What's New in LAB & Life Sciences Aug/Sep 2013

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You are what you earn Using data from the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, a research team analysed possible links between a person’s socioeconomic status and the prevalence of chemicals in their body.

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he team, led by Dr Jessica Tyrrell from the University of Exeter Medical School’s European Centre for Environment & Human Health, in Cornwall, found that people across the poverty spectrum were accumulating chemicals in their bodies but, importantly, that it was the type of toxicant that was dependent on economic status.

Dr Tyrrell and the team were not expecting their findings to contradict the conventional thinking that lower socioeconomic status will lead to a greater prevalence of harmful elements in the body: “We’ve found that as people become better off, changes in their lifestyle alter the types of chemicals in their bodies, rather than reducing the overall amount. This realisation has a profound impact on the way we treat chemical build-ups, suggesting we should move to dealing with groups based on lifestyle, rather than earnings.”

By comparing the results from six separate populations, the researchers have been able to show strong associations between 18 different chemicals and poverty ratings.

Individuals with higher incomes had larger amounts of several toxicants, including urinary mercury, arsenic, caesium and thallium, with diet likely to play a key role in their accumulation.

“The age-old adage of ‘you are what you eat’ seems to be true when explaining some of the trends we’re seeing in the data. It’s certainly very likely that fish and shellfish consumption is partially responsible for build-ups in mercury, arsenic and thallium,” says Dr Tyrrell.

The use of sunscreen was also found to be an important factor in the accumulation of benzophenone-3, with people from higher socioeconomic groups more likely to use products containing the chemical.

Those with lower incomes were more likely to have build-ups of urinary lead, cadmium, antimony and bisphenol A. Cigarette smoking and a poor diet were among the factors likely to lead to the build-up of both lead and cadmium in these groups.

“Long-term exposure to chemicals, even in very small quantities, can lead to a number of adverse health effects such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. This study has produced a robust analysis of how the accumulation of these chemicals relates to socioeconomic status, giving us an important understanding that will help to inform strategies aimed at improving health,” Dr Tyrrell concludes.

The study Associations between socioeconomic status and environmental toxicant concentrations in adults in the USA: NHANES 2001-2010 has been published in the journal Environment International.

WHAT’S NEW IN LAB & LIFE SCIENCES - August/September 2013

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Milli-Q® Integral Water Purification Systems Integrated pure and ultrapure water at your fingertips • Dual POD (point of delivery) concept saves space and increases convenience.

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So you’re thinking of buying a LIMS A good laboratory information management system (LIMS) can make a huge improvement to a laboratory’s productivity.

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nce basically limited to sample tracking, modern LIMS are enterprise resource planning tools that manage the daily and reporting needs of everyone involved in the laboratory from analysts, to managers, compliance and safety officers, regulatory affairs, accountants, human resources and even the bosses on high. Each person can access what they personally need while behind the scenes all the information is collated, disseminated and saved. Never again should you have to search desperately to prove your calibrations were up to date because all analysts’ electronic laboratory notebooks are maintained within the system and you can data mine to your heart’s content.

The systems are flexible and suitable for all types of laboratories from the highly regulated through research and development, quality assurance, commercial, clinical trials, pharmaceutical, multisite, multidepartmental … you can be sure that there is a vendor that has built, or can build, a system that will revolutionise your productivity.

But beware: many LIMS do not always deliver what the customer expected. Some are grossly over budget, some don’t have the anticipated functionality, some have such high ongoing IT costs that they become a nightmare. Frequently, these flaws are not the result of vendors selling inefficient or inappropriate products to laboratories but rather the project had not been specified correctly in the first place.

If you want your LIMS to deliver, you will have to take the time to ensure that you know what you want and then that the vendor understands what you want and how and when you want it delivered.

Basically, never sign off with a vendor if you have not defined the project.

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Where to start?

Start with a detailed requirements document and simultaneously instigate a formal change control procedure. This way if either you or the vendor wants to change anything at all, these change requests are documented and approved. You will never get into that awkward conversation: “You remember when you asked for that modification to … well …”

Make a wish list To start planning the project, make a wish list. Let everyone add to the wish list. This list will form the guts of the project. Once the list has been completed it will be time to sit down and prioritise - what is absolutely essential, what would be nice to have but not essential and what is just plain silly.

You can ask vendors to cost individual wish list items. This pricing can help in choosing some priorities - sometimes a ‘pie in the sky’ wish becomes affordable and realistic, and sometimes what was deemed essential is shown to be too expensive.

Make sure everyone is on board If you want to ensure the implementation will be a success, you need to ensure the key players and users are motivated, and the easiest way to achieve this is if they believe their input and ideas are valued and accommodated.

This does not mean that you have to run the entire project through a committee - just that you have discussed the project with, and sought input from, key users and management.

In an ideal world, the project should be driven by the lab managers. If they have identified the need, scoped the requirements and been included in the selection process,

WHAT’S NEW IN LAB & LIFE SCIENCES - August/September 2013

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you will have their commitment to the project and a huge hurdle avoided.

Futureproof from the beginning Businesses and regulatory requirements change - you need to ensure that your LIMS will have sufficient flexibility to grow and change with your laboratory. If you want to be able to make changes to the system without having to include the vendor every time, you should include this in your specification document.

© stock.xchng/flaivoloka

If the coat fits You already have existing procedures and protocols, especially if you are working in a regulated environment - it is reasonable to expect that the LIMS you choose will accommodate these. It is only the very naive who believe their staff and protocols are infinitely adaptable and that changing procedures to meet the requirements of the LIMS will be simple, straightforward and successful.

This does not mean that you should slavishly adhere to every current practice.

The implementation of a new LIMS is a great opportunity to examine your current practices and assess their strengths and weaknesses. Now is the time to overcome those weaknesses but don’t lose sight of your strengths.

Planning, planning, planning As you create your specification, spend some time identifying deliverables and appropriate metrics so you monitor the implementation.

Break large projects down into smaller sized chunks - each with their own deliverables and metrics.

If your system will operate over several sites or departments, aim for a vertical rather than horizontal implementation. Get one site or department up and running and use this as your ‘pilot’. Solutions you find for teething problems can then be incorporated as you roll the system into the next site or department.

Programmable refrigerated circulating baths A line of sophisticated circulating water baths that

Stick to your guns Try desperately to keep to your final specification. By all means keep a ‘for the future’ wish list as you think of great new ideas, but resist the temptation to alter the spec you have signed off on with the vendor.

If you really can’t resist, be prepared for lengthy delays and cost blowouts.

Money, money, money A decent LIMS is a major investment. Equally, a decent LIMS will deliver major productivity savings. Find out what budget you have and then be honest with both yourself and your vendor. Be realistic - this project will never come in under budget!

Good luck.

Life sciences equipment and consumables

make it simple to create and run multistep ramp and

LabGear Australia is a supplier of equip-

soak temperature programs, as well as frequently

ment and consumables to the Australian

used single temperature testing protocols, is now

life science market. The company’s aim

available from PolyScience.

is to offer a select range of high-quality

Designed with the work habits and the needs of lab-

products backed up by a high level of

oratory personnel in mind, PolyScience Advanced Pro-

after-sales service and support. LabGear

grammable Circulating Baths feature an icon-driven,

recently achieved ISO 9001 accreditation.

touch-screen display that makes selecting and setting

The company offers a full range of

operational parameters simple and straightforward.

consumables such as pipette tips, tubes,

A built-in electronic keypad speeds up and simplifies

PCR plates and tubes, gloves, pipettes and

the entry of text and numerical values.

freezer inventory systems. The equipment

Available in both refrigerating/heating and heat-only

range includes biological safety cabinets,

models, the units control bath temperatures as broad

ultralow-temperature freezers, CO2 and

as -40 to +200°C with ±0.01°C stability. Highly custom-

standard incubators, liquid nitrogen stor-

isable, they feature a variety of user-settable operational

age vessels, balances, autoclaves, data

parameters, including the size, style and type of temperature information that is displayed as well as the menu/display language.

loggers and freeze dryers.

A friendly and easy-to-use web

Other lab-friendly features include a rotating control head that provides a clear

store is offered for the easy ordering

view of the temperature display anywhere within a 180° viewing radius; variable-speed

of general laboratory consumables.

suction/pressure pump suitable for closed and open-loop external circulation; remote

All products are backed by technical

temperature sensing capability; and serial, USB and ethernet communications.

service, warranties, fast delivery and op-

The baths are available in reservoir sizes ranging from 7 to 45 L. A 75 L unit is

erational advice.

also available for beer and beverage testing.

LabGear Australia

Bioline Global Pty Ltd

Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/U789

Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/U819

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Turning on the new LIMS means turning off your current system - all your equipment will have to be hooked into the new system and disconnected from the old. You need to start planning for this transition from the very beginning.

WHAT’S NEW IN LAB & LIFE SCIENCES - August/September 2013

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Spectrophotometers GE Healthcare offers a number of spectrophotometers for widely used applications such as DNA and RNA quantitation, protein concentration determination and cell density measurements.

This includes Ultrospec 10, a battery-operated, portable, cell density meter; Novaspec III and Plus for protein determination and/or enzyme kinetics; and GeneQuant 100 and 1300 instruments.

The NanoVue Plus Spectrophotometer offers convenience and speed using a drop-and-measure sample plate for the accurate and reliable quantitation of nucleic acid and protein samples. The ability to pipette samples of 0.5 to 5 µL directly onto the sample plate eliminates the need for cuvettes or other sample devices.

For more advanced features, the Ultrospec 2100 offers temperature control and cell changer options, whilst the Ultrospec 8000 and 9000 are high-performance, dual-beam instruments for precision measurements that are compatible with Pharmacopoeia guidelines.

GE Healthcare - Biosciences Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/U756

Web-based LIMS The QLIMS web-based LIMS features an enhanced home screen which provides users with quick access to the most used areas of the application as well as displaying information about the laboratory’s activities.

The product’s external app allows the user to install the results entry screens on the desktop and enter results without going through the main web app. This also allows users to export the result set to Microsoft Excel and enter results there. The system then automatically synchronises results back to the LIMS. When the user saves items or receives an error, a message will drop down from the top of the screen. This allows the user to continue working without losing focus.

QLIMS 8 now supports Microsoft Reporting Services, as well as Crystal Reports. Users simply upload reports to the system and run them in the browser. Crystal Reports parameters can also be bound to QLIMS fields, thereby parsing in the required information directly to the report.

OnQ Software Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/T177

HACCP and hygiene monitoring platform BioControl has released the Lightning MVP ICON, an instrument and software platform that combines HACCP and hygiene monitoring with powerful program management capabilities. The product measures ATP, which is a good indicator of hygiene as it is present in most food residues and microorganisms. Other key HACCP parameters measured include pH, temperature, conductivity and chemical concentration.

The unit’s Dashboard software provides key program analytics, updated in real time, that provide essential performance data critical to managing a quality program.

The software serves as a control panel, providing quality assurance professionals a quick overview of key control metrics, assuring their HACCP plans and sanitation protocols are being followed and properly executed.

The dashboard provides insight into vital criteria for a sanitation program, such as the amount of ATP swabs used in comparison to a set target, whether failed results have been adequately re-cleaned and re-tested, and even when the product’s next calibration is due. The software also features original print-and-present HACCP reports to reduce the amount of time quality managers spend analysing HACCP trending data and preparing for audits.

The instrument features a sleek, lightweight design and innovative touch screen. Test points can be organised into sample plans to efficiently conduct testing throughout a facility, and re-test tracking ensures testing complies with standard operating procedures. The ability to randomise test points eliminates testing bias and adds another management tool for ensuring program compliance. Data integrity is assured by password protection for altering or deleting results.

Australasian Medical & Scientific Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/U315

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WHAT’S NEW IN LAB & LIFE SCIENCES - August/September 2013

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www.mscience.com.au sales@mscience.com.au Australia 1800 678 242 | New Zealand 0800 507 896

Supercritical fluid extraction system

Cell imaging multimode reader

Supercritical Fluid Technolo-

The Cytation3 Cell Imaging Multi-Mode

gies (SFT) develops innovative

reader from BioTek combines automated

solutions for demanding super-

digital microscopy with conventional

critical fluid separation, reaction

microplate reading in one instrument.

chemistry and high-pressure

The patent-pending design of the

applications. The SFT-110 SFE is

product provides rich phenotypic cellular

an entry-level system which can

information with well-based quantitative

be used for a variety of applica-

data. The automated microscopy module

tions, from routine analytical work

provides researchers with cellular visuali-

to basic process development.

sation analysis without the complexity of

The product was developed

automated digital microscopy. The unit

for scientists who want to inves-

also includes temperature control to 45°C,

tigate the feasibility of applying

CO2/O2 gas control, orbital shaking and

supercritical fluid techniques to

the company’s Gen5 software, specifically

a wide variety of analytical and processing problems. In addition to its

designed to make plate reading and

numerous industrial uses, the unit is suited to the needs of universities

image capture easy.

and research facilities.

The product is suitable for streamlining

Features include: sample vessel volumes from 5-100 mL; operating

workflow, getting the complete picture of

pressure up to 10,000 psi (68.9 MPa); PID control of pressure and

cells with one instrument and automating

temperature; integrated fluid preheater and flow meter; various extract

traditional digital microscopy.

collection options; optional co-solvent addition modules.

Scientex Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/T706

Millennium Science Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/T745

CO2 incubators New Brunswick’s Galaxy CO 2 incubators, available from Eppendorf, provide a suitable environment for a wide range of culture applications like stem cell research, oncology, IVF, anaerobic bacterial growth, neuroscience, viral studies and more.

The incubator has a fanless, seamless chamber, with options for high-temperature disinfection and a copper interior providing good contamination control. Three O2 control options enable specialised high- and low-oxygen applications. The 14 L incubator fits under a hood, so it’s suitable for isolating critical cultures, ensuring assay validity.

Offered in advanced and economical models, in a range of three sizes (14-170 L), the directheat systems expand the user’s cell culture possibilities. Eppendorf can offer a tailored CO 2 incubator that is both robust and highly controllable to play an integral role in the laboratory.

Eppendorf South Pacific Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/U510

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CASE STUDY

Nanoparticle tracking analysis characterises colloids in water Particle and Surface Sciences Australia has reported on how nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA), from Nanosight UK, is being implemented for the further characterisation of natural colloids (inorganic and organic) at the Institute of Water Resources and Water Supply at the Technical University Hamburg-Harburg in Germany.

Inorganic and organic colloids are widespread in aquatic systems, where they influence many water-quality treatment processes. Until recently there was a lack of an adequate analysis technique to measure the size fraction below 1000 nm. The research group of Professor Mathias Ernst of the Institute of Water Resources and Water Supply has adopted the use of NanoSight’s NTA technique to provide new insights into water quality.

PhD student Martin Schulz began his research at the Berlin Centre of Competence for Water, where he first used NTA to assess different water treatment processes, in particular looking at particle and colloid removal and water purification methods (eg, coagulation and ozonation). His work focused PhD student Martin Schulz with his NanoSight LM10 on membrane filtration, where he encountered the problem of membrane NTA system, used for the characterisation of colloids fouling when colloids would block the pores of the membrane. Schulz used in water.

NTA to predict the fouling potential of a water sample, thus providing time for the treatment plant to react with different pre-treatment options.

Speaking of the Institute of Water Resources and Water Supply, Schulz said, “The institute provides professional support to water companies and our industry partners for the optimisation of processes, problem solving and innovation. We expect to offer NTA as a support tool to regional water companies who have problems with particles and colloids in their treatment processes and water distribution systems.”

Other techniques have been applied to this application with mixed success. These include LC-OCD (liquid chromatography-organic carbon detection) and flow cytometry (using fluorescence markers). NTA has proved to be a suitable complement as it is only by combining all of these techniques that full characterisation of a water sample over a broad size range can be established.

Schulz said, “NTA is perfect for the concentration range of water and wastewater samples. It provides reliable size detection in polydisperse samples which occur in almost all natural water samples. The fast and precise detection of the smallest colloid fraction (< 200 nm) is a huge advantage. It also has potential for making online measurements. In simple words, we use NTA as an additional water-quality parameter.”

Particle & Surface Sciences Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/U455

Bead mill homogeniser The Beadruptor 12 from Omni International is specifically designed for the grinding, lysis and homogenisation of biological samples prior to molecular extraction. It features the options and flexibility of larger bead mill homogenisers.

With the ability to run twelve 0.5 or 2 mL tubes and four 7 mL tubes simultaneously, it is compatible with a large variety of samples, from 25 µL to 5 mL in size.

Front loading, horizontal tube positioning, high disruptive energy and minimal ‘swirling’ provide maximum efficiency for fast, thorough homogenisation without the need for a cool-down period. The product is powerful enough to homogenise animal and plant tissue and gentle enough to homogenise heat-sensitive samples.

Capella Science Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/U705

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© iStockphoto.com/Planet Flem

Weeing in space When Alan Shepard, the first American to fly in space (5 May 1961) was forced to wee in his spacesuit, his urine short-circuited his electronic biosensors. Eight hours of launch delays had not been factored into his 15-minute spaceflight and there was no provision for him to urinate once kitted out in his spacesuit.

N

ASA engineers had put considerable planning into Shepard’s Freedom 7 mission but none into what to do if he needed to go. Less than a year later, engineers had remedied this seeming oversight for John Glenn’s Mercury orbital flight. The system developed for Glenn stood the test of time, remaining in use until the early days of the Space Shuttle program.

In a new article, Hunter Hollins of the National Air and Space Museum reviews the history of urine collection in space and the considerations necessary to accommodate this basic physiological function. That first successful urine collection device, used in 1962, has been on display at the National Air and Space Museum since 1976.

No need “to go”?

Hollins writes that though the general public was interested in how astronauts would tackle taking care of this basic need in space (a letter stored in NASA’s Historical Reference Collection from a Pennsylvania schoolgirl questioned where the first man in space would use the toilet), NASA’s scientists and technicians seemed to ignored the problem before Shepard’s mission. Combined with a lack of funding and little crosstalk between the organisations that would end up comprising NASA, scientists in the organisation also assumed that the first astronauts would be able to “hold it” during their very short missions.

However, though Shepard’s spaceflight was scheduled to last only 15 minutes, he spent eight hours in his spacesuit due to launch delays. During a four-hour stint on the launch pad, he relieved himself in the suit, damaging the electronic medical data sensors attached to his body.

After this understandable event, NASA researchers sought to design a way to contain urine in the inevitable event that future astronauts would need to go while wearing their spacesuits.

New device a relief for astronauts Working around the spacesuit itself was one barrier to successful urine collection. The pressure suits worn by astronauts help keep their occupants alive during spaceflight by ensuring that pressures

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inside stay within a healthy physiological range. However, the bulky, uncomfortable suits left little room for devices to capture urine.

The first iteration of urine collection devices proposed for space were in-dwelling catheters, a tube threaded through the penis to collect urine continuously from the bladder. However, such catheters are extremely uncomfortable and greatly increase the risk of infection.

After Gus Grissom’s Mercury-Redstone 4 mission followed Shepard’s in 1961 - in which Grissom urinated between two pairs of rubber pants - NASA researchers set about developing a more suitable urine collection device. They ended up basing theirs on the simple personal urinals already available at the time for people with medical problems, such as impaired bladder control, or those without access to public urinals, such as police officers on a long shift.

In the end, the resulting device resembled a condom made out of more durable materials and open on one end, with a tube connected to a storage container. On Glenn’s Mercury-Atlas 6 mission, he voided a full bladder into the new device, confirming its utility.

Tweaks still needed Astronauts regularly used this type of device with minimal modifications until the early days of the Space Shuttle program, Hollins writes. However, those and modern urine collection devices still aren’t perfect. Hollins notes that in a survey done in 2010, the majority of US Air Force pilots flying high-altitude spy planes reported problems with the urine collection devices they wore, including poor fit, leaking and skin damage from extended contact with urine.

“It is the job of the engineer/physiologist to ensure that the man-machine interface promotes the health and safety of the human body,” Hollins says.

Hollins’ article, titled Forgotten Hardware: How to Urinate in a Spacesuit, appears in the June 2013 edition of Advances in Physiology Education, a journal published by the American Physiological Society (APS).

The American Physiological Society www.the-aps.org

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Nucleic acid molecule detection system The NanoString nCounter Analysis System uses fluorescent barcodes to detect and count single nucleic acid molecules by direct hybridisation and can be multiplexed for up to 800 different targets in a sample. This high level of multiplexing and pure digital detection avoids the pitfalls of enzymatic steps such as reverse transcription and PCR while offering high precision and reproducibility. In addition, NanoString technology is amenable to challenging sample types such as formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue, cell lysates and raw biofluids.

An expanding list of applications includes gene expression, single-cell gene expression, miRNA expression and fusion gene analysis. DNA applications include copy number variation (CNV), ChIP and haplotyping.

The technology is a suitable choice for validation studies and translational research applications. It offers the three key characteristics required to accelerate genomic discoveries into robust clinical assays: mid- to high-multiplexing capacity capturing the key findings of NGS discovery; digital readout for direct comparison with NGS; and an automated, enzyme-free workflow for fast and accurate quantitation of thousands of samples in retrospective-prospective studies using FFPE samples.

Key benefits include: no amplification (except for singlecell assays), RT or sample partitioning; digital counting of single molecules for low noise data; reproducible with wide dynamic range and high precision; expression calls in 10 min (no compute clusters); simple workflow - up to 800 targets in a single tube.

Bio-Strategy Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/U675

Four-well plate The FourWell Plate from Greiner Bio-One, in SBS format, has four individual wells which are numbered for easy sample identification.

The wells provide optimum conditions for parallel experiments and are suitable for microscopic analysis. Each well is able to securely hold a standard-sized microscope slide, while also providing for easy removal when required.

The plate can also be used for immunohistological fixing and analysis or as a general-purpose, four-well vessel.

Interpath Services Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/U286

Ubiquitin binding entities Tandem Ubiquitin Binding Entities (TUBEs) are high-affinity ‘ubiquitin traps’ that bind polyubiquitin chains. LifeSensors has developed TUBE technology for the detection, characterisation and isolation of polyubiquitylated proteins from cells and tissue extracts.

TUBEs have 100- to 1000-fold higher affinity for polyubiquitin chains compared to monomer ubiquitin binding domains (UBDs). They both stabilise and bind to ubiquitylated proteins, serving as a suitable tool for ubiquitologists.

The versatile collection includes reagents for isolation/pulldown of polyubiquitin conjugates (Agarose-TUBEs, GST- and His6-TUBEs). For immunohistochemistry, use Fluorescent TUBEs conjugated to either fluorescein or TAMRA. Use Biotin-TUBEs for the detection of polyubiquitylated proteins by ligand blotting.

Biotin-K63 TUBE 1 displays a high sensitivity and specificity for polyubiquitin chains linked through K63. It is said to be more sensitive and cost-effective for the detection of K63-linked polyubiquitylated proteins compared to a traditional Western blot using chain-specific antibodies. It is suitable for ligand blotting, affinity purification from lysates and biological fluids, and in situ detection.

Other claimed features of the TUBEs include: high binding capacity for pull-downs; higher specificity than antibodies and UBAs; lower cost per experiment.

United Bioresearch Products Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/U770

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The new Quintix速

Redefining Standard.

What makes the new Quintix速 so different from other standard laboratory balances? Practical features that are anything but standard and that make workflows for the user much more efficient and reliable: - Intuitive applications guidance for easy navigation - Maximum accuracy at all times thanks to isoCAL - Plug-and-work data transfer to printer or computer Sartorius Australia Phone: 03 8762 1800/1800 645 076 info.australia@sartorius.com

www.sartorius.com/quintix

CASE STUDY

Global molecular science facility features Enware fit-out One of Australia’s premier research facilities, the newly refurbished La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, has installed an extensive range of Enware safety, laboratory and specialist plumbing solutions into its teaching, research and laboratory facilities.

The Enware fit-out - including solutions custom designed and manufactured in Australia for good service, precision and practicality - comprises a package of products distributed broadly throughout the LIMS facility, which houses the international research leader in the field of molecular science and biotechnology.

The facility, which is instrumental in training a new generation of Australian scientists, was recently refurbished as part of the university’s largest investment to date in research and academic infrastructure, costing $97 million and including a new $85 million, 11,000 m2, six-level teaching and research building adjoining the Physical Sciences 4 (PS4) building.

Enware Australia says its fit-out package extended across a broad range of its product groups, which are purpose built to achieve maximum efficiencies, hygiene and safety in industry, scientific, medical and educational applications.

“Products and solutions were also customised to meet specific project requirements. Being an Australian manufacturer, Enware’s lead times in providing customers’ choice of configurations, materials and finishes are faster and more flexible. They also conform to the highest Australian Standards,” said Enware Managing Director Adam Degnan.

LIMS’ state-of-the-art facility needed the latest technology fixtures to deliver various media types on benches and in fume cupboards. The ComLab range has been designed to maximise workbench space, with an easy-clean, durable finish delivering wet and dry media in a wide variety of configurations.

Their needle valve operation is suited to dry media/gas installations up to Grade 4.0+.

Major components of the Enware fit-out included: • Fume cupboards housing dry media fittings. The fittings - along with complementary burning gas fittings - feature precise feel and fingertip control as well as safety colour coding. Fittings include bench, pendant and wall-mounted.

• Emergency safety shower systems. Enware manufactures a large range of emergency safety shower and eyewash equipment, while also distributing some of the products of internationally acknowledged leaders in areas such as spill containment storage, decontamination and Hazchem equipment.

• Hands-free electronic tapware designed to deliver high levels of hygiene, functionality and comfort to their users. The automatic shut-off, electronically actuated tapware is becoming the equipment of choice for achievement of water savings and cross-infection control.

• Reverse osmosis tapware developed to protect water integrity and maintain maximum water purity. Enware specialist water fittings are made from materials specially selected to be suitable for use in special water applications.

• Barrier-free drinking fountains, designed to focus on people with disabilities who use these facilities in public buildings.

• Stylish, functional and durable IFO wash basins made of vitreous china - an attractive, environmentally friendly and durable natural material.

They offer hygienic and environmentally harmonious solutions for bathrooms ranging from compact to large.

Enware’s ComLab range includes deionised, demineralised pure water, backflow prevention technology plus deluge shower and eyewash products mandatory in any laboratory. The company’s laboratory tapware is WaterMark licensed to AS/NZS-3718 and supplied with a 5-star WELS rating standard, with more flow rate options available. Gas fittings are AGA approved while emergency showers and eyewash equipment have been independently tested to ANSI Z358.1 and are compliant with AS4775.

ComLab designs feature the practical benefits of simple operation, high control and long, serviceable life. Solid and versatile fittings are suitable for bench, bollard and fume cupboard use in wall-, bench- and pendant-mounted configurations. Vandal-resistant features make them also suitable for university laboratories.

Enware Australia Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/T916

20

WHAT’S NEW IN LAB & LIFE SCIENCES - August/September 2013

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Make the unpredictable totally predictable.

© 2012 Swagelok Company

Swagelok® Pressure Regulators are now an even better choice for all your pressure regulator needs. Why? Well, alongside our proven experience and expertise, our range now covers sizes from 1/8 to 4 in. and all your regulator needs – high-flow capability, two-stage, back-pressure and vaporizing models. With our regulators you get accuracy, sensitivity and pressure stability. In short– total predictability. Exactly what you would expect.

Visit swagelok.com/pressure.

Micronic Track-IT sample management database

Pertussis toxin

Track-IT is a laboratory sample manage-

by Bordetella pertussis, is a multisubunit toxin

ment system (LSMS) that allows fast

which binds to most cultured mammalian cells

and efficient management of all samples

and targets specific G protein, inhibiting the

and reagents within the laboratory. Web-

ability of the G protein to function in signalling

based access allows each scientist in

pathways. Depending on the function of the

the lab to access and manage laboratory

G protein, the effects of PT can vary.Â

Pertussis toxin (PT), a virulence factor produced

sample data and information quickly

This ability to inhibit pathways using the Gi

while making it available to the rest of

family of protein-coupled receptors is the basis

the lab community.

of the use of PT as a tool in cell biology. PT

Designed with the end user in mind and built around independent modules that can inter-

plays a role in infection by suppressing and

act with each other, the product will manage a variety of day-to-day useful lab information.

modulating various host immune responses

A simple-to-use graphical interface means that no informatics skills are required and the LIMS

to Bordetella pertussis. PT has been used to

database can be used immediately by all laboratory staff without complex configurations or

stimulate experimental autoimmune diseases in

long learning phases.

rodent models, such as experimental autoim-

The system allows the user to: organise all laboratory samples, cell lines, plasmids, primers

mune encephalitis (EAE).

and antibodies; record chemical compound and structures; control documents, protocols, SOPs

List Biological Laboratories provides native

and MSDSs; manage sequencing and microarray data; monitor reagent stock level and expiry

pertussis toxin lyophilised in buffer (Cat No

dates; maintain equipment warranties and maintenance schedules.

180) or pure water (Cat No 181), as well as a

Fully compatible with barcode scanning, the product allows the generation of 1D and 2D

genetically inactivated form of pertussis toxin,

barcodes and the cataloguing of samples and reagents that have been scanned by lab equip-

Pertussis Toxin Mutant (Cat No 184). The protein

ment, such as barcode readers and scanners. Complete user customisation of the databaseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

may be used as antigens and as carrier proteins

modules and data fields allows the database to match the workflow of the laboratory and the

for other antigens.

aspects of each sample.

Sapphire Bioscience

In Vitro Technologies Pty Ltd

Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/U145

Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/U772

22

WHATâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S NEW IN LAB & LIFE SCIENCES - August/September 2013

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© stock.xchng/qute

Fingerprint forensics getting closer to the TV representation Contrary to all the TV shows, in real life only 10% of fingerprints taken from crime scenes yield identifications usable in court. But now a new way of detecting and visualising fingerprints from crime scenes using colour-changing fluorescent films could lead to higher confidence identifications from latent (hidden) fingerprints on knives, guns, bullet casings and other metal surfaces.

T

he technique is the result of a collaboration between the University of Leicester, the Institut Laue-Langevin and the STFC’s ISIS pulsed neutron and muon source and was presented at the Royal Society of Chemistry’s Faraday Discussion in Durham.

When your finger touches a surface, it leaves behind deposits of sweat and natural oils in a pattern that mirrors the ridges and troughs found on your fingertips. The odds of two individuals having identical fingerprints are 64 billion to 1, making them an ideal tool for identification in criminal investigations.

The greatest source of fingerprint forensic evidence comes from latent fingerprints - those not immediately visible to the eye, because they are less likely to be ‘wiped’. However, visualising these prints with sufficient clarity for positive identification often proves difficult.

Despite the availability of several enhancement techniques, only 10% of fingerprints taken from crime scenes are of sufficient quality to be used in court.

Fingerprint patterns fall into three basic categories. First-level details include loops, whorls and arches. While these can clearly eliminate certain individuals, positive identification relies on the minutiae (or second-level detail) within the pattern: these include features such as ridge endings, crossovers (bridges), short independent ridges, islands, bifurcations, spurs, dots and lakes. There are also finer features (third-level detail) present in a fingerprint image: these include the detailed shapes of the ridges and individual sweat pores. While not currently used in fingerprint identification, there is considerable research interest in third-level detail, since it may in future permit analysis of smaller fragments of marks left by a finger, ie, partial fingerprints.

The classical approach to enhance latent print visibility is to apply a coloured powder that adheres to the sticky residue and provides a visual contrast to the underlying surface. However, these techniques require significant preservation of fingerprint material and are therefore

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vulnerable to ageing, environmental exposure or attempted washing of the fingerprint residue.

To address this, researchers from the University of Leicester have been working on a new technique that visualises fingerprints by exploiting their electrically insulating characteristics. Here, the fingerprint material acts like a mask or stencil, blocking an electric current that is used to deposit a coloured electroactive film. This directs the coloured film to the regions of bare surface between the fingerprint deposits, thereby creating a negative image of the print.

Unlike conventional fingerprint visualisation reagents, the polymers used by the University of Leicester researchers are electrochromic, that is to say they change from one colour to another when subjected to an electrical voltage.

The technique is highly sensitive as even tiny amounts of insulating residue, just a few nanometres thick, can prevent polymer deposition on the metal below. As a result, much less fingerprint residue is required than is typical for other techniques. Also, because it focuses on the gaps between the fingerprint deposits, it can be used in combination with existing approaches such as powdering.

The team, led by Professor Robert Hillman, has developed this technique further by incorporating within the film fluorophore molecules that re-emit light of a third colour when exposed to light or any other form of electromagnetic radiation such as ultraviolet rays. Their success in combining the electrochromic and fluorescence approaches provides a significantly wider palette to ‘colour’ their films and two sets of ‘levers’ in the form of electricity and light to control and tune this colouration in order to achieve the best possible contrast with the underlying metal surface.

The addition of these large fluorescent tagging molecules required a conducting film that could undergo post-deposition chemical changes.

Neutron reflectivity measurements were used to follow and quantify the deposition and functionalisation of the film with the fluorophores.

WHAT’S NEW IN LAB & LIFE SCIENCES - August/September 2013

23

The exact position and distribution of the fluorophores within the film is key. Professor Hillman and colleagues needed the molecules to penetrate the deposited polymer layer without reaching the underlying metal surface, where their fluorescence is diminished. Using isotopic methods, the team were able to use neutrons at ILL and ISIS to label the different parts of the system and observe the behaviour of each to find the ideal conditions (temperature, polymer concentrations and reaction time) for the introduction of the fluorophores.

Using the new technique on laboratory-sourced fingerprints, Professor Hillman and colleagues have already demonstrated an improved ability to make positive identifications due to better sample resolution. However, the team are keen to stress these prints were taken under laboratory conditions. The next step is to apply it to fingerprints that have been exposed to more realistic scenarios, such as water, heat from a fire or cleaning agents.

Professor Robert Hillman said: “By using the insulating properties of the fingerprints to define their unique patterns and improving the visual resolution through these colour-controllable films, we can dramatically improve the accuracy of crime scene fingerprint forensics. From the images we have produced so far, we are achieving identification with high confidence using commonly accepted standards. This combination of optical absorption analysis with observation based on fluorescence is also opening up fingerprint analysis to a far wider set of samples, particularly those eroded by ageing or aggressive environments. The use of neutrons alongside spectroscopic techniques has been fundamental to understanding how this technique might work in practice and is evidence for what has been a truly collaborative partnership between these three institutions.”

Assistant Chief Constable Roger Bannister of Leicestershire Police said: “Fingerprints have been around in policing for over 100 years but this technique opens up new avenues for the detection of crime in the modern era. This technique potentially offers opportunities for quick results for the more serious crimes in a way that may still permit other forensic analysis to be performed to maximise the opportunities to recover forensic evidence. This follows Leicester University’s long tradition in the field of forensic discovery.”

WE CAN DRAMATICALLY IMPROVE THE ACCURACY OF CRIME SCENE FINGERPRINT FORENSICS.

Images of a fingermark left on a stainless steel substrate, following enhancement by electrodeposition of polypyrrole. The light regions are stainless steel that was protected by the sweat residue that was laid on top, preventing the polymer depositing onto it. The dark regions are the polymer in between the fingerprint sweat without the fluorescence ‘turned on’. Credit: University of Leicester

A 3D optical microscope image of the part of the same fingerprint (above). It shows the fingerprint ridges (as light areas) and the deposited polymer (as dark areas).

The dark ‘dots’ in the light areas are the gaps left by sweat pores that have been filled by polymer; this is so-called third-level detail. The main point to note is a ridge that starts at the bottom right and runs diagonally up and to the left, terminating as a ‘ridge ending’ (an example of second-level detail, which might be used as part of an identification) in the centre of the image.

Credit: University of Leicester

Microplate reader Biobase has produced the ELISA microplate reader, suitable for a wide range of uses in the fields of hospital clinical diagnosis, immune pathology testing, microbial antigen and antibody detection, parasitic diseases diagnosis, blood diseases diagnosis, endocrine disorder measure, plant diseases and insect pest studies.

The user can choose the calculation mode from absorbance, linear calibration, curve calibration, limit verdict, double limit verdict, level verdict and column subtraction. The product’s measurement range is an 8-channel optical fibre system offering measurement modes of absorbance, dual wavelength absorbance, two points, kinetic or multiwavelength.

Features include a large LCD, test results displayed in full screen, enlarged memory, self-checking and calibration function, and a reading rate of 6 s/96 wells. The compact and portable unit fits on the benchtop and weighs just 11 kg.

Crea Laboratory Technologies Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/U582

24

WHAT’S NEW IN LAB & LIFE SCIENCES - August/September 2013

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Laboratory freeze dryer The VirTis BenchTop Pro freeze dryer, from SP Scientific, is designed to meet the needs of the most demanding research laboratories.

Each system can be configured to meet the user’s needs. Condenser refrigeration packages as low as -105°C meet the demands of both aqueous and solvent-based formulations.

The user can configure the system for a smaller sample volume or to process a relatively heavy workload, with condenser size choices of 3, 8 or 9 L. Manifolds are available in a variety of easily interchangeable styles, including acrylic

Sulfur analyser

glass manifolds and stainless steel manifolds

The Rigaku Micro-Z ULS sulfur analyser is

suitable for both flask and tray drying.

designed for the ultra-low-level sulfur analysis

Traditional time losses incurred from lengthy

of diesel and petrol fuels. The benchtop wave-

condenser defrost and clean-up procedures are

length dispersive X-ray fluorescence (WDXRF)

minimised with the product’s hot-gas defrost facility.

instrument measures both the sulfur peak and

An intuitive graphic display provides users with at-a-glance information of

the background intensity. The product meets

the freeze dryer status, while audible alarms help notify the user of potential

ASTM 2622-10 and ISO 20884 specifications.

The device is suitable for sulfur analysis

problems with the system.

Designed for both the occasional user and freeze-drying expert, the Bench-

of petroleum-based fuels, with a lower limit

top Pro Omnitronics Controller simplifies freeze drying and makes the system

of detection (LLD) of 0.3 ppm S. Employing

easy to operate. All Omnitronics controllers include a trending screen that

robust fixed optics and featuring a specially

allows the user to watch critical parameters on an ongoing basis if required.

designed doubly curved RX-9 analysing crystal,

With optional ethernet control, the user can connect the freeze dryer to

the analyser can be powered by any standard

the network, monitoring and controlling the product from any other location.

‘wall’ AC outlet.

The ethernet option also allows for the printout of batch reports.

Australian X-Ray Tubes Pty Ltd

Scitek Australia Pty Ltd

Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/U462

Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/U431

Petri dish rack and coloured tags Don Whitley Scientific has launched a 10-plate petri dish rack made from stainless steel. The robust, sturdy and autoclaveable racks are suitable for stacking, sorting and storing petri dishes in a Whitley Workstation.

As well as the racks, the company has developed a coloured label system, useful in organising plates and having the facility to be written on. Furthermore, if a rack is accidentally knocked over, plates secured by this system will not spill out.

The set of tags includes 20 of each of seven different colours: yellow, blue, red, green, white, orange and grey.

Don Whitley Scientific Pty Limited Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/U364

26

WHAT’S NEW IN LAB & LIFE SCIENCES - August/September 2013

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Cost-effectively convert a conventional microscope into a billion-pixel imaging system Kimm Fesenmaier

U

sually microscopists have to decide between high resolution and a small field of view or low resolution and a large field of view. But that need no longer be the case as California Institute of Technology (Caltech) engineers have used a computational approach to bypass the limitations of the optics and devised a method to convert a relatively inexpensive conventional microscope into a billion-pixel imaging system that significantly outperforms the best-available standard microscope.

Such a system could greatly improve the efficiency of digital pathology, in which specialists need to review large numbers of tissue samples. By making it possible to produce robust microscopes at low cost, the approach also has the potential to bring high-performance microscopy capabilities to medical clinics in developing countries.

"In my view, what we've come up with is very exciting because it changes the way we tackle high-performance microscopy," says Changhuei Yang, professor of electrical engineering, bioengineering and medical engineering at Caltech. Yang is senior author on a

28

paper that describes the new imaging strategy, which appears in a recent online version of the journal Nature Photonics.

Until now, the physical limitations of microscope objectives their optical lenses - have posed a challenge in terms of improving conventional microscopes. Microscope makers tackle these limitations by using ever-more complicated stacks of lens elements in microscope objectives to mitigate optical aberrations. Even with these efforts, these physical limitations have forced researchers to decide between high resolution and a small field of view on the one hand, or low resolution and a large field of view on the other.

That has meant that scientists have either been able to see a lot of detail very clearly but only in a small area, or they have gotten a coarser view of a much larger area.

"We found a way to actually have the best of both worlds," says Guoan Zheng, lead author on the new paper and the initiator of this new microscopy approach from Yang's lab. "We used a computational approach to bypass the limitations of the optics.

The optical performance of the objective lens is rendered almost

WHATâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S NEW IN LAB & LIFE SCIENCES - August/September 2013

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© iStockphoto.com/AlexRaths

approach, termed Fourier ptychographic microscopy (FPM), is then used to stitch together these low-resolution images to form the high-resolution intensity and phase information of the sample - a much more complete picture of the entire light field of the sample.

Yang explains that when we look at light from an object, we are only able to sense variations in intensity. But light varies in terms of both its intensity and its phase, which is related to the angle at which light is travelling.

The Yang lab’s new microscope set-up (left). A raw image taken with a 2X objective lens is shown (top right) along with the reconstructed image produced by the new microscope set-up (bottom right). Image credit: Guoan Zheng

irrelevant, as we can improve the resolution and correct for aberrations computationally."

Indeed, using the new approach, the researchers were able to improve the resolution of a conventional 2X objective lens to the level of a 20X objective lens. Therefore, the new system combines the field-of-view advantage of a 2X lens with the resolution advantage of a 20X lens. The final images produced by the new system contain 100 times more information than those produced by conventional microscope platforms. And building upon a conventional microscope, the new system costs only about $200 to implement.

"One big advantage of this new approach is the hardware compatibility," Zheng says, "You only need to add an LED array to an existing microscope. No other hardware modification is needed. The rest of the job is done by the computer."

The new system acquires about 150 low-resolution images of a sample. Each image corresponds to one LED element in the LED array. Therefore, in the various images, light coming from known different directions illuminates the sample. A novel computational

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Artist’s rendering of the new microscopy set-up showing one element of an LED array illuminating a sample. Image credit: Yan Liang and Guoan Zheng

"What this project has developed is a means of taking lowresolution images and managing to tease out both the intensity and the phase of the light field of the target sample," Yang says.

"Using that information, you can actually correct for optical aberration issues that otherwise confound your ability to resolve objects well."

The very large field of view that the new system can image could be particularly useful for digital pathology applications, where the typical process of using a microscope to scan the entirety of a sample can take tens of minutes. Using FPM, a microscope does not need to scan over the various parts of a sample - the whole thing can be imaged all at once. Furthermore, because the system acquires a complete set of data about the light field, it can computationally correct errors - such as out-of-focus images - so samples do not need to be rescanned.

"It will take the same data and allow you to perform refocusing computationally," Yang says.

The researchers say that the new method could have wide applications not only in digital pathology but also in everything from haematology to wafer inspection to forensic photography.

Zheng says the strategy could also be extended to other imaging methodologies, such as X-ray imaging and electron microscopy.

The paper is titled ‘Wide-field, high-resolution Fourier ptychographic microscopy’. Along with Yang and Zheng, Caltech graduate student Roarke Horstmeyer is also a co-author. The work was supported by a grant from the National Institutes of Health.

WHAT’S NEW IN LAB & LIFE SCIENCES - August/September 2013

29

Compact bioanalytical UV-Vis spectrophotometer The V-630Bio UV-Vis Spectrophotometer from Jasco features a rugged and compact design, good optical performance, high-speed scanning (190 to 1100 nm) and versatility.

Only 0.6 µL of sample volume are required using the one drop accessory.

The product is designed specifically for life science applications, with dedicated biological programs. The system is operated using an intelligent Remote Module (iRM) with wide colour LCD touch screen which has built-in bioanalytical application programs. The data can be saved to a CompactFlash memory card for further processing on a PC. Features for simplicity and ease of use include the IQ Accessory function for automatic accessory recognition and IQ Start for immediate start of registered data collection applications when conducting routine measurements. Built-in bioanalytical application programs include: protein/nucleic acid measurement; temperature ramping/DNA melting analysis; kinetics measurement/analysis; and a quantitative protein analysis program with

Tacky mats The VWR PureStep multi-layered, adhesive-coated mat removes dirt and dust from foot traffic and wheels prior

six different calibration methods installed.

A full complement of sampling accessories including automatic cell changers and ultramicro cell holder is available to optimise the product for specific applications.

A USP, EP and JP compliant instrument validation package is standard.

to entry into a critical manufacturing

ATA Scientific Pty Ltd

environment. A consistent coat weight of

Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/T933

adhesive produces a higher-performing mat without excessive tack issues. The

Microplate reader for antioxidant assay

mats are produced in an ISO 9000

Everyday metabolism, as well as stress and envi-

factory with QC test data and reports

ronmental pollutants, causes cells in the human

available for each case.

Each layer is fully coated with a par-

body to produce molecules that are collectively

ticle-grabbing adhesive and constructed

known as reactive oxygen species (ROS). ROS

of 1.8 m/45 µm low-density polyethylene

can be either free radicals or can form free

film. The mats can be applied directly

radicals through their interaction with biological

to the floor or used with frames where

molecules (ie, proteins, DNA/RNA and lipids).

direct adhesion is not possible.

Too many free radicals are thought to play a

The mats are available in 30 or 60

role in cancer, ageing and other degenerative

layers, in multiples sizes with various

diseases, such as cardiovascular, Alzheimer’s

frame options. They feature low-profile,

and Parkinson’s.

numbered tabs indicating remaining lay-

A method was needed that could measure

ers and that only one layer is removed

the antioxidant capacity of a substance, either directly from

at any time. The consistent adhesive

the food or indirectly in the blood after being consumed. The oxygen radical

coverage ensures maximum perfor-

absorbance capacity (ORAC) assay is such a method, and can be conducted using the

mance of each layer.

PHERAstar FS microplate reader from BMG Labtech. It is suitable for food manufacturers

VWR International Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/T705

30

wishing to market their products as high in antioxidants.

BMG LabTech Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/U392

WHAT’S NEW IN LAB & LIFE SCIENCES - August/September 2013

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Detection reagent for live cell RNA Detecting gene expression has traditionally been limited to technologies

B-700 Series

that examine expression in lysed or fixed cell populations. The ability to detect RNAs in individual, live cells can enable an unequivocal assessment of gene expression changes that occur in direct response to specified

NEW

perturbations. Determining which genes are up- or down-regulated in these perturbed cells provides insight into the relationships between gene expression networks and cell functions.

The SmartFlare detection reagent is a novel probe capable of detecting specific mRNAs and miRNAs in live, intact cells. The technology allows for carrier-free cellular endocytosis of the reagent, followed by detection and relative quantitative analysis of RNA levels.

Because the reagent leaves the cell after the detection event, the same sample can be used for any downstream analysis, meaning the user can assess multiple biomarkers or downstream functionalities in the same cells.

Waterproof pocket-size meter

Additionally, the reagent requires no upfront sample preparation, has no toxic effects on cellular fate and no known non-specific, off-target effects.

Compared to currently used methods for interrogating RNA that involve examination of non-native, amplified RNA targets, the product has the potential to provide results that show greater correlation to in vivo observations.

Merck Pty Limited Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/U183

pH, conductivity, ions and salt Simple accurate and reliable Small samples typically one drop

Jet fuel thermal oxidation analyser PAC has released its latest jet fuel thermal oxidation analyser, the Alcor JFTOT 230 Mark IV (JFTOT IV). It adds enhanced safety features and simplified operational capabilities to its previous versions, increasing

Uses innovative flat sensor technology

operator productivity, in a smaller, streamlined package.

Calibrate and measure at the touch of a button

fuel thermal oxidation testing instruments. The sample and waste containers

Light, easy to clean and waterproof

The product has more safety features than previous generations of jet minimise jet fuel vapour exposure to operators and the environment, and the sliding test door prevents exposure to the hot heater tube test section.

The unit is easier to operate than earlier versions. Previously manual tasks, such as priming the pump, monitoring sample flow and aerating the sample, are now automated. The operator only spends 10 min

Australian Scientific Pty Ltd Tel: 1800 021 083 PO Box 335 Fax: 02 4956 2525 Kotara, NSW 2289 Email: horiba@austscientific.com.au www.austscientific.com.au

performing any duties to run samples on the analyser, compared to approximately 50 min required by previous instruments. Due to its ease of use, the product requires little training.

AMS Instrumentation & Calibration Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/U184

32

WHAT’S NEW IN LAB & LIFE SCIENCES - August/September 2013

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Ducted laminar flow fume cabinet The Smoothflow Class 2 Style Ducted Lami-

Custom oligonucleotides

nar Flow Cabinet is suitable for laboratories

Sigma-Aldrich supplies custom DNA and RNA

requiring both operator and process protec-

oligonucleotides to the global life science

tion in a metal-free or corrosive environment.

research community. The company analyses

The laminar flow fume cabinet is designed

all oligonucleotides by mass spectrometry,

to the performance requirements of multi-

ensuring users receive high-quality products.

ple Australian and international standards.

The company’s investment in analytical

It features fully customisable materials and

equipment provides industry-leading tools to

technology, with acid digestion models

develop and monitor its processes. Software

available and optional equipment for wet process benches.

tools for peak integration, waveform deconvolution and signal processing ensures the

The main application of the cabinet is to provide a sterile work zone

data produced will be meaningful, useful

protecting the chemical/physical process from cross-contamination and

and practical.

barrier containment for protecting the operator from contaminants contained

The team works together to create analytical

or generated from the process, similar to a biological safety cabinet. The

methods to provide users with solutions to

cabinets are used widely in earth sciences, zoological, trace-metal, nano-

support their research, product development

technology, geological and mining laboratories.

The product provides users with a high level of efficiency and a user-

and commercial requirements.

friendly interface, complete with a touch control panel that controls all

Sigma Aldrich Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/T541

functions with ease. Featuring ISO 14644-1 Class 5 integrity or better, the ducted laminar flow cabinet is performance tested to AS/NZS 2243.8 for barrier containment and AS/NZS 1668.2 for total exhaust models.

Laboratory Systems Group Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/S724

•Powerful Customisation •Accurate Analysis

HI902C Automatic Titration System HI902C automatic titrator can perform acid/base, potentiometric, ORP, complexometric, precipitation, back titrations, linked titrations and titre determinations.

With a minimum dosage of 0.05ml (40,000 steps), the accuracy and the repeatability of your analyses using HI902C is superior. Burettes are exchanged and automatically recognised in seconds using the Clip-Lock™ system.

This versatile titrator supports up to 100 methods, has a large colour LCD screen and real time titration curve amongst a host of other useful features. An external monitor and keyboard can be attached for added versatility. Print, save or download titration reports according to your needs.

Contact us to learn more about how this powerful titrator can work for you.

Tel: 03 9769 0666

Fax: 03 9769 0699 Email: sales@hannainst.com.au

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WHAT’S NEW IN LAB & LIFE SCIENCES - August/September 2013

33

CASE STUDY

Robust oxygen analyser helps composting process for organic fertiliser An organic fertiliser manufacturer has selected Michell Instruments’ XZR500 to monitor oxygen levels in its composting process. The innovative process dramatically reduces the time taken to break down animal dung into a useable form and the XZR500 forms part of the control system.

Traditionally, animal dung takes around 21 days to compost; however, the fertiliser manufacturer now achieves this in just 24 hours, with benefits to efficiency and costs.

The dung is fed into a rotating cylinder which agitates it for 24 hours, during which time the composting process is completed. Conditions in the composting chamber are very aggressive: the chicken and cow excrement used as a compost feedstock produce high levels of ammonia. The conditions in the chamber are also very humid, with temperatures ranging between 20 and 70°C. After the process is completed, the compost is dried and powdered.

The XZR500 - usually associated with applications measuring the combustion efficiency in boilers, incinerators and furnaces - helps to ensure the levels of oxygen in the composting chamber remain at the optimum level for maximum performance. The product’s probe is placed directly into the air outlet and an ejector is used to pull a sample out to the sensor housed in the ex-situ head. The MSRS zirconium oxide sensor is able to withstand the harsh atmosphere in the composting chamber without the need for a sampling system and does not require frequent replacement, ensuring low running costs.

The previous analyser used in the process had needed a sampling system with a more complex installation and routine maintenance. The sensor was an electrochemical cell which depleted over time, needed periodic replacing and added to the cost of ownership.

AMS Instrumentation & Calibration Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/T834

Humidity and temperature transmitters The Vaisala Humicap humidity and temperature transmitter series HMT330 is designed for demanding industrial applications where stable measurement and wide customisation is important.

The six different models feature a full 0-100% RH measurement range and a temperature range up to 180°C. In environments with high concentrations of chemicals and cleaning agents, a chemical purge option helps to maintain measurement accuracy between calibration intervals.

The product can be ordered with a large numerical and graphical display, which allows the user to clearly monitor operational data, measurement trends and one-year measurement history. The recorded measurement data can be viewed on the display, transferred to a PC with Windows software and viewed on Vaisala viewLinc continuous monitoring system software.

The transmitter can also be connected to a network with an optional WLAN interface, which enables a (wireless) ethernet connection. Mains and DC power options, and several mounting accessories, make the instrument easy to install.

Vaisala Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/U730

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WHAT’S NEW IN LAB & LIFE SCIENCES - August/September 2013

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Software for headspace and gas chromatography instruments Waters Empower Chromatography Data Software now provides control for Dani headspace and gas chromatography instruments. Empower Software enables laboratory-based organisations to protect their original instrument investment by controlling a vast range of chromatographic modules, connecting

Parallel evaporation system

them to a powerful data management system and

Scitek introduces the Genevac miVac series rotational vacuum concentration system,

reporting tool.

which has been specifically designed for fast yet gentle parallel low-temperature water

For scientists who use such systems, it is easier

and solvent removal.

and more preferable to master one data management

The miVac DNA is a small vacuum concentrator for the molecular biology laboratory.

tool versus multiple software packages. For these

It is capable of removing water and organic solvents from a variety of sample formats

organisations, implementation of a single solution

including microtubes, centrifuge tubes, microplates, vials and round bottom flasks, making

for instrument control and documentation has many

it a suitable concentrator for the busy molecular biology laboratory.

compelling benefits, including lower maintenance, training and validation costs. Dani now joins the many vendor systems controlled by Empower Software.

The miVac Duo and Quattro are higher capacity concentrators suitable for even busier users. miVac concentrators are very quiet. The design includes a system preheat function, said

The partnership will provide Empower Software

to result in process times up to 40% faster than comparable machines. Pre-programmed

users with access to the productivity and reliability

methods for water, solvents and maximum performance make usage very straightforward.

of Dani products, including its HS-GC system. The

The miVac Speedtrap allows for significant improvement of process times and enables

configuration is a suitable solution for the analysis of

lyophilisation (freeze drying) in one system. Vacuum pump options include two corrosion-

residual solvents in pharmaceuticals in compliance

resistant diaphragm pumps and a scroll-type, high-performance pump capable of freeze

with USP 467.

drying samples.

Waters Australia Pty Ltd

Scitek Australia Pty Ltd

Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/T397

Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/U580

www.LabOnline.com.au

WHATâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S NEW IN LAB & LIFE SCIENCES - August/September 2013

35

Automated colony counter

HPLC column

Synbiosis has introduced its aCOLyte 3 colony counting system, which is

Thermo Scientific MAbPac Protein A column

suitable for microbiologists who need to significantly increase their throughput

is an HPLC column for high-performance

and improve count accuracy.

monoclonal antibody titre analysis. The

The automated colony counter is designed for a rapid count of pour,

product is specially designed for higher

spread and spiral plates. The system can read plates of up to 90 mm in

sensitivity and accurate concentration analy-

seconds, generating precise plate count results up to 10 times faster than

sis over a wide linear range to minimise

manual counts. The numerical count data and plate images can be directly

the need to re-analyse samples.

transferred to Excel or OpenOffice to avoid errors in data transfer, ensuring

Its novel non-porous polymeric resin

accurate GLP-compliant result reporting and archiving every time.

with hydrophilic surface offers fast mass

The product provides full colour image display and

transfer to enhance throughput and minimise

comes complete with software based on Synbiosisâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; powerful

carryover. The low backpressure design

ProtoCOL 3 software. The system can be supplied with a computer or

accommodates high flow rates to further

scientists can use their own laptop or desktop PC and simply connect the

increase throughput. Concentrated peaks

device via a USB port.

are suitable for additional chromatography

The unit is lit by white LEDs mounted

or other analyses.

above and below the plate, enabling accu-

Thermo Fisher Scientific

rate detection of colonies as small as

Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/U354

0.3 mm. For laboratories where strong ambient light could interfere, there is also the option to have a detachable screen fitted to prevent any reflection or glare affecting the count.

Don Whitley Scientific Pty Limited Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/U012

T MUSD !

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VANE ANEMOMETER duE fOR cAlibRATiON? Here is your opportunity to trade in your anemometer for a brand new TSI model 5725, complete with NATA calibration.

Brand nEW anEMOMETEr 2 yEar WarranTy naTa CaLIBraTIOn CErTIFICaTE ALL FOR

995

$

EXCL. dELIvEry FEE + GST

Stereomicroscopes Nikon Instruments has released the SMZ25 and SMZ18 stereomicroscopes. Suitable for all bioscience applications, the microscopes meet the increasing need of scientists for imaging systems capable of spanning spatial scales from single cells to whole organisms.

The stereomicroscopes features a breakthrough in zoom technology, the innovative Nikon Perfect Zoom System, which enables a large zoom ratio of 25:1, high resolution and very good fluorescence transmission capability.

Both the automated zoom model SMZ25 and more economic, manual-intelligent zoom model SMZ18, can be equipped with a variety of automated and intelligent accessories including z-focus, LED Dia light intensity control and epifluorescence

For more information,

Call 1300 732 233 or visit www.kenelec.com.au 36

Kenelec Scientific P/L Laboratory #15814 accredited to ISO 17025 for the calibration of Anemometers

filter cube selection.

Coherent Scientific Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/U378

WHATâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S NEW IN LAB & LIFE SCIENCES - August/September 2013

www.LabOnline.com.au

Time-of-flight mass spectrometer with chemical ionisation source Leco Corporation has announced a chemical ionisation (HR-CI) source for the Pegasus GC-HRT (high resolution time-of-flight mass spectrometer). The field-upgradable option empowers users to dramatically change their high-resolution GC/MS information with high mass accuracy and resolution on pseudomolecular ions. The mass spectrometer is available with both electron ionisation (EI) and HR-CI sources, providing the option of comparison with classic NIST spectra (EI) and preservation of the molecular ion (HR-CI).

Together, the CI source and the Pegasus GC-HRT provide a complete package for high-throughput/high-information content analysis, with resolution up to 50,000 FWHM, mass accuracies less than 1 ppm and acquisition rates up to 200 spectra/s - all with high-integrity isotopic abundance measurements to facilitate rich information content and high-confidence analyte identification. ChromaTOF-HRT software utilises True Signal Deconvolution for accurate peak identification, seamless data handling and compatibility with the NIST library.

Leco Australia Pty Ltd

Climate chamber

Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/T576

Generation 2012 climate chambers from Memmert offer features to enhance the productivity of the laboratory. The chambers are energy efficient and have a long, maintenance-free service

WA Scientific instruments

Test Chamber ECC Series

life, making them suitable for stability tests, environmental conditioning, storage and quality assurance testing.

Offering high-precision tem-

Test chamber for constant climate conditions. Long-term stable climate conditions for stability test. With humidity controls, refrigeration for near-sub ambient work.

•

perature control from 0 to 70°C, active humidification and dehumidification from 10 to 90% rela-

•

tive humidity and light modules for warm or cold white light, the

•

units provide options for multiple applications.

•

The appliances use Peltier technology, which results in the range heating and cooling without vibration or noise. Because it runs so quietly, the constant climate chamber is suitable not only for environment simulation and long-term material tests but also for breeding insects and reptiles. Energy consumption can be reduced by up to 90% when compared to compressor technology and Peltier technology requires no coolants or regular maintenance.

Model

Code

Capacity

Additional features include

Large LCD colours touch screen display controls for temperature humidity, variety of options and real-time clock.

All process data can be logged on the removable flash memory.

Temperature range: 0°C to +70°C, variation with humidity +/- 1°c.

Humidity range: 10% r.H to 90% r.H., relative humidity fluctuation +/-2%.

• Collecting pan for condensate on the door.

• Inner glass door. adjustable • Independent

temperature safety device, with optical and acoustic alarm.

• Complete safety connection kit for water supply incl. Water hose and drain.

• Access port with silicone plug, diam.40mm.

• Door with window and interior lighting (optional)

Chamber WxDxH

Overall WxDxH

Shelf Power position Watts.

Voltage VAC.

Weight Kg.

ethernet connectivity, AtmoCon-

ECC 150

10.9020

150 L

500x500x600

720x810x1150

10

1700

240

125

trol software and full IQ/OQ/PQ

ECC 240

10.9030

240 L

600x500x800

820x840x1350

12

2000

240

170

documentation is available.

In Vitro Technologies Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/U016

www.LabOnline.com.au

ECC 430

10.9040

430 L

600x600x1200

820x940x1730

14

3000

240

250

ECC 720

10.9050

720 L

700x700x1470

920x1040x1950

20

3500

240

300

www.scientificinstrumentswa.com.au WHAT’S NEW IN LAB & LIFE SCIENCES - August/September 2013

37

For decades, electronic devices have been getting smaller, and smaller, and smaller.

It’s now possible - even routine - to place millions of transistors on a single silicon chip. But transistors based on semiconductors can only get so small.

“A

t the rate the current technology is progressing, in 10 or 20 years, they won’t be able to get any smaller,” said physicist Yoke Khin Yap of Michigan Technological University. “Also, semiconductors have another disadvantage: they waste a lot of energy in the form of heat.”

Scientists have experimented with different materials and designs for transistors to address these issues, always using semiconductors like silicon. Back in 2007, Yap wanted to try something different that might open the door to a new age of electronics.

“The idea was to make a transistor using a nanoscale insulator with nanoscale metals on top,” he said. “In principle, you could get a piece of plastic and spread a handful of metal powders on top to make the devices, if you do it right. But we were trying to create it in nanoscale, so we chose a nanoscale insulator, boron nitride nanotubes, or BNNTs, for the substrate.”

Yap’s team had figured out how to make virtual carpets of BNNTs, which happen to be insulators and thus highly resistant to electrical charge. Using lasers, the team then placed quantum dots (QDs) of gold as small as three nanometres across on the tops of the BNNTs, forming QDs-BNNTs. BNNTs are the perfect substrates for these quantum dots due to their small, controllable and uniform diameters, as well as their insulating nature. BNNTs confine the size of the dots that can be deposited.

In collaboration with scientists at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), they fired up electrodes on both ends of the QDs-BNNTs at room temperature, and something interesting happened. Electrons jumped very precisely from gold dot to gold dot, a phenomenon known as quantum tunnelling.

“Imagine that the nanotubes are a river, with an electrode on each bank. Now imagine some very tiny stepping stones across the river,” said Yap. “The electrons hopped between the gold stepping stones. The stones are so small, you can only get one electron on the stone at a time. Every electron is passing the same way, so the device is always stable.”

Yap’s team had made a transistor without a semiconductor. When sufficient voltage was applied, it switched to a conducting state.

When the voltage was low or turned off, it reverted to its natural state as an insulator.

38

Electrons flash across a series of gold quantum dots on boron nitride nanotubes. Michigan Tech scientists made the quantum-tunneling device, which acts like a transistor at room temperature, without using semiconducting materials. Image credit: Yoke Khin Yap

Furthermore, there was no ‘leakage’: no electrons from the gold dots escaped into the insulating BNNTs, thus keeping the tunnelling channel cool. In contrast, silicon is subject to leakage, which wastes energy in electronic devices and generates a lot of heat.

Other people have made transistors that exploit quantum tunnelling, says Michigan Tech physicist John Jaszczak, who has developed the theoretical framework for Yap’s experimental research. However, those tunnelling devices have only worked in conditions that would discourage the typical mobile phone user.

“They only operate at liquid-helium temperatures,” said Jaszczak.

The secret to Yap’s gold-and-nanotube device is its submicroscopic size: one micron long and about 20 nm wide. “The gold islands have to be on the order of nanometres across to control the electrons at room temperature,” Jaszczak said. “If they are too big, too many electrons can flow.” In this case, smaller is truly better: “Working with nanotubes and quantum dots gets you to the scale you want for electronic devices.”

“Theoretically, these tunnelling channels can be miniaturised into virtually zero dimension when the distance between electrodes is reduced to a small fraction of a micron,” said Yap. Yap has filed for a full international patent on the technology.

Their work is described in the article ‘Room Temperature Tunneling Behavior of Boron Nitride Nanotubes Functionalized with Gold Quantum Dots’, published online on 17 June in Advanced Materials.

WHAT’S NEW IN LAB & LIFE SCIENCES - August/September 2013

www.LabOnline.com.au

© iStockphoto.com/Miha Peroša

The death of silicon

LC columns Waters Corporation has introduced Cortecs Columns, a family of 1.6 µ solid-core UltraPerformance LC columns.

Adherent cell culture treated plate

The columns are said to bring higher efficiency to chro-

The OneWell Plate from Greiner

matography, allowing labo-

Bio-One is an adherent cell culture

ratories to produce greater

treated plate. It is suitable for

amounts of information faster

larger scale cultivation of cells

with every chromatographic

in an SBS footprint format that is

separation. Available in C18, C18+

compatible with many automated

or HILIC chemistries, they are offered

systems.

in 30 column configurations.

The non-tissue culture treated

Cortecs C18 Column is a general-purpose, high-

plate can be used as a multipur-

efficiency, reversed-phase column offering balanced retention of acids, bases and neutrals at

pose vessel for microbiological

low- and mid-range pH. Cortecs C18+ Column is a general-purpose, reversed-phase column

culture and screening as well

with a positively charged surface that delivers good peak shape for basic compounds at low

as for denaturisation, hybridisa-

pH. Cortecs HILIC Column is designed for the retention of extremely polar analytes while

tion and washing of membranes

offering orthogonal selectivity versus C18 columns.

for blots.

The column particles feature a solid, impermeable silica core encased in a porous silica

With a useable area of 95 cm2,

outer layer where the interactions between the stationary phase and the analytes occur. When

the plate is designed to offer the

used together with the low-dispersion Waters Acquity UPLC, UPLC I-Class and UPLC H-Class

user more choice.

Systems, the columns offer very high levels of performance.

Interpath Services Pty Ltd

Waters Australia Pty Ltd

Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/U285

Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/U324

Hyperspectral UV starter kit The Headwall Photonics Hyperspec UV Starter Kit provides everything needed to evaluate and categorise the spectral composition of materials and samples within the UV spectral region. The hyperspectral imaging system is designed for laboratory researchers in a wide range of application areas including forensics, document and currency examination, chemical analyses, food and pharmaceutical inspection and biotechnology analysis.

Each starter kit comes complete with a highperformance Hyperspec UV imaging spectrometer optimised for the 250-600 nm UV-VIS spectral range.

A gantry assembly, specially calibrated powerstabilised lighting, linear stage and controller, and a processor engine loaded with Headwall’s Hyperspec software completes the system.

The company’s Hyperspec Data Processing Unit manages the incoming hyperspectral data, while an optional enclosure eliminates the effect of stray light.

Both are available as accessories for the starter kit.

SciTech Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/T068

40

WHAT’S NEW IN LAB & LIFE SCIENCES - August/September 2013

www.LabOnline.com.au

Handheld colorimeter Hach has developed a multiparameter handheld instrument for testing water in the field - the DR 900 Handheld Colorimeter. The product allows for quick and easy access to the most standard water testing methods and is field ready.

The unit is driven by time savings, providing the ability to test 90 of the most commonly tested water methods while putting the userâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s favourite methods at their fingertips. By improving the user interface and method selection options, ease of testing is standard for the instrument.

The product is made for use in harsh and challenging field environments. Ruggedly constructed, waterproof, dustproof, drop tested and shock resistant, the colorimeter ensures reliability in all conditions. The instrument has a backlit display option for use in low light areas with the push of a button.

It can store data from up to 500 tests and comes with a USB port for easy data transfer to a PC or laptop after a day in the field.

Automatic back-flushing filter

Hach Company Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/U347

The automatic back-flushing filter AutoFilt RF3 series is suitable for use in process technology. It has a flow-optimised design and the advantage of conical, slotted tube filter elements in stainless steel, providing consistent flow characteristics and good filtration and back-flushing characteristics.

The product has fully automatic operation, so user intervention is not required. It has individually adjustable control parameters and low operating costs. Due to its

Water Baths

automatic back flushing, the device is cleaned independently without interrupting the ongoing filter operation. The product is therefore very low maintenance.

Its robust design is specially developed for retrofitting, making installation fast in both existing

Ultra-low Storage

Looking for minus 80 storage solutions?

and new systems. All components (control, differential pressure gauge,

Call 1800 210 805 today and speak to our friendly staff who will guide you to a more efficient, effective and cost saving option.

back-flushing valve and gear motor) are already installed on the filter, ready to use. Once the pipework has been connected, all that is required is for the auxiliary power

Shaking Incubators

supply to be applied.

The product can be used in almost all sectors of industry. Applications include the removal of

Bioline offers an extensive range of quality equipment for all types of laboratories.

solid particles from low-viscosity fluids and treating water for sprinkling and chiller systems.

HYDAC International

We are lab equipment specialists and our range of products and services extends well beyond ultra-low storage.

Wireless Monitoring

Find out more 1800 210 805

Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/U284

visit www.biolineglobal.com.au for more information

www.LabOnline.com.au

WHATâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S NEW IN LAB & LIFE SCIENCES - August/September 2013

41

my lab 42

University of Adelaide ‘braggs’ about transdisciplinary facility

By Lauren Davis When Professor Tanya Monro submitted a grant to the federal government, seeking support for a new University of Adelaide research building, the university had been working on its institute strategy. Professor Monro then suggested that the building should have an institute of its own; thus the Institute for Photonics and Advanced Sensing (IPAS) was born.

In July 2013, following the award of $29 million from the Education Investment Fund, ‘The Braggs’ was officially opened. Named after University of Adelaide alumni Sir William Henry Bragg and his son, Sir William Lawrence Bragg, the $100 million building provides over 10,000 m2 of research and teaching facilities, not only for IPAS but for students as well. This includes two floors of wet and dry laboratory spaces for first-year students covering all the sciences, a 420-seat lecture theatre, and spaces for honours and post-grad students to effectively join the IPAS team.

Although IPAS focuses on creating new sensing and measurement techniques, it does so through a transdisciplinary approach - “physics meets chemistry meets biology meets materials science”, according to Professor Monro. This approach required a lab to accommodate all these disciplines - a lab which didn’t yet exist. But now, different scientists can not only work together in the same area on the same project; they can also work apart on different projects. For example, Professor Monro explained that while the top floor of the building contains atmospheric sensing labs with hatches that open to the sky, the basement labs conduct work in mining and environmental luminescence.

Some projects may even unknowingly cross over into each other, so it’s Professor Monro’s job to link up those people whose work could be applied to someone else’s project. This is made easier because The Braggs is “all glass and open inside”, making people feel more connected.

In fact, the building’s design won it the Jack McConnell Award for Public Architecture at the South Australian Architecture Awards. The architects wanted the building to reflect the work that went on inside, so they integrated a pattern called a Bragg grating - used by IPAS scientists in their work with glass - into the facade of the building. They were also aware that a lot of work was conducted in the deliberately dark basement, and so created a void which sucks the light down, ready to greet the scientists when they emerge.

IPAS’s projects show the advances that can be made from measurement techniques in a range of areas - from using optical fibres to detecting corrosion within aircraft, to scanning for methane leaks using lasers, and developing a probe that could “essentially sit and listen to a developing embryo”, said Professor Monro. Around 30 projects are happening at any one time in The Braggs, a space described by Minister for Innovation Senator Kim Carr as “a state-of-the-art building the likes of which this country has not seen before”.

WHAT’S NEW IN LAB & LIFE SCIENCES - August/September 2013

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Introducing the NEW Scientific range from Pathtech Pathtech is launching itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Equipment Grant. > See inside for details

Laboratory Consumables

Laboratory Equipment

Microplate & Microplate Equipment

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Stains & Solvents

August 2013

Phone Pathtech 1800 069 161

pathtech.com.au

Pathtech 2013/2014

The Pathtech team are excited to share our recently expanded Scientific Consumables and Equipment range in our first catalogue for the 2013 / 2014 year.

Pathtechâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s focus is to offer quality laboratory tools to meet the everyday needs of our scientific community.

Our recently expanded Scientific Consumables and Equipment range now includes: Liquid Handling Laboratory Consumables Laboratory Equipment Microplates and Microplate Instrumentation Biobanking CryoStorage Drosophila / FlyStuff and WormStuff Stains and Solvents

We proudly supply the following Scientific brands within Australia: Argos Astral Benchmark Biohit Biosigma Buchi CAT Denville Elma Genesee Jetbiofil Mikura Neptune Porvair Pulse Ratek

For further information on any of the Scientific Consumables and Equipment within the Pathtech range, please visit the website at pathtech.com.au or alternatively, contact the Customer Service Team on 1800 069 161

1

pathtech.com.au

What’s New

Pathtech are thrilled to have recently partnered with two new suppliers: Ziath to offer customers a great range of Biobank Sample Management 2D Barcoding Equipment and Benchmark Scientific to offer some of the very best Laboratory Equipment available in market.

Our Ziath range includes • 2D Barcode Scanners • 2D Barcode Software • 2D Tubes Our Benchmark Scientific range includes • Autoclaves • Coolers • Dry Block Heaters • Homogenisers • Hotplates & Stirrers • Incubators • Micro Centrifuges • Microplate & Orbital Shakers • Reciprocating, Vortex & Rocking Platform Mixers • Rockers & Rollers • Sterilizers • Water Baths

2

Liquid Handling

Products • Mechanical Pipettes (Single and Multichannel) • Electronic Pipettes (Single and Multichannel) • Serological Pipettes • Stepper Pipettes • Transfer Pipettes • Microcentrifuge Tubes • Racks • Microplates • Plates

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Products • Cryo Labels and Tags • Light Secure Products • Pipetting Workstations • Pipette Tips (Filtered, Standard, Robotic and Speciality) • Storage Boxes • Reservoirs • Cryo Boxes and Tubes • Microcentrifuge Tubes • PCR Tubes and Caps • Transfer Pipettes • Benchtop Coolers • Ethidium Bromide • Centrifuge Tubes • Innoculating Loops • Serological Pipettes • Freezer Boxes • Pump Tubing

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Laboratory Equipment

Products • Aspiration System • Aspirator - Hand Held • Vaccum Waste System • Autoclaves • Coolers • Dry Block Heaters • Homogenisers • Hotplates and Stirrers • Incubators • Micro Centrifuges • Microplate Shakers • Orbital Shakers • Reciprocating Mixers • Rockers and Rollers • Rocking Platform Mixer • Shaking Incubators • Sterilizer • Vortex Mixers • Water Baths • Glass Reators Systems • Pressure Reactor Systems • Blood Cell Counters • Centrifuges • Ultra Sonic Baths and Accessories • Block Digestion Systems • Hybridisation Ovens • Refrigeration Units • Rotary Mixer • Warming Trays • Rotary Suspension Mixer

5

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Products • Solid Phase Extraction (SPE) Plates • Krystal Glass Plates • Krystal Clear plates • Deep well plates • Microplates • Microplate Incubator • Microplate Reader • Microplate Shaker / Incubator • Microplate Washer • Microplate Evaporators • Microplate Mat Capper and Decapper • Microplate Sealers • Microplate Seals and Foils

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Products • 2D Barcode Scanners • 2D Barcode Software • Storage Boxes • Freezer Racks • Cryovials • Cryo Labels and Tags • Workstations

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Drosophila / FlyStuff and WormStuff

Products • Vials • Trays • Closures • Anesthesia Apparatus • Worm Pick • Worm Platinium Wire

Stains and Solvents

Products • Cytology • Haemotology • Histology • Microbiology • Detergent

8

Pathtech Service

In addition to offering the very best in Scientific Consumables and Equipment to our customers, the Pathtech Team are also able to manage the Service, Repair and Calibration of a wide range of Scientific Consumables and Equipment (including those from both Pathtech and other Suppliers) via our in-house Service Laboratory.

• Liquid Handling (Pipette Brands including Biohit, Finnpipette, Gilson, Eppendorf and Socorex) • Laboratory Consumables • Laboratory Equipment • Preventative Service, Maintenance and Service / Calibration Contracts available The Pathtech Service Laboratory is committed to conducting Service, Repair and Calibration work to the highest of standards and turning work around as quickly as possible to minimise any inconvenience or downtime to our customers.

Contact the Pathtech Service Laboratory on 1800 069 161 to discuss how they can look after the Service, Repair or Calibration of your Scientific Consumables or Equipment.

9

pathtech.com.au

Introducing the Pathtech Equipment Grant Pathtech are thrilled to introduce our new Pathtech Equipment Grant and to provide the opportunity for our customers to win some of the very best Laboratory Equipment and Consumables. Entry is open to both new and existing customers and Equipment Grants are awarded on a monthly basis.

Complete your Pathtech Equipment Grant submission for your chance to win:

1

1. Benchmark MyFuge Mini Centrifuge Valued at $361 30th September 2013

2

Your chance toWIN

2. Biohit Sartorius eLine Electronic Pipette (Single channel) Valued at $795 31st October 2013

3

3. Service of a set of 4 pipettes (Single or Multi Channel) Valued at $560 30th November 2013

4

4. Biohit Satorius mLine Starter Kit including 3 x mLine Pipettes and Optifit Tips Valued at $858 20th December 2013

Please email marketing@pathtech.com.au for your Equipment Grant Application Form and Pathtech Equipment Grant terms and conditions.

10

Pathtech. Suppliers of the very best Science, Forensic and Drug and Alcohol Detection Devices The Pathtech Team have been working with the Australian Scientific Community to provide the very best products from around the world for well over 25 years. Since inception, the Pathtech Team has been committed to working closely with customers to really understand their needs and deliver products to fulfil these needs. It has been this approach which has seen Pathtech become the Supplier of choice for a wide range of customers including Government Departments (State, Territory and Federal Police, CASA, Department of Immigration and Customs), Universities, Hospitals, Research and Testing Laboratories and Private Workplaces and Organisations.

The Pathtech Science Division is part of a larger Pathtech business which includes: Forensic Drug and Alcohol Detection / Workplace Testing Division For further information on either of these Divisions, visit the Pathtech website at pathtech.com.au

Contact Us Pathtech Pty. Ltd. 46 Swanston Street, Preston VIC 3072 Australia PO Box 109, Heidelberg West VIC 3081 Australia Phone 1800 069 161 Fax +61 3 8480 3555 pathtech.com.au