Abstract: The present invention provides a dialysis coupler assembly comprising a pair of rubber-like elastic tubular couplers, and a pair of joint members for joining the couplers together. Each of the couplers includes an inner channel 14 allowing a connector associated with a medical device to be fitted therein, and a smooth surface 15, 16 perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the coupler. The couplers are adapted to be joined together through the joint members in such manner that the smooth surfaces are in liquid-tight contact with one another. Each of the joint members is adapted to be attached slidably and rotatably onto corresponding one of the couplers, the joint members having first and second engagement portions, respectively. The first and second engagement portions are disposed opposed to one another and adapted to cooperatively engage the joint members with one another so as to allow the smooth surfaces to be brought into liquid-tight contact with one another.

Abstract: An onboard fuel separation apparatus separates a material fuel (gasoline) into a high-octane fuel having a higher octane value than the material fuel and a low-octane fuel having a lower octane value than the material fuel using a separation membrane which selectively allows high-octane value components (such as aromatic components) permeate through the membrane. The apparatus increases the ratio of the amount of the high-octane value components permeating through the membrane to the amount of the high-octane value components contained in the material fuel by, (A) Controlling the temperature of the material fuel supplied to the membrane (B) Increasing partial pressure of the low-octane value components on the high-octane fuel side of the membrane and removing volatiles from the permeate, and (C) Bypassing volatiles in the material feed around the membrane.

Abstract: A restraining system for hollow fibers is provided. The restraining system includes a plurality of longitudinally extending elements spaced from one another and supported by a number of discrete spacer elements, each spacer element extending generally transverse of said longitudinal elements, such that in combination with said longitudinal elements they define a cage-like structure.

Abstract: A dialyzer for blood treatment including a semipermeable membrane which is made of a hydrophobic polymer and a hydrophilic polymer, and has a water permeating performance drying of ½ or higher relative to that before drying. The dialyzer has a vitamin B12 clearance not smaller than 135 ml/mm per 1.6 m2 or the amount of the hydrophilic polymer eluted from the semipermeable membrane is not higher than 10 ppm. A dialyzer for blood treatment is light-weight, easy to handle, and exhibits a reduced elution of the hydrophilic polymer procedures for producing a dialyzer containing the semipermeable membrane and a process for producing a hollow fiber membrane for use in blood treatment are described.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing a membrane module, comprising a plurality of bar-shaped ceramic filter elements disposed parallel to each other and stretched on the ends of the bay by covers, which extend perpendicular to said bars. Said modules also comprise sealing elements provided in-between the ends of the bars in addition to holes in the covers. The invention is characterized by the following features: initially, the individual sealing element is partially produced by finishing the inner hole thereof intended for surrounding the end of the bar to its final size while the outer surface of the sealing element remains unprocessed so that a sealing blank is formed; the sealing blank is then inserted into a support having outer dimensions in the insertion area corresponding to the mean outer dimensions of all filter elements or a plurality of filter elements.

Abstract: Filters, more particularly to multifunctional filters that are capable of removing as well as adding components to a filtered material are provided by the present invention. In addition to a multifunctional filter, the present invention relates to the use of such a multifunctional filter in an apparatus, to process a filtrate and to the filtrate produced by the process of the present invention.

Abstract: A pre-separator feed well for use with hydrous slurry feed is provided in a hindered-bed separator that includes an elongate body defining an interior space with upper and lower portions. The feed well is elongate and includes a vertically adjustable conical plate adjacent the bottom thereof for control of downward flow of heavy material. The top of the feed well includes an overflow weir including an overflow ring having a plurality of vertical slots through which flows the lighter material onto an overflow weir adjacent an overflow launder and to an outlet pipe. Feed is introduced into the upper portion of the feed well in a tangential manner. A perforated barrier may be mounted below the feed well in some circumstances. Teeter flow is introduced in a lower portion of the separator and flows upwardly. Alternatively, the lower part of the separator can be perforated for heavy/coarse material discharge.

Abstract: A method, system and apparatus for performing peritoneal dialysis are provided. To this end, in part, a pump for a dialysis system is provided. The pump includes a first chamber wall including a first aperture, a second chamber wall including a second aperture, a piston, at least a portion of which can move through the second aperture, the piston including a third aperture, and first and second membranes disposed between the first and second chambers walls. A vacuum can be applied through the first aperture to pull the first membrane towards the first chamber wall and can be applied through the third aperture to pull the second membrane towards the piston. The piston can thereafter move the second membrane.

Abstract: There is disclosed a genetic vaccination device and a process for forming an injection solution therefor, the device comprising a syringe and canula coupled to a membrane adsorber having genetic material adsorbed thereon, and the process comprising eluting the genetic material from the membrane adsorber so as to form an injection solution containing the genetic material.

Abstract: A showerhead assembly includes a filter that is removably receivable by the showerhead. The showerhead includes a receiving opening defined within the downstream face of the showerhead, which opening is functionally adapted to receive the filter within it. The opening of the showerhead is interposed between the water inlet and water outlet of the showerhead and within the flow of water through the showerhead such that, when a filter is inserted into the opening, all water flowing through the showerhead also flows through the filter. The filter is readily insertable within the opening and it is easily removable from it. The filter includes means for securing it within the opening when the filter is inserted.

Abstract: Method and devices for producing aqueous iodine and other halogen solutions for dietary, disinfection, sterilization and preservation purposes and the uses thereof.

Abstract: A filter for processing a biological fluid is disclosed comprising at least two filter elements wherein the surface of one filter element is substantially non-hydroxylated and has a nitrogen-to-oxygen ratio in the range of from at least 0.01 to less than about 1.00, and the surface of the other filter element is hydroxylated relative to the bulk of the element.

Abstract: A filtration system includes an outer casing (210) that houses a plurality of elongated inner casings (220A–220F), which in turn house a plurality of filtration membranes. The outer casing, inner casing, and filtration membranes are disposed relative to one another to provide a three-flow channel system that provides additional feed fluid at one or more membrane couplings between membranes of the same inner casing. Ths arrangement defines a feed fluid flow path in which a feed fluid exiting from an upstream filter into a downstream filter is diluted by additional feed fluid.

Abstract: The invention provides methods, apparatus, and systems for performing high-throughput preparation and screening of salts and polymorphs of drug candidates. The invention is directed towards enhancing the pre-formulation discovery process used for drug development. In particular, processes that determine suitable salts and processes that discover substantially every polymorph that can form from a particular drug candidate are provided. The processes are performed using several apparatuses that are specifically configured to carry-out various steps in a high-throughput characterization process. One such apparatus is configured for synthesizing a plurality of library members based on, for example, a library model generated by a computer system. Another apparatus may filter the synthesized solution to provide a substantially pure mixture that can be subjected to salt or polymorph testing.

Abstract: A non-woven depth filter cartridge includes a cylindrical mass of essentially continuous melt-blown polymer filaments and an essentially continuous traversing melt-blown polymer filament extending through the mass. The mass has a depth dimension, a longitudinal dimension, and a circumferential dimension. The mass includes a plurality of layers, each of the plurality of layers being generally oriented in the longitudinal and circumferential dimensions. The traversing filament is generally oriented in the depth dimension and extends through one or more layers of the mass. In one embodiment, the layers of the mass comprise concentric zones. The traversing filament is intentionally deposited and positioned to improve the physical properties of the filter cartridge.

Abstract: Microfluidic devices capable of efficiently mixing two or more fluid are provided. Two or more microfluidic inlet channels defined in different sheets of material meet at an overlap region in fluid communication with an outlet channel. The channels are defined through the entire thickness of stencil sheets. The overlap region may include an aperture-defining spacer layer, and/or an impedance element, such as a porous membrane, adapted to distribute at least one fluid across the entire width of the outlet channel to promote reliable fluid mixing.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device and an assembly for cross-flow filtration comprising filter cassettes. Said filter cassettes are cost-effective to produce as they have few connections and simple clamping plates and are characterized by a long service life and by being highly flexible in adapting their capacity to the desired cross-flow filtration performance. The inventive device (1) comprises a holder and at least one filtration segment (2) consisting of clamping plates with filter cassettes fitted in a sealed manner therebetween. The clamping plates, which are configured as end plates, separation plates, distribution plates and collection plates and the filter cassettes are positioned on the holder so that they can be moved towards one another.

Abstract: Apparatus for contacting first and second fluids at elevated pressures with a membrane such that one or more components of one of the fluids passes through the membrane into the other fluid, comprising a housing e.g. a pressure vessel (4), and a membrane module (20) housed in the pressure vessel and having a first fluid inlet (8a) and a first fluid outlet (8b) and a second fluid inlet (9a) and a second fluid outlet (9b), wherein a seal (61) extends round the membrane module and seals between an outside wall of the membrane module and an inside wall of the pressure vessel so as to separate the first fluid inlet from the first fluid outlet.

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: The invention relates to a composite membrane (1) consisting of a flat support body (2) comprising relative big through flow holes (3) and on which at least one separating layer is applied as a membrane layer (4) having a given number of pores and pore sizes. In order to regulate the temperature of the support body, said support body (2) is connected to a device (5) that can be regulated by a regulating device (S) with the purpose of supplying a predetermined energy to the support body (2) and/or diverting energy from the support body (2). The membrane layer (4) is applied on the support body (2) in a heat-conductive manner so that any change in the temperature of the support body provokes a change in the temperature of the membrane layer.