New Products

Mass Spectrometer

Shimadzu introduces the new MALDI-7090™ MALDI TOF-TOF mass spectrometer targeted for proteomics and tissue imaging research. Innovative technology incorporated into the MALDI-7090, such as ASDF™- Axial Spatial Distribution Focusing, delivers high-resolution MALDI MS/MS for accurate compound characterization. This, in combination with proprietary solid-state laser technology, true 2 kHz acquisition speed in all modes (MS and MS/MS), an integrated 10-plate loader and newly designed MALDI Solutions™ software, sets a new benchmark in MALDI TOF-TOF design. With its 20 keV high-energy CID capability, the MALDI-7090 efficiently produces additional fragment ions to further enhance characterization. Comprising a powerful range of tools for method development, acquisition, data processing and interpretation, MALDI Solutions software allows automatic and manual control of the MALDI-7090 and has been designed to provide a flexible platform in the hands of both novice and expert users. Web: www.ssi.shimadzu.com

Sample preperation

Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc. has introduced the Thermo Scientific Prelude SPLC sample preparation and liquid chromatography system, developed to make analysis of target compounds in complex biological matrices routine for clinical research and forensic toxicology laboratories. The Prelude SPLC system is designed to enhance the cost effectiveness of LC-MS/MS instrumentation by automating sample preparation and increasing mass spectrometer throughput. Automation can minimize variability inherent in manual sample preparation procedures while also reducing sample preparation time and effort. The device is designed to negate problems caused by sample matrix interference while capturing analytes of interest. This kind of sample clean-up can enhance MS quantitative analysis by reducing ion suppression. Web: www.thermoscientific.com/prelude

Columns

Waters Corporation has introduced a new family of 1.6 micron solid-core UltraPerformance LC® Columns that provide higher efficiency and allows laboratories to produce greater amounts of information faster with every chromatographic separation. CORTECS™ Columns are available in C18, C18+ or HILIC chemistries. The columns come in 30 unique column configurations and feature a solid, impermeable silica core encased in a porous silica outer layer where the interactions between the stationary phase and the analytes occur. The CORTECS C18 Column is a general-purpose, high-efficiency, reversed-phase column offering balanced retention of acids, bases, and neutrals at low and midrange pH. The CORTECS C18+ Column is a general-purpose reversedphase column with a positively charged surface that delivers excellent peak shape for basic compounds at low pH. The CORTECS HILIC Column is designed for the retention of extremely polar analytes while offering orthogonal selectivity versus C18 columns. Web: www.waters.com/cortecs

Pipettes

The Mettler Toledo manual Rainin Pipet-Lite XLS+ and electronic Rainin E4 XLS+ offer users durable, lightweight liquid ends and new mechanical designs that all but eliminate hand strain while ensuring the highest channel-to-channel consistency. This combination of improved ergonomic comfort helps pipette operators work more comfortably and reduce the risk of error and potentially expensive rework. Reduced weight and lower pipetting/tip-ejection forces – combined with improved balance – reduce operator fatigue during intensive 96-well plate work. Enhanced reliability ensures data integrity. And operators concerned about cross-contamination will appreciate XLS+’s reduced stiction (piston stickiness), which helps to eliminate splash-up. The Pipet-Lite XLS+ and E4 XLS+ models are available in volumes up to 300 µL. Web: www.mt.com/rainin-mc.

Benchtop equipment

The SI600C cooled shaking incubator is the latest addition to the Stuart range of benchtop science equipment. The SI600C has all the features of the SI600 shaking incubator, with the addition of a separate recirculating chiller to extend the achievable temperature range. The original Stuart SI600 is a combined shaker and incubator, ideal for cell cultures. With the inclusion of a Stuart SRC4 chiller, (or one of an equivalent specification) the SI600C incubator can now run at 15˚C below the ambient temperature of the room, to a minimum internal temperature of 5˚C. The incubator can therefore be introduced into a whole new range of applications, such as cell-based protein expression, which often involves reduction of the culture temperature. During heating and cooling with the SI600C, temperatures are very accurately controlled. Separate controls for temperature and speed reduce the risk of accidental temperature adjustments, and USB communication allows long term tracking of the incubator’s temperature. The SI600C cooled shaking incubator can hold up to six 2L flasks of various types without requiring tulip clamps or tools. The flasks are securely held on a retractable, flexible platform, allowing easy access to samples at the back of the chamber. Users can also purchase stainless steel tube racks, which magnetically couple to the instrument. Biocote antimicrobial protection guards against contamination and reduces the risk of sample loss. Web: www.stuart-equipment.com

Standard probes

Diba Industries has introduced a new line of standard probes that allow engineers to speed up the design phase of projects and shorten the lead times associated with manufacturing custom probes. Diba’s standard probes are made of 316 stainless steel with 200 microlitre internal volume capacity and are capable of reaching the bottom of most sample tubes. Diba offers three versions of standard probes: standard drawn, with no internal diameter treatment; DP3™ polished and PTFE lined. DP3 is Diba’s proprietary polishing process which minimizes carryover by reducing internal diameter roughness by a factor of two to three micro-inches. PTFE lined probes offer an unbroken fluid path with no joints back to the pump. Web: www.dibaind.com