• Healthcare Providers Direct (Lawrenceville, New Jersey, has introduced Colon Health Check, a self-administered diagnostic test that allows for accurate screening for colon cancer at home. Colon Health Check detects the presence of blood in stool – a major symptom of colorectal cancer and other gastrointestinal (GI) disorders – and provides a negative or positive result to the test user within five minutes. Colon Health Check is an FDA-approved immunochemical-based fecal-occult blood test.

• Nomir Medical Technologies (Waltham, Massachusetts) said it will present an abstract detailing positive in vitro and in vivo human data from its study of onychomycosis (toenail fungus) using Noveon, a dual-wavelength optical energy device. Noveon is designed to effect near-infrared photo-inactivation of fungi and bacteria at energies and temperatures that are safe to normal and healthy tissue. The data will be presented in a digital session at the New Cardiovascular Horizons "Wound Management of the Diabetic Foot and Wound Healing" conference in New Orleans, Sept. 10-13. Nomir makes optical energy technologies for anti-infective medical applications.

• ProSolv CardioVascular (Indianapolis) reported the release of ProSolv CardioVascular 4.0. This new software release features ProSolv as a web-based application for full viewing and reporting capabilities using web communication protocols, secured via SSL, in addition to a web URL single-click application download and installation for easier deployment of the application. Other enhancements include new advanced clinical tools to further aid the diagnostic process, and the full integration to Fujifilm Medical Systems' Synapse picture archiving and ommunications system. ProSolv CardioVascular, a Fujifilm company, makes information management solutions for the clinical analysis and management of digital medical images for cardiology.

• Roche Applied Science (Penzberg, Germany) reported the introduction of the MagNA Pure LC 2.0 system. The company says it now meets all requirements for a modern nucleic acid purification system. The system provides isolation of pure nucleic acids from various sample materials is crucial for sensitive molecular analysis by PCR, RT-PCR, sequencing and arrays. This fully automated system is based on the magnetic bead technology and is designed to automate nucleic acid purification and PCR setup in the medium- to high-throughput range, flexibly processing one to 32 samples at a time. The duration to purify a full batch of 32 samples is 52 to 180 minutes, depending on the application. Roche is a research-focused healthcare group in the fields of pharmaceuticals and diagnostics.

• Z-Medica (Wallingford, Connecticut) reported the introduction of the QuikClot NoseBleed brand, a product used to stop nasal bleeding. The QuikClot is gauze packing impregnated with a specially formulated substance that activates factors in blood to promote rapid blood coagulation. The packing is rolled or folded to fit into the affected nostril. Once inserted, pressure is applied and the bleeding should stop quickly. Z-Medica makes hemostatic nano-technologies.