• Varian (Chicago) introduced its new 900-MS series Fourier Transform mass spectrometers. (FTMS) for applications including proteomics, metabolomics, petrochemical and environmental analyses. The available field strengths of the magnets include 7, 9.4, 12.0 and now 15.0 Tesla, the highest commercially available FTMS magnet, Varian said. Varian makes scientific instruments and vacuum technologies for life science and industrial applications.

• VNUS Medical Technologies (San Jose, California) said that the first report of six-month follow-up clinical results from a trial of the ClosureFAST endovenous radio frequency (RF) vein ablation catheter was given at the American Venous Forum meeting. Treatments with the ClosureFAST catheter resulted in an average energy delivery time of 2.2 minutes, and the average procedure time (measured from catheter insertion to catheter removal, including the time for the administration of tumescent anesthesia) was 16.4 minutes. The ClosureFAST catheter is designed to heat, shrink and occlude refluxing saphenous veins with RF ablation times of three to five minutes while maintaining a fast, mild patient recovery that physicians expect with RF vein ablation. VNUS makes products for the minimally invasive treatment of venous reflux disease.