The present disclosure relates to an anticoagulant-coated microporous hollow fiber membrane showing reduced thrombogenicity. The disclosure further relates to a method for producing the membrane and a filtration and/or diffusion device comprising the membrane.

The present disclosure describes membrane compositions and methods for preparing membrane compositions. In particular, the methods employ a layer-by-layer approach to membrane preparation. The membrane compositions provide significantly enhanced membrane performance over existing commercial membranes, particularly in terms of permeability and selectivity.

Methods of fabricating a membrane comprising proteoliposomes having protein water channels are provided herein. The method may include providing a porous substrate, depositing a solution containing proteoliposomes on the porous substrate, and then contacting the porous substrate with an aqueous monomer solution and an organic monomer solution to form a selective layer on the porous substrate embedding the proteoliposomes. The method may include depositing the aqueous monomer solution, then the solution containing the proteoliposomes, then the organic monomer solution, to form the selective layer. The present disclosure also describes the membrane and a system operable to accommodate both methods.

Provided herein are, inter alia, biological manufacturing and downstream purification processes.

Provided herein are, inter alia, biological manufacturing and downstream purification processes.

A process for removing Pb.sup.2+, Hg.sup.2+ and other heavy metal toxins from bodily fluids is disclosed. The process involves treating a patient with a small molecule heavy metal chelator to remove these toxins from bones and soft tissue cells into the blood or other bodily fluid. Then an ion exchange composition is used to ion exchange the heavy metal toxins from bodily fluids either within the body or by treatment outside the body such as by dialysis. The ion exchange compositions may be supported by porous networks of biocompatible polymers such as carbohydrates or proteins.

A process for removing Pb.sup.2+, Hg.sup.2+, K.sup.+ and NH.sub.4.sup.+ toxins from bodily fluids is disclosed. The process involves contacting the bodily fluid with an ion exchange composition to remove the metal toxins in the bodily fluid, including blood and gastrointestinal fluid. Alternatively, blood can be contacted with a dialysis solution which is then contacted with the ion exchange composition. The ion exchange compositions are represented by the following empirical formula:

A.sup.r+.sub.pM.sup.s+.sub.1-xM′.sup.t+.sub.xSi.sub.nO.sub.m

A composition comprising the above ion exchange compositions in combination with bodily fluids or dialysis solution is also disclosed. The ion exchange compositions may be supported by porous networks of biocompatible polymers such as carbohydrates or proteins.

This disclosure relates to hybrid membranes comprising functionalized fillers within a polymer matrix and methods of using the membranes for gas separation applications, such as removal of hydrogen sulfide (H.sub.2S) and carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2) from natural gas.

Training equipment is configured for targeted muscle actuation. The training equipment contains a muscle-powered actuating element and a damping system having two components that can move in relation to one another. One of the components is operatively connected to the actuating element, such that a movement of the actuating element can be damped. A field-sensitive rheological medium and a field generation system are associated with the damping system, in order to generate and control the field strength. A damping characteristic can be influenced by the field generation system. A control system is suited and configured to control the field generation system in a targeted manner in accordance with a training parameter, such that the movement of the actuating element can be damped taking into account the training parameter.

The subject of the invention is a membrane for separation of target stem cells from biological samples, more precisely from a single-cell suspension that was prepared from a biological sample. As a result, sterile target stem cells are obtained in physiological buffer. The membrane of the invention consists of a 3D carrier structure made of at least one layer of biocompatible polymer with specific pore size, as a carrier material, and covalently bound target molecules on its surface and/or in the pores. These target molecules are preferably target antibodies, which recognize characteristic antigens that are bound on the surface of the target stem cells and thus bind the target stem cells to the membrane. Target molecules can be either directly bound to the surface and/or in the pores of the carrier structure or are bound to the surface and/or in the pores of the carrier structure through specific functionalized nanoparticles, which are bound to or embedded into the 3D carrier structure of the membrane. In addition, the present invention includes the membrane production process as well as the process and device for the separation of target stem cells from a biological sample, which includes the above membrane as a constituent part.