6508 results about "Ultrafiltration" patented technology

Disclosed and claimed are a method for the purification of polysaccharide-protein conjugate vaccines by ultrafiltration in a saturated solution of ammonium sulfate. The ultrafiltration method of the present invention provides an efficient, readily scalable method for removal of unbound polysaccharides from polysaccharide-protein vaccines, thereby improving the purity and consistency of the polysaccharide-protein vaccines.

A process for producing a kakadu plum powder having an increased amount of naturally occurring ascorbic acid and high ORAC value. The process of preparing the extract includes the following: disintegrating kakadu plum fruit; treating the disintegrated kakadu plum material with enzymes to at least partially digest the material; juicing the kakadu plum material and drying the juice to produce a powder. In a preferred embodiment, the kakadu plum juice is further clarified with ultrafiltration and concentrated by performing reverse osmosis on the kakadu plum juice. The resultant kakadu plum powder has a natural ascorbic acid content of at least about 15% and a naturally occurring Oxygen Reduction Absorption Capacity value of at least 1500.

A system, program product and method continuously optimize an ultrafiltration rate during an extracorporeal renal replacement process by modeling physiological and actual rate data. The system maps the sensed, physiological data to a mathematical model to assess the data in terms of the ultrafiltration rate. The model provides parameters used to predict where the treatment is headed based on current conditions. The system processes the parameters in terms of preset criteria to generate the optimized ultrafiltration rate. Where the system is networked, communication of the data may be accomplished using remote and online communication techniques.

Systems and methods for the performance of kidney replacement therapy having or using a dialyzer, control components, sorbent cartridge and fluid reservoirs configured to be of a weight and size suitable to be worn or carried by an individual requiring treatment are disclosed. The system for performing kidney replacement therapy has a controlled compliance dialysis circuit, where a control pump controls the bi-directional movement of fluid across a dialysis membrane. The dialysis circuit and an extracorporeal circuit for circulating blood are in fluid communication through the dialysis membrane. The flux of fluid moving between the extracorporeal circuit and the dialysis circuit is modified by the rate at which the control pump is operating such that a rate of ultrafiltration and convective clearance can be controlled. The system provides for the monitoring of an inlet and outlet conductivity of the sorbent cartridge to provide a facility to quantify or monitor the removal of urea by the sorbent cartridge.

The present invention is directed to novel systems for conducting the filtration of blood using manifolds. The manifolds integrate various sensors and have fluid pathways formed therein to direct fluids from various sources through the requisite blood filtration or ultrafiltration system steps.

A number of improvements relating to methods and apparatuses for kidney dialysis are disclosed. These include checking of dialysate bypass status using flow measurement; using a flow sensor to confirm the absence of ultrafiltration during bypass; automatic testing of ultrafiltration function by removal of a discrete volume from a portion of the dialysate flow path coupled with a pressure test of that part of the flow path; using a touch screen user interface; bar graph profile programming of ultrafiltration, sodium, and bicarbonate parameters; using a RAM card to upload treatment instructions to, and to download treatment data from, the machine; automatic setting of proportioning mode (acetate or bicarbonate) based on connections of concentrate lines; predicting dialysate conductivity values based on brand and formulation of concentrates; minimizing no-flow dead time between dialysate pulses; initiating operation in a timed mode from a machine power-off condition; preserving machine mode during machine power-fail condition; calibration scheduling and reminding; automatic level adjusting; and blood leak flow rate detecting.

A cardiorenal patient monitoring system comprising, either implanted or non-implanted device(s), remote peripheral device(s), computer network(s), host, and communication means between the device(s), computer network(s), and host. The preferred embodiment shows an advanced patient monitoring system for using an implanted cardiac device and a dialysis machine in renal therapy. In addition, the method of advanced patient monitoring is in conjunction with the advanced patient monitoring system is disclosed.

An integrated disposable cartridge for dialysis or ultrafiltration treatment of blood is disclosed that includes integral miniature pressure sensors. Sensors are embedded in the tubing of the cartridge to measure pressure of blood or other fluids. Cartridge elements form a continuous smooth bore passage for blood that reduces probability of clotting.

A method and plant for the treatment of an organic waste material in liquid form, e.g. liquid manure from livestock, the method comprising filtering fibres and particles from the liquid, subjecting the liquid to anaerobic fermentation in a biogas reactor, separating a substantially sterile and particle-free permeate stream from the biogas reactor, e.g. using ultrafiltration, subjecting the permeate stream to treatment with an ammonia stripper at an elevated temperature and preferably at reduced pressure to remove substantially all ammonia and carbon dioxide and to result in an ammonia fraction and a nutrient salt fraction, and separating the nutrient salt fraction into a fertiliser concentrate fraction and a water fraction, e.g. using reverse osmosis. The end products of the method are clean water, ammonia concentrate, fertiliser concentrate containing salts of P and K, compost and high-quality biogas with a high methane content.

Systems and methods are disclosed for performing hemodialysis that include fluid handling systems that provide accurate control over the type and level of hemodialysis being performed. The system includes a first pump for pumping dialysate into a dialyzer and a second pump for pumping dialysate out of the dialyzer. The system also includes a third pump that provides improved control of a level of ultrafiltration, hemodiafiltration, or both.

A method and apparatus for ultrafiltration of blood operating by removing blood from a peripheral blood vessel at a rate of less than two percent of total cardiac output of a patient, extracting fluid at a rate of 0.1 liter to 1.0 liters per hour while retaining cells and proteins in the blood, and returning the concentrated blood to a secondary blood vessel is disclosed. Blood is removed and returned using small gage needles. As a pump circulates blood from the patient, a filter removes ultrafiltrate from the blood using duty cycle or pump control, and a transparent container collects the removed fluid.

The invention relates to processes for the preparation of highly concentrated, liquid formulations comprising at least one anti-EGFR antibody and/or one of its variants and/or fragments, in particular monoclonal antibodies against the EGF receptor, particularly preferably of Mab C225 (cetuximab) and Mab h425 (EMD 72000), by ultrafiltration. The invention furthermore relates to highly concentrated, liquid formulations of anti-EGFR antibodies, in particular of monoclonal antibodies against the EGF receptor, particularly preferably Mab C225 (cetuximab) and Mab h425 (EMD 72000) and/or variants and/or fragments thereof, characterised in that the highly concentrated, liquid formulations have a content of anti-EGFR antibodies of 10-250, preferably 50-180 mg/ml, particularly preferably of 100-150 mg/ml, and to the use thereof.

The present invention relates to ultrafiltration. In particular, the present invention provides nanoporous membranes having pores for generating in vitro and in vivo ultrafiltrate, devices and bioartificial organs utilizing such nanoporous membranes, and related methods (e.g., diagnostic methods, research methods, drug screening). The present invention further provides nanoporous membranes configured to avoid protein fouling with, for example, a polyethylene glycol surface coating.

A tube assembly, system and method for biological waste containment for sample collection, and for ultrafiltration collection. In one embodiment, the tube assembly of the present invention includes a first tube, a second tube, a mechanism for securing the first and second tubes, and at least one container for operable connection to one or both of the first and second tubes. The securing mechanism orients the first ends of the first and second tubes in a manner such that the first end of the first tube extends beyond the first end of the second tube an interstitial space is created between the outer diameter of the first tube and the inner diameter of the second tube. The tubing mechanism is utilized for retrieval of a biological fluid through the first tube, flushing the first tube and the second tube with a rinse solution, and extraction of waste through the second tube into a waste container. The tubing mechanism is also utilized for retrieval of collection samples with the addition of a vacuum source and sealed manifold.

The present invention relates to dialysis solutions for peritoneal dialysis, containing hydroxyethyl starch as the osmotically-active substance, electrolytes and, optionally, conventional additives, where the hydroxyethyl starch has a molecular weight Mw in the range from 10,000 to 150,000, a substitution MS in the range from 0.10 to 0.40, a substitution DS in the range from 0.09 to 0.35 and a substitution ratio C2/C6>=8. With this peritoneal dialysis solution it is possible, with an outstanding ultrafiltration, to maintain a longer dwell time, for example the dialysis solution can be utilized for a period of 12 hours in the CAPD without replacement. In addition, the inventive dialysis solution is also particularly advantageous for patients with residual kidney function. The resorption of the osmotically active substance is clearly diminished and even after a dwell time of 12 hours it amounts to a maximum of 60-70%.

A hemodialysis treatment apparatus includes a circulating blood volume variation rate detecting device, a vital sign detecting device and a display. The circulating blood volume variation rate detecting device detects a circulating blood volume variation rate of a patient in a time-course of a hemodialysis treatment. The vital sign detecting device detects a vital sign value of the patient in the time-course of the hemodialysis treatment. The display has a screen and displays both the circulating blood volume variation rate and the vital sign value on the screen along a time scale. The hemodialysis treatment apparatus dialyzes and ultrafiltrates extracorporeally circulating blood of the patient to perform the hemodialysis treatment.

A process is described for treating an approximately neutral fluid milk composition, including milk protein concentrate and milk plus added whey, by selecting an alkali, adjusting the pH upward, heating, cooling, selecting an acid, and adjusting the pH down before ultrafiltering and, in a more preferred process, thereafter diafiltering the treated composition. Selection of the appropriate alkali, pH values, temperatures, acid, and membrane filter porosity results in improved yields of retentate proteins having selected compositions with improved utility, including a more palatable flavor, a brod range of solution viscosities, an increase in the solubility of the dried retentates in cold water to nearly 100%, and an increase in the calcium content of the membrane filtered retentate by about 50% compared to a similar retentate from standard milk. Appropriate selection of processing conditions can result in at least one filter permeate with a protein composition enriched in alpha lactalbumin, a protein that is highly beneficial for human nutrition.

A method and system for the extracorporeal treatment of blood to remove fluid from the fluid overloaded patient is disclosed that non-invasively measures an oxygen level in the venous blood. The oxygen blood level is used to detect when hypotension is about to occur in a patient. The oxygen level measurements are used as feedback signals. These feedback signals are applied to automatically control the rate of fluid extraction to achieve the desired clinical outcome and avoid precipitating a hypotensive crisis in the patient.

The invention relates to a membrane and evaporation crystallization integrated process with zero discharge of high-salinity industrial wastewater. The process is as below: carrying out ultrafiltration pretreatment on industrial wastewater and sending the wastewater to a reverse osmosis process through a high-pressure pump; reusing lateral infiltration water; conducting electrodialysis treatment on a concentrate subjected to several times of filtration; evaporating and crystallizing the materials obtained from electrodialysis concentration to obtain salt slurry and water; carry outing posttreatment on the salt slurry; and reusing condensed water. The process provided by the invention couples membrane and evaporation crystallization, not only can recover high quality purified water from industrial wastewater with high salinity but also can realize zero discharge of wastewater with high salinity, and has the characteristics of low energy consumption, low production cost and advanced process.

The present invention relates to a process and apparatus for purifying a molecule of interest from a heterogeneous clarified fluid mixture. The apparatus of the invention generally comprises a continuous perfusion fermentation system, a continuous particle removal system integrated with the perfusion fermentation system; and a continuous purification system integrated with the particle removal system, which is maintained under sterile conditions. The process comprises filtering a heterogeneous clarified fluid mixture by continuous ultrafiltration at a specific flow rate below the transition point of the molecule of interest in the pressure-dependent region of the flux versus TMP curve, wherein the specific flow rate is maintained substantially constant throughout the continuous ultrafiltration.

A process is provided for selectively removing protein aggregates from a protein solution in a normal flow (NFF) filtration process. Preferably, it relates to a process for selectively removing protein aggregates from a protein solution in a normal flow (NFF) filtration process and virus particles from a protein solution in a two-step filtration process. In a first step, a protein solution is filtered through one or more layers of adsorptive depth filters, charged or surface modified microporous membranes or a small bed of chromatography media in a normal flow filtration mode of operation, to produce a protein aggregate free stream. The aggregate free protein stream can then be filtered through one or more ultrafiltration membranes to retain virus particles at a retention level of at least 3 LRV and to allow passage therethrough of an aggregate free and virus free protein solution.

Method and apparatus for the extracorporeal treatment of blood by utilizing a peripherally inserted dual lumen catheter assembly for the continuous removal and return of blood for renal replacement treatment, in particularly, treatment of congestive heart failure and fluid overload by ultrafiltration. A catheter is inserted in a peripheral vein and maneuvered upward through the vascular system to access the reservoir of blood in the large or great veins for continuous blood withdrawal and treatment. Air-tight connectors are incorporated in the catheter assembly to overcome the untoward effects of negative pressure in blood withdrawal.

A process for the fractionation of valuable fractions from cereal brans (e.g. wheat, barley and oat brans, and rice polish) is described. In particular, this invention describes a two step process, in which the said bran is first subjected to a combination of enzymatic treatment and wet milling, followed by sequential centrifugation and ultrafiltration, which aims at physically separating the main bran factions, i.e. insoluble phase (pericarp and aleurone layer), germ-rich fraction, residual endosperm fraction and soluble sugars. A second step consists of fractionating cereal brans substantially free of soluble compounds, hence insoluble phase from the above-mentioned first step, by enzymatic treatment with xylanases and/or beta-glucanase and wet milling, followed by sequential centrifugation and ultrafiltration, which aims at physically separating the main fractions, i.e. insoluble phase (remaining cell wall components), protein-rich fraction, soluble hemicellulose and oligosaccharide, and therefore maximizes the extraction rate of valuable cell wall components and aleurone cells from previously cleaned bran.

A flexible automated apparatus for isolating and purifying viruses, proteins and peptides of interest from a plant material is disclosed, the apparatus being applicable for large scale purification and isolation of such substances from plant material. The flexible automated apparatus provides an efficient apparatus for isolating viruses, proteins and peptides of interest with little waste material. The automated apparatus for isolating viruses, proteins and peptides of interest includes a grinding apparatus for homogenizing a plant to produce a green juice, a means for adjusting the pH of and heating the green juice, a means for separating the target species, either virus or protein/peptide, from other components of the green juice by one or more cycles of centrifugation, resuspension, and ultrafiltration, and finally purifying virus particles by such procedure as PEG-precipitation or purifying proteins and peptides by such procedures as chromatography and/or salt precipitation.

To provide a method for purification of the ionic polymer compound comprising efficiently removing low-molecular impurities, for example, ionic remaining monomers, which are charged identically to the ionic polymer compound from the ionic polymer compound in a shorter period of time. A method for purification of an ionic polymer compound, characterized by removing low-molecular impurities, such as ionic remaining monomers, by the use of an ultrafiltration membrane and/or a reverse osmosis membrane from an aqueous solution containing the ionic polymer compound and low-molecular impurities which are charged identically to the ionic polymer compound, under conditions that a concentration of the ionic polymer compound is from 7 to 20% by weight, and that an amount of charges of the ionic polymer compound in the aqueous solution is 0.30 gram-equivalent/liter or more.

In a hemodiafiltration apparatus, a control and command unit (11) halts a replacement fluid supply pump (8) and contemporaneously modifies the control mode of a blood pump (1) passing from a control based on the pump velocity to a control based on the blood pressure measured by a sensor (12) arranged downstream of a hemodiafilter (3). The aim is to prevent risks due to excessive hemo-concentration in the blood circuit between the ultrafiltration zone and the infusion zone.

An ultrafiltration device adapted to be worn on a portion of the body of a patient includes a blood inlet tube leading from a first blood vessel, a blood pump, an anticoagulant reservoir for infusing anticoagulants into the blood, a blood filter including a substrate through which the blood is circulated and filtered, a fluid bag for storing the excess fluid and a blood outlet tube leading to a second blood vessel.

The subject invention provides for a process for making a mixture of acetate salts of polypeptides, each of which consisting of glutamic acid, alanine, tyrosine and lysine, wherein the mixture has a desired peak molecular weight, comprising: a) polymerizing N-carboxyanhydrides of tyrosine, alanine, γ-benzyl glutamate and trifluoroacetyllysine with an initiator in an amount of 0.01% to 20% by weight for a suitable period of time and at a suitable temperature to form a mixture of protected polypeptides, which mixture of polypeptides in unprotected form having a first peak molecular weight; b) removing the benzyl protecting group from the mixture of protected polypeptides by contacting the polypeptides with a hydrogenolysis catalyst and hydrogen to produce a mixture of trifluoroacetyl protected polypeptides, which mixture of polypeptides in unprotected form having the first peak molecular weight; c) removing the trifluoroacetyl protecting group from the trifluoroacetyl protected polypeptides by contacting the polypeptides with an organic base solution to form a mixture of polypeptides, which mixtures of polypeptides in unprotected form having the first peak molecular weight; d) removing the free trifluoroacetyl groups and low molecular weight impurities by ultrafiltration to obtain the mixture of polypeptides each of which consisting of glutamic acid, alanine, tyrosine and lysine; and e) contacting the mixture of polypeptides each of which consisting of glutamic acid, alanine, tyrosine and lysine with an aqueous solution of acetic acid to form the mixture of acetate salts of polypeptides each of which consisting of glutamic acid, alanine, tyrosine and lysine and having the desired peak molecular weight.

A novel cell seeded hollow fiber bioreactor is described as a potential bioartificial kidney. Endothelial cells along with pericyte, vascular smooth muscle, and/or mesangial cells or any mesenchymally derived support cells are seeded along a hollow fiber in a perfused bioreactor to reproduce the ultrafiltration function and transport function of the kidney. Maintenance of tissue specific function and ultrastructure suggest that this bioreactor provides an economical device for treating renal failure.

Methods are provided for producing highly purified compositions of nucleic acids by using tangential flow ultrafiltration. A scaleable process for producing pharmaceutical grade plasmid DNA, useful for gene therapy, is provided, which is efficient and avoids the use of toxic organic chemicals.