Abstract: The present invention concerns a semipermeable hollow fiber membrane having an outer wall surface, an inner wall surface and an interior lumen extending along the length thereof and having the selective layer on the outer wall surface with a surface roughness below 10 nm. According to the invention the membrane has the smallest pore size on the outer wall surface, and has an outer wall surface which is smooth, continuous and homogeneous in a nanoscopic scale and four to five distinct layers of different pore size and density. Further the present invention concerns a process for manufacturing thereof and the use thereof.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a semipermeable hollow fiber membrane having an outer wall surface, an inner wall surface and an interior lumen extending along the length thereof and having the selective layer on the outer wall surface with a surface roughness below 10 nm. According to the invention the membrane has the smallest pore size on the outer wall surface, and has an outer wall surface which is smooth, continuous and homogeneous in a nanoscopic scale and four to five distinct layers of different pore size and density. Further the present invention concerns a process for manufacturing thereof and the use thereof.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a semipermeable hollow fiber membrane having an outer wall surface, an inner wall surface and an interior lumen extending along the length thereof and having the selective layer on the outer wall surface with a surface roughness below 10 nm. According to the invention the membrane has the smallest pore size on the outer wall surface, and has an outer wall surface which is smooth, continuous and homogeneous in a nanoscopic scale and four to five distinct layers of different pore size and density. Further the present invention concerns a prone:is for manufacturing thereof and the use thereof.

Abstract: A method for preparing by solvent phase inversion spinning a hollow fiber membrane suitable for dialysis. The membrane includes at least one hydrophobic polymer and at least one hydrophilic polymer. An outer surface of the membrane is characterized by pores having sizes in the range of 0.5-3 ?m, with the density of the pores on the outer surface of the membrane being in the range of 10,000 to 150,000 pores per mm2. The method includes dissolving the at least one hydrophobic polymer and the at least one hydrophilic polymer in at least one solvent to form a polymer solution, extruding the thus-formed polymer solution through an outer ring slit of a nozzle with two concentric openings, extruding a center fluid through the inner opening of the nozzle, and wishing said membrane. The polymer solution coming out through the outer slit opening on the outside of the precipitating fiber is exposed to a humid steam/air mixture including a solvent content of between 0.5 and 10% by weight related to the water content.

Abstract: The present invention relates to high cut-off hemodialysis membranes for the treatment of chronic hemodialysis (CHD) patients, with the potential to improve long-term survival of these patients by reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, through down-regulation of monocyte activation in the blood. Monocytes are the major circulating blood cells involved in the progression of cardiovascular disease. High cut-off hemodialysis in chronic dialysis patients results in a sustained decrease in expression of monocyte cell-surface proteins that direct the movement of these cells from the blood to the walls of blood vessels, where they promote the progression of arterial disease (atherosclerosis) that leads to cardiovascular disease (CVD); heart disease, strokes and peripheral vascular disease.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a semipermeable hollow fiber membrane having an outer wall surface, an inner wall surface and an interior lumen extending along the length thereof and having the selective layer on the outer wall surface with a surface roughness below 10 nm. According to the invention the membrane has the smallest pore size on the outer wall surface, and has an outer wall surface which is smooth, continuous and homogeneous in a nanoscopic scale and four to five distinct layers of different pore size and density. Further the present invention concerns a prone:is for manufacturing thereof and the use thereof.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a semipermeable hollow fiber membrane having an outer wall surface, an inner wall surface and an interior lumen extending along the length thereof and having the selective layer on the outer wall surface with a surface roughness below 10 nm. According to the invention the membrane has the smallest pore size on the outer wall surface, and has an outer wall surface which is smooth, continuous and homogeneous in a nanoscopic scale and four to five distinct layers of different pore size and density. Further the present invention concerns a process for manufacturing thereof and the use thereof.

Abstract: A method for preparing by solvent phase inversion spinning a hollow fiber membrane suitable for dialysis. The membrane includes at least one hydrophobic polymer and at least one hydrophilic polymer. An outer surface of the membrane is characterized by pores having sizes in the range of 0.5-3 ?m, with the density of the pores on the outer surface of the membrane being in the range of 10,000 to 150,000 pores per mm2. The method includes dissolving the at least one hydrophobic polymer and the at least one hydrophilic polymer in at least one solvent to form a polymer solution, extruding the thus-formed polymer solution through an outer ring slit of a nozzle with two concentric openings, extruding a center fluid through the inner opening of the nozzle, and wishing said membrane. The polymer solution coming out through the outer slit opening on the outside of the precipitating fiber is exposed to a humid steam/air mixture including a solvent content of between 0.5 and 10% by weight related to the water content.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a membrane being suitable for, for example, hemodialysis. Said membrane comprises at least one hydrophobic polymer and at least one hydrophilic polymer. According to the present invention the outer surface of the hollow fiber has pores in the range of 0.5-3 ?m and the numbers of said pores in the outer surface are in the range of 10,000 to 150,000 pores per mm2, preferably in the range of 18,000 to 100,000 pores per mm2, and most preferably in the range of 20,000 to 100,000 pores per mm2. The present invention further relates to a process for the preparation of said membrane and use of said membrane in hemodialysis, hemodiafiltration and hemofiltration, and in dialysis and filtration in general, for example in water purification or dehydration.

Abstract: A continuous method for production of a porous hollow fibre membrane having regioselective affinity for compounds in blood or other biologically active fluids to be removed during purification of blood or said fluids is disclosed, as well as a porous hollow fibre membrane produced by said method, an adsorption device containing such a porous hollow fibre membrane, and use of such a porous hollow fibre membrane.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a semipermeable hollow fiber membrane having an outer wall surface, an inner wall surface and an interior lumen extending along the length thereof and having the selective layer on the outer wall surface with a surface roughness below 10 nm. According to the invention the membrane has the smallest pore size on the outer wall surface, and has an outer wall surface which is smooth, continuous and homogeneous in a nanoscopic scale and four to five distinct layers of different pore size and density. Further the present invention concerns a process for manufacturing thereof and the use thereof.

Abstract: The present invention relates to high cut-off hemodialysis membranes for the treatment of chronic hemodialysis (CHD) patients, with the potential to improve long-term survival of these patients by reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, through down-regulation of monocyte activation in the blood. Monocytes are the major circulating blood cells involved in the progression of cardiovascular disease. High cut-off hemodialysis in chronic dialysis patients results in a sustained decrease in expression of monocyte cell-surface proteins that direct the movement of these cells from the blood to the walls of blood vessels, where they promote the progression of arterial disease (atherosclerosis) that leads to cardiovascular disease (CVD); heart disease, strokes and peripheral vascular disease.

Abstract: The membrane producible by shaping a polymer blend or a block copolymer comprising blocks of monomer units, loading the polymer blend or block copolymer with a blowing gas concentration within the polymer blend or block polymer above a critical concentration at a temperature below a critical temperature, but above the glass transition temperature of the polymer blend/gas or block copolymer/gas mixture and finally stabilizing the foam structure is characterized in that as polymer blend a homogeneous polymer blend comprising at least one hydrophilic and at least one hydrophobic polymer and/or a block copolymer of alternating blocks of hydrophilic and hydrophobic monomer units is used, both the polymer blend and the block copolymer having a solubility relating to the used foaming gas above the critical concentration. The said membrane is used for medical purposes, especially for the haemodialysis, haemofiltration, haemodiafiltration, plasmapherese, immunotherapy, micro- or ultrafiltration or gas separation.

Abstract: A polymer affinity matrix for the binding of one or more substances in a fluid or removing said substance(s) from the fluid and/or decreasing the amount or concentration thereof in said fluid with a view to preventing, eliminating or reducing undesired activation of components in said fluid is described, as well as a method for removing said substance(s) from the fluid and/or decreasing the amount or concentration thereof in said fluid, a method for the production of said matrix, use of said matrix and a kit comprising said matrix. The polymer affinity matrix comprises a solid support, a spacer and a ligand, containing arginine as a binding unit.

Abstract: A continuous method for production of a porous hollow fibre membrane having regioselective affinity for compounds in blood or other biologically active fluids to be removed during purification of blood or said fluids is disclosed, as well as a porous hollow fibre membrane produced by said method, an adsorption device containing such a porous hollow fibre membrane, and use of such a porous hollow fibre membrane.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a membrane being suitable for, for example, hemodialysis. Said membrane comprises at least one hydrophobic polymer and at least one hydrophilic polymer. According to the present invention the outer surface of the hollow fiber has pores in the range of 0.5-3 ?m and the numbers of said pores in the outer surface are in the range of 10,000 to 150,000 pores per mm2, preferably in the range of 18,000 to 100,000 pores per mm2, and most preferably in the range of 20,000 to 100,000 pores per mm2. The present invention further relates to a process for the preparation of said membrane and use of said membrane in hemodialysis, hemodiafiltration and hemofiltration, and in dialysis and filtration in general, for example in water purification or dehydration.

Abstract: The membrane producible by shaping a polymer blend or a block copolymer comprising blocks of monomer units, loading the polymer blend or block copolymer with a blowing gas concentration within the polymer blend or block polymer above a critical concentration at a temperature below a critical temperature, but above the glass transition temperature of the polymer blend/gas or block copolymer/gas mixture and finally stabilizing the foam structure is characterized in that as polymer blend a homogeneous polymer blend comprising at least one hydrophilic and at least one hydrophobic polymer and/or a block copolymer of alternating blocks of hydrophilic and hydrophobic monomer units is used, both the polymer blend and the block copolymer having a solubility relating to the used foaming gas above the critical concentration. The said membrane is used for medical purposes, especially for the haemodialysis, haemofiltration, haemodiafiltration, plasmapherese, immunotherapy, micro- or ultrafiltration or gas separation.

Abstract: A polymer affinity matrix for the binding of one or more substances in a fluid for removing said substance(s) from the fluid and/or decreasing the amount or concentration thereof in said fluid with a view to preventing, eliminating, or reducing undesired activation of components in said fluid is described, as well as a method for removing said substance(s) from the fluid and/or decreasing the amount or concentration thereof in said fluid, a method for the production of said matrix, use of said matrix and a kit comprising said matrix. The polymer affinity matrix comprises a solid support, a space and a ligand, containing arginine as a binding unit.

Abstract: The present invention includes a co-polymer film which can be applied over a surface of an article to form a continuous surface that is more biocompatible and has a smoother surface morphology than an untreated article. In general the co-polymer film of the invention can be formed by providing a hydrophobic polymer block, such as polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) with functional —OH end groups and reacting the —OH ends with a conventional monomer or prepolymer of a film-forming polymer capable of reacting with —OH groups. Such reactions are exemplified, using as reactive PDMS a triblock copolymer of the polylactone-polysiloxane-polylactone (PL-PDMS-PL) type, or silicone polyesters. The —OH groups of the polylactone blocks can react with any of a variety of isocyanates in a suitable solvent to form a polymer having PDMS incorporated with its structure.

Abstract: The present invention includes a co-polymer film which can be applied over a surface of an article to form a continuous surface that is more biocompatible and has a smoother surface morphology than an untreated article. In general the co-polymer film of the invention can be formed by providing a hydrophobic polymer block, such as polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) with functional —OH end groups and reacting the —OH ends with a conventional monomer or prepolymer of a film-forming polymer capable of reacting with —OH groups. Such reactions are exemplified, using as reactive PDMS a triblock copolymer of the polylactone-polysiloxane-polylactone (PL-PDMS-PL) type, or silicone polyesters. The —OH groups of the polylactone blocks can react with any of a variety of isocyanates in a suitable solvent to form a polymer having PDMS incorporated with its structure.