Abstract: A safety introducer for insertion into a vessel of a patient for infusion of fluids into or withdraw of fluids from the vessel. The introducer includes a catheter assembly having a catheter tube attached to a catheter body. The catheter body has an elongated cavity extending therethrough which is in fluid communication with the catheter tube. The introducer further includes a needle assembly having an elongated needle attached to a flexible tube. The flexible tube is in fluid communication with the elongated cavity. The needle assembly is slidably disposed within the elongated cavity such that a proximally directed force exerted on the flexible tube withdraws the needle assembly substantially completely within the elongated cavity.

Abstract: An intravenous catheter introducer assembly having a safety feature to prevent accidental needle sticks. The introducer assembly includes a needle assembly having a groove disposed on its outer surface. The introducer includes a protector made of a hollow member having an open distal end and an inwardly disposed resilient flange or a clip disposed thereon. The protector is coaxially slidably disposed around the needle with the flange abutting the outer surface of the needle and adapted to engage the groove when a catheter assembly is removed from the needle.

Abstract: A humidifier apparatus for operating at an air pressure is disclosed for use with a respiratory therapy breathing apparatus that provides a breathable gas supply to patients requiring higher concentrations of liquid vapor and gas pressure. The humidifier apparatus includes a feed liquid supply bag in fluid communication with a humidifier cartridge via a conduit. The conduit enables air to flow therethrough to equalize air pressure between the humidifier cartridge and the feed liquid supply bag in response to liquid being supplied to the humidifier cartridge.

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for safely inserting of a catheter into a patient and the use of a solid needle. An exemplary apparatus of the present invention includes a needle shaft, which is coupled to a solid needle tip. The needle shaft includes a first end, a second end, and a first dimension. The solid needle tip includes a sharp end and a blunt end, a groove, and a second dimension. The second dimension is greater than the first dimension such that a juncture, which is a step up from the first end, is formed when the needle shaft is coupled to the solid needle tip. The groove runs axially along a surface of said solid needle tip and extends from said sharp end to said blunt end. A catheter is disposed about the needle shaft and the solid needle tip with the solid needle tip protruding from an edge of the catheter. A connector is used to couple the catheter to a safety container, which is partially disposed within a body.

Abstract: A solid blunt and a needle assembly having a solid blunt. The solid blunt helps to prevent accidental needle sticks. In one exemplary embodiment, a solid blunt has an outer dimension (e.g. outer diameter) which is nearly equal to an inner dimension (e.g. inner diameter) of a cannula of a needle which is configured to contain the solid blunt. In one example, the solid blunt substantially blocks fluid flow in a first circumferential portion of an inner diameter of the cannula and allows fluid flow in a second circumferential portion of the inner diameter. The solid blunt is typically capable of longitudinal movement through the cannula and is prevented from moving substantially in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal movement. A needle assembly, in another exemplary embodiment, includes a solid blunt, a cannula and a clip which couples slidably the solid blunt to a frame which is coupled to the cannula.

Abstract: A contrast dispensing system (10) reduces cost by directly connecting a check valve (210) to and between the reservoir inlet port (220) and the mating luer connector (204) of a disposable set (200). A contrast dispensing system (10) includes as part of the reservoir (212) an integrally molded cap (280) having the inlet port (220) and a lateral pipe (300) to confine contrast media (14) therein and disperse it at separate locations (334, 336) within the chamber (260) of reservoir (212). The reservoir (212) may have a vent port (284) with a flip cap (294) for selectively opening or closing same.

Abstract: An intravenous catheter introducer assembly having a safety feature to prevent accidental needle sticks. The introducer assembly includes a needle assembly having a groove disposed on its outer surface. The introducer includes a protector made of a hollow member having an open distal end and a inwardly disposed resilient flange disposed thereon. The protector is coaxially slidably disposed around the needle with the flange abutting the outer surface of the needle and adapted to engage the groove when a catheter assembly is removed from the needle assembly.

Abstract: A catheter and introducer needle assembly having a needle attached to a needle hub, and a enlarged area disposed thereon, and a tubular catheter wherein the introducer needle being coaxially received within the catheter. The device has a hollow catheter hub attached to the catheter and in fluid communication therewith. The catheter hub has an interior having a raised annular rib disposed thereon. The assembly includes a needle tip protector disposed within the catheter hub and including at least one unrestrained radially extending lip disposed distal to the annular rib so as to retain the protector within the hub. The distal end of the protector does not abut against the hub interior. The protector has a proximal opening at the proximal end having an unrestrained size greater than the size of the needle diameter and smaller than the enlarged area such that when the needle is removed from the catheter the protector remains attached to the needle.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and a reagent for the simple and sensitive determination of cholesterol in remnant-like particles in a biological sample without the separation of components of the sample. The method comprises contacting the sample with (i) cholesterol esterase, (ii) cholesterol oxidase or cholesterol dehydrogenase, and (iii) phospholipase in the presence of oxygen or an oxidized coenzyme, and measuring the formed hydrogen peroxide or reduced coenzyme. The reagent comprises (i) cholesterol esterase, (ii) cholesterol oxidase or cholesterol dehydrogenase, and (iii) phospholipase.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel endogenous compound 2-amino-3-[2-(&agr;-mannopyranosyl)indole-3-yl]propionic acid; to a method for testing a biological function by quantitating 2-amino-3-[2-(&agr;-mannopyranosyl)indole-3-yl]propionic acid in a collected biological sample and determining the biological function based on the quantitated values; to an antibody specifically reactive with 2-amino-3-[2-(&agr;-mannopyranosyl)indole-3-yl]propionic acid; to a hybridoma that produces the antibody; to a method for immunologically quantitating 2-amino-3-[2-(&agr;-mannopyranosyl)indole-3-yl]propionic acid in a sample by using the antibody; and to a process for producing a 2-amino-3-[2-(&agr;-mannopyranosyl)indole-3-yl]propionic acid derivative.

Abstract: The present invention provides a simple method for the determination of a specific component, e.g. 1,5-anhydroglucitol (1,5-AG) in a sample containing glucose, and a reagent and a reagent kit useful in the method. In one embodiment, a method for the determination of 1,5-AG is provided which comprises contacting the sample with an enzyme system which converts glucose into fructose-1,6-diphosphate and converts 1,5-AG into 1,5-AG-6-phosphate to form 1,5-AG-6-phosphate, dehydrogenating 1,5-AG-6-phosphate in the sample by the action of 1,5-AG-6-phosphate dehydrogenase in the presence of an oxidized coenzyme, and measuring the amount of the reduced coenzyme formed by the dehydrogenation reaction. A reagent and a reagent kit useful in this method are also provided.

Abstract: The invention relates to an intraluminal implant (1) manufactured from a seamless thin walled metal tube. The inventive device consists of a large number of expandable rings 92). The adjacent rings (2) are connected to each other by one of two extendible rods (4). Each radially expandable ring (2) can consists of one or several bands (3) which can be enlarged. The adjacent bands (3) are connected each other by means of rods (5) extending in an axial direction. The stent is highly flexible; as a result, its longitudinal extension remains practically unchanged when it is enlarged.

Abstract: The present invention provides a simple method for the determination of a specific component, e.g. 1,5-anhydroglucitol (1,5-AG) in a sample containing glucose, and a reagent and a reagent kit useful in the method. In one embodiment, a method for the determination of 1,5-AG is provided which comprises contacting the sample with an enzyme system which converts glucose into fructose-1,6-diphosphate and converts 1,5-AG into 1,5-AG-6-phosphate to form 1,5-AG-6-phosphate, dehydrogenating 1,5-AG-6-phosphate in the sample by the action of 1,5-AG-6-phosphate dehydrogenase in the presence of an oxidized coenzyme, and measuring the amount of the reduced coenzyme formed by the dehydrogenation reaction. A reagent and a reagent kit useful in this method are also provided.

Abstract: This invention provides a monoclonal antibody which recognizes an epitope corresponding to amino acids 10 to 220, amino acids 221 to 297, or amino acids 469 to 662, counting from the N-terminus of a human Mx protein MxA, and specifically reacts with the human Mx protein by western blotting, immunoprecipitation or immunocyte staining, and a hybridoma which produces the antibody. The human Mx protein MxA monoclonal antibody of this invention can be used, for example, in the diagnosis of viral infection.

Abstract: A DNA encoding a cell surface polypeptide of Porphyromonas gingivalis, and a recombinant DNA being a DNA having integrated said DNA thereinto. The cell surface polypeptide of the periodontopathic organism useful for prophylaxis and diagnosis of periodontal diseases can be obtained in a large amount by a microorganism containing the recombinant DNA wherein the DNA was integrated.

Abstract: There are provided peptides (each having 5 to 10 amino acid residues) corresponding to fragments derived from the amino acid sequence of the 41 kD sub-unit protein constituting the fimbriae of Porphyromonas gingivalis, or salts of the peptides. Further provided are compositions for diagnosis of periodontal disease containing them, vaccines for prophylaxis of periodontal disease containing part of them, and the oral compositions for prophylaxis or treatment of periodontal disease containing antibodies obtained by immunizing animals with the peptides.Peptides are provided which are lowered in nonspecific reactivity and can be used more safely for the above compositions, compared to the above protein and peptides therefrom having 20 amino acid residues.