Abstract: A method for detecting a substance in a liquid sample involves precipitating a substance from the liquid sample and filtering it from the liquid sample. The precipitate is then tested for the substance of interest by contacting the precipitate with a dye that forms a visible reaction when exposed to the substance. A releasing agent may be used after filtering the precipitate and prior to testing the precipitate with a dye.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for minimizing the effects of background signals in masking signals indicating the presence of substances to be detected such as contaminants in materials moving rapidly along a conveyor. The contaminants detected may include nitrogen containing compounds and hydrocarbons. The system and method of the present invention minimizes the number of falsely positive indications of the presence of such substances due to background signals and changes in background signals. The substances detected are divided into first and second sample portions and the respective portions are heated. The first heated portion is reacted with ozone to generate radiation by chemiluminescence having characteristic wavelengths related to substances in the first portion. The second portion heated is also reacted with ozone to generate radiation by chemiluminescence having characteristic wavelengths related to substances in the second portion.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for detecting the presence of a vapor of an alkyl ester of phosphoric acid, particularly tributylphosphate, in ambient air. A sample of ambient air is heated to convert any alkyl ester of phosphoric acid to an alkene. The heated sample of air is then passed to a sample loop. Carrier air periodically carries a fixed volume of sample from the sample loop through a chromatographic column to a photoionization detector which detects the presence and amount of the alkene in the sample.

Abstract: A system and method for minimizing the effects of background signals in masking signals indicating the presence of substances to be detected such as contaminants in materials moving rapidly along a conveyor. The contaminants detected may include nitrogen containing compounds and hydrocarbons. The system and method minimize, during detection of the presence or absence of such substances, the number of falsely positive indications of the presence of such substances due to background signals and changes in background signals. The substances detected are divided into first and second sample portions and the respective portions are heated. The first heated portion is mixed with ozone to cause a chemical action therewith in order to generate radiation by chemiluminescence having characteristic wavelengths related to substances in the first portion.

Abstract: A droplet floating apparatus is provided to float a sample without any contact so as to carry out various types of experiments and develop new materials. The droplet floating apparatus includes a liquid sample supply pipe whose distal end is opened to a floating space, to receive supply of a liquid sample to form a droplet at the distal end, a separating device for separating the droplet from the liquid sample supply pipe, and a device for confining the separated droplet in the floating space without ambient contact. The separating device uses a gas to spray a pressurized gas on the droplet, and the confining device uses voltage. The liquid sample supply pipe is periodically vibrated, and the distal end of the liquid sample supply pipe may be diagonally cut away or may be heated. A plurality of liquid sample supply pipes may be mounted to supply a plurality of types of liquid samples. Further, the droplet may be recovered by suction of a droplet recovery pipe, an adsorber, or the like.

Abstract: A detection system for detecting the emission (i.e., the fluorescence or phosphorescence) from a contaminant contained in a sample gas. In order to keep the optics of the system clean and maintain a high signal-to-noise ratio in the detected signal, the detection system contains a housing separated into illumination and sample chambers by an aperture-containing partition. A sample inlet port is connected to the sample chamber, and a purge inlet port is connected to the illumination chamber to direct the purge and sample gasses into their respective chambers. A vacuum system is connected to a vacuum port on the sample chamber to simultaneously draw the sample and purge gasses into their chambers through the inlet ports; the purge gas is then drawn through the aperture and into the sample chamber. Finally, both gasses are drawn out of the sample chamber through the vacuum port.

Abstract: Solid phase ionic calibration standards are disclosed that comprise sparingly and selectively soluble solids. The calibration standards are especially useful in calibration pH electrodes used to monitor weak ionic strength solutions, and permit rapid pH electrode recovery times.

Abstract: A system for determining the concentration of fructosamine in sera which consists of a first reagent in which a tetrazolium salt which reduces all reactive substances in sera including fructosamine and a second reagent which is responsive to all reactive substance in sera other than fructosamine. The difference in color change as between the two allows the determination of concentration of fructosamine.

Abstract: A corrosive environment sensor comprises an elongate metal member having a pair of beam portions, each extending in a length direction between first and second ends of the metal member, and having a crack growth portion formed therein and extending in the length direction of the metal member from a crack starting end toward the second end, wherein the crack starting end is at an intermediate position between the first and second ends of the metal member and is between the pair of beam portions, a changeable load member having an expansible chamber disposed between the beam portion around the first end of the metal member and a means for supplying pressurized fluid to the expansible chamber. The changeable load member applies a load to the crack growth portion and the means for supplying pressurized fluid to the expansible chamber is responsible for ensuring that the displacement of the beam portions is accomplished in such a manner so as to provide a constant stress intensity factor at a crack growing point.

Abstract: Device for the determination of analytes having a sample application point, several separate sample withdrawal zones that are each connected with the sample application point by one capillary transport path and that have several test elements for the individual determination of analytes wherein a retardation zone is provided on at least one of the transport paths. Material for the capillary transport of a liquid sample defines a sample application zone and a plurality of sample withdrawal zones connected to said application zone by a like plurality of transport paths. At least one of said paths has a retardation zone which assures that liquid applied to said application zone arrives simultaneously at said withdrawal zones, regardless of the lengths of the paths.

Abstract: A method and kit are disclosed for recalibrating a factory-prepared relationship between concentration and expected signal R.sub.exp produced by an analyzer. The method and kit use two or three calibrators at the field to obtain an actual signal R.sub.act for the two calibrators C.sub.low and C.sub.high, for example, and these two actual signals are used to create a ratio of R.sub.actlow /R.sub.explow and R.sub.acthigh /R.sub.exphigh. The first of these is used to correct the expected signals for concentrations below the lower calibrator concentration, and the second is used to correct expected signals for concentrations above the higher calibrator concentration, producing pseudosignals PS.sub.low and PS.sub.high. A straight-line relationship is applied between the corrected PS.sub.low and PS.sub.high, and that relationship is used for concentrations between C.sub.low and C.sub.high.

Abstract: A method of, and apparatus for, assessing a characteristic of a fluid, particularly for assessing the degree of contamination of a fluid by a substance which causes the fluid to become progressively less transparent to radiation with increasing contamination, wherein the fluid is introduced into a chamber, and the attenuation of the radiation by passage through the fluid in the chamber at the different parts therein is examined. The invention is particularly applicable to assessment of contamination of a mainly aqueous liquid by blood, and the apparatus comprises a container with walls approaching one another towards one part of the container, and a visible marking such as a pattern and/or graduated scale behind the rear wall of the container to be looked at through the liquid in the container by a user, the arrangement being such that the point where the making becomes invisible to the user provides a measure of the contamination.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an agent for stabilizing blood and comprises an aqueous solution of methacrolein and formaldehyde.

Abstract: Supplying method of powder paints wherein powder paint pellets are manufactured and stored as they are at the manufacture site and, when ordered, they are shipped and transported to the coater, and, at the coater site, they are stocked, and pulverized and classified into a sprayable powder upon powder coating thereby enabling to control the particle size of the powder paint while continuing the powder coating.A powder coating machine therefor pulverizes and classifies powder paint pellets into a sprayable powder at the coater site while continuing powder coating using the pulverized powder paint.

Abstract: A hematology control product comprising leukocyte analogs and an aqueous solution of a plasma substance for use in a blood counting instrument is described. The instrument employs a lytic reagent system for the lysable red blood cells in the control product. The plasma substance is in an amount effective to enable the differentiation of each of said leukocyte analogs relative to the physical attributes of the analogs, said physical attributes of the analog are similar to human leukocytes. Preferably, the plasma substance comprises cholesterol or its derivatives.A method for using the cell suspension media comprising an aqueous solution of a plasma substance is also described. The method provides a quality control to determine whether an instrument is operating within manufacturer's specifications.

Abstract: The rate of a biomolecular reaction, such as an enzymatic reaction or an affinity binding reaction, is measured using electrochemiluminescence ("ECL"). The reaction is conducted in an electrochemical cell with a mixture of reagents including a luminophore which will relate the concentration of a reactant, a reaction partner or the reaction product of a reaction partner to the ECL intensity. The reaction partner is a reagent which reacts with the reactant and which participates with the luminophore (or its reaction product participates with the luminophore) to cause the emission of ECL. The ECL intensity is modulated with a series of electrical pulses which are applied to the mixture of reagents at a preselected potential and for preselected intervals of time and duration. The ECL intensity is measured at the same intervals to provide a timed series of values (P).

Abstract: A method for rapidly collecting kinetic rate data from a temperature scanning reactor for chemical reactions. The method, which is particularly useful for studying catalytic reactions, involves ramping (scanning) of the input temperature to a reactor and recording of output conversion and bed temperature without waiting for isothermal steady state to be established.

Abstract: An instrumentality for promulgating the cryoprecipitation of fibrinogen from a blood product. The instrumentality contemplates a container for the blood product, an apparatus for creating the fibrinogen within the container and a method of manipulating the container within the apparatus and subsequently after fibrinogen has been formed. The apparatus includes a receiver within which the container is supported, a motion transfer device for the receiver to impart motion to the container while simultaneously subjecting the container to a temperature differential to cause heat transfer. The motion imparted to the container results in a thin coating of the blood product being disposed on an interior surface of the container which, in turn, is exposed to a heat transfer fluid through the wall of the container. Successive coatings placed on an interior of the container are timed such that each coating is placed on a previous coating that has changed phase.

Abstract: A combustible gas sensor having a noble metal sensor element with a surface that is heated above a critical temperature at which the surface is able to dissociate oxygen in a gas stream and adsorb the oxygen onto its surface. The adsorbed oxygen present on the noble metal surface enhances the reactivity of the sensor element and permits it to react with combustible gases that otherwise would have little or no affinity for the sensor element. The balance of adsorbed oxygen and combustible gas species on the sensor surface cause a change in an electrical property that is used to determine the presence or identity of a combustible gas, or to derive a concentration measurement.

Abstract: A multipurpose reagent system for rapid analysis of a whole blood sample allowing the determination of at least five classes of peripheral white blood cells, nucleated red blood cells, and lymphocyte immunophenotyping on automated hematology instrumentation. The multipurpose reagent system lyses red cells rapidly, while it concurrently fixes white cells and preserves surface antigens on lymphocytes. The multipurpose reagent system comprises from about 3 to 7 grams per liter of a non-quaternary ammonium salt, from about 0.04 to about 0.10 percent by volume of an aliphatic aldehyde with one to four carbons, from about 10 mM to about 20 mM of a non-phosphate buffer which is inert to the aliphatic aldehyde, and a sufficient amount of water to give a pH between 5.5 and 7.5 and an osmolality of between about 160 to about 310 mOsm per liter.