Provide is a blood collection container capable of suppressing the occurrence of blood clots involving bubbles when blood containing heparin is coagulated, and capable of suppressing the production of fibrin in serum after separation when blood containing heparin is separated into serum and blood clots. A blood collection container according to the present invention includes: a blood collection container main body having an opening at one end thereof and a closed bottom at the other end thereof; a serine protease disposed in the blood collection container main body; and a heparin neutralizing agent disposed in the blood collection container main body, wherein when a region in which the serine protease is disposed is defined as a first region, and a region in which the heparin neutralizing agent is disposed is defined as a second region, the second region includes a region present on an other end side with respect to an end on the other end side of the first region.

The present invention provides a method and means useful for recovering an extracellular vesicle. More specifically, the present invention provides the following (I) and (II).

(I) A method for recovering extracellular vesicle, the method including: (1) mixing whole blood with a nonionic surfactant and a chelating agent to give a mixture solution containing the extracellular vesicle, the nonionic surfactant and the chelating agent; and (2) separating the extracellular vesicle from the mixture solution.

(II) A blood collection vessel containing a nonionic surfactant and a chelating agent.

The present invention provides a method and means useful for recovering an extracellular vesicle. More specifically, the present invention provides the following (I) and (II).

(I) A method for recovering extracellular vesicle, the method including: (1) mixing whole blood with a nonionic surfactant and a chelating agent to give a mixture solution containing the extracellular vesicle, the nonionic surfactant and the chelating agent; and (2) separating the extracellular vesicle from the mixture solution.

(II) A blood collection vessel containing a nonionic surfactant and a chelating agent.

A medical syringe useful for administering an injection or withdrawing a bodily fluid, the syringe comprising a barrel, plunger assembly and a needle assembly having a selectively retractable needle, the plunger assembly further comprising a plunger handle with a plunger seal and a front tip extending forwardly of the plunger seal to extend through the barrel and into the an annular fluid seal disposed in a recess between the barrel and a forwardly projecting needle, thereby reducing dead space inside the syringe and helping anchor the annular fluid seal inside the recess.

A hand-held applicator (10) for collecting, mixing, diluting and discharging a sample liquid, comprising a main body (20) having an inlet-aperture (24), an outlet-aperture (26) and a chamber (22) for storing a liquid solution, wherein the chamber is connected to the inlet-aperture and the outlet-aperture, a lid (12) for covering the inlet-aperture and a tube (40), moveably supported in the inlet-aperture when the lid is covering the upper portion of the main body, wherein the tube (40) is moveable between a predetermined position outside the chamber and a position, in which the tube is at least partly located in the chamber.

An apparatus comprises a diffuser, a connection tube section forming a tubular fluid passage, a first indicating element section that indicates a measurement related to a body fluid disposed between a distal end and the connection tube section, a second indicating element section that indicates that the first indicating element section is suitable for use, and a housing having a generally tubular body. The diffuser is at least partially disposed in the generally tubular body. A fluid chamber adapted to receive fluid is cooperatively defined by the housing and the diffuser. The first indicating element section is visibly disposed in a first section of the housing. The second indicating element section is disposed within the fluid chamber. A micro-needle collector to draw the fluid from a source to the distal end is attachable to the distal end.

A syringe for obtaining a target volume of blood is presented. The syringe (1) comprises a barrel (2), wherein a plunger (4) is arranged within the barrel (2) to be displaceable along a displacement direction (X). Furthermore the barrel (2) and the plunger (4) together provide for a first stop (20) and second stop (22), wherein the first stop (20) is configured for positioning a filter (100) at a predetermined location along the displacement direction (X) thereby defining a target volume of blood and a buffer volume. Moreover, the second stop (22) is configured to stop the plunger (4) from expelling more than the buffer volume from the syringe (1) for obtaining the target volume of blood when the plunger (4) is pushed towards the distal end (30) of the syringe (1) along the displacement direction (X). In addition, the syringe (1) facilitates that the syringe (1) fills itself with the target volume of blood by a self-filling procedure using blood that is under pressure, like arterial blood, and using the filter (100) located in the plunger (4).

Methods for obtaining a sample from a subject include providing a sample collection room. Samples may be small, e.g., a finger-stick. A method is provided for sample collection comprising: obtaining, in a sample collection room, a sample from said body part of said subject; monitoring activity in the sample collection room using at least two motion capture devices positioned to view a field of interest in the sample collection room; and alerting a technician performing the sample collection if a non-conforming action by the technician is detected by at least one of the motion capture devices.

Improvements in and relating to blood sampling devices A blood sampling device includes a housing and a lancet supporting a lancet needle or tip, the lancet and needle being urged or urgeable in a pricking direction. A trigger mechanism is moveable to a fire position for releasing the lancet to travel in the pricking direction. A removable safety cap initially covers the lancet needle. The lancet has an initial position in which movement of the trigger mechanism to its fire position is blocked and an intermediate position in which the trigger mechanism may be moved to its fire position. The intermediate position is obtainable only on removal of the safety cap.

Described here are meters and methods for sampling, transporting, and/or analyzing a fluid sample. The meters may include a meter housing and a cartridge. In some instances, the meter may include a tower which may engage one or more portions of a cartridge. The meter housing may include an imaging system, which may or may not be included in the tower. The cartridge may include one or more sampling arrangements, which may be configured to collect a fluid sample from a sampling site. A sampling arrangement may include a skin-penetration member, a hub, and a quantification member.