University of California

University System of Maryland

Magnetus LLC

Other

University of Southern California

Jane F Emerson

David B Chang

James E Drummond

Mohamad Al-Sheikhly

Stephen Anthony Cerwin

Srinivasa R Raghavan

Kunshan Sun

Stuart McNaughton

Sample collection tubes and methods of producing the same are provided. Contemplated collection tubes comprise a tube having a separator substance disposed therein. In some aspects, the separator substance preferably maintains a predetermined flowability during irradiation or heat sterilization, and can subsequently polymerize upon exposure to a UV light or other suitable source.

Separators for blood collection tubes

Sample collection tubes and methods of producing the same are provided. Contemplated collection tubes comprise a tube having a separator substance disposed therein. In some aspects, the separator substance preferably maintains a predetermined flowability during irradiation or heat sterilization, and can subsequently polymerize upon exposure to a UV light or other suitable source. In other aspects, the separator substance preferably includes a soft gel component (thixotropic gel), and a photocurable sealant component that is formulated to polymerize and form a solid barrier between fractions of a liquid.

Composite separators for blood collection tubes

Compositions and methods for separating a sample of whole blood or bone marrow aspirate into a fraction rich in at least one of platelets and pluripotent cells are provided. A sample of whole blood can be centrifuged in a collection tube comprising a separator substance formulated to settle between the PRP fraction and the at least one other fraction. Preferably, centrifugation is completed without substantial activation of platelets. Optionally, the separator substance could be hardened to form a solid barrier that allows removal of all or substantially all of the platelets in the PRP fraction without remixing of the PRP fraction with the at least one other fraction. Transfer devices and methods are also provided in which a sterile sample can be transferred from a separation/preparation container (e.g., vacutainer) to a consumer or other container (e.g., dropper) while maintaining sterility of the sample.

Transfer device

Sterilizable separator tubes and methods of utilization of same are presented. Methods include providing a separator tube containing a separator substance that can be polymerized to a desired hardness following sterilization using radical generating radiation. The separator substance is formulated to have a density between that of the average densities of separable fractions derived from a sample fluid such as blood, and to be flowable. Upon centrifugation of a separator tube containing a fluid sample, the separator substance forms a barrier between the fractions. The barrier subsequently hardens to form a solid barrier when triggered by a suitable energy source.

Sterilizable photopolymer serum separator

Methods of producing collection tubes are presented. The methods include providing a separator substance that can rapidly polymerize in a short time to a desired hardness and disposing the separator substance within the lumen of the tube. The separator substance is formulated to have a density between an average density of a serum fraction of whole blood and a cell-containing fraction of whole blood, and to be flowable with whole blood. Upon centrifugation of a tube having blood, the separator substance forms a barrier between the whole blood fractions. The tube and barrier maintain stability of one or more analyte levels, including potassium and glucose, within 10% of their initial values before centrifugation for at least four days.

Collection tubes apparatus, systems, and methods

Contemplated compositions and methods allow for in-situ formation of a rigid seal layer in a blood collection tube between a cell-depleted phase and a cell-enriched phase. Preferably, the seal layer is formed upon brief UV irradiation and comprises an acrylate, a methacrylate, an epoxy, a urethane, and/or a thiol-ene polymer.

Polymers for use in centrifugal separation of liquids

Collection tubes apparatus, systems and methods

Methods of producing collection tubes are presented. The methods include providing a separator substance that can rapidly polymerize in a short time to a desired hardness and disposing the separator substance within the lumen of the tube. The separator substance is formulated to have a density between an average density of a serum fraction of whole blood and a cell-containing fraction of whole blood, and to be flowable with whole blood. Upon centrifugation of a tube having blood, the separator substance forms a barrier between the whole blood fractions. The barrier rapidly hardens forming a solid barrier when triggered by a suitable energy source.

A time-reversal mirroring electromagnetic acoustic treatment system is disclosed where electro-magnetic signals are directed to a region of interest in or on a patient. The EM signals induce an internally sourced acoustic signal due to variations in conductivity of the target tissue. Acoustic data representative of the induced acoustic signal are collected and analyzed to develop a model of a measured conductivity topology representing the conductivity topology of the target tissue. Measured parameters associated with the measured conductivity topology and derived from the acoustic data can be used to generate a time-reversed mirror acoustic treatment signal that can be used to apply a therapeutic treatment to a target tissue within the region of interest.

Time-reversed mirroring electro-magnetic acoustic treatment system

Methods for using a centrifuge are presented. A vessel containing a sample and a separator substance is placed within a centrifuge. Upon sufficient centrifugation, the sample separates into two or more fractions separated by the separator substance. The centrifuge exposes the separator substance to a sufficient energy to polymerize the separator substance to produce a hardened barrier between the fractions.

Centrifuge with polymerizing energy source

Contemplated whole blood separators tubes include a curable composition with a density intermediate to the density of serum and the cell-containing fraction. After centrifugation, the curable composition is located between the serum and the cell-containing fraction and preferably irradiated with UV light to initiate a curing reaction in which the curable composition solidifies to a barrier that is immobilized and resistant to breakdown at freezing temperatures and extended storage.

Growing community of inventors

Irvine, CA, United States of America

Jane F Emerson