RECENT PRODUCT NEWS

Pipetting viscous, volatile, corrosive or hazardous liquids and avoiding aerosol contamination can be a problem when using air-displacement pipettes. Now, with the Rainin Pos-D positive-displacement pipette, ease, speed, accuracy, precision and safety are guaranteed.

The QIAsymphony AS from Qiagen has extended the company’s range of high-quality assay and detection solutions. This new module in the QIAsymphony series provides fully automated set up of Qiagen assays and polymerase chain reaction PCR kits and combines its experience in sample and assay technologies on a single platform.

The new INB-203 CO2 incubators from IKS International are ideal for applications in in vitro fertilisation (IVF), cell culture, haematology and cell biology. The INB-203 is a direct-heat incubator with a capacity of 42 L and a temperature range from ambient +5°C to 60°C. For those needing lower temperatures, the INB-203C has the added facility of Peltier cooling down to ambient –5°C.

Nikon has added the innovative CFI Apo LWD 25x objective to its series of low refractive index, high numerical aperture (NA) objectives. Employing Nikon’s ultra nano crystal coating technology, the new objective features high optical performance across the widest spectral wavelength with high chromatic corrections for sharp contrast imaging.

Integrated DNA Technologies (IDT) has added additional flexibility to its PrimeTime quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) product. Users can now customise the Standard and XL qPCR assays by specifying the dye and quencher pair used on the probe and the ratio of primer to probe.

The new Olympus FluoView FV10i confocal laser scanning microscope system brings a new level of accessibility to confocal microscopy. Designed to remove all the complex steps involved in setting-up and using confocal microscopes, the system ensures that users can concentrate on the images and data without the need for prior expertise.

Phadia, a leader in allergy and autoimmunity testing, has launched an innovative new antinuclear antibody (ANA) screen for the identification of connective tissue diseases (CTDs). The EliA ANA CTD Screen provides reliable and unambiguous detection of a wide range of CTDs, offering superior specificity and sensitivity to HEp-2-based assays, even in difficult cases.

Diabetes is a chronic and progressive disease that impacts upon almost every aspect of life. It is caused by a deficiency, inherited and/or acquired, in production of insulin by the pancreas (type 1), or by resistance to the insulin produced (type 2). As a major non-communicable disease, diabetes mellitus claims on average around 8% of total health budgets in developed countries.

Thermo Fisher Scientific has announced availability of the new Thermo Scientific Nunc IVF centrifuge and cryopreservation tubes for improved sample safety and protection. These consumables are certified free of toxins that would impair viability during the centrifugation and cryogenic freezing processes. Thoroughly tested against the highest available standards, the Nunc IVF consumables range ensures safety and reproducibility for in vitro fertilisation (IVF) procedures.

Chip-Man Technologies has launched the Cell-IQ 2 live-cell imaging and analysis system. This innovative platform builds on the success of the original Cell-IQ system, offering fully automated imaging and analysis for the study of live cell behaviour in an optimised and stable environment.

Brady offers a special labelling system that guarantees accurate identification of tissue samples. Specially developed chemical-resistant labels incorporating two-dimensional (2D) barcoding enable histopathology and anatomic pathology laboratories to comply with traceability demands issued by the EU.

Roche Diagnostics has launched the cobas 8000, designed to fill the gap in the UK for large-scale, high-speed in vitro diagnostic (IVD) testing. The ability to perform large-scale testing is increasingly important if the UK is to realise the model for pathology services focusing on service consolidation, as set out in Lord Carter’s review of pathology.

The DS-Fi1c is the latest addition to Nikon’s Digital Sight series of cameras. Featuring a high-definition cooled colour camera head and the latest optical technology, the DS-Fi1c is ideal for brightfield and fluorescence applications. An optimal microscopy digital imaging system can be configured for any bioscience application, from documentation to advanced image processing and analysis.

Ever been frustrated about not having the correct filter for your assay application? If so, the Biochrom Asys UVM340 could future-proof your laboratory. This monochromator-based plate reader puts you in control of selecting the exact wavelength to measure absorbance, between 340 nm and 800 nm at 1 nm intervals. It is ideal for enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and other applications.

A recent report recommends simplification of the plasma cell dyscrasia diagnostic algorithm mentioned in current International Myeloma Working Group guidelines, indicating that only serum protein electrophoresis (SPE) and Freelite free light chain (FLC) tests may be needed in many cases.

Oxoid has improved its RAPID Hp StART test for the detection of Helicobacter pylori antigen in stool samples. The test now delivers improved sensitivity and specificity, thus enhancing overall performance. RAPID Hp StAR is a rapid immunochromatographic membrane-based assay that provides reliable results in just 15 minutes, without the need for special equipment. The speed and simplicity of this method make it suitable for small-volume testing in the laboratory, or for near-patient testing in gastroenterology clinics and doctors' surgeries. Such convenience is ideal for monitoring the efficacy of antimicrobial treatment without the need for return hospital visits.

A collaboration between Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust and global medical technology company Becton Dickinson (BD) has yielded a product that can simplify the process of identifying cancer cells. BD Intrasure allows scientists to study intracellular markers by flow cytometry, a technique commonly used in the research of leukaemia and lymphoma.

Roche has announce the launch of the Elecsys Troponin T high-sensitive (TnT hs) assay for use on cobas and MODULAR Analytics serum work areas in the UK and Ireland. This highly sensitive diagnostic assay has been developed to improve the detection and exclusion of myocardial injury in the early stages, demonstrating excellent precision in the range 0.003–10 ng/mL troponin T in serum or plasma, and to help identify risk of future coronary events.

The Evidence Investigator is a sophisticated biochip system designed for research, veterinary, clinical and forensic applications with an impressive 54 samples analysed per run.

Integrated DNA Technologies (IDT), the world leader in oligonucleotide synthesis, has introduced Custom Label Design, an online label design tool that allows customers to tailor the information provided on their labels, making it easier for them to locate their oligonucleotide probes.