www.laboratoryfocus.ca
Laboratory Focus March 2013
NEW PRODUCTS
CE Platform The new PA 800 plus nextgeneration capillary electrophoresis (CE) platform by Beckman Coulter Life Sciences provides automated, quantitative analysis of protein purity, charge isoform distribution and glycan structure. Originally designed with biopharmaceutical analysis in mind, the system can also be used in food and beverage quality studies for monosaccharide and protein analysis, and in the quantitative characterization of ions, organic acids and other charged or polar molecules of importance. The PA 800 will be launched alongside the Vi-Cell Series CELL Viability Analyzer; the Multisizer 4 COULTER COUNTER, a versatile and accurate particle sizing and counting analyzer; and the LS 13320 laser diffraction particle size analysis instrument.
Web: www.beckmancoulter.com.
Grinder RETSCH introduces its new CryoMill for grinding sample materials that cannot be processed at room temperature. An integrated cooling system ensures that the grinding jar is continually cooled with liquid nitrogen before and during the grinding process. Thus the sample is embrittled and volatile components are preserved. An autofill system provides liquid nitrogen in the required amount so that the user never gets into direct contact with the LN2 which makes operating the mill particularly safe. The new CryoMill achieves considerably improved grind sizes thanks to the increased oscillating frequency of 30 Hz. Another new feature is the possibility to store up to 9 SOPs. Further improvements include a reinforced housing, optimized liquid nitrogen duct and new accessories such as an adapter for six reaction vials and a 10 ml grinding jar. The mill can also be operated without cooling which makes it suitable for a vast range of applications.
Web: www.retsch.com.
Photoelectric sensors Baumer introduces qTeach, an easy-to-use, wear-free teach procedure initiated by touching the housing of O500 series photoelectric sensors. O500 optical sensors with qTeach features no mechanical buttons or moving parts that can wear out, and are available in three models: diffuse sensors with background suppression, SmartReflect reflector-free light barriers and retro-reflective sensors for reflective surfaces. The sensors require no mechanical adjustment during setup and offer convenient teach-in process with a light touch to the housing using any ferromagnetic tool such as a screwdriver. A blue LED on the sensor provides clear optical feedback during the teach procedure, blinking to indicate when the user has activated teach mode and when the teach function has been completed. To prevent inadvertent reprogramming in the field, qTeach automatically locks out after five minutes of operation.
Web: www.baumer.com
Scales AirClean Systems PowderSafe Type B enclosures usher in a new era of powder weighing and containment technology. Equipped with a controlled negative pressure HEPAfiltered environment, PowderSafe Type B is fabricated with polypropylene, which is a chemically resistant, high mass polymer. The innate chemical resistance of polypropylene allows users to easily clean the enclosure without the worry of degradation, while the high mass construction alleviates the threat of vibration and balance disturbance during weighing. Furthermore, FlowSmooth™ technology provides even, horizontal air distribution throughout the enclosure, preventing turbulence. This laminar horizontal air movement is also key to operator protection from hazardous chemical and compounds being manipulated within the enclosure.
Web: www.aircleansystems.com
Thermal Cycler Techne has introduced a new Combi-Block for its widely used Prime Thermal Cycler range, providing instrument users with even more flexibility. The new Combi-Block has a total capacity of 66 tubes, either 33 x 0.2 ml or 33 x 0.5 ml volume. There is an optional 25°C temperature gradient spread over the 11 columns. Multi-user laboratories and core facilities have a range of cycling requirements, and the use of different sized wells means a selection of consumables can be accommodated in the same instrument. Techne Prime Thermal Cyclers are suitable for a range of PCR applications, with the new Combi-Block adding to the existing 96-well (0.2 ml), 60-well (0.5 ml) and 384-well block options. Prime Thermal Cyclers can be purchased with or without a temperature gradient, with the option to upgrade later using a simple unlock code. The instruments are supported by Techne’s market leading four year warranty.
Web: www.techne.com
Sequencing kit The NEXTflex 16S V4 Amplicon-Seq Kit has been developed to simplify bacterial metagenomics studies using Illumina® HiSeq and MiSeq platforms. This kit allows users to go from sample to sequence in two hours. Using specialized NEXTflex primers that target the V4 region of the 16S subunit, a single PCR amplification simultaneously ligates the necessary sequencing and barcoded region for multiplexing. The entire workflow requires only one clean-up step maximizing recovery. The kit is available with up to 48 barcodes, with higher degrees of multiplexing available on a custom basis.
Web: www.biooscientific.com
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