June 2014 Technology News
The latest equipment, instrument and system introductions to the laboratory market.
Analytical
Ultraviolet-Visible Diode Array Spectrophotometer
Cary 8454
Includes a new version of UV-Vis ChemStation software that integrates with OpenLAB Enterprise Content Manager (ECM)
- Provides the secure data management needed in pharmaceutical and other highly regulated industries
- Compact, easy-to-maintain system can collect a complete spectrum in less than one second
- Transitioning from existing earlier models to the Cary 8454 UV-Vis is seamless
Agilent www.agilent.com
GC Column Connection Supplies
Easy-to-use, leak-free supplies improve GC flow-path integrity and allow users to experience longer periods of unattended operation
- New supplies include a self-tightening column nut, UltiMetal Plus-treated metal tubing and parts, UltiMetal Plus stainless steel capillary guard columns, UltiMetal Plus stainless steel transfer lines and capillary tubing, the Ultra Inert deactivated press, column installation swaging tools for graphite and metal ferrules, and the UltiMetal Plus flexible metal ferrule
Agilent www.agilent.com
Continuous Flow Analyzer
Futura Duo
Can run simultaneously multiple parameters in parallel for combined analyses, with its integrated two channels
- Able to run all chemistries from the easiest to the most complex ones
- New full auto module handles automatically the external modules and accessories for the automation of complex chemistries
- Includes a multi stream peristaltic pump, independent electronic and detector modules
AMS SYSTEA www.ams-systea.com
Spectrometer for Atmospheric Measurements
EM27/SUN
Features the new CAMTracker system which is an improved version of the well-known solar tracker utilizing an innovative camera-based feedback system following the sun as light source
- New CAMTracker also provides direct line-of-sight information and is insensitive to inhomogenous illumination
- Highly portable and thus suited for long term measurement campaigns in remote areas
Bruker www.bruker.com
Scanning Micro X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometer
M6 JETSTREAM™
Provides a scan range of up to 800 x 600 mm2 and a scanning speed of up to 100 mm/s
- Designed to analyze the chemical composition of very large objects on-site in a single run with spatial resolution between 50 and 1,200 μm
- Runs Bruker’s ESPRIT software suite, offering an easy-to-use graphical user interface and a wide range of functions
Bruker www.bruker.com
Research Grade FTIR Spectrometer
TENSOR II
Replaces the TENSOR 27/37
- Suited for advanced FTIR applications in R&D due to its high sensitivity and flexibility
- Also useful in routine applications for QC and material verification as it is compact in size and provides a very comfortable workflow
- The first R&D FTIR using a diode laser with a much longer hold time than HeNe-lasers included in conventional R&D FTIR instrumentation
Bruker www.bruker.com
Product Spotlight |
Imaging Reimagined
In March, Daylight Solutions announced the launch of the world’s first commercially available laser-based infrared microscopy platform. The microscope, called Spero™, features breakthrough chemical imaging and analysis on a real-time basis and offers a combination of excellent visibility, instantaneous results in “live mode,” and a small resource footprint. “Spero provides data products and analysis capabilities that simply aren’t possible with existing instruments; it represents a true gamechanger for chemical imaging,” says Daylight Solutions president Paul Larson. “As the first laser-based infrared microscopy platform, Spero will provide rapid, high-resolution results for applications ranging from cancer research and drug discovery to food safety and materials manufacturing.” That image resolution, combined with an ultra-wide field of view, allows researchers to observe micron-scale features while also covering large areas very quickly for high throughput applications, the company adds. The instrument operates in the mid-infrared region and provides high-fidelity spectral data for the accurate identification of molecular and chemical components of complex, heterogeneous samples. But, unlike current FTIR-based instruments, full-spectrum, high-resolution hyperspectral data cubes can be collected in minutes and the Spero’s “live mode” capability allows users to observe samples with discrete frequency illumination, allowing real-time imaging of individual spectral features. The microscope also includes easy to use spectral imaging software. “I was able to do more in the small amount of time that I spent with Daylight’s Spero than I could ever do back home with the systems we have,” says Dr. Michael Walsh, assistant professor in the Department of Pathology at the University of Illinois at Chicago. “This microscope greatly exceeded my expectations.” For more information, visit www.daylightsolutions.com/spero |
NIR Spectrometer
LF-Series
Delivers four models in a standard bench package with fixed fiber optic, SMA-905 connection and a single TE-cooled InGaAs photodiode array optical system
- Suited to both laboratory and field applications
- Features reliable operation with all photodiode array construction and no moving optical parts
- Include stable performance with TE-Cooled InGaAs array
SPECTRAL EVOLUTION www.spectralevolution.com
HPLC Column Chiller/Heater EchoTherm™
Model CO50
Features a temperature range from 4.0°C to 100.0°C readable and settable to 0.1°C
- PID control software regulates temperatures to ±0.2°C, even at ambient
- This Peltier-based unit has 5-program memory of 10 steps per program and the ability to repeat any program from 1 to 99 times automatically
- Holds columns up to 30cm long by ¼” or 3/8” diameter
Torrey Pines Scientific www.torreypinesscientific.com
Basic Lab
Total Organic Carbon Analyzer
Sievers M9
Designed to measure TOC in a broad range of samples from ultrapure water to process waters
- Enhances productivity by producing TOC results in two minutes, twice as fast as its predecessor
- Offered in three versions: portable, online or laboratory
- Can measure conductivity in grab sample or autosampler modes
Pipette Automation Device
VIAFLO ASSIST
- In combination with a VIAFLO II electronic handheld pipette, enables the pipette’s protocols to be performed automatically
- Reduces the need for traditional handheld pipetting to a minimum, relieving lab personnel from activities that may cause repetitive stress injuries
- Ensures tip immersion depth and pipetting angle are always the same, resulting in increased reproducibility and thus better results
INTEGRA www.integra-biosciences.com
Quick COD Analyzer
Model HC-607
- Provides fast, accurate analyses and is easy to use with coulometric titration
- A revision of the electrode material frees the user from performing multiple blank measurements and speeds up and stabilizes measurement operations
- The sliding electrode holder provides greater efficiency and smoother operation and electrode mounting and dismounting is simpler, safer and more reliable
JM Science www.jmscience.com
Diaphragm Vacuum Pump
N 920 KT.29P
Provides lab technicians with adjustable vacuum performance, without the need for lubricating oil or recirculating water
- Also gives users quiet function with long product life in myriad laboratory applications
- In addition to N 920 KT.29P’s adjustable vacuum performance, it delivers deep end vacuum up to 1.5 Torr, and a flow rate of 20 L/min
KNF Neuberger www.knfusa.com
Zero Nitrogen Generators
Designed to transform standard compressed air into a safe, regulated supply of 99.9995% pure nitrogen withRefrigerating/Heating Circulators
- Provide precise temperature control for cold properties testing applications
- Designed for use with cloud point, freeze point, pour point, and cold filter plugging point testing equipment
- Feature temperature ranges as broad as -40° to 200°C, temperature stabilities as exacting as ±0.005°C, and are available in reservoir sizes from 7 to 75 liters
PolyScience www.polyscience.com
Refrigerating/Heating Circulators
Provide precise temperature control for cold properties testing applications
- Designed for use with cloud point, freeze point, pour point, and cold filter plugging point testing equipment
- Feature temperature ranges as broad as -40° to 200°C, temperature stabilities as exacting as ±0.005°C, and are available in reservoir sizes from 7 to 75 liters
PolyScience www.polyscience.com
Balance
Entris
Focuses on the most commonly used weighing applications and dispenses with costly additional functions
- Available in 15 models, covering a weighing capacity from 60 g to 8,200 g with a readability of 0.1 mg to 0.1 g
- Most models equipped with a monolithic weighing system featuring external adjustment or an internal, motorized adjustment function
Sartorius www.sartorius.com
Carboy Containers
Carboy Contain
Available in two sizes; one designed to hold carboys up to 4 liters; and one designed to accommodate carboys up to 20 liters
- Up to 100 lbs can be easily accommodated and both sizes fit easily on countertops
- Feature one-piece polyethylene construction designed to provide easy clean-up and years of trouble-free use
Scientific Plastics scientificplastics.com
Laboratory Freeze Dryer
AdVantage Pro
Features a new Intellitronics™ controller offering enhanced functionality and intuitive touch screen navigation
- One touch start-up and shut down ensure that user’s product and freeze dryer are protected from inadvertent operational procedures
- Integrated performance and leak testing ensure system is always working optimally
- Alarm alerts, delivered via email, help notify the user of potential problems with the system
SP Scientific www.spscientific.com
Cryo Controller
Asia
Just 16 cm—6.3 inches—wide, the easy-to-use control offers compact, high performance, and trouble-free cooling of flow chemistry processes
- Proprietary cooling technology achieves microreactor temperatures as low as -100 °C and tube reactor temperatures down to -70 °C, using only main power and eliminating the need for dry ice, liquid nitrogen, running water or a circulator
Syrris http://syrris.com/
Electronic Pipette
E1-ClipTip
Interlocking technology provides enhanced sample security and makes pipetting more efficient with the ability to transfer samples quickly between different labware formats using the same pipette throughout the protocol
- Personalized interface and password protection ensures unified operation among users
- Program function allows users to store 20 programs, each with a specific name and calibration
Thermo Fisher Scientific www.thermoscientific.com
ULT Freezer
TWINCORE
Designed for -86°C storage of high-value samples
- Employs two optimized autocascade compressors but only requires one compressor to hold temperature up to -86°C
- Features an advanced 7’’ LCD touchscreen control panel, inventory management system, and each unit is assigned an IP address for monitoring functions by the Z-Sc1 WIZBOX network or user’s in-house system
- Does not require a CO2 backup
Z-SC1 Biomedical http://z-sc1.com
Chemicals, Kits & Reagents
Protein Delivery Reagent
BioPORTER®
Lipid-based protein delivery system efficiently transports proteins into living cells
- Makes studying protein functionality faster and easier by bypassing the traditional DNA transfection, transcription, and protein translation processes
- After capturing the protein, the reagent transports the lipid protein complex into the target cell; the delivered proteins retain their structure and function while leaving the transduced cells unharmed
AMSBIO www.amsbio.com
Real-Time PCR Dye
Precision Blue
Makes it easier for researchers to set up real-time PCR (qPCR) experiments
- Improves the visibility of qPCR reaction mixtures, enabling loading of small volume reactions with greater speed, accuracy, and precision
- Compatible with Bio-Rad’s universal qPCR supermixes and does not interfere with SYBR® Green- or probe-based detection
- Concentrated 200x, and delivers 500 x 20 μl reactions
Bio-Rad www.bio-rad.com
Certified Solutions of Corticosteroids
Snap-N-Spike®
- New Certified Spiking Solutions® are of the corticosteroids pregnenolone, 17α-hydroxypregnenolone, cortisone, and 11-deoxycorticosterone at concentrations of 100 μg/mL in methanol
- Suitable for preparation of calibrators, controls, and linearity standards in clinical and diagnostic labs as well as hospitals and research settings
- Offer laboratories increased efficiency of labor and convenience of use
Cerilliant www.cerilliant.com
NGS Assay Kits
IsoFlux™
Designed to enhance and complete the workflow for next-generation sequencing (NGS) using the IsoFlux System
- Enable mutation detection from circulating tumor cells using NGS
- Increase the overall target purity of the sample and provide a robust nucleic acid extraction method that is optimized for NGS
- Available for immediate use through the IsoFlux Discovery Services program
Fluxion Biosciences http://fluxionbio.com
Cell Integrity Kit
EarlyTox
Stronger fluorescent signal significantly shortens exposure times compared to similar kits, cutting down the time spent on plate reader assays
- Only kit with a masking reagent to remove background signal, making it unnecessary to remove media to improve signal-to-noise ratio
- Pre-configured protocols and automatic calibration by Molecular Devices imaging cytometer reduces the need for parameter optimization and manual data analysis
Molecular Devices www.moleculardevices.com
Informatics
Powder Flow Software
Powder Flow Pro Software Version 1.3
The Quick 5-Point Flow Function Test is now integrated into the software
- New test can be accomplished in about 16 minutes as compared to the Standard 5-Point Flow Function Test which takes about 25 minutes to complete
- Allows for more rapid QA/QC checks on production powder batches
- Test provides the operator with five predefined consolidation stress measurements
Brookfield Engineering www.brookfieldengineering.com
Particle Size Analyzer Software
Mastersizer 3000
New software for Malvern’s Mastersizer 3000 laser diffraction particle size analyzer continues to lighten the analytical workload associated with developing robust particle sizing methods for industrial applications
- New operational features, such as an Optical Property Optimizer, simplify and streamline the process of method development
- A new result emulation tool eases the process of transferring methods from other particle sizing techniques
Malvern www.malvern.com
New CDS Compatibility
Dionex Instrument Integration (DII) Version 1.12
- Users of Thermo Scientific Dionex UltiMate 3000 series UHPLC and HPLC systems can now drive Thermo Scientific Dionex Corona Veo charged aerosol detectors and Thermo Scientific Dionex UltiMate 3000 ECD-3000RS electrochemical detectors with Waters Empower®
- DII enables control of these additional instruments on any LC system controlled by Empower for additional freedom in experimental design
Thermo Fisher Scientific www.thermoscientific.com
Content Screening Platform
HCS Studio 2.0
- High-content quantitative imaging and analysis software platform serves a range of cancer research applications
- Allows users to pick from validated assays or a customized design with a full suite of image processing tools
- Simple interactive tools for assay optimization improve the performance and accuracy of image analysis on cells
- Works with software from Thermo Scientific High-Content Imaging platforms
Thermo Fisher Scientific www.thermoscientific.com
Sample Management Software
Mosaic 6.0
- Supports sample supply workflows in all sizes of life science organizations in industry and academia, from multi-continent, enterprise-wide installations, to those in a single lab
- Features a scalable and modular software infrastructure
- Offers seamless integration with third party IT infrastructure
- Includes improved interfaces for inventory management, enabling convenient and quick inventory search functions, even across multiple sites
Titian Software www.titian.co.uk
Lab Automation
Sample Sealer for Biobanking Storage
SampleSeal
Uses automated heat-sealing technology to fully seal and individualize sample tubes in a single, automated process, completing a full rack of 96 or 384 2D-barcoded tubes in less than one minute
- Supports low-volume, high-density sample storage that both maximizes storage capacity and enables single-use access of samples for downstream use
- Minimizes the damaging thaw/re-freeze cycles that can impact sample integrity
Thermo Fisher Scientific www.thermoscientific.com
Life Science
Flow Cytometer
NovoCyte™
Offers a powerful cell analysis tool for researchers who are unfamiliar with flow cytometers and/or those unable to afford such systems
- Allows researchers to detect up to 15 different parameters with enhanced sensitivity and resolution
- Customizable to meet researchers’ current and future needs with options to add-on at a later date
ACEA Biosciences www.aceabio.com
Certified Reference Materials
Now include quantitative mycoplasma genomic DNA prepared as Certified Reference Materials
- Supports ATCC’s range of quality control products, which include the Universal Mycoplasma Detection Kit and a collection of 10 titered mycoplasma reference strains
- Calibrated to one or more specified properties, making them suited for use in challenging assays, verifying or comparing test methods, and benchmarking critical assay performance during assay validation or implementation
ATCC www.atcc.org
Multi-Mode Dispenser
MultiFlo™ FX
Now available with optional RAD™ (Random Access Dispense) technology to further extend its application range and flexibility
- RAD technology offers single-channel dispensing to random individual microplate wells along with rapid reagent dispensing into large volume wells of 6- to 24- well microplates
- Can also be separately configured with an optional wash module for 6- to 384-well plates
BioTek www.biotek.com
Small Animal Treadmills
Suited for forced exercise training and muscle fatigue studies in rodents
- Features reduced stress to subjects and smooth operation with the high performance, silent motor, even at high speeds
- Provides more rapid animal training with integrated shock grid which delivers constant shock despite the number contacts, ensuring minimal discomfort while promoting training
Coulbourn www.coulbourn.com
Droplet-On-Demand System
Mitos Dropix
Capable of easily generating extremely miniaturized droplet compartments with exceptional control over volume, environment and isolation of contents
- Meets the increasing demand for screening massive numbers of biological reactions, increased speed of screening and reduced reagent consumption
- Introduces liquid sampling and processing over a 10 nL – 50 μL volume range utilizing droplet technology
Dolomite www.dolomite-microfluidics.com
Microplate Reader
EMax® Plus
Designed for labs just starting up or looking to extend capabilities with affordable, yet reliable instrumentation
- Measures 96-well plates and comes with eight standard filter modes to cover the entire visible range
- Includes multiple licenses to the SoftMax® Pro software for endpoint and kinetic analysis of microplate data
Molecular Devices www.moleculardevices.com
Microplate Washer
MultiWash™+
Quickly washes with both 96 and 384-well plates, has 20 standard wash protocols, and a simple LCD screen interface to customize speed, volume, soak time, and aspiration settings
- Engineered to be simple to maintain and use, including features that reduce clogging and noise
- Includes a set of four wash/rinse bottles and one waste bottle for out-of-the-box operation
Molecular Devices www.moleculardevices.com
Cell Culture Surface
Nunclon Sphera
- Designed to allow many different cell types to grow in suspension consistently with virtually no cell attachment
- Especially important for researchers seeking to cultivate cancer and stem cell spheroids, since the product is able to grow uniform and dependable spheres
- Offers excellent quality for embryoid body formation of pluripotent stem cells
Thermo Fisher Scientific www.thermoscientific.com
Online Monitoring & Control System
2900M
Features the YSI Sitini online sampler
- The Sitini can be set up to automatically draw fluids from the bioreactor, delivering samples directly to the 2900 biochemistry analyzer for testing
- Measures analytes such as glucose, glutamine, glutamate, lactate and many more
- Provides a simple and reliable solution for running user’s bioprocess automatically, with accurate results in less than one minute
Automated Microscope
Axio Scan.Z1
Allows researchers to digitalize fixed tissue sections and cytologic specimens in bright-field and fluorescence
- Also allows as many as 100 microscope slides to be digitalized at one time
- Maximum protection for the sample is ensured by the Colibri.2 UV-free LED light source, as well as a focus finder with oblique illumination, called the ring aperture contrast
Carl Zeiss Microscopy www.zeiss.com
Supplies & Consumables
Spheroid Microplate
XFe96
- This 96-well plate features geometry that enables functional, metabolic measurements of individual spheroids for the study of three-dimensional cell culture, which more closely mimics in vivo conditions
- Allows the real-time metabolism of multicellular spheroids to be analyzed and used for evaluating the metabolic response to therapeutic agents
- XFe96 Spheroid FluxPak contains six cartridges, six microplates and calibrant
Seahorse Bioscience www.seahorsebio.com
PCR Sealing Film
UltraFlux®
New range of products is economical and easy to use
- Consist of film and foil solutions; providing options for everyday plate coverage through use of two foil versions, and the UltraFlux® RT is suited for optical analysis during Real Time PCR
- A bundled plate and sealing film option is available
SSI www.ssibio.com
Nested LiHa Disposable Tips
Allow up to five racks of the new 350 μl tips to be stacked on a single SLAS-format carrier
- Minimize the need for manual intervention and increase walkaway time for Freedom EVO® liquid handling workstations
- Nested 350 μl tip offers greater versatility with the same pipetting precision as the 200 μl tip, and is available in both Tecan Sterile and Tecan Pure options
Tecan www.tecan.com