Abstract: The present invention is a culinary knife, intended for one handed use, comprising a handle and a blade having a cutting edge as its bottom perimeter. The entire length of the handle of the knife is joined contiguously against the spine of the blade leaving no aperture between them. This joining of the handle and blade results in the user gripping onto rather than around the handle of the knife. The handle does not extend beyond the rear of the blade, thus the user grips the knife above part of the cutting edge. This provides the user the ability to apply direct downward force for cutting and provides enhanced ability to use the palm and digits to apply finely directed force and movement to the knife. Both the location of the user hand and its proximity to the blade further enhance fine control and ease of use of the knife.

Abstract: A device is described which provides an automated or manual means to perform chromatographic affinity-based A1c analyses of whole blood or hemolysates in less than 1 minute. Further, such applications are useful for the quantitation of glycated plasma proteins used in analysis of gestational diabetes. The device includes several modules integrated to accomplish processing and analysis of the blood sample. One such module includes a disposable liquid chromatographic column which may be rapidly packed and is easily assembled from readily available materials. Such columns and assemblies may be used in fluid chromatography applications requiring separations of complex materials for purposes of purification and/or quantitation of particular analytes. The columns may be used as stand-alone units or may be integrated into commercially available chromatography systems. The columns have a chemical composition and particle size that allow for low operational pressures.