Abstract: A cart is provided for hauling sport fence panels for setting up a temporary outfield boundary for softball and baseball fields. The cart has laterally extending fence panel supports sized to haul enough fence panels to set up an entire field in one trip with the cart. The cart is manufactured in a modular form such that it can be readily and easily disassembled to make it shippable to a customer in a small, compact package. The assembled cart can be moved about a ball field using a lawn tractor, ATV, UTV or other vehicle as is found in grounds-keeping. The cart is light enough, even when loaded with panels, to be hand towed about a field.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a measurement of a flow by the use of Doppler ultrasound, and in particular, by analyzing the spectrum of the reflected ultrasonic signal. The reflected signal is mixed electronically with the transmitted signal in a product detector, demodulator or similar component (250) to produce a signal that is shifted in frequency. In another embodiment, the method includes analyzing the spectrum (280, 300) of the reflected ultrasonic beams by performing the step of: (a) determining a maximum frequency of the detector output signal which is representative of a maximum particle velocity; and (b) calculating a total flow of the particles based on the maximum particle velocity.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus are provided for preventing retrograde flow of fluid, e.g., blood products, into a source of sterile substitution fluid (50). The apparatus of the present invention includes a controllable pinch valve member (110) that is placed on a section of a conduit (90) which carries sterile substitution fluid to an extracorporeal circuit (30). In one embodiment, control over the valve member (110) is based on a control unit (120) using fluid pressures that are sensed upstream and downstream of the valve member (110) by upstream sensor (121) and downstream pressure (122) respectively. The valve member (110) is preferably opened only when the upstream pressure is greater than the downstream pressure. This assures that the substitution fluid flows only in a single direction when the pinch valve member (110) completely occludes the conduit (90) when in a closed position. Therefor, blood will not contaminate the sterile fluid by being drawn into the conduit (90) due to pressure differences.

Abstract: A hemodiafiltration/hemofiltration cartridge is preferably formed of a single cartridge providing multi-stage hemofiltration and hemodiafiltration defined by a first hemodiafiltration stage having first filtering elements and a second hemofiltration stage having second filtering elements. Both stages are contained in a single cartridge. The cartridge can be used in a mid-dilution scheme, a pre-dilution scheme or a post-dilution scheme.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for generating sterile infusion fluid from non-sterile infusion fluid produced by a machine. In one embodiment, the sterile infusion fluid is produced by a sterile fluid generating device that is an ancillary device designed to operate in conjunction with the existing machine. For example, the sterile fluid generating device is used in conjunction with a dialysis machine according to one embodiment resulting in sterile infusion fluid being produced.

Abstract: In a blood dialysis system including a source of substitution fluid (10) and a blood dialysis machine, a hemodiafiltration system having a first dialyzer (1) including a first blood compartment (4) having a first blood inlet which receives blood to be cleaned and a first blood outlet which discharges partially diafiltered blood and a first dialysate compartment (5) having a first dialysate inlet and a first dialysate outlet, means (8) for mixing the partially diafiltered blood with substitution fluid from the source to obtain a blood/substitution fluid mixture, and a second hemofilter (2) including a second blood compartment (11) having a second blood inlet which receives the blood/substitution fluid mixture and a second blood outlet which discharges filtered blood and a second permeate compartment (12) having a second permeate outlet.

Abstract: A dual-stage system and methods for using the same include first and second filtration cartridges is provided and is particularly suited for hemodiafiltration and/or hemodialysis. As fluid enters the first filtration cartridge, the hydroxyl ion concentration and hence pH is increased by exposing it to either a strong base or a salt of a weak acid across a filter membrane. This stage allows for improved removal of certain toxins in the fluid, such as protein-bound substances that disassociate more readily from proteins at higher pH. As the filtered fluid enters the second filtration cartridge, the pH of the fluid is restored to normal levels prior to infusion to a patient.

Abstract: This invention provides a method and apparatus for a hemodiafiltration delivery module that is used in conjunction with a UF controlled dialysis machine to enable hemodiafiltration therapy to be performed. The advantage is that one can fully utilize a current functioning dialysis machine to perform a hemodiafiltration therapy as opposed to purchasing a completely new machine that offers this capability.

Abstract: A dual-stage system and methods for using the same include first and second filtration cartridges is provided and is particularly suited for hemodiafiltration and/or hemodialysis. As fluid enters the first filtration cartridge, the hydroxyl ion concentration and hence pH is increased by exposing it to either a strong base or a salt of a weak acid across a filter membrane. This stage allows for improved removal of certain toxins in the fluid, such as protein-bound substances that disassociate more readily from proteins at higher pH. As the filtered fluid enters the second filtration cartridge, the pH of the fluid is restored to normal levels prior to infusion to a patient.

Abstract: A dual-stage system and methods for using the same include first and second filtration cartridges is provided and is particularly suited for hemodiafiltration and/or hemodialysis. As fluid enters the first diafiltration cartridge, the hydrogenion concentration (pH) is reduced by exposing it to an acidic solution such as citric acid across a filter membrane. This stage allows for improved removal of certain toxins in the fluid, such as protein-bound substances that disassociate more readily from proteins at lower pH. As the filtered fluid enters the second filtration cartridge, the pH of the fluid is restored to normal levels prior to infusion to a patient.

Abstract: Abstract: A hemodiafiltration/hemofiltration cartridge (10) is provided and is preferably formed of a single cartridge providing multi-stage hemofiltration and hemodiafiltration defined by a first hemodiafiltration stage (13) having first filtering elements (16) and a second hemofiltration stage (14) having second filtering elements (15), both stages being provided in the single cartridge. The present cartridge can be employed in one of a mid-dilution scheme, a pre-dilution scheme and a post-dilution scheme.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus are provided for preventing retrograde flow of fluid, e.g., blood products, into a source of sterile substitution fluid (50). The apparatus of the present invention includes a controllable pinch valve member (110) that is placed on a section of a conduit (90) which carries sterile substitution fluid to an extracorporeal circuit (30). In one embodiment, control over the valve member (110) is based on a control unit (120) using fluid pressures that are sensed upstream and downstream of the valve member (110) by upstream sensor (121) and downstream pressure (122) respectively. The valve member (110) is preferably opened only when the upstream pressure is greater than the downstream pressure. This assures that the substitution fluid flows only in a single direction when the pinch valve member (110) completely occludes the conduit (90) when in a closed position. Therefor, blood will not contaminate the sterile fluid by being drawn into the conduit (90) due to pressure differences.

Abstract: A dual-stage filtration cartridge is provided. The cartridge can be embodied as a mid-dilution hemodiafiltration cartridge or a redundant sterilization filtration cartridge. The cartridge includes a housing having a first end and an opposing second end. The housing has a primary fluid inlet and outlet at the first end of the cartridge. The housing also defines first and second filtration stages with the first filtration stage including first filtering elements disposed between the first and second ends of the housing. Each stage has a separate inter-lumen fiber space, but shares a common extra-lumen space. The primary fluid inlet communicates with the first filtering elements at the first end so that fluid flows through the first filtering elements toward the second end. The second filtration stage includes second filtering elements disposed between the first and second ends of the housing with the fluid outlet communicating with the second filtering elements at the first end.

Abstract: In a blood dialysis system including a source of substitution fluid (10) and a blood dialysis machine, a hemodiafiltration system having a first dialyzer (1) including a first blood compartment (4) having a first blood inlet which receives blood to be cleaned and a first blood outlet which discharges partially diafiltered blood and a first dialysate compartment (5) having a first dialysate inlet and a first dialysate outlet, means (8) for mixing the partially diafiltered blood with substitution fluid from the source to obtain a blood/substitution fluid mixture, and a second hemofilter (2) including a second blood compartment (11) having a second blood inlet which receives the blood/substitution fluid mixture and a second blood outlet which discharges filtered blood and a second permeate compartment (12) having a second permeate outlet.

Abstract: The present invention provides a hemodialysis or hemodiafiltration system and method using two dialyzer stages (122, 138), wherein the temperature of a dialysate fluid stream of the first cartridge (122) is increased such that the blood in the first cartridge (122) is dialyzed or diafiltered at an elevated temperature, while blood in the second cartridge (138) is dialyzed or diafiltered against a dialysate stream at normal blood temperature. This results in an increased solute diffusivity and a corresponding increase in removal of blood substances by diffusion. When diafiltration is performed, an additional removal of substances occurs by convection as a larger portion of plasma water from a blood compartment (142) can be filtered across a semi-permeable membrance (140) at the same transmembrane pressure due to the reduced viscosity of the heated blood and plasma water.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for generating sterile infusion fluid from non-sterile infusion fluid produced by a machine. In one embodiment, the sterile infusion fluid is produced by a sterile fluid generating device that is an ancillary device designed to operate in conjunction with the existing machine. For example, the sterile fluid generating device is used in conjunction with a dialysis machine according to one embodiment resulting in sterile infusion fluid being produced.

Abstract: A dual-stage filtration system and methods for using the same include first and second filtration cartridges (122, 138) particularly suited for hemodiafiltration and/or hemodialysis As fluid enters the first filtration carridge (122), the hydrogenion concentration (pH) is reduced by exposing it to an acidic solution such as citric acid across a filter membrane (124). This stage allows for improved removal of certain toxins in the fluid, such as protein-bound substances that disassociate more readily from proteins at a lower pH.

Abstract: The present invention provides a hemodialysis or hemodiafiltration system and method using two dialyzer stages (122, 138), wherein the temperature of a dialysate fluid stream of the first cartridge (122) is increased such that the blood in the first cartridge (122) is dialyzed or diafiltered at an elevated temperature, while blood in the second cartridge (138) is dialyzed or diafiltered against a dialysate stream at normal blood temperature. This results in an increased solute diffusivity and a corresponding increase in removal of blood substances by diffusion. When diafiltration is performed, an additional removal of substances occurs by convection as a larger portion of plasma water from a blood compartment (142) can be filtered across a semi-permeable membrane (140) at the same transmembrane pressure due to the reduced viscosity of the heated blood and plasma water.

Abstract: This invention provides a method and apparatus for a hemodiafiltration delivery module that is used in conjunction with a UF controlled dialysis machine to enable hemodiafiltration therapy to be performed. The advantage is that one can fully utilize a current functioning dialysis machine to perform a hemodiafiltration therapy as opposed to purchasing a completely new machine that offers this capability.

Abstract: A dual-stage filtration cartridge is provided. The cartridge can be embodied as a mid-dilution hemodiafiltration cartridge or a redundant sterilization filtration cartridge. The cartridge includes a housing having a first end and an opposing second end. The housing has a primary fluid inlet and outlet at the first end of the cartridge. The housing also defines first and second filtration stages with the first filtration stage including first filtering elements disposed between the first and second ends of the housing. Each stage has a separate inter-lumen fiber space, but shares a common extra-lumen space. The primary fluid inlet communicates with the first filtering elements at the first end so that fluid flows through the first filtering elements toward the second end. The second filtration stage includes second filtering elements disposed between the first and second ends of the housing with the fluid outlet communicating with the second filtering elements at the first end.