Biomedical subjects

L Franks

Publications and source records attributed to L Franks.

9 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

The use of a simulated body shape for determination of patient dosimetry within whole body ultraviolet treatment cabinets.

Details are described of a simulated body shape utilized to determine patient dosimetry within whole body ultraviolet treatment cabinets. The body shape was designed to have a shape characteristic of the patient group undergoing treatment and was utilized in several Waldmann whole body treatment cabinets and with irradiance measurements undertaken using a Bentham DM150C spectroradiometer. It was considered that the rigid defined structure of the body shape allowed satisfactory reproducibility of measurements in such cabinets and also allowed additional parameters to be identified for evaluation of performance of such units.

Body Size↗

PubMed2004

Outcomes and lessons from a pilot RCT of a community-based HIV prevention multi-session group intervention for gay men.

This paper presents the first outcome evaluation of multi-session groupwork for HIV prevention among gay men in the UK. This community-based RCT recruited 50 men, of whom 42% were HIV-positive or untested, and 32% reported status unknown or serodiscordant UAI in the previous 12 months. No knowledge, skills, attitudinal or behavioural differences were detected between intervention and control at baseline. At eight weeks, those attending the group reported significant gains over their control in making sexual choices, physical safety, HIV and STI transmission knowledge, and sexual negotiation skills. At 20 weeks, significant differences remained for HIV and STI transmission knowledge and comfort with sexual choices. Although no behavioural differences were detected, the aims of the National Prevention Strategy were met. This pilot RCT is appraised in the light of modest sample size and attrition, and recommendations for establishing behavioural outcomes are presented. This study has demonstrated that high-risk community samples can be recruited to multi-session interventions, and has provided feasibility data for future rigorous evaluation designs.

Adult↗

PubMed2002

Enveloped virus inactivation by caprylate: a robust alternative to solvent-detergent treatment in plasma derived intermediates.

Solvent-detergent treatment, although used routinely in plasma product processing to inactivate enveloped viruses, substantially reduces product yield from the human plasma resource. To improve yields in plasma product manufacturing, a new viral reduction process has been developed using the fatty acid caprylate. As licensure of plasma products warrants thorough evaluation of pathogen reduction capabilities, the present study examined susceptibility of enveloped viruses to inactivation by caprylate in protein solutions with varied pH and temperature. In the immunoglobin-rich solutions from Cohn Fraction II+III, human immunodeficiency virus, Type-1, bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV), and pseudorabies virus were inactivated by caprylate concentrations of >/=9 mM, >/=12 mM, and >/=9 mM, respectively. Compared to solvent-detergent treatment, BVDV inactivation in Fraction II+III solution was significantly faster (20-60 fold) using 16 mM caprylate. Caprylate-mediated inactivation of BVDV was not noticeably affected by temperature within the range chosen manufacturing the immunoglobulin product. In Fraction II+III solutions, IgG solubility was unaffected by </=19 mM caprylate. In albumin solution from Cohn supernatant IV-1, 40 mM caprylate rapidly inactivated BVDV, demonstrating versatility in inactivating enveloped viruses potentially present in other protein solutions. Our data show that caprylate is a robust enveloped virus inactivating agent for immunoglobulins and albumin which may potentially be utilized for other proteins; viral inactivation was not adversely affected by protein content and the buffer composition conditions evaluated. Within the parameters examined, caprylate inactivation of enveloped viruses provided comparable activity or advantages relative to the current, standard solvent-detergent treatment.

Albumins↗

PubMed1998

Determination of adequate moisture content for efficient dry-heat viral inactivation in lyophilized factor VIII by loss on drying and by near infrared spectroscopy.

A requirement for a minimal threshold level of moisture in order for efficient virus inactivation to occur during dry heat treatment of freeze-dried coagulation factor concentrates is described. Techniques used to determine moisture content during heating were Loss on Drying and Karl Fischer. The Loss on Drying was suspected to have occasional errors as a result of sample preparation being influenced by interference from atmospheric moisture. Therefore, a non-invasive, non-destructive method for determination of residual moisture content using near infrared spectrometry (NIR) was developed for freeze-dried antihaemophilic factor (AHF). Calibration equations were determined against Loss on Drying and Karl Fischer assay methods and these equations evaluated for the predictive efficiency. Both Loss on Drying and NIR were used to evaluate the effect of moisture content on the efficiency of virus inactivation by dry heat at 80 degrees C. A minimum level of moisture of greater than 0.7%, as determined by Loss on Drying, was necessary for a virus reduction in the magnitude of 4 log10 for hepatitis A virus, porcine parvovirus and pseudorabies virus.

Animals↗

PubMed1986