Abstract: The disclosure describes a check valve comprising a structure for channeling a flow of a first fluid and first and second porous elements for permitting flow of the first fluid and substantially preventing flow of a second fluid. The first and second porous elements extend across the channeling structure, engaging and sealing against the channeling structure to define a pocket between the first and second porous elements. The pocket contains the second fluid.

Abstract: A diagnostic device is provided comprising a housing including a chamber having one portion open to the exterior of the housing and another portion which is closed to the exterior of the housing; a porous structure, such as a hydrophilic membrane, having at least one wettable layer, disposed across the open portion of the chamber and hermetically sealed to the housing; a valve in a wall of the housing; and a means for increasing the volume of the closed portion of the chamber to thereby decrease the pressure within the closed portion of the chamber such that after the wettable layer is wetted, the diagnostic device is capable of maintaining a pressure differential across the porous structure after the volume of the closed portion of the chamber has been increased by the volume increasing means to create a pressure differential across the porous structure.

Abstract: A diagnostic test device for detecting the presence of a component in a liquid sample comprises a liquid impervious receptacle vented by a liquophobic element. The receptacle houses an absorbent which contacts and draws liquid through a microporous reaction medium, gas being displaced from the absorbent during the liquid absorption. The liquophobic element vents the displaced gas while ensuring the containment of liquids within the receptacle. The diagnostic test device may also comprise a cover having an aperture communicating with the microporous medium for the application of liquids thereon while providing a liquid impervious seal with a wall of the receptacle. The cover may also force the microporous medium into positive contact with the absorbent to promote absorption.

Abstract: A device for reducing the amount of particulate contaminant in a liquid is provided which includes a hollow elongate member having first and second openings and filter means, preferably depth filter means, positioned in the elongate member, the filter means in combination with the elongate member defining a reservoir between the filter means and the first opening. The device is intended to be used with means associated with the first opening for generating a pressure differential between the interior of the elongate member and the exterior thereof whereby a liquid containing particulate contaminant may be introduced into the reservoir in the elongate member through the second opening, particulate contaminant being trapped within the filter means and a liquid with a reduced particulate contaminant may be removed from the elongate member through the second opening.

Abstract: A method of reducing the adhesion of bubbles to the surfaces of a medical administration set with which a parenteral liquid comes in contact prior to its introduction into a patient by treating the surfaces of the medical administration set with which the liquid comes in contact to increase the critical surface tension thereof prior to contacting the surfaces of the medical administration set with the liquid, preferably by radiation grafting with a solution of a monofunctional monomer compound.

Abstract: A multiwell plate suitable for use in a spectrometer which uses a vertical beam of light comprising a first plate having a plurality of wells for receiving sample, wherein the wells have transparent bottom surfaces to allow for the transmission of a vertical beam of light, and a unitary insert comprising a biochemically compatible microporous surface capable of binding biological materials shaped to fit into at least one well of the plate without interfering with the vertical beam of light.

Abstract: Filter and method for filtering bacteria-laden saliva droplets and aerosols from human breath particularly suitable for use in pulmonary function testing where a low pressure drop is required. A relative large pore filter medium is oriented at a large angle relative to the overall flow through the filter such that both larger droplets and smaller aerosols impact and are retained on the filter medium.

Abstract: A diagnostic test device is provided including a plate having at least one well, preferably a plurality of wells, each with an open bottom across which a composite membrane comprising three layers is placed, with a hydrophobic, liquid-tight seal provided at the periphery of each well. The composite membrane from the top of upstream side to the bottom or downstream side, in sequence, includes a first reaction or filtration layer formed from a thin, liquophilic, microporous membrane, a second or sealing layer, preferably a hydrophobic material in sheet or fiber form, such as nonwoven polypropylene fibers, and a liquophobic, preferably hydrophobic, barrier layer having one or more apertures which allows liquid to exit the well while eliminating lateral migration of a pendant liquid drop. The liquophobic seal provided by the liquophobic sealing layer eliminates "cross-talk" by lateral diffusion or wicking.

Abstract: A diagnostic device is provided comprising a housing including a chamber having one portion open to the exterior of the housing and another portion which is closed to the exterior of the housing with a porous structure such as a hydrophilic membrane disposed across the open portion of the chamber and hermetically sealed to the housing such that after the wettable layer is wetted, the pressure in the closed portion of the chamber of the device can be reduced so that fluid is drawn through the porous structure into the closed portion or interior of the chamber.

Abstract: A unit is provided comprising a filter assembly, a cap and connector assembly to substantially reduce the risk of contaminants entering the flow of material delivered to a patient. The cap and connector assembly portion protects an administration kit from contamination during the priming of the kit. A first portion of the cap closes off the material flow route through the connector, but can be removed by tearing it away from the second portion at a weak area, opening the flow route and allowing the administration kit to be primed. As the system is primed, the second portion of the cap protects the outer surface of the connector. After the administration set has been primed, the second portion of the cap is removed, exposing the outer walls of the connector for mating with a complementary connector. The housing includes three ports for material flow.

Abstract: A cardiotomy reservoir for separating air from blood including a housing having top, bottom and side walls and defining upper and lower cylindrical chambers. A defoaming element comprising an annulus of sponge material is disposed in the upper end of said lower chamber and extends around the periphery of the housing. The upper chamber includes a channel for directing blood to the sponge annulus whereby the blood flows through the latter to the lower chamber, the sponge annulus including an antifoaming agent for causing air bubbles in the blood to coalesce and form larger air bubbles as the blood flows through the sponge annulus. A passage is disposed between the sponge annulus and the upper chamber whereby large air bubbles exit the sponge annulus and move through the passage to the upper chamber where air but not blood is vented automatically to the atmosphere through a hydrophobic membrane.

Abstract: A blood filter such as may be used in a cordiopulmonary bypass system includes a housing having upper and lower chambers with a cylindrical filter element disposed in the lower chamber. The inlet to the housing is in the upper chamber, which is upstream of the lower chamber, and the outlet is through the lower chamber and communicates with the interior of the filter element. Thus, blood enters the upper chamber and flows to the lower chamber where it passes through the filter element from the outer side to the interior to remove microemboli such as gas bubbles, fat emboli and agglomerates, the filtered blood exiting through the outlet. In order to remove a substantial amount of the gas in the blood, and particularly gross bubbles, upstream of the filter element, the upper chamber is cylindrical and the inlet directs the blood tangentially to flow around the periphery of the chamber.

Abstract: A filter assembly is provided comprising a housing; a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet in the housing, each opening into a fluid chamber; and, disposed in the fluid chamber across the line of fluid flow from the inlet to the outlet so that all flow from the fluid inlet to the fluid outlet must pass therethrough, a filter element composite comprising a filter sheet material sandwiched between layers of foraminous spacer sheet material. The filter element composite has an upstream side and a downstream side and separates the chamber into a first portion on one side of the filter element composite communicating with the fluid inlet, and a second portion on the other side of the filter element composite communicating with the fluid outlet.