Water Conservation in Industrial Filtration Operations

The washing of a solute from filter cakes was investigated for both saturated and unsaturated washing conditions. Systems used in this experimental study were 0.065 NaCl solution as the filtrate in an aluminum hydrate filter cake and 0.1 Normal HCL solution as the filtrate in a column packed with glass beads. The filtrate concentration as a function of the flow rate of wash water and of the volume of effluent from the packed bed was measured. The amounts of filtrate removed from the bed during saturated washing, and washing employing repetitive steps of saturation followed by evacuation were compared. Also, the amounts of wash water required to lower the filtrate concentration to essentially zero were contrasted. It was determined that the saturated wash condition was more efficient in removing the filtrate from compressible cakes, while the reverse was true for porous, incompressible cakes. Computer programs were developed to simulate both saturated and unsaturated washing conditions

Process for extracting ethanol from fermentation broths for direct blending into gasoline while preserving the broth for recycling

Describes a method of producing ethanol from a fermentation source for direct blending into gasoline to form gasohol by extracting ethanol from the fermentation broth with a non-toxic solvent compatible with gasoline. The invention includes extraction outside of the fermentor and the recycling of the extracted broth back to the fermentor. An extracting column is used for the extraction and recycling and the extract can be dried before blending it with the gasoline. The preferred solvent is an alkylate

Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics in HIV Prevention; Current Status and Future Directions: A Summary of the DAIDS and BMGF Sponsored Think Tank on Pharmacokinetics (PK)/Pharmacodynamics (PD) in HIV Prevention

Thirty years after its beginning, the HIV/AIDS epidemic is still raging around the world. According to UNAIDS, in 2011 alone 1.7M deaths were attributable to AIDS, and 2.5M people were newly infected by the virus. Despite the success in treating HIV-infected people with potent antiretroviral drugs, preventing HIV infection is the key to ending the epidemic. Recently, the efficacy of topical and systemic antiviral chemoprophylaxis (i.e., preexposure prophylaxis or “PrEP”), using the same drugs used for HIV treatment, has been demonstrated in a number of clinical trials. However, results from other trials have been inconsistent, especially those evaluating PrEP in women. These inconsistencies may result from our incomplete understanding of pharmacokinetics (PK)/pharmacodynamics (PD) at the mucosal sites of sexual transmission: the male and female gastrointestinal and reproductive tracts. The drug concentrations used in these trials were derived from those used for treatment; however, we still do not know the relationship between the therapeutic and the preventive dose. This article presents the first comprehensive review of the available data in the HIV pharmacology field from animal models to human studies, and outlines gaps, challenges, and future directions. Addressing these pharmacological gaps and challenges will be critical in selecting and advancing future PrEP candidates and strategies with the greatest impact on the HIV epidemic