In this new section, CLP takes a look at some of the exhibitors participating in the American Association for Clinical Chemistry Annual Meeting, which will be held July 25–29 in Los Angeles.

Abaxis Inc
(Booth #2035)

Abaxis provides lipid, comprehensive metabolic, basic metabolic, hepatic, renal, electrolytes, critical care panels and more for the portable Piccolo® chemistry and electrolyte analyzer. The panels are self-contained discs that use a few drops of whole blood, serum, or plasma with less than 2 minutes of hands-on time. With built-in iQC and calibration, results are provided in less than 13 minutes in a hard copy report suitable for the patients’ files or transferable to an LIS. The panels are individually packaged 10 discs to a box.

(800) 822-2947; www.abaxis.com

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Bio-Rad Laboratories
(Booth #1011)

Bio-Rad offers a full line of urinalysis control products. The qUAntify® control is a liquid dipstick control that includes hCG. The qUAntify Plus control is a liquid combination control for urine dipstick and microscopic analysis that includes hCG and microalbumin, and the qUAntify Micro control is a liquid urine microscopic control for RBCs, WBCs, and crystals. Also included in the line of controls is the Liquichek™ Urinalysis control liquid—a combination control for urine dipstick and microscopic analysis that includes hCG and microalbumin.

Bio-Rad also has third-party controls that perform independently of reagent and kit log changes. These controls provide an unbiased assessment of the test system and act similar to patient samples. The company’s chemical controls are serum and human urine based and consist of a menu of more than 80 analytes in one control. Several liquid controls are available for monitoring cardiac assessment testing. These controls are human serum based and consist of several Troponin I levels, including very low Troponin I values. The cardiac immunoassay controls also include analytes such as CK-MB, homocysteine, myoglobin, total CK and digitoxin.

Bio-Rad also offers a full line of versatile coagulation controls that includes Lyphochek® coagulation control, Lyphochek hemostasis control, and Liquichek™ D-dimer control.

(800) 224-6723; www.bio-rad.com 

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Chemicon International Inc
(Booth #2130)

The combined Chemicon/Serologicals product offering includes Monoclonal antibodies with more than 7,000 in-house hybridoma cell lines for a broad range of specific needs, such as infectious disease, tumor markers, and CD markers. Also included in the program are purified antigens that include viral, tumor, and serum protein antigens. Chemicon’s Polyclonal primary antibodies are affinity-purified second-step antibodies with PE conjugates for multiplexing formats.

(800) 437-7500; www.chemicon.com

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Corgenix Inc
(Booth #2126)

Corgenix develops, manufactures, and markets clinical laboratory diagnostic products for the worldwide health care market. The REAADS product range of ELISA based assays use proprietary technology and focus on the diagnosis and management of selected autoimmune, vascular, and liver disorders, such as antiphospholipid syndrome and von Willebrand’s disease. Corgenix also offers contract research and development manufacturing services.

(800) 729-5661; www.corgenix.com

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DPC
(Booth #1001)

DPC’s IMMULITE® 2500 SMS immunoassay system provides stat testing capability combined with Logic Driven Incubation (LDI™) and the company’s sample management system (SMS). The IMMULITE 2500 provides solutions in areas such as stat cardiac, routine, esoteric, infectious disease, and allergy testing. LDI technology enables the system to simultaneously process assays with different incubation times. The SMS increases sample capacity, providing sample-sorting capability while allowing the system to link to any open laboratory automation solution. The IMMULITE 2500 SMS is equipped with DPC’s RealTime Solutions™ Internet-based service support program.

(800) 372-1782; www.dpcweb.com

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Gen-Probe
(Booth #1847)

The TIGRIS® DTS™ system from Gen-Probe is a fully automated, high-throughput instrument for molecular diagnostic usage. The system runs Gen-Probe’s APTIMA COMBO 2® assay for simultaneously detecting Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae. No manual sampling preparation is required to initiate a run to generate test results.

Gen-Probe also offers its SB100™ dry heat bath/vortexer, which performs active heating, cooling, and vortexing of as many as 100 specimen samples in 12 x 75 mm test tubes. The SB100 uses Peltier thermoelectric modules to heat and cool samples. The modules are solid-state devices capable of electrically pumping heat. Thirty-five protocols are preprogrammed in the system’s software, and as many as 10 additional user-programmed protocols can be entered to suit the needs of individual laboratories.

(800) 523-5001; www.gen-probe.com

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Genzyme
(Booth #929)

The OSOM® Trichomonas rapid test from Genzyme was developed to detect Trichomonas vaginalis. The test is fast, easy, and objective and features easy-to-read, two-color results in 10 minutes. The company’s OSOM BVBLUE® test aids in the diagnosis of bacterial vaginosis and the detection of sialidase, which is associated with Gardnerella, bacteroides, prevotella, and mobiluncus.

(617) 252-7500; www.genzyme.com

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Helmer
(Booth #1658)

Helmer’s Rotanta 46 RSC refrigerated, robotic centrifuge features PC control and rotor positioning, which allows it to perform routine laboratory tasks by way of remote optical data transmission. If needed, all functions can be controlled manually on the control panel. Models are available with a front- or rear-access hatch for processing tubes, bottles, and microtitration plates. The Rotanta 46 RSC features a metal housing and lid, stainless-steel centrifuge chamber, and impact-resistant panel coating. Maximum RPM is 4,500 with maximum RCF at 4,754. Capacity is 4 x 750 mL.

(317) 773-9073; www.helmerinc.com

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INOVA Diagnostics Inc
(Booth #1700)

QUANTA Plex™ homogenous multiplexing technology provides laboratories with rapid multiparameter profiling capabilities. The automated immunoassay system offers true multiplex testing, allowing the simultaneous individual measurement of 10 or more autoantibody reactivities in a single well. The QUANTA Plex autoimmune profile panels include ENA profile 4, 5, 6, and 8.

(800) 545-9495; www.inovadx.com

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Instrumentation Laboratory
(Booth #2717)

Instrumentation Laboratory’s Intelligent Quality Management (iQM™) system is an automated quality assurance system that replaces the use of conventional external quality control. For use with the GEM Premier 3000 critical care analyzer, the iQM is designed to improve the quality of test results, enhance patient care, and reduce costs. The system’s active quality process control program continuously monitors operation of the entire analytical process, including sensors, fluidics and electronics, following the same path that a patient sample travels so that no part of the system is left unchecked.

(800) 955-9525; www.ilus.com

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ITC
(Booth #2147)

Immediate and reliable tests can be performed at the patient’s bedside with the IRMA TRUpoint™ from ITC. Utilizing electrochemical-sensor technology with an interactive touch screen, the test is capable of measuring pH, blood gases, hematocrit, electrolytes, and other chemistries. Results are available in 60 to 90 seconds by way of single-use test cartridges. The IRMA TRUpoint test features automatic quality control, patient and cartridge bar-code scanning, operator security features, results printing, and data management.

(800) 631-5945; www.itcmed.com

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Microgenics
(Booth #1615)

The MGC 240™ benchtop analyzer from Microgenics offers a broad menu of immunoassays for drugs-of-abuse screenings, specimen validity tests, immunosuppressant drug monitoring, and therapeutic drug management. The random access analyzer offers true stat interrupt capabilities and adapts to various primary tubes and sample cups. The MGC 240 uses semipermanent, plastic cuvettes that employ a distinctive air-pressure mixing system, eliminating stirring paddles and carryover. Features such as reagent/test volume inventory display, a user-friendly operator interface, and run-motor displays with test result wait time are included in the system’s Windows-based software.

(800) 232-3324; www.microgenics.com

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Ortho-Clinical Diagnostics
(Booth #2123)

The VITROS ECiQ immunodiagnostic system from Ortho-Clinical Diagnostics is an easy-to-use, flexible, and fully automated laboratory testing system that provides true continuous stat random access capabilities for routine and specialty immunodiagnostic testing. The system uses proprietary enhanced chemiluminescence detection technology to provide assay performance that includes wide dynamic ranges and precision and sensitivity. VITROS ECiQ uses Intellicheck™ technology—a proprietary technology that increases the integrity and security of reported patient results while helping to ensure greater confidence and productivity for laboratories.

The company’s VITROS® 5,1 FS chemistry system features MicroSlide™ technology for reportable result efficiency and Intellicheck technology for advanced clot and bubble detection. The VITROS 5,1 FS chemistry system provides clinicians with an extended menu of special chemistry and immunoassay methods. The MicroTip™ reagents used within the system eliminate the maintenance and cost associated with water, plumbing, drains, fixed probes, and mixing assemblies.

(800) 828-6316; www.orthoclinical.com

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Quantimetrix Corp
(Booth #1734)

GlycoHemosure is the new serum hemoglobin A1c control from Quantimetrix. The control is intended for use as a reference material to monitor serum hemoglobin A1c, an important analyte that serves as a more effective indicator of glycemic control in diabetic patients. GlycoHemosure is a human serum-based liquid that requires no reconstitution. It’s available at two levels with 18-month closed vial stability at 2^o to 8^oC.

(800) 845-1834; www.4qc.com

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RAM Scientific
(Booth #1978)

Items in RAM’s SAFE-T-FILL‚ product line give plastic tubes the same capillary action as glass tubes without the risks associated with glass. The tubes provide users with better samples by avoiding hemolysis and tissue contamination that may be caused by using other micro blood collection methods. For those tests requiring additives, the capillary tube is coated with the additive to begin mixing with the blood sample as it is collected. The company’s complete line of SAFE-T-FILL products includes capillary blood collection systems, blood gas capillary tubes, microhematocrit tubes, and fetal-scalp tubes. SAFE-T-FILL products can be customized to suit individual requirements.

(781) 433-0766; www.ramsci.com

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Sigma-Aldrich Corp
(Booth #561)

The first edition of the Sigma-Aldrich MedBasics product guide is now available. The guide, Essentials for the Medical Laboratory, features more than 3,000 products from areas such as hematology, histology, cytochemistry, cell separation media, stains and dyes, cell culture, immunology, molecular biology, laboratory equipment, buffers, solvents, and inorganic and organic reagents. The guide contains indexes by product name and number to help users locate the appropriate item more easily. A copy of Essentials for the Medical Laboratory can be acquired from Sigma-Aldrich’s Web site.

(800) 325-3010; www.sigma-aldrich.com/medbasics

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The Drucker Co
(Booth #2625)

The Performance series of horizontal centrifuges from Drucker is the company’s response to industry demand for higher separation forces, platelet-poor and platelet-free plasma, and shorter processing times. The new line of centrifuges includes the 842VES, 853VES, and the 755VES. Each unit features a digital time and speed display, variable acceleration, variable braking, safety imbalance detection, RCF conversion, and memory presets.

(814) 342-6205; www.druckercompany.com