RECENT PRODUCT NEWS

Eliminating the contamination risk from the transfer of environmental swab tubes into vials and isolators, Cherwell Laboratories’ ready-to-use swabs are available double-bagged and gamma-irradiated.

The explosion in the number of new fluorescent dyes has opened up exciting new opportunities for life science researchers. However, each requires the microscope system to be equipped with an appropriate excitation laser, a limitation that has greatly restricted their adoption.

Roche has launched a new assay for the early assessment of glomerular filtration rate (GFR) in patients with impaired renal function. The Roche Cystatin C assay is more sensitive than creatinine measurements, allowing diagnosis of chronic kidney disease (CKD) at an early stage when therapeutic intervention is possible.

Combining the groundbreaking AZ100 Multizoom and advanced C1 confocal microscope, Nikon has created the ultimate imaging platform for developmental biology, cell biology, stem cell and tissue research. For the first time, researchers can view large specimens in confocal mode, enabling the capture of more information than ever before.

Lancer Biocleanse is ideal for scientific, medical and healthcare environments where it is used as a surface disinfectant, deodorising cleaner and fungicide. Available in ready-to-use liquid, spray or wipes and as a concentrate, and with powerful biocidal properties, this high-level disinfectant delivers effective cleaning with proven efficacy against a wide spectrum of pathogenic microorganisms including bacteria, viruses, moulds, fungi and spores.

The Navios flow cytometer provides high sensitivity and resolution as well as a wide dynamic range to run high complexity, multicolour analyses on both clinical and clinical research samples. The second in a new line of cytometers to be released this year by Beckman Coulter, the Navios can be configured as either a two-laser system providing six- or eight-colour detection, or as a three-laser system offering up to 10-colour analysis.

Experts agree that the combined use of Copan’s patented flocked swabs and universal transport medium, available exclusively in the UK from Sterilin, is the preferred method to collect and transport samples for influenza testing. Traditionally, the UK’s flu season starts in October and places a greater demand on laboratory resources for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and rapid immunological testing.

Citizen Systems, a manufacturer of dot matrix, label and barcode printers, has launched the new CL-S703R printer that features an internal rewinder, making it extremely simple to print labels on demand. The easy-to-use 300 dpi printer offers a cost-effective solution for printing both GS1 DataBar and EAN barcodes on packaging.

The Heraeus Megafuge 16 and the Heraeus Multifuge X1 centrifuge series incorporate a range of innovative technologies. The tool-free Auto-Lock III rotor system enables three-second rotor installation and removal. The biocontainment-certified ClickSeal bucket sealing system employs glove-friendly, one-handed snap-on covers, replacing complicated screw caps and clips. In addition, the advanced rotor management SMARTSpin system optimises acceleration, braking, temperature control and residual load imbalance to maximise safety and improve separation and pelleting efficiency.

Carl Zeiss has announced a series of launches covering a range of product and application innovations, beginning with the Merlin, the company’s next-generation analytical field emission scanning electron microscope. The Merlin combines the contradictory requirements of ultra-high resolution imaging and analytical capabilities. “Customers have a need for more than just high-resolution images of their samples,” Dr Dirk Stenkamp explained. “With its special analytical capabilities, our instruments provide maximum information with maximum insight.”

Randox has launched drugs-of-abuse (DoA) reagents for use on the RX series of clinical chemistry analysers. Now it sis possible to detect 10 DoA in human urine on systems that offer time, labour and cost savings.

Oxoid, has announced the extension of its ProSpecT range of qualitative enzyme immunoassays to include test kits for adenovirus, astrovirus, Clostridium difficile, Campylobacter, Cryptosporidium, Entamoeba histolytica, Giardia, Cryptosporidium, rotavirus and Escherichia coli.

Roche Diagnostics has announced that the new Elecsys troponin T high-sensitive (hs) assay, for use on cobas and MODULAR Analytics serum work areas, will soon be available to hospital laboratories in the UK and Ireland. This highly sensitive diagnostic assay, which has been developed to improve the detection of myocardial injury and to help identify risk of acute coronary syndromes, detects troponin T in the range 0.003–10 ng/mL serum/plasma.

Olympus has introduced its cutting-edge dotSlide 2.1 virtual microscopy system, which claims advanced functionality with outstanding image quality. Available in three different models, this flexible and efficient system enables the virtual overview of an entire slide to be displayed in perfect quality on-screen. Furthermore, images are saved automatically in an online database where they are easily accessible for fast and secure remote image access. With excellent throughput for extensive image acquisition and superb documentation of tissue sections and tissue microarrays, the dotSlide 2.1 system is ideal for all aspects of pathology and research.

Clinical Campylobacter infections are reported to contribute to around 50% of all reported cases of infectious intestinal disease in the UK, with chicken an important source of the organism. Proper detection helps to manage the disease and microbiological culture media offer a straightforward method for isolating pathogens in food, environmental samples and faeces.

Two new Captair models of erlab ductless fume hoods are now available from Camlab, offering a breakthrough in modular design and functionality. The new CaptairChem SD and XL models feature filters with gel-seal technology that allows easy filter stacking and ensures perfect filter column air-tightness. The new designs allow the retention capacity of the hoods to be increased by simply adding more filter/fan stacks (up to four on the XL model).

Oxford Gene Technology (OGT) has announced that the Center for Human Genetics at Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium, has begun assessment of its CytoSure arrays for use in prenatal diagnostic research. The Center, one of Europe’s largest clinical diagnostic facilities, already uses CytoSure arrays for post-natal research applications and is now exploring their potential for prenatal screening.

bioMérieux is now supplying the QuickVue range of rapid diagnostic tests worldwide, as part of a long-term global alliance with Quidel for the development and distribution of rapid clinical diagnostic solutions.

Carl Zeiss has set a new performance standard for entry-level confocal microscopy with the introduction of the LSM 700 laser scanning microscope, which uses proven modules from the world’s largest range of fluorescence and laser scanning microscope systems to offer flexibility in both application and system structure. The LSM 700 can be combined with a large number of microscope stands to deliver innovative image analysis solutions with exceptional sensitivity and quality, tailored to the personal requirements of each user.

GE Healthcare has launched the IN Cell Analyser 2000, a flexible cell-imaging system for high-content analysis with excellent image quality, speed and ease of use for all screening and research needs. The flexibility of the system enables scientists to perform a wide variety of previously challenging experiments with a single instrument.