Abstract: A valve for an arterial monitoring set which continuously supplies a small flow of parenteral liquid, such as normal saline, into a patient's artery while arterial pressure is being continuously monitored. The valve has a flow restrictor providing a normally slow continuous flow rate and an elastically distortable tube which is manually squeezable to provide a fast flush rate. The valve is convenient for one hand operation.

Abstract: A self-lubricating fill tube comprises an extended conduit having a coating of hydrophilic polymer extending over at least a portion of an outer surface of the conduit. A method for forming the self-lubricating fill tube comprises preparing the surface of the fill tube by cleaning and irradiating the fill tube with gamma radiation in a dosage of about 0.5 Mrads. The fill tube is immersed in a ethylenically unsaturated monomer solution containing oxidizable metallic ions which initiates polymerization of the monomer onto the exposed surface of the fill tube. The fill tube is removed from the monomer solution leaving a hydrophilic polymer coating on the surface of the fill tube. The polymer coated fill tubes are rinsed with deionized water.

Abstract: Disclosed are cell-free, stable, aqueous blood gas controls containing a proteinaceous foaming agent. The addition of foaming agent to the blood gas control permits generation of a gas impermeable foam within the head space of a sealed ampule in which the control is packaged. Upon agitation of the ampule prior to opening, the foam thus generated effectively isolates the control fluid from the ambient environment, thereby maintaining the concentration of gases dissolved within the fluid at their assigned values.

Abstract: A method for the treatment of glaucoma or lowering intraocular pressure in a mammal, involving topically administering to the eye of such mammal a selectively metabolized beta-blocking compound of the formula: ##STR1## wherein Ar may be substituted or unsubstituted aromatic, Y may be a straight or branched carbon chain or aralkyl, R may be lower alkyl, lower alkenyl, lower alkynyl, aryl, or aralkyl, and x is an integer from 1 to about 3; or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof. Because of a relatively long duration of action of such compounds in ocular fluids and a relatively short duration of action in the systemic circulation, such compounds are useful for the treatment of excessive intraocular pressure without substantial systemic effects.

Abstract: A method for the treatment of glaucoma or lowering intraocular pressure in a mammal, involving topically administering to the eye of such mammal a selectively metabolized beta-blocking compound of the formula ##STR1## wherein R may be lower alkyl, lower alkynyl aryl, or aralkyl; A may be a direct bond, lower alkylenyl, or lower alkenyl; x may be an integer from 1 to 3; Ar may be substituted or unsubstituted aromatic; R.sub.1 may be lower alkyl, lower hydroxy alkyl, lower alkenyl, lower alkynyl, or aralkyl; and pharmaceutically accepted salts thereof. Because of a relatively long duration of action of such compounds in ocular fluids and a relatively short duration of action in the systemic circulation, such compounds are useful for the treatment of excessive intraocular pressure without substantial systemic side effects.

Abstract: An aortic prosthetic valve for supra-annular implantation comprising a valve body of generally annular configuration and a valve element movably mounted on the valve body for opening and closing the valve. The valve body terminates in a generally annular base surface, and a scalloped suture ring circumscribes the valve body adjacent the base surface. The suture ring is configured to approximately fit the contour of the Sinuses of Valsalva at the base of the aorta. The base surface of the valve body is of a wavy configuration and is configured such that it does not project into the annulus at the base of the aorta, and accordingly, the valve body does not interfere with flow through the annulus. The suture ring has three lobes which fit the Sinuses of Valsalva at the base of the aorta. The valve is configured to minimize disruption of the vortices which develop in the Sinuses of Valsalva to assist in closing the valve.

Abstract: A liquid melt becomes converted to crystalline form at a particular temperature either spontaneously or when artificially nucleated. The liquid releases heat at crystallization. If the liquid is in a supercooled state when it begins to crystallize, its temperature will rise from the particular temperature at which it is nucleated.Another liquid material is mixed with the liquid to be crystallized. The liquid additive has properties of forming a metastable solid together with the crystallizing material. When the liquid additive exsolves, the crystalline aggregate is weakened and is easily decomposed into fragments of small size. The liquid additive materials may include monohydric alcohols, diols and triols. The liquid additive material may be included in the liquid to be crystallized, in small amounts, amounts to two percent (2%) to five percent (5%) being typical.

Abstract: A short-acting .beta.-blocking compound of the formula ##STR1## wherein Ar may be substituted or unsubstituted aromatic, Y may be a straight or branched carbon chain or aralkyl, R may be lower alkyl, lower alkenyl, lower alkynyl, aryl or aralkyl, and x is an integer from 1 to about 3; or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

Abstract: An apparatus for use in curing dental restorative materials by means of visible (or ultraviolet) light. High intensity light is transmitted from a light box to the operative site by a fiber-optic cable and a hand-held light wand, the wand having a tip for directing the light towards the polymerizable material at the site of restoration. Proper spacing of the tip from the material to be cured is achieved by a conical shield which also functions to concentrate the light and to immobilize the hand-held wand in relation to the tooth undergoing restoration, without at the same time risking direct contact with and possible marring of the material to be photo-cured. A holder releasably supports the wand until use is required, the holder having a recess for receiving the shielded tip of the wand to protect the patient and others from the dazzling and discomforting effects of misdirected high-intensity light.

Abstract: A method of obtaining fixation of an animal aortic valve intended for implantation, including subjecting the aortic valve to a tanning fluid at a differential pressure across the valve leaflets in a direction to urge the valve leaflets closed and with the tanning fluid tending to distort the aortic valve. The differential pressure across the valve leaflets is greater than zero and less than about four mm Hg. An insert restrains the valve against substantial distortion during the time the valve is subjected to the tanning fluid.

Abstract: A collection tube and method for drawing samples of blood and other biological fluids, such tube having a tip construction effective in promoting the entry of such fluids into the tube and, where the tube is designed to fill by capillary attraction, in enhancing the rate and extent of such action. The fine-bore tube is transparent and is cylindrical in shape with its tip beveled to define an oval planar end surface, the long axis of the oval intersecting a plane normal to the longitudinal axis of the tube at an acute angle within the range of about 35.degree. to 60.degree..

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to a device for use in the analysis of fluid samples and, more particularly, to a self-stacking reagent slide which is especially useful in an automated instrument for carrying out quantitative chemical analysis of biological fluid samples.

Abstract: A mass transfer apparatus for use in hemodialysis and ultrafiltration wherein a semi-permeable membrane is folded to form a stack of accordion pleats and is arranged within a ported housing to form two separate fluid chambers for blood and dialysate. A plurality of discrete planar support members of open-mesh plastic material are associated with the membrane, such support members each being flat and unfolded, and preferably being arranged to provide a pair of such members in superimposed contiguous relation within each pleat only on the dialysate side of the membrane. One of the support members of each contiguous pair has at least one transverse slot which extends the full thickness of that member and in which the plastic material of that member is completely absent. The transverse slot extends away from an edge of the one support member facing towards a blood flow port of the housing and terminates short of the opposite edge of that support member.

Abstract: A liquid transfer device is disclosed which comprises a body having a wall defining a cavity within the body. Two hollow conduits extend from the cavity through the wall and project outwardly from the body. Two resilient tubes extend through the body and are attached in fluid flow communication to each of the hollow conduits. A roller clamp is provided within the cavity of the body for selectively applying or releasing compressive force on the resilient tubes to selectively permit or prevent fluid flow through such resilient tubes. A double lumen needle is attached to the body such that the needle engages the two hollow conduits projecting outwardly from the body. Each lumen within the needle is in fluid flow communication with one of the hollow conduits and thereby one of the resilient tubes. One of the resilient tubes is connected at its distal end to a liquid source to be transferred. The remaining resilient tube is connected at its distal end to a vacuum source.

Abstract: A catheter guide is provided which has a base having a first channel extending thereacross for receiving a catheter. An arcuately extending member extends outwardly from the base. A second channel extends along the arcuately extending member for also receiving a catheter. The first and second channels extending respectively across the base and along the arcuately extending member can be enclosed or partially enclosed for retaining a catheter within the channels and within the catheter guide.

Abstract: An improved radioimmunoassay for the determination of cyclic nucleotides in body fluids which comprises adding a source of divalent cation prior to assay minimizes the effects of both endogenous calcium ion and EDTA used as an anticoagulant in blood plasma samples.

Abstract: A catheter comprising an elongated flexible tube having an elongated passage extending axially through the tube between proximal and distal openings and a helically wound wire engaging the peripheral wall of the tube and providing a portion of the peripheral wall with an uneven contour. The tube includes a radiopaque marker at the distal end of the catheter. The radiopaque marker is molded from a biocompatible metal powder and a thermoplastic binder. The catheter is adapted for use with an angiography catheter, and it is configured to provide automatic orientation of the distal end portion of the catheter as such distal end portion emerges from the distal opening of the angiography catheter.