Abstract: A pipet provides for dispensing a fluid medium into an open-ended collection container including an improved dripless tip. The pipet includes a tip body with a cross shaped passage structure that spans the length of the tip body. This cross shaped passage structure is designed to contact the liquid medium that passes into the tip and onto the open distal end of the tip and prevent unwanted dripping therefrom.

Abstract: A vessel is disclosed that is useful for collecting a sample of a body fluid and, when subjected to centrifugation, separating the sample into a higher specific gravity phase and a lower specific gravity phase. The vessel of the invention includes an elongate tube that has an open end, a closed end and a sidewall. The sidewall has an outside surface and an inside surface and defines a receptacle with a central axis. The vessel has a closure disposed to fit the open end of the tube thereby sealing the receptacle. The vessel also includes an elongate separator releasably positioned at the open end of the tube that has a resilient top portion an elongate lower portion. The elongate lower portion has an axial passage therethrough. The top portion is sized to fit releaseably within the receptcle with an interference fit against the inside surface. When the vessel is subject to axial centrifugal force, the separator moves a distance axially from the open end toward the closed end.

Abstract: A medication delivery pen includes a housing having an actuator disposed in the proximal end of the housing for setting and administering a dosage of medication, a medication-containing cartridge assembly having a cartridge with a pierceably sealed distal end, an open proximal end removably attachable to the distal end of the housing, and a piston in sliding, fluid tight engagement within the cartridge. A drive mechanism is coupled between the actuator and the cartridge to exert an axial force on the piston to inject the set dosage of medication. The actuator triggers the drive mechanism to administer the injection of medication held in the cartridge and a processor is coupled to the actuator to determine a value equal to the dosage set by the actuator.

Abstract: Amplification primers and methods for specific amplification and detection of a P1 target are disclosed. The primer-target binding sequences are useful for amplification and detection of Mycoplasma pneumoniae target in a variety of amplification and detection reactions.

Abstract: The invention provides purified ACT-4 receptor polypeptides, antibodies against these polypeptides and nucleic acids encoding ACT-4 receptor polypeptides. Also provided are methods of diagnosis and treatment using the same. ACT-4 receptors are preferentially expressed on the surface of activated CD4+ T-cells. ACT-4 receptors are usually expressed at low levels on the surface of activated CD8+ cells, and are usually substantially absent on resting T-cells, and on monocytes and B-cells (resting or activated). An exemplary ACT-4 receptor, termed ACT-4-h-1, has a signal sequence, an extracellular domain comprising three disulfide-bonded intrachain loops, a transmembrane domain, and an intracellular domain.

Abstract: A catheter introducer is disclosed having a splittable introducer and an introducer needle. The splittable introducer includes a pair of wings and a tray with an open top extending from the proximal end of the introducer cannula between the wings to lead the distal end of a long, thin and flexible medical device into the open proximal end of the splittable introducer cannula.

Abstract: A protected peelable introducer for insertion into an anatomical passageway such as a vein or artery. The introducer comprises a needle assembly having a U-wing member and a stylet in fluid communication with the U-wing member that defines a sharpened distal tip. Additionally, the introducer includes a protective sheath cooperatively engaged to the U-wing member of the needle assembly. The sheath is movable relative to the U-wing member from a non-operative position whereat the distal tip is exposed to an operative position whereat the distal tip is covered by the sheath. Furthermore, the sheath is separable into two halves such that when the needle assembly is divided into two halves, the sheath covers the sharpened distal tips of the separated stylet. Therefore, upon separation of the needle assembly, the sheath protects health care workers from inadvertent needle sticks caused by the sharpened distal tip of the stylet.

Abstract: An epidural needle is provided with a curved distal end to facilitate placement of a catheter into the epidural space of a spine. The distal end is further characterized by a primary bevel aligned to the longitudinal axis of the epidural needle at an angle of approximately 10°. A secondary bevel also is provided at the extreme distal end of the needle. The secondary bevel is aligned to the longitudinal axis of the needle at an angle of between 60°-80°. The curve, the primary bevel and the secondary bevel all are symmetrical about common plane passing through the longitudinal axis of the needle. The secondary bevel aligned at an angle of 60°-80° to the longitudinal axis provides a sufficiently sharp point to penetrate easily into the epidural space, but provides sufficient blunting to avoid inadvertent damage to the dura matter.

Abstract: Clean syringe barrels from forming device immediately transferred to a controlled environment to maintain a clean work area. The work area can be a clean room or localized area to avoid the need to maintain cleanliness levels in an entire room. A localized area uses a housing assembly having a HEPA filter coupled to an air inlet to filter the air entering the housing. An air blower is coupled to the air inlet to feed filtered air into the housing assembly and to maintain a positive air pressure in the housing assembly to prevent unfiltered outside air from entering. Syringe tip closures can be introduced into the housing assembly, where syringe barrels and tip closures are cleaned with filtered ionized air and the tip closures are coupled to the barrels. A thin coating of lubricant is applied to the inner surfaces of the syringe barrels. The syringe barrels or medical container can be filled with a substance and a closure member is attached.

Abstract: Peripheral blood leucocytes incubated with a semi-synthetic phage antibody library and fluorochrome-labeled CD3 and CD20 antibodies were used to isolate human single chain Fv antibodies specific for subsets of blood leucocytes by flow cytometry. Isolated phage antibodies showed exclusive binding to the subpopulation used for selection or displayed additional binding to a restricted population of other cells in the mixture. At least two phage antibodies appeared to display hithereto unknown staining patterns of B lineage cells. This approach provides a subtractive procedure to rapidly obtain human antibodies against known and novel surface antigens in their native configuration, expressed on phenotypically defined subpopulations of cells. Importantly, this approach does not depend on immunization procedures or the necessity to repeatedly construct phage antibody libraries.

Abstract: A kit containing all the materials needed to take a blood sample from a neonatal patient, a pediatric patient, a juvenile patient or an adult patient. The materials are supplied in a plastic package suitable for sterilization.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods in which ion exchange resins are used to reduce the amount of substances which interfere with nucleic acid hybridization in samples. The methods also stabilize the samples. Kits containing the ion exchange resins render the methods convenient to use.

Abstract: Detector nucleic acids are employed for detection of nucleic acid target sequences by fluorescence quenching mechanisms. The detector nucleic acid comprises at least two oligonucleotides and is partially single-stranded and partially double-stranded. One of the two dyes of a donor/acceptor dye pair is linked to the first oligonucleotide and the other is linked to a second oligonucleotide such that they are in close spatial proximity when the first and second oligonucleotides are base-paired and donor fluorescence is quenched. A single second oligonucleotide may be hybridized to the first oligonucleotide or multiple second oligonucleotides may be hybridized to the first oligonucleotide and to each other, forming a junction structure comprising multiple donor/acceptor dye pairs. The detector oligonucleotide retains its partially single-stranded and partially double-stranded conformation in the absence of target.

Abstract: Amplification primers and methods for specific amplification and detection of a pertussis toxin promoter target are disclosed. The primer-target binding sequences are useful for amplification and detection of Bordetella pertussis target in a variety of amplification and detection reactions.