Bioscience Technology articles from April 2008

Bioscience Technology archives from April 2008

Run robot run: advances in automation.
April 1, 2008... [FIGURE 1 OMITTED] Remember when robotics and automation were a far-off, Jetsons-style future for biological research? It wasn't really all that long ago that "high throughput" meant a few extraordinarily caffeinated, overworked lab...

Snapshot.
April 1, 2008... SNAPSHOT Types of products purchased online. Basic chemicals gases, labware 65.6% Specialized reagents 54.0% Lower-priced equipment 49.3% Mid-priced equipment 20.9% High-priced equipment ...

Science must lead.(Editor's Note)
April 1, 2008... Scientific breakthroughs may come from research performed using human embryonic stem cells. The activity of mankind in the post-industrial age is generating huge amounts of greenhouse gases, and this is a primary cause of a change in climate...

Label-free cell-based assays.(April's Innovations)
April 1, 2008... The xCELLigence System real-time cell-based assay system offers a choice from among several throughput options, from 16 to 576 (6 x 96) simultaneously-run wells. The label-free system provides real-time kinetics, live cell quality control and...

Solvent slide label staining.(April's Innovations)
April 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] STAINERBONDZT labels are engineered to withstand the rigors of lab/healthcare environments, including exposure to solvents. The labels resist fading when exposed to chemicals like Xylene and Ethanol; withstand the...

Sample prep system.(April's Innovations)
April 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] EVOLUTE CX sample preparation system uses a mixed-mode resin-based SPE sorbent for the extraction of basic drugs from biological fluids using a generic procedure that minimizes method development time. Protein,...

Software enhances mass spec images.(April's Innovations)
April 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] TissueView Software (Applied Biosystems/MDS SCIEX) facilitates mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) with intuitive data processing and results that are easy to interpret. Information about molecules obtained from MSI is...

Automated electrophoretic DNA/RNA analysis.(April's Innovations)
April 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] MCE-202 MultiNA automated, microchip-based capillary electrophoresis analyzer can process 3,600 or more analyses before needing to be replaced--with no detectable carryover. The devices automates sample processing,...

Run four mini gels in one hour.(April's Innovations)
April 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Mini-PROTEAN Tetra cell system, for vertical mini gel electrophoresis can run up to four mini gels in less than hour, or 2D gels in less than a day. Easy to assemble with a sealing mechanism that prevents leaks,...

Environment-friendly fume hood.(April's Innovations)
April 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] User-friendly and environment-friendly, GreenFumeHood allows laboratories to cut energy costs by 96% and operating costs by 70%, all while maintaining a face velocity of 100 fpm. Neutrodine filtration technology...

Digital imaging system.(April's Innovations)
April 1, 2008... ImageQuant 350 provides quantitative imaging of Western blots and other monochromatic fluorescence and colorimetric imaging applications. System sensitivity is sufficient to detect and quantitate low abundant proteins on a Western blot down to...

Protein biochips identify off-target binding.(Research News)
April 1, 2008... Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF)-alpha inhibitors used to treat rheumatic diseases may bind to a significant number of proteins other than their main target, according to the results of an in vitro study published in Analytical and Bioanalytical...

Advion launches RePlay and FloTek products.(Research News)
April 1, 2008... Advion BioSystems, Inc. (Ithaca, NY) has launched the Advion RePlay and FloTek systems proteomics research tools. RePlay is a nanoLC that provides two complementary MS analyses from one injection. Suited for rapid identification of proteins and...

Alliance to provide solutions for cancer research.(Research News)
April 1, 2008... Caliper Life Sciences, Inc. (Hopkinton, MA) has announced a partnership with Horizon Discovery Ltd. (Cambridge, UK) that expands Caliper Discovery Alliances and Services' (CDAS) oncology cell line and screening capabilities for testing single...

Proxeon releases enhanced version Of ProteinCenter.(Research News)
April 1, 2008... Proxeon (Odense, Denmark) has released an enhanced version of its proteomics data interpretation software, ProteinCenter v.1.5. Used after protein identification by conventional search engines, this tool enables biologists to convert complex...

Purify DNA from reaction mixtures.(Cloning Focus)
April 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] DNA Clean & Concentrator (DCC) and ZymoClean (Zymo Research Corp., Orange, CA) kits purify up to 5 [micro]g of high-quality DNA from reaction mixtures or agarose gels into as little as 6 [micro]l water in just...

High fidelity restriction enzymes.(Cloning Focus)
April 1, 2008... New England Biolabs has introduced a line of restriction enzymes that has been engineered for reduced star activity. Star activity (relaxed specificity) can be problematic for some enzymes when setting up reactions with extended incubation...

Cloning kit.(Cloning Focus)
April 1, 2008... [GRAPHIC OMITTED] Using a newly engineered CMV promoter, the pcDNA3.3-TOPO vector (Invitrogen Corp., Carlsbad, CA) produces high protein expression, enabling high levels of recombinant protein to be produced in any adherent- or...

Ligation, repair kits.(Cloning Focus)
April 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Ligate-IT Rapid Ligation Kit facilitates ligation of cohesive ends in 5 minutes and blunt ends in 10 minutes, following incubation at room temperature. The Blunt-IT Repair Kit transforms DNA overhangs into blunt...

Protecting RNA samples at room temperature: the product is based on the natural principles of anhydrobiosis (life without water), a biological mechanism employed by some multicellular organisms that enables survival while dry for up to 120 years.(Biochemicals & Kits)
April 1, 2008... RNA research has become prevalent due to its role as a gene silencer and in gene expression studies. However, RNA samples are notoriously difficult to work with given their highly labile nature and tendency to degrade even under carefully...

PCR Clean-Up Kits.(Product News)
April 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Optimized for use in high-throughput quantitative PCR instruments, EXPRESS SYBR GreenER qRT-PCR and EXPRESS SuperScript qRT-PCR SuperMixes contain both SuperScript Reverse Transcriptase and Platinum Taq polymerase to...

Sample preparation tool.(Product News)
April 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Phos SpinTrap Fe simplifies identification of phosphorylated proteins. It is designed for the capture and enrichment of microgram quantities of phosphopeptides from protein digests of cell culture lysates as well as...

Metabolite detection assay.(Product News)
April 1, 2008... Available with an $9 protocol to detect genotoxic metabolites, GreenScreen HC is a human cell-based genotoxicity screening assay used in drug discovery programs during lead compound optimization and candidate selection. The utility of the assay...

Transfection of cell lines, primary cells.(Product News)
April 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Magnet Assisted Transfection (MATra), for use when transfecting cells in culture, can be used with all types of nucleic acids. For a standard transfection, the "MATra-A Reagent" is used; for more critical cells it is...

Hsp70 ELISA for serum and plasma.(Product News)
April 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Hsp70 EIA Kit, for use with serum and plasma, is validated for the measurement of circulating Hsp70. Liquid, color-coded reagents and a pre-coated 96 well plate eliminate the need for Western blot analysis. A...

Cell Invasion Kit.(Product News)
April 1, 2008... Cultrex Endothelial Cell Invasion Kit measures early angiogenesis in vitro, and accelerates screening for compounds that influence vascular endothelial cell invasion and migration across the basement membrane. The kit quantitates the degree to...

Syringe pumps.(Liquid Handling Focus)
April 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] This range of syringe pumps is available for thermo dilution blood flow studies. Multi-syringe models are capable of delivering solutions to up to 10 animals simultaneously. Single channel models are also available....

Macro volume pipettes.(Liquid Handling Focus)
April 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] MLA pipettes are made of aluminum alloy and stainless steel and are ideal for large volume handling tasks such as reconstituting reagent, controls, or dilutions. Each pipette is factory calibrated for accurate volume...

Media preparation system.(Liquid Handling Focus)
April 1, 2008... The MEDIAJET vario can be used to fill 35, 55/60 and 90/100 mm Petri dishes. With a footprint of only 70 x 70 cm, the system fits on a bench and can automatically produce 900 filled Petri dishes per hour. Converting the system between two...

Pipet tips.(Liquid Handling Focus)
April 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] TipOne RPT low retention polypropylene tips improve the flow dynamics of ultra low volumes, viscous liquids, and other difficult samples. The uniform, inert and stable surface eliminates liquid retention during...

Portable programmable pipettor.(Liquid Handling Focus)
April 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Hand-held Pipet-Aid Elite 400 offers intuitive programming functions that enable volume setting based on pipet size. The pipettor accommodates pipets sized from 1 mL to 50 mL and will dispense highly reproducible...

Mechanical pipettes can be autoclaved.(Liquid Handling Focus)
April 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Proline Plus mechanical pipettes feature an ergonomic design, require reduced pipetting force, can be autoclaved, and offer UV-light resistance. Single-channel, multi-channel and fixed volume models offer dispense...

Electronic Pipette Controller.(Liquid Handling Focus)
April 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Socorex Pro filler electro 446 Pipette Controller, for use with serological and volumetric pipettes, is shaped to work within laminar flow or biological safety cabinets. Suction and dispensing are performed through...

Weigh trays.(Liquid Handling Focus)
April 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Weigh trays are available in 20, 100 and 330 ml capacity. Manufactured from anti-static, non-wetting polystyrene, the trays feature rounded inner corners and a smooth surface to ensure that the full sample can be...

Standards compliant hot air incubator sterilization at 180 C.(Apparatus & Consumables)
April 1, 2008... Microbial contamination, caused by bacteria, bacterial spores, viruses, mycetozoa, yeast or other microorganisms, frequently presents a major risk in cell culture experiments. Since this contamination does not necessarily occur together with...

Plate-sealing film.(Product News)
April 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ThermalSeal A polypropylene films incorporate a strong, thick adhesive layer for secure sealing of microplates in PCR and storage applications. Although shaped to fit within the rim of raised-rim plates for reliable...

Prep LC cartridge system.(Product News)
April 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] For use in preparative LC applications, SecurityGuard PREP (Phenomenex Inc.) protects columns from 30 to 49 mm in diameter, including its maker's AXIA high-throughput line. The system protects preparative LC columns...

Animal transport cart.(Product News)
April 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] PureFlow provides a safe, economical, contamination-free way to transfer animals without exposure to biohazards. The system's motorized impeller blower and filter ensure cleanroom conditions and the stainless steel...

Miniature respirometer.(Product News)
April 1, 2008... For measurements where sample size is limited, the MT200A Mitocell features a 0.3/0.5/1.0 ml glass chamber for visibility. There is a polycarbonate plunger through which solutions may be injected during a respiration run. A water jacket...

Temperature data logger.(Product News)
April 1, 2008... Small, reusable OM-CP-HITEMP-150FP, for use in harsh environments, comes standard with a flexible silicone rubber cable, penetration style stainless steel probe, and stainless steel body. Data analysis is easy using Windows software and NIST...

Gene expression bioinformatics system.(Array Analysis Focus)
April 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] GeneSpring GX 9.0 includes guided workflow features for major microarray platforms. An advanced mode provides full control over the complete set of features for all array types and technologies. Users can ask...

Virtual microscopy system.(Array Analysis Focus)
April 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The dotSlide system scans entire slides at high resolution and fidelity, making them accessible and fully navigable anywhere on the globe. The three available models (dotSlide MD, manual version; dotSlide SL, fully...

Benchtop inkjet microarray spotter.(Array Analysis Focus)
April 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Sprint inkjet microarray spotter has capacity for 20 microarray slides to be loaded and printed from two microplates (96- or 384-well) in walk-away mode; two further plates may be added manually by the user in relay...

Micro-volume spectroscopy instruments.(Array Analysis Focus)
April 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The NanoDrop line of micro-volume spectroscopy systems enables measurement of UV-Vis and fluorescence without the use of cuvettes. An undiluted one-microliter sample is pipetted directly onto the measurement surface....

FT-IR microscope system.(Product News)
April 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Nicolet iN 10 FT-IR microscope is powered by OMNIC Picta software. The integrated architecture of the microscope eliminates the need for an external spectrometer and provides optical efficiency, allowing data to...

Automated blood fractionation system.(Product News)
April 1, 2008... This high throughput blood fractionation system is used to extract buffy coat (white blood cells) from whole blood samples. The self-contained unit, which can be upgraded, is capable of processing up to 500 samples per day. It removes the...

LC with nano-switching valve.(Product News)
April 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Prominence nano liquid chromatograph supports gradient analysis by providing precision in the nano flow-rate range. Two LC-20AD nano pumps are independently controlled by feedback from integrated nano flow...

IgG Assays.(Product News)
April 1, 2008... Used in combination with the Express, ViaCount and other proprietary assays, RapidQuant IgG Assays provide antibody characterization on the EasyCyte Plus single cellular analysis platform. Microplate-based assays eliminate tedious portions of...

Nucleic acid separation.(Product News)
April 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] QIAxcel detects concentrations of nucleic acids as small as 0.1 ng/[micro]l. The system uses ready-to-go gel cartridges that allow samples to be prepared with minimal hands-on interaction, reducing manual handling...

Simultaneous measurement of cations and anions.(Product News)
April 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] A simple and reliable HPLC method for simultaneous measurement of cations and anions, uses the Corona CAD universal detector. The Corona CAD is efficient, measuring anions and cations in a single run. The system...

Microplate reader.(Product News)
April 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] PHERAstar Plus simultaneous, dual emission HTS microplate reader provides fluorescence intensity, fluorescence polarization, time-resolved fluorescence, laser-based AlphaScreen, luminescence/BRET, and UV/Vis...

Benchtop plate washer.(Product News)
April 1, 2008... SQUIRT plate washer's slit manifold design ensures gentle washing of cellular monolayer without cell removal. User intervention for fitting and realignment between microplate format changes is not necessary--the washer accommodates all SBS...

Mass spec software.(Product News)
April 1, 2008... MassWorks sCLIPS (self Calibrated Line-shape Isotope Profile Search) capability has been shown to improve formula ID on high-end FT-ICR MS systems. By using proprietary calibration techniques, users of High Mass Accuracy (HMA) instruments can...

Compact photometer.(Product News)
April 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] BioPhotometer Plus features a new keypad design, three additional wavelengths and the ability to use microliter cells as well as cuvettes. The compact photometer provides reproducible results. Out-of-the-box access...

Analytical instrument software.(Product News)
April 1, 2008... LX Version 2.0 (a standardized platform for controlling a range of spectrometers and other analytical instruments) offers expanded instrument control and spectroscopic data processing capabilities. The result is a universal Spectroscopic Data...

Physiology lab teaching system.(Product News)
April 1, 2008... LabsByDesign is an alternative to pre-packaged physiology lab teaching systems. It allows instructors to choose from more than 150 professionally authored lab experiments in cardiovascular, respiratory and neuromuscular physiology using a...

Two-minute protein test.(Product News)
April 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Sprint Rapid Protein Analyzer provides a determination in two minutes that does not use harsh chemicals or high heat. iTAG protein-tagging technology, which "tags" only the protein in a sample for analysis. Sprint is...

Macro zoom confocal.(Product News)
April 1, 2008... The Leica TCS LSI facilitates visualization and precise imaging of the development of life and the complex cellular interactions within whole, living animals. As organisms grow, these studies require an imaging system that provides the...

Hybrid mass spec.(Product News)
April 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The LTQ Orbitrap hybrid series of mass spectrometers is available with electron transfer dissociation (ETD) and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) capabilities. This ETD instrument offers both high...

Chipping away at animal testing.(Best Practices)
April 1, 2008... Jonathan Dordick, PhD, a Professor in the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in New York and his collaborators at the University of California at Berkeley have developed a chip-based in...