Abstract: A plastic medical article, such as a catheter or blood collection tube, is coated with a crosslinked hydrogel permanently bound to the inside wall of the tube. The hydrophilic surface provided by the hydrogel prevents adherence of blood components to the surface, and the permanent adherence of the hydrogel prevents its removal by blood.

Abstract: A blood gas syringe includes a porous plastic plug having a crosslinked hydrogel affixed to a wall of a passageway of the plug. When a blood sample is taken with the syringe, the incoming sample forces air in the system out through the passageway of the plug until the sample contacts the hydrogel, causing the passageway to seal shut.

Abstract: The present invention is an additive preparation for use in bodily fluid collection devices. The additive preparation has an additive, an organic acid and a metal carbonate compound. The preparation effervesces when in contact with a body fluid sample, thereby efficiently dispersing in a body fluid sample. The formulation is desirably tabulated to provide an effective, easily stored, and handled preparation. However, a binding or bulking agent may be added to the additive preparation formulation to provide binding and lubricating properties to the formulation. A binding agent enables granulating of the formulation without the forming of a pellet.

Abstract: An assembly for collection of a sample of a body fluid from a subject's body of the present invention includes a hollow tube defining an axis with an open end and a closed end. The hollow tube defines a chamber therewithin for receiving a sample of a collected fluid from a subject. The tube has a resilient closure disposed in the open end to close the chamber and to form a seal capable of maintaining a pressure differential between atmospheric pressure and a pressure less than atmospheric pressure within the chamber. The chamber contains an aliquot of an aqueous additive for treating the fluid sample. The chamber also includes a matrix formed from a fibrous material having capillary spaces therein for absorbing the aliquot of the aqueous additive and an aliquot of a water immiscible liquid with a density greater than about 1.07 grams per milliliter to encapsulate the aqueous additive absorbed on the matrix.

Abstract: A multilayered absorbent structure is disclosed. The absorbent structure has a plurality of absorbent planar regions defined by decreasing pore size with increasing depth into the region. Generally, each planar region has an absorbent layer having relatively large average pore sizes at the top, body facing surface, and relatively small average pore sizes at the bottom, garment facing surface. A subsequent absorbent region has a top body facing surface with an average pore size which is larger than the bottom, garment facing surface of the previous absorbent region. The top surface of each subsequent planar region is in fluid communication with the lower surface of the planar region above.

Abstract: A nonwoven fabric having flow control properties suitable for use in a fluid absorbing article such as a diaper, incontinence pad, or the like; and a process for preparation thereof by utilizing unbonded carded staple fiber elements or webs having different average dpf values compiled in graduated order from high-to-low average dpf, then compressed and bonded to a desired constant fabric density.

Abstract: A multilayered absorbent structure is disclosed. The absorbent structure has a plurality of absorbent planar regions defined by decreasing pore size with increasing depth into the region. Generally, each planar region has an absorbent layer having relatively large average pore sizes at the top, body facing surface, and relatively small average pore sizes at the bottom, garment facing surface. A subsequent absorbent region has a top body facing surface with an average pore size which is larger than the bottom, garment facing surface of the previous absorbent region. The top surface of each subsequent planar region is in fluid communication with the lower surface of the planar region above.

Abstract: A core component for use in a fluid-absorbing article, such as a diaper, incontinence pad, catamenial device or the like is described, which core component has a plurality of core zones comprising a zone of vulnerability positioned in said core component for maximum potential exposure to wetting, and at least one additional core zone arranged in an area of reduced potential exposure to initial wetting and in direct or indirect fluid receivable relation from the zone of vulnerability. The zone of vulnerability has a wadding component comprising synthetic fiber of filament and has a greater average pore size and greater average fractional value of fiber volume to fiber surface area than the average pore size and average fractional value of fiber volume to fiber surface area of the wadding component in the at least one additional core zone.

Abstract: A fluid-absorbing article for personal use, such as a diaper or incontinence pad utilizing a core component having a plurality of contiguous zones comprising(a) a zone of vulnerability arranged within said core component for maximum potential exposure to wetting and(b) a plurality of intermediate zones in direct or indirect fluid receivable relation from the zone of vulnerability in areas of reduced potential exposure to initial wetting; the corresponding core component; and a method for increasing fluid receptivity and fluid storage efficiency plus reduced rewet characteristics of core components by use of intermediate zones as described.

Abstract: A nonwoven fabric having flow control properties suitable for use in a fluid absorbing article such as a diaper, incontinence pad, or the like; and a process for preparation thereof by utilizing unbonded carded staple fiber elements or webs having different average dpf values compiled in graduated order from high-to-low average dpf, then compressed and bonded to a desired constant fabric density.

Abstract: Method for controlling delivery of by-products found in cigarette smoke by utilizing a cigarette filter element comprising one or more substrates treated with an effective amount of at least one of (A) zinc chloride, ferrous bromide, calcium bromide, lithium bromide, zinc thiocyanate, sarcosine hydrochloride, manganese sulfate, manganese acetate, magnesium chloride and magnesium acetate; alone or combined with (B) glyceryl triacetate; plus corresponding treated filter element(s) and cigarette(s) utilizing such filter elements(s).

Abstract: A process for improving selective filter retention and pass through properties of cigarette filter elements by treating with polyethyleneimine modified to a predetermined pH range with one or more indicated water soluble organic acids, as a filter modifier composition, and the corresponding filter element and cigarette.

Abstract: Filter element and method for increasing the hardness thereof by contacting filter plug material with effective amounts of (a) a water soluble resin (or copolymer) having available chelate bond-forming chemical groups and (b) a water soluble nontoxic salt, the metal cation of the nontoxic salt forming a chelate bond with the chelate bond-forming chemical groups of said water soluble resin.

Abstract: A method for controlling nicotine delivery through a cigarette filter relative to total particulate pass-through concentration, and the corresponding filter utilizing, as a filter modifier component, at least one water-soluble metal salt of a weak acid, the choice and amount of salt within the filter favoring an alkaline pH exceeding about pH 8, the amount of alkalinity being correlated to the desired amount of nicotine pass-through while corresponding nicotine filter retention properties are keyed to the presence and concentration of a water soluble salt of a strong acid within the filter.

Abstract: Method for controlling delivery of by-products found in cigarette smoke by utilizing a cigarette filter element comprising one or more substrates treated with an effective amount of at least one of (A) zinc chloride, ferrous bromide, calcium bromide, zinc thiocyanate, sarcosine hydrochloride and manganese sulfate; alone or combined with (B) glyceryl triacetate; plus corresponding filter element(s) and cigarette(s) utilizing such filter element(s).