New Products

Chemicals & Materials

RNA Cloning The miRCat small RNA cloning system has been updated, resulting in a decreased protocol time. The kit is designed to clone small regulatory RNAs such as miRNA, piRNA, and siRNA. The miRCat-33 option is available for experiments that need a 5′ ligation-independent step. Integrated DNA Technologies, www.idtdna.com

Instruments & Labware

(1) Spectrometer The Escalab 250Xi is an X-ray photoelectron spectrometer for chemical surface characterization. A parallel image detection system allows for quantitative spectroscopic analysis of surface features. Each unit comes with a sample preparation chamber and is able to perform ion-scattering and reflection electron energy-loss spectroscopies. Ultraviolet photoelectron and Auger electron spectroscopies are available options. Thermo Fisher Scientific, www.thermo.com/surfaceanalysis

Microfluidics The Mitos Resealable Chip Holder and the Mitos Hotplate Adapter are available for microfluidics research. For use in cell culture and analysis, dielectrophoresis, impedance detection, and biosensor detection, the Resealable Chip Holder has eight fluidic and eight electrical connections that allow the device to be opened and resealed to deposit reagents or cells onto the channel surface at different times. It fits on a microscope stage, and a microscope’s objective lens can get within millimeters of the microfluidic channel. The Hotplate Adapter operates at a temperature range of between room temperature and 300 ºC. Temperature is controlled by an external probe. Dolomite, www.dolomite-microfluidics.com

Pressure Reactor With automatic temperature and stirrer control and pressure sensing with data logging, the Atlas Sodium Pressure System is designed for applications that involve elevated pressure and temperature, such as hydrogenation or carbonylation. The unit can operate at up to 250 ºC and 200 bar, although higher temperatures and pressures are available. Pressure vessels with volumes of 160, 300, and 450 mL are available. Syrris, www.syrris.com

Extraction The SFT-100XW is a supercritical fluid extraction system with dual sapphire syringe-pump technology and a vessel that can withstand pressures of up to 10,000 psi. The system uses pressure vessels with volumes of up to 500 mL and can run with multiple vessels. Supercritical Fluid 
Technologies, www.supercriticalfluids.com

(2) Crystallography Setup A nanoliter-scale pipetting system designed to automate lipidic cubic-phase crystallization setup, the Mosquito LCP has a positive displacement syringe that uses disposable tips. Automated tip positioning allows for automated imaging of membrane protein crystals. The unit can process more than eight 96-well plates per hour. TTP LabTech, www.ttplabtech.com

(3) Automated Cytometer Scepter, an automated, handheld cell counter, has a graphical display that gives cell count and average cell volume within 20 seconds of inserting the tip into a cell-culture sample. The device can also display a histogram of cell distribution by volume or diameter, giving insight into the health of the culture. Scepter detects used tips and can detect cells at submicrometer and subpicoliter resolution. Millipore, www.millipore.com/scepter15

Heating & Shaking For processes that require shaking or heat for solute mixing such as colorimetric, fluorescent, or luminescent bioassays; cell-viability assays; or magnetic separations, the Microlab Nimbus Heater/Shaker Package offers high-speed, automated 96-channel pipetting; orbital shaking; and heating. The system comes in three configurations: shaking only, shaking and heating to 70 ºC, and shaking and heating to 95 ºC. Hamilton Robotics, www.hamiltonrobotics.com

Plant Materials & Equipment

(4) Feeder The High-Speed Feeders are designed to handle high-speed feeding of light, bulky materials in applications that require higher throughput and advanced controls. Eight models are available with feed-rate capabilities from 40 to 600 cu ft per hour. Eriez, www.eriez.com