New Products

The ABI PRISM 877 Integrated Thermal Cycler complements Perkin-Elmer Applied Biosystems' offerings for DNA sequencing and analysis, which include instrumentation, reagents, and data-management products. The 384-well thermal cycler is integrated with a robot capable of pipetting extremely low volumes necessary for both polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequencing reactions, enabling these operations to be carried out on a single platform. Users may choose to run preprogrammed protocols or customize their own and save them for future use. Protocols are set up using software and carried out by a high-sensitivity robotic arm, eliminating the need for manual pipetting. The 877 system reportedly can run thousands of PCR and DNA sequencing samples per day and can run unattended overnight. Other relevant products include the ABI PRISM 310 Genetic Analyzer, ABI PRISM 377 DNA Sequencer, ABI 373 DNA Sequencer, linkage mapping reagents, four-color dye labels, and fluorescent reagents. Perkin Elmer Applied Biosystems Foster City, CA The Dynal MPC-P-12 is a magnetic particle concentrator designed for the rapid isolation of Dynabeads from 0.5-ml microtubes. It is well-suited for use in direct mRNA isolation, RT (reverse transcriptase) PCR, and solid-phase sequencing applications with Dynabeads Oligo(dT)25 or Dynabeads M-280 Streptavidin products. Twelve Dynabeads samples can be magnetically separated at the same time. The magnet within the concentrator can be removed to resuspend the Dynabeads samples without removing the microtubes from the magnetic stand. A hand-held unit, the instrument can be sterilized with disinfectants and contains high-remanence rare earth magnets (neodymium-iron-boron) for separation of the Dynabeads from samples. Nucleic acid targets bound to the Dynabeads are attracted to the side of the microtubes and separated by the magnetic field. Dynal Inc. Lake Success, NY Aquet is a liquid detergent, used in a 1 percent dilute solution, for hand-washing glass and plastic labware. It has a neutral pH and is phosphate-free as well as biodegradable, making it well-suited for cleaning cell and tissue culture labware. It features a fast-drying action that is claimed to eliminate hand wiping while facilitating complete drainage of narrow burettes and volumetric glassware. The detergent's nonionic formula removes film and grease without marring, etching, or frosting the surfaces of fragile lenses. A nontoxic aromatic polyglycol ether, the detergent won't break down in the presence of acids or bases, according to the company. Bel-Art Products Pequannock, NJ The company's line of apoptosis research products has been expanded with the development of anti-human and anti-mouse perforin monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). Perforin is a highly cytolytic pore-forming protein contained in the cytoplasmic granules of NK cells as well as activated cytotoxic T cells. Anti-human perforin mAb reacts specifically with human perforin and does not cross-react with mouse perforin. It can be used for immunohistochemical staining of both cytospin slides and acetone-fixed, fresh-frozen tissue sections as well as for immunoprecipitation. Anti-mouse perforin mAb does cross-react with human perforin and can be used for western blotting, immunohistochemical staining of frozen tissue sections, cell suspensions, flow cytometry, and ELISA. Kamiya Biomedical Co. Tukwila, WA The Milli-Q Plus Water Purification System is designed for the production of ultrapure water for life sciences applications, such as cell culture, in vitro fertilization, PCR, and monoclonal antibody production. The instrument uses a hollow-fiber ultrafiltration cartridge to remove pyrogens, nucleic acids, bacteria, and particulates that can be amplified by PCR and obscure genes or other critical results. The system reportedly provides a 5-log reduction in pyrogens while delivering high resistivity (18.2 MW-cm at 25 degrees C) and low total organic carbon. The purification media in the QPAK purification pack are hermetically sealed to minimize RNase contamination. Millipore Corp. Bedford, MA The Eclipse E800M is designed for developmental biologists, neuroscientists, pathologists, and others who work with large-size specimens, such as whole brain cross-sections, embryos, and large pathology specimens. It offers a magnification range of 0.5x to 100x and specimen viewing fields up to 50 mm in diameter. It also allows same-size (1:1 ratio) film documentation in 35 mm format. The microscope enables rapid switching between macrophotography and photomicrography with rotation of the nosepiece. Low-magnification pictures may be taken without the need to purchase a stereomicroscope or dedicated macrophotography system. Nikon Inc. Melville, NY For Gas Chromatographs The 75-30 Hydrogen Gas Generator is designed to service up to two flame ionization detectors (FIDs) on gas chromatographs and reportedly produces flows of 80 cc per minute. Using deionized water and electricity to operate, the generator produces hydrogen gas through the electrolytic dissociation of water. The resultant hydrogen stream then passes through a palladium membrane. Only hydrogen and its isotopes can penetrate the membrane because of the small size. The purity of the output gas is guaranteed by the company to be more than 99.99999 percent. As a source of ultrapure, dry hydrogen for a wide range of laboratory uses, the generator is especially useful for gas chromatographs, where hydrogen is used extensively both as a fuel gas for FIDs and as a carrier gas. Whatman Inc. Haverhill, MA The company's line of solvents for pharmaceutical and biological applications are packaged in reusable or recyclable containers-NOWPAK and NOWPAK II, Stainless Steel Pressure Dispense System, and HandleLock SolView B-Jacket-which reportedly maintain solvent purity, increase lab safety, and are environmentally responsible. Among the line of solvents is B&J Ethanol, a denatured formulation with extremely low trace amounts of residue, according to the company, a feature that is critical for the extraction or purification of final product in pharmaceutical applications and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). This solvent leaves claimed trace amounts of less than 1 mg per liter. The extremely low-water-content BioSyn Bio-Application Solvents are specifically processed and purified for moisture-sensitive applications, such as oligonucleotide and protein synthesis. The protein-sequencing solvents are guaranteed by the company to be free of trace impurities that interfere with the Edman degradation procedure. Burdick & Jackson Inc. Muskegon, MI The StepVial System II is a line of autosampler vials designed for full compatibility with robotic arm autosamplers. The neck height and shoulder distance of the vials have been designed to produce a jam-free system, according to the company. The vial closures feature the convenience of a screw cap with the evaporative protection of a crimp-top cap. Closures are preassembled with a choice of septa to meet various applications. The vials also feature a marking spot and 0.5 ml and 1 ml fill marks. The new line features a step that seats the StepVial insert at the proper height and center position for limited-volume injections. No springs are required. Scientific Resources Inc. Eatontown, NJ The Nautilus 2400 organic synthesizer is designed for lead optimization, chemistry development, and resynthesis of compounds for drug discovery in the pharmaceutical industry. It is a modular, computer-controlled benchtop synthesizer with separate glass reaction vessels that operate under an inert, closed environment. Using nonrobotic technologies that allow for continuous and unattended operation, the system offers 24 independent glass reaction vessels whose temperatures can be individually regulated from -40°C to 150°C using a digital control system. The vessels are available in three sizes that allow for product yields ranging from 30 mg to 350 mg. Fluid delivery takes place in a closed, inert environment under nitrogen or argon gas. Reagents and solvents can be delivered from up to 176 different reservoirs, and volumes from 50 ml to 5.8 ml are measured using an integrated sensor system. The complete Nautilus 2400 system consists of the Reaction Vessel Enclosure, Reagent Solvent Enclosure, autosampler, fraction collector, gas chiller, and computer. Argonaut Technologies Inc. San Carlos, CA The James Swift MP3500 series of modular, polarizing microscopes is available in configurations for transmitted light or a combination of transmitted and incident light. A switch at the base of the stand allows changeover from transmitted to incident light. A fully coated incident light reflector provides even polarization across the entire field. Users can remove the reflector for working in transmitted light, reportedly eliminating the analyzer effect inherent in reflected light systems. The microscopes feature a built-in Bertrand lens for large, bright conoscopic observation; stain-free, centerable objectives; wide-field eyepieces; and a choice of monocular, binocular, or trinocular bodies. The series can be adapted to accept Polaroid, 35 mm, or CCTV cameras. Prior Scientific Inc. Rockland, MA The RC-M150GX Micro-Ultracentrifuge is capable of subjecting samples to centrifugal forces of almost 900,000 x g and accelerating to maximum speed in less than two minutes. The company claims this significantly reduces separation times and enables many standard ultracentrifuge protocols to be accomplished in two hours. The instrument reportedly takes up less than one-fourth of the space required by other floor-model ultracentrifuges. It operates at noise levels below 48 dBA. Run-status icons provide constant feedback on the instrument's operation. Both the set and actual run parameters are simultaneously displayed. An extensive line of rotors, tubes, and accessories is available to meet various user-specific needs. Sorvall Inc. Newtown, CT The DynaPro-2001 Molecular Sizing Instrument uses the company's dynamic light-scattering technology to measure the hydrodynamic radius, diffusion coefficient, and polydispersity of molecules in solution for researchers involved in basic biological research or drug development. Users can assess the size, distribution, conformational purity, and stability of macromolecules in the size range of 0.7 nm to 75 nm in radius. The instrument requires very low sample concentrations and less than 20 µl of recoverable sample, which is achieved through its small-volume cuvette design. Protein Solutions Inc. Charlottesville, VA The Model 30 and 35D Rockers are now available with a two-hour timer with hold position, wide speed range, 4 to 60 tilts per minute, and a plus / minus 20 degree adjustable tilt. Closed-loop electronics allow the rockers to maintain constant speed regardless of load or voltage fluctuation. A rubber mat is supplied with the rockers to prevent sample containers from slipping. The Model 35 is a single-platform rocker that measures 16" wide and 12" deep. The Model 35D has a second platform located 3 1/4" above the first, a space-saving design that doubles the rocker's capacity without requiring additional space. National Labnet Co. Woodbridge, NJ The model 508 Autosampler and a new release of the Gold Nouveau Software have been introduced to enhance the company's System Gold Nouveau modular HPLC system. The enhancements enable biotech and pharmaceutical users to carry out automated serial dilutions, reagent addition for pre-column derivatisation, and standard addition. The 508 Autosampler can be configured to operate with microvials, expanding its capacity to 144 samples. With the new software, an analog/digital interface can be configured to allow data from analog detectors to be collected into the digital Gold channels. Beckman Instruments Inc. Fullerton, CA The baculovirus expression vector system (BEVS) is a popular tool for producing recombinant proteins in a eukaryotic environment. In the classical BEVS, a target gene is placed under the control of a very late baculovirus promoter, such as polyhedrin, and a large amount of protein is produced in insect cells late in the baculovirus infection cycle. The new pIE1 Plasmids are designed for the expression of foreign genes under the control of the immediate early baculovirus precursor, ie1, without the need for baculovirus infection. The transformants produce low levels of target protein constitutively in stably transformed insect cells. These cells can process secretory pathway glycoproteins more efficiently than baculovirus-infected cells because there are no virus-induced cytopathic effects, the company claims. Foreign gene expression based on pIE1 is especially useful in studies of secretory pathways and cell surface receptor characterization. Novagen Inc. Madison, WI The company has released Image-Pro Plus Version 3.0 for Windows 3.1 and Windows 95/NT, a software package designed for researchers and lab technicians who use microscopes and other image-acquisition devices. The new release offers full Internet support for E-mail, Internet relay chat, and FTP protocols. Users can now compose and send E-mail messages and images to any location from directly within the software application with a click of the mouse. A new Report Generator has been added, allowing users to create custom-formatted reports with images and data as well as text. Reports may be exported to spreadsheet programs, such as Microsoft Excel, and other applications. The Database feature has also been upgraded to provide all the functionality needed to acquire, organize, retrieve, and send images. Images can be located through key word searches, image folders, a thumbnail gallery, or custom fields. The Database feature allows users to print full-size images or a gallery of images. Media Cybernetics L.P. Silver Spring, MD The ValuePrep line is a selection of sterile and non-sterile syringe filters, filter disks, and water-analysis membranes to let users match the required filter to their specific needs. Twelve syringe filters are available with nylon, PTFE, or PVDF membranes. Gamma-irradiated sterile syringe filters are designed for sterilizing or purifying cell culture media and media additives. Filter disks are suited for use with HPLC mobile phases to eliminate unwanted particulate. The mixed cellulose ester water analysis membranes comply with United States Environmental Protection Agency standard methods for drinking-water analysis. VWR Scientific Products West Chester, PA The ASPEC XL4 System is an offline, high-capacity solid-phase extraction (SPE) system that handles up to 108 samples in a single batch, making it suitable for purification in combinatorial chemistry, liquid chromatography/mass spectroscopy, and gas chromatography. It uses a four-probe Cartesian arm to process four samples in parallel with identical treatment. If an SPE protocol requires about 10 minutes, the instrument can process 25 samples per hour. With a fully optimized SPE protocol, more than 50 samples can be processed in an hour. The system accepts both 1 ml and 3 ml standard SPE columns and can accommodate nine solvents and four different sizes of sample vial. Both sizes of disposable extraction cartridges can be used in a single run. The system can automatically transfer the extract to open or sealed autoinjector vials for further analysis. It can also be used for mixed-mode SPE, multi-collection, and automating sample pretreatment. Gilson Inc. Middleton, WI The Endogen Human IL-12 (p70) ELISA reportedly detects less than 3 pg/ml of biologically active human interleukin-12 (IL-12) with no cross-reactivity or interference from p40. The Endogen Total IL-12 ELISA offers a broad dynamic range of 0 pg/ml to 1,000 pg/ml, enabling the measurement of higher levels of p40 and p70 found in circulation. Using the two kits together, researchers are able to derive circulating levels of p40. Both ELISAs are validated for serum, plasma, and culture separations. They require only 50 ml of sample per well and run in less than five hours, according to the company. The new ELISAs expand the line of the company's 31 immunoassays for the detection of human, mouse, rat, rabbit, and pig cytokines. Endogen Woburn, MA

New Products

The Scientist Staff

Interested in reading more?

Become a Member of