Abstract: A culture dish assembly includes a polygonal culture dish with a bottom wall and a side wall enclosure formed by a plurality of generally planar panels joined consecutively to one another by non-planar corners. The side wall enclosure includes a generally planar top edge. Inner surface regions of a plurality of the planar panels are formed with a plurality of projections or recesses that are spaced from one another and spaced from the corners. A splash guard includes engagement flanges disposed for nesting with inner peripheral surface regions of the panels of the side wall enclosure. The engagement flanges include projections or recesses disposed for releasably engaging the projections or recesses on the side wall enclosure to hold the splash guard on the culture dish without creating stress concentrations in the corners.

Abstract: A well geometry for multiwell plates is provided, wherein a well is formed with an open end, a closed end and a side wall extending therebetween, the side wall including four spaced-apart rectangular panels and four rounded corners. The corners are each located to join, and extend between, a pair of adjacent panels. With rounded corners, less wicking is experienced than with flat corners designs. In addition, the rectangular panels provide relatively larger perimeters than with comparable-sized trapezoidal-shape panels as viewed in various planes cutting through the well, particularly at the bottom of the well.

Abstract: The subject invention provides a sample processing technique for purifying a biological or chemical sample. The invention is particularly well-suited to prepare a sample for mass spectrometry. The process is to be performed in an article having at least one well, in which the surface of the well is at least partially hydrophobic and/or modified with bio-specific ligands. Targeted solutes, such as salts or small molecule contaminants, can be removed from a solution to allow for a purified solution of a desired type of solute, such as peptides and/or proteins.

Abstract: A method is provided for attaching a membrane to a substrate by heat-bonding the membrane to the substrate. The substrate includes a top surface, a bottom surface and a receptacle therethrough. The membrane can be a porous support structure combined with a polymeric gel. The method includes the steps of inserting a mandrel into the receptacle, placing the membrane on the substrate across the receptacle, heating the membrane and substrate, and allowing the substrate to cool to provide heat-bonded interlock between the substrate and the membrane.

Abstract: A self-aliquoting dispensing unit for use with a multi-receptacle storage unit is provided including a lower plate having a plurality of access ports therethrough, wherein at least one of the access ports is in fluid communication with a microtube, an upper plate releasably attached to the lower plate, the upper plate including a sample port for supplying a sample to the dispensing unit, and a sealing member for forming a reversible fluid tight connection between the storage unit and the upper plate. An assembly for dispensing a sample into a multi-receptacle storage unit and a method for dispensing a sample into a multi-receptacle storage unit are also provided.

Abstract: A multi-well plate assembly has a well plate with a plurality of closed-bottom, open-top wells of substantially uniform square cross-section between the closed bottom and the open top. An insert plate is nested with the well plate and has a top wall substantially covering the open tops of the wells. Inserts project down from the top wall and into the respective wells, such that each insert is nested in a corner of the well. Access ports are formed through the insert plate for alignment with a corner of the respective well opposite the insert. The access port is formed partly through the top wall of the insert plate and partly through the sidewall of the insert.

Abstract: A tube, preferably a centrifuge tube, molded of a blend of 25-35 weight percent of polystyrene and 75-65 weight percent of styrene-butadiene rubber block copolymer has improved performance compared to a tube of pure copolymer.

Abstract: A pin tool assembly is provided for transferring small amounts of liquids to a substrate. The assembly includes a base plate with an array of apertures formed therethrough. Pins are disposed in the apertures. The pins and the apertures are dimensioned to permit sliding movement along the axis of the pins but to prevent wobbling movement. A weight plate is mounted over the pins to urge the pins into a fully seated position in the apertures. A transition cover is releasably engaged over the base plate. The cover includes a plurality of upwardly opening receptacles for releasable engagement with a pipette head. The pipette head can be employed with a robotic device for moving the pin tool assembly from a well plate or other liquid source to a selected destination for the liquid. The pin tool assembly then can be separated from the pipette head and discarded or recycled.

Abstract: A device and method for separating heavier and lighter fractions of a fluid sample. The device includes a plurality of constituents comprising a container and a composite element in the container. The composite element is a separator comprising a deformable bellows, a ballast mounted to the lower end of the bellows, and a float is engageable with an upper end of the bellows. A fluid sample is delivered to the container and the device is subjected to centrifugation whereby the centrifugal load causes the ballast to move toward the bottom of the tube and causes an elongation and narrowing of the bellows. The separator then moves down the tube and stabilizes in a position between the separated phases of the fluid sample. Termination of the centrifugal load enables the bellows to return to its original condition in sealing engagement with the walls of the tube.

Abstract: A specimen collection and separation assembly is provided. The assembly includes a tube having closure secured to the open top of the tube. The closure includes a section that is pierceable by a needle cannula for depositing a liquid specimen in the tube. A separator is disposed in the tube below the closure. The separator includes top and bottom ends. Portions of the separator adjacent the top define a resiliently deformable low density sealing plug dimensioned to sealingly engage the interior of the tube. A high density ring is integrally engaged with the seal and extends to the bottom of the separator. The relative densities and dimensions of the seal and the ring are selected to achieve an overall density between densities of the phases of liquid to be separated. The ring causes the seal to elongate in response to forces imposed by a centrifuge. The separator then will move to a position in the tube between the respective phases of the specimen being separated.

Abstract: An automatically shieldable blood collection set is provided. The blood collection set includes a needle assembly having a hub to which a needle cannula is fixedly attached. A safety shield is telescoped relative to the hub and the needle cannula and can be moved from a proximal position where the needle cannula is exposed to a distal position where the needle cannula is safely shielded. A spring is provided between the shield and the hub to propel the shield distally relative to the hub and into surrounding relationship with the needle cannula. A retainer is provided for releasably holding the shield in a proximal ready-to-use condition relative to the hub and the needle cannula. An actuator releases the retainer and enables the shield to be propelled by the spring. A lock may be provided for preventing inadvertent re-exposure of the needle cannula.

Abstract: An automatically shieldable blood collection set is provided. The blood collection set includes a needle assembly having a hub with spaced apart inner and outer tubes. A needle cannula is fixedly attached to the inner tube. A safety shield is telescoped for movement into the space between the inner and outer tubes of the hub. The safety shield can be moved from a proximal position where the needle cannula is exposed to a distal position where the needle cannula is safely shielded. A spring is provided between the shield and the hub to propel the shield distally relative to the hub and into surrounding relationship with the needle cannula. A retainer is provided for releasably holding the shield in a proximal ready-to-use condition relative to the hub and the needle cannula. The retainer may be provided on a fin that extends transversely from the outer tube of the hub. An actuator releases the retainer and enables the shield to be propelled by the spring.

Abstract: A porous membrane is coated with a composition which includes a reconstituted and aggregated extracellular matrix derived from the Englebreth-Holm-Swarm mouse tumor, a polyol and a pH 7.8-8.2 buffer. The coated membrane is dried, affixed to an insert portion of an assembly and received in a well of a multiwell tissue culture plate. The invention includes a method to make the coated membrane.

Abstract: A blood collection bag assembly is provided. The assembly includes a flexible blood collection bag, a length of flexible tubing extending from and communicating with the bag and a connector secured to the end of the flexible tubing remote from the bag. The connector includes a needle pierceable resealable closure secured in sealing engagement with the end of the flexible tubing remote from the bag. The connector can be used with a conventional needle holder, such as the type used to collect specimens of blood into an evacuated tube. The blood collection bag assembly has no sharp components, and hence is safe and easy to use. Additionally, the blood collection bag assembly can be used with conventional evacuated tubes to avoid cut and drip techniques for collecting specimens of blood for analysis.

Abstract: The present invention is a passively shieldable blood collection set. The blood collection set includes a needle cannula, a hub mounted to the needle cannula and a tip guard slidably movable along the needle cannula. The tip guard can be slid into a distal position where the tip of the needle cannula is safely shielded. A collapsible guard drive is mounted to the hub and includes a pair of collapsible leaves extending from the hub to the tip guard. The leaves have a length that enable the tip guard to move into shielding engagement around the tip of the needle cannula, while preventing complete removal of the tip guard from the needle cannula. The leaves are resiliently deformable and can be collapsed onto themselves and onto the hub. The leaves can be retained in their collapsed condition by a packaging cover and subsequently by the grip of a medical practitioner.

Abstract: An automatically shieldable blood collection set is provided. The blood collection set includes a needle assembly having a hub with inner and outer tubes. A needle cannula is fixedly attached to the inner tube. The outer tube is split longitudinal, and a first spring biases the slit into an open orientation. A safety shield is telescoped between the tubes to the hub and the needle cannula and can be moved from a proximal position where the needle cannula is exposed to a distal position where the needle cannula is safely shielded. A second spring is provided between the shield and the hub to propel the shield distally relative to the hub and into surrounding relationship with the needle cannula. However the outer tube can be biased against forces of the first spring to slit and clamp the shield in a fixed position.

Abstract: A resealable barrier closure for a container with an open top and an annular snap ring below the open top. The closure includes a shell having an outer skirt dimensioned to telescope over the open top of the container. The outer skirt has a snap ring for engaging the snap ring on the container. The shell further includes an inner skirt to telescope into the open top of the container. An elastomeric diaphragm is sealingly engaged in the inner skirt. A barrier cup extends across the bottom face of the diaphragm and telescopes upwardly over the inner skin. The barrier cup initially is sealed hermetically to the container and to the plastic shell. The container may be opened by urging the plastic shell upwardly with sufficient force to break the seal between the barrier cup and the container. The container then may be resealed by merely urging the closure back over the open top of the container.

Abstract: An automatically shieldable blood collection set is provided. The blood collection set includes a needle assembly having a hub to which a needle cannula is fixedly attached. The needle hub includes a fin formed with a latch. A safety shield is telescoped relative to the hub and the needle cannula and can be moved from a proximal position where the needle cannula is exposed to a distal position where the needle cannula is safely shielded. The latch on the fin releasably engages the shield when the shield is in the proximal position. A spring is provided between the shield and the hub to propel the shield distally relative to the hub and into surrounding relationship with the needle cannula in response to movement of the latch.

Abstract: An automatically shieldable blood collection set is provided. The blood collection set includes a needle assembly having a hub to which a needle cannula is fixedly attached. A safety shield is telescoped relative to the hub and the needle cannula and can be moved from a first position where the needle cannula is exposed to a second position where the needle cannula is safely shielded. A spring is provided between the shield and the hub to propel at least one of the shield and the hub into the second position. A retainer is provided for releasably holding the shield and the hub in the first position. A resiliently deflectable dorsal fin projects from the hub and through a slot in the shield. The dorsal fin can be deflected to release the retainer and permit the spring to drive the shield end up to the second position. The slot in the shield is configured to lockingly engage the dorsal fin when the shield and the hub are in the second position.