New Products

Chemicals & Materials

Pesticide Testing The SampliQ Quenchers kits are for analyzing pesticide residues in fresh and processed food products. Each of the 16 available solid-phase extraction sample preparation kits comes with premeasured reagents for various extraction methods and for different food samples, such as general fruits and vegetables, fruits and vegetables with fats and waxes, and pigmented fruits and vegetables. Agilent Technologies, www.agilent.com

Extraction Tri-Xtract is a solution of phenol and guanidine thiocyanate designed to isolate total RNA, DNA, and protein from tissue and cell samples. 
G-Biosciences, www.gbiosciences.com

PCR The PrimeTime qPCR assay series for gene expression studies is now available in three sizes: Mini, which has enough primers and probe for 100 reactions; Standard, for 500 reactions; and XL, for 2,500 reactions. Assays are made to order. Integrated DNA Technologies, www.idtdna.com

Instruments & Labware

Balance The NewClassic balance has a chemical-resistant metal housing, a user interface with a high-contrast display, and built-in shock and overload protection. Mettler Toledo, www.mt.com

(1) Cell Analysis For automated cell-culture analysis, the Cedex HiRes measures cell density, viability, aggregation rate, cell morphology, and cell debris. Up to 20 samples of 300 µL each may be simultaneously analyzed with the Tryptan Blue exclusion method, along with high-resolution digital-imaging analysis. Cell staining, mixing, and focus adjustments are automated. Images produced have a pixel resolution of 0.8 µm, allowing differentiation of objects within 2 µm or more of each other. Cell diameter may be detected at a range of 2 to 40 µm, and object diameter at 1 to 90 µm. Roche Innovatis, www.roche.com

Syringe Pump With either two refilling flows or one continuous flow, the Atlas Syringe Pump has an adjustable flow rate of 0.5 µL to 10 mL per minute. The unit can operate alone or be automated and may be connected to sensors to control the flow rate according to pH or temperature readings. Syrris, www.syrris.com

RFID The GammaTag 500 is a radio-frequency identification tag designed for applications that require repeated gamma sterilization. The 4- by 52-mm tag handles doses of 
25 kilograys up to a cumulative 500 kGy with no loss of data. AdvantaPure, www.gammatag.com

Centrifuge Two microultracentrifuges, Sorvall MTX 150 and Sorvall MX, can accommodate tubes from 0.2 to 30 mL to process samples. Sorvall MTX 150 has a maximum rotational speed of 150,000 rpm; Sorvall MX has two rotational speed options of 120,000 rpm and 150,000 rpm. Thermo Fisher Scientific, www.thermo.com/centrifuge

(2) Microfluidics The glass Mitos Capillary Electrophoresis Chip A separates biological molecules in the interior of the microchannel by capillary electrophoresis. The device is 15 by 45 by 2 mm with channels 20 µm deep and 30 mm long. Custom chips of up to 150 mm long and with depths from 250 nm to 300 µm may be ordered. The chips are also available in quartz. Dolomite, www.dolomite-microfluidics.com

(3) Vacuum Extraction For drug discovery applications such as compound isolation and metabolite testing, the Microlab Nimbus NVS automated vacuum system has a 96-well-plate format for solid-phase extraction of analytes from complex biological mixtures. After binding, washing, and extracting the analyte from a sample, the unit's vacuum equipment transfers the analyte to a new 96-well collection plate. Hamilton Robotics, http://www.hamiltonrobotics.com/

Literature & Services

Automation Consultation RTS Life Science, an automation and drug-delivery testing system supplier, and Hall Analytical Laboratories have teamed up to offer analytical services and consulting on automation and inhaler testing. With an initial focus on inhaled-drug-delivery devices, the partnership will also provide consultation on method development for manual and automated applications, equipment and analytical validation services, performance qualification of automation systems, and emitted- and delivered-dose uniformity testing. The companies will share facilities, technology, and resources to improve development, adoption, and use of automation. RTS Life Science, www.rtslifescience.com; Hall Analytical Laboratories, www.hallanalytical.com