New Products

The Hach DRELs (direct-reading environmental laboratories) constitute a line of 12 new portable laboratories. They are equipped with the Portable Datalogging DR/2010 Spectrophotometer and other features needed to run water-quality tests. Users can choose from 12 application-oriented configurations or customize a DREL based on individual testing requirements. The spectrophotometer is powered by batteries or line power. It includes preprogrammed calibrations for more than 120 common water-quality parameters and provides readout in concentration units, %T, or ABS units. With the data-logging feature, users can store up to 1,000 sample readings and later download to a computer or printer. Optional portable instruments for the DRELs include the EC10 Portable pH Meter, CO150 Conductivity meter, 2100P Portable Turbidimeter, and Digital Titrator. Five DRELs are available for specialized water-quality testing: Complete Water Quality Laboratory, Basic Water Quality Laboratory, Soil and Irrigation Laboratory, Aquaculture Laboratory, and Water Conditioning Laboratory. Hach Co. Loveland, CO The Leica MPS30 Photoautomat Camera is designed for investigators who need to document their results with film. It is compatible with virtually all of the company’s compound microscopes, stereomicroscopes, and macroscopes. The new camera automates almost all functions, obviating the need for complicated settings and calculations and minimizing the chance of improper exposure. Film formats and speed for DX-coded 35 mm film are automatically set. The camera determines exposure by measuring light with integrated metering, processes the various parameters, and sets the optimum exposure. It controls the shutter, auto film loading, film advance after each exposure, and film rewind at the end of the roll. An optional data back allows the superimposition of up to 36 characters of text, data, and scientific symbols. A digital display, with function keys on the control unit, and an optional keyboard for the data back are illuminated, allowing work in the dark. Leica Inc. Deerfield, IL UV Solutions is an intelligent instrument-control software package for the company’s UV/Visible Spectrophotometers, Models U-2010 and U-3010. The software, based on the Microsoft Windows 95 or Windows NT platform, offers 32-bit processing and multitasking capabilities. This enables users to process data while running more than one instrument, control several systems from the same computer at the same time, or run a variety of software packages to generate custom reports. A post-run processing, with in-place object linking and embedding (OLE) activation, reportedly enhances spectral presentation and provides a wide range of arithmetic and data-management functions. Hitachi Instruments Inc. San Jose, CA Two models of completely automated and open systems designed to read enzyme immunoassays on microtiter plates or strips of coated wells are now offered. The alpha 4 reads optical density while the alpha 4 LS reads optical density and enzyme-activated luminescence. The instruments, which measure 41.6 x 24 x 25.6 inches, are a multiparametric system capable of handling up to 18 different parameters simultaneously. The alpha 4 series performs sample pipetting from primary tubes, sample diluting, reagent dispensing, and coated well washing. It also has a built-in bar code reader for identification of samples and reagents. On-board management includes 11 algorithms to plot a standard curve and provides stored curves to minimize recalibration. This allows 3-, 4-, 5-, or 6-point calibration checks to save reagents and increase the number of samples that can be run, according to the company. SFRI Inc. San Juan Capistrano, CA The Advantage Motorized Mapping Stage, for use with the company’s infrared microscopes, is designed for accurate positioning of plant and animal tissue samples for microanalysis. It has a travel range of 1 x 3 inches, making it suitable for spectral mapping and sequenced sampling via FT-IR microscopy. The instrument is controlled via joystick, keypad, or software command. It is available with the OMNIC Atlus Microscope Software for the company’s microscopes coupled to Nicolet FT-IR spectrometers that operate with OMNIC 3.0 or higher software. This software enables unattended sample analysis of line and area maps as well as random points. It also offers a wide variety of data display options, such as 3-D and 2-D graphical presentations. Spectra-Tech Inc. Shelton, CT The Macsyma 2.2 math software package enables users to solve mathematical problems by posing questions in "plain" English. The new MathTips Advisor feature lets users enter a question or sentence in their own words. Running on Windows 3.1, Windows 95, and Windows NT platforms, the software is available with NumKit, an add-on product that speeds up large numerical matrix operations. This optional product adds automatic storage management and subroutine dispatching based on data type of input and is fully integrated into the Macsyma 2.2 software package. In addition, the package includes a help system with fill-in command templates that prompt users to compose their own commands, more than 1,000 menu-accessible and executable examples, a topic browser, and thousands of hyperlinked help topics. The DataViewer feature enables users to import, export, view, edit, analyze, and plot large numerical data in scientific notebooks. Macsyma Inc. Arlington, MA

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