RECENT PRODUCT NEWS

It is estimated that over 216,000 individuals in the UK are chronically infected with the hepatitis C virus (HCV). Poor diagnosis rates, low treatment rates and a high annual incidence of new infection mean that chronic HCV remains a major public health challenge.

United Kingdom-based manufacturer Randox Toxicology has launched a new customisation service for the development of tailor-made multi-analyte toxicology control material, offering simplified assessment and improved laboratory efficiency.

Haematology specialist Horiba Medical has launched an advanced high-throughput haematology analyser, the Pentra DX Nexus. The new bench-top analyser offers reliability, efficiency and quality, combined with enhanced ease of use and a reduced environmental footprint.

Eppendorf has introduced the new Eppendorf µCuvette G1.0, designed for the accurate and reliable measurement of small volumes of highly concentrated biomolecules, such as proteins and nucleic acids. Users can work easily with samples as small as 1.5 µL without the need for a time-consuming dilution step.

EKF Diagnostics, a manufacturer of point-of-care (POC) diagnostic tools, has introduced two new low-cost POC analysers: the new Quo-Lab glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) analyser for the management of diabetes, and the STAT-Site M ?HB, a strip-based analyser for highly accurate near-patient testing of ketosis.

Edinburgh Instruments has launched the FLS980 fluorescence spectrometer for steady state, lifetime and phosphorescence measurements in photophysics, photochemistry, biophysics, biochemistry and semiconductor physics. Building on the success of the well-established FLS920 instrument, the FLS980 is a high-performance, fully automated modular spectrometer for use in fundamental research and routine laboratory applications.

bioMérieux has launched the new CE-marked VIDAS Anti-HCV test for the detection of antibodies to hepatitis C virus (HCV), extending the company’s current product range to provide a complete test menu for hepatitis A, B and C. In conjunction with other clinical information, the VIDAS Anti-HCV test assists in the diagnosis of HCV in individuals with symptoms of, or who at risk from, HCV infection, and can be used in combination with VIDAS HAV and HBV assays to form a test panel for the differential diagnosis of viral hepatitis.

Infection with Helicobacter pylori is the cause of most stomach and duodenal ulcers but can be cured by a course of antibiotics. Easy detection is therefore clinically important. Traditional non-invasive tests for diagnosis of H. pylori infection have limitations. Detection of blood antibodies cannot differentiate between active and past exposure. The urea breath test (UBT), while able to identify current infection, is costly and requires specialist equipment since it involves the ingestion of radioactive carbon.

Alere has announced that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has cleared the TechLab Shiga Toxin Quik Chek test for the US market. The text is the only rapid diagnostic available that can detect Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) directly from a stool specimen. The test offers significant advantages over other rapid cassette assays in that it removes the need for overnight bacterial culture preparation.

CoolLED has launched its pE-200 and pE-300 family of light-emitting diode (LED) light sources that have even greater intensity, are more compact, and offer greater value for money. Common two-wavelength (pE-200) and three-wavelength (pE-300) configurations are available.

There has been high demand for the Techne Prime thermal cycler range and Techne has now added to the online materials available and improved the warranty it offers, ensuring that users get the high levels of support and quality for which the brand is known. Further software enhancements are in development.

Shimadzu UK has launched a high-end liquid chromatography mass spectrometer, the LCMS-8080. An extension of its ultra-fast mass spectrometry (UFMS) range, the new model’s high-speed capabilities increase productivity by delivering accurate measurements the first time.

Dako has launched a full diagnostic panel of antibodies to detect mismatch repair proteins, which are used routinely for the diagnosis and study of colorectal cancer and hereditary non-polyposis colorectal carcinoma (HNPCC or Lynch syndrome). Absence of staining with one or more antibodies in the panel may indicate lack of functioning mismatch repair proteins.

The Axygen brand of magnetic separation devices (MSDs) has revolutionised manual magnetic bead-based separation processes used in biological research, including nucleic acid purification and clean up, cell-based assays, and antibody and protein purification.

The first fully integrated molecular diagnostic device for real-time gel electrophoresis is being offered as a standalone instrument from Partec. With everything necessary to carry out real-time gel electrophoresis in a single instrument, the Partec CyFox is user-friendly, compact and cost-effective.

CoolLED has launched its pE-200 and pE-300 family of light-emitting diode (LED) light sources that benefit from even greater intensity, are more compact, and offer greater value for money. Common two-wavelength (pE-200) and three-wavelength (pE-300) configurations are available.

The Techne thermal cycler range, available from Bibby Scientific, has been redesigned to provide easier programming and increased instrument flexibility. All Prime models have an enhanced thermal engine, a colour touch interface and preprogrammed protocol templates.

In today’s energy-conscious environment, energy efficiency is a prime concern for equipment manufacturers and users alike, and at New Brunswick it has long been a high priority. New Brunswick’s ultralow-temperature (ULT) freezers, available through Eppendorf, are the most energy-saving in the industry and the company’s new HEF high-efficiency freezer models are the greenest of them all. They consume up to 59% less energy than other units, potentially saving thousands in operating costs over the lifetime of the freezer, and have significantly less carbon impact on the environment.

Researchers at Swansea University selected the MO BIO RNA PowerSoil total RNA isolation Kit, available from Cambio, for investigations of an important group of bacteria.

The SU3500 from Hitachi High-Technologies is a new variable pressure scanning electron microscope (VP-SEM) featuring a newly designed ultra-variable pressure detector and offering levels of performance previously unseen in this class of instrument. Attention to detail has been applied to all aspects of the instrument design, including the electron optics, detection system, vacuum system, chamber/stage and the user interface.