[Histonet] Xpress and AutoTEC comments

[Bartlett, Jeanine (CDC/CCID/NCZVED)]

All,

I am not here to sing the praises of Sakura but I do want to make a few comments.  We have just received our AutoTEC but prior to its purchase I did get a sampling of the Paraform cassettes and tried them.  The mesh-like structure is not plastic and the main surface piece is cut away with trimming leaving an edge that does not affect ribboning.  I had no trouble achieving good sections with them.

As far as the Xpress goes, it suits our purpose very well.  We are not a hospital so I cannot comment on how it works in that environment but we are quite satisfied.  

An aside regarding a comment I read that someone with a source knew they were going to quadruple the price on the kits....well, I spoke with my rep. and she said absolutely not.  "We are not in the business of making our customers angry!'   I tend to believe her.  

Just my two cents worth......

Jeanine Bartlett, BS, HT(ASCP)
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
1600 Clifton Road, MS/G-32
18/SB-114
Atlanta, GA  30333
(404) 639-3590 
jeanine.bartlett <@t> cdc.hhs.gov



From: histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu [mailto:histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of Rene J Buesa
Sent: Tuesday, October 10, 2006 11:57 AM
To: Heckford, Karen - SMMC-SF; histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
Subject: RE: [Histonet] STP420 from Richard Allan. .

Karen:
  That is exactly what I was referring to. There is no way that adding something hard enough to survive the process that is able to keep pushed down the tissue is going to cut "just as if it did not exist".
  On the other hand, if you are going to use the Xpress along with this automated embedding instrument, you have to change the cassettes holders and reduce them to just 20 per run which means cutting the throughput Xpress capability by 34% (to just 80 cassettes / 105 minutes).
  René J.

"Heckford, Karen - SMMC-SF" <Karen.Heckford <@t> CHW.edu> wrote:
  I have actually tried the new cassette that you afe suppose to cut the plastic with the tissue. It was so absolutely horrible I had to laugh.
What will they think of next?
Karen Heckford HT (ASCP) CE
Lead Histology Technician
Histology/Pathololgy Department
St. Mary's Medical Center
450 Stanyan St.
San Francisco, Ca. 94117
415-668-1000 ext. 6167
Fax: 415-750-8123
email: kheckfor <@t> chw.edu


Jeanine Bartlett, BS, HT(ASCP)
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
1600 Clifton Road, MS/G-32
18/SB-114
Atlanta, GA  30333
(404) 639-3590 
jeanine.bartlett <@t> cdc.hhs.gov