Effect of moisture on and kinetic features of the ultrafiltration rate of dialysis membrane.
The kinetic features of ultrafiltration of cellulose dialysis membrane stored under various humidity and temperature conditions were studied to obtain basic information of shelf-life characteristics of dialyzers. The ultrafiltration rate (UFR) decreased with time and the UFR-time curve suggested that the UFR would approach a certain equilibrium value. This phenomenon could be simulated well by the following equation: UFR = a.b.t/(1 + a.t) + c, where a, b, and c are constants and t is time. The effect of moisture adsorption onto the membrane on the UFR is discussed. A hypothesis is that in the amorphous region of cellulose, adsorbed water molecules would serve as molecular crosslinks through hydrogen bonding, and as this would reduce size of fine pores in the amorphous region, the UFR decreases.
Kinetic Modeling of the Glucoregulatory System to Improve Insulin Therapy
For simulating glucose-insulin control systems with respect to application in an optimized therapy of insulin-dependent diabetes, a global transfer model was generated and supplemented with a structural model of the opened control circuit. The transfer characteristics within the established linear range of the intact system, which is identical with the range of euglycaemia, can be described by a 4th-order differential equation. A test strategy was developed to identify the state variables of the opened, i. e., of the diabetic, system and to determine by pole assignment those control constants of glucose-controlled insulin provision that are optimally adapted to a given set of state variables. The model system was verified by the prediction of plasma insulin and blood glucose reponses to various loads of glucose and/or insulin, by isotopic studies (U-14C-glucose) of glucose turnover, and by predicting the rates of absorption (i. e., of appearance within the distribution space) of orally administered glucose. The latter situations provide fields of application for this model strategy in addition to the main goal, namely, the individual optimization of control parameters for open-loop or closed-loop insulin therapy.
Transport and mechanical properties of hemodialysis hollow fibers
Abstract Methods for characterizing the mechanical and mass transfer properties of hollow fibers and the experimental requirements for dealing with fluid boundary resistances are described. Ultrafiltration measurements, diffusive solute transport and the contribution of convective solute transport are examined. Three hollow fibers are evaluated in detail: cellulosic fibers made by Dow Chemical Co. and by Enka Glanzstoff, and polysulfone fibers manufactured by Amicon Corp. All these fibers have mechanical and solute transport properties useful for fabrication into hemodialyzers.