Abstract: Hydrophobic polymer surfaces whose level of protein binding is less than about 50-80 ng/cm2 are achieved by: (1) applying a coating solution composed of a solvent and a non-ionic surfactant having a HLB number of less than 5 to the surface; and (2) drying the surface to remove the solvent and thereby bring the surfactant into direct contact with the hydrophobic polymer. The combination of a low HLB number and the drying step have been found to produce low binding surfaces which can withstand multiple washes with water and/or protein-containing solutions Alternatively, the low binding surfaces can be produced by applying the non-ionic surfactant to the mold surfaces which contact molten polymer and form the polymer into a desired shape, e.g., into a multi-well plate, a pipette tip, or the like. Further, the low binding surfaces may be produced by incorporating non-soluble, non-ionic surfactants having an HLB number of less than or equal to 10 into a polymer blend prior to molding the article.

Abstract: An aqueous agricultural pesticide composition contains: (a) a water soluble or water dispersible deposition control agent, in an amount effective to provide improved anti-rebound properties and selected from: (i) dextrins and tamarind gums, (ii) derivatized polysaccharide hydrocolloids, except derivatized guars, having a molecular substitution of greater than or equal to about 0.1, (iii) proteinaceous hydrocolloids, (iv) lignins and lignin derivatives, except alkali metal, alkaline earth metal or ammonium lignosulphonates, and (v) lipid polymers, and (b) an effective amount of a pesticide.

Abstract: A method for detecting point mutations or base substitutions in a nucleic acid polymer is especially useful for detecting such mutations in the highest melting domain (HMD) of a double-stranded nucleic acid polymer and is particularly suited for use with RNA. The method involves the steps of:(a) preparing a solution containing a double-stranded nucleic acid polymer comprising a duplex of a single-stranded nucleic acid polymer to be analyzed and a cThe invention described and claimed in this application was made with government support under Grant #DK-38381 awarded by the National Institutes of Health. The U.S. government has certain rights in the invention.