Author: Ken McCarty

Update Concerning Solar Autoclave Challenges

Submitted by Ken McCarty
May 14, 2009

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Salud de Sol is an ETHOS group sponsored by the University of Dayton and winner of $10,000 in a 2008 business plan competition.  This organization is requesting advice and ideas concerning a few technical problems associated with building a viable solar autoclave.  Their humanitarian project is currently being continued from last year.  The team of engineering students started a non-profit organization with a clear intent to help third world communities improve local healthcare.  Salud de Sol hopes to achieve this by providing a cost effective method for sterilizing medical instruments.

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Author: Daisy McCarty

More Autoclave Purchasing Issues Plague Philippines

Submitted by Daisy McCarty
May 11, 2009

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Still reeling from an autoclave purchasing scandal last fall, Southeast Asia is now desperately in need of units to treat highly infectious medical waste. The 100 million pesos set aside by the Philippine congress would allow hospitals across the country to safely dispose of these hazardous materials. The National Center for Health Facility Development has already selected locations for the sterilizers. Each medical center equipped with an autoclave would be able to serve several hospitals in its vicinity.

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Author: Ken McCarty

Solidworks Offers Custom Autoclave Design Capability

Submitted by Ken McCarty
May 10, 2009

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Building better equipment requires creative initiative.  It is much easier for engineers to make designs more efficient if they have the right tools to generate and manipulate their new ideas.  ESTS (GB) Ltd, an established manufacturer of autoclaves and sterilizers, has recently upgraded their design computer software to Solidworks. This is a new 3D CAD program supplied by Innova Systems.

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Author: Daisy McCarty

LTE Scientific Presenting Touchclave Autoclaves At Achema

Submitted by Daisy McCarty
May 8, 2009

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LTE has a number of events on its calendar for 2009. Next week (May 11-15) they will be participating in the ACHEMA tradeshow in Frankfurt Messe. This international meeting happens only once every 3 years, so there are sure to be quite a few new technologies on display. A wide variety of process industries including pharmaceutical and biotechnology will be represented at ACHEMA. Over 4,000 exhibitors will fill the halls at this enormous event. LTE will be one of about 400 British companies making the trip to Germany to attend. Their line of Touchclave autoclaves will be of interest to large and small customers alike. Units in the LTE line of products range in size from 40 liters to over 1000 liters.

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Author: Ken McCarty

China Delves Into Oxygen Plasma Sterilization

Submitted by Ken McCarty

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Results have recently been released concerning research on low temperature oxygen plasma sterilization with samples of Pseudomonas aeruginosa as the target.   These were placed on polyethylene terephthalate (PET) sheets inside a self designed reactor.  The study was conducted by Yang L, Chen J, Gao J, Zhang Z, and Hu M, at the School of Life Science and Technology, Xi’an Jiaotong University, in Xi’an China.  They exposed this human opportunistic pathogen to a stream of ionized gas for 30 seconds.  In depth observation of the samples within the discharge area, afterglow area, and the remote area confirmed efficacy of sterilization.

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Author: Daisy McCarty

Sterilizer Maintenance – Scant Record Keeping Raises Concerns

Submitted by Daisy McCarty
May 5, 2009

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Medical institutions such as V.A. run hospitals have come under fire recently for failure to follow appropriate sterilization protocols. Canada is receiving similar attention now in a consumer health scare that affects clients in a very different setting. A Mississagua tattoo parlor was recently investigated for failing to keep thorough records regarding the maintenance of its sterilization equipment. Health inspectors visited the business shortly after it opened in 2005. Over the next several years, no further contact was made. Officials from the health department state lack of resources as the cause for skipping a number of yearly inspections. Upon their second visit to MoonShin in February of 2009, inspectors were not satisfied with the minimal records presented regarding sterilizer maintenance.

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Author: Daisy McCarty

Hameln Pharma Selected For Top Sterile Processing Award

Submitted by Daisy McCarty
May 3, 2009

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The International Society for Pharmaceutical Engineering and the Pharmaceutical Processing Journal have announced the winners of the first round of “Facility of the Year” awards for 2009. The Operational Excellence nod goes to Hameln Pharma – a German manufacturing firm. This recognition spotlights the company’s new sterile processing plant that just opened in the spring of 2008. It has quickly risen to become one of the best aseptic manufacturers in its field. The plant garnered high praise for its low cost, streamlined design. It was also commended for being up to date with all relevant regulations. Construction of this location was accomplished in 25 months – quite an achievement for a project of this scope.

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Author: Ken McCarty

Transasia Delivers Fully Autoclavable Mechanical Pipettes

Submitted by Ken McCarty
May 2, 2009

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The India based company, Transasia Bio-Medicals Ltd., has recently launched the distribution and sale of fully autoclavable mechanical pipettes.  These new Proline Plus products are manufactured by Biohit, headquartered in Finland. The significance of this partnership is that Transasia (through their subsidiary Erba Diagnostic Mannheim GmbH) does business with laboratories across the entire globe.  It has a well established distribution network in over 55 countries.  The company brings state of the art, reliable, affordable, innovative, and high quality equipment within reach of its growing list of clientele. This wide distribution system will make the new pipette design immediately available to labs around the world.

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Author: Daisy McCarty

Steam-Sampling Cart Heads Editor’s Pick List

Submitted by Daisy McCarty
May 1, 2009

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Pharmaceutical Technology’s informational publications cover a wide variety of topics involving sterile processing. The April issue of the Equipment and Processing Report featured a steam-sampling cart from Buzdar. It is a good example of one of the simple advances in current technology that makes process control more manageable. This manufacturer’s newest piece of stainless steel equipment is touted as requiring “no water”. Obviously it does require access to steam, but it doesn’t need a separate water source for cooling. Instead, this compact and portable machine carries its own refrigeration unit. This adequately cools the condensate and allows testing to be easily carried out at any suitable location.

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