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Food Allergen Kit BIOMERICA Inc’s Allerquant 90G™ food allergen specific IgG ELISA kit is intended for in vitro quantitative analysis of IgG antibodies to 90 food allergens in human serum on one ELISA plate. Many |
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The CentraSpin™ Centrifuge Package from HELMER now includes the Hettich Universal 320 centrifuge, which has been designed with an enhanced control panel, additional programming options, and a new exterior design. The package also includes four aerosol-tight swinging buckets with inserts and a 4-place swing-out rotor. It can be used for many lab applications including specimen receiving, sample processing, and platelet poor plasma. The CentraSpin-R package, which includes the Universal 320R refrigerated centrifuge, is also available. The CentraSpin packages have a total spin capacity of 18 tubes (10 each at 13×75/100mm and 8 each at 16×75/100mm). The Universal 320 centrifuge features a brushless drive, programmable run-up/run-down time, and an impulse key for short spins. The digital control panel stores and recalls 10 complete programs. RPM and RCF can be input in increments of 10 and run time is programmable in minutes and seconds. The housing is constructed of metal with a stainless steel chamber. Automatic rotor recognition ensures proper rotor usage. Safety features include lid lock and hold, emergency lid release, and imbalance switch-off. |
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The LipClear® reagent clears lipemic samples without the inconvenience and expense of organic solvents or ultracentrifugation. The reagent is a non-toxic and effective solution for clearing lipemic samples. The LipoClear reagent comes in several convenient formats—prefilled tubes or bulk. The prefilled tubes come in two sizes—0.5-mL and 1.5-mL tubes—allowing the sample to be pipetted directly into the tube. The LipoClear bulk reagent for high-volume laboratories can be pipetted into a test tube containing a premeasured sample, mixed well, and centrifuged using any standard centrifuge. The cleared sample can then be processed. Most analytes, including enzymes and bilirubin, are not affected. |
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The flexible M5 Infinity LabScope combines optical quality and durability for daily laboratory use in the pathology, hematology, cytology, and microbiology environments. The oversized high-point eyepieces, combined with Infinity Plan objectives, offer high-resolution flat-field imaging over a wider field of view. The five-position nosepiece allows for additional specialized objectives, including the 50x Oil Infinity objective or phase contrast objectives. The parallel optical path created by the infinity objectives allows for the addition of components below the head, such as the Epi-Fluorescent or Polarizing system for specialized applications. The unit is ergonomically built, with comfort and ease of use in mind; and all controls on the M5 are located within a finger’s reach. |
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Duramark has partnered with inCode Wireless (formerly Peak Technologies) to provide a complete solution for specimen tracking and courier optimization to laboratories, hospitals, and medical centers. By using state-of-the-art handheld and stationary computer devices, couriers and the specimens they transport can be identified, tracked, and coordinated. This system will provide real-time specimen tracking/proof of services, effective vehicle monitoring, driver communication, and routing. Additionally, the system comes with a “help” feature. These items will improve turnaround times by accurately tracking materials moving throughout the laboratory/courier network; lower costs by reducing time, expenses, and errors associated with manual or paper-based processes; and enhance customer service by responding quickly to proof-of-service requests. |
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M-Pro LLC has recently launched the Nasal Aspiration Kit™, designed to enable the quick and easy collection of samples needed for influenza, RSV, and pertussis tests. “Studies show that using nasopharyngeal aspiration to collect samples for influenza, RSV, and pertussis leads to the most sensitive test results,” says Kurt Waters, medical director of M-Pro. “This is particularly important as the threat of a flu pandemic increases.” The Nasal Aspiration Kit is available in two basic kits. The syringe kit includes a saline-prefilled control syringe, a luer-lock aspiration catheter, and lubricant. The bulb kit includes a bulb aspirator, unit dose saline, lubricant, and a specimen container. The luer-lock catheter and bulb-aspiration catheter are sold separately. One of the key features of the product is a catheter with age-appropriate calibrations for those unfamiliar with nasopharyngeal sampling, ensuring an ideal nasopharyngeal specimen. The catheter is soft and pliable, ensuring more comfort than nasopharyngeal swabs. Additionally, the procedure may be billable by clinical physicians under CPT code 31720. |
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The Diamedix immunosimplicity® Mumps IgG Test Kit for the qualitative and semiquantitative detection of IgG antibodies to the mumps virus has been manufactured for use in the company’s available automated EIA systems, or for manual use. The color-coded reagents are provided in instrument-ready containers. Test results are obtained in less than 2 hours with 15 minutes hands-on time. The standard 96-well microwell plate format adapts to large-volume laboratories and can be batch-tested concurrently with other ELISA kits. The break-apart strip allows for small-volume laboratory flexibility. The procedure requires minimal hands-on time. The colored end-product, measured spectrophotometrically, yields objective results denoting antibody presence/absence in the sample (qualitative detection). Evaluation of paired sera to determine a significant increase in Mumps IgG antibody titer, can aid in the diagnosis of acute infection by detecting seroconversion (semiquantitative detection). Using sera from 173 patients, this Mumps IgG test had an overall agreement of 98.3% relative to another commercially available Mumps IgG ELISA test. |
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Institutions using diluted 5.25% bleach to disinfect surfaces now have a safer and more efficient means of mixing and applying bleach at the recommended 10% dilution. Deardorff Fitzsimmons Corp has introduced its Activate™ 5.25% Institutional Bleach Dilution System featuring a two-bottle trigger sprayer that automatically dilutes 5.25% sodium hypochlorite with water to a 5,000-ppm solution as it is sprayed, so the solution is always active and accurate when the trigger is pulled. The user simply fills the water cartridge with tap water and locks in replaceable 11-ounce Activate™ bleach cartridges as needed. The innovative new system does away with the time and bother of mixing a fresh bleach solution every day and eliminates the waste involved in daily disposal of any leftover bleach mixture. Activate’s sealed bleach cartridges eliminate closed-cap concerns and the hazard of spilling bleach on skin, clothing, and carpets, as well as the danger of breathing fumes while mixing bleach. The Activate™ system features EPA-registered 5.25% Institutional Bleach, easy-to-install cartridges, a durable spray-head with an ergonomic threee-finger trigger, and easy-to-locate NFPA ratings on the label. |
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ESR Vacuum Tubes Streck has introduced a new safety-coated ESR vacuum tube for erythrocyte sedimentation rate determination on the ESR-Auto Plus ™ and ESR-100™ analyzers and the ESR-10 manual rack. The new safety-coated tube is the first vacuum ESR blood-collection tube that offers the safety |
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Wipe Dispenser Dispensers for storing Bio-Hazard wipes or Hype-Wipe® bleach towelettes are available in sturdy, clear acrylic or white-coated cardboard. A clear, acrylic dispenser is specifically designed for 4- x 4-inch Bio-Hazard wipes or Hype-Wipe bleach towelettes. Another specifically designed dispenser is available for the Mini Hype-Wipe bleach towelettes. A cardboard dispenser is specifically sized for 3- x 3-inch Bio-Hazard wipes and one for 4- x 4-inch Bio-Hazard wipes. Free samples are available. |
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Sarstedt has introduced a new 3.5-mL, 13- x 92-mm false-bottom screw cap tube to accommodate small-diameter chemistry analyzer tube racks. The false-bottom tube’s tall skirt elevates serum/plasma yields to an optimum height for automated analysis. Made from highly transparent polypropylene and featuring a leak-resistant screw cap, this tube is not only ideal for direct analysis, but suitable for transport and storage as well. Straight-wall and rounded-base options are available, and printed versions feature a white writing space and graduations, as well as a bar-code-placement line for proper label alignment. |
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VistaLab Technologies Inc has developed a new reusable reagent reservoir cooler and redesigned its family of reagent reservoirs. The new cooler is a custom-fit companion for VistaLab 100-mL reagent reservoirs, and will maintain fluid temperatures at < 5ÞC for up to 2 hours. Manufactured with nontoxic gel encased in heavy-duty PVC, these bright-blue coolers chill or freeze quickly, are reusable, and provide full and consistent reservoir cooling without the contamination risks or inconvenience of ice baths. All VistaLab reagent reservoirs have been redesigned with trimmed base corners and deeper pour-off spouts for spill-free emptying, as well as a unique deep-well design (“trough within a trough”) that maximizes reagent recovery with minimal waste. Four volume sizes are available: 100-mL, 50-mL, 25-mL, and 25-mL divided. All reservoirs are sterilized by gamma irradiation during manufacture and are bulk packaged in 100- and 200-unit cases, or individually wrapped for convenient single-unit use. An optional lid is available for 100-mL reservoirs to minimize evaporation and eliminate dust or other contaminates during use. |
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The CBC-LINE Ultra Low Range Kit offers a simple, consistent way to establish a hematology instrument’s performance and reportable range at the very low end of the linear range for white blood cell and platelet determinations. Linearity combined with independently verified and documented calibration is used to establish the range of lowest patient values that can be accurately reported. This is a critical measurement in the case of chemotherapy or other therapies that induce thrombocytopenia. Each multilevel kit contains gravimetrically accurate linear dilutions of cell concentrates in a plasma-like diluent. The dilutions are packaged in 3-mL pierceable tubes. An extensive instrument-evaluation report of the results is included at no extra charge with each kit. |
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American Diagnostica Inc (ADI) announces the release of a new full-color product catalog. The catalog highlights and clearly describes the entire line of ADI products available to the clinical diagnostic, hemostasis, oncology, vascular biology, drug-discovery, and life-science markets, while illustrating a wide selection of industry-respected and acknowledged test kits, assays, research reagents, control materials, and calibrators/standards. The catalog is broken down into nine sections with expanded descriptions, emphasizing recently introduced products and those that are FDA cleared and/or CE marked. Products are easy to locate and are arranged alphabetically by category, as follows: clinical diagnostic assays; research assays; control plasma and sera; proteins; antibodies and antisera (including clone, host, and application information); chromogenic and fluorogenic substrates; protease inhibitors; snake-venom protease activators; and special-collection tubes for blood. Also included are two product-specific indexes arranged alphabetically and numerically by product reference number, and a worldwide listing of distributors. The product catalog is designed for medical laboratory professionals and drug-discovery scientists. |
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Orchard Software’s newest version of its laboratory information system continues to add more to its already broad feature set, making Orchard Harvest LIS one of the most flexible LISs on the market today. “We serve a variety of laboratories—POLs, clinics, hospitals, reference laboratories, student health centers, and public health facilities—and with nearly 600 customers, we get a lot of good ideas and input for enhancements, and we really encourage feedback because we understand its importance to building a top-of-the-class LIS,” says Rob Bush, president of Orchard Software Corp. Building on the comprehensive feature set of previous versions, Orchard Software’s latest release of Harvest LIS, version 7.0, adds advanced levels of process automation and rules-based technology to address both the workflow and compliance issues facing today’s laboratorian. In all, more than 350 new features have been added to Harvest LIS 7.0. Of these, Orchard has added nearly 100 new features requested specifically by Orchard Harvest LIS users, including order-entry rules, data filters, document and image linking, NCCLS/CLSI-compliant antibiogram report, and enhancements to the data browsers. |
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Serum-Free Light Chain Analysis, by AR Bradwell, MD, is a completely updated 4th edition on the use of serum-free light chain assays (sFLC) in the diagnosis and monitoring of Multiple Myeloma, AL Amyloidosis, Light Chain Multiple Myeloma, and Non-Secretory Myeloma. Additional data is included on the use of sFLC in conjunction with SPE as the optimal approach for diagnosis, as a replacement for urine assays and as an earlier marker of disease remission/therapeutic effectiveness. New sections include information on the use of sFLC as a marker of complete remission (new guidelines), and as a proposed independent prognostic factor for the progression of MGUS to Myeloma or related malignancy. The use of sFLC assays to measure levels of FLC in renal impairment and their removal by dialysis is also discussed. Freelite™ serum-free light-chain assays are available on a wide range of analyzers from The Binding Site Inc. |
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Computer Imprintable Label Systems (CILS) has just increased its stock laboratory label range and now more than 3,000 standard label material/size combinations. Whether it is a 0.5-mL vial, well plate, flask, bottle, piece of medical equipment, or a hospital bed, CILS has a standard label to enable you to identify it durably and permanently. CILS offers the widest range of highly durable synthetic labels—clear, white and colored—with surface coatings specially designed to accept and protect laser, thermal transfer, dot matrix, or handwritten data. Adhesives include specialist “high-tack” formulations for problem “low surface energy” plastics, as well as those that remain cleanly removable. With unique preparation processes that offer excellent tolerance against solvents, abrasion, extreme storage conditions, and tampering, CILS standard labels are available in roll or sheet formats for ease of handling and use on the workbench. CIILS has labels for any “in-laboratory” application. |
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Enterprise Power Management Software MGE UPS Systems has introduced its new Enterprise Power Manager v2; a robust software program designed to give health care IT and facility managers an intuitive and easy way of managing all of their networked uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) systems across the enterprise. MGE’s Enterprise Power Manager v2 can substantially lower costs for supervising single- and three-phase networked UPS systems compared to using major network-management system platforms. Enterprise Power Manager v2 can carry out a scan for all the UPS systems from MGE, using both XML and SNMP protocols. The open architecture of EPM enables the discovery of UPSs from any other vendor supporting the standard UPS management information base. It also discovers and manages other critical power c |
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Direct Iron (TIBC) Reagent Stanbio Laboratory has released a new automated total iron binding capacity (TIBC) assay to measure the TIBC in serum specimens on the SIRRUS® benchtop clinical chemistry analyzer. This direct method employs a two-reagent system, which eliminates the need to pretreat specimens with excess iron prior to testing. The serum sample is first added to an acidic buffer (R1) containing iron-binding dye |
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The handheld Spinbar® restrainer retrieves magnetic stirring bars from vessels. Additionally, the restrainer stops the loss of magnetic stirring bars headed down lab drains and eliminates the splashing hazard when pouring out of mixing containers. This easy-to-use tool fits in one hand, and when placed next to the outside of a mixing container, readily attracts and holds stirring bars in place. As containers are emptied, the stirring bar is retained and can be safely removed from the vessel. The Spinbar retstrainer body is molded of easy-to-clean high-impact polystyrene. It contains a powerful magnet that attracts and holds magnetic stirring bars up to 80 mm (3 inches) long. |
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WayPoint Biomedical Inc has introduced POC Clinical Drugs of Abuse tests. CLIA-waived and with built-in controls, the Multi-Drug-9-plus offers professionals a quick and accurate method to test for drugs of abuse. With results stable for 8 hours and with a 2-year shelf life, the WayPoint Multi-Drug clinical drugs-of-abuse tests address the needs of a busy emergency department or on-site environment. The tests are also available on an 11-POC panel. |
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Automated Imaging Systems The BD Pathway™ 435 is a compact, automated benchtop system that rapidly images cells and tissues in multiwell plates or on microscope slides. A newly designed laser-based auto focus significantly increases image-acquisition speed and overall plate throughput. The system incorporates flexible computer-controlled excitation and emission filters; spinning-disk confocal optics for reduced |
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Protein Products Qiagen has expanded its protein product portfolio with new tools to streamline and simplify protein research. Two new Qproteome kits provide apoptosis and cell signaling researchers with high-purity, highly active mitochondria and plasma-membrane protein preparations, virtually free of contaminating proteins from other cell compartments. Mass·Spec·Turbo Chips are ready-to-use targets prespotted with up to 1,600 homogeneous matrix spots for high-throughput MALDI analyses. A major challenge facing researchers studying individual cell compartments or organelles is obtaining pure fractions free of contaminating proteins from other compartments. Reproducible separation of mitochondria and cytosolic proteins is notoriously difficult. Traditional methods are tedious, time-consuming, and require access to an ultracentrifuge. Qproteome Mitochondria Isolation and Plasma Membrane Protein kits provide high-purity preparations with fully active proteins for apoptosis and cell-signaling assays and cellular-localization studies. Developed for high-throughput analysis, each ready-to-use Mass·Spec·Turbo Chip has up to 1,600 homogeneous matrix spots, providing highly reproducible, high-resolution MALDI analysis of complex proteomics samples (such as liquid chromatography runs, 2-D gels, etc). By ensuring optimal presentation of samples, on-chip processing increases sensitivity and mass accuracy, making identification of low-abundance peptides easier and faster. |
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Fertility Blood Test Roche Diagnostics has announced the availability of its new Elecsys Prolactin II assay for the in vitro quantitative determination of Prolactin, a hormone produced by the anterior pituitary gland, in human serum and plasma. The enhanced Prolactin II assay provides laboratories with an additional benchmark for macroprolactin recognition by using new antibodies with very low activity against most forms of macroprolactin. The target organ for Prolactin is the mammary gland, the development and differentiation of which is promoted by the hormone. The new Prolactin assay has a low detection limit (less than 1 µIU/mL), a wide measuring range (1 to 10,000 µIU/mL), and excellent precision. (Elecsys 2010 system total: less than or equal to 5%, MODULAR ANALYTICS E170 analyzer total: less than or equal to 2.0%.) The Elecsys Prolactin II assay expands Roche Diagnostics’ fertility/hormone menu, which also includes HCG +â, cortisol, estradiol, progesterone, testosterone, HCG, LH, FSH, DHEA-S, and SHBG. The new Prolactin II assay is available for the Roche Elecsys 1010/2010 and MODULAR ANALYTICS E170 immunoassay analyzers. |
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Streck has announced the immediate availability of its new Streck-MiniPack 15L reagent package for high-volume laboratories using AC*T diff analyzers. The Streck-MiniPack 15L contains 15 L of diluent, 500 mL of lysing agent, and a reagent-management card. Streck-Kleen enzymatic cleaner is available separately for the daily removal of protein buildup. The introduction of this product completes the Streck product line for AC*T diff series analyzers. Streck offers the Para 12® hematology control, Cal-Chex calibrator, and CVA for linearity assessment. Customers save by purchasing the complete package through Streck. Streck also offers the Streck-MiniPack (4L) configuration, which contains 4 L of diluent, 250 mL of lysing agent, 250 mL of Streck-Kleen, and a reagent-management card. The 4L MiniPack is designed to fit conveniently into the instrument reagent compartment and is configured for optimal usage and reduced waste. |
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ME+/E+ Microtomes Thermo Electron Corp has released Shandon Finesse ME+/E+ Microtomes. These precision engineered and ergonomic instruments are designed to meet the needs of all laboratory staff for quality sectioning of paraffin- or resin-embedded tissues. The new Shandon Finesse + Microtomes are newly designed and precision engineered to offer versatility, increased stability while sectioning, and enhanced productivity to the laboratory. Standard cassettes for regular specimens or the Shandon Super Mega™ cassettes for large specimens can now be used on the same knife holder without the need to switch |
different food allergens (135) can be tested. There are several possible causes of food intolerance, including enzyme deficiency, reactions to chemicals in food, and delayed food allergies mediated by the IgG antibody. The prevalence of food intolerance is fueled by the fact that modern diets include foods that are more exotic, have new additives, and employ new methods of containing and preserving foods. IgG-mediated food allergic reactions have a delayed onset (2 to 72 hours) after ingestion of an offending food. The BIOMERICA Allerquant 90G™ foods IgG ELISA kit contains microwell plates and enough reagents to test three patients for 90 food allergies. The test uses a double-antibody ELISA technique and has a shelf life of 12 months when stored at 2 to 8ÞC. 
Specimen-Tracking Solution 
characteristics of plastic and the performance and stability of glass. Many laboratories are taking steps to reduce or eliminate the use of glass blood-collection tubes. Safety-coated ESR-vacuum tubes provide a safer blood-collection option for those laboratories. Safety-coated tubes minimize exposure to potentially hazardous blood specimens. Specialized drop testing showed that the safety tubes exhibited significantly less breakage than standard glass tubes. In the event of tube breakage, the Mylar® coating on the safety tube contains the broken glass and tube contents. Streck ESR-Vacuum tubes offer convenience and stability. Patient specimens are collected, mixed, and placed directly into the ESR instrument or rack. Technologists are able to store them for up to 72 hours at refrigerated temperatures without compromising the integrity of the sample. This extended stability is especially useful for facilities transporting patient samples to a centralized location for analysis. Streck also offers standard glass ESR-Vacuum Tubes and ESR-Vacuum Tubes for higher-altitude locations. ESR-Vacuum Tubes are available in 1.2-mL and 2.0-mL draw configurations. 
Laboratory Information System 
omponents, such as power over ethernet midspans, intelligent power distribution units, source transfer switches, and rack-monitoring systems to give administrators comprehensive control of their protected infrastructure. The software presents a consolidated view of main operating parameters of all the UPS systems, which can be configured easily according to the type of UPS, location, operating status and other user-defined parameters. Through its color-coded displays, administrators can activate advanced functions such as automatic shutdown of unattended servers, automatic reboot, and system operation scheduling. Accessible from the Internet and any workstation using a standard Web browser, users can click on a UPS in the presented diagram to obtain detailed information about the operating and configuration parameters in a dedicated window. Enterprise Power Manager v2 uses secure sockets layer encryption along with several levels of passwords for complete security. In the event of a power emergency, alarms are centralized and transmitted by e-mail or through short message service. 
and ferric chloride. The low pH of the buffer releases iron from transferrin. The iron then forms a colored complex with the dye. This colored complex represents both the serum iron and excess iron already present in the buffer. Next, a neutral buffer (R2) is added, which causes a shift in the pH and results in a large increase in the affinity of transferrin for iron. The serum transferrin rapidly binds the iron by extracting it from the dye-iron complex. A decrease in absorbance of the colored dye-iron complex is directly proportional to the total iron-binding capacity of the serum sample. Each reagent bottle can run 50 tests, is packaged six bottles per kit, and features 30-day onboard stability and 30-day calibration stability. Associated calibrator and controls are also available separately. SIRRUS is a fully automated benchtop chemistry analyzer capable of performing up to 400 tests per hour. Stanbio offers a broad menu of ready-to-use, bar-coded, liquid reagents and the flexibility to configure open-channel applications. Features such as reusable cuvettes, Windows®-based software, auto-rerun, and auto-dilution make it easy to learn and efficient to operate. SIRRUS also accepts bar-coded primary sample tubes and allows stat interruptions. 
Handheld Restrainer 
Nine-Panel Drug Test 
fluorescence background and 3-D imaging; and a long-life, user-friendly metal halide lamp. With updated image-analysis software featuring new tools and wizard-style applications, the BD Pathway 435 confocal bioimager simplifies the process of high-content cellular analysis. The system enables a broad array of fluorescence-based biological applications such as neurite-outgrowth analysis, angiogenesis, protein translocation, colocalization, cell cycle, and 3-D cellular exploration. The BD Pathway 435 is ideal for researchers who need high-speed, high-resolution confocal imaging capabilities coupled with powerful and flexible image analysis. For applications not requiring confocal, the BD Pathway 415 is a cost-efficient alternative to the BD Pathway 435. And the system can be field-upgraded to confocal later if applications require it. The introduction of these new imagers complements the recently updated BD Pathway 855 (formerly BD Pathway and Pathway HT) system, which provides versatile live-cell imaging capabilities, including environmental control, liquid handling, and advanced kinetic-analysis software. 
Reagent Package 
between specimens. The blade is clamped and fully supported along its entire length on the knife holder to reduce chatter when cutting hard tissues. It provides quality sections, minimizes normal wear and tear to reduce maintenance on the holder, and increases productivity. To address operator safety, the entire top stage of the knife holder moves laterally. There is no need to touch or reclamp the sharp blade during sectioning. The new knife holder comes in a low-profile version or a high-profile version to accommodate low- and high-profile disposable blades for different tissue-sectioning applications. The new Finesse + Microtomes are also designed to offer several ergonomic benefits to the user. The autoload feature greatly reduces repetitive movements by the operator. With a press of the autoload button, the specimen block quickly advances to a preset trim position without turning a wheel. When trimming and sectioning are complete, the operator touches the autoload button to move the specimen head back to the unload position, where the operator may safely change to a fresh block. The light, balanced flywheel is easy to operate. The Finesse E+ model is a precision rotary microtome that provides automated specimen advance with manual cutting, while the ME+ model provides motorized cutting. Both models with accessories are designed to meet IEC 61010-, CSA-, UL-, CE Mark-, and IVDD-compliant specifications. 