a sharp point.

Abstract: A liposome reagent encapsulating a molecule to be targeted to a body site or used as an assay reporter has a ligand and a sulfonate-containing group on the liposome surface. Preferred ligands are antibodies or antibody fragments and preferred encapsulants are enzymes or dyes. In the most preferred reagents, the antibody and sulfonate-containing group are covalently bonded to the liposome surface through a connecting group which includes a succinimidyl group resulting from addition of the ligand or sulfonate-containing group to a maleimidyl group. The invention includes a kit of materials for performing an assay using the reagent of the invention as the tracer.

Abstract: An additive for a blood collection tube has a wettable surface region and a nonwettable surface region. When a blood sample comes into contact with the wettable surface region, the clotting cascade is initiated. Clot material adheres to the nonwettable surface region. The additive thereby becomes part of the clot and, on centrifugation, becomes part of the pellet and is removed from the serum layer. The invention includes a blood collection tube having the additive therein. The tube may be evacuated and have an open end covered with a septum.

Abstract: A catheter tubing has a layer of a hydrophobic stiffening polymer encapsulated by a layer of hydrophilic thermoplastic base polymer. Preferred stiffening polymers are polyesterpolyether block copolymers. Preferred base polymers are thermoplastic polyetherurethanes. The encapsulated layer may be a stripe or an annular layer having base polymer layers laminated on both surfaces thereof.

Abstract: A method for immunoassay of a viral antigen is performed on a membrane precoated with an inert protein. Nonimmunological capture of antigen takes place by absorption onto the coated membrane. Captured antigen binds to a tracer which includes a label conjugated to a specific antibody, the inert protein concomitantly inhibiting nonspecific binding of tracer. The label may be an enzyme which converts a substrate to a detectable product or converts a blocked inhibitor to an inhibitor whereby a second enzyme is inhibited from converting a substrate to a product. The invention includes a kit of materials for performing an assay in accordance with the method of the invention.

Abstract: A vented cap and capillary tube assembly is disclosed together with a method of use of such assembly. The assembly includes a capillary tube having a bore extending therethrough and a cap slidably mounted to one end of the tube. The cap includes one or more vent grooves therein which allow air to escape therethrough when the cap is in a first slidable position. The walls of the capillary tube prevent air from escaping through the vent when the cap is more fully inserted within the tube. The method provided herein includes the steps of providing such a pre-assembled capillary tube and vented cap assembly, maintaining the cap in the first position while the opposite end of the capillary tube is inserted within a liquid sample, allowing the liquid to enter the tube through capillary action, thereby displacing air within the tube through the vent, and sliding the cap to the fully inserted position, thereby sealing the vent.

Abstract: An assay for Chlamydia includes contacting Chlamydia organisms in a liquid with a solid support having an antispecies Fe antibody immobilized thereon and an anti-Chlamydia capture antibody. After binding of Chlamydia antigen to the capture antibody and binding of the capture antibody to the antispecies antibody on the support, a tracer including a label conjugated to a signal antibody is added. After binding of the signal antibody to the antigen, the presence of Chlamydia organisms in the liquid is detected by a signal associated with the label thereby bound to the support. The invention includes a kit of materials for performing an assay according to the method of the invention.